Saguache County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to ban new data centers for six months, correcting the resolution’s own factual error before approving it, and transferred two county-owned lots to the housing authority for $5 to move an affordable home ownership project forward. The Board of County Commissioners also signed a regional emergency medical services agreement, tabled a district attorney term limits decision, and heard an urgent plea from the potato industry to act on a cull disposal crisis before June 1.
Commissioner Lynne Thompson was seated as board chair through December 1, replacing Commissioner Tom McCracken, who served in that role for the prior eight months. Commissioner Liza Marron held the third seat. No public comment was received.
Data Center Moratorium
The board approved a six-month emergency moratorium on new data centers in Saguache County, effective through 12 a.m. on November 5, 2026. The moratorium does not amend existing land use code or 1041 regulations — those changes will come through separate regulatory proceedings.
Before voting, commissioners corrected a factual error in the draft resolution. The original language stated the county Land Use Department had received inquiries about data center projects. Land Use Administrator Amber Wilson confirmed no such inquiries had reached her office. The corrected resolution states that the San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative informed the board it received three inquiries from data center companies.
Commissioners split one “whereas” clause into two, separating REC’s reported inquiries from the county’s determination that existing regulations are insufficient to address large-scale data centers. A REC representative is scheduled to appear May 19 to provide technical guidance on power thresholds, including megawatt sizing, to inform future regulations.
Affordable Housing Lots Transferred
The board voted unanimously to transfer county lots 205C and 391C — two consolidated lots in the Casita Park subdivision on Biscay Lane — to the Saguache County Housing Authority for $5, for use in an affordable single-family housing project.
Housing consultant Tim Reinen of Reinen Consultants told the board the county deferred a May 1 application to the Colorado Department of Housing after construction cost estimates came in nearly double the target. Creston Construction priced the 900-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath units at $510,000 each — roughly $560 per square foot. The county’s target is $250 to $275 per square foot, keeping purchase prices in the $250,000 to $275,000 range with a $70,000 per-unit DOH subsidy.
The team will solicit bids from at least three additional contractors before a July DOH application round that could offer between $20 and $30 million in funding. Contractors receiving requests include Harold Quality Homes, Sun Peak Builders, Crescent Moon Construction, and Buchanan Construction, which returned a preliminary figure of $285 per square foot. Land appraisals for both lots are complete. A warranty deed is under review at Southwest Title.
Reinen also flagged a DOH scattered-site homeownership program with a Notice of Funding Availability expected within weeks, offering a more flexible pathway for local governments and housing authorities to acquire existing housing stock. A full market study presentation is scheduled for the May 26 work session.
Cull Potato Program Faces June 1 Deadline
The board opened the meeting with a discussion with Tara Artho, Executive Director of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee (CPAC), joining by Zoom from Washington D.C. The subject was a proposed valley-wide program to spread cull potatoes — unsaleable potatoes requiring annual disposal — as a soil amendment on non-potato farmland.
Artho said June 1 is a hard deadline. The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s late blight quarantine enforcement peaks between June 1 and September 10, when uncovered potato piles face the highest risk of ordered destruction. The proposed method uses a manure spreader to chop and spread the potatoes; within 72 hours the material dries to a brittle, chip-like consistency usable as a soil amendment.
CPAC’s board discussed purchasing a manure spreader and is prepared to invest in the project. Approximately 300 acres of land is needed. The program would charge producers roughly $50 per semi-load to cover labor and diesel costs. Land access remains the main obstacle: a Rio Grande Water Conservation Sub-district has voted to recommend use of district-owned land, but the parent district board must still give final approval.
With 50,000 acres of potatoes grown annually in the San Luis Valley, cull management is a yearly challenge for all producers. The board offered to assist with equipment, land, or labor and agreed to stay in contact as the plan develops.
Regional EMS Agreement Signed
The board voted unanimously to join a multi-county intergovernmental agreement establishing the San Luis Valley Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Advisory Council (RETAC), along with Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, and Rio Grande counties. The agreement updated member term lengths from two years to staggered two- and four-year terms.
Reyna Martinez, SLV RETAC Director and SLV RMD Coordinator, explained the county must advertise for and appoint two representatives to the 12-member RETAC board of directors. Because Saguache County has no hospital, representatives would likely come from the EMS community. Counties without hospitals will serve initial two-year terms before transitioning to four-year terms to create staggered membership.
DA Term Limits Tabled
The board discussed but did not vote on whether to support placing a measure before voters to remove the current two-term limit on the 12th Judicial District Attorney. Four of the six counties in the district support unlimited terms; Conejos County has not yet decided. All six counties must agree unanimously for the measure to reach a ballot.
One commissioner argued that unlimited terms risk entrenching power structures, while another said rural areas have a smaller pool of qualified candidates and that voters have historically removed poor district attorneys on their own. The board agreed to revisit the item at the first June meeting, pending word from Conejos County. An August 1 deadline was noted.
Emergency Water Equipment Backed
The board approved a letter of support for Alamosa County Emergency Management’s grant application for a portable “Water on Wheels” purification system. David Frees, Saguache County Director of Emergency Management, said the roughly 100-pound unit filters and decontaminates water from natural sources using carbon filtration and ionized chlorination, requiring only power and table salt. It can produce approximately 10,000 gallons in 24 hours. Alamosa County Emergency Management would operate the system; operators would need state water treatment licensing before deployment.
Graduated Income Tax Legislation
Commissioner Marron gave a brief informational overview of Colorado citizen initiative 195, which would establish a graduated income tax and is seeking ballot signatures by August. The board discussed hosting a public informational work session on May 26, pending review by County Attorney Brad Crowell. Commissioners noted the county cannot use public funds to advocate for a ballot measure but can host an educational presentation. No formal action was taken.
Food Distribution Program Short-Staffed
Social Services Director Miracle Gomez told the board the county’s commodities and food distribution program has operated without a dedicated employee since January. A part-time commodities position has drawn no applicants. Eligibility technicians are covering distribution duties alongside their caseload work. The department is in discussions with Care and Share and community members in Saguache, Center, and Crestone about transitioning local distribution to community-based operators, while the county retains the Saguache distribution.
A commissioner raised the possibility, described as unconfirmed, that HART — a regional food distribution partner — may be disbanding. If confirmed, the county would absorb additional program responsibilities. One commissioner moved to convert the posting to a full-time position at $25 per hour; the motion failed over questions about funding source restrictions and pay equity with existing staff. The board asked Gomez to convene a stakeholder meeting and report back.
Gomez also updated the board on a preliminary discussion about whether the county should purchase a house within a 15-minute radius of law enforcement for child welfare placement purposes, after caseworkers raised safety concerns about a previously discussed Crestone location. No decision was made. The board also approved an MOU with the state Workforce Center program and an MOU with Prowers County to continue operating the child welfare and adult protection after-hours hotline. Gomez confirmed child welfare, adult protection, and child support programs are performing well.
Road and Bridge
Road and Bridge Supervisor Elvie Samora reported crews completed crack-filling on the Moffat-to-Crestone road and finished a surfacing project on County Road 70.1, the Baca evacuation route. The department installed parking and wayfinding signs for the Baca Nature and Heritage Trail and a yield sign at the Colorado College Sanctuary entrance on County Road 70.1. Chevron safety signs are scheduled for County Road 45 and County Road 53. Road budget funds are nearly exhausted.
On the Xcel Energy revegetation project along Highway 285, Samora said the contractor H2 Enterprises is performing monthly inspections and a stormwater monitoring company is tracking vegetation growth. Xcel will reseed again when its scope of work is complete. Samora said she is in regular contact with Xcel’s representative and will continue monitoring. Commissioners noted the matter should ultimately be managed as a land use issue under county 1041 jurisdiction.
Samora reported the county landfill submitted a Producer Responsibility application to the Circular Action Alliance under Colorado’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program. If approved, the county would receive reimbursement for recycling-related labor, fuel, and contractor costs. Saguache County is among the first landfills in Colorado to apply. Implementation is expected before the end of 2026.
Samora presented a draft Forest Service application authorizing Road and Bridge to maintain the Slaughterhouse Creek Trail parking lot and the Nordic Club to groom the trail. The board approved the county as applicant in April; no additional motion was needed.
The board discussed the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, which requires counties to have a formal road safety action plan to qualify for certain federal grants. Samora received responses from seven counties on their existing policies. The board discussed developing the plan internally through a volunteer panel rather than applying for a separate planning grant. No formal action was taken.
Board Requests and Other Business
Commissioner McCracken reported the grand opening for the Rangeview Apartments affordable housing project is scheduled for September 17 at 2 p.m. The board discussed assembling a Saguache County gift basket for the Colorado Counties Inc. Summer Conference, with proposed items including rye flour, a Joyful Journey Hot Springs pass, and a Rio Grande National Forest map. Items are due by the May 26 work session.
Commissioner McCracken presented slides from a recent Council of Governments meeting on workforce housing and regional economic conditions. Key figures included a 1.4 percent population increase in the San Luis Valley over six years and a projection of 1,069 additional residents by 2030. A COG statistic showed Saguache County second-to-last in the state for employment change; commissioners questioned the data’s accuracy after CPAC’s statistician suggested the county lost 10,500 positions — a figure commissioners said was impossible.
County Administrator Wendi Maez provided a brief update on the Crestone kiosk project. Phase 2 and 3 design documents have been submitted to CDOT. A contractor is working on Phase 2 bid documents. Acquiring a parcel from the Baca Grande Property Owners Association remains an obstacle; a friendly condemnation may be required if the POA cannot achieve a quorum to authorize a donation.
The board approved minutes from April 6, April 14, April 28, and April 29, with amendments to the April 6 minutes clarifying that the Town of Center Police Department was included alongside the Town of Center in a motion barring both from applying for the fall sales tax grant cycle, and correcting a company name reference to “SECANA Co.” The board received routine mail including a newsletter from San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative and a meeting notice from the Colorado River District.
Sheriff Dan Warwick’s proposed memorandum of understanding with the Town of Saguache for law enforcement services was pulled from the agenda; staff said the document was not ready.
Employee Recognitions
The board recognized Ellen Cox and Tammy Taylor each for 20 years of service, and Royce Brubacher and Tate Cox each for five years of service.
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