Due to the holidays, this is the last gov’t watch of the year. It will return in the Jan. 9 edition.
Longmont City Council
On Dec. 16, the city:
- Opened the online application portal for residents seeking appointment to fill the vacant Ward 2 seat on city council. The seat became available after councilwoman Marcia Martin, who has been living in New York and participating in meetings remotely since May, announced her resignation effective Dec. 31.
The application period will close on Jan. 8. Council will conduct public interviews of selected applicants in place of its open forum on Jan. 21 and vote to select a new Ward 2 representative after the interviews are completed. Apply: bit.ly/Ward-2-application.
On Dec. 17, council:
- Gave a preliminary OK to allowing marijuana hospitality licenses in the city. If the ordinance is approved on second reading, up to four businesses will be able to allow on-site use of cannabis, such as smoking or infused massage oils. Outdoor consumption will not be allowed.
A second vote and public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23.
- Approved plans for an In-N-Out Burger at 735 Harvest Moon Drive, near the Costco on Ken Pratt Blvd. The restaurant will have a drive-thru that can accommodate 29 cars.
“All roads adjacent to the subject property have sufficient capacity to accommodate any additional traffic this use may create,” city staff wrote in notes to council, “and the drive-through is oriented on the site to minimize the risk of spillover stacking on adjacent roadways.”
- Appointed 26 board and commission members to fill 38 vacant seats. Boards welcoming new members include the Airport Advisory Board, Planning and Zoning Commission, Housing and Human Services and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
Lafayette City Council
On Dec. 17, council:
- Voted to increase the salary for City Administrator Kady Doelling to $250,450 following her one-year performance evaluation on Dec. 3. This includes a market-rate salary increase of $31,000 and a merit-based increase of 4.5%. Approval was also given to allow the title city manager to be interchangeable with city administrator.
- Approved a new contract with Axion Enterprise Inc, the current provider of body-worn cameras and services to the police department. The one-year contract comes with the option for four annual renewals; renewals require council approval for funding. First-year costs are $197,234.
- Voted unanimously to update the city’s camping ban ordinance. The vote was initially scheduled for Dec. 3, but council postponed a vote over concerns that the language required immediate removal of camps.
New language clarifies that camping citations must include a date and time by which people must relocate. The ordinance also also specifies that municipalities cannot ticket or arrest people camping on public land without first issuing a written order to move and advising them of available shelter options. Exceptions allow for immediate removal if structures are in the public right-of-way or next to stormwater facilities, or if the city determines the camp poses a threat to life-safety.
The changes come after the Grant’s Pass ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, which allows local governments to penalize people for living in public spaces.
All agenda items subject to change. Karen Norback contributed reporting.