HomeMy WebLinkAbout20163940.tiffAugust 24, 2016
OFFICE OF BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PHONE: 970-336-7204
FAX: 970-336-7233
1150 0 STREET
P.O. BOX 758
GREELEY, COLORADO 80632
To: All Weld County School District Superintendents
As we advised all Weld County school districts in June of this year, in accordance with Title III of the Bankhead-Jones
Farm Tenant Act (7 U.S.C. 1012), the USDA Forest Service is required to make payments to counties for receipts from
USDA Forest Service land from grazing fees and mineral receipts. For the first time this year, Weld County received funds
from oil and gas extraction payments from the Pawnee Grasslands located in Weld County. In 2009, House Bill 09-1250
was passed creating a new methodology to allocate the funds received from the Forest Service. Under the new
allocation methodology, 25% of the funds must be used for county roads and bridges, and 25% must be allocated to the
school districts in the county. The other 50% is to be allocated between the two purposes at the direction of a committee
of three County Commissioners and three school district representatives.
The purpose of the funds from the Forest Service is to mitigate the impacts of the federal lands to the county and school
districts in the form of a payment in lieu of taxes, since the federal lands are tax-exempt. Even though only five Weld
County school districts (Eaton RE -2, Ault -Highland RE -9, Briggsdale RE -10J, Prairie RE -11, and Pawnee RE -12) are
located in the 192,930 acres of the Pawnee Grasslands, under HB 09-1250, the amount of funds allocated to each school
district in the county shall be in the proportion that its pupil enrollment during the preceding school year bears to the
aggregate pupil enrollment in all districts in the county during said preceding school year. Therefore, the majority of the
school districts in Weld County will receive a portion of these funds even though they have no impact from the Pawnee
Grasslands.
Per an agreement signed by all Weld County school districts this summer, three school district representatives were
selected to meet with three County Commissioners on August 22, 2016, to discuss the allocation of the unallocated
portion of the funds and make a binding decision on the agreed upon allocation methodology. Attached is the resolution,
methodology formula, and worksheets applying the formula to allocate the 2016 Bankhead-Jones funds to the school
districts. The attachments explain the formula and show the calculations. As a result of the formula, $2,024,874.72 is
being allocated to Weld County school districts for 2016. A county warrant in the amount payable to your school district
per the allocation formula is enclosed.
It is anticipated with the oil and gas development in the Pawnee Grassland there will be these Forest Service revenues
for a few years. The methodology developed will be reviewed each year by the allocation committee. The amount of
revenue is very unpredictable, especially due to the volatility of the price of oil and gas, so there is not a way to provide a
good estimate each year of the anticipated revenue amount to be allocated. It is anticipated that based upon price alone,
the overall amount will drop by half in 2017. It is recommended to budget and appropriate the funds in the following year
after they have been received and the amount is known. In 2017, the committee will attempt to work with the USDA
Forest Service to get the allocation amount to each school district in the May -June timeframe for your budget.
If you have questions regarding this topic please do not hesitate to contact Don Warden, Director of Finance and
Administration, at 970-400-4218.
Very truly yours,
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
rrY1:4,6
Mike Freeman, Chair
2016 Bankhead-Jones Payment Accounts
SCHOOL DISTRICT
Brighton 27J
St Vrain RE -1J
Thompson r -2J
Weldon Valley RE -20J
Wiggins RE -50J
Gilcrest Re -1
Eaton RE -2
Keenesburg RE -3 J
Windsor RE -4
Johnstown -Milliken RE -5J
Greeley 6
Platte Valley RE -7
Fort Lupton RE -8
Ault -Highland RE -9
Brigsdale RE -10
Prarie RE -11
Pawnee RE -12
TOTAL
Bright Futures Account 1000-90160-6710
Credit Bright Futures Trust #7018
AMOUNT
$ 2,374.83
$ 356,955.26
$ 8,585.92
$ 1,096.08
$ 67,225.97
$ 137,009.44
$ 79,465.48
$ 188,890.35
$ 128,971.55
$ 758,666.94
$ 40,737.47
$ 80,378.87
$ 59,188.08
$ 29,731.98
$ 45,191.11
$ 40,405.39
$ 2,024,874.72
1000-56160-6570
68504.72
29594.04
23886.24
38614.66
37482.52
198082.18
1628710.36
2000-90100-4316
$ 2,374.83
356,955.26
8,585.92
1,096.08
67,225.97
68,504.72
79,465.48
188,890.35
128,971.55
758,666.94
40,737.47
80,378.87
$ 29,594.04
$ 5,845.74
$ 6,576.45
$ 2,922.87
$ 1,826,792.54
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