Montrose, CO — City Councilors met for their regular meeting Tuesday evening, August 1, to approve a number of ordinances and contract awards for ongoing city projects as well as officially place the historic United Methodist Church on the city’s own historic registry.
Mayor Barbara Bynum and councilors Dave Frank, Doug Glaspell, David Reed, and Ed Ulibarri met in the City Council Chambers at the Elks Civic Building along with city staff.
The following is a summary of the primary topics discussed during the meeting.
Watch the meeting here.
PUBLIC COMMENT
A resident who represents the Montrose Genealogy Center spoke about the need to keep the center active and preserved while the building currently sits for sale. The resident spoke about the possibility of partnering with the City of Montrose to keep the work of the center ongoing.
CONSENT AGENDA
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve the consent agenda, which included the minutes of the City Council’s July 18 regular meeting, a special events and alcohol permit for FUNC FEST on August 12, 13 in Riverbottom Park, a special events and alcohol permit for the Monte de Rosas Fiesta on August 19 in La Raza Park, and the disposal and sale of six Montrose Police Department radios to the Olathe Police Department.
The city’s archive of past meeting minutes can be found on the new Public Meetings Portal and at CityofMontrose.org/ArchiveCenter.
LIQUOR LICENSE CHANGE OF LOCATION
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve a change of location for a liquor license operated by Bliss Beauty Bar Co. LLC, from 431 East Main Street to 1544 Oxbow Drive, Unit 156.
The City Council is the local liquor licensing authority. The council held a brief public hearing before voting to approve the change.
RESOLUTION 2023-10
City Councilors voted unanimously to authorize city staff to apply for Victim Assistance Law Enforcement (VALE) grant through the 7th Judicial District Victims Assistance Board.
Each year the department files for a grant to fund one-half of the salary of the department's victim advocate. This year the department will file for a grant totaling $55,150, to cover a portion of both the current and new victim advocates’ salary.
Montrose Police Chief Blaine Hall said the department’s victim advocates, Chantelle Bainbridge and Amy Wellington, are invaluable professionals trained to support local victims of crime. Hall said that, with the addition of a new advocate, the department now provides victim services seven days a week.
Hall said advocates offer victims information, emotional support, help in finding resources and filling out paperwork, and sometimes accompany them in court.
RESOLUTION 2023-14
City Councilors voted unanimously to assign the city’s portion of Private Activity Bonds (PAB) to the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA).
Christopher Ottinger, community development specialist for the City of Montrose said for the past five years the City of Montrose has assigned its PAB allocation to CHFA, who in turn puts it to use in our community. Ottinger said staff is asking the City Council to again consider assigning this year’s PAB allocation to CHFA.
Each year the IRS allocates a per capita bonding authority for housing to each state, also known as PAB Volume Capacity or “Cap”. Colorado allocates this authority to statewide agencies and local governments. In 2022, the allocation for the City of Montrose was $1,125,667. In 2023, the allocation for the City of Montrose is $1,245,218.
The City of Montrose has not desired to issue bonds directly, as there is risk and administrative burden in doing so. Allocating the PAB directly to CHFA allows Montrose to benefit from the PAB allocation without the city directly issuing bonds. For example, in 2020 CHFA worked with the City of Montrose to use the PAB allocation to support Steele Properties, LLC’s rehabilitation of San Juan Apartments, which serves seniors (62+ years old), Section 8, and residents with disabilities. In 2021, CHFA funded 20 loans in their single-family tax-exempt homeownership program, First Step, for a total of $5.3 million in the City of Montrose. In 2022, CHFA funded 17 loans, totaling $4.5 million, at a median income of $70,666 for a median loan amount of $268,492.
The City Council again assigned the city’s PAB allocation to CHFA and requested that CHFA use the PAB to support first-time home ownership investment, a multifamily affordable housing project, and/or CHFA’s First Step. CHFA will ensure that the funding is used within the City of Montrose to benefit the community.
ELDERADO FINANCIAL ASBESTOS ABATEMENT ASSISTANCE
City Councilors voted 4-1 to approve a proposal to assist a local financial company with renovations to their facility.
City Manager Bill Bell told councilors that Elderado Financial will be relocating to a new building on Townsend Avenue and the property is undergoing necessary renovation in preparation for the move. Removal of old gas remediation wells and asbestos abatement are needed. There are also dilapidated buildings at 1030 and 1048 S. Townsend Ave that will be demolished during this process and there is a tremendous amount of debris and rubbish that will be removed from the property. A second story is being built to accommodate approximately 3,000 sq ft of office rental space.
The exterior of the building will include improved landscaping and curb appeal as well as 25 parking spaces.
Reason for Request
As its business grew, Elderado Financial started looking for alternatives for office space. After two years of extensive research on numerous properties, it decided the property next door to its existing office would help solve problems with a lack of office space and parking. During this process, inflation greatly affected the cost of either purchasing or building a new office space. The assistance approved by the City Council, $93,839, represents the asbestos abatement cost that is about 3% of the estimated total project cost of $2,000,000.
ORDINANCE 2634 - FIRST READING
City Councilors voted unanimously, on first reading, to approve a change to the city's snow removal and ice policy located in Section 9-4-1 of the city’s Municipal Code.
Public Works Manager Jim Scheid said the city performs snow and ice removal on more than 300 lane miles of public roadways. Effective snow and ice control is necessary to maintain routine travel and emergency services. Public Works personnel provide such control in a safe and cost-effective manner, keeping in mind safety, budget, personnel, and environmental concerns. Depending on the severity of the storm and conditions, Public Works employees and equipment and/or private contractors may be required to remove snow and ice.
The snowplowing and ice control policy is intended to keep the city streets passable and in a reasonably safe condition during adverse weather events.
Ordinance 2634 approves changes/additions to Section 9-4-1 that will help to keep the roadways and storm drain system clear of snow and ice during and after snow events. The ordinance also aligns with Colorado State Statute 43-5-301 regarding the depositing of snow in the roadway.
ORDINANCE 2635 - FIRST READING
City Councilors voted unanimously, on first reading, to approve a new franchise agreement with Spectrum Pacific West, LLC, an indirect subsidiary of Charter Communications, Inc., for continued service within the city limits of Montrose.
City Attorney Ben Morris, along with outside counsel, said city staff has been in negotiations with Spectrum for its use the public rights-of-way to provide cable television services in the City of Montrose. This agreement does not include phone and internet services.
The last agreement between the City of Montrose and Charter was signed in 2010 for a term of 10 years, expiring in 2020. The city and Charter have previously agreed to continue operating under the existing franchise agreement on a month-to-month basis until a new franchise is adopted.
ORDINANCE 2636 - FIRST READING
City Councilors voted unanimously, on first reading, to approve a proposal to grant Clearnetworx a utility easement along the southernmost property line of the Black Canyon Golf Course for a fiber mainline to supply the Woods Crossing Subdivision.
Public Works Manager Jim Scheid said Clearnetworx has a conduit transmission box located just inside the golf course property next to the roundabout. The proposed 15’ easement would allow for fiber to be bored in from the transmission box to the next available utility pole approximately 150 feet away.
The easement is outside the bounds of play on hole 2 and would not affect golf course operations. Deeply Digital, LLC, the installation contractor working for Clearnetworx, has worked with city staff to accommodate business hours and strategies for minimizing any impact to the surrounding area. Work will be performed under the purview of an excavation permit issued and approved by the Public Works Streets Division.
ORDINANCE 2630 - SECOND READING
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 2630, on second reading, which updates Title 1, Chapter 2, General Provisions, and Title 1, Chapter 14, Municipal Court, sections of the official code of the City of Montrose. The ordinance also repeals and replaces other sections of the code that pertain to the city’s Municipal Court.
Assistant City Attorney Matt Magliaro addressed the council to discuss the changes to the Municipal Court’s sentencing language and how that would affect the court when it goes into session each Thursday. These changes reflect updates to sentencing guidelines that have become more common in courts across the state.
The Montrose Municipal Court is located at 107 South Cascade Ave and can be found online here.
ORDINANCE 2631 - SECOND READING
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 2631, on second reading, annexing the Dry Cedar Creek II Addition.
City Planner William Reis said the Dry Cedar Creek II Addition is approximately 5.06 acres in size. The parcel is located along Ogden Road, southeast of its intersection with Kellie Drive. It is within the city’s urban growth boundary, City of Montrose sewer service area, and City of Montrose water service area. Annexation of this property will allow for connection to city utilities.
Councilors approved both a resolution and Ordinance 2631 for the annexation.
Proposed Zoning: “R-3A” Medium High-Density District
Applicant: RealAmerica, LLC
ORDINANCE 2632 - SECOND READING
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve, on second reading, the zoning for the Dry Cedar Creek II Addition as an “R-3A” Medium High-Density district.
ORDINANCE 2633 - SECOND READING
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 2633, on second reading, which designates the Methodist Episcopal Church of Montrose, located at 19 South Park Avenue, as a historic property to be added to the city’s own historic registry.
City Planner William Reis gave a presentation outlining the church’s qualifications for being designated as a historic property.
FUEL AND OIL CONTRACT AWARD
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve a contract with Parish Oil of Montrose to supply the city with bulk fuel and oil.
Public Works Manager Jim Scheid said the City of Montrose owns, operates, and maintains a fleet of over 300 vehicles and equipment. It also owns and operates a fuel station for the fleet. The city consumes about 90,000 gallons of fuel and about 2,700 gallons of oil per year.
The city issued a request for proposals to renew the contract for the supply of bulk fuels and oils for city operations. Scheid said two proposals were received but only one proposal was complete. The complete bid received was from Parish Oil, which is the vendor that the city is currently using.
CERISE PARK STORAGE BUILDING EXPENSE AUTHORIZATION
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve a contract with Stryker and Company to construct a storage building in Cerise Park near the Montrose Rotary Amphitheater in the amount of $183,575.
Public Works Manager Jim Scheid said the usage of Cerise Park for events has increased significantly following the completion of the Montrose Rotary Amphitheater in 2021, which has created the need for a building to store support materials such as modular fencing panels, portable light towers, Police Department patrol equipment, and non-profit event organizers’ accessories. City staff have selected a location near the amphitheater that will be accessible for event support but also out of the way of the busy and sometimes congested support area. The location has a minimal environmental impact and doesn’t disrupt other users of the park such as the disc golf course that is nearby.
The city issued an RFP for design-build proposals for a storage building and received one proposal from Stryker and Company. The proposal was complete and offered several ideas on how to achieve the building’s purpose in the most cost-effective way. The proposed pricing is within the expected price range. The contract with Stryker would be a not-to-exceed amount of $141,565, which would include the design and construction of the building and electrical service. The owner’s expenses include materials for the access road, fiber service, cameras/network, security system, and an owner’s contingency at 7%.
This is a multi-year project due to the lead time for the building materials. If the recommendation is awarded, the materials will be ordered in August 2023, but the actual construction will occur in the spring of 2024.
FLASHING CROSSWALK SIGNAGE EXPENSE AUTHORIZATION
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve the purchase of solar-powered flashing crosswalk equipment totaling $61,100.
City Engineer Scott Murphy said the city has been working over the past several years to improve pedestrian safety and driver compliance at crosswalks throughout town. As part of this effort, the city budgeted to add solar-powered, flashing, pushbutton-activated crosswalks at the following intersections:
- Main & Junction
- East Oak Grove & Rio Grande at the recreation trail crossing
- Chipeta Road at the recreation trail crossing near the Ute Museum
- Colorado Avenue & Rio Grande (replacement)
These updated beacons are being used in lieu of the style used previously on Main Street that included flashing LEDs mounted around the perimeter of the crosswalk sign. Although more expensive, this updated style has been shown to better grab drivers’ attention and increase compliance.
The new flashing crosswalk signage will be purchased from Traffic Signal Controls, Inc. out of Longmont, Colorado. After researching available styles and reaching out to several vendors, the style provided by Traffic Signal Controls was the only one that met the city’s needs for the project.
Flashing crosswalks are also being installed as part of the 6700 Extension Project and North 6th sidewalk projects; however, these have been or will be approved under separate expense authorizations.
Project Financials - The 2023 budget included $80,000 in the Capital Improvement Fund for the purchase and installation of these signs, which leaves approximately $19,000 remaining within the budget for installation work, if needed. The city intends to perform the installation using in-house crews but may utilize on-call concrete support to construct their foundations if necessary due to limitations in crew availability.
STAFF REPORTS
Police Chief Blaine Hall said the department is seeking grant applications for local business owners looking to improve security at their businesses. More information can be found here: CityofMontrose.org/TRAP
GENERAL CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS
Mayor Barbara Bynum said most City Council members attended the National Night Out event in Centennial Plaza Tuesday evening.
Bynum also said the application period is open for the next Montrose U program. More information can be found here: CityofMontrose.org/Leadership
Bynum said she and Dave Frank attended the Montrose County Fair this past week and were proud that so many city staff and their families participated.
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All City Council meetings are recorded and made available online via the city’s website and cable channels 191 for Charter subscribers and 970 for Elevate subscribers. Replays of council meetings are also broadcast at 6 p.m. on the same channels on days that the council is not in session.
In addition, each regular meeting is archived on the City of Montrose’s YouTube channel.
Residents can watch all regular City Council meetings and work sessions on-demand through the city’s Public Meetings Portal.