- Montezuma County moves into 2016 on a budget of more than $38 million.
Montezuma County moves into 2016 on a budget of more than $38 million, approved by the county commissioners on December 21st. As usual, the budget hearing drew few public comments, but several citizens did plead for an increase for the local chapter of FireWise, which helps local residents work to reduce wildfire risk on their properties. Cedar Mesa Ranches resident Greg Kemp said the increase was “small potatoes” compared to the more than $1 billion the Forest Service spends fighting fires annually. However, the commissioners rejected the requested increase, granting FireWise $16,00, half what it had sought, but still slightly more than in 2015. Commissioner Keenan Ertel said anyone building in a piñon-juniper forest should take personal responsibility for preventive measures. Administrator Melissa Brunner said initially, individual departments’ proposed budgets were more than $700,000 out of balance and some new positions had to be denied. The budget does include an additional $35,000 to hire an assistant contract attorney to help with social-services cases and an increase of more than $100,000 in liability insurance for the sheriff’s office. Ertel commented that it is a fiscally responsible budget. The commissioners noted that much of the $38 million is pass-through funding from the state and federal governments.
