BOCC Minutes August 11, 2026

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO

August 11, 2026

STATE OF COLORADO           )

                                                     ) ss.

COUNTY OF MONTEZUMA   )

At a regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners, Montezuma County, Colorado, held on Tuesday August 11, 2026, at the Montezuma County Administration building in Cortez, Colorado, there were present:

Jim Candelaria, Chairman

Kent Lindsay, Vice Chairman

Gerald Koppenhafer, Commissioner of Deeds

It Director, Jim McClain

Stephen Tarnowski, County Attorney

Kim Percell, County Clerk

CHAIRMAN CANDELARIA opened the meeting of August 11, 2026 with the Pledge of Allegiance.

MINUTES: Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the Proceedings of the Board of County Commissioners for Tuesday, August 4, 2026, as presented for Montezuma County.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.

Deletions / Changes to Agenda:

PUBLIC COMMENT: No public comment was presented. 

CONSENT AGENDA: The approval of Montezuma County 2026 Parking Lot Reconstruction award was removed from the Consent Agenda.

Commissioner Lindsay moved to approve the consent agenda consisting of approval of a proposed list of Arbitrators for property tax appeals and also the Preventative Block Grant for the Public Health Planner.  Second by Commissioner Koppenhafer and carried.

The Consent Agenda items acted upon by the Board were as follows:  

• Approval of Proposed list of Arbitrators for property tax appeals. (See attached)
• Approval of Preventative Block Grant for Public Health Planner. (See attached)

Item (s) Needing Individual Consideration:

COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORT: County Attorney, Stephen Tarnowski, gave an update on the Ironwood Property contempt hearing, scheduled child protection hearings, and an appearance for criminal court.

COUNTY ADINISTRATOR REPORT: Commissioner Candelaria reported that departmental budget hearings had been conducted.  

COUNTY CLERK & RECORDER: Clerk & Recorder Kim Percell no report given.

COUNTY COMMISSIONER REPORT: Topics within the Commissioners’ reports included:

Commissioner Koppenhafer mentioned the scheduled (MVI) Montezuma Valley Irrigation meeting.

Commissioner Lindsay mentioned constituent phone calls, the scheduled Cortez City Council meeting.  He also reminded the public that school had started and to beware of school buses and kids.

Commissioner Candelaria discussed the attended (by ZOOM) CDPHE / Enterprise gasoline spill meeting, a scheduled (PHMSA) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration meeting, the attended Republican Central Committee meeting, the Monday Workshop, and the attended Town of Dolores meeting.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: Pursuant to Attorney Tarnowski’s suggestion, Commissioner Lindsay moved to go into executive session Pursuant to C.R.S. Section 24-6-402(4)(b), for the purpose of receiving legal advice from counsel on any item appearing before the Board on this agenda, and also for personnel matters pursuant to CRS 24-6-402(4)(f)(I). Seconded by Commissioner Koppenhafer and carried.  Included in the session will be Commissioners Candelaria, Lindsay and Koppenhafer, Attorney Tarnowski, Clerk Percell and HR Technician Dennis Bugg. Topics for the executive sessions were to review applications for county administrator and the Ironwood Property litigation.  Commissioner Lindsay moved to go out of executive session, seconded by Commissioner Koppenhafer and carried.  Commissioner Candelaria presented the outline for the administrators position applications.  (See attached)

CORRESPONDENCE: The following correspondence was read and noted:

MOTION TO ADJOURN: Commissioner Lindsay moved to adjourn, seconded by Commissioner Koppenhafer and carried

ADJOURNED: 10:17 a.m.

___________________________                              ____________________________

Clerk        August 11, 2026                                         Chairman