MEEKER | In attendance to observe the April 2 Meeker town meeting were newly-elected trustees Kathy Sizemore, Jessica Browning and Charles Day. Travis Day was re-elected and will serve as Meeker’s new mayor. Unofficial election results pending return of potential overseas ballots:
Of 472 ballots total returned: Travis Day – 356; Kathy Sizemore – 366; Charlie Day – 224, Jessica Browning – 275.
HOUSING ASSESSMENT: AFFORDABILITY
Trustees reviewed the findings of a housing needs assessment by Ayres & Associates last week. The presentation focused on affordability, current housing stock, rental availability, and the nuances of new housing development in rural communities.
Ayres shared insights from an analysis of local demographics, income, housing data and results from a survey of local and area residents.
Information highlighted during the meeting underscored a significant gap between the demand for affordable housing and the current supply. Overall housing is becoming less affordable in Meeker due to a variety of factors including rising home prices, aging housing stock requiring significant upgrades before move-in, and a shortage of market-rate rental options for essential workers and people who need to start working before being able or willing to consider purchasing a home in town. Senior retirement housing options were also noted, as a lack of those options means seniors and retirees stay in their current homes, resulting in less mobility in the housing market.
According to a “rule of thumb,” no more than 30% of annual/monthly income should go towards housing including utilities, internet, HOA payments and other housing related costs. Ayres highlighted this metric, noting that most units around that price range don’t stay on the market for long. Affordability metrics are also key for the town and partner entities to consider when seeking grants and other state/federal assistance programs to address the pressing need for affordable housing in Meeker.
STRATEGIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Ayres offered strategies and recommendations for the town to consider moving forward under four core areas.
• “Organization and capacity building” designating/clarifying roles and responsibilities for entities involved in and affected by housing efforts such as housing authorities, local developers, banks, special districts and hospitals.Building local development expertise through partnerships, training, and technical assistance, and ensuring plans are realistic and aligned with the town’s existing capacity.
• “Development Strategies” looks at proactive approaches like controlling land assets, developing community vision and buy-in, identifying local partnerships and exploring models like infill/redevelopment opportunities.
• “Policies and regulations” means regularly evaluating and updating local policies and codes to promote housing variety, remove barriers and maintain eligibility for funding programs requiring expedited permitting processes. Special programs and funding leveraging resources like surplus public land, and pursuing various state/federal funding sources like infrastructure assistance grants and housing programs.
Another key aspect noted was the consideration of the level of involvement the town wants to have with the issue. Ayres & Associates’ next phase will be developing a more detailed “Strategic Action Plan “ So far the firm’s work has been funded by an IHOP Innovative Housing Planning Grant Program) grant.
FUNDING REQUESTS
The town approved a $5,000 funding request for the Meeker Mustang Makeover following a presentation by the organization’s president Dierdre Macnab, who emphasized the event’s success in working toward the ultimate vision of emulating the Meeker Classic sheepdog trials as an economic engine for the county. “Your support helps us get closer to what we hope will be a sustainable effort and the kind of long-term success that we’ve seen with the Meeker Sheepdog Classic,” said Mcnabb. The event this year will be on Aug. 24. The organization plans to use the money for additional marketing efforts to bring people to town.
Trustees approved a donation request for the Range Call committee for the Fourth of July fireworks display. Board president Travis Goodwin asked trustees for $1,500 based on amounts given in past years, noting that the amount would likely increase in coming years due to various funding challenges. Meeker Volunteer Fire Protection District will continue to provide operational support but will no longer fund the fireworks and have asked Range Call to take over that process. Additionally, Goodwin noted the county plans to start charging for facility use during Range Call events.
The board agreed to grant $5,000 to Range Call based on the prior funding grant and new challenges highlighted during the meeting.
CIRCLE PARK UPDATE
The board reviewed a technical memo on the development of Circle Park including various items that need changing to get the design “to get to that 100% ready design.”
Engineer GDI recommended redesigning some aspects like the stormwater drain, ADA riverbank access and bank stabilization methods to be less intrusive and provide greater stability. Cost estimates for the redesign ranged from $48,060 to $74,380 depending on the ADA access design. An addendum to the professional services agreement with GDI was presented for approval, with a maximum cost of $50,000 for the redesign.
