The Regular Meeting of the Meeker Town Board was held Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at Town Hall.

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Loshbaugh called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

ROLL CALL

All Board members were present.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Mayor Loshbaugh asked for changes to the agenda.  Manager Day requested that the final payment for the concrete vault bid and bulk water plant pad be taken off of the Approval of Vouchers.  A motion was made by Trustee Halandras to accept the agenda as revised.  Second by Trustee Ham.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS

Final payment for “Meeker 2007 Concrete Vault Bid” and Bulk Water Plant Pad. 

Manager Day explained that the final payment for the concrete vault bid and bulk water plant pad had been overpaid on the previous payment and that a credit in the amount of $2,859.13 will be issued by C.J. Mud and used for work performed by that company on the dog pound project.   Mayor Loshbaugh inquired about item 44 of the General Fund to Brice Glasscock, Police Dept. supplemental pay.  Day replied that Glasscock occasionally works for the department and that he had worked during the time period the supplemental or extra pay period falls for the department.  Trustee Etheridge asked about item 101 of the General Fund, payment to Hill and Company.  Manager Day replied that it was an incremental payment to the consultants on the Scenic Byways grant and the check will be held until the payment is approved by all committee members.

A motion was made by Trustee Thomson to approve the revised vouchers dated December 11, 2007.  Second by Trustee Etheridge.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES

A motion was made by Trustee White to approve the minutes of November 20, 2007 as corrected.  Second by Trustee Mills.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

A motion was made by Trustee Thomson to approve the minutes of November 27, 2007 as presented.  Second by Trustee Etheridge.  Aye:  Etheridge; Halandras; Mills; Thomson and White Abstain:  Ham. Motion carried.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

None.

DEPARTMENT UPDATES

Chief Hervey reported for the month of November his department had a total of 170 calls including 14 citizen contacts; four traffic and 14 criminal summonses; seven animal impounds; one adoption; two transfers and four returned to their owners. Hervey stated that he is continuing to interview for officer positions and will be talking to two candidates this week, one has passed the Post Test and the other has yet to take the Post Test, but that if all goes well he  hopes to hire them both by the end of the year.

Planner Sheridan reported that her department had been busy with an annexation and subdivision application; code revisions; a recent variance that was heard by the Planning Commission; and building questions.

Mayor Loshbaugh requested moving to the Agenda Item of awarding the bid for water well drilling as it was not time for the public hearing to begin.

Bid award for water well drilling for Municipal Well #6.  Manager Day informed the Board that only one bid had been received for the project, and that the abandonment of the well was not included in the original bid packet.  Day stated the bid from Mountain Water Wells, LLC was in the amount of $75,000.00 with additional charges as listed in their bid.  Mountain Cross Engineer Chris Hale did check one of the company’s references and Day checked the Town of Silverthorne reference last spring and both references were happy with the work the company performed.  Mayor Loshbaugh asked if the bid amount would fit within the budget.  Manager Day replied that it would.  Trustee Thomson wondered, since there were no other bidders, if the bid price was in line with what other companies would charge.  Manager Day replied that it was and this is why the Town uses Chris Hale’s services as he checks other bids for this type of work.  Day commented she thought Mountain Water Wells is a reputable driller.  Trustee Thomson asked what other costs would tie into the project.  Day replied that there would be some expense for electronics but most of the preliminary work has been done, as much that can be, until we know the well will be a good well.  Trustee Halandras asked when the work would begin with Day replying probably mid January.

Trustee Halandras made a motion to accept the only bid for the water well drilling for Municipal Well No. 6 from Mountain Water Wells, LLC in the amount of $75,000.00.  Second by Trustee Mills.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

The meeting was momentarily adjourned by Mayor Loshbaugh who excused himself due to illness.

NEW BUSINESS

Public Hearings beginning at 7:15:

Adoption of Ordinance 9, Series 2007, adopting the Town of Meeker 2008 Budget and Highway User’s Tax Budget.  Public Hearing held November 20, 2007.  Mayor Pro-Tem Etheridge opened the Public Hearing at 7:30 p.m. Manager Day stated that all funds were balanced and the budget was pretty much the same as it was presented on November 20^th  with the exception of property tax which came in $130.00 lower after receiving the valuation from the County and that amount has been added to the Reserve.

Day reported that the estimated expenditures and reserves in each fund are as follows:

General Fund:  Operating Expenses $1,634,165.00; Systems Development Amount $1,433,137.00; Highway Users Tax Fund $81,223.00; Estimated Fund Reserve $2,140,834.00; Emergency Reserve $61,891.00 total General Fund expenses $5,351,250.00

Water Fund:  Operating Expenses $523,036.00; Systems Development Amount $515,000.00; Encumbered Funds (Bond Reserve Fund established pursuant to Town Ordinance No. 277) $103,000.00; Encumbered Curtis Creek Waterline Reserve $299,079.00; Estimated Fund Reserve $400,000.00 total Water Fund expenses $1,840,115.00.

Walbridge Trust Fund:  Operating Expenses $116,000.00.  Total Walbridge Trust Fund expenses of $116,000.00.

Conservation Trust Fund:  Park Expenses $20,550.00; Estimated Fund Reserve $7,856.00 total Conservation Trust Fund expenses $28,406.00.

Estimated revenues and reserves for each fund including transfers are as follows:

General Fund:  Sources other than General Property Tax and Highway Users Tax, including appropriated reserve $2,940,050.00; Emergency Reserve $61,891.00; General Property Tax $127,252.00; Highway Users Tax Fund $81,223.00; Reserve Funds and Unencumbered Estimated Opening Balance $2,140,834.00 total General Fund revenue of $5,351,250.00.

Water Fund:  Non-water Service Income, including appropriated reserve $496,089.00; Water Service Fees $541,947.00; Encumbered Funds (Bond Reserve Fund established pursuant to Town Ordinance No. 277) $103,000.00; Encumbered Curtis Creek Waterline Reserve $299,079.00; Reserve Funds and Unencumbered Estimated Opening Balance $400,000.00 total Water Fund revenue $1,840,115.00.

Walbridge Trust Fund: Income $116,000.00 total Walbridge Trust Fund Income $116,000.00.

Conservation Trust Fund:  State Lottery Share & Reserve for Parks Expenses $20,000.00; Interest $550.00; Estimated Opening Balance $7,856.00 total Conservation Trust Fund Revenue $28,406.00

Manager Day stated that it was staff’s recommendation to adopt the budget as presented. 

Trustee Ham made a motion to adopt Ordinance 9, Series 2007 adopting the Town of Meeker’s 2008 Budget and Highway User’s Tax Budget.  Second by Trustee Halandras.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

Consideration of adoption of Ordinance 10, Series 2007, setting the Mill Levy for the Town of Meeker, 2008 Calendar Year.  Manager Day stated that by State law certification of the mill levy and levying property taxes cannot be adopted until the budget has been adopted.  The General Fund mill levy for 2007 was 9.781 mills and due to the increased valuation for assessment in 2007 a temporary mill levy rate reduction of 2.781 mills is necessary to avoid the collection of revenue in excess of the amount permissible due to TABOR.  The mill levy for 2008 will be set at 7.000 mills generating $18,178,865.00 in property tax and staff recommends adopting the ordinance.

The public hearing was closed at 7:37 p.m. with no questions or comments.

Trustee Mills made a motion to adopt Ordinance 10, Series 2007 setting the Mill Levy for the Town of Meeker 2008 calendar year.  Second by Trustee Thomson.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

Consideration of approval for the Town’s annual holiday calendar.  Manager Day stated that the 2008 holiday calendar was included in the Trustee’s packets and has been prepared according to the Town’s Personnel Policy.  Day commented that she had noticed on the Manager’s List Serve that many municipalities have switched one holiday for Christmas Eve and asked if the Board would consider doing this.  The proposed calendar can be approved as submitted and staff will bring it back to the Board as a revision in the Personnel Policy.  A motion was made by Trustee Mills to approve the Town’s 2008 holiday calendar.  Second by Trustee Ham.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

Manager Day also requested the Board’s permission to close at noon on the eves of Christmas and New Years allowing employees to take vacation time for those afternoons.  The Board concurred to allow closing at noon on both of these days.

TOWN ATTORNEY’S REPORT

None.

TOWN MANAGER’S REPORTS

Manager Day asked the Board if they wished to give Chamber Bucks as staff appreciation again this year, the Board concurred.

Day stated that another computer will be needed for Bob Campbell who will be working for the Town beginning in January.  Day suggested purchasing a faster computer for the Clerk’s office as well as the Water Clerk due to the accounting software and First National Bank’s updating of their check cancelling software has made them run very slow.  Day said that both computers and one new monitor could be purchased for $3,000.00, the current computers are already five years old and she recommended replacing a few every year.  Trustee Halandras suggested that if there were funds remaining in the 2007 budget they should be used for the purchase.

Day stated that the internship program, of which Bob Campbell will be a part of, is an Energy Impact program and they are asking the Town to expend $15,000.00 each year for the next two years which they will match for Bob’s salary. Day requested the Board to authorize the Mayor to sign the final agreement stating that this is a rough draft but the final contract will be very similar and they would appreciate it being signed before the first of the year.  Trustee Halandras made a motion to authorize Mayor Loshbaugh to sign the internship Energy Impact grant.  Second by Trustee Ham.  All ayes.  Motion carried.

Manager Day informed the Board that she had received information that day regarding an executive summary for an I-70 interchange at Parachute from Garfield County and they are asking for a letter of support to use prepayment of Mineral Severance payments to pay for this project.  Day stated that she would not recommend the Town commenting on the interchange at all as we wouldn’t have the knowledge about the project itself, only on the prepayment of Mineral Severance dollars to Garfield County adding that in the past the Town has done this a few times, once for roads in Sage Hills; water tanks and the Town shop.  Day explained that what Garfield County would be doing is going to an energy company and asking them if they would be willing to estimate their severance tax payments and pre-pay the taxes directly to them for this project instead of the money going to the state and then back to the county.  Day stated that it still will have to be approved by the Energy Impact Board, of which Mayor Loshbaugh sits on.  Department of Local Affairs has asked Garfield County to contact everyone in the North West region for their review and comments.

Day recommended that the Board read through the information and discuss it again on January 8^th.  Trustee Ham stated that he would like to hear what Mayor Loshbaugh’s perspective on this is before proceeding any further.

Manager Day asked the Board if they would like to meet with David Smith regarding his Ute Park lease at the January 8^th meeting.  The Board concurred.

OTHER COUNCIL BUSINESS

Annual Board training concerning “Preventing Public Official’s Liability”.    The DVD from CIRSA was viewed after the meeting adjourned.

ADJOURNMENT

Mayor Pro-tem Etheridge adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m. to view the “Preventing Public Official’s Liability” training DVD.

                                                                                    §Mandi Etheridge, Mayor Pro-Tem

Attest:

§Lisa Cook, Town Clerk