Breast Cancer Awareness: Who Is At Risk? see page 3
2012 Wheat Ridge Business Awards
Trick or Treat and Haunt The ‘Hood’
see page 4
see page 6
Neighborhood
Gazette
WHEAT RIDGE
EDGEWATER
All Politics Are Local So Here’s What’s On Your Ballot By J. Patrick O’Leary
O
n Tues., Nov. 6, residents of Wheat Ridge and Edgewater will choose whether to provide more funds for their schools, who will provide fire protection (Edgewater) and whether to allow runoff elections in the future (Wheat Ridge).
Jefferson Co. 3A & 3B Because both cities lie within the boundaries of the Jefferson County School District R-1, their residents will vote on ballot questions 3A and 3B: the Jefferson County Board of Education’s request for a $39 million mill levy override for operations, paired with a $99 million bond package for infrastructure. It’s estimated to increase property taxes by $1.23 per month per $100,000 of home market value, according to the District. The District says it needs the money (from 3A) to: • maintain reasonable class sizes by recruiting and retaining qualified teachers and instructional staff; • maintain current educational programs such as elementary instrumental music, libraries, counseling, teacher training, and district-wide technology; • maintain healthy and safe learning environments; • continue the district’s commitment to academic excellence and accountability, and to maintain an educational program of the highest quality and standards; • pay the increased costs of district utilities and fuel; and • reinstate instructional days. The sale of bonds (incurring debt, 3B) is for the purpose of: • Installing, repairing and improving heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems and mechanical controls, with a focus on energy efficiency, in district buildings; • restoring district buildings by replacing, repairing and installing roofs, windows and doors and making building exterior improvements; • installing fire alarm system replacements and upgrades in district buildings; • replacing and upgrading building safety and security systems;
• replacing and upgrading the electrical infrastructure in district buildings; • making paving and concrete repairs district-wide; • and otherwise equipping, improving, repairing and furnishing district buildings, facilities and grounds and charter schools. For information in support of Ballot Questions 3A and 3B, visit www. supportjeffcoschools.com. For opposing arguments, visit http://voteno3aand3b.com.
Edgewater 2A & 5A Edgewater residents will be voting to modify their city’s charter, which currently requires the city to maintain its own fire department. While the language of the proposed amendment allows the city council to establish a fire department and choose to operate it directly or through agreement with another government agency, the intent is to allow Edgewater to use the Wheat Ridge Fire Protection District for fire protection. Ballot Question No. 2A asks: “As more particularly set forth in Ordinance no. 17-12 of the City of Edgewater, shall the 2008 City of Edgewater Home Rule Charter be amended at Section 10.2 to remove (1) provisions related to the volunteer fire chief and (2) the requirement that the city maintain a fire department, and to allow for (1) the establishment of such a department by ordinance of the city council and (2) the operation of any such department either directly by the city or through intergovernmental agreement?” But that’s just the Edgewater ballot issue. Everyone in city limits will see the following, Ballot Question 5A, on their ballots: “Shall the following described area become a part of the Wheat Ridge Fire Protection District, as of January 1, 2013, upon the following conditions? Description of Area All property located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of Edgewater located in Jefferson County, Colorado Summary of Conditions 1. The property shall be subject to the existing property tax levy of the District (7.5 mills in 2013). and
FALL FOOTBALL -- The Razorbacks football team practices at Wheat Ridge High School. The Razorbacks are a parent-funded team of eighth-grade students from Everitt Middle School in Wheat Ridge. The team is part of the (JMFA) Jefferson County Midget Football Association. PHOTO: PHIL CZAJKOWSKI
2. The question regarding amendment of the City of Edgewater Charter allowing for municipal or non-municipal fire service is approved at the November 6, 2012 election.” The roots of this proposal lie six years in the past, when the city began questioning whether it could sustain adequate fire protection, says Karen Hing, an Edgewater resident and business owner who is spearheading the campaigns for 2A and 5A. “Since 9/11, there are more regulations, and also limited revenue,” she explains. “Not only is Edgewater seeing more calls, we’re seeing less and less volunteers.” She states that in 1980 Edgewater got 254 calls, and had 38 volunteer firefighters, and this year, an estimated 1,000 calls, with only 17 volunteers, 10 who live in the city. “Times have changed.” And there has not been enough money to replace aging equipment. The answer, reached after much discussion among Edgewater’s fire department, government and interested citizens, was to become part of Wheat Ridge Fire Protection District, and the simplest way was to have the District propose to include Edgewater in its boundaries. “But Wheat Ridge Fire Protection didn’t want it perceived as a takeover,” and wanted some evidence that the citizens of Edgewater were interested before moving to place the issue on the ballot, says Hing. Hing put together and informational
booklet with $2,400 of her own money, and, with 17 volunteers, earlier this year went into the community with an informal petition, gathering 400 signatures of support. She presented Edgewater City Council and the WRFPD board with the results, and the issues are now on the ballot. Hing says the proposal will result in better fire protection (a higher ISO rating). She is aware of the objections, and objectively shares them: “One of the biggest, hardest to handle, is emotional: losing your fire department. It hurts, it sucks.” She says that generations have served in the nearly 100-year-old volunteer fire department, and many recall the holiday tradition of Santa being driven around town on the hood of a fire engine on Christmas Eve, handing out presents. Second, residents will have to pay more taxes. She says Edgewater currently has a 5.03 mill property tax (which will be repealed if the proposals pass), and inclusion in WRFPD will result in a 7.5 mill property tax. Hing says the city currently budgets $238,000 for fire protection, of which $189,000 comes from property taxes; yes, more taxes, but it all goes to better fire protection. And finally, some residents believe it is “absurd” to have a city without a property tax. To that, she says the city could, in the future, go back to the voters and reinstate it. Continued on page 7
Voting Questions Answered At League of Women Voters Meetings
W
ill you receive a ballot by mail if you elected to vote by mail and didn’t vote in the last election? Will your vote count if you cast a provisional ballot? The Jefferson County League of Women Voters will provide answers to these questions, valuable voting resources, and information on major legislation that protects citizens’ voting rights, at its next Unit Meetings, the fourth week of October. The Applewood unit meets Wed., Oct. 24, 9:15 a.m.; call for location. The Arvada unit meets Tues., Oct. 23, 1 p.m., at the Sportline Store, 6543 Wadsworth Blvd., in Arvada. The Lakewood/Golden unit meets Thur., Oct. 25,
9:15 a.m., at the Cason-Howell House, 1585 Kipling, in Lakewood. For people unable to attend daytime meetings, the Jeffco “P.M.” unit meets Wed., Oct. 24, 5:30 p.m., at the League’s office, 1425 Brentwood, Ste. 7, in Lakewood. For details on any unit meeting, call the JWLV office at 303-238-0032 or visit lwvjeffco.org. “The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that promotes informed and active participation in government,” says Ann Taylor Roux, President, Jefferson County League of Women Voters. “We never advocate for or
oppose any person running for political office at any level of government. This position allows us credibility to conduct candidate debates, with all candidates involved participating. The public knows League will facilitate a fair, impartial forum, and we are highly respected for this.” The Jeffco League’s meetings and events are free and open to the public – male or female, member or not, regardless of political affiliation. Why join the League if its meetings are open to the public? “To be active, and have your opinion count,” explains Jeffo LWV publicist Lynne Ellison. “We need to discuss issues and come
to a consensus around an issue before we can consider it a position and advocate on it.” Although the public may be familiar with the League’s educational efforts, including election-year pamphlets on ballot issues, the organization employs one paid lobbyist and fields a corps of volunteer lobbyists.“We’re both an educational and advocacy organization.” Nationally, the League of Women Voters is promoting a new website, vote411.org, which provides a customized sample local ballot upon entering an address. For more information, including details of any Unit Meeting, visit lwvjeffco.org, or call 303-238-0032.