City News
This is news from the city of Boulder, about the city or any of its departments
Boulder chosen as “Beta Community” for groundbreaking sustainability measurement tool
Dec 22nd
Boulder chosen as “Beta Community” for groundbreaking sustainability measurement tool
The City of Boulder is one of just nine cities and counties in the country to be selected to pilot a new sustainability rating system that allows local governments to analyze, map, and manage all their sustainability data in one place, and to share that information on a dashboard that interfaces with the city’s website. Boulder’s designation as a “Beta Community” for the STAR Community Index ™ (STAR) was announced today by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability USA.
The STAR tool is expected to transform and accelerate the local sustainability movement by offering cities and counties a roadmap for advancing climate protection, economic recovery and equal opportunities for all residents within a community.
“Boulder has shown its commitment to being an innovator in sustainability, but we know that having courage and good ideas isn’t enough to achieve our goals,” said David Driskell, executive director of community sustainability. “This tool will help advance our ongoing efforts to collect meaningful data to analyze what works, where there are opportunities for improvement and where we might focus our efforts. We are very excited to have been selected for this unique program, and think it will provide a great learning tool for our community.”
Together, ICLEI and the Beta Communities will road test STAR, to ensure that it can be adopted by local governments around the country, ranging from small towns to major cities. The other cities chosen are Atlanta, GA.; Chattanooga, TN.; Cranberry Township, PA.; Des Moines, Iowa; the District of Columbia; King County, WA.; New York, NY; and St. Louis, MO.
“These nine early-adopter cities, along with many other communities across the nation, are already taking the lead on energy efficiency and sustainable development in their own right and as such, they are the perfect candidates to advance the goals and mission of STAR, which is to build healthier, inclusive and more livable communities,” said Martin Chávez, Executive Director, ICLEI USA and three-term mayor of Albuquerque, NM.
The STAR Community Index is being developed by ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA (ICLEI USA) in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), National League of Cities (NLC), and Center for American Progress (CAP), and in collaboration with over 150 sustainability experts and organizations from a diverse group of cities and counties, federal agencies, national associations, non-profit organizations and private entities.
The Beta Communities will receive technical support and resources to position them to become early adopters of STAR and accelerate their various sustainability efforts.
The selection of the nine Beta Communities follows the recent release of the STAR Sustainability Goals and Guiding Principles to assist local governments and communities with a much-needed vocabulary to more effectively strategize and focus their sustainability planning efforts. The 81 goals and 10 guiding principles released collectively define community-scale sustainability and serve as the foundation of STAR.
How the STAR Online Platform Will Work
The STAR online platform will provide users with a variety of features to enable quick uptake of the STAR Community Index. The platform will include features to enable local governments to analyze, map, and manage all their sustainability data in one place, and to present that information to internal managers, executives, and the public using a sustainability dashboard that interfaces with a city’s or county’s website. The tool will also facilitate data sharing with ICLEI for the verification and certification of a community under the forthcoming STAR rating system. More information on the STAR Beta Communities and STAR online platform can be found at: http://www.icleiusa.org/star
About the STAR Community Index
STAR will change the way local governments and communities approach sustainability goals – and how they manage and measure their long-term progress. This performance-based sustainability management system breaks ground by uniquely combining the following elements: a framework for sustainability — based on the pillars of environment, economy, and social equity; an online data-management platform that gathers, organizes, analyzes, and presents information required to meet community and government sustainability goals through effective management; and a management model and rating system that drive continuous improvement in community health, vitality and prosperity for all residents. More information on STAR can be found at: http://www.icleiusa.org/star
City Manager approves business incentive for Covidien
Dec 17th
City Manager Jane S. Brautigam has approved a flexible rebate application for Boulder-based Covidien for up to $75,000 in rebates. The rebates were authorized for sales and use taxes, and development review and permit related fees.
The flexible rebate program is one of the city’s business incentives, first approved by the City Council in September 2006. The rebate incentive covers a wide range of fees, equipment and construction use taxes
“Covidien would like to thank City Manager Jane Brautigam for approving the rebates for our new innovation center,” said Marta Newhart, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs at Covidien. “The new facility will help to foster Covidien’s culture of innovation, accelerate new product time-to-market and will also be used for enhanced staff training and development.”
Covidien (formerly Valleylab) was founded more than 40 years ago in Boulder with a 26-acre campus that serves as headquarters for two Global Business Units: Energy-based Devices and Respiratory and Monitoring Solutions. With more than 1,500 employees, the company manufactures medical devices and supplies, diagnostic imaging agents and produces devices and instruments that provide industry-leading solutions in electrosurgery, vessel sealing and interventional oncology. In September, the Planning Board approved a Site Review Amendment application for Covidien to build a new 66,000 square foot building and a new parking structure.
“The City of Boulder is proud to have been the home of Covidien for more than 40 years,” said City Manager Jane S. Brautigam. “The city is very pleased that Boulder’s second largest private employer plans to expand its Gunbarrel campus to continue to develop and manufacture its innovative, world class medical devices and healthcare products.”
The 2010 flexible rebate program uses social, community, and environmental sustainability guidelines. Companies may choose the guidelines that best fit their company, but they must meet minimum requirements in order to receive the rebate. Covidien has significantly exceeded the minimum community sustainability guidelines. In addition to meeting the guidelines related to average wage, health insurance, diversity support, and non-profit support, Covidien provides housing assistance for relocating employees who are purchasing a home in Boulder. Covidien makes broad efforts to reduce its impact on the environment, from financial assistance for bus passes to becoming a zero waste facility. Also of note, the proposed new Building 7, has been designed to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. Funds from the requested rebate will be used for more energy saving features.
Boulder police caution parents about stranger interactions
Dec 17th
During the past week, the Boulder Police Department has responded to several reports of strangers approaching middle school students during after school hours in north Boulder. At this time, it does not appear that any crime has been committed, but officers would like to remind parents to educate their children so they are confident about the best ways to handle potential situations.
Remind children:
· Never talk to strangers;
· If an unknown adult tries to approach you, run away and report it to the nearest trustworthy adult;
· If you cannot run away, yell “HELP!” as loudly as you can;
· Don’t be outside alone – walk or play with a friend.
Here are some other points to emphasize during conversations about safety:
· Always check first with a parent, guardian, or trusted adult before going anywhere, accepting anything, or getting into a car with anyone.
· Say “no” if someone tries to touch you, or treats you in a way that makes you feel sad, scared, or confused. Get out of the situation as quickly as possible.
· Tell a parent, guardian, or trusted adult if you feel sad, scared, or confused.
· There will always be someone to help you, and you have the right to be safe.
Anyone with information about the recent incidents is asked to contact the Boulder Police Department at 303-441-3333.
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