During a regular meeting held by the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) on Tuesday, July 7, the board voted 2-1 to approve funding of $2,500 for Archuleta Seniors Inc. (ASI) for the Meals on Wheels program.
Commissioners Warren Brown and Veronica Medina voted in favor of Brown’s motion to approve the $2,500 in funding, while Commissioner John Ranson voted against the motion after his motion for $10,000 in funding for the program died for the lack of a second.
The funding request was presented during the meeting by Kim Rochester, ASI rural outreach coordinator, who explained that this program was piloted in February as a 12-week program serving 10 seniors in the Aspen Springs subdivisions.
She explained that the program does not operate on any state or federal dollars, as there are “very specific” dietary restrictions that would have to be met in order to receive any state or federal funding.
Rochester also explained the program is helping seniors in the Aspen Springs community with more than just food, telling the story of one client who now looks forward to interacting with ASI workers when receiving their meals.
“We are feeding not just people, but we are feeding souls, as well,” she said, reiterating that the program is about more than just food.
Rochester requested the BoCC consider the “minor option” of funding $10,000, which would continue the program through the end of the year.
Two other funding options were included with Rochester’s request, one being a $23,000 ask, which would allow for up to 30 clients to be served for 25 weeks. The other option was a $46,000 request which would serve up to 40 clients over the next 26 weeks, with an additional 10 “off-grid” clients, volunteer stipends and three additional freezers to be purchased.
Ranson offered comments on the matter, explaining that “this is what this community’s all about” in terms of helping each other.
He also spoke about the turnout at the community forum hosted last month in Aspen Springs, stating, “We don’t do much for Aspen Springs.”
He explained that Aspen Springs residents pay property and sales tax, and help contribute to funding for other roads within the county outside of the Aspen Springs subdivision.
“And we just don’t give them much,” Ranson added.
Ranson also commented that the county provides $280,000 the Pagosa Senior Center annually, while suggesting that a $10,000 request is not a big ask for the Aspen Springs community.
“I just don’t think this is a big ask,” he said, adding that it would get the program off the ground, and he would like to see what ASI could do with it next year.
Brown also noted the county provides $280,000 to the Senior Center and is the largest contributor.
He also mentioned that the county provides an additional $40,000 for transportation and meal service in Ignacio, explaining the BoCC provides a total of $320,000 for “the support of our seniors.”
In response to questions from Brown about long-term plans for the program, Rochester explained that ASI secured a grant for additional funding to pilot the program and is actively pursuing more grants and fundraising to support it.
Medina asked where the requested funds would be coming from, with Finance Director Chad Eaton explaining the county still has a “small balance” in a contingency fund.
Medina questioned what contingency fund that is, with Eaton indicating the administrative budget.
County Manager Longinos Gonzalez commented that the funds would come from the budget adjustment made by the BoCC on June 16, which increased the general fund budget by $100,000.
For more information on that budget adjustment, see “Commissioners approve midyear budget adjustment” in the July 2 issue of The SUN.
Ranson offered more comments on the Aspen Springs community, stating, “They give a lot more than most entities in our community.”
“We give the town an enormous amount of money,” Ranson added, explaining that the town is its own taxing entity with its own revenue streams.
Ranson went on to say that he was elected by people of the county, “and I think it’s time we take care of the people of the county as much as we take care of the people in the town.”
After a comment from the public encouraging the BoCC to consider the $23,000 request, Ranson’s motion to approve $10,000 in funding for the program died for the lack of a second.
Brown then motioned to approve $2,500 for the program, which was seconded by Medina.
Medina then offered more comment, highlighting again that the county contributes $280,000 to the Senior Center.
“Some of that money could have been used for that, as well,” she said.
Medina also encouraged Rochester to come back before the BoCC later this year during its budget process to request funding for the program in 2027.
Medina explained that she was against a midyear budget adjustment to the general fund, “because that’s not what we should be doing.”
She added that the program “is important, but midyear is hard,” noting she was also against raising county fees midyear.
“We just don’t have the money for it,” she said.
Brown also expressed that he would like to consider the program as a budget option for 2027, explaining that he is not opposed to supporting the seniors, “but this is a pretty sizable ask.”
Before voting on the motion, Ranson commented that he voted twice in favor of supporting the community’s high school seniors with items not originally included in the 2026 budget, noting he supported that “110 percent,” and that he’s “disappointed that we can’t do the same for our older people.”
Brown’s motion was then approved by a 2-1 split vote with Ranson opposing.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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