Citizens Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC) Regular Meeting – July 15, 2026

The Citizens Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC) met on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at 7:30 AM in the City Council Chambers at Golden City Hall. The meeting covered the April sales tax report, a comprehensive update from the Fire Department, city updates including a water main break and drought order changes, and community conversations. All agenda items were handled within the 7:30–9:21 AM timeframe.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Agenda: Unanimously approved at 7:32 AM.
• Approval of June 17, 2026, Regular Meeting Minutes: Unanimously approved at 7:32 AM.

Discussion Items

• Finance Update and April Sales Tax Report (Joe Allaire, Director of Finance):

  • Budget amendment passed June 30, 2026: $184,000 from the general fund (originally from lodging tax to affordable housing trust fund, switched due to deed restrictions), $154,000 from IT fund for fiber modifications and network equipment, and $43,000 from capital program/SUT fund for IT projects.
  • Audit is ongoing (extension filed, due July 30; expected completion first or second week of August). Finance department is rebuilding staff; accountants are training on OpenGov and Tyler systems.
  • Sales tax: April 2026 collections were $1,924,256, down just $18,461 year-over-year (YoY). Year-to-date (YTD) through April: $7,427,759, up $165,072 (2.27%) from 2025. Out-of-city taxable sales continue to drive growth (36.97% of total YTD). General merchandise remains the largest contributor (36.39%).
  • Use tax: April collections were $329,909, the weakest month in the period; YTD $1,655,443, down $425,103 (20.43%) from 2025. The decline was anticipated after record 2025 collections.
  • Lodging tax: April collections of $184,752 were the strongest since 2023. YTD $611,668, slightly below budget, but entering peak tourism season.
  • Marijuana tax: April collections $59,488; YTD $218,677, up $33,201 (17.9%) from 2025 and outpacing all prior years.
  • No significant concerns; all major revenues are in line with expectations.

• Fire Department Update (Chief Kasey Beal, with Deputy Chief Sean Jones, Admin Coordinator Stephanie Forbes, Fire Marshal Brett Ballentine):

  • Strategic Plan: Seeking accreditation through CPSE. Key initiatives: strengthening EMS, firefighter wellness, data analytics (Dark Horse Analytics), and risk reduction.
  • Ambulance Service: New contract with Intermountain Health (Platte Valley Ambulance) begins September 1, 2026, replacing Stadium Medical. Three 24/7 ambulances (two housed at Golden fire stations, one in Pleasant View) will improve coverage.
  • Personnel: Currently 30 career firefighters + 2 civilian staff, and 28 volunteers. Proposed adding two firefighters in 2028 to achieve 4-3-1 staffing (four at one station, three at another, plus battalion chief). Chief Beal noted the department is “maxed out” within its current financial envelope.
  • Facilities: Station 21 (downtown) needs emergency generator and rewiring (~$1.75 million conceptual design underway). Station 22 (Ulysses) requires replacement/upgrade to house future apparatus. Station 23 (West Third) will likely be sold. Station 24 (Heritage) needs a modular structure for battalion chief vehicle.
  • Mill Levy: Golden’s combined mill levy is 11.0; comparison to Arvada (14.8) and West Metro (13.6) was noted.
  • Pleasant View Mutual Aid: Golden receives more call support from Pleasant View (5:1 ratio of responses from Pleasant View into Golden), but Golden provides critical incident support (structure fires) that Pleasant View cannot handle alone.
  • School of Mines: Golden is primary fire/EMS provider; no property tax but plan review and inspection fees are paid. A proposal for Mines to fund a dedicated inspector was declined.
  • Wildfire Resilience: Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) underway with Ember Alliance (13-month process). Evacuation zones are being finalized (alphanumeric, based on population and roadway capacity). Detailed home inspections exceeded goals.

• City Updates (Deputy City Manager Carly Lorentz):

  • Water Main Break: A 10-inch pipe broke on Washington Street near Woody’s. Repaired; storm inlet temporarily out of service; two other similar problem areas will be fixed concurrently.
  • Ulysses Park Vandalism: Multiple break-ins and vandalism incidents causing an estimated $100,000 in damage (copper theft, broken windows, graffiti). Police presence increased; surveillance and deterrents installed.
  • Amended Drought Order: Effective July 19, 2026. Watering limited to two days per week (no watering between 10 AM and 6 PM), applies to all types of watering (including drip). Previous order allowed drip and plant watering outside restrictions.
  • Creek Conditions: Flow at ~80 CFS (typical mid-September level). Water temperature reached 71°F, concerning for fish health. Trash issues persist; volunteer cleanup program reports high volumes.
  • New Police Chief: Michelle Wagner started July 13, 2026.
  • Xcel Meeting: July 29, 5–7 PM at DeLong Park, discussing vegetation management.
  • New City Hall Building: On schedule and on budget.

Community Conversations

• Committee members raised: positive feedback on the Wednesday Farmers Market (easy parking/access), water restrictions clarity, e-bike concerns, and note that Golden was named in an article as one of eight mountain towns with best main streets.
• Question about fill status at Empire Reservoir – Carly Lorentz stated the city is not concerned, but conservative decisions are being made.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda and minutes approved unanimously.
• The May 2025 minutes noted in the agenda were corrected to reflect June 17, 2026 minutes.
• The Fire Department will present specific budget requests (including two additional firefighters) during the 2027-28 biennial budget process.
• The amended drought order takes effect July 19, 2026.
• The next CBAC meeting (August 19, 2026) will discuss city funding sources for community organizations; September will review the preliminary operating budget.