A proposal to close Main Street to traffic during summer months drew sharp objections from longtime Westcliffe business owners at the May 19 Board of Trustees meeting, while a new sewer and water infrastructure project south of town hit a billing dispute in its first week of construction. The board also seated a new trustee, named a mayor pro-tem, and addressed a paving overage that exceeded its approved budget without board authorization.
Main Street Closure Divides Business Community and Board
Mayor Christy Patterson placed a proposal on the agenda after local businesses approached her about closing Main Street between 2nd and 3rd streets during summer months beginning next year. She distributed notes outlining considerations and invited the board and business owners present to weigh in.
Mike and Patty Martinez, who have operated a Main Street retail business for 21 years, said impulse customers — people who park on Main Street and walk in without planning — represent a meaningful share of their sales. Routing traffic away, they said, would cost them those visits. They noted the community dinner closes the street and produces zero sales for their shop, while the car show also closes the street but draws foot traffic past storefronts with different results. The Martinezes said the closure idea has surfaced at least three times in two decades.
Trustee Randy Wilhelm raised accessibility concerns, noting that some residents lack handicap placards but struggle to walk the extra distance required if Main Street parking disappeared. The library’s location on the block added another complication. Other trustees pointed to delivery access for the grocery store, service vehicles, and trash trucks using the alley.
Bianca Trenker, vice chair of the Custer County Tourism Board and a Westcliffe lodging operator, asked the board to consider what traffic pattern the town wants as it grows. She drew on her experience growing up in Manitou Springs, where parking problems were not addressed early enough, created a decade of community conflict, and ultimately drove businesses away. She said she likely wouldn’t be available for a fall workshop due to the busy season but urged the board to get ahead of the issue.
The board did not vote to close the street. Trustees agreed to carry the discussion forward under a new title — “safety and parking on Main Street” — and to hold a fall workshop with business owners after summer. Patterson asked that money for parking lot improvements and signage be included in the July budget discussion.
Sewer Project Hits Billing Dispute in First Week
A water and sewer extension project on the south end of town began construction the week of May 12 and ran into a payment dispute within days. Project manager Jerry Peters reported the contractor submitted his first invoice and the project engineer rejected it, saying she needed more itemized description before approving payment. The contractor, who submitted a lump-sum bid, told Peters he did not understand the request.
Peters said the physical work is proceeding well: the first two manholes are complete, compaction tests passed, and a minor repair is needed at the tie-in coupling. Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District is satisfied with progress.
Town Attorney Dan Findlay said the contract gives the engineer authority to approve invoices, but added that paying the contractor’s mobilization and materials-on-hand costs promptly would likely ease tensions and that most municipalities issue payment and correct errors the following month rather than holding funds. Mayor Patterson directed Peters to contact Findlay the following morning to move the payment forward.
Paving Overage Spent Without Board Approval
Trustee Chuck Jagow raised questions during consent agenda discussion about the town’s 2026 asphalt paving project, which came in at roughly $280,000 against a $250,000 budget. Streets/Parks Supervisor Neal Marrs acknowledged the overage and apologized, explaining that additional roads were added to the project scope after bidding, pushing square footage from an estimated 75,000 to about 100,000. The contractor reduced the per-square-foot price to help offset the increase, and Marrs said the capital fund has sufficient reserve to absorb the difference.
Jagow asked whether board approval should have been sought before the extra work proceeded. Findlay confirmed it should have, and said the standard going forward is to bring overages back to the board before additional work is authorized. The consent agenda passed unanimously.
Dembosky Appointed; Shy Named Mayor Pro-Tem
The board unanimously appointed Mark Dembosky to fill a vacant trustee seat left when no candidate filed to run in April. Dembosky had previously served on the board but resigned last year due to illness; he told the board he has recovered. He noted the board skews older and said younger residents need to get involved in local government. One trustee said publicly that advertising the vacancy would have been preferable for transparency but acknowledged state law allows direct appointment within 60 days of an election without it. Dembosky will be sworn in at the June meeting.
The board also unanimously appointed Kit Shy as Mayor Pro-Tem. Shy abstained from the vote.
Sheriff: Crime Down, E-Bike Enforcement Planned
Custer County Sheriff Lloyd “Rich” Smith reported that most crime categories are down compared to the same period last year, with theft the exception — up significantly, driven in part by contractor disputes that blur the line between civil and criminal cases. He also reported a rise in sophisticated fraud, including one case where a victim believed the caller may have been an AI voice. Major crimes are down 8%, non-violent crimes down 23%, and traffic crashes down 58% from last year.
Trustees raised concerns about e-bikes exceeding the town’s 15 mph speed limit and ATVs running stop signs. One trustee said the streets are like “Indianapolis 500” for ATVs. Findlay confirmed the law allows enforcement of speed limits on e-bikes; Smith said he will pursue it and will have community service deputy Megan Sabatino contact local dealers about customer education. Smith also said a parking-enforcement system already running in Silver Cliff can be extended to Westcliffe within a week, now that both towns have aligned their parking fees. He said the department’s three countywide license plate cameras helped solve a murder case by tracking the suspect’s vehicle.
Bank Signatories Removed; Tourism Board Reports New Direction
The board unanimously voted to remove former Mayor Paul Wenke, former trustee Kathy Reis, and former Mayor Pro-Tem George Mowry from the town’s United Business Bank accounts. Patterson explained the town discovered the former officials remained listed when it went to add new signatories; the bank required a formal board resolution for removal.
Lauren Austin and Trenker, new chair and vice chair of the Custer County Tourism Board, introduced themselves and outlined a shift in strategy — keeping summer promotion at a maintenance level while directing new resources toward year-round tourism. Both own Westcliffe Suites. They said a county publicist has been on payroll for a year without full deployment and they plan to use her for TV news outreach from Colorado Springs stations.
Parks, Infrastructure, and Staffing
A trustee raised whether to reconsider previously approved shade structures for the Jess Price Memorial Park playground area after hearing about alternative options. The board, noting the structures had already been approved and are modular and moveable, voted to proceed with the existing plan.
Marrs reported the Hermit Park pavilion has log wrap pillars 80% complete and a porta-potty has been placed there for summer use, purchased in lieu of an $80,000 permanent bathroom to address pedestrian safety concerns on Hermit Road. He plans to install eye-level speed limit signs and painted crosswalk striping on Main Street before Memorial Day weekend. Two Black Hills Energy lights — one at the Hermit Park pavilion and one at Town Hall — need shielding to comply with the town’s dark sky standards; Marrs said he would address both with Black Hills.
Findlay reported that Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District returned edits to a long-pending Memorandum of Understanding between the town and the district. He said the edits raised no significant issues and the MOU may be near completion. The Parks Advisory Committee did not meet and was removed from the agenda until it convenes again.
Acacia Skyler Roy, owner of Candy’s Coffee at 106 S. 2nd Street, received unanimous board approval to paint a floral mural on a six-foot fence on the south side of her property. She said neighboring businesses and the building owner all consented.
Marrs announced his retirement effective July 1. The board discussed whether to promote from within or post for a new supervisor and whether to add a part-time technician; no formal action was taken. A retirement party for former Mayor Paul Wenke is scheduled for June 5, 4–8 p.m. at Old Ward. The Colorado Municipal League district meeting is set for May 22 at 5 p.m. at All O’Rourke in Westcliffe, co-hosted with Silver Cliff.
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