Silverthorne officials granted approval to a 2026 budget featuring projects like a new police station, upgrades to parks and sidewalks and more. 

Silverthorne Town Council ratified the 2026 budget presented by Finance Director Laura Kennedy at a Wednesday, Nov. 12, meeting that put the town’s beginning fund balance for the year at around $54.9 million and the end-of-year balance just under $53 million. 

Kennedy said the budget includes a “conservative estimate” for the town’s revenues in 2026, predicting a slight decline in sales tax and other revenue streams. 

The budget forecast puts sales tax revenue at-large at around $11.2 million for 2026. The 2025 budget put sales tax collections at around $11.6 million, but the current projection puts that closer to $11.4 million. Kennedy has said the town had strong sales tax collection in prior years, but collections have been on a downward trend as of late. The town collected around $12.6 million in sales tax in 2022, around $12.4 million in 2023 and around $12.2 in 2024. 

The town is also projecting a hit to its nicotine tax collections due to a ban on flavored nicotine taking effect Jan. 1, 2026. Staff members budgeted to collect around $900,000 in 2025, but the town anticipates collecting around $630,000 in nicotine tax in 2026. The budget forecasts similar collections for 2027 and 2028. 

A staff memo for the Nov. 12 meeting stated there are “decreases budgeted due to lower interest rates and the spend-down of the financing proceeds for the Recreation Center expansion.” 

The staff memo details the town’s Recreation Center expansion project is funded through an issuance of $29 million in certificates of participation. According to the Colorado legislature’s website, certificates of participation is a type of lease-purchase agreement used in lieu of issuing bonds. 

On its 2026 project docket, Silverthorne currently has $1 million slated for an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp for a bridge near the Silverthorne Pavilion, an approximate $250,000 spend for playground equipment at Maryland Creek Park and a $250,000 project to realign Center Circle. The town also plans to allocate $600,000 to new sidewalks that Kennedy said will “fill in some gaps,” $1.6 million to streets assessment and $807,000 to fleet asset management. The budget also outlines $2.6 million for debt payments. 

While it’s not the town’s most expensive planned spend of the year, one notable project is the relocation of the Silverthorne Police Department. At the beginning of 2025, the town had tentative plans to build what could have been a near $15 million police facility at the north end of town, but abandoned that plan. Now, the town plans to retrofit a building on 4th Street currently housing nonprofit Family and Intercultural Resource Center to serve as the new police station. The retrofit is slated to cost around $250,000. 

In a work session before the town council meeting Nov. 12, council member Erin Young wondered about the protocol for the police department’s usage of sirens now that the police facility will be located near more residences. Town staff members said the department sparingly uses sirens in residential areas and will continue to do that. 

Kennedy also highlighted some increased expenditures, like health insurance premiums for staff increasing around 20% compared to this year’s premiums, and a 17% increase in the town’s general liability insurance.

Silverthorne Town Council members present gave unanimous approval to the 2026 budget. Council members Tim Applegate and Tanecia Spagnolia were absent.

Council member Amy Manka applauded Kennedy’s work throughout the year to keep the council updated on the town’s current and future finances.  

“It is the reason we don’t have any question (about the budget),” she said.