[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: A few thoughts for tomorrow night's meeting

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Weaver, Sam

Fellow Council members,

Since I will not be able to attend tomorrow night's meeting, I would like to share thoughts on three issues you might address tomorrow.  I regret that I cannot share these in person, and will surely miss your company!  Please do not respond to this email to prevent a serial meeting.

1) I fully support the idea of a third-party consultant to help collect and compile feedback for our employee evaluations.  I believe it is very important to ensure that staff feels that they are safe from any potential retribution while sharing their opinion about their supervisors.  I think a $5000 price for this service is reasonable.

2) Regarding Council direction to staff about the Xcel-Boulder Task Force, if there is any reason to revisit this subject, I think we were unanimous and clear in our direction on December 17.  There have been some efforts made by Xcel personnel and other Task Force members to continue a 'model calibration' effort further beyond the next meeting.  While this was explicitly not a mandate of this group, there has been some mission creep in the last few months, and I believe it to be both unnecessary and distracting to staff and some members of the Task Force.  The purpose of this group was initially for policy advice, and it has provided many useful suggestions in this regard.  The City has a very capable modeling group, and I do not believe it is useful to the City to attempt to 'calibrate' the Xcel model for them.  As long as the City has been clear about our current assumptions (we have) and our results (we have), Xcel should be able to calibrate their model to ours with the currently available information.  Additional staff and working group time is simply not required, nor appropriate.  When Xcel has delivered a firm and clear proposal, I am confident City staff and consultants will produce a very credible analysis of costs and benefits against the full City goal framework in a matter of weeks.

3) On a lighter note, I would support the suggestion by Councilors Jones and Morzel to adjust the Sunday schedule for our retreat to accommodate the duration of the Broncos playoff game.  I consider the retreat to be of fundamental importance to our Council's function for the next two years.  I also feel like we need to accommodate schedule changes and adjustments for emerging events for our staff and citizens and fellow Council members.  I support an earlier Sunday start to our retreat in order to free up time for those that wish to be able to celebrate a very interesting year for our regional pro football team.  I am also personally willing to have a longer Monday meeting so that we lose no time away from City business.  I would finally point out that the end of the national cyclocross race being hosted here in Boulder is Sunday afternoon, and there may be those who would like to attend that function, as well or instead.

Thank you all for your service.  Happy New Year!

Sam Weaver
Mobile: 303-588-5148