Wellington Board of Trustees 10/22/24
by Nanci Wendland
Main Topics
- 2025 utility rates and fees were proposed to the board along with potential impact to residents and the town budget. The town’s water rates are the highest in the area and are likely to grow.
- The 2025 budget draft was presented to the board. Expenditure delays are discussed. The marijuana tax in Wellington was increased to 5%.
- Amendment No. 1, a replat of lots 7 & 8 at the Wellington Business Center, was unanimously approved.
- The board gave approval to the Public Works department to apply for a $1 million WaterSmart Grant from the Bureau of Reclamation to finish replacing Wellington residents’ old water meters with Smart water meters.
Deputy Director of Public Works Meagan Smith presented a recommended 5% increase in water, wastewater, and impact fees for budget year 2025. Deputy Director Smith showed the board cost comparisons to other surrounding towns such as Nunn, Severance, Eaton, Windsor and Johnstown. The comparison showed that Wellington has the highest water rates for single-family residences and non-residential customers. Irrigation users during the summer, who must use the city’s potable water source, will see the largest increase in billing.
Smith said the Public Works department continues to renegotiate the town’s water lease with North Poudre Irrigation Company (NPIC). She said if NPIC keeps the current rates, the water/wastewater budget will need a $6 million-dollar intra-fund loan from general funds to cover costs. This will result in a $600,000 repayment to the general fund per year for at least 10 years.
The details of Smith’s presentation are available in the packet.
Finance Director/Treasurer Nic Redavid reviewed the first 2025 budget draft for the public. Details are in the packet. The board had a budget workshop Oct. 11 with the Finance Committee and was aware of most of the information. Trustee Moyer said there is a spreadsheet circulating online, created by a local resident, that has incorrect information. Trustee Moyer asked the public to trust the trustees and town staff. Moyer agrees the water rates are awful, but she said updating the infrastructure is planning for the town’s future.
Trustee Cannon expressed concern that the town’s financials are getting more upside down every year. Cannon said he sees an additional $450,000+ in savings by delaying some of the capital projects planned for 2025. He said this is a good time to determine wants from needs and her proposed these options:
- Delay the new Sheriff position including an additional vehicle lease
- Delay plans to build a new Public Works Administrative Building
- Delay adding an elevator to the new Municipal building
- Delay re-striping streets in the downtown area
Trustee Daily reinforced Trustee Moyers’ concern about untrue public forum information passing around about the town’s finances. Daily asked the public to please ask the board if they have questions. Trustee Daily also said if the town doesn’t have the staff, infrastructure, and amenities to support its residents, then the town won’t grow and prosper.
Mayor Pro Tem Mason said that other than the water fund, the other funds are well above budget. He said Wellington is not a for-profit community. “These are tax dollars, and we need to spend the dollars to improve the quality for residents.” Mayor Chaussee agreed with everyone’s comments and the need to invest in the community so that others will want to invest here.
Amendment 1 to replat lots 7 and 8 at the Wellington Business Center was unanimously approved. This meeting was slated as a public hearing to get feedback from residents on a 10-acre, mixed-use commercial property west of I25. The amendment addressed cleaning up the plat lines and revised infrastructure location. There was no public comment. Phase I of this project can begin.
Ordinance No. 08-2024 to adopt the 2024 edition of the Model Traffic Code for Colorado was unanimously approved. The town has been using Colorado’s 2010 Traffic code.
Ordinance No. 09-2024 to increase Wellington’s marijuana tax was unanimously approved. The tax will increase from 3.5% to 5% and potentially be used to fund a community center. Finance Director Redavid said if a community center is not proposed and approved, the additional tax monies will go into the general fund for other uses.
Resolution No. 53-2024 was unanimously approved authorizing the Deputy Town Administrator Kelly Houghteling to apply for a $1 million WaterSmart Grant from the Bureau of Reclamation. Seventy-five percent of Wellington residents have had their old water meters replaced with Smart water meters. The new meters allow residents to track their water usage through an online app that will also notify them if a leak has been detected. This grant will provide the monies needed to finish replacing the remaining 25% older meters with new Smart water meters.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
Documenter Nanci Wendland
Next Meeting: Nov. 12, 2024, 6:30 p.m. online Zoom, or in-person at The Leeper Center, 3800 Wilson Avenue, Wellington, CO
Members Present
Trustees: Rebekka Daily, David Wiegand, Ed Cannon, Lowrey Moyer, and Shirrell Tietz. Mayor Pro Tem Brian Mason and Mayor Calar Chaussee.
Others Present to Note: Town Attorney Dan Sapienza; Planning Director Cody Bird; Finance Director/Treasurer Nic Redavid; Deputy Director of Public Works Meagan Smith; Deputy Town Administrator Kelly Houghteling.
Documents
From the Wellington Board of Trustees website: “The Mayor and Trustees are elected at large for terms of 4 years; the Town opted out of term limits. The mayor presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and has the same voting powers as any member of said board. The public is always welcome to attend these meetings.”
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