INC Delegate Meeting Minutes
Saturday August 8, 2015
Location: Denver Health, Rita Bass Trauma Center
(Denver Health is an INC Patron Silver member). Thanks to Olga Garcia for making these arrangements.

Quorum of voting delegates present = 26

Elbra Wedgeworth – Chief Government & Community Relations Officer, Denver Health
welcomed meeting attendees and updated INC on Denver Health activities.

The New Southwest Clinic is on scheduled to open in April 2016 Denver Health would like community input on events to host there, once it is  complete.

The construction on 6th & Broadway will be a new administration building for Denver Health

Response to question regarding Denver Health’s role in the Zoo Incinerator:

Denver Health has never been asked to weigh in on the Incinerator in City Park.

Response to question regarding the implementation of a Fire Station Based EMS
system: This is not currently the process for Denver Health. The option will be looked at, but the Mayor doesn’t think the current system needs revamp.

INC Treasury: INC Finances are good with approximately $31,000 in various bank account holdings.

State Representative Beth McCann – Special guest

 Interested in Juvenile Justice Reform.

 Supports increased Restorative Justice.

 Desires improvements in trust between community members and law

 Believes there is too much incarceration and that we are not rehabilitating inmates very well.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

INC Safety Committee- Merce Lea

Next Meeting Tuesday, Aug 25th – Police Dist 5 @ New Cop Shop in Northfield

New Commander will be there and will be picking a speaker.

 Sept Safety Meeting – Police Dist 6 – @ Natural Grocers (1433 Washington St Denver, CO 80203)

 Safety Expo – Saturday, Sept 12th @ East High School- Also Delegate meeting

 Will be huge. 3000 collectable car cruisers will come from Mile High to East

 Safety equipment and booths will be at East HS.

 Channel 9 is one of our sponsors.

 Need Volunteers for September 9 for gift bag stuffing and September 12 at  High School and back again.

Parks & Recreation- 

 Designation of parks. City has given over parkway land at 195 Monaco Parkway

 INC Committee has been working with the city for approx 3 years to designate  parks. The position of Parks & Rec is to perform a survey of each park as part of its designation.

 Resolution: Motion to approve the INC Designation of Parks Resolution

Note: 2nd part of motion calls for prioritization of certain areas of the city

 Gulches and greenways that provide access to bikeways and we want to ask why some parks are not deemed eligible for designation

 Resolution Passed: Vote: 26 in favor 0- against, 0- abstention

 Will the change of leadership at Parks & Rec affect INC’S efforts?

 Scott Gilmore – Acting chief – desires to meet with new City Council members about Park Designation

 Elyria Swansea appreciates our work being done on park Designation before the Western Stock Show Redevelopment

Transportation Committee – Joel Nobel

· Platform has come out of committee and will be presented to delegation for approval in September

· Next meeting – Thursday, Sept 10th – Pat Kennedy, leader of city street paving will speak

· Big change in transportation options recently.

 Tuktuk electric vehicles (Business started in Five Points) is looking to make  inroads in Denver’s Taxi market. For more information: (u)

 Some are for sale. Would like to be the “last mile” connection solution.

 Charges a flat rate per person.

 Licensed for city streets (up to 35 mph)

MEMBERSHIP

Please ask your RNOs what issues we can help communicate with them in the coming year.

NEW Business

 SLAPP Suits: Can we cover Margie Valdez to help her with the SLAPP suit against her? INC is looking into how to provide information on Insurance for RNOs as well as how to help RNOs understand tax implications for RNOs and needs for IRS filings.

 SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation)

 What can we do to support her and maintain neighborhood activism

 The SLAPP suit process has been arduous

 ZAP over the last 10 years has tried to educate the neighborhood leaders on SLAPP suits.

 DU Professor is the world expert on SLAPP lawsuits.

 Don’t usually win in court, but put a chill on the process

 Need more states to fight against SLAPP lawsuits to change through legislation.

 Can we have the DU professor at one of our upcoming meetings?

 SWIC – Please let anyone who is having trouble with their mortgage know that  they can call SWIC for help. Don’t get behind on your 2nd mortgage.

 Lowry is hosting an artist gathering. “Artists in August”

FEATURED TOPIC: ZOO GAS INCINERATOR

In 2014 an incinerator was designated as a park use. This is part of a movement around  the country to start using Incinerators. The Denver Zoo incinerator will be a self-monitoring system. The system has not been tested. The alternative to an incinerator is to embrace a “zero waste” approach.

Panel Discussion – Comments/Questions

 There is a blog (com) addressing the Zoo’s incinerator

 What is the Zoo and Parks & Rec currently doing with their waste

 Was this was initially motivated from the new Toyota Elephant Exhibit?

 What are we doing to get our questions answered?

 What other organizations have endorsed this cause?

 Is the city already obligated to pay for this plant, even if we don’t have it

 How much waste will be required to continually use this Incinerator?

 Is this just step 1 on the path of making the Zoo a waste repository for the city?

 What was the City Council public hearing like?

o There weren’t formal hearings –

o City Council Meeting (11/17/2014) LINK

o City Council Meeting (11/24/2014) LINK
httpsilverlight

o City Council Meeting (12/01/2014) LINK

o City Council Meeting (12/08/2014) LINK

Resolution: The INC resolution is asking for City Council to hold investigatory hearings on the safety and health risks of the Zoo biomass incineration process. READ HERE
Motion made to accept by Louis Plachowski; 2nd : Cindy Johnstone
Vote: in favor – 25; Opposed – 0; Abstained – 1

Submitted by JJ Neimann