Winter Park hoping to diversify town commissions
Robert Mendoza / Sky-Hi News
In a bid to diversify town boards, the Winter Park Town Council on Tuesday delayed the appointment of a new planning commission member and directed staff to gin up more interest.
The vacancy on the planning commission was created when Mike Davlin was elected to town council in April. Four applicants put in letters of interest for the position, and the planning commission recommended Gary Behlen for the role.
Council member Chris Seeman questioned whether the town had done enough to drum up residents’ interest in the position and encouraged more marketing for the vacancy.
“I just think it’s really important that for some of these boards or committees that we really do good outreach,” Seeman said. “I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the current people, but diversity isn’t a bad thing either.”
Prior to Davlin leaving, the planning commission consisted of seven men.
Council members who went through the Winter Park 101 course, which outlined what the town council does and how it works, before being elected — including Davlin, Jennifer Hughes and Jeremy Henn — agreed the program and marketing had been effective for them.
Mayor Nick Kutrumbos supported encouraging diversity on town boards and noted a short delay wouldn’t hurt the commission’s ability to do its job.
Ultimately, council approved four-year terms for sitting planning commission members Brad Holzwarth, Roger Kish and Doug Robbins while tabling the new appointment.
In other business:
- Council approved a $39,500 bid from JT Kopp Construction for concrete replacement, including sidewalks, curbs, gutters and valley pans, throughout town.
- Council approved a $152,330 bid from Acord Asphalt for 41,000 square feet of milling with a 2 inch overlay and 10,000 square feet of patching.
- An intergovernmental agreement between the town, Fraser and Granby to continue their shared building inspection services program was approved.
- Council approved an agreement to work with Grand County in dispersing federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Stimulus funds to the town. Under the agreement, Winter Park will receive $128,500 to cover the town’s incurred expenses for coronavirus adjustments, as well as anticipated expenses throughout the year. Additional funding may become available later in the year if the county has not allocated all of the $1.35 million it received from the fund.
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