John Scarffe, Black Hawk. The Black Hawk and Central City Tramway received approval for an operating grant during a regular meeting of the Black Hawk City Council at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, October 11, 2017, at 211 Church Street. The Council also selected the judges for the special municipal election on November 7 and approved funds for rock wall construction.

Public Works Director Thomas Isbester introduced the ordinance approving an FTA Section 5311 Operating Grant between the Colorado Department of Transportation, Division of Transit and Rail and the Black Hawk and Central City Tramway for 2018 in an amount not to exceed $110,140. Isbester said they were successful this year in getting them to earmark funds to help some of the communities offset some of the costs.

Due to difficulties in keeping rural transit systems funded, FTA through the Colorado Department of Transportation, has opened up a funding opportunity to assist with operations, according to the request for Council action.

This is a 50 percent match grant. The intent is to apply for reimbursement for a portion of the contract operator costs each month until the grant is exhausted, Isbester said. The City has successfully utilized FTA grants in the past to fund a large portion of the bus barn, mechanics shop, buses and some of the equipment used in the bus barn. The Council approved the ordinance.

City Attorney Corey Hoffmann introduced a resolution approving the judges selected for the special municipal election in Black Hawk on November 7, 2017. The Clerk’s office recommends three shifts of four judges with alternate judges from the following list of registered voters: Lynnette Hailey, Dolores Spellman, Cindy McClenon, JoAnn Kerr, Patricia Torres, Thomas Gish, Lynn Hillary and Karen Midcap.

Head Judges will receive a stipend of $150 per shift and Judges and Alternate Judges will receive $100 per shift. The Council approved the resolution.

Isbester presented a resolution ratifying a change order in the amount not to exceed $500,000 for the construction of an additional rock wall and fencing for the Gregory Street relocation project and the Council approved it.

The Black Hawk City Council met on October 25, 2017 and on November 8, 2017.

(Originally published in the October 26, 2017 print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)