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Home My WebLink About12-08-2025 - City Council Meeting MinutesPage 1 of 10 MINUTES CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO DATE: Monday, December 8, 2025 TIME: 6:30 p.m. This meeting was conducted in a hybrid format, with some members of the Council and City staff physically present at the Municipal Building, 7500 W. 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and others attending virtually. Members of the public participated both in person and online. 1. Call to Order Mayor Korey Stites called the regular meeting of the City Council to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. Pledge of Allegiance Those present stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. Roll Call Councilmembers present: Rachel Hultin, Dan Larson, Kathleen Martell, Scott Ohm, Mike Okada, Patrick Quinn, Jenny Snell. (There is one vacancy.) A quorum was present Also present: City Manager Patrick Goff, City Attorney Gerald Dahl, Deputy City Manager Marianne Schilling, Police Chief Chris Murtha, Community Development Director Lauren Mikulak, Parks and Recreation Director Karen O’Donnell, Deputy City Clerk Onorina Maloney. 4. Approval of Minutes Minutes and study session notes dated August 11, August 18, August 25, September 8, September 15, September 22, October 6, October 13 (regular and special study session), October 20, October 27, November 10 (regular and special study session), and November 17, 2025, were approved as presented. 5. Approval of Agenda Councilmember Martell moved to amend the agenda to move Motion to make an appointment to fill the District III City Council vacancy, term ending November 8, 2027, to before Proclamations, Awards, and Ceremonies. Motion seconded by Councilmember Ohm. Vote: 7 ayes; 0 nays. The motion carried Page 2 of 10 6. Motion to Make an Appointment to Fill the District III City Council Vacancy, term ending November 8, 2027. Issue: Councilmember Stites was elected as Mayor at the November 4, 2025, election. Mr. Stites resigned from his District III City Council seat on November 10, 2025. Wheat Ridge City Charter Section 4.5 states that “within thirty (30) days after a vacancy occurs on the council, the remaining councilmembers shall choose by majority vote of a duly qualified person from the property district to fill such vacancy”. After advertising for the vacancy, five qualified applications were received from interested candidates for the vacant seat, and interviews were conducted by City Council at the December 1 study session. Councilmember Quinn read the title and issue into the record. Mayor Stites opened the public hearing. Public Comments In person: Tracey Boggus requested the appointment of Justin Slocum, noting he had received 42% of votes when he ran for District 3 in the recent election Justin Slocum spoke about his campaign for the District III seat and noted he was the only applicant who had run when the seat was before voters. Margaret Nelson spoke in favor of appointing Justin Slocum stating that Mr. Slocum made the effort to run for election Ihor Figlus also voiced support for appointing Slocum based on his having run for the position. Comments via Zoom: Janeece Hoppe spoke remotely about the historical precedent and process established in 2015 for council vacancies, emphasizing the importance of following the established appointment process. Comments via Wheat Ridge Speaks on MOTION to Appoint District III Council Vacancy Carol Mathews City Councilors, please carefully consider the appointment of candidates for the open position in District #3, which Korey Stites created. Please consider qualification, expertise and the initiative of Justin Slocum who stepped forward as a candidate for the other District #3 seat on City Council. Justin launched a campaign, went door to door to talk to his constituents, spoke to local groups, and gained insight into the wants and needs of the Wheat Ridge community. Although he is very outspoken at times, he has valuable Page 3 of 10 knowledge from his work experience with CDOT about infrastructure and general construction, which is probably the number one issue in the immediate future for Wheat Ridge. The appointment of Justin would give voice to the 1,308 Wheat Ridge Citizens in District #3 who voted for him in the recent election. His appointment would give confidence that the Wheat Ridge City Council respects competence and diversity vs having a solely political agenda. Thank you for your consideration, Carol Anne Mathews Steven Lee Whitney As a resident of Wheat Ridge for the last 28 years I would like to place my vote for Maki DeLeat to be added to the City Council for District 3. I have known her for several years and she is a wonderful person who would act in the best interests of the citizens of Wheat Ridge and the city itself. Comment Via Electronic Mail to staff Dear Leadership of Wheat Ridge I am hoping you will fill the District # 3 position with Justin Slocum. Justin ran a good race and secured over 1000 votes from his District. This indicates the desire of "the people in his District" for Justin to Represent them. He has valuable knowledge from his work experience with CDOT about infrastructure and general construction, which the city of Wheat Ridge could receive a lot of value. Justin sincerely cares about the future of Wheat Ridge, he is honest, hardworking and fair. Please fill the vacancy with Justin Slocum. Thank you from a Wheat Ridge resident, Liz Veeder Council questions: Mayor Stites requested clarification from the City Attorney regarding the City Council vacancy process, including whether an earlier resignation would have changed the procedure. The City Attorney explained that, under the Charter, any Council vacancy must be filled by appointment within 30 days of the vacancy occurring and does not result in a special election. He noted that the same process would have applied had a resignation occurred earlier. Mayor Stites thanked the City Attorney and stated the clarification was intended to ensure public understanding of the Charter’s requirements. Motion: Councilmember Quinn moved to appoint Susan Wood to District III City Council seat, term to expire November 8, 2027. Councilmember Okada seconded the motion. Councilmember Quinn stated the council appointment was a difficult decision, as all applicants were highly qualified and committed to the community. He explained that appointments differ from elections, resembling job interviews that demand judgment and accountability. Drawing on twenty years of union experience, he emphasized values of Page 4 of 10 fairness, hard work, and trust, which guided his nomination of Susan Wood. Quinn highlighted her integrity, work ethic, and Planning Commission service as strong preparation for City Council. He thanked all applicants and community members for their engagement and participation. Councilmember Hultin proposed a substitute motion to appoint Simon McGowan. The substitute motion was seconded by Councilmember Ohm. During discussion on the substitute motion, Councilmembers noted the difficulty of the decision, with several expressing appreciation for all applicants. Vote on substitute motion: 3 ayes; 4 nays. The substitute motion failed Councilmembers voting in favor: Okada, Hultin, Snell. Councilmembers voting opposed: Larson, Ohm, Martell, Quinn. The original motion to appoint Susan Wood was back on the floor and discussed with Councilmembers highlighting Ms. Wood’s planning expertise and qualifications. Council thanked all applicants and the knowledge and depth of experience of all that applied to fill the vacancy. Council voted on the original motion to appoint Susan Wood to District III City Council seat, term to expire November 8, 2027. Vote: 7 ayes; 0 nays. The original motion carried. Mayor Stites closed the public hearing. Judge Lucero administered the oath of office to Susan Wood, who was sworn in as Councilmember of the City Council for District III. 7. Proclamations, Awards and Ceremonies a. Recognition of Wheat Ridge 102 Graduates Mayor Stites and City Council recognized participants of the 2025 Wheat Ridge 102 program. The Mayor explained that Wheat Ridge 102 builds upon skills learned in Wheat Ridge 101 and allows participants to facilitate community changes. This year's projects included the implementation of a youth engagement program and a neighborhood program. Eight graduates were recognized with certificates: Emily Cohen, Katy Duncan, Alex Gouldsmith, Roger Jones, Renee Schreiner, Andy Sulak and Brianna Zafian. b. Recognition of Police Recruit Graduates Chief Murtha introduced two new police officers who had recently graduated from the academy, Samuel Marsh and Alejandro Montes. Both officers shared their backgrounds and enthusiasm for serving the Wheat Ridge community. Chief Martha noted the Page 5 of 10 department's success in attracting talented recruits, and council congratulated the new officers. 8. Publics' Right to Speak In person: Margaret Nelson expressed concerns about the dangerous intersection at 38th and Kipling, requesting red light cameras to address frequent accidents. Mike and Gretchen Josten discussed issues with Auto Wash at Lakeside, noting that despite some improvements, the car wash continues to operate in a way that creates noise pollution affecting the neighborhood. They requested the city enforce compliance with noise ordinances. Jan Facinelli, who operates a veterinary practice near the car wash, detailed how the noise continues to disrupt her examinations despite some operational changes by the business. Chris Nietzold played a recording of the car wash noise from his property, challenging Councilmembers to experience the noise firsthand. Councilmember Ohm asked staff about the status of noise complaints. City Attorney explained that the Community Development Department is working to conduct independent sound testing post-installation of the sound fence. Councilmember Hultin inquired about enforcement of the car wash's voluntary restricted hours (7am-10pm). Staff indicated police would monitor the area, though enforcement mechanisms were still being determined since the business operates without on-site staff. 9. Motion to Adopt the 2026 City Council Meeting Calendar Issue: The calendar of the City Council meetings is adopted by a motion of the City Council annually. Adopting the meeting calendar for the year is more efficient and enables the Mayor, Council, and staff to schedule other events and travel in advance. The Council will be able to amend the calendar by motion throughout the year, if necessary. The following City Council meetings that conflict with observed City holidays or other known events during the year are recommended for cancellation: • Study Session, January 19, 2026 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day • Study Session, February 16, 2026 – President’s Day • Regular City Council Meeting, May 25, 2026 – Memorial Day • Study Session, September 7, 2026 – Labor Day • Regular City Council Meeting, October 12, 2026 – Indigenous Peoples’ Day • Regular City Council Meeting, December 28, 2026 – Christmas holiday Councilmember Snell read the title and issue into the record. Page 6 of 10 Mayor Stites opened the public hearing. No member of the public signed up to speak. Mayor Stites closed the public hearing. Motion: Councilmember Snell, moved to adopt the 2026 City Council Meeting Calendar as presented. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Martell. Vote: 8 ayes; 0 nays. The motion carried. 10. Motion to Approve Appointments to Boards, Commissions, and Committees Issue: In 2015, the Colorado Legislature passed HB15-1348 amending the urban renewal statute requiring the expansion of board membership, among other things, upon the adoption of a new plan area or a substantial modification to an existing plan. City Council amended the Wheat Ridge Code of Laws on May 12, 2025, to comply with HB15-1348. This motion will ratify the Mayor’s recommendations to appoint three new members to the Urban Renewal Authority dba Renewal Wheat Ridge (RWR). Councilmember Hultin read the item and issue into the record. Mayor Stites opened the public hearing. The City Manager provided additional context, explaining that the Renewal Wheat Ridge board currently has 7 members and needs to add 3 new members from outside the city (from the county, school district, and other taxing districts). The city is also adding 3 additional city-appointed members. Mayor Stites closed the public hearing. Mayor Stites moved to recommend the following appointments to Renewal Wheat Ridge: Bud Starker to the At-Large Renewal Wheat Ridge seat, term to expire March 2, 2027. Janeece Hoppe to the At-Large Renewal Wheat Ridge seat, term to expire March 2, 2028. Kelly Blynn to the At-Large Renewal Wheat Ridge seat, term to expire March 2, 2029. Dan Larson as City Council Liaison member to Renewal Wheat Ridge with no term limit. Motion: Councilmember Hultin moved to ratify Mayor Stites recommended appointments. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Ohm. Vote: 8 ayes; 0 nays. The motion carried. 11. Resolution No. 56-2025 Page 7 of 10 Title: A resolution of support for an application to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Transit Oriented Communities’ Infrastructure Grant Program for the Ives Affordable Housing. Issue: The state legislature created the Transit Oriented Communities Infrastructure (TOCI) grant program, as part of House Bill 24-1313, to fund eligible public infrastructure projects that support affordable housing for state-certified Transit Oriented Communities (TOC). The city is pursuing early certification and plans to apply for the first round of grant funds to support Foothills Regional Housing (FRH) in upsizing sanitary sewer lines to construct phase two of the Ives affordable development. Councilmember Ohm read the title and issue into the record. Mayor Stites opened the public hearing. Community Development Director Lauren Mikulak explained that the Transit Oriented Communities Infrastructure grant program funds public infrastructure supporting affordable housing. She noted the city is pursuing early certification and applying for grant funds to support Foothills Regional Housing’s Phase 2 Ives development, with the city serving as a pass-through entity. The grant would fund 75% of costs, with a 25% match provided by Foothills Regional Housing. Mayor Stites closed the public hearing. Motion: Councilmember Ohm moved to approve Resolution 56-2025, a resolution of support for an application to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Transit Oriented Communities’ Infrastructure grant program for the Ives affordable housing development. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Snell. Councilmember Hultin commended the city's partnership with Foothills Regional Housing and recognized the state's funding support for affordable housing initiatives. Councilmember Wood praised the Community Development Department for being proactive with new legislation. Vote: 8 ayes; 0 nays. The motion carried. 12. Resolution No. 57-2025 Title: A Resolution of support for an application to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Transit Oriented Communities’ Infrastructure Grant Program for the Ridge Road Master Plan Redevelopment Issue: The state legislature created the Transit Oriented Communities’ Infrastructure (TOCI) grant program, as part of House Bill 24-1313, to fund eligible public infrastructure projects that support affordable housing for state-certified Transit Oriented Communities (TOC). The city is pursuing early certification and plans to apply for the first round of grant funds to support Page 8 of 10 Foothills Regional Housing (FRH) in providing major infrastructure improvements to three main roadways as part of the Ridge Road Master Plan Redevelopment. Councilmember Larson read the title and issue into the record. Mayor Stites opened the public hearing. The City Manager noted this was like the previous item but for a different project - the Ridge Road project instead of Ives. The grant would support Foothills Regional Housing in providing major infrastructure improvements to three main roadways as part of the Ridge Road master plan development. No members of the public signed up to speak, and Council had no further questions. The public hearing was closed. Motion: Councilmember Larson moved to approve Resolution 57-2025, a resolution of support for an application to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Transit Oriented Communities’ Infrastructure grant program for the Ridge Road master plan redevelopment. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Ohm. Vote: 8 ayes; 0 nays. The motion carried. 13. Resolution No. 58-2025 Title: A Resolution amending the 2025 Capital Improvement Program Budget to reflect the approval of a supplemental budget appropriation in the amount of $1,200,000 for acquisition of property at 4593 Parfet Street for expansion and consolidation of the public works and parks operations facilities. Councilmember Okada read the title and issue into the record. Mayor Stites opened the public hearing. The City Manager explained this was a "cleanup" item, as the property had already been purchased following Council's approval of the loan agreement with Renewal Wheat Ridge on August 25, 2025. However, the Capital Improvement Program budget had not been formally amended to accept and expend the loan. No members of the public signed up to speak, and Council had no questions Mayor Stites closed the public hearing. Motion: Councilmember Okada moved to approve Resolution 58-2025, a resolution amending the 2025 Capital Improvement Program budget to reflect the approval of a supplemental budget appropriation in the amount of $1,200,000 for acquisition of property at 4593 Parfet Street for expansion and consolidation of the Public Works and Parks Operations facilities. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Hultin. Page 9 of 10 Vote: 8 ayes; 0 nays. The motion carried. 14. City Manager's Matters City Manager introduced Deputy City Clerk Onorina Maloney. Maloney requested a procedural change to the Zoom public comment sign-up deadline, proposing moving it from 6:00 PM (30 minutes before meetings) to 5:00 PM (90 minutes before meetings). Maloney explained this would give staff adequate time to verify speakers and prepare for the meeting while still providing ample opportunity for public participation. After a brief discussion, Councilmember Ohm suggested an even earlier deadline and Councilmember Hultin advocated starting with 5:00 PM to maintain accessibility, Council reached consensus to change the deadline to 5:00 PM. 15. City Attorney's Matters City Attorney welcomed the new council members and wished everyone happy holidays. 16. Elected Officials' Matters Councilmember Wood thanked everyone for the opportunity to serve and expressed her honor at joining the Council. Councilmember Quinn highlighted the successful tree lighting event at the Green, praising Parks and Recreation staff for their work. Councilmember Martell reported on the Festival of Trees event, which raised at least $1,000 for Foothills Animal Shelter, and announced that the Panorama Park Sustainable Neighborhoods' native plant demonstration garden had received a gold certification from the Colorado Native Plant Society. Councilmember Snell reported on the ribbon-cutting ceremony for new tennis and basketball courts at Panorama Park and reminded everyone about the upcoming District I holiday meet and greet on Wednesday. Councilmember Okada thanked everyone who engaged in conversations regarding the District III appointment and congratulated Susan Wood. Councilmember Larson shared he attended the tree lighting and a Chamber of Commerce lunch honoring former Mayor Bud Starker. Councilmember Ohm praised staff for the Christmas tree lighting event and suggested the possibility of a winter market at the Green in the future. Councilmember Hultin announced the opening of the Continuous Flow Intersections at 38th and Wadsworth and 44th and Wadsworth and requested a future study session to address snow removal into public rights-of-way, special use permit businesses with noise concerns, and operating hour restrictions for businesses without on-site operators. Page 10 of 10 Mayor Stites thanked all candidates who applied for the District III vacancy, welcomed the new police recruits, and highlighted the Wheat Ridge 102 program. He announced his first "Coffee with the Mayor" event on Saturday at 9:00 AM at Styles and Crate and reminded everyone about Colorado Gives Day and the Barstool Bingo event benefiting Localworks. 17. Adjournment Mayor Stites noted this meeting was the last regular meeting of the year, with one more study session scheduled for the following week. The regular meeting of the Wheat Ridge City Council was adjourned at 8:27 p.m. on Monday December 8, 2025. ________________________________ Korey Stites, Mayor ATTEST: ______________________________________ Onorina Maloney, Deputy City Clerk