Canyon Courier December 26, 2024 by Colorado Community Media

2024 in rewind for the foothills

Evergreen captures

BY JANE REUTER

2024 was a news-packed year in the foothills, with some long-standing issues resolved and others taking fresh turns.

A four-year-long battle over a proposed Conifer bike park nally concluded in defeat for developers.

And while that story ended, the twists and turns of a proposed merger of the area’s re departments continues.

In neighboring Evergreen, the re department moved away from its history as an all-volunteer agency, bringing on six paid re ghters.

Down the hill in Morrison, residents saw upheaval within and ultimately the dissolution of its police department.

And ending the year on a bright note, Evergreen was temporarily transformed into a movie set as a New York lm crew made the charming mountain town the backdrop of a 2025 holiday rom-com.

Let’s take a look back at those and other stories that impacted and uplifted our communities in 2024.

Controversial Red Hotel gets green light from Morrison Town Board

A scaled-back version of the Red Hotel gained unanimous approval from the

Morrison Town Board on April 2. e three-story building on Bear Creek Avenue has been the subject of 15 months of scrutiny and contentious public debate in Morrison, a town grappling to preserve its historic character in the face of development pressures.

e Red Hotel is the rst hotel approved in Morrison.

While the hotel’s front is designed with historic elements, the bulk of the building is decidedly contemporary — a dramatic departure for a 150-year-old town that’s changed little in the last several de-

‘Mocha & Mistletoe’ ﬁlm crew’s hearts

BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For the rst few weeks of December, the picturesque community of Evergreen has served as a movie set — with its Lake House, the banks of Bear Creek, Little Bear Saloon, Java Groove co ee shop and main street providing the wintery backdrop for a holiday rom-com.

At the urging of Java Groove owner Eric Martinez, New York-based independent lmmaker Candy Cain chose Evergreen and his shop as the setting for a 2025 movie called “Mocha & Mistletoe.” e crew, actors and support team nished two weeks of lming on Dec. 18, with plans to release the movie late next year.

e movie is centered on a small-town co ee shop in which Cupid’s magical mistletoe is accidentally hung, causing unexpected romantic mayhem.

For the cast and crew, the magic wasn’t limited to a ctional storyline. All said the mountain community and setting surpassed their expectations.

“Evergreen was everything I thought it would be,” Cain said. “ e town de nitely gives the movie the atmosphere — that holiday vibe — we wanted.”

Cain, who’s produced 16 holiday movies through her company Gemelli Films, wrote “Mocha & Mistletoe” with Evergreen in mind. But until last year, she’d never

The crew from “Mocha & Mistletoe, which was ﬁlmed in Evergreen for two weeks in December.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEMELLI FILMS

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cades. Developers say the design represents the link between past and present.

e developers hope their project’s approval opens the door for other new businesses in Morrison.

“We don’t want to be the only one,” Root Architecture COO Chad Wallace said. “For this town to really be thriving, we think it’d be great to have more hotels and hospitality-focused businesses.”

Morrison camera ﬂags 9,000 speeders in less than two weeks

In less than two weeks of operation, Morrison’s automated speed camera clocked nearly 9,000 speeding drivers, generating 1.36 tickets every minute.

Morrison Police Chief Bill Vinelli said a representative of the camera’s manufacturer told him it’s the highest volume they’ve ever seen. Tra c Logix provides the camera, which is set to issue $40 citations at 35 miles per hour — 10 miles per hour over Morrison’s posted speed limit.

“Anyone who wants to paint Morrison as a speed trap can stand and watch, and see that we have a tra c safety issue,” Vinelli said.

Morrison is a quaint, historic town that draws thousands of visitors on weekends. Bear Creek Avenue doubles as a state highway, which abruptly transforms into an often-congested downtown as drivers enter Morrison. Pedestrian safety has long been a concern, and town leaders hope the cameras will help make its main thoroughfare safer.

e town had to jump to a higher data plan May 21 to keep up with the spike in online activity the camera is creating.

“We don’t force anybody to speed,” Vinelli said. “We’re not unique to any municipality in the country. We just happen to be more proactive than a lot of them. But they’re going to this. Every chief I talk to wants to know where I get those. Every

community will have them soon.”

Morrison hires Golden native as new town manager

A Golden native who most recently worked as Grand County, Utah’s administratorwill be Morrison’s new town manager. Mallory Nassau starts with the town July 1.

Morrison’s town board approved her hiring during a special June 12 meeting. Nassau’s starting salary is $135,000. She replaces former longtime Morrison town manager Kara Winters, who left with no warning earlier this year.

Nassau has served as administrator in Grand County — which is headquartered in Moab.

Nassau grew up on Green Mountain, attending Golden High School and the University of Colorado Boulder. She earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Colorado Denver.

Morrison annexes Bandimere Speedway property

e Morrison town board approved the 125-acre annexation of the former Bandimere Speedway site at its Aug. 6 meeting, a deal that also includes the new owner transferring 16 acres of land zoned for mixed-use to the town. Morrison could determine future retail or commercial development on that acreage, which Trustee Sean Forey called “prime real estate.” at decision, paired with a second vote to rezone the land to planned development, clears the way for global auto company Copart to move ahead with plans for a vehicle auction center on the remaining property at C470 and Morrison Road. Copart is under contract with John Bandimere, Jr. to buy the land.

Longtime speedway owner John Bandimere Jr. and his wife Lorraine both shed tears during the public hearing. Bandimere said it’s been his family’s “home away from home” for 65 years, but said changes in the racing industry and encroaching development are making the site unsuitable for the speedway. Ban-

dimere plans to move the business to a larger site near the metro area.

“ is property is sacred ground to me and my family, as well as the community and especially our racers who we’ve seen grow up,” Bandimere said. “It’s probably one of the hardest things we’ve ever had to do.”

Also known as under Mountain, the dragstrip hosted 28,500 spectators at more than 130 events a year. Bandimere Speedway closed at the end of the 2023 season.

Evergreen developer proposes relocating El Rancho restaurant, building a QuikTrip in its place

An Evergreen developer has a unique plan he says will save and revitalize the historic El Rancho restaurant, while also bringing a QuikTrip to Evergreen. But not everyone is on board with those plans.

Evergreen resident and developer Jack Buchanan proposes moving the El Rancho restaurant at U.S. Highway 40 and Evergreen Parkway across the highway to a site he plans to develop. at would clear the way for the construction of a QuikTrip at the long-time restaurant site.

Buchanan says moving the 76-year-old building would give it better mountain views and visibility from I-70, and a spot next to a planned new hotel.

“ e hard reality is that making El Rancho pro table has been next to impossible in recent years,” Buchanan said. If the proposal doesn’t move forward, Buchanan said El Rancho will be demolished.

Shadow

Mountain Bike Park hits a bump

In a unanimous vote, the Je erson County Planning Commission voted Sept. 23 to recommend denial of a special use permit for Conifer’s proposed Shadow Mountain Bike Park. In casting their votes, the seven commissioners repeatedly cited concerns about wildlife on the site and the park’s incompatibility with surrounding land uses.

e vote was a relief for opponents —

who’ve spent four years gathering and organizing evidence against the project — and a setback for the applicants. But it’s not the end of the story.

e Je erson County Commissioners followed suit in November, also denying the plan.

Denver residents Phil Bouchard and Jason Evans, mountain biking friends since childhood, proposed the day-use, liftserved bike park on a 230-acre State Land Board property along Shadow Mountain Drive.

Planning commissioners considered three nights and more than 16 hours of public testimony from 117 people, in addition to county sta reports and the applicants’ rebuttal.

“I hope to visit your bike park one day,” said Commissioner David Duncan. “You have a fantastic concept. But this piece of property, for this use, is not compatible.”

Evergreen Fire/Rescue welcomes its first paid firefighters to the team

Evergreen Fire/Rescue welcomed its rst paid re ghters in October. e six men, including four former EFR volunteer re ghters and two career re ghters hired from the Chicago area, met the EFR board during its Oct. 15 meeting. EFR decided earlier this year to add paid re ghters, moving away from the volunteer neighborhood response model used since 1948. A master plan adopted in early 2024 recommended shifting toward a combination of paid and volunteer reghters.

e six additional sta will support EFR’s current volunteer force, ey will work in three teams of two, with each captain and re ghter team taking a 48-hour shift.

Morrison votes to disband police department

e Morrison Town Board voted Dec. 3 to disband its police department, saying it is not nancially sustainable. e mo-

From left, Kathleen Stump, Kathy Dierks and Aaron Blanford wear their Stop Bike Ranch T-shirts as they wait for the second night of testimony before the county planning commission.

PHOTOS BY JANE REUTER

Morrison’s speed camera, installed in mid-2024, generated headlines throughout the year.

Small Landlords: Looking to Cash Out Due to New Pro-Tenant Laws? Here’s One Option.

Under laws enacted by the 2024 General Assembly, Colorado tenants gained many protections, both from eviction and for “habitability,” but those protections for tenants have made being a landlord trickier, more expensive, and riskier, especially for the small landlord who manages his or her own rental units.

Last week, I helped one such small landlord dispose of his rental duplex and invest the proceeds in a way that deferred his capital gains but didn’t get him into yet a new investment that carried those problems and management.

you’re able to put the entire proceeds to work generating income. If you keep doing 1031 exchanges until you die, your heirs will inherit your final holding(s) with a stepped up value and no capital gains tax liability at all.

In his case, he had to deal with a squatter who knew his protections against eviction that already existed under Colorado law and refused to leave. That experience left such a bad taste in my client’s mouth that he chose to sell instead of finding a new tenant.

I was once a commercial landlord myself and earned some great passive income from it for several years, but I vowed never to be a residential landlord. Back then, the big concern was whether your tenant might be cooking meth — a nightmare situation requiring not only eviction but very expensive mitigation before the property could be put back on the rental market or sold. I preferred being a commercial landlord, because my tenants’ offices were always open and I knew they wouldn’t trash their office, because they had customers.

These new protections for residential tenants only add to the unattractiveness of being a small landlord of residential properties.

Other changes in landlord-tenant law include the banning of occupancy limits based on familial relationships by local governments and prohibiting rent increases in excess of 10% over the prior year’s rent (defined as “rent gouging”). Local governments may still implement residential occupancy limits based on demonstrated health and safety standards, such as international building codes, fire codes, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment wastewater and water quality standards, or affordable housing program guidelines.

College towns, including Boulder and Golden, have in the past implemented occupancy limits to prevent the use of singlefamily homes by large numbers of unrelated college students. Those laws are now invalidated by state law.

In the posting of this article on my blog, http://RealEstateToday.substack.com, I’ve included a link to an article with a fuller description of those 2024 landlord-tenant laws. Meanwhile, selling a long-held investment property can subject the seller to capital gains tax and depreciation recapture that can wipe out much of the profit from selling. A common tax strategy for deferring those taxes is to do a “like kind” exchange under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code.

By purchasing a replacement investment property (not a primary residence) with the proceeds from your relinquished property,

You may be saying, “I don’t want to own any new investment property, especially a residential rental property,” given these new laws, but I have good news for you.

“Like kind” properties are broadly interpreted by the IRS to include any real estate (except a Real Estate Investment Trust or REIT). This allows you to reinvest your funds as a passive investor in what’s known as a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST). However, a DST investment is only for accredited investors. Individual accredited investors come under two categories:

They have an individual net worth, or joint net worth with their spouse, excluding primary residence, but including home furnishings and personal automobiles, of more than $1,000,000, or

They have an individual income in excess of $200,000 or joint income with their spouse in excess of $300,000, in each of the two most recent years and have a reasonable expectation of reaching the same income level in the current year.

DSTs are exploding in popularity, and with good reason. A Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) is an ownership structure that allows an investor to purchase a fractional interest in a large property or portfolio of properties. The DST is a legal entity (formed as a trust under the laws of Delaware) which holds legal title to property(ies) held in the trust.

For Federal income tax purposes, each DST investor owns a “beneficial interest” in the trust and is treated as owning an undivided fractional interest in the real estate being held by the trust. A real estate company, known as the sponsor, purchases the real estate for the DST and sells “beneficial interests” to 1031 exchange investors through broker/dealers.

The investors, as beneficiaries of the trust, receive their prorated share of the income, tax benefits, and any capital appreciation produced by the real estate. The real estate company, the sponsor of the DST, serves as the trust manager and is responsible for making the major management decisions of the trust. Some examples of the type of real estate that a DST may invest in are: Industrial, MultiFamily, Medical Office, Student Housing, Senior Housing, Retail, Storage, etc. The sponsor purchases the real estate for the DST and sells "beneficial interests" to 1031 exchange investors through broker/dealers. If you list your investment property for sale and your listing agent doesn’t tell you about DSTs, it could be because it’s an investment of your proceeds that doesn’t allow your agent to earn a commission. It could also, however, be because he or she is not familiar with DSTs. Show him or her this article!

We learned more about DSTs when Wayne Bernardo of Bernardo Asset Management, a boutique real estate securities firm in Evergreen, spoke to our broker associates and me at a recent office meeting.

One problem with doing a traditional 1031 exchange is that you must identify your replacement property within 45 days of closing on the relinquished property, and close on the replacement property within 180 days. It’s not uncommon for a 1031 exchange to fail due to missing these deadlines, leaving the seller of the relinquished property to owe the capital gains tax which he or she was intending to defer. The good news in that situation is that it takes almost no time to switch to a DST. If it’s day 45 and you know you’ll miss the deadline, there’s still time to invest in a DST. But you must identify the DST by day 45 with your Qualified Intermediary (QI).

That’s because there are always some DSTs being offered, and Wayne Bernardo can assist you in finding a DST option to complete your 1031 exchange. He proved that last week when he spoke to us on Monday, and I told him I had a closing that Friday in which the seller was facing over $500,000 in taxable capital gains which he was willing to pay to get out of his rental investment. “Can you help him,” I asked.

The answer was clearly “yes,” because at the closing on Friday, the settlement statement showed $500,000 of the sellers’ proceeds going to my client's Qualified Intermediary for a DST purchase. Wayne was able to find a few DST options for my client and my client decided to purchase one of Wayne's DST recommendations.

Instead of paying capital gains tax (and depreciation recapture) on his sale and wondering how to invest what was left, my client is investing $500,000 in a DST that will earn him an expected monthly income stream over the life of the DST. (Note: Distributions are not guaranteed.)

One of the “negatives” about DSTs is that it is not a liquid investment. You can’t pull your money out of the DST for at least 5 to 10 years, but if that is not problematic, it’s a great solution for the seller who wants to get out of an investment property without paying capital gains tax but having no further management concerns or liabilities. Wayne refers to it as “mailbox money,” because you get a

check in the mail without the headaches of being a landlord.

Note: You don’t have to invest your entire proceeds in a 1031 exchange. My client who invested $500,000 in the DST also received $153,000 in proceeds on which he will pay capital gains tax but still providing him over $100,000 in net proceeds for other purposes, such as travel. I did the same thing when I sold an office building in 2004 and didn’t reinvest the entire amount using a 1031 exchange.

For more information about DSTs, check out Wayne's website BernardoAsset.com, or call Wayne at 303-981-1387, or email him at Wayne@BernardoAsset.com Let Wayne know you saw this article, which he factchecked for accuracy prior to publication.

Of course, my broker associates and I are ready and able to help you sell your investment property. Our contact info is below. As with any real estate investment, there are risks with investing in DSTs. Here’s how they are spelled out on Wayne’s website:  Investors Do Not Hold Title: 1031 Exchange DST investors do not hold title of the property but rather own beneficial interests in the trust and the sponsor controls the management and selling of the property.

 Illiquidity: A Delaware Statutory Trust interest is an illiquid alternative investment and there is no current active secondary market for selling your interest, which creates the inability to access immediate liquidity.

 Potential for Property Value Loss: All real estate investments have the potential to lose value during the life of the investment.

 Reduction or Elimination of Monthly Cas Flow Distributions: Like any investment in real estate, if a property unexpectedly loses tenants or sustains substantial damage, there is a potential for suspension of cash flow distributions.

 No Performance Guarantee: General real estate market risks also apply to DSTs. There can be no assurance that a property will perform as projected. DSTs are subject to economic volatility, tenants not paying their rent on time, and other traditional risks of owning, operating and selling real estate.

 Potential Change in Tax Law: Tax laws are subject to change, which may have a negative impact on a DST investment.

Why Are HOA Dues Being Raised So Much?

This is a question which I have been asked by readers, so I reached out to Stan Hrincevich, president of Colorado HOA Forum, who suggested some possible causes.

Many HOAs are discovering that their reserve accounts are underfunded and are increasing monthly dues in lieu of a one-time special assessment.

Insurance costs have skyrocketed, and if the HOA is responsible for more than just common elements, this could be a reason for increased dues. If the dues weren’t raised in a timely manner, the eventual increase could be even bigger.

Insurance deductibles have increased significantly, too, and if, for example, the HOA insures the community’s roofs and there’s a hail storm, your individual share of the deductible for replacing the roofs could result in

a special assessment in the tens of thousands of dollars. Ask the provider of your individual insurance policy about a rider to cover such an assessment.

Fees charged by HOA management companies and the contractors hired by them, such as for grounds maintenance and snow removal, have increased substantially.

Water charges have skyrocketed, and if the HOA provides irrigation, that could cause dues to increase.

If the HOA embarks on lawsuits and loses, this can result in a financial impact that could raise monthly dues or result in a special assessment.

If you are worried about misappropriation, ask to see the check register and bank statements of your HOA and see where the money is going.

NOTE: All prior “Real Estate Today” columns are archived at www.JimSmithColumns.com

Morrison mayor suggests link between police chief’s leave and decision to disband police department

Sheri ’s o ce and town hold joint press conference on coming changes

BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For the rst time, a Morrison town ofcial said there may be a link between the removal of Police Chief Bill Vinelli and the disbanding of its police department. In a Dec. 16 press conference about transferring law enforcement duties from the town to the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce, Morrison Mayor Chris Wolfe that decision was purely scal.

“But there are some implications that could be tied to it,” he said.

Vinelli was placed on paid administrative leave amid an investigation Nov. 4. Morrison voted to disband its police department a month later, on Dec. 3. e town has not released further details about the investigation, recently saying only that it is ongoing.

When a reporter asked if there were concerns about how Vinelli’s performance or how he was managing the department, Wolfe said, “A little bit of both.”

“Everybody should know there was something there,” he continued. “But we can’t talk anymore about that.”

JCSO will assume law enforcement duties for Morrison beginning Jan. 1. Morri-

son’s current police force of 9 full-time ofcers and some paid sta are losing their jobs, though Sheri Reggie Marinelli said those o cers are encouraged to apply for jobs with the sheri ’s o ce.

Both she and Wolfe said Morrison residents will continue to receive prompt response under the new arrangement. JCSO is already the on-call agency for the town from 2 to 6 a.m. daily when Morrison has no o cers on duty.

“ e safety of our citizens throughout Je erson County is not going to be in jeopardy at all,” Marinelli said. “When it comes to the city of Morrison, we have precincts right up Highway 74. Our deputies can get there rather quickly.

“ is is nothing new,” she continued. “We have gone o and on with assisting Morrison, whether it be what we have currently, where we take their graveyard shift, or times when they haven’t had enough o cers and we’ve taken all weekend.”

Marinelli does not anticipate the change will tax the sheri ’s o ce.

“We’re not anticipating any impact,” she said. “We looked into the call rate. ere’s an average of 1.5 calls every 24 hours in the town of Morrison. at is not that much of an increase for the sheri ’s ofce. Looking at the call loads and types of calls, we’re not anticipating a whole lot of trouble.”

Marinelli said JCSO will likely also assume tra c control before and after Red Rocks concerts, a task Morrison police had done. Red Rocks is owned and maintained by the city of Denver as part of the Denver Mountain Parks system.

Mount Evans brings love

“We’ll work with extra duty and have our deputies do (tra c control),” she said. “We’re hoping to sit down at the table with Denver to renegotiate our contract for Denver Mountain Parks.”

Wolfe agreed with Marinelli that Morrison is relatively crime-free and should not add to JCSO’s call load. In the last year, he said, the most violent crime was a suicide with a gun.

“We have a speeding problem, maybe you’ve heard of that, but very little crime,” he said.

He also con rmed revenue tied to the town’s speed camera was lower than anticipated, further impacting the town’s budget and its decision to disband.

According to the latest gures, despite issuing citations at a fast clip, the camera generated only about $134,000 for the

town. at’s in large part because a vendor charged with processing tickets took an unexpectedly large chunk of the funds. Morrison’s police department operated at an estimated $1.2 million de cit in 2024, according to its town attorney. e town budgeted $476,000 in 2025 for law enforcement services from JCSO, which Wolfe said is a 50% savings from having its own police department.

Despite the cost savings, Wolfe said losing town personnel is tough.

“It hurts us to let these people go,” he said. “It’s not a fun decision to make, especially at the holidays. We hope they all land somewhere where they’re needed.”

Both Marinelli and Wolfe believe the change will be smooth.

“ ey’ve been covering us for years,” Wolfe said. “It’s an old friend. We’re just getting together again, this time for a longer period of time. We feel it’s going to be an easy transition.”

Je erson County Sheri Sheri Reggie Marinelli and Morrison Mayor Chris Wolfe held a press conference to talk about the upcoming transition of law enforcement services from the town to the sheri ’s o ce.

PHOTO BY JANE REUTER

Evergreen Fire/Rescue recognized ﬁreﬁghters, sheri ’s deputies and dispatchers Dec. 17 who worked together last month to save a Florida woman’s life.

Evergreen Fire/Rescue recognizes team that saved life of Florida woman

A woman in Florida is celebrating the holidays with her family, a seemingly simple fact that wouldn’t be possible without a team of Evergreen-area emergency responders.

Evergreen Fire/Rescue Division Chief Dave Montesi, who oversees the agency’s emergency medical services, recognized the group during EFR’s Dec. 17 meeting. “It’s not too often we get to celebrate this with all our colleagues,” he said. “Because of all of you in this room, they’re able to celebrate Christmas with their family.” e 59-year-old woman was visiting

went into sudden cardiac arrest. Her husband called 911 and started cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately. Deputies from Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce, EFR re ghters and an ambulance got to the home shortly after. Responders used a de brillator on the woman twice, which uses an electric shock to help reestablish a normal heart rhythm.

“Before we knew it, the patient was talking to paramedics in the back of the ambulance,” Montesi said.

She spent three days in a Denver hospital and was released.

“It’s truly a miracle this patient walked out,” said Gina Scarbrough, EMS coordi-

Hospital. “We don’t see that very often.” Montesi credited everyone from the woman’s husband to the ambulance crew for their role in the call.

“With bystander CPR, people tend to walk out of the hospital more often than not,” he said. “All around, this a perfect example of how the chain of survival is supposed to work. ere are paramedics that will work their entire lives and not have a sudden cardiac arrest save. Saving someone’s life and seeing someone get better — it’s the ultimate reward for someone on a re department or in EMS.” ree other people were similarly saved by foothills re agencies in 2024.

Elk Creek Fire saved two people during the year.

In June, EFR saved another 59-year-old woman who was having trouble breathing and went into cardiac arrest in an ambulance.

Such incidents are relatively rare. While both Elk Creek and EFR each saw two this year, Montesi said the agency had gone years without any similar incidents. EFR Assistant Chief Stacee Martin credited Montesi for bee ng up the agency’s EMS program with more trainings, added sta , state-of-the-art equipment and the addition of automated external de brillators — more commonly known as AEDs — in locations throughout the community.

PHOTO BY EINAR JENSEN

MOVIE

heard of the town.

She learned about it through a post on Martinez’s JavaDad TikTok account, through which he shares his appreciation for his life in Evergreen. In February, Martinez posted a one-minute video extolling the community’s virtues as an ideal setting for a Hallmark movie. One of Cain’s fans tagged her and suggested she accept Martinez’s invitation. After watching a few of his posts, Cain was convinced to do so.

Martinez not only got his wish for a movie, he also has a prominent role in it. He plays a co ee shop line cook named Sam and has been on set — and in make-

up — throughout lming.

“It’s still weird to see a camera in my shop, and it’s surreal to have a role in this,” he said. “But the way Candy has written it, it feels very relatable. She included Evergreen, the creek — all the things that are important to me.”

Cain said the script for “Mocha & Mistletoe” came easily to her.

“Often when people pitch lms, they have a story they want to do,” she said.

“Eric didn’t care what the story was. All he cared was that Evergreen was featured. So I was able to come up with my own idea.

“When I write lms, it’s like a puzzle,” Cain continued. “Evergreen was my rst piece. I love this script, and the chemistry among our crew is unreal.”

Part of that chemistry is the location, she and other crew members said.

“I love it here,” said actor River Perkins,

a Texas native who also has a leading role in the lm.

Actor Joey Heyworth, who plays the male lead Wes, said Evergreen was a welcome change from his usual Los Angeles work setting.

“ is location is magical,” he said. “It is Christmassy and so lovely. ere’s so much love for the town, and everybody’s been very warm. Coming from LA, where everybody’s in the industry, it’s refreshing to come somewhere where even people who are extras are so grateful to be involved.”

More than 500 people applied to appear as extras in the movie, and Cain said they are using as many as possible.

For Heyworth, seeing how much Evergreen residents appreciate their hometown has changed how he sees his role.

“My biggest pressure is representing

Evergreen and Eric,” he said. “ e town is very much a character in the story. It’s very real and we want to do justice to it.”

While lming has required Martinez to occasionally close Java Groove, he said the response from the community has been largely favorable.

“For the most part, it’s been overwhelming support,” he said. “We’ve had restaurants o ering to cater food, orists o ering owers, all for nothing but a lm credit in the movies — which they’ll get. Little Bear o ered to host the wrap party.”

But that may not be Evergreen’s last moment in the spotlight. While “Mocha & Mistletoe” will be promoted in late 2025, it will be ready well before then. Cain thinks Evergreen could be the perfect place for its rst public showing.

“We might do a Christmas in July premiere here,” she said.

Actors Carly Schryer and Brooke Burﬁtt act out a scene at Evergreen’s Java Groove Dec. 12 in which Schryer’s character welcomes newcomer Burﬁtt to the small town. PHOTO BY JANE REUTER

Joey Heyworth as Wes and Kenney Myers as Gary are captured in a scene from “Mocha & Mistletoe” along Evergreen’s Bear Creek.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEMELLI FILMS

From left, actor Joey Heyworth, Denver makeup artist Gabrielle Chamberlain, Java Groove owner Eric Martinez, ﬁlmmaker Candy Cain, and actor River Perkins pose in Evergreen during the ﬁlming of “Mocha & Mistletoe.” PHOTO COURTESY OF BECCA HASSEL

Filmmaker Candy Cain watches a scene in production at Java Groove Dec. 12 on a monitor in the co ee shop’s kitchen.

PHOTO BY JANE REUTER

Conifer dog park proposal sparks concerns

Je erson County says plans are still in design, with room to make changes

BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Conifer residents are concerned the area may lose its only o -leash dog park, but county open space leaders say they’re proposing a new o -leash area with a design that is not yet set.

Je erson County aims to start construction on elements included in the Beaver Ranch Park master plan in late 2025 or early 2026. Plans for the 450-park on Foxton Road include closing the current dog park and replacing it with a quarter-mile, o -leash dog walk loop in another park location.

Users don’t object to moving the dog park but said their concern is losing the current large, fenced space where dogs roam freely and both pets and their owners can easily interact with one another. e current dog park is a 0.8-acre wooded area.

e planned dog walking loop will be larger, a county spokesperson said.

“Within that loop, the dogs would be oleash the whole time,” said county Open Space Director Matt Robbins. “I think people will enjoy the trail corridor once it’s in, and will be surprised at how much space it really is. It will be a longer walking trail, and it will be easier to get to and closer to other park amenities.”

But fans of the current park aren’t convinced. ey’ve launched a Change.org petition called “Save the Dog Park,” which has so far gathered nearly 400 signatures. e petition says the county’s design is not user-

friendly for seniors and doesn’t include a separate area for small and injured dogs that’s available at the current park. It asks the county to make the new dog park “a comparable match to the current dog park.”

Conifer resident Paul Wiedmaier, who comes to the park every day with his dog Deuce, said the area’s residents don’t need another trail.

“ e loop is pretty dumb,” he said. “It might be a smart design in the city, but up here it’s kind of redundant because we have trails upon trails.”

e existing park also has benches, and those aren’t currently on plans for the new area.

“A 25-foot-wide strip that’s a quarter mile long with no place to sit?” said park user Tammy Trembley. “If you’re an elderly dog owner, what are you going to do?”

But a Je erson County spokesperson said the park is in the design and development phase, with room and time left for changes. He also noted accessibility throughout the park has been a key part of the planning process.

“I don’t know that we’ve completely ruled out places for people to sit (in the dog loop),” Robbins said. “Everything is conceptual at this point. We’ll be going back out to folks in 2025 with more public open houses once we have a design to let people react to.”

Trembley, her husband Marshall and their three dogs live full-time in an RV, using property in Conifer as their home base. ey are regulars at the Beaver Ranch Dog Park.

“Everywhere else we go, they have to be on a leash, so it’s nice for us to have a place that can be like your yard,” she said, noting the next closest dog park is in Golden or at Chateld State Park. “Our dogs also don’t behave as well on a leash as they do o . I think it’s

great for socialization.”

Shawnee resident David Floro drives about 30 minutes ve days a week to take his dog Shaman to the park. He said the dog park is the most popular amenity in Beaver Ranch Park.

“Most of the people I know in this area come here for the dog park,” he said, adding his dog enjoys playing with other canines. “People can always use some good socializing themselves.”

Robbins urged concerned residents to watch for and attend upcoming meetings on the project.

“Once we have a design for people to react to, we’ll be going back out to folks in 2025 with more public open houses and we’ll make it available on our website,” he said. “Everything people are reacting to right now is conceptual. It’s not our intent to get rid of the dog park, or a place for them to socialize or be o -leash.”

e county plans a $6 million renovation of Beaver Ranch Park, including a $1.5 million ADA-accessible playground. e park has a 5,400-square-foot main lodge, a 1,700-square-foot tipi lodge, an outdoor wedding chapel, disc golf, six zip lines, a dog park and campsites.

Je erson County Open Space bought the former YMCA property in 2001.

e park is managed by Beaver Ranch Community Inc., a nonpro t with a volunteer board and paid sta that oversees the park’s day-to-day operations.

JCOS is also continuing work to repurpose land that was once part of Evergreen’s oleash dog park south of Stagecoach Park, which closed in 2017 over health and safety issues. at work has included revegetation, expanded parking, moving the restroom, adding seating areas and improving a road crossing.

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Email linda@cotln.org if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.

Shawnee resident David Floro, right, talks with fellow Conifer dog park patrons Marshall and Tammy Trembley during a Dec. 1 stop there. The three are among several area residents concerned about proposed changes to the park.

PHOTO BY JANE REUTER

tion also calls for contracting for full-time town law enforcement services with the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce.

e change will happen with the start of the new year, Morrison Town Manager Mallory Nassau said.

With the disbanding of the town’s police department, Town Manager Mallory Nassau said the town will not have the manpower to continue its speed camera operations.

e department, which includes nine full-time o cers, an administrative assistant and some part-time sta , operated at an estimated $1.2 million de cit in 2024, according to town attorney Austin Flanagan.

e town had budgeted $1.6 million for its police department in 2025. at’s almost 40% of the expected $4.046 million in anticipated 2025 general fund expenditures, a number too steep for town leaders.

e motion included setting aside a maximum of $900,000 to make severance payments to current o cers and honor other contractual obligations, and pay the sheri ’s o ce for taking over town law enforcement in 2025.

Town leaders said disbanding its police department is a purely nancial decision, and has nothing to do with Police Chief Bill Vinelli’s recent involuntary administrative leave or the Oct. 3 arrest in Longmont of Morrison Police Sgt. Richard Norton.

A JCSO spokesperson said the agency is up to the task of adding Morrison to its full-time coverage area.

Fire district uniﬁcation takes one step for-

merged agencies would then be renamed the Conifer Fire Protection District, and share tax revenue, sta and all other resources.

e district court motion calls for injunctive relief from Elk Creek’s exclusion order and was led by Elk Creek Fire board member Chuck Newby and Elk Creek resident Neil Whitehead III. Newby had promised he would take such action after the Elk Creek board approved its part in the uni cation last month.

Both men were also among a group that opposed a November 2023 ballot measure to consolidate the three districts. Voters narrowly defeated the proposal.

Evergreen featured in holiday romcom

ward and another back

Conifer’s three re districts cleared their last major hurdle toward uni cation Nov. 21. In an often emotional, standingroom-only hearing, the Elk Creek Fire Board approved a motion that allows the Inter-Canyon, North Fork and Elk Creek re protection districts to become one agency. Most of the audience members reacted to the 4-to-1 vote with vigorous applause.

Elk Creek, Inter-Canyon and North Fork re protection districts all serve di erent areas of Conifer and have tried for years to merge. Voters narrowly defeated a November 2023 consolidation ballot issue that sparked still-lingering controversy and acrimony within the Elk Creek district.

e three districts said they would instead pursue uni cation, which doesn’t require a public vote or a mill levy increase.

In December, a Je erson County judge signed an order approving the addition of the Inter-Canyon Fire District to the North Fork Fire District. at order does not include the third agency in the plan — the Elk Creek Fire Protection District. at approval, needed to complete the planned merger of the three foothills re agencies, is on hold due to a motion led by two men who oppose the proposed uni cation.

e uni cation process requires Elk Creek and Inter-Canyon to exclude their properties from their existing boundaries and join the North Fork district. e

e movie is centered on a small-town co ee shop in which Cupid’s magical mistletoe is accidentally hung, causing unexpected romantic mayhem.

For the cast and crew, the magic wasn’t limited to a ctional storyline. All said the mountain community and setting surpassed their expectations.

“ is location is magical,” said actor Joey Heyworth. “It is Christmassy and so lovely. ere’s so much love for the town, and everybody’s been very warm.

“ e town is very much a character in the story. It’s very real and we want to do justice to it.”

HAPPENINGS

We’d like to know about events or activities of interest to the community. Visit www.canyoncourier.com/calendar/ and post your event online for free. Email jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com to get items in the newspaper. Items will appear in print on a space-available basis.

UPCOMING

Conifer Community Church nightly Christmas light show: rough Jan. 6, 9998 S. Havekost Road, Conifer. 5-10 p.m. Sunday- ursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 7-11 p.m. Dec. 24. Show is approximately 35 mins. long and runs on a continual loop.

Ice Fest: Dec. 31, Evergreen Lake, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. Ice skating, skate rentals, hockey, broomball, ice carving demonstration, mobile recreation trailer games, repits, DJ. evergreenrecreation.com.

Evergreen Ball: 8 p.m. to midnight, Dec. 31, Evergreen Lake House, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. Featuring the Michael C Experience band, catered hors d’oeuvres, desserts, photo booth, cash bar. Limited tickets at evergreenrecreation.com.

New Year’s Day Lake Plunge: 10 a.m. to noon, Jan. 1, Evergreen Lake, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. $50 participation fee. No fee for spectators. VIP parking at lake, $25. Register at a4aevergreen.org

discounts for multiple purchases. Purchase tickets or nd local businesses selling tickets at evergreenicemelt.com. Proceeds bene t local organizations and nonpro ts.

Wild Aware is actively recruiting volunteers for their Last Friday Co ee. e monthly event is at 9 a.m., the last Friday morning of every month through fall. Evergreen Bread and Cocktail Lounge, 1260 Bergen Pkwy, Evergreen, CO 80439.

Soldier Bags Project 2024: Tallgrass Spa accepting travel-sized toiletries and other donations at e Wild Game, 1204 Bergen Pkwy, Evergreen, for annual veterans backpack project. Information at tallgrassspa.com

Cocktails & Curling: 5 p.m. Jan 10, Evergreen Lake House, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. $5 chamber members, $10 nonmembers. evergreenchamber.org.

Connections & Cocktails: 4:30 p.m. Jan. 14, Lariat Lodge, 27618 Fireweed Drive, Evergreen. evergreenchamber. org.

Wild Aware’s Bear Club quarterly meeting: 5:30 p.m. Jan. 14. Address will be provided when you register. Social, potluck and speaker Brenda Lee, founder of the Colorado Bear Coalition. Email info@wildaware.org, go to https://bearbook-club.cheddarup.com, or call 303670-7171.

Seniors4Wellness computer/tech help: Noon, Jan. 15, Evergreen Library, meeting room B, 5000 County Highway 73, Evergreen. 720-835-8776

Conifer Chamber of Commerce member meeting: 7:30 a.m. on second ursdays, Our Lady of the Pines Catholic Church, 9444 Eagle Cli Road, Conifer. Free for members, $10 for nonmembers.

Evergreen Nature Center Weekly Preschool Adventures Program: 9 a.m. every ursday, 27640 Hwy 74, Evergreen. Free & no registration required. Programs designed for children ages 2-5 years old. All children must have an adult in attendance. Dress to explore the outdoors. evergreenaudubon.org

Evergreen Nature Center Monthly Family Program: 11 a.m. every last Saturday, 27640 Hwy 74, Evergreen. December’s program is Hibernation Station. evergreenaudubon.org

Wild Aware’s Open Aware Meet & Greet: 6 p.m. Jan. 16, Evergreen Brewery, 2962 Evergreen Parkway, Evergreen. Celebrating Wild Aware’s 5th birthday.

Seniors4Wellness Friday Cafe: 11:30 a.m. Jan. 17, Christ the King Church, 4291 Evergreen Parkway, Evergreen. seniors4wellness.org

2025 Evergreen Pond Hockey Championship: 7 a.m. playtime, Jan. 25 and 26, Evergreen Lake, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Rd. evergreenrecreation.com

Mt Evans Home Health Care & Hospice’s Winter WonderGala: 5:30 p.m. Feb. 28, Mount Vernon Canyon Club, 24933 Club House Circle, Golden. Dinner, live and silent auction, live music and dancing. events@mtevans.org

e American Legion Evergreen Post 2001: Meets every fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m., Evergreen Church of the Trans guration, 27640 Highway 74, Evergreen. Serving all military veterans in the foothills communities. Email evergreenpost2001@gmail.com

Evergreen Camera Club: Meets every second Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Evergreen Fire/Rescue auditorium, 1802 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen. Club is for people who share a passion for all photography, from beginners to professionals. Attend in person or via ZOOM.

Evergreen Area Republican Club: e Evergreen Area Republican Club meets at 6 p.m. the rst Wednesday of the month at the Evergreen Fire/Rescue Administration Building, 1802 Bergen Parkway. Information at evergreenarearepublicanclub.org

Mountain Area Democrats: Mountain Area Democrats meet at 9 a.m. the fourth Saturday of the month January through April at the United Methodist Church of Evergreen, 3757 Ponderosa Drive, Evergreen. For more information, e-mail MountainAreaDems@ gmail.com.

ONGOING

Evergreen Ice Melt tickets available through March 17: $3 each with

Evergreen Sustainability Alliance and Lam Tree services are collecting holiday trees and block styrofoam from noon to 3 p.m. Jan. 3 at the vacant lot across from the Evergreen King Soopers, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 4 and 11 at both Evergreen Lutheran church and the vacant lot across from Evergreen King Soopers. Information at www. sustainevergreen.org or 720-536-0069.

The Stone House • 1524 Belford Court • Evergreen, CO (303)674-3412 | EvergreenChamber.org

Chillax Om Anti Aging Acupuncture and Natural Skin Care

Andrea Rivera

29029 Upper Bear Creek, Suite 301 Evergreen, CO 80439 http://www.ChillaxOm.com

Hair of the Dog Grooming Kerry Martin 4602 Plettner Lane, Unit 3 D Evergreen, CO 80439 http://thehairofdogs.com

Productions LLC

Robert Kowalski

Morrison, Colorado 80465 http://www.rpkproductions.com

Happy Birthday, Evergreen!

In 1865, Dwight Wilmot requested that the federal government place a post o ce in our community. When asked what it should be named, Dwight responded, “Evergreen” because he loved the beauty of the evergreen trees surrounding him. This was the rst o cial time the name Evergreen was used and thus our “beginning”. While Evergreen as a location and a place that people called home, has existed much longer than 150 years, 2025 is the year of Evergreen’s 150th anniversary.

Keep your eyes open for details on events and happenings all throughout 2025 to learn more about the heritage of this area and to get involved with the celebrations.

“ese are times that try men’s soul.” So wrote omas Paine in e American Crisis on Dec.19, 1776. Six days later on Christmas night, General George Washington led his Continental Army command across the ice-choked Delaware River for a surprise attack on Hessian mercenaries who were carousing in their warm barracks in Trenton, New Jersey. It was a military stroke of genius, one that gave the struggling nascent independence movement hope.

A year to the day after Paine published his pamphlet, Washington and his 12,000 troops hunkered down for a challenging winter at Valley Forge where many went without proper footwear and warm clothing and about 2,000 died from dysentery and more. Yet they persevered. e Continental Army for the most part consisted of everyday men — backwoodsmen, farmers, craftsmen — with little or no military training. But they understood that history had called upon them to ght for something greater than themselves: freedom. And not just at the national level, but at the personal.

On this Christmas 248 years later, it’s timely to recall what Washington and the men and women fought and died for in the American Revolution. Like standing and removing one’s cap during the sing-

IVOICES

Resolve and resiliency, American-style

JERRY FABYANIC

Columnist

ing of “ e Star-Spangled Banner,” taking a few moments to re ect upon Washington’s feat should be requisite for every American on Christmas Day. For far too many take for granted the freedom the millions since Washington fought and many died for.

From the outset, the Founders knew personal rights and liberties would need to be endlessly defended not just from abroad but from within. Unlike many Americans today, they knew their history. ey also understood the “will to power,” as Friedrich Nietzsche called it a century later in “ us Spake Zarathustra,” runs deep within the soul of men, and if it isn’t harnessed and redirected toward noble, unsel sh pursuits, bad things happen at the hands of the unprincipled and unscrupulous. History had clearly shown that. But some grow weary of the struggle and decide their and their fellow citizens’ rights and liberties aren’t worth defending despite Ben Franklin’s admonition that “ ose who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safe-

What brightens you?

grew up in a family where stories were a nightly part of our meals. My father, a great storyteller, came from a family of nine, seven boys and two girls. His baseball team-sized family gave him a huge volume of tales to share on seemingly endless topics. While my father told many stories around the dinner table, there were moments when the storytelling would come from my mom. Mom had tales of her father’s work as a traveling salesperson, her time in high school and many “neighborhood” stories. When Mom told us her favorite story, her face would light up and she would talk about dancing. In that story, she did not spend much time talking about speci c performances, her attempts to make every child born into the extended family a dancer, or even her time learning from and eventually teaching for Colorado Ballet founders Lillian Covillo and Freidann Parker. What she talked about was her love of motion. She would explain that as a teenager her favorite game was to walk quickly through a crowd of people without touching any of them but coming within a few inches of every person she passed. She would describe feeling the air as she passed individuals, appreciating the uidity of her motion and the fact that so many people were gathered, allowing her to play her game.

I loved the story partly for the vision it created of Mom as a teenager, but more for the absolute passion you could feel in the words she shared. When she told this story, you gained an insight into the way she viewed the world. You understood that she saw things di erently than others. at the daily mundane physical tasks most people muddled through were, in her mind, a dance; a beautiful dance to be appreciated.

ty.” ey become willing to compromise and agreeable to watered-down versions of their inalienable rights that in their essence become like junk jewelry and cheap goods bought at dollar stores.

Paine took to task such people, calling them “the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot” who “shrink from the service of their country.”

“What we obtain too cheap,” he wrote, “we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.”

When the head winds blow at gale force 24/7, it can try one’s soul. When that happens, the danger of falling into one of two extremes—denying reality and insisting everything will be all right or shrugging one’s shoulders and plaintively asking, “What’s the use?”—arises.

Brad Stulberg, a mental health authority, suggests an alternative in a New York Times essay: wise hope and action. By not looking at the anti-freedom forces through rose-colored lenses and by not giving into futility, he says a person is better able to “muster the strength, courage and resolve” to keep their focus on what they can control. e challenge for the individual then is identifying what is

in their power and deciding on how to act on it.

In “Man’s Search for Meaning,” Viktor Frankl, a psychologist and Holocaust survivor, posits the most critical elements the prisoners and victims of the Nazis’ death camps needed for survival were resolve and resiliency. In short, never giving up. Just like Washington and his army.

ough circumstances were bleak that Christmas in 1776, Washington and his troops didn’t buckle. Like the fty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence who pledged their Lives, their Fortunes and their sacred Honor, they remained steeled in their resolve and resiliency. I seriously wonder how many today could claim likewise with a straight face.

History shows freedom-loving Americans are not a compliant but a feisty people. ey don’t cave when confronted by anti-freedom forces. ey stand strong and resolute because deep within their soul, they know it’s like omas Paine said: “For though the ame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.”

Jerry Fabyanic is the author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for ought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.” He lives in Georgetown.

e joy in Mom’s face is still fresh in my mind even though it has been more than 35 years since I last heard her share the story. is memory will never fade for me.

We all need things in our lives that ll us with such joy that it is re ected on our faces whether we are engaging in the activity or telling the story of it. We need things that color our vision, helping us to see the beauty that surrounds us.

Take time this week to think about the things that are so exciting to you that they light your face when you mention them.

During struggles, unmitigated joy is a tonic that will help each one of us.

If you would be willing to share, I would love to know what creates joy for you, I can be contacted at jim.roome@gmail.com .

As always, I hope that you will nd inspiration in my words and share those words of encouragement with those who need it. ank you to all who have shared stories with me so far, I love hearing from you as you nd helpful morsels in these columns and nd ways to encourage those around you.

Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences.

Columnist Jim Roome’s mother always brightened when she talked about dancing. What makes you feel brighter? PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM ROOME

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Jim Roome

HAPPENINGS

Evergreen Nature Center: Evergreen Nature Center is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays next to Church of the Trans guration. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.EvergreenAudubon.org.

e Bear Creek Cemetery Association board of directors volunteers needed: Members needed to help with operations of the local cemetery on Highway 74, Evergreen. Contact board president, evergreenbearcreekcemetery@gmail.com

Blue Spruce Habitat volunteers needed: Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers. A variety of opportunities and exible schedules are available on new construction sites as well as for exterior minor home repairs. No previous construction experience needed. Contact volunteer@bluesprucehabitat. org for information.

EChO needs volunteers: e Evergreen Christian Outreach ReSale Store and food pantry need volunteers. Proceeds from the EChO ReSale Store support the food pantry and programs and services provided by EChO. Many volunteer options available. For more information, call Mary at 720-673-4369 or email mary@evergreenchristianoutreach.org.

LGBTQ+ teen book club: Resilience1220 is o ering an LGBTQ+ teen book club that meets from 4-6 p.m. the fourth Monday at the Resilience1220 ofce next to the Buchanan Park Recreation Center. For more information and to register, visit R1220.org.

ESA EverGREEN Re ll Station: EverGREEN Re ll Station (re ll your laundry detergent, lotions, soaps and more. We have many sustainable products available). e Re ll Station is open Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:

• Email your letter to kﬁore@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.

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1-4 p.m. in the Habitat Restore, 1232 Bergen Parkway.

Support After Suicide Loss: A safe place to share and learn after losing a loved one to suicide. is group meets every fourth Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 o ce. For ages 14 and up. Suggested donation for this group is $15. Register at resilience1220. org/groups.

Sensitive Collection: Resilience1220 strives to inform and support highly sensitive people to live healthy and empowered lives. It meets the third Wednesday of each month from 6-7 p.m. via Zoom. Register at resilience1220.org/groups.

Caregiver support group: Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice o ers a monthly group to provide emotional support services for caregivers helping ill, disabled or elderly loved ones. An inperson support group meets Wednesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. at 3081 Bergen Peak Road, Evergreen. For more information, visit mtevans.org/services/emotional-support/.

Parkinson’s disease support group: A Parkinson’s disease support group meets the rst Friday of the month from 1-3 p.m. at Evergreen Christian Church, 27772 Iris Drive, Evergreen. For more information, email esears@parkinsonrockies.org.

Mountain Foothills Rotary meetings: Mountain Foothills Rotary meets at 6 p.m. Wednesdays both in person at Mount Vernon Canyon Club, 24933 Club House Circle, Genesee, and via Zoom. Information at 346-248-7799.

Beyond the Rainbow: Resilience1220 o ers Beyond the Rainbow, which is two support groups that meet the second Tuesday of the month. One is a safe group for those 12-20 and the other is a group for parents and caregivers wanting support for raising an LGBTQ+ child. For group location and to RSVP, email heather@resilience1220.org.

• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualiﬁcations for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unveriﬁed negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.

• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.

• We will edit letters for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length and write headlines (titles) for letters at our discretion.

• Please don’t send us more than one letter per month. First priority for publication will be given to writers who have not submitted letters to us recently.

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Every artist, crafter or hobbyist needs a collection of supplies, materials and equipment to accompany their creative passion.

A few stores around Denver seek to help creatives both build their collection and rehome it, if necessary. e Craft Box in Wheat Ridge, and ReCreative in downtown Denver, are both dedicated used art supplies stores that accept donations for resale – essentially thrift stores for artists.

“We’ve had kilns, massive oor looms, pottery wheels, everything down to the individual buttons,” ReCreative Programs Director Kelly Eigenberger said about the store’s inventory.

Eigenberger, who is also a clay artist, said her main goal at ReCreative is to help make art more accessible, especially when it comes to cost. Eigenberger said she knows and relates to the nancial squeeze working artists face, between studio rentals, equipment and marketing their creations.

“I love getting to hook it up for people who I see working really hard and creating access on the retail side of art,” she said. “I mean, the cost of rubber stamps is criminal.”

In addition to the reuse store, ReCreative is a nonpro t that houses artist studios, a membership-based woodshop and an art gallery. e store also o ers classes, ranging from watercolor painting to sewing to kintsugi, a Japanese technique for repairing pottery with gold.

Eigenberger said a community has built up around ReCreative, with a loop of customers becoming featured artists in the gallery or instructors of classes, creating loyal shoppers and connections for donations.

“It means a lot to have friendly neighbors and the support that comes from our people,” Eigenberger said.

Another of ReCreative’s missions is to throw away as little as possible. As of December, the store had diverted 28,000 pounds of supplies from land lls in 2024. Donations are accepted by appointment, which can be made online.

Eigenberger said donating supplies has the dual bene ts of being more environmentally friendly and helping other artists.

“I think that we’re all inclined to collect in one way or another,” Eigenberger said. “But as we collect and lose interest, there’s a lot of guilt about it, so being able to con rm for people that what I’m taking will be used by someone is important.”

Similar to ReCreative, e Craft Box is part used sup-

ply store and part haven for artists, providing space for a variety of art groups and clubs, like Quilts of Valor and the Aspen Leaf Button Collectors.

Liz Boxler, the owner of e Craft Box, said her goal is to create a community space through thrifty crafting.

“Our purpose is twofold, of course, to nd homes for all this crafty stu , but also to work with local charities that need or want things that are handmade,” Boxler said.

When donated supplies aren’t t for resale, Boxler, who is also a quilter, will sometimes use them to create goods for people in need. For example, Boxler has made dget quilts for people with Alzheimer’s, crochet pouches for catheter bags and reusable grocery bags for the food pantry.

Boxler has found that there are more supplies that could be reused than she will ever be able to manage, but she tries to do what she can. is year, the store has diverted 1.4 tons of fabric, books, rubber stamps and other craft supplies from land lls.

Boxler estimates that since she opened the store in 2012, that amount is more than 9 tons and 260,000 items. Most of her donations come from estates and

people who are moving, Boxler said. e store accepts donations by appointment, which can be made online.

“ ey’re de-stashing, is what we call it when people are moving, or they’re downsizing, or they just realize they’re gonna have to live to be 150 years old to do all these projects,” she said.

Luckily, there are also plenty of people eager to nd new purposes for the various beads, frames, yarn, fabric, paints and endless other materials stocked at e Craft Box.

Not only is it a cheaper way to maintain a collection of supplies, Boxler said used supplies are also popular with people wanting to test a new hobby.

“People can try out new crafts much easier,” Boxler said. “If somebody wanted to try quilting but fabric is so expensive, this is a way they can do that without investing a lot upfront. And then if they like it, they can expand on that.”

Boxler said one of the best things about the store is that there’s something for everyone and every skill level.

Kelly Eigenberger, the programs director at ReCreative, said the store’s mission is twofold: to help divert supplies from landﬁlls and to make art more ﬁnancially accessible. ReCreative also houses an art gallery, studio space and a membershipbased woodshop.

ReCreative is fueled by donations, which Eigenberger said mostly come from estate sales and people who are moving or downsizing. In 2024, the store accepted more than 28,000 pounds of materials.

PHOTOS BY MCKENNA HARFORD

Girls basketball: Conifer carries hot start into Winter Break

Lobos enjoying best season start in over a decade

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

After two lowly four-win seasons, Conifer girls basketball is 7-1 to start 2024-25. e only game the Lobos have dropped is a two-point loss against the South Park Burros in Week 3. South Park won 25-23. Otherwise, it’s been by-and-large lopsided victory after victory through Conifer’s non-league schedule. e Lobos opened their season with a splash against Englewood, winning 50-13 to kick o the year. en, mountain rival Clear Creek was decimated by the Lobos 70-13. South Park was able to cool Conifer o , holding them to under 30 points. But it woke the Lobos up and the team rattled o ve straight wins, beating opponents by an average of 25.4 points. It’s Conifer’s best start since the 2012-13 Lobos team that started 7-1 and nished 16-8.

“I’m extremely happy with the effort. We’re making progress,” said Head Coach Connie Ireland. “We still have a lot of things we need to clean up, but it’s a lot of little things, which I think we de nitely can do. ese kids are going through nals right now, they’re feeling pressure from all sides. But if we can go into break notching one more win, it would give us some solid footing and

even more con dence.”

e Lobos have one game before the break at Je erson Academy on Dec. 20. Conifer escaped with a win against Denver West on Dec. 17, surviving 27-19 in a low-scoring, sloppy contest.

e rst quarter ended 6-3, with both teams playing good defense to start the game. But if you ask the coaches, they’d call it sloppy on o ense. e second quarter was much the same, ending 8-6 to nish the rst half.

“A lot of grit, though,” Ireland said. “ e good thing about these girls is they always play hard until the very end. I thought we got a little ustered, but then

Junior Milania Espinoza (5) looks to inbound the pass for Conifer to senior Finley Johnson (10) while being guarded by Denver West senior Celeste Marquez on Dec. 17. Conifer won 27-19 to improve to 7-1 on the season.

PHOTO BY JOHN RENFROW

we eventually calmed down, credit to mostly our seniors on the court.”

Freshman standout Izzy Ogdon injured her ankle early in the second quarter but was able to return at the half, which helped the Lobos gain some cushion in the lead. But lazy passes plagued Conifer again, allowing Denver West to nish the third quarter 13-13. Junior Alesha Munoz sank a big 3-pointer for the Cowboys at the buzzer to tie the game. She led the Cowboys with seven points.

But come the fourth quarter, it was all Eleanor Sikora for Conifer, who took over to score 10 points in the nal period. She was able to hit back-to-back threes to take 18-17 then a 21-17 lead. Sikora also snagged two steals to turn defense into o ense on the fast break.

“She (Sikora) de nitely was (the best player on the oor),” Ireland said. “I appreciate how the other girls recognize it and get the ball to the girls who is able to put it in the hoop.”

Sikora nished leading all scorers with 16 points. Ogdon had two steals and two points. Senior Finley Johnson was active on defense, diving on the oor for loose balls and hitting a big 3-pointer in the game.

It wasn’t the prettiest win, but Conifer will take all it can get. It’s been the best opening portion of the season in over a decade for the Lobos, who know competition is only getting stronger as they inch toward Je co League play.

Editor’s note: is story went to press before Conifer’s nal game before Winter Break on Dec. 20.

Conifer’s Elanor Sikora brings the ball up the ﬂoor. She carried the Lobos to a 27-19 victory over Denver West on Dec. 17. Sikora ﬁnished with 16 points, scoring 10 in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

Denver West’s Marilyn Vega (left) and Conifer’s Isabelle Gardiner dive on the ﬂoor for a loose ball on Dec. 17. Conifer held on to win 27-19.

Izzy Ogdon skies for a fadeaway layup/jumper on Dec. 17 against Denver West High School.

BY STAVROS KORONEOS

The good son EVERGREEN – Viola lives in an RV parked in Victor’s driveway. Since the house is soon to be sold, Victor told Viola that she’d have to nd some other driveway to park in. On the morning of Nov. 3, Viola’s son, Vinny, called Victor on the phone. “He screamed at me,” Victor told deputies. “He called me mean names.” Vinny also promised to “kick my (assumptions).” Given Vinny’s relative immaturity and volatile nature, Victor assumed he meant it and called JCSO. Contacted by deputies, Vinny coolly copped to the crime. Victor had spoken harshly and disrespectfully to his mom on the phone, Vinny said, leaving him no choice but to call Victor back to “defend my mom” and “give him what for.” And while Vinny had, indeed, threatened Victor with bodily harm, he said it was only after Victor told him he’d “shoot me if I ever showed up at his house.” In such a threat-rich environment deputies couldn’t be sure who exactly who deserved what summons, so they didn’t issue any.

Handyman blues

SOUTH TURKEY CREEK – For some

time now, when Charlotte needs anything done around the house she calls Harold. She called Harold on Nov. 4 and, since Harold doesn’t have a car, Charlotte went down and picked him up at his Denver home. While Harold was busy working in her house, Charlotte dropped her wallet in the fresh snow covering her driveway. Unable to nd it quickly, she became convinced that Harold had stolen it, which is what she told the 911 operator minutes later. Found standing and stranded on the front porch with his few belongings, Harold assured arriving deputies that he didn’t steal Charlotte’s wallet. O cers told Charlotte they thought it likely it was simply buried in the still-falling snow. Not satis ed, Charlotte complained that Harold behaved “aggressively” toward her as she was physically “pushing him out the door,” and that he’d stolen “tools and important documents” from her, although she couldn’t say which tools or what documents. Wishing only to leave the property as quickly as possible, Harold readily consented to a search of his belongings, which turned up neither tools nor documents. Deputies told Harold they’d give him a lift out of there. Harold told deputies he wouldn’t be taking

any more calls from Charlotte.

BERGEN PARK CHURCH

Twisted sisters CONIFER – Mary-Kate has been living comfortably in the home of her sister, Ashley. On the morning of Nov. 8, Mary-Kate was doing something in the garage when Ashley heard the sound of the dryer running downstairs. Since Mary-Kate isn’t allowed to use the laundry facilities, Ashley immediately ran downstairs and shut o the dryer, and then locked the door to the garage. Infuriated, Mary-Kate tried to force her way back into the house, and the ensuing scu e left Ashley with “scratches” on one hand. Ashley called 911 to report an assault, but during the short interval before deputies arrived she decided against lodging formal charges against her sister. ey’d both be out of the house in a few days, Ashley told the o cers, and then she “will never see (Mary-Kate) again.” at was good enough for the deputies, who departed as abruptly as they’d arrived.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

PINE JUNCTION – Whooping it up just a little on the afternoon of Nov. 3, Tom, Dick and Harry were hanging chilly in a restaurant parking lot with a 12-pack

of liquid good times when Tom asked to borrow Dick’s phone to call his sister. His sister wasn’t available, though, and for reasons never explained Tom started speaking “disrespectfully” to whoever answered her telephone. Apparently a strong proponent of respectful speech, Dick snatched his phone from Tom’s hand mid-call. Apparently a forceful advocate for free speech, Tom prepared to give Dick a two- sted lesson in phone etiquette. Stepping into the developing fray, Harry spoke with the voice of reason. “Do you want to ght over this?” he asked Tom. Tom most certainly did, and got Harry’s hambone in his honker for his trouble. Alarmed passersby reported the melee to JCSO, and deputies arrived to nd Tom bloodied and Harry absent. Since it looked like Tom might survive his super cial injuries, and since he wasn’t about to press charges against Harry, o cers bade them go in peace. Sheri ’s Calls is intended as a humorous take on some of the incident call records of the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce for the mountain communities. Names and identifying details have been changed, including the writer’s name, which is a pseudonym. All individuals are innocent until proven guilty.

WORSHIP DIRECTORY

Bergen Park Church is a group of regular people who strive to improve ourselves and our community by studying the Bible and sharing our lives with each other. On Sunday mornings you can expect contemporary live music, Children’s Ministry that seeks to love and care for your kids, teaching from the Bible, and a community of real people who are imperfect, but seek to honor God in their lives. We hope to welcome you soon to either our 9:00AM or 10:30AM Sunday service. Search Bergen Park Church on YouTube for Livestream service at 9:00am 31919 Rocky Village Dr. 303-674-5484 info@bergenparkchurch.org / www.BergenParkChurch.org

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH SERVICES

28244 Harebell Lane

Sunday Service & Sunday School: 10 a.m. Wednesday evening: 7p.m: (Zoom only Nov.1st-Mar. 31st.) Visit: www.christianscienceevergreen.com for more information and ZOOM link Reading Room: 4602 Plettner Lane 303-674-5296 OPEN: TUES-SAT 12 p.m.-3 p.m.

CHURCH OF THE HILLS PRESBYTERIAN (USA) Serving the mountain community from the heart of Evergreen Worship 10:00 a.m.

Reverend Richard Aylor

O ce Hours: Tu-Thur 9:00 - 4:00; Fri 9:00 - noon Bu alo Park Road and Hwy 73 www.churchofthehills.com

CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION EPISCOPAL

In-Church: Sunday Communion Quiet Service 8:00 am & with Music 10:15 am 10:15 am only Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86017266569

In-Meadow: 2nd Sunday of the month at 9:30 a.m. --June through September— 27640 Highway 74 – ¼ mile east of downtown Evergreen at the Historic Bell Tower www.transﬁgurationevergreen.org

CONGREGATION BETH EVERGREEN (SYNAGOGUE) Reconstructionist Synagogue

Rabbi Jamie Arnold www.BethEvergreen.org / (303) 670-4294 2981 Bergen Peak Drive (behind Life Care)

DEER PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Reverend Dr. Knut Heim, pastor, Sunday Worship 10 AM Located one mile west of Pine Junction just o Rt. 285 966 Rim Rock Road, Bailey (303) 838-6759 deerparkumc.org

All are welcome to our open/inclusive congregation!

EVERGREEN LUTHERAN CHURCH

5980 Highway 73 + 303-674-4654

Rev. Terry Schjang

Join us for worship in person or on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EvergreenLutheranChurch

Sunday Worship held at 9am. www.evergreenlutheran.org + All Are Welcome!

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY CHURCH – EPC 1036 El Rancho Rd, Evergreen – (303) 526-9287 www.lomcc.org – o ce@lomcc.org

Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m., with communion every Sunday “Real Church In An UnReal World” A community empowered by the Holy Spirit which seeks authentic relationships with God and others to share the good news of Jesus with Evergreen, the Front Range and the world. Come as you are, all are welcome!

PLATTE CANYON COMMUNITY CHURCH

Located: 4954 County Road 64 in Bailey. O ce hours MWF 8am-1pm 303-838-4409, Worship & Children’s Church at 10am

Small group studies for all ages at 9am

Transitional Pastor: Mark Chadwick

Youth Pastor: Jay Vonesh

Other activities: Youth groups, Men’s/Women’s ministries, Bible studies, VBS, MOPS, Cub/Boy Scouts.

ROCKLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH

“Connecting all generations to Jesus” Please check our website, www.Rockland.church, for updated service times ¼ mile north of I-70 at exit 254 17 S Mt. Vernon Country Club Rd., Golden, CO 80401 303-526-0668

SHEPHERD OF THE ROCKIES LUTHERAN CHURCH Missouri Synod. 106 Rosalie Road, Bailey, CO 303-838-2161 Pastor John Graham Sunday Worship Service; 9 a.m., Fellowship Time; 10:15 a.m., Sunday School & Bible Class; 10:45 a.m. www.shepherdoftherockies.org

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF EVERGREEN Rev. Sarah Clark • 303.674.4810 • www.evergreenumc.org 3757 Ponderosa Dr. across Hwy 74 from Safeway in Evergreen Join us in person every Sunday at 10:00am for worship “Open Hearts, Open Doors, Open Minds”

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County of Jefferson, State of Colorado Andy Kerr, Chairman Board of County Commissioners

Legal Notice No. CAN 1759 First Publication: December 19, 2024

Last Publication: December 26, 2024 Publisher: Canyon Courier Public Notice NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT JEFFERSON COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO

Pursuant to C.R.S. Section 38-26-107, notice is hereby given that on the 14th day of January 2025 final settlement will be made by the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado to:

MARTIN MARIETTA MATERIAL INC. PO BOX 677061 DALLAS TX. 75267

hereinafter called the “Contractor”, for and on account of the construction contract for Asphalt Overlay & Concrete Replacement project in Jefferson County, CO.

1. Any person, co-partnership, association

or corporation who has an unpaid claim against the said project, for or on account of the furnishing of labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender or other supplies used or consumed by such Contractor or any of said work, may at any time up to and including said time of such final settlement, file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim.

2.All such claims shall be filed with Heather Frizzell, Director of Finance Jefferson County Colorado, 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden CO 80419-4560.

3.Failure on the part of a creditor to file such statement prior to such final settlement will relieve the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado, from any and all liability for such claim.

County of Jefferson, State of Colorado Andy Kerr, Chairman Board of County Commissioners

Legal Notice No. CAN 1763

First Publication: December 26, 2024

Last Publication: January 2, 2025

Publisher: Canyon Courier Public Notice

NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT RME LTD., LLC dba ELITE SURFACE INFRASTRUCTURE CP 24-01 FLOYD HILL PARKING AREA IMPROVEMENTS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN in accordance with the notice provisions contained in 38-26107, C.R.S., the CLEAR CREEK BOARD OF

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS has established Tuesday, January 7th, 2025, 8:30 am, at the Board of County Commissioners hearing room, located at 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado, as the date, time and place of final settlement with RME Ltd., LLC dba Elite Surface Infrastructure for Clear Creek County project CP 24-01 Floyd Hill Parking Area Improvements, County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado. Any person, co-partnership, association of persons, company or corporation that has furnished labor, materials, sustenance, or other supplies used or consumed by such contractor or his or her subcontractor in or about the performance of the work contracted to be done or that supplied laborers, rental machinery, tools, or equipment to the extent used in the prosecution of the work, whose claim therefore has not been paid by the contractor or subcontractor, at any time up to and including the time of final settlement for work contracted to be done, may file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim with the Clear Creek Board of County Commissioners, Clear Creek County, P O Box 2000, 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado, 80444-2000. Failure to file such verified statement or claim prior to final settlement will release the County and its employees and agents from any and all liability for such claim and for making final payment to said contractor.

George Marlin, Chair Board of County Commissioners

Legal Notice No. CAN 1764

First Publication: December 26, 2024

Last Publication: January 2, 2025

Publisher: Canyon Courier

Public Notice

NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT

JEFFERSON COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO

Pursuant to C.R.S. Section 38-26-107, notice is hereby given that on the 14th day of January 2025 final settlement will be made by the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado to:

hereinafter called the “Contractor”, for and on account of the construction contract for Asphalt Overlay Replacement

Advocates push for full funding of Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Parents, students, school nutrition professionals, farmers and community advocates recently gathered in Lakewood to push for the continued funding and full implementation of Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program.

“We decided to have our event here (in Lakewood) because it’s the heart of the Jeffco school district, and it’s where the Jefferson Healthy Food Pilot program began,” said Erica Cervantes, Director of Organizing and Community Partnerships for Hunger Free Colorado.

Launched after the passage of Proposition FF in 2022, Cervantes said the program has already made a signi cant impact by providing over 600,000 free meals to students, reducing the stigma around free lunches and supporting local economies.

But amid rising food costs and growing participation, advocates say more funding is urgently needed to sustain the program. According to Chalkbeat, while Proposition FF raised more than $100 million to provide free meals for students, there was a $56 million shortfall last year.

ese advocates are calling on state lawmakers to step in during the 2025 General Assembly to ensure the program can continue to feed students, support school cafeteria sta and provide schools with fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

A call for community-driven solutions “ is assembly is important because we

are the voice of our children and we are part of the community,” saidPaola Carreño, a mother and part of the Je erson Food Pilot Council.

“It’s not just to leave our children without free, fresh, healthy and culturally relevant food since my son is part of tomorrow’s future. My participation in this event and e ort is a call to action to unite as a community because in unity there is strength,” she continued.

Several speakers echoed Carreño’s words at the event, and the message was clear: healthy free meals for all must continue.

Advocates highlighted the program’s bene ts, which include helping families save around $1,300 per child annually, reducing food insecurity and creating opportunities for students to access healthy, fresh meals at school, which may be the only meals they get during the week.

Beyond free meals

“We know the massive impact Healthy School Meals for All can have on the health of our local food system and everyone who touches it,” said Jen O’Neal from Common Harvest Colorado. “ ere is so much potential to continue to shape the future of our food system — for our kids, our planet and our local economies.”

O’Neal emphasized that supporting local farms and producers strengthens local economies and provides healthier meals for students.

Despite its success, parts of the program remain on hold due to a lack of funding. Essential components like wage increases

PUBLIC NOTICES

3) The maximum number of persons allowed to occupy the short-term rental.

4) The maximum number of vehicles allowed to park on the short-term rental property. All vehicles must park in designated off-street parking spaces. On-street parking or on neighboring properties is prohibited.

5) A map clearly indicating the subject parcel boundaries, location of residence, and location of appropriate parking spaces.

6) The day of garbage pick-up or plan for garbage removal and notification of all rules and regulations regarding garbage removal.

7) The entire property address (including house number, street name, and city) shall be visibly posted inside the STR with instructions to call 911 in the case of an emergency.

8) Information regarding fire suppression types available onsite. If a Fire Ban is in effect, the terms of that ban must be included.

9) Information regarding fire/emergency evacuation routes out of the area.

10) The discharging of firearms or fireworks on the premises is strictly prohibited.

11) Information regarding winter driving conditions and the need for appropriate vehicle traction, including Colorado Department of Transportation’s Traction Law.

12) Road information regarding the need for appropriate vehicles such as four-wheel drive, high clearance, all-wheel drive, or other appropriate means to access the STR.

13) Good Neighbor Guidelines as defined by this Ordinance in the most current form as posted on the County’s website and available at this link:

7.2. Vacation Rental Service Mandatory Field and Takedown. Pursuant to C.R.S. § 30-15-401(1)(s) (III), all Vacation Rental Services that display STR listings for properties in unincorporated Clear Creek County shall require that each owner or owner’s agent using the Vacation Rental Service include the license number from the County-issued STR license in any listing for an STR on the vacation rental service. A vacation rental service shall re-

move any listing for an STR from the platform after notification by the Review Authority that the license number associated with an STR listing is invalid, expired, has been revoked, or that the County has a prohibition on STRs that applies to the listing. The notification shall include the listing URL and any other identifying information available to the Review Authority and include the reason for removal. The platform shall remove the listing within seven days of receiving the notification from the County.

Section 8. Violations, Enforcement and Revocation.

8.1. Obligation for Ongoing Compliance of Licensee.

a. Issuance of a license is expressly contingent upon the licensee maintaining compliance with all requirements set forth in the STR Ordinance. If at any time a licensee fails to maintain such compliance as is required, the licensee shall be in violation of this Ordinance.

b. A licensee shall avoid any illegal, dangerous, or harmful practices or conditions which are detrimental to the public property, health, welfare, peace or safety.

c. A licensee shall neither advertise nor operate an STR on the Property during the period the STR license is revoked or suspended.

8.2. Complaints and Remedies for Non-Compliance.

a. Complaints concerni ng a short-term rental property shall be first directed to the Responsible Agent. The agent shall respond to the complaint, including visiting the site if necessary. Failure of a Responsible Agent to affirmatively respond to a complaint and attempt to resolve such complaint within an hour of notification shall be considered a violation of the Ordinance.

for cafeteria workers, equipment for cooking fresh ingredients and infrastructure improvements in school kitchens are currently paused.

“ e food is free, but the rest of the pieces of the program are currently on pause because there’s not enough funding,” Cervantes said.

Without the necessary support, advocates fear the program will fall short of the vision Colorado voters had when they overwhelmingly backed Proposition FF.

Voices from the frontlines

“I like to say that I’m an educator who serves lunch because I try to educate my students on the importance of eating healthy and staying away from junk food,” said Andrea Cisneros, a kitchen manager for Je co Public Schools.

Re ecting on her childhood experiences with food insecurity, she said, “When I was a kid, growing up, we would go behind our local grocery store and jump in the dumpsters and get our dinner... My lunch ladies, my lunch men, my sta that fed me were very important to me growing up. ey must have known I was poor. ey’d always give me extra servings of food.”

Today, Cisneros nds herself on the other side, advocating for students to have access to fresh, healthy meals and for cafeteria workers like herself to be supported with livable wages. She pointed out that, due to budget constraints, many cafeteria workers are forced to sell junk food to students to generate extra revenue for school districts.

“I think our government, our local leg-

8.7. Appeals and Hearing.

islators, need to be held accountable to make sure that our schools receive enough money to keep this program going,” Cisneros said.

Her goal is to see schools fully funded so that processed snacks and a la carte sales are no longer used to ll budget gaps.

Advocates urge lawmakers to act

At the heart of the gathering was a call for lawmakers to recognize the Healthy School Meals for All program’s transformative potential and fully fund it. Advocates believe funding the program isn’t just about free meals. ey say it’s about supporting students’ physical and cognitive development, strengthening local food systems and ensuring equitable access to healthy food.

“ is program has saved families money at a time of great hardship for many people in our community, and support has only grown as people have seen rsthand the positive impacts,” Cervantes said.

Cervantes explained that the goal is to sustain the program and fully implement its original promise to ensure local sourcing, pay school nutrition workers fair wages and create from-scratch meals in school kitchens.

“No kid should go hungry because their family is struggling to make ends meet,” Cervantes said. “We are working to make sure that we can sustain and build this program. e Healthy School Meals for All program is an investment in public education and in our children who need healthy food to learn.”

basis.

b. The County may investigate any complaint received, in order to determine if it is a substanti-

ated complaint which may result in a documented violation of any provision(s) of this Ordinance. Violations of this Ordinance shall be subject to the enforcement provisions set forth herein. If violations are not corrected or if there are repeat offenders of the requirements, performance standards, conditions or restrictions in this Ordinance, Clear Creek County may pursue action as provided for herein, including but not limited to suspension or revocation of the rental license. In cases where a violation is deemed egregiously harmful to public health, safety or welfare, the County may seek immediate permission from the Review Authority to revoke the STR license after a single violation.

8.3. Enforcement. Enforcement of this Ordinance shall be by the Review Authority and the Sheriff’s Office, as deemed necessary and appropriate.

8.4. Violations. Violations of the STR Ordinance shall be a civil infraction and punishable by the procedure established in C.R.S. §§ 16-2-201 and 30-15-402, as amended from time to time.

8.5. Fines. A graduated fine schedule is hereby adopted:

a. 1st: $250

b. 2nd: $750

c. 3rd or more: $1,000

Each day such violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense. Fines may be waived if violations are rectified quickly and properly.

8.6. Revocation. If non-compliance with this Ordinance is not cured timely, or if there are multiple credible or validated complaints manifesting the owner’s inability or unwillingness to control the use of the STR, the Review Authority may revoke the STR License. The Review Authority shall notify the owner or owner’s agent by phone and certified mail of the revocation. The Review Authority’s decision to revoke an STR License may be appealed as forth in Section 8.7.

a. Appeal to County Manager. Appeal from a decision of the Review Authority or of the Planning and Building Services Manager may be made to the County Manager by submitting a written or electronic request to appeal to the County Manager within 10 days of receipt of written notice of the decision.

The County Manager will schedule a meeting with the appellant and County staff, as appropriate, to consider the issues, and will then render a written decision within ten days of the meeting. During the appeal process, the STR shall not be operated or listed on a vacation rental service platform.

b. Final Appeal. An appeal of the decision of the County Manager may be brought to the Board by submitting a written or electronic request to appeal to the Clerk to the Board. The request must be submitted within ten days of receipt of the decision by the County Manager. Upon receipt of the request, the Clerk to the Board shall schedule a public hearing in which the appeal will be heard. The appeal will be scheduled to occur no sooner than 30 and no later than 60 days from the date of receipt by the Clerk of the request. The person requesting the appeal shall be notified of the hearing date and time by electronic mail, personal delivery, posting on the property, or first-class mail.

c. Hearing 1) At least 20 days prior to the hearing, the appellant must submit to the Clerk, in written or electronic form, the issues for the Board to consider and the reason for appeal, including why the decisions of County staff and the County Manager should be modified or overturned.

2) At the hearing, the Board may consider witness testimony and other evidence presented by the appellant and the County. The Board may choose to render a decision at the conclusion of the hearing or take any other action it deems appropriate.

Section 9. Licensing Fees Licensing fees shall apply at the time of application and shall be established and updated in the