BOCC Meeting, August 12, 2026
Main Subject
The primary focus of the August 12, 2026 meeting of the Custer County Board of County Commissioners was post-Aspen Acres Fire recovery, Road & Bridge personnel and operations (especially Wetmore), emergency grant applications, debris management protocols, and routine administrative approvals.
Summary
The August 12, 2026 BOCC meeting, chaired by Bill Canada, centered on recovery from the large Aspen Acres Fire (started late June 2026) and related flooding impacts. Commissioners discussed personnel changes in the Road & Bridge department driven by wildfire stress, issued safety warnings for the Aspen Acres burn scar, approved applying for a Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) emergency recovery grant to hire a professional firm for multi-year recovery management, adopted a formal debris management concept of operations, approved accounts payable of $250,250.30, and addressed community concerns about equitable service and staffing in the Wetmore area. Additional actions included adopting a Human Services fingerprinting policy, transferring funds for two used Tahoes for the Sheriff’s POSI unit, and authorizing pursuit of USDA/NRCS post-fire mitigation grants. The meeting mixed routine business with significant public input on local road maintenance and fire response capacity.
Key Points
Commissioner Reports & Community Outreach
- Road & Bridge experienced significant personnel turnover linked to wildfire stress: one termination for cause (July 27), one planned retirement, one resignation, and one pending retirement. Vacancies are being advertised.
- Press release issued warning of hazardous conditions in the Aspen Acres burn area (synthetic materials, mold, unstable terrain, debris). Residents return at their own risk; debris must be cleared before road repairs can proceed.
- 23 pallets of sandbags delivered to San Isabel Lodge (more planned); volunteers previously filled ~3,800 bags in one day.
- Security grant of approximately $1.2 million supporting patrols and hazard education in affected areas.
- AirFest scheduled for August 16–17 (weather permitting). Landfill temporarily closed due to bear activity.
- Ongoing support to Wetmore and San Isabel areas for sandbags, water, and road repairs after flooding. Private property owners remain responsible for runoff and debris on their land.
Unfinished Business – Emergency Recovery Grant
- Board approved applying for a DOLA emergency recovery fund grant to hire a professional firm (not an individual) for three-year recovery management support.
- Request amount set at $225,000 with a 25% county / 75% state match.
- Firm would handle grant navigation, insurance, recovery planning, stakeholder coordination, NRCS liaison work, erosion control, watershed issues, and community wildfire risk reduction.
- Motion refined and passed unanimously after public clarification questions.
New Business & Approvals
- Accounts payable totaling $250,250.30 approved (including accounting, insurance, fuel, IT, airport, inmate medical, and fire-related expenses).
- Department of Human Services fingerprint-based criminal history policy approved for staff and providers (audit compliance).
- Resolution 2639 adopted: $10,000 transfer from General Fund to Capital Improvement Fund for two used Tahoes purchased from Chaffee County for the Sheriff’s POSI unit.
- Aspen Acres Fire Debris Management Concept of Operations adopted. Outlines responsibilities, required free permits from Planning & Zoning, ash wetting requirements, and approved disposal sites (PBLO Southside for ash; Denosio’s for metal). Residents remain primarily responsible for private-property cleanup.
- Authorization given to pursue USDA/NRCS assessments and grants for post-fire/flood debris cleanup and mitigation (retention structures, etc.) on county and state land.
Wetmore Road & Bridge Discussion
- Scott Camper serving as acting Road & Bridge supervisor since late July; permanent appointment later discussed/confirmed in related context at $86,000 starting salary effective mid-August.
- Four vacancies being advertised. Priority roads include those serving Wetmore, San Isabel, airport, and flood-impacted areas.
- Equipment (graders, water trucks, belly dumps) being staged for grading, culvert work, and flood preparedness.
- Strong public comment focused on desire for local staffing/satellite operations in Wetmore to improve response times, preserve institutional knowledge, and support fire department partnerships. Commissioners expressed preference for local hires over full contracting while keeping options open.
Summarized Transcription
Meeting opened at 9:00 a.m. with Pledge and invocation. Roll call confirmed commissioners and staff present (County Attorney arrived late). Agenda amendments moved the housing needs assessment and a natural disaster mitigation presentation to later dates. Minutes from the July 29 regular and special meetings were approved.
Commissioners reported on Road & Bridge staffing changes, Aspen Acres hazards and sandbag operations, AirFest, landfill bear issues, audit delays, and recovery logistics. Public comments focused heavily on Wetmore service levels, staffing transparency, and fire department equipment access.
Unfinished business centered on the DOLA recovery grant application (approved with firm preference and 25% match). New business included routine accounts payable approval, Human Services fingerprint policy, Resolution 2639 for the Tahoe purchase, formal adoption of the Aspen Acres debris management plan, authorization to pursue NRCS grants, and extended discussion of Wetmore Road & Bridge operations and local staffing preferences. No major contested votes; most items passed unanimously. Meeting addressed both immediate recovery needs and longer-term capacity questions raised by the fire and flooding.
One Response
District 2 residents believe the county commissioners are not truthful in regard to the Road & Bridge turnover of employees. The termination of the employee in Wetmore was not justified. It resulted in a commissioner’s over inflated ego.