Eye On Englewood

Link: http://www.EyeOnEnglewood.com

If Steve Schalk and Jon Cook have their differences, these developers agree on one thing. With the present economy, and business lagging on Broadway, Englewood’s signs, banners and mural codes need an overhaul. Mr. Schalk (pronounced shock) is the owner of the Gothic Theater and also Moe’s Barbecue and Bowling Alley near Dartmouth. Cook's newly developed business at Yale and Broadway hosts Colore! Italian cuisine.

On Monday evening, Council was treated to an entourage of complaints from unreasonable sign codes to moms, dads and little kids about dogs rushing them and jumping them in parks. Apparently, the city has decided not to intervene in the parks between unleashed dogs and children by putting up fences. They cited expenses for this consensus. But, a father, also appearing as a professional educator, addressed the liabilities the City would incur if even one child was bitten, and they had not chosen to protect humanity above the beasts.

One mother reprimanded Councilwoman Wilson for physically turning her back while an honor student presented a video on unleashed dogs at last Council’s meeting. Wilson apologized and said she was only searching for something in her purse.

Between these complaints, was an attorney representing the medical marijuana industry warning them about their vote on a moratorium and offering his legal aid free of charge to develop appropriate ordinances.

Laurette Barrantine addressed council on their ethical abuse of Citizen seats on boards and commissions stating the conflict is not just one of finance, but of power and the appearances of undue influence. She tried to clear her own name as the Council had previously claimed she had held a seat on Code Enforcement herself during her term on Council. She stated that yes, at first, this was the case, until she recognized there were ethical issues, and resigned from the board. She challenged both the Mayor and also Jill Wilson to take the high road and accused them of defaulting to what City Attorney Brotzman informed them they could get away with.

Another interesting spokesperson was Laura Bartnick representing her household as a Small Group Home, and requesting the Mayor use his trump card to set the City’s reputation aright or else send her an official letter to specify as to what “full compliance” with the City's remaining two regulations would look like. Her boarding house won two and lost two which didn't get dismissed yet the implications of it are still unclear. Her comments included that the City has not been forthcoming with codes or communications over the two years she has been seeking their help. She related to me that the City’s intention has never been to grandfather in their home, and it has been an unending expensive game of chess or cat and mouse.

There is an old adage, “Just when I found the answers, they changed all the rules.”

During Mayor’s choice at the conclusion of a long evening, he responded that it was unfortunate, but because the City was a Manager Council run government form, that his hands were tied as to the municipal court findings, and he could not see how he could help the Bartnick household.

Attorney Brotzman leaned over and whispered loud enough for the audience to hear, “Yes, yes you can.” (Listen to Mayor at bottom of the page).

A spectator commented, “Does anyone know who the Mayor is here? Because it doesn’t seem like he knows who he is or what power he has.”

If Mayor Woodward gets re-elected this year, he will have served more than two terms on council and by the time he is finished he will have tucked 10 years under his belt.

Well, it was almost midnight and Cinderella and I were both about to turn into pumpkins, so I hit the road.

Link: http://coloradocommunitynewspapers.com/articles/2009/07/27/englewood_herald/news/24_tm_cncl_candidates_en.txt

During a study of medical marijuana venders last Monday evening's City Council, information that four existing city approved storefronts on Broadway surfaced. Other proposed venders slated for Englewood storefronts became the hot topic, enough to get a consensus action to establish an Emergency Moratorium.

Douglas Cohn's comment last year to Council regarding real emergencies and false emergencies has come full circle. He spoke during the false emergency moratorium on boarding houses and said, "When I first learned of a City emergency ordinance, I thought that perhaps you were taking notice of the foreclosure crises or that you had found a new way to handle drug houses in Englewood. That wasn't the case, and I have an issue with you folks abusing the City's definition of Emergency and Emergency Ordinances."

Personally? Four alternative drug venders on Broadway certainly seems suspicious, while only a short while ago, other herbal dispensaries were hard fought to win the privilege to exist in the competitive established models of medical fields in Englewood.

I spoke with one man outside of a clinic known as Patients Choice of Colorado. "Mike" was injured riding rodeo. He said the only thing holding his back together is the nuts and bolts. He said he was "dead" in his bed when he revived and that he has seizures from his brain being ripped from his right eye backwards.

Mike said he can tell when people are faking the need for marijuana, and that they could ruin it for all others who use it instead of heavier pills otherwise prescribed. So, Mike is a proponent of City licensure by application.

He believes that an application should sort out whether a dispensary is qualified to prescribe because they would know the answers to certain questions of which strains of the drug help which ailments, and what the various side effects are.

He pulled out his State license to use the drug for medicinal purposes and pointed out that high schoolers and other pleasure seekers could not lawfully obtain marijuana without the license. With a license, all is well. Without the license is quite another story.

Doctors could lose their license, their living, their home and wind up in federal prison, because it is the federal law that takes over when a violation occurs. Buyers would experience the same repercussions. However, Mike's concern is for the building owners who leased their premises to the errant tenants. In that case, the entire building would be caught up and confiscated by the FBI or FTB.

Matthew Crabtree, candidate for Council, and owner of the grassroots website for accessible government, ECOG, also voiced his concern to a group of concerned citizens when he said he had known someone who was a landlord where the tenants were manufacturing fake money out of the garage and paying rent with it. Not only did the landlord lose his rent, but also his rental property was confiscated.

Reality speaks. Either licensed marijuana dispensaries should own their own storefronts should they overstep their licensed privileges, or the City should draft a law to pre-empt the feds confiscation of the storefront belonging to an innocent party.

My hope, because this issue has already been approved by the State of Colorado, is that Council holds a hearing on the merits of the real Emergency as well as the City's own censurer process and what exactly they hope to protect.

Protecting business economy, private property and City taxes are all well within the reach of city government. Perhaps the new contenders for Council in November 2009 elections, will add protections to property within the boundaries of Englewood's Home Rule so that the wrong person doesn't lose his shirt, or his shop, to the feds.

Link: http://www.englewoodcitizens.org

Allow me to introduce you to Jon Cook, seasoned Englewood entrepreneur and developer. Just before Monday's Council meeting, Cook contacted Council Woman, Jill Wilson, and asked to speak with the City. During her Council's Choice section at the end of the meeting, she did her job and introduced him to speak.

A discussion hotly ensued in which Councilman, Bob McCaslin whined about not being warned before the meeting that Mr. Cook wanted to present, and that no-one knew what he planned to say. Then the discussion turned to procedural issues as to whether Mr. Cook could speak during Council's Choice, out of order from where residents are normally allowed to participate. A vote was taken, and Council asked for it. Jon Cook presented to council regarding a incident that occurred, where a representative from the Englewood Community development department made several harassing remarks to Jon Cook and the owner of Colore restaurant.

Colore, is a great little restaurant at Yale and Broadway, staffed by it's owners to ensure the quality of the food and the hospitality to its customers. When I visited there myself this month, I thought, "Now Englewood will give Pasquini's a run for their money."

But the developer, had his tenants, Colore, down his neck after Tricia Langon came with her arrogant ultimatums, "We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way." Apparently, there was no other way she offered to do them.

She was talking about an advertising banner being taken off the building when she slapped her card on the counter. Colore owners responded, "But our landlord told us we could do this."

Her response? "We at the City know all about Jon Cook and we have our issues with him."

Colore immediately ragged on Jon Cook for bringing them into Englewood's domain just to be unfairly treated. After all, as Mr. Cook pointed out to Council, there are storefronts and grocery stores with banners all over Englewood.

Jon Cook ceremoniously handed back Langon's "calling card" to Mayor Woodward, looked at Bob McCaslin and said, "If you have an issue with me, then why don't you call me? My name is plastered all over Broadway with open buildings for lease.

I did exactly what you guys wanted. I gave you the kind of Welcome to Englewood Building you've been asking for. This should be a time of celebration for us...implying that Community Development had ruined it for them.

"But, this isn't the first time Tricia Langon has interfered with us and threatened us," he testified. It is indecent and backwards.

Jon explained many of the reasons why businesses are reluctant to move to the City of Englewood. He also stated that until Ms. Langon is fired, he will no longer be developing properties in the City of Englewood.

City Manager Gary Sears denied that Ms. Langon worked for him or that he had any control over her. He also stated that many complaints come in about various City employees, apparently trying to downplay the incident.

Mr. Cook stuck to his mettle though, and reiterated that he is sick to death of the inhospitable nature of the City. He is finishing up one project and not starting another until the City rascals clean up their acts.