Hello,
This is my contribution for Citizen's Discussion at Tuesday's City Council meeting:
Good morning,
I will share a quote from the email I received on June 13th 2019 from Britt Haley of our Parks Dept.
“Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI) estimates annual maintenance to the section of Barr Trail impacted by Incline return traffic to be approximately $40,000.”
This proves that our Parks Dept. is in communication with RMFI on the subject of the cost of the repairs on the land that the city acquired from the Cog Railway in the land swap.
The statement that I quoted above is vague and incomplete.
RMFI has been performing annual work on that land for at least 8 consecutive years.
We can be sure that they know every detail of the needed repairs.
Does RMFI say that a drainage study needs to be done on the land that we own?
If yes, how much do they estimate that it will cost?
Does RMFI say that the trail on our land is deteriorating rapidly, or that the drainage improvements are now urgent?
Does RMFI consider the erosion damage on the hillside to be minor, moderate or severe?
How much do they estimate it would cost to repair all of the erosion damage on the city's land if we were to fix it today?
Does the city of Manitou Springs intend to have a drainage study done?
Do they say that a drainage study is needed?
Do they intend to repair the erosion damage on our land?
If yes, when do they estimate that those repairs will be complete?
How much money has the city of Manitou Springs spent on the section of the Barr Trail that the city owns in the last ten years?
How much more money do they estimate will be needed before the repairs are complete?
Will it be necessary for them to do $40,000 a year in repairs for five more years?
For ten more years?
Why does the city feel that they are not compelled to answer my questions?
The city was required to conduct a public comment process before approving the land swap in 2016.
That was a legal obligation, and the process could not be inadequate or incomplete.
I asked for this relevant financial information during the public comment process.
The public had a right to this information before the land swap was approved.
I have proved that the city erred. The city has discovered that there was a flaw or omission in the public comment process. The city now has a legal obligation to disclose this fact to the public.
The cost of the needed repairs on this land calls into question the integrity the appraisal submitted by the Broadmoor for this land.
Does the Broadmoor know the total cost of the needed repairs on this land?
Were the cost of the repairs considered during the preparation of the appraisal?
Does the city believe that the Broadmoor intentionally withheld relevant financial information from the appraiser, or the public?
Thank you, Carl Strow