After discussing the issue in past meetings, the Granby Board of Trustees voted to opt out of Colorado’s Paid Family Medical Leave Insurance program, which allows municipalities to opt into this plan for their employees. 

Opting in means the state, town and employees split the cost of the program, but if the town opts out, then employees can still opt in individually and pay the same amount. Opting out allows the town to not pay its part of the cost but still have the program available to town employees. The town also has the option to opt into the program in the future.

Town Attorney Nathan Krob pointed out a benefit that employees would not get if enrolling individually that they would get if the town opted into the program — benefit protection. If someone takes time off for pregnancy or illness, opting in would protect their benefits and protect them from demotion.

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“You could also always provide that as a policy if you were on it to protect those without exposing yourself to the additional costs and liability of opting into this program,” Krob said.

Trustees also discussed the possibility of the town paying for the program as a benefit to any employee who individually opted in. 

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Granby Ranch revises plan

With the approval of three agenda items, the trustees voided a plan for Granby Ranch’s filing 13 and established a new plan, plat and subdivision improvement agreement for tract A within the filing.

The board voided the old plan from 2007 first, but a public commenter raised concerns about houses already built on filing 13 before they took a vote. Krob and representatives from Granby Ranch’s developer GRCO confirmed that the only land owners within the filing are the town, the developer and Headwaters Metropolitan District, meaning there are no houses in the filing.

The new plan and plat for tract A lay out a plan to build over 40 townhomes off of Lake Drive, resulting in around 105 units according to GRCO representative John Giokas. The plan also designates 77% of the area as open space, and Giokas said construction should finish in December 2024.

In the approval of the subdivision improvement agreement, Town Manager Ted Cherry presented the staff’s recommendation to implement a sales restriction the town has used before. The restriction prevents the developer from selling individual lots until the town gives initial acceptance of required infrastructure improvements.

Cherry asked the board to consider whether or not they would like to standardize the restriction going forward, especially for the town’s U.S. Highway 40 affordable housing project. GRCO representative Bob Glarner said the tract A project will not feature affordable housing because of the high cost of building on the mountain. He said GRCO will bring plans later to build affordable housing in between the South Service Area Water Treatment Plant and Granby Medical Center.

Other business:

• Julie Sutor, a mountain field representative for Congressman Joe Neguse, spoke to the board in a workshop about topics including fire prevention and relief funds, takeaways from the Colorado Municipal League, halfway pathway grant funding and the post office.
• Public commenters brought concerns about construction traffic and general danger on Village Road.
• Patrick Brower from the Grand Enterprise Initiative gave an update during public comments on the businesses they have helped start and grow.
• Lauren Huber from Destination Granby told the board during public comments about the conclusion of the Main Street: Open for Business grant that helped fund 11 projects in the town.
• Daniela Gosselova spoke during public comments about her concerns with the Sulphur Ranger District Office in Granby remaining closed.
• Trustees approved a special liquor permit for Destination Granby’s Art in the Park in Pulhamus Park on Sept. 3.
• The board approved the accounts payable for July 12 and meeting minutes for June 28.

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Editor’s Note: This story was updated to correct the spelling of a name.