City Hall  
107 N. Nevada Avenue  
Colorado Springs, CO  
80903  
City of Colorado Springs  
Meeting Minutes  
Council Work Session  
City Council meetings are broadcast live on Channel 18. In  
accordance with the ADA, anyone requiring an auxiliary aid to  
participate in this meeting should make the request as soon as  
possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.  
Monday, January 22, 2024  
10:00 AM  
Council Chambers  
How to Watch the Meeting  
Coloradosprings.gov/springstv | Facebook Live: Colorado Springs City Council  
Facebook Page @coscity Council | SPRINGS TV - Comcast Channel 18 / 880 (HD)  
- Stratus IQ Channel 76 / 99 (Streaming)  
Estimated agenda item times are provided for planning purposes and do not constitute notice  
of a specific time for any item. Items may take more or less time than estimated. City Council  
may amend the order of items.  
1. Call to Order and Roll Call  
President Helms called the meeting to order at 10:04 AM.  
8 -  
Present  
Councilmember Yolanda Avila, President Pro Tem Lynette Crow-Iverson,  
Councilmember Dave Donelson, President Randy Helms, Councilmember Nancy  
Henjum, Councilmember David Leinweber, Councilmember Brian Risley, and  
Councilmember Michelle Talarico  
1 - Councilmember Mike O'Malley  
Excused  
2. Changes to Agenda  
There were no Changes to Agenda.  
3. Regular Meeting Comments  
There were no Regular Meeting Comments.  
4. Review of Previous Meeting Minutes  
24-046  
4.A.  
City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes January 8, 2024  
Presenter:  
Sarah B. Johnson, City Clerk  
Attachments: 1-8-24 City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes Final  
The minutes of the January 8, 2024 Work Session were approved by  
Consensus of City Council.  
5. Executive Session  
5A. Open  
There was no Open Executive Session.  
There was no Closed Executive Session.  
5B. Closed  
6. Presentations for General Information  
There were no Presentations for General Information.  
7. Staff and Appointee Reports  
24-049  
7.A.  
Update from Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance  
Presenter:  
Becky Leinweber, Executive Director, Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation  
Alliance  
Attachments: 2024-01-22 PPORA COS City Council Presentation 1  
Becky Leinweber, Executive Director, Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation  
Alliance (PPORA), presented an overview of the PPORA Advisory Council,  
economic impact of outdoor recreation, tourism in the City and Pikes Peak  
Region (2022), health/well-being impact of outdoor recreation, and PPORA  
pillars. She went over how they strengthen, inspire, support stewardship,  
advocate, and grow the Pikes Peak region’s outdoor recreation industry,  
vision plan building blocks, public/stakeholder engagement, Outdoor Pikes  
Peak Initiative (OPPI) criteria, innovative management/funding model, and  
next steps for OPPI.  
Councilmember Talarico asked how non-English reading people know to  
go to their website for information. Ms. Leinweber explained how they work  
with Generation Wild/community centers, during the pandemic they handed  
out four hundred Spanish speaking family guides with Catamount Institute,  
they had a Spanish speaking translator for their pop-up outreach events,  
and that they conducted their survey in Spanish as well.  
Councilmember Talarico asked if they work with the Chamber and EDC.  
Ms. Leinweber stated the Chamber and EDC is a great ambassador for  
their organization, and they have been working with them for a number of  
years.  
Councilmember Talarico asked how much staff is needed to meet their  
goals and how those positions would be funded. Ms. Leinweber stated they  
currently have two full time and one part time employee, but they could use  
additional staffing. She identified that funding is received from Lodgers,  
Automobile, Rental Tax (LART), individuals, businesses, and grants.  
Councilmember Henjum requested additional information regarding the  
Pikes Peak Massive. Ms. Leinweber stated the process has been getting  
collaboration from all the land managers so nothing is imposed upon any of  
them and spoke about the Colorado Parks and Wildlife passes which have  
collected over $41 million.  
24-045  
7.B.  
Agenda Planner Review  
Presenter:  
Sarah B. Johnson, City Clerk  
Attachments: Agenda Planner Review 1-22-24 Final  
Councilmember Donelson asked when the Royal Pines appeal will be  
coming before Council. President Helms stated February 13, 2024.  
Councilmember Donelson asked why the Homeless Response Update will  
not be presented by the City’s Homeless Coordinator. Jamie Fabos, Chief  
of Staff, stated the Homeless Coordinator reports to Steve Posey, Housing  
and Community Vitality Department Officer, as does the Community  
Development Department, and there are a number of responses to  
address during the presentation, not just the homeless response, and those  
include the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)  
funds, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, affordable  
housing, and homelessness, which Mr. Posey can give an overarching  
review of.  
8. Items for Introduction  
24-010  
8.A.  
A Resolution Approving An Economic Development Agreement  
Between The City Of Colorado Springs And Project Stronghold  
Presenter:  
Jessie Kimber, Economic Development Officer  
Shawna Lippert, Senior Economic Development Specialist  
Attachments: RES_ProjectStronghold_2024  
EDA_ProjectStronghold  
Presentation_Stronghold EDA _ws  
Signed Resolution No. 09-24.pdf  
Jessie Kimber, Economic Development Officer, presented the Resolution  
approving an Economic Development Agreement (EDA) between the City  
and Project Stronghold. She provided an overview of Project Stronghold,  
the proposed EDA, EDA requirements, four-year and ten-year expansion:  
economic impact, fiscal impact, incentives, and net new City revenue from  
expansion. Ms. Kimber went over the financial safeguards, consistency  
with the City’s Strategic Plan, and staff recommendation.  
There were no comments on this item.  
24-006  
8.B.  
A Resolution to approve the draft 2024 Annual Action Plan for HUD  
submittal  
Presenter:  
Catherine Duarte, HUD Programs Manager, Housing and Community  
Vitality Department  
Attachments: 2024 AAP Council Presentation  
2024 Action Plan_Council Resolution  
2024 AAP draft for Public Comment 12-15-2023  
Signed Resolution No. 10-24.pdf  
Catherine Duarte, HUD Programs Manager, Housing and Community  
Vitality Department, presented the Resolution to approve the draft 2024  
Annual Action Plan (AAP) to apply for the U.S. Department of Housing and  
Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program. She  
provided an overview of the Annual HUD grants, AAP, planning cycle,  
priority needs, expected budget, allocation by priority, how public  
participation influences the plan, comments received from the  
public/consultants, 2024 goals, how to read the plan, impact of funds, other  
housing resources, and timeline.  
President Pro Tem Crow-Iverson asked if the budget is expected to  
decrease. Ms. Duarte stated they are expecting for it to remain level which  
is similar to 2023 and are anticipating the three percent increase will  
balance it out.  
President Helms asked what will be lost by having zero percent in the  
economic development fund. Ms. Duarte stated they do not have an  
application process for that program, so it has been dormant for a while,  
but the majority of those funds have gone towards pandemic relief, the  
Survive and Thrive program, and they supported the acquisition of the  
commercial investment trust property, Solid Rock, in the Southeast.  
Councilmember Donelson requested a breakdown of the organizations  
which receive grant funding. Ms. Duarte stated she will provide that  
information.  
Councilmember Donelson asked if the housing preserved and added total  
was 636 people assisted. Ms. Duarte stated those are the number of  
housing units, not individuals.  
Councilmember Leinweber asked which partners are addressing the lack  
of respite care within the City. Ms. Duarte stated there have been close to  
three dozen different organizations convening monthly to quarterly and  
some of the big players providing acute medical needs/respite care are the  
hospitals, Diversus, Catholic Charities, Springs Rescue Mission, Salvation  
Army, and the bigger shelters.  
Councilmember Donelson asked why respite care would fall under this  
department’s purview. Steve Posey, Housing and Community Vitality  
Department Officer, stated if a person is homeless, they would be  
discharged from the hospital back to the street or they can ask to go to the  
Springs Rescue Mission, but there are people who present at the Springs  
Rescue Mission that cannot be actually sheltered effectively there due to  
some type of medical need and they are addressing respite care among  
the homeless population for a short time frame until they have been able to  
recover.  
9. Items Under Study  
There were no Items Under Study.  
10. Councilmember Reports and Open Discussion  
Councilmember Leinweber stated he had a long conversation with Jack  
Briggs, President and CEO, Springs Rescue Mission, about the current  
shortcomings within the City and that Mr. Briggs emphasized respite care  
as the number one issue which needs to be addressed because they are  
not equipped for that kind of care.  
Councilmember Talarico stated she learned, as the liaison to the  
Downtown Development Authority (DDA), that the fire at the Majestic  
Building may cause those businesses to not be able to reopen for a year or  
will need to relocate and encouraged support of local retailers by buying  
local when possible.  
Councilmember Donelson thanked Corey Farkas, Streets Manager, Public  
Works, and Gayle Sturdivant, Acting Public Works Director, for addressing  
Citizen Ted Bryant’s sidewalk/road issues, and the citizens who live near  
the Blodgett Open Space Master Plan. He stated the greatest problem with  
homelessness lies with some kind of substance abuse or mental health  
problems and the solution does not lie within the Housing and Community  
Vitality Department.  
Councilmember Avila stated she will be hosting a Townhall meeting on  
February 8, 2024 at 4:30 PM at Fire Station 8 and they are looking for  
solutions to make the traffic on Chelton Road safer during the South  
Academy Boulevard construction.  
Councilmember Henjum stated this Thursday, January 25, 2024, from 6:30  
to 8:00 PM, at Mitchell High School, she will be attending the Pikes Peak  
Suicide Prevention Training, she thanked the Springs Rescue Mission and  
HOPECOS who helped shelter people during the subzero temperatures,  
and stated she attended the Martin Luther King, Jr. All People’s Breakfast.  
President Helms expressed gratitude for the readiness of Colorado  
Springs Utilities, during the days of subzero temperatures and stated he  
attended the Grey Hawk Park HOA meeting regarding the final approval of  
the park design, Change of Command for the United States Space Force  
Command, and the All People’s Breakfast.  
11. Adjourn  
There being no further business to come before City Council, President  
Helms adjourned the meeting at 11:45 AM.  
Sarah B. Johnson, City Clerk