Pueblo County commissioners weigh $40,000 contribution for Fallen Officer Memorial

Pueblo County commissioners discussed a request to allocate $40,000 from the county’s Aid to Other Entities (ATOE) account to help complete a Fallen Officer Memorial during their July 9 work session.

The meeting chair said he had asked the county CFO, Craig McBrain, for cost information and proposed using ATOE funds if other partners could not cover the shortfall. "I asked our CFO, Craig McBrain, to provide some information, and I've given that to y'all, just on where we could potentially try and find $40," the chair said. He told colleagues the ATOE line was budgeted at $500,000 and that the county has spent $122,500 of that amount so far.

Commissioners signaled political support for the memorial but urged fiscal caution. "I just think it's it's hard for me to commit $40,000 to a nonessential project in a moment where, you know, we we don't know what this recovery effort is gonna look like," a committee member said, describing concern about ongoing recovery and staffing needs. Commissioner Paula McPheeers said she "support[s] the project wholeheartedly" but acknowledged timing could make immediate funding difficult.

The chair said Public Utilities... (PURA) is expected to vote on its portion next week and staff can return with a full cost and funding breakdown at the next meeting. Commissioners did not take a formal vote on the request during the session; the chair proposed bringing the memorial proponents in at the next meeting for detailed figures and a decision timeline.

Next steps: staff was asked to provide the total project cost, a list of other funders, and options for how the county’s contribution could be structured or clawed back if outside funding materializes.