HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Study Session 2013-08-13
Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, August 13, 2013
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
Rooms 202/203 in said Town of Estes Park on the 13th day of August,
2013.
Board: Mayor Pinkham, Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst, Trustees Elrod,
Ericson, Koenig, Norris and Phipps
Attending: All
Also Attending: Town Administrator Lancaster, Assistant Town Administrator
Richardson, Town Attorney White and Town Clerk
Williamson
Absent: None
Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
Mayor Pinkham requested the next study session include a discussion on staff support
to the Town Board.
ROLE OF TOWN BOARD LIAISONS.
Town Administrator Lancaster reviewed the policies governing appointments to Town
Board committees, liaison positions, and special assignments, i.e. temporary
committees, community groups, and interview panels, stating the polices should be
reviewed for consistency.
Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst stated concern that liaison appointees are acting as
advocates of the groups and not displaying impartiality. Members should be impartial
and be a conduit for sharing information related to the group with the full Board and not
advocating for the group. He would recommend liaison positions be eliminated. Mayor
Pinkham stated the original role of the liaison has gone beyond the intent and crept into
an advocacy role as well as the liaison becoming more involved with the groups.
Trustee Ericson supports the liaison positions as they help to keep the Board informed
on the activities of groups. He agrees the role of the liaison should not be one of
advocacy. Trustee Koenig agreed and stated the liaison must stay out of the processes
of the committee. She would not advocate for liaison position for special district such as
the School district, Library, Hospital, etc.
The Board stated the liaison positions should be appointed after the regular Municipal
Elections with a term of 2 years; the language in the Municipal Code and the policies
shall be consistent and clarify what appointments can be appointed by the mayor and
other appointments the Board would endorse; special assignments which become
permanent committees should have Board approval of committee members; and
interview committees should consist of the liaison to the board/commission with a
second member appointed by the Town Board. Town Administrator Lancaster stated
the policy would be updated to define special committee/special assignment as a sub-
group of the Board, i.e. Transportation Committee. Staff would prepare revisions to the
policy including definitions and examples of each board and committee type. The Board
would determine which appointments can be made by the mayor at a future study
session.
COMPENSATION POLICY DISCUSSION.
Eric Marburger/ESM Consulting provided the Board with an update on the Classification
and Compensation Plan: questionnaires collected from employees, market data
Town Board Study Session – August 13, 2013 – Page 2
collected for as many Town positions as possible, Town positions organized into job
families, pay scales developed for each job family, and job descriptions are being
consolidated and rewritten. Market data was collected from public sector resort
communities, public sector local communities, and private sector data for appropriate
positions: Denver/Boulder market, Northern Colorado market and resort area market.
The resort community data was slightly lower than the local area community with regard
to public sectors. For positions in which private sector data was used the Denver
market was 8-10% higher than Northern Colorado. Market data was blended to
average the markets and to address the competitive disadvantages of Estes Park, i.e.
lack of employee housing, affordable housing, day care, reverse commute to valley for
other family members and response time requirements. Job families established
include Administrative, Management, Public Safety, Technical and Professional, and
Labor, Trades, Skilled and Crafts. The pay scales developed are simple, open pay
ranges, midpoints are near the average market wage, each job assigned to a pay
range, jobs moved between ranges as market changes, and entire pay scale updated
as market changes. Next steps would include finalizing pay scales, confirm placement
of each position into a pay range, determine overall costs and provide a
recommendation for the 2014 budget, develop pay methodology for placement of
employees in their new pay range, finalize job descriptions, implement robust
communication to employees and finalize implementation. As there were no major
concerns raised by the Board with the process or data presented, staff would meet with
the consultant to place employees in the new classification system and identify their
new pay range, prepare a final presentation to the Board, and prepare a
recommendation to the Board for the 2014 budget.
ICE RINK DISCUSSION.
Based on the success of the rink last winter, staff proposes the installation of the ice
skating rink at the same location, parking lot next to children’s park, this coming winter
season. Without the initial infrastructure and transportation costs, staff estimates the
operational cost for 2013/2014 schedule of $70,000 compared to $101,935 in
2012/2013 due to transportation and initial setup costs. The budgeted funds set aside
in 2013 for the rink are adequate to cover the set up and operational costs with
additional funds budgeted in 2014 for the deinstallation of the rink. The rink was stored
in Estes Park with the anticipation the Town may want to rent and install the rink this
winter. The rink was received well by the community and visitors. If installed this
winter, staff would have additional time to develop programming, i.e. hotel packages,
recreational opportunities/competitions, etc. The Estes Valley Recreational and Park
District would run the operations again.
Trustee Phipps stated the rink and the area around the rink should be dressed up to
improve the general aesthetics. Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst questioned the possibility of
purchasing the rink or something similar in the future. The Board supports the
installation of the rink for the 2013/2014 season.
There being no further business, Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 6:45 p.m.
Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk