By Joshua Cole
CENTENNIAL — In danger of potentially costing its citizens millions of dollars in future roads or other projects, Centennial City Council approved, June 21, two policies giving Centennial city staff more autonomy and control over day-to-day tasks.
Because the Council meets only once a week, the new policies will supposedly allow staff to get things done without Council micromanaging and allow Council to work on wider policy issues. Waiting for Council could have delayed or eliminated projects, while preparing and giving reports for Council’s approval has taken staff time and money.
Staff would still have to stay on budget, which Council approves each year.
Council unanimously approved letting city staff determine veto power for state or federal roads projects, and, by a 6-2 vote, Council let the city manager sign bigger checks and contracts.
Council no longer the unnecessary middleman
Under state regulation, cities and counties can request that a project paid for with state or federal money go through a veto process called “1041.” However, not all projects qualify, only major ones, like adding a lane, building a new highway or taking away access from a connecting road.
A city needs to tell the state or federal agency if a project qualifies; if a project does, then a city or county government can choose whether it wants to veto or approve it. If it doesn’t, the project can move forward expediently.
This is a process that is similar to land use cases, wherein the city staff determines what land use would be necessary, with Council coming in at the end to approve or deny it, said city planning director Wayne Reed.
With 1041s, Centennial City Council voted in May to take away staff’s power to determine if a project qualified and made the determination come to Council. Yet, Council couldn’t do anything anyway except possibly cost the city money and time because determining if projects qualify usually isn’t subjective.
On June 21, Council determined that 11 projects didn’t count. Most of the projects were intersection improvements and traffic signal replacements, and turn or acceleration lanes additions or extensions.
Council then voted to change its policy to give city staff the ability to determine all projects that would or wouldn’t qualify for 1041 status. Staff would send copies of letters to Council following these determinations.
“I feel pretty comfortable with staff being able to tell the difference between the I-25 underpass and a striping project,” said Councilman Keith Gardner.
Before this change, instead of getting a quick turnaround regarding these projects, the Colorado Department of Transportation had to wait weeks, Centennial staff said.
“We nearly lost several million dollars of projects,” said Public Works Director Dave Zelenok before Council voted to change the policy. “We were delighted at the end of last year to have the support of CDOT’s efforts. After asking a tremendous favor, they felt slighted that we slowed their projects down.”
Council set the original policy in May due to alleged past miscommunication regarding Arapahoe Road and Interstate 25. Councilwoman Rebecca McClellan’s determination to ensure that everything regarding the Arapahoe/I-25 interchange proposal goes through her and the rest of Council encapsulated the entire city. Moreover, Centennial couldn’t qualify to enter the 1041 process if a road associated with the Arapahoe/I-25 interchange isn’t in Centennial; most of the land around the interchange is in Greenwood Village.
To assuage McClellan, Council did modify its 1041 policy so that future projects boxed between Caley and Yosemite streets would be determined by Council.
“Ms. McClellan may single-handedly create enough controversy for this city council that it eliminates any possibility of I-25 being done in our lifetime if this keeps up,” Councilman Ron Weidmann said. “This is ridiculous.”
City manager gets higher credit limit
By a 6-2 vote, City Council gave the city manager the ability to create internal policies – which the Council would then ratify – and to sign checks, contracts and agreements for up to $300,000 for public works and up to $150,000 for everything else.
The city manager still has to conform to the budget that Council passes each year and to the policy and vision that Council determines.
“In order to be this nimble government that we believe we are, often times it comes with being able to let go,” said City Manager Jacque Wedding-Scott. “The bottom line is we have made every attempt for the goal that this Council sets for us.”
Council’s ability to ratify policies pleased Mayor Cathy Noon, who was anxious that having the city manager set her own policies would cut out checks and balances.
An example of a policy would be purchasing. Not everything needs to go to a bid. Some projects need a company to show its qualifications, and other things, like supplies or rock salt could be bought in a cooperative with other groups and governments. A more flexible city manager can create a policy that opens the city up for this variety of options. Council could still stop a policy if it disapproves.
Councilwomen McClellan and Sue Bosier voted against the resolution; Councilman Rick Dindinger was absent.
“Unless there’s a requirement under the charter to loosen the purse strings, I don’t see that citizens want to make it easier to spend the money,” McClellan said.
Other members of Council disagreed.
“This isn’t additional spending or loosening purse strings. This is for making sure things are done in a fashion that is ethically sound for the city,” said Councilman Patrick Anderson.
When the issue was first discussed, Councilman Vorry Moon said City Council still would have control because Council could hire and fire the city manager. On June 21, Councilman Todd Miller said that by ceding control, finding qualified managers would be easier.
If the city manager resolution didn’t pass, “in future councils, you’ll have a hard time finding city managers that can live under the constraints,” Miller said.
The new policy also supposedly gives Council time and ability to work on other things.
“There’s been some clamoring that we bring too much to you and meetings go too long into the night,” Wedding-Scott said.
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josh@villagerpublishing.com, 303-773-8313 ext. 301
