Policy directives – Board of County Commissioners
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Board of County Commissioners goals and policy directives 2026

The following is a compilation of the policy directives and strategic priorities of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for the calendar year 2026 that promotes the County’s mission to deliver quality services to the Citizens of Garfield County in the name of public health, safety and welfare.

This list reflects key priorities identified by the BOCC throughout the public hearings in consideration of the 2026 adopted budget. These are in addition to the annual processes, initiatives, work plans, day-to-day operations, and services already underway that are provided to the community. These straightforward goals are the core of a dynamic strategic planning process, which is adaptive and will be ongoing throughout 2026.

Infrastructure and strategic investment

  • Complete the development of the new 10‐year Master Plan, Business Plan, and Layout Plan for the Rifle-Garfield County Airport as a general aviation airport and promote the airport as an economic development engine in the region. Significant capital investment in the airport in 2026 will include the construction of phase 1 of the main ramp / apron project highly leveraged by FAA funding as well as constructing a new parallel taxiway.
  • The airport will also see multiple private hangar parcels move into the construction phase, reflecting strong developer interest and sustained demand for general aviation facilities. The Request for Concept Plans (RFCP) process for new development areas has been fully completed, and the selected concepts will transition into active design, permitting, and build-out in 2026. Following completion of the Master Plan, the Airport will initiate a new Request for Concept Plans process to competitively allocate remaining parcels for the highest and best use.
  • Our focus continues to promote the business jet aviation community and the completion of the development of a second FBO, which will expand services, increase capacity, and strengthen the airport’s long-term operational and economic position. We will continue to complete land leases available for developing private and/or commercial hangars. We will continue to make land available through a competitive process for the highest and best use and promote development through successfully completing the Request for Concept Plans.
  • Continue to advance the County Airport’s role as a regional support facility during the County’s wildfire season, providing critical ramp space, fueling, and operational coordination for the (Single Engine Air Tanker) SEAT base, the Center of Excellence, the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit, and numerous aviation partners. These efforts reinforce the Airport’s importance as a strategic hub for aerial firefighting and interagency operations.
  • Continue to maintain and improve the County’s road and bridge system. We will continue to pursue the full rebuild of CR 215 with the final engineering of Phases 3 and 4 now completed with a renewed reliance on grant funding where possible. We will complete the annual chip seal and paving program of county roads and continue to make drainage improvements to the Battlement Mesa Road system.
  • Maximize the Garfield County Fairgrounds as a year‐round events center with a revised staffing reorganization, enhanced promotions and capital investments.
  • Broadband & Last Mile Fiber – Continue to advance the County’s regional communications network infrastructure by continuing to partner with Region 10 and our communities in the Colorado River Valley to implement broadband from the newly constructed Carrier Neutral Locations (CNLs) and explore opportunities to advance / facilitate ISPs to install broadband service to underserved and non-served households and businesses in unincorporated Garfield County as well as explore opportunities to increase competition in our municipalities. Increase tenants on the County’s remote communication towers with promotion and advertising.
  • Continue to work with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to advance amendments to the Garfield County Landfill Master Plan and the Engineering Design and Operations Plan (EDOP) to include the recently purchased Langstaff property. After the State approves the EDOP, we will obtain a new Certificate of Designation from the BOCC as the final step in 2026. Additionally, we will complete the 30-year lease with the Bureau of Land Management to incorporate the Langstaff homestead structures into the Langstaff property.
  • Continue to promote infrastructure projects that are priorities for our local communities in the County with state and federal grants through the Intermountain Transportation Planning Region (IMTPR). Specifically, maintain support and advocacy for the Town of New Castle and Town of Silt I-70 Interchanges. Garfield County will continue to collaborate with the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) and the Parachute Area Transit System (PATS) as they pursue long-term stability in the Colorado River Valley.

Public Health and Human Services

  • Support the aging population through Garfield County’s senior services and community health programs
  • Congregate Meal Program & the Traveler Program – Re-evaluate the congregate and home delivered meal program offerings in the eastern side of the County that including the exclusive management by Garfield County. Transportation programs such as the Traveler will also be revisited to seek a more cost-effective model to provide those services to our seniors and our mobility challenged community.
  • Continue to provide support to all populations within the area with a higher concentration on the most vulnerable individuals and families through a wide variety of programs in the Department of Human Services. Continue our support for local non-profits through the Human Services Commission and the Human Services Grant Programs, partnerships and programs. DHS continues to advance efforts to move Permanent Supportive Housing forward. DHS plans to work with Health Solutions West through West Mountain Regional Health Alliance as a result of a recent grant award to engage chronically unhoused individuals with housing assistance.
  • Promote overall community physical and mental health by preventing disease with vaccinations and addressing environmental health concerns (water and air quality) by providing high-quality services including educating and advocating for specific community needs, fulfilling State grants and through collaboration and partnerships.
  • Continue to explore all viable mental health options throughout Garfield County with partners including local non-profit support via the Human Services Commission.
  • Provide $100,000.00 from the county’s allotment of opioid settlement funds in financial support to YouthZone that supports their treatment program for youth who are substance involved in Garfield County. This support furthers YouthZone’s programming for treatment for criminal justice involved youth; opioid mis-use prevention through community education with families, youth and community around the misuse of opioids; and, prioritizing best practices in the workplace for treatment, training and certifying staff for certified addiction licensure and staffing with supervision from Licensed Addiction Counselors.
  • Advance Garfield County’s participation level with the State of Colorado with our Community Corrections program and evaluate additional funding sources from the State of Colorado to support the program.
  • Continue to support food and nutrition security initiatives so eligible Garfield County citizens have access to healthy, safe, affordable foods essential to optimal health and well-being. Promote oral public health activities to reduce the burden of chronic diseases associated with oral health by utilizing integration strategies to promote access to oral health care as well as integration of oral health in mental health, behavioral health, and chronic disease prevention and management programs for school-aged youth, seniors, pregnant women, and TeleORALhealth within Garfield County.

Community outreach and transparency

  • Continue the commitment to partnerships and effective communication with the cities, towns, and communities within our borders through intergovernmental agreements, joint meetings, town halls, and quarterly meetings with managers.
  • Maintain and promote transparency and improve community relations by providing improved access to meetings such as continuing the use of Zoom and E-Scribe as well as access to information and financial data and services.
  • Successfully onboard the new Veterans Services Officer (VSO) as a 0.5 FTE county employee to actively advocate for veterans working towards obtaining eligible VA benefits, as well as enhance the county’s partnership with the West Slope Veterans Coalition actively serving and supporting Garfield County veterans.
  • Continuing to highlight county activities, decisions, proclamations, awards and events through press releases, public service announcements via the PIO network, public safety officials, and other media forms. Specifically, the County will develop and launch a more comprehensive “Garfield County Newsletter” with our Communications Team to elevate key information of public interest highlighting County efforts and achievements raising public awareness.
  • Continue to advance the County’s website as a communication tool. Continue to work diligently towards meeting the requirements of House Bill 21-1110 which requires state and local public entities to meet established website accessibility standards where government websites must provide reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities.
  • Continue to support the mission of the Energy Advisory Board and host the 12th Annual Energy and Environment Symposium that remains a premier regional and state-wide event exploring national and noteworthy information on the energy industry. This event is designed to be tailored to meet the needs of municipal and county officials tasked with navigating planning, social, fiscal, regulatory and environmental issues related to oil and gas development.
  • Showcase the Garfield County Fair and Rodeo as a premiere event for the Western Slope with premier talent and events.
  • The county will continue to engage in a support role with our Hispanic population with the further development of the Latino Community Committee known as “Our People/Our Community” which is dedicated to promoting an understanding between the Latino/Hispanic and English-speaking communities and which strives to build bridges of understanding, creating a stronger, more inclusive community where truth, integrity, and unity thrive.

Economic development

  • Airport – Promote development at the Garfield County Airport such as hangar development with general aviation activities and with government entities such as the Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Training Facility, the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit, and the SEAT base.
  • Recently evaluated by the State Division of Aeronautics in 2025, our airport already generates 391 FTEs, $25 million in payroll and $42 million in business revenue. With this as the backdrop and our successful airport at the center, it will serve as a primary catalyst in the region generating and leveraging opportunities with private industry to develop aviation related businesses on airfield as well as on surrounding privately held land.
  • Airport – Continue to strengthen the Airport’s role as a regional economic engine with the continued completion of private and commercial hangar parcels moving into the construction phase and additional land leases completed as sites become development-ready. Construction of the second FBO is underway and on schedule for completion in 2026, further supporting business jet activity and long-term growth. Following completion of the Master Plan, the Airport will initiate a new Request for Concept Plans process to competitively allocate remaining parcels for the highest and best use in 2026.
  • Broadband – Continue to lead and advance broadband network development in Garfield County partnering with Region 10 and our communities. Specifically, this includes the implementation of Phase III of the Broadband efforts by exploring opportunities to facilitate ISPs to utilize our recently completed CNLs which are now live and ready to serve. This specifically includes supporting ISPs and their efforts through the national BEAD grant program to bring fiber to the home in the last mile effort. These efforts have the potential to deliver broadband speeds to Garfield County residents and businesses at 1.2 million times faster than currently available up to 100 Gbps. This superior infrastructure will greatly enhance economic development, public safety, healthcare, education, business opportunities, etc. for the region.
  • Water rights – Advocate for and protect Garfield County and Western Slope water rights including playing an active role in negotiations with the Colorado River District to ensure Shoshone permanency in the ensuing water court efforts. Continue to host and support the semi‐annual Garfield County Water Forum and maximize Board involvement on statewide and regional water issues including the Colorado River Basin Roundtable, the Colorado River Water Conservation District, and the Middle Colorado Watershed Council’s conservation planning.
  • Continue to engage in economic development through the County’s own $8M investment in capital projects that employ existing local businesses. Additional efforts will advance Airport and Broadband development efforts, and collaborate with the Federal Mineral Lease District, the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, the Federal Economic Development District, the Rifle Regional Economic Development Corporation, Colorado River Valley Economic Development Partnership, CoVenture and CoWorks, and the Garfield County Economic Development Roundtable.
  • Continue to be a leader in Colorado with on-the-ground solar energy development and maintain our support for Garfield Clean Energy including its focus on funding energy efficiency for senior and low-income households to build a resilient economy with clean energy. Continue to support Garfield Clean Energy and private industry to enhance clean energy programs and clean energy infrastructure in Garfield County. Explore opportunities with State and federal grants for county and municipal clean energy projects. Continue to evaluate land use opportunities through the county’s land use regulations for large solar projects in the county where appropriate.
  • Continue to participate in community discussions and work sessions on affordable and attainable housing through land use decisions meeting the county’s Proposition 123 obligations in 2026, and collaboration with non-profits and private enterprises. Continue to evaluate opportunities to reduce obstacles to the development of affordable housing. Continue the use and support of the county’s annual Private Activity Bond (PAB) allocation in 2026 of $4.1 million to benefit home ownership in Garfield County specifically for single-family mortgage loans to low-and moderate-income families administered through Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) as well as to serve as bonding power for private project development in Garfield County.
  • Maximize natural resource opportunities in the Piceance Basin through improvements to county road infrastructure such as completing upgrades to phases 3 and 4 of CR 215, land use code updates, and active collaboration with industry, Federal, State, and local governments. Continue to be a local government leader in local land use decisions for siting O&G locations in partnership with the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) as well as actively participating in various rule making efforts at the State level with the ECMC and CDPHE. Maintain an active membership role with the Western States and Tribal Nations Natural Gas Initiative.
  • Continue to support the agriculture industry and promote the County’s agricultural heritage through policies, decisions and programs on land use, noxious weeds, farm-to-table programs, water policies and educational programs
    • Continue to partner with Colorado State University (CSU) Extension, support 4-H programming and support and promote our agricultural heritage through activities at the fairgrounds including the annual County Fair & Rodeo.
    • Continue to support and partner with the Bookcliff, Mount Sopris, and South Side Conservation Districts and through collaboration and cost sharing programs with Natural Resource Conservation Services.

    Federal, state, and local policy agenda

    • Advance the interests of the County through leadership, policy development and active representation in the National Association of Counties, Western Interstate Region, Colorado Counties Inc., Club 20, and the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado.
    • RS 2477 – Continue to advocate for preserving historic access to public lands, historical right of ways and County roads within Garfield County. Specifically, the County will complete an easement development and maintenance program with the BLM as the final effort in the County Road 200 effort that opened public access to 50,000 acres of public lands and 14 miles of public roads.
    • Advocate for the sustainability of the Federal PILT, severance tax, Federal Mineral Lease, Secure Rural Schools funding programs and RS 2477 legislation in Congress.
    • Continue to coordinate and participate as a Cooperating Agency in federal land policy matters.
    • Continue to advocate for revisions in the Memorandum of Understanding between the State of Colorado and the BLM to streamline and efficiently coordinate energy development on public lands.
    • Continue to participate and collaborate in various rule making efforts undertaken by the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission and the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment including engaging the 23-member Western and Rural Local Governments Coalition.
    • Continue to coordinate with the Bureau of Land Management regarding the Environmental Assessment of Rocky Mountain Resources’ (RMR) proposal to drill 5 water monitoring wells and serve as a Coordinating Agency in the anticipated Environmental Impact Statement for RMR’s proposed limestone mine expansion.
    • Continue to coordinate with federal land managers to ensure natural resource development and multiple use on federal lands by implementing the Board’s policies in the Garfield County Federal Land Natural Resources Coordination Plan and Policies and continue to host the semi-annual State and Federal Land Managers Meeting.
    • Coordinate with the White River National Forest and Colorado Parks and Wildlife on the future use and management of the Sweetwater Lake property. Continue to engage with the USFS as a Cooperating Agency in the NEPA process to ensure Sweetwater Lake Community concerns are heard and addressed in the Final EIS and Record of Decision. This may also involve Garfield County’s 1041 land use process.
    • Continue to support efforts that address wildfire mitigation, suppression and education with the Roaring Fork and Middle Colorado Wildfire Collaboratives and through our partnerships with the Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Training Facility, the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit, the SEAT base and Garfield County Emergency Management. Maintain the County’s airport as a regional and state firefighting hub on the Western Slope.
    • We will continue to engage with the State and the federal government regarding the reintroduction of wolves in Colorado.

    Organizational, core, and internal services

    • Continue to advance our commitment to making Garfield County an employer of choice in the region through continued engagement of employees with competitive pay and benefits; professional development and targeted training and with a focus on succession planning and leadership training including continued support for the Emerging Leaders and Middle Management Leadership series as well as continuing to evaluate specific cost-effective health plan options.
    • Promote a culture of safety and advance the County’s Safety and Loss Prevention activities with a focus on safety training and evaluating measures to reduce the overall insurance costs to the County. Engage the County Insurance Task Force to evaluate options for the BOCC for 2026 as potential alternative insurance choices regarding Casualty and Property Pool (CAPP) and our membership with CTSI. Obtain the Premium Cost Containment Certification for 2026 that will result in qualifying for a 5 percent reduction in workers compensation insurance premium costs.
    • Conduct a full County Staffing Analysis that examines the county’s workforce to identify staffing needs, evaluate the efficiency of current staffing levels, and assesses the adequacy of resources. This will include analyzing the structure, staffing, employee workload, resource requirements, and technology usage within the organization. It is a critical component of workforce planning and management, ensuring that the county’s workforce aligns with its strategic goals and supports its long-term objectives.
    • Ensure the fiscal sustainability of county operations with a return to a balanced operation budget and endeavor to operate within it by reducing the reliance on quarterly budget supplements, maintaining headcount, and continuing to explore develop long‐term revenue opportunities such as asking voters to allow the county to “debruce” for a second time so that the county can exceed property tax revenue limits (5.25 percent) put in place by the state Legislature. Additional efforts will explore short term rental revenues, collecting fair-market rent from county leased assets and developing financial strategies for the county’s organizational structure and Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan.
    • Maintain the motor pool fleet vehicles for safety and reliability purposes and reevaluate the efficacy of the Motor Pool Policy through Motor Pool User’s committee as well as evaluate the assets we have in the pool to ensure an efficient and lean pool and reduce underutilized fleet vehicles where possible.
    • Continue to advance IT cyber security, network infrastructure and data storage, maintenance of computer equipment and replacements, and increase the security of the county’s website. Continue the work of the Technology Advisory Committee and IT Assessment recommendations. This includes updating the Employee Handbook to include cyber-security policy and advance the education and training on cyber security.
    • The county remains diligent regarding the fiscal management of its funds through prudent management by the County Treasurer’s Office and oversite by the county’s Investment Advisory Board.

    Notable Garfield County projects to be completed in 2026

    The capital projects for 2026 include $4.5 million in budgeted projects for 2026 as well as $3.5 million in 2025 projects that were carried forward for a total of $8 million in capital projects for 2026.


    Sheriff’s Office

    • Elevator replacements (1) (CF)
    • Medium cell split to minimum/medium cell
    • Courthouse security X-ray scanner
    • Replacement chiller
    • Jail POPS booths
    • Jail medical monitor for inmates
    • Jail Replacement body scanner
    • Camera system replacement for the jail (CF)

    Facilities

    • District court service center and break room
    • Replace Coroner’s Office HVAC unit (CF)
    • Replace GWS CH Gen. E. Reconfiguration (CF)

    Fairgrounds

    • CAT T750 skid steer
    • Mobile stage
    • Additional security cameras (CF)
    • Water truck (CF)

    Road & Bridge

    • Battlement Mesa drainage
    • Two crack sealer machines
    • One tandem plow (upfitted) (CF)
    • One tandem plow (upfitted)
    • One water truck
    • Complete 33.5 miles of chip seal and various small paving sites

    Motor Pool

    • 12 replacement vehicles (includes sheriff vehicles)

    Landfill

    • Emergency culvert replacement
    • New/used small dozer

    Rifle-Garfield County Airport

    • a. Complete the 10-Year Master Plan and Business Plan
    • b. Complete Phase I Main Ramp Replacement
    • c. Complete the Parallel Taxiway Project
    • d. Continue to partner and develop with the 2nd FBO and other private developers.

  • Explore opportunities to market the county’s Middle-Mile Broadband infrastructure with the focus on implementing the last mile of fiber to the home/business and complete the connection of the county’s fiber network from I-70 to county-owned facilities in Glenwood Springs.
  • Explore the next opportunity to unlock private gates to preserve historic access to public lands.
  • Update the 2020 Garfield County Federal Lands Coordination Plan and Policies
  • Evaluate the County’s CAPP (Casualty and Property Liability) ins. carrier and provide recommendation to the BOCC in Summer, 2026.

    • Approved on February 2, 2026 by the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners at their regular public meeting.