Fwd: Comment to Loveland City Council men on 4/10/23 LURA meeting

[Lorenda Volker]

Commissioners, you were copied on the email below at the bo...@larimer.org email address.  I am forwarding this to you for your information.   

	Lorenda Volker County Manager
	Commissioners' Office 200 W Oak St, Fort Collins, 80522 | 2nd Floor W: (970) 498-7008 lvo...@larimer.gov | www.larimer.gov

        

          

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Jane Perkins <jperki...@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, Apr 11, 2023 at 3:03 PM
Subject: Comment to Loveland City Council men on 4/10/23 LURA meeting
To: Dana....@cityofloveland.org <Dana....@cityofloveland.org>, John....@cityofloveland.org <John....@cityofloveland.org>, ccou...@cityofloveland.org <ccou...@cityofloveland.org>, CityAt...@cityofloveland.org <CityAt...@cityofloveland.org>, Steve...@cityofloveland.org <Steve...@cityofloveland.org>
Cc: Jacki Marsh - Mayor <Jacki...@cityofloveland.org>, JShadduc...@larimer.org <JShadduc...@larimer.org>, bo...@larimer.org <bo...@larimer.org>

To Loveland City Council men on the LURA Board:

I am only cc'ing Mayor Jacki Marsh and County Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally on this email. Their behavior and actions at last night's LURA meeting were professional and above-board, and demonstrated maturity and competence. I do not have email addresses for the other LURA members Barbara Kruse, Steve Johnson, or Tammy Lien.

***

In my life I have lived all over the country and overseas. I am in my mid-60s and have participated in public comment in many City Council and planning meetings throughout my adult life.

However, last night’s LURA meeting was an atrocious eye-opener. I could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. The lack of basic respect, the lack of decorum, the utter lack of civility, maturity, honesty, openness or integrity shown toward fellow LURA members, especially the hostility displayed by the LURA chair Dana Foley (with his eye-rolling) and his sidekick “point of order” John Fogle, was beyond abhorrent. The hostility was so thick you could cut it with a knife. And Fogle’s unwarranted, insulting “political ploy” comment was uncalled for. This was not the first of these Loveland city meetings that have demonstrated such disgraceful, embarrassing behavior from these members.

As a U.S.citizen, never in my life have I witnessed such immature, pathetic, unprofessional, and holier- than- thou behavior from City Council men. In March 2022, a Larimer County judge correctly likened the actions of certain Loveland city council men, city manager, and city attorney's actions to resembling a “banana republic.” Their ever more reckless behavior and actions to ramrod this Centerra South deal through the LURA Board are increasingly clear to everyone. They are acting worse than animals, because animals don’t act this way. 

At the meeting, pertinent questions were asked by fellow LURA members, which were cast aside and disrespected. This LURA chair refused to even allow the negotiation of establishing Rules of Procedure for this new LURA board as requested by the County Commissioner multiple times and again at start of this meeting, and to avoid a conflict of interest! This is highly inappropriate, dysfunctional, and speaks to an incompetent, crippling performance by this LURA Chair and as a governing board! This is a toxic and sick environment.

Pertinent questions were asked by public commentors at the meeting, which went unanswered. Chair Foley made a point of rudely cutting off commentors in the middle of their sentence with a curt, "You're done." Overcash insinuated one public comment was "false," when in fact the Coloradan reported McWhinney’s received NO financial tax incentives whatsoever from Fort Collins City Council when they purchased Foothills Mall; they received a LOAN, not a handout. One young father speaking for his two small children put it best, stating he does NOT want their future burdened with extreme debt, and have their essential school funds diverted to wealthy McWhinney.

Additionally, recent letters written by City Councilors Don Overcash and Dana Foley to the Chamber of Commerce CEO and Senator Janice Marchman, respectively, are casting aspersions with blatant falsehoods about their fellow city councilors and the public; wherein they also claim to be representing the "majority" of Loveland residents. The majority of Loveland residents have expressed strong opposition to Centerra South, creation of a new URA, and fracking within city limits since January 2023, making these letters lies and an affront to Loveland residents. This is not "misinformation" - these actual letters can be read on FB page "Loveland Politics." 

Why the secrecy? Why the rush to ramrod Centerra South through? What is behind certain city council men's favoritism to McWhinney? Other developers are building in Loveland without a handout, without incentives, some right next door to proposed Centerra South. Why are these certain council men hell-bent on pushing Mcwhinney's agenda? 

These city council men, especially LURA chair Dana Foley, need much more than just a basic course in American civics, civil discourse, and democracy – they need a basic tenant taught of decency and respect toward others. City council members would be trusted and respected were they to practice openness, tolerance, and genuine civility toward one another, and especially by being polite and showing consideration and respect to the citizens they are in office to represent.

Lovelanders are being duped not just by McWhinney, but by certain City Council men - these councilmen wittingly serving as the tool for McWhinney. Lovelanders are being deceived with grand visions of a glittering “Gateway to Loveland” right off I 25 & 34 while sporting a bull’s-eye on their backs that reads “I’ve been suckered by McWhinney – Kick Me.”

Jane Perkins

Ward II

Loveland, CO