Boulder County Commissioners · Regular meeting
Business Meeting
June 30, 2026
Commissioners explore a new $75,000 home-ownership fund for public workers and decline a bike/hiker trail pilot at Heil and Hall Ranch.
The board approved routine items: the consent agenda, a resolution to ratify $8.875 million in behavioral health sales tax spending, and three executive session authorizations. Sitting as the Housing Authority board, commissioners heard the 2025 audit (clean opinion, one finding tied to a misclassified $5.3 million Lafayette grant) and an operations update, then accepted the audit. In a work session, staff proposed an Innovation Fund program giving up to $75,000 in home-ownership help to public sector workers; commissioners leaned toward limiting eligibility to government employees and asked staff to explore partner funding. In a second work session on Parks and Open Space, staff presented three pilot options to separate bikers, hikers, and equestrians at Heil and Hall Ranch trails; two commissioners opposed any pilot for now and favored more signage, education, and community dialogue instead.
Agenda and votes
Call to Order
9:30 a.m. Morning Session
Business Meeting
Commissioners' Consent Items
- 4Commissioners' Consent ItemsThe board approved the consent agenda after pulling item 4.f for discussion and striking item 4.g, a test agenda item.passed 3-0to approve the Commissioners' Consent Agenda as a whole.Moved by Ashley Stolzmann, seconded by Marta LoachaminStolzmann: yesLoachamin: yesLevy: yes
- 4.aCommunity Services - Fines Committee Grant Award and Agreement
- 4.bHousing Department - Requesting Approval to Apply for HUD Supportive Housing Grant Renewal
- 4.cCommunity Services - Revenue Contract Amendment with the Colorado Department of Public Safety
- 4.dHousing and Human Services - 2026 BCHS CPG Amendment with Salud Family Health ($10,952.85)
- 4.eHousing and Human Services - 2027 IDD BOCC Funding With 3% Increase
- 4.fOffice of Financial Management - Ratification of Resolution 2026-038The board approved Resolution 2026-038 ratifying $8.875 million in behavioral health sales tax expenditures after staff clarified which competitive funding line items are grants.passed 3-0 unofficialat 0:05:17Approve Resolution 2026-038 ratifying $8,875,000 in expenditures from the mental and behavioral health sales tax.
- 4.gTest agenda item via automation
Authorizations for Executive Sessions
- 5.aAuthorization for Executive SessionThe board authorized an executive session for personnel performance reviews of two department directors.passed 3-0Office of Financial Management - Ratification of Resolution 2026-038Moved by Ashley Stolzmann, seconded by Marta LoachaminStolzmann: yesLoachamin: yesLevy: yes
- 5.bAuthorization for Executive SessionThe board authorized an executive session to instruct negotiators on the collective bargaining agreement with the Boulder County Employees Union.passed 3-0 unofficialat 0:07:00Authorize an executive session on July 1, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. under CRS 24-6-402(4)(e) for instructions to negotiators on the collective bargaining agreement with the Boulder County Employees Union.
- 5.cAuthorization for Executive SessionThe board authorized an executive session for personnel performance reviews of five department directors and deputies.passed 3-0 unofficialat 0:07:30Authorize an executive session on July 1, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. under CRS 24-6-402(4)(f) for personnel performance reviews of the Deputy County Administrator, Human Services Director, Housing Director, Public Works Director, and Parks and Open Space Director.
Public Hearing of the Boulder County Housing Authority (Sitting as the Sitting as the Boulder County Housing Authority Board of Directors)
- 6Public Hearing of the Boulder County Housing Authority (Sitting as the Sitting as the Boulder County Housing Authority Board of Directors)Sitting as the Housing Authority board, commissioners heard the executive director's report, the 2025 audit, an operations and finance update, and accepted the audit.
Work Session
- 7Work Sessionpassed 3-0Public Hearing of the Boulder County Housing Authority (Sitting as the Sitting as the Boulder County Housing Authority Board of Directors)Moved by Ashley Stolzmann, seconded by Marta LoachaminStolzmann: yesLoachamin: yesLevy: yes
- 7.aHousing Department - Affordable and Attainable Housing Tax Innovation FundIn a work session, staff outlined a proposed Innovation Fund home-ownership program for public sector workers and asked whether to revisit the 2027 Affordable and Attainable Housing Tax funding structure; the board gave direction but took no vote.
1:00 p.m. Afternoon Session
- 8.aWork SessionIn an afternoon work session on the Parks and Open Space Alternate Days Pilot, staff presented survey results and three options to separate trail users at Heil and Hall Ranch; a majority of the board declined to implement a pilot now and asked for more education and signage instead.
Parks and Open Space Department - Alternate Days Pilot: Survey Results and Options for Board Consideration
- 1Parks and Open Space Department - Alternate Days Pilot: Survey Results and Options for Board Consideration
Other votes
Conversations by topic
Immigration
BCHA Executive Director Susanna Lopez Baker told the board HUD now requires the housing authority to track mixed-immigration-status households in a separate portal and share that data with DHS by August 3. Commissioner Levy said any errors in that data could have consequences far beyond losing housing, including deportation, and pressed staff to be accurate since BCHA is not an immigration enforcement or citizenship agency.
“we're not an immigration enforcement agency. We're not law enforcement.”
Housing and land use
Staff reported the Willoughby Corner phase one construction loan converted to a permanent loan, a major milestone, and that BCHA is pursuing a non-competitive tax credit round for phase three around September. Entitlement work with the City of Lafayette continues, with phases shifting to move faster.
Auditor Aaron Ness of Ayd Bailey presented a clean 2025 audit opinion for BCHA with total assets of $166.7 million. The audit found one material weakness tied to a $5,338,000 City of Lafayette ARPA payment that was originally booked as grant revenue but should have been recorded as a forgivable loan, requiring a $4.5 million prior-period correction.
Housing staff proposed an Innovation Fund program offering up to $75,000 in last-gap home-ownership assistance, tiered by income up to 130% AMI, for public sector workers as a silent second loan forgiven after 10 years. Commissioner Stolzmann and most of the board favored limiting eligibility to government employees rather than including nonprofit or gig workers, and Stolzmann suggested seeking matching funds from other jurisdictions and the community foundation.
“I think there needs to be a bright line... it should be for public service employees, which would include state federal municipal County employees, public school employees, fire district employees and water district employees and library district employees.”
Staff asked the board whether to keep the current Affordable and Attainable Housing Tax split (38% Boulder County, 32% City of Boulder, plus a 5% reserve) beyond 2026. Commissioner Stolzmann raised the county's structural budget deficit and questioned whether large capital grants are sitting unspent too long; commissioners asked staff to analyze whether the $500,000 annual Innovation Fund allocation and the 24-month capital spending window should change.
Open space trail use and multi-user conflict
Parks and Open Space staff presented survey results (7,500 responses, 300 open-house attendees) showing most respondents opposed any trail-use pilot at Heil and Hall Ranch, with concerns about speed, close passing, and crowding. Staff recommended alternative one, monthly directional bike loops at Heil, but commissioners Stolzmann and Loachamin declined to adopt any pilot now, favoring more signage, an ambassador program, and community dialogue; Commissioner Levy favored a version of alternative two separating bikers and hikers on more trails at Heil.
“at this time I wouldn't proceed with any of the alternatives.”