BERTHOUD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (BERT)

AGENDA

MONDAY, JULY 12, 2010

5:30 P.M.

BOARD ROOM

1. Call to order

2. Guest recognition

3. Old business

a. Resume past meetings discussion of achievements & goals

b. Where can we help?

c. Status of updated zoning map

d. business incubation and sites

e. What’s BERT’s role in all of this?

4. New business

5. Adjourn

Berthoud Economic Resource Team
Berthoud Town Hall
June 14, 5:30 p.m.

Agenda

• 5:30 Call to order

A. Business Retention – Becky Hemmann

1. 2010 Business Appreciation Breakfast – final report

• Discussion of BERT’S past achievements and future goals

• Other business

• New business

• Adjourn at 7:00 pm

The next regular BERT meeting will be scheduled for Monday, July 12th, 2010, 5:30 pm

at Town Hall in Council Chambers.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
SPECIAL MEETING
JUNE 15, 2010
BOARD ROOM
7:00 P.M.

1. Call to Order                                                     Mayor Tom Patterson

2. Roll Call                                                           Mayor Tom Patterson

Mayor Pro-Tem David Gregg

Trustee Thomas Jones

Trustee David Skiles

Trustee John Bauer Trustee

Jeff Hindman

Trustee Dick Shepard

3. Pledge of Allegiance                                          Mayor Patterson

4. Citizen Participation

5. Reports

All matters listed under Item 6, Consent Agenda, are considered to be routine by the Town Board and will be enacted with a single vote. There will be no separate discussion of these items. If discussion is deemed necessary, that item should be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered separately.

6. Consent Agenda

6a. Minutes                                                       May 25 & June 1, 2010
6b. Bills Allowed                                              May 2010
6c. Liquor License Renewal                               Derby Grille
6d. Liquor License Renewal                               Grandpa’s Cafe

7. Proposed 2009 Audit                                          Vicki Sweet,                           30 minutes
Sample & Bailey

8. Public hearing-Development                               Planner Katers                        15 minutes
code subdivision regulations
adoption by reference

9. Public hearing-Building Code                             Planner Katers                        15 minutes
adoption by reference

10. Development code waiver                                 Planner Katers                       10 minutes
Golden Acres

11. Resolution re: medical                                      Planner Katers                        10 minutes
marijuana moratorium extension

12. Appointment to Planning &                              Planner Katers                        5 minutes
Zoning Commission

NOTE:The order of business may be changed at the discretion of the Mayor.

Transportation Committee
June 16, 2010
Berthoud Town Hall
8:00 a.m.

No Agenda published (6/13/2010)

Historic Preservation Commission 
June 17, 2010
Berthoud Town Hall
5:30 p.m.

No Agenda published (6/13/2010)

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.

First to report was Mark French from the Berthoud Historical Society. He reported that in April, a part-time director (20 hours) was hired. Her name is Tara Secora and she started in January. She is conducting studies on school tours and on Floyd Clymer, who was a nationally-known auto salesman when he was only 11 years old. The museum will soon have a couple of his motorcycles. The Society has prepared a version of a long-term lease. The Town of Berthoud would insure the Society and the Society would insure the collection. Financial support will be determined annually by the two entities.

Historic Preservation Commission: Town Planner Tim Katers, the liaison for the committee, advised that two committee members are needed to fill the empty slots in the group. They are working on the First National Bank Building exterior (our Police Department) and the Bimson Blacksmith Shop. Jeff Medanich, Committee Vice-Chair, reported that the Berthoud Historic Homes was established in 2006 and that the Berthoud Historical District was established in 2008. They have renovated the Pioneer Museum, providing adequate public parking. The Society was disheartened when two properties were allowed out of historical designation in 2009. When asked if there was communication between the Historical Society and the Historical Preservation Society, the answer was “none. ” It was suggested that there should be communication between the two.

Berthoud Area Transportation System (BATS): Chair Eileen Hoover reported on the committee, whom she described as extremely passionate. She particularly wanted the town to know that the bus service is no longer “the old people’s bus, ” but that the service is being used by old and young alike. The service, consisting of five buses and one van, goes to the Loveland airport and is now taking school children to lessons and sporting events in town. Trustee David Skiles said that he came from Grand Junction where their bus service is only about three years old. Director David Gregg commented that he and his family appreciate the service. Director Dick Shepherd inquired about the FoxTrot service that he read about in the Loveland Reporter-Herald. Eric Boyd, Director of BATS, answered that an offer is in the works to the City of Loveland. The service would be a fixed route from Ft. Collins, through Loveland and Berthoud to Longmont, where it would connect with RTD to Denver. Eric also explained the committee’s vision for the next five years: more rooftops will increase the need for the bus service, as will AIMS Community College, if it comes into the area. Ultimately, Regional Service will be implemented, and BATS will be either a feeder system, or another part of the service.

Utilities Advisory Board Chairman Milan Karspeck advised that this committee had been inactive for a while, but was revived last year due to issues with water, wastewater, electricity, phone, cable, and cable TV. They have performed an investigative process on water source documents, and the Xcel Energy agreement, which they were against. For 2010 their goals are to ensure improved water quality; reduce the water and sewer rates; make a recommendation regarding the Xcel Energy Agreement. Trustee David Gregg asked that the Xcel Energy report be put on the website.

Berthoud Economic Development (BERT) Becky Justice Justice-Hemmann reported for the committee regarding the recently held Business Appreciation Breakfast. Over four-hundred invitations were mailed to town businesses. The total attendance was 93, which included 50 businesses. Although the total expenses are not in yet, they anticipate that the breakfast will have cost $4,500. The committee requested town staff to collect email addresses from the attendees for their future use. They would like the town to take over the Citizen of the Year event and have the Chamber of Commerce do the Business of the Year. They asked that the trustees contact the event sponsors to thank them for their participation.

BERT is currently working with the Chamber of Commerce to bring educational speakers in for our businesses. The Business Attraction Team is on hold for now; the Marketing Team has offered to help Town Administrator Michael Hart with press releases. Trustee David Gregg asked for a report similar to the Utilities Advisory Board, with achievements and goals going forward.

Ms. Hemmann advised that Mr. Hart has taken on a lot of the BERT functions.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

STUDY SESSION

MAY 4, 2010

BOARD ROOM

7:00 P.M.

1. Volunteer Boards & Commissions Administrator Hart 90 minutes

1a. Tree Board

1b. Parks & Open Space

1c. Planning & Zoning Commission

1d. Berthoud Economic Development Committee (BERT)

The Business Appreciation Breakfast was first on the agenda. The breakfast is planned for Saturday, May 15 at Brookside Gardens, with catering by Origins Catering Company of Berthoud. Becky Justice-Hemmann has collected five donations of $500 each to help with the event and Larry Bebo of Brookside Gardens has given the group a “healthy discount” on the site costs. The Town of Berthoud will pay the catering costs.

Mayor Tom Patterson and Town Administrator Michael Hart will address the group, and then introduce the Town of Berthoud Trustees, the sponsors and the donors. After breakfast, each sponsor will talk about their business for five minutes, followed by “Questions and Answers” with the Trustees and Town Administrator Hart.

The breakfast and event is free to all Berthoud businesses. An invitation is forthcoming.

Deputy Town Clerk Linda Higuera spoke to the group about the new Town Website, which is patterned after The City of Westminster’s site. She has been working with Fred’s Used Websites to create the website and is planning to go live with it on May 1.

Only the part of the website  assigned to the BERT was discussed, particularly the Berthoud Business Directory where Berthoud business owners may register their businesses and provide defining information.

The group will hold a separate meeting later this week to further define the purpose of the business directory and how it should be presented to the Town Board.

The First item of business was a report by Deputy Town Clerk Linda Higuera on the progress in developing the new web site for the town and economic development. The goal is to have a seamless joining of the two parts of the web site so that it will make the best presentation to the outside world.

Higuera said that the contract has been signed and she has attended training. She was pleased that much of the content from the previous site could be transferred without having to be recreated. She was confident that the site would be ready by the end of April.

Higuera also asked the committee for minutes of the meetings. The committee has no secretary and no one is taking minutes. Justice-Hemmann asked if the recording that they had given her was adequate and Higuera responded that it was a problem as she did not recognize voices. She also pointed out that minutes are not a transcript of the meeting but are a list of the actions taken. She said she had to have the minutes on file.

BERT Chair, Mark Chaffee, asked if the committee would be able to see the product before it went live. Higuera said that only the text has been put in place and that they were working on the style, but that it might be far enough along for a demo at the April BERT meeting.

Mina Cox, chair of the Business Attraction Committee, told the membership that her committee had decided to discontinue meeting. “For all purposes, BAC is disbanded at this point,” she said. Citing  the present economic conditions in which companies are looking for buildings, not looking to build, and the town’s effectiveness in accomplishing many of the things the committee was doing, the committee felt they should step back at this time. She added that the committee could help the other BERT committees.

Trustee Buckingham expressed disappointment and in the ensuing discussion, the consensus was that the committee could resume when conditions were appropriate.

Town Administrator Michael Hart then introduced Town Planner Tim Katers to brief on what the town was working on, pointing out that the town had over twenty properties where BERT was looking at only four. This engendered discussion about Bert’s focus, which was described as looking for primary employers and did not include retail and residential building sites.

The Parkway Plaza property at the northwest corner of the County Road 8, US Highway 287 intersection, was an example. Hart said the developer is ready for Final Plat Development approval and wants to attract business. BERT member Hemmann responded to Hart that BERT had talked to the developer and he did not want to be included in BERTs planning.

Katers said that Sue Bowles and Bob Barkeen have been working on a full listing for all development projects and it should be completed in the next two weeks.

Other major projects his department is working on is an overhaul of the building code. Both the zoning and design standard need intensive work and staff is hoping for a June adoption of the revised code. He stated that defining density is a big issue that needs to be resolved.

He has also been working with the Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails (PORT) committee to bring the PORT plan up to date. Some things need to be defined. “What does it mean to have open space,” he said.

He announced that the town has issued a contract for the renovation of the police department building, the cost being covered by a Historic Preservation Grant. The town has applied for a second grant for assessment of the museum property.

The remainder of the meeting was spent discussing the business appreciation breakfast and possible “expo,” now scheduled for May 1.

The town has pledged a maximum of $2,000 for the event, so the committee needs to find more sources of revenue. The event will be held at Brookside Gardens and Larry Bebo has discounted the price from the normal $4,500 to $1,000 for use of the facility.

The committee is looking for several major sponsors to help fund the event. Justice-Hemmann said she had left messages with several potential sources on Friday, but had not yet heard back from any of them .

The committee would like to offer a place for local businesses to set up a display to promote their business as part of the breakfast, hence the “expo.” Town staff has identified 444 businesses in the area that can be invited.

When someone suggested that the whole town be invited to the affair, administrator Hart quickly made the point that there was not enough money to pay for that. Chairman Chaffee left the group with the message that they need to raise money to make this happen.

See more at Berthoud Town Forum

Berthoud Economic Development Committee (BERT)

Business Attraction Subcommittee Meeting

Friday, March 5, 2010

7:30 A.M.

440 Mountain Ave.

1. Update on Bert Deliverables                        Administrator Hart

Business Attraction Team

2. New Business

Berthoud Economic Development Committee (BERT)

Business Attraction Subcommittee Meeting

Thursday, March 4, 2010

7:30 A.M.

440 Mountain Ave.

1.         Update on Bert Deliverables                                   Administrator Hart

Business Attraction Team

2.         New Business

Agenda

February 8, 2010

5:30 p.m.

Town Hall

Call to Order

Introduction of Guests

Committee Reports

Business Attraction – Mina Cox

Marketing – Jan Dowker

Business Retention – Beck Justice-Hemmann

State of the Town – Mike Hart

Old Business

New Business

Adjourn