LovelandPolitics
| Loveland's Independent News Source |
Downtown Business May Leave Due to Increasing Crime Business owner wants gold star not golden doors |
Loveland - June 7, 2016
In June of 2009, then Loveland Mayor Gene Pielin challenged Loveland's City Council to re-examine
their commitment to Loveland's downtown redevelopment following the 2008 world financial crises.
Pielin's primary concern was whether the City of Loveland could continue increasing its subsidies for
Loveland's downtown while also providing basic governmental services during a time of projected flat
city revenue. (see story from June 2009)
While a number of council members agreed, first term Councilman Cecil Gutierrez did not. Gutierrez
argued to increase subsidies he called "investments" into Loveland's downtown. Following his election
to Mayor of Loveland later that same year, Gutierrez continued supporting every staff recommended
property purchase, fee waiver, sales tax diversion scheme and special taxing district all with the goal of
"revitalizing" Loveland's downtown. In every subsequent election for mayor,Gutierrez has stated he
doesn't want to leave office until Loveland's downtown "revitalization" is successful and stands as his
legacy.
While the City of Loveland's decade long intervention into the downtown economy has cost taxpayers
well over $10 million, the biggest beneficiaries were those willing to sell their downtown interests to
the city which has kept prices artificially high thus discouraging bargain hunters who may have
invested during the downturn. As reported by LovelandPolitics in 2010, the City of Loveland paid
considerably more for properties than their assessed values in a declining real estate market between
2007 to 2010. Perhaps Home State Bank made the best deal of all by selling a property assessed at just
over $600,000 for well over a million dollars to the city. (see our 2010 article reviewing the
acquisitions)
Unfortunately, the primary problem for Loveland's downtown, homelessness and the accompanying
petty crimes along with drug users, has apparently not been solved and continues to plague business
owners who relocated into the downtown with the promise of a better future. A few weeks ago Donald
Wide, owner of The Gold Star Group, LLC, wrote the following complaint,
"In the beginning, I was thrilled about being a partner of downtown Loveland with the vision of
revitalization and development. I was proud to have one of the most prominent locations in the City
of Loveland. Since I have been at this location, I have experienced nothing positive.
I have no confidence that things are going to change any time soon. We have drug users, homeless
people, drunk people, people urinating and vomiting in front of my office and on sidewalks, with no
sign of law enforcement or management. Where is our police presence? The streets, sidewalks, and
gutters are filthy. Loveland is moving in the wrong direction."
One recurring complaint by Loveland's downtown business owners over the past decade is the lack of
adequate police resources. Jackie Marsh, another downtown business owner who is selling her building
due to increasing crime, worked to keep an expanded probation office out of Loveland's downtown as
the result of Larimer County's expansion of services in Loveland. County officials denied the probation
office contributes to crime in downtown instead arguing the downtown has always had a crime
problem long before any probation services were available in downtown Loveland.
Crime: Downtown Loveland's Chronic Problem
Councilwoman Joan Shaffer, Gutierrez's friend and longtime political fellow traveller, told
LovelandPolitics circa 2010 that she didn't believe there was any correlation between the population of
homeless or substance abusers in downtown and the city's inability to attract quality retailers
comparing it to Ft. Collins. In the early 2000's then Councilman Walt Skowron was blasted by the
Loveland Reporter-Herald for suggesting the city facilitate moving homeless people north to Ft. Collins
where they arguably had more services available.
Last month, LovelandPolitics interviewed one homeless man who rode his bicycle from Ft. Collins with
his dog following to camp-out in a small public plaza near 4th street in downtown Loveland. According
to the newly arrived homeless man, social services in Ft. Collins specifically directed him to Loveland
where they said services were easier to get. According to this one homeless man, he does qualify for
housing vouchers due to an anger management problem (psychiatric diagnosis by county health
professionals - he explained). Apparently, the general perception is Loveland has more availability of
housing and better short-term benefits for people than Ft. Collins.
Partnership Ignores Complaint
The eventual recipient of Donald Wride's email (see upper right) Jacque Wedding-Scott, Executive
Director of Loveland's Partnership for downtown, provided the response which LovelandPolitics is told
was also circulated to her board which includes Councilman Dave Clark and Loveland Mayor Pro Tem
John Fogle. Wedding responded (see full email to the right of this story) by convolving the problem of
crime and property damage with many other undesirable activities which she calls "disruptive
behaviors" requiring "education."
Ironically, Wedding also informed Wride, a downtown businessman who was writing not only for
himself but adjacent 4th street businesses that "we heard from our businesses" that our community
seeks "collaborative and effective solutions." Wedding goes on to preclude any remedy in new laws
or additional enforcement (adding to police resources or establishing a presence in downtown) by
saying education will be the solution.
LovelandPolitics inquired with two Loveland City Councilors who were unaware of the letter or the
response by the city's "partnership" for downtown director. We understand Loveland City Manager Bill
Cahill did also receive a copy of the complaint by Wider and Wedding's response.
Wedding told LovelandPolitics the Partnership's approach to the issue comes as the result of previous
business breakfasts they host the last Friday of each month. She indicated the topic along with
suggested actions will be on the agenda for their next scheduled business breakfast the last Friday in
June. Participants must own a business in the downtown area and be invited so it is not open to the
public.
In June of 2009, then Loveland Mayor Gene Pielin challenged Loveland's City Council to re-examine
their commitment to Loveland's downtown redevelopment following the 2008 world financial crises.
Pielin's primary concern was whether the City of Loveland could continue increasing its subsidies for
Loveland's downtown while also providing basic governmental services during a time of projected flat
city revenue. (see story from June 2009)
While a number of council members agreed, first term Councilman Cecil Gutierrez did not. Gutierrez
argued to increase subsidies he called "investments" into Loveland's downtown. Following his election
to Mayor of Loveland later that same year, Gutierrez continued supporting every staff recommended
property purchase, fee waiver, sales tax diversion scheme and special taxing district all with the goal of
"revitalizing" Loveland's downtown. In every subsequent election for mayor,Gutierrez has stated he
doesn't want to leave office until Loveland's downtown "revitalization" is successful and stands as his
legacy.
While the City of Loveland's decade long intervention into the downtown economy has cost taxpayers
well over $10 million, the biggest beneficiaries were those willing to sell their downtown interests to
the city which has kept prices artificially high thus discouraging bargain hunters who may have
invested during the downturn. As reported by LovelandPolitics in 2010, the City of Loveland paid
considerably more for properties than their assessed values in a declining real estate market between
2007 to 2010. Perhaps Home State Bank made the best deal of all by selling a property assessed at just
over $600,000 for well over a million dollars to the city. (see our 2010 article reviewing the
acquisitions)
Unfortunately, the primary problem for Loveland's downtown, homelessness and the accompanying
petty crimes along with drug users, has apparently not been solved and continues to plague business
owners who relocated into the downtown with the promise of a better future. A few weeks ago Donald
Wide, owner of The Gold Star Group, LLC, wrote the following complaint,
"In the beginning, I was thrilled about being a partner of downtown Loveland with the vision of
revitalization and development. I was proud to have one of the most prominent locations in the City
of Loveland. Since I have been at this location, I have experienced nothing positive.
I have no confidence that things are going to change any time soon. We have drug users, homeless
people, drunk people, people urinating and vomiting in front of my office and on sidewalks, with no
sign of law enforcement or management. Where is our police presence? The streets, sidewalks, and
gutters are filthy. Loveland is moving in the wrong direction."
One recurring complaint by Loveland's downtown business owners over the past decade is the lack of
adequate police resources. Jackie Marsh, another downtown business owner who is selling her building
due to increasing crime, worked to keep an expanded probation office out of Loveland's downtown as
the result of Larimer County's expansion of services in Loveland. County officials denied the probation
office contributes to crime in downtown instead arguing the downtown has always had a crime
problem long before any probation services were available in downtown Loveland.
Crime: Downtown Loveland's Chronic Problem
Councilwoman Joan Shaffer, Gutierrez's friend and longtime political fellow traveller, told
LovelandPolitics circa 2010 that she didn't believe there was any correlation between the population of
homeless or substance abusers in downtown and the city's inability to attract quality retailers
comparing it to Ft. Collins. In the early 2000's then Councilman Walt Skowron was blasted by the
Loveland Reporter-Herald for suggesting the city facilitate moving homeless people north to Ft. Collins
where they arguably had more services available.
Last month, LovelandPolitics interviewed one homeless man who rode his bicycle from Ft. Collins with
his dog following to camp-out in a small public plaza near 4th street in downtown Loveland. According
to the newly arrived homeless man, social services in Ft. Collins specifically directed him to Loveland
where they said services were easier to get. According to this one homeless man, he does qualify for
housing vouchers due to an anger management problem (psychiatric diagnosis by county health
professionals - he explained). Apparently, the general perception is Loveland has more availability of
housing and better short-term benefits for people than Ft. Collins.
Partnership Ignores Complaint
The eventual recipient of Donald Wride's email (see upper right) Jacque Wedding-Scott, Executive
Director of Loveland's Partnership for downtown, provided the response which LovelandPolitics is told
was also circulated to her board which includes Councilman Dave Clark and Loveland Mayor Pro Tem
John Fogle. Wedding responded (see full email to the right of this story) by convolving the problem of
crime and property damage with many other undesirable activities which she calls "disruptive
behaviors" requiring "education."
Ironically, Wedding also informed Wride, a downtown businessman who was writing not only for
himself but adjacent 4th street businesses that "we heard from our businesses" that our community
seeks "collaborative and effective solutions." Wedding goes on to preclude any remedy in new laws
or additional enforcement (adding to police resources or establishing a presence in downtown) by
saying education will be the solution.
LovelandPolitics inquired with two Loveland City Councilors who were unaware of the letter or the
response by the city's "partnership" for downtown director. We understand Loveland City Manager Bill
Cahill did also receive a copy of the complaint by Wider and Wedding's response.
Wedding told LovelandPolitics the Partnership's approach to the issue comes as the result of previous
business breakfasts they host the last Friday of each month. She indicated the topic along with
suggested actions will be on the agenda for their next scheduled business breakfast the last Friday in
June. Participants must own a business in the downtown area and be invited so it is not open to the
public.
| From: GSG [mailto:GSG@goldstargrp.com] Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2016 1:24 PM To: Jen Poplaski <Jenniferpoplaski@lovelandpartnership.org<mailto: Jenniferpoplaski@lovelandpartnership.org>> Cc: GSG <GSG@goldstargrp.com<mailto:GSG@goldstargrp.com>> Subject: My concern for my city Importance: High Hi Jen, I just visited with some of the business owners that are adjacent to my own business. We are all extremely discouraged about the downtown environment. I myself have given thought to pulling out and moving elsewhere. I am concerned about the safety of my employees as well as my reputation because of my location. In the beginning, I was thrilled about being a partner of downtown Loveland with the vision of revitalization and development. I was proud to have one of the most prominent locations in the City of Loveland. Since I have been at this location, I have experienced nothing positive. I have no confidence that things are going to change any time soon. We have drug users, homeless people, drunk people, people urinating and vomiting in front of my office and on sidewalks, with no sign of law enforcement or management. Where is our police presence? The streets, sidewalks, and gutters are filthy. Loveland is moving in the wrong direction. I am embarrassed for my city. It is difficult to build an ongoing concern with no assistance from my own local government. I am more than willing to be a part of the process to correct these issues. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do. I want to be supportive of my City to create a successful healthy environment for our citizens and business owners. Thank you for your consideration. Donald Wride Employing Broker - CDPE, REO, SFR The Gold Star Group, LLC 140 E 4th St Loveland, CO 80537 Office: 970-461-0100 Cell: 970 231-9531 GSG@goldstargrp.com<mailto:GSG@goldstargrp.com> www.GoldStarGrp.com<http://www.goldstargrp.com/> Like us at www.facebook.com/mygoldstargroup< http://www.facebook.com/mygoldstargroup> |
| Letter from downtown business owner threatening to leave due to increasing crime |
| From: Jacque Wedding-Scott Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2016 4:21 PM To: 'Don @ Gold Star Group' <GSG@goldstargrp.com> Cc: Jennifer Poplaski (jenniferPoplaski@lovelandpartnership.org) <jenniferPoplaski@lovelandpartnership.org> Subject: RE: My concern for my city Hi Don, Jen shared your email with me, and obviously you’ve identified a number of concerns that are/can be shared with other downtown businesses. The Loveland Downtown Partnership | Downtown Development Authority has hosted two different business breakfasts focusing on “Disruptive Behaviors” over the past few months. These behaviors really run the gamut from those you’ve identified in your email, to speeding and noise on Cleveland, to smoking, etc. The last breakfast meeting was dedicated to identifying possible solutions. And, considering the “behaviors” vary – obviously the solutions varied as well. We heard first from our businesses, that our community seeks collaborative and effective solutions to reduce disruptive behaviors – and, it wasn’t necessarily all about enforcement – recognizing, that not all disruptive behaviors are illegal. That said, according to Loveland Police officials, all “illegal” activities should continue to be reported to law enforcement. And, the more diligent we all are and the more proactive we are as far as informing the City (Code Enforcement and Police), the more they will be able to address the illegal activities. The businesses in attendance agreed that rather than imposing a slew of new laws (similar to other urban environments) there should be a focus on education. Quite frankly just what you’re doing, building a strong “community fabric” around the downtown that watches out for each other, and is willing to take a stand united together in dissuading many of these behaviors is important. I can assure you that all entities involved in revitalizing and bettering the downtown work each day to achieve the long-term shared vision. We will all continue exploring the strategies identified to address disruptive behaviors. The LDP|DDA office is just across the street from you, please feel free to stop by any time if you have questions. P.S. I’ll see you tomorrow at the façade working group meeting. Thank you! Jacque Wedding-Scott Executive Director |
| Response By Jacque Wedding-Scott |
