Adams County commissioners took aim at their Douglas County counterparts Oct. 6, saying they were not willing to consider a 2021 budget for Tri-County Health until Douglas County had decided whether it would be part of the health agency going forward.

“How can you justify changing health orders for Douglas and Adams County and having to operate with two conflicting health orders, one based on political views and the other based on health and science?” Commissioner Chaz Tedesco said.

Commissioner Eva Henry said it appeared that the health agency was putting the rest of their territory at risk by trying to appease Douglas County.

“My concern is that everybody in Tri-County, from my appearance, is bending over backwards to keep Douglas County,” Henry said. “The simple fact is, no one has asked us if we want to keep Douglas County or if we want to negotiate with them. I have no desire to keep a county that has irresponsibly decided to leave a health department during a pandemic.”

Tri-County Health presented their proposed 2021 budget to Adams County commissioners at their Oct. 6 study session, a remote meeting on the Zoom networking platform.

Douglas County unknown

Tri-County Health is the operating health agency for three Colorado counties, Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas. When the agency's Board of Health — made up of appointees from each county — called for a COVID-19 mask order in July, the Douglas County Commissioners sent a withdrawal letter saying they would set up their own health department and withdraw from Tri-County after July 11, 2021.

Executive Director John Douglas said he does not know what Douglas County has done since issuing their letter.

“They, as far as we know, have not been planning what it would take to create a new health department as of July 8,” Douglas said.

But Douglas said there has been discussion that Douglas County could hire Tri-County as a contractor, but he didn't know how much they would pay.

Douglas County commissioners did not provide a comment on Adams County's decision but said they planned to discuss the matter in a Monday, Oct. 12 executive session. 

County funding made up about $11 million of the agency's budget $45 million budget in 2020. Adams County paid $3.7 million, Arapahoe County paid $4.7 million and Douglas County paid $2.5 million.

Jennifer Ludwig, deputy director for Tri-County, said the agency's budget call for a 14.71% spending increase in 2021, much of that from increased costs and expenses due to the agency's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic locally.

But Ludwig said funding from the three counties is not expected to rise, beyond per capita payments based on local populations. Each county pays $7.10 per capita to the agency and population in the agency's territory looks to increase by 26,054 people, Ludwig said.

Based on those population forecasts, Adams County would pay an additional $53,662 and Arapahoe County would pay an additional $66,946. Douglas County would pay $64,376, based on that forecast.

Structuring the agency

Tedesco said he's a fan of the health agency and what it does.

“I am not criticizing your work by any means,” Tedesco said. “This is about the structure of an agency that's being threatened by one of our partners and we need to make sure we are analyzing ever aspect to make sure we can justify that to our community.”

Tedesco pushed the health agency to present a spending plan that didn't include Douglas County.

“I don't believe we should be talking about a budget that includes Douglas County,” he said. “And if it's a contract situation, I would have a problem of being involved with Douglas County.”

Commission Chair Emma Pinter said she's not willing to approve a budget until Douglas County's membership is settled.

“At this point, we have an option that they either remove their letter or approve this budget,” Pinter said. “If they are unable to do so, then my colleagues are correct.”

Douglas said his staff could draw up a budget that assumed three counties for the first part of 2021 and two counties after July. County Manager Ray Gonzales said commissioners are scheduled to vote on their 2021 budget in December.