Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper announced Thursday the first meeting of a group that will map out the city’s short- and long-term capital and infrastructure needs.
The 110-member task force will set priorities for bond issues and other financing.
“Rather than approach Denver voters every few years with immediate needs, we really want to engage the community in proactively evaluating and prioritizing citywide infrastructure priorities,” Hickenlooper said in a release.
The mayor said in his State of the City address that he planned to form such a group. On Saturday, the city of Denver’s Infrastructure Priorities Task Force will meet for the first time.
City Council President Michael Hancock said the task force will look at improvements, not new projects.
“We need to make sure we are working to improve those pieces of our infrastructure that are in dire need of improvement,” Hancock said. For instance, “we have some parks that are in trouble.”
In late 2005, an internal infrastructure task force said the city would need an infusion of $376 million in the next 20 years.
City Councilwoman Peggy Lehmann said she was glad to see the mayor take this on.
“I’m glad we are looking at it,” she said. “I think it is time to do a bond (issue). … It looks to me like it is going to be a thoughtful, well-constructed process.”
The task force will divide into nine subcommittees to look at more specific areas of need such as public works, cultural facilities and public safety.
Deputy Mayor Bill Vidal said he will focus on the city’s transportation needs for the task force. The task force will then determine what projects are most needed. Hickenlooper’s spokeswoman, Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, said the task force is made up of a wide range of representatives from the city, the business community, neighborhood groups and others.
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 303-820-1657 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
