Erie Town Council Special Meeting – September 16, 2025

The Erie Town Council held a special meeting at 6:00 PM on September 16, 2025, in Council Chambers. The agenda included a legislative advocacy presentation, a process to realign board/commission terms to odd-numbered years, a resolution retroactively appointing a planning commissioner, discussion of planning commission roles, review of the 2026 draft preliminary work plan, and a response to a letter from Lafayette regarding land near 119th and Baseline. Public comment was provided.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Skyler Wetzel (Erie resident) delivered critical remarks, accusing the council majority of predetermined decisions on flag policy, viewing the Erie Facebook page as a biased barometer, and expressing offense at the council's reaction to the killing of Charlie Kirk and the flag being at half-mast for him. He also observed a moment of silence for Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick and Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, whom he attributed to MAGA radicals. His position was strongly opposed to the current council majority's actions and political leanings.

Discussion Items

• Legislative Session & Advocacy 101 (25-503): Representatives Elizabeth Haskell and Bev Stables from the Colorado Municipal League (CML) presented an overview of the legislative process, committee structures, and advocacy best practices. They emphasized building relationships with legislators year-round, using CML resources, and developing a legislative agenda. Deputy Town Manager Patrick Hammer introduced an online tool for council members to submit edits to the draft legislative agenda by October 17, 2025. Council members asked questions about bill assignment, amendment tracking, and potential legislation such as mobile voting.
• Process to Realign Board/Commission Terms to Odd-Numbered Years (25-500): Director of Administrative Services Meredyth Muth explained the proposal to shift all board and commission appointments from even-numbered years to odd-numbered years to align with the new November election cycle (changed under the home-rule charter). Options included shortening or extending existing terms. After debate, a motion was made to shorten planning commission terms expiring in 2028 to 2027, and those expiring in 2026 to remain until April 2026, then be reappointed for three-year terms ending in 2029. The motion carried on a vote of 4 in favor and 2 opposed. Council will consider the ordinance and detailed term adjustments at a future meeting.
• Resolution 25-152 – Retroactive Appointment of Bob Braudes to Planning Commission: Meredyth Muth presented a resolution to retroactively appoint Bob Braudes to a four-year term on the Planning Commission and ratify his actions to date, due to a clerical error in previous term extensions. Councilmember Hoback offered a friendly amendment to change the end date to 2027 to align with the earlier realignment decision. The amendment was accepted, and the resolution passed unanimously.
• Discussion of Planning Commission Roles and Responsibilities (25-507): The council discussed whether to delegate more decision-making authority to the Planning Commission, such as approving smaller site plans or special review uses, to reduce council workload. Planning Commission Chair Ben Hempel indicated the commission is willing to take on additional responsibilities. No decisions were made; council agreed to add the topic to a future joint meeting with the Planning Commission for further discussion.
• 2026 DRAFT Preliminary Work Plan (25-513): Town Manager Malcolm Fleming presented a ranked list of 51 potential projects from the council retreat, color-coded by priority and estimated council time required. He noted that tackling all items would require nine additional regular meetings. Council members provided feedback, emphasizing the importance of affordable housing (especially in light of Proposition 123 and the Page property), and clarified that low scores did not mean opposition but reflected projects already in progress or requiring less council attention. Staff will use the rankings to shape the recommended budget for 2026.
• City of Lafayette Request Regarding Statements about Land (25-510): The council considered a letter from Lafayette City Council clarifying that Lafayette is not currently taking the lead on acquiring open space adjacent to 119th and Baseline due to an ongoing annexation process. Mayor Pro Tem Lukens, who made the initial statement, supported sending a formal council letter acknowledging the situation and indicating Erie's willingness to partner if opportunities arise. All council members agreed to send the letter on behalf of the entire Town Council.

Key Outcomes

• The council voted 4-2 to realign board/commission terms to odd-numbered years and directed staff to prepare an ordinance with term adjustments.
• Resolution 25-152 retroactively appointing Bob Braudes to the Planning Commission until 2027 passed unanimously.
• The council agreed to add a discussion on Planning Commission roles to a future joint meeting.
• Staff will incorporate the 2026 work plan priorities into the budget recommendation.
• The council unanimously approved sending a response letter to Lafayette regarding the 119th and Baseline property.