The Business Times Volume 29 Issue 10

THE BUSINESS T IMES News MAY 26-JUNE 8, 2022

THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE FOR GRAND JUNCTION BUSINESS NEWS SINCE 1994

In this issue n Learn for less

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Trustees vote to lower by 40 percent the tuition for programs offered at Western Colorado Community College.

n Session review

State of Trends Contributors the valley n Local leaders envision the road ahead. Page 2

VOLUME 29, ISSUE 10

THEBUSINESSTIMES.COM

Opinion Business Briefs 5 Business People Almanac

Three West Slope legislators discuss what they saw as the good, bad and ugly of the latest session in Denver.

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n Healthy effort

A $300,000 gift supports a new program intended to address mental health issues in Mesa County.

n Grant winner

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Iron IQ, a Grand Junction firm serving the energy sector, receives a $250,000 grant promoting advanced industries.

n Rate retreats The unemployment rate continues to drop in Mesa County as local employers fill more job openings

n Less stress

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Employers who help their employees relieve financial stress gain a competitive advantage in retaining talent.

n Departments Almanac Business Briefs Business People Contributors News Opinion Trends

30-31 28 30 21-25 2-18 26-27 19-20

Business Times photo by Phil Castle

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THE BUSINESS T IMES News The Business Times

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May 26-June 8, 2022

Learn for less: Trends Tuition cut for WCCC coursesContributors New initiative hailed for both lowering educational costs and developing work force

Opinion Business Briefs Business People Almanac Phil Castle

The Business Times

As both a member of the board of trustees that oversees Colorado Mesa University and business owner, Tim Fry hails a new initiative reducing community college tuition.

The initiative will not only make secondary education less costly and more accessible, but also bolster the work force and in turn economic development, Fry said.

“I’m really excited about what’s happening here. It really is going to make a difference.”

Fry, president and chief executive officer of the Mountain Racing Products bicycle parts manufacturer in Grand Junction, was among the speakers at a news conference announcing the Learn for Less initiative at Western Colorado Community College.

CMU trustees voted Colorado Mesa University to lower tuition for career Trustee Tim Fry praises an and technical education initiative cutting by nearly courses offered at WCCC. 40 percent tuition for Set to begin for the career and technical fall 2022 semester, the education courses offered initiative will lower tuition at Western Colorado for in-state students from Community College. $321.45 a credit hour to (Business Times photo

by Phil Castle) $197 a credit hour.

The initiative is made possible in part by a gift from the estate of Tillie and Pat Bishop. Tillie Bishop was a former CMU trustee, county commissioner and state legislator. He also served as an administrator at CMU and taught in public schools. The campus at WCCC is named after him.

Fry said reducing tuition at WCCC will help in developing the local work force, which in turn will fill jobs with existing businesses and attract new businesses. “This will benefit every employer.”

CMU President John Marshall said the reduction will make tuition for career and technical education programs at WCCC at or below any other programs in Colorado.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis attended the news conference and also praised efforts to save students and their families money as well as promote careers and strengthen the economy.

The initiative adds to other efforts in Colorado in which students earn college credits at no charge while attending high school, Polis said.

See LESS page 16

State of the valley The Grand Valley spreads out below a scenic overlook along Little Park Road south of Grand Junction.

Government efforts address issues, but affordable housing a challenge

G Cody Davis

Pete Baier

Anna Stout

Greg Caton

Joel Kincaid

Mike Bennett

Greg Mikolai

Janet Hawkinson

overnment efforts under way in the Grand Valley will address everything from child care in Clifton and health care in Palisade to business development in Grand Junction and Fruita. But additional challenges remains, among them a shortage of affordable housing.

Officials from Mesa County, the cities of Grand Junction and Fruita and town of Palisade discussed a range of issues during a state of the valley luncheon hosted by the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce.

The panel featured Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis, Mesa County Administrator Pete Baier, Grand Junction Mayor Anna Stout, Grand Junction City Manager Greg Caton, Fruita Mayor Joel Kincaid, Fruita City Manager Mike Bennett, Palisade Mayor Greg Mikolai and Palisade Town Manager Janet Hawkinson.

Davis said Mesa County will allocate resources, including nearly $28 million in federal funding from the American Recovery Act, to Clifton. A campus there will include a community hall as well as an early childhood education center to help address what he called a child care desert with insufficient services to meet demand.

Community halls also are planned for De Beque, Whitewater and the Loma and Mack area.

Baier said additional funds have been allocated for broadband internet in Collbran, water and sewer infrastructure in De Beque and a health clinic in Palisade.

Mikolai said the clinic will be located in a former high school.

A total of $2.5 million from Mesa County and the federal government will help offset construction costs. Once completed, the clinic will bring back medical services to a town that’s been without a practice for 20 years, he said.

Caton said the City of Grand Junction is working to handle increasing development and the infrastructure that will require. “We see the growth coming.”

Among other things, the city has increased staffing and is opening new fire stations to respond more quickly to emergencies, he said.

Bennett said record sales tax collections in each of the past five years reflects business and population growth in Fruita, including downtown and the area south of downtown. “We’re seeing our small businesses grow at a fast rate.”

See VALLEY page 14

STORY AND PHOTO BY PHIL CASTLE

May 26-June 8, 2022

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s of the Western Slope than 100 years.

well-rounded Small business group perspective gives Colorado Legislature a Dtothenew Mesa County role

Phil Castle

The Business Times

Three state legislators from Western A small business advocacy group assigned the Colorado Colorado said measures enacted in the latest Legislature a barely passing grade for its latest session. session will eliminate fees and reduce taxes, Phil Castle as well as New England and Canada.

The TheNational Federation of Business Times Whidden said people who work in but only on a temporary basis.

Independent Business gave lawmakers “A lot of things got waived,” said State information technology aren’t just “geeks,” a collective D-.

Rep. Janice Rich.

Frank Whidden brings what he but offer an important perspective because “This year, it was better to watch State Rep. Matt Soper said the measures considers a well-rounded perspective to his they’re familiar with nearly every aspect of sausages being made than laws,” said are intended to make voters feel better going new job as Mesa County administrator. operations and how work gets done. They Tony Gagliardi, Colorado state director into the election this November, but aren’t Whidden worked also tend to think about new and potentially of the NFIB. “While there were a few in information better ways of doing things in asking and permanent. “All of those come right back.”

Janice Rich pieces of legislation that will be helpful State Sen. Don Coram said there’s an technology and holds answering “what if ” questions. “They know to the state’s job creators, the majority advantage to sunset provisions, though, in that a master’s degree in how to effect change in an organization.” of bills passed will increase costs Tony Gagliardi they allow for the ability to review legislation computer information Whidden expects to bring that same on Coloradans and small businesses and make some programs go away. systems. But he also approach to his duties as administrator. exponentially.”

Rich, Soper and Coram discussed the holds a doctoral Whidden said it’s his role to help The NFIB selected a total of nine measures it placed degree in applied county commissioners make and then session during a legislative wrapup breakfast under the categories of good, bad and ugly. management and implement decisions. The commissioners hosted by the Grand Junction Area Chamber There bills deemed highlights of the session provide decision making and Frank Whidden in turn represent the residents of the of Commerce. State Sen. Ray Scott didn’t a workaround on the federal cap on state and local tax worked for more than county and express their will, he said. “We attend. deductions, an extension of the period businesses can begin Rich, a Republican from Grand Junction, 20 years as a minister. Whidden has work for the people.”

Matt Soper represented House District 55. She’s running using destination source rules on sales and use taxes and a worked for large and small organizations Whidden said he also considers himself temporary reduction of commercial and residential property in both the private and public sectors. a liaison between the commissioners and for election to the Senate District 7 seat tax assessments.

Whidden expects to draw on all of his county staff, and one of the priorities is to vacated by Scott, a Republican from Grand A total of six bad and ugly bills included a measure experiences in helping Mesa County make sure employees feel valued. Whidden Junction who’s term limited on wage theft, more environmental regulations and a bill Soper, a Republican from Delta, commissioners make and carry out decisions. said he hopes not only to improve morale, making it easier to sue employers. represents House District 54.

Valuing staff and making the county but also take steps that will make Mesa Gagliardi said Senate Bill 234 forced the NFIB to oppose Coram, a Republican from Montrose, an employer of choice is among the County an organization for which people a measure containing $600 million for the state unemployment represented Senate District 6, but also is priorities, Whidden said. So is planning want to work. insurance trust fund. The unchecked expansion of new that results in sustainable funding and Meanwhile, Whidden expects the term-limited. He’s challenging U.S. Rep. programs and benefits made the cost too high, he said. balanced budgets on a long-term basis. county to continue policies and initiatives Lauren Boebert in the primary in the 3rd F Meanwhile, Mesa County will that support local business and Doneconomic Coram Congressional District.

See SESSION page 18 continue to pursue efforts that promote a development. There are additional steps friendly business environment and economic development, Whidden said.

Whidden officially began working as county administrator at the beginning of the year. He succeeds Tom Fisher, who was hired as county manager in Summit County, Utah.

Whidden joined Mesa County in August 2011 as information technology director. In April 2014, he became deputy county administrator for resource management in a staffing reorganization that eliminated four director positions.

Before joining Mesa County, Whidden worked for a company providing information technology services to colleges and universities. In that role, he managed IT systems and services for institutions in Alabama, Arizona, Illinois

that can be taken to make it easier for local businesses to sell products and services to the county, he added.

Mesa County will keep working with other government entities, organizations and institutions on fostering an environment that supports existing businesses and attracts new businesses, he said.

Whidden said there could be a opportunities to encourage the additional development of businesses that provide services to the agricultural industry as well as promote Mesa County as a distribution center for the region.

The important thing is to consider issues from a well-rounded perspective, Whidden said. “We won’t be myopic as we look at things.” ✦

May 26-June 8, 2022

The Business Times

Bryan Johnson, president of St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction, speaks at news conference about a $300,000 gift to support efforts to address mental health issues in Mesa County. The conference also featured, from left, Dr. Marc Harrison, president and chief executive officer of Intermountain Healthcare, as well as Mesa County Commissioner Janet Rowland and Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell. (Business Times photo by Phil Castle)

$300,000 gift earmarked for program to address behavioral health issues Phil Castle

The Business Times

A $300,000 gift will help support a new program to address mental health issues in Mesa County.

Intermountain Healthcare announced its gift to meet needs identified by the Mesa County Mental Health Collaborative.

An intensive case management program expected to start this fall will help people with mental health issues and in turn reduce criminal activity and hospitalizations.

Intermountain Healthcare recently merged with SCL Health, which operated St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction.

Dr. Marc Harrison, president and chief executive officer of Intermountain Healthcare, said at a news conference it was fitting to earmark the gift to collaborative efforts to meet behavioral health needs, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s never been more acute than right now.”

Bryan Johnson, president of St. Mary’s, said the gift will help improve access to mental health services as well as a network addressing the issue.

Mesa County Commissioner Janet Rowland said the gift will be combined with a nearly $400,000 grant from the Office of Behavioral Health and additional money from a seizure fund from the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Todd Rowell said he was grateful for the gift. “This $300,000 goes so far in supporting this endeavor.”

Johnson said representatives from health care, mental health, law enforcement, human services and other community agencies joined in February of 2021 to

form the Mesa County Mental Health Collaborative.

The group since has worked to develop resources to address mental health issues, including case management, crisis response and telemedicine.

Johnson said patients with mental health issues show up in emergency rooms when that isn’t necessarily the best place to help them.

Rowell said about half the inmates in the Mesa County Jail experience mental health issues.

Many people with mental health issues don’t receive the treatment they need, he said, because of gaps in support services.

“We need to fix that.”

An intensive case management program set to start in September will help people with severe and persistent mental health issues that affect their ability to meet basic needs and connect to support services. The program will ensure people have access to mental health care as well as promote coordination among providers and agencies.

A team of case managers, peer recovery coaches and a psychiatric nurse is expected to serve about 70 people through 2023, when permanent funding is expected to be in place.

Two nonprofit organizations in Mesa County will be contracted to run the program.

Harrison said the gift will help Intermountain and St. Mary’s Medical Center fulfill their missions to help people by not only providing health care services, but also promoting proactive measures.

“What we really prefer to do is keep them healthy to begin with.”

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May 26-June 8, 2022

Grand Junction firm among grant recipients A Grand Junction-based company serving the energy industry is among the latest winners of grants promoting advanced industries in Colorado.

Iron IQ received a $250,000 grant from the Advanced Industries Accelerator Program, part of a total of more than $8.5 million distributed to 38 startups and researchers.

Iron IQ helps oil and natural gas operators connect equipment, staff and processes on the cloud through supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA). The company provides services and products for control, data collection, device integration and monitoring from the field to a data center.

Iron IQ was among the firms receiving early stage capital and retention grants through the program, administered by the Global Business Development

Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT).

The Advanced Industries Accelerator Program promotes advanced industries by increasing access to capital, accelerating commercialization, encouraging public-private partnerships and creating strong infrastructure.

More than 100 grant applicants were reviewed in the latest cycle. The Economic Development Commission approved the final recommendations on May 19.

In addition to Iron IQ, other Western Colorado recipients included a Durango brewery looking to reduce the amount of plastic used in production processes, a Durango company that’s developed modular parklets and fencing for outdoor dining and a Dolores hard cider producer.

“Innovations in advanced industries have enormous

potential to change the world we live in, yet the market typically underinvests in early stage technologies. At the same time, partnerships between the private and public sector can be integral to furthering new ideas,” said Rama Haris, advanced industries senior manager at OEDIT. “With these grant programs, we aim to fill a funding gap left by the market and foster the types of partnerships that will help Colorado’s advanced industries continue to lead their fields.”

Past recipients of grants include Mountain Racing Products, a bicycle components manufacturer in Grand Junction awarded $250,000 through the program in 2017.

ProStar, a software and services company in Grand Junction, received a $250,000 grant in 2016.

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May 26-June 8, 2022

Makerspace gains acclaim for educational endeavors

Along with providing services to help entrepreneurs start and grow businesses, a Grand Junction facility hosts awardwinning programs involving robotics and geographic information systems The GJmakerspace at the Business Incubator Center hosts the Hi Fives robotics team. The team of high school students designs, builds and programs robots for competition while promoting science, technology, engineering and math activities.

The Hi Fives and an alliance with two other teams won a regional competition in Denver. The Hi Fives won the gracious professionalism award at a regional competition in Utah and a wild card berth to the World Championships in Houston.

Competing against a total of 450 teams from 13 counties, the Hi Fives won the imagery award for their division.

The GJmakerspace also hosts a program offer training to teachers and students on geographic information systems and other topics.

Heidi Ragsdale established the GeoMaker Institute with a grant from the National Geographic Society.

Ragsdale received the 2022 GeoTech Center lifetime achievement award in geospatial education and will accept the recognition at the 2022 GeoEd Conference and Exploratorium in June.

Ragsdale is a certified geospatial educator, National Geographic certified educator and mentor and teacher advisory council member with National Geographic.

She’s also a space exploration educator crew Orion member with Space Center Houston, a Space Foundation teacher liaison and solar system ambassador.

The GJmakerspace offers equipment, classes and other resources to help entrepreneurs, inventors, scientists, artists and others to develop products and services.

The Business Incubator Center incubator program and commercial kitchen offers low-cost space and shared services for businesses. A revolving loan fund offers access to capital to small businesses. The center also oversees a program offering tax credits for capital projects.

Over the past year, the center was involved in the launch of 28 companies, nearly $9.7 million in revenue, the creation and retention of 244 jobs and the funding of 18 businesses.

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FOR YOUR INFORMATION The Business Incubator Center is located at 2591 Legacy Way. For more information about programs and services offered there, call 243-5242 or visit the website at https://gjincubator.org.

May 26-June 8, 2022

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May 26-June 8, 2022

News, views Ceremony and advice to kick off you can use work on high school Subscribe today

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A groundbreaking ceremony has been scheduled for June 1 to celebrate construction of a new Grand Junction High School.

The ceremony is set for 10 a.m. near what was a baseball field at the high school.

Construction is under way on the new high school on the northeast portion of the school grounds. The project is scheduled for completion in 2024.

Voters approved in 2021 a measure allowing Mesa County School District 51 to increase its debt to $115 million to replace the 65-year-old Grand Junction High School.

The new 250,000-square-foot high school is designed to accommodate 1,600 students. The high school also will include a 1,500-seat auditorium, the largest community facility of its kind between Denver and Salt Lake City.

DLR Group designed the new high school in partnership with BG+co., a Grand Junction architecture firm. FCI based in Grand Junction serves as general contractor.

“DLR Group is incredibly proud to be an integral part in crafting educational environments for GJHS students and faculty to leverage for their success,” said Greg Cromer, principal of the firm.

“Reflecting the community interest and heritage of GJHS was a complementary driver in the design solution, and I certainly hope it will be embraced as a community asset.”

Cromer said the design team took into account information from Mesa County School District 51 leaders as well as a faculty and students and community and design advisory groups.

The design reflects three guiding principles, he said: reinforce connections between students and faculty to encourage personalized approaches to student success; incorporate four learning academies, each designed to empower collaboration and support diversity of learning styles; and create a hub for the school to gather, host and connect with the community.

The design also a reflects the setting of the new school and natural features of the area, including the Bookcliffs, Colorado National Monument and Grand Mesa.

“As a community-based firm, our focus was to bring together a team that would exceed the expectations of the district and elevate the conversation specific to educational trends and the impact that can have on student success,” said Peter Icenogle, principal at BG+co.

“We believe this facility will provide a long-term solution for meeting district and community needs and will do so in an energy efficient manner.”

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May 26-June 8, 2022

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May 26-June 8, 2022

News, views Kiwanis Club and advice honors three you can use with awards

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The Kiwanis Club of Grand Junction honored three people for their contributions to the community and education.

Mona Highline, executive director of the Joseph Center, was named the club’s 2022 citizen of the year.

Amy Byrne, a teacher at Lincoln Orchard Mesa Elementary School, was named Mona Highline 2022 educator of the year. Tom Haas, the athletic director at Orchard Mesa Middle School, was named 2021 educator of the year.

Highline helped found the Joseph Center in 2016 to provide a place for young mothers Amy Byrne to stay while searching for jobs.

Byrne serves more than 160 students a day in her computer lab.

She’s taught elementary and special needs students for more than 20 years. She also served in leadership Tom Haas positions in Boy Scouts for 25 years.

Haas worked at Orchard Mesa Middle School for nearly 30 years, where he’s coached basketball, track, volleyball and wrestling teams. He also serves as the varsity volleyball coach at Grand Junction High School and has been active in 4-H programs.

The Kiwanis Club of Grand Junction is part of a global organization of volunteers working to improve communities and help children.

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Pancake fund-raiser planned for June 11

The Kiwanis Club of Grand Junction has scheduled its annual Pancake Day benefit event for June 11.

The 54th annual Pancake Day event is set for 8 a.m. to noon at the Mesa County Fairgrounds, 2785 U.S. Highway 50.

The event will include not only allyou-can-eat pancakes, but also a pancake decorating station, activity booth, games, live music and silent auction.

Tickets sell for $6 and can be purchased at the event or online at the website at https://kiwanis-gj.org.

Sponsorships also are available.

Proceeds from Pancake Day will be donated to local nonprofit organizations that help children.

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May 26-June 8, 2022

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May 26-June 8, 2022

Valley

Continued from page 2 Bennett said he also expects the Fruita Commercial and Industrial Business Park to continue grow. “We’ve seen a lot more investment in that area.”

Even as local governments address some issues, challenges persist, officials said.

Stout and Bennett said a shortage of affordable housing remains one of those issues.

Stout said the Grand Junction City Council and city staff are considering a number of strategies to make housing more affordable and accessible. One effort could help achieve the goal of creating 45 to 75 affordable housing units a year.

Bennett said a gap between average wages and average housing prices has made it more difficult to find housing in Fruita. One possible solution to the problem might be a program offering down payment assistance.

In Palisade, Mikolai and Hawkinson said efforts are under way to consolidate fire districts into a single district for the east end of the Grand Valley and in turn improve emergency response services.

Mikolai said an impending consolidation of sewer services with the Clifton Sanitation District could afford an opportunity to reclaim sewer lagoons in Palisade and use that property for different uses.

Asked to envision what likely will be the most pressing issues in the coming year, Stout said housing will remain a priority.

But so will responsible development and promoting a strong economy. “It’s going to be all of the above.”

Stout also praised the collaboration among governments in the Grand Valley to address issues. “These entities work well together.”

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22 students graduate from library programs

A total of 22 students graduated from two educational programs offered through Mesa County Libraries based in Grand Junction.

Six graduates received high school diplomas through the Career Online High School, a program designed for adults to advance their educations and career training.

Another 16 graduates completed the General Educational Development preparation program and passed the GED test. The program offers both an in-class setting as well as online options.

The graduating class is the largest since Mesa County Libraries began offering the Career Online High School program in 2017 and GED preparation in 2018.

Six students are involved in the Career Online High School program and 66 in the GED program.

Enrollment for fall 2022 classes is scheduled for June and July.

For more information about resources from the Mesa County Libraries Adult Learning Center, call 683-2443.

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May 26-June 8, 2022

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May 26-June 8, 2022

Colorado Mesa University President John Marshall announces an initiative reducing tuition for career and technical education courses at Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction.

He said the cut makes tuition for programs there at or lower than any other programs in the state.

(Business Times photo by Phil Castle)

Less

Continued from page 2 Work force development will further speed in Colorado what’s been the fifth fastest economic recovery in the United States following the COVID-19 pandemic, Polis said. “We need people with strong technical skills to power our economy.”

Moreover, the Learn for Less initiative and other efforts at WCCC and CMU serve as model, he said. “They’re setting an example of bold innovation for others to follow.”

Brigitte Sundermann, vice president of community college affairs at Colorado Mesa University, said reducing tuition at WCCC builds on a mission to not only prepare students for careers, but also meet the work force needs of businesses.

“Community, business and students. That’s why we’re here.”

Celia Russell, a student in the veterinary technology program at WCCC, said lower tuition will help her as she pursues a vocation she said she enjoys as much as a vacation. The single mother of two said she’ll have more money for food and gasoline while also reducing college debt.

Marshall said a “sizable” gift from the Bishop estate will help make up for the reduction in tuition.

Lena Elliott and Terry Farina, community leaders who knew and worked with Tillie Bishop, said the gift reflects his passion for education.

“That good will live on for generations,” Farina said.

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May 26-June 8, 2022

Applications sought for tourism assistance Applications will be accepted until June 7 for a new program offering assistance to Colorado tourism destinations.

The Colorado Tourism Office operates the Reimagine Destinations Program and will partner with destination organizations on projects that promote the tourism industry.

Participating organizations will receive: n An assessment to understand tourism priorities, objectives and activities. n A full-day community visioning and action planning workshop. n 100 hours of free consulting from a tourism expert to advance priority projects. n $20,000 of direct marketing support from the Colorado Tourism Office.

This new program is funded through a $2.4 million federal grant paired with $600,000 in matching support from the Colorado Tourism Office.

The Reimagine Destinations Program is the second and final offering available for Colorado destination organizations as part of the CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant and seeks to build on the Restart Destinations Program launched in 2021.

“We saw a tremendous statewide response to the Restart Destinations Program, and are excited to continue this momentum with the Colorado tourism industry through the Reimagine Destinations Program,” said Andrew Grossman, Colorado Tourism Office director of destination development.

Interested applicants should visit the program page at https://oedit.colorado. gov/colorado-recovery-assistance-fortourism#reimagine. Applicants also should submit a brief letter of interest prior to completing the full application.

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Session

Continued from page 4 Among the measures enacted during the latest legislative session are bills that reduce property taxes for businesses and homeowners and offer fee relief, including fees for starting businesses. Soper said the measures are temporary, though, and taxes and fees will return.

While the Legislature also built up state reserves, Coram said it might have been better to spend some of that money on needed infrastructure projects given the effects of inflation that will make the work more expensive to complete later.

Soper said several of the measures he sponsored were enacted and signed into law.

One measure creates a website offering free access to every opinion of the Colorado Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. Another measure defines controlled environmental agricultural facilities used to plant, grow, harvest crops as agricultural property for property tax purposes.

Soper, Rich and Coram all said they were concerned, though, about attacks on the agricultural industry and what could happen with future legislation. Coram said he also was concerned about initiative process and would could end up on ballots.

The three legislators thanked the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce for its ongoing role in legislative processes and taking positions in support and against various measures.

Soper said it’s important to take a proactive role in developing legislation rather than react to what’s been introduced.

“It’s really tough to always play defense.”

Coram said its vital the chamber not only remain involved, but also establish relationships with legislators, including those from urban areas who might not be as familiar with the Western Colorado issues.

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News Trends Contributors Jobless rate retreats Opinion Business Briefs Business People Almanac The Business Times

May 26-June 8, 2022

Page 19

INDICATORS AT A GLANCE

n Business filings

t New business filings in Colorado, 43,780 in the first quarter, down 2.1 percent from the first quarter of 2021.

n Confidence

t Consumer Confidence Index 107.3 for April, down 0.3. t Leeds Business Confidence Index for Colorado, 53.9 for the second quarter, down 4.1 n National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Optimism Index 93.2 for April, unchanged.

n Foreclosures s Foreclosure filings in Mesa County, 24 in April, up from 4 in April 2021. t Foreclosure sales in Mesa County, 0 in April, down from 4 in April 2021.

n Indexes

t Conference Board Employment Trends Index, 120.18 for April, down 0.6. t Conference Board Leading Economic Index 119.2 for April, down 0.3%. t Institute for Supply Management Purchasing Managers Index for manufacturing, 57.1% for April, down 1.2%.

n Lodging

s Lodging tax collections in Grand Junction, $226,835 for March, up 58.7% from March 2021.

n Real estate

t Real estate transactions in Mesa County, 448 in April, down 7.1% from April 2021. s Dollar volume of real estate transactions in Mesa County, $197 million in April, up 6.5% from April 2021.

n Sales

s Sales and use tax collections in Grand Junction, $5 million for March, up 13% from March 2021. s Sales and use tax collections in Mesa County, $4.5 million for April, up 4.6% from April 2021.

n Unemployment t Mesa County — 3.3% for April, down 0.6. t Colorado — 3.6% for April, down 0.1. n United States — 3.6% for April, unchanged.

Labor shortage persists, but supply starting to catch up with demand Phil Castle

of those openings have been filled.”

For April, 809 job orders were posted.

That’s down almost 23 percent from the April March The unemployment rate continues to 1,046 orders posted for the same month t Delta County 3.4 4.0 drop in Mesa County as employers enjoy last year. t Garfield County 2.8 3.2 more success in filling job openings.

Through the first four months of t Mesa County 3.3 3.9 What’s typically 2022, 3,379 orders were posted. That’s up t Montrose County 3.3 3.8 a seasonal spike in slightly from the 3,338 orders posted for t Rio Blanco County 3.9 4.5 the jobless rate in the same span in 2021. But Englehart said June could interrupt he expects that to change because orders the trend. Overall, though, conditions are exceeded 1,000 for most months last year. improving, said Curtis Englehart, director of Employers participating in a recent job fair the Mesa County the Mesa County Workforce Center in Grand Workforce Center staged in conjunction with Colorado Mesa Junction.

University reported receiving quality applications for openings, The seasonally unadjusted unemployment he said.

Englehart said there’s strong demand across most industry Curtis Englehart rate dropped six-tenths of a point between March and April to 3.3 percent, according to sectors — not only health care, but also construction, manufacturing the latest estimates from the Colorado Department of Employment and transportation. and Labor.

He said he’s encouraged about the year ahead. “I still feel The jobless rate has dropped 1.2 points over the last two months good about where we are in the economy.” to the lowest level since before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic Seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates also dropped in in early 2020. At this time in 2021, the rate stood at 6.3 percent. neighboring Western Colorado counties in April: six-tenths of a Between March and April, Mesa County payrolls were point to 3.4 percent in Delta County and 3.9 percent in Rio Blanco essentially unchanged at 76,204. The number of people counted County, a half point to 3.3 percent in Montrose and four-tenths of among those unsuccessfully looking for work dropped 477 to 2,637. a point to 2.8 percent in Garfield County.

The labor force, which includes the employed and unemployed, The statewide seasonally adjusted jobless rate edged down a shrank 480 to 78,841. tenth of a point to 3.6 percent, the lowest level since the rate stood Over the past year, payrolls rose 3,814 or nearly 5.3 percent. at 2.8 percent in February 2020 and the onset of the COVID-19 The ranks of the unemployed decreased 2,259. The labor force pandemic in the United States. swelled 1,555.

Nonfarm payrolls increased 16,600 between March and The jobless rate usually increases in June as high school April. Over the past two years, Colorado has added 403,500 jobs and college graduates join the work force, but haven’t yet found — more than the 374,500 jobs lost in March and April 2020 as a positions. Afterwards, Englehart said he expects the rate to slip result of the pandemic and related restrictions. further, although at a slower pace.

Over the past year, payrolls grew 129,000 with the largest While employers still face labor shortages, there are some gains in the leisure and hospitality; professional and business indications the situation is improving, he said. “It does feel like a services; and trade, transportation and utilities sectors. little more relief than we had last year.”

Over the past year, the average workweek for employees on The number of job orders posted at the Mesa County private, nonfarm payrolls shortened two-tenths of an hour to 33.3 Workforce Center are beginning to decrease on a year-over-year hours. Average hourly earnings increased 11 cents to $34.34. basis despite continued demand, he said. “That’s telling me a lot F The Business Times

AREA JOBLESS RATES

Mesa County tax collections trend upward Tax collections, a measure of sales activity, continue to increase on a year-over-year basis in Mesa County.

The county collected more than $4.1 million in sales taxes in April, a 5.4 percent increase over what was collected for the same month a year ago.

April reports reflect March sales.

Sales, use and lodging tax collections for the City of Grand Junction weren’t available as of press deadline.

Mesa County also collected nearly $381,000 in use taxes in April — nearly all of it from automobiles purchased outside the county, but used in the county. That was a 3.9 percent decrease from the same month last year.

Tax collections on retail sales totaled nearly $2.5 million in April, down six-tenths of a percent from the same month a year ago. Collections increased on the sales of home improvements, food and beverages and sporting goods and other hobbies.

Collections decreased on the sales of automobiles, clothing and general merchandise.

Sales tax collections for the month also increased in the hotel and restaurant, manufacturing and telecommunications industries.

Through the first four months of 2022, Mesa County collected more than $15 million in sales taxes. That’s an increase of nearly

MESA COUNTY TAX COLLECTIONS

Use tax Sales tax Total

April 2021 $395,454 $3,893,677 $4,289,131

April 2022 $380,195 $4,104,902 $4,485,097

Change -3.9% 5.4% 4.6%

$1.8 million and 13.5 percent over the same span in 2021.

The county collected almost $1.4 million in use taxes through the first four months of 2022, also a 13.5 increase over a similar span in 2021.

Year-to-date tax collections on retail sales totaled nearly $9.3 million, an increase of more than $700,000 and 8.2 percent over 2021. Collections increased on a year-over-year basis in every retail category but one. Collections edged down four-tenths of a percent on the sales of food and beverages.

Sales tax collections also increased 15.9 percent in the hotel and restaurant industry, 20.5 percent in the manufacturing industry and 35.5 percent in the telecommunications industry. Collections declined 12.6 percent in the oil and natural gas industry.

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May 26-June 8, 2022

Optimism index drops for Leading U.S. index retreats, building, services sectors but continues to signal growth A measure of optimism among small business owners fell in the construction and services sectors.

The optimism index for the construction sector fell to 92.3 for April, down seven points from a quarterly report in January. The index for the services sector retreated 2.6 points to 94.2, according to the Holly Wade National Federation of Independent Business.

The reading was higher at 99.1 for the manufacturing sector and came in at 93.4 for retailers.

The overall Small Business Optimism Index held steady at 93.2, unchanged from March.

“Optimism among these industries varies due to their unique set of circumstances and the degree to which inflation, supply chain disruptions and a staffing shortage are impacting their business,” said Holly Wade, executive director of the NFIB Research Center.

The small business advocacy group bases the index on the results of surveys of members, most of them small business owners.

Nearly 60 percent of owners in the

construction industry who responded to the survey reported unfilled job openings — the highest proportion among all sectors.

Almost 65 percent of owners reported few or no qualified applicants for openings.

Among the owners of manufacturing firms, 53 percent reported unfilled job openings. A net 28 percent reported plans to create new jobs over the next three months, eight points higher than the share for all firms.

A net negative 2 percent of owners of manufacturing firms said they expect higher sales in the next three months. That compared to a net negative 12 percent among all survey respondents.

Most of the decline in optimism among owners of businesses in the services sector reflected less upbeat expectations for improving economic conditions and increased sales. The proportion of those who said they expect increased sales over the next three months fell seven points.

At a net negative 9 percent, more owners anticipated decreased sales.

Among owners of small businesses in the retail sector, the share of those who expect economic conditions to improve over the next six months dropped 18 points to a net negative 47 percent. Earnings trends retreated from the previous quarter to a net negative 18 percent.

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An index forecasting economic conditions in the United States has slipped on declines in consumer expectations and residential building permits.

The Conference Board reported its Leading Economic Index fell three-tenths of a percent to 119.2 in April. The index remains up nine-tenths of a percent over the past six months.

Separate measures of current and past performance increased in April.

Ataman Ozyildirim, senior director of economic research at the Conference Board, said the indexes signal continued growth, but at a moderate pace.

Gross domestic product, the broad measure of goods and services produced in the country, is still projected to increase Ataman Ozyildirim 2.3 percent on a year-over-year basis in 2022.

Challenges persist, however, Ozyildirim said. “A range of downside risks — including inflation, rising interest rates, supply chain disruptions and pandemicrelated shutdowns, particularly in China — continue to weigh on the outlook.”

The Coincident Economic Index rose four-tenths of a percent to 108.8 in April.

The index has increased 1.6 percent over the past six months.

The Lagging Economic Index advanced four-tenths of a percent to 11.6 in April. The index has gained 2.6 percent over the past six months.

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CEO confidence drops for second quarter A measure of confidence among business executives has dropped to its lowest level since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

The Conference Board and Business Council reported the Measure of CEO Confidence fell to 42 for the second quarter, down 15 points from the first quarter. Readings below 50 reflect more

negative than positive responses.

The declined was attributed to inflation, supply chain issues and expectations for a worsening economy. Fully 60 percent of the executives who responded to the survey said they expect the economy to worsen over the next six months, up from 23 percent in the first quarter.

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Trends Contributors Opinion wellness Financial Business Briefs Business People Almanac

May 26-June 8, 2022

The Business Times

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COMING ATTRACTIONS

n The Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction has scheduled presentations on starting businesses and using Excel spreadsheets.

The next session of a business startup workshop is set for 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. June 2 at the Fruita Civic Center, 325 E. Aspen Ave. The workshop will cover the business planning process, including financing options, legal structures, licensing, state registration and trade name searches. Admission is $55, which also includes access to one-hour Fast Trac presentations on business basics.

A class on the basics of Excel spreadsheets is set for 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. June 6 at the Business Incubator Center, 2591 Legacy Way. Admission is $35. Participants must bring their own laptop computers.

For more information about upcoming events, programs and services at the Business Incubator Center, call 243-5242 or log on to http://gjincubator.org. n The Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce has scheduled s state of the community breakfast for 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. June 1 at the Absolute Prestige Ranch, 1351 Q Road in Loma.

Community leaders will review the previous year and discuss goals for the coming year. Admission is $10 for chamber members, $20 for others.

The next Open Coffee Club networking meeting is set for 9 to 10 a.m. June 17 at the FWorks coworking space at 325 E. Aspen Ave. in Fruita. Members of the Fruita chamber may attend at no charge. Others pay $5.

To register for or obtain more information about chamber events, call 858-3894 or log on to https://fruitachamber.org. n The Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its next quarterly membership luncheon meeting for June 20.

The meeting is set for noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Colorado Mesa University Center south ballroom and will feature Loren Furman, president and chief executive officer of the Colorado Chamber of Commerce. Admission is $25 for chamber members, $30 for others.

To register for or obtain more information about chamber events, call 242-3214 or log on to https://gjchamber.org.

Employers can take steps to help relieve employee stress

When 56 percent of student loan borrowers say they’d take a punch in the face from heavyweight boxing legend Mike Tyson and 40 percent say they’d take a year off their life expectancies if it meant they were relieved of student debt, it probably means they’re under financial stress.

That was before the COVID-19 pandemic further complicated finances.

Financial stress appears endemic: About 75 percent of American workers say they experience financial anxiety every day. The causes for this are numerous and varied, from insufficient savings (80 percent) and retirement funds (73 percent) to ballooning credit card balances (19 percent).

Financial anxiety doesn’t exist Tim in a vacuum. There’s a link among Schermerhorn financial, emotional and physical health. When an employee’s financial anxiety becomes overwhelming, it affects body and mind.

What’s more, financial distress results in rising rates of absenteeism, presenteeism and workplace accidents that can result when workers are distracted with financial worries. Consider that 43 percent of employees spend time on their personal finances while at work.

Many employers realize a myopic focus on such core benefits as health, dental and vision insurance shortchanges employees. Finding ways to integrate financial wellness into a holistic strategy offers a competitive advantage, especially as many workers emerge from the pandemic feeling financially scarred.

Organizations trying to recruit and retain talent should keep in mind most workers don’t just want financial wellness programs, but expect them. More than 85 percent of employees say it’s important or very important for their employers to offer financial wellness initiatives even though only 12 percent say their employers offer extensive programs.What workers don’t want is complexity in their financial wellness programs. They want their employers’ help to assess their financial wellness and build their financial knowledge.

In developing or revamping your financial wellness strategies for this changing environment, consider the following three points: n You already offer employee financial wellness efforts.

A well-devised strategy delivers tangible returns — the cost of

financial wellness alone shouldn’t determine the viability of a program. In fact, many organizations already have financial wellness programs even if they don’t promote them, as most standard benefits include financial wellness resources.

Many benefits plans include employee assistance programs (EAPs) with financial wellness resources that cover legal and caregiving services that can help alleviate financial stress. Health savings accounts; flexible spending accounts; and such supplemental medical plans as accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity insurance can be critical to help pay out-of-pocket medical costs. Review what services are already offered and build a strategy to increase employee engagement with them.

Third party vendors are stepping into the void with new financial wellness programs, including student loan repayment solutions, workplace loan programs or employee purchasing discounts. n One size doesn’t fit all. A diverse workforce has varied financial needs, and a financial wellness strategy must be customized to fit the employee demographic. To evaluate the needs of the employee population, account for their age, income, life experiences, financial goals and seniority. Blue- and gray-collar workers face different financial pressures than other workers. These groups could be underbanked, with neither knowledge of nor access to quality financial services. A financial wellness strategy that responds to the needs of individual employees relieves workplace stress and increases productivity. n Leverage connectedness. The pieces that comprise health care and retirement plans, voluntary benefits and EAPs are connected. Review individual plan components and repackage them to cohesively reflect employee needs and help build stronger financial wellness. Removing the walls between employee benefits and retirement services can help — joint planning sessions between benefits and retirement plan committees is an excellent place to start.

Tim Schermerhorn is a vice president and employee benefits consultant with HUB International Insurance Services. His consulting and risk advisory services reduce the financial exposure of his clients and help them create sustainable employee benefit programs. Reach him at tim.schermerhorn@hubinternational.com. This column was provided by the Western Colorado Human Resource Association. For more information, visit www.wchra.org.

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The Business Times

May 26-June 8, 2022

Empower team members to solve problems There’s a tendency among business owners and managers to supply answers to team members rather than take time to help them find the answers for which they’re looking.

The prevailing belief is this saves time, and it might in the short term.

But over the long run, this approach costs time, weakens the business and adds to your responsibilities as your team remains dependent on you for solutions.

Business owners and managers frequently ask me: “How do you teach people to think?” This is a powerful question, one that can lead Marcus to significantly improved results.

Straub The answer: Learn to become a mentor and effective communicator and consistently encourage team members to think for themselves. If you want your company to operate at the highest levels, your team members must be taught it’s acceptable — and then continually encouraged — to think their way through situations rather than rely on you and others for answers or guess at solutions.

Thinking is a process of evaluating a situation and then exploring possible actions that will lead to a solution or desired outcome.

How do you effectively communicate to encourage people to think for themselves?

Begin by creating a safe environment for your team members to ask questions. This requires composure — not becoming angry, condescending, demeaning, disappointed, frustrated or judgmental as you work together toward a solution. Team members must feel safe to expose what they don’t know as they work with and learn from you.

People who don’t feel safe asking questions will often

You have a choice to make about developing team members: either increase their dependency on you for solutions or empower them to find solutions on their own.

guess what action to take — or take no action at all. This leads to errors that can ripple through business operations.

Accounts aren’t handled effectively, time and resources are wasted, customers become disgruntled and business suffers. This in turn will result in more time and resources spent to repair errors and relationships with customers.

Encourage team members to come to you with questions rather than guessing about the correct course of action. Help team members realize there’s strength in tapping available resources to learn and find solutions.

Here’s a critical component to your success: Rather than simply telling your team members the correct answers, take time to work with them to explore the situation. Ask them open-ended questions. This will allow everyone involved to develop greater clarity as you work together for a solution.

Ask team members what possible solutions they see.

Continue asking open-ended questions to fully draw out their perspectives. If their perception of the situation isn’t accurate, ask additional questions to help them deduce the best possible solution or send them in the direction of information that holds the solution.

Finally, have them teach you what they learned. This will let you know whether or not more work is needed and also help them to further ingrain what they’ve learned.

Over time, you’ll discover how to best mentor

each individual, and team members will learn they can collaborate with you to improve their abilities to make sound decisions.

This strengthens the bond between you and your team. In addition, your team will become more competent, fewer errors will be made and the company will deliver a far better experience to customers.

Keep in mind most people have been conditioned to rely on others for answers instead of learning to think for themselves. They fall back on a lifetime of experiences in which they were told who to be, what to do and how to think. When this conditioning is understood and overcome, individuals access more of their potential and perform at higher levels.

You have a choice to make about developing team members: either increase their dependency on you for solutions or empower them to find solutions on their own.

When you invest in your team members and their ability to think their way through a situation to find the solution, you’re helping them empower themselves. This grows their abilities, lessens their dependence on you, strengthens your business from within and improves your company’s performance.

Marcus Straub owns Life is Great Coaching in Grand Junction. His personalized coaching and consulting services help individuals, business owners, executives and companies build teams, organizations and lives filled with happiness and success. Straub is winner of the International Coach of the Year Award and author of “Is It Fun Being You?” He’s available for free consultations regarding coaching, speaking and trainings.

Reach Straub at 208-3150, marcus@ligcoaching.com or through the website located at www.ligcoaching.com.

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May 26-June 8, 2022

The Business Times

Page 23

How to set hourly rates for proposals and bids Hourly rates can be funny things.

Category/ Base Fringe Ovehead (benefits G&A Profit Rates don’t mean much since some people title hourly benefits rent, etc.) @100% @ 8$ @12% work faster or more effectively than others.

At the same time, though, many of the Equipment $23.93 $7.72 $23.93 $1.91 $2.87 projects you propose or bid on require operator hourly rates. ashalt How do you set laydown a realistic hourly rate that ensures you’re going to be able to pay everyone, cover Contractors or their subcontractors must pay workers overhead and other non-chargeable employed directly upon the site of the work no less than costs, get the work done on time and the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits paid on make a reasonable profit? projects of a similar character.

A good starting point for setting Keep in mind these tables are just the base wage and hourly rates is some type of published fringe benefits. You must “gross up” those amounts to wage scale. determine each fully burdened hourly rate.

These wage scales aren’t allMany other projects might use rates from the Colorado Janet inclusive, however. You still must Division of Labor Standards and Statistics. The wages on Arrowood add your overhead amounts to cover the agency website are primarily directed at farm laborers benefits, rent and other expenses as and minimum wage workers. well as general and administration and profit.

This agency has published extensive new and updated If you’re bidding on Colorado Department of public guidance on a variety of Colorado wage and hour Transportation projects or many other projects with a law topics. federal government component, you probably need to use For more information, visit the website located at Davis-Bacon Act wage tables — often referred to as the https://cdle.colorado.gov/wage-and-hour-laws. prevailing wage or Service Contract Act for services. In the Another source of typical hourly rates is your absence of other guidelines for your proposals and bids, trade or professional association website. Websites for these wage rates offer a great starting point. professional services hourly rates might already be fully The Davis-Bacon Act requires each contract for burdened since the rates are slanted toward consultants. more than $2,000 to which the United States or District Websites for construction and other trades might or might of Columbia is a party for the alteration, construction not be fully burdened. or repair of public buildings or public works to contain An example of a Davis-Bacon Act fully burdened a clause setting forth the minimum wages to be paid to wage calculation is shown in the table above. A link to the various classes of laborers and mechanics employed under webpage for Mesa County is located at https://sam.gov/ the contract. wage-determination/CO20220014/1.

The calculations for Service Contract Act projects are the same. Here’s a sample listing. A link for Mesa County is located at https://sam.gov/wage$60.36 determination/2015-5423/19.

21000 — materials handling and packing occupations 21020 — forklift operator $18.85.

21030 — material coordinator $25.58.

21040 — material expediter $25.58.

21050 — material handling laborer $15.13.

21071 — order filler $14.32.

21080 — production line worker (food processing) $18.85.

21110 — shipping packer $15.13.

21130 — shipping/receiving clerk $15.13.

The fringe benefits still apply, but aren’t included in this sample. Your numbers will vary depending on whether or not you include fringe benefits in the base amount and what percentages you use for overhead, general and administration and profit.

Still, as the numbers show, the real cost of each worker is more than double their hourly rate. Bidding a project based strictly on the base hourly rate is a money losing proposition.

If you bid a project without using fully burdened hourly rates, you are almost certain to lose money and probably won’t be able to deliver on your contract.

Total/ hour

Janet Arrowood is founder and managing director of the Write Source, a Grand Junction firm offering a range of services, including grant and proposal writing, instruction and technical writing. Reach her at janet.arrowood@thewritesourceinc.com. For more information, log on to www.TheWriteSourceInc.com.

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The Business Times

May 26-June 8, 2022

Serve employees by letting them serve customers Cousins Joe and Connie go absolutely bonkers over a few things: their children and grandchildren, anything Disney, retirement and fishing. Joe and Connie bought a recreational vehicle that enables them to travel the country to visit grandkids and Disney World while wetting lines en route.

Close to convincing my lovely wife, Bernadette, RVing is the way to go, I was unprepared to relay to her Joe and Connie’s recent RV saga. It had to do with imperfect situations and making things better. Not perfect, just better.

There’s a moral to the story for business owners and managers to empower their employees to make things better. Not perfect, just better Tim As Teddy Roosevelt said: “In any Haggerty moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”

A basic tenet of RV life is self-sufficiency. You have sleeping quarters, a kitchen and even your own bathroom and shower. If you have the imagination and money, you can travel in the lap of luxury as long as you have gasoline and potable water.

With some RVs, like Joe and Connie’s, there’s a small shower attachment that can be used outside to enable campers to rinse off. As Joe and Connie were fishing with their grandkids one beautiful Colorado weekend, Joe discovered the outside shower leaked and the potable water drained out.

Joe figured the best thing to do was immediately pack up and head back to Denver. With that single action, he demonstrated decisiveness is critical in maintaining both marital bliss and keeping pre-teen grandkids from suffering

Could anything like this happen in your organization? If anything like this is even remotely possible, I recommend you empower your employees to make things better.

Not perfect, just better.

an even more miserable time than getting skunked at fishing.

After dropping the kids back home with their parents, Joe and Connie drove to an RV dealership in hopes of making things better. But one frustrating salesperson after another and one clueless parts clerk after another brought Joe closer and closer to losing it.

“Did you buy it here?”

“We can schedule an appointment to have it fixed, but that’ll be at least another 6 to 8 weeks from now.”

Joe pleaded to simply help him make it better. He even asked the parts clerk for a hose cap to seal off the outside shower. They could do without the shower. Joe just wanted to save the potable water. Even the parts clerk couldn’t or wouldn’t help Joe. Every person Joe came in contact with could and should have been empowered to make things better. Not perfect, just better.

Joe asked to speak directly to the owner. After watching a salesperson carry on an animated conversation with someone in the owner’s office, the salesperson returned and told Joe the owner wasn’t in.

Snap. Joe lost it. “Can’t anyone help me?” he shouted at the top of his lungs.

Startled by the scream, a service manager finally came

to the rescue. Joe found the one person who could actually address his issue. Someone finally either appreciated his frustration or just wanted the chaos to end.

The manager said it would require a followup visit to address the issue. He added, “We have some plugs in the parts room that will work. You won’t be able to use the outside shower until we have the final fix, but you’ll be able to maintain the potable water for inside use.”

That’s all Joe wanted. He didn’t want to make things perfect, he just wanted them better.

Joe asked why he had to go through such consternation when the solution was so evident and available. Sheepish, the service manager admitted, “Unfortunately, that’s not how we do things around here.”

How many other organizations, departments and employees are hamstrung because “that’s not how we do things around here?”

Could anything like this happen in your organization?

If anything like this is even remotely possible, I recommend you empower your employees to make things better. Not perfect, just better.

Servant leadership can and does work. Serve your employees by allowing them to serve your customers.

Tim Haggerty and his wife, Bernadette, operate a consulting firm based in Grand Junction that helps clients transition from command-and-control to servant leadership and change the view of wages and benefits from expenses to investments. Haggerty brings to the venture more than 40 years of experience in operations management and a record of decreasing costs while increasing productivity and revenue. Reach him at info@timothyhaggerty.com or (610) 737-0496. More information is available at www.timothyhaggerty.com.

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Plan to make vacations more fitness-friendly Vacations, long car trips and busy schedules can disrupt our fitness routines. Whether traveling by car or plane or staying in hotels or with family, you can keep fitness a part of each day. Here are a few tips to help make your vacations more fitness-friendly.

Sitting in a car for a few or many hours a day traveling to that great vacation destination can make you feel tired and stiff. Moreover, car trips are notorious for combining little physical activity with eating the wrong foods.

Pull off at rest stops and stretch by reaching for the sky. Take deep breaths.

Spend a few moments walking around and seeing the sights. Stretching every Paula few hours will make you feel less worn.

Reece Here’s a game you can play when traveling with your family. At each stop, a different person gets to name the activity. It might be jumping jacks or running around the car. It could be as simple as racing each other to the “facilities.”

At times, airline travel can have you calling the airport your new home. Why not pack gym shoes in your carry-

on? You’ve seen the moving walkways. Don’t use them if time allows. There are places to walk and climb stairs in most airports.

When it comes to having a snack or meal, remember many food vendors offer nutritious choices. Consuming fewer calories while being less active is an important part of not gaining those extra vacation pounds. Pack some healthy treats in your purse or backpack. Dried fruit, nuts and water offer good choices.

Many hotels and resorts offer fitness centers. While your choices could be limited, remember any movement is better than nothing. Combine cardiovascular exercise — a treadmill or elliptical trainer — with strength training.

If your accommodations don’t include a fitness center, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Pack some resistance bands. They can be purchased at many health clubs, local retailers or online. Resistance bands come in different colors and widths. These differences reflect the amount of stretch they allow for more or less resistance. Try them out to see which ones work for you. Wrap your bands around a bedpost or doorknob. You can also use resistance bands by using your foot to step on the middle of the band for an arm workout, for example.

You can’t exactly pack weights in your suitcase,

so try filling disposable water bottles with water for a lightweight workout. Be creative. Many exercises can be done on the floor with nothing but your own body weight for resistance. Pushups, for example, offer a great upper body strength exercise and don’t require anything but you to perform. Situps, leg lifts and arm circles are just a few exercises that can be performed without equipment.

Cardiovascular exercise remains important when traveling. Many vacations involve sightseeing. Don’t underestimate the power of walking. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, bring water and wear sunscreen. You’ll get more heart-healthy exercise just by taking the stairs whenever possible.

By thinking ahead, you’ll keep your workout routine on schedule. No matter the mode of travel or destination, you still can exercise and eat right on vacation. Remember, too, it’s a vacation. Enjoy.

Paula and Dale Reece own Crossroads Fitness Centers in Grand Junction with a downtown location at 225 N. Fifth St. and north location at 2768 Compass Drive.

For more information, call 242-8746 or visit the website located at www.crossroadsfitness.com.

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Higher interest rates driving up capitalization rates With interest rates rising and expected to keep rising for the near future, expect commercial real estate capitalization rates to rise as well.

According to a recent report from a National Association of Realtors (NAR) research economist, however, the rise will be modest. Capitalization rates and prices work inversely — commercial property prices generally go up when cap rates come down, while prices generally fall when cap rates go up.

Here are some excerpts from the report. interest rates have been Tim rising“Though amid mounting inflation and Whitney the Fed’s efforts to control inflation by raising the federal funds rate (with anticipated rate increases), investors are factoring in the strong demand for commercial assets and local economic conditions. While cap rates are positively associated with the 10-year yield, cap rates don’t move in lock step with it.

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Commercial property prices generally go up when cap rates come down, while prices generally fall when cap rates go up.

For example, during the height of the pandemic in the third quarter of 2020, the risk spread for office and retail, which were the hardest hit assets after the economy went into a lockdown and many businesses remained closed, rose to as high as 6 percent. With an improving economy and the reopening of businesses, the risk premium for office and retail assets has compressed to around 4 percent.” Risk premium is calculated as the nominal cap rate less the 10-year treasury note yield.

The report continued: “As of the first quarter of 2022, the apartment market had the lowest risk premium at 2.5 percent (3.5 percent one year ago). With strong apartment demand, cap rates are likely to hover at 4.5 percent.

Industrial cap rates have also trended downwards to

3.5 percent (4.3 percent one year ago). Rising inflation will hit the retail sector the most, as consumers cut back on non-essential spending. With slower consumer spending, cap rates are expected to rise to 6.3 percent from the current level of 6.1 percent At the height of the pandemic in the second quarter of 2020, cap rates were at 6.6 percent.

Office cap rates are likely to hover at 6.3 percent from the current level of 6.1 percent.

Keep in mind the above numbers are national averages derived from multiple sources and don’t necessarily reflect the commercial real estate cap rates in Grand Junction and Mesa County. Remember: All real estate markets are local.

Tim Whitney is managing broker of Coldwell Banker Commercial Prime Properties, a commercial brokerage and property management firm based in Grand Junction.

He’s been involved in the sale, lease and management of commercial real estate in Colorado for more than 35 years. For more information, call 243-7375 or visit www.CBC-Prime.com F

Contributors Opinion Boldneed predictions for 2015 We to stop going to A new year the affords Connecting dots government Business Briefs with our problems more like not-so-bold repeats valuable use of time a new opportunity Business People Almanac to meet local needs THE he B BUSINESS usiness T T Times IMES

PPAGE age 26 22

As my stories in this issue of the Business Times reflect, I spent a lot of time over the past two weeks covering meetings and news conferences. That included the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce state of the valley and legislative update meetings. That also included news conferences announcing an initiative to reduce at Western Colorado College $300,000 A newtuition year almost always brings Community an opportunity for a and fresha start and gift to support efforts to address mental health issues in Mesa County. renewed ambition to do things better.

Covering and news conferences doesn’t afford In business, that usually boils meetings down to providing customers better products the at opportunities for enterprising journalism as process in-depthmust and services faster and lower cost than competitors.

Part of the investigations or even one-on-one Butand there’s include listening to customers to determine what theyinterviews. actually need thenthe advantage of efficiency.

Sources are available at one place meeting that need. After all, it does little good to offer the latest and greatest and if onewhat time,you’re and they’re usually talking about newsworthy topics. nobody actually wants selling.

Hopefully, end result includes important stories told in Just like the businesses thatthe belong to thestill group, the Grand Junction Area compelling fashion. aspiration, Chamber of Commerce invariably starts That’s out themy new year withataleast. reassessment of There’s an additional though, subsequent the services and resources it provides and how benefit, well they matchin with members reflection.

That’s the realization seemingly unrelated needs. Jeff Franklin, the new chairman of the chamber board of directors, events are, inina describing broader sense, much related.

Especially when it personifies this approach whatvery he considers his role for the coming comes to the potential effects on businesses. year: listen to members, determine their needs and then meet those needs.

It’s a Phil Castle panel of officialsof from Mesa County, the role with which FranklinIn is assembling familiar as amarket president Bank of Colorado.

Junction and Fruita and in town of the Palisade, the The process willcities takeof onGrand a more structured approach what chamber annual state of the valley presentation offers an overview of priorities and policies plans as the resumption of a program aptly called Listening to Business. Underfor the local government can have profoundinterviews effects — good and bad — on to program, businessentities. ownersThose participate in in-depth to identify barriers businesses. same holds true what comes out of the Colorado Capitol. As the growth andThe other problems theyfor encounter. cynical, justifiably wary, observe: life, liberty orclub. property are safe while Thebut new year offers a good timeNo to man’s join the proverbial the Legislature is in session.

What’s announced at news conferences frequently As an advertiser or reader, what do you need from the Business Times? affects businesses as well — sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly.

While business journals traditionally gather and report the relevant news to Here, at a glance, areisn’t fewnecessarily of my observations covering meetings and readers, communication a one-wayfrom street.

That’s especially true as news conferences over the past two weeks: Web sites and e-mail make the dialogue more convenient than ever. n A lack of affordable GrandThey Valley presents a pressing Good publications don’thousing exist inina the vacuum. respond to the needs ofissue for local government officials.

The issue is no less pressing for businesses in advertisers and readers. They provide what’s needed. finding employees to fill jobs at a time when labor remains in short supply.

So what do you need? n Whileadditional bills enacted the latestthat legislative session feesabout and Is there newsincoverage would help keepeliminating you informed reducing taxesdevelopments? constitute goodAre news forfeatures businesses, warnorthe local business there that local wouldlawmakers be interesting measures only temporary.

A small business advocacy group assigned the useful? Is are there advice that would make your jobs a little easier?

Colorado Legislature a barely passing grade of Dfor the session.

It’s equally important to ask what you don’t need. With limited time to n A nearly 40 percent reduction in tuition for career and technical education produce content and limited space in which to publish it, would time and space be courses at Western Coloradoelse?

Community College in Grand Junction is expected to better devoted to something not only make secondary education less expensive more accessible, but also What’s good?

What isn’t?

What’s needed?

Whatand isn’t? help Let in developing the local force and overall economy. us know. Send us anwork e-mail.

Comment online on the Business Times Web n www.thebusinesstimes.com.

A $300,000 gift from Intermountain Healthcare a new letter to site at You could even writewill an support old-fashioned program mental issues in Mesa County and, in turn, reduceand the editortoifaddress you’d like.

Yourhealth feedback, both positive and negative, is valued hospitalizations, incarcerations and related costs. will be carefully considered.

Savvy business owner managers remain of of thetheir myriad factors Good publications are and the result of not only mindful the efforts staffs, but also affecting operations.

In covering meetings and news conferences, I hope I can help. collaborative efforts involving advertisers and readers.

Like any other good business, we want to listen to our customers, find out Phil is editor of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or whatCastle they need and then meet those needs. phil@thebusinesstimes.com.

It’s a new year. Please help us to do so.

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THE BUSINESS TIMES

609 North Ave., Suite 2, Grand Junction, CO 81501 TEL (970) 424-5133 • FAX (970) 424-5134

Publisher/Owner: Craig R. Hall

Editor: Phil Castle

Reach advertising at: publisher@thebusinesstimes.com Reach the editor at: phil@thebusinesstimes.com.

Subscribe or submit press releases online at www.thebusinesstimes.com The Grand Valley Business Times, a subsidiary of Hall Media Group LLC, is published twice monthly and distributed throughout Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade. Advertising rates and deadlines are available upon request. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor, staff or advertisers.

Copyright © 2015 — AllCopyright rights reserved. © 2022 — All rights reserved.

Or concerns, gripes, opinions and ultimate desires.

It’s that time of year when Of the many reasons, foremost is resolutions and prognostications abound. because going to government solutions My favorite saying applied to for New Year’s for personalisproblems most a resolutions in sayingcreates they’rethe basically vile creature to evertoinhabit a bunch of promises break the Earth: first week politician to solve eachpredict and every of January.willing And while I won’t a problem eachpretty and every of us. Just whole lot,forI can muchone accurately remember, what you fixed for you nail a few things thatwant without question someone to fix will makeelse the wants news. the Yougovernment will see these are on youwell, or your tax burden. pretty, predictable: I’ll insert the one: ■ Prediction obvious disclaimer There will be some since already sort ofI can weather event, hear thedisaster first argument. natural or I’m not talking about heinous occurrence criminal law suchwill where someone as assault be robbery, interviewed and say and murder. But“I’ve I the following: am talking the never seen about anything myriad edicts and like thatlaws, in my regulations government lifetime.” It’s as if this Craig Craig Hall Hall has created make person is a that required 100 percent of us news attendee at every criminals someWhile way, shape or form.most reporting in event.

I understand Worse, our problem pious people’s perspective can pontificating indeed be limited politicians leave out the most by, or contained within, their important own personal detail when ititcomes addressing our experiences, is too to much to ask to grievances through them: They’re usually, consult some historical perspective before if not always, cause and effect of their saying such a the thing?

Yes, this response can creating of apply to said someproblem events. and But certainly when it comes making saidand problem to weather naturalworse. disasters, I’m pretty babyhistory formula.repeating Who closed sure Let’s this istalk simply itself. the plant hasforkept it closed makes of a Same as and it has millions andthat millions huge of baby the formula distributed years.proportion More important, planet made it! in the United Statescertain after the company What didn’t were species.

How’s issued voluntary recall? Who ever heard of that fora perspective? the recall?

Who knew plantitwasn’t ■ Prediction two:the When comes set to ato reopen a minimum anotherbetween four to six crime orforsomething thatofoccurs months on the whims attendee of government humans,based the other required at all regulators?

I’ll tell you.isIt’s samewho entity news reporting events thethe person that in letting thenicest public know saysdid this:a poor “Theyjob we’re just the apeople, shortage imminent, never proved andwas in no way didyet I see something there wascoming.” contamination. like this Exactly. No one does this plant mostSo of our the government time when itshutters comes to knowing result will be a shortage neighborsthe and acquaintances.

Peopleof should formula.

I mean, it has to be as anto be surprised at what goes onknown from time obvious resultneighborhoods, of shorting supply by and such time in their towns awith huge percentage.

Yet itbecause does nothing people they know peopletoare address the for coming shortage?

Andshouldn’t it does good. And the times that they this while stocking on shelves be shocked — like formula with politicians, repeat for incoming immigrants? offenders andillegal terrorists — where’sMy the conclusion is this is negligent at best and interview that says, “This doesn’t surprise purposeful at worst. And it’s for the most me in the least.” obvious reason: sothree: government can come ■ Prediction Something good to the how government works. willrescue. happenIt’s economically, and the That brings to another government government willus take credit for it. The most program — which should be fixed the recent example is gas prices, whereviapeople market to Ianswer cries the very for ask me — why won’t the credit theofpresident same people government perpetuated low gas prices.

My answer is simple:a shortage upon:never Operation Government makesFly theFormula. price of This will dogo nothing and something down but andenrich simplyinsiders takes credit lobbyists companies Nestle, for good from news.big Gas pricing islike subject to which is probably stillNow tryingthere to corner many global factors. are the market on WATER. Nestle will of government answersMoreover, to addressing some increase profitprices marginstable because is them to keep for shipping Americans, now freegovernment from Europehas courtesy thethem Air in Force. but our none of nowthings has a competitive place.Nestle The only it has in place in the

ay 26-J15-28, une 8, 2015 2022 JM ANUARY

advantage being the chosen one of government.

Formula makers around the long run always hurt consumers.

Another world there’s a market opportunity fact is realize that unemployment reaches a certain here sell what make. But levelto based on thethey economy.

Andsadly whilefor the them, they’llmight have to paythe shipping other government brag numberand is low, logistics As thethe chosen one, Nestle it’s morecosts. than likely government did will probably be allowed standards to be something to cause that number being low lowered to get to our babies’ — and not in atheir goodformula way. Conversely, when mouths before other competitors.

Then businesswell picks up, it’s because the people again, a fairtomarketplace who need buy widgetshas whonever werebeen not the goalwidgets of government. fair means buying because Unless the economy was something to you.(or unnatural, contractingdifferent due to natural Can anyone recall anotherdecided government government caused) reasons, we program that created thoseThe whogovernment are essential, better buy some widgets. cut streamlined hadregulations nothing to and do with this. government processes via the military ■ Prediction four: Inindustrial keeping complex with for players, donors and bureaucrat cronies? things the government does, I predict the Take a shot aswill thismanipulate behavior isthe pandemic. government numbers to government hasisbeen doing makeIt’s thewhat claim the economy getting for over a century.

It allhard stems a certain better because of how it isfrom working to percentage of “working the population screaming, help all of us Americans.”

Now “You have say, to do“Craig, something!”

And there are you might you always say this few politicians’ which don’t you perkdon’t up about President ears Obama because when hearing those words.

So JoeIBiden, like him.”

You’re right in a sense. don’t being office, know the ultimate man, butgrifter what Iinknow ofdid himwhat and comes natural.

He came with solution his thinking, I don’t like up it or hima one iota. that could come from a typical Before youonly go off, however, I didn’tleftist like political used military to fly in Presidenthack.

BushHe and his the bailouts, stimulus formula from Europe.

In just and his abandoning theEurope? free market to over save athe year Biden in office, we’re begging freeofmarket.

And I don’t know him Europe to bailthe usgovernment out? How far we’ve either. What does, andfallen. the least Trump’s COVID only At thing it can do, issolution hurt the for economy.

— as misguided and wrong it was and Unless it does nothing or putascriminals in should keepofhim from ever holding jail instead partnering with them, office nothing again — kept things ourAlways borders.look the government does within will help.

But within borders says at it keeping this way,things whatever the our government doesn’t excuse enforcing via government it is doing, whatever the name of the law it power a solution that doesn’t work.

It only is passing, or whatever the name or goal of creates a sound bite-driven public relations the bureaucracy it is presenting to the video play via media to buytovotes. people,toexpect thebig polar opposite occur.

It’s the same we haveishigh I guess whatwhen I’m saying that gas prices andit’s presidents playout theof we’ll perhaps time to get ourrelease own some oil fromThere’s the Strategic to perspective. plentyReserve of history lower game. It’sresearch the sameout as the booksprices and historical there to we’re trillions to all send begin spending to understand that ofyou this$1,200 has because webefore. know you’re game while happened And ithurting will again, billions to topic cronies.

It’s the same as we’ll whethergothe is people or government. blameThe Walmart for not having a store best recommendation is towhere find we created food the same when some books or deserts. try that It’s whole Google Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has a presson event thing. There’s a lot of information the as someDepression. dolt carries The a single box Great truth isof it shots wasn’t that go toone “preferred recipients” first. got evenwill a good until the government It’s the same when also your plenty businessofisresearch or isn’t involved.

There’s “essential” based on the whims thosethe in on the medieval warm periodof when power. samewarmer when one area or group planet It’s wasthe much than today with is declared an emergency status basedwell on a whole lotinless people (and warmer underrepresentation forat a good or service. before man was here all). And yep, I could on,killing but I think get the people havego been otheryou surprised point. the core of nearly every one of peopleAt since history was first written. theseMaybe “problems” will find some you research will two helpthings: stop A causeOtherwise, and a government allgovernment of these trends. we’ll be solution that doesn’t work.

Unless like you’re saying we’ve never seen anything it in in thatinis.a good way. ourgovernment, lives. And not Craig Craig Hall Hall is is owner owner and and publisher publisher of of the the Business Business Times.

Times. Reach Reach him him at at 424-5133 424-5133 or or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com. publisher@thebusinesstimes.com.

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May 26-June 8, 2022

The Business Times

Bad policies increase likelihood of recession With the change in real gross domestic product turning negative in the first quarter of this year, a question keeps popping up: Are we headed into a recession?

While the National Bureau of Economic Research is the official arbiter of when recessions start and end, the definition is the economy contracts for two consecutive quarters.

Real GDP growth in the first quarter Raymond came in at a seasonally Keating adjusted annual rate of negative 1.4 percent.

This was a tricky set of data with positives and negatives. Personal consumption, business investment and residential investment all grew in the first quarter. In fact, personal consumption and business investment growth improved in each of the last two quarters, which make for positive, albeit short, trends.

Exports, government expenditures and gross investment declined, as did private inventories. Notable declines in government consumption and investment for two straight quarters seem unlikely to persist. Export growth has been erratic with swings between increases and declines over the past five quarters after big declines when the pandemic first hit and then a subsequent snapback.

Raging inflation creates uncertainty in terms of investment, interest rates and incomes.

Of course, the economy also struggles with ongoing supply chain challenges, international uncertainties and tight labor markets. The latest jobs report served up contradictory data about where the labor market was in April.

After laying out this messy and contradictory take on the economy, we turn to policymaking. Policies matter when it comes to the economy. The question: Are policies pointed in a pro-growth or anti-growth direction? Whether looking broadly at a recovery from the pandemic and getting back on a strong growth track; zeroing in on the investment, innovation and choices needed to alleviate supply chain woes; or considering inflation, the need for policymaking to incentivize entrepreneurship, investment and working should be clear. At a time when policymakers should debate how to provide substantive and permanent tax relief, the exact opposite has occurred with the Joe Biden administration and Congress. n Higher tax threats. A pro-growth policy agenda should reduce capital gains tax, including indexing gains for inflation to cut the real rate, to incentivize entrepreneurship and investment as well as improve and make permanent the small business provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Cutting individual income tax rates also would be a big plus for most businesses. Instead, President Biden and

various members of Congress continue to push for higher tax rates on capital gains, personal income and corporate income. n Imposing new costs and burdens on businesses through regulation.

Deregulation and regulatory relief should be an important part of the policy agenda, including sunsetting regulations and undertaking a comprehensive review to eliminate costly, wasteful and out-of-date regulations. Keep in mind regulatory burdens always fall hardest on small businesses. However, the Biden administration has turned back some important regulatory reforms made during the last administration. This administration and Congress continue to push for a massive expansion of regulation in energy, health care, labor, pharmaceuticals and technology. n Faltering on trade. Advancing free trade — reducing government barriers to trading — is vital for consumers to reduce price and expand choices and for businesses and workers to reduce the costs of inputs and expand opportunities in global markets. Yet, the Biden agenda differs little from the Trump agenda as each have favored protectionist measures. n Excessive government spending.

Federal spending must be brought under control so more resources are left in the private sector rather than drained by taxes or borrowed from productive private sector endeavors. If Biden budget projections are in the ballpark, federal outlays will run at 24.5 percent of GDP for an extended period. That has never happened before in peacetime history, marking a major expansion in federal government. n A fumbling Fed. Finally, monetary policy should focus on price stability. The Fed largely lost track of its price stability imperative back in 2008 and subsequently ran money policy so loose it was without historic precedence. Now that inflation runs red hot, the Fed has woken up, but seems intent on trying to rein in inflation by undermining economic growth via punitive interest rate increases.

In the end, a recession looms as a serious possibility — with negative growth continuing into the second quarter or possibly a bit further down the road.

The clearest reason why the possibility of a recession must factor into decisions by businesses, entrepreneurs and investors as well as families and individuals is a precarious economic situation pushed in the wrong direction by misguided policymaking imposed or threatened by the Biden administration, Congress and the Fed.

Raymond Keating is chief economist for the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, a nonpartisan advocacy, research and education organization dedicated to protecting small business and promoting entrepreneurship. Reach Keating through the website at www.sbecouncil.org.

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Opinion Business Briefs Business People Almanac

n GRAND JUNCTION-BASED COLLECTION AGENCY EXPANDING BEYOND HEALTH CARE MARKET

A Grand Junction-based collection agency has announced plans to further expand beyond the health care market.

A-1 Collection Agency, a subsidiary of Healthcare Management, provides services not only to hospitals and other health care providers, but also government agencies and small and medium businesses.

“A-1 puts people first and is sensitive to community relationships,” said Angelina Angelina Salazar Salazar, chief executive officer of Healthcare Management. “Our trained financial counselors consider the fact that in smaller communities, everyone knows each other and collecting on debt is not a conversation a business leader wants to have with their customer in the grocery store or at a local sporting event. A-1 takes care of those customers by putting them on payment plans so businesses can provide their services to their community without additional worry.”

Twelve rural hospitals purchased A-1 Collection Agency 30 years ago and subsequently formed Healthcare Management.

Now owned by 21 health care providers, Healthcare Management provides billing and collection services for hospitals, health care systems, physician groups and skilled nursing facilities.

For additional information about A-1 Collection Agency, call 986-3594 or visit www.a1collection.com. n TEEN-AGE VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT TO ASSIST WITH LIBRARY SUMMER READING PROGRAM Teen-agers age 14 to 18 are encouraged to volunteer to help with the summer reading program at Mesa County Libraries.

The program will run from June 1 to July 16. Volunteers are needed to sign up participants, assist with events, distribute prizes and help with additional tasks.

For additional information, visit the library volunteer portal located at https://mcpld.galaxydigital.com or send an email to volunteer@mcpld.org. Applications should be submitted no later than June 24.

The Business Times

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NOTEWORTHY

The Business Times welcomes submissions for free publication in Business Briefs. Email items to phil@thebusinesstimes.com or submit a news release online at www.thebusinesstimes.com.

An orthopedic group at Community Hospital in Grand Junction has received a designation recognizing excellence in care.

A group comprised of Western Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and Western Colorado Spine received the Orthopedic Center of Excellence designation from DNV Healthcare Accreditation Services.

“This designation underscores our ability to provide consistent, highquality orthopedic care,” said Chris Thomas, president and chief Chris Thomas executive officer of Community Hospital. “The community can be confident that we have state-of-the-art equipment, highly trained personnel and we have a steadfast commitment to maintain our orthopedic service line at peak performance.

Achieving this designation validates the hard work and dedication of our entire staff to ensure the health and safety of our patients.”

DNV provides certification, assurance and risk management services in more than 100 countries. The Orthopedic Center of Excellence designation is based on achieving certification in at least three orthopedic service line programs based on requirements from DNV and guidelines from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

“Achieving this designation shows a commitment to excellence,” said Patrick Horine, president of DNV Healthcare.

“It helps demonstrate that the orthopedic practice is performing at the highest level.”

Community Hospital offers a range of services in an acute care facility licensed for 60 beds.

For additional information, visit https://yourcommunityhospital.com.

n ONLINE REGISTRATION UNDER WAY FOR 2022 WEST SLOPE STARTUP WEEK Registration is under way for a free regional business conference that will offer information about a range of topics related to starting and growing ventures.

West Slope Startup Week is set for July 11 to 15 with virtual events throughout rural Colorado as well as in-person events in Grand Junction. Events will offer information to everyone from those considering starting businesses to serial entrepreneurs looking to launch their next projects. Business owners and managers — including those in retailing and restaurants — will learn about finance, human resources, marketing and other topics.

West Slope Startup Week will feature lectures and workshops related to capital, communications, makers, people and technology.

A fun track will offer social events and outdoor activities.

To register for or obtain more information about West Slope Startup Week, visit https://westslopestartupweek.com. n APPLICATIONS SOUGHT THROUGH JUNE 8 FOR GRAND JUNCTION CANNABIS STORES Applications will be accepted through 5 p.m. June 8 for 10 sites for retail and co-located medical cannabis stores in Grand Junction.

The application process follows Grand Junction voter approval in 2021 of two measures enabling the Grand Junction City Council to establish regulations and tax rates for retail cannabis sales in the city.

The city clerk’s office will manage applications and is scheduling appointments for application delivery. Contact the city clerk’s office at cityclerk@gjcity.org or 244-1509.

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West Slope home care agency marks 20 years in operation A not-for-profit home care agency providing a range of services throughout the Grand Valley and other areas of Western Colorado is celebrating 20 years in operation.

“Our goal has always been to provide people with the services and resources they need to remain at home,” said Charleen Raaum, chief executive officer of SummitWest Care. “We provide compassionate home care for all ages, from NICU babies to seniors and Charleen Raaum everything in between. It doesn’t matter what age you are, home is the safest, most comfortable place to be.”

Formerly Home Care of the Grand Valley, SummitWest Care is headquartered in Grand Grand Junction. The agency provides medical and nonmedical services to patients in Mesa County as well as in Eagle, Garfield, Gunnison and Pitkin counties.

Those services including occupational, physical and speech

May 26-June 8, 2022

therapies as well as skilled nursing care. SummitWest Care is the only home care agency on the Western Slope that provides medical pediatric and newborn home care.

Additional services offer assistance with grocery shopping, housekeeping and meal preparation.

In response to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, SummitWest Care partnered with Health Recovery Solutions to offer telehealth and remote patient monitoring. In 2021, SummitWest Care developed a chronic care management program offering additional support to clients who suffer from two or more chronic diseases.

“It is important that we are flexible,” Raaum said. “What it comes down to is: How can we better serve our community? We are always looking for more ways to help people who are in need.”

For more information, log on to www.summitwestcare.com or call 263-0202.

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May 26-June 8, 2022

The Business Times

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BusinessBriefs Briefs Business BusinessPeople People Almanac Business Almanac

n VICE PRESIDENT AND FINANCIAL OFFICER TO JOIN LEADERSHIP TEAM AT CMU

Michelle Quinn is expected to soon join Colorado Mesa University based in Grand Junction as vice president of finance and administration and chief financial officer.

Quinn is scheduled to join the CMU leadership team starting July 1. She will bring to her duties more than 30 years of experience in higher education fiscal policy, including service as CFO of the Michelle Quinn University of Northern Colorado.

Quinn will succeed Laura Glatt, who worked as CFO for the past six years.

“Michelle is incredibly bright and brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience that will secure and sustain the university’s strong financial position while supporting our strategic goals,” said CMU President John Marshall. “In addition to overseeing the institution’s overall financial health and fiscal stability, the CFO will play an integral role around tuition affordability and the continuation of offering in-demand programs.”

Quinn said she’s looking forward to her new position.

“I’m honored to be joining a university that is driving positive change for students and for the community. It’s an exciting time to be a Maverick, and I can’t wait to contribute my financial expertise, leadership experience and enthusiasm to President Marshall’s team.” n HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS HONORED IN LATEST NIGHTINGALE AWARD PROGRAM Six health care professionals at Community Hospital in Grand Junction were among local honorees in the latest Nightingale Award program.

Ashley Baesler, Marsha Bagby, Kristin Bentley, Michael Martin, Irene Samantha Parkes and Courtney Rudd were among 21 honorees from the western region of Colorado who were nominated by peers and leaders for the recognition.

Bagby and Bentley also were selected as Luminary Award recipients for the region.

A total of 34 finalists from Colorado will attend the Nightingale Luminary Awards Gala scheduled for Aug. 13 in Denver.

Six Colorado Nightingale Nurse of the Year Awards will be presented in categories for those in clinical practice as well as administrators, educators, researchers and those in nontraditional roles. Awards also will recognize advocacy, innovation and leadership.

The Nightingale Award for Excellence in Human Caring was founded in 1985 to honor nurses who exemplify the philosophy and practice of Florence Nightingale, a 19th century nursing pioneer.

“A Nightingale recepient demonstrates excellence in the profession of nursing,” said Joe Gerardi, chief operating officer and chief nursing officer at Community Hospital.

“These individuals exemplify professional engagement and community involvement. We are extremely proud of their accomplishments.”

The Business Times

SHARE YOUR NEWS The Business Times welcomes submissions for free publication in Business People and the Almanac calendar of events. Email submissions to phil@thebusinesstimes.com or submit a news release online at www.thebusinesstimes.com. n CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION NAMES INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR Paul Schultz has joined the City of Grand Junction as director of the information technology department.

Schultz oversees a department with 24 full-time employees who manage IT infrastructure and work in application development and support, project management and telecommunications.

The department also includes a geographic information systems team. Paul Schultz Schultz brings to his duties more than 30 years of experience developing systems and software for the military as well as the communications and internet industries. Prior to joining the City of Grand Junction, he served five years as IT director for the City of Aspen. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science and computer information systems.

“I’m thrilled and honored to join the talented City of Grand Junction team,” he said. “I’m committed to delivering exemplary service to the community via continuous improvement and collaborative partnerships.”

Grand Junction City Manager Greg Caton praised the addition. “Paul is an information technology professional who will lead our organization to the most appropriate technologies for serving our organization on a daily basis.” n MUSICIAN TO PRESENT PROGRAMS AS NEW LIBRARY ARTIST IN RESIDENCE Charles Walker will present a variety of musical experiences as the new Mesa County Libraries artist in residence.

Walker will present programs on music, rhythm, vocals and more during his residency, which runs through Aug. 8. Public meet and greet sessions are set for 2 to 4 p.m.

Charles Walker Tuesdays at the Mesa County Libraries 970West Studio, located at 502 Ouray Ave. in Grand Junction.

Walker grew up in California, where he learned music from his father, a church organist, and studied music at West Valley College and San Jose State University. He moved to Grand Junction in 2016, formed the band Wave II and released an album. He offers private lessons in singing, songwriting, drums, piano and music production.

For more information about Mesa County Libraries, visit https://mesacountylibraries.org.

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May 26-June 8, 2022

May 26 n Welcome Thursday Friends networking meeting, noon to 1:30 p.m., Ale House, 2531 N. 12th St., Grand Junction. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 n Young Professionals of Mesa County business after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Highlands Distillery, 782 24 Road, Grand Junction. www.ypnmc.org May 31 n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Business event with professional headshots, wine tasting and carriage rides, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Grande River Winery, 787 Grande River Drive, Palisade.

Members pay $55 for headshots and $10 for the wine tasting. Others pay $5 more. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org June 1 n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce state of the community breakfast, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., Absolute Prestige Ranch, 1351 Q Road, Loma. Admission $10 for chamber members, $20 for others. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 June 2 n Business startup workshop, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Fruita Civic Center, 325 E. Aspen Ave. Admission $55. 243-5242 or https://gjincubator.org n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Business free networking lunch, noon to 1 p.m., KAFM Community Radio, 1310 Ute Ave. Grand Junction. Participants should bring a salad, soup or side dish to share. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 June 6 n Class on the fundamentals of Excel spreadsheets, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Business Incubator Center, 2591 Legacy Way, Grand Junction, Admission $35.

Participants must bring their own laptop computers.

243-5242 or https://gjincubator.org June 7 n Makerspace free maker meetup, 6 to 8 p.m., Business Incubator Center. https://gjincubator.org or 243-5242 June 8 n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Networking at Noon, noon to 1 p.m., Buffalo Wild Wings, 2412 U.S. Highway 6 & 50. Admission $20 for chamber members, $25 for others. 242-3214 or https://gjchamber.org Upcoming n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 9, Timberline Bank, 649 Market St., Grand Junction. Admission $5 for chamber members, $10 for others. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org n Palisade Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m. June 15, Jet Boat Colorado, 2237 Roan Creek Road, De Beque. Admission for chamber members $5 in advance and $6 at the door.

Admission for others $8 in advance and $10 at the door. https://palisadecoc.com or 464-7458 See ALMANAC page 31

May 26-June 8, 2022

Almanac

Continued from page 30 Upcoming n Open Coffee Club networking meeting, 9 to 10 a.m.

June 17, FWorks, 325 E. Aspen Ave., Fruita. Members of the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce attend at no charge. Others pay $5. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce quarterly membership luncheon and presentation by Loren Furman, president and chief executive officer of the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, noon to 1:30 p.m. June 20, Colorado Mesa University Center south ballroom.

Admission $25 for chamber members, $30 for others. https://gjchamber.org or 242-3214 n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Business event with stand up paddle boarding and cable

The Business Times

wakeboarding, 5:30 to 7 p.m. June 22, Imondi Wake Zone, 1583 Cipolla Road, Fruita. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org n Welcome Thursday Friends networking meeting, noon to 1:30 p.m. June 23, Mike’s Famous Chicken, 233 E. Aspen Ave., Fruita. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce presentation on the benefits of chamber membership, noon to 1 p.m. June 28, chamber offices, 360 Grand Ave., and via Zoom. https://gjchamber.org or 242-3214 n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m. June 28, Timberline Bank.

Admission $10 in advance, $12 at the door. 242-3214 or https://gjchamber.org n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce business after

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hours, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 14, Coloramo Credit Union 333 W. Aspen Ave. Admission $5 for chamber members, $10 for others. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 n Combined Grand Valley chambers of commerce business networking event, 5:30 to 7 p.m. July 25, Bank of Colorado, 2452 Patterson Road, Grand Junction.

Admission $10 for chamber members. n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 11, Grand Valley Primary Care, 101 Jurassic Ave. Admission $5 for chamber members, $10 for others. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894 n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 30, Bellco Credit Union, 2478 U.S. Highway 6 & 50. Admission $10 in advance, $12 at the door. 242-3214 or https://gjchamber.org F

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The Business Times

May 26-June 8, 2022