Montezuma County’s 2017 budget is likely to include some major cutbacks.
Administrator Melissa Brunner told the commissioners Monday that the departments’ proposed spending includes no raises and no new hires, except in the sheriff’s office. However, the current budget proposals still would result in a nearly $1 million deficit – more if a long-awaited state supreme court decision involving CO2 producer Kinder Morgan eventually goes against the county. Department heads had been asked to pare their budgets by 10 percent, but it appears the commissioners will have to make what they agreed were “very tough” decisions themselves. An all-day workshop was set for October 31st.
