Boulder Leader

Former Broomfield city councilor David J. Beacom took the city and city council to task over what he calls a “witch hunt” focusing on oil and gas, instead of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic's affects on the city’s employees and future. 

Beacom suggests that maybe it’s time to re-evaluate priorities.

He says that the city has furloughed more than 200 employees, saving an estimated $700,00, but that pales in comparison to the Broomfield's budget shortfall – a whopping $11 million. In an opinion piece published in the Broomfield Enterprise, Beacom suggests that the city’s priorities put the taxpayers, employees and others at risk for a political game during a difficult time.

“During this very real crisis, some on Council are obsessed with the Livingston [oil and gas] site project — to the extent of spending millions on outside experts, attorneys, new sound monitoring and even deploying additional air monitoring equipment, fifth layer of equipment monitoring the Livingston site,” Beacom wrote. “It’s immoral that Broomfield city employees are losing money with never-ending witch hunt of a business’ contract compliance so Council can attempt to shut them down?”

Beacom accuses councilor Jean Lim of "flame-fanning," noting that, in an April 8 council meeting, Councilor Jean Lim expressed concern over use of the 1st Bank Center as an overflow site for patients affected by COVID-19, instead of holding the space in reserve “for some unknown emergency she expects might be somehow caused by O&G operations.”

He questions Lim’s motives, wondering if she's looking to score points, or whether an imagined crisis is more important than something very real and could cause serious harm to the city and its residents. He urges the city and city council members to re-evaluate their priorities and consider the effect of focusing on oil and gas instead of the COVID virus.

In the April 8 meeting, Beacom notes that the deputy city and county manager for Broomfield, Kevin Stanbridge also questioned Lim’s focus on the oil and gas project, with this rebuttal.

“I don’t quite know what to say to your comment. The COVID virus is real. It’s here, we’re going to have to prepare to address the health needs of our residents and I’m just floundered at how to answer your question. ... to suggest that it’s inappropriate for us to be working on this with our partners, I don’t know what to say,” said Stanbridge

Beacom acknowledges the worry that some in the community feel over the potential of having oil and gas operations in Broomfield but rebuts the suggestion that anxiety over oil and gas is a reason to “bring financial ruin to our city.”  

The city has spent $500 million to create “one of the most environmentally responsible oil and gas operations in the country,” and Beacom notes that breaking the contract would mean that there would be even more staff furloughs, layoffs, and elimination of critical services, He breaks it down, saying that it’s $7,000 per Broomfield resident, or $28,000 per family of four, in order to break that contract.

“We are all gaining new perspectives and learning to focus on the truly important things in our lives and communities. As we come out of this, we are going to need everyone to stand shoulder-to- shoulder and put best efforts forward. Every employee and every business, whether a restaurant, bar, retail, construction or energy company, that contributes to keeping our community going will be “essential.” That’s a lesson we should all hope our City Council learns very soon,” Beacom writes.