Clear Creek Courant May 1, 2025

Outgoing superintendent talks about departure

Meyer says it’s family reasons and that no one forced him to leave after one year

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

“Tumultuous” is a keyword most administrators, teachers, sta , students and parents in Clear Creek County use when considering the recent history of school district superintendents.

Hired in March 2024 and taking o ce in June of that year, Tom Meyer was introduced by the school board as a “permanent” selection to the o ce of superintendent following the planned one-year interim stint of Mike Gass.

Before Gass, Karen Quanbeck served as superintendent from 2019-2023 before accepting a job with the Colorado Education Initiative where she

On Bunny Train, some hoppin’ scenery

e Georgetown Loop Railroad kicked o the 2025 season with its traditional Bunny Train to celebrate the Easter season.

More than 1,000 kids, parents and grandparents boarded the train April 19 for a trip into the mountains still covered in a light blanket of snow.

“It’s amazing. We pull into the station and everyone is smiling, everyone is enjoying themselves. It’s just a fun family experience,” Brakeman/Conductor Nick Hoover said before the train left the station.

Departing from the Devil’s Gate Station in Georgetown, the loop, a tourist train, takes railroad enthusiasts to Silver Plume and back, traveling the rail line that’s often only a few feet from the mountain side.

“We come every year. It’s a really cool ex-

serves as vice president of Field Implementation.

However, just one year after his hire, Meyer announced to the school board, community and parents “he’s out” e ective June 30.

Clear Creek County School Board President Jessica North summed it up this way: “You know, I’ve been on the board for three years now. is new (incoming) superintendent will be my fourth; I will have hired three.”

In a one-on-one interview with the Clear Creek Courant, Meyer said the decision to return to Wyoming, where his wife was o ered an educator position, was strictly family

The Georgetown Loop Railroad kicked o the 2025 season with its traditional Bunny Train to celebrate the Easter season April 19.

PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Clear Creek County Schools Superintendent Tom Meyer announced to the school board, community and parents “he’s out” e ective June 30.

PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Community school cleans up town for Earth Day

Dozens of students walk streets of Georgetown to pick up as much litter as possible

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Students and teachers from Georgetown Community School recently left the classrooms to take to the streets and clean up their town.

In celebration of Earth Day, kindergarten through sixth-grade classes tried to make an impact on what their instructors said is a 50-billion-pound problem of litter and trash blanketing the nation and its cities.

“As we walk or drive in, we can see a lot of trash on our street. We respect and love our town, and we want to keep it clean,” special education teacher at Georgetown Community School Sam Braakman said while walking with students with the Green Team.

e Community School is divided into four “houses,” which includes e Yellow Bees, Red Raccoons, Green Turtles and Blue Bobcats, according to administrators. Each house is made up of K-6 students along with two teachers. e students stay with their respective color coded houses throughout grade school, which administrators say can build bonds with individual kids lasting into middle school and beyond.

Team Green included   fth-grade student Jax Onhumphry, who along with other members of his house scoured the residential streets of the mountain town seeking litter to bag and dispose of properly.

“It means more in the mountains because we love our trees here, we love our snow. We love everything about our mountains. We just like cleaning our home where we live,” Onhumphry said.

A friendly competition was also underway with students from the Yellow House competing with Green for the most pounds of litter and trash collected. e winning house was to receive an undisclosed prize at school in the near future.

“Is the prize food?Is it a bu et?” several students pondered out loud about the potential winning prize.

“Hopefully this will inspire them to keep that stu in the trash can where it belongs.”

Braakman said.

As the kids spread out in their trash treasure hunt, instructors talked about how trash and litter can a ect local farming and be deadly to sh and animals, in addition to attracting bears in the mountains.

“I found a washer!” one student could be heard announcing with pride.

“So, where does it go in the future? If we pick up a lot of trash it will help the world,”

fth-grader George Valcana said.

All of the children seemed to respect the mountain culture of “leave no trace,” which was reinforced by their teachers.

“Yes, they are all mountain kids and we all live up here in the mountains and we love our mountains, we respect our mountains and we want to keep our mountains pristine,” Braakman said.

“It helps the animals and the earth stay longer so we can live here longer,”

fth-grader Aspen Harvey said.

“We have a sign in our house that says, ‘If you’re lucky enough to be in the mountains, you’re lucky enough.’” Harvey said.

Weather Observations for Georgetown, Colorado

Weather Observations for Georgetown, Colorado

Week of April 14, 2025

Week of April 14, 2025

Each day at about 8 a.m. a local National Weather Service volunteer observer makes temperature and precipitation observations at the Georgetown Weather Station and wind observations at Georgetown Lake. “Max” and “Min” temperatures are from an NWS digital “Maximum/Minimum Temperature System.” “Mean daily” temperature is the calculated average of the max and min. “Total Precipitation” is inches of rainfall plus melted snow. “Snowfall” is inches of snow that accumulated. T = Trace of precipitation or snowfall. NR = Not Reported. “Peak wind gust at Georgetown Lake” is the velocity and the time of the maximum wind gust that occurred during the 24 hours preceding the observation time. Historic data are based on the period of record for which statistical data have been compiled (about 56 years within the period 1893-2024). Any weather records noted are based on a comparison of the observed value with the historical data set for that speci c date.

Each day at about 8 a.m. a local National Weather Service volunteer observer makes temperature and precipitation observations at the Georgetown Weather Station and wind observations at Georgetown Lake. “Max” and “Min” temperatures are from an NWS digital “Maximum/Minimum Temperature System.” “Mean daily” temperature is the calculated average of the max and min. “Total Precipitation” is inches of rainfall plus melted snow. “Snowfall” is inches of snow that accumulated. T = Trace o precipitation or snowfall. NR = Not Reported. “Peak wind gust at Georgetown Lake” is the velocity and the time of the maximum wind gust that occurred during the 24 hours preceding the observation time. Historic data are based on the period of record for which statistical data have been compiled (about 56 years within the period 1893 are based on a comparison of the observed value with the historical data set

Students at Georgetown Community School help clean up the town April 17. PHOTOS BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Green House at Georgetown Community School celebrates successful trash

Students showcase talent for audience of family and friends Spring Concert at Carlson Elementary

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e gymnasium and auditorium at Carlson Elementary lled quickly April 22 in Idaho Springs as an audience of family and friends anticipated the start of the Spring Concert 2025 performed by a bunch of mountain kids.

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Part I: Affordable Housing? Think Small (Maybe an Accessory Dwelling Unit?)

This column is the first installment of a monthly series about one of the hottest topics in real estate: Accessory Dwelling Units. ADUs have gotten a lot of attention recently as a housing option. My thanks to John Phillips of Verdant Living for helping on the research for it.

ADUs (accessory or additional dwelling units) are a wonderful idea. They utilize an existing piece of residential real estate and create a separate living space. They have been around for a long time. In the TV series Happy Days, Fonsie lived in one, on top of a garage. And often they have been a converted basement (still worth considering). They can be a separate building, usually in the backyard. Until recently, zoning regulations made that difficult to do. Throughout the United States, as a part of the need for more housing, zoning codes are being changed to allow ADUs. In Colorado, a law was passed last year allowing ADUs in all major metropolitan areas. That was the subject of my “Real Estate Today” column on February 13, 2025, which is archived online at www. JimSmithColumns.com

have been done by relatively well off homeowners and have been relatively expensive. They really don’t qualify as affordable.

So, can accessory dwelling units play a role in affordable housing? Absolutely, for a very understandable reason. They are smaller. The smaller living space is less expensive to build. Is it for everyone? Of course not, but the well designed living spaces are comfortable and mimic the way most of us live, which is in just a few rooms anyway.

Rita and I now live in a 3-bedroom apartment, having sold our 4,000-squarefoot home in Golden. Back then, we really only used the eat-in kitchen, the living room, the primary bedroom/bathroom, and the office. The basement was filled with stuff we didn’t use, except for a ping pong table we used a couple times a year and a portable sauna that we used a half dozen times. The formal dining room was made into a game room, but we hardly used that. The second bedroom was only occasionally used by a guest.

floor which has more equipment than I need. The apartment has all we need for daily life sort of like an ADU.

ADUs are perfect for intergenerational housing (AARP loves them), for young adults as starter homes, and for childless couples, like Rita and me.

ADUs are part of a larger movement emphasizing smaller, high quality living spaces. There are entire developments of smaller homes on smaller lots, some of them the size of an ADU.

Affordability Characteristics

¨ Cost. Because of their small size, ADUs offer a more affordable option compared to traditional homes, making homeownership accessible to a broader segment of the population, including young adults and seniors.

¨ Housing stock. By integrating ADUs into the housing market, communities increase the overall housing supply, especially when they are located in areas dealing with an affordable housing shortage.

Opportunty Alert! Kol Peterson, a recognized authority on ADUs, is holding an ADU Academy in Denver on June 13. Early registration ends May 9. Visit https://www.aduspecialist.org/ aduacademy

es land that is already owned. For a standalone mini home, the size of the real estate is much smaller.

¨ Water & Sewer. When the ADU is just that accessory to an existing single family home it can share the same water and sewer tap, saving a 5figure cost associated with building a new standalone home. .

Another positive is that an ADU adds long-term value to an existing singlefamily home, increasing the wealth of the homeowner.

When Colorado’s General Assembly passed the law, the legislature was concerned that ADUs would be possible for homeowners of moderate means and add to the affordable or “attainable” housing. Up until now, most of the few detached ADUs that have been built in Colorado

Now, in our 1,200-square-foot apartment, our life hasn’t changed much. We eat next to our kitchen, which is part of the living room. One bedroom is my office, and we have a guest bedroom that we’ve only used twice, but it’s nice to have. True, we have no room for a piece of exercise equipment that I’d like to buy, but there is a fitness center on the main

¨ Operational expense. Because of their smaller footprint, ADUs require less heating and cooling, as well as less long-term maintenance.

¨ Versatility. ADUs can serve various housing needs, including for family members or as rental properties, providing the homeowner with an additional income source.

¨ Land cost. This is a big one. When the ADU is a backyard bungalow, it utiliz-

If you want to find out more about ADUs, you should check out the buyer’s guide on the Verdant Living website, which lists many other companies and resources: www.VerdantLiving.us Or call or text John Phillips on his cell: 303-717-1962.

Next month: Why aren’t more ADUs being built in Colorado?

NOTE: My “Real Estate Today” column that normally appears on this page is now published bi-weekly. Look for it here next week and every other week thereafter.

Spring Concert at Carlson Elementary School in Idaho Springs April 22.

PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY

State sees 4th measles case of 2025

Denver adult identified with disease in April

BY JOHN DALEY CPR NEWS

Denver has a second case of measles. It’s the fourth recorded in the state this year and a number not seen in Colorado since at least 2014. It comes as the number of measles cases in the U.S. is rising sharply.

e new case is in an adult — a household contact of the rst Denver case identi ed earlier this month.

e health departments of the city and the state say there’s no risk of exposure to the general public because the person has been in public health quarantine during their infectious period.

Measles can be severe but is preventable. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97 percent e ective in preventing measles, according to a press release from the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment. “ e MMR vaccine is safe and highly e ective, providing long-lasting protection,” the release said. is latest case comes as numbers in Colorado climb, mirroring a national spike.

e latest case is now the fourth conrmed in Colorado in just the last three weeks. Four cases are double the most for the state recorded in a single year; two cases were reported in 2016, according to the state health department’s website.

In no other year in the last decade has the state recorded more than 2 cases. For six of those years, there were zero cases.

Colorado recorded its rst case of 2025 in an adult in Pueblo County on March 31. A second case was con rmed in Denver in an infant about a week later. Both were unvaccinated.

e third case was in Archuleta County, in south-central Colorado, in an adult with an unknown vaccination history.

In the fourth case, the Denver health department could not verify proof of vaccination for the person; their blood results showed they did not have immunity to measles, a spokesperson said, via email.

In about one in 10 U.S. cases recorded this year, the person has been hospitalized, according to the CDC.

People exposed to measles typically develop symptoms seven to 21 days, the incubation period, after exposure, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a distinctive rash. It usually starts several days later on the face and spreads. People with measles can spread the illness four days before the rash starts until four days after.

As of April 17, 2025, a total of 800 conrmed measles cases were reported by more than two dozen states, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. e list includes Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Washington.

ree people have died from measles this year. Two were in Texas, which has recorded 624 cases as of April 18. e third, which is still under investigation, was in New Mexico.

What to know about Colorado’s confirmed measles cases

Nearly all the cases in the U.S. this year, 96%, were unvaccinated. Also, a third of the cases recorded were in those under 5 years, with another third being in people ages 5-19.

Measles is highly contagious. It can live for up to 2 hours in an airspace after an infected person leaves an area, according to the CDC. It spreads through contact with an infected person and via air droplets. Only humans spread measles, according to the agency.

According to the CDC, if a person with the measles enters a room with 10 people who are not immune to the disease, nine will become infected.

Health o cials urge people to call their doctor immediately if they think they or their child has been exposed to the measles.

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

Colorado joins multistate lawsuit to block tari s

With billions at stake, bipartisan lawsuit says they are unconstitutional

BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado joined a multistate lawsuit April 23 against the Trump administration to challenge import tari s that were rolled out by executive order and not by an act of Congress.

e lawsuit, led by attorneys general from the states of Oregon and Arizona, asks the court to rule the tari s illegal and block their implementation and enforcement because the tari s violate Article I of the U.S. Constitution, which grants “only Congress, not the President, the ‘power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises,’” said the suit led in the U.S.

Court of International Trade.

“Under the Constitution, only Congress has the power to tax and impose tari s and there is no ‘emergency’ that justi es the Trump tari s,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a news release. “We are challenging these tari s in court because they are illegal and, as one study concluded, they will ‘increase in ation, result in nearly 800,000 lost jobs, and shrink the American economy by $180 billion a year.’”

Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York and Vermont also joined the suit. e state of California led its own law-

suit in a U.S. District Court last week. All but two of the states have governors who are Democrats.

Colorado exported $10.5 billion and imported $17 billion in goods last year, according to the O ce of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Currently, there is a 25% tari on imports from Mexico and Canada, though some goods are exempt because of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Another 57 U.S. trade partners were socked with an additional 10% tax this month, which was lower than Trump’s initial reciprocal tari s that were since paused on a number of countries that agreed to consider new trade deals.

China, however, retaliated against the retaliatory tari s, matching the new U.S. tax, leaving U.S. businesses paying not just the price of the item imported or ex-

ported, but an additional 145% more in the tit-for-tat trade war with China. Some items were later excluded, including smartphones.

e high tax caused chaos in the stock market but also hit many local businesses, farmers, the outdoor industry and Coloradans who buy imported food or groceries or other imports.

e Trump administration was toying with lowering China tari s to somewhere between 50% and 65%, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Trump said in a news conference, “145% is very high and it won’t be that high. … It will come down substantially, but it won’t be at zero.”

is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.

People often associate measles with its telltale red rash, but the disease can be much more aggressive than that — attacking the brain and the respiratory system. SHUTTERSTOCK

Discover more at your Clear Creek County library

e Clear Creek County Library District empowers our community through literacy, human connection, and equal access to resources. Library programs are always free!

PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Summer reading registration is coming up soon

Brighten your palette with Color Our World, our Summer Reading 2025 program! Beginning in mid-June, the six-week program will feature storytimes, craft workshops, reading challenges, exciting excursions, fun prizes, and more. Registration opens soon – stay tuned!

Young patron & Family programs

STORYTIMES

Share stories, play games, and get creative. Storytimes are a great opportunity to connect with other local families with young children!

Friday, May 2 @ 10 a.m. - Shapes Storytime

John Tomay Memorial Library

Friday, May 9 @ 10 a.m. - Ice Cream Storytime

Idaho Springs Public Library

Friday, May 16 @ 10 a.m. - Caterpillar Storytime

John Tomay Memorial Library

Friday, May 23 @ 10 a.m. - Flower Storytime

Idaho Springs Public Library

Friday, May 30 @ 10 a.m. - Build It! Storytime

John Tomay Memorial Library

WEREWOLF DONUT DEN

Wolf down donuts with us, and then play the popular deductive game, Werewolf! is game is for young learners ages 8 years and older.

ursday, May 8 @ 3:30 p.m.

John Tomay Memorial Library

Friday, May 9 @ 2 p.m.

Idaho Springs Public Library

Adult Programs

BOOK GROUPS

Connect with other local readers at our monthly book groups—email libby@cccld. org for information.

Idaho Springs Book Group

Monday, May 12 @ 4 p.m.

Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Georgetown Book Group

ursday, May 15 @ 3 p.m.

e Women by Kristin Hannah

Adult Crafts

Flower Art Workshop

Date to be determined

Stay tuned for more details about our Flower Art Workshop in late May! We are excited to partner with Tara, owner of Marigold, for this special workshop.

CONNECT WITH US

Idaho Springs Public Library

303-567-2020

John Tomay Memorial Library (Georgetown)

303-569-2620

Email us at hello@cccld.org

Visit us at www.cccld.org

LIBRARY SERVICES COLLECTIONS

Call or visit us to learn more and request items.

Explore our book and movie collection at www.cccld.org

View our Library of ings at https:// cccld.org/library-of-things/ Download the Libby App to your smart device to access thousands of e-books and e-audiobooks.

Do you have the Libby App? Download the Libby App by Overdrive to your smart device to access thousands of e-books and audiobooks, available for checkout with your library card. Visit https://cccld.org/ library-resources/ and click on the Overdrive/Libby icon to get started.

LIBRARY SERVICE SPOTLIGHT

Check this spot each month to learn about a valuable resource included for FREE with your library card!

State Parks Kit

Let your Clear Creek County library card take you to state parks this summer – for FREE! Our State Parks kit includes a guide to Colorado State Parks, guides to Colorado birds, wild owers, and wildlife, a guide to shing basics, and fun activity ideas.

VISITING AND CURBSIDE PICKUP HOURS

Idaho Springs Public Library Hours

Monday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tuesday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Wednesday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

ursday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Sunday: CLOSED:

John Tomay Memorial Library Hours

Monday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tuesday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Wednesday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

ursday: : 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.:

Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Sunday * CLOSED

Local History Archives — visitors are welcome with an appointment.  Curbside pickup services — available by appointment; please contact us to schedule your pickup.

HOME DELIVERY

Let us bring the library to you! Call us for details. Home delivery services are intended for homebound persons and patrons experiencing illness, and availability is determined by weather and sta ng.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Our library sta can assist you with a variety of tasks — using a tablet or smartphone, navigating the internet, setting up an email account, and more. Call us or email heather@cccld.org for more information.

PRINTS, COPIES, FAXES

Email printcccld@gmail.com or call your Clear Creek County Library branch to request prints, copies, and faxes — or just come in and use our equipment during our hours of operation!

NOTARY SERVICES

Notary services are FREE! Please contact your Clear Creek County Library branch to book your appointment.

LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES

Help yourself to free, gently-loved books from our Little Free Libraries at numerous Clear Creek locations. Visit our website to learn more.

We’d like to know about events or activities of interest to the community. Visit www. clearcreekcourant.com/calendar/ and post your event online for free. Email ckoeberl@ coloradocommunitymedia.com

UPCOMING

Idaho Springs Wing Crawl: Noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 3. Participating Idaho Springs restaurants to serve one-of-a-kind wing creations in a bene t for Loaves and Fishes food pantry.

Devil’s Gate History Club: 7 p.m. Friday May 16 at the Georgetown Community Center. “ e spore you know” Mushroom foraging in Clear Creek County Hosted by John Sprunger.

Idaho Springs Epic Day of Service: Friday, May 17, 1744 Miner St., Idaho Springs. Join us in making a di erence! Help clean up your favorite park, neighborhood, or street.

ONGOING

Idaho Springs Lions Club meetings: 7:30 a.m. every rst and third ursday of the month at Marions of the Rockies, 2805 Colorado Blvd., Idaho Springs. Come join us and help to serve our community. For information – www.islions.org, email info@isLions.org or call 720-608-1140.

Clear Creek Democrats: 5-7 p.m. “ irsty 3rd ursday” at the Vintage Moose, 12 16th Ave. in Idaho Springs. Nonalcoholic options and snacks are provided.

Bring an old throw rug and you’ll leave with a bright green mug! You can bring them to Station 1A in Dumont, 3400 Stanley Road, or you can email captains@ clearcreekems.com and CCEMS will come to you to make the trade. Clear Creek EMS also o ers fall-risk assessments by bringing someone from the re department to make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly. To request a visit, ll out the form at clearcreekcounty.us/1388/Community-Outreach.

Blue Spruce Habitat volunteers needed: Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers. A variety of opportunities and exible schedules are available on new construction sites as well as for exterior minor home repairs. No previous construction experience needed. Contact volunteer@bluesprucehabitat.org for information.

CASA of the Continental Divide seeks volunteers:CASACD promotes and protects the best interests of abused and neglected children involved in court proceedings through the advocacy e orts of trained CASA volunteers. Be the di erence and advocate for the youth in our community. e o ce can be reached at 970-5139390.

Clear Creek EMS/Evergreen Fire Rescue Launch Mugs for Rugs Campaign:

Resilience1220 counseling: Young people 12 to 20 can get free counseling through an Evergreen-based organization called Resilience1220. Composed of licensed therapists, Resilience1220 serves individuals and groups in the foothills including Clear Creek County. ey also facilitate school and community groups to build life skills in wellness and resilience among youth. For more information or to schedule a counseling session, visit R1220. org, email Resilience1220@gmail.com or call 720-282-1164.

Dental clinics: Cleanings, X-rays, dentures, tooth extractions and more. Most insurances are accepted including Medicaid. Sliding scale/low-cost options are also available. No appointment necessary. is is a mobile dentist that comes once a month. Call program manager Lauralee at 720-205-4449 for questions.

comcast.net.

Support after suicide loss: A safe place to share and learn after losing a loved one to suicide. is group meets every fourth Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 o ce. For ages 14 and up. Suggested donation for this group is $15. Register at resilience1220.org/groups.

Storytime with Miss Honeybun: Storytime with Miss Honeybun is at 11:15 a.m. Tuesdays at the Idaho Springs Public Library and at 11:15 a.m. ursdays at the John Tomay Memorial Library in Georgetown.

Sensitive collection: Resilience1220 strives to inform and support highly sensitive people to live healthy and empowered lives. It meets the third Wednesday of each month from 6-7 p.m. and is o ered via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 o ce. Register at resilience1220.org/ groups.

Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meetings: Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meets at 7:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Marion’s of the Rockies. 2805 Colorado Blvd., Idaho Springs. For more information, email loe er806@

Public Health o ering sexual health and family planning: Clear Creek County Public Health is now o ering Sexual Health and Planning Services at the Health and Wellness Center in Idaho Springs. Public Health o ers counseling, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, STI and HIV screenings, basic infertility services and birth control options and referrals. ese services are con dential. Public Health can also now bill Medicaid and most private insurance. However, if you do not have insurance, fees are based on a sliding scale — and no one will be turned away if they are unable to pay.

Clear Creek County Lookout Alert: e CodeRED alerts have been replaced by the Lookout Alert. Residents can sign up for emergency alerts county-wide by signing up at www.lookoutalert.co. e new site replaces CodeRED following the switch to Je Com911 for emergency dispatch earlier this year.

SUPERINTENDENT

based.

School board members, several teachers and parents the Courant spoke with all agreed Meyer was in no way forced or encouraged to leave the superintendent position.

“You know, there was never anyone internally saying ‘you know you really need to leave’ that was never the case,” Meyer said in his interview with the Courant.

However, Meyer’s departure once again leaves a void in district leadership needed to be filled by yet another search for a superintendent.

In the past, the school board engaged with Norman Ridder at McPherson & Jacobson as a consulting firm to assist in the search for a qualified superintendent at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars to the district.

It’s the firm hired to guide the search that resulted in hiring interim Gass and Quanbeck in the past.

This time around, North said she approached multiple consulting firms and explained the district’s situation and was able to get two firms to commit at a cost of approximately $3,000.

The district selected Grundmeyer Leader Search out of Iowa to narrow a list of candidates for interviews and selection.

North said the board expects an application deadline of May 8, after which a final list of applicants will be announced and introduced to the community in a question-and-answer forum (location to be announced) on June 5.

The posted superintendent salary range is between $155,000-$185,000.

“I think we all on the board would like to see someone from in state. The main reason is they would have a better understanding of Colorado school finance and how that works,” North said.

During the conversation with Meyer, the Courant asked if he understood the ramifications of his unexpected departure:

Clear Creek Courant: Many people refer to your position as a “coach” or as a “captain” in control of the ship, so you had the helm for a year. Now we need to find a new captain, we need to find a new leader… that’s not going to be easy?

Meyer: “I’m replaceable, you’re replaceable, you know we’re all replaceable,”

CCC: Exactly, but you put the district in a position to find that replacement.

Meyer: “I did, you’re right, I did,”

CCC: Do you have empathy for the district, the teachers, the board, the students?

Meyer: “Like I told you before, this was not planned. Do I have feelings of empathy, as you mentioned? Yes, but things happen.”

CCC: Yet, you placed the district in that position, which is difficult right?

Meyer: “I understand your point.”

The district plans to update the latest information about the superintendent search on its website ccsdre1.org.

Questions can also be forwarded to lori. heaney@ccdre1.org.

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For our own safety’s sake

When it comes to our nation’s history, I’m a romantic. I can’t help it. I love learning more about it…one can never know it all.

HOW WE PAY OUR TEACHERS:

JERRY FABYANIC

I don’t mean romantic in a simplistic my-countryright-or-wrong, love-it-or-leave-it sense. Far from it. I embrace it all, the great along with the despicable. For if one cannot bear hearing uncomfortable truths, how can they truly appreciate the laudable triumphs?

A deeper look at CCSD funding and the limits we face

Columnist

When we read stories from our past, it’s natural to focus on acts of courage and triumph. at’s because we’d like our story, from our own to our nation’s, to be a heroically courageous tale. In very large part, America’s is, but it’s also haunted by ghosts of ugliness: slavery, ethnic cleansing of native peoples, brutal labor exploitation, repression of civil rights.

Our story can be likened to a blending process, not like a melting-pot in which disparate people form a monoculture, but instead a bubbling stew in which acts of heroic nobility were and are intermixed with ignoble ones.

Recent events made me think of a particularly dark period: the Palmer Raids, initiated by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer from 1919 to 1920 (a few historians posit earlier). It was an especially toxic stretch of time. Abroad, the Bolsheviks had recently overthrown the czar and seized control of Russia. At home, the struggling labor movement was becoming increasingly restive in reaction to the brutality the tycoons of industry had rained down on workers. Fear that communism could spread here was rampant. Firebombs mailed to prominent leaders, including Palmer, in amed the hysteria.  Palmer responded with revenge and fury. He launched raids across the nation. ousands of innocent citizens were rounded up and incarcerated. Some were tortured simply for exercising their First Amendment rights. Immigrant groups lived in terror. Suspected “communist agitators” were deported en masse. Palmer likely felt invincible, but he wasn’t.

Palmer met his Waterloo when members of Congress, judges and lawyers stood up and called him down for his blatant disregard for due process, the bedrock of the American judicial system. In response, he vociferously claimed that there would be an armed mass uprising on May Day 1920. When it didn’t occur, he lost his credibility, and his power waned. e tide ebbed but it never completely receded. Hysteria would sweep back to shore from time to time.

e Palmer Raids were the rst Red Scare. e second and most infamous was McCarthyism in the early 1950s. And here we are. Xenophobia is a dark side of our legacy.

Merriam-Webster de nes due process twofold: one, a course of formal proceedings (such as legal proceedings) carried out regularly and in accordance with established rules and principles, and two, a judicial requirement that enacted laws may not contain provisions that result in the unfair, arbitrary, or unreasonable treatment of an individual.

e Fifth Amendment reads no person can “be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” Section One of the Fourteenth Amendment, which nationalizes the Fifth, reads, “nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

In “A Man for All Seasons,” after omas More (sainted by the Catholic Church) tells his future son-in-law Will Roper in a terse exchange that he’d give the Devil the bene t of the law, Will retorts that he’d cut down every law in England to go after the Devil. In response, omas dissects Will’s reasoning.

“And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned on you, where would you hide, the laws all being at?”

omas reminds Will about the country being thick with laws — not God’s but man’s — serves to protect everyone. He then asks Will if he could stand upright in the winds that blew if those laws were ignored or negated. In a reverential voice omas concludes, “Yes, I’d give the Devil bene t of the law, for my own safety’s sake.”

Dismayingly, the laws did not protect him because King Henry VIII usurped them and ordered omas, who was once his chancellor and close con dant, beheaded.

America today is like England then: ick with laws. But there is also a fundamental di erence between us: We don’t have an allpowerful king. Instead, we have the Constitution with the right to due process enshrined in it to protect us from unchecked power. e Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments make it clear that due process is guaranteed to all persons within its jurisdiction. No exceptions. Even for non-citizens. Otherwise, it’s not guaranteed for anyone.  Freedom-loving Americans not only grasp that but are also bound by and to it. ey do so not just out of principle but for their own safety’s sake.

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

is is the second article in our series aiming to o er additional clarity around key funding principles and reserves given the ongoing community dialogue. We want to provide clarity around school funding—how it works, the constraints we face, and how we can come together as a community to support sustainable solutions.

It’s not about value — it’s about resources. Let’s be clear: our educators are deeply valued. ey are at the heart of everything we do. e issue is not a lack of respect or appreciation — it’s a lack of money.

For the past four years, we’ve been utilizing reserve funds to cover teacher salaries. ese are dollars that were put into reserves during stronger nancial years and are meant for shortterm or emergency use. While this decision has allowed us to continue honoring pay increases that support our educators, it is not a sustainable long-term solution.

Each year we draw from reserves to cover ongoing salary commitments, and the strain multiplies. Increases to salaries — from cost-of-living adjustments to movement on the pay scale — are ongoing expenses. Using one-time money (like reserves) for ongoing costs causes reserves to shrink faster and faster each year and encumbers the general fund with that ongoing expense.

The Compounding E ect of Paying Salaries from Reserves Salaries don’t stay the same. ey grow with in ation, experience (steps), and education (lanes).

Here’s what happens when reserves are used to cover these recurring expenses:

1. Salaries are ongoing. Teacher compensation isn’t a one-time purchase—it recurs annually. Once a raise is given, it becomes part of the baseline budget going forward.

2. Reserves shrink fast. Because they aren’t replenished by new ongoing revenue, using reserves leads to a steady decline in the fund balance.

3. e snowball e ect. Every year the district relies on reserves, it takes more money to maintain salaries than the year before — while the reserve fund itself holds less.

4. When the battery dies. ink of reserves like a battery backup. ey’re great for outages, but if you run everything on them for too long, the power goes out — and it’s not pretty.

If reserves are depleted and no new revenue sources are se-

GUEST COLUMN

Clear Creek

School District Board of Education

cured, we face the di cult possibility of hiring freezes, delayed pay increases, sta layo s and cutting critical programs.

ese are outcomes no one wants, that the board is working hard to avoid. Funds drawn from the reserves account to cover salaries create a compounding e ect, leading to a situation where the depletion of the reserves accelerates over time. Any additional allocations from that account will lead to nancial insolvency before the current projected 2031 date. is is the reason it’s so important the community understands the realities the District and the Board of Education face.

Understanding teacher pay: Steps and lanes

Teacher salary schedules typically include steps and lanes, which are separate from cost of living increases (COLAs). Teachers can negotiate all three components of their salary with the district. Most simply put, steps can be loosely correlated with the experience that an educator has. Moving up in steps is not guaranteed and is subject to funding and negotiation.

e cost to the district for each step on the salary schedule is 2.5%. Lanes re ect additional education or credentialing that an educator receives. An educator can move lanes after completing the required education.

e school district honors educators as they work to complete their Masters or PhD by allowing educators to move lanes after so many credit hours are completed. For example, if a teacher has a BA plus 20 MA credit hours, they move over a lane on the salary schedule.

Lanes also cost the district 2.5% each. While all of these are important incentives for professional growth, they still cost money and must be budgeted as part of overall salary increases.

e Board of Education and the Clear Creek Education Association have been very successful in collaboratively raising base pay for educators. At the end of the 2017-2018 school year, the base pay for an educator was $32,000. In the 2024-2025 school year, that same base pay was $45,577.50. A link to our current salary schedule for certi ed teachers can be found in this article at coloradocommunitymedia.com/clearcreek.

Where the money comes from (and where it doesn’t)

Our funding sources are largely controlled at the state and federal level. Local school boards simply do not have the authority to raise taxes or signi cantly increase funding on their own. We are subject to state formulas, mill levy caps, legislative actions, and enrollment numbers (which funds our per pupil state allocation).

Currently, our revenue sources are declining, and our costs are increasing. We welcome community input on how to increase enrollment and generate sustainable funding. We can’t rely on one-time donations or temporary xes.

Here’s the di erence between one-time dollars and ongoing revenue:

• One-time: A grant, a car wash fundraiser, a one-year donation. Helpful, but not sustainable.

• Ongoing: A tax increase or permanent funding stream that can support salaries and programs year after year.

What the community can do e Board of Education is not the only entity that can e ect change. e community is not powerless, we can all work together toward a more positive outcome. Student enrollment is a major factor in how much funding we receive, and one of the only areas we can in uence. More than half of the school districts in our state are struggling with declining enrollment.  It is not an understatement to say: every new student helps. Share positive stories. Highlight the amazing things happening in our schools. Celebrate the hard work of teachers and sta . Be a positive voice in your neighborhood, online and at school events. Reach out to state and federal lawmakers — we need their support to create ongoing funding streams that allow districts to pay teachers without draining reserves.

After constructive public dialogue, an enrollment task force and long-range planning committee will be formed. Please look for more information and consider how you can get involved and help to put Clear Creek School District on the map!

We all want the same thing: strong schools, supported teachers, and thriving students. To get there, we need more than admiration for educators — we need action. Together, we can ensure our schools remain strong not just for today, but for generations to come.

is article was submitted on behalf of all members of the Clear Creek School District Board of Education.

Brenda helped bring light, hope, encouragement

For years, I have been learning about resilience, its di erent nuances, the corners hiding the gems that make resilience so important and even the perceptions we hold that make it di cult to see the possibilities of resilience.

largely fedboards authorcantly own. formulas, actions, (which allocasources are comincrease sustainon tempobedolrevenue: wash donation. sustainable. percan programs not ect not topositive enrollment much of uence. disstruggling to helps. Highlight in hard Be neighschool and need ongoallow without diaforce comPlease and inClear map!  thing: teachget admineed ensure not generations on Clear of

Still, after many years of focusing on the subject, I learned stunning and beautiful things about the nature of resilience last July.

One Wednesday, last summer I received an instant message from the son of a former administrative assistant. It simply said, “Can you give me a call?” and left a phone number. It was the kind of message that leaves a pit in your stomach.

Knowing that something was terribly wrong, I called the number. In our conversation, Tim told me that his mom, Brenda, had been severely injured in a motorcycle accident and that she would not recover. He explained that while she was still on life support, there was nothing to be done because the injuries to her head were too extensive. He concluded by saying that they did not need anything; I told him how sorry I was, and we hung up.

e next day, I texted Tim to see if he needed anything. He said “no,” and I did the same on Friday. Friday’s text response was simple, “Could you come to an Honor Walk for my mom on Saturday morning?” I immediately responded, “yes,” and asked for details.

I had no idea what an Honor Walk meant. I thought it strange when I asked where to meet, and he responded, “In the ICU waiting room at Saint Anthony’s Hospital,” but I did not ask more questions; I just planned to go.

Once there, joining 50 or 60 other people, I began to put pieces together. We were not walking; we were to be the observers for Brenda’s nal walk. Her body was kept functioning, but with no chance of recovery, the family, following Brenda’s wishes, was going to have her organs donated.

e Honor Walk was Brenda’s move from her ICU room to the operating room where she would be taken o life support. When her heart stopped, the donation of her organs would begin.

e hospital liaison teared up as he thanked those who had shown up, saying it was unusual for so many to attend the walk. All in attendance knew it was a testament to the profound life Brenda lived.  e walk was simple. We were taken to

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WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Jim Roome

the hallway between Brenda’s room and the operating room, and along with ICU hospital sta , we silently lined the hallway as Brenda was wheeled through the space, followed by her family. When they stopped brie y, someone shared a short prayer, then the gurney was pushed into an OR and the doors were closed.

e whole walk lasted no more than ve minutes, but the stunning beauty and devastating reality of that experience will stick with me forever. I will never again talk with the person who supported my work as an assistant principal for more than ve years. Never lament the poor Bronco’s performance from the weekend with her or learn from her how her children are doing.

At the same time, I will never forget being present as Brenda, with her nal breath, was given the opportunity to change lives forever. Brenda’s nal act of resilience gave life to another, maybe several others. She showed us that even as we lose everything on earth, we know we can bring light, hope and encouragement.

Her example illuminates a powerful lesson for all of us. We can both nd and give encouragement no matter the situation.

Rest in peace, dear friend. ank you for your inspiring model.

I hope my words encourage you, and that you will share them with those who need support. ank you to everyone who has shared their stories with me so far; I truly appreciate hearing about the valuable ideas you nd in these columns and how you use them to uplift those around you. You can reach me at jim. roome@gmail.com.

Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife, Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences. Contact him at jim.roome@gmail.com.

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BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Veterinarian student Sarah Hilliard retreated to a far corner of a room lined with kennels for the animal hospital’s patients, sat down and thought about how she was going to end her life. Suicide seemed like the best exit out of a grueling, joyless life that included 70-hour work weeks and treating sick and dying animals in a callous, competitive environment.

“I just sat in the corner, and I cried and cried,” said Hilliard. “I was planning on going home and take a long cool smoothie with all my meds and calling it quits. I often thought about what it would be like to nally just take a long deep sleep and never wake up.”

Hilliard is now co-owner of PetVet 365, a new-style pet clinic in Westminster that emphasizes compassion for both animals and their veterinary caregivers. But in 2010 — when she considered her suicide — she was working on her residency in internal medicine at Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in old-school conditions that emphasized only clinical survival.

“ ere was no time for self-care,” said Hilliard. “ ere was no role model telling me, ‘Hey, you are not doing so well. Why don’t you take a day o ,’” she said. “You were pretty much on your own. No one talked about having any doubts about what they were doing. No one wanted to admit any kind of weakness.”’

A colleague found Hilliard and she was admitted to a psychiatric ward for seven days. She balked at going back to her residency and reconsidered her relationship with the veterinary profession, stepping away from practicing medicine for several years.

“I just felt the veterinary world just chewed me up and spit me out,” the 44-year-old Hilliard said. “I had to deal with the giant elephant in the world … what to do next.”

She underwent cognitive behavioral therapy to get to the root of her anxieties. She eventually helped open PetVet 365, which practices a “fear free” approach to treating its patients. She also speaks up about the prevalence of veterinarian suicides in the United States.

“It’s a problem that has not really been looked at or dealt with up until just the last few years,” Hilliard said. “It is time for people to realize that we deal with a lot of stu . It’s not just all bunny rabbits and owers.”

A study by the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2019, found that veterinarians in the United States are three-to- ve times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. ere was a similar conclusion reached in a2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.

About 80% of all veterinarians su er from clinical depression at some point and about 50% report feeling unhappy in their careers, according to Psychology Today.

“ ese statistics paint a bleak picture that calls for a profound examination of the underlying factors fueling this troubling trend,” states Psychology Today.  e publication points to several factors that weigh heavily on the mental health of veterinarians, including performing euthanasia on patients, wrestling with large school debt and burnout.

“ e fear of making a mistake or failing to provide optimal care can foster feelings of inadequacy and perfectionism, which can be detrimental to their mental health,” the article states.

Veterinarians can also be the target of cyberbullying. A client can deliver poor online ratings on Yelp and Google or leave derogatory messages which leads to anxiety, depression and stress among

vets and veterinary technicians, states Psychology Today.

“Veterinarians may feel overwhelmed by the constant negativity,” the publication states.

Colorado State University o cials say they are responding to the new needs of veterinary students — including their mental health — through the university’s Veterinary Health and Education Complex, or VHEC, which includes a new Primary Care Center.

e facility includes a teaching hospital for routine and urgent care; a new Livestock Veterinary Hospital, fully equipped with medical, surgical and ambulatory facilities built to meet current and future demands for large animal care; and reimagined classrooms with interactive workstations, according to CSU.  e complex — slated to be nished in fall 2026 — is coupled with a signi cant curriculum update. e new educational roadmap maintains the rigor of a robust science-based doctoral program while emphasizing ideas such as resilience, professionalism and wellbeing, according to CSU.

Dr. Matthew Johnston, professor of avian, exotic and zoological medicine and co-chair of the college’s curriculum renewal committee, told CSU Magazine last April that changes needed to be made to head o the mental and emotional toll exerted on veterinarian students and practitioners.

Veterinarian Sarah Hilliard holds Vienna, a rag doll cat at her practice in Westminster. PHOTO BY

Veterinarian Sarah Hilliard talks to her patient, Westly, an Australian shepherd.

VET HEALTH

“We started seeing declining attendance at lecture-based courses. We’ve seen upticks in students leaving the program not for academic reasons, but for mental health reasons,” Johnston told the magazine. “I personally have colleagues who have died by suicide.”  Johnston, who has taught for more than 20 years, told the magazine that CSU’s revamped program can have a signi cant impact by changing the way it teaches veterinary medicine. Fewer static lectures. More hands-on learning and group work. Dedicated breaks throughout the semester for re ection and restoration.

“We’re not just going to give you information about mental health and wellness, we’re changing the whole system,” Johnston told CSU Magazine. “CSU is radically ipping the script more than any vet school has done.”

Melinda Frye, associate dean for veterinary academic and student a airs at CSU, said the school will include an embedded counselor to aid troubled students. Financial counselors will also be available, as well as someone to talk about a student’s “vocational wellbeing.” Students can also take time o for religious holidays, Frye said.

“We want to encourage students to understand the human dimensions of our profession,” Frye said.

Students still are faced with a curriculum that demands they gain expertise on a variety of animal species from kittens to dogs and horses, she said. And it’s all done in four years.

“I do understand this contributes to a lot of our students feeling a bit overwhelmed,” Frye said. “ at’s a lot to take in in a short period of time.”

Hilliard grew up in Ohio and was always interested in animals and science. She wedded the two by attending Ohio State’s veterinary school from 2004 to 2008 to become a general practitioner.

She got into CSU’s internal medicine residency program and began dealing with feelings of inadequacy and “imposter syndrome,” she said.

“I kept thinking to myself, ‘How did I get here? What am I doing here?” she said.

Hilliard got help in counseling and began taking prescription drugs for panic and anxiety.

“ e medicine did multiple things to help my physical feelings, but I didn’t understand what the underlying problem was,” she said.

She returned to Ohio State for her residency in small animal internal medicine. Hilliard admits she was not ready for the emotional toll the program would take on her.

“Everything just intensi ed, the patients were very sick, and you are supposed to know the answers,” she said. “But I did know that you were not supposed to ask for help.”

Her breakdown and departure from Ohio State led her down several paths that included going back into a general practice with a friend. She also worked for a pharmaceutical company for a few years.

“Still, I knew something just wasn’t right,” Hilliard said.

at led her to cognitive therapy and

to a group of friends starting a new kind of veterinary practice.

“ ey wanted a nice place to work and for people to bring their pets to,” Hilliard said.

e group created PetVet 365, a Fear Free practice. e waiting room is eliminated, and every patient and pet “guardian” is given their own private dog or cat suite, complete with a TV, couch, rug, toys, species-speci c pheromones and treats.

“Everyone feels more comfortable, including the patients, guardians and the sta ,” Hilliard said.

Not every problem has been eliminated. Some pet guardians are still angered or hurt when they receive bad news about their pets.

“We just talk to them and tell them that our sta needs to be treated respectfully,” Hilliard said.

And there are days when a dog or cat must be euthanized. Hilliard said her sta works to help the animals slip peacefully away.

“It’s not the easiest part of our day, but it’s one of the things we can give as a gift to families that they have an opportunity to end their pet’s su ering,” Hilliard said. “ at’s the unique part of our profession. In many ways, it’s one of the more beautiful things we can do.”

Westminster veterinarian Sarah Hilliard tends to Wesley, an Australian shepherd.

Sarah Hilliard helped start PetVet365 in Westminster. The clinic emphasizes a “Fear Free” environment. PHOTOS BY MONTE WHALEY

Sarah Hilliard

BUNNY TRAIN

perience, and he loves trains,” Stephanie Schi man, from Arvada, said with her 9-year-old son, Hunter, by her side on the train.

Hunter clung to his mother throughout the trip, mentioning his favorite part of the experience is the fact “they move and they’re fun to ride on.”

However, Hunter also said he had some lofty goals on the sightseeing adventure.

“I see nature, and Bigfoot is going to be out there,” he said smiling.

“I never did anything like this when I was a kid, so any train experience we take is a good mom-and-son thing to do,” Schi man said, embracing her son.

e approximately one-hour trip also features a ride across the Devil’s Gate High Bridge, which was considered to be an engineering feat when it was built in 1883, according to historical documents reviewed by Colorado Community Media.

It allowed trains climbing over steep mountains to switch back as the railroad rose from Georgetown to Silver Plume, according to the National and State Register.

However, historians say the bridge also had some frightening drawbacks when it was rst constructed.

e High Bridge is approximately 300 feet long and built with an 18.5-degree left hand curve. It’s 100 feet above the Clear Creek bed and was originally constructed of cast and wrought iron, according to Georgetown Loop’s Calib Murphy.

“ e old-time railroaders used to say that the bridge would tend to sway from side-to-side and sag in the middle as trains crossed over, thankfully our bridge does not do that,” Murphy said.

e original iron bridge was dismantled in 1939 and rebuilt in the 1980s, according to records.

Ray Helwich and 2-year-old, Jack, from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania were part of an extended family outing on the train.

It was Jack’s rst time in the Rocky Mountains, who kept singing, “Here comes Peter Cottontail.”

Once back at Devil’s Gate Station, each departing child was also given a small Easter Basket with candy hidden in plastic eggs.

The Georgetown Loop Railroad kicked o the 2025 season with its traditional Bunny Train to celebrate the Easter season April 19.

Stephanie Schi man, from Arvada, with her 9-year-old son, Hunter, by her side on the Georgetown Loop Railroad April 19.

Georgetown Loop Railroad kicked o the 2025 season with its traditional Bunny Train to celebrate the Easter season on April 19.

Food trucks are latest thing to go electric

Regional Air Quality Council o ers grants to take gasoline and propane out of mobile food prep

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

ings you will hear and smell at Hallie Dantzler’s co ee truck:

A Hal’s Co ee barista o ering you a vanilla shot with your latte. Locally roasted co ee beans wafting your way on the steam emanating from the espresso machine.

ings you will not hear and smell: Bellowing gasoline generators or acrid petroleum fumes.

Dantzler dumped two loud, odiferous gasoline generators and adopted $19,000 in clean-running battery packs to run Hal’s Co ee trailer, with the help of an 80% grant from the Regional Air Quality Council.

Dantzler, who pulls the Hal’s Co ee trailer around Fort Collins and the northern Front Range behind an electric Ford F-150 Lightning, runs down a longer menu of perks she attributes to the battery switchover. No more spending hundreds of dollars a day at the gas station lling up generators and fuel canisters. No longer having to scrub her gasolinesoaked hands in orange Gojo at the end of the day before hugging her burbling toddler.

And according to RAQC, no more emitting up to 165 pounds of carbon dioxide — the equivalent of burning 83 pounds of coal — in one shift. at’s worth another hug from the toddler.

“So knowing that we’re making the world a little bit better for him, and that

he’s just growing up in a safer place, is so nice,” Dantzler said.

e Denver-based RAQC celebrated food truck conversions Tuesday at an Earth Day event called “Engines O ,” in a parking lot at West Fifth Avenue and Santa Fe Drive. e air advisory council, which makes policy recommendations to state and local governments and channels grant funds, has overseen the conversion of about 30 food trucks. e current grant fund, which launched in 2024, has enough for about 120 conversion projects, spokesman David Sabados said.

Depending on the food and the equipment needs, replacing gas generators or propane cooking equipment can cost from the low thousands of dollars up to $30,000 per truck. RAQC supplies 80% of the costs for approved trucks, up to a $20,000 cap.

Switching equipment is part of the ght against climate change-causing greenhouse gases and local ozone emissions. Nine northern Front Range counties are now in “severe” violation of EPA ozone limits.

Changing out one truck’s fuel is, of course, small compared with more than 120 million tons of carbon emitted annually in the Colorado economy. But local o cials are taking on small targets as well as large ones — such as power plants — in the ozone and climate ghts. eir argument is that small engines like lawn mowers and generators make up a couple of parts per billion in metro Den-

ver ozone readings that approach 80 parts per billion on a hot summer day. Shaving a point or two here and there could help the Front Range get below the 2015 EPA standard of 70 parts per billion.

Nodding to converted food trucks from Amore Pizza, HipPOPS and others, Sabados said, “A lot of this, for us, is about proof of concept, showing it can be done. at it can be done anywhere generators are used — food, construction, anything.”

Daniel Belger’s HipPOPS — avorful gelato pops dipped in liquid chocolate and rolled in toppings like carmelized pecans — draw a lot of power to keep the gelato case cool. He’s got LED lights all over to make every angle of the operation and its customers look perfect on all-important Instagram.

Without the fumes from the old gaso-

Co-owners of HipPOPs frozen treat truck Asi Shlomo, left, and Daniel Belger, center, show their battery bank that powers their vehicle to Charlie Mani, right. Mani owns an Indian fusion food truck named Mile High Tikka Express and wants to electrify his vehicle. They all are gather in a parking lot at West Fifth Avenue and Santa Fe Drive to learn about grants o ered by the Regional Air Quality Council to help swap out their generators for battery power and “food truck electrification” on April 22, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.

line generators, HipPOPS gets booked for more indoor events. Plus, Belger said he can hear the customers nudging each other and whispering, “What did you think of the Oreo pop?”

“I hear that and tell them, ‘ e Oreo is AMAZING,’” Belger laughed.

Hal’s Co ee has been booked for two graduation parties over the weekend speci cally because the partygoers want to hear the DJ, not the food truck.

At a pre-Earth Day event last weekend, Dantzler said, “I was the only clean truck anywhere around. And people kept coming up to us, ‘I heard you were the quiet truck. I heard you were the green truck.’ ” is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.

PHOTO

Local programs at risk in budget cuts

Governments would be out nearly $140 million, according to the Colorado Municipal League

BY BRIAN EASON THE COLORADO SUN

Two months before the news broke that the Trump administration might try to end federal support for the Head Start preschool program, Boulder County got a letter denying its annual request for federal funding.

Like many counties across the state, Boulder was already struggling to pay for early childhood programs like preschool and child care. And the state of Colorado — facing a budget crunch of its own — was in no position to come to the rescue. is month, the Boulder County Commission stepped in to keep Head Start a oat, approving $2 million in stop-gap funding to run the program for at least one more year. But local o cials say they aren’t sure how they’re going to keep it going beyond that if the federal government doesn’t reverse course.

“We can’t just expect local governments to be able to pay for all the services that the state and federal government were paying for,” Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann told e Colorado Sun in an interview.

Local o cials across Colorado — already grappling with the loss of pandemic stimulus funds — say state and federal budget cuts are threatening a number of programs administered at the local level.

State budget cuts alone will cost local governments nearly $140 million, according to Kevin Bommer, the executive direc-

tor of the Colorado Municipal League — a callback to the 2010s when state budget writers repeatedly leaned on local governments to solve the state’s nancial woes.

“I’ve seen it before,” Bommer said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a recession, it doesn’t matter if it’s times of prosperity. When the state needs money to back ll the budget, they will drain funds that local governments use for prosperity in their own cities and towns and counties.”

e state spending plan for the 2025-26 scal year, which starts July 1, redirects millions in severance and marijuana tax dollars away from local governments to fund state programs. It also cuts a key revenue stream for roads and pulls back funding promised to cities and counties for things like transit projects and bike lanes. A popular grant program aimed at revitalizing downtowns was eliminated entirely.

Even deeper cuts may still be yet to come, as Republicans in Congress consider cutting federal assistance for lowincome families such as food stamps, homelessness grants, utility bill subsidies and Medicaid — all programs that fall on local governments to administer.

“ ere’s more need than there was before, because people are becoming jobless, people are becoming homeless, and so the need is going up at the same time that we’re cutting services,” Stolzmann said.

e budget pressure has some local

ONLINE AUCTION

governments considering going to the ballot to increase taxes locally. More than a dozen local o cials testi ed in favor of a bill this session allowing counties to increase lodging taxes with voter approval.

e state legislature passed the measure, House Bill 1247, earlier this month, sending it to the governor’s desk where it can be signed into law. In addition to increasing the existing cap on lodging taxes, it also would allow local o cials to spend the proceeds on a wider variety of services, including transportation and public safety.

Summit County commissioners told lawmakers that without additional funding, they may have to delay major repairs to Swan Mountain Road, a key thoroughfare that wraps around the Dillon Reservoir.

O cials in other counties said they were already facing budget shortfalls next year — even before the full extent of state and federal funding cuts is known.

A political shift

While not unprecedented, the state-level cuts represent a shift in the political dynamics of the past few years, when local governments had a near-constant seat at the negotiating table — even if they didn’t always get their way.

is time around, Bommer said, “there was no e ort to help local governments. I can’t point to anything in any of those cuts and say there was any kind of discussion about ‘we know this is going to hurt, but we really feel bad’ — nothing. None of those discussions happened.”

e shift was already underway in the 2024 legislative session.

A number of state lawmakers by then

had soured on the idea of reimbursing local governments for the cost of statewide property tax cuts. Increasingly, lawmakers began adopting a viewpoint shared by many Colorado homeowners, who saw the historic property tax bump as a windfall — the likes of which the state, which is limited by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights revenue cap, could only dream of.

Unlike the state, most local governments have “debruced” from under TABOR, meaning they don’t have to issue taxpayer refunds when collections rise faster than the combined rate of population and in ation. ( e term is an homage to Douglas Bruce, the former Republican state lawmaker who wrote the TABOR amendment.)

After the Proposition HH property tax cuts failed at the ballot box in 2023, state lawmakers began to bristle at the idea of helping any but the most vulnerable local agencies, such as re and hospital districts. en, when the state’s budget problems worsened, the Joint Budget Committee sought opportunities to scale back the state’s involvement in local a airs, including a property tax relief program, various transportation and economic development grants, and promised assistance to help counties hire district attorneys and improve their pay.

“We’re in a situation where we need to stop taking on local government responsibilities, and saying they’re ours somehow,” Republican Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, a JBC member from Brighton, said at one hearing earlier this year — a sentiment shared by most of her colleagues. But local governments face revenue

BUDGET CUTS, P15

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May 7th @ 9:00 A.M.

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problems of their own.

Home values aren’t rising as fast as they were in recent years, and commercial properties face a potential downturn. In the state’s slowest growing areas, local o cials didn’t experience the jump in property values as a windfall, but as a lifeline after the decade of budget tightening that followed the Great Recession. To make matters worse, recession alarm bells are going o due to President Donald Trump’s tari policies, even as state and federal cuts threaten to take a toll on local agencies that administer many of the safety net programs people rely on during an economic downturn.

Bommer said he doesn’t blame the JBC, which faced a di cult task in closing a $1.2 billion shortfall. In fact, when the rest of the legislature got its hands on the JBC’s proposal, lawmakers looked to take even more from local governments in order to avoid deeper cuts to state services. e House voted to cut the local share of the state’s marijuana sales tax from 10% to 3.5% — down from the 5% the JBC had suggested. is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.

Colorado state Sen. Je Bridges, a Greenwood Village Democrat who is chair of the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee, attends a hearing on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.

CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ

1. TELEVISION: Which actor was nominated for an Emmy for the same character on three di erent sitcoms?

2. MOVIES: Who was the rst actor to refuse an Oscar award for Best Actor?

3. GEOGRAPHY: Which modern city is in the shadow of the active volcano Mount Vesuvius?

4. FOOD & DRINK: What gas is used to create seltzer water?

5. SCIENCE: What is the center of an atom called?

6. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Who are the six men who have made a career Grand Slam in pro golf?

7. ANATOMY: What is the largest artery in the body?

8. LITERATURE: For which category is the O. Henry Award given?

9. ASTRONOMY: Which star system is nearest to our solar system?

TrIVIa

10. U.S. PRESIDENTS: How many presidents have died in o ce?

Answers

1. Kelsey Grammer for “Wings,” “Cheers” and “Frasier.”

2. George C. Scott, for “Patton.”

3. Naples, Italy.

4. Carbon dioxide.

5. Nucleus.

6. Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

7. e aorta.

8. Short stories.

9. Alpha Centauri.

10. Eight.

(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

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MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

Parcel 1: Units D301 and D302, Clear Creek Technology Office Condominiums, Building D, according to the Amended and Restated Condominium Map of Clear Creek Technology Office Condominiums, Building D as recorded January3, 2017 at Reception No. 282737, in the records of the office of the Clerk and Recorder of Clear Creek County, Colorado, and as defined and described in the Amended and Restated Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions of Clear Creek Technology Office Condominiums, Building D recorded January3, 2017 at Reception No. 282736, in said records, County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado.

Parcel 2: Reciprocal Grant of Easements recorded June25, 1998 in Book 566 at Page 605 and Amendment thereto recorded July13, 2000 in Book 599 at Page 396, County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado.

The property has a street address of 35715 US Highway 40 Units D301/D302, Evergreen, CO 80439.

*Modified pursuant to three loan modification agreements:

Promissory Note and Deed of Trust Mod-

ification Agreement dated May15, 2022, recorded May 17, 2022 in the records of the Clear Creek County Clerk and Recorder, State of Colorado at Reception No. 305808; Second Promissory Note and Deed of Trust Modification Agreement dated May15,

2023, recorded May15, 2023 in the records of the Clear Creek County Clerk and Recorder, State of Colorado at Reception No. 309363; and Third Promissory Note and Deed of Trust Modification Agreement dated August14, 2023, recorded August15, 2023 in the records of Clear Creek County Clerk and Recorder, State of Colorado at Reception No. 310237.

Purported common address: 35715 US Highway 40, Units D301/D302, Evergreen, CO 80439.

THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, 05/29/2025, at The Clear Creek County Public Trustee’s Office, 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication4/3/2025 Last Publication5/1/2025 Name of Publication The Clear Creek Courant

IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;

DATE: 01/27/2025

Carol Lee, Public Trustee in and for the County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Emily J. Bennett, Attorney #15431 LAFF . BENNETT, P.C. 3200 East Cherry Creek Drive South, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80209-3245 (720) 484-3933 Attorney File #

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

Legal Notice No. CCC1033

First Publication: April 3, 2025 Last Publication: May 1, 2025 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant Public Notice

COMBINED NOTICE - PUBLICATION CRS §38-38-103 FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 2025-004

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust:

On February 18, 2025, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Clear Creek records.

Original Grantor(s) Sharon L. Butler

Original Beneficiary(ies)

BOKF NA dba Colorado State Bank and Trust

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt

BOKF, NA

Date of Deed of Trust

November 02, 2018

County of Recording Clear Creek

Recording Date of Deed of Trust

November 06, 2018 Recording Information

(Reception No. and/or Book/Page No.)

289747

Original Principal Amount

$173,500.00

Outstanding Principal Balance

$147,229.26

Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

Lot 1, Block 2, The Meadows at Georgetown, Third Filing, County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado

And is also known by street and number as 1760 Skyline Drive, Georgetown, Colorado 80444

Purported common address: 1760 Skyline Drive, Georgetown, CO 80444.

THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, 06/12/2025, at The Clear Creek County Public Trustee’s Office, 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication4/17/2025

Last Publication5/15/2025

Name of Publication The Clear Creek Courant

IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;

DATE: 02/18/2025

Carol Lee, Public Trustee in and for the County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Ilene Dell’Acqua #31755 McCarthy & Holthus, LLP

7700 E. Arapahoe Road, Suite 230, Centennial, CO 80112 (877) 369-6122 Attorney File # CO-25-1008454LL

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

Legal Notice No. CCC1036

First Publication: April 17, 2025

Last Publication: May 15, 2025 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

City and County

Public Notice

Opening of Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List MAY 5, 2025

The Housing Authority of the County of Grand, Colorado also known as Grand County Housing Authority is providing public notice that applications for the Section 8 Housing Assistance Program in Grand, Routt, Jackson, Summit, Clear Creek, and Gilpin Counties will be accepted effective 8:00am on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 until 5:00 pm on Thursday,

May 29, 2025.

Families meeting income requirements will be given preference if they meet one of the following preferences;

Families that are experiencing homelessness; Families that include a person with a disability; Families that include victims of domestic violence;

Non-elderly disabled families transitioning from nursing homes and other approved institutional settings into independent community based living.

Only applications submitted in person, emailed, faxed or postmarked between 8:00 am on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 and 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 29, 2025 will be accepted. To request an application you may either come to our office located at 612 Hemlock St. Hot Sulphur Springs, CO 80451 between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm or call us at 970-725-3070.

The Grand County Housing Authority is an equal opportunity Housing Agency and does not discriminate based on race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, marital status or familial status.

Michelle Romero

Housing Assistance Coordinator Grand County Housing Authority 970-725-3070

Legal Notice No. CCC1081

First Publication: May 1, 2025

Last Publication: May 1, 2025

Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Public Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Board of Selectmen of Georgetown, Colorado will a hold a public hearing during their regular meeting on May 13, 2025 to hear public input on the ordinance listed below. Complete copies of the ordinance are available from the Town Clerk.

ORDINANCE NO. 2 (SERIES 2025) MOBILE FOOD VENDORS AMENDMENT – SECOND READING

Legal Notice No. CCC1080

First Publication: May 1, 2025

Last Publication: May 1, 2025

Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Metropolitan Districts

Public Notice

NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF REGULAR ELECTION AND CERTIFIED STATEMENT OF RESULTS BY THE DESIGNATED ELECTION OFFICIAL ST. MARY’S GLACIER METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Sections 1-13.5-513(6) and 32-1-104(1), C.R.S., by the St. Mary’s Glacier Metropolitan District (the “District”) of Clear Creek County, Colorado, that at the close of business on the sixty-third day before the election, there were not more candidates for director than offices to be filled including candidates filing affidavits of intent to be write-in candidates; therefore, the regular election to be held on May 6, 2025, is hereby canceled and the following candidates are hereby declared elected:

Robert Lancaster to a 4-year term (2025-2029)

Charles Longhenry to a 2-year term (2025-2027)

Patrick Nolet to a 2-year term (2025-2027)

Vacancy 4-year term (2025-2029)

Vacancy 4-year term (2025-2029)

Contact Person for the District:

Brenden Desmond, District Counsel

District Address: c/o Spencer Fane LLP 1700 Lincoln Street, Suite 2000 Denver, Colorado 80203

District Telephone Number: (303) 839 - 3800

ST. MARY’S GLACIER METROPOLITAN DISTRICT By: /s/Katie Miller, Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. CCC1079

First Publication: May 1, 2025 Last Publication: May 1, 2025 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Misc. Private Legals

Public Notice

L0501-TD 25-007 NOTICE OF PURCHASE OF REAL ESTATE AT TAX LIEN SALE AND OF APPLICATION FOR A PUBLIC

You and each of you are hereby notified that on the 13 day of November, 2020 the then County Treasurer of the County of Clear Creek, in the State of Colorado, sold at public tax lien sale to EDELL, WESTLY K AND DEBRA J the following described real estate situate in the County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado, to wit:

LEGAL DESCRIPTION: TAX LIEN SALE CERTIFICATE OF PURCHASE #2020-01185

Property schedule R001008

Parcel 170735403004

Subdivision: WINTERLAND Lot: 4 U2 SITUATED IN THE COUNTY OF CLEAR CREEK, STATE OF COLORADO

And Whereas said County Treasurer issued a certificate of purchase therefore to EDELL, WESTLY K AND DEBRA J. That said tax lien sale was made to satisfy the delinquent taxes assessed against said real estate for the year 2019. That said real estate was taxed or specially assessed in the name(s) of HANSEN RAYMOND & NUTTLEMAN.

That said EDELL, WESTLY K AND DEBRA J, did on the 18 day of MARCH, 2025 the present Lawful Holder of said Tax Lien Certificate of Sale, make a request upon the Treasurer of said County by presenting an Application for a Public Auction of a Certificate of Option for Treasurer’s Deed pursuant to C.R.S. 39-11.5-101 for initiation of the process for a Treasurer’s Deed to said real estate; Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible Auction date (unless the Auction is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado, I will sell at Public Auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Lawful Holder, Lawful Holders’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Application for a Public Auction of a Certificate of Option for Treasurer’s Deed, plus fees, expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

(*Public Auction may be continued per CRS 39-11.5-106)

Assessed value: $ 9,460.00

Corrected Publication Dates

First Publication: 05.01.2025

Second Publication: 05.08.2025

Last Publication:05.15.2025

Published in: Clear Creek Courant

Said property may be redeemed at any time prior to the actual Public Auction.

Witness my hand this 16 day of April, A.D.,