Boulder Weekly 10.10.2024

VOTE GUIDE

2B: Lyons code amendment

6A: Eldorado Springs PID

6D: Homestead PID

11-15 CITY OF BOULDER

2C: Council pay increase

2D: Executive sessions

2E: Board + commission changes

17-21 OTHER STUFF

Louisville city council candidates

3A: Longmont open space tax extension

5C: SVVSD bond measure

7C: St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District tax extension

DEPARTMENTS

Board of Trustees candidates

3B: Sales tax increase

25 CITY OF LAFAYETTE

6A + 6B: Downtown Development Authority + financing

2A: Collective bargaining for police

26-29 TOWN OF ERIE

Town council candidates

3C: Marijuana excise tax

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OCTOBER 10, 2024 Volume 32, Number 8

PUBLISHER: Francis J. Zankowski

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Shay Castle

ARTS EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray

REPORTERS: Kaylee Harter, Tyler Hickman

FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Dave Anderson, Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Justin Criado, Karen Norback, Dan Savage, Toni Tresca

SALES AND MARKETING

MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Kellie Robinson

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Matthew Fischer

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Chris Allred, Tony Camarda

SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Carter Ferryman

MRS. BOULDER WEEKLY: Mari Nevar

PRODUCTION

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erik Wogen

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Chris Sawyer

CIRCULATION

CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn

CIRCULATION TEAM: Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer

BUSINESS OFFICE

BOOKKEEPER/ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Austen Lopp

FOUNDER / CEO: Stewart Sallo

As Boulder County’s only independently owned newspaper, Boulder Weekly is dedicated to illuminating truth, advancing justice and protecting the First Amendment through ethical, no-holds-barred journalism and thought-provoking opinion writing. Free every Thursday since 1993, the Weekly also offers the county’s most comprehensive arts and entertainment coverage. Read the print version, or visit boulderweekly.com. Boulder Weekly does not accept unsolicited editorial submissions. If you’re interested in writing for the paper, please send queries to: editorial@ boulderweekly.com. Any materials sent to Boulder Weekly become the property of the newspaper. 1495 Canyon Boulevard, Suite CO 1, Boulder, CO 80302

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EDITOR’S NOTE

ELECTION 2024, BY BOULDER WEEKLY

BY SHAY CASTLE

Well, it’s finally here: Election 2024.

In these pages, you’ll (hopefully) find everything you need to know for (almost) everything on your Boulder County ballot (and a few things on the Weld County ballot, too): Every state and

local candidate and every tax extension, charter change and city issue that needs your attention.

If we didn’t cover it, we’ve provided recommendations for other vote guides that did.

As with the June primary, we’re skipping the endorsements this year. I know that may be disappointing to some, given our track record of success in picking winners. Plus, making up your own mind is more work.

But we believe strongly in empowering voters with the information they need to make the decisions that are right for them.

There’s one thing we will happily take an uncompromising position on: The importance of voting, regardless of who and what you vote for.

We know it’s hard when there are only two choices; and in Colorado, often only one. Those candidates aren’t exactly

always doing things you want them to. (Looking at you, Colorado Dems who voted to hold more closed-door meetings.) But like we said in June: Politicians are like buses — not meant to take you exactly where you want to go. So pick the one that gets you closest to your desired destination.

ONLY HAVE 10 MINUTES?

Read just the boxes. These are TL;DR summaries of the ballot measures. (TL;DR = Too Long; Didn’t Read for you non-chronically online folks.) We’ve included them on some of our writeups so readers in a hurry can get the basic info they need to make a good decision, as quickly as possible.

We're turning 60! Come celebrate with us all week long from October 18th to 26th. Food, drinks, prizes, throwback prices, and epic flash sales! Let’s party!

Kick-off Party : October 18th – 3 PM to 6 PM

VOTE GUIDE STATE & COUNTY

No one does local coverage like Boulder Weekly, but we can’t cover everything. We recommend checking out these other superb resources:

For coverage of U.S. Representative, D2, and state ballot issues, we recommend comprehensive vote guides from CPR (cpr.org) or The Colorado Sun (coloradosun.com).

For information about judicial retention, check out Colorado’s Blue Book: bit.ly/ BlueBookJudges.

WHERE, WHEN AND HOW TO VOTE

• Receiving your ballot. Ballots are mailed Friday, Oct. 11. You can pick up your mailed ballot before this date by visiting the county clerk’s office between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday at 1750 33rd St., Boulder.

• Casting your ballot. If you are returning your ballot by mail, the county recommends sending it in by Monday, Oct. 28. After Oct. 28, submit to a 24-hour drop box by 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5 instead. Those open Friday, Oct. 11: bit.ly/boco_drop_boxes In-person vote centers also open Monday, Oct. 21 at 8 a.m. and close Tuesday, Nov. 5 (election day) at 7 p.m. Find a voting location: bit.ly/voting_ centers

• Updating your registration. Residents can register to vote or update their registration through election day at a voting center or online: bit.ly/ BWregistrationFAQ

LOOKING FOR LOCAL CANDIDATES? FIND THEM ON…

P. 17 Louisville city council

P. 22 Superior town board

P. 26 Erie mayor and town council

ELECTION 2024: CANDIDATES AT A GLANCE

Your quick-and-dirty guide to who’s running for state and county office

BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF

Candidates are listed in the order they appear on ballots. For spaceand time-saving purposes, we are featuring only candidates from the two major parties.

Candidate positions on issues (the “Supports/ Opposes” sections) were pulled from questionnaires sent to them by Boulder Weekly, unless otherwise indicated.

COLORADO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, D2

Kathy Gebhardt, D gebhardtforcolorado. com

Boulder Valley School District Board of Education, member (8 years) and president (2 years); Colorado Association of School Boards, member (8 years) president; National School Board Association Board of Directors, member (4 years) chair of political action committee

Priorities

• To secure opportunities for all Colorado students to lead their most successful lives

• To lift up the needs of children with learning differences

• To support welcoming, wellresourced schools

Gebhardt is running unopposed. For more of her views on the issues, view her full candidate profile at bit.ly/KathyGebhardtBW

CU REGENT - AT LARGE

Eric Rinard, R rinardforregent.com

Senior engineer at KMLabs, Weld County Republican Party District Captain

Priorities

• Increase accessibility and reduce cost

• Support the growth and diversity of research initiatives

• Restore balance and diversity of opinion and promote free speech by opposing mandates and prohibitions

Rinard did not respond to multiple requests for comment. This information was pulled from his campaign website.

Elliott Hood, D hoodforcolorado.com

Education attorney, former public school teacher, former development director for education nonprofit

Priorities

• Affordability and access

• Improving graduation and retention rates

• Environmental sustainability

Supports

• Divestment from fossil fuels

• Tuition freeze or cap policy

Opposes

• Elimination of tenured positions

• Supreme Court dismantling of affirmative action

Full candidate profile: bit.ly/ElliottHoodBW

STATE SENATOR, D17

Tom Van Lone, R tomvanlonefor senate17.com

Former Erie mayor, Weld County Republican Party chairman

Priorities

• Cost of living

• Education

• Health care

Supports

• State prohibition on local occupancy limits

• Housing density

Opposes

• Ending state ban on rent control

• Front Range passenger rail

Full candidate profile: bit.ly/TomVanLoneBW

Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D sonyaforcolorado.com

Incumbent (20192024); Efficacy rating: 73%; 32 of 44 bills on which Lewis was a prime sponsor were sent to or signed by the governor

Priorities

• Environment

• Health care

• Gun violence prevention

• Education

• Diversity, equity and inclusion

Lewis did not respond to multiple requests for comment. This information was pulled from her campaign website.

STATE SENATOR, D18

Judy Amabile, D judyforcolorado.com

Incumbent (20212024); Efficacy rating: 91%; 49 of 54 bills on which Amabile was a prime sponsor were sent to or signed by the governor

Priorities

• Mental health

• Climate action

• Housing availability and affordability

Supports

• State prohibition on local occupancy limits

• Housing density

• Ending state ban on rent control

• Front Range passenger rail

• Local efforts to increase the minimum wage

• SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials

Amabile is running unopposed. Full candidate profile: bit.ly/JudyAmabileBW

STATE REPRESENTATIVE,

D10

William B. DeOreo, R youtube.com/@bill4hd Consultant on water issues, former U.S. State Department representative to India

Priorities

• Focusing state government on protecting the rights of its citizens against unwarranted overreach from the federal government, foreign NGOs and advocacy groups

• Improve the physical security of citizens

• Improve the financial security of citizens

Supports

• Front Range passenger rail

• State prohibition of local occupancy limits

Opposes

• Redeveloping the Boulder Municipal Airport into housing

• Housing density

• Ending state ban on rent control

• Local efforts to increase the minimum wage

• Government interventions for human-caused climate change

• SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials

Full candidate profile: bit.ly/WilliamBDeOreoBW

Junie Joseph, D junie4colorado.com Incumbent (2023–2024); Efficacy rating: 78%; 21 of 27 bills on which Joseph was a primary sponsor were sent to or signed by the governor

Priorities

• Economic security and affordability for all

• Climate change

• Equity and social justice initiatives

Supports

• State prohibition on local occupancy limits

• Housing density

• Ending state ban on rent control

VOTE GUIDE STATE & COUNTY

• Front Range passenger rail

• Redeveloping the Boulder Municipal Airport into housing

• SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials

Joseph did not respond to yes/no questions on local efforts to raise the minimum wage

Full candidate profile: bit.ly/JunieJosephBW

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, D11

Karen McCormick, D

karenforco.com

Incumbent (2021-2024);

Efficacy rating: 70%; 21 of 30 bills on which McCormick was a primary sponsor were sent to or signed by the governor

Priorities

• Universal health care

• Climate change

• Ending discrimination

Supports

• State prohibition on local occupancy limits

• Housing density

• Ending state ban on rent control

• Front Range passenger rail

• Local efforts to increase the minimum wage

• SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials

Full candidate profile: bit.ly/KarenMcCormickBW

Kathy Reeves, R reevesforcolorado.com

Retired IT professional, volunteer at Life Choices Pregnancy Center

Priorities

• Cost of living

• Safety/family

• Liberty

Opposes

• Ending state ban on rent control

• Housing density

• Front Range passenger rail

• Local efforts to raise the minimum wage

• Government interventions for human-caused climate change

• SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials

Full candidate profile: bit.ly/KathyReevesBW

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, D12

Kyle Brown, D kyleforcolorado.com

Incumbent (2023-2024); Efficacy rating: 58%; 15 of 26 bills on which Brown was a primary sponsor were sent to or signed by the governor

Priorities

• Climate action

• Affordable housing and health care

• “Ensuring that every kid and family can thrive”

Supports

• State prohibition on local occupancy limits

• Housing density

• Ending state ban on rent control

• Front Range passenger rail

• Local efforts to increase the minimum wage

• SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials

Full candidate profile: bit.ly/ KyleBrownBW

Mark Milliman, R bit.ly/MarkMilliman

Electrical engineer and telecommunications professional

Priorities

• Economic relief (reducing taxes and regulation, private insurance)

• Home and family (school choice, mental health care)

• Crime (reversing recent criminal justice reforms)

Milliman did not respond to multiple requests for comment. This information was pulled from his campaign website.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, D19

Dan Woog, R woogforhd19.com

Former representative (2021-2023); Efficacy rating: 31%; 4 of 13 bills on which Woog was a primary sponsor were sent to or signed by the governor

Priorities

• Reducing the cost of living (encouraging condominium construction, defending TABOR, supporting hydrogen and natural gas)

• Revitalizing public education (expanding school choice, paying teachers more)

• Improving public safety (more cops, more security equipment for schools)

Woog did not respond to multiple requests for comment. This information was pulled from his campaign website.

Jillaire McMillan, D jillaireforco.com

Director of volunteers at national nonprofit, small business owner, PTA president, leader of church youth ministry, mother of four

Priorities

• Expand health care access

• Improve access to public transportation

• Gun violence prevention Supports

• Ending state ban on rent control

• Local efforts to increase the minimum wage

• Government interventions for human-caused climate change

• SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials

Full candidate profile: bit.ly/JillaireMcMillanBW

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, D49

Steve Ferrante, R electstevecolorado.com

Small business owner, former law enforcement officer and pastor

Priorities

• Parents and children (parental authority, ending gender reassignment surgeries and treatments)

• Education (school choice)

• Prosperity and opportunity (reducing government spending and regulation)

• Rights and responsibilities (freedom of speech and religion)

Ferrante did not respond to multiple requests for comment. This information was pulled from his campaign website.

Lesley Smith, D lesleyforco.com

CU Board of Regents (2019-2024), City of Boulder Water Resources Water Board (2013-2018), BVSD Board of Education (2005-2013), research scientist, CU Boulder (1989-2018)

Priorities

• Protecting environment and climate change

• Public education

• Affordability in housing and health insurance

Supports

• State prohibition on local occupancy limits

• Housing density

• Ending state ban on rent control

• Front Range passenger rail

• Local efforts to increase the minimum wage

• SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials

Full candidate profile: bit.ly/ LesleySmithBW

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Priorities

Michael Dougherty michaelforboulderda. com

Incumbent (2018-2024)

• Reducing gun violence

• Further expand restorative justice and diversion programs

• Develop family justice center for victim services, consolidating resources for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and child abuse

Supports

• Elimination of cash bail

• Use of opioid settlement funds for law enforcement tools and technology

Dougherty is running unopposed. Full candidate profile: bit.ly/MichaelDoughertyBW

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR, DISTRICT I

Karen Benker

KarenForRail.com

Retired from a career in budget and finance, working with government agencies and nonprofits, former Longmont City Council member

Priorities

• Build the northwest rail line to Boulder and Broomfield Counties

• Restore bus service

• Resource/budget management

• Creating new partnerships between CDOT and Front Range passenger rail

Benker is running unopposed. Full candidate profile: bit.ly/KarenBenkerBW

BOULDER COUNTY COMMISSIONER, D1

Priorities

Claire Levy, D claireforbouldercounty.org Incumbent (2020-2025)

• Mental health

• Affordable housing

• Transportation

Supports

• Housing density (but not in unincorporated Boulder County)

• Front Range passenger rail

• State prohibition on occupancy limits

• Local efforts to increase the minimum wage

• Government interventions for humancaused climate change

• SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials

Opposes

• Rent control

Levy is running unopposed. Full candidate profile: bit.ly/ClaireLevyBW

BOULDER COUNTY COMMISSIONER,

D2

Priorities

Marta Loachamin, D marta4boco.org Incumbent (2020-2025)

• Implementation of co-created guidance to move Boulder County from land acknowledgment to meaningful action with American Indian, Native American and Indigenous communities, with a concrete action plan

• Equitable and transparent distribution of the 2023 Affordable and Attainable Housing Tax to begin January 2025

• Leading development and implementation of a community engagement framework with our partner Once and Future Green

Supports

• Housing density

• Front Range passenger rail

• State prohibition on occupancy limits

• Local efforts to increase the minimum wage

Opposes

• Rent control

Loachamin did not respond to questions about climate change or public meeting requirements for elected officials.

Full candidate profile: bit.ly/MartaLoachaminBW

Donald “Don” Lewis, R don@millerlewis.com

Former software engineer, past governor of the ColoradoWyoming chapters of the Optimists International club

Priorities

• Reduce costs for business startups

• Reduce the number of building regulations

• Utilize specific income to solve problems that generate the income: i.e. road related taxes

• Reduce taxes generally

Supports

• State prohibition on local occupancy limits

• Ending the state ban on rent control

Opposes

• Local implementation of rent control

• Housing density

• Front Range passenger rail

Lewis did not respond to questions about minimum wage, government interventions for human-caused climate change or public meetings rules for elected officials.

Full candidate profile: bit.ly/DonLewisBW

BOULDER COUNTY CORONER

Priorities

Jeff Martin jeffmartinforcoroner.com

Acting coroner (appointed January 2024)

• Community engagement

• Creating a workplace environment of diversity, equity and inclusion for staff

• Streamlining process within the office to reduce costs and increase efficiency

Martin is running unopposed. Full candidate profile: bit.ly/JeffMartinBW

2C - COUNCIL PAY

Should Boulder’s mayor and city council be paid more?

BY SHAY CASTLE

This measure would significantly raise the pay of Boulder’s elected officials, with the mayor earning more than other council members.

HOW MUCH ARE THEY PAID NOW?

First implemented in 1989, the charter sets council pay at $100 per meeting, with annual increases for inflation. In 2024, that equated to $244.14 per meeting. If council had 52 meetings per calendar year, that equals $12,695.28 in 2024.

HOW MUCH WOULD THEY BE PAID IF THIS PASSES?

This would set council and mayoral pay at 40% and 50% of Area Median Income (AMI), respectively, with the mayor earn-

TL;DR

• Proponents argue that council’s extremely low pay ($12,000 in 2024, paid per meeting) limits who can afford to hold office.

• Serving on city council requires many hours of work per week beyond weekly public meetings.

• The overwhelming majority of council members have been homeowners and active or retired members of the professional class.

• Raising council pay would cost the city an additional ~$263,882.52, or 0.13% of the general fund (in 2024 dollars).

• Boulder’s general fund is already overtaxed, and revenue is projected continue its long-term slowdown.

• The pay increase will not benefit any current members of council unless they are re-elected; it goes into effect after their terms have ended.

ing more due to the additional responsibilities they perform. In 2024, that would be $40,080 for council members and $51,100 for the mayor. This measure won’t go into effect until Dec. 1, 2026, so the actual salaries will be calculated based on AMI at that time.

WHERE WILL THE MONEY COME FROM?

Boulder’s general fund, where council pay currently comes from. The difference between current and proposed compensation is $263,882.52 in 2024 dollars, though the actual amount will be different at the implementation date. That’s how much more money the city would have to find in its budget, as this measure does not propose a funding source.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

• Council members currently earn less than 15% of AMI for a single person. Proponents of higher pay argue that this limits who can run for office, since it is not possible to support oneself on such a low salary.

There is a lack of socioeconomic diversity on Boulder’s city council. Many members have been retired or employed in higher-paying industries. The vast majority have been homeowners.

VOTE GUIDE CITY OF BOULDER

would represent a relatively small slice (about 0.13% in 2024, if they were being paid these salaries today) but opponents have noted that any increase to general fund spending will likely come with tradeoffs in the way of cuts to other programs and services. That’s not necessarily the case, but trends point to slowing sales tax, the city’s major source of revenue.

decide how much time to put into council service.

• In other areas where higher pay has been proposed or pursued, opponents argue that it creates a class of career politicians. Other studies have confirmed that higher-paid elected officials represent constituents better in a number of ways.

Reformers in Boulder and beyond believe that paying a self-sufficiency wage to elected officials would allow more people the financial flexibility to run for office, creating a body that is more representative of the community.

• No study has been done at the local level to determine whether higher salaries result in more working-class candidates and elected officials. The cost and time involved in campaigning may also act as barriers for working-class people to run for office; this measure would not address those.

• The additional salary would be paid out of the general fund, the city’s largest pot of discretional money. As a funding source, it’s strained: It pays for things like emergency services, roads, essential staff like the city manager and human resources department, etc. Council pay, even at a higher amount,

• Some opponents argue that a higher salary removes the community service aspect of elected office and sets the expectation that the position is a parttime job.

• Council members do put in a lot of work, from hours-long meetings that stretch late into the night to receiving thousands of constituent phone calls and emails. Several council members, past and present, have stated that the workload is significant: Bob Yates, who was retired at the time of his service, said he put in 50-60 hours per week.

Councilwoman Taishya Adams estimated she worked 326.5 hours between January and May 2024, roughly 16 hours per week, between public and private constituent meetings, community events and discussion with staff and peers.

Other members say they have worked fewer hours, and that you can

From a 2016 study on state lawmaker pay: “When politicians in the United States are paid more, they are less likely to pursue outside employment while serving in office, they introduce more legislation and miss fewer votes, they are more in-step with their constituents ideologically, they are more likely to run for re-election, they favor citizen interests over business interests, and they face more competition from qualified challengers.”

It’s not clear how applicable those studies are to local offices with wages that are far below private-sector salaries for the area. While 40-50% of AMI might cover basic needs in Boulder, it is not a competitive salary.

• None of the current council members would benefit from this pay increase unless they were re-elected to office. Their terms currently end in November 2025 or 2026; increased pay would kick in for the next council to be elected.

VOTE GUIDE CITY OF BOULDER

2D - EXECUTIVE SESSIONS

Should Boulder City Council be allowed to hold private meetings?

BY SHAY CASTLE

This measure would allow Boulder City Council to hold executive sessions to meet and discuss certain legal and personnel matters, as allowed under Colorado law.

WHAT IS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION?

Colorado law forbids more than two members of Boulder City Council from meeting to discuss public business outside of an official meeting; that is, one that the public is made aware of in advance and allowed to attend.

The whole council — or even three members or more — can’t meet together privately, ever. That’s unusual for local government; governing bodies throughout Boulder County, including many city councils and the county commissioners, use executive sessions.

Executive sessions allow the entire council to meet and discuss certain matters without members of the public being present. A twothirds majority of council (six of nine members) must vote to enter into executive session.

The public does have to be informed of the topic of the executive session. Some recent examples of this are in Longmont (“The Mayor, City Manager and City Attorney have requested an Executive Session to discuss: 1) electrification programs and code updates; and 2) the City Manager’s and City Attorney’s Performance Evaluation and Compensation Review,” Oct. 1 meeting) and Boulder County (“Executive Session for Legal Advice,” Oct. 1 meeting).

WHAT COULD BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSIONS?

According to state law, executive sessions can be used to discuss:

A. The purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of any real, personal or other property interest.

B. Conferences with an attorney for the purposes of receiving legal advice on specific legal questions.

C. Matters required to be kept confidential by federal or state law or rules and regulations.

D. Specialized details of security arrangements or investigations, including defenses against terrorism.

E. Determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations; developing strategy for negotiations; and instructing negotiators.

F. Personnel matters.

G. Consideration of any documents protected by the mandatory nondisclosure provisions of the Colorado Open Records Act.

H. In addition to interviewing finalists in a public forum, the council may interview finalists in executive session for the following positions: City manager, city attorney, municipal judge and auditor. Council couldn’t make any policy decision or take any votes while in executive session (although abuses of this are common, as we’ll discuss later).

HOW DOES THE COUNCIL DISCUSS SUCH MATTERS TODAY?

City staff meet with council members in groups of one or two to discuss sensitive matters. The city also uses confidential memos.

In a June 20 meeting, City Attorney Erin Poe said individual meetings with staff happen “several times a year.”

During that same meeting, councilwoman Lauren Folkerts said they are held “less than a dozen times” per year. In a personal newsletter, councilwoman Taishya Adams estimated that she spent 58 hours in discussions with city staff and fellow council members from January to May 2024, or between 2.5-3 hours per week. City staff declined to say how often confidential memos were used, citing attorney client privilege.

Boulder did use executive sessions during its bid to buy the city’s electric utility from Xcel, but voters revoked the privilege in 2017.

WOULD THERE BE ANY PUBLIC RECORD OF EXECUTIVE SESSIONS?

Yes. Under state law, executive sessions must be recorded, and the recordings must be retained for at least 90 days.

Records from executive sessions will only be released if a judge orders them to be. That means someone must have a reasonable belief that the executive session was illegal (policy was decided, a vote taken, inadequate public notice was given, etc.) and sue to have the meeting’s records made public.

HOW ARE EXECUTIVE SESSION RECORDS MADE PUBLIC?

A judge would review and, if they determined there was a violation, records from any and all portions of the meeting that were illegal would be made public.

Proponents argue this is an improvement over the current situation, where no record of the one-onone or two-by-two meetings or conversations exist.

Opponents note that lawsuits are expensive and time-consuming, creating a significant obstacle to obtaining records. As government watchdogs, news outlets are perhaps the most obvious organizations to take on such lawsuits. But local media is also not overly burdened with wealth or time; they often lack the staff or money to take on the much bigger and betterfunded governments they cover.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

• Any discussions or portions of executive sessions that fall under attorney-client privilege will not be recorded.

• The measure also contains this provision: “The City Council may permit any person or group to attend such sessions.” That means any person or group — lobbyists, businesses, political organizations, etc. — would be allowed in private meetings, with no disclosure from the city about who was in attendance or why.

• Proponents, including eight of the nine current council members, argue that allowing executive sessions would be a more efficient way of handling matters

TL;DR

• This measure would allow the full council to meet privately to discuss certain matters (personnel, negotiations, real estate transitions, etc., as outlined by state law) if six of the nine members agree to do so.

• Currently, the council meets in groups of one or two with city staff to discuss these matters. The city attorney also uses confidential memos.

• Proponents argue this would allow business to be handled more efficiently.

• Executive sessions would be recorded. If the city is found to have improperly used executive session via a lawsuit, the recordings will be made public.

• Abuses of executive session are common at all levels of government in Colorado: Five Colorado cities and one school district were found to have improperly used executive sessions in the past 18 months.

• Lawsuits impose a significant barrier to obtaining meeting recordings.

• Council could meet secretly with any group or person in executive session, without disclosing who.

• State lawmakers control what is allowed to be discussed in executive session. If they decide to loosen or tighten restrictions, Boulder would be subject to those changes unless a citizen petition or sitting council forced the matter to a vote.

that are already discussed outside of the public view. While the infrequent meetings might not be burdensome for elected officials, they are for staff, who have to hold five to nine separate meetings for confidential discussions.

• Opponents counter that this inefficiency is the point — once given a tool that makes it easy to meet privately, it is likely to be abused, as we have seen throughout the state. Aurora (2023), Basalt (2020), Denver Public Schools (2023), Glenwood Springs (2023), Del Norte (2024) and Florence (2024) have all been sued recently for improper notice, discussions or decision-making while in executive session. Some of

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those lawsuits had quick resolutions (three months, in the case of DPS) but others took years: four years in the Basalt suit.

• If a government entity loses an executive session lawsuit, they are responsible for covering attorney and court fees of the person or organization suing them — meaning taxpayers foot the bill.

• State law determines what is allowed to be discussed in executive session. That gives state lawmakers, rather than local leaders or voters, the

2E - BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS CHANGES

Should elected officials have more control over city advisory boards?

BY SHAY CASTLE

This would give city council more control over boards and commissions, the citizen groups that advise on policy for housing, transportation, environmental policies, etc.

Because Boulder’s boards and commissions are controlled by Section 130 of the city’s charter, voters have to approve most changes to board and commission policies and procedures. Voters OK’ed changes in 1998, 2013, 2018 and 2022.

If this measure passes, council could make changes to boards and commissions by a simple majority vote at a public meeting.

“Our intent, if passed in November, would be to come forward with an ordinance shortly afterward,” Assistant City Manager Mark Woulf said at an Aug. 15 meeting.

power to decide when and how that law is changed.

State lawmakers have already successfully narrowed the definition of public meetings for themselves, and attempted to change the law so that people who sue for improper use of executive session would have to pay the government’s court costs and legal fees if their lawsuit failed. That latter measure failed, but it demonstrates a willingness to make it more difficult for the public to watch government business.

WHICH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WOULD IT APPLY TO?

All but five city groups: the Arts Commission, Planning Board, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB), Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) and the Police Oversight Panel (POP). These groups are largely exempted from proposed changes because their powers, responsibilities and removal procedures are dictated by other parts of Boulder’s charter. (At least in theory — more on this later.) Every other board and commission will be governed by policy set by city council, if this measure passes.

TL;DR

• This measure gives the city council more control of boards and commissions, allowing them to set priorities and change rules for member criteria, lengths of terms and — most importantly — removal of members. Currently, such changes must be OK’ed by the voters.

• More flexibility in board and commission policies and operations could help with recruitment.

• These changes would give the city more legal leeway to remove board and commission members.

• Easing the removal process could open the door to more politicized removals of members.

TITLE

WHAT’S CHANGING?

• Term lengths

• Criteria for appointees

• Rules for removal

TERM LENGTHS - THINGS TO CONSIDER

• Right now, all boards and commissions specify five-year terms. Council members are hoping shorter terms might widen the pool of people who would be willing to volunteer. Council specifically mentioned college students as a group who could benefit from shorter terms.

• More turnover might make it harder for board members to get up to speed on city processes or current issues.

CRITERIA FOR APPOINTEESTHINGS TO CONSIDER

• Right now, the charter specifies that members must live in Boulder, be older than 18 and be “well known for their ability, probity, public spirit, and particular fitness to serve on such respective commissions.”

If this measure passes, that language would be removed, and councils could create their own criteria for different boards and commissions. They could allow members who are younger than 18, or members who do not live in the city of Boulder (two current rules that would be removed).

• Depending on what elected officials decide to change, this could encourage more and more diverse people to volunteer. But it is a bit of a blank check: Council has not explicitly said what new requirements it would have for board and commission members (although the two above examples, pertaining to age and residency, were mentioned in public meetings).

RULES FOR REMOVAL - THINGS TO CONSIDER

• The current language says council may remove members “for nonattendance to duties or for cause.” The proposed change would add “conduct unbecoming a member, and any other reason not prohibited

by law” to the list of removable offenses, giving council broad legal cover to remove members.

• Removals from volunteer boards and commissions are rare, but there were two last year. Neither were on boards that would theoretically be impacted by these changes, but a lawsuit over the removal of Lisa Sweeney-Miran from the POP does cast doubt on the city’s claims that these changes will not impact certain boards.

In the city’s request to dismiss the lawsuit, attorneys argued that Sweeney-Miran’s dismissal was allowed by Section 2-3-1 of the charter — even though POP, like the other groups listed above, has its own rules for removal of members written into the charter (2-11-13).

That conflicts directly with the city’s own statements that this measure will not impact boards and commissions whose removal policies, term lengths and other policies are governed by their own respective charter sections.

The city does apply other provisions from charter 2-3-1 to all boards, including requirements for record keeping. It’s not entirely clear (at least to us) what sections of the charter apply to what groups. A ruling in the Sweeney-Miran lawsuit may provide more clarity.

• Because board and commission members are political appointees, the removal of members has the potential to become, well, political. (Appointments certainly have been, at least in recent years.) The process would still be public, with plenty of opportunity for public input, but losing the “for cause” language for removal of members opens the door gives significantly more leeway to elected officials.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

• Setting policy by ordinance also allows more flexibility. Different rules could be set for different boards depending upon their own unique missions and recruitment challenges.

LOUISVILLE CITY COUNCIL, WARD 1

Joshua Sroge srogeforlouisville.com

CFO at the HBAR Foundation, a fund for cryptocurrency startups, 10 years volunteering with Emergency Family Assistance Association (seven years on the board), owner of the finance and accounting consultant firm Firestone CFO

Priorities

• Economic vitality

• Public safety

• Attainable housing

Other things to note

• Sroge is against the Via Appia restriping, a project that reduced the corridor to one lane of vehicle travel, adds buffers around bike lanes and reduces crossing distances for pedestrians.

• He plans to use incentives and zoning to encourage blended socioeconomic housing developments.

• Sroge sees tax incentives as an opportunity to bring in new developments, such as the King Soopers Marketplace in the old Lowe’s location.

• Sroge’s campaign is entirely selffunded, and he says he would donate his city council salary to local nonprofits if elected.

Josh Cooperman coopermanforlouisvilleward1. org

Member of the Louisville Sustainability Advisory Board (20212024), member of the Louisville Bee City USA Committee (2023-2024), founder of the Louisville Sustainability Alliance (2024)

Priorities

• Environmental sustainability, especially climate action

• Creation of more affordable housing

• Revitalization of downtown Louisville and other commercial centers

Other things to note

• Cooperman finished third in the 2023 Louisville mayoral race with 16% of the vote.

• He sees rezoning vacant commercial spaces and upzoning existing residential space near commercial zones as an opportunity to create more affordable housing.

• Cooperman wants to implement local regulations to mitigate climate change, including limiting local sources of air pollution like two-stroke engines, building plant buffer zones around roads and rails, growing the city’s tree canopy and supporting water conservation measures.

• He would advocate for undergrounding power lines and planned power outages in Louisville’s upcoming agreement renegotiations with Xcel Energy.

TL;DR

WHERE CANDIDATES STAND ON THE ISSUES

Redtail Ridge redevelopment

• Supports: Sroge

• Opposes: Cooperman

Local efforts to raise the minimum wage

• Supports: Cooperman

• Opposes: Sroge

Ending the state ban on rent control

• Supports: Sroge, Cooperman

Government interventions for human-cause climate change

• Supports: Sroge, Cooperman

SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials:

• Supports: Sroge

• Opposes: Cooperman

CITY OF LONGMONT BALLOT ISSUE 3A: EXTENSION OF CITY OPEN SPACE

Should residents keep paying a sales tax to fund open space?

BY TYLER HICKMAN

In 2000, Longmont increased city sales and use tax by two-tenths of a cent, with all revenues allocated exclusively to open space. That tax is set to expire in 2034, at which point open space will lose this revenue source. This measure would remove that sunset date and make the tax permanent. Longmont City Council unanimously approved a resolution urging residents to vote “yes” on this measure during an Aug. 27 meeting.

HOW MUCH WOULD TAXES GO UP?

They would not; residents are already paying it. If the measure doesn’t pass, sales tax would decrease by 2 cents per $10 purchase in 2034.

HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD IT RAISE?

The tax generates approximately $5 million annually, according to Longmont Open Space manager Danielle Cassidy.

WHAT WILL IT PAY FOR?

The city’s open space department uses this revenue mostly to acquire and maintain property and fund land restoration and stewardship projects. Since the start of Longmont’s program, the city has acquired over 3,200 acres of open space across 30 properties.

The city declined to share a list of properties it hopes to acquire. Over the next two decades, Open Space hopes to develop and implement management and stewardship plans for each of its properties using this potential revenue.

WHY THIS YEAR?

While this ordinance would not expire for another nine years, Longmont Open Space wants to secure funds for future projects. “Longmont’s Open Space program will soon transition from being focused mainly on acquisitions to restoring and stewarding the

TL;DR

• This measure would permanently extend a sales tax that pays for the city to buy and maintain open space. The tax is set to expire in 2034.

• Taxes would not go up; residents are already paying this tax.

• There is no other source of funding for city open space.

• The city may have to delay or abandon acquisitions and projects if the measure fails.

• Longmont is shifting away from buying land to focus on maintaining what they already own, according to officials.

lands that we own,” Cassidy wrote in response to emailed questions.

Restoration and stewardship projects have lengthy timelines that extend past the current 2034 deadline. “They take planning, research, developing property management plans, budgeting and adaptive management over many years,” according to Cassidy. Solidifying this revenue source now also provides job security for Open Space staff, the city argues. In 2025, the program hopes to hire a project manager and agricultural resource specialist to facilitate current and future stewardship projects. If the tax is made permanent, Open Space can hire staff longterm, rather than place a term limit on new positions.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

• If this measure doesn’t pass, Longmont will not have a funding source for open space after 2034. In that case, the city’s general fund will likely be tapped to pay for maintenance.

• The current sunset date in 2034 potentially hinders the growth and maintenance of Longmont’s open space.

“There are both capital projects and acquisition opportunities that could be stalled or may need to be let go if Longmont’s Open Space Program does not secure funding,” Cassidy wrote. This could include greenway constructions, stewardship projects and future land acquisitions that won’t be available for another decade.

• Given the long timeframe, the city would have more opportunities to pass an extension if this measure fails.

VOTE GUIDE MISC.

ST. VRAIN AND LEFT HAND CONSERVANCY DISTRICT BALLOT ISSUE 7C

Should a tax be extended to pay for water projects?

BY SHAY CASTLE

This measure would extend a property tax to keep paying for water and conservation projects in the St. Vrain and Left Hand creeks watershed.

HOW MUCH WILL TAXES GO UP?

They won’t; residents of the district are already paying this property tax. It was approved by 68% of voters in 2020. Property taxes would go down if this measure doesn’t pass. According to Sean Cronin, executive director of the conservancy district, the tax is $1.12 per $150,000 of home value each month, or $44.64 per year for a home worth $500,000.

WHAT IS THE ST. VRAIN AND LEFT HAND WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT?

A nonprofit government entity, formed in 1971, in Longmont and the surrounding land area that drains into both the St. Vrain and Left Hand Creeks.

The district can buy and develop water rights, develop and manage water projects (such as reservoirs, dams, water flow infrastructure, etc.) related to water conservation, distribution, water quality protection, flood control and fire mitigation.

In 2022, they started a cloud seeding pilot project on the Front Range and began distributing funds for forest and stream restoration projects, piping and ditch repair, monitoring and more. One of the district’s proposed projects is a dam west of Lyons. Its board is appointed to four-year terms by judges from Boulder, Weld and Larimer counties.

TL;DR

• This is not a tax increase; residents are already paying it.

• This measure would make the tax permanent. It is currently set to expire in 2030.

• Money would be used for ongoing projects like ditch repairs, forest and stream restoration and reclamation.

• Revenue from this tax would provide leverage for state and federal grants. The district in 2020 leveraged $285,000 in local money to secure $6.3 million in additional funding.

HOW MUCH MONEY WILL THIS TAX RAISE?

In 2025, the tax is projected to generate $4,676,711, according to Cronin.

WHAT WILL IT BE USED FOR?

The money will implement the district’s Water Action Plan, which has five areas of focus:

• Protect water quality and drinking water sources

• Safeguard and conserve water supplies

• Grow local food

• Store water for dry years

• Maintain healthy river and creeks Learn more: svlh.gov/our-water-plan State and federal grants are necessary to fully implement the water plan, Cronin wrote in response to emailed questions. In 2021, the district used $285,000 in local revenue to procure $6.3 million in funding, according to an annual report.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

• This tax expires in 2030. If it doesn’t pass this year, officials will have additional opportunities to pass an extension.

TOWN OF LYONS BALLOT QUESTION 2B

Should adding land to Lyons require citizen approval, regardless of size?

BY TYLER HICKMAN

Lyons residents have the ability to vote on any annexation of land parcels larger than five acres, known locally as the “five-acre rule.” In July, the Lyons Board of Trustees passed an amendment to that ordinance, specifying that any parcel of land, regardless of size, that has been subdivided from a plot larger than 20 acres, must also be put to a citizen vote prior to being added to the town.

This measure is for citizens to approve that ordinance.

WHAT DOES ANNEXATION CHANGE FOR A PROPERTY?

Annexing into the town of Lyons opens the door for development on the property. Once the land is annexed, it has access to the town’s utilities, public services and is subject to Lyons’ land use regulations, which allows for developers to build more homes per acre than they could in unincorporated Boulder County.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Lyons is in the process of negotiating a new land use Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Boulder County. There are several owners with properties in north and west Lyons that have expressed interest in annexation, according to Mayor Hollie Rogin. Several of the parcels included in the IGA as prospective annexations are smaller than five acres, having been subdivided from larger parcels. At a March 11 IGA meeting, several residents raised an alarm.

TL;DR

• This measure would allow residents to vote on annexations of land into Lyons, regardless of size, giving citizens more power over growth and development.

• If passed, it creates more barriers for development.

• The Board of Trustees already approved this; this measure is to affirm their vote.

• If the measure fails, the current rule regarding annexations (the “five-acre rule”) will stand.

• There are currently no active applications for annexations in Lyons.

“There have been multiple accusations by people that the town board were trying to somehow circumvent the five-acre rule,” Rogin said. In response, the Lyons Board of Trustees decided to ease the feelings of distrust by putting the ordinance to a vote. The original five-acre rule was solidified by a citizen referendum. Because of this ordinance’s history, the Lyons Board of Trustees felt that an amendment to the law should also be put to a vote of the people.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

• This ordinance gives citizens a say in how and where they want their community to grow.

• The ordinance could also result in a chilling effect on land development, according to Rogin. “It’s expensive. If an owner wants to annex it, they have to essentially create a little campaign.”

• If the measure fails, the ordinance will be repealed and the current fiveacre rule will stand.

• As of now, there are no active applications for annexation in Lyons.

VOTE GUIDE MISC.

ELDORADO SPRINGS PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BALLOT QUESTION 6A

Should a new entity be formed to continue operations of the wastewater treatment facility?

BY KAYLEE HARTER

This measure would serve to replace the current Local Improvement District (LID) that owns, operates and maintains the wastewater treatment plant with a Public Improvement District (PID) that would continue to provide the wastewater treatment and sewer systems.

The LID was created in 2003 to build and expand the Eldorado Springs Wastewater Treatment Facility, which replaced 130 septic systems that were “a water quality and public health hazard to Boulder Creek,” according to a county memo.

The debt from the LID will be paid off in December 2025, and LIDs expire once loan repayment is complete.

HOW MUCH WOULD TAXES OR FEES GO UP?

There are not any anticipated changes to fees or operations as a result of the transition. The facility will continue to be funded by customer fees; taxes will not go up.

However, the PID could seek taxing authority in 2025 or later to fund capital improvements and bring the facility “into the future.”

Assistant County Attorney Olivia Lucas said in a commissioners meeting that the goal is to have a consultant understand what improvements are needed before proposing a mill levy. Taylor

Ladenburg, the county’s Eldorado Springs Local Improvement District liaison, said that funding options outside of a tax or mill levy are also being explored.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

• While imposing a new tax requires voter approval, rate increases do not. A 40% rate increase was approved in September. That was the first rate increase in nine years. Prior to that, the LID had smaller increases every two years.

• Organizers and officials say the transition to a PID is necessary to ensure wastewater and sewerage services continue running smoothly.

WHAT IS A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT?

Per the county: “A PID is a type of special district that can be formed to finance, construct and maintain public improvements or provide a public service. With voter approval, a PID can issue debt and impose a property tax mill levy on real and personal property within the district. PIDS can be formed to provide any type of public improvement or service that a county has statutory authority to provide. All revenues generated by the PID must be used only for the intended purpose of the PID.”

WHO WILL BE VOTING ON IT?

These are the same boundaries as the Eldorado Springs LID. That includes about 138 homes and other occupied buildings. Eldorado Springs Canyon west of the state park gate, the Valle Del Rio subdivision east of the canyon, and any properties east of 3450 and 3461 Eldorado Springs Drive are not included. Ballots will be mailed to those who live and are registered to vote within the district. For a map of the proposed district, visit bit.ly/ EldoSpringsPIDMapBW.

TL;DR

• This measure lets SVVSD borrow $739.8 million without raising taxes.

• The money will be used to build five new schools and nine new remote learning centers as well as expanding, upgrading, repairing and maintaining dozens of schools and facilities across the district.

• Property taxes will decrease slightly if this measure fails; about $600 per year for a home worth $1 million, although the tax decrease will be gradual as the district pays off previous debt.

• SVVSD says the work will need to be done anyway, due to a growth in student population and aging facilities.

• The work could cost up to $200 million more if projects are delayed by 5 years, according to a district estimate.

5C: ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT RE-1J

Should SVVSD borrow $739.8M to build, maintain and repair schools?

BY SHAY CASTLE

This measure would allow St. Vrain Valley School District to borrow $739,800,000 to:

• Build five new schools: a Montessori School in Longmont, a high school and career and technical education (CTE) center in the Erie/Tri-Town area, a PK-8 school in Mead and an elementary school in Erie. Longmont’s Innovation Center will also be expanded.

• Build nine AGILE centers (Advanced Global Interactive Learning Environments) that allow students to virtually attend classes at any of SVVSD’s schools.

• Complete 33 roofing projects and 109 other critical infrastructure projects at existing schools and facilities, including electrical, plumbing, and safety and security upgrades.

• Replace more than 100 HVAC systems.

• “Repurpose and refresh” 95 educational spaces and classrooms.

See a map of proposed projects with more detail at svvsd.org/ proposed-2024-bond-initiative. Money from bond measures can only be used for capital projects, not operating expenses, just as state funding for stu-

dents can’t be used on construction — that’s why SVVSD is asking voters for permission to borrow this money.

HOW MUCH WILL TAXES GO UP?

They won’t — this is a bond, so the tax rate is not increasing.

However, if this measure doesn’t pass, taxes will go down a bit due to the district paying off previous bonds. The decrease would be about $60 per $100,000 of assessed home value, according to Terry Shueler, chair of the Citizen Campaign Committee advocating passage of this bond.

So owners of a home worth $1 million would save about $600 per year total if the bond fails. The decrease would be spread over four years.

“Taxes will go down if this doesn’t pass,” Shueler said at a recent event. “Eventually, but not overnight.”

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

• Some of this work will need to be done eventually, the district says. An estimate provided by SVVSD shows that waiting five years could cost an additional $200 million due to rising costs. If the measure fails, “our schools will be falling apart and overcrowded,” Schueler said.

• Enrollment is projected to continue increasing over the next decade, according to district officials. The eventual buildout funded with this measure would have capacity for 70,000 students.

For an excellent explainer of school funding, read: bit.ly/SchoolFundingCPR

6D: HOMESTEAD PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT OF BOULDER COUNTY

Should the Homestead neighborhood raise taxes to pay for road maintenance?

BY KAYLEE HARTER

If approved, properties in the Public Improvement District (PID) would be taxed to cover the repair and maintain the roads in Gunbarrel’s Homestead neighborhood.

The county would cover 30% of the initial work and would lend the PID the other 70% at a 0% interest rate. The new property taxes would be used to pay the county back and then to fund future work and maintenance on the road. The reimbursement is expected to take eight years, but no more than 20 – the estimated amount of time for the initial work to be completed.

The work would begin no more than two years after the election.

The cost of future and ongoing work will be reassessed every 10 years, and the county commissioners — who would serve as the district’s board of directors — can decide to decrease the tax. The tax cannot be raised without another vote.

HOW MUCH WOULD TAXES GO UP?

This measure asks for 23.61 mills in perpetuity. That amounts to $158.19 per $100,000 in current home value. That’s a a 23.57% increase from current property taxes — an estimated $1,446 in 2025 for the average Homestead homeowner, according to the petition summary.

WHAT WOULD IT PAY FOR?

• Resurfacing all roads in the district, including repaving and/or reconstructing and associated costs

• Sidewalk improvements

• Future work and ongoing maintenance, including chip and seals as well as overlays

HOW ARE THE ROADS PAVED NOW?

Subdivision residents are responsible for the cost of repaving and maintaining roads in unincorporated Boulder County unless they form a PID.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

• Organizers of the PID said they used Niwot’s Burgundy Park, the only subdivision in the county that has formed a PID to reconstruct their roads, as their model. The PID was formed in 2017.

• Boulder County polled voters in 2024 about a property tax increase to fund subdivision road repairs and repaving in unincorporated Boulder County. Only about 23% of respondents were in favor, according to the county, meaning it’s unlikely the current process for repaving and road maintenance will change any time soon.

• At a public hearing, one Homestead resident expressed concerns about the tax increase and asked why it was in perpetuity. Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann said that’s because it’s the most cost-effective way to do it maintaining and repairing is easier than rebuilding.

WHO WILL BE VOTING ON IT?

Only people in the proposed district, just under 190 residents, will vote on this measure. That includes all properties with direct access to Mt. Meeker Road, Homestead Way, La Plata Circle, Crestone Circle, Baca Circle and Ptarmigan Circle. All properties with direct access to Idylwild Trail are excluded.

For more information and to see a map of impacted properties, visit bit. ly/HomesteadPID.

VOTE GUIDE SUPERIOR

Three seats are up for election on the Superior Board of Trustees.

Heather Cracraft heatherforsuperior.com

Experience: 12+ years as Superior Chamber of Commerce executive director, Superior home rule commissioner, four years as assistant to the athletic director at CU Boulder

Priorities

• Economic development

• Transportation infrastructure

• Implementation of home rule (if passed)

Other things to note:

• Cracraft has lived in Superior for 26 years and lost her home in the Marshall Fire. She says she wants to continue to be part of fire recovery and resiliency efforts.

• It’s difficult to pin down Cracraft’s stance on particular issues. She didn’t answer the majority of our yes/no questions and gave non-answers to some of our longanswer questions.

• Cracraft is endorsed by current mayor Mark Lacis and former mayor Clint Folsom, whom she worked with on the Home Rule Commission. She’s also endorsed by current trustees Stephanie Miller and Jason Serbu.

Read Cracraft’s full questionnaire at bit.ly/HeatherCracraftBW

Jason Serbu (incumbent) jasonserbu.com

Experience: Two years as town trustee, town representative on the Community Noise Roundtable of Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, architect

Priorities

• Vibrant downtown

• Airport noise mitigation

• Multi-generational housing

Other things to note:

• Serbu says he is a “huge proponent of grants that will allow Superior homeowners to modify their existing homes for multi-generational housing.”

• He says he is most proud of his work on the now-disbanded RMMA Community Noise Roundtable and the establishment

of the voluntary nighttime flight pattern, which aimed to reduce nighttime traffic over the Rock Creek neighborhood.

• In addition to multi-generational housing, Serbu says the town “must work with developers to create housing with definitive allocations of affordable units.”

• Serbu is endorsed by current mayor Mark Lacis and former mayor Clint Folsom. He’s also endorsed by fellow trustees Stephanie Miller and Jenn Kaaoush and fellow candidates Mike Foster and Heather Cracraft.

Read Serbu’s full questionnaire at bit.ly/JasonSerbuBW

Mike Foster mikeforsuperior.com

Experience: 15 years with the city of San Jose in green building and environmental programs, three years with Jefferson County Open Space, three years with Boulder County Open Space, several years with Pacific Gas & Electric Company working on energy efficiency, four years as chair of Superior’s Advisory Committee for Environmental Sustainability (ACES), vice-chair of Superior’s home rule commission

Priorities

• Economy

• Environment

• Equity

Other things to note:

• Foster says the fire rebuild is top of mind, and he’ll continue to “advocate for rebating permit fees and town use tax until everyone that wants to return has returned.”

• He supports the town’s lawsuit against the RMMA and says he’ll lobby for landing fees and a nighttime flight ban. He also says he’ll take legal action to stop further expansion of the airport.

• Foster says he will “work to remove regulatory barriers to support the construction of a variety of housing types.”

• He’s been endorsed by current mayor Mark Lacis as well as former mayor Clint Folsom, whom he worked with on the home rule commission. He’s also endorsed by Boulder County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann and Superior trustees Jenn Kaaoush, Stephanie Miller, Jason Serbu and Neal Shah.

Read Foster’s full questionnaire at bit.ly/MikeFosterBW

Gregory D. Horowitz horowitz4 superior.com

Experience: U.S. Navy veteran, director of sustainability for an international consulting firm

Priorities

• Sustainable development

• Fiscal transparency

• Community engagement

Other things to note:

• Horowitz says he will work to “explore creative solutions for affordable housing,” including public-private partnerships, zoning adjustments to allow for more diverse housing types and incentives for developers to include affordable units.

• He says he disagreed with the board’s decision to “pass up certain opportunities for affordable housing development.”

TL;DR

CANDIDATES ON THE ISSUES

Should Superior join local efforts to explore an increase to the minimum wage?

• Yes: Jason Serbu, Gregory D. Horowitz, Mike Foster (“Explore”)

• Undecided: Sandie Hammerly

• Did not respond: Heather Cracraft, George A. Kupfner

Do you agree with Superior’s resolution opposing HB24-1313 (Housing in Transit Oriented Communities)?

• Yes: Cracraft, Serbu, Foster, Horowitz, Hammerly

• Did not respond: Kupfner

Do you support the adoption of a home rule charter in Superior?

• Yes: Cracraft, Serbu, Foster, Horowitz, Hammerly

• Did not respond: Kupfner

Do you support an end to the state prohibition on rent control?

• Yes: Serbu, Horowitz

• No: Foster

• Undecided: Hammerly

• Did not respond: Cracraft, Kupfner

Do you support government interventions for human-caused climate change?

• Yes: Serbu, Foster, Horowitz, Hammerly

• Did not respond: Cracraft, Kupfner

Do you support SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials?

• He says he once believed rapid development was necessary, but after “discussions with community members and further reflection, I realized the importance of sustainable, thoughtfully planned growth that preserves Superior’s unique character while addressing the needs of current and future residents.”

• Yes: Serbu, Foster, Horowitz

• No: Hammerly

• Did not respond: Cracraft, Kupfner

Bob McCool (incumbent)

Bob McCool has withdrawn his bid for reelection.

Read Horowitz’s full questionnaire at bit.ly/GregoryHorowitzBW

George A. Kupfner

George A. Kupfner did not respond to repeated requests to complete our questionnaire. Boulder Weekly could not identify a candidate website for Kupfner.

Sandie Hammerly (incumbent)

sandiehammerly.com

Experience: Town of Superior Trustee (2016-2020, 20222024); Superior Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Advisory Committee (four years, three as vice chair); Summit at Rock Creek HOA Board (seven years, VP, treasurer); 40+ years non-profit professional (executive

director, finance director, marketing/ fundraising director)

Priorities

• Mitigate impacts of Rocky Mountain Metro Airport

• Fix roads, pools, playgrounds and community gathering spaces

• Build community

Other things to note:

• Hammerly says she is “firmly committed” to expanding programs to engage

TOWN OF SUPERIOR BALLOT ISSUE 3B

Should Superior residents raise taxes and borrow money to pay for big projects?

BY KAYLEE HARTER

This measure asks residents to approve a .315% sales tax increase in Superior that would fund projects like renovating the two town pools, playgrounds, parks and roads. It also allows the town to issue up to $20 million in debt, which it says would help accelerate the projects.

How much will it cost?

This tax amounts to 31.5 cents on every $100 spent and puts the town at an 8.96% sales tax rate. According to town estimates, the average Superior household will pay an additional $65 per year.

How much money will it generate?

The tax is estimated to generate an additional $1.6 million annually for the town. This money would not be subject to the town’s agreement with Louisville that requires Downtown Superior to share 50% of its general, non-dedicated sales tax revenue.

What will it pay for?

The town has $35 million in unfunded capital improvement projects. If this measure passes, the town board would meet to prioritize the projects, according to town communications manager Kevin Colón. No specific project is technically a lock

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and support seniors in Superior.

• As an incumbent, she says she is most proud of the legal action the town took against RMMA as well as supporting residents who lost their homes in the Marshall Fire.

• On her website, Hammerly promises “fiscal discipline” and “deliberative budgeting.” In a recent public meeting, she called herself one of the most conservative board members in terms of spending.

Read Hammerly’s full questionnaire at bit.ly/SandieHammerlyBW

until this process is complete, but likely projects include:

• Pool renovation. The North Pool would likely be renovated in the fall of 2025, and the South Pool would be renovated the following year, according to the town’s website

• Parks and rec facilities improvements and renovations. This would include:

• Addressing structural settling and drainage issues at the Superior Community Center. Fixing the issues is “critical to the long-term use of this facility,” according to the town website

• Renovations and construction at 10 of the town’s 16 parks, including upgrades at Community Park.

• Replacing the lighting system and renovating surfaces at the Superior tennis courts

• Sidewalks and major street projects that could include parts of Rock Creek Parkway, 5th Avenue and Indiana Street Other projects could include work on the McCaslin multi-use trail, traffic calming measures and town-wide concrete repair.

When will it expire?

This tax would sunset after 25 years.

Other things to consider:

• The town board said they opted for a sales tax over a property tax because 70% of sales tax comes from people who aren’t Superior residents.

• The tax still keeps Superior at the same rate or below three neighboring towns (Lafayette, Boulder and Louisville) and puts it above three others (Longmont, Erie and Broomfield)

• The town says that if the measure isn’t passed, the projects would be delayed or not completed at all.

VOTE GUIDE LAFAYETTE

6A + 6B - DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (DDA) + FUNDING

Should a new government entity, with taxing authority, be formed to replace the Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority?

BY KAREN NORBACK

In 1999, the city council created a state-regulated board, the Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority (LURA), to address blight in specific areas of Public Road, Simpson Street and Baseline Road. Funding came from a 25-year tax increment financing (TIF) that ends October 2024. Consultants, city staff and a working group recommended to the city council the creation of a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to replace LURA, including a new TIF mechanism. Blight is generally defined as vacant and/or deteriorating buildings and infrastructure.

Ballot question 6A is to authorize the creation of the DDA.

Ballot question 6B is to authorize a new TIF for the district.

HOW MUCH WILL TAXES GO UP?

They won’t. The DDA will be funded by a TIF, the same as LURA. As the area’s property and sales tax revenue increase, that additional revenue will fund the DDA. For example: If someone’s assessed property tax is $2,000 and that increases to $2,200, then $200 goes into the DDA.

HOW MUCH MONEY WILL IT RAISE?

While projected revenue for Old Town Lafayette in 2024 is $1.8 million, it could take over a decade for the new TIF to accumulate that amount of yearly revenue, according to city staff.

WHAT WILL THE DDA DO?

State law requires a board of directors. A draft plan has been written that sets the board’s priorities, including support and retention for small businesses, recruiting new locally owned businesses, preserv-

ing the unique character of Old Town, encouraging reuse of existing buildings and infill, enhancing public gathering spaces, supporting creativity and culture, marketing and supporting more special events.

Past LURA projects have included everything from small projects (purchasing chairs and patios for businesses) to funding facade improvements and providing loans to businesses to help with revamping buildings.

Unlike LURA, a DDA has no power of eminent domain. The boundary of the DDA is extended slightly beyond the current district and seeks to include mostly commercial and mixed-use properties. DDAs have a 30-year lifespan.

WHO WILL SERVE ON THE DDA BOARD?

The draft plan recommends four-year terms for seven members. All must be from the district including, if possible, at least one member representing property and/or businesses from each of five new sub-areas, two business owners who do not own property in the district and one member of the city council. City staff would provide oversight and assistance.

WHAT IS A TIF?

When LURA was formed, the property and sales taxes collected in the desig-

nated district were tallied and that amount was set as the “base.” Those monies still flowed to the city, but money collected above the base amount went to the authority to address blight in the district. The property tax base was adjusted every two years. The same process, governed by state law, would be followed with a new base amount if voters approve question 6B.

WHO VOTES ON THESE BALLOT QUESTIONS?

Active registered voters who are property owners, business owners, residents or renters within the new district’s boundary. Ballots will be mailed to those who live and are registered to vote within the district. Voters who do not live in the district but who own or lease property there can request a ballot.

For more information, a map of the proposed district and/or to request a ballot, visit bit.ly/LafayetteDDA.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

• If this measure fails, there would not be a specific source of revenue for downtown projects, which would be funded from the city’s general fund. Some items funded by LURA would not be possible without this dedicated funding, such as business assistance.

2A - POLICE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ORDINANCE

Should Lafayette’s police officers be able to collectively bargain with the city?

BY KAREN NORBACK

In May 2024, Lafayette police officers petitioned the city requesting collective bargaining, which is allowed by Colorado statute. If approved, the city and the police officers’ representatives would enter into negotiations to create a bargaining agreement.

WHAT IS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING?

Collective bargaining provides a method for unions to negotiate with employers on behalf of their members to determine terms of employment including wages, hours, safety policies and fringe benefits.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

• Lafayette’s firefighters already have the right to collectively bargain. In 2015, 68.6% of voters approved a ballot question to obligate the city to engage in collective bargaining with the local chapter of the International Association of Firefighters.

• Boulder, Longmont and Aurora have collective bargaining agreements with their police officers.

• Lafayette Sergeant Tyler Maynard, a representative of the FOP, said during a city council meeting that other Colorado cities with collective bargaining are more attractive in a competitive market for a dwindling pool of applicants. He also said collective bargaining will lead to better retention.

• Opponents of collective bargaining for police argue that it obstructs accountability and transparency by allowing police to set their own rules for disciplinary action and blocking attempts at reform. Proponents counter that it affords police officers due process rights.

VOTE GUIDE ERIE

TL;DR

WHERE CANDIDATES STAND ON THE ISSUES

Do you support Erie joining RTD?

Yes: Justin Brooks, Andrew Moore (mayor) Brandon B. Bell, Ben Hemphill (D1) Emily Baer (D3) No: Dan Maloit (D2) Travis Pinz (D3)

“Let the voters decide”: Andrew Sawusch (D1)

Do you support allowing the sale of recreational marijuana in Erie?

Yes: Brooks, Moore, Hempill, Baer, Pinz

No: Bell, Maloit, Sawusch*

*Sawusch gave conflicting answers. See profile for details.

Do you support more diversity of housing in Erie?

Yes: Brooks, Moore, Sawusch, Bell, Maloit, Hemphill, Baer

No: Pinz

Do you support local efforts to increase the minimum wage?

Yes: Brooks, Hemphill

No: Moore, Sawusch, Bell, Maloit, Pinz, Baer

Do you support development of the Draco Pad?**

No: Brooks, Moore, Hemphill, Baer

“Not in Erie’s control”: Sawusch, Bell, Maloit

Do you support government interventions for humancaused climate change?

Yes: Brooks, Moore, Hemphill, Baer

No: Maloit, Pinz

“Depends”: Sawusch, Bell

Do you support an end to the state prohibition on rent control?

Yes: Hemphill

No: Brooks, Moore, Sawusch, Bell, Maloit

“IDK”: Pinz

Do you support SB24-157, which narrowed the definition of public meetings for elected officials?

Yes: Brooks

No: Moore, Sawusch, Bell, Maloit, Baer

**The Draco Pad is a 26-well fracking development proposed just two miles east of Erie High School. While the wells themselves are not within Erie’s town limits, plans show pipelines extending up to five miles westward, directly underneath the town.

Not all candidates responded to all questions. John Mortellaro, Anil Pesaramelli, Richard Garcia, Dan Hoback and Brian O’Connor did not respond to any questions from Boulder Weekly

Erie adopted its Home Rule Charter in 2023, so all seven town council seats are up for election this year. The charter created three election districts, approved by council on April 9, 2024.

ERIE MAYOR

Justin Brooks mayorbrooks.com

Incumbent (20222024), senior program manager in the defense and aerospace industry

Priorities

• Affordability for seniors and families

• Strengthening and diversifying the local economy

• Bringing Erie its first central grocery store

Other things to note

• Brooks “won’t approve oil and gas permits” and has voted against development on former drilling sites.

• He advocated for Erie’s first permanently affordable housing development in 25 years and issued building permits for 35 affordable housing units, nearly doubling Erie’s affordable housing availability.

Andrew Moore moore4erie.com

Six years as Erie mayor (2004-2010), four years as director and board chair of the conservation nonprofit Resource Central, two years as chief information officer (CIO) of Colorado School of Mines, former CIO of Boulder Valley School District

Priorities

• Intelligent, sustainable growth

• Collaborative decision-making

• Transparent fiscal accountability

Other things to note

• In his first tenure as mayor, Moore created Erie’s rainy day fund, reserves for employee

retention during economic downturn. Council voted to dissolve the fund in 2023.

• Moore says he “won’t let oil and gas in your backyard.” Dozens of permits for oil and gas were approved during his tenure on the town board, prior to the passage of SB181.

• He identifies as an Independent, and describes himself as a “nonpartisan leader” on his website.

• Moore plans to “reexamine the cost of growth to ensure it pays its way,” saying “the development impact fees are not adequate to cover growth costs.”

ERIE TOWN COUNCIL, D1

John Mortellaro

Editor’s note: Candidate did not respond to our survey. This information is taken from his campaign website johnforerie.com

Supervisor and engineering project manager for 16 years, Erie resident for 23 years

Priorities

• Intelligent growth

• Fiscal responsibility

• Public safety

Other things to note

• Mortellaro led the opposition to a high-density residential rezoning on 111th and Arapahoe, successfully stopping the development.

Andrew Sawusch

AndrewSawusch. com

Incumbent (20222024), former Town of Erie planning commissioner

Priorities

• Fiscal responsibility

• Manageable growth and sustainable infrastructure

• Economic vitality

Other things to note

• Sawusch has voted “no” on previous annual budgets, and

“would like to see a council seated which prioritizes fiscal responsibility and our future needs.”

• In response to a question about whether or not Sawusch supports government interventions for human-caused climate change, his answer was “depends.” Sawusch wants “more attention to plugged and abandoned wells.”

• In response to a question about support for or opposition to legalizing cannabis sales in Erie, Sawusch responded “Let the voters decide.” He voted against an ordinance passed by town council that would allow marijuana sales in Erie if this ballot measure passes. Find more information on the measure on p. 29

• According to his website, Sawusch’s position on oil and gas “is that I am not for, nor against” it, and “if oil and gas operations are going to be done in our community, it should only be within an area where there currently is not, nor will there be in the future, a current or planned development, or any other environmentally sensitive area.”

Anil Pesaramelli Editor’s note: Candidate did not respond to our survey, this information is taken from his campaign website anilforerie.com

Two decades working in the tech industry, small business owner (food truck, restaurant and an insurance agency)

Priorities

• Smart growth

• Affordable housing

• Our planet

Other things to note

• According to his website, Pesaramelli’s endorsements include Erie mayor Justin Brooks, Lafayette mayor JD Mangat, Colorado state repre-

sentative Junie Joseph (D), and former Colorado senator Mike Foote (D).

• Pesaramelli plans to advocate for “clean energy technologies, while creating incentives for businesses and individuals to embrace sustainable practices,” according to the priorities listed on his website.

Richard Garcia

Editor’s note: Candidate did not respond to our survey and BW staff could not identify a campaign website. Information on his priorities was taken from 411vote.org

Boulder Valley School District Board of Education representative for District G, founded and led the Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition for 38 years

Priorities

• Affordable housing

• Environment and safety

• Smart growth

Other things to note

• Garcia established the Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition in 1980 with the goal to increase equity in education and give Latino parents tools to support and advocate for their children’s education.

ERIE TOWN COUNCIL, D2

Dan Hoback

Editor’s note: Dan Hoback did not respond to our survey. Boulder Weekly was unable to find his campaign website. Information on his priorities was taken from 411vote.org.

Incumbent (2022-2024), appointed unanimously after sitting member Christiaan van Woudenberg resigned

Priorities

• Continuing commercial development

• Preserving town character, open space and trails

• Managing inevitable growth

Other things to note

• Hoback finished fourth in Erie’s Town Council race in 2022. Council voted unanimously to appoint him after sit-

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ting member Christiaan van Woudenberg resigned.

Brandon M. Bell bell4erie.com

Incumbent (2023-2024), Erie Board of Trustees (2020-2023)

Priorities

• Bringing the general fund spending in line with revenues

• Moving the landfill entrance off County Road 5 to a safer location

• Empowering our police to improve public safety and reduce property crimes

Other things to note

• Bell helped lead efforts to re-establish a revenue-sharing model with Weld County for the town’s Urban Renewal Authority area for development along I-25.

• He believes deed-restricted, owneroccupied housing “is not a good solution” to affordability in Erie and would concentrate on reduced rates for rental properties instead.

• He wrote that funding for the expansion of the Erie Police Department should be bonded, and put to a citizen’s vote.

Dan Maloit

Editor’s note: At his request, Dan Maloit’s answers were collected during an in-person interview. His answers have been edited for length and clarity.

danmaloit.com

Father, experience in management and sales, worked on large diplomatic projects while serving in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maloit also ran for Colorado State Board of Education in 2022.

Priorities

• Plowing residential streets

• Improved community events

• Cutting wasteful spending

Other things to note

• Maloit supports diversifying the types of housing in Erie; however he doesn’t “think that it’s the town’s place to subsidize one type of housing or the other.”

VOTE GUIDE ERIE

•He believes Erie should “probably” have regulations to improve energy efficiency in homes, adding “Do some of [the regulations] go overboard? Probably.”

Ben Hemphill benforerieco.com

Town of Erie Planning Commissioner, Town of Erie Home Rule Charter Commissioner, Town of Erie Sustainability Advisory board chair, PE Mechanical Engineer

Priorities

•Promoting responsible growth

•Encouraging multi-modal transportation

•Ensuring long-term financial success

Other things to note

•His approach to planned growth in Erie is “strict adherence to the new Comprehensive Plan, which focuses on sustainability, environmental stewardship and smart zoning.”

•Hemphill’s plan for meeting affordable housing needs includes requiring “a percentage of new housing developments to be designated as affordable,” as well as leveraging state and federal grants to take pressure off the local budget.

ERIE TOWN COUNCIL, D3

Brian O’Connor

Editor’s note: O’Connor did not respond to our survey. This information is taken from his campaign website, brianforerie.com

Home Rule Charter commissioner (2022-2023), appointed to the Erie Tree Advisory Board

Priorities

•Improving existing traffic inconsistencies

•Re-establishing the rainy day fund

•Provide more support for the Erie Historical Society

Other things to note

• According to his website, O’Connor hopes to “minimize the impact to the pocketbooks of fellow residents for major capital expenditures, including replacement of our aging roads.”

•He would use a new rainy day fund for “unforeseen major repairs or asset

replacements” in addition to employee retention during economic downturn. Erie Town Council voted to dissolve their rainy day fund in 2023.

Travis Pinz travisforerie.com

Pinz did not provide an answer to our question about relevant experience. On his campaign website, he describes himself as a stayat-home dad, Erie homeowner and small business founder.

Priorities

•Growth

•Budget

•Infrastructure

Other things to note

•Pinz does not support government intervention to create affordable housing. “The free market will resolve this.”

•He wants to focus commercial development on the outskirts of Erie, allowing “central Erie to maintain its small-town feel while benefiting from increased economic activity,” according to his website.

Priorities

Emily Baer EmilyforErie.com

Incumbent (2022-2024)

•Lead with compassion and connection

•Road safety improvements for all users; connectivity and access

•Advocating for Youth Council

Other things to note

•Baer sees “developing an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and Affordable Housing requirement for new development” as important tools for making Erie more affordable for essential workers.

•She helped rewrite Erie’s Chapter 12 Oil and Gas Regulations after the passage of SB19-181, which placed heavier restrictions on oil and gas developers, including increased setback distances of 2,000 feet for new wells, also stating that the “work to protect people from the impacts of oil and gas operations did not end” with the passage of SB181.

Looking for the Erie RTD annexation measure? Find it online: bit.ly/ErieRTD

TOWN OF ERIE BALLOT ISSUE 3C

Should Erie allow cannabis sales and dispensaries?

BY KAYLEE HARTER

On its face, this measure would impose a 5% excise tax on recreational and medical marijuana sold in Erie.

But the significant change here is that it would in turn allow dispensaries and the sale of marijuana in Erie — something that’s been banned in the town since the drug’s Colorado legalization in 2012.

An ordinance was approved by council Sept. 24 that will allow marijuana sales in the town limits if this measure is passed.

How much money is this expected to generate?

Though the ballot language says $800,000 in the first year, town staff said they don’t actually expect to raise that much — TABOR regulations require anything over what’s on the ballot to be paid back to constituents, so town staff said they intentionally overestimated.

Because only two stores would be allowed (more on that later), Mayor Justin Brooks said the revenue likely wouldn’t be enough to “tilt the axis,” and that the consideration for the council was “about what residents wanted in terms of allowable business, not the revenue it could create.”

“It could be years before a company comes to Erie, we aren’t sure,” town communications director Gabi Rae wrote in an email. “As with any sector, it will also depend how the marijuana business does as a collective over the next few years with sales numbers and demand.”

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What will the revenue be used for?

It’s up to town council. According to the info page for this measure, it will go toward “projects and programs the Council believes are the highest priority each year through the Town’s annual budget process.”

Where would dispensaries go?

The ordinance that would go into effect if this measure passes details where dispensaries could operate. Only two dispensaries in town would be allowed, and they can’t be within 1,000 feet of each other. They need to be at least 1,000 feet from any “school activity,” which includes daycares and private schools, and 250 feet away from residential zoning.

They can’t be larger than 5,000 square feet, and ventilation is required “so odor is not perceptible” from the outside.

There’s not many places a dispensary could actually go based on the ordinance, and Erie has less than a 1% vacancy rate for commercial space.

Two leaders from the marijuana industry expressed concerns in a public hearing about the lack of allowable space; Native Roots Director Liz Zukowski said that almost all of the land that would fall under the ordinance was raw land with no existing buildings on site, making it a “near impossible situation” for businesses.

If the town wanted to change these regulations in the future to make it easier for businesses, they could amend the ordinance through a process with staff, planning commission and a final council vote with a public hearing.

Other things to consider

• 67% of residents are supportive of ending the ban, according to a 2023 survey.

• Erie is the only BoCo municipality with a ban on cannabis sales. (Superior lifted its ban in 2023.)

• Delivery is already allowed in the town.

• Use of marijuana in parks, open spaces and on trails would still be prohibited

• Council voted 4-2 to lift the ban if voters approved this measure. Councilors Andrew Sawusch and Brandon Bell opposed.

LOVE CONNECTION

Canadian couple spin romance into song as indie-folk duo Ocie Elliott

BY JUSTIN CRIADO

Little did Jon Middleton and Sierra Lundy know that a chance meeting at a coffee shop in 2016 would blossom into a musical and romantic partnership.

The couple first crossed paths when Middleton, vocalist and guitarist of folkrock outfit Jon and Roy, was playing the Tree House Café on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada, where Lundy had been working in her hometown.

“I don’t really remember too much about it except that she invited me to her family festival, which was on her parents’ property, called Donkey Fest,” Middleton recalls with a laugh. “It had nothing to do with actual donkeys. It was just a backyard party.”

The two went their separate ways after that, but eventually reconnected. It wasn’t until Lundy’s sister urged them to team up and make music together that the duo known as Ocie Elliott was officially born.

“The next time we met, there was a bit more of a spark. But we didn’t consider singing together for another year after that,” he says, adding that Lundy’s sister “kind of forced us” to start a band.

“We wanted to,” Middleton says. “But it took her to make us do it.”

‘GROWING PAINS’

Now the Canadian duo is an established indie-folk act, having performed this summer at the Newport Folk Festival, Bonnaroo and Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

Right: Know the Night, the latest release from indie-folk duo Ocie Elliott, was released Nov. 24 of last year. Courtesy: Ocie Elliot. Below: Canadian couple Jon Middleton and Sierra Lundy of folk duo Ocie Elliott have been sharing their love, and love of music, since 2017. Credit: Kelly Lovett

Their music can also be heard on several Grey’s Anatomy episodes, in addition to New Amsterdam and the Netflix series Sweet Magnolias

The couple is currently embarking on their biggest U.S. outing to date, following the release of new singles “Adelina” and “These Days.” The tour includes two Front Range stops at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins and Boulder Theater on Oct. 11-12.

Showgoers can expect a live showcase of Ocie Elliott’s soothing brand of acoustic folk featuring both Middleton and Lundy’s soft, whispered vocal delivery.

“Much like our relationship, there’s something unique about us singing together,” Lundy says. “If I’m weak in some way, Jon’s voice will be there.”

As Ocie Elliott’s star rises, the couple’s bond strengthens around the music, carving a sometimes difficult path the partners are happy to walk, hand in hand.

“It’s challenging for us both to navigate in a number of respects, mixing business with personal relationships,” Middleton says. “To spend so much time with one person, there’s a lot of growing pains that go with that.”

‘A VERY BEAUTIFUL THING’

But Lundy and Middleton complement one another just as much as songwriters as they do better-halves. One of Ocie Elliott’s earliest songs, “Down by the Water,” highlights this dynamic with flair.

“Waking in odd spaces, knowing now / That I’m not alone and you are around,” Middleton croons. Then it turns into a duet: “And we’re out, down by the water singing our songs.”

“We each bring separate things to the table,” Middleton says. “From the first time we sang together, we instantly reacted like, ‘Wow, this feels so good.’ Sierra forces me to be a much better songwriter. There was a connection and synergy when we started harmonizing, and it’s only become stronger.”

“I’m a severe perfectionist, and I’m quite ADHD. I can never finish anything. Having Jon there, he’s so prolific. He’s always getting things done,” Lundy adds. “Both of our personalities forge better music than we could make separately.”

Middleton enjoys when they “hammer out the harmonies,” whether it’s after he comes up with a guitar lick or Lundy writes a moving lyric. The point is that they’re doing it together.

“We don’t take for granted that we get to do this and get to connect that way, especially on stage,” he says. “It is a very beautiful thing.”

ON THE BILL: Ocie Elliott with Charles Staples. 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, Aggie Theatre, 204 South College Ave., Fort Collins. $35-$40. | 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $30-$35

Want great stories? We’ve got em.

Dairy Arts Center | Boulder 10/17 – 12/3

Just in time for the November election comes this smart comedy about ethnic stereotypes, feckless political consultants and one woman’s journey toward personal fulfillment.

This critically acclaimed comedy by Mexico-born playwright Bernardo Cubría pokes fun at America’s obsession with identity politics while exploring one woman’s very non-political quest to become a mother.

By Louisa May Alcott

Adapted and Directed by

Jessica Robblee

12/5 – 12/29

Dairy Arts Center | Boulder

Bring your family to the Dairy this holiday season and spend some time with the March family. Relive their adventures, their passionate loves, their ups and downs and their joy in being together.

SUBSCRIPTIONS & TICKETS at BETC.ORG

FAN SERVICE

‘Always… Patsy Cline’ is a lively but lackluster jukebox tribute to a country legend

BY TONI TRESCA

Walking into Always... Patsy Cline feels like tagging along with a friend to a concert where they know every word, every note and every backstage story — meanwhile, you’re only vaguely familiar with the artist. As the lights dim and the band strikes up, it’s your friend’s enthusiasm that pulls you in, even if you wouldn’t have bought the ticket on your own.

That is the vibe Candlelight Dinner Playhouse brings to this jukebox musical, in which your lively guide Louise Seger (Jalyn Courtenay Webb), mega fan of country music icon Patsy Cline (Charlotte Campbell), welcomes you into her world with infectious admiration for the country icon.

Candlelight is no stranger to producing polished, crowd-pleasing productions that sell out while other theaters struggle. Following a rash of dinner theater closures across Colorado — including Boulder’s BDT Stage earlier this year — the 17th season opener from the Johnstown playhouse is the company’s latest effort to save a dying tradition on the Front Range.

Helmed by artistic director Kate Vallee, the enjoyable but uneven Always... Patsy Cline may not be the silver bullet that will light a fire for dinner theater among a new audience. But for those already on board with the music legend’s deep discography, this slickly staged tribute is sure to attract enthusiastic audiences looking for a toe-tapping good time.

A STAR IS BORN

Ted Swindley’s upbeat but underwritten musical is based on the true story of a friendship between Cline and Seger, a divorced single mother in Houston. She becomes enamored by the country singer after hearing her on the radio, and the pair eventually develop a personal con-

nection during a chance meeting at a concert.

What follows is a heartwarming relationship that lasts through letters and phone calls until Cline’s tragic death in a plane crash in 1963. Instead of diving into the artist’s full biography, as seen in shows like Jersey Boys or Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, this production focuses on the bond between artist and fan.

Always… Patsy Cline falls somewhere between a musical and a tribute concert. Hits like “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “Crazy” and “I Fall To Pieces” are all performed in the context of the story during Patsy’s concerts or on the radio, lending the energy of a live honky-tonk performance. While there are some sentimental moments, the experience focuses more on Patsy’s cultural impact than her personal battles.

Campbell portrays Patsy with reserved charm, capturing the musician’s vulnerability despite occasionally hitting some flat notes. However, it’s Webb’s Louise who steals the show. As the story’s narrator and comedic heart, Webb makes the audience feel as if they are all along for

her journey with Patsy. Webb keeps the energy up by riffing with the crowd, injecting bombastic humor into an otherwise straightforward plot. The dynamic between Webb and Campbell is playful, particularly in the final scene of Act 1, when their characters bond at Houston’s storied Esquire Ballroom. Though the pacing is initially slow as the story focuses on establishing their friendship, Act 2 picks up steam with some narrative action as Louise gets Patsy to perform at a radio station before they start exchanging letters and phone calls.

Josiah Buhre’s set design is simple but effective, with separate sections for Louise’s kitchen on the left, a bandstand in the middle and a jukebox area on the right that represents everything from the radio station to the historic Texas club where the pair first connected. Deb Faber’s costume design evokes the era: Campbell’s stunning red fringe ensemble pays homage to Patsy’s iconic stage outfits, and Webb’s larger-than-life red wig and Texas-inspired attire add extra flair to her boisterous personality.

THE SONG IS THE STORY

The music is, of course, the backbone of the show. Campbell’s renditions of Cline’s classics are accompanied by a live band led by music director Paul Falk, featuring

bass, electric guitar, pedal steel, fiddle and percussion. Lovers of the recording artist will undoubtedly appreciate Campbell’s efforts to capture her style, but it’s Webb’s stage presence that truly elevates the experience and makes the drive to Johnstown worthwhile.

As is customary at Candlelight, the meal is as much a part of the outing as the performance, and dinner service was seamless. The menu was packed with food themed around the show, like Texas BBQ brisket and Tex-Mex stuffed peppers. The Cajun cod was well-seasoned but dry. Nonetheless, the staff was attentive, and the dessert course of raspberry sorbet at intermission made up for the entrée.

The musical itself mirrors the dining experience: sweet and enjoyable, but not entirely filling. While the songs and performances are delightful, the show doesn’t dive deep into her life or struggles, leaving you wanting a bit more substance. However, if you’re someone who already has an emotional connection to her music, Always... Patsy Cline will hit the right notes.

ON STAGE: Always… Patsy Cline. Through Nov. 10, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown. $45-$83

Despite the occasional flat note, Charlotte Campbell captures the musician’s vulnerability with reserved charm. Credit: RDG Photography

Jalyn Courtenay Webb steals the show as single Houston mom Louise Seger in Always... Patsy Cline Credit: Creative Agency

ACTION ITEM

‘Project A’ box set highlights the gamechanging power and grace of Jackie Chan

BY MICHAEL J. CASEY

There were action comedies before Jackie Chan, and there were action comedies after Jackie Chan. The ones that come after are better.

Technically, the ones with Chan are the best. He’s the Fred Astaire of his genre, a transformative presence who places the audience in awe of his sheer physicality, grace and harmony with the camera. Naturally, it has inspired many imitators.

Funny enough, Chan started his career pretending to be someone else: Bruce Lee. After the martial artist’s early death in 1973, Hong Kong studios were desperate for a new fist of fury to market. Many rose to the challenge, while just as many were shoved into the Lee mold.

Chan, quick with a punch and a kick, fell into the latter. But his talents lay elsewhere. Raised in the Peking opera tradition under the tutelage of Yu Jim-Yuen, Chan learned to fight, sing and tumble. It’s that last one that made him famous.

Chan starred in a half-dozen kung fu movies over two years — they cranked them out like they were canning tuna — before developing his own style. In 1979, he started directing, leaning into his strengths and developing his signature brand of stunt work. His box office popularity quickly rose: Chan was allowed to play with bigger budgets, and he began to flirt with international fame.

The pieces were falling into place, but it wasn’t until 1983 when everything synthesized in Project A — newly remastered alongside its 1987 sequel in 88 Films’ box set, The Project A Collection

Chan and co-screenwriter Edward Tang changed the title from its original Pirate Patrol to the innocuous Project A to disrupt the copycat industry, churning out Chan knock-offs. Set in colonial Hong Kong circa 1890, Chan plays Sergeant Lung, a naval officer at odds with the city police over jurisdiction and control.

There’s also corruption in the departments, with a high-ranking member of the land police working with the pirates, prompting city police Captain Tzu (Yuen Biao) to team up with Lung to root out the mole.

Biao also trained in Jim-Yuen’s Peking opera with Chan, and their chemistry as performers is hypnotic. Astaire could dance with anybody, but he danced best with Ginger Rogers. Chan could spar with anybody, but he sparred best with Biao and the third partner from their opera days, Sammo Hung, here as an opportunist loyal to no one but himself. The scene in the teahouse where Hung and Chan team up to whip the asses of a couple of lowlifes is poetry. The climactic battle with the three trying to take down the pirate captain (Dick Wei) might be the greatest fight scene in all of cinema.

Project A changed things. Chan’s onscreen fighting is a flurry of fists, tumbling

bodies and acrobatic feats. And since action has no language barrier, he and his stunt team became a worldwide phenomenon. Couple that with Chan’s international approach to comedy, blending touches of French farce — characters comically enter and exit rooms trying to avoid detection — with callbacks to Hollywood’s silent clowns. One of the signature set pieces in Project A involves a riff on Harold Lloyd’s clock tower gag in Safety Last, while Part II concludes with a tip of the hat to Buster Keaton’s Steamboat Bill Jr.

Naturally, the action in a Chan movie garners the lion’s share of attention, but it’s the story that connects the stunts and spars to keep them from feeling gratuitous. That’s most evident in Part II, which compounds the police corruption angle from the first movie and introduces two Chinese revolutionaries (Maggie Cheung and Rosamund Kwan).

It would not be a stretch to compare

Project A and Part II to The Godfather and its equally lauded sequel for their artistry and popular appeal. And thanks to 88 Films, both movies pulse again in The Project A Collection, a four-disc Ultra HD/ Blu-ray box set complete with hours of extras, a detailed essay booklet and two double-sided posters.

The transfers look spotless, heightening the already spectacular cinematography from Yiu-Tsou Cheung — his ability to capture images in low light is remarkable — and the bonus material provides a detailed account of the production of these two movies and underlines just how much of a watershed moment their release truly was.

ON SCREEN: The Project A Collection is available starting Oct. 15.

Jackie Chan dangles from a clock tower in Project A, newly remastered and released by 88 Films for the box set The Project A Collection Courtesy: Golden Harvest

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LONGMONT OUT LOUD OPEN STAGE

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DAY OF THE DEAD FAMILY CELEBRATION

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, Downtown Longmont at 4th Ave. and Main St. Free

5-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, 471 Main St., Longmont. $25

Support local journalism while dancing the night away to disco tunes spun by DJ Drake. This second annual fundraiser for Yellow Scene and KGNU also features stilt walkers, fortune tellers, a photo booth and a silent auction.

10

BOULDER SYMPHONY: CANDLELIT YOGA

6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, Rembrandt Yard, 1301 Spruce St., Boulder. $32

Flow to the soothing sounds of the symphony at this immersive candlelit night sure to leave you refreshed and inspired. After the class, mingle with your fellow yogis while sipping on complimentary tea and other non-alcoholic beverages.

6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, Tumbleweed Art Collective, 1333 Coffman St., Suite. A, Longmont. Pay what you can.

Ready to put your talent to the test?

The mic is up for grabs at Tumbleweed Art Collective for performers of all types and experience levels. Or, if you’d rather just watch, head on down for a night of live music, comedy, poetry and more from burgeoning local creatives.

10 – 11

GREAT AMERICAN BEER FEST

5:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 10-11, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St., Denver. $85+ per day; $220 for weekend pass

Enjoy all your favorite brews in one place and discover some new ones at this premier craft beer competition and event. Sample suds from almost every state or some closer to home: More than 100 Colorado breweries are participating in this year’s fest.

Join the community in celebrating your loved ones during Colorado’s longest running Dia de Muertos festival. Food, music and art come together for this holiday of remembrance. Check out exhibits featuring local artists at the Longmont Museum and Firehouse Art Center, and don’t miss the Gigantes –15-foot-tall puppets – procession down Main at 2 p.m.

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13

ROCKY MOUNTAIN RECORD SHOW

10 a.m. to noon (earlybird), noon to 5 p.m. (general) Saturday, Oct. 12; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, 13, Denver Sports Castle, 1000 Broadway. $28 (earlybird), $10 (general)

Vinyl Me Please presents this two-day festival featuring more than 150,000 records from 70 dealers from around the country. The weekend LP mega sale features live DJs, a full bar, food trucks and more. Entry is free Sunday.

13

DICKENS SPOOKY DRAG NITE

6:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, Dickens Opera House, 302 Main St., Longmont. $17.75+

Get ready for a night of jaw-dropping drag performances at the Dickens, hosted by performer Jessica L’Whor. This Halloween-themed show sprinkles a bit of spooky in with the glitz and glamour. Come in your most creative (or creepiest) costume to enter a raffle.

13

NUDE FOODS CLOTHING SWAP

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, Nude Foods Market, 3233 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

Shop green at this consignment and swap event hosted by Nude Foods and The Clothing Cycle. Browse consignment or register in advance to consign your own pieces. Peruse the mutual aid/swap section, where you’re invited to take as much as you need (donations are welcome). Clothes are “lightly vetted to make sure it’s not just musty old 2011 college track team t-shirts.”

12 – 13

PUMPKIN PIE DAYS VINTAGE & ANTIQUE MARKET

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, Boulder County Fairgrounds Exhibit Building, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont. $10

Spend a lazy weekend strolling through aisles of antiques. Find clothing, house wares, furniture and collectibles at this 54th annual market, hosted by the St. Vrain Historical Society. Proceeds fund historic preservation projects in the community.

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WARREN MILLER’S ‘75’

4-6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $56

Snow sports legends and emerging talents hit the big screen with 10 all-new original films in commemoration of Warren Miller’s 100th birthday. The world premiere screening kicks off with a pre-show street party featuring an athlete meet-and-greet, giveaways, a High West whiskey tasting and more.

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SIP INTO STILLNESS: A TEA CEREMONY

7-9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, Oxytocin, 1925 Glenwood Drive, Boulder. $28

Find peace in your cup at this intimate tea ritual guided by Bu Nan Brown. Experience the rich and diverse benefits of teas from around the world, while strengthening connections with your inner self and those around you.

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BOULDER CLIMATE HAPPY HOUR

5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, Rayback Collective, 2775 Valmont Road, Boulder. Free

Looking for a little camaraderie in the face of the climate crisis? Head to Rayback Collective in Boulder to meet others from all walks of life for a solutions-focused gathering “to share ideas, connect and learn from one another.”

Want more Boulder County events? Check out the complete listings online by scanning this QR code.

LIVE MUSIC

THURSDAY, OCT. 10

JT JONES AND DAN FROELICH 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free

OCEANOGRAPHY 6:30 p.m. Trident Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

FLOW WITH THE BOULDER SYMPHONY: A CANDLELIT YOGA EXPERIENCE 6:30 p.m. Rembrandt Yard, 1301 Spruce St., Boulder. $32

KIMANDALA. 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20

KAYTRANADA WITH CHANNEL TRES AND LOU PHELPS 7 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $95

LATIN DANCE PARTY WITH CHIMBANGLE. 7:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 1455 Coal Creek Drive, Unit T, Lafayette. $10

BILL KOPPER QUINTET PLAYS JEFF BECK. 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20

WOOKIEFOOT WITH A-MAC AND THE HEIGHT (NIGHT 1) 7 p.m. The Caribou Room, 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland. $25

REED FOEHL WITH INGRID AVISON 8 p.m. Chautauqua Community House, 301 Morning Glory Drive, Boulder. $30

AUGUSTUS WITH BOOT GUN AND ELLIOTT DOBBS. 8 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $18

ATOMGA 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $19

VALLEY WITH MICKEY DARLING AND CHARLI ADAMS 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $35

MAMA’S BROKE WITH THE RESONANT ROGUES 8 p.m. Chautauqua Community House, 301 Morning Glory Drive, Boulder. $30

ALL THEM WITCHES WITH EMILY WOLFE 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $35

THE STEWS WITH GROVE 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $20

BOB BARRICK 8:30 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free

HUNTER JAMES AND THE TITANIC WITH EMILY BARNES 8:30 p.m. 100 Nickel, 100 Nickel St., Broomfield. $18

FRIDAY, OCT. 11

LOS BOHEMIOS 2:30 p.m. Longmont Museum, 300 Quail Road, Longmont. $12

AOXOMOXOA 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free

TAYLOR SWIFT: LIVE TRIBUTE 6 p.m. Bounce Empire, 1380 S. Public Road, Lafayette. $39

PARCHMENT DOLL 6 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free

LOWFIVE 6 p.m. Jamestown Mercantile, 108 Main St., Jamestown. Free

SEEING STARS 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free

LAURIE & LORRIE 6:30 p.m. Abbott & Wallace Distilling, 350 Terry St., Longmont. Free

HANIA RANI 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $30

ICONIX. 8:30 p.m. 100 Nickel, 100 Nickel St., Broomfield. $11

CW WITH TWENTY HANDS HIGH 8:30 p.m. The Stillery, 10633 Blvd., Unit 900, Westminster. Free

SATURDAY, OCT. 12

MIKE LAMITOLA 11 a.m. Louisville Farmers market, 824 Front St., Louisville. Free

RIVER SPELL. 5 p.m. Beyond the Mountain Brewing Co., 6035 Longbow Drive, Unit 109, Boulder. Free

JAY STOTT 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

VON DISCO Trident Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

STEEL MONKEY (JETHRO TULL TRIBUTE). 6 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free

TONY CRANK WITH NATURE’S EDGE 6:30 p.m. Longtucky Spirits, 350 Terry St., Suite 120, Longmont. Free

GABRIEL SANTIAGO PROJECT WITH REMY LEBOEUF 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20

WOOKIEFOOT WITH A-MAC AND THE HEIGHT (NIGHT 2). 7 p.m. The Caribou Room, 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland. $25

LIVE MUSIC

ON THE BILL

REX PEOPLES WITH X FACTR. 7 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $18

PETER BRADLEY ADAMS 8 p.m. Chautauqua Community House, 301 Morning Glory Drive, Boulder. $32

VAN ZEPPELIN WITH CHILI POWDER

8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $19

COME BACK TO EARTH (MAC MILLER TRIBUTE) 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $20

OCIE ELLIOTT 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $30. STORY ON P. 31

SUNDAY, OCT. 13

JACK HADLEY 2 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free

LOCO UKULELE JAM 2 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free

LIONEL YOUNG DUO. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free

MONDAY, OCT. 14

JEREMY PORTER WITH DEACON BROWN. 6 p.m. Rosetta Hall, 1109 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

MANNEQUIN PUSSY WITH MARGARITAS PODRIDAS 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $28

CARY MORIN WITH LA PALOMA 7-9 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A. Free. BW PICK OF THE WEEK

Fort Collins blues-folk axeman Cary Morin, a Crow tribal member with Assiniboine Sioux and Black ancestry, comes to Roots Music Project in Boulder for a free show celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day with La Paloma on Oct. 14. Scan the QR code for a Boulder Weekly interview with Morin. See listing for details

CLAIRO WITH ALICE PHOEBE LOU.

8 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $92

UNWOUND WITH QUITS 8 p.m. Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway, Englewood. $52

TUESDAY, OCT. 15

DAVE HONIG 6 p.m. Boulder Depot, 2366 Junction Pl., Boulder. Free

IGUANA DEATH CULT WITH LOS TOMS AND SUPREME JOY 7 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $19

MICHIGANDER WITH CECE COAKLEY

8 p.m. Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $34

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16

MIKE LAMITOLA 6 p.m. Dickens Opera House, 300 Main St., Longmont. Free

THOMPSON JAZZ/CU GRAD JAZZ

GROUP WITH ART LANDE 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20

TIM CARMICHAEL WITH VIC DILLAHAY

7 p.m. Dry Land Distillers, 519 Main St., Longmont. Free

TGR’S BEYOND THE FANTASY WITH THE HEAD AND THE HEART 7:30 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $95

PORTER ROBINSON WITH ERICDOA.

8 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Pkwy., Morrison. $80

ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): In the coming weeks, you may be tempted to spar and argue more than usual. You could get sucked into the fantasy that it would make sense to wrangle, feud and bicker. But I hope you sublimate those tendencies. The same hot energy that might lead to excessive skirmishing could just as well become a driving force to create robust harmony and resilient unity. If you simply dig further into your psyche’s resourceful depths, you will discover the inspiration to bargain, mediate and negotiate with élan. Here’s a bold prediction: Healing compromises hammered out now could last a long time.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Question #1: “What subjects do you talk about to enchant and uplift a person who’s important to you?” Answer #1: “You talk about the feelings and yearnings of the person you hope to enchant and uplift.” Question #2: “How do you express your love with maximum intelligence?” Answer #2: “Before you ask your allies to alter themselves to enhance your relationship, you ask yourself how you might alter yourself to enhance your relationship.” Question #3: “What skill are you destined to master, even though it’s challenging for you to learn?” Answer #3: “Understanding the difference between supple passion and manic obsession.”

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): In 1819, Gemini entrepreneur Francois-Louis Cailler became the first chocolatier to manufacture chocolate bars. His innovation didn’t save any lives, cure any disease or fix any injustice. But it was a wonderful addition to humanity’s supply of delights. It enhanced our collective joy and pleasure. In the coming months, dear Gemini, I invite you to seek a comparable addition to your own personal world. What novel blessing might you generate or discover? What splendid resource can you add to your repertoire?

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): “Ayurnamat” is a word used by Inuit people. It refers to when you long for the relaxed tranquility that comes from not worrying about what can’t be changed. You wish you could accept or even welcome the truth about provocative situations with equanimity. Now here’s some very good news, Cancerian: In the coming weeks, you will not just yearn for this state of calm, but will also have a heightened ability to achieve it. Congratulations! It’s a liberating, saint-like accomplishment.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Healing will be more available to you than usual. You’re extra likely to attract the help and insight you need to revive and restore your mind, soul and body. To get started, identify two wounds or discomforts you would love to alleviate. Then consider the following actions: 1. Ruminate about what helpers and professionals might be best able to assist you. Make appointments with them. 2. Perform a ritual in which you seek blessings from your liveliest spirit guides and sympathetic ancestors. 3. Make a list of three actions you will take to make yourself feel better. 4. Treat this process not as a somber struggle, but as a celebration of your mounting vitality.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): The Beatles were the best-selling band of all time — and were among the most influential, too. Their fame and fortune were well-earned. Many of the 186 songs they composed and recorded were beautiful, interesting and entertaining. Yet none of the four members of the band could read music. Their brilliance was intuitive and instinctual. Is there a comparable situation in your life, Virgo? A task or skill that you do well despite not being formally trained? If so, the coming months will be a good time to get better grounded. I invite you to fill in the gaps in your education.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): In 2010, Edurne Pasaban became the first woman to climb the world’s tallest 14 mountains, reaching the top of Shishapangma

in China. In 2018, Taylor Demonbreun arrived in Toronto, Canada, completing a quest in which she visited every sovereign nation on the planet in 18 months. In 1924, explorer Alexandra David-Néel pulled off the seemingly impossible feat of visiting Lhasa, Tibet, when that place was still forbidden to foreigners. Be inspired by these heroes as you ruminate about what frontier adventures you will dare to enjoy during the next six months. Design a plan to get all the educational and experimental fun you need.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Alnwick Garden is an unusual network of formal gardens in northeast England. Among its many entertaining features is the Poison Garden, which hosts 100 species of toxic and harmful plants like hemlock, strychnine and deadly nightshade. It’s the most popular feature by far. Visitors enjoy finding out and investigating what’s not good for them. In accordance with astrological omens, Scorpio, I invite you to use this as an inspirational metaphor as you take inventory of influences that are not good for you. Every now and then, it’s healthy to acknowledge what you don’t need and shouldn’t engage with.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Sagittarian Tom Rath is an inspirational author who at age 49 has managed to stay alive even though he has wrangled with a rare disease since he was 16. He writes, “This is what I believe we should all aim for: to make contributions to others’ lives that will grow infinitely in our absence. A great commonality we all share is that we only have today to invest in what could outlive us.” That’s always good advice for everyone, but it’s especially rich counsel for you Sagittarians in the coming months. I believe you will have a special capacity to dispense your best gifts to those who need and want them.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Capricorn writer Susan Sontag was a public intellectual. She was an academic with a scholarly focus and an entertaining commentator on the gritty hubbub of popular culture. One of my favorite quotes by her is this one: “I like to feel dumb. That’s how I know there’s more in the world than me.” In other words, she made sure her curiosity and open-mindedness flourished by always assuming she had much more to learn. I especially recommend this perspective to you in the coming weeks.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): The Salem Witch Trials took place in Massachusetts from 1692 to 1693. They were ignorant, superstitious prosecutions of people accused of practicing witchcraft. The modern holiday known as Freethought Day happens every Oct. 12, the anniversary of the last witch trial. The purpose of this jubilee is to encourage us to treasure objective facts, to love using logic and reason and to honor the value of critical thinking. It’s only observed in America now, but I propose we make it a global festival. You Aquarians are my choice to host this year’s revelries in celebration of Freethought Day. You are at the peak of your ability to generate clear, astute, liberating thoughts. Show us what it looks like to be a lucid, unbiased observer of reality.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): A YouTuber named Andy George decided to make a chicken sandwich. But he didn’t buy the ingredients in a store. He wanted to make the sandwich from scratch. Over the next six months, he grew wheat, ground it into flour and used it to bake bread. He milked a cow to make cheese and butter. He got sea salt from ocean water and grew a garden of lettuce, cucumber, tomato and dill for toppings. Finally, he went to a farm, bought a chicken and did all that was necessary to turn the live bird into meat for the sandwich. In describing his process, I’m not suggesting you do something similar. Rather, I’m encouraging you to be thorough as you solidify your foundations in the coming months. Gather resources you will need for long-term projects. Be a connoisseur of the raw materials that will assure future success in whatever way you define success.

My boyfriend is depressed. Which normally, I can handle. I’m supportive as much as I can be. Except lately, now that I’m going through a rough time myself, I’m less able to be supportive. And I need him to step up and support me. He might not be capable of doing that, though. And the kind of support I need right now is that I need to feel wanted. I need to feel desired. So, if he’s having some low libido issues, what do I do?

You need to ask yourself how much longer you’re willing to stay with someone who — for whatever reason — can’t meet your emotional or sexual needs. Extenuating circumstances should always be taken into consideration, of course, and someone who ends a committed relationship at the first sign of trouble wasn’t serious about their commitment. But extenuating circumstances aren’t paralyzing circumstances, and a commitment isn’t a sexual and emotional suicide pact. If someone isn’t meeting your needs but is making a good-faith effort to get themselves to a place where they can, you should stick around. So, my question for you is this: Is your boyfriend making an effort to get there?

Is it better to be very explicit/specific when it comes to planning an encounter that is going to be tricky to set up — advance planning, securing a hotel room, renting a car — or should you allow room for spontaneity? I have a feeling my possible partner will feel pressured if I start making these arrangements. But if we just play it by ear, it might not happen at all. Make those arrangements, but say this (and mean it) to your possible partner: “I’m gonna get a hotel room and rent a car in case we need them — but no pressure. If you’re not feeling it when we get together, or if I’m not feeling it, nothing has to happen. I’m pretty sure I would love to spend the night with you, but a night alone in a hotel room watching movies and eating room service isn’t a bad consolation prize.”

I have mixed feelings about a guy, and I don’t know how to resolve them. On the one hand, I feel like he could be the love of my life, the best sex I’ve ever had, etc. On the other, I want to push

SAVAGE LOVE

BY DAN SAVAGE

him away, pull away from him, distance myself from him, etc. I keep writing breakup letters that I never send. Why do I desire him so much that he consumes most of my thoughts, and yet also want him out of my life? How do I know what I really want?

Could be a case of “right person, wrong time,” i.e., he’s someone you could see yourself committing to but you’re not ready to make a commitment, or your Spidey senses could be picking up on something you aren’t able to see and/or can’t quite articulate. This is a good time to call in your besties — supportive friends, not underminers — and ask them to be brutally honest with you about what they think of this guy as a person and you two as a couple.

I last too long and want to be able to cum easier. I don’t use a “death grip” during JO. Any advice?

Fire on all cylinders: In addition to direct stimulation of your dick during penis-invagina/penis-in-butt/penis-in-whatever, toss in some tit play (if your tits are wired), toss in a butt plug (if your ass is in play), toss in some dirty talk (if you enjoy it).

How do you know when it’s time to open a relationship?

When you’ve talked with your partner about opening your relationship and you’re both in agreement. That doesn’t have to mean you’re both happy about it — some people open things up under duress — but you both have to be on board.

In a situationship of sorts. It’s been over a year. I don’t know what kind of future we have, and he’s been unable or unwilling to have that sort of conversation. He will instead make comments about how he doesn’t want to overthink, over-scrutinize, do any emotional labor. How do I get clarity here?

The problem here isn’t a lack of clarity on his part — he’s made himself clear — it’s wishful thinking on yours. He doesn’t want what you want, e.g., a defined relationship, a commitment, the emotional and social obligations that come with a commitment. Right now, he’s getting what he wants, i.e., full use of your holes, because you’ve convinced yourself he’s being unclear when he’s not. DTMFA.

EVENTS EVENTS

OCTOBER 12 Youth Ekphrastic Writing Workshop led by Aimee Herman @ Kin Studio and Gallery, 5-7pm

OCTOBER 15 Draw & Paint Club for teens @ Drypp Drop Workshop, 6-8pm

OCTOBER 19 Paint Your Pet Portrait for kids @ Drypp Drop Workshop, 1:45 - 3:45 pm

OCTOBER 19 Open Studio: Todd Edward Herman at @ East Window, 12-5pm

HOLLANDAISE AND HISTORY

125 years after opening, The Merc persists as a community hub, quirky eatery and music hotspot

BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

The Jamestown Mercantile is only 14 miles away, yet few of us make the curving canyon climb northwest of Boulder.

At least not by car: Dozens of bikers were making the trek on the golden Sunday morning when I finally drove to Jamestown, evidence of the passion the cycling community has for this beautiful route. And while the journey is part of the fun, the destination here — known simply as “The Merc” — is what makes it worthwhile.

The combination cafe, community hub and music venue has been a magnet since it was built around 1896 in blinkand-you-miss-it Jamestown, home to just a few hundred residents today.

The building’s Western false front exterior welcomes visitors to a comfortable space with stained glass and plants in the sunny front window. Food and drink are ordered from a chalkboard menu at the counter, to be consumed at mismatched vintage tables and chairs inside, on the breezy patio or in the little park across the street.

HOW RAINBOW CAME TO THE MERC

Jamestown resident Rainbow Shultz earned a master’s degree in social work and filled orders at The Merc for five years before taking it over 15 years ago.

“I loved eating and cooking and people, so this was the perfect place for me,” Shultz says.

“There’s a lot of collaboration with artists and musicians, too. If it’s their first time singing in public, we buy them a beer for being so brave.”

For most of its history, The Merc (first built as a post office and general store in the mining town) wasn’t known for its food. Shultz’s goal was to maintain the charm but upgrade the fare with locally sourced ingredients and scratch-made sauces.

Eating at The Merc is a different experience depending on the day of the week. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, the Jamestown Mercantile opens Wednesdays with a menu of burgers and sides to go with cocktails and an open mic.

Thursday nights are different every week.

“We have what we call a ‘take-it-orleave it menu’ that can be Asian, Italian or something from New Orleans,” Shultz says.

For instance, one recent Thursday featured Vietnamese rice noodle bowls with pork belly or fried tofu, and another included Moroccan Chicken with roasted spiced potatoes and spanakopita.

Fridays are the designated “date night” with a focus on small plates, cocktails and paired wines, while Saturdays are geared toward cyclists and leaf-peepers with graband-go burritos and breakfast sandwiches. Sundays are for brunch.

Music is featured every day the Jamestown Mercantile is open. Shultz proudly notes that the space has become a go-to performance venue. Local musicians featured at The Merc have included Chuck

Sitero, Lara Ruggles, Fast Floyd, Johnny Blueheart, Oh My Yummy and the George Nelson Band.

FLOODS, FIRES AND RECESSIONS: NOTHING NEW

The Merc also functions as Jamestown’s de facto history museum. Artifacts are everywhere in the building, including historic photos on the restroom walls.

“People stop in and tell us about their

TASTE OF THE WEEK: LADLES OF HOLLANDAISE

The Jamestown Mercantile may look super casual and hippie rustic, but Shultz and her crew take the food very seriously.

The small Sunday brunch chalkboard menu includes good locally roasted coffee, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, eggs and sides (including smoked trout), plus wellmade favorites like crispy chile and cheese rellenos with eggs and an edgy green chile sauce.

When we sat down at The Merc – admittedly for the first time in 20 years — it was the little Sunday brunch essentials that were most impressive.

The scratch-made lemony Hollandaise was spot on and generously ladled on a crab cake benedict... and anything else on the menu.

The Merc’s roasted and griddled Yukon Gold spuds were ideally crispy with creamy insides. Plates of breakfast burritos and soft corn breakfast tacos were garnished with a salad of fresh local greens.

For dessert, we enjoyed cannoli-style French toast. The East Coast twist was a topping of sweetened ricotta, chocolate chips and fresh raspberries.

Whether by four wheels or two, if you make the climb to The Merc for brunch, expect to be part of a patient, friendly, communal and chill experience.

Credit: John Lehndorff

Images courtesy: Jamestown Mercantile collection

Image credits: John Lehndorff

NIBBLES

relatives who lived and mined in these hills,” Shultz says.

During Shultz’s time at The Merc, Jamestown has weathered economic downturns, wildfire threats, the COVID19 pandemic and the 2013 flood that destroyed many buildings and almost cut the town in half.

“Through its history, Jamestown has always been resilient,” she says, pointing out that the community has survived a series of gold booms and mineral busts as well as a series of floods and fires since the first Anglo settler arrived in 1860.

There were times when the town and The Merc were on life support.

The ongoing challenge, Shultz says, is keeping the restaurant viable through

the frigid months before the greenery, tourists and cyclists return. Other nearby mountain eateries like Marrocco’s Family Dining in Ward and the Gold Hill Inn go into hibernation for the winter.

“We do anything we can to get people here,” she says, “including dance parties, comedy and game nights.”

Sipping coffee after brunch at The Merc and listening to John Prine tunes, my thoughts turn to the tens of thousands of folks who have walked on these worn wooden floors over the past 125 years.

The Merc persists because it’s the kind of place that makes people fall totally in love with Colorado and reminds us locals why we moved here.

LOCAL FOOD NEWS: GOLF COURSE EATERY OPENS

East Boulder dining options have expanded with the opening of Ironwood Bar and Grille at Flatirons Golf Course after three years of construction. Operated by Noah and Tanya Westby of Dagabi Cucina, the eatery is open daily to the public for fast casual lunches and table service for dinner. Kismet Café, featuring coffee and Mediterranean baked goods, is open at 1381 Forest Park Circle in Lafayette.

After 41 years dishing brunch in Boulder, Le Peep has closed at 2525 Arapahoe Ave.

CULINARY CALENDAR: BAKERS AGAINST HUNGER

Community Food Share’s annual Baking a Difference Bake Sale is 9-11 a.m. Oct. 12 at 311 S. Public Road in Lafayette. Arrive early to grab goodies from local bakeries including Button Rock Bakery, Daily Grains, eats & sweets, Boulder Baked, Sweet Diplomacy, Enchanted Oven and Talia’s Challahs

SOIL Boulder’s Harvest Celebration Oct. 20 at Lone Hawk Farm showcases Boulder County farmers and ranchers. The benefit meal is an opportunity to taste every part of a regeneratively raised grass-fed cow.

SOIL Boulder provides mini-grants to support local agriculture. Tickets: soilboulder.org

WORDS TO CHEW ON: WIPE YOUR WHISKERS

“Never allow butter, soup or other food to remain on your whiskers. Use the napkin frequently.” — From Hill’s Manual of Social and Business Forms: Etiquette of the Table (1880)

John Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU. Comments: nibbles@boulderweekly.com

THE GREEN PARTY

Who is Colorado’s cannabis industry backing in the 2024 election?

BY SHAY CASTLE

Candidates in Colorado receive endorsements from all kinds of groups: Chambers of Commerce, Planned Parenthood, unions, advocacy organizations and lobbyists from a multitude of industries.

Now, there’s a new voice in the mix: The Marjuana Industry Group (MIG). It’s not the first vote guide put out by the trade association — last year, MIG produced a guide to Denver city council and mayoral candidates.

But 2024’s “Green Voter Guide” is the first to go statewide, endorsing candidates for the Colorado Legislature and weighing in on ballot measures in five communities. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Erie’s question to voters about allowing sales of recreational marijuana got the green light from MIG. (Though local business leaders have said the restrictions associated with where dispensaries can locate make it unlikely that a business will be able to establish there. Read more: bit.ly/ EriePotTaxBW.)

Of the 30 candidates endorsed by the industry group, just one appears on Boulder County ballots: Karen McCormick, the incumbent Democrat representative for House District 11.

“I am not 100% sure why I got MIG endorsement,” McCormick wrote in

response to emailed questions, adding that she was “not that knowledgeable of the ins and outs of the industry.

“It could be because I am willing to listen to the concerns of small businesses and take those concerns into consideration.”

Candidates who earned MIG’s seal of approval are ones who “have an openness to talking about reviewing the regulatory model with an eye toward updating,” says Truman Bradley, the group’s executive director. “Colorado was the first state to legalize. Now that we’re two decades in, it’s pretty clear some of the things just didn’t hold up.”

“Updating” includes reducing the regulatory and tax burden on companies — a typical ask of business interests. That’s become an increasing focus as the state’s cannabis industry has suffered a prolonged downturn, losing nearly a third of revenue since 2021. The number of licenses and jobs dropped 16% each, according to reporting from Politico, and prices for the drug dropped significantly.

A number of factors influenced that decline, including the end of COVID lockdowns and legalization in other states.

But the regulatory burden plays a big role, too, according to MIG Executive Director Truman Bradley.

“The laws and the rules and the tax structures were put in when Colorado was the only legal place to buy marijuana for 1,000 miles in any direction,” Bradley says. “Even now, we have some of the highest tax rates, and our industry has some of the highest tax rates in any industry. That’s just not sustainable in any market.”

The industry hopes to change Colorado’s laws that limit how much weed someone can buy. Right now, it’s 1 oz., half of what neighboring New Mexico allows, and half of what Coloradans are legally allowed to possess.

“If you want to buy what you are legally allowed to have, you have to drive to two different stores,” Bradley says. “It doesn’t

help public safety in any way; it’s just annoying.”

That’s just one example of what MIG calls “outdated regulations” it hopes to change — with the support of lawmakers friendly to the cause. Legislation will be introduced next year, according to Bradley.

MIG produced two versions of its voter guide: one for social media or the TVs at dispensary waiting rooms, and a blackand-white, printable “kitchen guide” they hope voters will use when filling out their ballots.

“We feel as an industry we’ve kept our promise for public safety,” Bradley says. “What’s not working is the business.”