San Miguel County is poised to move forward with a preliminary intergovernmental agreement for the planning of a new gondola system to replace the current one. This development follows the consensus reached by the Gondola Leadership Committee in 2022, which suggested entirely replacing the current gondola system as a less costly avenue then updating the existing system.
Elected officials from the Town of Telluride, Town of Mountain Village, and San Miguel County have actively engaged in committee and managerial meetings to exchange and evaluate information. County manager Mike Bordogna, along with other stakeholders and town and county managers, discussed these matters during a work session for the San Miguel Board of County Commissioners held on Wednesday.
While the agenda included the potential for an executive session to discuss the draft intergovernmental agreement, the meeting remained open. Present at the meeting with Bordogna were Miles Graham, a consultant involved in the governance process, and David Averill from the San Miguel Authority of Regional Transportation (SMART). SMART’s board had previously passed a resolution this year, expressing their intent to take a lead role in the ongoing gondola planning process. Bordogna affirmed that “SMART will be in charge of the process and will oversee any future gondola operations.”
The Commissioners did not transition into an executive session but continued the discussion openly, with an introductory discussion on the prospective intergovernmental agreement. Bordogna clarified in his brief introduction that the work session aimed to discuss “a proposed intergovernmental agreement for the planning operations that will occur over the next two years, leading to a potential ballot measure and/or other grant opportunities.” Looking to the future, this will entail not only replacing the gondola but also it’s continued operations beyond 2027.
Bordogna noted that the draft intergovernmental agreement would include specific funding allocations, with requests being made from the county. He emphasized the county’s equal financial involvement and its significant interest in the gondola, benefiting many residents beyond Telluride and Mountain Village. Therefore, the county has maintained its equal partnership in this endeavor.
He handed over the presentation to Graham, who had prepared a slideshow titled “Project Development IGA: Informational Process and Timeline for Finalization.” Graham explained that the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) for gondola planning would primarily focus on the coming year, with adjustments and updates as necessary. The purpose of this project development IGA is to establish a cost-sharing arrangement for the planning process.
Graham added that as they progress into more detailed design phases, the IGA would be revisited, potentially on an annual basis. 4 local entities comprise the IGA, and they are town of Mountain Village/TMVOA, San Miguel County, town of Telluride and Telluride Ski and Golf; all who have equal cost contributions and voting rights
Graham concluded his presentation by outlining the next steps in the timeline. He hoped to present a draft IGA at the county commissioner’s October work session, have it considered at the regular meeting on October 18, present it to the Town of Mountain Village on October 19, and finally, to the Town of Telluride on October 24.