During the final Garfield County Board of County Commissioners meeting of the month Monday, commissioners heard human services updates from several local nonprofits, approved a $406,000 operational supplement for Colorado State University Extension services and renewed a permit for a GPS station at the Garfield County Landfill. 

Commissioners hear human services updates

Representatives from YouthZone, River Bridge Regional Center and the Yampah Teen Parent Program presented updates to commissioners Monday. 

Over the past year, local nonprofit YouthZone served 239 Garfield County clients with check-ins and substance use education and mental health sessions. The organization boasts an 85% non-reoffense rate, YouthZone Executive Director Jami Hayes told commissioners. 

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In 2025, River Bridge Regional Center, a child advocacy nonprofit, served 156 children who were victims of abuse or neglect. Around 64% lived in Garfield County. About 42 new cases were sent by law enforcement to the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and 31 were accepted by the prosecution, according to the center’s year-to-date outcomes report. The center’s Mountain West SANE Alliance Program received a total of 48 calls from sexual assault victims, 67% of which were in Garfield County, the report states. 

This year, the Yampah Teen Parent Program has served 21 students, as well as 15 children in the Early Childhood Education Program. Out of those 21 students, all are multilingual learners who are eligible for reduced or free lunch and 79% have experienced housing instability. 

“We had three (pregnant) 14 year olds this year. So hence our numbers — why lower graduation, we have younger pregnancies showing up. I don’t know if that’s a trend across the state yet or not, but we’re certainly seeing that,” Leigh McGown, director of early childhood education, told commissioners. “We’ve also had some situations of human trafficking with the teen parents, so there’s been some more serious challenges.”

Operational supplement for Colorado State University approved

For the first action item of the meeting, commissioners unanimously approved an operational supplement for Colorado State University (CSU) Extension services. For 2026, commissioners appropriated around $406,000 to the CSU Extension for the operational supplement. 

“We really had a tough budget year but we came back and supported 4H, as we always do, 100%,” Commissioner Tom Jankovsky told Carla Farrand, CSU extensions director. “Just want to know you have that support from us.”

Agreement for GPS station at landfill approved 

Commissioners also approved a permit renewal and easement agreement for a GPS station at the Garfield County Landfill. 

The permit renewal was filed by EarthScope, formerly known as UNAVCO, for a station that includes a monument with a radome and solar panel.EarthScope is a federally grant-funded nonprofit that runs a network of GPS stations throughout the United States and Central and South America. 

The station collects seismic and geographic data that can be used to detect earthquakes, pinpoint exact locations for surveyors and measure the rise and fall of groundwater. 

“This (GPS station) is a surprise to me. I’ve been a commissioner for 16 years,”  Commissioner Tom Jankovsky told EarthScope representatives.