Fremont County Commissioner Debbie Bell was presented with Colorado Counties Incorporated's Distinguished Service Award during CCI's Winter Conference on Tuesday in Denver.
The award is based on colleague nominations and focuses on quality and length of service as a commissioner and their contributions to CCI over time.
Bell is the past president of CCI.
"It truly was an honor," she said during Thursday's Board of County Commissioner meeting. "CCI has meant so much to not only me as a commissioner, but to this board and to all of Fremont County because they really give us an opportunity to learn what others are doing and to find best practices and to work together for the betterment of all of Colorado and its counties. I've found a lot of value in CCI and I hope that I've given back just a little bit."
During the conference, Commissioner Dwayne McFall was nominated, voted in and appointed as president of CCI's Mountain District.
In other business Thursday, the board canceled a previously scheduled special meeting slated for Dec. 19 to approve the proposed 2024 budget.
After the failure of Proposition HH on Nov. 7, Gov. Jared Polis recently signed a property tax relief bill after a four-day special legislative session.
On Wednesday, Polis urged local governments to build on this work by utilizing the recent legislation that allows local governments to temporarily lower tax rates.
"We have delivered immediate statewide property tax relief and set the stage for long-term solutions through the creation of a bipartisan task force," Polis states in a press release issued Thursday. "Now our local governments and districts have the ability to provide further immediate relief. I urge local governments to take action, saving Coloradans money and helping keep our communities affordable."
McFall said the board has been discussing lowering its mill levy, but they need more discussions.
"We were going to approve the budget, but those deadlines have been moved back now because of the special session," he said. "There are still a lot of unknowns of what this is all about."
He said the board is not sure what the unintended consequences will be.
"We're definitely building this plane as we're flying it and we hope we don't crash," he said. "We will continue those conversations."
According to a press release from Polis' office Thursday, "the recent successful special legislative session led to the approval of new laws delivering historic property tax relief that, combined with previously passed property tax relief, will subtract $55,000 per home from state property tax valuation and reduce the residential assessment rate to 6.7%. Coloradans living in a $500,000 home will save an average of about $505 on their 2023 property tax bill from statewide efforts."
Bell said the State is overstepping its bounds.
"The State does not collect property taxes, the State does not disperse property taxes, they have nothing to do with it, yet they are telling every local entity, including the counties, cities, municipalities and special districts how they can and cannot collect their property tax and stepping in where they shouldn't be stepping in," she said. "As counties, we are trying to figure out how to deal with all of the new mandates that have been coming down."
The board tentatively may consider approval of the budget at its Dec. 26 meeting, but it could be in January.
Also during Thursday's meeting, the board:
Reappointed Tony Telck to the Fremont County Weed Advisory Board for a term ending Dec. 31, 2026.
Reappointed Brandon Sherwood to the Fremont County Fair Board for a term ending Dec. 31, 2026.
Appointed John Carper to the Fremont County Planning Commission with a term beginning Jan. 1, 2024, and ending Dec. 31, 2026.
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