Pitkin County reviews $48.7M in carryforwards; net $22.7M increase to 2026 budget projected

County finance staff presented the annual carryforward package and supplemental appropriations, describing categories of eligible carryforwards (multi-year projects, one-time projects, replacement schedules and dedicated revenues) and highlighting several large capital items.

Connie, the county’s finance presenter, said the resolution contains eight separate line items above $1 million, including roughly $17.5 million for the solid waste center, $8.5 million for airport modernization, $2.6 million for jail-safety improvements, and combined electrification projects of about $5.1 million at the library and health and human services buildings. She said the Open Space & Trails Fund includes major renovation allocations and that the capital fund projection was off by about $300,000 compared with earlier estimates.

"Connie: Altogether this will increase the county's 2026 budgeted expenditures by 48.66 million, offset by an increase in revenues of 25.9 million for a net increase to the county budget of about 22.7 million," the finance presenter told the board.

Commissioners probed the Glacier Farmstead renovation costs (about $3.6 million), possible grant matches, and whether Open Space & Trails fund balances would remain healthy; staff said OST still has over $20 million in fund balance and that debt timing (a GOCO 2027 $10 million draw) is already in the five-year plan. The board set a public hearing for April 22 for final appropriation and moved to approve the supplemental resolution to amend the 2026 budget for carryover projects.

Staff emphasized that these are carryforwards, not new appropriations, and that the dollars were already included in prior budgetary approvals.