Here we are. It’s the end of the week, Boulder. And here’s what’s going on.

For today’s top story, I talked with County Commissioner Matt Jones about the wildfire mitigation tax on the ballot. A .1% sales tax, it would raise roughly $11 million to complete forest health projects — thinning and prescribed burns — as well as aid to homeowners in making their properties more resilient.

Jones, who volunteered on wildfire efforts while working for Open Space and Mountain Parks in the 90s, saw the benefits of mitigation first hand when a fire burned over his engine before fizzling in a thinned area. “I became a convert,” he said.

Also, we have the latest on campaign fundraising, and some chickens in Boulder aren’t feeling so hot.

We’ll be back here Monday. Hope to see you then.

— Tim, reporter

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What to know today

  • Another lovely autumnal weekend: Mid-70s today and then in the 60s through the weekend. Maybe some clouds on Saturday, but nothing to get down about.
  • County ballot measures get council OK: A majority of Boulder city councilmembers voted on Thursday to support several county ballot measures, including: 1A, a 0.1% sales tax to pay for wildfire mitigation (check out my story below); 1B, a 0.1% sales tax to pay for the county’s emergency response efforts; 1C, a 0.1% countywide sales and use tax for transportation; and 5A, a measure to increase the Boulder Valley School District’s debt to pay for building upgrades. Councilmembers Bob Yates, Tara Winer and Mark Wallach abstained from voting.
  • Latest on the campaign finance race: In other election news, campaigns seeking to pass or oppose local ballot measures filed updated campaign finance reports this week. The ballot measure attracting the most money is the referendum to undo the city’s CU South annexation agreement with the University of Colorado, as we reported earlier this month. The two sides on the measure to move city elections to even years are still neck and neck on fundraising. The latest totals:
    • No More Delay for Flood Safety (in favor of CU South annexation): $69,662
    • Repeal CU South Annexation (against CU South annexation): $35,748
    • People for Voter Turnout (in favor of switch to even-year elections): $10,616
    • Save Local Elections (against switch to even-year elections): $9,945
  • South Boulder Rec Center floor done, almost: It’s a good day to be a gym floor aficionado. The South Boulder Rec Center’s new floor “looks great” and is “ready for play.” Just one snafu to fix.
    • Lines have been painted for volleyball, badminton, pickleball and basketball. The lines for basketball, however, were painted incorrectly and may necessitate closing the gym again from Sunday, Oct. 16 to Tuesday, Oct. 18.
    • The pool, which has been under construction, will hopefully be completed by late October or early November.
  • Avian Influenza in Boulder chicken: Last Friday, Oct. 7, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was found in a backyard chicken coup in Boulder County. Because of this, a quarantine order is in place to keep birds from leaving or entering the area.
    • The Colorado Department of Agriculture is asking those who own birds to limit socialization between birds, including hangouts between domestic and wild birds. Also, keep feed away from wild birds.
    • Some of the signs of HPAI include:
      • Sudden death
      • Lack of energy
      • Soft‐shelled eggs
      • Lack of coordination
    • HPAI does not make the eggs or meat from the chickens unsafe, so long as you cook it.
  • City releases its new flood plan: Previously reported on by BRL’s John Herrick, the city touts its plan as putting “the greatest good, first.” What it means by this is Boulder will invest in projects that will help the greatest number of people, not just those with the priciest homes. As economic loss of disasters has long been the chosen measuring stick, protecting people over property is a shift.
    • The plan is also constructed with equity in mind. “The [flood plan] shows what is possible when we put equity first,” said the city’s Equity Manager Aimee Kane. “Listening to historically excluded community members and neighborhoods vulnerable to flooding can serve as a model of how to incorporate equity in future planning.”
    • Climate change and its future challenges make up a big piece of the plan, though as part of a broader scope of measures taken by the city. “Climate change can’t be solved in isolation and needs to be addressed holistically,” said Climate Initiatives Director Jonathan Koehn. “Evaluating the ongoing impacts of climate change and integrating adaptive strategies into the work we do as an organization will have the biggest collective impact on our community’s future.”
  • Soil revolution conference registration: Farmers and ranchers “of all scales and production systems” are invited to hear from soil health experts and farmers who have converted to more sustainable techniques. Taking place on Dec. 6, the conference will be available in person and to stream.
    • Elizabeth Kaiser, the owner of Singing Frogs Farm, will discuss her experience using a “highly intensive, no-till, ecological management system.”
    • Bob Quinn, co-author of Grain by Grain, whose Montana Flour & Grains introduced Kamut — an ancient wheat — into the common vernacular, will speak about his philosophy “of the tie between agriculture, food, and health.”
    • Joe Lanier, a Colorado based farmer, will speak about transitioning his grazing operation to a more regenerative approach after he “realized the importance of soil health and how the whole system works together. “

Go deeper

Issue 1A explained: Sales tax increase would help Boulder County prepare for the wildfires surge

By Tim Drugan

As fire season engulfs the full year, as homes are built on landscapes made to burn, as water becomes more precious but more likely to be sullied by ash, this November residents of Boulder County will decide whether fire mitigation is worth an additional sales tax.

County issue 1A would add a .1% sales tax to Boulderites’ purchases. From a penny on every 10 dollars spent, roughly $11 million in additional funding would help Boulder County prepare for the next fire. And there will be a next fire. 

Continue reading…

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BRL picks

🧸 Grateful Dead on KGNU + tickets: On Saturday, Oct. 15, a rare tapes special will run for five hours, 7 p.m. to midnight. While you’re at it, tickets for Dead and Co.’s final tour next summer, including three nights in Boulder, go on sale today at 10 a.m.

🍃 Go see some leaves: If you haven’t yet gotten your leaf-peeping fix, here’s a guide on the best spots to do so. According to the guide, Oct. 5 through Oct. 20 is peak season, so there’s still some time left.

👤 Women’s stories of freedom and incarceration: On Oct. 22 at the Arts Hub in Lafayette, in a performance titled “Stories from Boundless Truth,” Black women leaders who were once incarcerated will tell of their experiences with the criminal justice system as well as the other trials faced in their lives. “Terri House was a homeless teenage mother in Denver when she had her first arrest — she stole a package of hotdogs to feed her son. The judge fined her $100. But how was she to pay a $100 fine when she could not afford $1.29 for the hotdogs? Unable to pay, a warrant was issued for her arrest.” Note that it is an age-restricted event. Those under 16 require an accompanying parent or guardian.

🎭 ShakesFear: An Autumn’s Tale — reminder: “Shakespeare’s characters have broken free of his pages and are haunting campus.” Running through Oct. 16, have an immersive Shakespearean experience, with “the most bloody, ghostly and ghastly characters from the Bard’s work.” Tickets are $16. (Read more on CU Independent.)

Covid in Boulder County: Oct. 14, 2022 (Last updated Oct. 12)

  • 60 daily new cases (7-day avg.) ⬇️ Down 10% over preceding 7-day avg.
  • 9 patients hospitalized with Covid (7-day avg.) ⬇️ Down from a high of 13 last week.
  • 37% percent of ICU is occupied. ⬇️ Down from avg. of 65% since July 2020.

ICYMI

Tim Drugan was a climate and environment reporter for Boulder Reporting Lab.