Title
Special Districts Overview- Session No. 5
Presenters:
Peter Wysocki, Planning and Community Development Director
Carl Schueler, Comprehensive Planning Manager
Body
Summary:
This is the fifth of what are now anticipated to be seven Work Sessions requested by Council as an overview of City special districts and policy. Today's areas of focus will include a focused limited follow-up from Session # 4, and then introduce the topics of:
o SIMDs (special improvement maintenance districts), and
o Special district financial obligations, including debt authorization, contractual obligations and debt formal issuances
An updated schedule for future special district overview sessions is also presented.
Please refer to the attached PowerPoint presentation. A Colorado Springs staff overview of SIMDs is also attached
Background:
Follow-up From Session #4
During Overview Session #4 (which occurred on November 25, 2019), Councilman Geislinger requested additional information concerning the fiduciary responsibilities and legal liability of districts. This topic is anticipated to be addressed in the 7th and final session now scheduled for late January 2020, although it is noted that several of the related issues are legal in nature.
SIMDs
A more detailed overview of Colorado Springs SIMDs (special improvement maintenance districts) is provided as an attachment.
Unlike most other active "special districts", SIMDs have been established under the authority of City Code (Chapter 3, Article 7) and not Colorado Revised Statutes. Under City Code, the purpose of SIMDs is to maintain existing public improvements typically within City rights-of-way. SIMDs do not own property and cannot issue debt.
There are currently seven (7) active SIMDs within the City as summarized in the table below. All of these were established during the time period from 1979 to 1989 noting that no new SIMDs have been established in the last 30 years. Their boundaries are dep...
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