February 2012

January, 2012Walk – ins: 121Phone calls: 211Mail outs: 17Visits to member web pages: 4,849

Chamber: (970) 824-5689Sportsman information:(970) 824-3046Visitor center:1-800-864-4405Board of directors: Visitwww.craig-chamber.com andclick “about the Chamber” for alisting of the current board ofdirectors.

Your Chamber at work

In this issue:

Contact us:

ConnectionChamberYour guide to the business community & the Craig Chamber Of Commerce

Chamber to sponsor business roundtable . . . .2

Ribbon Cuttings . . . . . . . .3

Events . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-4

Member News . . . . . . . . .4

New members, memberspotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Economic indicators . . . . .6

Legislative update . . . . . .8

THE DATESave

Feb. 18 • Wyman’s Not-So-Winter WinterfestFeb. 18 • Chili Cook-offMarch 2-3 • Kiwanis PlayMarch 9 • Community Con-cert Association presents theBottom Line DuoMarch 14 • Oil and Gas Symposium

See pages 2 - 4 for more event information.

Continued on Page 5.

The sixth annualState of theCounty eventpromises to be, yetagain, the premiereducational andnetworking eventin Moffat County.

The event willfeaturing keynotespeaker Sen. JeanWhite, who willupdate listeners onthe state’s budget, legislation that hasthe potential to impact Moffat County,the economy and more.

Mayor Terry Carwile will deliver theState of the City address and Commis-sioner Audrey Danner will speak aboutthe county’s 2011 accomplishments andplans for 2012.

State of the County is the CraigChamber of Commerce’s annual meet-ing and will feature 2011 president

Sen. White to headlineState of the County

Sen. Jean White

CommissionerAudrey Danner

Mayor TerryCarwile

Tickets to the eventare $40 for Chambermembers and $50 fornon-members. Any-one who is interestedin the event, but can-not attend is encour-aged to contactOxley at (970) 824-5689 for alternativeoptions.Tickets are availableat the Craig Chamberof Commerce/MoffatCounty Visitor Center,360 E. Victory Way.

FebruaryEVENTSFeb. 22, 29 ● 8 Ball Pool League The APA Pool League will have 8ball pool tournaments, open to thepublic, every Wednesday. Time: 7 p.m. Location: Mathers’ Bar, 420 YampaAve Contact: Mathers’ Bar (970) 824-9946 Date/Time Details: 7 p.m. Fees/Admission: $10

Feb. 18-19 ● Wyman Winter Fes-tival 2012 A weekend packed full of winter ac-tivities at Wyman Museum includean antique snowmobile show, X-Treme Mountain Snow-X racing,cardboard box derby, chili cook-off,Warrior Free-Style, Enduro racing,snowmobile jackpot rodeo, sleighrides, professional ice carvers, con-cessions and vendors. Website:www.wymanmuseum@earthlink.net Location: 94350 E. Hwy 40 Contact: (970) 824-6346 Fees/Admission: Free

Feb. 18 ● Chili Cook-off If you make the best chili in theWest, enter the 7th Annual ChiliCook-off or stop by to sample theentries and submit your vote. It’s afun, tasty way to warm up at theWyman Winter Festival. This eventis hosted by the Chamber Ambassa-dors. Time: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Wyman Museum, 94350E. Hwy 40, Craig Contact: Call Shannon (970) 824-5689 for more information or toenter or email office@craig-cham-ber.com Details: Chili will be for sale start-ing at 11 a.m., judging will be at12:30 p.m. Fees: Entry fee is $15 for Chamber

Page 2 February 2012

The Craig Chamber of Commerce, in part-nership with the Rocky Mountain EmployersHealth Alliance (RMEHA) will host a busi-ness health roundtable in March. Detailsabout the event will be sent to businesses assoon as they are available.

The purpose of this roundtable will be toprovide Colorado employers with accurate in-formation about health care policy at the stateand federal level that effects the cost for busi-nesses to purchase or provide health benefits.

Health-policy experts from private healthindustries (carriers, providers, brokers, etc...)will present the latest updates of the FederalHealth Law, as well as discuss efforts in Col-orado that may impact employers throughproposed legislation and regulation.

Additionally, this roundtable will be an op-portunity for employers to express concernsor support about the effect of health policy ontheir business, and to offer suggestions toRMEHA representatives for policy initiativesthat are needed at the state and federal levelto reduce the costs for purchasing or providinghealth benefits.

The objective is to have rich conversationswith federal and state policy makers on theissue of health policy and the effect on Col-orado businesses.

Chamber, health alliance seek business input

The Rocky Mountain Employer Health Alliancewill conduct a scientific employer survey fromFebruary - March to provide accurate statis-tics to Colorado lawmakers and the ColoradoHealth Benefits Exchange (COHBE) Board onemployer concerns for the Exchange and theliklihood of employers purchasing productswithin the Exchange.To date, the COHBE Board and ColoradoState officials have been utilizing statistics re-garding employer opinions on health carethat originate from sources outside of Col-orado.The Alliance feels that many of these num-bers are not reflective of the concerns andneeds of Colorado employers, therefore, sur-veys will be sent to Colorado employers andChambers of Commerce to address the issuesbeing debated by the policymakers of the Ex-change.Many analysts across the nation have beensuggesting that employers would drop healthbenefits if they were able to reduce theircosts; however, there have been no employ-ers who have voiced their intention to do so.The Alliance is concerned that without em-ployer feedback on this issue, policies may beset on false assumptions.The survey will be distributed by the CraigChamber of Commerce to Moffat Countybusinesses as soon as it is available.

Employer survey on health exchange available this month

Mixing it upAttendees were happy to be at the Busi-ness After-Hours Mixer sponsored byTHPK Accounting in January.

chamber photos

FebruaryEVENTSmembers and $20 for non-mem-bers. $2 to sample all entries and votefor your favorite, $3 for a bowl ofchili.

Feb. 18 - 20 ● Cold Corner Cup12-U Hockey Tournament The Craig Cougar Peewee (12 &under) team is hosting a premierregional President’s Day invita-tional hockey tournament featur-ing teams from Rock Springs andCheyenne, WY and SteamboatSprings and North Denver, CO.Up to 22 hockey games over theweekend. Concessions standavailable. Website: www.craigyouth-hockey.com Location: Moffat County LoudySimpson Ice Arena, 500 S Ran-ney St. Contact: Terry Barber, Associa-tion Treasurer & Peewee Coach,at (970) 846-2179 (cell) or (970)826-7399 Email: tabarber@bresnan.net Details: Games will be noon - 6p.m. Saturday, on Sunday be-tween 7:30 a.m. - 7:45 p.m. andMonday between 7:30 a.m. to12:15 p.m. Admission: Free

Feb. 24 ● State of the County2011Sen. Jean White will headline thispremier information gatheringand networking event in MoffatCounty. Come hear what MoffatCounty, the city of Craig and theCraig Chamber of Commercehave in store for 2012. Dinnerand dessert will be served. Cashbar. Time: 6 - 9 p.m.Website: www.craig-chamber.comLocation: Holiday Inn of Craig,300 S. Hwy 13Contact: Christina Oxley (970)824-5689Email: director@craig-chamber.comAdmission: The tickets areavailable at the Chamber of Com-merce, 360 E. Victory Way or canbe purchased online by clickingthe “register now” button on thispage. Tickets will be mailed tothose registering before Feb. 17.After Feb. 17, tickets will be heldat the door. Seating is limited.Tickets: $40 for chamber mem-bers, $50 for non-members

Get therecogni-tionyourevent de-serves. Post it onthe Craig Chamberof Commerce cal-endar of events -our second mostviewed pagegetting 46,983views a year.Adding your eventis easy!Log on towww.craig-cham-ber.com and click the“events” button.Choose “submit yourown event.”

February 2012 Page 3

508 Yampa Ave. ● 970.824.4455

Home of Moffat County’s #1 Realtor

Mardi Anson who will share the Chamber’saccomplishments during her term as boardchairperson and 2012 president Jeff Smithwill talk about the Chamber’s 2012 plans.

In addition, awards will be presented tothe Businessperson of the Year and Smalland Large Business of the year.

“It is so thrilling to see how much thisevent has grown,” Chamber Executive Di-rector Christina Oxley said. “This combina-tion has taken the Chamber’s annualmeeting from a 40-person luncheon to aheadline event that draws 150 people.”

The key, Oxley said, is not only the op-portunity to network with not only busi-nesspeople, but elected officials as well.

“It’s a phenomenal way to get a snapshotof Moffat County in one fun evening,” shesaid. “It’s great to hear an overview of city,county and state issues.”

The Chamber’s volunteer branch, theAmbassadors, will also be recognized at the

event and the Ambassador of the Year willbe named.

“The Chamber ambassadors are an amaz-ing group of people and we couldn’t func-tion without them,” Oxley said. “This agreat way to honor their contributions.”

In 2011, Jones and Associates, the CraigDaily Press, the Craig/Moffat County Eco-nomic Development Partnership, MoffatCounty Tourism Association and CraigChamber of Commerce partnered to spon-sor a contest where entrants demonstratedthe qualities they loved about MoffatCounty. The winners of that contest willalso be announced during State of theCounty.

Tickets to the event are $40 for Chambermembers and $50 for non-members. Any-one who is interested in the event, but can-not attend is encouraged to contact Oxley at(970) 824-5689 for alternative options.

Tickets are available at the Craig Cham-ber of Commerce/Moffat County VisitorCenter, 360 E. Victory Way.

Event: State of the County returns for 6th yearContinued from Page 1.

NEWSMember

Feb. 25 - 26 ● 12U Hockey Jam-boree 12-and-under hockey, three-teamjamboree featuring Craig Cougars,Ashley Valley (Vernal, UT) Raptors,and Grand Valley Junior Mavericks. Location: Loudy Simpson IceArena, 500 S. Ranney St. Contact: Terry Barber, AssociationTreasurer & Peewee Coach, at(970) 846-2179 (cell) Date/Time Details: Game timesto be determined Admission: Free

Feb. 25 ● CMS wrestling tourna-mentThe Craig Middle School wrestlerswill host an area wrestling tourna-ment.Location: CMS, 915 Yampa Ave. Contact: Jill Hafey, (970) 824-3289Time: Tournament begins at 8a.m.

March 2-3 ● Kiwanis Play 2012Hilarious -- and slightly off-color --spoof of local, state and national po-litical events. Smoking is not allowedat either performance. Proceeds helpfund a variety of youth, senior citi-zens and disabled persons projects inCraig and Moffat County.Location: Moffat County FairGrounds Pavilion Contact: Jeff Pleasant (970) 824-9359Time: 8 p.m. each night

March 9 ● Bottom Line DuoTime: 7 p.m.Website: www.craigconcerts.orgLocation: Moffat County HighSchool auditorium, 900 Finley LaneContact: Julie at 756-9553.Fees/Admission:Membership prices for the 2010-2011 season are: Adult: $35, Stu-dent: $10, Family: $80

EVENTSFebruary/MarchPage 4 February 2012

Submitted by the Moffat County Re-publican Central Committee

What do Republicans believe?We believe that the job of the federal gov-

ernment is not to take care of people, butrather to protect the freedoms and libertiesthat we as Americans treasure.

We believe that the duty of a politician is toprotect and defend the United States Consti-tution. We also hold to the belief that the Con-stitution is one of the greatest documents everwritten. We believe that our government

should be smart and effective without beinglarge and overbearing. We believe in being re-sponsible. We also believe in holding othersresponsible for their actions. We believe thatthe government at any level should only pro-vide the services that are essential and thatcannot be reasonably provided by the privatesector. We believe that if something is notbroken, it does not need to be fixed. If it isbroken, it should be fixed in a way that is ef-fective and responsible and will be a perma-

Moffat Republicans share their core beliefs

The Annual Hospice Daffodils event isMarch 13. Daffodils will be on sale for $5per bunch, five bunches for $23 or tenbunches for $46. Sales outlets on March 13are: Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse As-sociation, City Market and Safeway inCraig and Steamboat Springs, Alpine Flo-ral, Ace at the Curve, Hayden Mercantile,

Bonfiglio Drug and The Clark Store. NEW THIS YEAR – order your daf-

fodils online! It’s quick and easy. Just go towww.nwcovna.org/hospicedaffodils.php.

Volunteers are also needed. If you are in-terested, contact Dervla Lacy, Director ofDevelopment at 970- 871-7603 ordlacy@nwcovna.org.

Order daffodils now to support hospice

CUTTINGSRibbon

Aesthetic Apeel

chamber photoThe Craig Chamber of Commerce welcomes Aesthetic Apeel, located in the Centennial Mall, 401Russell St. Full service spa including hair and skin care and massage therapy. Call (970) 824-4866 for more information or to make an appointment.

Continued on Page 5

Hems & Hers byJoyce

33 W. Victory Way(970) 824-2679

Number of employees: 1Number of years in busi-ness: 9

What is your specialty: Cus-tom embroidery, alterations,tuxedo rentals, letter jackets,gifts, jewelry, pictures, clothingand hats.

What is your business phi-losophy: Great customer serv-ice and quality work.

Is there something yourbusiness offers that peopledon’t seem to know about?The custom embroidery and thatI offer great gift ideas.

Anything else you would liketo add? I take pride in makingsure the job is done right thefirst time.

Business SPOTLIGHT

ANNIVERSARIESColorado Farm Bureau Insurance 1996Best Western Deer Park Inn and Suites 1997CNCC 1998Colorado Workforce Center - Craig office 1998Craig Association of Realtors 1998Golden Arms Apartments 1998Kiwanis Club 1998Kester Jewelry 1998City Market Inc. Store #15 1998McDonald’s of Craig 1998Northwest Title Company 1998High Desert Outdoor Power Inc. 1998The Mountain States Company 2000AFLAC 2002Ladder Livestock Company LLC 2003

Community Budget Center 2004Bedrock Depot, LLC 2004The Maybell Store 2004Faith Lutheran Church 2004Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers 2004Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply 2005Shelton Ranch 2005Jack’s Bumpers, LLC 2005Homemaker Furnishings 2007Norman Ranch 2007Advantage Water Technologies, LLC 2009Virtual Vision Tours, LLC 2009Two Shoes Ranch - Bill & Dona Shue 2010Relay for Life of Yampa Valley 2011Status Symbols Laser Engraving 2011

February

Welcome

Moffat County Republican CentralCommitteeKC Hume(970) 824-5206P.O. Box 713Craig, COPromote Republican ideals and princi-pals. Recruit and elect qualified Republi-can candidates for public office. Motivatethe Republican electorate to vote.

Bella Voce Aaron Gillett(970) 824-6472P.O. Box 1544Craig, COWomen’s barbershop chorus dedicatedto educating real women & teens in thestyle of barbershop singing. We arebranching out into some different typesto come sing.

Northwest Rocky Mountain CASAValerie McCarthy970-620-2342439 Breeze St.Craig, CO

NWRM CASA provides advocacy serv-ices to abused and neglected childrenin the 14th Judicial District. Volunteersare trained to advocate for the child'sbest interest and to be a child's voice incourt

Traveler Inn Yang Kim(970) 824-70662690 W. US Hwy 40Craig, COClean and friendly 42 room motel inCraig, CO. Visitors, hunters and contrac-tors welcome. Special weekly rates avail-able.

Moffat County Democratic PartyBrian Baxter(970) 824-3049885 School St. Craig, COMoffat County Dems promote the idealsof the Democratic Party, recruit candi-dates, encourage participation and de-velop messages consistent withdemocratic principles.

NEW MEMBERS

February 2012 Page 5

nent solution rather than a short-term quickfix. We believe in free enterprise. We believein the American Dream, that life is what youmake of it and that you have the opportunityto realize your dreams. We believe that yourrepresentatives should listen to you and rep-resent you when making decisions. We be-lieve that the future of America depends onthe decisions that our country makes NOW. If

we do not protect our freedom, it will not bethere for future generations. We want ourchildren and our grandchildren to grow up ina country that they are proud of. We believein learning from the past and correcting it forour future. We believe in preserving jobs aswell as creating them. We believe that YOUare the power of America! We welcome you.Please visit our website at www.moffatcoun-tyrepublicans.net.

Beliefs: Republicans seeking like-minded membersContinued from Page 4.

Page 6 February 2012

In theECONOMY

Courtesy of Yampa Valley PartnersFor more Fast Facts or other eco-

nomic indicators, visit www.yampavalleypartners.com

The employment situation in Moffatand Routt counties improved in Decem-ber 2011. The number of active unem-ployment claims fell in both counties.This drop could be due to individuals ex-hausting their benefits, however, with theimprovement in job numbers it morelikely individuals are finding employ-ment. This improvement is not without itschallenges.

The stress factor due to employmenthas been positive in Routt County for sixconsecutive months. In Moffat County,this indictor has been positive for threemonths. Specific analysis by industry sec-tor is signaling the high likelihood of laborshortages in specific in Food Services andAccommodations, Health Care Servicesand Retail Trade industry sectors.

Retail TradeBeginning with this issue of FastFacts

Yampa Valley Data Partners will beginproviding a higher level of detail in the re-tail trade sector. In addition to total retailsales for both Moffat and Routt counties,information for sales associated with foodand beverage and retail sales (consum-ables) will be shown separately. This de-tail will be contrasted with prior yearperformance. This level of detail on acountywide basis is not readily availablefrom any other source.

Both Moffat and Routt counties saw an

increase in the retail trade of 36% and17% respectively. In Routt County the in-creases were not attributed to increases inthe food & beverage sectors or in retailsales, rather most of the increase in retailtrade can be attributed to increases inlodging activity and vehicle sales. RouttCounty food & beverage declined 4% inAugust compared to the prior year and re-tail sales had a modest increase of 6%. InMoffat, residents are beginning to spendmore. The sales reflect a good holidayshopping season in Moffat County.

Construction/Real Estate/ForeclosuresIn November 2011, there were four

new residential construction permits inRoutt County. This is the same monthlypace we have seen throughout 2011. Allof the new residential construction per-mits (Jan-Nov 2011) have been for single-family homes averaging about $1 millioneach in construction values.

There is some good news concerningthe real estate situation in both counties.The number of homes for sale has de-clined about 10%. By the end of Decem-ber 2011, there were 1,009 homes for salein Routt County and 209 in MoffatCounty. There were 33 single-familyhome sales in Routt County during No-vember. This is the most sales that haveoccurred during any month in 2011.

During December, there was a declinein the number of foreclosure notices filedon Routt County homes compared to theannual average for 2011.

Nationally 1 in 634Colorado 1 in 620

Comparable Counties• Routt 1 in 463• Eagle 1 in 487• Garfield 1 in 199• La Plata 1 in 1,059 • Summit1 in 1,260

EnergyCoal Mining - No new data to report

/showing data from August 2011Oil & Gas - As of Dec. 1, 2011 year to

date there have been 84 drilling permitsapproved in Moffat County. Eighteen ofthe 84 drilling permits have starteddrilling for a ratio of 21 percent. Essen-tially what this means is that only 1 out of5 wells approved have started drilling. InRoutt County seven drilling permits havebeen approved and only one has starteddrilling.

The number of wells producing in Sep-tember 2011 (most current data available)in both counties are down about 10 per-cent from the same period in 2010 It isimportant to remember that the number ofwells in Routt County is a fraction of thenumber of wells in Moffat County. Mof-fat County’s number of producing wells isat 684 which is 95 percent greater thanRoutt County. For comparison, in Sep-tember the average well in Moffat Countyproduced 2.5 Million BTUs compared to1.6 Million BTUs for the same period in2010. In Routt County, the numbers are0.73 Million BTUs compared to 0.90.

The 1st quarter 2012 economic fore-cast newsletter is complete and and be

found here.

November Fast Facts - Regional economic indicators

Community Well-BeingLocally owned businesses build strong neighborhoods by sustaining communi-

ties, linking neighbors, and by contributing more to local causes.Ninety-one percent of local businesses contribute to localcauses, non-profit organizations or volunteer their time forcommunity service groups. Supporting local businesses meansupporting your neighbors, who own, work for or use the serv-

ices of local businesses. For more reasons to shop local, log on to www.craig-chamber.com

Colorado economic indicators for week ending Feb. 10February 2012 Page 7

Source: Colorado Office of Economic Development & Int'l. Trade

Date Indicator (Leading) ValueFeb 7 Job Openings & Labor Turnover Survey +2.5%

The JOLTS report for December, which straddles the December and January payroll employment releases, points to an improv-ing labor market. The number of job openings rose to 2.5%, up from 2.3% in November, just shy of their September high. Thenumber of separations edged lower, while the rate held steady. Private sector hiring remains moderately stronger than separa-tions, but hiring is not yet strong enough to drive robust job growth.

Feb 7 Consumer Credit $19.3 billionConsumer credit surged for a second consecutive month in December, rising more than expected to $19.3 billion. A rise in non-revolving balances was the primary driver of the increase once again, adding $16.6 billion, with revolving credit balances ris-ing $2.8 billion. The gains were the result of increased confidence among consumers and a need to take on debt in spite of slowwage growth.

Feb 8 MBA Mortgage Applications Survey +7.5%Mortgage purchase applications rose 7.5% in the week ending February 3, 2012, led by a big rise in refinancing. The refinanceindex gained 9.4% as attractive mortgage rates lured homeowners. The purchase index inched up 0.1%, snapping its two-week-long losing streak. Housing demand remains subdued despite acceleration in job growth. The pattern in mortgage applicationshas been mostly sideways over the last couple months.

Feb 9 Jobless Claims 358,000Jobless claims unexpectedly declined in the latest week, adding to optimism that the labor market is improving faster than an-ticipated. Jobless claims fell by 15,000 to 358,000 for the week ending February 4; the prior week’s data were revised up from367,000 to 373,000. Continuing claims edged higher in the prior week. In Colorado, initial unemployment claims dropped by174, to 3,931 for the week ended Jan. 28 (one-week lag).

Feb 10 Consumer Sentiment Index -72.5The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index fell more than expected in the preliminary reading for February, endinga streak of five consecutive months of improvement. The index came in at 72.5, down 2.5 points from January’s 75 reading.Assessment of current conditions component led the decline.

Feb 10 International Trade -$48.8 billionThe U.S. trade gap widened by $1.7 billion in December to -$48.8 billion, the largest in six months. Both imports and exportsrose on the month, with the 1.3% rise in the former outstripping the more modest rise of 0.7% in the latter. While the tradedeficit widened, the real story was the rebound in exports following declines in the prior two months, led by food & beverage,autos and industrial supplies.

Feb 10 ECRI Weekly Leading Index +123.3The ECRI weekly leading index rose to 123.3 for the week ending February 3 from a revised 123, continuing its upward trendof the last few weeks. The smoothed, annualized growth rate climbed higher as well, signaling that the economy will continueto recover and expand during the coming months. This is in line with what seems to be increasing momentum in the job mar-ket.

DIA’s total passengers for November 2011 were 4,088,543 an increase of 65,391 or 1.6% over November 2010’s total passengers of 4,023,152. Year-to-Date passengers through November 2011 totaled 48,552,636, an increase of 777,084 or1.6% over the same period in 2010.

Log on to www.craig-chamber.com for local business listings, the most comprehensive community calendar in Moffat County and

information on area recreation and attractions.

GovernmentAFFAIRSOEDIT introduces legislative package to create jobs

Submitted by the Office of Eco-nomic Development and International

TradeThe Colorado Office of Economic De-

velopment and International Trade thisweek introduced a legislative package de-signed in support of the Colorado Blue-print. Colorado Blueprint is the state’sstrategic economic development plan cre-ated in October 2011 following the bot-tom-up initiative.

“Colorado’s number one priority is tocreate and retain jobs by building a morecompetitive economy,” said Ken Lund,Executive Director of OEDIT. “With thislegislative package, we are putting a sus-tainable framework in place that providesconsistency and continuity for the currentprograms and future progress of Col-orado’s economic plan.”

The legislative agenda was designed tosupport collaborative strategies identifiedin the Blueprint:

The Colorado Regional PartnershipStrategy, HB12-1154, will develop a pro-active approach to create jobs and increaseeach region’s competitiveness by focusingon emerging and promising economic op-portunities for their region. The partner-ships – an alliance of local business leadersand stakeholders facilitated by OEDIT –will identify and apply for regional fund-ing, create and expand unique regionaleconomic development plans, and align re-sources to drive job growth in their area.

The Colorado Key Industry Strategy,SB12-144, brings together industry part-ners, nonprofits, academia and businessleaders to help identify the distinct “Col-orado” advantage in each industry as wellas create unique business plans to drive jobgrowth. The plans will address rules andregulations that affect operations for spe-cific industries, determine alliances and re-sources needed to expand business, anddevelop strategies to attract new busi-nesses.

The Colorado Business Retentionand Expansion Program, SB12-005, willdevelop stronger partnerships betweenOEDIT and local economic developmentorganizations across Colorado to facilitate

and support local growth. This includesdeveloping a rapid response team to sup-port the local industry partners in respond-ing when companies consider leaving thestate and creating a database of resources,data and programs, to be shared with ourpartners.

Film Production Activities in Col-orado, HB12-xxx, will combine a 20 per-cent rebate with a senior loan guaranteeprogram. The innovative program isspecifically designed to attract moder-ately-budgeted independent film produc-tion to the state, and will be implementedin a way that will allow productions to takeadvantage of the many vistas Colorado hasto offer. The effect will be to employ hun-dreds of underemployed workers while

providing positive branding for Colorado,and a boost to tourism.

The Regional Tourism Act StatutoryClean Up Bill, HB12-1056, will clarifyand strengthen the guardrails that alreadyexist in the RTA statute, encouraging moreout-of-state tourism, clarifying the scopeand role of the third party analyst.

The OEDIT Transparency Bill,SB12-xxx will streamline the reportingdates of all incentive programs offeredby OEDIT so that they are more effi-cient both internally and externally. Inaddition, this bill will require OEDITto develop an annual report encom-passing each program to assess pro-ductivity, usefulness and potential forimprovements.

OEDIT outlines 2011 accomplishments, 2012 plans for officials

To the Members of the 68th General Assembly:Our first and only priority remains the retention and creation of jobs across

the State. Analysts have said that Colorado has endured the recession betterthan most states across the country. Many economists have said we are poisedto recover faster and more robustly than other states. Our mission at the Of-fice of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) is to expediteour economic recovery in every corner of the state.

With the recent unprecedented announcements of two new Fortune 500 com-panies calling Colorado home, and the growth of local companies adding jobsand investing in our State, we know that we have only begun to see Colorado’seconomic growth in the new millennium.

On behalf of OEDIT, we want to extend our gratitude for your continueddedication to serving the people of Colorado and for your ongoing support ofour mission at OEDIT.

With the Colorado Blueprint as our map, we have made great strides in•building a more competitive Colorado. The Colorado Blueprint forms the basisof a first-ever statewide strategy focused on six core objectives:

Build a Business-Friendly Environment•Retain, Grow and Recruit Companies•Increase Access to Capital•Create and Market a Stronger Colorado Brand•Education and Train the Workforce of the Future•Cultivate Innovation and Technology•

2011 HighlightsWe’ve gone from bottom-up to the Colorado Blueprint in a manner which

engaged citizens all across the state in a first of its kind effort to build astatewide business plan. Once finalized in October 2011, we went to work to

Continued on Page 9

Page 8 February 2012

execute the 24 objectivesidentified in an efficient andeffective manner. Some ofthe most significant accom-plishments are as follows:

Unfunded mandates. TheGovernor signed ExecutiveOrder 05 on Jan. 11, 2011.Under the Blueprint, we com-mitted, in partnership withDepartment of Local Affairs(DOLA), to create a systemof accountability to ensurethat our state agencies col-laborated with our local part-ners before implementingnew rules.

Pits and Peeves. In part-nership with Department ofRegulatory Agencies, wecommitted to identifying the“red tape” and beginning theprocess of eliminating thoserules which get in the way ofbusiness growth.

Key Industries. In an ef-fort to align resources moreeffectively and drive jobgrowth more quickly, OEDITis identifying key industriesacross the state which willbecome a more significantfocus of our resources. Wehave already begun to engage

these business leaders andexecutives to build businessplans designed to retain cur-rent companies and attractadditional companies into thestate.

Colorado InnovationNetwork (COIN). Launchedin November 2011, this is afirst of its kind statewide ef-fort to use innovation as acompetitive advantage forColorado and a critical driverin growing jobs in the state.

2012 and BeyondWe continue working dili-

gently to recruit, retain andgrow even more businessesand jobs here at home.

Business Retention andExpansion Program. As wecommitted under the Blue-print, in coordination withlocal economic developmentpartners, we are creating pro-tocols and procedures for re-taining and expandingexisting businesses withinColorado.

Business DevelopmentProgram. We are creating amechanism for greater com-munication between state, re-gional and local communitiesin order to proactively build

a pipeline of new businesstargets and leads.

Key Industry BusinessGrowth. We intend to buildactionable business plans foreach key industry. The planswill be designed to retain cur-rent companies, facilitate ad-ditional growth for existingcompanies and create theplatform for an aggressive re-cruitment effort to attractnew companies into the state.

Small Business Develop-ment Centers. As the needincreases for small businesssupport, we continue to lookfor creative partnerships thatwill allow us to increase ouroutreach. The SBDC is an-nouncing a partnership withColorado Mountain Collegethat offers more program-ming and training in ourmountain region. We also in-tend to expand the servicesoffered through our SBDCsso that we can better align re-sources and provide evenmore services to our localcommunities.

Colorado BusinessBrand. With each meetingacross the state, with eachphone call from local, na-tional or international busi-

ness leaders, we are pullingtogether information andideas that will help us form avisionary brand for Colorado.Everyone knows our state isa great place to visit and live,but we know it’s also impera-tive that they understand weare great place to do busi-ness.

Aligning Education,Workforce Developmentand OEDIT. As committedto in the Blueprint, I have be-come a member of the Exec-utive Committee of theColorado Workforce Devel-opment Council in an effortto better align and foster eco-nomic development throughcollaboration with educationand workforce agencies.

Broadband Roundtables.Our office is a committedpartner in the BroadbandRoundtables that were estab-lished in order to provide co-ordination and collaborationaround key broadband devel-opment initiatives. It is ourgoal to align such programwith our regional partner-ships.

Sincerely,Kenneth W. Lund

Executive Director

Continued on Page 9

February 2012 Page 9

OEDIT focusing on business retention and development

Groups Opposed to SB 1:Associated Builders & ContractorsCO Competitive Cncl Hispanic Contractors of ColoradoAssoc. General Contractors of COColorado ConcernIndependent Electrical ContractorsBuilding Jobs for Colorado GreenCo Nat’l Fed of Independent Businesses CO Assoc. of Commerce & Industry

Bill Description: SB 1 requires theState to give preference to a bidder whobids on a state service or constructioncontract over $1 million if 90 percent ofthe business’ workers are Colorado resi-dents, if the business provides health in-

surance and retirement benefits to itsworkers, and if an apprentice program isavailable.

Current law already requires 80 per-cent of employees used on state con-tracts be CO residents:

Under SB 1, some companies couldbe awarded a higher priced bid andother companies with more affordableand efficient services or products willlose. This drives up costs and limits bidopportunities for other companies.

History: In 2011, 4 bills died requir-ing bid preferences based on 2 reasons:(1) increased costs for goods and serv-ices; (2) costs on agencies to change bidcriteria. Estimated cost: $8 million.

“Assuming that 5% of all state con-

struction contracts in 2010 wereawarded to nonresident bidders as offer-ing the lowest price, allowing thoseprices to be increased by up to5% andawarded to a resident bidder would haveincreased the price of construction forthe state by $6.9 million.” Fiscal Note,HB 1233 (5/12/11).

“The use of additional criteria inmaking procurement decisions could af-fect the price paid for goods and serv-ices purchased through procurement.”Fiscal Note, HB 1142 (6/24/11).

“Institutions of Higher Education be-lieve the bill will increase their costs by5-25%, depending on the affected insti-tution and its specific procurements.”Fiscal Note, HB 1129 (5/18/11).

State Chamber: Local preference bill will cost Colorado

Tom Donohue, President & CEO of theU.S. Chamber of Commerce, outlined theChamber’s 2012 policy agenda to expandthe economy, create jobs, and boost Amer-ica’s competitiveness in the global economyat this year’s State of American Business:

Produce American Energy andRebuild Infrastructure

Approve the Keystone XL pipeline to putup to 250,000 Americans to work over thelife of the project while preventing the EPAfrom enacting new regulations on frackingthat sabotage a natural gas revolution. Com-plete Federal Aviation Administration reau-thorization, which is more than four yearsdelayed, to strengthen our aviation systemand deploy the NextGen air traffic controlsystem. Renew surface transportation fund-ing legislation before it expires in March andinvest in water infrastructure.

Expand Trade, Investment, and Tourism

Renew Trade Promotion Authority forthe president to expedite a Trans-PacificPartnership (TPP) agreement with eight ofthe United States’ best commercial partnersin the booming Asia-Pacific region. Grantpermanent normal trade relations with Rus-sia and move on trade deals with Brazil,Egypt, and India. Advance bilateral invest-ment treaties and expand visa-waiver pro-grams to restore America’s share of theinternational travel market to 2001 levels,creating 1.3 million new jobs in the process.

Advance Regulatory and LegalReform

Pass the Administrative Procedure Act torestore sound science, quality data, andcommon sense to the regulatory systemwhile curbing regulatory overreach by EPA

and the National Labor Relations Board.Stop the expansion of liability at home andabroad that is sucking the vitality out of ournation’s job creators.

Develop an Innovation AgendaProtect America’s intellectual property-

related industries and its 19 million workersby passing legislation to cut off rogue web-sites from the U.S. marketplace. Reformour failing schools, enact a globally com-petitive tax system, and fix our broken im-migration system.

Control Spending and ReformEntitlements

Make reasonable, phased-in changes toMedicare, Medicaid, and Social Security inorder to save these programs and keep ourcommitment to the sick and elderly for gen-erations to come.

U.S. Chamber outlines 2012 policy agendaPage 10 February 2012

The Better Business Bureau warns businesses that dangerousemails pretending to be from the BBB continue to circulate.

The messages from various false email addresses might in-clude the subject line, “complaint from your customers” or“BBB case #216145442347,”and contain grammatical errorsand a link to a website that includes malicious code.

Your BBB advises that if you receive an email matching this

description that you should not click on any links or open anyattachments. Scammers often use official-looking emails tophish for personal identifying information or to infect comput-ers with harmful viruses. If you receive such a message, pleaseforward it directly to phishing@council.bbb.org.

Businesses should enable their email program’s spam fil-ter to avoid receiving these types of emails. The particular virusat play is known as “Zeuss” or “Zbot” and is a “Trojan Horse”or spyware virus that downloads onto a recipient’s computer andharvests confidential and personal data without detection. Youmay wish to verify that your antivirus protection servicescover Zuess/Zbot.

The BBB system nationwide has been working hard tostop the misuse of our name. We engaged a phishing deactiva-tion service and have been in contact with various law enforce-ment agencies. The FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center hasbeen notified and included our scam in the following alert:http://www.ic3.gov/media/2010/corporateaccounttakeover.pdf

A legitimate email from your BBB informing you thatyour business has a complaint will look like this:

The “from” email address is fortcollins.ms@bbb-email.orgThe subject line will always include a case number beginning

with “460”When your cursor hovers over the link in our complaint

emails - before clicking! - the address it directs you to startswith https://wynco.app.bbb.org/

Businesses concerned that a suspicious email may be legiti-mate, should call the BBB at 970-484-1348 or 800-564-0371 oremail info@wynco.bbb.org.

Phishing attack using BBB name continues

Sponsored by KRAI and the Craig Chamber of Commerce.

2082

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State oftheCounty

2012

This is your opportunity to hear what your tax dollars and elected officials did in 2011

and what they expect in 2012.

Senator Jean WhiteKeynote Speaker

presenting the State of the State

Tickets Now

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h ’s p n t HW at U o he ill!General Information: 824-1101 Registration : 824-1100 Bookstore: 824-1124

February 27- March 2 Monday-Friday Mid-Term Week

March 12-16 Monday-Friday Spring Break for Faculty/Students (Staff Present)March 26 Monday Pre-Registration for Summer/Fall begins

April 9 Monday Last Day to Withdraw From Semester-Length ClassesApril 12 Thursday Honors Banquet (Rangely)April 20 Friday Honors Banquet 6 pm (Craig)April 30- May 2 Monday-Wednesday Finals

May 2 Wednesday Semester Ends 10:00 pmMay 4 Friday Grades Due from Instructors-noonMay 4 Friday Pinning Ceremony for Nursing 6PM May 5 Saturday Commencement - 2:00 pm

Moffat County High School graduate, Alison White, knew she wasn't ready for certain college-level classes and

decided to attend CNCC where she took refresher classes and completed an Associate of Science degree while

working a full time job and other part time jobs. Tuition, books and general costs were less at the community

college than at a university, and personalized classes from English and humanities instructor, Mary Karen Solomon,

and science instructor, Kathy Simpson, helped Alison develop confidence and skills. Her degree from CNCC

transferred to Colorado State University, where she completed a Bachelor in Zoology and then, deciding to pursue

research, completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Alison then joined the CSU Cell and Molecular Biology

department and completed a Master's of Science degree. In 2011 Alison co-authored her first scientific paper

entitled “Fluorescence strategies for high-throughput quantification of protein interactions” published in Nucleic

Acid Research. CNCC congratulates Alison on her success!

www.cncc.edu

2801 West 9th Street (North of Memorial Hospital)

- rai C u aleCNCC C g amp s C ndar

CNCC Salutes

Alison! Alison! “Getting the basics

(100-200 level classes) at a

community college is the best

thing for a successful student.

I'm so glad I did my biology,

English and math credits

with you!”

February 2012 Page 11

RE/MAX ABOUT YOU11 E. Victory Way, Craig

Steve HermanBroker Associate, GRI970-629-8600, 970-824-7000sherman@remax.net

LEADING THE WAY ...• Residential• Farm and Ranch• Commercial• Property

Management

Page 12 February 2012