Johnstown Town Council 8/19/24

by Nanci Wendland

Two special presentations cannot be reported on due to there being no online audio for the first 25 minutes of the meeting.

All items on the Consent Agenda were unanimously approved: 

  1. Aug. 5, 2024, Meeting Minutes
  2. Ordinance No. 2024-257 Amending Section 2-24 and Section 1-83 of the Johnstown Municipal Code concerning compensation for the Mayor, Council members, and members of the Planning and Zoning Commission on second reading. 
  3. Resolution No. 2024-37: A resolution of the town of Johnstown, Colorado, supporting the application for an Energy/Mineral Impact Assistance Fund Grant from the State of Colorado Department of Local Affairs. 
  4. Intergovernmental Agreement reached between the Town of Johnstown and Weld County Reorganized School District RE-5J concerning cost sharing for Pioneer Ridge Elementary School playground equipment. The support from Johnstown is up to $100,000 on a 1:1 ratio with District funds.  
  5. July 2024 Financial Statements and Q2 Sales Tax Summaries.  

Details are provided in the packet. 

The Town Manager proposed the council approve a contract for Wenk Associates, Inc. for the master plan design of the Letford and Centennial Park Master Plan project. The cost of the contract will be up to $172,500. The final presentation of the plan to the council will be before the end of January 2025.

The council unanimously approved the contract. 

The Town Manager proposed a design services contract be awarded to Alfred Benesch & Co. for design services of a roundabout at the intersection of Roosevelt Pkwy and Colorado Blvd. The cost of the contract will be $434,532. The design is expected to be completed within 6 months. Construction is targeted to begin during summer break of 2025. 

The council unanimously approved the contract. 

Intergovernmental Agreement regarding the use of Special Improvement Districts between the town of Johnstown and the Ridge at Johnstown Metropolitan Districts No. 1-8. This agreement allows a special assessment to be charged and paid for prior to the town issuing a certificate of occupancy for each single-family residence. The special district will purchase bonds up to $72.5M at 4% maximum interest. An attorney with White, Bear, & Ankele explained how this is considered interim bridge financing and is becoming more common in Colorado. He said these bonds are used in place of a construction loan. An insurance risk advisor said this gives developers access to capital at lower interest rates. Details are in the packet.

The council unanimously approved the agreement. 

The Granary Metropolitan Districts 1-9 requested a recurring annual fee assessment of $750 from each homeowner to build a reserve fund for special projects within the community, such as a community pool. This fee assessment would be in addition to the current Metro District of 40 mills for public improvements, and an additional 10 mills for operations and maintenance of the community. The Metro District says 50 mills is not enough to cover all expenses and start a reserve fund. 

The council unanimously approved the assessment fee. 

Resolution No. 2024-30: Approving the Final Subdivision Plat and Development Plan for The Granary Filing No. 3. Planning & Development Director Gleim proposed approval for the final plat and development plan built by Hartford Homes known as The Granary. This is Phase I of a 270-acre project that received zoning approval in 2021. Phase I is in the northeast corner of the land with planned 122 single-family homes and open space. One of the architects said construction will begin with a pool building, a park with a covered structure and open space with trails that will connect to other town trails. Hartford also has a water and sewer service agreement and an improvements agreement. 

The council unanimously approved Resolution No. 2024-30, the water and sewer agreement with Hartford, and a subdivision development and improvement agreement with Hartford. 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. The town council went into Executive Session.

Executive Session

  1. An Executive Session to discuss matters subject to negotiations and to instruct negotiators pursuant to C.R.S. Section 24-6-402(4)(e) – regarding Project Net, an economic development project.
  2. An Executive Session to discuss the purchase of real property pursuant to C.R.S. Section 24-6-402(4)(a) – Sandra Drive. 

New Business from Executive Session

  1. Resolution No. 2024-38 – Purchase and sale agreement for 1108 Sandra Drive
  2. Resolution No. 2024-39 – Purchase and sale agreement for 1110 Sandra Drive
  3. Resolution No. 2024-40 – Purchase and sale agreement for 1112 Sandra Drive
  4. Resolution No. 2024-41 – Purchase and sale agreement for 1114 Sandra Drive

Next Meeting  

Sept. 4, 2024 @ 7:00 p.m. 450 S. Parish Ave., Johnstown, CO 80534, or online Town of Johnstown Facebook page.

Date & Meeting Time 

Aug. 19, 2024, 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Members Present 

Mayor Michael Duncan; Mayor Pro Tem Chad Young; Council Members: Dianne Morris, Jesse Molinar, Jr, Dee Anne Menzies, and Andrew Paranto. Council member Damen Berg was absent. 

Others Present

Chief of Police Jeff Strossner; Town Manager Matt LeCerf; Deputy Town Manager Mitzi McCoy; Town Clerk Hannah Hill; Town Attorney Avi Rocklin; Planning & Development Director Jeremy Gleim. 

Meeting agenda and packet.

Recorded Meeting: Available on Facebook – Town of Johnstown, CO – Government page

*Citizen Observers further the commitment of the League of Women Voters to its principle of Citizens Right to Know, however, we are not acting as journalists. Omissions and errors are possible. It is assumed that users of this information are responsible for their own fact-checking. This could include contacting a government clerk, conversing with an elected official or staff, and/or asking us to speak to the Observer who attended. 

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