Boulder City Council Honors King Soopers Victims: 'Set The Tone Tonight Of Healing'
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - In a special meeting, the Boulder City Council opened its virtual chambers to the entire community to begin a diverse conversation around recovery.
"We are going to set the tone tonight of healing, remembrance and community," said Mayor Sam Weaver at the beginning of the meeting.
Faith leaders from many different religions and believes shared their grief following Monday's mass shooting. Community members called for unity and remembered victims.
"I thought about the Santa hat Denny wore every day in December. Every year I taught him," Amy Nelson, a Boulder Valley School District educator said in an emotional tribute to Denny Stong.
"I have several friends who lost somebody that they cared about that they knew well," Gov. Jared Polis said.
One step the city council wanted to take was beginning the process of healing.
"One way that we're going to start healing and we've already done this is making space to come together as a community and making space to talk about what's going on," said Dr. George Eliopulos with Mental Health Partners. "Giving ourselves room to be sad, to be scared, to be confused, and to be angry and that's a little bit of what's going on tonight and will continue to go on."
Boulder County politicians said change will be coming in the form of new laws.
"We're not taking care of people who have serious mental health illnesses. Our state is one of the worst in terms of its commitment to taking care of people who have serious mental illness. We are going to put a tax on the ballot, county wide, to support mental health resources," said Rep. Judy Amabile.
Voters will be asked in 2022 to add a tax to Boulder County for mental health treatments. Amabile said it would likely be modeled after a similar program in Larimer county.
Congressman Joe Neguse echoed calls from President Joe Biden for gun control changes.
"I am so frustrated and angry that inaction at the federal level has compelled cities like our own to take such steps because federal policy makers have been incapable or unwilling to do what was required of them which is to save lives in communities like ours," he said. "I intend to come back to this council I hope one day soon with the news that those measures are law."
Nearly four hours after the meeting began, city council members reacted to the 40 public speakers saying the meeting was one of the most beautiful they'd been a part of.
"I heard fear, I heard sadness, but most of all I heard hope," said Councilmember Bob Yates.
