Mesa County commissioners approve EMS, road-striping, hazardous-waste and parks contracts; vacate small Palisade right-of-way

Mesa County commissioners on Feb. 10 approved a slate of routine but operationally significant contracts and unanimously voted to vacate an 18-foot portion of right-of-way on a Palisade parcel.

The board approved a one-year renewal with Colorado West Emergency Physicians LLC to provide EMS medical direction for the county at a cost of $182,000, saying the agreement ensures every EMS clinician and agency has a designated medical director as required by law. "This contract ensures that we will have that, required by law component in place in the Mesa County EMS system for the rest of the year," Mesa County EMS coordinator Chris Rowland said. The motion to approve carried 3 to 0.

Commissioners also authorized Public Works to place a purchase order to PPG Ennis for $314,721 to buy 16,200 gallons of white paint and 11,700 gallons of yellow paint for the 2026 striping season. Daniel Larkin, senior traffic engineer, described the purchase as the routine annual order "to cover the white and yellow lines again as we do every year." The purchase was approved by a 3-0 vote.

The board approved a third amendment and extension to the county's contract with Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc. for hazardous-waste disposal, not to exceed $120,000 and authorized the chair to sign. Jennifer Richardson, Solid Waste and Sustainability Division Director, outlined the county-run hazardous-waste collection program, which the county opened in partnership with the school district and which offers free household hazardous-waste disposal to in-county residents and a paid option for out-of-county users. "Clean Harbors provides comprehensive tracking and reporting which allows us to verify all transportation and disposal activities," Richardson said. She told commissioners that Mesa County sends about 280,000 pounds of hazardous waste to Clean Harbors (and that the county receives more than 500,000 pounds of hazardous waste overall). Commissioners approved the amendment 3 to 0.

Travis Haldeman, the county parks and grounds manager, asked the board to renew the contract with Grand Mesa Landscape Maintenance for parks and grounds services at various county locations for $177,884. Haldeman said the county contracts these services because it is still economically beneficial and that the vendor maintains roughly 65 acres across nine parks and 16 buildings. Commissioners thanked staff and approved the contract 3 to 0.

Separately, the board recessed and convened as the Mesa County Whitewater Public Improvement District to consider a consent agenda item and approved it by unanimous vote before reconvening as the Board of County Commissioners.

On a land-use item, the board considered PRO20250154, a request to vacate an 18-foot portion of a proclaimed right-of-way affecting the parcel at 3939 GN 2 Tenths Road in Palisade, owned by Thomas Arnold and Phaedra Howe. Colin Rohde, Mesa County planning technician, said the updated exhibit shows the vacation now affects only the subject parcel and that the request meets the vacation criteria in sections 4.2 and 3.09 of the 2020 Mesa County Land Development Code (as amended 04/23/2024). A commissioner moved to approve the vacation, the motion was seconded, and the measure carried 3 to 0.

The meeting opened with a tribute to Mesa County Deputy Derek Gere on the 10th anniversary of his death; Undersheriff Matt King recognized family members and the deputy's service before the business agenda began. The board adjourned after completing the day's items.

Votes at a glance: Consent agenda — approved (motion carries 3 to 0); EMS medical-direction contract — approved (3 to 0); Paint purchase for striping — approved (3 to 0); Clean Harbors hazardous-waste contract amendment/extension — approved (3 to 0); Grand Mesa parks maintenance contract — approved (3 to 0); PRO20250154 vacation of right-of-way — approved (3 to 0).