COLORADO CITY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
With only three Colorado City Metro District board members present on September 12, the bare minimum for a quorum, several projects moved forward and several were delayed to get additional input from the missing board members.
Sarah Hunter and Greg Collins were not present, leaving Chaiman Neil Elliot, Clint Gross and Ray Davis to go through a relatively small agenda.
Resolution 13-2023 was adopted 3-0. The amendment to the district’s personnel handbook clarified certain circumstances in which temporary employment could be filled by relatives of current employees. The new language added to the existing policy was as follows: The District Manager may approve exceptions to this policy for temporary employees, with Board of Directors notification and with the consent of both employees, in circumstances including: A) the employment position has been advertised for at least two weeks with no other qualified applicants or; B) the close relative will be a temporary employee to help with a specific, short-term need. In the case of such waiver, the close relative may complete any reporting requirements by reporting directly to the District Manager, in lieu of his/her immediate or direct supervisor, in the discretion of the employee.
A requirement to retain a bond attorney also passed 3-0. Butler-Snow, Denver was retained as the bond attorney of record. The board has prior work experience with Kimberley Crawford of that agency.
Bond counsel is engaged as a recognized independent expert whose primary responsibility is to render an objective legal opinion with respect to the authorization and issuance of obligations such as a loan contract. The fee for the bond counsel will be $15,000.
The arrangement as board member Davis summed it up in discussion prior to the vote, “Something required of the district.”
A second discussion was held on the possibility of naming a training coordinator. Former board member Terry Kraus did a second presentation discussing the position and some of the questions the board and management would need to answer before moving forward.
Kraus suggested a committee composed of two board members, the District Manager and the Finance Officer be formed. There was no further discussion, as the board wanted to get opinions from the two absent board members.
One shed on Isabella was approved for construction by the CCAAC. Authorization to send out four first letters dealing with covenant violations was also approved.
A resolution to appoint authorized officers for the district’s 2003 Colorado Water Resources loan was passed 3-0. The vote was necessary since none of the originally approved board members were still on the board.
Chairman Neil Elliot and was approved.
The board was informed that the fence was up around the playground in Applewood. The next step will be the installation of the swing set.
Damages to the Summit and Rodeo wells have been turned in for insurance. Eccher had thought the deductible on the work might run as high as $19,000, but was pleased to report it was $2,500.
During new business the board was encouraged to begin considering water rate increases to help pay for infrastructure.
The board also discussed an issue in which a customer paid $10,000 for a water tap in November of 2020, and was not aware that a failure to build in 12 months would increase that amount when building commenced. Because that item was not on the agenda, Davis suggested it be tabled until the next meeting.
The board was advised that a public hearing about cost increases for the existing recycling program would be discussed during the October 10 regular meeting.