City boosts historic preservation
To help the city meet its historic preservation goals, City Council approved adding almost $60,000 to this fiscal year’s budget to hire a consultant during its meeting Tuesday, Nov. 12.
Community Development Director Michael Mays said staff had met with Northwind Resource Consulting to help estimate how much money was needed for an outside company to help the Historic Preservation Committee meet its priorities for fiscal year 2020 in the most effective manner.
According to the staff report in Tuesday’s agenda packet, Northwind said it would cost the city $58,572. This money is less than half of what had previously been in the budget for a historic preservation planner employee. On July 9, council removed the position and the $119,788 allocated for it was moved to the general fund Aug. 13.
The historic preservation goals include developing a historic preservation plan, complying with state and federal standards, identifying financial incentives for historic preservation, promoting economic development, creating an educational campaign and identifying historic buildings to reuse and repurpose.
The $58,572 would help with the first four goals.
Councilwoman Tracy Folda, Councilman James Howard Adams and Mayor Kiernan McManus encouraged staff to keep the Historic Preservation Committee involved as well as keeping the community informed of progress being made to meet the city’s goals.
“I think we’re going to see a lot of good things with historic preservation moving forward here,” Adams said.
McManus said the committee’s goals should be given precedence. Additionally, he said the committee should be informed and weigh in on any changes that need to be made.
“I think their recommendations were sound,” he said. “They were based on the strategic plan for the most part.”
The resolution, which was approved unanimously, was just to allocate the money for the estimated consulting fees. It did not award a contract to an agency.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, council unanimously approved the tentative capital improvement plan for fiscal year 2021 while removing a $400,000 proposal for a dining room expansion and restroom at the Boulder Creek Golf Course that was scheduled for fiscal year 2023.
Adams said he was concerned because at a certain point renovations could benefit the leaseholder more than the city.
Council also encouraged staff to include nonprofit See Spot Run in its plans for the dog park expansion as it operates the facility.
During public comment, President Sandra Fraser said the group supports the improvements but she found it unusual that no one from the city had contacted the organization about them. She said she was also worried the expansion would increase operating costs by four or five times and that the city would end up taking the park over.
Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.
Also at Tuesday's meeting:
■ Council and staff remembered late City Councilman Warren Harhay, who died Oct. 22 after a lengthy illness, by wearing bow ties in his honor.
■ Approved resolutions removing the annual adjustments for increasing electrical, water and sewer rates.
■ Approved authorizing almost $24 million in bonds to refinance the city's debt from the raw waterline. The city will save approximately $3.5 million and the term of loan will be reduced by almost four years.
■ Approved a resolution to officially designate the dry lake bed in the Eldorado Valley as a recreation area.
■ Approved a resolution opposing the Bureau of Land Management's oil lease and gas sales in the region.
■ Heard the annual reports from the Public Works and Utilities departments.
■ Appointed Councilwoman Claudia Bridges as the voting delegate for the National League of City's annual business meeting.
