Public Comments

This is not an independent redistricting commission. 8 of you are Democratic’s trying to overtake our state to make it a communists state similar to Russia and China to silence people. Please district it back to conservatives on the eastern plains and western counties. Boulder county is a communist state so please stop trying to take apart other counties around it.

Broomfield is one community of interest that should NOT be divided!!! Leave Broomfield as one strong community !!! The only reason you want to divide Broomfield is to gain control ! Broomfield is one community of interest that should NOT be divided."

No way should Broomfield be DIVIDED!!!! No way!!! You people work for us, and we are furious about this issue!!! DO NOT DO THIS! Listen to your bosses (which is us!!!!)!!!!!

My name is Mary Dodd and I live in Montezuma County, currently in House District 58. Thank you, commissioners and staff for your work on behalf of the citizens of Colorado, and for considering the public comments regarding the HD 58 and HD 59 preliminary maps. Many residents in HD 58, myself included, commented that the preliminary maps for HD 58 and 59 would benefit from reconsideration. Those of us living in Montezuma County were particularly concerned about the vertical division of our county, that pulled the eastern half including the towns of Cortez and Mancos, into HD 59, split a major school district, and put the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Tribal Nations into separate districts. The new staff map for HDs 58 and 59 resolved many of these issues. I would like to suggest an improvement on the staff map for HD 59 based on communities of interest and shared economies. The staff map for HD 59 excludes a portion of Montezuma County from the upper Northwest corner, dipping down through the town of Dolores, and then curving back up to the Northeast corner of the county, placing this chunk of Montezuma County into HD 58. The remainder of the county is in HD 59. Instead, I would suggest a revision of the staff map that includes relocating a chunk out of the northwest corner of Montezuma County into House District 58 to include the towns of Lewis, Yellow Jacket, and Pleasant View. This would place the town of Dolores and all the areas to the north and east of Dolores in HD 59. I have attached a pdf showing an enlargement of this configuration, as well as how this fits into the larger HD 59 map. Cortez, Mancos, and Dolores share major tourist and outdoor recreation industries/economies with towns in La Plata, Archuleta, and San Juan Counties. Tourist come to this area from around the state and country to hike, fish, run the rapids, kayak, and camp in the San Juan National Forest which encompasses Dolores, Silverton, Mancos, and Durango areas. Phil’s World in Cortez has become a destination for international mountain and road bikers, who then also bike Boggy Draw in Dolores. They participate in local area races such as The Iron Horse Classic Bike race in Durango; 12 Hours of Mesa Verde; and Ride the Rockies, that begins in Durango, courses through Mancos, Cortez, and Dolores (with overnight stops in Durango and Cortez), before traveling up and over the San Juan Mountains, down through Silverton, and back to Durango. This year’s Ride the Rockies brought major tourist dollars to Durango, Mancos, Cortez, Dolores, and Silverton. Additionally Cortez, Mancos, and Dolores have vibrant Main Streets with new businesses, art galleries, restaurants, and breweries as do the major towns in San Juan, La Plata, and Archuleta counties. Prior to the pandemic, a local teacher and entrepreneur here in Montezuma County started a successful summer business taking people on tours of the local breweries in Mancos, Cortez, Dolores, and Durango. Residents in all four towns share and attend cultural events in common, including music festivals, parades, marches, concerts, gallery openings, etc. On the other hand, the Main Streets of Lewis and Pleasant View, no criticism intended, consist mainly of post offices and gas stations, with few business that attract anyone other than the people who live near those communities. The northwest corner of Montezuma County is more aligned with the counties in HD 58 in terms of agriculture and ranching economies. Including this portion of Montezuma County in HD 58, and the area from Dolores north and west in HD 59 should also meet the population requirements of both districts. While on the zoom of the public hearing on Saturday, 9/18/21, one of the commissioners mentioned the map proposed by the GIS Department of Montezuma County. In reviewing that map, which seems to lack a great deal of detail, it is of note that communities of interest are overlooked and the emphasis appears to be solely on agriculture. This configuration would have a stifling effect on the outdoor recreation and tourist economies and it is my hope that the commission would not adopt such a map. Again, thank you for your time and commitment to ensuring that this redistricting process best serves the citizens of Colorado. Mary Dodd 1324 Melrose St. Cortez, CO 81321 See attached pdfs of the following: 1) Proposed HD 59 that carves out the Northwest portion of Montezuma County and moves it into HD 58 2.)This map shows an enlargement of Montezuma County with annotations:

Broomfield is one community of interest that should NOT be divided into multiple districts. If the Congressional Redistricting Commission moves ahead on dividing Broomfield in two, putting 1/3 of us in CD-8 and 2/3's in CD-7, this would make our voice insignificant in both districts. It would be awful for all members of the Broomfield community regardless of what neighborhood we live in or political party we belong to. Whether they put us in CD-2, 7 or 8 Broomfield belongs together.

Please do not marginalize the citizens of Broomfield by splitting the us into two separate districts.

Please do not divide Broomfield through redistricting. County division didn’t work well prior to 2001, and this proposition makes even less sense. It will just add one more level of divisiveness in our community.

The city and county of Broomfield was formed only a few short years ago. The division will literally give residents no voice. Please do not take that away from Broomfield county residents.

Hi I am completely against my town and county being split down the middle without my towns agreement. The only reason for this could only be partisan politics. Was I asked for my opinion in this decision? No. You were not interested in it. Do you know the history of why Broomfield became a county?? We were split by 3 counties!!!!!! Now you wish to do it again. No no and no again. I guarantee our county will stop this if attempts go further please stop!!!

I'm super opposed to breaking up Broomfield! We worked hard to be both a city and a county so Broomfield could be, and should remain, one "community of interest" that should not be divided. We are ONE BROOMFIELD! Please do not take our voice away. Regards, Sandy Anderson