Thornton Civic Observatory

City Council Update and Meeting Replay for May 27, 2025

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Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

Update Meeting Start

The mayor participated remotely.

Council Member Ayala requested that the Pride Month resolution be delayed from that evening’s meeting so that a presentation could be made at a later date. Similar presentations have been made with Black History and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month resolutions.

Council agreed to switch out the Pride Month resolution for a resolution forwarded by TASHCO that the city fly the pride flag during the month of June.

High Level Review of City Financial Health Briefing

City staff reviewed key economic indicators used to monitor financial health. For example, property tax revenue is expected to be down, which will impact the 2026 budget.

Page 7 of the PDF packet provides a pie chart breaking down City of Thornton government revenue. 49% of revenue is from sales tax.

2025 revenue projections forecast a $2 million shortfall in sales tax, a $500 thousand increase in fines and forfeitures, and all other revenue streams on track to meet budget.

Two scenarios were shared projecting either a $1.5 million or $3.6 million budget shortfall for 2025. Staff noted the volatility of the economy, due in part to the tariff policies of the Trump administration, and indicated monitoring and reporting to city manager is ongoing.

Staff also described savings strategies (short-, mid-, and long-term options).

The short-term option is to identify savings in capital projects that are completed or close to being completed under budget. These are one-time savings. Long-term strategies look for ongoing expenditure reductions.

The next quarterly financial update will be on August 26.

Council Member Unrein asked about adjusting the city’s risk factor as discussed in the strategic planning conference at the start of the year. Staff explained that the current approach was not to assume worse than the $3.6 million shortfall scenario.

There are no staff or service reductions being considered at this time, but such reductions are on the table for the future.

Enterprise Resource Planning and Payroll Software Replacement

The city’s current payroll and financial software from 2001. The payroll software is reaching end-of-life and the replacement process must start by June 9, 2025.

Staff described the bidding and research process for replacements. After the process, the total estimated price is $4 million for a combined product, which is $2 million more than budgeted. The current budget would only allow implementation of the payroll software and not the financial software, which is the current plan for the city.

The payroll vendor for the new software is Workday.

Council Comments

Council Member Martinez reported inquiries he had received from Almost Home about invoices the organization had submitted to the city and had not yet been paid.

Executive Session

Council met with the city attorney regarding the suit filed by municipalities against Governor Polis challenging legislation allowing the state to override local control.

Council Meeting Start

All council members were present, including the mayor attending remotely.

Council approved the agenda change regarding the pride flag as discussed in the update session.

Swearing in Police Chief James Baird

The new police chief of Thornton, James Baird, was sworn in. On May 14, Baird negligently discharged a weapon while at home as reported by 9News.

Resolutions

Council passed the following resolutions: gratitude for retirement of city employee James “Jim” Kaiser, authorization to fly the intersex-inclusive progress pride flag, a declaration of June 19, 2025 as Juneteenth in the City of Thornton, and a declaration of June 2025 as Gun Violence Awareness Month.

Public Hearing on Townhome Development

Mayor Kulmann transferred chair duties to Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow because council rules do not allow remote participation in quasi-judicial proceedings.

The hearing was on an amended conceptual plan for 174 townhome units at 152nd Ave. and York Street (Eastcreek Farm). The site is about 17.2 acres.

The developer’s (Lenar) amendment request a change to eliminate 284 multi-family units and switch to 174 attached single-family townhomes.

Council Member Sandgren asked if the change is also moving from rental units to owned units. The development teams’s representative confirmed the townhomes would be for purchase.

Council Member Martinez asked about the motivation for the change. The original developer of the site backed out of the project, and the representative reported that the new developer, Lenar, wished to build townhomes instead of apartments.

In the public comment period, Daruish Namazi again protested the change in the agenda order to move audience participation to after public comment.

A second public comment represented a group that had earlier expressed concerns with the development but reported that the group was satisfied with the switch to townhomes.

Council Members Sandgren and Bigelow expressed enthusiasm that the new units were going to be for sale and not rentals.

Audience Participation

The first set of speakers represented the Stargate school robotics teams thanking the city for funding for competition travel and reporting on their teams’ performance.

The second speaker was Daruish Namazi responding to Sandgren’s comments in the previous meeting.

The third speaker spoke out on National Gun Violence Awareness Day and encouraging safe storage for firearms.

The fourth speaker discussed starting a new local group affiliated with the National Youth Rights Association.

The fifth speaker voiced anti-trans sentiments.

The sixth speaker responded to the fifth speaker and advocated for true love and acceptance instead of shame.

Council Comments

Council members reminded the community of various upcoming events and reported on experiences at recent events, including Memorial Day commemorations and the recent virtual town hall.

Council Member Sandgren congratulated fellow Ward 2 Council Member Ayala on a award she won from Conservation Colorado.

Sandgren also continued her protest of the city’s land acknowledgment statement.

Monthly Financial Report for March 2025

The March numbers are in line with the earlier reported estimated annual 2025 shortfall of $1.5 million.

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