WEEK OF OCTOBER 31, 2024
VOLUME 136 | ISSUE 13
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Law firm says tax-funded political signs were legal Englewood working to prevent future issues over trust, transparency BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
share a meal in Civic Center Park. As an organization, Longer Tables aims to “cultivate humanity through connection and belonging.” “We’re excited about where this could go,” said Tami Slipher, chair of Longer Tables Littleton 2025, who helped plan the pilot event. “It’s one table, one day, but our hope is that that would be the springboard for new and innovative ways for you to take community and belonging back to your neighborhood, back to your work, back to your community.” Slipher organized the Longer Tables Littleton pilot event with her co-chair, Jonathan Slater, who passed away in early October. Slater was honored at the event for his work in the community, his generosity and his kindness.
Several weeks after the revelation that Englewood parks and recreation staff spent more than $2,000 of taxpayer money on yard signs urging voters to approve the department’s $41.5 million parks bond in November, the city says an outside law firm that it hired found the actions of city staff fell within the law. The bond, with a repayment cost of $73 million through increased property taxes, would fund improvements and changes at multiple Englewood parks. “The law firm of Hoffmann Parker Wilson & Carberry PC has issued a legal opinion finding the city has complied with applicable law,” spokesperson Chris Harguth said. However, he said the report would not be released, writing that it “remains protected under attorney-client privilege and is exempt from the Colorado Open Records Act.” Additionally, Harguth said while the city is satisfied with outside counsel’s findings, it recognizes the “importance of public trust and transparency.” Harguth said the city will use this situation as an opportunity to strengthen policies and procedures to prevent something like this from occurring again. “To prevent this situation in the future, the city will update its ethics policy, provide mandatory training and revise approval processes,” Harguth said. “An ordinance revision is also drafted to ensure public funds are not used for future ballot-related expenses.” The findings of the outside counsel came after the city revealed that the city’s marketing division created and ordered the signs at the request of the Parks, Recreation, Library and Golf department. The 250 yard signs cost $2,162.50 and were ordered on July 1. The city received them from the printer on July 19 and handed them over that same day to a private citizen whom the city has not identified. The signs started appearing around
SEE TABLES, P6
SEE SIGNS, P6
Longer Tables Littleton 2025 Chair Tami Slipher speaks at the event at the EPIC Campus on Oct. 16.
A table of connection: BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
In the large atrium at the EPIC Campus, a giant table spanned from one side of the space to the other. It was covered in white tablecloths and topped with pumpkins and decorative pomegranates and pears. Around it, over a hundred people sat in chairs. As they passed bread to each other, the people talked — about their childhoods, their histories and their communities. If they were following the rules, they did not mention their jobs. Sharing the potluck food and stories, both strangers and neighbors dove into real conversations. “The table doesn’t care what your resume is, what your background is, what neighborhood you grew up in,” said a man named Tim Jones at the front of the
Community group launches Longer Tables Littleton
room. “This place, this table, re-humanizes us. As we biologically sustain our lives … we reconnect with one another.” It was the pilot event of what organizers say will hopefully be an even larger event next year — during which many Littleton residents will come together to share a meal and build connections. Lift Up Littleton, a collaborative of community organizations, is hoping to host the larger event in September 2025 — with some of the members dreaming of a table that would span along Littleton Boulevard and Main Street, from Broadway to Santa Fe Drive. Jones, founder and executive director of an organization called Longer Tables, supported Lift Up Littleton in kicking off the event. In July, Jones and his team helped put on a similar event in Denver, during which 528 people gathered to
VOICES: 14 | LIFE: 18 | CALENDAR: 21
PHOTO BY NINA JOSS
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