The End

            That’s the end. Blogging was certainly a different way to complete school assignments, and I’m glad I was able to learn basic blogging techniques like how to insert hyperlinks.

The blog-length story was also something new, and I think that’s what I really learned from the City Council experience. The first time my class went, I frantically wrote down everything I could capture and was left with both too much of everything and not enough of anything specific at the end of the night. The last city council I was able to pick up on a story I wanted to write, stress less and pick up more details about that story.

The most difficult thing about this class was getting sources on deadline. People I contacted often didn’t get back to me until I called them multiple times the day before the story was due. I think if I could suggest any strategies to future students of this class, I would say contact your sources early but don’t be surprised if you have to do some last minute pestering. Don’t be afraid to run up to the front of council chambers after City Council meetings and ask people questions. They’re pretty friendly and it will save you the trouble of trying to arrange phone calls later.

This class was hard work and it required me to do some real reporting, but that’s not a bad thing considering this is what I want to do with my life. I was also excited to see my name in print inthe Greeley Tribune because of this class. And so was my mom. 

Transportation Funding

            City Council gave the final reading and adoption of the 2013 budget Tuesday. The process of creating the budget began in July. The council adopted the proposed budget, but not before some discussion.

            Greeley resident Steve Teets, who stood up several times during the meeting, expressed concerns about the public works and transportation sections of the budget. Teets had said during the citizen input portion of the meeting that he disapproves of 20% of the city’s transportation budget being spent on the University of Northern Colorado. This was a concern that he reiterated when he stood up during the budget discussion, saying that the red and orange bus lines needed more frequent run times since many citizens use these lines.

            The orange line was found to be high priority, and more funding is being allocated to the orange line during the 2013 budget year. The red line will not receive increased funding during the 2013 budget year.

            City council members do not believe Teets is correct in his assertion that money spent on transportation for UNC is money wasted.

            “He’s lacking all the information and the economic picture of what’s going on with the city, and the next time he comes up here to say that he’ll have me to deal with,” said council member Donna Sapienza.

            “The city does get reimbursement from UNC,” added council member Sandi Elder.