February 2024 Larimer County Highlights
by Project Editor Sonia Koetting
The full reports by Citizen Observers for the League of Women Voters of Larimer County are linked below.
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Johnstown 2/5/2024, 2/21/2024
Eight firms responded to the town council’s request for bids to develop the strategic plan for downtown. The award goes to a North Carolina contractor. Some of the items planned are redevelopment of the industrial park and new parcels, a plan for parking, streetscapes, and improvements and a detour for Parish Avenue. The town council has budgeted $100K for this phase of the project.
Roosevelt HS Cheer Team wins the 2023 State Championship.
The town board agrees to spend $19K to issue tax rebates for residential property owners.
Milliken and Johnstown are formalizing a 20-year agreement regarding their boundary.
Larimer County 2/6/2024, 2/20/2024, 2/27/2024
McKayley Lane is 2024 Miss Loveland Valentine.
County Clerk Tina Harris launches an “I Voted” sticker contest for high school students. The winner will be announced April 19.
Commissioners confirm that no longer will 4-H Club be able to sell home-baked goods at The Ranch.
A new fire station is planned for LaPorte.
The new Loveland Youth Campus can host 250 children for daycare and will be home of the Boys and Girls Clubs afterschool program.
Commissioners attend the 2024 National Association of Counties Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., where transportation and disaster management are featured.
Commissioners approve that Larimer County Sheriff’s Office assume the role of law enforcement for the Town of Timnath.
The contract with Carter Lake Marina expands to provide short-term boat rentals and a lottery on open boat slips, as well as an increased percentage of revenue earmarked for The Department of Natural Resources.
The county purchases an electric F-150 truck, the first EV for the county fleet. Charging centers have been added to the county maintenance shop in Loveland, the Carter Lake Visitor Center, and the Civic Center parking garage on West Oak in Fort Collins.
The county approves its strategic plan for 2024-28 with 4 goals and objectives, and a team leader for each. The four goals:
- Resilient, equitable, and engaged community
- Quality of life
- Natural and Built environments
- Develop Future Leaders
Wellington 2/13/2024, 2/27/2024
Green Events Inc. plans to host its 9th Annual Spring Equinox Race in Wellington this year, in the field south of Sparge Brewery and with 1 free beer for those age 21+ who finish the race.
Wellington participates with the national Main Street America program to assist the town with economics, design, organization, and promotion. The 2024 campaign is “Love Where You Live” and has participating groups help support bringing new business, events, and people.
Director of Larimer County Human & Economic Health visits to detail Larimer County’s Community Master Plan. Trustee Daily made the point that it does not include a middle-school clinic that the original study said was needed, and that the new acute-care behavioral health center in Longview is a 45-minute drive away for Wellington residents.
Representatives of Wellington are negotiating with numerous agencies on how to pay for additional pipes and dredging necessary to finish the Boxelder Basin project to prevent flooding. The project is nearly done but needs an additional $1,650,000. Timnath agrees to pay 25%. Wellington continues to pay off a multi-million-dollar loan into 2031.
At the request of Trustee Tietz, the board discusses social media ridicule aimed at a residents comment regarding sexually explicit books available to children from the Wellington library.
Health District of Larimer County 1/23/2024
The health district now offers “Changing Minds,” an Opioid Overdose Response Training. 35 community groups are participating.
A survey of mental and emotional wellbeing of youth gathered from 47 organizations and schools, reveals that while the stigma of mental health is decreasing, stigma of substance abuse is worsening. Wrap-around services, Spanish language materials and improved access to services are some of the recommendations for serving youth of Larimer County. An acute care facility specifically for youth is being considered.
UC Health purchases two Da Vinci surgical robots which are minimally invasive and promise to improve surgical outcomes.
Red Feather Lakes 2/22/2024
Red Feather hopes the county will soon complete a traffic study that is prerequisite to designating the community’s school zone.
Larimer County plans to pay $25M to bring internet to the 15% of the community who are still without. The service will be from Fort Collins Connexion.