2025 Year in Review
As consolidated and written by Claude.AI with slight tweaks by me.
CameronForGolden.org 2025 Year in Review
Based on the monthly emails sent to readers throughout 2025, here are the main stories and recurring themes:
Major City Projects & Infrastructure
Heart of Golden/New Municipal Building - The most prominent ongoing story was the construction of the new Police and Municipal Building at 311 10th Street. The project broke ground in July, utilized Certificates of Participation (COPs) for financing approved in December 2024. Twenty-one geothermal wells were drilled as part of the sustainability features.
Lena Gulch Flood Mitigation - A major infrastructure project to detain water from Apex hillside and pipe it safely past Golden Terrace Manufactured Home Community received funding approval.
Lookout Mountain Road Closures - After extensive public engagement, nighttime gate closures finally went into effect in late January to address gun shots, trash, and drinking/driving issues.
Community Challenges
E-bikes/E-motos - This was perhaps the most consistently mentioned issue throughout the year. Monthly complaints about youth riding illegal electric motorcycles and e-bikes on trails, doing wheelies, riding recklessly, and showing disrespect to residents who confronted them. Castle Rock passed ordinances banning Class 3 bikes from multi-use paths.
Food Insecurity - Hunger Free Golden reported a 51% increase in need through September 2025 compared to 2024. Multiple fundraising appeals were made for Salvation Army rental assistance, and BGoldN.
Housing & Development - Ongoing discussions about affordable housing, middle-income housing challenges, parking requirements, and traffic demand management plans. The Clayworks (CoorsTek) development required $3.15M contribution to the city's housing trust fund which should hit in 2026.
Political & Civic Engagement
2025 City Council Election - Don Cameron successfully won re-election to Ward 3 with 52.6% of the vote in a three-way race. Emily Kurzinski (Ward 1), Gerchard Pfau (Ward 2), and Sandra Knecht (Ward 4) were also elected.
Up2Us Golden - A new grassroots organization launched in Golden to defend "Democracy, Truth and Rights," with Cameron as a founding member. They hosted events with staff from Senator Hickenlooper's, Senator Bennet's, and Rep. Pettersen's offices.
Trump Administration Criticism - Consistent opposition throughout the year to Trump administration policies, particularly regarding DOGE, immigration enforcement (ICE), DEI rollbacks, tariffs, and attacks on federal programs.
Safety & Emergency Issues
Power Outages - Major wind events on December 17th and 19th caused extended power outages (24-36 hours), raising concerns about Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) and grid resilience.
Wildfire Mitigation - Xcel Energy tree-cutting for wildfire prevention caused neighborhood concerns. Multiple community meetings were held about creating defensible space and fire resilience.
Colorado School of Mines Relations
Ongoing Town-Gown Issues - Regular updates on Mines construction projects (sophomore dorm, USGS building, Quantum campus), pedestrian crossing safety concerns at 19th Street, funding cuts affecting graduate programs, and efforts to improve Mines' community engagement.
Local Business & Economy
Sales Tax Trends - Outside sales (primarily Amazon) grew to 34% of city sales tax revenue and increased 18.28%, while in-city sales declined 2.27%. Downtown Golden performed well with 7.65% growth.
Business Closures - At least two vape shops closed following the city's flavored vape ban. Multiple liquor stores also closed, possibly due to changing drinking habits and grocery store competition.
Recreation & Quality of Life
Clear Creek Management - Community meetings planned for January 2026 to discuss summer season management strategies along Clear Creek.
Parks Improvements - Heritage Dells playground opened, Shelton Elementary playground build scheduled, and the Parks & Rec Master Plan was approved focusing on maintenance and filling gaps in South Golden.
Recurring Themes
Mental Health: Multiple events organized including "Feel It All" with Drew Petersen, "Learning to Listen" workshops, and discussions of housing-first approaches
Sustainability: Awards given, "Every Day is Earth Day" events, Black concrete carbon sequestration project discussions
Equity & Social Justice: Consistent coverage of immigration rights, trans student protections, DEI issues, and racial justice topics
Transparency: Emphasis on open government, council meeting summaries, and sharing information with constituents
The emails reflected an active, engaged community grappling with growth, change, and national political tensions while working to maintain Golden's character and address local quality-of-life issues.