April 24, 2014 Jefferson County, Colorado | Volume 90, Issue 36 A publication of
lakewoodsentinel.com
More jobs forecasted EDC eyes workforce in county By Amy Woodward
awoodward@ coloradocommunitymedia.com
Action Center friends, volunteers and elected officials break ground on its long awaited Programs Services Building. Photos by Clarke Reader
Breaking ground for services building Action Center starts work on Program Services Building By Clarke Reader
creader@ coloradocommunitymedia.com The Action Center’s friends, volunteers and donors were on hand on April 15 for an event that was more than a groundbreaking for its new Program Services Building. It was also the beginning of a brand new way of providing service to the center’s clients, those in Jefferson County who need some of the most help. “This a day that has been seven years in the making,” Mag Strittmatter, executive director of the center, told those in attendance at the groundbreaking. “This event is not really about the building — it’s what is going to happen within.” The construction of the Program Services Building is the first part of a three-phase capital campaign called “Investing for a Better Tomorrow.” The campaign will create a plan that will meet the needs of the community for the next 20 years.
Mag Strittmatter addresses those in attendance at the groundbreaking for the Action Center’s new building. According to Shermita West, of the campaign steering committee, phase one aims to provide more effective services for clients and involves the costs of renovating the new space and paying back the loans necessary to purchase the property. The new services building will be in
the Cottonwood office complex, which is next to the center’s current location. The building will be completely renovated by Pinkard Construction. Dave Norwood, chair of the steering
Ground continues on Page 21
Council hears from St. Anthony Hospital CEO hosts presentation on ACA By Clarke Reader
creader@ coloradocommunitymedia.com The April 21 study session was at St. Anthony Hospital, and city council heard from Jeff Brickman, CEO of St. Anthony, about the effects the Affordable Health Act is having on the hospital. “For us, this is more about economics than politics,” Brickman said. “What we’re seeing now is the single largest change in the way health care is delivered.” According to Brickman, the changes brought on by the ACA are shifting attention to value-based care, with a focus on wellness and preventative care for patients. “The health care field is one of the few
areas of the economy that is seeing steady growth, and the changes from the new law are projected to lead to 22,388 new jobs in the state,” he said. “We’re also seeing that the Colorado Accountable Care Collaborative pilot program has saved $20 million so far.” He also added that 60 percent of payments for health care comes from the Federal government. Brickman also highlighted the challenges that the medical industry is facing as a result of the ACA, as well as the political battles going on in Washington. “Medicare only pays 75 cents per dollar of the cost in Colorado, and we’re seeing $1.4 billion in Medicare payment reductions,” he said. “There was the 2 percent cut due to the sequestration that lead to $359 million in additional reductions.” Brickman said that going forward, it is quality of care that will predict the financial stability of the new system.
“Getting doctors involved in the community is something we’re going to be really encouraging,” he said. “We have Ambulatory Surgical Centers opening up all over the metro area to increase our presence in the community.” Council asked question about costshifting, insurance costs and new best practices. Ward 5 councilwoman Karen Harrison asked what the hospital and other health organizations will do if there is a political shift in November, and Brickman said that since the issue is more about economics than any party, these kinds of changes are going to have to be made anyway for the industry to survive. “What it comes down to in the end is we want clarity and simplicity for the future,” he said. The next council meeting is a regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 28, at Civic Center South, 480 S. Allison Parkway.
Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation is pushing ahead with its Forward Jeffco program, with 558 new jobs anticipated so far during the next five years for the county, the EDC reports. A first quarter report, revealed to the board of county commissioners during staff briefings last week, measured the EDC’s Forward Jeffco initiative for the first time — a program that intends to add 7,500 jobs to the county in five years. The 558 job prospects are due in part to the attractions of a few out of state engineering companies and expansions of bioscience companies like Sorin Group USA and aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. Lockheed’s national consolidation of operations is expected to bring 300 plus jobs that includes job relocations for current employees who may be moving to the area from places like Pennsylvania and Arizona. Hamon Deltak, a mechanical engineering firm from Minnesota who opened a second office in Jeffco, will attract 120 jobs to the county over the next five years. “This is the most relocation activity we’ve had out of our office in a very long time,” said Michelle Claymore, vice president of EDC. “We’ve had a really, really good first quarter.” An economic report drafted by the EDC showed a tight industrial real estate market with a 1.90 percent vacancy rate for industrial warehouses. This offers a competitive market for companies moving out of Denver and into the burbs as pot growers and merchants begin to encroach on existing spaces, Claymore said. “For industrial, everyone wants to be here,” she said. “We just have a really slow office market.” Claymore reported that a lot of companies are heading to downtown Denver and taking the younger work force with them, known as the millennial generation. The report read that millennials are looking for public transit, walkability, sporting events and inclusive environments. Citing Brookings Institution in their report, an independent research organization, Denver has become the No. 1 spot for millennials to work and live. Claymore stated the migration to Denver is part of a cyclical trend that will see businesses and millennials moving back to the burbs. “I think that’s something we really need to look at,” said Commissioner Casey Tighe. “Arvada’s light rail station is probably the most ready-made location of all light rail’s we’ve had so it will be really interesting to see when Arvada’s opens if a lot of millennials attract to an urban setting that’s outside of downtown.” According to the EDC, Jeffco’s age distribution is 43 percent over the age of 45. “We are the oldest county from an age standpoint and it seems like a lot of what’s happening is we cater to the older population, more and more urban renewals that have senior apartment complexes but we keep talking about wanting to be young,” said Ralph Schell, county administrator. While the county will continue to work toward capturing a younger workforce, Claymore suggested that redeveloping old office spaces while making room for new ones is one way to attract more companies and people as less modern spaces contribute to the downtown migration.
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