“Wifi Towers” Still Possible:
DOLA Will Dole with Matching Funds

The Sentinel received a copy of the following Grant Response from DOLA to the BOCC Chair from Senator Crowder. We’ll provide more details in next week’s BOCC report.  The letter’s text is below:

—March 27, 2018

RE: EIAF 08635 – Custer County BB Infrastructure Expansion

Dear Chairman Flower:
The Department of Local Affairs is in receipt of your application for state Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance funds. These revenues are derived from oil, gas, carbon dioxide, coal, and metals extracted in Colorado.
Your project was reviewed based on a variety of factors such as its connection to energy impact, degree of need, measurable outcomes, amount of request, relationship to community goals, level of local match and community support, management capacity, and readiness to go. Competition for these limited funds was intense and we had many more requests than we had funds available.
Congratulations! After thorough review, I am excited to offer a grant award in the amount of $1,000,000 for the purchase and installation of six 100’ communications towers throughout the county to help improve broadband use access. These funds are contingent upon the County acquiring matching funds to complete the project. These grant funds will be from state severance tax proceeds, which may cause you to go to election to receive and spend them. You should confer with your legal and budget advisors to determine if such an election is necessary.
Please contact your DOLA Regional Manager, Christy Doon, at (719) 589-2251 for information on how to proceed. Expenditure of State funds prior to the contract being fully executed cannot be included in the contract budget or reimbursed by the State. If a circumstance arises and a grantee must spend their match dollars sooner than the full execution of the grant agreement, the Regional Manager for the respective grantee must be contacted immediately to discuss the need and offer an appropriate solution. Per our program guidelines, this offer is valid for one year from the date of this letter.
I wish you success with your project.
Sincerely,
Irv Halter
Executive Director
CC:
Larry Crowder, State Senator
James Wilson, State Representative
Jay Printz, Commissioner
Christy Doon, DOLA