County Clerks Enjoy Relationship

Page 8 Lost Creek Guide October 21, 2020

Colorado’s County Clerks, Voters Enjoy a Weldon Valley News

Decades-long Relationship with Mail Ballots By GLAD Club Adventure

DENVER, Sept. 25, 2020 -- Colorado’s 64 county clerks are gearing up to run their Today I spied a winding path third statewide election of the year, the general election on Nov. 3. That beckoned me to come;

They’ve already run the presidential primary in March and the primary election in I followed it with eager steps June, making them the most trusted source on a variety of election issues, including And soon was far from home. mail ballots. I passed a squirrel on his perch;

Ballots to military and overseas voters from Colorado went out Sept. 19, while in- He chattered loudly at me. state voters will be mailed their ballots beginning Oct. 9. I saw a timid rabbit run

That’s why clerks are using the following hashtags: #TrustedInfo, #Safe&Secure To hide behind a tree. and #Excited&Decided. I nodded to a happy flower;

“Colorado voters should know that their elections are amongst the best in the na- I chased a butter fly; tion,” said Pam Anderson, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Asso- I sat beside a murmuring stream ciation. “The Colorado model is prepared to provide safe access for voters and the And flung wee pebbles high. security required to support confidence in election results.” I saw a spider spin her lace

In Weld County, Clerk Carly Koppes told The Greeley Tribune that ballots are treat- And stopped a while to view. ed as first class, but the ballots also include an insignia on the envelopes to give them The landscape from a wooded hill additional priority. And see the sky of blue.

“In Colorado, with our very good working relationship with the USPS, we’re con- I lingered ‘neath the whispering pine tinuing that relationship,” she said. And thought how good He

Boulder County Clerk Molly Fitzpatrick echoed that sentiment. Who placed such beauty on this earth

“Millions of Americans rely on the Postal Service to deliver their ballot so they can That mortals here might see. have their voice heard in our democracy. This includes military and overseas voters, Beatrice Wheeler those with disabilities, those who simply prefer to vote at home, and, now, those who fear for their lives because of COVID-19,” she said. La Plata County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Parker, who is on the Postal Committee of the Colorado County Clerks Association, said she has been told by the U.S. Postal Service that election materials make up less than 2% of all mailed material between mid-September and Election Day. “You hear a lot about mail-in ballots now … but I’m very confident we’re going to be It been another week of sunny skies. We are all wanting for that first Autumn Weather to remind us winter is near. Smile a little: Driving test- Patient: “Doctor, “I get very nervous and scared during driving tests.” Doctor: ‘Don’t worry, you’ll pass eventually.” Patient: but I’m the examiner!” Community news: It was a fun day for Lincoln Lozier on Saturday when he was joined by family and friends to celebrate is third birthday. It was a ‘truck party’ as Lincoln and all had his budfine,” she told The Durango Herald. dies had fun playing in the dirt with their trucks. Happy birthday, Lincoln .

Colorado is a leader in elections. The state is ranked second in the nation for voter The November election is just around the corner. Ballets will be in the mail soon. turnout, third in voter registration and fourth in lowest wait times -- and the numbers Everyone should have received their Blue Booklet with information on the eleven state are getting better with every election. wide measures to be voted on. On Monday, October 12 at 7:00 p.m. Jon Becker will be

Page 2 of 10 presenting the pros and cons on the issues. The meeting is open to all electors. It will be

Beginning in 1993, Colorado voters in off-year elections could receive mail ballots. held at the Republican Headquarters, 618 E. Platte. Then voters were able to request absentee ballots be automatically mailed to them for Time is running out, be part of the future. Complete your 2020 Census. You can reprimary and general elections. So many Coloradans took advantage of the option that spond at my2020census.go or call 1-844-330-2020. in 2013 the Colorado General Assembly voted to make Colorado a mail-ballot vote The November election id drawing near. Are you registered to vote? You can do this state. So now ballots are mailed to all active registered voters, and possible irregulari- on line or at the Morgan County Administration Building. This an important election, let ties are turned over to district attorneys. your voice be heard.

Anderson, the association director, added that voters have a role in making sure Church Chat: The St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church will celebrate Mass on Suntheir registration is up to date and to safely return their ballot using any of the options day morning at 7:00 a.m. Pastor Reverend Erik Vigil Reyes and Parochial Vicar Reverend available: the Postal Service, 24-hour drop boxes located in each county and voter- Francis Saleth, HGN will share the services. Confession will be celebrated before mass. service and polling centers that clerks operate. Weldon Valley Presbyterian Church in Goodrich has Christian education and worship

“‘Your county clerk is your trusted source of reliable election information,” she said. at 10 a.m. each Sunday.

The Colorado County Clerks Association (CCCA) is a non-governmental and non- Contact information for Pastor Denise Shannon is 720-271-6733 or pastordenisepartisan entity; its members consist of all 64 County Clerks of Colorado. The CCCA shannon@gmail.com. members are mostly elected, with one appointed Clerk and Recorder (City and County School Scoop: School just keeps rolling along, students and staff are busy. of Broomfield). Each Clerk and Recorder’s office is responsible for issuing and record- 4-H News: 4-H members are working on projects for the 2021 county Fair. ing marriage licenses, recording all real estate transactions, issuing liquor licenses, What’s cookin’: Candied Pecans-1 teaspoon cold water, 1 egg white,1 pound pecan registering voters, conducting all primary, general, and county elections, and, when halves, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup sugar. Beat water and eg white till contracted, municipal and school district elections. The Clerk and Recorder’s Office frothy. Mix well with pecans. Spread on large cookie sheet (one with edges works best.) also operates the Motor Vehicle Divisions in the State of Colorado for titling vehicles They should be in a single layer. The sheet does not need to be greased. Bake at 225 deand issuing license plates. grees for one hour. Stir every 15 minutes. A fun treat! @COCtyClerks First facts: 1922-Rebecca L. Elton, Democrat from Georgia, became the first woman to be appointed to the U.S. senate. (However, she served only one day.) Weldon Valley History: Weldon Valley School-There were several one-room in the area, of which many joined the Weldon Valley District, or other surrounding districts. One of these was the Columbine School, also known as the “Pleasant Prairie School District. The Pleasant Prairie School District No. 14 was organized in 1911. It was located about 9 miles north of Goodrich. The district dissolved and the students were schooled in Weldona. Calendar of Events: Wednesday, October 7, 1:30, GLAD Club at the Goodrich church. Thought for the Day: “Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward; they may be beaten but they may start a winning game.” Johann Goethe

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Addressing the Health Crisis

Gardner worked with Taiwan to secure 4.48 million total masks for the U.S. and 200,000 for Colorado. (April 2020) (May 2020)

The South Korean government delivered more than 100,000 COVID-19 testing kits to Colorado after Gardner worked closely with the Republic of Korea and Governor Polis to secure more tests. (April 2020)

Gardner secured 100 ventilators for Colorado from the federal government. (April 2020)

Gardner and Governor Polis secured the President’s commitment to send an additional 190,000 COVID-19 testing kits to Colorado in a White House meeting. (May 2020)

At Gardner’s urging, the U.S. Trade Representative removed tariffs on certain medical products that are necessary for the U.S. to prepare for the COVID-19 outbreak. (March 2020)

Gardner helped secure clarification from the Small Business Administration (SBA) that Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) will be eligible for relief provided by the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). (April 2020)

After Gardner requested more funding for rural hospitals, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it would set aside $10 billion solely for rural hospitals and clinics. (April 2020)

The President directed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) fund 100 percent of the Colorado National Guard’s pandemic response emergency assistance activities after Gardner and members of the Colorado delegation requested the President approve Governor Polis’s request for additional funding. (April 2020)

Colorado has received significant funding from Congress’ COVID-19 relief packages: $360.9 million from HHS in initial hospital preparedness funding to Colorado healthcare providers (April 2020) $288 million from HHS for Colorado hospitals to respond to COVID-19 and address revenue losses, including $188 million for rural healthcare providers in Colorado (May 2020) $159.5 million from the CDC to expand testing capabilities in Colorado (May 2020) $142 million from HHS for Colorado hospitals to respond to COVID-19 (July 2020) $44 million from HUD to respond to COVID-19 among individuals who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance. (June 2020) $36.5 million from FEMA for the City and County of Denver for emergency protective measures (April 2020) $34 million from HUD for the state of Colorado (April 2020) $20.2 million from HHS for Colorado health centers (June 2020) $16.6 million from FEMA for emergency protective measures (April 2020) $12.7 million from HUD to address public health, coronavirus, and housing and economic disruption needs (May 2020) $12.4 million from FEMA for emergency protective measures (June 2020) $14.6 million from FEMA for healthcare staffing contracts (May 2020) $11.7 million from HHS to expand capacity for COVID-19 testing (May 2020) $10 million from the CDC for COVID-19 testing in Colorado (April 2020)

Providing Economic Relief

Gardner and Rep. Neguse secured updated guidance from the Small Business Association (SBA) to help many mom and pop restaurants access small business loans and weather the COVID-19 pandemic. (April 2020)

The U.S. Department of the Treasury clarified that rural electric cooperatives with fewer than 500 employees were eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which Gardner requested. (May 2020)

Gardner secured guidance from SBA allowing partnerships and seasonal employers to increase their PPP loan amounts. (May 2020)

Grants: $366.9 million from DOT for Colorado airports (April 2020) $13.3 million for taxiway construction for Denver International Airport (April 2020)

Bipartisan, Effective:

The Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University ranked Gardner the 3rd most bipartisan U.S. Senator. (May 2020)

A report from GovTrack analyzing legislative data in 2019 found Gardner ranked 1st in authoring the most bipartisan bills among Republican Senators and ranked 2nd when compared to every member of the Senate. (February 2020)

The Great American Outdoors Act was signed into law, providing full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and billions to address the maintenance backlog of deferred projects on federal lands. (August 2020)

The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, which establishes the 9-8-8 Suicide Hotline, was approved unanimously by the U.S. Senate. (May 2020)

Gardner’s provision to establish the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics was approved by the U.S. Senate. (August 2020)

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Implementation Act was signed into law, which Gardner consistently called for to boost Colorado’s trade relationships with Canada and Mexico. (January 2020)

Gardner’s TAIPEI Act was signed into law, which is intended to strengthen Taiwan’s standing around the world. (March 2020)

The Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act, part of Gardner’s VA Readiness Initiative designed to help ease the transition back to civilian life for service members, was signed into law. (February 2020)

The President signed the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act into law, which Gardner helped introduce. (June 2020)

Delivering for Colorado:

The Bureau of Land Management headquarters officially opened in Grand Junction, after Senator Gardner pushed for years to relocate the headquarters. (August 2020)

Peterson Air Force Base was selected as the provisional location for U.S. Space Command for at least the next six years. (May 2020)

Colorado passed new legislation to improve military spouse licensure practices, as called for by Gardner and Bennet to bolster Colorado’s chances for the permanent headquarters. (June 2020)

Gardner secured $28 million to begin construction on the Arkansas Valley Conduit, which will provide abundant and affordable clean drinking water to more than 50,000 people in 40 communities in Southeast Colorado. (February 2020)

Evraz North America announced the Rocky Mountain Steel Mill’s long-rail mill project was moving forward to the construction phase in Pueblo. (August 2020)

The Jordan Cove liquefied natural gas export facility was certified by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which would offer Colorado producers an opportunity to access overseas markets. (March 2020)

A federal judge ruled the T-Mobile and Sprint merger could proceed, which Gardner supported to make Colorado home to the next major wireless carrier, bringing thousands of jobs to the state. (February 2020)

Colorado Springs and the U.S. Forest Service announced a new permanent airtanker base and ramp will be built at the Colorado Springs Airport to support aerial firefighting efforts in the Rocky Mountain region and surrounding areas. (January 2020)

DISH Network announced that Denver television stations would air in La Plata County during the COVID-19 pandemic, finally connecting Colorado satellite viewers in the Four Corners region with Colorado news and emergency information, as Gardner has worked on for years. (March 2020)

The National Defense Authorization Act was approved by the Senate, authorizing $268.5 million total in military construction projects in Colorado. (July 2020)

Major grants for Colorado: $60.7 million grant from DOT for the Vail Pass Project, improving I-70 between mile post 180 and 190 in Eagle County. (June 2020) $32 million from HUD to address homelessness and a fourth Continuum of Care was designated for Larimer and Weld Counties, which Gardner pushed for. (January 2020) $20.1 million from DOT to rehabilitate runways, taxiways, and lighting. (February 2020) $14.8 million from DOT to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment and to contract bus facilities. (August 2020) $10 million from DOT to design and develop a pipeline Research, Development, and Testing (RDT) facility in Pueblo. (July 2020) $4 million from DOT to create quiet zones in Longmont(February 2020) $225,000 from DOT to study extending Amtrak’s Southwest Chief Route to Colorado Springs, which Gardner supported and requested. (February 2020)