Task force’s goal is to increase attainable housing supply
Brandon Leuallen The Business Times
Amid a growing housing crisis, the Grand Junction City Council is launching a Housing Affordability and Attainability Code Task Force to examine and remove regulatory barriers that make it difficult to build homes for working families.
According to the agenda packet from the June 3 city council workshop, the task force will be community-led, with city staff serving in a support-only role to provide technical assistance and coordination, not direction.
In contrast to past committees, this group will report directly to the city council rather than channeling findings through staff. The Grand Junction Planning Commission may engage separately or be invited to provide additional input on potential code changes.
Mayor Cody Kennedy said the task force is an effort to address the barriers the city can control, especially before investing in larger subsidies for affordability. He suggested the city should first “get out of its own way” by identifying regulations that make housing less affordable despite the city’s stated goals to improve access. During the meeting, Kennedy highlighted how an unnecessarily slowed-down process can increase the cost of a home.
See HOUSING on Page 6
Making Coffee Monumental
ing. The location had been home
of a sudden we had this building sitting here,” Landon said, “and we’re like, ‘What should we do
Should we lease it out? Or should we try to put a business in here?’ And we talked about several different ideas, and it just kind of got thrown out, like really impulsively, ‘Why don’t we do a coffee shop?’ And to be honest, my wife didn’t say no.”
Landon Balding, left, and Jackie Balding opened Monumental Coffee Company, 575 32 Road, on May 27 with a soft open-
to Grand Valley Insurance until Landon’s mom sold the business in July 2024. “All
with this?
Photo by Tim Harty.
Monumental Coffee Co. in Clifton hopes to provide a ’90s coffee shop vibe for customers — See story, Page 2
Craft Coffee in Clifton
Monumental Coffee offers coffee drinks, empanadas, conversation, vinyl records and maybe a guitar
Tim Harty The Business Times
t had to be Monumental.
Landon Balding didn’t have to think long about what to name the coffee shop he and his wife, Jackie, now operate at 575 32 Road in Clifton.
He started a deejay business as a student at Mesa State College (now Colorado Mesa University) and named it Monumental Sound Machine. Post-college, he started an event-promotion business, Monumental Events, and ran it for about 25 years.
Now, it’s time for coffee, and you can guess the name: Monumental Coffee Company.
Balding said Monumental Coffee is a craft coffee shop that gets its coffee beans from Olympia Coffee Roasting Co., based in Olympia, Wash. He and Jackie made a conscious decision to get beans from outside the area for a couple reasons.
“One,” Landon said, “is we feel that there’s some really great local roasters already. Like Kiln (in downtown Grand Junction) is roasting their own, Best Slope (in Fruita), and they’re two of my favorite roasters. We kind of decided that we didn’t want to carry their beans, because then we’re really not differentiating ourselves from them.”
So, they looked to the Pacific Northwest, where Jackie is from, and chose Olympia Coffee, whose Fair For All philosophy (learn more at www.fairforall.coffee) resonated with the Baldings.
“And then the other thing was just the variety that they had that was going to be consistent for us,” Landon said.
He said Monumental Coffee currently carries 12 different varieties of “really good coffee” from Olympia Coffee, which “we wouldn’t be able to do if we roasted it on our own, because I think the roasting side is a specialization all on its own, and I’m not there; none of us are at this point.”
Monumental Coffee offers the traditional coffee drinks available in most coffee shops, and it provides pastries that are baked in-house and empanadas from The Argentos Empanadas on the Front Range.
When Landon and Jackie started talking about savory food offerings, they knew one thing for sure: They did not want to do breakfast burritos, because everyone else does that.
Landon said he suggested breakfast tacos, but Jackie nixed it, because “she really wanted to have something that was different, and she came across these empanadas as an idea. And we were looking at getting empanadas from all the way in New Jersey or something, because we couldn’t find anybody local.”
A chance encounter changed that proximity issue when the Baldings were traveling and looking for a coffee shop in the Silverthorne area.
“I got lost, and we pulled into this shopping center, and all of a sudden there’s this Argentos
“This is what I want. I want these empanadas.”
Once customers get their coffee and food, Landon hopes they’ll stick around for a while.
“We really want to bring kind of that ’90s coffee shop vibe back, where you go to a coffee shop to hang out and connect with your neighbors and your friends,” he said. “We just want people to come in and put their phones down and hang out and have meaningful conversations with each other.”
To that end, Monumental Coffee has a turntable set up in the seating area and vinyl records on the wall for customers to play, or they can bring in their own vinyl to play.
Landon thinks eventually he’ll display a guitar and post a sign that says, “If you can tune it, you can play it.” And a plaque underneath will add the caveat: “Don’t suck, and no Stairway.”
There already is covered, outdoors seating and plans to enhance the outdoor amenities.
Landon said the lot can accommodate three food trucks, and he foresees outdoors events becoming a regular happening. He said Monumental Coffee will start small with events every few weeks, but his long-term vision is for them to become a staple.
“I don’t know what we’re going to call them, but let’s just say some type of a caffeinated type of event, where it’s outside, we have music, we close the parking lot, and we have a couple of food trucks, and maybe you put out some cornhole,” he said. “We’re encouraging people to come in and hang out and go outside under the pergola, and by the end of the summer hopefully we will have all of our shades and stuff up. … We’re really going to focus on it, growing outdoors.”
MORE ABOUT MONUMENTAL COFFEE COMPANY
Location and Hours
Monumental Coffee Company is located at 575 32 Road in Clifton. It is open seven days per week, and summer hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
People Are Finding Them
Monumental Coffee launched on May 27 with a soft opening, and co-owner Landon Balding said the grand opening is scheduled for Aug. 9.
In the meantime, marketing has been limited mostly to social media, but customers have figured out there’s a new coffee shop in town.
“Our mornings have been pretty busy,” Balding said. “The weekends have been really busy for us, Saturday mornings especially.”
Midlife Coffee Crisis?
Asked what led him and his wife, Jackie, to open Monumental Coffee, Balding said, “Gosh, it’s just a crazy impulsive decision, to be honest.”
Actually the coffee-shop idea had been brewing for a while.
“My wife and I have talked about a coffee shop for years,” said Balding, who turns 50 years old in August. “I actually have been really into the idea. Back in 2007 – seven or eight – I went to a barista school in Seattle and kind of had this idea that I was gonna start up a coffee shop back then. And just the timing wasn’t right.
“And we always kind of had this, I think, this retirement plan or this dream or idea that we would retire on a beach somewhere and have a little coffee shop with a SCUBA rental, you know.”
Landon Balding, co-owner of Monumental Coffee Company, stands at the espresso machine, making a coffee drink on June 10. In the background is employee Maggie Silzell. Photo by Tim Harty.
A Star That Keeps Shining
Downtown retailer Pollux is uniquely positioned to serve its next generation of friends and family
Craig Hall The Business Times
When it comes to hitting milestones, especially years in business, many businesses may host a small event or send out a news release to the local media.
But for Sadye Saad, those simply weren’t enough. After all, for Saad, Pollux’s 25 years in business isn’t just a milestone, it’s more of an anniversary of sorts. And a celebration.
That’s because Saad was one of Pollux’s first customers at its original location, next door to the Avalon Theatre, when it opened its doors back in 2000.
“Pollux has always been my happy place when it came to shopping,” Saad said. “There was always something about being able to shop at a boutique where purchases bring joy and confidence. The stylists knew me by name, and they were always my trusted friends. It makes the experience, and the shop, very special. That’s always been Pollux to me.”
Saad didn’t know what she wanted to do when she was transitioning in her career, but she knew she wanted to own her own business. After all, Saad grew up in what she describes as an inspirational, generational retail environment in her family’s (still owned) local business, The Hobby Hut on 12th Street in Grand Junction.
“My favorite memories are of the customers who
25
became family,” Saad said. “They came back time and again to buy the next new model, pick up parts or simply to share in the joy of their hobby and what brought them happiness. Watching parents bring their kids in, and then years later seeing those kids return with children of their own, that’s when it really hit me just how deep these relationships run.
“I grew up watching this kind of connection in my dad’s business, and now, owning Pollux, I see that same magic here, too. Our customers are what make this business feel alive. They’re the heart of Pollux, and over time they truly became our smallbusiness family.”
And generational impact is at the core as Pollux moves into its next 25 years.
The way Saad came to own Pollux has its own unique story.
“I was texting an accountant friend of mine who I knew did the books for several local businesses and owned Pollux, and I asked her if she knew of any small businesses for sale,” Saad recalled. “When the message came back, ‘Pollux needs a new momma, and you would be the perfect person to run it,’ I was sold in a heartbeat.”
After all, Saad had been impacted many times as a first-generation customer of the boutique. See POLLUX on page 10
The public is invited to join the Pollux staff for birthday vibes all weekend, which includes drinks, $100 gift card drawing and exclusive giveaways on Friday; a 25-year toast Saturday at 1 p.m. along with birthday cake all day; and Sunday with light snacks and drinks.
A council
Pollux owner Sadye Saad helps a current customer along with her daughter; who’s sure to be a future shopper as Pollux’s 25-year rebrand rolls out for its next generation of customers.
Photo courtesy of Pollux Boutique.
Pollux Boutique is located at 321 Main St., downtown Grand Junction.
Years of Style Birthday Bash is July 11-13
MORE ABOUT POLLUX BOUTIQUE
A new model for city council engagement
Brandon Leuallen The Business Times
Grand Junction City Council members are considering an expanded, morepersonal approach to public engagement that emphasizes flexible, direct communication between elected officials and residents.
During a June 30 workshop, Kelsey Coleman, the city’s new communications and engagement manager, presented a detailed framework called the “Meet You There Initiative.” The plan is designed to help council members engage with community members in more informal, accessible ways.
“This framework is really flexible, intentional and relevant,” Coleman said. “It enables council members to participate meaningfully in public outreach while recognizing that you all have very different time commitments.”
Coleman said the city developed the plan based on direction from council.
“We are here tonight, because Council said we want more engagement. We want more opportunities to have that deep connection with our communities. So we took that and ran with it,” Coleman said.
Neighborhood Dialogues, Community Plug-Ins
The plan includes four core components: neighborhood dialogues, community plug-in, a digital series and a media plan.
“We were thinking through how can we rotate council going around the town to different community members,” Coleman said. “We thought bi-monthly made sense for these town hall-style gatherings. We really wanted it to be intimate, more conversational ... opening up these town halls to just really what’s on their minds, what’s on their hearts, and then having council listen and respond in real time.”
City Manager Mike Bennett said the format will focus on broader geographic areas.
“Meeting people in/across neighborhoods ... we can identify different areas within the city and find the right gathering space,” he said.
Coleman said the community plug-in concept builds on events council members already attend.
“We have parades. We have markets. We have service clubs, senior centers. A lot of you are doing this already,” she said. “If we’re not talking about it as a city, the public doesn’t actually know.”
Digital Series, Email Campaigns
The digital series includes web and social media components.
“We can really utilize (the Engage GJ website) way more and involve council in
this platform,” Coleman said. “People are there already. Why not bring you into their homes?”
She said social media could include Q&As, agenda updates and videos: “Less of a time commitment, but still an engagement opportunity.”
Coleman said the city will post a quarterly calendar online.
“We would really hone in on trying to figure out which ones are you attending ahead of time and putting those on there,” she said.
Media Plan, Council Storytelling
The media plan will spotlight council members and their priorities.
“Why not tell your guys’ individual stories and what you care about and what you’re interested in and what you’ve been up to?” Coleman said to the council members.
Bennett emphasized the plan should be manageable and flexible.
“We definitely don’t want to go overboard ... but I think because there’s so many options, we can spread that out and try and get a couple (members to attend),” he said.
Addressing Gaps in Trust, Representation
Councilmember Scott Beilfuss raised concerns about reaching marginalized residents.
“How do you reach those people that don’t trust government, that feel left behind?” he asked. “We have a lot of lowincome people around this town. And they don’t believe we’ll do anything for them. And that’s an opportunity for us to show them the things that we are doing for them. But we got to get to them first.”
Coleman said, “One of them is simplifying the language ... I think by opening up this window into government and using the language that everyday people use ... we can expand our reach.”
Bennett said the city is developing a list of overlooked communities, adding, “This is trying to show a different way for us to go reach out.”
Exploring New Tools for Public Input
Council member Anna Stout proposed exploring citizens’ assemblies.
“It is a way that you can get random folks ... and then the citizen assembly gets the opportunity to make a recommendation to the council.”
Bennett said the city is studying how other municipalities have used the model.
“There are components of it that can be applied in smaller ways or in larger ways,” he said. “We can start with this plan and build on it. This is a good start.”
Housing
Continued from Page 1
The task force comes as home prices continue to climb and attainable housing becomes harder to find. A report by the Common Sense Institute found Mesa County residents now spend more than 100 hours of median wage labor per month to afford a mortgage – more than double what was required in 2015. Colorado ranked last in housing-supply competitiveness, according to CSI.
The shortage of affordable single-family homes specifically has had far-reaching impacts. As reported by The Business Times on Nov. 27, 2024, School District 51 lost 2,049 students over five years, and district demographer Shannon Bingham cited the lack of starter homes as a major cause. Single-family homes yield 0.42 students per unit compared to just 0.12 from apartments, and Bingham noted that larger, more expensive homes tend to generate fewer students per household, and mobile
homes yield about 1 student per unit.
Developers say city regulations make building smaller homes difficult. Builder Ron Abeloe of Chaparral West Inc. has shifted some of his projects to unincorporated areas like Whitewater, where homes can cost $40,000 less due to reduced infrastructure requirements. In Whitewater, Abeloe has listed a 1,451-square-foot home for $354,900.
“Infrastructure costs $45,000 to $65,000 per lot before you even start building,” Abeloe said. “The city’s entitlement process takes longer, costs more in engineering and includes requirements that don’t always reflect the actual needs of a neighborhood, like wide sidewalks on low-traffic streets.”
Council member Scott Beilfuss noted that even a small difference in monthly payments can determine whether a family can buy a home.
“When you’re talking about the difference between a $2,200-a-month house payment and a $1,900-a-month
payment, for most people that’s make or break,” he said.
During the workshop, Beilfuss said Grand Junction having more attainable single-family homes for workingclass families is a dream of his as a City Council member.
Council member Robert Ballard suggested the code could be more in line with Mesa County’s code.
“I understand that Mesa County is also reevaluating their building codes as well, or their land-use codes, and I think it would be really appropriate for us to nest our land-use codes underneath theirs,” Ballard said. “That’s going to improve a lot of efficiencies as well, because you’re going to talk about builders who are already checking the boxes for the county, and that’s going to check our boxes as well.”
The task force is expected to begin meeting later this summer. An initial timeline of six to nine months to develop recommendations was discussed at the meeting.
First circular recycling pickup site on Western Slope will be at Enstrom Candies
The Circular Economy Development Center, in partnership with the Business Incubator Center, Enstrom Candies, Front Range Transload and B. Kirkland Trucking, launched the first-ever Western Slope pickup for the Circular Transportation Network at Enstrom Candies, 701 Colorado Ave. in Grand Junction.
The Business Incubator Center said in a news release it marks a major step in building a circular economy in Western Colorado, connecting rural businesses to statewide sustainability infrastructure. Using an innovative backhaul transportation model, the CTN collects hard-to-recycle materials, such as plastic film, that would otherwise end up in landfills.
The collected materials will be delivered to a transload facility for aggregation and baling, then transported to regional processors and manufacturers. For example, this shipment will be delivered to a Front Range transload station in Pueblo, where it will be bailed and shipped to Driven Plastics, another Colorado company, for processing. This process creates a new circular economy to recycle and use materials not readily accepted in more common recycling streams.
“The Circular Transportation Network opens the door for businesses in our region to save money, streamline operations and participate in a growing statewide supply chain,” said Dalida Sassoon Bollig, chief executive officer at the Business Incubator Center. “Aside from waste diversion, it’s a smart economic development strategy that creates jobs, drives innovation and strengthens Colorado’s position as a leader in sustainable industry.”
The Circular Transportation Network is a project of Colorado’s Circular Economy Development Center, a statewide initiative funded by the Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise.
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Recycling
Continued from page 6
The CEDC provides technical assistance to businesses, connects manufacturers and recyclers, and works to build durable circular supply chains across the state.
“At Enstrom’s, we care deeply about our community and future generations. We’re proud to be a part of this effort to reduce waste and make our community a better place to live and do business,” said Doug Simons Jr., co-owner of Enstrom Candies. Mike Ritter, economic development director for the Business Incubator Center and CEDC satellite coordinator based in Grand Junction, said the Western Slope launch is only the beginning.
“As additional businesses and partners join the network, the CEDC expects to significantly reduce landfill waste, reduce hauling costs and unlock new revenue streams and economic opportunities through smart, circular logistics,” Ritter said.
Businesses interested in upcoming routes or in learning how circular systems can boost their bottom line should contact Ritter at mritter@gjincubator.org.
Acceptable materials with the CTN are aluminum cans, cardboard (OCC); down-filled products (i.e., jackets, sleeping bags, comforters with no synthetic fill); office paper (white paper, not shredded); paper (mixed, not shredded); plastic film (HDPE and LDPE); plastics No. 1 (PET); plastics No. 2 (HDPE); and tin.
For more information about the CTN visit coloradocedc.org.
from page 6 assistance manufacturers and durable circular about our generations. We’re to reduce a better said Doug Candies. development Incubator Center based in Western Slope and partners expects to waste, reduce revenue opportunities through said. upcoming systems should contact CTN are down-filled comforters (white paper, shredded); plastics No. 1 tin. the CTN
Community Hospital awarded CMU sports medicine contract
Following a request-for-proposal process, Community Hospital was awarded the sports medicine contract for Colorado Mesa University athletics, including all varsity and club sports, the hospital announced in a news release. Community Hospital and Western Orthopedics and Sports Medicine have provided comprehensive sports medicine services to Colorado Mesa University for more than 40 years.
The partnership between Community Hospital and CMU dates back to the early 1980s, when Western Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and Community Hospital split the cost of the first athletic trainer provided to CMU, which was Mesa State College at the time. Dr. Larry Copeland, founder of Western Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, served as the team physician for more than 30 years.
Community Hospital currently provides comprehensive on-site sports medicine services in the Copeland Family Athletic Training Room before and after practices and during games and travels with the teams as requested.
The Community Hospital orthopedic physicians who spend time in the CMU athletic training room have a combined 57 years of experience and also serve as the team physicians for four Mesa County Valley School District 51 area high schools and the Grand Junction Jackalopes baseball team.
CMU has access to more than 20 health care professionals, including a medical director, nine orthopedic sports-medicine physicians/surgeons, on-site physical therapists, on-site athletic trainers, registered dieticians, sports psychologists, licensed professional counselors and health coaches.
“We are honored to continue our longstanding partnership with CMU,” said Chris Thomas, president and CEO for Community Hospital. “CMU studentathletes have the full force of our entire organization supporting them to provide whatever services they may need.
“It is our continued commitment to CMU, and the student-athletes and their families, that a physician will be present at sanctioned varsity contests. Our physician coverage exceeds even some D1 (NCAA Division I) level sports medicine programs. We are extremely proud of the work our staff has done over the years to ensure the highest level of sports medicine coverage offered to CMU student-athletes.”
To learn more about the comprehensive health care services offered at Community Hospital, visit YourCommunityHospital.com.
Chris Thomas
Pollux
Continued from Page 4
“Pollux has been a part of my journey long before I owned it – through the seasons of my life, as a customer, a lover of fashion, and now as its owner. It’s woven into who I am.”
She said most people don’t realize that Pollux is the star in the Gemini constellation that you can always find in the night sky, and that’s exactly why she included a star in Pollux’s 25-year rebrand.
“I want Pollux to feel like the North Star of fashion, reliable, inspiring and easy to find,” she said.
Saad said she has officially owned the boutique a short time, but she brings with her the legacy of her family’s small business roots and over 25 years of connection to Pollux itself.
“As we look ahead to the next 25 years, it’s about honoring our deep local roots while continuing to welcome travelers from around the world who make Pollux a stop year after year. We want to be the store people are always looking for and excited to find.”
She said her goal is to make Pollux “a “bougie western slope boutique where our customers want to come back time and again to find something special, whether clothing or lifestyle, all at price points that work.”
In the year Saad has owned Pollux, she added lifestyle selections of home decor, candles, greeting cards, bath and body products and children’s clothing.
“We’ve also brought in select dresses, fashions and accessories at various price points for special occasions, whether it’s a wedding, a formal night out, special occasion or just the perfect outfit that makes who’s wearing it feel special ” she said, “And you won’t see everyone in town wearing the same thing. We’re very selective in what and how many of each we provide. You shouldn’t have to shop in Denver or Salt Lake to find that one-of-a-kind, fashion need.”
She added it’s all about empowering customers and her staff.
“There’s nothing better than when our customers can find exactly what they’re looking for with the help of our staff,” Saad said. “We all feel great when customers come back and tell us how many compliments they’ve received.”
Even more, it’s about creating a space where customers and staff can experience confidence, empowerment, joy and meaning through fashion and connection.
“When Pollux found me, I knew I had found a place where I could truly serve women and make a difference,” she said. “Making an impact has always been at the center of everything I do, and now it’s at the heart of Pollux, too. It’s just the Pollux way. I felt it as a customer years ago, and I feel it even more deeply now as the owner.”
Finding the Pollux star (which at press time is in the process of being designed and fashioned) on the updated storefront will let customers, both new and generational, know they’re at the right place. It’s a symbol that says: This is where you’ll find the best styles, thoughtful gifts and a place where every customer is seen, celebrated and made to feel special.
And Sadye Saad has plenty in store for Pollux’s next generation.
Customer loyalty starts with mastering the basics
If there’s a cornerstone to lasting business success, it’s this: Consistently meet and even exceed your customers’ fundamental wants and needs. The most celebrated businesses don’t necessarily wow with extravagance; they earn trust by delivering reliably, warmly and thoughtfully day after day.
Every customer walks through your doors or visits your website with a purpose. They’re seeking a solution, a delight, a connection. When businesses clearly understand what matters most to their customers and follow through with unwavering consistency, they set the stage for satisfaction that leads to loyalty – and loyalty that fuels growth.
The companies that truly thrive are those that make it their mission to elevate the customer experience, not just through one-off grand gestures, but through a continuous commitment to doing the simple things right. They understand that at its heart, business is about people. And people, quite simply, want to feel cared for.
Think about your favorite businesses, the ones you instinctively return to, the ones you rave about to friends. What sets them apart? It’s not always low prices or flashy features. More often than not, it’s how they make you feel. These businesses pay attention to the little things: a sincere greeting; a clean space; a helpful hand; a consistent product; a sense of being known.
A warm, genuine welcome might seem like a minor moment, but it’s foundational. Customers form lasting impressions within seconds. A lackluster or indifferent greeting can make someone feel invisible. On the flip side, being acknowledged promptly by a friendly, engaged team member sets a positive tone that carries through the entire experience.
In our fast-paced world, true listening has become something of a lost art. And yet every person, every customer wants to be heard. Too often, businesses fall short here. They get caught up in transactions and miss the opportunity to connect. When that happens, customers don’t just feel neglected, they know they’re not valued. And they leave.
But when you listen, not just with your ears, but with full attention and intention, you give your customers a sense of importance. That feeling builds trust and rapport. It turns casual buyers into loyal fans. And when your team listens well, they’ll gain the insight needed to respond more accurately to customers’ real needs.
Ask thoughtful questions. Be curious about what people truly want. Then act on what
you learn. The stronger your understanding, the more equipped your business will be to deliver solutions that actually solve problems, or better yet, surprise and delight.
Even the best-run businesses stumble. The key isn’t in never erring; it’s in how you respond. One of the fastest ways to destroy credibility is to make your mistake the customer’s burden. Passing blame or offering a weak resolution creates frustration and erodes goodwill.
Instead, own the error. Apologize sincerely. Make it right.
When customers see you act with integrity and transparency, they’re far more likely to return. In fact, handling a mistake well can actually strengthen the customer relationship. Why? Because it shows character. It shows care.
In the end, customers may not remember every detail about the product or price, but they will remember how you made them feel. Businesses that leave people feeling better than when they arrived stand out. They create emotional loyalty that outlasts even the best marketing campaigns.
Adding value doesn’t always mean adding perks. Often, it’s about emotional generosity: making eye contact; remembering a name; expressing gratitude. When customers feel genuinely valued, they return, and they bring others with them.
Great businesses don’t leave customer experience to chance. They build it step by step by honoring the basics with passion and consistency. They foster cultures of kindness, integrity and attentiveness. They coach their teams to care and communicate. And they never stop refining.
If this sounds daunting, it’s OK to ask for support. A seasoned consultant or coach can help you identify blind spots and transform weak areas into competitive advantages.
Above all, remember this: Your ability to consistently meet and occasionally exceed your customers’ basic expectations is your most powerful driver of success. It’s not flashy. It’s not complex. But it works.
Because when you get the basics right, again and again, your customers become your advocates. And your business becomes unforgettable.
FMarcus Straub owns Life is Great Coaching in Grand Junction. He’s available for free consultations regarding coaching, speaking and trainings. Reach Straub at (970) 2083150, marcus@ligcoaching.com or through the website located at www.ligcoaching.com.
Marcus Straub
What’s – or who’s –in your wallet?
Dear Editor,
As the ceremonial shovels prepare to hit dirt for The Terminal Project (formerly the Greyhound Bus station), some real groundwork has already been laid. According to the GJ Sentinel, predevelopment — including design, entitlements and financing — is under way, with construction slated for 2025 and completion tentatively targeted for 2026–27.
But your humble correspondent has a few lingering questions: Money, Money, Money: In 2023, the Colorado Economic Development Commission (EDC) awarded $3.2 million to the Grand Junction Downtown Development Authority.
Just this past Thursday, The Terminal received a $1.95 million grant from Colorado Creative Industries.
And last October, OEDIT and the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority announced that The Terminal, along with two other statewide projects, would receive a combined $21 million in Prop 123 equity grants, with actual distributions TBD.
Big Question No. 1: Will taxpayers ever see a full, public accounting of how this money is actually spent? Or are we just supposed to trust the process?
The Big Vision: The Terminal sits at a key downtown entry point off U.S. 50, and it’s being pitched as a vibrant, mixed-use gateway: an urban anchor replacing a long-blighted facade (GJ Sentinel). According to the DDA, it’s expected to:
• Attract residents, businesses and creative professionals.
• Serve as a hub for the local arts scene with studios, exhibition space and co-working areas (all part of the state’s Space to Create initiative).
• Deliver on affordable workforce housing, although no rent projections have been publicly released.
We’re told it will spark economic vitality, energize foot traffic, support small business and add density to downtown.
Big Question No. 2: Where exactly are the 100-plus residents, workers and patrons supposed to park?
To date, there’s been no dedicated parking announced for the project. Will everyone just plug the meters, battle for space in the Rood Avenue garage, or pray they snag a 10-hour permit spot on Ute or Rood?
Was parking overlooked in all this “vision,” or just conveniently left out of the press releases?
What About the Rest of Us: While grant money flows freely for this bold new development, what about the existing businesses along that corridor, many of whom have weathered downtown’s ups and downs without a dime of help?
Big Question No. 3: Is any grant funding being offered to existing businesses for renovations, signage or facade improvements to match the DDA’s grand vision for revitalization?
Or will these longstanding enterprises be left behind — or worse, pushed out — like Amber Colunga Martinez and GJ Auto Sales?
Revitalization is a noble goal. But if it’s only reserved for the shiny and new at the expense of the people and businesses who built this town, then maybe it’s time to ask not just what’s in your wallet … … but who’s spending it, and who’s being left with the bill?
Thom Copp Grand Junction
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I’ll only get one chance to write this column, so I’m gonna take it
I was going to write another column about our misguided, unethical, agenda-driven city council, but then it occurred to me that I can always write one of those. And as my buddy Bruce said, “You only have a two-year survival anniversary column you can write once.”
He’s so right. After all, if I try to write it at this time next year, it will be my three-year anniversary. And truth be told, only the Big Guy in the heavens knows whether I make three years.
So, what’s the anniversary? Is it trips around the sun? Technically, all anniversaries are. And even though many of you think I act like a two-year-old, this isn’t about birthdays or wedding anniversaries or the annual blessings of having the two most wonderful, kind and loving daughters on the planet.
Nah, once again, this is all about me.
Well, rather the new me. The new, two-year-old me and the engine that runs the body in which my spirit lives. My heart. As I’m almost sure some old saying goes; Changed heart, changed man.
On June 30, I celebrated the two-year anniversary of surviving a triple bypass surgery and replacement of my aortic valve. It’s also a love and appreciation message to so many of you, especially my daughters, who lifted me up in prayer and supported me through the most harrowing week and a half of my life.
Facing death, it’s not for the living. Hear me out.
And I think that’s the most important lesson of the main lessons I’ve learned in all of this out of my heart problems.
First is this: We have the greatest healthcare system on the planet, no matter how badly the government tries to continue to screw it up. I know, I can’t go an entire column without a government rant. But let’s face it, just how many countries are there where open-heart surgeries are routine multiple times every day across the nation?
Folks, I walked in the intensive-care unit that night after my surgery. Don’t ever tell me our health care system is so poorly rated. We have the best doctors, facilities and technology on the planet. I know. I experienced it first-hand.
Now, if you want to talk about policies and billing and insurance and the rest of it, sure, there’s room for improvement. But if you’re gonna get cut open, you want that to happen in the good ol’ US of A.
That said, here’s another thing I discovered in my first year after surgery: something my therapist likes to call hypervigilance. And it sucks. Imagine living where you now notice literally everything your body is doing, whether it’s: aches and pains, which is expected after open heart surgery; heart thumping, which is a side effect of most medications; numbness in your sternum; and the overall work required to get your body back into shape, because it atrophied so immensely after surgery.
Now imagine every time you felt any one of these you thought you were going to die. And just because I’m me, I have ongoing premature ventricular contractions that love to pop up much more often than the rest of you everyday humans. Yeah, I notice those, too.
The good news is that in my second year, particularly as I approached this anniversary, I have learned to handle them as part of my daily life. So, here’s the good news/bad news for me in this column (you are welcome to take them in the order you prefer): I’m going to die at some point in this life. As we all are. But there are important takeaways related to this last lesson.
I’m gonna do all I can to live as long as possible. After all, the government needs attention, and I’m happy to give it. But so do my daughters, my friends, whoever I can con into maybe being my wife one day, and then there’s all of you. So, there will be walks, exercise, a proper diet (as good as I can) and just overall healthy living in a faith-filled life. And I hope to do it all with a servant’s heart, which leads me to the most important thing in all of this which I only discovered this past year.
Life is about learning that dying doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t be your biggest fear. My mom had that mindset, almost to the point of it being obnoxious. She shared those thoughts with me time and again as she knew her time was drawing near. She knew I’d face death one day, and she wanted to prepare me.
Now, God knows I’ve hastened my demise the first 62 years of my life with sin, alcohol, two failed marriages and raising two kids (the first two were serious, the latter two were humor) and just my lifestyle in general. But the blessing from God to live these last two years of my life are not only about how to live, but when to live.
When to live, and to live for Him, is every day you wake up. Don’t wait until you’re laid out like a bullfrog in the operating room for 10 hours. If you’re gonna have a heart attack, let it be attacked by the Holy Spirit. It’s the only way to live.
In Truth and freedom.
Craig Hall is owner and publisher of The Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com
Craig Hall
n Daniels to direct Mesa County’s new behavioral health division
Mesa County Public Health announced it launched a Behavioral Health Division to better align efforts in the community. The new division is the next step in the agency’s commitment to community well-being, the department said in a news release.
Jennifer Daniels has been selected to lead the new division as the Behavioral Health Division director. A licensed social worker with more than 25 years of experience in education, suicide prevention and mental health advocacy, she brings deep expertise and passionate leadership to the role.
Daniels has a master’s degree in social work from Our Lady of the Lake University, with an emphasis on Spanish-speaking populations, and a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Colorado Mesa University. Daniels has led regional suicide-prevention initiatives across health care, education and nonprofit sectors and has delivered mental health training to thousands of youth and adults.
Her leadership includes coordinating Mesa County’s Suicide Prevention Coalition, launching the Zero Suicide initiative at St. Mary’s Medical Center and guiding mental health programming in School District 51. She served as Program Administrator for the Colorado National Collaborative and continues to serve as a commissioner for the Colorado Suicide Prevention Commission and board chair for the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado.
“Our goal is to reframe how we approach behavioral health from crisis response to upstream prevention,” Daniels said. “This division will allow us to address behavioral health the same way we approach other public health issues – by looking at data, promoting equity and building systems that work for everyone.”
Under this new division, work will focus on data-informed planning and management of resources. Mesa County Public Health is positioned to lead at the systems level, and the new division builds on the foundational work the agency has already done in partnership with other organizations.
“We are grateful for our ongoing partnerships in the community,” said Daniels. “This launch marks a significant milestone in MCPH’s broader effort to address the root causes of poor health outcomes and ensure every resident has the opportunity to thrive mentally, emotionally and physically.”
n Hotel Colorado honored as CSAE Association Partner of Year
Hotel Colorado, 526 Pine St. in Colorado Springs, was named the Association Partner of the Year for 2025 by the Colorado Society of Association Executives (CSAE).
“This esteemed recognition honors Hotel Colorado for demonstrating outstanding dedication, innovation, and collaboration in advancing the mission and objectives of the association industry and CSAE,” Su Hawk, CSAE Executive Director, said. “Hotel
Colorado is the first-ever hotel Business Partner of the Year in CSAE’s history, and also hosted our state-wide Annual Conference in 2023.”
Hotel Colorado General Manager Larry MacDonald said, “I and my staff are very proud to be recognized by CSAE and the board of directors, being nominated two years in a row is flattering and to win it this year was a proud moment for our owners and management team of the Hotel Colorado.”
The hotel features six spacious, well-appointed, private meeting rooms for five to 250 people, with a total of 10,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space for larger meetings and breakout sessions. An on-site certified event planner provides comprehensive guidance to make sure budgets are met and events go smoothly. Hotel Colorado recently completed a $10 million comprehensive banquet and meeting-space and guest-room renovation.
n County assessing road conditions for maintenance, replacement
Mesa County recently began assessing the condition of all roads maintained by Mesa County. Residents may see Roadway Asset Services vehicles driving around neighborhoods and other county roads, collecting relevant data to best inform Mesa County Engineering’s management plan for scheduling maintenance and replacement of the paved roadway network.
The vans are equipped with digital cameras that will collect imagery of all pavement and above-ground transportation-related assets located within the right-of-way. This imagery is then used to assess the pavement conditions and update the County’s pavement management program, the county said in a news release. The vehicles will travel all roads maintained by Mesa County and collect data during daylight hours.
If residents have questions or require additional information about the vehicles or the project, call 970-244-1772.
n Phase 2 of Clifton roadway improvement has commenced
The second phase of the 32 1/2 Road and Clifton Campus Roadway Improvement Project began July 1, closing the Intersection of E Road and 32 1⁄2 Road until the phase is complete. E Road will be closed to all through traffic from 32 1⁄2 Road to 33 Road. Drivers are asked to use the marked detour routes.
The project is designed to bring crucial infrastructure upgrades to the Clifton area and enhance safety and accessibility.
The Phase 2 work will be in operation Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Phase 3 of the project will begin soon, and it will widen D 3/4 Road between East Chukar Way and West Chukar Way to a full residential road. A new sidewalk will link Rocky Mountain Elementary Park to the existing sidewalk west of Mountain Vista Drive.
The project is anticipated to be completed in October 2025.
For more information about the project, call the project hotline at 970-549-9611 or email 32.5rdcliftoncampusproject@gmail.com.
