John Scarffe
Black Hawk
The Black Hawk City Council entertained a bid for roof replacement at the City Hall and the Hidden Valley Water Treatment Plant during a regular meeting on Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 3 p.m., at 211 Church Street. The Council also approved operating guidelines and a manual for the Police and Fire departments.
The City Hall roof was installed in 1996 and the Hidden Valley roofs were installed in 1995, according to the request for Council action. All three roofs are starting to fail and need to be replaced. The project was designed by Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates. Jim Ford told the Council that the city received five bids for the City Hall and Hidden Valley Water Treatment Plant Roof Replacement project. He said that the spread concerned him, so he contacted the designer, who said he has worked with Arapahoe Roofing before and they did a good job.
Arapahoe had the lowest bid and said they can get it done before winter. The Board approved the resolution awarding the bid to Arapahoe Roofing for the City Hall and Hidden Valley Water Treatment Plant Roof Replacement Project in the amount not to exceed $167,413.00.
Fire Chief Don Taylor requested renewal of the City of Black Hawk Fire Department Standard Operating Guidelines. On a yearly basis the fire department adds additional guidelines for department operations.
Taylor said he tries once a year to bring forward changes to the policy. Included this year are new or updated Standard Operating Procedures regarding Health and Fitness, which were updated at the Council’s previous meeting,; the Respiratory Protection Program, which brings current practices into a formal document; and Fire Chaplaincy Policy.
The Fire Department’s chaplain is retiring in April next year, and Taylor wanted to get some guidelines in place before a new person takes over. The Council approved the updated Fire Department operating guidelines.
Police Chief Stephen Cole asked that the Lexipol Policy Manual System be adopted as the City of Black Hawk Police Manual. The Black Hawk Police Department purchased the Lexipol Policy Manual System in early 2016 to replace its existing policy manual, according to the request.
“Lexipol provides model policies to police departments across the country and specifically to departments in the State of Colorado. Lexipol provides agencies with suggested “best practices” and “legal policy terminology” needed to keep policies up to date,” according to the request.
“Lexipol reviews the latest laws (local, state and federal), court rulings and emerging issues, then provides its participating agencies suggested updates to its model policies. Participating agencies then review and modify the policies for adoption in their respective agencies,” according to the request. “The Black Hawk Police Department has reviewed the model policies provided by Lexipol and recommends the adoption of the new Black Hawk Police Department Policy Manual. “
The Department will provide policy updates and modifications to the Board of Aldermen in writing after they are received from Lexipol and reviewed by department staff. The Police Department will then adopt the proposed changes.
“The Board of Aldermen will have the opportunity to comment or recommend changes at any time. The new process provides a transparent mechanism for the Board of Aldermen and any citizen to review department policies or make recommendations for changing existing policies within the department,” according to the request.
The Council approved the request. City Manager Jack Lewis said he has a draft done of the 2016 to 2017 annual budget, and he was going to put it in online on October 13, 2016. He scheduled October 26th at 1 p.m. for a budget workshop,
Lewis said the Council would have only one regular meeting in November, on November 16, 2016. At that time the Council will adopt the budget. The next regular meeting of the Black Hawk City Council will be at 3 p.m. October 26, 2016 at 211 Church Street.
