Public Comments

I appreciate how difficult your job must be. Thank you for your hard work. I live in Wind Crest, a retirement community. I have heard that the present proposal would divide this wonderful community into two separate districts, District 22 and District 33. We are one community of seniors who are active in a variety of activities all over this campus. Much attention has been given by the designers of this community to keep us cohesive. We are also very active voters. Dividing us into two districts would be confusing and detrimental to a group of people who are and want to continue to be involved in the political process. I hope you will give consideration to keeping Wind Crest in one district.

I am a resident and business owner in the Town of Paonia and am writing on behalf of myself and no other entity or organization. I believe the current proposed maps do a disservice to the North Fork Valley of Colorado and eliminate fair representation of this community. The North Fork Valley is a unique region on the western slope of Colorado, defined by the confluence of the North Fork Gunnison River to the point where it joins the Gunnison River west of Hotchkiss, CO. The region has historically been a mining and agricultural area, and in the past decade has increasingly shifted toward growth based on creative industries, small farms and ranches, organic agriculture, wineries and vineyards, and outdoor recreation. Following my statement, I have included several descriptions of this region from various stakeholders. It has also been described as the "breadbasket of Colorado", "too wild to drill", is adjacent to public lands, and is home to a wide array of wildlife. The North Fork Valley, particularly the communities of Paonia, Hotchkiss, and Crawford, share schools, a parks district, and an ambulance district. We also share a geography, geology, culture, economy, and climate that is distinct from the communities of Mesa County and even the western portion of Delta County. While each community within the North Fork Valley is distinct, many values and priorities are shared: in particular, the need for clean, accessible, and safe water for the livelihoods our communities rely on. Our water sources are primarily springs and snowmelt, which are under threat by climate change and extractive industries. This rural and agricultural region also faces similar transportation concerns that are distinct from Mesa County and the western portion of Delta County; we are not served by an Interstate Highway, and access from the north, south, and east is via one of several mountain roads (McClure pass on Highway 133; Kebler Pass; Highway 92 and Monarch Pass). The North Fork Valley should be considered as a whole, and separating representation of the towns within this region is not aligned with the existing shared services and resources of these communities. In addition, combining our region with the culturally and geographically distinct Mesa County all but guarantees that the voice of the North Fork will be silenced in conversations about the needs of the district. I believe that the North Fork Valley, based on needs, values, resources, and public policy concerns, would be better aligned with the proposed House district 54 and Senate district 34. Alternatively, to better align the North Fork Valley with existing defined boundaries, consider House district 53 and Senate district 7, both of which include the remainder of Delta County. Thank you for your time and consideration. Some descriptions of this unique region, provided by a variety of organizations: From the North Fork Valley Creative Coalition: Since the 1880’s the North Fork Valley has been home to generations of hard-working ranchers, shepherds, farmers, orchardists and coal miners. Clear Rocky Mountain water flows through a carefully maintained network of reservoirs, irrigation ditches and water rights, allowing crops, animals and humans to flourish on the mesas and bottomlands in this high desert. The North Fork Valley once hosted the largest fruit and wine harvest in the west. Upwards of 100,000 people came annually to harvest and celebrate its bounty. The valley’s high altitude and mild autumns cornered the market for late-season fruit, which was shipped across the U.S. thanks to another sort of harvest — winter ice from the 300+ lakes on Grand Mesa, stored all summer in large icehouses. The advent of refrigeration and large-scale imports severely impacted the valley’s agricultural enterprises, and hundreds of acres of orchards and farms have reverted to sagebrush since WWII. In recent decades, vintners, winemakers, organic growers and urban refugees seeking a wholesome and authentic community in which to raise families or retire have joined these ‘old-timers’. They too have discovered the difficulties of wrestling more than a subsistence living from this beautiful but physically and economically isolated area. From Western Slope SUP, a local business based in Hotchkiss, CO: The North Fork Valley lies hidden below the 12,000-foot peaks of the West Elk Wilderness, bordered by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and a vast maze of desert canyons. This land is blessed with a climate that supports farms, orchards and vineyards; and a culture that supports artists of all disciplines. Whether you have come to experience nature, sip award winning wines, view fine art or visit an organic farm, there is no place in the world like the North Fork Valley. From FlyColorado.com: The North Fork Valley has an identity that is uniquely its own. Bordered by the West Elk mountains on the east, Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mesa in the world, to the north and canyons and high desert in the southwest section of the county, the valley presents a surprising experience. North Fork Valley includes the towns of eastern Delta County: Paonia, Hotchkiss and Crawford. From the West Elks AVA: The West Elks American Viticultural Area (AVA) spreads through Delta county on the Western Slope of Colorado. It boasts of some of the highest vineyards in North America and the some of the best Colorado wine. This high mesa area in the Colorado Rockies seems an unlikely place to grow grapes and make wine. But here you will find some of the best wine produced in the state. From the North Fork Visitor's Guide: Organic Fruits & Vegetables, Colorado Wines, The Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and one of Colorado's newest Creative Districts...it's a special place and we invite you to come and enjoy a North Fork Valley Getaway! From Wikipedia: The North Fork Gunnison River (locally known as the North Fork) is a tributary of the Gunnison River, 33.5 miles (53.9 km) long,[4] in southwestern Colorado in the United States. It drains part of the southwestern flank of the Elk Mountains northeast of Delta. It is formed in the mountains of northwestern Gunnison County by the confluence of Muddy Creek and Anthracite Creek. The confluence is located along State Highway 133 on the south side of McClure Pass. It descends to the southwest through a widening valley past Somerset, Paonia, and Hotchkiss. It joins the Gunnison in eastern Delta County downstream from the Black Canyon between Delta and Hotchkiss. The valley of the river, called the North Fork Valley, has a temperate climate that has historically been a center of fruit growing in southwestern Colorado. It is also a regional center of the coal mining industry, centered on the mining town of Somerset in the upper valley. Modern coal mining operations are highly visible along the upper valley walls. The creeks at the headwaters of the river pass through areas of highly erodible shale, resulting in high concentrations of sediment during springtime runoff.

The upland eastern part of Delta county, including Hotchkiss, Crawford and Paonia, is more closely allied with other mountain communities in this state than with the hot dry ranching flatlands of Grand Junction and other communities on the eastern side of the Uncompaghre Plateau. Therefore the eastern part of Delta county should be in a district reflecting that fact. This area already suffers from a lack of representation in the county government and to further that marginalization would give us even less voice in our future. Since we are closely connected economically to Carbondale, Crested Butte and the Aspen area, we should be part of that area politically as well. Delta, Montrose and Grand Junction are all on Hwy 50 which connects them geographically. They are also much more connected to the Colorado Plateau than those of us in eastern Delta county which is in the West Elks mountain area. Our water comes from the West Elks and the eastern part of Grand Mesa, a very important factor. Again, both of these watersheds show that we are more closely allied to communities to the east of us. Thank you for considering my comments, Tim Imbrock

I support any redistricting which pair economic interest with population types. For example Steamboat Winter park And Frazier have more like interest. Like wise South Routt, Rio Blanco and Moffat are more interested related. It would be difficult for a person elected in Winter park to one address the issues in areas like Rangely or Dinosaur, however they would likely be well positioned to represent steamboat.

I already gave comments at the meeting. I did, however, want to clarify the boundaries of Aurora, as there were some misleading comments about the boundaries of northwest Aurora. It extends to Yosemite (not Dayton) to the west, and extends well beyond Montview to the North to Smith Road. Please see these Aurora maps for city boundaries: https://auroraco.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=5817a3168d164301af64290dc1431ae0 and neighborhoods: https://auroraco.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=db81af9740a94452a154eda663f6eef1 You may also find other helpful and relevant information on other city of Aurora GIS maps here: https://auroraco.maps.arcgis.com/home/gallery.html?view=grid&sortOrder=desc&sortField=numviews&showFilters=false

I testified this evening for the Redistricting Commission considering the Sixth Congressional District. Please see below for my written testimony. Thank you for your time and consideration. My name is Laura Lunn and I work at a nonprofit legal service provider, the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN). RMIAN is a nonprofit organization that serves low-income men, women, and children in immigration proceedings. RMIAN promotes knowledge of legal rights, provides effective representation to ensure due process, works to improve detention conditions, and promotes a more humane immigration system, including alternatives to detention. I am the Managing Attorney of our Detention Program, and direct about 20 members of our staff as they advocate on behalf of approximately 900 people detained at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Contract Facility located at 3130 North Oakland Street in Aurora, which is privately owned and operated by GEO Group, Inc. This facility is located in Adams County and is currently within the Sixth Congressional District. My request is that the boundaries of the district that are currently in place not be disturbed. I understand that the noncitizens detained in Aurora cannot vote. But, for the three following reasons, the constituents in Aurora are best situated to elevate the concerns raised by those held within the confines of the ICE civil immigration detention facility. Therefore, the Sixth Congressional District should encompass the ICE facility within its bounds. (1) Aurora is one of the most diverse communities in the Denver metro area. The makeup of its constituents most closely aligns with the composition of the people detained within the confines of the Aurora facility. Thus, the elected officials in Aurora are best suited to advocate on behalf of the people incarcerated at the private immigration prison located in Aurora. a. For more context, almost all the people detained in the Aurora facility are Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color. b. The people held within the confines of the Aurora facility benefit from having constituents in the district whose perspectives are most closely aligned with the personal experiences of the people held within the Aurora facility. To be clear, a large portion of the people detained by ICE are members of our communities. Aurora families visit their loved ones, attend hearings, and have an intimate understanding of the impact of ICE detention. Namely, many constituents in the Sixth Congressional District comprise a group that shares racial, ethnic, and language fluency. (2) Aurora public services, including the police, fire department, and EMTs respond to the GEO facility and the same person should represent the facility as well as the public entities serving the facility. a. When people within the Aurora facility experience a safety or health emergency, the Aurora Police and Fire Departments are the first responders. Moreover, the ambulances that offer life-saving care are dispatched from hospitals located in Aurora. b. It is essential that the representative who engages directly with the needs of the entities that serve the Aurora facility also provides oversight regarding the efficacy of those services to ensure they have proper access to the private ICE prison located in Aurora. (3) Finally, humanitarian service providers, such as hospitality and visitation programs and specialized medical care providers at the University of Colorado Anschutz campus are based in Aurora and they should share elected officials. a. When someone is stripped of their liberty, it creates a profound sense of isolation. To lessen the gravity of this situation, many constituents within Aurora engage in a visitation and pen pal program run by the nonprofit organization Casa de Paz. They listen to the needs of the people detained in the ICE facility and have a keen understanding of the conditions people face while in custody. This information is critical when engaging with elected officials who serve District 6. b. Additionally, people within the ICE detention facility need access to specialized medical care – for example when they suffer from cancer, are living with HIV, or need to continue receiving gender affirming care medical professionals based in Aurora provide essential care. These providers attend to the sickest people held in ICE custody and are best situated to elevate the issues faced by this group within the Sixth Congressional District. In sum, I request that the hundreds of people detained in the ICE detention facility in Aurora be included within the boundaries of the Sixth Congressional District.

I am replying to keep the roaring fork district the same without changing it. Also to keep the glenwood springs area in the same district that it is in now. Also to keep Delta in the district that it is in now. These districts are in communities of interest and the schools need to remain in the same districts.

I support the Club 20 maps. CD3 should be the entire Western Slope of Colorado Unless absolutely necessary House and Senate Districts should not divide a County Thank you for the chance to testify. K. J. Heinschel

Dear Redistricting Commission members, I am a 40 year resident of Denver City and County. I am an engaged citizen in elections and politics. The interests of Denver are unique to Colorado as we are a rapidly growing urban metropolis with problems of condensed living and overpopulation. I am interesting in assuring that the Districts that represent Denver are kept whole. There is no need to "chop" up Denver for whatever reason. I live in Park Hill which has a large population of African Americans (dating back many years) and they need to be afforded electoral influence. It appears that the preliminary maps look good for Congressional (1) and House District (6). Thank you. I would ask that these remain as is to accomplish "As much as is reasonably possible, the commission's plan must preserve whole communities of interest and whole political subdivisions, such as counties, cities, and towns." Looking at the preliminary Senate map, I would question that District 25 accomplishes this goal. District 25, as proposed swings very far East through Aurora and dilutes the preservation of the Park Hill community, which in my viewpoint is a community of interest. The interests of the Park Hill community do not, for the most part, coincide with Aurora-up to DIA. I would propose that the boundary on the East not extend farther than Peoria on the East and should then draw a straight line south along Peoria to Colfax The area that is now in District 24 would remain in 25. (I don't have any way to draw it.) You may contact me if you have questions. I believe that would be a much compact map of District 25 and would keep the community whole. Thank you for your consideration.

We are 25 year residents of Edwards, Colorado and have lived in Eagle County since 1988. Our county should not be split into two districts, as most residents in Eagle County share common interests, the same schools and rely on the tourism/ski industry, for all practical purposes. We have very different common interests than folks in western, more rural parts of CD3 and we need representation that actually reflects our communities progressive values . We rely on our over 40% hispanic community members and international seasonal visa workers to keep our businesses and homes running smoothly. Our families work hard to help each other thrive in this wonderful mountain environment. It costs a lot more to live here than in many rural areas on the western slope and we need to be able to encourage and support young professionals, teachers and entrepreneurs who want to move here and raise their children. Thank you for your consideration.