Eye On Englewood

Link: http://englewoodstory.com

We all know that fear can be a closed gate to government. Ignorance is a closed gate to government. And, in a busy society like Englewood, Colorado, busi-ness is a latch to pry open government.

People go to work five out of the seven days of the week, and then with their limited time after work and on weekend, they prepare family meals, and set a bit of personal time apart for sports, activities, concerts, paying bills, mowing the lawn and cleaning.

People tend to entrust politics to the “politicians”.

May 4, 2009, The City's old spending habits were approved by an outside auditor who hammed it up with the City Manager, and then the spending for 2009 was processed unanimously by all seven council persons, without discussion.

The following 2009 spending is itemized:
*a nine year old truck is to be replaced.
*a 60% increase on everyone's sewer fees was approved.
*a 2009 shell of an ambulance is purchased for $135,313, which still needs to be outfitted inside.
*a tilling tractor with the deluxe package including a GPS system and leather seats is to be purchased for $95,598.19
*November Candidate, Rick Gillit, asked Council to give an official report of the $20,000 they just spent at League of Cities, but Council ran out of time for Joe Jefferson's report.
*$20,000 for a community garden was expended.
*and, during study session, a grant of $5,000 was approved for Waste Management Company recycling, costing the City only $4,500 out of the original $9,500 price to recycle. For what? Isn't this the same service the Shriners offer for free?

Candidate for council, Rick Gillit noticed, "Not one council member posed the question whether the truck could be fixed rather than replaced or whether it could last another year or two?"

He said no-one asked, "What would a 30% sewer fee hike accomplish rather than a 60% hike?" or "What would a shell of an old ambulance cost to be refurbished?" or "Why does the City's tilling tractor require a GPS and deluxe package?"

It sure brings up the obvious: Did Council discuss these issues elsewhere besides the public meeting? If they did, they have violated the Open Meetings Rules and Sunshine Act.

Another observer noticed that not one Council member asked, "Why spend $20,000 on a community garden when the City is having to cut back expenses by 15%? And, no-one asked, "Did we really need to spend all those hundreds of thousands of dollars litigating against our own people last year?"

Understanding the laws which govern a home rule city is as easy as reading the manual: The Charter is the City's Constitution. But after the year 2000, Englewood’s manual gained three inches of ordinances known as the Englewood Municipal Code, (E.M.C.). Thick with cross references, notations to history and previous laws, full of things from the criminal code, pensions, building codes, the court, and zoning issues.

I agree, it is a bit cumbersome.

But, what this old ticker finds inexcusable, is the unwillingness to research a topic when asked. Why aren't rules of fixed measurement and law applied to the interests of justice? Are budgets really just a matter of the whims of those in power?

Is it really okay to charge 60% more for water and sewer services during an 8% unemployment crises, just to spend it elsewhere on new Tonka Trucks?

The air of secrecy surrounding Englewood City Hall has been breached by a Citizen's group intent to record and make public City meetings. For months now Englewood Citizens for Open Government (www.englewoodcitizens.org)has published City Council meetings and study sessions, and just this week,they published a the fact that Englewood's Financial and Administrative Services Director Frank Gryglewicz, Accounting Manager Steve Dazzio and Timothy P. Mayberry, CPA, from Johnson, Holscher & Company, P. C. discussed the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report in private and concluded that Englewood passed the(CAFR)grade.

Secrecy is a fine gate to help government achieve its aim by locking out controversy. Secrecy fleshes out efficiency and may save someone a bit of embarrassment. But, is secrecy the right tool? A pen's cap can be used to pick your ear, but it may have other unwanted effects. What does the tool of secrecy compromise?

It forces a potentially good form of government underground. It makes the good guys wear porcupine quills when they find themselves above ground because they know what things are hiding below.

Efficiency is the sweetheart of secrecy. Efficiency can evade a just investigation of the facts and laws, making a clean sweep of everything but the outcome.

When an authority figure doesn't admit that he struggles with an issue or needs more time before he casts his vote on it, he never has to research it and then he can rely on his associate's opinion. It is much more efficient that way. Right or wrong, something gets done.

City Council looks ominous sitting high above the audience that addresses it. Like judges they sit, as if they are privy to the issues at hand and at law. But are they?

Perhaps they are only privy to the information City Attorneys secretly feed them. But if the City attorneys, the City manager has it all wrapped up, and the one power withheld from Council is to "interfere" with Staff, according to the Charter, Part 1, ARTICLE III, section 32, then why does Englewood need a City Council?

Maybe they are so concerned with appearing "on the same page" that they become only puppets and "yes men" to the City Manager. Certainly, if they cannot open a public court record and take a look; certainly if they cannot drive by an Englewood site to investigate an issue for themselves; certainly if they cannot respond to a Citizen's question or look up their rules for themselves, their counsel will leave something to be desired.

Most assuredly, if they are not allowed to ascertain budget reports or ask questions of the head of the building department, and absolutely, if they have some friends from high school bending their ears for loyalty, their input is less than objective or meant "for the dignity of the whole."

Shouldn’t residents take a second look?

Please excuse my waffling. I’ll get right to the point. November elections are upcoming.