Pueblo West board authorizes manager to join Roy Authority despite cost questions

The Pueblo West Metropolitan District Board of Directors voted to authorize the district manager to execute the Roy Authority Establishment Agreement, advancing the district’s formal participation in the regional Roy Authority.

The measure passed on a roll-call vote after discussion, with three directors voting yes and two voting no. Board members questioned the agreement’s unspecified administrative costs and whether membership would obligate Pueblo West to future capital projects.

Deputy Director of Utilities Administration (presenter) said the agreement “does not, force or coerce or in any way oblige Pueblo West to partake in any capital projects,” and described the vote structure and membership share in the authority. Board members noted Pueblo West’s existing involvement: the district already holds a fractional interest in the Haines Creek reservoir site and participated in earlier land purchases tied to that project.

Several directors pressed for clearer financial projections. One director said the principal concern was uncertainty about what the organization’s administrative and other cost-center expenses might be in future years and asked whether an entity would enter an agreement without at least projected costs. The presenter replied the agreement provides for staff and potential contracted management but contains no fixed multi‑year administrative cost schedule.

Board members also discussed voting weight and decision-making under the authority. The presenter said Pueblo West’s fractional interest would be approximately 4.76 percent and that authority actions require a simple majority of the members. Directors emphasized that district membership would give Pueblo West a seat and vote on future projects but that the district could opt not to participate financially in specific capital projects, in which case it would not share in expenses or benefits for that project.

After debate, a motion to authorize execution of the Roy Authority Establishment Agreement was put to a roll-call vote. The clerk recorded the following votes: Director Grama — yes; Director Axworthy — yes; President Pearl — yes; Vice President Mahaney — no; Director Bakers — no. The motion carried.

The board’s discussion also noted prior approvals related to Roy: earlier boards authorized Roy participation in 2010–2015 and approved Pueblo West’s portion of the Haines Creek property purchase in 2021. Directors asked staff to continue pursuing clearer cost estimates for the authority’s administrative and potential project costs going forward.

Board action: The board approved the resolution authorizing the district manager to execute the Roy Authority Establishment Agreement. Directors who opposed the resolution cited lack of concrete cost projections.

Looking ahead, directors asked staff to seek and report more detailed administrative-cost projections and to clearly document how capital-project participation would be handled before future votes on specific projects.