The Arvada Report: 2016 April / May

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www.arvada.org
Arvada’s Streets at
Yellow Alert
Results from
2015 Arvada Citizen
Survey Now
Available!
The final report from the 2015 Survey
can be viewed on the City’s website at
arvada.org/city-hall/transparency/
citizens-survey. Printed reports are also
available at Arvada City Hall.
For highlights of the 2015 Survey, see
page 6.
Drug Take Back
Scheduled for
April 9
t is becoming a constant drumbeat throughout the United
States: infrastructure, particularly streets, bridges, and highways, is
aging and beginning to fail.
The City of Arvada is not
immune to this trend, and the
Arvada City Council is now focusing on methods of reversing it.
I
Arvada has 1,525 lane miles of
streets with a total estimated value
of $1.35 BILLION. Juxtapose that
figure with the City’s annual budget for street repair and replacement
of $5.8 MILLION. The fact is that
not enough resources are being
directed towards maintaining our
streets.
Continued on page 4.
The Michael W. Northey
Foundation is again partnering
with the Arvada Police Department
to offer metro area residents a
Drug Take Back Event on Saturday,
April 9 at Arvada Police
Headquarters, located at 8101
Ralston Road. See information on
page 8.
The Arvada Report
April/May 2016
Get Connected with Arvada
City of Arvada – City Hall, 8101 Ralston Road, Arvada, CO, 80001-8101
720-898-7000 • www.arvada.org
24/7 Inquiries - ASK ARVADA at www.arvada.org. To sign up for alerts about City Council Meetings or Community Events,
register for
. Go to www.arvadanews.org
For more information, please contact Cindy Javelet, Communications Coordinator, at 720-898-7834 or [email protected].
City Government Phone Numbers
Emergency
9-1-1
Non-Emergency Dispatch 720-898-6900
City Hall Main Line
720-898-7000
City Manager’s Office
Code Enforcement
Communications Manager
Fingerprinting Services
Housing
Lake Arbor Golf Club
Liquor Licenses
Majestic View Nature Center
Municipal Court
Park Pavilion Reservations
Passports
Planning and Zoning
Accounts Payable
720-898-7130
Accounts Receivable
720-898-7128
Animal Control
720-898-6850
Arvada Center Box Office
720-898-7200
Arvada Economic Development 720-898-7010
Arvada Urban Renewal
720-898-7060
Building Inspections
720-898-7630
Building Permits
720-898-7620
Mayor
Marc Williams
303-940-7593(h)
303-424-4486(w)
MWilliams@
arvada.org
Mayor Pro Tem
Councilmember
At-Large
Bob Fifer
303-929-4278
BFifer@
arvada.org
Councilmember
At-Large
Don Allard
303-420-6559(h)
DAllard@
arvada.org
Councilmember
District One
Nancy Ford
303-325-3153
NFord@
arvada.org
720-898-7500
720-898-7465
720-898-7507
720-898-6808
720-898-7494
720-898-7360
720-898-7550
720-898-7405
720-898-7150
720-898-7410
720-898-7550
720-898-7435
Police Records
720-898-6920
Sales Tax
720-898-7100
School Resource Officers - Contact Individual Schools
Special Event Permits
720-898-7435
Streets
720-898-7720
Traffic Signals and Signs
720-898-7740
Victim Outreach Line
720-898-6770
Voter Registration
720-898-7550
Water Bills
720-898-7070
Water Quality
720-898-7800
(after hours) 720-898-7820
West Woods Golf Club
720-898-7370
Councilmember
District Four
David Jones
720-889-8860
DJones@
arvada.org
Councilmember
District Three
John Marriott
720-273-3912 (c)
JMarriott@
arvada.org
Councilmember
District Two
Mark McGoff
303-423-5258 (h)
MMcGoff@
arvada.org
City Council Meetings/Workshops - Arvada City Hall, Council Chambers - Mondays, 6 p.m.
April
4
11
18
25
May
2
9
16
23
30
2016
Business Mtg.
Workshop
Business Mtg.
Workshop
2016
Business Mtg.
Workshop
Business Mtg.
Workshop
No Meeting
Televised
Televised
Televised
Televised
Televised
Televised
Televised
Televised
(Memorial Day)
(Note: Times and dates subject to change. To confirm meetings go to arvada.org or call 720-898-7550.)
The Arvada Report is a newsletter published by the Arvada City Manager’s Office, 720-898-7500, City of Arvada, 8101 Ralston Road,
Arvada, Colorado 80002. It is distributed to all residences and businesses in the City. The City of Arvada holds the ownership rights and copyrights
in the design and articles contained in The Arvada Report. Articles may only be reproduced with the express permission of the City of Arvada.
Editor: Maria VanderKolk. Graphic Design: Steve Milke. Photography: Arvada Media Services.
2
The Arvada Report
Parks and
Open Space
Division Needs
Your Help
he Arvada Parks and Open
Space division maintains more
than 2,500 acres of non-irrigated
land. Each growing season, the parks
staff mows approximately 1,350 acres
of open space areas bordered by hundreds of private properties. Sometimes
our crews come across trees, gardens,
and other landscape structures planted
by homeowners on the City’s open
space, which makes mowing with tractors and large mowers very difficult.
Please help our parks staff maintain these areas by NOT planting
trees, gardens, or placing fence supports, refuse, or other items in these
areas.
T
Arvada Code 3.26.1 states:
“A revocable permit shall be required
whenever a person seeks to erect a
fence, wall, sign, or other structure on
“public property or within a public
right-a-way or easement.”
This code applies to trees, gardens, and
all other landscape structures planted
in park and open space areas.
April/May 2016
Spring is Here!
hinking about planning a neighborhood block party as the
weather gets warmer? Arvada’s
Neighborhood Services Division has
several programs to help make yours a
success:
• Block Party Trailer: delivered to
your neighborhood with everything
you need to host a party except the
food, people, and fun.
• Know Your Neighbors Grants $100 grants to offset costs associated with a block party, available
on a first come, first served basis.
T
• Neighborhood Movie Program:
Project a movie outside with our
12-foot inflatable screen, projector,
sound system, and DVD player.
Find out more about all of these
programs by visiting www.arvada.org/
block-party. Are you interested in
volunteering? We need help moving
the block party trailer to and from
events. If you can drive a 12-foot
trailer and have some free time on
Saturdays or Sundays, please email
[email protected] or call
720-898-7445.
The Arvada Reservoir 2016 Season
www.arvada.org/arvada-blunn-reservoir
The Arvada Reservoir is open for the 2016 season as of Friday, April 1. Hours for
the Reservoir are 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. through May 31. Beginning June 1, hours will
be 5:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Season passes are available at the Utility Billing counter at Arvada City Hall, 8101
Ralston Road. Those who wish to pay at the gate for a day pass at the Reservoir,
please note that ONLY CASH is accepted.
Volunteer Rangers Needed
Do you love to fish and have some extra time on your hands? Applications for
volunteer rangers are now being accepted. For more information, contact Ken Billips
at 720-898-7415.
Kids’ Fishing Contest is June 11
Mark your calendars for the 16th Annual Kids’ Fishing Contest, scheduled for
Saturday, June 11 at Arvada Reservoir.
3
The Arvada Report
April/May 2016
Street Maintenance Falling Behind
n 2015, the City contracted with
Atkins, a consulting engineering
firm, to conduct a Pavement
Analysis of all 1,525 lane miles of
streets to assess their condition. The
analysis showed the following:
I
or significantly delaying the need for
a complete and costly replacement.
Below are some of the methods
used:
Pavement Condition Index (PCI)
summary by lane miles
Standard PCI
rating scale
asphalt for flexibility due to the
expansion and contraction of
asphalt surfaces. It is applied hot
to create a bond with the existing
pavement. If a crack seal is
covered by a seal coat or a chip
seal within a year or two, the life
expectancy can more than
double. Life expectancy is
between 3 -5 years.
• •Seal
Seal Coating: $17,424 per lane
mile
100
328.8
Good
300.9
85
334.5
320.2
Satisfactory
70
255.7
232.8
Fair
Critical PCI Range
55
358.2
353.0
Poor
40
214.0
Very Poor
245.1
25
Serious
30.2
43.6
Failed
3.1
28.9
10
0
Present Rating
Those streets that fall into the
“critical” range of Fair or Poor can
either be fixed now, or left to fall
into the Very Poor, Serious, or Failed
category where repair or replacement costs increase tenfold. In other
words, depending on the type of
repair, for each $1 spent on renovation while still in Fair or Poor condition, it will cost $8 to $10 once they
fall below that point.
Budgeting for street maintenance
can be described as either “pay me
now” or “pay me later.” The more
dollars invested in keeping streets in
fair condition, the more money is
saved later on. Treating existing
streets with repairs such as crack
sealing or seal coating lengthens the
overall life of the street, preventing
4
Estimated Rating by 2018
• Crack Sealing: $5,450 per lane
mile
Crack sealing is a short-term,
cost-effective way to maintain the
life of pavement. It seals the
cracks from water intrusion and
other damaging factors that could
lead to premature sub base failure. The material is made up of
crumb rubber and emulsified
Seal coating is a short-term, costeffective way to prolong the life
of pavement. Seal coating protects the asphalt pavement from
ultraviolet rays and water, helping to slow the process of oxidation and raveling. The goal of
seal coating is to create a waterproof, protective coating that can
increase the life of pavement and
improve appearance, but not necessarily ride quality. A seal coat
is a thin membrane of emulsified
hot asphalt application that is
generally 1/32” to 1/8” thick.
Life expectancy of a seal coat is
3 -5 years.
The Arvada Report
• Chip Seal: $18,480 per lane
mile
A chip seal is a long-term, costeffective way to maintain the life
of pavement. The goal of a chip
seal is to correct raveling, seal
small cracks, and slow the
process of oxidation while providing a new wearing surface. It
does not necessarily improve
ride quality. Chip sealing is an
application of emulsified asphalt
and a 3/8” granite aggregate
cover. The emulsified asphalt is
applied hot. After the hot asphalt
is applied to the pavement surface, aggregate is immediately
applied over the asphalt. A pneumatic roller is used to compact
the aggregate particles in the
asphalt. All loose aggregate is
swept up and then another coating of emulsified asphalt is
applied to seal the surface. Life
expectancy is between 8 -10
years.
• Asphalt Mill and Overlay:
$66,528 per lane mile
An asphalt overlay is a longterm, but costly repair to the
asphalt pavement. It provides a
new, strong, crack free, smooth
driving surface. Before an overlay is put down, all areas that are
potholed, excessively alligatored
(small cracking resembling the
skin of an alligator) or have subgrade damage are repaired to
maximize the life of the overlay.
A milling process is completed
by grinding off between 1” and
3” of the existing asphalt surface
and then the application of hot
asphalt material is placed by
large paving machines and pneumatic and steel wheel rollers.
The life expectancy is between
15 -20 years.
• Complete Reconstruction of
Sub-Base and Asphalt:
$285,648 per lane mile
A complete reconstruction is a
long term, but extremely expensive repair to the street. It pro-
April/May 2016
vides a new, strong, crack free,
smooth driving surface. It
requires removing all old asphalt
and failed sub base and replacing and compacting new sub
base materials and establishing
proper shape and grade of the
sub surface prior to placing hot
asphalt material. The application
of hot asphalt material is placed
by large paving machines and
pneumatic and steel wheel
rollers. The asphalt thickness is
generally 6” on residential
streets and 8” on primary and
secondary routes. The life
expectancy is between 20 -25
years.
Budgeting for the Future
The $5.8 million dollars budgeted each year by the City of Arvada
for street maintenance and repair is
not sufficient to even maintain our
streets at the condition they are currently in, let alone reverse the trend
of failing infrastructure. More and
more of our streets are falling into
the category of poor or failed.
The City has placed a priority on
primary and collector streets over
the past several construction seasons as these streets move higher
volumes of traffic. Work to restore
and maintain neighborhood or local
streets has been deemed a lower priority since such streets carry less
traffic. Indeed, many local streets
have not been repaired in decades.
The chart below shows pavement
condition by type of street.
The bottom line is the current
annual budget for street repair and
maintenance is not keeping up with
inflation or the costs of materials or
construction. Unfortunately, just in
order to maintain streets in their
current condition, the City would
need to double the budget for streets
from $5.8 million to $11.6 million
annually. In order to truly stabilize
our street infrastructure, the budget
would need to be increased to $16.2
million annually for at least the next
five years.
The Arvada City Council is
studying various alternatives to deal
with our steadily deteriorating
streets.
Pavement Condition Index (PCI)
by classification lane miles
Standard PCI
rating scale
100
Good
44.0
85
70
55
42.7
Poor
Very Poor
0
17.9
Serious
1.2
7.0
22.1
Failed
0.0
0.7
2.4
10
246.2
43.8
33.8
Fair
25
204.7
43.2
45.1
Satisfactory
40
83.1
231.7 Arterial Lane Miles
48.2
178.1
Critical PCI Range
73.3
242.3
147.9
249.1 Collector Lane Miles
1043.7 Local Lane Miles
5
The Arvada Report
April/May 2016
Key Findings From the 2015 Arvada Citizen Survey
ince 1997, the City of Arvada
has contracted with National
Research Center to conduct the
biennial Arvada Citizen Survey. The
Survey serves as a consumer report
card, providing residents the opportunity to rate quality of life, community amenities, service delivery, and
satisfaction with local government.
This feedback is invaluable to City
Council and staff in setting priorities
and tracking, over time, community
opinions about the core responsibilities of Arvada City government.
A randomly selected sample of
2,400 residential addresses were
mailed the 2015 Arvada Citizen
Survey. A total of 785 completed
surveys were returned for a response
rate of 34%. Results were weighted
so that respondent age, gender,
tenure (rent versus own), and housing unit type (attached versus
detached) were represented in the
proportions reflective of the entire
City. The margin of error is plus or
minus three percentage points
around any given percentage point
reported for the entire sample.
Benchmark comparisons to
National Research Center’s database
of over 500 communities were made
when available to the nation and to
Colorado’s Front Range.
Key Finding #1: Arvada residents
experienced a high quality of life.
• 93% of respondents rated their
overall quality of life as “very
good” or “good.” This evaluation
was similar to the 2013 ratings
and similar to the national and
Front Range benchmarks.
Key Finding #2: Arvada residents
continued to feel safe in their
neighborhoods and report a strong
sense of personal safety.
• About 9 in 10 respondents
expressed feeling “very” or
“somewhat” safe from violent
crimes in their neighborhood and
75% felt “very” or “somewhat”
safe from property crimes in their
neighborhood.
Overall, how would you describe
the quality of life in Arvada?
S
6
very good
36%
good
neither good nor bad
100%
bad
58%
6%
very bad
89%
93%
93%
1997
1999
2001
Overall Quality of Life Compared Over Time
95%
94%
93%
93%
91%
93%
93%
2013
2015
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
Percent “very good” or “good”
Overall, how satisfied are you with the government
services provided by the City of Arvada?
very satisfied
satisfied
neutral
34%
dissatisfied
5%
10%
50%
very dissatisfied
1%
Overall Satisfaction with Arvada Government Services Compared Over Time
100%
80%
60%
40%
45%
49%
1983
1985
35%
43%
46%
1987
1989
51%
52%
57%
55%
1997
1999
2001
60%
58%
62%
61%
59%
58%
61%
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
20%
0%
1981
1991
Percent “very satisfied” or “satisfied”
The Arvada Report
• When rating their sense of personal safety in Arvada, 92%
reported feeling “very” or “somewhat” safe, a rating much higher
than the national and Front Range
benchmarks. Residents gave higher ratings to their sense of personal safety in 2015 compared to
2013.
Key Finding #3: Evaluations of
City services and non-City services
mostly were stable over time; however there were several declines.
• Evaluations for 22 of the 23 Cityprovided services listed on the
survey could be compared to
2013 ratings and most remained
stable. However, street maintenance, ease of car travel, sidewalk
maintenance, new street construction and expansion, ease of bicycle travel, government-assisted
affordable housing, building
inspection, and City outreach
services received lower ratings in
2015 compared to 2013 ratings.
• Half or more of residents reported
being “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with 14 of the 23 services
with the most favorable ratings
going to City parks, drinking
water quality, police services,
maintenance of City parks, water
services, sewer services, and cultural activities at the Arvada
Center.
April/May 2016
• Fifteen of the 22 City services
were available for comparison to
the national benchmark. City
parks received a rating higher
than the national benchmark.
Five services were rated similar
(e.g., water services, sewer services, street sweeping) and nine
were rated lower (e.g., police
services, ease of car travel,
municipal courts, and code
enforcement).
Key Finding #4: City of Arvada
government performance and City
employees were rated highly by
residents.
• Since 1997, about half of respondents reported having contact
with a City of Arvada employee
in the 12 months prior to the survey, with the majority of those
having contacted the police
department. Between 73% and
85% of respondents gave City
employees “very good” or
“good” ratings for their professional attitude, willingness to
help or understand, being knowledgeable, making the resident
feel valued as a citizen/customer,
and for their overall impression.
• A majority of residents (57% or
more) agreed that City employees
try to do quality work, Arvada
City government welcomes citizen involvement, were pleased
Overall, how satisfied are you with the government
services provided by the City of Arvada?
very satisfied
satisfied
neutral
34%
dissatisfied
50%
5%
10%
very dissatisfied
1%
with the overall direction of the
City, and that they get a good
value for the taxes paid. All ratings were higher than or similar
to the national benchmark comparisons.
Key Finding #5: Aspects of traffic
were seen as more of a problem in
2015 compared to past years.
• About half of residents said that
traffic movement within the City
was at least a “moderate” problem and one-third said both the
speed and volume of traffic on
residential streets were at least
“moderate” problems.
• Each of the five aspects of traffic
listed on the survey were considered more problematic in 2015
compared to 2013, from an
increase of 17% for the volume
of traffic on major streets such as
Wadsworth or Ralston Road to an
increase of six percent for speed
of traffic on residential roads and
accessibility of commercial and
retail centers.
Key Finding #6: Residents voiced
concerns about growth and housing in the community.
• Of the 17 characteristics of the
community assessed on the survey, affordability of housing
received the lowest rating with
one-quarter giving a “very good”
or “good” rating. The quality of
available housing was given a
positive rating by about half of
residents (49%). Each of these
ratings has declined since 2013.
• When asked how much of a
problem, if at all, a list of 12 different potential problems were in
Arvada, respondents reported that
the biggest problems facing
Arvada were growth (27%
“major” or “extreme” problem)
and lack of entry-level housing
(23%).
• More respondents in 2015 than in
2013 reported that growth was a
“major” or “extreme” problem
(27% in 2015 and 12% in 2013)
along with lack of entry-level
housing (23% versus 10%).
7
The Arvada Report
The Arvada Police
Department’s section of The
Arvada Report is published by
the City of Arvada with content
provided by the Arvada Police
Department as a service to the
citizens of Arvada.
Contact Numbers
Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . .911
Non-Emergency
Reporting . . . . .720-898-6900
Office of
the Chief . . . . .720-898-6650
Records
Department . . .720-898-6920
Investigations . .720-898-6700
April/May 2016
Second Annual Northey
Foundation Drug Take Back
Scheduled for April 9
uilding on the success of last
year, the Northey Foundation is
again partnering with the Arvada
Police Department to offer metro area
residents a Drug Take Back Event on
Saturday, April 9 at Arvada Police
Headquarters, located at 8101 Ralston
Road. The event will run 8 a.m. - 12
p.,m.
This valuable service was previously
offered by the Drug Enforcement
Administration, which suspended its program in 2014. The Northey Foundation
approached Arvada Police about continuing the event as a fundraiser for its
scholarship program.
This is a free event; however, donations will be accepted and will benefit
the Foundation which provides scholarships to Arvada high school students
seeking a higher education degree, and
helps families of officers killed or
injured in the line of duty.
B
Because of the generous underwriting of
Custom Environmental Services, Arvada
Vitality Alliance and Sooper Credit
Union, all donations will directly benefit
the Foundation.
When over-the-counter or prescription medications are expired or no
longer needed, they should be removed
from the home. Many people believe
that the best way to dispose of unused or
expired medications is to flush them
down the toilet. However, this pollutes
our waterways and adversely affects
wildlife and plant life along streams and
rivers.
The Drug Take Back program offers
a safe way to dispose of medications.
Simply gather up your unused, unwanted, and expired medications and bring
them to the Arvada Police Department
parking lot, where you can drive up, dispose of, and drive away.
Media
Relations . . . . .720-898-6654
Arvada Police Department
8101 Ralston Road
Arvada CO 80002
720-898-6900
www.arvadapd.org
8
ARVADA VITALITY
ALLIANCE
The Arvada Report
Below is a list of permitted and
excluded items in the Drug Take Back
program:
Permitted
• Prescription medications
• Over-the-counter medications
• Medication samples
• Pet medications
• Vitamins
• Liquid medication in glass or leakproof containers
• Medicated ointments and lotions
• Inhalers
Excluded
• Bloody or infectious waste
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Aerosol cans
• Thermometers
• IV bags
• Illicit drugs
• Chemotherapy and other radioactive
substances
• Oxygen containers
• Needles or other sharps
April/May 2016
Arvada Police Offering Free
Crime Prevention and Crime
Free Multi-housing Classes
he Arvada Police Department
and its Community Response
Impact Team (CRIT) is again
offering Crime Prevention and
Crime Free Multi-Housing classes
for Arvada residents and multi-tenant building managers/owners.
Crime Free Multi-Housing Class
Wednesday, May 11
Lake Arbor Community Station
8110 Vance Drive
1 – 5 p.m.
This class is designed specifically for multi-housing units and multitenant building owners/landlords.
Participants learn important ways to
work with police to make rental
properties and multi-tenant buildings safer. Topics covered include
methods of landscaping and other
design factors to help keep criminals away, gang activity, graffiti,
and narcotics. Members of CRIT
and Attorney Deborah Wilson from
the law firm of Springman, Braden,
Wilson & Pontius P.C. will be available to answer questions.
T
Crime Prevention Class
Wednesday, May 11
Lake Arbor Community Station
8110 Vance Drive
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
This class gives homeowners
important tips to keep them and
their homes safe. Topics covered
include reporting a crime, vacation
safety tips, protecting your neighborhood, and how to be a good witness among others. The class will
also cover crime and statistics and
how to become more involved with
the Neighbors Connected program.
There will also be a Q&A session.
Those wanting to take the class
are encouraged to register early as
the community rooms at Lake Arbor
holds approximately 30 people. For
more information or to register for
the class, call the CRIT team at 720898-6883. Registration is required
for attendance.
Public Invited to Police Week Ceremony
Officer W. Michael Northey
W. Michael Northey was a police
officer for the City of Arvada who was
tragically killed after being struck by a
car while making an arrest on August 11,
1979. Northey was very active with the
youth of the community and the Northey
Foundation was created to award scholarships to those pursuing a higher
education degree, and for officers and/or
their families in times of need. The
W. Michael Northey Foundation is a
501(C)(3) (IRS#31-1771579) not for
profit organization.
In recognition of National Law Enforcement
Week, May 15 -20, the Arvada Police Department
Honor Guard will pay tribute to their fallen colleagues with an honor watch and wreath presentation.
The ceremony will take place on Thursday,
May 19 at City Hall, 8101 Ralston Road, in recognition of W. Michael Northey and Robert Beghtol,
two Arvada Police Officers who were killed in the
line of duty. The ceremony is at 8 a.m. in front of
the eagle statue.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Honor
Guard will conduct a ceremonial watch over the
wreath until 12 p.m., with a changing of the guard
every 20 minutes.
Chief of Police Don Wick, City Manager Mark
Deven, elected officials and other city leadership
will be there to pay their respects. Residents, businesses and other community members are invited
to attend.
Officer Northey was killed after being struck
by a car while making an arrest in 1979. Officer
Beghtol died in 1961 during Scuba Diving Unit
practice at the lake near 60th and Tennyson. The
Arvada Police training facility is named in his
honor (the Beghtol Building).
National Law Enforcement Week was established in 1962, when President John F. Kennedy
signed a proclamation which designated May 15
as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in
which that date falls as Police Week. Events
planned by law enforcement entities across the
country honor those who paid the ultimate
sacrifice.
9
The Arvada Report
Support for Child
Abuse Prevention
Month with the
Pinwheel Garden
hank you for supporting Ralston House child
advocacy center in April for Child Abuse
Prevention Month. The Pinwheel Garden Project
supports services for children and teens who have experienced abuse and honors those who have been helped by
Ralston House. Visit www.ralstonhouse.net or contact
Tara Roesener at Ralston House (720-898-6752) for
information on how to plant your own garden of pinwheels in April.
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April/May 2016
Attention Teens! Sign Up for
the 2016 Teen Police Academy
2016
TEEN ACADEMY
Arvada high school students are invited to start their summer
with some excitement by attending the 2016 Arvada Police Teen
Academy, June 13 -17.
Taught by members of the Arvada Police Department, participants will experience live police scenarios with simulations, drive
police cars, process mock crime scenes, learn arrest control tactics,
shoot a Taser, and see a live K9 demonstration, all while having fun
and meeting other teens.
The cost of the five-day class, which runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
daily, is $25 and includes an Academy t-shirt. Priority enrollment is
given to students from Arvada Senior, Arvada West, Pomona, and
Ralston Valley High Schools, as well as those who are enrolled at
Faith Christian Academy, Wheat Ridge High School, and Arvada
teen residents.
Teens who wish to participate must be between 16 and 18
years old, possess a valid Colorado driver’s license, and have a minimum 2.0 GPA. Teens must also write
a short biography/written essay
expressing why they are interested
in attending the Academy.
To apply, visit
arvada.org/teen-academy or call
720-898-6660 for more information. Applications must be received
Watch a video abot the
by May 31, 2016.
Teen Academy.
10
The Arvada Report
April/May 2016
Recent Promotions Showcase
Years of Leadership
Strate
Thornton
Deputy Chief Link Strate
Deputy Chief Strate has been a
member of the Arvada Police since
1987. He was a patrol officer from
1987 through March 1996, where he
worked in a variety of capacities
including patrol, gang unit, field
training officer, motorcycle officer,
and as a member of the Accident
Response Team. In March 1996, he
was promoted to Sergeant and in
April 2008, promoted to
Commander.
As a Commander, Strate oversaw
the Criminal Investigations Bureau,
the Community Response Impact
Team, and the Critical Incident
Response Team.
Strate has a Bachelor's Degree in
Police Science from Northern
Arizona University and a Master's
Degree in Organization Leadership
from Regis University. He is a graduate of the Northwestern University
School of Police Staff and
Command, as well as the FBI
National Academy and the Senior
Management Institute for Police at
Boston University.
Deputy Chief Strate is also a
Board Member at Ralston House.
Commander Melanie Thornton
Melanie Thornton, a graduate of
the University of Oregon and the
Northwestern University School of
Police Staff and Command, holds a
Bachelor’s Degree in both
Sociology and Psychology, as well
as a Master’s Degree and a Doctoral
Degree in Psychology. Her research
was recently published in the
Journal of Criminal and Police
Psychology.
She began her Arvada Police
Department career in 2000 as a
Patrol Officer. She has also served
as a Field Training Officer, a member of the Critical Accident
Response Team, a Defensive Tactics
Instructor, and Crisis Intervention
Team Officer and Instructor.
Promoted to Sergeant in 2010,
she has served as the Defensive
Tactics Program Supervisor, Taser
Program Supervisor, Peer Support
Advisor, Crisis Intervention Team
Agency Coordinator, Criminal
Investigations Bureau Sergeant, and
Critical Incident Response Team
Sergeant.
Commander Thornton was previously awarded a national Master
Field Training Officer designation, a
Police Employee Commendation,
two LifeSaver Commendations, and
the Medal of Valor.
Clean Up After Your Dog:
It's the Law
Recently, the City conducted a "dog poop
awareness" campaign in the field south of the
Arvada Center. Over 600 orange flags were
placed next to piles of dog waste, left behind
by irresponsible dog owners. Our goal was to
send a strong message through a powerful
image. The flags remained in place for a week,
after which City Councilmembers and staff volunteered their time to clean up the field.
Violating the City's ordinance requiring
people to pick up after their pets can result in
a fine of up to $999. Unfortunately, it is
almost impossible to enforce this law, nor do
Animal Management Officers have the time or
resources to make enforcement a priority.
Therefore, we are relying on public education
to help alleviate what is truly a serious problem in community parks and trails.
Leaving behind dog waste is not only
disgusting, it is bad for the environment. Did you know:
• Only 40% of people pick up after their
pets.
• Pet waste contains harmful bacteria that
can make other pets sick.
• In a city the size of Arvada, dogs produce
up to 2.5 tons of waste a day.
• Pet waste pollutes our creeks and ponds.
• Algae and bacteria form in our water
sources due to pet waste.
There is really no excuse not to pick up
after your dog. The City makes it easy--there
are trash cans liberally placed throughout our
parks and trail system, as well as numerous
plastic bag dispensers.
So do your part to keep Arvada healthy and
beautiful: Clean Up After Your Dog!
11
The Arvada Report
April/May 2016
Biking is Big in Arvada!
esignated a silver-level
Bicycle Friendly
Community by the League
of American Bicyclists, Arvada has
125 miles of off-street and 56 miles
of on-street biking facilities; in addition, 65% of our arterial streets
include bike lanes. Here’s the latest
news about biking in Arvada.
Bike Training Facility for Kids
Riding bikes is a great way for
kids to get active, stay healthy, and
explore their neighborhood, but for
those who don’t know how to ride a
bike, it can be tough to find a place
to learn.
The City of Arvada is proud to
announce the construction of a
Bicycle Training Facility on the
grounds of the Jefferson County
Head Start School at W. 51st Ave.
and Yarrow St. This unique facility,
first of its kind in Colorado, is a
half-acre streetscape built to the
same specifications as Arvada
streets, plus additional obstacles for
skills training. The facility will be
available for group educational pro-
D
grams as well as for families to visit
on their own, just like the pavilions
at other Arvada parks. For more
details, visit arvada.org/biking.
Bike Master Plan Under
Development
Arvada is already a silver-level
Bicycle Friendly Community, but
we’re not stopping there! We’ve
heard many requests to make
Arvada an even better place to ride,
and now it’s time to take action.
This summer, engage with the City
to develop a Bicycle Master Plan.
Your feedback is essential! To get
involved, please contact Wesley at
720-898-7749 or check
arvada.org/biking.
Community Bike Rides are Back
The popular Bike Friendly
Arvada community bike rides will
be back for the summer of 2016,
including themes such as an ice
cream ride in the summer and a hot
chocolate ride in the fall. Visit
BikeFriendlyArvada.org for a
complete schedule.
Bike Friendly Arvada is always
looking for volunteer ride leaders. A
training session is scheduled for
Sunday, April 10 at 10 a.m. in
Memorial Park (just north of Arvada
City Hall). For more information,
contact Bill Orchard at billorchard@
juno.com or 303-422-9468.
Bike to Work Day is June 22
Arvada stations return to Gold
Strike and Memorial Parks - plus,
keep an eye out for a new station in
2016!
Self-Storage Facilities and the Land Development Code
he City of Arvada is proposing to amend the Land
Development Code (LDC)
regulations pertaining to selfstorage facilities. The scope of
the amendments centers on
adding self-storage facilities as a
permitted use in the PUD-I
(Planned Unit Development Industrial) and PUD-BP
(Planned Unit Development Business/Professional) Zoning
Districts, and developing design
standards and parking standards
for this use in those specific zoning districts. Self-storage is cur-
T
12
rently allowed in the I-1 (Light
Industrial), I-2 (Heavy
Industrial), NC-SU (New
Communities-Special Industrial
& Office Sub-District) and all
Clear Creek Zoning Districts. It
is not anticipated that design and
parking standards beyond those
currently set forth in the LDC
will be added or modified for
self-storage facilities in those
zoning districts.
A series of stakeholder meetings were held in February and
March of 2016 to obtain public
input into the proposed stan-
dards. Work sessions with the
Planning Commission and City
Council are anticipated to be
held in April. The recommended
LDC amendments will be presented as a public hearing item
to Planning Commission and
City Council in the spring of
2016.
If you would like further
information please contact
Kristin Dean, Senior Planner, at
[email protected] or 720898-7438.
The Arvada Report
April/May 2016
Arvada Trails Day is
Saturday, June 4
elebrate National Trails Day
in Arvada at three different
locations. Explore nature,
participate in eco-friendly activities,
learn about resource conservation,
and experience some of Arvada’s
149 miles of wonderful hiking,
biking, and horseback riding trails.
Pick up a Healthy Places Passport
To Fun at any location and complete
activities to earn a chance of
winning exciting prizes like a bicycle, trekking poles, and more!
At Majestic View Nature Center
(7030 Garrison St.)
8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Guided nature walks (three
miles) along historic canal trails
connecting Two Ponds and
Majestic View. Meet at 8:30 a.m.
at either location and return on
the free shuttle.
• Recreational bike riders meet at
8:45 a.m. for 13-mile trail/street
ride departing at 9 a.m., and family bike riders meet at 9:15 a.m.
for a 5-mile trail/street ride
departing at 9:30 a.m. (meet at
parking area on W. 72nd Ave.,
just west of Carr St.).
• Live animal presentations by
Denver Zoo, HawkQuest, and
The Downtown Aquarium.
• Mad Science, kids’ activities, and
environmental displays.
• Free refreshments.
C
At Ralston Central Park (corner of
Ralston Road and Garrison St.)
8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Park-to-Park Half Marathon,
10K/5K, and Family Fun Run
starting at 8 a.m. Register at
ArvadaParktoPark.com.
• Sustainable Fine Arts
and Craft Fair.
• Multimodal transportation fun: Minibike rodeo, RTD bus,
and try out the transit
kiosks.
• Food trucks with sustainable, healthy
options.
• Activity zones with
free Zumba, yoga, and
dance classes.
• Exhibits include the
latest in solar technology, water and energy
conservation, locally
grown plants, healthy
food demonstrations,
energy efficiency,
recycling made easy,
and low-cost transportation.
• Exhibitors will provide information and demonstrate eco-friendly
products and services to help you
explore your sustainable lifestyle.
At Two Ponds National Wildlife
Refuge (W. 80th Ave. just east of
Kipling): 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Guided nature walks (three
miles) along historic canal trails
connecting Two Ponds and
Majestic View. Meet at 8:30 a.m.
at either location and return on
the free shuttle.
• Live animal exhibits including
The Butterfly Pavilion and Birds
of Prey Foundation.
• Environmental education displays
and kids’ activities.
• Free refreshments.
• Wildlife contraband display, Wild
Birds Unlimited.
Free shuttle service will be provided to and from all locations.
Parking is available at Ralston
Central Park, Majestic View Nature
Center, and the Medical Center parking lot on the southeast corner of
W. 80th Ave. and Kipling St. For
more information call 720-898-7403
(Ralston Central), 720-898-7405
(Majestic View) or 303-289-0867
(Two Ponds) or arvadafestivals.org.
This event is brought to you by the
City of Arvada Festivals Commission,
Majestic View Nature Center, Two
Ponds National Wildlife Refuge, the
Arvada Sustainability Advisory
Committee, the City’s Healthy Places
Initiative, the Arvada Bike Advisory
Committee, and the Arvada Park
Advisory Committee.
13
The Arvada Report
Arvada
Fire Protection
District
The Arvada Fire Protection
District’s section of The
Arvada Report is published by
the City of Arvada with content provided by the Arvada
Fire Protection District as a
service to the citizens of
Arvada. The City of Arvada is
not responsible for the accuracy of the information contained in this section of The
Arvada Report.
Board of Directors
Edward G. (Ted) Terranova
President
Thomas D. (Tom) McAdam
Vice-President
Robert (Bob) Loveridge
Secretary
Mathew M. (Matt) Kramer
Treasurer
Jeffrey E. (Jeff) Van Es
Assistant Secretary-Treasurer
Arvada
Fire Protection District
7903 Allison Way • Arvada, CO 80005
303-424-3012
www.arvadafire.com
14
April/May 2016
Letter from the Chief
BY CHIEF JON GRIER
s I reflect on 2015, the Fire
Department had some big
accomplishments. We continue
to look for more efficient ways to operate and 2015 was no different. The following are some examples:
We hired personnel to work with the
firefighters to fully institute our
Community Risk Reduction plans.
These plans look at the type and frequency of our calls by geographic area,
and focus on implementing measures to
prevent these types of calls from ever
occurring to the fullest possible extent.
While we do still run a large number of
calls, this change in philosophy is to be
proactive instead of a reactive department.
We continue to focus on being a cutting edge, well-trained fire department,
regardless of the reason that you call for
our aid. As an all-hazards department
we are ready to respond to any situation
for which you need help. I can promise
you that we will continue to evolve as
the services we are called upon to perform continue to transform.
In 2015 we ran well over 14,000
calls for service. This represents a continued upward track in the number of
responses we run. We have averaged
about 1,000 more calls for service per
year for the last three years. Since most
of our calls are of a medical nature, we
added a fifth ambulance to our
resources. This ambulance is located
out of Station 4 at W. 68th Ave. and
Pierce St. and has helped to alleviate
A
some of the burden on the other ambulances.
During 2015 we trained for the
arrival of the new commuter rail on the
Gold Line; our crews are ready to go
when the trains start running late this
year. These trainings with RTD personnel will continue in 2016 as test runs on
the track begin.
We continually monitor the construction going on in the northwest part
of the District. Each year we gather statistics on the number of homes, number
of calls, types of calls, and response
times to the area and evaluate the need
for a new fire station in the area. At this
time we are anticipating a need for a
station around 2019 or 2020 depending
on the continued growth rate.
These are among the many things
the Department accomplished in 2015
and as always, I want to thank you for
letting us be your fire department. We
never take that responsibility lightly. !
The Arvada Report
April/May 2016
Arvada Fire Recruits Learn the Ropes at Academy
Various
crews assist
with the
training so
the recruits
get a chance
to not only
meet their
new co-workers but also
learn from
some very
experienced
fire fighters
who can
speak to what
the recruits
can expect when on duty in our
community. Along the way instructors gave helpful tips and showed
multiple ways of accomplishing the
same task so that each individual
can accomplish the task to the best
of their ability.
Throughout the academy the
recruits also undergo a series of
quizzes and larger tests where they
must score at least 80% or above in
order to continue with the process.
The first six weeks were devoted to
learning about fire-related response
specifically. The last three weeks
switched gears and focused on
Emergency Medical Services
(EMS). Once on duty, the new
recruits will be placed on both
ambulances and fire engines, so a
tarting in mid-January, six
new recruits began attending
classes four days a week at
our training center. This nine-week
academy focused on various criteria
based on the International Fire
Service Training Association
(IFSTA) guidelines. While each of
the new recruits already has some
experience being a first responder,
and each are certified paramedics,
they still underwent an intense
learning process as they worked
their way through the academy.
The recruits began each day at
CrossFit, stressing the importance
of keeping themselves physically fit
to be able to perform their duties.
Participants then generally spent a
good portion of the morning in the
classroom learning about fire
behavior, firefighter personal protective equipment, water supply,
ventilation, ladders, communications, forcible entry, hazmat operations, and community risk reduction
to name a few. Next, they put into
practice the skills discussed in the
classroom. The saying “practice
makes perfect” is not lost on the
trainers as they tasked the recruits
to do the same activity over and
over again. The more comfortable
the recruits become with the equipment and movements, the safer and
more prepared they will be in the
case of an emergency.
S
large emphasis is put on both
aspects. The EMS portion of the
academy focused on expectations,
treatment protocols, pediatric care,
and ambulance operator training to
name a few.
Overall, the academy was a
wonderful experience for our
department from both the instructor’s perspective as well as the new
recruits. New recruit Aaron Caricato
said, “Every day has been great. We
have had great instructors from each
station and shift. Half of us have
firefighting experience and half of
us that don’t, but I feel like across
the board we have all learned something new every day, getting us prepared for the job ahead. We are all
very anxious to get online.” !
District Board Election
The Arvada Fire Protection
District will be holding an election on May 3, 2016 from 7 a.m.
to 7 p.m. Polling places will be at
Arvada Fire District Headquarters,
7903 Allison Way and Arvada Fire
District Training Center, 6651
Indiana St.
District electors registered to
vote in the State of Colorado who
wish to vote by mail must complete an Application for Absentee
Ballot available on
www.arvadafire.com, or by calling 303-424-3015 to request an
application be sent by mail,
email, or fax. Applications may be
completed in person at 7903
Allison Way between 8 a.m. and
5 p.m. Monday – Friday through
April 29. All applications must be
received by 5 p.m. on April 29
and mailed ballots must be
received by 7 p.m. on May 3. !
15
The Arvada Report
April/May 2016
Close the Door
f you wake up from a fire the
first thing that you should do is
get out, but what if you can’t?
Research shows that sleeping with
your bedroom door closed can help
buy lifesaving seconds in the event
of a fire.* These seconds can be
used to find a way out or to protect
yourself until firefighters can reach
you.
Research shows how doors can
keep smoke out of a room longer as
well as change the flow of heat and
toxic gases, acting as a shield for
someone trapped and unable to get
out of a fire. Steve Kerber, director
of the Underwriters Laboratories
(UL) Firefighter Safety Research
Institute, has conducted hundreds of
fire studies at UL working with fire
departments across the country. He
said along with smoke alarms, a
closed door is the best possible
thing.
In one UL test, Kerber’s team lit
a fire in a living room, in a house
with an open floor plan and a great
room opening up to the second
I
floor. Upstairs were two bedrooms,
one with the door open, the other
closed. Just 90 seconds after the fire
starts downstairs, smoke was
already entering the upstairs bedroom with the open door. After just
three minutes, the room with the
open door was full of thick, black
smoke. But in the room with the
door closed, the air stayed clear
longer. Five minutes into the fire,
some visibility remained in the
room with the closed door. In the
rest of the house smoke has choked
out the light.
In Arvada we have seen this to
be true during our post-fire investigation work. The rooms that have
closed doors are much less effected
and damaged.
In 2012, UL conducted a series
of tests on Governors Island, New
York along with the New York City
Fire Department. Researchers set 20
abandoned town houses on fire, to
see how fires spread through modern homes. Among their findings,
closed doors not only blocked
smoke, they also kept out dangerous
heat. During one study by the Fort
Worth Fire Department a thermal
imaging camera showed that on the
fire side of the door the temperature
was about 600 degrees while on the
other side of the door it was closer
to 100 degrees. Once the door was
opened the temperatures increased
dramatically.
Remember, though, a closed
door is not a replacement for a
smoke alarm. The importance of
having a working smoke alarm
inside each bedroom, outside each
separate sleeping area and on every
level of the home is vital. For the
best protection, smoke alarms
should be interconnected so when
one sounds they all sound. And
don’t forget about making and practicing those escape plans!
Watch a news investigation on
how closed doors can save your
life: tinyurl.com/zyhx4pc
*Information gathered from the
NFPA and NBC 5 Dallas-Forth
Worth !
Promotions and Awards
Lieutenant
Brendon
Dougherty
The District
recognizes and
congratulates
Lt. Brendon
Dougherty for
achieving the
designation of
“Fire Officer”
from the Commission on Professional
Credentialing (CPC). He joins the ranks of
Steven Parker, one of our Deputy Fire
Marshals, in achieving this designation.
Achieving this designation requires a
strong educational background; diverse
16
participation in emergency services at the
local, state, and national level; and
demonstrated involvement in the broader
community. Designations offered by the
CPC are internationally-recognized thirdparty verification of professional competence in fire and emergency services. The
CPC assists emergency services officers in
their professional development by providing guidance on career planning through
participation in the Professional
Designation Program.
Dougherty’s accomplishments have
enhanced the stature and capabilities of
not only himself but also our organization
and community.
Lieutenant Derrick Varela
Congratulations to Derrick Varela, who
has been promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant. Derrick is a student of
Fire/EMS with a strong work ethic and a
positive attitude. Derrick has been a dedicated member
of AFPD for
years, beginning
as a volunteer in
2004. Derrick
was hired as a
career firefighter
in 2007 and was
promoted to
Engineer in
The Arvada Report
April/May 2016
RTD G and B Line Testing to Begin in Spring
he Gold Line to Arvada and
Wheat Ridge will be opening
this fall, but testing is already
underway on the gates, signals,
trains, and overall operations to
ensure that the system is operating
as it should on opening day. This
includes confirmation that all signaling and safety equipment works
appropriately in conjunction with
city traffic lights and nearby railroads, as well as vehicle burn-in
time and training operators.
The Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) requires all
trains to sound their horns when the
train approaches a railroad crossing,
unless they are approved for quiet
zones. The City of Arvada, in coordination with RTD, submitted an
application and was approved for
quiet zones along the entire Gold
Line. Trains will sound their horns
during this testing phase until all
crossings are deemed safe by the
FRA. Once safety approved, quiet
zones will be implemented at each
crossing, and neither commuter or
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2012. We are so very proud of the work he
has done for Arvada Fire and his efforts to
make this community safer and stronger.
We look forward to having him in a new
leadership position.
Firefighter Olito Pierluissi
We would
also like to congratulate Olito
Pierluissi on his
recent promotion to career
firefighter. Olito
Pierluissi has
been a reserve
firefighter with
freight train operators will sound
their horns unless there is an emergency situation or maintenance
work near the tracks.
Another component of the final
phase includes implementing positive train control (PTC), a technology that utilizes a complex GPS-andcommunications-based system with
the sole purpose of ensuring safe
operations. It has recently become
an FRA requirement for all passenger rail systems in the country and
RTD is proud to be the first in the
U.S. to implement the system. PTC
will prevent unsafe speeds, train
collisions, and other system errors
that may occur during operations.
Though this technology will prevent
unsafe situations, it is important for
the public to remain cautious near
the tracks and to educate children
about the dangers of trains.
During all of this important testing, please remind family, friends,
and neighbors about how to be safe
around train tracks: always look
both ways before crossing the
AFPD since 2011. He has been a dedicated
and professional first responder as an EMT
since 2005 with Pridemark. We are so
excited to be able to bring him on fulltime.
Captain Denison
On February 11 the American Legion
honored Captain Denison with a firefighter
of the year award. Captain Denison is dedicated to making sure we give the best
service to the community. In the past year
Captain Denison not only outfitted our
Station 4 heavy rescue but was also tasked
with creating a training program for all of
this additional equipment. In addition, he
led the training in regards to the Ebola
tracks, obey all traffic and crossing
warning devices and signals, and
never trespass on any train track – it
is illegal and dangerous.
After this intensive, federallyrequired testing program, RTD in
collaboration with the cities, will
host a full weekend of celebratory
events!
For more information about
the Gold Line visit www.rtddenver.com. !
Information provided by RTD.
scare and oversaw the remodel of Station
4. These are just a few of his recent accomplishments. He has shown outstanding
leadership with the department and is
very deserving of this award. !
17
The Arvada Report
720-898-7405
www.arvada.org/nature
www.facebook.com/majesticviewnaturecenter
7030 Garrison Street
Open Year Round
Current Public Hours
Monday through Thursday,
and Saturday
October-May: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
June-September 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Located in 80-acre Majestic View Park we
offer public, school, scout, home school
and community group programs, and
rentals.
Pre-Registration Required For All
Classes: Call 720-898-7405 or stop by the
Nature Center.
School Field Trips: Elementary
Exploration Program
Topics are science standards based,
specific to grade level. Call for
information.
April/May 2016
basic photography course with a twist. This class also
fulfills the requirements for Boy Scout Photography
Merit Badge.
Tai Chi at Majestic View
Mondays, April 11 – May 23
Beginning 6:15 – 7:15 p.m., Continuing 5 – 6 p.m.
Adults, $70 for 7-week session.
Intro to the Night Sky
Saturday, April 16, 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Ages 8 – adult. Free.
Taught by Longmont Astronomical Society.
Watering Wisely
Saturday, April 23, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Adults, $8. Led by Pioneer Farmsteaders.
Travel Series: Alaska!
Tuesday, April 26, 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Ages 10 - adult. $3.
Presented by Bob Barber, Professional Wildlife
Photographer.
Survival Plant Walk
Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
All ages, $18.
An interactive walk with Sarqit’s Outdoor School
Instructor focusing on tool plants, plant characteristics,
and edible plants.
Friction Fire
Full class descriptions available at
www.arvada.org/nature
Saturday, April 30, 1 – 3 p.m.
All ages, $18.
Sarqit Outdoor Living School teaches the ancient technique of making fire by friction.
Are Ladybugs Ladies?
Saturday, April 9, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Ages 3 – 6, $3.
Explore the beloved, but often misunderstood ladybug.
The Grass Is Greener
Saturday, April 9, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Adults and teens, $3.
Keep a lawn that will make your neighbors green with
envy. Taught by CSU Master Gardener.
Zoom into Nature
Sundays, April 10, 17, 24, and May 1 and 15.
2 – 4 p.m.
Ages 10 - adult. $25/first person, $15/additional family
member.
Optional field trip to Denver Zoo is extra on May 8.
Join Professional Photographer, Rod Pilcher for this
Dawn Chorus at Two Ponds
National Wildlife Refuge
Sunday, May 1, 6 – 8 a.m.
All ages, Free.
Listen to birdsongs at sunrise. Call Two Ponds NWR to
reserve your spot at 303-289-0867.
Container Gardening
Saturday, May 7, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Adults and teens, $3.
Led by a CSU Master Gardener.
Busy Bees and Other Things
Tuesday, May 10, 4 – 5:30 p.m.
Ages 5 – 10. $10
Make a native pollinator house to take home and learn
about the importance of plant pollination.
Outdoor Cooking – Cowboy and
Native Styles
Thursday, May 12 and Friday, May 13
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
All ages, $27 for each class, attend either or both.
Enjoy a wonderful fire, great people, and tasty food.
Thursday, May 12 - Cowboy Style - “trail food.”
Friday, May 13 - Native Style - cooking without metal
pans.
Morning Bird Walk at Majestic
View Park
Saturday, May 14, 8 – 10 a.m.
All levels of birders welcome, Free.
Little Green Thumbs
Saturday, May 14, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Ages 3 – 6. $3.
Let us help you instill a love of gardening in your tyke.
Scatology
Saturday, May 14, 1 – 2 p.m.
Ages 6 – 12, Free.
Get a little giggly as we discover what animal's scat can
teach us.
Colorful Colorado: Night with a
Naturalist Series
Tuesday, May 17, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
All ages, Free.
Many surprises hide in our great state!
South American Animals with
The Downtown Aquarium
Saturday, May 21, 10:30 – 11:15 a.m.
All ages, $3/person, $10/family.
Meet some of our southern animal neighbors.
World Turtle Day - Who Knew?
Saturday, May 21, between 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
All ages, Free.
See live turtles while celebrating World Turtle Day.
Got Vegetables? Managing Your
Plentiful Harvest
Saturday, May 21, 3:30 – 5 p.m.
Ages 10 – adult, $8.
Learn to select, store, and prepare fresh, local produce.
Presented by Pioneer Farmsteaders.
Spanish Story Time
Wednesday, June 1, 10 – 11 a.m.
Ages 3 – 10, Free.
Learn Spanish with nature themed books, songs and
games. Led by Spanish teacher Pat Martinez. Spanish
proficiency not needed to join the fun.
Story Times
First Thursday and Third Monday at 10 a.m. - All ages, Free. - No registration necessary.
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The Arvada Report
April/May 2016
Collaboration – Working
Together to Meet Citizen
Housing Needs
he Arvada City Council recently approved an agreement with
FirstBank to provide affordable
loans for housing rehabilitation
through the Essential Home Repairs
Program. Collaboration has been a
hallmark of the cooperation between
Arvada and FirstBank to provide
affordable loans for housing rehabilitation.
City staff are available to assist
homeowners through the whole
process of doing a work write up,
evaluating needs in the home, securing a qualified contractor, and assisting the homeowner in monitoring the
work.
The Essential Home Repairs
Program is designed to assist lowand moderate-income Arvada homeowners in making needed repairs and
energy saving improvements.
Through this collaboration with
FirstBank, the City can extend limited
public dollars to provide additional
assistance to Arvada homeowners
through three affordable bank loan
options:
· 0% Interest Bank Loan: The
amount borrowed (principle) is all
a borrower must repay within 10
years.
T
·
3% Interest Bank Loan: The
amount borrowed plus only 3%
annual interest must be repaid
within 10 years.
· Prime Rate Loan: The interest
rate charged is the higher of the
current prime rate or 5%.
Program eligibility is determined
primarily on the basis of the following factors:
· Home must be a single-family
residence.
· You must own or be in the process
of buying your home.
· You must live in your home as the
primary residence.
· Your annual family income cannot
exceed a specific limit.
· You must meet bank requirements
regarding credit worthiness and
financial condition.
Full information on the Essential
Home Repairs Program and all the
assistance options available including
family income limits can be found on
the City of Arvada website at
www.arvada.org (search “Essential
Home Repairs”).
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The Arvada Report
/InvestInArvada
@InvestInArvada
April/May 2016
/InvestInArvada ArvadaEconomicDevelopment.org
Arvada Company Profile
The Arvada Economic Development Association
(AEDA) is profiling primary employers that are conducting business in Arvada. A primary employer is defined as
a company that sells the majority of its product or service
outside the community, thereby bringing in new dollars
to Arvada. In this issue, AEDA is showcasing Mid-West
Machine Products Inc. located at 6255 Joyce Drive.
Mid-West Machine was established in 1969 by Paul
and Dee Guernsey. The couple sold their home in Green
Mountain in order to buy equipment and rent a 1,000 sq.
ft. warehouse off of W. 56th Ave. and Wadsworth Blvd.
in Arvada. As the business was taking off, so was the
Guernsey family! There were two small kids (Debbie, 7,
and Mike, 4) and Cindy Guernsey was on the way. For
the first year the business was open, Paul still worked
nights at his journeyman machinist job, and his days at
Mid-West Machine. As the business was entering its second year, Paul gave up the night work and shortly after
moved the business into a new warehouse at 5583 Gray
St. in Arvada. The business continued to grow, taking
over more space as it became available, until Mid-West
Machine occupied the whole block. In 1987, Paul
purchased a 60,000 sq. ft. building from well-known
Colorado developer Howard Lacy in the Arvada
Technology Park in West Arvada. In 1997, the company
expanded the building an additional 30,000 sq. ft. to
today’s size of 90,000 sq. ft.
Mid-West Machine is a precision sheet metal and
machine shop. It uses CNC punches, lasers, and press
brakes to cut and bend sheet metal to its customers’ specifications. The business also offers added value processes
such as welding, hardware installation, and packaging.
Some of its major Arvada customers are: Wanco INC.,
Mark VII Equipment, and Wadsworth Control Systems.
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From the humble beginnings in 1969. Paul Guernsey shown
working on a Bridgeport Mill, to now showing one of the latest
Laser work centers Mid-West uses to make parts.
Other major Colorado customers include Trane Cooling
Systems in Pueblo, Walker Manufacturing in Ft. Collins,
and Pinnacle Lighting in Denver.
Currently, three of the Guernsey children - Debbie
Raile, Mike Guernsey and Cindy Guernsey, along with
son-in-law Steve Raile - work at Mid-West Machine. The
business employs about 60 people. Together they have all
helped Mid-West Machine thrive. To learn more about
Mid-West Machine Products Inc. being in business for
over 50 years, go to YouTube.com/investinarvada and
watch the video.
The Arvada Report
Jefferson County Business
Resource Center Named
Nonprofit of the Year
The West Chamber hosted its
Chairman’s Inaugural Celebration
on February 19, 2016 at the
Sheraton Denver West Hotel. The
event honored individuals, organizations, and businesses from all over
Jefferson County. There were five
awards given out and Jefferson
County Business Resource Center
(Jeffco BRC) was honored as
Nonprofit of the Year. The organization was honored for its work supporting small businesses throughout
the County. “Winning the award is a
huge honor,” said Amira Watters,
Jeffco BRC executive director. “The
organization has been helping entrepreneurs and small businesses for
April/May 2016
close to 10 years. Jefferson County
is a great place to start a business.”
Jeffco BRC, located at 1667
Cole Blvd. in Lakewood, is known
as the place to receive free or lowcost resources including business
plan development, start-up financial
strategies, market research, business
growth advice, and more. Every
month the organization offers a
variety of business education classes and free one-on-one business
counseling. To learn more or to register for an upcoming class, visit
www.jeffcobrc.org.
Cycle Dynamics
5545 Wadsworth Blvd.
Homegrown Tap & Dough
5601 Wadsworth Blvd.
Jordans Restaurant
5495 Marshall St.
Look What I Found LLC
(consignment store)
9830 W. 59th Place
Prescient
14401 W. 65th Way
New Arvada Businesses
The following are several new
businesses that have either opened
or plan to open soon in Arvada.
For a complete listing of Arvada
businesses, go to www.arvada
economicdevelopment.org/
directory
Arvada Recycling
9630 Ralston Road
China Terrace Restaurant
7705 Wadsworth Blvd.
Conundrum Escape Rooms LLC
9255 Ralston Road
Rob Williams Racing LLC
5655 Gray St.
Rubber Incorporated
5195 W. 58th Ave.
T and T Automotive Service
5665 Gray St.
The Joint . . .
The Chiropractic Place
15570 W. 64th Ave.
Whole Family Acupuncture
& Wellness
5400 Ward Road
Stay Connected to Arvada Economic
Development Association on Social Media!
Arvada Economic Development Association (AEDA) is on Facebook and Twitter.
Go to www.facebook.com/investinarvada and become a Fan. Follow @investinarvada on Twitter.
This is the ideal way to stay connected to what is going on in the business community.
EBLAST - Sign up for eblast at arvadaeconomicdevelopment.org
21
The
The Arvada
Arvada Report
Report
April/May
April/May 2016
2016
Change is in the Air at the Arvada
Center for the Arts And Humanities
BY PHILIP SNEEED, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARVADA CENTER
t’s spring, and the turning of the
calendar page brings us closer to
two important events in the history of the Arvada Center: our 40th
anniversary, and our transition to nonprofit governance.
The Arvada Center was dedicated
on July 4, 1976 – our nation’s
Bicentennial – and we opened our
doors to the public on September 16
of that year. We’re celebrating this
milestone throughout the year with an
historic timeline in our History
Museum, a special anniversary concert with the Colorado Symphony on
July 9, and an open house the weekend of September 16 and 17, among
other special exhibitions and programming. We will also be using this
anniversary to point the way forward
to the next 40 years with the motto
“40 Moving Forward!” I hope you
will find a time to stop by and wish
us a “Happy Anniversary.”
Speaking of moving forward,
we’re moving in a big way this year
as we transition from a department of
Arvada City government to a private, nonprofit arts organization.
As of July 1, a volunteer board of
directors will
I
22
govern the operations of the Center,
while the City will maintain ownership of, and responsibility for, the
buildings and the land. This sort of
public-private partnership is by far
the most common organizational
model for arts centers and other cultural attractions, allowing government
to fulfill its more traditional role of
creating and maintaining infrastructure and public safety, while the private sector manages the delivery of
other kinds of services. As the Arvada
Center turns 40, everyone involved
agrees it can best grow and thrive as a
private sector organization – just like
the Denver Zoo, the Denver Art
Museum, and many other public-private partnerships around the country.
What will this transition mean for
the public? Not much at first – the
same staff will be providing the same
high-quality arts and humanities programming as they have for our first
40 years (only as private nonprofit
employees, rather than City employees). We won’t be cutting back any of
our popular events – in fact, this transition will allow us, over time, to
expand our base of support and offer
more to the community—
more performances, more classes,
more lectures and exhibitions, and
public forums of all sorts.
I hope you’ll join us on our journey
“moving forward” – whether you’re a
longtime Arvada Center patron, or
you’re new to the community and
experiencing the Center for the first
time. The Arvada Center was originally funded and built by the citizens of
Arvada, and it’s supported by patrons
from throughout the metro area and in
fact from every corner of America – it
belongs to the community. Those of us
entrusted with managing this extraordinary organization need you to tell us
how we’re doing and what more you’d
like to see – so let us hear from you.
We’re 40 years old but we’re just getting started!
The Arvada Report
April
3
15
23
7
Arvada Kite Festival
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Stenger Soccer Complex
W. 58th Ave. and Quail St.
720-898-7403
State of the City
Presented by Mayor Marc
Williams and the Arvada
Chamber of Commerce
7:15 a.m.
Arvada Center for Arts and
Humanities
6901 Wadsworth Blvd
RSVP required, $15/each
303-424-0313
Historical Society’s Antique
Appraisal Fundraiser
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
McIlvoy House
7307 Grandview Avenue
303-431-1261
April/May 2016
5K Derby Dash Benefiting
Hope House of Colorado
9 a.m.
Lake Arbor Park
6400 Pomona Drive
303-429-1012
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Mother’s Day Tea
11 a.m. – 1 p.m., 2 – 4 p.m.
Arvada Center History
Museum
6901 Wadsworth Blvd.
$25/person; reservations
required
303-431-1261
15 - 16
Historical Society Yard Sale
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. May 15
9 a.m. - 3 p.m. May 16
Location TBD
303-431-1261
May
1
5
9Health Fair
Apex Center
13150 W. 72nd Ave.
303-424-2739
Ladies Only Sample Tour
Olde Town Arvada
4 – 8 p.m.
303-797-9507
SAVE-THE-DATE
3rd Annual Sand in the City
Saturday, June 27
Sunday, June 28
Ralston Park
W. 64th Ave. and Simms St.
July 23, 2016
Arvada on Tap is coming
back bigger and better in
2016. More cooks, more
craft beers, more homebrews, more vendors, and a
brand new VIP experience!!
Visit
www.arvadaontap.com
for more information.
The Arvada Visitors Center is a one-stop-shop resource for the residents of Arvada and guests visiting the area. The Visitors Center is located in
Historic Olde Town Arvada at 7305 Grandview Avenue. Hours of operation: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday and 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
on the weekends. For more information, contact Jean Gordon at 720-898-3380 or [email protected]. Online at visitarvada.org.
23
PR SRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Longmont, CO
Permit No. 16
8101 Ralston Road
Arvada, Colorado 80002
*****ECRWSS
ARVADA POSTAL PATRON
Printed on Recycled Paper
Arvada Center Happenings
The Arvada Center–Treat Yourself to the Arts!
To purchase tickets and for more information
call 720-898-7200 or visit www.arvadacenter.org
Jeffrey Siegel
Coffee Concerts
Two Classic Romantics Mozart and Schubert
Wednesday, April 13, 11:00 a.m., $16
Sponsored by Winona and Jack Moritz
Keyboard
Conversations®
Music of Joyous Celebration!
Wednesday, April 13,7:30 p.m.
$35/$29
Regional Premiere
Music and Lyrics by Maury Yeston
Book by Peter Stone and Thomas Meehan
Directed by Rod A. Lansberry
April 26 – May 15, 2016
Main Stage Theatre
“One lush, soaring number
after another...”
Colorado
Chamber
Orchestra
Thomas A. Blomster, Music Director
Dr. Anne M. Guzzo, Composer in Residence
Honoring the Dead
Voices West Chorus,
Special Guest Performance
• Richard Burchard: In Memoriam
• Mozart: Requiem
Sunday, April 3, 2016, 2:00 p.m., $30
Summer Camps
Camps & Classes for Children Ages 3 to 18 in
Ceramics, Dance, Drama, Music, Photography
& Visual Arts!
Here are just a few of the camps:
Romeo and Juliet Drama Camp - Ages 14-18
Musical Theatre Sing and Dance - Ages 3-5
Guys and Dolls Drama Camp - Ages 8-16
Art Around the World - Ages 6-8
Musical Stories - Ages 7-10
– New York Times
Camps start June 6 and fill fast,
register now!
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