EPRD board discusses strategic plan, property taxes

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As it looks at creating a strategic plan, the Evergreen Park & Recreation District board is leaning toward asking voters to continue paying the same amount of property taxes after a bond is paid o in 2025.

e board would delay asking voters for additional money to fund new projects until 2024 or later to allow it more time to esh out the projects and to wait since property assessments have increased substantially this year.

e board at its June 29 work session also went over the initial ndings from BerryDunn, a consultant helping the rec board with its strategic-planning process. Board members didn’t have time to discuss the presentation and plan to have another work session to provide their views.

ey will begin prioritizing projects and determining what is feasible for the district, so the strategic plan document can be completed.

e district must inform Je erson County by July 30 whether it will put a measure on the November ballot. e ballot language must be submitted by Sept. 8.

Continuing property taxes

Representatives from BerryDunn

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said if the rec district asked voters to continue paying the same taxes after a bond approved by voters in 2000 is paid o in 2025, the district could use the money to fund much of the maintenance and improvements needed to existing facilities.

Residents who responded to a survey about rec district priorities said high on the list was repairing and improving existing facilities. e bond that is almost paid o purchased land adjacent to Buchanan Park so the district wouldn’t lose it to development.

e district would get about $1.4 million each year in revenue starting in 2026, and it might be able to nd additional funding sources such as partnerships, grants and donations.

e money could be used to address accessibility and ADA improvements at all facilities, adopt uniform standards at outdoor facilities, repair the Wulf Rec Center tennis courts, create an inclusive playground at the Buchanan Park Recreation Center, add a 10-court pickleball area at the Marshdale Fields and more.

BerryDunn said these Level 1 improvements would cost between $10 million and $15 million.

Executive Director Cory Vander Veen said if voters approved extending the payments after 2025, the district could make a huge dent in xing maintenance projects that have been deferred for years.

Future bond ask en, the district would expand the aquatics area at the Buchanan Park Recreation Center, which district sta has said would be easier to operate with all aquatics programs in one place. e consultant also said the district could consider buying more land for a dog park or other amenities. e total price tag would be between $17 million and $29 million.

To accommodate most of the community’s wishes, one idea being oated is closing the Wulf Recreation Center pool, which is 51 years old and would be very expensive to replace, and recon guring the entire building, including adding more gymnasium/indoor court space.

BerryDunn suggests moving tness equipment to the rst oor, adding a second- oor mini gymnasium and more.

BerryDunn has suggested renovating the locker rooms, adding a nine-lap pool, renovating the family and therapy swimming areas at Buchanan, plus adding a two-court gymnasium with a walking track.

While some board members questioned whether the district needed that much gymnasium space, Executive Director Cory Vander Veen said many programs could use the court space, not only basketball.

“We heard from the (community outreach) process that some sort of indoor space at Buchanan is important to the public,” he noted.

Board members agreed that getting community support for the proposals once they are nalized would be instrumental if the board decides to ask voters to extend the existing property taxes or to ask for a bond.

Henderson is Hiring and Investing in Colorado!

Henderson has operated in Colorado since 1976 and is investing nearly $150 million into our operations to enable future production. We are committed to our employees and our community and are currently hiring new employees to join our 360 strong! Further, the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, recently announced more than $300,000 to Henderson Operations Social Investment Grant recipients in 2022. Learn more about the recipients below:

• Clear Creek County: Clear Creek County Health and Wellness Center – $100,000 (second payment of a $500,000 commitment) This will support the building and launch of the first collaborative care center in Clear Creek County.

•Clear Creek County: DLD Sub-Area Planning Grant – $60,000 Funding supports a planning process to strategically identify enhanced community, land use and infrastructure proposals to provide new sustainable revenue streams and improved services.

•Clear Creek County School District: Career-Connected Learning Project – $10,000 When combined with a $10,000 match of Henderson employee donations through Mile High United Way, it will support increasing opportunities for students to engage in career-connected experiential learning.

•Grand County Rural Health Network: Grand County Multisector Resource Hub – $25,000 Funding will support a collaborative planning process around the development of a multisector resource hub that would provide a one-stop resource for marginalized community members of Grand County.

•Grand County Search and Rescue: Mission Control Vehicle – $46,000 The vehicle will replace an inoperable multipurpose avalanche response, complex mission and command truck for Grand County.

•Middle Park Medical Foundation: Kremmling Wellness Center Gym – $75,000 Funding supports the development of a modern community recreation space with a goal of improving the overall health of the community by creating more opportunities to engage in recreational activities.

Congratulations to the recipients!

Since 2012, more than $1.6 million has been invested through the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation in Clear Creek and Grand counties. The funds have been awarded to programs and projects that build community resilience and capacity.

For more information on hiring visit climaxmolyjobs.com and for more information on community investment grants visit FreeportInMyCommunity.com