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January 11, 2022 Minutes

Town of Kiowa Board of Trustees Regular Meeting Minutes

January 11, 2022

Call to Order

The regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Kiowa was called to order on January 11, 2022, at 7:02 PM by Mayor Kolm.

Roll Call

Present: Mayor Kolm, Director Tim Chambers, Director Cindy Tapp, and Director Terry Howard, Director Carey Kalisch and Director Jonathon Shafer. The Town of Kiowa had a quorum to conduct business. 

Excused Absence(s): Director Trevor Smith. 

Town Administrator: Kimberly Boyd 
Guest: Robert Tibbals, Esq.

Pledge of Allegiance

Mayor Kolm led the audience in the pledge of allegiance.

Agenda Consent

Director Howard made the motion to approve the October agenda. Director Chambers seconded and the motion carried 5-0 with no discussion.

Public Comment

None.

Staff Reports

A. Mayor

Welcomed both Tasha Chevarria and Kimberly Boyd to the Town of Kiowa. Also extended an invite to any Board of Trustee member that would like to come into the office and spend a day shadowing Tasha and/or Kim and see that they do daily.

B. Board of Trustees

Director Howard thanked the Board for the nice letter for her participation in the Parade of Lights.

C. Town Attorney

Mr. Tibbals advised the Town needs to decide as to whether the Town wants to do a separate walk-in ballot election or a coordinated election with the County. This is a general election year so the price of walk-in ballots should be very reasonable. His recommendation is that the town participate in the coordinated election with the County, so it would be 100% mail-in ballots. He suggested an additional tab be added to our website give election information to the public. 

Mr. Tibbals is in telephone communication with a potential candidate for the position of auditor with the TOK. This candidate comes from a mountain community and is a municipal finance director. Mr. Tibbals will follow up with this person further. 

Regarding code enforcement and reestablishing court in TOK, information was given on the previous entity that conducted code enforcement and he will be reaching out to the previous judge the TOK utilized and see if she would be willing to resume those duties with the TOK. We would be looking at a quarterly court, rather than monthly.

D. Town Administrator

Ms. Boyd advised she sent her first A/P checks out the week prior utilizing QuickBooks, rather than Caselle, and the process was so much less stressful and time consuming. Transition from one to the other is going beautifully. 

Security cameras are.in and operational in both Town Hall and the TOK Shop locations.

E. Public Works

TOK Public Work truck was repaired by Mendez and is now operational.

Consent Items

  • Director Howard made the motion to approve the November and December 2021 BOT minutes. Director Chambers seconded and the motion carried 5-0 with no discussion.
  • Director Tapp made the motion to approve the December 2021 expenditures. Director Chambers seconded and the motion carried 5-0.

    Discussion: Director Howard confirmed that the expenditures showing for ELAN were the same as previously discussed in December 2021. Mayor Kolm confirmed ELAN was completely paid off and Ms. Boyd confirmed same. Ms. Boyd explained that when Mayor Kolm opened a new card it was added into the same ELAN account, just shows as another card to the account. Director Chambers and Ms. Boyd explained that the only way to close the entire ELAN account is to completely do away with all cards to ELAN, but this would leave the Town with no active credit cards for her and Town Clerk, Ms. Chevarria, to conduct town business. Mayor Kolm advised he would look at Bank of the West in Elizabeth to move our credit card business to.

    Mayor Kolm inquired as to the two (2) checks written to Emergency Network System Services and Ms. Boyd explained one for the regular monthly services and the second was to complete the contract for camera install.

    Director Tapp inquired as to the two (2) charges for 404 Comanche Street and (2) charges for 213 Ute Avenue by IREA and CORE Electric Cooperative. Ms. Boyd explained that the ones showing with a check number are ones that have been paid and the others showing as "Bill Payment" is a bill that has been entered. Ms. Boyd and Ms. Ullom indicate tweaks need to be done to the reports being created and how the information presents on said reports.

Public Hearing

None.

Old Business

A. Snowplowing position 

Ms. Boyd indicates that interviews were conducted by herself and Mayor Kolm earlier in the day, one of which she and Mayor Kolm were happy with and felt very promising. Conditional offer was given and requests for drug screen, MVR requested, and references are being contacted.

B. Code Enforcement

Mayor Kolm advised he reached out to the entity that was previously conducting code enforcement for TOK. Susie Ellis with Community Preservation Specialists, Inc, is now doing work for Deer Trail and comes with an exceptionally good recommendation from them.

C. CML Annual Conference in June 2022

Ms. Boyd following up with the discussion that was started in December 2021 BOT meeting. Advising the conference would be beneficial for not only herself but also the BOT members and requested the BOT members sign her prewritten letter requesting a scholarship for up to 10 people from the TOK Board to attend.

New Business

A. Elections and seats coming open on TOK Board of Trustees

Ms. Boyd advised that three (3) BOT positions are coming up for election: Director Smith, Director Howard, Director Kalisch, and Director Tapp. Director Chambers indicated he felt his term was a temporary filled position that was vacated early, but Ms. Boyd needs to confirm that. Director Chambers advised all are four (4) year terms, except his, and he is advising if that is confirmed he is not wanting to renew.

Mr. Tibbals advised this will be a November election, as opposed to the normal May election of so many other municipalities. Ms. Chevarria advised she is set to work with Elbert County on the elections this year.

B. Planning Commission and Variance Committee for 2022

Mayor Kolm advised there are three "solid" people on the Planning Commission: Wendy Frenzel, Andrew Lowry, and Betty Hood. He reached out to Brandon Prokop, a business owner in the Town, and he has agreed to join the Planning Commission this year. Also spoke with Dave Elbert, tax person in Kiowa, and he will confirm whether he is willing to join. Along with those individuals, Mayor Kolm and Director Tapp are also on this commission. Regarding the Variance Committee, we have Lori Rafferty and Teresa Lowry. Ms. Boyd advised she found information regarding requirements to be on the committee, but nothing to how many are needed to make a committee.

C. Appointment of Eric Whitman and Timothy Craft to KWWA Board. 

Mayor Kolm swore in Eric Whitman and Timothy Craft to the KWWA Board.

Discussion

Mayor Kolm opened discussion to moving the ARPA relief funds and TOK savings to another banking entity. Ms. Ullom asserted that we could move the savings and ARPA money to an 18-month CD or a money market account. Ms. Boyd advised she will call Community Banks of Colorado and have them move the money from the TOK checking to savings immediately to protect it for now, if anything.

Correspondence/Information/Review/Discussion

None.

Adjourn

Director Tapp made the motion to adjourn at 7:51pm. Director Shafer seconded, and the motion carried 5-0 with no discussion.

The next regular meeting will be on February 9th at Town Hall at 7:00pm