Westcliffe Town Meeting: New Logo,
More Beer at Lowes, Pro Rodeo Plans Ahead

Above: #3 Logo is chosen for Town of Westcliffe

Westcliffe Town Board Meeting
—February 4, 2020
by Lisa Frank
The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. on a snowy night, and began with the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, recognition of visitors and then moved on to the Consent Agenda. Absent from the Board was Arthur Nordyke and Brian Clince. The Consent Agenda, consisting of the Approval of last month’s Meeting Minutes, the Treasurer’s Report and Approval of Bills, passed unanimously without discussion.
Old Business was next on the agenda and consisted of one item, the Consideration to approve the amended
Lease/Maintenance Agreement between the Town of Westcliffe and San Isabel Land Protection Trust. At the last meeting of the Town Board this same document was discussed and voted on to approve and was signed by the Board but it had the wrong legal description on it. The legal description is now correct and the document was available to sign by the Board. This was a formality and needed no discussion or vote. As side note, Mayor Wenke informed the public that a previous request by the Rotary Club for benches in the Bluff Park that had at one time been denied was now approved. It was not clear if this was voted on at a Rotary Meeting or some other meeting, but Mayor Wenke thought the public should know.
New Business
a. Consideration of request to approve a Modification of Premises at Pay and Save, Inc. dba Lowe’s
Supermarket #109 – Mr. Rob Phelps, Manager of Westcliffe’s Lowe’s and Ms. Janet Pivamick, Corporate’s Division Head of Alcohol Sales, came before the Board with a plan to expand the cold beer sales space in the store located at 50 Main Street in Westcliffe. If you have followed the Town Report in the Sentinel. you know that Lowe’s was ticketed and fined by the state for having too much beer on location according to the license that was then in place. The store has since paid all costs and complied with the State Liquor Enforcement Office and is applying for an expansion to the floor space allowed.
The first step is to come before the town of Westcliffe Board with the plan for approval, then submit to the state. Ms. Pivamick stated that many customers have requested the store carry more “designer label” beers and in order to do that, more linear feet of storage would be needed. The new plan calls for 32 linear feet of space instead of the current 12 feet and this would be accomplished without short-changing the cold drinks space. According to them it is a matter of reorganizing the space they have, not eliminating items to add beer space. The Board approved the request after multiple questions were answered and manager Phelps thanked the Board. Phelps also announced that the store has joined Rotary and will do more for the town publicly as Mayor Wenke had suggested.
b. Consideration to approve a noise variance for July 17th and 18th from 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. by the Wet Mountain Valley Saddle Club by Ron Beckner – Our local WMV Saddle Club Rodeo going Pro. The WMVSC came before the Board to request a one-hour variance on Friday and Saturday night because they are considering holding the dance in the outdoor arena. A stage would be built for the band facing the mountains and ticket holders would enjoy the music from the west-side-covered grandstand and dancing would be in the arena. The Board discussed the last event that went over the 11 p.m. noise ordinance for the Bean Festival, but this was in order to keep stoned or high people from traveling from the grounds to a local saloon that is legally open until 2 a.m.
Mayor Wenke suggested the WMVSC Board speak to the people living in Shadow Ridge and Adams Addition on the Bluff to address any concerns but the vote was unanimous to allow another hour of operation to the club. Beckner was careful to remind the Town that it wasn’t official yet that the band/dance would be held in the arena, but just an idea the Club is considering.
c. By unanimous yes vote the Posting Place for Public Notices will be the Westcliffe Town Hall Bulletin.
Town Clerk Kathy Reis invited this reporter to help draw by lot to determine the order of Trustee Candidates on the April Ballot. The order drawn was 1. Bess Cole 2. Brian Clince 3. Kathy Snow 4. John Johnston.
d. Consideration of approval of Resolution 2-2020 amending the Town Handbook – Not voted on because there is a pending workshop regarding the handbook.
e. Consideration to approve the Town’s new logo – A vote was
taken and it was unanimous on #3.
There were no additions to the Agenda. The Staff Reports were given.
There was no Public Comment.
Meeting Adjourned at 6:27 p.m.