The InterGovernmental Agreement (IGA) offered to the Boulder County Commissioners that would have signed away the County’s 1041 Authority has been denied (for now)!
A powerful turnout Monday night (January 7th) was able to change the course of history. It was the second part of a two-part public hearing where the Boulder County Commissioners took public comment regarding on an InterGovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Denver Board of Water Commissioners for the Moffat Collection System Project (Expansion of Gross Dam Reservoir).
This IGA document, drafted by Denver Water and Boulder County Staff, would have overridden Boulder County’s 1041 Authority and allowed Denver Water to proceed with the expansion of Gross Dam Reservoir without any resistance from Boulder County.
But Denver Water’s attempt to coerce Boulder County to abandon proper mitigation of the expansion project, offering a mere $8.25 million in bribes, was thwarted by the collective effort of hundreds of well-researched, well-spoken, concerned citizens!
In early December, over 120 of us sent in letters requesting that the Commissioners postpone the original December 20th date until after the holidays. In response to this pressure, a second date was added for taking public comment: January 7th. The citizens did this and this worked!
Then, in mid December, over 150 of us sent in letters of public comment informing the Commissioners that more than 100 specific and crucial issues would go unmitigated with the IGA and urged the Commissioners to toss the IGA out and use their 1041 Authority to regulate the project. The citizens did this and this worked!
Finally, on Monday, January 7th, we got the proposed IGA tossed out, without so much as even putting it to a vote, by showing up in mass, staying respectful of the democratic process, and providing over 3 hours of intelligent, relevant, and well-researched public testimony! It was truly an honor to be amongst so many who care so deeply.
The Commissioners listened and, by the end, they didn’t even bother to ask their staff for comments. Each Commissioner took a couple of minutes to let us all know that we had changed their minds entirely.. please take a moment to watch here:
http://bouldercountyco.suiteonemedia.com/web/Player.aspx?id=228&;;key=-1&mod=-1&mk=-1&nov=0
Respectfully
Chris Garre
President, TEG