Serving Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and beyond
WEEK OF JANUARY 30, 2025
VOLUME 41 | ISSUE 26
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Lakewood seeks applicants for boards and commissions BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
WESTMINSTER
Lakewood is inviting residents to apply for open positions on various boards and commissions. These volunteer roles provide community members with an opportunity to influence local decision-making and participate in shaping the city’s future. According to information on the city’s website, several boards and commissions currently have vacancies. These groups serve an advisory role, assisting city officials in areas like historic preservation, planning, budgeting, housing and victim assistance. Residents interested in applying can review the openings online on the city’s Current Board and Commission Openings and Applications page. Applications for the following openings are due by Jan. 31, 2025: • Board of Appeals • Budget and Audit Board • Historic Preservation Commission • Lakewood Advisory Commission • Noxious Weed Local Advisory Board • Planning Commission • Victim Assistance Compensation Board
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The role of boards and commissions
Doug Figgs performs at the Colorado Cowboy Gathering’s “Kickin’ It Off ” show Jan. 17 at the Buffalo Rose. This year’s Colorado Cowboy GathPHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN ering featured 10 poetry and musical acts from four states.
Cowboys & Friends Colorado Cowboy Gathering performers, organizers reflect on importance of Western lifestyle, storytelling
MINSTER BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
pay? / You ain’t a’gettin’ nowhere / And you’re losin’ your share / Boy, you must have gone crazy out there.” Perhaps some Colorado Cowboy Gathering attendees ask themselves the same thing every year, when the performers get on stage to sing songs and recite poems about long cattle drives, lonely nights in the wilderness, dangerous outlaws and other challenges one might face on the Western Frontier. As those performers and organizers will explain, the cowboy lifestyle is certainly hard, but it’s also very rewarding. “I’m grateful and blessed to remain in this lifestyle,” emcee Dennis Russell said.
Over the Jan. 17-19 weekend, the Colorado Cowboy Gathering returned to Golden for its annual shows at the Buffalo Rose. This year’s show featured 10 musical and poetry acts from four states. The Jan. 17 “Kickin’ It Off ” show was practically sold out with more than 200 attendees packed onto the main floor and spread around the balcony to enjoy a mix of original and classic cowboy poems and songs. Russell was thankful for “so much participation,” as well as the quality of performers who traveled to
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In the song “Night Rider’s Lament,” a cowboy reads a letter from home asking: “Why do you ride for your money? / Tell me: Why do you rope for short
VOICES: 8 | LIFE: 10 | PUZZLES: 13
SEE COWBOYS, P4
Boards and commissions provide input on various topics, from land use and public safety to environmental sustainability. Members are typically appointed by the City Council and serve for a set term. “Serving on a board or commission is one of the many ways residents can actively participate in local government,” the city’s website states. The city provides other ways to stay engaged for residents who may not be ready to commit to serving on a board. This includes attending public meetings, providing input through community surveys and participating in citysponsored events. More information about these opportunities can be found on the Boards and Commissions page.
Lakewood’s planning commission is seeking applicants to join for a four-year term. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD
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