Boulder County Commissioners · Meetings
Business Meeting
October 20, 2026 · Regular meeting
Commissioners approved first behavioral health tax grants 2-1 over Stolzmann's objection to the treatment gaps.
The Boulder County Commissioners met on October 20, 2026, with all three present. They approved the consent agenda and then the first competitive awards from the behavioral health tax. Commissioner Stolzmann voted no. She said the board gave the awards no strategic direction and that too little went to serious mental illness and treatment. Commissioner Levy questioned two awards but backed the staff recommendation and the three-year funding plan. The board approved two executive session authorizations, one of them as the Housing Authority board. It then heard the monthly Head Start report.
Summarized by a language model from the meeting transcript.
- 4 votes, 1 not unanimous
- 14 agenda items
Votes
Agenda
Call to Order
9:30 a.m. Morning Session
Business Meeting
Commissioners' Consent Items
- The board approved the consent agenda, items 4.a through 4.f, with a motion and second and no discussion.
- 4.aCommunity Planning and Permitting - NAAPME Grant Agreement with CP&P for the CO119 Transportation Demand Program (#27226)
- 4.bHuman Resources - Unum Insurance Company
- 4.cOffice of Financial Management - SOQ-252-26 Award Recommendation
- 4.dParks and Open Space - Copley Water
- 4.eParks and Open Space - Russell-2026 Restrictive Covenant
- 4.fSheriff's Office - Resolution 2026-069 - Rescinding Stage 1 Fire Restrictions In the Mountain Area of Boulder County
Commissioners' Discussion Items
- Staff presented the first behavioral health tax awards. The board questioned the Rise Against Suicide denial, the autism emergency response award and the unspent $3 million. It approved the awards 2-1, with Stolzmann opposed.passed 2-1 Vote details
Confirmation of Executive Session Topics
- The commissioners' deputy confirmed that the executive session topics noticed on October 13 were discussed as scheduled.
Authorization for Executive Session
- The board authorized an executive session on October 21 on collective bargaining negotiations with the county employees union.passed 3-0 Vote details
Authorization for Executive Session (Sitting as the Boulder County Housing Authority Board of Directors)
- 8Authorization for Executive Session (Sitting as the Boulder County Housing Authority Board of Directors)▶ 0:43:58Sitting as the Housing Authority board, the commissioners authorized an October 27 executive session for legal advice on BCHA statutory requirements and governance. Materials will come in advance.passed 3-0 Vote details
Public Meeting on Head Start Division Monthly Report to the Commissioners
- Head Start reported on enrollment, meals, attendance, budget, curriculum coaching and the delayed competition grant. The commissioners had no questions.
Conversations by topic
County budget and services
Robin Bohannon of Community Services presented the first competitive awards from the behavioral health tax. The awards total about $4.2 million a year, from 47 applications requesting about $5.7 million. Staff recommended $1.41 million for treatment, $1.49 million for prevention and $1.8 million for peer recovery. About $3.1 million stays unspent until the advisory council reports in early 2027.
Stolzmann asked whether the low number of treatment applicants showed gaps in the county that the board should address before awarding. Staff said short three-year funding discourages new treatment programs. Staff said Clinica is still planning its intensive outpatient and inpatient work and will give the county a program framework.
Levy said the chart showed only competitive grants and that a view with the direct awards would have been more useful. She asked about the $3 million left unspent. Staff said the board did not allocate close to $1 million for step-down care after hospitalization, and that this and youth funding are the two areas the board has raised.
Levy questioned the Autism Society of Boulder County emergency response award, saying autism is not a mental illness and the project fits the IDD mill levy better. She said the Imagine substance use request, which staff routed to the IDD mill levy, fit the tax better. Staff said comorbidity is high and the project trains about 500 emergency personnel and gives out sensory kits. Loachamin asked whether Fund 151 could pay for it. Levy said Fund 151 covers search and rescue and equipment, and the board left the award as proposed.
Stolzmann suggested one-year awards so the advisory council could change course. Levy opposed this, citing the earlier decision to fund three years with annual review so grantees have stability. Loachamin proposed holding year-three money to build a larger pool and said prevention at about $3 million against $6 million for treatment felt problematic. Levy said changing course would hurt providers and a tax extension campaign.
“We did give direction to do three years of funding.”
Stolzmann explained her no vote. She said the board gave no strategic leadership, that some services were expected to be covered by Medicaid, and that some do not match what the school district said it needs for youth. Levy said the advisory council and a group after the November 3 election could shape longer-term planning for 2027 and 2028.
“I will be voting against the awards today because I don't think we've provided that leadership.”
Early childhood and child care
Head Start division manager Akane Ogren gave the monthly report. Enrollment was 99 of 110 slots and about 103 after new approvals. The program must reach 106 by December to avoid an enrollment notice. September attendance averaged 92 percent. The program projects $13,000 to carry into next year. The Head Start competition grant had not yet opened, with a December 15 application date.