January 12, 2026
Updates on Council’s 2026 retreat and last week's decisions, new grant and volunteer opportunities, regional transportation progress, and local energy, air‑quality, and governance conversations.
In this newsletter
- What's new?
- Upcoming Topics
- Recent Decisions
- Get engaged
- Community Kudos
- What I'm reading/listening to
- Quote for the month
- Community resources
- Weekly Schedule
What's new?
- Learn where your utility money goes: How the city invests our money in reliability, safety, and long‑term resilience.
- Winter watering guidance: Cost-effective tips to help trees and shrubs stay healthy through dry, cold months.
- Recent Decisions: A new section (below) highlights key outcomes and decisions from last week’s Council meetings.
Upcoming Topics
Council meets Monday and Tuesday this week at its annual retreat to set one‑year priorities for 2026; the button below links to more information on how Council sets its priorities and the proposals I put forward for consideration.
Recent Decisions
Council moved several land‑use items forward, updated landscaping rules to be more climate‑resilient, approved Sundance Film Festival agreements, and discussed its 2026 committee appointments.
Get engaged
- Help shape Boulder's policies and programs by applying for a city board or commission before Jan. 25.
- Support local creativity, community storytelling, and cultural vitality by applying for a 2026 Cultural Grant.
- Expand youth access to nature in neighborhood parks by applying for the Nature Park Facilitators Pilot Program.
- Youth ages 13-18 can apply to participate in a day of hands‑on service honoring Dr. King’s legacy on Jan. 19, organized by the Youth Advisory Board.
- Attend one of the many area events honoring Dr. King's legacy (e.g., CU Boulder, the Dairy Arts Center, the JCC, Silver Creek High School, Denver).
Community kudos
Thank you to Commuting Solutions for bringing regional partners together to reflect on last year’s progress, reconnect, and look ahead to what’s possible for transportation in our region, including the future of Front Range Passenger Rail. Read more in the Daily Camera's story about the event.
What I'm reading/listening to
- December’s Xcel shutoffs left seniors without access to homes and medical equipment (Boulder Reporting Lab).
- Neighbors organize for independent air monitoring as Xcel plans to dig up coal ash at Valmont (Boulder Reporting Lab).
- State Democrats refuse to disclose who paid for their Vail retreat with corporate lobbyists (The Colorado Sun).
- The EPA rejects Colorado’s clean‑air plan, putting major pieces of the state’s pollution‑reduction strategy at risk (The Colorado Sun).
- What U.S. actions in Venezuela reveal about presidential power and global instability (The Muckrake Podcast).
Quote for the month
We shall find the truth when we examine the problem.
-Bruce Lee, martial artist, actor, filmmaker
Community resources
Click here to find local financial and social assistance programs, report an issue, contact staff or Councilmembers, learn about grant opportunities, and more.
Weekly schedule
Schedule office hours or find my weekly schedule and annual meeting tally here.
