Seven La Plata County employees were laid off in October amid a broad effort to tighten department budgets for 2026, according to a records request filed by The Durango Herald.
In preparation for a shrinking budget, department heads were asked to analyze operations and identify cost-cutting measures. The layoffs were a result, said county spokeswoman Megan Graham.
County commissioners approved a reduction-in-force policy earlier this year. The reorganization aims to avoid similar layoffs in the coming years.
The layoffs will save the county a little over $500,000, including costs for benefits and health insurance.
Four positions were cut from the public health department, including the behavioral health program coordinator, the deputy public health director, the public health communications supervisor and the translator.
Two positions were cut from the county’s legal department, including an assistant county attorney and a paralegal.
The county’s outreach and communication coordinator was also let go.
Up until the seven layoffs in October, only three employees had been cut this year because of budget constraints.
Graham was unable to immediately say how day-to-day operations or public-facing services might be affected by the layoffs.
When asked, Graham questioned why the public needs to know about the day-to-day operations of county departments.
“I don’t understand how that is serving the reader,” she said, expressing doubt that the impact on “internal operations” is the public’s business.
In addition to layoffs, 14 vacant positions remain unfilled as a result of cost-cutting measures.
Vacancies include jobs in the Assessor’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, Public Works and several other departments.
La Plata County officials have become increasingly vocal about a growing budget deficit in recent months, citing structural revenue deficits – namely the loss of gas and oil industry revenue, among other factors.
The 2026 draft budget, introduced in September, is the slimmest one in recent years. It has proposed $119 million in expenditures, a 12% decrease from the $136 million approved this year.
In addition to restructuring efforts, the county is seeking to raise revenue through Ballot Measure 1A, a 1% sales tax increase projected to bring in $18 million in its first year.
Even if it passes, Graham said the department reorganizations and layoffs will likely remain in place.
Any additional staff cuts likely won’t occur until January and will depend on the outcome of the ballot measure, she said.
jbowman@durangoherald.com
