Letters to the Editor, July 18

Historic preservation planner vital to city’s vision

The new Boulder City mayor and new inexperienced council members seem to have started off on the wrong foot during the July 9 council meeting.

After a lengthy monologue by Mayor Kiernan McManus, Claudia Bridges and James Adams followed his lead and voted to eliminate the position of a historic preservation planner for Boulder City. This rescinds a decision by the former, more experienced council members. It also required the need to return to the approved city budget, investigate the possible expenses of special, outsourced consultants and additional unknown expenses.

Perhaps most important was the impact on the historic preservation element in the well-crafted city strategic plan 2020-2025. The lack of a historic preservation planner, who focuses on the history of Boulder City, the coordination of the strategic plan and the community’s efforts to preserve and enhance this visual, unique history for future benefits requires a full-time experienced planner.

Councilman (Warren) Harhay, via phone, expressed his earlier mistake in opposing such a position. But upon research and developing awareness of the benefits of the position, voted “aye.” Thank you Councilman Harhay for recognizing the possibilities and advantages to coordinate the historic preservation goals in the city strategic plan.

As a community, we must step up and support this element in the city strategic plan 2020-2025 and the previous City Council’s wise and thoughtful insight to have the position of a historic preservation planner.

Paul and Barbara Adams