The Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) is considering absorbing Archuleta Seniors Inc. (ASI) as a department to be run under the county.
According to its website, ASI is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve the community by empowering those 60 and older.
During a work session held by the BoCC on Oct. 1, the board heard from ASI Executive Director Rose Chavez in regard to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) being proposed which would have the county take ASI “under its wing.”
Chavez explained that she is proposing the MOU, along with two other budget requests, “in the event that the county does not necessarily think that you guys have the financial capacity to take on ASI as laid out in the proposed MOU.”
Chavez noted that ASI operates both countywide and in the Town of Pagosa Springs, adding that the majority of senior facilities across the state of Colorado and within economic development Region 9 “are both county-funded and county-staffed.”
Chavez explained that ASI supports older adults to have them stay in their homes and remain independent while promoting and offering opportunities for physical and emotional wellness.
Chavez mentioned that, according to data from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), 38 to 45 percent of Archuleta County’s population is adults 55 or older — approximately 5,200 individuals.
Of those who are 65 and older, 13 percent, or approximately 1,500 individuals, are living in poverty, she reported.
She added that 23 percent of the community is mixed race/Hispanic and that“these individuals unfortunately bear a higher disease burden, higher than the rest of the community population.”
Chavez went on to mention that, over the past year, ASI has served 900 individuals, with approximately 20 percent of those individuals living within town limits and approximately 80 percent living in the county outside of the town limits.
ASI currently has six board members, six full-time employees and four part-time employees, Chavez noted.
She explained that ASI also engages with more than 55 essential volunteers in order to provide services five days a week.
Some of those services include serving home-cooked meals, at-home wellness checks and providing transportation services through a partnership with the county’s Mountain Express Transit.
Chavez provided more information on the number of people served by ASI this past year, noting ASI has served more than 25,000 meals to more than 70 individuals through its weekly meal service.
She noted that ASI provides wellness checks for 40 to 45 individuals, along with medical monitoring provided for about 10 to 15 individuals.
She added that about 50 percent of clients are located outside of “the core downtown area.”
ASI also offered educational and social activities such as tax support, yoga and fall-prevention classes to more than 500 people over the past year, Chavez mentioned.
Chavez spoke more about the organization’s volunteers, mentioning that they put in more than 2,400 hours of in-kind support at the Pagosa Senior Center “and they really are the heart of ASI that is able to help implement our services.”
She added ASI is making a concerted effort at being more “integrated in the community through the offering of various generational and family-friendly fundraisers” like the Spanish Fiesta, a Dia de los Muertos event, Earth Day, the Festival of Trees and the upcoming Archuleta Health Fair and Expo.
Chavez explained that ASI created a strategic planning committee to look at the organization’s vision alongside the community through 2027 and conducted a community-level study that gathered feedback from130 individuals via survey response.
She noted the strategic planning committee has been put on pause barring the county’s decision to take on ASI or not.
She noted that one of the preliminary goals set for 2025 through 2027 is to look into the long-term challenge of operating entirely out of the town’s community center and moving into or building its own building.
“Really, the tenancy at the community center is quite expensive,” she said, explaining that ASI is interested in acquiring its own facility by creating a capital campaign and construction budget.
Chavez provided more detail on ASI’s budget from this year, noting that the number she wanted to address the most was the increase in wages and benefits.
She explained that expenses for wages and benefits increased by almost $65,000 compared to 2023, “mainly because we have a more robust staff in the kitchen.”
She also mentioned that performance raises, cost-of-living adjustments and a health benefit stipend were also added in 2024.
According to Chavez’s presentation, ASI increased wages by $35,356.81, benefits increased by $23,528.45 and performance raises and cost-of-living adjustments increased by $16,143.05.
She mentioned that the county increased its funding contribution to ASI last year.
“It has made an incredible difference, and the impact it has made on the quality of the lives of the staff is really incredible,” she said.
Chavez noted that ASI has had less turnover in its staff and the overall morale of staff members is more positive.
She noted that the town currently contributes almost $52,000 to ASI as an in-kind contribution, later indicating that the town contributes $51,921 as an in-kind amount for leasing the community center space.
Chavez also mentioned ASI has received ongoing support from the San Juan Basin Area Agency on Aging, but funding has been flat over the past two years “and the governing board has advised us that that is supposed to also decrease in 2026 by 18 percent and that we need to pursue additional funding streams in other places.”
Chavez also noted there is a “slate” of private grants that ASI pursues that help contribute to the organization’s funding.
She noted that, in 2014, the county provided enough funds to cover 49 percent of ASI’s expenses, and in 2024 the county contributed enough money to cover 37 percent of ASI’s expenses, which are projected to total around $750,000.
Chavez explained that ASI is looking at the trend of increasing needs within the county, noting that 1,500 older adults are expected to come into the county over the next 10 years.
Chavez also provided more information regarding ASI’s lease agreement with the town to utilize the community center, mentioning the lease has stayed the same for the past 10 years.
She explained that standard real estate practice is to increase lease price by 3 to 5 percent annually, and that the town has not done that.
ASI’s current lease with the town is listed at 80 cents per square foot, “where in reality, the majority of the rest of the real estate retail in the county is closer to 1.31 per square foot,” she said, noting that would put the rent cost closer to $4,500 per month.
Commissioner Ronnie Maez commented that a lot of seniors live in the downtown area and that those, along with previous seniors in the community, helped fundraise to have the community center built.
Maez stated that he has a “little problem” with seniors having to pay to rent a space they helped get built.
Maez also expressed that the seniors need support and that today’s youth will become tomorrow’s seniors.
Chavez explained that ASI is requesting that the town maintain the current lease rate, with additional in-kind contributions for extra space “that is not really used a lot.”
Maez commented that the county has increased funding for ASI multiple times since 2016.
“We all gotta share the burden,” Maez said.
County Finance Director Chad Eaton indicated that the BoCC increased funding to ASI in 2023 by 48 percent, or approximately an additional $75,000 on top of the $155,000 given in 2022.
Eaton also noted that the BoCC increased funding for ASI in 2024 by 30 percent, or approximately an additional $50,000.
He mentioned that from 2014 to 2017, the county contributed $145,000 to ASI.
Maez added that as the number of seniors increase in the community, the needs will increase, as well.
Commissioner Warren Brown commented, “I have to agree with that,” stating that a previous iteration of the BoCC acknowledged that by deciding to contribute funding to renovate housing units for seniors.
Chavez explained that ASI is proposing an MOU that would have the county assume responsibility of the paid staff of ASI.
According to the MOU, this means that as employees of Archuleta County, the county will be responsible for payroll, benefits, sick leave, holiday pay and paid time off.
The MOU also states that ASI will cover expenses associated with the daily operations of the office and kitchen, such as rent for the community center.
Chavez explained that Eaton indicated to her that if the BoCC approves the MOU, the county will contribute close to $576,000, nearly a 200 percent increase in funding from 2024.
Chavez stated that she realizes it is a “big ask,” but that it would help address a lot of uncertainty for ASI and provide financial stability.
Chavez explained that ASI is also proposing two other funding requests, if the BoCC decides it cannot approve the MOU.
Chavez mentioned that one of the other requests is for the county to keep funding levels for ASI at the current amount, and the other request is to increase funding by $50,000 for a total of $330,000, which she noted is “also a significant stretch.”
Commissioner Veronica Medina commented that the commissioners will need to review the MOU and potentially have another discussion on the matter.
“That’s definitely something that we need to discuss and vet out if there’s any concerns there,” Medina said.
Chavez commented that it would be a “unique partnership,” explaining that ASI would keep its status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and could leverage private funds along with state and other government funds.
Maez asked how many counties in Colorado let their seniors “be out on their own.”
Chavez replied that the majority of senior centers are a part of the county and that there are only a couple in the state that are not.
“Most of them are under county infrastructure,” she said.
Maez expressed there might be other ways that the county and ASI could raise funds, mentioning Dolores County passed a sales tax that helped fund the construction of a new senior center for its community.
“We need to think hard and put a lot of effort into it.” Maez said.
Medina asked if there are any other counties in the state that have a similar MOU with a senior center like the one being proposed by ASI.
Chavez indicated that the only other county with a similar MOU that she is aware of is Summit County.
