Record of Proceedings
Foothills Park & Recreation District Regular Board of Directors meeting
October 24, 2023
A virtual attendance option was made available through Microsoft Teams.
Call to Order
Director Trimble called the regular meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance
Director Trimble led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.
Roll Call
Director Hanson: Present, Director Lodice: Present, Director Daughtrey: Present, Director Writz: Present, Director Trimble: Present
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Ronald Hopp, Executive Director; Becky Richmond, Director of Recreation; Derek Eberhardt, Assistant Director of Recreation; Colin Insley, Director of Parks, Planning and Construction; Randy Meyers, Director of Golf; Dennis Weiner, Director of Finance and Administrative Services; Richelle Riley, Recording Secretary; other Foothills staff and members of the public.
Potential conflicts of interest were disclosed pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 18-8-308(2), 24-18-109(3)(a), 24-18-110, and 32-1-902(3).
Approval of Agenda
Motion: Director Daughtrey moved that the Foothills Board of Directors approve the October 24, 2023 agenda as submitted. Director Lodice seconded the motion. Poll of the Board: Director Hanson, yes; Director Lodice, yes; Director Daughtrey, yes; Director Writz, yes; Director Trimble, yes. The motion was approved.
Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
Motion: Director Lodice moved that the Foothills Board of Directors approve the minutes of the September 26, 2023 board meeting as submitted. Director Writz seconded the motion. Poll of the Board: Director Hanson, yes; Director Lodice, yes; Director Daughtrey, yes; Director Writz, yes; Director Trimble, yes. The motion was approved.
Community Comments
Ronald Hopp welcomed the District’s new Director of Recreation, Becky Richmond. She has most recently been working, for many years, for the City of Golden, and she has worked with South Suburban and other entities. Mr. Hopp expressed that staff are excited to have Becky on board.
Decision Items
Item 1: Board Policy Manual Review/Update
Mr. Hopp explained staff would like to go through a process to update the Board Policy Manual. Last month, staff presented eight policies and didn’t recommend any changes. He recognized the Board wanted a little more time to absorb those and this month, a few more have been added.
Mr. Hopp discussed there is an update to one of the items that was presented last month, which is the Code of Conduct policy. The District recently received feedback from a patron who thought the Code of Conduct could be expanded. The patron went through a very thorough process of making suggestions of how the Code of Conduct should be expanded and provided that to all of the board members. Mr. Hopp indicated he shared that document with the District’s legal counsel, Paul Rufien. Mr. Rufien reviewed it thoroughly and did not recommend any of the revisions with the exception of adding “if the person subject to such revocation or ban believes enforcement of this Code of Conduct was inappropriate, a written request for modification of such enforcement may be made to the Executive Director, who shall consider the request and render a final determination after exercising their discretion”. Mr. Hopp said staff concurs with that recommendation.
Mr. Hopp discussed for the policies in the packet for this month, there is a recommended change to the Review and Approval of Contracts and Agreements policy. The change is to comply with Colorado Revised Statute new legislation that raises the contracts with expenditures over $5,000 and less than $60,000, the $60,000 would change to $120,000. Construction Contracts would be $120,000 and over, where it previously said $60,000 and over.
Mr. Hopp indicated the Donations to Non-Profit Groups, Investment Committee Indemnification Resolution, and Indemnification of Directors and Employees Resolution, staff recommends no changes to those policies.
Motion: Director Writz moved that the Foothills Board of Directors approve the Code of Conduct as amended by staff. Director Hanson seconded the motion. Poll of the Board: Director Hanson, yes; Director Lodice, yes; Director Daughtrey, yes; Director Writz, yes; Director Trimble, yes. The motion was approved.
Item 2: Xcel Energy Foothills Golf Course Easement
Referring to information in the packet, Mr. Hopp discussed that Xcel Energy has requested an easement from the District on District-owned property at Foothills Golf Course. Xcel installed a new electrical service line for the Foothills Golf Course facilities. This is an administrative process to provide them a permanent easement across District property. Mr. Hopp described the location of the easement, and recognized it doesn’t impact the golf course.
Motion: Director Daughtrey moved that the Foothills Board of Directors approve the Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel Energy) easement agreement and authorize the Executive Director to execute the document as discussed. Director Lodice seconded the motion. Poll of the Board: Director Hanson, yes; Director Lodice, yes; Director Daughtrey, yes; Director Writz, yes; Director Trimble, yes. The motion was approved.
Executive Director’s Report
Highlighting the report provided in the packet, Mr. Hopp expressed the Sneak Peek Open House at Columbine West Pool was a huge success. There were 465 individuals that attended and many swam. Mr. Hopp offered appreciation to staff members who helped get that done and extended thanks to Directors Trimble and Daughtrey for coming, and also former Director Butman.
Mr. Hopp reminded that Boo-rific Bash and Splash is coming up on Friday at Ridge Recreation Center. He acknowledged there are lots of other great things going on with the projects, etc. Mr. Hopp pointed out the Active Adult Open House was also a very large success.
Mr. Hopp reminded that the Quarterly Reports and Capital Projects report are in the packet for the Board’s review.
In answer to Director Trimble, Randy Meyers explained the Player Development Award he received is based on past history of what a golf professional has done for the community, the golf community, the Colorado Section of Golf. It’s voted upon by the peers of the PGA, there are just under 900 peers in the Colorado Section so one member of the PGA in Colorado gets the award each year. Based on numbers the District has, based on clubs the District has, golf classes the District has, men’s and ladies’ club members, is why he received the award.
Director Trimble expressed the award is an honor to Randy, the District, and the entire golf staff.
Discussion Items
Item 1: 2024 Proposed Budget Presentations
Mr. Hopp recalled that in September, staff gave a brief overview of the 2024 budget. Using a PowerPoint presentation and referring to the 2024 Budget Book, Mr. Hopp went over more detail about the overall, preliminary budget. He reminded there are items that will change the final budget and discussed those items. Mr. Hopp thanked Dennis Weiner and all of the staff involved with all of the budget preparation.
Mr. Hopp went over the 2024 budgeted revenue and significant changes from 2023 to 2024 budgeted expenditures and significant changes from 2023, sources of revenues, historical mill levy, proposed budget operating revenue by department, operating revenue by department comparison from 2023 to 2024, operating expenses by department, operating expenses by department comparison from 2023 to 2024, capital projects and expenditures, long-term debt payments. Mr. Hopp went over comparison of operating revenues versus operating expenditures by department for Administration, Parks Planning & Construction, Recreation, and Golf. Mr. Hopp showed a reconciliation slide for all revenues and expenditures for an even budget of zero.
Director Daughtrey presented an idea for Aquatics to increase revenues by having a scoring board to have swim meets there. In answer to Director Daughtrey, Keith Dawson explained what the tarps on the west wall at Ridge lap lane pool are used for; they need maintenance to get up and running. Mr. Hopp indicated a scoreboard would be a capital item, staff can take a look at that as part of the capital list that will be brought to the Board in early 2024.
In answer to Director Hanson, Derek Eberhardt talked about staffing challenges at the Climbing Wall.
Director Daughtrey asked why Jefferson County charges us so much to collect our property taxes, and recommended that staff ask if there is a way of getting it reduced.
Referring to the 2024 Budget Book for the Administration department, Dennis Weiner recognized that Administration includes various functions that support the operation of all District programs and facilities throughout the entire District. It includes Marketing and Public Outreach, Finance and Accounting, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Executive Director’s department. Mr. Weiner summarized the total Administration revenues and expenditures budgeted for 2024.
Randy Meyers introduced Golf staff who were in attendance, and had helped put the budget book together. He discussed that he went to the 2023 Colorado Public Golf Administrator’s meeting where all the public golf course administrative staff meet and talk about best practices, planning, compare industry standards, share ideas, etc. Mr. Meyers proposed Foothills is ahead of the game in a lot of those areas. He explained the budget is based on a four-year average to be more conservative, industry standard is three-year average. Referring to the 2024 Budget Book for Golf, Mr. Meyers summarized revenues and expenditures budgeted for Golf in 2024, and the increase over the 2023 budget. Tree trimming was discussed and suggested by Director Daughtrey to outsource. Mr. Meyers talked about usage of the Golf Development and Improvement Fund. In answer to Director Hanson, Mr. Meyers talked about some of the ways Foothills is ahead of the game from other golf courses, and things other courses are doing that we haven’t implemented yet that would be a good idea. Brendan Murphy talked about dynamic pricing. Mr. Meyers discussed social responsibility.
Mr. Hopp acknowledged the Board brought up some good questions and thoughts, and indicated he hadn’t heard anything that would dramatically affect the budget, most of them are capital items. He reminded if there are major items that would change the budget, tonight or next month would be the time to do that so staff can get them as part of the overall budget.
Mr. Hopp reminded next month will be the Recreation and Parks presentations. The December meeting date could be changed by Proposition HH. He explained we may have to do a special meeting if Proposition HH passes, the assessed valuations won’t come out until late December. The mill levy would have to be certified in early January so would need a special board meeting between January 1 and January 5. If it does not pass, the timelines would remain the same and the December meeting would be the final approval.
Item 2: Finance Update
Mr. Weiner presented the District’s financial update through September 30th of this year. Going over details of the report provided, he went over total District year-to-date operating revenues, total year-to-date operating expenditures, net operating loss, non-operating expenditures and revenues. Looking at the bottom line, the District’s net expenditures through September 30th were better than the plan.
Mr. Hopp reminded that the November meeting is the second Tuesday.
Adjournment
The regular meeting adjourned at 7:21pm. The next regular board meeting will be held at 6pm on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
Submitted by: Richelle Riley, Recording Secretary