Denver, CO
Denver City Council approves shorter contract for Caring for Denver Foundation with eye toward more transparency
The Denver City Council on Monday awarded the Caring For Denver Foundation a one-year contract to continue administering grants funded through a dedicated city sales tax stream amid questions about the organization’s transparency and efficacy.
The council was originally slated to consider a five-year agreement with the foundation that since 2019 has been tasked with distributing funding collected by the 0.25% Caring for Denver sales tax that voters adopted in 2018. Those dollars are earmarked to fund public and nonprofit programs that are focused on providing Denverites with mental health support including substance use treatment, suicide prevention and programs that present an alternative to jail.
But council members worked with Mayor Mike Johnston’s administration to draft the shorter-term agreement to manage the fund, according to Councilwoman Jamie Torres, who delayed the contract vote last week. Over the course of the one-year deal, city officials plan to examine all of the city’s existing dedicated sales tax contracts with an eye toward improving and standardizing those agreements, council leaders said.
“We’re working closely with the mayor’s office and the Department of Finance to review and assess dedicated sales tax entities such as Caring for Denver,” Council President Amanda Sandoval said Monday. “Our goal through this review process will be to implement consistent ordinance language across the board. By focusing on process and transparency, we aim to provide a solid framework for responsible governance and equitable outcomes for our city.”
The delayed vote and shorter-term agreement come after Colorado Public Radio published a series of stories that examined Caring for Denver’s track record in delivering on its promises to combat substance use and mental health challenges in the city.
CPR’s reporting also scrutinized the qualifications and highlighted the criminal records of some grant recipients. It also raised questions about Caring for Denver’s transparency after the organization declined to provide records that the news organization requested under the Colorado Open Records Act.
Despite the shorter contract, council members defended Caring for Denver and many of its grantees at Monday’s meeting. Councilwoman Sarah Parady, a lawyer, supported the organization’s argument that not all of its documents were subject to the state’s open records laws because Caring for Denver is a nonprofit, not a government entity.
The council approved the contract unanimously as part of a block voter with other legislation. During a public comment session later in the meeting, representatives of several organizations that have worked with Caring for Denver spoke in support of the foundation.
“Denver faces a mental health crisis marked by rising rates of what public health (officials) call the diseases and deaths of despair. The best antidote for this is often the type of empathy and human connection that no licensure or certification can provide,” said Jason Vitello with the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition.
The Caring for Denver tax was projected to bring in $50.5 million in revenue by the end of 2024, according to city finance officials. It had collected $209.2 million as of the end of 2023.
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Originally Published:
DENVER — Saturday will bring strong-to-severe thunderstorms across far northeastern Colorado this afternoon and evening.
The storms could produce large hail, strong winds, and lightning.
For the Denver metro and communities along the I-25 corridor, storm coverage is much lower.
Storm threat for northeastern Colorado Saturday; sunny and warmer Sunday
While a few showers and storms may still develop, many locations could remain dry for most of the day.
Saturday’s afternoon high will reach the upper 70s and lower 80s across the plains, with cooler conditions in the high country.
Denver7
Sunday will be calmer with the storm system moving away from our region.
Sunday will bring drier conditions statewide and plenty of sunshine with highs in the 80s.
There is a chance of isolated showers in the mountains.
Warmer temperatures are expected through the next week, with a chance of thunderstorms returning on Monday.
Denver7
DENVER WEATHER LINKS: Hourly forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream
Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream.
DENVER (KDVR) — The last few days of May will be warm and mostly dry, but the Denver weather forecast does show a steady warming trend through the first week of June.
Highs on Saturday will be seasonal and mostly dry with a stray storm possible. Colorado will return to the low 80s on Sunday and will likely be dry across most of the state.
Denver weather tonight: Partly cloudy and mild
Skies will be partly cloudy overnight Friday. Any lingering showers will dissipate by midnight. Temperatures will remain slightly above normal with lows around Denver in the lower to middle 50s. Winds will be light from the south and southwest.
Denver weather Saturday: Seasonal and mostly sunny
Denver will see seasonally warm highs Saturday afternoon in the upper 70s, though the urban core may crack the lower 80s. An isolated storm or two may fire up in the afternoon north of Interstate 76 and the high country, but most of Colorado will remain dry.
Looking ahead: Warming to start June
Monday is the first day of June. Temperatures will be in the low 80s with a better chance for afternoon showers and storms. Winds will also be a bit breezy. The metro area will continue to warm Tuesday and Wednesday into the mid-80s. Both days have a chance for storms, but Tuesday will have a better setup for storms.
Denver will be drier the second half of the workweek as temperatures climb into the mid-80s. Next weekend may see highs back in the upper 80s. That’s not record-breaking, but quite warm for early June by about 10 degrees.
Von Miller has made it abundantly clear that he would like to return to the Denver Broncos and finish his career where it started. Miller has made that fact known at every possible opportunity, including a Von’s Vision charity event on Wednesday.
“I would love to bring back those Super Bowl 50 vibes, love to assist, to be the vice president to Bo Nix, to Courtland Sutton,” Miller said. “I’ve been the guy and also I’ve been the vice president as well. I would love to contribute to us getting back to the glory land, to holding up that trophy.”
Miller went on to note that he has lobbied coach Sean Payton to sign him (Payton coached Miller at a flag football tournament earlier this year).
Unfortunately for Miller, it sounds like there are no plans for a potential reunion with his old club. The Denver Post‘s Luca Evans reported that “as of last week,” there have been no talks between the Broncos and Miller’s representatives about a potential contract.
With a crowded outside linebacker room, Denver seems unlikely to re-sign Miller, but the 37-year-old pass rusher said he will “for sure” play in 2026. After totaling nine sacks with the Washington Commanders last fall, Miller will probably be able to find a home as a rotational pass rusher, but it might not be with the Broncos.
Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
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