A TOWN OF THE BLIND

Faith and confidence in how your community is operated and how your valuable tax dollars are spent - is earned, it does not come from the text published by the current "Atta Boy" town administrator, patting himself on the back, in the town mouthpiece " Trail Gazette". The competent and professional application of basic services, smooth and invisible, translates into a well manage community.

Do not tell me how good you are, actions speak louder than all your words combined.

Case in point: the street painting project currently under way, at the end of September.

What’s the problem with that you ask?

The answer is; snow removal and the sanding of icy roads.

Any fool that knows Colorado mountain living - knows that in the winter our roads must be plowed and sanded, plowing and sanding grinds away the cross walks and lane dividers. Snowing, plowing and sanding will begin any day now and before our paint is dry, we will begin sand blasting it off. All the other Colorado communities, with half a noodle, paint and line their streets first thing late spring - so they look good and have proper cross walks for all the tourists that come by the millions. There go tens of thousands of our dollars down the crapper - all that paint will be gone by Christmas.

The only exception to this basic rule of street maintenance in Colorado, are the high priority areas - school zones.

The bass-ackwards gang is at it again.

Estes Park if you do not demand better - you will never get it, Mayor John why do you allow this kind of goofy operations?

Why Pick On Seniors?

Look, if you are a senior that is offended by the comments made here then maybe you should step back and look at the big picture. So, you see seniors in the voting line, big deal. How many of them do you see? Really, it can’t be that many. When we get a turnout of only 20% and the senior voting population comprises about 75% of all registered voters, do the math.

So, from the big picture aspect, SENIORS DON’T VOTE! Now, are they too lazy, too rich to care or too stupid? They complain the most and don’t do anything about it. If they got out the vote they could rule this town and they don’t have the gumption to do so. So, when the seniors start ragging on issues they should be told – Shut The Hell Up!

Until they get involved they are totally irrelevant to the issues. While the Town rips them off they can just enjoy life at the car club, the duck race or volunteering in the park. Sadly, they (a big collective they) don’t care. What a shame.

Red Herrings Spawning in Estes Park

Isn’t it interesting that whenever the Town starts getting pressure they send out the fish?

Some locals are questioning their motives for the visitor center, their marketing practices and the lack of parking. All of these things need attention and the Town refuses to deal with any of them to our satisfaction. How could they do better? Well, the visitor center should never have been built and should have had several public hearings prior to its construction. It is a monster building that is too close to the river (code says 50 feet) and is definitely not a visitor center, it is an office building with a big front room; an office building to house a staff that is illegally hired, against State Statute.

As to marketing, they haven’t done anything new in 20 years. They are incompetent and should be shut down. Let’s put the obscene $600,000 in salaries to better use.

Speaking of salaries, the Town salaries are nearly as high as they are in Highlands Ranch; another insult that you locals don’t seem to care about.

As to parking, this Town will never deal honestly with the lack of parking. They conduct phony studies and make excuses. “Well, you say we need 500 to 1,000 parking spots but we just put in 25 spaces. That should be enough.”

Now to the fish: A red herring, as you should all know, is a diversion. The most recent Town red herring is tying they ribbons on the old pine tree. Let’s all be good to one another, say kind things, and let’s form focus groups to determine how we can be nicer. Have an issue; don’t bring it up because it could be nasty.

How did it get this way? It got this way because of the very foolish retiree’s that don’t vote and don’t support the true tax base in this town. The tax base of businesses keeps property taxes and utilities low and allow the retirees a great standard of living. If the retiree’s get their way we won’t have any visitors. That’s a really ignorant position. If the tourists go away we lose tax dollars and it will be made up from the retiree’s with new property taxes and utility increases.

Retiree’s should, therefore, be fighting for more business success. They should fight for whatever brings more tax dollars into the community, but the Town has learned that the retirees are to ignorant to get it and that they don’t vote anyway. What does all of this portend? In the very near future, without any major changes to Town policies, we will be just another crappy little mountain town with nothing to offer visitors or citizens. Stores that are boarded up don’t attract anyone. This is such a shame because we have a great base of retirees that are well qualified to serve and they choose not to. What a waste.

The Rodney King Coalition

Residents asking all to CARE about local attitudes
Group advocates positive dialogue
By Lisa Pogue
It’s not a political thing and it’s not a religious thing. It’s about acceptance and civility — two vitals that some Estes Park residents say anger and divisiveness have nearly stamped out.
A new committee is challenging locals to reinvent negative attitudes, spread respect and promote honoring diversity. An Estes CARES (Care, Acceptance, Respect, Encourage and Support) kickoff event is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 4 p.m. in downtown Bond Park.
The Common Good Committee invites residents to write messages relaying their view of a harmonious Estes Park on colored ribbons that will remain tied to a Bond Park tree for a month. The gathering includes music, speakers and group discussions.
“We want to see a time when seething anger, blatant bitterness, cutting and contentious words and actions, and vicious name-calling give way to mutual respect and the wholesome acceptance of diversity,” committee chair Earl Matson said.
In the interest of creating mature, open-minded conversations on public issues, organizers hope the Estes CARES movement will spur local government, church and civic groups to run with the idea and talk about ways to build a supportive community.
The grassroots Common Good Committee originated with the Estes Valley Community Service Coalition, a monthly roundtable of area non-profits, and formed as a non-membership-based group to birth the “invitation to conversation” in Estes Park.
“We want to make sure it’s clear that we’re not discouraging discourse, it’s healthy to disagree,” said Chuck Levine, committee member and Town trustee.
“We want to relay the message that it’s important to listen and to hear other’s point of view and appreciate our differences,” Matson added.
The Town Board of Trustees approved the event in August, unanimously backing the idea.
“I love this concept,” said Mayor Pro Tem Sue Doylen. “Sometimes someone’s words can move mountains and maybe even people’s actions.”
At the August meeting, Matson shared a quote by Bill Moyers, stating, “the American eagle, in order to fly, must have a ‘right wing’ and a ‘left wing.’”
The comment was received with concerted nods.
“This is a concern in Estes Park and a concern in our nation,” Mayor John Baudek said. “We need to change the ‘I’m right and you’re wrong’ way of thinking.”
Buttons, resources and literature will be available at the Sept. 21 ceremony. The committee plans to record messages inscribed on ribbons for future reflection.


Estes Parkian

As you all know from time to time we will copy a story from the local Rag that we find to be of local political interest to make our point. This Trail article is such a political manipulation.

I am a reasonable God fearing, politically savvy person. When a group of politicians claim their support and involvement is not political - I am….. skeptical.

When one is dealing with arrogant elected public officials, that have routinely violated the law as planned, thought out and implemented strategies - how does a community reverse that trend? When elected leaders routinely corrupt all those around them, in order to function, what is a community to do? Now I’m not for name calling, but how does one describe an elected official that sexually abuses children, public officials that steal from our children, corrupt officials that profit and benefit at everyone else’s expense?

A group hug is semi-therapeutic agreed, but we are on a mission to clean up this town’s corruption and will refer to any legal device necessary to reach our goal. It will be helpful if you view the Estes Parkian as a professional hostage negotiator and must service that goal as top priority. We intend to free up Town Hall from corruption and how can one do that until we all understand the problem and address it as a community? Like the drug problem around town - ignoring it will not make it go away. We must take it on - head on.

Seething anger? Damn right I am angry; at the corruption, pedophiles, drugs and thieves. That kind of passive - aggressive tactic is ugly politics, if you do not agree with me - then you are an angry person. I am angry at people that sexually abuse children and steal public money. I have compassion for the victims, not the victimizers. I personally am angry when I am lied to and deceived - when indifference and apathy over shadow good sense and action for the public good.


After the Rodney King Coalition “Can’t We All Just Get Along” finishes meeting and hug’n it out in Bond Park, please explain the following:

Why people can deal drugs in Estes Park, in the open and nothing is done?
Why have we spent millions developing low income housing in the zoned downtown business district?
Why wouldn’t the mayor and Sue Doylen and the rest of the trustees “Hug It Out” with the Chamber of Commerce over the past five years?
Where does all our money go? Why will you not do business in the public eye? Why do you allow your employees to deceive us with made up data?

I find it very disturbing when three elected trustees promote the political position that - it’s not right or wrong - it’s a matter of getting along. John, Sue and Chuck, you asked for the job of oversight of the towns operation - it is not an easy job, but it is the job. You do not have the luxury of being wrong - you must always be right, fair and honest. You can hire the finest legal minds and administrators available, you can generally take as much time as you need, you have all the resources at your command - you cannot be wrong, because when you are wrong, as you frequently are, it cost us all a lot of unnecessary millions.

John C. is still a Butt Kisser
David H. is …….#@$%ing crazy
Mike Smith better not show his face around here
Sue Doylen is…… (Over the past 3 1/2 years, approx. 31 checks payable to: “Master Graphics Printing” for services totaling $ 14,220.99 worth of business with the Town of Estes Park, that’s business moxey) gone.

Theodore Roosevelt “Speak softly and carry a big stick”.

The Estes Parkian

Stopping Spam

You may have noticed that unscrupulous near-do-wells had been submitting spam postings on this site. In order to eliminate them so that they don’t have to be individually removed, there is a new feature added. When you wish to post you are asked to enter your post, select if you want to use your name or be anynomous, then submit the word or phrase listed on the screen. You may then post. This just insures that it is a live person responding, not an auto responder. Your comments are important and enjoyed by the huge readership we have gained. Keep it up.

Have You Seen It Lately?

What in the hell are they thinking? Have you seen the new Visitor Center lately? For cripes sake, how big a monument to themselves do they need? “One small step for the visitors, one giant step for Town flunkies.” They will have a great facility for the useless Marsh/Pickering duo and their equally useless staff. The only positive thing they have done didn’t happen at all. Remember they promised the kiddie musician crowd? They would fill the town to capacity and we’d all get rich. Seems they never had a contract and it all went up in smoke. Big surprise – NOT.

Now, we should all be happy about this as part of the new diversity/kindness issue. Appreciate our differences, speak with positive inflection, and reap praise on the boobs that have failed us. Just ask the new committee of kindness monitors. Todd, Levene: Get serious. Cordsen is another one to address the issue. He won’t print anything he doesn’t agree with, unless it’s submitted by the Town.
The three of them in a room are like a turd in the punch bowl. That is said with the greatest respect.

Geezers - Grab This Opportunity!

This is an opportunity for all of us old geezers to contribute to the community, and us. The hospital is asking for the right to sell revenue bonds, paid back from the hospital revenues, to finance a huge construction project.

The Estesparkian weighs in on this, being a geezer, because it is the geezer class that will most benefit. And, the majority of fellow Estesparkians falls into that class.

Look, a strong hospital is a great asset to the community. It provides basic and essential services and through the expansion will provide even more services so we won’t have to take as many trips to the valley.

Now, one could argue that the hospital may not have enough revenue to pay back the bonds, since we know they have had a troublesome past. However, they seem to have things under control these days with the benefit of Doug Faus’s expertise. He may move on, but the hospital will surely continue to have revenue.

This election doesn’t guarantee the bonds; it just gives them the right to sell bonds. The selling is a different animal altogether. It would then be up to the hospital, or a brokerage firm, to sell the bonds to the general public. They’d have to sell the story. For us geezers, we should support this enterprise and hope we get the needed facility. It’s good for us. Vote in favor!

Scot Fest, From the Field of Valor!

Wow, have you been to the ScotFest? Well, lemme tell ya, there are tens of thousands of visitors spending millions of dollars right there at Stanley Park. Anyone that is anybody is there and the Tattoo last night was a real patriotic tribute and highlighted some of the best bagpipe bands in the world. Yes, the world! Of course to my tin ear they sound like the inspiration to the Aflac Duck ads, but it’s best to leave the judging to people that know about these things. One major act was the Head Talk drum corps from Loveland. These kids are fantastic!

John Baudek was there in his skirt, standing in the shadows so he wouldn’t have to talk to anyone or make eye contact. He loves to wave from the sidelines, but being a passive aggressive he can’t stand being close to anyone. One wonders what he was thinking as he was propped up against one of the busier retail tents. It probably went something like this:

1. I wonder if the citizens will buy into our cutting kids programs to raise taxes. That damn Estesparkian told people about this in one of his stupid blogs. Thank God no one ever does anything about that.
2. This is a great party out here and it only costs the Town a few hundred thousand. So what if we don’t get any taxes or benefit from the event. Gosh, the busy downtown merchants probably enjoy the break. Gives them a little time to dust their inventories. Yea, that’s it. Besides, look at all those parking spaces downtown today. We don't need more parking. Peter can spin this; he’s got to be good for something. I’m sure glad he’s not in Town Hall anymore. What a pain in the butt it is to listen to him every day.
3. I better tell Pickering and Marsh they have to change their story a bit about people not spending money; gosh this place is a spending frenzy. We better beef up our story showing we’re responsible for all of this.
4. Note to self “gas prices don’t seem to be having any affect on travelers. There are thousands of cars spread out around here and people are actually spending $5 a car to park.” This doesn’t sound like any of our parking studies. Better change that story a bit as well. I think I’ll have Randy address that one.
5. I need to drive by the church and see if Randy’s seeding project is going well. We have a huge landscaping budget, a few thousand up there is further beautification, good for the community.
6. Boy they sure cut down on dogs this year. Good idea, they just poop all over the field and we can’t ticket them.
7. I’m glad none of the TV stations are covering this. I feel like such an idiot in this stupid dress.
8. I wonder if we can tie cutting kids programs with the need for a new fire station. Maybe that’s what the National Geographic people meant about this being a sappy town. These Saps will buy anything. I’ll have Peter work on this one. Heck if it’s any good I’ll put my name on it.
9. I think I’ll sneak out of here with that Marine guard. Nobody will even notice. Can’t wait to get into some pants.
   
   

Musings

Didja notice that coming into town there is a banner to visit the FREE museum? Boy, that’s a money maker. The Town spends so much money supporting the Scot/Irish Festival one would think they’d have a banner pushing that.

What a shame that the privately owned festival attracts visitors who spend a small fortune and the Town, as lame as they are, doesn’t collect any sales tax. They give up our streets, our VERY limited parking to those visitors and don’t get anything for it. Downtown merchants lose sales because everyone who is visiting goes to the fair grounds.

That’s what Home Rule would have solved. Why can’t you people get it?

The few people who are posting on this site have a feel for it and yet continue to ask when someone will do something about these situations. Until you are willing to do something on your own things will not change.

We deserve what we have because we aren’t willing to make a change.

Hazlitt Scores

Balderdash once again made some great points regarding profiling. This political correctness has gotten out of hand. How can we protect our country if we can’t use reasonable criteria to help us determine who our enemies may be? Not using profiling is like allowing everyone to carry guns on the planes because most of them won’t use them against us.

Hazlitt has one flaw thinking that this town has anyone that will speak up. In this town we don’t vote, don’t voice our opinions and are only concerned when something personally affects us. Let someone else worry about these things. We just whine.

FOUR !!

The parks and recreation district needs money. So they want to raise my property taxes. It is September 9, 2005 and they want us to vote on this November 1, 2005. The town seems to have plenty of funds, civic projects of all kinds - going on all over town.

The biggest majority of the increase will affect the business community; the town trustees publicly call the local businessmen stupid because 85% of the businesses turn over every five years. It seems running a town or a recreation district is not required to be efficiently run and pay its way, just stuff the money down a rat whole and ask for more. What’s a matter doesn’t the district have any business moxy?

Is this a revelation that just struck this group or is this a new tactic, sort of a sneak attack? The golf courses cannot operate at a profit? The golf courses in Vail, Steamboat, Fort Collins, Denver, etc. etc. are all revenue generators.

What’s a matter doesn’t the district have any business moxy?

Please, do not waste your time - our time - everyone’s time, on a tax increase vote that will be turned down. No more taxes.

Instead of raising everyone’s property taxes to supplement poor management and if all you need is $250,000.00 to $300,000.00 dollars per year please consider the following:

Stop using treated potable drinking water to water the golf courses, when raw water is available at a fraction of the price.

Game Time

With trustee elections coming up in April 2006, it is an optimal time to start discussing the politics here in Estes.

All trustees are elected at large and our research over the past ten years has come up pretty empty, trying to identify platforms. When you have more than one candidate for the same seats how do you choose just one? What are the qualities that Estes finds attractive in its trustees?

David H. ran pretty successfully a few years back on the platform of “I will run to prevent Patrick C. from serving”. Other trustees have been elected on the “do you remember my dad” platform. The last trustee election a trustee was elected on a healing of the town promise (once elected he joined the “if it’s not broken don’t fix it crowd”), how’s that coming by the way - the fixing, healing or breaking? Trustee Newsome during the last trustee election, admitted he didn’t do anything for the four years of his first term, but just does what John tells him, he got reelected. With term limits of eight years Sue Doylan as survived as trustee for 14 years on no platform at all but does growl and make faces.

Isn’t it difficult to run a campaign without a platform - or some sort of agenda, what cause do you champion and who are your supporters? In the recent home rule election several of the town trustees ran as a team, chanted the same mantra - everyone but the trustees had an agenda. What politician runs for an office without a platform, agenda, or plans of some sort?

So many people play the “local” card to get elected. One “local” politician cannot engage you in a conversation without reminding you that his dad was a trustee, my dad this - my dad that (his dad by the way made his money and moved south).

Is there an advantage to electing someone that has lived here most of their lives? The answer to that question, on a purely practical - operational level, would have to be no. The town operates under the rule sets of statutory status. The rules that govern the town are set by the state legislature and the trustees are sworn to follow those rules, if they don’t you can always prosecute them because they are personally liable.

If the town would have converted decades ago to home rule status, if local rules sets and guide lines specific to Estes Park were historically established - than one could see some history being a factor. The functions of the trustee’s job are by and large not creative, but maintenance in nature – paying the bills and assuring ordinances are in compliance with state law.

On the other hand, the position of trustee can prove to be a financial windfall for those that have the moxy and play their cards right. Locals have more knowledge of the tricks of the trade on how to skirt the rules, how to break the law and make it sound like what they are doing is for everyone’s benefit. If you are willing to break a few rules, well it can be quite lucrative personally.

Rhetoric and excuses are the only politics of Estes Park that we can identify; an example of action would be an implementation of a more responsible management style. In Estes Park the trustees are content to do business in the back room, hiring friends and finding ways to skirt state statutes. Decades ago the trustees could have insisted on a more transparent and competitive, prudent and less political management of public funds, but who would want to be trustee then?

Since Mayor John B. took office there have been 120 trustee meetings that included 30 executive sessions. The City of Fort Collins City Council manages a town of 130,000 with not one executive session in the same time span.

Reading Matertial For Will S.

How can your elected officials use an urban renewal authority to condem their own building and build themselves a new one. The information center is a town owned building, did it meet the definitions as defined by state statutes? It would be interesting to find out how many urban renewal authorities have "blighted" town buildings.

31-25-103. Definitions.

Statute text
As used in this part 1, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) "Authority" or "urban renewal authority" means a corporate body organized pursuant to the provisions of this part 1 for the purposes, with the powers, and subject to the restrictions set forth in this part 1.
(2) "Blighted area" means an area that, in its present condition and use and, by reason of the presence of at least four of the following factors, substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of the municipality, retards the provision of housing accommodations, or constitutes an economic or social liability, and is a menace to the public health, safety, morals, or welfare:
(a) Slum, deteriorated, or deteriorating structures;
(b) Predominance of defective or inadequate street layout;
(c) Faulty lot layout in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility, or usefulness;
(d) Unsanitary or unsafe conditions;
(e) Deterioration of site or other improvements;
(f) Unusual topography or inadequate public improvements or utilities;
(g) Defective or unusual conditions of title rendering the title nonmarketable;
(h) The existence of conditions that endanger life or property by fire or other causes;
(i) Buildings that are unsafe or unhealthy for persons to live or work in because of building code violations, dilapidation, deterioration, defective design, physical construction, or faulty or inadequate facilities;
(j) Environmental contamination of buildings or property;
(k) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2004, p. 1745, § 3, effective June 4, 2004.)
(k.5) The existence of health, safety, or welfare factors requiring high levels of municipal services or substantial physical underutilization or vacancy of sites, buildings, or other improvements; or
(l) If there is no objection by the property owner or owners and the tenant or tenants of such owner or owners, if any, to the inclusion of such property in an urban renewal area, "blighted area" also means an area that, in its present condition and use and, by reason of the presence of any one of the factors specified in paragraphs (a) to (k.5) of this subsection (2), substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of the municipality, retards the provision of housing accommodations, or constitutes an economic or social liability, and is a menace to the public health, safety, morals, or welfare. For purposes of this paragraph (l), the fact that an owner of an interest in such property does not object to the inclusion of such property in the urban renewal area does not mean that the owner has waived any rights of such owner in connection with laws governing condemnation.
(3) "Bonds" means any bonds (including refunding bonds), notes, interim certificates or receipts, temporary bonds, certificates of indebtedness, debentures, or other obligations.
(3.3) "Business concern" has the same meaning as "business" as set forth in section 24-56-102 (1), C.R.S.
(3.5) "Displaced person" has the same meaning as set forth in section 24-56-102 (2), C.R.S., and for purposes of this part 1 shall also include any individual, family, or business concern displaced by the acquisition by eminent domain of real property by an authority.
(3.7) "Governing body" means the governing body of the municipality within which an authority has been established in accordance with the requirements of this part 1.
(4) "Obligee" means any bondholder, agent, or trustee for any bondholder, or any lessor demising to an authority property used in connection with an urban renewal project of the authority, or any assignee of such lessor's interest or any part thereof, and the federal government when it is a party to any contract or agreement with the authority.
(5) "Public body" means the state of Colorado or any municipality, quasi-municipal corporation, board, commission, authority, or other political subdivision or public corporate body of the state.
(6) "Real property" means lands, lands under water, structures, and any and all easements, franchises, incorporeal hereditaments, and every estate and right therein, legal and equitable, including terms for years and liens by way of judgment, mortgage, or otherwise.
(7) "Slum area" means an area in which there is a predominance of buildings or improvements, whether residential or nonresidential, and which, by reason of dilapidation, deterioration, age or obsolescence, inadequate provision for ventilation, light, air, sanitation, or open spaces, high density of population and overcrowding, or the existence of conditions which endanger life or property by fire or other causes, or any combination of such factors, is conducive to ill health, transmission of disease, infant mortality, juvenile delinquency, or crime and is detrimental to the public health, safety, morals, or welfare.
(8) "Urban renewal area" means a slum area, or a blighted area, or a combination thereof which the local governing body designates as appropriate for an urban renewal project.
(9) "Urban renewal plan" means a plan, as it exists from time to time, for an urban renewal project, which plan conforms to a general or master plan for the physical development of the municipality as a whole and which is sufficiently complete to indicate such land acquisition, demolition and removal of structures, redevelopment, improvements, and rehabilitation as may be proposed to be carried out in the urban renewal area, zoning and planning changes, if any, land uses, maximum densities, building requirements, and the plan's relationship to definite local objectives respecting appropriate land uses, improved traffic, public transportation, public utilities, recreational and community facilities, and other public improvements.
(10) "Urban renewal project" means undertakings and activities in an urban renewal area for the elimination and for the prevention of the development or spread of slums and blight and may involve slum clearance and redevelopment, or rehabilitation, or conservation, or any combination or part thereof, in accordance with an urban renewal plan. Such undertakings and activities may include:
(a) Acquisition of a slum area or a blighted area or portion thereof;
(b) Demolition and removal of buildings and improvements;
(c) Installation, construction, or reconstruction of streets, utilities, parks, playgrounds, and other improvements necessary for carrying out the objectives of this part 1 in accordance with the urban renewal plan;
(d) Disposition of any property acquired or held by the authority as a part of its undertaking of the urban renewal project for the urban renewal areas (including sale, initial leasing, or temporary retention by the authority itself) at the fair value of such property for uses in accordance with the urban renewal plan;
(e) Carrying out plans for a program through voluntary action and the regulatory process for the repair, alteration, and rehabilitation of buildings or other improvements in accordance with the urban renewal plan; and
(f) Acquisition of any other property where necessary to eliminate unhealthful, unsanitary, or unsafe conditions, lessen density, eliminate obsolete or other uses detrimental to the public welfare, or otherwise remove or prevent the spread of blight or deterioration or to provide land for needed public facilities.

History
Source: L. 75: Entire title R&RE, p. 1159, § 1, effective July 1. L. 99: (2) amended, p. 529, § 1, effective May 3. L. 2004: (2)(f), (2)(h), (2)(j), (2)(k), and (2)(l) amended and (2)(k.5), (3.3), (3.5), and (3.7) added, p. 1745, §§ 3, 2, effective June 4.

Annotations
Editor's note: (1) This section was contained in this title when it was repealed and reenacted in 1975. Provisions of this section, as it existed in 1975, are similar to those contained in 31-25-103 as said section existed in 1974, the year prior to the repeal and reenactment of this title. For a detailed comparison, see the table located at the back of the index.
(2) Section 7 of chapter 367, Session Laws of Colorado 2004, provides that the act amending subsections (2)(f), (2)(h), (2)(j), (2)(k), and (2)(l) and enacting subsections (2)(k.5), (3.3), (3.5), and (3.7) applies to any property for which a blight determination is made on or after sixty days following June 4, 2004.

Annotations
ANNOTATION

Annotations
Law reviews. For comment on Rabinoff v. District Court, appearing below, see 35 U. Colo. L. Rev. 269 (1963).
Basis for finding area blighted. The fact that there were not widespread violations of building and health ordinances does not of itself establish arbitrariness on the part of the responsible authorities in the finding that the area was slum and blighted. Rabinoff v. District Court, 145 Colo. 225, 360 P.2d 114 (1961).
One well-kept building does not in itself defeat the determination of a blighted area. If the building owned by plaintiff, be, as claimed, a magnificent victorian type edifice such would not in itself defeat the determination that the area, taken as a whole, is a slum and blighted area. Interstate Trust Bldg. Co. v. Denver Urban Renewal Auth., 172 Colo. 427, 473 P.2d 978 (1970).
"Blighted area" construed. The definition of "blighted area" contained in subsection (2) is broad and not only encompasses those areas containing properties so dilapidated as to justify condemnation as nuisances, but also envisions the prevention of deterioration. The absence of widespread violations of building and health ordinances does not of itself establish arbitrariness on the part of a city council in finding blight. Tracy v. City of Boulder, 635 P.2d 907 (Colo. App. 1981).
Determination of "blighted area" by council is legislative question. A city council's determination as to whether an area is blighted, when such determination relates to the need for an ordinance, is a legislative question and scope of review by the judiciary is restricted. Tracy v. City of Boulder, 635 P.2d 907 (Colo. App. 1981).
If actual purpose behind a particular urban renewal plan is not the elimination or prevention of blight or slums, the urban renewal authority does not have the power to condemn land in furtherance of that plan because the determination of necessity is not supported by the record. City & County of Denver v. Block 173, 814 P.2d 824 (Colo. 1991).
Proper purpose for which a condemnation action may be instituted in the context of urban renewal is limited to plans adopted to remedy identified slum or blight conditions, and fact that such conditions were found to exist is not dispositive if the purpose in designating a large study area and in targeting block 173 as part of that area was to acquire block 173 for private purposes. City & County of Denver v. Block 173, 814 P.2d 824 (Colo. 1991).
Applied in Bailey v. People, 200 Colo. 549, 617 P.2d 549 (1980).

ASPEN UP

ASPEN, Colo. (AP) - Aspen retail sales set a record in July, and were up 13.5 percent over the same month last year.
Finance Director Paul Menter said the jump was mainly due to an increase in lodging visits. He said there are more people coming to Aspen this summer than in the past. Tourist accommodations were up 18.4 percent over July of last year.

Capture bit of data from the associated press.

Do you think it was the gas prices?

Do you think it was 9/11?

Do you think it was mechants with no moxy?

Hummmm

Annie Get Your Gun

Estes Park let me remind you where you are located, on the border of a national park. We have wilderness all around us. This is not suburban Omaha, Ames Iowa or even Denver. The wilderness is our back yard.

Puma eat Annies, Bambies and Peter Rabbit every day. They jump on their backs and bite through their necks and start eating through the soft parts of the belly. Coyotes pick over the bones and regularly kill baby elk/deer. It happens inside the city limits of Estes Park every day.

There is an uproar concerning a "local" that illegally harbors one of our elk. How many times have you seen that spot on channel eight, "do not feed the wildlife"? What makes "locals" of Estes Park think they are above the laws of the State of Colorado? The mayor is going to write to the governor - to make something happen in the state wildlife division, good luck John you and the gov are big pals. That would be like someone in Estes Park going to a trustee meeting and expecting the mayor to get one of the town employees to do something, it will never happen. This is sad you screwed up and the elk is going to pay the price.

This summer a group of visitors from out of state were in the viewing area by sheep lakes and allowed their little powder puff pet dog to run free around the car, a coyote came along, snatched the dog and proceeded to eat it in front of everyone - right in the parking lot. It is not a zoo - coyotes have babies to feed too. Read the signs and know the law.

A couple of years after the park service reintroduced wolves into Yellowstone National Park, a pack invaded the national elk refuge and slaughtered dozens of elk right in front of a bunch of tourists. If I am not mistaken there are no wolf proof fences between Estes Park and RMNP. What a show wolves would provide on the golf course during the rut. Have you ever seen a wolf have at an elk calf? Where do hundreds of the park elk go in the fall / winter,,, Estes Park, wolves follow the herd - its natures way.

The fate of Annie was set by a human playing savior seven years ago and turned that fine wild animal into a circus act. No matter what the fate of Annie, it is nothing compared to what the park service has in store for her brethren. A herd of elk that have not smelled a wolf in one hundred generations - sounds fair to me.

The poor elk dodge cars all summer, flatlanders move to Estes Park plant flower beds and build eight foot fences to keep the elk from feeding where their family have grazed for generations.
Pass an ordinance that prohibits exclussion fencing in Estes Park, give the elk special status in Estes, come out against wolves in RMNP do something for all the elk, not just one illegal pet.

Nixons Revenge

Sorry for the delay, the Estesparkian has been licking its wounds. The local rag, which we will call The Trail L. - demoted us to village idiot status and the scolding cut deep…NOT !

We are deep throat. We are the voice for the voiceless - the oppressed. Speaking out without fear of reprisal, sign your comments if you please but the Estesparkian needs to protect its sources. We will not quit - we will morph as we grow - we are watching you from inside and outside.

Estesparkians for Estes Park.

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The publisher of the Trail Chipmunk Gazette was a part of MAC (Marketing Advertising Committee) all the way back into the early nineties (sat on the committee with good old Scott W.) was appointed by the mayor to the APC (Advertising Policy Committee) then resigned.

Speaking of deep throat, this was all available on the town’s web site until recently, when the town spent $60,000.00 of our tax dollars removing porn from the town’s computers. Ever since the porn was removed so were all of these minutes and documents. Porn on the town employee’s computers was not a story worthy of the Trail G., I guess. They are an elected government body and leaders after all - government employees porn or no porn.

This is not about leadership, it is all about politics (we are doing what you should be doing Johnny Boy). Every time anyone starts looking to closely at what is going on in town hall, the town's propaganda department goes into overdrive and they begin spin doctoring articles into the local rags. The local rag muffles everyone that opposes the line, you said it your self Johnny Boy, the group that opposed the mayor was not published.

Politics.

The town can always find a stooge to sell out.

They get more than their monies worth.

Elected officials are politicians, bonehead, and they work for us and we allow them access to millions of our dollars. The elected officials are not in charge - the people of Estes Park are in charge - the people are the electorate and the principles of the community. You need to go back to community college and study civics. To be a competent editor, one has to be able to discern the difference between fact, fiction, legal, unlawful and politics. You display the characteristics of a follower - void of basic leadership qualities, content to be led around by the nose. You giving public lectures on leadership: your father is a hampster - your mother smells of elderberries, I spit on your shadow,,, butt kisser.

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There must be someone or thing or body out there that is vigilantly watching those pick pocket elected politicians, referencing your editorial - it sure isn’t you, you blindly follow elected officials. Remember Watergate (maybe you missed that class in newspaper school) and the leaders that won Pulitzer prizes for investigative journalism? Nixed Nixon I believe, you should read about it, its good stuff.

What do you think the odds are of a town this size, having so many civic leaders go into melt down and packed off to the big house - for such a variety of criminal offences? Do you think we have seen an end to the discoveries? Speak out Estes Park.

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