Woodland Park City Council approved a nearly half-million-dollar street rehabilitation contract and advanced two ordinances at its May 21 regular meeting, while residents used the public comment period to press the council against appointing the April election’s only losing candidate to fill a vacant council seat.
Vacancy Draws Public Pressure
Two speakers addressed the council vacancy that did not appear on the agenda, each making the same argument from a different angle.
Jerry Penland laid out the election results directly. Every candidate who won a seat in April cleared 70 percent of votes cast. Mary Sekowski, the only unsuccessful candidate and the name circulating for direct appointment to the vacancy, received 38.5 percent — 870 votes out of 2,259 ballots processed. Penland said he expected the council to “strongly consider the election results, the will of the voters.”
Gail Gehrig said Woodland Park needs council members free of special interest commitments who can acknowledge conflicts of interest. She supported the council’s prior decision to run an open application process and said she was confident a qualified candidate would emerge.
The council listened without responding, consistent with public comment protocol.
State Energy Code Strategy Explained
Roger Lovell, building official for the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, briefed the council on energy code changes taking effect July 1 — the result of state legislation the PPRBD had opposed, testified against, and worked to soften without success.
House Bill 22-1362, passed in 2022, created a compliance timeline: any time a jurisdiction updates a building code, it must adopt the current state minimum energy standard at that moment. To avoid triggering the state’s incoming Model Low Energy and Carbon Code, PPRBD will adopt the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code without amendments on June 30 — one day before the deadline, the same approach it used in 2023. Lovell said the department’s strategy is to stay one step behind the state minimum while remaining in compliance.
The code also requires a minimum 40-amp circuit in all garages for future EV charging and requires builders to identify a solar-ready area on all new structures, though no panels or pre-wiring are required. Lovell noted the electric-ready provisions are designed to discourage natural gas appliances and promote electrification.
Street Contract Approved With Objection
The council approved a $438,859 contract with A-1 Chip Seal Company for citywide street work, plus a 10 percent contingency bringing the total authorization to approximately $483,000 — under the $500,000 budgeted.
Work covers the Chips-Yale and Evergreen Heights neighborhoods, a portion of Valley Way, sections of the American Discovery Trail along Fairview from Highway 24 south to the city line, and a dirt trail segment from Aspen Garden Way to Chester Avenue. Citywide striping is included.
One council member objected to chip sealing Evergreen Heights, citing windshield damage and hazards for motorcycle riders. City Manager Aaron Vassalotti acknowledged the concern and noted the city had already spent significantly on that road. A-1 Chip Seal has worked with the city for 15 years and was the only responsive bidder. The council approved unanimously.
Fire Code Advances to Public Hearing
The council approved Ordinance 1524 on initial posting, adopting the 2021 International Fire Code, and set a public hearing for June 4. Fire Chief Tyler Lambert attended and was available for questions. Mayor Jones said the process needed to be completed before the end of June.
Graywater Banned Pending Regulations
The council unanimously approved Ordinance 1522, prohibiting individual graywater treatment systems within city limits. Utilities Director Kevin Wiley said a state law that took effect January 1 encouraged graywater reuse but left regulation to municipalities. Because Woodland Park has no regulatory framework for systems that treat household wastewater from sinks, showers, and laundry for reuse in irrigation or toilet flushing, the city moved to prohibit them until rules are developed. The Utilities Advisory Committee will study other municipalities’ frameworks first. No public comment was offered on the ordinance.
Verizon Lease Amended
The council unanimously approved Ordinance 1523, amending the land lease with Verizon Wireless for its cell facility near the Aquatic Center at 111 N. Baldwin Street. The amendment updates Verizon’s leased area and facility configuration. City Attorney Betsy Stewart presented the item. The original lease was approved in August 2023. No public comment was offered.
Consent Calendar
The council approved the consent calendar, which included the May 7, 2026 meeting minutes as amended and the April 2026 Statement of Expenditures.
DDA Appointments Deferred
Three Downtown Development Authority seats need filling — two vacancies and a third term expiring shortly. The council deferred all appointments to June, directing City Clerk Monica Mendoza to accept applications through June 12 with interviews on June 18. Mayor Jones said the DDA’s financial responsibilities require careful scrutiny of applicants. DDA Chair Jon Gemelke attended. A Parks and Recreation Advisory Board appointment was similarly deferred to the June 4 meeting.
Police Department Pursues Accreditation
Police Chief Chris Deisler, appearing remotely, announced the department has entered the self-assessment phase of CALEA accreditation — a voluntary process completed by roughly 5 percent of U.S. law enforcement agencies. Deisler said the department already meets most standards and expects to complete the process by the end of 2029. He opened his report by noting the recent death of former Commander Jim Halloran, who served the city nearly 28 years before retiring in 2019 and was remembered as a dedicated advocate for wildfire protection.
Reports and Presentations
City Attorney Betsy Stewart noted the state legislative session has ended and said her office will send the council a summary of newly enacted bills requiring city attention.
The Keep Woodland Park Beautiful committee presented results of an April 29 Litter Bug Art Lab at Memorial Park, where Merritt Academy sixth graders cleaned two city sites and constructed a sculpture from recovered litter under the direction of art teacher Leslie Gray.
The School-to-Work Alliance Program gifted the council a student-made banner marking America’s 250th anniversary. Coordinator Patty Woods announced the Panther Cafe, a student-run lunch pilot backed by a $60,000 grant in which students earned food-safe certification and served lunches.
Andrew Hartman of Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center told the council he has secured office space at UCHealth facilities in Woodland Park and Cripple Creek for regular veteran meetings, funded by a suicide prevention grant targeting veterans in Teller and El Paso counties.
Parks and Recreation Director Cindy Keating’s retirement celebration is June 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. The Colorado Lottery will present the city a Starburst Award for Avenger Open Space on June 4 at 4 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Catherine Nakai proposed a “Council Member for a Day” program for youth and said she would bring it to the Youth Advisory Council at its June 3 meeting.
City Hall is closed May 26 for Memorial Day. A graveside remembrance ceremony is scheduled that day at 11 a.m. at Woodland Park Cemetery, sponsored by American Legion Post 1980 and VFW Post 6051. The next regular council meeting is June 4, 2026.
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