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Commissioners, county manager expected to part company

PRESS RELEASE
June 30, 2015

GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo. – In a special meeting tomorrow morning, the Garfield County Board of Commissioners and Garfield County Manager Andrew Gorgey are expected to agree to a mutual separation, ending their four-year employment relationship.

Gorgey was hired in June 2011 as the Garfield County Attorney, then served dually as county attorney and as acting county manager from January through May, 2012. Gorgey became county manager on June 1, 2012. He has been president of the Association of Colorado County Administrators since 2013. The official record regarding his employment, which the commissioners are expected to approve tomorrow, includes the notations “Positive recommendation. Would rehire.”

The commissioners and Gorgey point to the following county accomplishments, among others, during his tenure:

Finance and budget:

  • Ensured balanced budgets, 2012-15
  • Eliminated all debt, saving the county $4.45 million in future interest payments
  • Grew fund balances to approximately $135 million
  • Reestablished an Investment Advisory Board, resulting in substantially improved investment performance

Economic development:

  • Created the Garfield County Federal Mineral Lease District (over $12 million in grants to date)
  • Invested in infrastructure grants to all local municipalities ($6-8 million)
  • Secured county-controlled 400 AF (acre feet) of water rights
  • Established the Garfield County Economic Development Partners Regulatory:
  • Revised the Garfield County Land Use and Development Code (major revision)
  • Revised the Garfield County Procurement Code, including local vendor preference

Strategic planning:

  • Completed extensive master planning, including: Rifle Garfield County Airport 10-year Master Plan, Garfield County Energy Resource Inventory (Energy Master Plan), Facilities Master Plan (draft), Strategic Solid Waste Management Plan, and the Information Technology Strategic Plan

Capital investment:

  • Executed multi-million dollar capital investments in Garfield County Fairgrounds (ongoing)
  • Effected multiple major strategic real estate acquisitions in Glenwood Springs and Rifle

Operations:

  • Expanded BOCC community outreach with municipalities, held community meetings eight times a year
  • Implemented of new FASTER software to track motor pool, downsizing county fleet with associated savings
  • Created Communications Department, expansion of web-based services, internal and external communications
  • Reorganized county manager operations, including co-location with commissioners in a new administrative management suite
  • Led mission-driven management team, ongoing professional development (Kouzes and Posner)
  • Reorganized fair administration and governance, including full-time, in-house, Fair and Events Coordinator
  • Established Garfield County Annual Service Awards Celebration

State-level collaboration:

  • Secured Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting in Rifle
  • Instituted University of Denver Masters in Social Work Program in Glenwood Springs with Colorado Mountain College
  • Established Garfield County Human Services Department as Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) regional training center for a child welfare training academy and northwest regional training pilot for the economic security division

Health, safety and emergency management:

  • Funded (partial) first in nation oil and gas air emissions study with Colorado State University
  • Secured FEMA emergency operations center management training locally
  • Revised emergency operations plans
  • Attained highest level of county staff emergency management training in county history

Community:

  • Reorganized Human Services Commission governance and Human Services Grant program
  • Deputy County Manager Kevin Batchelder will remain with the county. Batchelder was hired in April of 2014 and has 25 years in public administration. He is a credentialed manager by the International City County Management Association (ICMA).