Wheat Ridge City Council welcomed new members, fresh from their wins in the election earlier this month. The council also made a few proclamations to recognize efforts in the community.
Dan Larson and Gretchen Snell were sworn into office by Judge Chris Randall at the Nov. 13 city council meeting. The two new council members won seats during the Nov. 5 election. Snell replaces Judy Hutchinson in District I. Larson replaces Valerie Nosler-Beck in District IV.
Korey Stites and Rachel Hultin were also sworn in. The two uncontested members began their second terms on the council.
Three November proclamations
Mayor Bud Starker made three important proclamations during the meeting, all of which pertain to holidays and events happening in November.
Starker acknowledged Small Business Saturday, which is a nationally recognized day. It has been celebrated since 2010 and is celebrated the first Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Starker presented the proclamation with Tad Overstreet of Local Works and owner of Stylus and Crate, a coffee house at 6985 W. 38th, Suite 101 in Wheat Ridge, and Dominic Breton president of the Wheat Ridge Chamber of Commerce.
The second proclamation was for Native American Heritage Month. Starker was joined by Karen O’Donnell, director of Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation.
O’Donnell reported that the committee has drafted a land acknowledgment statement and action plan for the city.
The plan has been sent to 48 American Indian tribes for feedback. Soon, according to O’Donnell, the committee will meet with six tribes in Wheat Ridge to discuss all the information gathered.
The proclamation calls for the city and its residents to use November to “honor our Native people in this, their ancestral homes, and recognize their contributions in strengthening the diversity of our city.”
The third proclamation saluted and recognized veterans and military families. National Veterans and Military Families Month proclamation urges Wheat Ridge city and residents to show gratitude this Thanksgiving.
“As we approach this season of thanksgiving, we send our gratitude to millions of service members, veterans, military families, caregivers and survivors who have served and continue to serve our nation,” the proclamation said.
Other happenings at the meeting:
- Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation received $951,709 from the Colorado Department of Transportation. The Transportation Alternatives program awarded the funds to the department for Clear Creek Trail Improvements. The improvements will be made in 2025-2026.
- The Wheat Ridge Recreation Center parking lot is getting another $190,000. The staff cited “errors in the quantity calculations” as a reason for the additional funds. The original $1.8 million contract with Sunland Asphalt Construction was for milling and overlay of the parking lot. The additional funds will help finish tasks such as Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and drainage improvements.
- Council is revamping billboard ordinance. The council approved the first reading of changes to Article VII of Chapter 26 of the city code on billboards. They seek to remove the lottery process previously used to assign billboards and to reduce the maximum number of billboards allowed in the city. The council seeks to tackle the problem of abandoned billboards that are currently peppered throughout the city. The public hearing on the change will be held at the Nov. 27 council meeting.
- Zoning changes are considered for two properties along Wadsworth. Batt Cave is requesting that two properties at 3650 and 3660 Wadsworth Boulevard be changed. They are Restricted-Commercial and Neighborhood-Commercial . The company wants that changed to Mixed Use-Neighborhood to “reflect both the transitional nature of this location and the character of the Wadsworth Corridor,” according to the resolution. The public hearing on the change is set for the Dec. 11 city council meeting.
For more information or to watch the Wheat Ridge City Council meeting, go to WheatRidgeSpeaks.org. Watch on Wheat Ridge Channel 8 on YouTube.