Council Matters Studio 809 Radio

El Paso county is doing drug busts. Is it all for show? Colorado Springs City Councilors Bill Murray and Tom Strand wonder if these busts are being staged. Why? Plus: The homeless population in the Springs is increasing. And panhandlers are getting younger by the day. Where are they coming from? Not Colorado Springs. Not […] The post Council Matters: More Homeless & Marijuana Busts – June 18 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Will Tom Strand run for a second term on city council? The firefighters want collective bargaining and a seat at the table. Is that a reasonable request, and who should decide?  Colorado Springs City Councilors Bill Murray and Tom Strand tee it up and talk it down the fairway. Share your thoughts with a comment […] The post Council Matters: Collective Bargaining for Firefighters – June 11 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Is Colorado Springs City Council working in secret too often? Councilor Bill Murray thinks so. What are the true legal requirements placed on executive sessions? What subjects really should be discussed behind closed doors? City Councilor Tom Strand has a different take than Murray on the subject. (Episode 78, recorded 5/18/18) The post appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Colorado Springs’ parks department can’t afford to water our trees and park grass adequately. Should Colorado Springs Utilities provide free or discounted water to keep the parks alive and well? Do we have a water surplus? City Councilors Tom Strand and Bill Murray discuss the issue and possible solutions. NOTE: shortly after this episode was […] The post Council Matters: Watering Our Parks – May 28 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Why isn’t Colorado Springs attracting permanent businesses? City Councilors Tom Strand and Bill Murray discuss this question. They ask if the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC (Economic Development Council) are doing enough. Is the city’s job market expanding in the high-end or the low-end? Are we becoming a bedroom community of Denver or a military […] The post Council Matters: Business & Jobs – May 21 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Xcel exits the Regional Transmission Organization (which includes Colorado Springs Utilities). City councilors Bill Murray and Tom Strand aren’t happy about it. Isn’t pooling resources a good idea? They also have more to say on closing Martin-Drake power plant. Also: how should they city pay for water for its parks? Should we have a Pikes […] The post Council Matters: Electricity Setback – May 13 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Amending the Banning Lewis Ranch annexation agreement was just the first step. According to Colorado Springs City Councilor Bill Murray, “The Heavy Lifting” is yet to be done. This includes road construction, fire and police stations. Bill Murray and Tom Strand also discuss Arbor Day and the teachers protests (locally and in Denver). (Episode 74, […] The post Council Matters: Banning Lewis Ranch Post Mortem – May 7 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Will a “Riparian Ordinance” protect streams from contamination by homeless campers? Will the ACLU have a problem with it? Colorado Springs City Councilors Bill Murray and Tom Strand explore what can be done about homeless camps. ALSO: the average annual wage in town is $46K. Is that a living wage? (episode 73, recorded 2018 04 […] The post Council Matters: New Twist on Homeless Camps – April 30 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Can Colorado Springs afford to water its parks? City Councilors Bill Murray and Tom Strand discuss ways of addressing that financial challenge. Also: Surplus city revenue? Bill thinks the town will be hitting an economic downturn very soon. Doug Lamborn’s spot in the primary heads to the Colorado Supreme Court. Hickenlooper for president 2020? (Episode […] The post Council Matters: Water, Parks, and A Few Other Things – April 23 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Too many campers and too few cops? Over half the boost of officers from each new police academy graduating class is lost through retirements and attrition throughout the force. Should police and fire have bargaining rights with the city? Plus: Should we find a way to allow camping along Colorado Springs’ waterways. How should Colorado […] The post Council Matters: Campers and Cops – April 16 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

What does Colorado Springs need in a new Utilities CEO? Bill Murray is MIA, so City Councilor (and Utilities Board Chair) Tom Strand enlists the help of producer Gary Casimir to discuss the departing Jerry Forte and recruiting his replacement. Plus: The Broadmoor comes in for a little April Fools fun.  (Episode 70, recorded 2018 […] The post Council Matters: New Utilities CEO Should Be… – April 9 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Do you have Traffic Issues? Does Colorado Springs? City Councilors Bill Murray and Tom Strand discuss traffic and pedestrian issues facing Colorado College and the Old North End. What will be the downstream impact of Colorado Springs road dieting and changes? Plus: Is there such a thing a affordable housing? Bill Murray has your answer. […] The post Council Matters: Traffic Issues – April 2 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Who will lead the billion-dollar Colorado Springs Utilities into the future? CEO Jerry Forte is retiring. Council members Tom Strand and Bill Murray discuss the process to find a new CEO, plus the challenges he or she will face. It could be a wild ride, considering the various factions in the community who will have […] The post appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

“I’ve got a secret” isn’t exactly the motto you want those running your city to adopt. Springs City Councilors Tom Strand and Bill Murray discuss the city attorney’s role in executive sessions. Should the city attorney be elected instead of appointed by the mayor? How does the city attorney set the (mayor’s?) agenda for council? […] The post Council Matters: Executive Sessions – March 12 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Can we solve homelessness in Colorado Springs? City Councilors Bill Murray and Tom Strand discuss this issue that has been plaguing Colorado Springs for years. Solutions are presented but will the council and mayor accept them? Are managed camps the way to go? Can a military solution relieve the city of this issue? A fear […] The post Council Matters: Homelessness – March 5 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Is Public Safety given the proper priority by the city of Colorado Springs? Colorado Springs City Councilors Bill Murray and Tom Strand along with their guest, Bob Acker, discuss the subject. Included in the topic is: Threat, Hazard, Identification, and Risk Assessment (THIRA). Let’s add Engagement, Vigilance, Realize, Awareness training. Soft targets. Detect, deter, assist […] The post Council Matters: Public Safety – Feb 26 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Is Colorado Springs prepared for the next wildfire or flood? City Councilors Tom Strand and Bill Murray discuss with mitigation expert Bob Acker, of Ackcellent Consulting. What can the city do to be better prepared? The National Response Framework, the National Infrastructure Recovery Process, and NIMS (National Incident Management system) all impact us in Colorado […] The post Council Matters: Fire Mitigation – Feb 19 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

Infrastructure is the hot topic, as consultant Bob Acker joins City Councilor Tom Strand (Bill Murray is globe-trotting). Roads, bridges, security, and infrastructure protections all get some attention. It’s all intertwined with our daily lives and must be supported and maintained. You’ll find out that the cost of prevention is a lot cheaper than repairing […] The post Council Matters: Infrastructure, with Bob Acker appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

A soccer stadium at Antlers Park? Perry Sanders and a few business associates are suggesting this idea. Will this stadium fill the requirements for the City for Champions? Time’s running out to obtain the C4C funding help from the state of Colorado. What’s the “reverting clause?” Does the city maintain its parks adequately? The Switchbacks […] The post Council Matters: Antlers Park – Jan 29 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.

The troubled Banning-Lewis Ranch annexation agreement amendment proposal: Is there a master plan? Are the financial projections a little too “rosy”? Has there been adequate public input and participation? Is there a shorter name for this albatross? City Councilors Bill Murray and Tom Strand discuss. Should a citizens committee be formed to scrub the pro-development […] The post Council Matters: Trouble at Banning-Lewis Ranch – Jan 22 2018 appeared first on Studio 809 Radio.