Every Now and Then, Being a Statutory Town Comes Up

Mayor Gierlach using the Eye Phone

There are two types of municipalities in Colorado (Home Rule and Statutory) Home Rule municipalities have a little more flexibility regarding making their own laws, but it is a lot more work in maintaining their laws, especially for a small town. (like collecting sales tax) Statutory municipalities have less flexibility and follow state statute. Two ways of looking at the same thing.

Article XX of the Colorado Constitution adopted in 1902 provides for municipal home rule. Colorado was essentially started by 'cowboys' and its constitution still has much of the "wild west" freedoms woven into it.

I have always thought that the Town of Nederland should have been a Home Rule town because we value local decision making, but I assume that our predecessors looked at the process of converting to Home Rule and thought it wasn't worth it.

As I start this new administration, I know that we have just about hired a completely new staff, and we are getting organized, finding a boat load of little glitches to fix, but in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, "Somebody should have gone through the process of becoming Home Rule a long time ago."


[Here is a Video Valediction] from Scottish electronic music duo, Boards of Canada (BoC) – with Dayvan Cowboy from The Campfire Headphase album (2005) including footage from Joe Kittinger's famous parachute jump from 19.5 miles in altitude. [What is a Video Valediction?]