DID YOU KNOW?
Colorado municipalities
Have you ever wondered about the different forms of municipal governments? There are three types of municipalities in Colorado:
- Territorial charter: Georgetown is the only remaining such municipality. The city has a charter granted to it by Colorado that dates back to when Colorado was a territory. The only time this charter can be changed is by action of the Colorado General Assembly. That has actually happened from time to time. Two other municipalities were territorial charter in nature – Black Hawk and Central City – and became home rule and operate differently now as home-rule municipalities.
- Home rule: Article 20 of the Colorado Constitution allows the citizens of any municipality to write a home-rule charter through a commission and adopt a local charter through a local vote. Ninety-two of the 271 municipalities in Colorado operate under their own charter. The oldest one is Denver (1902) and the newest being Sanford in April in Conejos County. Voters in four municipalities will cast ballots in November on home-rule charters: Johnstown, Kiowa, Silt and Timnath. The basic concept of home rule is that citizens look first to the local charter as it relates to what a municipality can and cannot do, as opposed to state law embodied in the Colorado Revised Statutes. According to Article 20, Section 6 of the Colorado Constitution, home-rule municipalities are empowered with “all … the powers necessary, requisite or proper for the government and administration of its local and municipal matters.”
- Statutory: There are 178 municipalities that operate as statutory municipalities, which first must look to state law to ascertain what can and cannot be done locally, as opposed to a local charter and local ordinances. An example of a statutory municipality is Erie. Statutory municipalities are under the express direction of Title 31 of the Colorado Revised Statues, which is the state municipal code.
Source: Sam Mamet, executive director, Colorado Municipal League (cml.org)
REGIONAL NOTES
GREELEY
Annual peace march set for today
Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck will serve as the grand marshal for the 11th annual Youth Peace March in Greeley today.
The march promotes nonviolence and healthy choices among Weld County youths. The first march was 10 years ago, started over concerns of gang violence and street crime in the community.
The march will begin at 11 a.m. at Lincoln Park, where Buck will address the more than 300 youths who will march from the park to Island Grove Regional Park. Kids can then enjoy pizza, games, music and swimming.
Sponsors for the event include the Greeley Recreation Department and the Police Department.
DENVER POST STAFF REPORTS
