The La Plata County commissioners have unanimously approved the county’s 2023 budget, which calls for a 22% increase in expenditures for a total of $145,356,619.
The county is expecting $101,708,412 in revenue next year, with the remainder of the balance being made up from existing fund balances. Director of Finance Adam Rogers said he anticipates 2023 will begin with $113,180,907 in the bank.
Rogers told commissioners the spending increase is in response to an expressed desire on the part of the community. Part of that increase will include an additional 11½ full-time equivalent positions next year.
The planning department, which is often criticized for the pace of its work, will receive a new planning engineer and a planner I.
“We take a lot of pressure from the community because they feel that our planning department is not as fast as it should be – some of that is perceived to be part of our code; some of it is just pure staffing,” County Manager Chuck Stevens said. “So we’re trying to expand and enhance that department so that it can provide the levels of service that our residents expect.”
Stevens said the county will once again direct $5 million in sales tax revenue directly to the road and bridge fund because state law prohibits counties from using general fund balance for road and bridge projects.
Of the $145.4 million in next year’s budget, 42% will be spent on general government expenses, 25% will go to public safety, 15% to public works, 12% to health and welfare, and 6% for recreation and culture. The allocation represents a slight shift from last year.
General government will receive a slice of the pie that is 4% larger than in 2022 and public safety’s slice will shrink by 3%. However, all five major function categories will receive more money than last year.
Rogers told the board that the budget includes ample contingency funds and more than enough funding to complete the capital projects included within it.
“It’s there in case we need to do it rather than come back and see you and ask for more money midyear,” Rogers said.
In recent years, the county has spent drastically less than expected as a result of the ongoing challenge of finding labor for capital projects.
| Estimated | Actual | |
| 2020 | $95,101,089 | $73,766,597 |
| 2021 | $115,202,100 | $82,554,782 |
| 2022 | $119,427,405 | $80,433,301 (estimate) |
Stevens said the county is poised to begin next year’s capital projects and hopes that changes to the bidding process may lure numerous and competitive bids.
The county set aside $3 million for the purchase and installation of a weather radar system, $1.7 million of which will be funded by an energy impact grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. A vendor is under contract for that project.
A number of projects will address county facilities, including a comprehensive plan for the gun range and a series of building remodels and upgrades. The county has once again set aside $440,000 to replace a fence around the La Plata County Jail. The county first set aside the funds in the 2022 budget after two inmates escaped by scaling the aging fence.
Stevens said the project was not completed in 2022 because of issues finding skilled labor to complete the project.
“We have someone now that’s doing the work,” Stevens said. “It’s taken a lot longer than we thought. It's been a challenge with concrete. ... We’re gonna keep plugging away.”
With an increase in mass shootings across the country, the La Plata County Sheriff wants to prepare. The county is projected to spend $190,000 on new firearms next year to replace the department’s aging stock of handguns. Sheriff Sean Smith requested 53 new 9 mm Glock 17s, as well as 19 new AR-15 assault rifles with suppressors.
“We began conducting research and decided that we wanted to provide a suppressed, short barrel AR-15, that would be used in these types of active shooter situations,” the project description reads. “The suppressed version reduces the decibels from about 165 to 138, which is much more likely to limit ear damage to deputies and civilians when fired indoors.”
While not the largest expenditure in the budget, the $950,000 set aside for the establishment of the La Plata County Public Health Department is a noteworthy addition. After La Plata and Archuleta counties voted in November to dissolve the public health district that the two have jointly operated for the last 74 years, the county must stand up its own department.
Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton, who sits on the SJBPH board of health, has stressed that the expenditure will come back to the county. Rogers also highlighted that upon the dissolution, the county will receive several million dollars in cash as well as a building.
“The taxpayer money is, I think, being well spent and we’re getting something in return,” Rogers told the board.
Stevens said the 2023 budget reflects the county’s work to meet needs expressed by taxpayers.
“We’re just trying to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” he said. “We’re being lean and as efficient as we can with our operating expenditures so that we can invest to try and increase service levels to meet the residents’ expectations.”
rschafir@durangoherald.com
