Park County approves letter supporting Secure Rural Schools funding after staff updates county figures

Park County commissioners voted Dec. 9 to sign a letter supporting Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funding after county staff updated the letter to reflect Park County’s own figures rather than national estimates.

Lisa Rosberg, Park County superintendent, told the commission she reviewed figures Erica and other staff provided and corrected numbers previously pulled from a national site (NACo). “The figures that I pulled off of NACO were not exactly what were Park County's figures,” Rosberg said, and said she had circulated an updated letter.

A county staff speaker summarized the change and potential local impact, saying Park County “actually lost 57% of secure… funding from 2023 to 2025” and that in 2026 the county “stands to lose 65%, which would be equivalent to $361,735 of what we received in 2023,” as presented in the meeting. A resident who addressed the commission highlighted the potential effect on roads and schools, saying that roads received about $279,000 in FY 2023 and, under the projected cuts, could fall to roughly $40,000 in FY 2026 (staff described several different figures during the exchange). The transcript contains conflicting and approximate numbers; the commission approved the letter but did not resolve every data discrepancy at the meeting.

Commissioner Vermillion moved that the county sign the letter of support for SRS funds; a second was recorded and the commission voted in favor. Commissioners said they could amend the letter with updated numbers if necessary or return the item to a future agenda for further public review.

The action was a vote to sign a letter of support rather than a funding appropriation; the commission did not adopt specific remedial measures at the meeting. Staff indicated some federal grants and reimbursements are on hold and discussed possible use of ARPA funds for local projects if federal reimbursements do not arrive.