Grand County will switch voting equipment from Dominion to Clear Ballot before the 2026 elections, ending weeks of debate with a unanimous vote Tuesday.
Commissioners Randy George, Merrit Linke and Ed Raegner also directed staff to pursue the county’s first-ever forced cleanup of a blighted property and revised a disputed cost-of-living agreement with sheriff’s deputies. The board met December 23 at the Administration Building in Hot Sulphur Springs.
Voting System Change
The board approved Clerk and Recorder Jolene Linke’s recommendation to adopt Clear Ballot, one of two state-certified systems in Colorado. The eight-year contract costs slightly less than renewing with Dominion.
Several residents spoke against the change, citing the clerk’s office inexperience running elections independently and the busy 2026 cycle timing. Chair George countered that Garfield County highly recommends Clear Ballot after years of use, and Mesa County officials said they would have switched if not locked into their Dominion contract.
Clerk Linke called Dominion “complicated old software” requiring constant phone support, while Clear Ballot is more intuitive. Commissioner Raegner emphasized adequate training matters more than equipment choice. The board deferred to the clerk’s operational judgment.
Blight Enforcement Sets Precedent
The board authorized forced cleanup of a property that has defied enforcement for nearly two years despite letters, certified mail, court service and a $1,000 fine. The owner has never responded.
County Attorney Maxine LaBarre-Krostue called it “by far the worst I’ve ever seen” – unregistered vehicles, boats, tires, a motorhome and appliances posing health and safety hazards. The lowest cleanup bid is $25,000, recoverable through a property lien.
The decision marks the first time Grand County has used this statutory authority, setting precedent for how the county handles property owners who refuse to comply with blight ordinances.
FOP Agreement Revision
The Fraternal Order of Police rejected its contract after discovering the 2.3% cost-of-living adjustment was a stale July estimate. The actual figure is 2.8%, matching other sheriff’s employees on the Graves compensation plan.
The dispute highlights complexity in county compensation – different employee groups calculate COLA differently. A 2026 salary survey will work to align methods across all employees.
Chair George emphasized for the record: “This is not the defund the police commissioners. We support, we fully support the activities of our sheriff.”
EMS Station 1 Construction
The week’s largest expenditure was $1,540,301 to Big Valley for November construction work on EMS Station 1, part of $1.83 million in total vouchers. Finance Director Alina Bell also reported $70,000 to the Housing Authority and $24,999 for an EMS vehicle lift.
Other Business
The board approved a $331,739 virtualization platform contract and a $124,364 electronic citation system for the Sheriff’s Office shared with Fraser, Winter Park and Kremmling police. Community Development announced unbudgeted software needs as the county prepares to adopt the 2021 building code by March.
Public Health items included a $24,000 Lunch and Learn continuation, an $18,646 state funding reduction, a $31,000 chronic disease prevention grant, and a sublease renewal in Granby. The board approved a CASA contract for supervised family visitation and a ground lease for new hangar construction at Kremmling Airport.
The county joined Water Now’s Project Accelerator for regional water conservation support, with Commissioner Linke as representative. The board opted out of state greywater regulations before the January 1 deadline and ratified letters to the governor and CPW regarding Wolf 2403’s translocation, which Commissioner Linke called “a complete and clear violation” of the adopted management plan.
Following executive session, the board directed staff to proceed with Flying Heels Arena lease negotiations. The next meeting is January 6.
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