Locations: Rita Bass Trauma and EMS Center 190 W. 6^th Ave

Welcoming Remarks:

President George Mayl called the meeting to order at 9:05am and made several introductions…Jeff Baker, new president of Curtis Park Neighborhood, Jen Morrisson, new president of South City Park, Annie Martinez running for Denver City Council/District 3, and others recognized as first time attendees. Annie, RTD rep welcomed everybody and Amanda Sawyer, running for District 5 City Council said hello.

Olga Garcia, Denver Health, INC’s host for the day welcomed us to the facility. One of four trauma centers in the city and teaching hospital…300-400 nurses and medical students form around the country. Looking to recruit bi-lingual Doulas in the center’s Doula program. Acknowledged the new construction of new parking and one-stop medical services and thanked voters for the $75 million General Obligation Bond. Video was shown to talk about the center’s activities. Adrian Brown thanked and complimented the center for being very responsive to the Baker Neighborhood. Olga responded by saying the Center wants to be a good neighbors and said they were doing their best to respond to neighborhood needs.

Q—outreach to area schools? A- Center has a summer program as well as connecting program (9^th graders) to encourage making a career in Denver Health. Additionally, the neighborhood and school-based clinics are good for connecting to people in the city.

George mentioned one can volunteer to work with Denver Health.

Other introductions: BlairTaylor (District 8 candidate), Debbie Ortega, City Council (at large member)

George then acknowledged Amy Duclos as INC’s new Education Chair (officially done at the last Executive Committee meeting). Noted that INC elections are coming in March at Brookdale. Jane reminded folks to pay dues so they are eligible to vote in March.

ZAP Motion:

Ian Tafoya then discussed a ZAP motion. Ian had stepped away momentarily and George started discussing the issue. The motion states that INC opposes the partial rezoning of PUDs in the former Chapter 59 zoning code. The vote was 24 to 2. The motion was on the screen and Ian got back to discuss it. Folks ready to vote. Ian remarked that zoning could be changed in a better way (one that takes the neighborhood’s wishes into account). The process is too fast and allows PUD members to step out of PUD agreements (partial rezoning) and thus fractures the PUD arrangement. The problem is the procedural step. Q—Motive? A- speculation and allows people to step way from the zoning process and allow the development process to move faster. Adrian called the question and it was seconded. The vote to move the vote passed overwhelmingly and the main vote proceeded with a count-off vote. The motion passed overwhelmingly (20-yes, 2-no, 3 abstentions)

Denveright Delay Motion

Maggie Price presented the motion to delay of the Denveright documents’ acceptance so that something this important would be approved by the newly elected Council and Mayor. The old version of this motion was sent electronically, and the new version with edits was presented at this meeting.
Q-Michael Sapp (Department of Safety)…why politicize the process? Why undercut those who have gone to many meetings.
A- George said this is a 20-year decision so a delay until newly elected officials who take ownership of it (JJ’s opinion as well). Someone further remarked that the devil’s in the details and that the maps were tough to understand.

Ian said it wouldn’t hurt to spend a bit more time examining what’s being proposed in the Denveright process and it ought not to be up to a lame-duck Council and Mayor to approve something this consequential.

Further comments by (—-) called this process as “conversational democracy” so that taking a little more time won’t hurt. Another informed voice (name?) said the Denveright process was nothing short of “manufactured consent” and gave examples. She noted that many comments were drowned out when the consultants mixed them into difficult to understand depictions. The bottom line was that it let the City do what it wants by stating that the plan may or may not guide zoning. There’s no harm in waiting.

Steve Nissen had a procedural issue and recommended a few changes to more clearly show the resolution’s intent. He agreed, however, with the intent and said he would vote yes.

Friendly amendment to include Steve’s concerns? Maggie reiterated her concerns and Jane offered edits. The vote count for the 25-for, against ? 4 abstain. Some confusing discussion followed, and delegates said that they want the next Mayor and Council to affirm what is accepted. Drew mentioned that in the past, a lame-duck council’s actions were not accepted.

The motion passed as amended..26-yes, 4 against, 4 abstentions (?)

Denver Opportunity Index

President Mayl called for a break which was followed by a presentation on the Denver Opportunity Index by Troy Riggs, Denver’s Director of Public Safety. The Denver Opportunity Index is part of Mayor Hancock’s Equity Platform. This program involves a team that is more comprehensibly collecting data so that rather than just collecting specific crime data, since that’s what many people associate with success or failure of a public safety program, Denver will be collecting data on factors that that lead to crime.

Troy brought several members of his team, namely Shawn Smith (Director of Financial Planning Analysis), Kelly Christianson (public relations), Michael Sapp (Department of Safety), Patrick Firman (Sherriff). Troy then referred to Shawn for a more specific explanation of the index.

This data program focuses on three pillars of focus:

1. Financial security
2. Behavioral health
3. People left behind

The data collection effort deals with metrics that create numbers that lead to index numbers that allows the city to more accurately see if things are getting better or worse in areas where crime statistics are being gathered. Thus far, the city has a 1.0 system and will soon have a 2.0 public safety index where each variable is ranked and we can more accurately measure whether conditions are getting better in neighborhoods.

Joel Noble remarked on the fact that when the Caring for Denver health measure was passed, the money would be hijacked by narrower concerns, where the voters’ intent was broad so this type of date system discussed here would better fit voter concerns. Further, Joel noted that there are contradictory objectives within the metric structure. Streets, for example, are made wide to accommodate public safety vehicles for a rapid response. Public safety vehicles (fire trucks) have been getting smaller as a response to narrow streets and public safety concerns (fewer crashes, etc.). There needs to be a compromise with what vehicle size can be pushed through narrower streets so that safety and rapid response can be accommodated.

In summary, the Denver Opportunity Index is a response to the question: How many human beings can be kept out of crisis? This system is a philosophic shift in doing public safety.

More information on all of this is available at www.denvergov.org/opportunityindex

INC Reports

ZAP

Ean Tafoya briefly summarized what ZAP has been doing. Minutes are on line.

Senior Planet

Clarence Burton Jr, Senior Planet Program Lead (cburton@oats.org), talked about a new, free service for folks who want to learn to navigate the internet. More information on this program can be had at seniorplanet.org.

Annual Dinner Wrap Up

The 2019 INC Annual Awards Dinner was held on January 23^rd at the Holiday Inn Cherry Creek.

Net income this year is about $17,500 thanks to the sustaining sponsorship of VISIT DENVER, other sponsors and Silent Auction net proceeds of $2,153.

The hotel served 217 dinners. The Holiday Inn staff was very accommodating and easy to work with. INC received many positive compliments on the food. Service was quick and unobtrusive. -Thanks to Jane Lorimer and her Awards committee for selecting awardees from the nominations submitted, writing the descriptions for the speaker, gathering photos of award recipients and making sure the Awards were there for the ceremony.

-Thanks to Greg Sorenson for the b/w centerpiece photos of many neighborhoods.

-Thanks to committee members Marlene Johnson, Sally Kurtzman, Darcy Wilson and all others who gathered items for Silent Auction came on Tuesday and early the day of to set up.

-Thanks to Mary Jane and Rudi Giordano for managing name badges before and at event

– Photos of the event by Ray Soderberg are on INC website.

-Thanks to Karen Taylor, Hank Bootz and Stella Yu for establishing INC’s new Youth Civic Engagement Award Program, establishing criteria, reviewing applications and to Karen extra thanks for making the presentations at the Awards Dinner.

-Thanks to those who helped set up and to Bridget and Hank for hanging city skyline wallpaper.

– Thanks to Diana Helper for the Annual Song lyrics and leading others in Oh SusanINC.

The challenge of this type of event being free, people tend to rsvp and not show up or show up with no rsvp.

INC now owns 5 intersection street signs – for use at other events.

INC-URSC

Ernie reported on the last URSC meeting (Wednesday, 1-30) that featured a productive discussion on Climate Change featuring Thomas Herrod, who updated the committee on the 80×50 Climate Action Plan. A notable conclusion was that Greenhouse Gas Equivalents haven’t declined as much as they ought to, especially given the crisis that IPCC reports indicate we’re in. The minutes are posted on the INC website.

The next meeting will be in the Daniels Building on the last Wednesday evening of the month (2-27) and the topic will be Waste Issues in Denver.

PARC

Maggie Price reported that PARC’s last meeting was held on Jan 15 at Brookdale Senior living.

Our group decided to revisit all the goals of 2018 and use as goals for 2019. Platte River will also be added as there is some concern for River Mile around Elitch redevelopment…We also need to engage DPR regarding their plans for the River. Jay Rust and Ronnie Crawford stressed that the S. Platte is a shallow river and boulders are strategically placed to aerate the water for the fish and wildlife.

There are items to be expanded: drinking fountains in parks, increased monitor of water quality in parks, long range plans to increase our tree canopy, long plans to increase revenue for parks other than P3 (Private Public Partnerships) recycled water updates, increase pocket parks,

A series of questions specific to parks and openspace were crafted at the meeting. These questions will be sent by INC PARC to all candidates

Transportation

Joel Noble discussed that train horns will abate (March 1^st) as quiet zones are enforced. Further the committee supports legislation (19-012) that would reduce distracted driving by eliminating the age limit (currently you can’t text and drive if you’re 18 and under) associated with the use of cell phones and texting. When the measure passes, anybody of any age can’t drive and use a cell phone. This takes the safety issue seriously.

Finally, there will be a gathering at Sturm Hall at Denver University on February 28^th dealing with transportation. More information is available at www.theroadaheaddenver.com

The meeting adjourned at 11:45

Respectfully Submitted (3-3-2019),

Ernie Diedrich

INC Secretary