HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board 2023-10-24Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, October 24, 2023
Minutes of a Regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Estes
Park, LahnnerCounty, Colorado. Meeting held inthe Town Hall insaid Town of
Estes Park onthe 24mday nfOctober, 2O23.
Also Present:
Wendy Koenig, Mayor
MaheCenoc, Mayor Pro Tern
Trustees Kirby HazeUon
Frank Lancaster
Barbara&4aoA|pine
PmbiokK8artchink
C|ndyYnung|und
Travis Machalek, Town Administrator
Jason O8nlwxebor.Deputy Town Administrator
[}an Kramer, Town Attorney
Kimberly Disney, Recording Secretary
Absent: None
Mayor Koenig called the meeting to order at7:OO p.m. and all desiring todoso, recited
the Pledge of Allegiance.
YEARS OF SERVICE RECOGNITION.
Mayor Koenig recognized staff who met service milestones with the Town, including Rick
Life —2byears; Elaine Hunt -Downey and Caleb Robertson — 15 years; Kelly Doherty,
Suzanna Simpson, Dale Duell, and Karen Shea — 10 years; and Vanessa Solesbee, Karla
Sterling, and Kirk JeUeama-5years.
AGENDA APPROVAL.
It was moved and seconded (Cenac/Hazelton) to approve the Agenda, and it passed
unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
Dan Scaoe/Town citizen commented on the 685 Peak View Dr rezoning and Special
Veteran's Day Ceremony to be held November 11, 2023 at Veterans Monument Park.
TRUSTEE COMMENTS.
Board comments were heard and have been summarized: The Estes Park Housing
Authority Board met and reviewed the 2024 Budget and hiring of the Housing Program
Manager and recruitment of the Real Estate Development Manager positions. Community
Development Director interviews were held with speed interviews and e public meet and
greet. The Estes Park Planning Commission met and continued two action items tothe
November meeting and approved the Estes Valley Recreation and Pork District Skate
Park. The Larimor County Solid Waste Policy Advisory Council mot and discussed the
original drafted landfill Intergovernmental Agreement. The Police Auxiliary met and
discussed the annual Blue Santa fundraiser, the Tree Lighting Ceremony to be held in
Bond Park, and concentrating more effort in school zones. The Trustee Talk would be
hosted by Trustees Hazelton and Martchink with discussion topics to include community
survey results and the budget process. The Transportation Advisory Board met and
discussed the CDOTresurfacing of Highways 34and 36, the construction timo|ino, and
possibility ofnight work for the project,
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT.
Town Administrator Machalek recognized Town Clerk Williamson who was awarded the
Municipal Clerk of the Year for Small Municipality by the Colorado Municipal Clerk's
Association. He presented his policy governance report for Policy 3.3 Financial Planning
and reported full compliance, noting language revisions for reporting general fund balance
reserves. The Platte River Power Authority would hold their annual public engagement
meeting.
Board of Trustees — October 24, 2023 — Page 2
CONSENT AGENDA:
1. Bills.
2. Town Board Minutes dated October 10, 2023, Town Board Study Session Minutes
dated October 10, 2023, and Budget Study Session Minutes dated September 28,
2023 and October 5, 2023.
3. Estes Park Planning Commission Minutes dated August 15, 2023
(acknowledgment only).
4. Appointment of Town Treasurer/Town Clerk Pro Tem Jeremy Creamean.
5. Resolution 91-23 Contract with Advanced Engineering and Environmental Service
LLC for Carriage Hills Water System Improvements, $540,088 - Budgeted.
6. Resolution 92-23 Wildfire Mitigation Grant Agreement with the Colorado Division
of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, $1,060,000 — Budgeted.
7. Resolution 93-23 Revision to the Transportation Advisory Board Bylaws.
8. Resolution 94-23 Agreement with ICMA Retirement Corporation dba
MissionSquare Retirement for Town Administrator Vesting Retirement Account —
Budgeted.
9. To Reserve Potential Placement of the Kahuna Memorial (bronze statue) at the
Open Greenspace between Virginia Drive and the Virgina Parking Lot for a One -
Year Period.
10. Revised Policy 303 Compensation.
11. Revised Town Board Policy 107 Public Posting of Town Board E-mail.
12.Acceptance of Town Administrator Policy Governance Monitoring Report.
It was moved and seconded (Lancaster/MacAlpine) to approve the Consent Agenda
with the removal of Item #11 for discussion, and it passed unanimously.
Trustee Lancaster requested clarification on the specific Human Resources email
address which would not be publicly posted. It was moved and seconded
(Lancaster/Cenac) to approve Consent Agenda Item #11, and it passed unanimously.
REPORTS AND DISCUSSION ITEMS: (Outside Entities).
1. MUNICIPAL COURT UPDATE. Judge Thrower provided an update on the Estes
Park Municipal Court. He provided an overview highlighting the court of record,
decriminalization of the court, staff changes, use of Laserfiche for the Court
process, meetings with Chief Hayes, legislative changes and concerns, Colorado
Supreme Court guidance on remote access to court, broadcasting/streaming of
court proceedings, and of the 158 citations issued in 2023 to date 72% were traffic
charges and 28% were non -traffic. He encouraged the Town Board to observe
court, held the first Wednesday of the month at 9:00 a.m.
ACTION ITEMS:
1. 2024 VISIT ESTES PARK (VEP) OPERATING PLAN. Town Administrator
Machalek provided background on the operating plan approval process and the
previous Joint Study Session with the Town Board and Larimer County Board of
County Commissioners. VEP CEO Franker provided an overview of the 2024 VEP
Operating Plan, extending the tourism season with the new holiday event, and she
noted VEP was recently awarded the Governor's Award for Exemplary Community
Tourism Initiative. It was moved and seconded (Younglund/Cenac) to approve
the 2024 Visit Estes Park Operating Plan, and it passed unanimously.
2. PUBLIC HEARING — 2024 PROPOSED BUDGET. Mayor Koenig opened the
public hearing and Director Creamean and Manager Hudson presented the 2024
budget for the Town, including the intended uses of the Highway User Trust Fund
(HUTF) and revenues received from the State of Colorado. Sales tax revenues
Board ofTrustees — October 24,2O23—Page 3
were conservatively estimated to increase by2.3Q96with an overall budget of
$80.1 million. Two new fixed tonn positions for a Public Works Project Manager
and Lead Service Line Inventory staff member were included in the budget. the
General Fund was estimated to have a 26.4Y6 fund balance reoomo. and two
changes were made following the Budget Study Sessions to the Medical Insurance
Fund and Power and Communication Fund. The estimated HUTF funds of
$285.504wou|d be used for construction, impmvement, repair, mointenanoe, and
administration ofthe Town'ostreet systems and other public roads and highways.
The Board discussed staff efforts on the health insurance component of the budget
and reserves of the Medical Insurance Fund. It was moved and seconded
(HazeUon/Young|und) to continue the public hearing for the 2024 Proposed
Budget toNovember 14.2O23'and itpassed unanimously.
3. APPROVAL OF GE FUNDING EXPENDITURE FOR THE 2023 EARLY
CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE SUBSIDY. Manager Bangs presented the OE
Funding Expenditure for the 2023 Early Childhood Workforce Subsidy. She
highlighted the 2023 Workforce Housing and Childcare Funding Plan, 2023 funds
prioritized to address childcare workforce and housing ohaUenges, benefits of
providing direct subsidies to childcare pmvidern, subsidy program eligibility,
cooperation with providers and community partners, the Colorado Shines program,
financial impacts, and next steps should the expenditure and subsidy be approved.
The Board discussed future funding of the subsidy in 2024 and 2025. TABOR
constraints of using 0E funde, ratings in the Colorado Shines pmgnam,
enforcement for providers which do not file reporting or utilize funds by the
deadline, the minimum wage requirements, 0E Ballot requirements and limitations
for residents who work outside of Town |imba, population fluctuation of uhi|dven,
discussions with pmvidaxs, and regular check -ins with providers. It was moved
and seconded (You ng|und/Martohink) to approve the GE Funding Expenditure
for the 2D2%Early Childhood Workforce Subsidy, and kpassed unanimously.
4. REVISED POLICY 402 EQUITY FEE AND FEE WAIVER. Deputy Town
Administrator Damweber and Ayres and Associates Senior Planner Josh Oh|ava
presented Revised Po|icy4O2 Equity Fee and Fee Waiver. The revisions tuthe
policy would combine new equity fee considerations with the existing fee waiver
program to create e uniform policy for the reduction of fees and reconcile
differences between smaller and larger applications. They highlighted the
background of the fee study, which provided data for the policy revisions and fee
schedule, and previous discussions of the fee study. It was moved and seconded
(Koanigy/nung|und) to approve Revised Policy 402 Equity Fee and Fee
Waiver, and itpassed unanimously.
6 RESOLUTION B5-2%UPDATING DEVELOPMENT REVIEW FEES. Deputy Town
Administrator Damweber and Ayres and Associates Senior Planner Josh Ohlava
presented Resolution 85'23 to update Development Review Fees. They
highlighted the existing development review fee schedule from 2016, departure of
the fee schedule from actual stuff time to process development p|anu, and
components of the Development Review Fees. The Board discussed
conversations with the building/contractor community and notification of the
changes to the public. It was moved and seconded (Young |und/MacA|pine) to
approve Resolution 9g'2%.and hpassed unanimously.
6. RESOLUTION 98'23 LEASE AGREEMENTS WITH TEAM CHILLY FOR
TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYEE HOUSING. Director Williamson presented
Resolution 0O'23for lease agreements with Team Chilly holease two two -bedroom
apartments for two years for housing new employees on a transitional basis. She
highlighted the transitional housing unit with Ponderosa Realty, Town's request for
information/proposals for housing units to be master [eased by the Town, and the
process for subleasing the units to employees. The Board discussed the Town
acting as the tenant with a sublease oomponent, responsibilities of the sublease
tenant, the lease agreement language regarding insects in the units, the projected
monthly fee, and term of the transitional housing. It was mowed and seconded
(Haza|0on/Cenuo)bzapprove Resolution 8G'2%. and it passed unanimously.
Board nfTrustees — October D4, 2O23—Page 4
REPORTS AND DISCUSSION ITEMS:
1' 202 NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY Public Information Officer Miller
provided an overview of the Tuwn'a 2023 National Community Survey. She
highlighted the survey model, the Town Board's Strategic Plan to hold bi-annual
surveys, data collected in the survey, the data dashboard available on the Town's
website and how to navigate it, demographics for survey respondents, trends over
time, and custom questions for various Town services and programs. The Board
discussed utilization ofthe survey results for 1% Sales Tax Renewal, the Study
Session item onWildfire Defense Grant corroborating the survey results, and how
the data driven results provides Board direction onthe needs ofthe community.
Mayor Koenig called a1O-minutebreak atD13p.m.and reconvened atQ:23pm.
2. DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT (L&8ERF|CHE) INITIATIVE UPDATE. Deputy
Town Clerk Beers gave anoverview ofthe Document Management Initiative and
the Town's document management software Laserfiche and provided background
on document management issues, the Document Management Subcommittee,
and project goals. She highlighted 2018'2010 mi|eetoneo, identified iaouen,
department meetings to identify needs and naoords, components of the 2023
Document Management |nbiative, efforts to digitize reoorda, the records
management module in Lanorfiohe, future projects including Accounts Payable
Invoice Approva|, building records review, digitizatinn, and public access to
property fi|ea, and shifting the mindset of staff regarding document management.
The Board discussed the number of records which have been dighized, the
doonaane of records in Community Development, long term storage of historical
documents, continual process improvement, and the backup ofdigital files.
Itwas moved and seconded ine)toextend the meeting past 10l0
p.m., and it passed with Mayor Pro Tern Cenac voting "no".
3. 1%SALES TAX RENEWAL PUBLIC FEEDBACK. Town Administrator Maoha|ek
provided public feedback on the 196 Sales Tax Renewal. He highlighted the
expiration of the tax on June 30, 2024, breakdown of the tax package should it be
renewed, public engagement and feedback, and power line fire mitigation funding
options. Herequested Board interest incontinuing the 196Sales Tax Renewal, any
changes to the package prior to public education efortn, and accelerating the
adoption of covered power lines (tree cable) across the Town's electric distribution.
The Board discussed options for funding tree cable, combining streets and trails in
the package, the projected dollar amount of the Wildfire Mitigation component and
the Estes Valley Fire Protection District plan for utilizing fundo, options to
napurpoae the 9Y6 Wildfire Mitigation to fund tree nab|e, reallocating a portion of
2896 for 3tomnwa0ar Infrastructure Expansion and 1796 Trail Expansion and
Maintenance to support tree oab|o. and liability of the Town for tree cabling. The
Board directed staff to continue tax renewal efortu, discuss needs of all package
components with the Executive Leadership team, potentially adjusting the current
package detail to accommodate 9% for Power Line Fire Mitigation, and potentially
amending the budget toallocate S25O.O0Ofor Power Line Fire Mitigation.
Whereupon Mayor Koenig adjourned the meeting et11:O5pm.
K]mbadyDi�irm�� Recording Secnata