Grand County's early draft of its 2027 General Fund budget would draw just over $1 million from reserves, according to signed meeting minutes from an Oct. 6 meeting. The draft, which includes all department requests, projects total revenues of $21.599 million.
Clerk/Auditor Gabriel Woytek stated that expenses are projected to rise 3.37% while revenue grows 1.47% over the expected 2026 year-end. Salary and benefits are expected to rise by $1.17 million, or 6.77%, while department operating costs are projected to fall. Woytek noted the county can no longer rely on historical under-spending of the budget.
Year-to-date sales and use tax collections reached $14.16 million against a projection of $13.9 million. The draft does not yet include dispatch revenue or contributions to outside entities, which Chair Melodie McCandless said total approximately $386,000 in requests, excluding $500,000 for the shuttle.
Commissioners expressed differing views on the transient room tax. Commissioner Brian Martinez argued for projecting a 5% increase, noting that by his calculations the tax was up 18% over the first nine months of the year. Commissioner Trisha Hedin supported a flat projection to send any surplus to reserves and stormwater work. A straw poll indicated approval of the 5% increase for the tentative budget, which Woytek said would add about $250,000 to the General Fund.
During the regular meeting, the commission voted 6-1 to dissolve the Old Spanish Trail Arena Advisory Committee, with Commissioner Mike McCurdy opposed. A subcommittee determined the committee's bylaw objectives were met and oversight now rests with the Grand County Fair Board and the Recreation Special Service District.
In other business, the commission voted 7-0 to allow culinary water to irrigate the arena for the rest of the season at a cost of $23,400 or less. They also awarded Paradigm Asphalt a contract not to exceed $205,017 for crack sealing and seal coating of the Moab Canyon paved path, chosen from eight bids.
Regarding the Moab to Arches shuttle, an agreement with the city of Moab for overflow parking at Emma Boulevard and Lions Park initially failed 3-2, with Commissioners Hedin and Mary McGann opposed, Commissioner Jacques Hadler abstaining, and Commissioner McCurdy absent. Following a motion by McCurdy to reconsider, the agreement passed 4-3, with Hedin, McGann, and Hadler opposed.
An amendment to the shuttle operating agreement regarding shuttle attendance, which McCandless said has no fiscal impact, also passed 4-3 with the same three commissioners opposed. Additionally, a proposed Slavin search agreement for a planning and zoning director failed 3-4, as McCandless, Hedin, Hadler, and McGann opposed, leading the commission to appoint Commission Administrator Mark Tyner as interim zoning administrator in a 7-0 vote.
The commission heard a request from GIV Development for a $200,000 county loan toward a 70-unit low-income housing tax credit project located at Kane Creek Boulevard and at Arroyo Crossing, which would leverage $21.7 million in tax credits. McCandless stated that changes to the housing loan fund are currently under legal review.
Additionally, the commission reviewed a draft Spanish Valley traffic study from Horrocks Engineering. The study recommended no mitigations, finding that all six studied intersections would operate acceptably through 2040.
