Council’s gridlock over golf carts hits a nerve with the public
A 40-minute-plus debate at last week’s City Council meeting over a planned road crossing — and whether it should reference “golf carts” among its anticipated users — has drawn a rebuke from some Commerce City citizens. After we reported on the time-consuming tangent off the council agenda at its Aug. 21 meeting, readers — including a former council member — pushed back hard. Most weren’t too kind to the council.
Comments posted on Eye on Commerce City’s website as well as our Facebook page knocked the council for wasting time and for missing the point of the crossing — public safety. The crossing would go under Chambers Road near the Buffalo Run Golf Course
Council members drew fire for getting bogged down over golf — council member Craig Kim even had let on during the meeting, “I hate golf with a passion” — when safety should have been the priority.
“Something that is desired to increase public safety shouldn’t be considered just about golf but about common sense,” one Commerce City reader posted on Facebook. Posted another, “Politicians at work. It's all about them and their agenda period.”
A reader posted to our website, “This is disturbing and disgusting. Residents need safe walkways to access … transportation stops like RTD … Pushing back the start of a project like this only costs more. This is not a game. These decisions impact people. This council must go so that new members can help build a city that cares about families and community an not about their own egos.”
Another posted, “All you golf cart haters, go to BR golf course and use the under-112th crossing … you will see it’s not a hazard!! Interesting, personal … disdain for the game impacted the entire discussion!”
The crossing was labeled a “pedestrian / golf cart underpass” in a briefing document prepared for the council by the city staff. It’s part of a much bigger road project — the widening of Chambers Road from 105th to 116th avenues.
All the council was supposed to do at last Monday’s meeting was OK hiring a consulting engineer to work with the city on a more detailed design of the overall project. Instead, some members couldn’t seem to get past “golf carts” even as the city’s planning staff assured the council wide-ranging users are envisioned for the pedestrian underpass.
Alongside Kim’s avowed disdain for golf, council members Susan Noble and Renée Chacon led the crusade against the golf carts, and Noble eventually goaded the entire council into tabling until next month a decision on what was supposed to be a routine step.
Many of those posting comments saw a bigger problem — with the council itself. Critics included former council member Jack Hagaman.
“Speaking as a former city councilman of Commerce City, and as one who grew up in Commerce City, this current city council seems to be one of the most inexperienced and dysfunctional city councils that has ever been seated in the history of Commerce City. This council is more interested in their own personal agendas than they are for what's best for the citizens of Commerce City. I hope that the voters send a strong message to these elected officials this next election,” Hagaman wrote.
He called the council’s quibbling over golf carts “ridiculous” and “embarrassing.”
“…It’s not about you, Councilwoman Noble and Councilman Kim, it's about the citizens of Commerce City.”
Others chimed in, in agreement, and several rapped Noble.
“When they redrew the ward boundaries, I was hoping my second-to-least-favorite City Council stooge Susan Noble would no longer be representing my area,” wrote one on Facebook. “Unfortunately my wish didn’t come true…..” Posted another, “Susan Noble needs to GO!!! She’s no good for this city and helps with nothing!! Let’s get her outta there.”