HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board 2012-03-13Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, March 13, 2012
Minutes of a Regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of
Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Town Hall in
said Town of Estes Park on the 13th day of March, 2012. Meeting called
to order by Mayor Pinkham.
Present:
Also Present:
William C. Pinkham, Mayor
Chuck Levine, Mayor Pro Tem
Trustees Eric Blackhurst
Mark Elrod
John Ericson
Wendy Koenig
Jerry Miller
Greg White, Town Attorney
Lowell Richardson, Assistant Town Administrator
Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk
Absent: None
Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and all desiring to do so,
recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Charley Dickey/Town citizen invited the Board and the community to the next Business
After Hours meeting sponsored by Estes Valley Partners of Commerce on March 22,
2012 starting at 4:30 p.m. at the Estes Park Resort.
TOWN BOARD COMMENTS / LIAISON REPORTS.
Trustee Miller reminded the community to submit nominations for the Pride Awards
during the month of March.
Trustee Elrod stated the Planning Commission meeting would move from March 20th to
March 22nd due to the Town Administrator interview process. The Planning
Commission would continue to review Accessory Dwelling Units.
Trustee Blackhurst invited the public to attend the Estes Park Housing Authority
meeting on March 14th at 8:30 a.m. in Room 203.
Mayor Pinkham commented he and members of Elkhorn Project Inc. presented the RTA
project to the Office of Economic Development and it was well received. The Town
should be notified on May 18th on the status of awards.
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT.
Interim Town Administrator had no report. Town Clerk Williamson provided an update
on both the April 3`d Municipal Election and the Town Administrator interview process to
be conducted on March 20th (community panel interview, employee panel interview,
and the meet and greet) and March 21s' (Town Board interviews).
1. CONSENT AGENDA:
1. Town Board Minutes dated February 28, 2012 and Town Board Study
Session Minutes dated February 28, 2012.
2. Bills.
Board of Trustees — March 13, 2012 — Page 2
3. Committee Minutes:
a. Community Development/Community Services Committee, February 23,
2012.
4. Estes Park Tree Board Minutes dated January 20, 2012.
It was moved and seconded (Levine/Miller) to approve the Consent Agenda, and it
passed unanimously.
2. LIQUOR ITEMS:
1. TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP — FROM TWIN OWLS STEAKHOUSE, INC.
DBA TWIN OWLS STEAKHOUSE TO TWIN OWLS INC. DBA TWIN OWLS
STEAKHOUSE, 800 MACGREGOR AVENUE.
Town Clerk Williamson presented the application stating all required
paperwork and fees had been submitted and a temporary license was issued.
Thad Eagan/co-owner was present to answer questions. Mayor Pro Tem
Levine encouraged anyone selling alcohol complete the training because the
Town takes the selling of alcohol to minors very seriously. It was moved and
seconded (Blackhurst/Elrod) to approve the Transfer Application filed by
Twin Owls Inc., dba Twin Owls Steakhouse for a Hotel and Restaurant
liquor license at 800 MacGregor Avenue, and it passed unanimously.
3. ACTION ITEMS:
1. LARIMER COUNTY ON-LINE PERMITTING INTERGOVERNMENTAL
AGREEMENT (IGA). Manager Winslow stated the Town has been working on
developing an on-line permitting process with Larimer County since 2011. The
IGA would allow Town staff access to the site hosted by the County. The new
process would allow applications the capability to contact all staff involved in
approving the event permit and allow the applicants the ability to select all
needed resources. There would be an annual hosting fee of $120. It was
moved and seconded (Blackhurst/Koenig) to approve the
Intergovernmental Agreement with Larimer County for on-line permitting,
and it passed unanimously.
2. RESOLUTION # 04-12 SURPRISE SIDEWALK SALE.
Manager Winslow stated the spring Sidewalk sale would be held on May 5 and
6, 2012 and is open to all Estes Park businesses. Businesses not located in
the downtown corridor would be located in Lot 2, Children's Lot, if Bond Park is
under construction. The Resolution allows outdoor sales to be conducted
which are prohibited in the CD - Commercial Downtown zoning district. Staff
also recommends allowing sandwich boards on this weekend as long as they
do not encroach on the required four -foot clearance. Staff would educate the
businesses on the regulations for the sale as outlined in the Resolution. It was
moved and seconded (Miller/Levine) to approve Resolution #04-12, and it
passed unanimously.
3. 2012 SHUTTLE CONTRACT WITH MCDONALD TRANSIT AND SHUTTLE
ROUTES. Director Kilsdonk presented the recommendations of the Ad -hoc
shuttle committee formed in December 2011 to study and make suggestions to
improve the free shuttle system, including signage, routes, schedules, and
printed materials used to promote the system. The committee's membership
comprised of representatives from all facets of the public and private sector.
The committee suggested beginning service on Friday June 29th and ending
September 9th, adding two weekends of service (June 15-17 and June 22-24
funded by the Mayor's contingency fund at a cost of $3,000), the red, blue and
Board of Trustees — March 13, 2012 — Page 3
silver routes to begin an hour earlier (9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.), red and blue
routes to run separately in the evening, the brown route to begin two hours
earlier (8:00 a.m. — 9:00 p.m.) to better serve the campers and the silver router
would run on special fall weekends including September 8, 15, 16, 21, 22, 29,
30, October 31, and November 23. These changes would increase service
days from 79/2011 to 88/2012 and service hours from 2,992/2011 to
4,464/2012. Several new stops have been added to each of the routes. The
silver route would continue to service the transportation hub to the Visitor
Center; however, it adds stops at Solitude Cabins, Aquatic Center and the
office of Larimer County and School District on Brodie Avenue as an `on -call"
stop. The committee proposes using symbols and numbers rather than
location names on maps or the animal themed wraps for the buses, the
addition of "Free Shuttle" on the front of each bus color coded to match the
route. The advantage to the change in signage allows for stop changes in the
future and signage cost decrease because the signs can be reused. New
simpler maps have been designed with the addition of Quick Response (QR)
codes for smart phones. The committee recommends developing a Town
policy for shuttle stops on private property, hold future meetings to monitor the
system, meet in September to analyze performance of the system and suggest
changes to be discussed during the budget study sessions in October,
continue working with RMNP on ways to coordinate shuttle service contracting
process, review sign code to allow advertising on benches, implement a
process to add shuttle stops by request, encourage Town employees to use
the Park-n-Ride, and look at alternative funding sources.
RMNP extended their contract with McDonald Transit for 2012; however, the
Town has requested a new contract because of the additional services for
2012. The General Fund Transportation budget includes $259,772. To
implement the committee's recommendations would increase the budget by
$8,103 to come from the Community Services Fund, General Fun and outside
sources such as the Rotary.
Lindsay Lamson/Town citizen stated the services provided should be viewed
as a community service rather than a visitor service.
Charley Dickey/Town citizen voiced support of the changes recommended by
the committee.
It was moved and seconded (Koenig/Blackhurst) to approve the 2012
shuttle schedule and the McDonald Transit contract for 2012, and it
passed unanimously.
4. REAL TIME PASSENGER INFORMATION SYSTEM (RTPIS) CONTRACT —
SHUTTLE SYSTEM. Director Zurn stated the IGA for the grant funding
through the Federal Highway Administration for the construction of the Transit
Hub Parking Lot included language for the purchase and implementation of an
Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) including equipment and software to
better serve public transportation users. Murray McBride provide an outline of
the Real Time Passenger Information System (RTPIS) that provides estimated
time of arrival at stops; increased ridership by increasing passenger
satisfaction and trust in the system as a result of more accurate reporting; and
provides increased awareness of the Estes Park and RMNP shuttle service
through display monitors at the Visitor Center and the Park and Ride bus
shelter, through the "Estes Park Transit" web site showing real-time bus
locations and schedules, and through electronic portable devices allowing
passengers to track bus locations. This would allow both visitors and residents
to plan trips commuting in and around Estes Park and encourage the use of
public transportation thereby reducing vehicle congestion downtown.
Proposals were received by two vendors and evaluated with input from the
Board of Trustees — March 13, 2012 — Page 4
project team, RMNP and CDOT with Connexionz chosen as the preferred
vendor based on the most accurate, reliable and cost effective RTPIS for Estes
Park.
Discussion was summarized: the capability of moving the units from one bus
to another in the event there are mechanical failures; it was recommended the
Town purchase additional GPS units and cellular modems since the Town
would be well under the remaining grant funds; questioned if IT and the LMD
have been involved in the process; IT has been involved and Verizon service
would provide the most cost effective service at $20/month per bus; it was
suggested the warranty for the units be extended beyond the 12 months since
the units will only be used for 4 to 5 months during the initial 12 month period;
questions arose on purchasing too many spare parts that may not work if the
system is upgraded in the future, making the spare parts obsolete; and it was
suggested to purchase sufficient backup units to cover 5 years of service.
After further discussion, it was moved and seconded (Blackhurst/Levine) to
approve the contract with Connexionz Ltd. to purchase and deploy a Real
Time Passenger Information System (RTPIS) with the purchase of
additional modems and antennas beyond those in the original contract at
a cost not to exceed $90,000 with the Town reimbursed 82.8% of the cost
through the FASTER grant, and it passed unanimously.
5. ORDINANCE # 03-12 AMEND MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 2.20 MAYOR
AND TRUSTEES COMPENSATION. Mayor Pinkham and Trustees Ericson,
Koenig and Miller recused themselves from the discussion and vote on
Ordinance #03-12. Staff presented information on Board compensation for
comparable municipalities including a review of annual revenues, number of
fulltime employees, population and sales tax revenues as a percentage of
General Fund revenues. The municipalities were selected based on tourism
as the primary economic base for each. The survey demonstrated the Town
Board salaries are well below average with the Mayor and Trustees ranked
11`h of 12 and the Mayor Pro Tem 9`h. Staff recommended increasing each
Board members salary by $1,500 or Mayor - $7,500, Mayor Pro Tem $6,500
and Trustees $5,500. Attorney White stated the proposed Ordinance would
establish a procedure for future salary increases with the Board considering
increases during the preparation of even year budgets. The proposed
increase would only affect those Board members newly elected on April 3,
2012.
Trustee Elrod commented the compensation offsets costs associated with
mileage, time spent preparing for meetings, attending meetings, office space,
utilities, telephone, etc., and therefore, a raise in compensation has been
overdue. He stated in the past prior to the 2008 increase the Mayor Pro Tem
was not segregated from the Trustees as it relates to pay. He contended the
position is not an elected position and not recognized as a separate position
by the state statute, and therefore, should receive the same pay as the other
Trustees.
It was moved (Elrod) to amended Ordinance #03-12 to increase Trustee
salaries, including the Mayor Pro Tem, to $6,000 annually, and the motion
died for a lack of a second.
Lindsay Lamson/Town citizen, Lynette Lott/County citizen, and Elizabeth
Fogarty/County citizen and EALA members and Steve Barlow/ Town citizen
encouraged the Board to raise the Board salaries stating the compensation
provided limits those that can serve on the Board to the retired, independently
wealthy, or those willing to sacrifice their careers and families. The Board
should receive compensation in line with comparable communities.
Board of Trustees — March 13, 2012 — Page 5
Attorney White read Ordinance #03-12 into the record. After further
discussion, it was moved and seconded (Blackhurst/Elrod) to approve
Ordinance #03-12, and it passed with Mayor Pinkham and Trustees Ericson,
Koenig and Miller recusing themselves.
4. STAFF REPORT AND DISCUSSION ITEMS:
1. ANNUAL REPORT FOR ROCKY MOUNTAIN PARK INN SERVICE
AGREEMENTS. Manager Pickering provided an annual report for Rocky
Mountain Park Inn service agreement. He stated a new service agreement
was executed due to the property dropping the franchise agreement with
Holiday Inn in 2011. The agreement requires the Town and Forever Resorts to
meet each January to review the operations of the conference center from the
previous year and determine any changes for the following year. Forever
Resorts/RMPI has not proposed any increases for 2012 related to room rates
or Food and Beverage concessions. Manager Pickering stated the conference
center has seen a decrease over the last couple of years; however, 2012
bookings have increased.
Whereupon Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meting at 9:25 p.m.
William C. Pinkham, Mayor
ie Williamson, Town Clerk