The Teller County Board of County Commissioners approved seven action items and adopted a proclamation at its regular meeting Tuesday, May 19, in Cripple Creek — but two votes split 2-1, with Commissioner Bob Campbell dissenting on a routine budget amendment and a non-binding land management agreement. The board also approved accounts payable totaling $1,234,328.32 and accepted hand warrants of $355,328.70.
The board approved a resolution amending the 2026 General, Jail, Road and Bridge, and Social Services fund budgets on a 2-1 vote. Commissioner Dan Williams and Chairman Erik Stone voted yes; Campbell voted no. Finance Department staff Caitlin Lombardo explained the resolution moves personnel savings from staff turnover into holding accounts for reallocation — a mechanism the county uses each year. No commissioner stated a reason for the dissenting vote on the record.
The board also split 2-1 on a pre-authorization for Chairman Stone to electronically sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Pikes Peak Public Land Managers Collaborative. Williams and Stone voted yes; Campbell again voted no. Commissioner Williams explained the non-binding agreement joins ten agencies with jurisdiction over the Pikes Peak Massif — including Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the City of Colorado Springs, and Teller County — to explore coordinated land management. More people recreate in the Pikes Peak Massif than in Rocky Mountain National Park, Williams said, with far less trail oversight and law enforcement presence. The county retains all existing authorities and may exit the agreement at any time.
The board unanimously approved five business items: the annual State of Colorado TANF contract, which funds job navigation and financial support services for families in need; a Memorandum of Understanding allowing Teller County Public Health and Environment to use office space at Cripple Creek-Victor RE-1 Schools; a companion lease agreement for that space, a 375-square-foot office with an exam room, at $300 per month; Jail-Based Behavioral Health Services Contract Amendment No. 6, which funds drug screening, mental health assessment, and transition case management for inmates, with a potential additional $15,000 written into the amendment; a Special Event Permit for the Makers Market arts and crafts event at Paradox Brewing in Cripple Creek; and a Statement of Work for Colorado’s Maternal and Child Health Program. After the agenda deadline, the board also unanimously approved a Special Event Permit for Snare Freedom Outlaw Bull Riding on private property, expected to draw 40 contestants and spectators. The board accepted the Teller County Public Trustee’s first quarter 2026 report, approved a liquor license for Serrano’s restaurant in Florissant, approved a Special Event Liquor Permit for the Top of the World Rodeo, and approved the March 12, 2026, meeting minutes.
The board adopted a proclamation recognizing June 15, 2026, as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Teller County, approved unanimously.
During board reports, commissioners raised concerns about conditions in the national forest south of Victor. Commissioner Williams said he personally observed smoldering campfires, gunfire, and squatters during a Stage 2 fire ban, and that signs posted to discourage shooting were riddled with holes. He said Sheriff Jason Mikesell had contacted the Forest Service for help and was initially told it was too dangerous for officers to respond. Once commissioners heard that, Williams said, they took the matter to higher levels. He said a multi-agency meeting was scheduled for Friday with leadership from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and others, and that law enforcement presence in the forests is expected throughout the summer.
Commissioners addressed several ballot initiatives circulating after the close of the 2026 legislative session. Chairman Stone reported that regional road budgets managed by transportation planning regions have been cut roughly 40 percent over three years. Initiative 175 would require state highway user tax funds to be spent on road paving, he said, but the legislature preemptively passed a bill to reduce the gas tax at the pump, stripping the initiative’s practical effect. Stone said reducing that tax risks running afoul of TABOR, which could prevent the state from raising it again without a statewide vote — potentially cutting transportation revenue in half permanently. Counties and municipalities are calling on the governor to veto the bill, he said. Stone also flagged Senate Bill 26-135, a referred initiative that would allow the state to retain TABOR surplus revenue rather than refunding it to taxpayers, with a portion directed to education. Only 15 percent of those retained funds would go to education, Stone said, and the measure would effectively eliminate future TABOR refunds by giving the legislature permanent authority to keep the money. Commissioner Williams flagged additional initiatives including a right-to-hunt measure and Initiative 177, which would protect the right to natural gas.
Chairman Stone reported that following individual meetings with each commissioner on short-term rental regulation, staff is compiling input to post publicly along with a timeline for a draft ordinance. Public hearings will follow before any adoption, he said. Stone also noted that an impact fee study by the Northeast Teller County Fire Protection District is posted on the county website and open for public comment.
County Administrator Ross Herzog reminded the room that the county remains under a Stage 2 fire ban. He acknowledged the Town of Victor’s recent water crisis and thanked those who helped. He said the foundation work on the new centralized service center building would come to the board soon as a change order and described it as a significant expense. The fairground’s second base seating structure is nearly complete, he said. Department heads Russell Ballinger of Finance and Fred Clifford of Public Works had nothing to report.
Clerk and Recorder Stephanie Kees noted the June 3 election date and said ballots go out June 8, encouraging residents to return them early. Assessor Kurt Schoenberger reported 54 appeals received so far in the current appeal season, on track at roughly 10 percent of the roughly 150 Notices of Value sent out. He flagged 87 agricultural classification revocations sent this year, noting only five property owners had contacted his office despite four prior outreach attempts. He urged anyone who received a revocation letter and disagrees to contact the assessor’s office before the June 8 appeal deadline, after which the process becomes significantly harder. Schoenberger also reported that Senate Bill 116 passed, allowing seniors who moved and lost their property tax exemption to claim it retroactively to 2020. Senate Bill 182 gives utilities until 2032 to address coal plant shutdowns, buying time on grid and cost stability, he said.
During public comment, Phyllis Burton, Adult Protection Supervisor for the Teller County Department of Human Services, told commissioners she has watched exploitation, abuse, and self-neglect of seniors increase over five years in the field. She said seniors in Cripple Creek, Victor, Indian Creek, Florissant, and Four Mile have no resources available to them and asked the board to help bring services to those communities. A commissioner recognized the Florissant Fire Department for cleaning up trash scattered by a bear at the home of a homebound veteran who could not do it himself. Low Billingsley, the new general manager of Purple Creek Digital Planning Company — the firm that operates the Cripple Creek & Victor mine — introduced himself to commissioners as a fifth-generation Teller County resident whose family has history in the district going back to the early 1900s. Chairman Stone publicly thanked Billingsley’s company for donating a defibrillator to the Creek Firefighters Foundation. A Divide contractor urged the board to weigh the affordability impact of the proposed NETCO fire district impact fee, calculated at $2.30 per square foot, which would add $4,600 to the cost of a 2,000-square-foot home. He said he supports the district’s funding needs but noted NETCO has been underfunded for more than 20 years due to tax diversion by the Downtown Development Authority. A Four Mile area resident spoke in support of the Serrano’s liquor license, saying the restaurant serves as a gathering place for rural residents who have few nearby options. A Lakemore West area resident told the board that short-term rental operators in the four-mile planning area had taken control of the local HOA and expanded its governing documents from 15 pages to more than 125, with some STRs running for up to ten years without neighbors knowing. Stone told her the board has made no decisions, that STRs are not defined in the county’s land use regulations, and that the county has consistently said they are not permitted under current rules.
The board recognized Chance Harmon with an employee service award and recessed briefly for a reception before resuming business. The board adjourned at 11:21 a.m.
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. 