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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Study Session 2014-12-09 Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, December 9, 2014 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the TOWN BOARD STUDY SESSION 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 9th day of December, 2014. Board: Mayor Pinkham, Mayor Pro Tem Koenig, Trustees Ericson, Holcomb, Nelson, Norris, and Phipps Attending: Mayor Pinkham, Mayor Pro Tem Koenig, Trustees Ericson, Holcomb, Nelson, 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 4:30 p.m. TRUSTEE COMMENTS & QUESTIONS. Trustee Ericson requested that the Town Board agenda be rearranged to allow the Board to hear Finance Officer McFarland’s third quarter financial report prior to hearing and voting on 2014 supplemental budget appropriations. Trustee Norris commented on information gathered through Estes Park Caregiver Support Focus Groups distributed by the Larimer County Office on Aging. He said the report reinforces the need for affordable housing in Estes Park. FUTURE STUDY SESSION AGENDA ITEMS.  Review of the Accelerated Development and Design Process Used for Parking Structure will be completely removed from the list of Future Study Session Agenda items.  International Property Maintenance (Dangerous Buildings Code) First Draft Review scheduled for January 27, 2015, will be removed from that date and moved to “approved but not scheduled” status. This item will be moving forward in conjunction with the proposed approval of the full building code later in 2015.  Discussion of Procedures for the Board on Liquor License Agenda Items will be scheduled for the first Study Session in January. (January 13, 2015)  Mayor Pro Tem Koenig requested a discussion about adding to the purse sizes for Rooftop Rodeo events. She stated an increase to the purse may keep good cowboys returning to compete in the Rooftop Rodeo. The discussion will be held on January 13, 2015, and representatives from Western Heritage will be present to speak to their desire to raise the purses by a maximum total of $26,000. Staff will also weigh in on the proposed increase. (January 13, 2015)  Monthly Town Financial Reports will be removed from the list of items for Board consideration. The Board discussed having Finance Officer McFarland provide a summary report of the Town’s bills on a monthly basis at the second study session of the month in lieu of receiving copies of the expenditure approval list in each Town Board packet. Rather than making this a standing agenda item at this time, the Board requested that staff present the monthly summary report on a trial basis at the second study session in January, after which the Board can determine whether or not it should be included as a standing item on study session agendas. (January 27, 2015)  Sign Code 101 will be presented by Director Chilcott at a February Study Session. Town Board Study Session – December 9, 2014 – Page 2  Update on status of Museum and Collection Storage Facility will be held the second Study Session in February. Directors Winslow and Fortini as well as Utilities Department staff will be involved in the discussion. (February 24, 2015)  Discussion of Proposed Bear (wildlife) Ordinance Changes will be scheduled for February 24, 2015.  Review of Draft Policy on Public Forums will be scheduled for the first Study Session in March. (March 10, 2015)  Discussion of Community Services Grants will be moved to a March timeframe.  Urban Land Institute Report Discussion will be scheduled for the second Study Session in March. (March 24, 2015)  Discussion of five year plans for infrastructure will be scheduled for the second Study Session in April. (April 28, 2015)  Discussion of How to Better Involve and Reach Out to the Hispanic Members of the Community will be scheduled for April or May 2015.  Town Financial Policy will remain unscheduled as staff determines when this item will be ready for review. DISCUSS BOARD POLICY 1.4.7.2 AND TRUSTEE PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY COMMITTEES AND GROUPS – CONSISTENCY IN INTERVIEWING FOR APPOINTMENTS. Town Administrator Lancaster noted that section 1.4.7.2 of the Policy Governance process is vague as it relates to assignments made by the Mayor and/or the full Board of Trustees. Mayor Pinkham noted his preference would be for the policy to require special assignment appointments be vetted and approved by the full Board rather than allowing for the mayor to make the appointment and provide notification to the Board. He said it is important to appoint the best person to an assignment based on interest, knowledge, qualifications, and also to spread assignments among Board members to provide for opportunities and learning experiences. The Board discussed the role of liaison which is defined within the policy, as opposed to serving as a participating and voting member on a non-Town committee or board. Discussion is summarized: a liaison to a board or committee is not a voting member; liaison is an observer not a participant; liaison attends meetings in order to report to the full Town Board; liaison would be able to remain an impartial member of the Town Board; can a participating/voting member of an outside board or committee remain impartial and fulfill duties as a Town trustee?; there is a separation between activities in personal life and responsibilities as a Town trustee; it is possible to be a member of an organization and still represent what is best for the Town as a trustee; the individual should state to the organization whether he/she is representing the Town or is serving as an individual; and is the member of the board or committee representing the Town?, if not it is personal and has nothing to do with the role of trustee. Town Administrator Lancaster stated that when serving in a quasi-judicial capacity, the Board must remain impartial, however, when making legislative decisions there is no expectation of impartiality. Attorney White said that the Town cannot restrict individuals from participating in anything they want to do; individual rights are not relinquished when elected to the Board of Trustees. Town Administrator Lancaster said he will change the policy to state that special assignments, and any appointment that involves representation of the Town in an official capacity, will require approval by the full Board of Trustees. A revised draft of the policy will be brought before the Board for consideration at the first Town Board meeting in January. The Mayor recessed the meeting for a dinner break at 5:52 p.m. The meeting resumed at 6:05 p.m. Town Board Study Session – December 9, 2014 – Page 3 2014 OBJECTIVES UPDATE. Town Administrator Lancaster gave an update on the status of the Board of Trustees objectives that had been defined for 2014. He noted that the September 2013 flood changed the schedule for some of the items resulting in less progress than originally expected. These items included the revision of regulations and codes; studies related to the extension of the Fall River Trail; the Comprehensive Plan update; the capital planning process; the evaluation of potential required changes to radio frequencies; evaluation and prioritization of Transportation Visioning Committee signage recommendations; and updates to Board and Administrative policies. 2014 Objectives that were met and are ongoing include: participation in local, regional, and state economic development; the MPEC and stall barn; marketing plan for the MPEC; scheduling an election to exempt the Town from the provisions of SB-152; developing a strategy to evaluate, retain and recruit special events; establishment of emergency public advisory radio station; citizen’s survey; voter approval of sales tax increase; and preventative maintenance on Town streets. Work is also ongoing on: the visitor’s center parking structure; defining Town’s role in community housing issues; developing a policy for accepting public art; options for the Glacier Creek Water Treatment Plant; capitalizing on fiber infrastructure; repairs to flood damaged utilities and roads; remediation plan for Elm Road landfill; restoration of damaged streams and redefining flood plains; participation in Rocky Mountain National Park 100th anniversary; and FLAP grant project requirements. Additional comments included:  Utility repairs are driving the schedule for the repairs to Fish Creek Road. Reestablishing a crossing of the creek at Brodie Avenue is in consideration to help with traffic congestion near the schools, however, sewer line issues in that area must be resolved before Brodie Avenue can be repaired.  In regard to FLAP, the focus groups currently being held are part of the NEPA process and are not focusing on the entire project.  The proposed relocation of the Parking Structure to the south side of the river may result in a NEPA study process of approximately six to nine months. 2015 FUNDING FOR SCOTTISH/IRISH HIGHLAND FESTIVAL AND VISIT ESTES PARK. Requests for funding for both the Scottish/Irish Highland Festival and Visit Estes Park (VEP) were received after the preparation, public hearing and adoption of the 2015 budget. The Scottish Festival is requesting that the Town raise their level of support from $35,000 to $55,000; and VEP is requesting $25,000 to be used for event promotion at the Estes Park Event Center. Town Administrator Lancaster stated that additional funding for the groups would likely have to be taken from fund balance, thereby reducing the existing level of fund balance for the Town. Mayor Pinkham provided background on the Scottish/Highland Festival. He said that the event started in 1976 and has grown from a small gathering at the high school football field to the large event it is today. He said the Town currently funds the event in the amount of $35,000, which pays for lodging at the YMCA for the bands and military units that perform at the festival. Despite numerous requests in the past for additional funding, the Town has not raised its level of support. In addition to the $35,000 for lodging, the Town provides in-kind services to the festival by providing seven to eight employees to help with the festival and allows the festival to use Town facilities for the event free of charge. Mayor Pinkham suggested meeting with Dr. Durward, President of the Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Highland Festival, Inc., to discuss the Town’s role and level of involvement in the festival and to consider areas where cost savings can be realized. Director Winslow noted that the Scottish/Irish Highland Festival is a well- established event that brings value to the Town and said providing more in-kind services for the event could be budget relieving for the festival. He said there may be Town Board Study Session – December 9, 2014 – Page 4 areas where additional manpower could be utilized to help with expenses such as in the ticketing and entry gate procedures, however, this may require seasonal employee contracts to be extended to encompass the festival dates and would have an impact on the Town’s budget. Staff will schedule a meeting with Dr. Durward in the upcoming months to discuss ways in which the Town may be able to assist with the festival. In regard to the request for $25,000 from Visit Estes Park, CEO Elizabeth Fogarty specified in the request that the additional funds would be used for the promotion of events at the Estes Park Event Center facility. The Board requested that staff work with VEP to draft an agreement for the use of the additional funds to be brought before the Board at the January 13, 2015, Town Board meeting. DISCUSS USE OF FUNDS FROM HOUSING AUTHORITY LOAN REPAYMENT. In recent weeks, the Estes Park Housing Authority (EPHA) fully repaid the loan EPHA received from the Town of Estes Park for the purchase of the Pines apartment complex. The Board briefly discussed the use of the repaid funds to invest in and support affordable housing and potentially applying the funds toward the water tap fees for the Falcon Ridge project. Town Administrator Lancaster pointed out that the original loan monies came from the Catastrophic Loss Fund (which has since been rolled into the General Fund) and the Water Fund. Therefore, approximately $44,000 of the repayment is General Fund money. Eric Blackhurst, EPHA Board Chair noted that for past projects the tap fees were not waived, but rather paid to the Water Department by the Town. Town Administrator Lancaster will meet with EPHA staff to discuss utility fees for the Falcon Ridge project and the use of that portion of the funds being paid back to the General Fund. He will bring details of this discussion back to the Board in January 2015. There being no further business, Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 6:56 p.m. Cynthia Deats, Deputy Town Clerk