**Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them.** We are fighting back! They're taking everything they can get their hands on—our health care, our data, our jobs, our services—and da...

The Colorado Electric Transmission Authority told Chaffee County commissioners it identified a statewide 20‑year transmission need — a reference portfolio with roughly $4.5 billion in upgrades and an additional $3.8 billion in a high‑demand scenario — and flagged priority projects that could route through the Poncha Springs area. CETA stressed early community engagement and negotiable local benefits.

Wednesday, January 7th, an American citizen was killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This killing is part of a broader pattern of unchecked violence, impunity...

The courthouse in Salida is a lovely piece of art deco, bu it was hard to photograph backlit by the rising Colorado sun. However, somehow I managed to find something that worked. Fun fact: Salida w…

County officials highlight commitment to long-term collaboration with US Forest Service agreements.

Sand Lake reports first H5N1 avian influenza case prompting public awareness efforts.

Land‑management partners briefed the board: the small Browns Canyon blaze was contained, stage‑2 fire restrictions were extended through November, agencies are preparing dispersed camping management and a multi‑phase Arkansas River restoration project is planned to improve connectivity and low‑flow river features.

Rashid Khan of the Destination Management Council reported seven months of onboarding, a move to new web servers, monthly stakeholder newsletters, social co‑op shoots and improved analytics (28% year‑over‑year web traffic increase); the council plans off‑season campaigns like stargazing to spread visitation.

County public‑health staff told commissioners the VFC audit was passed, respiratory‑season vaccines are largely available except for COVID/flu for the uninsured, and the department won a $65,000 Next50 grant to support aging and regional transportation strategies; staff also credited outreach for a jump in CCAP enrollment.

Human services staff told commissioners that child‑welfare placements drove most of a $1.6 million FY‑2026 budget overspend, the state provided about $1.4 million in hold‑whole funding, and the county covered the remaining approximately $170,000; staff outlined staffing restructuring, targeted grants and foster‑family gains as mitigation.

Sheriff’s office and dispatch leaders presented budget requests to commissioners including restored admin and detective positions, tactical equipment and vehicle/radio needs; dispatch proposed a mandatory emergency‑medical‑dispatch system with a $6,800 CAD integration fee and a recurring cost of about $16,480 a year to provide pre‑arrival medical instructions and better EMS interoperability.

The airport capital improvement plan includes a taxiway Alpha rehabilitation design in 2027 funded by federal PIL grant dollars and a projected $666,667 construction phase in 2028; staff also outlined a 12‑month temporary closure and RFP for fuel‑tank removal and sample‑based mitigation.

Land‑management and partner agencies announced Monarch Park is now open, reported stage‑1 fire restrictions remain while forecasts are monitored, noted a forthcoming resolution clarifying county ownership of Hancock Gate road, and flagged a river debris log jam that will be monitored during habitat work.

A CSU fellow presented greenhouse‑gas, financial and operational analyses for Mountain Valley Transit, recommending a phased transition to electric vehicles with an estimated capital outlay of about $1,000,000 plus ~$88,000 for chargers, operational savings, and consideration of a modest fare for non‑Medicaid riders to raise about $20,000/year.

Congressional staff reported on Colorado River stress, mandatory cutbacks and litigation risk from lower‑basin states; staffers also described federal oversight inquiries and legislative efforts on wildfire and recovery funding and urged counties to stay engaged on grant and water resilience work.

The board voted to roll forward the county's 2026 private activity bond (PAB) allocation of $1,417,297 — allowed by IRS rules for up to three years — to increase future lending capacity for affordable-housing projects and notified staff to file required notices with the state by Sept. 15, 2026.

The board approved a memorandum of understanding allowing Chaffee County, Buena Vista, Salida, Poncha Springs and the Chaffee Housing Authority to pool Prop 1–3 commitments to DOLA so the region can remain eligible for state affordable-housing funds; the MOU will be routed for signature with minor non-substantive edits.

County staff said a $1,250,000 EPA-funded grant passed through the Colorado Energy Office will fund construction-and-demolition waste-diversion policy and landfill operational improvements first, then HVAC and other facility energy upgrades over up to four years; the commissioners approved acceptance and directed staff to implement the grant scope.

County staff told commissioners its records do not confirm county ownership of Forest Service Road 295 and proposed a carefully worded letter to the U.S. Forest Service declining to claim ownership while asking the agency to guarantee reasonable access for private property owners if it gates or locks the road; the board authorized the letter.

Airport manager presented a capital improvement plan through 2037 that prioritizes hangar development, a new well and removal of an aging fuel farm, and explained the list keeps projects eligible for FAA and CDOT discretionary funding.

Members clashed over whether proposed lease language would make new hangar lessees an HOA and risk relinquishing airport control of federally funded land; others argued a master lease with assessed fees and transfer provisions would protect public interests.

Manager said the airport has letters of intent for over 50 hangars and that building 30 average-size hangars could double land-lease revenue with an estimated payback of about 6.2 years on an $800,000 infrastructure investment.