Posts tagged public input
Feed bears and they will eat
Sep 23rd
The City of Boulder reminds residents that this is the time of year when bears are foraging for food, in preparation for their winter hibernation. It is important that residents take measures to deter bears by securing any potential food sources on their properties.
Bear-proofing food items and trash is the best way for residents to minimize the chances that bears will show interest in their property. Common bear attractants include garbage, compost, bird feeders, food from outdoor grills, pet food left outside and fruit from trees. The city recommends that residents store garbage and compost bins in a garage or shed until the morning of collection, or keep their waste in a bear-resistant trash container. Residents within the city limits of Boulder can contact Western Disposal at 303-444-2037 to purchase bear-resistant trash containers.
Bears that learn that people are a source of food are sometimes killed to keep the public safe. Over the past six years, five bears have been killed in the city because of nuisance behavior or a threat to public safety. Please do your part to ensure that bears are not unnecessarily attracted to your property.
If there is a bear in your backyard, the following tips are recommended:
Keep your distance. Back away slowly from the bear, ensuring it has a clear escape path;
Never run. Running may cause a bear to chase you;
Never approach a bear, or get in between a cub and its mother;
Never provide food to a bear. This teaches it to approach people for food;
Do not let the bear become comfortable around your home; and
Once you are safely inside, do your best to scare the bear away. Yell, clap your hands and make other loud noises to encourgage the bear to leave.
If the bear is threatening human safety, pets or destroying property, call the police at 911. Report past bear sightings and encounters at 303-441-3004.
The city is in the final stages of developing the Black Bear and Mountain Lion component of the Urban Wildlife Management Plan (UWMP) and has prepared a draft version for public input. To view the draft plan and submit feedback, visit www.boulderwildlifeplan.net. Feedback provided prior to Sept. 28 will be incorporated into the Oct. 18 memo for City Council’s consideration.
Survey shows Boulder voters support creation of a city-owned electric utility by a wide margin
Aug 1st
Other key findings include:
Seventy-one percent of those surveyed said the city would be better at offering renewable sources of energy and reducing carbon emissions than Xcel Energy.
A smaller, but majority, percentage (57 percent) thought the city could do a better job at finding innovative solutions to energy problems than Xcel Energy.
Xcel Energy, on the other hand, scored higher (67 percent) in providing reliable energy and (52 percent) in keeping monthly energy bills stable.
Reliability, service, control, energy sources and cost all received high marks as community priorities. Three of these were weighted against each other – low cost, increased renewable sources and having a say in utility decisions. Increasing renewable sources of energy were considered the prevailing priority among these by a majority of residents.
Sixty-five percent of those surveyed indicated they support the issuance of bonds to purchase Xcel’s system. Seventy-seven percent said they would either strongly support or somewhat support the extension/expansion of either the Climate Action Plan or Utility Occupation Tax to cover interim legal and engineering expenses necessary to determine final acquisition and start-up costs.
Ninety-one percent of those surveyed said they would support an increase of between 5 percent to “as much as it takes” in their monthly electric bills to reduce carbon emissions and/or increase renewable sources of energy.
Voters were even more likely to support the creation of a city-owned electric utility if there was a possibility of spending limits, a re-evaluation of final costs before a decision is made about whether to issue bonds and rates within 10 percent of those offered by Xcel Energy. Education about the existence of the 29 other locally-owned utilities in Colorado also made a positive difference.
“The decision our community makes regarding our energy future will be a historic one. These results show that the City of Boulder has listened carefully to our community as we have set our objectives and studied our energy supply options,” City Manager Jane S. Brautigam said. “While we are on the track that many voters support, we also know that taking a measured and prudent approach to this analysis is crucial. We pledge to continue working responsibly and objectively to understand the potential impacts and benefits to all segments of our community.”
The survey, conducted by National Research Center Inc. in Boulder, reached 1,265 registered voters and resulted in 400 completed responses. The response rate of 32 percent was one of the biggest the survey firm has seen in recent years. The results have a margin of error of +/-4.5 percent. The survey occurred between July 6 and July 18.
Tomorrow night’s council meeting will begin at 5 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 2, in Council Chambers, 1777 Broadway. Elected officials are expected to hear a brief presentation about the survey findings and ask questions before discussing and then voting on ballot language related to how Boulder gets it energy in the future. There will be an opportunity for public input. The decisions council makes at this meeting are expected to form the basis for a third – and final – reading of ballot language on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 1.
The complete survey report is available at http://www.boulderenergyfuture.com.