Dwayne McFall, who represents counties on the state Underfunded Courthouse Commission through Colorado Counties Inc., described the grant process and Fremont County’s recent applications and past awards.

McFall said the commission typically distributes about $3,000,000 each year to county courthouse requests and that this year the commission received 21 applications. He described past Fremont County awards that funded an extra courtroom and a sally port/security project and said the county has applied this year for funds to replace rooftop HVAC units on the Justice Center Road courthouse.

McFall explained that when his county’s application is under review he must leave the room to avoid a conflict; he also described the commission’s membership, which includes county commissioners, judges and a historic-preservation representative. He said older courthouses in rural counties often require substantial maintenance or replacement.

Why it matters: Commissioners said courthouse repairs and security improvements can be costly and that grant funds help counties address aging mechanical systems and security needs that are otherwise difficult to fund from local budgets.

What’s next: The commission will review applications at an upcoming meeting; McFall and county facilities staff plan to present Fremont County’s project in person.