TOWN OF ESTES PARK, COLORADO PUBLIC MEETING
DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED HONDIUS WATER PROJECT
AUGUST 1, 2016
Meeting was brought to order at 4:10 PM at the Town of Estes Park, Colorado Town Hall. Those in attendance representing the Hondius Water Users Association are the newly elected Board members of the Association, representing the Town of Estes Park, Colorado, are Mr. Reuben Bergsten and Jeff Boles, representing Larimer County is Mr. Ed Schemm, and representing Landmark Engineering is Mr. Rod Harr. Additional interested individuals were also present and their names are separately attached.
The purpose of this meeting is to present historically the function of the Hondius Water Users Association and the plan to provide an entirely new water delivery system to its users and those from the immediate area who desire to participate in the Project. Additionally a petition is to be presented to ask the Town and County to proceed with a final engineering report for the Project and subsequently to acquire financing potentials to fund the endeavor.
A history of the existing Hondius water system was discussed and comments were made relating to past informal meetings that were held to get the parties to this point of discussion on requirements that will be necessary in order to provide a new delivery system.
Mr. Ed Schemm presented a plan for financing the Project through funds received by a forty (40) year loan that the Town would acquire from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). These funds would be repaid through individual water fees (capital improvement cost and water usage) that would be collected monthly by the Town from each user within the Project through the term of the loan.
Mr. Reuben Bergsten explained the desire to be involved with the Project because of the Town’s commitment to health and safety through its Water Department. He also described other similar projects within the area that the Town is involved with and the apparent desirable terms of the USDA loan program.
Rod Harr described the existing system and the new design in depth. The new system will not only provide a secure and dependable year round potable water source but will also provide fire protection through fire hydrants for safety of the area from the threat of fire. A preliminary Cost Estimate for the Project is $3.4 million with an anticipated start date of spring 2018.
A petition was provided for approval to all interested existing Hondius water users to request the Town and County to proceed with all necessary actions to gain funding for the Project. A simple majority of the existing users to proceed is what the Town will require in order to move forward. After the final design and cost is determined then there will be another required agreement by both the Town and Hondius to complete the loan process and start of the Project.
Meeting was adjourned at 5:03 PM.