The potential closing of the Bayfield annex of the La Plata County Clerk’s Office was the first topic of Tuesday night’s “On the Road” meeting of the La Plata County Commission in Ignacio.
The residents attending the meeting at the Ignacio Community Library hated the idea.
Jeanie Faverino said the drive to Bayfield is shorter than driving to Durango, and that’s important to folks on a fixed income.
“It’s a positive asset for our part of the county,” said Ralph Klusman.
The cost per transaction is far higher in Bayfield than it is at the clerk’s office in Durango, said Julie Westendorff, the commission chairwoman. Also, the two employees in Bayfield are needed at the busy Durango office.
“These are drastic changes,” said Commissioner Gwen Lachelt, pointing to a $7 million budget shortfall projected for next year’s county budget. “We do not want to do any of them.”
The commissioners are asking residents which services are important, and what kind of tax increases, if any, they would support for county services.
Oil and gas property taxes, which accounted for most of the county’s tax base, has fallen 75 percent from 2010, Lachelt noted. The county’s mill levy is 8.5 mills, compared to similar-sized counties in Colorado with 20 to 22 mills.
When one person said the county has harassed oil and gas producers out of the area, commissioners said they have not, pointing to six new gas wells in Tiffany that the county approved for BP earlier that day.
“Gas production here is going down, down over time,” said Commissioner Brad Blake. “I wish gas would come roaring back.” But the economics of production, with more supply coming online, means the price isn’t going up anytime soon.
One idea for a new tax that seemed palatable to those at the meeting is an excise tax on marijuana growing facilities in the county. As retail demand grows in Denver, more growers are looking at rural parts of the state, including La Plata County. Also approved earlier that day was the first grow operation in southeast La Plata County, on County Road 330.
A five-percent excise tax on pot grown in La Plata County would require voter approval, said County Manager Joe Kerby. It could raise an estimated $1.3 million, based on current cultivation levels.
Klusman asked if marijuana operations pay their own way at the county level.
Westendorff said yes, although the county is studying that as well.
Where the county might have more expense is “the broad society costs,” such as for more deputies responding to calls regarding marijuana production.
Dan Murphy, a staffer in the county planning office who attended the meeting, said he spends about 75 percent of his time handling marijuana cultivation issues. One to two permit applications come to his department every week, he said, noting that not all of them are approved.
Another idea Westendorff floated during the meeting is a county use tax. It would tax vehicles and construction materials purchased outside of La Plata County.
Improving the county planning code also is key, Westendorff said. That means more people could start businesses here and know what is allowed in what areas of the county and what isn’t.
Charlie Minkler, a member of the county planning commission, floated the idea of a district plan for Southeast La Plata County, which is the only planning district that doesn’t have one.
That didn’t go over very well with some of the property owners in the room.
“Just leave us ag producers alone,” one said.
