Jefferson County has invited members of equine and agriculture organizations to participate in a brainstorming session at the Jeffco Fairgrounds on Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 6 – 7:30 p.m., to identify and consider potential options to preserve those types of activities at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. The meeting is open to the public for interested parties to attend and listen.
Jefferson County is evaluating whether to reduce or eliminate operations at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds as it explores ways to further reduce its operating budget in 2021. The county has already reduced its 2020 budget by $16.1 million following last year’s decision by voters not to approve Ballot Initiative 1A, and the Jefferson County Fairgrounds costs the county $1.8 million annually to operate.
With the budget challenges facing the county this year and next, operations across all areas are being evaluated and explored for efficiencies, reductions and eliminations. For example, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has already released inmates early in response to the budget cuts, some transportation projects will continue to go unfunded, and other cuts are underway.
In the past, commissioners were able to use the county’s reserves to avoid budget cuts and to address the rising costs of essential county services. However, using our reserves is no longer an option. Our rainy-day fund is at its two-month minimum.
For more about the county’s budget situation, please visit our website at www.jeffco.us and click on the link for the Financial Realities page.