Three residents have filed to run for open trustee seats on the Dolores Town Board, and Chris Holkestad has filed to seek another term as town mayor.
Because the number of candidates matches the number of available seats, the candidates can be declared elected without a contested vote, Town Manager Leigh Reeves said. No ballots for the town’s spring municipal election, originally scheduled for April 7, will be printed or mailed to residents.
The candidates for trustee positions are Billy McCoy, Joshua Maule and Derek Beckman. Reeves said they will be sworn in after election day, likely at the board’s April 13 regular meeting.
Current trustees leaving the board are Mayor Pro Tem Kalin Grigg, Sheila Wheeler and Mark Youngquist, though each was eligible to run again. According to the clerk’s office, both Grigg and Youngquist withdrew their filing paperwork before the Jan. 29 withdrawal deadline.
Trustees are the town’s elected governing body, responsible for setting policy, passing ordinances and making budget decisions.
Town leadership is beginning a yearlong process to gather community input for rewriting the comprehensive plan. The town secured a $54,000 one‑for‑one matching grant to support public engagement, which will include a series of events and listening sessions, as well as a website to collect input.
“When the weather is a bit nicer, we’ll host some events to make decisions about what we’re looking for going forward – you know, our core values, what is our vision statement. We want it to reflect what the community wants,” Reeves said.
The plan will guide long‑term priorities for projects, values and investments. Reeves said officials expect to begin drafting the plan in the fall.
This year’s general fund revenues total roughly $1.12 million, with expenditures at $1.1 million, leaving a net of about $22,600.
Several infrastructure projects underway or completed
The second phase of the town’s multiyear effort to replace 75‑year‑old waterlines is underway. The board adopted new water rates through 2030 to finance the $4.3 million project, which focuses on work along First through Sixth streets. The project is in the engineering and funding stages, with design nearly complete, Reeves said. Construction will move forward once the town secures needed grants and state loan financing.
The town recently completed the $134,000 Fishing Is Fun grant project, which reinforced older in‑stream features and upgraded access to the Dolores River banks. Separately, the town secured $55,700 from Southwest Conservation Corps for trail work planned this summer. The project is expected to take about four weeks with a six‑ to eight‑person crew. The Dolores Bike and Skate park held its grand opening last fall.
Over the past four years, town officials have secured nearly $2.6 million in grant funding for several additional projects, including the construction of a new Town Hall.
