HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-12-21 Town Council MinutesC J
Vail Town Council Evening Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
6:00 P.M.
Vail Town Council Chambers
The regular meeting of the Vail Town Council was called to order at approximately
6:00 P.M. by Mayor Rod Slifer.
Members present: Dick Cleveland, Mayor Pro-Tem
Diana Donovan,
Farrow Hitt,
Kent Logan
Greg Moffet
Kim Ruotolo,
Rod Slifer, Mayor
Staff Members: Stan Zemler, Town Manager
Matt Mire, Town Attorney
Pam Brandmeyer, Asst. Town Manager
• The first item on the agenda was Citizen Participation. Ron Wolfe, recently elected
Mayor of Avon, extended the Town of Avon's commitment to work with the Town of Vail
on any project/issue of mutual interest at the state or county level.
Scott Proper, Vail Recreation District Board Member, reported increased ice
programming at Dobson Arena was available as well as free skating on Christmas and
New Year's Eve day with extended hours. Proper also stated snowshoeing and cross-
country skiing are accessible at the Vail Golf Course.
Paul Rondeau stated many residents of the Town of Vail have an expectation of an open
and public process regarding future decisions related to the Vail Conference Center.
Logan, a member of the Conference Center Oversight Committee, noted the advisory
group had held 45 public meetings and would continue to keep the process visible and
accessible to the public.
The second item on the agenda was the Youth Ambassador Recognition. On behalf of
the Vail Valley Exchange, Scott O'Connell introduced the 2004/05 Vail Valley Youth
Ambassador Award recipients: Natalie Thoburne, from Benalla Shire; Geoff Ham, from
Mansfield Shire; Christina Harrison, Battle Mountain High School; and Kyle Moore,
Battle Mountain High School. Mery Lapin, a member of the Vail Valley Exchange Board,
thanked Council for its support of the Youth Ambassador program. Lapin then
encouraged Council to look back at the value of exchanges and comparative trips the
town had supported and. taken part in the past. Lapin specifically encouraged the
regeneration of the relationship with Vail's sister city, St. Moritz. Slifer also expressed
enthusiasm for the program and stated he had recently been in touch with officials from
St. Moritz on another matter.
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The third item on the agenda was the Police Department Recognition of Code
Enforcement Officer Moses Gonzales. Police Chief Dwight Henninger announced
Moses Gonzales was being awarded the Bronze Wreath of Meritorious Service for
providing outstanding service to the citizens of the Town of Vail and Eagle County. The
award was a result of being recommended by Gonzales' peers. In particular, Gonzales
was commended for organizing the annual food drive, the "shop with a cop" program,
the Colorado Peace Officers Ski-Snowboard Race and other activities.
The fourth item on the agenda was the appointment of Board Members to the Vail Local
Marketing District Advisory Council (VLMDAC). J. Scott Gubrud, Robert Llewellyn, Beth
Slifer and Pamela Stenmark were appointed by Council to the Vail Local Marketing
District Advisory Council. Council also accepted Vail Resorts' recommendation to
appoint Ian Arthur as a representative to the board from the company. Moffet moved
and Cleveland seconded the motion to approve. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
The fifth item on the agenda was the Consent Agenda. Moffet moved and Hitt
seconded a motion to approve the Nov. 2 and Nov. 16 evening session minutes. The
motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
The sixth item on the agenda was the Seibert Circle Redesign process. Following a
discussion during the work session, Council agreed to postpone additional review in
which direction is being sought for the potential redesign of Seibert Circle at the top of
Bridge Street in Vail Village. Council agreed to discuss the matter during the Jan. 18
• evening session. Town Manager Stan Zemler said comprehensive cost estimates for
several design possibilities would be provided prior to the meeting. Vail Resorts has
offered to earmark $500,000 of a $1 million streetscape commitment to add a new, year-
round feature to Seibert Circle, which would require relocation of the granite art pieces
currently in place. Public Works Director Greg Hall stated it was estimated relocating the
existing art would cost $100,000. Both Council and Jay Peterson, representing Vail
Resorts, expressed interest in reviewing all potential design options. Numerous options
were discussed, varying from maintaining the status quo to constructing a large
water/fire feature surrounded by heated pavers. The Art in Public Places (AIPP) board
and the Streetscape Design Committee reported they had been exploring potential
design possibilities for the past several months. Moffet moved, with Cleveland
seconding the motion to approve. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
The seventh item on the agenda was the Vail Memorial Park. The Council voted 5-0 to
include $50,000 in the 2006 budget as a donation to the Vail Memorial Park endowment
fund. Moffet moved and Logan seconded the motion. Donovan and Slifer voluntarily
recused themselves from the discussion as they both served on the Memorial Park
Foundation Board of Directors. Rev. Carl Walker, foundation chairman, announced 17
percent of the memorials developed in the first phase of the park had been sold,
subsequently requiring additional development of the next phase within two to three
years. In 2003, Council granted a $50,000 loan to the foundation to cover start up costs
including design and construction of the park. Walker reported the board of directors for
the park was now in a position to start re -payment of the loan; however, asked for
Council's consideration to accept the contribution of that original amount, entitling the
town to become a "benefactor" of the Memorial Park. Council did not choose to forgive
the loan as it would set precedent. Instead, the town pledged, subject to appropriation, a
donation in 2006 after the loan would be repaid.
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The eighth item on the agenda was a request to purchase tap fees for the proposed
Conference Center location in 2004. Council authorized the Town Manager to spend up
to $298,000 for water and sewer taps for the Charter Bus Lot site prior to December 31,
2004. Moffet moved and Logan seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously,
7-0. It was reported after this date water and sewer tap fees would increase significantly
and the tap fees are transferable or can stay with the land if the Conference Center is
not built. Donovan expressed concern the tap fees were not transferable, prompting
Council to require Eagle River Water & Sanitation District (ERW&SD) to guarantee in
writing the transferability of the fees. Logan and Slifer then announced the Conference
Center Oversight Committee would not be in a position to make a recommendation on a
bond sale in February as had been initially proposed. Instead, the group recommended
allowing time for the design phase to materialize to more accurately estimate the cost of
the project. It was reported the project designers would continue to move forward
developing the building schematics. Logan also stated the committee would revisit key
operating assumptions so as to be able to provide more accurate operating estimates as
they relate to potential deficits. Donovan asked why the center concept No. #1 was not
further elucidated pictorially as she believed Council had asked the designers to do. Hitt
reiterated Donovan's comments. Zemler responded he believed the designers had only
been asked to produce a summertime depiction of option No. #3. Jokingly, Cleveland
stated he believed he could garner enough support to change the design concept to
option no. #2. Logan reinforced the decision to allow more time for design development
was not a delay, only a change in a self-imposed time line. Hitt stated he believed the
decision was prudent. Moffet announced any increase in interest rates would be
. mitigated by additional sales tax accumulation.
The ninth item on the agenda was the first reading of Ordinance No. #23, Series 2004,
an ordinance amending the Vail Town Code regarding the jurisdiction of the Town of Vail
Municipal Court in introducing the item, Town Attorney Matt Mire stated due to a
publication error, the ordinance, previously approved on first reading during the Dec. 7
meeting, would need to be reread. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0. Moffet moved
and Cleveland seconded the motion to approve.
The tenth item on the agenda was the second reading of Ordinance No. #32, Series of
2004. An ordinance vacating a certain part of the system of public ways of the Town of
Vail, Colorado, i.e., that public right-of-way constituting those portions of Red Sandstone
Road contiguous to either Tract A or Tract B, South Frontage Road Subdivision. Council
unanimously approved, 7-0, to grant the vacation on second reading. Moffet moved and
Ruotolo seconded the motion. Mire and Jay Peterson, representing Vail Resorts,
announced the vacation was only one small aspect of a larger land swap occurring
between the town and Vail Resorts. Mire did ask Council to ask for Vail Resorts
assurance they would not record the vacation until the town was able to exchange
parcels. Peterson established Vail Resorts would agree to the request. Moffet moved
and Ruotolo seconded the motion to approve.
The eleventh item on the agenda was the Town Manager's Report. Zemler announced
the town's community meeting would be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, at the
Donovan Pavilion.
Noting several recent tragedies, Hitt asked the community to keep the families of those
individuals in their prayers.
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The twelfth item on the agenda was adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at
approximately 7:10 p.m. Moffet moved and Ruotolo seconded the motion. The motion
passed unanimously, 7-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
LSEEAL
ATTEST:
Lorelei Donaldson, Town Clerk
Minutes provided by Corey Swisher.
Rodney E. Slifer, Mayor