Community services director outlines consolidated department priorities, fee review and redevelopment work

Lindsey Kimball, director of the newly consolidated Community Services department, presented the department’s 2025 budget, staffing structure and priorities at the March 24 study session, including an emphasis on redevelopment, fee updates and public‑facing business support.

Kimball described the department as five divisions — economic development, planning, building, community preservation, and real estate/sustainability — that together deliver core services including land use, building safety, rental‑housing inspections, economic development and sustainability programs. She said the department has largely held authorized full‑time equivalent counts steady through internal reclassifications and repurposing rather than adding new positions.

Highlights and priorities: - Fee study and cost recovery: Kimball told the council the department collected roughly $7.1 million in fees last year and is reviewing fees that have not been updated in two decades. She said an inflation‑adjusted “cost‑to‑serve” benchmark could push current fee totals closer to $9 million. Staff will return with proposed fee adjustments and policy recommendations before implementing changes. - Redevelopment and downtown activation: Kimball described ongoing downtown projects, a forthcoming memo on the Rodeo Market building and potential activations with the Westminster Chamber and the Downtown Business Association. She said staff are preparing materials for council consideration in the near term. - Housing and grants: The department is managing federal HUD formula programs (CDBG and HOME) and the five‑year consolidated plan; staff will bring recommendations stemming from the city’s housing needs assessment and CDBG outreach in the coming months. - Building, code enforcement and rental housing inspections: The presentation reviewed staff expertise and recent operational changes, including moving the permit counter to the first floor and consolidating rental‑housing inspections within the community preservation division. Kimball said code and safety follow‑ups, including focused work at the Atrium apartments, are underway. - Sustainability and grants: The sustainability office — moved to report directly to the community services director — has pursued grant opportunities and student capstone partnerships to analyze waste diversion and other cost‑saving measures for city operations.

Council engagement and next steps: Council members thanked Kimball’s team and asked specific operational questions about fee timing, whether outside consultants would be used for complex fee or market analyses, and how the department will address childcare and senior‑daycare supply. Kimball said some analyses will be done internally while other studies (for example, market feasibility) may require external consultants. Staff will return with fee recommendations, updates on redevelopment deals and a schedule for the CDBG consolidated plan outreach results.

Taper: Kimball said the department remains focused on fiscal stewardship and repurposing staff roles to meet emerging priorities and that the team will provide follow‑up materials to council as projects move from concept to implementation.