Spring!

On the spring equinox, the Earth hits the turning point in its orbit where neither the North or the South poles are tilted towards the sun. As a result, the sun spends a roughly equal amount of time above and below the horizon at every location on the Earth, so night and day are about the same length. The word equinox is Latin for “equal night.” 2016 has the earliest spring since 1896.

AEDA Olde Town Featured in 5280

5280 Magazine featured Olde Town Arvada! Click the link and learn more: http://www.5280.com/digital/2016/03/5280-neighborhood-guide-olde-town-arvada

CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE

Watch the Latest Videos from Arvada Media Services Insect Tales: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEjLfxCl86A

Denver Regional Council of Governments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9_mAwwX90M

Food Bank Backpack Program: https://youtu.be/we3mRIEfFHQ

Lots of Coverage for Arvada’s “Dog Poop Awareness” Campaign! • http://kdvr.com/2016/03/16/city-of-arvada-takes-action-in-park-thats-become-dog-

poop-wasteland/ • http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/city-employees-pick-up-dog-poop-

in-arvada • http://denver.cbslocal.com/2016/03/16/arvada-mayor-city-council-dog-waste/ • http://kdvr.com/2016/03/16/arvada-begins-push-for-residents-to-pick-up-pet-waste/ • http://www.9news.com/news/weird/arvada-leaving-poop-fairy-flags-to-prove-point-

about-dog-waste/77775226 • http://www.9news.com/news/city-council-members-spend-lunch-break-picking-up-dog-

poop/85661204 A special THANK YOU to Mayor Marc Williams, City Council members Nancy Ford and David Jones, and all the City staff who came out for the cleanup on Wednesday!

New, Improved Special Event Processing Goes Live Soon! One of the outcomes associated with FOCUS is to use performance data and other factors to drive innovation and continuous improvement. This requires the identification of issues, areas and processes that need improvement. One such opportunity is the special event permit process. A cross-departmental team was formed in late 2015 and is nearing the completion of the first formal process-improvement project focused on this process. Externally, this improved process begins with a user-friendly, streamlined landing page on www.arvada.org. The page is designed to provide customers with all the information they may need to successfully complete the electronic application process. The page also serves as a launch site for the electronic application process itself through the City’s permit tracking system. The direct involvement of special events customers was integral to this newly improved process. Citizens representing organizations that produce events, including the Olde Town BID and the Harvest Festival, met with staff to review the new process and offer suggestions and feedback. Internally, the process has been streamlined to improve communication between City departments, Arvada Fire and APEX resulting in increased efficiency during the review and approval process. The online application will “go live” in April providing timely information regarding the calendar of special events.

A sneak preview of the new Special Events website page!

2015 Public Health Champions Awards The City of Arvada's Healthy Places Initiative, and coordinator Rose Chavez were selected as a 2015 Public Health Champion. Through the City's efforts we are making Jefferson County a healthier place to live, learn, work, play, and age. The 2015 Public Health Champions will be honored by Jefferson County Public Health, Jefferson County Board of Health and Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners at a luncheon on Wednesday, March 30, 2016. The Public Health Champion Awards luncheon is part of Jefferson County Public Health's celebration of National Public Health Week (April 4-10, 2016).

HUMAN RESOURCES Resignation Boyd, Matthew W., eff. 3/21/16, Golf Course Computerized Irrigation Technician (Super: Wilkins) Cramer, James A., eff 3/25/16, Planner I (Super: Smetana) Reclassifications, New Position Requests Due May 2 Are you considering asking for a new position or a reclassification of an existing position? Do you need to update a job description or request a title change? We've recently updated the policy and process for these requests. Please visit this link for more information: https://inside.arvada.org/pages/reclassifications-and-other-position-changes

Requests for new positions and reclassifications are due by MAY 2 to Human Resources. Jefferson County Mediation Services Offers Programs for Workplace Disputes It’s not always easy to maintain positive and productive relationships in the workplace. Sometimes conflict with co-workers can result in changes and progress. However, prolonged unresolved conflicts can disrupt how a team functions and result in detrimental consequences. Whatever the cause, mediation can lead to solutions, improved communication, decreased tension, and restoration of a healthy team environment.

In addition to increasing tension and decreasing productivity, the costs of employee discord can be enormous. Recent research by various corporations and government agencies show: • The effects of conflict include wasted time, reduced decision quality, less motivation,

increased health costs, and inconvenient rearrangement of work groups to separate disputants.

• An average manager spends 24 – 60% of his or her time dealing with employee conflict. • Conflict is a major factor in employee turnover.

Mediation Works Government agencies that use mediation show dramatic results. With lower conflict, employees have fewer sick days and unscheduled absences, and show improvements in their morale and productivity. The U.S. Postal Service’s REDRESS mediation program successfully resolved more than 75% of the 2,277 cases received during the first quarter of 2014. Jefferson County Mediation Services (JCMS) is the most comprehensive community mediation program in Colorado, providing free mediation services for most areas of conflict including workplace disputes; neighbor-neighbor conflicts over noise, animals and property lines; contract disputes; landlord/tenant issues; truancy and other school problems; code enforcement issues; and family issues such as parenting and eldercare. For more information, contact JCMS at jsmediation@jeffco.us or call 303-271-5060.

WELLNESS COMMITTEE Do Hormones Affect Vision? The simple answer is “yes.” Vision problems occur for a variety of reasons, but an imbalance in hormone levels could actually be the underlying cause. Hormones regulate important body functions that can affect your eyes, and when they change so can your vision. From children to seniors, everyone experiences hormone fluctuations at any age. As children enter puberty and go through rapid physical growth, their eyeballs also lengthen, which can cause myopia or near sightedness. Women of child-bearing age commonly have changes in vision due to birth control pills or pregnancy. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause dry, irritated, or watery eyes as well as the inability to wear contacts. Doctors recommend pregnant women wait until after their baby is born to get a new prescription. As we age, we can expect to experience some age-related vision loss, but we may not realize that hormones are a primary cause of diminishing eye sight. Perimenopausal and menopausal women often report having vision changes as a result of decreased hormones. Changes in hormone levels are normal and typically not a cause for concern. However, if you experience unusual or sudden vision changes you should get a comprehensive eye exam from your VSP eye doctor.

UTILITES

Water Returning to Tucker Lake We made it!!! The repairs are complete and water is flowing back in to Tucker Lake. We hope to put about 400 acre feet of water in the lake to help with the dust from the high winds we have experienced the last 4-6 weeks. With this year’s mountain snow pack we hope to top it off this spring.

PUBLIC WORKS

Are You Interested in Commuting?

The City has partnered with the Denver Regional Council of Government’s (DRCOG) program called Way to Go to explore how we can make your commute to work easier, faster, and cheaper. Way to Go helps everyone avoid traffic congestion and improve air quality by promoting alternatives to driving alone. To kick off the process, we are asking you to complete a short questionnaire about your commute to

work. It will help us understand how you commute now and your interest in new ways of commuting. This survey will help Way to Go to evaluate the best commute options for you and provide specific recommendations via email. The survey will only take a couple of minutes to complete, and your answers are entirely confidential. Please respond as soon as possible by clicking here: https://mywaytogo.org/s/arvada-commute-survey Lane closures on Wadsworth Bypass Denver Transit Partners has asked the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to close lanes on Wadsworth Bypass for work related to the Gold Line. CDOT has authorized DTP to complete this work between March 21-24. Single lane closures will begin at 6 p.m. and double lane closures at 10 p.m. They will be required to maintain 2-way traffic at all times, and to be off of Wadsworth by 5 a.m. each morning.

Gold Line Update Construction at the Arvada Ridge Station is just about complete, with only a few final details such as fencing and handrails left to be installed. Soon, construction will focus on the Gold Strike Station. Work continues at the Olde Town Plaza, with installation of pavers beginning this week. At the Transit Hub, the big push now is pouring the slabs-on-grade at the first level. The structured decks will be formed off of these slabs. The next structured deck will start placement of reinforcing today, March 21, and a concrete pour is scheduled for Friday, March 25. The walls of the east and west elevators continue to be formed and poured.

POLICE DEPARTMENT

Who Posted the Number One Trending Item on Facebook Last Week? On March 18, Police Department Public Relations Coordinator had the NUMBER ONE trending item on Facebook with her post about the Arvada stork clerk who acted quickly to protect a baby whose mother was having a seizure.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Pre Application Meetings 5400 Fenton St. Martin Marietta Materials is requesting annexation of two contiguous properties in order to extend a water line down Fenton to serve its concrete ready-mix operation. The business is currently using a well, water from a pond on site, and a substitute water supply for its operation. Representatives stated that they use 23 acre/feet of water annually. The operation consists of recycling concrete and there are no mining operations on site. It is intended that the use will continue and there are currently no plans to redevelop the property. The eastern portion of the property is within the Clear Creek 100-year floodplain and the floodway. The parks master plan envisions restoration, trail and open space opportunities in the vicinity and along the riparian corridors of Ralston Creek and Clear Creek. The 14.3 acre property is located within the Clear Creek/I -76 Community Plan Area and would, therefore, be rezoned to CC-A (Clear Creek - A) if annexed. The first step in the process would be a neighborhood meeting. The rezoning and annexation would be public hearings before the planning commission and city council. 5417 and 5421 Allison St. A developer is interested in constructing 10 townhomes on the 0.4 acre parcel, which currently contains two single family homes on two separate lots. The property is currently zoned R-M (residential-multifamily), which allows multi-family units. The city’s comprehensive plan indicates high density residential at minimum density of 12 units per acre for the subject properties. The properties are located within ½ mile of the Olde Town transit station. The applicant would have to meet the development standards applicable for the R-M zoning district, including the transitional height bulk plan requirement along the north property line adjacent to a single family home and agree that no off-street parking be allowed within the front setback. In addition, staff provided information regarding the location of water and sewer utilities which may need to be relocated as part of the project. A preliminary plat would be required in order to create lot lines for the townhomes. A neighborhood meeting and public hearings before the planning commission and city council would be required should the development go forward. 5875 Lamar St. The owner of the property is interested in constructing a 3,600 square-foot industrial building, of which 600 square feet would be designed for office uses. The single-family home that was previously located on the property has been scraped and the site is currently vacant. The majority of the property is located within a floodplain, which requires any future redevelopment to comply with all applicable floodplain regulations. Curb, gutter, and detached sidewalk will also be required with any future redevelopment. The property is zoned CC-A (Clear Creek zoning district, industrial and commercial sub-district) and is approximately 21,800 square feet in size. The proposed redevelopment would not require a neighborhood meeting or public hearings, as the site plan would be reviewed administratively.

ARVADA CENTER

The Mountaintop Opens Tuesday – Use Your Employee Discount and Receive $10 Tickets Good Through April 17!

Great theatre can emerge from a simple yet evocative question: 'What if?' Katori Hall, a daring young African American playwright, imagines - what might Martin Luther King, Jr. have done the night before he died? The Mountaintop opens in the Black Box Theatre March 22 running through April 17. Prologues will be offered 45 minutes before every performance and Insider Talk Backs with cast members will be offered following every performance except for previews, opening night, and closing matinee. Have a passion for theatre? Register for The Mountaintop Theatre Salon. Classes begin March 30 and run through April 20. To purchase tickets, call the box office at 720-898-7200 or go online to select your own seat. For more information on The Mountaintop go to https://arvadacenter.org/on-stage/the-mountaintop-2016 Please note: This production contains extensive mature language and is performed without an intermission. Check out this brief video clip provided to courtesy of our friends at KATV http://bit.ly/21zNOD5 City Employee Discount for The Mountaintop $10 tickets for any performance except opening night (Limit 4) To purchase your tickets, please call the Box Office at 720-898-7200 and use promo code 2053.

Register Soon For Our Popular Summer Camps! These inspiring and creative camps offer experiences in ceramics, dance, drama, humanities, music, photography, and visual arts. Programs are designed for kids to learn new skills, discover new interests, and most importantly, have fun! Camps begin June 6 and some sessions sell out quickly. Sessions run ranging from one to eight weeks. Check out the camp schedule and register at https://arvadacenter.org/education/arvada-center-summer-camps Don’t Miss Art of the State 2016 –Exhibition closes March 27 This juried exhibition featuring 148 works by 124 artists will highlight the depth and diversity of Colorado creatives. Art of the State 2016 is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Art of the State: A Juried Exhibition of Colorado held in 2013. https://arvadacenter.org/galleries/art-of-the-state-2016-4 Junie B. Jones, The Musical Now Playing Through April 8 – Tickets Are Selling Fast! Guess what? Everyone's favorite first grader, Junie B. Jones is visiting the Arvada Center! Performances are 10:00 a.m. and noon, most Tuesdays through Fridays, and some Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Ticket prices range from $9 weekdays and $12 weekends for reserved seating. Junie B. Jones, The Musical is suitable for all ages. To purchase tickets and for more information call 720-898-7200 or go to https://arvadacenter.org/on-stage/junie-b-jones-the-musical-spring-2016 Note - Many performances are already sold out so plan ahead!