MEEKER I Representatives from the Eastern Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation & Park District (ERBM) asked the Town of Meeker Board of Trustees for a formal motion to support the Ute Park ballfield project at the town council meeting June 7.
The Town of Meeker owns Ute Park and has been in talks with the ERBM since a feasibility study was conducted last summer.
Kent Walter, vice president of ERBM’s board, said “We’re looking for the town to get some skin in the game—having a strong partnership with the town would be very advantageous.”
The district has already spent about $30,000 on the concept plan, but before moving forward with a $300,000 investment for more detailed studies and designs, wanted to formalize the dialogue that has taken place during the past year.
Meeker Trustee Travis Day expressed concern regarding the lack of public input on a project of this magnitude. It carries an estimated cost of $3 million.
Meeker Town Administrator Scott Meszaros stated that public input and an ordinance period would happen after the formal motion, and he said, “The motion does nothing more than express support for the concept in its current form.”
Sean VonRoenn, the ERBM’s executive director, added, “We’re willing to comply with whatever the town’s code and process is.”
The motion passed 5-2, with trustees Rodney Gerloff, Wendy Gutierrez, Scott Creecy, Danny Conrado and Mayor Regas Halandras in favor and Day and Trustee Melissa Kindall voting against.
Other business included approving May accounts payable, waiving a $64,000 water main tap fee for the football field at Starbuck Stadium, renewal of Meeker Cafe’s liquor license, approval of a contract with Cultural Resource Historians LLC for continued work on the designation of parts of Meeker as a National Historic District, and a service agreement with Olsson Associates for preliminary analysis and design of water system improvements to the electrical/supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) transmission line and well field development.
