Commissioners weigh options as grant‑funded search‑and‑rescue cabin faces deadline and cost questions

Dolores County commissioners discussed next steps for a grant-funded search-and-rescue cabin during their Dec. 22 meeting, including the possibility of an extension, alternate locations, and options to reduce the county’s repayment obligation.

A county official described efforts to secure an extension and said one of three decision-makers had already indicated support as of the prior Friday. The official said the original grant budget was about $38,000 and the county has spent roughly $24,000; one option under consideration was to complete an acceptable, lower-cost fulfillment of the grant so the county would not have to return the full award, provided the grantor accepted that approach.

The officials discussed alternative solutions if the cabin cannot be completed in place by the deadline, including siting the facility on a property controlled by a regional parks agency (which would allow the county to avoid returning funds) or pursuing a land-swap with the U.S. Forest Service. Commissioners said they prefer to keep the cabin accessible to local trails and users, noting that moving it farther from the trail would reduce its utility.

What happens next: County staff will continue negotiating with the grantor about an extension and explore alternate siting or cost-reduction options. Commissioners said they want to preserve the cabin for local search-and-rescue use but will seek solutions that avoid or reduce repayment obligations if the project cannot be completed by the grant deadline.