Thread by @shayshinecastle

Feeling subdued for this #Boulder city council meeting, as I enter hour 5 of Zoom meetings today.

It's a big one, though, with two public hearings and open comment. It's been awhile since we've had a public hearing.

Tonight's public hearings are even more protections for residents of mobile home communities (requiring, among other things, that park owners can't provide false info or interfere with the sales of homes).

And a vote to adopt (or not) Boulder's racial equity resolution. You can read more about that here: boulderbeat.news/2021/02/11/rac…

Council will also formally adopt a statement condemning Holocaust equivalencies. (Remember that whole thing? Feels like forever ago.) boulderbeat.news/2021/02/04/nag…

And they will schedule Part 2 of the homeless services / enforcement chat. That will take at least 30 min, per the mayor this morning. boulderbeat.news/2021/01/21/bou…

Of course, if there's anywhere that council will mention the unhoused man who died Thursday / the shelter's amended policy allowing 60 nights of emergency shelter, it would probably be here. But no guarantees.

More on that: dailycamera.com/2021/02/12/no-….

Given the open comment speaker list, I imagine we'll hear about this man at least once.

Swetlik finally references his backlit couch (sort of) saying it looks like he's in a nightclub.

Honestly, would go and pay $12 for a drink.

Everyone's here. Nagle going strong with her prairie dog background.

Both of tonight's public hearings will have translation services, which is rare (but becoming more common, thankfully). Local gov't is already its own language; I can't imagine trying to follow along in not my native tongue.

Which reminds me... Thanks to @CommFound and Absolute Translations, Local Gov't 101 is now available in español! boulderbeat.news/gobierno-local…

Three announcements from Mayor Weaver: COVID info (including on vaccines), board and commission appointments and the Xcel/Boulder partnership resident panel — now accepting applications. www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/Mayors_An…

Here's the open comment speaker list. A few new names on there, and some familiar ones. www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/February_…

Also some anti-annexation speakers. They've really stepped up their public appearances lately. Perhaps to be expected, with a vote this year.

Brookie Gallagher turning it up to 11.

And more Boulder Rez speakers, protesting against the planned restaurant and liquor license. That Beverage Licensing Authority hearing is tomorrow afternoon. Unfortunately I'm not available, but I'm sure some involved citizen will live-tweet it for you.

Council has repeatedly said they can't/won't interfere in this liquor license process.

They should bring back the buzzer for people who go over time. I liked that.

Macon Cowles, former city councilman, talking about unattainable housing. "We might as well post a sign at the entrance of (Boulder) saying this town is for people 50 and older."

His point is that our next city manager should have more progressive views on housing. A q&a with finalists is next week, Feb. 25: bouldercolorado.gov/newsroom/commu…

Susan Peterson, Environmental Advisory Board and two-time city council candidate, wants a city manager who prioritizes environmental action above all else.

Leslie Glustrom: "We have taxed ourselves 6 times to address climate" change. "There's not many communities willing to do that."

Echoes Peterson's plea RE: city manager.

First reference to the Tipton Report dailycamera.com/2019/09/27/rep…

Christopher Centeno already concerned about crime from #Boulder's first safe parking lot, which isn't even established yet. boulderbeat.news/2021/01/08/bou…

Ryan Harwood from SAFE: That organization raised over $10,000 this past week to put 78 unsheltered people into hotel rooms, including ppl with no ID, people banned from the Shelter, people who didn't want to or couldn't go through coordinated entry.

"Your decisions have consequences," Harwood says to council.

Another Boulder Rez speaker, Roger Pioszak, telling me what a follower just did: The liquor license application for the Rez has been rescinded. (Have not confirmed that yet)

Pioszak asking council now to re-do the lease that was approved at a Feb. meeting (not in a backdoor meeting, as Pioszak claims)

Just because you aren't paying attention / not aware doesn't mean it's some shady deal. The details were in a public document that anyone can read as I did.

Of course, media coverage would have helped... that's on me. Only one of me, so I didn't have time. Or think it was all that newsworthy. Clearly I was wrong.

That lease was approved in Feb. of last year, to clarify. On the consent agenda, which means no public discussion.

Friend double-checking a Harwood claim: That coordinated entry screening isn't available on the weekends. This has been true in the past: It's available only by phone, and if someone doesn't have one... *shrug*

But that was supposed to be changing.

Kurt Firnhaber, director of HHS, confirming it's not available on the weekend, but saying the Shelter will give people "a pass" in that case.

That was the answer last time, too.

He also reveals that there are more cases of COVID among unhoused residents in the past month than there have been before. I actually haven't seen data on that in awhile.

Another Friend q: The city doesn't have control over safe parking on private property, right?
Carr: It doesn't violate our camping ordinance, but there could be other ordinance violations.

Wallach asking about the NEWR program, which is now fully operational (except for the board of renters). That's on tonight's consent agenda. Some possibility the tax to fund that won't be collected until 2022 (I missed that in the notes)

Here's how Boulder plans to dole out those funds
Program Coordination & Committee Support: $105,000
Legal Assistance: $200,000
Rental Assistance: $550,000
Tax Administration: $175,000
TOTAL EXPENSES: $1,030,000

Kara Skinner, assistant director of finance, says some $ may be collected in 2021, but the city will appropriate funds for the program this year, to be repaid later.

Friend asking a q about landmarking, and how those fit in with the racial equity plan (they'll be answered later). There are 3 landmarks on tonight's agenda: 90 Arapahoe Ave, 977 9th Street, and 2230 20th Street.

Two of those are interesting: the "gothic revival" -style castle-looking building on 9th Street, built between 1896 and 1906, and the former Silver Saddle Motel at 90 Arapahoe.

Per notes: "The property survives as a vestige of the automobile tourist trade which flourished at the west end of Arapahoe Ave during the 1920s through the 1960s. Located as it is at the base of the Flatirons and just off Canyon Road, the area was a logical one...

... in which to locate lodgings from which early automobile tourists could launch exploration of the Colorado Rockies. … While the automobile industry led to the construction of many motels, there are few remaining examples left.”

Consent agenda passes unanimously.

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