November 27, 2014 VOLU M E 1 4 8 | I S S UE 51 | 5 0 ¢
GoldenTranscript.net J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
A NEW WORLD
‘The Visit Golden committee is very pleased with the results, we recently changed up some of our media buying and marketing efforts and now we’re seeing positive returns.’ Jenifer Doane
Sales tax revenue on the rise Actress Kristen Samu taps into a variety of characters for Miners Alley’s production of “Songs For A New World.” Photo by Sarah Roshan
POSTAL ADDRESS
Beth Schlichter, a grower at the Golden Community Garden, surveys the many food dishes at the first annual Golden Community Harvest on Sunday, Nov. 16. Photo by Amy Woodward
GOLDEN TRANSCRIPT (ISSN 0746-6382)
OFFICE: 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210 Golden, CO 80401 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Golden Transcript is published weekly on Thursday by Mile High Newspapers, 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210, Golden, CO 80401. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT GOLDEN, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210 Golden, CO 80401 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. GE T SOCIAL WITH US
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
A bountiful feast for all Community harvest celebration touches on healthy food, farmers By Amy Woodward
awoodward@coloradocommuntiymedia.com It was a celebration of food and nourishment during the inaugural Golden Community Harvest on Sunday, Nov. 16. “It’s about coming together around a common theme of community and local healthy food,” said Bethany Thomas, deacon at Calvary Episcopal Church and director of Hunger Free Golden, which aims to increase access to healthy foods for all community members. “We’re thinking about the theme of nourishing not only our bodies but our community.” It also meant starting a conversation about food needs and food supply for all community members, and building relationships with people, organizations and local farmers to address those needs. “How can we as a community work together so that everyone has access to healthy, fresh, food,” Thomas said. One of Golden’s premiere food access services, the Golden Backpack Program, helped to pro-
mote the harvest. The program delivers a sack of food to children in need over the weekend during the school year and then takes off with its summer food program, the Snack `N Wagon. Director of the program, Peggy Halderman has already started preliminary discussions with residents about increasing access to food supply and is also working with Eileen Regan of GoFarm, an innovative co-op that aims for easier access to healthy local food through collaboration with local farmers. “We believe that every resident in Golden should have access to healthy food,” Halderman said about her collaboration with GoFarm. “I am seeing a possible additional future for our wonderful Snack `N Wagon that will do more than just feed lunches but actually help connect produce somehow with the neighborhoods.” Keynote speaker at the harvest, Steve Cochenour, farmer and owner of Clear Creek Organics in Wheat Ridge, gave an overview of the increasing disconnect in the U.S. between residents, their food and farmers. “If food in Golden is going to be better than our food industry — it has to come from our community,” Cochenour said. “It wasn’t too long ago when all of us knew farmers. Now, the current census shows that less than two percent of the U.S. population is involved with agriculture.”
By Amy Woodward
awoodward@colorado communitymedia.com Record setting tax revenues shows a healthy spending economy for Golden, finance reports show. Revenue collected from the months of June, August and September show an 8 to 12 percent increase compared to last year. In September, for example, sales tax collections were up 12.1 percent or $146,195. Overall, Finance Director Jeff Hansen reported September revenue were up $679,823 or 7.6 percent year-to-date compared to 2013. So far, sales tax revenues exceeded the 2014 budget by 5.1 percent and downtown Golden is buzzing with business. “It’s doing very well,” Hansen said. “The vibrancy and the vitality of it is one thing but to just look at the revenues overall, is also very positive. The downtown area continues to improve year after year as far as revenue generation and sales tax revenue to the city.” August sales showed strong sales tax business within the city limits in areas such as Heritage Square including Martin Marietta Materials, downtown Golden and Golden Heights. “The Visit Golden committee is very pleased with the results, we recently changed up some of our media buying and marketing efforts and now we’re seeing positive returns,” said Jenifer Doane, community marketing manager at Visit Golden, a co-op marketing effort between the City of Golden and its merchants. Doane stated there are several factors contributing to the increase in tax revenue besides Visit Golden’s efforts, such as community events and community assets including outdoor recreation opportunities, and cultural attractions and museums with quality exhibits are attracting different populations and more people from the Denver area, she said. “More and more people are coming to Golden to enjoy our breweries and some of our newer restaurants,” Doane said. The only challenge now is keeping the momentum going. But Hansen said that while he can’t project what sales tax revenues will be in early 2015, he credits the state’s healthy economy as a positive influence on the city. “I think the basic message is just overall the economy in Colorado has improved,” he said.