Council staff outlines training, CIB deadlines and RAISE grant setback

Council staff reported updates on several grant and technical-assistance items, including an upcoming training seminar, Capital Improvements Board (CIB) reporting deadlines and a RAISE grant application that was not submitted because of late changes to the federal funding opportunity.

The most detailed update came from a council staff member who said the second annual Government in the Basin training seminar will be “held on May 15 at the UNI Conference Center,” and encouraged attendance and registration via a posted QR code. The staff member said the event will include legislative updates, procurement training for federal grants and a vendor demonstration of tiny homes.

On CIB reporting, the same staff member said the agency sent an updated capital improvements list to cities, counties and special service districts and has moved to a digital form to speed returns. The staff member said the deadline for the first correction period is February 27 and characterized the list as required for CIB funding and as a 2-to-5-year planning tool. The staff member also said a mandatory tutorial for prospective CIB applicants will be held “April 17 at 10AM at the Bernal City Hall Building” with lunch provided.

The staff member said the agency has posted an update of its consolidated plan for Community Development Block Grants on the Utah public notice site and on the agency’s social media.

On a regional application to the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, the staff member said the application the council and partners prepared did not match a late change in the federal Notice of Funding Opportunity. The staff member said available funding in the notice was cut from about $2,500,000,000 nationwide to about $150,000,000 and that the new priorities in the notice did not align with the existing application. The staff member said collected data are ready for state submissions and other grant opportunities but that the RAISE application was not completed for submission under the revised federal guidance.

Council members did not take formal action during the update; the announcements were informational and staff invited follow-up questions and contact with county staff named in the meeting.

The announcements included several dates and instructions for local officials: a Feb. 27 return window for initial CIB corrections, an April 17 mandatory CIB tutorial at Bernal City Hall and a May 15 training seminar at the UNI Conference Center. The staff member additionally encouraged jurisdictions that have not received the digital forms to contact the agency for re-sends.