By Shannon Lukens,

 

The Moffat County Courthouse Dedication and Cornerstone Ceremony was Saturday. All Moffat County Commissioners spoke at the ceremony, including Commissioner Tony Bohrer.

“We’re so thankful for it to be done. Staff has been awesome. We’re just thankful for the community support and I hope they enjoy it as much as we do.”

Commissioner Bohrer thanked the current and previous commissioners as well. He also spoke highly of Roy Tipton, the Moffat County Director of Development Services, who managed the project from beginning to end. Tipton will be moving away from the state to be closer to family in Missouri. Bohrer said, “We will miss Roy. He can leave here with his head held high on what he accomplished here in Moffat County. Moffat County is a better place because of Roy Tipton.”

 

Many praises were also given to Roy Tipton, who oversaw the whole project for the county. He thanked everyone involved for their help in making it happen including Mindy Curtis, the previous Director of Finance who figured out how to make the project happen without raising taxes. U.S. Senator Michael Bennet helped arrange a $4.65 million grant. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs also supported the project. Tipton also thanked the team that helped transfer the network of computers from the old building to the new one, adding, “The modern building is all about technology.”

 

Ray Beck was a Moffat County Commissioner when the courthouse project started. He’s proud of the new county building which has the courthouse and all county offices in it, except for the Sheriff’s Office and Road and Bridge.

“When I was elected to be a county commissioner, I came in without an agenda. My only agenda was to leave it better than I found it. And I can honestly look you in the eye and say we left it better than we found it. And here we are today, and I just think this is a great day for Craig, Colorado, and Moffat County.”

 

The cornerstone in the new Moffat County Courthouse was laid by the March of the Masons. Community members were invited to help, which they did.

 

The ceremony started with the presentation of the American Flag, performed by members of the American Legion Post #62 and VFW post #4265. The Colorado flag and Moffat County flag was also raised.

 

The Moffat County High School marching band, led by Lia Arnold, performed the Star Spangled Banner.

 

Moffat County Commissioner Melody Villard of District 2 welcomed everyone.

 

Architect remarks were given by Andrew Pitts Treanor HL

 

 

General Contractor remarks were presented by Brand Roper with BHI.

 

Moffat County Commissioner Donald Broom, District 3, also spoke, and thanked former County Commissioners Ray Beck and Don Cook, who were commissioners with him, “when we started this deal.”

 

Then tours of the new building were given. This is the 1999 Frances Williams-Reust painting of Downtown Craig, gifted from the City of Craig and Museum of Northwest Colorado to the County Courthouse. It is in the Commissioners Room. Moffat County Sheriff KC Hume, Undersheriff Chip McIntyre, and Natural Resources Director Jeff Comstock all helped with the mountain of the painting. 14th Judicial District Chief Judge Michael O’Hara spoke with Roy Tipton about the project.

The Veterans Memorial was also relocated to the new courthouse.