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September 5, 2014 VOLU M E 9 4 | I S S UE 28 | 7 5 ¢
EnglewoodHerald.net A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Survey: Residents like city Englewood solicited views on services, future By Tom Munds
tmunds @coloradocommunitymedia.com
Maribelle Brinkoff, left, and her daughter Cindy Stewart come out of Brinkoff ’s house to thank the volunteers who built a handicapped ramp at the Englewood home. The project was part of the Aug. 22-23 Home Builders Foundation Blitz Build. The new ramp enables the 82-year-old Brinkoff, who has to use a walker, to come out of her house and go to the driveway without assistance. Photos by Tom Munds
Ramp opens door to better life
The majority of individuals who completed the 2014 Englewood Citizen Survey stated Englewood is a good place to live. “Seventy-six percent of those who completed the survey rated the overall quality of life in Englewood as excellent or good,” Tom Miller said. “Quality of life elements include rating safety, mobility, natural environment, built environment, economy, recreation and wellness, education and entertainment and community engagement. The results rated all the elements higher than the national average.” Miller, president of National Research Center, made the comments during the council’s Aug. 25 study session, as he summarized the results of the survey his company conducted. It is the same firm than administered the citizen survey for Englewood in 2007 and again in 2009. Miller added that economics and safety were identified as priorities for the Englewood community. The discussion focused on the summary of the 2014 Englewood Citizen Survey continues on Page 12
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ENGLEWOOD HERALD
(ISSN 1058-7837) (USPS 176-680) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Englewood, Colorado, the Englewood Herald is published weekly on Friday by Colorado Community Media, 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT Littleton, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. G ET SOCIAL WITH US
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Overall school funding grows Blitz Build project helps disabled Englewood woman By Tom Munds
tmunds@coloradocommunitymedia.com The whine of drills and the hum of conversations of volunteers completing a handicap ramp sounded like the music of greater movement mobility to Maribelle Brinkoff’s ears. “I tried out the handicapped ramp they are building yesterday and I was able, without anyone’s help, to walk to the end of the driveway,” the Englewood resident said. “It is the first time getting out of the house wasn’t a major (ordeal) with a lot of help from my daughter.” The ramp construction was one of this year’s Home Builders Foundation Blitz Build projects. Spokesperson Bridgid Dunlap said the foundation organizes volunteer projects to help provide home accessibility for people with disabilities who can’t afford to have the work done. “Last year we did 61 projects and we have done 43 so far this year,” she said. “Each year, we have a blitz building weekend when we do a lot of projects at one time. Last year, the blitz completed 13 projects, and this year the blitz is doing 16 projects.” The Centennial-based foundation organizes the projects. Last year, 125 volunteers worked on blitz projects. This year, 175 volunteers signed up for the projects. Ramp continues on Page 12
ABOVE: Rob Fournier and other volunteers from Orepec Building Products paint the new handicapped ramp on the home of Englewood resident Maribelle Brinkoff. The ramp construction was part of the Aug. 22-23 Home Builders Foundation Blitz Build. The ramp was among 16 blitz projects done by teams of volunteers to help increase the mobility of handicapped individuals who couldn’t otherwise afford to have the work done. BELOW: Adam McCartie, left, holds a support in place as Brian Wilson uses a power drill to attach it to the handicapped ramp volunteers from Orepec Building Poducts were completing on the home of Englewood resident Maribelle Brinkoff.
Two measures affect range of services, facilities By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com As school starts, lawmakers are touting an education law passed this year that many believe will help students achieve greater success. Earlier this year, the Legislature passed a pair of school funding measures that Gov. John Hickenlooper later signed into law to increase spending within the state’s school finance system by $500 million. The money provides more funding for several areas of K-12 education, including school construction, preschool, kindergarten and English language learner programs. The measures increase per-pupil spending by about 5 percent and allow schools across the state to open up 5,000 more seats for preschool and fullday kindergarten. An additional $3 million will fund financial transparency efforts that are aimed at allowing taxpayers to see how the new money is being reported and spent. “It’s important to make sure we know where the money is going to these schools, and not seeing it go into a black hole somewhere,” said Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch. Funding continues on Page 12