CREEDE— During the mid-month work session of the Creede Board of Trustees, Mayor Jeffery Larson called a special meeting to order to discuss the fiscal responsibilities of the city for a Get Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant awarded earlier in the year. Creede was one of three counties within the San Luis Valley to be awarded monies through a grant from GOCO to help with community projects geared towards enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities.
According to a description of the grant it states, “In December of 2016, Creede, along with two other communities in the San Luis Valley were awarded one million dollars for the three year Inspire Initiative through Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO). These monies were awarded for two projects; A capital improvement project that includes updating of the City of Creede’s “Tri-park” area: community garden, skate park, and baseball field as well as a three-mile non-motorized loop trail along the newly reclaimed Lower Willow Creek floodplain at the south end of town with signage opportunities for outdoor education and a youth conservation corps serving Mineral County and Rio Grande County kids age 14-18.”
It continues, “For this request, we ask that the City of Creede be the fiscal agent for the Willow Creek Corridor capital improvement projects; the tri-park improvements are within an existing city park and the floodplain improvements are held in trust with under the purview of the Lower Willow Creek Restoration Company with eventual land transfer to the City of Creede. There is no commitment of city monies contingent upon this agreement. The Inspire hub team has been able to secure funding from a compilation of grants, land investments and donations.”
In the discussion, board members pointed out that they had already spoke about being the fiscal agents for the trail portion of the grant at previous meetings, and everyone agreed that the board was ready to approve the motion. Trustee Lori Dooley spoke up stating that the Mineral County Commissioners had also discussed helping with the fiscal sponsors for the grant for the other portion: the youth conservation core. “I think we are ready to approve the motion,” said Dooley.
To clarify the role of being a fiscal sponsor for the grant a description was provided in board packets. It states, “The fiscal agent for this initiative is restricted to a local government or land trust. Under this, the fiscal agent shall be responsible for the acceptance and disbursement of funds and working with the assigned project coordinator(s) of the Collaborative. The Inspire Initiative funds for the Tri-Park/Willow Creek Corridor will pass-through the fiscal agent.”
“In general, the fiscal agent is responsible for the following functions: issue payments based on the reports and recommendation of the Collaborative as outlined within this proposal, receive funds from GOCO, work with the collaborative to ensure state and local government requirements are met as appropriate and audit accounting records and documents of The Collaborative as necessary for compliance.”
A motion was made and approved unanimously by the board and the topic was closed.