During its regular meeting held on Thursday, June 5, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) unanimously approved a design for the future transfer station utilities at Cloman Park, along with an additional auxiliary building.
The BoCC previously approved $37,000 in December 2024 to be used for an engineer and architect to assist the county with the design and layout of the new transfer station.
During the June 5 meeting, public works director Mike Torres presented the matter to the BoCC, explaining that the new request is for $19,000, which would be used to design the utilities — including water, electric, sewer and gas — as well as the additional auxiliary building.
He mentioned that staff initially thought there would be enough room for storage, but, “Just with the amount of growth we’ve seen over the years and people wanting to recycle, we thought while were designing this we might as well design an auxiliary building to the southwest corner of the … allotted piece of property for the transfer station.”
Torres noted the additional auxiliary building would be 50 feet by 50 feet and approximately 17 to 18 feet tall.
“It’ll give us the ability to store plastics, more paper and cardboard, and items that can’t get wet and be out in the elements,” he said.
Commissioner Warren Brown asked if the previously approved funds and the additional $19,000 were included in this year’s budget, which Torres confirmed.
Torres noted the project has been budgeted for the past two years.
“I appreciate your forward thinking on this,” Brown said, noting that it will be more cost-effective for the county to do this now.
Commissioner John Ranson asked for clarification if the previously approved funds came out of the county’s budget or from a grant.
Torres explained both the $37,000 and $19,000 came out of the capital budget for the transfer station.
He also noted that the county budgeted $200,000 for this process, adding that he is hopeful those funds will go toward some preliminary construction work this summer, “if we have time.”
clayton@pagosasun.com
