Wellington Board of Trustees 3/12/24
by Nanci Wendland
For more information (including members in attendance) see the full notes document here.*
View the meeting agenda and packet.
A video recording of the meeting is available here.
From the Town of Wellington website: “The purpose of this board is to provide outstanding municipal services for the community of Wellington both today and tomorrow.”
Key Points
Community Services Center Board of Directors Chair Mark Gabbert requested a $10,000 grant to support a Wellington Community Center in partnership with Larimer County Human Services and Grace Village. The Community Center will be a non-profit group providing Human Services to Wellington residents including:
- A new home for the Wellington Food Bank.
- Meeting spaces for counseling and mental health groups.
- Coordination with local schools.
- Office space for Adoption and Foster care staff.
The plan is to break ground sometime in early 2025 after funding has been acquired. This is an estimated $2.3M project, with $700,000 already secured, and other private sources still available. Some of the Trustees questions for Board Chair Gabbert are below.
Will sex offenders be allowed in the center for counseling?
Gabbert said Larimer County recommended “no” for safety reasons.
Will there be a clothing pantry along with the food pantry?
Gabbert said there will be volunteers to help sort clothing donations, but no sales would take place there.
Trustee Tietz said this is a religious-based service. Will they serve everyone in the community without requiring a pledge to God?
Gabbert said yes, and they will not proselytize their services. If the Trustees preferred, they could earmark the monies for a specific project, such as the need for ADA accessibility in town.
Gabbert asked the board if the grant money would have a time limit for use?
All Trustees were in support of this project with no time limits for use, and in full agreement on using the funds for ADA accessibility around town. Attorney Sapienza will create a document with a specific deliverable for everyone to sign.
The Board voted 5-1 in favor of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the town of Wellington, the Town of Berthoud, and the Town of Timnath for animal control services with NOCO Humane. The board has reviewed and discussed this agreement several times this year with no resolution. The current animal control agreement with Larimer County Humane Services ends March 31, 2024.
Several residents expressed their concerns about Animal Control officers patrolling the streets of Wellington, picking up stray animals, and charging owners to retrieve their pets, or potentially euthanizing the pets. Residents believe Wellington residents watch out for other residents, giving that small town feel. A doctor from the Tabby Road Veterinary Clinic offered on-call services and temporary boarding for stray animals.
The Trustees agreed to hear other offers for 2025 including a potential service agreement with Tabby Road Veterinary Clinic. In the meantime, the town would use the new IGA, with a condition to educate residents on their animal control procedures and offering clinics for residents to get as many animals chipped and licensed as possible.
NOCO Humane CEO Calhoun reassured the Board and those present at the meeting that their animal patrol officers do everything they can to reunite pets with their owners. Calhoun reminded residents they need to keep their contacts and addresses current, even on chipped animals. One of the agency’s biggest problems is inaccurate owner information.
A resident from the Knolls neighborhood expressed concern for service dogs who get loose. She has a service dog and knows of many others around town. Calhoun reassured her that if the animal is chipped and registered, NOCO Humane will return the service dogs as quickly as possible.
The Board of Trustees agreed to have a work session with Attorney Sapienza to specifically review and revise the town’s animal control ordinance. Once the ordinance is finalized, the town will engage the public for comments and feedback, and then take a final vote on whether to continue with the IGA contract.
Ordinance No. 05-2024: An ordinance of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Wellington, Colorado awarding Comcast of Colorado IX, LLC a ten-year nonexclusive revocable franchise to construct, operate, maintain, and build a cable system with the Town of Wellington was unanimously approved. The Trustees are excited to have Comcast provide services to Wellington residents. Wellington will be signing a franchise agreement allowing Comcast to use town-owned rights-of-way and easements for laying cable equipment underground. In return, Comcast agrees to pay the town 5% of gross revenues from Wellington cable subscribers throughout the 10-year period.
With no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:26 p.m.
Next Meeting: Mar. 26, 2024 @ 6:30 p.m. online Zoom, or in-person at The Leeper Center, 3800 Wilson Avenue, Wellington, CO
Questions
- Do stray pets often roam the streets of Wellington? Can NOCO Humane guarantee they would return a pet with an IOU for any fines?
- How much money will the Comcast contract bring to Wellington’s budget? Were other internet providers considered?
*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.