The spruce tree in front of Ignacio Town Hall will stay, at least for now.
Town trustees made that decision on Jan. 7. They also decided against imposing a franchise fee on La Plata Electric Association for use of town rights-of-way. The fee would have shown up on customer bills in town.
The tree got most of the discussion. In December, Town Manager Lee San Miguel and Public Works Director James Brown said the tree blocks the view of oncoming traffic for people pulling out of the town hall parking lot and should be cut down.
The recommendation initially came from the Colorado Department of Transportation, which is in the design phase for the new stoplight at the Highway 172/ 151 intersection.
Trustee Tom Atencio argued against that last month and on Jan. 7. He asked Police Chief Kirk Phillips if there have been any accidents with people pulling out of the parking lot.
There have been a couple, "both because people couldn't see around the tree," Phillips said.
Atencio countered, "I haven't heard of any accidents, nobody killed. There are ways to trim that tree (for better sight distance). ... I heard a lot of comments after you decorated it (with Christmas lights) that it looked nice."
If it is removed and a replacement tree is planted in a park, how many people will see that compared to in front of town hall, he asked. "That tree is part of us. It's part of me. I agree it was planted in the wrong place. Let's trim the bottom, take care of it."
Mayor Stella Cox and trustee Cecilia Robbins agreed about trimming limbs at the bottom.
Trustee Edward Box III said downtown traffic has increased greatly in the 30-plus years since the tree was planted. "I understand the history, but we have to look at the safety," he said.
Trustee Dixie Melton worried about liability if there is a collision related to obstructed view, since CDOT has confirmed its recommendation in writing.
Public Works Director Brown agreed. "When there were a half dozen (CDOT) engineers here, there was a close call, and that started discussion," he said.
Trustee Alison deKay commented, "If someone were to get injured, people are more important than a tree."
Cox suggested making it right turn only for vehicles leaving the town hall parking lot.
It's still a problem, San Miguel said. That vehicle could be rear-ended.
Robbins suggested making it an entrance only on the north side of the tree and exit only and right turn only on the south side of the tree. Phillips said CDOT would have to approve that.
Trustees unanimously approved Melton's motion to keep the tree for now and trim it, and ask CDOT approval to do the entry and exit as Robbins suggested.
Robbins wanted someone with appropriate expertise to trim the tree, but Brown said, "We trim every other tree in town and we haven't killed one yet."
Also on Jan. 7, LPEA representative Steve Gregg did a presentation on franchise fees.
"LPEA was approached on the possibility of a franchise agreement with the town," he said. "You levy fees that LPEA would collect on behalf of the town, typically a percentage of the utility bill. That's governed by you."
Most commonly this is just on actual electric use, not on a base rate like the one LPEA charges to operate and maintain infrastructure, he said.
He estimated that a 4 percent fee on LPEA bills in town would bring in around $24,000 a year. He advised that the LPEA board also would have to approve the fee. "If the customers were up in arms, I could see our board turning it down," he said.
Trustee Atencio asked, "With our budget as it looks today, is that $24,000 needed?"
Town Treasurer Lisa Rea said, "We always need it." She referred to it as an alternative to raising town utility rates.
DeKay said town utilities "should sustain themselves with appropriate fees rather than a tax. I don't personally like the idea."
Atencio added, "We can do without (the franchise fee) now. There's always the opportunity. I feel like we're at a point where our utilities are starting to support themselves. We aren't in the situation where we were four or five years ago. We've already increased the utilities. You can only take so much out of the public."
Other trustees seemed to agree. Gregg offered to come back in the future if trustees want.
