Montrose County adopts 2025 budget, sets mill levy and approves $1.95M jail supplemental appropriation

The Montrose County Board of County Commissioners adopted the county 2025 final budget and annual appropriation on Wednesday, approving related tax and capital adjustments and a supplemental appropriation for the jail remodel.

Finance Director Cindy Dunlap told the board that projected 2025 ending fund balances have fallen by "just about $10,500,000," from about $59.8 million in October to a revised figure of approximately $49.3 million, driven by labor adjustments, changes to the North Campus project and revised sales-tax projections. Dunlap said labor costs across all funds rose roughly $974,000 and staff added three full-time positions, including two in county management and one administrative assistant, plus a reallocation of the digital accessibility coordinator to IT.

"We've increased the amount budgeted for the North Campus to $15,000,000 and are proposing to move the related debt financing out to 2026," Dunlap said, describing a reduced 2025 capital scope aligned with received bids. She also noted an additional $100,000 for the Veterans Memorial project and a modest downward revision in sales-tax receipts that reduced fund balance by about $72,000.

Commissioners voted to adopt Resolution No. 57-2024 to approve the 2025 budget and annual appropriation. The meeting record shows the motion, a second and an affirmative voice vote; a roll-call tally is not included in the transcript.

At a separate public hearing in the same meeting, Dunlap requested a second supplemental appropriation of $1,950,000 for the jail remodel and expansion to account for project timing and costs falling in 2024 rather than 2025. She said the contractor work progressed faster than originally scheduled. The board approved Resolution No. 58-2024 to authorize the appropriation.

Dunlap also presented the mill-levy resolution for levy year 2024/budget year 2025. She reported a Social Services Fund net mill levy of 2.5, a total net mill levy for 2025 of 21.608 and a total property tax assessment of $18,569,527. The board adopted Resolution No. 59-2024 to establish the levy for 2024/budget year 2025.

The meeting record shows the board also approved two contract items discussed during general business: a 2025 amendment to the county inmate health-care services agreement (turnkey medical services) and a Summit Food Services amendment that includes a roughly 6% price increase tied to CPI and contract benefits; Sheriff Office Commander Dean McNulty recommended renewal of both agreements and the board voted to approve them.

Commissioner Keith Caddy introduced a separate general-business action in which the county agreed to contribute $100,000 to a Montrose County health-education account in partnership with Colorado Mesa University and the Colorado Mesa University Foundation; commissioners approved the memorandum of understanding to establish the fund. The board also approved a 12-month extension to record the Cooper Weber Minor Subdivision, which will expire May 15, 2025.

Votes at a glance - Resolution No. 57-2024 (2025 budget and annual appropriation): adopted (motion, second, voice vote; roll-call tally not specified in transcript). - Resolution No. 58-2024 (2nd supplemental appropriation, jail remodel, $1,950,000): adopted (motion, second, voice vote). - Resolution No. 59-2024 (establish mill levy for levy year 2024/budget year 2025): adopted (motion, second, voice vote). - Inmate health-care and food-service contract amendments (2025): approved (motion, second, voice vote). - Cooperative MOU with Colorado Mesa University (Montrose County health education account, county contribution $100,000): approved (motion, second, voice vote). - Cooper Weber Minor Subdivision 12-month recording extension (expires 05/15/2025): approved (motion, second, voice vote).

What happens next: staff said the North Campus financing and South Campus engineering analyses will be brought back to the board for further direction, and the county will proceed with implementation steps tied to the adopted budget and the approved supplemental appropriation.

Sources: Budget presentation and Q&A by Finance Director Cindy Dunlap and county management; motion and vote language recorded in the meeting transcript.