During a regular meeting held by the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) on Tuesday, July 7, the board approved Resolution 2026-53 by a split vote of 2-1, amending fees for county services.
Commissioners Warren Brown and John Ranson voted in favor of approving the resolution, with Commissioner Veronica Medina opposing.
The matter was discussed earlier that day during a work session held by the BoCC, with Sheriff Mike Le Roux presenting two new fees under the sheriff’s office, and Public Works Director Mike Torres and Road and Bridge Manager Eric McRae presenting a list of increased fees at the county’s landfill and transfer stations.
Solid Waste fees
Torres explained fees proposed for the landfill and transfer stations.
Landfill fees
Torres explained that the county has not increased its landfill fee schedule since late 2022 or early 2023.
He then provided total revenue figures for years 2022 through 2025, indicating total revenue of $1,072,902.40 was received in 2022, $868,644.15 in 2023, $1,016,905.37 in 2024 and $1,115,870.04 in 2025.
Torres also provided fee comparisons of surrounding area landfills, noting that the Bondad landfill in Durango charges $182 per ton, compared to the county’s rate of $50 per ton.
He explained that he was presenting the residential and commercial (compacted or loose) fee as a minimum charge of $50, otherwise $75 per ton, up from the $50-per-ton charge.
Torres also indicated the construction demolition fee would increase from $55 per ton to $75 per ton with a minimum charge of $50, along with a veterans’ exemption fee of $50 per ton.
Brown commented that the veteran exemption is a lower fee and not a “total exemption” from the fee.
“It’s a lower fee for our veterans,” he said.
Torres also reviewed the fee for dirt/yard waste/sludge, noting that it would increase from $15 per cubic yard to $30 per cubic yard.
Torres mentioned that has a lot to do with the amount of material being received from the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District (PAWSD).
“That’s the majority of waste sludge that we get,” he said.
He also noted that the fee for mattress disposal would increase from $23 to $35 with a veterans’ exemption charge of $20.
The fee for hot tub disposal would increase from $15 to $30. Appliances that need freon removal would be charged at $75, up from $60, or a veterans’ exemption of $54, Torres explained.
Torres also indicated that there will be a $100 fee for uncovered loads.
Transfer station
In regard to transfer station fees, Torres indicated that residential compacted waste fees would increase from $17 to $20 per cubic yard, while commercial compacted waste fees would increase from $20 to $25.
The fee for 33 gallon commercial bags would increase from $3.50 to $4, while 34 to 55 gallon bags for residential would increase from $4.50 to $5, and commercial for that size would increase from $5.50 to $6, Torres explained.
He noted that the fee for television disposal would increase from $35 to $40 and the fee for “small e-waste” items would increase from $.50 to $1.
The fee for appliances with certification of freon removal will increase from $25 to $30, with a veterans’ exemption fee of $22, and the fee for appliances that need freon removal will increase from $60 to $75. With a veterans’ exemption fee of $60, Torres explained.
Other appliances will increase from $25 to $30, with a veterans’ exemption fee of $22, and furniture disposal will increase from $23 to $25, with a veterans’ exemption fee of $22 per item.
Brown asked about issues the landfill experiences with uncovered loads.
“It’s actually gotten worse,” McRae responded, suggesting the county needs to be better about enforcing that fee.
“It’s becoming a problem,” he said, explaining that ties in with folks bringing in mixed loads to the landfill and refusing to separate metal, wood, yard waste and construction debris.
“We gotta keep that stuff out of our landfill if we want to see the life of this thing be extended,” he said.
Ranson asked about anticipated total revenues at the landfill for 2026, with Torres indicating that it’s “hard to say” right now, but likely will be around $1.1 million.
Torres then mentioned new fees for tire disposal at the landfill.
He reviewed that mixed loads will be charged a $100 fee, and oversized equipment tires will be charged at $45 each.
According to the updated fee schedule attached in the July 7 BoCC meeting agenda, heavy-duty truck tires (semi tires) will be charged at $24 each, tires 35 inches and above will be $9 each and all other tires below 35 inches will be $7 each.
McRae commented that landfill’s intake is going up.
“We’re gonna see some new numbers at the end of year,” he said, “and I think they’re going to be shocking.”
Torres commented on the mixed load fee, stating that “far too often” staff receives loads that have basic household trash, construction waste and even a pile of rebar at the bottom.
Medina asked Torres and McRae their thoughts on why the landfill is experiencing higher volumes of trash, with McRae indicating that fire hardening is a big reason, along with population increases in the county since 2017.
McRae indicated that the county’s population in 2017 was roughly 9,000, and now it’s approximately 14,000.
“It’s just easy math,” he said.
Medina commented that the fire hardening aspect “makes sense,” but questioned the population aspect, suggesting that the county’s population is up from 2017, but is “probably down” currently versus the previous two years.
McRae suggested that “turnover” in the community has a lot to do with the high intake at the landfill, explaining that there are many cases of people with second homes here who have to leave for one reason or another and have to clear out a home in a time crunch.
“What doesn’t sell gets brought to us,” he said.
He also noted that there are more and more junk removal companies popping up in the community.
Medina then asked when staff would expect these fee increases to be implemented, with Torres and McRae indicating Aug. 1.
“I’m not a huge fan of increasing fees midyear,” Medina said, commenting that she understands the reason why the county does need to increase fees, but would rather see it presented at the beginning of the year.
She added that the fees for uncovered and mixed loads, “all of those make sense to me,” but expressed that the county should give the opportunity to give sufficient notice to the community for some of the other fee increases.
Torres explained that part of the reason for not presenting the fee changes at the beginning of the year is due to the fact that the new landfill cell had not been completed at that time.
“I think now we’re getting to that point,” Torres said, explaining that things are looking better at the landfill and the county is providing better service for the community than before.
Ranson offered more comments about the cost of living increasing with other taxing entities in the community issuing increases.
He also mentioned that the county is on pace to save around $700,000 to $800,000 in its 2026 budget.
Ranson also agreed with Medina in not wanting to pass on any higher costs to the community if the county does not have to, suggesting that the county has done a “fabulous job” holding the line.
Brown commented that this BoCC has intentionally kept fees down, but noted there does come a time when increases are needed in order for the county to stay operational.
More discussion took place during the regular meeting following Ranson’s motion to adopt the resolution.
Medina explained that she is not opposed to the fee increase, but expressed concern over the timing of it.
“I agree that we need to increase the fees, I agree that this is something that we need to do,” she said, but suggested that some of the proposed fee increases could be held off and not implemented Aug. 1.
Brown commented that going forward he would prefer that fee increases be proposed in at least the first quarter of the new year.
Ranson’s motion was then approved by a split vote of 2-1 with Medina opposing.
Sheriff’s office fees
During the work session, Le Roux provided the BoCC on the two new fees being implemented under the sheriff’s office “for some extra services” now being provided.
He noted the two fees “are related to firearm stuff.”
One of those is a specified semiautomatic firearms application fee of $75, which is now required under Senate Bill 25-003, becoming effective Aug. 1.
The second fee discussed by Le Roux is for the county’s firearm relinquishing program, which is charged at $25 per firearm per month.
Le Roux explained that this program stems from work done with Rise Above Violence, explaining that anytime there is a domestic violence situation there are protected and restrained parties, and that “oftentimes, there’s a prohibition of firearms through a protection order.”
He noted that historically the restrained party could relinquish their firearms to a firearm dealer, a friend or family member, or to law enforcement.
“That hasn’t always been that easy, or necessarily tracked as well as it could’ve been,” Le Roux said.
Le Roux clarified that the firearms being relinquished are not considered evidence unless it was used in a crime.
“Oftentimes it’s not,” he said, indicating that the firearms are simply in the household.
Le Roux also explained that, statutorily, the sheriff’s office can receive the firearms.
“We’re just proposing an administrative fee to manage that process,” he said.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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