Brighton Standard Blade 3
June 30, 2021
North Metro survives pandemic in strong shape Federal assistance, betterthan-expected revenues boost financial reports BY LIAM ADAMS LADAMS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Despite the pandemic, Westminster, Thornton, Northglenn and Brighton all increased their net financial position by the end of 2020. Year-end financial reports show that all four cities performed better financially last year than in 2019, though only after some financial maneuvering and government assistance. The pandemic still caused cities to alter plans originally laid out in the 2020 budget, but nevertheless positioned them
well as the pandemic winds down. “We’re doing better than was expected overall. This is a result of moderate, revenue recovery efforts,” said Westminster City Manager Don Tripp at an April 26 city council meeting. Tripp’s analysis is similar to Westminster’s neighbors. Westminster, Brighton, Northglenn and Thornton all adapted to the pandemic when it started last spring. Westminster, Thornton and Brighton enacted hiring freezes, while Westminster and Thornton deferred maintenance projects. Many cities reduced parks and recreation programming. Westminster used 2019 carryover revenue to backfill 2020 revenue losses. Meanwhile, all cities received substantial help from the federal government in COVID-19 relief funding. Revenue in the “operating
grants and contributions” category went up in Westminster by $11.5 million from 2019, $9.4 million in Thornton, $2,955 in Northglenn and $4.3 million in Brighton. The federal relief money wasn’t just extra spending money, though. The pandemic introduced new expenses for cities, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and implementing safeguards to keep city facilities hygienic. Thornton, Northglenn and Brighton all spent more money than they had budgeted for pre-pandemic, according to a comparison of year-end financial reports and 2020 adopted budgets. Cost-cutting measures and federal stimulus money made a difference for the cities, but so did the better-than-expected performance of regular revenue streams. Earlier in the pandemic, sales and use tax revenue, the largest revenue
WATER FROM PAGE 1
ment plant is. When the city exceeded its daily peak demand last week, it did so a month ahead of schedule, Mingo said. When demand surpassed the projected peak last week, the city immediately reduced its water use and purchased more treated water from Thornton than it usually does. Still, city staff was alarmed, so Bais DiSessa informed council members of the situation and that she was considering issuing mandatory restrictions. Johnston, seeing Bais DiSessa as taking unilateral action and violating the city charter, called the June 18 special meeting out a sense of urgency. The mayor pro tem said at the meeting, “We’re here because we have to be. We have to make sure that the residents have power in this community. They have not had enough power for too long, and here’s where we sit with a new council and we’re not going to allow that.” Three members of the council, including Mayor Greg Mills, were not able attend the Friday evening meeting, resulting in Johnston’s overseeing it. The mayor pro tem allowed other councilors and public commenters to speak but limited Bais DiSessa’s comments. On several occasions, the city manager raised her hand to try and explain the situation, but Johnston didn’t allow it. Bais DiSessa had one chance to
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Reverse osmosis water treatment equipment at Brighton’s water treatment plant. Due to the plant’s age and condition, city staff are concerned the plant will have difficulty treating and providing enough water to meet peak demand. A debate ensued amongst staff and members of city council over issuing mandatory water restrictions PHOTO BY BELEN WARD to lessen demand on the treatment plant.
talk at length, saying that she wasn’t skirting the council’s authority. In an emergency, she has the authority to move the city to Brighton Mayor a higher drought Pro Tem Matt stage in the city’s Johnston. COURTESY OF CITY OF BRIGHTON drought management plan, she said. She also refuted a claim Johnston made that the city was imposing additional costs on customers by issuing mandatory water restrictions because of financial penalties assessed to people who violate the restrictions. Voting on the block At the June 18 meeting, council voted 4-2 to temporarily block Bais
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DiSessa’s ability to issue mandatory water restrictions. Johnston and Councilors Tim Watts, Mary Ellen Pollack and Brighton City Adam Cushing apManager Jane Bais proved the resolution, Councilors DiSessa. COURTESY OF CITY OF BRIGHTON Mark Humbert and Ann Taddeo voted against it. The June 22 meeting -- with all nine council members were in attendance -- picked up where the council left off. This time, the resolution under consideration would permanently give city council the sole authority over declaring drought stages and water restriction issuances. The meeting got intense at mo-
streams for cities, was down. City finance staff were nervous that would continue given the overall slowing of the economy, although that trend ultimately reversed. “We were very pleased in the end how well we did with sales and use tax revenue,” said Westminster Finance Director Tammy Hitchens at a Westminster City Council study session June 7. Sales and use tax revenue in Thornton and Brighton increased from 2019. It was down in Westminster and Northglenn, but not by a substantial amount. Despite the financial hardships that all four cities faced, net positions, or end-of-year balance, increased in 2020 from 2019. Thornton’s increased by $72.3 million, Westminster by $57.9 million, Brighton by $45.8 million and Northglenn by $11,267.
ments. At one point, Johnston was engaged in a heated debate with Mingo over certain information that city staff presented to the council about the situation. Sherman jumped in, saying, “Mayor pro tem, I would appreciate it if you would stop bullying Mr. Mingo.” The council debated everything from the city’s water situation to the city manager’s authority to claims about the mandatory restrictions being a means to impose additional costs on customers. “That kind of ridiculous behavior to scare people, those scare tactics, that is wrong,” said Taddeo, alluding to the previous controversy in the community over water rates. Meanwhile, Councilman Clint Blackhurst, who served as the city’s utilities director at one point, said he doesn’t think the city should issue mandatory water restrictions and that the city should consider other alternatives first. But Blackhurst also said doesn’t think the city manager’s authority should be limited. Ultimately, Taddeo, Blackhurst, Humbert, Mills and Councilor Kris Jordinelli all expressed disfavor for the resolution to limit Bais DiSessa’s authority. Seeing that a majority of the council would vote against the resolution, Johnston decided that he wouldn’t make a formal motion for its approval. No decision was reached on the water restrictions, but Bais DiSessa said she would consult with her staff about some of the alternatives that Blackhurst suggested.
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