Dear Editor,

On Tuesday, March 26 the Gilpin County Board of Commissioners (BoCC) went into Executive Session to discuss an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) submitted by the City of Black Hawk. County Manager Ray Rears stated the terms of the IGA as relayed to him from a previous meeting with Black Hawk City Mayor, David Spellman and City Manager Steve Cole.

Black Hawk offered $1,000,000 per year to the county, with an inflation index to go toward the county Community Center operating costs. The money would come from a proposed Black Hawk City lodging tax. The one requirement was that the BoCC must accept the terms of the IGA as presented.

After the Executive Session the following statement was posted on the county Facebook page: “The Board appreciates the offer…… BoCC looks forward to further negotiations”. Since that time most if not all, of the information about the IGA and the BoCC’s response has been posted on social media. As such, as a commissioner, I am now able to publicly state my position on the matter. The following are reasons I accepted Black Hawk’s offer:

• The terms presented in the IGA are very similar to the terms of Black Hawk’s School Enhancement IGA that has been in place since 2008 providing over $15 million dollars to date.

• The Community Center IGA may be terminated by any future Board at any time, if found to no longer be of benefit to the county.

• The $1 million offer is slightly less than what the 1A mill levy would have provided if it had passed.

• The proposed IGA will assist in funding the Community Center operation without additional county taxes.

• Under the IGA the Board will have flexibility on the weekly hours of operation.

After the BoCC Executive Session outcome was posted on the Gilpin County Facebook page, Manager Rears had subsequent discussions with Black Hawk City Manager, Steve Cole, which indicated the Mayor and the Black Hawk City Council would most likely consider the BoCC response a rejection of their offer. Manager Rears asked all three commissioners if we were to revise the term conditions, what would we say? He suggested a written response be sent to him by 10:00 am Wednesday morning.

I called Mayor Spellman early Wednesday morning for clarification on two IGA bullet items, which he answered. My email to Manager Rears and Attorney Brad Benning at 8:31 am Wednesday morning indicated my position did not change but included the additional text:

Ray, ……… I have no [further] comments regarding the terms of the City of Black Hawk’s IGA as presented to the BoCC on March 27, 2024 ……… I believe the $1,000,000 per year offer from the Citizens of Black Hawk to Gilpin County citizens is an incredibly generous offer and I wish to thank them in advance, if they choose to vote for the proposed lodging tax increase in November.

Marie Mornis

Gilpin Commissioner District #1