The federal economic stimulus law has stimulated something else — creation of a new state board charged with tracking every dollar of the estimated $2.8 billion expected to be spent in Colorado.
On Wednesday, the 12-member Colorado Economic Recovery Accountability Board will continue to plunge into details of organizing staff and tracking efforts. With the stimulus law barely a month old, the committee is still awaiting guidance from the federal government on ways to ensure that state and local agencies are directing funding with transparency.
“So much is still unknown at this point in time about what we’ll report and how,” said Don Elliman, head of the panel and director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development. “I suspect the processes will be different agency by agency.”
A website, , has been set up to keep citizens up to date on board meetings and projects funded by stimulus money. For example, on Thursday the website posted information about how the bidding process has opened for $35 million worth of transportation projects.
Strict federally imposed timelines accompany many projects, and the Recovery Board still must secure internal and outside staff.
“The process will start moving very fast,” Elliman said. “And we know we will need a staff — almost certainly a communications director, and we’re going to outside counsel for legal and accounting.”
Wednesday’s meeting starts at 2 p.m., 1625 Broadway, suite 820. The agenda will be posted Tuesday on the board’s website.
Miles Moffeit: 303-954-1415 or mmoffeit@denverpost.com
Extension of jobless pay could kick in for state.
Colorado’s unemployment rate remains below the level needed to trigger an emergency 13-week extension of unemployment benefits, but that could change soon.
Colorado’s average unemployment rate from November to January is 5.9 percent, below the 6 percent three-month average rate needed for an extension. February’s unemployment report, out on March 27, could qualify the state. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said that it will contact eligible individuals and that people shouldn’t call. Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post
