Remember Father’s Day Volume 11 • Edition 11
June 6, 2018
Serving rural Adams, Morgan, and Weld Counties
Who is Sandi Elder, a Candidate for the Republican Nomination for Weld County Commisioner at Large, and Why is She “Stirring Things Up”
by Willie Elder Who is this Wonder Women that served on Greeley City Council for 8 years, labeled “the nicest person on council”?Why did her opponent hire a marketing firm to battle her when she was able to secure a spot on primary ballot with less than $1000 and few supporters? She is the love of my life. We met when we were young, grew up together, and started dating when she turned 18. We married, raised a family and 36 years later I love her more . She has a servant’s heart. Her faith is foremost her priority. She prayed on whether to run, she prays daily, but this was fervent prayer. She has a hereditary disease and 1 year ago, received a lifesaving transplant. Through illness, dialysis and pain, she had courage, remained compassionate and handled illness with grace. She takes serving and representing seriously. I know because while as council representative, she missed approximately 1 meeting a year in 8 years— through an ankle repair, dialysis and a kidney transplant. That’s dedication and commitment. (please compare to her opponents attendance) --stark difference. She put herself through school, raised two children who are public servants, worked full time and still found time to represent 110.000 citizens of Greeley. (As well as serving on Greeley/Welds Airport, Jobs of Hope, ACE board, Greeley’s Downtown Authority, and worked for preventing underage drinking in our county.) She is honest, ethical and fiscally responsible. (Except for her boot collection) I am very protective of this woman. If someone attempts to discredit her with lies and innuendos saying she is not who she says she is… if someone tries to bully her, she turns the other cheek, I on the other hand am not so forgiving. One thing that has irritated me the most in this race is the whisper campaign that she is anything less then conservative. I want to ask- why are you threatened by my wife who stands for truth, justice and will work for what is right? She is strong, confident, smart yet humble. She understands the importance of agriculture in our county as well as the benefits from our Oil and Gas rich soil and growth. She is a balance, and won’t rubber stamp any issue, and is VERY CONSERVATIVE! I’m voting for her because she will bring reason, honesty, integrity, joy and professionalism to the office of Weld County Commissioners. She is the right person for the job. Her work ethic is beyond reproach. She listens, makes informed decisions and is not going to “blanket” vote to be “one of the five”. My wife has a sense of justice. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, “Elections belong to the people, it’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters” Weld is ready for a change, vote Sandi Elder, she is the right for the job!
Second ethics complaint filed against Cozad and deemed non-frivolous by the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission
On Monday, June 5th, the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission (IEC) ruled that an ethics complaint filed by Milliken Resident and Editor of NOCO Today Charles Parks against Commissioner Julie Cozad was ruled non-frivolous. Cozad will be given 30 days to respond to the accusations Parks’ complaint stems from a vote that took place at a March 7th meeting of the Weld Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) in which Cozad voted to receive a $12,268.57 payment from the county for legal expenses incurred during the defense of her first ethics complaint. The payment in question appeared in the list of payment warrants hidden within the consent agenda of that meeting. Cozad voted to approve the consent agenda and by doing so approved her own payment. Continued on page 6...
Barbara Kirkmeyer facing recall effort, citizens aim to rid decades-old corruption of County Commissioner
From We Care 4 Weld County A grassroots effort to rid Weld County of corruption on the Board of Weld County Commissioners officially kicks off today with a campaign to recall Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer. The recall committee WECARE for Weld County (Working to Educate Citizens About Recall Efforts for Weld County) believes it is time to restore confidence in Weld County government. Recalling Commissioner Kirkmeyer is the necessary first step. “We need commissioners who represent our interests above their own, and who govern with accountability and transparency,” said committee chairwoman Sara Mondragon. “Commissioner Kirkmeyer has not done that.” On May 31, Mondragon, a Platteville resident and District 3 constituent of Kirkmeyer’s, filed the necessary paperwork with Weld County Clerk and recorder Carly Koppes to begin the process. Kirkmeyer has 10 days to resign or the clerk will certify petitions to collect the signatures needed to place a recall question on the November ballot. Mondragon said there is a long list of reasons to recall Kirkmeyer, but KIrkmeyer’s failure to move forward on projects critical for the health and safety of citizens of Weld County resulted in the Highway 85 road improvements taking more than nine years to date. That delay contributed to the death of two teenagers in less than a year. “One of those deaths was my nephew,” Mondragon said. “Her need to negotiate a $30 million intersection in her district came at the expense of a $600,000 fix in Eaton. Improvements on 5th Street could have prevented the grieving of an entire community.” The petition can be signed by any registered voter in District 3, regardless of party affiliation. Commissioner District 3 encompasses most of the southern US 85 corridor, including southeast Greeley, Garden City and Evans. It also includes the towns of Dacono and Erie. Among the many reasons Kirkmeyer needs to be removed from office: • Kirkmeyer demanded the county hold a training session at a swanky mountain resort in Breckinridge costing taxpayers more than $45,000 when it could have held the session at county offices for one-third the cost. • Kirkmeyer devised a scheme to get corporations to pay for the trip using United Way to conceal the donations. These same corporations had business before the county. • Kirkmeyer kept citizens from public meetings with corporations doing business with the county that potentially resulted in financial gain for one of the commissioners. Continued on page 3...
A letter to the Editor-We need more electeds,not fewer
By K. Grillos, Hudson With the constant dramatics playing out in Weld County government, I have to wonder if voters made bad choices, or if the bar of qualifications is set so low we can have no better. Are the real movers and shakers accomplishing great things out in the private sector? Since the current batch of commissioners cannot get along with each other, and have shown they don’t even trust each other, do we think they are fit to select/appoint more positions, as opposed to allowing the citizens to speak through our votes? There has been some talk about appointing the Clerk and Recorder and the Assessor instead of continuing to elect them. Do we need more cronies in place? I doubt it. I believe in electing, not selecting. Keep the Clerk and Recorder and the Assessor elected positions. Additionally, return the Coroner to an elected position, and make the County Attorney position elected. There would be fewer ongoing problems and less drama if the County Attorney position was elected. I have to wonder if the current plethora of lawsuits is due to poor advice or good advice not taken. The relationship with the commissioners both appointing and determining the salary of the County Attorney sets a perfect stage for conflicts of interest. ELECT more. Select less. Further, let’s term limit all elected positions. Eight years total in any position should be more than enough for a citizen to do good, SERVE, and return to private life. Let’s keep the wheel turning and provide opportunity for all who truly desire to SERVE. What can a single concerned citizen do? Tell a friend and pass it on. Reach out to local grassroots citizen advocacy groups. Contact a local media source, such as this one. Great things happen cumulatively. K. Grillos, Hudson
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Lost Creek Guide
Way of the World
By Bob Grand I had the opportunity to cover six Memorial Day remembrances and celebrations over this past weekend. I have to say is was exhilarating to see the support that citizens and family members showed to support our veterans, our flag and what being an American stands for. We see so much negativism in the news these days both in print and on line. America is a great place, a place where opportunity abounds for those willing to work for it. Some media organizations seem to believe that being anti American is what people want to hear. They are mistaken. What was really eye opening was that the folks that attended theses events were multi-generational, not just old veterans. At Hearts of the Plain Cemetery in Roggen, Colorado. They have a great remembrance program that includes reading the names of veterans who are buried there. As the names are read family members place a small cross at the veteran’s grave site, to honor and remember the veteran. Most of those placing the crosses were young people. The spirit of America is very much alive. When will the news media people realize that it is a minority they are catering to, and a small one at that. At the Memorial ceremony in Keenesburg At American Legion Post 180, there was the usual great program which this year include a tribute to Col. Stan Cass, who passed away earlier this year. Col. Cass was the founder of the Northern Colorado Honor flight program which will have its 21st flight this coming September. Our Weld County Commissioners continue to have disclosure issues. Commissioner Cozad is facing another ethics case investigation from the Colorado Ethics Commission. Commissioner Freeman has some question on his County Road 24 vote and discussions. Commissioner Kirkmeyer’s recall paperwork says alot. I truly believe the people of Weld County have reached a tipping point. In a May 30, 2018 article from the Greeley Tribune, Commissioner Moreno is quoted in relation to the County Commissioner infighting that “ I’m not in the paper; I am not out there exposed; I am independently elected, and work the best I can with other elected officials; I can’t be accountable for other individuals” It is hard to reconcile Moreno’s claim to be the leader as Chair of the Weld County Commissioners, as we see what has been done or alleged to be done by his fellow Commissioner’s. Where is the leadership? Being friends with everyone has a nice ring to it, but being a leader means making the tough decisions. The Weld County Commissioners have not earned the trust that the people of Weld County has placed with them. Good leadership is not easy, but it is what we should expect from our County Commissioners. This week you have a chance to vote for the Republican nominees running for the Republican Party nomination for Weld County Commissioner. I recommend youvote for Sandi Elder, candidate for the Republican nomination for Weld County Commissioner at Large, and Scott James, Candidate Republican Party for Weld County Commissioner for District 2. Send a message to the old guard, we will not accept mediocrity just because they are there. Weld county citizens deserve people who understand that being Commissioner means representing all the people of Weld County, not just the select few. We deserve better than what we have. Your comments and thoughts are always appreciated: publisher@lostcreekguide.com
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June 6, 2018
Hearts of the Plains Cemetery Memorial Day Program
The Hearts of the Plains Cemetery Memorial Day Program is to: Honor those who gave their lives for our country Thank those who have served in the United States Military Remember our loved ones who rest in the cemetery At 9:00 am Flyover by Dan & Jason Schellenberg, Flag raising by Southeast Weld Fire Protection, and the Star Spangled Banner led by the Keenesburg Community Choir. Rev. Carlos Wilson Bello, Pastor, gave the welcome and Invocation. Ricard Huwa, Master of Ceremonies, read the names of those buried at the Heart of the Plains Cemetery. Followed by Let There be Peace on Earth sung by the Keenesburg Community Choir. Deacon John Wehrman gave tribute. Followed by America the Beautiful sung by the Keenesburg Community Choir. Deacon John Wehrman gave the Roll Call of Veterans, which was then followed by the Battle Hymn of the Republic sung by the Keenesburg Community Choir. Closing the ceremony was a 21 gun salute performed by the American Legion Post 180 Honor Guard, followed by God Bless America sung by the Keenesburg Community Choir. Thank you to Deacon John Wehrman, Rev. Carlo Wilson Bellio, American Legion Post 180, Keenesburg Community Choir, Airdusters Inc, Sacred Heart Youth Group, Cardinal Community Academy National Junior Honor Society and all the other who helped prepare for the ceremony.
June 6, 2018
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Lost Creek Guide
What should a Weld County Commissioner Disclose? Mike Freeman
By Bob Grand, Publisher In today’s world of instant news availability it is imperative that our elected officials and all other public employees offer a complete transparency in their dealings with items that potentially effect them or family members. The public deserves to know what is going on. The Colorado Revised Statues under Title 24 . Government - State Administration, Article 18. Standards of Conduct Part 1. Code of Ethics: CRS 24-18-109 (2011). Under Paragraph (2) Section (b): “A local government official or local government employee shall not: Perform an official act directly and or substantially affecting to its economic benefit a business or undertaking in which he either has a substantial financial interest or is engaged as counsel, consultant, representative or agent. Under paragraph (3) Section (a) “A member of a governing body of a local government who has a personal or private interest in any matter proposed or pending before the governing body shall disclose such interest to the governing body and shall not vote thereon and shall refrain from attempting to influence the other members of the governing body in voting on the matter. Weld County Commissioner Michael Freeman filed with the Colorado Secretary of State Office two documents which disclosed a conflict of interest regarding right of way for power transmission lines. The Secretary of State issued certificate 20185009713 recognizing that the disclosure was filed in accordance with section 24-18-110 C.R.S, and Rule 1.1 of the Secretary of States Rules Concerning Conflicts of Interest. There was no financial benefit amount disclosed. In the research for this information there was no disclosure found regarding the proposed upgrade to County Road 24 which Commissioner Freeman and his family interests could benefit from. Is this a different situation or because it is in the future? Did Commissioner Freeman believe he did not have to disclose? Why one and not the other? As citizen’s we should expect full disclosure from our elected officials. That is what the State Statutes call for. Where was the vaunted leadership of Commissioner Moreno as Chair of the County Commissioners? What else has gone on that we are not aware of? The problem with discovering that there has not been full disclosure you have to wonder what has or is going on? The County Commissioners owe the people of Weld County full transparency and not what they decide it is or should be. Where is the accountability? At the County Council, please get real. It should be with the Weld County Commissioners themselves. Is that too much to expect?
Barbara Kirkmeyer facing recall effort, citizens aim to rid decades-old corruption of County Commissioner
Continued from page1… • Kirkmeyer has charged county taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses to drive to and from her home to work. Weld County employees are prohibited from doing this. • Kirkmeyer voted against Greeley, Johnstown and Windsor’s growth plans and approved an asphalt and concrete batch plant within 700 feet of homes. • Kirkmeyer racked up thousands of dollars in expenses paid for by taxpayers to go on a conference junkets including one to a 5-star resort. • Kirkmeyer sold personal real estate for more than 500 percent of its assessed value to a company with ongoing business before the county and failed to disclose it. • Kirkmeyer tried to keep private property owners from allowing firearms on their private property in violation of the 2nd amendment, and lied about her attempt to do so. • Kirkmeyer repeatedly leveraged her office for her own private gain by soliciting contributions and grants for municipalities and nonprofits, then taking a portion of those funds for her own private use. • Kirkmeyer engages in belittling behavior and retribution against Weld County residents and other elected officials. She fought to withhold funding critical for departments, sought to overturn bids that were rightfully awarded, and caused county employees to suffer job demotions or job losses. We can and should expect our commissioners to act ethically and in the best interest of the public; however, we believe Kirkmeyer continually acts in ways that undermine the public’s trust and is therefore deserving of answering to us — her constituents — through the question of a recall, so that we can restore trust, accountability, and transparency to that elected office. Anyone wishing to circulate a petition should contact Lesley Hollywood at bkrecall2018@gmail.com or visit the Facebook page at We Care 4 Weld County. A website will be up soon. Media requests should contact Sara Mondragon at (970) 315-3760 or S.Mondragon.recall@gmail.com.
Brandon Bobian for Weld
Democratic nominee for Colorado House District 63
Name: Brandon Bobian Position: Democratic nominee for Colorado House District 63 Profession: Flight Operations Manager Employer: DigitalGlobe Education: Bachelors of Science Aerospace Engineering - University of Colorado Resides: South Weld County Spouse: Samantha Children: Two Daughters Age: 33 Website: www.bobianforcoloradohouse.com My name is Brandon Bobian and I am excited to be running for Colorado House District 63. I am running because I want to make sure as Colorado continues to grow rapidly, we are doing everything we can to keep the essence that makes Colorado such a great place to live and work. I want to make sure that everyone has the same opportunities I was granted by this wonderful state. The opportunity to a good education, affordable healthcare, and a livable wage is what everyone deserves. I realize that those opportunities are not always distributed fairly across the state. Often times rural areas or those not in Denver feel left out of the conversation. I’m running to give all of those people a strong voice at the state house. I want my two daughters and every other person to have the same opportunities that I had. I was born in Denver, graduated high school in Littleton, and graduated from the University of Colorado with an Aerospace Engineering degree. I began my professional life in Houston working for NASA’s International Space Station program. Working four years for NASA was an experience of a lifetime and I will never forget it. However, after leaving Colorado I could never overcome the burning desire to return home to the State I love most. 7 years ago, I returned home to continue my career in Colorado’s outstanding Aerospace Industry. Today I still work at DigitalGlobe in Longmont as an Engineer flying satellites. We are very fortunate to live here in Colorado and we need to do everything we can to protect it. If elected I will work to ensure that fracking is safe for nearby residents and nearby students. I believe we can do more to balance the safety of fracking with its outstanding economic benefits. Next, I want to make healthcare affordable for everyone. Too many Coloradans remain uninsured, and for many with insurance its simply not affordable. We also need to improve public education across this state. For too long our schools have been majorly underfunded. In many parts of the state they have been forced to cut back to a 4-day school week and our rural communities are seeing an unprecedented teacher shortage. Lastly, we must immediately start to invest in roads and transportation as we plan for rapid expansion in the district and in Colorado. I look forward to hearing more from the people in this great district. If elected, accessibility to constituents and transparency will be my top priorities. The challenges facing Colorado ahead are not going to be easy, but with the right priorities and leadership we can move forward, together, into an even brighter future.
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Lost Creek Guide
Hudson Memorial Day Service
June 6, 2018
A letter to the editor - “Whisper Campaigns”
By Sherrie Peif
GREELEY –Nothing infuriates me more than whisper campaigns, my friends complaining about politicians right before they tell me they didn’t vote, or blindly supporting a “nice guy.” I know a lot of nice guys, and I wouldn’t vote for most of them. And then there is this latest idea:“You don’t challenge an incumbent from your own party.” Ha! Challenging an incumbent is the only way for a political party to check itself, and if there were ever a time to challenge a sitting Republican in Weld County, it’s now. For decades, Weld County has proudly been debt free and tax-free. It’s built roads for cash and has a fully-funded pension system. What we can thank this current board for is that at least they haven’t bankrupted us, yet. We face more lawsuits than ever. Commissioners fight more than they listen. They meet secretly, plot against each other and gain financially from land use applicants. And that’s just the 30,000-foot view of the problems on O Street. When Scott James and Sandi Elder announced their intentions to run, it was a breath of fresh air, then came the hysteria. Mike Finn calls James, Sean Conway’s hand-picked candidate, despite the fact James went through the County Assembly while Finn bought his way on the ballot with Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer carrying petitions and former Greeley Mayor Tom Norton footing the bill. And now I hear he’s refusing to debate James. That by itself should signal who to vote for. But if you need more, Finn’sstump speeches are focused more on why Cozad got out of the race instead of what he will do differently. The last thing Weld needs is status quo or people pleasers, e.g. Finn told this publication that he’s running because the current board is too Greeley centric, but then he told the Greeley Tribune that commissioners don’t pay enough attention to Greeley. Then there’s Moreno, who likes to falsely whisper that Elder is anti-oil and gas rather than tell constituents what he’s done —other than rubber stamp the majority. Elder is who she says she is. She thinks for herself. She listens, and she debates. When you fill out your Republican ballot this year, remember county commissioners make the rules, interpret the rules and enforce the rules. They are the most powerful of all elected officials. Put someone in charge of our county that you would trust with your own personal finances. Don’t vote for your friend. Don’t vote for the incumbent because it’s what you’ve been programmed to do. Vote for the person who will best represent Republican values while respecting the county charter and following the county codes. Join me in saying that’s Scott James for District 2 and Sandi Elder for at large. Sherrie Peif / Greeley
U.S. Supreme Court Rules In Favor of Colorado baker
Monday morning, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of the Christian baker in the highly anticipated gay marriage cake case. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor, the court’s most liberal judges, dissented. The court debated over the case of Charlie Craig and Dave Mullins, who was refused service at Jack Phillips’ bakery in Lakewood, Colorado when Phillips declined to bake a cake for the couple’s same-sex wedding ceremony. The couple complained to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, who originally found the baker to be in violation of Colorado’s discrimination law. However, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that Phillips can legally refuse a gay couple service. The court also decided, however, against using the case as a broad precedent. Justice Kennedy wrote for the court’s majority, emphasizing the mistreatment of Phillips from the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, who ordered him to undergo anti-discrimination training in response to his refusal to bake the cake – a decision Phillips said was rooted in his Christian faith. Kennedy even went on to say the commission showed “hostility” towards Phillips. The 7-2 ruling is a huge win for religious liberty in the short-run. But as of now, the court refrained from establishing a precedent, meaning the fight for business owners’ religious liberty may be far from over.
June 6, 2018
Lost Creek Guide
Madison Richmann Qualifies to Compete at World’s Largest Junior High Rodeo
DENVER- Madison Richmann, a 7th grade student at Cardinal Community Academy, has earned a position on the Colorado state/ provincial National Junior High rodeo team and will fellow teammates to Huron, South Dakota, June 24th thru June 30th to compete at the 14th annual National Junior High Finals Rodeo (NJHFR) in the girls breakaway roping and pole bending competitions. Featuring roughly 1,000 contestants from 43 states, five Canadian provinces, Australia and Mexico, the NJHFR is the world’s largest junior high rodeo. In addition to competing for more than $80,000 in prizes, NJHFR contestants will also be vying for more than $200,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named a National Junior High Finals Rodeo World Champion. To earn this title- to advance to Saturday evening’s final round. World champions will then be determined based on their three-round combined times/scores. Again, this year, this Saturday championship performance will be televised nationally as a part of the Cinch High School Rodeo Tour telecast series on RFD-TV. Live broadcasts to all NJHFR performances will air on: www.RidePass.com. Performance times are 7 p.m. on June 24th, and 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day thereafter. Along with great rodeo competition and the chance to meet new friends from around the world, NJHFR contestants have the opportunity to enjoy shooting sports, volleyball, contestant dances, family-oriented activities, church services sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys, and shopping at the NJHFR tradeshow, as well as visiting area attractions as Huron hosts the NJHFR this year. To follow your local favorites at the NJHFR, visit www.NHSRA.com daily for complete results. For ticket information and reservations, visit www.sdstatefair.com.
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Weld Food Bank to double donations through CenturyLink Campaign to Fight Hunger
GREELEY, CO, June 1,2018 – Weld Food Bank has been selected as a local beneficiary of the global CenturyLink Campaign to Fight Hunger, gaining the opportunity to earn additional donations plus matching dollars from CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL). Through the CenturyLink Clarke M. Williams Foundation, the global IT and communications services provider will match total donations to the campaign up to $1 million. The donation match will run June 4-15, and donations must be submitted through www.centurylink.com/fooddrive to be eligible for matching dollars. Individuals wishing to donate will be able to specify Weld Food Bank as the recipient of their donation. The campaign website will close at 10 p.m. Central Time on the final day of the campaign. “This generous match from CenturyLink comes at a very important time of the year,” said Bob O’Connor, CEO of Weld Food Bank. “The risk of child hunger increases in the summer and we are working extra hard to ensure no child goes to bed hungry. With CenturyLink’s Campaign to Fight Hunger we will be able to provide even more meals through our community’s generosity. Right now, we can provide five meals for every dollar, so we’re very excited about this effort and our potential to earn matching dollars.” “CenturyLink has a long history of giving back to communities through a variety of ongoing programs and initiatives, including annual food drives,” said Sondra Smith, CenturyLink director of corporate social responsibility. “We are proud to support Weld Food Bank through the CenturyLink Campaign to Fight Hunger so they can help even more individuals and families in need.” To donate and double your gift go to centurylink.com/fooddrive before June 15th. About Weld Food Bank: Weld Food Bank is a member of Feeding America and was founded in 1982. Weld Food Bank’s mission is to lead and engage our community in the fight against hunger. We distributed 13.9 million pounds of food last fiscal year through our over 80 nonprofit partner agencies and through seven direct service programs which include Kids Cafe, Backpacks, School Food Pantries, Summer Feeding, Senior Outreach, Mobile Food Pantry, and Emergency Food Boxes. On average we serve over 58,000 individuals each year. For more info please visit www.weldfoodbank.org. About CenturyLink: CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) is the second largest U.S. communications provider to global enterprise customers. With customers in more than 60 countries and an intense focus on the customer experience, CenturyLink strives to be the world’s best networking company by solving customers’ increased demand for reliable and secure connections. The company also serves as its customers’ trusted partner, helping them manage increased network and IT complexity and providing managed network and cyber security solutions that help protect their business.
Railroad-crossing closures along HWY 85 being considered
WELD COUNTY, CO — Applications regarding the closure of five Union Pacific railroad crossings along the Highway 85 corridor were submitted to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) on behalf of Weld County. Under consideration are the railroad crossing closures at Weld County Roads 2.5, 29, 46, 72 and 104. The closures only concern the railroad crossings at those roads and do not apply to the roads themselves, which will continue to be maintained by the county. Requests for the closures are consistent with the 1999 U.S. 85 Highway Access Control Plan and the U.S. 85 Planning and Environmental Linkage Study approved in April of 2017. The PUC is responsible for reviewing the applications, which is a separate public process. Residents will have the opportunity to hear more information or ask questions about the closures during public meetings held by the PUC before final decisions are made. Public input can be made in writing or online at https://www.dora.state.co.us/pls/efi/ EFI_COMMENT_GUI.Railroad. The applications are part of the county’s overall coordinated effort with CDOT to improve safety for the traveling public along Highway 85. These closures will assist CDOT in securing US 85 in a permanent easement from Union Pacific Railroad. In January, public meetings were held to discuss the need for railroad-crossing closures as well as highlight some future safety improvements planned along the Highway 85 corridor. “Highway 85 is heavily relied upon by our residents every day as a major transportation route through the county,” Commissioner Pro-Tem Barbara Kirkmeyer said. “Ensuring it remains safe and efficient has always been a priority.” To learn more about the Highway 85 Coalition, please visit https://www.weldgov.com/ departments/public_works/transportation_planning/highway_85_coalition/ Requested closure date for each crossing is 7/12/18. Interventions or objections must be filed with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission at 1560 Broadway, Suite 250, Denver, CO, 80202 by 7/5/18. Include the Proceeding Number in your filing. Comments can also be made online at https://www.dora.state.co.us/pls/efi/EFI_COMMENT_GUI.Railroad.
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Lost Creek Guide
Second ethics complaint filed against Cozad and deemed non-frivolous by the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission
Continued from page 1... Commissioners claim that approval for the money took place at a February 26th work session which took place at 2:30 and lasted until 2:45. This was the only item scheduled for that meeting. At the time of this publishing, we could not verify if the meeting was properly noticed to the public. The commissioners claimed that Cozad should be reimbursed for her legal expenses stemming from the first ethics complaint because her attorneys spent most of the time arguing that the county had jurisdiction over the Colorado Independent Commission. Those arguments eventually landed in front of the Colorado Supreme Court who ruled that the IEC had full jurisdiction on the matter. Parks’ complaint claims that the commissioners violated three Colorado State laws during the process to award Cozad her reimbursement. First he claims that the work session wasn’t properly noticed to the public. Second that the commissioners by discussing and then voting on the matter, then ordering the preparation of a check to Cozad constituted taking official action at an unofficial meeting. The first two allegations are clear violations of Colorado Sunshine and Open Meetings laws. The third allegation claims that by voting to approve the consent agenda without notifying the Colorado Secretary of State of her conflict of interest on the matter, that she violated two additional Colorado State laws. The first violation is of C.R.S. 24-18-109 (3)(a): The member of the governing body of a local government who has a personal or private interest in any matter proposed or pending before the governing body shall disclose such interest to the governing body and shall not vote thereon and shall refrain from attempting to influence the decisions of the other members of the governing body in voting on the matter. Parks further states that by failing to inform the Secretary of State of her conflict that Cozad is in direct violation of Colorado Criminal Code C.R.S. 18-8-308: Failing to disclose a conflict of interest. A public servant commits failing to disclose a conflict of interest if he exercises any substantial discretionary function in connection with a government contract, purchase, payment, or other pecuniary transaction without having given seventy-two hours’ actual advance written notice to the secretary of state and to the governing body of the government which employs the public servant of the existence of a known potential conflicting interest of the public servant in the transaction with reference to which he is about to act in his official capacity. (1) A “ (2)potential conflicting interest” exists when the public servant is a director, president, general manager, or similar executive officer or owns or controls directly or indirectly a substantial interest in any nongovernmental entity participating in the transaction. Failing to disclose a conflict of interest is a class 2 misdemeanor. Parks said, ”It has become very apparent to the citizens of Weld County that we have a set of commissioners that feel they can do whatever they want, whenever they want and are not answerable to anyone. The Commissioners have also instituted a reign of terror over anyone that disagrees with their position or challenges their authority.” Cozad will have an opportunity to respond to the complaint, and possibly testify in front of the commission before an investigation and potential penalties are imposed. The maximum penalty that could be extended to Cozad could be twice as much as the financial benefit she received, or in this case $24,537.14.
June 6, 2018
Libraries Rock: Fort Lupton Public and School Library’s FREE Summer Reading Kick-off Party and Reading Program
The Fort Lupton Public and School Library invited community members of all ages to dance on down to the library for its annual Libraries Rock Summer Reading Kick-Off Party on Tuesday, May 22 at 1:00 PM. The FREE, four-week summer reading program kicked-off on May 22 with a special performance of Songs and Tales From Colorado Trails by the Arvada Center. Over 90 community members sang along to old cowboy songs as the Old West was brought to life by the Arvada Center’s Suzie and Gary Solomon. The Solomons shared enthralling tales about crossing the Western plains, including historical information about local legends Matilda Godfrey and Rattlesnake Kate. They described the trials and tribulations pioneers faced while moving west in the 1800s. The Solomons shared these stories not only through lively recounts and vivid descriptions, but also by wearing traditional pioneer costumes and playing authentic instruments available to western settlers at the time. Featured instruments included the: guitar, mandolin, harmonica, violin (called a “fiddle” in the 1800s), wooden spoons, Appalachian (mountain) dulcimer, and banjo. According to the Solomons, the banjo is the only instrument invented in the United States and was originally made from gourds. In addition to sharing authentic pioneer tales, costumes, and instruments, the Solomons invited the audience to sing along to traditional pioneer songs such as “Oh! Susanna” by Steven Foster, “Turkey in the Straw”, and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”. Participants were encouraged to pick up summer reading packets or bingo cards at the Kick-off Party to get started on the summer reading program to win free books and other prizes. Libraries Rock Summer Reading bingo cards and packets will be available throughout the month of May and until June 14. Not only will kids, teens, tweens, and adults receive prizes upon completion of their packets and bingo cards, but they will also win an automatic entry into the grand prize drawings of Samsung Galaxy tablets for teens, tweens, and adults and a Launchpad educational tablet for children. Libraries Rock Summer Reading Kick-off Party: Songs and Tales From Colorado Trails kicks-off the library’s four-week summer reading program, designed to encourage community members of all ages to read over the summer for the fun of it! Research shows that reading over the summer boosts brain function, improves test scores for students, and reduces the “summer slide”, or the educational achievement gap that happens over the summer for students. To encourage participation in the Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program, the library will sponsor FREE summer reading event series featuring art, crafts, and music instruction for all ages, including but not limited to: • Music In Motion for children grades 3 and under, featuring home-made musical instrument construction, on Tuesdays, May 29, June 5 and June 12 at 1:00 PM • Music In Motion for tweens grades 4-5 on Wednesday May 23, May 30, June 6 and June 13 at 1:00 PM, featuring ukulele classes, bucket drumming and body percussion instruction, and an artist trading card class • Music In Motion for teens grades 6th-12 on Wednesday May 23, May 30, June 6 and June 13 at 2:00 PM, featuring Danza Azteca, an authentic Azteca dance group; windchime making; song-writing and other music classes • Music in Motion for Adults, featuring card- and dream-catcher making classes (various dates and times) • Book discussion sessions for all ages (various dates and times) Fort Lupton Public and School Library’s Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program will culminate with a summer reading Ending Party celebration on Friday, June 15 from 5:00-7:00PM. Mad Science of Colorado will perform its Sounds Like Science presentation at 6:00PM. Community members of all ages are invited to meet a pipe that sings and experience a roaring indoor thunderstorm, as well as other explosive and voluminous feats of nature! Games, activities, and refreshments will be available from 5:00-6:00PM at the ending party. Additionally, the winners of the grand prize drawings will be announced. Participants do not need to be present at the ending party to be eligible to win grand prizes. For more information about Fort Lupton Public and School Library’s Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program, please visit www.fortluptonlibrary.org or in person at the library at 425 S. Denver Avenue; call 303-857-7180; or pick up the complete Libraries Rock Summer Reading Brochure at the library or at participating Fort Lupton businesses. For more information about the benefits of reading over the summer, please visit the Colorado State Library’s Summer Reading website at www.cslpreads.org.
June 6, 2018
Lost Creek Guide
American Legion Post 180 Memorial Day Service in Keenesburg American Legion Post 180, in Keenesburg, hosted by The American Legion Auxiliary, held their annual Memorial Day Ceremony. Welcome was given by Jolene Arnold. Prayer was led by Mark Kauffman. The Star Spangled Banner was sung by Melissa Flaherty. Matt Voris, of Honor Flight Northern Colorado gave a Tribute to Col. Stan Cass who passed away this year. Veteran Roll Call was read by Jolene Arnold and Kailey Fobare which was followed by a moment of silence. A recording of We Know You Are out there by Kory Brunson was played. Followed by a 21 gun salute performed by the American Legion Honor Guard. A big thank you to the American Legion Auxiliary, the Jr. Auxiliary and Steve Arnold for all the work that they do for the Post and the Veterans. Never Forget: Those who have served and those currently serving the U.S. Armed Forces of the United States are ever mindful that the sweetness of enduring peace has always been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice. We are compelled to never forget that while we enjoy our daily pleasures, there are others who have endured and may still be enduring the agonies of pain, deprivation, and internment.
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June 6, 2018
— Obituaries — CAROL JOYCE BROWNING
WILLIAM HERBERT BELL (CONT)
Carol Joyce Browning of Hudson passed away May 13, 2018. She was born in Fresno, California on January 4, 1933 to George Daniel and Pearl Emma (Lockhart) Hershey. She grew up in Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorado with her sister, Norma Jean and brother, Kenneth Harlan Hershey. In 1949 she married Ralph Sheldon “Bob” Thompson and to this union she was blessed with her three children Daniel Eugene Thompson, Loretta Pearl (William) Stonner and Gary Dean Thompson. She, Bob and the two oldest children moved from Stratton to Denver in 1953. Five years later she became a single parent of three and made motherhood and her home the two most important things in her life. In 1962 she married Laverne Purl “Bud” Browning and they moved from Denver to Commerce City. In the 60’s and 70’s she served as a deaconess at the Henderson Congregational Church. In 1969 her family moved to Lochbuie. In the 70’s she moved to Hudson and she and her son raised hogs for market. She was a hard worker that loved to garden flowers and vegetables. She had a beautiful voice and sang Gospel and old Country and Western songs. She enjoyed dancing with her husband Bud and loved taking care of her hogs, her horse Sweet Widow and her dog Champ. Loretta gave her three grandsons, William II, Jason (Kristina Heinmiller) and Michael Stonner (Jodi Miller). Nine great grandchildren Arizona (Joel) Menke, Taylor, William III, Jaden, Logan, Alexis, Odin, Dilynn and Grace and one great- great grandson Aiden Menke. Gary gave her three grandsons, Joshua, Zachary and Justin and one granddaughter Sarah, Four great grandsons, Nicholas, Deacon, and Jameson and Jax. She is preceded in death by her parents both husbands and a granddaughter Amanda Thompson. Funeral Service was 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at Tabor-Rice Funeral Home in Brighton, Colorado. Interment at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 23, 2018. Tabor-Rice Funeral Home handled the arrangements and has an online guestbook.
-(Trudy Arnold) Bell, eight grandchildren, sixteen great grandchildren and special friend Scott Shinbur. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Pharol Bell, his-son-in law Ken Mullen and his grandson Justin Mullen. A memorial service will be held at Crossroads Church of Ft. Lupton on June 23, 2018 at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to his good friend Lummi Kaping to further his seminary education in care of Crossroads Church 1115 1st St Fort Lupton CO 80621.
WILLIAM HERBERT BELL Bill passed away at his winter home in Bayview Texas on May 17, 2018. He was born to W.D. and Rubyann (Nelson) Bell on November 17, 1936 in Longmont CO. He married Carol C. Muse on February 7, 1956. Bill farmed in the Longmont and Keenesburg areas until his retirement in 2001. After his retirement he was able to continue his love of farming by restoring twenty-seven old tractors. He served on many boards for the First Baptist Church of Ft. Lupton (now Crossroads Church of Ft. Lupton). He also served on boards for Prospect Valley Co-op, Roggen Elevator, Sugar Beet Growers Association and ConAgra. He loved waterskiing, motorcycling, traveling and spending time with his family. He is survived by Carol Bell, his wife of 61 years, his sister Janet (Larry) Petras, his children Lori (Robert) Young, Greg (Wendy Fox) Bell, Carrie Mullen and Kevin Continued on the next column...
FAYE LOREE (MUNGER) GETTMAN Faye Loree (Munger) Gettman, 88, passed away May 24, 2018 in Greeley. Faye was born to Steve and Abi Munger on December 8, 1929 in Elkhardt, KS. She married John Gettman Jr. on September 11, 1949 in Yuma, AZ. She graduated from Brighton High School, later attending Colorado State College of Education, now University of Northern Colorado. She was a bookkeeper for the Brighton Standard Blade, the hospital in Brighton as well as nursing homes in the area. She attended Grace Lutheran Church, loved doing crossword puzzles, gardening, listening to music, 4th of July family reunion picnics, and Christmas Eve, which she would host. She is survived by her children; Beth Tribelhorn, Jim (Allison) Gettman, Bonnie (Lee) Groves, Barb Schlidt and John (Christina) Gettman; sisters, Betty Bullard, June Sulffridge and Delsie Harris; grandchildren, Dara and Jared Tribelhorn, Natalie and Tiffany Schlidt, Zachery and Laura Gettman, Katelyn Cronquist, Lee Groves, Cameron and Sarah Gettman, Brian, Kyle and Chase Warren, and nine great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents; Steve and Abi Kathleen (Ablard) Munger; husband John Gettman Jr.; brothers, Deane and Charles Munger. Visitation will be Wednesday, May 30, 2018 at 9:00 A.M. at the Allnutt Macy Chapel. Service will be held at the Allnutt Macy Chapel Wednesday, May 30, 2018 at 10:00 A.M., with burial at Linn Grove Cemetery. Friends may view the online obituary and send condolences at www.allnutt.com.
LORRAINE B. (BAUMGARTNER) WITT Lorraine B. (Baumgartner) Witt, 81, of Brentwood, TN, passed away on May 2, 2018 at Brighton Gardens of Brentwood. She was born March 11, 1937, in Denver, to John and Katie Baumgartner of Prospect Valley, Colorado. She graduated high school from Prospect Valley Centralized School in 1955 and received an A.B. degree in Music Education from Colorado State College in Greeley (now University of Northern Colorado). Lorraine married James (“Jim”) Witt on June 24, 1960, in Prospect Valley. They lived briefly near Kansas City where Jim completed his degree as a physical therapist, before moving to New Jersey where she taught music for schools in Elizabeth and Westfield. In 1963, Lorraine and Jim moved to Mill Valley, California, where their son John was born. In 1968, Jim’s job transfer with the Public Health Service took them to Savannah, Georgia, where their son Joel was born. In 1974, the family moved to Springfield, Missouri, where Lorraine taught private piano lessons to more than one hundred students. She served as choir director, soloist, and pianist for church music ministries in California, Georgia, and Missouri. In 1994, Lorraine and Jim moved back to her parents’ house and farm in Prospect Valley, Colorado, to care for her elderly parents. They served in the music and youth ministry for Prospect Community Church before relocating in 2013 to Brentwood, Tennessee. She will be remembered as an accomplished musician, energetic teacher, loving wife, devoted mother, and fun-loving “Nana” to her grandchildren. Lorraine was preceded in death by her parents, and by her sister Helen (Baumgartner) Huwa. She is survived by her husband Jim, by her sons John (wife Mary) and Joel (wife Nicole) Witt, her grandchildren Christina, Jason, Rachel, Natalie, and Ashlyn, and her niece Bonnie (Huwa) Reiff. Visitation will be at Stoddard Funeral Home, 3205 28th Street in Greeley, on May 30, 2018, from 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m., followed by a funeral there at 2:00 pm. Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens, 3400 28th Street, Greeley. Please visit www.stoddardsunset.com to sign an online guestbook.
June 6, 2018
Lost Creek Guide
15th annual Sandhills Poker Run
On Sunday, May 20th, the 15th annual Sandhills Poker Run, sponsored by and benefitting ABATE of Colorado and District One, started at Riverside Park with cloudy to partly cloudy cooler skies keeping the attendance down a bit this year with 140 participants. This annual event took riders and passengers to several popular area stops including the Club Tap Room and Nick’s Place at the Queen Lounge in downtown Ft. Morgan, north on Highway 52 to Highway 14, then to Hootenanies and Henry’s Pub and Club in Sterling, the rest stop in Otis and Dolittle’s and the Cornerstone Coffee shop in Akron. The end point, with a meal prepared New Freedom Church, was graciously hosted by John and Paula Buchanan as it has in the past several years. Everyone participating in the run received a poker hand, t shirt, and a meal at the end along with door prizes donated by ABATE members and merchants from Northeast Colorado. Riders enjoyed the cooler weather riding a route that was 160 miles. Door prizes were given out and the day culminated with announcement of the poker hand winners. The top two winners were Val Chapman and Jeff Jewell with Zane Schmeeckle taking the low hand. A 50/50 drawing was won by Amy Buchanan. The live auction features metal art, handmade quilts, Harley Davidson jackets, t shirts and other items. ABATE of Colorado, District One would like to thank the sponsors for 2018 including: Kaiser Premier, Brush Grocery Kart, Design Builders, Buchanan Welding, Great Copier Service, Henry’s Pub and Club, Cargill Meat Solutions, The Club Tap, A & R Automotive, B & B Appliance, Henry’s Pub and Club, ArtAttackU. com, Westek Rentals, Schmeeckle Bros Construction, Fort Morgan Printing, Impressions by Bird, East Platte Liquors, and Edward Jones-Ft. Morgan, Five Star Dining and Grill in Akron, and Friends in the Wind. Other Northeast Colorado business’s providing support were: FMS Bank, Gary Dutton, Global Harvest, LLC, Beckie Randel (Scentsy), Bill and Belva Smith, Brenda Rodriguez, Brush Area Chamber of Commerce, Don’s Diesel, Jay Flaming Jewelers, Hootenannies, Inc, Ink’d Out, Jay Weisgerber, Jenn Brandon, Jenny Wayne’s High Octane, Katie Reese, Ken’s Repair, Ken Schoepner, Kirk and Denise Fry, Look Twice Save a Life, and Loretta and Steve Dunn. Also, Transwest Auto, Cables Pub and Grill, Mark and Candy Foxworthy, Mile High Harley Davidson, Miss Bubbles, Nick Granthan, O’Sullivan Law Firm, Roe Insurance Agency, Roy and Brenda Peterson, Unique Embroidery, Chris and Christy Nielsen, Curtis Walton Law, Walgreens-Ft. Morgan, Walgreens-Sterling, Mike and Terry Kanzler, Mindy Cutting Edge, Diane Lair, Dolittles, Don and Kristi Enninga, Donnie and Mark Kalb, Central Auto Parts, and Edwards Right Price Market provided services, supplies, and door prizes. Other major contributors include: The Queen Lounge, Brookelinn Grafix,, Dolittle’s, LeRoy Bishop and Penny Vaughn, and New Freedom Outreach Church. ABATE which stands for “A Brotherhood Active Towards Education”, is a nonprofit, educational, charitable and safety oriented motorcycle rights organization. ABATE, District One will continue to promote rider education as well as member and public education to make the roads safer for those riding motorcycles as well as for motorists in general. Protecting the rights of those who ride motorcycles is an ongoing and important mission of ABATE of Colorado as is the Rider Education classes that are being offered May through August at Morgan Community College through ABATE of Colorado as well as the airport at Sterling. Those wishing to enroll in a class can contact the ABATE office at 303-789-3264 or going to the website at www.abateofcolo.org. Anyone interested in joining ABATE of Colorado, District One can contact Bill Smith at 303-517-8342 or going to the ABATE website at http://www.abateofcolo.org/ .
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Lost Creek Guide
Letter from the Wild Animal Sanctuary Director “The Wildlife Refuge”
Pictures and Article from The Wild Animal Sancuary in Keenesburg, Colorado Land, land, land… definitely a topic we have intently focused on for quite some time now. Even so, in our last Newsletter that went to press in March, I had no choice but to leave everyone hanging with no solid solution on the horizon. The unfortunate situation of our becoming virtually land locked was as sudden and unanticipated as many of our rescues tend to be, which forced me to reevaluate our longterm goals while simultaneously calling for a special meeting of the Board of Directors. Luckily, I had spent an inordinate amount of time looking for positive solutions to this problem prior to our meeting, which gave the Board an opportunity to look at both the pros and cons of purchasing land that would not be contiguous with our current operation. The good news was, no matter how dark the landscape around us seemed to be getting… bright rays of sunshine continued to find their way through in order to illuminate our path going forward! On one hand, not being able to remain and operate on one contiguous piece of land (located here in Keenesburg) was concerning… but on the other hand, being able to secure enough land somewhere else where we would never have to worry about becoming land-locked again would be absolutely priceless! And, finding a large parcel of land somewhat near our current facility would make traveling and sharing resources much easier… but again, finding a parcel that had much more to offer than just open wheat fields would give the animals far more amenities to enjoy! As the Board and I discussed, it wasn’t that long ago when we were sure the Sanctuary would have many more years filled with options for continued growth here in Keenesburg. Yet, times change and the accelerated growth we have seen over the past few years has been nothing short of totally shocking. Not only are more and more homes and businesses been built around the Sanctuary, new massive oil well rigs continue to sprout skyward on many of the properties around us. One particular rig is just across the street and produces a constant roaring noise akin to the Army, Navy and Marines storming the beaches of Normandy again! With land and options disappearing so quickly, one has to wonder if this outcome may have been in the cards this whole time. Either way, we were now fully tasked with securing a solution that would solve all of our numerous concerns. It was critical we find a parcel of land that would be logistically viable – meaning it may be in Colorado, or out of state - but bottom line it would need to be located where food, staffing and many other resources were close at hand. It also needed to be large enough to serve our mission for decades to come, which meant it would need to be thousands of acres in size, rather than just a few hundred. Add-in other factors, such as licensing, zoning, insurance, security and hundreds of other critical details… our possible land options began to shrink. Finally, with our number one goal in mind (which we all agreed was a non-negotiable item) we ruled out all land that didn’t contain heaps of natural amenities. If anyone was going to benefit from this new direction, it was definitely going to be the animals! Given our current property in Keenesburg is located on the open plains of Colorado, we do have great amounts of open space with oceans of grass. Yet, other features such as rocks,
June 6, 2018
trees, hills and valleys all have to be added or somewhat man-made. There’s no doubt having five to twenty five acres of free roaming space, as well as having your food delivered each day, can be pretty awesome. However, beyond all the incredible freedom we provide, we know the animals still deserve more. This is why we do try to embellish our habitats, yet, having to purchase many of the necessary landscaping items makes most of our projects economically unfeasible. Creating dens, hills, waterways and ponds, as well as planting trees and obtaining hundreds of boulders gets expensive very quickly. Of course, in the end, we have a nice space for the animals, but the size and scope of our larger habitats makes it nearly impossible to afford. As I’ve mentioned previously, the very nice Fox habitat we created a couple years ago was filled with all of these embellishing items - but their 1.3-acre habitat cost over $100,000 to complete due to expensive landscaping items that we were unable to get donated. Now imagine having to spend that level of money across all 789 acres - which would end up costing more than 70 million dollars! This is why finding a new property complete with natural habitat already in place was now of utmost importance! Moving forward, one property rose to the surface above all else for two important reasons. One was the fact it was an incredibly large and beautiful piece of land full of pine forests, rocks, hills, bluffs, buttes, valleys, water and so much more! Second, the owner was willing to finance! This would be the only way we could secure such a large parcel of land, as our Wild Open Spaces Fund had nearly two million dollars accumulated - but that would still fall short of what would be needed to purchase a large parcel outright. We definitely had enough money to render a significant down payment, but would need time to raise the remaining amount. Finding a seller who was willing to give us terms that allowed time for additional fundraising was crucial. We were very fortunate to meet a remarkable realtor named Brandon Gray who was representing a very nice ranching family in southern Colorado. Brandon and his wife have a brokerage firm called The QEY Team, with Keeler Williams, and operate out of an office located in Castle Rock, CO. Brandon took the time to research the Sanctuary’s mission, as well as become familiar with our current predicament, and realized there was a unique opportunity with a ranch he happened to list. It was a 9,004-acre property situated just south of La Junta, CO and was located in a unique area that I never knew existed. Having driven on countless rescues utilizing Colorado Highway 287, which runs through the southeastern portion of Colorado as it heads into Oklahoma and Texas, I would have never guessed this rare type of landscape existed there. For anyone having shared my experience of driving the wide-open plains of southeastern Colorado, especially through the city of Lamar and continuing south along 287, you know how hot dry and desolate the area seems. Yet, just a mere 30 miles west of 287, a unique area exists that is quite similar to the incredible land found along the not-too-distant Purgatory River. The area’s predominantly flat landscape unexpectedly changes into deeply carved canyons flowing in all directions. Filled with grass and half-sprinkled with Pinyon Pines and Oneseed Junipers, each valley ultimately becomes saturated with evergreens as their walls shoot upward to skylines filled with stony bluffs and rocky outcroppings. Forested buttes add to the ever-intriguing topography and generously share their own brand of unique rock formations. One very long and massive outcropping known as the “Windsplitter” became a predominant landmark for countless explorers and numerous generations of early American settlers as they innocently navigated the area’s seemingly endless miles of winding canyons. Standing like a stalwart compass needle, pointing due north, the Windsplitter rock formation indubitably crowns the northern end of this massive property. Encompassing nearly 15 square miles, the parcel is one large contiguous piece of undeveloped land. There are no public or private roads passing through it, nor are there housing developments
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Lost Creek Guide
Letter from the Wild Animal Sanctuary Director “The Wildlife Refuge”
or commercial expansions of any kind for nearly 40 miles. The small town of Springfield, CO is located about 25 miles to the southeast (as the crow flies) and La Junta, CO is equally distant heading to the northwest. Paved roads are nowhere near the parcel, and the dirt roads that lead to the southern end of the property are seldomly used, even by ranchers that occupy this remote part of the country. Most of the parcel lies within Baca County, which has a small population of 3,700 residents. More than half reside in the small town of Springfield, or even smaller towns such as Pritchett, Walsh or Two Buttes. About a quarter of the acreage spills into Las Animas County, which sees the majority of its development concentrated 40 miles to the west in and around the town of Trinidad, CO. The property is definitely in a remote area, which is a major plus for us when pondering how long it might be before development of any type would grow near. As far as amenities go, it’s like hitting the lottery jackpot for animals! Between the thick forests, endless hills and canyons, rock outcroppings, caves, springs, drainages and bountiful protection from the elements… it is truly an enriched paradise! The only improvements we need to add would be habitat fencing, power and a few operational support buildings. There are already seven wells on the property and over thirteen miles of piping that supplies water to nearly every corner of the parcel. The ground water is far more abundant and closer to the surface than at our current site, so animals would have plenty of H2O to enjoy. Historically, cattle have ranged in this part of Colorado since the 1800’s, with one enormous British operation once occupying the entire southern area of Colorado from the Kansas border all the way to the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Additionally, ruts created by thousands of wagons traveling one branch of the famous Sante Fe Trail still exist less than four miles from this amazing property. In the early 1920’s, homesteaders occupied these canyons attempting to garner a new life for themselves in the Wild West. Yet, few were able to retain their picturesque land allocation without finding additional ways to subsist. Earthen foundations and the fallen walls of tiny rock houses remain today as testaments to this bygone era… and even the walls of “Old Post Office #9” have withstood the test of time to remind us how thriving this canyon community once was. Of course, these relics will remain undisturbed, with many likely being restored at some point in the future. From Native Americans to fur traders, the Santa Fe Trail, iconic Texas cattle drives, Hispanic sheepherders, homesteaders, the dust bowl and so much more… the property has been through so much – yet remains surprisingly unchanged. Looking much the same as it did 10,000 years ago, Mother Nature created a masterpiece that modern-day ranchers continue to utilize. With tight canyons offering significant protection from harsh winter storms, and gentle breezes flowing down and out of the canyons on hot summer days, the unique topography organically moderates the seasonal extremes. Fortunately, for everyone’s benefit, the property will remain more or less undisturbed. Since a plethora of natural amenities already exists, all is needed is for us to install our normal fencing along the canyon bottoms. This will be the easiest and most native approach toward framing the land’s wonderful features so that our rescued animals can live and exist
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in a semi-natural state. Of course, the area is home to native wildlife, so we will not fence the parcel’s perimeter. Instead, we will create habitat zones that allow numerous large corridors to exist so native animals can move about freely. This practice has worked well at our Keenesburg site so we know it will succeed just as well at the Refuge. Being located so far from larger cities, there is no viable way or valid reason to host visitors at this location, so only the animals and their caretakers will be located there. Operations staff will join the caretaking crew living on site, and we will draw help from the local communities as needed. We will not be relocating our current Sanctuary to this new location, as it serves as an invaluable educational resource for the Front Range and is “home” to the rehabilitated animals currently living here. Once the new property is ready, we will begin receiving most of our future rescues there. Older animals, or ones that have medical needs… or simply those that would not do well in large challenging habitats will still be able to come to the Keenesburg site. Yet, most of the animals we rescue quickly become healthy once they receive the proper nutrition and excellent care we provide. Those animals will definitely prosper at this new location and will live in amazing spaces with endless exploration opportunities. Each habitat will have everything from flat grass areas to hills, bluffs, rock formations, lush forests filled with beautiful pines and even natural dens and caves to enjoy. Imagine each cat or wolf being able to explore dense forests that lead to elevated rock outcroppings where they can sit in the warm sun and survey their territory from such a perfect vantage point above! This will truly be living as they should, and will be completely different from the horrid lives they left behind. Bears and many of the smaller animals will absolutely love the myriad of naturally occurring den sites, and could easily spend years exploring the incredibly diverse topography that flows in all directions. I know this new property represents a giant shift and new direction for the Sanctuary, but it is absolutely the right move for the animals. They will be the real beneficiaries of this effort, so we need to do everything we can to ensure their new home is paid for and ready for them to enjoy. We closed on the $7 million dollar property March 27th, 2018 and now have to focus on two main objectives. Of course, the primary goal will be to pay for the property in full, as the Lion’s share is still outstanding. By the grace and kindness of the generous ranch family who sold us the property, we have numerous years to pay this remaining balance. Yet, given the costs associated with developing the property, it is vitally important we get the balance settled as quickly as possible. We’ve started a public campaign to raise money for this purpose, and also want everyone who already supports the Sanctuary to consider helping as well. This is absolutely an historic event for us all, and our success will solidify an incredibly bright future for countless rescued animals moving forward! Many of you have already contributed to the Wild Open Spaces land fund over the years, which has enabled us to provide a wonderful home to hundreds of rescued animals. Many more have donated very recently toward the new land, and another 65-acres next door. In fact, a single anonymous donor provided the $600,000 to purchase the 65 acres adjacent to the Sanctuary and an additional $1,027,000 towards the purchase of land in Springfield, CO designated for this Wild Animal Refuge project - which definitely helped us make the two million dollar down payment. Now, with this amazing new home secured, we are offering extremely rare and unique Founder Membership Program for people who choose to help going forward. Each acre of this extraordinary land costs $777, so a Founder Program has been established to honor people who help us pay for one or more acres. When you donate money to purchase an acre or more, you will receive an exclusive commemorative Founder Certificate, as well as invitations to special events and email updates on the Refuge’s progress. It is possible for you to band together with family or friends to purchase an acre, but the benefits are limited to individuals, or sometimes couples in certain cases. Our goal is to pay off the rest of the debt quickly so we can prepare the Refuge for animals to begin arriving. Getting power and roads installed, as well as setting up logistical support buildings will take most of the summer. Once we have those in place, we can start planning habitat placement and the many other details related to receiving new rescues. Adding 9,004-acres to the Sanctuary’s current acreage creates a total of 9,793-acres that we currently hold. This will definitely solve our land problems for decades to come, so I want to thank everyone who has previously donated to our special land fund… or will be joining us moving forward with this new project. Our Sanctuary is the largest and oldest carnivore sanctuary in the world only because you cared enough to get involved. We accomplish monumental successes due to your compassion and continued drive to help majestic creatures that are suffering. I know our staff and volunteers are ready to tackle this new project with the same enthusiasm and conviction they always bring to everything we do for the animals… and I hope you will join us on this new journey toward creating the most incredible Sanctuary ever! When you love someone or something so much, you can never give up… so we gladly begin our march forward with pure hearts and pellucid minds! I look forward to the day when each of us can stand and adore these magnificent creatures roaming freely within this beautiful and majestic property. Thank you for caring so much and doing everything you can to help. As you know, the animals we rescue come from some of the worst situations imaginable, so being able to save their lives and give them their own slice of heaven on earth will be a gift to us all. Knowing their years of suffering and endless pain will be washed away and replaced by your love and compassion, as well as our tender care, is a sincere and welcome blessing. We were all put on this earth for a reason, and I can easily say it wasn’t to simply watch other people torture animals. I feel incredibly honored to present this opportunity for us to make history together! Please take the time to visit the Refuge’s new web site to learn how you can help, and know that I am forever indebted to you for helping in whatever way you can! www.WildAnimalRefuge.org
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We Still Need Your Help
Only Together Can We Help Our Community
United Way of Weld County’s 2017-18 community campaign is rounding third base. As it heads for home, we still need your help. With the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2018, we still have more to raise to continue our important work. We cannot do this without you. Your past donations helped change lives. The change for the better could impact someone in your family. It could be your neighbor. It could be a young family hoping to find that one break in life. Together, we can hit a home run again this year. Your impact is 100 percent local, which makes donating to United Way of Weld County so special. When you make a donation to United Way of Weld County, you help break the cycle of poverty so everyone can make the most of their lives. We invite you to be a part of the solution – no matter what the size of your contribution. • Your gift helps connect Weld County residents facing challenges and not knowing where to turn with a 2-1-1 Information and Referral navigator. • Your gift last year helped the recreation departments in Weld County give scholarships to 815 low-income children and youth who would not have been able to participate in recreational and sports activities. • Your gift last year helped 225 veterans find stable housing in northern Colorado. • Your gift last year provided almost 2,100 van rides for seniors to remain independent so they could travel to grocery stores, banks, medical appointments, senior centers, churches, beauty salons and to visit loved ones in nursing homes. • Your gift last year helped 616 children and their families receive the support and information they needed for their child’s health and safety, child care, early brain development and the importance of reading from birth. • Your gift to the United Way of Weld County Collective Impact Fund will help ensure agencies are working together to solve difficult problems. We still need your help in a growing Weld County. One in six of our neighbors live in poverty, and six in 12 children are not reading at grade level by the fourth grade. Together, we can help build a solid foundation in Early Childhood so our children will learn to read at grade level by the fourth grade. Together, we can help in Youth Development so that our children can graduate on time and make Weld County a better place to live in the future. Together, we can help toward Household Stability so that people have the basic necessities of a stable home – food, clothing, mortgage or rent payment, utilities – and assist those experiencing homelessness a chance to get housed again. And together, we can help Seniors and Healthy Aging remain in their homes so they can be independent and receive support services. We ask you to invest in your hometown, your county, your community by making a gift today. Secure online at www.unitedway-weld.org or text to give by texting UNITED18 to 41444. Your contribution is greatly appreciated. Jeannine Truswell is the President and CEO of United Way of Weld County.
June 6, 2018
Lost Creek Guide
Page 13
Harley Ann Baas Qualifies to Compete at Libraries Rock: Fort Lupton Public and School Library’s FREE Summer World’s Largest Junior High Rodeo DENVER- Harley Ann Baas, a 6th grade student ar Cardinal Community AcadReading Kick-off Party and Reading emy has earned a position on the Colorado state/provincial National Junior High roProgram deo team and will be traveling with fellow
teammates to Huron, South Dakota, June 24th thru June 30th to compete at the 14th annual National Junior High Finals Rodeo competition. Featuring roughly 1,000 contestants from 43 states, five Canadian provinces, Australia and Mexico, the NJHFR is the world’s largest junior high rodeo. In addition to competing for more than $80,000 in prizes, NJHFR contestants will also be vying for more than $200,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named a National Junior High Finals Rodeo World Champion. To earn this title- to advance to Saturday evening’s final round. World champions will then be determined based on their three-round combined times/ scores. Again, this year, this Saturday championship performance will be televised nationally as a part of the Cinch High School Rodeo Tour telecast series on RFD-TV. Live broadcasts to all NJHFR performances will air on: www.RidePass.com. Performance times are 7 p.m. on June 24th, and 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day thereafter. Along with great rodeo competition and the chance to meet new friends from around the world, NJHFR contestants have the opportunity to enjoy shooting sports, volleyball, contestant dances, family-oriented activities, church services sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys, and shopping at the NJHFR tradeshow, as well as visiting area attractions as Huron hosts the NJHFR this year. To follow your local favorites at the NJHFR, visit www.NHSRA.com daily for complete results. For ticket information and reservations, visit www.sdstatefair.com.
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The Fort Lupton Public and School Library invited community members of all ages to dance on down to the library for its annual Libraries Rock Summer Reading Kick-Off Party on Tuesday, May 22 at 1:00 PM. The FREE,four-week summer reading program kicked-off on May 22 with a special performance of Songs and Tales From Colorado Trails by the Arvada Center. Over 90 community memberssang along to old cowboy songs as the Old West was brought to life by the Arvada Center’s Suzie and Gary Solomon. The Solomons shared enthralling tales about crossing the Western plains, including historical information about local legends Matilda Godfrey and Rattlesnake Kate. They described the trials and tribulations pioneers faced while moving west in the 1800s. The Solomons shared these stories not only through lively recounts and vivid descriptions, but also by wearing traditional pioneer costumes and playing authentic instruments available to western settlers at the time. Featured instruments included the: guitar, mandolin, harmonica, violin (called a “fiddle” in the 1800s), wooden spoons, Appalachian (mountain) dulcimer, and banjo. According to the Solomons, the banjo is the only instrument invented in the United States and was originally made from gourds. In addition to sharing authentic pioneer tales, costumes, and instruments, the Solomons invited the audience to sing along to traditional pioneer songs such as “Oh! Susanna” by Steven Foster, “Turkey in the Straw”, and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”. Participants were encouraged to pick up summer reading packets or bingo cards at the Kick-off Party to get started on the summer reading program to win free books and other prizes. Libraries Rock Summer Reading bingo cards and packets will be available throughout the month of May and until June 14. Not only will kids, teens, tweens, and adults receive prizes upon completion of their packets and bingo cards, but they will also win an automatic entry into the grand prize drawings of Samsung Galaxy tablets for teens, tweens, and adults and a Launchpad educational tablet for children. Libraries Rock Summer Reading Kick-off Party: Songs and Tales From Colorado Trails kicks-off the library’s four-week summer reading program, designed to encourage community members of all ages to read over the summer for the fun of it! Research shows that reading over the summer boosts brain function, improves test scores for students, and reduces the “summer slide”, or the educational achievement gap that happens over the summer for students. To encourage participation in the Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program, the library will sponsor FREE summer reading event series featuring art, crafts, and music instruction for all ages, including but not limited to: • Music In Motion for children grades 3 and under, featuring home-made musical instrument construction, on Tuesdays, May 29, June 5 and June 12at 1:00 PM • Music In Motion for tweens grades 4-5 on Wednesday May 23, May 30, June 6 and June 13 at 1:00 PM, featuring ukulele classes, bucket drumming and body percussion instruction, and an artist trading card class • Music In Motion for teens grades 6th-12 on Wednesday May 23, May 30, June 6 and June 13 at 2:00 PM, featuring Danza Azteca, an authentic Azteca dance group; windchime making; song-writing and other music classes • Music in Motion for Adults, featuring card-and dream-catcher making classes (various dates and times) • Book discussion sessions for all ages (various dates and times) Fort Lupton Public and School Library’s Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program will culminate with a summer reading Ending Party celebration on Friday, June 15 from 5:00-7:00PM. Mad Science of Colorado will perform its Sounds Like Sciencepresentation at 6:00PM. Community members of all ages are invited to meet a pipe that sings and experience a roaring indoor thunderstorm, as well as other explosive and voluminous feats of nature! Games, activities, and refreshments will be available from 5:00-6:00PM at the ending party. Additionally, the winners of the grand prize drawings will be announced. Participants do not need to be present at the ending party to be eligible to win grand prizes. For more information about Fort Lupton Public and School Library’s Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program, please visit www.fortluptonlibrary.org or in person at the library at 425 S. Denver Avenue; call 303-857-7180; or pick up the complete Libraries Rock Summer Reading Brochure at the library or at participating Fort Lupton businesses. For more information about the benefits of reading over the summer, please visit the Colorado State Library’s Summer Reading website at www.cslpreads.org.
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Lost Creek Guide
Would You Join a Group named DiPS?
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June 6, 2018
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Would it cause you to chuckle? Would you say, “Heck, no! There are plenty of those in Weld County government!” What if I told you it stands for Decency in Public Servants? Now, you might be interested. You might even say,” Heck, yes! There are none of those in Weld County government!” This idea came to me recently, when I participated in the Weld County Citizens Charter Review Committee meeting in Hudson. As I spoke and the generous citizen members of the committee asked me questions and made their own comments, it became clear to me that something is lacking in Weld County government: Decency and Public Servants. Where can they be? The contrast between meeting with citizen volunteers who desire to serve their county, and the current batch of career politicians who seem to use the word, “serve,” only in election years, was pronounced. I encourage everyone who cares anything about Weld County, to get involved with other citizens. This is where honest change is born. Do you know the “qualifications,” to be a county commissioner? Live in their district. Period. That’s all. That means almost anyone can be a commissioner, and almost anyone is! Why elect someone based on The Lowest Common Denominator? The lack of requirements to be commissioner explains a lot. No wonder local papers highlight the ongoing dysfunctional antics, and the never ending lawsuits. Free legal counsel when desired, and, now a precedent has been set and the county will use taxpayer dollars to reimburse for private attorney expenses. What a deal! Does this make sense? The answer depends on whether you’re an advocate of DiPS, or an advocate for gluttony at the taxpayer trough. Accountability? No. Would this ever be allowed in the private sector? No. In the real world, performance is required or you’re out. People actually have to EARN their pay. Not so in local government. Whatever happened to citizens who step up and serve the public and then go back to the challenges of life in the private sector? Duties comparable to commissioner duties would bring a handsome salary, certainly much more than $120,000 annually. But, performance would be required. It’s much easier to lack performance and stay put at $120,000 than have to perform and be accountable. This year, for the future of Weld County, pay attention, ask questions, verify the answers, and get involved. Fresh eyes for a fresh future. The same old good old boys and girls, their cronies, career politicians and lowest common denominators have proven they are not good enough. The citizens have been forgotten or ignored. Decency in Public Servants does not exist and Weld citizens deserve better. How to choose true representatives who desire to serve? Keep it simple! Common courtesy should not be so uncommon. Honesty, respect and an open mind are needed. So, do you think you would join a group named DiPS? If you already understand that Decency in Public Servants is your right, you’re already a member! Expect it; demand it. It’s up to each of us. K. Grillos, Hudson
June 6, 2018
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Lost Creek Guide
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Page 16
Lost Creek Guide
June 6, 2018
Spirit of 76: Growth Along Metro Denver’s Northeast Gateway:Lochbuie, Hudson & Keenesburg
By Dallas Heltzell from BizWest Interstate 76 may not be metropolitan Denver’s most glamorous point of entry. Trendy hotels and high-tech corporate towers don’t crowd its exits, and scenic, forested hills don’t line its shoulders. The flavor of the route that parallels the South Platte River is decidedly blue-collar, more known for agriculture, railroads, heavy industry, and oil and gas. But as costs of housing and commercial space soar in the Mile High City and its collar counties, the once-sleepy rural communities that line the interstate — notably Lochbuie, Hudson and Keenesburg — are seeing increased interest from businesses looking for room to grow and firsttime homebuyers being forced to “drive ‘til you can buy.” Affordability and space are just part of the draw for a corridor variously described as “underutilized” and “ignored.” There’s the quick access to Denver International Airport, location along a vital transportation link to Chicago and the populous Northeast, and proximity to energy development in the Denver-Julesburg Basin. It’s an alluring story, and economic-development groups such as the Southeast Weld County Chamber of Commerce and Upstate Colorado are eager to tell it. “Having worked 10 years in economic development for the town of Hudson, I’d say ‘ignored’ is an appropriate assessment,” said Dan Hamsmith, vice president of the Southeast Weld Chamber. “I-25 has always been the key point of discussion from the state level, north and south, and I-70 west. That essentially leaves I-76 and I-70 east as the two areas I think need to have more focus. “For our particular area, one of the things that has been lacking is that some of the municipalities from Lochbuie east have not typically had economic-development representation. If you look at the corridor as a whole — Arvada all the way to Julesburg (on Colorado’s northeast corner) —– it’s kind of a hit and miss.” “What people are looking for, as density grows in population centers, are alternatives, whether it’s commercial, industrial or residential space,” added Richard Werner, president and chief executive at Upstate. “We provide support to all of our Weld County communities, and highlight all the critical assets along that I-76 corridor.” Both organizations and the chambers of commerce in the communities along the route have resorted to conducted bus tours and even an annual expo hosted by the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg to show potential developers what’s available and help them envision the possibilities. “One of the things we decided to do four years ago was to take that responsibility as a regional advocate,” Hamsmith said. “We started with a bus tour leaving from the Prairie Center Mall in Brighton. We had two tour buses filled with business developers, those kind of folks, with representatives of the municipalities explaining what they were seeing and the possibilities for residential, retail and industrial growth. We’d end up at the sanctuary, and then we’d do follow-ups after that. “When we did the first bus tour, we had people arriving in Brighton well before the tour and breakfast, and they were apologizing for arriving early, saying, ‘We just didn’t realize we could get here this quickly.’ There’s just not a lot of congestion out this way. It’s very open, very agricultural. People tend to think it’s a drive they don’t want to make, but you can see it’s not as problematic as people think it is. “So we just tell ‘em, ‘Here’s I-76! It connects Interstate 70 and 80. It makes us great for logistics, for transportation.’ That’s why the goal of Southeast Weld holding this expo is to bring eyeballs in and help them imagine what business could look like on I-76. Now Fort Lupton wants to join us — and out to Brush and maybe out to Sterling. We’re getting a much bigger footprint.” For the past two years, they’ve focused on the annual expo at the Wild Animal Sanctuary. This year’s expo will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 13. “Vendors set up booths to be available to help people come out and look at the southeast Weld County area, and highlight key industries and strengths. We’ll be identifying properties, zoning, access. We’ll be highlighting three components: health and wellness, advanced manufacturing, and food and agriculture. We’ll be setting up a speaker list to help that process through. “If municipalities have joined with us, they’ll have some availability to market themselves.” Hamsmith credited Upstate’s Werner for helping to develop the united effort that originally was called the “I-76 Economic Development Initiative.” “He helped facilitate these things,” Hamsmith said. “Our region just didn’t have a lot of money devoted to economic development. The money was lacking for a major marketing initiative. So with that, we decided as a chamber and municipalities that we’d look at our partners to provide assistance and expertise we didn’t have at the time.” Partners now include the Greeley-based East Colorado Small Business Development Center, local chambers of commerce and the state Office of Economic Development and International Trade. “That level of partnership is important to us,” Hamsmith said. Several officials also credited the completion and expansion of Weld County Road 49, the arrow-straight north-south artery connecting I-76 with U.S. 34 east of Greeley. “These are the kinds of advance projects that drive the potential for this growth,” said Debra Chumley, town manager in Keenesburg. “Most of the time, these kind of arteries don’t expand until the demand is past due. But 49 is right on the cusp. By expanding that road the way they did, it gave us another beltway for transportation. It’s a major asset to have in place.” “It’s amazing, the infrastructure that’s back there along 49 that’s relatively new, within the last decade,” added Guy Patterson, town manager in Hudson. “There’s been a real uptick in production of oil extraction. That’s creating new pressures that places like Hudson haven’t seen before — and most of it’s residential. You need bodies out
there working that industry.” One of the tangible results of the increased marketing of the corridor is the launch of the 76 Commerce Center, a 1.8 million-square-foot Class A industrial park in Brighton. Hyde Development and Mortenson are developing the 122-acre site in Bromley Industrial Park. It is the largest speculative project in the Denver area, according to a news release. The center is located on the I-76 corridor and will be located in an enterprise zone. It will have bulk and office warehouses, flexible building size options and state-of-theart building features. Another project is the long-awaited ground-breaking on a $100 million rail park in Hudson being built by Fort Worth, Texas-based BNSF Railway Co. (NYSE: BNI). The 430-acre BNSF Logistics Center Hudson will include loading and warehouse facilities for the railroad as well as 16 shovel-ready parcels of varying sizes that the railway will lease to companies that want to develop near the center — with infrastructure provided by BNSF. Greeley-based Upstate Colorado is helping publicize the center to prospective tenants, Werner said. “We’ve been doing a tremendous amount of work with BNSF on their regional rail terminal,” he said, “helping them recruit companies and federal grants for infrastructure planning. “But that corridor as a whole is a regional asset, from Weld County Road 49 all the way out to Fort Morgan and the rest of the Midwest. It’s a simple model of growth that’s occurring. Especially with the continued pressure of congestion and cost, our communities will benefit.” That pressure is being felt especially in the residential sector. The latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices showed 8.4 percent growth in metro Denver home prices in February alone, a pace that tied with Detroit for fourth-fastest growth in the nation and trailed only the double-digit gains seen in Seattle, Las Vegas and the San Francisco Bay area. Employers in the metro area are hiring at a pace 2.5 times faster than the nation as a whole, but a Trulia survey found that the inventory of starter homes was down 26.7 percent in the first quarter of 2018 from a year earlier, and that shortage has pushed prices for the lowest-cost homes up nearly 15 percent. “That’s why residential growth is starting to happen farther out,” Hamsmith said, “and with that comes retail growth, primary employers, secondary employers.” Samantha Byrne, assistant town administrator in Lochbuie, the town nestled between Brighton and I-76, said growth there is primarily residential, with “a couple different developments pulling permits this spring.” The Silver Peaks development on County Road 2 currently has 415 homes with room to add another 400 to 500,” she said, and Blue Lake, off County Road 37, has 372 and also could add another 400. Lochbuie Station, in the portion of town in Adams County, has 198 homes. “Most of those are priced in the mid 300s,” she said. “They’re not cheap, but we get a lot of people commuting either to metro Denver or DIA. It’s an easy drive to both of them.” “We’ve also got homes from the low 200s that you just can’t touch anywhere else,” added David Ott, a Lochbuie town trustee. “It used to be, all we had was a Subway, a Family Dollar, a liquor store, a bar and a gas station — but it’s really starting to look like a town now.” The growth has prompted the need for additional infrastructure in Lochbuie, including Meadow Ridge Elementary School, which will open in August in the Silver Peaks neighborhood, as well as voter-approved widening of Weld County Road 2 from two to four lanes, a roundabout on the I-76 frontage road, and improvements to the water treatment plant that were aided by an $800,000 grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. “You could buy an acre foot of water for $4,200 in 2009; now it’s almost $9,000,” Ott said. “We make our developers bring their own water.” Patterson noted the pressure for residential development in Hudson, pointing to the Hudson Hills development that “sat in wrappers for about a decade” but now is burgeoning with “high-quality homes and great views of the Front Range. “Even here, we’re finding higher price points because you can get a little more acreage.” He’s not surprised that growth finally is heading northeast. “All development is low-hanging fruit. You do the easy stuff first,” Patterson said. “All the other land available — Parker, Greenwood Village, Golden — all that was the much lower hanging fruit. Over 30 years, that has been saturated, and so you’re getting to those remaining points, where we’re next in line. “Look at a place like Elizabeth in Elbert County. A completely different vibe. Trees, rocks, hilly. You would think they would have boomed. But now they’re ready for a rocket ride, just like we are.” The population of Hudson had been relatively steady, he said, “but it’s definitely going to uptick. I get a lot of interest, people kicking the tires about annexation. The town board is expecting growth. The consultants are expecting growth. I think it’s definitely ramping up. So part of our discussion is how do we mitigate the traffic that’s coming before it happens.” The next exit east is Keenesburg, where LGI is proposing 349 homes in “Evans Place,” a residential development planned for a parcel previously zoned for business. Evans Place will be presented to town planners May 3 and to the town board May 7, Chumley said. “Our grade school is only at half capacity, so this is a very good thing for the school district and they are very excited about it,” she said. “We don’t have any housing inventory, just a small development that’s doing some infill, but only has five lots left. We don’t have anything else that’s ready to go — so I believe that’s what has attracted LGI out here.” “A lot of the people coming out of the metro area come to escape the large city,” said Christine Roskop, owner of the Colorado Country Homes real estate agency in Keenesburg. “They want the small-town atmosphere, but I don’t know if they’re quite prepared for it. It’s a huge change for a lot of folks. You don’t have a movie theater, you don’t have major shopping. “But if they want to go someplace with a little less pricing and low commute times, I-76 is the place.”