Representatives from all four water districts serving Fremont County appeared before the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday to deliver a blunt message: Arkansas River Basin snowpack has fallen to 14 percent of median — near the lowest on record — and residents must begin conserving water now, before mandatory restrictions force the issue.
Cañon City Water Superintendent Travis Payne told the board that Arkansas River flow at Cañon City stood at 236 cubic feet per second (CFS) on the morning of the meeting, down from just under 300 CFS the previous Friday. Payne said a storm-driven uptick from recent weeks has already been largely lost, and that the city’s 1,000 acre-feet of reservoir storage — adequate for roughly 55 days at peak summer usage — may need to be rationed into next year if 2027 snowpack also falls short.
The city activated a Water Shortage Watch on April 29, calling for a voluntary 5-10 percent reduction in water use. Recommendations include watering lawns no more than three days per week, discouraging new sod or grass seed, and using handheld or low-volume irrigation systems for trees and shrubs between 6 and 10 a.m. A public information meeting was held at the downtown theater the same evening. Full plan details are at canoncity.gov/drought.
The City of Florence is in Level 1 of its four-level drought plan. Water Superintendent Brandon Harris explained that each level is triggered by a specific priority call date on the Arkansas River, with Level 4 — the most severe — triggered by Florence’s own November 1861 water priority. “If Florence is being called out,” Harris said, “Colorado is out of water, at least in the Arkansas Basin.” Florence has already moved parks irrigation to nighttime watering three days a week, a measure not required until Level 3. The city voted to cancel its annual wet parade. Florence City Clerk Lori Cobler said the council held a public workshop the previous evening to explore a modified, dry parade as an alternative to honor veterans and the 250th and 150th anniversary themes.
Florence is also implementing a PIN registration system for its bulk water station that will lock out non-local customers if drought conditions worsen, protecting supply for district residents.
Park Center Water District representative James Wade reported a different supply situation: his district draws from Pisgah Reservoir via Four Mile Creek rather than directly from the Arkansas River. The district has 161 acre-feet stored at Pisgah and approximately 500 acre-feet in Pueblo Reservoir that could be exchanged upward. A BLM-owned emergency well for the district is currently non-operational — the main valve is stuck open and the operating valve is stuck closed — and BLM is working on a repair plan.
Charlotte Norman, Board President of the Penrose Water District, said Penrose is in a somewhat stronger position, with storage above its water plant and in Pueblo Reservoir, and a water supply drawn from Beaver Creek rather than directly from the river. But she cautioned that the headwaters of the Arkansas remain in exceptional drought and that the entire West is struggling. The district has notified its 18 highest-volume users — including greenhouses and medical marijuana grows — that they will be the first curtailed if conditions worsen. “I think it’s going to be a long and hard summer,” Norman said, “and I’m really glad we’re all talking together now in May, because in July and August it’s going to be too late to get people thinking about how to conserve.”
The Southeast Colorado Water Conservancy District is holding 3,000 acre-feet in storage for municipalities west of Pueblo, and the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District is working to facilitate water exchanges among districts — though the gauge at Portland on the Arkansas River must remain above a minimum flow level before exchanges are permitted.
Commissioners Approve New 61,000-Square-Foot Metal Fabrication Facility in Penrose
The board unanimously approved a special review use permit for Legacy Metals and Fabrication Facility, a Colorado-based metal panel and roofing manufacturer, to build a 61,316-square-foot fabrication and sales facility at 130 County Road 67 in Penrose.
The company has operated at the Fremont County Airport Industrial Park since 2020, outgrowing its original location and then an adjacent property it purchased. It has acquired approximately 120 acres across Highway 50 from its current site and will build on a 37-acre parcel at the corner of Highway 50 and County Road 67. The facility will produce metal panels, siding, roofing, and similar products, with 25 employees, 10 to 20 customers per day, and three 18-wheeler deliveries per week. The company currently employs 20 people.
Rob Brown, Executive Director of the Fremont Economic Development Corporation, introduced the project, saying he had vetted the company and that Legacy Metal Center stands out as one of the best-run operations at the airport industrial park. Planning and Zoning Director Dan Victoria presented the staff report, noting that the Planning Commission recommended approval on April 7 and that no public opposition was received in writing.
The board approved two waivers: a parking waiver reducing the code-required 205 spaces to 25 employee spaces, 10 customer spaces, two ADA spaces, and an overflow area of approximately 33 spaces; and a screening waiver, as the building sits 796 feet from the east property line and 431 feet from the north boundary, making screening ineffective at those distances. Conditions include a hard-surface driveway to match County Road 67 grade and an annual road impact fee of $478.24.
One neighbor who has lived near the site since 1972 came forward during the public comment period with questions about sound, lights, and chemicals. After hearing the staff description of the operation — primarily roll forming and cutting inside an enclosed building — she said her chemical concerns were addressed. Two other neighboring property owners spoke in favor of the project.
Commissioner McFall said the county’s parking code — which would have required 205 spaces for this use — needs review. “That doesn’t make any sense for a fabrication facility,” he said, commending planning staff for recommending the waiver rather than rigidly applying an ill-fitting standard. Vote: Grantham — aye; McFall — aye; Bell — aye.
Commissioner Reports
Commissioner Kevin Grantham reported on the state legislature, which reached sine die — the end of its session — the following day. He described Senate Bill 135, which passed both chambers and will appear on the November ballot, as a $37.5 billion redirection of TABOR refunds over ten years. Grantham said approximately $9 billion of that is committed to education, while the remaining roughly $28.5 billion goes into a fund the legislature has named the “Children’s Fund” without defining how it will be spent. “That money belongs to you,” he told the audience, referring to TABOR refunds as overpayment of taxes, and urged voters to oppose the measure.
Grantham also discussed Initiative 175, a citizen petition that would require transportation-related revenue — including gas taxes and vehicle fees totaling approximately $700 million — to be spent on roads, highways, and bridges as originally designated. He said the legislature introduced House Bill 1430 in response, which he described as an effort to neutralize Initiative 175 by reclassifying that revenue and allowing the state to continue spending it elsewhere.
Grantham noted that elementary school students from Canon Exploratory School and Washington Elementary recently toured the county building, visiting the flag display, clerk’s office, public health department, and planning and zoning office. The flag display celebrates Colorado’s 150th anniversary and the nation’s 250th. He also noted the death of Craig Morton, the original No. 7 for the Denver Broncos.
Commissioner Dwayne McFall reported on fire conditions. Fremont County’s unincorporated areas are under Stage 2 fire restrictions. BLM and Forest Service lands are under Stage 1. McFall described the BLM criteria for triggering restrictions — 1,000-hour fuel moisture below 12 percent, energy release components at the 90th percentile or above, and high occurrence of human-caused fires — and noted the last two fires in Fremont County were human-caused. He urged the public to exercise caution. He also noted that the county building uses a non-potable well for grounds irrigation, not municipal water.
McFall also reported on the National Association of Counties (NACo) Western Interstate Region Conference held the previous week, where he sits on the public lands steering committee. Chair Bell added that McFall was elected and sworn in as Western Interstate Region President for the coming year — a position representing 17 western states — an honor he had not mentioned himself. McFall confirmed the election, calling it “a fun, busy year.”
Chair Bell reported on two workshops she attended at the conference. At a disaster declaration session, she raised two unusual Fremont County cases — the 2021 county cyberattack and the Return to Nature funeral home case in Penrose — to illustrate that disasters extend beyond fire and flood. She also attended a fire recovery tour of Lahaina, Hawaii, site of the August 2023 fire that destroyed 2,200 structures, killed 102 people, and left two still missing. Bell said the tour gave her a better understanding of managing a disaster at that scale.
Bell also congratulated the owner of Colon Orchards in Cañon City on being named the 2026 Bob Appel Friend of the Arkansas Award recipient.
Sales and Use Tax Report
Budget and Finance Officer Shawn Sutton reported that retail sales tax collections for the General Fund in March 2026 totaled $817,721 — $20,173 ahead of 2025 and $87,062 ahead of budget year-to-date. Auto use tax collections for April came in at $103,233, which is $40,093 below April 2025, though year-to-date figures of $427,731 remain $4,814 ahead of budget. Sutton attributed the auto use decline to softer car sales, citing global economic uncertainty and fuel costs as possible factors.
Lodging fund collections for April totaled $44,657. A shift by the state back to quarterly remittances in 2026 makes year-over-year comparisons with 2025 figures unreliable until the cycles align, expected around June. Sutton said lodging figures should rise as tourism season peaks and noted the county will watch river levels, which affect visitation. Sheriff’s retail sales tax collections for March were $545,147 — $126,009 ahead of 2025 year-to-date. Sheriff’s auto use tax collections of $68,822 for April are $26,729 below 2025 but $1,822 ahead of budget.
County Administrator Report
County Administrator Tony Carochi announced several open positions: a permit technician in the Building Department (closes May 26); a recording technician II in the Clerk and Recorder’s Office (closed May 14); an office technician in the Public Health Department (closes May 20); and patrol deputy, master control officer, and substance abuse treatment coordinator positions in the Sheriff’s Office (closing dates July 9, May 14, and May 13, respectively). Interested applicants can visit fremontcountyco.gov or call 719-276-7409.
The county was also accepting sealed bids through May 14 for a design-build project to replace five rooftop HVAC units at the Fremont County Combined Courts building at 136 Justice Center Road in Cañon City. Bids were submitted through BidNet Direct. The Fremont County Department of Transportation began dust suppressant operations on Reed Road and County Road 2 between mile markers 22 and 26.5 in the county’s west end.
Primary Election Update
Clerk and Recorder Justin Grantham provided a June 30 primary election update. UOCAVA ballots for overseas and military voters were to be mailed that week. Sample ballots will be available within two weeks via govotecolorado.gov. Four primaries are taking place: Republican, Democratic, Unity Party (governor’s race), and Libertarian (Secretary of State’s race). Unaffiliated voters will receive Democratic and Republican ballots by mail; those wishing to vote in the Unity or Libertarian primaries must request those ballots in person at a voting center. Mail ballots go out June 8.
Permits and Licenses
The board unanimously approved a fermented malt beverage special event permit for the Royal Gorge River Initiative for a beer-only event at Royal Gorge Park East Ridge Campground, County Road 389B, Cañon City, on May 16, 2026 from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Kat McNeil appeared on behalf of the organization in place of listed representative Caleb McNeil. The clerk’s office, Public Health Department, Sheriff’s Office, and County Attorney all recommended approval. No public comment was offered. Vote: McFall — aye; Grantham — aye; Bell — aye.
The board also unanimously approved Temporary Use Permit 26-003 for the second annual Royal Gorge Rumble, a Colorado High School Mountain Bike League cross-country race at Royal Gorge Ranch and Resort, October 9-11, 2026 (October 9: setup; October 10-11: race days). Vicki Meier, a Cañon City resident representing the league, said the 2025 inaugural event drew 850 athletes and 1,200 spectators with zero negative post-event comments, and that local businesses were sold out during what is typically a slow tourism weekend. Post-event surveys from participants and coaches overwhelmingly asked to return to Cañon City. This year’s event expects a similar turnout. The board approved waivers of the roadway impact analysis and surety bond requirements — the same waivers granted in 2025 — along with conditions requiring a designated emergency contact, no blocked roadways, maintained line of sight, and post-event cleanup. No public comment was offered. Vote: Grantham — aye; McFall — aye; Bell — aye.
Consent Agenda
The board unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included minutes from the April 28 meeting; bills totaling $1,159,397.14; ratification of the chairman’s signature on a release of lien for property at 1139 24th Trail, Cotopaxi; and ratification of the chairman’s signature on Resolution No. 10, Series of 2026, adopting amended On-Site Wastewater Treatment System regulations for Fremont County, effective June 15, 2026. The board also scheduled a public hearing for May 26, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. for a modification request from Pure Medical LLC (OPC 14-011) at 440 8th Street, Penrose, seeking to expand a fence line and increase grow area at the optional premises cultivation site.
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