Gaming Community Seeking More Local Control, Freedom From State Rules
Rick Langenberg
After months of discussion, and even several failed tries in the past, the Cripple Creek City Council is ready now to wave a home-rule banner across town and establish a local charter, mini-constitution.
By a unanimous decision, the council last week took the first official step in moving forward with the town’s bid to escape state legal restrictions and to join a growing throng of communities in changing their legal designation from a statutory town to that of a home-rule city.
But with this move, the city must pursue a laundry list of local meetings, undergo a hefty education process and spend more legal fees. Moreover, the home-rule bid can’t occur overnight and requires two elections. Initially, a nine-member charter commission must get voted in, and then the actual charter document, which amounts to the town’s mini-constitution, must get approved. In both cases, the voters have the final say.
“This is a two-year process,” said Cripple Creek City Administrator Frank Salvato, when addressing the council at the close of its Feb. 5 meeting. “You need town hall meetings.” More specifically, he conceded that this takes a lot of community commitment. “The council has to be behind it,”
Despite the complexities involved, the council last week clearly signaled the thumbs-up for the home-rule plan. “I think we should move forward; the sooner the better,” said Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Brown.
The home-rule idea has been kicked around locally for years. But in the last year, it has gained strong momentum with more Colorado cities, similar to Cripple Creek in size and population, eying this path. Plus, with the plethora of bills proposed by state lawmakers, more towns want to pursue their own destiny, rather than fall under the jurisdiction of the state.
According to Brown, the home-rule idea got rejected in the past, but he attributes this failure to a perception that the council and city administration was trying to grab more power. “There was a perception problem,” admitted Brown. In addition, he admitted that town leaders did not do a good job in educating the citizens about the benefits of becoming a home-rule town. With the current pro-development fervor occurring locally, most leaders don’t see the town falling into that political trap this time around.
The only concerns voiced by the council at last week’s meeting dealt with providing the public with enough information. “I am all about public transparency,” said Mayor Annie Durham.
Salvato cited definite advantages for Cripple Creek if it pursues this route. One sure plus factor he mentioned too deals with alleviating the town’s current struggle against operators/owners of dilapidated buildings on the main street. Officials see these deteriorating structures as hindering the town’s downtown image. With a home-rule charter, action could definitely be authorized to crack down on these operators, who refuse to sell their property or to make necessary improvements. Also, attorney Erin Smith mentioned economic development as another area that a home-rule town can get more creative with rather than having to deal with often stringent state rules.
On the downside, some fear the council could have too much power and could levy more fees.
The pros and cons will get unveiled in the next few months. The first home-rule town hall meeting will occur in March.
But the real first test of the home-rule movement involves an election next November, when voters will pick a minimum of nine people for a charter commission. If elected, this group then has six months to come up with a proposed charter. This then sets the stage for the second election on the home-rule document itself.
Besides pursuing a home-rule government, Cripple Creek could move forward on plans to become a main street community.
A forum was held on this subject last week, and it was well-received, according to the mayor. In addition, plans are in the works for a possible local chamber of commerce getting formed.
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