The Huerfano County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve several administrative contracts and a funding reallocation during a regular meeting, then recessed into an executive session to discuss improvements to the county jail under Colorado law.

In one of the meeting’s largest items, the board approved an agreement with Tyler Technologies through the statewide network portal authority for the county’s enterprise software (Tyler’s ERP/Permitting system). County staff said the implementation will transition the planning and building department, the conservation department and county administration onto a unified system and is expected to take about 18 months. Funding for the project includes a federal/state grant award of $198,440; the county’s additional contribution for the first year was listed as $1,769.30. The total contract amount approved was $200,199.30.

The board also approved a merchant services agreement with World Fuel Services to accept that company’s payment cards at the county airport. Staff said the change will allow a frequent airport user who holds a World Fuel Services card to refuel at the Huerfano County airport rather than traveling to other airports to fuel, which staff said should increase airport revenue.

Separately, the board approved an intergovernmental agreement framework with a city referenced in meeting materials (identified in packet materials as involving a 5% fee increase and a sheriff-deputy staffing arrangement). County staff said the packet contained three draft versions; the board approved an interim version (referred to as “intergovernmental number 2”) and authorized the county attorney and county administrator to make minor edits, with any major changes to be returned to the board.

The commissioners voted to reallocate $302,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that had previously been obligated for law enforcement center HVAC work. The county said recent walk-throughs identified issues at the law enforcement center that justified expanding the scope of that obligation; the board changed the project name in the accounting to “law enforcement center improvement or replacement project” but did not change the amount obligated.

Following that action, the board voted to recess into an executive session under Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(d) to discuss specialized details of security arrangements or investigations related to the county jail. The board stated that no decisions would be made in executive session; staff said any formal motions would likely be brought back to the board at a future meeting on Jan. 14.

Votes at a glance

- Tyler Technologies ERP agreement — approved. Funding: $198,440 grant; county first-year contribution $1,769.30; total $200,199.30. Vote record in the meeting transcript: Commissioner O'Donough — yes; Commissioner Brown — yes; Mr. Schwan — yes.

- World Fuel Services merchant services agreement — approved. Vote record in the meeting transcript: Commissioner O'Donough — yes; Commissioner Brown — yes; Mr. Schwan — yes.

- Intergovernmental agreement framework with the city (packet included three draft versions, including a 5% fee increase option and deputy staffing terms) — approved as an interim form with authority for county attorney and administrator to make minor edits; major changes to return to the board. Vote recorded as passed (individual mover/second not specified in transcript).

- Reallocation of $302,000 in ARPA funds from law enforcement center HVAC to “law enforcement center improvement or replacement project” — approved. Vote recorded in the transcript as affirmative; individual vote names as stated in the record: Michelle Duran — yes; (second roll-call entry also listed Michelle Duran — yes); Mr. Schmooley/Schmooley-like name listed as yes.

- Motion to recess to executive session under CRS 24-6-402(4)(d) to discuss jail improvements — approved. Board stated no formal decisions would be made in executive session; possible motions may be considered at a future meeting on Jan. 14.

Context and why it matters

The Tyler Technologies contract centralizes permitting, planning and administrative systems that county staff said will take roughly 18 months to implement; the county will use a combination of grant funds and a modest county contribution in year one. Centralizing those systems can affect permitting workflows and billing across multiple departments.

The airport merchant services agreement is intended to permit fueling purchases by a major user who holds a World Fuel Services card; staff said allowing that customer to refuel in-county should generate additional revenue.

Reallocating ARPA funds to broaden the law enforcement center project reflects a change in priorities after facility inspections identified issues beyond HVAC, and the board formally renamed the obligation to allow for replacement or broader improvements while keeping the same dollar amount.

No final decisions on jail improvements were recorded before the board entered executive session; the board cited the Colorado statute that allows closed discussion of specialized security arrangements.

Staff and procedural notes

Staff described the Tyler implementation as an 18-month integration and presented the grant amount and the county match. The intergovernmental agreement packet presented three draft versions for the city arrangement; the board approved an interim version and authorized minor legal edits. The board reiterated that executive sessions are for discussion only and that any formal votes would happen in open session at a later date.

Ending

The board recessed into the executive session after approving the listed items and indicated members would return to open session later. No implementation deadlines beyond the stated 18-month deployment for the ERP system and the Jan. 14 date for potential follow-up on jail-related motions were provided in the transcript.