Letter of Opposition for Flagstone Sidewalks

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="2c1e8643.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Maiandra GD" ><B>Georgetown Politics</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |  </B> <B>  </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Georgetown Politics"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Maiandra GD" ><B> </B></FONT><A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><B>Contact Us</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Accolades"><U><B>Accolades</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id195.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Commentary"><U><B>Commentary</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Town Boards and Commissions"><U><B>Town Boards and Commissions</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Miscellaneous"><U><B>Miscellaneous</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id99.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Warm Fuzzy Thoughts"><U><B>Warm & Fuzzy Thoughts</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Donate"><U><B>Donate</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Muckrakers Unite"><U><B>Muckrakers Unite</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id212.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Comcast"><U><B>Contact Comcast</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#003399" TEXT="#080000"> <div>                                                   </div> <div> <B>Send your letter to:</B></div> <div> <B>(we suggest sending it by certified mail)</B></div> <div> <B>State Historical Fund</B></div> <div> Georgetown Flagstone Grant Application </div> <div> 225 E. 16th Ave. #950 Denver, CO 80203</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>OR </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Email:</B></div> <div> <B>shf@chs.state.co.us </B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div>           The Town of Georgetown is applying for a state historical fund grant to reinstall the flagstone sidewalks on Rose Street that were destroyed by Straight Creek Construction during the water/sewer projects. The town will have to pay (not including the grant money) at least $60,000.00 for the installation of the sidewalks. </div> <bR> <div>            Here are some facts to help you write your letter of opposition to flagstone sidewalks:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Flagstone sidewalks are uneven and cumbersome, if not impossible, for the disabled, elderly, & small children to negotiate. Baby strollers have lost their wheels on town flagstone sidewalks. Folks have been hurt walking on our existing flagstone sidewalks.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Flagstone sidewalks are difficult to shovel snow off of. </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Despite being porous, flagstone sidewalks puddle</div> <div> <A HREF="id169.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sidewalk Construction Code 12.08"><U><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The town law (yes, this means the BOS is willing to break the law) states that sidewalk repairs are the responsibility of the adjacent property owner.</U></A> More than a few other homeowners have made a case for the town to repair the sidewalks abutting their property- only to be told that it was against the law for the town to do so! </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The contractor responsible for tearing up most of the sidewalks on Rose Street was required by contract(s) to repair/replace the damage caused by them, including the trees and sidewalks. To date, the BOS has yet to publicly discuss why they chose not to pursue this viable option. -We are left with nothing but the assumption that some kind of deal was made with Brooke Buckley (owner of the company and selectman at the time of the work, who eventually resigned from the BOS). Ignoring contracts, breaking the law to make exceptions and spending town funds as a result......Is this malfeasance? </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Some tout that flagstone sidewalks are historic and therefore should be restored. Logically speaking that would also mean that the dirt road is a historic feature of Rose Street. But Rose Street residents, and we agree, state that the dirt road is a hazard to their health. Flagstone sidewalks are a hazard to the health and safety of pedestrians. </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>