By Brendan Henry
The Surveyor

The Town of Berthoud Board of Trustees held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, discussing staff award recognition, the town general and crisis communication plans, gateway signage concepts, the First Street interceptor sewer estimate plan, a new appointee to the planning commission and the new trustee vacancy on the town board.

After Mayor Will Karspeck addressed the town’s loose mosquito policy saying that it would eventually be worked out, a motion to approve all consent agenda items was unanimously approved. The board then moved to appoint a new commissioner to fill a vacancy on the town’s planning commission. After vetting and interviews with two applicants, the board unanimously voted to approve Nick Semedalas as the newest commissioner.

Town Clerk Christian Samora initiated recognition for the Berthoud Neighborhood Services department for last year’s win of a holiday lighting contest. The department and Neighborhood Services Officer, Teresa Morgan, received the Juan Eagle Award from the Colorado Association of Code Enforcement Officials. Morgan made sure to give others credit, as she acknowledged that the work was not done on her own.

Community Outreach Specialist Stephanie Horvath presented the town’s general and crisis communication plans. Horvath’s focus was on the crisis communication plan based on the plan created in Lewisville, Texas after their devastating wildfires. The goal of the crisis plan is to ensure the public is notified accurately and efficiently and will be evaluated annually.

Next was a presentation on new gateway signage concepts provided by Deputy Town Administrator Jeremy Olinger. New signs for the three town gateways are currently being conceptualized to replace the decades-old weathered-down signs. Five designs that pulled inspiration from both the current design and the look of other town signs were presented to the board. Trustees will consider either a contemporary design or having the old signs repainted in the future.

Ken Matthews, the town’s director of water utilities spoke of the current project to fix First Street’s overloaded trunk sewer. The goal is to start construction on the first phase of the three-phase project to improve water flow with one major obstacle being the 11 parcels of land which property owners will need to be negotiated with. Having to go through a 1041 permit process would put the start of construction to around the end of 2024 with an additional year until construction would be complete.

After former Trustee Jeff Butler’s unexpected resignation after the last meeting, the board needed to address the empty seat that will not be open for election for another six months. In this situation, the board is responsible for deciding how the seat is to be filled until the time of election. The board decided to only allow applications from people already a part of volunteer committees with the city including the Planning Commission effective immediately.

The application period will last a month with public interviews held at the end with an appointment made the same day.

Trustee Albrecht brought up the topic of a study session on the topic of mosquitos and as of now, the board will hold a study session for said topic on Aug. 29. Town Administrator Christopher Kirk acknowledged that by the time the board comes to a decision, it would not have an impact until next year.

The next regular town board meeting will be held on Aug. 22 at 6:30 pm.