n Resource Center
Resource Center set to depart downtown at businesses’ behest.
n Charging Stations
City of Grand Junction updates electric vehicle charging stations to new software, EvGateway.
5
n Fees could go up
Parks and Transportation Impact Fees Community Meeting suggests fees could go up significantly.
n Dos Hombres sold
Sale of Clifton’s Dos Hombres restaurant starts retirement for Spike Howard.
8
CDOT’s latest phase of its I-70 Business Loop Improvements Project road construction began in late August and dramatically slowed traffic on Ute Avenue, Pitkin Avenue and First Street downtown. Unfortunately for some businesses, it brought a slowdown to their businesses. Worse yet, the project isn’t scheduled to end until next fall. See story, Page 2
n Road construction downtown is a pain in the pocketbook for some nearby businesses
n Process irks builder
Developer details flaws in GJ’s building review and approval process.
10
HopeWest CEO
HopeWest announced the hiring of Deneen Silva as the new CEO of HopeWest.
13
Van’s Car Wash owner Ben Van Dyke stands next to the sign he put out to remind drivers on Ute Avenue his business is still open. The road construction led to the closure of one of his two entrances to the car wash’s parking lot, and Van Dyke said his revenues plummeted. Photo by Tim Harty
Tim Harty The Business Times
April 15 gets circled on most calendars as the annual deadline to file taxes for individuals and many businesses.
In Grand Junction next year, April 15 will be marked by a few downtown business owners for a celebration as they say farewell to a neighbor they didn’t like much: the HomewardBound of the Grand Valley Resource Center at 261 Ute Ave.
Complaints by business owners about the homeless population served by the center were growing in frequency, and the Grand Junction City Council responded during a meeting on Nov. 23. It voted to terminate the lease at that location, effective April 15, 2025, a year earlier than originally scheduled. Then, the discussion turned to searching for a new location.
Downtown business owners who were interviewed for this story know there’s a need for the services homeless people receive at the HomewardBound Resource Center, which opened in January 2024. And they think many of the people who go there for those services are good people.
But there’s also an element that is unseemly and sometimes criminal and dangerous. And that’s to whom the nearby business owners want to bid adieu.
Gone, they hope, are the days of some homeless people:
• Creating encampments on downtown streets, especially during the ongoing road construction on Ute and Pitkin avenues. Steve Reimer, who co-owns four downtown hotels with his brother Kevin, said some guests can see from their rooms the homeless encampments that are just a few blocks away.
• Trespassing on property of businesses and individuals. Van’s Car Wash owner Ben Van Dyke said he has called police several times to have trespassers removed, and one time a homeless person climbed on the hood of an employee’s pickup and was screaming at the employee inside.
• Accosting customers in business parking lots or employees inside business buildings. That includes a couple instances of people being threatened with knives, according to Grand Junction City Council member Cody Kennedy, who blogged about it on Oct. 31 (go online to: codyforgj. com/blogs/f/the-struggle-is-real).
• Using or selling illegal drugs.
• Vandalizing business property or leaving behind trash, including human waste, on business premises.
See DOWNTOWN on page 7
Workers, orange cones, heavy equipment and slow-moving cars abound along Ute Avenue on Nov. 25 as work continues on the Colorado Department of Transportation’s I-70 Business Loop Improvement Project. Ute Avenue’s two lanes have been reduced to one, and the same goes for Pitkin Avenue. CDOT Grand Junction Resident Engineer Kaity Clark said lane closures are anticipated throughout the remainder of the project to accommodate construction activities. The project’s estimated completion date is November 2025. Photo by Tim Harty
Road construction, while in the works, is a necessary nuisance begrudgingly tolerated by the people affected the most by it. In the end the resulting nicer streets and highways tend to be worth the temporary inconvenience.
But when the project is a large one, challenging the meaning of temporary and costing your business money, road construction can be downright painful.
That’s the case for several businesses on or near Ute and Pitkin avenues, near the curve in the road that becomes First Street in downtown Grand Junction, where the Colorado Department of Transportation is just a few months into an I-70 Business Loop Improvement Project phase that isn’t scheduled to end until November 2025.
Ute and Pitkin are one-way streets going opposite directions, and each has been reduced from two lanes to one lane for several blocks with CDOT workers holding signs to slow traffic and at times stop it.
Meanwhile, Second and Third streets between Ute and Pitkin have been closed to traffic.
For Ben Van Dyke, owner of Van’s Car Wash at 305 Ute Ave., the road construction has been crippling in recent months. Customers can’t access his business from Third Street now, so the only way in is from Ute Avenue. He put up a sign at the Ute
entrance, reminding passersby he’s still open for business. He gets a trickle of cars coming through, but the bottom line for his business has been ugly.
“We’re probably 85 percent down,” Van Dyke said of his revenues compared with September, October and November a year ago. “Before they closed Third Street, we were probably only 30 percent down.”
Van Dyke is referring to the infrastructure work the City of Grand Junction had to do during the first half of the year before CDOT could get started in late August. The improvements on Ute, Pitkin and First Street are part of a bigger CDOT project that dates back to 2021.
The way CDOT took over is another sore spot for Van Dyke. He said he was told affected businesses would be notified when CDOT was ready to put its crews to work.
Instead, Van Dyke said, “We got caught off guard. The contractor was supposed to contact us about access plans. We never got contacted. They just showed up one day, cones were put down, and we were shut down.”
That was frustrating, but Van’s Car Wash had an entrance that Van Dyke found acceptable. Until he didn’t have it. See ROAD WORK on page 4
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Continued from Page 2
“I showed up one day, and both entrances were shut down,” he said. Eventually he got the Ute Avenue entrance back. On a good day now, he said he gets about 30 cars to come through.
The bad days bring about 10 cars. That’s compared with 80 to 120 cars on an average day before the road construction began.
“Our self service (bay) pretty much dried up,” Van Dyke said.
Jeremy Scheetz, the Exulted Ruler of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks 575, said the Elks Lodge, 249 S. Fourth St., has experienced a decrease in the number of Elks who camp in the lodge’s parking lot. The south side of the Elks’ building faces Ute Avenue, and with Fourth being a one-way street, too, the road construction makes it about as tricky as it can be to access the parking lot, especially with a camper trailer.
average visiting Elk spends about $20 to $40 per night, but the Elks aren’t a big-money operation.
“We survive off of our members,” he said. “Our members, what they buy at the bar, what they buy in food, what they donate in our pull-tab machine or our Jack of Spades on Friday night, that’s what we pay our electric bill with. That’s what we use to pay all our utilities, buy our alcohol with, pay our employees. We don’t have any outside funding.”
“If we didn’t have two sites, I couldn’t have survived.”
– Ben Van Dyke, owner of Van’s Car Wash
“We’re seeing a decrease in our traveling Elks, Elks that come from different lodges, from different states,” Scheetz said. “Some bring their campers, their motorhomes, and come camp in our parking lot. They just can’t get in our parking lot.”
Some Elks call in advance about coming to Grand Junction and camping a couple nights at the lodge, and Scheetz has to give them the bad news.
“We have to tell them, ‘Well, you can’t. There’s no way for you to get your 40-foot motorhome into our parking lot,’” Scheetz said “We’ve had to turn down about 18 of them so far since this has started.”
That means there’s no paying $20 per night for camping, no buying dinner or drinks at the lodge and no supporting other Grand Junction businesses during their stay.
Scheetz said it doesn’t sound like much when he says the
Even some local Elks are staying away from the lodge because of the construction. Scheetz said the Elks hosted a graduation party and a Christmas party on Dec. 14, and 160 people attended. He’s positive the number would have been in the 200 to 230 range without road construction.
“They think it’s just too much of a hassle to go all the way down, around and up Colorado or through the alley from fourth to third (streets), so they just don’t come,” Scheetz said.
Scheetz feels bad for the Elks, but worse for Ben Van Dyke and Van’s Car Wash.
“He’s getting hit the hardest,” Scheetz said. “His main entrance is blocked off, and people aren’t gonna deal with the traffic to to go get a car wash.
“I feel like we’re kind of on the lucky side to have a couple other entrances that we can utilize.”
Van Dyke said he’s lucky, though, because he also owns Van’s II Car Wash at 413 Monument Road. Some of his downtown customers are going to the other location to support Van Dyke, and he said revenues are up 10 to 15 percent at the Monument Road site.
“If we didn’t have two sites,” Van Dyke said, “I couldn’t have survived.”
Tim Harty The Business Times
The City of Grand Junction announced it is constructing two new Level 2 Electric Vehicle charging stations and has replaced three city-owned charging facilities with new software, EvGateway.
In alignment with the adopted EV Readiness Plan, charging fees are being implemented at all sites to cover infrastructure costs and align with national practices for EV charging, according to a Dec. 16 news release from the city.
The three existing Level 2 EV charging sites are located at: 135 S. 7th St., 925 Struthers Ave., and 1351 Riverfront Drive. Two additional stations at Lincoln Park are expected to open by the end of 2024. All locations will share the same fee structure:
• An electricity fee of 17 cents per kilowatt-hour will be charged for users during their stay at the site.
• A $1 connection fee will be charged to users to prevent fees from being solely based on the time of a charging session.
• An overstay fee of 10 cents per minute will accrue after the EV reaches a full charge following a 15-minute grace period. The fee is intended to encourage drivers to monitor and end sessions promptly to allow others to use the charging station.
To use the city-owned charging sites, drivers must download the EvGateway app and create a free account. The app provides realtime access to charging-station availability and session details.
A map of EV charging stations is available online at gjcity.org. More information about the EvGatway app can be found through the website.
Grand Junction-based Skyhook Solar’s new D6 Solar Station for charging electric vehicles is now operational at the Aspen Community School in Woody Creek.
Skyhook’s state-of-the-art solar-powered EV charging solution was developed in
collaboration with Toronto-based SWTCH Energy and global innovator LG Electronics. Skyhook Solar claims charging station will enhance the school’s EV-charging capacity and demonstrate the critical role solar energy can play in charging electric vehicles at multiunit dwellings and workplaces.
The D6 Solar Station replaces a Skyhook prototype that had been at the school for nearly four years. EV drivers on the school staff will be able to charge two electric vehicles simultaneously and replenish commute mileage day after day.
“This project represents a substantial upgrade, and it’s a testament to Skyhook’s commitment to sustainability and innovation,” said Daniel Delano, CEO of Skyhook Solar, 740 Scarlet St. in Grand Junction. “With LG’s cutting-edge charging hardware and the software of SWTCH integrated with ours, we’re laying the groundwork for cleaner, more resilient EV-charging infrastructure to serve EV drivers who cannot charge at home.”
Delano added it is Skyhook’s hope this new solar station serves as a reminder that the technologies exist to ensure a cleaner, brighter future.
“We must all do what we can to phase out the use of fossil fuels by electrifying transportation and by every means possible,” Delano said.
According to recent data provided by SWTCH Energy, approximately 30 percent of households in the United States and 40 percent of households in Canada lack access to home EV charging. This underscores the importance of expanding public and workplace charging infrastructure to ensure the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and support the transition to a more sustainable future.
The new Skyhook Solar Station features advanced solar and battery technology, enabling EVs to be charged seamlessly and sustainably at variable Level X speeds. Equipped with LG’s Level 2 EV chargers, the Skyhook Solar Station offers a resilient and efficient charging solution.
See ELECTRIC on page 14
The City of Grand Junction is exploring options to significantly raise transportation and recreation impact fees on new construction to help pay for road infrastructure and parks.
Impact fees are historically charged to new residential and commercial development to fund the increased infrastructure use from the occupants of those buildings. The Business Times attended the Parks and Transportation Impact Fees Community Meeting on Dec. 10.
A small number of stakeholders and community members attended the community meeting to discuss the formulas and question city officials and Carson Bise, president of TischlerBise, the consulting firm developing the potential impact fee increases to present to the Grand Junction City Council.
Regarding transportation fees, after hearing some of the details, stakeholders lamented that alternative options for paying for the increase in scope of transportation were missing from the presentation.
One stakeholder, Keith Ehlers, said, “It might be interesting to explore from the community, truly, what appetite there is to include alternative or additional methods for paying for these things, so it’s not just on the limited amount of payees right now.”
Ehlers also mentioned the community may not be aware of the unintended consequences of raising the fees to pay for increased multimodal infrastructure.
“Everybody answered the question of, ‘Yes, we like trees. Yes, we like bikes.’ We just haven’t been asked that next question of, ‘To what extent?’ Or, ‘Do we want these trails and bikes for commuting, or do we want them for recreation, or what is the trade off against home prices?’”
Of note, there was no data provided at the meeting about how much raising impact fees could slow down building or raise home prices in the area.
The presentation showed increases going to the maximum legal limit. A 1,500- to 2,000-square-foot home has a current transportation fee of $5,028. The recommended increase is $2,836, which would be about a 56 percent increase. Commercial fees are also recommended to be increased to the maximum legal limit with retail fees, currently at $7,717, rising to $11,012.
When it comes to the park fee, the recommendation is to change from a flat 10 percent land dedication to a per-unit fee. For example, the current average cost for parks on one 1,501- to 2,000-square-foot unit is $1,429. The recommended increase of $3,215 would bring the unit fee to $4,644. Which would be more than a 200 percent increase. See FEES on Page 12
TWO THINGS CAN BE
Grand Junction City Councilman Cody Kennedy said he draws criticism from some supporters of the HomewardBound Resource Center when he points out problems associated with the center and the homeless people it helps. Kennedy said those supporters are right about all of the good things the resource center does, but that doesn’t mean he’s wrong.
“Two things can be true at the same time, right?” he said. “One is that: Yes, there are people that need help that are dealing with serious mental-health issues, that have addiction issues, that have had other hardships that are beyond their control in their life.
“And there can be a serious criminal element as well. When we talk about the amount of people that were smoking meth in broad daylight in their courtyard, that happened. Like, you can’t argue. That literally happened. The police department saw 50 violations in three dates, right? This was in the resource center’s courtyard. They went in there … they could have taken 16 to jail that day. They only took eight. But it was a bad deal.
“But at the same time, they put out 100,000 pounds worth of food over the last year, and there’s been other good things they’ve done.”
From the time the Resource Center opened its doors at 261 Ute Ave. in January 2024 through November, there were 201 calls for police service to its address, according to police records requested by The Business Times.
The most calls for police in a month through September had been 22, occurring twice (April and August). Then came October, when the calls to the Resource Center increased to 30. Then, November topped that with 46 calls for service.
Residing at 305 Ute Ave., Van’s Car Wash is a next-door neighbor of the Resource Center. Police records show there were nine calls for service to 305 Ute Ave. in 2023. Through November this year, there have been 33 calls for service to the address. None of the calls were for trespassing last year; 13 have been for trespassing this year.
When the Grand Junction City Council decided its lease at 261 Ute Ave. will end April 15, 2025, a year earlier than the lease originally was scheduled to end, Jeremy Scheetz, exulted ruler of the Grand Junction Elks Lodge, felt relief tempered by hesitation.
“They’re looking for a brick-and-mortar building,” he said. “What happens if they find one in March, but it’s not move-in ready? Are they gonna keep the resource center open (downtown) till it’s ready? Or is it a hard date, even if we don’t find something, April 15?
“So, it’s a relief that they’ve finally come to a decision on it, but there’s also a lot of hesitation with us and the downtown business owners as to if that’s really gonna happen.”
The most common interaction with homeless people that Steve Reimer has seen at the four hotels he co-owns in downtown Grand Junction is trespassing.
“We get a lot more people that aren’t hotel guests trying to access our hotels,” he said, “especially at night, but even during the day, too, whether it’s trying for whatever reason: to get out from the cold; or in the summertime get out of the heat; or to utilize bathrooms; or we have complimentary breakfasts in all four of our hotels, to come in there and try to act like guests and get breakfast.”
Continued from page 2
Jeremy Scheetz, exulted ruler of Grand Junction’s Elks Lodge, said the Elks had to install security cameras because of the property damage that was being done. “We’ve had three broken windows,” he said. “For one, someone through a beer growler through it.”
Kennedy said there’s a need for the resource center and its altruism, but selecting 261 Ute Ave. was a poor choice.
“It’s absolutely not the right place for it,” he said. “It’s a really bad place for it, actually. Between two busy roads, right next to a lot of businesses, I mean, it’s just created a lot of problems.
“And I’m not saying that they haven’t served a lot of people or done a lot of good. Except that with that, you have to acknowledge that they have brought a lot of challenges to the local businesses, and people are not feeling safe.”
The unsafe element has been of utmost concern for Steve Reimer as the presence of homeless people nearby has been noticed by hotel guests, some of whom leave negative reviews online about the hotel because they felt unsafe in the parking lot or while walking nearby streets.
Employee safety has to be considered, too, as Reimer explained employees working at the hotel front desk have to determine quickly whether a person is a guest or someone who shouldn’t be in the hotel.
“And then at that point they have to, if they figure it’s going to be a problem, confront that person, ask them if they’re a guest, and if they’re not, deal with the consequences of having interaction,” he said. “And sometimes those interactions can get pretty aggressive pretty quickly. Sometimes they are very benign, and the person turns around and walks away and goes out of the hotel. But it’s a continuing problem, and it’s frightening for some of our staff. It’s occasionally dangerous.”
As a result, Reimer added, “For the first time in our history, and that history goes back 24 years now having at least one hotel downtown, we’ve hired private security to be in our hotels from about 6 p.m. to a little after midnight. That’s usually when most of this has happened, and it’s a time when we have less staff on hand to deal with those issues.”
The hope for Reimer and other nearby business owners is in about four months they won’t have to deal with those issues anymore.
But someone else will, because the Resource Center needs a place to operate.
“Ultimately,” Kennedy wrote in an email, “we need a location that people can safely gather without causing such a negative impact on businesses and residences.”
Tim Harty The Business Times
Spike Howard doesn’t have to wake up early and be out the door at 6:30 a.m. for work seven days a week anymore.
For his wife, family, friends and employees, this is weird.
This is we-must-be-in-some-bizarrealternate-universe stuff.
But it’s true. It’s happening. Spike Howard is retiring!
On Dec. 16, he sold the Dos Hombres restaurant and building, at 3245 I-70 Business Loop in the Peach Tree Center in Clifton, to a married couple from Glenwood Springs, Edgar and Keila Valenzuela.
And now for the first time in 50 years, Spike Howard, a man known for his work ethic, versatility and reliability, does not own a restaurant. He will help the Valenzuelas transition for 90 days, then that’s it. Done. Retired!
After 50 years, “I guess it’s about time,” he said.
The sale closed on a Monday. And that day something dawned on Howard that he didn’t dare dream about for five decades: That day, turning over the keys of the last of the many restaurants he has owned and operated over the years, he could be comfortable.
“When you’re in business, you’re never comfortable, never,” Howard said. “In the restaurant business you’re always worried about Tuesday. You’re always worried about November, because it’s a short month, and it’s a slow month. And you’re always worried about closing for Christmas. And you’re always worried about employee staffing.
For starters, they’re keeping the restaurant’s name the same, and they have restaurant experience.
“And there’s so many things that you ... I mean, I didn’t realize the difference until Monday, what the difference is to not have to worry about that stuff anymore. You know, I can spend time with my wife. I don’t have to worry about cash flow, all these things that come in, and making sure that payroll’s …”
“I would like to get the word out they’re really good people,” Howard said. “I think they’re going to do good things.”
Howard didn’t finish that sentence, because saying payroll triggered a redirect to one of his greatest sources of pride as a business owner.
“In 50 years of business, I’ve never missed a payroll, never not been on time,” he said. “And there’s been times when I didn’t pay myself, but I never did not pay my employees, ever.
“So, I’m proud of that. I’m proud of the fact that we’ve been consistent with that to our employees, and they’ve always been able to trust me, that I’m never gonna miss a payroll for them. ... I think it’s so important to take care of your people.”
The road to retirement was long, because Howard, now 72 years old, got started as an entrepreneur early. Just the idea of owning his own business was something his father, Del, instilled in him as a child.
“My dad was in the car business, so he kind of showed us about entrepreneurship,” Howard said. “And he ultimately went bankrupt, and our family lost everything when I came to college (in Grand Junction). But what he did show us was that we wanted to be our own boss and be in business someday.”
Howard took that lesson to heart. That’s why in 1974, at age 22 and with little money but a lot of resolve, he and his brother, Scott, and his mother, Gloria, defied the odds and bought a restaurant: Williams Deli at 801 First St. in Grand Junction.
It was a convenience store in the front and a delicatessen in the back, where meats, cheeses, sandwiches and Mexican food were served.
“We tried to buy it, and there was no bank in town that would work with us,” Howard said, “so we worked out a deal, a lease deal, until we could get some credit to buy Williams Deli. And so, the first day we started with no credit, COD (cash on delivery) and 400 bucks.
“I was 22, and my brother was 21, and my mom was 55, and we had no experience at all in food service, so we were kind of flying blind.”
But they had help from the business owner, Daniel Williams, and it didn’t take long for the Howards to gain their footing.
“In six months we were able to get enough credit to buy the business from Danny, Daniel Williams,” Spike Howard said. “And he was great. He helped us just get going, and his family, his mom worked for us for quite a while, and they were just really instrumental in helping just two dumb college kids and their mom get started.”
That set the stage for the next restaurant purchase, which came in 1977, a restaurant on the Redlands that would be named for the two Howard boys: Dos Hombres. Spike Howard said he wanted to work his mom into the restaurant’s name, too, but “she was fine with just Dos Hombres.”
Diners in the Grand Valley quickly took a liking to the restaurant, which built its menu off the one at Williams Deli and expanded the Mexican food offerings.
“We were successful,” Spike said. “It was a small restaurant, but we had people waiting out the front door, and it was a very successful little restaurant.”
That paved the way for buying the next restaurant, the one that would become the Clifton Dos Hombres in Coronado Plaza. The oil-shale boom made Clifton a good place to be when the Howards opened the Dos Hombres there in 1981. A year later, Black Friday, the day Exxon shut down its operations and left town, and the oil-shale bust devastated the Grand Valley.
The Clifton Dos Hombres survived, Spike said, because the Redlands Dos Hombres continued to do well enough to keep the Clifton location afloat.
More restaurants came for the Howard boys, such as Dos Hombres in Glenwood Springs and Colorado Springs, but the brothers eventually split up because they had different visions.
Spike Howard opened a couple Quiznos restaurants, and he said they did well, but as a franchisee, he had issues with corporate leadership. At one time he was looking at opening three more Quiznos, but he ended up selling his two and moving on.
Spike had a few more business ventures aside from restaurants. He owned Flying Fish Sushi for a while, subcontracting with Kroger/City Market to supply fresh sushi to 14 City Markets on the Western Slope.
He got in the business of building hangars at Grand Junction Regional Airport for a spell.
Spike eventually scaled back on his business endeavors, selling them off gradually.
The sale of the Clifton Dos Hombres on Dec. 16 leaves him with one business, the Ore House Inn, a former restaurant that Spike and business partner John Webber turned into an Airbnb in New Castle. Spike said he thinks he and Webber “are going to sell that pretty soon.”
Spike’s greater involvement in recent years has been the Clifton Dos Hombres, which is why selling it marks the start of his retirement.
Lori Howard, Spike’s wife of 38 years, is glad to see the day arrive.
“He’s worked seven days a week for as long as I’ve known him, and about the last year-and-a-half, just got it down to six days a week,” she said. “We haven’t had weekend morning coffee together for years, so this will be a whole new thing for us.”
Spike said other factors are part of his decision to retire, such as health issues in recent years, and he proceeded to list prostate cancer, knee surgery and spine surgery. The spine surgery, he said, was in early December.
He then spoke of wanting to spend more time with loved ones.
“I’ve got three beautiful grandkids and three wonderful kids,” he said. “And I need to spend more time with my family, my beautiful wife, Lori.”
Lori said that sounds great, but she also used the word “weird.”
“It’ll be really weird, I think, just to have him wake up one morning and not have to be gone out the door at 6:30 a.m.,” she said. “It’s not something I’m used to.”
With 100+ locally owned retail shops and restaurants located in Downtown Grand Junction, there’s something for everyone on your list this season!
Brandon Leuallen
The Business Times
The Business Times reviewed a letter sent to Grand Junction City Council via email from local housing developer Kevin Bray, lamenting ongoing delays in the process for getting approval for multiple projects.
The letter, addressing Mayor Abram Herman and City Council members, starts out:
“As a land developer that has worked on projects in the City of Grand Junction for over 20 years now, I am writing to you to share perspective on the length of housing applications through the city zoning and subdivision process. The requirements and timeframes have increased significantly over the course of the last 5 or so years, making it more risky and expensive to provide housing inventory within the City of Grand Junction.”
“I did not engage with the new consultant that was hired to fix this process, in part, because I have learned to not trust the consultant process from past experience. I’m not in support of hiring a consultant to fix this process as I believe the consultant was hired for a specific outcome and because I believe that the City has the resources to address the problems, which are not new but have become increasingly more difficult for the past 5 years or so. The consultant will likely conclude that is the lack of quality in the applications from housing providers as well as lack of control of City internal departments. I do think the process can be made better, but I’m concerned the consultant’s recommendations will likely be more control for the community development director and more burdensome requirements for housing applications.
“Below I’ve provided some timelines for recent projects I was (or am) involved in. There is not a provision in the code that requires the City complete a review within a specified time period, although there are requirements for applicants to provide responses. There used to be a timeline for City Review that was provided on the website that was 30 days for review of initial submittal and 2 weeks for subsequent submittals.”
The letter also says later, “In these few examples, you can see that our total review time can be as long as 251 days, in excess of previous ‘guidelines’ by as much as six months. This does not include the time that we spend in addressing and responding to comments. This is especially perplexing at the moment when we are hearing that subdivision submittals are down 70 percent.”
The Business Times reached out to Bray and City Council member Cody Kennedy for comment on the letter.
Bray said he wanted the council to at least have the information and the perspective that the delivery process of one of its core services isn’t functioning as well as it could. He said that’s causing a barrier to housing in the community.
“The other thing is that a lot of the
things that have been the focus, these ‘wants’ that we’ve been pulling from the comprehensive plan, those are things that maybe aren’t as much of a priority as good quality housing,” Bray said. “And many of those things actually add a lot of cost to housing or regulatory barriers.
“I think it’s a good idea to do your chores before you go out and play. And we need the core service to be functioning before we’re out adding luxury to that.”
Bray said it feels like there’s a lack of priority on something that seems so obvious: the need for affordable housing in Grand Junction.
“It’s been sort of almost counter to our housing issues,” he said. “You only have so many resources, and if you’re putting those resources towards things that are adding costs to the housing and not towards fixing that process …”
Bray said there was a time when Fruita was the hardest place to get a project through the process, but Fruita made some changes to make it easier.
“There’s still room for improvement in any process, but right now, the most difficult one is with the City of Grand Junction,” Bray said. “You know, something close to 70 percent of the housing in Mesa County is within the City of Grand Junction, which is another reason why it’s so important that we get that process right.”
The Business Times asked City Council member Cody Kennedy about the letter and he pointed to his blog post where he and City Council member Scott Beilfuss discussed the development-review process with local builders at a meeting organized by the Housing and Building Association of Western Colorado on Nov. 19.
The blog post provided some potential solutions.
“One of the recurring themes,” Kennedy wrote, “was the inefficiency of current city procedures, particularly in the rezoning and development review processes. Developers shared concerns about lengthy timelines, repeated review rounds, and high costs caused by delays. To address these issues, the group proposed several practical solutions, such as implementing clear performance guidelines for city departments, creating a pre-application process to identify and resolve potential problems earlier, and considering the use of outside consultants to streamline planning and review. These steps could help reduce costs and increase predictability for builders, which ultimately benefits the community by lowering housing prices.”
Kennedy also said, “I’ve brought up the idea of allocating more resources and even having a concierge to follow these projects through to help them get completed in a timely manner at council meetings. And all of these suggestions have fallen on deaf ears.”
Since 1994, it has been the mission of the Business Times to be the definitive source of Western Slope business news. It has been our honor to serve our readers twice monthly with interesting, local, original stories about the businesses, people and your friends and neighbors while creating a preeminent vehicle for our advertisers.
As 2025 approaches, we’d like to do more. If we’ve learned anything the past 30 years, it’s that all news affects business. And that’s across all spectrums of business, commerce and government. So we’re coming to you with a brief survey to update our readership profile and ask what you’d like to see more of in addition to our great business stories as we move forward. After all, you’re going to be seeing more of us!
Demographic Information
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o 19 or under o 20-29 o 30-39 o 40-49 o 50-59 o 60-69 o 70 or over
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Continued from Page 6
Ehlers asked, “What would you say is the biggest reason that these fees are doubling or more over existing fees?”
Grand Junction Engineering and Transportation Director Trent Prall responded, “We’ve had a lot of discussion with Carson (Bise) about best practices and were pretty much an anomaly doing the 10 percent dedication. So, I think we’re more in line with best practices, but it is a big reason for the increase,” referring to switching from land dedication to a per-unit fee.
Later, the discussion devolved into how the city’s vision to make a more bike-and-pedestrian-friendly community is partly causing the transportation-fee increases. It included the following exchange between Prall and Regina Stout of Keller Williams:
Stout: “I can tell you I drive a lot of miles showing houses. I never see 20 people on a bicycle in a given day.”
“There’s a lot of young families out there that want a home. We keep making it impossible, but we sure have enough money to ride bikes.”
– Merrit Sixbey of Merrit and Associates
Prall: “Part of that is as a society over the last 70-80 years we’ve been all autocentric. It’s only in the last 2030 years we’ve been trying to get more balance and more space allocated to where people would be able to bike.”
Prall again: “We can park 20 bikes where we can park one car.”
Stout: “So, as we are doing all of this analysis, are we looking at how many people are using bikes that justify all
of these huge impact fees for the roadways with the bikes and pedestrians, or are we following an ideology?”
Prall: “When do we build bike facilities? After we’ve gridlocked up?”
Prall again: “Right now we’re probably at 1-2 percent of all trips are taken by bikes, and I think that’s optimistic.”
Stout: “So, we’ve got these huge impact fees to pay for 1-2 percent?”
Prall: “We’re trying to grow that to something different, so we don’t have to spend even more fees in order to create the initial lanes we need to get around the community using cars.”
Local builder Merrit Sixbey of Merrit and Associates said, “There’s a lot of young families out there that want a home. We keep making it impossible, but we sure have enough money to ride bikes.”
Charts from the current City of Grand Junction impact-fee study show implementing the total maximum supportable fees on a 2,000-square-foot home would increase fees from the current $8,793 to $17,041, a 93.8 percent increase.
At a Dec. 17 stakeholder meeting Carson Bise, president of consulting firm TischlerBise, said current Grand Junction impact fees are already indexed for inflation.
Bise also said, “Transportation and Parks are the biggest reasons for these increases.”
The presentation titled “Draft 2024 Impact Fee Study” on engagegj.org/impact-fees-study says, “Impact fees may only be used for capital improvements or debt service for growth-related infrastructure. They may not be used for operations, maintenance, replacement of infrastructure or correcting existing deficiencies.”
The 10-year capital plan shows capital projects for Engineering and Transportation would total $212,139,300, and Parks and Recreation projects would total $369,744,393.
City Engineering and Transportation Director Trent Prall confirmed the numbers provided for the study were based on the new Transportation Engineering Design Standards adopted by the city council Dec. 6, 2023. It includes updated multimodal infrastructure specifications.
Specifically the new standards increase the cost of construction by 49 percent on collector roads (low-to-moderate-capacity roads that serve to move traffic from local streets to arterial roads) with speed limits under 35 mph. It would put the total at $8,193,526 per mile to construct and includes additional purchase of right of way.
F
the bikes ideology?” After we’ve 1-2 percent optimistic.” fees to pay something more fees in around the Associates that want sure have
HopeWest announced the hiring of Deneen Silva to be the nonprofit organization’s president and chief executive officer, beginning in February 2025.
Cassie Mitchell, HopeWest’s current chief executive has committed to remaining with the organization through the end of March to ensure a seamless transition and serve as a resource to Silva.
Silva joined Hope-West earlier this year as the executive director of its Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Program, moving to Colorado from her home state of Oregon. She said she fell in love with the area, its people and the HopeWest organization itself, ultimately compelling her to apply for the new role.
Deneen is a nursing professional with a diverse background, extensive education and more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Oregon Health & Science University in 2000 and a master’s degree in nursing from Gonzaga University in 2020. She has expertise in oncology, hospice, palliative care, pediatrics, geriatrics, population health, academic nursing and PACE.
“Stepping into the role of president and CEO of HopeWest is a tremendous honor for me,” Deneen said. “I am humbled by the opportunity to lead such a compassionate and devoted team and look forward to building on the organization’s legacy of excellence in hospice, palliative care and Programs of All-Inclusive Care, while continuing to serve the community with unwavering resolve.”
HopeWest Board Chair Monika Tuell, who oversaw the national search and competitive application and hiring process, said, “Deneen embodies HopeWest’s values. She has critical nursing experience, breadth and depth in the hospice, palliative care, and PACE lines of business and is an
exceptional organizational and community fit. We could not be more excited that she accepted our offer and has chosen to serve HopeWest in this new capacity as president and CEO.”
“As we look to the future, I am excited to build on the extraordinary foundation of care and innovation at HopeWest, exploring new ways to meet the growing needs of our community and to provide support and guidance for those navigating hospice and palliative care,” Silva said. “Together, we can ensure that HopeWest continues to serve as a trusted source of healing and hope for generations to come.”
Deneen’s passion for elder care was first inspired during her childhood while accompanying her grandmother, Betty, who volunteered in nursing homes. These early experiences instilled in her the importance of human connection, empathy, touch, compassion and kindness, values that she said shaped her approach to nursing throughout her career.
As an oncology and hospice nurse, Deneen said she developed a calling to care for individuals facing serious and life-limiting illnesses, further solidifying her dedication to improve the care provided to these populations.
During her time as a hospice executive director, she broadened hospice services to include pediatric patients and enhanced community-based palliative care programs. Notably, she played a pivotal role in developing and operationalizing the first PACE program in southern Oregon, bringing comprehensive care solutions to the elderly in her region.
HopeWest serves communities across western Colorado and is dedicated to changing the way its communities experience aging, illness and grief. For more information, visit HopeWestCO.org or call 970-241-2212.
Continued from Page 5
Colorado completes EV fastcharging project
Colorado’s EV Fast-Charging Corridors program, a major step in advancing a statewide electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging network, has been completed, according to the Colorado Governor’s Office and Colorado Energy Office.
The network will make EV travel more convenient and cost-effective for EV owners in Colorado.
The state dedicated more than $10 million to the program, which has installed 33 fast chargers at key locations across Colorado, including along major transportation routes. More than $2 million in private and local government investment also supported the buildout of these charging stations.
To date, there are more than 1,100 fastcharging and 4,400 Level 2 ports available across the state. The state expects about 400 more state and federally funded fast-charging ports to open in the next year through the FastCharging Plazas Grant program.
“Almost 80 percent of the state highway network is now within 30 miles of a DC fast charger,” said Shoshana Lew, executive director of CDOT, which helped fund the Corridors program. “We’re getting very close to accomplishing our goal of creating a Colorado where anyone can drive anyplace in the state they want, regardless of what type of vehicle they have.”
The Colorado Energy Office partnered with ChargePoint to install fast chargers in the following locations:
• Western Slope: Craig, Dinosaur, Durango (x2), Granby, Gunnison, Montrose, Ouray, Pagosa Springs, Rifle, Steamboat Springs, Vail.
• Front Range: Aurora, Boulder, Brighton, Canon City, Conifer, Dacono, Estes Park, Fairplay, Georgetown, Greeley, Pueblo, Wellington, Westminster, Wheat Ridge.
• Eastern Plains: Burlington, La Junta, Lamar, Limon, Sterling.
• Other regions: Alamosa, Salida.
As of May 2023, 17 of Colorado’s 26 Scenic & Historic byways are considered electric byways, with nine chargers funded through the corridors program enabling this designation.
fast-
Fast-Charging step in vehicle (EV) completed, Governor’s Office. EV travel cost-effective for EV more than which has locations along major than $2 government buildout of 1,100 fastavailable about 400 fast-charging through the Fast-
the state 30 miles Shoshana Lew, which helped “We’re getting goal of can drive regardless have.” partnered chargers in
Dinosaur, Durango Montrose, Ouray, Springs, Vail. Boulder, Dacono, Estes Greeley, Pueblo, Ridge. La Junta, Salida. Colorado’s 26 considered chargers funded enabling
The City of Grand Junction opened the nomination process for four City Council positions that will be decided in an election April 8, 2025. The open seats are in Districts A, D, E, and one at-large. Each is for a four-year term.
Election information is available on the website gjcity.org, and the link to the nomination petition will be available the day prior to the circulation start date, Jan. 7, 2025.
The Grand Junction City Council is comprised of seven community members, five of whom are elected from and represent certain city districts, and two are elected atlarge. Regular municipal elections are held in April of odd years.
To be eligible for municipal office, at the time of election candidates must be: a citizen of the United States; at least 18 years old; and have been a registered elector within the City of Grand Junction for at least one year immediately preceding the election.
In the case of a district council member, candidates must have continuously resided in the district from which they are to be elected for at least one year immediately preceding the election. The acceptance of nomination is a part of the nomination petition process. No person who has been convicted of a felony is eligible to be a candidate for or hold the office of council member. All municipal elections are nonpartisan.
Online Candidate Guidelines and Grand Junction Elections are available at gjcity.org.
Nomination Petitions will be available to pick up beginning Jan. 6, 2025, in the City Clerk’s office at City Hall 250 N. Fifth St.
The City Clerk’s Office conducts all regular municipal elections. The requirements of a candidate for city office is available from the City Clerk’s Office.
The City Clerk’s Office will assist candidates through the election process as much as possible; however, the staff cannot provide legal advice.
The City Clerk’s Office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with the exception of legal holidays. F
t New business filings in Colorado, 41,622 in the third quarter, down 5.3% from the third quarter of 2023.
t Foreclosure filings in Mesa County, 18 in November, down from 19 in November 2023.
s Foreclosure sales in Mesa County, 1 in November, same as November 2023.
t Real estate transactions in Mesa County, 289 in November, up 6 percent from November 2023.
s Dollar volume of real estate transactions in Mesa County $136.9 million in November, up 21.2 percent from November 2023.
s Sales and use tax collections for Mesa County, $4.74 million for October, up 0.8% from October 2023
t Mesa County Unemployment 4.4% for October, up 0.2%
t Grand Junction Unemployment 4.4% for October, up 0.2%
n Colorado Unemployment
4.1% for October, up 0.1%
t United States Unemployment
4.1% for October, unchanged
Nearly a year into the AgriWest Initiative at the Business Incubator Center, it is time for reflection on what this agriculture-focused project brings to our community. The federal fellowship is a 30-month-long partnership between the BIC and the Economic Recovery Corps. We have had some significant learnings and some wins that will guide our project for the next 20 months.
Janie VanWinkle
During the first six to eight months of engaging with producers, it seems all have more in common than we realize. I have met with approximately 300 producers, usually in groups of three to 10 people.
We hosted the first gathering of the AgriWest Council with more than 100 people in attendance during one of the worst summer rainstorms to hit the Grand Valley in a number of years. We shared a good meal and had a facilitated discussion about what is working for agriculture in our area and what needs to be changed or improved.
In all of these conversations, producers of different commodities, different production methods, and different sizes have been represented. There have been individual conversations with producers and support businesses and organizations. Numerous connections have been made between producers and the resources they need to be successful.
One of the objectives of the AgriWest Initiative is to bring the different sectors of agriculture together to resolve obstacles. According to the latest Ag Census, less than 2 percent of the population produces food for the other 98 percent of Americans. It is imperative we find ways to work together.
The marshaling of the first AgriWest Council showed us we can come together and find agreement on many of our problems. A later meeting of a smaller group of the same producers came together as the Advisory Committee for the project. The Advisory Committee will continue to meet three to four times per year to provide some guidance for the Initiative. The larger group of producers will meet one to two times per year.
In all dialog, we have heard issues related to the business of production rise above other concerns across the five counties we have held conversations. Opportunities to learn about business planning, reading financial statements and planning for succession are topics that come up in nearly every exchange.
We will host a session Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. at BIC’s satellite office FWorks in Fruita for producers to learn about the business services offered at the Business Incubator Center.
Free and confidential consulting, a revolving-loan fund and assistance with learning how to use the enterprise-zone tax credits are some of the expertise found at BIC. These programs are available to all businesses, including food producers.
Historically, agriculture producers have not taken advantage of these opportunities in our community. For more information or to register, reach out to the Business Incubator Center at 970-243-5242
or connect with Janie VanWinkle at jvanwinkle@gjincubator.org.
Another AgriWest objective is to bring our community around our producers and encourage support for farmers, growers and ranchers in policy and practice. One of the benefits of the AgriWest Initiative in our community is having a seat at the proverbial table.
Recently, through a partnership with County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel, we met with Mesa County Regional Transportation Planning staff. An outcome of the conversation is a chapter that includes agriculture in the future transportation plan. A focus group of producers will convene in January for Mesa County to hear concerns, issues and solutions for some of the challenges agriculture faces in this realm.
By collaborating with School District 51 Nutrition Services, Mesa County Cattlemen’s Association members and AgriWest, we provided local beef to be served seven times in the 2024-25 school year.
Twelve family ranches, including legacy families and firstgeneration producers, have been involved in the project to put a nutritious and flavorful meatloaf on the plates of approximately 10,000 to 12,000 students in our school district. The meat was produced and processed in Mesa County, further contributing to the economic success of our community.
The cornerstone of all good economic development is grounded on keeping jobs and businesses in our community. This is the third objective of AgriWest. Keeping legacy families in business and helping first generation producers find their role in food production and land stewardship is critical.
The landscapes we all hold dear in western Colorado are impacted by our producers. The orchards and the vineyards in the east end of the Grand Valley, the fields tended by the large farmers on the west end of the valley, and the landscapes in the desert and mountains surrounding us are all dependent on someone to care for and steward the land.
We need to keep working lands in working hands to provide ecosystem services to our community as well as put food on the tables in our community, across Colorado and the nation.
These projects, and others to come, are important to our producers and to our community.
The AgriWest Initiative is a project hosted by the Business Incubator Center. The funding for the fellowship is from the Economic Recovery Corps. The ERC is a partnership with the Economic Development Administration and the International Economic Development Council. The goal is to connect local organizations with the capacity needed to advance new ways of addressing economic development that promote economic resilience and transformative change.
Janie VanWinkle is co-owner of VanWinkle Ranch with her husband, Howard, in western Colorado. The Ranch is a cow/calf producer and provides farm-to-table beef in our community. She is currently serving as a Fellow for the AgriWest Initiative at the Business Incubator Center. She is an advocate for agriculture on local, state and national levels.
The Davis School of Business at Colorado Mesa University, through the generous support of the Western Colorado Human Resource Association and the law firm of Bechtel & Santo, is taking an ambitious step to empower our Human Resource Management students.
We are seeking to provide students enrolled in the HR Capstone course with the opportunity to prepare to sit for the industry-recognized SHRM Certified Professional designation, a certification that can open doors to thriving careers in human resources.
However, this crucial step comes with financial barriers, and we are reaching out to the Western Slope community for support.
In today’s competitive workforce, industry-recognized certifications like the SHRM-CP serve as a distinguishing credential, signaling a candidate’s knowledge and readiness to handle real-world HR challenges. For CMU’s HRMA 478 Advanced Human Resource Management students, the opportunity to take the SHRM-CP exam is not just a career booster, it’s a transformational step toward professional growth.
The path to certification, however, isn’t cheap. While students are expected to cover the cost of SHRM membership ($49) and testing fees ($149), the expense of the SHRM Learning Management System poses a significant hurdle. At $799 per student, the LMS is an essential resource for exam preparation, providing students with the tools and materials needed to excel.
To bridge this financial gap, we have created a dedicated fund through the CMU Foundation. The fund aims to raise sufficient funds to provide SHRM LMS access for students and eventually create an endowment to ensure sustainable support for future cohorts.
“Building a legacy of exceptionally qualified HR professionals benefits every organization on the Western Slope. By earning this additional certification, CMU HR graduates will be equipped to drive our businesses forward and shape the future of leadership in our region,” said Michael Santo of Bechtel & Santo.
Western Slope employers, HR leaders and community members are invited to invest in the next generation of HR professionals by contributing to this fund.
A $1,000 annual donation or a one-time contribution by Dec. 31 this year (Oct. 1 in future years) can make a significant impact. Of course, a gift of any size is appreciated.
All donations to this initiative are tax-deductible and will be managed by the CMU Foundation, guaranteeing every dollar is used exclusively for SHRM LMS access. By supporting this fund, donors will directly enable students to access the resources they need to succeed in their SHRM-CP exam preparation and enter the workforce equipped to lead in human resources.
This initiative is more than just a fundraiser; it’s an investment in the future of human resources on the Western Slope. By supporting CMU students, employers are cultivating a pipeline of well-prepared HR professionals who are ready to contribute to the success of local organizations.
“Obtaining a SHRM certification alongside a degree in HR demonstrates to employers that the individual has not only acquired a strong academic foundation, but also meets the industry standards for HR professionals. This dual recognition showcases both theoretical knowledge and practical expertise, enhancing credibility and employability,”said Alma Sekulich, WCHRA president-elect.
Those interested in contributing can reach out to me at csandersvia@coloradomesa.edu to donate by credit card. Donors should specify “SHRM-CP Exam” in the comment section to ensure their contribution is directed appropriately. Join Us in
The Davis School of Business and its HRMA 478 Capstone students are counting on the generosity of the Western Slope community to make the dream of SHRM certification a reality. By coming together to support this initiative, we can pave the way for the success of future HR leaders and strengthen the foundation of our regional workforce.
The deadline for this year’s contributions is approaching quickly: Dec. 31. Don’t miss the chance to make a lasting impact on the lives of CMU students and the HR profession.
Together, we can create opportunities that will resonate for years to come.
Dr. Sanders Via is an Assistant Professor of Human Resources at Colorado Mesa University where she serves as the HR Program Coordinator, MBA Director, and faculty member. She also serves on the Western Colorado Human Resource Association as the College Relations Director. Her research interests include HR education, transfer of training, and conflict management. F
It has been said we are a society that loves to be rewarded. We want to be rewarded for everything. Whether it is credit card rewards, fuel points, or discounts, these positive reinforcements help motivate us to make purchasing decisions.
Let’s talk about what rewards you could achieve through living a healthy lifestyle.
Decide what your wants, needs and goals look like. Everyone’s list will be different. These rewards can both encourage and motivate you to participate in an activity. Some rewards are instantaneous, like washing your car, while others are long term, such as studying hard for years to earn a degree.
One way to view things you do is to look at the benefits and rewards first and then decide how you will achieve them. For example, you may want to participate in water sports. It is important then to learn to swim first. Think about all the choices we make where we are unaware of the rewards we are receiving. They are a
habit. Many of these habits were instilled in us at a very young age. Creating awareness in the family where kids understand that living a healthy lifestyle through food, exercise, hygiene and safety is a choice.
You could benefit from putting some kind of reward system in your own family setting. Decide how this will work for your family. Make it a game. This teaches the family that there is a goal, there are rules, and there is accountability.
For example, your family could make a “reward” chart with each family member. You may have categories such as: exercise; chores; food; and school work. Each member of the family works toward a reward each week or each month. Maybe it’s praise for work well done, a family retreat to the park or getting ice cream.
Healthy living rewards are numerous. Exercise is one of the best examples of action followed by reward that anyone can do for themselves. By exercising, you are taking care of your body inside and out through strength, cardio and flexibility training.
The reward is not something that can be bought! It only comes to those who MAKE it happen. Healthy living is more than just exercising. It’s taking care of you. All of you!
Not everyone loves going to the dentist, but everyone
loves a great smile. A white dazzling smile is a reward of care. Eating a healthy diet, brushing and flossing your teeth every day and visiting the dentist for routine cleanings and check-ups, all lead to healthy dental hygiene that will reward you for many years.
The outcomes of some activities are the reward, such as good grades, gardening or a clean house. What about when you lose your first five pounds, quit smoking or save money? All these things have rewards. It’s okay to tell yourself, “Good job,” and reward yourself with something that is meaningful to you. Maybe that’s a new pair of jeans, a good book or a massage.
None of the things we do or want, just happen. They are a reward of effort. Making choices that lead you closer to your goals will allow you to reap the benefits that living a healthy lifestyle provides. A healthy and fit body is an amazing reward, wouldn’t you agree?
Paula and Dale Reece own Crossroads Fitness Centers in Grand Junction with a downtown location at 225 N. Fifth St. and north location at 2768 Compass Drive. Reach Crossroads Fitness at (970) 242-8746 or crossroadsfitness.com.
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Mesa County has been awarded $54,791 in federal funds for Phase 42 under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program. The funding aims to enhance existing emergency food and shelter initiatives within the county.
Acting as the award administrator, United Way of Mesa County is now accepting applications from local programs dedicated to delivering emergency food and/or shelter
services. The funding source is the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency.
To be eligible for funding, organizations must be nonprofit or government units located in Mesa County, meet the criteria for receiving federal funds, have an established accounting system, practice nondiscrimination, demonstrate the ability to administer emergency food and/or shelter
programs, and have a volunteer Board of Directors. Organizations interested in applying for EFSP funds should reach out to Cassidy Lujan at United Way of Mesa County via email at cassidy@uwmesacounty.org or phone at 970-243-5364 for an application. The deadline for submitting completed applications is 5 p.m. on Jan. 29, 2025. F
reward of your teeth cleanings that will reward, such What about smoking or save okay to tell something pair of jeans, happen. They you closer that living body is an Centers in Fifth St. Crossroads
As we get ready to enter 2025, let’s consider the importance of life/work harmony.
Marcus Straub
Yes, I said life/work harmony. Life before work, because without your life there is no business and harmony, because this is actually what is meant by the word “balance” in this case. Life and work are a balancing act with the objective being creating harmony between the two.
Tremendous amounts of time, energy and effort go into running a business. With everything there is to do, it is easy for those who own a business to sacrifice many aspects of their personal life, if not entirely, in the pursuit of the happiness and success they seek.
Your business is only one aspect of your entire life. You also have the very important relationships you share with family and friends, your health, passions, hobbies and interests. When you choose to or unconsciously allow yourself to become increasingly consumed by business and neglect these other aspects of your life, your well-being and happiness fades away.
There is no real benefit to working yourself into the ground, however. When you become fatigued and worn down, your business suffers simply because you do not possess the mental clarity, energy and composure necessary to be the caliber of leader required, to create the level of happiness and success you desire.
Conversely, there is tremendous benefit to everyone involved – the business owner, team members, customers and families – when harmony between one’s personal life and business is created and maintained over time.
The more out of balance and unhappy you are, the less your financial success will ultimately mean to you because of the tremendous price you paid, what you sacrificed along
When you are in balance with your life and business you tend to treat the people in your personal and professional life better because your perspective is clearer, your attitude is more pleasant, you’re more patient, your fuse isn’t so short, and you are happier.
the way, in order to get it. You cannot go back and recapture those magical times in life after your kids are grown. Once a divorce takes place, it is impossible to return to the past and make up for neglecting the marriage. When your health fails, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to get it back.
The interesting thing about creating harmony between life and business is that, in addition to improving the quality of your life, it allows you to be a more productive, creative and effective business owner. When you make the time for self care and engage in the other aspects of your life, you recharge mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually, and therefore you have more to give. In other words, you increase your own potential and the potential of your business.
When you are in balance with your life and business you tend to treat the people in your personal and professional life better because your perspective is clearer, your attitude is more pleasant, you’re more patient, your fuse isn’t so short, and you are happier. When you treat people better, they have the tendency to do the same, and all your relationships improve as a result.
When you go on vacation with your significant other or skiing with your kids, be fully present with them. When you attend a family function, spend time with friends, go for a bike ride, read a book in the hammock, take a swim or anything else you decide to do, enjoy the moment for all it’s worth.
Taking your spouse out for your regular date night, spending quality time with your kids, pursuing your passions and going on vacation are not synonymous with working and doing business. While it is true you can take your work with you on vacation, the reality is neither will be the best they can be as long as your attention is divided between them. One must give way to the other. A working vacation is not a vacation; it’s merely working in a different location.
The secret to all of this is truly stepping away from your business when you get outside the office to engage the rest of your life.
Turn off your phone, step away from the computer, leave your business thoughts and concerns behind as much as you can, which you can do much more than you currently realize. When you choose to do so, all the moments of your life will take on a greater meaning for you and for everyone involved.
As a business owner, you are the foundation of your enterprise. The more energized, inspired and balanced you are, the stronger your company will be.
Live your life with the intention of creating harmony among its differing aspects, and you will not only be successful, but perhaps more importantly, you will be happy.
Marcus Straub owns Life is Great Coaching in Grand Junction. His personalized coaching and consulting services help individuals, business owners, executives and companies build teams, organizations and lives filled with happiness and success. Straub is winner of the International Coach of the Year Award and author of “Is It Fun Being You?” He’s available for free consultations regarding coaching, speaking and trainings. Reach Straub at (970) 208-3150, marcus@ligcoaching.com or through the website located at www.ligcoaching.com.
A Final Note:
As I pen this final article for “The Business Times,” I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude.
A special thanks to Phil Castle who first introduced me to this format as well as serving as a great editor these past few years.
To my brother Bill who, in a very large sense, made more sense of my first drafts.
Thanks also to Craig Hall who has created, and continues to publish, one of the last great “BusinessRelated” forums for our great city.
Lastly to my wife Bernadette who put up with my – sometimes – sullen attitude as I worked to find that perfect topic to write about.
The journey of sharing insights and experiences in the realm of business leadership has been deeply rewarding. As I bid farewell, it is only fitting to focus on one of the most impactful leadership philosophies: Servant Leadership.
Servant Leadership is not just a managerial style; it’s a way of life. It places the well-being of team members at the forefront, emphasizing empathy, active listening and a commitment to the growth and development of others. By leading from a place of service, leaders create a nurturing environment where everyone can thrive.
Reflecting on my own career, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of Servant Leadership. Whether it was fostering a collaborative culture, mentoring aspiring leaders or navigating through challenges, the principles of Servant Leadership have always been my guiding star. They have taught me that true leadership is about lifting others up, not just climbing the ladder of success.
The true measure of a leader’s success is not in accolades or titles, but in the legacy they leave behind. A legacy built on the pillars of Servant Leadership is enduring. It inspires others to lead with compassion, integrity and a sense of purpose. It creates a ripple effect, influencing generations of leaders who prioritize the well-being of their teams and communities.
As I step away from this platform, I am confident the future of leadership lies in the hands of those who embrace this Servant Leadership philosophy. It is a call to action
for all leaders to lead with humility, to serve with heart and to inspire with vision. By doing so, we can create a world where businesses not only succeed, but also make a positive impact on society.
As I pass the torch, I am assured the legacy of service will shine brightly in the hands of those future leaders who really get the notion of Servant Leadership:
• Leadership is not a title or a position: Leadership is a choice. It’s a choice to serve, to inspire and to make a difference. It is the quiet strength of character, the ability to stand firm in the face of adversity and the humility to recognize that true success is a collective effort.
• Empathy is key: Understanding and valuing the perspectives of others fosters a culture of trust and collaboration.
• Adaptability: The business world is ever-changing, and the ability to pivot and embrace change is essential for sustained success.
• Vision and action: A leader must have a clear vision but also the courage to take decisive action to turn that vision into reality.
To my readers, colleagues, and the entire business community of Grand Junction, thank you for your unwavering support and engagement. Your insights, feedback and enthusiasm have been the lifeblood of this column.
In closing, remember that leadership is a journey, not a destination. Each day is an opportunity to learn, to grow and to inspire others. Keep pushing boundaries, keep innovating, and above all, keep leading with heart.
With deepest gratitude and warmest wishes, Tim.
Timothy Haggerty and his wife, Bernadette, operate a consulting firm based in Grand Junction that helps clients transition from command and control to servant leadership and change the view of wages and benefits from expenses to investments. Haggerty brings to the venture more than 40 years of experience in operations management and a record of decreasing costs while increasing productivity and revenue. He also serves as president of the Grand Junction Kiwanis Club. Reach him at info@ timothyhaggerty.com, (610) 737-0496 or timothyhaggerty.com
The Business Times wishes to thank Tim Haggerty for his contributions as a guest columnist. Best of luck in your future endeavors.
That’s correct, the paper you are reading today is destined to become a classic. Well, at least to us. That’s because it’s the last of our twice-a-month editions of The Business Times.
This last edition of the twice-a-month Business Times you are holding came into being as the result over a decade of lessons learned, successes, failures and our printing of dozens of other publications and going off in several other directions besides printing what we do best: Which, ironically took us a long time to realize was printing a paper.
And it has served us unbelievably well for the past dozen years or so to this day.
That isn’t to say we didn’t learn more lessons, have successes and survive failures since we found our sweet spot. We have. But at least we didn’t go off on publishing tangents the way we used to and lose sight of what we’re best at.
Although, we will take credit for dozens of inserts which were highly successful — because we finally got smart enough to create an extra product that kept us focused on The Business Times, not in dozens of crazy directions.
In the end, however, the little paper that could became the sole focus of our efforts, and that worked for more than 12 years, into the paper you are reading today.
Over those years, the Business Times became as much of a turn-key operation as any newspaper could become. That winning formula survived getting your publisher’s kids through school (well, one is a senior this year, so missed by one semester) and 25-year editor to retirement among countless other accomplishments. But like all too many good things, this version of the Business Times must come to an end.
But in this case, a very happy ending starts an exciting new beginning. Starting Jan. 8, 2025, the Business Times becomes a weekly publication.
Sure, Phil Castle’s retirement had something to do with the change, just like planning for the publisher’s retirement down the road does, just as changes in our industry do. But something more important does as well. And that’s a desire to bring to the citizens of Western Colorado the news.
While we will always look at news stories through the lens of business — after all, that’s where we made our bones — we just know there are so many more stories to tell. Stories about local institutions of government, about the community, about how what’s going on affects the people, about how policy and elections affect business and, of course, about what we have been known for doing for more than 30 years: writing stories on the great businesses and business people who make our area the best place to live in Colorado.
That’s because of the best news of all. The vast majority of what we have the privilege to cover will be good news. Sure, there will be difficult stories to report. But those are the stories we feel our readers need to know about. They’ll just be intertwined with even more stories our readers want to know about. When these are combined, you just end up with a darned-good newspaper, the kind of newspaper we intend to bring to Grand Junction and the surrounding areas.
So, please join us on our new adventure in covering even more Grand Junction, Grand Valley and Western Colorado news. Whether you have a story, are interested in quality, local stories or your business wants to reach folks through advertising who bring or are interested in those kinds of stories, reading, turning and enjoying the pages of the Business Times is for you.
After all, that’s why we’re doing it!
Merry Christmas and New Year’s blessing to all! See you on the flip side!
Yeah, I know it’s in the headline, but you can’t leave out what you’re leaving out unless you mention it, and then leave it out. Which I only will in the headline.
As you may imagine if you’ve read me at least a couple of times, this will be the most difficult column I write all year.
Just kidding.
Plus, I’m really a sweetheart at heart. And to those of you about ready to raise and peck your keyboards in objection, I say one thing: Just give me a try. And if this column convinces you I’m not the ogre you’ve made me out to be over the years, just think of the gift I’ll be giving you soon: 52 of these musings of wit, wisdom and wonkiness for 2025.
to my survey commenter or many others that I’m talking about my faith in Jesus Christ, it may come as a surprise to many that I believe, practice and share the gifts given to me by God with the Grand Valley through this paper. I look at it as a mission.
So, why wouldn’t I also share the greatest gift God gave me in a column? Especially at this time of year.
And that’s the “story” (see what I did there?) of sending his Son to redeem and save me and all who believe. So, in this time when we celebrate the world’s greatest birth, allow me to wish you the blessings of Advent leading up to the day we celebrate our Messiah’s birth: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.
City/State/Zip_______________________________________________________City/State/Zip____________________________________________
Just know more than a few columns in the coming year will be on the topic we shall not name. And I am sure this statement alone will depress our one survey respondent who said, “Less MAGA type stories including Craig…… other than that---perfect.” The dots are to spare feelings of someone close to the paper, even though the comment misses its mark entirely as I must believe what our reader is referring to are opinion columns, not stories.
And in this paper, opinion columns get a lot of leeway, especially mine. Plus, all you’ve got to do is turn the page.
Regardless, I’m going to keep up the “perfection” while doubling down on my opinions, which I’ve held dear for decades and well before MAGA arrived on the scene and began living rent-free in all-toomany heads the past nine years. It’s not about MAGA when I start pecking, dear reader. It’s about freedom.
Even more, it’s not about freedom on parchment related to the topic that shall not be named, it’s about freedom on whatever those ancient scrolls are written upon. Because if you want to place blame on where my thoughts come from, start with a humble beginning in a manger in the town of Bethlehem.
Then again, perhaps it began in a garden, or outside an ark under a rainbow, the other ark in a desert leading the masses, a lion’s den or fiery furnace, in a prison in Patmos or Phillipi or in a room full of scared believers hiding until the flames flickered above their heads.
If you don’t know where this is going, allow me to help. My feelings on freedom came to life in Bethlehem, were practiced across Judea, cemented on Golgotha and perfected when the stone was rolled away.
And while it might not be surprising
This takes me back to Christmas Eve as a student at Zion Lutheran School, where the schoolkids would tell the story of Christ’s birth to a packed church of nervous and proud parents, old congregants who knew the old, German hymns by heart, guests and many others – some hearing the story for the first time. Then again, everything Christmas does. So, I wish you and your loved ones the Hope in God’s plans of Jeremiah 29:11 and His assurance in Hebrews 11:1.
I pray for your Peace in our troubled world from John 16:33 and which transcends all in Philippians 4:7.
I bid you Joy in your trials from James 1:2-3 and of the Angels’ message not just for the season but in your lives of Luke 2:10-11. And finally, I ask you are filled with the Love only God can provide in sending his Son from 1 John 4:19 and in his Son’s greatest commandments from Mark 12:28-29.
Some may say it’s not the job of a newspaper to promote the story of Christmas or the wisdom of the Holy Bible in anything it prints. I guess that’s fine for some in the ink-by-the-barrel business, but that’s not why I believe I’m in this business. That doesn’t mean I’m printing papers to preach to you – or the choir. But I do believe I am in this business to bring you the Truth. And yes, it’s capitalized because the Truth to me is not only a fact, but a Savior who lived 2,000 years ago.
I’ve been blessed with the gift of writing and publishing, and I also believe every good and perfect gift comes from my Father of Lights. Most times the gifts you receive are in a news story, and every so often the truth comes in my little slice of Heaven in the Business Times called a column.
So why not wish you the gifts of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love? After all, I’m just His messenger.
Craig Hall is owner and publisher of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com F
Submitted ads changes or adjustments mended that black.
Photos must
Photos and
Advertiser is in a timely week before before publication. to assist them advertisers for in distribution. received after publish a previously at all, depending
Beginning with our Jan 8, 2025 edition, your favorite business and community newspaper goes WEEKLY!
■ Advertising contracted for must be specified as either Business Times Run of Press (BTROP) or Focus Special Section Advertising (Focus) on contract. Combined contracts are not allowed unless approved by the publisher although earned rates in the Focus sections may apply.
■ Submitted ads must be complete and print ready quality (300 dpi) otherwise design fess will apply if changes or adjustments by the publisher are required. All full color ads must be CMYK. It is recommended that black used in the ad (particularly in small type) be 100% black and not four color process black.
■ Photos must be a MINUMUM of 300 dpi and no smaller than 2” x 3”.
■ Photos and ad files accepted are .jpg, .pdf, .tif and .eps.
■ Basic design of advertisements is included in the contracted price and includes the initial design of ad proof as long as the materials provided by the advertiser meet specifications, otherwise, design fees of $25.00 per hour will apply—billed in 1/2-hour increments. Minor proof adjustments will be provided at no charge at the publisher’s discretion and major adjustments may be subject to the publisher’s $25.00 per hour rate.
■ Advertiser is responsible for getting all materials or completed advertisements to the Business Times in a timely fashion so as to meet deadlines. The deadline for finalized ads is 5pm on Thursday the week before publication; for ads that need to be built, materials must be in by 5pm Tuesday the week before publication. Advertisers will be provided an editorial/publication calendar with their contract to assist them in adhering to the deadline schedule. The Business Times will additionally alert advertisers for upcoming editions in a timely manner after the proceeding publication is printed and in distribution. The Business Times will not guarantee publication of ad materials or completed ads received after the deadline has passed. In this occurrence, the Business Times reserves the right to publish a previously run ad from the advertiser, the latest proof available for the current ad or no ad at all, depending on the circumstances and the advertiser will be billed per the contract.
■ The publisher retains the right to not publish any ad for any reason it deems inappropriate for publication.
■ New advertisers that have not established credit with the Business Times will be required to pay the first month’s advertising with their contract, and the first 6 months of the contract billed in advance. New, credit-approved advertiser contracts that go past due 60 days will be automatically cancelled and charged a 25% cancellation fee on both the unpaid balance and the remaining, cancelled ads. Cancelled contracts may also be subject to collection fees.
■ Billing terms are due on receipt and invoiced on the first day of the month for any ads the advertiser is running for that month. Ad accounts that go past due 90 days will be automatically cancelled and charged a 25% cancellation fee on both the outstanding debt and the remaining, cancelled ads. Cancelled contracts may also be subject to collection fees.
■ Advertiser may cancel this contract at any time with a 30 day, written notice. Upon cancellation, advertiser will be invoiced for all ads run at its retroactive, earned rate based on the cancellation date and billed a 25% fee on the remaining cancelled ads. Advertiser will be given full credit for all monies paid toward the final invoice.
■ Prepaid advertising is non-cancellable and will not be refunded under any circumstances, although the advertiser may opt (and publisher reserves the right) to pull all remaining, scheduled advertising.
■ Non-profits and governmental agencies receive the 12 time rate on all ads contracted. If a longer contract is desired, the Business Times and non-profit/government entity will negotiate a special rate. Political advertisers will receive the 24 time rate and must be paid in advance with contract.
We have reviewed the policy information and agree to the terms.
U.S. News & World Report named Intermountain St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Grand Junction among its 2025 High Performing Hospitals for Maternity Care. This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study.
U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submit detailed data to the publication for analysis. Best Hospitals for Maternity Care assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meet their family’s needs.
Intermountain St. Mary’s Regional Hospital earned a high performing designation in recognition of maternity care as measured by factors such as severe unexpected newborn complication rates, birthing-friendly practices and transparency on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.
“We’re incredibly proud of our team of OB-GYN physicians, certified nurse midwives, women and newborn nurses, lactation consultants, care managers, and social workers who come together with a shared passion to provide high-quality maternity care and ensure the well-being of mothers and babies,” said Dr. Michele Arnold, chief medical officer at Intermountain St. Mary’s. “This accolade reflects our commitment to nurturing and safeguarding the precious journey of motherhood and newborn life.”
U.S. News evaluated 817 hospitals from across the United States. Only half of all hospitals evaluated for U.S. News’ 2025 ratings edition have been recognized as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.
“The hospitals recognized by U.S. News as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care showcase exceptional care for expectant parents,” said Jennifer Winston, health data scientist at U.S. News. “These hospitals demonstrate significantly lower C-section rates and severe unexpected newborn complications compared to hospitals not recognized by U.S. News.”
The Mesa County Women’s Network will host a creative workshop Jan. 14, 6-8 p.m., at Abstract & Title Company, 2464 Patterson Road in Grand Junction, to kickstart 2025.
The workshop is called Design Your Year: A Word of the Year and Hand Lettering Workshop and will feature presenters Maggie La Hue and Jolynn Chavez.
La Hue, founder of Choose You Coaching, will lead participants through the One Word Challenge, a powerful alternative to traditional New Year’s resolutions. Drawing on insights from the book One Word That Will Change Your Life, she will help attendees identify a single word that will guide and shape their year, offering a simple but impactful way to create lasting change.
Chavez, owner of Fat Cat Pottery, will then help participants bring their chosen word to life through the art of hand lettering. With nearly two decades of experience as a creative entrepreneur, Chavez will teach techniques to design a personalized, beautiful piece of art that reflects your intentions for the year ahead.
By the end of the session, attendees will leave with a clear vision for the year and a unique piece of art to inspire them throughout the year.
Space is limited, so registration is required. Tickets are $35 or free for current members. Register at MCWN.US.
The VA Western Colorado Health Care System has a new phone number for its Moab Clinic to better serve its veteran community.
Veterans and community members can reach the Moab Clinic by calling 435-268-7960 for all their needs and inquiries.
The previous phone number will remain operational until Dec. 31 to help facilitate a seamless transition.
Great Outdoors Colorado in December awarded $78,495 to two conservation corps projects supporting wildfire mitigation and river restoration in Mesa County, and Keep It Colorado regranted $32,000 in GOCO funds to permanently protect Bieser Ranch in Mesa County.
The first two grants are part of GOCO’s Conservation Service Corps program, administered in partnership with Colorado Youth Corps Association to help partners hire conservation service corps for outdoor recreation and stewardship projects.
Colorado West Land Trust received $52,330 and will partner with Western Colorado Conservation Corps to implement wildlife-friendly wildfire mitigation on conserved lands in Mesa and Delta counties. Over four weeks, crews will treat 31 acres of elevated forest and 2.1 acres of invasive riverbank vegetation.
The Town of Palisade received $26,165 and will partner with Western Colorado Conservation Corps on the continuation of the multi-year Riverbend Park Riparian Restoration Project, a collaborative effort with Desert Rivers Collaborative and RiversEdge West to remove invasive species along the Colorado River. Over two weeks, crews will clear four acres of invasive trees and participate in revegetation training, planting native species sourced from a local nursery.
Keep It Colorado’s Transaction Cost Assistance Program (TCAP) re-grants GOCO funds to nonprofit land trusts to help cover the costs associated with conservation-easement transactions. It helps landowners who have urgent opportunities to conserve their properties, but face financial barriers to completing the transaction, to conserve land more quickly.
Located on the northern slopes of the Grand Mesa in the Plateau Valley, the 627-acre Bieser Ranch is an untouched landscape in a region facing increased development. It features Willow Creek, which supports a diverse range of wildlife such as elk, mule deer, moose and black bear. These wildlife travel across the ranch and neighboring ranches to U.S. Forest Service lands on Grand Mesa and Bureau of Land Management lands further down the valley.
A working ranch since 1904, it currently supports a cow-calf operation managed by three living generations of the Bieser family.
The City of Grand Junction Commission on Arts and Culture annual grant program is now open for applications. Nonprofit organizations or governmental/educational agencies in Colorado that support local arts and cultural events, projects and programs are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is Jan. 31, 2025, at 5 p.m. The funding available is $70,000 to nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, and requests may not exceed $4,500. To be eligible, events must take place between Mar. 31, 2025, and Mar. 31, 2026. Applicants are expected to present to the commission in person on Feb. 24 or 25. Notification to grant recipients will occur the week of Mar. 3.
This grant program helps provide employment, sales, or performance opportunities for working artists and those who work for cultural nonprofits by supporting a broad range of community cultural events, exhibits, presentations, and projects. The business of art, in all its many forms, is an essential economic element of the community and the arts are an industry.
For more information, email Commission on Arts and Culture liaison Haley Van Camp at haley.vancamp@gjcity.org.
Tickets are on sale now for the 2025 Colorado Ag Forum, which is slated for Feb. 20, 2025, at the Westin in Westminster. The theme this year is “Collaborating from Peaks to Plains.” Tickets can be purchased at ColoradoAgForum.com for an early-bird price of $160. The price goes up after Feb. 1 to $210. Students and Colorado Ag Leadership Program alumni have an opportunity to purchase at a discounted rate. The pre-forum reception will be hosted Feb. 19, 5:30 p.m., at the Butterfly Pavilion.
For more information, go to ColoradoAgForum.com or facebook@coloradoagforum.
The Business Times welcomes submissions for free publication in Business Briefs. Email stories and headshots to publisher@thebusinesstimes.com or submit a news release online at www.thebusinesstimes.com.
The City of Grand Junction selected artists Seth Palmiter and Alex Bond to create the art that will be installed at two roundabouts in the city.
The Grand Junction Commission on Arts and Culture and the Horizon Drive District chose Palmiter from 42 proposals for the Horizon Drive and G Road roundabout. The GJCAC reviewed 29 proposals for the 24 1/2 Road and Four Canyons Parkway roundabout, then selected Bond.
In his final proposal Palmiter said he has been a public artist for more than 20 years and has a wealth of capital-project experience, developing site-relevant public art for civic entities. He said his initial interest for the roundabout sculpture “was a bold, central form that provided a logical context for outdoor recreation. The Cor-Ten circle has multiple angles to nest into. The skier can launch from the top, the kayaker can glide down the inner curve, and the rock climber can scale the upper reaches of the form.
“Great visual interest will be achieved through the play between negative and positive forms, shadow and defining the horizon on the central eye of the sculpture.”
Bond said in his proposal: “I have collaborated with over 15 public agencies (including Grand Junction) to design, fabricate and install site-specific public art. My design approach exists at the intersection of culture and environment, people and land, and nature and industry.”
Bond said his proposed artwork, “Superbloom,” is a “large, colorful, and whimsical installation, and will showcase a colorful, floral-inspired design aimed to evoke widespread awe and a powerful sense of place to locals and visitors.”
Chief Judge of the 21st Judicial District Brian Flynn on Dec. 11 swore in seven new volunteers as Court Appointed Special Advocates in Mesa County.
The volunteers are Steve Driscoll, Terri Driscoll, Vicki Kallman, Erica Satie, Jade Diaz, Julia K. and Melinda L.
CASA of Mesa County trains and supports dedicated community members to advocate for the best interests of children who have been abused or neglected. CASA volunteers serve as the voice of the child in court, monitoring the child’s case and reporting back to the judge on the child’s well-being and the status of their case.
“Volunteers are the heart and soul of CASA, and these individuals have made an extraordinary commitment to serve as advocates for vulnerable children in Mesa County,” said Joy Thompson, executive director for CASA. “Currently, we are serving 160 abused children, yet more children are added to our waiting list regularly. These new volunteers are a much-welcomed addition, and their efforts will help us ensure that every child-abuse victim has a voice.”
The new volunteer advocates participated in a 30-hour training program before being sworn in. They will be assigned to a child in the foster-care system and will receive continued on-the-job training and coaching as they take on their first cases.
For those interested in becoming a CASA advocate, more information is available during volunteer-information sessions. The next session will be a hybrid session and take place Jan. 6, 2025, at 12:15 p.m. For more information and to register, go online to www.casamc.org/info-sessions.
Express Employment of Grand Junction/Montrose is expanding its service offerings with the addition of healthcare staffing, allowing it to provide comprehensive healthcare staffing solutions to medical facilities across the Western Slope.
Sehra Smothers
Sehra Smothers, the franchise owner of Express Healthcare Staffing Colorado, will lead the new partnership. A Colorado native and experienced healthcare professional, she brings more than two decades of clinical expertise to the team. Her various specialties include: cardiovascular care unit; gastroenterology; pain management; spine; and radiation oncology. Plus, she has leadership experience as an administrator, clinical director and director of nursing.
“We are thrilled to have Sehra as a strategic partner to lead our new healthcare staffing venture,” said Nina Anderson, owner and CEO of Express Employment of Grand Junction/Montrose. “Her passion for healthcare and deep understanding of the industry will be invaluable as we work to meet the growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals on the Western Slope.”
Smothers said what she provides is not available at all employment agencies because of the extensive onboarding process Express Healthcare Staffing Colorado does.
“Healthcare staffing agencies are held to a higher standard in state regulations,” she said. “For example, in Colorado, a healthcare staffing agency must be registered with the state, and we have biannual reporting that is required. We also carry a different liability insurance for coverage of our employees. Healthcare staffing agencies must also have an extensive knowledge of compliance and credentialing that is required for healthcare clinicians, such as CAPS check, ACLS, BLS, other certifications.
“Additionally, those certifications need to be hands-on, not online, and most courses are through the American Heart Association. We also require a minimum amount of experience for their role, and they also must pass competency and a skills checklist that is specific to their role and area of expertise. There are also annual trainings clinicians are required to have such as HIPPA, Blood borne Pathogens, Fire & Safety, etc. F
Jan. 8
Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce Networking at Noon 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Kannah Creek Brewing Co., 1960 N. 12th St., Grand Junction. $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers. 970-263-2912 or gjchamber.org
Jan. 14
Mesa County Women’s Network Workshop: Design Your Year, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Board Room at Abstract & Title Company, 2464 Patterson Rd., Grand Junction. $0 for members, $25 for nonmember drop in. mcwn.org/events
Jan. 15
Fruita Chamber Business After Hours 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wine Country Inn, 777 Grande River Ave., Palisade. $5 Chamber members, $15 “soon to be” members. 970-858-3894 or fruitachamber.org
Jan. 23
WTF Networking Lunch 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Enzo’s, 707 Horizon Dr., Grand Junction. 970-858-3894 or fruitachamber.org
Jan. 28
Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Driven Diagnostics, 371 Indian Rd., Grand Junction. $10 pre-registered, $12 at the door. 970-263-2912 or gjchamber.org
Jan. 31
Palisade Chamber of Commerce Annual Member Banquet & Community Awards, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Orchard River View, 3926 Hwy 6 & 24, Palisade. $90 for members, $100 for non-members, $850 for table of 10 (members only). 970-464-7458 or palisadecoc.org/events
Feb. 11
Mesa County Women’s Network Monthly Luncheon, Noon to 1 p.m., Enzo’s Ristorante Italiano, 707 Horizon Dr., Grand Junction. Members Free, $30 for nonmember drop-in. mcwn.us/events
Feb. 13
Fruita Chamber Business After Hours 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Fruita Community Center, 324 N. Coulson St., Fruita. $5 Chamber members, $15 “soon to be” members. 970-858-3894 or fruitachamber.org F
The Business Times welcomes submissions for
