STANDARD BLADE B R I G H T O N
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1903
75cI
VOLUME 118
Issue 6
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2021
SLEEVES UP
BURA repays South Main Street loan Work on development progressing, so authority writes Brighton $2.5 million check BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A proposed redevelopment of a South Main Street lot is progressing well enough that the Brighton Urban Renewal Authority has repaid a $2.5 million loan from the city. “We have seen that the city has been having challenges with the pandemic and there has been such great support for our residents and businesses, coming from the city,” said Candace Werth, chair of the authority, told City Councilors during a Jan. 26 study session on the Zoom networking platform. “BURA really just wanted to do our part and since we were financially in a place to do it, we figured this is the time, the city needs it. So we wanted to get that money back into the city’s funds.” The authority began working to redevelop the vacant 4.23-acre lot on the corner of South Main Street and Bromley Lane in 2015. “This was a vacant lot with a dilapidated building left from a car
dealership that had closed many, many years earlier,” Werth said. “When we began, we had a developer that wanted to build a hotel and conference center at the site.“ The authority borrowed $2.5 from the city to purchase the lot, with plans to pay it back in 2022. The original developer backed out but the authority began working with different developers. The current developers, Evergreen Development, plans to bring new stores and restaurants to the lot. According to the development agreement, they must sign up at least two new restaurants to build on the site, with a goal of drawing customers to the area all day, at night and on weekends. “The current developer has evolved the vision for the property several times, based on the challenges that come with developing such an area,” Werth said. “The project has taken longer than we’d hoped but at this point, the developer is now in the process of getting letters of intent from end-users and the project is starting to gain some traction.” But Werth said the authority has enough money in the bank to repay the loan well before the Sept. 2022 due date, with interest. The full amount owed to the city is $2,568,949. SEE BURA LOAN, P3
Larry Fristch prepares to receive his COVID-19 vaccination Jan.26 at Brighton’s Inglenook Care Center. Residents had the chance to receive the first two shots. The booster comes in about two weeks’ time. See more photos and related news on page 5.
COURTESY PHOTO
Brighton council considers how to find new City Attorney BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Brighton is looking for a new permanent legal advisor, and councilors are considering how they want to fill that job, in-house or through consultants. “We need to fill the city attorney’s position, and this is a discussion of how we can do that,” Mayor Greg Mills said. “In the past, we have taken it out to a recruiter and that is still a viable option. Another is to do
it in house and see where that goes.” City Manager Jane Bais DiSessa told councilors on Jan. 26 that she would draw up a formal plan for replacing Jack Bajorek, who resigned don’t Jan. 12. During their study session, councilors debated whether to use consultants or rely on Bais DiSessa’s staff to review applicants. Bais DiSessa said she’s confident her staff could find a qualified replacement. “In a few of the cities I’ve worked for, I’ve had the privilege of hiring
attorneys,” she said. “I can tell you that those attorneys are still there and they have done an excellent job and I’m confident that working with my staff we can find some good candidates for you to consider.” The council unanimously accepted Bajorek’s resignation letter Jan. 12, a week after an hour-long executive session that ended in the council suspending him. The city has not said why he was suspended. However, Mayor Pro Tem Matt Johnston had expressed dissatisfaction
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
OBITUARIES LOCAL SPORTS LEGALS CLASSIFIEDS
MEMORIAL
2 •’Wall that Heals’ plans 3 September visit to Brighton 7 • Page 9 11
SPORTS
• Championships for two sports heading south
• Page
with Bajorek before, particularly regarding 2019’s mayoral recall election and a city agreement regarding the development of streets in Johnston’s neighborhood. Councilors appointed Assistant City Attorney Lena McClelland to fill the top legal job while seeking a permanent replacement. Bais DiSessa consultants tend to do a thorough job of sifting through potential candidates and their backSEE ATTORNEY, P3
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