Citizen Centennial 10-4-2013
Centennial
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 46
October 4, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourcentennialnews.com
Voters will rule on fiber network City seeks to regain local control under provision of law By George Lurie
glurie@ourcoloradonews.com
Members of Centennial City Council make dirt fly at the groundbreaking for renovation at the city’s new public works complex. Photo by George Lurie
City digs into new facility Public works complex is first one owned by Centennial By George Lurie
glurie@ourcoloradonews.com Donning hard hats and hoisting ceremonial shovels, Mayor Cathy Noon and members of the city council helped kick off renovation work on the city’s new public works complex at an Oct. 1 groundbreaking. The city paid cash to acquire the 9.2acre property, which is located at 7272 S. Eagle St. and was formerly the BMC West lumber yard. “The city council should be proud of itself for stepping up and paying cash for this facility,” City Manager John Danielson said at the 8:30 a.m. ceremony attended by about 60 people, including a
number of city employees. “Centennial has no debt,” Danielson said. “The council recognized that it’s time to stop leasing and renting facilities and own something.” Danielson called the new complex, located a block west of Jordan Road, “a legacy project that will be here for 20 or 30 years and allow the city to maintain continuity of operations. And it’s paid for in full from day one.” By acquiring the abandoned parcel at below market value and moving to consolidate public works in one location, Noon said the city council was “trying to be innovative and seize opportunity. Owning this facility instead of renting allows the city to be more efficient in providing services at a lower long-term cost.” The city purchased the abandoned parcel in September 2012 for $2.75 million, one-quarter of its original market value. Council has budgeted an additional
$2.7 million to complete the renovations. Since Centennial’s incorporation, the city has contracted its public works services through CH2M HILL and rented both office space and a maintenance building for public works through its contracts for these services. When renovation work on the Eagle Street facility is complete, the complex will house all of the city’s public-works services as well as animal services, code compliance and the city’s 24/7 Citizen Response Center. The property already includes a 14,550-square-foot office building, a 12,500-square- foot warehouse, a 15,000-square-foot shed and a concrete yard covering approximately five and a half acres. Modifications to the property’s existing structures are scheduled to be finished by the end of the year. Saunders Construction is the general contractor for the site improvements.
Lawyers, officials tackle aid for poor Litigants frequently face tough tasks in non-criminal cases By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@ourcoloradonews. com
Elbert County Comissioner Robert Rowland, left, and Arapahoe County Undersheriff David Walcher were among the panelists at the 18th Judicial District’s Access to Justice Hearing Sept. 24. Photo by Jennifer Smith
At one time, Maria Nunez was a single mom struggling alone to reach a settlement with her ex. Today, she’s a confident personal trainer with fair child support and visitation agreements. Nunez credits help she got from Metro Volunteer Lawyers. “I felt that I was in the middle of a big support group,” she says in a video shown to elected officials and others from throughout the 18th Judicial District during the Access to Justice Hearing, held Sept. 24 at the Arapahoe County Justice Center. “It was nice to see how that
helped Maria grow,” attorney Steve Cook says in the video. When someone facing criminal charges shows up in court without an attorney, the judge can appoint a public defender at taxpayer expense. But there is no such provision in civil cases like divorce, probate and custody battles — situations that people who can’t afford an attorney commonly face. “I was drowning in debt, as everyone was at the time,” said Patricia Crowe, who saved her house from foreclosure with help an attorney from Colorado Legal Services. “He was very good and very thorough, and he was with me through the whole deal.” Hobbs presented data indicating there are 85,000 people living in poverty in the 18th Judicial District, a number that is projected to grow by 45 percent Justice continues on Page 23
“Come on baby, light my fiber!” That’s the catchphrase promoters are using in campaign literature to convince Centennial residents to vote yes on ballot measure 2G. The Citizens for Centennial Foundation, which is sponsoring the ballot measure and also backed the city’s home rule charter campaign, says a yes vote on 2G will bring “more choice, faster speeds and lower prices” to Centennial Internet users. “2G is about selfdetermination and regaining control of our fiber network,” said District 3 Councilman Ken Lucas, who is leading the council charge in trumpeting passage of 2G. In a nutshell, the ballot question asks voters to restore the city’s legal right to explore opportunities to partner with the private sector to develop its existing fiberoptic network. That right was taken away from cities like Centennial when state lawmakers passed a controversial bill in 2005. Comcast, CenturyLink and AT&T have lobbied against the ballot measure, which they say represents an indirect attack on existing service providers, who’ve built their own fiber optic networks at no cost or risk to taxpayers and should not have to compete with new players who could be allowed to tap into Centennial’s existing fiber and conduit network. But passage of 2G, Lucas said, would be just the first step in the city’s exploration of “developing more opportunities to better use” its existing fiber network.
Analysis needed
If voters OK the ballot measure, Lucas explained, a business plan would be drawn up and a feasibility study conducted before a final decision on whether or not to move forward was made by council. “As a ‘contract model’ city, we already put everything out for competitive bid,” said Lucas. “As the economy changes and our needs change, being able to put contracts out for bid gives Centennial the biggest bang for our buck. The 2G ballot initiative is an extension of this model.” The city council approved the ballot language for 2G by a 9-0 vote on Aug. 19. Lucas said the unanimous council vote was meant to send a message: “Citizens should take back their right of self-determination from the state” because basic broadband service is not sufficient for Telecom continues on Page 23
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