community accountability report

2010
COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT
Table of Contents
Mayor’s Message.......................................................... 3
Council’s Commitment.......................................... 4-5
Protecting Public Safety........................................... 6-7
Improving Our Infrastructure..................................... 8
18,867
2010 Golden Population
Managing Land Use and
Neighborhood Character...................................... 9-10
Creating Community Connectivity........................... 11
Providing Opportunities to Recreate................. 12-13
Building a Sustainable Future................................... 14
Protecting Your Tax Dollars...................................... 15
$ 57,103
2010 median household income
Contact Us............................................................. Back
The City of Golden’s Annual Accountability Report is produced and
published biannually by the City Manager’s Office and mailed to all
residences and businesses inside the City limits as a means of being
transparent and accountable in Golden’s city government. Comments
on the report are welcome. Please write to: City of Golden, 911 10th
St., Golden, CO 80401, Attn: Communications Manager Karlyn Tilley;
call 303-384-8132; or e-mail [email protected].
2
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT
3,825
2010 School Enrollment
2010 MAYOR’s MESSAGE
M
aintaining the highest
standards of accountability
and transparency has been a top
goal since I was first sworn in as
mayor in January 2008. Between the
highly regarded Golden Informer,
web sites and blogs, televising
and livestreaming City Council
meetings, making our City Council
packets available online, email newsletters, Facebook pages
and other social media, our award-winning city financial
reports and budgets, widespread community participation
in City decisionmaking, and our thorough and transparent
new process for evaluating the city manager, we are
meeting this goal.
The Community Accountability Report is another key
contribution. The City of Golden has for a long time
done a good job of reporting on how it spent taxpayer
dollars, and most folks who take the time to look at
what we’ve accomplished come away impressed with the
City’s efficiency and effectiveness. Golden offers a higher
level of city services and quality of life than you’ll find
nearly anywhere else. But with our inaugural Community
Accountability Report two years ago, City Council and staff
agreed to go a step further: instead of focusing just on the
things we’ve done, we are also starting to report more on
how we are performing and what that actually means for
the community.
For example, it’s easy to report on the number of miles of
wastewater pipe replaced every year by the city, and our
replacement program is a critical part of protecting the
city’s infrastructure over the long-term. But for Golden
residents, it’s also important to know about the actual
performance of our wastewater system. It turns out the
answer is very compelling: in 1989, we recorded 218 sewer
backups caused by problems with the City’s wastewater
system. In recent years, we’ve reduced that number to five
or fewer each year (just two in 2010).
Similarly, it’s easy to report on the dollars we spend
maintaining and replacing streets in Golden, and the number
of miles treated every year, but what community members
most need to know is how much of our street network is in
good shape. The news here is more complicated. We’ve seen
a huge improvement since 1989, moving from just 40% in
good condition up to 89%, but over the last couple of years,
tough winters and poor road construction standards a few
decades ago (updated since then) have taken their toll, and
the number of roads in excellent or good condition dipped
to 70% in 2010. It’s important for the City Council and staff
to share this information so that the community can have
an open conversation about our spending priorities and our
streets strategy.
In other words, the goal of our Community Accountability
Report is to share the City’s actual performance across a
range of programs so that we can celebrate what’s going well
and make appropriate adjustments in the areas that need
improvement. This is a very different sort of report than
most governments publish.
I’m really pleased with this latest effort, but it is a
work in progress, and I expect that we will continue to
improve with every edition. If you have any suggestions
for making future reports clearer, more accessible and
more useful, please let us know. Finally, although I hope
that the Community Accountability Report becomes a
permanent part of how the City meets its transparency
and accountability goals. I can’t promise that future City
Councils will choose to continue publishing it. If you find
it useful and believe it’s important enough to keep on the
priorities list, please let us know that as well.
I am proud to serve as part of a City Council committed
to setting the bar on government accountability and
transparency, and proud to serve as mayor in a community
that cares so much about making local government as
effective as possible.
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT 3
Council’s Commitment
Jacob Smith, Mayor; Joe Behm, Ward Two; Bill Fisher, Ward Four; Bob Vermeulen,Ward Three; Karen Oxman, Mayor Pro-Tem, District Two; Marcia Claxton, Ward One;
Marjorie Sloan, District One
A
s established by City Charter, the Golden City Council
is the legislative and governing body of the City.
The Council sets direction for the City and decides all
policy matters through the adoption of laws, ordinances
and resolutions. There are seven elected members of the
Golden City Council: four ward representatives, two district
representatives and the mayor, who is elected at-large. (A
map of wards and districts is available at www.cityofgolden.
net/files/wardbundle.pdf.) Each serves a term of four years.
In the 2008 Accountability Report, Golden City Council
outlined a number of ambitious goals it intended to achieve
in the areas of:
• Transparency and Accountability,
• Getting a Handle on Growth,
• Sustainability,
• Financial Health, and
• Public Safety.
These goals were the basis for and incorporated into the
Golden Vision 2030 project, in which citizens came together
and identified “who we are as a community” and “who we
want to be in the future.” As part of that process, two guiding
principles emerged.
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2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT
Citizens consider future budget options during a Golden Vision event.
City Council’s commitment to you is to:
1. Provide an open, responsive local government
– local government should be approachable and
responsive; welcome participation and encourage
involvement; fair to all parts of the City and accountable
to the citizens.
2. Direct and manage change in our community –
local government should direct and manage change in
the community to ensure smart growth (particularly in
the areas of transportation and development), affordable
housing and sustainability, including the preservation of
Golden’s small town character.
From these guiding principles, citizens identified 10 core
community values that help guide City Council as it sets
policy. Since the Golden Vision 2030 was finalized, City
Council adopted a number of community goals, each with
specific metrics that enable the community to measure
the City’s effectiveness in each area. These values and
corresponding metrics are demonstrated throughout the
pages of this year’s accountability report and we anticipate
having more data to report using consistent measures in
years to come.
Openness and availability of
meetings, decisionmaking
In 2010, the City of Golden held 184 public meetings,
including City Council meetings, board and commission
meetings, and meetings on special projects such as the Clear
Creek Corridor Master Plan and Golden Vision 2030. Public
notice of all meetings is posted in the lobby of City Hall, and
most meetings are also posted online at www.cityofgolden.
net or published in The Golden Informer.
City-wide communications efforts
The City of Golden has launched and is in the process
of implementing several key new efforts to improve and
expand communication with its citizens. The Golden
Informer monthly newsletter continues to be an important
source of news about City government. In recent years,
the City began cablecasting City Council meetings live on
government access television Channel 8 (via Comcast) and
on the City’s website. The City also posts the Council’s
agendas and complete packets, and archives the videos
and meeting minutes online so you can watch and view the
corresponding documents anytime.
Youth participation was also a part of the Golden Vision process.
You can also report potholes, graffiti, damaged signage,
broken street lights and other concerns through the
City’s YourGOV online and smart phone application. The
app gives citizens the ability to conveniently report nonemergency problems so the City can quickly and efficiently
respond to them. For more information, visit www.
cityofgolden.net/YourGOV.
The City of Golden held 184 public meetings
in 2010.
The City has expanded its presence on Facebook, Twitter
(@CityofGolden and @GoldenPW) and YouTube, and
is overhauling the City’s website, www.cityofgolden.
net. Expect a brand new look with user-friendly access to
information about living, working and playing in Golden in
coming months.
Golden City Council also works hard to respond to phone
calls and emails from citizens. Their contact information is
listed on Page 19, and many Councilors actively use blogs,
email newsletters, i-neighbors, Facebook and Twitter to
communicate with and listen to their constituents.
Golden Vision included many opportunities for community input.
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT 5
Protecting Public Safety
G
olden residents value our community’s safety and
security – in fact, it contributes a great deal to the
overall historic character of the City. Through preparation,
prevention strategies and planning, Golden’s Police and
Fire departments work every day to ensure the safety and
security of our residents and visitors.
The Golden Police Department earned national accreditation
by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement
Agencies (CALEA) in July 2008 after an intensive three-year
review of the department’s policies and procedures.
The Golden Police Department is proud to have four reserve
officers and 52 citizen volunteers support its 68 full- and
part-time paid personnel by assisting with duties throughout
the Department in evidence, investigations, records and
administration.
POLICE AVERAGE RESPONSE TIMES
FOR PRIORITY CALLS
0
2
3
4
5
6
2007
6:51
CRIME IN GOLDEN VS. NEIGHBORS
2008
7:00
Total crimes
POLICE
AVERAGE RESPONSE TIMES
2009
4:59
FOR PRIORITY CALLS
2010
5000
0
4000
2007
3000
1000
0
2008
2009
2 010
Crimes per 1,000 people
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
7
8
Minutes
6:51
7:00
The Golden
Fire Department provides fire and life-safety
2009
activities
for
the community from four stations located
4:59
throughout
the city. The Operations Division is comprised of
2010
5:25
an all-volunteer fire and emergency response force divided
FIRE DEPARTMENT AVERAGE
into two Minutes
primary districts and a special operations group
RESPONSE TIMES
comprised
wildland
0 of1technical
2 rescue,
3
4
5 fire,6swift water
7
8
rescue and hazardous materials response teams. Career
6:01
2006
employees
staff all other divisions within the department.
2007
0
5:25
7
2008
2000
15
Golden
30
45
60
75
Neighbors*
*an average of Arvada and Wheat Ridge
Includes number of crimes against persons, property
and society reported to the Colorado Bureau of
Investigations in each jurisdiction in 2010. Golden has
far fewer total crimes than the average number of
crimes in neighboring jurisdictions* (top graph). When
the total number of crimes is viewed by population
(bottom graph), Golden’s per capita crime rate is
slightly less than its neighbors’.
6
1
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT
5:41
FIRE
AVERAGE
2008 DEPARTMENT
5:21
RESPONSE TIMES
2009 0
1
5:29
2010
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
6:01
5:46
5:41
Minutes
5:21
5:29
5:46
Minutes
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Recruiting and retaining volunteers to work rotating shifts
keeps the City’s costs down while ensuring that there is
always adequate staffing for any emergency. Fire Station
No. 1, which opened in 2008, was key to implementing a
volunteer shift schedule.
The Fire Department received more than $75,000 in federal
and state grants for personal protective, wildland and
technical rescue equipment. The International Association of
Fire Chiefs honored Golden Fire Chief John Bales with the
2010 John M. Buckman III Leadership Award.
VALUATION OF PROPERTY SAVED FROM FIRE
900,000,000
VALUATION OF PROPERTY LOSSES
800,000,000
DUE TO FIRE
700,000,000
99.94 %
600,000,000
96.23%
98.96%
500,000,000
98.50%
99.32 %
400,000,000
$413,315
$727,600
300,000,000
200,000,000
2009
2010
96.23%
100,000,000
2010 POLICE VOLUNTEERS
0
2005
Loss
2006
2007
Saved
2008
2009
2010
Percent Saved
PERCENTAGE OF FIRES CONTAINED
TO ROOM OR STRUCTURE OF ORIGIN
1,876 volunteer hours
$39,026 in savings
The hourly rate is taken from a national
Volunteers in Policing source.
91%
92.8%
2009
2010
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT 7
Improving Our Infrastructure
The work the City does managing, protecting and
improving our infrastructure was recognized in 2004, when
Golden became the 13th North American city to receive
accreditation from the American Public Works Association.
In 2008, Golden was reaccredited — recognition that only 54
North American communities have achieved.
CHANNEL MAINTENANCE
In 2010, a contractor with a special “Menzi” tool was hired
to clear nearly 16,000 feet (3 miles) of channels, saving the
City an estimated $121,500 in labor and equipment costs.
$42,931
2009
2 010
Cost for inspections and cleaning (does not include
all work done to system)
Through 2008, all of the City’s stormwater inlets and
manholes were inspected twice a year. In 2009, the City
began inspecting only once a year, and in 2010,
implemented the use of mobile units for all inspections,
which significantly reduced their cost. Stormwater
inspections and cleaning have prevented more than
2,000 cubic yards of sediment from entering Clear
Creek — that’s enough to fill Invesco Field 14.5-inches
deep. Due to the aggressive cleaning of inlets and
manholes, the amount of debris needing to be removed
has significantly decreased from 218 to 33 cubic yards.
8
1989
0
60%
67%
50%
20
Excellent
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT
22%
20%
40
Good
21%
60
Usable
9%2%
9%
80
100
Failed
In 1989, only about 40%
In
40% of
of Golden’s
Golden’sroads
roadswere
wereiningood
condition.
As a result
of an aggressive
street maintegood
condition.
As a result
of an aggressive
street
nance and repair
69% of 89%
Golden’s
roads were
maintenance
and schedule,
repair schedule,
of Golden’s
roads
in excellent
or good
condition
2008.
In the past
two
were
improved
to excellent
or in
good
condition
by 2008.
years, the very
City heavy
improved
manyover
failed
Yet,years
as a have
However,
winters
theroads.
past two
result of heavy
winters
and previously
poor road
construcaccelerated
road
deterioration
and caused
the number
tion
standards
(which
have since
theslip
of
Golden’s
roads
in excellent
or been
good improved),
condition to
aggregate
qualityThere
of theisstreets
hasthat
declined,
with only
to
70% in 2010.
concern
with current
70% in excellent
good
today.
is great
investment
levels,orthe
Citycondition
will not be
ableThere
to repair
streets
concern
that with
investmentIflevels,
theaCity
will
in
the usable
and current
failed categories.
you use
street
noteither
be able
to fix streets
in thethey
usable
categoin
of these
categories,
are and
in a failed
state of
very
ries. If you use
a street in either of these groups, they are
noticeable
disrepair.
in a state of very noticeable disrepair.
SEWER BACKUPS PER YEAR
218
1993
$25,288
2008
40%
1989
STORMWATER INSPECTIONS
$41,572
STREET CONDITION
2008
well-maintained infrastructure is essential to the
functioning of any community. Streets, sidewalks
and signage need to be in good repair. Plows keep the city
running during snowstorms and ensure that commerce can
continue uninterrupted and with greater safety. The pipes
that bring water to your tap, remove waste from your home
and clear water from the streets go unnoticed as long as they
are well-maintained and function properly.
2010
A
53
28
1995
2000
3
2008
1
5
2009
2010
2
Progressive sewer line maintenance, repair and
replacement paid off with only two sewer back ups
reported in 2010. This is down from 216 in 1989, when
the City first started keeping records of back ups.
Managing Land Use and Neighborhood Character
ity Council designated 2011 as “The Year of the
Neighborhood.” Golden’s comprehensive plan, Golden
Vision 2030, recognizes the preservation and protection of
existing neighborhoods as central to the community’s health.
Indeed, the City identified a desire to focus on neighborhoods
in both the 1993 and 2003 comprehensive plans.
Land use in Golden is governed primarily by the City’s
comprehensive plan and by the citizen-initiated limitation
on residential growth to 1% per year. In addition to ensuring
that growth remains within this limit, the City has focused
directing and managing the change in our community
to ensure smart growth (particularly in transportation
and development), affordable housing and sustainability,
including the protection and preservation of Golden’s small
town, historic character.
HISTORIC PROPERTIES
40
Individual Designations
(voluntary)
C
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
30
30
2005
2006
34
35
2007 2008
36
36
2009
2010
The Historic Preservation Board did not identify any
historically significant structures that had lost their
integrity in 2010. The Historic Preservation Board is
working on National Register Nomination for the Golden
Cemetery, and starting work on a restoration project for
the Welch Ditch in Clear Creek Canyon.
BELTWAY UPDATE
Golden has never wavered from its commitment to work to
make sure that our City isn’t bisected by the beltway. But
City Council and staff know that they must be resourceful in
pursuit of that goal. The strategy that worked yesterday may
not always be the best strategy tomorrow.
With that in mind, the city posed a question to Golden citizens
earlier this year. Should Golden:
Continue to fight the proposed Jefferson Parkway five
miles north of Golden but make no progress on fixing
transportation problems on U.S. 6 and Highway 93 in town?
or
Negotiate a deal with Jefferson County that helps the City
begin implementing Golden’s Plan for protecting against
traffic impacts on U.S. 6 and Highway 93?
The interest from the community was intense. Nearly 500
people attended a series of four public meetings on the topic
and 2,375 people visited www.GetTheFactsGolden.org, a
website the City created to explain the options.
After considering the extensive public comment, City Council
voted unanimously on Feb. 24 to continue working on a possible agreement with Jefferson County but not to drop the
City’s opposition to the Jefferson Parkway or give up its right to sue to stop it unless some strong community protection
requirements are met.
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT 9
Neighborhood Planning
Beginning in 2006, the City began asking citizens in each
neighborhood to envision the future of their community
and create neighborhood plans that, once adopted, would
become part of the City’s comprehensive plan. As such,
they are considered formal policy guidance as the Planning
Commission and City Council consider discretionary land
use cases. The plans also typically include recommendations
for code updates, programs and capital investments.
As of July 2010, Golden has 44 homeowner
and/or neighborhood associations.
To date, the City completed the 8th and 9th Street
Neighborhood Plan, adopted in 2007; the Downtown
Character Plan, adopted in 2008; and the North
Neighborhoods Plan, adopted in 2009. A detailed
implementation report is available at www.cityofgolden.net/
ImplementationReport. Three additional plans are currently
underway and three more are planned in years to come.
More detailed recommendations and timelines are available
through the City’s Department of Planning and Development.
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2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT
Number of neighborhoods that meet
the standard for highway noise.
When measured by length, 38% of the noise walls/berms
recommended are complete. The City is working to better
define “neighborhoods” in order to determine a better
specific metric for this goal.
Creating Community Connectivity
A
community’s connectivity – or the ease and safety
with which one can get from one place to another
– significantly contributes to the overall health of the
community. City Council wants to ensure that it is as easy as
possible for everyone to travel within their neighborhoods,
from their neighborhood to other neighborhoods and
from Golden to other parts of the region. This connectivity
requires providing as many quality options as possible.
Golden is focused on improving everyone’s mobility,
whether by foot, bike, automobile or transit.
By GIS (Geographic Information Systems) mapping, the
City has 19.5 miles of perimeter that are developed and
12.6 miles that are protected. Another 5.5 miles of Golden’s
perimeter are neither developed nor protected.
As one means by which to improve community connectivity,
City Council engaged citizens in 2008 by creating task forces
to develop recommendations on how to improve the City’s
Bicycle Master Plan and the ease with which people can
walk in the community, or “walkability.” (A third task force
was tasked with creating recommendations on housing
affordability.) A 27-page report was issued in October 2010
with extensive information on the task forces’ progress. It is
available online at http://www.cityofgolden.net/files/2010_
taskforce_report_110510.pdf.
As part of those efforts, pedestrian counts were collected
along Clear Creek Trail during winter and summer 2010 and
winter 2011. Bicycle counts were collected as part of the
City’s FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) approval and
a bike lane planned for the Jackson Street corridor. Bike and
pedestrian counts will also be collected in and between a
variety of neighborhoods.
94% of Golden households (7,555 of 8,000)
are within a ½ mile – or 10 minute walk – of
a public park and existing neighborhood retail
establishments.
Goldenites enjoy 24 miles of trails, including connections
made in 2010 from 19th Street to Clear Creek Trail and
from Golden Heights Park to the C-470 Trail. Efforts are
underway to measure the miles of 5-foot-wide sidewalks in
the City, as well.
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT 11
Providing Opportunities to Recreate
Hole #12 at Fossil Trace Golf Club, voted Most Fun Hole in America- Golf Digest Magazine, 2011.
G
olden’s parks and recreational facilities – and the
programs, activities and services that occur in them
– contribute significantly to the overall quality of life in
our city. The nationally accredited Parks and Recreation
Department is responsible for maintaining open spaces,
for providing a quality system of parks and recreational
facilities, and for providing positive leisure opportunities
for the community. Golden is home to many unique
recreational amenities for a town of its size, including 253
acres of developed parkland, 24 miles of trails, Fossil Trace
Golf Club, Splash Aquatic Park, Clear Creek RV Park, Clear
Creek Whitewater Course, Golden History Museums and the
Golden Community Center.
The American Academy for Park and
Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in
partnership with the National Recreation
and Park Association (NRPA) named the
Golden Parks and Recreation Department the Grand
Plaque Recipient of the 2010 National Gold Medal Award
for Excellence in Parks and Recreation Management. The
award honors communities that demonstrate excellence in
12
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT
long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism,
environmental stewardship, program development,
professional development and agency recognition.
In order to create a unified park experience along Clear
Creek through downtown Golden, the City initiated a
master planning process in 2010 that included extensive
public input throughout the year. The Clear Creek Corridor
Master Plan identifies improvements to seamlessly mesh the
various adjacent and complimentary uses along the creek
– including Lions, Clear Creek History, Parfet and Vanover
parks, and the areas between – providing residents and
visitors with a unique multi-use area in which to recreate,
shop and work; one that promotes synergy with the
downtown environment and surrounding neighborhoods.
The plan was adopted by City Council in April 2011. More
information is available at www.clearcreekplan.net.
In July 2010, the Golden History Museums became a division
of the City of Golden, under the Parks and Recreation
Department. Golden History Museums (formally known as
Friends of the Astor House and Clear Creek History Park),
a nonprofit, corporation, had been under contract with the
City of Golden to manage and operate three historic sites
in Golden- Astor House, Clear Creek History Park, and the
Golden History Center (formally called the Pioneer Museum)
since 2009. As part of this agreement, the staff of Golden
History Museums stayed with the organization and became
City employees, continuing their exceptional oversight
of the museums. Golden History Museums preserve the
community’s heritage and the details of the City’s unique
history. For more information and to see a full calendar of
events, visit www.GoldenHistoryMuseums.org or call 303278-3557.
TREES PLANTED AND REMOVED
230
204
The Parks and Recreation Department was honored with the 2010 National Gold Medal.
122
110
100
87
12
2005
19
2006
17
2007
15
2008
25
20
100,000
2009
PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE
22
ACRES
Golden has 14 acres of
parkland per 1,000 people (253
acres total), which exceeds the
Gold Medal Community
standards of 12 acres.
0
2010
While Golden’s Forestry Division must remove some
dead and diseased trees each year, it far exceeds the
number of trees removed by planting hundreds of
new trees each year. Ensuring the maintenance and
growth of Golden’s tree canopy has made Golden a
Tree City USA for 21 years running.
14
ACRES
RECREATION FACILITY ADMISSIONS
50,000
200,000
150,000
250,000
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Golden has 22 acres of open
space per 1,000 people (394
acres total, which increased 21
acres due to acquisition of two
properties in 2010).
Golden has 647 acres of combined parks and open
space, or 36 acres per 1,000 people.
Golden Community Center*
The Splash
Fossil Trace (18-hole equiv. rounds)
*Attendance increased 39% since the 2006
renovation of the Golden Community Center.
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT 13
Building a Sustainable Future
T
hrough a year-long process that involved more than
200 citizens, the City of Golden set ambitious 10-year
sustainability goals in 2007. In 2008, City Council appointed
a seven-member citizen volunteer advisory board, created
a new Office of Sustainability and hired a Sustainability
Coordinator. The City’s sustainability goals are designed to
save the City money and contribute to the financial health
of the City for generations to come. They are listed in full
online at www.cityofgolden.net/sustainability.
The City has consistently exceeded state and federal water
quality standards through our compliance with A Partnership
Through Clean Water agreement, Clean Water Act
regulations, and water sampling and monitoring practices.
PAYT Program
In September 2010, Golden instituted a new Pay As You
Throw (PAYT) program and single trash hauler service. The
program enables eligible residents to reduce their monthly
trash bills depending on how much trash they throw out.
More than half of the households in the program currently
use one of the smaller levels of service (64- or 32-gallon
containers). A third of households pay only $6.19 or $5.05,
which is less than 25% of the previous average trash bill
in Golden of $24. The pricing also includes the cost of
containers and twice-annual yard waste pickup.
In the first four months of the program, the trash diversion
rate increased from 23% to 36%. The City expected that
December’s numbers would be high because of extra
recycling around the holidays, but the rate remained at 35%
in January and February, indicating that households are
finding it easier to recycle and the program is catching on.
Energy
As a part of a small wind research project, CSM students
analyzed 10 Golden businesses for small wind energy
production feasibility. This year, three of the 10 businesses
will invest in and construct small wind turbines on their
properties to offset their energy costs.
2010 also saw the biggest increase in permits requested
for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, with more than 35
residential permits and several commercial PV projects.
Golden Hotel installed 160 panels to become the first solarpowered hotel in Golden and MIE Properties installed more
than 4,000 panels on its light industrial buildings in South
Golden, making it the city’s largest PV system.
Water goals
City-wide, water consumption is down 7% since 2007, which is
halfway to the community goal of a 15% reduction. The City also
has increased the efficiency of its water system infrastructure by
more than 8% since 2007. This is due to consistent maintenance
and repair of water leaks in older pipes.
14
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT
Protecting Your Tax Dollars
E
ach year, the City estimates how much general fund
revenue it will collect the following year in order to
accurately develop its budgeted expenditures. Golden
manages your tax dollars by estimating budgeted revenue
both conservatively and accurately so as to maintain a solid
financial position. The City continues to maintain strong
reserves, protecting the City’s financial health even in the
current economic downturn.
ACTUAL VS. BUDGETED
GENERAL FUND REVENUE
In 2010, the City refinanced its sales and use tax bonds,
saving the City $1.3 million over the next 10 years.
Subsequently, Standard and Poor’s raised Golden’s sales and
use tax bond rating from A to A+. A favorable bond rating
provides a stronger assurance of the City’s ability to make
our bond payments, enabling Golden to issue debt at lower
interest rates – thus saving the City significant money in
interest payments over the life of a bond issue and reflecting
the market’s very strong assessment of our financial
management.
SALES AND USE TAX COLLECTIONS
108.00%
30%
106.00%
25%
104.00%
20%
102.00%
15%
100.00%
10%
5%
98.00%
0
96.00%
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
-5%
-10%
Actual Revenue
Budgeted Revenue
Percentage the actual general fund revenue was over
(or under) the City’s budget estimate. This conservative
budgeting ensures the City maintains a solid financial
position.
Despite nationwide economic challenges, the City maintains
a very strong reserve that exceeds industry standards at 10%
to 12% of annual General Fund expenditures. The City ended
2010 with a fund balance in the General Fund of 29.5% of
2010 expenditures (including transfers). Golden has received
the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate
of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for
20 consecutive years, and earned the Distinguished Budget
Presentation Award for every budget since 1997.
-15%
-20%
2005
2006
Sales tax change*
2007
2008
2009
2010
Use tax change
*Other indicators of the community’s overall financial
health include changes in sales and use tax, assessed
valuation, vacancy rates, median home prices, the
number of primary jobs in the city, the unemployment
rate and median income. By monitoring these indicators, the City is able to get a more complete picture of
financial health in the community, and City Council can
make policy adjustments to address contributing factors
when possible.
2010 GOLDEN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT 15
PRSRT STD
ECRWSS
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
GOLDEN, CO
PERMIT #26
Postal Patron
2011 Golden City Council
Jacob Smith
Marjorie Sloan
Marcia Claxton
Joe Behm
Mayor
DISTRICT ONE
WARD ONE
WARD TWO
MAYOR PRO-TEM
DISTRICT TWO
303-810-6017
E-mail: jsmith
@cityofgolden.net
303-279-0088
E-mail: msloan
@cityofgolden.net
303-526-1214
E-mail: mclaxton
@cityofgolden.net
303-279-1529
E-mail: jbehm
@cityofgolden.net
303-278-0400
E-mail: koxman
@cityofgolden.net
Karen Oxman
Bob Vermeulen
Bill Fisher
WARD THREE
WARD FOUR
303-218-0080
E-mail: bvermeulen
@cityofgolden.net
303-588-3389
E-mail: bfisher
@cityofgolden.net
To contact the entire City Council, e-mail [email protected]