City Council - Regular Meeting

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Thank you.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Thank you.

All right. We ready? Good?

All right.

California City Council meeting for June 1st 2026 to order please rise for the pledge Roll call, please

Councilor Van Houten? Councilor Stiefel? Here. Councilor Mergelman?

Here.

Councilor Gardner? Here. Councilor Stone? Here. Councilor McKinnon? Here. Mayor Wolf?

Here. First order of business, public comments. Joan Elliott?

I'm Joan Elliott. I'm with the Florence Chamber, the president of the Florence Chamber. I reside at 404 Wilson Avenue right here in Florence. So I wanted to talk to you a little bit about we're real excited about what's coming up for on Wednesday night is June Tombs Music in the Park. And really, I want this kind of to be a grateful thing and tell you what all has kind of gone on. So we have June Tunes will be every Wednesday in the park from 6 to 9. And we have a great local music. We have Lobo Loggins, Atomic Fireballs, The Rolling Tones, which is a real interesting media and music look at Florence. Voices of the Canyon, Six Bucks and a Flight, Doc and Kit, and Normal Like Us. So in the evening at 6 o'clock, We have one group play, and then the other ones that will come on at 7. This has really, truly been very collaborative. And we have over 20 sponsors who have joined us to help putting this together. So it's been real positive. And our sponsors include City of Florence. The Rialto, Edward Jones, Begali's Hardscape, Custom Landscaping, Mountain View Construction, Paradise Liquor, Mattresses by Appointment, Enchanted Genie, Four Mile Golf Course, Quincy's, Aspen Leaf, Papa's, Jade Cafe, Green Parrot, Bigfoot Sunday, Ace Hardware, Domino's, Patio Pub, Florence Brewery, Jade Fade's Barber, Bank of San Juan, Oak Creek Bar and Grill, Brandon Angel, Master Printers, Florence Reporter, Royal Gorge Region News, and also Florence High School Cheerleaders and their Band Booster Club. They're going to do beverage sales. Let's see. Okay. We have put together a kind of a dining or restaurant program, and we have nine restaurants there. We will have a place where food can be delivered from these restaurants. We decided not to have food trucks, so we have a process where they can call into that restaurant. We have a runner that will go get the food and be delivered to the park. So, of course, why we wanted to do that was just to get everybody engaged. Let's see, the cheerleaders and the band boosters, they're going to be selling dirty soda, which I don't know really what that is, soda pop and water. But they came and they did sell water for Junk Teak, and it was very successful for them.

Plus, we've had many community members.

A special shout out to Glennette Esquivel, TJ Aitken, Judy Linder. All these people have been on this particular committee. Let's see. I can't read my writing very well. I'm very grateful for all the energy and the enthusiasm in helping to bring back music into Florence. So I'm hoping that you will join us. I think we have some great bands.

Now I have just one little thing. Can I take somebody else's minute?

Lastly, we will have a dunk tank reserved. We have a dunk tank reserved for the 4th of July in the park. And our fearless leader, Steve Wolf, will participate. And I'm looking for others to be a part of the lineup. I hear that Tammy is jumping and jonesing to be part of the dunk tank. I'm sure the chief will. He's done that before. But Matt or... Anyone else we'd like to have a nice lineup and our attorney is going to England just to escape this dunk tank So I think that's gonna be a lot of fun and And so if you would, I would like to have a list of people that would be willing to do it so we don't have to, you know. Yeah, we'll work on it. Okay, good.

We'll try to do some arms.

All right, great. And thank you very much for all our support. We're very looking forward to this summer and all this summer fun.

All right.

Thank you, Joan. Yep. And thanks for all the work going into it. It should be good. Wednesday nights. All right. Consent agenda, item four, consider approving the minutes as written, the city expenditures prepared for May 20th and May 28th, awarding a contract community planning strategies for the comprehensive zoning and subdivision regulations update, and consider moving the city CEDs held at the Bank of San Juan into Collar Trust account. At this time, would any of the Council members like to pull any of those items?

I would like to pull A, please. Okay.

All right. A has been pulled. Okay. All right. Hearing none other, we have a motion to approve consent items B, C, and D.

I'll make a motion that we can approve consent agenda A, B, C, and D. We have a second.

I'll second that.

All in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed? All right, motion carries. All right, consent agenda. A, item A.

On a reason for polling, I was not here. I was comfortable voting for the remainder of the consent agenda, but I was not here to approve the minutes, or at the meeting for those minutes, please. So someone else to make the motion.

Okay, thank you. Anybody have any other comments on that? Do we have a motion to approve consent agenda item A?

I'll make a motion to approve consent agenda A.

Do we have a second?

I'll second.

All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Aye. Motion carries. Oh, anybody abstain? Abstain. Okay. Motion carries. All business. Consider approving the second reading of Ordinance 3-2026, amending the sections of Chapter 5 of the Florence Minutes Code related to contractor licensing. City Clerk?

Yes, you guys know the drill. This is the second reading of an ordinance. Just a quick touch point on it. It is an ordinance that I am in the very early stages of doing some code revisions so that the city can establish a really healthy fee schedule, kind of working in a realm in which that I kind of manage. So I'm starting with contractor's licenses, but like I said, not much has changed. We've just combined the trash licensing and the tree trimmer's licensing into the limited contractor's description. So now they will be covered in Chapter 5 just generally under contractor licensing.

Do we have any questions? Roll call, please. Oh, we need a motion.

I move to adopt the second reading of Ordinance 3-2026. Do we have a second?

I'll second. All right, roll call, please.

Councilor Stiefel? Yes. Councilor Mergelman? Yes. Councilor Gardner? Yes. Councilor Stone? Yes. Councilor McKinnon? Yes.

Mayor Wolf? Yes. All right, new business. Consider adopting ordinance number 4-2026, comprehensive citywide fee schedule system within the Florence Municipal Code.

Per legal direction, this is the ordinance that will allow the city to establish an external fee schedule, and you'll see in the next item on the agenda that is the very early workings of that. So once this ordinance is passed and approved and it's done its time frame for legality, we will be able to legally reference a fee schedule moving forward as we put fees on them.

Yeah, and I just wanted to check in if this whole concept is making sense to y'all. The sequencing can be difficult, and even the context or the purpose behind it. I presume you get it, but I'm happy to answer any questions if you're just confused.

To be clear, though, the fees stay the same.

No fees have been changed. I'm just pulling them from the code and putting them in a different document at this point in the process.

And also when we put them in a resolution form, it's much easier to change those fees in the future.

Yeah, exactly. The whole concept is to establish the schedule so that fees can come before you and be passed via resolution. But in order to concoct that scheme, we have to change the code to let it operate that way.

Will it make it easier for people to come in and find the codes and see?

The goal is to put this on the website, and it'll be all comprehensive, so it'll be inclusive someday.

One day soon. 20 years from now.

All right, any questions?

Do we have a motion then to consider adopting ordinance number 4-2026?

I'll make a motion to consider adopting ordinance number 4-2026 an ordinance adopting a comprehensive citywide fee schedule system within the Florence Municipal Code.

You have a second? I'll second. Roll call please.

Councillor Gardner? Yes. Councillor Mergelman? Yes. Councillor Stiefel? Yes. Councillor Stone? Yes. Councillor McKinnon? Yes. Mayor Wolf?

Yes. Item 6B, considered adopting resolution number 7, 2026. City Clerk.

Yes, this is the fee schedule. So this is how every time that I add a fee onto the fee schedule, you guys will see it via resolution. And it just is passed after its first reading. We don't have to do any legal publishings or anything like that. And that's just an example of how flexible and live that this document is. You'll see just the contractor's license fees are on there. There's the CORA fee, which you guys were with me when we wrote that policy and you passed it. That fee is governed by the Colorado state statutes. And then there's also some fees in there for liquor licensing, which are depicative of the Colorado Department of Revenue Liquor Enforcement Division. So those are just kind of fees that weren't in the code that we were able to add there. So you can kind of get an idea of what it'll look like per department.

Any questions? I'd like to make a motion.

Okay, I'll make the motion to approve resolution number 7-2026, a resolution adopting certain licensing and administrative fees as set forth in the consolidated citywide fee schedule framework.

Second. Second. Roll call, please.

Councillor McKinnon? Yes. Councillor Stiefel? Yes. Councillor Murgleman? Yes. Councillor Gardner? Yes. Councillor Stone? Yes. Mayor Wolf? Yes. Thank you.

Again, thank you, City Clerk, for all the work there, and Dan, for making sure we're all legal on that. Yep. All right, now, council reports. Brenda? Brenda?

Yes, I want to comment on all the decorations here in City Hall. It looks fabulous. You guys did a great job.

Tammy.

Yes, a few more things on the Chamber of Commerce. They have a business after hours at Barnum Barrel on June 18th from 5 to 7. They also have a band playing there for us. And one of the new businesses in town is called Enchanted Genie, and there is a ribbon cutting June 13th at 1.30. I believe it's 221 West Main, Unit C. There we go.

221 West Main.

West Main. Okay, and that's 130. That's 130. Also, the kiosk downtown is open, so the tourist or anybody that's interested in going in there and looking at information about what's going on around town or other businesses have their cards in there. Just stop in there and see. It looks pretty nice. Yeah, they've done a good job on it. Yeah.

Gail, anything?

I attended the Preservation Commission meeting last week, and this Friday, June 5, 2 o'clock, the other side, which is the south side to the Florence Brewery, is our second tavern talk. The subject is railroad. Then the following Saturday on June 13 is the third tavern talk for the summer, and that topic is gold. And free to the public.

Thank you. I encourage everybody to try to attend one of those. Matt?

No report.

Rudel?

A couple things. One, this is the First of summer, so the 19th annual Farmer's Market opens this Thursday, 8 o'clock. Joan told me today they have 20 booths booked to open. We went over there today and tried to figure how we're going to work around all the stuff going on. I think it's going to stay a little fluid with it for the first couple weeks. We'll get along. The one thing I wanted to bring up When Joanne was here was several years ago, we put in stage lights in the pavilion. They're up on that north end. I don't know if those still work. They do, good. I hope they turn them on because that stage gets real dark. Okay, good. We went to FEDC. Last week, or two weeks ago, Lori had a good meeting there. And then I was in the bunch that went up to Westcliff to the CML meeting. We met a lot of nice people. Had a good visit. And it looks like the calf elk is going to be great in about two weeks. They will elk all over up there. And the pool's open. So happy about that.

Thank you, Riddle. Mayor's report continued to attend senior coffee when I can get there enjoyable time to get in there and talk with everybody I attended the CML district meeting also and it's good just to hear from talk with other municipalities of the issues that they have going on and getting some insight from the from the state folks especially about Potential funding in this situation where there's so much budget cut going on from the state standpoint WE HAD A REGIONAL WATER THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR LAST TUESDAY. UNFORTUNATELY, WE DID NOT HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO HAVE AN OFFICIAL MEETING. THE JUNE MEETING WAS CANCELED BECAUSE WE KNOW WE WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE A QUORUM THEN, AND SO OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE IN JULY. I attended the AMRISE community advisory meeting and luncheon out at the plant. That was on Thursday, I believe it was. Yep. And Lori and Cortland were there also. It was good. You get that sense that AMRISE really wants to continue to be an active part of the community. And they're doing some good things for for different organizations. Tomorrow I'm going to be attending, it's called Forge Your Path Manufacturing and Skilled Trades. There's this Fremont County group through the school districts that are taking Canyon City, Cotopaxi, Florence High School kids to, like today was Culinary Day, one of the restaurants in Canyon. Tomorrow is Forager Pathway Manufacturing and Skilled Trades. So I'll be going out to Midicus in the morning, and then they go to Legacy Metal after lunch, and then they finish up a guided tour at the Colorado Shed Company. So just to give students an idea of some of the light manufacturing that's going on in the area. I think it's good, and I hope they get a good turnout from students. So I'll be looking forward to that. City Manager.

Thank you. We are very excited. The pool opened yesterday. I think I've talked so much about it that everybody I know, Cortland loves hearing about it, but successful. They filled up pretty quick. I think right away hit capacity on both. They started using the credit card, which a lot of people are happy and punch cards and all kinds of new stuff. So very excited. So good job to Cortland and Amanda and Adeline and Catherine and the water department, because they take care of the backside of it to keep it clean. And then Public Works is always on call for the pool, Sam. So that's how exciting for all those kiddos. I know they were excited because every time I went there last week, they would walk by and ask me if it was open. So that was very exciting. So I'm so happy that that's up and running. And next year it'll have a facelift. And that's even more exciting. And a new bathroom. So when it looks like the bathroom is coming along, the walls went up. So that was super exciting to see. So that's on track. Don't know if it'll be there for the 4th. Probably not, but pretty close. So there's an end in sight for that. So we're excited about that. This also is very exciting. And Brandy's been working on this. And I know some of our citizens will be super excited about this. We are getting a pollinator garden at the Florence River Park. Very excited. So Adventure Acres Foundation received a grant and they are going to put that in our river park. Sorry, I got the mountain park on the brain. So it's really just something to promote pollination with the bees and give them a place so they could do their bee thing. And that really matters. As we all know, bees matter. Pollination matters. So we're very excited to partner up with them and have that going forward. And we look forward to see pictures and have updates on how that's going for our little buzzy bee friends. So very excited about that. And thank you, Brandy, for working on that and bringing that to us. A couple things real quick I wanted to point out. We did find a building inspector that did accept the job offer, so that will get them started as soon as we can. I know John has been doing double duty. and working in public works and in the inspection, and we really appreciate him for that, but that hopefully will have an end point. We did get our June bond payment paid and all of that, so Brandy's an expert on that. The bulk station, really be on the lookout for those updates, because in the next three weeks we should have that completely updated with the code as part of our drought plan and moving forward on that. I have an announcement. I really want to take a second and talk about after hours calls. So in making sure people know that when City Hall is closed, the phones are not monitored. So if something, they need to get a hold of somebody, say Public Works, or there's a water leak, or something falls in the street, or something. Don't call City Hall called dispatch non emergency, because the water departments and public works have on call people. So dispatch knows who they are, they will get ahold of that person and that person will respond to that. Unfortunately, there are sometimes people will call City Hall when it's maybe not seen until Monday. And I don't want that to happen. called the non emergency number, not City Hall asked, say I have a non emergency water, my water meter is spoon water, they'll get a hold of the on call water person, and they'll come out. Because calling City Hall won't get to that right away. So I just want to make sure everybody understands that. Um, see, I think that, oh, podcast is a go. I think our first one will be June 9th, Steve, and I'm officially inviting you to be the first guest. That will be what's going on in Florence. We've partnered with SAGE at Emergent Campus, so we shall be doing that. So Steve, do you accept my official?

And what time is this?

We haven't decided that yet because it's up in the air. But June 9th is when we will record it. So we will get on that. I just wanted to kind of put you on the spot and say you're my first guest.

Okay, thank you. Afternoon would be better.

Whenever is good for you.

Afternoon would be great.

yeah we are it is it's not going to be live which may it may morph to live but it's not now i would tell all the kiddos and adults that like to color get the flag in we want to put the flags here in city hall so if you have a kiddo that likes to color you like to color um make sure uh you get that in so we can get that out there. I want to mirror Thank you, Ashley. She's had to hear me talk a million times about we want to the county's got it, we need to be just as good and you did a good job. So I wanted to tell you that Ashley code enforcement's been out. He is really now focusing on weeds and making contact with people. So the postcards are coming out. So if you get a postcard, make in contact with Matt. and have a plan, that's what we want. A plan to get it because the weeds are coming with the rain and we really want to keep this momentum going on our code and not lose it. Because if you guys haven't noticed, code enforcement is economic development. And when we want people coming here, we want to clean clean city all right next thing the tentative budget calendar did you all take a look at that really don't need anything on it i just kind of needed for you guys to see that we're thinking about it and we're starting it so i wanted you guys to start thinking about the goal sessions and all of that so that is kind of what me and brandy are working on to get directors and get you start thinking about next year's budget. And then with that, I wanted to roll into our project dashboard. I did add a couple things on our projects. some of the smaller projects that maybe weren't CIP, but some very important things to kind of keep you updated on them. We have about a million eight worth of projects we're working on, and I don't know about y'all, but I get really excited about that, because that's things that's getting cleaned, fixed, or brand new. And that's exciting, really working those CIP plans. And we do have some RFPs coming back here on the streets very soon. We just got the land code working on. ADA sidewalks, as you see, though, that is a move forward. Brandon is working on his... I just went blank. His SCADA, so all of these are in process and there should be no issues with getting them with the exception of the PD vehicles. The PD vehicles, we have not got any takers on those RFPs yet, so we may have to go back out again on those but i'm pretty excited and wanted to touch base with that did you guys have any questions can you remind me when sam's retirement party is so sam's retirement party is a little up in the air uh I am all about having the grandest, biggest retirement party ever, and Sam's low key. Sam's low key. So we're trying to figure out the details of that. Yeah, so June 12th, so probably just something real low-key at City Hall with staff and Sam, but I would make him have the biggest party like New York City, but Sam does not share my goals, and that's okay, Sam, because your servant leadership does its own story. Yeah, and it's okay, Sam.

Sam, I was prepared to cook hot dogs. Yeah, me too. I have my apron ready.

I said I have my apron ready. All right. Okay.

And I can't allow that, but I can allow low-key.

Low-key, okay.

And Brandy, she worked on a project revenue, because really revenues is what matters. So did you guys have any questions on that, or did you want Brandy to go over that? She also goes to Cassell Training. Very excited about that to get some good training on Cassell and bring back some new ideas. So did you guys have questions for Brandi?

Did you have to go to Utah? Yeah. Yeah.

I do. I've got to go to Provo, Utah.

Oh, you haven't gone yet. So I won't. You got a passport? Yeah. Huh? Did you get your passport? Oh, yes. I have it ready just in case. Okay. No, I'll be gone out there on next week. Okay. The girls will be super excited to take over payroll. Courtland's grinning about that. Yep. Did you have any questions about your revenue?

Is your button on there?

Oh, yeah. I do believe it is.

So this was through four months.

Yes, that's from the start of the year.

So theoretically, we're 33% of the way through. So the percent collected is pretty reasonable right now.

Right now, absolutely. You'll see the miscellaneous revenue is a little bit high, but that's just capturing some of those sidewalks or anything that doesn't have those line items in there yet. The building permits are a little bit lower than anticipated, but always picks up over summer with the good weather. And then their sales tax is looking really healthy for this time of year. You haven't hit summer revenues yet, so we're very happy with where they're sitting.

Okay, good. Any other questions? All right, thank you. City Attorney, anything?

No, just a reminder, I sent you all an email, and I believe we're planning on agenda-ing a performance review at the next meeting or an upcoming meeting. But if you have any questions about that, let me know. But that's it for me.

Thank you. Just a reminder, our sweet new intern, Kelsey, is going to start tomorrow. We've recruited her from the National Student Leadership Week, so we're very excited. She's going to start by supporting the building inspector, John, while he's in this kind of transitional period. And then also tomorrow on the website, the first round of the swim lessons for the Florence Municipal Pool will be open. And because we also have credit card payments now, they can also pay online. So it'll be very easy for the citizens to sign up. So first come, first serve.

All right. Thank you. Thank you. I think we're making real progress with the pool and making it easy for the citizens, and we know it's going to be needed. The pool facility is going to be needed. All right. All right. This time we have a need to go into executive session. believe so yes and no I just was curious if who needs to be invited me and I believe Ashley city manager you or no yes so it'd be city manager obviously Dan Ashley planning and city clerk

Motion yeah, I moved to enter into executive session pursuant color revised statutes 24 6 4 0 2 4 a for the purpose of Discussing the purchase acquisition lease transfer or sale of any real personal or other property interest and Colorado revised statute 24 6 4 0 2 4 e To determine positions relative to matters that that may be subject to negotiations developing strategy for negotiations and instructing negotiators regarding property located at 231 West Main Street Florence and 621 North Pikes Peak Avenue, Florence. I would like to invite the city manager, city attorney, city clerk, and city planning director.

Do we have a second?

I'll second.

Roll call, please.

Councilor Stiefel? Yes. Councilor Gardner? Yes. Councilor Murgleman? Yes. Councilor Stone? Yes. Councilor McKinnon? Yes. Mayor Wolf?

Yes. We'll adjourn into executive session at 7.05.

Thank you. Amen.

Thank you. Thank you.

All right.

Okay.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Where did you come from?

Well, I worked for another agency a couple years ago. You know, I was floating around the world. So I came to this place. For another agency that was based here? Yeah. Yeah, where was that? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

So these were cheesecake firemen. Oh, boy, I never saw such a big, dumb thing in any dinner we ever had. Well, I wonder if anybody's interested in that.

There's still some pretty young volunteer firemen out there. Yeah.

And it was funny because one of them was wearing boots. And every time he went in, the boots would fill up with

That looks like an old book. It is of some sort. Thank you.

Yeah. Oh, okay.

And then the history. Well, I'm very, very interested to hear what you're going to say. I'm going to say what you're going to say. I'm going to say what you're going to say.

Thank you. Colorado Springs was one of them. Okay. Okay.

I didn't realize that.

We have concluded our executive session and our regular meeting is back in session at 7.32. We had a good discussion on the properties that were listed and we've instructed city staff, city attorney to pursue negotiations for the aforementioned properties. And that's where we're at right now. Okay. All right. Anybody else have any other need for any other executive session? If not, do we have a motion to adjourn?

I will make a motion to adjourn.

Do we have a second? I'll second. All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed? All right. Council meeting adjourns at 7.32. Thank you, everyone.