SEVERANCE town council
Council Corner
Happy Independence Day, Severance!
The Independence Day holiday, in my opinion, is the most important holiday we celebrate in the USA. I don’t mean to diminish the other holidays we all enjoy and recognize; however, without our freedom and independence, we would not be able to celebrate anything! I hope every citizen of Severance appreciates the freedom we have. I know I do!
Our freedoms are challenged every day. There are countries in this world that hate the USA and would love to take our freedom from us. But perhaps the biggest, most immediate threat to our freedom comes from our own government, which is supposed to be WE THE PEOPLE. For the past several years, the State of Colorado has been pecking away at reducing the freedom we have to govern ourselves in the Town of Severance. On September 7, 2021, the Town of Severance voters overwhelmingly approved our Home Rule Charter. Our charter is our Town’s Constitution. In short, our charter allows us to have more say, not less, on how we choose to run our town. That being said, we still must adhere to the US Constitution and the State of Colorado Constitution. The Colorado State Legislature and the governor's office simply think they know better than you on how our town should operate and look. The list of new statutes and executive orders is too long to get into any detail here, but take my word for it, we as a town have less freedom today to govern ourselves than we did a year ago.
The Town of Severance is a member of the Colorado Municipal League. I encourage you to visit their website, CML.org, for a complete list of all the bills that passed the legislature in the 2024 session that affect municipalities such as Severance. It is scary. Our membership to CML helps to pay lobbyists to fight for our municipal freedoms every day and keep the town informed about how these bills cause changes in how we manage our town.
On June 25th, our state held the Primary Election. The table is now set for the General Election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. It is easy for us to get caught up in the Presidential race, and it is important. However, I encourage you to pay close attention to the State Legislative races. Determine what districts you live in. Get to know the candidates and what they stand for. Talk to your neighbors and encourage them to get involved as well. Most importantly, you can get registered if you are not already and VOTE.
Please get involved in your town’s government. Your Town Council wants to hear from you. Wouldn’t it be great if every neighborhood had a representative at every Town Council Meeting? The best way to be informed is to attend your Town Council meetings, stream the meetings live, or watch the recordings.
Enjoy your FREEDOM. Be safe. I look forward to seeing you around town.
Mayor Matthew Fries
Community Events July 2024 Calendar of Events July
Wednesday, July 3rd
CANCELED| Citizen Advisory Board Meeting
Thursday, July 4th
CLOSED| Independence Day
Tuesday, July 9th
6pm - 8pm| Town Council Work Session/ Regular Meeting
Friday, July 12
11:30am - 2pm| Municipal Court
Friday, July 12
6pm-9pm |Military & First Responder Appreciation Concert
Wednesday, July 17th
CANCELED| Planning Commission Meeting
Friday, July 19th
10 am| Skate Board Competition and Ribbon Cutting
Monday, July 22nd
6pm-7pm| Tree Board Meeting
Tuesday, July 23rd
CANCELED |Town Council Work Session/ Regular Meeting
Wednesday, July 24th
5pm |Town Hall Regarding Transportation Utility Tax Initiative
Friday, July 26th
8pm-11pm| Movies in the Park @Overlook Park
Military & First Responder appreciation concert
FRIDAY JUly 12th - 6PM COMMUNITY PARK
Smokin CO - Boston Tribute Band THIS YEAR WE ARE ALLOWING THOSE 21+ TO BRING THEIR OWN ALCHOHOLIC BEVERAGES. THERE WILL BE NO BEER FOR SALE. NO HARD ALCOHOL ALLOWED. NO GLASS ALLOWED. COOLERS ARE SUBJECT TO SEARCH.
ALL DONATIONS WILL BE GOING TO HIGH PLAINS HONOR FLIGHT AND CAN BE MADE AT THEIR WEDBSITE
https://highplainshonorflight.org/donate
CONNECT WITH US
INVESTING IN OUR ROADS
The Town of Severance currently collects a 3% sales tax on the sale of personal property and services provided at retail businesses, as well as a 3% one-time use tax on construction and building materials used and stored in Town. The Town Council is considering an additional 1% sales and use tax that would be dedicated to funding future road maintenance and repairs. However, no decision will be made until we hear from you! Please attend the Town Hall regarding the Transportation Utility Tax Initiative on July 24th at 5pm located at Clearview Library (Severance Branch)
Town residents currently pay $15.50 monthly ($186 annually) for a Transportation Utility Fee. If a sales and use tax initiative moves forward, and the community votes to approve it, the $15.50 monthly Transportation Utility Fee would be eliminated. The transportation utility fee currently helps pay for road replacement from full depth reconstruction, mill overlay, chip seal, slurry seal, and routine maintenance along the 82 miles of Town of Severance-owned roads.
TAKE OUR SURVEY
The following four-question survey asks about your willingness to support an additional 1% sales and use tax increase if the Town Council puts a question on the ballot for residents to decide this November.
CLICK HERE and take our survey!
Please visit our FAQ page at https://www.townofseverance.org/aboutus/utility-billing-information/pages/transportation-utility-fee
NO NEED FOR SPEED
Crashes peak during summer months as more Coloradans plan road trips and outdoor activities. The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is known as the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, during which Colorado historically sees a spike in fatal crashes.
Maintain Space: Give other drivers, speeding or not, plenty of space. Drivers are more likely to lose control of their vehicles when speeding. Do Not Engage: Speeding is often linked to aggressive driving. If a speeding driver is tailgating you or trying to engage in risky behavior, use your judgment to safely steer your vehicle out of the way.
Report Dangerous Behavior: If you believe a driver is following or harassing you, or engaging in other risky behavior, dial your local law enforcement to report.
Please call the non-emergency at 970350-9600 OR 911
