Wellington Board of Trustees 5/28/24

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.” 

The Finance Director Nic Redavid reviewed the 2024 first quarter revenue budget. Director Redavid is only one month in his new position but feels confident the town’s budget is on track. He noted the main points below:

• The operating fund is currently under budget due to lack of state property tax payments. He said now that the 2021 audit has been completed, submitted, and accepted by the state, the 2021 property tax funds will be released to Wellington. Redavid said the 2022 audit is almost finished. The finance department expects to submit and receive 2022 funds from the state in fall. 
• The water, sewer, and stormwater accounts are currently under budget, but revenue typically increases over summer when water usage is up. 
• The Sales tax fund is trending upward. Sales tax collected in Wellington is appropriated to the general fund, street fund, and parks. 
• When the 2024 budget was approved in January, a request for an additional 3.75 employees over four departments was delayed until after July 1, 2024. The Finance department wanted to make sure the budget was on track to meet goals before adding additional wage expenses. 

Trustee Daily asked the Director if it would be better to start the town’s economic development plan first, before hiring additional employees. Daily thinks this could bring in more sales taxes to fill some of the revenue gap caused by delayed property tax payments from the state. Trustees Weigand and Moyer agreed. Town Manager Garcia said she has already started a management review of the open positions. If managers decide they no longer need to fill an open position, she can apply the funds to the economic development plan. 

Deputy Director of Public Works Meagan Smith presented a Wellington Water Source overview to the board.  Director Smith gave 4 recommendations:

1. Continue reliance on a 1983 water supply agreement with the North Poudre Irrigation Company (NPIC).
2. Continue to use water from the three Wilson Wells. The Wilson Wells provide up to 400-acre feet of water for irrigation of parks, ballfields, and school properties.
3. Solicit tri-district water agreements with Fort Collins/Loveland Water District, North Weld County Water District, and East Larimer County Water District. 
4. Consider purchasing into the Wellington Water Works or Terry Bison Ranch groundwater projects. 

To assist the Public Works department, earlier in the year, the board approved the cost to hire a water consultant firm to assist with a long-term water resource development plan. The board wants the consultants to commit to helping Wellington secure future water rights. After interviewing 2 organizations, the Department of Public Works chose WestWater LLC Consultants. Director Smith believes they will be able to provide regional coordination with other water districts such as the Northern Colorado Water Alliance and the Larimer County Water Master Plan.  WestWater has also committed to educating the public on water usage and conservation.   

Director Smith said WestWater plans to kick-off the project sometime in June. They plan to finish by the end of the year with recommendations to the town board. WestWater has requested that a couple of board members participate in fact-finding discussions. Several trustees expressed interest. 

Resolution No. 27-2024 was unanimously approved. “A Resolution of the Town of Wellington, Colorado Considering a Contract for Water Source Development Planning Services” for WestWater LLC consultants at a cost of $150,000. 

The Consent Agenda was unanimously approved. The five agenda items are shown below.

1. May 14, 2024, Meeting Minutes 
2. Ordinance No. 06-2024: An Ordinance of the Town of Wellington, Colorado Correcting the Enumeration of Portions of Chapter 2 of the Wellington Municipal Code concerning Campaign Finance Complaints.
3. Resolution No. 23-2024: A Resolution of the Town of Wellington, Colorado Making Appointments to the Town’s Finance Committee Advisory Board and to the Board of Adjustment.
4. Resolution No. 24-2024: A Resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Wellington Colorado Approving to Direct the Payment of Opioid Settlement Funds to Larimer County.
5. Resolution No. 25-2024: A Resolution of the Town of Wellington, Colorado Considering a Contract for Crack Seal and Chip Seal Services. 

Trustee Cannon urged the board members to take further action and vote on his request to move Wellington from a State Statutory town to Home Rule. Cannon said the board needs to move quickly to get the measure on the November 2024 ballot for a resident vote. Trustee Tietz and Trustee Moyer asked Cannon to slow down on this issue. Tietz said there is a lot of information for the board to consider and the public will also need to be educated before voting. Tietz suggested looking at the request in more detail in 2025. Trustees Weigand and Daily agreed. Cannon said he is passionate about Home Rule and its benefits for Wellington but understands it’s a lot of information and agreed to slow down making any final decisions.   

At 8:20 p.m. the regular board meeting adjourned and the board voted unanimously to go into Executive Session. All online and in-person attendees had to leave the meeting. 

Executive Session

“For the purpose of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategy for negotiations, and/or instructing negotiators pursuant to Section 24-6-402(4)(e), C.R.S. – regarding negotiations related to matters with the North Poudre Irrigation Company. As required by C.R.S. 24-6-402(2)(d.5)(II)(A) and (II)(E) the Executive Session proceedings will be electronically recorded and the record will be preserved for 90 days through August 26, 2024.”

Next Meeting: June 11, 2024, 6:30 p.m. online Zoom, or in-person at The Leeper Center, 3800 Wilson Avenue, Wellington, CO

Questions To Consider

How much education on Home Rule do Wellington voters need and is it feasible to do by election time? 

What are the county’s plans for opioid settlement funds?

*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.