City Desk ~ An insider’s view of the policies and politics of Colorado Springs city government

Archive for the 'Civic Participation' Category

« Previous Entries

Westside Community Center partnership wins award

January 14th, 2013, 1:00 pm by

A partnership between the city and Woodman Valley Chapel’s Center for Strategic Ministry is getting an award.

The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs’ Center for Study of Government and the Individual is awarding the Civic Innovator of the Year award Jan. 29 to the Westside Community Center LLC.

“The prolonged economic downturn has put local governments in a bind. How are they to meet an increasing demand for social services with decreasing revenues resulting from a slumping economy? Colorado Springs three years ago began meeting that challenge by forming public-private partnerships at the city’s pools and community centers, of which The Westside Community Center LLC — a partnership between the city of Colorado Springs and the Woodmen Valley Chapel’s Center for Strategic Ministry — is the stellar example,” according to Peak Freedom Forum, which is hosting the awards ceremony during its Food for Thought Luncheon.

The luncheon is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Cheyenne Mountain Resort, 3225 Broadmoor Valley Road. Cost is $30 per person. For more information or to register, click here.

Former City Councilman Sean Paige, who is on the Board of Directors of Peak Freedom Forum, said the award recognizes local individuals or organizations that harness private sector initiative to help address problems that might otherwise fall on government.

“I’m particularly excited about this year’s recipient, the private/public partnership operating the Westside Community Center, because I helped champion such new models while serving on City Council. When confronting major budget cuts, and with city pools and community centers on the chopping block, we on council put out the call for private sector assistance. And the response was amazing. The Westside Center is only one of the success stories that resulted, which we’ll talk more about on Jan. 29th, but we could only give out one such award this year and we felt that this partnership was most deserving,” he said in an email.

 

 

 

 

Posted in: Budget • Civic Participation • Recreation and Cultural Services • • • | 1 Comment »

Live mic picks up councilman’s private comment

January 9th, 2013, 2:40 pm by

For months, Elizabeth Reed has showed up at City Hall to address City Council members during the citizen discussion portion of their formal meetings.

Time and time again, Reed expresses concerns about smoking in subsidized housing for seniors.

Reed’s mother lives at Senior Heritage Plaza, a low-income housing apartment complex for the elderly, and is apparently surrounded by neighbors who smoke.

Reed wants a smoke-free building for her mother.

“It’s assault and battery to stick them in a building with profuse second-hand smoke,” Reed told the council recently, referring to people with respiratory problems.

The city has looked into her concerns.

Council Administrator Aimee Cox has spent countless hours, between phone calls and emails, trying to rectify the situation.

Even Mayor Steve Bach’s chief of staff, Laura Neumann, got involved at one point.

Reed has been told that it’s a matter under the purview of the Housing Authority, which has tried to appease Reed, officials say.

But Reed isn’t satisfied and continues to show up at City Hall.

Reed went before council again Tuesday.

“Happy New Year to you all,” Reed said. “I”m here talking about the same thing. I’m sorry that I came back. I know that you didn’t want to see me.”

If only you knew, Ms. Reed.

When council President Scott Hente called Reed up to speak, Councilman Bernie Herpin made a remark under his breath.

A live microphone recorded what he said.

“When are we going to tell her to stop coming here?” Herpin remarked.

To listen for yourself, click here. Reed starts talking at about minute 48.

Herpin did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

 

Posted in: City Council • Civic Participation • Meetings • People • • | 9 Comments »

El Pomar hosts workshop for City Council candidates

January 8th, 2013, 11:13 am by

El Pomar Foundation’s Forum for Civic Advancement is holding a workshop for City Council candidates.

The workshop, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Jan. 24, is open to the public.

The workshop will be held in the Milton E. Proby Room of the Penrose House, 1661 Mesa Ave.

Registration is required. Click here to register.

Speakers include City Council President Pro Tem Jan Martin, City Clerk Sarah Johnson, Sam Mamet of the Colorado Municipal League, and Sarah Brittain Jack of Sarah B. Jack & Associates.

“In Colorado Springs, six seats are up for election and the stakes are high. The new council will be asked to grapple with difficult issues from oil and gas exploration to panhandling and urban development,” according to the Forum for Civic Advancement.

“In this ‘Run and Win’ workshop, participants will learn about the election process from campaign strategy to election laws and will hear from a councilor about what the job is like on a daily basis. We welcome all potential candidates as well as anyone interested in learning more about what it takes to sit on City Council.”

Posted in: Civic Participation • Elections • Meetings • • • • • • | 1 Comment »

VIDEO: Leigh confronted over ‘false accusations’

January 8th, 2013, 10:41 am by

Tim Leigh

Activist Kanda Calef shot down City Councilman Tim Leigh on Monday when Leigh insinuated that she’s part of the coal lobby.

Calef, who started Colorado Springs Citizens for Affordable Energy, which advocates keeping Colorado Springs Utilities under local ownership, vehemently denied that the coal industry is pulling her strings.

“Verify your facts before you make statements,” Calef told Leigh.

“I’m a stay-at-home mother who home schools my son. I’m a very busy person who is a citizen of this city, and I don’t want it to be intimidating to people like me to come and speak in front of people like you because you make false accusations,” she said.

Click HERE to watch video of the exchange.

 

Posted in: City Council • Civic Participation • Meetings • Utilities • • • • | 10 Comments »

City seeks input on plan to renovate Mountain Shadows Park

January 7th, 2013, 10:40 am by

The city’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department is seeking public input on a plan to renovate Mountain Shadows Park after the Waldo Canyon fire.

The city is holding two neighborhood workshops to receive citizen ideas and input.

The first workshop is from 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday at Chipeta Elementary School, 2340 Ramsgate Terrace. The second one is from 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday, also at the elementary school.

“The park will be improved with extensive input from the citizens living within the community and with the involvement of the Mountain Shadows Community Association (MSCA) and many of the neighborhood homeowners associations in the area,” the city said.

The project is expected to be completed by September. A timeline and more information can be viewed at SpringsGov.com/MSMP.   A park survey and a drawing sheet for children to submit ideas can also be downloaded from the webpage, the city said.

The park is adjacent to Chipeta elementary, so the parks department is working with School District 11 and project sponsors to integrate the school grounds and facilities “where possible to provide a wonderful asset for the community,” the city said.

“This project has been made possible thanks to Colorado Springs Together, several generous corporate sponsors and the involvement of other organizations and businesses across Colorado Springs,” the city said.

 

Posted in: Civic Participation • Fire • Meetings • Parks • • • | Post a Comment »

Paige advocates for evening council meetings

December 28th, 2012, 10:23 am by

Sean Paige/Photo by Daniel J. Chacón

Don’t expect  former City Councilman Sean Paige to appear in any campaign ads supporting a proposed ballot measure that would increase the pay of a future City Council.

“I have a one word rebuttal to those who believe better pay will result in better leadership: Congress,” Paige commented on a story on gazette.com about the proposed salary increase.

“Congress isn’t any less of a circus because each of the clowns now makes $174,000 per year, plus a king’s benefits and pension package,” he said.

Paige, former editorial page editor of The Gazette and currently deputy director of the Colorado chapter of Americans for Prosperity, says he has a “simpler” and “more affordable” solution to increase the pool of council candidates.

“The easiest way to increase the number and quality of people able to serve on City Council/Utilities Board — if that is the primary goal here — is to move meeting times from weekday afternoons, when most people are working, to evening hours, which would permit more people not only to serve but to attend,” he said.

Paige left a lengthy comment backing the idea of moving council meetings to the evening.

Here is the rest of his comment:

I pushed for this while on council but the idea was shot down, for reasons that were either silly, self-serving or outdated. Daytime meetings are a relic of the city manager system, in my opinion, when what was convenient for city employees was more important than what was convenient for the public at large. That model is gone now so a re-thinking is in order.

This simple change would cost nothing but greatly expand leadership opportunities for people who work 9 to 5. If we did it now, or very soon, the pool of people interested in running for council in April would grow considerably. Many cities function quite well with councils that meet in the evening. Marathon sessions that stretch until midnight could be avoided simply by running meetings with more efficiency.

Meetings would be attended not just by the narrowly-interested, who happen to have an item of special concern on the docket that day, but by the general public, who may be prevented from taking part now by day jobs. This new arrangement might be less convenient for the city or utility staff who are required to attend, and it might increase the city’s coffee bill by a couple bucks each month, but those are small drawbacks as compared to the obvious advantages.

Jumping directly to paying council members $45,000 per year, without first trying this much simpler and more affordable way to broaden the leadership pool, is a leap too far, in my opinion, which will flop at the ballot box. I also agree with those who say we still have some work to do, sorting out roles and responsibilities, particularly pertaining to utilities business, before we can determine a more equitable pay rate for councilors. More responsibility might argue for more pay, but I don’t see that responsibilities have grown any — and they may even be diminished somewhat under the new structure.

Finally, I would be more supportive of paying council members more if there were fewer of them — 5 instead of 9, for instance. I’ve never understood why a city this size needs a 9-member council, when 5 would probably do just fine. That’s my 2 cents worth, off the cuff. I reserve the right to add another dime or quarter as the debate unfolds.

Posted in: City Council • Civic Participation • Elections • Meetings • • | 4 Comments »

Mayor hosts fourth and final town hall Oct. 24

October 18th, 2012, 10:18 am by

Click on image to enlarge

Mayor Steve Bach wants to “build community” and encourage residents to get involved in their city.

One way Bach is reaching out to citizens is through quarterly town hall meetings, where “community leaders, citizens and city officials come together to discuss timely issues and key concerns,” according to bachsoffice.com.

The fourth and final town hall meeting of 2012 will be Oct. 24 at Eagleview Middle School, 1325 Vindicator Drive.

The meeting will be from 6:30-8 p.m.

The last town hall meeting was held at Timberview Middle School.

Dozens of residents attended the meeting and got the ask the mayor questions, including a little girl who asked Bach to explain what a mayor does.

 

Posted in: City Administration • Civic Participation • Meetings • | 5 Comments »

Public invited to comment on 2013 budget Thursday

October 16th, 2012, 3:46 pm by

The city of Colorado Springs is holding an e-town hall meeting Thursday to give the public an opportunity to weigh in on the proposed 2013 budget.

The meeting will be from 5-7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 107 N. Nevada Ave.

The City Council will take “comments, ideas and other input from citizens,” the city said in a press release. “Input submitted electronically will be read aloud as time allows.”

Mayor Steve Bach is also scheduled to attend the meeting.

Residents can participate in the meeting several ways, including by attending in person or watching it live on cable channel 18 or online at springsgov.com.

They can also phone in ideas and comments by calling 385-5961 or by email to 2013springsbudget@springsgov.com.

The city is using social media, too. The public can post comments or ideas on the city’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/springsgov or tweet them to @springsgov. The hashtag will be #2013COSbudget.

For more information, contact the Budget Office at 385-5970 or go to www.SpringsGov.com/budget.

Posted in: Budget • City Administration • City Council • Civic Participation • Meetings • • • • | 1 Comment »

Council lays out schedule for oil and gas regulations

October 16th, 2012, 10:21 am by

The City Council today outlined the schedule for proposed oil and gas regulations in Colorado Springs.

Here is the full text of a press release on the subject:

On Sept. 25, City Council voted 8 to 1 to postpone the proposed oil and gas regulations vote in order to allow city staff to address the following concerns:

– A plan on how the wells located within city limits will be inspected.

– A plan outlining regular monitoring of air and water quality.

– An answer to whether more zoning options are available to the city.

The revised schedule for the proposed oil and gas regulations is as follows:

– Monday, Oct. 22 – Informal City Council meeting. Staff to present options. Council to give final direction regarding a draft ordinance. Public welcome; public comment not permitted.

– Tuesday, Oct. 23 – Formal City Council meeting. Council to take action to postpone the item until Nov. 27 for first reading. Public welcome; public comment permitted.

– Tuesday, Nov. 27 – Formal City Council meeting. First reading of the ordinance. Public welcome; public comment permitted.

All meetings will begin at 1 p.m. and will be held in the Council Chambers located on the third floor of City Hall at 107 N. Nevada Avenue.

This schedule could change based on Council direction or decision.

Posted in: City Council • Civic Participation • Meetings • Oil and Gas • • | Post a Comment »

Skate ramp leads to award for Colorado Springs teen

October 15th, 2012, 9:40 am by

A Colorado Springs teen-ager who was the impetus behind a new vert ramp at the Memorial Park Skatepark won an award from the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association earlier this month.

Jonathan “Jono” Schwan won the Park and Recreation Community Champion Award.

“The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department nominated Jono Schwan for an award due to his efforts associated with the Memorial Park Skate Park,” the city said in a press release.

“Jono received the Park and Recreation Community Champion Award based upon his significant effort to influence and improve the quality of his community through parks, recreation and community services.  Jono Schwan is responsible for bringing world-class skateboarding to Colorado Springs. The ambitious 15 year-old commits to the sport on every level, professionally as a pro X Games participant, and philanthropically as founder of the non-profit organization Sk8-Strong. Jono’s tireless fundraising efforts resulted in Sk8-Strong donating two vert ramps, valued at over $200,000, to the Memorial Park Skate Park. Not only did Jono personally donate his competition prize winnings and coordinate the acquisition of the ramps, but he also appeared in front of Park Board and City Council on numerous occasions to present his vision and advocate for support. The addition of the vert ramps gives Memorial Park Skate Park all four skateboard disciplines, making it the only public park in the nation that hosts such a facility.”

The city of Colorado Springs’ Parks and Recreation Department also took home an award.

“The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department received a Columbine Award for Innovation, which highlights best practices and creative ideas, for its Collaborative Community Partnership Model.  Faced with an unprecedented economic decline, the Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department budget reduced 81%, from $19.7M in 2008 to a mere $3.6M in 2010. A limited budget forced the Department to think of new ways to offer services. Out of necessity, and with the support of key partners, the Department developed a strategy of incorporating community collaborations into their services. The Collaborative Community Partnership Model operates on the premise that community stakeholders can work hand in hand with government operations to achieve common goals and services. In the past two years the Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department established key partnerships in response to the economic decline and reduced budget. Key partnerships include the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region and its operation of six of the City’s aquatic facilities; Broadmoor Community Church and its partnership with Meadows Park Community Center; and Westside Community Center LLC and its support of the Westside Community Center.  The Collaborative Community Partnership Model has enabled the Department to continue to offer and expand services while continuing to evaluate efficiencies and explore innovative opportunities,” the city said.

The association’s awards program “is designed to recognize and celebrate the individuals and organizations that contribute to the success and value of parks and recreation in the state of Colorado,” the city said in a news release.

“Designed to bring attention to its recipients, the awards program highlights the successes of association members and community champions,” the city said.

Posted in: Civic Participation • Parks • People • Recreation and Cultural Services • | Post a Comment »

« Previous Entries