The Edgewater City Council met for its bimonthly business meeting last Tuesday, December 5, 2023. With the terms of Councilman Reid-Vanas and Mayor Beltrone ending, the meeting kicked off with comments from those departing. Thanks were given to their fellow Council members, the city staff, and the community. The remaining Council members also shared praise for those departing. The soon to be new Mayor Conklin presented both Reid-Vanas and Beltrone with flags that had flown over the State Capitol.
Next, the new and returning members of City Council were sworn in. Sworn in were returning members Bill Berg and Kali Janda as well as new members Joie Iten, Mercedes Valdez, and John Thomsen. New mayor, Steve Conklin, was also sworn in.
After a short recess, the newly sworn in City Council returned. First up was a short presentation from the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) where Mayor Conklin was presented with a service award.
Afterwards Mayor Conklin took the opportunity to speak on the importance of free speech and civility. This was leading up to a change in the meeting rules. Due to a recent rash of anti-semitic comments made virtually during other local city council meetings, the rule proposed limiting comments to people attending the meetings in person. The rule change passed unanimously.
On to regular business, the consent agenda was passed and the meeting moved to comments from the city staff. City Manager Maples spoke of an upcoming food drive for the Jeffco Action Center. Food donations can be dropped in the lobby of the Civic Center.
Up next was public comment. The chambers were filled with the family, friends, and advocates of Adam Fresquez, the man shot and killed at an Edgewater Tesla charging station last May. Many took the podium to speak not just their grief and frustration, but to demand an independent investigation into the Edgewater Police Department, with many pointing out that the department is already under investigation from the State of Colorado. Several commenters also spoke of outlandish fees being asked from the Police Department for records requests.
Next on the docket were several pieces of procedural business for the Council. First, the appointment of two new relief judges for Edgewater’s regular Judge Cahn. It passed unanimously. Next was a public hearing adopting the annual budget. It too passed unanimously. After that, a change in Parks and Recreation fees. Next, a resolution to set a 0% mill levy, which also passed unanimously. Finally, the final approval of the contract to hire an auditor to do the regular auditing of the city’s finances. It passed unanimously.
The meeting was opened a 2nd time to public comment. Edgewater resident Larry Welshon took the podium in support of the council’s decision to limit public comment to in-person (a move that some of those at the meeting on behalf of the Fresquez family had take umbrage with).
Next were comments from the Mayor and Council. The general theme was congratulations and welcomes for the new members of City Council and condolences to the Fresquez family. Several council members also lamented the poor timing of disallowing virtual comments, and emphasized that it was a response to recent anti-semitic virtual comments at other local city council meetings, and not an attempt to silence those speaking in support of the Fresquez family (and calling for accountability from the Edgewater PD).
The final order of business was the discussion of upcoming agendas. And with that, the first business meeting of Edgewater’s new City Council came to a close.
The Edgewater City Council usually meets twice a month on Tuesdays. The meetings can be attended in person at the Edgewater Civic Center or virtually through the city website. But please note, due to recent rule changes, public comment will only be taken from those attending in person.
In the December issue of the Neighborhood Gazette it was reported that in-person attendance at a Wheat Ridge council meeting didn’t stop people (using fake names) from making what the publisher considered anti-semitic comments.
I must say that what you report on and what you don’t report on is interesting. In the first round of public comments an aid to our US House of Representatives, Brittany Patterson spoke. It’s appreciated that my public comments were faithfully recorded but I note that there were at least two public comments about the budget (one written and one in person) that garnered no attention from you. Notably, City Manager Maples addressed these comments that were somewhat critical of the annual budget. This particular citizen of Edgewater very much appreciates Dan’s willingness to engage public comments and it is hoped that this sort of openness and community engagement at the Council meetings continues.