January 5, 2026
New resource pages, landscaping and outdoor‑area rules, a letter to Xcel, board and commission applications, and student‑led tax relief on essential products.
In this newsletter
- What's new?
- Upcoming Topics
- Get engaged
- Community Kudos
- What I'm reading/listening to
- Quote for the month
- Community resources
- Weekly Schedule
What's new?
Last year was tough, and 2026 may be even tougher for many in our community. I wrote about how staying connected and looking out for each other is how we'll get through. You can find my "welcome to 2026 message" here.
With connection and community in mind, I’ve made a few updates to how I'll share information this year:
- A new set of evergreen pages is now at the top of my Council Chronicles website (e.g., Community Resources), so you can quickly find the basics without waiting for the weekly newsletter.
- Get Engaged, Community Kudos and What I’m Reading/Listening To are now only available through the weekly newsletter.
- The newsletter will still include a short summary of the weekly council agenda. The Upcoming Topics page on the Council Chronicles site will have more detail on each week's main topics, as well as the usual overview of future meeting topics.
Upcoming Topics
This week Council will consider updates to landscaping and outdoor‑area rules, a letter to Xcel reflecting community frustration and expectations for better service, and an agreement with the Sundance Institute to manage impacts of the Sundance Film Festival.
Get engaged
Applications for city boards and commissions are now open. Learn more at an Open House on Jan. 5 and apply by Jan. 25.
Community kudos
Boulder County eliminated its tax on menstrual products and diapers, making Boulder the only city in the state where these products are tax-free. Big thanks to CU senior Aspen Rawson and all the students who advocated for this change.
What I'm reading/listening to
- Community members gathered to remember unhoused and formerly unhoused neighbors who died last year.
- Boulder’s familiar winter winds now come with unprecedented fire risk.
- How to support trees stressed by our unusually warm, dry winter.
- Boulder’s commercial vacancy rate hits historic levels, with no easy solutions.
- Boulder County opens three new grants to support nature-based climate solutions.
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.
