Council votes to return 4th, 5th Streets to former design
Brandon Leuallen
The Business Times
Work is set to begin next Tuesday, Sept. 2, to remove the bollards and other barriers that were installed along Fourth and Fifth Streets south of Grand Avenue as part of the controversial “complete streets” pilot project.
The Grand Junction City Council adopted a resolution at its Aug. 20 meeting to revert the two streets in the downtown core to their original configuration, ending the pilot program. Voting in favor were Council members Ben Van Dyke, Robert Ballard, Mayor Pro Tem Laurel Cole and Mayor Cody Kennedy. Voting against were Council members Anna Stout, Scott Beilfuss and Jason Nguyen.
The pilot started in the Downtown Development Authority. A resolution (No. 36-22) to adopt the 4th and 5th Street Feasibility Study from 2022 says that in late 2020 the DDA hired the consulting engineering firm Bohannon Huston of Englewood to conduct a feasibility study on the conversion of 4th and 5th Streets from one-way to two-way traffic in coordination with city staff. See story on Page 5
Fieldhouse of Dreams
GJ Blackout grew from 1 girls basketball team 14 years ago to a club with an $8 million sports complex. — See story, Page 2
GJ Blackout Board President Dean Havlik stands near the GJ Blackout logo and a volleyball net at midcourt of one the four basketball (or six volleyball) courts in the nearly 40,000-square-foot Blackout Sports Fieldhouse, 715 23 1/2 Road in Grand Junction, near Community Hospital’s G Road campus. The fieldhouse opened for use this past weekend, and the grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 13. Photo by Tim Harty.
Ready to take the court
Blackout Sports Fieldhouse opens for use by GJ Blackout basketball and Mesa Juniors volleyball
Until recently a sign on the property at 715 23 1/2 Road, where the 39,353-square-foot Blackout Sports Fieldhouse now stands, heralded its arrival with: “Coming in 2023.”
Oops!
Dean Havlik mentioned that sign during a June 18 interview when he acknowledged a targeted opening date of July 9 wasn’t going to happen, and July 29 became the new target. It didn’t open then, either.
Havlik, president of the nonprofit GJ Blackout basketball club’s board of directors, saw the humor in the sign that was two years premature. It deserved a “5” painted over the 3 by a civic-minded vandal.
Now, as August draws to a close, Havlik confidently said on Thursday, Aug. 21, “We’ll have kids playing on the courts this weekend.”
The fieldhouse finally is ready for basketball and volleyball players – the Mesa Juniors Volleyball Club partnered in the project – to take to its courts. Then, in a couple weeks, Sept. 13 to be exact – dare we say that? –the grand opening will be celebrated.
“It’s very exciting,” Havlik said. “It’s pretty much a dream come true. … We originally talked about doing only one court, and then it’s expanded to this monster of four courts. And to see it like this ...”
Dean Havlik, who founded the nonprofit GJ Blackout basketball club in 2011 when it was just one eighthgrade girls basketball team, kneels on the midcourt logo on one of the Blackout Sports Fieldhouse courts, which accommodate basketball, volleyball and pickleball. GJ Blackout now has about 600 girls and boys in its club. The Mesa Juniors Volleyball Club joined GJ Blackout as a partner in the fieldhouse project. Havlik said he’d like to see the skills of basketball and volleyball players in the Grand Valley rise to the level that yields state championships for the Grand Valley’s high schools. “That’s always been my thought,” Havlik said. “It’s like, ‘Boy, it would be great if one of our high schools would win the state championship one of these days.’ I don’t care which one it is. I’m pretty equal to all the high schools here.”
Havlik was referring to how beautiful the inside of the building now is. No more exposed beams. No more unpainted drywall. No more gray concrete floors. Instead, basketball hoops and volleyball nets are up, three-tier bleachers are situated at the short ends of the four basketball courts, which also serve as six volleyball courts or 12 pickleball courts, and the wood-floor courts are waxed and shining brilliantly
“North Peak has done an amazing job with what they’ve constructed here,” Havlik said of the fieldhouse’s builder, general contractor North Peak Construction. “They deserve a lot of credit.”
Havlik added the finished product has been a long time coming.
And that sign that suggested the sports complex would be coming in 2023? He said it was taken down, and, “I’ve got to figure out where that sign is, actually, because I want it.”
The Final Cost
As gratifying as it will be for so many GJ Blackout and Mesa Juniors athletes to finally grace their new home, Havlik has another date he’d like to see arrive sooner rather than later. That’s the day the fieldhouse project is fully funded, as in approximately $8.3 million. Havlik estimates the building is going to be about $7.3 million, and the 10 acres it sits on cost about $1 million.
That’s a pretty penny more than GJ Blackout intended when it entered the project, as Havlik said, “We started off wanting to keep it under $5 million. It just hasn’t quite worked out. There just keeps being something else we want to add to it.”
When he spoke June 18 about the remaining balance, the amount that hasn’t been covered yet by grants and donations, Havlik said about $1 million still needed to be raised.
On Aug. 21, when he addressed the subject, Havlik said about $400,000 remained after the project received a recent grant of $75,000 from the Sessions Family Foundation.
Earlier in the capital campaign, the Daniels Fund donated $300,000. Community Hospital donated $100,000. The Grand Junction Lions Club gave $25,000.
El Pomar, the Adolph Coors Foundation and The Boettcher Foundation made donations. And many, many others made smaller donations, which add up.
Havlik said GJ Blackout’s grant writer, Jenny Aubert, has been “awesome.”
And her job won’t end with the grant that completes the funding for the fieldhouse. Havlik said they will continue to seek grants and donations in hopes it will allow GJ Blackout to keep its fees low for its league teams and club teams.
“We are a nonprofit, and we want to stay that way,” he said, but some fee increases may be needed, as he added, “We’re definitely not in this for a profit, that’s for sure, but we do want to cover our costs. That’s important that we keep this thing open.”
And it’s also GJ Blackout’s goal to avoid taking out a loan. See GJ BLACKOUT on page 7
STORY AND PHOTOS BY TIM HARTY
The Golden Gate Petroleum convenience-store building and fuel-pump areas are taking shape at its soon-to-be-open Whitewater location at the intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and Willow Bend Road. Construction on what will be Golden Gate’s sixth Colorado location began in the spring. Golden Gate’s regional manager for Colorado and Utah, Adriane Smith-Maloney, said the company’s projected opening is mid to late October. Photo by Tim Harty.
Whitewater gets a gas station
Golden Gate Petroleum convenience store also will serve Krispy Krunchy Chicken
Tim Harty The Business Times
The unincorporated Mesa County community of Whitewater is growing, and U.S. Highway 50 traffic is as busy as ever.
That’s simple math for Golden Gate Petroleum owner Dennis O’Keefe when it comes to opportunities to expand his business. And it added up to the Golden Gate convenience store and gas station that’s being built at the intersection of U.S. 50 and Willow Bend Road, about a mile-and-a-quarter northwest of the Colorado Highway 141 turnoff into Whitewater.
O’Keefe “takes in all information when projecting new locations,” said Adriane Smith-Maloney, Golden Gate Petroleum’s regional manager for Colorado and Utah. “I would say that traffic flow is a good encouragement, but also necessity, so he’s looking at areas that don’t necessarily have easy-access, high-flow pumps or are just kind of short on the market for a good, clean, gas station.
“That’s kind of how the birth of a location is determined.”
She added up-and-coming markets are always ideal and reiterated the point about ease of access, which is why the location at Willow Bend Road makes more sense than putting the store at the Colorado 141 turnoff into Whitewater.
“If you’ve got heavy truck flow in any direction, those drivers really need the ability to get in and get out without having to make sharp U-turns or put their trucks in a bind,” Smith-Maloney said.
Smith-Maloney said the Whitewater Golden Gate Petroleum will have 17 fuel dispensers, and four of them will be high-flow diesel.
Staffing-wise, she said the store will have 13 to 20 employees.
The projected opening of the Whitewater Golden Gate, she said, is mid to late October.
It will be the fourth Golden Gate location in Mesa County – 2385 G Road and 399 29 Road in Grand Junction and 780 37 3/10 Road in Palisade – and sixth in Colorado. The other two are nearby in Montrose and Silt.
Whitewater’s Golden Gate, however, will be a little different. It will be little larger, mostly because it will have a full-service Krispy Krunchy Chicken, which SmithMaloney deemed “phenomenal chicken.”
The other Grand Valley locations do not have Krispy Krunchy Chicken. The Montrose store has a smaller version of KKC.
She explained how Whitewater differs: “They’re gonna have some seating available inside and a much larger scale of chicken, so that would be the biggest difference between the Grand Junction locations, that nobody in Grand Junction is familiar with Krispy Krunchy yet.”
Smith-Maloney added, “Obviously it’s gonna sound biased, because I work for the company, but I’m gonna tell you, I was raised on KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), and this blows KFC out of the water. It’s the Cajun seasoning that does it for me. It’s a light Cajun seasoning, so it’s not overbearing, but it makes it divine.”
Of course, the Whitewater Golden Gate will be like all of the others in many ways.
“I’ve been with the company since 2019, and one of the things that I would say sets us apart from other competitors, which will remain nameless, is we value customer service and cleanliness to the highest of standards,” Smith-Maloney said. “Our staff are trained to greet people more effectively. We don’t believe in things like self-checkouts typically. We like that customer experience way more than the quickness or efficiency of automated systems, and almost all of our raving reviews will notate the cleanliness in the bathrooms. That makes the biggest difference, I tell you.”
Given the foothold Golden Gate has gotten in the Grand Junction area, Smith-Maloney didn’t rule out more Golden Gate convenience stores popping up in Western Colorado.
“Dennis (O’Keefe) is always looking for good opportunity,” she said. “He is a growth-minded individual, and I will tell you he has grown during even recession times; 2008 he was building multiple stations. … Colorado has been a booming area or industry for him to engage in, and I would not be surprised to see future locations across Colorado.”
There also could be more coming to Utah in addition to one currently being built not so far from Grand Junction. Grand Valley residents who take I-70 and U.S. Route 191 to Moab will notice a Golden Gate convenience store being built at the intersection of those highways near Crescent Junction.
Golden Gate Petroleum has convenience stores in four states: California, Colorado, Nevada and Utah. The majority of its 37 stores are in Nevada, where it is headquartered.
Council votes to return 4th, 5th Streets to former design
Continued from Page 1
The goals for the project included enhancing safety, improving walkability and bikeability, activating economic development and optimizing traffic circulation.
Under Executive Director Brandon Stam, the DDA advanced the redesign, which had also been identified as a priority in the 2019 Downtown Vibrant Together plan to go from one-way to two-way streets.
The decision to remove the bollards marks the end of more than a year of debate that pitted business owners, citizens and cyclists against each other, even to the point of electing a new council majority that voted to end the program south of Grand Avenue. Construction crews are expected to begin work immediately after the Labor Day weekend.
Complete Streets
The original intent was to restore twoway traffic on 4th and 5th Streets, an idea dating back to the 1981 DDA plan of development and reaffirmed in the 2019 Vibrant Together plan. But when the pilot was implemented, the streets were changed to one lane with a bike lane and remained one-way under the city’s Complete Streets Policy, which commits the city to adding bike and pedestrian facilities on all transportation related projects.
Rather than seeking community engagement for the implementation of Complete Streets facilities on a street-by-street or on a category basis, the policy directs the city to incorporate Complete Streets designs
into all transportation-related projects.
It states, “While the City has historically incorporated complete streets concepts in the design of transportation corridors, this policy memorializes that commitment for all transportation-related projects. The Grand Junction complete streets policy recognizes the importance of all modes of transportation and is established for the areas under the jurisdiction of the City of Grand Junction.”
The policy came from the Urban Trails Committee and states, “It has been a long-standing goal and desire of the Urban Trails Committee, whose planning jurisdiction is limited to the Persigo 201 service area, to develop and adopt a complete streets policy. That goal was incorporated into the 2017 City Council Strategic Plan as a Key Initiative.”
The city’s 2020 Comprehensive Plan reinforced the approach, stating an objective was to “incrementally implement the adopted Complete Streets Policy on all public streets.”
Then, Grand Junction City Council approved Resolution No. 36-22, adopting the 4th and 5th Street feasibility study, which states “the City’s updated Comprehensive Plan also identifies utilization of Complete Streets within the Downtown core.”
This mandate led ultimately to the redesign of 4th and 5th Streets. What began with a recommendation to eventually return the one-way streets to two-way traffic evolved into a single-lane pilot project with a bike lane, shifting parking and access patterns downtown. The design was ultimately reversed south of Grand Avenue.
Grand Junction Energy Summit: Colorado faces reality of rising power demands
Grand Junction hosted business and policy leaders Aug. 19 for the Grand Junction Chamber Energy Summit, a daylong event exploring how Colorado can balance growing electricity demand, economic development and regulatory pressures.
National perspective on energy reality
The summit opened with a keynote address from Marty Durbin, senior vice president of policy and president of the Global Energy Institute at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Durbin framed the discussion around what he called the nation’s “energy reality.”
“If we truly find one word and describe the overall dynamic of what we need as a national energy policy, that word is more,” Durbin said. “We need more electrons. We need more molecules. We need more transmission lines. We need more critical minerals.
hydro. We’re going to need all of those energy sources to be able to meet the demand that is coming here.”
Durbin noted how quickly global energy dynamics can shift, pointing to the shale revolution, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and now the rise of artificial intelligence and data centers.
“Less than two years ago, the International Energy Agency put out its World Energy Outlook. It didn’t mention AI,” he said. “This was less than two years ago. Well, then within a few months everybody was talking about it.
“In 2024, you saw electricity demand growth that was 60 percent higher than historic averages. And that’s just continued to grow. So, we all know now that’s what we’re focused on. How are we going to power the data centers that are coming along in addition to just maintaining the grid?”
On permitting-process reform, Durbin pressed for faster decisions and fewer delays.
“I just don’t believe that it should take four-and-a-half years as it does right now, on average, to get a federal permit,” he said. “By the way, that’s not even getting the permit. That’s getting a yes or no answer. The answer may be no after four-and-a-half years.
“And we need every energy source out there, so oil and gas, nuclear, renewables,
“Highways take seven years. Transmission lines can be 10 years. We want to build stuff. We’ve got to be able to break through these logjams.”
Durbin emphasized that energy debates in Washington, D.C., must be grounded in business realities across the country.
“This is really both a national security and an economic security issue,” he told the audience. “We need to make sure policies are in place that encourage and incentivize the investments that will allow for the kind of growth that brings all of those other benefits competitiveness, higher wages and better standards of living.”
Workforce and energy choices
The morning discussion featured Laura Hickernell of Colorado Cleantech and Dr. Nathan Perry, a Colorado Mesa University economics professor.
Hickernell highlighted opportunities and challenges in emerging technologies, saying, “I’m really excited about geothermal, nuclear and even fusion. There are incredible opportunities, but startups are facing steep costs, and sometimes the policy environment is contradictory and ends up picking winners and losers.”
Perry laid out the scale of energy’s role in Colorado’s economy, saying, “Energy jobs make up 5.7 percent of employment statewide, and the same share here in Mesa County. In Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, the numbers are far higher. We’re looking at a 50 percent increase in electricity demand by 2040.”
His conclusion was straightforward.
Brandon Leuallen
The Business Times
Martin Durbin, Senior Vice President for Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and President of the Global Energy Institute gives the keynote address.
Photo by Brandon Leuallen.
Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Candace Carnahan moderates the morning conversation with Laura Hickernell of Colorado Cleantech and Dr. Nathan Perry of Colorado Mesa University. Photo by Brandon Leuallen.
GJ Blackout
Continued from Page 2
“We haven’t actually had to borrow money yet,” Havlik said. “We’re hoping it’s not necessary to take out any loans.”
Avoiding loans goes back to keeping costs low for GJ Blackout’s families.
“If we get a loan, that’s going to probably increase our cost a bit and our fees a bit, and we don’t want to do that,” he said.
Where It All Started
For GJ Blackout to be where it is now was unfathomable when Havlik founded it in 2011. The nonprofit club was formed for one team, an eighth-grade girls basketball team that Havlik’s daughter played for.
“Basically I noticed there wasn’t a good, kind of club type of atmosphere for basketball, for these more talented kids to play on,” he said.
As someone who played basketball throughout his youth in Phoenix, Ariz., Havlik knew the value of playing against better competition in big cities. He wanted the same for GJ Blackout, getting experience against competitive teams from the likes of Denver and Salt Lake City.
“So I started this team,” he said, “and then it went well that first year, and it kind of just took off from there.”
Indeed, it took off.
He couldn’t recall if it was 2016 or 2017, but one of those years brought boys basketball teams into the GJ Blackout fold.
And the initial concentration on fifth-graders to eighth graders eventually became third grade to eighth grade, and then some teams with high schoolers were formed.
Now, with the new facility, GJ Blackout will look to expand.
“We’re going to start with first grade,” Havlik said, “and then do more activities with high-schoolers.”
That expansion wasn’t possible until now, because there are only so many middle-school gyms in the Grand Valley. Havlik said School District 51 “has been really kind to us, letting us use their facilities.”
But limited courts and limited time slots were unavoidable, and lack of gym time became a motivator for GJ Blackout, which wanted to expand.
So, the idea of GJ Blackout’s own building took root.
“I’ve always wanted to have a facility like this,” Havlik said of Blackout Sports Fieldhouse, “but probably in the COVID years is when we started getting really serious about building the facility. Probably because we had more money in our hands to think about it.”
Being able to do it took the brains and brawn of a lot of people, and Havlik commended his colleagues on the GJ Blackout Board of Directors, saying, “We have a great board. … They’ve been extremely helpful with making decisions and things like that.”
He also expressed gratitude for the local businesses that made the fieldhouse possible, name-dropping the architect, Kraai Design Architecture, and the engineers from Bighorn Engineering and Austin Civil Group.
“Everything’s local, local architects, local engineers that have been involved with this, so that was important to us,” Havlik said.
And when the time finally came in the spring of 2024, North Peak Construction broke ground and started building.
Growing The Ranks
When Havlik talks about expanding the teams and clubs and leagues because of the new fieldhouse, he’s talking about serious expansion and not just for GJ Blackout. He detailed it like this:
“We have our own leagues and system for GJ Blackout, and we’re going to continue that and expand that. So, take all the kids that play with us now, and then we’re going to expand that and get more kids.
“And then with the volleyball club that we’re partnering with, Mesa Juniors, they have their own club and things and their kids, and they’re going to expand their
gjblackout.com/become-a-partner To learn more about the fieldhouse, go to: blackoutfieldhouse.com.
program because of this new facility.
“And then we’re going to be doing additional leagues that anyone can join, like new kids and things, and then we’ll also rent out any open spots to anyone else that wants to to use it.”
What that means in terms of the total number of kids from expanded teams and expanded leagues is a much bigger number than the approximately 600 kids GJ Blackout currently has.
“We want to try to get at least 5,000 kids in there, when you’re including all the volleyball and then all the other activities that we’re going to be doing,” Havlik said. “Right now, it’s hundreds, and we’re hoping to expand it to a few thousand.”
Physical Room To Grow
The completion of Blackout Sports Fieldhouse may not be the last of the construction, as Havlik said the building used about two acres of the property, leaving eight more for future use.
One thing Havlik believes has a great chance of coming to fruition is the allocation of some ground for beach volleyball.
“We’re not 100 percent sure we’re going to do this yet, but probably 90 percent sure we’re going to put some beach volleyball courts out on the north side of the building,” he said. “Pretty sure we’re gonna do that, but we haven’t actually pulled the trigger on that. ... If we do the beach volleyball courts, it will probably be right after we open.”
Other discussions have involved a baseball field or a soccer field.
“The building’s situated right in front, and then all the back acreage is for expansion,” Havlik said. “We’ve talked about a lot of stuff. We could build another building behind there.”
All of that is “probably no time soon,” Havlik acknowledged, “but maybe some day. We have plenty of acreage to do that.”
When the time comes, maybe GJ Blackout will put out another sign to let everyone know when to expect it.
Top photo: GJ Blackout Board President Dean Havlik stands in the middle of the court for a photo taken from the upper-level section in the middle of Blackout Sports Fieldhouse.
Bottom photo: Havlik stands next to a life-size poster of NBA Hall-of-Famer Michael Jordan. The poster was one of many that adorned the walls in Havlik’s bedroom as a teenager, and he is posting some of them inside Blackout Sports Fieldhouse. Havlik said today’s kids don’t know who most of the players are that he idolized as a teen, so he bought a couple posters of current stars, such as Nikola Jokic of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and Caitlin Clark of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. Havlik said the Jordan poster is 42 years old and added: “It’s been through the wars. Don’t look too closely. It’s very vintage; that’s what my wife says, vintage.” Photos by Tim Harty.
Ask, and you shall receive
Couple’s Exit California plan leads to purchase of Holiday Cleaners
Tim Harty The Business Times
Sometimes, all you have to do is ask. As in: Do you want to sell your dry cleaning/laundry business to us?
When Eric and Robbie Boucher posed the question to Holiday Cleaners’ owners Mike and Janine Sitz, the answer was yes, and a couple weeks later the Bouchers were the new owners.
They tweaked the trade name, and now Holiday Cleaners and Laundromat resides at 1251 N. Third St. in Grand Junction.
The Bouchers’ approach was what their business coach advised them to do when they decided they wanted to leave California and live in western Colorado. Part of the reasoning for the Colorado relocation was to be closer to their son, who is a student at Fort Lewis College in Durango.
“Three years ago we came up with the Exit California plan,” Robbie Bourcher said, “and that plan included us renovating our house, putting it on the market and putting the equity into an LLC to buy a business.
“Originally we planned to buy self-storage facilities, but that market is saturated. The interest rates aren’t great. And the market for that just wasn’t what we were looking for, so we kind of looked at some other opportunities. We looked at Airbnbs, but kind of the same thing: oversaturated, interest rates.”
Robbie said their business coach suggested businesses that are recession-proof, “so we started looking at laundromats and walking into businesses and ask if they’d like to sell.”
Robbie estimated she and Eric approached 35 to 40
businesses, knocking on doors in most cases and using Facebook Marketplace for some others. When they approached the Sitzes about Holiday Cleaners, Eric said the interest was immediate.
“They’d been trying to sell it, but it wasn’t really advertised,” he said.
Robbie said the sale transpired much quicker than they anticipated, wrapping up in about two weeks. She said they finalized the terms, went back to California to pack up their house and moved to Grand Junction two weeks after that.
“It was quite a whirlwind,” Robbie said. “We landed (in Grand Junction) on June 28 and unpacked the house, started working the business, just learning the business here July 1, and then took over August 1.”
The Bouchers’ prior business experience – Eric as a water-distribution operator, Robbie in storage management and real estate – didn’t prepare them for running a dry cleaning business and laundromat, so they’ve relied on the veteran employees at Holiday Cleaners to get them up to speed.
“The crew is outstanding,” Eric said. “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”
Robbie added, “Holiday Cleaners is unique in that it’s a laundromat and dry cleaning, and then we also have delivery service. ... So, just learning all those processes and how things are handled was quite a learning curve.
“And then the biggest surprise, I think, is just the pace of business, the pace of the work here. And then the most pleasant surprise, I think, is that the employees here that have decided to stay on with us are amazing. We hit the jackpot with the employees that we have. They’re just awesome.”
new line of work,
has led to them working a lot of 12- to 14-hour days.
Husband and wife Eric and Robbie Boucher bought Holiday Cleaners and Laundromat this summer and moved to Grand Junction. The transition to a
Robbie said,
Photo by Tim Harty.
bought Holimoved to work, Rob14-hour
“We “That’s reality.”
Build Integrity Through Chamber Membership
People do business with those they know and trust. That’s why Chamber membership matters. When you join the Palisade Chamber of Commerce, you’re not just adding your name to a directory. You’re making a statement about your values and your business strategy. Membership shows customers, partners, and the community that your business is rooted in integrity, credibility, and connection. Recent national research proves it. A Harris Poll study found that people are more likely to buy from a business if they know it’s a Chamber member and more than 60 percent of adults said Chamber membership makes a business seem more trustworthy. That credibility gives your business a competitive edge. Customers want the
confidence that they are supporting companies who do things the right way.
Credibility is only the beginning.
The Palisade Chamber sets itself apart by building strong relationships; creating authentic opportunities for business leaders to connect, build trust, and exchange referrals. Networking events and programs aren’t just about shaking hands. They’re about staying top of mind, giving others the chance to understand what you do, and opening the door to lasting partnerships.
By joining the Palisade Chamber, you align with an organization that has served our community for over a century, promoting fair practices, supporting local growth, and connecting businesses with opportunities to thrive. When people
see the Palisade Chamber logo on your door or website, they know you stand behind your products, your services, and your reputation.
Chamber membership strengthens your business identity while building meaningful relationships and positioning yourself as a trusted leader in our community. If you’re ready to elevate your business and your influence, attend the next Lunch & Learn or Business After Hours and join the Palisade Chamber of Commerce today! For more information visit Palisadecoc.com or contact Cesar Camacho, Marketing & Member Engagement Coordinator at cesar@palisadecoc.com or (970) 464-7458 ext.102.
Reliability,
At lunch, of Xcel Energy Colorado their perspectives supply, policy Kenney clean energy
“We’ve emissions
100 percent it’s not always gas remains He billion capital cautioned one set of balancing Miera regulatory rule requiring electrified association earlier this the case jobs and rules are
“We’ve where we’re of Colorado, here,” she Western Utah, Wyoming, and Texas. regulatory-driven.” Miera states.
Continued from Page 6
“We need all energy,” Perry said. “That’s not politics. That’s economic reality.”
Reliability, regulation and demand
At lunch, Hickernell, Robert Kenney of Xcel Energy and Chelsie Miera of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association shared their perspectives on balancing energy supply, policy and investment.
Kenney emphasized the need for both clean energy and reliable baseload power.
“We’ve committed to cutting carbon emissions 80 percent by 2030 and being 100 percent clean by 2050,” he said. “But it’s not always sunny or windy, so natural gas remains essential.”
He also highlighted Xcel’s $22.3 billion capital plan through 2029 and cautioned that regulators often “prioritize one set of goals over another rather than balancing them.”
Miera described her industry’s regulatory challenges, pointing to a new rule requiring natural gas facilities to be electrified as unrealistic and costly. Her association filed suit against the state earlier this year, with Mesa County joining the case “to protect Western Slope energy jobs and economy.” She also warned that rules are driving jobs out of Colorado.
“We’ve now gotten to a point where we’re pushing the production out of Colorado, because it is so difficult here,” she said. “Instead of producing in Western Colorado, it’s being pushed to Utah, Wyoming, down into New Mexico and Texas. And it is very policy- and regulatory-driven.”
Miera noted the contrast with nearby states.
“New Mexico has an interesting dynamic,” she said. “Their school system is funded by oil and natural gas, and it’s an amazing opportunity they’ve used to better their schools and their state. That’s the kind of model we could be looking at here in Colorado.”
Hickernell highlighted the importance of choices in an era when electricity demand is projected to grow quickly.
“There is no perfect solution,” she said. “Costs, benefits and opportunities like nuclear and fusion all have to be considered.”
Miera closed with a call to action: “Energy is at the core of our livelihood. It’s long past time for Western Colorado to be involved and make sure policymakers know what’s happening out here.”
Breakout sessions
Afternoon breakout sessions covered a wide range of energy topics:
• Jim Sims of Policy Communications discussed re-shoring minerals to strengthen U.S. energy security.
• A panel on EV infrastructure highlighted efforts to meet rising charging demand.
• Mesa County Landfill and Grand Valley Instrumentation demonstrated new technology to boost methane capture.
• Another session focused on moving energy projects from planning to construction.
• Industry experts explained how incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act affect businesses.
• Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis outlined Mesa County’s latest energy code updates and what they mean for builders and developers.
Dylan Brown, regulatory compliance manager for the Mesa County Landfill, discusses methane capture and regulations at the Grand Junction Chamber Energy Summit. Photo by Brandon Leuallen.
$12.5 million grant will help fund airport’s runway project
Grand Junction Regional Airport received a $12.5 million Airport Improvement Program grant from the Federal Aviation Administration on Aug. 18, and the money will go toward the airport’s ongoing runway expansion, which is about a year ahead of schedule.
The runway originally was expected to open on the airport’s 100th anniversary in 2030, but now the airport plans to host the runway’s grand opening in 2029.
Third Congressional District Rep. Jeff Hurd was at the Aug. 18 event to make the grant announcement. Hurd made it a point to say the airport has “done a fantastic job on the grant front. They make it easy for us to push these through, to get behind them and support them. That’s a testament to the leadership, but also the team here.”
Linde Marshall, who chairs the Grand Junction Regional Airport Authority’s board of directors, said the airport’s mission “is to provide safe, reliable and sustainable aviation facilities to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the region,” and that starts with the runway.
“We know the runway needs to be replaced to continue to serve our growing community and the varying needs of our region,” she said. “I am excited to share that we are on track for our runway to open a year early in 2029. That’s in large part due to grant awards like the one Congressman Hurd announced (Aug. 18).
“With this grant, the airport has been awarded over $150 million since 2018, primarily to fund this runway-replacement project.”
Marshall said the airport’s leadership and its planning and design team “have worked meticulously to ensure that all moving parts of the runway expansion are thoughtfully organized, communicated with our funding partners at the FAA, and shovel ready.”
Because of that, the airport realized cost efficiencies with its subcontractors and is positioned to accept additional funding as it becomes available.
Grand Junction Regional Airport CEO Angela Padalecki said the runway project
“We
know the runway needs to be replaced to continue to serve our growing community and the varying needs of our region. I am excited to share that we are on track for our runway to open a year early in 2029.”
- Linde Marshall, Chair of the Grand Junction Regional Airport Authority’s board of directors
still has more than $100 million in work remaining. Grants such as the $12.5 million from the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program “finish funding the sub-base of the runway, representing a significant milestone on the project.
“Furthermore, the airport has additional work ready to fund should the FAA have any extra grant funding available as they close out their fiscal year. Having shovel-ready projects lined up has enabled us to successfully secure additional grant funding to accelerate the project schedule and save money through better economies of scale and larger, more efficient projects.”
Padalecki said Grand Junction Regional Airport received an additional $17 million in grant funding in 2024 above what was planned to fund extra sub-base construction.
“While we don’t expect extra grant funding again this year, we have projects ready should the FAA have an opportunity to fund them,” she said.
The grants also lead to savings, as Padalecki added, “Thanks to the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Bill, these grants fund 95 percent of associated project costs and require just a 5 percent match from the airport. This is half of the 10 percent match typically required on the airport’s FAA grants and will save the airport over $680,000.”
The Balanced Life: Why true success requires stepping away
Running a business demands relentless energy, focus and time. For many entrepreneurs, the pursuit of success becomes all-consuming – often at the expense of their personal lives. It’s easy to justify the sacrifice, saying:
Marcus
“Just a little more effort.”
“One more late night.”
“I’ll make time for myself later.”
But the truth is when you neglect the rest of your life in favor of your business, you don’t just risk burnout, you risk losing the very things that make success meaningful.
There’s no real benefit to working yourself into the ground. Fatigue clouds judgment, drains creativity and erodes patience.
When you’re mentally and emotionally depleted, your leadership suffers. You may still be showing up, but you’re not showing up as your best self. And that affects everything from your team’s morale to your customer experience to your long-term vision.
On the other hand, when you create and maintain balance between your business and personal life, everyone benefits. You become more grounded, more present and more effective. Your team feels your clarity. Your customers sense your authenticity. Your family experiences your love and attention. And most importantly, you feel whole.
Your business is only one part of your life. You also have relationships with family and friends, your health, your passions and your personal interests. These are not distractions; they are the foundation of your well-being. When you allow your business to consume all your time and energy, these other aspects begin to fade. And with them, so does your happiness.
There are moments in life that cannot be reclaimed. You can’t go back and relive your child’s early years once they’ve grown. You can’t undo the emotional distance that leads to a fractured marriage. You can’t always recover your health once it’s been compromised. The more out of balance you become, the more hollow your financial success may feel, because of what you sacrificed to achieve it.
Ironically, balance doesn’t just improve your personal life, it enhances your business. When you take time to recharge, you return with greater clarity, creativity and resilience. You become a more thoughtful leader, a better decision-maker and a more inspiring presence. Your capacity expands and so does your impact.
When you’re in balance, your relationships improve. You treat people with more kindness and patience. Your perspective is clearer, your attitude lighter, your fuse longer. And when you treat others well, they tend to respond in kind. This ripple effect strengthens your personal and professional connections.
But balance isn’t just about carving out time; it’s about being fully present. When you’re on vacation with your partner or playing with your kids, be there. Not halfway. Not with one eye on your inbox. Be all in. Whether you’re attending a family gathering, reading a book, going for a bike ride or simply sitting in silence, immerse yourself in the moment. These experiences are not secondary to your work. They are life itself.
A working vacation is not a vacation. It’s just work in a different location. And
The Business Times 609 North Ave., Suite 5
The Business Times is published weekly 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 don’t necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor or advertisers.
Letters to the editor at: publisher@thebusinesstimes.com
Submit stories or story ideas to: stories@thebusinesstimes.com
divided attention serves no one. Your business won’t get your best, and your loved ones will feel the absence. The secret is to truly step away. Turn off your phone. Close the laptop. Let go of business concerns. You can do this more than you think. And when you do, life becomes richer for you and for those around you.
This isn’t about abandoning ambition. It’s about redefining success. Real success includes joy, connection and vitality. It’s about building something meaningful without losing yourself in the process. It’s about creating a life you’re proud of, not just a business that performs well on paper.
As a business owner, you are the foundation of your enterprise. Your energy, your mindset, your emotional state, they shape everything. When you’re inspired and balanced, your company thrives. When your quality of life begins to fade, it’s a signal. Don’t ignore it. Take action.
That action doesn’t have to be dramatic. It can start with small shifts: a weekly date night; a morning walk; a tech-free Sunday. It can mean setting boundaries around your time, saying no to one more meeting or trusting your team to handle things while you rest. These choices add up. They restore your energy and reconnect you to what matters most.
In the end, we’re all left with the sum of our moments. The late nights. The quiet mornings. The laughter. The missed chances. The connections we nurtured – or neglected. We’ll either look back with peace or with regret.
Choose to live with intention. Create space for what matters. Pursue success, yes – but pursue joy, too. Because true success isn’t just about what you build. It’s about how you live.
Marcus Straub owns Life is Great Coaching in Grand Junction. 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 (970) 208-3150, marcus@ligcoaching.com or through the website located at www.ligcoaching.com.
Straub
Beware pitfalls of pooled-employer retirement plans
Employers offering company-sponsored retirement plans often rely on third-party advisors for expert guidance on plan provisions, investment choices and overall plan governance to ensure the plan aligns with the best interests of both the company and its employees.
However, issues can arise when these advisors fail to provide recommendations tailored to the employer’s specific needs or when they do not fully disclose important information, potentially leaving employers unaware of all relevant circumstances.
Following the regulatory changes introduced by the SECURE Act, Pooled Employer Plans have become a popular topic among financial and third-party advisors. These plans allow multiple unrelated employers to participate in a single 401(k) arrangement.
While PEPs are often presented as a cost-effective and simplified solution for offering employee-retirement benefits, there are several potential drawbacks that aren’t always fully disclosed during these advisor presentations. As a result, employers could find themselves facing unintended consequences and costs.
One of the most significant drawbacks of joining a PEP is the loss of flexibility and control. Employers participating in a PEP are generally required to follow the standardized provisions set by the Pooled Plan Provider, depending on the plan. This limits their ability to customize some of the plan features, choose third-party vendors and, perhaps most critically, the investment lineup.
Consider the scenario where an employer wants to revise eligibility rules a year down the road or is dissatisfied with the available investment options. Depending on the PEP, they may find themselves locked into a structure where such changes aren’t possible, leaving them with little to no say in how the plan operates for their workforce. Additionally, many PEPs are administered by a designated third-party advisor or trust company, often selected as the preferred provider.
Based on our experience working with some of these providers, we’ve identified several concerning issues. These include a lack of transparency and timely communication, cumbersome reporting processes and, most critically, delays in remitting participant contributions to the plan, sometimes exceeding seven days after payroll is processed.
Another common misconception being communicated to employers is that joining a PEP eliminates fiduciary responsibilities and removes the need for an external audit. While it’s true that the Pooled Plan Provider assumes certain fiduciary duties, participating employers still retain the responsibility of overseeing the provider’s performance. If the PEP is mismanaged or fails to comply with ERISA regulations, the employer may still be held liable.
Additionally, employers remain responsible for their own employees. This includes accurately processing deferrals through payroll and providing correct data to the PEP to ensure the plan is administered in line with its provisions.
As for audits, while the PEP itself will undergo an external audit, depending on participant count, participating employers in a PEP being audited are still required to supply payroll and company-specific information to support the audit process. If errors are found in the payroll process as part of the audit, the employer is still liable for making those corrections as well as any additional information needed for the audit due to the errors.
From an auditor perspective, the most common compliance errors found in an audit are related to payroll processing and errors such as inaccurate withholdings on certain types of compensation. This responsibility does not change when moving from a singleemployer retirement plan to a PEP.
PEPs are also being marketed as a low-cost solution for employers. However, the fee structures can be complex and are frequently bundled into a single package, making it difficult to determine the cost of individual services. Furthermore, if fees are evenly distributed across all participating employers, smaller companies may end up subsidizing the costs for larger ones.
Considering a PEP but unsure if it’s the right long-term fit? Exiting a PEP isn’t as straightforward as it may appear. If an employer decides to leave a PEP, whether due to dissatisfaction or plan termination, it typically must establish a new single-employer plan and transfer all participant accounts from the PEP into the new structure. This transition can be complex, time-consuming and potentially costly. Unlike with single-employer plans, employers participating in a PEP cannot simply terminate their portion of the plan independently.
Before making a significant change to your retirement plan, such as converting to a PEP, employers are strongly advised to take several critical steps. This includes:
• Seeking independent fiduciary advice.
• Thoroughly researching third-party administrators, including reviewing their independent auditor’s report or SOC 1 report.
• Conducting a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis.
• And fully understanding the potential impacts of the decision on both the organization and its employees.
Kelsa Tinsley, CPA, is an audit principal with DWC CPAs and Advisors. A recognized specialist in employee benefit plan audits, Tinsley holds an Advanced Employee Benefit Plans Audit Certification from the American Institute of CPAs. She also plays a key role in preparing business valuations alongside DWC’s ABV- and CVA-certified valuation analysts.
Kelsa Tinsley
It was the best of days, it was the worst of days
Yeah, a bit of a corny title. And let’s be honest, we’re not living life as intended unless we have hundreds of days that can be described this way.
But I don’t know how else to describe this past Wednesday in particular. Especially given the range of emotions leading up to the day, the day itself, and waking up the morning after and writing this column that evening.
So why this day, you ask? If you’ll indulge me, I’ll tell you a little story. It involves two great young ladies, and my privilege of having the best job in the world, being their father. A job which came with equal shares of anxiety and pride, and many of those best and worst days.
And two of those best/worst days for both Evin and Maya came from the same event: The day they moved to the other side of the mountain to go to college. This one had so much more emotion with Maya, however, because there are no more move-in college days for this dad as he types away in his recliner in his now empty nest.
Which recalls a couple of emotional memories. You see, if I’m being honest, my house has been an empty nest every other week for over a dozen years, because that was the girls’ schedule after my divorce. You see, even after Evin moved to Denver, I still had Maya every other week to soften the blow of losing my firstborn to seek her way in the world. Parents with more than one child know what I mean.
So, while Evin was making her way – and it wasn’t easy, because she graduated in the infamous government-overreaching, Covid-obsessed year of 2020 – I still could lose myself in my work, fighting the overreaching government mandates while still being daddy to Maya every other week. I must admit, the distractions helped in my worry about my firstborn going out into the world. More irony on my feelings about what kind of world Evin was going into in 2020, considering we found out we were pregnant on Sept. 10, 2001.
Needless to say, between Sept. 11 and Covid, my oldest is a woman for her time. God has her right where he wants her. And she is flourishing. Dad couldn’t be prouder.
Only one thing compares, and that’s Maya’s new adventure. But that comes about in an entirely different way and with entirely different emotions.
Few things in my life compared to the anxiety I had in the weeks leading up to moving Maya to Greeley to begin her college career. I don’t know why, and I don’t
know what it was. But reflecting now, in this short term (literally one day after the move-in), I’m beginning to think the emotions were more about me than Maya. After all, Maya has 10,000 new friend opportunities, and I’m stuck here alone with the cat my daughters picked out for me. And Maya isn’t coming back every other week to keep me company.
Let’s also not overlook the fact that I’m losing the main role I’ve had for the last 13 years. Yes, it’s how I look at it, even as I’ve been told it’s not the healthiest way to look at it, but I’m no longer Evin and Maya’s dad. YES, I know I’m still their dad, but I’m no longer daddy who’s always there, always doing, always looking in on them to make sure they’re OK. I’m just the dad they’ll call now and then, so they can fill me in on what they’ve been doing, of which I have no idea of what they’ve been up to. And as of Day 1 post-Maya, that part sucks even more.
Worse, I have to be OK with that. Oddly, I think I’m showing signs of it. I’ll admit even after being exhausted after the drive home from Greeley on Wednesday night after driving over on Tuesday and all the move-in emotions of the day, I had trouble falling asleep. But once I did, I slept hard. And when I woke up, I felt a sense of relief and calm. I’m sure part of it was all the prayer. I’m sure the other part is a new mindset for your favorite publisher – a crazy mindset that perhaps a few of my readers have. But if a few of you can have that mindset, why can’t I come to grips that I’ve done a good job as a single dad?
And I think that might be the point I’m heading to. I raised two wonderful young ladies who had the courage to move away and go off to college, to find their place in the world. And that’s a mindset the old Craig could have never had just 25 years ago. Heck, I never thought of even having kids in those days. And now I have two daughters I couldn’t be prouder of.
So yes, I’m not gonna hear much from Maya these first few weeks. She needs the space to find her way, see where she fits at the University of Northern Colorado. I don’t like it, but it is what it is. And just like it was for Evin, Maya will get to do that without someone saying, “Oh, Craig Hall’s your dad?”
The role I’m now happy not to play.
In Truth and freedom.
FCraig Hall is owner and publisher of The Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com
Craig Hall
n Alpine Bank announces staff updates for Mesa County Region
Alpine Bank is proud to announce several recent staffing milestones within its Mesa County team, including key promotions, a new hire in community outreach and a professional certification achievement.
Victor Rung has been promoted from retail business banker to treasury management officer for the Mesa County/San Juan Region. Rung, who joined Alpine Bank in 2009, will focus on delivering tailored commercial banking solutions and supporting business clients across the region.
Assistant Vice President/Branch Manager Jerry Gryglak has been promoted to vice president/manager. Since joining Alpine Bank in 2022, Gryglak has led the Alpine Bank Clifton team, helping to provide customer service and building community relationships.
Kacie Wolter has joined Alpine Bank as the head of community outreach for the Mesa County Region. She will lead initiatives to strengthen partnerships with local nonprofits, coordinate volunteer efforts and advance the bank’s philanthropic mission. Wolter comes to Alpine Bank from Colorado Mesa University, where she worked as the communications and marketing liaison for the CMU Foundation.
Hannah Galindo, trust officer with Alpine Bank Wealth Management, has been awarded the Certified Wealth Strategist designation by Cannon Financial Institute Inc. This credential recognizes her expertise in serving affluent and high-net-worth clients with advanced financial planning and relationship management skills. Galindo, a CMU alum, specializes in retirement planning, investment management and trust administration.
“These successes highlight the talent, dedication, and community focus of our Mesa County team,” Alpine Bank Regional President Tyler Dahl said. “Whether it’s advancing careers, bringing in new leadership, or earning professional certifications, each of these individuals strengthens Alpine Bank’s commitment to exceptional service and community engagement.”
n GJ’s VA Medical Center to receive infrastructure improvements
The Department of Veterans Affairs will realign an additional $800 million this fiscal year as part of the Veterans Health Administration’s Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM) program, which makes infrastructure improvements to health care facilities to ensure safe and effective patient care.
The extra funding means more resources to repair and update aging VA facilities and technology, the department said in a news release.
The extra money will be spent on a variety of improvement projects at various VA health care facilities across the nation, including the Grand Junction VA Medical Center, where the following improvements will occur:
• Replace sanitary sewer mains and lateral in Building 1.
• Renovate urgent care in Building 1.
• Improve facility security.
• Renovate dental clinic.
• Electronic Health Record Modernization infrastructure upgrades.
The additional funds will come from savings gleaned from various VHA reform efforts. The additions will bring total NRM program spending for fiscal year 2025 to $2.8 billion, a nearly $500 million increase from fiscal year 2024.
n Cristee-Meade celebrates 20th anniversary
Cristee-Meade Building Company, 735 S. Grand Mesa Drive in Cedaredge, is marking 20 years of designing and building custom homes and remodels across Colorado’s Western Slope. For the 20-year anniversary, Cristee-Meade will host a celebration this fall for clients, partners and friends of the company, those who have helped shape its journey.
Founded in 2005, Cristee-Meade has completed everything from custom homes to kitchen remodels, decks, additions, service work and small commercial projects with a dedicated team of skilled employees and a network of subcontractors and vendors, many of whom have partnered with the company for over a decade.
As the company reflects on the past, it also looks ahead to meaningful future projects, such as the upcoming construction of the new Skyway Lodge for the Grand Mesa Nordic Council, a community-focused build set atop Grand Mesa.
In conjunction with the anniversary, Cristee-Meade also unveiled a refreshed website at www.cristeemeade.com, showcasing past work, company values and services.
n Club Car Wash opens second location in Grand Junction
After Club Car Wash opened its first Grand Junction location at 691 24 Road in late May, it didn’t take long to bring its second location online. Club Car Wash opened at 2122 North Ave.in midAugust.
Club Car Wash said in a news release, the North Avenue site features high-quality wash packages, unlimited-wash memberships, powerful vacuums, free microfiber towels and a fast, seamless wash experience designed for convenience.
To celebrate the opening, Club Car Wash is offering for a limited time its top-tier wash, the $25 MVP, for $1, with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting CASA of Mesa County, a local nonprofit that advocates for children who have experienced abuse or neglect.
Victor Rung Jerry Gryglak Kacie Wolter Hannah Galindo
Picture of Cristee-Meade home before and after. Inset photo from 2005. Photo courtesy of Cristee-Meade Building Company.
