EVMD Board Meeting 10/8/2025 Recap
10/8/2025 Board Meeting Recap
This is an unofficial summary of the Oct. 8, 2025 Special Meeting of the Board of Directors of the EagleVail Metropolitan District held at the EagleVail Pavilion and online produced by EVMD Communications staff. A draft of the minutes will be posted to the EVMD website once they are composed.
Board members present: Hopkins, Barcza, Laughlin, Copeland and Rumford.
Public Comment:
Matt Ryan: Thanked board and staff for all they do. Inquired about Director of Golf position as he didn’t think the golf course was as well managed as in the past. Chair Hopkins explained that the former director took a new position right before the summer season commenced and duties were spread across all staff for 2025; the EVMD is currently taking applications for the position and hope to fill it soon.
Wildfire Mitigation Update and Plans for 2026:
Eagle River Fire Protection District’s Tim Swaner, Fire Operations Specialist, had high praise for the EagleVail community and their participation in wildfire mitigation efforts:
- In 2025, EagleVail participated in the Eagle County Chipping Program, resulting in the removal of an estimated 75,000 pounds of slash from local properties. This represents a significant investment by your residents and staff in maintaining defensible space and reducing available fuels within the community.
- EagleVail also took part in the Residential Wildfire Inspection Program, helping identify and address hazards around individual homes. These inspections continue to be an effective way to engage residents and provide personalized recommendations for home hardening and defensible space improvements; Swaner said he would like to see participation grow.
- 33 acres of hand treatment work were completed within the District in 2025. Slash from these operations was piled and will be burned when conditions safely allow.
- To further protect forest health, multiple pheromone packets were installed for fir beetle protection in targeted areas.
- Looking ahead to 2026, our shared objectives include:
- Treating approximately 50 acres (two units) on adjacent state lands to build on current fuel reduction work.
- Continuing fir beetle monitoring and protection efforts to sustain forest health.
- Including EagleVail again in the County Chipping Program to maintain momentum
- Participating in community engagement and vegetation management.
- Funding request for 2026 same as for 2025. Swaner explained that maintaining this level of support not only sustains ongoing mitigation efforts but also enhances the district’s ability to secure state and federal grant funding.
Communications Update:
Commfluent Inc.’s Kristin Kenney Williams provided summary results of the 2025 Enhance Communications Survey:
Summary Recap:
- Very similar results to 2024
- 103 respondents (135 in 2024)
- 7 questions
- 65 provided emails for e-blasts
Are you an EagleVail Property Owner, Resident or Business Owner?
90 Property Owner
How do you currently receive news/information about the EVMD?
40 or 54.79% E-blasts (ranked highest in 2024)
29 or 39.73% Newsletters
26 or 35.62% Sandwich Boards
19 or 26.03% Community Kiosks
25 or 34.25% eaglevail.org
15 or 20.55% Park Events
15 or 20.55% EVMD Social Channels
- Word of mouth; EagleVail Community FB polled high
Are you interested in serving on a topic-specific committee to enhance community communications with the District?
25 responses (40 in 2024 before we resurrected committees)
How much information do you want?
54 Just Right
47 More
(About the same in 2024)
While the EagleVail & Tell inaugural event in April did not poll high with the How do you receive EVMD information, it did poll high in terms of 73 respondents or 80.22% wanting to see it return as an annual event.
In the past year, on a scale of 1-5, 1 being less effective and 5 being very effective, how effective are communications from EVMD?
37 Answer: 4
33 Answer: 3
15 Answer: 2
11 Answer: 5
7 Answer: 1
2024: On a scale of 1-5, 1 being less effective and 5 being very effective, how effective are communications from EVMD?
44 Answer: 4
44 Answer: 3
18 Answer: 2
13 Answer: 5
12 Answer: 1
Any suggestions about new communication channels going forward?
45 responses
-
- Great job – very positive on all existing channels (esp. kiosks); great improvement last two years
- How can we reach short-term renters
- Electronic bulletin board
- Looking forward to updated website
- Use hyperlinks to information
- Kiosk closer to Riverside Court
- Update newsletter design
Recommendations
- Move comms survey to ad hoc basis
- Continue with new ideas, including Coffee Chats, Committees, Park Events, Social Posts, EagleVail & Tell due to continued uptick in attendance
- Update newsletter, e-blast design
- Evolve kiosk, sandwich board/community signage
Board discussion included agreement with recommendations, and a request to see if community would be interested in evening Coffee Chats when they resume summer of 2026.
Management Updates:
Superintendent of Golf Courses & Parks Brent Barnum reported that the main golf course closed on Oct. 6. Tasks that we will be accomplishing in the days to come:
- Deep tine aerification to greens
- Core aerification to the approaches
- Core aerification to Driving Range Tee
- Core aerification to fairways
- Topdressing to tees
- First winter chemical applications
- Winterization of restrooms on courses
- Some fall debris clean-up
Still on the horizon for the remainder of October:
- Continue fall debris clean-up
- Install stakes & ropes around greens
- Install Nordic track
- Winterize pumphouses
- Core aerification to greens
- Core aerification to tees
- Topdressing to greens
- Topdressing to approaches
- Winterization of irrigation systems
- Summer golf course supplies brought in
- Some equipment rotation from summer to winter
- Apply final winter chemicals to turf
- Install & set-up winter supplies on course - Finalize equipment rotation for winter
- Set waterways for winter
Manager Steven Barber reported that he and staff have been wrapping up capital projects for 2025 and putting together the District’s budget for next year.
- As part of the ongoing strategic planning process, a Strategic Operations (Strat-Ops) meeting took place the morning of Oct. 8. Ongoing discussion around:
- Complete Phase II of East End Master Plan
- Capital Improvement Planning
- Improved Community Communications
- Par 3 Plan-New Land Use
- Continuing to move forward with the disposition of the fire station. A commercial realtor has been retained to handle the sale. The property will be photographed and listed on the MLS next week. Updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.
- Barber and Barnum continue to work with Kevin Atkinson on the potential addition of netting along the north and east sides of the facility, mirroring what was installed last fall, as well as on day-to-day operations. A few weeks ago, they met with a representative from Judge Netting to review cost estimates and installation timelines should the Board decide to move forward. An estimated capital cost has been included in the proposed 2026 budget.
- Zehren & Assoc. will provide an update on the Parks Master Planning Process in November.
- EagleVail Trail Extension Update: Good news! The Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance reports its volunteers and crew have spent considerable time this summer out on the EagleVail side of the trail giving it some finishing touches, officially connecting it to the EagleVail Trail! Signs are being posted that this 0.75 mile section is open as an out and back. A sign is also being posted where the trail ends informing people to turn around. Construction of the full completion of the trail extension is expected to resume in May of next year. The VVMTA is working with several property owner partners to receive necessary easements for the construction work.
- The Pavilion is 91% booked for the year, with about $112,000 in booked revenue and $95,000 in rental revenue alone.
- Reminder that the Oct. 8 Special Meeting of the Board replaces the Oct. 16 meeting.
- Nov. 6 will be a Board work session; Nov. 20 is next regular board meeting.
Financial Report:
- Jon Erickson explained that the September report will occur in November. Golf revenue is up; noted Pavilion growth with 2026 bookings going well.
- Public hearing was opened for the 2026 Preliminary Budget:
Highlights of the Metro District 2026 budget are:
- The assessed value of the District is up about 7% while property taxes will be up about 2%.
- The District’s operations and debt service are primarily funded with property taxes. The District’s assessed value has decreased to $145,884,570.
- Overall revenues are up about 2% to $6,880,932 and expenditures before capital are up about 6% to the 2025 forecast, resulting is an operating surplus before capital of approximately $2,384,869.
- Payroll costs, generally, are budgeted to increase 3% through all departments.
a. The budget includes the Director of Golf Position.
- The Sales Tax Fund has budgeted revenues of $671,650 for 2026.
- While the Metro District budget is showing an operating surplus of $2,384,869, after capital it is a deficit of ($269,976). The Board has previously designated that total fund balance is to be assigned for specific purposes. A portion approximating 50% of annual operating expenditures is to be reserved for future operations with the remainder being allocated to future capital requirements. The 2026 budget would leave a balance of approximately $3.4 million dedicated to future capital programs. Erickson gave a high level overview of proposed capital projects.
- Finance Committee recently reviewed the preliminary budget and some of their questions taken into account. The committee will have another review before the Nov. 6 work session.
- The hearing was opened for public comment. No public comments. The hearing was continued to Nov. 20.
Pickleball Discussion:
Mike Kieler addressed the board, requesting four additional pickleball courts be made by converting the west tennis court. He explained that revenues are up, including drop-in fees. Board and staff said they would explore the idea further.