Brighton Standard Blade 033023

Engineer tells Nebraska Colorado has right to South Platte River flow

Brighton’s

Water Tower Park fields getting a

$4.2 million

makeover

BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In relatively quick succession, Brighton City Councilors spent $4.2 million March 21, all aimed at giving the city another lighted athletic eld.

Councilors agreed to ve resolutions at their regular meeting all aimed at converting the city’s athletic elds at Water Tower Park into a water-sipping, lighted, fenced athletic complex.

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado’s state water engineer has a message for the Nebraska o cials doubling down on their commitment to a $567 million canal across the border:

You can build it, but the water may not come.

Colorado state engineer Kevin

Rein acknowledges a historic compact gives Nebraska the right to build the canal at the South Platte River west of Julesburg. But in a ve-page response to Nebraska’s rst o cial evaluation of the plan, tacking closely to the direction set by Colorado’s attorney general, Rein says the actual water Nebraska is counting on may never show up.  e Nebraska report by an engi-

neering rm makes multiple assumptions that Colorado disputes, in particular whether the water will be “physically available, or whether it’s legally available at the time when it’s physically available,” Rein said in an interview.

e Nebraska study “does not adequately consider future

“Too frequently, we don’t have the resources to do the right job the rst time,” Councilor Clint Blackhurst said. “ is time we do, and I think the only thing that’s missing here is some work on the parking lot area — but that is secondary. is is essentially going to be a new facility, not just an upgrade to the elds,

SEE MAKEOVER, P2

Jordan Harman is gathering the macroinvertebrate from the South Platte River for testing the water quality. PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

SEE SOUTH PLATTE, P14

Brighton City Councilors have approved $4.2 milllion in work to convert the fields at the Brighton Water Tank Park into an an athletic compound with artificial turf, fencing and lights.

determine the schedule, according to Parks Manager Ryan Smith - is installing the arti cial turf for the three elds. e turf will go down on three elds

a new facility.”

Parks Manager Ryan Smith said the work on the elds should be done by August, in time for high school and club football use.

“We have a construction timeline of roughly four months if it’s approved tonight,” Smith told councilors. “So that puts us into early August, complete and ready for use.”

One after another, the council approved ve contracts with developers for di erent aspects of the renovated athletic elds. ey reviewed all of the items for the park at their March 15 study session.

Turf, irrigation, lights

e most expensive part of the project - and the one that will

— a 100-yard-long football/soccer eld with the City of Brighton logo in the middle and two smaller 60-yardlong elds. Neighbor Damon Balcerak, a co-founder of a Brighton youth rugby league, said the elds will be welcome.

“We have had a heck of a time nding eld space in Brighton over the past ve years,” Balcerak said. “ ere are what I call the typical sports that continue to grow — ag football, football, soccer — now you through the rugby program in the mix.

“It’s really really tough, and a lot of elds have been in disrepair, so I just wanted to urge everyone to vote for these,” Balcerak said.

Smith said the new elds would use the same kind of arti cial turf

E AGLE VIEW A DULT C ENTER

Prairie Center Parkway • Brighton, CO 80601 • 303-655-2075 • www.brightonco.gov

Eagle View Adult Center Update

March 29 – April 5, 2023

Eagle View Adult Center is open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Call 303-655-2075 for more information. e March and April Newsletter is available.

Cards, Games and Pool

If you like to play games like bridge, pinochle, dominos, scrabble and pool… Eagle View is the place to get connected. Check out the newsletter for playing times.

VOA Lunch

Due to VOA moving to a new kitchen facility, there will be no VOA lunches at Eagle View Adult Center March 6-April 14. Meals will begin again April 17.

Call Eleanor at 303-655-2271 on Mondays and ursdays.

Readers eatre Performance

Drop in for a fun and free show! 11:00 a.m. urs. Mar 30. Free

Friends Meeting New Friends

Are you living in the Brighton area and don’t have any family in the area? is is your chance to meet others that are in the same situation. Perhaps you will nd a new friend!

1:00 p.m. Fri. Mar 31. Free. Deadline: urs. Mar 30

e Orphan Train Movement

From 1854 to 1929, it is estimated that over 250,000 children were moved by train from orphanages to rural areas of the U.S. Jeanne MacVicar presents on this topic as a tribute to her Great-Aunt Adeline Trowbridge who arrived on the Orphan Train in 1911.

1:30 p.m. Tues. Apr 4. Free. Deadline: Mon. Apr 3

History of Brighton Parks

Kyle Sylvester, Assistant Director of Parks and Open Space, is here to share the history and foundation of public use parks in the City of Brighton.

1:30 p.m. Wed. Apr 5. $4. Deadline: Tues. Apr 4

used at Brighton Sports Complex and at the Pawlowski Fields. at piece of the project is expected to cost $2.7 million, according to the contract councilors approved with Rocky Mountain Turf Solutions.

Smith said the city has used an average of 2.7 million gallons of water each year on the park’s elds. Removing 4.2 acres of grass in the 7.7-acre park should save the city an estimated 1.85 million gallons of water per year, he said.

e complex will still require water to keep trees and other plantings alive, so councilors approved a $420,5000 contract with PSI Construction to install a new irrigation system.

“Essentially, if we don’t do this part, we’d just be watering the turf,” Councilor Peter Padilla said.

e entire eld will be lit, Smith said, allowing night games at the eld.

“ ere are no lights there, and they have to bring lights in on trailers,” Smith said.

It would be the rst fully lighted outdoor eld for football, soccer and rugby in Brighton, Smith said, and the lights will all be directionally pointed down to limit light pollution for neighbors.

In all, eight lights will be installed, two each along the smaller elds and one at each corner of the larger

eld.

Councilors approved the $515,000 contract with Musco Sports Lighting to make that happen.

“I love the ‘no light pollution’,” Councilor Ann Taddeo said. e entire complex will be enclosed in black fencing based on a $135,850 contract councilors approved with Ideal Fencing Corporation. Smith said the fencing would be similar to the kind used at Brighton’s Ken Mitchell Park and is meant to keep vandals from ruining the playing eld.

“Currently we don’t have any fences around the eld and we’ve had people doing donuts in their cars on the eld, we’ve had people driving on them on motorbikes or using their trucks to plow the eld at their convenience,” Smith said.

Finally, councilors approved a $393,700 contract with AtoZ Recreation LLC for a new ADA-acceptable playground at the center of the three elds.

“As Mayor Pro Tem Blackhurst said, this is a whole new park,” Green said. “It’s a whole new park at Water Tower Park and we’ll have something for all ages, even for the kids while their older brothers and sisters are playing on the elds. So I am so excited about this whole concept, this whole park and not just the athletic elds.”

PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR

Brighton public works center approved

Work on $26 million Municipal Service Center to begin in June

BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With design work for a new Public Works service center nished councilors cleared the way for work to begin on the facility’s construction.

Councilors approved a $26.1 million contract with FCI Constructors to build the new home for most public works functions, becoming Brighton’s base for streets maintenance, eet maintenance and parks and utility maintenance functions. It will also have a space for Brighton Police

Substation.

Councilors rst approved the concept in March 2021. at allowed work on the design of the facility, which wrapped up this year. Councilors rst reviewed the designs at their Feb. 14 study session.

e city began looking at alternatives for a new maintenance facility in 2019. Each function within public works currently operates its own maintenance facilities.

“If anybody has a question as to why this facility is needed, we can take you on a tour of what they have now,” Mills said. “It’s embarrassing. It’s very embarrassing that a city of our size has the conditions that they are in now.”

e facility will include a 67,668-square-foot building on a 244,000-square-foot site. e center will be built on 15.5 acres the city

owns Northwest of Main and Denver streets, surrounding the Tractor Supply store. It replaces the facility at 4th and Longs Peak, according to Director of Facilities Patrick Rome. Rome said work should begin in June and wrap up in 2024.

“Everybody has put into this as it has moved forward,” Rome said. “We all ready to move forward with contractors in place. We are very optimistic to how it will go and look forward to having it.”

Councilors were emphatic in their support, with Mayor Greg Mills saying he completely supports it.

“It will give us room to grow as we grow as a city,” Mills said. “We will be able to serve the public better. is is going to be able to support this operation so much better.”

Councilor Clint Blackhurst noted

that current city facilities are rented from other groups or failing and Councilor Mary Ellen Pollack said it was long past due.

“ e current conditions are just an embarrassment,” she said. “I got a tour of the site and just said ‘Oh My!’“ Councilor Peter Padilla said he’s happy to see so many departments working together.

“We rarely see this number of departments get together and collaborate both on what they need and what they are able to give up,” Padilla said. “ e collaboration and cooperation and compromise between the number of departments engaged in this is just incredible. We’ve talked about having departments co-locate their services and being able to provide a building that meets all their needs is pretty incredible.”

Two teens charged in March 16 shooting

STAFF REPORT

Two teens are facing charges of attempted murder and illegal possession of a handgun in the March 16 shooting near Brighton High school.

e District Attorney’s Ofce announced ling charges against the two juvenile, ages 16 and 17, that left one person injured and closed forced Brighton schools into lockdown.

e shooting occurred at about 12:30 p.m. March 16 at South Ninth Avenue and Bush Street, across the street

from Brighton’s Innovations and Options School and near Brighton High School.

In a statement to the press that afternoon, Brighton Police Chief Matt Domenico said police received reports of gun re there, nding the intersection littered with bullet casings when they arrived but no victims on the scene. e victim had been taken to an area urgent care clinic.

Police began looking for vehicle and tweeted that potential suspects were sighted near East 120th Avenue and Salem Street. Police closed both Brighton and

Prairie View High Schools and placed the cities other schools on secure status and lockout. Domenico announced that police had arrested two suspects and the all clear was issued shortly before 3 p.m.

According to the District Attorney’s o ce, the two suspects are facing ve counts of First-Degree Attempted Murder, a second degree felony, and possession of a handgun by a juveniles. at is a second degree misdemeanor. Both suspects are due in court May 4 at Adams County District Court in Brighton.

Police Chief Matt Domenico said police responded to reports of a 12:30 p.m. shooting at the intersection of 9th and Bush Streets March 15. Upon arrival at the intersection, shown, they found bullet casing littering the ground. Neighbor Betty Ho man said she heard something at that time, but assumed it was just fireworks.

PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR

Brighton tweaks advisory board rules

BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Brighton updated some of the rules for how its advisory board operates, removing city code references for some boards and updating how City Councilors interact with them.

“ is is the ordinance that is doing a bit of clean up on our city code,” City Attorney Alicia Calderone said. Councilors voted 7-0 to adopt the changes that removed code references to board and committees that are not created by the city or that no longer exist, made the membership requirements for Parks and Recreation Board

more general and made city council seats on advisory board non-voting.

Councilor Clint Blackhurst asked why they should do that.

“As an advisory board or commission, you create those groups to advise the city council,” Calderon said. “So when you are on that board or commission, you are non-voting. ey are advising you.”

Councilors agreed to eliminate reference to Brighton Cultural Arts Commission, which is a non-pro t and the Board of Appeals and the Liquor Licensing Authority. Both of those groups jobs are currently handled by a hearing o cer and made the seats on the Parks

and Recreation Advisory Board, the Historic Preservation Commission and the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee non-voting.

Final goats

In other business, the council approved the nal reading of an ordinance allowing residents to keep miniature goats.

Councilors began a miniature goat pilot program in 2021, allowing residents with 7,500 square foot lots or larger to could keep two of the animals — not fewer and not more. Both must be female, no taller than 24.5 inches at the tallest point of the back and must be

dis-budded. at’s a process that burns o the tissue that grows into horns.

Brighton goats must have up-to-date rabies vaccines and on-site slaughtering or breeding operations are not allowed. Only single-family detached properties could keep goats, as long as the property owner agrees. e goat keepers must apply for a permit with the city, which will conduct two inspections — one of the pen and shelter for the animals and a second of the animals to meet the city’s requirements, paying a $100 permit fee.

Goat keepers will also have to take an open-book test on keeping the animals, getting a score of at least 80%.

Adams County names Reis Senior Deputy County Manager

Adams County Government has announced that Alisha Reis will be elevated to senior deputy county manager, e ective immediately.

Reis has served as deputy county manager since 2018, helping to manage the day-to-day operations of the fth-largest county in Colorado, with approximately 520,000 residents. She also served as interim county manager for nine months, the rst time a woman served in the role of chief appointed o cial for Adams County. e creation of this role follows a detailed assessment of the County

Performance and Leadership Academy is now open to external applicants

e city of Brighton is opening its Performance and Leadership Academy to external applicants who work for the government or non-pro t organizations. e academy is a ve-week program that teaches participants skills for identifying, analyzing, and solving problems in their day-to-day work and empowers participants to be leaders, to build winning teams and deliver exceptional customer service both internal and external.

Participants in the academy attend four-hour training sessions each ursday for ve weeks. Sessions are from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Brighton City Hall, 500 S. Fourth Ave. e cost to apply for external candidates is $1,800. Upcoming sessions can be found here.

Manager’s O ce and the Executive Leadership Team.

Reis will be responsible for providing executive-level leadership and administration to assigned county departments and divisions, as well as leading the county-wide strategic planning process, annual budget development, and overseeing the environmental, social, and governance policy e orts at the direction of the county manager.

“Alisha’s expertise has been instrumental in providing management support for directors and executive level project management for the successful completion of work across all aspects of Adams County Government,” said

To learn more about the academy and to apply, visit the Performance and Leadership Academy website. For more information, contact budget@ brightonco.gov.

State of the city April 5

e city of Brighton and the Greater Brighton Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau will host the 2023 state of the city address at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 5, at the Armory Performing Arts Center, 300 Strong St.

Mayor Gregory Mills, Brighton Chamber President/CEO Natalie Cummings, city councilors and City Manager Michael Martinez for re ections from the past year and a look ahead to the future of Brighton.

e event will be available live on the city of Brighton YouTube channel and

County Manager Noel Bernal. “She has been a go-to for translating vision into reality, an outstanding and e ective communicator, and has played a key part in applying the framework of fairness, equity, inclusion and belonging throughout the county. I look forward to her continued contributions as she moves into this new role.”

Reis brings a tremendous wealth of public policy experience from around Colorado, having held roles in public management and community development in rural and mountain communities across the state. She holds a Credentialed Manager (CM) designation from the International

will be later made available to view on KBRI-8 (Comcast channels 8 and 881).

e public is invited to attend, but reservations are required. R.S.V.P. to www.brightonco.gov/stateofthecity by Monday, March 27.

Trash Bash disposal program set for April 28-29

e city of Brighton’s popular Trash Bash for Brighton residents is set to return Friday and Saturday, April 28 and April 29.

e drop-o trash disposal program for large items will take place both days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Brighton Wastewater Treatment Facility 325 North Kuner Road (Brighton Street entrance). In addition, the city will provide pick-up service for those with special needs Wednesday and ursday, April 26 and 27. To request a pickup, call 303-655-2087.

Acceptable items include furniture, appliances (no refrigerators or freezers), bicycles, carpets that have been cut up, doors, lawn/yard equipment, mattresses/box springs and branches cut to less than ve feet in length and bundled securely.

e collection will also accept nailfree sheeted material, wood, or lumber less than ve feet in length. is service is for Brighton residents only. A city of Brighton water bill or suitable proof of residence (i.e. driver’s license) is required. No commercial or industrial facilities will be allowed. A suggested donation of $10 will help to defray the cost of the service.

Car and light pickup tires will be accepted for $7 each; oversized pickup tires for $10 each and semi-truck tires for $20 each.

Trash Bash will return for a second time in September.

For more information, call 303-6552087.

City’s annual ‘Egg Splash’ on April 2

e City of Brighton’s annual egg hunt will be held as an “Egg Splash” on Sunday, April 2 at the Brighton Recreation Center indoor pool located at 555 N. 11th Avenue.

Cost is $5 per child and children ages 0-17 are eligible to participate. An adult chaperone is required for children under age 7 or any child who cannot swim. Adult chaperones will be admitted for free but must still register for organizers to track attendance.

Participants can register for one of four 30-minute time blocks from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Available spots are limited to 25 child participants per time block.

Children will get a chance to swim and gather eggs, which will be ex-

City/County Management Association (ICMA), where she also recently served as chair of the Sustainable Communities Committee. e ICMACM designation recognizes managers’ education, experience, integrity, and commitment to lifelong learning.

Alisha earned her BA in Journalism and Political Science from Metropolitan State University of Denver and went on to get her MA in Political Science and Public Policy from the University of Colorado Denver. She has lived in Colorado for more than 30 years and enjoys hiking, biking, and spending time with her family in the outdoors.

changed for an actual “goodie” bag. All children in each time block will receive the same goodie bag and Egg Splash organizers have enough goodie bags available for all four time blocks.

Children should wear typical swimwear and bring their own baskets to gather eggs. e eggs will be placed in both the lap and leisure pools.

To register, please visit www.brightonco.gov/eggsplash.

For questions, please contact Jacquelyn Ramsey at jramsey@brightonco.gov or call 303-655-2221.

Art in the Park announces call for artists e City of Brighton will host its annual Art in the Park festival from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at Carmichael Park, 650 Southern Street. ose artists interested in showcasing and selling their artwork can visit www. brightonartinthepark.com for more information and to apply. e deadline for booth applications is Aug. 18. is one-day festival will give attendees the opportunity to visit the artist market, meet and talk with artists, enjoy music performances, artist demonstrations and children’s interactive art activities.  For more information, contact Arts and Culture Coordinator David Gallegos at 303-655-2176 or dgallegos@ brightonco.gov.

ONGOING

‘Taking No Chances’ e 17th Judicial District Attorney’s O ce and e Link, a community resource and assessment center in ornton, are o ering free, 10-week programs to families of Adams county teenagers to help develop personal and interpersonal drug-resistance skills. Sessions are from 5:30 to 6;30 p.m. Wednesdays. Call 720-292-2811.

Brighton adds new ChargePoint stations e city of Brighton announced it was opening three new charging stations for electric vehicles.

e stations are at the Brighton Recreation Center at 555 N. 11th Ave. Eagle View Adult Center at 1150 Prairie Center Parkway. and Platte Valley Medical Center at 1610 Prairie Center Parkway. e rst hour of charging is free at each location. e locations have two stalls and two charging stations each that operate much like a parking meter, with a $2-per-hour charging rate after the rst hour.

For other ChargePoint station locations, visit https://uk.chargepoint.com/ charge_point. For more information, please contact Assistant Director of Public Works Chris Montoya at cmontoya@brightonco.gov.

BRIEFS

Brighton joins EPA’s annual “Fix a Leak Week”

STAFF REPORT

Brighton officials are urging residents to find and fix leaking plumbing and irrigation to help save water.

The City of Brighton is teaming up with the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program to promote the EPA’s annual Fix a Leak Week through March 26.

The goal of the campaign is to encourage residents to check their

plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for potential leaks. For this year’s Fix a Leak Week, the Brighton Utilities Department is calling on residents, business owners, and nonprofit organizations to check for and fix leaks on their property. According to the EPA, 10% of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day and leaks in average can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year in a commu -

nity. Common leaks in the home are worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets and other leaking valves. These types of leaks are often easy to fix and can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills.

According to the city, residents should check their utility bill during a colder month, such as January or February. If a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, there is a considerable

leak. Another suggestion is to read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water has been used. Any change in the meter is evidence of a leak.

Residents can also place a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. If any color shows up in the bowl after 10 minutes, you have a leak. Residents should examine faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any water on the outside of the pipe to check for surface leaks.

Work to widen 168th Ave. underway

Construction on the eastbound Weld County Road 2 / E. 168th Avenue widening project from Wagon Trail Avenue in Lochbuie to King Street in Brighton kicked o March 24. e project is expected to be completed in July.

During this time, eastbound and westbound thru tra c on WCR2 / E. 168th Avenue will be shifted north of the median onto the current west-

bound travel lanes. ere will be sporadic lane closures to eastbound thru tra c during this time between the working hours of 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Please follow all tra c control signage and obey the 50th Avenue to Bridge Street detour during these periods.

e following list of additional trafc impacts and recommended detours will help drivers safely navigate the closure during this time: Only right turns will be allowed

onto and o WCR2 / E. 168th Avenue at the intersections of Wagon Trail Avenue, Homestead Avenue, and King Street.

Eastbound WCR2 / E. 168th Avenue tra c out of the Berkshire neighborhood is recommended to use Willow Drive to Bonanza as a detour.

Eastbound WCR2 / E. 168th Avenue tra c out of Silver Peaks is recommended to use Jewell Street or Freestone Street in lieu of King Street.

60th Avenue will be closed from Husker Place / Sugarloaf Street to WCR 2 / E. 168th Avenue.

All tra c out of Pierson Park and Ridgeline Vista is recommended to use southbound N. 60th Avenue to the I-76 Frontage Road.

A voicemail hotline has been set up to address any questions or concerns you may have. Please call (720) 4856045 and someone will respond to your voicemail within 1-2 business days.

Harry John Romero, 85, born in Fort Lupton, Colorado May 23, 1937, passed away peacefully on March 16, 2023, in Aurora, Coloradosurrounded by family. Harry served in the Air Force, was a former head of the Brighton Chamber of Commerce and for most of his career was a phenomenal

Architectural/Mechanical Engineer. He is survived by his two children Matthew John Romero and Lisa Ann Romero. He was a very loving father who enjoyed playing golf with friends and spending time with family. We will miss him dearly.

ROMERO

Harry John Romero May 23, 1937 - March 16, 2023

Facing hard deadlines in water and in climate, too

The International Panel on Climate Change this week issued its latest report, warning of a dangerous temperature threshold that we’ll breach during the next decade if we fail to dramatically reduce emissions. A Colorado legislative committee on the same day addressed water withdrawals in the Republican River Basin that must be curbed by decade’s end.

In both, problems largely created in the 20th century must now be addressed quickly to avoid the scowls of future generations.

e river basin, which lies east of Denver, sandwiched by Interstates 70 and 76, di ers from nearly all others in Colorado in that it gets no annual snowmelt from the state’s mountain peaks. Even so, by tapping the Ogallala and other aquifers, farmers have made it one of the state’s most agriculturally productive areas. ey grow potatoes and watermelons but especially corn and other plants fed to cattle and hogs. is is Colorado without mountains, an ocean of big skies and rolling sandhills.

Republican River farmers face two overlapping problems. One is of declining wells. Given current pumping rates, they will go dry. e only question is when. Some already have.

More immediate is how these wells have depleted ows of the Republican River and its tributaries into Nebraska and Kansas. ose states cried foul, citing a 1943 interstate

compact. Colorado in 2016 agreed to pare 25,000 of its 450,000 to 500,000 irrigated acres within the basin.

Colorado has a December 2029 deadline. e Republican River Water Conservation District has been paying farmers to retire land from irrigation. Huge commodity prices discourage this, but district o cials said they are con dent they can achieve 10,000 acres before the end of 2024.

need more help as the deadline approaches. is all-or-nothing proposition is not academic. Kevin Rein, the state water engineer, testi ed that he must shut down all basin wells if compact requirements are not met. e focus is on the Republican’s South Fork, between Wray and Burlington.

Allen Best

Legislators were told that relying solely upon water that falls from the sky diminishes production 75 to 80 percent.

In seeking this study, the river district wants legislators to be aware of what is at stake.

Lenz told me. e farmers began large-scale pumping with the arrival of center-pivot sprinklers, a technology invented in Colorado in 1940. ey’re remarkably e cient at extracting underground water. Now, they must gure out sustainable agriculture. at’s a very di cult conversation. Aquifers created over millions of years are being depleted in a century.

e Republican River shares similarities with the better-known and much larger Colorado River Basin.

Last year, legislators sweetened the pot with an allocation of $30 million, and a like amount for retirement of irrigated land in the San Luis Valley, which has a similar problem. Since 2004, when it was created, the Republican River district self-encumbered $156 million in fee collections and debt for the transition.

It’s unclear that the district can achieve the 2030 goal. e bill unanimously approved by the Colorado House Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee will, if it becomes law, task the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University with documenting the economic loss to the region - and to Colorado altogether - if irrigated Republican River Basin agriculture ceases altogether. e farmers may

Rod Lenz, who chairs the river district board, put it in human terms. His extended-family’s 5,000-acre farm amid the sandhills can support 13 families, he told me. Returned to grasslands, that same farm could support only two families.

An “evolution of accountability” is how Lenz describes the big picture in the Republican River Basin. “We all knew it was coming. But it was so far in the future. Well, the future is here now.”

e district has 10 committees charged with investigating ways to sustain the basin’s economy and leave its small towns thriving. Can it attract Internet technology developers? Can the remaining water be used for higher-value purposes? Can new technology irrigate more e ciently?

“We do know we must evolve,”

e mid-20th century was the time of applying human ingenuity to development of water resources. Now, along with past miscalculations, the warming climate is exacting a price, aridi cation of the Colorado River Basin.

Globally, the latest report from climate scientists paints an even greater challenge. To avoid really bad stu , they say, we must halve our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. ey insist upon need for new technologies, including ways to suck carbon out of the atmosphere, that have yet to be scaled.

We need that evolution of accountability described in Colorado’s Republican River Basin. We need a revolution of accountability on the global scale.

Allen Best, a long-time Colorado journalist, publishes Big Pivots. You can nd more at BigPivots.com

Adding value through relatable life experiences

Robin was one of the newest and youngest members of the team attending the training session. As the facilitator shared ideas, strategies and tactics for dealing with the various situations that the team may encounter, she found herself really leaning in to try and absorb and retain as much as she possibly could. It was harder for her because other than a few part-time jobs and her education experiences, Robin could only image some of the scenarios as they were being explained.

Sean was in the same training session, and although new to the company, he had many years of experience in the industry. Since he had been in the industry for so many years, he had a lot of knowledge that others in the training class had lacked. Sean also brought with him so many relatable life and work

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experiences, making it easy to connect the concepts being taught to his job func-

During an exercise the facilitator paired the newest person with the most experienced person to go through the exercises together during the training. at meant that Robin, the new college graduate, was partnered with Sean, the most tenured person in the training. Initially both Robin and Sean felt uncomfortable about the pairing. Sean believed he would learn nothing from someone so young and inexperienced and that he would have to do most of the work. Robin was intimidated at rst and just wished that she would have

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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been paired with someone closer to her own age.

By the end of the training Robin and Sean were working and collaborating so well. At the end of the day the facilitator asked for lessons learned from the training. Robin shared that although Sean was much more experienced, that his willingness to share information and connect real-world stories to the exercises helped her to connect the dots better to the concepts being taught. And Sean shared that although he believed that his young counterpart could ever teach, “ is old dog any new tricks,” that Robin’s natural curiosity taught him that he certainly did not know it all and it reminded him of the need to be more curious himself.

I don’t know about you but I get to experience this very thing every day. Our own team is made up of

STEVE SMITH Sports Editor ssmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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TERESA ALEXIS Marketing Consultant Classified Sales talexis@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

some very young, incredibly bright, extremely driven, and curious team members. We are also blessed with, let’s just say, a little more gray than the rest of the team and lots of lessons learned over the years. And we have others on the team somewhere along their own career and life journey that bring so much to the team in the way of critical thinking, wonderful experience, and knowledge. What makes our team meetings work so well is that those of us who have been around for a while appreciate the new thinking and insights that those just coming into the business are bringing to each situation or opportunity. And I watch in awe as the seasoned veterans share their wisdom through role plays and pressure testing ideas while the younger team members really pay

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Blade. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper. To opt in or out of delivery please email us at circulation@ coloradocommunitymedia.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Protect United Power, remove Rose

We want to thank the United Power Board of Directors for following the Bylaws of our co-op and “thoroughly investigating”

Mr. Dave Rose resulting in the resignation of his seat on the Board “before a decision on the complaint was reached by the Board” as per the Minutes of the January 24 special board.

Some background: Late last year, a group of very concerned Brighton and Commerce City area citizens called and then submitted a written letter of Complaint to the Chairman of the United Power Board of Directors alert-

NORTON

FROM PAGE 6

attention. We are all learning from one another regardless of age or experience.

When we do not know what we do not know, it’s a best practice to stop

ing the Board of our knowledge of Dave Rose’s on-going breach of his duty of confidentiality, his unacceptable conduct, possible malfeasance and altogether lack of professionalism with regards to his representation of the members of the cooperative and what was known to be damaging statements he has made that damage the membership in our opinion.

Unfortunately, Dave Rose continues to spread his untruths and misstatements to all who will listen to him including using Letters to the Editor, contacts in his political circles in Adams County, Brighton and elsewhere, and any

pretending to be a no-it-all. And that’s something I will also brag on my team about, no one is afraid to ask for help. Our team culture is to be there for one another and help in any way that we can, respecting that everyone on the team brings relatable life experiences regardless of age. It’s about who they are and what they bring that matters most.

TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS ACROSS THE STATE

The Colorado Sun is a journalistowned, award-winning news outlet that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state — our community — can better understand itself.

In this way, The Sun contributes to

a more vibrant, informed and whole Colorado.

The Sun, launched in 2018, is committed to fact-based, in-depth and non-partisan journalism. It covers everything from politics and culture

other forms of communication at his disposal. The Board has taken the high road on this, but we feel miss-truths must be refuted in order to maintain a healthy board representation.

Dave Rose’s objectives are to now try to remove the Directors who simply followed the rules and stood up to his bad behavior as we asked them to do. We were prepared to remove him from office if they could not do so using their proper procedures and we still are prepared to take a stand against someone who simply wants to be important, doesn’t know how to act and loves to create havoc

How about you and your team?

Is everyone valued and respected for what they bring to the opportunities and meetings? Is everyone learning to be more curious and instead of telling, asking better questions? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail. com, and when we can openly talk about, share, and learn from one

to the outdoor industry and education.

Now, The Colorado Sun co-owns this and other Colorado Community Media newspapers as a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy. The

where none is necessary. Thank you again to Chairman Martin, Vice Chair Vigesaa, and all the Directors who took a stand in what must have been an ugly ordeal for months.

We encourage the members of United Power to verify what we’ve stated here, do your due diligence before voting and do not listen to gossip, innuendo and misinformation being circulated by him and certain current South and East candidates who are friendly with Mr. Rose and keep his attempts at retribution in mind in coming months and years.

Betty Albright, Brighton

another’s life experiences, it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

Sun is CCM’s partner for statewide news.

For Colorado Sun stories, opinions and more, and to support The Sun’s misssion as a member or subscriber, visit coloradosun.com.

Area massage therapists laud the benefits of the practice on their clients’ ailments, stress

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Caring, compassionate hands — and sometimes feet — are used by massage therapists to help improve the lives of their clients. Massage is an ancient practice, and there are more than two dozen types throughout the world, therapists say.

Four massage therapists interviewed by Colorado Community Media say massage has become more accepted by the public, and more scienti c research is being done to document the health bene ts.

Massage can help with pain and injuries; decrease muscular tension; reduce blood pressure, swelling and in ammation; release endorphins; and much more, according to massage therapists.

“Even people who don’t have speci c problems can bene t from massage,” Destine Robertson with Alpine Medical Massage in Centennial and Conifer said. “Everybody has so much stress, and massage can help relieve that.”

People’s perceptions of massage have come a long way, the therapists said.

“A lot of people think of massage as pampering and relaxing,” Ti any Shocklee with Hearth re erapeutics in Golden said, “but it can help people who have many other issues, too.”

A blend of massage styles

Massage therapy is not an easy profession, requiring hours of training, a certi cation exam and licensing in Colorado.

“It’s become a more regulated eld,” said Mary Davis with Healing Traditions Bodywork in Evergreen, “which I think is best. I think it’s needed and necessary to protect people when they are potentially vulnerable going in for a personal treatment like massage.”

But education doesn’t stop at the 600 hours of initial training for most therapists. ey continue to learn di erent techniques to add to their repertoire.

“ e single most popular, most widely done type of massage in the

U.S. and maybe in the world is Swedish massage,” Davis said. “ at is part of your basic training. It is a bit lighter, more relaxing, with long strokes. en what I do and what a lot of therapists do is integrative massage. We have received additional training in areas that have spoken to us.”

Davis said most of the time she’s integrating di erent styles and techniques in one massage.

“I have a toolbox, and I pull different things out based on what I’m feeling that day in their tissues and what they need,” she explained.

Jenna Courage of Littleton erapeutic Massage Center said she has blended together many styles to create her own technique.

“I make each session specialized for each client,” Courage explained. “Some techniques I use on one client but not another. I feel like I am learning from my clients. ey come in with something new, and I gure out how to work with it, then take that knowledge and use it on someone with a similar issue.”

A satisfying career

Some massage therapists like Shocklee chose the practice as their rst career, while others nd massage therapy along their career paths. Davis and Shocklee have been massage therapists for 19 years, while Robertson has spent 22 years in the profession and Courage 31 years.

“Massage is important for me,” Shocklee said. “It’s what I’m meant to do. It helps me stay connected to myself. For me to go to work feels very focusing and a relief from other parts of my day that may be chaotic. It’s doing something that is single-minded by working with one person.”

Courage was working on a premedicine degree when she realized she had a strong interest in alternative health care. She visited a massage school and signed up the

CIRCLE PHOTO: Mary Davis with Healing Traditions Bodywork in Evergreen uses her forearm to massage areas of a client’s back.

Destine Robertson with Alpine Medical Massage in Centennial and Conifer massages a patient’s back.

Ti any Shocklee with Hearthfire Therapeutics in Golden massages a client’s shoulder. Shocklee also o ers ashiatsu massage during which she uses her feet.

TOUCH

next week.

Robertson, for example, worked in a bakery before moving to massage therapy, quipping that kneading bread dough helped pave the way to her next career. However, she said she should have known that massage therapy was her calling because as a young girl, she rubbed her grandmother’s shoulders. Her grandmother suggested massage therapy as a career.

Davis had a 20-year career in the nonpro t sector rst.

“I like doing things that help people, but I didn’t want to make the commute and sit in an o ce,” Davis said.

Helping others

e massage therapists agree that they continue to practice massage therapy for so many years because of the relationships they have with their clients and because of their ability to

help others with a multitude of issues.

“It’s a pretty amazing feeling to have somebody come in (for a massage) in pain or with an issue that is a big problem in their lives, and you’re able to gure out how to work with them to help either greatly improve or resolve that issue,” Courage said. “Just the feeling of seeing them feel better, to know that they are healthier, happier, more functional in their lives, and you helped create that.”

Shocklee added: “I feel like it’s very rewarding being able to increase people’s wellbeing. It de nitely can be therapeutic for me to help other people and make them feel better. For me personally, doing things like continuing education so I can keep learning new things and taking care of myself have helped me to be able to do it as long as I can. When I rst started, I didn’t think I’d be doing it that long.”

Davis says she usually see an immediate impact from the massages she provides.

“It really motivates me and makes me feel good,” Davis said. “It gives meaning to my work. I feel like I am having a positive impact on people’s lives.”

that are similar to yogic stretching. The therapist uses palms and fingers to apply firm pressure to the body, and you will be stretched and twisted into various positions. Myofascial release therapy: involves releasing sti ness in the fascia, the connective tissue system that contains each muscle in the body. The therapist uses massage and stretch to any areas that feel tense with light pressure.

John F. Barnes Myofascial Release: a treatment used to treat chronic pain from the following: back, neck, menstrual, jaw, headaches, and others.

Ashiatsu massage: a technique where massage therapists use their feet to apply deep pressure to your body. It’s often called barefoot massage. Methods allow the deep tissues, joints and muscles to be massaged while easing the nervous system.

Reiki: a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is based on the idea that an unseen life-force energy flows through people and is what causes us to be alive. If one’s life-force energy is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Spring Sports Calendar

STAFF REPORT

Brighton High School

Baseball

Mar. 20-25 @Arizona tournament

Mar. 28: @Arvada West 4 p.m.

Apr. 4: @Northglenn 4 p.m.

Apr. 6: Erie 6:30 p.m.

Apr. 8: Mullen 11 a.m.

Apr. 11: @Fort Collins 4 p.m.

Apr. 13: Fossil ridge 6:30 p.m.

Apr. 14: @Rock Canyon 4;15 p.m.

Apr. 15: Eaglecrest 11 a.m.

Apr. 18: Legacy 6:30 p.m.

Apr. 20: @Monarch 4 p.m.

Apr. 22: Fairview 11 a.m.

Apr. 25: Prairie View 7 p.m.

Apr. 27: @Loveland 4;30 p.m.

Apr. 29: Poudre 11 a.m.

May 2: @Rocky Mountain 4 p.m.

May 4: Mountain Range 6:30 p.m.

May 6: @Horizon 11 a.m.

May 9: Broom eld 6:30 p.m.

May 11: @Boulder 6;30 p.m.

May 12: Chaparral 6 p.m.

Girls golf

Apr. 3: @Lake Valley CC 9 a.m.

Apr. 10: @ e Ranch Country Club

9 a.m.

Apr. 18: @Broadlands 9 a.m.

Apr. 24: @ orncreek 10 a.m.

May 3: @Bu alo Run 11 a.m.

May 8: @ e Olde Course

Girls soccer

Mar. 9: Arvada West 7 p.m.

Mar. 11: Eaglecrest 1 p.m.

Mar. 14: @Riverdale Ridge 6:15 p.m.

Mar. 16: @Cherry Creek 6 p.m.

Mar. 28: Lakewood 7 p.m.

Mar. 30: Erie 7 p.m.

Apr. 3: @Rangeview 6;30 p.m.

Apr. 6: @Loveland 6:30 p.m.

Apr. 11: Fort Collins 7 p.m.

Apr. 18: @Poudre 5:30 p.m.

Apr. 20: @Rocky Mountain 7 p.m.

Apr. 25: Fossil Ridge 7 p.m.

Apr. 27: Prairie view 7 p.m.

Track and eld

Mar. 10: @Berthoud HS 10:40 a.m.

Mar. 17: John Martinez/Mercury Classic 11 a.m.

Mar. 27: @Brighton HS 5 p.m.

Mar. 31: @Erie 9:40 a.m.

Apr. 3: Prairie View 5 p.m.

Apr. 7: @Je co Stadium (D’Evelyn Invitational) 9:40 a.m.

Apr. 13: Don Osse invit., Je co Stadium, 11:40 a.m.

Apr. 22: @Dakota Ridge Invit., Jeffco Stadium 8 a.m.

Apr. 28: @Longmont HS 8 a.m.

May 3-4 Front Range League track meet

May 12: @St. Vrain Last Chance meet, Longmont HS 8 a.m.

May 18-20 State 5A track meet, Jeffco Stadium

Eagle Ridge Academy

Girls soccer

Mar. 14: @Weld Central 6:30 p.m.

Mar. 30: @St. Mary’s Academy 4 p.m.

Apr. 3: @Colorado Academy 4:30 p.m.

Apr. 6: @Faith Christian 4 p.m.

Apr. 12: Kent Denver 4:30 p.m.

Apr. 14: @Stargate School 4:30 p.m.

Apr. 18: Peak to Peak 4:30 p.m.

Apr. 20: @Prospect Ridge 4 p.m.

Apr. 22: Skyview Academy 11 a.m.

Apr. 25: e Academy 4:30 p.m.

Apr. 27: DSST-College View 4:30 p.m.

May 2: Je erson Academy 4:30 p.m.

May 4: Manitou Springs 4:30 p.m.

Prairie View High School

Baseball

Mar. 9: @Palisade

Mar. 10: @Grand Junction

Mar. 11: @Fruita Monument

Mar. 21-23 @Vero Beach, Florida

Mar. 27: Arvada West 1 p.m. (Coors Field)

Apr. 4: @Rocky Mountain 4 p.m.

Apr. 6: @Boulder 6 p.m. @Scott Carpenter Park

Apr. 11: @Loveland 4:30 p.m.

Apr. 13: Poudre 6 p.m.

Apr. 18: Mountain Range 6 p.m.

Apr. 19: @Horizon 4 p.m.

Apr. 22: Broom eld 11 a.m.

Apr. 25: @Brighton 7 p.m.

Apr. 27: @Erie 4 p.m.

May 2: @Fossil Ridge 4 p.m.

May 4: Northglenn 6 p.m.

May 6: @Legacy

May 9: Monarch 6 p.m.

May 11: Fairview 6 p.m.

Boys lacrosse

Mar. 9: Dawson School 6 p.m.

Mar. 14: Je erson Academy 6 p.m.

Mar. 18: omas Je erson 4 p.m.

Mar. 24: @Legend 7 p.m.

Mar. 29: Resurrection Christian 6 p.m.

Apr. 5: Smoky Hill 6 p.m.

Apr. 7: @Lewis Palmer

Apr. 12: @Arvada West 5 p.m.

(North Area Athletic Complex)

Apr. 13: @Denver North

Apr. 14: Douglas County 6 p.m.

Apr. 19: @Heritage

Apr. 21: Pine Creek 6 p.m.

Apr. 26: Boulder 6 p.m.

Girls golf

Mar. 28: @ orncreek 10 a.m.

Apr. 3: @Lake Valley CC 9 a.m.

Apr.

Apr.

Apr. 26: @

10 a.m.

May 3: @Bu alo Run 11 a.m.

May 8: @ e Olde Course, Loveland

May 22: Regionals

May 31-June 1: State golf tournament

Girls soccer

Mar. 10: Roosevelt 7:15 p.m.

Mar. 14: @Cherokee Trail

Mar. 28: Riverdale Ridge 7:15 p.m.

Mar. 31: @Lakewood (Lakewood Memorial Field)

Apr. 1: @Eaglecrest 11 a.m.

Apr. 6: Fort Collins 7;15 p.m.

Apr. 11: @Poudre 5:30 p.m.

Apr. 13: Fossil Ridge 7:15 p.m.

Apr. 15: ompson Valley 11 a.m.

Apr. 18: Loveland 7:15 p.m.

Apr. 20: Erie 7:15 p.m.

Apr. 25: @Rocky Mountain

Apr. 27: @Brighton 7 p.m.

Track and eld

Mar. 11: @Je co Stadium

Mar. 18: @Aurora PS Stadium

Mar. 25: @Fort Collins 8:30 a.m.

Apr. 8: @North Stadium, West 128th Avenue and Delaware Street

Apr. 15: @North Stadium

Apr. 22: @Windsor

May 3,5 Northern League meet, Broom eld High School

May 12: @North Stadium

May 18-20 State 5A track meet, Jeffco Stadium

Riverdale Ridge High School

Baseball

Mar. 9: George Washington 6 p.m. (Foundation game)

Mar. 15: @Erie 4 p.m.

Mar. 21-23 @Greenway, Ariz., tournament

May 29: Horizon 5 p.m.

Apr. 4: @Severance 4 p.m.

Apr. 6: Severance 4:30 p.m.

Apr. 8: Niwot 10 a.m.

Apr. 11: @Niwot 4 p.m.

Apr. 13: @ ompson Valley 4 p.m.

Apr. 15: ompson Valley 10 a.m.

Apr. 18: Skyline 4:30 p.m.

Apr. 20: @Skyline 4 p.m.

Apr. 25: Frederick 4:30 p.m.

Apr. 27: Mountain View 4:30 p.m.

Apr. 29: @Mountain View 11 a.m.

May 2: @Fortr Morgan 4 p.m.

May 4: Fort Morgan 4:30 p.m.

May 6: Northridge 10 a.m.

May 9: @Northridge 4 p.m.

May 11: @Roosevelt 6 p.m.

May 12: Roosevelt 6 p.m.

Girls soccer

Mar. 6: George Washington 7 p.m.

Mar. 9: Holy Family 6:15 p.m.

Mar. 14: Brighton 6:15 p.m.

Mar. 16: Erie 6:15 p.m.

Mar. 18: @Pueblo West 6:30 p.m.

Mar. 28: @Prairie View 7:15 p.m.

Apr. 1: Standley Lake noon

Apr. 4: @Fort Morgan 5:30 p.m.

Apr. 6: Northridge 6:15 p.m.

Apr. 11: @Niwot 4 p.m.

Apr. 13: Frederick 6:15 p.m.

Apr. 18: @Skyline 5:30 p.m.

Apr. 20: ompson Valley 6:15 p.m.

Apr. 25: @Roosevelt 5:30 p.m.

Apr. 27: Mountain View 6:15 p.m.

May 2: @Severance 6:30 p.m.

Boys volleyball

Mar. 6: @Fort Lupton 5 p.m.

Mar. 7: Niwot 6 p.m.

Mar. 9: Windsor Charter 6 p.m.

Mar. 11: @Eaglecrest tournament

Mar. 14: Peak to Peak 6 p.m.

Mar. 16: @ ornton 6 p.m.

Mar. 18: @Alameda noon

Mar. 24: KIPP Denver Collegiate 6:30 ;p.m.

Mar. 28: Greeley Central 6 p.m.

Mar. 30: @Eagle Ridge Academy 6 p.m.

Apr. 4: Fossil Ridge 6 p.m.

Apr. 6: Mountain View 6 p.m.

Apr. 8: @Severance 10 a.m.

Apr. 11: ornton 6 p.m.

Apr. 18: @Niwot 6 p.m.

Apr. 20: @Greeley Central 6 p.m.

Apr. 25: Severance 6 p.m.

Apr. 27: @Fossil Ridge 6 p.m.

May 2: @Mountain View 6 p.m.

Track and eld

Mar. 10: @Berthoud 1 p.m.

Mar. 17: @Brighton 11 a.m.

Mar. 23: @Denver South HS 11 a.m.

Mar. 27: @Brighton 5 p.m.

Apr. 1: @University HS 9 a.m.

Apr. 8: @North eld 8 a.m.

Apr. 14-15: @Je co Stadium

Apr. 21: @Holy Family 1 p.m.

Apr. 29: @Harrisoni HS 9 a.m.

May 5-6: Longs Peak league meet, (Longmont HS)

May 12: @Fort Collins HS 9 a.m.

May 18-20: State 4A track meet, Je co Stadium

Riverdale Ridge shortstop Marcus Espinosa makes an infield throw attempt during the first game of a doubleheader against Northridge March 2022 at Riverdale Ridge High School.

Prairie View shortstop Bomani Perez makes a diving stop of a ground ball headed for the outfield in a game against Brighton April 2022. FILE PHOTOS BY STEFAN BRODSKY

Coloradans could get up to $2.5 billion in tax refunds

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

Coloradans will receive more than $2.5 billion in tax refunds from the state as long as there isn’t a recession, according to two quarterly economic and tax revenue forecasts presented this month to the legislature.

An economic downturn is increasingly likely, however, given international nancial instability, including stubborn in ation and the banking industry’s headline-grabbing struggles over the past month.

Nonpartisan Legislative Council Sta said the state government will collect $2.75 billion in tax revenue in excess of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights cap on government growth and spending in the current scal year, which ends June 30. e legislature is required to refund that money.

e Governor’s O ce of State Planning and Budget expects the TABOR cap to be exceeded by $2.7 billion in the current scal year.

e cap, set by a 1992 constitutional amendment passed by Colorado voters, is calculated by multiplying the prior year’s limit by in ation and population growth rates.

e money will predominantly be refunded to taxpayers in April 2024 in the form of checks tied to people’s income — with higher refund amounts going to higher earners — as long as the legislature doesn’t change the refund formula this year, as it did in 2022.

e forecasts are provided to the Colorado General Assembly to help lawmakers draft the state budget for the next scal year. e data presented in March to the legislature’s powerful Joint Budget Committee, which drafts the budget, is considered the most important each year because it’s used to set spending.

e good news for the legislature is that it will have all the money it’s entitled to. e bad news is that the in ation rate used to calculate the TABOR cap lags current economic conditions. at means that while the legislature would seem to have more money to spend next year, the amount is actually lower than this year’s when adjusted for real-time population and in ation increases.

In fact, Greg Sobetski, chief economist for Legislative Council Sta , told the JBC that even without TABOR state budget revenue isn’t expected to keep up with in ation and population increases.

“We expect those revenue increases to not make up for the budgetary pressures that arise from in ation and population,” he said.

Still, state tax revenue is expected to exceed the TABOR cap through the 2024-25 scal year, which begins on July 1, 2024. at’s assuming Colorado voters don’t approve more reductions in the income tax rate — as conservatives are pushing for — and the legislature doesn’t pass new bills o ering tax breaks.

ere’s also a proposal swirling at the Capitol to ask voters to forgo their TABOR refunds and send the money to K-12 schools instead.

e TABOR cap was exceeded last scal year by $3.7 billion, which prompted refund checks to be mailed to Coloradans last year. Another round will be mailed out in April, as well.

Legislative Council Sta and the governor’s o ce shared good and bad news about the state’s economy.

Overall, the state’s economy, like the nation’s, is slowing in the wake of rising interest rates set by the Federal Reserve. Unemployment in Colorado, however, remains low — 2.8% in January, which means it has returned to pre-pandemic levels — and isn’t expected to rise too much.

Legislative Council Sta forecasts the unemployment rate to be 2.9% at the end of 2023 before increasing slightly to 3.1% in 2024. e Governor’s O ce of State Planning and Budgeting says there are two job openings in Colorado for every unemployed person.

Coloradans’ personal savings, meanwhile, have shrunk amid high in ation, while credit card balances have risen.

“Some households may still have excess savings, but most lowerincome households spent down the excess savings acquired early in the pandemic,” Louis Pino, an LCS analyst, told the JBC.

Bryce Cooke, chief economist with OSPB, said if there is an economic downturn, Colorado will be well positioned to weather it.

“If the gap between the workforce and job openings remained similar to where it is now, you would see that people wouldn’t be losing jobs,” he said.

Cooke said bank failures in the U.S. and internationally are a real economic risk, though it will be tempered by the federal government’s willingness to respond to the situation.

Overall, Lauren Larson, who leads OSPB, said these are “uncertain economic times.”

is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com.

e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

A look up through the dome in the state Capitol. PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Seeds of inspiration grow for six-year-old author

New book signals launch of a kid-focused publishing company

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A Mom and her business partner hope that a six-year-old, inspired to write and publish a book that would be “in all the bookstores,” will inspire other young authors to get themselves published.

Six-year-old Saige Moore signed and read her rst book “People, Plants, Family, and Friends: Where Love Begins “at Brighton’s Shades of Divine Christian bookstore on March 18. e book also is the debut for Bookworm Publishing, a Brighton-based brand for kids books written by other kids.

“We are excited to be part of this journey with Saige and Bookworm Publishing, “ said Billie Ortega, owner of Shades of Divine. “Saige is setting the stage for so many of our youth and will touch so many without even knowing it. She has been selling her book for the past couple of weeks and young adults are reading her book.”

Saige loves people, plants, family, and friends that make up her surroundings so much she made it the title of her book. She attends Kindergarten at Flatirons Academy, a Christian School in Westminster. Saige has two siblings: a three-year-old

brother Gage and a sister, Kilee, 22.

“My book is about how you should always love God, “ Saige said.

Seeds of inspiration

Saige’s mom Emily Moore said she was working on writing her own memoir last summer one Saturday afternoon. Saige was watching and it inspired her to write a story and create a book of her own. Saige developed a prototype of her book with construction paper and used staples as binding.

“I asked her what are you doing?” Emily said. “She said I’m writing a book about people and plants. She began to tell me that her book would be in all bookstores and I saw a seed of inspiration, watered the seed,

and watched it grow into a book that would inspire other kids to tell their stories.”

Emily Moore said she had developed a working relationship with book publisher Andrea Lende and her adult publishing company Beatitudes Publishing. So she sent a video of Saige talking about her book to Lende, to see if she had an interest.

“I’m also an entrepreneur, I’ve always looked for that opportunity to teach my kids that you can take something from start to nish, and do anything you set your mind to do, so we decided to publish her book and that’s where it all began,” Emily Moore said.

Andrea Lende is a best-selling

author and speaker in her own right and has written ten books.

“I’m entrepreneurial spirit as well so Emily and I started thinking, what if we could start a publishing company for children’s books written by kids for kids,” Lende said. “In a number of ways, it opens up the path for future authors that shouldn’t have to wait until they’re of my age or Emily’s age to start writing.”

Saige is the founder and part owner of Bookworms Publishing and her mom and Lende are part owners too.

“She is super adorable. When it’s your kid, it’s always going be cute, but it’s special that other kids will also be a part of it,” Matt Moore, Saige’s dad, said.

e three got Saige’s book nished and published before Christmas 2022.

“It has just been such an inspiration for kids with di erent circumstances or hard circumstances, and it’s a sense of hope they can do things with no limits. A six-year-old who can do this instills hope and a sense of wonder for kids to be able to do great things, “ bookstore owner Ortega said.

“I think Saige is setting the stage for a lot of amazing things to come and her love for God going to shine through and I know he is going to do great things in her life.”

Saige’s book is available for purchase on Amazon and stocked on the shelves at Shades of Divine at 155 E. Bridge St.

Emily and Saige Moore with her book she published.

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

Thu 3/30

Trevor Noah

@ 8pm Bellco Theatre, 1100 Stout Street, Denver

Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans

Pelicans

@ 8pm / $29-$3970

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Fri 3/31

Standley Lake Bird Walk

@ 7am Standley Lake Regional Park, 8600 Simms Street, Westminster. prl@ cityofwestminster.us, 303-6582794

Mon 4/03

World Party Day @ 5pm

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Who Loves April?

@ 7pm

Apr 3rd - Apr 24th

Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-2893760

The Well @ 7pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver

True Crime and Teatime @ 5pm

Anythink Huron Street, 9417 Huron Street, Thornton. swhitelonis@any thinklibraries.org, 303-452-7534

Wed 4/05

Hot Buttered Rum @ 6pm

eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St, Boulder

Clay Creations @ 11:30pm

Apr 5th - Apr 26th

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

John Mayer - Solo @ 7:30pm / $49.50-$199.50

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Colorado Mammoth vs. Las Vegas Desert Dogs

@ 7pm / $20-$999

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Dive Bards @ 7pm Trailside Saloon, 10360 Colorado Blvd, Thornton

Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars @ 7pm / $79-$999

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Colorado Rapids vs. Los Angeles

Football Club

@ 7:30pm / $25-$999

DICK'S Sporting Goods Park, 6000 Victory Way, Commerce City

Sun 4/02

80's Prom 21+ @ 1am

Apr 2nd - Apr 1st

Severo Y Grupo Fuego

@ 8pm American Legion, 5421 E 71st Ave, Commerce City

Phat Daddy

@ 9pm

Hoffbrau, 9110 Wadsworth Pkwy, West‐minster

Red Sweater and Volunteer Social at Eagle Pointe

@ 10:30pm

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Sat 4/01

Easter Eggstravaganza

@ 4pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-2893760

Rose's Pawn Shop: Larimer Lounge @ 7:30pm

Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver

Joy Oladokun @ 7:30pm

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Cir, Denver

Club Level Seating: John Mayer @ 7:30pm / $199.50

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

April Showers @ 8pm

Apr 3rd - Apr 24th

Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-2893760

Archery @ 10:30pm

Apr 3rd - Apr 5th

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 East Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Tue 4/04

Boot camp April 2023 @ 12am Apr 4th - Apr 26th

Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks De‐partment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-857-4200

Gambling Trip-"The Century Casino"(4/4) @ 3pm

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors @ 6:30pm / $74-$6705

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Mad Science @ 4pm Apr 4th - Apr 25th

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Thu 4/06

Family Makerspace @ 12am

Apr 6th - Apr 5th

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Nutrition Wednesdays @ 1:15am

Apr 6th - Apr 26th

Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks De‐partment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-857-4200

Job and Career Fair @ 12:30pm

Fort Lupton High School, 530 Reynolds Street, Fort Lupton. jhowell@weld8.org, 303-547-7725

Colorado Rockies vs. Washington Nationals @ 2:10pm / $50-$350

Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Den‐ver

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SOUTH PLATTE

development” by Colorado of water in the upper section of the South Platte, a stretch running back from Washington County all the way up through Greeley, Boulder County and Denver, Rein’s letter says. e compact doesn’t give Nebraska any say over how much upper section water Colorado can use from the South Platte or how much water must be available at a key river gauge at Balzac, a ghost town near Brush.

Other failings of the study, Rein adds, include relying on lower section ows of irrigation water returning to the river that Nebraska doesn’t have a right to; not accounting for diversion rights at Julesburg Reservoir; and ignoring that the canal would be iced over and unable to deliver water across the border during some of the time Nebraska has a right to take it, from October to April.

Nevertheless, Nebraska is itching to start.

Nebraska is in talks to option or buy up land around Julesburg and to the west for canal construction, Rein said. Grassed-over scars of Nebraska’s un nished attempt at a Perkins Canal in the late 1800s are visible across northeastern Colorado.

Colorado takes pains in its o cial response to say it has always honored a 1923 compact with Nebraska on how the South Platte operates, and always will. e letter, with extensive input from the Colorado At-

torney General’s O ce, is not meant to be a hard “no,” Rein said.  e engineering formulas and legalese are meant to say, “ ere may be things that you didn’t consider, that will reduce the amount of water you’ll be able to yield,” Rein said.

Nebraska surprised Colorado and Western water watchers in early 2022 with a revival of the ancient Perkins County Canal plan. (Perkins County is on the Nebraska side of

the border, though the canal may or may not actually run through it.)

Nebraska’s governor warned Colorado had plans to use up all available South Platte River water before it left the state just northeast of Julesburg, and that the only way for Nebraska to secure its rights was a $500 million canal allowed in the compact.

Nebraska needs the water for its agriculture-based economy and for recreation, state o cials said. e state’s legislature quickly agreed, and voted to launch engineering studies and start setting aside money for eventual construction.

A year ago, Rein and the o ce of Gov. Jared Polis said they hadn’t heard many details of the canal plan directly from Nebraska engineers.

e Nebraska consultants’ report was delivered to the state legislature in late December.

“Nebraska stands to lose the water supply that provides bene ts to its residents if it does not build the project,” the study concludes. If begun in earnest in 2023, the report estimates, the canal could be owing by 2033.

At the 500 cubic feet per second rate the canal has a compact-codied right to draw from the Colorado side of the South Platte, the project would deliver about 78,400 acrefeet to Nebraska in an average year for irrigation and storage, the study says. By comparison, Denver Water’s Dillon Reservoir in Summit County can hold 257,000 acre-feet of water. (An acre-foot provides a foot of irrigation water to one acre for a season or supplies two to four typical city households for a year.)

If expected Colorado river development projects take away 50% of

the current remaining supply in the South Platte, the study adds, the canal could still deliver 69,900 acre-feet to Nebraska each year. e water could support 1.6 million irrigated acres in Nebraska and bolster municipal supply to faster-growing eastern cities such as Omaha and

Total economic bene ts from the project would range from $698 million to $754 million, an enticing payo for the $567 million project cost, the study adds.

Part of the study’s optimism about how much Colorado water it can get stem from a disagreement over the extent of climate change. Colorado forecasters and engineers predict continuing heavy impacts on the South Platte Basin from an ongoing drought and temperature and snowpack pressures. Nebraska studies “ nd more moderate temperature changes and even stabilized precipitation patterns” for the lower section of the river, the Nebraska report said.  Nebraska’s Deputy Director of Natural Resources Jesse Bradley said the Colorado state engineer’s letter fails to account for the fact that the Nebraska supply study “used a conservative approach.” Bradley’s email attached a photo from near Julesburg showing strong river ow on March 14.

“Even assuming that ows entering the lower section are zero, there will still be signi cant ows available for the canal,” Bradley wrote. Bradley said his photo showed South Platte River ow at the state line near Julesburg was 260 cubic feet per second on a day Nebraska would have the right to divert, even though ows were near zero at the gauge dividing the river’s upper section from the lower section.

“In addition, this does not account for the many junior Colorado recharge projects in the lower section that are currently diverting, but would be curtailed to meet Nebraska’s demand,” he added.

“We have not had the opportunity to discuss the letter with Kevin (Rein) and hope to do so in the future,” Bradley said.

e Colorado response letter on future water supply does not include an extensive environmental analysis of the canal’s impacts. But previous studies have warned canal engineers may never overcome the South Platte ow requirements of the Endangered Species Act. e Nebraska report says the canal may actually improve conditions satisfying a 2006 interstate pact to support South Platte wetlands wildlife, but doesn’t explain how taking more water out before the Nebraska border would achieve that end.

Nebraska o cials have said in some conversations they feel a canal could be completed within

The South Platte River is seen from overhead in Sedgwick County on March 16, 2022.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN / THE COLORADO SUN VIA REPORT FOR AMERICA

SEE SOUTH PLATTE, P15

Bennet raises concerns about what chatbots say to kids

Senator from Colorado points to examples

BY KAITLIN KIM COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Generative Artificial Intelligence, like Chat GPT, may be able to write an episode of South Park or ace the LSAT, but Colorado U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet is concerned about what these chatbots might be saying to kids.

This comes after journalists and others, posing as kids and young teens, reported that generative AI programs helped provide information to questions that should have raised red flags.

The examples listed in Bennet’s letter include AI giving tips on how to protect access to social media apps parents wanted kids to delete, how to cover up bruises before a visit from Child Protective Services and advice on setting the mood with “candles or music” for someone who posed as a 13-year-old girl preparing to meet a 31-year-old

man.

“Although generative AI has enormous potential, the race to integrate it into everyday applications cannot come at the expense of younger users’ safety and well being,” Bennet writes to the heads of Open AI, Snap, Alphabet, Microsoft and Meta. “Although AI-powered chatbots come with risks for anyone – for example, by providing false information, perpetuating bias, or manipulating users – children and adolescents are especially vulnerable. Younger users are at an earlier stage of cognitive, emotional, and intellectual development, making them more impressionable, impulsive, and less equipped to distinguish fact from fiction.”

Bennet had several questions for the tech leaders as they move to integrate generative AI into their apps, including what existing or planned safety features they will implement for younger users, whether they have assessed or planned to assess potential harms to younger audiences, and what kind of auditing processes they have for the AI models behind

where exactly Nebraska can nd the water to ll the canal.

chatbots that talk to the public.

This push comes as more lawmakers have expressed concerns about how social media is affecting teens’ mental health and how social media companies use the data they are collecting. Answers to Bennet’s questions could help shape any congressional response, either legislation or future hearings, to these concerns.

Bennet is one of several lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who have expressed concerns about the popular social media app TikTok, in particular. The CEO of TikTok will testify in front of the house Energy and Commerce committee later this week.

In the last Congress, Bennet also introduced a bill to set up a federal commission to provide oversight of digital platforms “to protect consumers, promote competition, and defend the public interest.”

This story is from CPR News, a nonprofit news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr. org.

letter, Schneekloth is not expecting surrender.

four years, said Joel Schneekloth, a regional water resource specialist at Colorado State University. But the likely litigation over EPA environmental impact rules alone could drag on for years, Schneekloth added.

Nonpro ts and water agencies along both the North and South extensions of the Platte River, and the mainstem after they meet 90 miles east of Julesburg, have fought for decades over providing enough water and habitat for whooping cranes. Northern Water in Colorado started planning the two-reservoir Northern Integrated Supply Project in the early 2000s, and only in late 2022 received its nal federal permit, Schneekloth said. at project faces still more opposition lawsuits.

South Platte River environmental issues will “come into play, and that’s going to be an issue that will be adjudicated,” he said.

In prepared remarks at a January water congress, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser listed many reasons why the Nebraska canal is “Stated simply . . . both unwise and unlikely.”

Schneekloth, as well as water experts on the Nebraska side of the border, agree with the Colorado engineer’s pointed questions about

With low o -season ow and all the senior water rights diversions allowed above the Nebraska canal spot, Schneekloth said, “we’re starting out with basically a dry river at that point.”

While the Nebraska legislature moves forward, they’re hearing from local academics who are similarly skeptical.

“ ere are a lot of senior users in the basin who would basically be able to take the water, so I’m not even sure legally if this canal would really be able to appropriate water out of the South Platte,” an appropriations committee heard in 2022 from Anthony Schutz, a University of Nebraska associate law professor, according to Nebraska public radio.

Nebraska o cials said in their response email to e Colorado Sun that they have “discussed alternatives” to the canal with Colorado that would allow their state to divert South Platte water in a di erent location that would reduce any impact to Colorado landowners.

“ at alternative was dismissed by Colorado, as they indicated they would not recognize Nebraska

Compact rights unless the diversion is located” southwest of Julesburg and the tiny hamlet of Ovid.

As for Nebraska shrinking from the implications of the Colorado engineer’s hydrology-questioning

“ ey’re dead serious about this,” he said.

is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet

based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun. com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

Sen. Michael Bennet says the interaction of chatbots with children deserves examination. U.S. GOVERNMENT PHOTO

Polis targets local land use in bid to make housing less costly

BY JESSE PAUL AND ELLIOTT WENZLER THE COLORADO SUN

Fast-growing, housing-strapped Colorado communities would be barred from limiting construction of duplexes, triplexes and add-on housing units under a marquee measure unveiled in March by Gov. Jared Polis and Democratic state lawmakers aimed at addressing the state’s housing crisis by increasing residential density.

e land-use bill would also block limits on how many unrelated people can live in the same home and prevent Colorado’s largest cities from restricting what kind of housing can be built near transit stops. A separate measure, meanwhile, would ban municipalities from imposing new growth caps and eliminate existing ones.

e land-use proposal would apply di erently throughout the state depending on population size and housing needs, with the biggest impacts on Colorado’s most populous cities — Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Lakewood, Colorado Springs and Grand Junction — but also rules for rural communities and resort towns, which have faced their own unique housing struggles.

“ is is an a ordability crisis around housing in our state,” Gov. Jared Polis told e Colorado Sun. “Absent action, it’s only going to get worse. We absolutely want to move our state in a way where homeownership and rent are more a ordable, and this will help get that done.”

Polis said the bills — one of which is expected to be more than 100 pages long — represent the most ambitious land-use policy changes in Colorado in about 40 years. e policy changes will take years to go into e ect, but the governor said if the state doesn’t act, Colorado could start to look like California, where homes are even less a ordable, and tra c is worse.

“We want to make sure we get ahead of the curve,” he said.

Local government leaders have been wary of the proposals, previewed in the governor’s State of the State address in January, because of how it would restrict their power to create and enforce housing policies.

“Respectfully, get o our lawn,” Kevin Bommer, executive director of the

gathering of local o cials in February when describing negotiations on the legislation with Polis’ o ce.

e organization’s board voted to oppose the land-use bill last week, Bommer said. “CML opposes this sweeping and breathtaking attempt to centralize local land use and zoning policy in the state Capitol, while doing nothing to guarantee a ordability,” Bommer said in a written statement, also calling the measure a “breathtaking power grab.”

e only Colorado mayor who spoke in support of the bill at a Capitol news conference on March 22 rolling out the legislation was Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett. “ ere’s still some work to be done and I’m sure there’ll be changes hashed out,” he said. “But there is so much at value here.”

e bills are also expected to meet erce pushback from the few Republicans in the legislature, who are in the minority in the House and Senate and have little say over which measures pass or fail.

e measures have been the talk of the Capitol since the 2023 legislative session began in January, but the details of what’s in the legislation have been under wraps until now. Democrats will have less than two months to pass the bills through the House and Senate before the lawmaking term ends in early May.

e governor’s o ce says the landuse bill was drafted after more than

ness experts and local o cials and through research on similar policies passed in other states. Oregon, for instance, passed a law in 2019 requiring cities with a population greater than 1,000 to allow duplexes, while cities with more than 25,000 people must allow townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes.

Rep. Steven Woodrow, a Denver Democrat who will be one of the prime sponsors of the land-use bill, said the measure is supposed to prevent some Colorado communities erecting barriers to development while their neighbors sprawl out of control, which can cause gentri cation and water issues.

“We have to do this at the state level because local political pressures are such that it hasn’t been hasn’t been done until now,” Woodrow said.

e measure reshaping land use in Colorado would apply only to municipalities, not counties. e governor’s o ce and the bills’ sponsors believe they can impose policy restrictions on cities and towns because housing is an issue of statewide concern, a position that could be tested in court.

“Research has shown that increasing housing supply, like building units like duplexes and townhomes, can increase a ordability,” Senate Majority Leader Dominick Moreno, a Commerce City Democrat and a lead sponsor of the bill, said at a news

conference as the bill was unveiled. “Yet these types of housing are often prohibited in many of the communities that need them the most. And that doesn’t make sense.”

An unanswered question is whether developers will take advantage of the bill, should it pass.

“I think that people are anxious to provide housing,” said J.J. Ament, president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, which supports the bill. “I don’t think it really is a capital problem in Colorado. It is regulatory and environment. I think the capital will ow because the demand is there.”

e legislation is slated to be formally introduced this week. e measures were described in detail to e Sun by their sponsors and the governor.  e requirements will vary for different parts of the state depending on which of ve categories they fall into based on their population and housing needs. Here’s how the requirements would break down:

Tier 1, with cities that include: Arvada, Aurora, Boulder, Brighton, Broom eld, Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Centennial, Cherry Hills Village, Columbine Valley, Commerce City, Denver, Edgewater, Englewood, Erie, Federal Heights, Glendale, Golden, Greenwood Village, Lafayette, Lakewood, Littleton, Lochbuie, Lone Tree, Longmont, Louisville, Northglenn, Parker, Sheridan, Superior, ornton, Westminster and Wheat Ridge.

Outside of the Denver metro area, Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Colorado Springs, Fountain, Grand Junction and Pueblo would also be considered Tier 1 cities.

Cities in this category have a population of at least 1,000 and are in a metropolitan planning organization — such as the Denver Regional Council of Governments — with a population greater than 1 million and in a Census Urbanized Area with a population greater than 75,000. Cities with a population greater than 25,000 and in a metropolitan planning organization with a population less than 1 million would also fall into this category.

SEE COSTLY, P17

Workers frame townhomes in Littleton.

DAVID GILBERT

Tier 1 cities would be most a ected by the land-use bill. ey would be prohibited from restricting duplexes, triplexes and multiplexes up to six units, as well as accessory-dwelling units, sometimes referred to as ADUs or granny ats. ey would also be prohibited from requiring parking tied to those kinds of housing.

ADUs are habitable structures that are on the same property as a house but a separate building, such as an apartment over a garage. Many municipalities across the state restrict where and how they can be built.

Tier 1 cities would also have to allow the construction of multifamily housing near transit centers, which are de ned as the half-mile area around xed-rail stations.Cities wouldn’t be allowed to require new, o -street parking for multifamily homes built in transit corridors, though developers could provide any amount of parking they feel is needed.

Tier 1 cities would also be subject to development guidelines aimed at promoting housing density and walkable communities around so-called key transit corridors, which are de ned as areas within a quarter mile of busrapid-transit and high-frequency bus routes.

Finally, Tier 1 cities will also be required to complete a housing needs plan based on a state housing needs assessment, as well as participate in long-term planning to stop sprawl and address environmental concerns, like greenhouse gas emissions, air pollu-

tion and limited water.

Tier 1 cities have the option of meeting minimum land-use requirements set by the state, which the governor’s o ce refers to as the “ exible option.” If not, they would be forced to adopt a state-developed land-use code. e state code would be created by Colorado Department of Local A airs regulators at a later date.

Tier 1 cities would have to submit codes compliant with the bill to the state by December 2024. Any Tier 1 cities that don’t meet the minimum standards under the legislation’s so-called “ exible option” would be forced to operate under the model land-use code starting in December 2025.

Tier 2 is next, which includes Dacono, Fort Lupton, Firestone, Frederick, Evans, Berthoud, Johnstown, Timnath, Eaton, Miliken, Severance and Monument.

ey are de ned as cities in a metropolitan planning organization that have a population of between 5,000 and 25,000 and in a county with a population greater than 250,000.

Tier 2 cities would be prohibited from restricting accessory-dwelling units and parking associated with ADUs, though they would be able to block duplexes, triplexes and multiplexes. ey would also be exempt from provisions around transit centers and corridors.

ey would, however, still be required to conduct housing needs assessments and create the same type of long-term housing and sprawl and environmental plans.

Tier 2 cities would have to submit codes compliant with the bill to the state by December 2024. Any Tier 1

cities that don’t meet the minimum standards under the legislation’s so-called “ exible option” would be forced to operate under the model land-use code starting in December 2025.

Another category is dubbed, Rural Resort Job Centers. is category includes Aspen, Avon, Breckenridge, Crested Butte, Dillon, Durango, Frisco, Glenwood Springs, Mountain Village, Silverthorne, Snowmass Village, Steamboat Springs, Telluride, Vail and Winter Park.

Rural resort job centers are de ned as municipalities that have a population of at least 1,000 and at least 1,200 jobs and are outside of a metropolitan planning organization. ey also have regional transit service with at least 20 trips per day.

is category is intended to prompt local governments to work with their surrounding region to address housing shortfalls. e communities would be required to allow ADUs but then have to develop a regional housing needs plan to identify where zoning should happen for duplexes, triplexes and other multiplexes. e communities would also have to work together to boost transit corridors and housing surrounding them.

“ ere’s often a dynamic in rural areas where people may live in one community but work in another, and because of that the additional exibility is that they can reach agreements with their partner communities to have a more regional approach to some of the goals that are in the bill,” Moreno said.

Like Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, rural resort job centers would have the ability to choose between a minimum level

of housing policies while maintaining some of their own design standards or be forced to adopt a model land-use code that will be created by the state.

e speci cs on those two options are not laid out in the bill and would be determined later by state regulators.

“ e goals aren’t as stringent as the (ones for) urban municipalities,” said Moreno.

Rural resort job centers would have to submit land-use codes compliant with the bill to the state by December 2026. Any rural resort job centers that don’t meet the minimum standards under the bill’s exible option would have to operate under the state’s model land-us code starting in June 2027.

Yet another category is called NonUrban Municipalities. Any municipality with a population greater than 5,000 falls into this category — as long as it’s not in another category — including Alamosa, Brush, Cañon City, Carbondale, Cortez, Craig, Eagle, Fort Morgan, Gunnison, La Junta, Lamar, Montrose, Ri e, Sterling, Trinidad and Wellington. Non-urban municipalities would be prohibited from restricting accessory-dwelling units but won’t have requirements around duplexes, triplexes and other multiplexes or transit-oriented development. ey also won’t need to prepare a housing needs plan.

is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ

©

TRIVIA

2. MOVIES: Which movie was the rst sports lm to win the Best Picture award?

3. U.S. PRESIDENTS: How many former rst ladies are still living?

4. TELEVISION: What is the name of Bart’s teacher on “ e Simpsons”?

5. LANGUAGE: What does the Japanese phrase “domo arigato” mean in English?

6. CHEMISTRY: What is the lightest element?

7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Who is Marie Laveau of New Orleans?

8. AD SLOGANS: Which product was advertised with the slogan, “Great taste, less lling”?

9. U.S. CITIES: In which city would you nd omas

Solution

Je erson’s Monticello?

10. LITERATURE: Who wrote the autobiography “Dreams From My Father”?

Answers

1. Four: California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

2. “Rocky” (1976).

3. Five: Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump.

4. Edna Krabappel.

5. ank you.

6. Hydrogen.

7. Famous voodoo queen.

8. Miller Lite beer.

9. Charlottesville, Virginia.

10. Barack Obama.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Help Wanted

Director of Student Re-Entry

The Director is responsible for identifying student populations who have not graduated but have left MCC with few remaining requirements left to nish their degree/certi cate.

Title V Director

The Director is responsible for ensuring activities of the grant are implemented, monitoring projects, collecting data and assessing project success, reporting as required to the U.S. Department of Education, monitoring the project budget, and adhering to all program regulations.

Manufacturing Pathways Advisor

The Advisor develops the manufacturing pathway pipeline throughout the college service area. The position advises current and prospective students about college and career opportunities in the manufacturing industry.

Student Support Specialist

The Student Support Specialist is responsible for providing support and training to students in the operation and use of instructional equipment for in-person and remote learning.

Nursing Faculty

Full-time faculty, responsible for teaching, recruiting, advising and outreach to the communities served by MCC.

Master’s degree in nursing or a bachelor’s degree in nursing with a plan to complete an MSN degree is required. Must have a Colorado R.N. license and 4000 hours of veri able nursing experience in the last ve years.

Director of Physical Therapist Assistant Program

Full-time faculty. The Director of the PTA Program manages the program in accordance with the mission, core values, and purposes of MCC. The individual serves in both an administrative position and faculty position. The Program Director is responsible for administrative and scal management of the PTA program, marketing, and recruitment, mentoring part-time instructors/faculty, accreditation compliance, revising program layout and delivery as appropriate to expand the program.

Master’s degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Must have an unrestricted Licensed Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant in the State of Colorado.

For full announcement, requirements & employment application, please visit https://morgancc.applicantpro.com/jobs/ or call 970-542-3130. EOE.

Public Notices call

Legals

City and County

Public Notice

DISTRICT COURT, COUNTY OF ADAMS, STATE OF COLORADO

ADAMS COUNTY COMBINED COURT

Court Address: 1100 Judicial Center Drive Brighton, CO 80601

CONSOLIDATED NOTICE OF PUBLICATION

– ALLOCATION OF PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Notice is hereby given that in the following proceedings filed in the Court under the Uniform Dissolution of Marriage Act, the Court has found that due diligence has been used to obtain personal service of process within the State of Colorado or that efforts to obtain the same would have been to no avail.

Pursuant to C.R.S. 14-10-107(4)(a), one publication of the following shall be published once during the month of March 2023. A copy of the Petition and Summons may be obtained from the Clerk of the Combined Court. Default judgment may be entered against you if you fail to appear or file a response within 35 days of this publication.

Case Number Names of Parties

2022DR30893 MIRNA ELIZABETH MEN-

DOZA FABIAN VS HERSON ALEXANDER VILLATORO

2022DR1783 KASIE MARIE MANZ VS JOHN DOE

2023DR72 BIANCA ROSE VARGAS VS BRANDON JOESPH BONNEY

2023DR30222 OSCAR EDUARDO

RAMIREZ MARROQUIN VS ESVIN VILLANUEVA

2023DR30051 EVELYN MEJIA FIGUEROA VS JOHN DOE

2023DR52 JOHN THOMAS GILMORE IV VS ANGELICA MARIE HERNANDEZ

ALANA PERCY Clerk of the Combined Court

Date: March 23, 2023

By: Madeline Scholl

Deputy Clerk

Legal Notice No. BSB2299

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

DISTRICT COURT, COUNTY OF ADAMS, STATE OF COLORADO

ADAMS COUNTY COMBINED COURT Court Address: 1100 Judicial Center Drive Brighton, CO 80601

CONSOLIDATED NOTICE OF PUBLICATION – DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE

Notice is hereby given that in the following proceedings filed in the Court under the Uniform Dissolution of Marriage Act, the Court has found that due diligence has been used to obtain personal service of process within the State of Colorado or that efforts to obtain the same would have been to no avail.

Pursuant to C.R.S. 14-10-107(4)(a), one publication of the following shall be published once during the month of March 2023. A copy of the Petition and Summons may be obtained from the Clerk of the Combined Court. Default judgment may be entered against you if you fail to appear or file a response within 35 days of this publication.

Case Number Names of Parties

2023DR30043 JULIA ADRIANA MARISCAL

ACOSTA VS FRANCISCO GERARDO MARTINEZ SANCHEZ

2022DR1480 MANUEL GAYTAN ALDAY VS TAMI LYNN SCHAAF

2022DR1862 JULIA AMANDA KIMBERLY BRYANT VS DOMINEC JEFFREY BRYANT

2022DR1143 JEREMY RHEES VS AMBER

RHEES

2023DR39 TIMOTHY EUGENE MEIN VS NANCY LYNN MEIN

2022DR1378 JESUS ARMANDO CALDERON

NEVAREZ VS THERESA MONIQUE CALDERON

2023DR30109 MARIA ESTHER ELIAS

CHAVEZ VS RAYMOND TERAN RUIZ

2022DR1842 LUKMAN AUTBA ABIMBOLA VS ALICIA S HILL

303-566-4123

2022DR732 BEATRIZ RODRIGUEZ FLORES VS JUAN FRANCISCO ALABA ORTIZ

2022DR1560 ARACELY CASILLAS VS ABEL CASILLAS GARCIA

2022DR1588 CINDY LEE ALCOZE VS BEA

ALCOZE III

ALANA PERCY Clerk of the Combined Court

Date: March 23, 2023

By: Madeline Scholl Deputy Clerk

Legal Notice No. BSB2300

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade City of Brighton Public Notice

ORDINANCE NO. 2410 INTRODUCED BY: Padilla

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, ADOPTING DISCONNECTION PROCEDURES

BY AMENDING CHAPTER 17 ARTICLE 2 OF THE BRIGHTON MUNICIPAL CODE PASSED ON SECOND AND FINAL READING AND ORDERED PUBLISHED BY TITLE ONLY ON THIS 21ST DAY OF MARCH 2023. CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO /s/ GREGORY MILLS, Mayor

ATTEST: /s/ NATALIE HOEL, City Clerk

APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ YASMINA GIBBONS, Deputy City Attorney

A COMPLETE COPY OF THE ORDINANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS AND ON THE CITY OF BRIGHTON WEBSITE.

Legal Notice No. BSB2306

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

ORDINANCE NO. 2414 INTRODUCED BY: Taddeo AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, GRANTING A PERPETUAL EASEMENT TO UNITED POWER, INC. OVER A PORTION OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 14, TOWNSHIP 1 SOUTH, RANGE 66 WEST OF THE 6TH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAID EASEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY INTRODUCED, PASSED ON FINAL READING AND ORDERED PUBLISHED BY TITLE ONLY THIS 21st DAY OF March 2023. CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO /s/ GREGORY MILLS, Mayor ATTEST: /s/ NATALIE HOEL, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ YASMINA GIBBONS, Deputy City Attorney A COMPLETE COPY OF THE ORDINANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS AND ON THE CITY OF BRIGHTON WEBSITE.

Legal Notice No. BSB2302

First Publication: March 30, 2023 Last Publication: March 30, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice BRIGHTON HOUSING AUTHORITY 2023 MOVING TO WORK SUPPLEMENT NOTICE OF COMMENT PERIOD & PUBLIC HEARING APRIL 6, 2023, 3:00 P.M.

If you are a person with disabilities and are in need of a reasonable accommodation to access this information or public hearing, please call BHA offices at 303-655-2160.

If you have limited English proficiency and are seeking language assistance to access this public hearing, please call the office at 303-655-2160.

Legal Notice No. BSB2174

First Publication: February 16, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

ORDINANCE NO. 2415

INTRODUCED BY: Blackhurst

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, APPROVING THE REZONING OF A PORTION OF THE BROMLEY PARK PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT 3RD AMENDMENT TO THE BROMLEY PARK PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT 28TH AMENDMENT FOR THE APPROXIMATELY 0.852 ACRE PROPERTY, GENERALLY LOCATED TO THE NORTH OF EAST BRIDGE STREET, WEST OF NORTH 42ND AVENUE, EAST OF THE NORTH 40TH AVENUE ALIGNMENT AND SOUTH OF PIONEER PLACE SITUATED WITHIN THE BUFFS LANDING DEVELOPMENT, MORE PARTICULARLY LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 3, TOWNSHIP 1 SOUTH, RANGE 66 WEST OF THE SIXTH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, CITY OF BRIGHTON, COUNTY OF ADAMS, STATE OF COLORADO PASSED ON SECOND AND FINAL READING AND ORDERED PUBLISHED BY TITLE ONLY THIS 21ST DAY OF MARCH, 2023.

CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO

/s/ GREGORY MILLS, Mayor

ATTEST:

/s/ NATALIE HOEL, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM:

/s/ YASMINA GIBBONS, Deputy City Attorney

A COMPLETE COPY OF THE ORDINANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS AND ON THE CITY OF BRIGHTON WEBSITE.

Legal Notice No. BSB2305

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

ORDINANCE NO. 2413

INTRODUCED BY: Johnston

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, GRANTING A PERPETUAL EASEMENT TO UNITED POWER, INC. OVER A PORTION OF REAL PROPERTY GENERALLY LOCATED IN A PORTION OF THE WEST HALF OF THE NORTHEAST QUARTER AND THE WEST HALF OF THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 20 TOWNSHIP 1 SOUTH, RANGE 66 WEST OF THE 6TH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAID EASEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY INTRODUCED, PASSED ON FINAL READING AND ORDERED PUBLISHED BY TITLE ONLY THIS 21st DAY OF March 2023. CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO /s/ GREGORY MILLS, Mayor ATTEST:

/s/ NATALIE HOEL, City Clerk

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

/s/ YASMINA GIBBONS, Deputy City Attorney

A COMPLETE COPY OF THE ORDINANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS AND ON THE CITY OF BRIGHTON WEBSITE.

Legal Notice No. BSB2303

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

ORDINANCE NO. 2411

INTRODUCED BY: Taddeo

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, AMENDING SECTION 6-4-900 OF

Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Brighton will hold a public hearing regarding an application for a final plat of the approximately 52.982 acre property, known as the “Riverfront Subdivision Filing No. 1”, generally located south of Baseline Road, west of US Highway 85, north of Kuner Road’s intersection with US Highway 85 and Denver Street, and east of the South Platte River. The request is to plat the land into ten lots for possible multi-family residential, commercial, industrial, and or public uses, to provide easements and or tracts for open space, trails, utilities, drainage, and access, and to dedicate rights-of-way.

The property is located in the Northwest Quarter of Section 6, Township 1 South, Range 66 West of the Sixth Principal Meridian, City of Brighton, County of Adams, State of Colorado.

The City Council will hold a public hearing to consider the application for the item at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. The hearing will take place at City Council Chambers (1st Floor of City Hall), 500 South 4th Avenue, Brighton, CO 80601. The City Council will hear evidence from City staff, the applicant, and any interested parties and will make a final decision on the application thereafter.

Further information may be obtained from the City of Brighton Planning Division located at the above address or by calling (303) 655-2059.

Legal Notice No. BSB2298

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

ORDINANCE NO.

INTRODUCED BY: Green

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, AMENDING ARTICLE 2 OF THE BRIGHTON MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

WHEREAS, on July 26, 2022, City Council discussed in a Study Session the various boards and commissions to which Council Members are appointed and the authority for each Board and Commission; and

WHEREAS, certain Boards and Commissions are created by the City Council and are advisory to the City Council, and at the July 26, 2022 meeting it was recommended that the appointed City Council member to City Boards and Commissions not vote on an advisory board or commission; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Appeals has not had anyone apply to be on it in some time making it non-existent, and when an appeal needs to be heard, it would be more efficient to engage a hearing officer engaged to hear such appeals; and

WHEREAS, the Park and Recreation Advisory Board has identified appointments that are not being filled or that are too specific to find individuals willing to serve so removing restrictions will allow more persons who are interested and willing to serve to apply to be on the board; and

WHEREAS, the City of Brighton is a home rule municipality and may create its own boards and commissions and is not bound to those identified in state statutes, so the limitation previously found in the Brighton Municipal Code is not necessary and should be removed; and

WHEREAS, City Council supports modifications to the Brighton Municipal Code to more accurately reflect best or actual practices, to exercise its home rule authority, and to update sections of the Code associated with boards and commissions.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1.Section 2-8-20 is hereby amended as follows:

Boards, commissions, and authorities designated. The Council may, by ordinance, establish, consolidate, or abolish any City board, commission, or authority, except the Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment may not be abolished. The boards, commissions and authorities of the City shall include:

(b) The terms of office of appointed members of the Planning Commission/Board of Adjustment and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board shall be limited to two (2) terms, which shall include the term of office which the member was previously appointed and is serving on June 23, 2009. Except as may be otherwise determined by the City Council, no person may be appointed to serve a succeeding term on the board, commission, or authority from which that person has been term limited. The term limits herein stated shall not apply to the appointment to an unexpired term of no more than one-half (½) of the full term of office. Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit the number of terms that the City Historian may serve.

Section 3. Section 2-32-40 is hereby amended to read as follows:

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board shall be composed of eleven (11) voting members and one (1) City Council liaison, all of whom shall reside in the City, except the School District 27-J Representative, and shall be appointed as follows:

(1)Four (4) at-large members appointed by the Mayor with approval of the City Council;

(2) One (1) member from each ward appointed by the Mayor with approval of the City Council;

(3)One City Council Member, who shall not be a voting member but rather a liaison between the Board and the City Council, and a second City Council member may be appointed as an alternate;

(4) One (1) Representative of the School District 27-J;

(5) Two (2) youth members shall represent the community at large and shall be appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council; (6) Two (2) members from Paragraphs (1), (2) and/or (5) above shall have a special interest in and be dedicated to advancing bicycling within the Brighton community for appointment by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to the Bike Brighton Sub-Committee of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

(7)Two (2) alternates, not from the same ward, recommended by members of the City Council, appointed by the Mayor with approval of the City Council.

Section 4. Section 2-66-10 shall be amended with the addition of subsection (h) as follows:

(h)The Mayor with approval of the City Council may appoint a City Council member to attend Historic Preservation Commission meetings as a non-voting liaison.

Section 5. Section 3-40-170(d) shall be amended as follows:

(d) Membership. The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee shall be composed of seven (7) voting members and one (1) City Council liaison, who shall be appointed as follows:

(1)All members and alternates shall be recommended by the City Council and appointed by the Mayor with approval of the City Council;

(2) Two (2) members shall be representatives of lodging providers located within the corporate limits of the City;

(3) Two (2) members from the Board of Directors of the Brighton Economic Development Corporation;

(4) One (1) nonvoting representative from the City Council appointed by the Mayor with the approval of City Council, and a City Council member alternate may also be appointed;

(5)Two (2) members from the Brighton Cultural Arts Commission;

(6)One at-large resident of the City of Brighton;

(7)The City Manager, nonvoting ex officio; and

(8) Two (2) alternates who are residents of the City.

Section 6. Section 15-2-110 shall be amended as follows:

Sec. 15-2-110 Appeals.

(a) Hearing Officer. A hearing officer matters pertaining to building shall be appointed when there is a right to an appeal with regards to the suitability of alternate materials and types of construction and to provide for reasonable interpretations of the provisions of this Code. The hearing officer may consult experts in the following fields before making a final determination: architecture, building construction, structural engineering, mechanical and plumbing engineering, mechanical contractor, electrical engineer, or fire protection.

(b) Hearing. After the filing of an appeal, the hearing date shall not be more than sixty (60) days from the date the appeal was filed with the Building Official, which hearing date may be extended for good cause shown.

(c)Appeals.

info@brightonhousing.org or mailed to 22 S. 4th Avenue, Suite 202, Brighton, CO 80601

Attn: Andrew Dall, Deputy Director.

The public hearing will take place at BHA offices located at 22 S. 4th Avenue, Brighton, CO 80601, at 3:00 P.M. Immediately following the public hearing for the Moving to Work activities, there will be a public hearing to review the 2023 MTW Supplement.

(1)Planning Commission;

(2)Board of Adjustment;

(3)Parks and Recreation Advisory Board;

(4)Brighton Historic Preservation Commission;

(5)Brighton Youth Commission;

(6)Brighton Housing Authority;

(7)Brighton Urban Renewal Authority;

(8)Lodging Tax Advisory Committee

Section 2.Section 2-8-25(b) is hereby amended to read as follows:

(1)Basis of Appeal. Whenever it is claimed that the provisions of this Code do not apply, or that an equally good or more desirable form of construction can be employed in any specific case, or when it is claimed that the true intent and meaning of this Code or any of the regulations thereunder have been misconstrued or wrongly interpreted, then the owner of such building or structure or his or her duly authorized agent may appeal from the decision of the Building Official. Such appeal shall be in writing and shall be submitted to the Building Official within thirty (30) days of the action causing the appeal.

(2) Decision of the Hearing Officer. The Hearing Officer, when acting upon an appeal and after a hearing, shall determine the suitability of alternate materials and methods of construction and make interpretations of the provisions of this Code consistent with its purpose and intent. Every decision of the Hearing Officer shall be in writing. Every

decision shall be filed in the office of the Building Official within thirty (30) days of such decision and shall be open to public inspection. A copy of the decision shall be sent by mail or otherwise delivered to the appellant. The Hearing Officer shall in every case reach a decision without unreasonable or unnecessary delay, and the Building Official shall immediately act in accordance with such decision. A decision of the Hearing Officer, which in effect shall modify the provisions of this Code, shall not be considered a precedent for future decisions of the Building Official or Hearing Officer.

(3) Final Decision. All decisions made by the Hearing Officer are final and may not be further appealed except to a court of law.

(4) Limitations of authority. The Hearing Officer shall have no authority relative to interpretation of the administrative provisions of this Code, nor shall the Hearing Officer be empowered to waive requirements of this Code.

Section 7. All sections, subsections, and definitions not expressly amended or modified herein remain in full force and effect.

Section 8 As provided in City Charter Section 5.9(A), this Ordinance, either as presented or as amended, shall be published in full as it was adopted prior to taking final action. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect five days after its final publication, as provided in City Charter Section 5.8.

INTRODUCED, PASSED ON FIRST READING, AND ORDERED PUBLISHED THIS 21st DAY OF MARCH 2023.

CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO /s/ GREGORY MILLS, Mayor

ATTEST: /s/ NATALIE HOEL, City Clerk

APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ ALICIA CALDERÓN, City Attorney

Legal Notice No. BSB2307

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

ORDINANCE NO. 2412

INTRODUCED BY: Blackhurst

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, AMENDING ARTICLE 9 OF THE BRIGHTON MUNICIPAL CODE TO UPDATE HARASSMENT LANGUAGE, INCREASE THE VALUE LIMIT FOR THEFTS, CLARIFY TRESPASS, AND ADD COMPARABLE STATE LANGUAGE FOR INTERFERING WITH A POLICE OFFICER

INTRODUCED, PASSED ON FINAL READING AND ORDERED PUBLISHED BY TITLE ONLY THIS 21st DAY OF March, 2023.

CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO /s/ GREGORY MILLS, Mayor

ATTEST: /s/ NATALIE HOEL, City Clerk

APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ MICHAEL DAVIS, Assistant City Attorney A COMPLETE COPY OF THE ORDINANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS AND ON THE CITY OF BRIGHTON WEBSITE.

Legal Notice No. BSB2301

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Metropolitan Districts

Public Notice

NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF REGULAR ELECTION BY THE DESIGNATED ELECTION OFFICIAL EAGLE SHADOW METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 1

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Eagle Shadow Metropolitan District No. 1 of Adams County, Colorado, that at the close of business on the sixty-third day before the election, there were not more candidates for director than offices to be filled including candidates filing affidavits of intent to be write-in candidates; therefore, the regular election to be held on May 2, 2023, is hereby canceled pursuant to Section 1-13.5-513(6), C.R.S. The following candidates are hereby declared elected:

Jeffery Walsh to a 4-year term (2023-2027)

Michael Zopes to a 4-year term (2023-2027)

EAGLE SHADOW METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 1

By: /s/ Courtney Linney

Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. BSB2285

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON INCLUSION (County Club Ranchettes, Filing No. 2)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested persons that a Petition for Inclusion of Property (the “Petition”) has been filed with the Board of Directors of the GREATROCK NORTH WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT, Adams County, Colorado (the “District”). The Petition requests that the property described below be included into the District. The Petition shall be heard at a public meeting on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at 4:30 P.M. The public hearing will be conducted via video conference following the direction below: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetupjoin/19%3ameeting_MzY3ZmQxNzItMjU1OC0 0ZjIwLTkzMjctN2RlNTY1ZGEyNjdl%40thread.

v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%224aaa4 68e-93ba-4ee3-ab9f-6a247aa3ade0%22%2c% 22Oid%22%3a%227e78628f-89cd-4e97-af6c60df84b55ffe%22%7d or by calling 1-720-547-5281 and enter Phone Conference ID: 113 576 728#.

The name and address of the Petitioner and a description of the property to be included are as follows:

Name of Petitioner: Premier Community Developments, Ltd.

Address of Petitioner: Premier Community Developments, Ltd.

Attn: Jay B. Scolnick, President 635 E. Layton Drive Englewood, CO 80113

General Description of Property: A parcel of vacant land consisting of approximately 102.9812 acres generally located in the East Half of Section 2, Township 1 South, Range 65 West of the Sixth Principal Meridian, County of Adams, State of Colorado as further described in the Petition.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN to all interested persons that they shall appear at the public meeting and show cause in writing why such Petition should not be granted.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF GREATROCK NORTH WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT.

By:WHITE BEAR ANKELE TANAKA & WALDRON Attorneys at Law General Counsel to the District

Legal Notice No. BSB2309

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF REGULAR ELECTION BY THE DESIGNATED ELECTION OFFICIAL

TODD CREEK VILLAGE PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Todd Creek Village Park and Recreation District of Adams County, Colorado, that at the close of business on the sixty-third day before the election, there were not more candidates for director than offices to be filled including candidates filing affidavits of intent to be write-in candidates; therefore, the regular election to be held on May 2, 2023, is hereby canceled pursuant to Section 1-13.5-513(6), C.R.S. The following candidates are hereby declared elected:

Jeffery Walsh to a 4-year term (2023-2027)

Michael Zopes to a 4-year term (2023-2027)

TODD CREEK VILLAGE PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT

By: /s/ Courtney Linney, Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. BSB2286

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF ELECTION and CERTIFIED STATEMENT OF RESULTS THE LAKES METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 2

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to § 1-13.5513(6), C.R.S., that, at the close of business on February 28, 2023, there were not more candidates than offices to be filled, including candidates filing affidavits of intent to be write-in candidates, for The Lakes Metropolitan District No. 2 (the “District”). Therefore, the election for the District to be held on May 2, 2023 is hereby cancelled.

The following candidates for the District are declared elected by acclamation: Paula Lindamood Until May 2027

The following offices remain vacant: VACANT Until May 2025

VACANT Until May 2027

/s/ Ashley B. Frisbie

Designated Election Official

Contact Person for District: Heather L. Hartung, Esq. WHITE BEAR ANKELE TANAKA & WALDRON

Attorneys at Law

2154 E. Commons Avenue, Suite 2000 Centennial, Colorado 80122 (303)858-1800

Legal Notice No. BSB2290

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF REGULAR ELECTION BY THE DESIGNATED ELECTION OFFICIAL ROCKY MOUNTAIN RAIL PARK METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Rocky Mountain Rail Park Metropolitan District of Adams County, Colorado, that

ROCKY MOUNTAIN RAIL PARK METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

By: /s/ Becky Johnson Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. BSB2288

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

AVISO DE CANCELACIÓN DE LA ELECCIÓN y DECLARACIÓN CERTIFICADA DE LOS RESULTADOS

DISTRITO METROPOLITANO DE THE LAKES No. 2

SE NOTIFICA POR MEDIO DE LA PRESENTE según § 1-13.5-513(6), C.R.S., que, al cierre del día hábil del 28 de febrero de 2023, no había más candidatos que cargos a cubrir, incluyendo a los candidatos que presentaron declaraciones juradas de intención de ser candidatos por escrito, para el Distrito Metropolitano de The Lakes No. 2 (el “Distrito”). Por lo tanto, quedan canceladas las elecciones para el Distrito del 2 de mayo de 2023.

Los siguientes candidatos para el Distrito son declarados electos por aclamación:

Paula Lindamood Hasta mayo de 2027

El siguiente cargo sigue vacante:

VACANTE Hasta mayo de 2025

VACANTE Hasta mayo de 2027

/s/ Ashley B. Frisbie Representante electoral designada

Persona de contacto para el Distrito:

Heather L. Hartung, Esq WHITE BEAR ANKELE TANAKA &WALDRON Licenciados en Derecho

2154 E. Commons Avenue, Suite 2000 Centennial, Colorado 80122 (303)858-1800

Legal Notice No. BSB2291

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Summons and Sheriff Sale

Public Notice

DISTRICT COURT, ADAMS COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO

CIVIL ACTION NO. 2022CV030769, Division/ Courtroom C

COMBINED NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE OF REAL PROPERTY (Publication Notice)

BRANDON PLACE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., Plaintiff, v. 4238 THORNTON LAND TRUST; JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION; and ADAMS COUNTY PUBLIC TRUSTEE, Defendants.

TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS, please take notice:

You and each of you are hereby notified that a Sheriff’s Sale of the referenced property is to be conducted by the Civil Division of the Sheriff’s Department of Adams County, Colorado at 9:00 O’clock A.M., on the 25th day of May, 2023, at the Adams County Justice Center, 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Basement Floor, Brighton, CO 80601, phone number 303-655-3272. At which sale, the above described real property and improvements thereon will be sold to the highest bidder. Plaintiff makes no warranty relating to title, possession, or quiet enjoyment in and to said real property in connection with this sale.

BIDDERS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE CASH OR

CERTIFIED FUNDS SUFFICIENT TO COVER THEIR HIGHEST BID AT THE TIME OF SALE.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LIEN BEING FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN ON THE SUBJECT PROPERTY. Judgment is in the amount of $6,649.77.

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: April 27, 2023

Published In: Brighton Standard Blade

This is to advise you that a Sheriff’s sale proceeding has been commenced through the office of the undersigned Sheriff pursuant to Court Order dated January 19, 2023 and C.R.S. 38-38-101 et seq. by Brandon Place Homeowners Association, Inc. the holder of a statutory lien recorded on in the records of the Clerk and Recorder of the County of Adams, State of Colorado. The foreclosure is based on a default under the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions for Brandon Place on 08/13/1998 at C0430579 in the records of the Clerk and Recorder of the County of Adams, State of Colorado. The Declaration establishes a

30, 2023

Last Publication: April 27, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Attorneys for Applicant

1675 Broadway, Suite 600 Denver, Colorado 80202

(303) 407-4499

jfulcher@bwenergylaw.com

rmckee@bwenergylaw.com

Legal Notice No. BSB2218

First Publication: March 9, 2023

Last Publication: April 6, 2023

After first being duly sworn, pursuant to Title 7-42-114 Colorado Revised Statutes, Gary Lee Lammers Estate does hereby give notice to Fulton Irrigating Ditch Company that Certificate No. 4041 for 2 shares of capital stock of the Fulton Irrigating Ditch Company has been lost, mislaid, or destroyed and such certificate is the property of Gary L. Lammers; and such certificate has not been transferred or hypothecated by Gary L. Lammers. Demand is hereby made for a duplicate certificate in accordance with Sections 7-42-113 to 7-42-117, Colorado Revised Statutes.

Fulton Irrigating Ditch Company will issue on or after June 9, 2023, a duplicate certificate to the registered owner, the registered owner’s legal representative or assignee, or any lienholder named in the books of the corporation as a lienholder on the lost certificate unless a contrary claim is filed with the Fulton Irrigating Ditch Company prior to the date stated above.

Legal Notice No. BSB2295

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: April 27, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

BEFORE THE OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

IN THE MATTER OF THE PROMULGATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELD RULES TO GOVERN OPERATIONS FOR THE NIOBRARA AND CODELL FORMATIONS, WATTENBERG FIELD, ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO

CAUSE NO. 407

DOCKET NO. 230100016

TYPE: POOLING

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

To the following interested parties: the Estate of Leslie Orr McWilliam, deceased

You are hereby summoned and may appear and respond to the Application filed with the Commission in this docket. Pursuant to Sections 34-60-101 to -130, C.R.S., Extraction Oil & Gas, Inc.’s (Operator No. 10459) (“Applicant”), filed an Application with the Commission for an order to pool all oil and gas interests on the lands identified below (the “Application Lands”):

Township 1 South, Range 66 West, 6th P.M.

Section 26: All

Section 27: All

Section 34:All

Section 35:All

The Commission scheduled this matter for hearing on:

Date: May 10, 2023

Time: 9:00 a.m.

Place: Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission

The Chancery Building 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801 Denver, CO 80203

PETITIONS

Any interested party who wishes to participate formally must file a written petition with the Commission no later than the deadline provided above.

Please see Commission Rule 507 at https:// cogcc.state.co.us, under “Regulation,” then select “Rules.” Please note that, under Commission Rule 510.l, the deadline for petitions may only be continued for good cause, even if the hearing is continued beyond the date that is stated above.

Pursuant to Commission Rule 507, if you do not file a proper petition, the Hearing Officer will not know that you wish to formally participate in this matter and the date and time of the hearing may change without additional notice to you. Parties wishing to file a petition must register online at https:// oitco.hylandcloud.com/DNRCOGExternalAccess/ Account/Login.aspx and select “Request Access to Site.” Please refer to our “eFiling Users Guidance Book” at https://cogcc.state.co.us/documents/reg/ Hearings/External_Efiling_System_Handbook_ December_2021_Final.pdf for more information. Under Commission Rule 508, if no petition is filed, the Application may be approved administratively without a formal hearing.

Any Affected Person who files a petition must be able to participate in a prehearing conference during the week of April 10, 2023, if a prehearing conference is requested by the Applicant or by any person who has filed a petition.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For more information, you may review the Supplemental Application contained on the Commission website, or you may also contact the Applicant at the phone number or email address listed below.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if any party requires special accommodations as a result of a disability for this hearing, please contact Margaret Humecki at Cogcc. Hearings_Unit@state.co.us, prior to the hearing and arrangements will be made.

OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

ByMimi C. Larsen, Secretary

Dated: March 1, 2023

Extraction Oil & Gas, Inc.

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice March 30, 2023

NOTICE TO MORTGAGEES IN THE FOX CREEK COMMUNITY

Notice is hereby given to all mortgagees within the Fox Creek community in Adams County, Colorado, that the Fox Homeowners Association is seeking mortgagee approval of the proposed 2023 budget for the Fox Homeowners Association (the “Proposed Budget”). The Proposed Budget can be obtained at the following address: Altitude Community Law P.C., 555 Zang St., Ste. 100, Lakewood, CO 80228. Failure of any mortgagee to deliver a negative response to the Fox Homeowners Association, c/o Altitude Community Law P.C., 555 Zang St., Ste. 100, Lakewood, CO 80228, within 60 days shall be deemed consent on behalf of the mortgagee.

Legal Notice No. BSB2311

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Storage Liens/Vehicle Titles

Public Notice

Lien Sale

Notice is hereby given that the personal property described below will be sold to the highest bidder on 4/14/2023 at or after 10:00AM, at Southwest Mobile Storage, Inc. 9595 Brighton Rd. Henderson, CO 80640 Phn. 909-948-7700

Property of: STAXMATIC HVAC & REFRIGERATION

Last known address: 1900 W HAMILTON PLACE SHERIDAN, CO 80110

Property in Unit(s): 20-720194-6; 15-138547-1

Misc R8 & R6 Flexible Duct Rolls

Legal Notice No. BSB2297

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last

24, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred. /s/ Ashley A. Geary Ashley A. Geary, Attorney for Personal Representative JORGENSON, BROWNELL, & PEPIN, P.C 900 S. Main Street, Suite 100 Longmont, CO 80501 Notice

Legal Notice No. BSB2284

First Publication: March 23, 2023 Last Publication: April 6, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Henry F. Dickinson, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 30013

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before July 31, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred. Joseph A. Murr 1999 Broadway, Suite 3100 Denver, Colorado 80202

Legal Notice No. BSB2293

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: April 13, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Charles Clarence Owens, a/k/a Charles C. Owens, a/k/a Chuck Owens, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 61

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before July 17, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Kimberley R. Brooks Personal Representative 10013 Uravan St Commerce City, CO 80022

Legal Notice No. BSB2225

First Publication: March 16, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Roni Sue Miller Garmann

Why so many Colorado cars have expired license plates

is widespread

BY PAOLO ZIALCITA COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

eodore Shille was driving home from the grocery store when he noticed something. During the short trip, he passed three cars that had expired temporary license plates or no plates at all.

It wasn’t the rst time he had seen this near his Denver home; a few days before he wrote in to CPR News and asked, “what’s the deal with all the cars driving around without a license plate, or with an expired temporary plate?”

It’s a question that regularly appears on a local Reddit message board.

And it’s something this reporter has seen, as well. When I started looking into this story, I stood at a busy intersection in Westminster near the entrance to U.S. 36 on a Sunday morning to count the number of cars I saw with expired temporary license plates or no plates. Within 10 minutes, I saw 10 cars.

Why are there so many cars on Colorado roads with expired plates? At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, before vaccines were readily available, county Department of Motor Vehicle o ces were closed frequently and experienced supply chain issues for materials needed to make the plates. Could that still be a ecting permanent

license plate turnaround times? Are drivers lax in getting their plates updated, or is something else happening?

According to Adam Wilms, director of vehicle services at the state DMV, that early pandemic slowdown has come and gone.

“You’ll see appointments ranging from same day to, I would say, a max of three or four days out,” he said. But that only covers one aspect of the process to acquire permanent plates. It really begins once someone purchases a vehicle from a dealership.

After all the forms are signed, the dealer has 30 days to forward

7201 Worley Drive Denver CO 80221

Notice No. BSB2230

NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Daisy Shrock a/k/a Daisy Lee Shrock, Daisy L. Shrock, Deceased

Case

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before July 31, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Susan N. Mickus Skipton Law, LLC Attorney for Personal Representative Kenneth Top 2 Inverness Drive East, Suite 102 Englewood, CO 80112

Publisher:

Brighton Standard Blade

the title paperwork to your county DMV o ce for processing. Jessica Ramirez, who manages titles for GoJo Auto in Denver, said this part usually goes smoothly for her, but there are exceptions.

“Every deal’s di erent. I have three right now that aren’t good,” Ramirez said. “Sometimes it’s a trade-in and we pay out the lien and the bank doesn’t send us the title. Or it gets lost in the mail, so I have to wait for a lien release and then get a duplicate title. ere’s lots of things that could delay it.”

e county DMV has 30 days after it receives the title to process the paperwork and send the buyer a “Title

Attorney for Personal Representative 203 Telluride Street, #400 Brighton, CO 80601

Legal

Estate

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before July 23, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Complete Notice” via mail. Ramirez said she heard from the people she sends paperwork to that there are potential slowdowns there, as well.

Derek Kuhn, a spokesperson for the state DMV, said that all Colorado counties should be caught up on title processing by now, except for one.

“Our team con rmed that Denver County DMV is running behind on processing title paperwork, but we

Case Number: 2023 PR 30188

Deceased

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before July 17, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Jacob L. Castillo

Personal Representative 9727 Cherry Lane Thornton, CO 80229

Legal Notice No. BSB2231

First Publication: March 16, 2023

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Shirley Jean Kay a/k/a Shirley Kay a/k/a Shirley Jean Pettit, Deceased

Case Number: 2023 PR 30134

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before July 17, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Gary Lee Kay

Estate

NOTICE

Number: 2023 PR 30141

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before July 17, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Personal

Notice No. BSB2226

Legal

Last Publication: March 30, 2023

NOTICE

PUBLIC

Number: 2023 PR 30226

First

Last publication: April 06, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

PUBLIC

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Douglas Craig Toft, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 30017

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before July 31, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Toft

Personal

Brighton

You are required to appear before this court at 03:30 PM on Thursday, April 27, 2023, in the District Court, Juvenile Department, 1900 East Morris, city of Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas; or prior to that time file your written response to the pleading with the clerk of this court. Failure to either appear or respond may result in the court entering judgment granting the requested action. Anna M Jumpponen, an attorney, has been appointed as guardian ad litem for the child(ren). Each parent or other legal custodian of the children has the right to appear and be heard personally either with or without an attorney. The court will appoint an attorney to represent a parent who fails to appear.

CLERK OF THE DISTRICT COURT by:Clark, Deputy Clerk

Legal Notice No. BSB2308

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: April 6, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade ###

Standard Blade March 30,

‘Our team confirmed that Denver County DMV is running behind on processing title paperwork, but we believe they should be caught up in a couple of weeks.’

Derek Kuhn, spokesperson for the state DMV

EXPIRED

believe they should be caught up in a couple of weeks,” he said.

Department spokesperson Courtney Meihls said the Denver County DMV wait time is currently 30 days: “Denver is experiencing a backlog due to staing issues, and because our branches operate di erently than other [motor vehicle] branches throughout the state.”

If drivers don’t receive their permanent plates within by the time the temporary plates expire, Meihls continued, the DMV branches will provide extended temporary plates.

After the local DMV mails that Title Complete Notice, the process to get permanent plates varies by county. In Denver County, for example, buyers can either register their vehicle over the phone or visit a branch o ce. Buyers may be required to bring documentation, like proof of ownership and insurance, into their local DMV o ce.

All that’s left to do is pay for registration fees, which can vary depending on the age, weight and value of the vehicle. Fees can amount in the low hundreds, while some vehicles may garner a nal fee of well over $1,000. Fees help pay for vital infrastructure across the state.

“What most people don’t realize is that a signi cant portion of [registration fees] goes to the county, so that pays a lot of your county taxes,” Wilms said. “In addition to that, it’s your road and bridge taxes and fees. A lot of the money goes to the highway user

tax fund and funds the repairs and the creation of our roads and bridges throughout Colorado.”

e road to obtaining permanent plates should take 60 days, at most. But for Kyle Spence, it took six months.

“As soon as I actually purchased the car and left with it, that’s when everything started falling to pieces,” Spence said.

When his rst set of temporary tags expired in November, he called his dealership, a national chain, in orton which told him they hadn’t submitted any documents to the state.

“ ey never really gave me a reason for it,” he said.

By January, Spence’s second set of temporary tags were due to expire, and he hadn’t received the Title Complete Notice from the DMV. So, he took matters into his own hands.

“ ere’s a way that you can look up your VIN number of your vehicle, [and] whether or not you have a title number,” he said. Spence took the title number to the tax collector’s o ce without his Title Complete Notice and eventually got his permanent plate. He acknowledged, however, that persuading the o ce to go through the process without the notice was di cult.

For Kate McElhaney, the road to permanent plates has been similarly rocky. In November, she bought an electric vehicle and by February, she was still waiting to obtain permanent plates.

“I don’t know where the holdup is. Is it with the dealership? Is it with the DMV? I’m not really sure,” she said.

Neither her dealership nor the DMV have answered her questions. And with the tax deadline quickly approaching, she isn’t sure how to le

to get the state’s electric vehicle tax credit.

“If I don’t get my car registered until after April 15, what does that mean?” she asked. “Do I just surrender my tax credit or can I go for it in this calendar year? I don’t know and I can’t really nd any information on that.”

But what about people driving around with long-expired temporary plates, or cars with no plates?

Until recently, Colorado only penalized people with expired vehicle registration. But earlier this month, a new law went into e ect that aims to reduce the number of cars with expired temporary license plates by introducing new nes to people late with the registration of their temporary plates, as well as permanent ones.

In response to the DMV’s renewed hard stance on all unregistered vehicles, some state law enforcement agencies said they would take more consistent action against cars with expired plates or no plates.

Colorado State Patrol, the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce, and other police departments recently said they will begin pulling over people for unregistered vehicles.

e Denver Police Department, however, signaled that unregistered vehicles are low on their priority list.

“Consistent with our commitment to Vision Zero, Denver Police O cers generally focus on safety violations when conducting tra c enforcement. When they are not responding to reports of crime, o cers are encouraged to engage in proactive e orts, to include enforcing tra c and parking violations,” DPD said in a statement.

Police departments aren’t the only entity with the authority to enforce

registration laws. In Denver, a division of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure handles parking violations and citations around the city.  at division — the Right of Way Enforcement — issued about 92,000 citations in 2022 to cars breaking municipal code 54-62, which prohibits having either an expired license plate or no front license plate. at’s about 7,000 more citations than were issued in 2019.

John LeDrew has received several of those tickets.

About a year ago, he began leasing a plug-in hybrid and has been driving with expired temporary license plates since they rst expired. He wasn’t told by his dealership or the DMV that he could obtain more temporary license plates.

“I did the calculation, the fees were like $600. I went [to the DMV] to register and get those tags, but it turned out to be closer to $1,400,” LeDrew said. “I couldn’t a ord that at the time. So, I asked what my options were and he said, ‘you just drive around with expired tags.’ I said, ‘alright, cool.’ And I just left.”

LeDrew has been trying to save up to a ord his permanent plates, but owning a small business and having a commission-based salary makes his nances di cult to predict. He believes he’s close, but more tickets could set him back.

“It’s just one of the constant battles we have to manage,” he said.

is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.