Surveillance Cameras, Radon, a Bad Road and a Very Good Dog

*Golden Eye Candy – Chris Davell – Winter on the Creek – click to enlarge*

Virtual Golden

9AM Golden Chamber Member Meeting
10:15AM Toddler Time with the Library
5:30PM Golden High School PTA Meeting

6:30PM City Council Regular Business Meeting
Beginning tonight, City Council meetings will be on Tuesdays, rather than Thursdays. Economic Development and Parks Rec & Museums, which formerly met on Tuesday, will shift to Thursday evenings.

*Surveillance cameras coming to Clear Creek – click to enlarge*

Tonight’s consent agenda includes the request to approve $213,172 for the purchase of surveillance cameras along the Clear Creek corridor. The cameras will be used to monitor creek users and attract more.

The stated reasons for the cameras are to allow: 1) Fire and PD to react more quickly and precisely to support requests along the Creek; 2) Public Works and Parks and Rec to immediately survey the corridor to understand weather and infrastructure situations in real time without sending staff to walk the corridor; and 3) Communications to share beautiful video of Golden with the public so that they can see what they are missing in our amazing City.

They will also proclaim January to be National Radon Action Month. Jeffco Public Health has radon testing kits available for $10. Learn more….

They will consider a resolution to clarify a sole source contract for the purchase of a new fire truck at the cost of $875K.

They will vote on the resolution that specifies the number of new housing allocations this year. According to the Planning Department, Golden had 8739 dwelling units on January 1, 2020 and gained 100 units. As of December 31, 2020, we had 8839 dwelling units. By the terms of our 1% growth limit, 88 new allocations are available for 2021.

They will consider a request to de-annex two small parcels on Lookout Mountain so the adjacent landowners can have their yards entirely under Jeffco jurisdiction rather than part-Jeffco, part-Golden.

They will do a first reading of the Astor House lease with Foothills Art Center. The second reading and public hearing will occur on January 26th.

Finally, they will hold a public hearing regarding the ordinance that requires people to wear masks in public spaces.

Golden History Moment

71 Years Ago
Yesterday I wrote about some robberies detailed in the January 12, 1950 Colorado Transcript. That same issue included an editorial decrying the state of South Golden Road: “beaten up, cracked, chuck-hole-filled, narrow, old-fashioned road…. You cross four railroad tracks on this four-mile strip. Two of the tracks built close together in a v-shaped dip throw a person’s ca rup into the air to land you never know where. The other crossing is constructed at a slant-eyed angle with high banks concealing the view of the approach of interurban cars and trains. The fourth crossing is also slantwise and muddled by numerous telephone poles and buildings. It is only through the extreme carefulness of drivers that more accidents do not occur on this road.

Think about that the next time you drive on blissfully railroad track-free South Golden Road.

One last article of interest in that issue: the editor was reminiscing about a beer-drinking dog he had had in about 1895. “Many’s the time we upstairs in the Transcript office would put a dime in the bucket and send Monte to Paul Ficht’s for our “growler” of beer. Never once did he fail in the errand, but always demanded his fair share immediately after delivery.

Many 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!

Coronavirus Update

Public Health References
CDC * Colorado * Jefferson County * City of Golden

Jefferson County is at Level Orange, “High Risk.” Here’s the most recent Coronavirus report from Jeffco Public Health’s Case Summary Page: