Kirk C. Watkins, Jamestown. The Jamestown Board of Trustees (BOT) held their monthly meeting on Monday, April 5, 2021. 

The town clerk / treasurer report 

Budget for the first quarter is on target. Monthly recycling, Fourth of July, cleanup events and improvements to the ditch in town have been accounted for due to the Sustainability grant. Total income for the town received is $34,274, expenses are at $14,567 for the first quarter.

Electric bills were higher than budgeted due to broken pipes in the JAM hut which required blowers to dry excess water. The Utility Franchise income will help offset expenses.

Propane payments are higher than budgeted due to the Community Food Share which was held during the cold months. 

The water budget was next. Overall, the expenses for the first quarter are within the allotted range. Late fees for water bills have been postponed during the pandemic, but an update will be prepared for the next meeting. Total expense for the water budget is $14,270.63, out of a yearly budget of $77,689. 

The JVFD (Jamestown Volunteer Fire Department) budget was next. During the CalWood fire crews were dispatched, which brought in $15,500.49 in extra income for the use of town equipment. Income went towards fire-fighters salaries, equipment used, and personnel expenses. Donations also helped to offset income lost from the Fourth of July income. Total expenses were $11,848.62, and total income was $14,196 for the first quarter, which fell within budgetary parameters.

The Roads budget is supplemented by the state for a total of $1600, which will be added to during the year. All road funds are provided by the Highway Users Tax fund. The board approved a $15,000 transfer of funds from the county to pay for additional projects this fiscal year which does not reflect in this budget cycle.

The Parks budget, which includes the Conservation Trust Fund, budgeted $2000, with no expenditures.

Announcements

An update was given regarding the Covid-19 response by the county. Masks are no longer required outdoors but are still required indoors. The county Covid-19 dial will expire on April 16, and Boulder county will adopt state guidelines. This will remove outdoor restrictions and social distancing requirements.

In May, recycling will return to the church parking lot as a result of the lifting of restrictions. There will be no restriction after April 16 regarding outdoor gatherings.

Merc plans for the town square will be allowed with no restrictions and the town will be cleared to plan for the Fourth of July.

Open forum

A tentative okay to start booking bands was given for the Fourth of July festivities.

Board action items

The approval of the use of Elysian Park BandShell for Jamestown Elementary Graduation. It was proposed to hold the graduation on Thursday, May 27, 2021, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. The board proposed a no-cost approval, which was passed.

Discussion and approval of a DRAFT town survey to include a project description, Pros/Cons and Survey Questions regarding a proposed Elysian Park improvement project. Two parts are proposed. One part is to propose a community meeting to allow for community feedback and input to develop the survey. The second part involves the board taking the input and creating a survey to distribute to the community. 

It was noted that a survey should be designed to ascertain whether the community wanted to upgrade the park, and what the steps would be to attain the community goals. Concerns were raised regarding making sure community input was included, and how to ensure it was done correctly.

A motion to table the approval of the survey questions was raised and passed. Volunteers were requested from the board for a working committee on this project. Trustees Loving, Brancato, and Mayor Schoedinger will form that group, and it will be tasked with creating a proposal to bring to the board.

Approval of Zoom community meeting before the survey is sent. A formal motion to hold a community meeting on Monday, April 12, 2021, at 6 p.m. was passed.

Floodplain Management IGA with Boulder County Update. Dale Case from Boulder County requested the Boulder County Commissioners to find out what type of information needed to be given to create an IGA for the next meeting. A recent turnover in the commissioners, due to term limits, caused them not to be completely familiar with the conditions of the IGA. 

Board Committee Reports

Lefthand Watershed Center: attended a presentation by Terry Plummer, Vice President of Maintenance & Operations at Left Hand Ditch Company, about the distribution of water by the Left Hand ditch company. 

Water Operations and Water Committee: Residents are encouraged to plant with drought tolerant species. Applied for CDPHE grant and waiting for results and looking for contractors for siding and painting.

Jamestown Volunteer Fire & EMS: Fire department was paid for CalWood fire response, EMS added two new volunteers. 

Parks: Organizing volunteers for cleanup days at parks. Ground squirrels, voles or pocket gophers causing issues in the park. By covenant, burrowing animals must be addressed due to potential breach of cap on hazardous materials and bringing it to the surface. Need to pursue methods to address the issue. 

Pickleball has requested repainting the courts. The board will research funding and processes.

Streets & Bridges: Fixed a mudhole on Cemetery Road. Sought out and received responses involving traffic cone maintenance on Main Street. 

Jamestown Wildfire Safety & Local Working Group: Team Rubicon project set for first three weekends in May, and first weekend in April. Chris O’Brien to collaborate. Friday, Saturday and Sunday on those dates to chip and remove wildfire hazards. All property owners within firebreak signed up and ready. Communications with the community to be created and distributed. Seth Strickland to oversee the project.

Town Hall Maintenance: Water lines to be worked on in the JAM room.

Garden Committee: Seed bank is stocked, and new tools are procured. Soil has been tested by CSU labs to identify contaminants. Need labor to rototill, run irrigation lines. Orientation planned for members to track volunteer hours and encourage participation.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 p.m. 

The next Jamestown BOT meeting will be on May 3, 2021, at  7 p.m.

(Originally published in the April 22, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)