"Silence Isn't Golden for 'Shadow' Council: Activists Set Goal to Run in Next Citywide Election" by Gary Gerhardt and Tillie Fong, The Denver Rocky Mountain News, March 31, 1999:

GOLDEN - They call themselves Golden's 'shadow' City Council, but their silhouettes rarely are in step with actual council members on major matters.

'We are community activists who fought for such issues as saving the Table Mountains and against the Northwest Parkway and decided a few months ago to get together every two or three weeks and discuss other issues,' said Bill Simpson, a Metropolitan State College of Denver philosophy professor.

'We finally decided that the best way to deal with issues was to become our own council, so we elected ourselves and intend to 'vote' on major issues of concern so citizens can decide which council they would really like to follow.'

The shadow council picked as its mayor Laura McCall, who has a doctorate and teaches cultural history at Metro State.

Council members are Don Parker, an investment and property manager who served on the Jefferson County Open Space Board, and Dave Kibler, a geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey.

Also on the shadow council are Jean Starling, who works at the Colorado School of Mines research institute and is the wife of council member Brain Starling; Bob Nelson, a retired mechanical engineer at Coors who works for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; and Valerie Walker, a mother with a master's degree in hydrology and geology.

Simpson is considered mayor pro tem.

'Obviously, our intent is to run a slate of candidates in the next election,' Simpson said. 'But for the present, we'll sit in on every City Council meeting.

He said residents can also vote on issues by visiting the www.goldenco.org Web site.

Mayor Jan Schenck said he doesn't have a problem with the shadow council.

'If they put the amount of time into the issues that we put into them, I don't have a problem with that,' he said.

'But I don't see them come to the study sessions. I don't see them come to all the meetings that we go to, to make an honest decision. If they are going to do it halfheartedly, why bother?'

He said that the shadow council seems to have formed opinions without considering all the facts.

'I do have respect for their opinions, but as a councilman, you have to weigh the alternatives and the future of things,' Schenck said.

'A lot of things that they've formulated opinions on, I haven't, because I haven't heard all the facts yet.'

Councilman Chuck Baroch said he welcomed the input.

'It's a citizens' initiative to demonstrate their disappointment with some of the actions of the current City Council,' he said.

Simpson said the group is a coalition of environmental 'greenies' and fiscal conservatives.

The main issues are:

•The Northwest Parkway, a proposed freeway that would come down Colorado 93 and cut through the western edge of the city.

•The culture of subsidy, or 'corporate welfare,' which refers to a proposal by the real council to reimburse a portion of local sales and use taxes from the Interplaza West Development near West Sixth Avenue, Colfax Avenue and Interstate 70.

•Open Space, including the purchase of South Table Mountain, because Jeffco Open Space money is being used for capital improvements, not acquisitions.

The Shadow Council opposes all three proposals.

"Shadow Council Formed: Golden Residents Create Their Own City Council," by Megan MacLennan, The Golden Transcript, April 2, 1999

GOLDEN - Seven Golden residents have formed what they term a 'shadow city council' because they say that they are not being listened to by the current city council. Bill Simpson, who was 'elected' by the group as mayor pro-tem, introduced the group at the city council's March 25 meeting.

'As far as I know, members of the current Golden City Council hear just fine, but few care to listen to what the community has to tell them,' Simpson said. It's time the community be heard, and the current majority on the Golden City Council seems unwilling or unable to step up to this basic task of representative government.'

Simpson said the following citizens formed the shadow council: Laura McCall, Ward One and mayor; don Parker, Ward Two; Dave Kibler, Ward three; Jean Starling (council member Brain Starling's wife), Ward Four; Bob Nelson at-large; Valerie Walker, District One, and Simpson, District Two and mayor pro tem.

The shadow council 'promises to listen to Golden's citizens and to articulate their concerns forcefully,' said Simpson.

He said that whenever the Golden City Council votes on a controversial issue, the shadow council also will vote. He urged citizens to compare the votes and 'ask themselves which entity is really representing their interests.'

"Citizens Want to Abolish Subsidies: Shadow Council Favors Amendment to Restrict More Tax Incentives" by Megan MacLennan, The Golden Transcript, May 7, 1999

GOLDEN - Several Golden Citizens, including city councilman Brian Starling and all seven shadow council members, are forming a group that will push to put a charter amendment on the ballot this fall that would restrict tax incentives given to new developments unless they are approved by the voters.

The group plans to ask the city council to put the amendment on the ballot. If the council refuses, the group will try to gather the 250 signatures needed to get it on the ballot, said shadow city council member Don Parker.

The shadow city council is a self-appointed group that tracks city council activities.

The issue was raised because of concerns about numerous subsidies Golden has granted to developers, Parker said. King Soopers and Interplaza West are two projects in Golden that received tax incentives to locate here recently.

'Subsidies rob Peter to pay Paul,' said shadow city council mayor Laura McCall. 'They represent fiscal irresponsibility and give the subsidized new businesses an unfair competitive edge over existing local businesses who do not get subsidies.'

Parker said the last straw was the city council vote to give $3.7 million in tax incentives to Interplaza. 'We are looking for candidates for this fall's city council election who will really represent and listen to citizens' concerns about growth, fiscal responsibility, and other issues' he said.

Shadow city council member Bill Simpson said, 'There are two components of the city government's economic policy that we want to open up for discussion. The first is their confusing of increased growth and tax revenue with increased quality of life for the community, and the other is to question the wisdom of subsidizing private enterprise.'

The group's draft of the charter amendment reads: 'The City shall neither pay, pay back, waive, nor reimburse any tax or fee to any developer or other entity unless a specific agreement is approved by the voters. The applicant requesting the agreement must pay the costs for any special election.'

Parker said the group is encouraging citizens' comments at www.goldenco.org in the Town Hall section or sent to Parker at 305 Lookout View Dr., Golden, CO 80401. Call Parker at (303) 279-4549 for more information.

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