Pueblog USa
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Parks & Rec Public Forum
Have YOUR say about how they’re doing and what they’re doing in the future.
There’s going to be a city-wide Open House/Public Forum on the future of the Pueblo City Parks & Recreation Department.
It is to be held tomorrow at the Convention Center, starting at 6:30 PM.
If you are concerned with our parks and other recreational facilities in the city, you should go.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Old Historic Northside Organization meeting
Tueaday, May 13, 6:30PM
Friends and neighbors meet at the OLD HISTORIC NORTHSIDE ORGANIZATION on Tuesday, May 13. It should be very informative.
May 13 General Membership Meeting
Heather Norton
Our May OHNO meeting on Tuesday, May 13 at 6:30 at Temple Emanuel, will include our meeting’s program given by Jenny Kedward, Environmental Coordinator of the Pueblo City-County Health Department. She’ll be speaking on behalf of the Pueblo CARE Project. One specific area that she’ll talk about, that is important to us in the OHNO neighborhood, is the potential for radon in many of our basements.
The mission of Pueblo CARE is to improve the health of our community through sustained community action aimed at reducing toxic environmental exposures.
CARE partners, identifies and assesses the community’s toxic exposure problems according to level of risk to humans and the amount of people affected by the risk and then seeks funding for selected projects.
To learn more about becoming a CARE partner or for general information, please contact Margaret Barber at 489-2078 or call the CARE Hotline at 252-6258.
Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change(PCPC) meeting
Monthly PCPC meeing
Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change(PCPC)
PCPC will hold their monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 14, 6:30PM
The meeting will be held at the Barkman Library
1300 Jerry Murphy and Bonforte
Opposition to the Convention Center and other Issues will be discussed
The meeting is open to the public
Contact: Ted Freeman(544-4479), Alvin Rivera(566-0069)
Friday, April 25, 2008
Conduct of Public Officials
Thurston, Conflict of Interest
Testimony to Pueblo City Council
Conduct of Public Officials
April 21, 2008
Madame President Barbara Vidmar and Distinguished Council Members,
My name is Dr. Alvin Rivera. My topic is “the conduct of public officials.’ I shall outline the problem and offer some suggestions for solutions.
First, the role of the public official may be instructive for this council. If there is a more important role for a public official than to hear the views of the citizenry I can’t imagine what it would be. In the past year, and starting on the second year, we have witnessed a deterioration of citizen’s free speech rights in the council, a removal of the television cameras to eliminate the opportunity of the public to hear the views of civic leaders, and in the words of my colleague, Ted Freeman, “The Public Forum is not a public forum at all. There is not a give-and-take exchange between the citizens addressing the council because the council does not permit it.”
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The ‘Virtue’ of Unintended Consequences
Selling one’s ‘birthright’ to Aurora.
Interesting report in the Chieftain today.
It seems that the recent fire out in Ordway—the one that claimed the lives of firefighters and destroyed a number of buildings—it appears that one of the contributing factors was that some farmers and/or ranchers had been selling their water to Aurora. Raking in the the cash while their fields withered from lack of water.
Then…some how a fire started and raced through the parched land causing the loss of property and life.
I hope these farmers are on good terms with forgiving neighbors.
However, I’ve seen a larger problem looming on the horizon….
Sunday, April 13, 2008
This Will Cost You Money
Here"s Why a “Vote No” on the Convention Center Expansion is the Right Choice.
It doesn’t matter if it is called a tax or fee, the money is out of your pocket. Where’s the value to the community?
• Documentation shows the number and attendance of conventions and trade shows have been decreasing.
• The Urban Renewal Authority has not been able to prove that the expansion will bring in a significant amount of out-of-town business to Pueblo.
• People in favor of the expansion claim the expansion will create jobs but what kind of jobs, low paying jobs with no benefits.
• The Convention Center operated at a deficit every year and will continue to do so even with the expansion. During the years 2005, 2006, and 2007 the operating deficit was over one-half million dollars for each year.
• Each year we send Global Spectrum, the Convention Center management firm, over $120,000. In 2007 checks were written to Global Spectrum for over $150,000.
• Financing for the expansion would include paying interest only until the year 2019 bringing the real cost of the expansion well over $20 million dollars.
Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change, contact Ted Freeman 544-4479 and Alvin Rivera 566-0069. Volunteer contributions paid for this flyer.
Friday, April 11, 2008
What the City calls a public forum is not a public forum
There is no dialog with the public at a City Council meeting
Testimony to Pueblo City Council
Public Forum, April 7, 2008
Pueblo City Council Members,
My name is Ted Freeman. My topic is “the Public Forum.” Let me start by defining what a Public Forum is, According to Webster’s dictionary the definition of forum is a meeting of people to discuss public matters, problems,….etc. The important words in the definition are to discuss.
Public Forum: In order to make the best use of your time, let’s be honest, the Public Forum is not a public forum at all. There is not a give-and-take exchange between the citizens’ addressing the council because the council does not permit it.
There are no questions answered, only questions asked. I can only imagine what the creators of Democracy dating back to the Greeks, with there public exchange meetings that lasted days and weeks, not minutes or hours, must have thought about the “sham” of the Pueblo City Council’s notions of a Public Forum.
There was some irony in Councilman Ray Aguilera comments in the Chieftain (4-3-08) calling for a Public Forum of the Southern Delivery System. He said, “It’s a way for the federal government to avoid answering questions.” In other words, the same thing this council does with its Public Forum, not answer citizens’ questions. This council needs to pay closer attention to its own back yard before pointing its figure at other governmental bodies.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
April Meeting Agenda
AGENDA
HISTORIC PUEBLO, INC.
MEMBERSHIP MEETING, APRIL 7, 2008
Call to Order
Introductions
Approval of March 2008 Minutes
Treasurer’s Report:
Preservation 101 – David Cockrell
New Business:
Amended Bylaws
Change in meeting schedule – May——-
June, Marvels
Old Business:
Northside Historic District – Susan Pelto
Plaques for September Plaque Reception
Announcement of next meeting; May 5, 5:15 PM.
PROGRAM: Wells Fargo Renovation Loans
Alison Cook
March Membership Meeting Minutes
Minutes from March 3rd
Historic Pueblo, Inc
Membership meeting
Minutes
March 3, 2008
Present:
Laurel Campbell, Jacque Kincaid, Betty Hanson, Sondra Biddle, Mary Wallace, Wayne and Candace Latka, Russ and Janet Dash, Corinne Koehler, Jim and Pat Good, Eric and Diana Bernauer, Joyce Spears, Ron and Susan Adamich, Lori Lovato, David Cockrell, Wade Broadhead, Doyle and Linda Muller, Leah Samuelson, Genevieve Johannson, Barbara Sabo, Donna Alber.
President Laurel Campbell called the meeting to order at 5:15 pm at St Mary’s School (a locally landmarked property). The minutes were presented and there were no corrections or additions. The motion for approval was made by Mary Wallace and seconded by Sondra Biddle.
Laurel requested volunteers to help with the Historic Neighborhood Walks in May and passed out a sign up sheet. She explained that we had planned to go to Eiler’s Bar for supper, but she discovered today that they do not serve food, so we changed the after-meeting dining to the Do Drop Inn.
Treasurer’s report was given by Eric Bernauer.
He reported $25 in revenue for February and $150 in expenses, leaving a balance of $13,345.96.
David Cockrell, Transportation Planner for the City, gave a brief description of a historical district, the difference between local, state and national designation and what it means to have your property be a part of a historical district. He also had a list of insurance companies that insure properties that are landmarked as historical buildings.
Corrine Koehler gave a brief report on the Colorado Preservation, Inc annual conference, which was the first weekend in Feb. She encouraged more people to attend next year. There were only 2 people from Pueblo in attendance this year. Ms Koehler said that the State Historic Funds are “under siege” this year because of the restoration of the Capital Building, and the need for a new Colorado Historic Society Museum and office building, which means most of the money would go to Denver with little or none left for the rest of the state. She encouraged us to watch for legislation on this issue and to contact our local legislators.
Ms Koehler also mentioned the push by other counties to promote heritage tourism and Pueblo is way behind in this promotion even though we have some outstanding sites. She is on a committee of representatives from 5 counties to increase promotion for tourism—Pueblo, Huerfano, Las Animas, Custer and Fremont. There will be standards for sites to be declared “Preferred” sites.
Information available at http://www.puebloserves.com.
Janet Dash, Secretary of OHNO reported on the Friends of Mineral Palace Park who are trying to raise money to plant trees and one flower bed in the Park. They have 3 trees donated so far and City Parks Dept will plant them. Trees cost about $200 a piece. They will have a clean-up day on April 19th, 10-2. Will be cleaning flowerbeds, removing graffiti and helping plant the trees. Everyone is welcome to come and help. Contact person is Yolanda Butler, 545-0900.
Susan Adamich of Pueblo County Historical Society announced their March 13th meeting. This will be a dinner meeting and the speaker will be Mr. Ed Nichols, the new President of the Colorado Historical Society. The meeting will be held at the Elks Club on Santa Fe Ave. Price and time were not given.
The next meeting of HPI will be on April 7th, at the Southeastern Colorado Heritage Center at 5:15 pm. The speaker will be Alison Cook who will discuss Wells Fargo Renovation Loan Program for people interested in purchasing historic homes.
Laurel Campbell announced that HPI will purchase a bronze plaque for the North Side Historic District, this will be a high quality sign that will be placed at 18th and Greenwood. The City has agreed to accept and install the plaque.
Business meeting was adjourned.
The presentation on St. Mary’s Church and School was given by Lou Skoff with Bob Blazich and Sharon Tilley. Very interesting presentation on the history and on the material in their library, not just material from St.Mary’s, but from other churches, cemeteries, and towns as well.
Mr. Blazich then took several people on a tour of the Church with more information on the history of the Parish.
Respectfully submitted by
Donna Alber for Janice Bassett
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change(PCPC) meeting
A meeting of concerned Citizens
Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change(PCPC)
PCPC will hold their monthly meeting on April 9th, at 6:30PM.
The location is the: Barkman Library
1300 Jerry Murphy and Bonforte
Opposition to the expansion of the Convention Center and other issues facing
Pueblo will be discussed. The Public is welcome.
For more information contact;
Ted Freeman, 544-4479