The first of December brought snow to the Roaring Fork Valley but it did not bring public comments to the Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting. For the first time in a few weeks, no one had anything to say that wasn’t on the agenda. Not even about the upcoming library board of trustees interviews (which the BOCC has set for Dec. 12 at 8am at the county building in Glenwood Springs).
The BOCC’s agenda was slim, so the meeting lasted a little over an hour. But, this does not mean that agenda items, such as honoring county election judges and approving mill levies and letters to Congress, were any less important.
Commissioner Mike Samson introduced a letter sent last week to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson (R-LA HD4) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY HD8), urging them to act fast on Senate Bill 356, the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025. The bill was introduced in February by Republican Senator Mike Crapo from Idaho. It has 27 co-sponsors, according to Legiscan, including Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper.
The bill would extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (SRS). Before 2000, certain rural counties near national forests received funding from timber sales. As commercial logging declined, the SRS was passed to offset losses and guarantee funding for the counties.
According to the National Association of Counties, of which Garfield County is a member, the SRS authorized about $232 million to more than 700 counties two years ago. The SRS has not been reauthorized since 2023, which has caused budget shortfalls. The BOCC letter states, “Across the 41 states previously receiving SRS payments, total funding was cut by 63%, resulting in a $177 million loss.”
A separate funding source, known as the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, supplements the SRS for public lands counties. Since federal lands cannot be taxed by counties, PILT funding takes up some of the slack. But, without SRS monies, PILT isn’t enough.
“For Garfield County, that means fewer resources for school operations, delayed bridge and road repairs and reduced capacity for wildfire prevention…” the letter states. The BOCC wants the SRS to be made permanent or good for two to five years so reauthorization doesn’t have to occur annually.
Next, county election judges were honored for their service and were on hand to bask in the glow of accolades from Jackie Harmon, county clerk and recorder, and the BOCC. Harmon said she has become more passionate about supporting the team that supports her during elections. “We train them, we lead them, we guide them and we teach them the rules and the processes,” she said. “But they are the hands of the elections.”
Commission Chair Tom Jankovsky gave a shout-out to retired county clerk and recorder Jean Alberico. “I’ve thanked her many times for going with [voting system] Clear Ballot, not Dominion,” he said. “That sure did save us a lot of hassles.” Election Judge Recognition Day is Dec. 5.
Commissioners approved an eight-item consent agenda, a request from the Rifle Regional Economic Development Corporation for $19,800 out of the nonprofit general fund and a $110,525 budget supplement request from the Garfield County Sheriff for a jail camera system upgrade.
The county mill levy for fiscal year 2026 was set at 13.655 and the mill levy for the Traveler’s Highland Public Improvement District was set at 44.809.
Also approved were two new employee hires — a deputy county manager and an assistant county attorney — to start Jan. 1, 2026. Diane Hayes, interim county human resources director, introduced the new county HR director, Renee Thomas.
County manager Fred Jarman told the BOCC that Jeff Davis has resigned as director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). According to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Davis is moving to the DNR executive director’s office as a senior policy advisor. Major General Laura Clellan, executive director of the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, is the acting CPW director until Davis’ replacement is found.
And finally, while reviewing calendar items for December, Commissioner Perry Will announced that he will be taking on the role of Santa Claus later in the month.
“Did you get my wish list?” inquired Commissioner Samson.
“I did,” replied Will, without missing a beat. “But you gotta be nice.”
“In other words,” chuckled Samson, “I won’t be getting anything again this year!”