As the final days of 2025 approach, we want to reflect on the year coming to a close – and, most importantly, to thank you. Your engagement, ideas and trust matter deeply to us as your elected county commissioners and to the organization that works every day to ensure our community’s health, safety and welfare. We are equally grateful for the dedicated county employees who serve La Plata County with professionalism guided by our shared values of accountability, integrity and respect.
There is no question that 2025 was a challenging year for La Plata County, and one marked by significant transition. Early in the year, it became clear that the county was facing a structural revenue shortfall that would require difficult decisions during the 2026 budget process. In June, County Manager Chuck Stevens left to take a leadership role in another La Plata – this time in Maryland – marking the end of a year of organizational change.
We look forward to welcoming a permanent county manager soon, with interviews currently being scheduled.
In the lead-up to the successful passage of the 1A sales tax measure, the county undertook a deep dive into its organizational structure. Using principles of efficiency, innovation and fiscal responsibility, staffing levels were evaluated and every expense carefully reviewed. Some of these decisions were difficult but necessary. Local government, like businesses and households, must continually assess spending with prudence while striving to deliver the highest possible impact with available resources.
With the passage of 1A, the long-documented structural deficit was immediately resolved. As one example, more than $8 million will be invested in roads and bridges in 2026. The county also reinstated several positions within the Sheriff’s Office. Notably, the Board of County Commissioners avoided drawing from the unassigned fund balance to cover operating expenses – a risky practice – and prevented deeper cuts to staff and service levels. We are grateful to voters for investing in the services they rely on every day.
Despite fiscal uncertainty earlier in the year, much was accomplished in 2025. The Road and Bridge Department worked tirelessly to keep nearly 700 miles of county roads safe and passable. Capital projects were completed on county roads 501, 240, 141, 228, 213 and 517, and the county partnered with Forest Lakes to improve traffic patterns at the subdivision entrance. Road and Bridge crews also responded swiftly during the North Vallecito flood events, keeping evacuation routes open and completing rapid bridge repairs. In addition, long-planned upgrades to the La Plata County Fairgrounds began this year and will continue under the Fairgrounds Master Plan adopted in early 2025.
Public safety remains a foundational responsibility of county government. In 2025, the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office responded to more than 30,000 calls for service across our 1,700-square-mile county, including both officer-initiated activity and calls from residents. Deputies responded to multiple wildfires this summer and were on hand around the clock during the North Vallecito flooding, working alongside nearly every county department. The Sheriff’s Office Co-Responder Team, which pairs deputies with mental health professionals, assisted residents experiencing mental health crises and, when possible and safe, directed people to services rather than incarceration.
Behind many emergency responses is the Office of Emergency Management, which plans and prepares year-round to ensure readiness when disasters occur. Wildfire is, of course, always on our minds. Through the Wildfire and Watershed Protection Fund – a partnership with the city of Durango and Durango Fire Protection District – the county helped fund wildfire mitigation projects across private properties, open spaces and subdivisions. Supported by state and federal grants, this program has become a model in Colorado. New 1A funding will further strengthen wildfire preparedness, alongside continued work by the county’s Wildfire Advisory Board to implement the state-required Wildland Urban Interface Code.
The La Plata County Public Health Department entered its second year and moved into a new facility on Suttle Street in January. We also moved clinical services to Axis Health System’s integrated health campus, improving patient care and coordination. The Human Services Department continued to serve vulnerable neighbors, including children, seniors and families, providing essential crisis services and supports that strengthen our community.
The work of other elected officials is also integral to county operations. The assessor, clerk and recorder, coroner, surveyor, treasurer and public trustee ensure trusted elections, fair property assessments, tax collection for 95 taxing districts, critical investigations and essential records. Their work is vital to the county’s ability to function effectively, and we sincerely thank them.
May your holiday season be bright!
The La Plata County Board of County Commissioners is Marsha Porter-Norton, chair; Matt Salka, vice chair; and Elizabeth Philbrick, commissioner. Reach them at 382-6219.
