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Denver Update - April 25 - May 1, 2008 City News Briefs  Finance Committee   DNC Insurance   “I would like to know plan B, you have a well thought out Plan A but sometimes Plan A doesn’t always work out exactly as you anticipated.”  Jeanne Faatz City Council Member District 2   The Democratic National Convention comes roaring into town in just a few short months, and in order to provide security for the convention, Denver will be entering into agreements with approximately 40 other jurisdictions.  But before that happens, the City must secure workers compensation and liability insurance.  This week the Finance Committee wanted to make certain those costs don’t come out of the pockets of Denver taxpayers.  The Mayor’s Office has been pushing the Department of Justice for a firm answer on a reimbursement plan.    “It’s a new situation for them at DOJ and they’re taking every step they need to take to make sure they’re doing it properly.  We’re working with them, as I said this morning we’ve engaged all of our resources to help persuade them that this should be an allowable cost . But we’re doing that with a number of different things as well, I don’t want to pull this out as being the issue that is the most important to them.  This is part of a $50 million dollar package and they’re looking at each one of them.” Katherine Archuleta Senior Advisor on Policy & Initiatives Mayor’s Office   $50 million is the estimated cost that’s been earmarked for city security activities related to the Democratic Convention.  And it’s that number which opens the issue to larger questions of cost containment.   “If the amount exceeds $50 million, you build a budget, if you haven’t allocated enough and the cost runs over, I absolutely insist on finding out whose going to pay the excess and I’m asking could the host committee be the place to go and get that money because nobody’s identifying anybody else. “ Jeanne Faatz City Council Member District 2   The purchase price of the insurance policies themselves is only a small part of the full security costs:  a little over $972 thousand for workers’ compensation, $850 thousand for police professional liability insurance and $25 thousand for fees and taxes.  The upfront costs for these policies total about $1.85 million. In addition, supplementary automobile insurance might also be needed.  But the total cost for all insurance policies is not to exceed $2 million.  Though many of the committee’s questions are still unresolved, members felt that they needed to keep moving forward. Next, the ordinance will go to the full council.     Artistic Democracy  Denver residents will be treated to a first of its kind event at a party convention during the DNC this summer.It will bring world class artists to town to create a series of innovative commissioned works throughout the city’s neighborhoods. At a news conference earlier this week, Mayor Hickenlooper said the DNC has inspired the event created around the notion of what democracy means. It’s a chance, he says, to bring Denver’s cultural vitality into the limelight.   "And shine a very bright light on our ability to have discussion such as what does democracy mean to you in a very productive way. I think our business community, our cultural institutions are capable and have shown this is the kind of stuff we do all the time and to allow them to do this on a much large, more profound, more powerful stage is good not just for our city and our residents but really serves a benefit to the entire country."   John Hickenlooper Mayor City and County of Denver   Ten art installations designed to inspire public discourse will be placed throughout the city August 21st through the 29th. "The mayor is right, we have a truly remarkable slate of artists coming to Denver in August to help our community engage in the political dialogue of the day." Erin Trapp Director Denver Office of Cultural Affairs   The mayor adds that the program brings an extra dimension to how the community will experience the convention.   “We all have spent so much time and over the next four months will continue to spend a remarkable amount of time making sure this is a safe, sustainable great convention.  We also want to make sure the convention has a variety of very positive and very powerful impacts on our community.  When we think about what Dialog: City means it really is in many ways the first time we have had a city-wide arts festival across the whole metropolitan area.” John Hickenlooper Mayor City and County of Denver   As a sneak preview, conceptual artist, writer and musician D.J. Spooky – also known as New York artist Paul Miller, was in town to discuss his upcoming event.   "One of the things that I really want to say is thank-you to the Mayor for being such a progressive. It’s a very important thing to think about, the idea of the city as being a place of communication.” Paul Miller Artist/Writer/Musician   His latest multimedia work is called Terra Nova:  The Antarctic Suite – it captures the acoustic qualities of Antarctic ice forms. All the Dialogue:City exhibitions will be concurrent, but each will have a dedicated opening, allowing the public to attend  every event. Museum Ideas  Future architects are being given the chance to help with design plans for the Buffalo Bill Museum. At the CU College of Architecture and Planning, students had a chance this week to explain their projects to guest reviewers. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department has asked the school to have landscape architectural and architecture students come up with proposals. There were many, varied ideas.   “The intent of my design was to instill the sense of Buffalo Bill. the sense of adventure and the sense of the expansive views he felt sitting on top of Lookout Mountain” Mike Siniscalchi Landscape Architectural Student   Parks and Rec is taking a comprehensive look at the future of the museum. Mayor Names New Director of Legislative Services  In other City news, the Mayor recently named R.D. Sewald the new Director of Legislative Services.  Sewald currently works with the City Auditor as Director of Government and Community Affairs.  Mayor Hickenlooper says Sewald’s experience with City government and his strong working relationships with City Council make him a good addition to the team.   “He knows as much about the City as anyone and he is I think one of the most genuinely honest, kind thoughtful people that I know.  He approached us and he was interested in getting involved over at the Mayor’s office and he likes to see all sides.  I hope you all will look forward to working with him as much as we are. I know some of you don’t know him that well, but he’s a great, wonderful person.” John Hickenlooper Mayor City and County of Denver   Sewald joined the Mayor’s office May 5th.  He succeeds City Council Liaison Roberto Venegas, who moves to a new post as a policy advisor to the Mayor. First Female Sheriff Division Chief The Denver Sheriffs Department reached a milestone recently. Marie Kielar, a 23 year veteran of the department was promoted to Division Chief on March 14th. She is the first female Division Chief in the department’s history. Chief Kielar will be assigned to the Technology and Special projects division where she will oversee the Justice Center Project, the Training Academy, Homeland Security Credentialing among other projects. Second Historical Milestone for DSD Within a Month The Sheriff’s Department achieved another historical milestone April 11th when Venessie Murray was promoted to Major, becoming the first woman African American to hold the position.  Murray is a 16 year veteran of the Denver Sheriff Department.  She’s been the Commander of the Community Corrections Unit since 2006, and has served in various other supervisory positions at the Pre-Arraignment Detention Facility and the County Jail.    HUD, VA to Provide Permanent Housing for Vets Homeless veterans in Denver are getting some much needed help. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development this week, announced $75 million to provide permanent supportive housing for an estimated 10 thousand homeless vets…175 of them in Denver. HUD’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program, will provide rental vouchers to local public housing agencies.  Those agencies will work with the VA Medical Center to identify eligible homeless veterans.  Veterans who receive Denver City Council approves facility improvements for community corrections.

Denver Update - Weekly Council & Council Committee Meetings Denver City Council Meeting Community Corrections Bed Count Increase Denver City Council members took 9 hours and 13 minutes less time to take care of business on Monday night, versus the time spent for last weeks meeting that included the zoning hearings for areas of Northwest Denver.   First Reading:  C.B. 196 - Changes zoning regarding community correctional facilities Members got right down to business with a discussion of Council Bill 196 which was on first reading Monday.The bill seeks to change zoning code language regarding community correctional facilities in order to increase the maximum number of beds to 120 in I-1 and I-2 zones.  These are areas of the city usually zoned for heavy industrial uses. The Bill will also require a neighborhood notification procedure, as well as delay the citing of any additional facilities until May of 2018.   District 9 Councilwoman Judy Montero offered an amendment that would apply to a facility already in her north- central council district.   “…essentially what this does is it limits the allowed increases of residents at the Correctional Management Incorporated at 570 W. 44th avenue to a maximum of 90 residents only 30 more than the current limit, rather than increase from 60 to 120 residents allowed by the original language.   Judy Montero City Council Member District 9   Councilman-at-large Doug Linkhart led Council support for the amended bill.   “…this is a critical bill, we’re short on community corrections beds and I know this facility is closer to some residential areas so I think it only makes sense to make it a bit smaller than the other facilities…   Doug Linkhart City Council Member-at-Large   Matters involving community correction facilities are also subject to review by the City’s Department of Safety.  Council members sought the opinion of that department’s Deputy Director.   – “…the Department of Safety is OK with this amendment limiting the Fox street facility to 90.  This is a critical change for us; we do need the beds especially the facility in the Tooley Hall, the female facility which only has 60 residents and that will be going to 120.  So we appreciate Council and we do support the amendment and have been working closely with Councilwoman Montero’s office in getting this bill passes tonight.   Mel Thompson Deputy Director Department of Safety   Council moved the bill forward   C.B. 170 Changes Zoning at 549 Kalamath for mixed use in Council District 9 One public hearing was on the agenda Monday. Council Bill 170 would change the zoning at 549 Kalamath, for mixed use versus its current zoning for light industrial uses. The parcel is located in the Baker neighborhood near an “Area of Change”, and the applicant representative stated that the intended new use would be for a clothes cleaning establishment.   “We believe this will really be an asset to the area, this is a very unattractive corner right now.  As you come in on Highway 6 and you sit at the red light on Kalamath you see it right on the corner and it really needs development…it’s just an eyesore right now, so hopefully this will greatly improve the neighborhood as well as that corner…”   Bob Gollick   Council gave unanimous approval to the Bill   Kudos for City Staffers The legislators also took some time on Monday to underscore a recent awards ceremony that honored some City staff members. The Denver Regional Council of Governments, or DRCOG, honored Manager of  Public Works Bill Vidal and several of his staff for a decade of work as part of the Northeast Quadrant “Win-Win’ Coalition. Ellen Ittleson from Community Planning and Development received a Distinguished Service Award for giving her time and talent to the entire metro region. And there was one other citation.   "and last but not least is our very own friend and colleague Councilman Rick Garcia, who has served as the stalwart chair of DRCOG for the last year and he too was honored for the great work he has done on behalf of Metro Denver in the name of Denver and DRCOG so a shout out to our colleague Rick Garcia.”   Chris Nevitt Councilman District 7   Re-usable Water Bottle Debut Council also announced a new procedure of its own designed to help the environment.   “– Every member of Council has two new re-usable water bottles so that we won’t have plastic bottles that we usually have that are disposable, we will be re-using our new water bottles so that we won’t be putting so many water bottles in landfills…so watch for our new water bottles.”   Peggy Lehmann City Councilwoman District 4   Watch the Council meeting in its entirety anytime on www.DenverGov.org/Denver8TV. Safety Committee Legal or Illegal?   A proposal to require towing after certain traffic stops is being forced for consideration and that got some council members worked up at this week’s Safety Committee.   A citizen petition was filed with the City clerks’ office to change portions of the existing towing ordinance regarding when and how a car is impounded and if a bond is required to get a car out of hawk.   But the discussion around the amendment seemed to veer off into other directions, because of the initial presentation made by a proponent for the measure. It made it appear as if the towing initiative is really about what happens when someone is stopped by a cop and doesn’t have a driver’s license. Proponents say people without a driver’s license generally don’t have insurance either, and they say that’s a big problem for law-abiding citizens who’re involved in an accident. And, if the car is taken, the owner will have to post a 25-hundred dollar bond and pay an additional 100 hundred dollar fee before their vehicle is released.  Provided no one else gets caught driving the same car in Colorado while unlicensed within a year, the owner will get the bond money back. People who may simply not have their license on them will have three days to offer one up and don’t have to worry about their car being towed. Still, several council members weren’t convinced that this proposal didn’t smack of racial profiling. Committee members decided to let the full council figure out if the proposal should appear on the ballot during the Primaries on August 12th.    When to Watch - Catch all the details during the replay of the meeting.  The Safety Committee repeats this Sunday at 3:00 p.m.  Watch for this committee the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month.  Live coverage begins at 9:15 a.m. and re-airs the same evening at 10:00. Public Works Committee   Major Projects Update   Money for improving roads and highways around town will likely be harder to come by in the future. That’s was one of the items discussed when Public Works got a major projects update this week. The projects discussed were the South Broadway project – from I-25 to Mississippi; Federal Boulevard; Speer / 1st Avenue Leetsdale, Parker Corridor; and Bus Rapid Transit.   The committee was told that while the city had great success getting funding for these projects, that might not be the case in the future.  Members are excited about plans for planting street medians, and gave advice about taking time to plan for all weather conditions based on previous experience.  Another item that members re-visited is the possibility of a trolley along East Colfax.  Garcia reminded his colleagues and Public Works that an East Colfax trolley was discussed at a regional conference a year ago.  He is anxious to move this topic beyond the discussion phase.  When to Watch - The Public Works Committee of Denver City Council meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month at 1:30 p.m., with a same night replay at 10:00 p.m.  See it again Saturday at 4:30 p.m.