SCHOOL CROSSING Good Teachers, Great Teachers: What’s The Difference? Page 5
NEIGHBORHOOD FEATURE Don’t Feed, Befriend or Fool With Foxes Page 8
PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW Retired Wheat Ridge Doctor Still Helping Post-Polio Victims Page 12
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Gazette NEIGHBORHOOD
WHEAT RIDGE | APPLEWOOD | MOUNTAIN VIEW | LAKESIDE January 16 — February 12, 2018 • ngazette.com • FREE
Will 2018 Be The Year of the G Line? n By
Jennifer LeDuc
I
t looks like 2018 may just be the year of the G Line. After a Public Utilities Commission judge’s ruling last year in favor of resumed testing for the 11-mile line and a PUC certification hearing scheduled for later this year, the Regional Transportation District said that while it’s “hard to predict” when the line would open, the advancement in testing of the sophisticated and leading-edge Positive Train Control system is a significant new momentum for the line. Tina Jaqez, public affairs manager with the RTD, expressed cautious optimism for what the testing and hearing forecasted for the future of the line. “This is definitely a great milestone for us that we can start the testing and obviously gets us closer,” Jaqez said, explaining that any additional testing and identifying when the line opens depends on the outcome of the PUC hearings. “But it’s a really good thing; it’s a step forward and we’re really positive about that.” So, on Tuesday, Jan. 2, the G Line’s rail heated up with a commuter train traveling between the Pecos station and the final station at Ward Road in Wheat Ridge, with horns Continued on page 10
THE STEVENS ELEMENTARY RUBIK’S CUBE CLUB is run by their principal TJ McManus and funded through Federal 21st Century Learning Grant. See “School Crossing” on page 5. PHOTO: TJ MCMANUS
Civic Resolution for 2018: Be Active on City Commissions, Boards n By
J. Patrick O’Leary
W
heat Ridge City Council voted in October to do away with the existing baseball field at Anderson Park as part of a master plan for renovation, following a long evening of impassioned and contentious testimony by residents and park users. Although the fate of the field was ultimately determined by a vote of an elected city council, the detailed plan was the result of months of work by the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission. The commission is a group of eight appointed – not elected – citizens, two from each district, whose duties include reviewing all existing and proposed legislation relating to parks and recreation matters, and making recommendations on parks and recreation matters to the city council. In the case of the Anderson Park Master Plan, council members sent the commission’s plan back for revisions (redesign to keep the ball field), but ultimately approved it as-is at the following regular session. The lesson, for anyone who wants to guide and influence city decisions, is to take an active role in your municipality’s boards and commissions, by applying for an open position or regularly attending the meetings. The Town of Mountain View has recently appointed or re-appointed five citizens to its Board of Adjustments and Appeals. The City of Edgewater has one vacancy on its Board of Adjustment, due to a recent resignation. However, the City of Wheat Ridge is seeking candidates for a total of 26 openings on eight of its 10 boards and commissions. How much influence can a citizen serving on a commission or board have over city decisions?
A lot, according to Wheat Ridge Treasurer Jerry DiTullio. In the past he has served on the city’s campaign finance reform committee and housing authority, as well as various county and state boards. He’s also served as mayor and a council member. “You’re in on the front end of many projects that come before council or the public,” he explained. “You can also direct input to staff or city council about an issue… guide the discussion to include information from the public as well… so once they make a decision, all their recommendations are forwarded to city council. If they accept those, you can say you helped influence or shape public policy.” But not always. Council does not have to
accept the recommendations. “That’s happened in a few cases. But more times than not, they are open to recommendations.” By example, he said city council took the city’s DIRT task force’s recommendations on infrastructure projects and financing “verbatim,” and sent it to voters as ballot issue 2E in 2016. But influence is not everything. “Volunteering, in my mind, isn’t about influencing city decisions; it is more about supporting the city’s process,” said Karen Hing of Edgewater, who has served on several commissions and is currently on that city’s Planning & Zoning and Board of Adjustments.
“There is a lot of work that needs to be done to be a good steward of the community. Boards, commissions and council all work together. Serving on boards or commissions gives someone an opportunity to represent, and most importantly support, the direction you, your friends, and your neighbors would like to see the city move toward. Your commitment also assures that diverse opinions are vetted through a strong and equitable process.” Like DiTullio, Hing believes influence is not guaranteed. “As a commissioner, you are but one vote among many as you give recommendations Continued on page 10
N E I G H B O R H O O D F E AT U R E
TIF Money Helps Improve Longtime Local Business n By
Mike McKibbin
A
A 6,600-SQUARE-FOOT, TWO-STORY BUILDING is under construction at the corner of Kipling and Jellison streets in Wheat Ridge. When finished – perhaps in March or April – the adjacent, nearly 50-year-old Swiss Flower and Gift Cottage will move to the building. PHOTO BY MIKE MCKIBBIN.
nearly half-century-old Wheat Ridge business hopes to welcome customers in a new building this spring, thanks partly to city urban renewal district funds and a lot of money, time, effort, number crunching and headaches for the owners. The Swiss Flower and Gift Cottage, 9840 W. 44th Ave., is two blocks east of Kipling Street, at the intersection of Kipling and Jellison Street. Heidi Haas Sheard and her husband, Russ Sheard, bought the business from her sister 29 years ago. They acquired another building from Continued on page 2