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Pueblo County reviews community funding requests, approves event sponsorships and staff tickets
Summary
At a Sept. 9 BOCC work session, county staff presented multiple funding requests. Commissioners confirmed an $800 United Way sponsorship, agreed to buy eight tickets for the Soaring Eagles Center for Autism event, authorized a $500 allocation for the Special Partners rodeo and agreed to provide lunch for Creek Week participants; several other requests were discussed but not formally motioned.
Tommy Farrell, presenting a slate of recent community funding requests to the Pueblo County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 9, outlined petitions from local nonprofits and community groups seeking small sponsorships and ticket purchases.
Farrell said the Steel City Eagles had requested $1,500 for the Bryson Smith Memorial Golf Tournament, which supports scholarships, youth programming and partner charities: "They have requested $1,500." He also presented a $2,000 request from El Mio Mientosige for its Rita J. Martinez Youth Conference, and a request from United Way of Pueblo County for an $800 table at its 103rd annual campaign kickoff luncheon. Farrell noted the Soaring Eagles Center for Autism requested $1,000 for a comedy-night fundraiser and that individual tickets to that event cost $100.
Commissioners and staff debated how best to distribute limited discretionary funds. One commissioner described the youth conference as "an absolutely excellent event for Pueblo" and suggested trimming the award to $1,000 given budget limits and the organization's early stage. On the United Way request, commissioners weighed buying a full $800 table (10 seats) against purchasing fewer individual tickets and discussed using included Pueblo Bulls hockey tickets as raffle prizes or staff incentives.
On the Soaring Eagles request, the board discussed whether to give direct dollars or purchase tickets and settled on buying eight individual tickets for staff or community use, with several commissioners explicitly agreeing to "8 it is." Farrell and commissioners confirmed a $500 allocation for the Bits of Freedom Special Partners Rodeo, citing prior history of similar contributions. They also agreed to provide lunch (estimated at about $150) from the board budget for county employees taking part in an upcoming Creek Week cleanup.
Not all requests were finalized with formal motions recorded in the transcript. Commissioners repeatedly noted the board's discretionary budget was largely committed (around the mid-80 percent range) and suggested smaller or ticket-based support for some requests rather than larger direct grants.
The discussion concluded with logistical notes about upcoming agenda timing and no formal recorded votes on individual sponsorship amounts during the work session.
Looking ahead, staff said they would confirm whether certain applications included tickets with the requested dollar amounts and follow up with the commission on any formal allocations that require a vote at a subsequent meeting.
