The GOLDEN INFORMER City of Golden Community Newsletter September / October 2003 This edition of The Golden Informer is a celebration of some recent additions that make Golden more attractive than ever as the best place in Colorado to live, work, and play. We hope you will send this In This Issue. photo album to your family and friends around the world and use it to brag a little about the wonderful place you call home. Letter from Mike Bestor City Council Members During last year’s drought, your City Council directed that the long-planned Guanella Reservoir Leadership Golden Forum should be built immediately, and if you drive up Highway 40 just past the town of Empire, you will Election Day - Not Far Away! see the dam and reservoir taking shape. It will start filling this winter from the West Fork of Clear PHOTO ALBUM Creek and will hold over 1,800 acre feet of water – enough to insure that Golden can weather any Guanella Reservoir Project drought, for many years. Even with this new resource we must continue to practice smart water use and conservation. See the story on page 8 for details on how our dedicated City employees will help Art in Public Places you in that effort. The Washington Ave. Bridge Clear Creek Trail Most improvements to this City happen because individual citizens band together to make something Fossil Trace Golf Club happen. The Public Art Program is a great example where City staff plays only a supportive role to Splash Water Park the Movers and Shakers who cause good things to happen. Today we enjoy the Fossil Trace Golf Clear Creek Water Activities Course and The Splash only because our citizens, by the hundreds, made this happen. Not only are Concerts in the Park golf courses and aquatic parks wonderful attractions by themselves, but they provide summer and Water Conservation part time jobs for Golden’s teenagers and retired citizens. GURA News Treemendous The kayak course is providing an attraction for many people who never have, and never will, sit in a Employee Profile kayak, but do enjoy tubing, fishing, and panning for gold. The kayak course joins our Clear Creek Calendar of Events Trail and the new and exciting Washington Avenue Bridge to provide a vital and exciting outdoor New Golden Cook Book gathering place – joining our unique downtown with the sights and sounds of Colorado. I hope you enjoy this change of pace issue. I know you appreciate the Informer and join me in reluctantly saying goodbye to Tami Johnson, who made this newsletter what it is and who now moves on to new adventures. We will all miss her but we will work hard to continue her tradition of constantly improving The Golden Informer. Sincerely, Mike Bestor City Manager Contact Your Council Members The GOLDEN INFORMER is produced and published by the City Manager’s office and mailed as a news and information source for all residents in Golden. All City departments contribute Dave Shuey Bill McKee Mayor material for use in this At Large District One Charles Baroch publication. Comments on the (303) 279-1770 (303) 279-3214 District Two [email protected] [email protected] (303) 278-9697 newsletter format and content [email protected] are welcome. Please write to the City of Golden, 911 Tenth Street, Golden, CO 80401 Attn: Office of Public Affairs; or call (303) 384-8119, or e-mail [email protected] ISIT US ON THE V WEB Mayor Pro Tem Marcie Miller Robert Nelson Gwyn Green cityofgolden.net David Ketchum Ward Two Ward Three Ward Four Ward One (720) 341-5271 (303) 279-2594 (303) 271-1500 (303) 279-5911 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Departmental Contributors The City of Golden can only provide you with the highest level of service if you maintain & MANAGEMENT TEAM contact with City Council members and city staff. Please feel free to contact them at any time by calling or writing to 911 10th Street, Golden, 80401. City Manager: Mike Bestor City Council meets at 7:30 pm on the second and fourth Thursday of each month and welcomes comments from the public. Planning and Development: Steve Glueck ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Public Works: Dan Hartman Know the Issues – Vote Wisely! Election Day—It’s not that far away! Police Department: Bill Kilpatrick th City Clerk: Susan Brooks The Leadership Golden Alumni This year Golden will participate in the November 4 Association and the Golden Transcript coordinated election with Jefferson County and that Parks & Recreation: Charlie Fagan with support of the City of Golden, will means mail ballots. This year’s election will include be conducting a Candidate’s Forum on the two district seats, election of the Mayor and three Finance: Jeffrey Hansen Tuesday, October 21st from 6:30 to 9:30 charter amendments. pm in the Foss Auditorium at the Fire Department: John Bales Mark you calendars: American Mountaineering Center, 710 Public Affairs: Tami Johnson 10th St. The forum will feature debates • Last day to register to vote: October 6, 2003. by representatives of political groups on • Mail Ballots will be mailed no later than October Human Resources: Teresa Reilly both the pro and con sides of ballot 22, 2003. City Attorney: Jim Windholz initiatives. In addition, the candidates for district council seats and mayoral • Election Day November 4, 2003. All mail ballots candidates will be invited to outline their must be returned to Jefferson County Clerk by 7 pm. positions and respond to questions GOLDEN INFORMER TEAM developed by the sponsors. Anyone with • Not sure you are registered? Contact the Jefferson Tami Johnson: Public Affairs Specialist suggestions for candidate questions can County election department at (303) 271-8111. Heather Grimshaw: Contributing Writer send them by mail to the Golden If you need to register or change your address within Transcript, attention of Joe Ross or email Susan Roméo: Professional Images Golden, you may do so at the Golden City Clerk’s office, them to [email protected]. 911 10th Street from 8 – 5, Monday – Friday. Or at the For more information call Ed Dorsey at Jefferson County Election Department at 100 Jefferson A (303) 384-9923. County Parkway. For more information call (303) 371-8111. 2 Guanella Resevoir Congressman Udall and Mayor Charles Baroch 3 Around Golden Public Art in Golden Cowboy’s Day Off Return of the Cutthroat Winter Wind on the Mesa Helping Hands The Cowboy Buffalo Bill Cody Washington Avenue Bridge Trail along Clear Creek Square & Commons 4 Golden Recreation For tee times call (303) 277-8750. 5 Golden Recreation 6 Golden FUN! Kayaking,rafting, tubing and canoeing in Clear Creek Concerts In The Park Police Chief Bill Kilpatrick and Libby 7 Water Conservation Efforts Take the Form of Green Thumb When it comes to water conservation in the city of Golden Topics for the series education is key, says Fran Phillips, environmental specialist. titled Golden Knowing that outdoor water conservation gives residents Panoramas: A Resident’s “the most bang for their buck,” she focuses much of her Guide to Water energy on garden design, plant selection, and disease Conservation in the control. In addition to conserving water it connects people Landscape ranged from to their city in unique and rewarding ways. “Garden Design” and “Plant Matter” to The secret to success, she says, is recognizing the gardening “Drought-Tolerant realities of Colorado and adapting your style accordingly. Trees” and “Hard “Luckily most residents really like the natural beauty of Scapes” for people who Colorado and they’re attracted to what’s native here,” says want options for patios Phillips. “I’ve seen garden design give people such a sense and paths. Local of satisfaction, a real sense of what they’re capable of, and landscape architects, also Mother Nature really got people’s attention last year.” garden designers, and water conservation To help residents create and maintain water-smart or experts taught the Xeriscape gardens the city’s Public Works department, courses, and more than 760 people registered. “Using nature where Phillips works, offers classes on garden design, as our guide we taught people how to incorporate those designs schedules “Sleeping” and “Waking” garden tours to at home,” says Phillips. The seminars attracted an average of 100 illustrate how gardens appear during different seasons, and people per night, despite blizzard conditions. Phillips taped the distributes free materials such as water meter probes, rain sessions and will loan tapes out from her office. gauges, and free mulch to help residents know when to water. Phillips also serves on The Lawn Watering Group, a group of community members that drafted a drought plan for the Front For indoor Range. Working with Westminster, Aurora, Denver, Loveland, conservation, the city Greeley, and other cities, the group has created a uniform offers free toilet dams approach to help eliminate the confusion that occurred last and diverters, available summer with varying water restrictions. through the Utilities Department along with Gardening in Golden new water conservation The subtle and sustained beauty of Xeriscape gardens has brochures. Golden become more accepted and popular across the state and the annually distributes city’s three demonstration gardens – that feature water- about 500 packages of conservative plants – generate weekly calls. “People will these free goodies to pass a garden, like a plant, and want to know the name. help residents conserve They want to know where they can buy it,” says Phillips, water, though Phillips who worked with students and parents to design a Xeriscape says she often feels like garden at Shelton Elementary School in 2000.