City Council Meeting Recap

Feb. 1, 2022

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OPENING OF REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING
 
PUBLIC INPUT
 
APPROVED 7-0 - CONSENT AGENDA
January 18, 2022, City Council Meeting Minutes
January 24, 2022, City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 24, 2022, City Council Workshop Summary
Second Reading / Ordinance No. 04, Series 2022 / Annexing the City-Owned Property Known as Water Reclamation Plant Expansion to the City of Lafayette, Colorado
Second Reading / Ordinance No. 05, Series 2022 / Zoning Certain City-Owned Land to Public Zoning District
Resolution No. 2022-06 / Disposition of Surplus Golf Course Equipment
 
PRESENTATIONS
Lafayette Poet Laureate Program
The establishment of a Lafayette Poet Laureate program promotes Lafayette’s creative, diverse, and eclectic identity by celebrating and fostering an appreciation of poetry, literacy, and by honoring outstanding Lafayette poets. A growing number of states and local municipalities have established a Poet Laureate program as an important way to champion art forms and inspire the next generation of poets and readers. A City Poet Laureate is an honorary position typically created by a resolution. The City Poet Laureate promotes literacy and literature among city residents of all ages. Furthermore, a Poet Laureate Program provides a way to help a community through hard times, celebrate successes, and take pleasure in daily lives. City Council is interested in pursuing this program and will be presented with a formal resolution at its Feb. 15 meeting.
 
REGULAR BUSINESS
APPROVED 6-1: First Reading / Ordinance No. 06, Series 2022 / Amending Chapter 110, “Taxation,” of the Code to Implement an Oil and Gas Pollution Severance Tax 
On Nov. 1, 2021, City Council adopted Ordinance No. 21, Series 2021, enacting the City’s new oil and gas land use regulations. Council also directed the City Attorney’s office to draft an ordinance implementing the oil and gas pollution tax approved by the voters in 2018. This new tax imposes an excise tax on the severance of oil and gas from well pad sites located within the City limits at the rate of $6.90 per barrel of oil and $0.88 per 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas. The new tax was proposed to address increases in costs to assist in mitigating burdens placed upon the community by oil and gas extraction activities. The new severance taxes will apply to oil and gas extracted from: (1) new wells that begin operating in the City after the effective date of the ordinance, and (2) existing wells in the City that are modified to significantly expand the well’s production capacity after the effective date of the ordinance.
 
APPROVED 7-0: Resolution No. 2022-07 / Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Boulder County for Co- Responder Services
On Nov. 2, 2021, Lafayette voters approved ballot initiative 2B Public Safety Sales and Use Tax. The passing in part provides funding to expand the Lafayette Police Department Co-Responder Program in partnership with Boulder County. The Co-Responder model pairs law enforcement and behavioral health specialists to respond to behavioral health-related calls for police service. Teams combine efforts to de-escalate situations and help link individuals with behavioral health issues to appropriate services.
 
Staff support maintaining this partnership and expanding the program, which would become based out of the Lafayette Police Department, is of great value to the community. Funding this program necessitates entering into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Boulder County Community Services.
 
The IGA has been written for a two-year period with an incremental approach to build staffing. Two behavioral health specialists will be hired the first year at a cost of $210,814. Two additional staff will be added the second year to increase coverage and supervision of the program. The second-year total cost will be $418,371.53. The IGA received the Boulder County Commissioner’s approval on Jan. 28, 2022.
 
Items Related to Silo Subdivision Filing No. 1
This resolution and ordinance will extend deadlines for the developers of the Silo Subdivision Filing No. 1 project to meet the conditions upon the City Council’s approval of Silo Subdivision Filing No. 1, Replat A, and upon the vacation of certain rights-of-way and public easements necessitated by Replat A. The developers have requested a 90-day extension to meet all conditions so that the City Council’s approvals of Replat A and the related vacation ordinance do not lapse.
APPROVED 7-0: Resolution No. 2022-09 / Extending the Deadlines for Compliance with Conditions in Resolution No. 2021-91 Pertaining to Approval of the Silo Subdivision Filing No. 1,
Replat A Final Plat
 
APPROVED 7-0: First Reading / Ordinance No. 07, Series 2022 / Extending the Deadline for Compliance
with Conditions in Ordinance No. 29, Series 2021, Pertaining to Silo Subdivision Filing
No. 1 and the Vacation of Certain Rights-of-Way and Public Easements
 
STAFF REPORTS
City Attorney’s Report
The City has been approved to participate through a Joinder Agreement in the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport Roundtable effective Feb. 15. A resolution will be presented at Council’s next meeting for approval.
 
City Administrator’s Report
Weather is declining significantly tonight with multiple accidents. BVSD has announced a closure for Feb. 2. Travel only if necessary and please be careful.
 
COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS
Appointments to the Lafayette Energy Sustainability Advisory Committee (LESAC)
Council approved to appoint Ellen Mooneyhan and Garrett McDaniel as regular members and Ariel Kalishman Walsh as an alternate member of the Lafayette Energy Sustainability Advisory Committee.
 
Appointment to the Historic Preservation Board (HPB)
Council approved to appoint Whitney McClellan as a full member of the Historic Preservation Board to serve the remainder of a term ending Aug. 1, 2025.
 
COUNCIL REPORTS
Mayor Mangat:

• The library is hosting a Feb. 8 mobile vaccination clinic. Info at https://lafayettepubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/8679880

 Councilor Barnes

• Happy Black History Month. There is a new multipurpose space at CU - the Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS)CAAAS. The City has a number of resources available on our website for Black History Month www.lafayetteco.gov/BlackHistoryMonth
• In support of Councilor Samson’s suggestion for Board and Commission alternates.
• Kudos to Judge Bailhache. She is doing a wonderful job. Even a court participant commented on how well the court is run.

Councilor Briggs

• Senior Advisory Committee doesn’t seem to be working with consistent board member attendance. Suggestion was made to turn this into an advisory committee for the new Health and Human Services tax. City Administrator Sprague shared some recent discussions to engage an advisory group to assist in funding decisions.
• The Library is now offering free feminine hygiene products.

Councilor Samson

• LCAC is looking at what they can do to improve the weathered Spanish Heritage Photo Mural on N. Public Road/Geneseo adjacent to the Santiago/Wells Fargo parking lot.
• Would like to propose that if volunteers are going to put forth an effort to be part of a Board or Commission, everyone be included as a voting member. Suggested a minimum/maximum number of members and remove the alternative status so everyone can participate as a voting member.
• Colorado Municipal League (CML) surveyed 162 municipalities with the following results. Most are quickly recovering from 2020. 64% feel the fiscal outlook is better that expected. 68% feel housing affordability is the largest challenge. 80% are experiencing challenges with police recruiting and 50% with police retention. Infrastructures most in need of funding are streets and stormwater.
• CML also looks at legislative bills and gathers input of support or opposition from municipalities. Support: Safer Streets Grants and extending affordable housing tax credits. Opposed: land use property fairness act. Also opposing traffic light cameras going to a public vote and paying fines to a non-profit instead of the municipality.

Councilor Walton

• Observation on the Board and Commission suggestion is that there are benefits to alternates to meet quorum. Some can’t commit to every meeting, but being an alternative provides the means to still participate. Remote attendance may be part of the conversation we have.
• Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) approved a requested delay for the 2022 TIP grant project for State Highway 7/119^th due to COVID and staffing issues.
• DRCOG has opportunities to sponsor participant tables at their annual awards banquet. Councilor Walton would like to suggest Council sponsor a table for $900 from the Council Contingency Account. Would like to also suggest sponsoring Louisville and Superior’s tables. Council agreed move forward. Event is April 27.
• Received a request from the City of Boulder who is considering a gun violence prevention ordinance and is interested to gather support to pass similar legislation in neighboring communities. Per the City Administrator, Council could pass a resolution for a general policy statement in support of reviewing potential legislation would like to explore this possibility.
• Would like to recognize Black History Month. It is also Freedom Day which recognizes the 1865 abolishment of slavery, and the 62nd anniversary of the Greensboro lunch counter sit-in.

Mayor Pro Tem Wong

•  Happy Lunar New Year – it’s the year of the Tiger.
• Consortium of Cities is meeting tomorrow to go over the annual agenda.
• Community Police Academy is starting on Feb. 23. Would recommend participating - it’s a great program to learn about the Police Dept. Details at https://www.lafayetteco.gov/calendar.aspx?eid=9196
• Thank you to the Library for distributing over 14,000 K95 masks in 4 days.

 
ADJOURNMENT