Denver Post Article: COS turning out streetlights to save on the electric bill (Colorado Springs: house, transfer)

[mollygee]

Originally Posted by Bob from down south

It is entirely appropriate to impugn her credibility, based on her youth and lack of mature comprehension that helicopters lighting up carloads of drunks cruising the streets at night is not a normal law-enforcement capability. A student in criminal justice should know that, but she saw fit to bring it up, and she's "exasperated" that the helicopter can't be there to keep her safe from marauding carloads of drunks? Whether we call her her snotty-nosed, wet-behind-the-ears, or clueless, it doesn't matter to me, but she's not credible just because she took a couple classes in criminal justice and occasions the streets from time to time like most of the rest of us.

This nation survived 175 years without a single helicopter police patrol...it's an extravagance, not a necessity. Patrol cars and radios, properly employed, can get the job done without a multimillion dollar rotary-wing police patrol that costs thousands of dollars every hour it's in the air.

Over 3000 suspected criminals were found using helicopters, with team work from officers at ground level.

Colorado Springs is the 2nd largest city in Colorado, covering a huge area.

This is the year 2010, Bob. We should use all the tools that are available.

The city council has really put a lot of people at risk, because they spent money on USOC and a bridge that was not needed at Union and Austin Bluffs.

Colorado Springs is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States. It is tragic that instead of a Tejon ped mall and a transit system and parks that could showcase a 21st century gleaming city, the "powers that be" have chosen instead to make our city look like a "national lampoon" movie.

Triple our property taxes, because the city council goofed big time? Last year, private citizens paid to keep the fountain going at "America the beautiful" park. Cutting services by the city council is not new to this city.

Maybe, Colorado Springs can be an example of why it is so important to VOTE for the right people in governments.

Molly

[aep73]

Full disclosure: I'm from waaay out of town (outside of Seattle to be exact) and this has even made the news here. We are looking at relocating to COS this summer.

It seems like some of the things taken off of the table can be done with communities getting together. What about communities adopting their parks and getting together to take care of them? If they use 'em, why not mow 'em, clean 'em up, etc.? We had volunteer fire departments where I grew up and they worked fine for supplementing paid firefighters and EMTs. It requires community involvement, but hopefully, the good people of COS are not against a little elbow grease.

Other things being taken off the table are a little frightening to hear about: cutting back on cops? Eeeek. I guess there are neighborhood patrols ...

Long story short: the situation doesn't have to be dire if communities get together and say that they are going to do what government used to do for them. But they have to walk the walk. If not ...

[COflower]

I think the national spotlight on what our city council has had to do may make people rethink their own communities. Seriously.

I mean, streetlights turned off. Not a big deal. When I lived in Grand Junction big streets like Patterson/F Road (which in a way are similar in how Academy was years ago) had few lights. As was the situation with Horizon which most traffic would use to 12th to go to the heart of Grand Junction. Not a problem even though the traffic is different, it was a disjointed type of traffic there because of the nature of the area which combined rural traffic with city traffic.

Somehow, less lighting didn't mean more crime or traffic problems. It was an accepted part of life in the area. The main drag of North Ave was lighted a bit more but it also has a big core of commercial property that lights up the area.

What I am saying is that perhaps through this, it can be seen as more of a tightening of what government actually needs to do over what people think is best for them as individuals and families.

But what it comes down to is a council that did not use our taxes properly to begin with and if Rivera thinks there's a level of mistrust, by golly, there are solid reasons as to why that mistrust exists and they only have themselves to blame.

The helicopter...oh my. Different times call for different means of reducing crime but often I would hear it flying around Briargate with no apparent reason. Nothing on the blotter and nothing on the scanner via the internet. Perhaps by utilizing what we have in creative ways this will mean a community can stop being complacent and actively work together to make our city safer. There will always be crime but even knowing our neighbors more than just a "Hi Fred" helps foster a sense of belonging, which this city has always lacked, which in turn creates relationships that goes beyond simply friends. You actually care about your neighbors and are proactive in keeping your area safe.

There is talk amongst the dog owners in the apartment complex I live in that our management may put in a couple of barrels in George Fellowes park which, incidentally has the East Library on the east end, to help keep the park clean. This may just be rumor but if the complex does that, what an awesome idea. Why would they do that? They allow dogs here and the park is a HUGE selling point because it lacks other ammenities that some apartments don't have. It also is a selling point because of the playground at the park and since there isn't a close-in school, the playground helps bring in young families. While it may seem selfish because they are looking out for their bottom line, it actually will help keep the park clean and keep/bring in people who have a sense of pride about where they live.

I've already rambled on about the transportation system and the fact that the city bungled it long ago asked for a tax, they got it, they didn't spend wisely. Not going to rehash that for the 10th time.

As a libertarian, I think this is very good for the city of Colorado Springs. I too have become a bit complacent about what the city does and what it should be doing rather than what it is actually doing (CSOC anyone?). Some may see this as "bad" for the city but perhaps as I mentioned above, people can be proactive rather than sit back and whine about streetlights, parks and such and take some roles on themselves. Community involvement means more than just paying taxes. What do I plan on doing about it? I don't know as I haven't really thought about what I can do to help my community other than being one of the few dog owners that actually cleans up my dog's poop in the park. I don't run around with nefarious people so I don't contribute to crime. I drive as carefully as I can. Since I am impatient, most of my purchases are locally (rather than the internet) so I contribute to the tax base.

Whatever...if it's all doom and gloom and the national news wants to highlight the cutbacks, so be it. Let's be a city where we can take the hit and be a shining example (haha) of how we can be a city that runs a tight ship. I mean, families have and are doing it in their homes, why can't our city do the same? I'm no economic genius but it seems to me that hard times mean getting involved and getting creative. Heck, if I can make a set of kitchen curtains for 99¢ (plus tax, hehe) with no sewing machine and just the desire and need to do so, somehow those $20+ curtains I could have purchased pre-made are not nearly as praise-worthy. There's a sense of pride and accomplishment because I was involved in the creation. There's no reason we can't carry that from our homes to our communities.

[formercalifornian]

On the plus side, less light pollution means that CoS residents will be able to see more of our gorgeous night sky. A little more than a year ago, I moved from an exurb to the city, and I miss being able to see so many stars at night.

[COflower]

Mike, that wasn't a typo on my part...that was CSOC not USOC because that's what it's become in my eyes. Please don't edit that part out unless I've used a cuss/bad word inadvertently by adding or eliminating a letter.

Thank you...and yes, I use CSOC instead of USOC because we (the citizens of Colorado Springs) are using our tax dollars to help the USOC...

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by COflower

Mike, that wasn't a typo on my part...that was CSOC not USOC because that's what it's become in my eyes. Please don't edit that part out unless I've used a cuss/bad word inadvertently by adding or eliminating a letter.

Thank you...and yes, I use CSOC instead of USOC because we (the citizens of Colorado Springs) are using our tax dollars to help the USOC...

Got it. Changed it back. Somedays I try too hard. Thanks.

[Terytee]

Great post CO Flower! I couldn't give you any more rep points!

[COflower]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Got it. Changed it back. Somedays I try too hard. Thanks.

Thank you...perhaps I should have PMed you instead but at least people will know that if I type that, I do in fact have a reason.

[COflower]

Originally Posted by Terytee

Great post CO Flower! I couldn't give you any more rep points!

Ah shucks. Thanks.

I guess because I am going through my own economic issues and of course there's the mental issues that go with that, I have to try to think differently.

I mean, I can sit here and whine about there not being the job I want right now at this moment, the fact that I need to stretch $20 of gas through the month (it's only the 4th), I still have to make the bills while having a little bit of extra to make those 99¢ curtains...I can join the feelings of "oh my, our city has to cut back...oh no, our city sucks".

Instead, I am rethinking how my current situation is, how I can maximize the few dollars I do have and try hard not to sink into a depression or a mindset that life sucks. I think that's what so many are doing on a community level.

I missed part of the ABC news focus on our city the other night (apparently they had a segment on their main news but I caught part of it on "Nightline") and to have that kind of national spotlight shouldn't make people feel sad, but perhaps empowered to make the changes within our mindset about what the roles of the government (federal on down to city level) really should play in our lives.

If people want doom and gloom, we are very good at finding it. Too bad that so many think that this is somehow a bad thing for CS. In fact, if people wake up to it, it can work for the better. As I said, to make our city an example of running a tight ship while maintaining a good quality of life.

[Fullback32]

Originally Posted by Terytee

Great post CO Flower! I couldn't give you any more rep points!

I took care of it for ya.