Get in touch
(303) 720-6931
Trustee@AndrewSawusch.com
Forward Thinking for Erie's Future: The Leadership Required by Resident's
Andrew Sawusch • Mar 11, 2020
This post addresses the reason why I began my interest in running for Trustee, how our Town's current leadership has failed us as residents, and the most pertinent items that I will address if elected Trustee
Summary
The key factor to the success of any great municipality is the residents. The residents are the ones who communicate the direction that they want the town to move, then instill their faith in specific community members by electing them as the Town's leaders. In turn, these elected individuals must then be able to provide the governance and leadership required by the residents, in order to guide the town in a wide-breadth of areas consisting of a vast number of topics. Currently, Erie's leaders have failed the residents who elected them.
The current Board of Trustees have failed residents solely because they have not lived up to the promises that they have made. Whether the promises made were to increase the diversity of residential development, to be the stewards for the financial well-being of residents' hard earned tax dollars, to negotiate on behalf of and in the best interest of residents, or to develop regulations addressing concerns for residents' health and safety - the current board has failed residents.
The current Board of Trustees have failed residents solely because they have not lived up to the promises that they have made. Whether the promises made were to increase the diversity of residential development, to be the stewards for the financial well-being of residents' hard earned tax dollars, to negotiate on behalf of and in the best interest of residents, or to develop regulations addressing concerns for residents' health and safety - the current board has failed residents.
When I see that the Town's leaders, who we as residents elected, are negatively affecting our Town's future, or are simply not maintaining the level of governance which we expect - I can either do nothing and simply wait for something to change, or I can stand up, say enough is enough, and effect the change that we all want to see. For this reason, and due to the items below which are of the most concern to me, I am running for Trustee.
How My Interest in Trustee Began
On November 26th of last year, we received the snow storm that accumulated over a foot of snow throughout the area. With this large amount of accumulation, I assumed like most residents, that the Town would handle it by plowing the streets. After all, the Snow Removal Procedures posted on the Town's website did say "only in instances when snowstorms leave large accumulations that are expected to remain for several days, Residential Streets are plowed down the center of the street (one pass)."
Then on November 30th, the Town issued a communication saying "the Public Works Department decided not to plow local streets due to the likelihood of creating further problems." The message continued on to say that they were still mobilizing teams to attend to the snow-packed streets. I thought this meant that they were still attending to it, and would surely get around to my street soon enough. But on December 3rd, I had yet to see a snow plow come through our street. The streets were now an ice rink as the snow melted and froze, creating a layer of ice at least 3 inches thick. I then saw online all of the other Erie residents venting their frustration too, and realized that this was a Town-wide issue, not just my subdivision.
I thought, "this must be a funding issue." But when I looked at the Town's 2019 Budget, it indicated that we had a surplus of approximately $95 million. So I did what other Erie residents were doing, and I commented on a post in the Erie Colorado Facebook group, saying that this did not make sense, since we could have commissioned CDOT to assist in plowing our roads with those amount of funds on-hand. To my surprise, two current Trustees reached out, where both provided me with the same answer. They said that those funds were not actually available because they were restricted for projects or were needed to be kept as future reserves.
One of the Trustees went so far as to request an explanation for me directly from Town Hall. The response provided to me was as follows:
Then on November 30th, the Town issued a communication saying "the Public Works Department decided not to plow local streets due to the likelihood of creating further problems." The message continued on to say that they were still mobilizing teams to attend to the snow-packed streets. I thought this meant that they were still attending to it, and would surely get around to my street soon enough. But on December 3rd, I had yet to see a snow plow come through our street. The streets were now an ice rink as the snow melted and froze, creating a layer of ice at least 3 inches thick. I then saw online all of the other Erie residents venting their frustration too, and realized that this was a Town-wide issue, not just my subdivision.
I thought, "this must be a funding issue." But when I looked at the Town's 2019 Budget, it indicated that we had a surplus of approximately $95 million. So I did what other Erie residents were doing, and I commented on a post in the Erie Colorado Facebook group, saying that this did not make sense, since we could have commissioned CDOT to assist in plowing our roads with those amount of funds on-hand. To my surprise, two current Trustees reached out, where both provided me with the same answer. They said that those funds were not actually available because they were restricted for projects or were needed to be kept as future reserves.
One of the Trustees went so far as to request an explanation for me directly from Town Hall. The response provided to me was as follows:
The Trustee continued to say that the Town decided their plan of action in terms of the snow, was no action, and that they were simply going to wait for it to melt. Personally, as someone who is originally from Chicago, I know the history of public officials who have been ousted because of their lack of concern for residents when it comes to snow removal. Also, with the response that I received from Town Hall, it still did not make sense as to why all of our roads were like driving on a slip-and-slide. After all, there was $17.6 million cash-on-hand for the General Fund which could pay for additional snow-removal.
And then it all made sense on December 30th, when we were alerted through the Town Administrator's Weekly Newsletter, that the Town had been scammed out of $1 million for payments on the Erie Pkwy bridge. It turned out that the snow removal debacle was in fact due to a funding issue. The Town required General Fund emergency reserves of $15.6 million to be kept on-hand for 2019, meaning there was approximately $2 million available for non-emergency uses, but some of it was "expected" to be received, and had not actually been received yet. The only other fund that could have been used, the Transportation Impact Fund, was reduced to $4.8 million to cover the $1 million loss, and there were additional large-scale projects still planned in 2020 where those remaining funds would be required.
And then it all made sense on December 30th, when we were alerted through the Town Administrator's Weekly Newsletter, that the Town had been scammed out of $1 million for payments on the Erie Pkwy bridge. It turned out that the snow removal debacle was in fact due to a funding issue. The Town required General Fund emergency reserves of $15.6 million to be kept on-hand for 2019, meaning there was approximately $2 million available for non-emergency uses, but some of it was "expected" to be received, and had not actually been received yet. The only other fund that could have been used, the Transportation Impact Fund, was reduced to $4.8 million to cover the $1 million loss, and there were additional large-scale projects still planned in 2020 where those remaining funds would be required.
As I dug in deeper, as I started to understand the chaos that was evolving at Town Hall, and as I started to understand just how much the Town was wasting resident's tax dollars, I understood that something had to be done. I understood that the Town was not in a position to properly manage the continued growth that was occurring, and that we were all going to be up a creek without a paddle in just a moment if something did not change.
This was the point where I understood, having over a decade's worth of experience in building and growing organizations, specifically in business operations, that the Town's leadership was not suited for the task that laid before them. This was the point where I understood exactly how I could personally develop solutions that would address the issues seen by Erie residents. This was the point where I understood that I could ensure that the proper governance required for the Town was made - by running for Trustee to create positive change, so that Town Hall becomes Forward Thinking for Erie's Future.
This was the point where I understood, having over a decade's worth of experience in building and growing organizations, specifically in business operations, that the Town's leadership was not suited for the task that laid before them. This was the point where I understood exactly how I could personally develop solutions that would address the issues seen by Erie residents. This was the point where I understood that I could ensure that the proper governance required for the Town was made - by running for Trustee to create positive change, so that Town Hall becomes Forward Thinking for Erie's Future.
Managing the Town’s Growth and Assuring our Infrastructure is Sustainable
First and foremost, it is overly apparent that the Town has not been properly planning for our future. The Town must first start by issuing a plan that is guiding the steps which Erie takes. The
Comprehensive Plan, which is supposed to be the blueprint for Town Hall, was updated in 2015, became outdated just a couple of years later, and does not create the full “Master Plan” that should be used - specifically as it relates to the Town's growth, and the growth as it also relates to infrastructure. The purpose of a comprehensive plan is supposed to be the document "that outlines the community’s vision and goals for the future and provides guidance for elected and appointed officials in making choices regarding the long-range needs of the community."
When you look at the sections on “Growth Management” and "Public Facilities and Services", it is easy to see that they both fall flat, as they do not properly outline how the Town will actually manage their growth or infrastructure. In fact, some specific items which are outlined, were not even followed like the authors intended. The "Growth Management" section is just 4 pages long with only a single sentence included for the “Provision of Facilities and Services” policy section, while the "Public Services and Facilities" section is just over 1 page long.
When you look at the sections on “Growth Management” and "Public Facilities and Services", it is easy to see that they both fall flat, as they do not properly outline how the Town will actually manage their growth or infrastructure. In fact, some specific items which are outlined, were not even followed like the authors intended. The "Growth Management" section is just 4 pages long with only a single sentence included for the “Provision of Facilities and Services” policy section, while the "Public Services and Facilities" section is just over 1 page long.
The Town must start by creating a plan for the future, one that is actually comprehensive, not only providing the overarching goals for the here and now, but also provides the overarching goals for the future. The goals must be able to create actionable items which also indicate the internal Town Hall goals which provide accountability for departments and staff. This must include understanding where our capacity thresholds and limits are, and monitoring them constantly. Once these levels meet a certain threshold, this is when the plans that have already been made should be enacted.
From my calculations discussed in a previous article, since the comprehensive plan was updated just 5 years ago, based on a 16% forecasteded growth rate by the Town, and an actual 40% growth rate, the Town is approximately 7.5 years behind in terms of the Town's infrastructure. This is because Erie is ahead by 7.5 years in terms of the amount of growth we have received as compared to what they had originally projected. This has resulted in an increase in usage of utilities, which has created capacity issues, all while the funds to properly expand our infrastructure have been mismanaged and are not currently available. This means that the Town will be forced to extend debt to pay for these improvements.
The Town must become smarter as it relates to the development agreements which Erie enters into, as discussed in a previous article. The Town should work with developers, tell them our vision, define our needs, what we would like to have done, and be able to set a path forward which is equitable and positive for both parties. If they are building a new road specifically for their new community, and we also have needs to widen a road that the new road would be intersecting, the Town should work with them so we can "cross two 'Ts' with one stroke of the pen" by completing both at the same time. It becomes more efficient, and would save time and costs associated than it would if each project were done separately on their own.
Fiscal Responsibility and Financial Oversight
Fiscal Responsibility and Financial Oversight
The Erie Pkwy bridge payment situation exemplifies the magnitude as to the lack of oversight that is currently being taken in regards to our Town's finances.
As I have stated in a previous article, and as it was illustrated above directly from Town Hall's own response - the Town has a cash flow issue. In a previous article, I noted that the Town is reliant on debt, water, and residential development to fund the Town's operations. The practice of "pooling funds" is without question extremely concerning. In fact, I am still finding out from specific individuals as to the extent of how deep it goes, to the point where it has been indicated that ALL FUNDS are being commingled together. These outside parties are actually saying that the Town's practices, as it relates to very specific revenue sources, are actually illegal and a violation of current state laws. They have said that this practice will not just potentially lead to, but will lead to litigation since these specific funds are required to be completely separate from all others, as they are only supposed to be used for specific activities.
Furthermore, there isn't any real transparency provided to residents illustrating how the funds are spent. We are now in the second week of March 2020, and the "most recent" monthly financial statement which has been provided by Town Hall is from September 2019. Just in comparison, out of all of the monthly financial statements currently available on the Town's website, 6 of the 8 were issued approximately 2 months after month's-end, one was provided 3 months after, and one was provided 4 months after. I would not at all be surprised if the monthly financial statement that we are all waiting with baited breath to see, that being October 2019 when the Erie Pkwy bridge scam occurred, is simply skipped over, just as the August 2019 monthly financial statement was.
The Town must ensure that the proper policies and procedures are in place for expenditure and payment requests. Town Hall must implement reporting systems to prevent situations like these from happening again. Residents must also be provided with full transparency as to how our Town is spending its citizens’ money. Finally, revenues must be stabilized, and the pooling of funds must be terminated immediately so that each account truly "stands on its own."
As I have stated in a previous article, and as it was illustrated above directly from Town Hall's own response - the Town has a cash flow issue. In a previous article, I noted that the Town is reliant on debt, water, and residential development to fund the Town's operations. The practice of "pooling funds" is without question extremely concerning. In fact, I am still finding out from specific individuals as to the extent of how deep it goes, to the point where it has been indicated that ALL FUNDS are being commingled together. These outside parties are actually saying that the Town's practices, as it relates to very specific revenue sources, are actually illegal and a violation of current state laws. They have said that this practice will not just potentially lead to, but will lead to litigation since these specific funds are required to be completely separate from all others, as they are only supposed to be used for specific activities.
Furthermore, there isn't any real transparency provided to residents illustrating how the funds are spent. We are now in the second week of March 2020, and the "most recent" monthly financial statement which has been provided by Town Hall is from September 2019. Just in comparison, out of all of the monthly financial statements currently available on the Town's website, 6 of the 8 were issued approximately 2 months after month's-end, one was provided 3 months after, and one was provided 4 months after. I would not at all be surprised if the monthly financial statement that we are all waiting with baited breath to see, that being October 2019 when the Erie Pkwy bridge scam occurred, is simply skipped over, just as the August 2019 monthly financial statement was.
The Town must ensure that the proper policies and procedures are in place for expenditure and payment requests. Town Hall must implement reporting systems to prevent situations like these from happening again. Residents must also be provided with full transparency as to how our Town is spending its citizens’ money. Finally, revenues must be stabilized, and the pooling of funds must be terminated immediately so that each account truly "stands on its own."
Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations
Since the last Town of Erie election held in 2018, residents have watched the Town's population continue to steadily increase, while the estimated 2019 and projected 2020 sales tax revenues have actually flattened and become stagnant in comparison to 2018 actual revenues. The growth rate of the General Fund's revenues has as well decreased, because the current Town leaders have spent more, while not doing enough to assist business owners and developers to enter Erie. In fact, we have actually lost many opportunities, to the point where specific developers and business owners will not come to Erie in the foreseeable future. They have actually divested their portfolio of properties within the Town, because they are tired of the way that they have been treated, the delays that they have experienced due to Town Hall, and have instead resorted to doing business in municipalities that are just next-door to ours.
As noted in a previous article, after speaking with countless business owners and developers – both current and prospective – economic development in Erie has been restricted due to the barriers to entry that are prohibiting businesses and developers from entering the Town. These include the tap fees, impact fees, infrastructure fees, permit fees, the UDC municipal codes, the amount of time that it takes, the roadblocks from Town Hall staff, parking requirements, and the list goes on and on.
As noted in a previous article, after speaking with countless business owners and developers – both current and prospective – economic development in Erie has been restricted due to the barriers to entry that are prohibiting businesses and developers from entering the Town. These include the tap fees, impact fees, infrastructure fees, permit fees, the UDC municipal codes, the amount of time that it takes, the roadblocks from Town Hall staff, parking requirements, and the list goes on and on.
It isn’t that business owners and developers aren’t looking at Erie – they have already been trying to enter the Town! But once they start digging into how much it would costs – either from a lease standpoint, or the cost to build on a piece of vacant land – the costs outweighed the benefits. Then process from application to opening is being delayed, in some cases as much as over 2 years. Many of the business owners and developers have said that once they started the process of applying and pre-approval, the rules kept changing. As they worked with Town Staff from one department, another department wanted something different, and then another wanted something else. While the UDC municipal code said one thing, they were asked to provide items completely unrelated to what was seen in current code. This practice, of requiring items outside of the UDC, provides the path for potential litigation against the Town, which if the business owners and developers did choose to do, the Town would lose and be held liable.
In order to remove these barriers to entry, the Town must first become “business friendly.” They must make it more cost effective, easier to receive permits, expedite requests, adjust the UDC municipal code, and maintain a proper timeline. Town Hall only just recently started tracking the amount of time that it takes from application through acceptance. Starting with the Board of Trustees and moving through every staff member at Town Hall, the entire process from application through final occupancy must be outlined and addressed, with the intention of moving the process along in an expeditious fashion.
As well, the Town must restore relationships, whether that be with the developers who now refuse to work with Erie, or with surrounding municipalities and agencies. Our leaders must negotiate on our behalf to benefit the Town's residents - not so that many concessions are made in order to add one or two additional small-ticket items. In the case of the Lafayette/Erie global IGA, as discussed in a previous article, this is exactly what happened. I do not believe the Board majority understands how negotiations work, nor do I believe that the Board majority is capable of negotiating properly on our behalf. Yes, they did create a document which works to end the battles with Lafayette that extended many years - I will give them that. But as you see how the progression of this IGA went on, it is obvious to tell that it ended up being a "loss" for Erie. They let Lafayette once again take advantage of them, and it ended with an IGA which gave away too much at the cost of Erie residents.
Finally, just as developers and business owners have walked away from the Town, local agencies have also done the same. Weld County, which encompasses half of all of Erie's residents, used to be one of the Town's biggest partners, but now refuses to come back to the table on items that are of great interest to Erie. Similarly, Boulder County has taken some specific actions which appear to be done simply to spite Erie.
Erie must do a better job of restoring relationships with other local jurisdictions - including local agencies, municipalities, and counties. We are currently on a path with some municipalities where they will not even come to the table anymore because of the actions taken by our current and previous boards. We have had to end up litigating many disagreements which should have been properly negotiated in the first place. This has resulted in legal costs of approximately $2,000,000 since 2018, including the expenses appropriated within the 2020 Town budget.
Erie must do a better job of restoring relationships with other local jurisdictions - including local agencies, municipalities, and counties. We are currently on a path with some municipalities where they will not even come to the table anymore because of the actions taken by our current and previous boards. We have had to end up litigating many disagreements which should have been properly negotiated in the first place. This has resulted in legal costs of approximately $2,000,000 since 2018, including the expenses appropriated within the 2020 Town budget.
Conclusion
Personally, as an Erie resident, I see our Town's future success being one which could be amazing. Ever since I moved here almost 4 years ago, I have believed that the Town has the potential to become the "Centennial/Highlands Ranch" of North Denver (just not as "over grown"). Not only does Erie have the potential to be an absolutely wonderful place to live and raise a family, but it also has the potential to be a place that is sought after for others to want to live. One that has great schools, amazing amenities, and great employment opportunities as businesses too wish to seek entering the community.
As a resident, you have the ultimate form of voicing your opinion, by electing who you want to serve on Erie's Board of Trustees. If elected, I would be sure to address all of the items that I have noted above, in addition to the many other items not noted, including two of the items detailed in my previous articles: home rule, and health and safety as it relates to oil and gas.
If given the opportunity to serve as Trustee, I would use the experience and understanding that I have gained over the years to provide positive change for the Town. As someone who is a natural problem solver and leader, I would utilize my skills in organizational operations to serve the town in the best way possible that leads to success for the Town and all of its residents. However, this can only be done from my remaining transparent and open to feedback, listening to the residents, and then determining the best way in which to support the community through action.
As a resident, you have the ultimate form of voicing your opinion, by electing who you want to serve on Erie's Board of Trustees. If elected, I would be sure to address all of the items that I have noted above, in addition to the many other items not noted, including two of the items detailed in my previous articles: home rule, and health and safety as it relates to oil and gas.
If given the opportunity to serve as Trustee, I would use the experience and understanding that I have gained over the years to provide positive change for the Town. As someone who is a natural problem solver and leader, I would utilize my skills in organizational operations to serve the town in the best way possible that leads to success for the Town and all of its residents. However, this can only be done from my remaining transparent and open to feedback, listening to the residents, and then determining the best way in which to support the community through action.
Real change happens when everyone comes together and works collaboratively. I want to bring people together and hear from all sides. In order to do this, I want to create an environment where people feel comfortable voicing their opinions. In this respect, my campaign is about positivity, without any negativity or calling out of others. In the past, there have been many individuals who have disrespected others, which is something I do not stand for. We should all respect varying views, regardless if we disagree with them or not.
I personally believe that opposing views are wonderful, because it allows for discussion of a topic to develop. I am always open to learning new ideas, different ways of doing things, as well as constantly learning from others' experiences to make better decisions. Listening, hearing, and understanding different perspectives is the only way that we can all grow and create positive change - by learning from others, and delivering ideas that push the needle.
Town Hall must do a better job of creating an open dialogue with community members. There must be a better line of communication, openness, and transparency provided to residents. Currently, there are very important items where we have been kept in the dark, and only told about these major issues months after the fact. This is not public service, but rather a public disservice.
I am running for Trustee because we, as residents of Erie, deserve and require more from our Town's leaders. We, as residents of Erie, deserve to see the Town's potential lived up to. We, as residents of Erie, deserve to have our optimism for a thriving Erie realized. We, as residents of Erie, deserve to have Town leaders who are Forward Thinking for Erie's Future!
I am running for Trustee because we, as residents of Erie, deserve and require more from our Town's leaders. We, as residents of Erie, deserve to see the Town's potential lived up to. We, as residents of Erie, deserve to have our optimism for a thriving Erie realized. We, as residents of Erie, deserve to have Town leaders who are Forward Thinking for Erie's Future!
Thank you for taking the time to read this article!
Please be sure to attend my Meet-and-Greet this upcoming Sunday, March 15th from 1:00pm-3:00pm (more information available here)
If you like the topics and stances that I have been discussing, please be sure to support my campaign for Trustee by getting involved in a few different ways (click here to see the ways to contribute)!
*Just a side note to all of the items that I discuss: I am a solutions driven problem solver by nature. I wonder how things work, why they work the way they do, and how to make them better. This means seeking different, outside-the-box methods to figure out solutions to various issues. Accordingly, I am always open to learning new ideas, different ways of doing things, as well as constantly learning from others' experiences to make better decisions. When I see an issue, I view it in a holistic fashion, and then dive into specific areas to remove deficiencies and create efficiencies. If you, who are reading this, have some thoughts or ideas about any of the subjects I discuss, I would be more than happy to speak with you to hear your opinions. Please reach out to me here through my website. Listening, hearing, and understanding different perspectives is the only way that we can all grow and create positive change - by learning from others, and delivering ideas that push the needle to become Forward Thinking.
Share
While some call it an "Affordable Housing" issue, in reality the root of the problem is a lack of housing diversity. During the Town's massive growth over the years, a lack of available inventory and the national housing market have created a housing affordability issue as the Town's makeup has comprised almost entirely of single family homes. The best way to resolve this issue is to work with our stakeholders in the community - our development partners - to address the cause, not the symptoms of the issue.
Erie has quickly moved from "the best kept secret" to "the gem of North Metro Denver", becoming a destination that others want to call home. In order to set our Town up for the best chances for success, a plan must be created that provides us with an ability to manage our current and future growth.
The blueprint below is designed to do just that, providing an understanding of where we are now (our "Current Position"), where we are going (our "Upcoming Needs"), and where we want to be (our "Future Growth"). It starts with assessing what's needed at this moment, preparing for what's needed later, and then having a vision to plan for the future.
Tell us briefly about yourself and where you are from and why you think you're a good candidate for the position you are running for: Originally from the Chicagoland area, I have been a resident of Erie since 2016, previously a resident of Broomfield for 7 years. I graduated from CU Boulder in 2009, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with dual concentrations in Management and Marketing. I am a business operations and marketing professional, with experience growing businesses from the ground up. Currently, I serve as the Sr. Manager of Customer Operations for a data analytics software company. As a solutions-driven individual, I use a holistic-view approach to identify and resolve issues that deliver results, which are both effective and efficient. I am married to my amazing wife, Gabrielle, and am the doting father of my two husky fur-babies, Kaia and Koda. I currently serve as both a Planning Commissioner and a Comprehensive Plan Amendment Steering Committee member for the Town. As an individual from the business world, I believe the Town needs leaders who can create solutions that will be positive and Forward Thinking for Erie’s Future. I believe that I am a good candidate for the position of Trustee because I am committed to making Erie the thriving and sought-after place to live, work, and raise a family - the place we love to call "home"!
I have recently been asked my stance on the Town's current face coverings order. This is an issue which by now, I am sure we have all formed our own personal opinions on. Since 2020, it has affected our daily lives and has been a “hot topic” locally, nationally, and world-wide. It has created division between families, friends, neighbors, communities, and nations alike – and likewise, Erie too has also seen its fair-share of division surrounding the subject. Personally, I abide by the orders issued by a county’s Public Health Agency, as their respective agency has final-say on the specific orders currently in place within their respective boundaries. As well, I abide by the requests and policies of a business which may not be under a mask mandate, but request that patrons within their establishment wear one. However, as I will go into further, the current Town of Erie Face Covering order is in actuality an overreach of legal authority applied to the Weld County side - due to Erie not having its own Public Health Agency, and due to Public Health order which was referenced in the Town's order being from the Boulder County Health Department. The decision made by the Board of Trustees and Town Administrator to administer this upon those in Weld County has not only hurt our businesses, but it has as well placed our Erie Police Department in a situation which they have no option but to enforce the order. The Erie Face Coverings Mandate Erie is uniquely situated in a location where we are split between two counties, with each county having differing views when it comes to various topics – and COVID has been no different. Statutorily, CRS §31-15-103 notes that the Town has the power to issue ordinances “which are necessary and proper to provide for the safety, preserve the health” of the Town’s residents. As well, we are statutorily provided with the authority to create our own Board of Health, as described in CRS §31-15-201 (1) (c), as well additionally in CRS §25-1-507 which notes:
First off, this issue has nothing to do with the capabilities of our Town's current Finance team. I am in no way, shape, or form "throwing them under the bus." I think they are doing a fabulous job, and are making amazing strides in rectifying many issues that they ultimately inherited. These issues should have been found out sooner, and lies entirely and squarely on the shoulders of previous Board of Trustees, as well as our Town Administrators. These individuals are the leaders within Town Hall. They are the individuals who are either our elected, or appointed by those elected, to be Stewards of our Town's finances. Our next board must contain individuals who understand the Town's budgets and finances, who review them thoroughly - as well as those who provide scrutiny, ask questions, and request clarification on these items (and others) from Staff. As someone who believes that our Town's Financial Wherewithal is an extremely important topic for our Town's future success, and having identified this issue in 2020 , I am disappointed in our Town's leadership for placing this situation upon our Town's Finance department. I am providing this information because of the opaque nature in which our Town has acted with in years past. I am also providing this information because there are many more issues that these individuals are attempting to rectify at this very moment, some that might take a year or two to finally be able to accomplish, as well as to say to our Town's Finance Department (Stephanie and Candice - and Victoria who just left as well) "Thank you for all that you are doing to illuminate and resolve these issues for our Town!" Backstory After my last article regarding the Town's 2022 Budget and the changes made within, another Trustee Candidate and myself were discussing the Town's budget online, referencing both the Town's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report's and Monthly Financial Reports in our comments. Less than a week later, I noticed that the Monthly Financials were removed from the Town's website. I decided to post on my Candidate Page about this in jest, and tagged the Town's official Facebook account - assuming that I wouldn't actually receive a response about it.
The General Fund is the primary operating fund for the Town. This single account is where all revenues and expenses are allocated relating to Town Administration, Legal, Legislative, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Finance, Economic Development, Communications and Community Engagement, HR, IT, Public Safety, and Central Charges (ie. Debt and Transfers to other funds). The revenues that fund this account results from our sales taxes, property taxes, development related fees, recreation fees, landfill fees, oil and gas related income, and other miscellaneous sources. Adopted by the Board of Trustees in November, this year’s budget was prepared for the first time in over 10 years by someone other than our previous Finance Director. The 2022 General Fund Budget projects a total of approximately $42.6 million in revenues for the Town. This is an increase from approximately $36.1 million in 2021, for a year-over-year growth of $6.5 million or 18%. At first glance this might look great, but the Budget then continues to explain that this double-digit growth is largely just a result of an “accounting change.”
As we all practice social-distancing and isolation due to COVID-19, what happens when we run out of activities to do around the house? Below are many different items - ALL COMPLETELY FREE - including educational materials for children, books, music, and virtual activities, in order to continue learning or simply pass the time. Have more items to add to the list? Send me a message here or on Facebook . (I will continue adding to the list as additional suggestions come in - but remember, they must be FREE!) ACTIVITIES Fitness 1440 - Erie Virtual training for its members on their Facebook page, to help stay mentally and physically active (On-Demand FREE for current members, Facebook video classes also posted for current and non-members) (just a side note: you can still also purchase their smoothies, picking them up curbside from 10am-12pm, by texting or messaging your order to them!) https://www.facebook.com/fitness1440erieco/ Virtual Field Trips Take a virtual trip to locations arround the world: View exhibits from The Louvre Museum in Paris, the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, explore the surface of Mars, and more http://freedomhomeschooling.com/virtual-field-trips/ Virtual Disney World Rides Even though the Disney parks are closed, you can still ride their rides virtually online https://www.wesh.com/article/virtual-disney-world-rides/31782946 Paris Musées Virtual Exhibit Collection of 150,000 digital art reproductions in High Definition of works in the City’s museums http://parismuseescollections.paris.fr/en GoNoodle Movement and mindfulness videos created by child development experts https://www.gonoodle.com/ CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS - GAMES, LEARNING, & VIDEOS Khan Academy Expert-created content and resources for every course and level (requires sign-up) https://www.khanacademy.org/ Newsela content from the world's most trusted providers and turn it into learning materials that are classroom-ready https://newsela.com/ XtraMath Program that helps students master addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts https://xtramath.org/ Teachers Pay Teachers Online marketplace for original educational resources with more than four million resources available for use (requires sign-up) https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/ Create Printables Variety of worksheets and printables ideas to personalize for your child https://www.createprintables.com/ PBS Kids Educational games and videos from Curious George, Wild Kratts and other PBS KIDS shows https://pbskids.org/ Sesame Street Play educational games, watch videos, and create art with Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, Big Bird, and more of your favorite Sesame Street muppets https://www.sesamestreet.org/ Education.com A library of games, activities, educational worksheets, and lesson plans for PK-5th, curated by educators (requires sign-up) https://www.education.com/ BrainPOP Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology https://www.brainpop.com/ (Normally this is a paid subscription service, but they are offering free subscriptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic) Starfall Allowing children to have fun while they learn - specializing in reading, phonics & math - educational games, movies, books, songs, and more for children K-3 https://www.starfall.com/ BOOKS (KIDS AND ADULTS) Magic Blox Offers a large library of free online books & children's stories https://magicblox.com/ Epic! Digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 35000 of the best children's books of all time (30-day free trial available) https://www.getepic.com/ Open Library Collection of books from the Library of Congress, other libraries, and Amazon.com, as well as other contributors https://openlibrary.org/ Project Gutenberg Library of over 60,000 eBooks, including free epub and Kindle eBooks, download them or read them online https://www.gutenberg.org/ TV & MOVIES Tubi Stream and watch movies and TV shows online in HD on any device https://tubitv.com/ Pluto TV Watch 250+ channels of TV and 1000's of on-demand movies and TV shows https://pluto.tv/ MUSIC Spotify Digital music service that gives you access to millions of songs https://www.spotify.com/us/free/ Pandora Music streaming and automated music recommendation internet radio service https://www.pandora.com/ TuneIn Radio Internet radio, sports, music, news, talk and podcasts https://tunein.com/
Please be sure to support my campaign for trustee by getting involved in a few different ways ( click here to see how )!
There have been many discussions lately regarding Erie's agreement with Lafayette and the Nine Mile development. This post looks at Erie's local relationships with other municipalities and agencies, and specifically this Nine Mile agreement, in order to understand how it came to be, and why our current Town leaders are incapable of negotiation on behalf of Erie residents.
If Home Rule isn't currently on your mind, it will be soon. The Town's Board of Trustees are trying to fast track it, without understanding what it actually does. This article explains the process, what a home rule charter does and does not allow, why Erie isn't ready for it (yet), and how water is involved in the discussion yet again