The Montezuma County budget jumped for 2020, with additional expenditures going toward paving roads, infrastructure projects and law enforcement.
On Dec. 17 county commissioners approved a $51.3 million budget, up from $44 million in 2019.
The increase is tied to $5 million for more road paving projects, $730,000 for a new landfill cell, $261,000 for information technology upgrades, $350,000 for three new sheriff officers and three new detention officers, $325,000 to replace the roofs on the health department, sheriff office and jail, $300,000 for vehicle fleet maintenance and replacement, and $130,000 for purchase of a county road garage in Pleasant View.
Other capital improvements include $200,000 for upgrading the fairgrounds’ bathrooms and kitchen, $150,000 toward upgrading the senior center kitchen, $135,000 toward Paths to Mesa Verde trail, $120,000 for solar arrays on county buildings, and $50,000 towards an electric vehicle charging station.
“The main parts of the 2020 budget are roads, a new cell at the landfill, more law enforcement and solar power on county buildings,” said county administrator Shak Powers.
To pay for the $5 million in road paving projects, $1.25 million will come from the county road department reserve and $3.75 million will come out of the general fund reserves of $13.75 million, leaving it at $10 million.
The county general fund budget is $14.3 million. It covers 27 departments and includes county commissioners, sheriff and detention, county assessor, county treasurer, county clerk, district attorney, county attorney, administration, fairgrounds, planning, building maintenance, veterans services, senior services, information technology, noxious weeds, emergency management and the county fair.
Other budgets include $7.4 million for the Road and Bridge Department, $16.7 million for Social Services, $2.2 million for Public Health, $1.3 million for Landfill Enterprise, $784,000 for Law Enforcement Authority Fund, $96,737 for Conservation Trust Fund, $215,000 for Emergency Telephone Service Fund, and $150,000 for Lodgers Tax Fund.
The county also hired a comptroller, Joyce Williams, to oversee finances. County employees will receive a 2% cost of living raise.
The county’s 10.33 property tax mill levy is expected to bring in $7.9 million for 2020, a $400,000 increase from 2019.
Federal and state revenues for Payment in Lieu of Taxes and Severance Taxes are expected to return in 2020 after being dropped in 2019. PILT is expected to bring in $173,500 and severance taxes $177,800.
On contributions to nonprofit groups, the county chipped in $27,000 to the Cortez Animal shelter, $10,000 toward the Axis Acute Treatment Unit for mental health services, and $15,000 toward Community Connections, plus others.
The commission was divided on the budget, which passed on a 2-1 vote. Commissioners Keenan Ertel and Larry Don Suckla voted for it, and Commissioner Jim Candelaria voted against it.
The issue about how much to draw down the reserve for paving roads created some contentious debate, but a motion by Suckla unanimously passed allocating the funds.
When asked why he voted against the final budget, Candelaria responded in an email that as diverse commissioners “we are to express our opinion as we see it best for the constituents. I have expressed my side and a vote was taken. I will move forward on the budget as it stands. I see a great year ahead as a team, even if we all don’t agree on everything.”
jmimiaga@the-journal.com