Pettersen Requesting $5.3 Million-plus in Monies for Childcare Center and Wastewater Facility
Rick Langenberg
Teller elected officials and key leaders of the Democratic Party don’t agree to much politically.
But when it comes to needed funding for important local projects, with the usual federal and state fiscal grant sources now getting eliminated, don’t be surprised if you see a few blue flags secretly waving in the background. Aisle crossing may just become the name of the game these days, in the new tough financial realities grappling county, local and school governments.
U.S. House Representative Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat who represents the 7th Congressional District, including Teller County and the Ute Pass area, is aggressively moving forward with federal funding requests for 15 community projects, with Teller County and Cripple Creek projected to receive a hefty share of the possible monies in the form of a $5.3 million-plus commitment. And area elected leaders are bullishly optimistic about their chances, which could get finalized through the appropriations process this fall.
Pettersen says her efforts are part of the community project funding process aimed at plans to “expand access to affordable child care, bolster wildfire protection, upgrade critical infrastructure and more.”
As she did in a recent town hall at the Ute Pass Cultural Center in Woodland Park, Pettersen expressed a desire to help local communities, but didn’t spare much criticism towards President Donald Trump, especially when it came to his endorsement of his recent funding bill, nicknamed the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
“At a time when the Trump administration continues to make life more expensive for hardworking families and rip funding away from essential services, I’m working on projects that will address our community’s needs – like expanding access to affordable childcare and ensuring every family has a safe place to live,” said Pettersen in a press release, submitted to TMJ in early July. “These projects will make a positive difference in the lives of people throughout Colorado’s 7th Congressional District from Lakewood to Salida and everywhere in between. I’ll keep fighting throughout the appropriations process to secure the funds to support these community-driven initiatives.”
Altogether, the congresswoman is proposing nearly $60 million in community funding. As part of these requests, the funding calls for an additional $1.3 million for a new childcare center in Cripple Creek, called “A Place for Kids,” slated to break ground in September (see related story). Also, Teller could get $4 million for assistance in its wastewater treatment facility needs in Divide, aimed at facilitating a new government center.
In fact, the Teller area probably reaped the benefits of more collective dollars in Pettersen’s proposed community funding request than any other part of the district, other than Arvada, which needs to improve a sanitary sewer interceptor to ensure their drinking water is not contaminated.
The congresswoman doubled down again on a subsequent press release, and made it clear these are not dream requests. Moreover, she remains committed to pursuing these efforts until they reach a successful conclusion.
“Each year my office reviews several funding requests proposed by members of our community. These 15 projects will have an impact on the lives of people throughout Colorado’s 7th Congressional District from Lakewood to Salida and everywhere in between. I will keep working until we can bring these projects across the finish line.”
At a recent commissioners meeting, Commission Chairman Dan Williams lauded the effort and believes these funding requests have a good chance of getting approved. He also said the county has received offers for help from Congressman Jeff Crank, who represents Colorado’s 5th Congressional District. This was the district that Teller resided in for years, until a redistricting plan changed this alignment.
As a result, Teller leaders must now deal with a Democratic congressional representative for the first time in recent memory, an arrangement that has created an awkward situation at times.
However, Williams, while acknowledging that he and the 7th District congresswoman have philosophical differences, has praised Pettersen’s commitment towards local projects and initiatives. He was quite complimentary of Pettersen at a recent town hall in Woodland Park.
Besides the monies helping Teller and Cripple Creek, the community funding dollars would assist such communities as Canon City, Buena Vista, Lakewood, Broomfield, and Alma, along with Jefferson and Chaffee counties
But at the same time, no leaders and head government executives are banking on this money, at least yet.
However, with their current timetable, the community funding dollars could really assist the “A Place for Kids,” project. Ted Borden, executive director of the Aspen Mine Center and Community of Caring, indicated these funds, if they become a definite reality, could be used for aspects of the project that can’t get accomplished in the first phase, or even to boost needed monies for the center’s first year of operation. The project faces a tight timeline as it must get completed by the end of 2026, based on the terms of one of its main state grants.
The pending $4 million funds, targeted for the Teller County government, are specifically aimed “to expand wastewater capacity and move treatment infrastructure so that it is no longer located in a designated floodplain to help protect the facility from flood damage,” according to Pettersen’s funding proposal.
The county could use every cent it can get due to projected funding cuts at the federal and state level. Besides the efforts by Congresswoman Pettersen, the county got a bit of good news recently regarding other grants. Commissioner Erik Stone reported that original cuts expected in transportation dollars for the Teller Senior Coalition have been restored. He cited this as welcome relief as these services are used by more than just seniors.
And the county indirectly is expected to receive close to $170,000 as part of the opioid settlement funds, being overseen by El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. Much of this money will be used to increase training and for special equipment for emergency responders.
