Board of County Commissioners Work Session - 2026-04-30
Meeting Intelligence Preview
Meeting Summary
The Pueblo County Board of Commissioners work session focused on closing out a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) economic development loan program and approving a transition from an enrollment freeze to a wait list for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). The CDBG closeout involves returning $250,000 to the state due to a defaulted loan that failed job creation requirements, with funds coming from the county's $718,536 revolving loan fund. Commissioners approved moving CCAP from freeze to wait list to serve 317 families currently waiting, utilizing approximately $357,000 in underspent allocation.
Key Decisions (2)
CCAP Program Transition from Enrollment Freeze to Wait List
Commissioners approved the Department of Human Services request to transition the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program from an enrollment freeze to a wait list system. This will allow 317 families with 481 children currently on the freeze list to begin receiving childcare subsidies. The county has approximately $1 million underspent in their CCAP allocation, and even with an anticipated $643,000 reduction in state funding, there remains capacity to add families.
CDBG Economic Development Grant Closeout Presentation
Staff presented the closeout of the Community Development Block Grant economic development fund contract that began November 17, 2021 and expires April 30, 2026. The original $290,000 grant included a $250,000 loan that is now in default due to failure to meet job creation requirements (1 FTE per $25,000). The defaulted amount will be returned to the state from the county's revolving loan fund, which currently holds $718,536.
Market Signals (3)
Other
Federal childcare funding rules from the Biden-Harris administration expected to increase CCAP program costs without additional federal allocation, causing counties statewide to implement enrollment freezes.
Other
Colorado Department of Early Childhood requesting $20 million reduction in statewide CCAP allocation to align with federal CCDF funding levels, potentially reducing Pueblo County's allocation by $643,000.
Other
The county's revolving loan fund for small business economic development has $718,536 available for loans, with recent policy changes allowing loans within city of Pueblo limits expanding the eligible business pool.