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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-11-2025 City Council Meeting MinutesCity Council Meeting Minutes CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO 7500 WEST 29TH AVENUE, MUNICIPAL BUILDING  August 11, 2025 1. Call to Order Mayor Starker called the Regular City Council Meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. Pledge of Allegiance Those present stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. 3. Roll Call Council Members present: Jenny Snell, Scott Ohm, Amanda Weaver, Korey Stites, Leah Dozeman, Janeece Hoppe, Rachel Hultin, and Dan Larson. Absent: None. A quorum was established. Also present: City Manager Patrick Goff; Public Work, City Attorney Gerald Dahl, Deputy City Manager Allison Scheck, Interim Director of Public Works Kent Kisselman, and Sr. Deputy City Clerk Margy Greer 4. Approval of Minutes • City Council Meeting Minutes, June 09, 2025 • Study Session Notes, June 16, 2025 • City Council Meeting Minutes, June 23, 2025 • Study Session Notes, July 07, 2025 • City Council Meeting Minutes, July 14, 2025 • Study Session Notes, July 21, 2025 • City Council Meeting Minutes, July 28, 2025 Council Member Dozeman corrected the July 21, 2025, Notes, stating that Council Member Hoppe and she were both present at the meeting. The Notes and Minutes were then approved as amended. 5. Approval of Agenda Without objection or correction, the agenda stood as presented. 6. Proclamations and Ceremonies Oath of Office – Sr. Deputy City Clerk administered the Oath of Office to the new Deputy City Clerk Onorina Maloney. 7. Public’s Right to Speak Wheat Ridge Speaks Lauren Ciparro - 8510 W 44th Ave Wheat Ridge, 80033 There was big beautiful plum tree that had marvelous fruit that fed any that walked by. Located on the south side of 44th in between Everett and Dover near Anderson park that you had annihilated. Cut down to the stump. You not only killed an important part of our city, you also stole a resource that many used for food. Why? Because it’s free to the public? Because you couldn’t control it? I thought Wheatridge was for farmers? I have investigated and there is absolutely no reason for it to have been cut all the way down. It could have been trimmed to accommodate the power lines or maybe YOU could have accommodated the power lines around the tree. This in itself is proof that our government wants the people to suffer and not be able to provide with FREE available resources. Cutting down that tree cut a piece of my heart, and I am so lucky to have prepared by saving seeds from this tree knowing how our government works and that this was coming. I WILL BE REPLANTING. That tree gave more to this community than you people ever will. I also have pictures of other trees that are not fruit bearing that clearly are in need of trimming that are taking over power lines, not even 100 feet away in 3 different locations. Strangely enough NONE of these trees have received the abuse that you inflicted on the plum tree. They aren’t trimmed, cut or maintained in ANY shape or form yet you prioritized cutting down the PLUM TREE. I am disappointed as you have failed the community of Wheatridge and that doesn’t even to begin to cover what you have just robbed from the animals and wildlife that survived off the plums. You should be ashamed. DO BETTER. CONSENT AGENDA Council Member Snell read the Consent Agenda, which consisted of Items 8 and 9, as well as the Issue Statements into the Record. 8. Resolution No. 37-2025 - a resolution approving an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Wheat Ridge and the Colorado Department of Transportation to establish maintenance responsibilities for the Wadsworth Boulevard Path project Issue: The City has entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with CDOT for the construction of a sidewalk on the west side of Wadsworth Boulevard between 32nd and 35th Avenues. A separate IGA is required between the Parties for long-term maintenance responsibilities of the improvements. 9. Resolution No. 38-2025 – a resolution authorizing the appropriate city officials to execute an Intergovernmental Agreement by and between the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado, and the City of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, regarding the administration of their respective duties concerning the conduct of the Coordinated Election to be held on November 4, 2025 Issue: The City of Wheat Ridge will participate in a coordinated election on November 4, 2025. The attached Resolution and Intergovernmental Agreement must be executed and forwarded to Jefferson County by Tuesday, August 26, 2025. The documents refer to the respective duties of the County and the City of Wheat Ridge regarding the administration of their respective duties concerning the conduct of the Coordinated Election. Council Member Snell made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. It was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Stites. Vote: 8 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING None ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING 10. Council Bill No. 15-2025 – an ordinance submitting a ballot question to the voters of the City at the November 4, 2025, regular municipal election, to amend the Wheat Ridge Home Rule Charter to eliminate offices of elected City Clerk and City Treasurer Mayor Pro Tem Stites read the Title of the Council Bill and the Issue Statement into the Record. Issue: Chapter III of the City’s Charter establishes that there shall be an elected City Clerk (Sec. 3.7-3.8) and an elected City Treasurer (Sec. 3.9-3.10). Council is proposing a charter amendment to the Wheat Ridge electorate that eliminates the elected roles of Clerk and Treasurer at the November 4, 2025, municipal election. Mayor Pro Tem Stites made a motion to approve Council Bill 15-2025, an ordinance submitting a ballot question to the voters of the City at the November 4, 2025, regular municipal election, to amend the Wheat Ridge Home Rule Charter to eliminate offices of elected City Clerk and City Treasurer. It was seconded by Council Member Ohm. Vote: 8 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried. 11. Council Bill No. 16-2025 – an ordinance approving the sale of city-owned real property and authorizing execution of an agreement for the same Council member Ohm read the Title of the Council Bill and the Issue Statement into the Record. Issue: The City has the opportunity to sell a property known as Town Center Park located at 4084 Wadsworth Boulevard. Town Center Park, a 0.7-acre parcel purchased in 1982, was closed in 2020 due to safety concerns when it became a magnet for unwelcome behavior and was no longer serving as its intended use as a gathering space for the shopping center. The sale of this parcel, combined with another 0.5-acre site acquired as part of the Wadsworth Improvement Project, has long been the City’s intention once the Wadsworth construction was nearing completion. Section 16.5 of the City Charter states that “Unanimous approval of the entire council, by ordinance, shall be necessary for sale or disposition of designated park land. Council Member Ohm made a motion to approve Council Bill 16-2025, an ordinance approving the sale of city-owned real property and authorizing execution of an agreement for the same, order it published, public hearing set for Monday August 25, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., as a virtual meeting and in City Council Chambers, 7500 West 29th Avenue, and that it takes effect fifteen (15) days after final publication, as provided by Section 5.11 of the Charter. It was seconded by Council Member Dozeman. Vote: 8 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried. 12. Council Bill No. 17-2025 – an ordinance approving the sale of city-owned real property and authorizing execution of an agreement for the same Council Member Hultin read the Title of the Council Bill and the Issue Statement into the Record. Issue: The City has the opportunity to sell property acquired through the Improve Wadsworth Project known as the former Raliberto’s site. This commercial property, located at 4084 Wadsworth Boulevard, is approximately 0.5 acres. It was purchased by the City in order to facilitate the widening of Wadsworth Boulevard. The sale of this parcel, combined with another 0.7-acre former parkland site, has long been the City’s intention once the Wadsworth construction was nearing completion. Section 16.5 of the City Charter states that The City shall not sell or dispose of municipally owned buildings or real property for a public purpose, without first obtaining the approval, by ordinance, of three-fourths of the entire council. Council Member Hultin made a motion to approve Council Bill 16-2025, an ordinance approving the sale of city-owned real property and authorizing execution of an agreement for the same, order it published, public hearing set for Monday August 25, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., as a virtual meeting and in City Council Chambers, 7500 West 29th Avenue, and that it takes effect fifteen (15) days after final publication, as provided by Section 5.11 of the Charter. It was seconded by Council Member Hoppe. Vote: 8 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried. DECISIONS, RESOLUTIONS, AND MOTIONS None. 13. City Manager’s Matters City Manager Patrick Goff reported the Wheat Ridge PD was successfully reaccredited by The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. He reported it was a rigorous process that required the department to demonstrate continued compliance with hundreds of standards that provide best practices related to life, health and safety procedures for the agency. He congratulated the Police Department on their accomplishment. 14. City Attorney’s Matters None. 15. Elected Official’s Matters Mayor and City Council Members stated their pride in the City, thanked staff for their hard work, and reported on events and activities they attended over the past weeks. 16. Executive Session Mayor Pro Tem Stites made a motion For a conference with the City Manager, City Attorney, special counsel and appropriate staff under Charter Section 5.7(1) and CRS 24-6-402(4)(b) and (e), for legal advice and to instruct negotiators on specific legal questions: a contract dispute between the City and Concrete Works Colorado involving the Wadsworth widening project. He further moved to adjourn the open meeting at the conclusion of the executive session. It was seconded by Council Member Hoppe. Vote : 8 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried. City Council went into an Executive Session at 7:06 p.m. 17. Adjournment Mayor Starker adjourned the meeting upon conclusion of the Executive Session at 8:25 p.m. ___________________________________ Margy Greer, Sr. Deputy City Clerk ___________________________________ Korey Stites, Mayor Pro Tem