This is my contribution to Citizen's Discussion at Tuesday's City Council meeting:

Good morning,

During the public comment process for the land swap, I spoke before the City Council multiple times.

I sent multiple emails as well.

I asked the City Council to tell me the total cost of all needed repairs on the section of the Barr Trail that the city wanted to acquire.

The City Council knew that the city was refusing to provide this financial information to the public.

The City Council then approved the land swap knowing that the public comment process was flawed.

Today's City Council has inherited the responsibility for the mistake made by your predecessors.

Knowledge is responsibility. The public must be informed that for whatever reason, important financial information that had been requested was not provided during the public comment process.

The discussion of the possible closing of the section of the Barr Trail that was acquired in the land swap proves just how important it was for the public to know about the condition of the trail before the land swap was approved.

The city acquired a lemon, that fact had to be made known.

We traded an amazing and beautiful piece of land to the Broadmoor for a lemon.

The opposition had a right and a need to know that the trail on the land owned by the Cog Railway was in such bad condition.

The public has a right to consider possible legal action because of that mistake. The cost of the needed repairs to that land must be made public. The city may not deprive the public of their right to consider legal action over this issue.

Thank you, Carl Strow