Englewood officials set fall meeting agendas highlighting Denver Water interconnection, South Broadway construction and budget hearings

City Manager Sean Lewis opened the Aug. 13 mayor–manager meeting by listing upcoming City Council agenda items and study sessions that staff will bring to council between August and October.

The meeting primarily organized scheduling and staff follow-up rather than making final decisions. Key items staff flagged for council consideration include acceptance of a $250,000 high‑efficiency electric heating and appliances grant from the Colorado Energy Office; agreements and contracts tied to the Denver Water Emergency Interconnections Project (including a construction contract with T‑Mobile Construction and a related compliance agreement with Denver Water); and award of a construction contract for the South Broadway Complete Streets project.

Why it matters: the items on the docket affect capital spending, intergovernmental cooperation and land‑use review. Staff identified several items of high dollar value that may be removed from consent agendas for fuller council discussion.

Most notable items listed for council consideration

• Denver Water Emergency Interconnections Project — City staff placed a construction contract with T‑Mobile Construction and a compliance agreement with Denver Water on the August 18 draft agenda, along with an order for a contract with Tech Systems Incorporated (change order language in the agenda text). The listing also referenced an IGA and related responsibilities between the City and Denver Water. No formal action occurred at the Aug. 13 meeting; staff indicated these items will appear on the council agenda for consideration.

• Colorado Energy Office grant — The Aug. 18 agenda lists acceptance of a $250,000 grant for high‑efficiency electric heating and appliances awarded by the Colorado Energy Office. The meeting recorded the grant on the draft consent list; council members noted it could be approved on consent unless pulled.

• South Broadway Complete Streets project — For the Sept. 2 and subsequent council packets, staff listed an award of contract to essential contractors in the amount of $6,537,611 for construction of the Cross South Broadway Complete Streets project and a separate contract with Oltec Engineering for construction management. Participants said, because of the dollar value, those construction contracts may be removed from consent for fuller council consideration.

• Chick‑fil‑A planned unit development (PUD) — Staff scheduled a public hearing and first reading for a Chick‑fil‑A PUD amendment; the item is listed for council public hearing and subsequent reading, with timing to be set in coming packets.

• Budget and hearings — Staff scheduled a series of 2026 budget items: a proposed 2026 operating and capital budget public hearing, budget ordinances first reading (noted on Aug. 6) and a second reading/public hearing later in the fall. The Aug. 13 meeting flagged a July 2025 general fund monthly financial report and additional budget questions that staff will return to council with answers.

• State land‑use law updates and housing — Staff allocated additional time for state land‑use law updates and an affordable‑housing discussion. Participants discussed estimated presentation lengths: staff suggested a roughly 20‑minute presentation on affordable housing and 30–45 minutes for state land‑use updates; the group agreed to confirm times with Community Development. The transcript shows staff expect an additional study session on state land‑use law, indicating the topic may require more than one meeting.

Other items on draft agendas

• Library strategic plan (five‑year plan) scheduled for Aug. 25 study session.

• An IGA with Sheridan for a green business program and recognition of Colorado Green Business Network certifications scheduled for early September.

• A proposed intergovernmental agreement with Arapahoe County to accept a $500,000 open‑space grant for the Centennial Trail Enhancement Project was placed on a September agenda.

• Personnel and executive sessions — The calendar lists executive sessions for the annual performance evaluation of the city attorney and city manager, as well as an executive session relating to attorney–client privilege for discussions about homelessness service providers.

Process and follow‑up directions from the meeting

Staff will: confirm presentation lengths with Community Development; provide preliminary designs for a park project staff said might tap approximately $600,000 in park‑and‑loop fee revenue to free up other funds; and return with legal analysis on council procedure. City Attorney Tamara Niles said she will research a council policy referenced in the meeting (identified by staff as the “Kells rule”) that addresses whether an ordinance may be considered on second reading the same night as its public hearing. No formal votes or council actions were taken at the Aug. 13 mayor–manager meeting; items will return to the council for action at scheduled meetings.

What to watch next

Staff flagged several high‑cost items that may be pulled from consent and scheduled public hearings and readings for ordinances and planning items across August–October. Council packets and staff reports due with those meetings should supply the project scopes, contract amounts, funding sources and any required intergovernmental approvals before formal council decisions.