March 2024 Mountain Village Minute
The Mountain Village Town Council held its regular monthly meeting last week on Thursday, February 15. Below you will find a recap of the meeting.
Unless otherwise noted, all items below were unanimously voted by all seven Town Council members.
Charter Amendment Discussion:
Council considered a first reading, setting of a public hearing and council vote on an ordinance calling for a special election on July 9, and setting ballot questions regarding proposed amendments to the Mountain Village Home Rule Charter.
The special election would ask the following five charter amendment questions:
- Allowing property owners holding property in LLCs or other entities the ability to vote like other non-resident property owners
- Moving the regular election from the last Tuesday in June to the last Tuesday in July
- Clarifying the effective dates of ordinances
- Allowing publication of ordinances via the Town website rather than by newspaper
- Reconciling a conflict between the Town Code and the Charter regarding DRB terms
Council discussed the proposition, the five ballot questions, how LLC voting could be verified by staff and heard public comments against it.
In a 5-2 vote (with Mayor Marti Prohaska and Tucker Magid dissenting), Council approved the first reading of the ordinance setting the special election. The motion also included amending ballot question 1 to exclude commercial-use properties from the list of eligible voters and to prohibit corporations that own residential properties from voting as non-residents.
Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing and second reading of the revised ordinance at its April 25 regular meeting.
Other agenda items included:
- Finance Director Lizbeth Lemley introduced the new Rental Properties Manager, Brittany Newell. Newell will primarily oversee Village Court Apartments, and the Town is thrilled to have her on board.
- Convening as the Town of Mountain Village Housing Authority, (TMVHA) Council considered three applications for the Village Court Apartments Resident Committee and ultimately chose to appoint Luke Kernell to the seat.
- While still convened as the TMVHA, Council also considered the Village Court Apartments Phase IV West Building Master Lease Program and established initial rental prices for the units. Council approved the proposed rental rates and authorized staff to proceed with the terms generally outlined in the staff memo. The Town will share details for how businesses can apply to participate in this program in the coming weeks.
- Town Manager Paul Wisor and Council discussed monthly department updates. View this month's department updates from the packet material.
- Council heard its annual report from Telluride Historical Museum Director Kiernan Lannon.
- Council considered and approved the 2024 Sustainable Destination Marketing and Tourism Management Services Agreement with the Telluride Tourism Board with a few clerical changes.
- Council approved of an agreement regarding fire safety improvements relating to the Ski Ranches Water System.
- Council considered and approved changes to the Plaza Vending Committee Bylaws and Vending Regulations.
- Council approved the second reading of an ordinance to amend the Town's Community Development Code in regards to wetlands regulations following the recent Supreme Court ruling in Sackett v. EPA.
- Council and staff discussed potential CDC amendments regarding updated fire mitigation and tree protection standards. Staff will continue to work through its proposed changes and bring it back to Council at a later date.
- Without taking action, Town Council held executive sessions to receive legal advice on specific legal questions, to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, develop strategy for negotiations and/or instruct negotiators in connection with the following items:
- The Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Campaign Finance Laws and Municipal Elections
- Pending litigation
All Mountain Village Town Council meetings are live-streamed with a Zoom option for remote participation. You may watch this meeting on-demand on the Town’s website to learn more about a particular agenda item.
Town Council will hold its next regular meeting on Thursday, March 21. Meeting material is posted to the Town's website and distributed via email the Friday before each meeting.
