BOCC Minutes May 19, 2026

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO

May 19, 2026

STATE OF COLORADO           )

                                                     ) ss.

COUNTY OF MONTEZUMA   )

At a regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners, Montezuma County, Colorado, held on Tuesday May 19, 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

Travis Anderson, County Administrator

Stephen Tarnowski, County Attorney

Kim Percell, County Clerk

CHAIRMAN CANDELARIA opened the meeting of May 19, 2026 with the Pledge of Allegiance.

MINUTES: Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the Proceedings of the special meeting of the Board of County Commissioners for Montezuma County, held on May 11, 2026, as presented and at the regular meeting held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, as presented.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.

PLANNING: Director, Don Haley along with Assistant, S. Jane Duncan presented the Local Planning Capacity Grant submission form, for a Short-Term Rentals annual permit fee program, in the amount of $50,000.00, awarded through the CO Department of Local Affairs (DOLA).  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the Montezuma County Grant Application Submission form for Planning & Zoning, for the Short-Term Rental annual permit fee program.  Second was made by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  (See attached)

Deletions / Changes to Agenda:

PUBLIC COMMENT: Public comment was made by Allen Maez.

Item (s) Needing Individual Consideration:

DISCUSSION: During the Monday Workshop Laurel Schafer from the Health Department presented for approval a proposed Public Health Department Work Attire Policy.  Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the work attire for Public Health Department’s dress grooming and personal cleanliness policy.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  (See attached)

DISCUSSION: During the Monday Workshop Heath Higgins from the Road & Bridge Department presented for approval the Agreement Amendment #1 Highway 184 / Road 25 Realignment Project Contract between Montezuma County and Bechtolt Engineering.   Commissioner Koppenhafer moved to approve the Agreement Amendment #1, for the Highway, 184 and Road 25 Realignment Project, in the amount of $106,712.96.  Second by Commissioner Lindsay and carried.  (See attached)

DISCUSSION: Administrator Anderson, Human Resource Technician, Dennis Bugg along with Finance Officer, Miranda Warren met with the Commissioner to discuss timekeeping practices within the Sheriff’s Office. A proposed Resolution was tabled at this time.  For the record, Administrator Anderson read the recommendations for fiscal controls and direction of staff, which included:

• That the Sheriff’s signatory access to the Isolved payroll system be limited to overseeing Undersheriff Tyson Cox’s timesheet.
• Lieutenant John Hargraves shall be assigned to oversee the timesheet submission and verification of the identified employee from a supervisory position, and Undersheriff Tyson Cox will oversee the identified employee’s timesheet submission at the manager’s level.
• That Undersheriff Tyson Cox shall oversee timesheet submittals for all the Sheriff’s Command staff as both the supervisor and manager.
• That the patrol Lieutenant shall oversee all deputies assigned to patrol, including the Dolores Deputies.

• That in accordance with county policy requirements and state and federal employment law, the identified employee shall accurately report their hours worked pursuant to their employment with the Sheriff’s Office, and receive compensation, including overtime, for actual time worked.
• That finance and payroll staff shall evaluate any amounts for the identified employee that should be paid back to the County for time where they were teaching classes for their personal business while receiving pay for time worked for Montezuma County in the year 2026, either by way of drawing from their vacation accrual and sick leave accrual, and if those accruals are not sufficient, the employee will pay back Montezuma County monetarily.

Commissioner Lindsay moved to direct staff to implement the fiscal controls as presented here today for the year 2026.  Second by Commissioner Koppenhafer and carried.  (See attached)  

COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORT: County Attorney, Stephen Tarnowski,  gave an update on the Friend of the Court, Amicus Brief, discussed a proposed amendment to the previously approved Hard Surface contract for Road and Bridge, and the Leaf Property Dollar Store case. 

COUNTY ADINISTRATOR REPORT: Administrator Anderson no report given.

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

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

Commissioner Lindsay discussed the attended Cortez City Council meeting and mentioned  that it was (EMS) Emergency Medical Services week, Graduation week, the fire ban discussion and local municipality burn permits.

Commissioner Koppenhafer discussed the attended (AAA)  Area Agencies on Aging meeting,  reported he had missed the Town of Mancos Board meeting, an attended combined Commissioners meeting held in Dolores County and a proposed Fire Burn Ban. 

Commissioner Candelaria discussed the Hwy 184 / Road 25 project bids, the Monday Workshop, and the 5X5 Board of County Commissioner meeting held in Dolores County.

EXECUTIVE SESSION Pursuant to Attorney Tarnowski’s suggestion, Commissioner Lindsay moved to go into Executive Session pursuant to CRS 24-6-402(4)(e) “determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations; developing strategy for negotiations; and instructing negotiators” relating to the possible transfer of two strands of fiber owned by Montezuma County to Region 9 Economic Development District. Seconded by Commissioner Koppenhafer and carried.  Included in the session will be Commissioners Candelaria, Lindsay and Koppenhafer, Administrator Anderson, Attorney Tarnowski, Clerk Percell and IT Director Jim McLain.  Commissioner Lindsay moved to go out of executive session, seconded by Commissioner Koppenhafer and carried.   (See attached)

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

CORRESPONDENCE: The following correspondence was read and noted:

ADJOURNED: 9:58 a.m.

___________________________                              ____________________________

Clerk        May 19, 2026                                             Chairman