Commissioners discuss House Bill 237 rollback funds and possible use for Cold Creek NRCS match
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Summary
County staff said House Bill 237 now allows counties to collect 100% of rollback funds for ten years, and commissioners discussed using the accumulated funds — about $340,000 so far — for conservation easements or as a local match on a projected $1.8 million NRCS Cold Creek watershed project.
County officials reported at the Oct. 13 meeting that House Bill 237 changed how “rollback” (greenbelt) tax revenue is handled. Nicole (staff) told commissioners the state now allows counties to collect 100% of rollback proceeds rather than the prior 20 percent, and that the county must spend the funds on eligible purposes such as open space or conservation easements within ten years or the money reverts to the state.
Commissioners noted the account currently holds about $340,000. They discussed coordination among commissioners and staff to create a spending plan and whether rollback funds could be used as the county match on the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Cold Creek project. County staff and an estimate referenced in the meeting put the NRCS match at about $1.8 million (some match may be provided as in‑kind). Commissioners asked staff to confirm legal eligibility and to talk to NRCS and the county’s project manager about whether rollback funds could be used as match.
No formal action was taken; commissioners directed staff to obtain detailed amounts and legal guidance and to return with options for prioritizing rollback expenditures.