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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES Town Board Study Session 2023-11-14RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado November 14, 2023 Minutes of a Study Session meeting of the TOWN BOARD of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held at Town Hall in the Board Room in said Town of Estes Park on the 10'h day of October, 2023. Board: Mayor Koenig, Mayor Pro Tem Cenac, Trustees Hazelton, Lancaster, MacAlpine, Martchink, and Younglund Attending: All Also Attending: Town Administrator Machalek, Deputy Town Administrator Damweber, Town Attorney Kramer, Town Clerk Williamson, Manager Bangs and Deputy Town Clerk Beers Estes Park School Board District President Stacy Ferree, Vice President Ave Kendall, Director Jason Cushner and Superintendent Bode. Absent: None Mayor Koenig called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Town Clerk Williamson introduced Rachel Richards, Administrative Assistant in the Town Clerk's office. OVERVIEW OF MEETING TRANSLATIONS USING WORDLY. Town Clerk Williamson provided a demonstration of Wordly, a live two-way translation of audio and captions for Town Board meetings. She stated the two-way translation of audio would allow members of the public to listen and/or read a translation of the meeting in one of 53 languages currently, and to speak in their native language which would be translated to the Board in English allowing a dialogue to occur. Trustee Younglund questioned whether staff have discussed sharing the services with other local entities and the benefits in utilizing the program during Trustee Talk sessions. Trustee MacAlpine questioned whether un-used hours would roll over to which the Town Clerk Williamson responded they would not. Staff would review the use to determine the most cost-effective number of hours for each upcoming year. AUDIT COMMITTEE SUNSET REVIEW. Town Board Governing Policy 1.6.1.88 states committees would undergo a regular sunset review at least once every five years. The Audit Committee was last reviewed in October 2018. There were no Board comments and it was determined the Audit Committee would undergo the next sunset review according to policy. BOARD MEMBER "COOLING OFF" PERIOD. At the October 10, 2023 Study Session, the Board requested staff research cooling -off periods for elected board members ending their term and possibly becoming an employee of the Town. Staff collected data from 30 of the 31 market communities to determine whether or not these communities had a cooling -off period for former board members and found of those communities, 33% (10) had a cooling -off period for any employee position, 57% (17) had no cooling -off period, and 10% (3) had a cooling -off period only for the City/Town Manager position. The communities with a cooling -off period of any kind (12), two had a six-month period, five had a one-year period, four had a two-year period, and one prohibited employment for an office created or the salary increased during the time the board member served their term. Staff requested Board direction on interest in modifying the Estes Park Municipal Code with a cooling -off period. The Board consensus preferred instituting a cooling -off period for an office which was created or the salary was increased during the time the board member was RECORD mrPROCEEDINGS Town Board Study Session — November 14.2O23—Page 2 sening, or more specifically for a leadership role similar to the Town Administrator. Town Administrator Manha|ek confirmed former bound members had been hired as emp|nyeeo, however, none were hired under one-year from the end of their term. He further stated a coo|ing'offperiod would clearly outline positions advocated by a former board member would not allow a termed member to apply for said position during this timeframe. Staff was directed to bring forward e draft ordinance for a future Town Board meeting with uone-year cooling -off period. 179STAN0EY CIRCLE DRIVE CHECK -IN AND NEXT STEPS. At the July 25, 2023 Study Session, the Board dinaohad staff to identify development potential forTown'owned property at 179 Stanley Circle Drive. Staff determined the property may accommodate a range of 10'12 housing units if rezoned to allow for greater donohy, acknowledging further research would be necessary to review area access improvement orneeds. The site, just under 1-unre. zoned E Estate contains a single-family home used as a duty house for Town employees living outside of the Estes Valley who are on -call or otherwise need to be in Town for work related reasons. Staff requested Board direction on the proposed next steps to rezone and conduct preliminary planning of the site for Town -employee housing, and the use of the Housing Reserve Fund and grant funding. Staff stated initiating the predevo|opment pnooeue, beginning with rezoning the property to R/N Multi -family Reaidentia|, would assist the Town in submitting competitive applications for future grunts. Town Attorney Kramer clarified the rezoning would be o quasi-judicial matter and the Board would only be directing staff to initiate the pnydeve|opment process. Town Administrator Meoha|ek stated as the housing would befor Town employees only, OEfunds could not be used. Board consensus was todirect staff tnbegin the pnadeve|opmentprocess. TRUSTEE & ADMINISTRATOR COMMENTS &QUESTIONS. TmsteoYoung|und requested Board interest in astudy session related topension pay tax and how staff can coordinate with other entities to reduce taxes. Mayor Pm Tern Cenac requested staff research year-round computer npanytad lights similar to the Town of Lyons and whether this would be cost effective for the Town. Town Administrator yWaoha|ek stated staff have n*aoanchod long term lighting solutions on West Elkhorn and would discuss holiday and year-round lighting opportunities with Visit Estes Park. FUTURE STUDY SESSION AGENDA ITEMS. Town Administrator PWaohn|ek requonted, and it was detennined, to schedule the Estes Arts District Arts Master Plan Dnaft, Encore Arta Update, and Racial Covenants Research and ordinance at the December 12. 2023 meeting. The HR Strategic Plan and Organizational Culture Update would be scheduled for January Q. 2024 and Substandard Rental Housing would beadded toapproved unscheduled. Mayor Koenig called a 15-minute break and the meeting resumed at 6:10 p.m. JOINT DISCUSSION WITH ESTES PARK BOARD OF EDUCATION ON CHILDCARE. Estes Park School District Board representatives and Superintendent Bode held a]oint discussion with the Board regarding childcare. Mayor Pm Tern Conuo opened the discussion byrequesting the School Board provide details unthe School District's childcare efforts, workforce housing p|ans, and potential collaboration with the Town toaddress community needs. Superintended Bode stated any k-12 programing offered by the School District would be directly tied to Colorado State Standards for education beginning with preschool. She stated the preschool program was extended in 2023to include twmfuU'dey and one half -day o|aoymomo. The School District partners with the Boys and Qr|a Club ofLahmerCounty to provide after school education and enrichment oan* at the oohno| facilities. The Boys and Girls Club expands into the summer offering all day programming for families. She stated the Boys and Girls Club has the capacity to uama approximately 40 families-, hmwavo/, they don't always meet capacity due to alternate clubs offered by the school or the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District (EVRPD). Board questions have been summarized: questioned if the RECORD opPROCEEDINGS Town Board Study Session — November 14,2023 — Page 3 School District would have facility space which could be utilized for childcare potentially using OE funds; if the School District and EVRPD coordinate aftemohoo| care and programs; noted the lease between the School District and the EVRPD for the land the Community Center sits on included provisions allowing use of the Center by the School District for programs; and the impact of seasonal families on the School District's funding. Superintendent Bode stated if the School District partnered with the Town to offer or share facilities it would be important to clarify where the District's and Town'a responsibilities begin and end. She added the 8ohno| District would not be able to expand programs with current staffing and without additional funding. School Board President Ferree stated her support for more coordination to ensure children do not go home to an empty house and welcomed future conversations on how both Boards could meet community needs. Deputy Town Administrator Dumweberotated Town staff have been in discussions on opportunities to meet childcare needs with local partners and the School District. There being no further business, Mayor Koenig adjourned the meeting at 6:34 p.m. V ny~� *i� lYeom. �— Clerk