Trinidad Council Approves Fox West Plan, Certifies 2026 Tax Increase

The Trinidad City Council took several consequential actions at its Dec. 2 meeting that will affect downtown redevelopment, household property tax bills, and municipal operations through the end of the year and into 2026. The council approved a professional services agreement with CSNA Architects to lead design and construction management for the Fox West Theatre Reboot Project, a step city officials called critical to preserving the venue as a local cultural anchor.

Under the approved plan crews will install HVAC and electrical systems beneath the stage in the building second basement, avoiding exterior additions. The move shifts the project from an earlier concept estimated at $3.2 million to a more affordable budget of $1.5 million. That figure includes a $600,000 grant from the Department of Local Affairs. City staff emphasized that essential work already completed, including asbestos removal, will make the theatre functional for performances and community events even as the project focuses on infrastructure rather than extensive aesthetic upgrades. Council members framed the theatre as a tool to spur economic activity and to help unify the west end of downtown.

The council also certified the mill levy for the 2026 budget year, a required step as temporary state reductions put in place after the repeal of the Gallagher Amendment expire at the end of 2025. City officials stressed that the increase stems from state level adjustments and not from a local decision, and they filed the certification ahead of the Dec. 15 deadline with Las Animas County. The certification must also be submitted to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs by Jan. 31. City Manager Tara Marshall acknowledged that any increase, even a slight one, will come at a time when residents are already feeling the effects of inflation.

Council members voted to close city offices on Friday, Dec. 26, giving staff a paid holiday while ensuring essential services including police, fire, utilities, and the animal shelter remain operational with compensatory time offered to employees working that day. The meeting also approved technical corrections to property and subdivision records, confirmed appointments to advisory commissions, and advanced measures to secure utility access and emergency egress for the City View Heights development. Together these actions reflect a mix of preservation planning, fiscal compliance, and personnel decisions that will shape city operations and local budgets in the months ahead.