At its meeting on Tuesday, May 6, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) took two steps toward building a new administration building.
The BoCC unanimously approved a resolution allowing the county to complete the purchase for property on Cornerstone Drive for purpose of building a new county administration building, and took a step forward in holding a stakeholder process to help inform the planning for that building.
The BoCC voted to approve a purchase and sale agreement with Pagosa Partners I Inc. for the purchase of the property at 2901 Cornerstone Drive on March 18, but County Manager Jack Harper indicated the resolution up for consideration was requested by the title company.
He added the seller also had to do one.
According to the resolution approved Tuesday, following the previous purchase and sales agreement — which includes a purchase price of $2,525,480 — the county paid $10,000 in earnest money, with the remainder due at closing on May 9.
“By this Resolution, the Board reaffirms its previous actions described herein and authorizes the purchase of real property having an address of 2901 Cornerstone Drive, Pagosa Springs, CO for the amount of $2,525,480.00 from Pagosa Partners I, Inc. pursuant to the terms of the Purchase and Sale Agreement dated February 10, 2025, and authorizes the Chair of the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners to execute all necessary documents to complete said purchase,” the resolution states.
In approving the resolution Tuesday, the county’s interim contract attorney, Lance Ingalls, requested that the formal authorization for the purchase of the property be made subject to the condition that the county attorney review the closing documents, which Commissioner Warren Brown then included in his motion.
Following the vote to formally authorize the purchase of the property, the board considered whether or not to put out a request for proposals (RFP) soliciting a community stakeholder facilitator.
County Manager Jack Harper explained the county previously heard a presentation from a firm, Sagebrush Consulting, about assisting the county through its public process of moving forward with the administration building.
But, he added, per the county’s procurement policy, he would need to solicit three separate bids, so he was seeking approval or not to put out an RFP for someone to assist in the process.
In response to a question from Brown, Harper noted no one else has expressed interest.
Commissioner Veronica Medina explained that Sagebrush sent it’s proposal unsolicited.
“We didn’t ask for it,” she said. “They sent it forward because they thought it would be something that they would help the county with to move the ... county administration building [for].”
Brown asked if the commissioners had to make the decision then or if they could wait to consider it and put it out an RFP at a later time if the board chose to.
Harper indicated it’s up to the board and the board could wait.
Commissioner John Ranson explained he “could go either way.”
Medina expressed that she would like to put the RFP out.
“We collectively have told our constituents that we were gonna have participation with the public and that we would get their input before we broke ground, before we really push this any further. And to stick by what we said to our constituents, I think it would be a great option to have a facilitator be a part of that so they could help us weed through all of the comments and suggestions from the public,” she said. “As we saw from the first meeting we had, there was a lot coming at us, and I think that we definitely were not prepared with getting back to them or even having more answers for them, so, in my humble opinion, I think doing an RFP just to see what comes back to us, it wouldn’t hurt to get that information.”
Medina also clarified the firm was told it could resubmit its proposal under the RFP.
The board ultimately voted 3-0 to put the RFP out.
Harper explains in an email to The SUN that it will take roughly 30 days to undergo the RFP process and make a selection.
“Part of what the RFP will be looking for from the consultant selected will be their proposed timeline for the stakeholder process,” Harper wrote.
Harper also explains the county will be going out “shortly” for a request for qualifications for architecture and engineering, explaining that while the architects and engineers will be brought on separately, they will be given the results of the stakeholder process.
Harper explained at the BoCC’s May 6 work session that about 80 employees will be located at the new administration building once it’s built.
It was also noted during conversation on the matter that while the county doesn’t own the plans that were previously floated for an administration building, there may be some opportunity to use some of the previous space planning.
randi@pagosasun.com
