HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Town Board 2024-12-10 Pending execution Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, December 10, 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 10th day of December, 2024.
Present: Gary Hall, Mayor
Marie Cenac, Mayor Pro Tem
Trustees Bill Brown
Kirby Hazelton
Mark Igel
Frank Lancaster
Cindy Younglund
Also Present: Jason Damweber, Deputy Town Administrator
Dan Kramer, Town Attorney
Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk
Absent: Travis Machalek, Town Administrator
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 (Younglund/Cenac) to approve the Agenda, and it passed
unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
John Guffey/Town resident stated the First Peoples Festival would be held in January
2025. He read an excerpt from Kent Nerburn’s book The Wisdom of the Native
Americans.
Nick Thomas/Town resident stated support for the dark sky initiative discussed by Visit
Estes Park (VEP) during the study session. He thanked VEP for the holiday light display
downtown and suggested the Town consider options to increase the size of Bond Park.
He encouraged the Town to continue discussions on adding electrical chargers on the
west end of downtown.
TRUSTEE COMMENTS.
Board comments were heard and have been summarized: encouraged the residents to
provide input on the multimodal transportation plan; thanked staff for this year’s parade;
thanked all involved in organizing the new snowman festival; thanked Museum staff for
the tour of the new Museum annex; VEP completed a tax study that indicated 73% of
revenues, not including lodging, come from visitors; cellphone data has been used by
VEP to assist with estimating visitation at events such as the parade; VEP held their first
budget hearing with no public comment; Rooftop Rodeo tickets went on sale on
December 9th and encourage those interested in box seats to purchase early as they
sellout; inaugural Skyjour event to occur in January; acknowledged the one year
anniversary of the opening of the Longview mental health facility in Larimer County; Sister
Cities Board held a retreat to discuss the vision, goals, and plans for the following year;
Restorative Justice held their Better to Go dinner fundraiser to support the nonprofit; a
deliberative and difficult conversation workshop would be open to the public and held in
February; and the Estes Park Housing Authority would begin leasing the Fall River Village
on January 1, 2025.
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT.
None.
Board of Trustees – December 10, 2024 – Page 2
CONSENT AGENDA:
1. Bills.
2. Town Board Meeting and Study Session Minutes dated November 26, 2024.
3. Board of Adjustment Minutes dated October 1, 2024 (acknowledgement only).
4. Resolution 87-24 Amendment Six of the Professional Services Agreement with
SAFEbuilt Colorado, LLC for 2025 Building Services.
5. Resolution 88-24 Contract with Northern Colorado Energy Solutions for Town Hall
HVAC Units Replacement Project - $369,333.99 – Budgeted.
6. Resolution 92-24 Contract with KR Construction Group, Inc., for the Remodel of the
Town Hall Visitor Restrooms.
It was moved and seconded (Hazelton/Younglund) to approve the Consent Agenda,
and it passed unanimously.
LIQUOR ITEMS:
1. RESOLUTION 89-24 NEW HOTEL AND RESTAURANT LIQUOR LICENSE
APPLICATION FOR ANTLERS TAVERN LLC DBA ANTLERS TAVERN, 145 E.
ELKHORN AVENUE, ESTES PARK, COLORADO. Mayor Hall opened the public
hearing and Town Clerk Williamson presented Resolution 89-24. She reviewed the
application for the new Hotel and Restaurant Liquor License, stating all paperwork
and fees have been submitted and the application has undergone concurrent review.
The location has had a liquor license in the past and most recently a license was held
by Ole International Kitchen. The applicant was aware of the Training for Intervention
Procedures (TIPS) requirement and has completed the training previously. The
applicant was available for questions and stated the new restaurant would operate as
a fast casual eatery. John Guffey/Town resident spoke in opposition of the liquor
license noting the Town has enough liquor licenses to serve the residents and guests.
Mayor Hall closed the public hearing and it was moved and seconded
(Lancaster/Cenac) to approve Resolution 89-24 for a new Hotel & Restaurant
liquor license for Antlers Tavern LLC dba Antlers Tavern, 145 E. Elkhorn
Avenue, and it passed unanimously.
ACTION ITEMS:
1. RESOLUTION 90-24 6E FUNDING EXPENDITURE TO THE ESTES VALLEY
RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT. Housing and Childcare Manager Bangs
presented a resolution to allocate 6E funds in the amount of $11,500 for afterschool
programming for the Lil’ Bobcats Playtime Child Watch for four to six year olds at the
Community Center Cubz Den. The request was modified to include costs associated
with supplies for a total request of $12,400. The Estes Valley Recreation and Park
District (EVRPD) received funding from the Town in 2023 to expand the program from
two to five days a week and provide six, six-week sessions for four to six-year-olds.
The program was well received and attended, as ever y session was full and
oftentimes had a waitlist in 2024. The programming provides free afterschool
programming.
Board comments and questions were heard and have been summarized: questioned
if the EVRPD, a special taxing district, would fund the program without the Town’s
funds due to the small impact on their budget; questioned how the program was
funded previously; the EVRPD does not have dedicated funds for childcare, whereas
the Town has 6E funds available; this request would be a good use of 6E funds and
allow EVRPD to use their funds to support other programs and elements of the
Community Center; and requested the applicants be present during future requests to
answer questions from the Board.
Board of Trustees – December 10, 2024 – Page 3
It was moved and seconded (Hazelton/Brown) to authorize staff to approve a
contract similar to what has been presented to allocate 6E funds for after school
programming with the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District’s amended
application, and it passed unanimously.
2. RESOLUTION 91-24, SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS #6 TO THE
2024 BUDGET. Interim Director Hudson presented the 6th supplemental budget
appropriation to the 2024 budget to address additional workforce housing projects,
Carriage Drive/Spruce Knob waterline improvements, additional funding for snow
plow truck replacement, removal of the single level Big Horn Parking Structure project
budget, and other final year-end adjustments. The proposed adjustments would close
the year with the General Fund reserves a t 30.3% of 2024 operating expenditures. It
was moved and seconded (Younglund/Hazelton) to approve Resolution 91-24, and
it passed unanimously.
3. CHANGE ORDER FOR REMAINDER OF CONSTRUCTION IMPACT FUNDING.
Mayor Pro Tem Cenac recused herself from the discussion and the vote. Deputy
Town Administrator Damweber stated on June 11, 2024, the Town Board approved a
contract with the Estes Chamber of Commerce to administer the Construction Impact
Relief Project. The total award of $400,000 was split between two programs: $200,000
for direct Construction Impact Grants and $200,000 for the Marketing Match program,
which provided a 75% reimbursement of marketing expenses up to $2,500. Funds
remain in the Marketing Match fund of approximately $28,000. The proposed change
order expands the allowable uses of Construction Impact Funds to two additional
areas: 1) reimbursement to the Estes Chamber of Commerce for up to $5,824 for staff
time spent administering the Construction Impact Relief Project, and 2) local event
sponsorships of up to $2,500 per event, for up to nine (9) events, between December
11, 2024 and December 31, 2025.
Board comments and questions have been summarized: would support the
reimbursement of the Chambers staff time to administer the program; the funding of
the nine events could assist smaller businesses in bringing business to town; the
impacts of construction may be felt beyond this summer season; concern the local
event sponsorship would be viewed as scope creep to fund a new program; and the
original approval of the funds anticipated any unspent funds would be returned to the
Town for other projects.
Kent Smith/Town resident stated support to fund the Chamber staff, and the second
proposal was suggested to use the additional funds to support the marketing ideas of
smaller businesses within town.
It was moved and seconded (Lancaster/Brown) to approve a change order for the
construction impact fund for $5,824.00 to the Estes Park Chamber of Commerce
for staff time spent administering the grants and that we reallocate the
remaining $22,499.71 to the Town’s small event grant program, and the motion
failed with Trustees Hazelton, Igel and Younglund voting “No” and with Mayor Pro
Tem Cenac recusing herself.
It was moved and seconded (Younglund/Igel) to approve a change order for the
construction impact fund to fund the Estes Park Chamber of Commerce staff
time in the amount of $5,824.00 and returning to the General Fund the additional
$22,499.71, and the motion failed with Mayor Hall and Trustees Brown and Lancaster
voting “No” and with Mayor Pro Tem Cenac recusing herself.
It was moved and seconded (Brown/Igel) to approve a change order for the
construction impact fund to reimburse the Estes Park Chamber of Commerce
for costs incurred and to return the additional remaining funds to the General
Fund. The motion not was voted on as the substitute motion passed.
It was moved and seconded (Younglund/Brown) to approve a change order for
the construction impact fund to allocate $5,824.00 to the Estes Park Chamber
of Commerce for the administration of the program and the additional remaining
Board of Trustees – December 10, 2024 – Page 4
funds to the General Fund, and it passed with Mayor Pro Tem Cenac recusing
herself.
REQUEST TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION:
It was moved and seconded (Brown/Younglund) to approve entering into Executive
Session for a conference with an attorney for the Board for the purpose of receiving
legal advice on specific legal questions, Section 24-6-402(4)(b), C.R.S. – Petitions
for Citizen Initiated Ordinances, and it passed unanimously.
The Board entered Executive Session at 8:51 p.m. and concluded at 9.26 p.m.
Whereupon Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 9:27 p.m.
/s/Gary Hall, Mayor
/s/Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk