Broomfield Taxpayer Matters

August 12, 2024

This newsletter contains the following stories and information:

Attend the next Make Your Voice Heard event - Freedom is Worth Fighting For
2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report
Public Forum on Water Rate Increases
Universal Waste Hauling Again...
Conflict of Interest?
Council Agendas for August 13, and August 20, 2024
City Council member contact information

Pay Attention to these upcoming items in the Agendas:

August 13th - Regular Meeting
5A. 2023 Audit and Review of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report
7A. Public Hearing - Charter Ballot Question Ordinances - 2nd Reading
7B. Contracted Waste Hauling Ordinance - First Reading
August 20th - Study Session
2A. Economic and Fiscal Update and Draft Operating and Capital Budgets
2B. Council Compensation

Please let us know if you plan to attend by registering here.

“Inflation is when you pay fifteen dollars for the ten-dollar haircut you used to get for five dollars when you had hair.” ― Sam Ewing

Local News

Our next "Make Your Voice Heard" session will be held on August 31, 2024, and we would love to have you join us!

"Freedom is Worth Fighting For"

Saturday, August 31, 2024 from 1-3PM

Check-in begins at 12:30pm

Please register today to join us at this informative session.*

* Event Location: will be in Broomfield, exact location will be sent after sign up is completed.

Broomfield Taxpayer’s Mission is to raise the awareness of Broomfield taxpayers of by arming them with information regarding the policies of the City and County of Broomfield that impact us civically and financially.

We empower citizens to ask the hard questions, demand truth and accuracy, and request changes in the public policies of our municipal government and elected officials that limit citizens’ economic and personal freedoms.

* Broomfield Taxpayer Matters is a 501(c)4 organization. We reserve the right to accept or reject any reservation request for this event.

"Mere inflation-that is, the mere issuance of more money, with the consequence of higher wages and prices-may look like the creation of more demand. But in terms of the actual production and exchange of real things it is not." - Henry Hazlitt, Economics in One Lesson

2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

The annual comprehensive financial report gives us a glimpse into the financial state of the City and County of Broomfield.

In past years, this report was completed by April. With Brenda Richey, Broomfield's former Director of Finance, leaving earlier this year, it seems that the report had been delayed until August, and with it several issues noted in the report. One indication of this is found in the Financial Statement Findings on electronic page 243 at the end of the report:

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these reports
Auditor noted that various accruals and deferrals were not recorded, or were improperly recorded, and inaccuracies in the related supporting information including capital outlay, construction in progress and implementation of GASB Statement No. 96
Auditor noted that these errors were a result of personnel turnover and training time needed for new personnel
This resulted in the audit process being delayed

There are other notes contained in the Financial Statement Findings section of the report that you as citizens may want to review and understand. As we dig further into the overall report, we will share our findings as well.

Public Forum on Water Rate Increases

A public forum was held on July 25, 2024 and here are a few excerpts from the Broomfield Enterprise story.

The 50% proposed increase in water fees is expected to increase the average monthly bill by about $40. There will be additional increases in the coming years.

The CCOB Manager, Jennifer Hoffman, said that Broomfield was focused on future development and not maintaining current infrastructure. Ken Rutt, Director of Public Works, also mentioned a "run to failure" philosophy in which infrastructure is not replaced until it is near or at failure.

Manager Hoffman said that this philosophy had become part of Broomfield's "DNA" and she has spent the last few years dealing with the ideology. The curious part about that perspective is that Manager Hoffman has been with the City and County of Broomfield for 20+ years, so blaming others before her doesn't hold water.

Broomfield Taxpayer Matters also commented on the forum reminding citizen's that spending money immediately after the pandemic, when businesses were forced to close down, was part of the problem. Broomfield's council and staff have also focused on non-priority items.

The decision on the water tank issue, initially deferred by City Council in September 2023, was only recently addressed and after more than 10 months. City Council finally ended up approving the original plan, but with increased costs for the project because of their delayed action. This will cost you more money in the form of the looming 50% increase in water rates.

Broomfield Taxpayer Matters also showed you the decreased revenue for the water fund in the CCOB presentation in February. Note: See the Residential Development Update .pdf document under the 2A agenda item. Why do they make it so hard to get the information? There should be a direct link to this document.

Remember this graph?

Well, now we have the actual revenue figures from the 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. On electronic page 148, we see they originally budgeted $109,067,284 and ended up with a final 2023 number of $37,463,438 (see below).

This is a HUGE MISS on revenue in the enterprise fund - a difference of $71,603,846!

That is a lot of deferred maintenance that will NOT get done. We'd say right now the City and County or Broomfield AND the City Council is FAILING at their goal of fiscal sustainability and resilience for the water fund.

And remember, a few of the staff and several city councilmembers have been in a position to follow this since 2019.

There are upcoming forums where you can ask them the hard questions and hold them accountable. The City Council is out of excuses and need to explain what is really happening here.

“The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem. " - Milton Friedman

They're Back to Universal Waste Hauling...Again

At a time when the city's enterprise and water funds are in shambles. the City Council is once again focusing on something completely different.

At the August 13th City Councill Meeting (Agenda Item 7C), they are bringing up for a first reading the universal waste hauling ordinance or as they have renamed it Contracted Waste Hauling.

The City Council is not focusing on priorities such as the water infrastructure. Instead, they are back to trying to stand up another pet project that will grow the size of government and, yes, require that you pay them regardless of if you use their boondoggle trash service or not.

Trash hauling is currently being handled by the private market. It does not need Broomfield's government intervention. The only thing it will do to you is hoist more expenses on your pocket book at a time when you are struggling.

Here are the costs for more government personnel:

From the Staff Memo: "April 18, 2023, Council directed staff to pursue a Contracted Residential Waste Services (Universal Waste Collection) program including trash collection with volume-based/PAYT pricing and recycling services Page 2 bundled at no additional cost, and a Residential Recycling and Composting Ordinance focused on hauler licensing requirements. Council further directed staff on key elements of the program, including requirement of an opt-out fee for households, exploration of multiple options for organics collection, and that HOAs should participate in the program."

Are HOAs going to participate? Most do their own contracting at a very low price, why would they opt in to this program? This will put the brunt of the program on

single family homes.

Please email the city council at council@broomfieldcitycouncil.or g and let them know your thoughts on this stupid proposal, taking more money from you, when there is a system that has benefitted you for years.

Please also attend the August 13 City Council Meeting, 6PM at One Descombes Drive in Broomfield and speak the the City Council directly about the newest ballot measure.

Conflict of Interest with Your Property Tax Increase?

Item 7D in Tuesday's August 13 City Council Agenda also caught our attention! In the memo, the Director of Human Services said they have additional unused, funds from your property tax increases.

These funds will be given to the Broomfield Community Foundation for both administrative expenses and additional money for grants.

1st Question: Why aren't these funds being redirected to the fund for the police/courts building that they said they desperately need?

Councilmember Henkel has openly stated that her non-profit receives her fiscal support from the Broomfield Community Foundation. Can you say "conflict of interest"?

Is it OK for Councilmember Henkel who would effectively be voting to use your increased property taxes to give an organization she works for more funding?

And they wonder why we don't trust them and they received a low rating in the 2023 Broomfield Community Survey.

Saying one thing, doing another.

Maybe she should recuse herself from this vote. Honoring her oath to the citizens of Broomfield.

Upcoming City Council Meetings - Please let us know if you plan to attend by registering here.

August 13, 2024

Regular Meeting - 6:00 p.m.

Agenda

Meeting Commencement (1)

1A. Pledge of Allegiance

1B. Review and Approval of Agenda

Petitions and Communications (2)

Councilmember Reports (3)

Public Comment (4)

Reports (5)

5A. 2023 Audit and Review of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

Consent Items (6)

6A. Approval of Minutes

July 23, 2024 and July 30, 2024

6B. Approving an Agreement for Traffic Signal Pole Replacement

Resolution No. 2024-91

6C. Mile High Water License Purchase - Two Tap Requests

Resolution No. 2024-98

6D.US 287/120th Sidepath Infill Construction Agreement

Resolution No. 2024-102: Amendment One
Resolution No. 2024-103: Norra Concrete

6E. Northmoor Park Playground Construction Agreement

Resolution No. 2024-104

6F. HyperFiber Master License Agreement

Resolution No. 2024-63

6G. Intrepid Fiber Master License Agreement

Resolution No. 2024-99

6H. Executive Session Request for Legal Advice Regarding Business Development

Action Items (7)

7A. Public Hearing - Charter Ballot Question Ordinances - 2nd Reading

Ordinance 2243 - Ballot Question Section 4.3 - Councilmember Term Limits
Ordinance 2244 - Ballot Question Section 6.4 - Rezone By Resolution
Ordinance 2245 - Ballot Question 6.9 - Publication of Ordinances on Website
Ordinance 2246 - Ballot Question Chapter IX - Personnel Merit System
Ordinance 2247 - Ballot Question Chapter X - Legal and Judiciary
Ordinance 2248 - Ballot Question Section 4.3 - Extending Mayor's Term from 2 to 4 years

7B. Proposed Resolution Potential Ballot Question Regarding the 17th Judicial District DA Term Limits

Resolution 2024-75

7C. Contracted Waste Hauling Ordinance - First Reading

Ordinance 2242

7D. Nonprofits Grant Program and Possible Distribution of Add'l Funds from Property Tax and Grant Funds

Resolution No. 2024-100 - Human Services Grant/Broomfield Community Foundation
Resolution No. 2024-107 - Approval of Add'l Dept of Health Services Funding
Resolution No. 2024-108 - Amended Policy on Community Outlays for public purposes

Mayor and Councilmember Requests for Future Action (8)

8A. CM Marsh-Holschen Regarding RV/Long Term Street Parking

Adjournment (9)

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August 20, 2024

Study Session - 6:00 p.m.

Draft Agenda

Concept Review (1)

Study Session (2)

2A. Economic and Fiscal Update and Draft Operating and Capital Budgets

2B. Council Compensation