ProgressNow Colorado | Jen G's Blog

Jen G's Blog

View Full Profile »

About The Author...

Jen G. (Longmont, CO)

« Hide Full Profile

User Profile

User:

Name:

Assorted thoughts that I probably won't update enough.

Longmont Petition Validated!

By Jen G. - Oct 10th, 2007 at 4:08 pm EDT

Also listed in: Boulder County Progress | Longmont LifeBridge

Today we made history! I just received word from Longmont City Clerk Valeria Skitt that she has validated our citizens' referendum petition on the 4C/LifeBridge annexation.

You can download the City Clerk's letter of sufficiency and validity at:

http://media.progressnowaction.org/docs/longmontpetitionok.pdf

Cheers,
Jen

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (15)

WE DID IT!

By Jen G. - Sep 26th, 2007 at 2:46 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

Yesterday, we turned in over 6,000 signatures to the Longmont City Clerk. With this buffer, I'm hoping we'll meet the 4,021 valid signatures required to put the Union annexation back before Council, or to a public vote.

I'd like to extend my deep thanks and gratitude to everyone who followed this issue, and to everyone who helped us reach the 6,000 mark. We had over 100 petition circulators, which is incredible. The best thing is we did this all by pulling together as a community! We had no funding and we didn't pay anyone to circulate petitions. This was a real group effort to benefit our town. Thanks to all!

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (4)

Yay, the Mayor thinks we're idiots!

By Jen G. - Sep 6th, 2007 at 4:17 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

"To expect the public to become educated enough to make a reasonable decision...is ridiculous." ~ Longmont Mayor Julia Pirnack, quoted in the Times-Call, 9/6/2007.

It sure is nice to know that our elected officials think so highly of our cognitive abilities!

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (3)

Bad News for Longmont's Budget

By Jen G. - Sep 5th, 2007 at 9:58 am EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

Kaye sent the text of this article in an email, but I think it's worth posting on the blog: http://www.timescall.com/Local-Story.asp?ID=3233.

City Manager Gordon Pedrow told the Council that Longmont leads Boulder County in foreclosures, commercial development is down, and the city has lost 120 primary jobs through July.

Here's a great quote from Pedrow: "If I had to give you a theme for this budget, it would be applying limited resources to address our most critical needs," Pedrow warned council members.

My question to the Council: Do those "critical needs" really include forking over money, services, and infrastructure to a land developer?

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (0)

We're Ready to Staff LifeBridge Petition Signing Stations!

By Jen G. - Sep 4th, 2007 at 9:59 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

Thanks for commiting to helping us gather signatures to repeal the
LifeBridge Union annexation! We now have signing stations available.
Please contact Joan Peck (720-352-2067 or joan.peck@gmail.com) to
select your signing station location, date, and time.

A full list of signing stations is available at:
http://www.whatsinitforlongmont.org/wp/petition-signing-locations

Some stations include:

KING SOOPERS- Hover St.
Wednesdays, Sept. 5, 12, 19 & 26th, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Saturday -Sept. 8 - 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

KING SOOPERS - Main St.
Mondays - Sept. 10, 17 & 24 - 3:00 to 7:00

FARMER'S MARKET - Fair Grounds
Saturday - Sept. 8th - 7:30 am to 1:00 pm (staffed)
Saturday - Sept. 15th & 22nd - 7:30 am to 1:00 pm

TASTE OF THERAPY WELLNESS FAIR - Isaac Walton Park
Saturday - Sept. 8 -10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Please contact Joan or Jen if you have any questions. We can always
use more volunteers, so please forward this to friends, family, and
neighbors! Thanks again for giving a voice to Longmont residents!

Cheers,

Jen

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (0)

Protect Longmont Taxpayers from a Bad Deal!

By Jen G. - Sep 4th, 2007 at 9:55 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

I'm sending this out to our original 880 petition signers, plus additional Longmont residents:

On August 14th, the Longmont City Council dismissed the concerns of
Longmont residents and annexed 348 acres in Weld County for the
LifeBridge/4C development. Too many questions remain unanswered! How much of the development is tax-exempt? What are the plans to
alleviate traffic congestion on CO-119? Who pays for water? Will our
schools become more overcrowded? What will happen to your property
values?

The citizens of Longmont have organized a referendum petition to
repeal the City Council's irresponsible action and get answers before
committing Longmont's taxpayers to a huge real estate development
contract. Read More »

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (3)

Referendum petition is APPROVED and READY!

By Jen G. - Sep 1st, 2007 at 9:58 am EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

Great news! The Longmont City Clerk approved our referendum petition late yesterday. That means we are ready to collect signatures!!! Stay tuned for more...

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (1)

Clarification about attorney status

By Jen G. - Aug 23rd, 2007 at 12:09 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

Hi all,

The Times-Call and some others have reported that I'm an attorney, which is true...I graduated from the George Washington University Law School and I'm fully licensed in Maryland and DC. But I'm only partially licensed in Colorado, to practice law for my employer and on a pro bono (free) basis. I'm involved in this group as a concerned citizen, not in any sort of official attorney capacity. Just wanted to clarify so as not to run afoul of the Rules of Professional Responsibility!

Cheers,
Jen

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (1)

Referendum news!

By Jen G. - Aug 22nd, 2007 at 2:47 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

Our referendum effort has already made the front page of the Times-Call:
http://www.timescall.com/Local-Story.asp?ID=3072.

The meeting last night went very well. We came up with some firm action items for continuing the fight against the City Council's irresponsible decision to annex Union, which flies in the face of the City's own development plan.

The most important item right now is the referendum. The final annexation ordinance has not yet been published, although publication is expected in the new few days. As soon as the ordinance is published, the clock starts ticking...we'll have 30 calendar days to gather signatures. Read More »

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (2)

Meeting Agenda (8/21/2007)

By Jen G. - Aug 21st, 2007 at 12:26 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

A full agenda will be available at the meeting. Here are the highlights:

WELCOME (Jen/Richard) - Brief

OVERVIEW OF LIFEBRIDGE CONNECTIONS & CONFLICTS - 15 minutes
City Council (Open)
City's Planning Department (Richard)
ERO Resources (Kaye)
Council for National Policy (Kaye)
Weld County Commissioners (Open)
4C Corporation (Richard) Read More »

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (0)

Citizen's Initiative and Referendum

By Jen G. - Aug 20th, 2007 at 5:37 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

For the referendum, there seems to be some debate on the deadline for signatures. We have 30 days from the date the Council's formal decision is published. Apparently the City Council publishes their minutes 2 weeks after the date of the meeting, but I don't know if that counts as "formal publication" of their ordinance. Karen Benker seems to think we have only 30 days from August 14th. If anyone has firm knowledge about this, please let me know.

The City Clerk needs to draft the summary for the referendum petition. I've provided the following as a proposed summary:

"This Citizen Initiative and Referendum will void the City Council's August 14, 2007 decision to approve the LifeBridge Union Annexation and its related development plans and will send the annexation decision to a vote of Longmont residents." Read More »

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (2)

Meeting - Tuesday, 7 pm

By Jen G. - Aug 18th, 2007 at 10:46 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

Hi all,

We have an official meeting date and time - Tuesday at 7 pm. Location is TBD, but will probably be a private residence.

Thanks,
Jen

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (0)

Save the Date - Your Input Needed!

By Jen G. - Aug 17th, 2007 at 6:45 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

Hi all,

We can hold a meeting on Tuesday, at a private residence, or on Wednesday at the library. I'd like to set a firm meeting time by Saturday afternoon. If you have a preference, please let me know.

Thanks,
Jen

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (8)

Save the Date

By Jen G. - Aug 17th, 2007 at 12:21 am EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

Potential real-time meeting: Tuesday, August 21st @ 7 pm. (It's a study session week for the City Council, so this shouldn't interfere with public business.)

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (3)

My response to the "anti-Christian" comments

By Jen G. - Aug 16th, 2007 at 5:37 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

A comment in the Daily Camera said: "If you're against this development "because it's Christian" then you are a bigot."

Fair enough, but what about the people who are against the development (as currently planned) because the financial and tax aspects haven't been clarified, the environmental impact study (for Union Reservoir) hasn't been completed, there's no traffic mitigation plan, there's been only cursory discussion of the impacts on city infrastructure, it doesn't fit into Longmont's growth plan (which is supposed to be focused on rehabilitating the downtown), and the developer has asked for multiple exemptions to the municipal code? What about the obvious problem that 4C has never developed anything before, and now it wants to get involved in a 1.3 million square foot commercial center and 700 homes?

Yes, the City Council probably treated LifeBridge 4C just like any other developer...by letting them walk all over the City. By failing to examine the details and get real answers, the City Council has opened us up to protracted litigation over each and every ambiguity. Who provides the water? Lawsuit. What portions of the sports arena are taxable? Lawsuit. Did a bunch of bald eagle nests get torn down? Lawsuit. Who pays for the new fire station? Lawsuit. What about the school capacity benchmarks? Lawsuit. Who has to pay for improvements to park land? Lawsuit.

This is going to be a drain on city/taxpayer resources that we don't need. And it'll be a drain that could easily have been avoided through open and honest negotiation between the City and the developer.

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (3)

Colorado Open Records Request

By Jen G. - Aug 16th, 2007 at 2:42 pm EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

Today, Colorado Citizens for Ethics in Government (CCEG) delivered an open records request to the Longmont City Clerk. I'll be working with CCEG to examine the records related to the LifeBridge annexation. Specifically, CCEG asked for:

(1) All documents submitted by LifeBridge and its 4C Corporation;
(2) Environmental impact statements or assessments;
(3) All documents considered by the City Council and City employees in relation to the annexation;
(4) All documents relating to LifeBridge's tax-exempt status and the tax exemptions applicable to the proposed LifeBridge development;
(5) All documents relating to whether any City employees or Council members are affiliated with LifeBridge; and
(6) All correspondence between City employees, City Council members, and LifeBridge representatives.

Colorado law requires that the City respond to this request within 3 business days. I'll post a summary of these documents as soon as I can.

~ Jen

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (3)

Longmont - LifeBridge Annexation

By Jen G. - Aug 15th, 2007 at 10:47 am EDT

Also listed in: Longmont LifeBridge

Updated, from Jen C: Here's a picture I took of Jen speaking at the Longmont City Council meeting last night.

Last night, despite vocal protests from the citizens of Longmont - including over 880 signatures and 2 hours worth of public comment - the Longmont City Council voted 6-1 to annex 348 acres of land for a church project. This enormous tax giveaway from the people to Longmont to a commercial development scheme is only the tip of the iceberg, so I urge all Longmont residents to continue following the issue and expressing their views to the City Council.

Unfortunately, the deck was stacked heavily against the people of Longmont from the very start. It's disappointing that the City Council is so eager to bow down to any land developer that strolls into our town, and it's particularly disappointing that the Mayor was so dismissive of the concerns of Longmont residents. I suppose that's something that she may have to address in the next election. I am extremely grateful, however, for the overwhelming participation by Longmont citizens, many of whom spoke passionately about this development issue and stressed a need for fiscal, aesthetic, and environmental responsibility. I'd also like to thank the press for taking the time to cover such an important local issue, and I'd like to commend Councilwoman Benker for her firm and principled stand in support of the people of Longmont.

Many people have asked me about the next steps in this struggle to be heard. The Longmont City Council will receive an open records request in the next few days. I hope that all of you will continue to watch and weigh in on this issue so that we can make our collective voices heard. Together we have a chance to steer this development in a positive direction.

Links to LifeBridge media coverage:

Mail to a Friend | Link | Comments (232)

Posts By Month