Finance staff gives commissioners preliminary balances for CCITF and use-tax funds; requests for grant decisions due this summer

Rio Blanco County finance staff told commissioners the County Capital and Infrastructure Trust Fund (CCITF) and the county’s use-tax fund have sizable balances but that reimbursements and allocations are pending; commissioners asked for written figures and scheduled the grant-decision item for a future agenda.

Finance staff reported that as of April 30 the CCITF fund had $22,176,624.37 in cash and that interest year-to-date collected $283,000 against a budgeted $592,000. Staff said previously allocated amounts — including an approximately $150,000 allocation for Rangely School District and about $83,000 for other projects such as a museum roof — had not yet been reimbursed through May 31. Use-tax receipts through May totaled about $360,001.51 against a $1,000,068 budget, with motor-vehicle use tax up compared with last year but construction-materials use tax down.

Staff explained that the county’s discretionary grant fund (CDGF) and other program funds draw from different sources and that commissioners traditionally allocate some use-tax dollars to local programs such as parks and transportation; staff agreed to research and provide the board the formal resolutions or policies that established fund restrictions.

Commissioners asked staff to email the fund numbers and put grant-eligibility and award discussions on the next agenda; the county policy requires decisions on those discretionary grants in July or August. No grants were awarded at the work session.

Ending: Finance staff will email detailed fund balances and provide supporting documents, and commissioners asked that the grants item be placed on the next meeting agenda so the board can decide whether to fund programs this year.