Greeley City Council Regular Meeting - October 20, 2026

The Greeley City Council met in hybrid format at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, in Council Chambers at City Center South, 1001 11th Avenue, Greeley, CO. All seven council members were present, with Mayor Dale Hall presiding. The meeting included routine consent items, extensive citizen input, first reading of the 2027 budget, second readings on a firefighters' collective bargaining agreement amendment and two local improvement district ordinances, and board appointments. The meeting adjourned at 9:33 PM.

Recognitions and Proclamations

• Councilmember Johnny Olson read 'What's Great About Greeley.' He noted the city will update wastewater billing for eligible local brewers in 2027, potentially reducing bills by 10-15% or as much as $600 per month and avoiding roughly $11,000 per meter in new equipment costs.
• He also announced the Greeley Stampede was named the Women's Professional Rodeo Association 2026 Mega Rodeo of the Year and will be honored in Las Vegas on December 3, 2026.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes of the September 11, 2026 City Council Work Session/Budget Retreat, September 15, 2026 City Council Meeting, and September 22, 2026 City Council Work Session.
• Adopted a resolution authorizing a settlement agreement with Kathryn Sienkowski resolving all claims against the City of Greeley.
• Adopted a resolution designating representatives to coordinate with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority on financial assistance matters.
• Adopted a resolution to apply for grant funds to construct the Sheep Draw Trail underpass at 83rd Avenue.
• Introduced, on first reading, an ordinance authorizing acquisition of real property interests or use of eminent domain for the 13th Street Quiet Zone Project; public hearing and second reading were scheduled for November 17, 2026.
• Introduced, on first reading, the City of Greeley Employee Pay Plan for 2027; public hearing and second reading were scheduled for November 17, 2026.
• Councilmember Craig Huddleston pulled item 15 from the consent agenda. The Council then introduced, on first reading, the fourth amendment to the 2026 budget, appropriating additional sums and funds held in reserve for encumbrances. That first reading carried 7-0.
• The remaining consent items (9 through 14) were approved 7-0.

Reports from Mayor and Councilmembers

• Councilmember DeBoutez reported on Project Connect, noting 72 providers served 780 people with 458 volunteers, and thanked city staff. She also announced office hours and an event with former U.S. Secretary Ken Salazar.
• Councilmember Huddleston highlighted the Sheep Draw Trail grant application and promoted the Speak Up Greeley website. He announced Saturday office hours and said he would alternate with evening hours.
• Councilmember Roth recapped downtown alley improvement presentations, the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra season, the 'Spread the Good' luncheon, UNC's State of the University address, and Greeley Eats restaurant week.
• Councilmember Rudy said the public is heard, acknowledged positive city communication efforts, and expressed support for his colleagues.

Public Comments & Testimony

Citizen Input

• Several speakers supported the council and opposed recall efforts. Bob Hudson called recall pressure a distraction and a 'direct attack' on conservative constituents. Jeremy Bland said he would vote for targeted council members again. Tom Dunkel praised Mayor Hall's conduct and supported 2F. Julie Jensen said the vocal critics do not represent a silent majority and supported 2F. Bob Block called post-election petitions 'mob rule' and urged council to keep governing. Tony Belfiore, a Greeley resident and business owner since the 1970s, opposed recalls and supported 2F.
• Brian Franzen, a Planning Commission member speaking as a resident, thanked council for closing an $18 million budget gap with about 68 fewer positions, supported 2F with clear reporting, urged written guardrails for Flock data retention and warrant requirements, and opposed recall because of public cost.
• Kathy Hosh questioned spending on amenities while residents face high costs, cited delinquent tax notices, and referenced a BizWest survey in which about one-third of executives expected worsening business conditions and 54.7% said Colorado's business climate has declined.
• Steve Teets strongly criticized council for not answering public questions, called taxpayers the council's employers, accused council of lying about taxes related to 2F, and warned of ballot-box or recall consequences.
• Bill Galard said the city 'screwed up' by not going to the public early, but supported 2F if clear safeguards are written; he said the West Greeley project area could generate sales tax revenue.
• Spencer Milne, with Deflock Greeley, said his group filed recall petitions against four council members over Flock automated license plate reader surveillance. He detailed grievances with Mayor Hall, Mayor Pro Tem McDonald, Councilmember Roth, and Councilmember Olson, and said 'mass surveillance is not public safety.'
• Mary Metzger said voting yes on 2F under pressure is not consent, argued arenas are not revenue-driving machines, and accused council of ignoring harm reduction.
• Tiffany Simmons, Chris Simmons, Lexi Simmons, and Jennifer Andrews read written comments from residents. The comments generally opposed Catalyst/Cascadia, the West Greeley project, Flock surveillance, the proposed data center, and 2F; called for transparency, homeless resources, small-business support, and traffic safety improvements; and criticized council for not listening.
• Dave Adams, a retired Greeley police sergeant with 38 years on the department, supported license plate readers, cited cold cases, and urged council not to be 'bullied' into removing the technology.
• Lisa Burnell, Ward 1, raised First Amendment concerns about Police Chief Turk showing a resident surveillance footage related to stickers, said she would vote no on 2F, and described speaking as a Hispanic woman whose family has experienced discrimination.
• Vanessa Valenciano, with NOCO Friends of Faith, advocated for a women's homeless shelter and ongoing collaboration on substance use, mental health, and housing stability, especially with upcoming shelter and low-income housing closures.
• Virtual speakers included Liberty Montez and Shantae Michael, realtors who live outside city limits, who supported the council and 2F. Montez described 2F as a 0.6% sales tax exempting groceries and estimated to raise $20 million in its first year. Priscilla Shaner said recurring speakers represent many residents and said she will vote no on 2F. Jeffrey Havens asked for budget monitoring reports to include performance measures and service-capacity data.
• Jeremy Anderson opposed further budget cuts to youth sports and said the city should not take on large project debt without asking citizens. Shauna Bell described personal trauma and alleged institutional failures, asking council to investigate corruption. Catching Valentinis said Deflock Greeley's recall filings were solely about Flock surveillance and called it a 'freedom over force' issue. Louise Wilson said council should resign if it dislikes repeated public comment.

Public Hearing: 2027 Budget

• Steve Teets said the budget should prioritize community needs, including transit, infrastructure, housing, and public involvement in planning.
• Vanessa Wright asked whether downtown sewer repairs would be assessed to property owners. City Manager Brian McBroom said no assessments are planned and the downtown storm sewer project is funded by the stormwater utility.
• Virtual speaker Jeffrey Havens raised concerns about proposed museum staffing reductions, saying the city charter and museum standards require qualified collections care and risk management; he asked for a written capacity assessment before final adoption.

Public Hearing: Firefighters CBA Amendment

• No substantive public testimony was offered. One speaker, Bill Gillard, made a humorous remark about a prior bet with the union representative.

Public Hearing: Johnson Subdivision Sanitary Sewer LID

• Vanessa Wright and Jeff Wright said they bought their home after the 2021 LID was created, received no disclosure, and objected to a retroactive assessment that would affect title and equity. They asked the city to absorb the cost.
• Tracy Trentledge said she shared those concerns.
• Michelle Fox and Jeff Cozan described construction delays, road damage, sinkholes, and a $100,000 cost overrun. They said tap fees and connection costs could make the total burden far exceed $12,631.57 and opposed the assessment.
• Jesse Guardo said she and her husband did not agree to the assessment and had not budgeted for it in retirement.
• Crystal Shedd said the certified public hearing notice she received described the wrong LID, and the project ultimately cost about $580,000, or $100,000 over the 2021 estimate. She asked the city to absorb the remaining infrastructure costs or recalculate the assessment using 2005 rates and lock the plant investment fee at $4,200.
• Ron Redfern, a real estate professional, said no assessment was mentioned at early meetings and that recording an assessment would reduce property value and create disclosure and litigation risks.
• Karen Placentia, who bought her home in 2024, said a construction crew told her tapping in would cost about $40,000, making the total roughly $53,000 with the assessment; she opposed paying.
• A resident who was a former city employee said residents were told the road would be overlaid and described remaining road and shoulder damage. Virtual speaker Mike Greeley agreed with opponents.
• Staff response: Sean Chambers, Director of Water and Sewer Utilities, said state law requires connection to municipal sewer when a septic system fails and the property is within 400 feet. He said the city is not collecting money now; collection would occur at the time of required connection. The LID reduced connection costs from an estimated $30,000-$60,000 to $12,631.57 plus a roughly $9,000 tap fee, with no interest. He acknowledged construction took longer than expected and said road repairs were delayed until the project was completed in 2025.

Public Hearing: Lake Bluff Non-Potable Water LID

• No members of the public spoke on this item.

Discussion Items

2027 Budget Ordinance (Introduction and First Reading)

• Budget and Policy Director Nathan Mosley presented the 2027 budget after an approximately eight-month process. The city's general fund structural deficit was about $18 million. Departments received target reductions of 4%, 17%, or 25% based on council priorities, with no department cut more than 30%.
• Revenue enhancements accounted for about 18% of the reduction target, or roughly $3 million. The recommended budget includes 1,195.25 FTEs, a net reduction of 67.75 positions, returning the organization to about 2024 staffing levels.
• All-fund revenues are projected at $559 million, with expenditures of $581.6 million, a $22.6 million difference driven mostly by one-time or timing-related capital and enterprise fund projects. The general fund deficit in 2027 is $4.2 million, made up of $3 million in one-time expenses and about $1.2 million in unmet department targets. The city expects to return to balance within one to two years. Reserves remain at 16.7%, with a $4.8 million revenue stabilization fund.
• The budget includes $1 million for one-time homeless shelter support, non-base-building compensation payments, and $150,000 added back for museum and open space operations based on public feedback. Major capital projects include the Allen Park playground replacement, Rec Center swimming deck refurbishment, MERGE interchange project, Keep Greeley Moving pavement program, downtown utility work, airport improvements, and West Greeley COP financing.
• Councilmembers thanked staff and praised the process. The Council voted 7-0 to introduce the 2027 budget ordinance on first reading and schedule the public hearing and second reading for November 17, 2026.

Firefighters CBA Amendment (Second Reading)

• Assistant City Manager Kimberly Southern explained that the amendment corrects charting errors in the firefighter wage tables in Appendix A and B of the Collective Bargaining Agreement with IAFF Local 888. The errors were administrative and did not change negotiated financial terms, and no formal union approval was required. The Council adopted the ordinance 7-0.

Johnson Subdivision Sanitary Sewer LID (Second Reading)

• Staff requested approval of assessments for LID No. 43840 covering 38 properties. The maximum assessment was set at $480,000 in 2021, while actual construction costs were about $580,000. The per-property assessment would be $12,631.57 with no interest, due when a septic system fails and connection is required.
• Councilmembers expressed concerns about lack of disclosure to newer homeowners, the length of construction, road conditions, and the fairness of a retroactive per-property assessment. Councilmember Olson said he was struggling with the assessment; Councilmember McDonald said she could not support it and asked staff to research grants; Councilmember DeBoutez asked for a pause and compromise; Councilmember Huddleston suggested a smaller assessment or spreading costs over time.
• The Council voted 5-2 to continue the ordinance to the November 17, 2026 meeting, with Councilmembers Olson and Roth dissenting. Staff will meet with property owners and explore alternatives and grant options.

Lake Bluff Non-Potable Water LID (Second Reading)

• Staff presented the assessment ordinance for LID No. 9510101, which recovers costs for non-potable water infrastructure serving about 766 acres and approximately 20 undeveloped parcels. Costs were allocated at $2,233.23 per bulk acre, with payment due at final plat approval or connection to the non-potable water system. Lake Bluff was excluded because it previously built infrastructure, dedicated land, and paid 25% of the cost. After no public comment, the Council adopted the ordinance 7-0.

Appointments to Boards and Commissions

• The Council approved appointments to the Greeley Art Commission and Housing for All Advisory Board. The clerk announced Thomas DeVore and Heather Your Trata for three-year terms on the Housing for All Advisory Board and Joshua Fullenweiter for a three-year term.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda items 9 through 14 were approved 7-0; pulled item 15 was introduced on first reading 7-0.
• The 2027 City Budget ordinance was introduced on first reading, with the public hearing and second reading scheduled for November 17, 2026; motion carried 7-0.
• The Firefighters CBA first amendment was adopted 7-0.
• The Johnson Subdivision LID assessment ordinance was continued to November 17, 2026, by a 5-2 vote, with Councilmembers Olson and Roth dissenting.
• The Lake Bluff LID assessment ordinance was adopted 7-0.
• Board and commission appointments were approved.
• A motion authorizing the City Attorney to prepare necessary resolutions, agreements, and ordinances and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to sign them was approved 7-0.
• The meeting adjourned at 9:33 PM.