April 16, 2015 VO LUM E 12 6 | IS S UE 38 | 7 5 ¢
LittletonIndependent.net
A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O A publication of
COMEBACK CATS
WHAT’S INSIDE
A new home: Brian Ewert signs three-year contract as superintendent of Littleton Public Schools. See Page 2
Abstractions: Patricia Aaron’s artwork will be at the Museum of Outdoor Arts in Englewood. See Page 11
Littleton’s Sam Kail beats the ball back to second base as Valor Christian’s Sean Rooney waits to make the tag. The Lions went on to erase a 7-0 deficit to win 17-7 at Valor on April 11. Find more local sports coverage beginning on Page 17. Photo by Paul DiSalvo
In for the win: Penalty kick helps lift Heritage over Ponderosa. See Page 17
Seven apply for vacancy on council POSTAL ADDRESS
New member will be appointed April 21 By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@colorado communitymedia.com
POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Littleton Independent 7315 S. Revere Pkwy., Ste. 603 Centennial, CO 80112
Littleton City Council has a choice of seven citizens who think they’re ready to step up and fill Randy Stein’s vacated District 1 seat: John Brinkley, Pam Chadbourne, Bill Chamberlin, Jerry Hill, William Hopping, David Novinger and Jeffrey Sales. Stein resigned on March 27, just hours after the Historic Downtown Littleton Merchants made a move to initiate a recall petition against him. He cited a growing amount of divisiveness in the city, some as a result of the March 3 special election regarding urban renewal, as leading to his desire to step down. City council was scheduled to conduct interviews on April 14, and make the appointment at its regular meeting on April 21. The city clerk’s office would only release the names of the applicants, but here are some fast facts the Independent found out about each of them.
DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m.
John Brinkley
LITTLETON INDEPENDENT (ISSN 1058-7837) (USPS 315-780) OFFICE: 7315 S. Revere Pkwy., Ste. 603 Centennial, CO 80112 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Englewood, Colorado, the Littleton Independent is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO and additional mailing offices.
GE T SOCI AL WITH US
P LE A S E R ECYC L E T H I S C O PY
He’s in the process of opening his own company, Blue Spruce Solutions, a federal contractor doing valve automation. He’s lived in Littleton for two years, since being transferred from Houston by his former company, AECom. He served in the U.S. Army for four years, on the Patriot missile project. He’s never held office or worked in government before. Applicants continues on Page 10
Outdoor displays like the one at the former Charlotte’s Rustic Rose on Prince Street caused a dust-up last spring that council is now trying to undo. The store closed late last year. File photo
Outdoor tables back on table Council repeals limit on days merchants can display wares outside By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@colorado communitymedia.com In the first meeting since Councilmember Randy Stein announced his resignation, Littleton City Council undid some of the damage that got Stein sideways with some of the merchants in his district. Last spring, there was concern that a few of the downtown stores were getting a little out of control with what they were displaying on the sidewalks. City staff was sent to negotiate and returned to council with a proposed ordinance that the merchants — while not entirely pleased about it — said they could live with. But Stein offered amend-
ments that sought to unwind some of those agreements. The first, which passed, increased the amount of sidewalk to be left unimpeded to 6 feet from the curb, up from 5 feet, which is the requirement for restaurant patios. The second, which fell to a tie, would have decreased the number of days per month outdoor wares would be permitted from three to two. That had been one of the stickiest points of the negotiations, with merchants opposed to any limitations on the number of days. The merchants revolted, staging a lighthearted demonstration that week and ultimately pulling paperwork last month to start a recall petition against Stein. He resigned hours later. “I thought, do we really need to take the city through another backbiting election?” Stein said at the time. “I hope that if one thing has come out of this, it’s that the negativity that’s perme-
ated the city has not been to the benefit of Littleton.” Stein said he had been trying to reach a new compromise with the merchants before he resigned, and had fully intended to introduce a new ordinance increasing the number of days to three, which is what was in front of council on April 7. But with Stein’s last attempts unsuccessful, Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Beckman stepped in and made a motion to table the new ordinance until further discussions with the merchants could be had. “The one thing we don’t want is for downtown to look trashy, with items scattered all over the sidewalk,” he said. “You know what? The merchants don’t want that either.” Councilmember Jerry Valdes, who had always opposed capping the number of days, made Council continues on Page 10