You are cordially invited to help the City plan for the future as part of the City’s 2020 Comprehensive Plan update and need your continuing participation and input!

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COMMUNITY VALUES AND VISION WORKSHOP
Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at 5:30 PM
Two Rivers Convention Center

A Community Values and Vision Workshop where the City will be seeking public input will be held at the Grand Junction (Two Rivers) Convention Center in downtown Grand Junction. On Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. the public is invited and encouraged to attend. At this session, attendees will provide feedback on draft vision statements, goals and objectives that have been derived from community feedback and input received to date through the public outreach of the Comprehensive Plan planning process. The workshop will be conducted using a system that polls attendees via their smart phone, or tablet. The interactive workshop will provide participants the opportunity to see results in real-time, while learning how other residents feel about specific issues. Please mark your calendars and attend this important event!

SUB-AREA PLANS WORKSHOP 
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at 5:30 PM
Lincoln Park Barn, 1240 Gunnison Avenue

As part of the Comprehensive Plan, Sub-Area Plans will be developed for the 24 Road Corridor as well as the Seventh Street/South Downtown Area. On Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. a Sub-Areas Workshop will be held at Lincoln Park Barn located at Lincoln Park, 1240 Gunnison Avenue. The Sub-Areas Workshop is open to the entire community and will focus on the identified subareas. The workshop will explore improvement and development scenarios that will serve as the basis for detailed development planning, concept visualization, redevelopment initiatives, implementation strategies and more. The intent is to create consensus around a preferred approach to improving, transforming, revitalizing, and investing in these two key areas of the City. This workshop will include a visual preference survey using smartphone technologies, in addition to a group mapping exercise.

We invite you to take part in this important and far reaching effort. For additional information, you may also visit the City’s website.

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Contact:  Greg LeBlanc, Sr. Assistant to the City Manager   970-244-1557 or gregoryl@gjcity.org 

Grand Junction Parks and Recreation is gearing up for another busy Fall Youth Basketball season, which is set to begin October 19th. This Recreation Basketball league focuses on basic fundamentals, sportsmanship, and teamwork.

Youth basketball is offered every fall for girls 2nd – 6th grade, which runs simultaneously alongside our 1st grade co-ed league. With a few weeks of registration left, the program numbers are continuing to rise, and 370 players are currently expected to take the courts November 2nd.

For over a decade, Grand Junction Parks and Recreation has partnered with Fruita Parks and Recreation offering an interleague program designed to provide recreational and participatory basketball activities that promote a healthy desire for competition without the need to travel too far outside the valley.

“Collaborating with the Fruita program increases the number of teams at each grade level, thus offering players more exposure to a variety of on the court experiences, which ultimately helps develop the player as a whole,” says Recreation Coordinator, Tina Ross.

According to a poll from the National Alliance for Youth Sports, around 70 percent of children in the United States are leaving sports by their 13th birthday. The biggest reason given: “it’s just not fun anymore.”

“We strive to create an environment that players look forward to being a part of,” said Ross. “Players join knowing that they will be with friends, they will have fun, that it will be safe to make mistakes and learn from them, and most of all, they will learn to respect themselves, others, and benefits that come from continued participation in team sports.”

There is often a cost to competition and not every child is willing to pay it. Our program is designed for players of all skill levels with each participant being given equal playing time regardless of ability. Both Grand Junction and Fruita Parks and Recreation strive to provide a program for boys and girls in the appropriate grades to learn, play, and improve their skills both on and off the courts.

For more information, please contact:

Primary: Tina Ross, Recreation Coordinator   970-254-3805   tinar@gjcity.org
Secondary: Callie Berkson, Marketing   970-254-3867   callieb@gjcity.org

For more detailed information on any of these items, read the full agendas and/or staff reports here: http://www.gjcity.org/city-government/agendas-and-minutes/  City Council meeting videos can also be found at the same link.

City Council will discuss the following items at this week’s meetings:

Monday, 10/14/19 – 4:00 p.m.    City Council Workshop City Hall Auditorium, 250 N. 5^th Street

Discussion Topics

Visit Grand Junction, Non-Profit Funding, Economic Development Funding, and Capital Budget Presentations

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Wednesday, 10/16/19 – 6:00 p.m.    City Council Meeting City Hall Auditorium, 250 N. 5^th Street

Regular Agenda

Public Hearings

5ai. Consider a Group of Actions Including 1) An Ordinance to Amend Multiple Sections of the Zoning and Development Code to Update the Transportation Capacity Payment and the Parks and Recreation Impact Fee and to Adopt New Impact Fees for Police, Fire and Municipal Facilities; and 2) An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 3641 Regarding the Growth and Development Related Streets Policy

Resolutions 

6a. A Resolution Adopting Plant Investment Fees for Water Utility

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Contact: Greg LeBlanc, Sr. Assistant to the City Manager 970-244-1557 or gregoryl@gjcity.org

Work is almost completed on replacement of one of the two 24-inch watermains that serve the City of Grand Junction’s water customers. This project replaces the existing 1946 cast-iron pipeline between the City of Grand Junction’s water treatment plant on Orchard Mesa along 26 ¼ Road to Highway 50. The replacement project will improve system reliability and water quality delivery to our customers.

Customers that will be directly impacted by water outages include properties on Gettysburg Street, the Riverview Technology Center, and DOE when the old watermain will be shut down and connections to the new waterline are put into service. This will occur during the week of October 14.

During this time, other City water customers will be served by the second 24-inch watermain. As a result of this activity, some of our customers may notice water that is intermittently cloudy throughout the week. This is the result of air being introduced to the system and these issues can be expected to clear up by next week.

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Contact:  Greg LeBlanc, Sr. Assistant to the City Manager     970-244-1557 or gregoryl@gjcity.org 

City of Grand Junction Projects with Travel Restrictions

7th Street Reconstruction – Orchard Avenue to Patterson Road Project

• Expect lane shifts and short delays this week for final clean-up
• All business and resident access will be provided.

Monument Road Trail Project

• Motorists may experience short delays along Monument Road between S. Redlands Road and the Lunch Loops parking lot
• Portions of the Lunch Loops trails remain closed
• Informational signs will be posted in the parking lot and we apologize for the inconvenience.

Sewer & Water Line Replacement Project

• Sewer line construction will occur in the following areas:
  • Sandra Avenue and Formay Avenue between 29 Road and 29 1/4 Road
  • Both streets will be closed to through traffic
  • Access for local residents will be provided
  • Anticipated completion – November
• Water line construction will occur in the following areas:
  • 3rd Avenue from 9th Street to 10th Street
  • 10th Street from 3rd Ave to D Road
  • Asphalt patching along 9th Street between Kimball Avenue and D Road
  • All business and resident access will be provided
• Expect delays.

Raw Waterline Project from City Water Plant to Las Colonias Business Park

• Pipe laying continues along 26 1/4 Road, south of Hwy. 50 (roadway adjacent to cemetery)
• Work hours will be 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
• Anticipated completion for this phase of construction – October.

2019 Asphalt Overlay Program

• Asphalt overlays will occur in the following areas:
  • 15^th Street between Winters Avenue and D Road (Concrete Replacement)
• No on-street parking along west side of Winters Avenue
• Little to no delays are expected
• Anticipated completion – October.

City of Grand Junction Annual Leaf Removal Program

• Please drive with caution in areas where crews are working
• Anticipated completion – December.

City Road Maintenance (Pothole Repair)

• Road maintenance and pothole repair will occur in the following areas next week only:
  • Monday and Tuesday – Hwy 340 from N. Spruce Street to Ridges Blvd
  • Wednesday through Friday – Hwy 6&50 from 24 Road to Scarlet Street
• Expect lane shifts and delays

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Non-City of Grand Junction Projects with Travel Restrictions

Orchard Avenue Reconstruction from Normandy Drive to 29 Road – Mesa County Project

• Orchard Avenue will be closed to through traffic 24/7
• Detour route will be in place
• Access will be maintained for local residents at all times
• Anticipated completion – November.

30 Road from I-70 Business Loop to Patterson Road (F Road) Waterline Replacement Project – Ute Water Project

• 30 Road will have intermittent single lane traffic in each direction between Patterson Road and I-70B
• Access will be provided for local residents and businesses
• Delays can be expected
• Anticipated completion – December.

Gas Line Construction from 1100 Independent Avenue to 2331 River Road – Public Service Company of Colorado Project

• This gas line project will be wrapping up in the next two weeks
• Traffic delays will be minimal
• Anticipated completion – October.

22 Road between J Road and K Road, Waterline Replacement Project – Ute Water Project

• 22 Road will be closed to through traffic, opening back up for the evenings and weekends
• Work hours will be 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Mon. – Fri.
• Access will be provided for local residents at all times
• A well-marked detour will be in place
• Anticipated completion – November.

3040 E Road Utility Construction – Private Development Project

• E Road will be closed to thru traffic between 30 Road and 31 Road
• Access will be provided for local residents
• Detour route will be D ½ Road
• Anticipated Completion – Friday October 25.

2524 F ¼ Road Utility Construction – Private Development Project

• F ¼ Road will be closed to thru traffic between 25 Road and 25 ½ Road
• Access will be provided for local residents
• Detour route will be Patterson Road
• Anticipated Completion – Friday October 25.

During the October 2 regular meeting, City Council heard a favorable presentation from the City’s Auditor, Ty Holman of Haynie & Company. The Auditor is responsible for ensuring that the information reported in the City’s 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) is accurate. The 2018 CAFR is a detailed presentation of the City’s financial condition as of December 31, 2018.

The comprehensive report is prepared by City staff and covers the City’s structure and services provided, independent audit results, budget process, economic factors that impact the City’s financial condition, a recap of major projects during the year, and a future outlook section. The independent auditor is responsible for auditing these financial statements and is contracted by and reports to the City Council.

Finance Director Jodi Romero stated, “Our staff does an outstanding job of overseeing the City’s finances, including very close control of revenues and expenditures. This report really speaks to the sound financial status of the City – something that City Council as well as every Grand Junction taxpayer should be proud of. Receiving a clean report from the auditor isn’t something that just happens, it requires significant effort and I am incredibly pleased by this outcome.”

The Management’s Discussion and Analysis provides an overview of the City’s financial activities for 2018 and is followed by detailed financial statements including Statements of Net Position, Statements of Activities, Balance Sheets, Statements of Revenues, Expenditures, and Changes in Fund Balances for the many funds of the City’s operations, as well as notes to the financial statements.

The City’s net position (assets less liabilities) was $750.3 million at 12/31/2018 which is a $27.3 million or 3.8% increase over 2017 due to revenues exceeding expenses. This is a direct result of conservative budgeting, frugal spending, and an improving economy. The City invested over $17 million in capital projects in 2018. The General Fund’s unrestricted fund balance increased by 9.3% from 2017.

The City has received the Government Finance Officers Association Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting for 34 consecutive years. This program was established by the GFOA in order to encourage state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles to prepare financial reports that evidence the spirit of transparency and full disclosure. The award is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting.

The CAFR is a result of thousands of hours of staff time over a six-month period. The document is 164 pages and in conjunction with the financial information highlights one of the City’s and community’s noteworthy projects of the year in the Las Colonias Amphitheater. A copy of the CAFR can be found on the City’s website.

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Contact:  Greg LeBlanc, Sr. Assistant to the City Manager     970-244-1557 or gregoryl@gjcity.org 

The City of Grand Junction will be celebrating the official ribbon cutting for the 7th Street Reconstruction Project with a ceremony on Tuesday, October 22 at 2:00 p.m. The $1.4 million project helps to improve the overall condition of pavement in the City’s transportation network. The event will be held in front of the 7th Street Deli, located at 2232 North 7th Street in the lawn area. Snacks and beverages will be provided by the 7th Street Deli.