July 20, 2026
Smart streetlights, nonprofit backup power, FAA funds and federal obligations, BVCP update (again), 2026 Plastic Count, Unite Here, inaugural Poet Laureate, and more.
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?
- Councilmember Mark Wallach and I wrote a candid guest opinion debunking myths about our favorite topic: the city's budget. Read it here.
- City staff have finished upgrading all streetlights to smart, energy‑efficient LEDs; you can now see outages on this map and report issues here.
- Nonprofits can get up to $50,000 for backup power through the new Resiliency Hub Pilot. Learn more at a July 27 workshop; apply by Aug. 14. Learn more.
Upcoming Topics
At its special meeting this week, the City Council will decide whether to apply for FAA grants that require the city to fund airport maintenance and operations far beyond 2040 (with no guarantee of future federal support), keep working through the final approval of the BVCP update, and consider advancing five potential ballot measures to a public hearing.
Recent Decisions
At its meeting last month, the Council advanced minimum wage changes that would roll back tipped workers’ wage gains, approved a land transfer for affordable housing, sent the BVCP update back for yet another round of edits, and asked staff to prepare potential 2026 ballot measures.
Get engaged
- Participate in the Boulder Plastic Count by tracking your household's plastic use this week (July 20-26). Learn more here.
- Join city staff and community partners on July 23 for a celebration of the renaming of the Civic Area to Boulder Creek Park. Find details here.
- Attend Irrigation Office Hours on July 30 to ask questions on grass, trees and climate-resilient yards, including native plants and other drought-tolerant options. Register here.
- Apply by Aug. 13 for a chance to become Boulder's first-ever Poet Laureate. Find more information and the application here.
- The city is offering free guided public art tours downtown this summer in multiple languages and formats. Find details and register here.
Community kudos
Kudos to the Hotel Boulderado workers exercising their right to form a union after a private equity firm took over management last year. The Boulderado is a beloved place in our city, and the workers' courage and organizing skills are inspiring.
What I'm reading/listening to
- What community members said about where Boulder should increase, maintain or reduce investment across 25 city services. (Fund Our Future Community Engagement Summary)
- Why regional drought doesn't always mean local restrictions. (City of Boulder) Related: the city's 2026 Drinking Water Quality Report.
- Denver Metro/North Front Range ozone levels remain high, the health impacts are significant, and the costs are enormous. (Regional Air Quality Council)
- Goldie the goat provides comic relief as firefighters work on the Rock Creek Fire near Colorado Springs (Denver News 7)
- President Kennedy on why clinging to old clichés and fighting the wrong battles at the wrong time exacerbates current problems. Commencement Address at Yale University, June 11, 1962
Quote for the month
For the great enemy of truth is very often not the lie--deliberate, contrived and dishonest--but the myth--persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Too often we ... enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
-President John F. Kennedy
Community resources
Click here to find additional 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.
