December 18, 2014 VOLU M E 1 0 | I SS UE 29
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ArvadaPress.com J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
The final number
Music venue to close doors in Arvada
Arvada Fire Protection launches a nonprofit
By Crystal Anderson
canderson@colorado communitymedia.com
M
By Crystal Anderson
usicians from across the state and the nation have graced the stage of Olde Town Arvada’s music venue, the D Note, for 12
years. But on Jan. 3, the D Note will host its final show. The live music and events venue in Olde Town will close in January after falling behind in rent due to low revenues and a quiet summer. With a year left on the lease and the option to renew, owners Dave and Mernie Rosenberg, said they worked hard to catch up, but in the end, their landlords chose to go a different direction. A staple in the community, on any given night, live music can be heard emanating from the D Note along Grandview Avenue, drawing a diverse crowd to the downtown area. “The D Note, in it’s uniqueness, was instrumental in creating the new Olde Town vibe and introducing so many people to Olde Town,” said Karen Miller, president of the Historic Olde Town Arvada merchants association. “It was the place to go in Olde Town when there wasn’t much going on here … We’ll miss it tremendously.” From blues jams every Wednsday to Salsa Sundays and beer pong games, the venue offered a variety of live entertainment options to enjoy every day of the week. “What we love about the D Note, and what I think everyone loves about the D Note, is it’s a real community place,” Mernie said. But business is business. “We wanted to stay,” Dave said, “We’re not voluntarily leaving here, we would have stuck around as long as we could … It’s just a business decision on their part.” On Jan. 3., with the lights down low and the sound turned up, musicians from around the state will say their farewell, before the music stops. “We’re still kind of hoping for an eleventh-hour save, if possible,” Mernie said. “It’s going to be a huge loss to the community whether the D Note is still here … it put Olde Town on the map.”
Fueling the fire district canderson@colorado communitymedia.com
Located along Grandview Avenue, the site is directly across from the future Gold Line Olde Town Transit Station. Photos by Crystal Anderson For years, this stage hosted musicians from across the nation, soon it will remain empty.
Two years ago, members of the Arvada Fire Protection District had an idea, one they hoped would create opportunities to grow the district and help the community. And today, through the work of a nonprofit, that’s exactly what happened. The Friends of the Arvada Fire Protection District is a nonprofit organization founded by district members to complement the fire department’s work, improving community programs and creating new ones. “Our mission is to enhance what the fire department can offer and provide more safety for the citizens through programs, through smoke alarms, and by sending firefighters to get training they can bring back,” said Deanna Harrington, the district’s public information officer and member of the organization. Formed in late 2012, the volunteerrun organization spent a year building seeks its fund reserve so it can use that money for different programs throughout the community. “I really like their mission because they want to help out with different safety issues, such as helping parents out with car seat safety for those who cant afford it,” said Lori Drenka, board member and owner of Eli Ashby Healing Arts Center of Arvada. Recently, the organization began using funds to help purchase useful, but not always budgeted, items for the department. For one of its first donations, the nonprofit purchased a pair of hot sticks, which detect AC power in a given area, to improve safety for firefighters and the Life and Safety division in the field. “To have a way to test for it, and test it regularly … it’s significant,” said Todd Gilgren, Captain at Station 1. “We’re excited to be able to have them and have that ability now.” Fire continues on Page 5
Jeffco teachers receive compensation update By Crystal Anderson
canderson@colorado communitymedia.com In November, 5,353 Jeffco teachers received a boost in their compensation — something they haven’t seen in nearly four years. “My hope would be that new teachers come in … and we look at our current teachers in Jeffco … and say what is our average pay level for that role,” said Board President Ken Witt. “Bring them in recognizing that experience and that education, and now, going forward, their performance will dictate how they move through our system — like any professional.” The compensation comes following the September decision to step away from the
district’s salary schedule pay plan, and follows a new, evaluation based model. A far cry from the original model, the new plan still has some missing details, such as how to pay for additional work days, advanced degrees and paying for different teacher positions, outside their contracted job. “I think the model that’s been put forward in this district is moving towards quicker acceleration (along the pay scale) if you’re a highly effective teacher,” said Superintendent Dan McMinimee. In 2010, Jeffco teachers worked with the board of education to place a 3 percent freeze on their salaries, to help keep money flowing into their classrooms. This school year, the board allocated $18 million dollars for teacher compensation, tying those funds their evaluations, something that hadn’t been done before.
Presented by the Board President Ken Witt, the new a compensation model that raised the district’s base pay for teachers to $38,000 and gives highly effective and effective teachers a stipend based on their evaluation rating. The district paid out 118 stipends totaling $190,000 and retroactively paid out (for teachers who’s salary was below the new base pay level) $1.5 million. “With our change and how we’re doing it,” Webber said of the movement with the new performance-based compensation model. “the amount that we’re going to be giving every year, that percentage increase, is going to be driven by the dollars that are available.” Webber recommended a possible probationary period for all new hire teachers, to ensure they deliver desired results in
student achievement, a possible 5 percent promotion standard for educators who take on additional roles, and paying teachers for their advanced credentials a higher, competitive base salary. Moving forward the board will work with the district to see what the fiscal impact of those recommendations may be and how the district can align compensation to be commensurate with both a teacher’s credentials and experience. “I’m providing, what I’d consider about a 10,000 foot overview of the teacher compensation plan,” Webber said. “When the new plan was set in place, that really outlines some of the broad guidelines for the plan, but there are a lot of details to nail down.”