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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board Study Session 2024-07-09RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado July 9, 2024 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 9th day of July, 2024. Board: Mayor Hall, Trustees Brown, Cenac, Hazelton, Igel, Lancaster, and Younglund Attending: Mayor Hall, Trustees Brown, Cenac, Hazelton, Igel, Lancaster, and Younglund Also Attending: Town Administrator Machalek, Deputy Town Administrator Damweber, Town Attorney Kramer, and Recording Secretary Richards Absent: None Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENT DURING STUDY SESSIONS. Town Administrator Machalek reviewed Section 3.c of Town Board Policy 105 - Agendas which allows public comment during Study Sessions at the discretion of the chair with agreement by a majority of the Board. It was further noted the practice of allowing public comment has been infrequent in the past. He noted allowing public comment provides an opportunity for the public to engage in early stages of topics, however, it reduces the focused discussion time for the Board and may extend the meetings. He requested direction from the Board on possible amendments to the policy to incorporate public comment as standard practice. Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: Time commitment of public comment for all agenda items; concern with the Board providing direction to staff without public input; loss of open conversational atmosphere with the addition of public comment; various citizen communication opportunities exist outside of Town Board meetings; and maintaining differentiation between Study Session and Regular meetings. Town Administrator Machalek offered an interim solution in which the Board would identify items that include public comment upon adding the topic to the Study Session list. The practice would provide the public with advance notice of the opportunity to comment. Board consensus was to maintain the current policy and adjust the practice to indicate items that would include public comment as outlined by Town Administrator Machalek. AGENDA POLICY REVIEW. Town Administrator Machalek reviewed Section 2.b(v) of Town Board Policy 105 Agendas which permits a Trustee to add items to a regular board agenda through the following methods: a request during the Trustee comment period of a Study Session; during the Trustee comment period of a regular meeting with majority affirmative vote; during a regular meeting with a majority affirmative vote of members present to add to current meeting; by referral from a Board Standing Committee; or emergency items by Mayor, Town Administrator or Town Attorney at any time. He requested direction from the Board on amendments to the policy, and outlined the practices at several similar municipalities. Board discussion ensued and has been summarized: stated concern with a majority affirmative vote requirement delaying items from being heard; emphasis on team function of Board; and history of inclusion of requested discussion topics. Board consensus was to maintain the current policy and revisit if issues arise. GOVERNING POLICY UPDATES. Town Administrator Machalek presented the first in a series of Governing Policy updates that would include cleanup to previous policy verbiage and format to align with the 2024 Strategic Plan goals and current operations. He reviewed the highlights which RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town Board Study Session - July 9, 2024 - Page 2 included the removal of placeholder items; update of the word "resident" to "citizen"; encouragement of Board interaction with Town staff; and removal of inactive Board Standing Committees. He requested Board direction on the proposed edits and whether the Board had additional edits. The Board requested a review of the Code of Conduct and an update to Policy 1.3 to add Municipal Judge performance measurements. TRUSTEE & ADMINISTRATOR COMMENTS & QUESTIONS. Mayor Hall requested a distinction between the Trustee & Administrator Comments & Questions and Future Study Session Agenda Items sections, to which Town Administrator Machalek suggested a format change to combine their functions. Trustee Brown requested a brief history of Board Standing Committees. FUTURE STUDY SESSION AGENDA ITEMS. None. There being no further business, Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 5:57 p.m. '^>^I^JL i^n^f^ Rachel Richards, Recording Secretary