Montrose, CO — City Councilors met for a work session Monday morning, August 15, to meet a handful of new employees, review a potential partnership with the Montrose Veterans Memorial Coalition, and discuss a pair of contracts for local projects.
Councilors Barbara Bynum, Dave Frank, Doug Glaspell, David Reed, and Ed Ulibarri met in City Council Chambers along with city staff.
The following is a summary of the primary topics discussed during the meeting.
Watch the meeting here.
INTRODUCTION OF NEW CITY EMPLOYEES
City Councilors were introduced to a group of new city employees Monday morning.
Ben Morris joined the city as its new city attorney. Jace Hochwalt was hired as the city’s new planning manager. Zach Johnson will be a new trash and recycling operator. Tim Hanscom joined the city as a park and special projects worker, and Amy Wellington will assist the city as a police records technician and incidents report processor.
MOU WITH MONTROSE VETERANS MEMORIAL COALITION
City Councilors were presented with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Montrose Veterans Memorial Coalition that would allow the City of Montrose and the Montrose Veterans Memorial Coalition (Veterans) to collaborate and create the “Montrose Veterans Plaza” to be located at Cerise Park.
The Veterans have been working with city staff to evaluate the potential location of a memorial plaza and to review the conceptual-level drawings of the project that were provided by the Veterans. City staff agrees that the location proposed for the memorial would fit the intended use of the park and would allow for the memorial to be recognized during unrelated events that occur in the park. The MOU allows the use of city property, located in the area of the Cerise Park shelter and restroom, and dedicates the completed memorial to the city for maintenance and care.
The MOU would allow the Veterans to begin raising funds to move forward with design work and ultimately generate construction documents for city review and cost estimating.
Net Financial Impact
The design process does not result in any financial impact on the city, other than staff time. In the future, after the completion of the construction documents and cost estimating, the Veterans may come forward with a request for financial support from the city.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS DIAS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AWARD RECOMMENDATION
City Councilors were asked to review a construction contract to Stryker and Company Inc. in the amount of $237,519 for the completion of a City Council Chambers security improvements project.
The city contracted with Blythe Group in February 2022 to participate in design discussions with the City Council and city departments regarding security needs and utilization of the City Council Chambers. From these meetings, Blythe Group generated construction documents that include adjusting the position of the dais and improving the security of the chambers.
The City of Montrose issued an RFP in July 2022 for the construction of the new dais and the installation of new carpet and paint on the first and second floors of the building. One qualified bid package was received for this project. Stryker and Company’s bid proposal is complete and within the expected range of costs.
The construction schedule that was proposed by Stryker and Company is a 14-week construction timeline as requested in the RFP but with a proposed construction window starting in January 2023 and concluding in April of 2023 instead of October 2022 through January 2023 timeframe that was originally requested. City staff is recommending accepting the adjusted construction timeline and awarding the project to Stryker and Company.
Contract Administration and Project Financials
The project was included in the 2022 budget in the amount of $260,000. If the contract is awarded, the funds will need to be transferred to the 2023 budget to allow for the work to be completed in 2023.
AMENDMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT CONTRACT FOR BLACK CANYON BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
City Councilors were presented for consideration, an amendment to the contract between the City of Montrose and DOLA for the Community Development Block Grant project 20-508, named Montrose Boys and Girls Club Facility Construction, and executed on December 7, 2021.
Community Engagement Specialist Ross Valdez said the city applied for and was awarded a Community Development Block Grant for the construction of a new Black Canyon Boys & Girls Club (BCBGC) facility in Montrose. Due to the rising cost of construction, building a new facility has become financially unfeasible for BCBGC. In order to fulfill the objective of the grant, BCBGC would like to purchase property located at 1869 E Main St, currently known as San Juan Cinema, and renovate it for their intended use.
The estimated cost of building a new facility is over $6M and would offer 9,000 square feet of space. The purchase of the existing property along with the renovation of the building is estimated to cost a total of $2.85M. Once renovations are completed, the facility would offer 23,000 square feet. This will allow the BCBGC to increase the number of community members served, while also ensuring that programs are accessible for low and middle-income families.
GENERAL CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION
City Councilor Barbara Bynum said city staff was to be commended for hosting a great FUNC Fest this past weekend on the Uncompahgre River in Riverbottom Park.
STAFF REPORTS
Police Chief Blaine Hall reported the new Public Safety Complex is nearing completion with additional paving occurring this week.
Deputy City Manager Ann Morgenthaler reminded everyone the city will host a ribbon cutting at the new Woodgate Road extension, Tuesday at 5 p.m., before the City Council's regular meeting.
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