SILVERTHORNE — Silverthorne town staff on Tuesday provided council with an update for the reopening processes, which includes additions to parks, moving forward with wedding plans and bringing back employees who were furloughed.
As for reopening activities going on in the town, Town Manager Ryan Hyland said the recreation center would open Monday, June 15, at a limited capacity.
Recreation Director Joanne Cook said grass in town parks will be striped to promote physical distancing.
“We are striping squares out so that — particularly when you’re working with youth but also our adult fitness classes — it just gives people their 10-by-10 space to work in,” Cook said.
Cook also gave an update on weddings at the Silverthorne Pavilion, which will host a ceremony in July with fewer than 50 people and one at the end of June with fewer than 20 people. She noted that weddings are considered a religious ceremony, which allows a gathering of no more than 50 people to take place outdoors, but receptions are not allowed unless they follow the more restrictive guidelines of 10 people or fewer.
Cook said the late June wedding ceremony and reception will take place with 10 people inside and 10 people outside. However, Cook noted that 65 events at the pavilion have been postponed or canceled.
To help with physical distancing at restaurants in town, Hyland said Arapahoe Basin Ski Area loaned about 28 picnic tables to restaurants at no cost to help them expand outside seating. Peak to Peak moved the tables from the ski area to the restaurants.
Courtesy town of Silverthorne on Facebook
Director of Finance Laura Kennedy gave an update on the town’s financial situation, including sales tax revenue. Kennedy said the town received the county portion of the April sales tax collected in Silverthorne, which came out to $342,000. She noted that figure was down about 15% compared with April 2019. Kennedy said that was “not too shabby” for what they were expecting.
Hyland said CARES Act funding also would be coming to the town through the county, which will amount to more than $400,000. Hyland later wrote in an email that the funds will be used to reimburse towns for eligible expenses, including business grant programs and funding for community support through the Family & Intercultural Resource Center.
As the town works to reopen, Hyland said full or three-quarter time Silverthorne employees that were furloughed have returned and are “the folks that are getting the rec center ready to roll.” Part-time staff remains furloughed.
Hyland said things are running smoothly at Town Hall with no more than 50% of normal staff in the building at once.