Greeley City Council Work Session Summary - April 28, 2026

The Greeley City Council held a work session on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format. Key topics included the Eastern Greeley Subarea Plan, the 2026 First Quarter Financial Update, the West Greeley Financial Update, and the process for filling the Ward I Council vacancy.

Reports from Mayor and Councilmembers

• Councilmember Olson reported meeting with the city's transit group and stated that the city has been using local funds to support the Poudre Express and US 34 bus routes. He expressed an intention to work with the North Front Range transportation coordination group to develop a more balanced regional funding model and reorient the routes as commuter service.
• Mayor Pro Tem McDonald attended the MCR ribbon cutting and a Regional Leaders presentation regarding the Forge Campus business incubator in Fort Collins. She recognized the Forestry Department for planting 170 trees in advance of Arbor Day.
• Councilmember DeBoutez highlighted upcoming events including the UNC Jazz Festival, the Cinco de Mayo celebration (Sunday, May 3), and the Farmers Market season-opener at Lincoln Park.
• Councilmember Roth attended the SAVA ribbon cutting, the Boys and Girls Club Elegant Night, and promoted the upcoming Bear Fest in downtown Greeley.
• Mayor Hall attended the opening of the new Brentwood Park playground, partially funded by a $100,000 grant from Gametime's 2025 grant program.

Eastern Greeley Subarea Plan

• Don Threewitt (Interim Director of Community Development), Doug May (Principal Planner), and Britt Palmer (Director of Planning, Rick Engineering) presented the plan at 6:09 PM.
• Britt Palmer reported that the first round of community engagement occurred from August to December 2025, including an open house, stakeholder meetings with owners of 40+ acres, and a community survey receiving 620 responses. Top community issues identified were streets/roads, job opportunities and economic development, and housing affordability/availability.
• Planning concepts presented included: Campus Town (converting the 85 Business route to a greenway), Neighborhood Infill/Hub (mixed-use development), Dumbbell Connectivity (east-west multimodal connection), and the North Poudre Area (transition from industrial to agricultural preservation). Target adoption is the second quarter of 2027.
• Councilmember DeBoutez asked about the Western Sugar TIF district. Don Threewitt and Deputy City Manager Kelli Johnson reported the current balance is approximately $25 million, with a projected $83 million available over the life of the TIF.
• Mayor Pro Tem McDonald asked about a pedestrian overpass over Highway 85. Threewitt responded that overhead options are being evaluated, with costs estimated at $10-$20 million, and cautioned against building costly infrastructure before behavioral patterns support its use.
• Councilmember Olson questioned what the plan's primary economic "draw" would be, expressing concern that rigid agricultural preservation designations could conflict with landowner development aspirations and discourage annexation. He suggested the airport and County Road 66 corridor should be positioned more prominently as a gateway and economic driver.
• Councilmember Roth asked about discussions with Sunrise Health Clinic regarding a potential location in East Greeley. Palmer indicated no discussions had occurred but that staff would reach out. Roth also advocated strongly for expanded open space and parks.

2026 First Quarter Financial Update

• Division Treasurer Robert Miller and Director of Finance Kirk Jones presented the update at 6:57 PM.
• Robert Miller reported that retail spending is increasing locally and statewide, Colorado inflation is approximately 4.2%, Weld County unemployment remains low (0.3%-0.4%), and short-term interest rates are volatile. The city's total investments and cash stand at $355 million as of March 31. The overall projected increase from the 2026 budget is $8.2 million.
• Kirk Jones reported the city has 70 open federal grants with $2.6 million expended in Q1 2026. The FY25 annual audit is well underway (83% of tasks submitted), with completion of the city's work targeted for June.
• Councilmember McDonald thanked staff for prioritizing the audit timeline and getting ahead of the process.
• Councilmember Olson noted the financial picture suggests meaningful progress toward reducing the city's long-term budget gap, and that Weld County remains among the fastest-growing areas in Colorado economically.
• Mayor Hall asked about the lag time between oil price changes and city revenue receipt. Miller confirmed the lag is typically 6 to 18 months.

West Greeley Financial Update

• CFO Allena Portis, joined by Deputy City Manager Brett Naber and financial adviser Jason Simmons (Hilltop Securities), presented the update at 7:13 PM.
• Portis reported that as of February 2026, the estimated total project cost is approximately $959.4 million, up from $910 million in March 2025. An additional $211 million in capitalized interest, cost of issuance, and reserves is not included in that total.
• Regarding the fiscal implications of the recent community vote, Ms. Portis explained that it increased "non-appropriation risk." Jason Simmons elaborated that prior to the vote, the model assumed a low investment-grade rating (Triple-B) and a 5.25% interest rate. Post-vote, the effective rate could rise to 6-6.5%, significantly reducing 501(c)(3) bonding capacity.
• Pre-development financing: The COP amount under consideration has been reduced to $90 million. Under the current structure, no 501(c)(3) reimbursement is assumed. If the project does not proceed, the city would need to refinance approximately $72 million in COPs using buildings valued at $72 million as collateral, with potential average annual payments of $6.5 million over 20 years and a notable spike from $4.7 million to $8.9 million between years 5 and 6.
• Councilmember Olson expressed that the GID's role as a repayment source for COPs was not something he had previously understood. He argued that conflating GID, 501(c)(3), and COP funding streams has contributed to public confusion and distrust. He suggested adding a voter-approved dedicated tax revenue option to the list of financing alternatives.
• Councilmember DeBoutez asked if the oversight committee would have access to the foundational CBRE and RBC financial models. Simmons clarified RBC's model was the primary base model, with CBRE used to analyze it.
• Mayor Pro Tem McDonald suggested the city develop an animated video to explain the financial waterfall structure to the public. Acting City Manager McBroom endorsed this as a core goal of the oversight committee.
• Mayor Hall emphasized that the oversight committee's work must proceed with urgency given that developer interest is time-sensitive.

Ward I Vacancy Process and Council Direction

• City Clerk Heidi Leatherwood introduced the item at 8:07 PM. She reported 15 applications received and 13 determined to be qualified (one disqualified for missing the deadline, one for non-residency).
• Council agreed each member would individually score and rank all 13 applications using a rubric, with scores submitted to the Clerk by Thursday, April 30. (The specific deadline was finalized as 10:00 AM in the transcript of the meeting, while the meeting minutes record the deadline as noon.)
• This ranking will create a shortlist of five candidates.
• Interviews will take place at the May 5 regular council meeting beginning at 5:00 PM. The format will include a panel interview with two standardized questions asked of all candidates, followed by council follow-up questions, and an immediate ballot vote conducted publicly after interviews conclude.
• Formal appointment, line of succession, and committee assignments are scheduled for the May 19 meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Eastern Greeley Subarea Plan: Plan advances to a second round of community engagement in Summer 2026. Draft plan adoption targeted for Q2 2027. Staff encouraged to seek early "deliverables" or quick wins.
• West Greeley Financials: The West Greeley Oversight Committee will serve as the primary vehicle for reviewing financing options, refining costs, and developing public communications. Financing alternatives include private investors, P3s, public-public partnerships, the 501(c)(3) model (potentially with an additional moral obligation partner), revenue bonds, and a voter-approved tax option.
• Ward I Vacancy: Formal appointment process set. Candidates scored by April 30. Interviews May 5 at 5:00 PM. Appointment set for May 19.
• Executive Session: Council voted unanimously (6-0) at 8:27 PM to enter executive session to discuss employment matters related to the appointment of a City Manager.