1. As the City Budget tightens in response to the economic downturn, and in response to a projected longterm revenue gap, which programs and services should receive the highest priority?
Government’s basic responsibility is to provide for safety, security and basic infrastructure. Council must have its priorities based on this premise. As a member of Council, I will make sure that we fund first things first like fire, police, courts and streets. Once these items are addressed, I would then prioritize spending on what things provide the most benefit for the most people. However, I know that some fall through the cracks. We should be aware of this. We must look for targeted ways to assist the least fortunate that will help them provide for their own well‐being in the future.
2. The current City Council has identified as one of its priorities creating a welcoming, inclusive and safe community for all. How can our police department best support this vision?
Police must provide a safe community for all its residents. On Council, I will work closely with the police. This will be in both an oversight and support role. Council has to have good lines of communication with the police force to make it most effective.
3. The City has made many fine efforts to solicit input from underrepresented communities, such as the “Meetings‐in‐a‐Box” component of the last community survey. Participants often feel, however, that they do not know what happens as a result. How can the City do a better job of following up with those underrepresented communities on their input?
All of Boulder’s various groups should have an opportunity to have their voice heard. On Council, I will strive to keep my mind and door open to all. In my 40+ years in the Boulder community, I have built ties with many different collections of people. I plan to use these relationships to make sure the process is inclusive. Specifically, I would like to see funding flow back into Channel 8. This is an excellent medium to get the word out about many things. Expanding programming would go a long way to improving communication.
4. What is your position relative to the City’s diversity initiative and what more can or should the City do to support expanded leadership representation for underrepresented communities on Boards and Commissions and on City staff? Would you, for example, support a City Charter amendment to allow resident noncitizens to serve on Boards and Commissions?
I think one of Boulder’s strengths is its strong Boards and Commissions. The reason for much of this strength is knowledge, background and thoughtfulness of the members. I think that Council should work hard at appointing board/commission members that have different perspectives. I think we should strive to have as much diversity of thought from a multitude of groups.
5. Mobile homes provide some of the most affordable housing in Boulder, but mobile home residents are quite vulnerable because landlords control pad rent and park management. What should the City's role be in preserving this form of housing and protecting mobile home residents?
Mobile homes are indeed one of the community's most affordable types of housing, but the City doesn't own that much of it, and until they do, we can't force through rent controls, or restrictive title covenants on the privately owned complexes. I support the Housing Division or BHP's purchase of existing mobile home sites, and I don't want to consider conversion of existing sites to higher value development (Orchard Grove), but I would look at that on a case‐by‐case basis. Orchard Grove is a wonderfully diverse community and I would work to underpin its' self governing existence, but I would give credence to the property owners' rights as well. Hopefully there's a win‐win there, as well as in other mobile home redevelopment such as Boulder Mobil Manor. We surely need this kind of affordable community, and I'll work to sustain what we have.
6. Many in the community feel that the contamination issue at Valmont Butte, a sacred Arapaho site and home to an historic settler’s cemetery, remains unresolved. How would you propose to address this issue?
The Butte is a markedly bad example of our Facilities planning effort. Seemingly, it was purchased without any real understanding of its limitations or cultural sensitivities. I think Open Space and Public Utilities own it jointly, and neither can use it for any functional purpose. A great deal of money was spent to "discover" those sensitivities, i.e. the cemetery, the "sweat lodge", the contamination, and the prairie dog community, which were all there to begin with. So, I think the process worked in terms of preserving historic and cultural resources, but now we'll have to spend money to remediate the contamination in order to have any hope of conveying the property to the Trust for Public Lands, and getting any of our investment back. I'm not sure I would authorize the remediation effort until the economic future of the City was brighter. I'll be very careful to avoid that scenario in the future, but moreover, I think it’s clear that nothing is simple, ever. One man's bio‐solids processing site is another’s' sacred burial ground. We need to ask as many questions as we can before own the problem.
7. Would you consider ensuring access to recreational and sports activities for children and youth of all backgrounds a priority? If so, how would you accomplish this?
One of the most embarrassing things in this community is the condition of its youth recreational facilities. Take a trip to facilities provided by neighboring towns and cities and this becomes even more apparent. On Council, I will labor to reassess priorities and funnel more resources into improving our youth‐focused recreational facilities. This will help young people of all backgrounds. If we don’t put resources into the places for our children to play, there will be no place for any of our children to play.
