Monument’s Finance Director Jennifer Phillips had no upsides to present to Town Council during its Sept. 2 meeting: There is no money for aging vehicle replacement, adequate staffing for services, funding-matched grant projects or potentially even Christmas.

“This goes on and on and on; it never ends,” she said. “It’s not like we have a bad year.”

The town is facing a financial crisis due to chronic deficit spending and declined sales tax revenue.

The town laid off six employees in the past month to save money, said Phillips, putting pressure on higher-level staff to man the front desk and take on other administrative duties.

“We physically will not be able to deliver the amount of projects expected,” she said.

The town has also chosen not to fill positions when people leave them, including three for Monument police officers and a municipal court job.

The staffing cuts are not enough, Phillips said. Her preliminary budget includes major reductions in town services yet still would leave the town spending slightly more than its $14 million in estimated 2026 general fund revenues.

The potential cuts include $62,000 in community sponsorships with Tri-Lakes Cares, Silver Key Senior Services and the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce.

The preliminary budget calls for additional layoffs and privatization of public works, with a reduced schedule of snowplowing. Parks would reduce maintenance and hire no seasonal staff. Twenty public works vehicles and nine police cruisers in need of replacement will need to stick around.

The widening of Jackson Creek Parkway is unfunded, Phillips said, resulting in the loss of some Colorado Department of Transportation matching funds toward the project.

For remaining town staff, the recommended cuts include dropping a wellness program and tuition reimbursement. The town is expected to reduce employer match retirement contributions and overall hours paid.

Expenditures on celebrations and beautification are also on the chopping block. Monument’s downtown flower displays are not in the budget, nor are artist stipends for public statue exhibits. The town might also cut its $25,000 contract for Christmas lights — public works staff said they could string their own lights to keep the tradition going.

Mayor Mitch LaKind entertained discussion on dropping the contract but said the display itself was a “nonstarter.”

“I’m not going to be on the council that kills Christmas,” he said.

Phillips said the austerity budget was necessary to stop the erosion of the town’s general fund reserves, which need to stay above 20% to fit policy and financial standards for municipalities. The 2026 preliminary budget sees the reserve dropping just below 20%, but future years’ projections would deplete the reserve entirely by 2029.

“At 2026, we’re at a crossroads where we cannot continue doing nothing,” said Phillips. “We have to do something.”

In the 2026 preliminary budget, the Police Department remains fully funded including money for a security fence at Town Hall around its vehicles. The Planning Department, which added staff this year, is also fully funded. Phillips said upcoming study results will help the department increase fees so that development pays its own way.

“The fees are so far behind it’s not even close,” she said.

The town has multiple meetings to go until it finalizes the 2026 budget in December. In the meantime, Monument has formed a resident-led Citizen Service Levels Advisory Committee to make suggestions on what services can be cut or reduced.

“We are having to make really difficult decisions across the board,” said Councilmember Laura Kronick.