Weekly Info Update - Fruita
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Honor the Past – Envision the Future FRUITA 325 E Aspen Suite 155 Fruita CO 81521 Phone: 970-858-3663 Fax: 970-858-0210 E Mail [email protected] Web Site fruita.org City Manager’s Office 970-858-3663 City Clerk/Finance 970-858-3663 Community Development 970-858-0786 Engineering 970-858-8377 Human Resources 970-858-8373 Public Works 970-858-9558 Recreation Dept. 970-858-0360 Weekly Info Update To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL From: MIKE BENNETT, CITY MANAGER Date: MAY 29, 2015 Re: WEEKLY INFO UPDATE Tuesday’s City Council Meeting At Tuesday night’s meeting, we will present the financial statements for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2014 and the Auditor’s Report. Also, City Council will have the opportunity to appoint a representative on GJEP’s Board (currently GJEP’s bylaws call for Fruita to have a non‐voting member, but new Director Kristi Pollard has requested the board change the bylaws to Fruita having a voting member). Stormwater & Drainage Summit Update The meeting was held yesterday and the technical working group’s (Ken and staff of other involved entities) “white paper” recommendations were presented. In summary, the recommendation is to have one entity that handles stormwater, drainage, irrigation return and seep flows for the whole valley, essentially dissolving the 5‐2‐1 Drainage Authority and expanding the Drainage District into the Greater Grand Valley Drainage District to cover everything under its current statutory authority. The request of the cities and the county is that we each consider the recommendations and make a decision to support this concept by June 25 th prior to additional work and effort being expended on the details (e.g., fee for service to fund District’s operations and capital, board make up, etc.). I plan to have a presentation made to the City Council at your June 16 meeting. In addition all the materials provided are attached below. Math & Science Center – Fruita Business Incubator – City Partnership The Math & Science Center was hard at work here today preparing the new Youth Maker Space in the Business Incubator and their Science Camp space in the old Chamber Room. They are holding a press conference Tuesday at 10:30 am at the Civic Center to kick off the camps and Maker Space. The Maker Space will have hours of operations that youth can visit the BIC and use 3‐D printers and a scanner. The camp has filled up well and still has some space for 1 st and 2 nd graders. Attached is the press release. Food Truck Friday Food Truck Friday was a blast and people were everywhere. It seemed our local restaurants were busy as well and the food trucks had constant lines. Downtown was packed with people and it was a lot of fun. They will be back each fourth Friday through October. TID BITS:
Transcript of Weekly Info Update - Fruita
Honor the Past – Envision the Future FRUITA
325 E Aspen Suite 155 Fruita CO 81521 Phone: 970-858-3663 Fax: 970-858-0210 E Mail [email protected] Web Site fruita.org City Manager’s Office 970-858-3663 City Clerk/Finance 970-858-3663 Community Development 970-858-0786 Engineering 970-858-8377 Human Resources 970-858-8373 Public Works 970-858-9558 Recreation Dept. 970-858-0360
Weekly Info Update To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: MIKE BENNETT, CITY MANAGER
Date: MAY 29, 2015
Re: WEEKLY INFO UPDATE
Tuesday’s City Council Meeting At Tuesday night’s meeting, we will present the financial statements for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2014 and the Auditor’s Report. Also, City Council will have the opportunity to appoint a representative on GJEP’s Board (currently GJEP’s bylaws call for Fruita to have a non‐voting member, but new Director Kristi Pollard has requested the board change the bylaws to Fruita having a voting member).
Stormwater & Drainage Summit Update The meeting was held yesterday and the technical working group’s (Ken and staff of other involved entities) “white paper” recommendations were presented. In summary, the recommendation is to have one entity that handles stormwater, drainage, irrigation return and seep flows for the whole valley, essentially dissolving the 5‐2‐1 Drainage Authority and expanding the Drainage District into the Greater Grand Valley Drainage District to cover everything under its current statutory authority. The request of the cities and the county is that we each consider the recommendations and make a decision to support this concept by June 25th prior to additional work and effort being expended on the details (e.g., fee for service to fund District’s operations and capital, board make up, etc.). I plan to have a presentation made to the City Council at your June 16 meeting. In addition all the materials provided are attached below.
Math & Science Center – Fruita Business Incubator – City Partnership The Math & Science Center was hard at work here today preparing the new Youth Maker Space in the Business Incubator and their Science Camp space in the old Chamber Room. They are holding a press conference Tuesday at 10:30 am at the Civic Center to kick off the camps and Maker Space. The Maker Space will have hours of operations that youth can visit the BIC and use 3‐D printers and a scanner. The camp has filled up well and still has some space for 1st and 2nd graders. Attached is the press release.
Food Truck Friday Food Truck Friday was a blast and people were everywhere. It seemed our local restaurants were busy as well and the food trucks had constant lines. Downtown was packed with people and it was a lot of fun. They will be back each fourth Friday through October.
TID BITS:
We will test out allowing dogs on leashes in a designated area at the first three Thursday night concerts. Dogs and other domestic pets are banned from special event s in the City by ordinance (9.03.005 Other Regulations) when prohibited by posted signs, so we will post where prohibited and where allowed.
We are continuing to work with BLM to establish more formal partnering opportunities and exploring how to see more trails built in our area.
The contractor began paving Ottley yesterday.
Staff had a final walk through with the contractor for the City Shops last Friday. Unfortunately, there are still a number of items to finish and they are working on those.
Engineering is working on the pre‐construct and notice to proceed to get the road overlay project started soon.
A pre‐bid meeting was held this week for the downtown streetscape enhancement project. Bid opening is next week.
We have contracted Olssen & Associates to begin surveying the trail work for the Kokopelli extension of the Riverfront Trail. This will also be the first time we have used a drone to do some of this work.
Little Salt Wash Trail is still on schedule to bid beginning of September.
Officer Lentz is the proud parent of a new baby.
The Thursday night summer concert series kicks off on Thursday the 4th at 7:30 pm with Jack + Jill.
Staff is having discussions with Arrowhead Animal Hospital on a possible Canine 5k in conjunction with our annual Dog Day at the Pool.
It’s budget season already for staff ! Construction has started on the new Subway restaurant behind the Shell gas station on Jurassic
Ave.
FRUITA IN THE NEWS: Music in the valley, including Fruita: http://www.gjfreepress.com/news/16411010‐113/music‐
jack‐jill‐the‐conifer‐mike‐love
Fruita’s Harmony Acres Equestrian Center: http://www.gjfreepress.com/news/16396984‐113/fruitas‐harmony‐acres‐equestian‐center‐offers‐lessons‐beyond
Fruita cemetery gets gazebo: http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/fruita‐cemetery‐gets‐gazebo
Mesa County Singletrack: http://www.gjfreepress.com/news/15390610‐113/ride‐these‐trails‐mesa‐county‐singletrack‐at‐its‐finest
Kokopelli Trails: http://www.gjfreepress.com/news/16341970‐113/mesa‐county‐mountain‐bike‐rides‐kokopelli‐trails
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Thursday, June 4, 2015 is Jack + Jill at the summer concert series at 7:30 pm in Civic Center Park.
The June 2015 City of Fruita Meeting Calendar is available on the website at: http://www.fruita.org/documents/admin/mtgcal.pdf.
The 2015 Events Calendar is also available online at: http://www.fruita.org/documents/rec/EVENT_CALENDAR.pdf
CC: Department Directors
www.MathandScienceCenter.org 2660 Unaweep Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81503
Phone: 970-254-1626 Fax: 970-245-2664
MEDIA ADVISORY – June 1, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
When: Tuesday, June 2, 2015 – 10:30 AM Where: Fruita, CO – Fruita Civic Center, 325 East Aspen Avenue What: Press Conference
Unique Public/Private/Non‐Profit Partnership Provides the Opportunity for Mesa County Youth to Get Creative and Learn 21st Century Skills
This week, 23 Mesa County 3rd – 5th graders will be spending their days learning to speak in code – computer code, that is! They will be the first of many area students to participate in computer coding and robotics programs that will be offered by the John McConnell Math & Science Center at the Fruita Civic Center throughout the summer. These programs – and a Youth MakerSpace that will also open at the Fruita Civic Center this summer – are made possible through a unique partnership of business, civic, non‐profit and academic collaborators. The Math & Science Center will provide program coordination and staffing for day camp and MakerSpace programs. The City of Fruita and the Business Incubator Center have provided the necessary physical space. Dr. Karl Castleton from the Computer Science Department at Colorado Mesa University will provide instructional support for the coding and advanced robotics camps.But without the funding and in‐kind support of the Grand Junction Lions Club, Alpine Bank and local business, Networks Unlimited, the technology needed to create an environment in which students as young as first grade will be able to practice problem solving and critical thinking by creating their own video games, programming their own robots, and creating their own designs with 3D printers and other materials, would not be possible. A challenge grant of $8500 from the Grand Junction Lions Club led to a $2000 contribution from Alpine Bank, and was matched by a contribution of almost $5800 worth of computer technology from Networks Unlimited. In addition, Networks Unlimited donated all of the labor costs associated with setting up 25 laptop computers for the computer coding programs. As a result of this partnership, area youth will be able to spend the summer learning what some forecasters are calling “the new literacy”, and becoming creators, not just consumers, of the technology they use. Besides that – they are guaranteed to have 21st century fun! More information on the camps and online registration is available through the Math & Science Center’s website: www.MathandScienceCenter.org. About Computer Coding as the “new literacy and a 21st century skill” and the “maker movement”
According to some educators and technologists, computer programming is the new literacy that helps kids develop problem solving and critical thinking skills, and positions them for high paying jobs in the future (https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/cool‐tools‐to‐help‐kids‐learn‐to‐code). Coding and the “maker movement” (using both high‐tech equipment such as three‐dimensional printers and low‐tech, everyday materials to design and create robots, musical instruments, toys, electronics and much more), encourage kids to understand and create, not just consume, the technology that they use every day. Exposure to these skills, particularly computer programming, may lead to a future in some of the best‐paying jobs in the world. According to Code.org, there will be 1 million unfilled computer programming jobs in 2020 – a $500 billion opportunity. Sixty‐seven percent of software jobs today are outside of the tech industry – in fields such as banking, retail, government, entertainment, medical research and clinical care. There is also a growing need for problem‐solving skills across all types of jobs. About the John McConnell Math & Science Center Since 1990, the John McConnell Math & Science Center in Grand Junction, Colorado, a 501(c) 3 non‐profit organization, has created excitement and enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering and math through hands‐on, interactive experiences. We inspire passion and respect for math and science in our communities by hosting field trips, camps and special events, and by developing and providing resources for parents and educators. Our vision for the future is a science and technology literate society. For more information visit www.mathandsciencecenter.org or call 970‐254‐1626.
Media contact: Teresa Coons, Executive Director John McConnell Math & Science Center of Western Colorado, Inc. http://www.mathandsciencecenter.org [email protected] 970‐254‐1626 (Center); 970‐640‐2673 (cell)
