The home of Archuleta County’s future administration building has taken another change in direction, with the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) approving a letter of intent to purchase a property located at 2901 Cornerstone Drive on Dec. 17.
The decision followed recent discussion on the topic at a Dec. 16 work session and Dec. 17 meeting.
Commissioner Veronica Medina stated at the beginning of the Dec. 17 meeting that she would not be voting on the item involving a purchase and sale agreement with ArenaLabs LLC involving a property located at X West U.S. 160 for the purpose of a new county administration building.
Medina did not vote on three matters during the meeting, which included the purchase and sales agreement, along with two letters of intent — one with ArenaLabs and one with Pagosa Partners Inc. — involving two properties for the purpose of constructing a new county administration building. See related article for more information.
A letter of intent with Pagosa Partners was approved by a vote of 2-0 following an executive session, with commissioners Ronnie Maez and Warren Brown voting in favor and Medina not voting.
During the Dec. 17 meeting, County Manager Jack Harper explained to the BoCC that items C, D and E are old items that had been tabled and are coming back to the board for decision.
Medina commented that if the BoCC rejects the items and ArenaLabs is still in consideration then it would “start fresh” as a new letter could be drafted.
Item C, the letter of intent with ArenaLabs for the county to purchase an approximately five-acre parcel to build a new administration building was not approved by a vote of 2-0, with Brown and Maez voting not to approve the letter.
Maez commented that he’d given the matter “a lot of thought” and that there were too many “unforeseeables” associated with the property at X West U.S. 160.
He motioned to not approve the letter with ArenaLabs.
Item D, the consideration of a purchase and sales agreement with ArenaLabs for the same property was also not approved by a vote of 2-0, with Brown and Maez voting to approve and Medina not voting.
No discussion was held in regard to item E, consideration of a letter of intent with Pagosa Partners for the county to purchase an approximately 5.5-acre parcel located at 2901 Cornerstone Drive for constructing a new administration building before Maez motioned to approve the item.
Brown asked the chair, Medina, if public comment would be held on the topic, and if it’d be appropriate to do so before seconding a motion.
Medina indicated that public comment would be held, saying, “I didn’t realize that was the intent; we hadn’t discussed this.”
Maez commented that it had been discussed.
“Well, in the work session, I didn’t know that’s where you were,” Medina replied.
“I guess before we move forward with item E, I can open up public comments that those who would like to discuss their properties can … be heard,” she added.
Brown noted that his question was in regard to point of order and not whether or not he would second a motion.
Harper explained that there was still an item on the agenda after the executive session to discuss purchasing property, noting the BoCC could remove item E.
Medina mentioned that the offers involving Pagosa Partners might have changed.
“They have different offers,” Harper confirmed.
Medina indicated that, “technically,” the letter as it stands has changed significantly.
Maez then withdrew his motion.
“I think we need to have a discussion in executive session” to discuss details of the purchasing of a property, Maez said.
Maez added that, after discussion, if the BoCC “so desires” to make a motion to move forward that would be more “appropriate.”
Medina asked Harper for clarification since the conditions in item E have changed, clarifying that the BoCC denying the letter does not mean a new letter couldn’t be considered, which Harper confirmed.
Brown mentioned that it’d be “more appropriate” to have a motion on the existing item and, regardless of that decision, the BoCC still has ability to use executive session to discuss properties being proposed and if there were to be new letters, “then so be it.”
Maez then motioned again to approve the letter, to which Brown commented, “I can’t seconded it” due to the conditions changing.
Maez indicated that the BoCC should hold off and just go into an executive session, noting that if the board were to approve the original letter, it would still have the ability to review it afterward.
Medina suggested continuing the item to move on to new business “so that way we can get to the end of this agenda ... because we still have to have public comment.”
Maez moved to discuss the item after an executive session to allow the BoCC to discuss any financial changes made in regard to the letter, which was approved 2-0 with Medina not voting.
Medina then indicated that the BoCC would move on to new business before a member of the public asked if public comment would be held.
Medina then opened public comment.
Public comment
During the Dec. 17 meeting a total of five comments were heard on the matter, most of which reflected the same ideas and concerns expressed at a special work session on Monday, Dec.16, held by the BoCC.
According to a press release from the county released on Dec. 11, none of the members of the BoCC were going to be in attendance, though all three commissioners did appear during that work session.
Bill Hudson encouraged the idea brought forward by Archuleta School District Superintendent Rick Holt, and other members of the public, in that the school district and county could partner to potentially have a school building refurbished for use as a county administration building.
Shelley Low, a broker with Exit Realty representing the property associated with ArenaLabs, mentioned that property has things none of the others have, including housing and a transit stop, and promoted that it would be a great environment for the county workers.
J.R. Ford spoke at both the Dec. 16 work session and the Dec. 17 meeting, introducing the idea of the school district and county partnering on a project during the work session and suggesting the same during the meeting.
Andre Redstone was another member of the public to speak at both meetings. He encouraged the BoCC to “trust your community,” encouraging the county to listen to the public and take the time to navigate the process while including the public in a “more comprehensive way.”
During the Dec. 16 work session, Redstone also voiced concerns about members of the BoCC not being able to vote on these matters.
While noting that a partnership with the school district could be “profoundly impactful,” Redstone commented that the BoCC should take the opportunity to be more transparent, adding the community may see where any member of the BoCC might be conflicted, “and therefore we don’t have a full, competent panel of county commissioners to be able to weigh on that.”
The Dec. 16 work session involved a presentation from Harper that reviewed seven potential properties the county could purchase to construct a new administration building.
The lots range in size from 5 acres to upward of 28 acres and cost anywhere from $1.2 million to $2.5 million.
Harper explained on Dec. 16 that “one of the things that we are seeing is there are properties that have a higher price per square foot, but overall those are the properties that tend to be more shovel-ready and ready to begin work, while those that are a little bit less, at this time the county would be needing to put in some of the infrastructure.”
Other comments from the Dec.16 work session expressed preference for a particular site, along with questions as to how big the administration building would be and the costs associated with that.
One member of the public mentioned that most of the sites will likely be subject to some sort of traffic upgrade that will add to the costs.
Harper explained that the prospective site analysis, which the county contracted to have done, did not include costs associated with the actual construction of a building.
Harper also explained that the building would need to be big enough to house approximately 75 to 80 county employees.
During the work session, the floor was opened for commissioner-elect John Ranson to provide comment on the matter.
Ranson explained that he feels there are “good and bad decisions” in the list, but noted the county has done its research and he is “comfortable with what you all decide.”
Another commenter mentioned that the prospective site located at 341 Harman Park Drive would be beneficial for county employees.
Harper explained during the work session that there had been a few changes with the Cornerstone property, noting the owners of that property are now offering the county to purchase four acres at 2901 Cornerstone Drive for $1,879,000, according to his presentation.
The county would then have the option to purchase an additional 1.5 acres later on from the same owner for the price of $700,000, according to Harper’s presentation.
At the end of the Dec. 16 work session, Maez commented that the school partnership might not be a bad option, but that he is concerned about the timeline the county is on, noting that a solution for the county administration needs to be determined within the next three years.
“We definitely need to do more homework,” Medina said, explaining that she would not be ready to make a decision at the Dec. 17 meeting.
She also noted that she was not satisfied with the information the county received from the prospective site analysis performed by Northland Securities.
“I didn’t feel like it gave us all the information we asked for originally,” Medina said. “I do see us waiting to get some more information. I don’t see that we would make a decision on [Dec. 17].”
Executive session
Following the executive session during the Dec. 17 meeting, Maez motioned to direct staff to move forward negotiating a letter of intent for a purchase and sales agreement for the property located at 2901 Cornerstone Drive.
“After hearing what we had to hear in the executive session on the changes, I would like to make a motion directing staff, Jack Harper, to move forward with negotiating a letter of intent for purchase and sales agreement for the … construction of a new county facility at 2901 Cornerstone,” Maez said, including the intent to purchase four acres at $1.8 million.
His motion also included negotiating the “other terms discussed in executive session” with the option to purchase an additional 1.5 acres for $700,000.
Before seconding the motion, Brown commented that the county has been discussing plans for a new administration building for two years now, “and the time is here.”
Brown noted the idea of a partnership with the school district is appealing, but that the timeline is concerning and that it is “unrealistic” to think the current court house where administration services are currently housed will extend the county’s lease.
“I don’t think that’s realistic,” he added.
Brown also stated that it would not be any more affordable for the county than it is for the school district to build a new building.
He added that his personal preference would be for the location at Harman Park, but that recent construction projects there have shown to be expensive with the amount of rock in the area.
Brown added that the property with the fewest unknowns “would be the Cornerstone property.”
The motion was then seconded and approved by a vote of 2-0, with Brown and Maez aligning and Medina not voting.
clayton@pagosasun.com
>