Jeff Peckman says that as long as Mayor John Hickenlooper is touting ways to make Denver a world-class city, someone ought to shoot even higher.
“Why not make it a model for the galaxy or even the universe?” Peckman asked on today.
Peckman, who in 2003 bedeviled city officials with an offbeat ballot initiative that would have required the city to implement stress reduction techniques, now wants to ask voters to create the world’s first Extraterrestrial Affairs Commission.
Peckman met with city officials on today for a required “review and comment” session to go over his proposed ballot initiative. If he succeeds in gathering nearly 4,000 signatures, the matter would go before the voters in November.
Assistant City Attorney David Broadwell and Lauri Dannemiller, executive staff director for the City Council, sat down to go over Peckman’s proposed language in a public meeting.
They remained straight-faced throughout.
They asked why Peckman is proposing an 18-member commission as opposed to one with 27 members. And why he thought the board would spend $75,000 each year? They also wanted to know whether he knows of any other jurisdictions with a similar arrangement?
Finally, Broadwell said council members had inquired if the proposal was truly serious.
The existence of extra-terrestrials “has been very well known at the federal level,” Peckman said. “A great deal of taxpayers money already has been spent to conceal this as well as deal with the issue.”
Peckman said he’s still not sure whether his proposed panel should have investigative powers as well as educational ones.
“We should probably give that a little more thought,” he said, stressing that there could be radiation issues if a space alien landed a spacecraft in City Park and ensuing trauma for the public.
Peckman 54, who stands a lanky 6-foot-four-and-a-half inches, said he’s been contacted by media from 42 states and nine other countries since news broke of his plans.
Curious workers in Denver’s City County building came to watchtoday’s meeting as did a gaggle of local reporters and broadcasters. Curious students from Dakota Ridge High School also came to watch. There was one supporter, Brian Hopp, 23, who said he’s well versed in the issue.
For the record, Peckman is a science fiction fan, but he goes for the ones where the aliens aren’t evil.
“The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension,” he advised. “You’ve got to see that one. I don’t go for those face-eating alien movies.”
Peckman’s “Safety through Peace” initiative in 2003 garnered support from 32 percent of the voters and drew criticism from Councilman Charlie Brown who cast it as loony and wacky.
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
