Colorado Gives Day
This is Colorado Gives Day–an especially good day to contribute to the causes you support, because all donations will be subsidized with additional funding.
In addition to several Golden-based cultural and charitable organizations, I support the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. As the saying goes, “sunlight is the best disinfectant!”
What’s Happening in Golden Today?
9-10AM Women’s Exercise and Bible Study @ First United Methodist Church
9:15-9:45AM Baby Time @ Golden Library
10AM-5PM Holiday Art Market @ Foothills Art Center
10-10:45AM Storybook Tour @ Colorado Railroad Museum10AM and 1PM Wild West Walking Tour (2 hours)
10AM, 1PM, and 3:30PM Wild West Short Tour (1 hour)
10:15-10:45AM Preschool Time @ Golden Library
1-3PM Hexie Ladies @ Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum
5PM City Council Study Meeting @ City Hall
City Council is moving to a new schedule tonight. The business meeting will still start at 6:30, but the study session will start early–at 5PM. They will also hold an executive session from 6-6:30.
5PM City Council Study Session
During the Study Session, staff will review the results of the 2022 Community Survey. The Parks director will report on his proposal to convert Ulysses Park into multi-use sports fields.
6PM City Council Executive Session (no public, no cameras)
They will begin the business meeting with the roll call and approval of agenda at 6PM, then go into Executive Session.
Consent Agenda:
They will approve on first reading an ordinance which gives the City Manager authority to reorganize city departments. It also changes the City’s employee bonding policy. There will be a second reading and public hearing on December 13th.
They will adopt a resolution amending the IGA between Jefferson County Public Health and the city regarding “healthy beverages for children’s meals ordinance enforcement.” The amendment says that the agreement will automatically renew every year unless one party withdraws.
They will approve a $116,400 contract for human resources information system services, with a one-time set up fee of $29,250.
They will approve a one year $342,996 contract for janitorial services in city-owned buildings.
Executive Session (6-6:30, off-camera):
They will discuss the possibility of annexing land to the city: “The Area South Of Interstate 70, North Of Thunder Valley Motocross Park, East Of The Hogback, And West Of Green Mountain.”
6:30PM Business Meeting (open to the public)
Public Comment
You may provide public comment in person at the beginning of the meeting or send it via email to PublicComment@cityofgolden.net. Comments sent before 3PM will be added to the agenda.
They will read a proclamation for Colorado Gives Day.
They will approve a salary increase for the City Manager from $230,000 to $240,000.
They will approve an amendment to the agreement with the City Attorney, clarifying the scope and setting the new rates for 2023.
They will hold a public hearing prior to voting on several items:
• new water and wastewater rates and charges
• drainage service and facility monthly usage fees
• an amendment to the 2022 budget
• the 2023 budget
• the 2023 mill levy for the general fund and DDA property taxes
After comments by council and staff, they will close the regular business meeting and open the annual GDGID business meeting.
Golden Downtown General Improvement District (GDGID) Business Meeting
City Council holds this meeting once a year. The GDGID was established in 1963 to set aside specific funds to buy and maintain downtown parking space. This year, staff proposes transferring $50K of that money back to the City’s general fund to help pay for the ongoing parking study. They also plan to hire someone to enforce downtown parking regulations. Staff proposes transferring $70K in 2023 and $100K in 2024 from the GDGID fund to the general fund to cover the new hire.
5:30-7:30PM Textile Society @ Golden Library
6:30-8:30PM Bar Bingo Night @ VFW Post 4171
7:30PM A Christmas Story @ Miners Alley Playhouse
Live Music
6PM Karaoke with Linda @ Dirty Dogs Roadhouse
6PM Open Pick Night @ Over Yonder Brewing
Trivia
6PM Trivia Tuesdays @ Golden Mill
6:30-8:30PM Team Trivia Tuesdays @ Buffalo Rose
Golden History Moment
While not officially under a blackout during World War II, Golden was fairly dark during the war years. One reason was general wartime thrift. Citizens believed that they should conserve electricity so it could be used “for the war effort.” After a decade of Depression, conservation came naturally to Americans. A second reason for the dark nights was that Golden had few streetlights: there were lights downtown, but not many in the residential neighborhoods. A third reason was that, for some reason, there was an epidemic of people vandalizing streetlights during the War. The power company repeatedly begged people to stop targeting the lights because it was so hard to get replacement bulbs.
77 Years Ago
The December 6, 1945 Colorado Transcript,with the War finally over, ran an editorial encouraging citizens to turn on their porch lights during the month of December.
…there is nothing more beautiful than to see the lights of a great city—they mean peace, life, business and prosperity. It looks as if Golden is going to have to skip its colored lights on the Avenue again this year —but what every loyal citizen could do —and it wouldn’t cost much either, only about 2 or 3 cents a week —the front porch light at every home could be turned on every night from now until New Year’s. This one light on every porch at every home would bring Christmas cheer and goodwill to all Golden people, and would be a welcoming season’s greeting to all those who chanced to pass this way, or who look down on our little city from the mountain top.
Thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts, and to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
