Tag: Alison Coombs
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Aurora public defenders critical of privatization effort
Aurora will send out a request for proposals to determine what the financial impact of privatizing its public defender’s office would be following heated debate at Monday’s City Council study session. The council originally voted to send out the RFP, which would show whether court-appointed defense counsel would be more cost effective than maintaining the…
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Aurora mayor signs sister city agreement with Chihuahua, Mexico
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman signed a sister-city agreement Thursday with the city of Chihuahua, Mexico’s Mayor Marco Bonilla Mendoza. Aurora chose to sister with Chihuahua due to the significant number of immigrants from Mexico who call Aurora home, Coffman told The Denver Gazette while in Mexico Friday. “There’s a strong cultural tie between the city…
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Aurora council appoints new mayor pro tem in first meeting with new council
Aurora City Council on Monday elected at-large councilmember Dustin Zvonek as the city’s new mayor pro tem, which holds the responsibilities of the mayor in his absence. Zvonek takes over the position from former mayor pro tem and re-elected at-large councilmember Curtis Gardner. The mayor pro tem is chosen by members with a majority vote…
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New, and returning, Aurora City Council members sworn in
Aurora welcomed its new councilmembers with a reception Monday followed by the group’s first regular city council meeting. The 2023 election shifted the city’s council slightly farther right, with two ward council seats previously held by progressives going to conservatives and one at-large council seat going to a progressive candidate. Official election results came in…
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Aurora to hold receptions honoring departing city council member, welcoming new ones
Aurora will honor its departing council member and welcome new councilmembers at two receptions the first week of December as the council prepares to shift gears. While election results are not yet official, pending final certification due to the Secretary of State no later than Nov. 29, results as of Thursday show clear leads for…
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Aurora council debates how to fund homelessness services as revenue decreases
Aurora’s Homelessness and Behavioral Services officials presented recommendations for funding at an Aurora council study session Monday night, drawing debate between councilmembers about how much, and when to decide how much, to give organizations partnering with the city to manage the challenge. Emma Knight, manager of Aurora Homelessness and Behavioral Services, said funding levels —…
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Aurora mayor and councilmembers express thanks, share favorite Thanksgiving meals
In the City of Aurora, there is much to celebrate on Thanksgiving from the city’s diverse residents to the opportunities for community engagement, Aurora’s mayor and councilmembers told The Denver Gazette. Part of the city’s diverse tapestry is the backgrounds of its councilmembers, with Alison Coombs saying she’s thankful for her years of practicing Buddhism and…
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Aurora council passes 2024 budget, debates funding for public defenders
Aurora City Council approved the city’s proposed 2024 budget, which is about $150 million higher than last year’s budget, at a Monday night council meeting after some debate over funding for the Public Defender’s Office. The budget, which sits at $1.3 billion, was increased largely to fund public safety-related departments. Aurora’s population sits at 399,913.…
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Coombs, Gardner hold strong lead in Aurora’s at-large council race
A conservative candidate and a progressive colleague are poised to secure two open of Aurora’s at-large council seats, the unofficial tally of Tuesday’s election results indicate. Alison Coombs and Curtis Gardner hold a strong lead over their competitors. With votes split between four candidates rather than two, the chances of the candidates in third and…
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Aurora ward council seats swing right, replacing 2 progressives with conservative opponents
Aurora’s City Council, on which conservatives already hold a majority vote, shifted farther to the right with the results of Tuesday’s election. Two ward council seats previously occupied by progressives now are held by conservative members. As of about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, results showed Aurora’s Ward IV council seat going to conservative Stephanie Hancock, with…