fOCUS on FORT MORGAN
Feb. 2022
THE CITY OF FORT MORGAN EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER
Wellness......pg. 4 Department Profile......pg. 6 Welcome New Employees......pg. 9
Message from the Manager......pg. 3
Birthdays and Work Anniversaries...... pg. 11 Monthly Dates of Celebration......pg. 12 Upcoming Events......pg. 13
IN THIS
EDITION: 2
FOCUS on Fort Morgan Employee Newsletter - Feb. 2022
Library Movie Night......pg. 14
Welcome! MESSAGE FROM THE MANAGER This month, we are proud to spotlight the small, yet dedicated team in our Municipal Court. Hopefully you do not often receive traffic violations or parking tickets, but in the event you do, the police officer may write the ticket to be paid in our local Municipal Court. The office of the court administrator and courtroom are located in the lower level of the Police Department building, at 901 E. Beaver Ave. This department plays an important role in ensuring Fort Morgan citizens remain lawabiding and the City remains a safe place to live. Common cases heard by the Municipal Court include traffic violations occurring within City limits, criminal violations such as assault and theft, animal citation hearings, and restitution. Spanish language interpretation is provided by our long-term, part-time employee Alice, while interpreters for all other languages, including Somali and French, are provided via Language Link - a third-party service. Cases are heard in-person in the courtroom, with the exception of defendants in custody, which are heard via remote video session with the jail. I encourage you to look at the ‘Department Profile’ section of this newsletter to read more in-depth about this important work, and to review the ‘hobbies’ segment to learn a bit more about each individual in our Municipal Court. As you may know, February is the month we famously invite giant rodents to predict our weather. While I cannot speak for everyone, I sincerely hope Stormy Marmot, Flatiron Freddy, and Punxsutawney Phil do not see their shadows and we are blessed with an early spring and warmer temperatures. Regardless of the outcome, any season is a great time to focus on your health and our wellness team has been hard at work putting together this year’s challenges and programs. Check out the wellness section for more details.
Steve Glammeyer Welcome to a new edition of the “Message from the Manager” and City Employee Newsletter. I hope you enjoyed last month’s edition and learned a lot about our Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection Departments.
We have several exciting initiatives in the works for 2022: a revamped website set to launch later this month; ongoing CentrePointe Plaza developments including a coffee shop, deli/grocery store, and restaurant; and an employee salary and benefits survey estimated to be completed in September. Our efforts year to year ensure Fort Morgan continues to be a great place to live and work. As always, thank you for all you do, and please enjoy this month’s edition of the newsletter.
Steve FOCUS on Fort Morgan Employee Newsletter - Feb. 2022
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Keep your vitality. A life without health is like a river without water. --Maxime Lagacé
FEBRUARY WELLNESS Submit tracking sheet and wellness log to: wellness@cityoffortmorgan.com
REMINDER: The last day of the Water Challenge is March 7. Tracking sheet and wellness log must be submitted to City Wellness by March 11.
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DRINK MORE WATER
FEBRUARY WELLNESS
VEGETARIAN CROCK POT TACO SOUP INGREDIENTS: 1 green pepper, chopped 1 small sweet onion, chopped 2 15 ounce can tomatoes, I used fire roasted garlic 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained (low sodium) 1 15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (low sodium) 1 4 ounce can green chilies 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 2 cloves 1 teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon chili powder 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon oregano ½ -¾ teaspoon salt ½ - ¾ teaspoon pepper Garnish: tortilla chips, plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), 2% Mexican cheese blend, sliced green onions, lime
MEET YOUR 2022 WELLNESS COMMITTEE Have a wellness question or suggestion? Feel free to contact us! Jennifer Cuckow, HR/RM Jeton Edge, HR/RM Katherine Dahlinger, HR/RM Sam Pettyjohn, Recreation Dept. Trae Boehm, Water Collection Dana Jorgenson, CMO Ty Hamer, Community Services LynnDee Koehler, Library Michelle Miller, Police Lori Lorenzini, Building Dept. The City’s 2022 Wellness Program includes an exciting variety of Challenges, Activities and Lunch ‘n Learns to help you reach your fitness goals. We have revamped the incentive structure for greater flexibility. Details coming soon! Participating in the Wellness Program not only provides ways to have a healthy lifestyle and earn awards, but also keeps your insurance premiums down.
Directions: 1. Put all ingredients in a Crock Pot and mix. 2. Cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high or until the vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves. 3. Serve with the chips, Greek yogurt, cheese, green onions and the lime wedge!
DID YOU KNOW? The Wellness calendar, tracking sheet and logs are located on the Employee Portal under Resources > Wellness
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DEPARTMENT PROFILE
the mind.day--Leonardo Success is theLearning sum of never small exhausts efforts repeated in and daydaout.Vinci --Robert Collier
MUNICIPAL COURT
our WORK The Fort Morgan Municipal Court has fair and impartial hearings two times per month. The arraignment court date is the 2nd Wednesday each month and court trials and show cause are the 4th Wednesday each month. An arraignment hearing is the initial time a defendant is called to court, while a show cause is a hearing to the judge, as to why a particular order of the court was not complied with or completed. Examples of reasons for show cause hearings include failure to comply with a payment plan, failure to complete community service hours or failure to turn in an ordered essay. On a daily basis, the court enters citations from the Fort Morgan Police Department and creates a case file for each individual. The types of citations that can be written into the Municipal Court range from traffic violations that occur within the city, to other misdemeanors such as assault and animal violations. We try to help the community with phone calls requesting information on their case and/or providing contact information for the County and/or District Court.
our INSPIRATION
Thank you to the staff of our Municipal Court for providing fair
Employees and staff members of the Municipal Court enjoy working with the public and helping the judge provide a fair hearing to each person that enters court as a defendant or victim. The staff required on court days includes the judge, court administrator, deputy clerk, court interpreter, security, and prosecuting attorney.
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and impartial hearings for the citizens & visitors of Fort Morgan!
DEPARTMENT PROFILE
CHARLES PETERS, JUDGE
MUNICIPAL COURT ALICE RODRIGUEZ, COURT INTERPRETER
JASON ORVIS, COURT ADMINISTRATOR Jason Orvis is the Court Administrator. He has been with the City since December 2019. He previously worked in a private probation capacity, and is excited to have had this opportunity to work in the courts to experience another side of the judicial system. His free time is spent hunting, fishing, and now trying to fly fish as well as watching or attending sporting events and working on various projects around his home.
Alice Rodriguez has been a part-time Interpreter with the City since 2002 20 years! She enjoys working with the rest of the City staff, meeting new people and helping the general public. Her hobbies include spending time with her grandchildren, gambling, enjoying the outdoors, and gardening.
Security is outsourced through a local security company. Clayton Fonseca has worked on a part-time basis providing court security since 2007. Jill Westhoff-Curtis, Deputy City Clerk; and Dana Jorgenson, Administrative Assistant, CMO; are cross-trained to fill the position of Deputy Court Clerk.
Judge Charles Peters has been the Municipal Court judge for the City since 2019. He enjoys interacting with residents of Fort Morgan, and does his utmost to use his ability to change the outlook of defendants, especially juveniles, by fashioning sentences that are specific to the violation and ordering classes that educate people to make a positive change in their behavior. The goal of this approach is to reduce the recidivism rate and make Fort Morgan safer. He also gives back to Fort Morgan by performing weddings and civil unions at no cost. His hobbies are woodworking, SLOWLY restoring his Volkswagen Van, watching movies and working out.
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DEPARTMENT PROFILE MUNICIPAL COURT
If a defendant does not show up to their scheduled court hearing, they are classified as FTA, failure to appear, and the judge may issue a bench warrant. This is a court
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. --Frederick Douglass
order that allows the police to arrest that individual and take them into custody for the purpose of bringing them before the court. A defendant with an active warrant may present themselves to the
FUN FACTS!
staff of the Municipal Court during business hours, in which time an
The Municipal Court hears an average of 40-50 cases each month!
officer will be dispatched to handle the necessary administrative paperwork and, if necessary, take the offending individual
Cases heard include: Criminal (violations for underage tobacco and alcohol; open container; assault; harassment; theft; trespass; criminal mischief; obstruction; etc.) Animal citation hearings Traffic Restitution Court trials 8
FOCUS on Fort Morgan Employee Newsletter - Feb. 2022
into custody.
JENNYFER CHAVEZ Jennyfer started working as a Part-Time Rec Aide at the Fieldhouse on January 3. She is also a preschool teacher in Brush and loves every minute that she gets to work with the preschoolers. Jennyfer and her 4-year-old daughter, Camila, love to spend time together going on fun mom-daughter dates. Jennyfer likes to watch football and spend time with her family.
MEET OUR NEW EMPLOYEES
WELCOME TO THE CITY! Part-time Rec Aide, Recreation Department
Part-time Rec Aide, Recreation Department
ERIN MELTON Erin started working as a Part-Time Rec Aide at the Fieldhouse on January 3. For the past eleven years, she has taught at Baker Elementary, and has coached the girls Varsity Tennis Team at Fort Morgan High School. Erin has two children, Garrett (21) and Chloe (17); and two dogs named Bruno and Cooper. She created the Fort Morgan Youth Tennis classes in conjunction with the USTA, and is an instructor offering private tennis lessons for all ages. She is a passionate football enthusiast - Go Chiefs! Her other hobbies include tennis, walking the dogs, skiing, and art. FOCUS on Fort Morgan Employee Newsletter - Feb. 2022
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EMILY GOGGINS Emily Goggins is a native to Morgan County. She grew up in Weldona and was schooled through Fort Morgan. Upon graduation, Goggins attended college at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley where she earned a degree in Broadcast Journalism in Telecommunications. She even served an internship with Columbia Broadcast System (CBS) Channel 4 News in downtown Denver, CO. Goggins has substantial experience and certifications in photography, journalism, event management, along with marketing and brand building. Prior to taking on the role of Recreation Coordinator and Event Specialist for the Gene Doty Senior Center, Goggins worked for Morgan County for nearly five years at The Department of Human Services and then as the Tourism Marketing Manager. Family is her top priority and in her spare time she enjoys outdoor recreation and using her artistic creativity as a musician and in furniture restoration.
MEET OUR NEW EMPLOYEES
WELCOME TO THE CITY!
Recreation Coordinator & Event Specialist, Recreation Department
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FOCUS on Fort Morgan Employee Newsletter - Feb. 2022
IN RECOGNITION BIRTHDAYS & WORK ANNIVERSARIES! 2/4
2/22 Rudy Graham 2/24 Mike Hosier 2/26 Juan Gomez 2/28 David Arndt
Erin Melton & John Zink
2/10 Miguel Arroyo 2/11
Sara Cummings
2/15
Joe Hochanadel
2/17
Gary Fritzler
2/18
Noah Clough
2/21
Alice Rodriguez, Calvin Bartels & Carlos Gallegos
BIRTHDAYS WORK ANNIVERSARIES YEARS OF SERVICE 2/1 2/8
John Bain, 28 years Jeffery Braun, 1 year Tim Malone, 29 years
2/9
Auden Rey, 1 year Layton Clark, 2 years Tyler Zink, 2 years
2/12
Ryan Probasco, 7 years
2/17
Matt Underwood, 7 years
2/21
Jennifer Cuckow, 5 years Sam Dembitsky, 12 years Erik Sagel, 16 years
2/22
Marlene Funk, 6 years
2/23
David Arndt, 24 years
2/26
Steve Samson, 4 years
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You can take an
FEBRUARY IS AMERICAN HEART MONTH
active role in reducing your risk for heart disease by eating a healthy diet, engaging in physical activity, and managing your
Since 1976, every U.S. president has
FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH
officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. This month of recognition and celebration evolved from a week-long event, originally chosen in February to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions of African Americans across
cholesterol and
the U.S., including activists and civil rights
blood pressure.
pioneers.
FEBRUARY 14 IS VALENTINE'S DAY Valentine's Day has its roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. This day of celebration was later outlawed at the end of the 5th century, during which time Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day. The idea that this day be associated with love and romance blossomed in the Middle Ages. The English poet Geoffrey Chaucer recorded St. Valentine's Day as a day of romantic celebration in 1375. The oldest valentine in existence today is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife after his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is also celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.
FEBRUARY 1 IS LUNAR NEW YEAR
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FEBRUARY 2 IS GROUNDHOG DAY
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FEBRUARY 21 IS PRESIDENTS DAY *OBSERVED HOLIDAY*
Fieldhouse
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday Nights, 5 PM to 8 PM, Pickleball Open Gym Monday through Thursday, 4 PM to 8 PM Youth Basketball Practices
Community
PROGRAMS AT THE LIBRARY
Saturday Mornings, Youth Basketball Games
2/1 - 3/31 Winter Reading Programs -
Thursdays (5:00 PM), Fridays (9:00 AM),
information
Contact Lynndee Koehler for more
Yoga Classes Tuesdays (10:00 AM), Strength Training
2/1 - 5/23 Toys and Games Exhibit -
Class
In the Lower Gallery of the Library/Museum.
Senior Center
Contact Kathleen Byrne for more
2/4 from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Historic
information
Games Presented at the Senior Center. Contact the Library for more information
2/9 at 2:00 PM - For the Love of
2/9 at 4:00 PM - Senior Night Out -
Participants will have the opportunity to
Seniors will be transported to Five Star
explore a variety of book genres from our
Restaurant in Akron.
young adult and adult collections. Move
Contact Emily Goggins for more
from station to station, spending time one
information
on one with the book(s) that catch your
2/11 from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Historic Valentine's Making -
Books Speed Dating Event -
eye. Decide if the book is worth checking out, or leaving behind. Contact Lynndee Koehler for more
Presented at the Senior Center. Contact the Library for more information
information
2/14 from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Valentine's Day Event Contact Emily Goggins for more information FOCUS on Fort Morgan Employee Newsletter - Feb. 2022
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FOCUS on Fort Morgan Employee Newsletter - Feb. 2022
thank you! We hope you enjoyed this month's edition of Focus on Fort Morgan. Have an idea for the newsletter? We'd love to hear from you! Email wellness@cityoffortmorgan.com
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