City Council Meeting Recap
March 7, 2023

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OPENING OF REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING

PUBLIC INPUT

APPROVED 7-0: CONSENT AGENDA

• February 21, 2023, City Council Meeting Minutes
• February 27, 2023, City Council Workshop Summary
• Resolution No. 2023-15 / Disposition of Surplus City Vehicles
• Resolution No. 2023-16 / Great Outdoors Colorado Grant Agreement / Coal Creek Connections
• Work Change Directive for Storm Sewer Construction / Castle Rock Construction Company Contract / South Boulder Road Multimodal Improvements Project  
  
  

PROCLAMATIONS

• Meals on Wheels “March for Meals” Month | March 2023
• International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month | March 2023
  
  

STAFF INTRODUCTIONS
Police Department Employees
The Police Department is pleased to introduce staff hired in 2021, 2022, and January 2023 that are either currently in the police academy, in the field training program, or have successfully completed field training and achieved solo status in their respective divisions. Four of these hires were a result of the approved Public Safety Tax measure. The rest replaced positions in the department that were created by vacancies. Several of these new staff are bilingual in Spanish.

Officer Antonio Diaz, Officer Austin Iverson, Evidence Specialist Raoul Maes, Officer Jonathan Rodriguez, Animal Control Officer Katelyn Evans, Officer Cesar (Alex) Rivas, Officer Nathan Cashion, Officer Karla Sandoval, Officer James Blue, Officer Viridiana Martinez, Officer Claire McKenna, Officer Luke Butkovsky, Officer Jason Piacenza, Officer Sandra Rangel, Officer Thanhphong (Steven) Vu, Officer Jared Fender, Officer Diane Yelvington, Animal Control Officer Amber Burtis, Officer Sam Munholland, Digital Data Analyst Jill Padilla, Recruit Officer Daniel Bocon, Recruit Officer Chaz Herrera, Recruit Officer Houston Lair, Officer Kyle Behrens,

Planning and Building Department Employees
Jodi Breece joined the Planning and Building Department as a Building Inspector on November 7, 2022, and Lauren Fichtner joined the Planning and Building Department as Administrative Coordinator on January 9, 2023. Both positions fill vacancies within the department.

REGULAR BUSINESS
Presentation and Discussion | Draft Ordinance Prohibiting Retail Sale of Dogs and Cats
Council directed the City Attorney to draft an ordinance prohibiting all sales of dogs and cats in Lafayette with an exception for sales or adoptions by animal shelters, animal rescues, or other animal care organizations that comply with existing codes. 

This action is intended to address the unfortunate reality that most dogs and cats offered for sale in pet stores come from puppy mills and kitten mills, which are inhumane commercial breeding facilities that disregard the animals’ physical, emotional, and social health in order to maximize profits.

STAFF REPORTS
City Attorney’s Report: The City received a notice of hearing from the COGCC regarding Extraction Oil & Gas who operates nine wells in Lafayette. Council may participate in hearings regarding Extraction’s financial assurance plan to cover costs for plugging/abandoning operations in the future. Council agreed to participate.

City Administrator’s Report: Chat with Council events are resuming. The first event will be on March 25 from Noon-1:30pm at Liquid Mechanics. Additional events will be held every second Friday during Art Night Out from 5:30-8:30pm; May through September. www.lafayetteco.gov/Chat The County Commissioners are requesting a May 18 meeting with Council.

COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilor Barnes: Testified at CC4CA on the need to force polluters in the metro area to reduce emissions for disproportionately disadvantaged populations. Next Thursday may testify at the WUUI Wildland Urban Interface at the Capitol. The Sustainability Resilience Advisory Committee has taken off and is moving on many projects. Earth Month is happening in April – lots of activities detailed at lafayetteco.gov/EarthMonth. SRAC is looking at Climate Action Plan revisions.  

Councilor Briggs: On April 13 there will be a Rocky Mountain Airport roundtable in Broomfield about aviation leaded fuel education.

Councilor Medrano: Encourages everyone to watch the video about Inez Bugg’s service to Clinica Family Health. www.lafayetteco.gov/BlackHistoryMonth

Councilor Samson: Happy belated birthday to Councilor Briggs.

Councilor Walton: Attended the NW Parkway meeting and reported traffic is up 10% and revenue up 12%. The parkway experienced 6.8 million trips and there will be a twenty-cent rate increase May 1. The authority will be adjusting easements along the Sundar development. Should discuss a Lafayette representative for long term involvement.

ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION
Pursuant to Sections 24-6-402(4)(b) and 24-6-402(4)(e)(I) of the Colorado Revised Statutes (1) to confer with special legal counsel for the City and the City Attorney for purposes of receiving legal advice on specific legal questions pertaining to contracts for the design and construction of the South Boulder Road Multimodal Improvements Project, and (2) for purposes of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations; developing strategy for negotiations; and instructing negotiators with respect to such contracts