The Grand County Board of County Commissioners appointed Edward Raegner as chairman for 2026 at their January 6 meeting, then heard Sheriff Brett Schroetlin describe a driver clocked at 135 mph on Red Dirt Hill who was released hours later on $500 bond.
High-Speed Chase, Low Bond
On December 23, a driver came over Red Dirt Hill at 80 mph, then accelerated to 135 mph in a 65 mph zone after being clocked by a state trooper. After deputies tracked the driver to a Granby complex, charges included felony vehicular eluding, speeding 40-plus over the speed limit, reckless driving, and no license. The bond: $500.
“This gentleman’s back out in our community,” Sheriff Schroetlin told commissioners. “This is not a rehabilitation issue, this is nothing except somebody that is putting lives in danger on our roads.”
The same person likely fled from another trooper in Clear Creek County the night before, also exceeding 100 mph. A fatal accident occurred on Highway 9 in Summit County about 10 miles south of the county line the morning of the meeting.
Judges and prosecutors have their hands tied with bond reform, Schroetlin said. Many drivers don’t have licenses – “these people don’t care if they exhaust their points.” Driving without a license costs $40 to $50. Insurance violations run about $200, though violators often drive for months without coverage. “We, as other taxpayers, ultimately pay the price for that when we’re getting into collisions.”
Illegal passing carries only a $135 fine. “People pass because they know that they can. That’s the only reason,” Schroetlin said. The sheriff met with legislators during the day’s legislative session about super speeder and illegal passing legislation.
Road Maintenance Workshop
Road and Bridge Superintendent David Buckley provided an afternoon workshop outlining the department’s approach and timeline for resuming road hearings.
Buckley, who started in January 2025, said the goal is making Road and Bridge a “center of excellence” based on performance and fiscal responsibility – not perfection, but proactive performance measures. Five of 10 leadership positions turned over in 2025, with replacements including two district foremen, an airport supervisor, and crusher foreman Jason Shore, who returned to his previous role.
For 2026, the department will implement operator proficiency evaluations focusing on front-end loaders, with completion expected by September.
Road Mileage and Staffing
The county maintains 767.604 miles of road with 32 FTEs across four districts. District 1 (Fraser) and District 2 (Granby) each have 10 FTEs; Districts 3 (Parshall) and 4 (Kremmling) each have 6 FTEs. Three vacancies remain. The county is not maintaining 38.845 miles of county roads.
Buckley credited board actions for improved staffing: competitive pay scale, increased time off, $5,000 sign-on bonuses, improved vacation accrual, and credit for previous work experience. A new hire starting January 20 took a pay cut to join the county – evidence the center of excellence approach is “starting to become known in the community.”
Equipment and Budget
The department operates about 100 pieces of heavy equipment using a “buy good equipment, not new equipment” philosophy. For 2026, they’ll replace two excavators, a road grader, and a truck. An in-house scoring system based on repair costs, age, and workload determines replacement priorities.
Hiring four mechanics three years ago “paid for itself tenfold” by avoiding outsourced repairs. The FY 2025 budget was $8.5 million; the department had spent $7.3 million as of the workshop.
Road Hearings Resume in September
The county has 39 miles of non-maintained roads. Commissioners established a timeline for resuming road hearings after years of updating standards:
- Updated road standards complete by May/June
- Road maintenance requests due August 1st
- Road and Bridge inspections during August
- Road hearings second week of September
This returns to the county’s historical fall hearing schedule. Commissioners agreed 90% completion of standards would be sufficient to proceed, with potential tweaks afterward. A resident noted the non-maintained list includes varied roads from cul-de-sacs near Pole Creek to longer mountain roads, suggesting different standards may apply.
Organizational Business
The board approved six organizational resolutions establishing the framework for 2026 operations, including appointing Raegner as chairman, reappointing Edward Moyer as county manager, continuing the county attorney position, setting meeting schedules, approving the Highway User Tax Fund report, and setting mileage reimbursement rates pegged to federal standards.
County Manager Updates
Moyer reported wildfire tree mitigation at Windy Gap Ranch wraps up this week. The county will apply to Open Lands, Rivers, and Trails for funding (applications due March 13) and needs to contract for cabin debris removal.
Commissioner Thomas Johnson will seek direction next week to apply for a $50,000 DOLA grant (requiring $10,500 county match) to pilot AI initiatives for internal operations. The grant is due January 15.
Moyer’s Friday meeting with Congressman Neguse covered the presidential veto of a Southeast Colorado rural water project, B2E West Slope project, SRS funding, avoiding the January 30th government shutdown, community project funding, wolves, and federal agency staffing shortages.
The board approved a letter supporting Agile Fast and Efficient Railroad’s grant application for safety improvements west of Granby, including rockfall mitigation in Byers Canyon and at-grade passive railroad crossings.
Board Updates
County Attorney Maxine LaBarre-Krostue reported one pending appeal against the county. No judgments have been entered in the past year. The Sheriff’s Department has five governmental immunity claim notices but no filed suits.
A commissioner was re-elected as Mountain District representative to the CCI board and will serve as chair-elect this year, becoming CCI chair next year.
Commissioners discussed CCI topics including energy code adoption requirements by April 1st, financial controls after Minnesota fraud reports, and jail facility needs. One commissioner noted the jail tour revealed major issues like HVAC systems that could cost millions to correct.
Administrative Business
The board approved contracts for EMS grant funding, sheriff’s jail crisis services, and the Highway User Tax Fund report. Two Road and Bridge contracts were removed from the agenda.
Community Development Director Kristen Manguso presented Resolution 2026-1-7 granting partial preliminary acceptance for Sterling Pointe Phase VI subdivision improvements. The county accepted a $49,911 check and $143,370 bond. Manguso explained the county no longer allows restriction from sale and now requires upfront bonds or escrow.
Manguso also presented a $25,000 contract with Clive Smith for property cleanup, allowing the attorney’s office to obtain an administrative search and seizure warrant.
Clerk and Recorder Jolene Linke presented a liquor license renewal for Devil’s Thumb Ranch at 3530 County Road 83 in Tabernash.
Finance Director Elena Bell presented weekly vouchers totaling $3,450,131.42. Major payments included $1,211,470 for casualty property pool insurance, $360,717 for workers’ comp insurance, and $1,261,954.35 to United Companies for asphalt work (with retainage held for summer repairs).
The board approved special event liquor licenses for Colorado Ski for Light at YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch for February 4-7.
During public comment, a resident praised the transfer station opened 18 months prior. Another resident raised Windy Gap Reservoir water quality concerns. Moyer clarified the reservoir is a Northern Water project, not county-owned, and the 2012 Windy Gap Firming Project actually shrunk the reservoir footprint.
The board adjourned at 2 p.m.
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