Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Federal Grants Legal Update topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Englewood City attorney: temporary restraining order has stayed presidential pause on federal funds; city to proceed 'business as usual'
Summary
City Attorney Tamara Niles told staff that a presidential order pausing certain federal funds has been stayed by a temporary restraining order and that lawsuits by nonprofits and several state attorneys general — including Colorado's — were filed; the city will proceed with grant-related items for now.
Tamara Niles, Englewood City Attorney, told city leadership on Jan. 29 that a presidential order pausing certain federal funds has been stayed by a federal court's temporary restraining order and that multiple lawsuits were filed this week challenging the pause.
Niles said a nonprofit-led lawsuit and a separate multi-state action by several attorneys general, including the Colorado Attorney General, were filed “yesterday.” She added that the judge who issued the temporary restraining order has signaled that a more permanent order may follow. Niles summarized the immediate effect as a stay of the federal pause while litigation proceeds.
Mayor (unnamed) responded in the briefing that, for the city, officials will continue to proceed "as business as usual until we know more." The briefing noted that staff and legal counsel were tracking the litigation and that City Attorney's Office had prepared an analysis for departments and upcoming agenda items.
Why it matters: several agenda items discussed earlier in the briefing — including grant-funded projects and items that could rely on federal funding — might be affected if the federal pause is reinstated or if litigation changes federal grant availability. At the Jan. 29 briefing, staff did not list specific federal grant awards or programs that would be affected; city staff said they would monitor the court process and advise council and departments as needed.
What Niles said: “For now, the presidential order staying, or pausing federal funds, has been stayed pursuant to a temporary restraining order,” and she described two lawsuits filed the prior day, one brought by nonprofits and another by a coalition of state attorneys general.
What the city will do next: city staff will continue to include federal and state grant items on upcoming agendas where appropriate and will update the council if the legal status changes. The briefing did not include a list of specific grant awards or dollar amounts tied to the litigation.
No formal policy changes or council actions were taken during the briefing on Jan. 29; Niles' update was provided as legal context for staff and managers as they prepared the February agenda.
