June 9, 2016
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Local soccer standouts return to Colorado as part of national team on PAGE 19.
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Teachers, staff get 2 percent pay raise
THE SUMMERTIME JET SET
Jefferson County Board of Education approves $24.5 million for compensation By Crystal Anderson canderson@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Smiling brightly, Elijah Imsen, 2, reaches out for water as it bursts from the fountain spouts around him. He, his 4-yearold sister and another child, Daniel Swenson, 5, were playing around in the Olde Town Square fountain one hot and sunny afternoon last week. Photo by Crystal Anderson
No messin’ with meatloaf Governor signs bill maintaining status for retirement community meals By Jeremy Johnson jjohnson@colorado communitymedia.com
Gov. John Hickenlooper talks about the Don’t Tax Grandma’s Meatloaf bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D-29), of Arvada, during a bill signing on a sunny first day of June at Covenant Village of Colorado in Westminster. Photo by Jeremy Johnson
Dozens of local officials, Westminster networkers and residents of Covenant Village of Colorado converged on the sunny first
day of June as Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law the Don’t Tax Grandma’s Meatloaf bill. House Bill 16-1187 aims to help Colorado retirement communities control costs for residents by maintaining the sales tax exemption for meals served to residents of retirement communities. It was sponsored by Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp, D-Arvada, and Sen. Chris Bill continues on Page 6
The Jefferson County Board of Education approved a raise of at least 2 percent for all teachers and staff as part of the $1 billion 2016-17 budget ratified at the June 2 meeting. “What we did with the budget does reflect the priorities that we told the community we would implement when we were running,” said board President Ron Mitchell, referring to increasing compensation for all staff and hiring more mental health workers. But “I am saddened by the fact there are so many things that I dreamed we would do and hoped we would do, but we couldn’t do due to the funding restrictions placed on this budget.” The approval comes after months of board discussions, community surveys and union negotiations. Along with the compensation increase, the board approved hiring full-time mental health employees, expanding clinic aide hours, increasing paraprofessional support and contract review administrator to work in the HR department on employee contracts. “This is the very first time I’ve seen a budget come together so quickly,” Superintendent Dan McMinimee said. “It is because of all of the pieces of the system Board continues on Page 5
MORE ON JEFFCO SCHOOL Much is going on with community schools, from the approval of district contracts last week, to upcoming decisions on school facilities. Read more on PAGE 5.
Group invests in improving mental wellness Jeffco-based Community First Foundation hosts grant event in September
Jared Widgor with Bright by Three pitches at an April workshop and pitch scrimmage at the Community First Foundation. Courtesy photo
By Clarke Reader creader@colorado communitymedia.com Donating money to untested ideas in their infancy is a big ask for many philanthropic organizations with limited funds. Not long ago Noah Atencio, vice president of community impact at Community First Foundation, and Cheryl Haggstrom, executive vice president of Community
First, were discussing this very problem. “Usually, organizations like us give our money to
evidence-based ideas, but we wanted to make an impact on ideas that aren’t proven — yet,” Atencio said. “We
also wanted to have more community engagement opportunities, and that led to an idea.” Community First, an organization that helps connect nonprofits and donors, is hosting a large-scale pitch event to benefit the Innovators Society. The society is dedicated to improving mental wellness options for Coloradoans by investing in new mental health care ideas. The event will be Sept. 30, at the Lakewood Cultural Center, and will put $500,000 in grant money in the hands of local leaders to donate to the organization they see fit. Donor continues on Page 6
ON THE ROAD Motorcycle enthusiasts share their stories on PAGE 12.