CHRISTOPHER

to move to the next step regarding a city charter amendment that could change their form of local government.

Currently, the City of Aurora functions under the Council-Manager form of government, which has the mayor and full city council hiring and ring a full-time professionally trained city manager. e city manager is responsible for managing the city like a CEO would be in charge of managing a corporation. e manager is responsibility for human resources including hiring all department heads i.e. police chief, re chief, policy implementation and all administrative functions. e charter amendment calls for the adoption of a strong mayor city government.

is approach would put control managing the city government under the elected mayor, including hiring decisions, purchasing and all aspects of running the city operations. e mayor would not be accountable to the city council, but instead to the electorate.

Unless there are valid objections to the proposal, it will be placed on the November municipal ballot.

The motivation behind this ballot question ere are plenty of cities across America where the council-manager form of government functions well which are similar in size to Aurora or even much larger. I know cities including Dallas, Kansas City, MO, Cincinnati, San Antonio, Charlotte,

You always want to ask “why” when change is being proposed. It does not necessarily mean that the change would be bad or good. However, you should also know where the push for the change is coming from.

In this case, the incumbent mayor is pushing the change. Mayor Mike Co man says the council manager form worked well for Aurora when the city was smaller. Now, he contends that one person heading up the city government is needed for better e ciency and accountability to the people.

It’s intriguing that the ballot language also calls for a deduction from a maximum of three terms to two terms for the mayor and council members. Also, an 11th council seat would be added.

N.C., San Jose, California and Phoenix all function under the councilmanager form to name a few. Size of the city is not a determining factor.

In my opinion, it boils down to who the key people are and how they function, both singularly and collectively. e council-manager form of government spreads the power while the strong mayor form concentrates it in one person. Anyway, I don’t get to vote there as I am a proud resident of Westminster.

Westminster considering a more time sensitive process on tackling unsafe buildings e lack of a timeline for a deadline has been problematic. Also, clarications would include placarding,

We have mentioned in previous columns about the long drawn out process it takes the city to respond to citizen complaints about dilapidated buildings that can become havens for homeless people and drug use. In some cases, it merely is the eye sore that people get tired of driving by every day.

I remember citizen complaints on the former Pizza Hut on Sheridan Boulevard that had been ravaged by re and sat in an ugly heap of lumber, metal and brick for way too many months. Another example came from another re that destroyed the home and outbuildings on the north side of 92nd Ave. close to the entrance to the Tri City Baptist Church. But the classic example has been the “Landmark” building in the 7200 block of Irving Street. ese are all nuisance property challenges. e point is well taken that there is a need to streamline the notice and action turnaround time while still giving property owners or tenants adequate time to take action. e city council is considering changes to the city code which address challenges from neglect, abandonment, vandalism and deterioration. Proposed amendments include a six-month abandonment of a structure or building can constitute an attractive nuisance or hazard to the public.

Another change would make a two-year cessation of normal construction activity eligible to invoke city abatement procedures. Also, it is proposed to eliminate a provision that currently allows the owner of an unsafe building to vacate, secure and maintain it against entry until a time when the building could be demolished or repaired.

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Now, The Colorado Sun co-owns this and other Colorado Community Media newspapers as a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy. The Sun is CCM’s partner for statewide news.

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Changes needed to respond to citizens expectations and providing safety Code Enforcement personnel run into a plethora of situations that require corrective actions. e public expects actions and results. Sometimes the hang up is another agency which has partial jurisdiction of the situation i.e. asbestos removal approval by state health department. Sometimes, the delay is existing codes, regulations and procedures. is is the case in several Code Enforcement cases where the existing city code has slowed the needed action. e proposed ordinance is a big step in the right direction to streamline the process to a point which is more fair to both parties concerned. Move it forward!

Will CU Bu s football start out a legitimate contender?

I am excited for the CU football program under new coach Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime. At the same time, we know Coach Prime is one heck of a marketing genius and recruiter extraordinaire. ere has been hype all over the place as to how well the Bu s will do in their rst season under Sanders. It’s a lot like Sean Peyton and the Denver Broncos.

Recently, Pac-12 sports writers pegged (ranked) CU 11th among the 12 teams. at is sobering to say the least. CU fans should throttle their enthusiasm for the initial season’s results.

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.

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