San Miguel County commissioners received an update Oct. 22 on efforts to relocate the Norwood food pantry after the pantry’s lease at the school will end later this year.

County staff member Galena told the board that the San Miguel Basin Fair Board raised operational concerns about placing a food pantry in the Fairgrounds arena because planned pantry build-out overlaps space used for small-animal pens during fair week and could encroach on fair operations. "One of the biggest concerns that I'm hearing arise is really lack of space during the fair week," Galena said, describing fair-board reluctance to mix uses.

Options under consideration
- Arena RFP and build-out: County staff will continue an RFP process to estimate construction costs for fitting the arena. Staff noted electricity, safety, parking and public‑access constraints for a permanent build-out inside the arena.
- Mobile/modular unit: Fresh Foundation and county staff reviewed mobile‑unit quotes; cited estimates ranged from about $70,000 for a single‑wide unit that would require conversion up to roughly $100,000 for a fully outfitted mobile pantry. Janet, a county contact researching trailer options, was asked to provide resale/depreciation guidance so the county can compare upfront costs to long‑term value.
- Other county or private properties: Staff considered the Road & Bridge shop (parking and safety issues), private commercial sites (Denny’s warehouse not currently available), the Spider Building in Telluride (currently in use), and a vacant Gloxin lot for a mid‑term mobile placement.
- School lease extension: Fresh Foundation told staff it may ask the school board to extend the pantry’s lease; Galena said county representation before the school board could help secure a short extension if staff can demonstrate a near‑term solution.

Why it matters: The Norwood pantry serves the West End and some Montrose County residents; commissioners and nonprofit partners warned that limited pantry hours and volunteer constraints could leave local households with reduced access, particularly while SNAP benefits are paused. Board members said limited volunteer capacity (for example, Norwood’s prior distribution hours were Fridays 3–6 and later moved to Sunday afternoons to avoid school conflicts) constrains expansion.

Costs, timeline and next steps
County staff said they will continue the RFP and gather cost comparisons between construction and mobile options, and asked Janet and Jared to coordinate timing so trailer quotes and RFP responses can be compared “apples to apples.” Commissioners asked staff to explore whether temporary pens for fair animals could be built adjacent to the arena to reduce conflicts, but staff cautioned the timeline and construction budget are significant hurdles.

No formal funding decision or lease extension was made at the meeting. Staff and Fresh Foundation will continue outreach to identify a short‑term site, firm up RFP numbers and, if needed, request an extension from the school board while seeking longer-term solutions.