Dear Denver - Recent Comments

Dumb, Dumber, Dumbest

Gladys Kravitz — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:13:50 GMT

This whole affair was mishandled from the start on the part of both parties. First with the City of Denver, City Atty and Parks and Rec Dept for their incompetence and misreading of the city charter. Further, Kevin Patterson's notion that he can simply authorize a free business give-away and the City of Denver not receive any monetary share in return is ridiculous. There was never going be any revenue share from PFP's ad sales in our parks, nor was PFP going to have to pay any vendor fees, license fees, or leasing fees to city for the privilege to run his business in our parks. PFP's stood to make $375k in it's first year alone while Denver got zilch, during a $120m fiscal deficit crisis. And as for whatever cost saving this would have had for Denver; there was never a pro-forma statement issued by Parks & Rec either nor proper calling of bids. For Mr. Airy's foibles, whatever costs he's invested are his and his alone as well as his losses. Nice idea for entrepreneurship, but the deal breaker went further than just ads in the park and the fiscal inequity to Denver. Mr. Airy's exhibited profound CHUTZPAH in his promotion, branding his car(s) and signage with the City of Denver and Parks and Recreation logos without permission, as if to indicate this was already a program of and sanctioned by the City and County of Denver. It was not a done deal. In his ramp-up, he constantly violated city ordinance by placing his lawn signs IN THE PARKS, without permission and along right-of-ways. His over-ambition got the best of him which turned people off. The whole notion of poo in the parks and responsible owners cleaning up after themselves is subjective. PFP would not change behavior of the irresponsible dog owner. And it goes well beyond our parks. Dog owners should always have bags with them from the moment they step off their porch, on their way to and from the park to begin with.

SLCG should be ashamed of themselves!

Gladys Kravitz — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:09:23 GMT

Linda Brunn and Sloan's Lake Citizens Group has publicly and proudly rallied behind Bill Airy and Poo Free Parks. SLCG spokesperson Linda Brunn said that Bill Airy paid for their signs, but neither SLCG or PFP will admit they were breaking the law by posting in Sloan's Lake.
Read all about it here: http://www.thedenverdailynews....

What's astounding is how SLCG touts themselves as one of Denver oldest neighborhood groups, yet as "citizens" they should know better than to violate city code by not only placing their signs inside Sloan's Lake Park, they were also adv. alcohol/liquor sales to boot. Of course code enforcement in our neighborhoods only matters when it suits SLCG's agenda. Someone is played for rubes!

Screwy contract process

McGuffey — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:12:55 GMT

DDN has more on Denver's screwy contract process. Seriously, how is there not a lawsuit in this? It's terrible for contractors, and terrible for the city.

Video?

Lisa Jones — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:03:45 GMT

Can you post a video clip of this? Thanks.

Police Union

bartlett — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:45:51 GMT

The city responded already to the police union questions. It was not in the paper but it was on 9 news.

http://www.9news.com/news/loca...

IMO the police will look like the bad guy because they will push for tax and fee increases to keep first responders on the street. The mayor and council want to increase taxes too. When the police demand tax increases it gives political cover to mayor and council.

$200 million deficit is a new number as far as it being put out there for public consumption. Everyone knows that the shortfall is much worse than the $120 million they have been claiming.

Now, what's really going on here? The mayor had his staff project very optimistic numbers. They planned a budget around unrealistic expectations.

Now there is a shortfall -- falling short of unrealistic expectations. In a lot of ways this problem was manufactured in the mayor's office.

The plan is to get more tax and fee revenues. That is always the plan of government officials. This whole scenario has been designed to convince the public that the sky is falling, and get them to approve more taxes.

city focus

McGuffey — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:07:34 GMT

What does the statehouse have to do with city government?

exempt

McGuffey — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:05:05 GMT

Why is Poo Free Parks exempt from the rules? I can't put up signs on street corners to promote my business. Why can this guy?

police

McGuffey — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:02:38 GMT

I don't get what the police have to do with it, except if you mean that they can't get a straight answer from the mayor's office either.

Poo Free Parks ads

McGuffey — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:04:45 GMT

Article in today's Denver Daily News:

A vocal outcry from local neighborhood groups has caused Denver Parks and Recreation to postpone the installation of advertiser-supported dog waste dispensers in local parks.
The city department originally planned on allowing a company called Poo Free Parks to install, maintain and service dog waste dispensers in up to 10 Denver parks.
The installations would be part of a pilot program that, if deemed successful, could be expanded citywide.
While Denver Parks and Recreation is still considering implementing the program in some form, the original installation date of late May or early June has been delayed because of objections from the Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation (INC) - an organization that represents Denver neighborhood groups.
The INC claims that allowing advertisers to display their logos on the dispensers in the parks would be like "letting the camel stick its nose under the tent."
"You may as well start putting up billboards, painting ads on the walking paths and putting signs on the trees," said INC member Dave Felice. "Once you start with advertising, you're going down a slippery slope."

Read it all here.