Archuleta County recently received a $60,000 grant from the Underfunded Courthouse Facility Commission, with that grant set to help the county move forward with building new county facilities.
The county originally drafted an application for the grant in March, prior to the flooding that closed the western portion of the courthouse, with that draft aimed at help in remodeling the current courthouse.
At that time, the county was also receiving pressure from the Office of the State Court Administrator to provide more room for the courts and to alleviate issues with the existing facility.
However, following flooding in the facility in late April, the county revised the application to be to “engage a professional services firm for master planning services associated with building a new courthouse.”
The Board of County Commissioners officially accepted the grant award at its regular meeting Tuesday afternoon.
At that meeting, County Administrator Bentley Henderson informed the board and audience that, should money allow, the grant could go as far as helping to pay for architectural drawings.
More immediately, the funding will help the county hire a consultant to help determine how a facility or multiple facilities (if the judicial and law enforcement functions are housed in a separate building) will work.
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