County declines to take over TRE district

A resolution confirming Douglas County doesn’t plan on taking over the Topaz Ranch Estates General Improvement District will be discussed at commissioners’ April 4 meeting.

District residents filled commissioners’ chambers on Monday after many of them received multiple notices of the meeting regarding a petition asking the county to take charge of the district.

A suggestion that the district return to the county with an update of efforts was rejected.

“This has been exhausting for our board,” said Chairwoman Sharon Becker.

She said the board was willing to work with the county, but that waiting three months to wrap the issue up would be a challenge.

Bids are going out for culvert and drainage work that was approved by the district board on Wednesday.

Former county Chief Financial Officer Terri Willougby, who conducted a review of the district, recommended that commissioners not take over the district.

“I feel that any action that may be contemplated by the Board of County Commissioners appears to be unwarranted and imprudent at this time,” Willoughby said in her report. “Due to the progress the TRE Board has made in recent months on many aspects of district operations (financial and operational), my recommendation would be to table any further action at this time on this matter.”

Willoughby said she spoke with Kelly Langley with the Department of Taxation who also recommended the district not be dissolved, saying “…this action would affect the separate tax rate of the district, which is higher than the county.”

Even if the county wanted to take action, state law might require the district board to adopt a resolution agreeing to any merger or dissolution.

The district has $309,176 in revenue from property tax and consolidated tax for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The district has $565,396 in cash reserves as of Feb. 29.