Caught off guard by the notice that Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade proposed pulling out of El Paso-Teller County 911 Authority, Teller County commissioners reacted.

“It’s unsustainable, reprehensible, wrong, and could have negative recreational impacts,” said Commissioner Dan Williams, speaking at the meeting June 25.  “We’re taking it very seriously.”

The comments came days after Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade announced that the city would leave the authority in 2027 to keep millions of dollars that officials say city residents contribute in phone fees for dispatch services within Colorado Springs, rather than going to services outside of it.

Cities and counties within the authority each pay a fee to be included in emergency dispatch services. Michelle Wolff, executive director of Teller County Public Health & Environment, is a member of the board.

 “One out of three of our ambulance calls in Teller County are to pick up a tourist who doesn’t pay taxes here, which is an issue,” Williams said, adding that the cost burden is shifted to Teller County residents via a mill levy. “Sheriff Jason Mikesell recently has been out in the forest with his entire force trying to control what’s going on in the national forest.”

Williams was referring to Mikesell’s no-tolerance policy for people who commit crimes, shoot illegally and/or leave campfires smoldering.  

In addition, Wiliams added, the burden of rescuing people injured in the forest and elsewhere falls on Teller County Search & Rescue.

For the commissioners, there’s also a moral issue to the proposal.

“We would never let go of our neighbors, Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Fremont or Park counties,” Williams said. “We would never say ‘we’re going to screw you guys, so we’ll be better off.’”

The commissioners have written a letter to Colorado Springs.

“We are being very careful but also firm that we will not tolerate this,” Williams said.

Commission chair Erik Stone was livid.

“It’s improper, embarrassing, that the city of Colorado Springs would address their budget issues, which are created by their spending, by trying to take money away from other organizations that have collectively been working together for decades,” Stone said.  “Money over people, that was the message.”

For Stone, the issue is still on the table.  

“We cannot shoulder that burden alone so we will be working toward rebuilding that relationship that has a crack in it right now,” Stone said.

Authority Executive Director Renee Henshaw criticized the lack of communication from Colorado Springs about the decision, which was limited to a letter sent hours before the city’s announcement at a news conference on June 22.

She hoped Colorado Springs would be open to discussing alternative solutions that can benefit the region.

Mikesell was also critical of the city’s departure from the authority and its limited notification. He was unaware of the announcement until a reporter reached out to him about it, which he described as “sad to watch.”

“I have been a member for 10 years as a sheriff and 30 years as a law enforcement officer in the region, and I believe the authority is the best thing to ever happen to our region,” Mikesell said.

The authority’s bylaws grant Mobolade unilateral control over withdrawing the city from the organization, but the Colorado Springs City Council must approve a new monthly 911 emergency services fee for its phone users.

“We’re going to save some money, and we can use that money to reinvest in our public safety services,” Mobolade said. “One of the three things we are potentially pursuing with the cost savings is apparatus.”

Cleo Westin contributed to this report.