October 29, 2015
ENTER TO WIN
VOLUME 149 | ISSUE 47 | 50¢
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Store closing signs are displayed at businesses at Heritage Square while merchants search for a place to relocate. Many of the businesses have been a part of the community for many years, merchants said, and shop owners are sad to see Heritage Square going away. The amusement park and eatery hold long-term leases, and still plan to reopen in the spring. Photo by Christy Steadman
Budget includes more police, open space Golden’s $86. 3 million budget ‘in pretty good shape’ By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
So long to Heritage Square businesses Commercial portion of tourist attraction shuttered By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com Heritage Square is closing. It doesn’t come as a surprise to the long-time merchants, but as they try to find a new home,
many reminisce about the time spent there. “We can relocate,” said Dean Maus, owner of the square’s haunted house Spider Mansion, “but you can’t replace that Victorian village.” Initially called Magic Mountain, the tourist attraction that would later be called Heritage Square opened in 1960. Martin Marietta, Heritage Square’s
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By Crystal Anderson canderson@coloradocommunitymedia.com
(ISSN 0746-6382)
OFFICE: 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210 Golden, CO 80401 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Golden Transcript is published weekly on Thursday by Mile High Newspapers, 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210, Golden, CO 80401. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT GOLDEN, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 722 Washington Ave., Unit 210 Golden, CO 80401 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legals: Fri. 11 a.m. Classifieds: Mon. 5 p.m.
PL E ASE RECYCLE
Heritage continues on Page 11
Jeffco candidates backed by recall outraise incumbents High cost of election ‘disheartening,’ one candidate says
GOLDEN TRANSCRIPT
property owner, has not been renewing the leases of the square’s commercial tenants. This month the square’s alpine slide also closed down, after its lease was not renewed, after 37 years of operation. Born and raised in the Denver area, Maus is most upset that the historic aspect
The recall organizer-backed, five-member ‘clean slate’ has raised almost $200,000 in the Jeffco school board race, compared to two of the three incumbents’ approximate $6,500, according to the most recent Colorado Secretary of State campaign finance report. “We have been at this for a long time and have been working very hard,” said slate member Ali Lasell, candidate for District 3 who has the largest contributions. “It is a reflection of the tremendous amount of supporters I have, and the people who have confidence in me as a candidate.” Candidates running for the recall election were required to file campaign finance reports Oct. 20 with the secretary of state’s office. The candidates for the two open seats in districts 3 and 4 filed their reports on Oct. 13. According to the Colorado Secretary of State reports, the slate members have raised the following amounts: Ali Lasell, $48,155.50; Ron Mitchell, $46, 076.50; Susan Harmon, $34,764.50; Amanda Stevens $34,568; and Brad Rupert, $33,406.50. The board majority has raised the following: Ken Witt, $5,740; and Julie Williams, $725. John Newkirk did not have to file until Oct. 27 because of a clerical error in the secretary of state’s office, legislative director Tim Griesmer said. These totals do not reflect third-party money being spent to try to influence voters. Mitchell, who said the high cost of the election is disheartening, received contributions from a variety of sources including the Jefferson County Education Association Small Donor
ONLINE: Go to the Arvada Press website arvadapress.com for election results the night of Nov. 3.
“It makes me sad. I don’t feel good about the amount of money that we’re spending on this election … I wish we could take this money ... and build a playground in a schoolyard or something.” Ron Mitchell, Jeffco school board candidate
Committee, which gave $9,000. Other notable contributors were former Jeffco superintendent Cindy Stevenson and former Jeffco school board member Hereford Percy, who donated $2,000 and $500, respectively. All three also contributed similar amounts to Harmon’s and Rupert’s campaigns. “I’m being honest here, it makes me sad,” Mitchell said. “I don’t feel good about the amount of money that we’re spending on this election … I wish we could take this money that I’m spending on the campaign and build a Recall continues on Page 5
Among plans for 2016, the City of Golden wants to add two more police officers to its force, hire a community development analyst to focus on affordable housing, remodel a fire station and complete the West 44th Avenue trail. Those are some of the key elements proposed in an $86.3 million 2016 budget discussed by the council and City Manager Jason Slowinski at the Oct. 15 study session. The budget “is in pretty good shape,” Slowinski said. A final vote is scheduled for Dec. 3. Golden operates on a two-year budget with a 10-year capital improvement plan. Because the city’s revenues have been strong, the projected 2016 general fund revenue has been amended from $24.9 million to $26.2 million. As such, all departments plan to increase their operating budgets. Operating expenditures have increased from $22.5 million to $23.7 million. Public safety will receive the largest increase of $855,860 for fire and police department expenditures. Two new full-time police officers and part-time personnel in dispatch will be hired. The increase also covers expenses for police operations equipment, including $73,000 to purchase a Live Scan system, which will replace an antiquated ink-and-card fingerprint process. The remodel of Fire Station 4 will begin in the second half of 2016 and continue into 2017 for a total project cost of $250,000. The community and economic development department is looking to hire a full-time, two-year contracted community development analyst to focus on increasing and managing the supply of affordable housing in Golden. The budget also includes $39 million for capital improvements, which include maintenance for existing structures and construction of new city assets such as streets, water and open space. Golden’s streets must be evaluated every year to make sure there is enough budgeted to keep them maintained, community and economic development director Steve Glueck told the council last month. Inflation in construction costs caused a predicted expenditure increase and about $2 million is expected to be spent on roads in 2016. The major open space project is the completion of the West 44th Avenue trail, expected to cost $895,000. Of this amount, $552,307 has been pledged by partnering agencies Great Outdoors Colorado and Jefferson County Open Space. The proposed 2016 budget is expected to have an ending fund balance of $6.1 million, maintaining what Slowinski described in a memorandum as a “healthy reserve that is well above the 10-20 percent reserve policy.”