HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Study Session 2013-09-24
Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, September 24, 2013
Minutes of a Regular meeting of the TOWN BOARD STUDY SESSION of
the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the
Town Hall in said Town of Estes Park on the 24th day of September, 2013.
Board: Mayor Pinkham, Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst, Trustees Elrod,
Ericson, Koenig, Norris, and Phipps
Attending: Mayor Pinkham, Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst, Trustees Elrod,
Ericson, Koenig, Norris, and Phipps
Also Attending: Town Administrator Lancaster, Town Attorney White, and
Deputy Town Clerk Deats
Absent: None
Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
TRUSTEE COMMENTS.
Trustee Phipps asked if the Economic Development Corporation would be approaching
the Town Board to make a formal request for $60,000 in funding. Town Administrator
Lancaster said they would be coming forward at an upcoming budget session to make
the request and said that funding would not be handled as a Community Service Grant,
but rather as support to other entities. Trustee Phipps also questioned when a code
amendment to disallow applications moving forward to the Board of Adjustments (BOA)
prior to the submission of an application for special review and a development plan will
be coming forward to the Board. Town Administrator Lancaster said that the code
amendment has been put on hold due to flood response and recovery efforts. Director
Chilcott said that there are no applications to the Board of Adjustments for either
October or November and that a problem statement will be brought forward to the Board
at an October Board meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst asked if the Board needed to
take action to hold in abeyance anything going to the Board of Adjustments until the
code amendment can be discussed. Attorney White stated that no action was required
and that the Pending Ordinance Doctrine allows the Town to administratively defer
review of an application by the BOA because a policy is pending.
Trustee Elrod said that based on Colorado state statute, Colorado Supreme Court
decisions, and the definition of a meeting, the daily informational meetings being held in
regard to flood response and recovery efforts do not violate the Colorado Open Meeting
Law and that discussing matters of public importance does not trigger open meeting law
requirements. Attorney White concurred and said that the statute refers to taking action
and said that any number of trustees can be in attendance at informational meetings.
Trustee Elrod suggested that the Municipal Code be reviewed to ensure that it reflects
current practices related to procedures for calling special or emergency meetings.
Trustee Koenig asked about outside vendors who are scheduled to come into town for
Elk Fest. Town Administrator Lancaster said that contracts for Elk Fest vendors were in
place months prior to the flood and that approximately 60% of the vendors are expected
to show up for the event. He said that one reason for going ahead with the event is that
it has been held for many years and is a turnkey event that does not require a lot of staff
involvement to put on. He said he is not concerned about sanitation issues as the
downtown area, as well as many lodging facilities are not located within the no flush
zone. Trustee Koenig also expressed concern about traffic on Fish Creek Road and
surrounding areas that are unsafe. Chief Kufeld said that the Police Department does
not have the manpower to station personnel at crossings over to Fish Creek Road, but
said that extra patrols in the area will be scheduled during Elk Fest weekend.
Town Board Study Session – September 24, 2013 – Page 2
FUTURE STUDY SESSION AGENDA ITEMS.
Trustee Norris said he would like to add a Flood Recovery Update to each study
session agenda until it is deemed no longer necessary. He asked if the Board would be
re-examining budget priorities that were set prior to the flood and also questioned the
Board’s level of involvement in reviewing and redrawing the floodplain. Town
Administrator Lancaster said that shifts and changes to the budget will be required and
said discussion on that topic will begin later in the meeting. He noted that the
floodplains are defined by the federal government with no opportunity for the Board to
provide input on the topic. The Parking Structure Design Review will likely be
postponed from October 8th to a later date, and input from liquor licensees will be
solicited at the October 8th Town Board meeting prior to a liquor licensing discussion at
the October 22nd Study Session.
FLOOD RECOVERY DISCUSSION.
Response
Town Administrator Lancaster reported that overall response to the flood, which is being
described as the worst disaster in Colorado history as it relates to loss of property and
damage, went well. An incident command model was set up early with Town personnel
assigned to key sections of flood response. Assignments are as follows: Incident
Command – Commander Rose; Utilities – Director Bergsten; Public Works – Director
Zurn; Emergency Services – Commander Pass; Logistics – Director Winslow; Finance
and Administration – Finance Officer McFarland; Human Resources and Risk
Management – Director Williamson; and Building Services – Director Chilcott. Also,
Public Information - PIO Rusch; Liaison to other agencies – Commander Pass; Legal –
Attorney White; Safety Officer – Officer Hart; and Policy Makers – Town Board, Town
Administrator Lancaster, and Chief Kufeld. Staff was asked to stay within their assigned
key area to avoid duplication of efforts or something falling through the cracks. Town
Administrator Lancaster reported on flood response by key section.
Utilities – Both L&P and water personnel were on duty from the very beginning of the
event. The heaviest impact to power is Glen Haven and crews are still working in that
area. Other areas held up well with small outages experienced. A short term boil order
for water was put into effect due to some water line and sewer line breaks, but it was
lifted quickly and the safety of the water was never threatened. There are
approximately 50 homes in the evacuation area along Fish Creek that remain without
water. The Upper Thompson Sanitation District’s (UTSD) sanitation area is the number
one utility issue for the incident with over 2500 taps currently disconnected from the
system.
Public Works – Fish Creek is a major issue. A team of affected parties is being put
together and includes Larimer County, UTSD, Xcel Energy, Utilities, and engineers. A
crossing was established over Fish Creek to provide access to the Uplands and Little
Valley and allow residents of those areas to get in and out within a week. The Board
expressed concern about the ability of emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire
equipment to access these areas. The crossings were built to accommodate passenger
cars and light trucks and heavy traffic on the crossings is not recommended. Town
Administrator Lancaster stated that the access was designed to accommodate an
ambulance, however, the turning radius at the Little Valley crossing may not
accommodate larger fire equipment. Availability of materials is an issue and staff is
working with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to get permission to extract materials
from Lake Estes near the power plant. Materials would have to be determined to be
free of contamination and safe to reuse. Also materials and equipment to construct and
set a temporary corrugated sheet metal retaining wall are needed to provide a vertical
element to maintain rights of way and accommodate fill to get utilities repaired. Fish
Creek Road is the responsibility of Larimer County and the Town. At this point the
Town has asked the County to allow the Town to take the lead on repairs to Fish Creek
Road since repairs to the UTSD sanitary sewer are dependent upon getting the road
repaired. Intergovernmental agreements and financial arrangements for reimbursement
for repairs are being worked out. Debris management is also an issue. The transfer
Town Board Study Session – September 24, 2013 – Page 3
station is open, however getting debris out of the valley is a problem. The waste is
being taken to a disposal site in Denver which involves an 11-hour round trip for each
trailer taken out of the valley. Waste Management is looking at options which might
include a staging area where debris can be stored until main roads into the area are
repaired and reopened. Construction of a staging area would require a Certificate of
Designation from the State Health department. Also being considered is sorting the
debris with inert materials deposited into an inert fill at some location and wood being
burned in the Town’s air curtain burner. A debris management plan is needed. The
debris that is in Lake Estes will be the responsibility of the BOR to address.
Emergency Services – No serious injuries or deaths occurred in Town. Problems were
encountered with the 911 service early on in the event, but were fixed as soon as
possible with assistance from LETA.
Finance – A representative from FEMA has been assigned to work with staff to ensure
that federal procedures are followed and expenses incurred within the Town’s
jurisdiction can be reimbursed. Generally, FEMA reimburses expenses at 75% with a
25% match. The State of Colorado has historically provided an additional 12.5% of
expenses, leaving the Town to fund 12.5%. In kind services, equipment, and overtime
can be used to reach the Town’s match percentage and requires accurate accounting
and categorizing of expenses. The Town is working with other entities such as the
Estes Valley Recreation and Park District and the Library to share information,
coordinate responses and damage assessments. Damage costs in the Estes Valley for
public amenities, facilities, and infrastructure are estimated at $35-$40 million. This
does not include any damage to private property. In the rest of Larimer County damage
to public roads, bridges, culverts, and large structures is estimated at $55 million.
Logistics – Equipment and supply needs are being directed to Dir. Winslow from all
other key sections to avoid duplication of efforts.
Human Resources and Risk Management – Counseling on how to handle stress,
secondary impacts of stress, and looking after the Town’s employees is being
addressed, as well as the housing needs of employees who have been displaced by the
flood or previously commuted to work from outside of the Estes Valley. The YMCA and
other establishments may partner with the Town to provide medium-term housing while
access to Estes Park is limited. Revised work schedules, carpooling, and mileage
subsidies are being considered as well. The Town’s insurance carrier, CIRSA, has
done an evaluation and claim paper work has been started. FEMA will not cover any
expenses that are covered by insurance. Payroll is busy with coding and tracking time
to meet FEMA requirements for reimbursement.
Building Safety – Building inspectors have completed the rapid assessment in Town.
There are 12 properties red-carded in the valley; six in Town limits. The property
damage in Glen Haven and the Big Thompson canyon is much worse. Building Safety
staff is also coordinating mapping and GIS needs for all response sections. The Board
asked that staff provide information to the public about flood-damaged electric and gas
appliances describing when they can be repaired and when they must be replaced.
CBO Birchfield will have information available and will address this topic at the public
meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 25, 2013.
Public Information – Coordinating the information line, the call center, public meetings
and briefings, assisting other agencies in dispersing information, and utilizing social
media throughout the incident. Handling press contact throughout the event for local,
regional and international new agencies including the NPR, BBC, CNN, and AP.
With the exception of the sanitary sewer situation, all other aspects of the incident are
transitioning to recovery mode. Restoring sanitary sewer service is the number one
priority. UTSD is looking at options for repairing the sewer line including running pipes
above ground as a temporary solution.
Town Administrator Lancaster noted that he has had conversations with the offices of
Senator Udall, Senator Bennett, and Congressman Polis related to the major issues
facing the Town. He said that a debriefing will be scheduled in the next several weeks
to discuss the emergency response to the flood and noted that a number of staff
Town Board Study Session – September 24, 2013 – Page 4
members have attended the FEMA training offered in Emmitsburg, Maryland, which has
been invaluable during recent events. Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst suggested members
of the leadership team who have not attended the FEMA training, should do so.
The Board and Town Administrator Lancaster thanked staff, volunteers, and the entire
community for helping each other during the flood.
Recovery
Town Administrator Lancaster stated that for the purposes of preliminary discussions for
initial planning related to recovery, staff made the assumption that the major roads in
and out of Estes Park remained closed through next summer and things do not get back
to normal until 2015…planning for the worst and hoping for the best. (CDOT has set an
ambitious goal to have both Highway 34 and Highway 36 open in some manner by the
end of 2013, with some type of access possible on Highway 36 by the end of October,
and Highway 34 by the end of December.)
1. Finance Officer McFarland has put together new revenue projections based on a
worst case scenario. Look at the budget on a quarterly basis and be flexible with
the budget. See how things are going and if things are improving make
adjustments; if things are not improving, stay the course. Mayor Pro Tem
Blackhurst voiced concern about the Town’s obligation for flood-related expenses
which could total approximately $5 million. Town Administrator Lancaster said
that getting creative with in kind and sweat equity will help and is a legitimate way
to help make up some of the Town’s match.
2. Continue and complete the MPEC. The Town has the funding for this project
and use of the MPEC may help with economic recovery.
3. Finalize the design, but hold off on the construction, of the parking structure.
With widespread flood damage in Colorado, it is likely that concrete and pre-
stressed concrete demand and costs will increase. Adjust the contract to delete
the construction management portion. Reconsider construction of the parking
structure when things get back to normal, roads are repaired, and concrete
prices come down.
4. Proceed as if the FLAP grant project is still on track. The federal money is
secure and the state money which has been approved is believed to be fairly
secure as well.
5. Postpone vehicle and equipment replacement unless critical to recovery.
6. No new positions, unless critical for recovery. Recommend proceeding with
hiring for a dispatcher position and a planning position. Positions currently open
such as the Facility Manager position and Assistant Town Administrator Position
will be put on hold.
7. Recommend continuing with the classification and compensation adjustments
8. Discuss with CDOT the elimination or postponement of the left turn lane on
Highway 36 related to the MPEC construction.
9. Reconsider funding for the Economic Development Corporation.
10. Reconsider funding for Community Service Grants; determine if the Town can
afford to continue with these grants.
11. Minimize seasonal hires.
12. Discuss with the Board whether to proceed or postpone the sales tax question.
13. Examine and discuss alternative recovery funding, specifically a targeted URA or
a DDA for TIF funding possibly in the Fall River area where a lot of commercial
property damage occurred.
14. Reduce contributions to internal sinking funds such as telephone and vehicle
replacement fund. These funds are strong and could be used for operations.
15. Postpone further development in Bond Park.
16. Suspend most travel and training expenditures.
17. Possibly look for short term alternative funding opportunities such as grants or
public assistance for non-mandated services for areas like the museum and
senior center.
18. Use reserves to get through bad period.
Town Board Study Session – September 24, 2013 – Page 5
Town Administrator Lancaster said at this point it is unknown how much money will be
recovered through CIRSA. Director Williamson said that inventory of the flood damage
is continuing and noted that CIRSA coverage is for specific items such as damage to
pedestrian bridges, Town-owned buildings, cleaning of flooded restrooms or inventory,
light and power above-ground utilities, providing temporary power, and landscape and
irrigation tied to Town-owned structures. She added that CIRSA will cover the cost of
outside contractors hired to complete repairs which will allow Town staff to concentrate
on other tasks. Town Administrator Lancaster said his biggest concern is not the cost of
recovery and repairs because much of that will be covered by insurance and with the
help of FEMA. The ongoing concern is the loss of revenue and how to keep basic
services and normal operations going with the drop in sales tax. He said high priorities
include maintaining basic services and keeping Town staff on board. He said events
will be reviewed but that we don’t want to shut down events that bring people to Town
and send a message that the Town is closed. Events in which the Town participates
financially will also have to be reviewed for return on investment both for the Town and
the community as a whole. Trustee Koenig expressed concern for organizations that
rely on Community Service Grants to provide basic services such as day care and
provide for the ongoing needs of the community. She proposed setting a timeline for
applications and before the end of the year applying what we can to these organizations
so they can plan for their year. Town Administrator Lancaster said he is concerned with
the domino effect of eliminating or decreasing funding of the grants, but that the Town
has to do what it can afford. He said there will be a new normal, possibly for a year. He
said that the recovery suggestions and recommendations presented are preliminary and
that staff and the Board need to sit down and discuss a new strategy and redo the
budget. Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst asked if the budget discussions would begin on the
first Friday of October. Town Administrator Lancaster said that was unlikely as he and
Finance Officer McFarland need time to meet to discuss the budget after which a
meeting with the Board will be scheduled.
Commander Rose thanked the Board and staff for team work and support and Trustee
Elrod and the entire Board in turn thanked staff for their efforts.
There being no further business, Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 6:28 p.m.
Cynthia Deats, Deputy Town Clerk