1-Color
January 31, 2014
75 cents Arapahoe County, Colorado | Volume 93, Issue 50 A publication of
englewoodherald.net
DeGette meets with city officials Variety of topics covered with congresswoman By Tom Munds
tmunds@ coloradocommunitymedia.com Discussion topics ranged from federal block grant funding to legalizing marijuana Jan. 22 when U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, met with Englewood city officials. “Unresolved issues made 2012 a horrible year for Congress,” the congresswoman said in opening comments during her annual visit to Englewood. “So many bad things happened because of congressional failures. That is probably the reason
the crowd at Denver’s Bronco rally booed me when I greeted them in the name of the Colorado congressional delegation.” She said the public’s 11 percent approval rating of Congress may have changed the minds of some of her colleagues and may be the reason a number of important budget bills have passed with bipartisan support since congress returned from holiday vacation. The congresswoman then asked about topics of interest in Englewood. Randy Penn, Englewood mayor, raised the issue of the congressional attitude on funding community development block grants, which are important to the city.
DeGette continues on Page 7
Englewood Mayor Pro Tem Linda Olson, left, listens as U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, talks about issues Congress is dealing with during the congresswoman’s Jan. 22 visit with city officials. Photo by Tom Munds
District-fee distribution proposed Council considers plans for Business Improvement District funds By Tom Munds
tmunds@ coloradocommunitymedia.com
University of Colorado Boulder scientist Debbie Smith talks about the full-size model of a sabercat skull during her Jan. 22 presentation called “Discovering Dinosaurs” at the Englewood Public Library. The presentation is part of the library’s STEM program that will include activities each Tuesday. Photos by Tom Munds
Focus on fossils at library
Prehistoric creatures subject of discussion at the Jan. 22 event By Tom Munds
tmunds@colorado communitymedia.com
Cameron Myers, 7, checks out the display set up for the Jan. 22 “Discovering Dinosaurs” presentation at the Englewood Public Library. Debbie Smith brought the items from the University of Colorado Boulder museum to help the children attending learn more about prehistoric creatures. POSTAL ADDRESS
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Debbie Smith brought models of animals, models of fossils and real fossils for her Jan. 22 presentation about prehistoric creatures at the Englewood Public Library. Hillary Davis, children’s librarian, said the event was one of the series of STEM presentations being held at the library. About a dozen children attended the Jan. 22 event where Smith talked about a number of creatures that disappeared from the earth millions of years ago. Smith brought a wide range of items from the University of Colorado at Boulder museum. The children asked questions and had the opportunity to touch models of fossils like the nose horn of a triceratops and a dinosaur claw. They also got to touch the full-size model of the skull of a sabercat. There were oohs and aahs when the children got to examine a model of the skull of a velociraptor and feel the needlesharp teeth. Library continues on Page 7
Englewood City Council is scheduled to meet Feb. 3 to finalize how to distribute funds that remain after the dissolution of the Broadway Business Improvement District. The council discussed the issue at the Jan. 21 study session. The consensus was for the city to recover the $30,000 seed money provided the district during its formation in 2005-06. There was also consensus the city retain a portion of the funds to maintain the planters and bike racks and to place holiday lighting along Broadway with the remainder to be distributed to district property owners. There were several suggestions about the amount of money the city would retain and the amount that would be refunded to district members but no consensus was reached. Frank Gryglewicz, city finance director, told the council at the Jan. 21 study session that, as of Dec. 10, 2013, about $152,000 in district revenues had been collected. He also stated that bills totaling $11,668.92 for maintenance of the planters and bike rack plus the cost of holiday lighting along Broadway would be deducted from the revenue total, leaving $141,832.62. The councilmembers agreed the city should recover the $30,000 seed money, which would leave about $112,000 to be distributed. Mayor Randy Penn said the council has three options — refund all the money to the businesses who paid the fees to the district, not refund any of the money or earmark a portion of the funds for two years of maintenance of planters and bike racks and for putting up holiday lighting along Broadway and the remaining funds would be distributed to district property owners. Councilmember Bob McCaslin said if BID money is retained for two years maintenance it would mean that either the merchants or the city would be expected to maintain the improvements after that time. During the discussion, Councilmember Joe Jefferson suggested the city retain District continues on Page 7