Park County commissioners approved a four-year lease totaling $382,976 for four fully-outfitted 2026 Chevy Tahoes for the Sheriff’s Office at their March 3 meeting, though commissioners noted vehicle costs came in above original estimates and requested a breakdown of the increase. The board also addressed a software issue that left actual property values off 2025 tax bills, approved $20,100 for fire suppression pond evaluation work, and tabled a decision on a longtime Fair Board member’s administrative removal amid allegations of unauthorized operations on his agricultural property. The board approved the February 18 minutes and vouchers from February 24 and March 3 on the consent agenda. Brandon Heacock was appointed Assistant County Manager and a $71,439 payment in lieu of taxes from Colorado Parks and Wildlife was adopted.
Sheriff Vehicle Lease Above Estimate
The municipal lease agreement with Leasing Specialists calls for annual payments of $105,955 over four years for vehicles purchased from John Elway Chevrolet ($220,648), outfitted by Watts Upfitting ($149,193), and equipped with Motorola radios from Communication Solutions ($13,135). Budget & Finance Manager April Chabot confirmed the purchase falls within the 2026 budget allocation of $435,000, though commissioners noted the per-vehicle cost exceeded the original $94,000–$95,000 estimate and requested a detailed breakdown.
Property Tax Bills Missing Required Information
Treasurer Amy Flint explained that 2025 property tax bills went out without actual property values due to a software conversion problem between the assessor’s Harris Govern system and the treasurer’s Tyler Technologies system. The layout Tyler sent to Harris requested only seven data fields when nine were required, causing two fields including actual values to be omitted. Tax calculations and amounts owed remain correct, with payments still due February 28 for the first half (or April 30 for those paying in halves) and June 15 for the second half.
The problem affects multiple Colorado counties and stems partly from new bifurcated school finance tax rates that created system compatibility issues. A commissioner noted this marks the first time the same property type carries different tax rates depending on use, with educational taxes now higher than other local government taxes.
The board discussed sending postcards to all property owners at an estimated cost of $19,000 to satisfy the statutory notice of value requirement before the April 1 deadline. Assessor Monica Jones noted the $19,000 postcard option would cost less than half the $40,000 full notice of value mailing that would otherwise be required.
Fair Board Member Matter Tabled
Commissioners tabled until their next meeting the question of Adam Shirley’s status on the Fair Board following his administrative removal during pending litigation. Commissioner Amy Mitchell expressed concern about board members not following land use regulations, while Commissioner Jason Gemmer requested clarification on specific violations and whether enforcement actions have been sent. Shirley, who has served 28 years on the Fair Board, said he has not received formal written communication about alleged violations on his 179-acre agricultural property and requested clear explanations about the removal process.
During public comment, Stan Bates of the Winecrest Estates HOA alleged the agricultural property operates as an unauthorized trash transfer station, with video evidence of garbage transfer operations, a 250-foot slash pile estimated 30 feet tall, and dewatering equipment leaking into soil without containment. County Manager Lucas Meyer will provide explanations to commissioners individually and to Shirley before the matter returns to the board.
Fire Suppression Pond Evaluation
The board approved $20,100 for phases one and two of an Echo Valley Estates pond evaluation to determine eligibility for fire suppression use under Colorado Department of Public Safety rules. Meyer explained the county previously worked with W.W. Wheeler & Associates to identify fire suppression ponds, with most South Park ponds proving inadequate. The Echo Valley pond, located in a 1971 subdivision, must have been constructed before 1972, have no augmentation plan, meet specific inlet/outlet requirements, and provide physical road access for fire departments. The $4,800 desktop study was completed during winter, with $15,300 in field survey work scheduled for summer.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Payment
Commissioners adopted a $71,439 payment in lieu of taxes from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, an increase from $63,938 in 2024 due to land purchases. Assessor Jones said Park County receives approximately $18,127 of that total, with the remainder going to other taxing authorities including schools and fire districts.
Other Business
The board approved a Public Works motor grader rebuild contract with CAT Wagner. All volunteer board members have completed required acknowledgment forms except the Fair Board, which received an extension until March 11; county staff also reported receiving complaints about the conduct of some volunteer board members, though no action was taken.
Commissioners entered executive session at 2:11 PM to discuss litigation review, land use regulations, the Court of Appeals decision, and volunteer board service requirements with legal counsel, returning to open session at 2:56 PM before adjourning.
Support Independent Local Journalism — High Country Advocate was created as a real alternative to regional media that too often silences dissenting voices while taking sides in the political struggle. Producing in-depth, unflinching reporting like this series and others is expensive: servers, editing, research time, and legal review all add up quickly. If these articles have informed you or given you new perspective, please consider supporting HCA with a paid subscription — every subscriber helps keep this reporting strong and independent. 