Pueblo West rectifies $1.1 million budgeting error on aquatics center fund

Tracy Harmon, The Pueblo Chieftain
Updated ·4 min read

A 2022 budgeting error was corrected Monday after the Pueblo West Metro Board voted unanimously to return $1.17 million to the general fund after it was mistakenly transferred to the aquatics center fund.

The aquatics center fund dipped to $2.4 million to fund the proposed center's estimated $9.7 million price tag. The budgeting error happened after both projected and actual excess tax revenues from 2021 were transferred to the fund by two different finance directors.

The discrepancy was discovered during an internal review as staff prepared for an aquatics center presentation earlier this year, said Christian Heyn, interim district manager.

"We don't have the ability to pick the brain of the previous finance director," to find out how the projected revenues were transferred, Heyn told the board.

The Pueblo West Aquatics Center design calls for a $9.7 million facility featuring a six-lane lap pool and a separate pool with a kids zone and a lazy river as well as a unique slide feature that winds its way outside the building.
The Pueblo West Aquatics Center design calls for a $9.7 million facility featuring a six-lane lap pool and a separate pool with a kids zone and a lazy river as well as a unique slide feature that winds its way outside the building.

Pueblo West Board members Bill Vickers and Joe Mahaney expressed concern about how the error happened.

"I am having a hard time understanding how it got in there twice," Vickers said.

"I could not find any documentation that the board did that" in a vote, Mahaney said. "But we found the mistake and corrected the mistake, so let's move on."

Pueblo West resident Dena McCrackin urged the board to put measures in place to "assure it doesn't happen again."

"How do we know there are not other accounting errors that have happened in the past?" she asked.

Heyn said a budget committee has been formed and meets with staff twice per month to review the budget. He said he believes that will prevent discrepancies.

A webpage dedicated to updating residents on the pool project can be seen at pueblowestmetro.com/aquaticcenter.

Fourth of July wet parade receives some negative feedback

The board also heard from Joy Lundquist, a Pueblo West resident who wrote a letter urging the board to do away with the dry portion of the Fourth of July parade.

"I registered Mountain Shadows Baptist Church and we then (perhaps naively) asked all of our church members to consider being a part of this family-friendly event. Young and old were invited, disabled and able bodies alike," Lundquist said in the letter.

She described several mishaps with parade goers throwing water on people who were in the dry portion of the parade. Mishaps included Miss Pueblo West's dress being ruined, a Ford Model T with a bunch of elementary-aged grandkids having water buckets thrown on top of them, destroying the vintage car, and several other incidents of dry participants getting soaked and having to bail out of the parade route halfway through because some adults were acting like "schoolyard bullies," Lunduist said in the letter.

"Granted there were problems with the dry part of the parade, but all in all it was nice to see it back," Mahaney said.

Board Vice President Doug Proals said despite some of the negative feedback, he believes the Fourth of July event was "a bombshell, a great event and well attended."

Water bills can now be paid at drive-through drop box

The board also directed staff to move a walk-up drop box at the treatment plant, 20 W. Palmer Lake, to a drive-through station to make it easier for residents to pay their water bills. A security camera will be installed to monitor the box, said Jim Blasing, director of utilities.

Water tap sale approved for homebuilder

The board voted to approve the sale of a 1.5-inch water tap to JK Signature Homes, which proposes to build three duplexes at 11 E. Cokedale Drive.

Board to allow more opportunities for public comment

The board voted unanimously to approve an agenda change that would allow citizens to provide comment at the beginning of the meeting and again after action items are voted on. The change will take place in conjunction with the meeting time change to 6 p.m. at the Aug. 14 meeting.

Pizza with the president is Friday

Board President Nick Madero will host a Pizza with the President event from noon to 2 p.m. Friday at the Pueblo West Memorial Recreation Center, 230 E. George Drive.

Lunch will include Dominos Pizza from the Pueblo West restaurant. The public is invited to participate in an open, casual conversation about any topic affecting Pueblo West.

"The metro district is going all-in to better connect with our residents, and Pizza with the President is one example of that," said Anthony Sandstrom, communications and public engagement strategist. "We're also planning future forums with board members, town halls about hot topics and improving opportunities to access and engage with board members and district leadership."

Sandstrom said a community relations manager also is on staff to listen to residents and share that feedback, "whether it's good or bad."

More aquatics center news: Pueblo West struggling to keep $9.7 million aquatic center plan afloat

Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via Twitter at twitter.com/tracywumps.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo West aquatics center fund down $1.1 million after error corrected