OURAY COUNTY BRIEFS

RIDGWAY – In accordance with Colorado Budget Law, the Ouray County Commissioners on Monday approved a conservative 2010 budget.

According to the approved 2010 Budget Message, the 2009 budget year was challenging for local governments due to the economic recession and a decrease in building activity. However, adjustments were made throughout the year to create departmental efficiencies that allowed the county to maintain adequate service levels. That same practice will be followed in 2010.

Budgeted revenues for 2010 are primarily based on projected 2009 revenues with an expectation of continued decreases in building permit revenue. The 2009 property valuation for assessments certified by the County Assessor is $210,386,000. A total property tax mil levy of 13.138 was approved on Monday by the commissioners. This total mil levy includes the total of mil levees of the county general fund (9.074), road and bridge fund (1.500), social services fund (.552), and EMS fund (2.000).

The 2010 General Fund capital purchases and improvements items total $167,927. Road and Bridge Fund expenditures for 2010 are budgeted at $99,435. According to the Budget Message, it is important to note that the demands of road improvements and maintenance continue to far exceed the funding resources Ouray County has available to them. The staffing at the Road and Bridge department has remained the same for many years. Passage of the 1 percent sales tax for the department has allowed for $299,397 to be utilized in 2009 to help maintain the current level of service. In 2010, $435,000 will be transferred from the Road and Bridge Sales Tax Fund to the Road and Bridge Fund to help maintain that same level of service and to alleviate some resource shortfalls.

The 2010 EMS Fund consists of lease purchase payments for vehicles, two ambulances and several grant purchases – in all, a total of $125,714.

In conclusion, the county commissioners stated in the Budget Message that the county will continue to administer the budget with a conservative approach. Adequate reserves are in place for emergency operations for the General Fund, Road and Bridge Fund and EMS Fund. Lifting of the TABOR and 5.5 percent limitation restrictions as approved by voters has preserved the mil levy for the county. This “DeBrucing” action has been essential to the county’s continued provision of essential public services.

“The Board of County Commissioners recognizes that the level of many county services continues to decline due to inflationary escalation of costs and growth not paying its own way,” the message states. “We continue to seek efficiencies and improvements to maintain our expected and mandated level of county services.”

County Administrator Connie Hunt said on Tuesday that the 2010 Budget Message will be published on the county’s website: ouraycountyco.gov.

Construction on Wildlife Ramps to Begin Mid-January

The Ouray County Commissioners on Monday awarded a contract to Hotchkiss-based ECO Contracting to build eight to 10 wildlife ramps on U.S. Hwy. 550 north of Ridgway with construction beginning mid-January. The project is being funded by the issuance of $166,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds and is being built in an agreement with the Colorado Department of Transportation.

According to Joanne Fagan, construction manager for the project, only three companies bid on the project and none of them are locally owned. Fagan and CDOT officials recently spoke with Jeff Becker of ECO Contracting about the winter project and were assured that building in the frigid temperatures of January is an OK time to build the project.

“He wants to start mid-January,” Fagan said. “It’s his sense that he could do better with the ground being frozen than dealing with mud if he waited until spring. It seems like he has a good understanding of the project.”

With two wildlife ramps already built near the Ridgway State Park, the additional wildlife ramps will enhance road safety in an area that sees a high number of wildlife/vehicle collisions.