HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-04-23 - Study Session NotesSTUDY SESSION NOTES
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
Hybrid - Virtual Meeting
December 4, 2023
Mayor Starker called the Study Session to order at 6:32 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. A quorum of members of
Council were present in Council Chambers for this session.
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: Scott Ohm, Jenny Snell, Korey Stites, Amanda Weaver,
Leah Dozeman, Dan Larsen, Janeece Hoppe (virtually) and Rachel Hultin. .
Also present: City Manager, Patrick Goff; City Clerk, Steve Kirkpatrick; Deputy City
Manager, Allison Scheck (remotely); Chief of Police, Chris Murtha; Director of
Community Development, Lauren Mikulak; Director of Public Works, Maria D’Andrea;
City Attorney, Jerry Dahl; Assistant City Manager, Marianne Schilling; Localworks
Executive Director, Paige Piper; Management Analyst, Cole Haselip, other staff and
interested residents.
Public’s Right to Speak
No one came forward tonight.
Note about Wheat Ridge Speaks:
Members of the public 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 the public 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 appeared in Wheat Ridge Speaks for this session of Council.
1. Wheat Ridge 102 Presentations
Issue
Wheat Ridge 102 participants have been working on two projects this fall: Green
Business and Snow Removal Assistance. Program participants will present their
finalized project blueprints to the City Council, with the goal of handing these projects off
to staff for implementation.
Staff Reports
Assistant City Manager, Marianne Schilling, and Localworks Executive Director, Paige
Piper presented the issue and summarized background on the issue, where Wheat
Ridge 102 is a new program that grew out of Wheat Ridge 101, a seven-week
interactive program designed to share detailed information about how the City of Wheat
Ridge works, and to discuss strategies for community input and engagement.
Participants in Wheat Ridge 102 were required to be graduates of the Wheat Ridge 101
program.
The first Wheat Ridge 102 program launched in September 2023, and was designed to
follow a self-guided schedule with homework assignments, outside work requirements
and a syllabus for specific milestones in the project timeline.
Each project, either Green Business or Snow Removal Assistance, required involvement with local businesses, community members and other stakeholders.
Regular check-ins were required as part of the program, and the whole group was able to share questions and ideas with each other to strengthen the outcome of the projects.
Councilmembers asked detailed questions about several topics, engaging in discussion among themselves and with staff including:
• Several CM expressed their thanks for the staff efforts on this complex issue.
• A detailed discussion of the practical operation, legal requirements, and outcome
desires for resolving this issue.
CM comments and feedback
Because this item was purely informational, no consensuses where proposed.
CM profusely thanked the staff and even more so the participants who learned/worked
through WR 102. They also acknowledged and thanked LocalWorks and its Executive
Director, Page Piper.
CM also opined that the WR 102 program was a rousing success.
CM discussed several internship opportunities for implementing some of the
recommended action plans.
Clerk’s note: The Mayor called for item 3 below, after the conclusion of item 1, rather than
item 2. Item 2 was discussed after Council attended to item 3.
2. Community Advisory Group
Issue
Staff requests that the City Council revise its classification of the Community Advisory
Group as a Hybrid Committee to a Staff-Selected Committee.
Staff Reports
Management Analyst Cole Haselip provided City Council prior actions and where the
municipal courts financials where at the time of the prior meeting on Oct. 2, 2023, there
was no Police Department representation at the meeting, and staff shared with Council
that if there were any concerns with this framework, staff would be back to review those
concerns. After the meeting, staff spoke with Police Chief Murtha and Division Chief
Lorentz, who identified some concerns with establishing the CAG as a Hybrid
Committee. It was determined that staff should return to council to present these
concerns so that Council could make a well-informed decision.
Also relayed was some of the history of the where the Wheat Ridge CAG was first
established in 2018 with the goal of advancing the City’s philosophy of relationship-
based policing. One of its functions is to facilitate two-way communication between
community members and the police. This practice is intended to foster constructive
dialogue which results in enhanced policing strategies and develops community trust.
The CAG also helps to organize and volunteer in events such as the City’s National
Night Out, which celebrates community safety and law enforcement professionals.
Discussion included but was not limited to:
• The CAG is a self-selected committee.
• The CAG often discusses sensitive topics.
• The effectiveness of the committee.
Mr. Haselip finished the presentation and stood by to answer questions.
CM had comments and questions:
Several CM and the Mayor thanked Chief Murtha for the informative presentation.
CM engaged in a discussion and exchange of questions and proposals with the staff
and among themselves, addressing the Chief’s recommendations. There were
comments and concerns about the membership of the CAG, it’s charter and charges,
and the transparency of the CAG’s meetings and recommendations to the Chief of
Police.
CM expressed support for the recommendation that the CAG be re-approved as a staff
selected committee.
MPT Stites proposed a consensus for City Council to revise its classification of the
Community Advisory Group from a Hybrid Committee to a Staff-Selected Committee.
Consensus attained.
Clerks note: This item 3 was addressed immediately following item 1 above, rather than in
the order published in the agenda and Council Packet.
3. Overview of City Snow and Ice Control Policy and Related Effort
Issue
To provide an overview of the updated Snow and Ice Control Policy and the city’s
available resources for responding to this critical function. Community Service staff
have not taken a proactive approach to addressing property owners who do not follow
this ordinance. This has resulted in numerous complaints from pedestrians who cannot
traverse the sidewalk network in a safe manner.
Therefore, staff is also seeking direction on whether or not the City Council wishes to
consider a stronger response regarding warnings and notices of violation.
Staff Reports
Director of Public Works, Maria D’Andrea provided City Council prior actions and
background where the city believes that it is in the best interest of the community to
assume basic responsibility for snow and ice control on public streets. Effective snow
and ice control is necessary for routine travel and the provision of emergency services.
The city will attempt to provide such control in a safe and cost-effective manner while
keeping in mind safety, budget, personnel, and environmental concerns.
Ms. D’Andrea also relayed that the city’s funds are limited, and taxpayers require that
they be spent cost-effectively. It is not possible to address all snow and ice issues
simultaneously and completely. It is also not practical to maintain equipment and
personnel availability at a level that is sufficient for all possible situations.
Therefore, priorities and levels of service have been established in line with the
allocated resources. Providing a higher level of service or engaging in different activities
will require additional funding and/or re-prioritization of existing resources to cover
different priorities.
Discussion included but was not limited to:
• Priority Street Designations.
• Storm Classifications.
• Snowplow Map.
• Personnel
• Equipment
• Other Agency’s Roadways
• Environment
Other items and question for consideration included the following topics:
• Should additional resources be considered to address snow plowing and/or
removal from sidewalks?
• Should additional resources be considered to address snow plowing and/or
removal from bike lanes?
• Should certain sidewalks and/or bike lanes be prioritized over current ones that
are addressed by staff?
• Is there a desire to more proactively address violations of the sidewalk clearing
code?
Ms. D’Andrea also spoke on how staff had researched how other cities maintained their
streets, trails and sidewalks, as well as their snow removal techniques.
Ms. D’Andrea finished the presentation and stood by the answer questions.
CM had comments and questions:
Several CM and the Mayor thanked the staff for the informative presentation. They
indicated a strong approval of a new software application that allows the public to see
where plows have been, where they are, and to submit comments or requests.
CM engaged in a discussion and exchange of questions and proposals with the staff
and among themselves.
CM Weaver commented on the discrepancy between residences and businesses that
have sidewalks (which must be cleaned within 24 hours of the storm end) and those
who do not have sidewalks. This creates issues of fairness and where pedestrians are
to walk in locations without sidewalks.
Other CM commented on businesses facing our commercial corridors that plow their
parking lots by piling snow and ice on the sidewalks. That creates obvious safety
hazards, especially for cyclists, pedestrians and the disabled. The staff should strongly
consider more stringent enforcement of snow removal in those commercial locations.
4. Staff Report(s)
Mr. Goff nothing more tonight.
Elected Officials’ Report(s)
Clerk Kirkpatrick announced that the Cultural Commission has purchased all tickets for
this Sunday’s matinee presentation of A Christmas Cactus at the Wheat Ridge
Community Theater.
CM Ohm thanked those who participated in the bicycle repair and refurbish event. It
was a beautiful day and a very well attended and appreciated event. Some attendees
asked when we will do the next one.
CM Hultin attended the CC4CA retreat this past weekend. During the happy hour she
saw a number of WR folks who are now engaged in sustainability programs in other
cities along the Front Range; another great kind of export from WR.
MPT Stites Local Works fundraiser is tomorrow night. He noted ribbon cuttings for new
Chik-Fil-A and other businesses last week. He also applauded the holiday lighting held
last weekend.
CM Snell
CM Weaver
CM Dozeman
Mayor Starker attended the Tabor Lake Apartment and Chik-Fil-A ribbon cuttings. He
was very proud of our community and the nice event at the tree lighting. This Saturday
is the opening and ribbon cutting for the new playground at Anderson Park
ADJOURNMENT
The Study Session adjourned at 9:44 pm.
APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON December 11, 2023.
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Steve Kirkpatrick, City Clerk
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Korey Stites, Mayor Pro Tem