2025 Updates
- RFP for construction released in January 2025.
- Proposals reviewed week of February 24, 2025.
- Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) discussion at a special March 18 BoCC Work Session.
- BoCC approved moving forward with AD Miller Services Inc. to construct Community Annex on March 25, 2025.
March 25, 2025 Meeting
On March 25, the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) approved moving forward with A.D. Miller Services Inc. to construct the Community Annex. Initial project bids exceeded estimates, prompting the BoCC to adopt cost-saving measures the prior week, reducing expenses by approximately $835,000. Adjustments include changes to the site, roofing materials, heating systems, finishes, and parking lot surface. County staff will continue seeking additional grants and exploring reused and second-hand materials to further lower costs.
The BoCC also approved adding a Commercial Kitchen, which will support community programs, senior meal services, emergency response efforts, and small business.
A $650,000 grant from the Department of Local Affairs Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Fund will help fund construction. This grant is funded by state severance taxes on energy and mineral production, along with a portion of federal royalties from mining and drilling on public lands. The project cost will not exceed $2.465M.
March 18, 2025 Work Session Discussion:
On March 18, the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) met to discuss ways to save money while building a high-quality Community Annex facility. Facilities Director Ryan Keenan shared some ideas that could help reduce costs and talked about the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Specific areas considered for cost savings included, a change of site, earth moving savings, changes to the roofing material, heating systems, interior and exterior finishes, parking lot, and building materials. With the approved cost saving measures, the County could save approximately $835,000 based on the construction estimates received.
The BoCC elected to include a Commercial Kitchen in the Community Annex design. This kitchen could be used to support healthy eating and education, potentially save costs through senior lunch programs, support cottage industry by providing an accessible commercial kitchen for the public to use, would generate rental income, provide a needed kitchen if the campus was again needed for emergency sheltering and/or to support first responders, and offer additional programs in the county.
Additionally, the BoCC agreed to build the structure to accommodate walk-in refrigerators and freezers, but will start with existing refrigerators to save money. This will mean that the coolers currently located in the jury room will no longer be needed, which will free up that space for courts and our Sheriff’s Office.
The budget for this project in 2025 is set at $1.8 million, but the estimated expenses may reach around $2.465 million, creating a gap of nearly $665,000. A state grant of $650,000 will help cover some of these costs, along with unanticipated carryover funds from 2024 that weren’t used.
2024 Updates
In 2024, the county applied to the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Fund (EIAF) for a grant to help fund construction costs on this project. The county received notice that it was granted $650,000 which will pay for a significant portion of the project. The EIAF grant program assists political subdivisions that are socially and/or economically impacted by the development, processing, or energy conversion of minerals and mineral fuels. Funds come from the state severance tax on energy and mineral production and from a portion of the state's share of royalties paid to the federal government for mining and drilling of minerals and mineral fuels on federally-owned land.
Updated site designs and floor plans for the Community Center Annex were shared at the March 19, 2024 Board of County Commissioners’ work session. Some of the features of the plans include:
- Road designed to accommodate a semi to deliver food to a loading bay
- Separate entries for each of the three user groups: food pantry, commercial kitchen, and offices. This will allow a user group access to their area only.
- Outer vestibule to welcome visitors
- Separate entry and exit for the food pantry to improve the shopping flow
For project updates on the Community Center Annex, also view our Facilities, Current Projects page.
From 1995-2021, the food pantry was primarily located in a room in the Department of Human Services offices at the Justice Center. The use of this space was not ideal since it is in a secured space.
May 12, 2020
- Applied for Food Bank of the Rockies Grant to provide funding for a new large refrigerator and the necessary electrical work.
During the pandemic, the demand for assistance significantly increased, prompting the use of the Community Room at the Justice Center. The Community Room and Justice Center hallways were used to accommodate the extra food needed.
September 22, 2020
- Discussion regarding the decision to locate the food bank in the current Public Health trailer on Norton Drive rather than being relocated to the new Health and Human Services building.
- Board approved application for CDBG-CV grant for $49,500, later revised to $97K to renovate the trailer to accommodate the food pantry.
February 16, 2021
- $97k received from Community Development Block Grant COVID (CDBG-CV)
- Roofing, electrical upgrades, concrete pad, parking lot regrading
August/September 2021
- Food pantry relocated to the trailer previously used as first a construction office while building the Community Center and then as offices for the Public Health Department.
Prior to transitioning to the modular setup, households were provided with pre-packed food boxes, resulting in limited choices. However, with the transition to a shopping model in the modular setup, households gained the ability to select their own food items, leading to a notable reduction in waste. Additionally, the shift to shopping empowers individuals to maintain their dignity in an environment already fraught with stigma, such as a pantry setting.
April 2022
- Applied for Congressionally Directed Spending for New Food Pantry
Spring 2022
- Site selection survey to food pantry patrons
- Site selection survey to general community
April 6, 2023
- Facility Condition Assessment for the current food pantry prepared by Bureau Veritas indicated costs to repair and maintain existing trailer were too great and not viable long term.
May 16, 2023
- Work Session food bank location with key stakeholders and nonprofit partners invited
June 13, 2023
- Options provided to BoCC by the Facilities Director:
- New build near current site.
- Addition to the Community Center.
- Purchase of residential property and renovation
December 12, 2023
- Contract Award for Design, $89,700 to CHSQA
February 20, 2024
- Work Session on food pantry design
February 27, 2024
- Res. 24-53, Authorizing Application to Colorado Resilience Initiatives, Access to Healthy Foods (CRI-AHF) to purchase equipment and fixtures.
- Res. 24-52, Authorizing Submission of a Grant Application to DOLA for the Energy/Mineral Impact Assistance Fund (EIAF) for Food Pantry
March 12, 2024
- Res. 24-59, Accepting Colorado Community Health Alliance (CCHA) Grant
- Purchase of food pantry vehicle.
March 19, 2024
- Updated site designs and floor plans for the Community Center Annex were shared at the March 19, 2024 Board of County Commissioners’ work session.
January 2025
- RFP released for Gilpin County Community Annex Construction