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, August 26, 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.  
7 -  
Present  
Councilmember Yolanda Avila, President Pro Tem Lynette Crow-Iverson, President  
Randy Helms, Councilmember Nancy Henjum, Councilmember David Leinweber,  
Councilmember Brian Risley, and Councilmember Michelle Talarico  
2 - Councilmember Dave Donelson, and Councilmember Mike O'Malley  
Excused  
Councilmember Talarico attended the meeting virtually.  
Councilmember Risley arrived at 10:10 AM.  
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  
24-463  
4.A.  
City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes August 12, 2024  
Presenter:  
Sarah B. Johnson, City Clerk  
Attachments: 8-12-24 City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes Final  
The minutes of the August 12, 2024 Work Session were approved by  
Consensus of City Council.  
5. Presentations for General Information  
24-403  
5.A.  
Visit COS - 2024 mid-year Lodgers and Auto Rental Tax (LART)  
contract update to City Council  
Presenter:  
Doug Price, President and CEO, Visit COS  
Attachments:  
Visit COS - LART - 2024 first half-yr VCOS KPI Presentation_City  
Council  
Doug Price, President and CEO, VisitCOS, presented the 2024 mid-year  
Lodgers and Auto Rental Tax (LART) contract update. He provided an  
overview of the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) report which reflected  
results through May 2024, Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR), and  
group sales.  
Melissa Williams, Director of Marketing, VisitCOS, went over their  
marketing, communications, partnership, and visitor services.  
Councilmember Leinweber asked how Colorado Springs’ tourism is doing  
compared to other jurisdictions. Mr. Price stated a majority of cities are  
down in comparison.  
Councilmember Leinweber asked why the Chamber of Commerce and  
EDC did not receive as many visits to their website as a campground. Ms.  
Williams stated it may have to do with the placement of those links.  
Councilmember Leinweber asked why the City does not receive as much  
business travel as Denver, CO. Mr. Price stated it is due to Denver having  
a convention center and the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center  
which draws more business travelers, so VisitCOS focuses more on  
promoting the City to families as a leisure and outdoor recreation  
destination.  
Councilmember Leinweber asked why VisitCOS does not work more with  
the Chamber to attract more of the business community. Mr. Price stated  
they work closely with the Chamber, and identified the summer internship  
programs, but they know what the City has to offer and that is what they  
promote.  
Councilmember Leinweber stated tourism is vital to the City. Jamie Fabos,  
Chief of Staff, provided some information regarding the LART Solution  
Team which are looking at LART very closely to make sure the tourism tax  
is correct.  
Councilmember Henjum requested additional information regarding the  
increase in their advertising budget. Ms. Williams stated it is due to  
receiving a very large amount of funding from the American Rescue Plan  
Act (ARPA).  
Councilmember Henjum asked where the ARPA funding came from. Ms.  
Williams stated the Colorado State Tourism Office.  
Councilmember Leinweber requested additional information regarding the  
number of redirects to partners from the digital online vacation planner. Ms.  
Williams stated they will provide that information.  
Councilmember Avila requested an update regarding Wheel the World. Mr.  
Price stated there are over thirty hotels and attractions which are online  
with Wheel the World, and they are preparing a video illustrating what it  
would be like to visit Colorado Springs.  
Councilmember Leinweber requested additional information regarding the  
visitor average spend and if the top ten percent of earners are being  
targeted. Mr. Price stated in order to increase a visitor’s spend amount is  
to increase their length of stay, so they are working toward extending visitor  
stays.  
Councilmember Leinweber asked if they have been successful in  
extending visitor stays. Ms. Williams stated they have by targeting their  
audiences to outside of the drive market.  
President Pro Tem Crow-Iverson asked why type of activities are the  
travelers doing. Ms. Williams stated they can anecdotally tell by which  
webpages are being visited from their site.  
24-484  
5.B.  
Careers in Construction Colorado Update  
Presenter:  
George Hess, Chairman, Careers in Construction Colorado  
Renee Zentz, President, Careers in Construction Colorado  
Maro Asher, Operations Manager, Careers in Construction Colorado  
Attachments: Careers in Construction Update  
Renee Zentz, President, Careers in Construction Colorado (CICC),  
introduced the CICC update.  
George Hess, Chairman, CICC, provided a briefing on the CICC program,  
a workforce development initiative of the Associated General Contractors  
and the Housing and Building Association (HBA). He identified the CICC  
vision, mission, values, organizational structure, school locations. Mr. Hess  
gave an overview of their goals by 2028, cumulative statistics, number of  
students enrolled, number of schools, certifications, Colorado Springs  
statistics, and CICC Home Build Program.  
Councilmember Henjum requested additional information regarding the  
impact to the construction workforce. Mr. Hess stated this program is a  
partnership between the Association of General Contractors and the  
Housing and Building Association (HBA) of Colorado Springs and they do  
not track where the students are employed as long as it is within the  
construction industry. Ms. Zentz stated there 38,000 construction  
employees needed within the next five years because of individuals exiting,  
eighty-six percent of their students at the end of the year are wanting to go  
into the construction industry, and they are the only work career connected  
learning program actually placing students in the state of Colorado.  
Councilmember Henjum asked if CICC is looking for additional sites to  
conduct the training. Ms. Zentz stated they partner with any school system  
who would like to, so they are fully scalable.  
Marla Asher, Director of Operations, CICC, provided a brief overview of  
the two of their success stories.  
Councilmember Leinweber asked how CICC has assisted with addressing  
the affordable housing. Mr. Hess stated the HBA is working on it and an  
adequate labor supply helps bring the cost down.  
6. Staff and Appointee Reports  
24-477  
6.A.  
Certification of Sufficiency for Petition IO 2024-001  
Presenter:  
Sarah B. Johnson, City Clerk  
Attachments: MJBallotReferralRES-2024-08-26.pdf  
Statement of Sufficiency IO 2024-001 (2024-08-22).pdf  
Sarah B Johnson, City Clerk, presented the Certification of Sufficiency for  
a citizen-initiated Ordinance for the Authorization of Recreational Marijuana  
and per City Charter, the City Clerk’s Office reviewed those signatures,  
which is now deemed sufficient in meeting the required minimum number  
of signatures needed to move forward to the next steps in the process. She  
stated pursuant to City Charter, if the petitions contain the required  
minimum number of valid signatures, the City Council shall by September  
6, 2024 either adopt the initiated Ordinance without alteration or refer to the  
ballot.  
Ms. Johnson stated the City Clerk’s Office staff and thirteen temporary  
election workers reviewed 58,130 individual signature lines, rejected  
29,862 of them, and verified 28,268 signatures. She stated the initiated  
Ordinance needed 24,861 valid signatures in order to be sufficient and  
thery were 3,407 signatures verified over that number.  
Councilmember Henjum asked what the outcome will be if both opposing  
Ordinances are passed. Ben Bolinger, Corporate Division Chief, Office of  
the City Attorney, stated if both passed, the Charter would control, and that  
the Ordinance would be subsumed by the Charter provision, but he fully  
expects that this would be challenged, and the City would have to go to  
court to defend that position.  
President Helms asked if City Council is required to pass the proposed  
Ordinance. Mr. Bolinger stated City Council can either immediately adopt  
the Ordinance into City Code or refer it to the ballot.  
24-462  
6.B.  
Agenda Planner Review  
Presenter:  
Sarah B. Johnson, City Clerk  
Attachments: Agenda Planner Review 8-26-24  
There were no comments on this item.  
7. Items for Introduction  
24-436  
7.A.  
An Ordinance Certifying Delinquent Stormwater Fees and Charges to  
the El Paso County Treasurer for Collection  
Presenter:  
Richard Mulledy, P.E., Public Works Director  
Erin Powers, P.E., Acting Stormwater Enterprise Manager  
Attachments: SWENT-StormwaterFees-CertificationORD-2024-07-30  
2024 Exhibit A  
Erin Powers, Acting Stormwater Enterprise Manager, presented the  
Ordinance certifying delinquent stormwater fees and charges to the El  
Paso County Treasurer for collection. She gave a brief summary of the  
delinquent stormwater fee collection process and stated there are 114  
parcels which are ninety days or more past due.  
President Helms stated this was also presented in detail to the Budget  
Committee.  
24-468  
7.B.  
An Ordinance amending Article 6 (Trails, Open Space and Parks  
Program) of Chapter 4 (Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services) of the  
Code of the City of Colorado Springs as Amended, pertaining to the  
Trails, Open Space and Parks Program  
Presenter:  
Britt Haley, Director, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services  
Department  
Lonna Thelen, Program Manager, Trails, Open Space and Parks  
(TOPS) Program  
Attachments: TOPS Resolution 03-23  
TOPS-BallotORD-2024-08-05  
TOPS Ordinance Amendment Powerpoint.1  
Lonna Thelen, Program Manager, Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS)  
Program presented the Ordinance amending the City Code pertaining to  
the TOPS Program. She provided a brief overview of the history of TOPS,  
Oak Meadows Park, Rock Island Trail, Ordinance amendment  
components, and TOPS funding division.  
Councilmember Henjum asked if this amendment allows for improvements  
to be made to trails and parks that were partially purchased by TOPS. Ms.  
Thelen confirmed it does.  
Councilmember Leinweber asked if TOPS funding could be used for trails  
which were not connected to open space. Ms. Thelen confirmed it could.  
Councilmember Leinweber asked if TOPS funding could be used for fire  
mitigation. Ms. Thelen confirmed they can use sixty percent of TOPS  
funding for the stewardship category which includes maintaining the  
properties and ensuring that they are in the best condition for fire  
mitigation.  
8. Items Under Study  
There were no Items Under Study.  
9. Executive Session  
9A. Open  
24-451  
9A.A.  
Stephanie Hunter v. David Dibler, the City of Colorado Springs, and  
Colorado Springs Utility Company 24CV31053  
Presenter:  
Wynetta Massey, City Attorney  
Attachments: 24-451 Council memo Hunter  
Ben Bolinger, Corporate Division Chief, Office of the City Attorney, stated  
with the recommendation of the Civil Action Investigation Committee, the  
City is requesting authorization to defend the employee.  
President Helms polled City Council regarding authorizing the City to  
represent the employee. Consensus of City Council agreed.  
9B. Closed  
24-289  
9B.A.  
In accord with City Charter art. III, § 3-60(d) and its incorporated  
Colorado Open Meetings Act, C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(b), the City Council,  
in Open Session, is to determine whether it will hold a Closed Executive  
Session. The issue to be discussed involves consultation with the City  
Attorney for the purpose of receiving legal advice on a code change  
regarding the regulation of City rental facilities.  
The President of Council shall poll the City Councilmembers, and, upon  
consent of two-thirds of the members present, may conduct a Closed  
Executive Session. In the event any City Councilmember is participating  
electronically or telephonically in the Closed Executive Session, each  
City Councilmember participating in the Closed Executive Session shall  
affirmatively state for the record that no other member of the public not  
authorized to participate in the Closed Executive Session is present or  
able to hear the matters discussed as part of the Closed Executive  
Session. If consent to the Closed Executive Session is not given, the  
item may be discussed in Open Session or withdrawn from  
consideration.  
Presenter:  
Wynetta Massey, City Attorney  
Attachments: 24-289 Community Centers_Closed Session Memo 3.13.24  
Ben Bolinger, Corporate Division Chief, Office of the City Attorney, stated  
that in accord with City Charter art. III, § 3-60(d) and its incorporated  
Colorado Open Meetings Act, C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(b) and (e), the City  
Council, in Open Session, is to determine whether it will hold a Closed  
Executive Session. The issue to be discussed involves consultation with  
the City Attorney for the purpose of receiving legal advice on a code  
change regarding the regulation of City rental facilities.  
President Helms polled City Council regarding the desire to proceed with  
an electronic Closed Executive Session. At least two-thirds of City Council  
agreed to proceed in a Closed Executive Session.  
10. Councilmember Reports and Open Discussion  
Councilmember Leinweber stated he and Councilmember Henjum  
attended the Urban Water Cycle Tour, he attended two of the City’s  
Homeless Initiative meeting on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, and Thursday,  
August 15, 2024 and the Colorado Water Congress and stated they are  
continuing to work on the 1,000 Neighborhood Gatherings, .  
Councilmember Avila stated she attended the Colorado Springs Health  
Foundation Retreat at the Penrose House, 150th anniversary of Harrison  
School District 2, Nuestra Hispanic Museum, State of the District meeting  
with community leaders, morning convocation for the Colorado College  
class of 2028, and she received the Just World award for boldness and  
courage.  
Councilmember Risley stated he and Councilmember Henjum will be  
providing opening remarks at the community forum regarding affordable  
housing, growth, and annexations on Wednesday, August 28, 2024 and  
encouraged everyone to attend.  
Councilmember Henjum read an email she received regarding the Cliff  
Dwelling Museum’s possession of Native American original human  
remains.  
President Helms stated the 2C Road Repair measure will be on the ballot,  
last week was Navy week, and this Saturday, August 31, 2024, will be the  
first home game for the United States Air Force Academy Falcons football  
team.  
11. Adjourn  
There being no further business to come before City Council, President  
Helms adjourned the meeting at 12:55 PM.  
Sarah B. Johnson, City Clerk