August 18, 2026
Gunnison County Board of Commissioners - 1 -
Minutes of August 18, 2026 Regular Meeting
Approved by BOCC September 15, 2026
GUNNISON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
August 18, 2026
The August 18, 2026 meeting was held in the Board of County Commissioners’ meeting room located at
200 E. Virginia Avenue, Gunnison, Colorado. Present, either in person or via Zoom, were:
Laura Puckett Daniels, Chairperson Matthew Birnie, County Manager
Elizabeth Smith, Vice-Chairperson Holly Perry, Deputy County Clerk
Jonathan Houck, Commissioner Others Present as Listed in Text
Matthew Hoyt, County Attorney
GUNNISON COUNTY LOCAL LIQUOR LICENSING AUTHORITY MEETING:
CALL TO ORDER: Commissioner Puckett Daniels called the meeting to order at 8:30 am.
CONSENT AGENDA: Moved by Commissioner Houck, seconded by Commissioner Smith to approve the
consent agenda as presented this morning. Motion carried unanimously.
- Alcohol Beverage License #03-20000; Red White & Booze LLC; 10/22/2026 to 10/22/2027
ADJOURN: Commissioner Puckett Daniels adjourned the meeting of the Gunnison County Local Liquor
Licensing Authority at 8:30 am.
GUNNISON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING:
CALL TO ORDER: Commissioner Puckett Daniels called the meeting to order at 8:30 am.
AGENDA REVIEW: There were no changes made to the agenda.
MINUTES APPROVAL: Moved by Commissioner Smith, seconded by Commissioner Houck to approve
the August 4, 2026 Regular Meeting minutes as amended and the August 11, 2026 Special Meeting minutes
as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
- August 4, 2026 Regular Meeting
- August 11, 2026 Special Meeting
SCHEDULING: The Upcoming Meetings Schedule was discussed and updated.
CONSENT AGENDA: Moved by Commissioner Houck, seconded by Commissioner Smith to approve the
consent agenda as presented this morning. Motion carried unanimously.
- Contract Amendment #3; 20240031; 20270465; Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment; Health and Human Services; 7/1/2026 to 6/30/2027; $30,047 - Grant Application; OPHP Preventative Block Grant (PBG) FY26-27 Mini-Grant; Colorado Department
of Public Health and Environment; Health and Human Services; $50,000 - Professional Services Agreement; Short Elliot Hendrickson, Inc; Public Works; 8/18/2026 to
12/31/2026; $19,500 - Acknowledgment of County Manager’s Signature; Professional Services Agreement; Juan de Nicolas
Construction LLC; 7/28/2026 to 12/31/2026; $15,000 - Quote; Gunnison County – ERP – Misc Implementation; Tyler Technologies; Finance; $9,000
- Professional Services Agreement; Betty Sue, LCSW; Juvenile Services; 9/1/2026 to 8/31/2027;
$5,000 - Professional Services Agreement; Pinnacle Insight LLC; Juvenile Services; 9/1/2026 to 8/31/2027;
$5,000 - Professional Services Agreement; Willow Bay Counseling LLC; Juvenile Services; 9/1/2026 to
8/31/2027; $5,000 - Townhome Plat; LUC-26-00009; Alpenview Townhomes
- Acknowledgment of County Manager’s Signature; Emergency Facilities & Land Use Agreement;
USDA Forest Service At-Incident Management Support (AIMS) Branch; Fairgrounds; 8/7/2026
ROAD AND BRIDGE BALLOT INITIATIVE: Assistant County Manager for Public Works Martin Schmidt
was present for discussion.
Agreement between Gunnison County Clerk & Recorder and Gunnison County Regarding the
Conduct and Administration of the November 3, 2026 General Election – ACM Schmidt noted an
agreement with the Clerk and Recorder is required when putting an item on the ballot and the
Attorney’s Office and the Clerk came up with this agreement. ACM Schmidt noted that there are
items that he will execute himself. Commissioner Smith asked about previous contracts when the
Gunnison River Valley Local Marketing District (LMD) put an item on the ballot, and CA Hoyt
explained that the LMD is different than the County itself. Moved by Commissioner Smith seconded
by Commissioner Houck to approve the Agreement between Gunnison County Clerk & Recorder
and Gunnison County Regarding the Conduct and Administration of the November 3, 2026 General
Election and authorize the Board of County Commissioners’ designee (Assistant County Manager
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Gunnison County Board of Commissioners - 2 -
Minutes of August 18, 2026 Regular Meeting
Approved by BOCC September 15, 2026
for Public Works Martin Schmidt) to execute that agreement, for specifically our road and bridge
sales tax question. Motion carried unanimously.
- A Resolution Approving the Referral of a Ballot Issue for the November 3, 2026 General Election
Authorizing the Imposition of an Additional 0.50% Countywide Sales Tax for the Purpose of
Supporting Roads, Bridges, and Related Transportation Infrastructure; Prescribing the Form of the
Ballot Issue; and Certifying the Ballot Issue to the County Clerk and Recorder – Commissioner
Smith noted that previously, utilities and groceries were excluded, but the Department of Revenue
(DOR) stated the County cannot have those excluded. CM Birnie stated it is unfortunate that both
cannot be in place, but recommended continuing forward as the initial polling did not include the
exemptions. CA Hoyt further explained that no county, to his knowledge, has this structure for
exemptions and it must be approved by the DOR to move forward. Regardless, Commissioner
Houck desired to make the ask since the scale of the need is greater.
Commissioner Smith recommended potentially lowering the percentage from 0.5% to 0.48%. ACM
Schmidt noted that the polling stated that anything under 0.5% does not make a difference and
emphasized the discussion has not changed regarding that these funds will only go to road and
bridge. Commissioner Puckett Daniels commented that the County is not familiar with raising taxes
so these are the challenges that were not anticipated. Moved by Commissioner Houck, seconded
by Commissioner Smith to approve Resolution, 2026-29, A Resolution Approving the Referral of a
Ballot Issue for the November 3, 2026 General Election Authorizing the Imposition of an Additional
0.50% Countywide Sales Tax for the Purpose of Supporting Roads, Bridges, and Related
Transportation Infrastructure; Prescribing the Form of the Ballot Issue; and Certifying the Ballot
Issue to the County Clerk and Recorder as presented in the document today and authorize the
signatures of the full Board. Motion carried unanimously.
EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(B) CONFERENCE WITH THE COUNTY
ATTORNEY, DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY OR ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY FOR GUNNISON
COUNTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO THE GUNNISON
VALLEY CORRIDOR PLAN AND PURSUANT TO C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(E)(I) FOR DETERMINING
POSITIONS RELATIVE TO MATTERS THAT MAY BE SUBJECT TO NEGOTIATIONS, DEVELOPING
STRATEGY FOR NEGOTIATIONS, AND INSTRUCTING NEGOTIATORS RELATED TO THE
GUNNISON VALLEY CORRIDOR PLAN: Moved by Commissioner Puckett Daniels, seconded by
Commissioner Houck to go into executive session pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4)(b) conference with the
County Attorney, Deputy County Attorney or Assistant County Attorney for Gunnison County for the purpose
of receiving legal advice related to the Gunnison Valley Corridor Plan and pursuant to C.R.S. § 24-6-
402(4)(e)(I) for determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing
strategy for negotiations, and instructing negotiators related to the Gunnison Valley Corridor Plan. The
people that will be in attendance at this executive session are the County Manager (Matthew Birnie),
Assistant County Manager for Community (and Economic) Development April Kroner, Planning Director
Hillary Seminick, County Attorney Matthew Hoyt and the full Board. Motion carried unanimously.
The board went into executive session at 9:12 am.
Executive sessions of the Board of County
Commissioners are conducted as per C.R.S. 24-6-402(4). This specific session was conducted as per C.R.S.
24-6-402(4)(b) & (e)(I).
Attorney Statement Regarding Executive Session
Pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4), I attest that I am the Gunnison County Attorney, that I represent the
Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners, that I attended all of the above referenced executive
session, that all of the executive session was confined to the topic authorized for discussion pursuant to
C.R.S. 24-6-402(4) and that, because in my opinion all of the discussion during the executive session
constituted a privileged attorney-client communication, no record of the executive session was required to
be kept and no such record was kept.
Date: __________________ ______________________________________________
Matthew Hoyt
Gunnison County Attorney
Chairperson Statement Regarding Executive Session
Pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4), I attest that I am the Chairperson of the Gunnison County Board of
Commissioners, that I attended all of the above referenced executive session, and that all of that executive
session was confined to the topic authorized for discussion pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4).
Date: __________________ ______________________________________________
Laura Puckett Daniels, Chairperson
Gunnison County Board of Commissioners
Moved by Commissioner Puckett Daniels, seconded by Commissioner Houck to come out of executive
session. We stayed on the topic as presented in the agenda and in the motion to go into executive session,
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Gunnison County Board of Commissioners - 3 -
Minutes of August 18, 2026 Regular Meeting
Approved by BOCC September 15, 2026
and the people that participated in the executive session were only those that were read into the record
initially. Motion carried unanimously. The Board came out of executive session at 9:46 am.
Commissioner Puckett Daniels then gave direction to staff to continue negotiations on the MOU with the
Towns of Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte with all the considerations that were discussed.
EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO COLO. REV. STAT. § 24-6-402(4)(B): CONFERENCE WITH
THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY OR ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY TO
RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE IN RELATION TO CRESTED BUTTE SOUTH PROPERTY OWNERS
ASSOCIATION V. GUNNISON COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT GUNNISON COUNTY DISTRICT
COURT NO. 2026CV030026: Moved by Commissioner Puckett Daniels, seconded by Commissioner
Houck to go into executive session pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4)(b): Conference with
the County Attorney, Deputy County Attorney or Assistant County Attorney to receive legal advice in relation
to Crested Butte South Property Owners Association v. Gunnison County Library District Gunnison County
District Court No. 2026CV030026. The people participating in the executive session will be the County
Manager Matthew Birnie, County Attorney Matthew Hoyt, Assistant County Manager for Community (and
Economic) Development April Kroner, and the full Board. Motion carried unanimously.
The board went into executive session at 9:47 am.
Executive sessions of the Board of County
Commissioners are conducted as per C.R.S. 24-6-402(4). This specific session was conducted as per C.R.S.
24-6-402(4)(b).
Attorney Statement Regarding Executive Session
Pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4), I attest that I am the Gunnison County Attorney, that I represent the
Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners, that I attended all of the above referenced executive
session, that all of the executive session was confined to the topic authorized for discussion pursuant to
C.R.S. 24-6-402(4) and that, because in my opinion all of the discussion during the executive session
constituted a privileged attorney-client communication, no record of the executive session was required to
be kept and no such record was kept.
Date: __________________ ______________________________________________
Matthew Hoyt
Gunnison County Attorney
Chairperson Statement Regarding Executive Session
Pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4), I attest that I am the Chairperson of the Gunnison County Board of
Commissioners, that I attended all of the above referenced executive session, and that all of that executive
session was confined to the topic authorized for discussion pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4).
Date: __________________ ______________________________________________
Laura Puckett Daniels, Chairperson
Gunnison County Board of Commissioners
Moved by Commissioner Puckett Daniels, seconded by Commissioner Smith to come out of executive
session. All those who were in the executive session were the same as those read in to the record, and we
stayed on topic as outlined in the motion to go into executive session. Motion carried unanimously. The
Board came out of executive session at 10:03 am.
Moved by Commissioner Puckett Daniels, seconded by Commissioner Smith to direct the County Attorney
(Matt Hoyt) to engage in all reasonable efforts to monitor, protect, and defend the County’s interest as
regards this litigation that’s listed in the agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
BREAK: The meeting recessed from 10:04 until 10:13 am for a short break.
VOUCHERS AND TRANSFERS APPROVAL: Chief Finance Officer Melissa LaMonica was present for
discussion.
- July 2026 Voucher Report – Moved by Commissioner Houck, seconded by Commissioner Smith to
approve the vouchers in the amount of $9,446,393.45. Motion carried unanimously. - July 2026 Cash Transfer Report – Moved by Commissioner Smith, seconded by Commissioner
Houck to approve the cash transfer in the amount of $13,983,657.00. - July 2026 Purchase Card Report – The Board did not pose any questions about this report.
- June 2026 Sales and Local Marketing Tax Report – The Board did not pose any questions about
this report.
TREASURER’S MONTHLY REPORT: County Treasurer Teresa Brown presented the July 2026
Treasurer’s report, and investment report for discussion and acceptance. Moved by Commissioner Houck,
seconded by Commissioner Smith to accept the Treasurer's Report as presented and authorize the Chair’s
signature on the report. Motion carried unanimously.
August 18, 2026
Gunnison County Board of Commissioners - 4 -
Minutes of August 18, 2026 Regular Meeting
Approved by BOCC September 15, 2026
UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC COMMENT: There were no persons present for discussion.
COMMISSIONER ITEMS:
Commissioner Smith:
- Gunnison Chamber of Commerce – Commissioner Smith attended the meeting last Wednesday.
She relayed they understood the need for the Road and Bridge Ballot Initiative and the
individual members present may be supportive of the measure. She also had a meeting with
Executive Director Leora Wallace who reinvited collaboration to present at some of their
Chamber events. - Gunnison Valley Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) – Commissioner Smith and
Commissioner Puckett Daniels attended the last meeting where there were discussions
regarding supporting flights in and out of the valley. Commissioner Smith continues to work
on the smaller subcommittee for the transit center and Commissioner Puckett Daniels noted
the question of how they serve the underserved to responsibly expand service. - Southwest Colorado Opioid Regional Council – Commissioner Smith noted she has been
continuing to speak with City Manager Amanda Wilson and noted she is amenable for Gunnison
County to have both appointments on the council. Additionally, she relayed conversations
regarding pretrial services, detox services, and if the Intergovernmental Agreement would need
to be updated to include the two County appointments. - Employee Field Day – Commissioner Smith expressed gratitude to the Human Resources
department for their work on this event. - Early Childhood Education – Commissioner Smith has been continuing conversations regarding
exploring the community needs and its systemic stresses. - Welcoming Week – Commissioner Smith estimated her ask for the BOCC discretionary fund
this year will be about $1,500. It begins September 11th and ends the 19th. The Board is
supportive of the ask and Commissioner Houck requested using those funds locally.
Commissioner Houck:
- Fir e Update - Commissioner Houck has been attending several meetings regarding the Elk and
Gold Mountain Fires. - Western Colorado Headwaters to Home– Commissioner Houck noted this is the name for the
group that is forming in response to the challenges shown regarding the Montrose Mill.
Commissioner Puckett Daniels asked what their hope is for this group. Commissioner Houck
noted the drought and climate change in addition to fire occurrences he is asking to speak for
federal funding and commitment for partnership for resources to provide resources to protect
water resources. Commissioner Puckett Daniels expressed hesitation in providing funding if
they are unable to fund Gunnison County’s own prioritizations. Commissioner Houck agreed
and will protect Gunnison County’s interests but be open to other needs. - Montrose County Commissioner Sue Hansen – Commissioner Houck stated Commissioner
Hansen has announced that she is leaving at the end of the month and they have been
wrapping up some conversations on projects occurring. Additionally, he also brought in the
Director of the Center for Public Lands at Western Briget Eastep to be brought up to speed on
those conversations. - Green Lake Road Litigation – Commissioner Houck noted he and CA Hoyt are up to date on
this litigation and a motion has been filed for their petition. CA Hoyt relayed the trial is set for
early May. - Region 10 – Commissioner Houck attended a meeting last week regarding Region 10’s
comprehensive economic development strategy. He explained that often Region 10 is Montrose
and Delta specific and relayed the importance to also focus on other areas as well. - State Land Board – Commissioner Houck stated they finalized recommendations that will go to
State Legislators and the Governor yesterday and that he will forward the report to everyone.
Commissioner Puckett Daniels:
- Colorado Counties, Inc. Steering Committees (CCI) – Commissioner Puckett Daniels attended
the Colorado River Webinar. She also joined with Representative Junie Joseph to talk about an
excise tax ballot measure this year.
BREAK: The meeting recessed from 10:49 until 11:29 am in order to call to order as the Gunnison/Hinsdale
Board of Human Services (see separate minutes), from 11:29 am to 12:30 pm for the Gunnison County
Employee Recognition followed by a lunch break from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.
GUNNISON/HINSDALE BOARD OF HUMAN SERVICES MEETING:
(see separate minutes)
MAJOR IMPACT SKETCH PLAN; LUC-25-00004; LOWER VERZUH RANCH DELIBERATION:
Assistant County Manager for Community and Economic Development April Kroner and Principal Planner
Hillary Seminick were present for discussion.
August 18, 2026
Gunnison County Board of Commissioners - 5 -
Minutes of August 18, 2026 Regular Meeting
Approved by BOCC September 15, 2026
- A Resolution Approving LUC-25-00004, A Land Use Change Permit Application for Sketch Plan
Review of a Major Impact Project for Lower Verzuh Ranch Subdivision
Commissioner Puckett Daniels thanked everyone for accommodating an additional week for research. She
relayed that a moratorium was mentioned numerous times from the community. It was determined that a
moratorium would not be feasible and not meet the community goals from a legal or political standpoint
due to only being able to last legally for six months and the corridor plan would take longer than six months.
Commissioner Puckett Daniels emphasized wanting to perform the Land Use Resolution process
thoughtfully and respectfully. In her opinion, if approving this project, the Board needs to be sure that
there is no adverse impact of future development in the development area. Commissioner Puckett Daniels
highlighted LUR Standards Section 1, the groundwork of the LUR, to add to the discussion.
Commissioner Puckett Daniels noted Sections 7-102, 10-103,11-106, 13-102B, and 13-105 were ones she
would like to high