By Rudy Hemmann

The Surveyor

The Berthoud Board of Trustees held a regular business meeting Tuesday evening and, following a presentation by Town Administrator Chris Kirk regarding the proposed 2020 budget, during which he outlined changes to the bottom lines for several of the funds administered by town staff, took action to approve next year’s budget as presented.

Among items mentioned by Kirk is an additional expenditure from the general fund of $125,000 for the purchase of the Berthoud Feed Supply property, an additional expenditure of $575,000 from wastewater capital fund to cover the cost of wastewater plant improvements, an additional contribution of $250,000 to the CDOT-Fastlane fund from the town’s road impact fund, and an increase of $1,350,000 for Waggener Farm construction from the 2019 one percent sales tax fund.

Following discussion of the budget the trustees voted to approve the 2020 budget. As required by state statute four resolutions and one ordinance needed to be passed to be in compliance.

Resolution 2019-22 expenditure of funds in excess of the 2019 budget.

Resolution 2019-23 appropriation of money to various funds for the 2020 budget year.

Resolution 2019-24 adoption of budget for the 2020 calendar year.

Resolution 2019-25 adoption of the 2020 fee schedule.

Ordinance 1278 levying taxes for the year 2020 to defray costs.

Each of the above items was addressed by the trustees and approved in the order presented.

Trustee Pete Tomassi voiced his intention to vote against budget line items the voters initially rejected in a previous election. For that reason he voted “No” on resolutions 2019-23 and 2019-24.

The board heard a presentation by Amie Pilla rxecutive director of the Berthoud Public Library. Pilla informed the board the library was too small and was alerting the board of that fact. Kirk noted during discussion that a parcel of land which lies adjacent to the library will be available as soon as the town has moved its equipment off of the property and into the new town service center building which will soon be under construction.

The trustees ratified the decision by the library board selecting Natalie Vogt to fill a seat on the library board.

The trustees approved the adoption by reference of several building codes which brings the town’s building codes into compliance.

The board discussed a cost share program to bring the town’s sidewalks into Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance as well as to repair and replace or install sidewalks in town.