Ouray County keeps Jake Neece as chair; board confirms vice chair and routine appointments

The Ouray County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 16 voted to keep Commissioner Jake Neece as chair for 2026 after more than an hour of public comment and internal debate.

Residents urged the board to restore a long‑standing practice of rotating the chair. "This practice supports fairness, shared leadership, and public trust," said Sheldon Kerr, a Ridgeway resident. Several speakers asked that Lynn Padgett be given the chair’s turn; Padgett and others said a facilitated retreat could help repair tensions.

Commissioner Michelle Nauer moved to keep Neece as chair, saying she preferred not to take the role herself this year because of personal commitments. The motion passed by roll call: Padgett abstained; Nauer and Neece voted yes. The board then confirmed Nauer as vice chair by the same tally after a nomination from the chair.

The board also approved a slate of routine reorganization items. Among them, the commission designated Antonio Mendez as budget officer pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 29‑1‑104, appointed Ty Barger as road superintendent under C.R.S. 43‑2‑111 and named the Ouray County Plaindealer as the county’s legal newspaper under C.R.S. 24‑70‑103. The county website was designated as the primary official posting place for public notices, with the courthouse exterior bulletin board retained as a secondary location.

Commissioners said they heard repeated public pleas for better teamwork and transparency. "We have new staff coming on. A facilitated retreat and team building would be an incredible opportunity," said Robin Cascade, who had submitted written comments. Several commissioners signaled willingness to pursue facilitation after the holidays once the new county manager is on board.

The board also agreed to recover actual costs (laundry, carpet cleaning, staff time) for certain fairgrounds events where those costs were incurred, but said it would not pursue retroactive user‑fees for events already held. Staff were directed to prepare written agreements for upcoming short‑term events and to invite affected user groups to a January work session on the event center’s future.

The commission’s action leaves the county with continuity in leadership into 2026 while directing staff and the board to pursue steps aimed at improving workplace relations and public engagement. The board scheduled a special January work session to follow up on facilitation and event‑center management.