Commissioners approve $190,000 Broadwater Trails partnership grant; $31,500 paid now for engineering and application work

Broadwater County Commissioners voted to approve a $190,000 Broadwater Trails Partner Program Partnership Grant, with $31,500 to be paid immediately to cover upfront engineering, survey and grant‑writing fees. The request was presented by Jesse and Al Kristofferson of the trails committee and the trust board.

Jesse told commissioners the $31,500 portion is intended to fund pre‑work — engineering fees, surveys and the cost of preparing complex grant applications — and the remainder would be held as matching funds if and when grant awards are received. Al Kristofferson said the package of grant requests the trails committee expects to submit could, if awarded at the amounts anticipated, bring roughly $1.3–$1.4 million in trail construction and improvements to Broadwater County.

Commissioners clarified that the money comes from the county trust board rather than the county general fund; a commissioner thanked the trust board and trails committee for their time and effort on recreational projects. A motion to approve the $190,000 grant (with $31,500 due now and the remainder contingent on future grant awards) was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

The grant approval includes an initial $31,500 transfer to cover immediate application and engineering costs; the county will document additional commitments and release matching funds only if the associated grants are actually awarded. Staff directed interested members of the public to the BCDC website for the trails plan and additional details on upcoming project outreach.

The meeting moved on to a public hearing on subdivision regulation amendments following the grant vote.