Wellington Board of Trustees 4/23/24

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.” 

Wellington is a member of the Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency (CIRSA). CIRSA General Counsel Sam Light provided an overview of best practices for public officials (packet pg. 4 of 165). Town Administrator Garcia said a risk overview is given every 2 years after a board election. 

General Counsel Light covered the following topics:

1. The role of public officials.
   1. Commit to your role with transparency, fairness, and respect.
2. Transparency Rules
   1. Honor the Open Meetings Law
   2. Be cognizant of risks and impacts when using social media, texts, and emails.
   3. No social media should be used to do your job as a Trustee.
3. Organizational Structure and liabilities
   1. Everyone should know and respect their job description.
   2. Respect and support the town structure. “Your role is a group role: if you are thinking of acting individually, ask whether you have authority to act (and if you don’t, don’t do it).” (page 14 of the packet)
4. Ethics
   1. Disclose conflicts of interests
   2. Don’t disclose town confidential information.
5. Due process requirements.
   1. “Sometimes you make decisions affecting an applicant’s property rights. For these quasi-judicial matters, make sure you provide due-process and are familiar with “rules of engagement.” (page 17 of the packet)

General Counsel Light ended his presentation saying, “It’s okay to disagree, but don’t be disagreeable.” Negative attacks should be shut down and the board should use their Board of Trustees Handbook for guidance when needed. 

Deputy Town Administrator Houghteling updated the board on the upcoming downtown Main Street Revitalization project. The project has $4.4M in grants to use for street pavement improvements, drainage, and pedestrian and ADA compliance along Main Street. The May 21 board meeting will be used as a community open house introducing the project and design plans. The open house will also show the public when and where there will be closures around the downtown area. Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2024.

Deputy Town Administrator Houghteling was awarded the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget award for her work on the 2024 Wellington budget. Trustee Connor said this is a “Gold Standard” award that not all communities receive from GFOA. The budget work done by Houghteling shows “We care enough to want the very best for our community,” he said.  Town Administrator Garcia added, “This is a huge achievement for Wellington”. 

Newly elected Trustee Cannon said he ran for the position as board trustee to help bring more business and additional revenue to Wellington. As part of his plan, Cannon wants to change Wellington from a Statutory town to a Home-Rule town. Cannon said this would require Wellington to set up a Charter Commission and create an ordinance to put on the ballot for voter approval. Cannon said he will bring someone in to talk to the board about what the change would mean, how it would benefit Wellington, and any costs for the town.   

The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m. 

Next Meeting: May 14, 2024, 6:30 p.m. online Zoom, or in-person at The Leeper Center, 3800 Wilson Avenue, Wellington, CO

Questions To Consider

How will the town educate its residents about Statutory vs. Home-Rule status in time for the election?

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*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.