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Wheat Ridge amends board rules; public urges continued support for IDEA committee
Summary
Council clarified board and commission membership rules and aligned committee term dates; public speakers urged council to protect the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee and to uphold state limits on local cooperation with ICE.
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. — The Wheat Ridge City Council on Jan. 27 approved two housekeeping measures for boards, commissions and committees and heard public comments urging continued support for the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee.
Council Bill 02‑2025 clarifies that board and commission members who move their personal residence to another council district within city limits may continue to serve as the representative for the district that appointed them until their term expires. The ordinance passed on second reading by unanimous vote.
Separately, Council approved Resolution 06‑2025 to amend the bylaws of the IDEA Committee and the Sustainable Wheat Ridge Committee so their term dates align with other boards and commissions; the packet noted the Election Commission remains governed by dates set in the Home Rule Charter. Staff said the changes standardize recruitment and term‑management citywide and reset term expiration to March 2 for affected bodies.
Before the agenda items, three residents spoke during public comment in support of the IDEA Committee and broader inclusion work. Morgan Richards, introduced as a Wheat Ridge resident who lives and works in the city, asked council to continue the city’s inclusivity work begun in 2020, to protect the IDEA Committee and to commit to upholding Colorado state law that bars local law enforcement from cooperating with certain federal immigration enforcement actions. Megan Schleicher (spelled in the record) and Heather Dalton (participating online) made similar requests: preserve the IDEA Committee and back the city’s 2020 resolution that said racism and hate have no place in Wheat Ridge.
Councilors said they appreciate community input and supported the bylaws cleanup; Councilor Snell moved approval of the bylaws amendment, the motion was seconded and passed unanimously. Councilor Hoppe introduced Council Bill 02‑2025 and it too passed unanimously.
Staff noted the IDEA Committee grew from the city’s 2021 Race and Equity Task Force and earlier council action in 2020; the packet said the committee advises council on policies and practices to foster a diverse and inclusive community.
Both the ordinance and the resolution were procedural but drew public attention from residents asking for explicit council support for inclusion and for lawful policing practices.
