A wave of resignations in Montrose County government has left residents stunned, suspicious, and searching for answers. Three top officials walked away this April — and no one seems to know exactly why.

The sudden exits have sparked memories of past turmoil, and folks in town are worried they’re watching history repeat itself.

Resignations Trigger Shock and Speculation

The county attorney. The county manager. The assistant manager. All gone — just like that.

In a normal year, losing even one of those positions might raise eyebrows. But all three at once? That’s set off alarm bells across Montrose.

No official explanation has cleared the air. Statements from departing officials and commissioners have been vague, sometimes contradictory. That silence is stirring up even more tension.

“It doesn’t feel right,” said local resident Lori Sharp. “There’s some disruption going on, and I don’t understand why. It doesn’t feel ethical. It doesn’t feel transparent.”

Others echoed her concerns, pointing out that the lack of communication isn’t just confusing — it’s breeding mistrust.

Residents Recall Past Turmoil — and the Price It Carried

Montrose has been down this road before. And it wasn’t cheap.

A few years back, leadership chaos led to multiple lawsuits, damaged relationships, and a hefty legal bill footed by taxpayers. Sharp and other residents fear they’re heading straight for a repeat.

“I remember the lawsuits,” she said. “That mess cost us. And it happened because leaders weren’t cooperating with nonprofits or other agencies.”

There’s real worry that partnerships that bring in grant funding — the kind Montrose depends on — might start to fall apart. Especially if county leadership won’t play ball with community organizations.

“We can’t afford to lose that kind of collaboration,” Sharp warned. “When the county doesn’t show up, the whole community suffers.”

Questions Outnumber Answers — But the Public Isn’t Staying Quiet

So far, commissioners haven’t released any detailed statement explaining the sudden leadership vacuum.

That silence? It’s only making things worse.

At public meetings, residents are showing up with pointed questions. They’re asking why these departures happened, who’s calling the shots behind closed doors, and what the plan is going forward.

Local media outlets have tried digging into it too — but the paper trail is thin. Emails have been sent. So far, not much has come back.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s publicly known:

It’s a lot of turnover in a short time — and no one in the commissioner’s office is offering up a timeline for replacements either.

Fears Mount Over Lost Funding and Broken Partnerships

This isn’t just about political drama or bad vibes at County Hall. It could hit Montrose where it hurts: in the pocketbook.

Residents are seriously concerned about what this could do to funding for vital local projects. That includes infrastructure grants, nonprofit collaborations, and shared community initiatives.

Sharp laid it out clearly. “When our leaders don’t work together — especially with nonprofits — we lose out. We don’t get the grants. We don’t get the support.”

Here’s what’s at stake:

• Nonprofit partnerships that rely on active county engagement.

• Joint grant applications where one missing signature can kill a funding bid.

• Trust from donors, volunteers, and residents that fuels community-wide solutions.

And with no replacements in sight, the clock’s ticking.

Transparency and Trust — Both Are on the Line

What’s rattling folks most isn’t just who left — it’s how it happened.

“There’s a way to do this right,” Sharp said. “You can be open. You can explain what’s going on. That’s not what’s happening here.”

Her voice cracks with frustration.

“This didn’t have to go this way.”

People in Montrose aren’t asking for perfection. But they want basic honesty. They want their elected officials to treat them like grown-ups. And right now, they say that’s missing.

One resident put it bluntly at a recent community forum: “If you can’t trust the process, how can you trust the people running it?”

For a county still healing from earlier political battles, the answer could shape more than just the next few weeks — it might define the next few years.