Political rhetoric prompts Aurora to squash greenhouse plan

Photo byHéctor Emilio GonzalezonUnsplash

The Aurora City Council decided Monday during its study session not to fund repairs to a city greenhouse and programming for a food production project.

Food Justice Northwest Aurora proposed to operate the greenhouse, which needs about $250,000 in repairs after damage from the March snowstorm, according to a memo from city staff to council. The council considered giving the non-profit money for the repairs and programming at the greenhouse.

“If you could explain this to me,” Mayor Mike Coffman said to Food Justice Northwest Aurora Executive Director Caitlin Matthews. “It’s a screenshot of your website last year.”

Coffman then read the following “guiding principle” from the website:

“The inequitable modern industrial food system is the intended product of a colonizing and racist system. It was built on stolen land and with stolen labor and continues to exploit many in the food system.”

Non-profit removes language from website

Matthews said the non-profit realized the language was divisive and removed it from their website. She said they also wrote into the lease that no political activity would be allowed at the greenhouse. She said she thought that would address the council’s concerns about the former website language.

Council member Danielle Jurinsky explained to Matthews the rhetoric is a deal-breaker. “You can take it off your website, but we know that’s what you fundamentally believe,” she said. “It absolutely goes against what the majority of this council believes, and that statement is just not something you can walk back.”

Murillo, Coombs, Medina support greenhouse

Council member Crystal Murillo spoke in support of the funding for the greenhouse. She said sometimes she votes for contracts she does not necessarily believe in because she believes the council should be fiscally responsible. She said she does not see the point of letting a broken-down greenhouse sit empty.

Only Murillo, Ruben Medina and Alison Coombs voted in favor of the greenhouse project.