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Some Trinidad voters received ballots without 2A hotel-motel tax measure, replacement ballots on the way
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Approved, Fox21, Local

Some Trinidad voters received ballots without 2A hotel-motel tax measure, replacement ballots on the way

By Norishka Pachot | Fox 21 News Voters in the City of Trinidad may have noticed something was missing from their ballot when they were sent. On Tuesday, Oct. 22, Las Animas County issued a letter addressing the error and what citizens who were affected should do. Some ballots sent to voters in Trinidad did not contain the city of Trinidad’s TABOR issue, also known as Ballot Measure 2A. The measure would fund improvements to parks, playgrounds, open spaces, and other spaces that need it. The proposed tax would be paid by hotel, motel, and Airbnb guests. Voters affected live in portions of Precinct Six on the western side of Trinidad. The Las Animas County Clerk and Recorder reported the error to the Secretary of State’s Office and obtained guidance on the best way to fix the corre...
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Kara Skinner, who served two years as CFO for Boulder, will leave post Nov. 8 for Florida
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Approved, BizWest, Local

Kara Skinner, who served two years as CFO for Boulder, will leave post Nov. 8 for Florida

By BizWest Kara Skinner, chief financial officer for the City of Boulder, will leave her city post on Nov. 8 to accept a consulting position at a Florida-based company. According to the announcement made Thursday by Boulder city manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, Skinner will work remotely as a fiscal director in the government-consulting section of Tampa, Florida-based MGT Consulting. “It has been an incredible privilege to serve our city for the past seven years, and I am leaving with only the deepest respect for my many talented colleagues and the Boulder community,” Skinner said in a prepared statement. “This decision will allow me to continue to provide strategic counsel in my chosen profession while also letting me spend more time in another role I love, as a grandmother.” ...
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Leaders in NW Colorado discuss challenges, solutions for energy, seniors, workforce, housing
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Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Leaders in NW Colorado discuss challenges, solutions for energy, seniors, workforce, housing

By Lindy Browning | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice When the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado (AGNC) held their meeting in Rifle, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, much of the discussion concerned how the region would plan for energy needs, housing shortages, and  workforce development and retention.  The loss of severance tax dollars was also front and center throughout the conversation. AGNC is comprised of elected officials from Garfield, Mesa, Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, as well as elected officials from municipalities from Craig, Colbran, Battlement Mesa, Debeque, Dinosaur, Rangely, Fruita, Hayden, Meeker, New Castle, Palisade, Rifle, Silt, Parachute and Yampa.  Future of energy in Western Colorado With the imminent closing of Craig Power Station, bec...
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Grand County passes resolution opposing Prop. 127, citing ecological, economic harms
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Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Grand County passes resolution opposing Prop. 127, citing ecological, economic harms

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice In the heart of Colorado's rugged landscapes, a battle brews over the fate of its wildlife, vital to the fabric of its rural economy. Rural communities like Grand County are pushing back against Proposition 127, which would prohibit the hunting of mountain lions, bobcats and lynx.  Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Grand County commissioners recently passed a formal resolution condemning the measure, warning of the far-reaching consequences for both wildlife management and the rural economy. Grand County Commission Chair Merrit Linke has been vocal in his opposition. “Agriculture contributes $14 million to our local economy and that’s a very different $14 million compared to what we get from tourism,” Linke explains. “I...
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Elbert County commissioners seek to dismiss lawsuit filed by county residents
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, Local

Elbert County commissioners seek to dismiss lawsuit filed by county residents

By Deborah Grigsby | Colorado Politics, via Denver Gazette Three Elbert County Commissioners named in a lawsuit alleging they conducted official business outside of public purview have asked the court to dismiss the case that could hold them financially responsible for contracts they awarded. In September, a group of Elbert County residents sued the board and commissioners Chris Richardson, Dallas Schroeder, and Grant Thayer in their official capacities after it was discovered they gave hefty employment contracts to County Manager Shawn Fletcher and longtime County Attorney Bart Greer.  The defendants, as stated in court documents filed on Friday, assert that two plaintiffs' three claims are moot because the county approved the employment contracts in question at a speci...
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Sheriff requests $600k budget increase for ‘grossly underpaid’ El Paso County deputies
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Approved, gazette.com, Local

Sheriff requests $600k budget increase for ‘grossly underpaid’ El Paso County deputies

By Savannah Eller | The Gazette El Paso County Sheriff Joe Roybal packed a meeting with deputies on Tuesday to ask the Board of County Commissioners for funds to bridge the gap for what he called "a massive, unacceptable pay disparity" between his and other regional law enforcement agencies. Roybal asked commissioners for a $600,000 increase in funds for 2025 in the county's preliminary balanced budget, to be matched with funds from the Sheriff's Office public-safety sales-tax revenue pool.  An El Paso County deputy is paid less overall than other Front Range sheriff's deputies, according to statistics Roybal showed from the National Fraternal Order of Police. Roybal claimed El Paso County, with a starting salary of $72,696 and a maximum salary of $92,664, was "dead last" amo...
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Ganahl: Is the Pueblo mayor on a Republican revenge tour?
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Approved, Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Ganahl: Is the Pueblo mayor on a Republican revenge tour?

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Pueblo, Colorado, has become the backdrop for a politically charged controversy involving Republican Mayor Heather Graham and Pueblo conservatives.  Graham’s election to mayor over incumbent Democrat Nick Gradisar was a shock in 2023.  After decades of Democratic rule, conservatives celebrated a new direction in their beloved city.  The celebration didn’t last long.  Mayor Graham’s relationship with the Republican Party has soured significantly since her primary election. Feeling betrayed by Republican leaders who supported other candidates in her primary election, Graham has taken several steps that suggest a personal vendetta against the party, and conservatives in her city. Her most striking move came yester...
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Denver’s homeless population grew, despite tens of millions in spending to solve it
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Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Denver’s homeless population grew, despite tens of millions in spending to solve it

By Denver Gazette Staff via Colorado Politics Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's administration on Monday touted a "milestone" in his campaign against homelessness — the city has moved 2,000 homeless people to temporary shelters since he took office last year.  Johnston made it a priority to move 1,000 homeless people off of the city's streets and into hotel-turned shelters and "micro-communities" by the end of 2024. He vowed to bring another 1,000 people into shelters by the end of 2025. The mayor's office said that latest goal has also now been achieved.   READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Denver teachers demanding cost-of-living increase in order to live in city
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Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Denver teachers demanding cost-of-living increase in order to live in city

By Nicole C. Brambila | Denver Gazette Collette Simkins — a theater and visual arts teacher at West High School — works two extra part-time jobs just to live in the Cap Hill neighborhood near the campus she has taught at for three years. “I think it’s important to live in the community in which my students live,” said Simkins, 29. She — and the nearly 4,000 educators that the Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA) represents — was counting on a full cost-of-living increase this school year. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Perry Park neighbors concerned over high radium levels in their drinking water in Colorado
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Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Perry Park neighbors concerned over high radium levels in their drinking water in Colorado

By Olivia Young | CBS Colorado Neighbors in a Douglas County community are worried about the safety of their drinking water. It's happening in Perry Park, an unincorporated community west of Larkspur, which is home to natural red rock formations. The area's geology is naturally rich in minerals, including radium. Radium is a radioactive metal and has been linked to cancer. However, it is naturally occurring and the EPA allows small levels in drinking water. But a sample taken from Perry Park's water back in August was more than twice that limit. Perry Park neighbors are thirsty for answers, after receiving a notice in early October from the Perry Park Water and Sanitation District, stating that radium levels in their water are three to four times higher than normal. R...
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