Recording in progress.

Liberty adjustment.

Okay, well, the town clerk please take roll.

Councilmember, sorry.

Turn that off.

Councilmember Mortalero.

Here.

Councilmember Hoback.

Here.

Councilmember Passamarelli.

Present.

Mayor Pro Tembell.

Here.

Councilmember Bayer.

Present.

Councilmember O'Connor.

Present.

And Mayor Moore.

Here.

There you have a quorum.

All right.

Thank you.

All right.

We're going to pull one item off the consent agenda tonight.

It will come back to us on March uh 24th.

That's item 2026-175, a resolution of the town council of the town of Erie approving a fourth amendment to the agreement for services with ag finity for the purchase of fertilizer application services.

All right, with that pulled off.

Do I have a motion to approve the agenda?

So moved.

Second.

All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

All opposed, say no.

All right.

Motion carries.

We have an agenda.

Uh we have numerous items on the consent agenda tonight, so please bear with me.

The first item is 2026-163, approval of the January 6, 2026 Town Council special meeting minutes.

Item 2026-164, approval of the January 13th, 2026 regular town council meeting minutes.

Item 2026-165, approval of the February 10th, 2026 regular town council meeting minutes.

Item 2026-166, approval approval of the February 17th, 2026 town council special meeting minutes.

Now let me get back on track.

Next item is 2026 171, a resolution of the town council of town at Erie approving a fourth amendment to the assignment for agreement for services with fusion field services LLC for potable toilet rentals, portable toilet rentals, not potable distinction to make on that one.

2026 63, a resolution of the town council of the town of Erie approved an agreement with the Trojan Technologies Corporation for the purchase of upgraded ultraviolet treatment systems.

Two more 2026 ADA resolution of the town council of town of Erie approving a third amendment agreement for general services with the M concrete, LLC for concrete maintenance services.

N24-064.

And the last item is 2026 195, a resolution of the town council of town of Erie waiving the Keep Jobs Colorado requirement for Erie Lake Dam Repairs Project.

You have a motion to approve the consent agenda.

So we'll move.

Second.

We have a motion and second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed say no.

Motion carries.

All right, we'll move on to public comment and see if anybody has signed up tonight.

We do.

All right.

Um so please remember that public comment is not an interactive question and answer forum, but rather a time for you to state your comments on a particular item or issue.

Public comment provides the opportunity to discuss items that are not public hearings.

Please sign up using the kiosk in the lobby.

If you have a handout, please give it to the town clerk and they will distribute it to the council and include it into the meeting record.

When called upon, please state your full name and location for the record.

Public comment is limited to three minutes per person.

You'll be given a 20-second warning when your three minutes are almost up.

At the three minute mark, you'll be asked to wrap up your final sentence.

All opinions are welcome, but please be respectful of each speaker to ensure everyone feels welcome to share their comments.

Please refrain from any cheering, clapping, booing, or otherwise disruptive behavior.

All right, I'll look to our town clerk.

See you's first step tonight.

Shannon Milliken.

I thought I had a couple of people before me.

Welcome back.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor and Council members.

My name is Shannon.

My pronouns are she her.

And while you all know that I reside in Thornton and not in Erie for viewers and listeners tonight, my daughter attends Erie school in Erie, and I am here in the community on a daily basis, supporting children, families, and the broader community.

So it would be a fair assessment to say that I am very invested in this community and its residents.

I'm here for the third time wanting to speak to you about the fear that residents of color in your town have expressed regarding ICE activity.

Fear that has been brought to you directly and repeatedly.

Your own town charter states that you pledge to uphold democracy, equity, and justice, and to foster a community that is inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all.

It is a standard of conduct for this governing body.

And right now, by refusing to acknowledge the fear expressed by residents of color, this council is not in alignment with the charter's commitments.

Research on belonging and mental health is unmistakable.

Studies show that belonging is one of the strongest predictors of positive mental health outcomes in children and adolescents.

When belonging decreases, when kids feel unsafe, unseen, or unprotected, risk behaviors increase, increase, including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and self-harm.

When leaders fail to acknowledge their fear, it tells them that they are on their own.

This cannot be what you want for children.

I think it's safe to say it's not what you would want for your own children.

So why are you denying the same safety to others?

Is it simply because these children don't look like yours?

Because that is what your silence communicates, whether you intend it to or not.

When you accepted these seats, you accepted responsibility for all children in this town.

Right now, by refusing to acknowledge this fear, you are failing them.

You are contributing to the systemic oppression that keeps them from being seen.

You are contributing to the conditions that undermine their mental health.

You're contributing to the environment that tells them they do not belong.

And you are contributing to the patterns that increase their risk behaviors and decrease their sense of safety.

You have already shown that you understand the importance of this kind of communication.

You've acknowledged that recreational facilities, police, and public works are struggling to keep pace and growth.

And in your February 28th post to the community, you modeled exactly the kind of communication families are asking for now.

You spoke directly to residents about these concerns, reassured them that you hear them and affirm their concerns matter and committed to addressing them.

What these families are asking for is no different.

And it's the same clarity, the same acknowledgement, same willingness to speak to the community, simply extended to the families who are experiencing fear because of ICE activity.

So I ask you if water, recreation, and infrastructure shape daily quality of life, then what about the most fundamental quality of life?

Being able to walk the streets of your own community without fear.

What about the daily experience of families who do not feel safe, who do not feel seen, and who have not heard from their local government that they belong here?

Because acknowledgement cannot happen in this room tonight.

The responsibility naturally shifts to the days ahead.

And in that time, I'm asking this council to consider developing a proclamation, a public statement that reflects the commitment you choose to make after tonight.

A proclamation that acknowledges the fear residents have brought to you, reflects the promises in your charter, and affirms that all families in Erie deserve to be seen, safe, and supported.

So tonight is not a moment for action, but it is the moment to decide whether you will act.

I'm asking you to do what the research supports, what the charter requires, and what all children deserve in the days that follow.

Acknowledge that fear has been expressed.

Say out loud that you hear it, that it matters, and that these families experiencing it matter.

Acknowledgement is not the solution, but it is the beginning.

Second belonging and safety.

And it is the minimum standard of leadership in this community that claims to be inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Tanya Sharp.

I'm going to cede my minutes to Steve Drew.

Okay.

Yes.

Hey, okay.

Welcome.

Yeah, thank you very much.

My name's Steve Drew.

I'm a homeowner in uh Colliers Hill, and I think I'm represented by Mira Pro Tem and Brennan Bell and uh Dan.

Sorry, Dan.

Uh anyway.

So I'm gonna I'm gonna go ahead and be speaking this evening a bit about the uh mineral rights um challenge we're going through opportunity.

Uh I have over 20 years executive experience in the energy space, uh, including um at least a decade uh in the oil and gas industry in Oklahoma, uh representing my company with municipalities representing the state, things along those lines.

Um I think uh I put out a handout, and I believe I emailed this as well.

Uh there were some things here that I did want to discuss and some recommendations.

Uh Mayor Pro Tem and and Councilmember, I could use your guidance on how to best handle procedures uh around things like this.

But I'm gonna let you know what I'm seeing at this point and some strong recommendations.

Um we chose to come to Erie when we moved here five years ago.

Love this town.

Uh it's great, love how well it's managed.

I love how we're growing.

Uh, we came at a time uh just after uh Erie had made national news related to fracking and and oil and gas interests.

That's just what happens when towns grow into oil and gas areas.

It just that you know you eventually settle an equilibrium.

Um we came in, I think uh the main focus of my conversation here is gonna be property values.

We came in, it is settled, and we're fine with that.

Um we have what may be coming, um may potentially be another disruption coming in related to property values, specifically homeowner values.

Um I know in the current consideration, I believe, uh a summary of that is whether Erie should be um selling or or leasing mineral rights uh related to the town, uh related to either Civitas or or another oil and gas company uh for their use in what oil and gas companies do, specifically, you know, Civitas, fracking and others do.

That's just what you do in a shale play like this.

Um I think the the key here is uh that's gonna have a negative impact on my house.

Uh it's gonna have a negative impact on anybody that lives in Erie's house, just depending on oh, proximity, uh, whether you're up against certain assets, whether you're getting fracked under, whether you own a well.

Uh state of Colorado did some studies on this.

If you own a well and they're fracking under you, 13 to 22% decrease in the value of your home.

Uh other ones you can run a variety of studies, but it's not positive.

It certainly is negative.

So when we take a look at that, this potential offer um, if accepted and run through, uh, isn't just about the Draco pad, it's about expansion of oil and gas, uh, exploration and assets into the city.

It's expansion uh within there.

There's a reason Civitas sent out an offers because they see it.

It's like this is looking, this looks good to us.

This will help shareholder value.

Um I think the key in all this, though, is we haven't seen or talked as a community much about uh the full fiduciary duty aspect of this, which is not just the revenue side, uh, but the financial impact to us as homeowners uh across the board.

Property values.

You know, here we go again, another 2019 or wherever that last storm came in.

And I think that should be something that I put in my recommendations here.

It's probably good discussion about that.

You know, open it up.

There's gonna be some emotional discussions.

But I just want to make sure you know that if there's a student, this decision happens, we're gonna take a hit and we're gonna give on that side of the fiduciary duty side of things from homeowner property value.

We may get some money in, uh, less what we're paying the consultant.

Uh and save it to us or whoever wins the bid and they're gonna make it.

They're gonna do great.

Um there's a reason they're bidding, they're leaning in on this one.

So I put in four requests.

Uh, one of those is I think the theme across one is oh my god, slow let's slow our roll a little bit here.

The only person who benefits from the speed that we're moving is a civitas or somebody else.

Uh that's it.

They've got things going on where they see the value, they're putting it out there.

I think we should slow our roll and run a series of take a look, take a look at what the impact is.

Get the voices heard out there and do things along those times.

Um what I recommend is probably public meeting.

You know, let's hear it all out there, take the pounding that people are gonna bring in.

But I think you're gonna hear some voices there that probably represent the constituents.

Um, whether it's it's the emotions, whether it's the environmental aspects.

I'm just bringing the financial impacts in.

I think the other recommendations are um I think recognize and look at the the financial impact to the town of what would happen uh from the expansion.

Um this is an expansion, it's not just Draco Pad, it's it's an expansion into our area of additional things.

Uh, that includes um money, rights, things along those times.

Um I listened to the video with with council member Baer talking about uh things I didn't know as much about pooling.

We give up all those rights.

Should be some value that we give up on that end of the fiduciary duty part of it too.

Um the last one's kind of an optics issue.

Um we hired the former COO of Civitas to represent Erie's rights in a discussion in negotiations with Civitas.

The guy hasn't been out of his job year and a half.

Um so the optics of that alone are probably an issue.

He probably has some financials invested in this that we might want to take a look at.

Maybe you all did embedded it.

But I think the biggest theme on this one is the transparency aspect.

I don't know.

It's not publicly available, it wasn't provided, it wasn't part of the whole discussion.

And as a homeowner and somebody that knows how these deals work, there's some other things I wanted to point out about that deal that left things pretty wide open and exposure financially for us.

It is a four and a half million dollar deal, the way the gentleman wrote it.

It's he's got everything loaded up on that deal so that it does flow, the money flows to him within this one.

So I'm gonna go ahead and wrap it up because I think I only have a couple minutes or things along those.

20 seconds.

Okay, sorry.

But please, if you have guidance or questions, please let me know because I don't know these processes that well.

Thank you very much.

I do appreciate what you do.

Yeah, thank you.

Uh Chris Becker.

I'm Chris Becker, and I'm gonna actually yield my minutes to my wife Amy Becker.

Okay, okay, thank you.

Hello.

Uh my name is Amy Becker.

I live in Erie Commons.

This is actually my first town town council meeting.

And so I'm gonna try to not come in combative, but I'm also not here to mince words.

I have some significant concerns about how the town council is being run, and I've been meaning to get over here actually for seven or for several months.

And I'm specifically concerned that we have a four-member voting group that is running this town council in a very partisan manner when it is supposed to be a non-partisan town council.

And I feel like the seven members that are on this town council should all be able to contribute their knowledge, their expertise, their thoughts, and their opinions, and they should all be equally valued and respected and heard and listened to.

Because those opinions and that knowledge represents us as constituents.

And if I am not mistaken, one, if not two, members of the minority voting group actually received the largest number of votes uh in our last election, which to me would indicate that they represent a large number of us as constituents.

So my particular district representative is in that minority voting group.

And so then I therefore have concerns that my voice, my values, the things that I'm concerned about are not being equally valued by this town council collectively.

And so I would hope that we would be able to have our voice heard equally among the town council members.

And so there are things that have happened in this town council.

Again, I've been meaning to get over here for quite some time.

And things like the decision to no longer recognize uh Pride Month and put up the pride flags was very upsetting to me when I read it that that was a decision that was made.

Recently, the decision to fire the town manager was obviously very concerning.

I am concerned that the survey that we filled out as constituents and residents is not being looked at in the same uh priority that uh the residents express that our vision was for the town, that that maybe more uh the town council's vision for how we should uh look at things in uh priority as being looked at more.

And then most recently, the decision to potentially sell Erie's minerals has been a concern of mine.

So why I'm here tonight is to basically uh say to the town council that I want to publicly uh declare my commitment to pay more attention and to be more engaged and to follow along very, very closely of what is going on in my town and uh take those uh thoughts and decisions back to my neighbors and fellow constituents and get their engagement so that we can make sure that the vision for this town is what we actually intend it for it, and um so I wanted to publicly declare that commitment.

And so going back to the minerals, I'm very concerned that decisions regarding the selling of Erie's minerals have been made in executive sessions and not in public sessions, and that's a problem.

And so I would ask that before um to echo the previous speaker's sentiments that I would ask that we have meetings where we are all able to express um our concerns because we have worked really hard in Erie to kind of rein in oil and gas and make this a safe place to live.

And I don't want there to be a large pendulum switch in the other direction, and especially for that to happen behind closed doors.

I want that to be out in the open, and I really also don't understand why there is so much urgency to accept this bid or to look at accepting a bid and making this decision so quickly.

So I would ask that we also slow our roll.

I agree with that.

We need to look at this closely and really um make thoughtful decisions that actually are reflective of what we would like to see done in Erie.

So thank you for my time.

Um probably see you again soon.

All right, thank you.

Casey Hendrick.

Good evening.

Uh good evening, Council uh Casey Hedrick.

I live in Country Meadows in Erie.

Um, and I'm I'm here tonight to talk to you also about mineral rights.

I know that in December you all voted to have a contract in which those mineral rights were appraised.

I'm curious about the process.

Where is that at?

Um, how will the council make a decision once you have that information in front of you?

Could that be a public hearing?

Um, you know, is the decision to sell the mineral rights?

And if so, what's the gain to the town?

The primary reason I'm bringing that up is because myself as well as other neighbors have massive concerns about Draco.

Um, frankly, it's one of the things that scare a lot, well, it scares I think a lot of Erie residents, but um, in with a few conversations that I've had with my family and others that live around us, you know, there's conversations about leaving Erie because we don't want to be part of this uh, you know, potential health or environmental risk.

And so to that end, I have curiosities around would mineral rights want that process, would it stop it?

Would it delay it if Erie could retain their mineral rights and it could be something in which um it prevented Draco from happening or happening to the degree that we understand it to uh happen?

Anyways, all of these are just questions on this process.

And if there is a way uh that this could impact Draco or prevent it altogether from happening under the homes that we live in, um it would be wonderful to know.

It would be wonderful to hear from the council on that process, and certainly um would love to see this council move forward to uh do everything they can to stop that project.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I just will say about anything with the mineral rights, if there is a um a desire to move forward with anything on that, there will be a public hearing before any decision is made.

That's the last one.

All right, is there anybody else in the audience that would like to address us?

And just double checking online.

We're okay.

We're good.

All right, sounds good.

Then we will move on to general business uh tonight.

And the first item, I'm gonna turn it over to Councilmember Bear.

Oh, yes.

Well, let me read it.

It is item 2026 194, a proclamation proclaiming March 2026 as the 24th annual March for Meals month, uh, sponsored by Councilmember Baer.

Thank you.

Um, it's my privilege to read this proclamation this evening.

Um, I did get to partner with Col Creek Meals on Wheels um last year for the donation and food drive that was wildly successful because of our community um showing up and and contributing both both monetarily and to um the food banks in our area, and um Cole Creek Meals on Wheels was one of the groups that we highlighted and um was a beneficiary.

Um I think there was going to be someone here to represent Col Creek Meals on Wheels.

Awesome.

Did you want to say anything before I read the proclamation?

Sure, come on up.

Okay, wonderful.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Thank you all this evening for listening to me.

My name is Emily Farrell, Councilmember Great Maine as well.

I'm a resident of ERA Live in Country Fields, I'm a local business owner.

I'm also a board member of Col Creek Meals on Wheels.

I'm asking the council to consider supporting the proclamation for March for Meals and to support Col Creek Meals on Wheels.

To give you a little background, Col Creek Meals on Wheels have been providing nutritious, ready to serve meals in our community since 1972.

Um for a little more context, in 2025 alone, Col Creek Meals on Wheels provided over 8,700 meals to residents of Erie, and that's Erie alone.

So a tremendous impact in our community.

Col Creek Meals on Wheels has a number of services, just to highlight two that I personally love.

So I think we all can kind of heard of Meals on Wheels, but Col Creek Meals on Wheels goes beyond just the home delivery.

So some things they do is what's called project homecoming.

So when a resident in Erie, for example, goes into the hospital, when they return, they can sign up for a week's worth five days of meals from Cole Creek Meals on Wheels.

So free delivery to their doorstep.

So this is for neighbors of ours who have surgeries.

Um, but also, right, I have a toddler, so thinking about it.

Neighbors of ours who go into the hospital to give birth.

When they return home with that newborn, they can get meals for free for a week, which is tremendous.

Another program that I love about Cole Creek Meals on Wheels, part of their home delivery service is that they provide that for kids as well.

There is no age requirement.

And they provide more food for the weekends, for example, when the kids are not in school and don't have access to free lunch.

They also provide more meals during the summer for those same sets of kids.

So really tremendous activities in our community.

The proclamation would be really helpful in supporting Col Creek Meals on Wheels.

There are other ways to support donations, volunteering.

One of my favorite ways, if any council members are interested in ever joining me for lunch at the Cole Creek Meals on Wheels Cafe, which is right in Lafayette.

You sit down, you get a multi-course meal served to you by volunteers.

It's lovely.

Please let me know.

So tonight I'm asking all the council members and the mayor to consider supporting the proclamation for Col Creek Meals on Wheels, March for Meals.

And thank you, Councilmember, for supporting that.

Yeah, yeah, it's my thank you all.

It's my privilege.

Um, I have had the privilege of having lunch at um Josephine Commons in the cafe, and it is delightful.

Um, there was um they were singing.

I don't forget what it was, but they were they were singing at the lunch that I got to go to.

Um, so with the with the support of the council, I'll read the proclamation proclaiming March 2026 is the 24th annual March for Meals Month.

Whereas this year, Meals on Wheels programs from across the country are joining together for the March for Meals Awareness campaign to celebrate its success and garner the support needed to ensure these critical programs can continue.

And whereas Cole Creek Meals on Wheels has served Erie Lafayette, Louisville, and Superior for over 50 years, delivering more than just a meal to older adults, individuals with disabilities, and anyone in need who is at significant risk of hunger, food insecurity, and isolation.

And whereas Col Creek Meals on Wheels works to address food insecurity and malnutrition, combat social isolation, enable independence, and improve health for years to come.

And whereas in 2025, Cole Creek Meals on Wheels served over 77,000 meals to neighbors in need.

Whereas Cole Creek Meals on Wheels provides a powerful opportunity for social connection for hundreds of seniors to help combat the negative health effects of and economic consequences of loneliness and isolation.

And whereas food insecurity is increasing substantially, and action is needed now to support local meals on wheels programs through federal, state, and local funding, volunteering donations, and raising awareness to ensure these vital services can continue to be delivered for years to come.

And whereas Cole Creek Meals on Wheels continue to serve anyone in need of nutritious meal, regardless of their age, income, socioeconomic status, and other factors.

Now, therefore, the town council does hereby proclaim March 2026 as a month celebrating Col Creek Meals on Wheels and urges every community member to take this month to honor the programs, the individuals they serve, and the volunteers who care for them.

Our recognition of an involvement in the National March for Meals celebration can enrich our entire community and help combat hunger and isolation.

Thank you.

All right.

Thank you for coming out tonight, too.

Thank you.

All right, we'll move on to our next item, which is item 2026 113 Women's History Month proclamation sponsored by Council Member Bear.

Thank you so much.

And Council Member O'Connor.

Thank you so much.

Did you have something to add before I have no?

Yeah, okay.

Well, um, Councilmember O'Connor and I um are happy to sponsor this proclamation at this intersection of history.

I think it's important that we take a moment to acknowledge the contributions of women in society.

Um women contribute an uneven amount of invisible work while pursuing careers and leadership roles, supporting their families and communities.

Um at a time when our rights change at state lines, it's important that women feel empowered and supported to take up space at decision making tables, including this one.

And so I just want to rally support for our community for women in our community.

Want to acknowledge our Erie Economic Development Council, now called We Love Erie, um, just ran by a bunch of wonderful women business leaders, all the women-owned businesses in our community, um, many departments here at Town Hall that are have women in leadership.

And um, just with gratitude, I just want to read this proclamation.

Whereas Women's History Month is observed annually in March to recognize and celebrate the vital role women have played in shaping the history, culture, economy, and progress of our nature nation, and whereas women of diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences have made significant contributions in fields, including education, science, public service, health care, business, the arts, and civic leadership, often overcoming systemic barriers and inequities.

And whereas throughout history, women have advanced civil rights, labor protections, public health, and democratic participation, helping to expand opportunity and strengthen communities, and whereas women continue to be leaders, innovators, caregivers, advocates, and change makers whose work strengthens families, workplaces, and communities.

And whereas this year's theme, leading the change, women shaping a sustainable future, celebrates the contributions of women who are at the forefront of sustainability efforts across various movements, including environmental, economic, educational, and social justice.

And whereas recognizing women's history encourages community members to reflect on past progress, acknowledge ongoing challenges, and recommit to advancing gender equity in all areas of public and private life.

And whereas in March 1980, Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation establishing National Women's History Week.

And in 2011, President Barack Obama formally recognized March as Women's History Month, reaffirming the nation's commitment to honoring the achievements, leadership, and contributions of women throughout history and in contemporary society.

And now, therefore, the town council does hereby proclaim that women's history month be celebrated from March 1st to the 31st, 2026.

And I call upon all residents in the town of Erie to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Baer.

Okay, we will move on to our first um public hearing, first and last public hearing of the night.

It's item 2026 145, a public hearing of resolution of the town council of town at Erie providing for supplemental appropriations for the 2026 budget year.

And I'll turn it over to our director of finance, Sarah Hancock, and our budget and fiscal manager, Cassie Latin.

Hi.

Good evening, Council, Sarah Hancock, Director of Finance.

We are here this evening to roll over some supplemental appropriations from the prior year for existing projects.

This year we are doing it a little bit differently.

We are splitting it out between rollovers and supplemental appropriations that actually increase the budget due to unforeseen circumstances or additions to the project load.

So this will be a little simpler.

We'll basically go through the projects that are currently rolling over.

And then we do have directors here if you have specific questions about specific projects and rollovers, and we can go through through from there.

Sounds good.

So we will kind of we'll go through our usual docket here.

We'll review our fund balance summary, the general fund summary, and we'll talk a little bit about what the capital improvement fund looks like.

I will just caveat that we are still in the middle of year-end closing.

So a lot of the uh year-end numbers that we're using to project out are not finalized.

So don't get married to any of the 2025 ending fund balance numbers.

Um and then we'll go through some of the requests and uh we'll open it up for any questions that you may have hello, Cassie Bethune, budget and fiscal manager.

So as Sarah just mentioned, the beginning balances on the fund balance summary here.

The only one that's changed from when we presented the budget last fall is the general fund.

The rest we've left the same because we don't have the official numbers from the aquifer yet.

When we present at the next supplemental at the end of April, we should have more updated balances for you that give a better idea.

We did update the general fund though as our main operating fund based on what we could see right now.

So that one has changed and it actually increased by about 10 million.

So that's the main difference there.

That's why you're seeing the negative down there on the storm drainage too, because what we're adding technically tonight is already included being taken out.

So that's why it's almost doubling it and it makes it look kind of bad in the ending balance, but that'll get fixed next month.

So diving into the general fund here, that's what that asterisk is for, is what I was just saying, how we projected out that beginning fund balance.

Um we took the 2024 Aquifer fund balance, the net income based on everything that was currently in the system when preparing these materials, and then um took out any transfers that are end-of-year stuff, such as for um the transferring to the CIF fund.

And then that's how we calculate our beginning balance to go through and project out here, which has our spendable fund balance there, about six million above what we were projecting at last fall with budget.

So looking at the fund balance forecast here, pretty much the same.

Uh, we did not change anything as far as assumptions or even the CIF transfer between what you saw there.

So this is just staying about the same.

We just have a higher starting balance with that adjustment that we made to the general fund.

And then the capital improvement fund, the CIF fund is the same as what you saw last fall.

So we will still be seeing how the projections come in to see if that changes the 2029 outlook and if it pushes it further or what decisions we'll have to make in the upcoming budget years.

And I'll also add, um, I know that we've been looking at a lot of different scenarios and possible funding mechanisms, just to reiterate that is what um we'll be working on with the capital improvement fund.

A lot of those projects that are out there are considered unfunded at this point.

Okay, so based on this is a pretty typical trend.

Our total requests by departments are typically mostly made up of the utilities department simply because of the scale of the enterprise fund.

Um we also have some rollovers from public works, which are which are also um pretty significant in size, um, and then some remaining uh rollovers for multi-year projects and contracts.

So we'll get into those in just a moment.

But one thing we did want to highlight, um something that we've been working with departments pretty closely on, is trying to close the gap between what we roll over and what we actually need.

Um, last year we um were able to come in under what was available to roll over.

Um, this year we have widened that gap, which is good.

Um, we are seeing there's a lot more available to roll over and the departments are being very deliberate in making sure that what needs to roll over comes over, which is part of the reason why we'll probably see a little bit of a bump in fund balance.

So just a snapshot on some of the projects um that we're rolling over.

Um, the general fund, the largest one is going to be the grant-funded Erie Ride uh flex ride.

The majority of that is grant funds with our uh $60,000 match coming from us in the capital improvements fund.

Um, we have several uh projects for public works, including streetlight acquisition, um, some facilities, energy performance.

Um, we are going to be rolling over because of ongoing street maintenance, um, some final 2025 invoices that have come in in 26.

So we'll be paying those up and replacing um going to all electric HVAC over at the ECC.

Um, I'm not intentionally skipping over the land acquisition.

I'm just gonna pop back up to that one.

I know there have been some questions on that.

Um, my understanding at this point from the planning department is this is to roll over so that it is available if something were to arise.

But again, I'll let Director Dramella speak to that whenever we're complete with the presentation.

And then getting into water, these are all the same projects that we saw in the budget last year.

Bless you.

Including all of our zone two tanks and transmission mains, our zone three water tank, our Erie Lake repairs.

And we are rolling over some funds from the water treatment facility for rescoping.

So as you all know, we have paused that project, and now we're trying to examine ways to reduce overall cost and think about other expansion options for the water treatment.

Other major rollovers, we do have the Schofield Farm Project, which is a multi-um fund project.

So rolling over the corresponding funds for that project.

And then finally, some for our storm drainage impact and operating funds for the Cole Creek Reach 2 and 4 project, as well as some of our Northwater Reclamation Facility Improvement Proposals, and this is in the wastewater fund.

And then finally, two transportation impact fund projects, both the roundabouts for both North and South Town Center.

So with that, we will be happy to answer any questions we can and then have the directors come up and answer any questions that they have or they think about it.

Sounds good.

Sure.

I've got a couple I'm going to start with, and then I'll turn it over to council.

I think slide six, um, if we could put that back up.

It's probably the most concerning long term.

Um our capital improvement uh is showing that we don't have the funds to do all the things we'll need to do five years down the road.

And these these include things like expansion of the recenter or um a second recenter or the Leon A World Public Service Center.

So Azeri has grown, right?

There's more needs from the services that Erie provides, and somehow we're gonna have to wrestle with this and figure out where the money comes from.

Um and just to put that into context a little bit, um, we are gonna be resurveying to just test the appetite for the folks in Erie to see if they're even open to potentially a sales tax increase to help us with the rec center uh facilities.

And that'll tell us a lot, which could help us in this scenario, or I may come back and say no, and then we'll have to you know figure it out from from there.

Um then my only other item was on uh the one that you had brought up, the 1.3 1.4 million um for affordable housing.

I'm fine with it rolling over.

I think the big question there though is we don't actually have a project um tagged for that, and we have the survey results that came back that said we don't want Erie taxpayer money to be used for that.

We're okay with federal and state money.

Um so I'll be working with Meredith to get a study session so that we can have a public discussion just on where that goes.

Um, but no problem with rolling it over and just doing what uh you've suggested from my perspective.

Okay, um, I'll bring it back to council and whoever would like to go first, I'll just uh loop around from whoever that person is.

Okay, councilmember bear, and then we'll just go all the way around this way.

I think a quick question about um why do we double reflect the water fund when we pull that?

Um and then it you were saying that it it'll look different, it'll look better in April then.

Can you explain that?

Yeah, sorry, I was kind of going through that quickly.

So the idea is that right now the beginning balance that's showing on that chart.

Do you want to scroll back up to that?

Uh is the same as if we had spent all of the funds that we had budgeted in 2025.

So the amount that we're rolling over tonight is technically already taken out of that beginning balance since we don't have the official amounts from the aquifer, and that's where the double accounting is coming from.

Once we have more official amounts, we'll be able to update that beginning balance, which will no longer have the amount that's being rolled over tonight, taken out of it already.

And that should make things look much better.

Okay.

Okay.

So the water fund is in good.

Yeah.

It's in a good spot.

Yes.

Exactly.

And I'll add that you know, we normally do this in April, so we do have those numbers because we're doing this early to kind of do this in pieces and make it a little easier on everyone.

It's kind of a consequence of that timing.

Okay.

Um, and then I guess to address the affordable housing rollover.

That I mean, even if we have grant funding moving forward, we have to also have um you know matching funds for that.

And we ran into an issue with that with the ERE B.

So I mean, I think that's where it's important to keep the um that fund balance healthy, um, even though we don't have something that's right in front of us, but we'll be able to take advantage of anything that pops up.

Um, and to the survey, um, it was a top four priority for the community to address housing affordability, which also reflects the statistically relevant survey over a decade.

Um so we want to make sure that we're in a good spot.

I I think it's important that we are continuing to fund affordable housing.

Um, and so I would just say that to Meredith as well.

So that's all.

Thank you.

All right.

Uh Councilmember Mortalero.

All right.

Well, thanks for putting this all together for us.

Appreciate that.

Um, so basically all these funds are are rolled over money that wasn't spent in 2025, rolling over to 2026 on the same project and and and uh and cat and you know uh categories and whatnot.

Okay.

Um, you didn't have any changes in revenue.

Is that is it kind of too early to look at 2026 revenues and see anything changing?

Yes, exactly.

Um, in particular, uh the state actually extended out the sales tax remittance date um by about a month, I believe.

Um so there's still some shoring up going on at the state level.

Um so yes, we have you know rough 2025 uh ending numbers, but for 2026, uh we have haven't even begun collecting yet.

Uh technically, we're collecting as people pay for things, but we haven't seen remittance yet from the state.

Um with the limited time that you've had, are you seeing any concerns from a revenue standpoint?

I wouldn't say so.

Um we've seen pretty steady um spending from most of our remitters.

Um thank you.

Okay, Councilmember Hoback.

Uh thank you for keeping it so simple, especially this early in the year.

No questions.

Thanks.

All right.

Councilmember Petersonelli.

Same thing.

Everything is so simple.

Thank you.

Councilmember O'Connor, thank you.

Um, I just have one question.

I'm not sure, maybe.

Well, I'll just ask the question.

On slide nine on the capital improvements fund, the 1.5 for the street light acquisition and LED conversion.

We've purchased the Excel ones, but we haven't purchased the United yet.

I would have to defer to David, and I'm not sure if he's here at the moment.

Um, but yes, my understanding is with that project is that we have done one portion of it and not the second portion.

So it's about halfway complete.

Um, so I can verify with him the exact uh pieces of this project that are not complete and get that over to you.

But yes, I know that the full project was over three million, and we are about halfway through.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

Yes, sorry, that was a non-answer.

No, no, I mean that kind of reaffirmed what I was thinking that we just we don't have.

We're just not there.

Yeah, but I can have a lot of things.

Okay.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Okay, Mayor Pro Tim.

Uh thank you.

Just uh one thing.

Uh again, thanks.

Excellent job putting this together, making it uh easy for us to do to adjust here.

Um slide five.

I I assume you're going from the uh the debt, the 1.5 to the 4.6, those are probably from the COPs.

Yes.

Um, and that's actually a great uh moment to let you know that the COP payment will only be about $74,000 more than we have budgeted here.

Um so we locked in a very good interest rate.

I'll have lots more information on that when we close uh later this week.

Um, but yes, that is essentially uh some of the debt dropping off from the um payment of the ECC and then the payment with uh interest and principal for the police building and then the COP payments um for the now expansion of the PD building.

Excellent.

Thanks.

Um I I guess just to um a question, but just to reflect what was talking about before with the uh the affordable housing money.

I I I think it's fine to uh keep it where it's at.

Uh I don't think just from um what I heard at CML and just some of the things I've heard at the state, there's um there's really not gonna be a lot of matching grant funds this next year, unfortunately.

The state is well the I'm glad we look at this budget, not the state's budget.

Um but yeah, I've I don't have any problem um pulling a words out of maybe have discussion at some other point, figure out there's another use for that.

So all right.

I don't think we have any uh tough questions for you here tonight, which shows your good work and uh the details.

Plus, I think we've been through this a couple times now, and um at least for me, I know it was tough when I first saw this a year ago, and you've made it so that it's understandable when people do ask, I can explain it.

All right, with that, I will see if there is a motion to approve resolution.

Ah, you know what?

This was a public hearing.

Yes, I'm surprised I didn't get called out somewhere on this journey.

So I'm stopping what we've done.

I'm opening the public hearing.

I'm gonna see if anybody from the audience would like to address us tonight about this topic.

Seeing there is none, I'm closing the public hearing.

I'm gonna see if there's any other comments from council just to be doubly sure.

All right, seeing there's none, and now I'm looking at our attorney just to make sure that I've done what I can do to correct that error.

You offered an opportunity for comment.

It's okay to proceed.

Okay, thank you.

All right, with that, I'll see if there's a motion to approve resolution 26049.

So moved.

Second.

Okay, we have a motion to approve, and I heard council member Barris is second.

All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

All opposed, say no.

All right, motion carries.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, uh the next item um tonight is uh to basically narrow uh the number of people who have applied uh to be part of the planning commission.

So we had 11 applicants, um, of which we had a lot of material in our packet.

And so uh what I'd like to do is just give each of us um a chance to talk about um anybody that you would like to talk about or not.

And then once we're done with that, um the town clerk has provided us with tally sheets.

Um and the idea here is for us to just mark our top five, and then our um our clerk will just add up uh the votes.

There's no ranking per se, it's just your top five.

All right, I'll see if anybody would like to start the discussion.

All right, Mayor Partem, we'll go the opposite direction this time.

Um I uh just real brief.

I just want to thank everybody that that applied.

Um there were some excellent resumes and and answers to this.

Um I'm I always worried if uh you know when we have even an opening for for one seat uh you know if we're if we're gonna have enough interest, and I know some of our other advisory boards um have struggled with that at times and trying to keep a a full um a a full slate, but uh uh thankfully having the number of people uh apply was I was pleasantly surprised.

Um just again want to thank everyone.

Uh the tough thing now is we do have to narrow this down to five.

Um I I do just want to acknowledge that uh yeah, we did get a request from the planning commission for there's two people that are wanting to to um uh reapply.

I have no problem with with um including those for for interviews.

Um but I I think for fairness to all applications that the you know we are gonna select five people and um um uh so we wanna we want to hear from everybody and and so mean we're not gonna choose the two that are trying to reapply, but I I think it's important to uh give everyone a fair shot.

So just for clarification, we are gonna mark five each, and then we'll see where the natural break is.

It could be four that we interview, it could be five, it could be six.

Yep, just depending on where that kind of natural break um happens.

All right, council.

What what do we consider a natural break, natural break?

I mean, what if it's not?

Then we'll have to have a conversation for sure.

Councilmember O'Connor.

Uh thank you.

Um I uh I too was impressed with the number of applicants and the quality of the applicants that we received.

Um, and that we have this many choices to go through.

Um, I read through them all and uh put a bit of thought into who I would put forward as the uh uh my um top five choices and um same thing taking into consideration the planning commission's recommendation.

Um I think is important too to consider those who have served and the willingness of them to continue to serve in a volunteer position that probably doesn't receive a lot of thanks.

So um that's it for me on that.

And all right, sounds good.

Councilmember Pestromelli, any comments today?

No.

Councilman Hopeck.

Um echoing everyone, what's been said already.

We have so many quality candidates to choose from applicants.

Um with planning commission elsewhere, uh experience, planning careers departments um and whatnot.

Uh it's it's a tough choice.

Uh and I also uh do think that we need to give some credence to significant credence to the recommendation of uh the planning commission itself.

And getting the continuing on because of the experience, the ramping up time that it takes to learn what's going on, and just uh maintaining some continuity and history uh is important.

Um beyond that, um, I would hate to start calling out certain names because a lot of qualifications here.

I echo um the other council members.

Uh we're very fortunate to have uh 11 uh applicants, a lot of great qualifications.

Um, so we really appreciate that the community is willing to help out and support um a very important uh position and in the planning commission.

Uh we've got three seats available.

Um we've got 11 applicants.

Um so it's uh is a great problem to have.

Um so I'm looking forward to the to the interviews and getting to meet the folks.

Okay, councilmember bear.

Thanks.

Um yeah, echo the gratitude.

And um, yeah, it was surprising what a great problem to have to have to narrow it down to uh a number we can actually interview in a certain amount of time.

So um thanks to everyone.

Thank you to the planning commission for sending over your recommendation.

It was a unanimous recommendation.

I appreciate that.

That's it.

All right.

Um sounds good.

Um great comments, I agree.

Uh certainly the two that are already on the planning commission are on my list of five that are um I'm hoping we'll go forward because I want to interview them.

I want to have the conversation, which is something that um you know we haven't been able to do um with this council.

All right, well, um just mark your five and then pass them down to the town clerk and uh we'll take a five minute break and then uh we'll see where it lands.

And to council member hoback's point, if there isn't a natural break, then we'll have to work through that.

Yeah.

Just fold it and pass it down.

Yeah.

No cheating.

I can't come for five, but I marked them all.

Yeah, you can't vote for more than five.

Follow the instructions.

I presumes I was listening.

I mean I'm a role follower too.

Actually, where are you counting those?

We can move on with um council member updates.

Um, if somebody would like to go first.

We're here already.

I can go first.

All right, or I think council member hobak may have been.

No, I just said we're there already.

Yeah, okay, got it.

Go ahead, council member bear.

Um, so this week was a lot of meetings.

Um, I'll be testifying at the public utilities commission tomorrow again on the renewable energy.

It's just a public comment that's open to everyone if you would like to join, or um if you have something to say to the public utilities commission.

Uh that's tomorrow at 9 a.m.

Um Dr.

Cog this week, we got an update from the Oversight Committee that I sit on the Paco Powerhead Colorado uh grant round two is opening, and so I know that Erie, we um applied for and were granted our max allotment, which is six hundred thousand dollars for um things like uh capacity building or training um and that would be in the sustainability department.

This round two is to try to help some smaller communities who weren't able to maybe take advantage the first time, and so um it's kind of more innovative projects.

Um, and so it's I I think Erie would be able to apply it again if if there are ideas um and things that we wanted to maybe collaborate with other communities on.

Um, and so that's exciting.

I had my first stack meeting, which is the state transportation advisory committee.

Um, and that was really interesting because that one is a statewide um coalition, and I'm representing Dr.

Cog in those meetings.

Um we looked at CDOT's fiscal year 2627 budget um as they're finishing up their 10-year plan process.

Um we looked at future funding for the busting, which is coming soon to our Colorado 7 interim mobility hub.

We're super excited.

Um, and so watch for that later this year.

Um, that line from kind of Fort Collins into Denver is the most successful line in the busting service, and so they're looking at possibly funding the entire service through that line.

And so that's a little concerning.

I feel like that's not a sustainable um plan.

So there was a predication uh included in a 10-year or in the budget where um they would use the that they would fund the busting first from CTIO from managed lane revenues, and so we've been advocating for them to find a different way to um fund that so that we can use revenues on I-25 for improvements on I-25 and have the busting.

So um it's a both and situation.

Um we had the Boulder Dr.

Cog tip forum yesterday, Southwest Dr.

Cog tip forum is later this week.

Um, we got an update on the boulder transit vision plan called linking Boulder County.

Really exciting.

Um, John Frusey was in that one, and he um highlights ways for us to really bring transit through populated areas, like instead of uh plane to the or I'm sorry, I always say this wrong.

A bus to the plane going up I highway 52.

If it came up Erie Parkway and connected to um I-25 there, we would be able to have a stop at the Aerie Beck Center without increasing any kind of costs for RTD or anything like that.

So, anyway, um lots of innovative ideas in those meetings.

Um and then I just want to echo some of the comments that we heard tonight.

I've been hearing I've been getting emails and and people have been reaching out to me about concerns about the mineral rights.

Um, I think it's not wrong for us to hold a public listening session or some kind of town hall meeting um where folks can come and learn more about that.

It's a more transparent process.

Um, I do think that we have a very active and aware community, and that is a topic that um people feel passionate about and impacted by, and I think it wouldn't be wrong for us to hear from them and and make this an expressly transparent process outside of the public hearing that will ultimately decide um in that hearing what we're gonna do.

And I feel like you know, having more conversation around that would be beneficial to the community.

So that's it for me.

Oh, it is our deputy town managers last week.

Um, and I don't think he's here, but he's not here.

Patrick Hammer.

Um this is last week, and I just want to say what a privilege and an honor it has been to serve with him.

I've learned so much from him, and I just wanted to send gratitude and well wishes for what's next for him.

So that's it.

All right, thank you.

Councilmember Mortalero.

Thank you.

I I think I just want to send out a reminder.

Uh you know, to be respectful on our our roads and and trails and whatnot.

Um, we've certainly had you know some incidents in the town in the last uh few weeks that you know uh if we uh we could just be more aware, uh be more conscious uh and consider it um to everyone.

That would be uh that'd be great.

Okay, councilmember Hobak.

Uh thank you.

Um I'll start off with uh thank you, Councilmember Bear, for the proclamation for uh women's leadership month.

History month.

History month.

Um thank you for your leadership.

We have a lot of um wonderful women uh leading in our town, uh not the least of which are up here at the day with uh your interim interim town manager, town attorney, uh deputy town manager Wiley, and any number of uh directors and managers in our town that uh are worthy of of being recognized.

So um second, I would like to double down on uh council member bear's comments.

Um we have received a number of public comments concerning the potential sale or lease of the town's mineral rights.

Um I would like to be on record that I did have a rec discussion with the town attorney about this topic recently and its recent publicity of which I was a part.

So I want to be clear at the outset that I have not, nor will I tonight violate the confidentiality of executive sessions.

The existence of mineral rights acquisition offers from Civitas was Mac made public and announced by the mayor at our December 16th public regular public special meeting.

And I have not or will not provide additional company confidential information.

I've heard down some requests and questions, and uh so I can't answer them.

And uh we have we are on record for saying the record mayor, in fact, is on a record saying hopefully hopeful that we'll get public input and comment on this particular topic.

And we haven't yet seen that opportunity, and I'm really hoping that we will.

And we haven't yet seen that opportunity and I'm really hoping that we will I'm hoping that it will before we are presented with a signature ready contract um just prior to our vote I think we should have a town hall listening session um whether that well whether we make make that a part of the mayor's town hall in in April or something um before we um embark on concluding a and negotiating a contract uh that gets posted to an agenda three three three days before um a meeting I think our residents are watching they are very interested in um the Draco pad they are interested in the hundreds of millions of gallons of water that will be used um and not recycled in such a project and uh I think our residents need to know what our stance and position will be on on those items and uh I don't think it's enough to simply tell them that it's gonna happen and we want to make some money off of it.

They have a say in whether or not we move forward in any form and uh the rest of the questions will just have to come from them.

I have some that have been posed to me I won't necessarily repeat them tonight.

But we do need to give our residents the opportunity to weigh in on whether this is something we will even entertain and whether uh what our stance is on the state law that allows us to not be forced pool.

I'm certainly not an oil and gas expert I can't um opine about that or what its impact will be on forced pooling of the residents themselves.

We can't be making those decisions for them so um I hope we will try to arrange some opportunities for our residents to um speak and ask questions.

Excuse me thank you.

All right thank you councilmember I'd like to take a moment to recognize that March is women's history month this month gives us an opportunity to reflect on incredible contributions women have made to our communities our country and our shared future from education and science to business public service and community leadership women have played a vital role in shaping the progress we see today.

On a personal note this month also reminds me of my role as a father my daughter who is a senior hopes to pursue engineering and she wants to do public service.

Watching her and her peers pursue their ambitions reminds me why opportunity representation and support for young women matter so much.

So today I want to thank and celebrate the women of Erie for the leadership resilience and contributions that make a community stronger every day.

Happy women's history month thank you.

All right thank you councilmember O'Connor thank you um I wanted to uh point out that uh on April 6th the town of Erie is hosting um the American Red Cross blood drive from 9 a.m to 2 p.m at the Erie Community Center I uh I've as a previous owner donor well I guess I was the previous owner of that but I donated it anyway um I keep getting a ton of emails that they desperately need donations I check today and there's a number of time slots available if residents are willing and able to donate I highly encourage that they do um if you'd like to uh register to donate blood you can go to www dot redcrossblood dot org and on their main page you'll find uh a link to uh enter your zip code and make an appointment um and also if you download the app you can see where your blood has traveled my uh last year my blood went to more places than I did out of state so um I guess I made my way around in a different way but um anyway I'd also like to um thank Patrick Hammer um for his years of service and dedication to the town um he will be greatly missed and I hope that in his new adventures he um he has great success so thanks Patrick all right Mayor Pro Tim yeah thank you um uh first off uh thank you council member bear and and uh councilmember o'connor for the uh uh the women's history month proclamation also thank you counselor bear for the mills on will program um that's something my uh my grandmother remember was greatly benefited from uh that program so uh appreciate and appreciate the uh coming here and um informing the public on that so um also wanted to mention uh uh March is uh uh co-rectal cancel cancer awareness month um that uh this is uh taking out smoking uh correct cancer is the leading cause of cancer for for men and women um and it is something that as research has gone on we're finding that screenings need to be done a lot earlier uh for um for most people it's recommended at 45

So um also wanted to mention uh uh March is uh uh colrectal cancel cancer awareness month.

Um that uh this is uh taking out smoking, uh correctal cancer is the leading cause of cancer for for men and women.

Um and it is something that as research has gone on, we're finding that screenings need to be done a lot earlier uh for um for most people it's recommended at 45.

If you've had a first degree relative in your family uh that has had uh correctal cancer, uh it's recommended uh 10 years prior to the diagnosis of that or or uh uh presence of of precancerous polyps.

Um so that's something it's in my family history.

Uh it's important to me.

I'm getting screened this year, so I'm on the five-year program.

I know some of you are on tenure programs.

I'm very jealous, but uh it's important to get that done.

So um it's a very simple procedure.

Uh generally you don't even know what's happening if you hadn't had it before.

So uh just encourage everybody go to go out there and uh uh it's very important to get that done.

Um real briefly, I just wanted to uh address a couple things.

Um is um that found it curious that that all of a sudden that that there were uh several emails coming in about uh hearing that we had in December.

I just want to make two things clear.

Uh one is with uh Alameda Minerals that um uh they were uh recommended to us by staff, and that's uh how that contract was uh came about.

Um there is uh nobody that uh personally advocated for them or you know uh no nobody on council that was uh brought to us by staff.

So I just want to make that perfectly clear and transparent.

Um the second thing I want to make transparent is that I I see people uh throwing out numbers and things like that.

And um there's not been a decision.

The decision was to uh get an appraisal of our mineral rights and um and uh in our the process was to um you know at some point uh have a public discussion if that is necessary.

Um uh council member hoback, I appreciate what you said.

Um uh and uh it is important uh on this body that we adhere to executive session.

Um and uh the reason that we have those is not to hide stuff from the public.

It it is uh because in order to have a negotiated process, um, we have to make sure that those negotiations uh take place uh on a uh uh uh a private basis so that nobody's being publicly outed or whatnot.

And and uh that uh is is the process that we followed.

Um so that's all I'm gonna say on that.

Um the last uh sorry, one more thing.

Um uh I also wanted to reiterate um uh just my utmost thanks and gratitude to Patrick Hammer.

Um uh Patrick was um kind of the first guy when when I got on.

Um we just hit it off right away.

Um he's been a good friend outside of what we do up here on a daily basis.

Um and uh I've really appreciated him over the years and his hard work, and I know much how much he's uh loved and and admired around staff.

And we're we're gonna miss him.

Um, I've still got your cell phone, Patrick, so we'll I'll probably be texting you during Nuggets games and that sort of thing.

But uh just really appreciate the um the memories and and all the um fun times we have, whether it's ICSE or um different things hanging out.

Um and uh just really appreciate the job that he's done and and he will be sorely missed.

Um the last thing, and this is exciting news.

Uh so at the March 24th meeting, uh, and I kind of alluded to this at the last meeting, but um, we will have uh a recognition for Jacob Slavin.

Um who grew up here in Erie, was part of the US men's uh Olympic hockey gold medal winning team.

Uh the first Olympic gold medalist uh to come from Erie, first uh NHL player to come from Erie.

And uh I got a chance to um reach out to his family and uh I think they're gonna try to be attended.

Obviously, um uh Jacob himself will not be able to be in attendance, but we got a surprise for you.

So um uh I'll leave it at that.

Please please come.

I that's something this is uh uh I I hope you know, I mean, we do have fire code limits for the amount of people we get here, but I I know uh Jacob's uh friends and family um uh are planning on attend and and we've heard a great deal from the public on this.

Uh so it's a great chance to celebrate something that that uh is really historic uh for our town and it's really cool.

So leave on top.

Awesome.

All right.

Well, I'll I won't uh repeat everybody uh everything that everybody said about women's history month, but well said.

Um I have a um a woman boss in my day job, and she's awesome.

Um all the things you've said about the history uh spot on and meals for wheels.

I need to do another delivery um run.

It was 20 years ago when I did that when I was mayor the first time, and um it's definitely in the back of my mind.

So um I'll definitely reach out and we'll we'll try and find a date where I could do that.

All right, and then there were many uh meetings this last couple months.

I felt when I was listening to Councilmember Bearer, she was busy um on different things than I was busy on.

Uh today I met with Biz West, um, which um was a business discussion with um Boulder, Erie, Superior, Broomfield, um, just good discussion on what's happening in the macro sense, especially with um grant funding coming from the feds or not coming from the feds, uh, that we've all relied on for transportation um improvements, um, affordable housing and things that have just dried up um over that time, but also AI, a big part of the conversation on what is that gonna do to the workforce and how do we how do we implement it in a proper way with guardrails so that we can create efficiencies for our communities, um but also the impact on uh the workforce still a big uh big question.

So it was a really good conversation.

Um I met last week with uh Sister Carmen Board along with the town manager from Lewisville and um uh member from Boulder County Human Services, and they were just looking for input.

So we had about an hour and a half with them uh just to talk community, big picture and Sister Carmen.

Uh, if you don't know, they provide um many services to those in need, um food, um resources to help them, training, including training uh for parents um on technology, uh things that sometimes maybe we may over uh overlook.

But anyway, they're uh they're a great resource, and even though they're in Lafayette, they service Erie as well.

And so if you don't know much about Sister Carmen, I would encourage you to uh to look them up.

And then there were many um constituent meetings.

Uh I met with the president along with uh council member O'Connor uh with the Vista Ridge HOA president, primarily on traffic on Vista Parkway.

And uh good discussion.

There's some follow-up that's happening with her and um our staff, and there may or may not be something that needs to come back to us um at some point.

Um also um had a member reach out um on the airport fees that we discussed at our last meeting.

That was a great conversation.

Uh just uh trying to get on the same page because it's easy for some pieces of information to be out there and not others, and I found the conversation uh fruitful.

I think that individual would say the same thing.

Now with a different individual on the North South connector, uh, this is around um the potential of connecting uh county line road into airport drive.

There are pros and cons to that.

We're a long way of uh of actually getting to the point of making any decisions there.

Uh but once again a good conversation uh with that.

And then I met with a cybersecurity company that's in Erie.

Um and they're doing a lot of work both on physical security and cybersecurity work, something that um we all have to just be vigilant on.

And then last I'll say on April 2nd, uh Councilmember Hoback mentioned it.

Um we're gonna be doing a town hall, my first live town hall.

Um that'll be at 6 p.m.

And I've got some prepared statements.

Um Gabby Ray from our communications department is working with me on um on the topics.

Um I'm gonna be working with Julian, who unfortunately will be out of town, but I'll get um information on the latest uh business um uh uh deals that we've done and where we're headed, uh so we could share that.

But my goal is to get it into a QA session um as quickly as possible, so we can just have a conversation.

Will we hit every one of these topics?

Maybe, maybe not.

If things are still in negotiations, we may not be able to do some of that.

But if we can, I certainly am open uh to that, and I'm looking uh forward to that.

So once again, that's April 2nd, 6 p.m.

Right here in uh in this room.

That was a lot of words.

I'm gonna turn it over to the mayor pro tem uh to take us into executive session.

Sorry, mayor.

Do we need to go to the next one?

We need to figure out the planning.

We yes.

Thank you.

No public hearing.

Forgetting about that.

So um, yes, deep breath.

So it was uh we were able to, or I was able to uh stop the count at six, so we'll have six interviews.

Okay.

They are Alex Schatz, Laurie Height, Paul Leif, Sherry Booth, Tim Burns, and Tanya McKnight.

So we'll be contacting them tomorrow to let them know that their interview is scheduled for the April 7th special meeting.

Okay.

Um, and then you'll make your appointments at that meeting as well.

Thank you.

And thank you.

Can I ask one logistical question for the clerk's office?

If you have six people, how long would you like each interview to be?

Uh, so that's a great question.

Um, and I don't know.

What I would like to do is go back to the um interviews that we've had in the past.

I um we did it once for the planning commission.

And maybe if you could send us the questions that we used at that point, and then I'll work with you, Meredith, to set the um proper time for April 7th.

Okay.

Okay, now I'll turn it over to our mayor president.

Thank you.

All right.

Um Mayor, I moved to go into executive session to discuss item 2026 192 to hold a conference with the town's water council to determine positions relative to water matters, including discussions related to the town's water supply development and growth that may be subject to negotiations and instruct negotiators pursuant to CRS 2464024E, and to hold conference with the town's water council to receive legal advice on specific legal questions pursuant to CRS 2464024B related to water supply strategies and item 2026 193 to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, develop a strategy for negotiations and or instruct negotiators pursuant to CRS 2464024E and to consider the purchase acquisition at least transfer or sale of real personal or other property pursuant to CRS 2464024A, for which a topic cannot be disclosed without compromising the purpose of executive session.

All right, we have a motion.

Do we have a second?

Second.

All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed say no.

All right, motion carries we will not be coming back out here, so we will conclude this meeting at the conclusion of the executive session.