Montrose, CO — City Councilors met for their regular meeting on Tuesday, August 18, to consider a number of resolutions and ordinances for ongoing city projects and proposed amendments to the City Charter.
Mayor Michael Badagliacco, Dave Frank, J. David Reed, Ed Ulibarri, and Adam Woodden met in the City Council Chambers at the Elks Civic Building, along with city staff.
The following is a summary of the primary topics discussed during the meeting.
Watch the meeting here.
YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE AWARD
Mayor Badagliacco presented longtime resident and volunteer Nikki Zwaschka with the City of Montrose’s You Make a Difference Award.
For more than 35 years, Nikki has quietly made a lasting difference in the Montrose community through her unwavering kindness, generosity, and servant's heart.
As a former business owner, she has dedicated countless hours to improving the lives of others, never seeking recognition but always willing to lend a helping hand.
Nikki volunteers with the Morning Star Therapy Dog Program, the Montrose Visitor Center, city events, holiday community meals, and numerous other local initiatives that strengthen and enrich the community.
Her compassion, humility, and dedication have touched countless lives over the past three decades. Nikki exemplifies what it means to serve a community with grace and selflessness, making Montrose a more welcoming, caring, and connected place for everyone.
Zwaschka said since moving to Montrose in the early 1980s, she has “never looked back” and has loved serving the community.
PUBLIC COMMENT
To view the public comment period: watch the video here.
CONSENT AGENDA
City Councilors voted to approve the minutes of the City Council’s July 29 special City Council meeting and the August 4 regular meeting. The council also approved the rescheduling of the November 3 regular meeting to Monday, November 2, at 6 p.m.
The city’s archive of past meeting minutes is available on the Public Meetings Portal (CityofMontrose.org/Portal) and at CityofMontrose.org/ArchiveCenter.
**NEW HOTEL AND RESTAURANT LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION **
City Councilors voted to approve an application for a new hotel and restaurant liquor license at 512 East Main Street for Pruf Concepts Inc., doing business as Pruf for consumption on the licensed premises.
NEW HOTEL AND RESTAURANT LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION
City Councilors voted to approve an application for a new hotel and restaurant liquor license at 1245 East Main Street for Claudia’s Kitchen & Bakery for consumption on the licensed premises.
FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM PROJECT AUTHORIZATION AND SOLE SOURCE WAIVER
City Councilors voted to authorize $75,000.00 for the installation of a fire suppression system in the city’s Network Operation Center, including a contract with Pye Barker in the amount of $69,987.
Facility Manager Brayden Reeder said the Facilities Division, in coordination with the Information Services Department, has developed a plan and approach for a fire suppression system in the city-owned Network Operation Center, which does not have a fire suppression system. To prevent potential damage to network servers and components housed in the facility, a Clean Agent suppression system is recommended. This system uses an inert gas to suffocate fire instead of water.
Use of a standardized fire and security systems vendor for all city-owned facilities is preferred. The city has chosen Pye Barker for the installation and service of this additional suppression system. The company services and monitors all city facilities and has been a great partner in securing and protecting city facilities. Pricing from Pye Barker was verified to be competitive and fair, but a formal bid process was not completed for this service. The project was quoted by Pye Barker at $69,987, slightly below the $75,000 that was budgeted. Authorization of the full $75,000 will allow for an owner’s contingency of $5,013 for any unforeseen conditions.
**ORDINANCE 2723 - FIRST READING **
City Councilors voted to approve Ordinance 2723 on first reading, vacating portions of a drainage easement within the City of Montrose.
City Engineer Scott Murphy said a drainage easement was dedicated to the City of Montrose for the construction and maintenance of a detention pond immediately north of 1841 South Hillcrest Drive as part of the Sunrise Creek development. This drainage easement is larger than needed for the pond and its associated maintenance. In recognition of this fact, the landowner has requested that the city vacate the obsolete portions of the easement to reduce its encumbrance on their property.
**ORDINANCE 2724 - FIRST READING **
City Councilors voted to approve Ordinance 2724 on first reading, vacating portions of a right-of-way within the City of Montrose.
City Engineer Scott Murphy said the right-of-way for Nichols Way was originally dedicated to the public as part of a Montrose County subdivision recorded in 1974. The area was then annexed into the city in 2001, most likely as part of a project to bring city sanitary sewer service to the neighborhood.
The dedications for Nichols Way included areas south of Matie Lane, and it is assumed that this southern extension of Nichols Way was intended to connect to future roadways in nearby subdivisions. However, this did not occur with the development of Cirque Way and Stone Bridge Drive, located immediately to the south. A residential lot recorded with the nearby developments resulted in a gap between the Nichols Way and Cirque/Stone Bridge rights-of-way.
City staff does not see a driver to acquire the private property necessary to resolve the gap between Nichols Way and Cirque/Stone Bridge or to construct a roadway connection in this area. Alternatively, city staff recommends abandonment of the obsolete portions of Nichols Way. The city’s standard practice is to transfer ownership of vacated rights-of-way to the adjoining lot owners for their private use or conveyance.
**NORTH PARK AVENUE RECONSTRUCTION DESIGN CONTRACT **
City Councilors voted to approve a professional services contract with Del-Mont Consultants in the amount of $76,400 for completion of the civil design of the North Park Avenue reconstruction project.
City Engineer Scott Murphy said a general rebuild of North Park Avenue aligns with the city's capital plan and the corridor’s poor condition. The rebuild will generally include concrete replacements (curb, gutter, sidewalk, curb ramps, valley pans, and bulbouts), a rebuild of the pavement and correction of the road profile within select areas (as needed to address grading/dropoff issues where culverts had historically been placed over valley pans and paved), roadway expansion/widening at its northern end, sidewalk extensions, a mill and overlay of the remaining pavement areas, and select utility replacements. An overview of the anticipated scope of work is included on a concept drawing available online at: https://tinyurl.com/NorthParkAveOverview. Please note that this overview drawing is conceptual in nature and subject to change as the project design progresses.
**ORDINANCE 2726 - SECOND READING **
City Councilors voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 2726 on second reading, amending the city’s Municipal Code as it pertains to electrical-assisted vehicles.
Assistant City Attorney Matt Magliaro presented details of an ordinance to provide clear local regulations on the operation of electrical-assisted bicycles and classless electrical-assisted vehicles within the municipal limits of Montrose.
The ordinance adds new sections to Title 9, Chapter 10 Parks and Title 10, Chapter 1 Traffic, and amends Title 10 to include modifications to the adopted 2020 Model Traffic Code.
The ordinance was prepared at the request of the Montrose City Council to address safety issues associated with the operation of electrical-assisted bicycles and electrical-assisted vehicles within city limits. In developing the draft ordinance, staff focused on resolving concerns about the high-speed use of these vehicles on city streets, predominantly by juveniles, and on paved paths, sidewalks, and designated trails within the municipal parks system where there is a potential for collisions with other park users, such as other cyclists and pedestrians. The ordinance also addresses the impacts that electrically assisted bicycles and vehicles have on municipal park infrastructure from off-trail operation.
The ordinance establishes clear rules on the types of electric vehicles that are allowed on certain throughways, sets speed limits within the parks, and prohibits off-trail riding, subject to exceptions.
Magliaro noted that the city adopted the 2020 State of Colorado Model Traffic Code in 2023, which defines electrical-assisted bicycles in general as: “a vehicle having two or three wheels and fully operable pedals, and an electric motor not exceeding 750 watts of power.” It further organizes electrical-assisted bicycles into Class 1, 2, and 3 classifications.
In general, Class 1 and 2 electrical-assisted bicycles are capable of a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour, with the difference between the two being whether pedaling assistance is required for motor assist activation. Class 3 electrical-assisted bicycles are capable of a maximum speed of 28 miles per hour, require pedaling assistance for motor operation, and must be fitted with a speedometer. The code also includes standards and equipment for bicycles that are equipped with a toggle switch or programmable mode that provides for operation within two or more of the defined classes.
Because the classes of electrical-assisted bicycles were codified in 2017 and have not been updated to address what is currently being sold to the public and encountered on the roads and walkways, the regulations were impractical to enforce.
The ordinance restates the definitions already in the model traffic code for electrical-assisted bicycles, but defines where those who own each class may permissibly operate. The ordinance also creates a new definition of “classless electrical-assisted vehicles” to address bicycles and other electric-assisted vehicles that fall into the gap between state law and current technology. These vehicles are prohibited from operation upon or within any street, alley, roadway, shoulder, median, sidewalk, crosswalk, pedestrian or multi-use paths, trail, park, open space, greenbelt, public right-of-way, or other city-owned or city-controlled property. The ordinance also adds ‘classless electrical-assisted vehicles’ to the scope of vehicles that are covered by the careless and reckless driving laws.
MONTROSE COUNTY ELECTIONS INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT
The City Council approved an intergovernmental agreement between the Montrose County Clerk and Recorder and the City of Montrose for City Charter amendment questions on the November 3, 2026, ballot.
**ORDINANCE 2727 - FIRST READING **
City Councilors approved Ordinance 2727 on first reading to submit to a vote of the registered electors of the City of Montrose proposed amendments to the Charter of the City of Montrose, Article I Section 8 and Article III Sections 1 and 2, to change the dates of general municipal elections from April of even-numbered years to November of even-numbered years; and setting the ballot question for the November 3, 2026, election.
**ORDINANCE 2728 - FIRST READING **
City Councilors approved Ordinance 2728 on first reading to submit to a vote of the registered electors of the City of Montrose proposed amendments to the Charter of the City of Montrose, Article I Sections 7, 8 and 11 and Article III Section 1, to amend term limits of the at-large council member; setting a lifetime eight-year limit for elected service for all members of Council; and setting the ballot question for the November 3, 2026, election.
**ORDINANCE 2729 - FIRST READING **
City Councilors approved Ordinance 2729 on first reading, submitting to a vote of the registered electors of the City of Montrose proposed amendments to the Charter of the City of Montrose, Article VIII Section 8, to allow for the City Council to approve the City Manager’s decision to appoint or discharge the Police Chief of the Montrose Police Department; and setting the ballot question for the November 3, 2026, election.
**ORDINANCE 2730 - FIRST READING **
City Councilors voted to approve Ordinance 2730 on first reading, submitting to a vote of the registered electors of the City of Montrose proposed amendments to the Charter of the City of Montrose, Article VIII Section 6, to allow for the City Council to approve the City Manager’s decision to appoint or discharge the City Clerk; and setting the ballot question for the November 3, 2026, election.
STAFF REPORTS
SALES, USE, & EXCISE TAX REPORT
Sales Tax Manager LeeAnne Whittaker delivered the sales, use, and excise tax report for June 2026.
Finance Director Heather MacDougall delivered a second quarter budget review.
Read all finance reports in their entirety here: www.cityofmontrose.org/259/Finance
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All City Council meetings are recorded and made available online via the city’s website and cable channels 191 for Charter subscribers and 970 for Elevate subscribers. Replays of council meetings are also broadcast at 6 p.m. on the same channels on days that the council is not in session.
In addition, each regular meeting is archived on the City of Montrose’s YouTube channel.
Residents can watch all regular City Council meetings and work sessions on demand through the city’s Public Meetings Portal.