City Council - Regular Meeting

my I have no on air sign, but I'm getting a thumbs up. So, um we will get started uh for our regular city council business meeting for January 27th, 2026. And start by standing for the pledge of allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Next, we'll do the roll call. Council connect here. Councelor Evans here. Mayor Mayor Weinberg here. Mayor Patri here.

Councelor F here. Council Kinski here and councelor Cameron is absent. Mayor, you have a quum.

Excellent. That was fun the first time running through a new roll call. Um, having received no changes to the agenda. The agenda is approved as presented and we will move into public comment. Um, hopefully receive we received any public comment via email that's been added. Um, but if anybody would like to speak, now is the time. Seeing nobody jumping up, we'll move on in the agenda. Um, right into council staff comments and new business. And we'll start at this end because that's just what I always do. Councelor Kazinski, any No comments? Okay. Yeah, that's

I have a couple of quick little things.

Great. Um, I wanted to remind everyone who's listening uh about the upcoming fire strategic planning community meeting this Thursday, January 29th at 5:30 in the Golden Community Center. So, I'll be there. I hope everyone else will be there, too. I'd also like to remind everyone about the upcoming meeting February 3rd on Tuesday, powering your home during outages. If you're wondering how to get power to your house, this might be a way to get some information. uh six o'clock Tuesday, February 3rd, again at the Golden uh Community Center. And finally, I just wanted to mention uh this afternoon I spent some time working with the point in time survey uh serving the homeless here in Golden today. Um and I wanted to take a minute to call out Booty Lauren and the United Methodist Church Community Lunch Volunteers for all the work that they had done today. And uh you know, great job Thank you. Uh the community marketing board did meet today. Uh one of our agenda items was discussing a strategic marketing plan partner. We did have three presentations from firms who came to the meeting. We also had a proposal and a scope of work from the welcome center to discuss. We will be having a special meeting in two weeks on February 10th to discuss those two specific agenda items. Um during the meeting today, we also discussed goldens and golden including human and dog safety and human and dog shuttles from Splash. And I wanted to let everyone know that it is official. We have a best in show sponsor for Golden's and Golden. If you don't already know, Herz rental car recently unleashed the gold squad [laughter] of

highly trained golden retrievers on a mission to make travel feel golden. Herz is bringing the gold squad to airports across the nation to relieve travel stress. They will be continuing their mission with a sponsorship and a vendor booth at Golden's and Golden. And I wanted to thank Derek, our community marketing manager, for sending me this information. Um so tomorrow evening at from 5:30 to 7:00 in the community center is the next phase of the North Ford um complete street open house. Um staff will bring the the preferred um corridor concept um to advance walking, biking and traffic safety and traffic speeds um along the north board corridor. When I was running for council two years ago, this was by far the most um the biggest source of complaints that I heard from residents um is speeds on North Ford. So, if you have if you walk or bike on North forward or drive um or any live in that general area, please come and give your opinion on um the way forward. Thanks.

Um yesterday [clears throat] evening, I had my first um downtown development authority or DDA meeting. um after my appointment from Mayor Weinberg, I want to thank the DDA folks to be for being welcoming and warm as well as staff that was there to help support um for things that are kind of more community external facing. Wanted folks to know that um there's still ongoing conversation and development around emergency support program and response um to the Excel power outage for folks that are in the DDA area. more to come on that and then just as always a reminder about the heart of Golden Development for folks to stay tuned, stay plugged in.

Excellent. Um just a couple of things for awareness. We continue to meet as the Jefferson County Housing Steering Committee. Um and uh the group is moving forward uh for another year um with some some actual actions and and uh strategic planning around how we will implement the blueprint that council adopted a couple years ago. So um that is don't have any specific updates um yet but we are planning another meeting with housing developers this year and another engagement with our legislators this year. So once we have dates and information I will share um housing related I do plan on just for awareness I do plan on going um and testifying next week for um uh with with well with everybody Colorado Municipal League as well as Metro mayor's caucus I think is taking a position on um the housing the home bill um it's going to be in committee on Tuesday so I plan to give testimony on behalf of Golden um next week on that bill. And I did um that is the bill that I wrote an article for the CML magazine that's in the January magazine, but I wrote it a few months ago before we had a bill number, but it is that bill. So, um they've been talking about it for a little while. Other than that, there's just been a whole lot of meetings. Things are going well. Sounds like everybody's getting real real busy with uh different committees. So, thank you all. Any updates?

Yep. Just one.

Uh so, uh good news, exciting news. Uh we were uh notified by the governor's chief of staff that um the city of Golden along with seven other communities were identified for an art piece uh associated with the 250 um celebrations 250150 celebrations uh this year. Uh we don't have a lot of details yet. We've been told that it will be a gift that there will also be something along the lines of $10,000 [music] uh provided to the city for future maintenance of whatever that piece of art ends up being. Um we um were asked to provide some themes that uh might guide the state towards one of the artists that they've identified to do these pieces. Um so we provided a number of different uh possible themes including engineering science and technology uh discovery of the T-Rex um early tourism um our Native American history um within the area etc. The state um their initial reaction was that they liked the engineering science and technology theme and thought that they might have a particular artist that that would be well lined up for. Uh so just wanted you all to be aware that that's out there. We'll be uh continuing to communicate this with the Arts and Culture Commission and then um as we get more information, we'll be sure to bring it back and and update you all as well. Uh but we're excited about that.

Good stuff. Anyone else? No, we will keep moving on. Um thank you all. Uh next up we have uh consent matters. Uh, is there a motion regarding consent matters? Move to approve consent matters. Second. Thank you. And discussion questions. I do have a quick question. Thank you. I have a question on 7B on the consent matters. It's resolution 3240, the IG for enhanced mutual aid. My question is for fire chief be. Good evening, mayor and council.

Good evening, Chief. Thanks for joining us tonight. Absolutely. I have a question about section 2A in the IG. It talks about enhanced mutual aid with West Metro and it states that West Metro will respond to structure fires in Golden City limits marked in exhibit A, which is Golden Heights in our overlook neighborhood. Can you explain how um response will be in these areas when it's medical calls and vegetation fires?

Yeah, absolutely, Mayor Prom. So, the calls out specifically for structure fires. There's a difference between mutual aid, enhanced mutual aid, and automatic aid. So, in enhanced mutual aid, it's usually one or a couple of specific incident types. Um, so in this particular case, uh, we have agreed between West Metro Pleasant View and the city of Golden Fire Department that they will respond to structure fires automatically so it can be pre-programmed in the CAD system. Uh, so we don't have to make a phone call, just be very efficient. Um, and then we will respond to areas of I70 and C470. When it comes to other uh incident types such as medical, cardiac arrest, motor vehicle accident, vegetation fires, uh we are still operating under an existing mutual aid agreement through an IG. Um if our battalion chiefs or company officers identify that there's something life critical, they will request mutual aid from West Metro and more often than not, if it is life-threatening or it has a regional impact such as a vegetation fire, they will respond along with us under mutual aid.

Great. Thank you. appreciate that. Thank you. Any other questions or discussion on the consent matters? Yes, I just had a comment. Um I think this is really important and I'm happy we're doing it considering that this is a threat that we keep facing and it's going to get worse and worse. So happy we have all the resources we can. Really proud of the work you all do. So thanks again for making this happen. CS. All right, we have a motion and a second. All in favor, please say I. I. I. Any opposed?

All right. Consent matters are adopted as um presented. We have two proclamations uh this evening. The first is uh for today um International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Got that one. Um whereas the Holocaust resulted in the deliberate murder of millions of people prior to and during World War II, including one-third of the Jewish people along with countless members of other minorities such as Roman and Cintiitizens, ethnic Poles, people with disabilities, homosexuals, and political and religious opponents, and whereas reaffirming the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which proclaims that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth therein without distinction of any kind, such as race, religion, or other status. The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27th as an annual international holocaust remembrance day in memory of the victims of the Holocaust and it is a day of global observance. The significance of the date commemorates the liberation of Ashwitzburg Bergen, the largest Nazi death camp where more than 1 million people died by Soviet troops on January 27th, 1945. And whereas in 19 in 2026, the theme Holoca Holocaust remembrance for dignity and human rights will United Nation Holocaust remembrance and education. Remembrance of the Holocaust affirms the dignity of the victims and survivors and pre preserves their humanity against eraser and denial. It confronts anti-semitism and hatred by rejecting dehumanization and insisting on truth and accountability. Through remembrance, we reaffirm our shared humanity and our responsibility to defend universal human rights for all. And now therefore, Laura Weineberg as mayor of the city of Golden does hereby call upon all residents of the city of Golden to observe January 27th, 2026 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in the city of Golden, Colorado in memory of the victims of the Holocaust and in honor of the survivors as well as the rescuers and liberators and further proclaim that we as residents of the city of Golden should strive to overcome intolerance and indifference through learning and remembrance.

Thank you. Um the second proclamation is uh for the month of February, Black History Month

proclamation. [clears throat] Whereas during Black History Month, we celebrate the many achievements and contributions made by black Americans to our economic, cultural, spiritual, and political development. And whereas Black History Month evolved out of the establishment in 1926 of Negro History Week from the work of historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History to bring special awareness of AfricanAmerican accomplishments and contributions to American history. And whereas the Black History Month 2026 theme is a century of Black History commemorations, this year's his theme highlights the profound significance of a century of dedicated black historian, excuse me, black history commemoration. It encourages individuals and organizations to engage in meaningful activities that honor and uplift the rich history and culture of black Americans, fostering a deeper understanding of their impact on society and reinforcing the importance of studying, teaching, and sharing black history. And whereas the observation of Black History Month calls attention to the continued need to battle racism and build a society that lives up to its democratic ideals. And whereas the city of Golden adopted the racial equity, diversity, and inclusion action plan in 2022 and appointed a task force to implement aspects of the plan to achieve the vision of Golden as a place where all are welcomed, included, represented, honored, and treated fairly regardless of identity or ability. Now therefore, Laura Weinberg, as mayor of the city of Golden, does hereby call

upon all residents of the city of Golden to observe February 2026 as Black History Month in the city of Golden, Colorado, and calls upon all residents to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and reflections, and to continue our efforts to create a world that is more just, equitable, equitable, and prosperous for all dated in Golden, Colorado this 27th day in January 2026. Thank you.

Well, we have one more item on the agenda and that is a motion to enter into executive session. Any I'll give it to Council Evans to read. Madam Mayor, I move to enter into executive session pursuant to CRF section 26 24-6-424B and Golden Municipal Code section 1030502 for a conference with the city attorney and outside council to receive legal advice relating to wastewater and water negotiations with Kors and I further move to adjourn the city council meeting upon conclusion of the executive session. Thank you. Is there a second?

Second. All in favor, please say I.