Moffat County approves purchase negotiations and funding to acquire property adjacent to fairgrounds

The Moffat County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 28 approved three related resolutions to pursue purchase of a privately owned parcel adjacent to the county fairgrounds, saying the acquisition would complete a contiguous county‑owned tract.

Neil Binder of the county’s Office of Development Services described Resolution 2025‑102 as “authorizing negotiations for purchase of real property for the use of Moffat County,” identifying the site as the property known locally as Northwest Diesel, which is “surrounded by the fairgrounds on three sides.” Binder said the county had attempted to purchase the parcel on two prior occasions.

Resolution 2025‑103 authorizes the use of capital reserves—specifically mineral funds set up in 2006—to purchase the property. Binder told commissioners the mineral fund balance exceeds $1 million, and the county would not need to combine multiple funds to finance the purchase.

Resolution 2025‑101 authorizes Commissioner Broom, on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners, to sign the documents necessary to complete the purchase of Block 14 and 15 of the East Craig Townsite in Craig, Colorado. Commissioners discussed recusal procedures for the commissioner who reported a conflict and indicated that person would abstain and not preside over the portion of the meeting covering the purchase.

Each resolution passed after motion and second; meeting minutes recorded the measure as carried with at least one abstention tied to a declared conflict of interest. The board did not provide final contract terms, a purchase price, or a specific closing date during the public discussion.

County staff said the purchase would ‘‘complement the fairgrounds’’ and remove private property from the middle of the fairgrounds area. Binder said the county had pursued the parcel previously and recommended moving forward with negotiations and, if terms are acceptable, finalizing purchase documents.