Dolores County has been awarded a $2 million grant from the Department of Local Affairs to build a Public Service Center.
The new center will house the Dove Creek road and bridge department, the GIS department, the emergency services department, and will include a large room for trainings and public meetings that can accommodate 160 people.
Dolores County commissioner Ernie Williams said the upgrades will provide many benefits to the citizens and employees of Dolores County by combining these three vital public services.
All three of these departments have been working in small spaces that are outdated, he said. They will now have modern spaces that will allow them to conduct their work efficiently and safely.
“We are very excited about this much needed facility which will be a wonderful part of Dolores County for years to come,” Williams said. “This funding has allowed the county to offer a safe and efficient space for these vital public services to operate.”
The county has been preparing for two years to apply for the grant. It is the largest grant the county has ever received.
The new Public Service Center has many advantages.
The road and bridge department will be able to fit large equipment fully into the new shop, and days of making winter repairs outdoors in the elements will be over. The new shop facilities will allow staff to make repairs in a comfortable and safe environment and put equipment back on the road faster to serve the residents of Dolores County.
Dolores County Emergency manager Todd Parisi will get to say “so long” to the furnace that is his current roommate in a back closet in the courthouse. The GIS staff will have room for their large plotter printers and will have some room to breathe in the new space.
Without this funding, the county would have had to postpone these needed improvements, Williams said, causing a substantial increase in cost of future construction.
“The Dolores County commissioners would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard on this project.” he said.