Greeley City Council Regular Meeting - January 20, 2026

The Greeley City Council held a regular hybrid meeting on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Council Chambers. The agenda included citizen input heavily focused on the Cascadia project, a floodplain management ordinance update, a $350,000 special election funding appropriation, an informational housing affordability presentation, and several sponsored councilmember initiatives.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the meeting proceedings of January 6, 2026.
• Appointed Weld County Commissioner Lynette Peppler to the Island Grove Advisory Board with a term to expire December 31, 2026.
• Authorized a contract for professional services with Mark Thomas & Company Inc. for the downtown campus project.
• Vote: Passed 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Steve Teets: Expressed distrust regarding the Cascadia project and emphasized poor transit infrastructure, specifically the difficulty veterans face accessing medical appointments. Asked the council to prioritize transit and broader community needs.
• Kathy Hasch: Questioned why the council decided on the Cascadia project in May 2025 before feasibility studies were completed. Raised fiscal concerns about the $350,000 special election cost and urged the city to attract businesses directly rather than relying on the project.
• Rhonda Solis (Greeley Demands Better): Presented findings from a Newmark Valuation Advisory independent analysis, arguing the project cannot cover its debt service, arena revenue is overstated, and the city's own HLA consultant explicitly acknowledges the project is not financially feasible without ongoing subsidies. Requested the council exercise contractual "off-ramps" to cease non-essential spending and inform voters.
• Greg Hammer: Spoke on behalf of a neighbor who received a $132,468 water bill for 110,000 gallons of consumption, attributing it to a defective meter under the new city billing system. Criticized the city's customer service response and warned other citizens to watch their bills closely.
• Mary Metzger: Argued the Cascadia project is fiscally irresponsible. Called for greater transparency and active listening from council, stating the broader community (homeless, elderly, infrastructure) is being ignored.

Reports from Mayor and Councilmembers

• Councilmember Olson (Recognitions): Presented the "What's Great About Greeley" report, recognizing band director Jennifer Daigle for marching in the Rose Parade, Kristen Daniel for appointment to the 9th Judicial District Judicial Performance Commission, and Greeley-Evans School District 6 for posting graduation rates more than 4 percentage points above the state average. Later in the meeting, he defended the Cascadia project process, stating it was guided by top-tier consultants and is a common public-private partnership where a 501(c)(3) would own and operate the stadium. He also responded to a citizen who questioned his Christian faith.
• Councilmember DeBoutez: Announced office hours on January 21st at Starbucks on 11th Avenue from 5-6 PM.
• Mayor Pro Tem McDonald: Asked for patience with the new water billing system transition from the 30-year-old system. Provided airport authority updates (new fire trucks, taxiway phase expansion). Reported on CML policy committee items, including potential distillery liquor licensing changes, marijuana hospitality regulations, and a proposal to grant statutory municipalities the authority to implement a local lodging tax.

Councilmember Initiatives

• Councilmember Butler: Requested staff to provide a preliminary look at the cost, feasibility, and potential revenue of legalizing and taxing retail marijuana sales to address the city's structural deficit. Council consensus was reached.
• Councilmember Olson: Proposed drafting a council resolution recommending a "no" vote on Ballot Measure 1A (Cascadia), arguing the ballot initiative undermines the city's quasi-judicial planning and land use process. Council consensus was reached.
• Councilmember Rudy: Proposed establishing a regular council representative radio appearance on KFKA after each city council meeting to increase public transparency. Council consensus was reached.

Discussion & Action Items

• Floodplain Management Ordinance (Item 13): Water Quality Manager Brian Hathaway presented the second reading of an ordinance updating the floodplain regulations to resolve deficiencies found in a 2019 FEMA and Colorado Water Conservation Board audit. He explained the updates are administrative and necessary to maintain the city's good standing in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Failure to adopt could result in probation or suspension, affecting residents' access to federally backed flood insurance. The public hearing had no speakers. Adopted 7-0.
• Special Election Appropriation (Item 14): Budget Director Nathan Mosley presented a $350,000 supplemental appropriation for the February 24, 2026 special election regarding the Cascadia project. Costs include printing, postage, and election judges. The funds will be drawn from approximately $3 million in unspent 2025 general fund balance. The public hearing had no speakers. Adopted 7-0.
• Housing Affordability Presentation (Item 15): Housing Director Deb Callies provided an informational overview on the financing and incentives needed for affordable housing. Key points included:
  • The median-priced single-family home in Greeley is now affordable only to households at 120% Area Median Income (AMI), an increase from 110% AMI last year.
  • A household needs to earn $136,000 annually to afford the median home, while the "cost per door" subsidy gap for affordable units ranges from $140,000 to over $200,000 per unit.
  • The city has made progress by creating a Private Activity Bond program, cleaning up unspent federal funds, and opting into state Proposition 123 programs.
  • A draft Housing Incentive Policy is expected to be brought forward in Q1 2026 to create a framework for custom incentive packages per development.
  • Council discussed the impact of out-of-state cash investors, interest rates on affordability, and the potential for infill development on city-owned vacant properties.
• Appointments (Item 16): Riley Bowen appointed to the Human Relations Commission for a 3-year term. Elijah Kindred appointed to the Youth Commission for a 2-year term. Additional applicants will be recruited for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
• Authorizing Motion (Item 17): Motion to authorize the City Attorney to prepare required documents and the Mayor and City Clerk to sign all such resolutions, agreements, and ordinances. Adopted 7-0 via voice vote.

Key Outcomes

• Ordinances Adopted: Floodplain management update (7-0) and $350,000 supplemental appropriation for the special election (7-0).
• Initiatives Approved: Council reached consensus to explore retail marijuana taxation feasibility, draft a council resolution opposing Ballot Measure 1A (Cascadia), and establish a regular post-meeting radio appearance on KFKA.
• Board Appointments: Riley Bowen (Human Relations Commission) and Elijah Kindred (Youth Commission) appointed. Parks and Recreation Advisory Board recruitment will continue.
• Policy Direction: Housing Director to bring forward a Housing Incentive Policy. Staff to research feasibility of marijuana sales. Resolution on Ballot Measure 1A to be drafted for future consideration.
• Meeting Adjourned: Adjourned at 7:26 PM.