HomeMy WebLinkAbout9-20-21 Study Session NotesSTUDY SESSION NOTES
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
Hybrid -Virtual Meeting
September 20, 2021
Mayor Bud Starker called the Study Session to order at 6:31 p.m.
This meeting was conducted both as a virtual meeting and hybrid, where some
members of the Council or City staff were physically present at the Municipal building,
and some members of the public attended in person as well. All eight members of
Council were present in Council Chambers for this session.
Mayor Starker welcomed the Council, other elected officials, staff and interested
citizens.
The Mayor also explained the virtual/hybrid meeting format, how citizens will have the
opportunity to be heard, and the procedures and policies to be followed.
Council members present Amanda Weaver, Judy Hutchinson, Zach Urban, Janeece
Hoppe, Korey Stites, Valerie Nosier Beck, and Rachel Hultin. In the Mayor's absence,
the Mayor Pro Tern, Janeece Hoppe presided.
Also, present: City Manager, Patrick Goff; City Clerk, Steve Kirkpatrick; City Treasurer,
Chris Miller; Administrative Services Director, Allison Scheck; Chief of Police, Chris
Murtha; Director of Parks and Recreation, Karen O'Donnell; Assistant to the City
Manager, Marianne Schilling; Director of Community Development, Ken Johnstone;
Director of Public Works, Greg Knutson; approximately 6 interested citizens and guests.
Citizen's Right to Speak
John Wood, representing the Wheat Ridge Historical Society came to support budget
increases for the Society. The proposed budget enables the Society to staff the
museum, archive historical documents and serve those interested in exploring and
researching our City history. He thanked the City staff and the Mayor and Council for
their ongoing support of the Society, in the budget and in many other ways.
Note about Wheat Ridge Speaks:
Citizens may visit the Wheat Ridge Speaks website and enter written comments of up to
1,000 words on any Council agenda item. The deadline for citizens to submit
comments is 12:00 Noon Mountain Time on the day of a Council session so that
Council members, other elected officials and City Staff have time to review the
comments before the meeting on Monday evening.
The City Clerk's Office transcribes those Wheat Ridge Speaks comments into these
minutes, placing each comment along with the record for that agenda item.
No comments on tonight's agenda appears in WR Speaks this week.
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L 2022 Proposed Budget Presentation
Discussion began at 6:39 pm, approximately 0: minutes into the recording of the
session.
Issue
Tonight's only agenda item is the proposed 2022 City Budget presentation to City
Council for review and discussion. This memorandum includes an outline of the public
engagement steps that have occurred to date and the future actions required by City
Charter to adopt the budget. In addition, the 2022 Budget Message is included which
summarizes the various components of the proposed budget.
Staff Reports
City Manager Patrick Goff and Administrative Services Director, Allison Scheck,
delivered to Council a detailed presentation about this item, and the financial impacts for
bringing it to Council.
Those include Prior and future actions to include the dates:
• October 11, 2021-as required by Section 10.7 of the Wheat Ridge City Charter
a public hearing will be conducted to provide an additional opportunity for
residents to comment on the proposed budget prior to its adoption. Notification
of the public hearing will be made on the City Website, City Facebook page, and
in the Jeffco Transcript.
• October 11. 2021-as required by Section 10.9 of the Wheat Ridge City Charter,
the budget shall be adopted by resolution on or before the final day (December
15, 2021) established by state statute for the certification of the next year's tax
levy to the county
The proposed 2021 budget includes the following:
• A General Fund budget in the amount of $44,169,781
• An unrestricted fund balance of $11,042,057 or 25% of expenditures
• A General Fund transfer of $6,995,445 to the Capital Improvement Program
(CIP)
• A General Fund transfer of $500,000 to the Equipment Replacement Fund
• Proposed CIP Fund in the amount of $21,763,305
• Proposed Renewal Wheat Ridge Bonds Project Fund in the amount of
$5,900,000
• Proposed 2E Fund in the total amount of $3,884,083
• Special Revenue Funds in the amount of $6,405, 134
• Proposed budget (all funds) in the amount of $82,122,303
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Councilmembers had questions and comments about the budget request, which they
discussed with key staff leadership in depth:
Mayor Pro Tern Hoppe proposed a consensus to add $3,500 to the proposed budget for
outreach 2022.
Consensus attained.
The Mayor Pro Tern proposed a consensus for staff to review and bring to Council the
budget for the City of Wheat Ridge in 2022 and prepare for the mandated public hearing
on the budget prescribed in Charter and Code, scheduled for October 11, 2021.
Consensus attained.
2. Staff Report(s)
Discussion began at pm, approximately 3:00 hours into the recording of the session
3. Elected Officials' Report(s)
Discussion of this item began at approximately PM.
Councilmember Hoppe asked about Clear Creek Closing public art plans. Staff
provided a detailed answer.
Councilmember Urban reported on his research into restricted covenants in Wheat
Ridge and asked that the City Attorney do further research into what Council can do in
terms of these codicils in property deeds.
Council member Hutchinson thanked the staff for all of their hard work on the budget.
Councilmember Stites
Councilmember Hultin The District II meeting will be held October 2nd at 10 AM.
Councilmember Weaver asked about voter registration and where voters can track their
registration, change their address or party affiliation, and track their ballots.
Councilmember Nosier Beck thanked her neighbors who once again held a
neighborhood gathering that she greatly appreciated and much enjoyed.
Councilmember Hoppe
ADJOURNMENT
The Study Session adjourned at 9:34 pm.
APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON February 14, 2022.
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Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
Janeece Hoppe, Mayor Pro Tern
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