HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Joint Town Board & Estes Park Planning Commission Study Session 2025-10-15RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town ofEstes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, October 15, 2025
Minutes of a Joint meeting of the LARIMER COUNTS COMMISSIONERS
and the TOWN BOARD of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County,
Colorado. Meeting held virtually on the 15th day of October, 2025.
Board: Mayor Hall, Mayor Pro Tem Cenac, Trustees Brown,
Hazelton, Igel, Lancaster, and Younglund
County Commissioners Commissioners Kefalas, Shadduck-McNally, and Stephens
Also Attending: Town Administrator Machalek, Deputy Town Administrator
Damweber, Town Attorney Kramer, and Recording
Secretary Stoddard-Cameron
County Manager Volker and Assistant County Manager
Kad rich
Absent: None
Mayor Hall called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m.
VISIT ESTES PARK OPERATING PLAN. Visit Estes Park (VEP) Interim CEO
Zumbaugh and VEP Operations Director Domenico-Gelsinger presented the 2026 VEP
operating plan. Per board request, an executive summary of the operating plan had
been added which described key organizational objectives including extending the
tourism season through targeted campaigns and increasing interagency collaboration
and partner engagement with organizations such as the Colorado Tourism Office.
Director Domenico-Gelsinger stated that paid media marketing campaigns continue to
be adapted to best fit the audience through intense data collection via social media
platforms, with emphasis on encouraging mid-week and offseason bookings. To further
support growth, new marketing assets would be produced to further cement Estes Park
as a premier wedding and group destination. The budget would be increased by 2% for
the 2026 fiscal year, a conservative estimate based on a 3.8% revenue increase from
July 2024, through June 2025. Staff noted that the budget increase differs from the
Town's projected budget growth as VEP receives their funding from lodging tax, while
the Town's budget growth reflects sales tax income. It was explained that trends in
sales tax revenue have not matched lodging tax revenue trends, creating this faux
discrepancy. Funds were appropriated based on prior years' allocations and were
reported to be scalable, contingent on economic conditions.
Comments were heard and summarized by the Commissioners: Raised concern
regarding the apparent lack of environmental protection and preservation content in the
operating plan and requested further elaboration; sought further clarification about the
budget creation and implementation process with a particular focus on revenue
predictions and the ability to proactively adapt to changing economic conditions;
questioned if VEP uses any economic forecasting; and noted the importance of
community input in the budget creation process.
Comments were heard and summarized by the Board: Noted that the Tourism Master
Plan focuses heavily on sustainability, community stewardship and environmental
protection, in lieu of including it in the operating plan; expressed desire for more
substantive and illustratory financial figures to demonstrate spending priorities, and
noted that these figures must be easily defensible; and advised VEP staff that any and
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Town Board & County Commissioner Joint Session - October 15, 2025 - Page 2
all projects and expenditures must be included in the operating plan for public
transparency.
2026 WORKFORCE HOUSING AND CHILDCARE FUNDING PLAN DRAFT.
Manager Bangs presented the final draft of the 2026 Workforce Housing and Childcare
Funding Plan required by the Intergovernmental Agreement with Larimer County. She
stated that the 2026 6E projected budget increased to $5,827,500, from $5,000,000 in
2025. 80% of funds we allocated to workforce housing and the remaining 20% were
allocated to childcare. It was noted that key objectives and funding allocations were
determined using data collected through needs assessments, one-on-one meetings with
stakeholders, public outreach forums, funding recipient reports, the EPHA's Annual
Housing Supply Plan, and 6E ballot initiative framework. Manager Bangs reported that
in previous years, a strong foundation had been established for lower-income workforce
housing, home-ownership programs and development, and childcare capital and
facilities planning, and priorities for 2026 had been adjusted accordingly. Primary
objectives for 2026 include expanding tuition assistance and out-of-school
programming, implementing the Childcare Stability Initiative, supporting wage and
benefits increase for childcare providers, investing in land-banking and development for
workforce housing, and implementing additional workforce housing assistance
programs for rental and ownership. It was noted that the Estes Park Housing Authority
(EPHA) would shift its focus from its successful rental assistance program to a new
homeownership down payment assistance program, with staffing capacity no longer a
priority. The plan must be filed with the county by November 1, 2025, leaving
opportunity for the county to request changes until December 1 ,2025.
Comments were heard and summarized by the Commissioners and the Board:
Commended Manger Bangs on her work on this draft; questioned the duration of
current projects and initiatives and whether funding could be used elsewhere in the
future; requested a public dashboard displaying progress and funding allocation for
projects and initiatives to ensure transparency; and requested Family, Friends and
Neighbor (FFN) childcare providers receiving funding be verified through a background
check as well as maintain CPR certifications.
There being no further business, Mayor Hall adjourned the meeting at 4:13 p.m.';z"
Sarah StoddarcFCameron, Recording Secretary
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