Capital Improvement: In Need of Improvement

Jul 312013
 

Brett ManeyCities, like businesses, need a source of revenue in order to continue to function. Services like street sweeping, park maintenance, and capital improvement are all products of the revenue produced by the city. Whereas the profits of businesses come from consumers and clients, the revenue of a city comes from its taxes. The tax dollars payed by the commercial and residential constituents of Greenwood Village fund both the operating budget of the city, as well as the capital improvement budget.

It was the capital improvement budget (CIB) that was the focus of Monday night’s meeting. The Council needed to decide which projects needed funding, and in order to do so, was provided some background information about the city’s finances. The outlook given to the council was grim. Given the council’s current capital commitments in combination with its planned capital projects, the CIB would run out of funds just a few years down the road. This news set the tone for the rest of the meeting, with all council members mindful of  Greenwood Village’s slow economic recovery. As discussion shifted to the installation of a new turf field for a local park, the council members carefully weighed the pros and cons of the pricey investment.

After the 2008 crash, economic recovery is slow, not just in the Village, but around the country. Commercial growth is still slow, despite the slight improvements in the market. With the majority of the funds for the CIB coming from commercial sales tax, the council must remember that the Village has a largely commercial based economy. It might be time for the council to drop some of the less important projects, in order to save the budget.

  •  Posted by on July 31, 2013 at 9:04 am
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July 15, 2013

Jul 222013
 

Olivia Solow-NiedermanLeading up to the July 15th City Council meeting, councilmembers and the mayor had received various e-mails from constituents voicing their opinions on the same issue: the possible installation of a synthetic turf field in Greenwood Village. Although the majority of these e-mails expressed overwhelming support for synthetic turf, the conversation dealing with how to move forward regarding this issue was not simple by any means. With the community’s opinions in mind, the Council discussed both the advantages and disadvantages of investing in such a field. The main benefits seem to be the water savings that would result from replacing a traditional grass field with a synthetic field as well as the fact that synthetic grass can often be used during inclement weather and therefore provide for extended use when compared with natural grass fields. On the other hand, synthetic turf fields also have some drawbacks, including the high costs of installation, maintenance, and sanitation. With doubts about how useful one turf field will be and if there is room in the city’s budget for such an undertaking, the Council found itself not only deliberating these pros and cons, but also debating how to best respond to the public pressure to move forward with the installation of turf.

Elected officials at all levels of government in the United States regularly face a similar predicament of balancing the wishes expressed by some constituents and taking the course of action that is best for the community as a whole. Personally, I feel that in order for our system of government to work productively, it is essential for elected officials to listen to and be respectful of the public’s opinion. However, this process is complicated, as many constituents are often not well-versed about every side of a complex issue or the impact that a decision will have on the entire community.  Therefore, for our system of government to operate at its full potential, responsibility falls on both the governed and the government. Constituents must strive to stay informed in order to effectively communicate their preferences with government officials. In turn, it is vital for municipal, state, and national governments to pay attention to the community’s desires. Elected officials must then weigh the pros and cons of an issue alongside the public’s opinion and then remain transparent and explain its decision making process to citizens.

Along these lines, the City Council remained realistic in its discussion of the installation of a synthetic turf field. Realizing that there is no room in the 2014 Capital Improvement Budget (CIP) for an investment of this nature, the Council kept the e-mails it had received in mind and suggested both putting the installation of a synthetic turf field into a future CIP and also continuing to communicate with the public about this issue.

A Divide of Citizens

Jul 052013
 

Before the most recent City Council study session, a special meeting was called to discuss a citizen complaint about the traffic violations on Clarkson Street. At the meeting were Councilmembers Presley and Rose, as well as the Director of Public Works, the Manager in charge of traffic, along with the Greenwood Village Police Chief and Sergeant. The complaint came from a group of citizens concerned about the speed at which people (Littleton High School students specifically) drive through the neighborhood.

Clarkson connects Belleview to Littleton Boulevard, and as such, it is used constantly by LHS students coming from Denver. And while the
Already, the city has placed two radar signs in both the north and southbound directions. These signs have proven effective; they have lowered the average speed of drivers on Clarkson by 3 miles per hour. What’s more, the street also has numerous roundabouts as well as an increased police presence, all which help to slow any potential speeding. Greenwood Village Police have, in the past, worked with the Village council and staff to appease the concerns of Clarkson residents, a recent influx of complaints have the police taking a second look at the street.

Yet the residents of Clarkson are still concerned over the average speed of the cars. Citizens have requested speed bumps be added to further slow drivers. But the complexity of the street makes the next action of the Village complicated. Not all of the houses lining Clarkson are Greenwood Village residents. Englewood, Littleton, and some unincorporated properties would be affected by the addition of speed bumps to the road. In addition, officers remarked that a seeming equal number of citizens have expressed the opinion that in fact, too much is being done to slow drivers. The divide between citizens has police and Public Works concerned that any further action could come as an unwanted intrusion. The councilors decided that a public forum would be the best next step, and will hopefully be held before school starts again in the fall.

  •  Posted by on July 5, 2013 at 3:39 pm
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