John Scarffe, Central City.   The City of Central Council authorized the city manager to execute a contract for the Central City Belvidere Theatre rehabilitation project during a regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 2, 2018, at the City Hall, 141 Nevada Street. The council also amended the City Charter regarding meeting dates on holidays and discussed two resolutions urging a vote of yes on ballot issues.

Community Development Director Ray Rears introduced a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute this contract with Form+Works Design Group, LLC for the Central City Belvidere Theatre rehabilitation architectural plans and specifications, once outside funding sources have been determined and secured, according to the meeting minutes. Rears explained that this resolution will direct the city manager to sign the grant contract once the fully executed grant has been determined, and hopefully, awarded to the city.

If the grant is not awarded to the city, then the contract would be executed without the grant funding. The total contract cost is $321,970, according to the minutes.

The city acquired the theater in July 2016 following a Historic Structural Assessment (HSA) completed by Gilpin County. The total estimated cost for restoration based on the HSA is just under $2.7 million, divided among six phases, according to the minutes.

Phase 1 was completed in October 2016 for the emergency façade stabilization. Phase 2 for work generally involving the roof, foundation and wall repair was estimated to be just under $500,000, and a Request for Proposal (RFP) was released in August 2017 for that work. The bids from that RFP were far greater than the estimated costs and that request was canceled.

In August, the city released an RFP to obtain architectural and construction drawings for the full restoration of the building, absent of the phases as a means of saving mobilization and redundancy costs on construction, and speeding up the restoration of the building. The proposals were evaluated and scored, and the review committee selected the firm Form+Works Design Group, LLC.

Once this contract is executed, estimated completion will be by mid-summer 2019, which can then be released for full restoration by the end of 2019. Within the scope, the design firm will host public input on the end uses of the building, which will be finalized by the City Council, according to the minutes.

The city has applied for an Energy/Mineral Impact Assistance Fund Grant (EIAF) to offset half the cost of this contract. If awarded, the grant would cover about half the cost of these plans or $160,985, leaving the same amount asthe city’s obligation, according to the minutes.

The city will learn within the next 30 to 60 days if awarded the grant. The contracting process with DOLA is expected to be complete by January 2019. The city is prohibited from awarding the contract until the DOLA EIAF grant award contract is fully executed.

Authorizing the manager to execute the contract will ensure the project can start as soon as the City is advised of the grant award and also to ensure the firm is available to perform the work within the time range prescribed in the scope.

Funding for this project is already established through the Historic Preservation Account - Belvidere Theater line item, according to the minutes. The council approved the resolution.

Attorney McAskin introduced an ordinance amending Rule 1 of the Council Rules of Procedure. He explained that the ordinance revises the Rule 1 to make it clear that any regular meeting that falls on a holiday will be held on the immediately following business day at 7 p.m., according to the minutes.

In January 2019, the first regular meeting will be Wednesday, January 2, at 7 p.m., since the New Year’s Holiday falls on Tuesday, January 1. The minor revisions to the rules addressed in the ordinance include clarifying that if any regular meeting is scheduled to fall on a holiday, whether federal, state or local, the regular meeting will be on the next business day at 7 p.m.

The rules were previously adopted by an ordinance on May 16, 2017. The council approved the ordinance on first reading and scheduled the second reading and public hearing for Tuesday, October 16, 2018, at 7 p.m.

The council discussed resolutions urging a yes vote on ballot issues 1A and 1B in the upcoming November 6 elections. Attorney McAskin explained that if adopted by the City Council, the resolutions will urge a “yes” vote on Ballot Issue 1A, sales and use tax increase to fund fire protection and public safety services, and Ballot Question 1B, proposed Home Rule Charter amendment related to filling vacancies on City Council.

Both ballot issues were referred to voters by City Council at the September 4, 2018 regular meeting. Mayor Heider added that she will vote for the sales and use tax increase, although this increase will not fully solve funding for the Fire Department but will help to upgrade some equipment.

The council approved the resolution urging a yes vote on Ballot Issue 1A, according to the minutes. Additional discussion regarding Ballot Question 1B included that this proposed amendment to the charter would allow council to fill the vacancy by either an appointment or order a special election. Some concerns regarding the act of urging voters to vote yes were expressed.

A motion to table and a motion to approve died without a second. The council approved a motion to continue the resolution on Ballot Question 1B to October 16, 2018, with Alderman Aiken voting no.

The Central City Council met on November 6, 2018. The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20, 2018, at the City Hall, 141 Nevada Street.

(Originally published in the November 15, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)