Hello,

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

Good morning,

In October 2021 the Gazette printed an article that discussed the possibility of closing the section of the Barr Trail that the city owns and building a reroute.

I have not read any further discussion on this topic.

Why has there not been any further discussion of this issue in the media in nearly 3 years?

Has a decision been made?

Is the discernment ongoing?

This article is problematic for the land swap.

It is proof that the land that the city acquired from the Cog Railway is in need of major repairs which were not disclosed during the public comment process.

I find myself wanting to know why the city, after owning that land for seven years, is still not doing the needed repairs.

The question arises in my mind:

Maybe the city plans to close that section of the trail and build a reroute.

What is the answer?

If the city is still considering a reroute, please tell us.

If that concept has been abandoned, tell us why the needed repairs to the trail are not being done.

The bottom line in regards the land swap is that the city failed to inform the public that the trail on the land that they wanted to acquire was in such bad shape that it might not even be worth repairing.

One could imagine that some city officials were surprised when they read that article and would recognize that the city failed to present an accurate analysis of the value and liabilities of that land during the public comment process.

It is shocking that no one from the media or the city has mentioned this to the people.

Here I am still asking how much it will cost to do all needed repairs to the land that we acquired from the Cog Railway in the land swap.

The city had a legal obligation to provide that information to the public during the public comment process.

As a concerned citizen I have a right to decide if I think that the public comment process was incomplete or if the appraisal submitted by the Broadmoor for that land is invalid.

I have to know the cost of the needed repairs to be able to formulate my opinion.

I have a right to learn the total cost of all needed repairs on that land.

The city may not withhold that information from me.

If I am mistaken about this, please enlighten me and explain it to me.

Thank you, Carl Strow