El Paso County, Colorado, July 21, 2026 \u2013 The El Paso County Board of County Commissioners today approved a resolution authorizing the temporary use of the County\u2019s Self-Insurance Fund to resolve disputed grant audit costs on behalf of the Pikes Peak Workforce Center after actions by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) began affecting unrelated County funding.<\/p>\n
In late 2024, CDLE completed a compliance audit of workforce grants administered by the Pikes Peak Workforce Center. The audit\u202fidentified\u202fgrant compliance deficiencies and disallowed costs related to certain workforce grant expenditures. In 2025, CDLE demanded repayment, which prompted the Pikes Peak Workforce Center to file a lawsuit. In July 2026, the CDLE began withholding unrelated El Paso County grant funding through its vendor offset process. According to the Board\u2019s resolution, those offsets included funding supporting the El Paso County Department of Human Services, placing essential public health,\u202fsafety\u202fand human services at risk.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur first responsibility is to protect the services that residents rely on every day,\u201d said Board Chair Carrie Geitner. \u201cThe State\u2019s actions placed unrelated County programs at risk, leaving us with a difficult decision. This resolution allows us to protect essential services while preserving the County\u2019s legal rights and continuing to pursue appropriate remedies.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the time the audit issues occurred, the Pikes Peak Workforce Center managed its own financial operations and grant compliance responsibilities. Although El Paso County served as the Workforce Center\u2019s fiscal agent, County Administration did not have direct supervisory authority over the Workforce Center Director or responsibility for day-to-day grant compliance. In May 2026, the Consortium Executive Board unanimously expanded County Administration\u2019s authority over the Workforce Center to strengthen oversight and accountability.<\/p>\n
The Board\u2019s resolution further states that El Paso County disputes CDLE\u2019s use of vendor offsets against unrelated County funding and questions the State\u2019s authority to intercept those funds. However, faced with the prospect of continued funding interruptions while litigation remains pending, the Board determined it could not allow essential County services to continue being affected. Today\u2019s action protects those services while preserving the County\u2019s ability to pursue reimbursement through insurance and other available legal remedies.<\/p>\n
\u201cTaxpayers expect us to be responsible stewards of public resources,\u201d said Commissioner Cory Applegate, who serves as the Chair of the Pikes Peak Workforce Consortium Executive Board. \u201cWhile this situation is both complex and unfortunate, our responsibility is clear: protect essential County services, strengthen oversight, and take every appropriate step to recover public funds wherever possible. This resolution reflects our commitment to accountability and to the residents we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n
The resolution also directs staff to continue implementing stronger financial controls and oversight measures for the Pikes Peak Workforce Center.<\/p>\n
The Pikes Peak Workforce Center will continue providing workforce services to employers and job seekers throughout El Paso and Teller counties without interruption.<\/p>\n