Thread by @shayshinecastle

First item: Update on Swoon Art House settlement. My notes from the memo: 4795 Broadway Owner: Rebecca DiDomenico
Notice of violation for using the residence as a reception/banquet facility dismissed for a settlement in which uses of the home are restricted for 3 years

Notice issued Nov. 22, 2017.
$100 civil penalty.
Appealed in Boulder Municipal Court
Judge Jeff Cahn held a two-day hearing; affirmed penalty
DiDomenico appealed to Boulder District Court
City attorney started settlement talks, met with neighbors Gregg and Donna Thornton

Settlement agreed to June 21
Defines event as no more than 75 ppl
No event can have more than 150 attendees
Limit of 8 fundraiser events per calendar year
No limit on number of family, religious or political events

Stephen Perry (other owner) or Rebecca DiDomenico have to be at all events
Email noticed will be provided to anyone who requests it
Fundraiser attendees will leave by 9:30 pm.; support staff by 11 p.m.
Shining Mountain will be informed of settlement; parking can be at the school

Perry, DiDomenico cannot be paid for hosting events
DiDomenico will construct a fence to protect the Thorntons

"This does NOT mean ppl can run commercial operations in private homes," Carr says. But the city did step in rather than let the appeals court handle it bc citizens were concerned about the precedent it would set for political and nonprofit fundraisers.

Essentially, it would force the events to become more private, creating even more of a veil between politics and the public. (That's my take, having talked to the owners and some other folks watching the case.)

Morzel: From my perspective, there's nothing like being rich, entitled in this community.

SAYS THE MEMBER OF COUNCIL WHO JUST CHEERED PREVENTING LAND FROM HAVING TINY HOMES ON IT FOR FORMERLY HOMELESS PPL OR OLD PPL.

Jones said she was going to be ruthless, and yet she's letting Morzel prattle on.
Morzel: It sets a really bad precedent. I think we'll regret this. It allows ppl to move forward and break our rules.

She's saying this bc the homeowners of Swoon don't live there (allegedly) and yet allow short-term rentals (allegedly; they met with me and said they didn't, but idk. Carr has said it's been hard to prove if they live there or not.)

The Thorntons did not sign the settlement. They're not happy with the settlement, Carr says.
Morzel: So it's not a settlement. It's a settlement between some rich, entitled ppl and the city.

I mean, the fine was $100. This limits what they can do for 3 yrs. I feel like the city got the better deal. They could have just paid the $100.

Brockett (to Morzel): Some of those negative remarks were uncalled for.

Brockett: The event in question was a fundraiser for a local nonprofit that we all know and like. It's important that we preserve the ability to have fundraisers in their homes, which they own.

Jones: I appreciate the guidance it gives around being able to hold fundraisers. I think it sets a good framework in general for approaching these fundraisers.

Morse interrupts her, so she stops talking.

Young: It was striking to me that a $100 fine was taken to court, fought and then upheld. And then we settled.

Weaver: The reason this became something that could be a conviction is there was a price for a ticket to get in. Typically, ppl do suggested donations or something. (Tickets with set prices) is something that generally should not be done.

Weaver: I don't think our citizens game the system the way this particular system is being gamed.

Council unanimously agrees to draft a resolution declaring a climate emergency.

Attention Homes has requested a council member on the board.

Yates: Attention Homes is a wonderful org, but most boards we serve on are orgs that occupy our buildings, like Chautauqua.
Young: "It's a slippery slope. It would add thousands and thousands..."

Council declines.

Council reminding their board and commission members of "appropriate behavior."

Nagle: We've had more incidents from a board member. We're looking for direction from council on how we want to move forward bc it's been multiple times and there have been warnings.

I know what this is, but I'm not sure I have permission to share.

"There is a sense of decorum that needs to be maintained," Young says. "it's a reminder to us as well." (She's stumbling and halting a lot.) References "ad hominem attacks on people."

"We will take action, whether it's a board or commission or a council member."

Weaver: This is about respect. If you're going to go through the trouble of getting yourself appointed, you should have respect for members of the community. When ppl call residents names bc they disagree with them, or imply that gaming the system is a good or fair thing to do...

...it's not respectful."

Actually, what the person did was imply the opposite, via sarcasm. But whatever.

Avoiding the appearance of impropriety, I hope that's something we model, Weaver says, and if we come down on board members, it's not seen as us trying to curtail their free speech.

Jones: It's the behavior of social media that trips ppl up. Just a reminder that what you say and do on social media is relevant to the public space.

Young: If you're a public official, you can't separate that from your personal self. You do give up a certain freedom to do what you want on social media.

Brockett: I support the essence of what ppl are saying. I just wonder if we might craft guidelines that are more specific. If we want ppl to follow guidelines, it might be helpful.

Jones: Can anything be added to rules?
Carr: We have guidelines. Written 10 yrs ago. Could be updated with social media behavior.
Brockett: It is a bit of a new world.

OK, related: Board and commission appointments.

Housing Advisory Board (1-yr term)
Replacing Michael McKenzie, who himself replaced Leonard May
Applicants: Laura Kaplan, Arthur Okner, Daniel Teodoru, Claudia Thiem, Cynthia Torres

Morzel nominates Teodoru
Brockett nominates Thiem
Yates nominates Okner
Jones nominates Kaplan

Teodoru gets it.

Open Space Board of Trustees (3-yr term)
Replacing Andria Billich, leaving in August
Applicants: Beth Bennett (did not interview), Paul Cure (running for council), Doug Ginley, Harold Hallstein, Daniel Teodoru, Jason Unger

Teodoru is off, obvs.

Carlisle nominates Hallstein
Yates nominates Ginley

Interesting information: Hallstein was once asked to leave the council chambers for yelling at council over their Palo Parkway decision. Palo is an affordable housing development that was VERY controversial.
Jones reminds council of this, especially given discussion they JUST had

Weaver defending Hallstein. Says he reviewed "every email" he ever sent to council. "Generally speaking, his tone is not that. All of us fly off the handle a little bit" sometimes.

He's supporting Hallstein.

Is this council TRYING to be hypocritical? Seriously. WTF.
Someone makes a joke on Twitter = might be removed
Someone yells at council and has to be removed from the chamber? Put them on the board.

It's almost as if there's another reason they overlook some people's outburst and not others.

Young: I spoke with "some folks" who want balance and think he will provide it.

Hallstein gets it.

I'm feeling like Boulder Beat's opinion piece for this week should be about council's multiple contradictions of their professed values just in this meeting alone.

Anyone want to write it?

Carlisle requested some budget numbers on how much money the city has spent on consultants, I think...?
Jones: Sometimes we do it to save $$ on staff. So it's interesting, but we might need more info to draw conclusions.

Carlisle: It has to do with which dept spends how much on what. I agree that consultants are needed, and I don't see why it needs to be hidden. If a council person asks a q, it needs to be answered. Do we work for the staff, or does staff work for us?

I think this stemmed from Morzel's q about how much we are paying GARE for our racial equity work.

Carlisle asked about development fees, too. I had this email but now I can't find it.

Carlisle: This goes to affordable housing. Those leaps in numbers are great. I'd just like to say, where's it going, who's getting it, and not have to read it in the paper.

Weaver: There are tap fees, sewer fees, etc. Are you interested in those as well?
Carlisle: All of it. It should be available to the public as well as us. So if somebody goes to a dept website, they can see it.

Weaver: All that info is in the budget. It's prob hard to find bc it's a dense document.
Brautigam: It's better than it used to be.

Carlisle references talking to "this man" who sent an email at the beginning of the year. She just got back to him; no one else had. It was something about annexation. He had land to sell for affordable housing, but the city missed out on it.

Jones: What's that go to do with this?
Carlisle: It doesn't. I read these things in the paper or I come across them, and I want to know where they've gone.

That ends the meeting. One of the most discouraging meetings I've ever covered, and that's saying something.

Good night, Boulder. Sleep if you can. @threadreaderapp please unroll.