Greeley City Council Work Session: ALPR, Drones, Downtown Traffic, CIP (Sept 8, 2026)

The Greeley City Council met for a work session on September 8, 2026, beginning at 6:00 PM. The agenda included reports from councilmembers, an update from the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO), a detailed presentation on the police department's use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and drones, a downtown traffic circulation study, and the second quarterly capital improvement program (CIP) update. No formal votes were taken, but council provided consensus direction on several issues.

Discussion Items

Reports from Mayor and Councilmembers

• Councilmember Johnny Olson provided a progress update on the U.S. 85 Bypass (Merge) project, reporting that governance, a project team managed by CDOT, and a CMGC contractor selection have been completed. Design and environmental assessment are advancing, with construction anticipated to begin in late 2027.
• Councilmember Brian Rudy encouraged the community to visit the Greeley Museums to see the "Our History, Our Voice, Mexican American History Project" and "13-Minute Warning, Weld County in the Atomic Age" exhibits.

NFRMPO & Air Quality Council Update

• Hannah Friedman (Senior Transportation Planning Manager) introduced Elizabeth Relford (NFRMPO Executive Director). Relford presented on the Intermountain West Ozone Conference, a three-day event addressing the regional stagnation in ozone reduction despite significant local emissions controls. Councilmember Johnny Olson noted that approximately 68% of local ozone is transported from outside Colorado, with 38% created locally, criticizing the affordability impact of local regulations that fail to improve air quality. Councilmember Greg Huddleston questioned when the burden of cost should be reassessed instead of adding further regulations. Relford cited federal bills (Fire Act, FENCES Act) attempting to address this regulatory mismatch.

Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) & Drones

• Police Chief Turk and Commander Tanya Gutierrez presented on the Real-Time Information Center (RTIC), funded by $2.3M from the .16 public safety tax and a $300K DOJ grant. The RTIC operates 94 ALPR cameras (Flock Safety) with a 30-day retention policy, shared with 91 agencies. ALPRs assisted in 19 arrests and the arrest of 31 individuals associated with stolen vehicles. A 58% decrease in vehicle thefts was noted between 2024 and 2025, though the chief cautioned that a direct causal link could not be proven and stated a belief that the technology acts as a deterrent. A pilot gunshot detection program (Raven) is being discontinued due to poor return on investment.
• Drone as First Responder (DFR) program: Since March 2026, 1,600 flights were logged, with drones arriving first on scene for 74.6% of priority calls and assisting in 201 police incidents.
• Council Deliberation: Councilmember Craig Huddleston expressed privacy concerns, stating he was "of the Benjamin Franklin point of view, giving up essential liberty for temporary safety," and recommended exploring data storage alternatives to Flock Safety. Councilmember Johnny Olson advocated for a city ordinance with clear retention and access rules to protect against future misuse. Councilmember Melissa McDonald requested stricter, monthly audits and questioned accountability across shared agencies. Councilmember Ryan Roth asked about the deterrent effect and outcomes in communities that abandoned the technology. Consensus emerged for the police department to tighten internal policies and for the city council to draft an ordinance codifying rules for ALPR and drone use, including penalties for misuse.

Downtown Traffic Circulation Plan

• Seth Sorneson (Public Works) presented two options for converting 9th and 10th Streets to two-way traffic. Option 1 (Staff Preferred) featured two lanes (one each direction), a center turn lane, and parallel parking. Option 2 featured three lanes, a center turn lane, and angled parking.
• Council Deliberation: Councilmember Deb DeBoutez prioritized pedestrian and cyclist safety, advocating for dedicated bike lanes. Councilmember Johnny Olson argued the streets are Major Arterials requiring throughput, strongly supporting Option 2 to avoid future congestion. Councilmember Melissa McDonald questioned the necessity of on-street parking given existing garages. Council provided consensus direction toward Option 2 (maximizing traffic flow) and directed staff to explore integrating bike lanes by reducing lane or sidewalk widths. If bike lanes cannot be accommodated, council preferred parallel parking over angled parking.

Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Update

• Caitlin Myers reported year-to-date capital spending reached $141M, up $85M since May. The portfolio includes 345 projects. Specific projects: Wastewater Treatment Plant ($12.5M spent), 0 & 59th Ave road project (substantial completion), and UCCC improvements. Brett Neighbor introduced a new risk-based asset management framework to shift from reactive "worst-first" maintenance to proactive investment.
• Council Deliberation: Councilmember Greg Huddleston questioned the objectivity of the new risk scoring matrix. Councilmember Johnny Olson expressed frustration with project schedule delays, citing multi-year overruns on the Highway 34 pedestrian crossing and 59th & O Street, urging staff to improve scope, schedule, and budget tracking. He stressed the importance of proactive asset maintenance.

Key Outcomes

• ALPR/Drone Policy: Council directed the police department to review and tighten internal policies and initiated the drafting of a city ordinance to govern data retention, access, system oversight, and accountability, including potential penalties for misuse.
• Downtown Traffic Design: Council selected Option 2 (two lanes in one direction, one in the other) with a center turn lane as the preferred baseline. Staff will attempt to include bike lanes via lane width reduction, defaulting to parallel parking if necessary.
• CIP & Asset Management: Council emphasized the need for better project scope, schedule, and budget tracking. Staff is implementing a risk-based asset management framework to improve long-term infrastructure planning and execution.