3377
Cityof
GunnisonCity
CouncilMeeting
Minutes
Workand
RegularSession-
Tuesday,
July
28,2026
City
Hall,CouncilChambers,
201W.
VirginiaAvenue,
Gunnison,
CO
I.
Presiding
OfficerCalls
WorkSession
toOrder(recording
begins
at
0:12).TheGunnison
City
CouncilWorkSession
meeting
wascalledtoorderon
Tuesday,
July
28,2026,at5:30p.m.
by
Mayor
PlatainCouncil
Chambers,located
at201W.
VirginiaAvenueinGunnison,
Colorado.
Remoteaccess
wasavailable
viaZoom.
II.
Announcements
(recording
begins
at0:30).Council
provided
announcements
aboutmeetings
andevents
theyattended.Staff
gaveupdates.
III.
Western
Colorado
UniversityLiaison
Announcements
(recordingbegins
at3:49).
WesternColorado
UniversityLiaison
TownesBakke
providedannouncements
aboutWestern
Colorado
University.
IV.Public
Input(recording
beginsat
6:20).
None.
V.
ConsentAgenda
(recordingsbegins
at7:02).
None.
VI.
Proclamations,
Recognitions,and
Appointments
(recordingbeginsat7:04).
None.
VII.
OldBusiness
VII.A.
Update:Gunnison
Country
Chamberof
Commerce—
LodgingStudy(recording
begins
at7:10).
For
background,
theadoptedEconomic
Development
Strategyidentifieslodging
as
a
foundational
component
ofahealthyeconomy,
directlyinfluencing
salesandlodging
tax
revenues,
thevitality
of
existing
businesses,and
the
community’s
abilitytoattract
new
investment.
TheChamber
recently
contracted
withathird-party
toconducta
marketstudy.Katy
BlackandGeorge
Stathakes,consultants
from
HVS,presentedthe
lodgingstudyfindings
and
answered
questionsfrom
Council.Their
presentation
wasaccompanied
by
apowerpoint
presentation.
Discussed
ensued.No
actiontaken.Report
only.
VIII.New
Business
VIII.A.
Resolution
No.
8,
Series
2026:
A
Resolution
of
theCityCouncil
oftheCityofGunnison,
Colorado,
Establishing
EventInsurance
Requirements
forEventson
PublicPropertyor
inthe
Public
Right-of-Way
(recordingbeginsat
37:34).For
background,
eventsplay
animportantrole
inbuilding
community,fostering
shared
experiences,and
celebratinglocaltraditions.
In
accordance
with
CityCode,
new
Event
Insurance
Requirementsareproposed.
CityClerkErica
Boucher
gaveasummary
oftheproposed
eventinsurance
requirementsfor
events
on
public
property
or
inthepublic
right-of-way.Sheand
staffansweredclarifying
questionsfromCouncil
and
discussionensued.
CouncilorAhonen
introduced
ResolutionNo.8,
Series2026,and
readit
aloudby
titleonly.
Councilor
Ahonenmoved
andCouncilor
Zahradkaseconded
themotiontoadopt
Resolution
No.
8,Series
2026.
Rollcall,yes:
Zahradka,Schwartz,
Plata,Ballesteros,
and
Ahonen.
So
carried.
Rollcall,no:None.
VIII.
B.Resolution
No.9,
Series2026:AResolution
oftheCity
Council
of
theCity
of
Gunnison,
Colorado,Amending
Resolution
No.17
Series
2023,
Establishing
anAmericanswith
Disabilities
Act(ADA)
PublicNoticeand
GrievanceProcedure
(recording
beginsat
1:19:51).For
background,
on
September
12,2023,City
Councilpassed
ResolutionNo.
17,Series2023,
establishing
anAmericans
with
Disabilities
Act(ADA)
PublicNoticeand
GrievanceProcedure.
As
theCity
hasreceived
grievances,staffhave
identifiedareasfor
improvementin
theprocedure
thatwould
allowforadditional
communication
options,resulting
in
quicker
and
clearer
resolutions.
City
Clerk
Boucher
summarizedthechanges
tothe
Grievance
Procedurethat
are
intendedto
improvetheprocess.
3378
Councilor
Schwartz
introduced
Resolution
No.
9,
Series
2026,
and
readitaloud
by
title
only.
Councilor
Schwartzmoved
andCouncilor
Ahonenseconded
themotion
toadoptResolution
No.
9,Series2026.
Rollcall,
yes:
Schwartz,Plata,Ballesteros,
Ahonen,
andZahradka.
Socarried.
Rollcall,
no:None.
VIII.
C.FireStation
Replacement
IGA,Reinstatedand
Amended,
betweenthe
City
of
Gunnison
andtheGunnison
CountyFire
ProtectionDistrict
(recordingbeginsat
1:25:59).
For
background,
theCity
ofGunnisonand
theGunnison
CountyFireDistrict
haveanexisting
Intergovernmental
Agreement(IGA)
executed
todetailthestrategy
associatedwith
funding,
designing,
andconstructing
a
new
firestation
facility.Amendments
areproposed
tocapturethe
current
statusoftheproject.
Fire
Chief
HugoFerchaugave
a
brief
summary
oftheneedforthe
reinstated
andamended
IGAandanswered
questions
fromCouncil.
CouncilorZahradka
moved
and
MayorProTemBallesteros
seconded
themotiontoauthorize
the
Mayortoexecutethe
Fire
Station
ReplacementIGA,Reinstated
and
Amended,
between
the
City
of
Gunnisonand
theGunnison
CountyFireProtection
District
aspresented.
Rollcall,
yes:Plata,Ballesteros,
Ahonen,
Zahradka,and
Schwartz.
So
carried.
Rollcall,
no:None.
VIII.D.Authorization
toAccept
DOLAEIAFGrant
forthe
GunnisonFireStation
Construction
Documents
(recordingbegins
at1:30:24).For
background,theCity
ofGunnison
has
received
a
grantfrom
theColorado
DepartmentofLocal
Affairs(DOLA)
EnergyImpact
Assistance
Fund,to
partiallysupportthedesign
phaseofthenew
firestationproject.
Councilor
Schwartzmoved
andCouncilor
Zahradkasecondedthe
motionto
authorizeacceptance
ofthe
DOLA
EIAFGrantNo.26-265
inthetotalamount
of$332,338
to
supportfunding
Phase2b,construction
documents
fortheFireStation,
subjecttotheGunnison
CountyFire
Protection
approving
thesame.
Rollcall,
yes:
Ballesteros,
Ahonen,Zahradka,
Schwartz,andPlata.
So
carried.
Rollcall,no:None.
VIII.
E.ContractAmendment,
Progressive
Design/BuildContract
withTheNeenan
Company,
GunnisonFire
StationReplacement,
DesignServices
—Phase
2b(recording
begins
at
1:33:16).Forbackground,
an
existing
contractisinplace
with
TheNeenanCompany
toprovide
a
progressive
processforproject
implementation,
includingfeasibility
assessment,design,
and
construction
ofthe
new
firestation.Thecontract
isphasedor“progressed”
by
amendments.
The
proposedamendment
providesfor
complete
construction
documents.FireChief
FerchauandCity
Manager
Wilson
answered
questions
fromCouncil.
Mayor
ProTernBallesteros
movedandCouncilor
Schwartzseconded
the
motion
to
authorize
the
CityManager
toexecute
a
contract
amendment
toTheNeenan
Companyinthe
amountof
$923,493.00forPhase
2bfirestationdesign
services,
subjecttotheGunnison
CountyFire
Protection
Districtapprovingthe
same.
Rollcall,yes:Ahonen,
Zahradka,Schwartz,
Plata,andBallesteros.
So
carried.
Rollcall,no:None.
VIII.F.Proposed
Commissions
andCommittees,Member
Charter(recording
beginsat
1:36:30).
Forbackground:
Proposed
MemberCharter
establishingconsistent
roles,
responsibilities,
andexpectations
forallcurrent
and
future
Citycommittees
andcommissions.
Formal
adoption,together
withresolutionsdefining
eachbody’sspecific
purposeandauthority,
is
anticipatedon
August11,2026.City
ManagerAmanda
Wilsonpresentedon
this
topic
and
answered
from
Council.
Abrief
discussionoccurred.
No
actiontaken.Discussion
only.
IX.Regular
SessionMeeting
Adjournment.
Withno
furtherbusinessbefore
Council,theRegular
Session
wasadjournedat7:27
p.m.
Mayor,DiegoPlata
3379
City
erk,
EricaBoucher
Full
video
recordings
of
City
Council
meetings
are
available
online
at
gunnisonco.gov/CouncilMeetings
Theofficial
audio
recording
and
publicly
noticedmeeting
minutes
areavailable
online
at
gunnisonco.gov/CouncilDocuments