The Business Times Volume 30 Issue 3

In this issue

n To the test

St. Mary’s Medical Center has opened a new laboratory with automated equipment to process tests more quickly.

n State of the state

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis addressed a variety of issues and plans during a regional presentation in Grand Junction.

A record number of business filings offers encouragement for a Colorado economy that’s expected to slow this year.

n Search begins

A search is under way for a new executive director to lead the Club 20 Western Slope advocacy organization.

n Silver linings

Real estate sales continue to slow in Mesa County, but growing inventories and lower prices offer opportunities.

n Pets at work

Employers should weigh both the risks and rewards of allowing their employees to bring pets to the workplace.

Governor addresses the state of the state

Phil Castle

The Business Times

Jared Polis wonders what’s in store for Colorado as the 150th anniversary of its statehood approaches in 2026.

“Who do we want to be when we turn 150 years old?” the Colorado governor asked.

Contributors Opinion Business Briefs Business People

Polis said the answer will depend in part on some of the efforts he outlined in an abbreviated state of the state address he delivered in Grand Junction. That includes efforts to promote business, education and safety while also dealing with challenges related to housing and water.

Polis said he was pleased with what was accomplished during his first term, but there’s more to accomplish as his second term begins. “We know there’s a lot more work ahead.”

Polis offered what he called a “CliffsNotes version” of his annual state of the state address at an event hosted by the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce in a West Star Aviation hangar.

The address was part of a trip that also included the announcement of a $4 million grant to rehabilitate a secondary runway at the Grand Junction Regional Airport and a stop at Chatfield Elementary, a winner of the governor’s Bright Spot Award for growth in student achievement.

See GOVERNOR page 14

Down on the FARM

Newly opened Fruita facility provides space to create — and sell

Sarah Wood has discovered something in both working in and managing unique spaces for artists, nonprofit organizations and others.

“If you build it, they will come,” says Wood, who manages the Fruita Arts Recreation Marketplace.

That’s been the case in refurbishing and repurposing a downtown building that’s now home to an eclectic mix of tenants that includes artist studios, a bicycle repair service and interior design firm. That’s not to mention retail outlets.

Not all of the spaces are yet filled as FARM celebrates its grand opening. But Wood says the response has been something nearly akin to shock and awe. “Wow. This is so cool.”

A grand opening for FARM is scheduled for 4 to 8 p.m. Feb. 10 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 11 at the facility, located at 160 S. Park Square. The two-day event will include open studios, workshops and discounts as well as food, beverages and live music. “It’s really just a celebration of the community that’s come together to build FARM and what it’s become,” Wood says.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

The Fruita Arts Recreation Marketplace is located at 160 S. Park Square. For more information, call 462-7747, send an email to hello@farmfruita.com or visit the website at www.farmfruita.com.

FARM — an acronym the reflects a facility designed to accommodate arts and recreation tenants as well as the agricultural heritage of Fruita — houses in a 13,000-squarefoot space 20 studios and five retail locations. It’s a place for tenants to both work and sell their products and services. While smaller spaces with more affordable rents enable tenants to realize entrepreneurial dreams, the overall goal is to foster a community that becomes more than the sum of its parts, says Gavin Brooke, one of the owners and creators of the FARM.

See FARM page 18

Put to the test: St. Mary’s opens high-tech laboratory

When Bryan Johnson looks over the additional space and automated equipment in the new laboratory at St. Mary’s Medical Center, he sees the potential for faster and more efficient testing that in turn will improve care and help lower costs.

But the president of St. Mary’s also has another priority in mind. “It is all about patient safety.”

Among other things, the equipment automatically loads test results into electronic patient records — eliminating a step and reducing the risk of human error, Johnson said.

St. Mary’s Medical Center hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour to unveil the laboratory.

At 20,000 square feet, the new lab is 25 percent bigger than the 50-year-old facility it replaced, which affords room for additional equipment as well as a better layout, Johnson said.

Kevin Dryanski, laboratory services director at St. Mary’s, put it another way: “It looks like a spaceship in comparison to what the older lab looks like.”

See LABORATORY page 16

STORY AND PHOTO BY PHIL CASTLE

The view from the second floor of the Fruita Arts Recreation Marketplace offers a look inside some of the first-floor studios as well as two of the creators of the 13,000-square-foot facility — Gavin Brooke, left, and Sarah Wood.

Jared Polis

Phil Castle

The Business Times

Dianna Grieger and Jeremy Grant work in the new lab at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction. Automated equipment is expected

photo by Phil Castle)

Bryan Johnson

Record business filings deemed as a good sign for Colorado economy

Phil Castle The Business Times

A record number of new business filings bodes well for a Colorado economy otherwise expected to slow this year.

The Colorado Secretary of State’s office recorded 48,806 new entity filings in the fourth quarter of 2022 — a 37.2 percent year-over-year increase and the most ever for the fourth quarter. Another 171,210 existing entity renewals were recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022, a 2.9 percent year-over-year gain.

“Colorado isn’t just a great start to start a business, but a great place to stay in business,” said Jena Griswold, secretary of state.

Other indicators — including job growth, personal income and gross domestic product — also offer encouragement. But higher inflation and interest rates as well as slowing consumer spending pose headwinds, said Brian Lewandowski, executive director of the business research division of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

The division prepares a quarterly business and economic indicators report based in part on information from the secretary of state’s office.

Griswold said she’s heartened by what she considers an upward trajectory for business filings and other indicators.

“Colorado’s economy is strong and in a strong position.”

New filings for businesses, nonprofit corporations and other entities increased almost 11.8 percent between the third and fourth quarters of 2022. For all of 2022, 175,650 new entity filings were recorded. That’s an 11.5 percent gain over 2021. New entity filings constitute a leading indicator of subsequent business and job growth.

While many factors go into decisions to start new businesses, Griswold said Colorado offers a business friendly environment. She said she’s pushing to extend a reduction in filing fees as well as help businesses guard against identity theft and deceptive solicitations.

Lewandowski said it’s unknown exactly what’s behind the fourth quarter surge in new entity filings. But more people are starting ventures, perhaps to supplement their incomes.

A total of 698,970 entity renewals were recorded in 2022, a 6.3 percent increase over 2021.

A total of 917,384 entities were in good standing as of the fourth quarter, up 6.4 percent from a year ago.

Business dissolution filings hit a record in the fourth quarter and delinquencies also increased, however.

There were 13,293 dissolution filings in the fourth quarter, up 17 percent from the fourth quarter of 2021. For all of 2022, there were 49,491 dissolution filings, up 22.4 percent from 2021.

Total delinquencies climbed to 798,981 in the fourth quarter of 2022, up 9.7 percent from the fourth quarter of 2021.

Lewandowski said Colorado fares better than many other states in other economic measures.

Nonfarm payrolls increased 104,700 in 2022, a 3.7 percent increase in employment that ranked eighth nationally. The statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell two-tenths of a point between November and December to 3.3 percent.

A 7.9 percent gain in per capital personal income in Colorado ranked first.

Gross domestic product — the broad measure of goods and services produced in the state — increased at an annual rate of 3.2 percent in the third quarter. That matched national growth in GDP for the quarter and ranked sixth highest among the states.

Slower growth is forecast for 2022, though, he said.

Inflation remains high with a 6.9 percent year-over-year increase in the Consumer Price Index for the Denver, Aurora and Lakewood area in November.

Higher interest rates imposed to curb inflation have slowed business investment.

In addition, there are indications the consumer spending that accounts for the bulk of economic activity is slowing, he said.

Still, Colorado remains poised to continue to outperform other areas of the United States, Lewandowski said.

Jena Griswold

B. Lewandowski

A Culver’s restaurant has opened at 582 24 1/2 Road in Grand Junction. The location is the 900th nationally for the franchise. (Photo courtesy Culver’s)

Culver’s Restaurant brings ButterBurgers and curds to Grand Junction market

A restaurant franchise known for its ButterBurgers, Wisconsin cheese curds and fresh frozen custard has opened a location in Grand Junction.

Veronica Santoyo and Ryan Koster have opened a Culver’s at 582 24 1/2 Road. The location is the fourth for the chain west of Denver and 900th nationwide.

Koster also owns and operates a Culver’s in Glenwood Springs, where Santoyo worked since its opening in 2017. They decided to open the Grand Junction location as co-owners and operators.

“It’s a dream come true to bring Culver’s to Grand Junction,” said Santoyo, an immigrant from Mexico who moved to Rifle as a child. “We’re overjoyed at the warm welcome we’ve received from people coming from all over the area, and we can’t wait to introduce ourselves to more members of the community in the months and years to come.”

A grand opening celebration at Culver’s on Feb. 6 included members of the Future Farmers of America chapter in Fruita. The restaurant plans to support the organization with share nights in which a proportion of sales are donated to local causes.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

The Culver’s location in Grand Junction operates from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For additional information, log on to the website at www.culvers.com

“One of the rewarding things about owning a business is the opportunity to play a meaningful role in the lives of people all over the area,” Santoyo said. “Making a difference in the community is a big part of the Culver’s mission, and we couldn’t be more excited to do that here in Grand Junction.”

Craig and Lea Culver, along with Craig’s parents George and Ruth, opened the first Culver’s in 1984 in the family’s hometown of Sauk City, Wis.

The first Culver’s franchise restaurant opened in 1990 in Baraboo, Wis. Since then, the franchise has grown to a total of 900 locations in 26 states. Culver’s placed eighth in the 2023 Entrepreneur magazine Franchise 500 ranking. F

Commissioners appoint two to mineral lease district board

Mesa County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel has been appointed to the Mesa County Mineral Lease District Board of Directors.

The Mesa County Commissioners also reappointed Craig Springer, president of Home Loan State Bank in Grand Junction, to the board. Daniel succeeds Mesa County Commissioner Janet Rowland. Springer fills an at-large position. Daniel and Springer join Quint Shear, president of Shear Inc., on the board.

The district distributes federal mineral leasing funds to local public entities to support infrastructure, construction and public service projects. Funding stays in Mesa County. The district board approved a 2023 budget that includes $125,000 in allocations from a permanent fund and $350,000 in allocations for the fall grant cycle.

For grant applications and more information about the Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District, visit the website located at www.mesafml.org/current-grant-cycle. Information also is available on Facebook and Twitter.

Bobbie Daniel

Craig Springer

Search under way for new Club 20 director

A search is under way for a new executive director of Club 20 to succeed Christian Reece.

Reece announced she’s leaving Club 20 at the end of February. She plans to joins the University of Colorado as outreach and engagement regional program manager for Western Colorado.

Reece joined Club 20 in 2015 and was at that time the youngest executive director in the 70-year history of the coalition of businesses, individuals and governments.

She subsequently worked with the organization to influence the outcome of legislation and ballot measures on the state and federal levels involving a range of issues.

“It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to advocate for the citizens of Western Colorado for the past eight years,” she said. “Through respectful civil discourse, a willingness to understand alternative perspectives and a passion for Western Colorado, we have been able to break down barriers, erode the urban-rural divide and advance Western Colorado issues. I couldn’t be more proud of the work Club 20 has done for our region and look forward to helping advance that work through continued involvement.”

Brad McCloud, chairman of the Club 20 Board of Directors, said he was grateful for Reece’s work and

wished her success in her new role.

“This new opportunity will allow Christian to take her talents and passions to one of our valued members, the University of Colorado, and continue to elevate the voice and citizens of the West Slope,” McCloud said. “The Club 20 leadership team supports Christian in her decision and believes it is ultimately a win for Western Colorado as a whole.”

McCloud said he remains optimistic about Club 20 and the ongoing efforts of the organization. “We are also excited for the future of Club 20 as we believe we are positioned to continue to be the voice of Western Colorado and advocate for our members and stakeholders on policies and issue that are important to them at the state capitol and in Washington, D.C.”

Construction under way on 24 and G roads

Work is under way on projects to widen 24 and G roads in Grand Junction.

The City of Grand Junction plans to widen 24 Road to five lanes as well as construct a two-lane roundabout at its intersection with G Road, which also will be widened. In addition, the project includes bike lanes, sidewalks, lighting and landscaping.

“This project is part of the transportation loop around the city and will not only help to alleviate traffic congestion, but will improve the safety of routes for bicyclists and pedestrians accessing Community Hospital, Canyon View Park and other area businesses,” said Trent Prall, public works director. “After the road construction is completed, landscaping and an art installation will be added to the roundabout to beautify this major entrance to the city.”

The city plans to widen 24 Road between Leland Avenue on the south to the Canyon View Park entrance on the north, while G Road will be widened between 23 1/2 and 24 1/2 roads.

As construction continues through the end of the year, only one lane in each direction will be closed at a time to minimize disruption. The project includes utility crossings and roadway transitions that will necessitate road closures, however.

In addition to work on 24 and G roads, the city will complete the remaining pedestrian and bicycle trail between Mesa Mall and Canyon View Park along 24 Road. The project is intended to improve the connection for planned high-density housing, Community Hospital, shoppers, commercial businesses and those using the park and athletic fields.

This project to widen and improve 24 Road is a part of a loop that includes Interstate Highway 70, the Riverside Parkway and 29 Road.

Christian Reece Brad McCloud

Trent Prall

Partnership expected to expand access to capital

A state effort will extend a partnership to expand access to venture capital for Colorado entrepreneurs and startup businesses.

The Colorado Venture Capital Authority renewed a partnership with the Greater Colorado Venture Fund and committed nearly $11.2 million to fund Colorado companies.

“Thanks to our successful partnership with Greater Colorado Venture Fund I, we can confidently say that Venture Capital Authority funding has helped rural Colorado startups grow and create jobs. We are thrilled to be a partner in this second fund, which will help the VCA continue its commitment to invest in rural and coal-transition communities,” said Thea

Chase, a former director of the Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction who now serves as chairwoman of the VCA board of directors.

A political subdivision of the state, the Venture Capital Authority supports access to venture capital. The VCA first partnered with GCVF in 2018, when it contributed $13.3 million to a fund totaling $17.5 million. Over the subsequent four years, GCVF made 29 investments that collectively raised more than $40 million and created more than 150 jobs in rural Colorado.

GCVF has raised nearly $25 million for its second fund. The VCA investment is funded through the State Small Business Credit Initiative awarded by the U.S. Treasury Department in August.

SSBCI is focused on expanding access to capital for businesses with less than 10 employees and to businesses

led by individuals who identify as coming from underresourced communities and geographies.

Over the next five years, Colorado could receive about $104 million in SSBCI funding, with more than $59 million of it invested through the VCA.

“As a state, we are committed to catalyzing private investment across all of Colorado, including our rural communities. When Colorado companies have the resources to grow, they contribute to a strong economy that works for everyone and create quality jobs,” said Eve Lieberman, executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. “Partnering with the Greater Colorado Venture Fund is one important step to continue the Venture Capital Authority’s work to create more equitable access to venture capital.”

Applicants sought for grants to boost outdoor rec hiring

Applications will be accepted through Feb. 28 for grants designed to support pandemic recovery for outdoor recreation businesses and nonprofit organizations in Colorado.

The Outdoor Recreation Industry Impact Fund will provide funding to help outdoor recreation industry employers across the state hire and retain staff.

“Colorado has seen one of the fastest recoveries in the nation, and the opportunity to direct these funds to the outdoor recreation industry will help ensure that this important sector continues to thrive and add jobs across the state,” said Eve Lieberman, executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

The fund will provide $1.8 million in state and local fiscal recovery funds, part of the American Rescue Plan Act, to support payroll needs.

Grants of up to $100,000 are intended to cover hiring and staff retention for outdoor recreation industry businesses and nonprofits that demonstrate economic harm from the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.

“The outdoor recreation industry is a huge economic driver in Colorado and an important source of jobs for Coloradans. While we have seen significant growth in outdoor recreation employment, we have also observed a consistent need for support among outdoor recreation employers as they continue their efforts to steward our natural resources while also creating more equitable employment in the outdoors,” said Conor Hall, director of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

For more information about the fund and grants, visit the website located at https://oedit.colorado.gov/oriif.

Thea Chase

Eve Lieberman

Dr. JJ Stroh and her team have joined MarillacHealth in operating what’s now the 12th Street Clinic in Grand Junction. Patients have access to a bundle of health care services.

(Photo courtesy MarillacHealth)

Family clinic joins MarillacHealth

A family medicine practice has joined MarillacHealth and the efforts of the nonprofit health center to provide a range of services to Mesa County residents.

Dr. JJ Stroh and her team joined MarillacHealth at the end of January. They will continue to serve current patients and new patients from a clinic at 2139 N. 12th St. in Grand Junction.

Kay Ramachandran, the chief executive officer of MarillacClinic, welcomed the addition. “Dr. Stroh and Marillac have been discussing the acquisition as far back as late 2019. However, like many things, plans were interrupted by COVID,” Ramachandran said. “Both Dr. Stroh and Marillac have a strong alignment

on serving our community with quality care. Marillac is delighted to welcome Dr. Stroh’s talented team into our organization.”

A behavioral health provider also will work out of the renamed 12th Street Clinic. A second medical provider will join the team in coming months to ensure services are available throughout the week.

Under MarillacHealth, patients receive access to a bundle of services that include medical, dental and behaviorial health care as well as low-cost medications. MarillacHealth accepts insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. Uninsured patients can apply for a sliding fee discount program.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 200-1600 or visit www.MarillacHealth.org. F

Grand Junction to soon begin dual stream recycling effort

An upcoming event will offer information about a new dual stream curbside recycling program scheduled to start in areas of Grand Junction in March. The event is set for 4 to 7 p.m. Feb. 23 in the auditorium of Grand Junction City Hall, 250 N. Fifth St.

The City of Grand Junction plans to offer curbside recycling with trash collection services.

Residents participating in the program could be able to lower costs by reducing their trash even as they increase the amount of materials they recycle.

Trash and recycling services will be offered for one monthly price that will vary with the size of the trash bin — $11.50 for a 48-gallon bin, $15.75 for a 64-gallon bin and $25 for a 96-gallon bin.

The first phase of the recycling program is scheduled to start March 7 in the downtown area between Seventh and 17th streets and Gunnison and Rood avenues, March 20 between Seventh and 17th streets and Rood and Ute avenues as well as the Canyon View and Granite Falls subdivision west of South Camp Road and April 6 between 26 1/2 and 27 1/4 roads and G Road and Catalina Drive.

Customers of city trash and recycling services must live within city limits.

The city will provide two, 64-gallon recycling bins — one for plastic containers and tin and aluminum cans, the other for paper, cardboard and fiberboard.

Glass won’t be collected curbside, but can be dropped off at the recycling center located at 333 West Ave.

Seasonal yard waste collection — including leaves, grass clippings and small branches — also will be available from April to October. Yard waste will be transported to the Mesa County landfill, where it will be available for use with planting and landscaping.

For more information about recycling, call the recycling division at 256-4136 or email recycling@gjcity.org.

K. Ramachandran

Tool helps businesses prevent identify theft

A new tool enabling Coloradans to report fraudulent business filings is now available from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office.

The tool — available online through the website at www.ColoradoSOS.gov — protects businesses and individuals by enabling them to report when someone has formed a new business fraudulently using someone else’s address or personal information or taken over a legitimate business filing in an attempt to leverage it for fraud.

“As secretary of state, I will always work to ensure Colorado remains a great place to own and operate a business. This new resource provides protections for hard-working Colorado business owners from the increasing threat of business identity theft while cutting red tape,” said Jena Griswold, Colorado secretary of state.

When the secretary of state’s office receives a complaint of a suspected fraudulent filing via this new tool, the complaint will be referred to the Colorado Attorney General’s Office for investigation. If the subsequent investigation determines the business filing to be fraudulent, the secretary of state’s office will then redact victim information and flag the record as suspected fraudulent activity.

“Fraudulent business filings with the state can cause significant harm and inconvenience to legitimate business owners, and these types of filings are often made in order to commit other fraud and crimes,” said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. “My office is committed to working with the secretary of state’s office to crack down on business identity theft using this new state law.”

This interagency process, established as a result of the Combating Business Identity Theft Act, aims to stem business identity theft in Colorado.

Business identity theft is a crime in which thieves use a business’s identity to establish lines of credit with banks or retailers. With these lines of credit, the identity thieves often buy items that can be exchanged for cash or sold with relative ease. The damage can be devastating to the victim business, with credit history damage or denial of credit leading to operational problems.

“The collaborative efforts of the Legislature, secretary of state and attorney general’s office has resulted in an important step in stopping bad actors from stealing the identities of Colorado businesses,” said State Rep. Shannon Bird, among the sponsors of the legislation. “We are keeping it easy to start a business in Colorado and at the same time making it very hard for fraudsters to steal identities and take advantage of the public.”

Governor

Continued from page 2

The $4 million grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics is part of $9.5 million in funding for improvement and maintenance projects at Colorado airports. Airports in Delta, Glenwood Springs and Rifle also received grants.

Polis said the Grand Junction Regional Airport plays an important role in not only promoting travel and tourism in Western Colorado, but also maintaining supply chains.

The business climate remains a priority, he said. That includes efforts to make it less costly to start and operate businesses in the state.

He cited legislation that reduced the fee for new business filings to $1 and raised the exemption on business personal property tax to $50,000.

Additional efforts will help the outdoor recreation industry, Polis said, including grants from a new Outdoor Recreation Industry Impact Fund to help employers in the sector hire and retain staff.

A number of proposed initiatives will help develop the work force by offering free training for jobs in fire fighting, health care and law enforcement.

Polis said he also supports efforts to offer dual enrollment to help high school students earn college credits.

Starting this fall, a new program will offer free preschool services to 4-year-old children. Polis said the program will not

only prepare children for subsequent education, but also enable more parents to join the work force.

Polis praised the efforts at Chatfield Elementary School in Grand Junction for improving student achievement. Chatfield and Rocky Mountain Elementary and Bookcliff Middle School were among the winners of Bright Spot Awards and received $50,000 in emergency education relief funds.

Other funding will be allocated as part of efforts to make Colorado one of the 10 safest states, Polis said. While a comprehensive approach is planned, efforts also will focus on automobile thefts. Additional challenges persist, he said, including those related to housing and water.

The cost of housing has outpaced income, he said. That’s created problems not only individuals, but also businsses struggling to find employees.

A growing population, climate change and demands from other states threatens water shortages. Polis said he hopes to make more state funding available for water projects to leverage matching federal funds.

While it’s yet to be determined what’s in store for Colorado as the 150th anniversary of statehood approaches, Polis said he’s encouraged. “I’m very optimistic about the future.”

Primary care practice opens in Grand Junction

A primary care office providing direct-to-consumer health care has opened in Grand Junction.

Judith Shue, a board-certified family and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, will lead the Doctor Nurse Practice, located at 2232 N. Seventh St., Unit 7. The Doctor Nurse Practice is a member of the national FreedomDoc community.

Shue said she started the practice to provide patient-centered health care that’s convenient and cost-effective while also delivering exceptional customer service. In addition to physical health, she emphasizes mental health and well-being and provides treatment for addiction, anxiety and trauma.

“I want my patients to know they have a voice. Let me know your vision of optimal health, and we’ll work together to ensure you are on your way to a healthful life,” she said.

The Doctor Nurse Practice offers a membership-based practice. Shue is enrolling new patients, but will only accept a limited number. More information is available at http://my-doctornurse.com.

The Doctor Nurse Practice provides care for patients for a flat monthly fee of $89 or less. Shue offers personal, unrushed, focused care to each patient. Visits are on time and last as long as necessary, usually 30 to 90 minutes.

Services are available in person or remotely by text, phone, email and secure digital apps.

Shue brings to the practice nearly four decades of experience in health care. She obtained her doctor of nursing practice degree from Colorado Mesa University in 2015.

Christopher Habig, chief executive officer of Freedom Healthworks, said the practice constitutes an important addition to the community.

“Dr. Shue brings decades of health care experience to her practice, including experience in emergency medicine, critical care and mental health,” Habig said. “Her passion for partnering with patients to maximize their quality of life ensures they receive exceptional, holistic health care.”

Laboratory

Continued from page 2

The new lab cost about $26 million. Along with a new inpatient pharmacy that opened in St. Mary’s nearly a year ago, the facilities represent a total investment of $52.8 million.

Dryanski said the new lab is the most efficient and advanced facility of its kind between Denver and Salt Lake City.

Accredited by the College of American Pathologists, the new clinical laboratory automation line brings to Grand Junction the most current technology available, he said. The automated embedding technology in pathology is one of less than 200 in the country.

The automation line will decrease testing time at least 5 minutes for most specimens and even more for other specimens, he said.

That’s important, he added, because the lab processes more than 2 million specimens a year. The lab provides a range of services not only for St. Mary’s Medical Center, but also clinics, practices and health care agencies across Western Colorado.

Johnson said the new facility offers additional capacity with faster testing times — and increased patient safety. “We’re super proud of this effort.”

News, views and advice

Smart stick could help visually impaired

Engineers at the University of Colorado at Boulder have tapped into advances in artificial intelligence to develop a new kind of walking stick for people who are blind or visually impaired.

The researchers say that their “smart” walking stick could one day help blind people navigate tasks in a world designed for sighted people — from shopping for a box of cereal at the grocery store to picking a place to sit in a crowded cafeteria.

“I really enjoy grocery shopping and spend a significant amount of time in the store,” said Shivendra Agrawal, a doctoral student in the department of computer science. “A lot of people can’t do that, however, and it can be really restrictive. We think this is a solvable problem.”

The team’s walking stick resembles the white-and-red canes readily available. But it also includes a few add-ons. Using a camera and computer vision technology, the walking stick maps and catalogs the world around it. It guides users by using vibrations in the handle and with spoken directions, such as “reach a little bit to your right.”

In a study published last year, Agrawal and his colleagues explored the potential of their design for tackling a familiar problem: Where do I sit?

The researchers set up a café of sorts in their lab — complete with several chairs, patrons and a few obstacles. Human participants then used the smart walking stick to try to find an appropriate chair in that environment.

The study showed promising results: Subjects were able to find the right chair in 10 out of 12 trials with varying levels of difficulty. So far, those subjects have all been sighted people wearing blindfolds. The researchers plan to evaluate and improve their device by working with people who are blind or visually impaired once the technology is more dependable.

In new research which the team hasn’t yet published, Agrawal and his colleagues adapted their device for a task that can be daunting for anyone: finding and grasping products in aisles filled with dozens of similar-looking and similar-feeling choices.

The team set up a makeshift environment in their lab: this time, a grocery shelf stocked with several different kinds of cereal. The researchers created a database of product photos, such as boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios or Apple Jacks, into their software. Study subjects then used the walking stick to scan the shelf, searching for the product they wanted.

“Our aim is to make this technology mature, but also attract other researchers into this field of assistive robotics,” Agrawal said. “We think assistive robotics has the potential to change the world.”

Jeremy Grant, a lab supervisor at St. Mary’s Medical Center, works in the newly opened laboratory. Officials hailed the facility as one of the most efficient and advanced in the region. (Business Times photo by Phil Castle)

FARM

Continued from page 2

“That’s really rewarding to facilitate that,” says Brooke, an entrepreneur and real estate developer who joined with Alleghany Meadows to develop FARM.

Brooke and Meadows, an entrepreneur and studio potter, purchased the building that houses FARM in 2022. The building previously housed a hardware store and health club.

They remodeled the building inside and out. Five spaces facing South Mulberry Street offer retail locations. Each location includes its own entrance as well as a garage door that serves as storefronts, but also can roll up in good weather to create open areas for customers.

In addition, FARM offers a total of 20 studio spaces over two levels. The spaces offer places for tenants to work, but also sell their products and services. While FARM has open hours, tenants set their own schedules.

Brooke and Meadows brought to FARM experience with a facility they founded in Carbondale. The Studio for Arts and Works houses artists, graphic designers, jewelers, sculptors and writers. SAW serves as a home for nationally recognized professionals as well as an incubator for aspiring artists. SAW also serves as a venue for a variety of community events.

Brooke joined with other collaborators and the Town of Carbondale to launch the Third Street Center, a multi-tenant, non-profit center in the rehabilitated Carbondale Elementary School.

Brooke also founded Land + Shelter, an architecture, planning and development practice that specializes in sustainable building.

Meadows founded the Artstream Nomadic Gallery and was co-founder of the Harvey/Meadows Gallery in Aspen. He exhibits his work nationally.

Wood brings to the operation 15 years of experience in the outdoors industry and 20 years advocating for the arts. For a time, she worked out of the SAW facility in Carbondale.

Brooke says there was a concerted effort to make FARM a different facility that meets the needs of local artists and businesses as well as Fruita. He considers the operation an experiment in progress

that will change along with the community.

The diverse tenants at FARM reflect the community, he says.

They include painters, photographers and potters. They also include yoga and Reiki studios and an interior design firm. A mountain bicycle touring and instruction firm also operates out of the facility, as does a mountain bike service and repair business. Allie Daniels relocated her Happy Trails Colorado apparel and gift shop into FARM.

More spaces are available, and Wood says she welcomes inquiries to determine if a tenant and the facility constitute a good match.

Brooke says studio tenants should make things. “It’s a very important aspect for the studio spaces.”

FARM offers smaller spaces with more affordable rents. But the bigger draw, he says, is the opportunity to join in a community of creative professionals who help and inspire each other. Tenants will find in that community mentors and mentees.

The studios offer foremost places to create, but also places to display and sell. For some tenants, that means an opportunity to move their pursuits out of basements and garages and take the next step in their entrepreneurial journeys, he says,

In that respect, Wood says FARM has involved building not only a facility that’s attracted tenants, but also promotes economic development. F

Allie Daniels, above, owner of Happy Trails Colorado, stocks merchandise in her store at the Fruita Arts Recreation Marketplace. The apparel and gift shop occupies one of five retail locations in the new facility. At left, AJ Schlechten crafts a piece of jewelry in one of the 20 studio spaces. FARM is home to an electic mix of tenants that includes not only retailers and artists, but also mountain bike touring and repair services and an interior design firm. (Business Times photos by Phil Castle)

Gavin Brooke, left, and Sarah Wood are among the co-creators of FARM. (Business Times photo by Phil Castle)

INDICATORS AT A GLANCE

n Business filings

s New business filings in Colorado, 48,806 in the fourth quarter, up 37.2 percent from the fourth quarter of 2021.

n Confidence

t Consumer Confidence Index 107.1 for January, down 1.9.

n Leeds Business Confidence Index for Colorado, 39.8 for the first quarter, unchanged.

t National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Optimism Index 89.8 for December, down 2.1.

n Foreclosures

s Foreclosure filings in Mesa County, 21 in January, up from 6 in January 2022.

s Foreclosure sales in Mesa County, 4 in January, up from 1 in January 2022.

n Indexes

s Conference Board Employment Trends Index, 118.74 for January, up 1.68.

t Conference Board Leading Economic Index 110.5 for Deember, down 1%.

t Institute for Supply Management Purchasing Managers Index for manufacturing, 47.4% for January, down 1%.

n Lodging

s Lodging tax collections in Grand Junction, $254,659 for December, up 16% from December 2021.

n Real estate

t Real estate transactions in Mesa County, 214 in January, down 43.1% from January 2022.

t Dollar volume of real estate transactions in Mesa County, $93.2 million in January, down 42.8% from January 2021.

n Sales

s Sales and use tax collections in Grand Junction, $6 million for December, up 7.4% from December 2021.

s Sales and use tax collections in Mesa County, $4.3 million for December, up 7.8% from December 2021.

n Unemployment

t Mesa County — 3.1% for December, down 0.5.

t Colorado — 3.3% for December, down 0.2.

t United States — 3.4% for January, down 0.1.

Real estate silver linings

Mesa County activity continues to decline, but opportunities foreseen

Phil Castle Business Times

Mesa County real estate sales continue to trend downward on a year-over-year basis. But Robert Bray also sees opportunities in growing inventories, declining mortgage interest rates and lower prices.

Contributors Opinion Business Briefs

combined $55 million were reported in January 2023. Compared to the same month last year, transactions declined 35.3 percent and dollar volume decreased 39 percent.

Bray said he also monitors other numbers, though, including inventories and median sales price.

At the end of January 2023, there were 490 active listings in Mesa County. That’s 303 more listings than the same time last year — a 162 percent increase.

Business People Almanac

“I see some silver linings coming out of this,” said Bray, chief executive officer of Bray & Co. in Grand Junction.

Annette Young, administrative coordinator at Heritage Title Co. in Grand Junction, expects demand to persist. But it’s also a question, she said, of affordability.

Young said 214 real estate transactions worth a combined $93.2 million were reported in Mesa County in January.

Compared to the same month last year, transactions fell 43.1 percent and dollar volume dropped 42.8 percent.

Robert Bray

Seven large transactions worth a total of $21 million bolstered dollar volume, Young said. They included the sale of a building on First Street in Grand Junction that previously housed a furniture store and church — along with the adjacent lot — for $6 million and a retail building at 1201 Wellington Ave. for nearly $3 million. Restaurants located at 2489 U.S. Highway 6 & 50 sold for $2.5 million and then again for $4 million.

The year-over-year comparison in overall real estate activity doesn’t provide a complete statistical picture because of what was a robust start to 2022. Moreover, 23 large transactions accounted for a total of $43.5 million in dollar volume in January 2022.

The pace of real estate sales slowed over the course of 2022, however, as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to curb inflation. Mortgage interest rates doubled, and the combination of higher interest rates and prices made real estate less affordable.

For all of 2022, 4,722 transactions worth a total of $2.078 billion were reported in Mesa County. Compared to 2021, transactions fell 23.8 percent and dollar volume dropped 11.9 percent.

According to numbers Bray & Co. tracks for the residential real estate market in Mesa County, 143 transactions worth a

At the current pace of sales, that’s more than a three-month supply and closer to what considered a market equilibrium at a five- to six-month supply, Bray said.

New home construction continues to lag, however. For January, 27 building permits for single-family homes were issued in Mesa County. That’s less than half the 63 permits issued the same month last year.

The median price of homes sold in January was $362,000. That’s 2.9 percent less than the same month last year.

The year-over-year decline in the median sales price was the first in more than a decade, Bray said. “It’s noticeable in the swing.”

In contrast, prices increased on a year-over-year basis 28 percent in January 2022 and 14 percent in January 2021, he said.

Mortgage interest rates almost doubled between January 2021 and January 2022. But since peaking at 7.5 percent, rate have dropped to around 6 percent on 30-year loans, Bray said.

Bray and Young said they expect rates to move even lower as the Federal Reserve takes less aggressive actions to slow inflation. On Feb. 1, the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee boosted the federal funds rate by a quarter percent. That followed an increase of a half percent in December and four straight increases of three-quarters of a percent in 2022.

Bray said trends suggest the Mesa County real estate market could heat up in coming months along with the spring weather. Potential buyers should prepare now for opportunities, he said. Young also said she expects activity to increase as interest rates relent. Demand remains strong, but affordability remains an issue for some buyers.

Property foreclosure activity continues to increase in Mesa County, Young said.

For January, 21 foreclosure filings and four sales were reported. That’s up from six filings and one sale for the same month a year ago.

Grand Junction sales tax collections trend up

Sales tax collections, a key measure of retail activity, continues to increase on a year-over-year basis in Grand Junction.

Use and lodging tax collections also have increased.

The City of Grand Junction collected more than $5 million in sales taxes in December, the latest month for which reports are available. That’s an increase of almost $416,000 and 7.4 percent over the same month last year.

December collections reflect November sales and the traditional start of the holiday shopping season.

The city received nearly $891,000 as its share of sales taxes Mesa County collects and distributes to municipalities, a 5.5 percent increase over a year ago.

The city collected nearly $117,000 in use taxes, a smaller and more volatile revenue source. That’s a 27.8 percent increase over what was collected during December 2021.

In addition, the city collected a total of more than $1 million in sales and use taxes earmarked for public safety and first responders.

For all of 2022, the city collected more than $63.7 million in sales taxes. That’s a gain of nearly $5.7 million and 9.7 percent

over 2021. The city received almost $10.7 million in sales tax collections from Mesa County, an 11 percent increase. Use tax collections for 2022 topped $1.5 million, a 36.4 percent gain over 2021.

The city collected a total of more than $12.7 million in sales and use taxes allocated for public safety and first responders. Lodging tax collections, a measure of hotel and motel stays, totaled nearly $255,000 in December. That’s an increase of 16 percent over the same month last year.

For all of 2022, lodging tax collections exceeded $4.7 million. That’s an increase of more than $1 million and 27.1 pecent over 2021.

Annette Young

Labor market off to fast start in 2023

Payrolls increased more than 500,000 and the unemployment rate decreased to its lowest level in more than 50 years as 2023 began with an unexpected bang in the U.S. labor market.

Nonfarm payrolls grew 517,000 and the jobless rate dropped to 3.4 percent in January, according to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate is now at its lowest level since May 1969.

Estimated payroll gains for the previous two months were revised upward a total of 71,000 to 260,000 in December and 290,000 in November.

The January gain topped the 401,000 average monthly increase in payrolls in 2022.

Still, 5.7 million people were counted among those unsuccessfully looking for work in January. Of those, 1.1 million have been unemployed 27 weeks or longer.

Another 4.1 million were counted among those working parttime because their hours were cut or they were unable to find fulltime positions.

The labor force participation rate crept up a tenth of a point to 62.4 percent, but remained below the rate posted before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in early 2020.

Payroll gains for January were spread out among industry sectors. Employment increased 128,000 in leisure and hospitality,

Labor index signals job growth

A monthly index tracking labor trends advanced for a second month in a row, signaling continued job growth in coming months.

The Conference Board reported its Employment Trends Index rose 1.68 points to 118.74 in January with gains in seven of eight components.

82,000 in professional and business services, 58,000 in health care and 30,000 in retail trades. The gains were smaller at 25,000 in construction, 23,000 in transportation and warehousing, 21,000 in social assistance and 19,000 in manufacturing.

Government payrolls increased 74,000, a result in part of the return of university workers after a strike.

The average workweek lengthened three-tenths of an hour to 34.7 hours. The average manufacturing workweek lengthened four-tenths of an hour to 40.5 hours.

Average hourly earnings increased 10 cents to $33.03. Over the past year, hourly earnings rose 4.4 percent.

Consumer confidence decreases

A monthly measure of consumer confidence has dropped on less optimistic outlooks for business and labor conditions.

The Conference Board reported its Consumer Confidence Index fell 1.9 points to 107.1 in January. A component of the index assessing current conditions advanced. But a component based on expectations retreated to a level that usually signals a coming recession.

“Consumers were less upbeat about the short-term outlook for jobs. They also expect business conditions to worsen in the near term,” said Lynn Franco, senior director of economics at the Conference Board. “Despite that, consumers expect their incomes to remain relatively stable in the months ahead.”

A think tank based in New York, the Conference Board bases the index on the results of household surveys. More optimistic assessments of current conditions pushed the present situation component of the index up 3.5 points to 150.9.

The proportion of consumers responding to the survey upon which the January index was based who called business conditions “good” rose a point to 20.2 percent. The share of those who called conditions “bad” fell a half point to 19.2 percent.

The proportion of respondents who said jobs were “plentiful” rose 1.8 points to 48.2 percent. The share of those who said jobs were “hard to get” fell six-tenths of a point to 11.3 percent.

Less upbeat outlooks pulled the expectations components of the index down 5.6 points to 77.8. Readings below 80 usually signal a recession within the next year.

The share of respondents who expect business conditions to improve over the next six months fell 2.3 points to 18.6 percent. The proportion of those anticipating worsening conditions rose 1.7 points to 21.6 percent.

The share of those who expect more jobs to become available fell 2.1 points to 17.9 percent. The proportion of those anticipating fewer jobs rose 1.4 points to 20.1 percent.

While 17.2 percent of consumers said they expect their incomes to increase, down a tenth of a point from December, another 13.4 percent anticipated decreased incomes. That’s up a tenth of a point. F

Lynn Franco

COMING ATTRACTIONS

n The Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction has scheduled a variety of presentations.

The next session of the Leading Edge business planning course is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays Feb. 15 to May 3 at the center, 2591 Legacy Way.

Contributors Opinion Business Briefs Business People Almanac

The course will offer a combination of classroom instruction, interactive exercises and conversations with subject matter experts. Participants will not only learn about running businesses, but also complete written business plans or strategies and test their models for financial viability. Admission is $275. Additional employees from the same business cost $100.

A class covering the fundamentals of Excel spreadsheets is set for 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at the center. Admission is $35.

The next session of a business startup workshop is set for 2 to 4 p.m. March 2. Admission is $55, $27.50 for the second participant from the same business.

A business bookkeeping boot camp is set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 23. Admission is $75, which includes lunch.

For more information about upcoming events, programs and services at the Business Incubator Center, call 243-5242 or log on to https://gjincubator.org.

n The Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce has scheduled a business presentation and women’s conference.

A free business toolbox presentation for members is set for noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 14 at the FWorks coworking space, 325 E. Aspen Ave. Jeff Engell, director of the Small Business Development Center in Grand Junction, will discuss ways business owners can better control their financial situations.

The women’s conference is set for 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 9 at the Colorado Mesa University Center ballroom at 1455 N. 12th St. in Grand Junction. Admission is $75 for chamber members, $100 for others.

For more information about upcoming chamber events, call 858-3894 or visit the website at https://fruitachamber.org.

n The Western Colorado Human Resource Association has scheduled its next monthly membership luncheon for 11:30 to 1 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Mesa County Workforce Center, 512 29 1/2 Road in Grand Junction. The meeting will include a presentation on Medicare benefits. WCHRA members attend at no additional charge. Others pay $10. To register or obtain more information, visit the website at www.wchra.org.

n The next session of the Coffee Club free networking meetings is set for 9 to 10 a.m. Feb. 17 at FWorks. For additional information about upcoming meetings, log on to the websites at https://gjincubator.org or https://fruitachamber.org.

n The Palisade Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its annual member banquet for 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at Orchard River View, 3926 U.S. Highway 6 & 24. Admission is $85. For more information, visit the website at www.palisadecoc.com.

Bringing pets to work

Employers must weigh risks and rewards in deciding policies

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and societal changes, a growing number of employees work from home or other locations rather traditional office settings. As the pandemic wanes, however, many employers demand their employees return to the office. This has resulted in some resistance from employees who’ve grown fond of the comforts of home, including working with their pets.

Full disclosure: My dog Betsy is my workday companion in my home office.

It might surprise some employers to know how important pet-friendly workplaces are to some employees. A recent survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Vetster highlighted the role pets play in the workplace. Survey findings included:

n 60 percent of pet owners left jobs to seek more pet-friendly workplaces.

n 70 percent of pet owners were willing to take a pay cut in favor of petfriendly offices.

n 48 percent of pet owners claim to be more productive at work when their pets are nearby.

n 46 percent of pet owners believe their pets help them break the ice and make new acquaintances.

n 39 percent of pet owners believe their pets help them avoid burnout.

Other survey results suggest the benefits of pet-friendly office include increased collaboration, productivity and job satisfaction along with decreased stress and turnover.

But not every employee is enamored with your fur baby. What practical and legal issues should employers consider when deciding whether or not a pet-friendly workplace is right for an employer and its employees?

Practical considerations include:

n Will the employer allow pets other than dogs?

n Will the employer allow employees to bring their pets every day?

n How will the employer address pet allergies?

n How will noisy or aggressive animals be handled?

n Will employees be allowed to bring more than one pet at one time?

n Will employees be required to supervise their pets at all times?

n Will employers require proof of pet vaccinations?

n How will the employer address the inevitable “accidents” at work?

n Will the employer provide “pet stations” and trash receptacles for employees to clean up after their pets?

n Will pets be allowed in such common areas as break rooms, meeting rooms and rest rooms?

Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) raises legal considerations for employers. First, recognize bringing a service dog to the workplace isn’t the same as bringing a pet to work, no matter how much emotional support a pet provides.

No automatic right exists to bring a service animal into the workplace. Employees should consider whether a service dog is a reasonable accommodation under the ADA and could request the employee document or demonstrate the need for the service animal and the service animal is trained and won’t disrupt the workplace.

Employers with pet-friendly workplaces should also be prepared to reasonably accommodate employees with allergies that rise to the level of disability. Again,

Employers should weigh the risks of allowing pets in the workplace and the rewards to employees as well as increased job satisfaction and retention. For employers that decide to allow pets in the workplace, implementing a solid policy on this practice is the best place to start.

the employer will go through the normal documentation steps and interactive process to assess whether or not the employer can reasonably accommodate these employees.

Finally, what happens if an employee is injured by an animal in the workplace, whether it’s a dog bite or tripping over a sleeping cat?

Three laws possibly apply. Colorado’s dog bite law imposes strict liability on a dog’s owner for a dog bite resulting in serious bodily injury, including bites creating a substantial risk of serious permanent disfigurement or a substantial risk of protracted loss or impairment of the function of any part or organ of the body,

The employer could be liable for injuries that occur in the workplace under the Colorado Property Liability Act. The PLA imposes liability for injuries caused by unsafe conditions on private property the owner knew or should have known existed.

Normally, workers’ compensation offers the exclusive remedy for workers injured within the scope and course of their employment and precludes employees from bringing tort actions against their employers.

Colorado courts haven’t yet balanced these three laws in a situation involving animals in the workplace. The exclusive remedy for breaking an ankle tripping over Fluffy is likely workers’ compensation. But the exclusivity rule might not apply if the employer or owner of the animal intentionally acted to cause the employee’s injury. The Colorado Court of Appeals has held the dog bite law and PLA can both apply to the same injury.

While these risks are real and must be assessed by employers interested in allowing animals in the workplace, the risk assessment is no different than employers conduct for numerous, more common safety risks in the workplace. Employers should weigh the risks of allowing pets in the workplace and the rewards to employees as well as increased job satisfaction and retention.

For employers that decide to allow pets in the workplace, implementing a solid policy on this practice is the best place to start.

Employers Council members have access to the white paper Employee Handbook: Pets in the Workplace. Lawyers and human resource professionals are available to advise Employers Council consulting and enterprise members on this issue.

Dean Harris is the Western Slope Area managing attorney for the Employers Council. The Employers Council counsels, represents and trains member employers in all phases of employment relationships. Contact Harris at dharris@employerscouncil.org or (970) 852-0190.

Dean Harris

Caring attitudes elevate service and satisfaction

With every interaction and transaction, a business gives customers a good, neutral or bad feeling. The last two have no place in a thriving company. The first is a prerequisite to happiness and success.

You’ve likely engaged businesses that left you wishing you’d never walked through their doors. Perhaps you encountered poor customer service, inferior products or bad and uncaring attitudes. Even if your experience was neutral — neither bad nor good — the trust and loyalty so vital to inspire in customers wasn’t nurtured in you.

What business can afford to affect customers, and therefore the bottom line, through bad experiences? No matter the economic environment, customers matter. Unhappy ones tend to exert a far greater influence on your reputation and business success.

In all likelihood, you also can recall some experiences as a consumer that left you with a good, if not a great, feeling. The value you received during these interactions endeared you to these companies, creating loyalty and repeat business. The money and time you spent was well worth it, and you walked away with a positive, satisfied and happy feeling.

Where does quality customer service start? If you answered at the top with you, the business owner, you’re correct. You lead your company. This means your team members take their cues for behavior and performance directly from you. Your attitude and behaviors set the standard in your organization.

When the owner of a business truly cares about people, they endeavor to provide team members and customers

Where does quality customer service start? If you answered at the top with you, the business owner, you’re correct.

alike with the best experiences possible. These leaders understand that when their teams feel good about the people and companies they work for, they’ll impart those same feelings to customers through positive attitudes and exceptional service. Leaders know their well-chosen and highly trained staff will follow their lead and strive to give each and every customer a great experience.

The wisest business owners — those who lead rather than boss — hire people with good skills and even better attitudes. These leaders create and maintain uplifting and supportive work environments that foster the positive attitudes of their team members. By doing so, engagement goes up and team members feel they’re part of a collective effort to consistently deliver a positive experience to each customer.

Along the road of business, you’ll encounter team members who prove unable or unwilling to maintain a positive and caring attitude. In these cases, your best choice is to let these bad apples go. Negative team members are like a cancer within any organization, damaging the morale of the team, diminishing customer relations and ultimately hurting business.

You’ll also experience customers who are never satisfied no matter how well you serve them. They’ll always find something to complain about and some reason to bring negativity into your business. Just like negative and uncaring team members, toxic customers must be let go.

Otherwise, you risk contaminating the positive experience your company provides and subjecting your team members to unjust treatment.

In return for the good feelings they receive from your business, most customers you serve will be fiercely loyal to your brand. They’ll refer new customers and could even help to counter any complaints you’ve received. All of this leads back to and affects the bottom line of your business. This will result in more sales and a sense of accomplishment in providing a consistently high-quality experience.

Most team members and customers have attitudes that contribute to a positive two-way experience. When you hire people with great attitudes and provide training, support and a positive work environment, you set the stage for exceptional service that leaves customers feeling great about your business.

Give yourself and your business the gift of an honest self-appraisal. If you discover your leadership style, team, work environment or customer service could benefit from the support of a qualified coaching professional, take the next step and invest in excellence. The success of your company and happiness of everyone involved could depend on it.

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.

Marcus Straub

What, exactly, is a small business?

What, exactly, is a small business?

According to Forbes, 99.9 percent of all businesses in the United States are small businesses. There are about 33.2 million small businesses. Of those, 27.1 million have a single owner and no employees. Small businesses collectively employ almost half of U.S. workers. Another 16 percent of small businesses employ one to 19 people each.

Small business is collectively big business.

The definition of a small business varies depending on the specific industry. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) defines a small business as an independently owned for-profit enterprise that employs 500 or fewer persons. But there are exceptions for what constitutes a small business in specific industries.

Size standards define the largest size a business can be to participate in government contracting programs and compete for contracts reserved or set aside for small businesses. Size standards vary by industry and are based on the number of employees or amount of annual receipts the business has. A purely professional services-focused business will have lower revenue limits, while a products-focused one will have higher limits. Businesses that provide such consumer services as hotel rooms usually fall somewhere in between those two types.

More information about industry revenue and size classifications is available from the SBA at www.sba.gov or North American Industry Classification System website at www.naics.com.

In addition to meeting numerical standards, your business must:

n Be a for-profit business of any legal structure.

n Be independently owned and operated.

n Not be nationally dominant in its field.

n Located and operated in the United States or its territories. Small business is a growth industry. According to the SBA, about 1.1 million new small businesses opened between March

2021 and March 2022. That means 180,528 more small businesses opened within this time frame than closed. Small businesses aren’t always small they way you might believe. But if your business qualifies as small, you could find a variety of federal and possibly state and local opportunities set aside just for you. By one estimate, 20 percent of all new businesses fail in the first year, an additional 10 percent in the second year and a cumulative 50 percent by the third year. Since so many people work for small businesses, it’s in the interest of government agencies to support new businesses.

Starting and running a small business is hard work. So why go there?

n The best reason to start a small business might be you get to do something love. And if you provide a product or service better, faster or cheaper than a big business, it could be financially rewarding.

n You get to support your community and actively participate in its growth and success.

n You make the decisions and set the rules.

So what is small business? It’s really big business, just in a smaller, more convenient package.

Janet Arrowood is founder and managing director of the Write Source, a Grand Junction firm offering a range of services, including grant and proposal writing, instruction and technical writing. Reach her at janet.arrowood@thewritesourceinc.com. For more information, log on to www.TheWriteSourceInc.com.

Janet Arrowood

If your business qualifies as small, you could find a variety of federal and possibly state and local opportunities set aside just for you.

Sure you’re ready to terminate an employee?

A company’s potential legal risks can be directly related to how management handles terminations. While it might sound contradictory, it’s important to make the termination process as painless and positive as possible for both the employee and the employer no matter the reason.

For employees, it’s crucial to preserve their dignity, which can help defuse even the most tense situations. Bad feelings can lead to bad consequences. Many lawsuits are filed because of employees’ feelings about how an employer treated them during a separation meeting — not necessarily because their allegations are supported. Providing an adequate reason is also important to help reduce emotional drama. Most important, the employee’s record must support the action.

Are you certain the employee is even aware his or her job is in jeopardy? Have clear expectations been communicated from the time of hire? Is the communication documented? Has the employee ever requested assistance or additional training? If so, did the employer comply with the request? If not, why not?

What about warnings? Has management met with the employee — with a witness — and conducted an open and interactive discussion about expectations, issues, the employee’s perspective and how the employer can assist the employee be successful? What was the final straw, the final incident, that caused the discharge? Do you have all the details? Was the employee asked for his or her side of the story?An employee should never be surprised at termination.

Paid investigatory leave or paid administrative leave can be efficacious to ensure all the proverbial ducks are

in a row. The employer can take its time in completing a thorough examination of the file, checking warnings, signatures on policy acknowledgements, proof of training and confirming information from witnesses. It’s important to do the investigative groundwork in depth to justify the action. The last thing you want is to make a legal and appropriate decision, but with an incomplete record that fails to substantiate the decision.

Of course, the at-will relationship between an employer and employee allows an employer to terminate an employee without cause. An employer can determine an employee isn’t a good fit for the job or organizational culture and terminate as long as there’s no such unlawful reason as retaliation or discrimination.

The employee could disagree, however. An employer must remain prepared to challenge allegations of discrimination or other unlawful employment practices. An employer’s best defense is always good documentation of a good faith effort to help the employee improve. Consistent disciplinary practices and policy enforcement are crucial in mounting a formidable defense against allegations of discriminatory practices.

This is why it’s vital to involve human resources in all disciplinary actions. They’re not only well aware of the policies, but also the precedents in handling certain scenarios. They’re responsible for the implementation and lawful compliance of the organization’s mission and talent strategy.

If an employee does bring up allegations of unlawful employment practices at the time of termination, an investigation must follow even though the employee is separated.

There are situations in which releases and severance agreements constitute appropriate considerations. Whenever there’s a separation, there’s always the possibility an employee will take legal action. To avoid the threat, there’s an option to negotiate a severance agreement. Most often this type of agreement is used when there’s a lack of documentation to support a termination, but the employer wants to both end the employment relationship and avoid a lawsuit. Severance agreements also are used for offering early retirement or buying out an employment contract early.

A release should be in writing, signed by the employee waiving the right to sue and supported by adequate compensation. The employer must allow the employee time to think about signing it and encourage, in writing, consultation with an attorney to review the release before signing. Generally, an individual must be given at least 21 days to consider whether to sign and then seven days after signing to change the decision.

Such authorized causes of termination as closure, downsizing, health emergencies, installation of laborsaving devices, redundancy or retrenchment still require employer documentation. Business records should reflect the reasons for the actions and support personnel decisions to protect the employer in potential lawsuits.

Pamela Drake works at Lighthouse HR Support as an unemployment insurance business partner. The Grand Junction firm offers a range of human resource management services to small and mediumsized businesses. For more information, call 243-7789 or log on to www.lighthousehrs.net.

How public health powers life and business

At Mesa County Public Health, our teams are all connected to a bigger picture. We’re not only working to make the community healthier and safer today, but also improving systems that lead to sustained change over time. Reflecting on the agency’s achievements in 2022 shows how public health powers your life and business.

The agency works every day to promote a safe and healthy environment both for individuals and the workplace.

Sarah Gray

The disease surveillance and emergency response team monitors and works to control the spread of infectious diseases. In 2022, the team investigated 33 outbreaks in addition to COVID-19. For outbreaks at businesses, the team works closely with facilities to monitor situations and provide support. The team also provides guidance on disease control, including prevention and cleaning protocols.

The program also keeps the Grand Valley safe during public health crises. Last year, the county’s medical cache was restocked with 40 pallets of personal protective equipment.

The environmental health program works to ensure the health and safety of food, water and air in Mesa County. In 2022, the team performed 537 inspections, including those at restaurants, body art parlors, swimming pools and schools. In addition, 3,500 water samples were processed.

“We work with businesses that you visit every day to make sure they are operating safely and you and your family can swim, grocery shop, eat, get a tattoo, or go to school without getting sick or injured,” said Sally Born, environmental health manager at Mesa County Public Health.

Two programs at Mesa County Public Health focus on increasing high-quality child care and ensuring educational opportunities for the youngest generation.

“This allows parents to go to work, support their families and provides children with a safe and healthy place to learn,” said

Heather Nara, early childhood services manager.

In 2022, the early childhood services team performed 232 licensing inspections and 67 health inspections. The program also reimbursed $161,000 to child care centers for healthy meals served in their facilities.

The Mesa County Partnership for Children & Families issued $518,000 in grants to providers. The team also helped create 127 new child care slots, and through coaching reached 1,400 children. Several programs work to improve economic stability through child and family support and health care, which helps residents maintain a steady income.

The nurse-family partnership program advocates for first-time moms. In 2022, the team made more than 3,000 home visits in serving more than 250 families.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides access to nutritional food for families. The team served about 2,800 families every month last year.

The public health clinic provides preventive care for the community. This helps keep employees healthy and able to work.

In 2022, the clinic provided nearly $1 million in services, including immunizations and reproductive health care for men and women. The staff also administered 15,000 COVID-19 vaccines.

“The impact of one person receiving services in our clinic stretches far beyond the individual and helps create a healthier community,” said Allison Sanchez, public health clinic manager. By offering these services and resources, Mesa County Public Health gives local residents the opportunity to thrive both at home and at work.

We’re grateful to serve the community and local businesses and look forward to another year of doing just that.

Sarah Gray is a communication specialist with Mesa County Public Health. For additional information, call 248-6900 or visit https://health.mesacounty.us.

Pamela Drake

The last thing you want is to make a legal and appropriate decision, but with an incomplete record that fails to substantiate the decision.

Understanding commercial tenant improvements

When a business leases a new space, some commercial tenant improvements most likely will be needed to ensure the space meets the requirements of the business and reflects its brand.

When considering leasing commercial space for your company, understanding what upgrades are needed for the space to work and how tenant improvements will be handled are important details to understand and negotiate before you sign the lease.

Put simply, tenant improvements cover the expenses incurred for making the space fit a tenant’s needs and physically add to the building and its intrinsic value.

Tenant improvements can be handled in a variety of ways. In some cases, the tenant absorbs the cost. In other cases, the landlord does. In still other arrangements, the tenant and landlord split costs by a negotiated proportion. A common practice, however, is for the landlord to pay for commercial leasehold improvements with a tenant improvement allowance (TIA) and then bill the tenant in the monthly lease amount. I’ll focus on this scenario for this column.

The TIA is often detailed in the lease as an amount per square foot or fixed dollar amount. This amount is determined during the lease negotiation process and can be facilitated by your commercial leasing agent. The tenant is responsible for any differences between the TIA and actual costs of improvements. If improvements exceed the allowance, most landlords will renegotiate to include overages in the monthly lease fee.

The amount of TIA should be settled after careful

consideration of various factors, including:

n Status of the local real estate market.

n Credit histories of the landlord and tenant.

n The location of the commercial building.

n The condition of the commercial building.

n The type and number of units owned by the landlord. Tenant improvements offer a popular incentive to attract tenants looking to lease office space, but landlords aren’t required to provide TIAs.

Discussing TIAs while negotiating your lease with your prospective landlord can help limit the need for extra funds for renovations.

Every business has unique requirements. Tenant improvements include everything necessary for the tenant’s proper settling in the premises rented that add physical value to the property. Tenant improvements include:

n Demolish or remove existing partitions and walls.

n Erect new sheetrock walls.

n Install new carpet, laminate or hardwood flooring.

n Painting.

n Add new blinds.

n Permanent electrical work.

n Install or maintain plumbing fixtures.

n Install and maintain heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment.

n Provide access to disabled persons.

n Install a new dropped ceiling or exposed ceiling.

n Install windows near existing office doors.

n Anything else negotiated with the landlord. Specific furniture and fixtures aren’t covered in a TIA. Include these items in your budget — along with moving and setup costs — when relocating.

Landlords will sometimes offer turnkey spaces and assume responsibility of tenant improvements, especially in the case of new construction. In the case of a second lease or more of the space, the tenant is often responsible for overseeing construction.

In either situation, a licensed contractor is required — as is landlord approval prior to work commencing. If the landlord prefers a specific contractor, the tenant still can request competitive bids.

It’s an exciting moment for a business to move into a newly leased property, one representing progress and opportunity. Negotiating and understanding your tenant improvement agreement and allowance as well as choosing the right contractor to get it done will help you make the most of your new space.

Katie Davis works as a commercial broker with Bray Commercial Real Estate in Grand Junction. She brings to her duties 20 years of experience negotiating multimillion dollar contracts domestically and internationally. She also serves on the Grand Junction Area Realtors Association Board of Directors. For more information about Bray Commercial, call 241-2909 or log on to www.braycommercial.com.

Katie Davis

Tenant improvements can be handled in a variety of ways. A common practice, however, is for the landlord to pay for commercial leasehold improvements with a tenant improvement allowance (TIA) and then bill the tenant in the monthly lease amount.

Fueling an absurdity: Federal policies defy facts about ethanol

At a time when rising food prices cause financial hardship and insecurity for many Americans, burning alcohol made from corn in gasoline engines seems absurd.

In its infinite wisdom, Congress enacted a law in 2005 requiring oil companies to blend renewable fuels produced by converting biological material into ethanol, biodiesel or other liquid fuels with gasoline. Two years later, the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) further increased the amount of biofuels required to be blended into gasoline. Known as the Renewable Fuel Standard, the legislation required annual biofuel use to increase from 9 billion gallons in 2008 to 26 billion gallons in 2022.

Agricultural interest groups promote corn ethanol as an environmentally beneficial alternative to gasoline. But does it benefit the environment?

Jason Hill refuted this view in a March 2022 story titled “The Sobering Truth About Corn Ethanol.” Hill contended corn ethanol neither reduces greenhouse gas emissions nor improves energy security.

Writing for the Center on Global Energy Policy in November, Noah Kaufman stated: “Despite these failures, major reforms due to the powerful political allies of farmers and biofuel producers who benefit from the regulation have never been made. The production of ethanol is resource intensive and uses land that could instead be used for other purposes.”

“It takes more energy to make ethanol from grain than the combustion of ethanol produces,” said David Pimentel, a professor in the college of agriculture and life sciences at Cornell. Pimentel also chaired a U.S. Department of Energy panel that investigated the energetics, economic and environmental aspects of ethanol production. Among his findings: An acre yields about 7,110 pounds of corn for processing into 328 gallons of ethanol. Planting, growing and harvesting that much corn requires about 140 gallons of fossil fuels. The energy costs of corn production and converting to ethanol requires 131,000 British thermal units to make 1 gallon

States go in different ways with their taxing measures

of ethanol, which has an energy value of 77,000 BTUs. A gallon of ethanol from corn costs more than a gallon of gasoline. Federal subsidies for corn results in higher prices for meat, milk and eggs. Ethanol causes environmental damage.

Despite facts to the contrary, ethanol was touted as good for the environment and its use was mandated.

According to the results of a five-year study reported in January 2021 by EcoEnclose, a Colorado-based sustainable packing company, burning corn ethanol in gasoline-powered cars contributes to increased fertilizer use, water pollution, soil erosion and at least 24 percent more greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline. The production of ethanol has been proven to be resource intensive and a contributor to pollution in the environment. Yet, the mandate continues.

Despite the lack of benefits of adding ethanol to gasoline, the federal government has nurtured and sustained the ethanol industry with massive subsidies. Ethanol producers have received favorable tax treatment, production subsidies, tariff protection from foreign competition and a government mandate for its use. Economic distortions are caused by forcing payments from petroleum refiners and importers to biofuel producers and refiners. Taxpayer dollars are used to subsidize ineffective and costly programs pretending to help the environment and wean the public from fossil fuels. Saying something is good for the environment doesn’t make it so.

Why would a country choose to burn a food source to power a vehicle when fossil fuels are in abundant supply? Decisions based on ideology will never choose a path as efficient as a free market economy.

Phyllis Hunsinger is founder of the Freedom & Responsibility Education Enterprise Foundation in Grand Junction. The FREE Foundation provides resources to students and teachers in Western Colorado to promote the understanding of economics, financial literacy and free enterprise. A former teacher, principal and superintendent, Hunsinger wrote “Down and Dirty: A ‘How To’ Math Book.” Reach Hunsinger at phyllis@free-dom.us.com. For more information about the FREE Foundation, log on to the website located at www.free-dom.us.com.

At best, Congress and the White House have dithered over pro-growth policies. At worst, and far closer to the truth, Washington has pushed an anti-growth agenda including higher taxes and more regulation, protectionism and government spending. There are examples of elected officials making positive contributions, however. Where? In certain states. Consider some key tax changes that went into effect at the start of the year:

n Arizona moved from a two-rate income tax with rates of 2.55 percent and 2.98 percent to a flat rate of 2.5 percent.

n Arkansas cut its corporate income tax rate from 5.9 percent to 5.3 percent.

n Idaho cut its individual income tax rate from 6 percent to 5.8 percent.

n Indiana cut its individual income tax rate from 3.23 percent to 3.15 percent with a phase down that could lower the rate of 2.9 percent in 2029.

n Iowa went from a personal income tax with nine brackets and a top rate of 8.53 percent to four brackets and a top rate of 6 percent. The number of brackets and top rate will continue to decline until hitting a 3.9 percent flat tax in 2026. In addition, Iowa’s corporate income tax rate went from three brackets with a top rate of 9.8 percent to two brackets and a top rate of 8.4 percent.

n Kentucky cut its individual income tax rate from 5 percent to 4.5 percent. If certain revenue triggers are met, the rate should decline to 4 percent in 2024.

n Missouri cut its top individual income tax rate from 5.3 percent to 4.95 percent.

n Nebraska reduced its highest individual income tax rate from 6.84 percent to 6.64 percent, with the rate scheduled to phase down to 5.84 percent in 2027.

n New Hampshire has no general personal income tax, but imposes an income tax on interest and dividends. That rate declined from 5 percent to 4 percent on its way to being phased out by 2027. Also, the state corporate income tax rate was cut from 7.6 percent to 7.5 percent.

n North Carolina dropped its individual income tax rate from 4.99 percent to 4.75 percent.

n Pennsylvania reduced its corporate income tax rate from 9.99 percent to 8.99 percent, with the rate scheduled to be phased down to 4.99 percent by 2031.

Unfortunately, there are also state lawmakers looking to take their states in the wrong direction and inflict more damage to their already inhospitable tax climates. As the Wall Street Journal recently noted, eight states — California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York and Washington — seek to impose wealth taxes of one kind or another.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the idea in California would be to take 1 percent a year from households worth more than $50 million and 1.5 percent from those worth more than $1 billion.

Illinois would tax unrealized capital gains as income. And in New York, State Sen. Gustavo Rivera introduced a bill to increase the state’s 10.9 percent top capital gains tax rate, adding 7.5 percentage points for households earning more than $550,000 and another 7.5 points for those above $1.1 million.

Of course, such taxes come on top of federal levies.

These destructive proposals ignore basic economics. Whether lawmakers intend it or not, they’re designed to undermine economic growth by chasing away entrepreneurship and investment. And make no mistake, this very much is about taxing small businesses. According to the Federal Reserve, the top 1 percent in total wealth own 57 percent of private companies.

These eight states serving up class warfare measures meant to punish top income earners would spread economic destruction and provide additional incentives for people to move to less punishing states. Keep in mind that California, New York and Illinois already rank among the top states for exporting people to other states.

So if 11 states can take pro-entrepreneurship, pro-small business, pro-investment — that is, pro-growth — policy steps, why can’t federal officials do the same? Since states often are referred to as laboratories of democracy, federal lawmakers can just as easily look to destructive experiments for inspiration, including wealth tax ideas.

In the end, it’s about choosing to align policy with sound economics or not. The question for policymakers is this: Do you want to incentivize wealth creation and all the resulting benefits that spread across the economy or incentivize wealth destruction?

Phyllis Hunsinger

Raymond Keating is chief economist of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, a small business research and advocacy group. Reach him through the website at www.sbecouncil.org.

Raymond Keating

n COMMUNITY HOSPITAL IMPLEMENTS PROGRAM TO PROMOTE JOBS FOR DISABLED YOUNG ADULTS

Opinion Business Briefs Business People Almanac

Community Hospital in Grand Junction has implemented a program to promote employment opportunities for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“Supporting our community is at the forefront of our mission,” said Chris Thomas, president and chief executive officer of Community Hospital. “Project SEARCH is one more way Community Hospital can help foster young talent in our community, and we are thrilled to help trailblaze this program on the Western Slope.”

Community Hospital is the first program site for Project SEARCH on the Western Slope and one of only nine sites in Colorado. Interns participate in two semesters of rotations through various departments in the hospital as well receive onsite training in such topics as financial literacy, self-advocacy, team building, technology and workplace safety.

Program partners also include Mesa County School District 51 and the Mesa County Workforce Center as well as Arc of Mesa County and Strive.

Christina O’Dell, director of volunteer services at Community Hospital, said the hospital has worked with the school district and other partners to help prepare young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for adulthood. “Community Hospital is proud to play an integral role in addressing a significant need on the Western Slope.”

n BAKER’S BOUTIQUE SELLING CUPCAKES FOR FUND-RAISER FOR MARILLACHEALTH

The Baker’s Boutique in Grand Junction has joined with title sponsor Vectra Bank and other business partners in the annual Gifts from the Heart Valentine’s Day fund-raiser for MarillacHealth. Boxes of four handcrafted cupcakes — each with different flavors, frostings and toppings — are available for $20. Purchases will benefit the mission of MarillacHealth to provide medical, dental and behavioral health care services to Mesa County residents.

To place an order, call the Baker’s Boutique at (970) 241-0033 or visit www.MarillacHealth.org/gifts-from-the-heart. Orders can be picked up Feb. 11, 13 or 14 at the Baker’s Boutique at 726 24 Road.

NOTEWORTHY SHARE YOUR NEWS

The Business Times welcomes submissions for free publication in Business Briefs. Email items to phil@thebusinesstimes.com or submit a news release online at www.thebusinesstimes.com.

n SURVEYS SEEK COMMENT ON FEASIBILITY OF EXPANDING BUSTANG BUS SERVICES

The Colorado Department of Transportation is surveying Bustang passengers to assess the feasibility of expanding bus services, including services along Interstate Highway 70 between Grand Junction and Denver.

“Demand for additional trips has spiked, and we are conducting an on-board questionnaire to determine the best expansion options to facilitate the needs of Bustang riders. Feedback is incredibly valuable for this study,” said Brian Metzger, assistant director for transit planning and delivery for the Colorado Department of Transportation. Service also could be expanded along Interstate Highway 25 between Fort Collins and Denver as well as Denver and Colorado Springs.

Surveys are available in English and Spanish when passengers log onto the Bustang wireless network. Advertisements with a link and QR code also will be posted inside Bustang buses. Passengers who respond to the survey will be eligible to receive Visa gift cards.

n DANGO & CO. SCHEDULES PRIVATE DINNER AT REDLANDS COMMUNITY CENTER

Dango & Co. has scheduled a private dinner at the Redlands Community Center in Grand Junction.

The dinner is set to begin at 5 p.m. Feb. 10 at the center, located at 2463 Broadway. The event will include a six-course meal featuring locally sourced ingredients and creative foods inspired by childhood memories. Vegan substitutions are available upon request.

Dinner reservations are required. For more information about available reservation times and pricing, visit bit.ly/dangodinner.

A mobile food operator based in Mesa County, Dango & Co. combines ingredients grown on a family farm or by other local producers with fusion techniques to produce flavorful foods that bring people together.

NFIB alerts Colorado business owners about new obligations

A small business advocacy group urges its members and other small business owners to comply with new obligations in Colorado.

They include those imposed under the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) and SecureSavings retirement programs.

“Almost half our members process their own payroll — when they get the time, which is becoming scarcer because 91 percent of them are working more hours to make up for the labor shortage afflicting small businesses across the nation. So we try to get them the information they need to know quickly so they don’t fall behind complying with the law. And this year, there are two additional ones we want them to know about,”

said Tony Gagliardi, Colorado director of the National Federation of Independent Business.

Starting Jan. 1, employers must register with the FAMLI program and begin making premium deductions from employee paychecks. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment recently extended the first payment deadline from April 30 to the end of May.

The Colorado SecureSavings Program requires most private employers with at least five employees that don’t offer a tax-qualified retirement plan to enroll. Employers that provide retirement plans must certify their exemptions.

Employees who choose to participate in the program may allow an automatic 5 percent pay contribution to begin or designate a different contribution amount. F

Alpine Bank hopes to donate $2.5 million to Colorado nonprofit and community organizations in 2023 as part of a celebration of 50 years in business.

Alpine Bank operates a loyalty debit card program in which the bank donates 10 cents every time a customer uses one of the special cards for a purchase.

“Just like our years in business, those dimes add up fast,” said Glen Jammaron, president of Alpine Bank.

“Giving back to our communities is foundational to Alpine Bank’s philosophy and, ultimately, our success,” Jammaron said. “We hope to not only donate $2.5 million in 2023, but to grow that annual support as we embark on our next 50 years.”

In 2022, Alpine Bank donated a total more than $2 million through its loyalty debit card program in seven categories. Those donations included $717,000 for community organizations and causes, $381,000 for the environment, $353,000 for education and $250,000 for the arts. The bank donated another $255,000 to Children’s Hospital Colorado, $98,000 to Colorado Mountain College and $16,000 to Fort Lewis College.

Alpine Bank customers with checking accounts can obtain loyalty debit cards at bank branches as well as online at www.alpinebank.com.

Additional charitable gifts from Alpine Bank totaled more than $3.3 million in 2022. Alpine Bank employees contributed a total of more than 20,000 hours in volunteer efforts.

A $6.3 billion employeeowned organization headquartered in Glenwood Springs, Alpine Bank operates locations across Colorado and serves more than 170,000 customers.

Chris Thomas

G. Jammaron

Tony Gagliardi

Business People Almanac Business Briefs Business People Almanac

n ACCOUNTING AND CONSULTING FIRM ANNOUNCES TWO STAFF PROMOTIONS

Kimberley Jones has been promoted to human resources supervisor for Dalby, Wendland & Co. based in Grand Junction.

Nathan Garcia has been promoted to audit senior for the public accounting and business consulting firm.

Jones oversees HR functions, including benefits, compliance and recruiting. Before joining DWC, she worked as an HR professional in the construction, health care and nonprofit sectors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. She’s a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and holds the Professional in Human Resources certification.

Garcia provides accounting and attest services to clients in various industries. He joined DWC as an intern and joined the audit team in June 2021. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Colorado Mesa University.

DWC operates the largest public accounting firm headquartered in Western Colorado with offices in Grand Junction as well as Glenwood Springs, Montrose, Rifle and Telluride. For more information, call 243-1921 or visit www.DalbyCPA.com

n REAL ESTATE BUSINESS HONORS BEST-SELLING AGENT FOR JANUARY

Cynthia Castaneda was honored as the top agent for January at Heiden Homes Realty in Grand Junction.

Castaneda posted the highest dollar volume in sales as well as the most closed transactions for the month. She’s worked as a real estate professional with Heiden Homes since 2007. A registered nurse, she also cares for a disabled client.

Heiden Homes operates offices at 735 Rood Ave. For information, including properties for sale or rent, call 245-7777 or visit www.heidenhomes.com.

SHARE YOUR NEWS

The Business Times welcomes submissions for free publication in Business People and the Almanac calendar of events. Email submissions to phil@thebusinesstimes.com or submit a news release online at www.thebusinesstimes.com.

n REAL ESTATE FIRM NAMES DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION

Mike Urlacher has joined Bray & Co. in Grand Junction as director of the company’s maintenance and construction division.

Urlacher brings to the new leadership position experience in maintenance and construction, most recently managing operations for Porter Homes and helping clients with their custom home needs. He previously worked as an estimator at FCI Constructors and held other jobs in the construction industry.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in construction management from Colorado Mesa University and has taught construction management courses at Western Colorado Community College.

“I look forward to the growth this talented and dedicated maintenance team can achieve in 2023 and beyond,” he said. “Stepping into our own as a division of Bray & Co. is a great opportunity, and we are eager to build something that further serves our customers.”

Robert Bray, chief executive officer at Bray & Co., said he’s excited to grow the division in 2023. “With Mike’s expertise, he will enable us to provide additional services for all our divisions and their clients.”

Bray & Co. provides a range of services related to residential and commercial real estate, property management, maintenance and construction in Mesa County as well as Delta, Garfield and Montrose counties. The company operates offices in Grand Junction and Rifle.

For additional information, call 242-3647 or visit the website at www.brayandco.com.

Grand Valley residents appointed to state boards

Four Grand Junction residents have been appointed to state boards, commissions and councils.

Benjamin Hoffman was appointed to the State Board of Human Services. The board adopts policies, regulations and rules for the administration of the Colorado Department of Human Services.

Brien Webster was appointed to the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp Commission, which reviews proposed projects for habitat stamp funds.

Samuel Todd Young was reappointed to the Health

Insurance Affordability Enterprise, which administers a health insurance affordability fee and special assessment on hospitals.

Michelle Sunkel was reappointed to the Colorado Human Trafficking Council, which assists in efforts to prevent human trafficking in Colorado.

In addition, Laura Lancaster of Palisade was appointed to the Underground Damage Prevention Safety Commission. The commission advises state agencies and local governments on best practices to prevent damage to underground utilities. F

Feb. 9

n Initiate Conference on marketing and communications, Feb. 9 and 10, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 743 Horizon Drive, Grand Junction. Admission ranges from $109 to $399. www.initiateconference.com

n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Family Health West, 401 Kokopelli Drive. Admission $5 for chamber members, $10 for others. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894

Feb. 14

n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce business free toolbox presentation on conducting a new year financial checkup, noon to 1 p.m., FWorks, 325 E. Aspen Ave. Event open only to Fruita chamber members. https://fruitachamber.org or 858-3894

Feb. 15

n Western Colorado Human Resource Association monthly luncheon meeting and presentation on Medicare benefits, 11:30 to 1 p.m., Mesa County Workforce Center, 512 29 1/2 Road, Grand Junction. Members attend at no additional charge. Others pay $10. www.wchra.org

n Palisade Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Grande River Vineyards, 787 Grande River Drive. Admission $5 for chamber members in advance, $6 at the door. Others pay $8 in advance and $10 at the door. www.palisadecoc.com or 464-7458

n Leading Edge business planning course, 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays Feb. 15 to May 3, Business Incubator Center, 2591 Legacy Way, Grand Junction. Admission $275, $100 for each additional participant from the same business. https://gjincuabator.org. or 243-5242

Feb. 17

n Coffee Club free networking meeting, 9 to 10 a.m., FWorks. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org

Feb. 21

n Presentation on cash flows for small businesses, noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 21, Business Incubator Center. https://gjincuabator.org. or 243-5242

Feb. 22

n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Business, 6 to 8 p.m., Candle Kitchen, 120 N. Fifth St., Grand Junction. Admission $25 for chamber members, $35 for others. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org

Upcoming

n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Welcome Thursday Friends free networking group, noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 23, Cattlemen’s Bar & Grill, 1369 12 1/2 Road, Loma. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org

n Palisade Chamber of Commerce annual member banquet, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Feb. 25, Orchard River View, 3926 U.S. Highway 6 & 24. Admission $85. www.palisadecoc.com or 464-7458

n Class on the fundamentals of Excel spreadsheets, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 28, Business Incubator Center.

Admission $35. https://gjincuabator.org. or 243-5242

See ALMANAC page 31

Mike Urlacher

Kimberley Jones

Nathan Garcia

C. Castaneda

Robert Bray

Almanac

Continued from page 30

Upcoming

n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 28, Western Colorado Community College, 2508 Blichmann Ave. Admission $10 in advance, $12 at the door. https://gjchamber.org or 242-3214

n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Business monthly networking luncheon, noon to 1 p.m. March 2, Copper Club Brewing Co., 153 N, Mulberry St. Admission $15 for chamber members, $25 for others. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org

n Business startup workshop, 2 to 4 p.m. March 2, Business Incubator Center. Admission $55, $27.50 for the second participant from the same business. 243-5242 or https://gjincuabator.org.

n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Networking at Noon, noon to 1 p.m. March 8, location to be announced. Admission $20 for chamber members, $25 for others. 242-3214 or https://gjchamber.org

n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce women’s conference, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 9, Colorado Mesa University Center ballroom, 1455 N. 12th St., Grand Junction. Admission $75 for chamber members, $100 for others. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org

n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce free class on maximizing membership, noon to 1 p.m. March 14, FWorks. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org

n Palisade Chamber of Commerce business after hours, 5:30 to 7 p.m. March 15, Talbott Family Farms, 3782 F 1/4 Road. Admission $5 for chamber members in advance, $6 at the door. Others pay $8 in advance and $10

at the door. www.palisadecoc.com or 464-7458

n Coffee Club free networking meeting, 9 to 10 a.m. March 17, FWorks. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org

n Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Welcome Thursday Friends free networking group, noon to 1 p.m. March 23, Fiesta Guadalajara, 103 U.S. Highway 6 & 50. 858-3894 or https://fruitachamber.org

n Business bookkeeping boot camp, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 23, Business Incubator Center. Admission $75, which includes lunch. https://gjincuabator.org. or 243-5242

n Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Networking at Noon, noon to 1 p.m. April 12, Timberline Bank, 649 Market St. Admission $20 for chamber members, $25 for others. https://gjchamber.org or 242-3214