42 minute read
Another play area has opened at SCL Health St. Mary’s Hospital, but the place isn’t strictly about fun and games
A new outdoor play area at SCL Health St. Mary’s includes metal features that can be played like musical instruments. The play area constitutes the second phase of a collaborative effort to offer more child and family friendly areas in the Grand Junction hospital. (Business Times photo by Phil Castle)
Play area at St. Mary’s not just about fun and games
Area Rotary clubs and businesses join in effort
Phil Castle The Business Times
Another play area has opened at SCL Health St Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, but the place isn’t strictly about fun and games.
“It will provide a much-needed respite for patient families and help ease the stress of being in a hospital environment,” said Carmen Shipley, executive director of the St. Mary’s Foundation.
Bryan Johnson, president of SCL Health St. Mary’s, agreed. “This is an exciting thing. It’s fun to watch kids in a healing environment.”
SCL Health St. Mary’s officially unveiled the outdoor play area at a ribbon cutting and media event. The area is located near the main hospital entrance and includes seating as well as metal features that can be played like musical instruments.
Shipley said the area constitutes the second phase of an effort to create more child and family friendly areas throughout the hospital. Last year, a new play area opened in the pediatric unit on the seventh floor of the hospital.
The effort is funded in part by the
Micah Montag Pediatric Endowment & Action Fund. The fund was established by friends of the Montag family to honor Micah, a 10-year-old Grand Junction boy whose life was cut short by cancer. Contributions to the fund have exceeded the $1 million goal, Shipley said.
In addition to the play areas, the fund has supported the purchase of cribs, high chairs, swings and other pediatric equipment; telemedicine equipment and training to communicate with referral facilities across Western Colorado and Eastern Utah; and community education to identify, treat and prevent child abuse.
Six Rotary clubs — the Delta, Fruita, Grand Junction and Montrose clubs as well as the Horizon Sunrise and Palisade Sunrise clubs — donated a total of $28,000 for the outdoor play area.
PNCI Construction and eight other subcontractors donated their services to complete the project.
Shipley praised what she said was a collaborative effort. “We are very grateful to our local Rotary clubs and to the many local contractors that came together to make this project possible.” F
Page 6 The Business Times OctOber 8-21, 2020 Variance in place despite increase in COVID cases
Phil Castle The Business Times
Less stringent public health orders remain in place in Mesa County for now despite an increase in positive COVID-19 cases, according to a local official. The agency is working with state officials to maintain what’s called the Jeff Kuhr “Protect Our Neighbors” phase of the variance, said Jeff Kuhr, executive director of Mesa County Public Health. “It’s not their objective to take us in and out of this.”
Kuhr discussed the latest developments in the pandemic in a Zoom meeting arranged by the Grand
For more on COVID-19 and Mesa County, see page 23.
Junction Area Chamber of Commerce.
As of Oct. 5, 753 positive cases of COVID-19 were reported in Mesa County. Six of those infected were currently hospitalized. Five deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 in the county since the onset of the outbreak.
At the same time, testing also has increased, Kuhr said.
As of Oct. 5, 37,732 tests had been administered in Mesa County. Out of that, 1.71 percent of the tests were positive. Over the previous two weeks, though, 2.99 percent of tests were positive.
Over the previous two weeks, 25.9 percent of positive cases were attributed to close contact with family members. Another 8.1 percent of cases were attributed to private gatherings and 8.1 percent to travel outside the county.
There were no cases attributed to people visiting a local business, Kuhr said.
What’s “concerning,” he said, is that in 38.4 percent of positive COVID-19 cases, the source of exposure was unknown. That’s an indication of continued community spread.
Over the previous two weeks, 20.5 percent of people testing positive were between the ages of 20 and 29 years. Another 17.3 percent were between 30 and 39 and 14.1 percent between 40 and 49.
Mesa County is one of five counties in Colorado operating under the “Protect Our Neighbors” phase of variances from state public health orders. See VARIANCE page 14
Restaurants may apply to expand outdoor seating
Applications are open for downtown Grand Junction restaurants that want to expand their outdoor dining spaces.
The City of Grand Junction and Downtown Grand Junction have joined in the effort to enable restaurants to expand outdoor seating areas to nearby sidewalks and even parking spaces.
The city and Downtown Grand Junction have pledged a total of $228,500 to the effort to purchase base units, barrier fencing and canopies that can be installed on a temporary basis downtown to create dining areas.
The Colorado Department of Transportation also awarded a $47,000 Revitalizing Main Street grant to the Downtown Grand Junction Business Improvement District to help restaurants expand their outdoor dining options.
Restaurants are responsible for providing furnishings and maintaining the areas.
Restaurants interesting in expanding their outdoor dining areas must complete and return an application to Downtown Grand Junction.
Applications will be approved on a rolling basis. Barriers and canopies will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. F
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Page 8 The Business Times OctOber 8-21, 2020 Groups out to encourage random acts of kindness
Organizations and businesses in the Grand Valley have joined in an effort to encourage random acts of kindness as part of Mental Health Awareness Month in October.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on the Western Slope, 2-1-1 and the Western Colorado Community Foundation are among those involved. Kevin Barclay
“If we can engage our community moving forward using random acts of kindness, it’s amazing how we can change our community,” said Kevin Barclay, executive director of NAMI Western Slope. “We are calling out to everyone asking, imploring, encouraging them to reach out and do something just a little different. If we see and share with 2-1-1 and publish these things, it’ll feed on itself.” NAMI Western Slope has small cards available that read “You’ve been RAK’d” and encourage recipients to call 2-1-1 or send an email to namiwesternslope@gmail.com to share their stories of kindness. Anna Stout Recipients can then use those cards to pass along to someone else when performing a random act of kindness. Community members are also encouraged to share their stories on social media using the hashtags #RAKGJ, #RAKMesaCounty and #SeeShareCare. Organizations and businesses are also encouraged to engage their employees and pledge to take part in random acts of kindness throughout the month.
Anna Stout, executive director of the Roice-Hurst Humane Society, said the animal shelter and adoption center plans to perform pet-related random acts, such as sending employees out to walk dogs for homebound residents and randomly handing out pet care packages at the dog park.
“Compassion is one of our values, so our team jumped on the opportunity to spread some extra kindness throughout our community, especially right now when things feel so divided,” Stout said.
For more information, to obtain “You’ve been RAK’d” cards or pledge business support, call 812-0010 or send an email namiwesternslope@gmail.com F Observance aims to recognize roles of the disabled
The contributions of people with disabilities to the Colorado economy will be recognized during Disability Employment Awareness Month in Colorado. “I hope Disability E m p l o y m e n t Awareness Month inspires the state’s employers, businesses, and industries to recognize the talents and skills of Coloradans with disabilities,” said Joe Barela Joe Barela, executive director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
The theme of the observance this year will be “Increasing Access and Opportunity, Celebrating 30 Years of the ADA.”
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Division of Vocational Rehabilitation will present the fourth annual Shining Stars of Disability Employment Awards. The awards recognize businesses and individuals who recruit, hire, retain and advance individuals with disabilities.
Barela said people with disabilities sometimes experience an unfounded stigma when it comes to employment. He said they also often have high levels of poverty, a factor that lowers people with disabilities’ chances of getting and keeping a job.
According to the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability, 26 percent of people with disabilities in the United States live in poverty, compared to about 11 percent of the remainder of the population. The same report found that only 37 percent of people with disabilities are employed, nearly half the employment rate of others.
To address the barriers people with disabilities face, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation helps employers understand the skills and talents people with disabilities can bring to their jobs.
The division also provides people with disabilities one-on-one job counseling, interpreter services, assistive technology and transportation. F
Distracted driving has become a leading cause of crashes on Colorado roads, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Distracted drivers were involved in 15,143 crashes on Colorado roads in 2019, resulting in 4,361 injuries and 28 fatalities, the department reported.
“Distracted driving continues to be a prevalent issue on Colorado roads, but is easy to fix,” said Darrell Lingk, director of the Colorado Department of Transportation Office of Transportation Safety. “Every time you are tempted to reach for your phone or take your eyes off the road, stop and think about the lives at risk and make a safer decision.” According to a 2020 driving behavior survey conducted by the department, 92 percent of those who responded reported
driving distracted in the past seven days. The most common distractions included eating or drinking, selecting entertainment on a device, talking on a hands-free cell phone and reading or sending a message on a cell phone.
“Colorado drivers continue to engage in distracting activities while driving,” Lingk said. “With fall in full swing and winter sports and holidays on the horizon, we encourage people to stay focused on the road and put distractions aside.”
The department advises drivers to switch their phones to do not disturb mode, assign passengers to serve as designated texters and plan stops to safely enjoy beverages and snacks. For more information about distracted driving in Colorado, visit distraction.codot.gov. F
OctOber 8-21, 2020
CMU facility now includes environmental chamber
Add a state-of-the-art environmental chamber to the equipment used at the Monfort Family Human Performance Laboratory at Colorado Mesa University. The chamber offers the ability to change a variety of conditions to understand how the human body functions in different environments. “There are
Michael Reeder all kinds of things we can do with this technology,” said Michael Reeder, director of the Monfort Family Human Performance Laboratory.
The chamber will be used for everything from physiology classes to research to training student athletes, Reeder said.
Oxygen levels can be adjusted to mimic environments ranging from sea level up to 14,000 feet in elevation. Temperatures inside the room can span from 10 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
“We can adjust the room to different altitudes to see what physiology changes are happening, like heart rate and oxygen levels. We can also look at the heat response in athletes to understand heat exhaustion by taking it up to say, 100 degrees and 8 percent humidity,” Reeder said.
Cyclists and runners at CMU can assess their physical performance under different conditions inside the chamber, which in turn can then help them compete in their sports. They can train harder at conditions at sea level because there’s more oxygen in the air.
“High-level cyclists and runners know what their heart rate is at a certain power level, so it’s fun to see how they perform in different environments. It’s exciting for them, too,” Reeder said.
The environmental chamber also expands on the experiential learning opportunities available to CMU students. Student research projects will focus on performance and safety.
“I’m biased, but I don’t think there’s a better place for undergraduates to get a hands-on education,” Reeder said. “CMU is different than lots of other places I’ve been where this kind of stuff is siloed off to different areas of the school. It’s really a neat opportunity for our students.” F
OctOber 8-21, 2020
CU joins in study of critical zones in the West
Three researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder will lead a five-year study of so-called critical zones from the bedrock to tree canopy top in the West
The University of Colorado will collaborate with five other universities, the United States Geological Survey and Environmental Protection Agency on the effort to better understand how soils, rocks, trees and water interact and change in fire- and drought-prone landscapes. The National Science Foundation awarded a $6.9 grant to fund the study,
The researchers will seek to uncover links between how water is stored and how that affects key processes in forest ecology, rock and soil chemistry and water quality. This work will also help predict how climate change could modify these interactions and change life in the West.
“The critical zone is the surface of the earth that supports life,” said Holly Barnard, the lead investigator, an associate professor of geography and fellow at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. “It very much influences our quality of life. It’s responsible for both our water quantity and our water quality.”
Joining Barnard at CU Boulder are principal investigators Eve-Lyn Hinckley, an assistant professor in environmental studies and institute fellow at INSTAAR, and Katherine Lininger, an assistant professor of geography.
NSF developed the critical zone program 13 years ago as a way to think about the earth sciences in an integrative and interdisciplinary way. It has since developed into Critical Zone Observatories — one of which was Boulder Creek in Boulder — and now the Critical Zone Collaboration Network.
A lot of dynamic water storage occurs in the critical zone, meaning it doesn’t stay in one place for long, Barnard said. “We think about dynamic storage in terms of water’s potential to do work within an ecosystem.”
Lininger said that work plays an important role in such processes as vegetation growth, stream flows and how carbon moves through the ecosystem.
Investigating water storage and its movement from slopes to valley bottoms not only results in interesting research questions, but will help scientists better understand Earth’s processes and the provisioning of important resources in western regions.
The team has chosen five locations in Colorado and California to test a variety of hypotheses about water in the critical zone — not only from a physical perspective, but also from ecological and chemical perspectives. Some have thinner soils than others, some have more porous bedrock. F
OctOber 8-21, 2020
ProStar announces VP of sales
Jess Lyman has joined ProStar as vice president of sales for the Grand Junctionbased company. In his new role, Lyman will oversee sales and increase market awareness of the PointMan mobile data collection software application. Lyman brings to the position more Jess Lyman than 20 years of sales and management experience, including work with Eli Lilly and as founder of his own company.
“We have strategically expanded both our sales and marketing teams so that we can increased our market penetration both in the U.S., Canada and abroad,” said Page Tucker, chief executive officer of ProStar.
“Jess’ depth of experience in managing sales teams and impressive track record for expanding into new markets will help us accelerate the adoption rate of PointMan,” Tucker said.
Lyman said he’s looking forward to helping expand the markets for ProStar software.
“PointMan is a disruptive software,” he said. “It is an incredibly robust tool, inexpensive, easy to use and brings immediate value to any organization involved in the construction or maintenance of surface and subsurface infrastructure.”
ProStar provides mobile and cloud precision mapping solutions designed to locate, map and manage underground utilities and pipelines. F
Variance
Continued from page 6
Gilpin, Gunnison, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties also have met requirements to loosen restrictions.
The variance allows businesses to operate at 50 percent of capacity. If additional requirements are met, capacity can be increased 5 percent every four weeks.
The new phase of the variance increases the cap for indoor gatherings at large facilities — such as churches — from 175 up to 500 or 50 percent of capacity, Kuhr said.
There are additional exemptions to the state mask order, allowing workers in offices to remove masks while they’re seated and people in gyms to remove masks while they’re exercising, he said.
The last call at bars was pushed back from 11:30 p.m. to midnight.
Despite the increase in positive COVID-19 cases, Mesa County continues to fare better in the pandemic than other areas of Colorado, Kuhr said. F
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Constructive
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“I think it’s really phenomenal,” Forsman says of the evolution of FCI and an operation that ranks among the top 10 private companies in Colorado and top 400 contractors nationwide.
What hasn’t changed over the years, Haas and Forsman say, are core values that include trustworthiness, hard work, honesty and professionalism. That’s in addition to a company culture that promotes collaboration and philanthropy as well as long-term relationships with clients.
Forsman retired in September after working for FCI for 34 years, the last 22 as president.
The board of directors appointed Haas to succeed Forsman as president. Haas also has worked for FCI for 34 years in a succession of positions that’s included superintendent, project manager, vice president of Grand Junction operations and executive vice president.
While FCI is headquartered in a building along the Interstate Highway 70 Business Loop, the company also operates smaller regional offices in Durango and Frederick in Colorado, Phoenix and Flagstaff in Arizona, Aztec in New Mexico, Williston in North Dakota, Edmond in Oklahoma and Cheyenne in Wyoming.
FCI employs about 420 people, about half of whom are shareholders under an employee ownership plan.
FCI has expanded, Haas and Forsman say, by taking on a project in an area, securing additional work and then opening an office. The company now operates throughout the Rocky Mountains in a geographic service region stretching from Mexico to Canada.
FCI worked on Grand River Health and its expanding facilities in Rifle and won an award for its work on the St. Vrain Valley Schools Innovation Center in Longmont. FCI has joined with other construction companies in a project to build additional gates at Denver International Airport.
But FCI also has completed some large and what Forsman considers iconic projects in the Grand Valley. That includes the Century Project at SCL Health St. Mary’s Hospital. The 12-story patient tower was part of what at $193 million was one of the largest scale construction projects in Grand Junction history.
FCI constructed the end-of-life care center for HopeWest as well as the new Orchard Mesa Middle School. FCI recently completed a four-story building housing the new headquarters of Timberline Bank.
Haas says construction evokes a sense of accomplishment. “At the end of the day, you get to look back and see what you did.”
But the process is satisfying, he says, in working with others. “It’s the people and camaraderie you’re developing.”
Forsman says FCI has always promoted a culture of collaboration among employees. “It’s like a pretty big family.”
Developing relationships with clients is also rewarding professionally as well as personally, he says.
At the same time, the company culture also includes giving back to the communities in which FCI operates, Haas and Forsman says. The company contributes to more than 200 local and national charitable organizations. Haas says many of the contributions constitute investments in the future in supporting 4-H, Little League and other youth organizations.
Looking ahead at business, Haas says FCI is well positioned for continued growth. “I’ve got a very positive outlook.”
That makes his new position a supporting role in providing employees what they need to succeed, he says. “It’s just to support everybody out there to the fullest extent possible.”
It’s also a matter, he says, of setting an example.
To that end, Haas says a lot of what he really needs to know about running a construction company he learned from Forsman. “He just set a good example.” F Applications sought for Daniels Fund college scholarships
Applications will be accepted through 4 p.m. Nov. 15 for scholarships awarded to college-bound high school seniors in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
The Daniels Fund Scholarship Program offers comprehensive, four-year college scholarships that provide financial and personal support focused on helping recipients succeed in college and life. Scholarships can be used at any accredited nonprofit college or university in the United States.
The four-year, annually renewable college scholarships cover up to $25,000 a year in the unmet needs of students after other financial aid, scholarships and an expected family contribution have been applied.
To apply for scholarships, applicants must be a high school senior graduating during the 2020-2021 academic year from a high school in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah or Wyoming. They must be resident of one of the states and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
They must earn a minimum of a 3.0 high school grade point average on an unweighted 4.0 scale
They must earn a minimum SAT math score of 490 and a minimum evidencebased reading and writing score of 490 or a minimum ACT score of 18 in each category. For students who were unable to take the SAT or ACT due to COVID-19 cancellations, they’re eligible to apply with a minimum grade point average of 3.3.
Applicants’ parents or legal guardians must have an adjusted gross income of $85,000 or less on the 2019 tax return on which the applicant appears.
Since 2000, the Daniels Scholarship Program has provided a total of more than $204 million in scholarships to more 4,350 students. For more information, visit the website at www.danielsfund.org. F
An online survey will remain open through Oct. 31 to gather public comments on proposed bus service between Grand Junction and Telluride.
The Colorado Department of Transportation plans to offer Bustang Outrider service between Grand Junction and Telluride starting in the summer.
The agency also has proposed three routes to begin in 2021 between Craig and Denver, Trinidad and Pueblo and Sterling and Greeley.
Virtual public meetings were held in July and August to hear comments on all four routes. The online survey is designed to complement the virtual meetings.
“We want to hear directly from those who plan to use these routes to make sure we’re providing the best service possible and helping to improve transportation connections across the state,” said David Krutsinger, director of the Colorado Department of Transportation Division of Transit and Rail.
“The feedback we receive will give us the vital information we need to plan these routes in a way that meets the needs of our rural communities,” Krutsinger said.
The survey is available by visiting the website at https://www.surveymonkey.com/ r/Telluride-GJ. F
Peter Icenogle, left, and John Potter look over plans at BG + co. in Grand Junction. The architectural firm focuses on commercial and institutional projects in Western Colorado. (Business Times photo by Phil Castle)
Design
Continued from page 2
BG + co. focuses on commercial and institutional projects in Western Colorado, Icenogle said. About 80 percent of that work involves public projects and the bulk of that for repeat clients, he said.
The firm employs 10 people, although Icenogle said there additional positions he’d like to fill.
While every project is unique, Icenogle said the process remains the same in going through various stages, usually from general concepts to specific features.
The process usually starts with conceptual designs and site selection. Designs are then refined to reflect space and functions. Elevations and floor plans are developed, followed by mechanical and electrical drawings.
Completed documents constitute detailed instructions for construction, he said. “The pictures we draw are worth millions of words.”
Depending on what’s requested, BG + co. can work with owners and contractors to manage construction, he said. The firm also can serve as a representative for owners in dealing with budgets and contracts.
Nearly every project involves three factors, Icenogle said: size, cost and schedule. Changing one factor affects the other two.
Ultimately, BG + co. is responsible for designing for clients the best building for their budgets, but also facilities that are safe, he said. “It’s not something we take lightly. It’s a pretty big responsibility.”
Icenogle said he still savors the moment when he can walk into a completed building and conclude a process that started as a sketch on a sheet of tracing paper.
In a broader sense, architecture enhances the look and feel of a city as well as the lives of the people who live there. BG + co. has developed a reputation for its role in that effort, he said. “We’re seen as community partners that can enhance the fabric of the community.”
Business remains brisk for BG + co. even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Icenogle said. So far, only one project has been delayed as a result of the pandemic. Busy architects constitute a leading indicator for the construction that follows, he said.
Given projections for growth for Grand Junction and Western Colorado and what could be an exodus of people leaving large cities to move to more rural areas, he said he’s optimistic about the future. “It’s a good place to be an architect.”
He expects to see in Grand Junction more buildings his firm designed. F
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
BG + co. operates offices at 622 Rood Ave. in Grand Junction. For more information, call 242-1058 or visit the website located at www.bgco.com.
The Business Times News Trends
INDICATORS AT A GLANCE n Confidence s Consumer Confidence Index 101.8 in September, up 15.5. s Leeds Business Confidence t New business filings in Colorado, 31,221 in the second quarter, down 1.7% from the second quarter of 2019. n Business filings Contributors Opinion Business Briefs Real estate sales accelerate Mesa County activity resumes after slowing related to pandemic Phil Castle The Business Times No longer slowed by restrictions imposed at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, real estate sales have accelerated in Mesa County. And if the trend continues in the fourth houses were prohibited was pushed back and since has shown up in sales statistics. Given the number of real estate closings that have been scheduled, Miller expects increasing activity for October as well. “The pipeline has filled well.” According to numbers tracked by Bray Real Estate, 345 residential real estate transactions worth a total of $117 million were reported in Index for Colorado, 47.9 for quarter, transactions and dollar volume for September. Compared to the same month last year, transactions edged Business People the fourth quarter, up 3.6. s National Federation of Independent Business Small 2020 likely will top 2019. That would make for a good year — and maybe more — for the local market, said Almanac up 2.4 percent and dollar volume rose 15.8 percent. Through the first three quarters of 2020, 2,921 residential transactions worth a total of $908 million were reported. Compared Business Optimism Index Robert Bray, chief executive officer of Bray to the same span in 2019, transactions were down 2 percent even 100.2 for August, up 1.4. Real Estate in Grand Junction. “I think it’s as dollar volume rose 6.9 percent. n Foreclosures going to be better than good.” Annette Miller, senior vice president of Bray said demand for housing among residents has remained strong, but was postponed during the onset of the pandemic. t Foreclosure filings in Mesa County, 8 in September, down from 13 in September 2019. Heritage Title Co. in Grand Junction, also said she expects a strong rebound after slowing in April and May related to the pandemic. “Life got pushed back a bit.” Robert Bray At the same time, demand has increased from homebuyers outside the area looking to relocate from urban to more rural areas. Bray said he expects increased interest for at least the next year to two years. “Grand Junction has shown up on the radar.” t Foreclosure sales in Miller said 566 real estate transactions Inventories of existing homes remain low, Bray said. At the Mesa County, 3 in September, down from 5 in September 2019. worth a combined $179 million were reported in Mesa County in September. Compared to the same month last year, transactions end of September, there were 406 active residential listings in Mesa County. That’s down 48 percent from the same last year. Increased demand and low supplies pushed the median price n Indexes increased 22.2 percent and dollar volume of homes sold in September to $305,000, up 16.4 percent from a s Conference Board Employment jumped 35.6 percent. year ago. The median price for residential real sales year to date Trends Index, 54.8 for September, up 1.5. Eight transactions accounted for a total of $11.4 million, Miller said, including the sale of Annette Miller was lower at $285,000, but still up 12.2 percent from a year ago. New home construction has picked up, Bray said. For s Conference Board Leading the EconoLodge on Horizon Drive for $1.8 million, a commercial September, 81 building permits for single family homes were issued Economic Index 106.5 for building on 23 2/10 Road for nearly $1.7 million and a shop and in Mesa County, up 28.6 percent from the same month a year ago. August, up 1.2% office building on Logos Court for $1.65 million. Through the first three quarters of 2020, 576 building permits were t Institute for Supply Management With the latest gains, year-to-date real estate sales in 2020 issued. That’s up 3.6 percent from the same span in 2019. Purchasing Managers Index have caught up to 2019. Through the first three quarters of 2020, Property foreclosure activity continues to slow, Miller said. for the manufacturing sector, 4,075 transactions worth a total of nearly $1.25 billion. Compared The 26 resales of foreclosed properties during the first three quarters 55.4% for September, down 0.6%. to the same span in 2019, transactions are three-tenths of a percent of 2020 were less than 1 percent of all transactions and well below n Lodging lower and dollar volume 2 percent higher. Miller said real estate activity that didn’t occur during the the 10 percent threshold she considers indicative of a healthy real estate market. t Lodging tax collections in onset of the pandemic earlier this year when showings and open F Grand Junction, $120,295 for August, down 34.9% from August 2019. Business leaders more upbeat, yet still wary n Real estate s Real estate transactions in Mesa County, 566 in September, up 22.2% from September 2019. Colorado business leaders are more upbeat heading into the fourth quarter as expectations mount for continued recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses leaders remain pessimistic overall, though, according to the latest results forecast moderate or strong decreases. The remaining 30.6 percent anticipated no change. n Confidence in the national economy rose a point to 44.5 with 28.6 percent of leaders anticipating moderate or strong increases, 47 percent predicting moderate or strong decreases and 24.3 percent s Dollar volume of real estate transactions in Mesa County, $179 million in September, up of a quarterly survey. “The slow rebound in Colorado business sentiment reflects the lingering impacts of expecting no change. n Sales expectations rose 1.2 points to 52.5, the highest reading among the metrics for the fourth quarter. While 42.8 percent of 35.6% from September 2019. COVID-19. However, it also shows optimism leaders forecast moderate or strong increases, 33.7 percent predicted that there will be a strong recovery in the first moderate or strong decreases and 23.5 percent expected no change. n Sales quarter of 2021,” said Richard Wobbekind, senior n Profit expectations rose four points to 48.8 with 33.8 percent s Sales and use tax collections in Grand Junction, $5 million for August, up 2.5% from R. Wobbekind economist at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The Leeds Business Confidence Index of leaders anticipating moderate or strong increases, 37.9 percent forecasting moderate or strong decreases and 27.4 percent predicting no change. August 2019. rose to 47.9 for the fourth quarter. That’s up 3.6 points from the n Hiring expectations rose 5.3 points to 48 with 27.5 percent s Sales and use tax collections third quarter and 18.2 points from a record low in the second of leaders forecasting moderate or strong increases in staffing, in Mesa County, $3.7 million quarter. The index stands a point higher than this time last year. 20.8 percent anticipating moderate or strong layoffs and 41.7 percent for August, up 8.4% from Readings below 50 reflect more negative than positive survey expecting no change. August 2019. responses, however. n Capital expenditure expectations rose 7.6 points, the biggest n Unemployment The business research division at the Leeds School of Business bases the index on the results of surveys of business leaders from gain among the metrics, to 44.7. While 21.8 percent of leaders predicted strong or moderate increases, 34.7 percent forecast strong t Mesa County — 6.2% for across the state and a variety of industry sectors. or moderate decreases and 43.4 percent anticipated no change. t Colorado — 6.7% for August, down 0.7. August, down 0.8. t United States — 7.9% for September, down 0.5. For the fourth quarter, five of six metrics the index tracks remained below 50: n Confidence in the Colorado economy rose 2.1 points to 48.9. While 33.3 percent of the business leaders who responded to the survey expected moderate or strong increases, 36.2 percent Wobbekind said the survey also asked business leaders when they believe employment levels will return to pre-pandemic levels. “Half felt it would occur by the end of 2021, and a quarter predicted that would happen by the end of 2020,” he said. F
Page 20 JANUARY 15-28, 2015 The THE B B usiness Times USINESS TIMES OctOber 8-21, 2020 PAGE 15 U.S. labor estimates show jobs up, jobless rate down Payrolls increased and the jobless rate A measure of consumer confidence has rebounded on more upbeat assessments of business and labor conditions, but remains below levels posted before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Confidence index rebounds Grand Junction’s Largest Local Payroll Provider “Excellence in Service is our First Concern!” Time is money. Let us help you save some of both. decreased in September as labor conditions continued to improve in the United States in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. Labor index rises A measure of labor conditions in The Conference Board reported its Consumer Confidence Index rose 15.5 points to 101.8 in September. Components of the index tracking current conditions as well as the short-term Complete Payroll Service
Nonfarm payrolls grew 661,000 even the United States has increased, but outlook increased. Payroll Tax Filing Quarterly & Year End as the unemployment rate fell a half point at a pace that suggests job growth “A more favorable view of current business and labor market Multi-State Payroll Tax Reporting to 7.9 percent, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Initial estimates for payroll gains could be slowing. The Conference Board reported its Employment Trends Index rose 1.5 points to 54.8 in September. This season, save time, Be safe this winter with TLC! Be safe this winter with TLC! conditions, coupled with renewed optimism about the short-term outlook, helped spur this month’s rebound in confidence,” said Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at the Conference Board. Time Keeping Systems Web-based Time Clocks Web-based Payroll Workers’ Compensation Direct Deposit & “Pay Cards” Online HR Support Handbook Development New Hire Reporting were revised upward a total of 145,000 for Gad Levanon, head of the energy and “Consumers also expressed greater optimism about their Mobile Scheduling Retirement Plans Lynn Franco August and July. Still, nonfarm employment remains Conference Board Labor Markets Institute, said the market has rebounded, your back with short-term financial prospects, which may help keep spending from slowing further in the months ahead,” Franco said. 10.7 million below February and the onset but the coronavirus pandemic likely snow removal The business membership and research group bases the index on the results of of the pandemic in the U.S. For September, the number of people will delay a return to full capacity. F services from monthly household surveys. More optimistic assessments of current conditions pushed the present situation counted among those unsuccessfully looking The Landscape component of the index up 12.7 points to 98.5. for work fell 1 million to 12.6 million. The proportion of consumers responding to the survey upon which the The number of those on temporary layoffs Payrolls rose 74,000 in transportation Center. September index was based who called business conditions “good” rose 2.3 points declined 1.5 million to 4.6 million. Another 6.3 million were counted and warehousing, 66,000 in manufacturing, 37,000 in financial activities and 26,000 in to 18.3 percent. The share of those who called conditions “bad” fell 5.9 points to 37.4 percent. The proportion of those who said jobs were “plentiful” increased CALL TODAY among those working part time because their hours were cut or they were unable to construction. Government employment decreased 1.5 points to 22.9 percent. The share of those who said jobs were “hard to get” decreased 3.6 points to 20 percent. 970-245-4244 find full-time positions. 216,000 with declines in state and local More upbeat responses also pushed up the expectations component of the
The labor participation rate declined education. index — 17.4 points to 104. www.autopaychecks.com three-tenths of a percent to 61.4 percent. That’s two points lower than February. The average workweek for employees on private, nonfarm payrolls rose a tenth of The share of consumers who said they expect business conditions to improve over the next six months rose 7.3 points to 37.1 percent. The proportion of those 441 Colorado Avenue Payroll gains in September were spread out among a number of industry an hour to 34.7 hours. The manufacturing workweek rose two-tenths of an hour to who said they anticipate worsening conditions fell 4.9 points to 15.8 percent. The share of those who said they expect more jobs to become available in coming Grand Junction, CO 81501 sectors. Employment increased 318,000 40.2 hours. months increased 3.2 points to 33.1 percent. The proportion of those anticipating in leisure and hospitality, 142,000 in retail Average hourly wages on private, fewer jobs fell 5.6 points to 15.6 percent. trades, 108,000 in health care and 89,000 nonfarm payrolls rose 2 cents to $29.47. F in business and professional services. F
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SAVE! T HE B USINESS T IMES E a r l y i n d i c a t o r s p o i n t t o a s u c c e s s f u l s k i s e a s o n i n C o l o r a d o , b u t a n o t h e r v a r i a b l e c o m e s i n t o p l a y : s n o w . P R S R T S T D U . S . P O S T A G E P A I D P E R M I T N O . 6 7 T h e B u s i n e s s T i m e s 6 0 9 N o r t h A v e . S u i t e 2 G r a n d J u n c t i o n , C O 8 1 5 0 1 In th is is s u e � A g r e a t d e b a t e I s s u e s s u r r o u n d i n g t h e t r a n s f e r o f f e d e r a l l a n d s t o s t a t e s w e r e t h e t o p i c o f d e b a t e a t a C l u b 2 0 f o r u m . A r e g i o n a l g r o u p c a l l s f o r m o r e c o o p e r a t i o n a n d l e s s r e g u l a t i o n f o r t h e e n e r g y i n d u s t r y — t h e “ W e s t S l o p e w a y . ” 3 � W e s t S l o p e w a y 2 � C h a n g i n g g r o u p s A n a d v o c a t e f o r W e s t e r n S l o p e i n t e r e s t s p l a n s t o s o o n c h a n g e o r g a n i z a t i o n s , b u t n o t h e r r o l e . 4 � T a x i n g t r e n d R i s i n g t a x c o l l e c t i o n s c o n t i n u e t o r e f l e c t w h a t l o c a l o f f i c i a l s d e s c r i b e a s i m p r o v i n g e c o n o m i c c o n d i t i o n s . 1 6 6 � S n o w b u s i n e s s � L e g a l p l a n s G r o u p l e g a l p l a n s o f f e r a n o t h e r b e n e f i t t o e m p l o y e e s : a c c e s s t o l e g a l s e r v i c e s w h e n t h e y n e e d i t . 1 8 A l m a n a c 2 6 - 2 7 B u s i n e s s B r i e f s 2 4 - 2 5 B u s i n e s s P e o p l e 2 6 C o n t r i b u t o r s 1 8 - 2 1 N e w s 2 - 1 4 O p i n i o n 2 2 - 2 3 T r e n d s 1 6 - 1 7 � D e p a r t m e n t s D E C E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 4 - J A N U A R Y 1 4 , 2 0 1 5 V O L U M E 2 1 , I S S U E 2 4 T H E D E F IN IT IV E S O U R C E F O R G R A N D J U N C T IO N B U S IN E S S N E W S S IN C E 1 9 9 4 T H E B U S IN E S S T IM E S .C O M S n e a k p e e k � In d ic a to rs o ffe r a m o re u p b e a t o u tlo o k fo r M e s a C o u n ty fo r 2 0 1 5 . S e e p a g e 2 T HE B USINESS T IMES News Trends Contributors Opinion Business Briefs Business People Almanac THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE FOR GRAND JUNCTION BUSINESS NEWS SINCE 1994 THEBUSINESSTIMES.COM SEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 7, 2020 2 4 5 21 In this issue n Energy setbacks An oil and natural gas group objects to proposed rules requiring 2,000-foot setbacks on development in Colorado. n Sugar & Ice An entrepreneur combines in one location a shop that offers coffee, frozen yogurt and a wide variety of other fare. Employment in the clean energy sector increased in Colorado in 2019, but fell in 2020 as a result of COVID-19. n Labor trends The jobless rate is down and the labor force up in Mesa County, diverging trends that reflect improvement. n Taxing matters Tax collections, a measure sales activity, have increased in the Grand Valley, according to reports. n Managing change An upcoming conference will focus on managing the changes brought on by COVID-19 and other factors. Almanac 34 Business Briefs 32 Business People 34 Contributors 23-28 News 2-20 Opinion 29-31 Trends 21-22 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 67 The Business Times 609 North Ave., Suite 5 Grand Junction, CO 81501 23 21 n Gains and pains VOLUME 27, ISSUE 18 n Departments Business Times photo by Phil Castle Jim Pedersen, co-chief executive officer of Timberline Bank, stands outside the entrance to the bank’s newly constructed headquarters in Grand Junction. The four-story building offers 40,000 square feet of space. The new building also constitutes another milestone for the Western Colorado bank and its growing operations in the region. Building a bigger endeavor n Constructing new headquarters another milestone for West Slope bank. See page 2
F O R B R E A K IN G B u s i n e s s T i m e s p h o t o i l l u s t r a t i o n b y P h i l C a s t l e N E W S , A D V E R T IS IN G A N D S U B S C R IP T IO N S , V IS IT T H E B U S IN E S S T IM E S .C O M A s p e c i a l s e c t i o n i n s i d e t h i s i s s u e f o c u s e s o n n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d p h i l a n t h r o p y .
