Let me be clear: Golden’s police officers, city staff, and residents deserve a modern and efficient municipal facility. I fully support that goal. But supporting the goal does not mean accepting a flawed, handyman’s process that is already failing.

On July 23rd, the city plans a groundbreaking ceremony for the “Heart of Golden.” It will be a day of golden shovels and photo-ops. But before the celebration, taxpayers deserve a reality check on the handyman’s work.

A review of the city’s own project report (shown below) reveals a troubling, yet predictable, picture of mismanagement. Key deadlines are already being missed. The final price tag is already at risk of ballooning. This is what happens when you don’t have a real blueprint.

The ultimate symbol of this flawed process? The city’s timeline reveals the contractor will present a last-minute, final price tag to City Council on July 22nd—just 24 hours before they ask the community to celebrate with golden shovels.

This is not responsible leadership. It’s the handyman’s philosophy: asking for blind trust, avoiding transparency, and spending your money without your approval.

It’s not too late to look for a better way. The June report shows that only 3.2% of the construction budget has been spent. Instead of celebrating, now is the perfect time to pause the project, conduct a top-to-bottom “Value Engineering” review, and ensure we have a fiscally sound plan before we commit any more of your money.

Responsible leadership means asking the tough questions before the photo-op, not after. The people of Golden were denied the right to vote on the initial financing, but the time to vote for accountability has arrived. I am the only candidate for Ward 2 that is willing to pause the project, demand fiscal discipline, and put the people back in charge of Golden’s future.