Moffat County commissioners create county manager position, approve application for EIAF Tier 2 grant

The Board of Moffat County Commissioners on Jan. 27 approved Resolution 2026-17 to create a county manager position and authorized applying for an Energy & Mineral Impact Assistance Fund (EIAF) Tier 2 grant to help fund the role.

Veil Binder of the Office of Development Services told commissioners the grant provides stepped funding — 75% in the first year, 50% in the second and 25% in the third — and that the county must apply at Tier 2 because the three-year match exceeds a $200,000 threshold. Binder said the written application is due Feb. 12 and board representatives will attend a required hearing in May.

A commissioner moved to approve the resolution and the board recorded affirmative votes. The board then voted to apply for the Tier 2 grant and separately authorized the chair to sign all documents necessary to submit the application under DOLA’s timeline.

Commissioner (speaker 5) cautioned that the county would not proceed with hiring the manager without the grant, saying, "if we don't get the grant, we're not moving forward." Binder described the EIAF award as a transitional funding source meant to help counties through an initial period.

County staff noted the position was budgeted in the county’s 2026 budget and emphasized that Tier 2 was chosen because the total match over three years crosses the stated threshold. The board recorded its approval of the resolution, the grant application and the document-signing authorization during the meeting.

Next steps include submitting the written application by Feb. 12 and attending the grant hearing in May as part of the EIAF review process.