Welcome!
I am pleased to present the Town of Estes Park Community Spotlight. This annual newsletter is one of our many efforts to keep the work of your Town government transparent and top-of-mind. This edition shares the successes and challenges of 2019 and looks ahead to the remainder of 2020.
As I prepare to leave office in April, and you elect new board members to serve Estes Park, I'd like to share a personal note—I have genuinely enjoyed serving as your mayor for the past four years. I'm particularly proud of the service and transparency improvements our board and staff have made, across the organization, for our community's benefit. Working for, and with, the citizens of Estes Park has been one of the great honors of my life.
Once again, our Town has a lot to be proud of this year—enjoy reading!
- Mayor Todd Jirsa
ESTES AT A GLANCE
2020 GENERAL FUND BUDGET
HOW MONEY IS SPENT
Public Safety: $5.5M
Governmental Support: $4.1M
Events & Visitor Services: $3.2M
General Government: $2.4M
Facilities & Engineering: $1.5M
Community Development: $1.5M
Outside Entity Funding: $1.4M
Parks: $1.3M
Streets: $1.3M
Parking & Transit: $802K
WHERE MONEY
COMES FROM
Sales & Use Tax: $13.7M
Community Reinvestment Fund Transfers: $2.9M
Licenses & Fees: $1.9M
Utility Fund Transfers: $1.9M
Community Services & Museum: $858K
Property & Specific Ownership Tax: $472K
Shared Revenues from Other Governments: $453K
FINANCE
ELECTRONIC BILLING
The Finance Department released the online utility payment and inquiry portal in May 2019. For more information, visit www.estes.org/onlinepayments.
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S OFFICE
TOWN STAFF UPDATES
Following Frank Lancaster's retirement announcement, former Assistant Town Administrator Travis Machalek was selected to succeed him during a competitive process.
Jason Damweber began work as the new Assistant Town Administrator Jan. 13.
The Town Board hired an in-house attorney with the retirement of Greg White. Dan Kramer came aboard in July.
SERVICE ELEVATED
Service Elevated is the staff-developed customer service training. By winter 2020, approximately 50% of staff was trained using this program.
TOWN CLERK & HUMAN RESOURCES
ELECTIONS 2019
A Special Municipal Election was held on Aug. 20, 2019. Voters recalled Cody Rex Walker from the office of Trustee and elected Eric Blackhurst to fill the remainder of his term.
A Special Municipal Election was held on Dec. 10, 2019 for a citizens-initiated ordinance where voters decided not to allow a limited number of marijuana facilities within Town limits.
UPCOMING ELECTION APRIL 2020
April 7, 2020 the Town will hold a mail ballot-only election for the Mayor and three Trustee seats on the Board of Trustees.
Voters will determine who will occupy seats currently held by Mayor Todd Jirsa, Mayor Pro Tem Ron Norris, and Trustees Eric Blackhurst and Patrick Martchink. Mayor Pro Tem Norris is term-limited as a trustee. Check your voter registration at govotecolorado.com and learn more about the local election at www.estes.org/elections.
DID YOU KNOW?
Human Resources coordinates the recruitment and hiring of all Town personnel and administers benefits in support of these employees. The Town typically employs 145 full-time employees and approximately 40 part-time, temporary employees.
ESTES PARK MUSEUM
"The museum adds to our many excuses to visit EP again! Like we need another one! We'll put the museum on our list of things to visit next time!"
- Quote from Facebook follower - October 23, 2019
2019 MUSEUM FACTS
7,631*
TOTAL
ATTENDANCE
31
VOLUNTEERS
1,096
VOLUNTEER
HOURS
813
FACEBOOK
FOLLOWERS
154
ACCEPTED DONATED ARTIFACTS BY 21 DONORS
*Gallery was closed for 5 months in 2019.
POLICE
STAFF BREAKDOWN
1
CHIEF
2
CAPTAINS
19
ADDITIONAL
SWORN OFFICERS
14.5
CIVILIAN
EMPLOYEES
1
K9
1
RESERVE
WELCOME DIEGO
Thanks to generous donations from the community, the PD welcomed K9 Diego to our first K9 team. Diego graduates his academy in March 2020, but is already certified for patrol use.
2019 HIGHLIGHTS
The Police Department took over the Town's Code Enforcement.
Auxiliary served over 100 people in the Blue Santa program.
Our department includes 22 sworn personnel with a total of 275 years of combined law enforcement experience.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Estes Park Emergency Communications Center implemented Rapid SOS. This software allows us to better locate those who call 911 on their cell phones.
UTILITIES
POWER & COMMUNICATIONS
13+ miles of overhead tree cable was installed.
2.5+ miles of underground line was installed.
Over 150 electric poles were replaced.
TRAILBLAZER BROADBAND
Trailblazer Broadband was officially launched Sept. 25, 2019, as the high speed internet company under the Town of Estes Park Utilities Department. Register for news and construction updates at trailblazerbroadband.com.
WATER
DID YOU KNOW?
Our drinking water is constantly being monitored to ensure it is the best quality possible. We are required by the USEPA to test for over 90 health-related contaminants that include bacteria, viruses, parasites, minerals, heavy metals, and synthetic and organic compounds. In addition, we also monitor for more than 200 unregulated compounds that include herbicides, pesticides, synthetic hormones, pharmaceuticals, and fracking compounds.
PUBLIC WORKS
STREET IMPROVEMENTS HIGHLIGHTS
683 Potholes were patched
42 Bike sharrow markings were installed
28 Roadway locations were reconstructed
13 ADA ramps were constructed
10 Bike lane symbols were installed
6 Centerline miles of roadway were chip sealed
1.3 Centerline miles of roadway were overlaid or reconstructed
0.8 Centerline miles of concrete trail pavement were constructed
PARKING & TRANSIT
In November, the Town Board approved seasonal paid parking be implemented commencing June 1, 2020 and terminating on October 18, 2020. The following 7 of the 15 downtown lots will be impacted: Town Hall, East Riverside, Riverside, Weist, Post Office, Tregent and Bond Park as well as public parking areas.
BRODIE AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS
Construction of the Brodie Avenue Improvements project is complete. A Safe Routes to School grant supported construction of a concrete trail for students to safely walk/bike to and from school. Additionally, the Town reduced the stormwater flooding risk to the neighboring schools by installing concrete gutters, inlets and underground stormwater features. Expanded parking and new pavement were provided on the reconstructed roadway.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
DID YOU KNOW?
On a peak-season weekend day, Planning staff estimates the "population" of Estes Park—residents, visitors, employees, others—is over 40,000. This figure would temporarily make us the third-largest city in Larimer County on certain days of the year.
(Visitor estimates courtesy of Visit Estes Park)
2019 HIGHLIGHTS
Development Reviews are now required for any project with three or more new parking spaces.
Neighborhood/Community meetings for major development projects are now required. Eight neighborhood meetings were held in 2019.
Watch for details on the updates to Town/County land use planning services at estes.org.
GET INVOLVED!
Planning Commission: Reviews development and subdivision proposals, engages in long-range planning.
Board of Adjustment: Reviews and makes final decisions on variance requests based on the Development Code.
Estes Park Board of Appeals: Made up of design professionals and contractors, the Board hears and decides appeals of decisions made by the Chief Building Official.
EVENTS & VISITOR SERVICES
VISITOR CENTER
103,585
GUESTS SEEN DURING THE BUSIEST MONTH (JULY)
58
VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS
445,123
VISITORS
12,505
TELEPHONE CALLS
ESTES PARK EVENTS COMPLEX
This complex enhances quality of life for residents and draws guests to local businesses. Learn more at estesparkeventscomplex.com.
190
EVENTS
205,620
ATTENDEES
AWARDS:
2019 PRCA Top Five Finalist - Medium Rodeo of the Year (160 Medium Rodeos)
2019 Mountain States Circuit - Large Rodeo of the Year
TOWN BOARD OF TRUSTEES
