Election in Littleton — How to run for city council

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Littleton citizens interested in running for city council will be able to start collecting signatures on Aug. 8, when the city clerk’s o ce will make nomination petitions available.

ree Littleton city council seats are up for election on Nov. 7. Voters will elect representatives for District 2, District 4 and one at-large seat. e seats are each four-year terms.

e November election will be the rst to use Littleton’s new district boundaries, which were adopted as part of the city’s redistricting process that happens every 10 years.

Littleton’s council is the leading authority in the city, making all ofcial political decisions. Elections for city council positions happen in odd-numbered years and are nonpartisan in nature, the city said.

Who is running so far?

Pam Grove, who currently sits in the at-large seat, and District 4 councilmember Kelly Milliman have both submitted candidate a davit forms declaring their intent to run for their respective seats.

District 2 councilmember Jerry Valdes is term-limited as he reaches the end of his 12th year on council.

Prior to his role in District 2, he also served as Mayor Pro Tem and Mayor. One competitor for the District 2 seat will be Robert Reichardt, who has served on the Littleton Public Schools Board of Education since 2015, including a recent period as president.

Andrea Vukovich Peters, who works as a real estate agent in Littleton, will be running for the District 4 seat.

How to run

Candidates must be a citizen of the United States, at least 21 years old and a registered voter in Littleton for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the election. Per the city’s charter, candidates must also live in the district they are running to represent, City Clerk Colleen Norton said.

Elected city o cials may not be a paid employee of any municipality or hold other elected public o ce, the city said.

All citizens interested in serving on city council must submit a candidate a davit form to the city clerk’s ofce. ese forms are available on the city’s website at https://webforms. littletongov.org/Forms/CandidateA davit.

en, they must obtain and complete a nomination petition for candidacy. Petitions will be available starting Aug. 8 at the city clerk’s o ce and must be submitted with signatures from at least 50 quali ed registered voters by Aug. 28 by 5 p.m. Signatures must come from registered electors in the district a candidate is running for, Norton said. For example, a person running to represent District 2 must gather signatures from voters in District 2. Citizens running for the at-large seat can gather signatures from registered electors anywhere within the city boundaries.

People interested in running may le for candidacy at any time, as long as they meet the deadline to return completed nomination petitions.

Council meets regularly on the rst and third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. and generally holds study sessions on the second and fourth e mayor position pays $1,500 per month, the mayor pro tem role pays $1,225 per month and other city council members make $1,100 per month. ose interested in running may contact the clerk’s o ce at 303-7953780 or COLCityClerk@littletongov. org for more information.

Tuesdays as well.

FROM

Leadership Virtues for Disruptive Times” by Tom Ziglar, “Smart Brevity” by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz, “Traction” by Gino Wickman

Personal development books: “ e Power of Who” by Bob Beaudine, “ e Power of Community” by Howard Partridge, “Becoming a Master Communicator” by Renee Marino, “What Drives You” by Kevin Miller, “Growth with Goals” by Jill Hellwig

Fiction books: “Dark Vector” by Clive Cussler, “Wild Fire” by Nelson DeMille, “ e Lion” by Nelson DeMille, “American Assassin” by Vince Flynn, “Transfer of Power” by Vince Flynn

Again, those are just my recent favorites and if you are looking for a good book in a speci c genre, hopefully this list helps or inspires you to look at similar titles.

And remember what Mary Schmich says about reading,

“Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere.” It is so true, we can let whatever it is we read to lead us into a new paradigm and bring us into a new place mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Reading broadens our knowledge and leads us to new horizons. And the only thing that we are bound by is our own time and willingness to commit to making the e ort to read and read more often.

How about you? What are you reading these days? I always love getting fantastic book recommendations from our community and sharing what we both get out of the reading. I would love to see your list at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can read to learn, grow, imagine and escape it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For those who haven’t stopped by their local library in recent years, it’s not just a place to pick up and drop o books anymore.

In the post-pandemic era, libraries have become meeting places, remote work spaces, play areas and more. Rather than the repositories of books and other print media they once were, libraries are taking on more of a community center role, sta members at Denverarea library districts explained.

“ ey’ve always had that role,” said Holly Grant of the Clear Creek County Library District. “But now, it’s about … not just seeing (a library) as a storehouse of knowledge and scholarship.”

To that end, libraries have diversi ed the items and programs they o er to address community needs. Depending on the district, patrons can check out everything from camping equipment to virtual reality headsets. Additionally, patrons can access video- and audiobook-streaming services for free with their library cards.

Plus, along with children’s storytime and book clubs, library events and programs can range from puppy yoga to snowshoe hikes.

“It’s a very di erent library than what many of us grew up with,” Holly Whelan of Arapahoe Libraries said. “ … We have everything, everything, everything.”

Items and resources aplenty

Whelan’s words aren’t an exaggeration, as sta members from multiple districts said their libraries o er so much it’s hard for them to remember everything. So, before buying, renting or downloading something, check the library rst.

Along with books, movies and comics, districts have nontraditional items for check-out. Many o er laptops, iPads, Kindles, mobile WiFi hotspots, passes to local museums, cookware, GoPro cameras and science kits.

Mark Fink, executive director of Anythink Libraries — which has branches from ornton to Bennett — said his district’s TryIts collection includes musical instruments for various experience levels; lawn games; outdoor gear like snowshoes and backpacks; 3-D printers; sewing machines and crafting kits; and microscopes.

People have borrowed them for weekend barbecues, camping trips, one-o projects, or to see whether they’d want to buy their own. Fink said the TryIts collection has been so popular, Anythink Libraries has “expanded the level of items we provide.”

O ering items like these saves patrons money and helps the environment too, Grant pointed out, as people aren’t buying things they might only use once.

Along with physical items, districts have several online resources patrons can access with their library cards. rough these apps and online services, patrons can download e-books and audiobooks, stream movies and TV shows, and access tutoring services and online classes — all for free.

Lizzie Gall of Je erson County Public Library said patrons who used to spend money on Audible and Net ix have saved money by nding their items through the library instead.

In-person services are also crucial, whether it’s answering technological questions or notarizing documents. Grant said Clear Creek patrons have asked for help setting up their Kindles and reviewing their emails, and tourists often stop into the Idaho Springs and Georgetown branches to ask questions about local sites and museums.

As Whelan summarized it: “If you think the library isn’t for you, or we don’t have anything to o er, think again. … We have something for everybody.”

Unique programs, events

Beyond summer reading and book clubs, libraries have expanded the type of events and programs they o er — ranging from outdoor and out-of-library adventures, to arts and culture, to physical and mental health. Almost all are free and open to everyone, including out-of-district attendees. Some may require preregistration and/or tickets to cover event costs.

Clear Creek has hosted everything from snowshoe hikes to American Sign Language classes. It also has free present-wrapping stations in December, which are immensely popular, Grant said.

Both Je erson County and Arapahoe libraries have hosted after-hours laser tag for teens, which are well-attended and sometimes have fun themes like “Star Wars.” Gall highlighted other teen events, like this August’s Teen Iron Chef and the ongoing Coding Camp, which has expanded to include preteens.

Summertime outdoor concert series are