Rio Blanco County commissioners approve 2025 tax levies, appoint county attorney and back BLM lease; send wolf-depredation letter
December 20, 2025 | Rio Blanco County, Colorado
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The Board of County Commissioners of Rio Blanco County met and on motion approved a series of budget, personnel and contract actions, including property tax levies for county operations and pest-control districts, the appointment of a general county attorney and several vendor and personnel agreements.
The meeting opened with Speaker 5 calling the session to order and Speaker 4 leading the Pledge of Allegiance. Early on, Speaker 4 moved to adopt Resolution 2025-302, appropriating additional sums to cover expenses in excess of budgeted amounts for the 2025 budget year; the motion was seconded and approved on a roll call.
Why it matters: The commissioners also voted to set the county mill levy for the 2026 budget year. "The mill levy so certified is 9.05 mills and will generate $6,535,350.98 when applied to the 2025 valuation," Speaker 4 said when presenting Resolution 2025-33. The board approved that levy and separate 2-mill levies for the Piance Creek and Lower White River pest control districts (estimated at $120,150.50 and $157,038.28 on the 2025 valuation, respectively).
Appointments and personnel: Speaker 3 moved to appoint Rose Pagliacci as general county attorney. Commissioners discussed the applicant pool — "we had 6 applications for our general county attorney" — and cited Pagliacci's county-attorney experience and a cost advantage as reasons for support. The motion to appoint Pagliacci passed on a roll call.
The board also approved a single-source, short-term (no-bid) arrangement to cover the Department of Human Services attorney position after commissioners said only one applicant applied; commissioners emphasized the need for someone who can "hit the ground running" and described the arrangement as temporary (approximately 90 days) while they seek longer-term coverage.
Contracts and projects: The board authorized several contracts and project scopes, including:
- Ray Gulch Landfill scale house engineering and soil-sampling work with Sauder, Miller & Associates Inc. and a design proposal with NWCC Inc.;
- An annual agreement with Co-Responder Consulting LLC (DBA Frontera) to continue the sheriff's office virtual co-responder program; commissioners noted the program currently uses local charitable contributions after a prior state/federal grant ended;
- An agreement with E E Bailey LLP for finance department assistance not to exceed $36,600 to support automated accounts-payable and code updates;
- Temporary construction and permanent easements with 4 M Ranch LLC for work on County Road 77 approaches to a bridge project.
All motions were seconded and approved by roll call.
Wildlife and public requests: The board approved a letter requesting a timely removal process for a depredating wolf. Speaker 4 summarized the board's concern, saying the wolf had "9 confirmed kills of sheep," and urged that regional and upper-level managers be empowered to authorize removal promptly when a new confirmed kill occurs; the motion to send the letter was approved.
Public lands and holidays: Commissioners approved a letter of support for the Bureau of Land Management, Colorado, June 2026 oil and gas lease sale (DOI-BLM-CO-0002-2026-0001-E8), noting it aligns with the county's resource plan. The board also approved Resolution 2025-529 establishing observed legal holidays and a half-day closure on Dec. 10, 2026; speakers discussed federal holiday changes but clarified county observances need not mirror federal designations.
Votes at a glance: Multiple items were approved by roll call during the meeting, including Resolutions 2025-302, 2025-33, 2025-34, 2025-35; appointment of Rose Pagliacci as general county attorney; contract approvals (Frontera, E E Bailey LLP, Sauder/Miller & Associates and NWCC Inc.); the no-bid short-term DHS attorney arrangement; easements for County Road 77; and the wolf-depredation letter.
What’s next: Commissioners closed the meeting with customary thanks and adjourned. Several items noted as incomplete or to be reexamined included a pending training contract for Natalie Harvey (item tabled for missing details) and continued efforts to recruit a longer-term DHS attorney.
Quotes from the meeting are attributed to participants by the speaker labels used in the transcript (Speaker 3, Speaker 4, Speaker 5).
The meeting opened with Speaker 5 calling the session to order and Speaker 4 leading the Pledge of Allegiance. Early on, Speaker 4 moved to adopt Resolution 2025-302, appropriating additional sums to cover expenses in excess of budgeted amounts for the 2025 budget year; the motion was seconded and approved on a roll call.
Why it matters: The commissioners also voted to set the county mill levy for the 2026 budget year. "The mill levy so certified is 9.05 mills and will generate $6,535,350.98 when applied to the 2025 valuation," Speaker 4 said when presenting Resolution 2025-33. The board approved that levy and separate 2-mill levies for the Piance Creek and Lower White River pest control districts (estimated at $120,150.50 and $157,038.28 on the 2025 valuation, respectively).
Appointments and personnel: Speaker 3 moved to appoint Rose Pagliacci as general county attorney. Commissioners discussed the applicant pool — "we had 6 applications for our general county attorney" — and cited Pagliacci's county-attorney experience and a cost advantage as reasons for support. The motion to appoint Pagliacci passed on a roll call.
The board also approved a single-source, short-term (no-bid) arrangement to cover the Department of Human Services attorney position after commissioners said only one applicant applied; commissioners emphasized the need for someone who can "hit the ground running" and described the arrangement as temporary (approximately 90 days) while they seek longer-term coverage.
Contracts and projects: The board authorized several contracts and project scopes, including:
- Ray Gulch Landfill scale house engineering and soil-sampling work with Sauder, Miller & Associates Inc. and a design proposal with NWCC Inc.;
- An annual agreement with Co-Responder Consulting LLC (DBA Frontera) to continue the sheriff's office virtual co-responder program; commissioners noted the program currently uses local charitable contributions after a prior state/federal grant ended;
- An agreement with E E Bailey LLP for finance department assistance not to exceed $36,600 to support automated accounts-payable and code updates;
- Temporary construction and permanent easements with 4 M Ranch LLC for work on County Road 77 approaches to a bridge project.
All motions were seconded and approved by roll call.
Wildlife and public requests: The board approved a letter requesting a timely removal process for a depredating wolf. Speaker 4 summarized the board's concern, saying the wolf had "9 confirmed kills of sheep," and urged that regional and upper-level managers be empowered to authorize removal promptly when a new confirmed kill occurs; the motion to send the letter was approved.
Public lands and holidays: Commissioners approved a letter of support for the Bureau of Land Management, Colorado, June 2026 oil and gas lease sale (DOI-BLM-CO-0002-2026-0001-E8), noting it aligns with the county's resource plan. The board also approved Resolution 2025-529 establishing observed legal holidays and a half-day closure on Dec. 10, 2026; speakers discussed federal holiday changes but clarified county observances need not mirror federal designations.
Votes at a glance: Multiple items were approved by roll call during the meeting, including Resolutions 2025-302, 2025-33, 2025-34, 2025-35; appointment of Rose Pagliacci as general county attorney; contract approvals (Frontera, E E Bailey LLP, Sauder/Miller & Associates and NWCC Inc.); the no-bid short-term DHS attorney arrangement; easements for County Road 77; and the wolf-depredation letter.
What’s next: Commissioners closed the meeting with customary thanks and adjourned. Several items noted as incomplete or to be reexamined included a pending training contract for Natalie Harvey (item tabled for missing details) and continued efforts to recruit a longer-term DHS attorney.
Quotes from the meeting are attributed to participants by the speaker labels used in the transcript (Speaker 3, Speaker 4, Speaker 5).
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