City of Boulder going all-out virtual (TMI?)
Aug 20th
24/7 community collaboration arrives in Boulder
Today, the City of Boulder is proud to announce the launch of Inspire Boulder – an idea-collaboration engine that allows for real-time engagement 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Inspire Boulder is an online, civic engagement platform that combines the ease of social sites (like Facebook) with the purpose and substance of city projects, issues and programs. A sort-of digital town hall, residents can submit ideas, help prioritize options and even do real-time budgeting. Community collaboration happens in real time so results, ideas and priorities can occur organically, as if it were a public meeting.
“Boulder has a thriving tech and start-up community and our residents are some of the most connected folks on the Front Range,” said City Manager Jane Brautigam. “Having a virtual town hall, to inspire and inform all the important work we do, just makes sense in Boulder.”
Typical workshops, meeting and open houses will still be held citywide. Inspire Boulder is meant to augment these more traditional venues for receiving community input.
The platform also combines idea submission with game theory. Registered users get ‘points’ for submitting ideas and can accrue points for getting ‘up votes’ on their submitted ideas. It’s pretty simple: the better ideas are, the more points they earn. Naturally, the best ideas move to the top.
“Boulder is also known for its well-educated residents,” Brautigam said. “We want to enrich our conversations by tapping into the many creative minds that exist in our community.”
Inspire Boulder will host topics, issues, projects and programs from around the city organization. At launch, the site includes:
- Boulder Civic Area project;
- Boulder’s Energy Future;
- Transportation (Transportation Master Plan); and
- Waste Reduction and Recycling.
Stay tuned! Additional topics from Parks and Recreation, the Boulder Public Library and more will be featured in the coming months.
Hospice Care of Boulder presents Calidad De Vida
Aug 19th
Calidad de Vida
HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties presents Calidad de Vida, a 10-minute Spanish language DVD/video that features medical caregivers and family members reflecting on their experiences with Hospice. This award-winning production was created in 2005 by the University of Colorado School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Beeby Media, and the Latino Advisory Council of HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties.
It is available locally by contacting us. Outside of Colorado, please visit the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Marketplace.
Boulder police ruled former officer charged with attempted murder violated departmental rules
Aug 16th
The Boulder Police Department’s review of the allegations against former police officer Christian McCracken for violating Boulder Police Department Rule #2, Conformance with Laws, has been completed. McCracken submitted a letter of resignation to the police department through his attorney on August 15, approximately one hour prior to the final review by the Internal Affairs Review Panel.
The internal affairs panel is made up of six members of the community and six members of the police department. The investigation was completed several weeks ago and was submitted for review by the supervisory chain of command and the Review Panel. The Review Panel met last night, August 15, to make a final recommendation concerning whether to sustain the allegation.
The panel made a unanimous decision to recommend sustaining the allegation that McCracken violated Boulder Police Department Rule #2, Conformance with Laws. This recommendation, as well as those of his supervisors, was forwarded to Chief Mark Beckner on August 16. Chief Beckner concurred with the recommendations and entered a sustained finding.
Because McCracken resigned before the disciplinary process was completed, no disciplinary action will be taken. Christian McCracken is no longer a member of the Boulder Police Department.
McCracken had been on medical leave since last summer, after claiming an on-the-job injury. Although he was still technically a member of the police department, he was not on paid leave. He has been receiving worker’s compensation for his injury.
McCracken was able to post bond, and has been released from jail. He has left the state of Colorado, which is one of the conditions of his bond.
