- Jane Garrabrant honored
- 2024 budget hearing
- CORE proposes EV charging station
- Stormwater enterprise fund rate study debated
- Date set for annexation hearing
- Fire protection services authorized
- Road standards amended
- Executive session
By James Howald and Jackie Burhans
The November meeting of the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees (PLBOT) opened with recognition of citizen volunteer Jane Garrabrant. The board held a public hearing on its draft budget for 2024. CORE Electric Cooperative proposed the installation of two electric vehicle (EV) chargers. The board considered a resolution to authorize a rate study in support of a stormwater enterprise fund. It set a date for a public hearing on a petition for annexation and voted on a resolution to authorize fire protection services for a small area of land in unincorporated El Paso County. The board approved road standards.
The board meeting was preceded by an executive session.
Jane Garrabrant honored
Mayor Glant Havenar and Town Administrator Dawn Collins recognized Garrabrant for her volunteer work in support of the town staff, especially her work on accounting issues. Collins said, “Her volunteerism has been invaluable in the last two months.”
Garrabrant praised the staff, acknowledging their dedication and expertise.
2024 budget hearing
Havenar preceded the public hearing on the proposed 2024 budget by correcting remarks she made in her mayor’s message to the town. She explained that the town was in fact on track to receive more sales, use, and excise taxes in 2023 than it did in 2022, but would receive less total sales tax revenue than was anticipated in the 2023 budget. The town had to return $80,000 to the state to correct an overpayment by a business to the state, she said, which reduced sales tax revenue. Havenar said the town would be more conservative in their approach to budgeting and rely less on optimistic revenue projections.
Havenar opened the public hearing to consider three budget alternatives. The first alternative excludes all new hires, provides minimal wage increases, and makes no other changes to departments. This alternative has a deficit just under $119,000 that would be covered by reserve funds.
The second alternative retains the six full-time and five part-time police officers currently employed, gives them all 3% wage increases and cuts operating expenses to cover the wage increases. This alternative has a $116,000 deficit.
The third alternative cuts all six of the part-time and one of the full-time police officers, proposes hiring a public works equipment operator and a deputy town clerk, allows for raises between 3% and 5% and moves capital funds to the Public Works Department. This option is a balanced budget with no deficit.
Trustee Dennis Stern suggested a fourth alternative: an across-the-board reduction of 2½% to all departments, which he calculated would cut $125,000 from the overall budget. After discussing the resolution on the Stormwater Enterprise Fund (see below), the board directed staff to add a part-time code enforcer to all the options.
Collins pointed out that at a budget workshop, the board directed the staff to prioritize infrastructure issues such as those for the water system and the roads.
Trustee Samantha Padgett asked why sales tax revenue from adult use cannabis sales was lower than projected. Collins acknowledged that the tax revenues had been overestimated. Trustee Kevin Dreher pointed out that without the cannabis revenue, the budget deficit would have been even higher. He said that concerns raised during the town’s consideration of adult cannabis sales such as traffic congestion and crime have not materialized.
In response to a question from Stern about the increase in utility costs, Collins answered that utility rates have increased in the last year.
Police Chief Jason Vanderpool said that the proposed reduction to the number of police officers would make 24-hour police coverage impossible. Traffic enforcement and DUI investigations are currently done by part-time officers, he said, and those services would not be provided if the part-time positions were eliminated. He objected to a 40% cut to the Police Department funding when the current funding is half of what comparable towns provide.
Resident Martha Brodzik raised concerns with the budget proposals. Increased tap fees were not correctly budgeted, she said, and tap fees and capital improvement dollars could not be used for operating expenses. She argued grant funds GMS Engineering obtained went into the Water Fund, but GMS Engineering was paid out of the General Fund. She said she did not accept the explanation offered by David Green, of David Green & Associates LLC, the town’s auditors. Brodzik also questioned the amount the town proposed to spend on professional services, arguing that more should be done by town staff.
Resident Jim Parco thanked the Town Council and the police and fire chiefs for their hard work. He said he believed sales tax revenues for 2023 would exceed the 2022 amounts by somewhere between 20% and 30%. Parco said he taught economics and was also in the cannabis business and had helped Bass estimate the sales tax revenue from cannabis sales when Bass was mayor. He reminded the board that in 2022 the town had voted to legalize adult use cannabis sales and voted against raising property taxes, even though it was known that the cannabis revenues alone would not solve the town’s financial problems. He pointed out that the town had done little to let the public know about cannabis sales, and the sales tax revenue from cannabis sales was delayed from February to April. Parco said he was optimistic about the positive impact cannabis sales would have on the town’s finances, especially if Colorado Springs did not approve sales in the next election.
Resident Roger Mosely said he was distressed to hear cuts to the Police Department were being considered. He echoed Brodzik’s concerns. In response to Mosely’s comments, Town Attorney Matt Krob said the purpose of the hearing was to consider the 2024 budget, not to rehash past decisions.
Havenar closed the public hearing, and the board scheduled a budget workshop to be held on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. at Palmer Lake Town Hall.
CORE proposes EV charging station
Rob Osborn, CORE Director of Business Development, and Rob Liechty, CORE Member Energy Programs Director, asked the board for permission to place two Level III Fast DC EV chargers in the parking area at Primrose Street and Highway 105 on the west side of the lake. Level III chargers can bring an EV to an 80% charge in less than 30 minutes. The chargers would be free for the first month, then would charge residents at rates equal to what they already pay for residential electricity but would charge non-members more. The goal, Osborn said, was to serve members and to support rural development. The chargers would be added to a national network and EV drivers would be able to locate them through their car interface and would be attracted to get off the highway and spend some time in Palmer Lake.
CORE would pay for the installation and would own, operate, and maintain the chargers, they said. They asked the town to commit to a five-year zero payment lease, with the option to renew the lease twice. At the end of the lease, CORE would transfer ownership of the chargers to the town, or the town could ask CORE to remove them. ChargePoint operates a nationwide charger network and would support the proposed chargers.
The board directed Collins to investigate the possibility of a shorter lease and to bring the board a resolution to vote on at a later meeting.
Stormwater enterprise fund rate study debated
At its October meeting, the board asked staff to draft a resolution authorizing a rate study for a proposed stormwater enterprise fund. Collins put Resolution 73-2023 before the board at the Nov. 9 meeting; the resolution authorizes the rate study to be conducted by GMS Engineering at a cost of $18,500. A stormwater enterprise fund, which would guarantee a revenue stream by charging residents a monthly fee, is required for the town to borrow money to fund stormwater infrastructure that complies with state laws.
Mosely spoke against the resolution, arguing that the discussion has only addressed drainage issues on High Street, that the town does not adequately enforce municipal codes that require property owners to maintain their culverts and ditches, and that it would be a mistake to implement a stormwater enterprise fund until there is a stormwater drainage plan that covers the entire town.
Brodzik proposed using the General Fund to pay for stormwater infrastructure. She argued using the General Fund would eliminate costs required by an enterprise fund and would be fairer to residents. She also proposed the town consider holding a special election to put the question of a mill levy override to fund stormwater infrastructure before the voters. She pointed out that the failure of Proposition HH would mean increased property tax revenue for the town. Brodzik repeated Mosely’s suggestion to require property owners to better maintain their culverts and ditches. She suggested that the town hire a contractor to maintain culverts and ditches and bill recalcitrant property owners if necessary.
Collins pointed out that a special election would cost the town between $12,000 and $15,000. Havenar said the town did not have the staff to manage Brodzik’s proposals and she did not believe a mill levy could pass.
There was consensus on the board to do more to enforce code requiring property owners to maintain the drainage on their properties. Stern suggested waiting to see how much property tax revenues increase due to increased property valuations. Havenar predicted property valuations could begin to decrease in 2026.
The board voted to table the resolution until the end of the first quarter of 2024 and directed staff to add a part-time code enforcer to the town staff in the budget. Dreher voted against tabling; Ball, Ehrhardt, Farr, Havenar, Padgett, and Stern voted in favor of tabling the resolution.
Date set for annexation hearing
At the previous board meeting, the United Congregational Church presented a petition for annexation of its property at 3295 Palmer Divide Rd. to the board. At the Nov. 9 meeting, the board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 74-2023, which schedules a public hearing on the annexation for Thursday, Jan. 25 at 6 p.m., as part of the regular board meeting set for that date.
Fire protection services authorized
In response to a request from El Paso County for the town to provide fire protection services to a small area of unincorporated county land at 5250 Eisenhower Dr., near Limbaugh Canyon, the board approved resolution 75-2023, which authorizes Fire Chief John Vincent to sign an agreement committing to provide the requested services.
Road standards amended
The road standards specified in the town’s municipal code have come under consideration during the board’s recent discussion of regulating use of the town’s undeveloped rights of way. Havenar expressed concern that the existing standards might require property owners to build costly roads to access their property.
The board voted unanimously in favor of Ordinance 23-2023, which removes the requirement that all roads be paved, and instead specifies that new roads must comply with county standards, which allows for less expensive roads to be built if usage will be low.
Executive session
The board meeting was preceded and followed by an executive session to consider the possible sale of public property, an asbestos estimate claim, the town administrator’s evaluation and contract, a personnel matter, and a Police Department claim.
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The next board meeting is scheduled for Dec. 14. The board will have one regular meeting in December to accommodate the Christmas holiday. See the town’s website at www.townofpalmerlake.com to confirm times and dates of board meetings and workshops. Meetings are typically held on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at the Town Hall. Information: 719-481-2953.
James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me. Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me.
Other Palmer Lake Board of Trustee articles
- Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, Sept. 12 and 26 – Board considers church’s request to use Elephant Rock property (10/3/2024)
- Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, Aug. 8 and 22 – Asbestos abatement contract awarded; advisory committee formed (9/7/2024)
- Palmer Lake Board of Trustees Workshop, July 10 – Advisory committee presents Elephant Rock analysis (8/3/2024)
- Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, July 11 and 25 – Elephant Rock discussion becomes contentious (8/3/2024)
- Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, May 30, June 13 and 27 – Board approves concealed carry in sensitive spaces (7/6/2024)
- Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, May 9 – It’s official: no fireworks in Palmer Lake (6/1/2024)
- Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, April 3, 11, 25 – Elephant Rock advisory committee formed (5/4/2024)
- Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, March 28 – Restoration of Elephant Rock cabins proposed (4/6/2024)
- Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, Feb. 8 and 22 – Ben Lomand property eligible for annexation; stance on migrants debated (3/2/2024)
- Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, Jan. 11 and 25 – Ben Lomand annexation considered; TLCA closed to the public (2/3/2024)