Englewood staff finalize Feb.–Apr. council agendas, flag water-plant work, bridge design and ARPA fund shift

Englewood city staff met on Feb. 12, 2025, to finalize agendas for council meetings in February through April and previewed several items the council will consider, including a construction-management contract for improvements at the Allen Treatment Plant, design work for the Union Avenue bridge rehabilitation, an application for a Colorado Energy Office high-efficiency heating and appliance grant and a proposed $200,000 transfer of ARPA funds to an energy performance contract fund.

City Manager Sean Lewis led the review and listed items the council will see in upcoming sessions. Lewis identified items slated for consent and for regular session consideration across February, March and April meetings.

The agenda preview matters because the items touch water infrastructure, transportation and city finances and some require outside approvals or grant awards. Several items are scheduled for consent where the council may approve them without individual debate; others will return with additional materials or staff follow-up.

Most immediately, Lewis summarized a proposed construction management/general contract for space improvements at the Allen Treatment Plant. He also described a separate contract request for SEH Engineers Inc. to perform final design for the Union Avenue bridge rehabilitation project. "I go ahead and put that on consent and see if anyone pulls it who's on the water and sewer board," Lewis said when discussing the water-plant item.

Staff noted a funding and grant package connected to energy work: council will be asked to approve applying to the Colorado Energy Office for a high-efficiency electric heating and appliance grant and to move $200,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from a grant-match account to general energy performance contract funds. The transfer amount was discussed explicitly as $200,000.

Council staff also previewed multiple municipal-code matters, including second reading of a proposed adoption of the 2024 model traffic code and amendments to Title 11, Chapter 1 of the Englewood Municipal Code, cleanup amendments to reflect current departmental duties, and a plan-unit development at 401 Englewood Parkway. Some loan- and finance-related items were listed as well, including amendments tied to a water loan through the Colorado Resources and Power Development Authority and another item described as a water infrastructure financing and innovation act loan.

Deputy City Manager Tim Dodd summarized a contract amendment request relating to Englewood Arts: "Their contract expires at the end of this year, so they're just asking for an extension for another five years," Dodd said, noting staff will place the amendment on an upcoming meeting agenda.

City Clerk Stephanie Carlisle said the clerk's office had added a recognition item to the Feb. 18 meeting: Englewood's finance team will be recognized for receiving the Government Finance Officers Association distinguished budget presentation award. "I did just want to update that we did get a recognition that came in for the meeting on the eighteenth," Carlisle said.

Staff flagged several intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) and capital projects that will require coordination with outside agencies, including a proposed second amendment to an IGA with the Colorado Department of Transportation related to the U.S. 285 and South Broadway interchange, and an amendment to an IGA with the Englewood Public School District.

On personnel and scheduling, Lewis said he would check with human resources about timing for a judge's salary discussion slated for March. "I'll check with HR and see if they can meet that deadline," he said. Krista Gravy, the executive assistant, was noted as having entered council requests raised at a recent meeting.

No formal votes or final council actions occurred during the Feb. 12 pre-meeting; staff used the session to place items on consent where appropriate, confirm study-session topics (including a midyear capital improvement plan review and an Englewood Arts programming report) and identify follow-ups required of departments. Items listed for later meetings include solids-handling improvements at the wastewater facility, Centrifuge construction work tied to that project, South Broadway design guidelines, affordable housing task force recommendations and a public hearing for a planned unit development at 2800 West Chenango.

Council members and staff plan to carry the listed items forward to the February 18 regular meeting and to a series of March and April meetings for further review, public hearing or formal council action as required.