The Dolores Town Board approved the 2017 budget on Monday.
The budget is based on an estimated income of about $1 million derived from fees, grants, property taxes and sales taxes.
The town is facing maintenance costs on infrastructure for 2017. But no increases in utility fees are expected, said town manager Lana Hancock.
Major expenses for 2017 include $50,000 to pay off the town loader and $13,300 for a new industrial mower. Maintenance on the Fourth Street bridge is expected to cost about $35,000. A report on repairs from CDOT is expected in March.
Also, a sleeve for a sewer line that crosses the Dolores River will be upgraded, and estimated costs are $20,000. About $25,000 is budgeted for asphalt crack repairs on Central Avenue.
Revenues from oil and gas taxes took a hit because of the downturn in the industry. Mineral lease revenues dropped from $76,341 collected in 2016 to $31,000 expected to come in for 2017. Severance taxes, also tied to oil and gas, went from $10,044 in 2015 to $4,867 in 2016, and are estimated to bring in $3,500 for 2017.
“The downturn in the industry affects everyone,” Hancock said.
Helping to counter that is the upward trend in sales taxes, she said. In 2016, the town collected $351,437 in sales tax revenues, compared with $311,065 in 2015 and $296,784 in 2014.
The town is looking into applying for a grant to conduct a utility-rate study and long-term assessment of the water and sewer plants. A formal request for information will be sent out soon to determine approximate costs before the town applies for the grant.
“We are looking down the road to see what we need to sustain or build up,” Hancock said.
On behalf of Dolores Schools, the town applied for a $24,000 planning grant from Great Outdoors Colorado to study feasibility of a proposed track and football field in Joe Rowell Park. The project would be funded by the school district.
Town staff received a 3 percent cost-of-living raise.
“We have excellent employees who work together well and a lot of have expertise in different areas,” she said.
Other town newsThe expanded Christmas in Dolores event was a big hit, said Mayor Santiago Lopez. The event attracted nearly 300 kids and their parents, more than double from past year’s. This year, Dolores Schools band and choir performed, and there was a chili supper and town Christmas tree. Santa arrived on a sleigh pulled by mini-horses.The town plans on adding signage on its trailheads to highlight the new McPhee Overlook trail.Montezuma County Sheriff’s deputy Tish Strawn reported a crackdown on speeders in town. Warnings were given the first week to speeders around the school, where the speed limit is 15 mph. By the second week, everyone had slowed down, she said.The sheriff’s office completed the temporary holding pen for the mounted patrol horses on the west side of the town equipment yard. The horses will be used for special events such as Escalante Days and Dolores River Days.The town donated $1,000 to the Dolores Community Center to help with repairs.The board passed a clarified OHV ordinance. OHVs are not permitted on public streets or roads, highways or property of the town, except in following cases: during emergency conditions declared by proper state or local authority; when using an off highway vehicle for agricultural purposes; for utility workers reading or repairing meters. Violation of the ordinance is punishable by a fine of up to $499. jmimiaga@the-journal.com