HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Study Session 2012-06-26 Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, June 26, 2012
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
Board Room in said Town of Estes Park on the 26th day of June, 2012.
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, and Town Clerk Williamson
Absent: Town Attorney White
Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.
BOARD REIMBURSEMENT POLICY.
Town Administrator opened the discussion stating the Town has developed a cell phone
policy to establish policies and procedures regarding the use and cost of wireless
communication devices for Town business that are consistent with IRS regulations and
meets Town standards. IRS regulations state that personal usage of cell phones is
taxable to the employee; and therefore, the Town has developed a cell phone allowance
for those employees required to carry a cell phone for Town business. He suggested
the Town Board could be added to this policy to address the Board’s use of personal
cell phones for Town business. He also stated it is common for communities to
purchase shirts for the Board members.
Board discussion followed with Trustee Elrod stating concern that additional board
compensation would violate the recent Ordinance passed outlining the Board’s
compensation. Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst stated the Board needs to be in contact with
staff during emergencies and should have multiple ways to be contacted, including a
cell phone. He also stated the Mayor is in constant contact with not only the Town but
PRPA and the Ethics Committee as a representative of the Town, and therefore, should
be reimbursed for the use of his cell phone usage. It was pointed out a Town owned
phone distributed to the Board could only be used for Town business and any personal
use would be taxable, whereas, reimbursement is not taxable. The purchase of Town
logo wear for the Town Board was discussed and seen as de minims. After further
discussion, the Board reached consensus to develop a separate Board policy to
reimburse the Mayor for his cell phone use monthly and allow the purchase of 2 logo
items per Board member per year.
POLICE LOBBY REMODEL.
Staff has evaluated the level of security at the front window reception/window area of
the Police Department and determined the front window is not secure or protected from
penetration and or a violent physical attack. Increasing security at this location is critical
while maintaining customer service, and is considered a high priority for the Police
Department. The design affords increased office space, internal security by the addition
of a “safe passage hallway” for persons in custody, and maintains a safety zone
between prisoners and civilian employees. The original project intended to address
security concerns by providing a bullet proof assembly of walls, glass and doors to
protect the civilian police staff and secure the police area from assault. This also
included extending the walls out to provide for more front reception / records space. An
architect was hired and scoping was completed, identifying several additional security
concerns well exceeding the original budget. Staff proposed the development of a full
set of plans to address the various improvement elements and phasing of the
improvements due to budget constraints; however, completing the eight to ten week
Town Board Study Session – June 26, 2012 – Page 2
project in one phase would be more cost effective and minimize disruption to staff,
operations and customers.
Discussion followed with the Board discussing the project creep; the need for more
through estimates and project scope prior to requesting funding; whether or not to
budget the remodel for 2013 or allocate additional funds in 2012 due to security issues;
to fund the project from the Police budget rather than the CRF because a decrease in
expenditures could cover the additional cost; and the Board would favor completing the
project in one phase.
The Board requested the item be brought forward to the Public Safety, Utilities, and
Public Works Committee with a staff recommendation on how to proceed.
STREET IMPROVEMENT PLAN (STIP)
Director Zurn provided an overview of the road conditions in Estes Park stating the
current average Pavement Condition Index (PCI) is 69, the lower end of fair. Asphalt
has a life expectancy of 20 years with maintenance of roadway ranging from $3- 5 per
square foot for a minor/major (poor pavement condition) overlay to $19 per square foot
for reconstruction of the roadway (failure of roadway). Maintaining roadways in the fair
to good condition reduces the maintenance cost over time.
The Town has historically budgeted $400,000 to $500,000 annual for STIP; however,
the funding has not been adequate to address the deterioration of the Town’s road
system. Staff has forecasted $1 million for ten years to improve the maintenance.
Director Zurn reviewed a list of potential projects including total reconstruction of Dry
Gulch and Stanley Circle. Other project years include roadways clustered together to
package projects and receive better pricing from the contractors by eliminating
mobilization of equipment. The assumption is to overlay as many roadways as possible
to bring the Town’s system into the very good to good category in the next 5 to 10
years. It is estimated the Town could complete 2.5 miles of overlay for a $1 million a
year. A consistent level of funding would aid in the development of a consistent
ongoing maintenance program. Completing all projects at once would require the same
funding 10 to 15 years, thereby creating peaks and valleys in the maintenance program.
With $1 million in funding through 2018 the PCI rating would decrease to 59 (poor) and
funding at the current $400,000 would drop the PCI to 52 (poor) by 2018. Staff
estimates the expenditure of $1.5 million would bring the roadways to a 75 (fair) by
2018.
Finance Officer McFarland provided funding options to fund the STIP depending on
Town needs and goals, including borrowing money through General Obligation Bonds,
Revenue Obligation Bonds, or Certificates of Participation (COPs) if the Board confirms
the need to borrow a large sum of money upfront; pay for improvements through the
budgeting process and spending down fund balance (Catastrophic Loss Fund); take a
question to the voters to increase sales tax by approximately .55% to raise $1 million in
funding; or implement a Street Improvement Fee to fund a Street Utility (Enterprise
Fund) inside town limits.
Board discussion is summarized: a sales tax initiative takes 12 to 14 months to educate
the community prior to the vote; the Town should develop a policy statement outlining
the desired PCI rating for the road system; a net present cost analysis should be
developed for each funding mechanism; a sales tax would be paid by everyone using
the road system including county residents and guests; the Town Board agreed during
budget to use any budget surplus and decrease fund balance to 25% from 30% to fund
road improvements in 2012; infrastructure money set aside for the performing arts
theater could be used to improve the roadways; and COPs could be a good source of
short-term funding. Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst and Trustee Ericson stated the
Catastrophic Loss Fund should not be included in the fund balance and should be set
aside.
Town Board Study Session – June 26, 2012 – Page 3
Staff stated there are other capital needs to be addressed, including storm water and
drainage needs; therefore, the Board should address all infrastructure needs. The STIP
program only addresses maintenance and does not address capacity improvements.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
The Board requested a discussion on policies and procedures for the role of the Board
during emergencies at an upcoming study session.
There being no further business, Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 6:50 p.m.
Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk