CHRISTOPHER

City hires attorney for new downtown litigation

Westminster’s urban renewal authority board of directors (which is the city council) has hired an attorney to handle litigation involving the New Downtown.

Kenneth Skogg with the rm of Kutak Rock LLC — who will be paid a discounted fee of $425 per hour — has been retained without specifying any particular litigation per the agenda memorandum. My guess is that he will represent the city and urban renewal authority in the previously mentioned lawsuit brought by Schnitzer.

You will recall this litigation pertains to an ill-fated land sale by the city to Schnitzer for two lots to build two seven-story o ce buildings in the New Downtown. Schnitzer claims that the city backed out of the land sale after the developer and city sta had been working for three years to reach an agreement.

A total of $150,000 was authorized by the urban renewal authority for the city’s defense. It will be most interesting to have the facts revealed in court as to what happened. I do recall how city sta was excited to have Schnitzer interested in building at the New Downtown.

Florida Senator backs o cutting medicare and social security ere was some high jinx between President Biden and the Republicans during his State of the Union speech. You probably caught it.

Biden accused the Republicans of including Medicare and Social Security bene ts in a plan which some Republicans had previously unveiled last year that would allow both crucial programs to “sunset”. While Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy was shaking his head no and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was yelling that Biden was a liar, Florida Senator Rick Scott and his plan were caught. It is true that Scott had unveiled a plan for an every- ve year review of legislation and nothing was stated excluding the two key programs. is past week Senator Scott unveiled a revised plan making it clear that Medicare and Social Security were not a part of legislation to be included in any such review.

Way to go President Biden!! You nailed it. Now, when is Representative Greene going to apologize to you?

Regarding any cuts to the federal budget, the Republicans should focus on projects and programs which are not fundamental to people’s lives and trying to make ends meet. How about trimming the Defense budget or some of the infrastructure projects or some of those new IRS agents?

Want-to-be Super Bowl team?

I found it amusing on Super Bowl Sunday to see numerous folks out and about dressed in their Bronco football gear. I couldn’t help but wonder if they were dreaming that the Broncos would be taking the eld in Glendale, Arizona.

All I can say is, Sean Payton is good, but he is not that good!

Also, the day after the Super Bowl victory by the Kanas City Chiefs, local sports prognosticator Paul Klee came out with his top ten prioritized picks on who would win next year’s championship game. He says the Chiefs have the best chance to repeat. e bad news is he didn’t have the Broncos in the top ten.

Just a quick reality check.

Bill Christopher is a former Westminster city manager and RTD board member. His opinions are not necessarily those of Colorado Community Media. You can contact him at bcjayhawk68@gmail.com.

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