[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:28] Test, test, test, test.
[9:05] Good morning, everyone. I'd like to welcome you to our city council work session for Tuesday,
[9:11] September 2nd. It is 10 a.m. We're going to go ahead and kick off the meeting. We do allow
[9:15] public to attend these meetings, but we do not take public comment during these meetings.
[9:22] And with that, we'll go ahead and we'll get kicked off on our very first item, the letter
[9:25] of support of grant writing assistance for the governor's office, for an application
[9:30] of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the Bullock Power Plant Project, and this
[9:35] is Chris Ottinger, our Special Community Development Specialist.
[9:38] Good morning, Mayor and City Council.
[9:41] Yes, today is a quick request for a letter of support, so it's presenting an application
[9:50] for grant rating assistance from the Governor's Office that they have for this specific type
[9:54] of program.
[9:56] Again, this is for the Bullock Power Plant.
[9:59] So as you remember, remember we applied for a grant last year.
[10:03] We are unsuccessful for that cycle.
[10:06] So we are looking for some capacity expansion as well as some just expert professional
[10:11] help for just pushing this just a little bit further up in competitiveness.
[10:18] So with that, the governor's office offers this for the infrastructure bill.
[10:26] This is something they're able to use to apply for those types of funds.
[10:31] And so in order to do that, we just need to have a letter from the council saying that
[10:37] this is something that is a priority for the community, and that's what I have for
[10:41] you today.
[10:44] All right. I've read the letter. It looks pretty well written, pretty concise.
[10:50] Right
[10:53] on the way. I was up to three board meeting.
[10:56] So we're on item A. We're just talking about the letter of support for the EPA.
[11:01] Any questions for Mr. Ottinger? I think this is one of those fairly cut and dried evidence.
[11:07] Yes, sir. Any expense to the Senate for that?
[11:09] And there's no expense for this. This is in order to alleviate some of that burden.
[11:14] and that's what the governor's office is offering,
[11:16] so free grant writing assistance.
[11:18] Thank you.
[11:19] We like free grant writing assistance.
[11:20] Yes.
[11:22] Absolutely.
[11:22] All right.
[11:24] No other questions?
[11:25] We'll go ahead and move on to item B.
[11:27] The METSA third amended and restated
[11:29] intergovernmental agreement.
[11:31] City Attorney Christouzi, city manager Bill Bell,
[11:34] and police chief Blaine Hall.
[11:35] Mr. Reed has a comment.
[11:38] Yes, because of my representation of METSA,
[11:42] I'm going to recuse myself from the discussion, and go ahead and move on.
[11:48] Thank you.
[12:01] And while it is our policy for people to recuse themselves from items we are voting on at
[12:06] this point, Mr. Reed is just being cautious and being very transparent, since we are
[12:12] not voting on any items today, but we will hand this off to our city staff, Mr. Dowsy.
[12:17] Would you like to go ahead and kick us off?
[12:19] Thank you, Mayor Frank.
[12:20] Yes.
[12:20] Yes, what this is is going to be our intergovernmental agreement with METSA, our E-911 service provider.
[12:29] The impetus for this third amended and restated intergovernmental agreement is that OSETSA,
[12:39] one of the E-911s for Uriah County, they have come to an agreement with.
[12:46] Could you explain what all the acronyms mean, please?
[12:48] Yes, yes, yes.
[12:48] So, METSA is going to be the Montrose Emergency Telephone Service Authority.
[12:57] OSESSA is going to be Ureay County Emergency Telephone Service Authority.
[13:02] So it's all of the separate E911 entities for the region.
[13:09] So the impetus for this is that OSESSA, Ureay counties, is intending on dissolving and
[13:17] actually having METSA essentially run their E911.
[13:26] So Urey County is going to be party to this agreement instead of OSESA.
[13:32] So that is the main substantive change.
[13:36] Outside of that, everything is really just updating different language to update with
[13:43] Colorado RISE statutes.
[13:45] be happy to answer any questions on this. Any questions for Mr. Dowsy? And if I
[13:55] don't have the answer, we do have Matt Gage, the Executive Director of Metzahir.
[14:00] He is much more well versed in their inner inner goings than I am. Because when I was
[14:08] reviewing this document I didn't see anything other than standard boiler plate
[14:11] and there's the adaptation to modern terms yes yeah they there really hasn't
[14:17] been many changes like I said the only real substantive change is changing
[14:24] Osetza to Urey County and I was speaking with Matt Gaetz right before
[14:29] this eight of the members seven of the members have approved this IGA we will
[14:35] be the eighth it'll be before council in two weeks if in fact it passes we'd
[14:40] be the eighth. Very good. Any other questions? Matt, how many years have you been with Mesa?
[14:51] And Paul, you've been there almost as long. A long time.
[15:01] So thank you.
[15:02] I think Paul was involved when they were using semaphore flags, so.
[15:07] All right.
[15:13] Well, thank you very much for your service to that.
[15:18] All right, with no other questions or comments, you guys have anything else to add, chief?
[15:22] Bill, anything?
[15:24] Yeah, again, this is, looks like standard adaptation of boilerplate.
[15:28] Yeah, like I said, we already have an agreement in place, the IGA.
[15:34] It's really just updating language.
[15:36] Okay. Excellent. Moving on,
[15:42] met that agent. I have to put my glasses back on every time.
[15:45] Our next item is the appointment of alternate member of the METSA Board, Chief Hall.
[15:53] Thanks, Mayor. So in the same vein talking about METSA with the departure of Dree Cole,
[15:59] we need to appoint an alternate representative to be on the Board if I am absent. And so
[16:06] So I would request that we appoint W. Chief Larry Whitty to that alternate position, and
[16:13] the IGA basically mandates that that position is appointed in the same way that I am appointed.
[16:21] So coming before you all today to request that.
[16:27] Do you have a question, Chief Hall?
[16:30] I think that this is one of those no-brainers.
[16:33] Need an alternate.
[16:35] Need an alternate.
[16:37] apparently Larry was out of the room at the time so yes got it got it okay in
[16:46] that case moving on to item D legal representation agreement for potential
[16:52] second Montrose your urban renewal authority project and we're going to
[16:57] start this with I can start we okay so we have talked about it at previous
[17:03] meetings where we have some of the projects downtown redeveloping some of
[17:09] those historic areas a lot of the demo work that's needed the redevelopment and
[17:15] hazard mitigation those types of things right in our downtown core and so this
[17:19] is a request to put Paul Benedetti who was the URA attorney that helped us
[17:25] set up the mirror and his new younger partner because Paul's trying to retire
[17:30] Eventually, he has Nick on board with him now, and so this is just a retainer for legal
[17:35] services for them to help walk us through the process and to help get the next steps done,
[17:42] which is identify what areas downtown we would want to include in a plan, what kind of a
[17:48] blight study would need to be done, and then they would perform that if we want
[17:52] them to move forward in that capacity.
[17:54] So right now, it's just to get them a SCOPA service that we can start working
[17:58] working with them with Council's approval on the next steps as a second project area.
[18:04] So just as a reminder, it's not creating another urban renewal authority.
[18:07] The Montrose Urban Renewal Authority covers the entire city.
[18:11] And then we have Project Area 1, which is Colorado Outdoors.
[18:14] And now we're talking just right in the heart of downtown for some of these old historic
[18:18] buildings that need a lot of work for redevelopment, Project Area Number 2.
[18:23] So that's it.
[18:24] Anything I missed, Anthony?
[18:25] You want to add?
[18:27] I think one of the things that I like about this is that by doing a second project area
[18:31] for our URA it gives us that tax increment financing option to be able to help fund some
[18:37] of these projects because some of the projects are really outside the scope of the ability
[18:42] of the city to just put on our own and I think this is a great opportunity for us.
[18:47] And just as a quick clarification in the packet for the City Council meeting tonight
[18:52] It was miss it was a typo in there said it was bear creek law, and it is bear peak law
[18:59] And that has been corrected, but I just want to make that clarification. Yeah, that's good
[19:04] Well, you're correcting things and adding the paper for the work session and council meetings.
[19:12] I think instead of MESA, it was MESA.
[19:18] Matt agrees.
[19:20] It's a MESA.
[19:20] It's a MESA guy's doing a job.
[19:25] No, on this one, I feel really good about having Paul Bennett and Eddie come back to do this again
[19:31] because he was very helpful when we started to begin with and I feel
[19:37] confident that this will just grow. We don't have to explain what we're going
[19:42] and what we want to do to somebody new.
[19:46] Paul Benedetti is without
[19:49] question the state expert on URAs if not one of the leading national experts
[19:55] on URAs, so having him involved.
[19:58] He worked on all the new legislation related to URAs in the state, he was kind of the father
[20:03] of that document, along with Caroline White who was helping the city of Delta.
[20:08] So this is on the agenda tonight as well to be able to give us that authority if
[20:13] you should choose to vote on that tonight in that direction.
[20:16] And he's actually staying on for our project, he wants ours to be the transitional project
[20:21] from him to Nick so he'll be actively involved in ours and this might be his
[20:25] last project in the state. Well that's bad. Yeah good for us.
[20:48] Not yet because we don't know what we want to do exactly so once we once
[20:54] Once we have the authority at that $400 per hour rate, then we'll have a meeting with
[20:59] them and we'll talk about what we would want them to do as far as scope of service and
[21:04] then we'll come back to City Council for a not to exceed amount.
[21:08] And then that'll outline the actual work that he's going to be doing.
[21:11] But they weren't comfortable unless they at least had some kind of a legal arrangement
[21:15] to represent us, because they have had other clients in the region.
[21:19] So I just want to make sure they're clear on who they're representing on different
[21:22] projects.
[21:23] I'm not opposed. I just do have some concern about starting another redevelopment project
[21:30] downtown when I see the one that we are currently working on hasn't seen in my opinion a lot
[21:38] of activity and I'm concerned about having two of these things going at the same time
[21:43] and losing focus on one and putting it on another and I was just curious as to
[21:52] possibly the the future as to what could happen you know we haven't had a
[21:59] meeting for this one out there and months and months and months and months I
[22:04] think almost last year was the last time we had a meeting and there's no
[22:08] been there's been no update as to what's happening out there and and I was just
[22:15] concerned that we start another project not that I again not that I'm opposed to
[22:20] it but it's just interesting to find out and kind of stay ahead of this I
[22:26] apologize for my overzealousness I've been sick for four weeks and I've lost
[22:32] weight and I have more energy now than I've had in years so pretty bad
[22:41] I think one of the reasons we're doing this, we're setting this up is to find out the feasibility
[22:48] and really should we do a second work area, what it would entail, that's kind of the reason
[22:56] for this.
[22:56] Yeah, that hasn't been decided at all, this is to allow us to talk about those next steps.
[23:03] And there has been activity out in the other one.
[23:06] We've already approved at the last meeting the green line development and the mixed use commercial and then the second hotel
[23:13] that was at the last you are a meeting and so they're just
[23:17] Working through those processes and so we in the interim between then and today. We've created the
[23:24] URA board manual
[23:27] Over this period of time so we have that to hand out to all the board members
[23:31] When we have the next meeting, but there hasn't been a new projects to talk about in the last couple of months
[23:36] And that's why we haven't had a meeting well and and I'll add to that bill as well
[23:40] Is that one of the things they're working on now is with Green Line?
[23:43] You know coming forward and they're putting their scheduling together and kind of getting ready to to move forward on the commercial piece first
[23:50] But there's also dialogue with the jacuz and their River Edge project that they had already announced previously
[23:56] So that's moving forward. It's just they're in process. It's there's nothing to talk about
[24:01] Well, just as a board member, I would just sometimes an update is maybe not an official
[24:11] board meeting, but sometimes an update might just make things a little bit more clear for
[24:17] myself as a member of the mayor board.
[24:20] Thank you.
[24:23] All right.
[24:25] If there's nothing else on that item, then we will move on to next item, E, City Council
[24:32] support to approve a grant modification request to a previously awarded local planning capacity
[24:38] grant through the state of Colorado. And this is our community development director,
[24:42] Jayce Huckball. Yeah, good morning, Council. This is a pretty quick item as well,
[24:47] kind of similar to Chris's that he presented. But in short, what we're looking at here is
[24:54] a modification to an awarded grant. So we were awarded 48,000 last year through the
[24:58] the local planning capacity grant program through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs.
[25:04] We actually received an additional $50,000 unmatched funding because we were one of the
[25:10] first cities to implement an expedited review program for housing.
[25:15] The state recognized that and has given us some extra money.
[25:18] And that extra money goes within our existing awarded grant.
[25:22] So we're getting, again, $50,000 supplemented on top of that $48,000.
[25:27] we have a total match of $12,000.
[25:30] That was what was original to the original grant requests.
[25:33] But with that new funding, what we'll do
[25:35] is utilize it for another year
[25:36] of our permitting system software.
[25:39] We are in the process of transitioning systems.
[25:42] Again, kind of going with the trend of modernizing
[25:45] all things that we do within building and planning,
[25:47] which is going successful.
[25:49] But that'll pay for another year-long subscription
[25:51] of the new service.
[25:52] It will pay for some tablets
[25:54] for our inspectors out in the field
[25:56] to be able to do things more quickly instead of having to come back, document everything
[26:01] in the office, they can do it actually out in the field, and then a little bit of funding
[26:05] that will go towards continuing education for our planning staff.
[26:09] All this funding is kind of right within, falls within that local planning capacity
[26:14] grant guidelines.
[26:15] We can't just use the $50,000 to anything, so we had to kind of cater it to what
[26:20] we needed and what we saw and what could help us out moving forward.
[26:23] So as part of that, we just need a letter supporting or of support from City Council and the Mayor similar to Chris's.
[26:34] And that's about it. The other thing we're doing here is also extending our grant deadline from the end of this year to the end of next year to account for that year-long subscription.
[26:43] But pretty straightforward, exciting to receive free money. So we're happy about it.
[26:49] free money. Is this system compatible with what the city already has? We're in
[26:56] the process of implementing it right now so it'll be more streamlined. It'll allow
[27:01] for online smills for applicants in the public so it'll actually, the hope is
[27:05] that it would take less administrative burden off of staff. Applicants could
[27:11] do it more seamlessly online, could pay online, do a lot of things just in a
[27:19] all kind of all all streamlined works well with laser fission some of the other
[27:24] programs that the city already has it is ADA accessible which our current system
[27:29] is not so that is a good transition that we're making with that all good
[27:34] things across the board.
[27:38] Any other questions for Mr. Hawkwalt? All right
[27:42] moving on. Next item is a memorandum of agreement between City of Montrose
[27:47] volunteers of American National Services, and Magic Circle players, and Mr. Bell.
[27:57] All right, this is the documentation to go along with some previous discussions we've
[28:02] had about the need to help a few different entities get some stuff done in the community.
[28:10] So as a summary on the project, we have the property out near the pavilion and between
[28:18] there and the community gardens that we used to dump snow and pile different
[28:23] things kind of staging area for construction projects underutilized area
[28:27] of town. We also have VOA that's out there expanding they're about to have
[28:32] their their opening of their new facility just south of this location and
[28:37] then they're kind of landlocked in that area and so for long-term plans for
[28:41] VOA and expansion plans to serve our community which is primarily the 55
[28:46] plus or disabled community, people with special needs, and the different senior care programs
[28:53] that are offered by VOA, that area near the pavilion and the senior center has become
[28:57] kind of the hub in our community for senior services.
[29:02] In order to have long-term plans on expansion and capital planning, they could use that
[29:08] property.
[29:09] We're not using it for anything of significant value other than public works knows they
[29:15] We need a new snow dump site, but we're working with them on different locations.
[29:19] Another thing that's come up in discussions over the past several years is the unique
[29:23] situation of Magic Circle Players, our community theater.
[29:27] They are in the building there next to Safeway, the alley between Safeway Building and the
[29:33] theater building is behind there.
[29:36] Everything leading from that alleyway out to the street is owned by VOA, all the
[29:42] land.
[29:42] because they have the housing adjacent to that property.
[29:47] And the building itself is owned by Magic Circle,
[29:50] but they can't get loans to expand their operations
[29:53] or to do necessary improvements in that building
[29:56] because they don't own the land underneath,
[29:59] they just can't go out.
[30:00] Borrow money or the rely on private donations. They were able to do about a million dollars to do
[30:06] aesthetic renovations with Striker construction. The city helped with the advertising sign that's
[30:12] out there and some of the electrical work and then Striker did the building facade improvements
[30:17] and we participated with the facade grant for that project. So this is to take it one step
[30:24] further and really to help them plan for the next 50 years, they need to acquire the
[30:29] land underneath that building. So we started conversations, Jace talked and Anthony quite
[30:34] a bit and then I did with the director of VOA and with the director at Magic Circle.
[30:41] And so this agreement shows kind of a three-part arrangement where we would exchange properties
[30:49] with VOA. They would give us the land underneath Magic Circle. Our land's worth about $30,000
[30:57] dollars more so they would pay that difference at the time of the exchange so
[31:01] the city's made hole on that and then that would allow Magic Circle to have a
[31:06] capital campaign to go out and raise funds to acquire the property from us so
[31:11] then they own the property so that's what this three-way exchange is all
[31:15] about and outlines steps with that and that kind of thing
[31:22] not the parking
[31:24] lot all the way to the street from alley to the street yeah the side of
[31:30] the Safeway Building, actually the pins are about a foot away from the wall of the Safeway
[31:36] Building, and it runs through that alley all the way out to 12th, so that entire chunk
[31:42] of land.
[31:43] And right now, currently, the Magic Circle has a 99-year lease with VOA, but when they
[31:49] were doing their last capital project, that's when this first rose up, and that's when
[31:53] we first started floating ideas on some of the ways we could help them out.
[31:56] and I being a longtime Magic Circle participant I think this is absolutely
[32:04] the best idea it gives us all an opportunity to advance the community in
[32:11] Montrose so I think it's a great idea and I really support it. I think it's a
[32:16] good idea too based on the fact that we have an aging community here in
[32:22] and that development out in that area I'm speaking for myself. I don't know I think
[32:32] that it's a good opportunity for the city to contribute to the community in a
[32:38] sense that we're helping and I support too. The long-time plan then is that
[32:46] they magic circle will end up buying that land from the city. Correct which
[32:51] which would allow them to really do a plan for the next 50 years of growth plan, that
[32:55] kind of thing.
[32:56] So this is not something that's going to happen tomorrow, but it's going to happen in 50 years,
[33:02] that they end up buying the land?
[33:04] No, I think the timeline is by summer of 26.
[33:10] All of this would be transferred at the very latest, and then people can start moving
[33:15] forward on their various projects.
[33:16] All the discussions with VOA is it's they want to get their new facility opened up and then see you know capacity and that kind of thing
[33:24] So for them, it's probably a little longer out on the horizon
[33:27] But for Magic Circle, they are ready to start taking action
[33:32] I think they were unable to do or start a land purchase capital project capital campaign
[33:38] Because at that point VOA did not want to sell it
[33:42] VOA was very happy with the lease they had, VOA had no reason to get rid of, divest itself
[33:48] of that land.
[33:50] And so because of that magic circle was unable to even start a conversation on doing capital
[33:57] campaign to purchase anything because there wasn't anything to purchase.
[34:00] So now that this gives them the flexibility, magic circle is a pretty driven group and
[34:07] they are pretty dynamic and their director Lisa Rettiger is very involved their board is very
[34:14] involved I think their capital campaign will move a lot faster than we think it will I've got a
[34:19] lot of confidence on that so very good good any other questions or comments all right moving
[34:27] on to our next item the child care facility project authorization and public works director
[34:34] Dr. Jim Scheidt.
[34:35] Good morning, Council.
[34:37] So yeah, we are here to discuss the authorization
[34:41] for a child care facility, which is
[34:44] a renovation of an existing city-owned facility
[34:47] on South 9th Street.
[34:50] We've been working with a design team Blythe group
[34:53] to design this renovation, basically
[34:56] to accommodate up to 50 students or kiddos
[35:00] in this child care facility of different age groups,
[35:02] of course.
[35:02] course. And that design was completed this summer. We've issued that design for construction
[35:09] through an RFP process, which we did receive five proposals for, which is really a good
[35:15] sign actually. We had a very large turnout in our pre-bid meetings and our bid openings,
[35:21] which is a really good sign. We had a lot of contractor participation in this and received
[35:26] five very well qualified proposals which we evaluated on several things from
[35:33] qualifications to price to experience with the city things like that so it was
[35:37] an RFP and not just a bid and we after scoring each of these striker and
[35:46] company is the one that came to the top of the list in both price and in
[35:52] qualifications and participation in the project, so really feel like they kind of rose to the
[35:57] top as far as our options on contractors, and that's why we're suggesting awarding
[36:02] a contract to Striker as part of this overall authorization.
[36:06] So I guess I'm going to go back to that.
[36:07] The overall authorization of this is 850,530 of that is for the Striker and Company
[36:14] contract amount that we would be awarding of that.
[36:17] that. The remaining amounts of that are for a big portion is for owner expenses and those
[36:24] are for direct purchases that we would make that don't make sense to go through a contractor
[36:29] like furniture, kitchen equipment, some playground equipment, that sort of thing is we're much
[36:36] better off to purchase directly. We can get better pricing and we don't need it to
[36:39] go through a general contractor. So on the financial impact part of the packet it
[36:45] It has a breakdown of the different expenses, and the owner expenses is those things, furniture
[36:50] being a big piece of that, cameras, window coverings, that sort of thing is all included
[36:57] within that owner expense.
[36:59] Design consultants, that is our design team, obviously that a lot of the design itself
[37:04] is completed, but they participate throughout the construction process as a construction
[37:08] administration and that's very typical for all of our construction projects and
[37:15] then of course we did include a contingency in this is about 10% of the
[37:20] construction costs which I highly recommend this is an existing facility
[37:25] we're renovating so we've done our due diligence and investigating but there's
[37:30] always those things that come up and so we do recommend including that
[37:33] contingency in there in hopes that we don't need it but that it's there
[37:37] case. So with that it's pretty exciting project looking to keep moving this
[37:42] forward. Jace has been very involved in this as well and would be bringing more
[37:48] of the operational side of it and how we intend to do that at future meetings. So
[37:51] that's coming up I think in the next month or so we'll be bringing that to
[37:55] a work session and discussing that side of it. This is mostly focused on
[37:58] that construction side of it and getting that project rolling. Knowing
[38:02] that starting now would lead us into spring time of next year looking at
[38:08] completing construction by end of February and then that obviously makes
[38:13] the facility available to then open up soon after that and that's where that's
[38:16] where Jace comes in and and could talk more about timing of opening the
[38:19] facility but trying to get going on the construction process now so that we
[38:23] are completed with that the goal being end of February. So with that I'd be
[38:29] happy to answer any questions you may have. Not really a question just to
[38:32] comment I think this is great this has been in the works for what two years now
[38:36] and finally come into fruition so good job thanks. Yeah thank you. I have another
[38:43] comment here. I am a little concerned about the price but it's a something for
[38:50] community service for the community for babysitting which is sort of lacking in
[38:55] the community. But I do have a little hesitation based on the fact that I haven't yet seen any
[39:08] development plans. I haven't seen any plans at all. I have no idea what we're giving the
[39:17] community. Are we giving them buildings? Are we removing part of the building? Are we
[39:26] be a little more open on how we're going to be spending some of these funds I believe
[39:32] through that we approved recently through the hotel and restaurants, some of that funds
[39:38] are supposed to go to this, that it would be a little bit more open if we were to make
[39:43] a presentation like at the next council meeting or work session where we could see exactly
[39:49] what the community is getting and what we're giving them for their dollars.
[39:53] That's it.
[39:54] Thank you.
[39:55] And we can do that. We do have design documents for those that explain they get more in the details of what exactly being renovated interior fencing playground that kind of stuff on the exterior.
[40:05] So we we can and we do have those design documents. It just it's a lot. It does get into quite a bit of detail. It is a relatively small facility, but it's a there's a lot to the project.
[40:19] Well, $850,000 is a lot of dollars, too, for the square footage.
[40:27] That I have no idea what the square footage is.
[40:29] It might be a thousand square foot.
[40:31] It's about 4,000.
[40:33] Yeah, 42,000.
[40:34] You know what I'm saying?
[40:35] I'm a builder.
[40:36] So sometimes this is the sort of stuff that gets my attention.
[40:42] I think this is something I wouldn't mind seeing at our next work session.
[40:47] just a little bit more fleshing out of what we're looking at and a little bit
[40:51] more on the design documents just to give us a little bit better idea and like
[40:54] Mr. Yulbury says make sure that the public understands what we're actually
[40:59] putting out for bid so they understand just a little bit more. I
[41:03] could I think that our next work session might be a nice time for that.
[41:06] Okay. Separate from the authorization of this project or prior to? I think
[41:14] separate is good. I think that we have a good idea. I trust our documentation process. I
[41:20] trust our RFP process. I trust our staff. You guys aren't going to try to slide something
[41:26] by us. But just for future illumination and future clarification, it might be nice
[41:31] to have a little bit more of that documentation. I don't think we need to tie it specifically
[41:35] to this authorization, in my opinion.
[41:39] Well, I was just thinking of the next regular meeting so we could do the work session prior
[41:44] to that one with more of that, and that would give Jason and I time to talk more about that
[41:51] operations agreement where we're at on that one.
[41:54] Yeah, so we would be seeing this a little bit the morning or the day before our next
[41:58] meeting.
[41:59] As a separate item.
[42:00] As a separate item.
[42:01] Okay.
[42:03] Any other comments or questions?
[42:05] Yes, please.
[42:06] communities. Our community knows that.
[42:09] That building has been used for years by the school district.
[42:13] I've actually talked to him. Okay, so.
[42:17] Can we address the fact that that was not owned by the school district?
[42:21] We're not buying it from them.
[42:23] Correct. Yep, it is owned by the city. It has been owned by the city.
[42:28] And the school district has been using it through a lease,
[42:31] but it has been sitting on since it was built.
[42:36] And that was one of the components.
[42:39] I won't say to delay necessarily,
[42:41] but we wanted to be good partners with them,
[42:43] let them kind of run through their programming and their lease.
[42:46] So then as we were kind of tackling the design and other concepts,
[42:50] so timing all worked out pretty well actually.
[42:53] I know it feels like it's been a minute,
[42:55] but to get all partners on board
[42:56] to kind of figure out process, procedure, operations,
[43:00] I think we're in a pretty good spot.
[43:01] And I'm happy to speak to that.
[43:03] Even some of those components of the classrooms
[43:05] and the number of students or kiddos per classroom
[43:08] at that next work session meeting as well.
[43:11] Yeah, I think giving you two weeks gives you time
[43:13] to really kind of compile the documents
[43:15] so we don't need to see what kind of finish
[43:19] on the bathroom door.
[43:21] But all of those actual relevant documentations.
[43:25] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[43:26] High level design review.
[43:27] Yeah, that'd be great.
[43:29] Yep.
[43:29] Awesome.
[43:29] Any other questions or comments?
[43:32] All right, moving on, General City Council discussion.
[43:37] I wanted to kind of discuss our upcoming ballot issue, really
[43:41] very, very briefly, that we've had certain concerns raised
[43:46] that people are already misunderstanding
[43:50] what we're trying to do.
[43:52] I had one person that said, oh, the city's
[43:54] trying to become a home rural city.
[43:55] He's like, we've been in a home rural city since 1941.
[44:00] not trying to become anything and it might be nice for us to come up with an
[44:05] opportunity for a more educational format about what we're doing and why what
[44:10] we're actually changing I know we have the red line we have the all of the
[44:14] documentation currently in place but I think just public education sessions
[44:19] might be beneficial for us to make sure that the public really understands what
[44:23] we're actually doing and why has it it's officially been placed on the ballot
[44:31] correct so we have to follow the specific rules on advertising the
[44:36] initiative correct so I and this is questioning for Lisa and Chris and
[44:43] everybody in the room if we're allowed to do it I would love us to hold open
[44:49] houses, a couple of them, talking about what changes and put them up in kind of an interactive
[44:55] format where people can, you can have them on display boards and people can ask about
[44:59] the.
[45:00] Any other issues in the why behind it? We would love to do that. I just want to make
[45:03] sure we're in compliance with any of the law. We don't want to violate state law in order
[45:08] to do something. Obviously not, but I mean if it's, I believe
[45:15] that was done in past on some of the earlier city charter changes, community meeting.
[45:23] But if we're not deferred to our attorney, but it seems to me that if we're not promoting anything,
[45:32] if it's purely informational in nature and not advocating one way or the other, we should be all right.
[45:41] I would like us to flesh that out.
[45:43] I would like us to make sure that we do have, following all of the legal requirements and restrictions,
[45:50] I don't want us to step outside our bounds and cause issues, but I would, if there is
[45:56] an opportunity for us to do some open houses and public information sessions, let's try
[46:02] to see what we can do on that.
[46:03] I think that would be beneficial.
[46:05] It'll give our clarity to some of our citizens, because when I saw that one question and
[46:11] it's like that they thought we were trying to become a home rule city, Montrose was
[46:19] in Colorado.
[46:20] In Colorado.
[46:21] So it's not like we're trying to change that, but that misconception on what we're trying
[46:27] to do, I would love for us to look into whether or not we can actually hold some sort of open
[46:34] house, some sort of public information sessions, keeping clear of the advertising or advocating.
[46:42] Well, not to mention the fact that some of the changes are actually required by Colorado
[46:48] out of state law if I'm not mistaken by new legislation that's come down from the state
[46:54] house.
[46:54] That is correct.
[46:56] Sometimes as a community, we do have to comply with those new regulations and laws, whether
[47:03] we like them or not.
[47:04] And I've even been approached on the municipal judge issue and why don't we, why do we
[47:11] want to get rid of the requirement that they be a resident?
[47:14] Well, we understand and know, but we probably need to explain it to the public that it's
[47:19] very difficult.
[47:20] And I would just say we did explain it to the public during the open public work sessions.
[47:25] So this is all then discussed publicly.
[47:28] Anybody could go watch that, but we would love to do extra open houses.
[47:32] I think it would be good to do one point.
[47:33] I think we've got the head nod on that one, and we'll talk about it internally and
[47:37] we'll advertise as much as we're allowed to do.
[47:41] back and keep in touch with us about whether we can even do that so that when somebody
[47:46] says why aren't you doing so-and-so and such that we can say this is the realities of it.
[47:52] Not only that, but I think that not all the most qualified individuals live in the city
[47:59] of Montrebs.
[48:00] Oh, for the judgeship, that's very true.
[48:03] We were very lucky this time.
[48:05] Very lucky.
[48:06] All right.
[48:07] Moving on.
[48:08] Are there any other general city council comments or discussions?
[48:11] Yeah, I just like Dave Breeze and I were at the water board meeting of the night
[48:19] Blue Mesa is down to 57%
[48:23] Taylor reservoir is down to 68% and that's where we get most of our shares are located
[48:30] Ridgeways down to 72% and silverjack is about 36%
[48:37] There was a little bit of negative discussion at the last meeting with some people not understanding
[48:44] our water needs and think that we don't need a second facility.
[48:50] But I think the recent fire we just had is a pretty good example of what could happen.
[48:59] They keep two-week water supply in the reservoir directly above the plant.
[49:04] So, if we had a serious problem with the tunnel, it would be detrimental probably
[49:12] within a few weeks, short two or three week time period.
[49:19] Any other comments?
[49:21] Any staff comments or reports for us?
[49:26] And everybody's looking away, looking down, and trying not to make eye contact.
[49:31] So, we're going to go ahead and say we're done.
[49:32] Thank you guys.
[49:34] We're adjourned.