Colorado and Lyons Government news, properties, taxes, meetings
Town of Lyons
2024 BUDGET PROCESS
Reminder: the Board of Trustees would like to gather input from residents regarding items that residents would like prioritized for the 2024 budget process.——-We have created a short form on the Town website, where you may add your suggestions as a resident for the 2024 budget. https://townoflyons.com/budgetinput
HONEYWELL DISPUTE SETTLED.
Honeywell was suppose to build a wastewater treatment plant that would save the town money, but there were supposed defects and misinformation, and the Town of Lyons sued them. Honeywell pointed out things that the Town also did wrong. So, after 100’s of hours of discussions, (including long “executive sessions” by the Town Board of Trustees), and thousands of dollars in legal fees, the Town was awarded $1.3 million in settlement, and will have to do some updates to the plant. — Mark Browning did an excellent detailed wrap up of the multi-year dispute in the Redstone Review. We asked him to do one for the Recorder, but he felt there were still many unanswered questioned, and he felt he couldn’t write a complete article that would satisfy him and Town Administrator Victoria Simonsen.
MARTIN PROPERTY FINALIZED
The property known as the Martin property is now officially Zoned Open Space, and no structures can be built on it. It was purchased from Boulder County, as part of the Flood 2013 properties, in 2016, a “buy-out” property. (Board of Trustees)
NEW HOTEL
The owners of the new hotel gave a report. See NEWS BRIEFS for more info. No date is set for demolition.
Boulder County Commissioners – upcoming August meetings
ARTICLE 8/3/23 – August Report of Boulder County Commissioners
Meeting: On August 17, 2023
The Boulder County Commissioners will hold a public hearing to consider putting forward two county ballot measures at this year’s November election. See our article last week.
==Local Minimum Wage
==Behavioral Health Plan
==Renew tax for Open Space acquisition and maintenance
Public comment can also be shared in-person (1325 Pearl St, Boulder), online via Zoom, or by phone during the Public Hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. on August 17. Visit the Ballot Measures website for registration details.
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RAISE MINIMUM WAGE in BOULDER COUNTY Jan. 2024 — last week we had an article about the upcoming Boulder County Commission meeting, and the upcoming discussion over minimum wages, rising to $15.70. === here is additional info for you to give your opinion:
The county is looking for feedback on the ongoing approach to wages in future years. Feedback can be shared with the Boulder County Commissioners by email or through an online survey which will be available shortly in English and Spanish.
Listening Sessions for Business Community
In addition to written feedback, the county invites the business community to attend online listening sessions with Commissioner Claire Levy, Chair of the Board of County Commissioners:
==Mountain/rural small employers
==Employers (general)
==Small employers in specific industries (restaurants, nonprofits, employee-owned, etc.)
Dates and registration details to be announced shortly. Sign up to receive registration links when available.
Town Hall: October 12 – Niwot
The Boulder County Commissioners will host an in-person Town Hall event on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 5:30 p.m. at Left Hand Grange (195 2nd Ave, Niwot, CO 80544). Residents and businesses are welcome to attend and share comments and questions in person.
Public Hearing: November 2, 2023==
The Boulder County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Public comment can be shared in-person (Commissioners’ Hearing Room, 1325 Pearl St, Boulder), virtually via Zoom, or by phone. Registration links and further details will be available in the Commissioners’ Advance Agenda on Friday, Oct. 20. Sign up to receive the Advance Agenda.
State of Colorado new laws this week
MINORS PURCHASING GUNS: A new law raising the age that a person can buy a gun from 18 years to 21 years old was set to be enacted on Monday, August 7, 2023. == The same day it was suppose to go into effect (Monday) it was put on hold. The nonprofit Rocky Mountain Gun Owners that sued Gov. Jared Polis to stop the new law, which Polis signed back in April, got a judge to put it on hold till the court case is settled. Two other plaintiffs, (teenagers?) Tate Mosgrove and Adrian Pineda, said they wanted to buy guns for self-defense in their homes but would be blocked by the new law.
WORKERS PROTECTION NEW LAW: Beginning on August 7, the Protecting Opportunity & Workers’ Rights (POWR) Act (SB23-172) will update the definition of harassment and specify that harassment does not need to be “severe or pervasive” to constitute a discriminatory or unfair practice. The law also deters future harassment by modernizing language around non-disclosure agreements, expanding protections for people with disabilities, and adding marital status as a protected class.
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REPUBLICAN PARTY vs. INDEPENDENT VOTERS
Colorado’s Republican Party sued the Secretary of State on August 1st, in an effort to keep unaffiliated voters from voting in the primaries. It alleges that Proposition 108, which voters approved in 2016, is unconstitutional. The state voters are 47% independents (and an even split between Democrats and Republicans voters). On August 9, Colorado Republicans rejected bylaws that would have prevented unaffiliated voters from voting in any party primaries – Republican or Democrat.
7/31/23 – SPACE COMMAND STAYS IN COLORADO! Despite efforts of President Trump and Huntsville, Alabama to move it to their state, President Biden has officially said it will stay put. Colorado already has all the resources – aerospace companies and satellite technology – and will be ready to go by the end of this month… while Huntsville would take many years to be ready to offer the services. Thanks to Sen. Hickenlooper and his DELEGATION for advocating for it. It is centered in Colorado Springs, and 60% of the jobs are for civilians.
INFLATION in Ameica is DOWN: CPI grew 3% — down from 9% last summer, June! (in May it was 4%) – Unemployment is at 3.6% a near 50 year low.