Joney Carneal

The Safety Action Plan for the City of Fountain aims to significantly improve roadway safety and eliminate fatal and serious injuries for all roadway users, funded by Safe Streets for All grant funding. It incorporates policy recommendations, crash trend analysis from 2020-2024, and proposes both non-engineering and engineering countermeasures for identified high-injury networks and priority intersections. Key focus areas include strengthening school zone safety, implementing complete streets policies, addressing micromobility safety, and promoting behavioral change to reduce distracted driving. The plan prioritizes improvements based on crash data, community input, vulnerable user safety, and equity considerations, and utilizes a safety dashboard for continuous monitoring of progress.

The meeting commenced with the Pledge of Allegiance. A moment of silence was observed for Officer Julian Bera, noting the third anniversary of his line of duty death and the positive judicial resolution from the previous year. During the public comment period, a resident raised concerns regarding traffic bottlenecks caused by parents picking up students near the middle school, which the Police Chief agreed to address with the resident and school resource officers. Another resident presented an issue concerning city infrastructure, specifically a fire hydrant and power pole located outside the recorded utility easement on private property, outlining three potential paths forward for the Council's direction: granting an easement conditional on a water tap, relocation of city facilities (estimated at $50,000 each), or property acquisition. The Chairman of the Fountain Urban Renewal Authority (FURA) presented a written agreement for the City Council to countersign, documenting FURA's commitment to reimburse the City for half of the Executive Director Kimberly Bailey's compensation and benefits, effective January 1, 2026, as a demonstration of gratitude for her support. Finally, the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department presented their 2025 year in review, detailing their functions, jurisdiction, fee structure, and construction highlights, including a significant boom in commercial construction and apartment completions, alongside a slight decrease in single-family home permits for Fountain City.

The meeting included discussions on various community events and issues. Presentations were given by the American Legion and VFW Post 6461, highlighting their activities and upcoming events, including Veterans Day celebrations and community support initiatives. The council addressed citizen concerns, such as utility bill assistance programs and regulations regarding mini motorcycles. Reports were presented by the city attorney's office and various departments, including updates on court staffing and Halloween safety reminders.

The meeting commenced with the pledge of allegiance and roll call. Key discussions included the public to be heard segment where a citizen objected to an amended time delay agreement concerning properties on Georgia Lee Lane and alleged fraud by another family member regarding the estate. The council also formally recognized Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a proclamation reading. Significant agenda items involved discussion and subsequent motion/second to appoint a council member as an alternate to the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department Board. Additionally, Resolution 26-004, approving a Memorandum of Understanding between Fountain and the Pikes Peak Office of Emergency Management (PP OEM), was presented, detailing the city's efforts in reorganizing emergency management functions, conducting training sessions with PP OEM, and preparing for regional hazard mitigation plan updates.

The meeting began with a moment of silence in honor of former vice president Dick Cheney. During the public comment session, a resident expressed frustration regarding lack of responsiveness and transparency from the city's planning department concerning access to city code provisions related to a land usability violation case, and concerns about a staff member referring to private property as 'our gateway.' The council heard a proclamation declaring November 11th as Veterans Day, with information shared about upcoming joint ceremony details. The council unanimously approved consent agenda items. The main business item was the second reading and approval of Ordinance 1816, amending zoning and landscaping requirements, which was noted as a state mandate, though one council member voted against it as a protest of unfunded state mandates. Council members requested items for the next agenda, including a proclamation for the organization 'Just Serve' and a council member requested to go into executive session to receive legal advice on utility shut-offs, which was denied.