Canyon Courier 020223

COURIER

Our in-depth look at the housing crisis

Consolidation e orts moving forward

285 corridor fire departments starting education campaign

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

ree re departments along the U.S. 285 corridor are moving forward with a communication/education campaign to make sure constituents understand what it means if the departments consolidate.

High home prices, lack of supply sever metro residents from communities

BY ROBERT TANN COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

When Chris Laney moved into his new three-bedroom home last summer, he felt like he’d won the lottery. After more than a decade of chasing the cheapest rent across the metro area, the Littleton bartender nally has a house to call his own.

“I almost feel guilty that I have it,” said Laney, 49.

Laney is one of a handful of residents who have secured housing through a subsidized program aimed at helping lower- and middle-income people live where they work. But as cities and towns contend with historically high home costs and a lack of supply,

SEE PRICES, P17

e boards for the Inter-Canyon, Elk Creek and North Fork re departments, heartened by the results of a survey of constituents that said the majority favored consolidation, have agreed to spend a minimum of $80,000 to consultant Turn Corps to make sure residents — and voters — understand the positives and negatives of consolidation. e cost is being split equally among the three departments, and the price could increase if the re boards decided to add in mailings to homes.

e re chiefs have been talking for years about whether consolidation would be good for the departments and their constituents. Indian Hills Fire originally was part of the discussions but backed out last year. Assuming they go forward with consolidation, the three re de-

SEE CONSOLIDATION, P5

Lower- and middle-income people struggle to live where they work

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Bike park developers ask for special use permit

e developers of the proposed Shadow Mountain Bike Park have led an application with Je erson County for a special use permit two years after originally proposing the venture.

ey have supplied reports on drainage, transportation, vegetation assessment, visual analysis, wastewater, water supply and more. e documents are available on the Je co Planning & Zoning website under Active Cases.

Now that Je co Planning & Zoning has the application, it will be several months until the proposal comes before the Planning Commission. e public will have a chance to comment at both the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners meetings.

e Plannng Commission recommends approval or denial of the proposal, and the Board of County Commissioners will make the nal decision. e State Land Board, which owns the property, has promised to abide by the county’s decision.

Developers Phil Bouchard and Jason Evans, who have partnered with the Colorado Mountain Bike Association, want to put the downhill mountain bike park on 235 acres owned by the State Land Board two miles up Shadow Mountain Drive.

e proposal has faced backlash from neighbors and support from mountain bike enthusiasts.

Evans and Bouchard propose a day-use bike park with a chairlift that would be open generally from March to October. It would have a parking lot for 300 cars, 16 miles of trails, a lodge for registration and a small shop. Estimates show about 700 daily visitors to the park.

According to the application letter,

“ e materials provided show that the existing and proposed infrastructure is adequate to support the project and that there would be minimal impacts to resources in the area given the proposed design criteria and mitigation measures.

e project will bene t the local community and greater Je erson County by providing an easily accessible recreation opportunity, reducing over-congestion on current

Je erson County Open Space land, while bene ting the local economy by creating dozens of primary jobs and putting millions of dollars in economic revenue into the local community annually.

A group called Stop the Bike Park has created a video to help viewers visualize the negative impacts of the park on the way of life of residents, wildlife and the environment called “Is It Worth It?”

Evergreen Fire/Rescue starts master plan

Evergreen Fire/Rescue will embark on a master-plan process to guide the department’s direction for the next 10 years.

It has requested proposals from rms to research and help establish goals and the vision for the department, “recommending organizational structure and sta ng, guidelines and metrics for meeting safety and response standards, infrastructure changes to address the growing needs and demographics of the community, and provide a framework for accomplishment of these recommendations,” according to the request for proposals.

e Evergreen re board hopes to hire a consultant by March 1 and have the master plan completed before the end of the year. e department has budgeted $60,000 for the process.

Board members agreed that community feedback would be essential

Elaine Gosnell

Evergreen Fire/Rescue is starting to create a 10-year master plan, and its board promises community engagement as part of the process.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

SEE NEWS BRIEFS, P3

A member of the Elk Creek Fire board wants the board to start a strategic-planning process.

NEWS BRIEFS

to the process.

Elk Creek board member wants to begin strategic plan discussion

e Elk Creek Fire board will begin meeting to start developing a strategic plan.

Board member Chuck Newby brought up the idea at the Jan. 12 board meeting, noting that the board needed to develop a policylevel plan that identi es the department’s objectives including personnel, facilities, apparatus and more to achieve the strategies.

“ e idea here is simply to have a series of work sessions to develop an overall policy plan for the district,” Newby said. “I think it’s absolutely necessary that this board get together in a longer meeting forum to understand the questions and the issues that are facing the district and develop the strategies for achieving goals.”

Board members said the pending decision on whether Elk Creek should consolidate with the InterCanyon and North Fork re departments would impact the department’s strategic plan, and the consultant’s report would provide some suggestions.

Newby countered that the consultant would be from the outside looking in at the department, while the re board could look at the department from the inside.

e re board is setting a date for a work session to begin discussing the department’s future.

EPRD plans Youth Advisory Council

e Evergreen Park & Recreation District board is contemplating creating a Youth Advisory Council to get more youth input and involvement in decisions.

e board is looking at the proposed application process and is expected to make a decision at its Feb. 28 meeting. e board hopes to nd one or two high school sophomores to begin attending monthly board meetings starting in May to provide a youth voice to the board for several years.

Board members said they hoped students who apply spend time in the district’s rec centers or are involved in rec center programs.

EMD working on Evergreen dam

e Evergreen Metro District is doing some work on the Evergreen dam, so it appears that less water is going over the dam and into Bear Creek.

EMD is repairing the dam outlet piping system below the dam, which has been a to-do item from the State Engineers O ce for some time, according to General Manager Dave Lighthart. e piping system allows water to be released during emergencies.

Lighthart said the outlet piping system hasn’t worked in the 43 years that EMD took over running the water treatment system and dam repairs.

“ ere’s nothing structurally wrong with the dam, Lighthart said.

Workers have cleaned the 42-inch diameter pipe and inspected a valve that needs to be replaced. O cials will bring the plan and budget to replace the valve to the February EMD board meeting for approval, so the work can be done, Lighthart said.

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When learning about how Native Americans lived, it’s better when that learning is hands-on.

at’s why the kindergartners at Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen spent time in the school’s STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art and math — lab to create tepees out of construction paper and sticks.

Hands-on learning fun

e youngsters focused on creating the tepees, working in pairs to gure out the logistics of their creations. STEAM lab teacher Megan Arnold and kindergarten teacher

Mikela Schwinn walked around the room, answering questions and helping as needed.

e kindergartners said they had fun creating the projects, experimenting with what would work best. Leighton Peters and Audrey Searle, for example, added a person resting outside the tepee and a stick at the top of the tepee to let the smoke out and for a ag.

Each tepee was on a cardboard base so it could be moved easily.

e kindergartners learned about tribes on the plains and on the West

Coast of the United States. Schwinn reviewed what the class learned before the tepee exercise.

e plains Native Americans wore moccasins and followed the bu alo, which provided food and clothing. Tribes used bu alo hooves to make glue, horns to make spoons and dung to make re. Tepees are like tents because they are easily movable, the kindergartners said.

Native Americans in the Paci c Northwest ate a lot of salmon, lived in plank houses and made totem poles, they added.

e STEAM lab is new at RMAE this year, a space speci cally for students to create as part of the school’s CORE curriculum, according to Schwinn.

Some classes visit the STEAM lab weekly while other classes visit at the end of learning units to create hands-on projects. Arnold is collecting project ideas that can be used with a variety of education units, hoping to help teachers use many hands-on activities.

“We’re taking projects to the next level,” Arnold said. “Students can do a worksheet and talk about it, or they can come to the lab where it takes learning to the next level. For me, it’s been really fun to collaborate with other teachers.”

For Schwinn, bringing kindergartners to the STEAM lab to create projects is both fun and educational. “It’s amazing that we now have this space,” she said. “I love this room.”

Curt & Carol Linke

Kindergartners Delaney Hough and Mila Franklin concentrate on making tepees in the Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen STEAM lab. PHOTOS BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Kindergartners James Sidesinger and Everett Wall put tape on their tepee.

RMAE kindergartners make tepees in school’s STEAM lab

Elk Creek Fire is one of three fire departments considering consolidation.

CONSOLIDATION

partments will put a consolidation question and a question to increase property taxes on the November ballot. ey must decide by Sept. 8 to put the question on the ballot, and voters in all three departments must agree to both questions for the consolidation to occur.

e boards of the three re departments voted in the last two weeks to hire Turn Corps to create and execute the communications/education plan. While most members of the three boards favored moving forward with the education phase, Elk Creek board member Chuck Newby and Inter-Canyon board member Jackie White voted no on this phase of the process.

White voted no because she believed the education component costing about $26,000 or more for each department was unnecessary.

Newby said he believes consolidation would severely diminish re service to Elk Creek residents, so Elk Creek should not be spending more money on an education campaign. Newby also is involved in the Conifer & South Evergreen Community Committee, and the committee has created an explainer about what consolidation would mean for the departments. It can be accessed at cosecc.org under the Fire Protection tab.

e survey performed by Magellan Strategies — the results were released to the public during the re boards’ January meetings — said between 69% and 80% of respondents

SEE CONSOLIDATION, P11

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Young Writers’ Conference returns on March 30

Young writers in kindergarten through fth grade — and their families — are invited to the Young Writers’ Conference on March 30. e conference, which will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Marshdale Elementary School, is revitalized after a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic.

“We’re excited to start this back up,” said Kirstin Pulio , a conference organizer. “It’s been an annual tradition for about 25 years.”

Author Je erson Knapp will be the featured author and guest speaker, who will talk to both parents and students. en, while students read their original stories to small groups of peers, parents can attend seminars on how to promote literacy in their students.

So far, e Bergens, Marshdale, Wilmot and Parmalee elementary schools, and Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen are participating.

Organizers thank the schools’ PTAs for supporting the conference. HearthFire Books will host a book fair.

“ e conference elevates the importance of both reading and writing,” Pulio said. “It gives students a chance to share what they have written and be proud of their work. It’s not just work they do in class and take home. ey are rewarded for their work.”

Conference organizer Kristin Manley added: “It shows them how their writing is special. ey see themselves as writers, and that’s important.”

e conference is capped at 200 students, and registration will close on Feb. 28. For registration and

event questions, contact kirstin. pulio @je co.k12.co.us.

Evergreen library remodeling plans move forward

Plans to remodel the Evergreen library are moving forward after the Je erson County Public Library

board agreed to have the architect complete the plans.

e plans hit the 30% completion mark in November, and the board asked for a cost estimate, especially considering how construction prices

Call for

The Evergreen library will get a makeover this year as the Je erson County Public Library board plans to remodel the interior.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

SEE BRIEFS, P7

From Evergreen to the 7th Fleet

have skyrocketed recently. While the estimate came in about 10% over budget, the board agreed to move forward with the plans anyway.

e total budget for the project is $4.22 million spread over two years: $700,000 in 2022 and $3,520,000 in 2023. When the construction documents are complete, library o cials will provide the board with the redesign plan and a guaranteed maximum price for the construction for a vote.

Priorities for the redesign, which will not enlarge the building, are to make the entrance more welcoming, create space for story times in the children’s area and enlarge the meeting room while keeping the library’s mountain feel.

Sparkle for Special Needs fundraiser

Sparkle for Special Needs, a fundraiser for the INSPIRE special needs program, is preparing to draw the name of a person who will win a diamond pendant.

e fundraiser is sponsored by PandoraJohnProperties real estate team. e diamond estate-style necklace from Daniel Diamonds is valued at $1,500.

A $20 donation is encouraged for each entry, but you may donate any amount or just enter the contest. All donations go to INSPIRE, which is operated by the Evergreen Park & Recreation District.

Last year, Sparkle for Special Needs raised more than $6,000. is

Listen Live: Conifer Radio now has two radio stations: MOUNTAIN CLASSIC ROCK and TWO EIGHTY VIBE

year’s drawing will be at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, at Daniel Diamonds in Bergen Park.

Sparkle for Special Needs is a di erent way to raise money for INSPIRE, Pandora Erlandson said.

“We already support INSPIRE through Boogies (at the Barn),” she said, “because John (Erlandson) has a sister with special needs, so he has a soft spot for the INSPIRE program. Plus we admire Maren (Schreiber, the INSPIRE coordinator) and how hard she works to bring programs to kids and adults.”

Erlandson noted that the couple usually fundraise for INSPIRE through music events, and Sparkle for Special Needs is a di erent way to raise money and may reach di erent donors.

To enter and donate, visit www. PandoraJohnProperties.com, or stop in at Madison & Company/PandoraJohnProperties at 1193 Bergen Parkway or Daniel Diamonds, 31955 Castle Court in Bergen Park.

CONIFER RADIO

Conifer High Student

Radio presents our new weekly local sports podcast, Tuesday Drives with Dane Tuesdays, 5:30 pm on MOUNTAIN CLASSIC ROCK

JSO Chamber Recital:

Friday, Feb 10 - 7pm at Wheat Ridge UMC

JSO symphony Concert: sunday, Feb 12 - 3pm at the green center in Golden

MADISON & CO. PROPERTIES, EVERGREEN

LAURA GILSDORF

Broker Associate, REALTOR®

Madison & Co. Properties (720) 530-9085

Laura.Gilsdorf@MadisonProps.com

Madison & Co. Properties takes great pleasure in welcoming Laura Gilsdorf to our o ce in Bergen Park. Laura was raised in Maryland but spent summers in Colorado when her Dad traveled here as a veterinarian with the U.S. Dep’t of Agriculture. She moved to CO right a er high school and earned a BA from Johnson & Wales in Denver and an MA from CSU in Ft. Collins.

She and her family moved to the foothills a er discovering Evergreen by accident on a hike with her son. She’s been a successful REALTOR® for over six years and is comfortable selling in both our foothills community and metropolitan Denver. Her forte is having home buyers describe their perfect lifestyle and helping them nd the property that supports their speci c way of life. She enjoys a long list of happy homeowners who appreciate her inquisitive, caring, professional approach.

Individual event tickets and ticket packages on sale now. www.jeffsymphony.org

If you or anyone you know is moving soon, contact Laura at (720) 530-9085 or Laura.Gilsdorf@MadisonProps.com.

Erasmo Solerti guest artist violin

Arturo Gonzalez conductor piano

The pendant that is part of Sparkle for Special Needs.

U.S. Navy Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Ty Berger, who is from Evergreen, climbs up a ladder aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz is in 7th Fleet conducting routine operations. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with Allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Imbolc: the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox

Ilove February, primarily because it is my birthday month, though I chafe about how it got short-changed in days. But given that it is often the coldest, most bone-chilling stretch of the year in the northern hemisphere, I do not mind cutting it short and rolling into March.

roughout the ancient world, the month of February was rich with tradition. Its name is derived from Februalia, which was the period set aside in ancient Rome for puri cation rituals. From that tradition, we have the celebration of the Puri cation of Mary, which came forty days after the Nativity in accordance with Mosaic Law, and the blessing of re — Candlemas — on Feb. 2.   ose sacred celebrations happily coincide with Imbolc, which marks the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox. For many in the pagan tradition, Imbolc marks the rst day of spring.

It is striking how two disparate ancient cultures, Greek and Celtic, both correlated the sun and poetry (a decidedly right-brain process) with the creative process. At Imbolc, the crone gives way to the maiden in anticipation of giving birth, and

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

JERRY FABYANIC

young Apollo, god of the lyre, poetry, and intellect, rides his chariot in increasingly higher arcs across the rmament.

In the Celtic tradition, the goddess Brighid, who morphed into Ireland’s Saint Brigid, is prominent at Imbolc, which is known as Saint Brigid’s Day. As with Apollo, she is the deity of poetry. She is also the goddess of smithcraft and healing, making her a goddess of creativity and energy restoration. And like Apollo, she is a solar deity.  On Mother Earth, little or nothing appears to be happening in terms of new life. But beneath her skin, roots are awakening, getting ready to grow and spread hair-like tentacles. Crocuses and tulips are awakening from hibernation. For those into gardening, this is the time for planting seeds in hothouses or solaria to incubate and then sprout as seedlings and mature su ciently in anticipation for their opportunity to bloom in the natural world.

Columnist

Seeing that aspect of the natural cycle as a metaphor, February is the perfect time to re ect or meditate on what is happening underground in these northern climes and relate it to your ideas. Imbolc is an ideal time for imagining, a time to shake free of winter doldrums. Idea seeds lying dormant in your subconscious await to be brought into consciousness, into the visible, vibrant world.  ose idea seeds might be oating as inclinations, urges and gut feelings or may be moving past what you have said or thought you always wanted to do but for one reason or another delayed or postponed acting on. Perhaps you might want to use this time to begin planning a trip, painting a canvas, or writing. Or planting a garden, literally or metaphorically. Imbolc is a perfect time to allow those nascent ideas to germinate so they can then grow and manifest themselves.

When one ventures past planning a trip to actually making the journey, occasional forays on side trips of some sort are requisite. ey provide an opportunity for individuals to take a time-out, separate themselves from their tribe and setting, and be alone with themselves.

I recall two friends who trekked in two di erent ways. One set out with a plan that did not unfold as intended. Instead, it became a grand adventure into self-learning. Consequently, he returned with a deeper understanding and insight into himself and a clearer perspective about what to write about next. e other friend was quite sure about her reason for leaving. She simply felt the need to go. It took her out of her comfort zone, which is always a grand place to be, for that is where true learning and adventure takes place. e beauty is that both listened to and honored their inner selves. at is the spirit of Imbolc.

So do not dawdle until you see literal blossoms and green grass appearing. As the stock line goes, “Life is what happens when you’re planning.” Your task at Imbolc is to start on the underground, preparatory back work of future creations to ensure that when your project becomes truly visible to the world around you, it will appear with radiant and luscious beauty.

Jerry Fabyanic is the author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for ought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.” He lives in Georgetown.

Thank you for contributing to a successful shoebox gift collection

I am writing to thank Evergreen-area residents for sharing the true meaning of Christmas with children in need this past holiday season.

Generosity throughout contributed to a successful shoebox gift collection season at drop-o locations for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child. Across the U.S., the project collected over 9.3 million shoebox gifts in 2022. Combined with those collected from partnering countries in 2022, the ministry is now sending nearly 10.6 million shoebox gifts to children worldwide.

rough shoeboxes — packed with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items — Evergreen-area volunteers brought joy to children in need around the world. Each gift- lled shoebox is a tangible expression of God’s love, and it is often the rst gift these children have ever received. rough the continued generosity of donors since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 209 million gift- lled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories. is year, Samaritan’s Purse delivered its milestone 200 millionth shoebox, which was packed on a country-wide tour and then hand-delivered to a young girl in Ukraine. Across Colorado, shoebox packers often shop for deals on shoebox items throughout the year, and many serve at a deeper level by becoming a yearround volunteer. Information about ways area participants can get involved year-round can also be found at samaritanspurse.org/occ or by calling 303745-9179.

Although local drop-o locations for gifts are closed until Nov. 13 – 20, 2023, anyone can still be a part of this life-changing project by conveniently packing a shoebox gift online in just a few simple clicks at samaritanspurse. org/buildonline.

ese simple gifts, packed with love, send a message to children worldwide that they are loved and not forgotten.

Sincerely,

Lizette Miller Media Relations Manager Operation Christmas Child

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

A publication of

Contact Us: 27972 Meadow Dr., #320 Evergreen, CO 80439 - 303-566-4100

Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110

Phone: 303-566-4100

Web: CanyonCourier.com

To subscribe call 303-566-4100

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

DONNA REARDON Marketing Consultant dreardon@coloradocommunitymedia.com

In response to recent articles and letters

I am writing about two important issues. e letter from Kathryn Mauz once needs to be addressed rst. Jack Buchanan has presented two outstanding options to not only build a gateway to Evergreen that will increase tourism, business revenue and prestige for the community but will also provide a tax free upgrade to life safety as well as property protection as both the facilities for both the Foothills Fire Protection District, and Alpine Rescue are replaced.

e Foothills location and facility is not excellent. It is a trailer and a gloried tu shed. It lacks o ce, meeting and sleeping space. In today’s times you need more incentives to attract volunteers who aren’t pursuing careers in the re service. You need a business center, recreation as well as hot and cold areas to protect re ghters from carcinogens and other cancer causing elements they pick up when responding to structure, vehicle and wildland res.

Foothills will be able to get a rst class facility at no cost. is will help them scale down the station they asked taxpayers to build last November. It could cut the cost of that facility by more than half.

Also, in response to the EPRD survey: We do not need a parking garage at the lake, nor an indoor sports facility or ice rink. If your child is a prodigy, it is your responsibility to pay for that. Your responsibility to get them to practice or games. ousands of children who played made the NHL after their parents drove across ice covered roads in Canada at 4 in the morning to get them to the rink.

EPRD, please don’t build these facilities. We don’t need them. It’s time for people who just move here to stop interfering or forcing their WANTS on our community. Improve existing facilities. I even support building a third rec center near Conifer. EPRD could even partner with the library who has needs in that part of the community.

New Foothills Fire Station for free at El Rancho – YES!

Indoor Facility, Ice Rink and Parking Garage – NO!!!!

South Rec Center – YES!!!

Nate Marshall, Evergreen

KRISTEN FIORE West Metro Editor kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

DEB HURLEY BROBST Community Editor dbrobst@coloradocommunitymedia.com

RUTH DANIELS Classified Sales rdaniels@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Courier.

We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.

Time and permeability: meeting others on common ground

In my last column, I talked about complexity, the second in my ve-part series on our relationship with time, and how we respond to it.

is month let’s look at what happens when you move from complexity into permeability. When you become permeable, you’re heavily in uenced by the ideas of others, the world around you, and demands being made on you. You’re so saturated with what’s going on outside yourself you lose your sense of inner balance, become detached from your core, and your sense of wellbeing. You can feel isolated and likely have trouble discerning what’s working and not working in your life, which can lend to your feeling of a lack of con dence.

When it comes to decision-making, con dence isn’t something you acquire or make yourself do. It’s the result of knowing your self, having grace with limiting factors and setting strong boundaries.

Having too many projects, attending to everyone else’s needs, reading every social media meme about how to be the best, can contribute to your feelings confusion and defeat.

Here are a few ways I work with my clients so they are able to redirect their feelings of overwhelm:

Re-name confusion and call it “my options.” Confusion keeps you stuck and helpless, while having options just means there is more than one way to see your situation.

Relax and let yourself see the circumstances are unclear, not YOU.

Notice where and when your

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

UNLEARN IT

sense of self returns as you reframe confusion and turn it into understanding your options.

Christine Kahane

Next, bring on your decision-making power by asking yourself some questions to help you discern what is most important to you now:

Which options serve your needs now and what can be moved to the mid-and long term?

What results are you seeking?

What will you achieve if you can bundle your options?

Which options are you ready to release for good?

What boundaries will you set in order to implement them?

Answering even some of these questions will begin to set you free from the information tsunami coming toward you.

Something marvelous will start to happen — you will feel more grounded and able to tackle what’s in front of you. Your sense of self will return — you’ll feel more sure of your direction. Now, you’re inhabiting your con dence.

Coach, and owner of KAHANE COACHING (www.kahanecoaching. com), located at 30792 Southview Drive/Suite 206 in Evergreen, CO. For more information about coaching, or to write-in a question for UNlearn it! send your inquiries to christine@ kahanecoaching.com.

Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:

• Email your letter to kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.

• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.

• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not be submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.

October 17, 1951 - January 18, 2023

Robert (Bob) Tamburlin formerly of Brockport, PA, passed away peacefully Wednesday January 18, 2023, surrounded by his family in Colorado. He was born October 17, 1951 to Leo and Lorraine (Grecco) Tamburlin, who preceded him in death.

After he graduated from Ridgway High School in 1969 he attended Penn State University and graduated from Butler Community College. Bob was a true country and mountain man, having lived in Colorado since 1973. He built his log home in 1977 and never wanted to live anywhere else. Bob owned his own concrete company for many years. After closing his company, he retired to work on a ranch in Pine, CO. Bob was an avid hunter in Colorado and returned

most years to PA. for hunting season, enjoying family and friends at the Tamburlin Camp.

Bob is survived by his wife Louan Watson, his children Kimberly (Je ) Parrett, Sheena Tamburlin, Joey (Savannah) Tamburlin; grandchildren Ashleigh, Spencer, Lucas, Haddie, Brooke; brother Gary (LouAnn)Tamburlin, nephew Je (Jennifer)Tamburlin, nieces Gina Tamburlin, and Alicia (Matt)Sheeley; also many cousins and close friends.

A memorial celebration will be held in the late spring 2023 at the family home and meadow. Memorial donations can be sent in Bob’s name to Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Missoula MT. www.RockyMountainElkFoundation.org.

TAMBURLIN Robert “Bob” Tamburlin

2023

OFTHE BEST BEST

BEST OF THE BEST VOTING STARTS

Lobos send Pirates packing

Basketball team back on track in a resounding win against Alameda

BY COREY NEUMEIER CONIFER HIGH SCHOOL

Conifer’s boys basketball team pulled o a 63-28 win against the Alameda Pirates on Jan. 27, its second consecutive win, which brought the team to 5-9 on the season.

Standout performances included 16 points by Mason Pratt on 71% shooting from inside and 11 blocks from center Noah Bishop.

“I feel great,” Bishop said. “I’m proud of the team e ort. I think that our defensive game today was just outstanding.”

Defense has been a problem for the Lobos. Getting into transition and slowing teams on fast breaks had been a major concern a few games ago.

“ at part of our game was good tonight,” head coach John Ra said.

“We recovered on defense much better than we had been and matched up a lot quicker. All the way around, it was very good. We held (Alameda) to 28, which is a little below their average.”

e defense was much improved, holding Alameda’s top scorer, Eddie Dwazo, to a slightly below-average 9-point performance. Turnovers still perpetually haunt the Lobos, averaging 24.8 a game, a stat that may haunt them in the Jan. 27 game against Standley Lake.

“I’m nervous,” Bishop said. “ ey are 2 and 10, but they’re good. ey’ve been playing 5A schools. ey’re going to be a good team.” e pieces are tting together better every game. e Lobos are averaging ve more points per game than the rst ve games of the season on signi cantly better e ciency. e team is slowly but surely rolling out kinks on both sides of the ball, seeing turnovers drop signi cantly and defensive rebounds sharply increasing.

“It’s an improvement game,” Pratt said. “We’ll be ready to go.”

Tyler Leslie (55) and Shawn Seabourne (11) lock down an Alameda scorer.

PHOTO BY COREY NEUMEIER/CONIFER HIGH SCHOOL

favored the three re departments consolidating, and when the survey provided additional information on what consolidation would mean, those percentages increased slightly.

Favoring moving forward

Inter-Canyon board member Natalie Arnett said at the Jan. 11 board meeting that she was happy with Inter-Canyon’s survey results.

“We have such strong support from the community that I have a bit of a strike-while-the-iron-is-hot attitude,” Arnett said. “I fully support working on a communication plan.”

Inter-Canyon Fire Chief Skip Shirlaw added that the survey showed that residents trusted the department, so it appeared it was “headed in the right direction.”

Inter-Canyon board President Mike Swenson called the communication plan a massive project.

“I’m a strong supporter,” he said. “We need a professional organization that has the ability to deliver the content and guidance we need.”

At the Elk Creek Fire board meeting on Jan. 12, board President Greg Pixley said the departments were at an exciting point in the consolidation decision-making process.

“ is is the beginning of the beginning,” Pixley said. “We are working toward the possibility of what consolidation may or may not look like. … e community is interested in our e orts to pursue consolidation.”

Elk Creek board member Sharon Woods said she was encouraged by the survey results, especially how much support the department has from a wide swath of people — male, female, di erent ages and di erent political groups.

North Fork Fire Chief Curt Rogers said the North Fork Fire board at its Jan. 18 meeting was in favor of moving forward with a communication/education program because it bene ted all three re departments, noting that the plan had to be done, so the departments know whether to ask voters about consolidation.

Reasons to not hire the consultant

Inter-Canyon board member White wondered whether the departments were spending money on something they didn’t need because of overwhelming support.

“If we were at 50% (in favor of consolidation), then it would be

North Fork 240 square miles with 80% on federal land

3 fire stations

Population: 1,700

2 paid sta ; 30 volunteer firefighters

Elk Creek 98 square miles

4 fire stations

Population: 17,000 21 paid full-time responders, 2 part-time; 36 volunteer firefighters

Inter-Canyon 52 square miles

5 fire stations

Population: 5,250

3 paid responders; 24 volunteer firefighters

clear that a large amount of education needs to be done, and we need to spend the money,” White said.

“With 80% (in favor), do we need to spend taxpayer dollars when they are seemingly in favor of consolidation?”

She suggested the re departments could conduct informational meetings to spread the word.

In addition, White said the three boards haven’t reviewed a budget or consolidation project plan.

“Is 16 mills enough?” White asked about the proposed property tax that the survey suggested would be needed to pay for consolidation.

“We need to have the proper time to view the nancials. Before we spend any money on Turn Corps, I’d like to see more conversation about consolidation and make sure our ducks are in a row, and we don’t have to backtrack.”

Against consolidation

Elk Creek’s Newby said he saw a huge imbalance among the districts in terms of resources, personnel, facilities, apparatus and more.

“I see my obligation as protecting the interests of the residents of Elk Creek,” Newby said. “I have to put blinders on in that regard, so I represent the interests of (Elk Creek) constituents. Until the three re chiefs can present to this board and the community a very compelling case for consolidation, as I see it, consolidation between Elk Creek, North Fork and Inter-Canyon would run a signi cant risk of diminishing the level of services for Elk Creek residents.

“By law, we are duty bound to protect the interests of Elk Creek residents without respect to the pop-

ulation of Inter-Canyon and North Fork. I cannot with good conscience vote yes on this motion (to hire Turn Corps).”

Survey results

A survey of residents in each of the re districts found overwhelming support for consolidation and a property tax increase to help fund the district. e survey was conducted by Magellan Strategies between mid-November and mid-December, and survey data was weighted to be representative of voter turnout demographics for odd-year elections in each district.

e three districts are using an increase in property taxes to 16 mills to equalize taxes for everyone in all three districts. However, since the districts have not completed a budget for a consolidated department, they don’t know exactly how much taxes would need to increase.

e survey to North Fork residents said taxes would increase about $124 for a home valued at $500,000, and 69% of respondents said de nitely yes or probably yes when asked whether they would vote for con-

solidating the districts and the tax increase.

e survey to Inter-Canyon residents said taxes would increase $67.84 for a $500,000 home, and 80% of respondents said they de nitely or probably would vote for consolidation and the tax increase, while the Elk Creek survey said taxes would increase about $121 on a $500,000 home, and 80% of respondents said they would vote in favor.

e survey then went through a series of questions, explaining the reasons the districts are considering consolidation:

• It would allow the consolidated re protection district to hire more re ghters, EMTs and paramedics;

• It would cover increased costs for re safety equipment and medical instruments to better serve the population and have better response times;

• e newly consolidated district could provide more training opportunities to both paid sta and its volunteers;

• e 400 square miles in the consolidated district are at high risk for wild re.

We

Inter-Canyon, Elk Creek and North Fork fire departments are embarking on a communications/education campaign to inform constituents about the pros and cons of consolidation. PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Two construction projects will create tra c hassles in Evergreen

Both Je erson County and EPRD expect to have timelines for construction ready in the next few months and will communicate them to the public in as many ways as possible. ey don’t know yet whether construction timelines will overlap.

MORE WORK PLANNED

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Mike Vanatta is not sleeping well these days as he wrestles with how to keep Evergreen moving despite construction starting this summer that undoubtedly will snarl tra c. Vanatta, the assistant director for Je erson County’s transportation and engineering division, said Xcel Energy’s work on Highway 73 in December and January and the trafc hassles it caused are an example of how he doesn’t want things to go when Je erson County widens and improves Highway 73 from Bu alo Park Road to Plettner Lane.

Add to that the fact that the Evergreen Park & Recreation District has hired Evergreen’s ESCO Construction to build the Evergreen Lake North Trail, which will create a detour for those traveling on Evergreen Parkway.

Je erson County plans community meetings in March to go over the plans, while EPRD will use its website, social media and more to communicate information about its project.

O cials in both organizations say they are working hard to make sure tra c detours and delays go as smoothly as possible. Plus a few months of hassle will lead to better tra c movement in both directions on Highway 73 and beautiful new trails along the north edge of Evergreen Lake, which is used extensively by locals and visitors.

Both Je erson County and the rec district are planning awareness campaigns to make sure people know about detours and interruptions to driving. ey are also speaking with rst responders and schools because of potential tra c impacts.

ey ask drivers for patience and planning, so they are not blindsided

While 2023 is going to be di cult for driving around downtown Evergreen, be aware that the Colorado Department of Transportation is planning a project in 2024 to repave about 5.5 miles on Highway 74 from Upper Bear Creek Road to just before Idledale. The project includes resurfacing the road, upgrading guardrails, upgrading curb ramps for better cyclist and pedestrian access, improving crosswalks, and potential shoulder widening in some locations. The project is in the preliminary design stages, according to Presley Fowler, a CDOT spokeswoman. CDOT doesn’t have a specific timeline yet, but it is sure to mean tra c delays.

by tra c delays.

It’s been 23 years since Evergreen has seen extended construction near downtown. In 2000, the Colorado Department of Transportation made improvements and widened theHighway 73/74 intersection.

Highway 73 construction

“ e Xcel construction (in Decem-

ber and January) is a good wakeup call for the overall project,” Vanatta said. “We have to gure out how to make it work,” especially when construction is expected to take between 12 and 18 months.

Vanatta is considering getting contractors to nish sections from the north to the south on Highway 73, so drivers can see the work being completed and to make it easier for those needing to access Little Cub Creek Road.

“ e work being done between Little Cub Creek Road and the Evergreen library will be more di cult,” he said, adding, “We’ll do what we can, so we’re not adding to the misery of the neighbors.”

e design will widen a half-mile of the road to include a center leftturn lane in sections of the road, a southbound bike lane on the west side and a shared-use path on the east side. It will also provide four parking lots: angled parking across from the former church, parallel parking in front of the former church, angled parking across from Evergreen Fire/Rescue Station 1 and

The proposed plan for improving Highway 73 from Bu alo Park Road to Plettner Lane near downtown Evergreen.

O cials are making plans to make driving as painless as possible

Above suspicion EVERGREEN – Carlton Condo was concerned. He’d been hearing “rustling noises” coming from the adjacent unit’s attic for some days, he told a deputy on Jan. 3, and has been concerned that maybe somebody is trying to burgle his neighbor’s condo via the top story. Carlton’s concern on his neighbor’s behalf came home just the day before when he stepped into his garage to discover “a small amount of dust” on his vehicle’s hood and the attic entry cover “slightly shifted.” He hypothesized that whoever was rustling around in his neighbor’s attic might have taken the high road over to his own. Noting that nothing appeared to be missing or amiss at Carlton’s condo, and receiving assurances from Carlton’s neighbor that everything seemed swell from crawlspace to cupola, the deputy recorded the case as simply suspicious.

ROMEO must fly

SOUTH JEFFCO – Oscar wasn’t exactly their favorite customer to begin with, and when the manager saw him heading into the kitchen

CONSTRUCTION

parallel parking south of the Highway 73/74 intersection.

e intersection of Highway 73 and Little Cub Creek Road also will be improved, and the left-turn lane for the second lane from Bu alo Park Road to Highway 73 will be lengthened to improve safety.

e county says the underlying reason for improving the highway is to better facilitate evacuations in an emergency because the improved Highway 73 will be able to accommodate more cars. In addition, a tra c study shows that 16,000 vehicles travel on Highway 73 daily, indicating that the road as it is now con gured is nearing capacity.

Construction will be funded by a grant of $8.75 million from the Federal Highway Administration, plus Je erson County’s share estimated to be $2.19 million.

one morning, she informed Oscar that patrons weren’t permitted behind the counter. Mad as hops, Oscar started hollering about how the register trainee who’d taken his order had botched his breakfast and he wanted it xed, tout suite. Well aware of Oscar’s prickly temperament, the manager personally corrected the mistake and delivered the proper meal directly to Oscar’s table. Oscar thanked her by directing un attering names at her back in a stage whisper, and when that didn’t satisfy his appetite for orneriness he tracked her down and directed them to her face. e manager asked Oscar to leave. “ is is a public place!” Oscar thundered. “I do not have to leave!” e manager told him if he didn’t leave peaceable-like she’d have JCSO escort him out. Oscar called her blu , only she wasn’t blu ng, and a deputy soon arrived to escort Oscar out. Oscar explained that he belongs to the group ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out), and that he’s had nothing but trouble with that restaurant’s miserable crew of deceitful, disrespectful and incompetent employees for at least

10 years. Before Oscar could continue, the deputy asked him to stop shouting in his face from a distance of three inches. Oscar “snickered,” took a half-step back, and went on, saying his breakfast sandwich had arrived without any bacon on it, and when he tried to get the bacon he had coming the manager “snapped” at him and gave him “a dirty look.” It was only natural, then, that when she delivered his corrected order he’d quite rightly “verbalized what I thought of her.” e deputy explained to Oscar that when told to leave an establishment he is legally bound to do so, and that failure to skedaddle could result in trespassing charges. Oscar declared that an injustice and an outrage, but said it didn’t matter anyway because he and his ROMEO pals would just go nd some other restaurant to hang out in. A better restaurant. One with nice, respectful employees. at was just ne with the manager, who undoubtedly noticed that none of Oscar’s ROMEO pals followed him out the door.

Shoeless Joe

EL RANCHO – If vehicular herbicide is a thing, Tina Tenant wanted Volvo charged with it. On the afternoon of Jan. 3, she told deputies, Volvo had been careening about the complex when he – deliberately, it seemed to Tina – plowed through a snow bank “at a high rate of speed” and attened a “15-foot pine tree.” As might be expected, the adventure left Volvo’s vehicle much the worse for wear, and he’d simply left it where it lay and escaped the area afoot. Contacted for comment, Volvo denied deliberate recklessness, explaining that he’d merely been driving “barefoot” and “my shoes” got stuck “under the pedals.” Turns out vehicular herbicide is not a thing, so deputies charged Volvo with criminal mischief instead. Sheri ’s Calls is intended as a humorous take on some of the incident call records of the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce for the mountain communities. Names and identifying details have been changed. All individuals are innocent until proven guilty.

• Plans for improving Highway 73 from Bu alo Park Road to Plettner Lane, plus a video explaining the proposal, are available on the county’s website at www.je co.us/jc-73.

• Keep up on the Evergreen Lake North Trail project by visiting evergreenrecreation.com.

Evergreen Lake North Trail

e rec district received eight bids from contractors interested in constructing two trails, a 10-foot-wide concrete trail along Evergreen Parkway and a soft-surface trail along the lakeshore.

Construction will take 10 months and must begin by May 1, though tra c will be impacted for no more than 120 days, according to the contract. During those 120 days — those dates have not been determined — Evergreen Parkway along the lake will be down to one lane, and the

NEVER PAINT AGAIN

This amazing new product has been engineered specifically to combat the harsh Colorado climate, and eliminates constant painting and maintenance costs. Backed with fade and lifetime material warranty, and providing full insulation, summer and winter, this product can be installed on most types of home. It comes in a wide variety of colors and is now being offered to the local market. Your home can be a showplace in your vicinity. We will make it worth your while if we can use your home.

detour will divert northbound tra c through downtown Evergreen to Meadow Drive while southbound tra c will travel on Evergreen Parkway.

With ESCO on board, “we will start

to look through calendars, when this may start, when can mobilize and when they can they get materials,” EPRD Executive Director Cory Vander Veen said. anks to increasing construction costs, the project will cost close to $5.5 million, with the majority of the funding coming from grants. Jefferson County is stepping up to help ll the gap between the money the district had acquired and the actual cost, and it looks like it will kick in about $550,000, Liz Cohen, grants and development coordinator, told the rec district board.

EPRD has gotten grants from the Denver Regional Council of Governments, Colorado the Beautiful and local groups including the Evergreen Metropolitan District and the Evergreen Legacy Fund.

e Evergreen Lake North Trail was built in 1987, and in 2016, a portion of the trail collapsed, closing it for 19 months. EPRD sta managed to shore up the supports under the trail to reopen it.

LEARN MORE

A rendering of what the improved Evergreen Lake North Trail will look like. COURTESY PHOTO

Inaugural Indian Hills Winterfest a chilly success

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Arrowhead Park in Indian Hills was lled with snowy community fun on Jan. 28 at the inaugural Winterfest.

Children and adults alike participated in outdoor events such as snowshoe races, tug-o-war and an egg toss, and the brave jumped into a frigid plunge tank, though a large bon re nearby helped mitigate the e ects of the cold water.

Plus there were food trucks, a show

FREEDOM. TO BE YOU.

Call 1-844-823-0293 for a free consultation.

Playing in the snow

of Parmalee Elementary School students’ artwork, a silent auction, a s’mores station and a live band that kept things lively in the chilly weather. Kids who dressed for playtime in the snow were in the Kids Zone and on the playground equipment. ere were smiles everywhere. e idea behind Winterfest is to unite the community after the pandemic and create some fun during the winter months. Organizers hoped the area’s old-timers and newcomers alike would attend the event, continuing to foster community spirit.

Proceeds from the event went to the Indian Hills Improvement Association, which organized Winterfest, and Indian Hills Fire Rescue.

Summer Simpson, who came up

with the idea for Indian Hills Winterfest with Jo Kelly, said the idea formed after the town’s annual July 4 celebration. She enjoys fun winter events in other towns such as the Frozen Dead Guy Days in Nederland, Colorado.

“Why not do something in Indian Hills in the middle of winter when we are cabin feverish?” she asked.

e Foege family, who live in Indian Hills, brought their snowshoes to participate in the snowshoe races. Liam Foege, 11, raced against his dad, Sean, while Cora, 7, raced against mom Susan.

“How could we not be here?” Susan asked. “We’re here to have fun and play in the snow.”

She added, “And win some races.”

Eventually Liam Foege raced against Carl Blake of Conifer, who also brought his family to Winterfest, wanting to check out the events.

Ian Daly of Conifer brought his three children, Miriam, 8, James, 8, and Eoin, 7, to participate in events while their mom was out of town. ey were looking forward to hot chocolate and s’mores in addition to playing games.

Charlie Neis, 4, had fun playing in the snow while his mom, Aubrey Neis, watched. Aubrey said the family lived three houses away from Arrowhead Park, so it was a no-brainer that they would attend Winterfest.

“We have never been to a Winterfest,” Aubrey said. “We came to see what it was all about.”

MKT-P0240

The Foege family, Sean, Liam, 10, Cora, 7, and Susan of Indian Hills don snowshoes to participate in the snowshoe races at Indian Hills Winterfest on Jan. 28.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Cora McCloskey, 8, steps gingerly into the polar plunge water at Indian Hills Winterfest, urged on by other plungers and well-wishers.

PHOTO BY TOM FILDEY

Joe Mellberg with Indian Hills Fire Rescue is in charge of guiding the fire hose to fill the plunge tank for Winterfest’s polar plunge.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Cora Foege, left, and Marlowe Synnestvedt play a beanbag toss game.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

From left, James, 8, Eoin, 7, and Miriam, 8, Daly roast marshmallows and make s’mores.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Carl Blake of Conifer, left, and Liam Foege, 10, of Indian Hills compete in a snowshoe race at Indian Hills Winterfest at Arrowhead Park.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

We’d like to know about events or activities of interest to the community. Visit www. canyoncourier.com/calendar/ and post your event online for free. Email dbrobst@coloradocommunitymedia.com to get items in the print version of the paper. Items will appear in print on a space-available basis.

THURSDAY

Evergreen Audubon meeting: Evergreen Audubon will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 at Evergreen Christian Church or via Zoom. Evergreen resident Tom Ryon, wildlife biologist and environmental specialist with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, will present: “Galapagos Island Wildlife Tour – A Sampling of Birds, Mammals, and Reptiles and Remote Ecology.” For program information, location details or Zoom access, visit www.EvergreenAudubon.org.

Free legal clinic: A free legal clinic for people with no attorney will be from 2 to 5 p.m. ursday, Feb. 2. By telephone or video, volunteer attorneys will answer questions, help ll out forms, and explain the process and procedure for all areas of civil litigation. Pre-registration for individual 15-minute appointments is available by calling 303-235-5275 or visiting https:// tinyurl.com/ykzs2ej7.

host a mixer from 5-7 p.m. ursday, Feb. 9, at the Design Showroom, 3045 Whitman Drive, Evergreen. In conjunction the showroom will have an open house, where the community can meet designers and tour the showroom.

Snowshoe hikes: Explore the beauty of Colorado’s winter wonderland on a guided snowshoe hike in Georgetown. Kimberly Knox of Georgetown Outdoor Discovery and Evergreen Audubon’s Emma Vasicek will lead hikes on Feb. 11, March 4 and April 1. For more information and to register, visit www.evergreenaudubon.org/ events/snowshoe-hike-with-georgetownoutdoor-discovery-january-2023.

New Year, New You: Resilience1220 is o ering a workshop that meets for ve days for teens to learn how food they eat changes their day, to nd a word for the year through movement, to show self-love and to create vision boards to embrace their identities. e workshop will meet from 4-5 p.m. Feb. 13-16 and from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 17 at Clear Creek High School on Floyd Hills. For more information and to register, visit r1220.org.

Museum at 720-497-7653.

Community Bible Study: Several community Bible study groups are available — women (in person and online), co-ed young adults, school age, preschool & babies. is year’s study covers six books of the Bible: Philemon 1, 2, 3, John, Jude and Revelation. In-person classes are ursday morning at Rockland Community Church in Genesee, Tuesday night at Bergan Park Church in Evergreen and Wednesday morning at Conifer Community Church in Conifer. More information is available at cbsclass.org/evergreengolden.

ESA EverGREEN Re ll Station: EverGREEN Re ll Station (re ll your laundry detergent, lotions, soaps and more. We have many sustainable products available).  e Re ll Station is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 1-4 p.m. It is located upstairs in the Habitat Restore in Bergen Park, 1232 Bergen Parkway.

Support After Suicide Loss: Heartbeat and Resilience1220 o er Support After Suicide Loss from 5:30-7 p.m. the fourth ursday of the month for ages 14 and older. Join in-person or online. Suggest donation is $15. For location, email heather@ resilience1220.org or call 720-480-6672.

EPRD discovery sessions: As part of its strategic planning process, the Evergreen Park & Recreation District board will host sessions to gather public input on what programs and facilities the district should have in the future. e last session is at 6 p.m. Feb. 2 at Buchanan Park Rec Center: serving the whole community.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY

EPiC performances: Evergreen Players Improv Comedy (EPiC) will perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 and 4 at Center Stage, 27608 Fireweed Drive, Evergreen. e EPiC troupe will take a suggestion from the audience as a source of inspiration. Improv is spontaneous, entertaining, fun and engages the audience for a truly unique experience. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for students and are available at www.evergreenplayers.org or by calling 720-515-1528.

SATURDAY

285 TechConnect Radio Club to meet: e 285 TechConnect Radio Club for ham radio enthusiasts interested in its technical aspects will hold its monthly meeting from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Feb. 4, at e Bridge Church at Bear Creek, 3101 S. Kipling St., Lakewood. For more information, visit http://na0tc.org/.

Chill Out Fest: e Evergreen Area Chamber of Commerce will host Chill Out Fest on Feb. 4. e Mushies cup obstacle course on Evergreen Lake will be at 10 a.m., Evergreen Amazing Race at 1 p.m. and a glow skate at 5:30 p.m. Visit evergreenchamber.org for more information.

UPCOMING

Evergreen chamber mixer: e Evergreen Area Chamber of Commerce will

Evergreen Audubon Explore More: Registration is now open for Evergreen Audubon’s Explore More after-school programs starting the last week of March at Marshdale and Wilmot elementary schools and Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen. ese programs are for kids who love being outdoors and learning about nature and science. For more information and to register, visit www.EvergreenAudubon.org and click on Events.

“Spirit of Love” show: Shadow Mountain Gallery in downtown Evergreen will have its “Spirit of Love” Valentine’s show and sale through March 4. All items are made by local artists e gallery, which is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, is next to Beau Jo’s Pizza.

Young Writers’ Conference: e Young Writers’ Conference will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. ursday, March 30, at Marshdale Elementary School. Register by Feb. 28. For registration and event questions, email kirstin.pulio @je co.k12.co.us.

ONGOING

LGBTQ+ teen book club: Resilience1220 is o ering a LGBTQ+ teen book club that meets from 4-6 p.m. the fourth Monday at the Resilience1220 o ce next to the Buchanan Park Recreation Center. e group’s rst book is “Hell Followed With Us.” For more information and to register, visit R1220.org.

Hiwan Museum winter hours: Hiwan Museum has shortened winter hours for tours, open ursday and Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and weekends from noon to 4:30 p.m. Private tours of large groups may be accommodated when the museum is closed by calling Erica Duvic at Hiwan

History Happy Hour: e Evergreen Mountain Area Historical Society will host a History Happy Hour from 4:30-6:30 p.m. the second Friday of each month at Hiwan Museum. Join us in a round table discussion on any and all aspects of history with topics driven by the attendees.

Sensitive Collection: Resilience1220 offers a monthly workshop for highly sensitive people to help them live healthy and empowered lives from 3:30-4:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month via Zoom. Visit r1220.org for more information.

Parkinson’s disease support group: A Parkinson’s disease support group meets the rst Friday of the month from 1-3 p.m. at Evergreen Christian Church, 27772 Iris Drive, Evergreen. For more information, email esears@parkinsonrockies.org.

Mountain Foothills Rotary meetings: Mountain Foothills Rotary meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays both in person at Mount Vernon Canyon Club at 24933 Club House Circle, Genesee, and via Zoom. Join the Zoom meeting at https://us02web. zoom.us/j/81389224272, meeting ID 813 8922 4272, phone 346-248-7799.

Beyond the Rainbow: Resilience1220 o ers Beyond the Rainbow, which is two support groups that meet from 7-8:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month. One is a safe group for those 12-20 and the other is group for parents and caregivers wanting support for raising an LGBTQ child. To RSVP, contact Lior Alon at lior@wisetreewellness.com.

The most vulnerable of the housing crisis The Long Way Home

BY MICHAEL DE YOANNA MICHAEL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Our monthlong series exploring the affordability and accessibility of housing in the Denver area takes a turn to one of the most perplexing issues facing our communities: the lives of those who have no homes. Point-in-time counts in Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties find 2,000 people living unsheltered and 3,000 in emergency shelters. Most of those people were found in Denver but many live in our communities and neighborhoods.

While panhandlers and tent cities are visible across the metro area, many of the unhoused are unseen and may not even be included in the numbers because they are sleeping on a friend’s couch or a family that’s living in a relative’s extra room. The federal government includes this status in its definition of homelessness, along with those who are at imminent risk of losing a roof over their heads.

Homelessness has long

PRICES

been a problem in the metro area and the soaring housing costs that we’ve tracked in our series certainly don’t help. Typically, a family shouldn’t spend more than 30% of their wages on rent and utilities.

Elsewhere in our series, we’ve found that many people across the metro area are living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to afford a place to live. Minimum wage earners might spend upward of 60% of their paychecks on rent.

Across the Front Range, rising housing costs are worsening the problem. In Littleton, south of Denver, the price of single-family homes has jumped roughly $300,000 since 2017. Lone Tree saw increases in excess of $473,000. In Brighton, $225,000.

Apartment rents have followed in recent years, part of a trend spanning the last two decades where median prices rose faster than median household incomes “in every Colorado county and city with 50,000+ residents,” according to Denver-based Root Policy Research, which analyzes housing affordability issues.

Some of the most needy in

our communities find homes through federal funding, like vouchers. But the system, reporter Nina Joss finds, is based on lotteries, where people in need of housing may wait for years before winning. Others wind up roughing it on the streets, as reporters Andrew Fraieli and Olivia Love discovered in an interview of a man who lost his legs sleeping under a highway bridge during a horrific snowstorm.

There are consequences to it all, like how the mentally ill are especially vulnerable to homelessness and highly likely to find themselves in the criminal-justice system — meaning a record of police contacts for crimes connected to their situation, such as trespassing, becomes a barrier that prevents them from turning their lives around. There are costs associated with this to taxpayers, like those associated with providing more policing and beds in jails. Trends like those will be on Colorado Community Media’s newsroom in the months ahead.

Contributors to the project include:

residents like Laney have struggled to live in their communities.

“I’ve always felt like I was just passing through instead of living somewhere, putting down roots,” said Laney. He has worked at Jake’s Brew Bar in Littleton since 2012.

“ is is where I want to be,” Laney said. “My friends and family are Jake’s.”

In numerous counties, residents — spanning a range of employment from the service industry to teaching — have faced the brunt of what many o cials are calling a housing crisis.

e median price of a single-family home in the metro area has roughly tripled since 2010, according to an August 2022 report by the Colorado Association of Realtors. Back in 2010, the median price was about $200,000.

And wages have not kept up with home costs.

Between 2000 and 2019, median rents rose at a faster rate than household incomes “in every Colorado county and city with 50,000+ residents,” according to a November 2021 report from Denver-based consulting rm Root Policy Research.

e report also said that, as of June 2021, Colorado’s overall housing inventory was 13% of what is needed for a functioning sales market.

“Quite honestly, we just don’t have enough housing, whether it’s a ordable or otherwise,”

said Kelly Milliman, city council member for Littleton’s District 4 and a member of the city’s housing task force. “It’s really vitally important to the overall health of our community going forward.”

e sentiment is similar for leaders in the neighboring cities of Englewood and Sheridan. ere,

o cials said a ordable home options used to be more common.

“For the people that can a ord it, they have lots of choices in the metro area,” said Brad Power, Englewood’s director of community development.

Orchard Crossing Apartments in Westminster is an a ordable housing community that also includes housing for people with vouchers. PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

“But we’re starting to see more gaps with people who are on the other side of the income spectrum.”

Devin Granberry, city manager for Sheridan, said higher home costs have driven workers out of what he described as a historically bluecollar area.

“It leads to a very transient pipeline of citizenry and workforce,” he said. “ ere’s no sense of belonging, there’s no sense of ownership, and all of those are negative impacts on a community, the well-being of a community.”

Searching for a home

After leaving the house he owned near Houston, Texas, more than a decade ago, Laney knew buying a home in Denver would be a nearimpossible feat.

He was making good money at a medical diagnostics company and had been able to purchase a brandnew home in a Houston suburb for less than $150,000. But his mental health was su ering and he knew he needed a change. With friends living in Colorado at the time, Laney decided to move more than 1,000 miles north to Denver.

With his fresh start came the opportunity to dive into a longtime passion: wine. He took classes to become a sommelier — a trained wine professional. He sold wine to businesses across the metro area, worked part-time at a cozy wine bar and restaurant in the heart of Littleton’s historic downtown, and eventually landed a full-time job at Jake’s.

Laney settled on wherever he could nd the most a ordable apartment — something hovering around $1,000 per month, in places around Denver. e ones he found in Littleton were too run-down. As rents around the region rose, Laney moved ve times in six years.

“During this whole process I knew I wanted a house,” Laney said. “I wanted something that was my own, and it’s hard to build a home in an apartment, especially when you keep moving.”

Laney’s experiences came as Littleton residents expressed less con dence that their city was a ordable. From 2012 to 2022, residents who cited a ordable cost of living as a reason for living in Littleton declined from 30% to 14%, according to biennial city-issued surveys of hundreds of residents. Over those same years, residents who said affordable housing and rental rates were a reason for living in the city went from 20% to 9%.

Laney said he worked, saved and kept his spending habits to a minimum during those years, staying laser-focused on his ultimate prize. Credit-card debt from college “really destroyed a lot of opportunities,” he said, but he kept “working, working, working.”

Even though Laney estimates he was making about $48,000 yearly, he says he was far short of what he needed for a down payment on even the least expensive of homes in Littleton.

He wasn’t alone. A 2020 analysis from Denver-based contractor Root Policy showed that individuals who earned $29,000 to $95,000 yearly in

the metro area could not a ord the average price of a home, which was nearly $420,000 that year.

“It’s a pretty serious situation,” said Corey Reitz, executive director of Littleton’s housing authority, South Metro Housing Options. “ e list of folks who can’t continue to live here continues to grow.”

at list, according to Root’s analysis, includes workers in health care, education, construction, food service and more.

Essential workers risk being priced out Sta ers at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood say the housing problem also a ects them. ey blame the shortage of essential hospital workers they’re contending with, in part, on the cost of housing.

“Absolutely the rising cost of housing here in Colorado is a topic,” said Dena Schmaedecke, the hospital’s vice president of human resources. “Colleagues are often bringing up those stresses.”

at housing-cost factor has caused hospital leaders to o er a $10,000 housing stipend to incentivize new employees, Schmaedecke said.

In Brighton, northeast of Denver, Michael Clow, chief human resources o cer for 27J Schools, said the cost of housing has impacted the district’s ability to maintain and support sta .

“We hear from candidates and from our new hires that the cost of housing and their ability to nd housing is a real problem,” Clow said. “ We recently had two math teachers (husband and wife) join us. ey were excited to live their dream and move to Colorado. After just one year and realizing they could not a ord to raise a family here, they moved back to their home state.”

Clow said the crisis has restricted the district’s pool of applicants graduating with teaching degrees, creating intense competition for sta and teachers.

“ e cost of housing is becoming a serious obstacle for us to maintain service levels and serve our mission,” he said.

Farther north, in Fort Lupton, the Weld R-8 School District has faced similar pressures. Superintendent

Alan Kaylor said the annual salary for a rst-year teacher in the district is about $41,000.

Kaylor bought his home in 1995 for $72,000. He said a home across the

street from his was recently listed at $685,000. e price of that house across the street rose more than four times faster than the pace of in ation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ in ation calculator.

“How can any family a ord that?” he asked. “Something has to give. After a while, you have to wonder how long people will tolerate living on teachers’ wages.”

Even for some residents making a larger income, housing remains elusive.

West of Denver, in Evergreen, husband and wife Bill and Charm Connelly bring in a combined sixgure salary.

Bill Connelly is an insurance agent and blackjack dealer for a Black Hawk casino. Charm is the fronthouse general manager for Cactus Jack’s, a bar and restaurant in Evergreen. e two rent a three-bedroom home and are struggling to save for a house. Even downsizing to something smaller, they said, would likely increase their spending by roughly $400 a month. e two currently pay $2,200 per month on rent.

“I feel like a failure. I nally get a good full-time job making great money, and eight years ago, 10 years ago, we could easily have gotten something,” Bill Connelly said.

“Between the two of us, I see what we make,” Charm said. “We are making decent money, but I want to be able to save money and not blow it all on rent.”

For Adam Galbraith, a Cactus Jack’s bartender, the only way to keep his rent a ordable is to live with others.

“ e only reason I’m able to save money is because it’s a 1,100-square-foot place and we crammed four people in it,” Galbraith said, adding monthly rent is about $1,500. “If you’ve got roommates, that’s the only way you’re going to save money.”

A housing ‘limbo’

Near the end of 2019, Laney, the Littleton bartender, was beginning to feel more con dent about reaching his goal for a down payment. He’d paid o his car and credit-card debt and said he “worked hard to keep it that way.”

His savings account was beginning to bulk up. en came COVID-19.

Years of careful saving and unyielding restraint on spending evaporated in months. Laney was forced

to drain his savings account during the beginning of the pandemic amid lockdowns. He received nothing from the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program, though he would gain $3,200 from stimulus checks in the months to come. Still, he was hanging on.

It was “the community around Jake’s, our regulars, who kept us alive,” Laney said.

“I was there every single day, for damn near a year,” he said, with the bar able to do curbside orders even as its indoors remained shuttered.

Before the pandemic, Laney estimates he brought in about $4,000 each month before taxes. By the end of the month, after paying for rent, utilities, groceries and gas, he would be left with just $200 to $300, which usually went into his savings.

Living that way was “terrifying,” said Laney, who always felt he could be on the edge of losing his housing should he have a bad month. e pandemic only exacerbated the uncertainty.

As his savings depleted, Laney’s dream of owning a home never seemed further away.

But his resolve didn’t waver and he used what federal relief he had to rebuild his savings because, as he put it, “I had a goal: I wanted a house. When I came out of the tunnel I knew what I wanted.”

By 2021, he started looking again. A townhome might come up on the market — far from perfect, but within Laney’s means — and he would ready himself to put down an o er. It never was enough.

“Someone comes in and puts 20k cash on the o er, or 30k or 40k,” Laney said. “I went through about a year and a half of that and I knew in my head I was not going to be able to get a house.”

A real-estate agent who came into his bar told Laney to apply for a $300,000 bank loan. He had good credit, the agent told him, and would be a shoo-in for the money.

“ ree hundred thousand dollars does not get you a townhome,” Laney thought to himself.

He was frustrated. More than frustrated. He felt depressed.

“I’d done everything right, everything I was supposed to do and it still didn’t matter,” he said. “I’m just stuck, like the hundreds of thousands of other people, in limbo.”

Laney’s luck began to turn near the end of 2021 when he heard there were about to be dozens of singlefamily homes for sale in Littleton for less than $300,000. He thought it was too good to be true.

‘We can’t all win the lottery’ at year, South Metro Housing Options, which manages a ordable properties throughout Littleton, sold 59 of its single-family homes to Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, which pledged to renovate the units and sell them at a belowmarket price.

Laney’s hourly wage had slightly increased since the pandemic from $8 to $10, though 90% of his income still came from tips, he said. Still, Laney believed he met the nancial requirements for a Habitat home, which would only sell to people who earn no more than 80% of the area’s median income.

But when Laney applied to be on a waitlist at the beginning of 2022,

Chris Laney, who works at Jake’s Brew Bar in Littleton, has struggled to a ord living in his community.

PHOTO BY NINA JOSS

The di culties of using housing choice vouchers

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

About a year and a half ago, David Hernandez received a call from a number he did not recognize. When he called the number back, he heard news that would drastically change his housing situation.

“I was confused,” he said. “At rst I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ She’s like, ‘You got chose (from the) lottery, so we’d like to go forward with it.’”

At the time, Hernandez was living with his grandmother in Westminster. But then, after spending years unmoored, moving between states and staying with family members, Hernandez got approved for a voucher for government-subsidized housing.

“When I got it, it was a big relief,” he said. “It was so much stress that was taken o my conscience … It was kind of lifesaving, to be honest.” e news was a complete surprise to him. What Hernandez didn’t know is that it took ve years for that call to come. His aunt had signed him up for a housing choice voucher lottery at Maiker Housing Partners, the public housing authority in Adams County, without telling him.

anks to her action, his unknowing patience, and, some would say, his luck, Hernandez became one of 2.3 million families and individuals in the United States to bene t from a housing choice voucher program, federally funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD.

Formerly, housing choice voucher

PRICES

he was quickly denied. He was told his income, roughly $56,000 when he applied, exceeded the cap by less than $1,000.

Laney said he was actually making less than that, about $54,000, but because Habitat counted his “unrealized interest gains,” such as money held in stocks, Laney was over the threshold.

Habitat was also only looking at the income of recent months, Laney said, rather than his income over the past year. is made it look like he made more than he did because his month-to-month income would uctuate dramatically based on tips.  He applied again and was denied again, this time for making just $300 more than the cut-o . But, a slow month at work turned out to be a good thing. His income dipped just enough that by the third time he applied he made it on the waitlist.  at did not come with the guarantee of a home. Laney was in a line of people just like him and demand far outweighed supply. Number 10 was his position. Who knew how many more were behind him, he thought. en it happened. Laney was made an o er, a 1,275-square-foot

programs were known as Section 8, but experts have widely replaced this language in an e ort to be more accurate about the type of rental assistance and to avoid the stigma the term carries with it.

Housing choice voucher programs, which are implemented by local authorities like Maiker, subsidize rent to help “very low-income families, the elderly and the disabled a ord decent, safe and sanitary housing,” according to HUD.

On one hand, vouchers make it possible for those without other options to have a roof over their heads.

But, according to housing experts, the program is not a fast-track to housing for many people in need, as it faces a range of issues from lack of funding to scarcity of units.

Eligibility

Within housing choice voucher programs, vouchers may be earmarked by local authorities for different types of rental assistance.

For example, some public housing authorities o er vouchers speci cally for veterans or for families whose lack of adequate housing is the primary cause of the separation of a child from their family.

Another type is what HUD calls “project-based” vouchers. ese o er rental assistance that can only be used for speci c properties approved by the public housing authority. is is the type of voucher Hernandez received.

Hernandez said the voucher helped him nancially, emotionally, physically and mentally, but being tied to one apartment complex has its downfalls. If he could choose, he said, he would rather live in a place with di erent management. In his complex, he feels like he and his neighbors are treated poorly, partially because they have low incomes. But the most common type of housing choice voucher allows a recipient to choose where they want to live among properties in the private market. A HUD senior o cial told Colorado Community Media in a call that after 12 months, participants in the project-based voucher program can typically request to have this type of voucher, which is more open-ended.

Properties for a typical housing choice voucher must meet standards of health and safety before a tenant can move forward with a lease. In addition, public housing authorities review rents to ensure they are reasonable for the speci c housing market, according to HUD. Families with vouchers generally pay 30%-40% of their monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities, according to HUD. e public housing authority covers the rest. In Colorado, landlords are re-

the a ordability of homes even as property values rise elsewhere. e owners of these units will see some equity from their homes, Hilberg said, about 2% each year. But it won’t be enough to match the likes of homeowners who have used their growing property values to build decades of generational wealth.

“A lot of families use this as a starter home option and they do gain enough equity and stability to turn that into a down payment on a home in the open market,” Hilberg said of homes under land trusts.

But fathoming a concept like equity is a luxury for those who still can’t buy a house on the market, Laney said.

detached home near Ketring Park in central Littleton valued at $285,000, roughly a third of what similar properties sold for.

“I can’t even express how happy I was,” Laney said. “I’ve been living and serving this community for 10 years and I want to live here.”

Still, the program has some drawbacks compared to traditional homeownership. Laney cannot build as much equity as many of his neighbors because he does not own the property the home sits on.

Instead, it is owned by something called a land trust — a collection of entities.

“ e beauty of the land trust is it removes the cost of the land from the equation from the cost of the home,” said Kate Hilberg, director of real estate development for Habitat for Humanity. “It allows the homeowners to pay on that mortgage for that home and improvements to that home but not the land.”

Land trusts are crucial tools organizations like Habitat use to lock in

While he’s thankful for what Habitat did for him, he fears the few dozen homes it manages in Littleton can only go so far to meet the demand of hundreds, if not thousands, of residents who have struggled as he has.

“ ere isn’t enough income-based housing for people … the people who live and work in this community can’t a ord a house,” Laney said.

“We can’t all win the lottery.”

Colorado Community Reporters Andrew Fraieli, Steve Smith, Tayler Shaw and Ellis Arnold contributed reporting to this story.

The view of Lone Tree homes from Blu s Regional Park and Trail on Oct. 21, 2022.

PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW

Next to his kitchen, David Hernandez has a DJ setup where he likes to mix music for fun.

PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

SEE VOUCHERS, P20

VOUCHERS

quired to accept housing choice vouchers and are not allowed to discriminate against rental applicants based on source of income, per a 2021 law.

e voucher approval process begins with an application, said Brenda Mascarenas, director of housing services and programs at Maiker.

“ e couple of things we look at under formal eligibility (are) background, income, and citizenship,” she said.

Generally, a household’s income may not exceed 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area. But most vouchers go to applicants with incomes much lower than that. By law, a public housing authority must provide three quarters of its vouchers to applicants whose incomes do not exceed 30% of the area median income, according to HUD.

In Adams and Arapahoe counties, a single person who earned no more than $41,050 was eligible for a housing choice voucher in 2022, according to Maiker and South Metro Housing Options, a public housing authority in Littleton.

Wait times and lotteries

Unfortunately, the likelihood of getting a voucher is not solely dependent on whether a person is eligible.

Because of lack of funding for the program, HUD acknowledges “long waiting periods are common.” e o cial with HUD, speaking generally about the department, told Colorado Community Media that for households that receive a voucher, the average wait time is 28 months.

e o cial noted that this number only includes people who actually receive a voucher, so the true average wait time is likely signi cantly longer.

Some public housing authorities use a lottery system to select voucher recipients. At Maiker, Mascarenas said the team aims to open their lottery pool every other year, meaning applicants could wait up to two years if they are selected from the lottery their rst time. If not, they might wait through several cycles.

At South Metro Housing Options, the voucher waitlist was last open in 2012, Executive Director Corey Reitz

said. ey anticipate it opening again this year, more than 11 years later.

ese long wait times are not unique. Only two housing agencies among the 50 largest in the U.S. have average wait times of under one year for families that make it o of wait lists for vouchers, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan research and policy institute based in Washington, D.C.

To Hernandez’s bene t, he wasn’t aware he was waiting for his voucher. He said it would have been challenging to be in “limbo” for so long.

“If I would have known I’d have to wait ve years for that, I probably personally wouldn’t have done it,” he said.

Peter LiFari, executive director at Maiker,  attributes long waitlists at public housing authorities to lack of federal funding and a massive demand for housing vouchers.

“It’s a program designed to exist in scarcity, which is really disappointing,” he said. “I get emails every day, basically from folks (saying) ‘How do I sign up?’ and ‘I’m homeless and I’ve never asked for help before and I’m ready now,’ and it’s like, unfortunately we don’t we don’t have the vouchers to be able to meet the need.”

Because of limited funding for HUD, designated by Congress each year, only 1 in 4 households eligible for a housing voucher receive any federal rental assistance, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

e HUD o cial interviewed by CCM agreed that a main shortcoming of the program is that there are not enough vouchers. e o cial said rental assistance programs are an outlier compared to other federal safety net programs in that many people qualify but do not receive the support.

e o cial attributed the lack of funding to the fact that the voucher program was created in the 1970s, after other programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were already underway.

Congress increased funding into the voucher program throughout the pandemic, but the funding generally went to special populations as opposed to the entire program, LiFari said. e American Rescue Plan Act, for example, provided 70,000 emergency vouchers to assist

individuals in violent, dangerous or homeless situations. Mascarenas said Maiker received 46 vouchers from the funding.

Last year, the Biden administration awarded more than 19,000 housing choice vouchers to more than 2,000 public housing authorities. Twenty-nine of the authorities are in Colorado, including agencies in Adams County, Je erson County, Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Englewood and Arvada.

But even with the extra funding, housing authority employees say it is challenging to keep up with the demand.

“One of the challenges with any … new sources of funding to support housing, it’s still administering the money and the funds and the vouchers,” said Reitz from South Metro. “So we still need sta to do so. And we’re no di erent than most other agencies or industries right now in terms of sta ng, so that’s a challenge.”

e demand for vouchers in Adams County is higher than Mascarenas has ever seen.

“I’ve been with Maiker for 30 years and I’ve never seen the market in such a bad condition,” she said. “I’ve never seen the need grow so great.”

Maiker has about 1,625 housing choice vouchers to distribute in Adams County. In July 2022, the last time their lottery was open for applications, over 3,500 people applied.

“Even two-parent households are still nding it very di cult to make ends meet with two incomes coming into the home,” Mascarenas said.

She attributed part of the higher demand to the pandemic, which impacted many workers and families.

Another theory comes from Reitz, who said higher demand could be because salaries and wages have not kept up with rising housing costs.

Unit scarcity

In addition to the lack of funding, LiFari said the lack of physical housing supply is a detriment to the function of housing voucher program.

“We just don’t have enough units,” he said. “We don’t even have enough housing to support folks that are above the poverty line … because we just abandoned building for one another.”

e lack of units creates scarcity in the housing market, LiFari said. With high demand, competition and rents increase across the region.

As a result, “lower-income Colora-

dans are left on the outside looking in,” he said.

“ e program can’t run unless there’s houses and units where people live, right?” he said. “So, without that, we’re just creating this ‘Hunger Games’ construct.”

After being chosen for a voucher, the competition begins. People have about two months to nd a home to rent and sign the lease. But that’s not enough time for many folks to nd homes and Maracenas elds many requests for extensions for as many as four more months.

Even with these extensions, LiFari said the highly competitive market presents a challenging dynamic for people to nd vacant units within the time frame. Part of this is because renters must be approved for leases by landlords and there are many barriers that can work against voucher holders – from the potential for discrimination to criminal records

Is it a solution?

In LiFari’s eyes, the housing choice voucher program “only exists as medicine for a misdiagnosed illness.”

Although it certainly makes a di erence in combating homelessness, he said American society and government need to focus more on the root of the problem.

“ e program is a function of how we value people and how we value where they live,” he said. “We refuse to address the root cause of the illness because then we have to view how we view poverty.”

For Hernandez, viewing poverty realistically is important.

“Believe me — a lot of people don’t want to be depending on the government,” Hernandez said. “But at the same time, they need (vouchers) because it’s crazy out there.”

Although the housing choice voucher program is not perfect, LiFari said it still makes an impact.

“We have no other way that reaches the scale and has the complexity to be able to address individual housing markets, to drive housing stability and stave o extreme poverty and homelessness than this program,” he said.

And on top of that, Hernandez said it makes an important di erence in people’s spirits.

“It’s good for people to get (themselves) on the right track,” he said. “It’s a good thing to get your sense of, you know, you’re involved in society, you’re part of something.”

David Hernandez’s “project-based voucher” is tied to this apartment complex in Westminster.

PHOTOS BY ANDREW FRAIELI

David Hernandez stands in front of his paintings in his government-subsidized apartment.

Homelessness is a series of trapdoors and obstacles

BY ANDREW FRAIELI AND OLIVIA LOVE COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Jonathan Townshend Garner spent nine sleepless nights in 2017 covered in snow staring up at the bottom of a frozen overpass in Aurora. Just a few short months before, the 35-year-old was planning to purchase a condo with his girlfriend.

He never expected that a breakup would send him down a series of increasingly di cult trapdoors — without housing or insurance, each door became harder to climb through. Because of those cold nights in 2017, Garner even lost his legs.

What led Garner to homelessness is not unique. As homeless rates continue to climb in this country for people in many di erent situations, the causes can range from one lost paycheck to addiction or mental health issues with no money to support treatment.

In Garner’s case, he was in a stable housing situation that was reliant on two incomes. e loss of a girlfriend meant the loss of a second, necessary paycheck.

“I’m all of a sudden in a situation where I’ve lost half my income in regards to what’s going towards payments,” Garner said.

Homelessness a ects many types of people. It also comes in all forms from living on the streets to couch sur ng or sleeping in a car. Common among all situations that have forced someone into homelessness is the world around them not being designed to help.

According to HUD fair market rent data, rent for a studio apartment in the metro area has increased by more than $300 per month since 2019, but minimum wages have only increased by about $2.50 an hour — increasing the percent of wages needed to be put towards housing from 54 to almost 60%.

e National Low Income Housing Coalition — a nonpro t that aims to end the a ordable housing crisis through policy and data research — deems housing costing more than 30% of wages spent on rent and utilities as una ordable, placing workers at risk for homelessness.

is lack of a ordable housing acts doubly as a factor for becoming homeless and a barrier from escaping it.

Unable to deal with the breakup and loss of income, Garner said it triggered a dormant alcohol addiction.

“As soon as she left, I started drinking again too, which was probably one of the worst decisions that I made,” he said. “And I’m a hell of a drinker. It took me no time before I was drinking before work every day.”

His addiction became another trapdoor. He was evicted from his home as his costly addiction grew, losing his job within a few months, and he continued falling until he landed on the streets.

In 2017, he found himself buried by snowdrifts, numbed to the elements by frostbite and an empty bottle.

Over the next three and a half months, he was in an ICU burn unit, where his legs were amputated for frostbite. What happened to land him there remains a blur, with Garner saying he was just lost in a blizzard of snow and substance abuse.

Garner had not looked for a shelter because he felt he deserved what he was experiencing on the street, his addiction giving him too much bluster to ask for help.

“And so when things have gotten so bad for me, I was like, ‘I guess that’s where you go when you’re at this place,’” Garner said.

But from Aurora to Lakewood, many who look for shelter have a hard time nding it — especially in winter.

The stick and carrot of winter shelter

“Police show up to tell you to leave, but don’t have an answer as to where we can go,” said Marshall Moody, who experienced homelessness in Lakewood over the summer.

He wasn’t hunting for winter shelter, but acknowledging how there were no shelter options in Lakewood, and describing how he felt harassed by police telling him to move along.

In Aurora, one of the only overnight shelter spaces is the Comitis Crisis Center.

“Comitis has, what, 30 beds?

I’m sure there’s easily 200 homeless people in Aurora. Easily,” said Jason, 40, who declined to give his last name, pointing out the lack of shelter options.

Jason has been homeless since 2019, falling on hard times after breaking his back and not having the ability to a ord medical care.

Anna Miller, director of business development and public relations at Mile High Behavioral Healthcare — which Comitis Crisis Center falls under — has said before that the center has an outreach team that goes out every day working with the

city and police department to inform people on the streets about available resources. e organization was supportive of Aurora’s camping ban passed last summer.

But like the ban, these opinions are from the summer.

During the winter, many more people experiencing homelessness look for indoor shelter due to low temperatures, snow, rain and windchills causing regular, local shelters to ll up fast.  is is where short-term emergency weather shelters come in.

For much of the metro area, the “extreme weather” needed to open these emergency shelters — which vary from the Severe Weather Shelter Network across Je erson County that uses a network of churches, to opening some day-only centers for overnight stays — requires the temperature to be freezing or below with moisture, and 20 degrees or below without moisture.

In Denver, the required cuto is 10 degrees or six inches of snow — though, according to Sabrina Allie, the communications and engagement director for the Department of Housing Stability — or HOST — in Denver, the city council has asked the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, which created the cuto , to revisit these regulations.

e issue is that cold-weather injuries like frostbite and hypothermia can set in as high as 45 degrees depending on wind and moisture. is is according to doctors from Denver Health and the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, which sent a joint letter to HOST and DDPHE asking the city to raise their cuto .

“Hypothermia and frostbite may develop in minutes and often occur in the setting of risk factors for heat loss or decreased heat production including pre-existing medical conditions, exhaustion, dehydration, substance use and malnutrition, all

of which are common among people experiencing homelessness,” doctors said in the letter.

Some see winter shelter as a carrot-and-stick situation though, requiring the cuto to not be too comfortable for those experiencing homelessness.

“We do not want to enable, we want to empower,” said Lynn Ann Huizingh, executive director of development at Je erson County’s Severe Weather Shelter Network.

“We do the best we can to provide some good relational development, but we also want to encourage people to pursue answers that would lead them o the street, and if they get too comfortable, they just don’t have any reason to try and pursue anything else.”

However, at all times, the goal is to keep people from freezing to death, Huizingh added.

Aurora’s policy, according to Emma Knight, manager of homelessness for the city’s Division of Housing and Community Services, is to open emergency cold-weather shelters at 32 degrees during wet weather, and 20 degrees otherwise.

In Garner’s case, freezing to death almost became a reality. Instead, he left the hospital as a double amputee — disabled, homeless, and penniless.

“And I wish I could have said that that was my rock bottom as well. But it wasn’t,” Garner said.

Police interactions and laws against homelessness

Over the next nine months, Garner continued drinking and using drugs while trying to condition himself to his surroundings.

“ ere isn’t a rock bottom, there isn’t some stable ground that you hit. It is a series of trapdoors that gets progressively lower on to in nity,” Garner said.

Some of these trapdoors take the shape of police interactions and the possibility of jail time due to criminalization of homelessness. In the summer of 2022, Aurora passed a camping ban, following in the footsteps of Denver, which passed a similar measure a decade ago.

“Can’t camp, but you have only one shelter in the city of Aurora,” Jason said, referring to the Comitis Crisis Center. “ e camping ban doesn’t mean we can’t be outside — that’s really the main point — the camping ban means we can’t be safe outside.”

Terese Howard, homeless advocate and founder of Housekeys Action Network Denver, said these bans just push people around, possibly into more dangerous and secluded areas if they don’t just move a block away from where they were before.

Police harassment often comes out of these laws as well, Howard said. O cers will tell people experiencing homelessness to “move along” without o ering alternatives, according to Howard.

Denver’s camping ban speci es “shelter” to include “blankets, or any

Jonathan Townshend Garner, 35, lost his legs to frostbite after spending days covered in snow while homeless..

PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

HOMELESSESS

form of cover or protection from the elements other than clothing.”

“ ere’s this illusion that you need this stick to connect people to services,” Howard said. “ at’s a lie, it doesn’t work. You can just look back at the last 10 years of Denver to see the reality of that lie. It’s meant, rst and foremost, to push people out of sight, out of mind.”

According to one national study from 2013, criminalization can create a cycle of incarceration that perpetuates itself.

Noting a loop of jail time and homelessness, the report says: “Incarceration has been noted to increase the risk of homelessness” as it can weaken community ties, limit employment opportunities and make it more di cult to get public housing.

“ is bidirectional association between homelessness and incarceration may result in a certain amount of cycling between public psychiatric hospitals, jails and prisons, and homeless shelters or the street,” the report concludes.

A homeless count across the metro area

Nationwide, at the start of every year, a count is taken to try and estimate the unsheltered homeless population.

At the same time, a count is made of people who have stayed in a participating shelter at some point across the country. ese counts are run by HUD through volunteering shelters and local governments.

In the 2022 point-in-time count

across Je erson, Broom eld, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas and Denver counties, there were nearly 2,000 people living unsheltered, and just over 3,000 in emergency shelters.

According to the data, most of the homeless population is in Denver.

HUD’s de nition of homelessness includes those who are in imminent risk of losing their housing. However, the annual report does not include that data or consider people who are couch sur ng, or temporarily living at a friend or family member’s home.

Jason had been working, but with a broken back, he could no longer work or a ord needed medical care.

Like Garner, Jason requires a wheelchair to get around, which creates another level of di culties for those experiencing homelessness.

The cost of a disability

One day in the spring of 2018, Garner’s wheelchair got caught in some weeds in a eld. He spent hours there, yelling for help, until a couple happened upon him.

e couple befriended Garner, brought him some basic necessities, and got him into a detox facility. After a few stints, Garner has now been sober for more than four years.

“But the patience that these strangers showed me was something that was unbelievable to me,” Garner said. “I will never forget before they took me in the third time telling them: ‘Well, what if I just do this again? You know, what if I, what if you take me to this detox, you come pick me up, and I just start drinking again?’”

Garner said the couple told him

SEE HOMELESNESS, P23

Jonathan Townshend Garner hosts an open mic night at Cactus Jack’s Saloon in Evergreen where he also performs.

PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

they would keep trying. Services like detox are di cult to use for people with addictions and mental health issues, as they often have no support system to encourage them to go, as well as there often being little state support.

In 2019, a study showed that about 20% of all Americans were a ected by mental illness in the past year.

According to e National Coalition for Homelessness the general e ects of various mental illnesses “disrupt people’s ability to carry out essential aspects of daily life,” as well as make social bonds.

“ is often results in pushing away caregivers, family, and friends who may be the force keeping that person from becoming homeless,” the report elaborated.

But the couple that helped Garner in that eld became his support, hosting him until they fell on hard times and divorced.

Eventually, Garner’s friend helped him get a studio apartment in Evergreen, helping to pay rent for the rst three months.

“So I stayed those rst three months and realized I didn’t want to leave,” Garner said.

Garner said without his friend helping with rst and last month’s rent and more in those rst three months, he wouldn’t have been able to a ord it. After the rst three months, Garner continued to stay in the apartment, getting help from friends. He got what he needed, he said, but it wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t how he wanted to live.

blue collar, working folk, you know, and really, at the bottom line, I’m just trying to work in any way I can,” he said. “All I’m trying to do is provide for myself.”

The housing and wage gap

Part of this di culty, especially in Evergreen, is the gap between wages and housing costs.  is lack of a ordable housing acts doubly as a factor for becoming homeless and a barrier from escaping it.

Adam Galbraith works as a bartender at Cactus Jack’s in Evergreen. He said the only reason he can save money at all is because his 1,100-square-foot apartment has four people in it.

“If you’ve got roommates, that’s the only way you’re going to save

lower than it could be at $1,500, “so locals would rent it.” Others he knows have seen their landlord sell the property and give them two months to get out — he’s had it happen to himself twice.

Evergreen isn’t really the place to perform hip hop on the corner, but Garner had a background in performance and music — participating in rap battles and the underground scene in his younger years under his stage name, LaKryth. After practicing, studying and preparing, he took to the streets with his guitar, not in his wheelchair, but instead standing on prosthetic legs.

“I’m a pretty damn good musician, you know, and I can sing pretty damn good too, but I’m not going to

response that I’ve made in the community,” Garner said.

After getting attention on social media, he began to book more gigs, participate in rap battles, and through participating in Colorado Community Media’s housing series panel discussion, met the owner of Cactus Jack’s Saloon, where he is now host of the weekly open-mic night.

He said he can’t work a job “on paper,” and he still faces struggles with his health and well-being. Garner has a roof over his head and food to eat. He says that’s all he can ask for.

Colorado may end age-discriminating work question

How old are you?

BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN

Asking someone their age is considered impolite. But asking a job candidate? at’s perfectly legal.

A bill at the state legislature would change that, at least in Colorado, and prohibit companies from shing around for an age by asking about high school or college graduation dates. Older job candidates never know if that little number got in the way of a callback so this proposal would eliminate that doubt.

“In order to combat that kind of age discrimination in the hiring process, we mean to eliminate any ageidentifying items in the job application process,” said state Sen. Jessie Danielson, a Democrat from Wheat Ridge who is the prime sponsor of the bill. “ at way, older Coloradans are being judged on their merit equal to their younger counterparts when they’re trying to get a new job.”

Senate Bill 58, also known as the Job Application Fairness Act, is straightforward: remove any part of a job application asking about age. ere are exceptions, including occupations with age limits — commercial pilots, for example, must be under 65, per federal law. e bill joins others introduced in recent years attempting to address workplace equity for Coloradans of all genders, backgrounds and abili-

WORSHIP DIRECTORY

ASCENT CHURCH

“Real people pursuing a real God”

All are Welcome Sundays at 10am

In-person or Online www.ascentchurch.co

29823 Troutdale Scenic Drive, Evergreen

BERGEN PARK CHURCH

Bergen Park Church is a group of regular people who strive to improve ourselves and our community by studying the Bible and sharing our lives with each other.

On Sunday mornings you can expect contemporary live music, Children’s Ministry that seeks to love and care for your kids, teaching from the Bible, and a community of real people who are imperfect, but seek to honor God in their lives. We hope to welcome you soon to either our 9:30AM or 11:00AM Sunday service.

Search Bergen Park Church on YouTube for Livestream service at 9:30am 31919 Rocky Village Dr. 303-674-5484 info@bergenparkchurch.org / www.BergenParkChurch.org

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH SERVICES

28244 Harebell Lane

Sunday Service & Sunday School 10am

Wednesday Evening ZOOM Meeting 7:30pm

Contact: clerk@christianscienceevergreen.com for ZOOM link Reading Room 4602 Pletner Lane, Unit 2E, Evergreen

OPEN TUE-SAT 12PM - 3PM

CHURCH OF THE CROSS

Please join us for Sunday worship at 28253 Meadow Drive, Evergreen or visit www.churchotc.com

8:30am Traditional Service

10:30am Contemporary Service

Communion is served every Sunday at both services. All are welcome! Visit our website at www.churchotc.com for info on church activities. 28253 Meadow Drive, Evergreen • 303-674-4130 • o ce@churchotc.com

CHURCH OF THE HILLS PRESBYTERIAN (USA)

Serving the mountain community from the heart of Evergreen

Worship 10:00 a.m.

Reverend Richard Aylor

O ce Hours: Tu-Thur 9:00 - 4:00; Fri 9:00 - noon Bu alo Park Road and Hwy 73 www.churchofthehills.com

CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION EPISCOPAL

In-Church: Sunday Communion Quiet Service 8:00 am & with Music 10:15 am 10:15 am only Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86017266569

In-Meadow: 2nd Sunday of the month at 9:30 a.m.

--June through September—

27640 Highway 74 – ¼ mile east of downtown Evergreen at the Historic Bell Tower www.transfigurationevergreen.org

CONGREGATION BETH EVERGREEN (SYNAGOGUE)

Reconstructionist Synagogue

Rabbi Jamie Arnold

www.BethEvergreen.org / (303) 670-4294 2981 Bergen Peak Drive (behind Life Care)

CONIFER CHURCH OF CHRIST

“Doing Bible Things in Bible Ways”

11825 U.S. Hwy. 285, Conifer, CO 80433

Sun: 9:00a.m. Bible Study-10:00a.m. Worship; Wed: Bible Study 7:00p.m.

EVERGREEN CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)

27772 Iris Drive, Evergreen - 303-674-3413

www.EvergreenChristianChurch.org - eccdoc01@gmail.com

Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m., with communion every Sunday

We are an inclusive faith community and welcome you to join us in our new ministry journey.

DEER PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Pastor Joyce Snapp, Sunday Worship 10 AM

Located one mile west of Pine Junction just o Rt. 285 966 Rim Rock Road, Bailey (303) 838-6759

All are welcome to our open/inclusive congregation!

EVERGREEN LUTHERAN CHURCH

5980 Highway 73 + 303-674-4654

Rev. Terry Schjang

Join us for Virtual Worship on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EvergreenLutheranChurch

Sunday Worship uploaded by 10am.

www.evergreenlutheran.org + All Are Welcome!

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY CHURCH – EPC

1036 El Rancho Rd, Evergreen – (303) 526-9287 www.lomcc.org – o ce@lomcc.org

Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m., with communion every Sunday “Real Church In An UnReal World”

A community empowered by the Holy Spirit which seeks authentic relationships with God and others to share the good news of Jesus with Evergreen, the Front Range and the world. Come as you are, all are welcome!

MOUNTAIN REVIVAL CHURCH

“Baptizing the Mountains in Jesus Name”

Sundays 11:00 am & Wednesdays 7:00 pm

Location: Aspen Park Community Center 26215 Sutton Road, Conifer, CO 80433

(Additional parking at the Park & Ride next to Big O Tires) 720-770-0380 Call, Text, or Just Drop In www.mountainrevival.org

PLATTE CANYON COMMUNITY CHURCH

Located: 4954 County Road 64 in Bailey. O ce hours MWF 8am-1pm 303-838-4409, Worship & Children’s Church at 10am

Small group studies for all ages at 9am

Transitional Pastor: Mark Chadwick Youth Pastor: Jay Vonesh

Other activities: Youth groups, Men’s/Women’s ministries, Bible studies, VBS, MOPS, Cub/Boy Scouts.

ROCKLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH

“Connecting all generations to Jesus”

Please check our website, www.Rockland.church, for updated service times ¼ mile north of I-70 at exit 254 17 S Mt. Vernon Country Club Rd., Golden, CO 80401 303-526-0668

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF EVERGREEN

Rev. Sarah Clark • 303.674.4810 • www.evergreenumc.org

3757 Ponderosa Dr. across Hwy 74 from Safeway in Evergreen

Join us in person every Sunday at 10:00am for worship

“Open Hearts, Open Doors, Open Minds”

UNITY OF THE FOOTHILLS

Transforming lives through the power of Love

Join us on Sundays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., in person or on Zoom, for a unique, member-led service. Each week a member volunteer presents a spiritual topic of their choice along with discussion questions. Attendees are encouraged, not required, to share their experiences and views on the chosen topic. We find our discussions to be lively, thought provoking, and meaningful. We are an all-inclusive community and welcome all perspectives. 28577 Bu alo Park Road, Suite #120 • Evergreen, Colorado • 80439 Email: unityofthefoothills@gmail.com

CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ

©

TRIVIA

2. MOVIES: What is the material used in Captain America’s shield?

3. MUSIC: Who wrote the lyrics to the 1961 “West Side Story” movie?

4. SCIENCE: Which color has the longest wavelength?

5. HISTORY: When did the United States outlaw child labor?

6. TELEVISION: Who played the leading role in the legal series “Ally McBeal”?

7. AD SLOGANS: Which fastfood chain tells customers that “We have the meats”?

8. LITERATURE: What is the setting for the “Divergent” novel series?

9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which animal represents the 2023 Chinese zodiac year?

Solution

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of butter ies called?

Answers

1. Japan.

2. Vibranium.

3. Stephen Sondheim.

4. Red.

5. 1938.

6. Calista Flockhart.

7. Arby’s.

8. Chicago.

9. e rabbit.

10. A kaleidoscope.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

CLASSIFIEDS

CLASSIFIED AD SALES & SERVICE DIRECTORY ADS

Contact Ruth, 303-566-4113

rdaniels@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Career Opportunites

Help Wanted

DRIVER

Class B CDL propane delivery truck driver for Spring Valley Gas, Elizabeth. P/T & F/T positions; responsible for propane delivery and customer service. HazMat/Tanker endorsement. Propane certification a plus. Insurance age requirement 26 with clean MVR. SVG is building a team, not just a job! Starting salary based on experience & qualifications. Call 303-660-8810. Support Dental Assistant: Conifer General Dentistry practice is looking for the right person. Dental experience not necessary but healthcare experience is preferred. Great people skills and a positive attitude are a must. Please send resume for consideration to reception@ coniferdentalgroup.com. Please no phone calls.

and virtually, and we will be making tentative employment o ers for the Fall 2023 school year. #WeAreBVSD

Market Place

Classifieds

Misc. Notices

2 bicycles, single bed complete never used, wheelchair, new poker table and shop vacuum. All for $500 or best offer. Will sell single items as well. Call 720-465-9022

Merchandise

Health & Beauty

DENTAL INSURANCE -

Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurancenot a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/58 #6258.

VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS!

50 Generic Pills SPECIAL $99.00 100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW!

888-445-5928 Hablamos Espanol

Medical

Attention oxygen therapy users!

Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. Free info kit. Call 877-929-9587

Miscellaneous

DISH TV $64.99 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR included, Free Voice remote. Some Restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-866-479-1516.

Miscellaneous

Caring for an aging loved one?

Wondering about options like seniorliving communities and in-home care? Caring.com’s Family Advisors help take the guesswork out of senior care for your family. Free, noobligation consult: 1-855-759-1407

Miscellaneous

MobileHelp, America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! 1-888489-3936 HughesNet– Finally, super-fast internet no matter where you live. 25 Mbps just $59.99/mo! Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499-0141

Miscellaneous Colorado Statewide Network

To place a 25-wordCOSCAN Network adin 91 Colorado newspapers for only $300, contact your local newspaper or email Colorado Press Association Network at rtoledo@colopress.net

PORTABLE OXYGEN DIRECTV

DIRECTV for $64.99/mo for 12 months with CHOICE Package. Save an additional $120 over 1st year. First 3 months of HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz and Epix Included! Directv is #1

Portable Oxygen Concentrator. May be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independece and mobility with

Miscellaneous

Free high speed internet if qualified. Govt. pgm for recipients of select pgms incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet. Android tablet free w/one-time $20 copay. Free shipping. Call Maxsip Telecom! 1-833-758-3892

!!OLD GUITARS WANTED!! GIBSON, FENDER, MARTIN, etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. TOP DOLLAR PAID.

CALL TOLL FREE 1-866-433-8277

Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800245-0398

Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debrisblocking gutter protection. Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833-6101936

The Generac PWRcell solar plus battery storage system. Save money, reduce reliance on grid, prepare for outages & power your home. Full installation services. $0 down financing option. Request free no obligation quote. 1-877-539-0299

Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service.

Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-4171306

Clear Creek County is hiring with new higher pay rates! Apply at: 403 Argentine Street in Georgetown.

Miscellaneous

Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Down + Low Monthly Pmt Request a free Quote. Call before the next power outage: 1-855-948-6176

Become a published author. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author`s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads

Attention Homeowners! If you have water damage and need cleanup services, call us! We’ll get in & work with your insurance agency to get your home repaired and your life back to normal ASAP! 855-7677031

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months!

Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 855-761-1725

Switch and save up to $250/yr on talk, text & data. No contract or hidden fees. Unlimited talk & text with flexible data plans. Premium nationwide coverage. 100% U.S. based customer service. Limited time get $50 off any new account. Use code GIFT50. 1-855-903-3048

Musical Instruments

Pramberger Baby Grand Piano Ebony Black. 10 years old. Rarely Used. Excellent Condition. Perfect for a school or church. $16,000, negotiable. Michael 303-520-1000

Public Notices

Legals

Metropolitan Districts

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR MOUNTAIN WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the electors of the Mountain Water and Sanitation District of Jefferson County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an election will be held on May 2, 2023 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, two directors will be elected to serve a four-year term. Eligible electors of the Mountain Water and Sanitation District interested in serving on the Board of Directors may obtain a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form from the District’s Designated Election Official (DEO):

Natalie M. Fleming 3900 East Mexico Avenue, Suite 300 Denver, CO 80210 nfleming@erblawllc.com

303-626-7125

The Office of the DEO is open on the following days: Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The deadline to submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form to the DEO is the close of business on February 24, 2023 (no later than 67 days before the election). Affidavit of Intent

To Be A Write-In-Candidate forms must be submitted to the office of the DEO by the close of business on Monday, February 27, 2023 (no later than 64 days before the election).

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that an application for an absentee ballot shall be filed with the DEO no later than the close of business on the Tuesday preceding the election, April 25, 2023.

MOUNTAIN WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT

By: /s/ Natalie M. Fleming

Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. CC 1124

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Canyon Courier

Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR BROOK FOREST WATER DISTRICT

1-13.5-501, 1-13.5-1102(3), 32-1-905(2), C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the electors of the Brook Forest Water District of Jefferson County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a regular election will be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, two (2) directors will be elected to serve a four-year term.

The office of the DEO is open on the following days: Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Self-Nomination and Acceptance forms are available from Nickie Holder, the Designated Election Official for the District, at 1202 Bergen Parkway, #110, Evergreen, CO 80439, or email: brookforestwaterdistrict@gmail.com. Self-Nomination and Acceptance forms must be filed with the Designated Election Official for the District at the above email address not less than 67 days prior to the election (Friday, February 24, 2023, by 5:00 p.m.). If the DEO determines that a SelfNomination and Acceptance form is not sufficient, the eligible elector who submitted the form may amend the form once, at any time, prior to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 24, 2023.

Affidavit of Intent To Be A Write-In-Candidate forms must be submitted to the office of the Designated Election Official by the close of business on Monday, February 27, 2023 (by 5:00 p.m.) (the sixty-fourth day before the election).

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, if an eligible elector of the Brook Forest Water District wishes to receive an Absentee Ballot by mail for this election, an application shall be filed with the Designated Election Official no later than the close of business on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 (by 5:00 p.m.). If an eligible elector of the Brook Forest Water District wishes to be a permanent mail-in voter of the District on all future elections, an application for permanent absentee voter status shall be filed with the Designated Election Official no later than the close of business on

BROOK FOREST WATER DISTRICT

By: /s/ Nickie Holder

Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. C1111

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Canyon Courier Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR EVERGREEN METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the electors of the Evergreen Metropolitan District of Jefferson and Clear Creek Counties, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a regular election will be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

At that time, two (2) directors will be elected to

serve a four-year term.

Self-Nomination and Acceptance forms are available from Dominique Devaney, the Designated Election Official for the District, at email: ddevaney@evergreenmetro.org. Self-Nomination and Acceptance forms must be filed with the Designated Election Official for the District at the above email address not less than 67 days prior to the election (Friday, February 24, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.).

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that applications for absentee ballots may be filed with the Designated Election Official of the District at the above address during normal business hours, until the close of business on the Tuesday immediately preceding the election (Tuesday, April 25, 2023). All absentee ballots must be returned to the Designated Election Official by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

EVERGREEN METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

By: /s/ Dominique Devaney Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. CC1063

First Publication: January 26, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023 Publisher: Canyon Courier Public Notice

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the electors of the West Jefferson County Metropolitan District of Jefferson County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a regular election will be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, three (3) directors will be elected to serve a four-year term.

Self-Nomination and Acceptance forms are available from Dominique Devaney, the Designated Election Official for the District, at email: ddevaney@evergreenmetro.org. Self-Nomination and Acceptance forms must be filed with the Designated Election Official for the District at the above email address not less than 67 days prior to the election (Friday, February 24, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.).

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that applications for absentee ballots may be filed with the Designated Election Official of the District at the above address during normal business hours, until the close of business on the Tuesday immediately preceding the election (Tuesday, April 25, 2023). All absentee ballots must be returned to the Designated Election Official by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

WEST JEFFERSON COUNTY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

By: /s/ Dominique Devaney

Nos. 2, 3 and 4, c/o McGeady Becher P.C., 450 E. 17th Avenue, Suite 400, Denver, Colorado 80203, Phone: 303-5924380, email: jpino@specialdistrictlaw.com.

The Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form(s) or letter(s) are to be submitted to the Designated Election Official no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m. MST) on February 24, 2023, sixty-seven (67) days prior to the regular elections. Affidavits of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate must be submitted to the Designated Election Official by the close of business (5:00 p.m. MST) on February 27, 2023, sixty-four (64) days prior to the regular elections.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, pursuant to Section 1-13.5-1002, C.R.S., that applications for and return of absentee voters’ ballots may be obtained from / filed with Jennifer Pino, the Designated Election Official of the Districts (at the address/ phone/email address noted above), between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. until the close of business on the Tuesday immediately preceding the elections (Tuesday, April 25, 2023).

VERVE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

NOS. 2, 3 AND 4

By: /s/ Jennifer Pino

Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. CC 1112

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Canyon Courier Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS §§ 1-13.5-501; 1-13.5-303, C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and, particularly, to the eligible electors of the Idledale Water and Sanitation District, Town of Idledale, Jefferson County, Colorado (the “District”).

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an election will be held on May 2, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time three (3) directors will be elected to serve until May 2027. Eligible electors of the District interested in serving on the board of directors may obtain a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form from the Designated Election Official (“DEO”) at: Public Alliance, LLC

13131 W. Alameda Pkwy., Suite 200 Lakewood, CO, 80228 aj@publicalliancellc.com (720) 213-6621

The deadline to submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form is the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Friday, February 24, 2023. If the DEO determines a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form is not sufficient, the form may be amended prior to 5:00 p.m. on February 24, 2023. Earlier submittal is encouraged as the deadline will not permit curing of an insufficient form after this date and time. An Affidavit of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate must be submitted to the office of the DEO by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Monday, February 27, 2023.

1-13.5-1102(3), 32-1-905(2), C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and, particularly, to the electors of the Indian Hills Water District of Jefferson County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an election will be held on the 2nd day of May, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, two (2) directors will be elected to serve 4-year terms.

Eligible electors of the Indian Hills Water District interested in serving on the board of directors may obtain a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form from the District Designated Election Official (DEO):

Kristin Waters 4491 Parmalee Gulch Rd. Indian Hills, CO 80454 303-697-8810

The Office of the DEO is open on the following days: Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The deadline to submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance is close of business on February 24, 2023 (not less than 67 days before the election).

Affidavit of Intent To Be A Write-In-Candidate forms must be submitted to the office of the designated election official by the close of business on Monday, February 27, 2023 (the sixty-fourth day before the election).

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, an application for an absentee ballot shall be filed with the designated election official no later than the close of business on Tuesday preceding the election, April 25, 2023.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that information on obtaining an absentee ballot may be obtained from the DEO, and applications for an absentee ballot must be filed with the DEO no later than the close of business on April 25, 2023. You may contact the DEO’s office at (720) 213-6621.

IDLEDALE WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT

By: Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. CC 1121

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Canyon Courier Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

§§ 1-13.5-501; 1-13.5-303, C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and, particularly, to the eligible electors of the Mountain West Metropolitan District, Jefferson County, Colorado (the “District”).

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an election will be held on May 2, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, one (1) directors will be elected to serve until May 2025 and three (3) directors will be elected to serve until May 2027. Eligible electors of the District interested in serving on the board of directors may obtain a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form from the Designated Election Official (“DEO”) at 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 2000, Centennial, CO 80122 or via telephone at 303-858-1800, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Self-Nomination and Acceptance Forms are also available online at https://whitebearankele.com/.

The deadline to submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form is the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Friday, February 24, 2023. If the DEO determines a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form is not sufficient, the form may be amended prior to 5:00 p.m. on February 24, 2023. Earlier submittal is encouraged as the deadline will not permit curing of an insufficient form after this date and time. An Affidavit of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate must be submitted to the office of the DEO by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Monday, February 27, 2023.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that information on obtaining an absentee ballot may be obtained from the DEO, and applications for an absentee ballot must be filed with the DEO no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on April 25, 2023.

MOUNTAIN

You are notified that a Petition for Inclusion has been filed with the Board of Directors of Indian Hills Water District requesting inclusion in the District of the property described below. A Public Hearing will be held at the regular District Board Meeting to be held:

Date: Thursday, February 16, 2023

Time: 6:30 pm Place: Indian Hills Community Center, 5381 Parmalee Gulch Rd., Indian Hills, CO 80454

The Petition for Inclusion submitted by Hardy Schwartz and Katarina Bennett is for inclusion of the following described properties: Lot 2, Indian Hills 5th Filing Adjustment 5, County of Jefferson, State of Colorado.

The name and address of the Petitioner is as follows: Hardy Schwartz and Katarina Bennett, 2741 S. Pennsylvania St., Englewood, CO 80113 Any interested persons shall appear at such time and place and show cause in writing why the petition should not be granted.

DATED: January 26, 2023

INDIAN HILLS WATER DISTRICT Kristin Waters, District Office Manager

Legal Notice No. CC 1122

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Canyon Courier Public Notice

A CALL FOR NOMINATIONS NOTICE BY THE JEFFERSON CONSERVATION DISTRICT §1-13.5-501, 1-13.5-1102(3), 32-1-905(2), C.R.S

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and, particularly, to the electors of the Jefferson Conservation District of Jefferson County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an election will be held on the 2nd day of May, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, four directors will be elected to serve 4-year terms. Eligible electors of the Jefferson Conservation District interested in serving on the board of directors may obtain a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form from the District Designated Election Official (DEO):

Mitch Yergert, Designated Election Official 10799 W. Alameda Ave. #261205 Lakewood, CO 80226 jcd@jeffersoncd.com 720-661-1738

Self nomination forms will be provided through US Postal Service or email.

The deadline to submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form is close of business on Friday February 24, 2023.

Affidavit of Intent To Be A Write-In-Candidate form must be submitted to the office of the designated election official by the close of business on Monday, February 27, 2023.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, an application for an absentee ballot shall be filed with the designated election official no later than the close of business on Tuesday preceding the election, April 25, 2023.

Mitchell Yergert Designated Election Official Legal Notice No. CC1115

Bidding Documents may be downloaded from the designated website. The designated website will be updated periodically with addenda, reports, and other information relevant to submitting a Bid for the Project. All official notifications, addenda, and other Bidding Documents will be offered only through the designated website. Owner will not be responsible for Bidding Documents, including addenda, if any, obtained from sources other than the designated website.

Instructions to Bidders:

For all further requirements regarding bid submittal, qualifications, procedures, and contract award, refer to the Request for Bids that is included in the Bidding Documents.

Randall Wheelock, Chairman Board of County Commissioners

Legal Notice No. CC1101

First Publication: January 26, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Canton Courier

Public Notice

NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT JEFFERSON COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO

Pursuant to C.R.S. Section 38-26-107, notice is hereby given that on the 21st day of February 2023 final settlement will be made by the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado to: HASELDEN CONSTRUCTION LLC. 6950 S POTOMAC ST ENGLEWOOD, CO 80112 hereinafter called the “Contractor”, for and on account of the contract for the Design-Build Services at the Court & Admin Building project in Jefferson County, CO.

1. Any person, co-partnership, association or corporation who has an unpaid claim against the said project, for or on account of the furnishing of labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender or other supplies used or consumed by such Contractor or any of said work, may at any time up to and including said time of such final settlement, file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim.

2. All such claims shall be filed with Heather Frizzell, Director of Finance Jefferson County Colorado, 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden CO 80419-4560.

3.Failure on the part of a creditor to file such statement prior to such final settlement will relieve the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado, from any and all liability for such claim.

County of Jefferson, State of Colorado

Andy Kerr, Chairman Board of County Commissioners

Legal Notice No. CC 1118

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 9, 2023

Publisher: Canyon Courier

Public Notice

NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT

JEFFERSON COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO

Pursuant to C.R.S. Section 38-26-107, notice is hereby given that on the 14th day of February 2023 final settlement will be made by the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado to: HASELDEN CONSTRUCTION LLC. 6950 S POTOMAC ST ENGLEWOOD, CO 80112 hereinafter called the “Contractor”, for and on account of the contract for the Dakota Building Miscellaneous Coroner’s Work project in Jefferson County, CO.

1. Any person, co-partnership, association or corporation who has an unpaid claim against the said project, for or on account of the furnishing of labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender or other supplies used or consumed by such Contractor or any of said work, may at any time up to and including said time of such final settlement, file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim.

Clear Creek County (Owner) is requesting Bids for the construction of the following Project: PW 23-02 Pavement Marking Project Bids for the construction of the Project will be accepted electronically with the following exact text in the subject line: Bid for PW 23-02 Pavement Marking Project. Bids sent by parcel service or U.S.P.S. shall be addressed to the attention of Darin Vashaw and be clearly marked on the front of the envelope with: Bid for PW 23-02

Pavement Marking Project.

All bids must be received via email to pw@clearcreekcounty.us, via courier at the Clear Creek County Road & Bridge Department located at: 3549 Stanley Road (CR 312), Dumont, Colorado 80436 or via U.S.P.S.at P.O. Box 362, Dumont CO 80436 no later than Thursday February 16, 2023 at 2:00 PM local time. At said time all bids duly received will be publicly opened and read aloud via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82274878202?pwd=bi

91cWczUnNrZ1IrbXdOWkp6eHFPUT09

The Project includes the following Work:

• Pavement marking services on various County roads which includes repainting centerline stripes, edge line stripes, stop bars, turn lane lines, and turn arrows on approximately 20.5 miles of County roads at various locations.

Obtaining the Bidding Documents:

Information and Bidding Documents for the Project can be found at the following designated website: https://co-clearcreekcounty2.civicplus.com/Bids. aspx?CatID=17

2. All such claims shall be filed with Heather Frizzell, Director of Finance Jefferson County Colorado, 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden CO 80419-4560.

3.Failure on the part of a creditor to file such statement prior to such final settlement will relieve the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado, from any and all liability for such claim. County of Jefferson, State of Colorado Andy Kerr, Chairman Board of County Commissioners Legal Notice No. CC 1104

ties. It also comes at a time when the state really needs more workers and adults nearing retirement age or beyond it are seen as an underutilized workforce.

In a job survey conducted by AARP last year, 53% of respondents who were recent job seekers said they were asked by an employer to provide their birth date during the application or interview process, while 47% were asked for a graduation date.

“Of course you can guesstimate how old someone is if they graduated in 1987 from high school,” said Bill Rivera, senior vice president of AARP Foundation Litigation. “It’s unfortunate that age discrimination still seems so alive and well. And frankly, I think people don’t get that upset about it.”

He pointed to electronic hiring systems that ask for dates — and don’t let the applicant move forward if the question is not answered. “And think about the people who are dissuaded from applying in the rst place,” he said.

Sometimes, the companies don’t even ask. Amazon, T-Mobile and other tech companies were accused in 2017 of using Facebook’s targeting tools to target 18 to 38 year olds for job openings and thereby excluded older Americans, according to the lawsuit by Communications Workers of America. e companies ended up settling and Facebook paid $5 million and agreed to block discriminatory ads.

“Ageism often is still one of the last acceptable bastions of isms,” Rivera said. “And so in the workplace, you will get a greater tolerance for jokes about aging, when you are going to retire or people having ‘senior’ moments or other things that you wouldn’t tolerate … if you were making racial, ethnic or misogynist jokes.”

Age discrimination enforcement is reactive

ere is no telling how much age discrimination at work goes on in America. A lot is anecdotal. But there is a federal law protecting workers 40 and older. It’s the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. ADEA doesn’t prohibit asking job seekers their age.

Some of the cases made public were eye-popping. An HR director at

Swiss manufacturer Fischer Connectors in Atlanta witnessed the company “repeatedly turning down qualied older employees in favor of less quali ed, younger employees.” She was red when she questioned the actions and refused to participate and was replaced by two younger workers, according to the EEOC.

Last May, the EEOC sued iTutorGroup, an service providing online English-language tutoring to students in China, alleging that the company programmed its recruitment software to automatically reject female applicants 55 or older and male applicants 60 and over. More than 200 quali ed applicants were rejected because of their age, according to the EEOC. e EEOC investigated after hearing from a female applicant over 55. She was rejected. But a day later, she submitted the same application with a “more recent date of birth” and was o ered an interview, the lawsuit said.

Justin Plaskov, a Denver attorney at Colorado Employee Advocates who represents workers in discrimination cases, said the employment discrimination data is underreported because not everyone reports it.

“ ere’s a lot of discrimination happening but the burden to prove a discrimination case is incredibly high,” Plaskov said. “I see cases all the time where it seems like there’s discrimination happening. But because of a lack of economic damages, or a lack of corroborating evidence, it’s not a case we’d be able to take on. But yeah, I absolutely think it’s still incredibly prevalent in our workplaces.”

Plaskov, who helped the EEOC successfully win a $20.5 million award against Jackson National Life Insurance Company for discriminating against 21 workers in 2020, said he turns away more than 90% of the inquiries he receives. But he theorized that the EEOC numbers may be low and declining because states are more active. He said the Colorado Civil Rights Division is faster at investigating cases and much more robust.

According to the latest CCRD annual report, the agency, which is responsible for enforcing the state’s anti-discrimination laws for employment and housing, 11% of the 1,090 employment-related complaints led in scal year 2021 were about age. Disability and discrimination based on sex were much higher, at 23% and 21% respectively.

But ultimately, it’s up to the person who faced discrimination to report

Public Notices

All bids must be received via email to pw@clearcreekcounty.us, us via courier at the Clear Creek County Road & Bridge Department located at 3549 Stanley Road (CR 312), Dumont, Colorado 80436 or via U.S.P.S at P.O. Box 362, Dumont, CO 80436 no later than Thursday February 16, 2023 at 1:00 PM local time. At said time all bids duly received will be publicly opened and read aloud via Zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85494467951?pwd=N

zJwNkY2ckw0NzI0Lyt6N0owTWp5dz09

The Project includes the following Work: Application of approximately 23,000 pounds of joint and crack sealant on various County roads

Obtaining the Bidding Documents:

it and that’s why it’s hard to know exactly how prevalent age discrimination actually is.

“Both the state and federal government rely on individuals ling charges to alert them,” Plaskov said. “ at’s the system we have set up.”

Colorado needs more workers

One of the highlights of Colorado’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is that people have returned to work or the job hunt at higher rates than other states. Colorado has ranked among the top states nationwide for highest rates of labor force participation. In other words, 69% of Coloradans over 16 work or are looking for work, as of December. Other states have larger adult populations that are retired or on disability and aren’t looking for a job.

But Colorado’s population is getting older. And if people in their 50s, 60s, 70s and older give up on nding work and retire, that will eat into the state’s productivity and cause a cascading economic e ect, said Elizabeth

Garner, the Colorado state demographer.

“We’ve just been such a young state. We’ve never had a lot of people over the age of 65. And (that age population) is just growing really fast,” Garner said. “ e decade we’re in right now, the fastest growth is in the 75 to 84 year olds. And that has an even lower labor force participation rate than the 65 to 74 year olds.”

Many people also plan to work longer anyway, partly because the toll of labor hasn’t been as harsh on their bodies as it was centuries ago. Some plan to work longer because they haven’t saved enough for retirement. e important point here is that Colorado needs all the workers it can get, she said.

“When a 50-something worker leaves the labor force, it’s much harder to get back in again. So trying to keep the 50-somethings in and then trying to keep the 60-somethings in is really important across the spectrum,” Garner said. “ e more workers, the better.”

Danielson has worked to pass several laws promoting equity for women, people of color and a more diverse workforce. She was a prime sponsor for the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, to narrow the gender wage gap. It went into e ect in 2021 and required job postings open to Coloradans to list actual wages. Colorado’s law inspired similar paytransparency laws in other states. Removing any request for age, birth

date or high school graduation date in a job application is just another step forward.

“People are reluctant to hire older workers even though they’re some of the most valuable members of the workforce, as they have the most experience,” Danielson added. e Democrat hasn’t heard any pushback for her Job Application Fairness bill, which has no Republican sponsors. Tony Gagliardi, state director of small-business advocacy group NFIB Colorado, is still researching the bill but questioned whether it was necessary. “My members still are desperately looking for employees and they’re going to do everything they can to hire a worker,” he said.

While it’s legal to ask job applicants their age, Heather Tinsley-Fix, AARP’s senior advisor for employer engagement, called it risky “because it opens the employer up to the possibility of appearing to make decisions on the basis of age and to be vulnerable to age discrimination lawsuits.”

AARP Colorado supports the bill. A similar bill in Connecticut had bipartisan support and passed unanimously in 2021 to block employers from asking prospective employees about birth dates and graduation dates. Four other states — California, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — also have laws that ban age questions during the hiring process, according to AARP. e proposed Colorado law would just close a loophole, said Andrea Kuwik, senior policy analyst with Bell Policy Center, an organization that advocates to improve the economic conditions for Coloradans. Bell Policy worked with Danielson on the bill.

e other lead sponsors of the legislation are Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a Boulder County Democrat, and Democratic Reps. Jenny Willford of Northglenn and Mary Young of Greeley.

“ is is not about creating a new protected category,” Kuwik said. “We’re just trying to close a loophole and I think that’s one of the things that helped make it bipartisan.”

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.

Documents may be downloaded from the designated website. The designated website will be updated periodically with addenda, reports, and other information relevant to submitting a Bid for the Project. All official notifications, addenda, and other Bidding Documents will be offered only through the designated website. Owner will not be responsible for Bidding Documents, including addenda, if any, obtained from sources other than the designated website.