DOLA briefs Lake County commissioners on state funding, governance and budget deadlines

Officials from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) presented an overview of state funding programs, governance best practices and the county budget schedule during a Lake County Board of County Commissioners work session.

The presentation highlighted several funding streams available to counties — notably the Energy Impact Assistance Fund, which DOLA described as derived from extraction revenues and weighted toward jurisdictions with high “impact” scores. “Our bread and butter is the Energy Impact Assistance Fund… Lake County has a great impact score. I think it's at a 9 this year out of 10,” DOLA staff member Candace Bryant said. Bryant also said DOLA’s budget work “is starting now” and warned commissioners that “the draft is due to you by October 15, and that's a ton of work.”

Why it matters: DOLA told commissioners the agency can help counties secure state and federal grants, provide technical assistance on budgeting and strategic planning, and connect local officials with training resources including tax-increment financing (TIF) instruction from partners such as Downtown Colorado, Inc. The briefing framed those supports as especially important for small counties facing…