Winter 2024 Newsletter

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THE OFFICIAL TOWN OF SEVERANCE NEWSLETTER

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RSVP TODAY! VETERANS APPRECIATION NIGHT Join us at Severance Town Hall for a Veterans Appreciation Night. There will be a dinner at 5pm and an appreciation from Town Council to honor all who served. Please RSVP by November 8th!

Please call 970-686-1218 or email events@townofseverance.org with questions.

CITIZEN, BUSINESS AND YOUTH OF THE YEAR AWARD Citizen of the Year: The individual who best exemplifies the citizen/mentor of the year is one who sustainably and regularly contributes to the community through TOWN PRIDE. This individual should not work in an official capacity with or for the town. Nomination exclusions include town employees and town council/board members.

Youth of the Year: This young individual (18 & under) who best exemplifies the youth of the Year is active in and contributes to the community by carrying out TOWN PRIDE in and for the community.

TOWN PRIDE stands for the following values: Teamwork, Open-minded, Welcoming, Neighborly, Professionalism, Respect, Innovation, Dedication, and Ethics.

Nominations will be collected, and winners who meet the criteria will then be chosen by the Citizen Advisory Board on December 4th. All winners will be announced at Town Christmas on December 14th. Thank you for your participation.

Business of the Year: The business that best exemplifies the business of the year contributes to the community through its dedication to residents and visitors. This business goes above and beyond through activities that align with TOWN PRIDE in and for the community.

Please drop nominations off at Town Hall, 3. S Timber Ridge Parkway, or online through submissions@townofseverance.org

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES TREE BOARD VACANCIES

Tree Board Volunteers Needed: Would you like to contribute to the look and feel of our community's landscape now and in the future?

The Town of Severance Tree Board comprises of six (6) Severance residents who help create, oversee, and manage standards for planting trees throughout town. Along with ensuring the Town meets all standards of Tree City USA, they review all new residential and commercial development landscape plans submitted to the town. The Town Council is seeking four (4) residents to fill the Tree Board Member vacancies for two years after the terms end in December. This position is a volunteer position. The Severance Tree Board meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 6:00 PM.

CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD VACANCIES

Are you interested in being an advocate and having an informed voice for the community? Would you like to help the Town Council by providing research and recommendations on local issues? The Town of Severance has three (three) vacancies on the Citizens Advisory Board (CAB) after terms end in December. This board consists of seven residents appointed by the Town Council, one council member liaison, and an alternate member. It is a volunteer position with a four-year term.

Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m.

To be eligible, residents shall hold no other town office, be a registered elector of the Town, must be at least eighteen (18) years of age, and have resided in the Town for at least one (1) year. If interested, please go to https://www.townofseverance.org/158/Boards-Commissions or contact Nicholas Wharton, Town Manager, at nwharton@townofseverance.org or 970-686-1218.

Letters of Interest will be accepted until Monday, November 18th, 2024, at 5:00 PM. The town council will appoint the open seats at the December 10th Council Meeting. All applicants shall be available to attend the December 10th Town Council meeting in person for interviews by the Town Council.

YOU’RE INVITED!

December 12th at 2pm

Severance Police Department Ribbon Cutting You’re Invited to Celebrate with Us! The Severance Police Department is ecstatic for the Police Department construction to be completed. After bouncing around to different buildings there is finally going to be a place to call home! The building was expected to be completed by end of December 2024 but now the final stages will be completed ahead of schedule and will be in full use by the end of November.

The new building has 5,250 square-foot of under roof space and includes office space, and training room, an evidence area, a cell room, storage room and a workout area. What we are most looking forward to, is a dedicated space for residents to report, converse and feel safe in our community.

The new building construction was done without debt and was paid for with a $650K DOLA Grant and impact fees paid by developers.

Since the creation of the police department in 2018, we have grown to a department of 12 officers at full staff and 2 administrative positions.

SEVERANCE PD INVITES YOU! Join us for the ribbon cutting ceremony for the New Police Department Building on December 12th at 2pm After the ribbon cutting ceremony, all community members are invited to tour the new facility and converse with the Severance Officers & staff.

SNOW IS SNOW IS COMING! COMING!

SOLICITING IN SOLICITING IN SEVERANCE SEVERANCE

Solicitors must have a copy of their approved permit with them. Sec. 6-1-150. - Solicitors, canvassers, door-to-door salespersons.

If you would like to be added to the No Solicitors List please call Town Hall at 970-686-1218 and your address will be added.

All approved Solicitors will have a copy of the Solicitors permit and the 'no contact' list. Citizens may ask to see the Permit as proof of being able to solicit in the Town of Severance. If someone who is not approved comes to your house, please call the Severance Police Department at 970-350-9600 (non-emergency dispatch). **A current list of approved solicitors can be found on our website

F.O.G DURING F.O.G DURING THE THE HOLIDAYS HOLIDAYS

Save a stamp and save your time, now you can pay your bills online! Once you sign up for your account, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it!

When you’re ready to pay your bill, select a payment type. You can pay with credit card or debit card with NO additional fees! To pay your bill online go to townofseverance.org and click “Utility Payments” and you're good to go.

Weld County CodeRed CodeRed, the Emergency Notification System in Weld County, is SIGN UP FOR used by public safety officials to inform the public of immediate CodeRED threats to health and safety. When you sign up to receive ALERTS emergency alerts, you will be notified when an emergency is happening in your area. Some examples of messages you could receive include severe weather situations, a “boil water” order if systems are compromised, or a notice that you should stay nside because of critical police activity. You may choose to receive messages on your home phone, cell phone, email, or text message. You can sign up for the Weld County CodeRed alert system on this website: https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BF9B9A570C0B

Council Corner Hi Severance!

What a beautiful time of year! The weather is cooler, and the leaves are changing. Fall is the time of year I sit back and reminisce about the last year. While sitting on my patio enjoying the crisp breeze, I was reminded of how fast this year has gone and how blessed I am. This time last year I was anxiously awaiting to find out if being elected to Town Council would come to fruition. I cannot believe how fast this year has gone. I do not feel like I have had the chance to introduce myself properly.

My name is Brittany Vandermark, I have served the town of Severance in many capacities. I chaired the Land Use Advisory Committee (LUAC), was a council member on the Planning Commission, and now proudly serve as your Mayor Pro Tem on the Town Council.

My day job is designing commercial lighting and control systems, but my pride and joy are my three amazing teenagers. My son is almost 16, and his sisters, my twin girls, who are 14, attend Severance Middle and High School. I love the town of Severance and am grateful every day that we live here. I am passionate about keeping Severance a place my kids will want to call home as they become adults.

Matt Fries MAYOR

Brittany Vandermark MAYOR PRO-TEM

Tad Borret COUNCIL MEMBER

Dave Bruen COUNCIL MEMBER

Stepehn Gagliardi COUNCIL MEMBER

Craig Joseph Politics and Government can be confusing and slow-moving, but my door is always open. I would love to hear from you with concerns, ideas, or questions. If you see me out and about, don't be afraid to say hi. I love meeting and hearing from our citizens.

Sincerely, Brittany Vandermark Mayor Pro Tem

COUNCIL MEMBER

Dan Meyers COUNCIL MEMBER

Think Before You Share: Accurate Communication is Key in This Day and Age In today’s digital world, information can spread like wildfire. Social media platforms are brimming with news, opinions, and anecdotes, making it easy for anyone to share their thoughts with a broad audience. While this connectivity is a powerful tool for communication, it also presents a significant challenge: the risk of spreading misinformation. Now, more than ever, I believe it’s crucial that we pause before sharing or posting something and consider the accuracy of what’s being shared.

Why does this matter? Misinformation can not only lead to confusion and mistrust, but it can create division within our community. False information can amplify concern and ill will, making it harder for us to engage in constructive dialogue. Whether it’s a news article (we don’t get many of those around here), a meme, or rumors about local issues, sharing unchecked information can have a negative effect on the town and/or its residents.

For anything related to the town, it’s pretty easy to check the facts before you share or comment on someone’s post. Just call and talk with someone at Town Hall, or email a Councilperson, and ask if the information is correct/true. Most things are a matter of record and, unless there are legal reasons that something can’t be discussed, chances are good someone will be happy to answer your questions.

If you do take the time to get the facts about something in a post that just doesn’t sound right, let me be the first to say, “Thank you!” it’s rare that people actually do that these days. Next, if you find that the facts are, indeed, incorrect I would ask that you do our fellow residents a favor and respond to the post with the actual facts.

2024- 3RD SAFEST CITY 2023- 1ST SAFEST CITY 2022- 3RD SAFEST CITY 2021- 3RD SAFEST CITY

As members of the same community, I believe we have a shared responsibility to promote accurate information and foster constructive dialogue. By taking a moment to fact-check before we share, we can help ensure that our online conversations are grounded in truth rather than speculation.

To be clear, I’m not referring to people’s opinion posts. This is America and people can opine to their heart’s content. It’s the posts that make statements that might lead people reading it to believe that the person doing the posting has the facts about an issue – or knows what they are talking about – when in fact they don’t.

It’s my hope that we can make a collective effort to create a more informed community. By thinking critically and sharing responsibly, we can not only enhance our own understanding but also support a culture of integrity and trust. By coming to Town Council meetings and other events at Town Hall, asking questions, and getting the facts, our voices can contribute positively to the discussions that shape our town.

Dave Bruen Town Council Member

Dear Residents of Severance, In recent years, immigration has become a prominent issue in Colorado. While I initially considered it a federal matter, it became a local concern when Texas Governor Greg Abbott decided to send unprocessed immigrants to Colorado. The situation escalated further when our town was asked to assist by taking in some of these immigrants, making this federal problem a local one. I wanted to understand why Colorado is considered a sanctuary state and why Severance is being asked to expend our limited resources to help address this issue. So, I decided to move beyond social media and conduct my own research. Here is what I discovered and what we can potentially do about it.

Why Did the Governor of Texas Send Undocumented Immigrants to Colorado?

The decision by Governor Abbott is multifaceted.

Firstly, Texas lacked the resources to manage the influx of asylum-seeking immigrants.

Secondly migrants were given a choice by the Texas governor between Denver, Chicago, and New York. Finally, Colorado has laws that classify it as a sanctuary state and many migrants chose Denver due to its milder winters compared to Chicago or New York.

Colorado's Sanctuary State Legislation In 2019, lawmakers passed HB19-1124, which protects Colorado residents from federal immigration enforcement. This law prevents law enforcement officers from arresting or detaining individuals based on their immigration status and prohibits sharing this information with federal officials. In 2023, HB23-1100 further restricted local governments from detaining immigrants on behalf of ICE.

Why Did the Mayor of Denver Contact Our Town for Help?

Denver has exhausted its resources trying to care for the influx of migrants. However, our town Council unanimously decided that Severance does not have the infrastructure to support a large number of people in need of housing, food, and medical services. Funding this effort would require diverting our town’s tax revenue, which would place a financial burden on our residents.

What Can We Do About This Issue?

As a town, our options are limited. However, as a collective group of citizens, cities, and towns, we may be able to advocate for the repeal of these sanctuary laws. Repealing these laws would allow local peace officers to coordinate with federal immigration officials when necessary. I have presented this issue to our town council and spoken with our Citizens Advisory Council. Both groups agree that action is needed. In leu of repealing these state laws our town board has taken actions that limit our exposure to the risk of undocumented or unlawful immigration related issues.

I invite you to share your thoughts. Please contact me at stephen.gagliardi@townofseverance.org with your questions, comments, or concerns.

Thank you, Stephen Gagliardi Council Member, Town of Severance

Hello Severance Residents, As usual, its all about the money! There are many projects and programs being planned as time and money permit. Infrastructure projects (water, wastewater, roads – Including traffic light at WCR19 and Harmony Road) continue to be a priority and many projects are being reviewed, started and some have been completed.

The team has been active in initiating and completing several Safety Issues. Safe Passageway Program is ongoing and will help pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy traversing our community safely. Our Severance Police Department Building is nearing completion and road paving and projects to help us navigate around town safely are continuing to move forward.

The town was able to renovate the Chamber in the Severance Town Hall and enrich your experience in the Chambers as well as enhance State of the Art communications for those wishing to view online (live or at your leisure). We have initiated and have had two Community Town Halls which are forums to address specific issues or discussion on general issues of concern in an informal setting. These meeting are expected to continue into 2025 so that we can keep open our lines of communication.

Recreational opportunities have been a resident priority since I have been involved with the Towns Planning Commission and Council.

Demographics for our town do indicate that the majority or our population is young and with families.

Recreation, specifically an indoor recreation and community gathering place, is one issue that seems to be of interest, but in my experience, is having difficulty getting traction.

The town spent about a year or two negotiating with the “Y” for a facility like others in the area.

Price tag would have been from $35M to $65 million through Bonding depending on requested amenities.

We would also have to collect yearly Operation and Maintenance fees of $1.5 to 2.0 million, and in addition to that, you will need to have a membership fee.

A recent attempt to initiate the building of a Community Gathering Place (new construction of ~5K sq. ft.) was received positively by our Citizens Advisory Board.

Discussions at a recent Council retreat centered around the present need and cost of this downsized project ($10-15M). The projected cost for preliminary design and engineering alone is projected to be approximately $250K. If indoor recreation at the scale of other towns with recreation centers is a continued need, I do not believe we will be able to provide this for several years. Discussion will continue as they pertain to alternatives for indoor community activity space and the need for this space.

With respect to recreation, I recommend that you, the residents of Severance, contact your Mayor, Council members or Town Management with your desires.

Your direction will assist us in future discussions on how the Council should proceed.

I am excited about proceeding with some additional amenities at our community park and the team is proceeding to dredge the John Law Reservoir, add two docks, stock with fish and add a walkway. In addition to the community park and John Law Reservoir projects, we are starting to pave the Great Western Trail from E. Harmony, North to WCR23.

Council and Administration have also been focusing on Economic Development and future Commercial and Retail projects, as well as, possible light industrial projects as investor interest and opportunities arise.

Our town has a General Fund of approximately $13 million and is needed for continuing functioning of all our departments and is our source of emergency funding. We have utilized grants and impact fees for many of our previous projects, however, this is not going to be sustainable unless we are able to attract businesses that can assist us with revenue through sales tax and build more homes for impact fee revenue.

We have been fortunate to be a town who is debtfree. The Town will continue to be diligent in our attempts in obtaining grant funding whenever possible and be prudent in our spending. However, the time will come when we will have to garner additional funding via Muni bonds or other borrowing methods.

Many are under the impression that we can supply all amenities and services with collection of property tax, sales tax, and impact fees and presently we can maintain our present spending.

We have funding methods in place for our present water, wastewater and transportation needs as well as a vehicle enterprise fund. However, Bonding and Federal grants will be the primary funding sources of multi-million-dollar Capital Improvement Projects.

Unfortunately, its all about the money.

I wish all my Severance friends and neighbors a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

Councilperson Dan Meyers

(Severance Mayor and Town Council with Mayor of Estes Park at the Annual Council Retreat)

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Calendar of Events November 11/5 Election Day 11/9 Turkey Food Drive 11/9 Weld Elves Toy Drive Begins 11/11 Veterans Day - Town Hall Closed 11/12 Veterans Appreciation Dinner 11/12 Town Council Meeting 11/20 Planning Commission Meeting 11/25 Tree Board Meeting 11/28 Thanksgiving - Town Hall Closed 11/29 Town Hall Closed

December 12/4 Citizen Advisory Board 12/5 Severance Municipal Court 12/10 Town Council Meeting 12/12 Police Department Ribbon Cutting 12/14 Town Christmas 12/14 Weld Elves Toy Drive Ends 12/18 Planning Commission Meeting 12/24 Christmas Eve - Town Hall Closed 12/25 Christmas Day - Town Hall Closed

January 1/1 New Years - Town Hall Closed 1/6 Municipal Court 1/14 Town Council Meeting 1/15 Planning Commission Meeting 1/27 Tree Board Meeting 1/28 Town Council Meeting