Hotchkiss Returns More Money to State – New LED Street Lights Approved

 Mayor Wendell Koontz (foreground)

Hotchkiss Returns More Money to State –

New LED Street Lights Approved

Hotchkiss Town Council

July 9, 2015

Present: Mayor Wendell Koontz, Dustyn Foster, Lindee Cantrell, Larry Jakubiak, Tom Wills (this reporter),

Jim Roberts, and Mayor pro-tem – Carrie Wingfield

Council Votes to Turn Money Back to the State

After five years of juggling money left over from the K-8/Hwy133 Trail project, adding to it, handing some back, and moving from one proposed undone project for another, the Council (including this reporter) finally all agreed that the end of the proverbial trail had finally arrived.  The Council unanimously voted to turn the State’s portion of the $456,000 project back to CDOT.  Engineer Joanne Fagan assured the Council that turning the money back a year after turning a similar grant portion for the Leonard Trail back to the State would not prejudice the State against them for future grant applications.

Last month the Town had agreed to explore one last option before moving on; using the money for a sidewalk from Hotchkiss High School to the highway and as far towards town as the funds would allow. This was nixed after learning that due to poor past planning that failed to procure a dedicated right of way for the street when it was constructed by the School District in the Early 1980’s. Acquiring easements under very complicated State rules would have not been possible under the available time frame.  But the section along Bulldog Street may be built anyway in collaboration between the Town, Delta County and the School District.  According to Town engineer Joanne Fagan the path will tentatively be of asphalt similar to the trail the County built from 7^th Street into the Fairgrounds.

It was agreed that acquiring sidewalk easements along streets that were a high priority for construction of new sidewalks was important and should be budgeted for over the coming years.  The recently adopted Hotchkiss Sidewalks and Trails Plan prioritizes such areas of need with east Bridge Street from Fourth to Sixth ranking at the top.

Sewer Line Replacement Bid Approved

The trustees approved accepting a bid of $896,738 plus some extras added Town making a total of $1,023,800 from Williams Construction from Nucla for the sewer line replacement project.  Added were extra manholes where needed.  The project which is scheduled to begin in July involves replacing and or lining older, deteriorating sewer lines in the older, lower part of town.

A separately bidded project to pipe the treated effluent form the sewer plant to the river was not finally awarded, but low bidder Peterson Excavating – Cedaredge for $ 90,950, appears to be heavily favored.

Wiggins Withdraws Variance Application for Two Unit Trailer Park

Moments after a public hearing for consideration of a variance for Leonard and Dinah Wiggins for a 213 East Main property, that would have allowed a major exception to the mobile home park regulations, Mr. Wiggins withdrew the application saying he wanted to wait a year or more to begin the project. This in effect canceled the current proposal and will require a fresh submittal.  The Hotchkiss Planning Commission, which includes the mayor and two member of the council, previously reviewed the variance/exception and overwhelmingly recommended that the variance be denied since it would create a major precedent in allowing a new two unit trailer park when the regulations prohibit new parks of less than five acres.  It would have been a new park since the proposal was to have the two trailers placed east/west sharing lots. Planner Tom Wills (this reporter) pointed out in a memo that an alternative for the Wiggins’ to consider was to place the two proposed trailers on a north south axis and apply for a more minor variance to allow lots slightly smaller than the required (two lower Town lots) 50’ by 125” or equivalent. The total property is 3 ½ lots or about 12.5 feet too narrow to use for two separate lots for two trailers.

The Wiggins’ declined to settle for the alternative since, according to Leonard Wiggins, it would cost about $20,000 to resite all of the utility lines.

DMEA Lighting Replacement Proposal Approved

After thinking on it for a month the Council enthusiastically approved a project proposed by DMEA to replace all of the Town’s existing street lights with LED lights.  Only the fixtures and bulbs at the top of the poles will be replaced.  The project will cost the Town about $20,000 but they will recover that amount in saved energy in about 25 months at current usage and rates. The bulbs themselves have a life span of about 12 to 15 years so the decision was seen as a no brainer.

Other discussion and actions:

The Council heard a presentation on the 2014 Town audit performed by Pete Blair and Associates.  Blair gave the Town generally all around high marks on fiscal responsibility. For example he said that the Town had two years’ worth of General Fund operating reserves whereas the average is a year or less.  No major procedural concerns were noted in the report.

The Council approved the closing of First Street from the alley north to Main Street during the evening of August 14 for celebration at the Church of Art.