Craig Daily Press / County gives funds back to city

Archive for Tuesday, July 11, 2006

July 11, 2006

Moffat County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to give almost $10,000 back to the city of Craig.

The city paid the money to the county in the first two months of this year in the form of a fee for sales tax distribution.

• Commissioners did not discuss changes to the Bureau of Land Management's grazing policies as they originally had planned. Commissioner Tom Gray said commissioners wanted to research the issue more and could bring it up again next week.

• Commissioners tabled discussion of two core services contracts for intensive family care.

• Commissioners received an update on Sherman Youth Camp from Glen Sherman and Diane Zeier. Sherman thanked former Moffat County Parks and Recreation Director Steve Grandbouche for his work on the youth camp.

• Commissioners approved a conditional-use permit for Pioneer Resources. The natural gas company plans to build a compressor station near Moffat County Road 15.

• Commissioners approved a subdivision exemption for Kevin and Stephanie Harvey.

• Commissioners voted to allow the Moffat County Assessor's Office to protest the state's assessed value of 10 energy companies operating in Moffat County.

• Chief Deputy Clerk and Recorder Lila Herod announced the Colorado Secretary of State had awarded the Maybell Community Center an $11,350 grant for handicapped ramps. Commissioners awarded the project to Darwin Haskins, the only contractor who bid on it.

Before this year, the state distributed sales tax revenues to local governments. But a change in state statute made counties responsible for giving sales tax revenue to cities. The statute also allowed the county to charge a fee for distributing the revenue.

Commissioners said neither county nor city officials liked the new system.

"We worked with the city to get the state to change it back because (the state) doesn't charge a fee," Commissioner Tom Gray said.

City and county officials said the commissioners' decision to give the money back to the city and the state's decision to again be responsible for doling out sales tax was the resolution both sides hoped for.

Commissioners stressed Tues--day that the county was within its rights to charge the fee but said the fair thing to do was return it to the city.

"In the spirit of cooperation between the city and the county ... I'm willing to do this," Commissioner Darryl Steele said shortly before voting for the refund.

Craig Mayor Don Jones said Tuesday that he was happy commissioners voted to give back the money.

"I'm glad to see them do that today," Jones said.

The problem with the fee, Jones said, was that the city hadn't budgeted for it.

At about $5,000 per month, the fee would have totaled about $60,000 annually.

"That's a pretty big hit," Jones said.

Commissioner Saed Tayyara said that because the city didn't budget to pay the fee and the county wasn't counting on the money, it wasn't fair for the county to keep it.