June 4, 2020 - Statement from Kristin Zasada, Councilmember At-Large:
"I wish to address some concerns over a recent statement I made on my personal Facebook account. First, as a mother and lifelong resident of Greeley, I am deeply concerned about the violent unrest that has rocked our nation of late and I don’t want to see that happen to my town and its fellow residents. It saddens me that we are unable to have sympathy, compassion, and respect for one another as we work towards making our communities, our nation, and our world a better place. But my sadness over the recent violence in no way means I condone the tragic death of George Floyd nor does it make me racist, insensitive, or threatening.
When a comment was made on my post that the leading cause of death of black men was police brutality, it horrified me to think that could be true. I therefore looked up the Centers for Disease Control website to see the top causes of death for black men. My quoting of these facts, while clearly ill-timed and perhaps insensitive, was meant in the spirit of sharing factual information and was never meant to point fingers or condemn any person, race, or community. It has been devastating to me that my comments have resulted in threats to me and my family and has sowed more rancor and hate in the community that I love dearly.
The only way we can heal and come together as a people – a people of all races, backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences – is to have open conversations with one another on a basis of kindness, compassion, and respect. I welcome these conversations and pledge to do so with an open heart and an open mind. Together, we make Greeley the welcoming, inclusive, and strong community that it is."
June 2, 2020 - "Like many, this council has watched video footage of George Floyd being excessively restrained by police, which ultimately led to his death. This council extends our compassion to Mr. Floyd’s family. We recognize and condemn the actions that lead to Mr. Floyd’s death. This situation is tragic. As a council, we do not condone police brutality.
We acknowledge that racism exists and we must all be part of creating change. The violent events that followed are also tragic. Standing up for what you believe in is important. Harming other people or property along the way is not productive. We are proud of those who gathered here in Greeley over the weekend and constructively shared your voice. We are also proud of our local law enforcement for their efforts and behavior.
As a council, we might not have all the answers and solutions, but our commitment to all of Greeley is to listen, learn and do better. Greeley is home to all of us, and home should be a place where compassion, empathy, dialogue and unity flourish."
–Greeley City Council
The City of Greeley operates with a Council-Manager form of government with the Council acting as the legislative body for the city, adopting laws and policies and setting priorities to guide the city.
Council members are residents of Greeley who care deeply about their city and choose to serve their community as an elected official to maintain and improve Greeley's quality of life. Council members, with the exception of the Mayor, do not have offices at City Hall. There are a total of seven elected council members, including the Mayor.
The Council meets annually to evaluate the state of the City. Based on data, discussions with staff, and public input, the Council sets priorities which guide Greeley City government for the upcoming year.
In early 2020, the council engaged in a strategic visioning session to developed a long-range strategic vision to set priorities and direction for Greeley; Greeley City Council 2040 Vision for 2040. City Council then worked with staff to develop priorities for the next three years that would help achieve this vision; Greeley City Council 3-Year Priorities.
In addition to their annual meeting, the Council also meets regularly to conduct City business.