Boulder Reservoir; religion and politics; transportation

Kim Bixel: Boulder Reservoir: Uphold our collective values

As follow-up to Neil Anderson’s July 13 Guest Opinion“Real issues at the ‘Rez’ “, here are desires to convey to city management with hope they decide to uphold our community’s stated collective values at the Boulder Reservoir.

Honor our climate goals. Staff recently championed our Climate Mobilization Action Plan. We are “recognized as a global leader on environmental action and transparency…”. Where is data showing the impact of promoting thousands of new destination vehicle trips to the reservoir after hours for new nighttime events? How is this consistent with climate goals versus promoting gatherings in our downtown area that we developed for decades, serviced by existing public transportation systems?

Protect our citizen’s safety. Is promoting new vehicle activity (inebriated) on a county road filled with dozens of daily cyclists and runners without bike paths, sidewalks or streetlights supportive of our Vision Zero aspirations?

Abide by your zoning rules as zealously as required of citizens. You approved the new reservoir visitor building as a direct replacement of an aged building; ‘accessory use’ to existing hours and operations. Staff highlighted minimal safety lighting and that adding lighting is not appropriate to the rural setting. Current plans bend all these and more aspects of your zoning approval.

Keep your promises to steward natural resources and caretake wildlife. Adding noise, light, activity, traffic pollution impacts in ways we can’t see or calculate easily.

Respect democratic process when planning unprecedented changes to a public park. No public input was sought nor received to extend nighttime hours or add after-sunset bars and outdoor large events to the reservoir.

Operate a nice restaurant that closes with the reservoir at dark like other accessory venues. The Modern restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City closes at 9 p.m., for example.

Call on Parks and Rec to adjust plans for the reservoir to align with Boulder’s values, safety and the city’s own rules.

Kim Bixel

Boulder

Alan Saville: July 4 advertisement: This hits the ‘absurd’ button

Regarding the full-page ad displayed on July 4, page 7A in the Daily Camera, using an Old Testament verse from the Book of Psalms (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, 33:12), written thousands of years ago by people who didn’t know where the sun went at night, is a wee bit irrelevant to today’s world.

And quoting the founding followers with out-of-context quotes that most likely can’t even be verified in some cases, really hits the “absurd button” in my brain.

A quick web search revealed this: “A few prominent Founding Fathers were anti-clerical notably Jefferson.
Historian Gregg L. Frazer argues that the leading Founders (John Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, Wilson, Morris, Madison, Hamilton, and Washington) were neither Christians nor Deists, but rather supporters of a hybrid “theistic rationalism.”

Many Founders deliberately avoided public discussion of their faith. Historian David L. Holmes uses evidence gleaned from letters, government documents, and second-hand accounts to identify their religious beliefs.”

Most historians agree that Thomas Jefferson was at the least, an agnostic, at the most a devout atheist. Many of the founders were really wary of Christian religion since the Church of England mandated it way back when. Monarchs in 18th-century France mandated Catholicism and those who didn’t comply could be beheaded! Thus, the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was added.

In the “pledge of Allegiance” the term, “one nation, under God” wasn’t added until 1954 under the Eisenhower administration.

The “real Jesus” couldn’t care less about nation states and governments, especially governments founded by slavery! And governments who committed horrendous acts of genocide supposedly in his name! Or governments that waged war and “imperialism” since the end of the dark ages in Europe.

Oh well, I’m happy they paid out a lot of money to the Daily Camera promoting this ridiculous ideology: “Jesus is a white American republican waving a flag.”

Alan Saville

Louisville

Ray Hedberg: Transportation: Local streets need attention

I would like to compliment Jeff Schulz about his July 14 letter on the topic of transportation in Boulder.

Everyone who has lived in Boulder for longer than the City Council, Transportation Department and the planning staff have had their jobs, knows that Jeff’s suggestions are absolutely right on. Boulder may be the #1 city in the USA according to some polls, but the overall score for the roads and transportation services in Boulder is likely the lowest of equivalent size cities in Colorado and many other states. I suggest our new city manager also drive to and through Louisville and Longmont (e.g. Hover Road) to see examples of what our leaders should be trying to achieve throughout Boulder.

Instead it seems our current transportation leaders continue to succumb to lack-of-budget excuses and lists of failed ideas (think of the Folsom realignment). Every pothole in town is a reminder that Boulder’s government is ignoring their responsibilities and the people who live here.

The apparent priority of repaving Jay Road as a “showcase” over crumbling local streets, and NOT ENFORCING the posted speed limits (e.g. overly noisy 18 wheeler and commuter through-traffic with speeds above 55 mph on the Flatirons Parkway) are grounds for deep questioning of the city’s leaders and their goals.

Would a Boulder citywide 35 mph enforced speed limit save budget money, actually improve the traffic mess, and inhibit the race to a half-million population? Shouldn’t we immediately be discouraging more businesses from coming into Boulder (the next 60,000 commuting employeesand their cars)?

Boulder City Council, the Transportation Department and the planning staff do not seem to understand that city roads and streets should firstserve the residents needs, safety and convenience.

Boulder has reached vehicle gridlock across a sea of unforgivable paving!

Ray Hedberg

Boulder