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Holidays may delay no-solicitation zone discussions

December 19th, 2012, 5:16 pm by

What should Colorado Springs do next in light of a judge’s injunction on the no-solicitation zone?

The Gazette asked Mayor Steve Bach and City Council members to answer the question Wednesday.

Only City Councilman Bernie Herpin responded.

“Before I can comment on the status of the lawsuit and implementation of the no solicitation ordinance, I would need to hear from our City Attorney.  However, we do have an ‘aggressive solicitation’ ordinance on the books that would cover most of the more aggressive panhandling anywhere in the city.  It, like all our laws, becomes a matter of enforcement,” Herpin said in an email.

“I, also, do not understand the comments from the judge about our lack of discussion on other issues with the content of the no solicitation ordinance,” Herpin added. “I recall that we talked extensively about no charity solicitation, specifically about the Salvation Army bell ringers; street performers; sandwich boards; Girl Scouts; and other impacts of the ordinance besides just panhandling.”

City Attorney Chris Melcher weighed in Wednesday afternoon, saying the city had already issued a statement on the matter.

“The release stated that the city would carefully review the written opinion when released next week, consult with legal counsel, and make a decision after a thoughtful review and discussion,” Melcher said in an email.

Melcher also said that Herpin was “absolutely correct” that “there were substantial and detailed discussions in public council sessions that discussed solicitation by charitable organizations,” including the Salvation Army and the Girl Scouts, and solicitation by musicians and other street performers.

“Until we have the judge’s written decision, we cannot be sure what the court meant by those comments or whether the court was simply mistaken in its review of the record,” Melcher said. “The entire City Council proceedings on the ordinance were entered into the record by the city at the hearing, and the record before the court will reflect those discussions. ”

Melcher said it’s unlikely city leaders will be able to discuss “possible next steps” until the next council meeting Jan. 7 because of the holidays.

 

Posted in: City Administration • City Council • Lawsuit • Meetings • People • Public Safety • Tourism • • • • • | Post a Comment »

Neumann scrubbers nominated for Edison Award

December 19th, 2012, 4:35 pm by

David Neumann

A homegrown technology that scrubs sulfur dioxide from coal-fired power plants has been nominated for an award that honors innovation and innovators.

“NSG is honored to be considered for an Edison Award,” David Neumann, CEO of Neumann Systems Group, Inc., said in an email Wednesday.

“It is hard to comprehend being mentioned in the same breath as Thomas Edison and great technologies like the iPAD and Ford Focus Electric,” he added.

Neumann said the nomination would not have been possible “without the extraordinary dedication” of his team and “the work that has been and is being done under our public-private partnership with Colorado Springs Utilities.”

The city-owned utility had been looking at buying conventional emissions control technology for its power plants when it met Neumann. After several successful tests of Neumann’s technology at the Martin Drake Power Plant downtown, Utilities decided to invest in the NeuStream scrubbers rather than purchase existing technology.

Bruce McCormick, Utilities’ chief energy services officer, said in a recent interview that Utilities “certainly” took risk into consideration.

“But when you’re convinced that the cost is much lower and the performance is much better, those are the things that tell you, ‘Hey, it’s time to take that risk,’ he said.

The utility also factored in “the benefits to our local community around economic development,” McCormick said, referring to hopes that the technology would prosper.

The technology has faced increased scrutiny over the past year – and future funding from ratepayers is still in question – as city officials debate the future of the Drake power plant. Most recently, questions have surfaced about why Utilities awarded Neumann a sole-source contract.

In announcing the Edison Award nomination, Neumann said his technology has the “potential for revolutionary impact in a wide-range of product areas important to the industrial and economic well-being of the United States and the rest of the world.”

Neumann said the nomination came about from a recommendation from an “unnamed member” of the Edison Awards Steering Committee. Finalists will be announced in February.

Posted in: People • Utilities • • • • • | 11 Comments »

Local pooch named Best of Breed at prestigious dog show

December 19th, 2012, 3:06 pm by

Most guys carry pictures of their kids in their wallets.

Colorado Springs City Auditor Denny Nester carries one of his beloved dog, O.P.

O.P. is no ordinary dog.

O.P. was named Best of Breed for Ibizan Hounds at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Orlando this past weekend. The championship is described as “one of the most prestigious dog shows in the world.”

“He’s actually on his way back from Texas now,” Nester said Wednesday about his dog, whose show name is Arbeca’s Opus for Danzante.

“My daughter’s driving him home today because I had taken him down to Texas a couple of weeks ago for him to make this trip down to Orlando. I don’t like to fly the dogs if we don’t have to,” he said.

Nester said getting O.P. and his other dog, Dori, to dog shows can be a “logistics nightmare.”

“Plus, it’s rather expensive,” he said.

“This Best of Breed, I won $200, but don’t tell everybody that I probably spent $2,000 getting him there, competing and all that,” Nester said, laughing.

Dori, who is O.P.’s 8-month-old daughter, didn’t come home with empty paws either.

Dori was recognized as Winners Bitch, Nester said.

“We bred O.P. to a bitch in Wisconsin named Roxy,” Nester said in a follow-up email.

” Dori is registered to my wife— Jill, me and Wendy Anderson— the breeder in Wisconsin.  In the dog show world, it is common for multiple people to be listed as the owners,” he said.

More information from the release:

“The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is the largest prize money dog show in the world, with cash and prizes awarded totaling more than $225,000. Although prior editions were invitation-only, beginning this year, the event is an open show for all dogs that awards Championship and Grand Championship points.  O.P. was a special qualifier since he had earned his Grand Championship earlier in 2012. O.P. also qualified for the event as one of the top 10 point earners in 2012 in his breed.  O.P. was celebrated with an invitation granting special recognition and placing him on the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Honor Roll.”

 

Posted in: City employees • Etc. • People • | Post a Comment »

Bach to recognize volunteer who built Santa a brand-new sleigh for Festival of Lights parade

December 18th, 2012, 10:54 am by

What would a Christmas parade be without Santa and his sleigh?

It almost happened with the Festival of Lights parade.

But Dave Bullock, who works at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, volunteered to build a sleigh and harnesses for the reindeer when parade organizers were left without a sleigh.

“Dave spent nine months and 900 hours to complete the sleigh and donate it to the Festival of Lights,” according to the mayor’s office.

To recognize Bullock for his efforts, Mayor Steve Bach will present Bullock with a Spirit of the Springs award at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The mayor’s office said Bullock stepped up to the plate when board members of the Festival of Lights “found out that they would not have access to the North Pole Sleigh from Cascade.”

“Santa’s sleigh had been provided for more than two decades by the North Pole, Home of Santa’s Workshop, in Cascade. Weather complications and staffing shortages have recently become obstacles for the North Pole,” The Gazette reported in September.

“It’s a tough time of the year for us. We’re so busy,” says Tom Haggard, North Pole’s owner. “It was a lot of fun for a long time, but it takes a toll on us.”

The new sleigh was inspired by the sleigh in the 2011 movie “Arthur Christmas,” according to Kuni Lexus, which sponsored the project.

Posted in: People • • | Post a Comment »

Quote of the Day

December 14th, 2012, 5:50 pm by

Sean Paige

Mayor Steve Bach didn’t name names during a press conference Friday, but he’s obviously a little peeved at Sean Paige, a former city councilman who now works at deputy state director for Americans for Prosperity.

Paige has been raising concerns about what he called “secret” negotiations between the city and the Sierra Club.

This week, Paige sent out an email in which he said the mayor was apparently using City Attorney Chris Melcher to enter into negotiations with the Sierra Club that may effectively undermine, negate or reverse a course of action which a Utilities Board majority has approved.

During the press conference, Bach said a “pundit” had “impugned” Melcher’s integrity.

“Council acting as the utility board directed Mr. Melcher to meet with the Sierra Club. You can fact check that. He did not do that on his own. He has not been freelancing as has been suggested,” Bach said.

 

 

Posted in: City Administration • People • Politics • Utilities • • • | 4 Comments »

Inventor seeks ethics investigation of councilman

December 13th, 2012, 3:19 pm by

Tim Leigh

The businessman who invented the scrubber technology being installed at the Martin Drake Power Plant downtown is requesting an ethics investigation into City Councilman Tim Leigh.

And David Neumann seems to be hinting that Mayor Steve Bach needs to be investigated, too.

The request for an ethics investigation was filed with City Attorney Chris Melcher on Monday.

Here it is part of Neumann’s letter to Melcher:

“My company, Neumann Systems Group, Inc. (NSG), is a Colorado Springs Utilities (Utilities) ratepayer and a vendor of Utilities. I, David K. Neumann, am CEO and President of NSG. In accordance with the City Charter, NSG requests an ethics investigation of the actions of Councilmember Leigh relative to Utilities, its Officers and Directors, its citizen-owners, its ratepayers, and its vendors. We believe that, (yes, there is a comma here) Councilmember Leigh has conducted a vendetta against Utilities, its officers and Directors and certain vendors of Utilities and has committted numerous wrongful acts potentially in violation of his  fiduciary and other duties as a member of the Board of Directors of Utilities.”

And here is where it gets interesting because Neumann says other “senior elected” officials may be involved, too, though he doesn’t name any names.

“We are also concerned that other senior elected and appointed officials of the City may be involved as well at least in terms of potential appearances of impropriety and potential conflicts of interest,” Neumann wrote in the letter to Melcher.

Today, Neumann contacted Melcher again.

Here is a copy of that correspondence:

Mr. Melcher:

My apologies. I was told that for the second time my request for an Ethics Investigation of Councilmember/Boardmember Tim Leigh did not have the proper terminology for you to consider it valid and to act on it in your proper capacity as City Attorney. Both times you have failed to show me the courtesy of a response which informs me that you are rejecting these requests and the reasons for your rejection. To be clear, I and my company NSG request an investigation of Councilmember/Boardmember Tim Leigh by the City’s Independent Ethics Committee for the reasons stated in the previous two letters/emails that were sent to you.

If this is still not clear enough, then please provide me with the sample format you require for submission of a request. There is none available that I know of and no specific wording required as part of the City Charter.

I look forward to the courtesy of a response from you or your supervisor.

Thanks,

Dave

David K. Neumann, CEO

Neumann Systems Group, Inc.

 

Posted in: City Council • People • Politics • • • • | 17 Comments »

Quote of the Day

November 15th, 2012, 5:32 pm by

The mayor a few years before he was at UCCS. (Click on image to enlarge)

City Councilman Merv Bennett said residents in the Cragmoor neighborhood have approached him with complaints about parking problems created by students at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

During the monthly Mayor’s Counsel meeting Thursday, Bennett said he’s been told that the problem has existed a for a long time and that it’s so bad that homeowners can’t even park in front of their homes or have guests.

Mayor Steve Bach said he would meet with his staff and then talk to the chancellor.

“This problem goes back to 1966,” Bach said. “I am one of the offenders. I used to park in front of somebody’s house.”

Posted in: City Administration • People • • • • | 4 Comments »

Mayor visits first couple to rebuild after fire

November 2nd, 2012, 3:21 pm by

Click to enlarge

As the first homeowners to rebuild in Mountain Shadows after the destructive Waldo Canyon fire, Joseph Boyd and his wife, Patricia Nelson-Boyd, have been getting a lot of attention.

On Friday, they got a special guest, too.

Mayor Steve Bach went to the couple’s new home at 2270 Yankton Place and gave them a housewarming gift of bread, salt and wine, according to the mayor’s Facebook page.

“Awesome!!!” wrote Audrey Jean Wilson.

“One down, many to go!!! Please Support Businesses in The Pikes Peak Region!!!” wrote David Thiele.

“Omgosh! That was so FAST! Yay cangrats,” wrote Kendal Stoker.

Posted in: City Administration • People • • | 1 Comment »

Separated at Birth: Ashleigh Banfield and Cindy Aubrey

October 30th, 2012, 10:26 am by

Ashleigh Banfield

While watching CNN’s live coverage of Hurricane Sandy last night, for a split second, it looked like Cindy Aubrey was in front of the camera.

But it was actually television journalist Ashleigh Banfield, who bears a striking resemblance to Aubrey, who is Mayor Steve Bach’s chief communications officer.

Not only do the two women look alike and have similar hairdos, both wear signature dark-framed glasses.

They also have journalism in their blood.

Banfield has worked in TV for years, and Aubrey used to be the news director for a local TV station.

Cindy Aubrey

Posted in: City employees • People • • • | 17 Comments »

Utilities pitches scrubbers but gets no responses

October 29th, 2012, 10:01 am by

David Neumann, founder and CEO of Neumann Systems Group, poses with boxes that are a part of the system the company manufactures to scrub sulphur out of exhaust gas. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette

Colorado Springs Utilities is trying to drum up business for the local company that invented sulfur dioxide scrubbers that are now at the center of a community debate about the future of the Martin Drake Power Plant downtown.

But so far, no one has called back.

In September, Chief Energy Services Officer Bruce McCormick sent a letter to 10 utilities with coal-fired power plants in Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Kansas, Missouri, Utah and Iowa touting Neumann Systems Group’s wet flue gas desulfurization system.

“We chose NeuStream®-S scrubbers because we thought NSG represented the best technology and best value for our ratepayers. We still do,” McCormick wrote in the one-page letter.

“Based on our success to date, we are happy to have partnered with NSG in this effort, and recommend them highly as a smart, honest, responsive, and cooperative partner for your flue gas desulfurization needs,” he wrote.

The letter was obtained by The Gazette under an open-records request.

The purpose of the letter was to “generate awareness and interest in the NeuStream solution among utilities with similar emissions control needs,” Utilities spokesman Dave Grossman said in an email.

“The effort supports the 3 percent sales assistance fee portion of the agreement with Neumann Systems Group,” he added.

Under the agreement with Nuemann, Colorado Springs Utilities stands to make 3 percent on the company’s gross sales of its scrubbers for 10 years.

McCormick’s letter apparently didn’t generate much interest.

“Bruce has not yet been contacted by any of the utilities,” Grossman said.

Here is the full text of the letter and its recipients:

August ___, 2012

 

<<NAME>>

<<TITLE, UTILITY COMPANY>>

<<ADDRESS1>>

<<ADDRESS2>>

RE:       Support for Neumann Systems Group’s wet Flue Gas Desulfurization

Dear <<Utility CEO>>,

You may know that Colorado Springs Utilities is more than 60% complete on a $73.5M contract to design and construct SO2 scrubbers on our Martin Drake power plant located near downtown Colorado Springs.  We have contracted Neumann Systems Group, Inc. (NSG) to design and build two full-scale NeuStream®-S scrubbers (combined 227 MW).  Colorado Springs Utilities has invested approximately $50 million in research and development services with NSG for the design, building, testing, and operation of separate, escalating 2 MW and 20 MW pilot plants to test and develop NSG NeuStream® multi-pollutant control technology.  Scrubber construction is due to start later this year for a fully operational system in 2014.

I am pleased with the outstanding results NSG has obtained across the spectrum of air pollutants, from SO2 to CO2 capture, in a series of relatively low-cost retrofit systems with small “footprints.”   Our internal testing of SO2 capture, verified by EPRI, shows the NeuStream®-S scrubbers:

– Capture 97% of SO2 from our PRB coal-fired power plants,

– Are extremely reliable, exceeding our two-year continuous operation requirement,

– Are capable of handling either high- or low-sulfur coal,

– Use about one-fourth to one-half as much water as competing desulfurization systems,

– Use about one-half as much parasitic power as competing systems (~1%),

– Cost about half the CapEx and OpEx of wet FGD (limestone forced oxidation) and Dry FGD (lime spray dryer) on the market, and

– Require about one-tenth the absorber volume of competing desulfurization systems.

We chose NeuStream®-S scrubbers because we thought NSG represented the best technology and best value for our ratepayers.  We still do.   Based on our success to date, we are happy to have partnered with NSG in this effort, and recommend them highly as a smart, honest, responsive, and cooperative partner for your flue gas desulfurization needs.

Sincerely,

Bruce McCormick, P.E.

Chief Energy Services Officer

Posted in: People • Utilities • • • • • • | 7 Comments »

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