05/19/2026
Tonight’s City Council meeting 🇺🇸
Tonight’s meeting opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the swearing in of a new Police Officer before moving into public forum, resolutions, ordinances, and Council discussion.
I believe transparency matters, and I want the community to understand what was discussed, what action was taken, how votes occurred, and why I voted the way I did.
💧 Public Forum and Sewer/Drainage Concerns
A major portion of tonight’s meeting involved residents speaking about repeated sewage backup and drainage concerns affecting multiple homes and areas over a period of years.
Residents described sewer backups during heavy rainfall, standing water concerns, property damage, insurance claim denials, financial hardship, health concerns involving sewage exposure, and frustration over what many believe has been a longstanding infrastructure issue.
Multiple residents stated they had previously raised concerns to the City over several years and requested additional transparency, further evaluation, and continued public discussion. One resident publicly requested consideration of an infrastructure audit and broader review of long term maintenance concerns.
Additional concerns brought forward to me outside of tonight’s meeting regarding other potential health and safety issues within the community have also begun being documented for further discussion moving forward.
Lucas Quamme also spoke from both personal experience and professional experience as a plumber regarding ongoing sewer and drainage concerns within the community.
The emotion and frustration expressed tonight by multiple residents was impossible to ignore. Hearing multiple families describe similar experiences over long periods of time made it very clear this is an issue the community expects to see addressed seriously and transparently moving forward.
A public hearing regarding these concerns will be scheduled in the near future so residents can continue presenting information, documentation, and concerns to the City Council.
I strongly encourage residents to stay involved, attend meetings, ask questions, and participate in these discussions. Community involvement matters, especially when addressing long term issues that impact families, neighborhoods, infrastructure, and future planning within our City.
🚿 Public Forum — Elevate Cedar County Proposal
Justin Trowbridge with Elevate Cedar County presented a proposal requesting temporary supervised access to the Community Center shower facilities after the previous arrangement through the Liston Center was discontinued.
The proposal included monitored usage, sign in procedures, cleaning responsibilities, hygiene supply coordination, and operation during limited scheduled hours while Elevate Cedar County continues working toward securing a permanent facility.
📋 Resolution 26-13
Resolution 26-13 appointed me to serve on the El Dorado Springs Picnic Committee through May 18, 2029.
The resolution passed unanimously. I abstained from voting because the appointment involved myself.
I appreciate the opportunity to continue serving the community in that role and helping support one of the longest standing traditions in El Dorado Springs 🇺🇸
🌳 Resolution 26-14
Resolution 26-14 reappointed Gabby Kinnett to the Park and Recreation Advisory Board.
The resolution passed unanimously. I voted yes.
I supported the reappointment because Gabby Kinnett has already served in this role and has experience with the ongoing discussions, projects, and responsibilities connected to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. I felt continuity and continued Council representation in that position was important.
🏘️ Resolution 26-15
Resolution 26-15 appointed Kim Neal to the Planning and Zoning Advisory Board.
The resolution passed unanimously. I voted yes.
I voted yes because I believe Kim Neal will bring thoughtful participation and community perspective to Planning and Zoning discussions, which are important to future development and long term growth within El Dorado Springs.
🏊 Resolution 26-16
Resolution 26-16 approved Proposal Number 7 on the swimming pool project after contractors discovered an old cistern and unsuitable soil conditions beneath the splash pad area.
Discussion included additional excavation, stabilization work, rock fill, and soil replacement recommended through the project’s soil testing process.
The proposal added $4,212.50 to the project cost.
I asked questions during discussion regarding documentation and the conditions discovered during excavation.
I made the motion to approve Resolution 26-16. Kim Neal seconded the motion.
The resolution passed unanimously. I voted yes.
I supported the resolution because the conditions appeared to be legitimate unforeseen site issues discovered during construction, and the stabilization work was necessary to properly complete the project safely and protect the long term integrity of the project.
🛣️ Ordinance 1984
Ordinance 1984 involved vacating a 150 foot alley easement between 503 and 505 North Main after a property owner petitioned the City.
Discussion included clarification that the City has no utilities located within the easement and no planned future City use for the property.
I made the motion to approve Ordinance 1984. Kim Neal seconded the motion.
The ordinance passed unanimously. I voted yes.
I voted yes because the City stated there were no utilities or planned future City use within the easement, and the request appeared reasonable based on the information presented during discussion.
💼 Employee Health Insurance Discussion
Bruce Rogers reported that employee health insurance renewal costs are projected to increase significantly this year, with increases around 32% across plans.
Discussion included available insurance options, employee participation levels, contribution percentages, HSA contributions, and the financial impact these increases would have on both employees and the City.
Bruce Rogers explained that employees would already be facing increased costs regardless of which option was selected.
The Council ultimately voted unanimously to maintain the current percentage split between the City and employees. I voted yes.
I supported maintaining the current structure because employees are already facing increased costs through no fault of their own, and I did not believe the burden of a major increase like this should be shifted disproportionately onto City employees.
🏛️ Mayor and Council Discussion — Elevate Cedar County Proposal
Later in the meeting, Council discussion returned to the Elevate Cedar County proposal regarding temporary supervised use of the Community Center shower facilities.
Justin Trowbridge explained that the proposal was intended as a temporary solution after the previous arrangement through the Liston Center was discontinued. Discussion included monitored usage, sign in procedures, cleaning responsibilities, hygiene supply coordination, limited scheduled hours, and ongoing efforts by Elevate Cedar County to secure a permanent location.
During Council discussion, Gabby Kinnett raised concerns regarding liability, public usage of the Community Center during operating hours, interactions involving children and families using the facility, privacy concerns, and whether the Community Center was the appropriate location for those services. She also expressed concerns regarding the possibility of long term dependency on City facilities rather than a short term solution.
During discussion, Kim Neal proposed adding a six month review period to allow the Council an opportunity to reevaluate the program and how it operated before any long term continuation.
I supported that recommendation and stated that I believed the six month review period created a reasonable middle ground that would allow the Council to reevaluate the situation moving forward while still temporarily helping members of the community.
I also stated during discussion that Elevate Cedar County has successfully operated similar services for approximately three years and that the proposal included supervision, accountability measures, and structure.
Allen Hicks abstained from voting due to currently serving on the Elevate Cedar County board.
I made the motion to approve the proposal with the six month review period included. Kim Neal seconded the motion.
Peggy Carter and Gabby Kinnett voted no. The motion failed on a tie vote.
Both Kim Neal and I previously served on the Elevate Cedar County board, but we stepped away from those positions upon being elected to City Council in order to avoid conflicts of interest involving Council matters and future votes.
Following the failed motion, Mayor Allen Hicks expressed disappointment that the Council was unable to approve a temporary option to help meet the need being discussed. He also stated that if churches, organizations, and the broader community are unwilling or unable to step in and help address needs like this, then the community needs to seriously consider how those needs will be addressed moving forward.
Following those comments, I asked Peggy Carter what her reasoning was for opposing the proposal.
Peggy Carter stated that she was “not sure what the right thing is,” but did not provide a more specific explanation for her vote against the proposal.
Discussion then continued regarding whether the Community Center should be considered open to all members of the community, balancing concerns involving public usage of the facility while also maintaining dignity and respect for individuals utilizing the services.
I supported the proposal because I believed it provided a temporary, structured, and supervised option while longer term solutions continue to be pursued.
Following the failed motion, Lucas Quamme addressed the Council and community regarding his frustrations surrounding the discussion and stated that efforts to provide shower access and related services would continue independently moving forward.
🇺🇸 Final Thoughts
Meetings like tonight are exactly why public involvement matters.
Residents showed up tonight. People spoke openly about concerns affecting their families, homes, businesses, employees, infrastructure, and community resources. Whether people agreed or disagreed on certain issues, public participation matters, and it is important that people continue staying involved in these discussions moving forward.
As always, I will continue doing my best to ask questions, listen to residents, remain transparent, and keep the community informed regarding discussions and decisions taking place within City government.
