Ballot questions cover city charter, fire station work

Dan Kulin

Wednesday, March 26, 2003 | 9:14 a.m.

Boulder City voters will get to decide whether to make it more difficult to change the City Charter and whether to build an addition to the city fire station.

The City Council on Tuesday voted to make both issues questions on the city's June 3 general election ballot. Early voting in that election is May 17 to May 30.

Voters will be asked if they want to change the charter-amendment process so an amendment would have to be approved in two general elections. If adopted, the new rules would mirror the procedure for adopting state constitutional amendments, which require voter approval in two elections.

Currently charter amendments are adopted if approved by a majority of the voters in one election. But council members said that does not adequately protect the charter from the whims of the voters or fleeting trends.

Councilwoman Andrea Anderson said that if adopted, the lengthier charter-amendment process would give voters "ample opportunity to research the issues."

A second question on the ballot will ask voters whether the city should spend up to $550,000 to build an addition to the fire station.

Fire Chief Dean Molburg said the money would pay for an additional truck bay, plus a storage, exercise and training area, which would be built on to the existing station at 1101 Elm St.

Molburg said the department needs the extra room now. He said the station was built in 1975 and was expanded once before in 1994, when living quarters and office space were added to the building.

The council also voted to put a third question on the ballot, which will ask voters to amend the City Charter to make it gender neutral, clarify that rules that apply to the council also apply to the mayor, and remove some inconsistencies in the charter. Council members have described these proposed amendments as simple housekeeping matters.

A proposed ballot question that would have asked voters to OK spending up to $2.7 million for a new animal shelter was turned down by the council.

Mayor Bob Ferraro, Councilman Doug Scheppmann and Anderson said $2.7 million is too much to spend on an animal shelter. Scheppmann said if the matter went to the voters he would campaign against it.

Anderson said the council should consider asking voters to spend up to $1.5 million on a new shelter.