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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Parks Advisory Board 2022-12-15Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, December 15, 2022 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the PARKS ADVISORY BOARD of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Municipal Building in said Town of Estes Park on the 15th day of December, 2022. *The Town Board of Trustees sunset the Parks Advisory Board on February 28, 2023. This is the final minutes document of the Parks Advisory Board.* Board: Chair Geoff Elliot; Members Christian Berry, Donovan Colegrove, Elizabeth Kostiuk, Vicki Papineau, and Ron Wilcocks; Trustee Cindy Younglund, Staff Liaison Brian Berg Attending: Chair Elliot; Members Berry, Colegrove, Papineau, and Wilcocks; Trustee Younglund; Supervisor Berg; Recording Secretary McDonald Absent: Member Kostiuk Chair Elliot called the meeting to order at 8:45 a.m. PUBLIC COMMENT None. TRUSTEE LIAISON UPDATES Trustee Younglund reported that the Fall River Trail Extension (FRTE) was approved on November 22. The Estes Forward Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map was approved on December 6. A Trustee Talk event will be held tonight; these agenda-free events are designed for open-topic discussions. Also tonight is a Rocky Mountain National Park virtual event explaining 2023 Visitor Use Management, a topic that was presented at a December 13 Town Board Study Session. There was brief discussion about specifics of the FRTE, and Chair Elliot advised that the plans are available on the Town website at https://estespark.colorado.gov/fallrivertrail. APPROVAL OF MINUTES DATED NOVEMBER 17, 2022 It was moved and seconded (Berry/Wilcocks) to approve the November 17, 2022, meeting minutes, and the motion passed unanimously. PARKS UPDATE Supervisor Berg reported that the Parks Division staffing, due to the injury of a long-time employee, will be slightly restructured with no impact to the general budget. Once approved by the Town Board, a current full-time position will be modified to part-time with an emphasis on in-house noxious weed control, and a new full-time position will be created for general duties. Discussion centered around how volunteers from Estes Land Stewardship Association (ELSA) and other organizations could assist Town staff, the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District (EVRPD), and the Estes Park School District (EPSD) with identification and disposal of weeds and trash; it was agreed that winter months are best for weed management work. If such volunteer work is deemed useful for Town projects, Member Papineau would meet with Supervisor Berg and Parks staff to discuss a consistent schedule and progress reporting. Flower order costs are higher than in 2021. Tree trimming continues, with some planned removals. A grant application is in process to acquire two composters. There was brief discussion about the types of trees that can be effectively composted. Parks Advisory Board – December 15, 2022 – Page 2 SUNSET DISCUSSION FOR PARKS ADVISORY BOARD Chair Elliot recapped last month’s discussion about the PAB’s possible projects and meeting frequency needs for 2023. Supervisor Berg advised that he discussed some of these topics with Town Administrator Machalek in preparation for the January 10 Sunset Review of the PAB, where the Town Board will ultimately determine whether the PAB should continue. Discussion points included changing the meeting frequency and mission according to the new projects the PAB could adopt in 2023, and the impact of such changes on PAB’s current bylaws; the pros and cons—or even the feasibility—of an advisory board becoming an ad hoc committee that would assemble for particular projects; Open Meetings Law compliance for PAB members discussing business between regularly scheduled meetings, which requires copying Supervisor Berg and/or Recording Secretary McDonald; how the PAB’s changes would impact the Art in Public Places (AIPP) application process and other time-sensitive decisions typically addressed by the PAB; the significance of the PAB in the planning of pocket parks; the status of the Arts Master Plan (AMP) since it was entrusted to local arts organizations for development; and the possibility of focusing on community education opportunities. It was agreed that any changes to the bylaws should reflect flexible language regarding meeting frequency; that the Town Clerks would be consulted regarding email voting protocol; and that these December 15 minutes, along with the presence of Supervisor Berg and Member Colegrove, would be the Town Board’s point of reference during the Sunset Review discussion. It was moved and seconded (Berry/Papineau) that the PAB bylaws be changed to reflect that regular meetings be held bimonthly (every other month) beginning in March 2023, on the condition that this is in compliance with Colorado Sunshine Law, and that email voting on any topic between meetings will require, within 72 hours, a unanimous vote to pass; the motion passed unanimously. PLANNING FOR ANNUAL OFFICER ELECTIONS IN JANUARY 2023 With Chair Elliot’s term ending on December 31, the Sunset Review scheduled for January 10, and several members unable to attend the presently scheduled January 19 meeting to ensure a quorum, it was agreed that officer elections be postponed until the PAB’s first anticipated meeting of 2023 on March 16. Therefore, Chair Elliot officially canceled the January 19 PAB meeting. There was brief discussion about which members would be eligible, interested, and available to serve as chair or vice-chair. Trustee Younglund advised that an interview committee for the PAB was appointed on December 13 and that new volunteer applications had been submitted. OTHER BUSINESS None. There being no further business, Chair Elliot adjourned the meeting at 10:09 a.m. /s/ Lani McDonald, Recording Secretary