Fort Lupton Press Dec 2 2020

FORT LUPTON PRESS S E RV I N G T H E C O M M U N I T Y S I N C E 19 0 6

VOLUME 117

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2020

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 , 2020

NEW HOME FOR OLD BONES

VOLUME 117

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ISSUE 49

ISSUE 48

THE SEASON FOR SHARING

Every year before Thanksgiving, First United Methodist Church in Fort Lupton and the Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank provide community members with food boxes. This will be the program’s 10th consecutive year. Above, Joe Hubert, left China Garcia and Sue Hubert with Change 4 Change, another organization thatthe helps with the foodthe drive.

See moreof onNature Page&2.Science from Weld County for restoration and research. From left to right: Museum President Excitement builds with Pops Triceratops visiting Denver Museum & CEO George Sparks, Fossil Preparator Salvador Bastien, Chief Fossil Preparator Natalie Toth, Curator of Dinosaurs Joe Sertich. See story on page 2. COURTESY OF THE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE

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3 • City joins effort to • United Power shutters 2 7 find alternative •A fundraiser dining and spots forto com-member •In-door services storefront 4 8 students bat domestic abuse large gatherings prohib10 6 • Page 3 ited by new restrictions • Page  11 13

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2 Fort Lupton Press

December 2, 2020

Rare fossil makes the big time Weld County triceratops skull now a feature at Denver Museum of Nature and Science

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The first Triceratops skull discovered in Colorado is getting its moment in the sun.

Nicknamed Pops in a contest, the rare fossil is now sitting at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science waiting to be studied for the first time, after 38 years.

“This is the first nearly complete skull of a triceratops that was ever found in the state. They did reconstruction on it before it was put on display. We also had a private company do some of the cleanings, it what we call preparation,” said Paleontologist Joe Sertich, curator of dinosaurs for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Briggsdale’s Roland Sonny Mapelli found it on his ranch in 1982. It’s been in a box in the Weld County museum ever since.

“Our dad would have been so excited about this journey and it will make a difference. Also, his grandchildren will be part of the journey to learn about the triceratops,” said Terri Mapelli DeMoney, Mapelli’s daughter.

The animals were all over the area some 66 million years ago, based on the fossil finds. There have been pairs of triceratops horns found near Platte Street and I-25 in 1887 and a tricerPAID ADVERTISEMENT

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Denver Museum of Nature & Science President & CEO George Sparks visits Pops with Curator of Dinosaurs Joe Sertich in the Museum’s Paleo Prep Lab. COURTESY OF THE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE atops remains that were found during the construction of Coors field in 1993.

But the first complete Triceratops skull was found in Weld County.

“The skull could be a young triceratops it’s going to be part of my research and that is what we do on a specimen,” Sertich said. “It is small for a triceratops, it was about half the size of a normal triceratops skull.

Also, it could mean that it’s either a different type of horned dinosaur. It might not be a triceratops.”

Scientists look for certain attributes to study, he said.

“We look at features of the skull where they suture together,” Sertich said. “So, the different bones in the skull will fuse when they become mature when they are adults just like us. It’s just a normal aging growth pattern.”

Bone and plaster According to Sertich, the dinosaur is rare it 70% dinosaur bone but the other 30% will be plaster which is normal practice to fill the missing parts when they are constructing the skeleton structure.

“We do it all the time to stabilize and it more photogenic,” said Sertich.

The researchers can identify the age of a dinosaur by cutting into its ribs and by looking at the layers of rings.

“We can cut the rib bones, so by cutting into one of the ribs it’s looking like tree rings, you can get a sense of the age of the animal from those lines that are preserved in the rib bone,” Sertich.

It could take up to a year to study Pops, he said. The first job is cleaning it, then the next step will be restoring it. They also found other pieces and chunks of bones that were in boxes underneath the display in Weld County and those will have to be cataloged and studied, too., “As a matter of fact, one of the chunks that we put together is a

Pops the Triceratops -- the most complete Triceratops skull ever discovered in Colorado.

COURTESY OF THE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE

complete left lower jaw that we did not know we had,” Sertich said. “A lot of those pieces are the shield part of the skull that is behind the head of the Triceratops in the boxes. We will put all those pieces back together with a more stable plaster.”

The plaster that they used 30 to 40 years ago, when Pops was first unearthed, has since been replaced with more advanced epoxies and materials that are more archival. Its materials should last hundreds of years into the future.

Seven Cross The actual spot on Mapelli’s ranch where the triceratops skull was found is called the “Seven Cross.” It is a

legend from the 18th and 19th centuries that seven tribes — the Apache, Comanche, Ute, Arapahoe, Pawnee, Crow and Shoshoni— traveled over the same spot.

The Seven Cross spot where the Pops was found is a neat intersection of a long line of human cultures in the area, Sertich said, and the Mapelli’s are just part of that long story in history.

“And also, way before people 68 million years ago, there were all these dinosaurs,” said Sertich.

It boggles the mind, Mapeli’s daughter DeMoney said.

“These Indians were sitting on a

Please see TRICERATOPS, Page 9

Fort Lupton Press 3

December 2, 2020

City joins effort to find alternate school spots At Town Hall, Fort Lupton considers learning pods for students

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Schools in Fort Lupton are closed until the second semester, which is why Fort Lupton City Administrator Chris Cross wants to help.

Cross told the Fort Lupton City Council’s Nov. 24 Town Hall that the local chapter of the Boys and Girls Club has instructional opportunities and pods that could help school-aged children who currently have no place to go.

“I’ve been talking with Gerri (Gerri Holton, who’s actively involved with the Fort Lupton chapter of the Boys and Girls Club) about finding a loca-

tion, a spaced-out pod location. That way, the kids will have somebody to help them through the process,” Cross told councilors.

If the schools use the recreation center as a learning pod, Cross said access would be limited to 10 students.

Cross said the students could tap into the center’s wifi network through its guest portal.

“Maybe some church we don’t know about has some space and a wifi connection,” he said.

“I don’t mind you spending a little time on it, but it’s not a top priority,” Mayor Zo Stieber said.

“It’s a short-term thing (the first semester ends Friday, Dec. 18),” Cross said. “We’re looking at a time of between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. School is the most optimal choice. But there are a lot of things that would be more optimal in 2020.”

Sick leave There’s some good news for parttime and seasonal employees in the city.

Human Resources Director Laura Howe told council those employees qualify for sick leave - one hour for each 30 hours worked up to 48 hours per year - because of a new state law.

“We don’t need to be more generous than this at this time,” Howe told the council. “Full-time employees don’t have to change anything materially.”

Coyote Creek wishlist It’s a month or so before Christmas, and Coyote Creek PGA General Manager Tyler Tarpley presented council with his wish list of new equipment during the Nov. 24 virtual town hall.

The list includes four pieces of equipment, including aerators and loaders, which total about $81,000.

Council had no concerns. The item

is due to come back to council Dec. 2, after press time, for a formal vote.

Coyote Creek’s parent has been in bankruptcy protection since 2012.

“Because of the bankruptcy, we haven’t been able to make capital improvements,” Tarpley told the council.

“What we’ve done the last couple of years is come to you when we have money. The wish list is with the assumption that if the money is there, we spend it.”

“It would be nice to get out from under that stinking bankruptcy,” Stieber said.

Tarpley said the course is on target for its most rounds since he started at the course in 2013. The previous high-water mark was 25,000 rounds.

Tarpley told council the course is on pace to reach 35,000 rounds this year.

More money needed for Kahil Street project Half-mile of pipe ‘Didn’t look good’

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Pipeline work continues on Kahil Street from Denver to Fulton avenues.

But it hit a snag, which required Public Works Director Roy Vestal to submit a $224,000 change order to Fort Lupton City Council.

Crews dug up the old pipeline, which presented the issue that necessitated the change.

“When they replaced the water line, it looked aged. It didn’t look good,”

Vestal told council during a Nov. 24 virtual town hall.

The cost of the change order covers a half-mile of pipe.

“I don’t think we have much choice,” said Mayor Zo Stieber. “You know my opinion on change orders.”

Road grader saga In other business, Vestal presented council with a bid for a new road grader. He hoped that would put an end to what he called “an ongoing saga.”

Vestal told council that one of the

desired graders was the right price but “it was pretty beat up.” The one Vestal would like the city to purchase came in under budget - $198,900 based on a budget of $220,000 - and included a two-year warranty.

“That’s what we’re going for,” Vestal told council. “The machine (it has 5,600 hours of service time) is in excellent shape.”

“Good job,” Stieber said.

Staff seeks sign leeway Planner Alyssa Knutson asked council for some changes to the city’s posting requirements for public hearings. The area of concern is the height

of the sign, which is 4 feet by 4 feet.

“We’d like you to give us more leeway,” she told council during a virtual Nov. 24 town hall discussion. “The signs would still require the time and date and location of the public hearing and access online. The applicant still has to maintain the sign.”

Knutson said she would send the proposal to City Attorney Andy Ausmus before making a formal presentation to council.

“I would like to be consistent with the county (in terms of rules),” Stieber said.

Three staff workers making an impact to help veterans Over 17,683 veteran helped with claims during COVID-19

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Small staff size does not stop a trio of Weld County veterans from making sure people who need help get it.

Amber Peplinski, Wendy Nally, and Nickie Philips all work at the Weld County Department of Veteran Services and they have been busy making sure 17,683 veterans in Weld County get what they need.

Office gets funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Amber Peplinski, Weld County Veterans Officer Supervisor is a veteran of the Marine Corps.

“While our lobby was closed, we worked from home doing claims by mail, on the internet, and over the phone,” said Peplinski. “We had to do a lot of rearranging as far as scheduling, but the veterans have been so supportive.”

The year-end date numbers are not available yet, but the veterans in Weld County received over $138 million in funding from the VA so far. It’s a $12 million increase from 2018, according to the National Center of Veterans Analysis and Statistics.

The Veterans Affairs (VA) is the benefits provider and Veterans Services assist veterans with applying to claims such as education benefits, disabilities benefits, pension, burial services that include headstones and markers. It also helps with enrollment into the VA health care system.

Through September htis year, more than 914 veterans have received help with the in-person service. With COVID-19 and the closure of offices, the staff had to be adjusted to accommodate the veterans because they received over 5,299 calls from March 17 through May 4th.

Wendy Nally is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force from 1986-1990.

“I am very pleased that we have been able to continue assisting our veterans through the COVID-19 crisis.

I am grateful that our office is here to assist our veterans in applying for much-needed benefits and to make that process as smooth as possible for them. I love my job and as a veteran, I am very privileged to help our Weld County Veterans.”

The numbers of vets helped are down this year, due to the office being closed. In 2019, Veterans Services received about 1,899 walk-ins and 5,959 phone calls.

Not only did the staff ’s job became more challenging, but the claims for veterans have also been delayed. Before COVID-19 documents were mailed to veterans that were required to be

signed in person which usually took less than 10-minutes to complete and then it was sent off Veterans Affairs.

Since the offices are closed, the veterans have to sign the documents and return them by mail and that can take up to seven days longer to reach the VA. During the pandemic, new veterans are inquiring about benefits for the first time and submitting claims. Veterans Service also received help from outside agencies such as the Veterans Resource Center and the American Legion.

“We love what we do. It’s a privilege to serve our veteran community, especially in these unprecedented times.

Making sure that they have access to their benefits is critical, and we are happy to assist in that process,” said Nickie Phillips.

“We were happy that we were able

COURTESY OF GOOGLE CREATIVE COMMONS

to continue working because it was a time veteran] needed us the most,” Peplinski said. “It was important we kept doing our job.”

More information about the Veterans Services Office can be found by visiting, the “Veterans Services” page under the “Departments” tab of this site.

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December 2, 2020

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Fred Leonard Hillman Fred was born in Jamaica, New York, to Frederick Hillmann and Anne Cardos Jan. 3, 1947. He was an only child and primarily raised by his grandmother, Cardos. He graduated from Hicksville High School in Hicksville, New York, in 1964. Following high school, he attended Nassau Community College for two years.

A year after graduating high school, Fred began dating Maureen Shafer, a neighbor from across the street. Fred and Maureen dated for three years before marrying Feb. 24, 1968.

Fred was drafted into the U.S. Army Dec. 4, 1968, and trained in Columbia, South Carolina, and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Fred was transferred to fight in Vietnam, where he was stationed in Pleiku and Ankhe. He received a Bronze Star for exemplary service and was then honorably discharged from his military service Oct. 2, 1970.

Fred and Maureen’s first child, Fred

Hillman

Hillmann Jr., was born March 4, 1970, in Syosset, New York. Their second child, Daniel Adam Hillmann, was born Aug. 24, 1973, in New York City, New York. Their third child, Christine Jennifer Hillmann, was adopted when she was 5 years of age Aug. 1, 1986, in Denver.

When Fred returned from the service, he returned to his job at T&S Plumbing as a shipping foreman. In 1975, Fred and Maureen and their two boys moved to Colorado, where Fred began working at Great Western Sugar factory as a carbonation supervisor until the company closed in 1977.

When Great Western Sugar factory closed, Fred got work as truck driver for Halliburton, followed by NCRA. When NCRA moved out of the state of Colorado, Fred started working for DCP Mainstream as a line locator and continued working there until his retirement in July 2013.

Fred’s hobbies included target shoot-

ing, photography, traveling, fishing, listening to classical music and dining out; however, his favorite pastime was spending quality time with his family.

Survivors include his wife, Maureen; children, Fred Jr., Dan, and Christine; and eight grandchildren.

Both parents, a stepfather and his grandparents preceded him in death.

Due to COVID restrictions, services honoring Fred will be private. A recording of the services is available for viewing at your convenience. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Fred’s name to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516, www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, www.stjude.org/donate.

Tabor-Rice Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Making sure those in need have a Thanksgiving dinner

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On Saturday, November 21, Fort Lupton First United Methodist Church and the Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank gave away 250 boxes of food with the help from of Bank of Colorado, city of Fort Lupton and United Methodist Church, John Dent offices and Reinhardt Oil let them use the building to distribute the boxes. Also, various individuals donated funds and food. They are doing this to help people who are struggling with the second wave of COVID. The Fort Lupton High School kids also helped with organizing the boxes for distributions.

Each box contained items such as 2-pound bags each of flour, rice, pinto beans, green beans, cake mix, frosting mix, potatoes, onion, cookies, gravy mix, and squash. Because of the weather and COVID-19, a turkey was not in the box. So, they gave a $15 gift card from Safeway that was a grant donated by United Power to buy the turkey.

Mike Ceretto directing traffic for food pick up.

Danny Hart volunteering to help distribute food and placing boxes in cars as they drive up.

Trailers loaded with 250 boxes to giveaway to help those in need with a Thanksgiving dinner.

Fort Lupton Press 5

December 2, 2020

United Power closes its member service storefront A self-servce payment kiosks will be installed

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With declining foot traffic, United Power has closed its office doors located on Dexter Street near Safeway.

“The way our members want to conduct business with us is evolving. Before the pandemic, we were noticing a decline in the number of members visiting us in person. The pandemic stopped all in-person services, and our members quickly adapted to using remote tools to manage their accounts,” said Francis Ashu, member services director.

The United Power office was opened to assist the customer, help access their accounts and pay in person.

Since March, all of the United Power lobbies have been closed for in-person service. Once the conditions return to normal the Brighton office will be open for in-person service.

Since the Fort Lupton office has closed since customers were using other options, like calling and using

the online service.

“Now more of our members are consistently interacting with us over the phone or online and leveraging self-serve payment options instead of visiting our front counters. Through these options, members have easy and safe access to account information from the comfort of their home, and we can provide the same level of quality service without the costs associated with operating a storefront location,” Ashu said.

During the last few years, the customers were using self-service options that caused a decline in-office visit. The plan is to install self-serve payment kiosks in Carbon Valley, Coal Creek, and Brighton with expanded business hours that will accept cash, check and card payments.

The United Power representatives and office personnel have been working remotely to handle inquires. The representatives from the Fort Lupton office will transfer to the Brighton Headquarters and will resume working in the lobby when in-person service can be open. Once the employees are integrated into these locations it will improve service and save money for the cooperative, according to United Power.

A sign on the door of the United Power office updating customers of the closure with instructions on how to make payments. PHOTO BY BELEN WARD United Power services members in Fort Lupton, Carbon Valley, and Brighton areas with electricity but also helps with outages.

“The co-op has a long history of partnership with the town of Fort Lupton and the town has always welcomed our storefront location.

We thank you for your hospitality

over the years,” said Bryant Robbins, Acting Chief Executive Officer.

“Be assured that this office closure doesn’t diminish our commitment to serving the Fort Lupton community—we remain as dedicated as ever to providing you with co-op power and supporting the community you call home.”

Legislature eyes small-business, housing relief Lawmakers also plan support for child-care providers, broadband access for remote school

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As Gov. Jared Polis announced a new round of coronavirus-related restrictions that harken back to the kinds of orders Coloradans saw near the start of the pandemic, the governor announced he would call state lawmakers back to the Capitol in hopes of providing economic relief for Colorado residents and small businesses.

Lawmakers were to come to the Capitol “in the near future” as part of a “special session” of the Legislature called by Polis, according to a Nov. 17 news release. The Legislature’s regular session — the roughly four-month period in which bills are passed — typically begins in January.

The final specifics of what the state Legislature will work on were still in the works, according to the news

release, but the bills are expected to include the following items: • Small-business assistance, including “direct aid and tax relief.”

• Housing and rental assistance.

• Support for child-care providers.

• Expanding broadband access for students and school staff.

Colorado’s new level red of coronavirus-related restrictions is sure to put a strain on the state’s economy: Among the new changes are a shutdown of indoor dining at restaurants, a ban on indoor events, and a tightening of capacity limits at some officebased businesses and gyms.

The new round of restrictions comes on the heels of Colorado’s COVID-19 hospitalizations hitting the highest levels ever recorded during the pandemic. Colorado’s previous record, or “peak,” of COVID-19 patients was 888 in April. As of Nov. 9, more than 1,000 people were in the hospital

statewide for COVID-19.

In the absence of new federal action to bring businesses and workers relief, state lawmakers must fill a gap, state House Speaker K.C. Becker, DBoulder, said in the news release.

“With COVID-19 cases reaching daily new records and winter just around the corner, Coloradans can’t wait any longer for Congress to provide relief — they need us to act now to help small businesses, families and students get through the challenging months ahead,” Becker said.

Rep. Alec Garnett, D-Denver, the incoming state House Speaker who will take the helm in January, echoed Becker in the news release.

“We need an economic recovery where every Coloradan has a fair shot, but this can’t happen if restaurants and bars close, families lose their homes, students can’t get online and day care centers shutter,” Garnett said in the release. “We need to act now to bridge the gap where Washington has failed, or our economy will falter.”

Because government is considered an “essential service,” it is exempt from most public health orders, according to a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment news release. The state House and Senate can adopt their own rules to govern procedures and enforce compliance by members, according to the release.

CDPHE recommended that the Legislature abide by the following guidance: • Conduct legislative business remotely as much as possible.

• Everyone who will be physically present for business at the Capitol, including legislators, security and press, should undergo a health screening and symptom check daily upon arrival.

• Lawmakers and staff should undergo COVID-19 tests before and during the session.

6 Fort Lupton Press

December 2, 2020

Briefs Scholarships available Scholarships for high-school seniors are available through DriveSafe Driving Schools. The firm will offer a $1,500 scholarship to a student who plans to attend college in 2021.

The deadline is March 1. The winners will be notified by April 15.

Students must complete the application and submit a qualifying entry of either an essay or other creative expression posted on social media.

Posts must be made on one of the following platforms: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, along with #DriveSafeScholarship.

For more information and complete competition rules, visit DriveSafeColorado.com/ scholarship.

ONGOING Legal self-help clinic The Access to Justice Committee hosts a free, legal self-help clinic from 2 to 3:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month.

Volunteer attorneys are available to discuss such topics as family law, civil litigation, property and probate law.

Call 303-405-3298 and ask for the Legal Self-Help Clinic at least 24 hours in advance.

Historic preservation board openings The city of Fort Lupton’s Historic Preservation Board is looking for new members.

The board is looking for professionals in the fields of architecture, archeology, history, law, real estate, geography or education, OR anyone with an interest in historic preservation!

Interested applicants who live outside the city may apply.

The board meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:15 p.m. at City Hall, 130 S. McKinley Ave. For more information, contact Alyssa Knutson at 720-466-6128.

FLURA opening The Fort Lupton Urban Renewal Authority is looking for an alternate member to join the board.

The authority is the redevelopment agency for the city of Fort Lupton to promote redevelopment and reinvestment within the City and to create a thriving community that is economically diverse.

To qualify as an alternate, candidates must either own and operate a business and reside in the city or be a resident of the city. The alternate should plan to attend all meetings of the Authority, and be prepared to

serve in place of a regular member who is absent.

The board meets the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 130 S. McKinley Ave. Contact Alyssa Knutson at 720-466-6128.

Planning commission/board of adjustment openings The Fort Lupton planning commission/board of adjustment has an opening for a new member.

The two are separate boards. However, planning commission members automatically sit on the board of adjustment.

The group hears and decides variance requests related to the city zoning code. It also hears and decides appeals brought in response to an interpretation, order, requirement or determination made by the city based on the zoning code.

Call 720-466-6128 for more information.

Mobility devices for veterans, families Qualified Listeners, a veteran and family resource serving Colorado and Wyoming, has an inventory of donated mobility devices. Inventory consists of power chairs, shower seats, stair chairs, exterior aluminum ramp, and

our items change frequently. There is no cost, but you will be required to provide proof of service.

Email Resource@qulifiedlisteners. org or call 720-600-0860.

Team Fort Lupton Team Fort Lupton meets the third Tuesday of every month from noon to 1:30 p.m. Locations change.

These community partners work with youth to support the well-being of Fort Lupton.

Email atrinh@weldgov.com.

Meals for seniors The Fort Lupton Meals for Seniors program adapted to a to-go format because of coronavirus.

Meals are available at noon Mondays at the Fort Lupton Recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Ave. Make reservations ($4 suggested donation)

by Thursday of the preceding week.

Call 303-857-4200, ext. 6166.

Relief funding Small businesses can apply for up to $35,000 in relief funding through a mix of grants and low-interest loans.

Visit EnergizeColorado.com. It’s available to businesses with less than 25 full-time employees.

Bidding wars for nurses threaten smaller hospitals COVID-19 crisis introduces new turmoil to health-care industry

BY MARKIAN HAWRYLUK AND RAE ELLEN BICHELL KAISER HEALTH NEWS

In March, Claire Tripeny was watching her dream job fall apart.

She’d been working as an intensive care nurse at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood and loved it, despite the mediocre pay typical for the region.

But when COVID-19 hit, that calculation changed.

She remembers her employers telling her and her colleagues to “suck it up” as they struggled to care for six patients each and patched their protective gear with tape until it fully fell apart. The $800 or so a week she took home no longer felt worth it.

“I was not sleeping and having the most anxiety in my life,” said Tripeny.

“I’m like, `I’m gonna go where my skills are needed and I can be guaranteed that I have the protection I need.’”

In April, she packed her bags for a two-month contract in then-COVID hot spot New Jersey, as part of what she called a “mass exodus” of nurses leaving the suburban Denver hospital to become traveling nurses. Her new pay? About $5,200 a week, and with a contract that required adequate protective gear.

Months later, the offerings — and the stakes — are even higher for nurses willing to move. In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, nurses can make more than $6,200 a week. A recent posting for a job in Fargo, North Dakota, offered more than $8,000 a week. Some can get as much as $10,000.

Early in the pandemic, hospitals were competing for ventilators, COVID tests and personal protective equipment. Now, sites across the

country are competing for nurses. The fall surge in COVID cases has turned hospital staffing into a sort of national bidding war, with hospitals willing to pay exorbitant wages to secure the nurses they need. That threatens to shift the supply of nurses toward more affluent areas, leaving rural and urban public hospitals short-staffed as the pandemic worsens, and some hospitals unable to care for critically ill patients.

“That is a huge threat,” said Angelina Salazar, CEO of the Western Healthcare Alliance, a consortium of 29 small hospitals in rural Colorado and Utah. “There’s no way rural hospitals can afford to pay that kind of salary.”

Surge capacity Hospitals have long relied on traveling nurses to fill gaps in staffing without committing to long-term hiring.

Early in the pandemic, doctors and nurses traveled from unaffected areas to hot spots like California, Washington state and New York to help with regional surges. But now, with virtually every part of the country experiencing a surge — infecting medical professionals in the process — the competition for the finite number of available nurses is becoming more intense.

“We all thought, `Well, when it’s Colorado’s turn, we’ll draw on the same resources; we’ll call our surrounding states and they’ll send help,’” said Julie Lonborg, a spokesperson for the Colorado Hospital Association.

“Now it’s a national outbreak. It’s not just one or two spots, as it was in the spring. It’s really significant across the country, which means everybody is looking for those resources.”

In North Dakota, Tessa Johnson said she’s getting multiple messages a day on LinkedIn from headhunters. Johnson, president of the North Dakota Nurses Association, said the

pandemic appears to be hastening a brain drain of nurses there. She suspects more nurses may choose to leave or retire early after North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum told health-care workers they could stay on the job even if they’ve tested positive for COVID-19.

All four of Utah’s major health care systems have seen nurses leave for traveling nurse positions, said Jordan Sorenson, a project manager for the Utah Hospital Association.

“Nurses quit, join traveling nursing companies and go work for a different hospital down the street, making two to three times the rate,” he said. “So, it’s really a kind of a rob-Peter-to-payPaul staffing situation.”

Hospitals not only pay the higher salaries offered to traveling nurses but also pay a commission to the traveling nurse agency, Sorenson said. Utah hospitals are trying to avoid hiring away nurses from other hospitals within the state. Hiring from a neighboring state like Colorado, though, could mean Colorado hospitals would poach from Utah.

“In the wake of the current spike in COVID hospitalizations, calling the labor market for registered nurses `cutthroat’ is an understatement,” said Adam Seth Litwin, an associate professor of industrial and labor relations at Cornell University. “Even if the health care sector can somehow find more beds, it cannot just go out and buy more front-line caregivers.”

Litwin said he’s glad to see the labor market rewarding essential workers — disproportionately women and people of color — with higher wages.

Under normal circumstances, allowing markets to determine where people will work and for what pay is ideal.

“On the other hand, we are not operating under normal circumstances,” he said. “In the midst of a severe public health crisis, I worry that the individual incentives facing hospitals

on the one side and individual RNs on the other conflict sharply with the needs of society as whole.”

Some hospitals are exploring ways to overcome staffing challenges without blowing the budget. That could include changing nurse-to-patient ratios, although that would likely affect patient care. In Utah, the hospital association has talked with the state nursing board about allowing nursing students in their final year of training to be certified early.

Growth industry Meanwhile business is booming for companies centered on health-care staffing such as Wanderly and Krucial Staffing.

“When COVID first started and New York was an epicenter, we at Wanderly kind of looked at it and said, `OK, this is our time to shine,’” said David Deane, senior vice president of Wanderly, a website that allows health-care professionals to compare offers from various agencies. “`This is our time to help nurses get to these destinations as fast as possible. And help recruiters get those nurses.’”

Deane said the company has doubled its staff since the pandemic started. Demand is surging — with Rocky Mountain states appearing in up to 20 times as many job postings on the site as in January. And more people are meeting that demand.

In 2018, according to data from a national survey, about 31,000 traveling nurses worked nationwide. Now, Deane estimated, there are at least 50,000 travel nurses. Deane, who calls travel nurses “superheroes,” suspects a lot of them are postoperative nurses who were laid off when their hospitals stopped doing elective surgeries during the first lockdowns.

Competition for nurses, especially those with ICU experience, is stiff.

Please see NURSES, Page 8

December 2, 2020

Fort Lupton Press 7

SPORTS

Coaches push Riverdale’s Waddle to Chadron State Chance to improve led softball standout to Nebraska

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

There was one factor that prompted Riverdale Ridge High School softball player Nikki Waddle to choose Nebraska’s Chadron State College as her next education/athletic stop.

“I initially was drawn to Chadron because of the coaching staff,” she said. “They were so supportive and I could see myself growing in a program like this. After I got to work with the team, I knew that this was the school for me. I loved the energy on the field and with the other girls.

“When I initially met the coaches I knew that they were going to help me reach that next level on the field,” she said. “I never felt pressured that I had to be the absolute best. Instead, I felt that I could be myself and still play at

my best. The girls were the same way.

They welcomed me and made me feel like I belonged there. I loved the group and the energy that they carried.”

Waddle played in all 18 games for the Ravens this season. She finished with a batting average of .421. Five of her 24 hits were for extra bases and she drove in 23 runs.

“I was able to come down and do a skills camp with the team back in October, and I had a great time,” she said. “Although there were still (COVID) cases during this time, the school and the coaching staff took proper measures to ensure everyone’s health and safety. Amidst the pandemic with the proper safety procedures, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit the campus and get a feel for the school environment.”

She met some of the team and the coaches during her skills camp.

“When I first worked with the coaching staff I instantly knew that I wanted to be a part of their program,” she said. “When I went to the campus, I felt right at home. I instantly saw

this as my home for the next four years. There was no question about it.

I didn’t feel super scared or nervous, but rather excited and ready to start the next chapter of my life.”

Waddle said the recruiting process was “severely different” because of coronavirus.

“This past summer was supposed to be the time when I visited schools and went to camps, but most places were shut down,” she said. “I was worried that, because I lost a big part of my season, I wouldn’t get recognized. I worked really hard to reach out to schools to try and get recognized, but it was hard to get seen when I wasn’t playing. I feared that this loss of crucial time might result in me not getting recruited.”

Science figures, too Waddle loves science, so it figures her major would be in chemistry and her minor would be in biology. She wants to pursue a career in prosthodontics. It’s the part of dentistry that deals with the design, manufacture

STUCK IN TRAFFIC

and fitting of artificial replacements for teeth and other parts of the mouth, according to denverrestrorativedentistry.com.

“I am a very artsy and hands-on person, and I feel that it is a perfect career for me. It’s a balance of science and hands-on work,” she said. “Chadron will help me gain the foundation I need in order to pursue this career.”

Riverdale Ridge advanced to the quarterfinals of the state 4A softball tournament this season. RRHS won 15 of its 18 games.

“I am more than excited for this next chapter of my life. However it’s a big change so it’s normal to have some doubts,” she said. “I’m nervous about leaving, my family and being truly independent for the first time in my life. I feel that this will be a big step for me. Even if it gets hard, I know that I will push through it and it will all be worth it in the end.”

“I am so blessed to have this opportunity, and I can’t wait to start this journey.”

Sports briefs

BY STEVE SMITH SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Youth Sports The city of Fort Lupton needs thirdthrough sixth-graders for its youth basketball leagues this winter.

Games begin Saturday, Jan. 16, and continue through Saturday, Feb. 20.

Doubleheaders are a possibility because of coronavirus restrictions. The ratio of parents toplayers is 1-to-1, also because of coronavirus.

The fee is $55 before Saturday, Dec. 5, and $70 before Saturday, Dec. 12. Call 303-857-4200 with questions.

CORRECTION In the Nov. 18 issue of this publication, we misidentified Sarah Tiffany’s college softball team. She plays for

Holy Family’s Connor Lee is surrounded by a host of Evergreen tacklers during a CHSAA 3A state playoff game Nov. 20 at Holy Family High School in Broomfield. The Tigers turned back the Cougars, 41-6. PHOTO BY STEFAN BRODSKY

Fort Hays State in Kansas. Colorado Community Newspapers regrets the error and any inconvenience.

8 Fort Lupton Press

December 2, 2020

Fort Lupton police report

By Belen Ward bward@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Here are the police reports for Nov. 7 to Nov. 13 to the Fort Lupton Police Department. Not every call made to the police is listed in this report.

Nov. 7 A juvenile female, 15, of Thornton, was issued a summons for careless driving and DUI at U.S. Highway 85 & Weld County Road 14.5. She was released to a parent.

Vincent Reyna, 55, of Fort Lupton was taken into custody at South Denver Ave and Weld County Road 8.5 on two warrants out of Weld County for failure to comply with conditions of probation, for a protection order violation and failure to appear on a disorderly conduct charge; Also for a warrant out of Englewood PD for failure to appear on a liquor violation. He was held on bond at the Weld County Jail.

Andy Pallaoro,22, of Fort Lupton reported his bike and backpack stolen in the 200 block of Harrison Avenue.

The case was under investigation.

Nov. 9 Kenneth Rutt, 74, of Three Forks, reported a $500 generator that was stolen from the bed of a pick-up at the Motel 6 in the 60 block of Grand Avenue. The case was under investigation.

Monique Cook, 35 of Fort Lupton reported a stolen vehicle in the 800 block of McKinley Avenue. The case was under investigation.

Nov. 10 Police arrested Paula Herrera, 50, for domestic violence-related assault and harassment charges in the 200 block of First Street. She was held on bond at the Weld County Jail.

Christopher Morales,33, of Firestone, was arrested at First Street and Elbow Court for attempting to influence police offer, unlawful possession of the controlled substance and a felony warrant out of Weld County for failure to appear on a trespass charge and also for an Adams County failure to appear on vehicular eluding charge.

nurses From Page 6 After all, a hospital in South Dakota isn’t competing just with facilities in other states.

“We’ve sent nurses to Aruba, the Bahamas and Curacao because they’ve needed help with COVID,” said Deane. “You’re going down there, you’re making $5,000 a week and all your expenses are paid, right? Who’s not gonna say yes?”

Krucial Staffing specializes in sending healthcare workers to disaster locations, using militarystyle logistics. It filled hotels and rented dozens of buses to get nurses to hot spots in New York and Texas. CEO Brian Cleary said that, since the pandemic started, the company has grown its administrative staff from 12 to more than 200.

“Right now we’re at our highest volume we’ve been,” said Cleary, who added that over Halloween weekend alone about 1,000 nurses joined the roster of “reservists.”

He was held on bond at the Weld County Jail.

stolen in the 200 blocks of McKinley.

The case was under investigation.

Nov. 11 Christian Quintana,45, of Fort Lupton, was taken into custody in the 700 block Pacific Avenue on a Weld County warrant for failure to appear on possession of a controlled substance and driving while license is under retrain. He was held on bond at the Weld County Jail.

Sierra Redondo,27, of Fort Lupton was arrested at Denver Avenue & 14th Street on a Weld County warrant for failure to appear on a traffic charge and was a summons for driving while license is revoked as a habitual traffic offender and other associated traffic offenses. He was held on bond at the Weld County Jail.

Kenneth Whetstone, 34, of Denver was issued a summons at First Street & Grand Avenue for forward-facing red lights, violation restrictions regarding an interlock device and displaying fictitious tabs.

John David, 34, of Fort Lupton reported a temporary license plate

Nov. 12 Police arrested Albert Perez, 21, of Fort Lupton in the 15000 block of Lamb Avenue on a Summit County warrant for fishing without a license.

He was held on bond at the Weld County Jail.

Marcelly Cervantes, 32, of Fort Lupton reported license plates stolen in the 100 block of Grand Avenue. The case was under investigation.

Police arrested Jose Favela- Varela, 40, of Greeley for DUI, resisting arrest, reckless driving, and obstructing a peace office. He was held on bond at the Weld County Jail.

Leslie Martinez 61, of Brighton, reported five propane tanks stolen in the 100 block of South Denver Avenue.

The case was under investigation.

With a base rate of $95 an hour, he said, some nurses working overtime end up coming away with $10,000 a week, though there are downsides, like the fact that the gig doesn’t come with health insurance and it’s an unstable, boom-and-bust market.

Hidden costs Amber Hazard, who lives in Texas, started as a traveling ICU nurse before the pandemic and said eye-catching sums like that come with a hidden fee, paid in sanity.

“How your soul is affected by this is nothing you can put a price on,” she said.

At a high-paying job caring for COVID patients during New York’s first wave, she remembers walking into the break room in a hospital in the Bronx and seeing a sign on the wall about how the usual staff nurses were on strike.

“It said, you know, `We’re not doing this. This is not safe,’” said Hazard. “And it wasn’t safe. But somebody had to do it.”

The highlight of her stint there was placing a wedding ring back on the finger of a recovered

Nov. 13 Tyler Larson, 27, of Fort Lupton was issued a summons for prohibited use of a weapon while intoxicated in the 200 block of First Street.

patient. But Hazard said she secured far more body bags than rings on patients.

Tripeny, the traveling nurse who left Colorado, is now working in Kentucky with heart surgery patients. When that contract wraps up, she said, she might dive back into COVID care.

Earlier, in New Jersey, she was scarred by the times she couldn’t give people the care they needed, not to mention the times she would take a deceased patient off a ventilator, staring down the damage the virus can do as she removed tubes filled with blackened blood from the lungs.

She has to pay for mental health therapy outof-pocket now, unlike when she was on staff at a hospital. But as a so-called traveler, she knows each gig will be over in a matter of weeks.

At the end of each week in New Jersey, she said, “I would just look at my paycheck and be like, `OK. This is OK. I can do this.’”

This story is from Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of Kaiser Family Foundation, which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

Exhaustion, uncertainty hit schools amid pandemic Opinions vary on best approach as quarantines, shutdowns

By Erica Meltzer Chalkbeat.org

Superintendent Scott Siegfried can look at his meticulous charts and see a day in early November where his suburban Denver district “broke.” On the graph, it’s marked “operationally impossible to continue in-person.”

Dozens of new COVID cases among students and staff were being reported every day, each one triggering quarantine requirements that sent dozens more people home for 14 days.

In the first weeks of November, the 53,000-student Cherry Creek district sent out more than 100 letters notifying the community of positive COVID cases in schools and associated quarantines.

“We had so many positive cases coming into schools that we were running schools without principals, without office managers, without entire groups of teachers,” he said. And without

substitutes, there was no one to fill those gaps. “You can’t keep up.”

State quarantine rules have been the price students, parents, and teachers paid to hold school in person. Now, as a growing number of school districts move to fully remote learning, many superintendents are pointing to widespread quarantines and associated staffing shortages as key factors. Some district leaders are calling for public health officials to give them more flexibility about who to send home when students or staff members test positive.

There is no consensus on whether the current rules should change, especially as hospitals around the state feel the strain of a COVID surge, and data that would inform a change is in short supply. District leaders are under immense pressure from parents and advocates who want more inperson learning, on the one hand, and teachers and their unions who worry that safety will be compromised, on the other.

‘Nothing smooth about quarantine’ Since Colorado students returned to classrooms in August, thousands of teachers and tens of thousands of

students have had to abruptly enter quarantine after learning they had been exposed to COVID. Thousands more have had to learn from home due to “operational closures” when so many adults were out that it was not possible to run the school safely.

Even earlier in the year, when most districts were holding classes in person, managing quarantines was a challenging job. Many school districts had to do the bulk of their own contact tracing and communications because public health agencies didn’t have the resources. Some teachers worried these efforts weren’t thorough enough to keep everyone safe. People who tested positive sometimes found themselves the target of resentment for exposing others and sending them home.

Students and teachers had to rapidly switch from in-person to online instruction and back again. Everyone lived with uncertainty about daily changes.

“There is nothing smooth about quarantine,” said Sydney Slifka, a Jeffco elementary teacher who has had to quarantine twice due to exposure from the high school volleyball team she coaches. As a remote teacher,

students were constantly coming in and out of her online classes due to quarantine. “It is abrupt, unplanned, and extremely disruptive to the flow of curriculum and instruction for students.”

“My students and I had just gotten used to in-person routines and had just started making progress,” said Denver second-grade teacher Lindsay Knickerbocker, who was back in school for 10 days before getting an exposure notification. “Many kids seemed defeated coming back to class online the next day. I felt defeated as well.”

Many teachers describe quarantine as stressful and wondered how well people who potentially had been exposed were being tracked. In particular, educators who work across classrooms and cohorts — art, music, and drama teachers, school psychologists, behavior specialists, special education providers — worry that they’re more exposed and at risk of exposing others.

Each call about a positive case has provoked a feeling of, “Oh no, here we go again,” said Westminster Superintendent Pam Swanson. “We all have that dread.”

Fort Lupton Press 9

December 2, 2020

TRICERATOPS From Page 2 Triceratops skull,” she said. “Fossil hunters from all over Colorado would ask my dad if they could dig on his ranch for arrowheads.”

Sertich agreed.

“Can you imagine some of the tribes that were congregating in the area might have even noticed some of these bones that were on the surface?” he said. “And we know from other parts of the American West, that Native American tribes did find fossils and they interpreted them a lot like we do today. So, there are examples of early paleontologists going way, way back in the history of North America, which is cool.”

According to Sertich, the area of Weld County where Pops was found is called the Laramie Formation. It’s a mix of U.S. Forest and partial private land.

“The Laramie formation is known to produce little bits of bone, teeth of dinosaurs, individual toe bones, and things like that,” said Sertich. “So, we know there is a T- Rex up there based on teeth that have been found in Colorado, along with other horned dinosaurs, duck-billed dinosaurs, and maybe even armored dinosaurs.”

It’s relatively unexplored strata in Colorado, he said.

“So those rocks are unexplored here in Colorado and that age of the rock.

So those are about 68 to 69 million years old,” he added.

There is a site in southern Canada, in Alberta that has similar age rocks, he said.

“We have a few chunks of dinosaur from this time perio, the 1 millionyear interval, but this is the best dinosaur skull that’s ever been collected,” Sertich said.

Displayed, not studied Pops was found on Mapelli land in

1982 by Paleontologist Professor Kenneth Carpenter with the University of Colorado and his graduate assistant Emmett Evanoff. Carpenter noticed something sticking out of the ground roughly the size of a thumb. He and Evanoff sweep the sandy dirt away to find the young Triceratops skull.

Carpenter brought in a flatbed truck and hauled it off to be reconstructed at the University of Colorado.

“My dad found out later about the skull taken by Carpenter off his private property without permission.

Dad had to take Carpenter to court to get the property back. It took fouryears years to get it settled in court,” Demoney said.

Since the skull went from restoration to display it was never officially studied by the paleontologist. The triceratops got his name Pops by a contest that was held in Weld County.

Mapelli gifted Pops to be on display for the public at Weld County Centennial Building in 1986. Then it was moved to the Weld County Administration building in 2011 to date.

Sertich contacted the county in 2018 to study the Triceratops skull, offering to clean and reconstruct Pops in trade.

Once it has been examined and studied, it will be returned to Weld County Building on display for the residents and children to visit.

The Pops the Triceratops project is on www.discoverweld .com for the public to follow as wells as Facebook, Twitter Instagram.

County officials also hope to partner with Poudre Learning Center, the High Plains Clearview Library Districts, and Weld County School District to create events and share news about the projects.

“Our dad was a fabulous man, he was an educator, a business owner, a legislator and was involved with the community. He would have wanted this Triceratops to be displayed for the children to learn about it,” daughter Gerri Mapelli Gustafson said.

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OPINION

10 Fort Lupton Press

December 2, 2020

Time to clothe the wolf in regulatory clothing

OUTDOOR The Colorado Gray Wolf issue.

Let us look at Colorado’s reintroduction initiative legLIVING wildlife populations and what islation passed on the narrowthat means to our state. est of margins. The Colorado Colorado has proudly enpopulation who closely follows joyed having the nation’s largand understands wildlife manest population of elk and that agement issues understood claim has drawn substantial the opposition of the Parks economic benefit during the and Wildlife Commission and annual big game seasons. Ask other professional wildlife any sports shop owner, lodging interests and individuals to service and restaurant operathe controversial gray wolf Ron Hellbusch tor, hunting guide service, or reintroduction plan. fuel dispenser, not to mention The impact on the state’s the State itself, in terms of the flow valuable elk and deer herd populaof dollars into Colorado each hunting tions can be significant. Additionally, season. there are key economic factors for The missing link in just simply Colorado that were not represented at introducing a predator mammal into the table. The agricultural interests Colorado with no consideration for of the sheep and cattle industry have the growth of the specie or control rightfully been well considered in the drafting of the legislation. But wildlife over the growth in numbers that will naturally occur is significant. One did not have sufficient voices and can simply look at Montana or Idaho those wildlife concerns are critical to as examples where wolf packs have the overall failure or success of this

expanded significantly over the years and the impacts of those uncontrolled expanding packs have had on elk and deer populations.

The missing element in this legislation is simply the absence of an early conditional plan to determine and know the numbers of wolves and to control the numbers of wolves in specific locations where they are making a negative impact on the states elk and deer populations. That is not unreasonable. Parks and Wildlife Division monitors almost all other wildlife.

That includes elk, deer, antelope, rabbits, etc. plus many bird and waterfowl species. When the wildlife number is in excess of the habitat or the growing wildlife populations are overly consuming habitat or pray steps are taken to adjust predator populations. Managed wildlife is often transplanted out of an overly consuming region. For those on the big and small game hunting list, the bag limit will be adjusted

or limited to assure there is a safe and healthy pray populations.

If the state can control the population of elk, deer, rabbits, pheasants or waterfowl should not they control the population of a highly consuming predator such as a wolf ? Emotion and politics need to be put aside and the Division of Parks and Wildlife should be supported in immediately establishing a plan that manages the wolf population along with other state wildlife to assure healthy big and small game populations and that includes managing wolf populations as we manage all other wildlife.

That wildlife management plan with inclusion of the changing Gray Wolf population numbers needs to be in place before the first pack of gray wolves are introduced into Colorado.

Outdoorsman and Westminster resident Ron Hellbusch can be reached at Ron-Hellbusch Comcast.net

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Gerald Alan Bell aka Gerald A. Bell aka Gerald Bell, Deceased Case Number 2020PR30591 All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to District Court of Weld, County, Colorado on or before March 31, 2020 or the claims may be forever barred.

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For issues related to Title IX and student issues contact Title IX Coordinator Jaime White at 303-6552816. For all other staff related issues related to discrimination contact Michael Clow at 303-6552965. Both are located at 118551 East 160th Ave, Brighton, CO 80601.

Published in all Metrowest Newspapers publications December 1 and 2, 2020 NOTICE OF HEARING ON PROPOSED 2021 BUDGET AND 2020 BUDGET AMENDMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the proposed budget for the ensuing year of 2021 has been submitted to the Pinnacle Farms Metropolitan District (“District”).

Such proposed budget will be considered at a meeting and public hearing of the Board of Directors of the District to be held at 3:00 p.m. on December 14, 2020. In or-

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der to preserve the health, safety, and welfare of the public in light of the imminent threat caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting and public hearing will be held by telephone and videoconference only. To attend and participate by telephone, dial 1-650-479-3208 and enter access code 145 038 8001. Information regarding public participation by videoconference will be available at least 24 hours prior the meeting and public hearing and may be obtained by contacting Becky Johnson, by email at bjohnson@spencerfane.com or by telephone at 303-839-3800.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that an amendment to the 2020 budget of the District may also be considered at the above-referenced meeting and public hearing of the Board of Directors of the District. A copy of the proposed 2021 budget and the amended 2020 budget, if required, are available for public inspection at the offices of Spencer Fane LLP. Due to concerns related to COVID-19 and certain visitor restrictions that may be in place, please contact Becky Johnson by email at bjohnson@spencerfane.com or by telephone at 303-839-3800 to make arrangements to inspect the budget(s) prior to visiting the foregoing office. Any interested elector within the District may, at any time prior to final adoption of the 2021 budget and the amended 2020 budget, if required, file or register any objections thereto.

PINNACLE FARMS METROPOL-

ITAN DISTRICT By: /s/ Russell W. Dykstra, District Counsel Published On: December 2, 2020 Published In: Fort Lupton Press NOTICE OF HEARING ON PROPOSED 2021 BUDGET AND 2020 BUDGET AMENDMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the proposed budget for the ensuing year of 2021 has been submitted to the South Weld Metropolitan District (“District”). Such proposed budget will be considered at a meeting and public hearing of the Board of Directors of the District to be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, December 7, 2020. In order to preserve the health, safety, and welfare of the public in light of the imminent threat caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting and public hearing will be held by telephone and videoconference only. To attend and participate by telephone, dial 650-479-3208 and enter passcode 145 215 3945.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that an amendment to the 2020 budget of the District may also be considered at the above-referenced meeting and public hearing of the Board of Directors of the District. A copy of the proposed 2021 budget and the amended 2020 budget, if required, are available for public inspection at the offices of Simmons and Wheeler P.C., 304 Inverness Way South Suite 490, Englewood, CO 80112.

Due to concerns related to CO-

VID-19 and certain visitor restrictions that may be in place, please contact Diane Wheeler by email at diane@simmonswheeler.com to make arrangements to inspect the budget(s) prior to visiting the foregoing office. Any interested elector within the District may, at any time prior to final adoption of the 2021 budget and the amended 2020 budget, if required, file or register any objections thereto.

Directors of the District to be held on Thursday, December 10, 2020, at 10:00 A.M. Due to concerns regarding the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the benefits to the control of the spread of the virus by limiting in-person contact, this District Board meeting will be held via Zoom without any individuals (neither Board Representatives nor the general public) attending in person.

SOUTH WELD METROPOLITAN DISTRICT By: /s/ Russell Dykstra, District Counsel

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83158 047137?pwd=ZC9OM1hZTjFNbm tiaHByeTk4RGxKUT09 Meeting ID: 831 5804 7137 Passcode: 807663 One tap mobile +16699006833,,84857618812#,,,, ,,0#,,268105# US (San Jose) +12532158782,,84857618812#,,,, ,,0#,,268105# US (Tacoma) Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kec6vivazk

Published On: December 2, 2020 Published In: Fort Lupton Press SILVER PEAKS EAST METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOTICE CONCERNING 2020 BUDGET AMENDMENT AND PROPOSED 2021 BUDGET NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested parties that the necessity has arisen to amend the Silver Peaks East Metropolitan District 2020 Budget and that a proposed 2021 Budget has been submitted to the Board of Directors of the Silver Peaks East Metropolitan District; and that copies of the proposed Amended 2020 Budget and 2021 Budget have been filed at the District’s offices, 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 150, Lakewood, Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection; and that adoption of Resolutions Amending the 2020 Budget and Adopting the 2021 Budget will be considered at a public meeting of the Board of

Any elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the Resolutions to Amend the 2020 Budget and adopt the 2021 Budget, inspect and file or register any objections thereto.

SILVER PEAKS EAST METROPOLITAN DISTRICT By /s/ Judy Leyshon, Secretary

Publish in: Fort Lupton Press Publish on: December 2, 2020 (one time only)

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