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WEEKLY BRIEFS City of Arvada internal news June 26, 2023 Mayor Marc Williams receives The Sam Mamet Good Governance Award On June 26, 2023, Mayor Marc Williams was honored by the Colorado Municipal League (CML) with the prestigious Sam Mamet Good Governance Award. The Award, which was established in 2019 for retired CML Executive Director Sam Mamet, honors an individual who “exemplifies and seeks to expand the application of principles of good governance.” Mayor Williams was selected for the award for consistently demonstrating the following principles: Efficiency and Effectiveness of Government; Responsiveness to Need, Openness and Transparency; Respect for the Rule of Law; Accountability to Self and Others; Inclusivity; Ethical Behavior and Conduct; Innovation; Representation of All Constituencies; and Fiscal Accountability. Congratulations, Mayor Williams! Williams joined the Arvada City Council in 1999 and has served as Mayor since 2011. 2023 will be his final year on the Arvada City Council. ATTENTION ALL EMPLOYEES: Timecards due Friday, June 30! Due to the 4th of July holiday, our payroll team is asking that all timecards be entered and approved by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 30. to help get payroll processed in a timely manner! Thank you! Last chance to sign up to participate in a Blood Drive at City Hall The Employee Committee is sponsoring a Blood Drive on Thursday, June 29, 2023 in the Anne Campbell room at City Hall from 10 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. If you would like to be a donor, visit the Arvada Blood Drive sign up page to schedule an appointment. If you participate as a donor, you’ll be eligible for a $10K Giveaway! All donors who donate blood in June are automatically entered into a drawing to win 1 of 2 $10,000 prepaid gift cards. The gift card is redeemable by email. *Terms and conditions apply, see official rules. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Together Jeffco Jefferson County is kicking off “Together Jeffco,” a two-year process which combines efforts to update the Comprehensive Plan, Transportation & Mobility Plan, Community Wildfire Protection Plan, Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Evacuation Annex and the Unified Land Use Code. The goal of the project is to design land use, plan for wildfire evacuation and create transportation policies that are aligned and provide a cohesive vision for the future and identify priorities for addressing growth, services and land use regulation. If you live in Jefferson County and would like to learn more, visit the project webpage. If you are interested in participating in the public engagement process, visit Get Involved. Stay informed by signing up to receive project updates, Organizational Service Effectiveness Work System Arvada University Update Register in advance on the Arvada University Learning Calendar. Contact Noelle Oberg ([EMAIL REDACTED]) with questions. Session/topic Date Time and/or resource link Type of Training Communication Skills: Our Community Listens Aug 8-10 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day Email [EMAIL REDACTED] 3 days In-person Government Center, Brighton Conscious Communication Aug. 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Email [EMAIL REDACTED] In-person Government Center, Brighton View City of Arvada job postings All City of Arvada job opportunities are posted on our job link. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Employee Committee Corner Announcing Winners of the 2023 City of Arvada Photo Contest! We had so many amazing submissions that it was a tough vote and very close race. Here are the top three winners overall. Winners will be notified via email to claim their gift card prize. The top ten favorites will be framed and displayed in the atrium of City Hall with last year’s winning photos to be auctioned off at an event later this year. Stay tuned! A big thank you to everyone that participated. It’s always nice to see our city through the eyes of the people who work so hard to make and keep Arvada a great place to live and work! 1st Place: “Morning Commute” submitted by Doreen Mazza, Procurement Specialist 2nd Place: “Tubby Toad in a Tube” submitted by Brad Umbarger, CED Combination Building Inspector 3rd Place: “Sunshine After the Rain” submitted by Elisabeth Binkley, Forestry Technician View all photo submissions About the Employee Committee Employee Committee representatives meet in order to plan and coordinate events as well as collect departmental updates to bring back to their respective teams. Check out the links below to see who your representative is, view the upcoming list of potential City events and browse Employee Committee meeting minutes: ● Find My Rep! ● 2023 Events Schedule* *Please note: this is a working document and all events are subject to change. ● Meeting Minutes - June Please contact your Employee Committee at [EMAIL REDACTED] if you have questions. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Community and Economic Development Work System Ralston Gardens to break ground on Thursday, June 29 New Housing options are on the horizon here in Arvada. Arvada Urban Renewal Authority (AURA), Mile High Development, and Brinshore Development will break ground on Ralston Gardens, a new 102-unit affordable housing development with a groundbreaking ceremony at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 29. The groundbreaking is open to anyone interested in attending. Refreshments will be provided starting at 3:30 p.m. The $40 million development utilizes a design that epitomizes resident-centric living. Ralston Gardens offers a range of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments that include in-unit laundry machines, a convenience often only available in new market-rate developments. “This is a great development in an amazing location surrounded by amenities. Families will have access to bike trails and parks outside their front door and are within walking distance of public transportation, supermarkets, and other services. I can’t imagine a better part of Arvada to call home,” Maureen Phair, executive director of AURA said. Email Giles Clasen at [EMAIL REDACTED] with any questions regarding the groundbreaking. Vibrant Community & Neighborhoods Work System City to host its annual Fourth of July Fireworks display On Tuesday, July 4 the City will host its annual Fourth of July Fireworks display at Stenger Sports Complex. The fireworks will begin shortly after 9 p.m. Please remember, in Arvada, the use of personal fireworks is illegal. Here are the details about the City’s Fireworks display: ● Gates at Stenger Sports Complex open to vehicles at 6:30 p.m. ● Parking is free and is first-come, first-serve. Handicap parking available in the Stenger northeast lot. ● Food trucks will be onsite from approximately 5:30 to 9 pm. ● W. 58th Avenue will shut down to traffic beginning at 8 pm. ● No recreational vehicles (RVs), drones, alcohol, personal fireworks, charcoal grills, or pets allowed. ● Propane grills are allowed. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Construction begins for Creekside Park playground renovation Construction began this week for the playground renovation at Creekside Park, located at 5897 Pierce St. along the Ralston Creek Trail. Input from a Speak Up Arvada community engagement project was incorporated into the final design of the new playground, which will feature a wildlife theme. Construction is anticipated to be completed by the end of July. The playground renovation is part of the City’s Taking Lasting Care program, which makes accessibility, maintenance and safety improvements to the City’s Parks and Trails network each year. Open Space and Natural Area Maintenance With all the rain we've had this spring, open space and natural areas around the city are flourishing. These non-irrigated areas of Arvada are essential to wildlife and the City's conservation efforts. To maintain the health and aesthetics of these natural areas, the City follows a sustainable native landscaping approach that considers environmental sustainability, wildfire risk reduction, and resource efficiency. To learn more about the City’s approach to Open Space and Natural Area maintenance, including mowing schedules and the benefits of sustainable native landscaping, visit the ArvadaCo.gov webpage. Arvada on Tap sets a record for ticket sales! The Arvada Festivals Commission hosted the eighth annual Arvada on Tap (AOT) craft beer and barbecue festival this past Saturday at Ralston Park Addition. A huge thank you to all the volunteers who made the event happen, as this year’s AOT set a record for ticket sales! All net proceeds for Arvada on Tap benefit the three community partners that help put on the event: Arvada-Jefferson Kiwanis Club, Arvada Sunrise Rotary, and Arvada Vitality Alliance. Email your news to ---PAGE BREAK--- Movies Around Town Mark your calendars now for the next Arvada Festivals event: Movies Around Town on Friday, July 14 at Homestead Park featuring a showing of Top Gun: Maverick. Majestic View Nature Center Reminder: Majestic View Nature Center will be closed on Tuesday, July 4 for the Fourth of July holiday. The park remains open, and we invite you to stop by to try out our newest seasonal scavenger hunt! Explore the park around the Nature Center to see if you can find items inspired by the Leave No Trace 10 Essentials. Email your news to