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Resident critical of county’s handling of federal funds I am writing to address a critical failure in Colorado County’s governance that threatens both public safety and our fiscal stability. Our county has allocated over $2.2 million in federal State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) specifically to bring the county jail into compliance. Yet, the jail remains in violation of federal law—specifically the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA).
The necessity of PREA rules is not theoretical. In 2024, Tomas Ramirez was charged with statutory rape, a case that was adjudicated in 2025. Despite this clear alarm bell regarding sexual misconduct within our community’s legal sphere, it is now 2026 and the county jail still has no formal PREA rules in place. This is a staggering dereliction of duty.
While the $2.2 million has been spent or allocated, Colorado County remains under federal audit rules until 2030. Treasury guidelines require that federal funds be used in accordance with federal safety and civil rights laws. By failing to implement PREA, the county is creating a massive “claw back” risk where the U.S. Treasury could demand the repayment of millions in taxpayer dollars.
Furthermore, the Commissioner’s Court recently approved new federal grant applications submitted by Chuck Rogers, despite having been formally notified of these compliance failures. Applying for new federal money while knowingly out of compliance with federal statutes is a dangerous gamble that could expose the county to charges of grant fraud.
Taxpayers deserve to know why millions in “compliance funding” have failed to produce a compliant facility. We cannot afford the litigation or the potential loss of millions in federal aid because our officials refuse to follow the law.
Wayne McKnight
Columbus
