MCFMLD Awards $1.5 Million Dollar Special Grant Request to Mesa County for Jail Expansion Project
Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District Awards $1.5 Million Dollar Special Grant Request to Mesa County for Jail Expansion Project
GRAND
JUNCTION, CO – The
Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District (MCFMLD) Board of Directors voted on
April 10, 2019, to award a special grant request to Mesa County for the jail
expansion project for $1.5 million dollars.
On March 14, 2019, the Mesa County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) submitted
a request for the funds to pay a portion of the costs associated with the
planned expansion of the Mesa County Detention Facility.
The request followed the receipt by the MCFMLD of approximately $1.7 million dollars in May 2018, representing mineral lease funds held by the federal government following the cleanup of the former Anvil Points oil shale facility. In 2018, Colorado House Bill 1249 was passed to disburse the Anvil Points money directly to Rio Blanco, Garfield, Moffat, and Mesa counties or Federal Mineral Lease Districts in those communities.
The approval of the Mesa
County grant request represents a departure from historic practice. Previously, Mesa County has not sought grant
awards from the MCFMLD because of a provision in federal law providing that payments
of mineral lease funds would result in a deduction in payments to counties by
the federal government under the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) law.
In January 2019, the BoCC received a
letter from the U.S. Department of Interior stating that Mesa County can be
awarded contracts or grants from the MCFMLD and that the awards would not cause
a deduction to the PILT payments.
The MCFMLD received two disbursements from the Anvil Points fund. The first was
received by the district in 2018 for a $1,703,837.62. The second disbursement
check was received in January 2019 for $120,402.20, making the total amount
received $1,824,275.83.
In May 2018, the MCFMLD Board voted to deposit 50% ($851,936) of the 2018
disbursement into the Permanent Fund, leaving remaining 50% ($851,936) for
future grant cycles and projects. The
Permanent Fund is an investment endowment set aside by the MCFMLD to fund
future community needs. The Permanent
Fund was not affected by the special grant request by Mesa County.
With this special grant award, the grant cycle for the Spring and Fall of 2019
has been cancelled. The MCFMLD receives the annual mineral lease payments from
the Colorado Department of Local Affairs in the fall of each year. At that time the MCFMLD Board will decide
the budget for 2020 grant cycles.
For more information about the Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District and
how it helps local Mesa County governments and special districts, please visit
the website at www.mesaFML.org.
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Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District (MCFMLD) was established in 2011. The MCFMLD serves a mission to enhance positive social and economic impact in Mesa County from the development, processing and energy conversion of fuels and minerals leased under the Federal “Mineral Lands Leasing Act” through strategic grants, partnerships and leadership. Since 2011, MCFMLD has awarded over $7.9 million to local entities in Mesa County. For more information, or to join in the conversation, please visit our website at www.mesaFML.org. Join us on social media, using hashtags #MesaFMLD or #MCFLMD, on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MCFMLD or twitter at www.twitter.com/MesaFMLD.
KJCT News 8 – https://www.kjct8.com/content/news/Mesa-County-awarded-15-million-grant-for-jail-expansion-508471101.html
Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction – https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/grant-pegged-for-jail-expansion/article_592e3d60-5ce3-11e9-9c01-20677ce05640.html
Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction – Mesa County Commission Seeks Return of Entire $1.8 Million https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/mesa-county-commission-seeks-return-of-entire-million/article_8e5289bc-7541-11e9-8bcd-20677ce06c14.html
