Wellington budget approved, but concerns raised

By Gary Raham
Wellington Correspondent

The town of Wellington passed the final version of its 2005 budget on Dec. 14 by a 5-to-1 margin, as board trustee Sabre Middlekauff cast the lone dissenting vote.

Middlekauff stated concerns about money slated to support the goals of WEDA, the Wellington Economic Development Association. She said she was "reluctant to give money to private concerns, because (the town would) lose oversight of the funds."

WEDA is not now a private concern, but soon will be, according to town administrator Larry Lorentzen. Perhaps as early as the first meeting in January, the town will consider an ordinance that will dissolve WEDA as a town committee. The organization is putting together articles of confederation that will make its role more like that of a chamber of commerce.

Board trustee and planning commission member Reggie Kemp plans to work for WEDA on a consulting basis, bringing his administrative expertise working for Woodward Governor, Honeywell and other businesses to the table. Kemp will act as a day-to-day contact for the organization, providing regular business hours and accessibility for potential businesses in the area. Kemp could not assume this role if WEDA remained a town committee, however.

Middlekauff also raised concerns about real or perceived conflicts of interest that might come up for Kemp in the future, despite this separation. While conceding that Kemp would do a good job for WEDA and that everything is above board, she said: "It doesn't look good for the town. It looks like we are cutting WEDA loose to provide Reggie this job."

Kemp said he believes there is no conflict of interest, and the town needs and wants the services WEDA can provide. "I would only need to abstain from decisions the trustees make regarding money directed specifically to WEDA," he said.

Lorentzen concurred, saying that conflicts might arise "only once or twice a year."

The town and WEDA agree that Wellington would benefit from a $25,000 economic development study by an outside agency. To pay for the study, the trustees have applied for a Department of Local Affairs grant, which would cover a third of the cost. The remaining two-thirds must be matched equally by the town and the business community.

Trustees earmarked $12,000 for WEDA in the 2005 budget with no strings attached, after debating whether the association should pay one-third of the study cost. WEDA president Doug Andersen contended that WEDA needs all allocated funds to implement any recommendations a development study makes.

"The town has no established administration for working with the results of such a study unless WEDA is also funded and operating on the town's behalf," he said.

Andersen cited what he considered a number of WEDA's past successes, such as attracting several businesses to the area and taking the lead in getting dialogue with Poudre School District regarding a new elementary school.

When all was said and done, the arguments of WEDA members prevailed. The town general fund, not WEDA, will pay one-third of the study cost if the grant is approved.

The money going to WEDA will not be transferred without some control, however. WEDA will get an initial $6,000 subject to periodic review by the trustees before they award the second half of the money.

With the relevant line items in the general fund pertaining to these matters approved, the remainder of the 2005 budget passed easily. That budget includes money for the Leeper Center expansion, road paving on the west side of town, maintenance work on the outlet structure at Reservoir 3 along with a new nanofiltration system that will allow use of the old well system, and additional police protection for the town.

Total general fund expenses for 2005 will be $1,669,550, which covers personnel, services and supplies, judicial, planning and zoning, law enforcement and sanitation costs. Street maintenance, water, sewer, park and other expenses elevate Wellington's total expenses to $17,855,448 with income of $20,140,508.

Wellington will have a levy of 16.275 mills down from 18.310 mills for 2004.