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What's Happening in Golden - Tuesday, Dec. 3rd, 2024

News and events in Golden, Colorado. Tuesday, Dec. 3rd, 2024

,   and  Barb Warden
12 min read
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Double Sun at the Taj

Photo by Elaine Marolla
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What's happening in Golden today?

Events for Tuesday, Dec. 3rd

Golden History Tours
Baby Time - Registration Required
Blue & White (or 2 Color) Group
Storybook Tour
Foothills Art Center - Holiday Art Market
Preschool Time - Registration Required
Hexie Ladies - English Paper Piecing Enthusiasts
Textile Society
Team Trivia Tuesday
Trivia Tuesdays

For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar

A Word From Golden Residents Count


As regular readers will know, City Council intends to build a new City Hall, demolish the old one, and turn the current . A group of citizens, including two former councilors and a former mayor, have been meeting with them, asking them to allow the voters to decide on such a large expenditure ($60-65 million).

The citizen group (calling themselves Golden Residents Count) has been collecting signatures on a petition which would require Council to get citizen approval on expenditures over $20 million. They have until the end of January to collect the signatures.

Council plans to borrow the money now, before the signatures have been gathered. The first hearing will occur at tonight's City Council meeting and the final hearing will occur two weeks from now, on December 17th. A press release from Golden Residents Count follows.

GRC-PressRelease 12-02-2024
GRC-PressRelease 12-02-2024.pdf
149 KB
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5PM City Council Study Session: Review Plan for Proposed Municipal Buildings

Several views of the proposed City Hall replacement - from the architect's renderings - Click to enlarge

Overview:
City Council and City Staff hope to build a new municipal complex (city offices and police station) and demolish the current one. The new buildings would be located at 10th and Archer (the former site of the Coors office building - map). The fire station will remain in its current location. The estimated cost of this project is $60-65 million. They propose using $7.5 million of cash on hand and borrowing $52.5 million.

In tonight's study session, the Deputy City Director will present the preliminary plan for the new City Hall/Police Station. The plan is available online. Highlights include:

  • The new building will include a mix of private offices and shared workspaces (p. 21).
  • There will be a staff-only patio on the first floor for employee use (p. 18).
  • (If I'm interpreting the drawings correctly), there will be two outdoor terrace/balcony type areas (p. 36) for employee use. One is in the Leadership part of the building (p. 24).
  • About half of the parcel is in the 100- or 500-year flood plain. (p. 14). Some of that land will be used for "wild landscape" (p. 18).
  • The new building will cost $35,500 less per year to heat and cool (p. 6).
  • There will be a shuttle stop on 10th Street (p. 8).
  • Water Street may become a "Festival Street" (p. 8).
  • Parking will be on the east side, under raised solar panels (p. 36).
  • They plan to extend Water Street and Vanover Park to the east side of Tucker Gulch, using property currently occupied by a city-owned rental house (p.18).
  • The Golden community will derive the following benefits from the new building (p. 19):
    - Welcome presence with active street and public spaces
    - Community room
    - Event plaza
    - Lobby-adjacent meeting spaces
    - Catalyze development in adjacent parcels

Participants in the community meetings identified the following buildings as representative of Golden's architecture (p. 29):

5:45PM Golden Downtown General Improvement District (GDGID) Annual Meeting

Background
The Golden Downtown Improvement District (GDID) was originally formed in 1959. At that time, downtown had very little parking, and the businesses felt they were losing customers to places that could offer easy, free parking. The new District collected a special tax from downtown property owners to be used for acquiring and maintaining parking lots.

A group of residential property owners sued to have the tax removed, because they had no need or desire for parking lots. The suit went to the Colorado Supreme Court, where the residential owners won. The tax was refunded to those who had paid it.

In 1963, a new Downtown Improvement District was formed. This time, they omitted most of the residential property.

Over the next few decades, the District acquired several pieces of land,which were turned into free parking lots. Their greatest controversy occurred in the early 1970s,when they acquired the Astor House and planned to demolish it to create more parking. The Golden Landmarks Association formed at that time, and successfully campaigned to preserve the building.

At some point (I'm not sure when), their name changed to Golden Downtown General Improvement District (GDGID). The GDGID Directors are the members of City Council, and they meet a minimum of once a year, generally the first meeting in December.

Paid Parking
The introduction of paid parking in 2017 brought a new revenue stream to the GDGID budget. The more recent addition of paid on-street parking added more revenue, and hiring an outside firm to monitor parking and write tickets has turned parking into a cash cow.

In 2021, the city made $57,738 from the parking pay stations and $0 from parking violation fines.

In 2024, they expect to make $180,000 from the pay stations and $270,000 from parking violation fines.

What to do with all that money?
The first agenda item will be a budget amendment which will allow the GDGID to transfer $200,000 to the City's General Fund.

The second agenda item is approving the budget for 2025. They expect to make even more on paid parking and parking violations next year, and anticipate transferring up to $260,000 to the General Fund.

The GDGID's revenues have grown from $164,375 in 2021 to $675,400 projected for 2025.

The third and final item is setting the property tax mill levy for 2025. This has grown more gradually, due to TABOR constraints. The tax revenue was $41,496 in 2021 and is projected to be $52,000 in 2025.

All three of these topics will have public hearings, so you will be able to contribute public comment.

6:30 City Council Business Meeting @ City Hall

PUBLIC COMMENT
There will be many public hearings tonight (see the PUBLIC HEARINGS section below). If you want to comment on any of those topics, you should wait until the public hearing. If you want to comment on any other public business, do it during this period, at the beginning of the meeting. You will have 3 minutes to speak. Council may not respond to your questions or comments.

The public hearing most likely to attract public comment is the fourth item in the list--the plan to borrow $52.5 million using Certificates of Participation without seeking voter approval.

Written comments that were submitted before 3PM will be added to the meeting packet. Refresh the page some time after 3PM.

CONSENT MATTERS
Topics on the "Consent Agenda," will not be discussed unless one or more of the Councilors requests discussion.

  • Increased Compensation for the City Attorney
    Council authorizes a 3% increase in the City' s contribution to the City Attorney's 457 plan, which increase shall become effective December 23, 2024. Council also authorizes a one-time bonus of $7500 payable by December 27, 2024. Lastly, the City Attorney shall receive an annual percentage salary increase provided to City Employees not subject to step increases approved as part of the 2025 budget. The annual increase shall have the same effective date as the annual increase for other City employees.
  • Increased Compensation for the City Manager
    Council authorizes a 2% increase in the City' s contribution to the City Manager' s 457 plan, which increases shall become effective December 23, 2024. In addition, the City Manager shall receive an annual percentage salary increase provided to City Employees not subject to step increases approved as part of the 2025 budget. The annual increase shall have the same effective date as the annual increase for other City employees.
  • Contract for $450,000 to replace the playground equipment in Heritage Dells Park.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

Live Music for Tuesday, Dec. 3rd

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For more information, visit the Golden Today Calendar

Golden History: A Dread Disease

Dr. Garvin’s office was on the second floor of the Everett block, at 12th and Washington
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116 Years Ago
The December 3, 1908 Colorado Transcript included a lengthy article about diphtheria, contributed by Dr. Garvin, the City and County Health Officer.

The characteristic feature of the disease is the peculiar membranous formation which makes its appearance usually upon the fauces or tonsils and is called diphterestic membrane or false membrane from its resemblance to the skin…. This membrane…is of a greyish white color; very tough, of a leathery consistency, and adheres to the mucous membrane beneath it with great tenacity, it being very difficult to tear it away except in shreds, and then only by laceration of the mucous membrane, leaving a bleeding surface.

Gross.

The concept of “germs” was still relatively new at that time, and there were plenty of people who considered it a crackpot theory. Dr. Garvin explained that diphtheria organisms are “so small that a row of them an inch long would contain from ten twenty thousand.”

The Health Officer was just getting to the part where he would tell us how to prevent the spread of the disease when the article was interrupted with “(Continued on Page 8)” Unfortunately, page 8 is missing from the online version of the newspaper, so we’re left without that information.

Fortunately, diphtheria is very rare in the United States these days. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,

Diphtheria (dif-THEER-ee-a) used to be a common cause of both illness and death for children in the United States. In the 1920s, the United States used to see as many as 200,000 cases a year. Thanks to diphtheria vaccines, that number has dropped by 99.9%.

The diphtheria vaccine comes as part of the DTaP shot, which protects from diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough.

Weather

Overnight's Weather

Overnight: Mostly clear. Low around 35, with temperatures rising to around 37 overnight. West southwest wind around 8 mph.

Tuesday's Weather

Tuesday: Mostly sunny. High near 61, with temperatures falling to around 49 in the afternoon. West northwest wind 3 to 9 mph.

Tuesday Night's Weather

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36. West wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly Clear, 36°F

Wednesday: Sunny, 54°F

Wednesday Night: Mostly Clear, 35°F

Thursday: Sunny, 57°F

Thursday Night: Mostly Clear, 35°F

Friday: Sunny, 56°F

Friday Night: Mostly Clear, 36°F

Saturday: Sunny, 59°F

Saturday Night: Partly Cloudy, 38°F

Sunday: Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain, 56°F

Sunday Night: Chance Rain And Snow, 28°F

Monday: Chance Light Snow, 39°F

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Many thanks to the people and organizations who support What’s Happening in Golden?  If you would like to support local news, please CLICK HERE!

Sponsors:
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Buffalo Rose, Buglet Solar, Foothills Art Center, Golden City Brewery, Golden Cultural Alliance, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center, The Golden Mill, Golden Chamber of Commerce, Golden History Tours, Miners Saloon, Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden Hayride Outpost, Kona Bowls, Unite Fitness, Tom Reiley, and Michael Mason

Friends:
($50-99.99/month or $550/yr)
Tall Pines Painting, Baby Doe’s Clothing, Goozell Yogurt & Coffee Paul Haseman, Donna Anderson, Carol & Doug Harwood, Beth Bidwell, Stephanie Painter, Greg Poulos, Ann Norton & Jonathan Storer, Mary & Don Parker, Saré Merrigan, and The Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum

Supporters:
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Laura King and Scott Wilson, Bobby German and Alison McNally, Forrest Jones, Barry & Liz Bettis, Cheryl & Tom Schweich, Marjorie Sloan, Chris and Joyce Davell, Rick Flint, Forrest Jones, AC Development, Cynthia Merrill Tamny, Stephen Pero, Meg Van Ness & Steve Kalasz, Steve & Karla Schaefer, Bud Rockhill, and Steve Enger

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Brad Miller & Julie Bartos, Holly Thomas, Jim and LouAnne Dale, Ann Pattison, Thomas Hoffman, Carol Abel, Brian Quarnstrom, Sandra Curran, Bobby German and Alison McNally, Kathy Smith, Karen Smith, Carlos & Nancy Bernal, Robert Storrs, Michele Sannes, Elaine Marolla, Dixie Termin & Ron Miller, E Tom Hughes, Crystal M Culbert, Patrick A. Madison, Alice Madison & Jim Kalivas, Deb Goeldner, Christopher Ball, 6th Chair Home Services, Dot & Eric Brownson, Rosemary Coffman, Emeline Paulson, Sandy Schneider, Mark and Cathy Pattridge, Cheryl G Leidich, Jen Rutter, Carol Abel, Frani R Bickart, Jennings and Litz, Bill Sedgeley, Nancy Hughes, Justin L Wade, Kathi Eggers, Traci Case, Donna Owen, Leslie D Lutz, Karen Oxman, Catherine Skokan, Ross Fraser & KC Gilliland, Lynne Haigh, Elizabeth Hilliard, Frank Young & Terre Deegan-Young, Kathy Hirons & Jack Markin, Jess & Anthony Monasterio, Ella Lyons & Jeanne Fritch, Heather Duncan, Lee Ann & Pete Horneck, Carol Cameron, Cheryl Williamson, San Daugherty, Jim Garner, John and Carol McEncroe, the Golden Welcome Center, the Golden Transcript, Koshare Eagle, Ken and Colleen Krantz, Traci Neuman Lacey, Jo Barber, Jamie Cookinham, Kermit Shields, Meridee Cecil, Vicki Olson, and Colleen & Michael Ramey

Followers:
($5-9.99/month)
Golden Community Garden, Lora Haimes, Mariane Erickson, J.J. Fraser

Highlights