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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES Town Board 2024-06-11Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, June 11, 2024 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 11th day of June, 2024. Present: Gary Hall, Mayor Marie Cenac, Mayor Pro Tem Trustees Bill Brown Kirby Hazelton Mark Igel Cindy Younglund Also Present: Travis Machalek, Town Administrator Jason Damweber, Deputy Town Administrator Dan Kramer, Town Attorney Kimberly Disney, Recording Secretary Absent: Trustee Frank Lancaster Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and all desiring to do so recited the Pledge of Allegiance. AGENDA APPROVAL. It was moved and seconded (HazeltonA'ounglund) to approve the Agenda, and it passed unanimously. PUBLICLCQMMiNTS. John Meissner/Town citizen spoke regarding the Study Session Noise Ordinance discussion specifically the long-term hearing damage that can occur from repeated and extended high decibel noise and the subjectivity of the current ordinance. TRUSTEE COMMENTS. Board comments were heard and have been summarized: The Estes Park Housing Authority would meet to discuss the potential acquisition and conversion of Fall River Village into workforce housing; the Board attended trainings on Public Information and Incident Command Systems; Visit Estes Park has begun a construction marketing campaign with maps of parking and shuttle options in downtown, a construction podcast, and a retail rally; the Rooftop Rodeo would be held July 6 through July 10, 2024, encouraged individuals to volunteer and a new parade route would be announced; members of the Board toured the Larimer County Detention Center and Water division facilities; and appreciation for the efforts of Town staff. TOWN ADMI N ISTRATOR REPORT. Town Administrator Machalek voiced appreciation for the Public Works staff regarding their management of current construction projects. CONSENT AGENDA: 1. Bills. 2. Town Board and Study Session Minutes dated May 28, 2024. 3. Estes Park Board of Adjustment Minutes dated March 5, 2024 (acknowledgment only). 4. Resolution 49-24 Revisions to the Transportation Advisory Board Bylaws. 5. Resolution 50-24 Contract with ABC Asphalt, Inc. for the Cleave Street Improvements Project- $1,991,567 - Budgeted. 6. Appointment of Duane Hudson as the Interim Finance Director. Board of Trustees - June 11, 2024 - Page 2 7. Appointments to the Estes Park Planning Commission of David Arterburn and Richard Mulhern for terms expiring March 31,2030. It was moved and seconded (Younglund/Cenac) to approve the Consent Agenda, and it passed unanimously. REPORTS AND DISCUSSION ITEMS: (Outside Entities). 1. DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ANNUAL REPORT. Attorney McLaughlin provided an Annual Report of the 8th Judicial District's Data Transparency Project. The 8th Judicial District includes both Larimer and Jackson counties with an estimated population of 370,000. He outlined the mission and vision, case roadmap including summons, arrests, trial, or hearings, and stated the District Attorney's office reviews approximately 12,000 cases annually. The District's programs and projects include: Diversion; fentanyl causing deaths; community engagement & accountability; problem solving courts; collaborative task forces; the domestic violence team; warrant clearance; and legislation changes. He overviewed the Estes Park Police Department case filings, the types of crimes filed by year, the type of charges for minor crimes, and violent crimes filed by quarter. The Board discussed the partnerships, behavioral health issues, staffing of the District Attorney's Office, and the diversion success rates for juveniles. 2. 2023 BASE FUNDING REPORT - ESTES NONPROFIT NETWORK. Executive Director Kraft provided a report on the base and annual funding for the Estes Nonprofit Network. She highlighted the mission, history, core values, key focus areas, philanthropy efforts, and impact on the community. She provided the strategic initiatives for 2024 which included: creating an Estes Valley Nonprofit Industry Economic Valuation and Impact Study; building groundwork for an Estes Valley Nonprofit Industry Strategic Plan; increased visitor and tourism revenues; providing high-quality education to nonprofits in the Estes Valley; and mapping nonprofit services in the Estes Valley. The Board discussed the largest nonprofits in the community based on staff, program offerings, donor-advised funding, and the Collective Leadership Initiative, a leadership development program to enhance health equity. ACTION ITEMS: 1. RESOLUTION 53-24 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS #4 TO THE 2024 BUDGET. Mayor Pro Tem Cenac recused herself and Trustee Igel stated he would not apply for any construction relief as an impacted business owner. Interim Finance Director Hudson provided an overview of the Schedule of Budgeted Appropriation Changes. The fourth amendment to the 2024 budget included reductions to the General Fund, Community Center Fund, and Wildfire Mitigation Fund to accommodate lower than projected sales tax collections. Additionally, an increase to the General Fund for the business assistance program for businesses impacted by the Downtown Loop construction in the amount of $300,000. The Board discussed the implications of approving a budgetary appropriation prior to approving a contract, the cost of the Downtown Loop project, reasoning for the amount of the construction impact relief, the number of businesses which benefited from the COVID-19 relief, the Workforce Housing Reserve Fund of $882,000, whether to provide higher relief through grants or marketing support, increasing the business assistance program appropriations to $525,000, and the process for appropriating additional funds should the Construction Impact Relief contract be increased above the $300,000. It was moved and seconded (Brown/lgel) to approve Resolution 53-24, and it passed unanimously. 2. RESOLUTION 54-24 CONTRACT WITH THE ESTES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INC.. CONSTRUCTION IMPACT RELIEF PROJECT SERVICES. Mayor Pro Tem Cenac recused herself and Trustee Igel stated he would not apply for construction relief as an impacted business owner. Town Administrator Machalek presented a resolution to contract with the Estes Chamber of Board of Trustees - June 11, 2024 - Page 3 Commerce, Inc., for construction impact relief project services. In 2014, the Town, Central Federal Lands Highway Division, and the Colorado Department of Transportation entered into agreements to fund, design, and construct roadway and bridge improvements for access to Rocky Mountain National Park. The Project leverages a Town investment of $5.71 million of the $42 million project. The project, currently in the most impactful phase, has caused widespread disruptions to traffic flow downtown. Local businesses have reported financial losses partially attributable to the construction. Additionally, sales tax receipts from January through March decreased 11.36% from corresponding months in 2023. The proposed contract with the Estes Chamber of Commerce would provide two programs: 1) a $250,000 direct-grant program for downtown businesses impacted by the downtown construction, and 2) a $50,000 marketing match program available to businesses within the local marketing district. Kent Smith/Town citizen spoke regarding the trickle-down impacts of the construction to the Town and the tourist experience as a whole. The Board discussed the number of businesses in the geographically limited area, the level of interest in the programs, the application process, concerns of creating a precedent for future Town project impacts, Visit Estes Park's marketing campaign and marketing options for businesses, the application timeline, support for businesses in Town as a whole, providing funding to Visit Estes Park to support further marketing efforts, adjusting the proposed boundaries for the direct-grant program, and the funding breakdown of the two programs. It was moved and seconded (Younglund/Hall) to approve Resolution 54-24, and it failed with Trustees Brown, Hazelton and Igel voting "No" and Mayor Pro Tem Cenac abstaining. A substitute motion was made (Brown) to approve Resolution 54-24 amending the marketing match boundary to the Town of Estes Park boundary, and the motion died for lack of a second. It was moved (Brown) to approve Resolution 54-24 amending the marketing match program to $300,000, and the motion died for lack of a second. It was moved and seconded (Igel/Brown) to approve Resolution 54-24 amending the direct-grant program to $75,000 utilizing the Local Marketing District Boundary, amending the marketing match program to $225,000 with a 75% match up to $2,500 per business, and adjusting the marketing expenses spending timeframe to May 1, 2024 through July 31, 2024. No vote was cast as a substitute motion passed. The Board discussed the funding breakdown and it was suggested to adjust the direct-grant program to $200,000 and marketing match program to $200,000 with all other moved changes to remain the same. Staff requested a recess to address the suggested changes. It was moved and seconded (BrownA'ounglund) to extend the meeting past 10:00 p.m., and it passed unanimously with Mayor Pro Tem Cenac abstaining. Mayor Hall called a break at 10:10 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 10:38 p.m. Attorney Kramer presented the Board's requested changes. A substitute motion was made (Igel/Brown) to approve Resolution 54-24 amending the contract and exhibit A and B as amended and presented to a total of $400,000 with $200,000 allocated to the direct-grant program and $200,000 allocated to the marketing match program with an adjusted marketing expense timeframe of May 1, 2024 through July 31, 2024 utilizing the Local Marketing District Boundary for both programs, and it passed with Mayor Pro Tem Cenac abstaining. Board of Trustees - June 11,2024 - Page 4 3. COMMUNITY WILDFIRE DEFENSE GRANT MATCH FUNDING. Grant Writer Kuryllo presented a funding match request for a Community Wildfire Defense Grant to the Estes Valley Fire Protection District (EVFPD). The grant, issued by the US Forest Service, provides wildfire planning and mitigation assistance to at- risk communities. The project would be a collaborative effort including the EVFPD, Estes Valley Watershed Coalition, Town of Estes Park, and multiple regional entities to complete hand and mechanical treatments, over a five-year period,on 200 acres of extreme risk land along the south side of Spur 66 and adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park. The EVFPD was awarded the grant on May 14, 2024 and the match funding request would provide the Fire District with the required 25% match totaling $175,000 from budgeted wildfire mitigation funds. The Board discussed the funding allocation from the General Fund and it was moved and seconded (Igel/Hazelton) to approve the expenditure of $175,000 to the Estes Vally Fire Protection District for match funding for the Community Wildfire Defense Grant, and it passed unanimously. Whereupon Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 10:58 p.m. Gary HallN^ayor -^imberly DisrteyT^ecording Secretary