Mayor Jeremy Fey called the Central City Council (CCC) meeting to order at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. In attendance were Mayor Jeremy Fey, Alderman Jeff Aiken, Alderman Marcia Enloe, and Alderman Todd Williams. Mayor Pro-tem Kara Tinucci was absent.

Staff present included City Manager Daniel R. Miera, City Clerk Reba Bechtel, and City Attorney Marcus McCaskin. Commissioner Marie Mornis was also in attendance in the audience. Highlights included annual appointments, a grant application for affordable housing, and a historic preservation grant guide.

From the Consent Agenda

Ratify Historic Preservation HR 23-08 - TBD Eureka - New Single- Family Residence x 5- Owners: Jalloh and Lulu, Inc;

Resolution No. 24-01: A resolution designating the public place for posting of notices of regular and special meetings of local public bodies of the City (Bechtel); and

Resolution No. 24-02: A resolution appointing the Municipal Judge and setting the term and compensation for service. (Bechtel)

All were in favor of approving the Consent Agenda.

Annual Appointments

Mayor Pro-Tem appointment

Aiken moved to appoint Tinucci as Mayor Pro-Tem. Enloe seconded, and all were in favor. Tinucci was reappointed to the position.

Legal Publication for 2024

The Weekly Register Call (WRC) has served the citizens of the City of Central for 160 years and the Council cited that history as their impetus for choosing it to remain the official newspaper of record. Williams moved to maintain the WRC as the newspaper of record and all were in favor.

DRCOG Representative

Williams said he will maintain the position unless anyone else would like to volunteer.

DRCOG, The Denver Regional Council of Governments, has for more than sixty years brought elected officials together to address challenges in the region. Members establish guidelines, set policy and allocate funding in the areas of transportation and personal mobility, growth and development, and aging and disability resources.

Through his position, Williams has learned about Proposition 123 and public transportation by rail. He said the Governor is trying to provide rail transportation from Pueblo to Fort Collins.

Mornis chimed in from the audience and said there was a recent press release from Governor Polis proposing a passenger rail service from Denver to Steamboat Springs which would cross through Gilpin County. The commissioners are working on getting a stop in Gilpin.

Enloe moved to maintain Williams as the representative and all were in favor.

Gilpin Ambulance Authority Representative and Alternate

Enloe was voted to maintain her status as the representative to the Gilpin Ambulance Authority, with Miera as an alternate.

I-70 Coalition Representative and Alternate

The council voted Joe Behm as the representative to the I-70 Coalition; he is already a board member.

Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) Advisory Representative

Tinucci was voted to continue in her position as the representative to the LEPC. All were in favor.

Appointment to the Central City Downtown Development Authority (CCDDA) Board - New

Fey said his duty in appointing members to the CCDDA involved six interested parties and that he had to narrow it down to four, which was not easy. He spoke to each of them and asked who they would like to serve with on the board. Then he tallied the responses.

Eric Langan, Steve Boulter, Jeff Hentchel, and Chuck Spencer had the most peer votes and Fey recommended them for the board. There will be two short-term roles and two longer-term roles and the board has until March to determine the details.

Resolution No. 24-05: A resolution of the City Council of the City of Central, Colorado, confirming the appointment of members to the CCDDA Board of Directors.

Resolution No. 24-05 (the “Resolution”) confirms the Mayor’s appointment of five members to the City of Central Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Board of Directors and establishes the terms for each member of the Board.

Aiken moved to promote Tinucci as the council appointee to the DDA, Enloe seconded, and all were in favor.

Williams moved to approve the four other members as discussed, Aiken seconded, and all were in favor.

Resolution No. 24-03: A resolution supporting the grant application for local planning capacity: Proposition 123 Grant from the Department of Local Affairs. (Roemhildt)

In November 2022, Colorado voters approved Proposition 123 to create a Statewide Affordable Housing Fund to support the development and maintenance of affordable housing within Colorado. In order for local governments, organizations, and businesses to access these funds for housing projects, the relevant local government must pass a resolution with City Council approval to apply for grant funding through the Local Capacity Grant Proposition 123 Grant Program, created by the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). The Grant additionally requires approval from Council for the required 20% match by the City of the grant funds, if awarded.

Fey asked why approval is needed for staff to apply for grants. McCaskin responded that the City’s approval is a part of the grant application and it demonstrates solidarity. All were in favor.

Resolution No. 24-04: A resolution of the City Council of the City of Central, Colorado approving the City of Central 2024 Historic Preservation Reimbursement Grant Program and respective 2024 Grant Guide. (Roemhildt)

The proposed resolution would adopt the City of Central Historic Preservation Reimbursement Grant and 2024 Grant Guide to provide up to 50% reimbursement to property owners for the cost of repairs to historic rock walls, siding, windows, roofs, paint, and structural rehabilitation.

In 2024, there is a total budget of $100,000 between the Programs. Rock wall, siding, window, roof, and structural projects will be reimbursed up to 50% of eligible costs up to $10,000, and paint projects will be reimbursed up to 50% of eligible costs up to $5,000. All qualifying projects must be for residential dwellings.

The Colorado State Constitution provides for a portion of gaming tax revenues to be returned to the City of Central specifically for preservation and restoration. Guidelines for the use of these funds were adopted by Council in 2010 (Res. 16-10), which include funding preservation and/ or restoration of historic buildings through a Historic Preservation Grant Program.

The Grant guide will capture these updates.

Staff Updates: Roemhildt introduced two new Central City Planners who began in December. Additionally, a new employee was hired for Public Works. Fey thanked all the employees at Public Works for keeping the roads clear.

Public Forum: Commissioner Marie Mornis from District 1 gave an update on the current projects the commissioners are working on. She shared that Gilpin County received part of a grant for broadband in the amount of $8.6 million, which will begin in the north part of the county.

The commissioners had a news conference with the Governor last Friday to develop a passenger rail from Denver to Steamboat and the commissioners pushed to have a stop in Rollinsville. The thought was to have some passenger transit from Central City and Black Hawk to the Rollinsville stop to access the rail service.

Mornis then announced she will run for re-election next November for District 1 commissioner.

Fey remarked that he feels there is still a disconnect between the County and the Cities. He thinks that the relationship can be better. He suggested more dialog and joint meetings.

Mornis said that she would also like to see that happen.

One resident congratulated Public Works for plowing the streets and the Mayor’s method of appointing members for the DDA. He also asked where the council members stand on the ATV pilot program, which is scheduled for June with a vote in November. Lastly, he congratulated Eric Chinn as Citizen of the Year.

Council comments: Aiken responded to public comment regarding the ATV pilot program that the pilot will be followed by a citizen vote.

Williams commented that the pilot program from June through August can possibly impact the entire city as a whole and that the conversation will come up after the pilot.

Enloe agreed with having a citizen vote on the ATV pilot program.

Fey said he does not believe they should put the issue to a vote because they were elected to represent the people’s interests in the first place. He said he does not see one more mode of transportation in the area as a monumental issue. Unless it is a direct taxation, the council should make decisions for the people.

Fey also commented that when he came to the City of Central that it was the “City of No,” concerning development, and that he is proud that is no longer the case. New residential units and urban developments and improvements are signs that the community is beginning to say “yes.”

Meeting adjourned at 8:04 p.m.

The next City of Central Council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at Central City Hall, 141 Nevada Street, second floor; or online via Zoom. Information can be found on the City website, centralcity.colorado.gov/meetings.