Judy Montero

Residential Snow Plows to Be Mounted today for Deployment Tonight

From Denver Public Works– With the potential of 12 inches or more of snow to fall in Denver, followed by freezing temperatures, Denver Public Works will deploy residential snow plows. A total of 126 light plows will be deployed on Denver residential streets (or side streets) tonight and will stay deployed until further notice.

The equipment, 4×4 pickup trucks and small dump trucks with plows, will deploy simultaneously across the city. These plows are driven by Denver Public Works and Denver Parks + Recreation employees who have undergone plow training, as well as a small contracted force.

The residential plows will take one pass down the middle of each residential street to skim off accumulated snow, preventing thick snow pack; the residential plows will not be plowing the streets to bare pavement. This process basically removes a layer of the accumulation, keeping the street manageable. The residential plows will not be spreading any materials (de-icing).

Additionally, Denver Public Works Street Maintenance will deploy 68 large plows which will plow and spread de-icing materials as needed. The large plows will apply both Ice Slicer and liquid Magnesium Chloride to Denver’s main streets, identified as streets with stripes. Additionally, Denver Public Works will have several pieces of large equipment (motor-graders) prepared to address drifting in outlying areas of the City.

Drivers are encouraged to drive with caution and allow extra time to arrive at their destination.

For additional information on Denver Public Works snow removal plan, visit DenverSnowPlan.com

INFORMATION ON THE RESIDENTIAL SNOW PLOW PROGRAM:

WHEN ARE THE RESIDENTIAL PLOWS SENT OUT?

Residential plows will be deployed between November 15 and March 15 if more than 12 inches of snow is forecast accompanied by prolonged freezing temperatures.

WHAT DO THE RESIDENTIAL PLOWS LOOK LIKE?

The residential plows are 4×4 pickup trucks and small dump trucks mounted with snow plows.

WHERE DO THE RESIDENTIAL PLOWS COME FROM?

The trucks come from Public Works, Parks & Recreation and one private contractor. Adding the contractor allows us to add more resources to each sector of the City.

HOW MANY PLOWS GO OUT?

126 pieces of equipment will be deployed each shift; “equipment” refers to residential plows and other pieces of heavy equipment used to address side streets.

HOW DO WE DEPLOY THEM? (WHERE DO THEY GO AND IN WHAT ORDER?)

• To manage the program, we divide up the City into 21 sectors, each containing approximately 60-70 lane miles.
• There are typically six plows assigned to each sector.  There are 21 sectors in the City, not including North Stapleton which has not yet been developed.
• The private contractor will do six sectors.

HOW DO THE RESIDENTIAL PLOWS WORK? WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO SEE WHEN A PLOW COMES DOWN MY STREET?

• The residential plows will take one pass down the middle of each residential street to skim off accumulated snow in an effort to prevent the packing down of thick snow and ice, as well as the subsequent deep ruts seen in the blizzard of ’06-‘07.
• This process basically removes a layer of the accumulation, keeping the street manageable.
• Because the residential plows are deployed when 12 inches or more of snow is on the ground, it is not realistic to expect the residential plows to expose bare pavement when they plow.
• The residential areas will not receive any anti icing or de icing material.

WHAT IF MY CAR IS PARKED ON THE STREET WHEN THE RESIDENTIAL PLOWS ARRIVE?

It is helpful when residents can park their vehicles off-street but we realize that this isn’t always an option. Because of this on-street parking, the plows cannot clear the street curb to curb.

WHO IS DRIVING THE RESIDENTIAL PLOWS?

• Current employees of Public Works and Parks and Recreation, and a small force of contractors.
• Residential plow drivers undergo a special four-hour training to learn how to operate the plow, but they do not need a special driver’s license.
• The residential plow training is provided by Public Works.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE DEPLOYED THE RESIDENTIAL PLOWS?

The last official deployment of the residential plows was in 2011, and once before that in 2007. The concept of deploying light plows into the neighborhoods was brought into action during the blizzards of 2006-07.

From Denver Public Works – Maybe you upgraded to a new television this year to watch the Super Bowl or you’re just tired of that old computer taking up storage space in your home?  Not sure what to do with these items, but you would like to be environmentally responsible and recycle them? 

Well, bring those old electronic devices to the Eco-rally Electronics Recycling Collection Eventon Saturday, February 25, 2012.  Electronics recycling services will be offered at a significantly reduced price of $5 per vehicle (limit of 2 “screens” per vehicle, see below for more details).  Please note: Event Participation is by Appointment Only!

How to register to participate for this event:

1.  Go to DenverGov.org/EcoRally 2.  Choose your appointment time slot and register. 3.  Show up on Feb. 25th at your scheduled appointment time with your electronic items.

• LOCATION:  Metech Recycling at 500 W. 53rd Place in Denver (exit off I-25 to 58th Ave.).

• APPOINTMENT TIMES:  10 AM to 2 PM.

• FEE:  $5 per vehicle, cash or check only.  Limit of two “screens” (televisions, monitors and/or laptops) per vehicle.  Additional screens will cost an additional fee of $5 per screen.  No limits on other non-screen electronics.  This event is open to all (no commercial or business recycling).

• ITEMS ACCEPTED:  Televisions, monitors, CPUs, laptops, printers, scanners, faxes, keyboards, mice, stereos, external hard drives and storage devices, cellular phones, telephones, DVRs, VCRs, digital cameras, video recorders, MP3 players, and some small appliances such as microwaves.

• ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED:  Air conditioners, large appliances, vacuum cleaners, car batteries or household batteries (rechargeable batteries okay).

The Eco-rally is an electronics recycling education initiative in partnership with Comcast Cares Day, the City and County of Denver and local consumers to address the serious environmental concern of TVs and electronics in landfills.  Over 31,000 pounds of electronic materials were collected and recycled at the February 2011 Eco-rally.

As residents are increasingly upgrading their televisions, computers and other electronics, they’ve put their older technology in storage or the trash.  It is important to know that electronic waste is potentially toxic and it can leach dangerous chemicals into our groundwater and pollute our air.  Additionally, by recycling electronics we can reduce the need to extract the planet’s natural resources to make more electronics components.  Comcast is proud that they were the first cable company to host an electronics recycling event.

This event is sponsored by Denver Public Works, Denver Recycles, Comcast and Metech Recycling.

For more information about this event or other Denver Recycles programs visit Denvergov.org/DenverRecycles or call 311.

From the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships:

Call for Facilities and Energy Efficiency Advisory Board Members

One of the programs of the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships is to distribute funding relating to energy efficiency efforts.  The Facilities and Energy Efficiency Advisory Board is responsible for setting priorities and selecting organizations to receive the $2 million in energy efficiency assistance grants that DOSP makes to nonprofits each year.  This seven member Advisory Board is also appointed by the Mayor and is currently seeking representatives from the nonprofit, for-profit, and government sectors.  Members serve a three year term and meet two to four times a year, with meetings falling primarily in the spring and early summer.  Their primary responsibility is the annual allocation of funding.

For 2012, meetings will take place on:

February 16th                     Community Partner Conversation

March 21st                           Priority Setting Session

July 12th                              Proposal Review

The Mayor’s Office of Boards and Commissions is currently accepting applications for the Facilities and Energy Efficiency Advisory Board with an intent to fill positions as soon as possible.  If you have an interest in applying, please visit http://www.denvergov.org/Default.aspx?alias=www.denvergov.org/Boards_and_Commissions.

From the Denver Animal Shelter – Whether you’re single, married, or in a relationship, the Denver Animal Shelter (DAS) wants to help you meet your perfect match this Valentine’s Day.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 12, DAS will open for adoptions only, and offer reduced adoption fees ($85 for dogs, $50 for cats, $10 for small animals).  Doors will open at 9 a.m., and adoptions will begin at 9:30 a.m.

Volunteers will be on hand playing match-maker between potential adopters and their future pets. Those looking for a companion for existing pets will be able to bring their pets to the shelter (as long as they are vaccinated) to introduce their future pet to their family early.

Save a life, give the gift of love, and adopt.

The Denver Animal Shelter is located at 1241 W. Bayaud Ave, Denver, CO 80223.

The Denver Animal Shelter and Animal Care and Control is dedicated to providing education for the protection of pets and people. DAS provides humane animal care at the Denver Animal Shelter, reunites lost pets with their owners, finds adoptable pets new homes, and enforces laws relating to animals in the City and County of Denver.

To learn more, visit www.denveranimalshelter.org, visit us on Facebook, call 311 or stop by the shelter at 1241 W. Bayaud Ave.

Submit a photo showing your love of recycling in the Mile High City!

From Denver Public Works – As Valentine’s Day approaches, Mayor Michael B. Hancock and Denver Public Works’ Denver Recycles announces a way for residents to “show their love” for recycling with the “I Heart My Purple Recycling Cart” photo contest. Denver residents are encouraged to submit creative photos showing their support for, and love of, recycling; however submissions must share a common theme: all photos must include the signature Denver “purple recycling cart.”

With more than 111,000 households choosing to “Go Purple” by recycling paper, bottles, containers, cans, etc., everyday, it is clear that Denver loves to recycle. Now it is your chance to show how much you love your purple recycling cart by submitting a photo that captures this love and creatively shows how your household recycles.

Mayor Hancock, Denver Public Works Manager George Delaney and Denver Recycles Operations Manager Charlotte Pitt will select a first, second and third place winner, and the best submittal under 13 years old.  Prizes include four tickets to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, four tickets to Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance (theatre tickets are courtesy of Arts and Venues Denver), Colorado Avalanche tickets and a ParkSmart Denver gift card.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO:

1. Email your digital photo to DenverRecycles@DenverGov.org by noon, Tuesday, February 14th
2. Include your name, phone number and home address in your email
3. Photos must include your Denver Recycles purple cart, without any permanent markings on it (no stickers, no spray paint, etc.)
4. Photo should illustrate your appreciation for your purple recycling cart, how or what you recycle at home, etc.
5. Digital photo should be a minimum of 500 KB and a maximum of 1000 KB
6. One photo per household

Please note that by submitting your photos you are giving the City and County of Denver permission to post them on Facebook, websites and in other promotional and printed materials. Winners will be notified through their submittal email on February 14, 2012. Also, City and County of Denver employees are not eligible to win prizes, but are welcome to submit photos.

To sign up to receive a purple recycling cart and no-cost recycling service, or for more information on Denver Recycles programs, please visit DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles or call 311.

From the Flobots –

Hey, Students! You’re Invited to a Sneak Peak at DeVotchka with the Colorado Symphony:

Friday, February 17, 6:30 pm, Boettcher Concert Hall

Tickets only $5 students grades 6-12

The Colorado Symphony, DeVotchka and Flobots.org are pleased to invite middle and high school students from across the Front Range to a special dress rehearsal on February 17 at Boettcher Concert Hall in downtown Denver. Students in grades 12 and below have the rare opportunity to watch two of Denver’s most beloved musical ensembles prepare for a collaborative public performance, which will take place the following evening, on Saturday, February 18.

Tickets are only $5 per student, available through the Colorado Symphony Box Office or by calling 303-623-7876.

The mash-up between DeVotchka and the Colorado Symphony is one you don’t want to miss! With a truly original, romantic sound, DeVotchka is a four-piece multi-instrumental and vocal ensemble that is already established as one of the most exciting underground bands in the country. Featured on the Grammy©-nominated soundtrack to the movie Little Miss Sunshine, this grand and soaring group is our city’s musical ambassador to the world.

Box office hours are Monday-Friday from 10a-6p and Saturday from 12p-6p. A student ID will be required to purchase or pick up tickets. Each adult purchasing a ticket must accompany at least one youth. Boettcher Concert Hall box office is located at 1000 14th Street in the Denver Performing Arts Complex.

This dress rehearsal is presented by the Colorado Symphony, DeVotchka and Flobots.org, which works to harness the power of music to create a better world for Denver youth.

Ever wonder why some neighborhoods have different City Council representatives than others? Or why two similar communities side-by-side are within different City Council districts? The answer is that this is the product of months and months of deliberation by local policy makers who are charged with redrawing the council district boundaries in the City and County of Denver every 10 years. The process is called redistricting, and cities and counties all over the nation are required by law to redraw their district boundaries after the U.S. Census is complete. The most recent U.S. Census was completed in 2010, and this has triggered Denver to move forward with its own redistricting process.

The 2010 U.S. Census showed that Denver’s population grew to more than 600,000 over the past decade, and much of that growth was in far Northeast Denver near the airport. Denver is required to draw council district boundaries that put an approximately equal number of people in each of our 11 council districts and our target is 54,560 people in each district. We have to be careful of the number of people in each district, while also trying not to split neighborhoods or other communities of similar interests.  The redistricting process in Denver begins with precinct boundaries being redrawn by the Clerk and Recorder, with City Councilmembers subsequently offering their own council district boundary map proposals for final adoption by the City Council. It’s a complex process that requires detailed analysis of neighborhoods, populations, demographics, and growth trends throughout the city.

So what does all of this mean and why should we care?  It means that council district boundaries will most likely have to shift in order to adjust to the ever-growing population of Denver. Some neighborhoods could find themselves in a different council district, or we could see the addition of new and different neighborhoods to Council District 9. These changes can have a direct impact on how our neighborhoods are represented at the local level, and they could significantly change the way city projects and policy issues are addressed within the neighborhoods of our council district boundaries. Simply put, new council district boundaries can have an immediate impact on your neighborhood and how you are represented on the City Council.

As you can imagine, there will be many questions asked during the redistricting process. Should one neighborhood be represented by two different council representatives? Should a council district have one specific demographic, or should it include diversity? Will geographic borders such as rivers, highways, or open spaces be determining factors for new boundaries? Are there opportunities to advance economic development with different boundaries?

These are extremely important questions we should all be asking throughout this process, as the end result could have a significant impact on the future of our communities. More importantly, our redistricting process should be done with full transparency, where citizens of Denver have every opportunity to express their own ideas and concerns about the configuration of our council districts and their representation. Redistricting is one of the most important decisions our elected officials will make in the City and County of Denver, and your participation is critical to ensure a positive outcome.

So I encourage you to become actively involved and engaged in our redistricting process. Send me your thoughts, opinions, and ideas on what you think are important as the City and County of Denver deliberates new council district boundaries. Also, be sure you stay informed on what’s being discussed among policy makers by watching Denver 8 TV and visiting the Denver City Council website at www.Denvergov.org and viewing the Council’s Redistricting Committee section.

We’re still relatively early in the process, but the next few steps will be extremely important to follow, so be sure to check back regularly for more updates on the redistricting process and how it will affect you!

Sincerely,

Judy H. Montero, Councilwoman

City and County of Denver, Council District 9

From Denver Crime Stoppers - On the morning of 01/21/2012 at approximately 01:04 am in the area of 19th and Market Street, the victim (a white male) and his girlfriend were walking. The victim was approached by two Hispanic males, one of which bumped the victim. The suspects then began to argue with the victim at which time they began to physically assault the victim. The victim attempted to physically defend himself and was then stabbed by one of the suspects. The suspects then fled the area in an unknown direction.

Anyone who has information regarding this incident, please contact Crime Stoppers at (720) 913-7867.

From the Office of Mayor Hancock – Mayor Michael B. Hancock will receive the final report from the Structural Financial Task Force at Monday’s meeting. Immediately following, the Mayor will be available to members of the media to address the Task Force’s report and moving forward.

WHO: Mayor Michael B. Hancock

WHERE: Parr Widener Room in the City and County Building at 1437 Bannock St. in Denver

WHEN: Meeting @ 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012

Media availability @ 4:30 p.m.

Stock Show ends with top ten all time attendance. A total of 636,662 for the 106th year!

From the National Western Stock Show – The 106th National Western Stock Show ended Sunday, with strong numbers throughout the 16 days. Opening day started with a bang as Colorado Champions faced off against the World Champions in the first ever Colorado vs. The World rodeo. Over 44,000 people attended opening day, making it the second biggest in history.  Total attendance for the 16 day run was 636,662, making it a top ten year in National Western history!

Records fell at the Junior Livestock Auction, as 98 animals were sold for a record $611,200 which was nearly a $20,000 increase from the previous record.  The money invested supports the youth that raised the animal as they plan for their future needs for college education.

The National Western Scholarship Trust is funded by three primary sources and each source had a tremendous year. The Junior Livestock Auction, as noted earlier, had a record year and a percentage of the total goes to fund the Trust. The Citizen of the West dinner, honoring Lynne Cheney, made its first appearance at the Event’s Center to a sold out arena floor. The Coors Western Art exhibit had a great year and a portion of the proceeds fund the Scholarship Trust. All three of these events will produce enough revenue to fund a projected 75 scholarships throughout Colorado and Wyoming for students studying in the fields of agriculture and rural medicine.

Our 19 ProRodeos featured some of the greatest competitors from around the world, along with the famous Westernaires.  New highlights this year included the Susan G. Komen “Pink” Rodeo, and a historic night in salute to our armed forces.

The historic yards hosted over 16,000 head of livestock, making it one of the top five years of all time. The Wagyu, a Japanese heritage breed made its debut at the Stock Show and was shown here for the first time in the Northern Hemisphere.

A thank you to all members for your great support in this 106th year!  We look forward to seeing you soon.