Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Community & Family Advisory Board 2021-06-03Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, June 3, 2021 Minutes of a regular meeting of the Community and Family Advisory Board of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held virtually on Zoom, on the 3rd day of June 2021. Present: Laurie Dale Marshall Nancy Almond John Bryant Chris Douglas Absent: Sue Strom Christy DeLorme Michael Moon Also Present: Cindy Younglund, Town Board Liaison Jason Damweber, Assistant Town Administrator Suzanna Simpson, Executive Assistant Guests: Trustee Carlie Bangs Claire Bouchard, United Way Karen McPherson Chair Dale Marshall called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENT: Member Almond announced staff changes at EVICS – Laurie Dale Marshall has been hired as Executive Director and Carlie Bangs as Program Director. She also provided an update on the Larimer County committee discussing the ballot initiative to support early childhood education. CLAIRE BOUCHARD – ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW POSITION Claire Bouchard announced that she has taken a new position at Larimer County working on homelessness prevention. She is excited to continue working with partners in Estes Park. EPNRC UPDATES Karen McPherson provided an update on the Community Resource Guide. The document will be available on the EPNRC website – www.epnonprofit.org. Community and Family Advisory Board – June 3, 2021 – Page 2 TRUSTEE LIAISON UPDATE: Trustee Younglund shared that the parking wayfinding signage is being installed and feedback from the community is encouraged. The Comprehensive Planning Advisory Committee has been formed and held their first meeting. Paid parking is now active. Discussion took place on engaging the committee and the recent feedback event for Graves Avenue was mentioned. Community and Family Advisory Board members received positive feedback from that event. Assistant Town Administrator Damweber shared that 60 survey responses were received as a result of that event. APPROVAL OF APRIL MEETING MINUTES: It was moved and seconded (Bryant/Almond) to approve the April meeting minutes and the motion passed unanimously. WORKFORCE HOUSING & CHILDCARE TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS: Chair Dale Marshall reviewed the task force recommendations with the intention to use them as a tool to help create Community and Family Advisory Board recommendations moving forward. She and Member Almond worked with Assistant Town Administrator Damweber to bring forward ideas that the board could use to formulate regulations. 1. Though the Town’s childcare “fund” has been successful, existing facilities are a challenge. Considering ideas to incentivize new providers and build new capacity. The recommendation could be to create a childcare fund similar in structure to the workforce housing fund, and the board can borrow from the language in that policy. Need to create criteria on how funds can be used. Trustee Bangs pointed out that the Town has stated it will not open a childcare center, so specific ideas for the outcomes of the fund would need to be stated in the recommendation. 2. The second recommendation is to support employer based childcare models. The need for childcare is greatest with members of the workforce, so how can the Community and Family Advisory Board partner with employers to explore the value of employer-based/offered childcare? The ask of the Town would be to set up the model for this program. The first step would be to do a study in partnership with a local nonprofit that is leading this type of initiative. The board discussed previous attempts to have a similar model in place that were unsuccessful due to funding – such as the school district and YMCA. Community and Family Advisory Board – June 3, 2021 – Page 3 FOCUS AREA 2: ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO COMMUNITY SERVICES With regards to the discussion on including Spanish language on signs as part of the wayfinding project, Trustee Bangs reached out to Director Muhonen and learned that it is not possible because of the CDOT right-of-way. The Public Works Department is aware that it is a priority for the Community and Family Advisory Board as well as a priority in the Town’s strategic plan. Assistant Town Administrator Damweber pointed out that there are additional opportunities, such as gateway/welcome signs. The Town is being deliberate about new signs that can be bilingual but shared ownership is an issue. Trustee Bangs will continue to work with the Transportation Advisory Board on this initiative. Chair Dale Marshall shared that United Way of Larimer County recently accepted applications for a Racial Equity Collaborative Grant and there are two local collaboratives that applied, one is led by the Town of Estes Park for a facilitated training and the other is led through the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation to create a Latinx cohort for their entrepreneurial Business Accelerator Services of Estes program. COMMUNITY AND FAMILY ADVISORY BOARD PRESENCE AT TOWN BOARD MEETINGS Chair Dale Marshall feels that it is important for the Community and Family Advisory Board to have a presence in front of Town Trustees at Town Board meetings. The public comment portion of the meeting is a good opportunity to share stories and continue to spread awareness of what families need to thrive in the community. OTHER BUSINESS Seeing no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:10 p.m. NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting of the Family Advisory Board will take place Thursday, July 1, 2021. The format will be virtual through the Town’s Zoom account. /s/Suzanna Simpson, Recording Secretary