The Alamosa City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to approve Resolution No. 7-2026, setting the street list for a proposed renewal of the city’s half-cent dedicated streets sales tax — but only after a spirited debate that resulted in council swapping out a portion of Third Street in favor of Foster Avenue, the long-unpaved dirt road in Ward 3 that several council members said they could not in good conscience leave off the list again. The council also advanced two ordinances on first reading and recognized several ceremonial milestones during the May 6 meeting at Council Chambers, 300 Hunt Avenue.
Streets Sales Tax Renewal
The resolution will appear alongside a November 2026 ballot question asking voters to extend the existing half-cent dedicated streets tax for another 10 years, through January 1, 2040. The current tax, approved by voters in 2019, sunsets December 31, 2029, and is projected to have generated more than $19 million by that time — 100 percent directed at the 16 streets locked in by Resolution 13-2019.
City Manager Heather Sanchez and Public Works Director Harry Reynolds presented the proposal, with Planning & Development Specialist Deacon Aspinwall providing cost modeling. The new tax is expected to generate approximately $2.1 million annually. A citizen street advisory committee met four times this year and recommended 12 streets for full reconstruction, three streets for surface treatments, and $500,000 per year for sidewalk and overlay maintenance programs — up from $400,000 in the previous tax cycle.
The committee identified more than 70 streets needing repair totaling over 20 miles. Construction cost inflation has driven the price of a single block reconstruction from roughly $300,000 in 2019 to approximately $540,000 today, meaning the renewal will address just 1.87 miles of full reconstruction compared to 7.5 miles under the first tax. Reynolds noted that costs roughly double between 2030 and 2039 under current inflation projections — a block costing $700,000 in 2030 would cost nearly $1.4 million by 2039.
The staff-presented resolution included Third Street from Richardson Avenue to Hunt Avenue as one of the larger reconstruction projects. Reynolds explained that Third Street’s stormwater system is failing, and replacing it requires tearing up virtually the entire road surface at every intersection. The committee ranked Third Street second overall among streets needing repair.
Councilor Michael Carson said he had driven Third Street multiple times in preparation for the meeting and could not justify a full rebuild there when streets in far worse condition exist elsewhere. He raised equity concerns about concentrating multiple full rebuilds in what he described as one of the city’s more established neighborhoods, and said the proposal as written would be his no vote.
Councilor Jan Vigil, who said he had advocated for Foster Avenue for five or six years, pushed to add it to the list. Foster is an unpaved dirt road in Ward 3 near the 43-acre Tierra Azul housing development — 412 residential units when complete — and within proximity of an elementary school. “I don’t want a council member 30 or 40 years from now saying why did they not figure this out,” Vigil said.
Councilor Jackie Vigil, representing Ward 3, agreed. “I’m disappointed that the dirt roads weren’t part of the plan,” she said. She also questioned whether Third Street warranted inclusion given its current surface condition.
Sanchez said staff had prepared an alternate resolution anticipating the discussion. The amended version replaces a portion of Third Street with Foster Avenue in the first construction phase and uses cost savings from the swap to fund seven of the 10 blocks of Third Street in the second phase, leaving three blocks unfunded. The resolution also adds language specifying that the sales tax will cover the stormwater component of the Foster Avenue project, which staff estimated at approximately $200,000 — an exception to the general rule that underground utility work is funded separately through the enterprise fund.
Councilor Liz Hensley said she supported following the citizen street committee’s recommendation in full, arguing the community-driven process was key to passing the first tax and would be essential to passing the renewal. “I personally feel we go with what they said,” she said. The council ultimately accepted the amended version.
Councilor Dawn Krebs asked for a cost comparison between Foster and Third Street and said she wanted to give Foster “at least the beginnings” of what it needs.
The motion to approve Resolution 7-2026 as amended — adding Foster Avenue and reducing the Third Street scope — carried unanimously. Reynolds and Aspinwall were credited by Sanchez for preparing the alternate resolution in advance.
A ward-by-ward analysis showed street activity under both the current and proposed tax covering Wards 1, 3, and 4. Ward 2 has no streets selected for full reconstruction in the new proposal, though Reynolds noted overlay work is likely in that area and will be identified as the ballot campaign develops. Staff noted that Foster Avenue is recommended to be paved only to 8th Street, with a suggestion that the county be approached to complete the remainder.
If the tax is not renewed, the city’s street budget would fall to roughly $300,000 per year — enough for about one block every two years at current costs.
Indigent Defense Counsel — Ordinance 13-2026
Council approved Ordinance No. 13-2026 on first reading, setting a public hearing for May 20, 2026. City Attorney Erich Schwiesow explained that a recent state law, House Bill 26-1134, requires municipal courts to pay independent indigent defense counsel at the same hourly rate as state alternate defense counsel — currently $105 per hour. Alamosa is a home rule city, and the ordinance establishes a local provision that subjects defense counsel appointments to the city’s own procurement code rather than the state rate floor. Failure to adopt the ordinance would cost the city an estimated $2,000 more per year under the current contract. The motion carried unanimously.
Dark Sky Lighting — Ordinance 12-2026
Council approved Ordinance No. 12-2026 on first reading, with a public hearing set for May 20, 2026. Development Services Director Rachel James presented amendments to the 2024 dark sky ordinance that increase residential and commercial outdoor lighting from 500 lumens to 1,100 lumens, raise the color temperature limit from 3,000 Kelvins to 5,000 Kelvins, eliminate the lumen cap for internally illuminated signs, and create a separate 15,000-lumen standard for public spaces such as parks and streets — consistent with recently installed CDOT lighting in the city.
James noted the changes make the code more achievable since many new LED fixtures cannot dim to 500 lumens, while still preserving the intent of protecting the night sky. The Planning Commission had recommended the 5,000-Kelvin figure over staff’s preferred 3,000 Kelvins.
During citizen comment, a business owner told council he supported the lumen and Kelvin increases but asked that building-mounted electronic message centers be explicitly addressed in the code. Sanchez said that issue would come before council in a general housekeeping code cleanup scheduled for June or July, and that staff’s recommendation will be to allow them. A second speaker, James Billings, said he opposed restrictions on how long residents could leave their lights on at night.
Sanchez said she was disappointed by public comment that questioned the professional integrity of Rachel James and her connection to SLV GO!, the organization that originated the dark sky initiative, noting James had actually delayed the ordinance for two years while determining whether community desire existed for such regulations. The motion to approve the ordinance on first reading carried unanimously.
Consent Calendar
Council approved Consent Calendar A unanimously, which included the March 2026 financial, expenditure, and investment reports; approval of April 15, 2026 meeting minutes; and an agreement to transfer approximately $1.3 million in unused San Luis Valley Regional Airport entitlement funds to Yampa Valley Regional Airport. The airport transfer keeps federal aviation dollars in Colorado rather than returning them to the regional pool. The city remains a listed sponsor of the SLV Regional Airport from its prior ownership role, though it has no operational stake in the facility.
Fire Department Badging Ceremony
Fire Chief Frank Wirth presided over a badging ceremony recognizing four newly promoted officers. Deputy Chief Estevan Alonzo, Captain Jonathan McEwen, Lieutenant Michael Abeyta, and Lieutenant Tyler Cerny were pinned by family members during the ceremony. Wirth noted that four candidates applied for the deputy chief position, seven for captain, and nine for lieutenant — describing the deep candidate pool as evidence of strong leadership development within the department. The new positions were created in part following the retirement of a former deputy chief.
Fire Explorer Program
Wirth also introduced the 2026 Fire Explorer cohort, a program run in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley. Adam Lopez, who coordinates the program through the club, presented nine explorers ranging from eighth-graders at Ortega Middle School to students at Alamosa High School and Center High School. Three are returning from prior years and have taken on peer mentoring roles. Lopez said the program is in its third year, having started with eight participants, dropping to five, and returning to nine this year.
Outside Agency Presentations
Liz Breckbill, executive director of the Alamosa Bicycle Coalition, reported on the organization’s use of the city’s vulnerable populations grant in 2025. The coalition distributed 172 free bicycles — each paired with a helmet, lock, and lights — through referrals from partner organizations including La Puente, Center for Restorative Programs, and TuCasa. The coalition also hosted bicycle rodeos, weekly youth rides in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club and Alamosa School District, and a Halloween bike ride drawing roughly 100 participants. Breckbill announced a June 24 Bike to Work event at Zapata Park at 7 a.m., featuring free breakfast burritos and bicycle registration with the police department.
Aaron Miltenberger, co-executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley, presented the organization’s 2025 impact report. He highlighted a 100 percent safety rate for youth following suicide ideation through safety planning partnerships with mental health providers, 75 percent permanent housing outcomes for more than 25 youth served through homelessness programs, and completion of 90 percent of a goal to place 78 learners in paid healthcare internships. The organization’s early childhood learning center — a 600-square-foot facility with 10 classrooms and capacity for 160 children — is on track to open for pilot enrollment August 3, with full enrollment expected by January 2027.
Proclamations
Mayor Ty Coleman and council members read proclamations recognizing the 57th Annual Professional Municipal Clerks Week, May 3–9, honoring City Clerk Holly Martinez, Susanna Gallegos, Aerial Portillo-Lawson, and Kenny Ayres; Police Week, May 11–17, and Peace Officers Memorial Day, May 15; Historic Preservation Month, with remarks from Don Thompson of the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, who noted 26 structures currently on the city’s historic registry; and Mental Health Month, accepted by a representative of the San Luis Valley Behavioral Health Group.
Committee Reports and Staff Announcements
Councilor Krebs reported the library board is considering adjusting hours for broader community access and updating the local history room. She also said the SLV Council of Governments is working toward enterprise zone designation and advancing a GIS project, and that the Alamosa Creates arts committee received an enthusiastic response at a stakeholder meeting on alleyway renovation plans involving Centennial Park.
Councilor Jan Vigil reported attending a comprehensive plan meeting where participants identified community groups to help with outreach ahead of a public kickoff at the Sunshine Festival in June.
Sanchez announced that CDOT is beginning bridge work that may reduce traffic to one lane for four to five weeks, and encouraged drivers to consider Highway 17 as an alternate route. She also reminded council that the fallen officers memorial ceremony is set for the following Wednesday, with participants arriving at the station between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:19 p.m.
Support Independent Local Journalism — High Country Advocate was created as a real alternative to regional media that too often silences dissenting voices while taking sides in the political struggle. Producing in-depth, unflinching reporting like this series and others is expensive: servers, editing, research time, and legal review all add up quickly. If these articles have informed you or given you new perspective, please consider supporting HCA with a paid subscription — every subscriber helps keep this reporting strong and independent. 