Dave explained the reasons the GCCHLA Board has come to the difficult conclusion that a home rule city is the only practical way to keep Central City from annexing all or part of York Gulch and putting a pipeline down York Gulch Road. The goal is to preserve our existing community. He repeated the following points he made at the previous Board meeting about the city formation:

• We will need 40 petitioners and 50 "yes" votes in the resulting election.
• We will need to obtain legal help for actually setting up the charter.
• Estimated costs based on the town of Ward:
  • Total annual budget is $27,000 (This includes a full water treatment plant, which we won't need)
  • Projected yearly taxes are $50 for vacant land, and $150 for claims with a house.

Ward provides the following town services:

• two more-or-less-volunteer town marshals, with remaining services contracted from the county sheriff
• part time paid bookkeeper.

Dave said the major area of concern will be the "urban nature" of the Gulch. The initial city will need to be as contiguous as possible to qualify. Dave passed out a marked map showing only those claims needed to provide the size and population necessary to qualify for a home rule city. We can annex other areas, if the residents desire, at some point in the future.

Dave is working on projected costs for organizing and incorporating. Other aspects include an election with at least 50 positive votes, and a hearing before the Clear Creek County commissioners.

He presented some of the reasons for creation a city, and some pluses in its favor.

Dave pointed out that at the last City Council meeting he attended in Central City mayor Don Matavi approached him after the meeting was over. Matavi informed Dave that Central was going to "shove the pipeline up your ass, and there is nothing you can do about it."

Central is working on a land trade with the USFS that would trade land along York Gulch road for a parcel on James Peak. If this happens, Central won't need an EIS or any permissions.

Dave said if the county takes over our roads, they also take over any negotiations with Central about the pipeline. This would cut us out of any decision making. The land along the road could simply be condemned and there would be very little anyone could do.

He pointed out that a city gives us some control over our own destiny, providing we trust our neighbors more than we trust the Clear Creek County Commissioners, and the Central City Town Council. We could continue to maintain the roads and possibly even provide additional services, such as postal service at a community mail box located in the Gulch.

We would also have more control over matters such as: historical roads, traffic and off-road vehicles, and future development of USFS lands.

Dave said our legal costs might not be too high, because it was possible a lawyer might do the work almost pro bono for the experience of writing a city charter, and helping with the incorporation. This sort of thing looks very good on a resume.

A number of concerns were raised concerning a city. They included: effect on sale of property in the Gulch; possible building restrictions and covenants being created in the future; possibility of unforeseen expenses; quality of fire and police protection within the city; and asking if we can really stop progress.

Larry Kramer then presented the "devil's advocate" position. He discussed all the negatives, and asked how bad the pipeline would be. Was it possible we would be better off with electricity, a paved road, and only three pumping stations that might be underground. He said Central City seemed to want to co-operate with York Gulch in so far as using quiet, underground pumps and buried electric lines.

The general discussion that followed agreed that all these things would change the nature of York Gulch community in ways no one wanted. Mark Fowler gave an impassioned speech about growing up on Lookout Mountain, and seeing what it had become. He volunteered to chair a committee to do the necessary work for city incorporation if that was the way the vote went.

A secret ballot was requested. The final vote was 34 Yes, 1 No.

Other suggestions included York Gulch, York, Millennium, Peace of Mind, and Washboard. A vote was taken, and the final winner was Solar.

Next Meeting