RANGELY I The Rangely Town Council met Nov. 25. They heard updates from Town Manager Peter Brixius and approved the application process for grants totaling just under $1 million.
Brixius notified the board the Rangely Chamber of Commerce recently elected Lisa Piering as president. Piering stated that she “wants to support Kristin (chamber executive director Kristin Steele) and her efforts; she’s doing a great job.” There are still positions open on the chamber board, and any local business owner and chamber member is eligible to occupy one of those seats.
The board was then informed that during construction and repairs at the White River Village, two residents experienced injuries. One resident tripped over materials left laying out and the other slipped on loose gravel.
The board discussed four upcoming projects for which the Town of Rangely is applying for grant assistance.
The first is for the purchase of concept drawings for the Town Hall, estimated to cost $30,000. Rangely is working with Rio Blanco County to make several modifications to Town Hall, including adding county office areas for the clerk and commissioner, updates to the courtroom, including a sound and recording system, town municipal office updates, improvements to the west entrance and improvements to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
The building also needs to be made ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. Rangely has made an agreement with the county to fund 25 percent of the cost. The town is seeking a grant to cover 50 percent of that cost.
The council gave permission to seek grant money from the state’s Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) for improvements to the water line distribution system. The town is asking for approximately $746,000 to improve the main water line from the water treatment plant and lines in the La Mesa and Hillcrest neighborhoods.
The town is also seeking a $112,500 DOLA grant to replace the roof on the water treatment plant. If granted, this would cover 75 percent of the cost.
The last grant discussed is for the development of four loops of trails for the off highway vehicle program. The grant would cover signage, marketing, maps and some GIS work.
The county has expressed concerns that there won’t be enough volunteers to complete the project. However, council member Brad Casto and Mayor Frank Huitt both disagreed, with Casto stating, “We will get more people than we need.”
With all of the discussion of grant applications the board was curious about the chances of getting these grants.
Brixius said, “Rangely is prioritized because we are energy sector. We are ranked higher than many other communities.” He also told the board that the town has received many similar grants in the past.
The Rangely Town Council will meet again on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.
