San Juan County Council appoints pro, con committees for 2026 levy lid lift

San Juan County Council on Monday approved a slate of volunteers to serve on pro and con committees that will write the statements appearing in the voter pamphlet for the county's 2026 levy lid lift.

The county manager told the council the board adopted a resolution on Feb. 10 placing the levy lid lift on the special-election ballot and that staff posted a press release on Feb. 11 seeking committee members. After contacting more than two dozen people, three volunteers agreed to serve on the pro committee and one volunteer agreed to serve on the con committee. "The committee's sole job is to write the language for the pro and the con statement that goes into the voter pamphlet," the county manager said. Committees must submit their language by March 6.

At the meeting the chair read the names on the agenda: pro-committee members Sandy Bishop, Terry Brown and Chris Cord, and con-committee member Philip Emanuel. Council member Paulson moved to approve the slate and the chair seconded. The council took a voice vote; Paulson and the chair each said "Aye," and the motion was declared approved. The county manager said he will provide the elections office with a form containing the appointees' contact information. The meeting was adjourned at 9:03 a.m.

The action implements a procedural step required after the council placed the levy lid lift on the ballot: assembling official pro and con authors for the voter pamphlet and establishing the March 6 submission deadline for those statements.