Grand County reviews draft 2027 budget, dissolves arena panel, backs shuttle MOU 4-3

The Grand County Commission reviewed an early draft of its 2027 General Fund budget on Oct. 6 that includes all department requests, projects revenues of $21.599 million, and would draw just over $1 million from reserves, according to the signed meeting minutes ^[1].

Clerk/Auditor Gabriel Woytek said expenses are projected to rise 3.37% while revenue grows 1.47% over the expected 2026 year-end. Salary and benefits would rise $1.17 million, or 6.77%, while department operating costs fall. He said the county can no longer rely on historical under-spending of the budget. Year-to-date sales and use tax collections were $14.16 million against a projection of $13.9 million. The draft does not yet include dispatch revenue or contributions to outside entities, which Chair Melodie McCandless said total about $386,000 in requests, excluding $500,000 for the shuttle ^[1].

Commissioners differed on the transient room tax. Commissioner Brian Martinez argued for projecting a 5% increase, saying that by his calculations the tax was up 18% over the first nine months of the year. Commissioner Trisha Hedin supported a flat projection, with any surplus going to reserves and stormwater work. A straw poll indicated approval of the 5% increase for the tentative budget, which Woytek said would add about $250,000 to the General Fund ^[1].

In the regular meeting, the commission voted 6-1 to dissolve the Old Spanish Trail Arena Advisory Committee, with Commissioner Mike McCurdy opposed ^[1][2]. A subcommittee found that the committee's bylaw objectives had been met and that oversight now rests with the Grand County Fair Board and the Recreation Special Service District. It also voted 7-0 to allow culinary water to irrigate the arena for the rest of the season at a cost of $23,400 or less. A second 7-0 vote awarded Paradigm Asphalt a not-to-exceed $205,017 contract for crack sealing and seal coating of the Moab Canyon paved path, chosen from eight bids ^[1].

Commissioners heard a request from GIV Development for a $200,000 county loan toward a 70-unit low-income housing tax credit project on Kane Creek Boulevard and at Arroyo Crossing, which would leverage $21.7 million in tax credits. Chair McCandless said changes to the housing loan fund are under legal review. They also heard a draft Spanish Valley traffic study from Horrocks Engineering that recommended no mitigations, finding that all six studied intersections would operate acceptably through 2040 ^[1].

On the Moab to Arches shuttle, an agreement with the city of Moab for overflow parking at Emma Boulevard and Lions Park first failed 3-2, with Commissioners Hedin and Mary McGann opposed, Commissioner Jacques Hadler abstaining and Commissioner McCurdy absent. Later in the meeting, on a motion by McCurdy to reconsider, it passed 4-3, with Hedin, McGann and Hadler opposed. An amendment to the shuttle operating agreement adding shuttle attendance, which McCandless said has no fiscal impact, also passed 4-3, with the same three commissioners opposed. A proposed Slavin search agreement for a planning and zoning director failed 3-4, with McCandless, Hedin, Hadler and McGann opposed, and the commission appointed Commission Administrator Mark Tyner as interim zoning administrator 7-0 ^[1].