Thread by @shayshinecastle

Good(?) evening, #Boulder. The skies have turned to smoke and the sun looks like it rose straight from hell ... portents of a city council meeting if I ever saw one.

Tonight: We're getting a report on the yearly audit of Boulder's financial practices. Things are looking good: Better than last year.

We'll also get an update on Boulder's actual finances. Things are looking not-so-good. Sales tax down 10% from last year.

But Boulder is about to dole out $1.5M in COVID aid to businesses ($775K) and residents ($740K), so there's that. boulderbeat.news/2020/08/08/bou…

We've also got a public hearing on which version of No Eviction With Representation will be heading to voters: Sans rental assistance or with (or, depending on what council does, a totally different version that the campaign hates) boulderbeat.news/2020/07/25/bou…

Other ballot measures will have their last chance at the ballot. Council has already said it's not interested in referring occupancy limits or Citizen's Conditions for CU South to voters.

boulderbeat.news/2020/08/14/jud…

Based on yesterday's scheduling meeting, I don't expect that to change.

They cut the time from 90 min to 30 min, indicating less discussion. Mayor Weaver said he plans to ask if any council member has changed their mind and if not.... that's it.

That was a 5-4 vote, as a reminder. Nagle, Wallach, Yates, Young, Weaver against.

There's some other stuff but I'm tired so you'll just have to watch what happens next.

Also, council member Swetlik appears to be back on his backlit couch this week, confirming what I believed last week: That he attended that meeting from his gray bed WHICH IS ALSO BACKLIT.

I wanna do a Cribs-style look at his swinging bachelor pad for Boulder Beat.

Maybe in place of an interview when he runs for re-election.

Everybody here but Nagle, who has surgery of an unknown origin yesterday. She's OK, Young says.

Here's a wildfire picture in her honor. Get well, Mirabai.

Councilwoman Joseph is going to read a declaration noting the 100th anniversary of women getting the right to vote, although of course women of color didn't gain access to the ballot box until some 50 years later (as Joseph noted). womensvote100.org/learn

Today is actually the anniversary of the last state (Tennessee) ratifying the 19th Amendment.

Moving onto Boulder's financial audit. That looks at the financial statements of the city; not like it's financial position or anything. That audit cost $81,355. It has to be done every year.

Anything that needs fixing is called out as a "note."
This year's only has one, and I don't quite understand it. Last year's had 4, including some related to issues of security. Those have been addressed.

So you all don't necessarily need to know this, but I thought it was worth noting that issues had been addressed from one year to the next. The security problems were kind of concerning last year, as they exposed vulnerabilities.

There were some cool comparisons of spending and revenue of past years. I don't think adjusted for inflation, so one caveat there. But still: Fun to share.

Total revenue in 2019: $390.477M (2015: $324.386M)
Total expenses in 2019: $299.982M (2015: $260.007M)

Net position of general fund: $85.411M (2015: $54.554M)
General fund revenues: $151.737M (2015: $123.612M)
General fund expenditures: $138.609M (2015: $110.470M)

Ah, "deficiencies" were the terms I was looking for in regards to issues that the audit finds.
2015: 14 deficiencies (all related to IT security)
Last year: 4
This year: 1

So we're getting better!

Deficiencies are things that COULD lead to errors in financial reporting. They don't necessarily lead to errors, but they could.

This year's (from what I could tell) was that the transportation dept. reported something as paid in 2019 when it actually wasn't until 2020.

It's been dealt with, says CU Prof David Gross, from the audit subcommittee.

He has more enthusiasm for financial audits than most people have for their significant others.

Oh, goodie. Open comment! Here's the list: www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/August_18…

Based on the list, I expect quite a few muni speakers and Bedrooms organizers.

Emily Reynolds: "I find council represents me just fine."

Well, you're in the minority there, Emily. boulderbeat.news/2019/01/22/bou…

From that (admittedly old) story: "10% of respondents felt that city council considers their input before making decisions. The number of residents who say council’s actions reflect their values is low: 34%"

Claudia Thiem on homelessness and the need for safe camping: Denying this conversation needs to happen is an expression of privilege and act of cowardice.

That's an almost-direct quote, but I assure you her actual words were more beautiful.

The rules on citizen petitions are "absolutely clear," Michael Schreiner argues.

I mean, the judge said it wasn't and a dozen lawyers can't agree, but sure, I guess you're smarter than all those people.

Half of the speakers so far have addressed Bedrooms Are For People: 3 pro and 3 con

Make that 4 pro

Cedar Barstow: "Opponents talk about unintended consequences. I’ll tell you an unintended consequence of the status quo. It should not be considered a right of passage to live illegally in Boulder. … Our city essentially condones living illegally.”

Three people so far have spoken about 2150 Folsom, which is on council's call-up list and is so inconsequential that they didn't even allot any time for it. Alas, I did not read the memo item, so I can't say what's happening. Redevelopment of housing, I think.

Neighbor is not a fan.

OMG A SONG!

Well, more of a jingle. But Krista Nordback is killing it

LOL PLEASE send me the lyrics to this after, or better... an audio clip

Councilman Yates determinedly not looking at the camera.

I don't usually watch the meetings; I just listen to them and keep the Zoom in the background. But I had to see what people's faces looked like.

Song-based testimony will always get a tweet from me.

Katie Lehr: "I'm not affiliated with anyone and I will not be singing."

Which made me LOL but then she referenced the Silent Majority of residents who don't think people experiencing homelessness in camps are really residents so don't deserve resources, so I stopped laughing.

Cory Donahue starts it back up again: You guys don't know what to do. ... What do you take us for, clowns?

OK then he made me deeply uncomfortable with his rant against Brautigam. "I will celebrate the day you get out of this town, you are a horrible human being."

I hate conflict.

LOL Mayor Weaver told him, "Thank you, that was very eloquent."

Oh, Lord, this is an entertaining night.

We still have some call-up stuff but I honestly want to wrap the thread there, bc how could this possibly be improved upon?

Meh, I'm lazy so I'll include the call-up stuff. Yesterday, Weaver indicated neither would likely be called up (2150 Folsom and the former Liquor Mart) and I don't even have a staff presentation to share, so...

I mean, they're doing one but I didn't get a copy. From my notes: 147 residential units
Underground parking: 102 car spots, 27 moped/motorcycle spots
7-0 Planning Board vote to approve

Also this was interesting: Developer will provide $50/year per unit for alternative transportation; to be adjusted with inflation every four years

I think that was a Planning Board suggestion / requirement. I mean, it's a nice gesture but what is $50/year going to get you? Maybe half a bike tune-up?

I actually have no idea what bike tune-ups cost, as both my roommates work in the bike industry and as such I am therefore above paying for bike maintenance like you plebeians.

Our first technical difficulty at 7:07

I should start taking bets on when that will happen at every meeting. Be a nice little side hustle for me.

The Liquor Mart redevelopment will also have ground-level commercial space, btw.

Can't believe the zoning for this site requires 1 parking spot per residence. It's like a block from the downtown bus station!

Mary "Bulk, Mass and Scale" Young has a q but "no interest in calling this up."

She wants to know if other developers can be made to contribute to alternative transportation in this same way.

Charles Ferro: This is a bit of a first. We often ask developers to contribute if the building is too small to support an EcoPass fund.

This is the first one to have both.

Young: Where do those funds live and how is it distributed?
Ferro: The owner and manager are responsible for all that. We'd enforce against it if we heard complaints about it. It is a condition of approval.

Sloan Walbert: Residents have access to that $$ to pay for bike share or such things.

The developer will have to submit a management plan to the city for review.

Friend: Are there spots for charging and parking e-bikes in the common areas?
Walbert: I'm not sure, but that's a great suggestion and can be incorporated into the parking plan.

Wallach: How does the 37% parking reduction compare to what we've done elsewhere? Are we actually going to be able to get ppl who don't want to use cars, or are we going to get 30% of residents putting cars elsewhere?

Walbert: They are located right by transit and employment, which is the criteria for parking reduction.
Ferro: It's pretty typical we see 30-35% reduction in these type of projects.

Wallach: "I'm happy to have less cars. I just want to make sure we have less cars and not just cars in different places, i.e. the neighborhood."

Neither project will be reviewed (called-up) by council.

Gonna keep this thread for the next item: landmarking 2962 11th Street. Presentation: www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/Item_5A_2…

Not gonna tweet much bc what is there to say. Bungalow, built in 1919. Landmarks Board approved unanimously. Will be Boulder's 202nd individual landmark. Yawn.

Current owners have owned the home for 75 years(!)

Also known as: How long it would take the average person to save up for a downpayment on a home in Boulder today.

(Obviously that is hyperbole and not an actual calculation.)

Aww the owners are so cute on the Zoom

Unanimous council vote to landmark that.

@threadreaderapp please unroll. Thanks!