HomeMy WebLinkAboutInformation Only 071123AGENDA
INFORMATION UPDATE
July 11, 2023
5:00 PM,
I.Information Update
I.A West End Traffic Work Session Follow Up Memo
I.B
Health & Human Services Capacity Building Grant Pilot Program Update
I.C ACRA Destination Marketing Report
2023.06.19 Summary work session memo West End Traffic.docx
HHS Capacity Building Grant_Info Only Memo.docx
Attachment A_HHS Capacity Building Grant Guidelines & Schedule.pdf
June2023_DM Report.pdf
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WORK SESSION SUMMARY MEMORANDUM
TO:Mayor and Council
FROM:Trish Aragon, P.E., City Engineer
Pete Rice, P.E., Deputy City Engineer
THROUGH: Scott Miller, Public Works Director
MEETING DATE:June 19, 2023
RE:West End Traffic Calming and Traffic Evaluation
SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION:
In response to concerns about vehicle traffic safety and volume in the West End
neighborhood, Council and engineering staff initiated a project in 2021 that began with a
traffic evaluation in accordance with the City’s Neighborhood Traffic Calming Policy.
Council also directed staff to develop a third-party traffic study for outreach and decision-
making support. The outcomes of both the traffic calming policy evaluation and the traffic
study were presented to Council during a previous work session on August 22, 2022.
The recommendation from that traffic study concluded that any physical traffic measures
installed in the West End neighborhood would either be ineffective at reducing traffic
volume or would significantly impact Main Street traffic congestion; therefore, staff and
Council should implement projects to reduce westbound Main Street congestion.
City Council members supported the following next steps:
1. The recommendations of the traffic calming policy and traffic study, which do not
recommend the installation of infrastructure measures.
2. The review of potential traffic devices such as four-way stop signs, crosswalks,
and speed limit reduction.
3. Increased support of existing projects to manage traffic and mobility in Aspen, such
as the CDOT approved Highway 82 re-alignment (known as the New Castle Creek
Bridge Project or Entrance to Aspen), parking management, transportation
demand management, and pedestrian and bicycle masterplan projects.
4. The development of Main Street capacity or efficiency concepts, specifically
focusing on Cemetery Lane traffic light efficiency.
In support of step number two above, engineering staff commissioned a safety study
during Spring 2023 by Consor Engineering to guide potential safety improvements. The
Study provided a summary of the challenging traffic characteristics previously identified,
the previous traffic control measures implemented or tested, and reviewed analog
communities that may provide insights on solutions. It also evaluated three commonly
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requested elements that residents perceive as solutions to improved
pedestrian/bike/vehicle safety, which are:
1. Decrease speed limit from 20 to 15 mph.
2. Install four-way stop controls at additional intersections.
3. Consider additional crosswalks.
Additionally, other alternatives were considered that could be expected to improve safety
based on current studies, which include:
1. Increased speed limit sign density and community education actions
2. Center line and parking area street markings and temporary curb extensions with
the use of flexible delineators
3. Create pedestrian safe route on one side of Smuggler by eliminating parking on
one side of the street
COUNCIL DIRECTION:
1. Council supported decreasing the speed limit in the West End from 20 mph to 15
mph
2. Council supported adding additional four – way stop controls at additional
intersections in the West End
3. Council supported an additional cross walk at 4
th and Smuggler
4. Council supported increasing the speed limit sign density in the West End
5. Council supported center line and parking area street markings and temporary
curb extensions with the use of flexible delineators
6. Council asked Staff to gather targeted feedback on creating a pedestrian safe
route on one side of Smuggler by eliminating parking on one side of the street
NEXT STEPS:
1. Since a lower speed limit is not warranted for the West End, Staff will return to
Council with a resolution to lower the speed limit to 15 mph.
2. Since additional four way controls are not warranted in the West End, Staff will
return to Council with a resolution to increase the number of four way controls.
3. The speed limit sign density will be increased in the West End
4. An additional cross walk at 4
th and Smuggler Staff will be installed.
5. To test the temporary curb extensions, one installation will be implemented at 4
th
and Smuggler along with additional street and parking markings.
6. Staff will gather targeted feedback on a pedestrian safe route on one side of
Smuggler by eliminating parking on one side of the street and will return to Council
with that feedback
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INFORMATION ONLY
MEMORANDUM
TO:Mayor Torre and City Council
FROM:John Barker, Strategy & Innovation Deputy Director
THROUGH:Patrick Quick, Strategy & Innovation Director
Alissa Farrell, Administrative Services Director
MEMO DATE:June 29, 2023
MEETING DATE:July 11, 2023
RE:Health & Human Services Capacity Building Grant Pilot
Program Update
REQUEST OF COUNCIL:This memo is informational only. No Council action is being
requested.
SUMMARY: The City of Aspen, in conjunction with consultant Human Service
Innovations, LLC (HSI), has selected three organizations to participate in the first capacity
building grant cohort pilot program. This grant represents a new and innovative
partnership with Health & Human Services (HHS) non-profit organizations in the
community. For 2023 the city’s grants program now offers two complementary grants for
HHS non-profits: assistance for programs and operations through the city’s core HHS
grant program and a separate, pilot grant to address long-term needs and systemic issues
through capacity building. Through this intensive six-month capacity building program,
running from June-December 2023, participants will become more strategic
organizations—better able to sustainably serve the community, measure the success of
their efforts and allocate resources where they will have the most impact. These
outcomes will be achieved through professional coaching, collaboration with other non-
profits, and a revised approach to long-term planning, among other methods.
Capacity building work is currently a major focus among grant funders in the Roaring Fork
Valley. In order to thrive amongst all of the pressures facing HHS organizations in the
area, such as employee retention and increasing demand for services, organizations
need to thoughtfully adapt. To this end, a cross-organizational team featuring
representatives from major funders of HHS organizations in the upper valley, including
the City of Aspen, Pitkin County, Aspen Skiing Company, and Aspen Community
Foundation, meet regularly to discuss how to best address the needs of HHS
organizations in a collaborative manner. Support for capacity building is a key focus that
will help to ensure that the community services currently provided by local organizations
will continue to be available in the future.
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More information on the curriculum and objectives of the capacity building grant can be
found in Attachment A, included with this memo.
DISCUSSION: In March of 2023, Council approved a contract with industry expert HSI
to provide capacity-building consulting services to local HHS non-profits through this
grant. HSI is a uniquely qualified company with relevant consulting experience with
Aspen-area HHS organizations, a deep understanding of the issues facing these
organizations, and has a previous working relationship with the City of Aspen. John
Doughtery, the principal of HSI, served as the interim director of both LIFT-UP and CORE
during these organizations’ recent strategic and leadership changes.
Staff, in coordination with HSI, hosted a grant kick-off workshop on April 25, 2023, which
was open to all organizations interested in participating. To fully understand the intent
and requirements of the program, HHS non-profit executive directors and board chairs
were asked to attend. To ensure maximum effect, director and board chair participation
is also required for the duration of the program. The workshop was well-attended and
well-received by participants, though several organizations expressed concern about the
intensive time commitment of the program and indicated that they plan to apply for the
grant in future years if renewed by Council. This deferral will allow interested
organizations to properly prepare for the time commitment required if the program is
approved by Council during the 2024 budget process.
Ultimately, four eligible organizations applied for the four available spaces. After
application review and interviews led by HSI, all four applicants were offered a chance to
participate in pilot program cohort. After these offers were made, but prior to the start of
the program, Recovery Resources pulled out, citing concerns about their ability to commit
the necessary time and resources this year. Therefore, the final list of participating
organizations are:
Alpine Legal Services
Great Expectations
Windwalkers
Interest appears strong for future years should the grant continue as many organizations
expressed a desire to participate in the program but needed additional time to prepare for
the intensity of the commitment.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
ATTACHMENTS:
ATTACHMENT A – Capacity Building Grant Guidelines & Schedule
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City of Aspen Grants:
Health & Human Services Capacity Building
Overview
The City of Aspen seeks to provide capacity building support to Health and Human Service
(HHS) nonprofits, for addressing their long-term organizational needs in areas such as;
operational improvements, governance improvements, strategic planning, fund development
and coalition building. This one-year pilot program, approved by City Council, is intended to
assist eligible HHS nonprofits with identifying and addressing organizational needs and capacity
building opportunities for achieving the greatest long-term community impact.
Capacity building is the process through which an organization develops the internal capacity to
be the most effective it can be and sustain itself over the long term. Capacity building
strengthens organizational resiliency in the face of internal and external changes, improves the
quality of the organization’s work, raise resources, creates an environment where people feel
valued and more.
The City of Aspen’s HHS grants program strategic focus is to advance a healthy and resilient
community by supporting a comprehensive system of accessible physical and mental health
care, human services, and community resources. HHS outcomes and priorities are further
focused on addressing mental health and substance abuse, reduction of suicide and programs
that support community and family connections.
Eligibility
This grant is open to applicants that meet all the following criteria:
• Nonprofit organizations that have been operating for three or more years.
• Nonprofit organizations that have an annual operating budget of $500,000 or more.
• Nonprofit organizations that have received a City of Aspen HHS grant within the past
three years.
• The willingness of both the executive director and Board chair to sign a statement
indicating that they have the time and willingness to dedicate meaningful and consistent
time to capacity building throughout the grant cycle.
Timeline
The Health and Human Services Capacity Building Program is being delivered in a six month
intensive cohort model intended to leverage an interactive professional development experience
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to maximize learning among participants. The program will be delivered on the following
timeline:
• May - Capacity Building Program Application Submission and Awardee Selection
• June - Cohort Kick-Off
• July & August - Organizational Assessment (People, Process, Infrastructure,
Financial)
• September - Assessment Summary and Recommendations
• October - Capacity Building Planning & Design
• November - Capacity Building Project Implementation Strategy & Funding Request
• December - Cohort Completion Celebration and Project Presentation
Participants are expected to participate in monthly virtual/in-person coaching* and in-person
workshops as outlined below:
• June 21st - Kick-Off (Board Chair & Chief Executive)
• July 19th - Governance as Leadership (Board Chair & Chief Executive)
• August 16th - The Co-Pilot Relationship (Board Chair & Chief Executive)
• September 20th - Your Big, Bold and Believable Goal (Board Chair & Chief Executive)
• October 18th - Developing your Capacity Building Strategy & Plan (Executive)
• November 15th - Defining your Case for Support (Executive)
• December 13th – Program Completion and Capacity Building Project Presentation
(Board Chair & Chief Executive)
*Coaching sessions will be scheduled individually to best accommodate schedules.
Selection Criteria
Up to four organizations will be selected to participate. Applications will be assessed for
selection based on the following criteria:
25% - Organizational Alignment with City of Aspen Grant Program Philosophy & HHS
Strategic Focus Area
25% - Organizational Need for Capacity Building
25% - Potential for Positive Organizational Change as a Result of Capacity Building
25% - Potential for Positive Community Impact as a Result of Capacity Building
Introduction to Capacity Building
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Grantees will receive professional consultation to help them become high performing, high
impact organizations. This grant will help improve capacity through development in one or
more of the following areas:
Clear, Purpose, Values & Mission
• The purpose is an expression of why it matters that the organization exists.
• The values are the beliefs that shape the strategy and guide day-to-day actions of
the organization, its board and staff.
• The mission is the statement of who the organization is, who it serves and what it
does in creating a better future state.
Effective Governance
• A defined, consistent process for how the organization makes decisions.
• Responsible governance by the board and effective day-to-day management by the
staff.
Strategic Thinking & Planning
• A strategic plan that is a living document and informs annual work plans and forms
the basis for periodic evaluations of staff, board and programs.
• A strategic plan that is flexible enough to respond to new realities and can allow the
organization to effectively adapt to change.
Program Development & Implementation • Intentional program design and implementation. • A process that pays careful attention to identifying desired outcomes, developing
appropriate activities and giving staff the appropriate skills to do the work. • A consistent process for monitoring results and adapting programs to new
information and lessons learned.
Evaluation, Learning & Accountability
• A plan for actively evaluating their work and learning from success and failure.
• A regular process for improving effectiveness and remaining accountable to the
people they serve.
Human Resource Management
• People development and management that optimizes their productivity and the
organization’s success.
• A process for ensuring people managers are trained in basic human resource
management.
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• Active support for the principle that people must be paid well, have good benefits,
take care of themselves and not be exhausted by the work.
Healthy Organizational Culture
• A clear understanding of the written and unwritten rules that shape and reflect the
way an organization operates.
• Expressions of the organizational culture are in alignment with the organization’s
core values and held by the board and staff of the organization.
Sound Management Systems and Structures
• Formal and visible ways for how the organization does its work.
• Well defined systems and structures for governance, human resources, information
management and technology, communications, finance, training and development,
planning and evaluation and much more.
• Systems and structures clearly align with the organization’s vision, values and
mission.
Compliance, Fiscal Management and Public Accountability
• A consistent and documented demonstration of meeting 501(c)3 fiscal and legal
requirements.
• Boards of directors who own their responsible for legal compliance; understanding
federal, state and local requirements and exercising appropriate oversight of staff to
ensure compliance.
• Boards that understand and take seriously their legal and fiscal responsibilities.
• Demonstrable accountability to ethical standards that are consistent with the
organization’s values.
Effective Resource Development
• Clear plans for resource development and the human capacity to implement those
plans.
• Resource development driven by clear program and financial objectives, a long-
range plan and an annual plan for fundraising, active and trained board members,
skilled staff and effective systems for record- keeping, communications, evaluation
and reporting.
Quality Constituent Relationships
• A serious commitment to their accountability to their constituents.
• Strong relationships with constituents are woven into the fabric of the organization,
providing day- to-day and long-term accountability.
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Strategic Communications
• Strategic communications plans that tell the organization’s story and engage
constituents, funders, the general public and others.
Collaboration/Coalition Building
• Acknowledgement that no single organization can effect lasting change in a
community.
• A conscious commitment to avoid working at the margins and limiting their impact.
• Leverages a collaborative network/coalition to affect public policy, influence public
opinion and make lasting change.
• Demonstrable commitment to building understanding and mutual respect for broad-
based and sustainable change.
*Extracted from a report by Gladys Washington, Retired Deputy Director, Mary Reynolds
Babcock Foundation
APPLICATION
Deadline: 5PM on Friday, May 19th.
ORGANIZATION NAME:
MISSION:
# OF YEARS IN OPERATION:
ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET 2023:
WEBSITE:
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
NAME:
PHONE:
EMAIL:
GOVERNANCE LEADERSHIP
BOARD CHAIR NAME:
PHONE:
EMAIL:
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The Health and Human Services Capacity Building Program is designed to be a collaborative learning and
development experience among qualified organization’s board and staff leadership. Selected applicants
are expected to attend all required workshops and coaching sessions for the duration of the program
Please co-create responses to the questions below:
1. In three sentences or less, why is building the capacity of your organization important for our
community?
2. What are the top three areas of capacity building do you believe your organization would most
benefit from? Please select three from the list below.
o Governance
o Strategic Planning
o Program Development
o Program Evaluation
o Diversity Equity and Inclusion
o Resource Development
o Leadership and Management
o Constituent Relationships
o Strategic Communications
o Collaboration/Coalition Building
o Other: ________________________________________
3. Why do believe there is a need to develop capacity in the areas selected above (500 words or
less)?
4. How will your organization be different as a result of building capacity in the areas selected
above (500 words or less)?
5. How will developing the capacity of your organization impact those you serve and the
community (500 words or less)?
6. How will developing the capacity of your organization advance the City of Aspen Grants
Program, Health and Human Services strategic focus areas (500 words or less)?
By signing below I am indicating my active participation in responding to the application questions, and
my commitment to participating in monthly coaching and workshops through the duration of the
program. Further, I am open to thinking differently and doing differently, to achieve greater impact on
behalf of the community we serve.
____________________________ __________________________
STAFF NAME BOARD CHAIR NAME
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____________________________ __________________________
SIGNATURE SIGNATURE
____________________________ __________________________
DATE DATE
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June 2023 Destination Marketing Report for Council
Destination Marketing Staff Report Excerpt from ACRA’s Board of Directors Packet:
Destination Marketing:
The Marketing Advisory Committee met on June 6th, Jeff Bay, Chair of the Committee gave an update to the BOD at the
6/27 meeting. Due to lagging pace reports, Aspen Skiing Company, Snowmass Tourism and ACRA reached out to lodges
to garner interest in a Buy 2 Get 3 Promotion for arrivals on Sunday, Mondays and Tuesdays thru the end of September.
We did get 10 participating properties and all 3 partners are pushing out the offer to their owned lists. The Arts &
Culture Non-profits met on June 8. We hosted the Destination Think team here to record the Aspen Season of the
Travel Beyond Podcast this month. The podcast will bring the Aspen Destination Management Plan to life and will be
released in the fall. Our sustainability campaign is now live, overlapping with the summer visitation campaign which
went live last month. An example from that creative is below. Eliza Voss is out on sabbatical and will return to the office
on 7/31.
Liz and Nichole connected with Rocky Mountain Bride to discuss advertising opportunities and committed to a blog on
their website to help promote the services that ACRA offers to both wedding planners as well as couples planning
wedding in Aspen. The blog is scheduled to go live in mid-August. Sarah hosted two travel advisors from Voyageurs du
Monde in France. This fam opportunity was brought to ACRA from the Colorado Tourism Office. The advisors requested
to experience e-biking to Maroon Bells and tour hotels such as Hotel Jerome, Limelight, St. Regis, and W Aspen.
Occupancy Reports:
May Occupancy was 32.2%, up 5% YOY, while average daily rate for May was down -14.2% YOY. May’s occupancy does
support the notion that hotels are making up occupancy pacing percentages by bookings made in the month for the
month. Summer season (May-October) is pacing -12.2% YOY, where ADR for the season is up 4%.
Sales Tax Reports:
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As of the April Consumption Tax Report, released in June of 2023, the Tourism Promotion Fund is pacing 14.9% above
year-to-date budgeted revenues and is up 6.5% above last year’s actual year-to-date revenues. Against April of 2022, the
2023 revenues were down 18.3% indicating a softening in tax revenues.
Recent Press Coverage
Website Stats
Please see aspenchamber.org web statistics on the following page.
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Month of May 2023
We b Acti vi ty for https://aspe ncham ber.org
Pages/Session: 2.09
Indus try Average: 1.70
Comparison: +22.7% ▲
Bounce Rate: 45.30%
Industry Average: 58.00%
Comparison: -21.9% ▼
Avg Session Duration: 00:02:13
Industry Average: 00:01:31
Comparison: +46.3% ▲
Occupancy Data
[ACRA] ADR
May 2022 - May 2023
0
200
332.00
287.00
[ACRA] Paid Occupancy
May 2022 - May 2023
0
20 %
30.20 %
32.20 %
6.6% (0.02)
1 - 5 of 5 items
Web Analytics Page Path L evel 2 Pageviews Unique Pageviews Avg. Time On Page Bounce Rate
/everything-you-need-know-about-…2,547 2,353.00 00:05:02 48.10 %
/hiking -around-maroon-bells 2,456 2,183.00 00:04:51 32.92 %
/memorial-day-weekend-adventur…1,085 992.00 00:01:45 36.63 %
/5-reasons-visit-aspen-summer 1,064 1,002.00 00:02:04 61.36 %
/how-make-most-72-hours-aspen 714 663.00 00:02:27 64.70 %
Total 7,866 7,193.00 00:03:15 48.53 %
10 3,580
Sessions
Average Daily R ate YOY Paid Occupancy YOY
Top Blogs f rom aspenchamber.org/blog
Emailed Monthly Repor t Co mpact 2023-05-01 - 2023-05-31
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