Despite postponing a two-hour parking and mobility report until next week, City Council’s regular meeting of Tuesday, Dec. 7, lasted a little more than three hours.
After a presentation from Bob Longmire of Public Sector Enterprise Consultants, Councilor John Shada introduced a motion to give all city employees a 3 percent cost of living pay increase, effective Jan. 1, 2022, and to keep the existing merit pay increase at a possible high of 3.5 percent.
Shada told council that the pay increase will enable the city to be an “employer of choice” and will ensure that Manitou employees’ pay will be at the midpoint of the pay scales for comparable positions in comparable Colorado municipalities. He called for a review of the relationship between employees’ pay and the comparable midpoints during the mid-year budget amendment process to ensure that the city remains an employer of choice.
He pegged the city’s cost of his motion at $314,000.
Councilor Julie Wolfe noted the current inflationary economy and applauded the pay increase.
Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Fortuin stressed the need to “maintain the good employees we’ve got now,” echoed by Mayor John Graham, who said, “The next two years will be pretty dynamic and we need a good work force.”
The increase in employees’ pay passed 6 to 1, with Graham opposing. He said that he supported the motion “in large measure,” but would have liked more time to consider it.
During his very detailed report, Longmire described the employee questionnaire process used in his evaluation and told council that “your house was in order.” Changes suggested in the report, titled Employee Compensation and Classification Completed Study, were mainly “housekeeping” and included revisions to some job titles.
Council unanimously passed the 2022 city budget without change from first reading. The budget book can be accessed at the city website home page (www.manitouspringsgov.com); click on the Historic Manitou Springs logo. The budget is basically its own website this year and is now very easy to navigate.
Council also gave unanimous final approval to an ordinance extending the moratorium on accepting new applications for vacation rentals at least until the ongoing revision of the city’s Zoning Code is completed, expected to be in the summer of 2022.
The ordinance creating the Mobility and Parking Enterprise also received unanimous final approval.
The ordinance creates a new dedicated fund using money received from the city’s parking fees. The funds can be spent only on activities relating to parking and mobility, including projects for various modes of transportation, and the planning, design, engineering, construction, maintenance and repair of capital improvements relating to Manitou transportation and parking.
Money in the Mobility and Parking Enterprise fund may be used for roadway improvements, pedestrian, bicycle and multi-use trails, parking facilities, staffing and administration, and all other costs related to mobility and parking activities in the city.
Council unanimously gave first-reading approval to an ordinance raising the retail marijuana sale tax to 10 percent, the legal maximum, effective Jan. 10, 2022, if approved on second reading at the Jan. 4 regular council meeting. There was no discussion.
Several appointments and re-appointments to city boards and commissions also were unanimously approved. People serving on these bodies are unpaid volunteers. Former Mayor Dan Wecks was once heard to observe “Manitou runs on its volunteers.”
The appointees are:
• Alternate member Justin Wilson as a regular member of the City Planning Commission;
• Alternate member Gloria Latimer as a regular member of the City Planning Commission;
• Regular member Joy Porter reappointed to the Transportation and Parking Board;
• Regular member Bob Bodor reappointed to the Transportation and Parking Board;
• Shannon Solomon appointed as an alternate member of the City Planning Commission.
Councilor Judith Chandler noted the “revolving door” in the planning director’s position and asked if there is “an issue City Council needs to be aware of.”
City Attorney Jeff Parker replied that the question was a personnel matter and difficult to discuss in an open meeting. It was not discussed.
Twin Springs building resident Andy Nicholas spoke to request that trash receptacles be installed at the very popular spring on Ruxton Avenue, which he described as the “most delicious spring.” The spring’s popularity with residents and tourists creates an ongoing trash problem, Nicholas said. He also asked that parking signs that the city removed be replaced.
Fortuin noted the long piece Wolfe submitted for the Nov. 25 Bulletin as a correction to the previous week’s City Council report concerning the proposed moratorium on new construction.
Based on her reading of the meeting’s minutes, Fortuin said that the Bulletin article in question was more accurate than the “correction.” Fortuin said that such submissions should be submitted to all of council and not be submitted by individual members.
After a discussion that involved City Administrator Denise Howell, it was agreed that such submissions should be sent to her office and she and public information officer Alex Trefry would handle them.
Council moved into executive (closed) session to complete Howell’s annual review.
Councilor Steve Bremner moved that Graham deliver the final evaluation of the city administrator and have the narrative included in her personnel file. The motion carried unanimously.