Greeley City Council Regular Meeting Summary - July 7, 2026

The Greeley City Council held a regular meeting on July 7, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers and via Zoom. Both Mayor Dale Hall and Mayor Pro Tem Melissa McDonald were absent due to illness, leading to the election of Councilmember Johnny Olson as temporary presiding officer. The meeting featured extensive public comment on proposed budget cuts to museums and cultural programs, discussion of a 2027 budget development update, and a decision not to pursue a November ballot measure for tax increases.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the City Council Meeting Proceedings of May 19 and June 2, 2026, and the City Council Work Session Proceedings of June 9, 2026.
• Confirmed the appointment of Robert Hepperle to the Human Relations Commission for a term through May 31, 2028.
• Authorized grant agreements for peace officer behavioral health support, the Olmstead Advancement Program, and the RAISE Grant Program.
• Authorized Airport Improvement Program Grant Agreements in amounts of $285,000 and $150,000.
• Found substantial compliance with annexation laws for the Arroyos del Sol Annexation (approximately 999.72 acres).
• Introduced the first readings of ordinances amending contractor license requirements and references to City Hall.
• Item 13 (Resolution authorizing a legal services work order with Coan, Payton & Payne, LLC) was pulled from the Consent Agenda by Councilmember Huddleston and later died due to lack of a motion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• 42 members of the public spoke during Citizen Input, the majority opposing proposed budget cuts to the Greeley Museums, Centennial Village, and community events (e.g., Arts Picnic, Friday Fest, Farmers Market). Speakers argued that the cuts disproportionately affect museums, violate the city charter, and risk losing institutional knowledge and community heritage. Several also raised concerns about traffic safety on 23rd Avenue, e-bike and scooter dangers, conditions at mobile home parks, and the need for new revenue sources such as recreational marijuana taxes.
• Two speakers spoke during the public hearing on the Fire Fighters Union collective bargaining agreement: one expressed general support for police and fire, and another asked whether the agreement included funding for additional firefighters (staff confirmed it did not).

Discussion Items

• Election of Temporary Chair: Due to the absence of the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem, Councilmember Roth nominated Councilmember Olson, who was elected 5-0. Olson presided for the remainder of the meeting.
• Agenda Adjustment: Two items related to the Civic Campus Project (Item 23 and Item 26) were removed and will be considered at a special meeting on July 14, 2026, as approved 5-0.
• Recognitions and Proclamations: Proclamations were read for Parks and Recreation Month and the Centennial Village 50th Anniversary. Chief Rudy presented the "What's Great About Greeley" report highlighting the Poudre River Trail completion, airport funding, and the Starrise Apartments award.
• Councilmember Initiatives: Councilmember DeBoutez proposed a budget retreat on Friday, September 11, 2026, for an in-depth discussion of all budget reduction proposals; council reached consensus.
• Item 22 – Collective Bargaining Agreement with Fire Fighters Union Local 888: Assistant City Manager Kimberly Southern presented the tentative agreement reached May 18, 2026, and ratified June 13, 2026. The two-year contract (2027-2028) includes a 4% wage increase each year, a 22.5% raise for battalion chiefs in year one, and cost-neutral items such as wellness screenings. The public hearing was opened and closed with no further testimony. The ordinance was adopted 5-0.
• Item 24 – Ballot Measure Planning: June 2026 Polling Results: Consultant Alex Dunn of Aspect Strategic presented results from a random survey of 600 residents. Three proposed sales tax measures for public safety (0.5%), homeless solutions (0.15%), and combined public health and safety (0.5%) each received support in the 45-47% range, with a slight majority opposed. Support declined from 2025, and the share of residents reporting financial distress nearly doubled. Council consensus was not to proceed with a ballot measure at this time.
• Item 25 – 2027 Budget Development Update: Budget Director Nathan Mosley recapped the process, noting $17.1 million in proposals identified so far toward the structural deficit, of which $2.8 million are revenue proposals. Deputy City Manager Kelli Johnson and CPRD Director Diana Frick presented the Culture, Parks, and Recreation (CPRD) reduction proposal. CPRD's gross budget is $32 million, offset by $14 million in revenue; the department was assigned a 17% reduction ($3.7 million). Staff identified $2.9 million through 10 full-time position eliminations (4 VSA, 3 involuntary, 1 retirement, 1 unfilled), operational changes, and $608,000 in new revenue. A remaining gap of $800,000 requires policy direction. Four options were presented: (1) accelerate cost recovery via user fees, (2) transition museums and city-produced events to external operators, (3) reduce natural area investment, (4) eliminate the horticulture program. Councilmember Huddleston questioned the equity of cuts, noting museums have seen only inflation-level increases while parks and recreation budgets grew at double that rate. Councilmember DeBoutez asked about the methodology for service tier classifications. Councilmember Olson noted the department cannot sustain further service reductions. The Communications and Engagement (C&E) department was assigned a 25% reduction ($756,000), achieved primarily through personnel reductions (6 fewer FTEs), resulting in longer response times and reduced multilingual outreach. No questions were raised on C&E.
• Executive Session: Council entered executive session at 9:55 p.m. under C.R.S. §§ 24-6-402(4)(b) and 24-6-402(4)(e)(I) to receive legal advice regarding potential settlement of litigation (the Estate of Sebastian Osborn). The session ended at 11:23 p.m.

Key Outcomes

• Council adopted the collective bargaining agreement with the Fire Fighters Union Local 888 by a 5-0 vote.
• Council determined not to proceed with a November 2026 ballot measure for tax increases.
• Council approved a budget retreat on September 11, 2026, to finalize 2027 budget decisions.
• Item 13 (legal services work order) died for lack of a motion after being pulled from the Consent Agenda.
• All other Consent Agenda items (9-12, 14-20) were approved 5-0.
• The motion to go into executive session regarding litigation settlement passed 5-0.
• The motion authorizing the City Attorney to prepare necessary documents passed 5-0.