Berthoud Town Board, April 25

The trustees took care of business relatively quickly on Tuesday evening. They approved the staff recommendation to award the water treatment plant Carbon Modification Project to Glacier Construction, the low bidder at $43,600. The project will move the activated carbon filtration to beginning of the water treatment cycle.

Attorney Fickel, in a memorandum to the board concerning the Colorado House Bill 1284, regulation of Medical Marijuana, outlined some of the changes that will affect the town. One of the changes is that municipalities can decide whether or not to allow production, manufacture or sale in their communities.

The trustees were asked whether they wanted staff to have new ordinances ready when the new rules become effective or whether they agreed with Fickel’s recommendation to delay action until the state legislation is clarified and the Colorado Department of Health has published its rules and regulations. In this case, the trustees unanimously agreed with Attorney Fickel and voted to wait.

Town administrator Michael Hart had asked for 90 minutes for a workshop on boards and commissions. This follows the presentation by advisory panels at last week’s study session.

Hart had a list of all the committees to discuss their role and the ordinances governing them. The discussion began with BERT. Trustee Hindman said that BERT’s role has changed since Administrator Hart came aboard and that only the Business Retention Committee was still active. He said that since Hart had taken on the business attraction role and that many of the BERT goals had been achieved that the members were available to assist where needed.

There followed discussion on whether BERT still needed 15 members. Two positions are presently vacant and six terms expire in August. Hindman thought that the size was no hindrance and advocated no change. He said that the members were waiting for instruction from Hart. Hart responded that the do come to him and ask, “What do you want us to do?’ “I don’t have a clue,” Hart said. Hart also said that he thought that BERT was now twice the size it needed to be.

Hart read from the ordinance establishing BERT and pointed out that they are not assigned any particular preserve and that they and other boards and commission need to be given a clear understanding of what is expected of them. He then asked the trustees what they wanted BERT to do. Trustee Skiles suggested that they submit a mission statement.

After more discussion about BERT and the Utility Advisory Board, Administrator Hart pointed at the list of boards he had prepared and those which had not been discussed and said, “This is not working out as I anticipated,” and suggested that staff prepare proposed ordinances and bring them to the trustees. He further refined the proposal suggesting he create a temporary committee of the board chairs to get their input on revising the ordinances governing advisory panels. The trustees agreed to that proposal.

Also announced was that the town swimming pool will open this weekend and the Farmers’ Market will open June 24.

Read the citizens report on the Berthoud Town Forum, click here.