I went to sheriff warner with allegations and proof of perjury in the county court building but he didn't investigate it, apparently because it involved a city employee.
With the economy in the state that it is, and citizens' difficulties getting a fair hearing in court, there might be a lot of truly desperate and hungry Americans. I met someone from Brazil who said that his parents kept an armed guard at their house. When that got too expensive, they thought a high-rise was their only safe living option.
In Madison WI, a philanthropist donated an arts center. Even with the free building it is having problems breaking even. Maybe the city council facility could be used for plays.
My husband lived in Steamboat in the 50's, 60's and 70's and had a favorable impression of Dream Island. I know that Angelo Icovetti had real pride in the place. Is he still alive? Everyone wishes they had more money but I think that the home ownership, yards, convenience, and proximity to the river gave Dream Island residents a better quality of life than renting someone else's condo by the ski area.
I don't understand how the Haymaker Golf Course became city owned. Does it break even or is it subsidized? As I understand it, Haymaker, the city's 3rd golf course, was built to increase real estate values. Then , Lettunich & Vanderbloemen, also the city attorney, asked that their client "Haymaker", get a debt guarantee by the city on the argument that the debt guarantee would cost the city nothing and that the golf course would boost the economy. That must have been 1998. Then it was somehow transferred to the city--I couldn't find the sequence of events. You probably know that nationally a lot of golf courses are doing poorly. Costs of maintenance increased, water shortages, older customers, and now people are worried about pesticide exposure while golfing. One option working in some places is "frisbee golf", which doesn't need the smooth grass. Please comment if you can read this post
I think the council needs to clearly define its role. I was under the impression that council members were not supposed to communicate directly with city employees. The city sounds like an organization with too many bosses.
One way to clean house would be to get a new city attorney and assistant city attorney. The last time I looked the local laws said that the "assistant city attorney" is responsible for making sure that Steamboat complies with its own laws and the constitutions of the U.S. and CO. I think that should be changed to "city attorney", which is what it probably said. I read that just a few days ago the attorney general of the State of New York sent some 200 lawyers who work for governments there letters telling them they cannot have a simultaneous private practice. In the Colorado Rules of Professional Practice, a lawyer is required to get permission from a government If he engages in private and government related work. If you look at what the city spends on Lettunich & Vanderbloemen, plus in house legal staff (which is sometimes more than one full time position), you have a pretty big budget. If you advertised a full time city attorney position, I think you would some really great applications. You could hire someone from outside the local area who isn't beholden to anyone.
Years ago I was offered a job at HUD to develop technical capacity in local governments. There is probably someone doing this sort of service now and books on the subject.
yes, it sounds to me like Lanning is a professional. It must be difficult to be a professional working for the City of Steamboat. Years ago my neighbors were setting off city sized aerial fireworks 75 feet downhill from my property. Bennett invited the City Council to these parties. The assistant fire chief said that his department was told that if they protested their budget would be cut. After the Internet became available I found out that according to international standards we weren't even supposed to be allowed to be home when the fireworks were set off, the statistical danger was so high. In fact, between us and the fireworks there was a south-west facing hill of brush without vehicular access.
Another conflict I think the city council needs to face concerns the role of Anthony Lettunich. Steamboat has a full time attorney. Why does it also need a part time attorney who does business with people who also have applications before the city? The Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct supposedly prohibit an attorney employed by government from doing business with related parties without getting permission every time. You gotta wonder why council members come and go, city managers come and go, but Tony Lettunich remains?
Tom Ross: Controversy often has found the Sheriff's Office
I went to sheriff warner with allegations and proof of perjury in the county court building but he didn't investigate it, apparently because it involved a city employee.
July 19, 2008 at 12:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Paul Potyen: Time for a change
With the economy in the state that it is, and citizens' difficulties getting a fair hearing in court, there might be a lot of truly desperate and hungry Americans. I met someone from Brazil who said that his parents kept an armed guard at their house. When that got too expensive, they thought a high-rise was their only safe living option.
July 18, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Dream Island sale fails
In Madison WI, a philanthropist donated an arts center. Even with the free building it is having problems breaking even. Maybe the city council facility could be used for plays.
July 18, 2008 at 9:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Dream Island sale fails
My husband lived in Steamboat in the 50's, 60's and 70's and had a favorable impression of Dream Island. I know that Angelo Icovetti had real pride in the place. Is he still alive? Everyone wishes they had more money but I think that the home ownership, yards, convenience, and proximity to the river gave Dream Island residents a better quality of life than renting someone else's condo by the ski area.
July 17, 2008 at 1:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Our view: Nonprofit groups should tighten belts
I don't understand how the Haymaker Golf Course became city owned. Does it break even or is it subsidized? As I understand it, Haymaker, the city's 3rd golf course, was built to increase real estate values. Then , Lettunich & Vanderbloemen, also the city attorney, asked that their client "Haymaker", get a debt guarantee by the city on the argument that the debt guarantee would cost the city nothing and that the golf course would boost the economy. That must have been 1998. Then it was somehow transferred to the city--I couldn't find the sequence of events. You probably know that nationally a lot of golf courses are doing poorly. Costs of maintenance increased, water shortages, older customers, and now people are worried about pesticide exposure while golfing. One option working in some places is "frisbee golf", which doesn't need the smooth grass. Please comment if you can read this post
July 17, 2008 at 1:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Robert Miner: Get rid of agenda
Dream Island was called that because when it was first built it was considered to be wonderful
July 16, 2008 at 9:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lanning, council part ways
I think the council needs to clearly define its role. I was under the impression that council members were not supposed to communicate directly with city employees. The city sounds like an organization with too many bosses.
July 16, 2008 at 9:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lanning, council part ways
One way to clean house would be to get a new city attorney and assistant city attorney. The last time I looked the local laws said that the "assistant city attorney" is responsible for making sure that Steamboat complies with its own laws and the constitutions of the U.S. and CO. I think that should be changed to "city attorney", which is what it probably said. I read that just a few days ago the attorney general of the State of New York sent some 200 lawyers who work for governments there letters telling them they cannot have a simultaneous private practice. In the Colorado Rules of Professional Practice, a lawyer is required to get permission from a government If he engages in private and government related work. If you look at what the city spends on Lettunich & Vanderbloemen, plus in house legal staff (which is sometimes more than one full time position), you have a pretty big budget. If you advertised a full time city attorney position, I think you would some really great applications. You could hire someone from outside the local area who isn't beholden to anyone.
Years ago I was offered a job at HUD to develop technical capacity in local governments. There is probably someone doing this sort of service now and books on the subject.
July 16, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lanning, council part ways
So this means that 75% of the city managers in the last 20 years were fired, right?
July 16, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Laura A Case: We need Lanning
yes, it sounds to me like Lanning is a professional. It must be difficult to be a professional working for the City of Steamboat. Years ago my neighbors were setting off city sized aerial fireworks 75 feet downhill from my property. Bennett invited the City Council to these parties. The assistant fire chief said that his department was told that if they protested their budget would be cut. After the Internet became available I found out that according to international standards we weren't even supposed to be allowed to be home when the fireworks were set off, the statistical danger was so high. In fact, between us and the fireworks there was a south-west facing hill of brush without vehicular access.
Another conflict I think the city council needs to face concerns the role of Anthony Lettunich. Steamboat has a full time attorney. Why does it also need a part time attorney who does business with people who also have applications before the city? The Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct supposedly prohibit an attorney employed by government from doing business with related parties without getting permission every time. You gotta wonder why council members come and go, city managers come and go, but Tony Lettunich remains?
July 13, 2008 at 6:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )