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The Avon Town ߣÏÈÉú will hear the first public hearing for the town’s on Tuesday. The town plans for total expenditures of almost $54 million, matching anticipated total revenues of $55 million.

Avon’s biggest expenditure in 2025 will be on capital improvements and equipment replacement (40% of the total budget), followed by general government and finance (19%), and then public works, engineering and utilities (13%). Town staff and council have identified a number of high-priority capital improvement projects, including making crossing U.S. Highway 6 safer for pedestrians after multiple deaths last year.

Capital projects

In 2024, the town budgeted close to $10 million from the capital projects fund but ultimately spent nearly $27 million on the category. In 2025, Avon plans to spend $11 million on capital improvement projects.

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The town has eight projects identified as high priority, including upgrading the town’s public works garage, building new restrooms on the east side of Harry A. Nottingham Park, and improving pedestrian safety on Highway 6 with more lighting, crosswalks and traffic calming elements. The latter project has been in the works for over a decade, as town staff and council members have brought various design plans to the Colorado Department of Transportation for evaluation. CDOT approved the latest plans for Highway 6 improvements earlier this year, and the Town ߣÏÈÉú approved upgrades in August.

Use tax on construction materials

Avon voters passed the town’s proposed 4% use tax on construction materials ballot measure on election night last week. The use should be easier to collect than a sales tax, meaning Avon should be able to retain more revenue, with the funds designated for community housing.

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While the was published without confirmation of the tax approval — the results of the vote will be official by Nov. 28 — town staff will present an estimate of how the tax revenues will impact the community housing fund during the second budget public hearing, on Nov. 19.

Recreation center rates set to increase

The Avon Recreation Center has not raised its rates “significantly” in five years, according to the packet. In the 2025 budget, membership, punch pass and program rates are set to increase by 10% across the board, except for youth program fees, which will increase by 5%.

“Several admission and program fees are between 7%-22% behind the average of peer organizations,” the packet said. “Staff are confident that affordability and accessibility to recreation amenities and programs will still be maintained within the proposed fee increases.”

If approved by the council, the recreation center fee increases are estimated to lead to an additional $166,000 in revenues for the town in 2025.

Community housing fund

Avon has a designated fund for community housing projects, which is currently mainly funded by a 2% tax on short-term rentals and a transfer of 10% from the real estate transfer tax. Currently, the town anticipates taking in $1.75 million in funds for the community housing fund. However, with the new use tax on construction materials, the community housing fund should receive an additional boost in funding that has yet to be determined.

Avon plans to spend just under $2.5 million on community housing projects, including $600,000 going to the town’s Mi Casa deed restriction program that assists those wishing to buy homes, $500,000 going to Avon employee homeownership program, and most of the rest of the funding going to new housing projects.

Tuesday’s public hearing of the budget takes place at 5 p.m. in the Avon Town Hall. The council will not make any decisions during this meeting but will hear public comments and provide input for town staff on the proposed 2025 budget. 

The second public hearing on the budget will take place next week, on Nov. 19, and the final budget review and approval by the council will take place on Dec. 10.