Mindy Leary, Gilpin County. On Thursday, June 25, 2020, the Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners met for a special meeting online at 1 p.m. Commissioners Gail Watson, Linda Isenhart and Ron Engels were in attendance, as were County Manager Abel Montoya and County Attorney Bradford Benning. The highlights included the ratification of a human services grant and the consideration of an IGA (Intergovernmental Agreement) for Central City/Black Hawk growth.

Added to the agenda was an extension to the County audit, which has typically been extended for various reasons, but this year the pandemic is to blame. Finance Director Clorinda Smith explained that the extension gives the County an extra two months, making the deadline September 30. The board approved the extension unanimously.

Prior to the pandemic, Gilpin County Human Services applied for a grant for substance abuse prevention and treatment. The award was granted with the only obstacle being location. The school or the library are options. One year of funding equaling $147,000 was awarded with a five-year plan based on renewal.

Isenhart asked if the program spills over into family issues or other broader issues of counseling. The answer was yes, but it is geared toward prevention. The board voted unanimously to ratify the grant.

Benning reported on the proposed Growth IGA between the County, Black Hawk and Central City saying that the IGA represents an amendment to the 1999 Growth IGA. The municipalities have agreed to start growth areas, largely based on new developments, around Central City Parkway. 

Engels summarized it well, “The new agreement is between the cities. They are delineating specific areas in unincorporated Gilpin County where they may, at some point in the future, want to do an annexation, and they are both okay with those spaces for each city to expand.”

Benning added that this agreement does not in any way limit the county’s statute or legal rights to what’s going on in the county. Montoya added that the state mandates an IGA to determine those boundaries and that the entities involved work as a team on their master, or comprehensive, plan. A move was made to approve and the motion passed unanimously. 

(Originally published in the July 2, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)