Mohave County approves three CDBG projects after residents push for Dolan Springs, Colorado City funding

The Mohave County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 17 approved the county’s three allowable Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) projects for fiscal year 2026 after extended public comment and debate over how the county ranks applications.

Residents from Dolan Springs and representatives of a nonprofit bike‑park effort in Colorado City urged the board to prioritize local needs. Tim Bonnie, fire chief for Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District, said his station sheltered roughly 200 people during a prolonged power outage and that his department needs building repairs to maintain emergency sheltering capacity. “We housed almost 200 people for a week and a half,” Bonnie said in public comment, recounting past emergency responses.

Community Council leaders and volunteers described long‑running maintenance needs at the Dolan Springs Community Council hall, which they said operates on original 1968 systems and serves as a polling place, food distribution site and meeting space. “We are asking for critical life and safety modernization so we don’t have to close the only public doors our residents have,” Linda Buddha, president of the Dolan Springs Community Council, said.

County staff, represented in discussion by Director Smith, explained the ranking method used to recommend projects: after subtracting administrative costs, staff divides remaining funds by five supervisory districts and ranks applications by the number of residents served and past awards. Smith told the board the process was intended to maximize community benefit; supervisors pressed for clarification on whether staff visited each applicant site and how the county accounts for small, high‑need communities.

Supervisors questioned the formula’s emphasis on population over per‑person need. “At some point, you gotta realize it’s not entirely the population — it’s the need,” Supervisor Martin said, arguing that small communities like Dolan Springs and Meadview face acute needs despite low populations.

Board members also discussed an error identified by Dolan Springs speakers: packet materials stated a $70,000 award to District 4 in 2022 when that award went to the Chloride Water District, not Dolan Springs applicants. Staff acknowledged the mistake and clarified that while the district received funds in 2022, the specific applicants before the board had not previously received the $70,000.

After deliberation, supervisors moved sequentially to allocate the three projects allowed under Arizona Department of Housing guidance: the Mohave County Community Services Department owner‑occupied housing rehabilitation program (covering 12 qualifying properties), the Wheel/Will Fund bike skills park in Colorado City, and a Dolan Springs community facility project (Dolan Springs Community Council and/or Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District). Several motions and seconds were recorded on the floor; one vote on a related motion was recorded as 3‑2 on the record. The board’s actions directed staff to prepare applications and to proceed under the state’s 3‑project limit.

Director Smith and supervisors noted administrative overhead and program rules: staff reported an administrative fee of $148,000 on approximately $824,000 available (~18% over two years) and explained that Arizona Department of Housing required evidence such as multi‑year leases for some project types. Supervisors asked staff to confirm final dollar amounts and eligibility with ADOH before submittal.

The board also approved a retention agreement (consent item 39) with David Schwartz Inc., authorizing an initial cap of $10,000 and manager authority to expend up to $25,000 to represent Mohave County in a contract dispute with Acela Inc. in California.

The board instructed staff to finalize applications with the Arizona Department of Housing and to return if state feedback requires adjustments. The county clerk recorded motions and votes on the record; staff said applications must be submitted by April 23 under program timelines and that the public comment period for related processes had defined deadlines.

The board’s approval moves these projects forward to application and final agency review; specific award amounts and final contracts will be set after ADOH review and any required adjustments.