• PDF packet for update session – 205 pages
• PDF packet for meeting – 1,581 pages (including development code changes)

• Update session replay – 28:16
• Meeting replay – 2:29:30

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

Council Members Sandgren and Acunto were not in attendance for the update meeting. Council Member Martinez participated remotely.

The city attorney followed-up on fees for use of city facilities for potential municipal election candidate forums. Staff propose a fee of $150 for use of facilities outside of standard operating hours.

Council Member Ayala reported working with city staff to host a Ward 2 candidate forum.

2024 Auditor Reports

The report found one “material weakness” in financial reporting on the restatement of capital assets in the Water Fund. That error is being corrected.

Two deficiencies were identified in how federal grant funds were being reported, but the deficiencies did not result in any noncompliance.

The general fund reserve at the end of 2024 was 38%. Current policy sets a minimum reserve of 17%.

Thornton Area Chamber of Commerce In-kind Sponsorship Agreement

The Thornton Chamber of Commerce (TACC) is independent from the City of Thornton. It was founded in 2023.

TACC is requesting space from the city for luncheons and the Women’s Brunch and facilities and services for the Bites on the Block: Taste of Thornton Meets Eastlake Street Fair.

The chamber also requested space for a proposed candidate forum, but the city would not be a sponsor for that event.

Council Meeting Start

Council Members Acunto and Sandgren were absent at the meeting start. Council Member Martinez joined remotely. Council Member Acunto took his seat at 13:13 in the recording.

Audience Participation

The first speaker was Ward 3 council candidate Mark Gormley who spoke on the genocide in Gaza.

The second speaker cited the council’s code of conduct and Council Members Acunto and Unrein turning away from an audience participant in a previous meeting.

The third speaker continued his ongoing protest of the land acknowledgment statement.

The fourth speaker, Eliza Namazi, criticized council members to pretending to engage in discourse while actually engaging in avoidance.

She thanked a Thornton police officer for distinguishing between offense and assault and refusing to arrest her husband at the demand of Council Member Unrein. She accused supporters of council candidate Devin Byrd of attempting to assault her husband and stealing materials at a recent protest.

Namazi reminded council that her husband’s protests are nonviolent and that he says the “quiet parts you [conservative council members] try to hide out loud.”

The fifth speaker was Dariush Namazi. He described his experience of protesting Byrd at a Ward 3 event.

The sixth speaker reiterated her concerns with the development code revisions. She indicated that residents don’t receive notifications of public meetings and hearings. She asked that resident comments be considered at follow-up meetings before final decisions are made.

The seventh speaker was former council member and current Adams County Commissioner Kathy Henson. She asked about the charter amendments scheduled for the consent calendar vote later in the session, questioning why we should create special election for mayoral vacancies.

She also expressed safety concerns with construction on Washington St. She concluded by stating that turning backs on residents was not how public officials should act.

The eighth speaker returned from a previous meeting where Spanish interpretation was not provided by the city.

At this meeting, her comments were summarized in English. She repeated her concerns about inconsistent enforcement of code violations. She indicated that repeated efforts to engage in communication and schedule meetings have been ignored.

The ninth speaker also spoke to the council in Spanish. The interpreter summarized his concerns about trying to file complaints with the police about a person entering his premises and about thefts but has not received any follow-up.

The mayor indicated that a police officer was available to talk. He responded that he is an older man with a small property and feels that he is being abused by his neighbor.

The tenth speaker expressed concerns about a neighbor about whom complaints had been made for about two years. She was told to come to the next city council meeting to ask about why nothing has been done under nuisance laws. The mayor directed city staff to meet with her.

The 11^th speaker was with the previous speaker. He reported that police had been called to the problem residence 60 times.

The 12^th speaker followed up on critical comments on the planning process voiced at an earlier meeting. He discussed reviewing 2021 and 2023 campaign contributions to council from people and corporations affiliated with developers.

The 13^th speaker’s words were translated from Spanish into English. She stated that she was there to support her neighbors. She asked council to be more dependable in their support for the community. She invited council members to engage more in the community.

The 14^th speaker was Ward 3 council candidate Devin Byrd. He complained about Namazi’s protest and accused council members of hypocrisy for criticizing Acunto and Unrein but supporting Namazi.

Public Hearing on Stormwater and Floodplain Regulation Amendments

After staff presented, there were no public comments on the hearing.

Council passed the amendments unanimously.

Public Hearing on an Amended Planned Development

The Parterre Subdivision project requested to move the site of a planned recreation center on their development site, which would result in 8 additional housing lots being added to the site.

Two people signed up to speak in opposition to the project. The first just had a question that had been answered during the presentation.

The second speaker had earlier spoke during audience participation. She asked questions about the development and notification process.

Council unanimously passed the development plan amendment.

Council Comments

Council Member Martinez reported that he was participating remotely due to testing postive for COVID.

Martinez thanked the community, city staff, and police department for work on the National Night Out, building stronger connections between police and community.

He provided an update on the Family Justice Center with a location planned for Westminster.

Council Member Salazar thanked the city’s emergency services for a quick response to a fire in her ward.

Council Member Ayala expressed appreciation for the National Night Out. She thanked TASHCO for the first Dino Fest held recently.

She discussed work coordinating a presentation to council with the code enforcement department regarding the Pine Lakes Ranch mobile home community. She hoped the presentation would address questions about enforcing code on private property and support available for residents to make required repairs. Ayala emphasized the need for an equitable approach to enforcement.

Ayala encouraged the community to consider mutual aid. She recommended people carefully consider candidates in the upcoming city election.

Council Member Unrein expressed appreciation for the National Night Out event support, which was echoed by Council Member Acunto.

Council Member Russell expressed appreciation for the National Night Out event as well as other programs and events. He commended a resident who has lifeguard training through the city for her actions saving a four-year-old.

Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow expressed appreciation for the National Night Out event.

Mayor Kulmann praised an event dedicated to bipartisan support for Colorado.

Staff Reports

The police and fire departments provided their quarterly public safety reports.

The police report included an update on Vision Zero and statistics on traffic accidents. An update was provided on the Blue Envelope Program as well.

Consent Calendar

Council Member Salazar removed Item 12E from the consent calendar, placing it on the action item agenda for later in the meeting. 12E was the second reading of the proposed charter amendment ballot measure to clean up outdated language, add clarification, and make minor updates to various charter items.

The rest of the consent calendar items passed unanimously.

Action Items

Council considered multiple items related to the development code updates. All development code items passed.

Council Member Salazar moved to amend one of the charter amendments to restore deleted language from Charter Section 5.9 specifying that the city attorney “shall be responsible solely to the Council.”

The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.