The town of Dolores will receive a $40,486 refund from the 2015 law enforcement contract with the Montezuma County sheriff’s office.

Sheriff Steve Nowlin said the refunded funds were a result of a careful accounting of expenditures. Savings in operating and vehicle expenses made up the bulk of the refund.

“I can’t promise you that every time,” he said.

In 2015, Dolores agreed to a $157,520 contract with the sheriff’s office to provide law-enforcement services for the community of 950 residents. Two deputies are assigned to serve Dolores 80 hours per week.

Nowlin said he broke up the budget so expenditures could be closely tracked month to month.

“Before my term, there was never any accounting for it, and any unexpended funds would go back into the county general fund,” he said. “Now the budget is tracked so everyone can see where their tax dollars are going, and that is the way it should be.”

Interim manager Lana Hancock said the money will go back into the General Fund and help balance the budget for 2016.

The board and town staff were pleasantly surprised.

“It’s good for the town to get some money back, thank you,” said board member Isabel Boyce.

Town attorney Mike Green said it was historic.

“This is the first time in 30 years I’ve seen the sheriff return budgeted funds.”

The 2016 sheriff contract is the same as 2015.