April 2024 Larimer County Highlights
Compiled by Jorie Kramer, FC Public Media Volunteer
The full reports by Citizen Observers for the League of Women Voters of Larimer County are linked below.
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Larimer County Board of County Commissioners Meeting Administrative Matters | April 9, 2024
- The Larimer County Sheriff’s office has requested three full-time investigators, according to Observer Lee Thielen. These positions will be funded by reassignment of current positions and support from Wellington and Berthoud.
- The Larimer County Jail now has a Family Time Room for incarcerated parents and their children.
- The Larimer County Conservation Corps (CC) is looking to hire 56 members for the summer. CC members are typically aged 18-25. This summer, their work will focus on fire mitigation. Applications are available online at the county’s website.
Johnstown Town Council Meeting | April 15, 2024
- The Director of Utilities in Johnstown, Ellen Hilbig, PE, requested the summer water schedule remain unchanged for 2024, according to Observer Nanci Wendland. The ordinance is for lawn watering only.
- The council approved a motion to terminate a $1.2 million contract for signage for the town. The money will be reallocated for use in a capital improvement fund, which was not specified. Public feedback will be gathered on potential projects.
Larimer County Board of County Commissioners Meeting Administrative Matters | April 16, 2024
- The Commissioners approved a request from the County’s Behavioral Health Services to issue a Behavioral Health Secure Transportation license to Colorado Secure Transportation, LLC, according to Observer Mary Bohman. Laura Walker, Larimer County Human and Economic Health Director and Interim Director for Behavioral Health, explained that this license and permit will help provide more transportation options for individuals in a mental health crisis, especially those in rural areas.
Larimer County Board of County Commissioners Meeting Administrative Matters | April 23, 2024
- The Larimer County Department of Natural Resources and the US Bureau of Reclamation have a grant for $228,000 for improvements at Horsetooth and Pinewood Reservoirs. The grant will be used to purchase new boat docks, repave asphalt parking lots, construct the Inlet Bay to South Bay Trail, and install broadband cable at Bureau properties, reports Observer Mary Bohman.
Wellington Board of Trustees | April 23, 2024
- The Main Street Revitalization Project will bring $4.4 million in street pavement improvements, drainage, pedestrian access, and ADA compliance, to Wellington’s Main Street, according to Deputy Town Administrator Kelly Houghteling. Observer Nanci Wendland also reports that the Trustee’s Board meeting on May 21 will be an Open House for residents to see the plans for the project. Construction is slated to begin fall of 2024.
Red Feather Lakes Planning Advisory Committee | April 25, 2024
- The committee is reviewing the 2005 Comprehensive Plan for Red Feather Lakes, looking for potential updates, according to observer Nancy Wendland. The committee learned from Matthew Lafferty, Larimer County Planning Engineer, that the plan will cost upwards of $200,000 to update if the boundaries of the planning area are changed, which some on the committee say is needed. Lafferty went on to say that he thinks that a small survey should be sent to ask if Red Feather Lakes residents are in favor of including outlying areas in the plan, such as Crystal Lakes and Glacier View Meadows. When the committee could not reach an immediate agreement, Lafferty suggested the committee come up with recommendations for improvements for Red Feather Lakes, looking to identify projects they feel can be done. Once that is done, a survey can then be drawn up that will look at those specific issues and can ask if residents support the projects and the costs. The committee agreed to dedicate the June meeting to a work session for identifying what improvements and costs the community could be surveyed about.
Larimer County Board of County Commissioners Meeting Administrative Matters | April 30, 2024
- The Commissioners unanimously approved a Proclamation recognizing May 2024 as Mental Health Awareness month in Larimer County. Laura Walker, Interim Director of Larimer County Behavioral Health Services accepted the proclamation and shared some statistics, according to observer Nanci Wendland.
- 46% of Americans will meet the criteria for a mental health condition in their lifetime and half of those will develop conditions by the age of 14.
- Almost 60,000 Larimer County residents reported poor mental health in the past year.
- 42% of Larimer County high school students felt sad or hopeless and stopped participating in activities, 46% felt their stress level was unmanageable, and 20% seriously considered suicide in the past year.
- The commissioners acknowledged the importance of early intervention in mental health issues. Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally also said the county needs to work on eliminating barriers and reducing the stigma of mental health issues.
Citizen Observers further the commitment of the League of Women Voters to its principle of Citizens Right to Know, however, we are not acting as journalists. Omissions and errors are possible. It is assumed that users of this information are responsible for their own fact-checking. This could include contacting a government clerk, conversing with an elected official or staff, and/or asking us to speak to the Observer who attended.