Thornton Civic Observatory

Tag: Thornton City Government

  • City Council Planning Session Replay for July 15, 2025

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Meeting Start

    Council Member Russell did not attend the meeting.

    Businesses of Thornton Advisory Commission Interviews

    The meeting agenda describes the Businesses of Thornton Advisory Commission (BTAC):

    The Businesses of Thornton Advisory Commission (BTAC) represents Thornton businesses and makes recommendations to City Council on issues impacting the ability of businesses to be successful in Thornton. Commission members are residents and business representatives of the City. The general purpose is to discuss and share both the challenges as well as the successes experienced by Thornton businesses. (p. 6)

    The council interviewed 7 candidates for two openings.

    Multiple candidates discussed how the city could better communicate with and educate business owners on policies, code, and support services offered by the city.

    At the time of the interviews, BTAC needed more representation from Wards 2 and 3. Council started deliberations by considering applicants from those wards and selected two applicants to join the commission.

    Draft 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025 Annual Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant Funding

    The city is due to send a five-year plan to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which will make the city eligible for community block grant funding.

    The plan is informed by input from city staff, stakeholder organizations, and city residents.

    Four priority needs have been identified based on feedback: affordable housing, public services (including homeless outreach), public facilities and infrastructure (including sidewalks and flood management), and program administration (including outreach).

    2026 Utility Rate and Fee Increases

    The city’s water, trash, stormwater, and sewer services are run as independent non-profit businesses. Each service is entirely funded by its rates and fees (2:04:30).

    The proposed rate increases are water 11%, sewer 6%, trash 1.32%, and stormwater 6% for 2026. The agenda packet includes projected increases for future years.

    For the average residential utility consumer, winter prices would increase $6.41 and summer prices $12.63.

    If approved, rates would take effect on January 1, 2026.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow stated that she could not support the increase in water rates (2:18:30).

    Staff indicated that the 11% water rate increase was due in part to PFAS mitigation. Starting in 2027, the projected yearly increase for water is 3.6%.

    Bigelow noted that in the recent lobbying trip to Washington, D.C., the EPA could not say whether the federal government would be providing any funding for mitigation.

    Staff reported that several state grants have been obtained for PFAS mitigation and the city expects to receive funds from litigation settlements from 3M and other companies.

    Council Member Martinez noted the uncertainty in the national economy and wondered what effects delaying the date of fee increase would have (2:23:22).

    Staff explained that the January start date is done to align with the budget timeline for the utilities.

    Council Member Sandgren cautioned against delaying rate increases too far into the future, referencing the difficulties Westminster has faced in recent years regarding rate increases (2:28:15).

    Sandgren also asked about the frequency of water main breaks. Staff indicated that the city was seeing the average number of breaks.

    Council Member Salazar also voiced opposition to a water rate increase.

    The mayor asked staff to come back to the council with a couple of different scenarios for smaller water rate increases in 2026 and 2027.

    Review of Prairie Dog Regulations

    The presentation was in response to community questions asked during earlier development meetings.

    The prairie dogs in Thornton are not classified as endangered.

    The city’s ordinance requires developers to make a good faith effort to relocate prairie dog colonies. Usually, developers are unable to find sites for relocation. Once that effort is complete, developers can then euthanize prairie dogs.

    Thornton is one of two nearby communities that has codified regulations for prairie dogs (Broomfield is the second).

    Council Member Ayala asked whether extermination efforts might be required to post public notice about methods being used, referencing an incident where residents were concerned about potential toxins.

    Council Reports and Discussion

    Council Member Martinez discussed a economic development plan at the Denver Regional Council of Governments.

    Martinez also described a meeting of Latino elected representatives that discussed the relationship between law enforcement and immigration, noting the erosion in trust between local communities and local law enforcement who are providing crowd control while federal operations take people into custody (3:02:00).

    Martinez asked for updates on questions he had for the police chief. Staff planned to address those questions and any other council questions in the July 29th planning meeting.

    Council Member Salazar asked about expanding hours for a city-provided portable playground service at a location in her ward.

    Council Member Ayala communicated concerns from residents about masked law enforcement and ordinance changes. She also briefly described her participation at the Local Progress convening and asked for future reevaluation of safety measures for council members given the assassinations in Minnesota.

    Mayor Kulmann reported that she will be participating in a Hunt Institute program to support local leaders with education.

    Executive Sessions

    The council adjorned to meet in executive sessions for two topics:

    • to confer with the City Attorney for purposes of receiving legal advice regarding certification and compliance with various federal grant applications and awards.
    • to discuss personnel matters related to the mid-year appointee performance evaluations.

  • City Council Update and Meeting Replay for July 8, 2025

    • PDF packet for the update session – 49 pages
    • PDF packet for the full council meeting – 354 pages

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Update Meeting

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow joined remotely late, and Council Member David Acunto were absent for the update meeting.

    Charter Amendments Briefing

    The city attorney provided a follow-up on a previous discussion of possible city charter amendments for the November 2025 ballot.

    Currently, citizen-led initiatives require 10% of city voters obtained within 21 days.

    According to 2017 data from the Colorado Municipal League, most municipalities require between 10 and 15% for signatures for initiatives (30 and 39 cities/towns respectively). Only eight cities/towns have a signatures gathering time frame shorter than 30 days.

    Referenda, which would be petitions to repeal current laws, require 10% in most municipalities with 30 days.

    Council Member Ayala expressed that she still supported lowering the number of required signatures, noting along with Mayor Kulmann that the city has not had many citizen-led initiatives. The ones in recent years have failed to meet ballot eligibility due to not having enough signatures.

    Council Member Sandgren was open to increasing the time but not lowering the percentage, citing negative outcomes in Lakewood. She was concerned that a no growth special interest group could get an initiative on the ballot (20:12). Sandgren suggested 180 days for initiatives while keeping the 10% requirement.

    Council Member Martinez was open to keeping the 10% if the time period increased, explaining that it would be meaningful for 10% of voters to be in support of a proposal. He suggested 90 days as an average of comparable municipalities.

    Council Member Russell suggested 120 days to split between 180 and 90. Council reached consensus to leave the 10% requirement in place but to propose changing the initiative timeline to 120 days. The referendum timeline will stay the same.

    Fourth of July Fireworks Response Debrief

    The police department identified the top 10 historically high-report areas for illegal fireworks and met proactively with residents in those areas.

    This year, six of those 10 locations dropped off the high-report top-10 list.

    Five summons for illegal fireworks were issued during this year’s enforcement effort.

    Council Meeting

    The council unanimously passed a resolution “supporting home rule municipalities in litigation against the State asserting home rule authority over local land use and zoning.” The Colorado Sun reported on the law suit at issue.

    Audience Participation

    The first speaker, Dariush Namazi, satirically spoke in favor of the Trump administration’s military attacks on Iran.

    The second speaker thanked Thornton police and fire for support with a family member’s medical emergency during the 4th of July celebration.

    The third speaker continued his months-long protest of the land acknowledgment.

    The fourth speaker raised concerns about traffic safety near 123rd Ave. and Harrison, noting that he had spoken at previous council meetings and with city staff to no avail. He also complained of inconsistent enforcement of fireworks laws and property codes.

    The fifth speaker thanked Thornton’s sanitation department workers.

    The sixth speaker, State House Representative Jacque Phillips (D, HD-31), spoke about youth engagement with city government and in support of the home rule litigation.

    Council Comments

    Council Member Martinez discussed attending two restaurant openings and the successful Thornton Juneteenth and Pride celebrations. He also spoke about the Colorado Municipal League conference events he had attending, including on housing.

    Council Member Salazar spoke of attending a fire graduation and a block party in Ward 1.

    Council Member Ayala thanked city staff for their work during the 4th of July celebration.

    Ayala remembered the lives lost in the recent Texas floods, thanked the two Thornton firefighters traveling to Texas to help with the recovery, and emphasized the importance of emergency and disaster planning for the city.

    Ayala also spoke about different understandings of leadership, from a pragmatic approach that strives to maintain the status quo to a visionary approach that works toward change to help those who are struggling. She also mentioned leadership that aligns itself with business interests over working families: “We don’t need caretakers of broken systems; we need builders of a just future.”

    Council Member Sandgren thanked various city departments for their work. She continued her factoid protest of the land acknowledgment.

    Council Member Unrein noted the recent legal ruling on the Thornton Water Project.

    Council Member Russell spoke of his experience at the Colorado Municipal League conference and the Rocky Mountain Partnership Community Leadership Council meeting on civic influencers. He voiced appreciation for the youth involvement work Representative Phillips has done.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow also thanked city staff for work at recent events.

    Mayor Kulmann reported on her lobbying trip to Washington DC, which she described as a “productive trip” and stated that she was “optimistic about the relationships we are building to support our city’s future” (1:05:26).

    Commercial Projects Quarterly Update

    Staff provided an overview of recently opened and upcoming retail locations. New employers were also described, totaling over 700 new jobs.

    Council Member Martinez expressed interest in more council tours of primary employers in the city.

    Consent Calendar and Action Items

    The first action item dealt with creating a new health plan for city employees. Council unanimously approved all resolutions related to the health plan.

    The second action item was a resolution designating the “Syndal Residence” at 12545 Second Street as a local historic landmark.

    Currently, there are only two designated historic properties in Thornton: The Reitzenstein Barn (locally designated) and the Eastlake Grain Elevator (nationally, not locally, designated).

    The city’s historic designation code only “encourages” preservation of designated properties; it does not place any requirements or restrictions on the property owner (1:55:26).

    During council questioning, Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow urged that the vote on historic designation be delayed until December as the current home owner is a candidate for city council and was concerned that the designation could be used for campaign purposes.

    Council Member Sandgren responded that it was “ridiculous” (2:00:11) to be concerned with the application as a campaign effort because it was submitted some time previously and approved by the Thornton Arts, Sciences, and Culture Council (TASHCO).

    Several council members asked questions about the nature of the city’s historic designation code, raising concerns about properties being encumbered by designation. Staff indicated the the current code was “preservation light” and places no requirements.

    This property would be the first residential structure in Thornton to receive historic designation.

    Council Member Sandgren spoke in favor of the resolution. Council Member Martinez voiced concerns that the historic designation code was too ambiguous to decide during the meeting.

    Council Member Russell agreed with Martinez about there being too many questions about the historic designation code to move forward at this time.

    Council Member Ayala spoke in favor of the resolution in order to honor the recommendation of the TASCHO.

    Council Member Sandgren described the objection to the resolution as “political retaliation,” to which Mayor Kulmann reminded her to remain on topic (2:18:35).

    The final vote on the historic designation failed on a tie: Yes (Unrein, Ayala, Kulmann, Sandgren) No (Bigelow, Salazar, Martinez, Russell).

    Council voted unanimously to consent to the dissolution of the Lambertson Lakes Metropolian District.

    Council voted unanimously to approve the designation of a project of economic significance for the Thornton Commons project at 114th Ave. and Washinginton St (retail, dining, convenience and hospitality).

    The staff representative describes the porposed development as including a “nice public space” (2:35:38).

    A birds-eye view of a proposed commercial development property that is largely dominated by parking spaces.

    The council voted voted to move audience participation to earlier during council meetings.

    Council Member Sandgren and Mayor Kulmann voted no. Kulmann stated that her no vote was because the issue should have been discussed in a planning session. The ordinance was put on the agenda by Council Member Salazar at a previous council meeting.

  • City Council Planning Session Replay for June 17, 2025

    PDF of meeting packet – 83 pages

    Video replay – 2:41:49

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Meeting Start

    The city manager noted that there is an intergovernmental agreement between the city and the North Metro Fire District regarding training facilities that expires at the end of 2025.

    The plan is for a short-term extension of the agreement along with a study to consider longer-term options, which will be discussed in a joint meeting between the city and the district scheduled for Sept. 30.

    The manager also reported on a meeting between city staff and RTD regarding the 144th and York station that is part of the planned continuation of the N-Line commuter rail. Conversations are underway with landowners in the area.

    Strategic Plan Update

    Four teams have been working on the strategic plan process for the city (environmental scan, outcome measures, goal themes/statements, and actions—develop/prioritize).

    The teams have been using an ecosystem mapping tool recommended by Council Member Martinez based on experience at a National League of Cities meeting.

    Staff presented on the language used for the strategic focus areas based on feedback from council (12:14).

    Staff presented on key themes associated with the four strategic focus areas: Connected Communities (16:10), Vibrant and Purposeful Development (19:23), Organizational Excellence (23:46), and Safe, Supported, and Livable Communities (30:23).

    The organization in “organizational” refers to the staff and departments of the city of the Thornton.

    During discussion of the approach to measuring work in these areas, Council Member Unrein encouraged staff to solicit feedback from the lowest level possible in terms of city geography to represent the diversity of viewpoints across the city.

    Bond Allocation

    Staff sought guidance from council on awardees for the 2025 Private Activity Bond funds from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), which are to be awarded to support affordable housing efforts.

    Since 2018, funds have been allocated for first-time homebuyer assistance programs as well as new construction and renovation of affordable and low-income housing (47:00).

    The city sent invitations for proposals to 64 housing organizations. Three organizations responded (47:40). One proposal was for new construction, one for renovations, and one for homebuyer purchase assistance.

    Staff did not recommend two of the three proposals (51:44), making a sole recommendation in favor of the renovation project. That project would update housing that will remain deed-restricted as affordable for a 30-year period. The project is one block outside the city limits.

    City Charter Amendments

    The city attorney elaborated on 3 possible charter amendments discussed at an earlier meeting: term limits (to clarify role of partial terms), mayoral vacancy, and voter signature requirements for initiatives and referenda.

    Council were presented with several possible term limits amendments (1:04:00). Council came to a consensus that any time over a year served should count as a full term in order to honor the spirit of Colorado’s term limit requirements.

    Regarding an amendment to create a special election for mayoral vacancies after one year served, concerns were raised about the cost of such a city-wide election (contrasted with the lower costs for an election in one ward). Council Member Acunto suggested that if voters approve the amendment, then they approve the increased costs.

    Council reached consensus to move forward with an amendment to have a special election for mayoral vacancies after one year served.

    Regarding voter petitions for initiatives, the charter currently requires 10% of registered voter signatures gathered within 21 days. With Thornton’s 2023 voter registrations, that requirement is 8,800 signatures (1:14:15).

    The statewide requirement is 5%. Denver sets a 2% requirement.

    Council Member Ayala described her experience working with a group that attempted a ballot initiative only to find the current requirements impossible to meet (1:17:30). At the same time, she did not want the requirements set so low that nuisance initiatives proliferate.

    Ayala suggested a 3% requirement with a 90-day timeline. 3% would be 2600 voters. The council discussed differing opinions on the number of signatures and the time frame. Council Member Martinez recommended seeking more information about similar efforts in comparable municipalities before making a decision.

    The city attorney presented on three other potential amendments: allowing delegation of some inter-governmental agreement approval work to city staff, adding spouses to the anti-nepotism provision, and allowing council’s designees to grant revocable permits in addition to the council.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow suggested that council member absence policy needed clarification as well to include planning sessions in addition to regular council meetings.

    There was discussion about excused vs. unexcused absences and whether the charter language needed to be updated to conform to current laws regarding leave.

    July 4th Update from Policy and Fire

    The police department provided an update on fireworks law awareness and enforcement. Fireworks-specific enforcement will being June 20 and continue through July 9th using both marked and unmarked vehicles.

    The fire department is distributing fireworks signs and posting on social media.

    Staff wanted to set expectations that police and fire demand for fireworks enforcement will likely exceed response capacity (1:58:00).

    Washington Square Business Improvement District

    The properties east of I-25 between Washington, 120th, and 128th were under an business owners association that dissolved in 2023. Since then, irrigation and landscaping maintenance issues have arisen, leading to code violations.

    The city can create a business improvement district to tend to these issues if 50% of the assessed value commercial property owners in the district sign a petition.

    The district would be able to raise revenue in a more equitable manner than the previous association (where only a few businesses were paying for upkeep of common property throughout the area).

    Sex Offender Residency Ordinance

    Staff presented an update on the discussion from the Feb. 18 2025 planning session where council requested creation of residency restrictions on sexually violent predators (a specific class of sex offender under state law). According to the presentation, there are currently four such classed individuals within Thornton.

    The code amendments will not change other restrictions for other classes of sex offenders set elsewhere in city code (2:19:46).

    The new restriction would exempt those who had established residency before the revised ordinance goes into effect, and it will not apply to recognized areas created by the city after the person established lawful permanent residence.

    Other Discussion

    Council Member Martinez reported on a meeting with CDOT on Thornton-area projects.

    Council Member Ayala requested that the council consider revisiting the city’s marijuana dispensary ordinances to allow for dispensaries to open north of 128th. Staff will work on an informational presentation and schedule it for Sept. or Oct.

  • City Council Update and Meeting Replay for June 10, 2025

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Update Session

    At the start of the session, Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow and Council Member Russell were not in attendance but were planning to call in. Council Member Sandgren was attending remotely.

    A follow-up discussion on homelessness with Adams County representatives that was scheduled for 6/17 was postponed by the county.

    State Legislative Summary

    Council heard a summary of the state legislative session from Peggi O’Keefe of Clear Strategies,

    O’Keefe noted the possibility of a special session to address Medicaid funding should proposed federal budget cuts go into effect and on AI legislation but did not expect other issues to be part of a special session should it be called.

    The city took positions on 16 bills.

    Council was asked for its thoughts on the session.

    Council Member Ayala asked if the city could be provided information on the positions of other organizations beyond the business community. Ayala said that she felt as though she had to be the “voice for labor” in those bill discussions (19:13). Ayala specifically asked for information from homeless advocacy organizations.

    Mayor Kulmann described feeling as if they were on the defense against attempts to take away local control and asked if there were ways to be more on the offense (20:56).

    Update on Fiber Installations in the City

    The city’s executive director of utilities and infrastructure briefed the council on fiber development in Thornton.

    In 2023, Thornton and Ting entered into an agreement for citywide fiber. Ting encountered difficulties fulfilling that agreement, and in May 2025, Ting and Thornton amended the agreement to allow Intrepid to complete the majority of the construction of the fiber network.

    Page 26 in the update packet depicts areas around Colorado Blvd between 120th and 104th Ave. where Intrepid will be installing up to 338,000 linear feet of fiber starting in summer 2025.

    Other Fiber network companies are planning to or have installed fiber in Thornton: Lumen, Google, and Metronet.

    Update on Charter Review

    The city attorney described the findings of the review process thus far as indicating no substantive changes being needed. Instead, proposed amendments would clean up language within the charter.

    The attorney sought input from the council on any changes they would like to propose. Attorney mentioned that one open issue is whether a partial term counts as a full term (28:20).

    Changes to the charter can be started by citizen petition or by council vote. Either option results in the proposed change being placed on the ballot for voter approval.

    The charter has been amended 17 times.

    Page 33 in the update packet lists the suggested changes to clarify and update language in the charter. The city attorney explained that the changes are not urgent or necessary as the current charter language can still be interpreted.

    The city attorney asked if the council wanted to start the process for placing amendments on the ballot for this year, delaying, and potentially creating a wider engagement process in 2026 that could include a temporary citizen committee to participate in the review process.

    Council Member Ayala voiced support for a broader engagement process, particularly for any more substantive changes. She supported completing the clean-up changes for a November 2025 vote.

    Mayor Kulmann noted that doing the clean-up this year would be cost-effective with a municipal election already scheduled. Council Member Martinez also voiced support for completing the clean-up this year.

    Council Member Ayala also asked if a comparison could be made to other municipalities regarding the petition signature requirements for citizen-initiated amendments, voicing concern that the current requirements are impossible to meet (50:54).

    Annual Public Art Update

    The city’s public art coordinator brief the council on 2024-2025 public art projects.

    2024 saw Thornton’s first public art tour: 12 pieces in a 27-mile loop. An online version of the tour is available. The city also maintains a digital art and history archive.

    A Native American history and heritage sculpture project scheduled for Aylor Open Space did not originally get proposals from Native American artists. The city is working with 1st Tribal Consulting to re-work the call for proposals.

    Council Member Ayala asked what policies the city has regarding guerrilla art, such as a mural being painted in the Grandview Ponds pedestrian underpass on 104th Ave.

    The city is aware of who the artist is and is not planning to cover the mural at this time but does want to be able to channel the artist’s work into more appropriate avenues.

    Council Meeting

    Council Members Russell and Sandgren and Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow attended the meeting remotely.

    The council considered resolutions for the following: declaring June 2025 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Colorado, declaring July 2025 as national Parks and Recreation Month; declaring July 2, 2025 as national Wildland Firefighter Day, and condemning the antisemitic attack in Boulder.

    Beckie Bean, member of the Thornton Arts, Sciences, and Humanities Council and chair of the Pride event committee, gave a presentation the LGBTQ+ Pride Month resolution (13:13).

    Bean noted how the city’s Pride and Juneteenth celebrations are scheduled just two days apart this year. She acknowledged the importance of intersectionality, describing the background of and reading a poem by Audre Lorde, “A Litany for Survival.”

    During discussion of the resolution condemning the antisemitic attack in Boulder, Mayor Kulmann warned about hate being disguised as political speech.

    Audience Participation

    The first speaker spoke on how law in the U.S. has been weaponized against queer Americans, such as during the Lavender Scare. He said that if the council agrees to housing restrictions based on sex offender lists, then they will be persecuting queer members of the community.

    The second speaker was Eliza Namazi, Dariush Namazi’s wife. She spoke of threats made against her and her husband made by city employees at Thorntonfest, including a threat to kill their pets. She accused Mayor Kulmann of lying in court testimony.

    The third speaker was Dariush Namazi who described his experience of harassment while protesting at Thorntonfest, including how the people at the Adams County Republican table repeatedly threatened to bring Mayor Kulmann over to their table so as to intentionally get Namazi arrested again for violating the protection order the mayor has against him.

    The fourth speaker was District 31 State House Representative Jacque Phillips (47:45). She said that people should come to her before a bill is heard in committee to share concerns.

    The fifth speaker continued his ongoing objection to the land acknowledgment.

    The sixth speaker, wearing a Jacque Phillips t-shirt, spoke of ongoing concerns with water quality as a resident at a mobile home park in Thornton.

    The seventh speaker was Kathy Henson, former council member and current Adams County commissioner. She voiced appreciation for the work done on Pride Month and antisemitism, and she voiced concerns about city resources being used for a private event.

    In reply to Henson, the mayor said, “It’s already been addressed internally” but did not elaborate (58:00).

    Council Comment and Communication

    Council Member Martinez celebrated the success of Thorntonfest. He thanked the speaker who asked questions about mobile home water quality. He described an upcoming planning event from the Colorado Department of Transportation where he will advocate for the city.

    Council Member Salazar also thanked the water quality speaker. She offered appreciation for the street light replacement project on 88th Ave.

    Council Member Ayala expressed concerns about how the conversation on immigration is being handled at the state and national level and expressed her commitment to human rights and immigrant justice.

    Council Member Sandgren thanked the parks and recreation staff for their work at various city events. She also thanked the city’s budget team. She continued her protest of factoids against the land acknowledgment.

    Council Member Unrein voiced appreciation for Thorntonfest and the work put into the event. He also reminded residents to be aware of construction projects that are serving to keep our city infrastructure healthy.

    Council Member Acunto also thanked those who made Thorntonfest a success and reiterated his appreciation for support for the resolution condemning the antisemitic attack.

    Council Member Russell described various events he had attended, including a neighborhood clean-up.

    He reported attending the city council campaign kick-off events for Sam Nizam and Eric Montoya: “It’s very encouraging to see people step up and get involved in public service. Both those individuals have previously served on council, so they are coming back to continue the work they did before.”

    [Point of clarification: neither Nizam nor Montoya are running unopposed. For more information on the 2025 municipal race, see this post. Some commentary is provided here, and candidate websites are linked here.]

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow also thanked everyone for their contributions to Thorntonfest. She elaborated on her comments on the resolution condemning the antisemitic attack, emphasizing her record of consistently advocating for a Thornton where all residents feel safe and welcome.

    She condemned those who only speak out against Israeli actions in Palestine and not other crises around the globe, such as Yemen, Myanmar, Ethiopa, or China. She described those people as “supporting the global intifada against free nations” (1:22:35).

    She also said that “the job of the city council is not to weigh in on international issues” (1:23:11) and that “personally, I do stand with Israel” (1:23:20).

    Mayor Kulmann offered thanks to the Thornton Community Band. She described various meetings she had attended.

    Kulmann said that Dariush Namazi “aggressively targeted and harassed women working at the Republican booth.” She went on to describe how Namazi’s conduct is not protected speech but harassment (1:26:21). According to Namazi’s comments early in the meeting, police did not find his behavior unlawful.

    She indicated that unnamed persons are “complicit” in Namazi’s behavior. She demanded all city council candidates condemn Namazi’s behavior.

    When Namazi was arrested for allegedly violating Kulmann’s protection charge, the Adams County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the charge after police body cam footage was released and failed to support a criminal charge as reported by Fox31.

    For context, Namazi has a long-running protest, acting in a far-right caricature persona called “Danny Kulmann.” In that persona, he explicitly articulates positions that conservatives often shield behind a veneer of respectability and reasonableness.

    Staff Reports

    Staff provided an update on the Thornton Shopping Center, which is in the clean-up phase of the project. As of May 20, 2025, the project is on budget.

    The city is working with Civistruct to manage the request for proposals for redevelopment projects of the site.

    Council Member Martinez asked whether the site cleanup might interfere with the request for proposal process. Staff indicated that the process is proceeding as expected and that there should be no unexpected delays.

    Martinez also asked about how the guidelines for the request for proposals guidelines were established in collaboration with the consultant. Staff indicated that they were running various scenarios based on the property and the zoning uses assigned to it. Council will be given an opportunity for input on those scenarios.

    Council Member Unrein asked for an update on the post office. Staff indicated that no new updates were available.

    Consent Calendar

    Council passed the consent calendar items unanimously.

    New Motion – Moving Audience Participation Earlier

    Before the meeting was adjorned, Council Member Salazar moved to create an ordinance that would move audience participation at council meetings back to an earlier time in the agenda. Council Member Martinez seconded the motion.

    Salazar noted that she’s consistently observed people leaving the meetings before the late time at which audience participation currently occurs.

    Martinez said that although he had voted to move audience participation later, the know understands that to have been a mistake. He has also observed people leaving before audience participation and has received constituent feedback criticizing the later time.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow had supported the original change but said that she’d support audience participation as the first agenda item and public hearings as the second item. Bigelow moved for an amendment to reflect that order; that motion was seconded.

    Council Member Sandgren objected to both versions because city council meetings are “business meetings.” She does not believe those giving testimony at public hearings should have to wait. She does not think the council should be making business decisions at late hours.

    Mayor Kulmann said that the idea should have been presented at a planning session. She had a similar objection when Council Member Salazar moved to vote on the council code of conduct.

    Bigelow’s amended motion passed in a 5-4 vote (Bigelow, Russell, Martinez, Salazar, and Ayala yes; Unrein, Acunto, Sandgren, and Kulmann no).

  • City Council Update and Meeting Replay for May 27, 2025

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Update Meeting Start

    The mayor participated remotely.

    Council Member Ayala requested that the Pride Month resolution be delayed from that evening’s meeting so that a presentation could be made at a later date. Similar presentations have been made with Black History and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month resolutions.

    Council agreed to switch out the Pride Month resolution for a resolution forwarded by TASHCO that the city fly the pride flag during the month of June.

    High Level Review of City Financial Health Briefing

    City staff reviewed key economic indicators used to monitor financial health. For example, property tax revenue is expected to be down, which will impact the 2026 budget.

    Page 7 of the PDF packet provides a pie chart breaking down City of Thornton government revenue. 49% of revenue is from sales tax.

    2025 revenue projections forecast a $2 million shortfall in sales tax, a $500 thousand increase in fines and forfeitures, and all other revenue streams on track to meet budget.

    Two scenarios were shared projecting either a $1.5 million or $3.6 million budget shortfall for 2025. Staff noted the volatility of the economy, due in part to the tariff policies of the Trump administration, and indicated monitoring and reporting to city manager is ongoing.

    Staff also described savings strategies (short-, mid-, and long-term options).

    The short-term option is to identify savings in capital projects that are completed or close to being completed under budget. These are one-time savings. Long-term strategies look for ongoing expenditure reductions.

    The next quarterly financial update will be on August 26.

    Council Member Unrein asked about adjusting the city’s risk factor as discussed in the strategic planning conference at the start of the year. Staff explained that the current approach was not to assume worse than the $3.6 million shortfall scenario.

    There are no staff or service reductions being considered at this time, but such reductions are on the table for the future.

    Enterprise Resource Planning and Payroll Software Replacement

    The city’s current payroll and financial software from 2001. The payroll software is reaching end-of-life and the replacement process must start by June 9, 2025.

    Staff described the bidding and research process for replacements. After the process, the total estimated price is $4 million for a combined product, which is $2 million more than budgeted. The current budget would only allow implementation of the payroll software and not the financial software, which is the current plan for the city.

    The payroll vendor for the new software is Workday.

    Council Comments

    Council Member Martinez reported inquiries he had received from Almost Home about invoices the organization had submitted to the city and had not yet been paid.

    Executive Session

    Council met with the city attorney regarding the suit filed by municipalities against Governor Polis challenging legislation allowing the state to override local control.

    Council Meeting Start

    All council members were present, including the mayor attending remotely.

    Council approved the agenda change regarding the pride flag as discussed in the update session.

    Swearing in Police Chief James Baird

    The new police chief of Thornton, James Baird, was sworn in. On May 14, Baird negligently discharged a weapon while at home as reported by 9News.

    Resolutions

    Council passed the following resolutions: gratitude for retirement of city employee James “Jim” Kaiser, authorization to fly the intersex-inclusive progress pride flag, a declaration of June 19, 2025 as Juneteenth in the City of Thornton, and a declaration of June 2025 as Gun Violence Awareness Month.

    Public Hearing on Townhome Development

    Mayor Kulmann transferred chair duties to Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow because council rules do not allow remote participation in quasi-judicial proceedings.

    The hearing was on an amended conceptual plan for 174 townhome units at 152nd Ave. and York Street (Eastcreek Farm). The site is about 17.2 acres.

    The developer’s (Lenar) amendment request a change to eliminate 284 multi-family units and switch to 174 attached single-family townhomes.

    Council Member Sandgren asked if the change is also moving from rental units to owned units. The development teams’s representative confirmed the townhomes would be for purchase.

    Council Member Martinez asked about the motivation for the change. The original developer of the site backed out of the project, and the representative reported that the new developer, Lenar, wished to build townhomes instead of apartments.

    In the public comment period, Daruish Namazi again protested the change in the agenda order to move audience participation to after public comment.

    A second public comment represented a group that had earlier expressed concerns with the development but reported that the group was satisfied with the switch to townhomes.

    Council Members Sandgren and Bigelow expressed enthusiasm that the new units were going to be for sale and not rentals.

    Audience Participation

    The first set of speakers represented the Stargate school robotics teams thanking the city for funding for competition travel and reporting on their teams’ performance.

    The second speaker was Daruish Namazi responding to Sandgren’s comments in the previous meeting.

    The third speaker spoke out on National Gun Violence Awareness Day and encouraging safe storage for firearms.

    The fourth speaker discussed starting a new local group affiliated with the National Youth Rights Association.

    The fifth speaker voiced anti-trans sentiments.

    The sixth speaker responded to the fifth speaker and advocated for true love and acceptance instead of shame.

    Council Comments

    Council members reminded the community of various upcoming events and reported on experiences at recent events, including Memorial Day commemorations and the recent virtual town hall.

    Council Member Sandgren congratulated fellow Ward 2 Council Member Ayala on a award she won from Conservation Colorado.

    Sandgren also continued her protest of the city’s land acknowledgment statement.

    Monthly Financial Report for March 2025

    The March numbers are in line with the earlier reported estimated annual 2025 shortfall of $1.5 million.

  • City Council Planning Session Replay for May 20, 2025

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Meeting Start

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow attended the meeting remotely.

    The city manager reported that council would be receiving a more in-depth update on joint work between Thornton and Northglenn on clearing encampments and remediation in the Badding Open Space with an estimated cost of $40,000 to the City of Thornton.

    Council asked how much of that cost was the responsibility of Thornton versus Northglenn. The city manager reported that it was entirely the responsibility of Thornton.

    The open space borders both municipalities, but the bulk of the property resides within the City of Thornton along with some property belonging to the Adams 12 Five Star School District.

    The Badding Open Space is just down the road and across I-25 from the Thornton City Hall and police department headquarters.

    The city attorney noted an email she sent to council regarding the executive order from Governor Polis regarding land use/zoning and affording grant priority to municipalities that follow state guidelines. Thornton had previously asserted that those state guidelines infringed on the right of municipalities to set their own guidelines.

    Six municipalities have filed suit against the governor, and the city attorney requested an executive session meeting with council to discuss the city’s position on that lawsuit.

    Adams County Regional Economic Partnership (AC-REP)

    Adam Krueger, economic development director for the City of Thornton, introduced Lisa Hough, president and CEO of AC-REP, who briefed the council on an overview of the new regional chamber of commerce.

    Hough described AC-REP’s vision as not just supporting businesses but also residents, such as with workforce development.

    Hough described a program to cultivate business leaders and encourage them to run for elected office.

    Hough name checks Meati as an example that, even though that company has had “issues,” shows how Adams County is a space for business growth and innovation.

    (Meati’s “issues” include their investor seizing their funds, leading to a shutdown and fire sale of its industrial property that Thornton had supported with incentives.)

    Hough explained that because Thornton is such a large business supporter, the city gets a number of perks at AC-REP, including board and committee members and a gratis foursome at the AC-REP golf tournament.

    The city’s annual dues to AC-REP are $15,000.

    Development Code Update

    Staff presented an overview of the final drafting stage of the code update process, which started in July 2023. The changes focus on new development and re-development.

    The presentation included a number of revisions to address developer comments on the proposed changes.

    There was discussion between council and staff about seeking compromise between developer preferences and resident preferences on different levels of housing density.

    Staff reminded council that the zoning updates in the code are intended to align with the already agreed upon comprehensive plan.

    There was a request to reduce the amount of tree equivalents required, which staff rejected given the lower turf requirements set by state law.

    At an earlier meeting, staff had proposed requiring detached sidewalks on all local streets. Council countered with a request for detached sidewalk requirements only on streets leading to parks and schools.

    Staff requested council reconsider given the role detached sidewalks play in supporting the city’s Vision Zero Action Plan. Council agreed to do what is best for Vision Zero and staff will reinsert requirement for detached sidewalks on all local streets.

    Council Member Martinez asked about increasing height in transit-oriented development zones to above the current five story limit (to six or seven stories).

    Staff explained that developers can make requests for waivers as part of the application and hearing process for specific sites but that council could consider zoning changes specific to TOD. Council Member Sandgren predicted considerable resident pushback on raising height limits, naming the Eastlake and the 104th and Colorado rail stations as examples.

    Staff describe commercial districts as job-producing areas. No data is shared on what percentage of retail workers in Thornton are also Thornton residents.

    Volunteer Recognition

    Staff presented on best practices for volunteer recognition, including practices in other municipalities. Many of those municipalities host an annual volunteer recognition event, which was staff’s recommendation to the city.

    Thornton does recognize volunteers within the city government. The recommendation is to recognize Thornton community volunteers.

    Severe Weather Update

    Staff reported on the city’s policies for severe weather.

    Staff noted that there are more fatalities from lightning than from tornadoes in Colorado.

    The city hosts an annual National Weather Spotter Training, though the most recent offering was canceled due to federal budget cuts. The city also offers Community Emergency Response Training (CERT).

    Staff explained that landlines are automatically added to the city’s CodeRED service but cell phones require individual opt-in. The presentation did not discuss traditional copper landline service that has been replaced by VoIP service.

    The city’s website has this guidance for VoIP services:

    “You do not need to update information for landline telephones at your home, if your landline is with a company that reports your number for 9-1-1 services. Some cable and VoIP providers do not subscribe to the 9-1-1 database. You must inquire from your phone company.”

    Staff explained that installing the CodeRED phone app does not automatically enroll the phone for notifications. The manual sign-up must be completed. Alerts can be received just through phone calls or texts; no smart phone app is required.

    In addition to CodeRED, there is a federal system that signals all cell phones within a target area.

    Staff reported that 5 of 43 metro area jurisdictions have tornado sirens and that other jurisdictions had sirens in the past but discontinued them. Sirens are intended to only alert those who are outside.

    Council Member Salazar noted how older residents may not know what CodeRED is, suggesting more outreach at the Active Adult Center.

    Council Member Martinez noted that only a small percentage of Thornton’s population is enrolled in CodeRED and suggested that the city set enrollment goals, keeping sirens as a backup plan if goals are not met.

    Federal Legislative Agenda Meeting Planning

    Staff reviewed which council members will be covering which topics to be discussed with the federal delegation on their June visit to Washington, DC.

    Council’s Policy on Electronic Participation

    This discussion followed up from the discussion in the last council update meeting.

    Current policy limits members to four meetings attended remotely per year (excepting any requirements for state or federal law). Members cannot participate in executive or quasi-judicial sessions electronically.

    In response to the point raised by Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow in the previous meeting that the mayor should not preside while participating remotely, staff interpreted the charter to indicate that the mayor cannot be treated differently than other council members and thus is able to chair meetings.

    Historically, there were no provisions for remote participation before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Council Members Ayala, Unrein, and Sandgren voiced support for keeping the procedure as is.

    Council Member Martinez described the challenge of getting recognized by the chair and other communication issues when the chair is remote and suggested following the model of some other municipalities where the mayor does not chair the meeting if remote.

    Thornton’s city attorney stated that in her opinion, that model would not be consistent with the city’s charter.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow advocated for getting outside legal counsel to articulate the rationale behind the model and whether Thornton could implement the same policy.

    Mayor Kulmann determined that the consensus was to leave the current remote policy in place (with four on council supporting that position).

  • City Council Update and Meeting Replay for May 13, 2025

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Update

    The mayor announced that Council Member Acunto would not be attending and that Council Member Sandgren would be late. The mayor attended remotely.

    Council Member Martinez asked why the council code of conduct was scheduled to be voted on as a seprate action item rather than as part of the consent calendar package.

    City staff explained that there was a change in the wording between the first and second reading (the change from a simple majority to a two-thirds vote to find that a violation has occurred).

    Parks and Open Space Advisory Commission Interviews

    Note: council members identified themselves verbally so that the mayor, attending remotely, would know who is speaking. Usually, council members do not do this during the update meetings even though it can be difficult for those viewing the recording or attending remotely to identify who is speaking.

    Three commission applicants were scheduled for interviews. Only one was present for the interview process.

    All candidates were to be asked the same questions (available in the meeting packet).

    The candidate asked council what were the largest challenges they see for parks and open spaces in Thornton.

    Mayor Kulmann mentioned funding and access. Other council members mentioned the environment (e.g., water consumption for grass), the number of parks available, and homeless encroachment and safety.

    Council agreed to reschedule interviews and keep the call for applicants open because the commission currently has no Ward 1 representation.

    Council Remote Participation Discussion

    Council Member Martinez invited the council to consider whether it was time to revisit remote participation in meetings by members of the council given how conditions had changed since remote participation was first established at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Martinez stated that his perception was that remote participants had challenges engaging in-person participants during meetings and that remote participating was contributing to communication challenges between council members.

    Mayor Kulmann suggested adding the issue to a future planning session, at which point Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow accused Kulmann of trying to dodge the issue (27:59).

    Council Member Sandgren argued that if the council ends its remote participation, then all boards and commissions should end their remote participation.

    Bigelow stated the position that the council could either amend the remote option or follow the city’s charter guidelines that the Mayor Pro Tem chair the meeting if the mayor is not participating in-person.

    Bigelow agreed with Sandgren that council policy should align with boards and commissions, which should include the council having a code of conduct like the boards and commissions do.

    Council Member Ayala indicated that she would not be comfortable making a decision in the meeting and suggested a future planning session for further discussion. She noted that she advocated for the virtual town hall to meet the needs of residents who can not participate in person.

    Council Member Unrein echoed Ayala’s request for more time, and he noted that people on boards and commissions regularly make use of remote/hybrid participation.

    Council Meeting

    The mayor continued participation in the council meeting remotely. Council Member Acunto continued to be absent. All other members were present.

    The council passed resolutions recognizing the following: May 2025 as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, May 2025 as Jewish Heritage Month, May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month, May 18-24, 2025 as National Public Works Week, May 26, 2025 as Memorial Day, and the 2025 National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend.

    25-year-old Thornton resident Peter Duong spoke on behalf of the Asian American Pacific Islander community. He invited council and the community to participate in metro area Asian American events and celebrations throughout the year.

    During discussion on the Mental Health Awareness Month resolution, Council Member Ayala shared her experience as a survivor of domestic abuse and spoke to the mental health challenges she has faced over the past year.

    Council Member Russell spoke of his work with veterans and the mental health challenge they face. Both Russell and Ayala urged people to reach out for support and to check in on those in their lives.

    Public Hearing on Building and Fire Code Revisions

    The city staff presented on the code revision process. Key revisions are highlighted in the meeting packet.

    No member of the public had signed up to speak in favor of or opposed to the hearing items. Per standard procedure, the mayor invited anyone who was present but had not signed up to speak.

    Thornton resident Dariush Namazi came to the podium to criticize the council for moving the audience participation portion of the meeting agenda to after the public hearings, explaining that it wasted the time of public who wished to speak.

    Audience Participation

    Staff reported that 7 people had signed up to speak in person and 2 online.

    The first speaker talked on the theme of “we are all one” and spoke out on the genocide in Gaza.

    The second speaker spoke on poor internet service in Thornton through Comcast and looked forward to hearing more on fiber availability in the city.

    The third speaker from Ward 1 asked the city to install Tornado warning sirens despite the cost and “not wait for a death to happen” (1:01:14). The speaker claimed that the city’s Code Red phone/email notification system does not work all the time.

    The fourth speaker condemned the transphobic comments from council members in a meeting the prior month. The speaker called out Council Member Sandgren for misusing an opportunity to recognize transgender community members as a way to talk about “predators” (1:03:35).

    The speaker criticized the mayor for amplifying the online posts of an unnamed man who describes the LGBTQ community as mentally ill.

    The speaker played a clip of Sandgren’s comments at a meeting where Sandgren talked about national sloppy Joe day as a way to trivialize the city’s land acknowledgment.

    The fifth speaker was Daruish Namazi, this time speaking in his right-wing persona “Danny Kulmann.” He sarcastically thanked Kulmann and Sandgren for speaking on women’s sports, presenting an over-the-top caricature of an anti-trans fanatic.

    After taking off his MAGA hat, he condemned Sandgren’s disregard for the city’s land acknowledgment and presented a brief history of the KKK’s takeover of Colorado governments in the 20th century.

    In contrast to Sandgren’s implications that trans people in Thornton are predators, the speaker referred to reports of a Thornton Christian youth pastor, Joshua Lucero, who has been arrested on sexual assault on a child.

    The sixth speaker also reported problems with the Code Red notification system. She also spoke about student school attendance being affected by limited service from RTD in the 120th and Washington area where there are several schools.

    The seventh speaker was the on-going complaint about the land acknowledgment.

    The eighth speaker asked how the new city logo was decided. The mayor reminded him that audience participation was not a time for dialogue. The speaker expressed disappointment with the new logo.

    An online participant also spoke on tornado sirens, noting how many sirens neighboring municipalities have compared to Thornton’s 0 sirens. The speaker expressed frustration at having reached out to the city last year and not found a resolution.

    Council Comments

    Council Member Martinez discussed constituent concerns with crime on 88th Avenue. Residents want to see more police on patrol in the area.

    Council Member Salazar echoed those concerns, noting that police unmarked vehicles was an insufficient response. She also thanked those who spoke in favor of tornado sirens.

    Council Member Ayala spoke on her experience with police department’s Citizens Academy program and how community policing works best when residents talk with and actively engage their neighbors.

    Council Member Sandgren described the early comments in audience participation criticizing her as “sharing their hate” (1:38:35). She doubled down on her protest of the land acknowledgment, insisting that Colorado never had slavery.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow spoke on the virtual town hall scheduled for the next night, which she had wanted to be a hybrid online/in-person meeting and a meeting with a live (not pre-written and submitted) Q&A session.

    City Council Code of Conduct and City Mission, Vision, and Values

    The council unanimously passed the revised code of conduct (second reading) and the city mission, vision, and values.

  • City Council Planning Session Replay for May 6, 2025

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    Meeting Start

    At the start of the meeting, Council Member Martinez requested that an item be added to the agenda, hearing a request for sponsorship from Generational Opportunities that will be holding a basketball tournament during Thornton Fest.

    The group also does fundraising work for youth, including a school supplies drive. The group is recently started and has just received nonprofit status through the secretary of state’s office. They requested $2500 sponsorship from the city, which would come from the parks department budget.

    Also at the start of the meeting, staff reported that they had shared with council questions submitted for the 5/14 virtual town hall. Questions can be submitted here until Fri. 5/9 at 5:00 pm.

    State Legislative Update

    This was the last week of the regular legislative session. A special session may be called in the summer if needed to address funds lost from federal cuts to Medicaid.

    Peggi O’Keefe, lobbyist with Clear Strategies, reported that HB25-1147 (consistent penalties in municipal courts) has passed, which the city opposes. Various municipalities are lobbying that the governor veto the bill.

    HB25-1269 (building decarbonization) has been amended to address concerns and has passed.

    HB25-1272 (construction defects) has passed. The lobbyist implied that the policy priorities of “a very Democratic state legislature” were in tension with providing accessible, affordable housing (20:07). The lobbyist made no comments regarding builders selling homeowners a bill of goods on defective properties.

    The lobbyist reported that HB25-1295 (food truck licensing reciprocity) was amended to address concerns and passed.

    Recommendation for the Distribution of 2025 Thornton Assistance Funds (TAF)

    City staff and volunteer members of the Thornton Assistance Fund committee reported 40 applications requesting funds totaling $670,256.64. The city has available $307,800.00 to be distributed. They described the formula used to rank requests.

    The team reported that the housing category was the highest priority of requests.

    Council members asked several questions to clarify the process used to rank requests and award funds.

    Council voiced no objections to the recommendations of the committee.

    88th Avenue Corridor Study Update

    The short-term recommendation is to reduce lanes from Pecos to Grant and add protected bike lanes.

    A medium-term plan includes widening the sidewalk from Washington Street to Colorado Boulevard, which would address a commonly voiced public concern.

    A long-term plan includes adding a multi-use path between Corona Street and Devonshire Boulevard, which would provide pedestrian and bike access to homes that front that section of 88th.

    Protected Bike Facility Study

    The study looked at three corridors:

    • 128th Ave from I-25 to York St.
    • Pecos St from Milky Way to 92nd Ave/Thornton Pkwy
    • Huron St from 84th Ave. to 88th Ave

    The plans for all three corridors propose raised bike lanes.

    Other Discussion

    Council Member Acunto described information about the Broomfield senior citizen/emergency responder lockbox program, which was shared via constituent email.

    Council Member Sandgren mentioned a group organizing events to commemorate the U.S. 250th/Colorado 150th founding anniversaries and requested the city look into combining such events with Thornton’s 70th anniversary.

    Mayor Pro Tem Bigelow asked how often the Environmental Sustainability Task Force was meeting and whether they could look into the two different standards Northglenn used in recent municipal office construction. Staff reported that the task force would likely be meeting with more frequency in the rest of the year. The task force has only met once so far.

    Council Member Ayala raised the concept of the blue envelope program to communicate unique needs to facilitate safe and successful interactions with law enforcement. Staff indicated the Thornton Police are currently in the early stages of considering the program.

    Council Member Martinez reported a vendor who did an analysis of short-term rental listings in Thornton that found 200 rentals. Martinez noted how other municipalities have enacted lodging taxes on short-term rentals that is spent on supporting affordable housing.

    Thornton’s lodging tax (7%) is not currently spent on affordable housing efforts. He requested permission for staff to study a potential 9% short-term rental tax.

  • Thornton Decides 2025 – Candidate Websites

    Ward 1

    Ward 2

    Ward 3

    Ward 4

    Candidates’ donation history was covered in this previous post, and election commentary is offered here.

  • City Council Planning Session Replay – April 29, 2025

    Click on the agenda item in the menu to the right of the video to go to that part of the playback.

    While the summary below is intended to be fair, it may contain errors and is ultimately one person’s interpretation. All interested parties are encouraged to view the relevant portions of the meeting recording to come to their own conclusions.

    The summary is not comprehensive but notes highlights from the session.

    All members of council were present for the 4/29 meeting.

    Public Finance Tools

    Carolynne White of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP presented on economic development tools the city could use.

    She started the presentation by noting that development projects can only succeed when compromise is reached among all stakeholders and that development must generate revenue for the city.

    White described how urban renewal laws originally could be used to create affordable housing but that federal funding for such housing ended in the 1970s, leaving state and local governments responsible for funds (21:17).

    She defined blighted areas as those that consume more city resources than they contribute.

    [Commentary: This raises a question not considered in the presentation: How much revenue from development stays within the city vs. getting funneled outward and upward?]

    White explained that Urban Renewal Authorities have bond authority that is exempt from TABOR votes.

    Council Member Russell asked who makes the determination of a municipality’s primary business district under a Downtown Development Authority (DDA). He also asked whether a DDA can be created for an area that is planned to be a central business district in the future.

    White answered that the city council makes the determination. She reported that several Colorado DDAs have been formed on the premise of a future location for central business.

    According to the city manager, this presentation was connected to the “vibrant and purposeful development” language in the city council’s strategic plan.

    Organizational Review

    The Blackline consulting firm was hired from among 15 competitive bidders to provide an assessment of the city’s organizational structure.

    The firm’s representative explained that they will be interviewing council members in May.

    The firm plans to share its recommendations in August.

    The presentation and question-and-answer were focused on the big picture. The city manager does mention potential “restructuring” and “consolidation” (1:04:57), but there were no concrete indicators of how many city jobs could be eliminated.

    Update on Healthy Farmers Markets

    The update was presented by a group of city and Adams county staff.

    The funds the county has for produce vouchers are from COVID relief funding and will be spent after 2026. There are no current funds available for staffing of markets in 2025.

    The county is conducting a study for future options for markets.

    The presentation proposed two options: 5 partial day markets hosted at various Adams County locations with no funding required from Thornton or 5 partial day markets hosted in Thornton if the city can fund $19,443 for staffing. The second option would also provide 13 weekly pre-packaged boxes available for pickup.

    The city funding would be allocated from reductions and savings to be identified elsewhere in the city’s recreation department budget for contract services. No specific cuts have been identified yet.

    Multiple council members raised concerns about the city taking on funding responsibility for human services that could be seen as the county’s responsibility.

    Staff reported that the markets have traditionally served mostly a Thornton population since the program started in 2018.

    Council Member Sandgren called the proposal a “threat” to remove markets from Thornton if the city did not pay for staffing which the city has not previously paid for.

    An county representative explained that different municipalities have reached out to the county regarding expanding markets in their locations and that the county would be request staffing funds from those municipalities.

    Council Member Russell asked why volunteers couldn’t cover the staffing. Staff explained that the program currently uses many volunteers but that it hasn’t been able to get volunteers to stay the entire time from set-up throughout clean-up. Staff noted that current volunteers are older adults and that set-up required heavy physical labor.

    Council reached consensus to move ahead with the staffing option.

    Mission, Vision, and Values

    Staff presented draft language for proposed values for the city government, seeking feedback from the council:

    • Trust
    • Collaboration
    • Dedication
    • Excellence

    Definitions are available in the PDF packet linked at the start of this post.

    The council was favorable to the proposed language.

    General Updates from City Manager

    The city hall first floor bathrooms are once again open and operational

    The new police chief, Jim Baird, will be sworn in at the 5/27 council meeting.

    The city will be launching a new promotion campaign encouraging drivers slow down to avoid accidents and injuring pedestrians.

    Staff briefed council on the media and promotion plan for the virtual town hall scheduled for 5/14 at 7 pm. Questions can be submitted here.

    The city will be boosting ads for the town hall on Facebook, Instagram, and Next Door. The city reported good engagement on Next Door.