01.16.24 DMC MinutesCITY OF BOULDER
BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
Name of Board/Commission: Downtown Management Commission
Date of Meeting: January 16, 2024
Contact Information Preparing Summary: Lisa Wuycheck, 303-441-3254
Board Members Present: Justin Kalvin, Susan Nuzum, Don Poe (V-Chair), Stephanie Trees (Chair)
Board Members Absent:
Staff Present:
Cris Jones, Director of Community Vitality (CV)
Reegan Brown, CV Senior Project Manager
Lane Landrith, CV District Vitality Specialist
Allison Moore-Farrell, Transportation Planner Senior
Emi Smith, Communications Program Manager
Chelsea Sullivan, CV Project Analyst
Interim Police Chief Stephen Redfearn, Boulder Police Department
Interim Deputy Police Chief Barry Hartkopp
Guests Present: Bettina Swigger, Downtown Boulder Partnership
Type of Meeting: Regular
The DMC meeting was called to order at 4 p.m. A quorum was present for the conduct of business.
Agenda Item 1: Roll Call
Agenda Item 2: Procedural Items
A. Approval of the November 14, 2023, Meeting Minutes
• Poe motioned to approve the meeting minutes as presented in the packet. Second by Kalvin.
The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 3: Public Participation
There were no members of the public present.
Agenda Item 4: Consent Agenda
Consent Agenda – Topics will not be discussed unless there are questions posed by the Commission.
Please reference the consent agenda memo.
DMC Responses:
• Poe asked about expectations or changes for Outdoor Dining Program. Community Vitality
Senior Project Manager Reegan Brown said staff has received interest in the program from
local business. She announced Community Vitality will host an informational meeting on
Tuesday, January 23. Brown said applications for the program will open February 1. Brown
said one local business in the program plans to withdraw. Community Vitality Director Cris
Jones reminded the commissioners the Outdoor Dining Program is a pilot program. He said
consideration to continue the program will be presented to City Council for approval in the
future.
Trees asked when the Boulder Social Streets program will be presented to Council for their
approval in 2024. Jones said Council will discuss their priorities at their retreat in the spring.
Agenda Item 5: Fund Financials
Fund Financials – The fund will not be discussed unless there are questions posed by the Commission.
Please reference the packet attachment.
DMC Responses:
• Nuzum asked for details on the 2023 actuals. She said they are listed ‘to date’. Jones said the
2023 budget has not been closed yet, so additional invoices will adjust the amount listed. Jones
explained capital dollars roll over into the new year and operational dollars do not.
• Poe asked for clarification on income decreases. Jones said there has been an adjustment in
revenue due to the gateless garage transition, but he is not concerned.
• Kalvin asked for clarification on leasing decreases. Jones said that number will increase when
vacant tenant spaces are occupied.
Agenda Item 6: Public Safety Update
Deputy Police Chief Stephen Redfearn provided a public safety update. He was joined by Interim
Deputy Police Chief Barry Hartkopp.
Redfearn said he is serving as the interim police chief after the former police chief resigned. He said
Deputy Chief Hartkopp will assume Redfearn’s former duties in the interim.
Redfearn announced 16 officers completed their training and are on the streets. As a result, he said two
new officers have been assigned to the downtown area. He said there is coverage downtown from 6
a.m. to 7 p.m. most days. Redfearn added two new officers were added to the University Hill district.
Redfearn announced six officers started their training at the Academy.
Redfearn discussed the following 2023 crime statistics for downtown.
• Decrease in property crime
• Slight increase in robbery and assault
• Decrease in noise complaints
• Increase in trespasses
• 107% increase in pedestrian contact
• 63% increase in traffic stops
Hartkopp said there will be a larger police presence on the Pearl Street Mall between 5 p.m. and 3 a.m.
Redfearn said the police department has compiled a list of community members that are high utilizers
for police responses and offenses. He said police, fire, mental health facilities, and hospitals meet to
review the list and to collaborate on ways to provide resources. He said these communications have
been successful in helping people find support. He said police will ask City Council for funding for the
utilizer initiative at the February 8 study session.
Agenda Item 7: Downtown Boulder Partnership (DBP) Update
Downtown Boulder Partnership CEO Bettina Swigger updated the commissioner on current DBP
topics.
Swigger said the Boulder Police Department will be holding a crime tips and safety workshop for the
downtown businesses at the DBP offices on January 30.
Swigger announced the holiday season was successful in the downtown district. She said the holiday
lights will stay on until the end of February.
Swigger said 23 new businesses opened downtown in 2023. She said DBP is collaborating with the
City of Boulder, the Boulder Chamber, and civic leaders to develop strategies to fill vacancies on the
second and third floors. She added that rental prices are determined by the property owners and by
taxes.
Swigger announced the following upcoming downtown events.
February 2: DBP Annual Awards Luncheon
April 14: A Taste of Pearl
Swigger invited the commissioners to meet with her one-on-one to discuss downtown topics.
DMC Responses:
• Trees asked Swigger if a working group has been established to create strategies to fill
commercial vacancies. Swigger said she and Community Vitality Director Cris Jones recently
met with the Commercial Brokers of Bolder (CBB), and she hopes to explore this topic further
with them. Jones said City Council will be highlighting economic development at their spring
retreat. He added that the City plays a part in land use rules. He said there will be future
conversations on how to better streamline and incentivize processes to allow for more
flexibility with retail spaces.
Agenda Item 8: Matters from Staff
A. Community Vitality Annual Work Plan
Community Vitality Business Services Senior Manager Elliott LaBonte said staff is reconciling the
2023 budget and is working hard on the 2024 Capital Plan. LaBonte added that parking expenses have
decreased due to credit card processing fees.
Cris Jones said staff are responding to a pipe burst at 1500 Pearl Street garage. He said the Community
Vitality offices and the tenants have been impacted, but the garage is fully functional. He said
restorative services and insurance are being contacted by staff and tenants.
Jones presented the Community Vitality 2024 Work Plan.
Jones reviewed the following topics.
• City and Community Vitality Goals and Objectives. Jones stated Community Vitality has 3
pillars which are Access for All, District Vitality, and Cultural Vibrancy.
• 2023 Community Vitality Highlights as they relate to Cultural Vibrancy, District Vitality, and
Access for All
• Ongoing Efforts of the Community Vitality Department
• 2024 Work Plan for Cultural Vibrancy
• 2024 Work Plan for District Vitality
• 2024 Work Plan for Access for All
DMC Responses:
• Poe asked Jones about plans for signage in the downtown area. Jones said staff are working on
these efforts, and the plan will be discussed at the March DMC meeting.
• Trees discussed the lack of a sense of safety in the downtown area. She suggested more
lighting. Jones said the City is investing significantly in area improvements including the 13th
Street corridor. He said plans for signage will help guide visitors to lighted areas.
B. Commutifi TDM-Wallet Pilot Program Update
Community Vitality Senior Project Manager Reegan Brown discussed the Commutifi 2024 Pilot
Program. Brown explained Commutifi is a tech startup based in Boulder that focuses on creating
platforms to better understand and quantify commuting patterns as well as encourage sustainable
commutes.
Brown said the purpose of the program is to encourage companies to fund and participate in
sustainable commuting practices through a financial incentive-matching program directed at their
employees.
Brown explained the program will provide financial incentives to employees to use sustainable
transportation methods to get to and from work. Examples include carpooling, buses, Bcycles, and
walking. She said the goal is to educate commuters on multimodal transportation options in an effort
to reduce the carbon footprint, decrease traffic congestion, improve air quality, and support local
businesses.
Brown said outreach to employers will be conducted to explain how to register their organization on
the project landing page. She said companies will be able to determine the amount they want to
incentivize for each employee. The result will be, when an employee takes a sustainable commute to
work, they will receive a financial incentive from their employer. She said the City will match the
incentives up to $1.25 per trip.
Brown explained Commutifi will assist employers to recruit their employees to join the incentive
program.
DMC Responses:
• Trees asked if the program is solely focused on an employee-employer relationship. Brown
confirmed the pilot program is focused on employers in CAGID and BJAD and their
employees. Jones said an employee can still participate if the employer is not a part of the
program.
• Trees asked which employers would be a good fit for the program. Brown responded that staff
will be conducting outreach to employers in the upcoming months.
• Poe asked if the following statements are true, and Brown confirmed.
o Individuals can sign up for the program regardless of their company’s involvement.
o The company can put 50% of the payment in and double the money they would get
from Commutifi as well.
o The company has an incentive to do that for the taxes, and they would get 50% of that
back through taxes.
Jones said this is a platform to also promote parking-related products to connect the community with
all available transportation options.
Brown said participating employers can apply for the state alternative transportation tax credit. She
explained employers can receive a 50% tax credit on any funds they use to invest in alternative modes
of transportation.
Brown said employees will also receive their financial incentive money on this platform via a virtual
mobility card. She explained the incentive program will run until the end of the year. Employees can
earn funds until the end of December, and they have until the end of January 2025 to spend their
incentive money.
C. Commissioner Recruitment Efforts Update
Communications Program Manager Emi Smith provided an update on the city’s efforts to recruit
applicants for the boards and commissions.
Smith said recruitment efforts include the following.
• Recruitment flyers
• Press release
• Communication to all city staff
• Social media and Next Door app
• Volunteer Newsletter
• Arts & Culture newsletters
• Inside Boulder commissioner interview by Commissioner Poe to be included in the DBP
newsletter
• City website
• Community Organizations
Agenda Item 9: Matters from Commissioners
Poe discussed Lime E-scooter related injuries and the need for insurance options through Lime.
Transportation and Mobility staff will discuss these issues at the March DMC meeting.
A. Recap November DBP BID Board Meeting
Trees discussed her observations from attending both the DBP’s Business Improvement District (BID)
meeting and the DBP board meeting.
She said there was a discussion at the BID meeting related to Safe and Managed Public Spaces
(SAMPS). Trees reported downtown businesses are concerned about the presence of high utilizers in
front of their businesses.
Trees said Swigger discussed consolidating the 3 DBP boards. Swigger said bringing together the 3
DBP boards (the business improvement district, the downtown boulder partnership, and the downtown
boulder community initiatives) was an experiment.
Trees said her attendance at the meetings was valuable.
Poe discussed the possibility of DMC commissioners attending other City of Boulder boards and
commission meetings. Jones said there may be opportunities to schedule joint commissions meetings.
Agenda Item 10: Next Commission Meeting
Next Commission Meeting: 4 p.m., Tuesday, March 12, 2024.
Agenda Item 11: Adjourn DMC Meeting
Poe moved to adjourn the meeting. Second by Kalvin. The meeting was adjourned at 6:04 p.m.
Approved on: March 12, 2024
Attested: Approved by:
___________________ _____________________
Lisa Wuycheck Stephanie Trees
Board Secretary DMC Chair
Date: ______________ Date: _________________
/s/ Lisa Wuycheck
April 16, 2025
Stephanie Trees (Apr 27, 2025 08:41 MDT)
04-26-25
01.16.24 DMC Meeting Minutes - APPROVED
Final Audit Report 2025-04-27
Created:2025-04-16
By:Ellie Kennedy (kennedyl@bouldercolorado.gov)
Status:Signed
Transaction ID:CBJCHBCAABAAOxvLHUO3YaRod4K0tU6kuKiMSMsvNt97
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