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State of the county

Financial sustainability is focus for 2015
David Holub/Durango Herald illustration

The La Plata County Board of County Commissioners

La Plata County emerged from 2014 with a sense of accomplishment and enters 2015 with several key objectives focused on maintaining financial stability, reforming our land use code, enhancing long-range planning, promoting public health and environment, implementing new technology to better serve our constituents, streamlining business processes to increase organizational efficiency and maintaining its highly skilled and experienced workforce.

La Plata County has effectively and responsibly maneuvered through some of the most challenging financial times in its history. Over the last four years, we have seen the County’s property-tax revenue decrease by $15 million – nearly a 48 percent reduction. Yet, emerging economic signs are positive, and there are reasons for optimism. In 2015, property-tax collections, a major source of the county’s revenue, are projected to increase by $1.35 million. Another large source of revenue is the county’s 2 percent sales tax. Based on strong sales tax returns in 2014, sales-tax revenue for 2015 is projected to increase by 6 percent.

Grants and intergovernmental revenues are another cornerstone of the county’s revenue base. In 2014, we received $2.3 million in energy impact grants to assist with the remodel of the county administration building on Second Avenue as well as the construction of two equipment buildings for our Marvel and Ignacio Road and Bridge facilities. In addition, we secured gaming grants in the amount of $415,281 for the district attorney as well as the Sheriff’s Office jail and patrol operations.

The 2015 county budget is $78.8 million: $58 million in proposed operating expenses and $20.8 million in proposed one-time expenditures, which include capital and contingencies. Total revenues are anticipated to be $68,695,709. Most notably, the county’s operational revenue exceed operational expenditures, meaning that the county is living within its means, while at the same time using its fund balance for one-time expenditures and contingencies. However, it is not realistic to expect that our revenues will return to pre-recession levels in the foreseeable future, so our Long-Term Finance Committee is working to chart a course for financial sustainability in the future,

In 2014, several years of cooperation on road issues culminated in an historic agreement between the county and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe concerning ownership and maintenance of roads within the reservation. This groundbreaking agreement is the first of its kind in Indian Country and reflects the ongoing, positive working relationship between the county and the tribe – not only on road issues, but also on other issues of mutual interest and concern.

From a land-use perspective, adopting intergovernmental agreement with the city of Durango was a significant achievement in both joint planning and intergovernmental cooperation. Numerous land-use code amendments were enacted over the past year, including transitional area development standards, driveway standards, marijuana code revisions, telecommunications facility regulations, flood plain management regulations and other revisions intended to enhance local planning efforts and to provide the framework for sound land-use decisions. In addition, our Planning Commission has been laying the foundation for a comprehensive plan update in 2015. This important effort will guide future development based on community priorities. In that regard, the Water Advisory Commission will soon be making recommendations concerning the long-term safety and reliability of water supplies to guide land-use planning.

The county began its remodel of the County Administration Building on Second Avenue to house the county commissioners, administration, finance department and assessor’s office. The approximately $4 million project is expected to be completed in early summer. The remodel of the County Courthouse to accommodate the needs of the 6th Judicial District as well as the potential relocation of the U.S. District Court is slated to begin late this year.

La Plata County also partnered with Ignacio and the Ignacio School District to reconstruct a portion of County Road 320 to accommodate the increased school traffic resulting from the new Ignacio Middle School. In another multi-jurisdictional project, the county has partnered with Bayfield and the Colorado Department of Transportation to conduct a study addressing concerns about development-related access on U.S. 160 between Gem Village and Bayfield. In 2015, the county will contribute $1.3 million to assist with Wilson Gulch Road construction, which will provide access for additional commercial and retail development in the Grandview area. In addition, in 2015 the county has plans to make safety improvements to county roads 223 and 225 and construct a park-and-ride facility at the intersection of U.S. 550 and County Road 302.

Improving services and efficiency through expanded use of technology remains a priority. The county will invest almost $900,000 in 2015 in software and hardware to keep pace with our customers’ expectations and our organizational needs. Some notable projects in 2015 include credit card payment systems, a new cutting-edge GIS tool, a website redesign and citizen-engagement tools.

We believe that citizen engagement is essential to good government, and we will continue to reach out to our constituents. We welcome and encourage your active participation in meetings, surveys and other opportunities for you to communicate your interests and concerns to us to aid us in making decisions on your behalf. Several important community issues will be discussed in 2015, including water policy issues, comprehensive planning and a possible ballot measure to ensure the county’s financial sustainability, to name a few.

Finally, we would like to acknowledge and thank our county staff for their collective commitment to innovation, stewardship and service, which makes these achievements possible. As your elected commissioners, we pledge the same commitment and look forward to the opportunity to work with you all in the coming year to seize opportunities, effectively address challenges and maintain our highly valued quality of life.

The La Plata County Board of County Commissioners is Julie Westendorff, chairwoman, Gwen Lachelt, vice chairwoman, and Brad Blake. Reach the commissioners at 382-6219.

Editor’s note: The above text is an abridged version of the State of La Plata County speech delivered Tuesday by Commissioner Julie Westendorff.



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