by Charles Bonniwell | Dec 17, 2024 | Main Articles
by Charles C. Bonniwell
Former IEC Commissioner Bill Leone
Denver District Court issued a devastating decision to the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission (IEC) in its almost 10-year multimillion dollar legal battle against the City of Glendale and by implication all home rule cities and counties in the State of Colorado. The court ruled in a decision written by District Court Judge Jill D. Dorancy that the IEC has no jurisdiction over Glendale or its elected officials and employees on ethics complaints.
The IEC was established by a statewide vote on an amendment to the state constitution ostensibly to adjudicate disputes over gift limitations to elected officials and others. But under Chairman Bill Leone (who has since left the IEC) it attempted to break free from virtually all constraints to become a super agency.
Assistant Attorney General Gina Cannan
The IEC had gotten the courts to rule that it was not subject to any ethics rules itself including those pertaining to open meetings and open records. It did so on the theory that since the IEC was adopted as a constitutional amendment it supersedes any prior constitutional provisions as well as any state laws adopted by the legislature. The IEC asserted that Its powers provided in its constitutional amendment could only be constrained by a future constitutional amendment adopted by a vote of the citizens.
To become a true superagency, the IEC had to expand its powers to hear disputes far broader than simply claims concerning gifts to politicians. Leone thought he had found a way to do that by use of subsection seven of the state ethics law, which provides that the IEC can hear claims on public employees of violations of any code of conduct, not just gift bans.
But the same does not apply “to home rule counties or home rule municipalities that have adopted charters, ordinances, or resolutions that address the matters covered by this article.” This exception was a major problem for the power-seeking Leone as the vast majority of Colorado citizens live in home rule cities and counties. Leone and legal counsel for the IEC, Assistant Attorney General Gina Cannan, needed a small home rule city to concede in a case that the IEC alone could decide whether a home rule city’s ethics code was adequate. If not adequate the IEC would have jurisdiction over it. The City of Glendale refused to fold, notwithstanding the fact that legal fees fighting the IEC are exorbitant.
In the end, the District Court ruled that the IEC did not have jurisdiction over the City of Glendale. It is assumed the IEC will waste even more money and time and appeal the decision to the Colorado Court of Appeals. Glendale indicates it hopes that the Colorado Court of Appeals will finally end the IEC’s costly power grab once and for all.
City of Glendale Mayor Mike Dunafon stated with regard to the city’s legal victory: “The IEC exemplifies everything that is wrong and harmful about the administrative state in Colorado. Maybe Colorado can have a Department of Government Efficiency like the one they are doing federally to start to get rid of these state super agencies that are starting to drive people out of Colorado to states with less burdensome governments.”
The IEC has 49 days to file a notice of appeal to the Colorado Court of Appeals.
by Valley Gadfly | Dec 17, 2024 | Main Articles
City Council Approves Part Two Of Legacy Funds; Six New Neighborhood Parks Are Planned In 2025-26
by Glen Richardson
Ramble & Rove: With two formal flower gardens, tree-lined paths, and endless expanses of grass the 155-acre Wash Park is one of the city’s most popular. People run, bike, paddle boat, walk, and play year around.
The initial voter approved 0.25% Park Legacy Fund sales tax — an extra 2.5 cents on each $10 purchase — expired at the end of 2024. Before year’s end, however, Denver City Council approved a new plan covering 2025 through 2029.
As was the case during the initial five years, acquisition of acreage to enlarge city’s parks remains a priority. Park maintenance and climate resiliency are also focuses. Restoring sporting fields and courts are a particular focus in the coming year. DPR added 13 indoor pickleball courts at seven rec centers in 2024, bringing the total to 66. Plans call for adding 50 outdoor courts by the end of 2025. Staff at Parks & Rec have also announced plans to establish a permanent graffiti-response and trash-collection team this year.
The Denver parks system — ranked 13th best in the U.S. by the Trust for Public Land — is one of the largest and most unique in the country. The trust gave the city its highest score (89 out of 100) for park Access. The Mile High City scored 75 for Investment, 69 on Equity, and 62 on Amenities. Its lowest score (51) is for Acreage, something neither the city or the Parks & Rec staff can do much about. With a total of more than 280 parks and 30 recreation centers, residents and families enjoy outdoor and indoor opportunities city wide, including hiking, fishing, golf, and picnicking. Today an enormous 93% of the public live within a 10-minute walk to a park. Denver spends $197 per resident each year on parks, far higher than the national average.
Legacy Fund Budget
People Popular: Located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, Cheesman Park draws large crowds to its 80-acre oasis with mountain vistas, green lawns, and stately trees. It’s also ideal for active recreation or quiet reflection.
Growing Green Space: This University Hills site at East Iliff Ave. and S. Bellaire is one of six new parks being built this year with Legacy Funds. The two-acre park will have a demonstration garden and event space.
About a quarter of the annual Parks & Rec budget — or in the neighborhood of $45 million yearly — comes from the Legacy Fund, according to Director Jolon Clark.
During the five-year period ending in December, the tax generated more than $267 million. Of that amount, $96 million has already been spent. Projects currently in the works have another $113 million tied up.
The daily operating cost for Denver’s City Parks — wages, supplies, and equipment — amounts to about $23.5 million a year. Another $15 is allocated to land acquisition each year. Parks & Rec also keeps an interest earning reserve fund for emergencies.
People In Parks
Under the 2018 voter approved Legacy Fund, almost 10,000 trees have been planted, plus 375 acres of turf grass converted to native landscape. Gordon Robertson, Planning, Design & Construction Director, estimates the conversion saved more than 225 million gallons of water. Moreover, he reveals, it has allowed the city to acquire more land. “With just legacy funds, we’ve obtained 25 acres of new park land.” As a result, 5,500 additional residents are within 10 minutes of a park, he adds.
City wide, DPR guesstimates that during Legacy Fund’s first five years 8,000 or more new people are now enjoying park facilities. During the first five years, Legacy greenbacks built 19 playgrounds, renovated 37 sports courts, and added 25 miles of park trails and walks.
Waterfront Park: Located at the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek, Confluence Park was developed in the 1980s. The 15.28-acre site has a playground, picnic shelter, benches, plus grassy expanses.
Peace In Parks: Parks provide peace and can have a positive effect on mental and physical health. Reconnect with nature to reduce stress, and anxiety at retreats such as Cheesman Park to get away from the urban hustle.
With the Legacy Fund restart, staff at city Park & Rec plan to expand the tree canopy in parks. Goals also include buying forestry equipment to speed up tree planting and maintenance work. Purchasing electric maintenance equipment and switching to LED lights are also on their latest list. Park access is open to the public year around. Furthermore, parks are open no matter the time of day, nor what week or month of the year. The Sonny Lawson and Al Alma-Lincoln Park spaces were closed for a month in 2024, however, due to drug sales and violent incidents. Portions of the parks were fenced off to curb the problem.
Six New Parks
As the new year gets underway, Denver Parks & Recreation is getting set to welcome six new parks in neighborhoods across the city. With Legacy Funds recently increasing about $5 million a year to $50 million annually, the city has earmarked funds to acquire the land and build parks.
In addition to developing new parks, Denver is also reinvesting in its existing parks. This includes renovating playgrounds and benches, plus upgrading irrigation systems to conserve water and improve park sustainability.
Spanning neighborhoods from Westwood to Green Valley Ranch, these new parks symbolize a commitment to ensuring every citizen has access to quality green spaces. Each park will be uniquely designed to cater to the needs and preferences of its local community, creating a diverse range of recreational environments across the Mile High City.
Plans For Parks
Water Basin Park: With Denver’s biggest lake, Sloan’s Lake Park’s 177 acres make it the city’s second-largest. It has playgrounds, tennis courts, athletic fields, boating, basketball, multi-use trails, and picnic areas.
The University Hills site at East Iliff Ave. and S. Bellaire was purchased back in 2019 for $5.1 million. Proposed to be named “Bethesda Park,” the former Greenhouse & Garden Center is roughly two-acres in size. Parks & Rec plans to spend $6.5 million in legacy funds to convert the property into a park. The long, skinny property will be transformed into a park with a demonstration garden and event space.
Anticipated to be named “Avion Park,” a nine-acre park prospect is located at Kittridge St. and E. Bolling Drive. It will include a playground, basketball courts, fields, plus a walking loop. Denver Urban Gardens is expected to manage a food forest on the site. Parks people say they are hopeful it will open this year.
Scheduled to open next year (2026), the large site at 10th Ave. & Alcott St. along the South Platte River will offer a community gathering space and gardens. Construction is expected to start this year. A new park at 47th Ave. & Telluride St. in Green Valley Ranch is also expected to open in 2026. It will have a playground, trails, a basketball court, plus a community garden with interactive water feature. Already open to the public, the Westwood Skate Park at W. Kentucky Ave. & S. Irving St. will incorporate new features. Over time the site will incorporate riverfront landscaping, and improved access to the South Platte River Trail. Denver Botanic Gardens will sponsor an off-leash dog park and gardens at the site.
by Mark Smiley | Dec 17, 2024 | Main Articles
by Julie Hayden
Exploration With A Mission: Summit and Shore Alliance co-founders Alex Drawbaugh and Jennifer Jordon are proud to offer free outdoor excursions to veterans as a way of giving back.
Millions of people have been drawn to Colorado to enjoy the spectacular Rockies in wintertime through the sport of skiing. But not everyone these days wants to ski or only ski. This can be due to preference or advancing age, or injuries or many other reasons but does not mean they want to stay indoors and miss all that the mountains have to offer. This has resulted in the booming sport of snowmobiling, and now snowcatting.
A snowcat is an enclosed-cab, truck-sized, fully tracked vehicle designed to travel over snow. They originated in the Antarctic Terra Nova Expedition in 1910 and evolved for many industrial uses but more recently have become extraordinary recreational excursion vehicles for groups up to a dozen or so persons per vehicle. Think of them as RVs on snow track skis.
“I call snowcats ‘yachts of the snow’ because they combine comfort and adventure,” says Alex Drawbaugh. He’s the cofounder of one of the newest and most prominent outfitters to enter the scene, Summit and Shore Alliance (summitandshore.org; 970-716-7470). In the summer months they focus on water trips and are now firing up their fleet of snowcats to take folks on backcountry excursions.
No Experience Necessary
There’s a certain amount of training, experience, and physical ability that go into a typical ski trip. But no experience is necessary for guided snowcat excursions. Anyone can enjoy a trip into the most scenic and remote backcountry. Summit’s co-founder Jennifer Jordon says their motto is “always peak.” “We’re all about finding untracked powder and providing epic rides on snowcats and sleds.” They offer curated packages designed to take you off the beaten path: everything from morning backcountry trips with bottomless mimosas, to a midday trip into the heart of the Bear Mountain Outfitters wilderness, to a sunset snowcat ride and mountaintop bonfire. And, if you’re really into a luxury experience, “We’ll take you to a mountain lodge dining hall where your private chef will prepare a custom, gourmet meal just for you,” Jordon says.
Yacht of the Snow: Summit’s Alex Drawbaugh calls snowcats “yachts of the snow” because they combine comfort and adventure in Colorado’s scenic backcountry.
Wintry Party Bus
Snowcats have come a long way since the original models. With customizable interiors and excursions, some describe them as “party buses” for winter fun. Industry analysts say the market is experiencing steady growth due to an increasing demand for winter sports. Drawbaugh points to their partnership with Bear Mountain Outfitters as an example. It’s home to 18,000 acres of pristine backcountry. You can enjoy epic views, spot a moose or wolf track, all from the comfort and safety of the snowcat. Lodging options range from luxury mountain homes, to “glamping,” to rustic off grid retreats near Steamboat Springs.
Drawbaugh says guiding tours into the backcountry is a passion for him. “Disconnected from the phone and hustle and bustle of the city, you remember what’s important. It’s not your connection to the internet, it’s connecting to the world around you and the people you are with.”
One of Summit’s snowcats was owned by Colorado singer and songwriter John Denver. “When we saw this come on the market we couldn’t resist,” says Chris Hawk, one of the board members. They’re pulling out all the stops as they renovate it, describing it as an “RV snowcat party bus.”
Day Tripping
There is also growing interest in snowcat trips from skiers who want to take a break from the busy slopes. Many outfitters offer back country ski trips as well as shorter morning, afternoon, or sunset rides. Drawbaugh says their private tours can be completely customized. “We’ll tailor it to your group, whatever size. The vision is all yours.” Your entire family or group can participate in the adventure together, regardless of age or ability.
Adventure With A Cause
The veterans community is one group that can appreciate the opportunities a snowcat provides to explore remote backcountry areas of the Rockies, regardless of mobility issues resulting from injury. Summit’s Jennifer Jordon says they recognize this and, as a nonprofit, are proud to support the veterans community by offering free outdoor excursions and host various veteran initiatives. “What could be more rewarding than using some of our proceeds to give back to those who have served to protect these spaces,” she explains.
For more information on packages or free veteran excursions visit summitandshore.org, or call 970-716-7470.
by Mark Smiley | Dec 13, 2024 | Editorials
by Mark Smiley
The Mile High Beer Festival is set for March 1, 2025, and will be at The Refractory in the Santa Fe Art District. Over 40 beer vendors will be pouring their specialty beers for unlimited sampling.
In addition to beer, guests will be able to enjoy canned cocktails, ciders, food from local food trucks, and non-alcoholic brews. Ryan Cox photo
One of Denver’s favorite beer celebrations is returning with new breweries and some old favorites. The 2025 Mile High Beer Festival returns on Saturday, March 1, 2025, and early bird tickets are on sale now. Prices go up as it gets closer to the event so act now for the savings.
General Admission includes unlimited sampling, a commemorative sample glass, and access to 100+ beers, ciders, and spirits from Colorado’s best (and some favorites outside of Colorado too.). Early entry includes everything above plus 45 minutes to get the first sips in before the crowd files in (1:15 p.m.). The VIP experience includes 90 minutes of early access (12:30 p.m.), plus an exclusive commemorative pint glass.
The Mile High Beer Festival will be the first event at the new venue, The Refractory located at 890 Navajo Street, in the Santa Fe Art District in Denver. “We are really excited to transform this space and create an open industrial atmosphere for the beer festival,” said Lacey Spruce, Mile High Beer Fest.
A lineup of 40+ vendors serving 100+ brews, including local breweries like WeldWerks, Left Hand, and Wiley Roots will be in hand. “I feel like the people that like to attend our events every year are self proclaimed beer nerds,” said Spruce. “They find it exciting to meet new breweries and try new things as well as see their old favorites.”
Three breweries will make their Mile High Beer Festival debut in 2025: Wiley Roots (Greeley), Milieu Fermentation (Aurora), which opened in 2024, and Second Dawn Brewing (Aurora). “I think a lot of people want variety in events they attend, said Spruce. “For a lot of people like us who produce these events, we try to give the people what they want. This is a beer fest so we try to keep it mostly beer. But people tend to appreciate having some options like trying some canned cocktails or ciders so we try to sprinkle some of those in.”
General admission tickets are $48.57, early entry are $60.41, and VIP tickets are $78.16 and all fees are included. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.milehighbeerfest.com. Also, stay tuned for information on the second annual Denver Ramen Festival which will be held at the Stockyards Event Center in April.
