VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 46
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 16, 2023
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• Vestas to lay off 200 employees •27J Schools moves online-only Dec. 1
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BUSINESS
Ali Lombard has wanted to be a teacher since she was a little kid. She said it is her calling. “My favorite part about being a teacher is the relationships with kids,” she said. “I’m sure all of us as adults have teachers that we can remember.” Now in her 10th year, Lombard teaches fifth graders at Fox Hollow Elementary School in the Cherry Creek School District. However, her dream career has been clouded with obstacles, primarily money. Low salaries and more responsibilities amid the rising cost of living have pushed teachers like Lombard out of one Colorado school district in search of another, leaving some school systems struggling to attract and retain educators. Turnover rates in several metro area districts are hovering between 13%-21%. That’s higher than the national average teacher turnover rate, which was 10% by the end of the 202122 school year, according to a report by RAND Corp., a nonprofit policy think tank based in California. RAND also reported that the turnover rate was highest, approximately 12%-14%, in “urban districts, high poverty districts, and districts serving predominantly students of color.” Across Colorado, the turnover picture is bleaker than that in many school districts. That’s according to the most recent data from the Colorado Department of Education, which compares the 2022-23 and 2021-22 school years. In the Denver metro area, where districts can employ hundreds of teachers, turnover rates look like this: • Douglas County Schools, 20% • Cherry Creek Schools, 13% • Littleton Public Schools, 14% • JeffCo Schools, 16% • Adams 12 Five Star Schools, 18% • Aurora Public Schools, 21% • Denver Public Schools, 21% SEE TEACHERS, P11
LOCAL OBITUARIES LEGALS CLASSIFIED
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
LOCAL
BY KRISTIN OH, SUZIE GLASSMAN, THELMA GRIMES A SPECIAL REPORT FROM COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA AND SENTINEL COLORADO
BRIEFS: PAGE 2 | OBITUARIES: PAGE 4 | CLASSIFIEDS: PAGE 8 | LEGAL: PAGE 10
COMMERCECITYSENTINEL.COM • A PUBLICATION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
DOUGLAS WINS MAYOR’S CHAIR
Teter, Chacon, Noble, Kim and Dukes win council seats P3
2 Commerce City Sentinel Express
November 16, 2023
BRIEFS Special district tax rate lowered
The City Council in Commerce City, acting as the Northern Infrastructure General Improvement District Board of Directors, voted to lower the district’s mill levy to provide some relief to taxpayers in the district at their Nov. 6 meeting. The action lowered the district’s mill levy from 14 mills to eight mills for the 2024 budget year. The six-mill reduction is expected to lower the NIGID’s share of property taxes on each member’s bill by about $40 per $100,000 of valuation on a single-family home. For example, a Commerce City
homeowner with a house valued at $500,000 will save about $200 on their 2024 NIGID property tax burden.
Human Services Center, 11860 N. Pecos St and at 36 South 18th Ave. in Brighton.
Workforce & Business Center workshops
The 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and The Link, a community resource and assessment center in Thornton, offer free, 10-week programs to families of Adams County teenagers to help develop personal and interpersonal drug-resistance skills. Sessions are from 5:30 to 6;30 p.m. Wednesdays. Call 720-292-2811.
‘Taking No Chances’
The Adams County Workforce & Business Center is hosting multiple workshops throughout November. Visit the center’s website, https:// adcogov.org/workforce-businesscenter, for a full class schedule, which includes contact information for each workshop. The center has locations in Aurora, in Westminter’sPete Mirelez
Adams County internships available
Are you interested in learning more about working for local government? Adams County currently has paid internships available. Opportunities include a cook ($16.48/hour) and classroom aide ($15.62/hour) for Head Start, an IT intern ($17/hour) for the Sheriff ’s Office, and a Healthy Farmers Market intern ($17/hour). These opportunities are available through the Workforce & Business Center. Those interested should work with their Business Center case manager or call 720.523.6898 to get established with a case manager.
Operation Freebird stays the course for 2023 In 19th year, Thanksgiving meal giveaway hopes to help 800 families BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
While the core impulse behind Operation Freebird, the free Thanksgiving food giveaway sponsored by the Adams County Sheriff ’s office, has remained the same over 19 years, a few things have changed. “The goal, our mission, has never really changed,” said Sgt. Adam Sherman of the Adams County Sheriff ’s Department said. “We want to make a direct positive impact on the community we serve here in Adams County, and the event has grown and we’ve started getting people from all over the metro area who attend not just for the food but for all of the other resources we provide.” Operation Freebird is an annual event designed to provide all the makings for a Thanksgiving meal, from the bird to the rolls to the cranberries to the pie. No profits or in-
People lined up to get their Thanksgiving turkey vouchers at the 2022 Operation FILE PHOTO Freebird.
come are generated by this event. The sheriff ’s office, the Adams County Sheriff ’s Foundation and more than 40 local non-profit agencies and other community partners also help provide a range of services to the needy in the North Metropolitan area. The Thanksgiving giveaway re-
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States Toyota has hosted the giveaway. When it started in 2004, it was hosted at Rocky’s Autos along Federal Boulevard. “We started offering help for a few hundred people in the early days at the Rocky’s Auto lot on 64th and Federal, and from there, we’ve had to expand and go to different locations,” Sherman said. “The amount of people who show up just kept growing, and as we’ve increased our advertising and promotions of the event, volunteers and local businesses have been attracted to the event, too. We’ve been able to provide services to a greater number of people.” Another thing that will be the same as last year is that volunteers won’t be handing over an actual turkey. Just like in 2022, people who come to Operation Freebird will get a voucher from Butterball that can be exchanged for a bird anywhere Butterball turkeys are sold. “Logistically, getting our hands on thousands of frozen turkeys and storing them and transporting them was a logistical nightmare,” he said. SEE FREEBIRD, P3
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Commerce City Sentinel Express 3
November 16, 2023
Douglas comes out on top in mayor’s race Teter, Chacon, Noble, Kim and Dukes claim council seats BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Former City Councilor Steve Douglas said it was too early Tuesday night to call him mayor. Douglas maintained a solid lead over rivals Rene Bullock and Joseph Drieling throughout the Nov. 7 balloting. As the unofficial results were released on Nov. 10, Douglas had 4,958 votes, Bullock 3,840 and
Dreiling 1,147 votes. “It’s the sixth time I’ve run, so I know how the trends can go on election night,” Douglas said. Douglas ran for a seat on the Commerce City Council in 2011. He won a seat in 2015. He ran for mayor unsuccessfully in 2019. “In the past, those first votes tend to set the trend and the rest of the votes kind of follow it,” Douglas said. “I just hope that’s what it is, that’s how it’s worked for the past 20 years.” In the other council races, challenger Rocky Teter upset incumbent Jennifer Allen-Thomas in Commerce City’s Ward 2 by 717 votes to 677, according to the unof-
ficial results. In Ward 3, incumbent council appointee Renee Chacon was easily defending her seat against Rich Trujillo by 1,630 votes to 441 votes. In Ward 4, incumbent Susan Noble maintained a narrow lead over challenger David Diop all night and into the morning. Noble had 2,090 votes to Diop’s 1,912. With two seats open in the councilor at large race, incumbent Craig Kim and newcomer Charles Dukes claimed both over two challengers. As of the unofficial tally on Nov. 10, Kim had 4,415 votes, Dukes had 3,615 votes, incumbent Craig Hurst had 2,762 and Ryan Keefer had 2,541 votes.
The new council is tentatively scheduled to be sworn and take their seats at the council’s Dec. 4 meeting. City Clerk Dylan Gibson said the city charter calls for that meeting on the second Monday after the final election results have been certified. Douglas said his goals for Commerce City include tackling concerns with special districts, homelessness and taxes. “Taxation is just crazy, and we need to rein the special districts in,” he said. “I’d like to see the way we manage special districts completely reformed. And then we have homeless people using us as a corridor, so we need to watch that.”
Commerce City voters weigh in on four ballot measures Voters approve backyard chickens, allow city to post legal notices online BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Chickens and bees are fine for backyards, voters in Commerce City said on their Nov. 7 ballots. But ducks apparently wouldn’t fly. Voters considered three additions to Commerce City’s pet rules at the 2023 polls that would allow residents to keep
FREEBIRD FROM PAGE 2
The giveaway also includes a box of food, all the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal courtesy of Food Bank of the Rockies. “We have cans and non-perishable items and we have fresh produce,” he said. “Our goal is to provide a complete Thanksgiving meal and fixings for a family of four in each box we provide.” Those attending will have the opportunity to receive free health screenings, dental screenings, vaccinations, mental health services, and various other Adams County programs for employment assistance, childcare programs, and more. “The gist is providing the food products, but we have partnered with Centura Health and with Kaiser to where we have had flu and COVID vaccines and various other medical services,” he said. “We’ve had dental offices who come out and do dental screenings, we have a whole variety of programs through Adams County’s human services for WIC, and Headstart.” County services include help for job seekers, and housing support among other things. “We church participants who hand out clothing items, we’ve had a bookmobile,” he said. “Its’ just a huge, wide variety of people who come out to help and be part of this event, reaching out to people in need.” The event is working with retailer Home Depot this year, and the com-
the livestock animals as pets. The measure allowing backyard chickens passed 4,088 votes to 3,231 in unofficial results on Nov. 8. Another allowing residents to keep bees passed 4,585 votes to 2,664. But a measure that would have allowed residents to keep ducks failed to get voter approval, with 3,780 voting no and 3,482 voting yes. The chickens and bees will not be allowed in all city zones and each will have restrictions in place. Legal ad exemption passes
Voters overwhelmingly approved a measure exempting the city from having
to post legal notices in newspapers. It allows the city to post notices, ordinances and meeting notices on its website. At least 35 Colorado cities and towns have asked voters to let them opt out since 2008. Voters have agreed to that change in 31 of those ballot measures. Commerce City’s question simply asks voters to change the city charter to allow legal notice of ordinances, documents and other legal publications on the city’s website in an effort to modernize the language. Commerce City is currently required to publish legal notices in Colorado Community Media publication, the Commerce City Sentinel Express.
A publication of
Call first: 143 S. 2nd Pl., Brighton, CO 80601 Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: CommerceCitySentinel.com To subscribe call 303-566-4100
LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com
SCOTT TAYLOR Metro North Editor staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com
BELEN WARD Community Editor
pany will have staff onsite handing out hats and gloves. This event will serve approximately 800 families on-site or until supplies run out, Sherman said. “It runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but we do have people who show up early and wait,” he said. “It goes as long as our
supplies last. During COVID, we had services left over. But there have been other years when we ran out early. It’s hard to gauge what it is going to be like year to year. So we recommend people dress for the weather, come out and enjoy the services and we hope they have a good time.”
bward@coloradocommunitymedia.com
TERESA ALEXIS Marketing Consultant Classified Sales talexis@coloradocommunitymedia.com
AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com
LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Standard Blade. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.
Commerce City Sentinel Express (USPS 3886) A legal newspaper of general circulation in Commerce City, Colorado, Commerce City Sentinel Express is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 143 S. 2nd Pl., Brighton CO 80601. PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT Commerce City and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Commerce City Sentinel Express, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
4 Commerce City Sentinel Express
November 16, 2023
Voters say no to police sales tax BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Brighton voters are saying no to a plan to increase the police department’s budget by $2 million a year, turning down a sales tax increase. As Nov. 8, 3,824 Brighton voters have said no to the plan, compared to 2,188 yes votes, according to unofficial results. Councilors agreed in August to put the proposed sales tax on the Nov. 7 ballot. If voters approve, the city would have begun collecting 15 cents on $100 spent in the city limits in 2024. That money would have been set aside for the police department, allowing them to hire 12 new department employees — most of them sworn officers. Councilors polled residents this summer, with mostly positive results. In an earlier interview, Police Chief Matthew Domenico said it would put a strain on the department if voters said no to the tax. “I certainly have had conversations with the City Manager and other city leadership about those consequences,” Domenico said. “How do we prioritize services going forward? We’ll need to make sure that we can continue providing the services we do now. I think
Our Family Helping Your Family
Adams County Poll Workers Margaret Martinez and Dell Templeton double check a polling report Nov. 6 at the Voter Service Center at the Adams County Building in SCOTT TAYLOR Brighton.
there is a commitment we’ve made to be creative and innovative and that is going to continue.” The city began looking for ways to increase the department’s budget last year, settling on two plans to raise the $2 million, sales tax or a property tax. Both would have generated about $2 million annually. The City Council convened an outreach group to poll residents at city events in April and May and settled on the sales tax. The ballot measure asked voters to approve a 0.15% sales tax increase, which would cost consumers 15 cents on a $100 purchase. The sales tax would have generated between $2 million and $2.75 million depending on the overall economy and retail sales in the city. Domenico said the money was necessary to increase services. Right now, the city has 1.8 officers for every 1,000 Brighton residents, he told councilors earlier in the year. The Front Range average is about 2.5 officers per 1,000 residents. “It’s not going to shut us down. That’s for sure,” Domenico said. “But it is going to put a real challenge on us to continue to provide the level of service our community demands.”
24-Hour Phone Lines 303-654-0112 • 303-857-2290 Brighton: 75 S. 13th Avenue Obituaries, Arrangements and Resources Online at
taborfuneralhome.com MONTOYA
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Ruben A. Montoya Sr.
October 13, 1933 - October 12, 2023
Memory In Loving
Place an Obituary for Your Loved One. 303-566-4100 obituaries@coloradocommunitymedia.com Self placement available online at thebrightonblade.com
Ruben A. Montoya Sr. 89 years old of Henderson, CO passed away October 12, 2023 in Brighton. He was born October 13, 1933 in El Mulato Chihuahua, Mex. To Matias Montoya and Paula Armendariz.
and sharing interesting and funny stories with his friends and loved ones. Ruben is survived by his sons: Ruben (Yvonne) Montoya; Ralph (Sheila) Montoya; Cecilio Guerrero; stepdaughter, Pamela Castro; grandchildren; great grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
He Moved to fort Lupton, CO in early 1950s’ and became a US citizen in 1982. He was married to Anita (Edna) Montoya for Ruben was preceded in death by his first 30 years. Ruben was a dedicated and hard wife, Anita Montoya; second wife, Marcella; working individual. He was supervisor in the daughter Ruby; son Robert; step daughters, cement mason industry and retired in 1996. Virginia and Barbara; Alvaro, Florentino, Rodolfo, Abelardo Montoya, and Ernestina He loved life and spending time with family and friends. He also loved gardening Tarin.
Commerce City Sentinel Express 5
November 16, 2023
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6 Commerce City Sentinel Express
November 16, 2023
As climate warms, state’s fire risk ramps up BY ERIC GALATAS PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE
A warming planet and decades-long drought are expected to spark bigger and more destructive wildfires across the Mountain West, and new data from the Colorado State Forest Service shows more than one million Coloradans live in areas with moderate to very high risk of wildfire. Chad Julian, wildfire mitigation program specialist for the Colorado State Forest Service, said the biggest change from previous maps is improved technologies showing where people build homes and other structures. “More rural areas, smaller communi-
ties, subdivisions; there was a lot more growth in homes in those areas in the wildland-urban interface,” Julian outlined. “There are more homes at risk than there were in 2017.” The latest Colorado Wildfire Risk Assessment offers maps showing wildfire risk by neighborhood. It also found the size of the state’s wildland-urban interface -- where human development encroaches into natural terrain with flammable vegetation -- has expanded to 4.5 million acres, about 45 times the size of the City of Denver. The Forest Service’s Home Ignition Zone Checklists offer strategies for protecting homes. Recent mega-fires, including the
2021 Marshall Fire with its $2 billion price tag, have shown scientists and land managers new priorities for adapting to the new climate reality. Julian pointed out a variety of data -- including from Lidar, a laser-based mapping tool -- have also provided a clearer picture of vegetation and other fuel sources for land managers working to protect communities, water sources and ecosystems. “The wildfire problem is not solely a home loss problem,” Julian noted. “That’s one component of many negatives that do come from these fire events. But we do see a lot of ecosystem degradation, watershed issues.” Wildfires have been a natural part
of the Mountain West for thousands of years, and have grown in scale for a variety of reasons including fire suppression strategies and now climate change. Julian believes better outcomes in the future are possible because the main drivers behind increased wildfire risk and property loss are land use policies. “We have the ability to influence that,” Julian stressed. “We can change how we build, or the existing structures that are already built. We can change where we’re developing into.” This Public News Service story via The Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member.
Commerce City Sentinel Express 7
November 16, 2023
© 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.
Solution
TRIVIA 1. LITERATURE: What is Dorothy’s last name in “The Wizard of Oz”? 2. GEOGRAPHY: Which U.S. states share a border with Mexico? 3. MOVIES: What are Indiana Jones and his father searching for in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”? 4. TELEVISION: Which TV dramedy is set on Wisteria Lane? 5. LANGUAGE: What is a common Latin phrase meaning “something for something”? 6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the fastest fish? 7. INVENTIONS: Where was the first compass invented? 8. SCIENCE: How long does it take for the sun’s light to reach Earth? 9. U.S. STATES: Which state is the smallest in land size? 10. MEDICAL: What is a common name for aphthous stomatitis?
Answers 1. Gale. 2. Four: California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. 3. The Holy Grail. 4. “Desperate Housewives.” 5. Quid pro quo. 6. Sailfish. 7. China. 8. Eight minutes. 9. Rhode Island. 10. Canker sore. (c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.
Crossword Solution
8 Commerce City Sentinel Express
November 16, 2023
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November 16, 2023
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10 Commerce City Sentinel Express
November 16, 2023
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PUBLIC NOTICES
Public Notices call 303-566-4123 Legals City and County PUBLIC NOTICE Public notice is hereby given that the following ordinance was introduced on first reading on the 6th day of November 2023, by the City Council of Commerce City and will be considered on second and final reading on the 4th day of December 2023. INTRODUCED BY: ALLEN-THOMAS, CHACON, DOUGLAS, FORD, HURST, HUSEMAN, KIM, MADERA, NOBLE Ordinance 2548 – FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE VACATING A PORTION OF E. 83RD AVE RIGHT-OF-WAY GENERALLY LOCATED SOUTH OF 8003 E. 83RD AVE, NORTH OF 8000 E. 83RD AVE AND WEST OF VACATED ULSTER ST, COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO Copies of said ordinance are on file in the Office of the City Clerk, City of Commerce City at 7887 E. 60th Ave., Commerce City, CO 80022, for public inspection during the hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. During instances of the city facilities being closed, electronic copies may be requested via email to dgibson@ c3gov.com. BY ORDER OF CITY COUNCIL CITY OF COMMERCE CITY BY: Brittany Rodriguez, Assistant City Clerk Legal Notice No. CCX1232 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 16, 2023 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express PUBLIC NOTICE Public notice is hereby given that the following ordinance passed on second and final reading on the 6th day of November 2023, by the City Council of Commerce City and will be in full force and effect five days after publication. INTRODUCED BY: ALLEN-THOMAS, CHACON, DOUGLAS, FORD, HURST, HUSEMAN, KIM, MADERA, NOBLE Ordinance 2547 – SECOND AND FINAL READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2023 BUDGET OF THE CITY OF COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO, BY TRANSFERRING $298,800 FROM THE UNENCUMBERED FUND BALANCE OF THE GENERAL FUND TO THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FUND FOR
COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FLOCK CAMERA SYSTEM AND AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE THEREOF Copies of said ordinance are on file in the Office of the City Clerk, City of Commerce City at 7887 E. 60th Ave., Commerce City, CO 80022, for public inspection during the hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. During instances of the city facilities being closed, electronic copies may be requested via email to dgibson@ c3gov.com. BY ORDER OF CITY COUNCIL CITY OF COMMERCE CITY BY: Brittany Rodriguez, Assistant City Clerk Legal Notice No. CCX1233 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 16, 2023 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express
Metro Districts Budget Hearings Public Notice NOTICE OF HEARING ON PROPOSED 2024 BUDGET AND 2023 BUDGET AMENDMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the proposed budget for the ensuing year of 2024 has been submitted to the Aurora Single Tree Metropolitan District (“District”). Such proposed budget will be considered at a special meeting and public hearing of the Board of Directors of the District to be held at 8:30 a.m. on November 16, 2023. This meeting and public hearing will be held by teleconference only. To attend and participate by telephone, dial 650479-3208 and enter passcode 77681500. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that an amendment to the 2023 budget of the District may also be considered at the abovereferenced meeting and public hearing of the Board of Directors of the District. A copy of the proposed 2024 budget and the amended 2023 budget, if required, are available for public inspection at the offices of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, 8390 East Crescent Parkway, Suite 300, Greenwood Village, Colorado. Due to concerns related to COVID-19 and certain visitor restrictions that may be in place, please contact Cathee Sutton by email at Cathee. Sutton@claconnect.com or by telephone at 303-779-5710 to make arrangements to inspect the budget(s) prior to visiting the foregoing office. Any interested elector within the District may, at any time prior to final adoption of the 2024 budget and the amended 2023 budget, if required, file or register any objections thereto. AURORA SINGLE TREE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT By: /s/ Rick Hellickson, President
legals2@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Legal Notice No. CCX1237 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 16, 2023 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Public Notice BNC METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 3 NOTICE CONCERNING 2023 BUDGET AMENDMENT AND PROPOSED 2024 BUDGET NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested parties that the necessity has arisen to amend the BNC Metropolitan District No. 3 (the “District”) 2023 Budget and that a proposed 2024 Budget has been submitted to the Board of Directors of the District; and that copies of the proposed Amended 2023 Budget and 2024 Budget have been filed at the District’s offices, 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 150, Lakewood, Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection; and that adoption of Resolutions Amending the 2023 Budget and Adopting the 2024 Budget will be considered at a public meeting of the Board of Directors of the District to be held on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. his District Board meeting will be held by Zoom Meeting and can be joined through the directions below: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/546911935 3?pwd=SmtlcHJETFhCQUZEcVBBOG ZVU3Fqdz09 Phone: 1-719-359-4580 Meeting ID: 546 911 9353 Password: 912873 Any elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the Resolutions to Amend the 2023 Budget and Adopt the 2024 Budget, inspect and file or register any objections thereto. BNC METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 3 By /s/ David Solin Secretary Legal Notice No. CCX1235 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 16, 2023 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Public Notice NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED 2024 BUDGETS AND AMENDMENT OF 2023 BUDGETS SETTLER’S CROSSING METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1 AND 2 CITY OF COMMERCE CITY, ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to
Sections 29-1-108 and 109, C.R.S., that proposed budgets have been submitted to the Board of Directors of the Settler’s Crossing Metropolitan District Nos. 1 and 2 (the “Districts”) for the ensuing year of 2024. The necessity may also arise for the amendment of the 2023 budgets of the Districts. Copies of the proposed 2024 budgets and 2023 amended budgets (if appropriate) are on file in the office of the District’s Accountant, Simmons & Wheeler, P.C., 304 Inverness Way South, Suite 490, Englewood, CO 80112, where same are available for public inspection. Such proposed 2024 budgets and 2023 amended budgets will be considered at regular meetings of the Districts to be held on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
1. To attend via Zoom videoconference, use the following link, or e-mail csorensen@specialdistrictlaw.com to have the link e-mailed to you: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/868059143 75?pwd=MUlDSWdCckV1dEFHVkR5b FBMb0U3Zz09
2. To attend via telephone, dial 1-719359-4580 or 1-253-215-8782 and enter the following additional information: (a) Meeting ID: 868 0591 4375 (b) Passcode: 954082
Any interested elector within the Districts may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2024 budgets or the 2023 amended budgets, inspect the 2024 budgets and the 2023 amended budgets and file or register any objections thereto.
SETTLER’S CROSSING METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1 AND 2 /s/ Paula J. Williams McGEADY BECHER P.C. Attorneys for the Districts
Legal Notice No. CCX1231 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 16, 2023 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express
Bids and Settlements Public Notice NOTICE OF FINAL PAYMENT
NOTICE is hereby given that the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District (“District”) of Adams County, Colorado, will make final payment at its offices at 6595 E. 70th Avenue, Commerce City, Colorado, 80022, on December 4, 2023, at the hour of 3:00 p.m. to Vortex Services, LLC of Denver, Colorado for all work done by said Contractor(s) in construction work performed for the District. Project Contractor: Vortex Services, LLC Project Name: 2023 SACWSD Water System Removal and Replacements
Commerce City Sentinel Express November 16, 2023 * 1
Commerce City Sentinel Express 11
November 16, 2023
TEACHERS FROM PAGE 1
Education and national experts say some of the turnover is driven by teachers searching for bigger paychecks. As an experienced teacher with a master’s degree, Lombard said she was searching for a salary that “reflected a little bit more of [her] professional capacity.” And, Lombard echoed what many teachers and their unions have said in recent years: teacher responsibilities have multiplied. For instance, teachat ers often act as the classroom’s social ed worker and psychologist, work that’s ’s become more necessary as some stund dents face difficulties regulating their ar emotions and work on their social se skills due to years of pandemic related ts ed isolation and learning gaps. “The expectations have grown,” ts e Lombard said. “Our compensation & has not, unfortunately.” So, she left her previous job in the h, re Douglas County School District in fan. vor of Cherry Creek, where she saw a 23 salary bump of $15,000 a year. at No state law nor agency regulates e teachers salaries, so they vary among 3, school districts. There is also no statewide-minimum pay for educators. The salary for entry level teachers in rail Douglas County is currently the lowest o among school districts in the Denver metro area. An entry level teacher with 43 a bachelor’s degree is paid $45,209 a b year, according to the district’s salary schedule. The salaries for first-year teachers 9- with a bachelor’s degree in other meter ro area districts are thousands of dollars per year higher: • Aurora Public Schools currently pays $46,894 (the teachers union is ts currently negotiating with the board of on education on their contract) ed • Littleton Public Schools, pays he $51,274 er • JeffCo Schools $52,625 • Denver Public Schools pays
I-
$54,141 • Adams 12 Five Star Schools pays $58,000 • Cherry Creek Schools District pays $58,710 Salaries for a first-year teacher with a master’s degree are even higher: • Douglas County $49,880 (the lowest in the metro area) • Littleton Public Schools pays $56,028 • JeffCo Schools pays $56,919 • Adams 12 Five Star Schools pays $61,000 • Denver Public Schools pays $62,695 • Cherry Creek School District pays $66,332 The Aurora Public Schools the contract is under negotiation. Fairchild said that while test scores are high in Douglas County School District, they might eventually come down if the district loses too many experienced teachers and can’t attract talented new ones. Josh Miller, the principal of Parker’s Cherokee Trail Elementary School, said the pay discrepancy hits the district in what he called the “sweet spot.” That’s where there’s a high number of teachers with experience ranging from two to three years up through those nearing retirement who could be lured away. “Other school districts are in the same ballpark as we are, so a lot of people are struggling in some of those areas, but again, we have the added need for more competitive pay,” Douglas County School District’s Chief Human Resources Officer Amanda Thompson told her school board in September. With concerns like those as the backdrop, voters on Nov. 7 narrowly approved a $66-million-a-year package to increase pay for Douglas County School District teachers and staff. Douglas County Federation, the union that represents teachers in the district, cheered the results. “We’re so pleased with the outcome of 5A, which will provide long overdue raises for our educators,” the federation announced on Facebook.
Public Notices
Project Location: Newport Street bounded by E. 72nd Avenue to the north and E. 70th Avenue to the south. Oneida Street generally bounded el by Highway 2 and E. 74th Avenue.
Any person, co-partnership, association of persons, company or corporation that has furnished labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender, or other supplies used or consumed by any contractors or their subcontractors, in or about the performance of the work contracted to be done or that supplies th rental machinery, tools, or equipment n to the extent used in the prosecution of o- the work, and whose claim therefor has es not been paid by the contractors or their y, subcontractors, at any time up to and in3, cluding the time of final settlement for the s, work contracted to be done, is required ne to file a verified statement of the amount rk due and unpaid, and an account of such claim, to the District at the above address, Attn: Dawn Fredette, District Clerk, on or before the date and time hereinabove shown. Failure on the part of any claimant to file such verified statement of claim l prior to such final settlement will release the District, its Board of Directors, officers, agents, and employees, of and from any and all liability for such claim. All of the above is pursuant to §38-26107, C.R.S.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SOUTH ADAMS COUNTY WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT acting through its SOUTH ADAMS COUNTY WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT ACTIVITY ENTERPRISE By: Vicki Ennis Secretary
Pay has also been stepped up for teachers in other districts in recent months and years. Yet, even with raises, teachers have been persistent in their calls for more financial support, especially amid the tight metro–area economy. Possible Solutions
The level of state funding has prevented school districts from providing “greater support for public education and schools,” according to Colorado Association of School Board Executive Director, Jubal Yennie. “Total funding in public education and for average teacher salaries in Colorado have typically been in the lowest quartertile compared to other states,” he said. Some school districts stepped up
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Denali Street (48th Ave to 56th Ave) This Contract provides for the construction of the following: Approximately 1 mile of roadway infrastructure including, approximately 2,800 FT of 8” & 12” PVC waterline, 1,800 FT of 8” PVC sanitary sewer, 5,000 FT of 18”-60” RCP storm sewer, swales, and ponds. The project spans along Denali Street from 48th Avenue to 56th Avenue. Copies of the Bidding Documents may be requested from the Windler Public Improvement Authority, at the email of the Authority Engineer, barney.fix@ merrick.com, beginning November 16, 2023. NO PAYMENT REQUIRED.
Public Notice
Bidders must be licensed Contractors in the State of Colorado.
Sealed Bids will be received by Windler Public Improvement Authority, hereinafter referred to as OWNER, at the office of the Authority Engineer, Merrick & Company, 5970 Greenwood Plaza Boulevard, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, until 10:00 AM local time on December 21, 2023 for:
SEE TEACHERS, P12
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Legal Notice No. CCX1234 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 23, 2023 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express
WINDLER PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY Denali Street (48th Ave to 56th Ave)
to raise teacher pay after inflation last year hit its highest level nationally in four decades. And, since then, the Denver metro area’s Consumer Price Index has risen by 4.7%. The index measures the average change over time in the prices urban consumers pay for typical goods. Douglas County saw the smallest salary increase from the 2022-23 school year to this school year among metro districts, according to data collected from school districts’ public salary schedules. The pay for Douglas County’s entry level teachers with a bachelor’s degree increased by $1,529, compared to Cherry Creek, which saw the highest salary increase.
Bids will be received providing unit price for items; however, the price given will be on a maximum not-to-exceed amount, as described in the Bidding Documents. The Work is expected to be commenced within thirty (30) days after the Date of Contract. Bid Security in the amount of five percent (5%) of the total Bid Price must accompany each Bid in the form specified in the Instructions to Bidders.
The Successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Performance Bond, Labor and Material Payment Bond guaranteeing faithful performance and warranty bond for two-years after Substantial Completion, and the payment of all bills and obligations arising from the performance of the Contract. The OWNER reserves the right to award the contract by sections, to reject any or all Bids, and to waive any informalities and irregularities therein. For further information, please contact Barney Fix at Merrick & Company at 303-751-0741. Legal Notice No. CCX1236 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: December 7, 2023 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Non-consecutive publications ###
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Commerce City Sentinel Express November 16, 2023 * 2
12 Commerce City Sentinel Express
TEACHERS FROM PAGE 11
Salaries for Cherry Creek’s entrylevel teachers increased by $14,580 from the beginning of last school year to this school year. Adams 12 Five Star Schools, which serves more than 36,000 students in schools in Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton, Westminster and Broomfield, raised starting-teacher salaries to $58,000 a year from the previous school year. That’s an increase of more than $12,000. Lower salaries also can result in some teachers, like Susan Fairchild, commuting dozens of miles every weekday to get to work. Despite having worked at Sage Canyon Elementary School in Castle Rock since 2009, which is in Douglas County, she can’t afford to live in that community. Instead, she lives in Aurora because that’s what she can afford. She also works extra jobs to make ends meet. “It is disheartening,” Fairchild said. Fairchild said the cost of housing exacerbates the issue because it isn’t affordable for many teachers she works alongside in Douglas County. The median price for a home in Aurora was $495,000 in October. In Highlands Ranch, it was $747,000, according to Realtor.com. In Denver, median home sales prices were $600,000 and $625,000 in Arvada. Average apartment rental prices reflected similar trends in those communities. “I live in Cherry Creek, so yeah, I don’t have another way to say it,” Fairchild said. “People who are coming and wanting to be teachers are not even considering Douglas County. For sure (pay rates compared to other districts) is a problem.” That leaves some school districts
November 16, 2023 that don’t have as much to pay looking for other ways to lure and retain instructors. Douglas County Schools Superintendent Erin Kane said the shortterm retention efforts the district has made — such as offering discounted before-and-after-school care for staff, limiting health care costs, annual stipends and even free meals — helped keep the turnover rate from being even higher. So far this school year, more than 26,000 free meals have been served to Douglas County staff members. Funds for tuition reimbursement for teachers’ professional development are already exhausted for the year. Kane said boasting benefits instead of offering competitive pay is not sustainable. “The district has made such tremendous short-term efforts to retain staff, but it’s really important for our public to understand that those short-term efforts are not long-term solutions, and it’s like putting a BandAid on a big problem,” Kane said. “All leading indicators, such as the job decline rate, are extremely troubling.” State Sen. Janet Buckner, chairperson of the Senate Education Committee, acknowledged teachers’ struggle with making a living wage, among other concerns. She also said that she is a cheerleader for teachers in the state government. “My role on the Education Committee is to ensure that we can do everything we can. And I know it sounds mundane, but we need to do everything we can to elevate education in the state of Colorado,” Buckner said. “Public education is our foundation. And that’s why the public has to be supportive.” Gov. Jared Polis announced this month that he wants to spend $564.1 million on the next budget year to strengthen schools. If approved by
legislators, per-pupil funding would increase by an average of $705, or $15,500 for a classroom with 22 students. This would be on top of last year’s per-pupil funding of $1,019. The governor’s proposed budget will also provide $8 million to support STEM education and enrichment programs and $5 million for workbased learning. “We really believe that we will have enough money to improve teachers salaries, conditions, etcetera,” Buckner said of the proposed budget. Education Associations
In Aurora Public Schools, district officials recently sounded the alarm for board members to pay close attention to teacher salary issues. Months into the school year, the district has not finalized a contract with their teacher union. On Sept. 29, APS Superintendent Michael Giles sent a letter to staff about ongoing negotiations between the board and the Aurora Education Association. He wrote that he lacked the “confidence that a salary increase for licensed staff would come this calendar year.” He also wrote that he “is greatly concerned about our ability to attract new teachers with our current starting teacher salary while also retaining veteran teachers.” The letter states that, on average, teachers received a 9% salary increase last year, but that the district paid for it with money from district reserves because of a “one-year lag in inflation adjustments’’ and because the “district’s per pupil revenue only increased by 3.5%” in the 2022-23 school year. Giles also stated that the district also made more than “$6.5 million in administrative cuts first to keep school budgets untouched.” During an Oct. 24 APS board meeting, two people spoke during open discussion about giving veteran
teachers higher salaries. According to a Sept. 29 letter from APS Superintendent Michael Giles, the teacher union turned down the district’s proposal for salary raises, which would have given first-year teachers a $10,000 raise. The education association refuted the initial proposal because veteran teachers, who have at least six years experience, would have received the lowest salary increase. Giles’ letter does not include when the district first gave this proposal to the education association. Giles’ letter stated that on Sept. 20, the district amended the proposal to increase the salary for veteran teachers from $923 to $2,600. “However, in order to meet this increased compensation proposal, we would need to reduce school budgets by 1%-2%. Given differences in budgeting and staffing, the impact of the budget reduction would vary across the school district,” Giles wrote in his letter. Teacher raises have been the focus of teachers and administrators across the metro region. Earlier this year, the Jefferson County Education Association, the union representing Jeffco Schools teachers, negotiated a 5.25% pay raise with the district. “While the increase was a good start, if the district wants to remain competitive with other metro-area districts, more work needs to be done,” said Brooke Williams, JCEA president. Like Douglas County teacher Ali Lombard, education, Williams said, is a calling. “But I still think it’s really important for educators to receive a living wage so they can live in the areas where they teach,” she added. “First and foremost, teachers are the cornerstone of our educational system.”
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