Golden City Council Regular Meeting - August 25, 2026
Golden City Council Regular Business Meeting – August 25, 2026
The Golden City Council held its regular business meeting on August 25, 2026, at 6:30 PM. The agenda included proclamations, a subcommittee update on a third-party investigation, consent matters (including a city manager separation agreement and acting city manager appointment), a marketing services contract, and two waste-related resolutions. Public comments addressed fire department support, city finances, and the 19th Street crosswalk. Council also discussed the city manager’s departure and the direction of community marketing.
Consent Calendar
- Approved consent matters (excluding item 7D) by a unanimous vote. Items included:
- Minutes of August 4 and August 11, 2026.
- Resolution 3334: Master License Agreement with Forged Fiber 37, LLC (AT&T) for broadband facilities in rights-of-way.
- Resolution 3340: Supporting a Great Outdoors Colorado grant for Lions Park Nature Play and Outdoor Learning Initiative.
- Resolution 3345: (Pulled from consent by council – see Discussion Items).
- Resolution 3347: Intergovernmental Agreement for ambulance and medical services with Pleasant View Metropolitan District, Golden Gate Fire Protection District, and Intermountain Health (Platte Valley Ambulance).
- Resolution 3349: Approving an Acting City Manager Agreement.
- Resolution 3350: Approving a City Manager Separation Agreement.
- Resolution 3351: Appointing members to the Golden Urban Renewal Authority Board.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Tony Memory (District 1, 220 Jackson Street): Expressed concern about the fire department’s perception following recent events and asked what strategies the city would implement to support firefighters beyond DEI training. He emphasized the need for transparency and community engagement.
- Loretta (Central Golden): Questioned the city manager’s compensation, noting that Scott Bargo’s starting salary of $230,000 in 2022 had risen to $286,000, and that the acting city manager resolution included a $50,000 increase. She argued Golden’s pay was out of line with other cities of similar size and urged more thoughtful interim payments.
Discussion Items
- Subcommittee Update on Third-Party Investigation (Sandra Knecht and Gerchard Pfau): The subcommittee reported that of four investigative vendors from the Colorado Municipal League, one did not respond, one offered only long-term subscription service, and two were available. After ranking on cost, availability, cultural competency, and expertise, Investigations Law Group (ILG) was prioritized. ILG provided assurance that a separate city HR engagement would have independent lead investigators. The subcommittee aims to have a contract ready for council review in September 2026.
- Council Comments on 19th Street Crosswalk: Multiple council members expressed frustration about the non-functional crosswalk at 19th Street, noting that Mines had two years of notice and that lights were not synchronized. Some reported traffic backups and safety hazards. Staff committed to resolving the issue by the following week.
- Item 7D – Resolution 3345 (DVA Advertising Contract): Director of Communications Meredith Fritchie and Community Marketing Manager Derek Schimmel presented the contract with DVA Advertising for marketing services. The contract included a media buying budget of $160,000 and creative/media reporting of $110,000 for 2027. Discussion focused on balancing destination marketing with stewardship, data privacy (geolocation intelligence), and the phrase “high value visitor profiles.” Councilor Cameron moved to amend the contract by removing the line “to isolate high value visitor profiles,” but later withdrew the amendment after city attorney suggested direction to staff instead. The original motion passed 6-1. Council directed staff to work with DVA to ensure inclusive language.
- Resolution 3348 – MOU with Circular Action Alliance (Theresa Worsham, Sustainability Manager): The MOU guarantees at least $8.50 per household reimbursement for recycling costs while the city negotiates a definitive contract with the state’s producer responsibility program. If negotiations fail, the city would return to council to adjust rates (estimated $0.45/month increase per household to recoup up to four months). The resolution was adopted unanimously.
- Resolution 3341 – Waste Collection Fee Schedule: Updated fees for the new five-year waste hauler contract beginning September 1, 2026. Rates remain among the lowest in the Front Range due to state reimbursements. Council directed staff to proactively contact the small number of households with two 96-gallon bins to alert them of a larger increase. Adopted unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent matters (excluding 7D) approved unanimously.
- Resolution 3345 (DVA Advertising) adopted 6-1 after discussion and direction to staff on inclusive language.
- Resolution 3348 (MOU with Circular Action Alliance) adopted unanimously.
- Resolution 3341 (Waste Collection Fees) adopted unanimously.
- Third-party investigation: Contract with ILG to be finalized and brought to council in September 2026.
- Proclamations: Recognized Women’s Equality Day (August 26), International Overdose Awareness Day (August 31), Hunger Action Month (September), National Preparedness Month (September), and Suicide Prevention and Recovery Month (September).
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. It is six thirty on August twenty-fifth, twenty twenty six. We are here tonight for the City of Golden regular business meeting of Golden City Council. Please begin by standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the republics for which he stands, one nation, under God, individual with liberty and justice for all. Counselor Evans? Here. Here. Counselor Bow? Here. Councillor Krasinski. Here. Mayor Walbert. Mayor Putin, you have a quorum. Thank you. Thank you. Next is the approval of the agenda. I believe we have a proposed change this evening. Uh Madam Chair, I would move to remove consent item seven D from the consent matters and move it after the proclamations and before item nine on the agenda. So noted. I'll second all in favor. Aye. Thank you. Next on the agenda is public comment. This will be the only time this evening folks will have a chance to address counsel. If you would like to speak to council during public comment, please approach the podium. State your name, your address, or your neighborhood. You will have three minutes to address counsel. And uh Councilor Fowl will be doing our timing this evening. And that public comment has been posted. The first person to sign up for public comment is Tony Memory. Um this is a statement that's not I wrote it down. Um District One, two twenty um Jackson Street. Um so I'm just gonna run through this. Recent events that have been discussed at length in details and decisions made. I certainly don't condone the actions of those who we uphold through the positions to the highest standard with the city, whether elected or assigned. That being said, my concern is this. We have men and women of the fire department who save lives and put their lives at risk. This fact mayor is somewhat of a double-edged sort of perception, both locally and online. Moving forward, I would like to know as a community member. What strategies can be initiated now to support the vital services of the men and women of our fire department beyond classroom DEI training. Sometimes it's a personal opinion. You have to take the punch on the chin. That's all well and right. What I'm personally don't think is positive is for the community that has the department that's left in the kind of limbo of perception. Transparency isn't just saying we, meaning all will do better. Transparency is the conversation openly and honestly shared, not online, as we see with many online warriors who never show up at these meetings. I imagine of necessity there are going to be some really difficult decisions to be had in the future. We took the opportunity to go over and walk over to our fire department and speak with two people over there.
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