Arvada Press 102722

Arvadans hit with 12.3% water rate hike

I-70 at Floyd Hill project gets rolling

CDOT broke ground on its project to improve and expand a problem area of I-70

BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE OLOVE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Officials broke ground Oct. 19 on the I-70 Floyd Hill improvement project, a much anticipated series of improvements to problem areas of I-70.

The project, which is now fully funded, will cost $700 million.

City Council “reluctantly, but necessarily,” passes rate increase to fund aging infrastructure

BY RYLEE DUNN

RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

After multiple water treatment plant mishaps over the past year, Arvada’s City Council unanimously approved a 12.3% water rate increase to fund improvements for the city’s aging infrastructure on Oct. 17.

The rate hike will increase singlefamily water bills by roughly $19 per

bi-monthly billing cycle on average for single-family homes.

The increase will see water and wastewater usage rates increase by an average of $13 per bi-monthly billing cycle for single-family homes. It also includes a $4 bimonthly water service fee increase and a $2 bi-monthly wastewater service fee increase.

Primary cost drivers of the rate hike are a 15% price hike for raw water from Denver Water, the recommended issuance of a $50 million bond later this year that will fund infrastructure upgrades and an expected overall operation cost increase of $4.2 million in 2023.

Over the past five years, the average in-city water rate has increased by about 3.55% annually, Gillis said.

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The bi-monthly service fee was last adjusted in 2022 for the first time since 2009.

Decades-old treatment plants

At the heart of Arvada’s decision to invest in aging infrastructure are two water treatment plants: the Ralston Water Treatment Plant, built in the 1960s; and the Arvada Water Treatment Plant, built in the 1980s.

The RWTP is rated at 36 million gallons per day, while the AWTP is rated at 16 million gallons per day. 75% of Arvada’s raw water comes from Denver Water, while the remainder is provided by Clear Creek.

Two recent water line breaks and

The features will include a third travel lane on westbound I-70 from the top of Floyd Hill to the Mountain Express Lane, westbound and eastbound curve flattening and safety improvements, more than three miles of Greenway trail improvements, a new frontage road between Central City Parkway and US 6 interchanges, wildlife crossings and fencing, an eastbound I-70 climbing lane for heavy commercial or slow-moving vehicles from the bottom of Floyd Hill to the Homestead exit and more, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Some of the first improvements will be the US 40 and Floyd Hill Roundabouts, with construction slated for fall 2022 to fall 2023, the I-70 and Genesee Wildlife crossing, with construction scheduled for fall 2022 to early 2024, US 40

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Civil Engineer Bethany Ya e overlooks water treatment pools.

PHOTOS BY RYLEE DUNN

leaks through an exterior wall at the RWTP over the summer have threatened the city’s water supply, as Arvada Director of Utilities Sharon Israel recounted during a tour of the RWTP with the Arvada Press.

“We had this water coming through this concrete that’s 1960s-era concrete,” Israel said. “As soon as water starts to flow, you start to have concern for the overall structural integrity of concrete — ‘How much

worse is it going to get with water coming through it?’ We knew we had to act really quickly, and in order to do that fix, on one of the hottest days of the summer, we had to get the plant taken down.”

The RTWP was taken offline for six hours while crews worked frantically to repair the wall. Luckily, the wall was fixed before most people returned home from work, Israel said — though the threat of a disastrous shutdown has been looming.

“We knew that this was a risk,” Israel said.

Bethany Yaffe, a civil engineer in the city’s public works department,

said the plants are designed to function well for about 50 years before they need “significant reinvestment.”

“We typically plan for about 50 years before we need to have significant reinvestment,” Yaffe said. “Pipelines built with PVC, tend to be a little longer like 70 years, but metal or they have old concrete pipes those are significantly less. And especially in this area where the soil is very corrosive, we tend to see some issues with breaks and things in the pipe.”

Israel pointed to the Safe Water Drinking Act of 1974 as the impetus for cities across the country to build water treatment facilities, including Arvada.

“There’s a lot of infrastructure of that era — 1960s and 70s — across the country,” Israel said. “The situation Arvada’s in is really common among a lot of cities that were around in that time. Everyone, in 1974, was subject to a whole new set of federal regulations. Everyone built their plants in the ‘60s and ‘70s and now everyone’s plants are now aging. If you look around the whole metro area, there’s a lot of plants that have the same vintage.”

Nevertheless, Israel added that since Arvada has “historically lower” water rates compared to other cities in the metro area, the city’s water rate will still be in the “bottom third of the whole metro area,” even with the rate increase.

“This year we’re looking to issue bonds for the first time on sewer, ever, and for the first time for water in over 20 years,” Israel said. “So, that’s part of what’s weighing into this too. All of the metro area is trying to figure out, looking at our current infrastructure, doing master planning like we’ve done, to come up to a game plan of ‘What does this next generation of infrastructure look like?’”

A reluctant, but necessary decision

At the Oct. 17 city council meeting, Arvada Mayor Marc Williams summed up the position of many council members, all of whom voted for the rate increase.

“We had two major water line breaks in the last two weeks that cost us well over a million gallons of water, I believe,” Williams said. “We’ve got to take lasting care of our community and this is an appropriate step that we’re taking…That passes 7-0; reluctantly, but necessarily.”

Council member Lauren Simpson said she empathized with residents who might balk at the rate hike and pointed them to hardship credits and other programs available to residents who might have financial difficulties as a result of the increase.

“We are deeply sympathetic to the costs that are happening right now,” Simpson said. “Groceries are more expensive, electricity is going to be a lot more expensive this coming winter, fuel is more expensive. So, we understand that it’s harder, every little bite of the apple feels like a pretty hard bite sometimes.

“In a little bit, hopefully we’ll find an opportunity for Ms. Israel to walk us through some of options we have for low-income residents who are struggling with their water bills,” Simpson continued. “We do have city programs to assist residents and I encourage anyone who is feeling that pain to take advantage of those… we do not want to turn off people’s water and we don’t turn off people’s water.”

Council member John Marriott called the decision “quality planning” by the city team and “good decision making” by city council, and highlighted the Denver Water rate increase as a variable outside of anyone at the City of Arvada’s control.

“We have benefited in Arvada from decisions made a long time ago on our infrastructure to provide us with not only plentiful water, but high-quality water, and it’s time for us to take some of those same steps that those that came before us a long time ago took to place us in such an advantageous position with regard to our basic utilities,” Marriott said.

“I’ll also note that the cost of the raw water we buy is going up by about this much. and so, this is not entirely — these are costs that are out of our control,” Marriott continued.

Residents weigh in

Arvada resident Mindy Mohr spoke in support of the rate increase and pointed to her experience as a water treatment plant inspector and relevant expertise on the city’s predicament.

“Nothing lasts forever and this is a common problem with many communities in our country,” Mohr said. “For work, I inspected water plants across the west and have seen

In-city rate sheet for residential water customers in 2023.

PHOTOS COURTESY CITY OF ARVADA

WATER RATES

issues when water plants are not maintained. I know that our Arvada residents want to have safe and reliable water.

“We’ve all seen what happens when infrastructure is not taken care of,” Mohr continued. “Whether it’s Jackson, Mississippi, or, in today’s news, Colorado City, Colorado.”

Plumber and Arvada resident James Hearn spoke about the scarcity of water and the importance of not wasting it.

“Well I think (the rate increase is) very progressive and far-reaching, far looking, because it’s much better to fix, repair, expand when you have something to work with versus when the whole system craters out,” Hearn said. “Everything has a lifecycle, including iron and steel pipe.

“Water is a very valuable resource, and we don’t need to waste it,” Hearn continued. “We need to be stewards of that because nobody really owns water, we just use it, rent it, return it, and it ought to go back at least as good as we had it.”

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Sales Tax Is Lower, But Property Taxes Are Higher in Virtually All Unincorporated Areas

It’s a common misconception that taxes are lower in unincorporated areas of each county, but that only applies to sales tax. I don’t know of any unincorporated area where property taxes are lower than in the incorporated cities and towns.

Moreover, newer subdivisions in unincorporated areas typically have “metropolitan tax districts” that were created by the developer to pay for infrastructure — streets, gutters, sidewalks, water and sewer mains, etc. — which can make property taxes quite a bit higher than in the older areas of incorporated towns and cities.

I like to compare the mill levy for the City of Golden with the multiple mill levies in unincorporated areas of Jefferson County.

In Jeffco’s oldest incorporated city, Golden, the city’s mill levy is 12.34 mills. (The total mill levy is 85.389, of which Jeffco Public Schools is 45.808 mills — more than half.)

In those homes which are not in the City of Golden but have Golden addresses, the mill levies to provide the same services (police, fire, parks, water and sewer infrastructure, etc.) are always higher. A good example is Mesa View Estates, the 1980s neighborhood behind the Jeffco Fairgrounds. Homes in that neighborhood have mill levies from four tax jurisdictions to provide the same

services that are included in the City of Golden’s single mill levy.

Those four mill levies are: water & sanitation (6.786 mills); parks & recreation (6.829 mills); County sheriff (2.46 mills); and fire protection (13.196 mills). That’s a total of 29.271 mills, or over 2⅓ times the City of Golden’s mill levy covering those same services.

Thus, a $1 million home in the City of Golden would have an annual property tax of $5,934, whereas a $1 million home in Mesa View Estates would have an annual property tax of $7,042.

It’s even worse for homes in the Table Rock subdivision north of the city but with Golden addresses. There the mill levy for police, fire, parks and water totals 18.447 (less than Mesa View Estates), but there’s a levy of 31 mills by the Table Rock Metropolitan District, resulting in an annual tax bill of $8,513.

There are many newer subdivisions with metropolitan tax districts which charge 50 or more mills, making the property tax bills that much higher. The most extreme example I have found is the Vauxmont Metropolitan Tax District serving Candelas in northern Arvada. Its mill levy is 77.93, making the annual tax bill for a $1 million home $12,142. Again, compare that to the $5,934 tax

Wire Fraud Can Rob Buyers and Sellers of Life Savings

An October article for Bloomberg BusinessWeek describes an increasingly common cyber crime perpetrated against buyers of real estate.

Since most title companies want the money for closings wired to their bank accounts, scammers have mastered the art of impersonating real estate agents, loan officers and escrow agents and sending highly credible emails providing the wrong wiring instructions for buyers’ down payments. These down payments can often be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and if the authorities aren’t notified of the wired funds within minutes, they are often out of the country and therefore not recoverable.

That’s why buyers must be suspicious of any email containing wiring instructions and always call the title company to get the wiring instructions verbally. And don’t call the number for the title company that’s in the suspicious email! Look up the phone number or get it from your paperwork.

Wire fraud is so common that one of my

favorite title companies, First Integrity Title, has a wire fraud warning instead of music on hold when you call them. After several times on hold with them, it can become pretty annoying, but that’s how important they consider the warning to be, because too many home buyers have lost their life savings and the home that they were about to close on. Here’s an excerpt from the Bloomberg article:

In a single moment, they’re losing their entire nest egg, along with the home they thought they were about to move into, with little chance of ever getting the money back. “I was shellshocked for a couple of days. I just didn’t sleep,” says Christopher Garris, a 35-year-old assistant professor who lost almost $150,000 in 2021 when he tried to buy a condo in Boston after landing a position at Harvard. “It caused problems between my wife and I, and it caused a lot of stress. Having lost considerable money we saved for a long time—it’s been a big source of anxiety for us.”

bill for a $1 million home in the City of Golden.

Candelas, however, is in the City of Arvada, not unincorporated Jeffco. Older sections of Arvada, such as Scenic Heights, do not have metropolitan tax districts, but they do have separate mill levies for fire protection and for parks and recreation districts.

Lakewood wasn’t incorporated until 1969, by which time there were multiple fire, water and parks districts already charging a mill levy. Still, the total mill levy in both Arvada and Lakewood — minus any metropolitan tax districts — is under 100 mills. Virtually all unincorporated areas of the county have total mill levies that are above 100.

Denver’s mill levy of 74.618 mills is even lower than Golden’s, although there are some metropolitan tax districts within Denver, such as Westerly Creek in Central Park (formerly Stapleton), which charges 60.867 additional mills.

As a side note, I sit on the Rules & Regulations Committee of our MLS and have suggested, without success so far, that listings in REcolorado include the mill levy instead of, or in addition to, the dollar amount of property taxes.

Sales taxes can only be levied by incorporated cities and towns and by state constituted districts such as RTD and SCFD. I’m not aware of any county-

level sales taxes. If you buy a truck or car worth, say, $100,000, you could easily save $3,000 in sales tax by being in an unincorporated area of the county, but that may not be enough to compensate for the additional property taxes you will be paying. By the way, property tax is also levied as “ownership” tax on that $100,000 car.

How Are Property Taxes Calculated?

Property taxes are charged through a mill levy. Each “mill” (from the Latin word for thousand) is a tax of one dollar for each thousand dollars of your home’s assessed valuation.

In Colorado, the assessed value of residential real estate is currently calculated at 6.95% of your home’s full valuation. Thus, if the county assessor determines that your home is worth $1 million, its assessed valuation would be $69,500, and the mill levy for each taxing jurisdiction would be applied to that lower value, A total mill levy of 100 mills would therefore produce a property tax bill of $6,950 (100 x 69.5)

The Colorado constitution requires county assessors to determine what each property could have sold for on June 30th of each even-numbered year (2020, 2022, 2024, etc.) and apply mill levies to 6.95% of that full valuation for the following two tax years.

Evidence Mounts That Gas Stoves Are Harmful to Health

A study published last week in the journal Environmental Science & Technology found at least 12 hazardous air pollutants, including beneze, a carcinogenic, are being emitted by virtually all gas ranges. The study, limited to California, included 159 stoves in 16 counties. It found benzene emitted from 99% of the sampled stoves. Find a link for that study in the posting of this article at www.GoldenREblog.com

Although the study did not include other gas appliances such as forced air furnaces and water heaters, it makes sense that these pollutants are being emitted from

those and other gas appliances, too.

Gas appliances are also a source of carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas, and carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, which is also unhealthy in high concentrations.

This report adds another reason why homeowners should consider abandoning natural gas (or propane) and move toward all-electric homes, especially now that there are widely available and efficient heat pump HVAC systems, heat pump water heaters, and induction cooktops. Rita and I have used all three of these appliances plus an electric grill which we love.

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Water treatment ponds outside the Ralston Water Treatment Plant.

Members of Arvada’s utilities team outside the Ralston Water Treatment Plant. From left: Sharon Israel, Director of Utilities; Katie Patterson, Infrastructure Communications Manager; Jacqueline Rhoades, Public Works Director; Brad Wyant, Ralston Water Treatment Plant Manager; Bethany Ya e, Civil Engineer with Public Works & Project Manager.

PHOTOS BY RYLEE DUNN

PROJECT

Empire Wildlife Crossing with construction slated for Summer 2023 to Fall 2024, and the El Rancho West parking lot for electric vehicle charging, park and ride and Bustang/Pegasus stops, with construction scheduled for spring 2024 to fall 2024, according to CDOT.

Drivers can expect delays caused by construction, but officials say this project is the best fix for the 19th-century technology that was used to construct I-70 and the tunnels.

At the groundbreaking on Oct. 19, Gov. Polis was present to express his excitement for the beginning of the project.

“This is one of the first, if not the first, project funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill,” Polis explained.

The INFRA grant was received on Sept. 9, and the project could begin so quickly because CDOT was what officials called “shovel ready.”

Polis was joined by other officials, including Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, US Representative Joe Neguse, State Representative Lisa Cutter, Clear Creek Commissioner Randy Wheelock and others.

Sen. Bennet was complimentary of the teamwork it took to start this project, and said it’s all thanks to Colorado’s can-do attitude.

“Colorado really is ready; we know how to build stuff, we know how to get stuff done,” he said.

Bennet also explained that the

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O cials break ground on Oct. 19 to signify the start of the improvement project.

PHOTOS BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE

Floyd Hill project director Kurt Kionka shows Gov. Polis plans for the project.

SEE PROJECT, P5

PROJECT

FROM

grant for this project is the biggest one the Colorado Department of Transportation has gotten from the federal government in the history of the country.

Clear Creek County Commissioner Randy Wheelock had a special connection to the project. Not only has he been involved with transportation issues during his time on the board, but he revealed at the groundbreaking that he actually helped construct the original highway years ago.

“I have to take credit that I actually worked on this highway over 50 years ago, I worked on the Eisenhower tunnel,” he said.

Shoshana Lew is the executive director of CDOT. She said the groundbreaking marks moving forward with meaningful improvement.

“I-70 plays such a vital role in quality of life,” she said.

CDOT expects around a five year timeline for the completion of the project in its entirety. For more information and renderings, CDOT updates its site with studies, construction updates and more.

TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS ACROSS THE STATE

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In this way, The Sun contributes to a more vibrant, informed and whole Colorado.

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Now, The Colorado Sun co-owns this and other Colorado Community Media newspapers as a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy. The Sun is CCM’s partner for statewide news.

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Accessibility upgrades planned at Red Rocks

rel, who figures Natalie has been to at least 100 concerts since 2002. She’s rocked out to Earth, Wind and Fire, Cyndi Lauper, Arlo Guthrie, Stevie Nicks and many more.

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Natalie Ostberg of Pine loves to attend concerts at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

The 29-year-old loves all genres of music, according to her mom, Lau-

Natalie, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, uses a wheelchair. The Ostbergs were at Red Rocks in Morrison on Oct. 18 to learn more about proposed changes to accessible seating at the amphitheater, hoping it would become accessible to even more people.

Denver is planning to improve and expand wheelchair-accessible seating in the front row by removing the bench seating and improving the ramp access to the first row to provide more room for wheelchairs and those moving along the row. In addition, some seats in rows 2 and 3 will be earmarked for those with mobility issues such as people with walkers and canes, and other seats will be earmarked for people who are hearing-impaired to give them better access to interpreters.

Improvements will be made to shuttle parking access, and a ramp will be constructed from the front row to the stage, which will benefit events such as graduations that take place there. Plus improvements are planned for row 70, the row at the top of the amphitheater that also has wheelchair-accessible seating.

Some of the improvements will be completed in time for the 2023 concert season while others will be completed in 2025.

Margaret Miller of Arvada, who is

hearing-impaired, said she came to Red Rocks to learn about the plans, hoping to help improve the experience for others like her and hoping to make a difference.

“They’re making an effort,” Miller said. “They are doing more to comply with the laws.”

Miller explained that she attends concerts at Red Rocks periodically,

though she usually sits with her friends who can hear.

Frank Mango of Roxborough Park has been a Red Rocks concertgoer since 1982, and his perspective changed in 2013 after he was injured and needs to use a wheelchair. Mango, who learned more about the

Frank Mango of Roxborough Park sits in his wheelchair next to an area of Red Rocks Amphitheatre’s first row that has traditionally not been accessible to wheelchairs. The blue tape shows where new wheelchair-accessible seats will be as Denver makes modifications to the venue for those with disabilities.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Amphitheater plans more, better spots for those who are hearing impaired or have mobility issues

SEE

Je co candidates meet voters, discuss local issues at Golden forum

Sheri candidates champion mental health services, emergency management plans

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With ballots hitting local mailboxes, candidates in multiple Jefferson County races hoped to make a lasting impression on voters during an Oct. 18 candidate forum.

The League of Women Voters of Jefferson County and Jefferson Unitarian Church hosted eight candidates across the six-county races for an event at the Applewood-area church. About 100 Jeffco voters attended to hear the candidates’ thoughts on affordable housing, election integrity, county finances and more.

to hear the candidates’ thoughts

County Commissioner candidate Lesley Dahlkemper, Clerk & Recorder candidate Amanda Gonzalez, and Jeffco Sheriff candidates Regina “Reggie” Marinelli and Ed Brady participated in an hour-long forum.

Afterward, Treasurer candidates Jerry DiTullio and Faye Griffin, Assessor candidate Scot Kersgaard, and Coroner candidate Annette Cannon briefly introduced themselves before concluding the main event in the sanctuary and hosting a meetand-greet with voters in the gathering area.

Commissioner candidate Donald Rosier, Clerk & Recorder candidate Vicki Pyne, Assessor candidate Libby Szabo and Coroner candidate Matt Archuleta were all invited but didn’t attend.

The sheriff’s race

In the only head-to-head discussion of the night, Marinelli and Brady outlined their goals for the Sheriff’s Office, such as improving mental health services and wildfire mitigation and preparation.

Brady, the Republican candidate, has come up the ranks in the Arvada Police Department and has served as its deputy chief for the past eight years. He said he’s helped lead the department through several crises, including officer deaths and the pandemic.

Democratic candidate Marinelli, who’s worked at the Sheriff’s Office for 36 years across all the major divisions, said, “I’m not ready to quit yet … I want to stay and continue to work in the career I’m very passionate about.”

Regarding how they’d implement their priorities in their first 100 days in office, Marinelli said she’d focus on mental health services — for the residents patrol deputies contact, for the jail inmates and for JCSO employees. She added that she

would emphasize training for deputies to increase their confidence and instill in them the expectations the agency and community have for them.

“We need to make sure that our deputies are street-ready,” she continued. “ … If we give them the training, the knowledge, the expectations, they can go forward with confidence.”

Brady also emphasized the need for mental health and addiction counseling services in the county jail, and helping reintegrate inmates back into society. He added how the national recruitment and retention crisis in law enforcement has impacted the services agencies can offer.

He added that before leading a group, one must learn how to lead individuals by supporting them and paying attention to their efforts and needs. Brady believed he’d done that by example at APD.

In their closing statements, both candidates asked the attendees for their votes and support. Brady felt Jeffco needs a trusted law enforcement professional as its sheriff who’d keep the community safe and prepare residents for the next wildland fire, saying, “I believe I’m that person.”

Marinelli stressed her experience with JCSO, describing how she “learned this agency from the bottom up” and knows all the issues within its departments.

Candidates for county coroner, assessor and treasurer participate at an Oct. 18 candidate forum at Je erson Unitarian Church.

Je co Sheri candidates Regina “Reggie” Marinelli and Ed Brady discuss a variety of topics at an Oct. 18 candidate forum at Je erson Unitarian Church.

Lesley Dahlkemper and Amanda Gonzalez, candidates for county commissioner and clerk & recorder, respectively, discuss a variety of topics at an Oct. 18 candidate forum at Je erson Unitarian Church.

PHOTOS BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

GOVERNOR

Heidi Ganahl, founder of the nation’s largest pet care franchise, Camp Bow Wow, is running against Jared Polis next month to be Governor of Colorado. Heidi is a mom of four beautiful young children and a mom on a mission to restore common sense in Colorado. As a CU Regent for the past six years, Heidi has been a champion for students, free speech, school safety, and affordability.

Under Jared Polis, Colorado’s crime and drug use epidemic has risen to Under Colorado’s use epidemic unprecedented levels. Colorado has the second highest drug addiction rate and the sixth highest suicide rate amongst kids in the country; 60% of Colorado children cannot read, write, or do math at grade level. “Our kids are in a crisis!” is often heard at large rallies around the state, in support of Heidi Ganahl for Governor.

Colorado’s schools are in rapid decline, with the most affected being schools are rapid those in the major Colorado metro areas (Jefferson County, Denver County, Arapahoe County, El Paso County, etc). Including parents in what happens in the classroom and school-choice is a top priority for Ganahl. Teachers and other public servants have been hamstrung by spending on high-level administrators.

When Heidi defeats Jared Polis on November 8th, she will become the Heidi 8th, first mom to occupy the highest office in the state!

To learn more about Heidi Ganahl and her candidacy for Governor, visit www.heidiforgov.com.

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Get to the tune shop; snow is flying!

BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE OLOVE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

It’s almost time to ski in Clear Creek County — snow-making efforts are well underway at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area and Loveland Ski Area, and mother nature should be contributing soon, too.

Part of the excitement of opening day is that ski areas don’t know the date until, well, they know.

But staff at A-Basin and Loveland say the day is nearing, and both resorts are ready to welcome back skiers.

Both ski areas predict opening within the next week or so, and both will have one run open.

During the off-season, A-Basin was busy making some improvements: the main lift has been replaced in an effort to cut down on lift lines. The lift ride will be shorter, and the chairs can now accommodate six people. This lift should be opening in November, weather permitting.

A new restaurant also is opening at A-Basin; a German-style alpine hut featuring Colorado-made sausage, pretzels, beer and more. It is located between mid-mountain and summit. The European bistro at the summit is also reopening this season. This restaurant serves charcuterie and wine and is the highest-elevation restaurant in North America.

Loveland also replaced a lift which should be ready in November. Lift 6 has been replaced with a fixed-grip triple, the cable has been spliced and the chairs are being hung, according to Loveland staff.

Loveland has some other improvements this year, too. It completed the expansion on the Valley Lodge facilities, added a children’s center and added a new ski and ride check-in center. Loveland also plans to launch SnowCat tours in Dry Gulch in January, weather permitting.

Parking and traffic can be the one damper on a perfect powder day at A-Basin or Loveland. Staff from the ski areas have some tips on avoiding the worst of it.

“This year we are really, really asking people to get back to carpooling,” said Katherine Fuller, senior communications manager

for A-Basin.

Fuller said people got out of the carpool habit because of COVID but advises everyone to start again.

John Sellers, marketing and communications director for Loveland, pointed out that the location of Loveland ski area being before Eisenhower Tunnel makes it a great location for missing most of the mountain traffic.

“Get off before the tunnel and skip the traffic on the other side,” he said.

In an effort to reduce lift lines and improve the overall experience, A-Basin is limiting season pass sales and ticket sales on a daily basis. The ski area does not sell lift tickets on-site.

“If you want to come on opening day, don’t show up without a ticket,” Fuller said.

Loveland will not be restricting sales of passes or tickets and sells both on-site and online.

To find out exact opening day information, keep an eye on A-Basin and Loveland websites and social media sites.

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Arapahoe Basin is ready to welcome back skiers.

COURTESY OF IAN ZINNER/ARAPAHOE BASIN

Snow making e orts at Loveland are going smoothly.

COURTESY OF DUSTIN SCHAEFER/LOVELAND SKI AREA

Two ski areas have revved up the snow cannons and are ready for nature to finish the job

With help from nature, runs at Loveland should open soon.

COURTESY OF DUSTIN SCHAEFER/LOVELAND SKI AREA

102-year-old WWII vet in Colorado shares stories

Leo Lewis was master sergeant in Army Air Corps

BY KYLE COOKE AND BRIAN WILLIE ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Leo Lewis is glad that his army jacket still fits.

When Rocky Mountain PBS visited the 102-year-old Lewis in his Lakewood home, the former master sergeant sat on a recliner with a blanket on his lap, proudly pointing at the stripes on his left arm.

“I had a lot of fun with these guys,” Lewis said, flipping through a photo album of his time spent overseas. He said that when you’ve been out of the military as long as he has, “it’s difficult to remember so many of the names of the guys that served under you.”

Lewis was born on June 9, 1920 in the small town of Butte, Nebraska. One of six children, he experienced tragedy at a young age — when he was 12 years old, his mother died in a house fire and Lewis was subsequently put in foster care.

After graduating from high school in Alliance, Nebraska, Lewis earned a football scholarship at the University of Nebraska. But in the winter of his sophomore year, on Dec. 20, 1941, Leo enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a private.

Lewis worked his way up the ranks and on July 15, 1942, he was deployed.

“And nobody would tell us where that assignment was,” Lewis recalled. Two weeks later, Lewis and his group arrived in Karachi, India. This was before Pakistan gained its independence from British India.

Lewis was a field director for the China-Burma-India Air Service Command. Two of his brothers also served during World War II, one in the Army and another in the Navy.

“I actually enjoyed serving my country in 1941,” Lewis said. “Things were a little bit different then, but we have a good Air Force.”

After the war, Lewis returned to Nebraska and got married. He then moved to Colorado to attend the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he played football once again.

Lewis had two children and started a business selling and repairing televisions in Denver, but once televisions no longer relied on vacuum tubes for operation, Lewis closed the business and transitioned to construction, where he had great success. His current home in Lakewood is one that he built.

Today, Lewis has four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. One of his granddaughters, Dawnette, told Rocky Mountain PBS that Lewis “set a great example of working hard to get the things you want, and most importantly be grateful for your family and country.”

As for the next generation of service men and women, Lewis’ advice is simple. “When you join the

service, concentrate on your basic training and you’ll be happy that you did, because you’ll be able to advance your rank in the military if you do that.”

More than 16 million Americans served in World War II. Today, fewer than 170,000 are still alive. And according to the National World War II Museum, close to 200 World War II veterans pass away each day.

This is why for Lewis, it’s important that he remembers his time

overseas and that he shares stories with his family. Looking through his photo albums, Lewis said, “sometimes, I don’t really comprehend how far back that really was.”

This story is from Rocky Mountain PBS, a nonprofit public broadcaster providing community stories across Colorado over the air and online. Used by permission. For more, and to support Rocky Mountain PBS, visit rmpbs.org.

lot oftax experience?

New totax prep?

Leo Lewis was master sergeant in Army Air Corps.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

U.S. Senate candidates debate mental health

For first time ever

BY JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and his Republican challenger, Joe O’Dea, vowed during a debate Oct. 18 to push for programs that would boost the behavioral health workforce and dispatch more therapists on 911 calls.

The forum at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus marked the first time that candidates vying to represent the state in the U.S. Senate took a debate stage to take questions exclusively on mental health.

That doesn’t mean that politics didn’t creep into the conversation.

Bennet interrupted O’Dea once to slam him for not supporting the American Rescue Plan, they sparred briefly on gun laws, and O’Dea, a Denver construction company owner, hammered Bennet on crime rates, inflation and border control. They were bound to try to get in some political jabs as it was their first debate.

On their vision for mental health care

Both agreed mental health, particularly for children, is at a crisis point in Colorado and that the state has a severe shortage of residential treatment beds and mental health workers. O’Dea said he would advocate for a federal program that would make it easier for people interested in working in mental health and substance abuse treatment to get jobs in the field at the same time they work toward college degrees. Employers could help pay for their education, he said.

Bennet touted his “Suicide and Crisis Outreach Prevention Enhancement Act,” which would promote the national crisis line and increase the number of crisis centers nationwide, as well as a white paper he wrote with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, that Bennet called a “blueprint for what mental health ought to look like.”

“We’re facing an epidemic of mental health in Colorado and across this country as a result of an economy that for 50 years has worked incredibly well for the top 10% of Americans, but almost for nobody else,” the senator said. “The opioid epidemic, on top of that, COVID, on top of that … social media.”

Bennet also co-sponsored federal legislation that led to the 988 mental health crisis hotline, which went live in July.

O’Dea, however, said policies supported by Bennet during his 13 years in office have contributed to the mental health crisis.

“What’s happening in America is not working,” O’Dea said. “Partisanship is poisoning our country. My opponent votes with Joe Biden 90% of the time; it’s not working.

Inflation is at a 40-year high; it’s not working. Crime is at an alltime high; not working. Homelessness in Colorado is rampant; it’s not working. And this we add to

the list, mental health, especially for kids. It’s not working.”

O’Dea also blamed failures in the education system for the youth mental health crisis, saying he would push for federal regulation that would allow families to choose any school for their child. “Kids have to have a future, and that future starts with an education,” he said. “The closest thing to magic in the United States is school choice. Put them somewhere where they can succeed. We can get them mental health at those institutions. We need to be preventative and not reactive.”

On growing the mental health workforce

O’Dea, who went through an apprenticeship program, said Colorado can grow its workforce of mental health and substance use counselors by encouraging businesses to hire workers as they simultaneously attend college.

“It needs to be a partnership with business,” he said. “It needs to be a partnership with colleges. We need to treat it as an intern program so that we can have businesses help us get more people into this industry.”

Bennet pointed out that O’Dea was against the massive COVID relief bill passed by Congress that sent millions of dollars to Colorado to support workforce development, including internship programs. The American Rescue Plan provided about $600 million for Colorado to recruit and train more behavioral health workers.

“It’s not government in the way — this is government resources being used by the public sector and the private sector,” Bennet said. “He’s quite right that we need to address that, but that’s exactly what these pieces of legislation do.”

Bennet also brought up the state’s lack of affordable housing, which makes it difficult for workers to live in rural and mountain areas in particular. “We have no workforce housing,” he said. “And there are communities all over the state where there are no mental health workers because there is no housing.”

On substance abuse treatment

When asked how he would increase access to substance abuse treatment, O’Dea said the government hasn’t “attacked the supply side” and blamed border insecurity. He also said he would zero in on high-potency marijuana products and that he is against Proposition 122, which would decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms in Colorado.

“Right now we have a border that is leaking fentanyl at record levels,” he said. “Colorado is No. 2 in drug overdoses. And the reason is because we haven’t attacked the supply side. This situation is being caused by a border that hasn’t been secured. We don’t need more drugs in our society. It’s killing our kids.”

A photo distributed by the Grand Junction Police Department shows counterfeit fentanyl pills that look

like 30mg oxycodone.

The rate of increase in fentanyl deaths in Colorado from 2019 to 2021 ranked second in the country, according to Families Against Fentanyl. Colorado’s per-capita fentanyl death rate, however, ranks 33rd.

Bennet slammed O’Dea for not answering the question, then said he supports more drug treatment in jails. “People can’t get treatment,” he said. “And it doesn’t make any sense to lock somebody up and not provide any treatment.”

On who’s better at tackling mental health

Bennet said he looks forward to continuing his work on the opioid crisis and amplifying incentives in the insurance system so that physical and mental health are better integrated.

“This country has been uniquely addicted to opioids compared to any other country in the world,” the senator said. “And we haven’t yet responded to that challenge.”

He also vowed to ramp up funding for mental health beds, saying there was a “chronic shortage all over the state, especially in rural areas.”

“We are just going to have to fund it and we’re going to have to find ways to pay for it,” he said.

But O’Dea said it’s time to “start from scratch” and stop throwing money at homelessness programs that aren’t producing results and time to focus more on mental

health prevention. “We need new programs that basically address this before it’s a crisis,” he said.

“We’ve got record inflation, record crime, record drug overdoses, out-of-control homelessness here in Colorado, and an education crisis, a mental health crisis and suicides at an all-time high. Let’s stop the reckless spending and direct it at our kids.”

Children’s Hospital mental health crisis

The forum, hosted by Healthier Colorado, Inseparable and Children’s Hospital Colorado, put the candidates on the spot to answer questions about the complex mental health system and the current state of crisis.

Colorado has about 2,000 fewer pediatric residential treatment beds than it did about a decade ago, in part because of a major federal push to keep kids in homes instead of institutions. But as funding for residential treatment was slashed, Colorado did not build up its network of therapeutic foster homes or community mental health services.

Today, the state has about 300 residential treatment beds. At the same time, the number of children and teens seeking emergency psychiatric treatment at Children’s Hospital in Aurora has

SEE HEALTH, P

ROSIER Jefferson County Commissioner

for

PROVEN LEADERSHIP YOU CAN TRUST

Honesty

Realiability

Vision

VOICES

Op-Ed: What you need to know about the upcoming election

While your phone may be ringing off the hook with calls from campaigns (or buzzing with text messages these days), ours has been ringing with questions from voters. So, now that ballots are in the mail, I want to answer here the most common questions we have been receiving.

First up: WHERE IS MY BALLOT?!

We have been getting this one for weeks, and often in all caps. We’re excited too! And the good news is, your ballot is in the mail as of this past Monday, October 17. Ballots can take up to a week to arrive and are not ordered by address, so it is common for some members of a household to receive theirs before others. If you do not have your ballot by Monday, October 24, give us a call at 303-271-8111, and we can issue you a replacement by mail, or you can visit an in-person vote center.

How do I return my ballot?

You have until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8 to vote in one of the usual three ways:

1. Drop box: All 24-hour drop boxes are open, and we have increased the number in the past few years from 15 to 36. More than 85% of Jeffco voters used drop boxes in recent elections, thanks to their accessibility and security – all boxes are on 24-7 surveillance and ballots are picked up daily by bipartisan election workers.

2. Mail: If you prefer to mail your ballot, we recommend doing so no later than October 31 (since postmarks don’t count), and placing one

GUEST COLUMN

Forever stamp on your envelope.

24-7 video surveillance and are open to election watchers at any time.

George Stern

3. Vote Center: If you need additional assistance, visit any of our in-person vote centers. Those begin opening on October 24. Visit VoteJeffco.com to fi nd drop box and vote center locations.

How will I know you received my ballot?

No need to call – simply sign up for ballot tracking! At VoteJeffco.com, click on “Track Your Ballot” to learn when we mailed your ballot to you, and when we receive it back and process it. You can also sign up for email, text, or phone alerts on the status of your ballot.

How do you ensure election integrity?

Security experts across the political spectrum have called Colorado one of the safest states in which to cast a ballot. Here’s why:

• Voting by mail means a paper trial. We send you a paper ballot, you return that paper ballot to us, and we store that paper ballot for two years after the election so it can be audited or recounted at any time.

• We verify the signature on every ballot envelope against a signature we have on fi le for a registered voter who has proven their identity.

• Every step of the process is done by teams of bipartisan election workers who have undergone background checks.

• All drop boxes and ballot processing are on

• Bipartisan teams test our machines before each election and conduct audits after each election.

What if I have additional questions?

Visit VoteJeffco.com and click “Election Information” to see more about election security, including a full-length tour of our process, 16 FAQ videos, links to the Bluebook, and much more. Or, reach out to us at 303-271-8111 or on our live chat at VoteJeffco.com. I will also give another tour of our process, as I have in every election since taking offi ce. By popular demand, these tours are now virtual: Join us online at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, November 7 for an inside look at our election facility, and an opportunity to ask as many questions as you like.

Finally, if you want those persistent campaign calls and texts to stop, the best thing to do is to vote early! Voting early also helps us process ballots more effi ciently, which not only saves your taxpayer dollars, but helps us get you more complete results faster on Election Night, too. Whenever you choose vote, however – early or on November 8 – we just hope that you do.

George Stern is the Jefferson County clerk and recorder. He lives in Golden where he also serves as a volunteer fi refi ghter.

When Roe v. Wade was overturned, Colorado Democrats fought back

Access to reproductive health care – including abortion care – should be a fundamental right for all Americans, plain and simple. But that right was stripped away this summer when the hyperpartisan, conservative U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

For nearly the last 50 years, Roe v. Wade has protected the right to an abortion, ensuring all individuals have the ability to make their own decisions about their lives and their futures – not politicians, neighbors or complete strangers.

Those days are over. We are now living through a dark moment in our history where critical, lifesaving women’s rights are no longer protected at the federal level, risking the health and safety of millions of Americans who can no longer access the health care they need. Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade, 14 states across the country have banned or severely restricted abortion. But here in Colorado, we have chosen to fight back and ensure abortion remains safe, legal and accessible. We don’t want our children and grandchildren to have to keep fighting like we have to.

Anticipating this decision from the Supreme Court, Democrats fought to protect reproductive rights here in Colorado this year by passing the Reproductive Health Equity Act. This historic policy codified reproductive rights in state law so that no matter what happens at the federal level, Coloradans will still be able to access the full

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spectrum of reproductive health care, including abortion care.

The new law establishes thatevery individual has the fundamental right to choose or refuse contraception and that every individual who becomes pregnant has a fundamental right to choose to continue a pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion. This will give millions the autonomy to make decisions about their own bodies, and ultimately will save lives.

The reality is the majority of Coloradans value access to abortion. In 2020, 82 percent of Coloradans agreed that “politicians need to stop trying to force their beliefs on women when it comes to abortion” and 76 percent agreed that “when it comes to ending a pregnancy, a woman should have the power to make decisions about her own body.”

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

KRISTEN FIORE West Metro Editor kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

RYLEE DUNN Community Editor rdunn@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MINDY NELON Marketing Consultant mnelon@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

In 2020, voters across party and county lines confirmed the accuracy of this polling when they voted to defeat Proposition 115, a ban on abortion later in pregnancy, by nearly 18 points. In 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014, Coloradans overwhelmingly rejected harmful and dehumanizing amendments to the state Constitution attempting to create “fetal personhood” and outlaw abortion.

The message sent by voters is clear: We trust individuals to make their own reproductive health care decisions free from political interference.

We’ve been listening to our voters, but it’s clear that Republicans have not. Just weeks into the 2022 legislative session, three anti-abortion bills were introduced by Republicans and defeated by Democrats in the House. These bills would have placed an unconstitutional ban on abortion in Colorado with no exceptions, criminalized miscarriages and health care professionals who perform abortions, and established a registry to track and surveil abortion patients and providers.

For more than a total of 50 hours, we stayed late into the night and early in the morning in committee proceedings and on the floor of both the House and Senate chambers defending our rights. It was exhausting, but we didn’t give up and we didn’t back down. We know just how crucial this issue is to the people we represent here in Jeffco

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Press. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

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A legal newspaper of general circulation in Je erson County, Colorado, the Arvada Press is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 27972 Meadow Dr. Suite 320, Evergreen CO, 80439.

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Tammy Story Lisa Cutter Jessie Danielson

Hi. I love you.

You should see this place. It is wonderful. The fields are huge. And the grass is greener grass than I have ever seen and softer than I have ever felt. And there are too many smells to smell all at once.

I can run all day without getting tired. And my leg doesn’t hurt any more. And I can breathe good again.

I get a lot of treats here. All of us do. And they taste like all the good smells I ever smelled. Even better than when Dad used to cook outside on that metal thing.

The grumpy dog is here. He is still grumpy. But not in a bad way. He is happy grumpy.

And that grumpy cat is here too. He is not so grumpy. He hides under things and when I walk by he swats my leg. But not with his claws. Then we play chase.

The other day I caught my tail. It felt like a win.

There is a creek here like the one we used to walk in. It is cool and clear. And I can drink from it and feel refreshed.

I can bark here all I want. Nobody says no. In fact, a lot of us bark to-

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Why I’m voting for Lesley Dahlkemper

I’ve known Jeffco Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper for many years. We served on the Jefferson County school board together during arguably the most challenging time in the district’s history. I have always been impressed by her integrity, professionalism and devotion to our county. Lesley’s commitment to improving education in Jeffco continues as a county commissioner. She serves as a co-chair of the Jeffco Bright Futures initiative and leads a large, diverse coalition focused on improving supports and outcomes for young children and families in areas such as mental health and early childhood education. Her expertise, work ethic and heart for our community will be critical moving forward as the county faces challenges and opportunities. I’m proud to support her for re-election!

Jill Fellman, Arvada

Worried about food waste

I believe in helping people. We gave half our stimulus check and half our Tabor check to the Food bank. If someone is caught stealing food in the store I’d gladly pay. But I am very reluctant about voting Yes on Proposition FF. Why you ask? Because I saw what happened when the Obama changes were implemented. I was a volunteer, and they had 35 gallon rolling trash cans with wasted food. Wasted food is a sin. I would garner all the hamburgers to feed my dogs. Kids gladly lick their plates with vanilla yogurt, but they want certain foods. The Food Police dictate what schools should serve. I’m afraid that we will have thousands of pounds of wasted foods! It’s real. Kids need healthy foods, but they hate beans. I’m

HITTING HOME Michael Alcorn

Dear Mom,

gether. It is a happy sound we make.

Fat cat is here. She is fun. We run together. But she does not jump as high as I do.

Papa is here. He laughs a lot. And he sings to me. He sings better than you and Dad. But I still like it best when you sing to me.

There is another dog here that is waiting for you too. She is very sweet. She is wrinkly and wise. We have become friends.

I sleep on a pillow here. It smells like you. I like that.

Even that old man who hit me is here. He seemed scared to see me. But he is nice. We are friends.

I have a home here. It smells like my home. The yard smells like my yard. But better. I have already figured out how to get out. I go run and then I come home.

All the people here are very nice. They pet me and say good girl. They are all happy and they laugh when I

smile. Just like you did.

The sun is perfectly warm here. I lay down and get warm when I want to. But never too warm.

There is a beautiful garden here on a high high hill. I can climb it. But I don’t want to. I will wait until I can climb it with you.

This is a good place. It makes me feel like I did when I laid down in your lap.

I can’t wait for you to get here. But don’t hurry. Time is different. You will get here when you are supposed to get here.

And then I will meet you at the door. You will know it’s me because I will pound out a hello with my tail. And then you will call me by my

name and I will know I am yours.

Until then I will keep your side of the bed warm. And then I will steal Dad’s side of the bed.

And we will be a family together. Forever. And also… I love you.

— Dog

Michael Alcorn is a former teacher and current writer who lives in Arvada with his wife and three children. His new novel, “Valkyrie’s Kiss,” a finalist in the ScreenCraft Book Competition, is available now at mjalcorn@comcast.net. His opinions are not necessarily those of Colorado Community Media.

OBITUARIES

TAYLOR

Bonne Louise Taylor died Oct. 18 at the Villas at Sunny Acres in ornton. She was 83.

an annual student award in her honor. e Bonne Taylor Award is given out each year to the one student who tried the hardest and was the kindest.

very reluctant, though I totally approve of free meals. My lunch was 35 cents in the 1950s. We had great bakers, fantastic cinnamon rolls. Only the spinach went into the trash. But thousands of pounds is over the top! Give kids healthy foods, but what they like!

Barb Smith, Arvada

Thank you, Lindsay Datko and Heidi Ganahl

The liberal-leaning Arvada Press would have readers believe Jeffco Kids First is a subversive organization harmful to kids. Hardly.

The paper used more than 2,800 words to paint a negative picture of people who believe what goes on in schools and classrooms — needs to be transparent!

Have some Jeffco students dressed up as animals and identifi ed as “furries?” Yes. Is it wrong for people to point out such behavior distracts from the primary purpose of education? No, of course not! Thank you Lindsay Datko and Heidi Ganahl.

The two Jeffco School Board members quoted in the article seem more concerned about children’s “identities” than they do about children’s education... remember...reading, writing and arithmetic.

In the article, the board president rattled on about people hating children “for who they are, for how they were born and who they’ve become.” This is nothing more than gender idealogy masquerading as educational acceptance/approval by Jeffco schools.

There is no hate in saying it is time to stop the nonsense and focus on improving Jeffco’s falling test scores.

Mark W. Salley, Arvada

Born on Jan. 10, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York to James Peter McNeive and Margaret Louise O’Hara McNeive, Bonne loved the borough and always spoke of it fondly. e family — including older sister Anita Marie — moved to Denver when Bonne was three, joining Margaret’s family there. anks to the ood of new family, Bonne discovered she loved that city, as well.

She attended Denver’s St. Francis DeSale’s High School and graduated in 1957 and soon began working at Public Service Company of Colorado. at’s where she met a young reserve Marine, Albert Donald Taylor, the love of her life. e two were married in September 1960 at Denver’s St. John the Evangelist.

After a few years in a rented house on Monroe Street in Denver, they purchased a home in a new Denver suburb, Northglenn. e larger home was just in time, as they were soon joined by their son, Scott Matthew Taylor.

In 1975, the family purchased a home in Arvada’s Lake Arbor subdivision.

Since Scott was in school, Bonne decided to do the same, taking a job as a library aid at Pomona Senior High School. Je erson County Schools were a great t for Bonne, and she continued to build bonds and close personal friendships with teachers, other aids and students for many years.

Just as her son was ready to start high school at Pomona himself, she graciously chose to move on and took a job at Juchem Elementary as the school’s secretary. As that area of Metro Denver continued to grow, so did the schools and she soon moved to a new school in Westminster, Betty Adams Elementary, where she continued making friends and charming co-workers. When she retired from the school in 2004, they named

e other touchstone in Bonne’s life was her relationship with God and the church — especially her church, Arvada’s Spirit of Christ Catholic Community. e family had joined the parish soon after moving to Arvada and Bonne was as involved as possible, serving for a time on the Liturgical Committee and as a reader and eucharistic minister. Later, she volunteered with the church’s Touch Funeral Servers and traveled weekly with friends to serve food at Denver area soup kitchens.

She and Al also lled their retirement with travel, cruises and trips to Maine to visit Scott and his family while staying close with the myriad friends she’d gathered, including her breakfast pals in the Pessimist Club and devoted Betty Adams friend Nancy Mullen.

Bonne was preceded in death by her parents Jim and Margaret and aunts, uncles and cousins in New York and Denver.

She is survived by her husband Al, her sister Anita Marie (McNeive) Sirois of Houston, her son Scott and his wife Hadley Brewer Taylor, her grandson Matthew Stephenson Moore Taylor, her niece and goddaughter Kimberly Marie Mausser and her husband Robert Mausser and her grand-niece Stephanie Mausser Messina.

A vigil is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at Horan McConaty Funeral Service, 7577 W. 80th Ave. in Arvada.

e funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Oct. 27 at Spirit of Christ Catholic Community, 7400 W. 80th Ave. in Arvada.

In lieu of owers, the family would prefer donations in Bonne’s name to the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (www. bonehealthandosteoporosis.org) and the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (www.alzinfo.org).

Place an Obituary for Your Loved One. 303-566-4100

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Bonne Louise Taylor January 10, 1939 - October 18, 2022

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Every fall, pumpkin lovers rejoice in knowing their favorite flavors will start migrating from humble gourds to morning mugs. While the specialty beverage has corporate origins, local baristas put a hometown twist on “PSLs” across Colorado.

The origins of pumpkin spice lattes trace to 2003, when Starbucks’ Director of Espresso Peter Dukes came up with the idea out of a desire to replicate the seasonal success of the eggnog latte and peppermint mocha, according to The Daily Meal.

“Pumpkin spice latte has become more than just a beverage,” Dukes said. “It has become a harbinger of the season.”

Since then, the drink has evolved into an annual tradition outside Starbucks.

At Nixon’s Coffee House in Englewood, one barista said pumpkin pie syrup is used instead of pumpkin spice because it gives the drink a more unique flavor.

La Dolce Vita in Arvada uses pumpkin puree sauce and has served the drink since around the time Starbucks began the trend. Unlike the big chain, at LDV the taste will depend on the barista.

Barista Tamara Hansen said she adds vanilla to her PSL so that it gets a more robust flavor profile.

“I’m putting pumpkin sauce, of course, and vanilla, and I’m going to put whipped cream and cinnamon sugar,” Hansen said. “(The vanilla) adds a little bit of sweetness.”

Her co-worker Josh Crouch’s take on the drink is inspired by pumpkin pancakes and features some maple flavors.

“It’s got real pumpkin,” Crouch said, pointing to the pumpkin puree sauce used to flavor the drink.

Not just lattes

The PSL trend has spread far beyond espresso drinks. Local breweries have jumped on the flavor train as well — somewhat begrudgingly, in certain cases.

Colorado Plus Brew Pub in Wheat Ridge serves a “darker style of pumpkin ale,” according to Manager Jordan Peck. The “Don’t Call Me Pumpkin, Pumpkin Spice Ale” ale has a slightly higher-than-average alcohol content than other pumpkin beers, Peck said.

“It’s really full-bodied,” Peck said. “It’s pumpkin spice without being over the top.”

Chris Hill, owner of Odyssey Beerwerks in Arvada didn’t necessarily want to make a pumpkin beer, so he took the idea and went a different route.

“We opened in May of 2013,” Hill said. “As fall was rolling around, everybody was telling us we needed to do a

pumpkin beer because everyone does a pumpkin beer in fall. I didn’t really want to do one, but I asked our assistant brewer if he could do a different one. He came back with the idea to do a marshmallow porter with a pumpkin spice.”

Toasted Marshmallow Porter,” which was such a hit in 2013 that Odyssey kept it going on a seasonal basis.

ers,” Hill admits. “The reason we brewed a second batch was we had two bar owners and two friends of owners who called and said they had or had heard of this been we did and they really wanted to put it on tap. So, we did enough to make four-eight kegs and sold it to them. In 2014, we did a full batch and sold out before we were done fermenting.”

nings, Hill says he’s come around on the pumpkin porter.

Hill said. “It’s a really good beer. I won’t say we were opposed, but since everyone does a pumpkin beer, we don’t need to do one, but we did and it was fantastic. I won’t downplay the beer. It’s really good.”

Parker began their pumpkin beer with a homespun tradition.

‘Nevermore Pumpkin Ale’ — fittingly named after ‘The Raven,’ by Edgar Alan Poe — originated with a Halloween tradition at the Barnett home.

“It’s an old home brew recipe. As a home brewer, we used to deck out the Barnett house for Halloween,” Barnett said. “I’d hand out beers in the driveway for neighbors who came out to Halloween. When we opened the brewery, that tradition survived.”

Barnett house for Halloween,” Barvegetable,” and said he was cautious

Barnett describes the ale as “a really good balance between the spices and the vegetable,” and said he was cautious against adding too much cinnamon, a move he believes undercuts the flavor of other pumpkin beers.

flavor of other pumpkin beers. the silver medal at the 2021 The seasonis avail-

Nevermore Pumpkin Ale won the silver medal at the 2021 Denver International Beer Competition and is entering its 7th year on tap at Barnett and Son Brewing. The seasonal libation is available from the first Friday in September through about Thanksgiving.

Friday in through

LDV’s Tamara Hansen’s pumpkin spice latte.

PHOTO BY RYLEE DUNN

The

OF ODYSSEY BEERWERKS

Odyssey Beerwerks’

y Pumpkin Porter.

PHOTO BY RYLEE DUNN

DFF45 brings the world’s stories to Denver

There’s a reason that during the worst parts of the COVID-19 pandemic, so many people turned to the film world for solace and inspiration.

The Denver Film Festival is aiming to achieve that same entertaining and enlightening power in its 45 th season, which is returning to its pre-pandemic form of entirely in-person screening.

“We have the return of the real festival environment this year,” said Matthew Campbell, the festival’s artistic director. “We were just able to have a couple parties and other events last year, so we didn’t have as much conversing after the films as we normally would. Now we’re able to host more events, foster the community experience and be a catalyst for conversation.”

The 45th Denver Film Festival runs this year from Wednesday, Nov. 2 through Sunday, Nov. 13. Screenings and events will be held in several downtown locations, primarily the Sie FilmCenter , 2510 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver, as well as the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver Botanic Gardens, AMC 9 + CO 10 and the Tattered Cover East Colfax .

Some of the big films being showcased this year include the Opening Night Red Carpet presentation of “Armageddon Time,” which is directed by James Gray and features Anne Hathaway,

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Jeremy Strong and Anthony Hopkins. Sam Mendes’ “Empire of Light,” Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking” and Maria Schrader’s “She Said” are all films garnering early awards buzz that will be screened during the festival.

You also won’t want to miss “The Whale,” the Brendan Fraser film, written by Samuel D. Hunter, who will be on hand to receive the festival’s Excellence in Writing Award. Hunter’s play (which the film is based on) had its premiere in Denver, so this will be a special event.

“These special presentations are great but people will have the opportunity to see these films after the fact,” Campbell said.

“But what’s great about this festival is there are many films that this might be your only chance to see.”

In addition to quality stories from the world over, the team at Denver Film works to highlight Colorado stories like: “The Holly,” which tells the story of a shooting case involving activist Terrance Roberts and the gentrification of the city; and “My Sister Liv,” a film that follows two Colorado sisters coming of age

with all the pressures of social media.

With several parties to attend, as well as VR filmmaking experiences, there truly is something for everyone at the festival.

“The audiences here in Denver are really adventurous and are really discerning,” Campbell said. “Those who attend are going to come away having had a great time but also potentially learning something and getting a new outlook on film. We’re here to expand minds and create dialogue and empathy.”

To see the full line-up, get tickets and more, visit www.denverfilm.org/denverfilmfestival/ dff45/.

Music and shopping at LSO’s annual Pops Concert

One of the Lakewood Symphony Orchestra’s biggest events is just around the corner, with its annual Pops Concert and Silent Auction , which is held at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10.

The music the symphony will be performing includes Satie’s “Gymnopedie No. 2” and selections from “Phantom of the Opera” and “Grease.” Attendees can also bid on a range of items, including the opportunity to conduct the orchestra, an African safari and more.

Get tickets and details at www. lakewoodsymphony.org.

SALT highlights the range of contemporary dance

Contemporary dance can be

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:

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a difficult art form to describe, but when done right, its power is undeniable. That moving power is exactly what SALT Contemporary Danc e is bringing to the Lakewood Cultural Center , 470 S. Allison Parkway, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.

According to provided information, the company performs a repertoire of work by world-renowned choreographers Micaela Taylor, Ihsan Rustem and Joni McDonald. Get tickets at Lakewood.org/LCCPresents.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Bret McKenzie at the Ogden Theatre

You might know Bret McKenzie as half of “New Zealand’s fourth most popular guitar-based, digi-bongo, acapella-rap-funkcomedy folk duo,” the Flight of the Conchords. Just a month ago he released his first solo album, “Songs Without Jokes,” and I’m delighted to report that it is full of the same sly wit that you can find in the work of songwriting legends like Randy Newman.

In support of the album McKenzie is stopping by the Ogden Theatre , 935 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver, at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 2. In addition to cuts from the new record, he’ll be performing songs he’s written for The Muppets, The Simpsons and more.

Get tickets for what is certain to be a delightful evening at www. ogdentheatre.com.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@ hotmail.com.

newspaper.

• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not be submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.

Caring for next spring’s perfect lawn starts now.

ENJOY FREE ADMISSIONENJOY FREE ADMISSION

Clarke Reader

Thu 11/03

Ali McGuirk @ 7pm

Swallow Hill Music, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

Jay_Martin @ 5pm

Barrels & Bottles Brewery at Camp George West, 1055 Orchard St, Golden

Sun 11/06

Ed Schrader's Music Beat

@ 8pm

Meow Wolf Denver | Convergence Station, 1338 1st St, Denver

Tue 11/08

Lostboycrow @ 7pm

Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St, Denver

Denver Makers Market @ Lakewood Casa Bonita Parking Lot @ 10am / Free

Denver Makers Market @ Casa Bonita, 6677 West Colfax Avenue, Denver. dmmvendors@gmail.com, 720-525-5645

Denver Arts Week Colorado

Convention Center Public Art Tour @ 2pm

Denver Arts and Venues, Varies Locations for Public Art Tours, Denver Dragutante

@ 6pm

Studio Loft at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 980 14th Street, Denver

CHARLES LLOYD OCEAN TRIO @ 7pm Holiday Theatre, 2644 W 32nd Ave, Denver

The Girl Cous: Cous 'Ebb & Flow' Release Show at The Lodge at Woods Boss @ 7pm

The Lodge at Woods Boss, 675 22nd St, Denver

Natalie Prauser @ 7pm Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Denver

Arise Roots @ 7pm

The Oriental Theater, 4335 W 44th Ave, Denver

The Emo Night Tour - Denver @ 8pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver

OG Nixin @ 9pm

The Church, 1160 Lincoln St, Denver

Fri 11/04

Club Seating: Paramount TheatreRodney Carrington @ 7pm / $49.50

Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm, Denver

Wicked Vixen, The Salesmen @ 8pm / $15

The Black Buzzard at Oskar Blues, 1624 Market St, Denver

Elton John @ 8pm Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Den‐ver

Sat 11/05

Denver Makers Market @ Park Hill Treasures @ 10am / Free Park Hill Treasures, 6035 East Colfax Av‐enue, Denver. dmmvendors@gmail.com, 720-525-5645

DATE PACKAGE - Immersive Van Gogh Denver (Peak) @ 7pm Lighthouse Denver, 3900 Elati Street, Den‐ver

Kevin Hart @ 7pm Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Cir, Denver

Mon 11/07

Beach Goons @ 8pm

Globe Hall, 4483 Lo‐gan St, Denver

Natalie Prauser @ 8pm

Golden Moon Dis‐tillery - Maison, 412 Violet St, Golden

Charlie Parr / Two Runner at Globe Hall TWO NIGHTS! @ 8pm

Globe Hall, 4483 Lo‐gan St, Denver

Surf Curse @ 8pm Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Den‐

Evolfo @ 8pm Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Jean Dawson @ 8pm

Cervantes Other Side, 2637 Welton Street, Denver

itsaviv

@ 8pm

Meow Wolf Denver | Convergence Station, 1338 1st St, Denver

Wed 11/09

Kingdom Collapse @ 7pm

The Black Buzzard, 1624 Market St, Den‐

Versus Me @ 7pm

The Black Buzzard, 1624 Market St, Den‐

Reverend Baron @ 7pm Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St, Denver

powered by

proposed changes on Oct. 18, said they would be a step in the right direction. In addition to changing the venue itself, he hoped Red Rocks could do more to block scalpers from buying accessible seats to sell to ablebodied customers.

Mango was one of six plaintiffs in a discrimination lawsuit filed in 2017 over being overcharged for tickets. Three months ago, the Justice Department ordered the city of Denver to pay nearly $48,000 in refunds to about 1,800 people who bought tickets for wheelchair-accessible seats at 178 shows.

The Americans with Disabilities Act doesn’t allow venues to charge higher prices for seats that are accessible to people who use wheelchairs. Red Rocks has accessible seats for its events in the front and last row. Venues like Red Rocks that physically cannot make accessible seating available in all parts of the theater must price the tickets as though the seats were proportionally distributed.

According to the settlement, the Department of Justice found more than 10% of people purchasing wheelchair-accessible seats were charged more than they should have been under ADA rules. Some paid $130 more per ticket for their seats.

Alison Butler, director of Denver’s Division of Disability Rights, Human Rights and Community Partnerships since March, understood the accessibility needs at Red Rocks because before she took the new position because she represented those plaintiffs in the discrimination claim.

When Barker joined the Division of Disability Rights, among her first questions was, “What can we do to help?” Her division began asking those with disabilities who attend Red Rocks for ideas on how to make their experience better.

“Having more seats and a fully accessible row 1 can be a game changer to people,” she said.

Red Rocks Amphitheater was opened to the public in 1941 and seats 9,500. With 192 steps to get from row 1 to row 70, plus the steps to get up to the venue itself, concertgoers get a workout just to be in the venue.

Ro-Tien Liang, ADA architectural access manager for Denver’s Division of Disability Rights, explained that three things must be considered as the city makes changes to the amphitheater: following Americans with Disabilities laws and the wishes of the users while understanding the functionality of Red Rocks.

“Most important,” he noted, “we don’t want to strip away what makes Red Rocks Red Rocks.”

PHOTOS BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

FOUGHT BACK

FROM

12

and across our state.

When people can’t access abortion care, they often are forced to seek alternatives or carry a unwanted pregnancy to term, risking their own lives. Too many people – including members of our own families, remember when women died from botched abortions, The Reproductive Health

LETTERS

FROM PAGE 12

Erik Aadland is the right person for the job

Colorado families are hurting from high gas prices and skyrock-

HEALTH

FROM PAGE 11

skyrocketed.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, left, and his Republican challenger, Joe O’Dea. (Colorado Sun photos)

This year, January-June psychiatric emergency room visits were up 88% from the same period in 2019, said Jessica Hawks, clinical director of the hospital’s pediatric mental health institute. Sui-

Equity Act ensures people can continue to access the health care they need, when they need it.

As a reminder to Coloradans and those in hostile neighboring states — Colorado remains a safe haven for abortion care. For accurate, multilingual, and trusted information regarding abortion care in Colorado, please refer to resources from Planned Parenthood, Cobalt Advocates, and the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR).

eting infl ation. I don’t know about you, but our monthly gas and food budgets have skyrocketed over 50%. Families across the state are being harmed by misguided economic policies and it’s time for a change. We need new leadership with real solutions to get our economy back on track.

cide is the leading cause of death for teens in Colorado.

“The psychiatric crisis continues,” she said. “We are just beginning to see the initial effects of how the pandemic has impacted our youth mental health. We were actually in a mental health crisis for our youth even before the pandemic. We are just fortunate that we’re now in a place where we have a national platform to really talk about these issues.”

Zach Zaslow, interim vice president for population health and

Although the Reproductive Health Equity Act is the law of the land in Colorado, this fi ght is far from over. This is going to be an uphill battle nationwide and even where abortion is legal, there still remain barriers to access that we must address. We will continue fi ghting to ensure that every person in our state and beyond can have the bodily autonomy they deserve and keep working towards a future where neither our children nor yours have to fi ght for this fundamental

This November, we have a choice. We can elect more of the same failed leadership and continue to watch our economy spiral out of control. Or, we can choose a new direction for Colorado and begin the hard work of restoring our economy and Erik Aadland is the right person for the job.

advocacy at Children’s, said the lack of residential beds means children are stuck at the hospital for longer than needed.

“Kids end up waiting in our in-patient unit for weeks, months, sometimes even over a year,” he said. “They are without their families. They are without their friends. Oftentimes, they are getting worse because they are in a restrictive setting. They should be closer to home.”

Gov. Jared Polis and his GOP challenger Heidi Ganahl were

freedom.

Senator Jessie Danielson D-Wheat Ridge jessie.danielson.senate@state. co.us 303-866-4856

Representative Lisa Cutter D-Littleton lisa.cutter.house@state.co.us 303-866-2582

Senator Tammy Story D-Conifer tammy.story.senate@state.co.us 303-866-4873

Erik is a combat veteran with two bronze stars, one for valor who is a problem solver and will work every single day to provide common sense solutions for Colorado families.

Vote for Erik Aadland this November.

Marlene Schnur, Arvada

invited to the forum but the governor declined. Other sponsors included CBS News, MindSite News, Colorado Public Radio and The Colorado Sun.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

HolidayContest

What is your favorite Holiday recipe? and submit your recipe to be included in our upcoming Hometown Holidays special section!

Visit us online at ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

Polls show Democrats leading key races

Ballots hitting mailboxes

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

The Colorado Democrats running for reelection this year to major statewide offices — including U.S. Senate, governor, attorney general and secretary of state — hold big leads over their Republican challengers less than a month before Election Day, according to a new poll released Oct. 19.

The poll was conducted by Global Strategy Group, a Democratic firm, from Oct. 6-11 among 800 registered voters. It had a 3.5 percentage point margin of error. The poll was conducted in partnership with ProgressNow Colorado, a liberal nonprofit. The Colorado Sun refers to the organization as a dark-money group because it doesn’t have to disclose its donors.

If the survey’s findings are correct — the findings are much more favorable for Democrats than the numbers in other recent polls — the GOP is staring down another year of devastating election results on Nov. 8. No Republican running statewide has won more than 45% of the vote in the past two election cycles.

The poll found Democratic Gov. Jared Polis leads his Republican challenger, University of Colorado Regent Heidi Ganahl, by 54% to 33% with 7% undecided. That’s the

largest margin of any of the races polled by Global Strategy Group.

In the U.S. Senate race, 50% of those polled said they would vote for Democratic incumbent Michael Bennet compared to 35% who said they would back Republican Joe O’Dea, a first-time candidate who owns a Denver construction company. Eight percent said they were undecided.

The gap in the Senate race narrowed by 4 percentage points to 49% for Bennet and 38% for O’Dea when Global Strategy Group weighed the results to mirror the likely 2022 electorate.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold led her Republican challenger, former Jefferson County Clerk Pam Anderson, at 46% to 34% with 10% undecided.

In the attorney general’s race, Democratic incumbent Phil Weiser led his Republican challenger, 18th Judicial District Attorney John Kellner, at 44% to 35% with 13% undecided.

Voters are typically less familiar with down-ballot candidates, which may be why the percentages of undecided voters were so high in the polling for the secretary of state and attorney general races.

RealClearPolitics, a politics news and analysis website, averages polling results. Bennet leads O’Dea by 8 percentage points in polls analyzed by the site — not including the new Global Strategy Group survey — while Polis leads Ganahl

by 14 percentage points. (RealClearPolitics doesn’t have polling averages for the attorney general and secretary of state races.)

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, left, and his Republican challenger, Joe O’Dea. (Colorado Sun photos)

The Global Strategy Group also tested President Biden’s and Polis’ approval ratings. Forty-six percent of those polled said they approve of Biden’s work, while 51% said they disapprove and 3% said they weren’t sure. For Polis, 58% said they approve of the job he is doing, while 27% said they disapprove and 6% said they weren’t sure.

The approval ratings for Polis and Biden have improved since June, the last time Global Strategy Group conducted a similar survey.

Colorado county clerks began mailing ballots to voters on Oct. 17.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun. com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

with voters

with

at

please contact

Republican challenger Heidi Ganahl debates incumbent Gov. Jared Polis. CPR IMAGE

Still no breathing room on home prices

Cost would have to drop 32% to match ‘a ordability’ of 2015

BY TAMARA CHUANG

THE COLORADO SUN

Back in 2015, the median sales price for a house in Colorado was $285,000, according to data from the Colorado Association of Realtors. Between January and September, the median price averaged $575,000.

Housing prices are already much higher now than they were seven years ago, but combine that with today’s higher mortgage interest rates (7.1% for a 30-year fixed loan, as of Friday’s Mortgage News Daily calculation versus just under 4% in 2015) plus consumer incomes that haven’t kept up with inflation or home prices, and 2015 was a pretty sweet year to buy a house, according to CSU’s Colorado Futures Center.

Getting back to that affordability would require an average 32% drop in housing prices to get the same share of housing stock to a price that is affordable to the median family income. And that housing price adjustment differs by county, with the value at one end needing to drop about 15% in Huerfano County but closer to 60% in Jackson County. Denver was just below the state’s average price decline adjustment of 32%.

“As you can see from the report, it would take pretty considerable drops in values in order for us to get to a level of ‘affordability’ that the state enjoyed back in 2015,” said Phyllis Resnick, the center’s lead economist and executive director. “I use that word in air quotes because I don’t think people thought 2015 was a terribly affordable era. But in retrospect, it actually was because interest rates were almost historically low and the run-up in prices hadn’t happened yet.”

Affordability is also impacted by limited housing supply, added Jennifer Newcomer, the center’s research director.

“We have stated before that we’re going to need to create a separate environment to basically bring supply at price points that have largely not been catered to for a long time (because) the current market environment is not incentivized to do anything different when it comes to new production,” Newcomer said. “We’ve noodled on this idea of supply to get us out and take us out of the challenge that launched some of the Great Recession, when we had a lot of home builders exit the market entirely.”

Increasing supply could very well provide Coloradans with more attainable housing, but this comes after last decade’s decline in construction workers, slow wage increases and the regulatory environment, though Resnick said the notion of local regulations driving

up cost always make her “a little skeptical when one thing is singled out as the only reason.”

“We got into this work five years ago because we were convinced that the construction defects (law), while real, (would not cause) the housing market to correct itself” if removed, Resnick said. “All these components matter. … Labor’s expensive, materials are expensive, the regulatory environment is part of it and there may not be enough land in the condition that you need, coupled with COVID and a real constriction in what came to the market. That’s probably an

unsatisfying answer, but we hope to stimulate the right conversations where people recognize that all of these issues are part of it.”

This was the first of a series of housing affordability reports from the organization.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun. com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

Your kitchen wishes granted.

50% OFF INSTALL!

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Teachers across the metro area describe pay rates

Douglas County looks to voters for 9% bump

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Lucy Squire just marked her 18th year as a teacher at Copper Mesa Elementary School in Douglas County. One of the things she has that many teachers here and around Colorado don’t is a home.

Squire looks at what Douglas County School District teachers earn and doubts she and her partner today could afford the same home. That’s even considering her current salary as a veteran educator.

“When I started interviewing and looking as a brand new teacher, all of the (school) districts were so comparable with pay,” said Squire, a third-grade teacher. “It didn’t matter where you ended up because they were so similar.”

That was in 2004. Fast forward to today, and differences in teacher pay across Denver metro school districts are often stark.

While teachers in many districts across the state say they are struggling to keep up — particularly amid rising inflation — in Douglas County, south of Denver, teachers say voters have an opportunity to help them.

Squire and others are supporting Ballot Issue 5A on the November ballot to boost pay for teachers and other district staff.

The district “is the largest employer in the county” and serves 64,000 students “yet continues to lag behind in total funding and competitiveness in salary compared to other school districts,” according to a summary of written comments in favor of the proposed property tax increase outlined on the ballot.

While proponents say narrowing the pay gap will help the district compete for and retain teachers, staff and administrators, opponents worry about property taxes amid rising real estate prices. Douglas County real estate is expected to be “reappraised” upward in 2023, so property tax bills are expected to rise even if voters kill Issue 5A, according to the comments against the proposal in Douglas County’s voter information booklet.

The Douglas County opponents’ views in the voter guide also speculate that: “More money spent on education does not buy better education outcomes.”

Shannon Doering — an English teacher at Castle View High School who can’t afford to buy a house with her partner in the region — says if a

district isn’t paying teachers well, it can’t expect to keep them, and that affects the quality of education.

“There are certainly worse-paying districts in the state, but in regards to the area, I’d definitely say Douglas County is known as one of the worst-paying districts,” Doering said. “That’s not a secret.”

Addressing a gap

Despite the political divisiveness on Douglas County’s school board, its members unanimously supported asking voters for the proposed tax increase.

Christa Gilstrap, a Highlands Ranch parent, helped organize support for the proposal.

“We’ve got people who support the new board and people who don’t support the new board coming together to get this done,” said Gilstrap, adding that the issue has brought some Republicans and Democrats in the community together.

Gilstrap, a lifelong registered Republican, drives around with paint on her minivan’s back window noting she’s a conservative who backs the proposal.

“The need in Douglas County School District is so great, it justifies a tax increase,” Gilstrap said.

The impact of the tax increase would be $51 per year — about $1 per week — for every $100,000 in the assessed value of a home. For example, a home worth $500,000 in assessed value would pay $5 per week, or $255 per year. (“Assessed” value is the worth of a home for property tax purposes, as determined by the county assessor’s office.)

That translates to an estimated $60 million more in annual revenue for the district. Officials say the figure starts to close the pay gap with other school districts, including Cherry Creek in Arapahoe County.

Douglas County teacher pay, on average $57,900, is lower than nearby districts. Cherry Creek paid about $76,100; Littleton Public Schools $68,700; Jefferson County Public Schools $62,600; and Boulder Valley School District $82,000.

The Douglas County district’s tax proposal comes close on the heels of a boost in pay for Jefferson County teachers. The Jeffco agreement in August raises the minimum salary to $50,000 and increases in salaries for various other pay grades and gives every educator a minimum of $3,000 more.

Pay problem a broader issue

Pay isn’t just contentious among the Denver-area school districts. It’s a statewide issue, according to the nonprofit Colorado School Finance

Project.

“We’re one of, if not the, lowest in competitive teacher salaries compared to every other state,” said Tracie Rainey, the project’s executive director.

Research zeroes in on what’s known as a “wage penalty.” It tracks how much less public-school teachers earn in weekly wages relative to their college-educated peers who didn’t become teachers.

Data from the Washington, D.C.based nonprofit Economic Policy Institute indicate that Colorado has the largest such gap in the nation. Teachers here earn, on average, 35.9% less than their college-educated, non-teacher peers.

Add to the equation that some school districts in Colorado collect more in taxes than others and it means some struggle to be competitive in terms of pay, according to Rainey.

Douglas County hasn’t been as successful as other districts at passing funding proposals in elections, so “they don’t have the additional local revenue and therefore will be on the lower side of pay,” Rainey said.

Not ‘just complaining’

Doering, the Castle View High educator, is in her fifth year of teaching. She said she doesn’t want “to be a millionaire.”

“I didn’t get into teaching to make (a lot) of money,” Doering said. “I want to be able to leave work and not have to think, ‘Hmm, am I going to have to get a second job in order to pay my rent, in order to buy a house, in order to start a family?’”

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She doesn’t want to leave the district. If she does, it would be because of the relatively low pay. Doering makes less than $50,000 per year.

“I love the kids I teach. It would really break my heart if I had to leave because of money,” Doering said.

The average teacher in the Douglas County School District is expected to get a 9% bump in pay if the tax proposal passes.

Squire, the third-grade teacher at Copper Mesa, said she took the year off when her first child was born but could not do so when she had a second child because of income needs.

“A lot of my teacher colleagues tutor on the side as a way to make money,” Squire said.

Squire makes roughly $70,000 a year. She hasn’t talked in specifics about how her pay compares with that of her friends in education in other Denver-area districts, but they’re aware of the sense there’s a gap.

“I have friends in Jeffco, Cherry Creek and Littleton … we just know that the joke is I work in Douglas County. It’s just become laughable,” Squire said.

Doering has felt defensive about pay at times. She wants people to know that teachers aren’t “just complaining” about pay.

“This isn’t like some issue over curriculum. This isn’t an issue over admin or a decision a teacher made. This is my living,” Doering said.

“When you can’t afford to live someplace, something’s got to give,” she said.

How much teachers across Metro Denver get paid depends on which school district employs them.

No. 3 Ralston Valley locks up 5A Je co title

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ARVADA — The Madden to Rillos connection on Oct. 21 helped Ralston Valley to its first conference title since 2019.

Ralston Valley junior quarterback Logan Madden had touchdown throws of 30, 51 and 23 yards to senior Josh Rillos in the first half, helping the No. 3 ranked Mustangs to a 27-20 victory over Chatfield. The win clinched the Class 5A Jeffco League title for Ralston Valley (7-2, 4-0 in league) with one conference game remaining this week against rival Arvada West (4-5, 2-2).

“I’m super proud of these guys being league champions and now we have our huge rival in Arvada West next week,” Ralston Valley first-year coach Jared Yannacito said after the big home victory at the North Area Athletic Complex. “They’ll be ready for that one next week.”

The Mustangs came out ready against Chatfield (4-5, 3-1) who was riding a 4-game winning streak coming into the game. Madden orchestrated a 71-yard, 6-play drive on Ralston Valley’s first offensive possession, capping it off with a 30-yard touchdown grab by Rillos.

“On those play calls I wasn’t the first read,” Rillos said of his touchdown catches. “I just got open and Logan threw me the ball.”

Of Madden’s 16 touchdown passes on the season

Rillos had half of those with eight. Madden finished the game 17-of-23 passing for 249 yards. Rillos had six catches for 153 yards

“The Logan to Rillos connection is pretty sweet,” Yannacito said of the trio of touchdowns the combo connected for against the Chargers. “They just have really good chemistry and Rillos is an athlete who can go get any football.”

After a 37-yard field goal by Chatfield kicker Andrew Astone, Ralston Valley extended its lead to 13-3 with a long touchdown pass from Madden to Rillos with 9:11 left in the second quarter.

“He (Rillos) always has a

step on guys. He is always going to get balls for me,” Madden said. “I feel comfortable throwing it to him. He is always there for me.”

The duo closed out the half with a 23-yard score on a fourth-down play with under a minute to play to give the Mustangs a 20-3 lead at halftime.

Chatfield didn’t go quietly. The Chargers took advantage of a pair of Ralston Valley turnovers in the second half. Sophomore Brock Narva had a 1-yard touchdown run on junior quarterback Jake Jones had a 3-yard touchdown pass to junior Drew Rohlman on the first play of the fourth quar-

ter to cut the lead to 27-17.

“We are still learning as a team that you have to close out games no matter what when you are ahead,” Yannacito said. “Hats off to Chatfield. Their first-year coach (Kris Rosholt) has those kids playing with heart. They are doing a great job competing after bumping up to 5A.”

Chatfield made it a onescore game when Astone kicked a short field goal with 3:56 left in the game to cut the lead to 27-10. However, Ralston Valley closed the door on the comeback attempt by getting three first-downs on the next drive to run out the clock.

Madden had a key 11-yard pass play to sophomore Liam Beattie on a thirdand-10. Madden then had a first-down run himself before giving the ball to senior running back Diano Benallo who sealed the win with another first-down carry.

“(Chatfield) definitely keyed in on Diano more than most teams have because he has been killing it lately,” Madden said. “I just have to come through and play four quarters instead of just halves.”

Ralston Valley wraps up its regular season against rival Arvada West at 7 p.m.

Wheat Ridge boys wins 4A Je co League title

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

LAKEWOOD — There was more than just bragging rights on the line last week between old Jeffco rivals Golden and Wheat Ridge on the boys soccer pitch.

The winner of the Class 4A Jeffco League finale Oct. 20 would be taking home the conference title from Lakewood Memorial Field.

“It was ideal. We love playing against Golden,” Wheat Ridge coach Nate Flack said. “We knew it was going to be a great game. It’s a great rivalry game. As the league was playing out we wanted to stay in the moment and get here to compete for a league title. It all worked out great.”

The Farmers took a 4-2 victory over the Demons and celebrated in front of

the largest crowd Lakewood Memorial Field has seen in several years. It was Wheat Ridge’s seventh straight victory and was the Farmers’ first conference boys soccer title since 2013.

“Oh my gosh, I’m speechless,” Wheat Ridge junior Bernard Jakab said. “This was a lot of fun. We knew what we needed to do and we came out and did it.”

Wheat Ridge (12-3, 7-1 in league) jumped out to a 2-0 first-half lead on goals by sophomore Jacob Tims (10th minute) and freshman Jacob Harrison (35th minute).

The Farmers lost their conference opener exactly a month to the day in a 1-0 loss to D’Evelyn, but Wheat Ridge finished conference play with seven straight victory over the last four weeks.

“We said we weren’t going

to sit back,” Flack said of the game-plan against Golden — No. 6 in the CHSAANow.com 4A rankings — who were riding a 7-game winning streak. “We wanted to press them and play our game. We handled the emotions and the intangibles of the game. We kept the foot on the gas.”

Jakab put in a pair of goals in the second half to extend the Farmers’ lead to 4-0 midway through the second half.

“I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Jakab said of his two second-half goals. “Those were all team goals. That is what we always say on the pitch. It is never an individual goal. We all have to work together to make stuff happen.”

Ralston Valley’s football team was presented the Class 5A Je co League title plaque after the Mustangs defeated Chatfield 27-20 on Oct. 21 at the NAAC. Ralston Valley finished up the regular season this Friday against rival Arvada West back at the NAAC.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SEE FOOTBALL, P

Wheat Ridge sophomore Jacob Tims (2) celebrates his first-half goal with teammates during the Class 4A Je co League finale Oct. 20 at Lakewood Memorial Field. The Farmers defeated rival Golden 4-2 to win the conference title.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

FOOTBALL

FROM

Friday, Oct. 28, back at NAAC. The Wildcats (4-5, 2-2) was sitting at No. 24 in the RPI standings heading into Week 10 action. An upset win over the Mustangs would play a big part in getting A-West into the 24-team playoff bracket.

“We’ve got to get them back for last year. I’ll never forget that,” Madden said of the 17-10 loss to A-West

SOCCER

24

FROM

Golden (11-4, 7-1) made things a little interesting in the final minutes. Seniors Andres Garfias and Torin Chevalier scored goals in the 77th and 79th minutes, but the Demons ran out of time to make-up the 4-goal differential completely.

“I’m just really proud of the boys and proud of the teams from the last four years,” Flack said. “They laid the foundation of rebuilding this program. Those guys deserve this recognition and I’m just proud to be apart of it.”

Despite the loss, Golden will likely still grab a top-10 seed and host a first-round playoff game for the 32team 4A state tournament that beings Thursday, Oct. 27. Golden had won three 4A Jeffco League titles over the past four seasons.

As of late Thursday night, Wheat Ridge was No. 18 in the RPI rankings. Despite winning the confer-

last season. “We just need to finish strong and finish going into the playoffs strong, hopefully get that bye.” Chatfield (4-5, 3-1) is also a bubble team when it comes to the postseason. The Chargers — No. 22 in RPI — finish up their regular season against rival and No. 4 Columbine (8-1, 3-1) Friday, Oct. 28 at Jeffco Stadium.

Dennis Pleuss is the sports information director for Jeffco Public Schools. For more Jeffco coverage, go to CHSAANow.com.

ence title with the head-to-head victory over Golden, the Farmers still might have a road game for their playoff opener.

“We know the season isn’t done,” Flack said looking forward to the 4A state tournament. “We are really excited that we can play a game like this against a top-10 team and going into the playoffs playing this kind of soccer. I think we are peaking at the right time.”

Wheat Ridge finished 4-4 in conference play last season, which included dropping its final three league games and not qualifying for the postseason. Jakab said he was just excited to have this group put the Farmers back on the map when it came to boys soccer in Jeffco.

“We definitely have to train hard for playoffs,” Jakab said. “We know what we are up against. We’ll be ready for anything.”

Dennis Pleuss is the sports information director for Jeffco Public Schools. For more Jeffco coverage, go to CHSAANow.com.

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Answers

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Ralston Valley junior quarterback Logan Madden fires a pass during the Mustangs’ 2720 victory over Chatfield on Oct. 21 at the North Area Athletic Complex. Madden had three touchdown passes to senior Josh Rillos.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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Survey shows veteran homelessness decreased 31%

BY TATIANA FLOWERS

THE COLORADO SUN

The number of veterans who are homeless in metro Denver decreased more than 30% from 2020 to 2022, despite an overall increase in the region’s homeless population, according to new survey data released Oct. 20 by The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative.

Veterans have historically been overrepresented in homelessness in metro Denver, Colorado, and across the country. However, federal and local governments have been working together to increase housing resources specifically for the population.

“The government has stepped up their investment in resolving veteran homelessness. We’ve been seeing steady declines as those investments have kicked up,” said Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy officer for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.

The Obama administration made it a top priority to dramatically increase awareness about veterans’ high risk of becoming homeless, and in 2013, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs announced almost $70 million in grants to assist in addressing the issue across the country through rental assistance, case management and clinical services provided by the VA.

In mid-September, the VA an-

nounced it had awarded another $137 million in grants to help house veterans and their families who were homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless.

Many states, including Colorado, are also targeting veterans who are homeless and working with an organization, Community Solutions, which runs a campaign, Built for Zero, that works to end homelessness among subgroups, including veterans.

“It’s a subset of the population of people experiencing homelessness that really can be targeted and evaluated,” Alderman said. “And so we’ve seen this trend over the last few years: When you increase investment in resolving veterans homelessness, veterans homelessness goes down. When you target resources to better track, evaluate and connect veteran services together, we see better outcomes in veteran homelessness. If we took that same model and did it for families experiencing homelessness, or youth experiencing homelessness, or people who were experiencing chronic homelessness, we would see the same results.”

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless has several programs focused on serving veterans, including a housing development it opened during the pandemic called The Veterans Renaissance Apartments at Fitzsimons in Aurora, and through its Fort Lyon supportive program in southeastern Colorado for people

A tent in the same lot as a mural “inspired by enjoying time outdoors, an inspiration that echoed one of the main purposes behind the creation of the ArtLine itself,” according to the audio tour. Seen through a fence decorated with pearlescent tiles meant to o er “a small glimpse of something wonderful.”

PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

who are homeless and have a substance use disorder.

“If we can do it for veterans, we can do it for families, for individuals, for youth, if we’re prepared and we have the political will to make these investments,” Alderman said.

The data released Thursday is from the annual point-in-time count, conducted Jan. 24, and included people staying in shelters and outdoors in the seven-county metro Denver area. It showed an overall increase of 784 people experiencing homelessness compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2020, the last

time the region completed a comprehensive count.

The count is only a snapshot of homelessness. Many variables could result in an undercount, Metro Denver Homeless Initiative leaders said. On the night of the count, trained volunteers and staff cruise around local streets interviewing people and families who are homeless using a standardized survey before the results are released months later.

People living on the streets, in shelters and in transitional housing

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programs were counted. People at risk of becoming homeless, such as those living with friends and family or in a motel, are not included in the count.

In January 2020, about six weeks before the beginning of the pandemic and the last time a comprehensive survey was conducted, there were 6,104 people counted who were homeless. The region did not count people staying outdoors in 2021 because of safety concerns related to COVID-19.

This year, 6,884 people were counted, a 12.8% increase. According to the results, 4,806 people stayed in emergency shelters, transitional housing or safe haven programs, and 2,078 people slept on the streets or in places not meant for human habitation. The number of people staying in shelters remained fairly consistent while the number of people living on the streets significantly increased.

One in three people were homeless for the first time. An overwhelming majority of people surveyed, 5,317, were single adults, age 25 or older with no children. Surveyors also identified 1,207 families, defined as an adult age 25 or older with at least one child with them, and 360 people age 18-24, who were unaccompanied or parenting.

Of those counted, 37% reported a mental health condition, 30%

reported a chronic health condition and 16% reported experiencing domestic violence.

Black people, Native Americans/ Alaska Natives, multiracial people and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders are significantly overrepresented in the region’s homeless population, according to the survey.

“The overrepresentation of people of color, specifically Black and Native Americans, among those experiencing homelessness is critical to the response,” said Jamie Rife, executive director of The Metro

Denver Homeless Initiative, the regional system that coordinates services and housing for people experiencing homelessness. “Homelessness is an issue of race and must be approached through this lens.”

While the count can help human service leaders understand homelessness on a single night, a comprehensive system disseminating realtime data regionally is the ultimate goal, Rife said.

municipal leaders are working together to improve participation with the region’s Homeless Management Information System to make data about those experiencing homelessness accessible each day.

Boulder recently became the first community in the region to reach a new milestone: The county can now track every adult experiencing homelessness by name in real time. Only a small number of communities across the country have reached the same milestone, according to Thursday’s news release.

While the region was able to locate and count 6,884 people on a single night, the number of people who are homeless in the region is likely closer to 31,000 throughout the course of the year, Rife said.

“This data highlights the dynamic nature of homelessness and the importance of real-time data to allow the region to coordinate effectively and allocate resources efficiently,” she said.

The organization releases annually the State of Homelessness report with more data about regional homelessness. Infographic reports by county and an interactive dashboard are available at The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative website.

Metro

Budget Hearings

Public Notice

Any interested elector of

at

the

This

to

Board”) of the MOUNTAIN SHADOWS

DISTRICT (the “District”), will hold a meeting via teleconference on Monday, November 14, 2022 at 4:30 P.M., for the purpose of conducting such business as may come before the Board including a public hearing on the 2023 proposed budget (the “Proposed Budget”). The necessity may also arise for the amendment of the 2022 budget (the “Amended Budget”). This meeting can be joined using the following teleconference information: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88009826770?pwd=M zhJaVlkOWVhaEdKSThkUXBPSjNjdz09 Meeting ID: 880 0982 6770 Passcode: 363407 (720) 707-2699

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Proposed Budget and Amended Budget (if applicable) have been submitted to the District. A copy of the Proposed Budget and Amended Budget are on file in the office of CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP, 8390

is

The region has made strides in decreasing its reliance on the onenight count. Instead, providers and

may file

Budget and Amended

of the

or the Amended Budget by the

to

and the agenda for any meeting may be obtained by calling (303) 858-1800.

OF DIRECTORS:

BY ORDER OF THE

SHADOWS METROPOLITAN

Public Notice

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED 2023 BUDGETS AND AMENDMENT OF 2022 BUDGETS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Sections 29-1-108 and 109, C.R.S., that proposed budgets have been submitted to the Board of Directors of the Cimarron Metropolitan District, the Vauxmont Metropolitan District, and the Candelas Special Improvement District No. 1 (collectively, the “Districts”) for the ensuing year of 2023. The necessity may also arise for the amendment of the 2022 budgets of the Districts. Copies of the proposed 2023 budgets and 2022 amended budgets (as appropriate) are currently on file at the office of the Districts’ Accountant, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, 8390 E. Crescent Pkwy., Suite 300, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, where same are available for public inspection. Such proposed 2023 budgets and 2022 amended budgets will be considered at regular meetings of the Districts to be held on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. (Cimarron MD) and 4:00 p.m. (Vauxmont MD and Candelas SID No. 1), at the Candelas Parkview Swim and Fitness Club, 19845 W. 94th Avenue, Arvada, CO 80007 and via Teams video/teleconference. Any interested elector within the Districts may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2023 budgets or the 2022 amended budgets, inspect the 2023 budgets and the 2023 amended budgets and file or register any objections thereto.

THIS MEETING WILL ALSO BE HELD BY

MEANS.

July, 2023, at Arvada, Colorado final settlement will be made by the Arvada with T&M Construc tion, LLC, 5605 N Peterson Road, Sedalla, CO 80135, herein after called the "Contractor" for and on account of contract CSB-15-ST-30R, Project No. 15-ST-30 – Ralston Road Reconstruction – Upham St to Yukon St.

Any person(s), co partnership, association or corporation having an unpaid claim against said project, for or on account of the furnishing of labor, material, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender or other supplies consumed by such contractor or any of his subcontractors in or about the performance of said work, may, at any time up to and including said time of final settlement, file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim.

All such claims shall be filed with the Arvada Public Works Engineering Department either by email, or physical mail (USPS mail or courier) as identified below, and must be received on or before 4:30 p.m. on the final settlement date referenced above.

Public Notice

NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED 2023 BUDGETS AND AMENDMENT OF 2022 BUDGETS

CIMARRON METROPOLITAN DISTRICT VAUXMONT METROPOLITAN DISTRICT CANDELAS SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NO. 1 CITY OF ARVADA, JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Sections 29-1-108 and 109, C.R.S., that proposed budgets have been submitted to the Board of Directors of the Cimarron Metropolitan District, the Vauxmont Metropolitan District, and the Candelas Special Improvement District No. 1 (collectively, the “Districts”) for the ensuing year of 2023. The necessity may also arise for the amendment of the 2022 budgets of the Districts. Copies of the proposed 2023 budgets and 2022 amended budgets (as appropriate) are currently on file at the office of the Districts’ Accountant, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, 8390 E. Crescent Pkwy., Suite 300, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, where same are available for public inspection. Such proposed 2023 budgets and 2022 amended budgets will be considered at regular meetings of the Districts to be held on

Bids and Settlements

NOTICE OF CONTRACTOR'S SETTLEMENT

is hereby given that on the 21st

By E-Mail (preferred) engineeringpermits@arvada.org

Physical Mail (USPS mail or courier)

Chris Lisberg 8101 Ralston Road Arvada, Colorado, 80002

Failure on the part of the creditor to file such statement subsequent to such final settlement will relieve the City of Arvada from any and all liability for such claim.

Dated at Arvada, Colorado this 17th day of October, 2022.

Dawn Krank, Purchasing Director

Legal Notice No. 414996

First Publication: October 27, 2022

Last Publication: November 3, 2022 Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

E Crescent Pkwy #300, Englewood, CO 80111, where the same are open for public inspection.

CIMARRON METROPOLITAN DISTRICT VAUXMONT METROPOLITAN DISTRICT CANDELAS SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NO. 1 CITY OF ARVADA, JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO

Seen from across the South Platte River, a man dismantles a canopy during a sweep of a homeless camp in 2020.

FILE PHOTO BY DAVID GILBERT

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