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March 18, 2021
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 11 | VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | SPORTS: PAGE 17
VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 42
Jeffco schools looking at $54 million in cuts for 2021-22
Rendering of proposed Amazon distribution center.
What might be on the chopping block and how cuts could affect your kids’ school COURTESY OF SCANNELL PROPERTIES
Amazon holds first public meeting on Project Indiana 36-acre plan looking at the Maple Valley neighborhood BY RYAN DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Amazon has submitted an application to the City of Arvada to develop land located at approximately 6730 Indiana Street into a distribution center. The tech giant and developer Scannell Properties held their first neighborhood meeting for Project Indiana on Thursday, March 11th, via Zoom. The 36-acre site slated for development borders the Maple Valley neighborhood and the Ralston Creek trail, a habitat for bobcats, coyotes, deer, and other species of wildlife. A group called Protect Maple Valley Park has formed to oppose the development, and has raised a number of concerns regarding the proposal. The Amazon development plan would require approval by the City Council vote to begin development. SEE AMAZON, P2
Map of Project Indiana site.
COURTESY OF THE CITY OF ARVADA
Reference mockup of a Protect Maple Valley Park’s counter proposal. COURTESY OF GINA HALLISEY
BY BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
At a recent Jeffco School Board meeting, Interim Chief Financial Officer, Nicole Stewart, gave a presentation asking board members for input on where to make needed cuts in the 2021-22 budget. The District, Stewart said, is looking at the need to make $54 million in reductions in order to balance the budget. She said district staff has identified most of the reductions but needed the board’s input on finding approximately $12 million in additional cuts. COVID is the culprit. “The $54 million reduction primarily is from the increase in the Budget Stabilization factor from the State. An increase in the BS factor, decreases school districts funding. This was a direct result of COVID,” Stewart said. “Earlier in the session, it was proposed that we would be seeing an increase in funding, then when the pandemic hit, it dramatically shifted to a significant decrease. Instead of making reductions in the 2020-21 school year as a result of the increase in the BS factor, we used CARES funding to keep from having to make reductions. However, that is not a sustainable plan, and now are having to right size our ongoing expenditures with the ongoing decrease of funding we received.” Stewart said the District recognizes that using reserves is needed. “With a $30 million use of reserves and identified central reductions of $11.33 million, we still have SEE SCHOOLS, P7
APOLOGIES
Due to the recent heavy snowfall, delivery of this week’s paper may have been delayed.