EVMD Board Meeting 10/24/2024 Recap

This is an unofficial summary of the Oct. 24, 2024 Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the EagleVail Metropolitan District produced by EVMD Communications staff. A draft of the minutes will be posted to the EVMD website once they are composed.

Board members present: McGuire, Hopkins, Laughlin, Barcza, Copeland

BOARD ACTION

Unanimous approval of the 2024 Audit Engagement Letter with McMahan & Assoc.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Suggested future wildland fire mitigation ideas presented to the board.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS RECAP

Four committees were restructured and convened in September. The next meetings will take place in January/February 2025 (Finance meets more often.) If you are interested in participating in one of the committees below, please send an email of interest to: kristin@commfluent.com.

Traffic Calming/Safety - Lauren Barcza

• • Productive conversation.
  • Overwhelming ask was to come up with ways to decrease speed; update on speed tables – get a contractor to put in seven speed tables next year; mitigating efforts around stop signs.
  • Striping – positive and supportive discussion; went through proposed plan. Wanted to see an educational plan (implemented and ongoing); evidence so far speeds are slowing down; pedestrians appreciate the added space.
  • Discussion about how we might be able to get more law enforcement presence – need citizens to be part of the process with more calls to the Eagle County Sherriff’s Office.
  • Discussion about safe routes to school and further collaboration with school district.

Recreational Amenities (pool, courts, golf) - Tim McGuire & Terry Copeland

• • Good turnout.
  • So many different areas to go in, suggest creating sub-committees – not necessary to have a board member on the sub-committee – sub-committees can report to main committee.
  • Not part of the committee discussion but courts’ representatives recommend moving basketball to Pavilion Park area – board asked staff to look at decommissioning costs; costs to relocate; timeline.
  • Considerable discussion about potential enhancements to the Nordic trails and ice-skating ponds.
    • Committee member Lynn Blake presented to the board ideas for greater board consideration. She worked with fellow EagleVail resident, Mia Stockdale, who started the Vail Nordic Center, on ideas:
      • Objective is to improve safety in general; appreciative of more groomed trails.
    • Trail layout: Foot and bike trails should line residences, while Nordic trails should be in the center.
    • More signage.
    • Follow the leash laws on the Nordic course – designate off-leash areas.
    • Enhance ski-specific trails on holes 1, 18, 16, 17, 15, 14, 2 and 6.
    • Suggested equipment recommendations for grooming (with costs.)
    • Ice skating ponds:
      • Dobson Ice Arena in Vail going away/more need for ice
      • Pavilion Pond into ice rink, maintained by EagleVail
      • Volunteer opportunity to flood land and create an ice sheet – Par 3; Holland Pond
      • Expand areas without too much time and cost (recommendations provided)
    • Enhance Pavilion area to be more of a gathering space – fire pits, selling s’mores – more welcoming to be a part of entire community
    • Seasonal menu at the Grill
    • Donation boxes around the community vs paid pass products
    • Mia offered to help with budget, and preview the course to discuss location for ski only trails
    • Par 3 fantastic area for Nordic grooming/access could be challenging
    • Board discussion: Better ways to compact trails? Anything to enhance winter should be explored. Staff asked to look at proposed new equipment and feasibility to groom more (and costs) as well as create more opportunities for ice. Brent Barnum highlighted the need to explore sun exposure and water consistency when thinking about new locations

Parks & Trails - Joanna Hopkins

• • • Feedback received: ways to improve access to trails across golf course.
    • West End trail extension
    • Updating parks master plan
      • Finished up trail build for 2024; back late spring, early summer, get volunteers and scheduling
      • Ribbon cutting late spring early summer

Finance - Tim McGuire & Betsy Laughlin

• • Experienced group bringing good questions to the 2025 budget process.
  • Alignment on where funding should be moving forward.
  • Discussed updating long range capital plan and financing.

OTHER DISCUSSION

Jon Erickson delivered a preview of the 2025 budget that will be reviewed next by the Finance Committee on Oct. 26. A work session will take place on Nov. 7 with the board. Final review and approval will take place at the Nov. 21 board meeting.

2024 Financials – Increased revenue forecast, under $6.7M, with the increase due to courts’ activity. There is a small revenue decrease from projected F&B.   Golf revenues ahead of budget and continues to grow year-over-year. Close to budget on operations, as well. Savings overall on capital expenditures due to speed table installation projects bumping to 2025. A bit over budget with Pavilion Pond project.

COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE

• Reviewed monthly tactics, as well as an overview of the enhanced communications around the new traffic calming/safety striping measures. Largely, feedback has been positive to the new striping with decreased speeds being observed and due to people getting their information from official channels, as well as significant temporary and permanent, new signage continuing to be installed. (Reminder that our enhanced communications survey showed e-blast/email communication most effective communications tool.)

MANAGEMENT UPDATES TO BOARD MEMBERS

• Staff is working hard towards wrapping up capital projects for 2024 and putting together the District’s budget for next year.
• Golf continued to be very busy with bookings and sales through the end of the season. Ryan and his team continue to exceed expectations every season.
• The swimming pool is officially closed for the season. Joey and her staff did a fantastic job managing and keeping the pool safe for everyone.
• The Pavilion continues to see an uptick in bookings for 2025-2026. Maryanne continues to receive inquiries for rentals as we quickly approach the end of the year and the upcoming holiday season.
• The maintenance department continues to go above and beyond maintaining the recreational amenities in the community. They are now focused on putting the golf courses and parks to bed for the winter and transitioning over to winter operations.
• The Administration Office is open to the public with the 2024-2025 resident cards beginning to be issued in November. Community members enjoyed the skier shuttle service in the past and have already begun to ask about the service for the 2024-2025 season. Discount cards for 2025 have been ordered and will also be issued in November; one discount card per household. (Board members commented on exploring e-cards, or automatic renewal possibilities.)

Traffic Calming:

We have implemented numerous traffic calming projects this year. Projects completed include:

• Two new Radar Feedback Signs
• Temporary Speed Table
• Painting Crosswalks and Stop Bars
• Repairing Orange Delineators along Eagle Road
• Milling and Paving of Stone Creek and Deer Blvd
• Painting Advisor Lanes and Posted Signage

We continue to move forward with a proposal to install 7 permanent speed tables in the community in 2025. Additionally, we have been very busy with communications and education on safety and the benefits of calming traffic in the community.

Strat Ops:

As part of the EVMD’s ongoing strategic planning process, staff and the board met during the afternoon of Oct. 24. These meetings serve as critical junctures for discussing key initiatives, aligning objectives, and charting the course for organizational success. Discussion items included:

1. Phase II East End
2. Capital Improvement Plan
3. Improved Community Communications
4. Disposition of Fire Station

Regarding Phase II East End, the EVMD continues to work with Norris Design and Yarnell Engineering on Phase II of the East End Master Plan. This phase will focus on site planning and implementation, aiming to further enhance and develop the East End area according to the master plan's vision. We look forward to working closely with Norris Design to bring this vision to life. Phase II focuses on a multipurpose sports field, connective paths, and additional parking. Over the next several weeks, we will work diligently with Norris Design to finalize project details, including site layouts, infrastructure plans, and implementation strategies. We are planning a presentation next month as well as a robust communications plan in early 2025.

Regarding the fire station disposition, staff continues to work with Sean Hanagan from High Summit Planning and legal counsel on details to subdivide the parcel between the Sheriff’s Substation and the Fire Station. After a current appraisal is completed, staff will move forward with the RFP for the disposition of the fire station.

GOLF, PARKS, RECREATION

• Both Director of Golf, Ryan Flamm, and Brent Barnum, Superintendent of Golf Course & Parks, delivered detailed information about the success of the 2024 golf season and other recreation activity, as well as current winterizing prioritization efforts underway. Please click here to see October Just the Facts for more information. 

EagleVail Traffic Calming Update EVMD Board Meeting 11/7/2024