Intergovernmental Agreements

Intergovernmental Agreements - Memoranda of Understanding

The Metro Mayors Caucus' most effective method of communicating and implementing regional consensus on major issues is through execution of intergovernmental agreements and/or memoranda of agreement. These instruments are adopted not just by the mayor members of the Metro Mayors Caucus but also by the municipalities they represent. In this way, they go beyond the position statements and resolutions of the Caucus to reflect commitments by the municipalities to uphold certain principles and implement certain actions on a mutual, regional basis.

The Mile High Compact

Adopted in 2000, the Mile High Compact (PDF) is unique in the country. It transforms the voluntary growth management regimen contained in the Denver Regional Council of Governments' Metro Vision regional development plan into an agreement among all the signatory local governments to act to ensure implementation of the specific elements and tenets of the regional plan.

The Water Compact

The Water Compact (PDF) is a Memorandum of Understanding among the region's municipalities adopted in 2005 in response to the serious drought plaguing Colorado in the early years of that decade. The MOU recognizes that Colorado is a semi arid, high desert, and that as such our normal practices must emphasize conservation of this precious resource in wet years and dry.

Energy Conservation Memorandum of Understanding

In 2006 the Metro Mayors Caucus executed the Energy Conservation Memorandum of Understanding (PDF) with the understanding that energy efficiency and conservation are critical national and local priorities with implications for ongoing quality of life, economic health, and national security. The MOU reflects a commitment of Denver area municipalities to provide leadership in energy conservation including supporting energy improvements in municipal operations, providing comprehensive public education, engaging in public private collaborations, and offering focused programs and policies targeting energy efficiency.

Metro Denver Health & Wellness Memorandum of Understanding

In 2006, the Metro Mayors Caucus joined with the following to create the Metro Denver Health and Wellness Commission:

  • Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation
  • The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
  • The Colorado Department of Health

The Commission was formed to increase public awareness of the importance of wellness to our region's quality of life and economic prosperity. For three years the Commission provided leadership in setting health and wellness as a top priority for the metro area and the State of Colorado. The Commission's goal of making Colorado the healthiest state in the country led to the identification of three main arenas for action: schools and early childhood, the workplace, and communities. The communities arena, and to a lesser extent, the workplace, were identified by the region's municipalities as areas where they could have the greatest impact, both as employers and as the designers and developers of active communities. Read the Memorandum of Understanding (PDF).