The Estes Park Town Board of Trustees swore in newly elected board members and confirmed a slate of appointments Tuesday night.
Mayor Gary Hall opened the meeting by acknowledging Town Administrator Travis Machalek, who recently received the Manager of the Year award from the Colorado City and County Management Association.
“What a wonderful thing. We have the best in state, right here,” Hall said with a grin as the room applauded.
Before the new board was sworn in, the sitting board conducted the meeting’s regular business, including approving five liquor license transfers.
The approval included transferring an existing hotel and restaurant with optional premise liquor license from the former Hangar Restaurant to the new Club House Fairway Tavern at Lake Estes Golf Course.
Sean Gafner, owner of the tavern, attended the meeting in his chef outfit.
“We are in the middle of training right now, so I had to come in costume,” he said.
The new restaurant opens Friday morning at 7 a.m.
The board unanimously approved a USDA Rural Development water revenue bond to repay a $4.5 million CoBank loan that financed improvements to the former Prospect Mountain Water Company system. Town Finance Director Tammy Zimmerman said voter approval is not required for the bond since it will be repaid entirely by the system’s 133 customers and not by taxpayers.
The town entered an agreement to maintain and operate the water system after it filed for bankruptcy in 2015.
“This bond issuance allows the town to refinance the existing 4.493 [million dollar] CoBank loan to a much lower interest rate,” Zimmerman said. “It also ensures those costs are equitably allocated to the Prospect Mountain customers and will not adversely impact our existing water enterprise customers.”
Town Clerk Jackie Williamson said the staff needs to wait until the contractor finishes the work to crunch the final numbers, but estimates the monthly surcharge will be $200 or less. The charge will be included on customers’ monthly water bills for 40 years.
At the end of the first half of the meeting, the board formally recognized outgoing Mayor Pro Tem Marie Cenac for her eight years of service on the board.
“It’s been a great relationship, we have shared an awful lot of humor,” Hall said. “We’ve shared a lot of information. She’s taught me so much. We have accomplished so many things in that time, and we are going to go through some of that, too. Thank you so much for being my right-hand trustee.”
Hall then read a Resolution of Respect, which listed numerous boards and planning projects she served on.
“Now, therefore, be it resolved that the mayor and Board of Trustees of the Town of Estes Park, by this resolution and public record, recognize the dedication and leadership of Marie Cenac and express profound appreciation for her service to our community,” the resolution concluded.
Finally, Hall presented a framed certificate of appreciation, a James Frank landscape photograph, and an $800 travel voucher.
“I worked under three mayors. Every single one of them was great,” Cenac said.
“I can tell you, as much as it sounds like I’ve done a lot, it’s all staff. You know, staff make trustees’ lives easy. We have a great staff.”
Cenac also thanked her two children, who grew up with her on the board, her chosen family, and her fellow trustees.
“Everyone here has just been great, and I’m going to miss it very much,” she said.
After a recess, the board reconvened, and Municipal Court Judge David Thrower swore in the new and re-elected trustees in alphabetical order, beginning with Bill Brown, who will serve a partial, two-year term to fill out the term of Cindy Younglund, who resigned. Chris Eshelman, Kirby Hazelton, and Jamie Mieras will each serve full four-year terms.
Hall nominated Hazelton, who was re-elected to her second term, to serve as the new mayor pro tem. The board approved the appointment unanimously.
The board then approved a slate of board and committee assignments for the trustees:
- Hall, Hazelton, and Eshelman will serve on the Audit Committee.
- Hall and Hazelton will serve on the Local Marketing Committee (Visit Estes Park).
- Hazelton is the voting designee, and Trustee Frank Lancaster is the alternate designee for the Colorado Association of Ski Towns.
- Hall will also serve on the Platte River Power Authority Board of Directors, the Larimer County Regional Opioid Abatement Council, and the Larimer County Behavioral Health Policy Council.
- Brown will serve on the Estes Chamber of Commerce Economic Development and Workforce Council and the Estes Park Arts District.
The board also approved non-voting liaison assignments:
- Brown: Estes Park Board of Adjustment
- Eshelman: Estes Park Board of Appeals
- Mark Igel: Estes Valley Restorative Justice Partnership
- Lancaster: Estes Park Planning Commission, and Estes Park Housing Authority
- Mieras: Police Auxiliary and Sister Cities
Finally, the board renewed staff appointments and contracts for the municipal court judge and assistant judge.
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