LOCAL

December 8, 2021

Public works mulls bonus retention plan

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Public Works Director Roy Vestal jumped on the employee retention bandwagon during a Fort Lupton City Council town hall meeting on Nov. 30.

Vestal said he wants to take some of the budgeted $50,000 that he won’t spend this year and use it for retention bonuses. Depending on the length of service, employees could receive between $750 and $1,500. The total outlay for both groups is about $17,000.

Vestal said this year has been stressful on his crews.

‘We’ve experienced a high amount of turnover,” Vestal told councilors. “In 2020, we lost fi ve. One is somewhat retired. In 2021, we lost a couple of our senior guys. We’re trying to go with some opportunities for them to move up, but we end up losing three to fi ve employees.”

Human Resources Director Laura Howe said 12 members of the police department were eligible for retention pay of up to $1,800 “...but we didn’t attach a service level to it.”

“We should continue to use some of this money to reward people,” Mayor Zo Stieber said. “To the citizens, public works is defi nitely a higher priority.”

On-call scheduling

Vestal also brought up the idea of changing pay rates for public works employees who are on call, something that happens six times a year. Three levels of on-call status are in play during the snow season, which runs from October to April.

“Basically, you have no weekend for a solid week,” Vestal said. “For 18 weeks a year, you basically don’t have a life. You can’t go hunting, schedule a vacation, go fi shing.”

The current pay plan is fi ve added hours for being on call and a minimum of two hours. Vestal proposed adding an extra three hours for being on call, making a city truck to take home while on call and a clock-in provision when leaving for the call. The two-hour minimum pay for call-outs would remain.

“They did appear amenable to the idea last night,” Vestal said on Dec. 1.

The cost would be a bit more than $8,100 for next year. However, Vestal said it’s tough to quantify the time clock at the time when the on-call employee leaves home.

“Our farthest out employee lives in Evans,” Vestal said. “In theory, it may amount to an additional hour during a call response (half-hour to the call and half-hour back home.”

Human Resources Director Laura Howe said on-call employees with the parks and recreation department don’t get overtime but do earn comp time.

“Their pay structure is different,” she said.

“We want to be as consistent as we can,” Stieber said.

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Get ready to pay more for utilities in 2022.

During a Fort Lupton City Council town hall on Nov. 30, Fort Lupton Finance Director Leann Perino said water rates should increase by at least 6 percent.

This would be the fi rst water-rate increase in town since 2019, she said. Perino thought sewer rates would remain constant.

“We’re collecting more than enough in sewer fees,” she said. “it’s the water piece where we’re barely squeaking by. The cost of everything is going up, and that fund (the water side) is defi nitely going to need an increase.”

The most recent water rate schedule shows a base fee of $28.85, an augmentation surcharge of $2.90 and a system maintenance fee of $2.90. Potable water fees range from $4.98 for the fi rst 12,000 gallons of use to $7.82 for use in excess of 20,000 gallons. Non-potable fees range from $2.50 for the fi rst 12,000 gallons to $3 for more than 20,000 gallons.

Equipment request

Coyote Creek Golf Course General Manager Mike Fish would like a new piece of equipment, a dump trail

“We’ve been trying to buy a trailer. We’re trying to redo the bunkers on (hole) 18,” he told council. “We’re looking for equipment that can haul bigger amounts of material.”

The city’s parks department has one, “but it’s battery-operated,” Fish said. “This one runs on hydraulics.”

The cost is north of $10,000 and isn’t part of this year’s budget.

“What are you going to do to make up the money? Stieber asked.

“We’ve had a lot of rounds of golf in November because it’s been 70 degrees outside,” Fish said.

Insurance renewals are rising for city

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNUITYMEDIA.COM

Fort Lupton’s human resources director had some tough fi nancial news for Fort Lupton’s city council during a Nov. 30 town hall.

The cost of insuring the city against cyber attacks is going up more than 87 percent for 2022. The total amount is more than $184,000. Laura Howe blamed the increase on “a radical shift in the market due to Ransomware.”

Ransomware encrypts fi les on a computer and makes them and systems that rely on those fi les unusable. Those behind the attacks often demand ransom to unlock the affected fi les.

“We bid this out,” Howe told councilors. “Everyone declined to quote because we are a public entity. Fort Lupton hasn’t done anything good or bad. The industry is unattractive. We’re doing some right things, that’s for sure.”

The cost of carrying over workers’ compensation insurance is climbing, too. It will jump 14.5 percent and cost an extra $154,000. Fort Lupton had a large workmen’s comp claim almost two years ago that’s still on the carrier’s books.

“They want to retain our business,” Howe said.

“It would have gone up anyway,” Mayor Zo Stieber said.

The cost to cover the city’s boiler and machinery is increasing by 3 percent, or $5,250, next year.

“It’s not bad,” Howe told council. ‘But it is an increase.”

House cleaning

Council informally began the process of reorganization after the November election. It was informal because council can’t make decisions in a town-hall format.

Chris Ceretto is in line to become mayor pro tem. Shannon Rhoda, who was mayor pro tem, lost her bid to become mayor. Bruce Fitzgerald is slated to become the next treasurer for city council. Fort Lupton Police Lieutenant David Hempel is slated to become a member of the E-911 advisory board.

VFW Thanksgiving program a labor of love

1,000 meals delivered during Thanksgiving

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

It takes a lot of effort and a lot of love to put together Thanksgiving meals for those in need, but it’s something Bob Grant has had a hand in doing since 1978.

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Shop small revives local communities

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Local businesses and economists are urging folks to support small local businesses theis holiday season or any occasion and to discover handmade unique gifts.

When buying local your money supports the communities, said Mounita Roy, instructor of Economics for Aims Community College.

“Supporting Small businesses stimulates the local economy by keeping money within the community through direct impact operational expenses, wages, rent, utilities, and raw materials as well as indirect and induced impact spending on other local business and increased household spending, essentially creating an economic multiplier effect,” Roy said.

“Tax revenues generated from small businesses can be channeled to local public spending. Small businesses also provide greater competition and variety, which benefi ts the consumers. Buying local is more environmentally sustainable due to reduced transportation costs.”

Buy the gift of Wellness from A Natural Way wellness center owned by Julie Devisser T.N.D. with over 35-years of experience in holistic wellness and therapeutic healing

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Bee-och owner Brooke Sarmiento started a refi llery program at her store to save the planet.

PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD

Holly Bandach who works for Dales Pharmacy is displaying some of the unique Christmas decorations. Joe Montoya shopping at A Natural Way for supplements.

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natural approaches. She also is a certifi ed Aerobics instructor teachcertifi ed Aerobics instructor teaching kickboxing and steps fi tness ing kickboxing and steps fi tness classes. classes.

“We are offering buy one and get one free on all Mary Kay products. A special on the CBD products get A special on the CBD products get 25% off on already reduced prices 25% off on already reduced prices and the fi rst 10 customers get a free and the fi rst 10 customers get a free T-shirt,” said Devisser. T-shirt,” said Devisser.

The wellness center has lots of stocking stuffers of wellness ideas such as a variety of vitamins, essensuch as a variety of vitamins, essential oils, vitamins and with the oils tial oils, vitamins and with the oils receive a free mini 10- hour diffuser receive a free mini 10- hour diffuser that can be used in your home or that can be used in your home or car. Besides holistic gifts, all of the car. Besides holistic gifts, all of the jewelry is on sale buy one get one jewelry is on sale buy one get one free. Not to mention, Devisser wrote free. Not to mention, Devisser wrote a cookbook called “Fat Girl Foods a cookbook called “Fat Girl Foods on a Healthy Budget” and it can be on a Healthy Budget” and it can be purchased online. Coming soon they purchased online. Coming soon they will be opening a Raw Roots Juice will be opening a Raw Roots Juice Bar & Café. Bar & Café.

A Natural Way is located at 337 Denver Avenue, Fort Lupton. Visit www.natureopath.com. For informawww.natureopath.com. For information call at 303-857-4481 or email at tion call at 303-857-4481 or email at natureopath@gmail.com. natureopath@gmail.com.

While having a cup of coffee support local vendors creating crafty gift ideas that are set up at K & M gift ideas that are set up at K & M Cup which stands for Kindly Made Cup which stands for Kindly Made owned by Cody LeBlanc and Karen owned by Cody LeBlanc and Karen Cain opened in 2020. The coffee shop Cain opened in 2020. The coffee shop serves a variety of specialty coffee, serves a variety of specialty coffee, teas, and fresh baked goods. teas, and fresh baked goods.

The owners have a passion for building strong community ties and are involved with community and are involved with community organizations to help raise funds for organizations to help raise funds for those in need and also support the local 4-H Tailtwisters club.

“The next two in December K & M Cup will have several vendors at the coffee shop displaying unique gift ideas, “ said Cain.

Vendor “DragonsDreamBoutique” owner Janelle Wise was at K & M Cup selling handmade purses and tote bags sewn with unique patterns that are not repeated. Also, she sews quilts and fl annel pajama pants. To see her purses or request an order email at jmwapollo2005@gmail.com or call 720-385-9954.

K & M Cup is located at 721, 4th Street. Visit https://www.thekmcup. com to order online or call 303-8571210.

For natural organic skincare products and cosmetics Bee-och organics owned by Brooke Sarmiento has the perfect gift ideas. She also studied in medical school but after having her baby girl it changed her plans. It was because of the unnatural ingredients that were in the cocoa butter she was using on her baby bump. So she did research and decided to go into the holistic products and make organic products in her lab.

“ We do all of our certifi ed organic skin and personal care products right here house everything’s handcrafted right here in the back,” said Sarmiento.

Her products are organically made USDA organic certifi cated, 100% cruelty-free, and vegan. The stores sell creams, lotions, lip balm, CDB topical oils, facial serums, and candles. They also offer gift cards and create gift boxes.

Online specials for gift sets are 20% off for a limited time. Also, they sell “Bee,” themed merchandise such as earrings, neckless, birthstone rings, and tumblers. In addition, they started the refi llery program to save the planet. When you come in with your branded Bee-och empty bottles and purchase pay-per-ounce shampoos, conditioners, laundry, and dish soap.

Not to mention by the ounce raw ingredients for example such beeswax, Casio soaps, and Himalayan salts. Also, create your own facial masks with different types of clays and make your essential oils.

“You can use our recipes or use your recipes. We also sell empty containers with blank labels to create your gifts.

Bee-och Organic, 721 4th Street, Suite C, Fort Lupton, CO. Visit https://bee-och.com. Call 303-8577877 or email: info@bee-och.com

When picking a prescription while waiting you can shop for unique gifts at Dales Pharmacy and also have a cup of coffee. Huy Duong owner and Pharmacist is Fort Lupton’s only pharmacy since 1982.

The store in the pharmacy sells medical supplies, beauty products, toys, wall décor, and Christmas decorations. And attached to the pharmacy is the Hard Bean coffee shop serving ice cream and pastries. The store is offering 25% off on gift items, tree decorations, toys, and greeting cards. Not to mention they sell unique gifts for those who served in the military.

Dale Pharmacy, 105 Dales Place, Fort Lupton, CO 80621. Call 303-8576266 or visit https://dalespharmacy. com.

“The COVID 19 pandemic has been particularly damaging to small business revenues. Aggregate small business revenue declined by 20 percent between January 2020 to August 2020, with leisure and hospitality sectors being hit the hardest (Bauer, et al. 2020), said Roy.

“Buying locally and from independently owned small businesses is crucial to reviving local economies.”

THANKSGIVING

His work began started in 1978 at the VFW Hall in Brighton, with Grant helping to organize the annual Thanksgiving meal giveaway. This year, volunteers delivered more than 1,000 free Thanksgiving meals to the area’s needy.

“They do this every year on Thanksgiving since 1978 then it was moved to the Elks Club in 2015,” Grant said.

And it’s grown. When the program started in 1978 at the VFW it served from 50 to 100 Thanksgiving dinners to disabled vets and expanded. Since then for the last four or fi ve years, they have been giving out about 1,000 Thanksgiving dinners.

Grant served in the army in Vietnam so when he came home, a veteran services offi cer with Adams County told Grant about the program and asked him if he was interested in helping.

The preparation starts in October, with volunteers gathering turkeys and donations ahead of time. With over 200 volunteers cooking on Monday and fi nishing up on Wednesday the day before the traditional Thursday holiday, the plates were put together with both a hot and cold meal. Then on Thanksgiving Day, the meals are ready to go out the door.

“We had over 45 drivers volunteer to drive the meals to its location. The last couple of years before the pandemic people would come in and pick up a meal and go back to their cars, “ said Grant. “But with the pandemic, we had cars lined up on Second Avenue around the Elks club and we brought the meals to the people. It’s a joint operation between the Kiwanis Club, Almost Home, and the food pantries.”

These organizations also help with Thanksgiving dinners in the 27J school district. The teachers give them a list of families and Grant coordinates with the families to deliver the Thanksgiving dinner.

When Grant is not serving those in need he volunteers his time with the Kiwanis Club doing a lot of public service work for the people and also works with CASA, Adams County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates.

“I do it because there are people need in our wonderful community – to come together in those kinds of circumstances – it’s just a labor of love,” said Grant.

Volunteer Dick Jensen at the Elks club getting the bags ready to go out the door to serve Thanksgiving Dinner to the community. PHOTO BY GARY HOGAN

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Looking for book ideas this season?

If you are ever looking for a great conversation starter, try asking people what they may be reading. What people read can give us great insight to their hobbies, passions, and interests, and that helps WINNING lead into a fun and engaging WORDS discussion. This is also one of those questions I fi nd myself answering as well. Depending on when that question comes my way will determine my answer as I have been following the same reading pattern for many years now. In addition to my Bible, blogs, columns, and in-

Michael Norton dustry information, I read somewhere between 40 and 50 books per year. And the reading cycle that I tend to follow is this: A faith-based book; business book; biography; history; and then a fi ction book. For me this provides a glimpse into the areas that help me personally and professionally, while also helping me to be prepared for conversations with family members, friends, people I meet socially, and my clients. I fi nd the different perspectives extremely helpful in understanding how others view the things that are happening in our world.

At this time of year the question about what I am reading comes up a lot. Many of you send me emails asking for recommendations throughout the year, and during the holiday season, as people are looking for gift ideas, the question comes up with greater frequency. So here is what I recommend this year as I follow the cadence mentioned above:

Faith-based: “2 Chairs” by Bob Beaudine; “Grace” by Max Lucado; “Lead Like Jesus” by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges; “Bethlehem” by Max Lucado; “Hope for Each Day” by Billy Graham.

Business: “The Expansion Sale” by Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer; “Business Secrets of the Bible” by Rabbi Daniel Lapin; “10 Leadership Virtues for Disruptive Times” by Tom Ziglar; “The New Psychology of Winning” by Denis Waitley; “Traction” by Gino Wickman

Biographies: “Joy” by Joy Clausen Soto; “Boyd” by Robert Coram; “Where Men Win Glory” by Jon Krakauer; “Washington: A Life” by Ron Chernow; “Colin Powell: My American Journey” by Colin Powell

History: “True Raiders” by Brad Ricca; “The Journey of Crazy Horse” by Joseph M. Marshall III; “In the Hurricane’s Eye” by Nathaniel Philbrick; “No Easy Day” by Mark Owen; “The Johnstown Flood” by David McCullough

Fiction: “The Evening and the Morning” by Ken Follett; “Fast Ice” by Clive Cussler; “Win” by Harlan Coben; “Plum Island” by Nelson DeMille; “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coehlo

Maybe you have a different cycle of reading that you follow. Perhaps someone you know may be interested in one of the books I have mentioned here, so I hope this list is helpful in some way.

Each of us has our favorite books and authors. Some of us enjoy our books that we can physically touch and hold, myself included. Others prefer their e-reader. And there are many who enjoy consuming their stories through audio books. Whatever our preferences are, whoever our favorite authors are, and however we choose to take a mental, emotional and spiritual journey by engaging with our favorite books, the important thing is that we make time to broaden our horizons by reading as much as we possibly can and from as many sources as we possibly can.

How about you? Are you a fellow voracious reader? What are you reading these days? Is it time to mix it up a bit and start reading something new? Have you shared your reading list with others? I would love to hear all about what you are reading now, or even your favorite books from the past, at mnorton@ tramazing.com. And when we can expand our thinking through what others are writing and sharing, it really will be a better than good year.

Michael Norton is the grateful CEO of Tramazing.com, a personal and professional coach, and a consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator to businesses of all sizes.

Time to create new rituals for the holidays

The sun is shining, the grass is green. The orange and palm trees sway. Wait, what? With our recent weather here, you’d swear we were in California for the holidays. But we really are a mile high at the foot of the mountains, and I want to have a Colorado Christmas that feels like, “Snow, snow, snow … it won’t be long till we’re all there with snow.” It already seems like we’re lighting our menorah too soon, but this weather is downright weird for the holiday season. Almost 30 years ago, I moved here from Southern California (yes, I was one of those) to escape the constant sun and enjoy the change of seasons in the Rockies. Although I grew up with the pleasant predictability of temps in the 70s and sunshine, I yearned for the change of seasons, especially around the holidays. So, weather gods … where’s our snow, sleet, or even just some fl urries?? How can we bustle down the street with our arms full of packages and our boots on under warm and dry skies?

And who would have ever thought that we’d still be here with yet another COVID-19 variant pushing us again to order online and avoid the in-person shopping experience of holiday Muzak and children’s choirs?

So, to help get in the holiday spirit, I’ve created some new rituals this year: • I got my fl u shot! (Just in case. I don’t want to be in bed for the holidays.) • I greet each sunny day with a warm robe, pajama pants, and a hot cup of tea in front of my TV streaming fi replace. (God knows I don’t need to heat up the room with a real one right now.) • When the doorbell rings with a delivery of a Christmas present I ordered online, I run to get my boots and gloves on to bring the package inside. (Before any stealthy porch pirate can swoop it.) • Since I can’t listen to KOSI-101 Christmas music in the car because I hardly drive anywhere, I’ve started playing it on my computer and loving singing with it. (Gotta get my fi ll of Pentatonix for the holidays.) • I’m still planning on doing our annual tradition of driving around looking at the neighborhood holiday lights. (Thank God some traditions can still be strong.) • My roommate and I have started a nightly “Hide and Find Elvie” hunt where we take turns hiding the Christmas elf from each other and then trying to fi nd it the next day. (So far,

neither of us has been able to stump each other, but I’m still planning to.) • In our house this year, we have become afi cionados of the British Baking Show holiGUEST day episodes and that has really stepped up my baking game! (Can’t wait to decorate those COLUMN Christmas cookies with our new 7-year old in our family!) • Probably most important, is my continuing daily focus on gratitude. Every night, as I’m getting settled into bed, I refl ect on my day and fi nd at least three things for which I am grateful. (Be careful to do this before your melatonin gummies take effect.) You’re welcome to join me in any or none of these depending on your corny or sarcasm Linda Newell tastes. But whatever you choose to do, I hope you and your family stay safe, loving, and warm. And may we all enjoy the crazy Colorado weather and crazy COVID times no matter what comes our way.

Former Colorado state senator, now with a master’s in Social Justice and Ethics from Iliff School of Theology, Linda Newell is a writer, instructor, facilitator, and confl ict coach. Senlindanewell@gmail.com, www.lindanewell.org, www.senlindanewell.com, @sennewell on Twitter, Senator Linda Newell on Facebook.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Church, food bank say thanks

The First United Methodist Church of Fort Lupton and the Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank wish to extend thank yous to all who donated and all the volunteers who helped with the 2021 Great Turkey Box Giveaway.

Thank you to all who donated: United Power, Bank of Colorado, John Dent Law Offi ce, Hands, Hand on Physical Therapy, Rhinehart Oil, Sakata’s, Ennis of Colorado, Weld Food Bank, and all other individuals. Thank you to all the volunteers at the Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank, who fi lled the bags of fl our, pinto beans, and rice.

Also, thank you to the Fort Lupton High School staff and students, Twombly Elementary staff and students, First United Methodist Church Youth Group, Change4Change, and many other volunteers.

The 250 boxes were distributed on Saturday, November 20, 2021, with 13 items and a Safeway gift certifi cate. WOW! Some many people to thank. Such a wonderful giving community and we are proud to be a part of it.

Linda Hunt, Sue Hubert, Donna Howard and Gwen Ceretto

First United Methodist Church of Fort Lupton