Greeley council approves $84.8 million supplemental appropriation, including Civic Campus financing authority

The Greeley City Council voted Tuesday, 5-1, to approve its third supplemental appropriation for 2026, adding $84,815,000 to the city budget. The ordinance includes $84.65 million in spending authority tied to planned Certificates of Participation for the Downtown Civic Campus project and $165,000 for a state-supported housing planning effort. Council member Johnny Olson cast the lone no vote.

Budget and Policy Director Nathan Mosley told council the appropriation covered only two items. The larger item would appropriate anticipated Civic Campus financing proceeds for construction and issuance costs, while a second item would add the money needed for a Colorado Department of Local Affairs housing grant and its required local match. Mosley said staff will return to council Sept. 1 for first reading and Sept. 15 for second reading on the separate ordinance covering the COP financing itself.

The agenda packet drew a distinction between budget authority and borrowing approval. It says the $84.65 million appropriation in the City Center Fund is needed so the project can keep moving while staff completes the financing process, but that the action "does not authorize or complete the issuance of COPs." Staff said the current financing plan anticipates repayment from the Food Tax Fund, with the final repayment schedule, total issuance amount and terms to come back to council later.

For the housing item, the city will use a $123,750 DOLA grant and a $41,250 local match from the Housing Grants Fund, for a total of $165,000. Mosley said the money will be used to update Greeley's housing needs assessment and housing action plan and to prepare strategic growth and water supply elements for incorporation into the city's comprehensive plan.

During council discussion, Council Member Craig Huddleston said the supplemental appropriation contained "two items I'm willing to approve and one that I'm not," and asked whether he would have to vote the whole ordinance up or down unless it were amended. No amendment was offered. During the public hearing, Greeley resident Kenneth L. Ward urged use of Robert's Rules of Order to divide the question, joking that he was acting as an "agent of chaos."

Item 24 was the public hearing and second reading of Ordinance No. 41, 2026. The measure had been introduced July 21. The city charter requires expenditures to stay within council-approved appropriations at the fund level, and staff recommended adoption of the ordinance as presented.