Door-to-Door Week 3: 250 houses later, here's what I've learned
Westblade's fishing tournament, praise for Welchester, and more!
On the third week of door knocking, I hit the 250 house mark and spread out into parts of Pleasant View further from my house. I met neighbors who just moved in, who have lived next to each other for 45 years, and *so* many cute dogs.
(Why am I knocking on doors? If you missed it, I’m running for the board of directors. The election is May 6).
Here’s what I learned from my neighbors this weekend:
People miss the Westblade Fishing Derby
Neighbors that live near Westblade park told me about the fishing derby that used to happen every year. The metro district and the Pleasant View Lions Club used to sponsor it and stock the pond at Westblade with fish. People wished it still happened because they miss the community being brought together in the parks.
Neighbors on the other end of the district also told me they wished there were more community events, like meals in parks or other activities to build a better sense of community. Several folks said they know their neighbors, but they don’t hang out with them. They’d like to spend time together, but people are too busy to plan an event on their own or don’t know where to start.
I’ve done this on my street with tie dye parties, cookie parties, and driveway happy hours. I would love to do events like that for the whole district and I want to find out more information about what it would take to bring back the fishing derby.
If you remember anything about the derby, or have other community event ideas, let me know! Email me at lauraforpleasantview@gmail.com or call/text 720-675-8093.
Welchester is a beloved community school
Welchester isn’t technically in the Pleasant View metro district, but it’s our neighborhood school since Pleasant View Elementary closed and Free Horizon Montessori moved in.
My son is starting at Welchester in the fall, and we have met so many parents who love Welchester. I heard so much praise for the teachers, principal, and the community around the school that makes it a special place. If your kiddo goes there, reach out, especially if they’re starting kindergarten in the fall!
People are searching for reliable, easy-to-find information about the district
Free Horizon moving into the old Pleasant View Elementary is a great example of people relying on rumors that spread in the absence of a reliable, easy-to-find source of official information.
Some neighbors told me Pleasant View Elementary closed due to low enrollment, some said low test scores, and others thought it was because the building was too old. Another neighbor told me there were lots of plans for what the school could become - apartment buildings, a homeless shelter, and more. Everyone recalled the school closing and a charter school moving in being a very contentious event.
That makes sense to me considering there was no one source of truth communicating what was going on. Even if it’s a Jeffco Schools thing, Pleasant View could easily get that information and distribute it to residents to provide reliable, easy-to-find news that keeps rumors and confusion from spreading.
Another neighbor told me they know more about the City of Golden than they do Pleasant View since Golden has a weekly email newsletter to tell them what’s going on.
People like Pleasant View’s rural, small-town feel, but not being forgotten
Several neighbors expressed concern that Pleasant View is so small we get steamrolled or forgotten when it comes to matters of the county. I don’t know enough to say for certain that we could have more influence with the county, state, or federal land owners in the district. We are small, and that might limit our influence, but we shouldn’t assume there’s nothing we can do about that.
I think it’s important to at least advocate for Pleasant View and make sure the county (and the district board) know what the community wants, and that’s what I’d like to do more of as a member of the Pleasant View Board.
There’s a common misconception that renters can’t vote in this election
Renters CAN vote! As long as your voter registration is for a Pleasant View address, you can vote in an election. You don’t need to own your home or lot.
Related, if you own a house in Pleasant View, you can vote even if you don’t live here.
This could be the first election for the board…maybe ever?
IMPORTANT CORRECTION: I received an email from the District’s laywer and designated election official clarifying that there was last an election 7 years ago, in 2018. The fact that neighbors who have lived in Pleasant View their entire life could not recall an election for board members in their lifetime tells me this information isn’t easy enough to find or well publicized.
The lawyer pointed me to the the Department of Local Government website. This was honestly confusing for me to navigate, but eventually, I found the information the lawyer referenced on this page: https://dola.colorado.gov/dlg_lgis_ui_pu/
To get there:
Type “Pleasant View” into the box that says “Local Government Name”
Select “View” on the row that says Pleasant View Metropolitan District (NOT Pleasant View Fire Protection District)
The page will reload and a bunch of tabs appear. You can find budgets and any district filings here, but if you want to specifically look at elections, click the “Elections” tab.
Click on the magnifying glass icon to look at that year’s election records.
I’m working on a post recapping/analyzing all the election records but I’m going to run it by the district’s lawyer first to make sure I’m understanding everything correctly. Stay tuned!
I could only find records back to 2008, but it sounds like the May 6 election could be the first time ever that you’ve had a say in who represents you on the board.
I’m excited that people in the community to have an opportunity this year to weigh in on who represents you on the board, and if I’m elected, I commit to do more to get the word out to let people know when the next election is happening and how to vote.
Regardless of who you vote for, I hope you’ll show up to vote on May 6. It’s an in-person election and you will not get a ballot in the mail unless you specifically request one.
If you would prefer to vote by mail, I can help you fill out the form. Just reach out to me and we can set up a time for me to swing by your house.
To vote in person, you need to show up on May 6 between 7 am - 7 pm at 955 Moss Street (the fire station).
I live in a great community with wonderful people
As always, the best part of knocking on doors is meeting more neighbors.
Thank you to every one who answered your door, especially on cozy dreary weekend afternoons where the couch and a movie must have been calling to you.
Thank you Ron for saving my freezing fingers and invited us into your living room to get warm - and learn a ton of Pleasant View history! Did you know some of the stone houses in Pleasant View were outposts of the original Rooney Ranch? Shout out to Ryan for giving me shelter in your garage during the hail storm, and to Matt for inviting my husband Billy to come in and avoid the hail during that same storm.
I am so grateful for teachers like Rachel who have dedicated themselves to serving students and helping more schools get access to librarians….and who reassure me that kindergarten at Welchester will be great.
And I could not believe when I met Carol that she immediately recognized me from my newsletter! I can see from the stats that people read it, but sometimes I still wonder if anyone actually finds it helpful. It will never get old to hear from people like Carol (and half of Orion Street!) that you learn from and appreciate the information in these newsletters.
Finally, thank you to my husband Billy. Our son was at my parents’ house this weekend, and he eagerly spent our precious “just us” time knocking on doors. He spent hours at Walmart getting our tire fixed after we drove over two nails….and then headed out as soon as he got home to knock on more doors and meet more of our neighbors. He’s the best!
Remember, vote in person on May 6!
You can vote in person from 7 am - 7 pm on May 6 at the fire station (955 Moss Street). If you would like to learn how to vote by mail, I can help you fill out the request form.
Reach out any time at:
lauraforpleasantview@gmail.com
720-675-8093 (call or text)