January 21st, 2012
A retired real estate broker surveyed the properties acquired by the City of Loveland between 2007 and 2010 in downtown Loveland. She found the city consistently paid higher than assessed values while private buyers did not. here is our story
Fixing Loveland’s dilapidated downtown became a cause celebre as candidates for Loveland’s City Council competed with one another 5 years ago to show a higher level of commitment to revitalizing the area. In fact, so much focus was later placed on the now infamous highway 402 property purchase in 2007 and the ongoing Centerra subsidies for apartments, few people paid attention to the efficacy of the city’s downtown revitalization efforts for the past 5 years. The city has continued acquiring properties in downtown even now with little or no scrutiny over prices paid by the city by any local media (including LovelandPolitics).
For those who might say a government created real estate bubble is good for downtown, consider two things.
1. There is little evidence the city overpaying for properties has in anyway impacted property values in purely private transactions.
2. The city is arguing the Home State Bank building and property it purchased in 2007 should now be sold for 80% less than what the city paid, as argued by Loveland’s city manager, “There have been some adverse market conditions”. see story
So apparently, downtown values are way up when the city is the buyer but way down when the city is the seller. Any thoughts?
Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
January 12th, 2012
The Mariana Butte Deer Meadows Metro District defaulted on $2.5 million of public bonds issued to build the Dear Meadows addition to Mariana Butte. read our story
Only two houses were built in the subdivision. Both stand empty on the edge of Mariana Butte Golf Course. Both are fabulous custom homes with fantastic views of the golf course and mountains. The only problem are excessive property taxes you will need to pay if you choose to buy one. The Deer Meadows Metro District Mill Levy is 60 Mills which approximately doubles the property tax bill every year for each property. The rest of the 500 acre subdivision remains empty as potential buyers are kept away by the excessively high property tax and successive changes in ownership of the bankrupted project.
The developer over-estimated the value of the smaller lots claiming each was worth $250,000 to $300,000. Signature Homes built two spec houses in 2008 that remain vacant monuments to the failed taxing scheme for the project. Former Councilman Walt Skowron often reminded his colleagues that they should not only plan for prosperity but make decisions as if a downturn in the economy was also likely. In this case, they didn’t.
Posted in City Council - General Issues, Residential Metro Districts | 7 Comments »
January 9th, 2012
ColoradoPols.com reported this afternoon:
“So far, the only official statement we can find is this on Sen. Kevin Lundberg’s website: Based on strong support from citizens of the Second Congressional District Kevin has decided to move forward with a campaign.” Other news media outlets appear to be searching for information about the announcement as well.
Don’t worry ColoradoPols and other news outlets, LovelandPolitics’ ubiquitous recording volunteers were present to capture Lundberg’s announcement speech for the record. You can link to it here.
Lundberg made the announcement this morning at the Republican Breakfast Club meeting at 7:00 AM in Loveland, Colorado. Other announcements included Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck telling the group his wife, Perry, will be seeking the Republican nomination for the 49th State House District. Bail Bonds agent Vicki Marble also announced she will be seeking the nomination to run in the 49th State House District.
Posted in 2012 Elections | 9 Comments »
January 7th, 2012
The Loveland Reporter-Herald called Congressman Polis’ trip to Loveland “officially a campaign trip into new political territory.” The political nature of the trip has some on council fuming. (see our story) (see the Reporter-Herald story)
Mayor Gutierrez and Councilor Joan Shaffer just ruined a perfectly good opportunity to show the community they can put city interests ahead of their own partisan agendas. Instead of including council in the preparation of Polis’ visit, they colluded with staff to make what could have been an educational opportunity for a potential new Congressman for Loveland into a partisan political event.
Loveland City Manager Bill Cahill’s absence opened the door for mischief as the Mayor played favorites with councilors in how information was distributed. Potential Republican opponents who may also run for Congress in the new 2nd Congressional District were not invited nor was our legal representative in Congress today, Rep. Cory Gardner.
Polis showed particularly poor judgement in allowing local officials, falling over one another to impress him, to illegally spend tax dollars supporting his campaign with city vehicles, staff time and facilities. A future opponent of Polis, from Boulder for example, will need to spend campaign dollars to get the same exposure, press and tour of Loveland in preparing for his or her future candidacy.
A majority of Loveland’s council, Cat McEwen, John Fogle, Chauncey Taylor, Hugh McKean and Daryle Klassen were left out of the decision making as evidenced by the emails presented in our story. In the end the culprits likely don’t care. The lure of a big spending partisan who can finance Cecil and Joan’s ambitions for higher office proved too tempting.
By law, Polis does not represent Loveland in Congress and will not unless he wins an election this year to see who will represent the newly configured 2nd Congressional District of Colorado. Treating him like he already won while ignoring his political opponents sets a new low for this increasingly partisan Mayor and his cohorts on council.
Posted in 2012 Elections, ACE-Loveland, City Council - General Issues | 22 Comments »
January 5th, 2012
Like a bad sequel, Loveland architect Roger Kenney’s renovation project on his historic downtown building is back in the news as city staff again attempts to whitewash a clear pattern of preferential treatment when it comes to enforcing city codes. see story
This time, Loveland City Manager Bill Cahill investigated public complaints with the help of Assistant City Manager Rod Wensing. Their inquiry appears to have been an inquiry to the fox only about why the chickens are complaining. Staff predictably misunderstood the complaints and narrowed the scope of the inquiry to the only part of the renovation project that eventually was provided a permit.
Ed Klen, the most recent complainer, paid over $1,000 to Colorado Code Consultants LLC to review the plans the city did approve after the project was well under way. You can read their independent analysis by reading Klen’s recent appeal to Loveland’s Council.
We look forward to a more complete review of the matter by the city council in an OPEN and public meeting.
Posted in Brothers Klen, City Council - General Issues, City Manager | No Comments »
December 29th, 2011
Trading emails that read like a scene out of the Sopranos, Loveland’s council members each denied wearing a wire during their public meeting November 29th. At issue in the emails is how LovelandPolitics came to know details about their meeting after we corrected some misinformation provided to us about what topics were covered in the meeting by the council.
In a word, ridiculous. When press or public fails to appear at open council meetings, some on council believe that means they are off-the-record unless told otherwise. Twice, in as many months, Loveland’s council had to explain comments they thought nobody recorded. Almost like the paradox of a tree falling in the woods not making a sound unless someone is there to hear it – some on council believe if the press and public don’t attend a public meeting than nobody can hold them accountable for what they say in that meeting. See our story and the emails
Councilman Ralph Trenary’s transition from transparency advocate as a candidate for public office to aspiring fascist looking for a criminal angle to prosecute someone for taping his comments in a public meeting must have set a world record. He was only in public office a few weeks before the first controversy erupted. Cooler heads, fortunately, have prevailed this time as Mayor Gutierrez, to his credit, made jokes about the wire tapping accusations to try and lighten the mood between testy emails flying back and forth.
Councilman Daryle Klassen is being surrounded by hyenas like Trenary and Farley who want to cut him from the herd and humiliate him with false accusations about recording the meeting. Despite his advanced age, Klassen’s wit and understanding of the law is impressive so he isn’t shy about educating his misguided colleagues. His email retorts have his accusing colleagues looking foolish for their misplaced anger.
Posted in Illegal Closed Session Tapes, Illegal secret council vote | 17 Comments »
December 27th, 2011
Tom Lucero, Larimer County Republican Party Chairman, sent an email this morning to the Executive Board of the Larimer County GOP saying he will resign his position as chairman effective immediately. He also informed board members he will be departing for a vacation beginning tomorrow; so he cannot be easily reached for comment.
Lucero is reported to be planning a run for the 49th Colorado House District (HD). Represented currently by B.J. Nikkel, the 49th HD fell victim to a recent redistricting map that drew Nikkel’s home out of the 49th HD. Running for 49th HD is incompatible with serving as Chairman of the party. Party officials are required to remain neutral during primary elections. Lucero is credited with fixing the financial mess left in the wake of disgraced former GOP Chairman Larry Carillo.
Lucero is said to be appointing Devon Lentz, External Vice-Chair, on the Executive Board as the interim Chair of the Larimer County GOP. According to members of the board, this is unusual as Internal Vice-Chair Jerry Patterson should succeed Lucero according to their by-laws.
The appointment will last only until the scheduled January 12, Republican Assembly when a new Chairman can be elected. An announcement of both the assembly date and Lucero’s resignation will be sent to the press either this evening or tomorrow morning.
Loveland 912 leader Tom Buchanan is a potential candidate to replace Tom Lucero. Dorié Buchanan, Tom’s wife, is the Larimer GOP Area 3 Coordinator and member of the Executive Board.
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
December 21st, 2011
The City of Loveland has concluded negotiations with Cumberland & Western Resources LLC (C&W), to purchase the former
Agilent campus in Loveland for $5 million. see our story from yesterday
Finally, the local media is acknowledging what Loveland Politics reported last October; CAMT is out of the deal and the property will no longer be the “ACE Project” as contemplated by CAMT when they chose the City of Loveland for their project.
In the end, it was simply a real estate transaction to a qualified buyer who had been looking at the property for a very longtime. Some on Loveland’s council first looked at the proposed buyer of the property with a jaundiced eye given C&W’s past political support for Republican candidates and the owner’s fortune coming from tobacco.
However, the council understood well their tenuous financial position having purchased the property in anticipation of a CAMT selected developer, United Properties, developing the “ACE Project” with CAMT. Buying the former Agilent campus with borrowed internal funds for an unfunded “start-up” was a risky proposition for the city. Fortunately, C&W saved their bacon by not only purchasing the property but also refusing the city offered financing that would have kept taxpayer’s at risk for another 10 years.
Whether CAMT can still meet its public promises to bring any significant tenants related ACE into Loveland remains to be seen but C&W is keeping the door open to that possibility. In the meantime, C&W will focus on attracting good employers into the area unencumbered by the political constraints imposed by CAMT’s vision of clean energy companies or commercialization of NASA related technologies.
A cash sale of the property to a qualified buyer is the best possible outcome for the residents of Loveland. Congratulations to the city council for putting their business acumen ahead of political biases.
Posted in ACE-Loveland | 8 Comments »
December 15th, 2011
Former Loveland Mayor Gene Pielin wants to find a way back into city hall. He has submitted an application to the Loveland City Council asking for an appointment to the Loveland Planning Commission. see story
Three of Loveland’s current Planning Commissioners (Troy Krenning, Buddy Meyers & Robert Molloy) have also applied to serve another 3 year term on the commission. Two of the three have run for city council in recent years which may not sit well with some on council looking for new faces. In addition, new comer Julie Harden has also applied to serve a three year term on the Planning Commission.
Council is scheduled to vote on the appointments next Tuesday (December 20, 2011).
Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »
December 14th, 2011
Larimer County GOP Chairman Tom Lucero is running for a seat in the Colorado State House representing the newly configured 49th District according to local officials. Current 49th District Representative B.J. Nikkel found herself no longer residing in her own State House District after the Colorado judiciary upheld a Democrat plan drawing her Carter Lake residence into Colorado’s 51st House District currently represented by Repbublican Brian DelGrosso. This means Nikkel will need to run in the 51st House District to return to the Legislature in 2013.
Lucero is credited with helping to turn around the Larimer County Republican Party after former Chairman Larry Carillo was accused of embezzlement and ran-up huge fines with the Colorado Secretary of State for failing to file timely campaign disclosure statements.
Nancy Rumfelt, former 912 leader and now head of Loveland’s Liberty Watch, wasted no time sending out an endorsement letter for DelGrosso yesterday making clear where she stands if DelGrosso and Nikkel run against one another in a Republican primary for the 51st which includes Loveland. Rumfelt described DelGrosso as respectful in disagreements which she said, “is in stark contrast to my experiences with Rep. Nikkel.”
Both DelGrosso and Nikkel have been quiet regarding their own plans following the district change that pits these two incumbent Republicans against one another in the 51st District. The two legislators are allies and unlikely to run against one another in a primary. B.J. Nikkel was appointed by a vacancy committee in January 2009 while DelGrosso was also first appointed to his legislative seat by a vacancy committee in August of 2009. On November 2, 2010, Nikkel won election to the 49th District by a 60.2% majority while DelGrosso was elected to the 51st with 58% of the votes cast.
Rep. B.J. Nikkel served as the as the House Majority Whip for Republicans, making her the 3rd top female Republican leader in the state. She served on House Judiciary Committee and was considered a target by Democrats when redrawing the map for State House Districts.
Posted in 2012 Elections | 5 Comments »
