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County agrees to $100,000 Open Space contribution toward Taylor Kennedy mining-claim purchase
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners approved a $100,000 contribution from the county Open Space Commission toward the Town of Silver Plume27s effort to buy 350 acres of mining claims on Republican Mountain, contingent on the town raising the remaining funds.
Clear Creek County commissioners voted March 4 to approve a $100,000 contribution from the county Open Space Fund to help the Town of Silver Plume acquire the Taylor Kennedy cluster of mining claims on Republican Mountain, edging the local campaign toward the goal needed to complete the purchase.
Cindy Neely, who is managing the effort for Silver Plume, told the board the 350-acre parcel consists of roughly 122 mining claims within the county27s National Historic Landmark District and forms a critical inholding on Republic Mountain between the previously acquired Jack Pine group and U.S. Forest Service holdings. The full purchase price is $875,000; with due diligence and closing costs the project team estimates closing costs will bring total project demands to roughly $950,000.
Neely told the board the Town of Silver Plume has applied for several state and philanthropic grants and needs to show strong local commitments to attract large external funders. The local coordinating organizations planning grants and the state Historic Fund were named as potential major sources. "We need to show we have local support because none of the other funders want to really be on board without local support," Neely said.
The Open Space Commission recommended the $100,000 contribution; the board approved the recommendation with the contribution contingent on the town demonstrating commitments for the remaining funding and completing required environmental and cultural due diligence. Commissioners and public commenters emphasized public-land-management plans and long-term stewardship. The group described an expectation that Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) or a similar conservation organization will hold a conservation easement over the parcel and that a collaborative Historic District public-lands commission would guide long-term management and visitor planning.
Outcome: Board authorized the Open Space Commission's recommendation for a $100,000 county contribution to the Town of Silver Plume's Taylor Kennedy acquisition effort, contingent on the town securing the remaining funding and completing due diligence.
