CENTRAL CITY – The Central City Council met on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, for what turned out to be one of its quicker meetings, lasting just 18 minutes from beginning to end.

With no new business on the agenda, council moved briskly through routine matters before hearing from residents during public comment.

Consent agenda approved

The council unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included the regular bill list from September 9, along with meeting minutes from September 2 and September 3. No discussion was raised before the vote.

Concerns over water bills and meter charges

During public comment, a resident voiced concerns about unexpected charges tied to water service at her property on East 3rd High Street. She told the council she was billed $400 for a water meter installation located outside her property line.

“I want to understand why we have to pay $400. It’s kind of a very steep amount to pay,” she said, noting that neighboring Idaho Springs replaced meters at no cost to residents.

She also described receiving a $226 water bill for a vacant property, which brought her monthly total to more than $600. 

She asked the council to explore possible grant programs or adjustments for part-time residents. In addition, she raised a safety concern about a patch of asphalt left uneven after the meter work.

Council members thanked her for bringing the matter forward and directed staff to follow up directly.

Frustrations with planning process

Next, Brett Lambi of North Vernon Drive criticized how a recent development proposal had been handled by the city. He expressed disappointment in the architecture presented and argued that decisions involving developers and architects should not be handled in executive session.

“It’s sad that we have to start over because we have architects that don’t respect the historic nature of the area,” Lambi said. 

He suggested alternative sites for future development and urged the council to “spread your net bigger, wider, and harder.”

City Attorney Marcus McCaskin responded that no executive sessions had taken place regarding the project. He encouraged Lambi to bring his concerns during the October 7 public hearing when the matter will come before the council in its quasi-judicial role.

Opera season success

Finally, Scott Finlay took the podium to thank council and city staff for supporting what he described as a record-breaking summer for the Central City Opera. “It’s the best that we’ve had since 2017,” he said, adding that local ticket sales rivaled those from nearly two decades ago.

Short evening ends in executive session

With no additional council or staff updates, members voted to enter executive session to discuss potential property acquisition near Nevada Street. The regular meeting was formally reconvened only for adjournment afterward.

The Central City Council will meet again on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, for its next regular session, which is scheduled to include a public hearing on development matters.