Hello,

This is my contribution to Citizen's Discussion at Tuesday's City Council meeting:

When the city was considering the land swap the Broadmoor Hotel submitted an appraisal for the land that was owned by the Cog Railway which valued that land at $1,300,000.

The city has admitted to me that hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs and or annual maintenance have been done on the trail on that land since 2013.

I asked the city to provide me with the estimated cost for all needed repairs on that land during the public comment process.

Mr. Jack Damioli of the Broadmoor heard me asking that same question over and over at public meetings and before the City Council.

He never answered my question, the city did not either.

Did Mr. Damioli provide the appraisers with the estimated cost of all needed repairs on that land?

Did he inform them that the city of Manitou Springs was spending $40,000 a year on that land?

Mr. Damioli was the President of the Cog Railway; I do not believe that he was not aware of the work being done on his land at the time of the public comment process.

Even if he were not aware of it, once he heard me asking that question, he had a legal obligation to find out.

Was the cost of the needed repairs to the trail on that land considered when the appraisal was being prepared?

If the Broadmoor failed to provide some relevant information to the appraisers is that not a serious legal issue?

Have the members of the City Council discussed this matter with the City Attorney?

What legal obligation does the city have?

Is the city required by law to inform the appraisers that some information may not have been provided to them?

I sent an email to the City Attorney on April 4th, 2016. The land swap was approved on May 24, 2016. Here is an excerpt from that email:

“The city recently received the results of appraisals for the land in question.

In the appraisal of the land on which the Barr Trail and part of the Incline sit, were all liabilities considered?
Specifically, what was the estimated cost of the repairs or replacement of the fence on that section of the Barr Trail, the repairs of the drainage issues, and the erosion damage on that hillside?”

If there is any doubt about the validity of that appraisal the public has an immediate right and need to know.

Please provide me with the estimated cost of all necessary repairs to the section of the Barr trail that is on that land.

Thank you, Carl Strow