The Gilpin County Commissioners approved an application for a Region 3 Community Development Block Grant Business Loan Fund during a regular meeting at 9 a.m. on September 20, 2022, at the courthouse in Central City and virtually. The Board also approved a procurement policy, a boundary line elimination, and prorated benefits for full-time employees working fewer than 40 hours per week.

Lindsey Valdez, president, CEO, and Block Grant administrator, introduced the application for the Clear Creek Economic Development Corporation. She said the application is due on October 4 to the state office.

The Clear Creek Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) administers the Region 3 Community Development Block Grant Business Loan Fund, which includes Clear Creek and Gilpin counties. Clear Creek County serves as the grantee and the CCEDC as the sub-grantee. This program is made available utilizing federal HUD dollars administered by the State of Colorado.

The current Region 3 contract is set to expire in November 2022. A minimum of 51 percent of all new or retained jobs are to be filled by low-to-moderate income persons. A minimum of 35 new or retained jobs will be created in the Region 3 service area, with at least 18 of these positions to be filled by low-to- moderate income persons.

Business types will include light industrial, manufacturing, retail, services, tourism, and recreation. Qualifying business types may be assisted provided they meet the job leveraging requirements.

The minimum loan amount is $2,000, and the maximum loan amount is $400,000. State Financial Review Commission approval is required for consideration of loans exceeding $100,000.

Assistance will be provided to borrowers in securing other sources of financing for their business loans. Partnerships with other local lending institutions are encouraged.

Valdez said she hopes to bring in more money, but they have struggled in Gilpin County. She will work with the County Manager, who, she said, has been amazing, and she will add a seat on the Board of Directors for Gilpin County.

The Board approved the Block Grant application.

During the consent agenda, the Board approved a revision of the Gilpin County Procurement and Purchasing Policy. The current policy was adopted on April 25, 2017. Since it was adopted, there has been confusion with areas of the policy. As a result, a full review of the policy was conducted.

A brief summary of the changes included outlining the policy with section numbers, adding a clear purpose highlight that staff members serve as “fiscal stewards of limited public funding,” highlighting that purchases can be authorized up to the amount budgeted, as approved by the Board. It also eliminates the broad purchasing authority of the County Manager, without limits or reporting requirements, clearly describing the purchasing limits and process in one chart, and adding in a number of practical exemptions to the policy for specific purposes.

The new policy clarifies the employee’s responsibility, defining and describing the formal procurement process and the request-for-proposal (RFP) process, providing forms to track and control the formal procurement process. establishing a record retention mechanism to aid in accountability, and clearly defining the vendor selection criteria. It expands the Sheriff’s authority beyond just one event per year and limits the manager’s authority from no limit to $500,000 per event, adding specific requirements for the sheriff or manager to provide a report to the Commissioners if these purchases are made. Another requirement is a reporting time limit.

James Shrout, Gilpin County Planner I, introduced a Boundary Line Elimination for 165 Isle of Pines Road. The applicant is seeking to eliminate a property boundary line. Staff recommended approval, and the Board approved.

Director of Human Resources Chanda Johnson introduced prorated benefits for full-time employees working fewer than 40 hours per week. A need has been identified to offer additional full-time status below 40 hours.

As a follow up to the Board meeting on September 6, with feedback from the County Commissioners and from the appointed leadership team, the number of choices for full-time prorated benefits has been lowered to two options: 30- and 32-hour weekly status. The proposed change would come with the parameter that a full-time position could be reduced from 40 hours to 30 or 32 weekly with department head justification to the County Manager and the County Commissioners.

A position that is reduced to 30 or 32 hours could not be adjusted until the next budgeting period. She recommended approving the proposed changes, offering full-time positions at 30 and 32 hours in addition to the traditional 40-hour work week, and the Board approved.

An application for rezone was continued to October 4 at 9:30 a.m.

The next meeting of the Gilpin County Commissioners will be on Tuesday, October 4, at 9 a.m., at the Gilpin County Courthouse. For more information, go to https://gilpincounty.colorado. gov/public-meetings/board-of-county- commissioners-bocc-meetings.