Town manager outlines grant opportunities, hazard-mitigation work and local spending program

The Rangely town manager provided a broad operations update at the council meeting, noting both near-term grant deadlines and ongoing local projects. She said a Certified Local Government board recently reviewed bylaws and elected officers, and staff were preparing to respond to a county request to reinstate an expired hazard-mitigation plan with assistance from JEO Consulting.

"They just reviewed their bylaws, and they elected officers, and they're gonna try to meet quarterly until they have their training because that is such a big process," the town manager said in her report, adding the town would attempt to meet the county's two-week certification request despite a busy schedule. She prefaced a multi-million-dollar funding figure for transportation reporting that she believed CDOT had been directed to spend a large allocation but framed the amount as uncertain.

The manager also said staff secured a contract for asbestos abatement at a house on School Street and that a duplex-project grant had been approved for prerequisite work, with a separate construction grant expected next year. On economic-development assistance she outlined EIF (Economic Investment Fund) tiers expected in December, saying the lower tier is under $500,000 and there is a higher tier near $1,000,000 that she would confirm before applications open.

Council members and staff discussed next steps for applications and timelines; the manager urged departments and community groups to prepare proposals for the December round. The council left the item with no immediate action beyond directing staff to pursue the identified grants and follow up on the hazard-mitigation schedule.