Above, a Facebook status update halfway through a down-and then even-and then up night for Boulder.

Boulder’s still Boulder: innovation, sustainability, citizens before corporations. (Municipalization: 2B & 2C pass after being down in votecount!)

Written up in the NY Times, a bold town may inspire other municipalities to strike out for energy independence.

Endorsed by the Denver Post, Daily Camera, Boulder Weekly and elephantjournal.com

Local Citizens pull out victory for Local Economy, Sustainability vs. Corporation’s $1 million fear-mongering, dumbed-down ad campaign.

“Boulder is choosing to authorize the creation of a municipal electricity system, even though the proponents were outspent 10-1 by the incumbent utility. Cleaner energy. Locally controlled. It’s a historic vote!” ~ Ted Rose

It’s a great night for Boulder.

For those individuals and business that come here to enjoy this extraordinary town: know that you’re walking in and inheriting the daily life of a town that’s won every award out there: best place to retire, best restaurants for a town in the US, best bicycling, happiest, smartest…

…and that it’s such an extraordinary town

1. because of its natural setting and

2. because, since the ’60s (starting with the Blue Line, which prohibited development on our mountaintops), we’ve deliberately, mindfully, boldly shaped our present and future.

But earlier tonight, at the historic Boulderado Hotel, the gathered active citizens were nervous, even despondent. We were way down in the vote tallies on 2B, and down a bit on 2C—the two measures considering Municipalization.

We needed, ideally, both 2B and 2C to move forward on Municapalization, or we’d be stuck with a profit-sucking out-of-state huge corporation making money off of us and investing quickly enough in local, clean, renewable, job-creating solar or wind, not burying our lines (which would prevent outages like the one last week, that left my and 10,000 other homes without electricity for 1-3 days).

And despite the opposition of re-elected councilmen Ken Wilson and George K (who I nevertheless had kind words for in our endorsements), we pulled out the victory.

The difference? The out-of-nowhere galvanizing leadership of Ted Rose played a big part. And, most of all, the canvassing, calling, tireless and joyful efforts of Steve Fenberg and New Era Colorado and the many, including former mayor Shaun McGrath, who volunteered on phones and knocking on doors. And while it may be less fun—we’re sitting at home now, alone, 2 am, typing, instead of partying with our community—we’ll pat ourselves on the elephant back for our social media and promotion—it helped balance, on a grassroots level, the huge and irritating ad buy by Xcel and its cronies (sorry, that’s what their front organization was).

Hip hip hooray for sustainability and responsible citizens over profit-focused corporations!

Click below for the Camera’s report, and photos:

“As of 12:55 a.m. with an unofficial total of 82,724 votes counted, Boulder Question 2C, which allows for the creation of a municipal utility, passed with 51.8 percent of the vote — a margin of 933 votes.

Issue 2B, which will raise the existing utility occupation tax by $1.9 million annually, passed with 50.3 percent of the vote — a margin of 141 votes.”