"So, I'm just encouraging people to vote against this 1A thing. This is not the time to be thinking about raising property taxes on people."”

Black Hawk City Alderman Benito Torres

BLACK HAWK — The Black Hawk City Council approved several projects during its October 14, 2026, meeting, including wildfire mitigation, excavation near the Bobtail Mine, and more than $338,000 for holiday decorations.

Alderman Benito Torres opened the meeting with concerns about Gilpin County's ballot Issue 1A, which would allow the county to retain and spend certain revenues above limits imposed by the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR).

Torres said he believes the measure could eventually lead to higher property taxes, especially with property valuations already increasing.

"This is still the poorest county in the state," Torres said.

But the numbers tell a different story. According to Demographics US, Gilpin ranks among Colorado's wealthier counties when it comes to median household income, nowhere near the poorest. That doesn't mean everyone in Gilpin is doing well financially, but it does contradict Torres' claim about the county's standing.

Torres also encouraged county commissioners to find ways to bring the community together. He suggested working toward bringing students from northern Gilpin County back into the Gilpin County school system rather than attending schools in Boulder County.

He urged residents to vote against Issue 1A, saying now is not the time to consider raising taxes.

Council then moved through its regular business. 

A public hearing was held for Ordinance 2026-14, amending the intergovernmental service agreement between Black Hawk and the Black Hawk/Central City Sanitation District.

The agreement is intended to ensure that Black Hawk and Central City follow and enforce the same regulations when dealing with the sanitation district, so neither city has an advantage over the other.

There was no public comment, and the ordinance passed unanimously.

Black Hawk Fire Chief Chris Woolley presented plans for additional wildfire mitigation on City-owned property.

Council approved Resolution 57-2026, authorizing up to $250,000 for Good People Tree Service to continue forest management and wildfire mitigation through the remainder of 2026.

Woolley pointed out several areas needing attention, including property near Gregory Point, Bates Hill, and Mountain Lake Park. Work will include removing dead and beetle-infested trees, reducing wildfire fuels, and improving existing aspen stands.

Council also approved Resolution 58-2026, awarding a contract of up to $160,400 to Grapes & Sons Excavating for the Bobtail Wall Excavation project.

City Engineer Matt Reed explained that the unstable hillside east of the Bobtail Mine portal needs to be excavated before additional improvements can be made.

Crews will remove loose material, weathered rock, and deteriorating timber cribbing to expose solid bedrock.

Reed said Grapes & Sons submitted the lowest of 14 bids and expects to finish the excavation by the end of the year.

Once the hillside is stabilized, the City plans to design a decorative wall facade under a separate contract. There are also preliminary plans for additional mining-related attractions near the portal.

Resolution 59-2026 updated the City's commercial design guidelines to bring them into alignment with its comprehensive plan and the recently adopted wildfire resiliency code.

Brook Svoboda, Community Planning and Development Director, described it as a housekeeping item. Council approved it unanimously.

Council then approved Resolution 60-2026, supporting Colorado Amendment 82, which would protect the right of consumers to purchase natural gas for cooking and heating and allow utilities to continue selling it.

Mayor David Spellman said he was concerned about future legislation coming out of Denver that could restrict natural gas use.

He pointed to affordability, particularly the cost of heating homes and businesses, as a reason to support the amendment.

The final resolution, 61-2026, approved an agreement with Alpine Artisan Studios LLC for up to $338,661.91 for the city's 2026 holiday decorations.

The agreement covers installation, removal, maintenance, and refurbishment of decorations, along with new purchases, including six refurbished historic horse-drawn sleighs.

Special Events and Marketing Manager Valerie Ryan said the city is planning a Winter Wonderland that will be even larger than Halloween Street.

The display will be a self-guided walk-through experience taking place throughout much of December. The City is also upgrading tree lights so they can be used year-round and changed to different colors.

Ryan then shared some numbers from the October 10 Fall Festival, which brought an estimated 5,000 visitors to the city.

The turnout was much larger than expected, and businesses reported record sales. Hi Heat ‘n’ Sweets even ran out of candy. The City's pumpkin passport promotion was also popular. Ryan said the 240 pumpkins purchased for the entire month had been given away within the first 10 days.

Social media played a big part in bringing visitors to Black Hawk. Ryan said the City's campaign and posts from influencers generated more than 2.2 million views.

Alderwoman René Wiley asked how the event had been advertised. Ryan said the City used newspaper advertising and social media, with one influencer's post catching on and encouraging others to share the event.

Ryan also thanked City employees who worked through the unexpectedly large crowds.

Additional Fall Festivals are scheduled for October 17 and 24, followed by the Halloween celebration on October 31 from 3 to 8 p.m.

Council members also received copies of the proposed 2027 budget. A budget workshop is planned for the first meeting in November, with adoption expected in December.

The meeting ended with an executive session requested by City Attorney Corey Hoffmann to discuss negotiations involving property in the HARD District and other City-owned property.

The next Black Hawk City Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 3 p.m. at City Hall, 211 Church Street.