“I think if you’re applying for money and you want taxpayer money, (you need to) be here to answer questions and be able to answer them completely or risk not getting the funding,” said Trustee Mark Igel at the Dec. 10 Town Board meeting, the final meeting of 2024.
Carlie Bangs, housing and childcare manager for the town, was unable to provide the specific information Igel asked for regarding an application by the Estes Valley Recreation and Parks District to use $12,400 of 6E funds to provide after school care in 2025. EVRPD had no representatives at the meeting to defend the request.
Bangs said that the afterschool program would serve potty-trained 4 to 6-year-olds at the Community Center, located just blocks from the elementary school. She also noted that that the Rec District, who runs the center, had a fund balance of $5,744 left over from their $17,000 award this year to run the program, so they only needed an additional $6,655 to make up their total funding request for 2025. The request was approved unanimously by the Board; however, Town staff will work on refining the policy for such requests – several of which will be presented in January – to require a representative from each organization be present during the public hearings to answer questions.
Antlers Tavern granted a liquor license
A new liquor license was granted to Antlers Tavern, LLC, which will be located at 145 East Elkhorn, in the space that is currently the Ole International Café and before that, Chelitos. Bijay Bhetuwal of Estes Park was listed as the primary applicant, owning 35% of the business, with Yadav Bhetuwal of Longmont owning 20%, Darya Valkavets of Estes Park owning 15%, and Delicious Adventures, LLC of Estes Park listed as owning 30% of the new business.
One member of the public, John Guffy of Estes Park, spoke out against the application, wondering if there weren’t enough liquor licenses in Town already, and Valkavets was on hand to respond.
“We will be a full-service restaurant serving comfort … food and good drinks,” she said, “mock tails as well as cocktails, serving everyone.”
The board voted unanimously to approve the application.
The Estes Chamber to return leftover marketing grant funds
The Estes Chamber, which administered construction relief grants in 2024, reported that $28,323 of the marketing reimbursement funds were not used and suggested an alternate use for the money. $5,823 of the overage was requested to cover administrative costs to run the grant program and the remaining could go to grants for events held by small businesses and business collaboratives.
“The chamber could administer a local event sponsorship program that would award up to $2,500 for up to nine events between tomorrow and the end of 2025,” said Director Colleen DePasquale. But while none of the trustees had any issues with reimbursing the chamber for the administrative costs, the remaining $22,000 was in question.
“The purpose (of the funding) was for the immediate impacts of the construction,” said Trustee Frank Lancaster. It was also understood that if the funds were not used, they would be returned to the Town, he said.
There was much discussion about where the funds would go and it was decided after two failed votes, that the admin costs would stay with the Chamber and the remaining $22K would come back to the Town’s General Fund.
2024 budget amendments caused by higher-than-expected lodging tax revenue
An additional more than $5 million was appropriated in the 2024 Town budget, resulting in its sixth revision, which was presented last night.
“For lodging tax, by the end of October we collected what we estimated for the entire year,” reported Duane Hudson, interim finance director for the Town, resulting in an additional $2 million projected to be collected by the end of this month in that income category.
This was good news for the priorities that receive funding via lodging tax income including the Community Center, wildfire mitigation, and workforce housing. Changes to priorities included a reduction in the parking services fund of $2.1 million and a reduction of $178.665 in the General Fund. The Town Board will also need to approve a seventh change to the 2024 budget to include the $22,000 returned to the General Fund from the Chamber.
The Town Board went into executive session at approximately 8:45 p.m., for “a conference with an attorney for the Board for the purpose of receiving legal advice on specific legal questions, Section 24-6-402(4)(b), C.RS. – Petitions for Citizen Initiated Ordinances.” One public comment was received against this action.
“Why is a second Executive Session with “…an attorney…” required for “Citizen Initiated Ordinances?” Shouldn’t the “Citizens” be included?” said Kristine Poppitz, of Estes Park.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Town Board, scheduled for Dec. 25, was cancelled due to the Christmas holiday. The next Board meeting will be on Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.
You must be logged in to post a comment.