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Lawsuit alleges Estes Valley fire district violated open-meetings law
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BizWest, Local

Lawsuit alleges Estes Valley fire district violated open-meetings law

By BizWest The Estes Valley Voice, described as a “journalist-founded, locally owned digital newsroom”, has sued the Estes Valley Fire Protection District board of directors in Larimer District Court, alleging that it violated Colorado’s Open Records Act and open-meetings law by hiring Paul Capo as fire chief in a closed session on Oct. 9. According to the Estes Valley Voice, board members discussed Capo’s selection privately during an executive session, only later ratifying the decision in a public meeting without further public discussion. In a response to a Colorado Open Records Act request,  EVFPD board chair Ryan Bross told Patty Brown, the Voice’s editor and publisher, that “meeting protocol was determined by District legal counsel.” READ THE FULL...
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Kara Skinner, who served two years as CFO for Boulder, will leave post Nov. 8 for Florida
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BizWest, Local

Kara Skinner, who served two years as CFO for Boulder, will leave post Nov. 8 for Florida

By BizWest Kara Skinner, chief financial officer for the City of Boulder, will leave her city post on Nov. 8 to accept a consulting position at a Florida-based company. According to the announcement made Thursday by Boulder city manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, Skinner will work remotely as a fiscal director in the government-consulting section of Tampa, Florida-based MGT Consulting. “It has been an incredible privilege to serve our city for the past seven years, and I am leaving with only the deepest respect for my many talented colleagues and the Boulder community,” Skinner said in a prepared statement. “This decision will allow me to continue to provide strategic counsel in my chosen profession while also letting me spend more time in another role I love, as a grandmother.” ...
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National concerns leave Colorado biz leaders less confident in late ’24
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BizWest, State

National concerns leave Colorado biz leaders less confident in late ’24

By Lucas High | BizWest Heading into the fourth quarter of 2024, Colorado business leaders are feeling less confident about the state of the economy. The University of Colorado Leeds Business Confidence Index for the final quarter of 2024 was down nearly four points from the preceding quarter, based largely on national-level issues such as next month’s presidential election and inflation.  The index figure heading into the fourth quarter was 46.7. An LBCI score — which is based on impressions of the state economy, national economy, industry sales, industry profits, industry hiring and capital expenditures — of 50 is neutral.  READ THE FULL STORY AT BIZWEST
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Amid acreage transition to solar farming, could Weld County lose its agricultural base?
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BizWest, Local

Amid acreage transition to solar farming, could Weld County lose its agricultural base?

By Sharon Dunn | BizWest Magnum Feedyards has operated for more than 30 years in eastern Weld County. The main line of business is growing feed and feeding cattle for market. Owner Steve Gabel started with 5,500 head in 1994, and he has gradually increased that to 35,000 head and 10,000 acres of land. But today, he’s planning to turn 4,300 of those acres into a new use — solar farming. If approved, it would be the largest solar array in Weld County to date. He’s not retiring — on the contrary, as a businessman, Gabel is looking to get the highest and best use out of all of his property. READ THE FULL STORY AT BIZWEST
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University of Colorado-Boulder marks 3.4% enrollment increase, has 38,428 students
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BizWest, Local

University of Colorado-Boulder marks 3.4% enrollment increase, has 38,428 students

By Lucas High | BizWest The University of Colorado has 38,428 graduate and undergraduate students enrolled at its flagship campus in Boulder for the fall 2024 semester, up 3.4% from last year.  CU’s acceptance rate for the new school years was 76%, which Amy Hutton, associate vice chancellor for enrollment management, said was “a 30-year low.” Despite the overall enrollment increase, boosted retention caused CU to reduce its freshman-class size, she said, allowing the university to “to ensure (more) dedicated resources for retention and graduation.” READ THE FULL STORY AT BIZWEST
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Fall enrollment up by 20% at Aims Community College
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BizWest, Local

Fall enrollment up by 20% at Aims Community College

By BizWest Aims Community College has registered 20% more students this year than last with 8,271 students for the fall 2024 semester. The growth is aided by the college’s lower tuition rates, its policies on inclusivity and accessibility, and being a place in which high school students can gain college credit in concurrent enrollment, according to an Aims news release. Aims officials are working to become a Hispanic Serving Institution and a Military Friendly School, said Larry Pakowski, vice president for student engagement, inclusion and success, in the news release. READ THE FULL STORY AT BIZWEST
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Paul Andrews, president of the National Western Stock Show, to retire
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BizWest, Local

Paul Andrews, president of the National Western Stock Show, to retire

By Bizwest National Western Stock Show and Complex CEO Paul Andrews will retire  after the 2025 National Western Stock Show in January 2025. Andrews, who has worked for the group since late 2010, “will continue as a consultant to the organization after a new president and CEO has been selected,” National Western said in a news release. He previously held a number of roles at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment LLC. READ THE FULL STORY AT BIZWEST
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Xcel natural gas customers could see 10.5% residential price reduction
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BizWest, Local

Xcel natural gas customers could see 10.5% residential price reduction

By BizWest Xcel Energy Colorado has requested approval from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to reduce customer natural-gas bills for the last three months of the year.   That will mean on average, a 10.54%, or $9.15, reduction on residential monthly bills and an 11.08%, or $42.04, reduction for typical small businesses from the same time last year. That is providing the weather remains stable, Xcel reports in a press release. Residential customers are expected to see a decrease of 13 cents per month on their electric bills, while small businesses would pay approximately 91 cents more on a typical monthly bill compared with the third quarter of 2024, according to a news release. READ THE FULL STORY AT BIZWEST
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Boulder among three finalists to host Sundance film fest
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BizWest, Local

Boulder among three finalists to host Sundance film fest

By Lucas High | Bizwest Boulder is one step closer to winning the opportunity to host the Sundance Film Festival for a decade beginning in 2027. The city on Thursday was named one of three potential hosts to make the final round of the Sundance Institute’s selection process, according to the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The other finalists are Cincinnati and Salt Lake City/Park City, Utah. Boulder “will continue to roll out the red carpet through this final competitive-bid stage as we demonstrate Colorado’s sustained commitment of support for the film festival, Boulder’s capacity to meet their logistical needs, and our alignment with their organization values,” Boulder Chamber CEO John Tayer told BizWest in an email. READ THE FULL S...
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Larimer County may put transportation tax question on November ballot
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BizWest, Local

Larimer County may put transportation tax question on November ballot

By BizWest Larimer County officials next week will consider placing a 15-year 0.15% sales and use tax measure on the November ballot. If approved by voters, the tax would generate an estimated $15 million annually to fund various transportation projects across the county. Recent polling by Larimer County shows that community members are increasingly concerned about rising traffic and declining safety on the county’s roads and bridges. Transportation remains one of the top concerns among residents, leading the Board of County Commissioners to revisit the issue of a dedicated funding source. As part of its 2024-2028 Strategic Plan, the commissioners are again considering a transportation tax measure to address these needs. If the measure were to pass, the tax — equivalent to 15 cent...
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