HUERFANO — The 20-bed assisted living center project known as Spanish Peaks Residences, spearheaded by Spanish Peaks Community Foundation, took another step forward this week as the Huerfano County Board of Commissioners signed a lengthy DOLA (Colorado Department of Local Affairs) grant application for $400,000. The county’s role as a pass through governmental agency for the grant was approved on a 2-0 vote, on a motion by Commissioner Max Vezzani and second by Commissioner Ray Garcia. Chairman of the BOCC, Art Bobian, abstained from the vote as he is also the Chairman of the SPCF. The primary source of funding for the project is anticipated to be a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development low interest loan, as well as funding and in kind service from a number of stakeholders, including the SPCF. SPCF has already contributed 9.81 acres of land located between Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center and Chaé Organics, along with $50,000 in cash from its reserves. The proposed project timeline anticipates
construction funding and permanent financing to be in place by February 2015, construction start-up by May 2015, and issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy by October 2015. In other business Tuesday morning, the board met the new Lathrop State Park Manager Stacey Lewis, who presented a brief overview of improvements at Colorado’s first state park. A former staffer at LSP, Lewis said in was good to be back in the area and said she hoped all the parties involved in proposed land issues and the golf course situation will be able to work well together to benefit the public. The commissioners announced the Peak View gravel pit is now permitted and crushing operations will begin shortly so gravel may be applied to some roads in the Cuchara area. The commissioners unanimously approved three donations: use of a flat bed truck and trailer to haul a City of Walsenburg dump truck to Pueblo for repairs; a load of gravel to the Huerfano RE-1 School district for work near John Mall High School, and a two loads of sand for the Walsenburg Golf Course. The commissioners indicated they want a firm date of opening of the new ambulance facility. Vezzani suggesting they give the Career Building Academy a two-week deadline or set a meeting with CBA President Rick Johnson to find out what the delays are.
