HomeMy WebLinkAboutReport - Mail Packet - 12/15/2020 - City Managers Monthly Update - December 10, 2020
Dia de los Muertos exhibit at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery
December 2020
DECEMBER 10, 2020
Table of Contents
ISSUES BEFORE COUNCIL ................................................................................................................. 4
DECEMBER 15 REGULAR MEETING ........................................................................................................................4
DECEMBER 22 ADJOURNED MEETING ...................................................................................................................4
DECEMBER 22 WORK SESSION ...............................................................................................................................4
DECEMBER 29- FIFTH TUESDAY - NO MEETING SCHEDULED .................................................................................4
JANUARY 5 REGULAR MEETING..............................................................................................................................4
JANUARY 6 SPECIAL MEETING ................................................................................................................................5
JANUARY 12 WORK SESSION ..................................................................................................................................5
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT – UPCOMING EVENTS ................................................................................ 5
SALES TAX - MONTHLY & YEAR TO DATE ....................................................................................... 6
CP - ENGINEERING ............................................................................................................................. 6
COLLEGE AVE (SH 287) AND TRILBY ROAD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS ........................................................6
VINE AND LEMAY BNSF IMPROVEMENTS ..............................................................................................................7
JEFFERSON STREET IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT ......................................................................................................7
LINDEN STREET RENOVATION PROJECT .................................................................................................................8
NORTH MASON DESIGN – ALPINE TO HICKORY .....................................................................................................9
LAPORTE AVENUE ROADWAY AND BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS ...............................................................................9
TAFT HILL ROAD IMPROVEMENTS – HORSETOOTH TO HARMONY .................................................................... 10
EAST PROSPECT WIDENING – SHARP POINT TO INTERSTATE 25 ........................................................................ 10
CHERRY STREET ARTHUR DITCH BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS ................................................................................. 11
TRANSPORTATION CAPITAL PROJECTS PRIORITIZATION STUDY ......................................................................... 11
CP - PARK PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT ....................................................................................... 12
CITY PARK REFRESH ............................................................................................................................................. 12
CP - OPERATION SERVICES ............................................................................................................ 13
FORT COLLINS/LOVELAND POLICE TRAINING CENTER ........................................................................................ 13
BLOCK 32/42 – CIVIC MASTER PLAN REFRESH .................................................................................................... 13
CP - UTILITIES.................................................................................................................................... 14
GIS/GWD & ADMS ............................................................................................................................................... 14
MAPLE AND PEARL STREETS WASTEWATER MAIN REPLACEMENT .................................................................... 15
WATER TREATMENT FACILITY SOLIDS HANDLING SYSTEM-DESIGN ONLY ......................................................... 15
DRAKE WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY COGENERATION PROJECT ................................................................... 16
PUBLIC SAFETY ................................................................................................................................ 16
POUDRE FIRE AUTHORITY ................................................................................................................................... 16
POLICE SERVICES .................................................................................................................................................. 17
PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT &TRANSPORTATION ......................................................................... 19
BUILDING, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW .......................................................................................... 19
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES ................................................................................................................................. 19
GRAFFITI UPDATE ............................................................................................................................ 20
SUSTAINABILITY SERVICES ............................................................................................................ 20
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES ................................................................................................................................ 20
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY ...................................................................................................................................... 21
ECONOMIC HEALTH ............................................................................................................................................. 21
UTILITIES ............................................................................................................................................ 22
CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS .................................................................................................................................. 22
WATER RESOURCES AND TREATMENT OPERATIONS .......................................................................................... 24
COMMUNITY SERVICES .................................................................................................................... 26
RECREATION ........................................................................................................................................................ 26
PARKS ................................................................................................................................................................... 26
CULTURAL SERVICES ............................................................................................................................................ 26
NATURAL AREAS .................................................................................................................................................. 27
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 28
BROADBAND – FORT COLLINS CONNEXION ................................................................................. 28
COMMUNITY DASHBOARD HIGHLIGHT .......................................................................................... 30
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 4
ISSUES BEFORE COUNCIL
DECEMBER 15 REGULAR MEETING
Plastic Pollution Ballot Measure
o To consider a resolution to pursue a plastic pollution ballot measure and to provide related
direction to staff.
Environmental Health - 4.4 Achieve the 2020 Road to Zero Waste goals and work
toward the 2030 zero waste goals.
Springer-Fisher Annexation
o To consider an initiating resolution related to the Springer-Fisher Annexation located at Mulberry
and Greenfields Court, along the Mulberry Corridor.
Montava Development Request for Augmentation Water
o To support development of a groundwater source for treated water, H2FM (developer of
Montava) requests a perpetual agreement with Fort Collins Utilities such that Utilities will deliver
up to 20 acre-feet of augmentation water to the Poudre River during winter months via Rigden
Reservoir.
Environmental Health - 4.6 Provide a reliable, high-quality water supply.
Staff Report: Community Dashboard Metrics - City Employee Safety Metrics
o Discuss Community Dashboard metrics that the City has significant influence over.
High Performing Government - 7.5 Foster a culture of safety and well-being across
the City organization.
DECEMBER 22 ADJOURNED MEETING
Council Vacancy Process
o Consider matters related to the selection and appointment to fill a vacancy in the District 4
Council seat.
High Performing Government - 7.9 Proactively influence policy and legislative
development at all levels.
DECEMBER 22 WORK SESSION
Ethics Process
o Discuss possible Code and Charter changes related to Ethics Process.
High Performing Government - 7.1 Provide world-class municipal services to
residents and businesses.
Fort Collins Connexion Update
o Provide community and Council with an update on the progress with Connexion.
Economic Health - 3.7 Deploy reliable, high-speed internet services throughout the
community.
DECEMBER 29- FIFTH TUESDAY - NO MEETING SCHEDULED
JANUARY 5 REGULAR MEETING
Parks and Recreation Master Plan Adoption
o Consider adoption of an update to the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and highlight key
implementation steps post-adoption.
Please note that this list is subject to
frequent change. Please call the City
Clerk’s Office for up-to-date
information. 970-416-2774.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 5
Culture and Recreation - 2.2 Plan, design, implement and maintain the City’s parks
and trails system.
Council Vacancy and Selecting a New Mayor Pro Tem
o Adoption of the process to fill Mayor Pro Tem Stephens’ Council vacancy and to select a new
Mayor Pro Tem.
High Performing Government - 7.9 Proactively influence policy and legislative
development at all levels.
Staff Report: Poudre River Whitewater Park Update
o Provide and update on the whitewater park following the inaugural season.
Culture and Recreation - 2.2 Plan, design, implement and maintain the City’s parks
and trails system.
JANUARY 6 SPECIAL MEETING
Council Vacancy Process
o Consider matters related to the selection and appointment to fill a vacancy in the District 4
Council seat.
High Performing Government - 7.9 Proactively influence policy and legislative
development at all levels.
JANUARY 12 WORK SESSION
Wastewater Utility Overview
o Present a holistic overview of the wastewater utility including strategic direction and challenges.
Environmental Health - 4.9 Sustain and improve the health of the Cache la Poudre
River and its watershed.
Visit Fort Collins Destination Master Plan and Tourism Improvement District
o Provide an update on the Destination Master Plan and to share information about a possible
effort to form a Tourism Improvement District.
Economic Health - 3.1 Facilitate government and local partners to form an effective
regional economic health group.
Plastic Pollution Ballot Measure
o To discuss and provide feedback on the proposed content of a plastic pollution ballot measure.
Environmental Health - 4.4 Achieve the 2020 Road to Zero Waste goals and work
toward the 2030 zero waste goals.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT – UPCOMING EVENTS
MLK Day Community Celebration
City staff is currently working with Colorado State University among other community partners in
organizing a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration for 2021. The event will consist of a series of
educational, virtual, and interactive activities meant to highlight the life and legacy of Martin Luther King
Jr. A detailed schedule of activities will be released by the end of the year. MLK Day will be celebrated
on Monday, January 18.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 6
SALES TAX - MONTHLY & YEAR TO DATE
OCTOBER SUMMARY OVER PRIOR YEAR
Month Year to Date
Net Sales Tax Collected: 0.3% -4.0%
Net Use Tax Collected: -16.3% -9.0%
Net Sales and Use Tax Collected: -2.3% -4.8%
Year to date, sales and use tax collections excluding rebates are down 4.8% and total $112.5M.
OCTOBER SUMMARY OVER BUDGET
Month Year to Date
Net Sales Tax Collected: 0.3% -4.6%
Net Use Tax Collected: -1.0% 1.4%
Net Sales and Use Tax Collected: 0.1% -3.7%
Year to date, the City has collected 3.7% less sales and use tax revenue, totaling $4.4M under budget.
CP - ENGINEERING
COLLEGE AVE (SH 287) AND TRILBY ROAD INTERSECTION
IMPROVEMENTS
Funding Source: CDOT / FHWA grants, Transportation
Capital Expansion Fee (TCEF), Development Contributions
Estimated Project Budget: $5.5M
Estimated Completion Date: Fall 2022
Phase: Conceptual Design
Project Details:
Safety improvement project geared toward accident reduction
and improved safety. Dual north and southbound turn lanes,
multi-modal implementation, east / west (Trilby Road added
turn movements).
Project Status:
All aspects currently being investigated include:
environmental, historical, utility identification /
location and overall plan footprint.
Preliminary engineering/design is on-going.
Anticipate ROW acquisition to begin in Q1 of 2021.
Capital Project
Updates are
indicated in bold.
Note: Only projects
with updates this
month are listed.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 7
VINE AND LEMAY BNSF IMPROVEMENTS
Funding Source: Keep Fort Collins Great (KFCG),
Transportation Capital Expansion Fee (TCEF), 2017 / 2018
BFO
Estimated Project Budget: $24M ($12M currently allocated)
Estimated Completion Date: 2021
Phase: In Design
Project Details:
The existing Vine and Lemay intersection, which includes the
Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway crossing, is
severely congested with limited options to expand through or
turn lane capacity due to land use constraints.
Project Status:
RFP is out to procure a construction contractor utilizing
an innovative CMGC project delivery model.
Construction is scheduled to begin early in 2021 and be complete by the end of 2021.
More information is available at fcgov.com/engineering/vine-lemay
JEFFERSON STREET IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT
Funding Source: Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality
(CMAQ) Funds, Building on Basics (BOB) 1.0 funds
Estimated Project Budget: $1.4M
Estimated Completion Date: Fall 2020
Phase: Construction
Project Details:
The goals of this project are to develop preliminary engineering
design plans, to acquire rights-of-way and easements for
planned improvements, and to construct short-term
improvements along Jefferson Street between College Avenue
and the Mountain/Lincoln Intersection.
Project Status:
This project has been completed.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 8
LINDEN STREET RENOVATION PROJECT
Funding Source: Community Capital Improvement Program (CCIP)
Estimated Project Budget: $3.8M
Estimated Completion Date: 2020
Phase: Engineering Design
Project Details:
The goals of this project are to renovate Linden Street between Walnut Street and Jefferson Street.
Initial concepts include converting this section of Linden Street to a “convertible” street; one that can
function primarily as a roadway but can also be closed to vehicles and converted to a pedestrian plaza
during specialty events.
Project Status:
As COVID-19 continues to impact the economic health of Old Town Fort Collins, staff is
exploring construction phasing options, including delaying 2021 construction, to mitigate
additional impacts to downtown businesses.
More information is available at: https://www.fcgov.com/engineering/linden-street-renovation/
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 9
NORTH MASON DESIGN – ALPINE TO HICKORY
Funding Source: Transportation Capital Expansion Fee (TCEF),
Storm Water Utility, Urban Renewal Authority (URA) funding
Estimated Project Budget: $1.0M
Estimated Completion Date: Fall 2020
Phase: Conceptual Design
Project Details:
A collaborative effort between City departments and the North
College URA to find solutions to existing drainage issues along
the west side of College Avenue, north of the Poudre River.
The project was approved through the 2019/2020 Budgeting for
Outcomes (BFO) process and will focus on roadway and storm
sewer alignments for North Mason. Construction of the storm
sewer backbone is expected to occur in 2021/2022. No funding
has currently been identified for the roadway construction.
Project Status:
Property owner conversations around acquiring rights of way are in process and expected
to continue into 2021.
LAPORTE AVENUE ROADWAY AND BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS
Funding Source: CCIP, Pedestrian Program, Capital Bridge
Program
Estimated Project Budget: $3.2M
Estimated Completion Date: Spring 2021 – Pending final
funding for roadway
Phase: Design
Project Details:
This project will replace two bridges over the New Mercer Canal
just east of Taft Hill Road along Laporte Avenue north of the
cemetery. One bridge is structurally deficient while the other is
functionally obsolete. This project will also design pedestrian,
bicycle and other roadway improvements from Fishback to
Sunset to provide a safer connection to amenities including
Poudre High School and PSD offices. The project is currently
only funded to provide 30% design for improvements along the entire corridor, however the final design
and construction of both bridges is fully funded through the City’s Capital Bridge Program.
Project Status:
Project is anticipated to begin final design work next spring.
Grant appropriations will be brought forward next spring in conjunction with final design.
The project team will continue to look for other funding sources to fully fund the corridor
construction.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 10
TAFT HILL ROAD IMPROVEMENTS – HORSETOOTH TO HARMONY
Funding Source: Larimer County Regional Road Fees (RRF),
Federal Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG)
Estimated Project Budget: $5.3M
Estimated Completion Date: Fall 2022
Phase: Preliminary Design
Project Details:
This section of Taft Hill Road currently experiences significant
congestion and safety concerns. In collaboration with Larimer
County, the City will construct a 4-lane arterial roadway from the
intersection at Horsetooth to Brixton Road (just south of
Harmony). Improvements will include sidewalk, curb and gutter,
bike lanes and storm sewer/utility improvements. The City and
County were awarded a federal STBG grant for design and
construction.
Project Status:
The City’s consultant has completed preliminary design.
Property acquisition is anticipated to begin in early 2021.
More information is available at: https://www.fcgov.com/engineering/taft-hill
EAST PROSPECT WIDENING – SHARP POINT TO INTERSTATE 25
Funding Source: Transportation Capital Expansion Fee (TCEF)
Estimated Project Budget: $8M – Currently have $2M
Estimated Completion Date: Fall 2022 – Pending construction
funding
Phase: Final Design and right-of-way (ROW) acquisition
Project Details:
This project will widen East Prospect Road to the 4-lane arterial
cross section from approximately Sharp Point on the west end to
Interstate 25 (I-25) on the east end. This is a project being
coordinated with current CDOT improvements at the interchange,
as well as local development. This is the last major piece of
Prospect Road to be upgraded to the Master Street Plan 4-lane
arterial section, and involves constructing a new intersection at
the Frontage Road and East Prospect on the west side of I-25, as
well as improvements to the Summitview and Sharp Point intersections.
Project Status:
Staff anticipate ROW acquisition to begin early 2021.
Final design has begun and will continue throughout 2021.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 11
CHERRY STREET ARTHUR DITCH BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS
Funding Source: Capital Bridge Program
Estimated Project Budget: $750K
Estimated Completion Date: Spring 2021
Phase: Out to bid
Project Details:
This project will replace Arthur Ditch under Cherry Street
between Wood Street and Grant Avenue. This bridge is
structurally deficient, and load posted. The replacement bridge
will be shallower and wider to allow for have full asphalt
thickness over the structure. This project is fully funded through
the City’s Capital Bridge Program.
Project Status:
Project is out to bid
TRANSPORTATION CAPITAL PROJECTS PRIORITIZATION STUDY
Funding Source: Community Capital Improvement Program (CCIP – Arterial Intersection
Improvements)
Estimated Project Budget: $400,000
Estimated Completion Date: 2021
Phase: Contract Execution
Project Details:
In 2010, the City hired an engineering consultant to conduct a study to prioritize capital
improvement projects at arterial intersections based primarily on safety and congestion
concerns. The resulting data and list of prioritized locations allowed the City to program funds,
receive grants for and construct improvements at top tier locations.
The Transportation Capital Projects Prioritization Study (TCPPS) will produce a similar
prioritized list of improvements at arterial intersections as well as arterial corridors. The TCPPS
will focus on safety and congestion, as well as additional criteria such as multi-modal
connectivity. A public outreach campaign through the course of the TCPPS will gather input
from and inform Fort Collins residents of the progress of the study.
Project Status:
The City has selected an engineering consultant team to perform the study and is in the
process of executing a contract with the consultant team.
A list of locations to be studied will be determined through collaboration between City staff,
Larimer County staff and the consultant team.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 12
CP - PARK PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
CITY PARK REFRESH
Funding Source: Building On Basics
Total Project Cost: $850k-$1M
Phase: Phase I project identification
Estimated Completion: 2021 for Phase I project
Project Details:
Several concepts, master plans, and improvement ideas have been generated and shared with the
community for feedback in 2016, 2018, and 2019 to address important refresh needs of City Park. The
City Park Restroom Project, which is part of Phase 1 improvements, will provide a new year-round
restroom along with surrounding site improvements. Construction of the City Park Restroom began on
September 7, with anticipated construction lasting from early September through late December.
Landscape plantings may be delayed until spring of 2021, depending on weather conditions. Visit the
project web site for additional information regarding the project at ourcity.fcgov.com/city-park-tomorrow.
Project Status:
Site grading and concrete work continues.
Progress on the restroom structure includes CMU, framing, roofing and plumbing work.
Landscape and irrigation work as well as installation of the art in public places piece will
occur in the spring of 2021.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 13
CP - OPERATION SERVICES
FORT COLLINS/LOVELAND POLICE TRAINING CENTER
Funding Sources:
$9.25M generated from bonds for the City of Fort Collins
$9.25M from City of Loveland
$1M from DOLA Grant
Total Project Cost: $19.5M
Phase: Phase II Building - in Construction
Estimated Completion Date: January 2021
Project Details:
The City of Fort Collins is partnering with The City of Loveland to construct a new Police training facility
which will be located on the west side of the Loveland Airport. This new site will offer a 50-yard pistol
range, a 1.4-mile driving track, concrete skills pad, and some classrooms for special training.
Project Status:
Admin exterior stucco finish is complete, and landscaping is finishing up.
Admin interior wall finishes are being applied.
Firing Range – finishing up baffle system and wall protection system.
Mechanical systems scheduled for startup early December.
Building construction is to be completed late December.
Building system testing and balancing to take place in January 2021
Currently expecting LEED Silver for Admin building.
Plan to turn over to Police late January or early February 2021.
BLOCK 32/42 – CIVIC MASTER PLAN REFRESH
Funding Source: Capital Project via BFO: $300,000
Estimated Project Cost: TBD
Phase: RFP
Estimated Completion Date: TBD
Project Details:
Space planning for Block 32 and 42 that was performed in
2013-2014 and needs to be updated. The new
planning effort will involve each affected department to
determine their space needs and anticipated growth over the
next 10-12 Years. With the completion of the refresh the City
can decide which departments to house in 215 N Mason, 300 Laporte Ave - Building A, and the new City
Hall. The refresh will also help determine an appropriate size of the new City Hall. Once this is determined
and a conceptual design is produced it will be submitted to Council for review, next recommended steps
and approval.
Project Status:
Meeting with various departments associated with the Civic Center Masterplan re-fresh
for blocks 32 and 42 to gather information on current and future needs.
Meeting with Development Review and Park Planning to discuss plan for layout of the
Civic Center Masterplan and discuss process for gathering input from staff, community,
and others as we look at refresh.
Firing Range Baffle System Installation
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 14
We plan to have a deliverable by April 2021.
CP - UTILITIES
GIS/GWD & ADMS
Funding Source: Offer 5.23
Operational Technology
Estimated Project Budget:
$2,762,384
Phase: In Production with
full vendor project team
support
Project Details:
Replacement and
upgrade of the existing
L&P mapping systems
to a fully capable
Geographic Information
System (GIS) platform
compatible with the
City's enterprise GIS.
Implementation of a GIS-based Graphic Work Design (GWD) system enabling streamlined electric
distribution design and development and integration with GIS as well as other key systems
Replacement of existing electric distribution operational tools with a new Advanced Distribution
Management System (ADMS) that enables L&P’s Supervisory Control & Operations (SCO) staff to
performs a wide range of real-time analysis in the management of the City’s electric distribution
system.
Project Status:
Functionality to enable more dynamic Designer text to be added to construction layouts is
now implemented.
The LPO GIS Team continues to make additions and improvements to the GIS data as determined
by project needs.
The OMS functionality of the ADMS system is live and in production, operating in parallel with the
previous system.
The project team is working with ACS, the ADMS vendor, on system refinements to fix issues and
processes.
The ADMS project team is working on modifications to the mapping import to improve switchpoint
labeling as well as readability of certain operational devices.
Screen capture of ArcFM
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 15
MAPLE AND PEARL STREETS WASTEWATER MAIN REPLACEMENT
Funding Source: Wastewater Fund
Estimated Project Budget: $737,000.00
Status: Project Complete November 13, 2020
Estimated Completion Date: November 13, 2020
Project Details:
The Maple & Pearl streets wastewater main replacement project
will replace 1573 linear feet of 6-inch dilapidated clay tile sewer
with new 8-inch PVC sewer. Five brick manholes will be replaced with
pre-cast concrete manholes. The 47 sewer services connections will
be replaced with 1,747 square yards of street asphalt replaced.
Project Status:
Project complete.
1573 Linear feet of new sewer Installed.
5 Manholes installed.
47 new sewer service connections completed.
Asphalt street paving complete.
WATER TREATMENT FACILITY SOLIDS HANDLING
SYSTEM-DESIGN ONLY
Funding Source: Water
Estimated Project Budget: $575,000
Status: In design
Estimated Completion Date: April 2021
Project Details:
This project will develop 50% design documents for the WTF Solids
Handling System which will reduce the liquid loading of the existing
lagoons (currently overloaded during peak times of the year) by
mechanically separating the solids from the sediment basin sludge
stream by applying pressure with a Belt Filter Press. The solids
handling system will be contained in a new building between the
WTF and the existing lagoons. This system will prevent violation of
water quality and solid waste regulations.
Project Status:
Project began in November 2020
Kickoff Meeting and Workshop #1 complete
Design efforts ongoing
Example Photo of a Belt
Filter Press
Service Connections on
Maple Street
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 16
DRAKE WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY COGENERATION PROJECT
Funding Source: Wastewater
Estimated Project Budget: $4,700,000
Status: Commissioning and Startup
Estimated Completion Date: mid-January 2021
Project Details:
In partnership with Woodward, this project is the design
and installation of a combined heat and power (CHP)
system fueled by conditioned biogas to provide electrical
power to the wastewater plant. Not only off-setting
electrical demand from the power grid the units will
provide heat via a hot water system to the plant’s
anaerobic digestion process and house water heat
exchangers to heat several of the plant’s buildings.
Project Status:
Project construction is ~ 95% complete
Sub-system commissioning on-going
Final Programming delayed until mid-Jan 2021 due to sub-contractor scheduling
PUBLIC SAFETY
POUDRE FIRE AUTHORITY
Front Range Fire Consortium Academy 20-2
Graduation | Dec. 3
A small graduation ceremony was held for the nine recruits
that completed the 20-2 fire academy. They took the oath
after 15 weeks of training together. Over 100 friends,
family, and fire department personnel joined virtually. As
part of the oath, they swore to provide the highest level of
protection possible to their communities, a promise that is
not taken lightly. This was the second academy to complete
their training during COVID-19 which meant even more
adaptability and perseverance. This academy included
three PFA recruits who will now spend a little over two
weeks training on PFA specific items before starting at their
respective fire stations. The new firefighters briefly pulled
down their masks for a photo.
Garage Fire Stopped before Extending into Home | Nov. 19
PFA was dispatched at 4:18 p.m. to a garage fire on the 3800 block of Arctic Fox Dr. The Engine 10
Crew was the first on scene at 4:21. They could see smoke from a distance and found a garage filled
with flames upon arrival. The fire was upgraded to a second alarm fire which dispatched additional
resources. Firefighters had the flames knocked down minutes after arrival. Two people were inside the
home at the time of the fire and four people were in the backyard. One of the people in the backyard
reportedly saw flames and immediately called 911. Everyone was able to safely evacuate. One person
was medically assessed for potential smoke inhalation and was released. There were no injuries
reported and no risk to other structures. The garage was fully involved, but the fire was stopped before
2 – 220 kW Gensets
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 17
it could spread into the main body of the home or
attic. The Customer Assistance Response Team
was dispatched to help the residents and ensure
they had a place to stay for the night. Firefighters
spent several hours on scene clearing items from
the garage. They also monitored and extinguished
hot spots. The clearing of items helps eliminate the
risk of the fire reigniting and creates a better
environment for the fire investigators.
Machinery Fire Caused High Heats | Nov. 5
At 7:40 a.m., PFA was dispatched to reports of fire
in machinery on a commercial property on the 1800
block of N. Taft Hill Rd. The Engine 7 Crew was the
first on scene and found heavy white smoke and
active flames coming from an asphalt drum. They
deployed attack lines and performed a 360
assessment to make sure everyone was away from the machinery and it was safe to engage. The
captain worked with personnel to get the machine turned off and locked out right away. He also
gathered information about what was potentially inside the drum and if any area was pressurized since
these are important factors in the response. Firefighters safely extinguished the flames and applied
water from both sides to cool down the machinery. This allowed them to open it up and check for any
remaining flames and heat inside. The equipment is made to contain temperatures of over 300
degrees, but the crew registered temperatures of around 700 before it was sufficiently cooled. No
medical assessments were performed, and no injuries were reported. Once responders determined the
area was safe, units cleared the scene.
Firefighters Completed 8-hour Day Training Scenarios
Training personnel at the PFA Training Center arrange multiple “8-hour Day Trainings” each year.
Every PFA firefighter is required to attend to complete various training requirements and
documentation. This 8-hour day included a morning of EMS and CPR training and refreshers followed
by an afternoon of live structure fire scenarios. The fire scenario was a house fire with multiple
occupants unaccounted for inside. Responders are timed and the response is thoroughly reviewed.
“Even if the scenario goes well, we review it,” said a Battalion Chief running the scenario. “There is
always a way to get better. Even when things go smoothly, we want to talk about that too.” Firefighters
also complete SCBA mask testing, protective clothing inspections, and hazmat training as part of 8-
hour days.
POLICE SERVICES
Notable Cases
Police Investigate Stabbing - Just after 5 p.m. on November 4, Fort Collins Police responded to a
report of a stabbing at a home in the 200 block of Tiger Cat Way. The victim had been stabbed by a
man she knew, Jonathan Crossley, 25. Crossley fled the area after the incident. Arriving officers
located the victim, who was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. She is expected to
recover. Police searched for Crossley through the night. Through extensive investigation, officers
located his vehicle abandoned in Lory State Park. After hours of searching the park, a deceased man
was located. The Coroner identified him as the suspect in the case and ruled his death a suicide.
Police Investigate Homicide, Arrest Suspect - On November 21, FCPS received a call of a
deceased person outside in the 800 block of North College Avenue. Responding officers located an
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 18
obviously deceased adult male and launched an investigation. The Coroner ruled the man’s death a
homicide from multiple stab wounds. After working to gather information and evidence, police identified
the suspect as Brian Townsend, 35, recently of Fort Collins. Detectives determined that the two men
got into an argument on the afternoon of November 19, at which time Townsend is believed to have
fatally wounded Clouser, then left the area. A passerby discovered Clouser two days later. Townsend
was arrested on November 30 and booked into the Larimer County Jail on the charge of First Degree
Murder (class 1 felony). All charges are simply an accusation by law enforcement officers, and any
arrested party must be presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
CRASH Team Investigates Fatal Crashes – In November, the Collision Reconstruction and Scene
Handling (CRASH) team investigated two fatal traffic collisions.
On November 13, officers responded to a two-car collision at the intersection of Whalers Way and
South Lemay Avenue. The driver of the Corolla was transported to an area hospital where he was
pronounced deceased. The driver of the Navigator was transported to an area hospital with minor
injuries. The roadway was closed for approximately 4 hours while officers processed the scene.
Just after 4 a.m. on November 17, FCPS responded to single-vehicle collision at 310 E Prospect Road.
A Chevrolet Malibu was travelling eastbound on Prospect Road at a high rate of speed. The vehicle
went off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree, residence, and multiple bushes before coming to
rest. The driver was transported to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. The
roadway was closed for approximately 6.5 hours while officers processed the scene.
Missing/Runaway Teens Found Safe – Two 13-year-old girls left their respective homes on
November 11 with no access to resources, which prompted a joint investigation by Fort Collins and
Loveland Police. Detectives found evidence indicating that the girls had run away together. Given their
young age and lack of money or shelter, there was considerable concern for their safety. Fortunately,
the two returned home after nearly a week and were safe. Numerous resources were dedicated to
locating these young women, and we are grateful for this positive resolution.
Community Engagement
Officer Helps Deliver Baby - Officer Lang was on patrol when he noticed a call pending in his area.
Upon further inquiry, he found out a pregnant woman was in active labor in her car. Officer Lang arrived
just in time to help mom deliver a healthy little girl and kept everyone calm until paramedics arrived.
Other family members joined shortly thereafter, and officers let the proud big brother pick out a stuffed
animal for himself and one to give his baby sister. Officer Stratton went to the hospital with the family
and helped arrange childcare so mom and dad could enjoy time with their new daughter. Fortunately,
this unexpected emergency had a safe ending and became a story that everyone involved will
remember forever!
School Resource Officer Team Hosts Community Meeting - November 12, the SRO team hosted a
virtual community meeting to review data through a variety of lenses, including racial equity. Local
partners also participated to provide details about the restorative resources that support positive futures
for students and families. Approximately 50 people attended.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 19
Santa Cops of Larimer County - Santa Cops is a non-profit
organization that works to serve families in need and create positive
connections between law enforcement and the community. Each fall,
residents can apply to receive gifts for their families through this
program. The application process was amended this year to create a
safe environment in light of COVID. All FCPS employees who support
Santa Cops do so on a volunteer basis. Over 830 families and 2,060
children in Larimer County alone received gifts from Santa Cops of
Larimer County in 2019 and they're prepared for 2020 to be an even
bigger holiday season!
PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT &TRANSPORTATION
BUILDING, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
Monthly Reporting
Monthly construction reporting and mapping of development review proposals and construction can be
found by visiting:
http://citydocs.fcgov.com/?dt=MONTHLY+REPORT&dn=NEIGHBORHOOD+%26+BUILDING+SERVIC
ES%2FZONING&vid=2&cmd=showdt
For a detailed listing of development Proposals under review, please visit:
https://www.fcgov.com/developmentreview/proposals/
Home2Health and Housing Strategic Plan: Community engagement and beginning work on strategy
identification and evaluation criteria have been the primary focus for Home2Health and the Housing
Strategic Plan during the month of November. Staff working on these efforts have hosted more than 35
different workshops and small-group discussions and have engaged with nearly 450 community
members over the past two months. A summary from fall engagement and a draft evaluation framework
will be shared with Council at a work session on December 8.
YEAR TO DATE COMPARISON
2019 2020 YTD % Change
Development Project Submittals Received 389 338 -13.11%
Conceptual/Preliminary Design/Staff Reviews 209 218 4.31%
Building Permits Issued 15,797 12,635 -20.02%
Building Permit Valuations ($M) $347.72 $298.15 -14.25%
Building Inspections Performed 25,142 29,298 16.53%
Zoning Inspections Performed 403 347 -13.90%
Zoning Plan Reviews Performed 2,599 2,764 6.34%
Overall Development Review revenues are ($1,584,462) under projection for 2020 as of November
30th with Development Review under by $(1,427,634) and Engineering Development Review under by
$(156,828).
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES
Mediation and Restorative Justice Services
Larimer County Small Claims Court: The Mediation Program has started to accept case referrals from
the Small Claims Court, where defendants are encouraged to mediate their dispute prior to or instead
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 20
of having it resolved in court. Small Claims Court volunteer mediators have not been as available since
COVID and the Mediation program is fulfilling this need for mediation services.
Larimer County Gun Safety Coalition: MRJ staff member Kailee Melendez has been involved with the
Gun Safety Coalition for this past year. She is part of a committee that developed an impact class for
youth involved in an incident with guns. This group works with youth in the criminal justice system who
have been involved in gun-related incidents and focuses on gun safety and prevention of dangerous
incidents involving guns. Kailee has been a valuable part of the team to assure the approach taken is
restorative in nature and follows basic principles of restorative justice. The first impact class kicked off
last week and will run through the end of year. The Gun Safety Coalition involves many regional
partners including law enforcement agencies, the DAs office, school districts, Department of Human
Services and others.
GRAFFITI UPDATE
During the month of November 2020, the Graffiti Abatement Team abated 17 issues consisting of 58
tags measuring 1,437 square feet of graffiti-covered surfaces.
SUSTAINABILITY SERVICES
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
Holiday Recycling
Wondering if wrapping paper can go in curbside recycling? Have leftover grease from that deep-fried
turkey? Stuck with a mountain of cardboard?
From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, household waste increases by more than 25%! That’s 30
million live trees, 4 million tons of gift wrap and 2.6 billion holiday cards. Recycling all this stuff the right
way and reducing what you produce in the first place keeps waste out of the landfill, helping us meet
our climate action goals and conserve resources.
Month Access
FC
Hotline Pro-Active Total
January 1 0 51 52
February 5 2 22 29
March 7 4 55 66
April 17 2 42 61
May 12 5 36 53
June 17 11 35 63
July 26 7 36 69
August 16 3 39 58
September 19 6 20 45
October 17 4 31 52
November 5 4 8 17
Total 142 48 375 565
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 21
This year make recycling part of your holiday traditions: Check out our holiday recycling guide for details on
how to properly dispose of your holiday waste.
Indoor Wood Burning
Once a main source of heat for most homes, wood burning fireplaces and stoves have largely been
replaced with cleaner, more efficient means of heating. However, many homes in our community still
utilize indoor wood burning appliances. Uncontrolled smoke and odor emissions from wood burning
appliances can have negative impacts on those around us, especially those with existing respiratory
illness, children, and older populations. The following regulations apply for residential indoor burning
within city limits:
After 1991, only wood burning appliances that meet the most stringent U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency emissions standards may be installed in Fort Collins.
Only clean, dry, untreated wood may be burned in a wood stove or fireplace. "Pellets" burned in
pellet stoves and manufactured fire logs such as DuraFlame are acceptable. Burning of garbage
and treated wood is prohibited.
After the first 15-minutes of start-up, smoke from the chimney must be at or less than 20%
opacity (smoke should be barely visible looking at it with your back to the sun).
Learn more about regulations for indoor burning, best burning practices, and the impact of wood smoke
on our new indoor wood burning webpage.
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
CARES Funding Dashboard
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020.
The CARES ACT established a $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund, which was distributed to communities
throughout the United States. The City of Fort Collins received $9 million in funding. These funds are
supporting pandemic response and recovery, with more than two thirds of the funding going to small
businesses, nonprofits and local community programs. This Dashboard demonstrates the City of Fort
Collins’ use of funds to date and is updated weekly. Go to the Dashboard to learn more and tap or click on
different parts of the graphs to see specific impacts. For more information about the City’s response to
COVID-19 and community resources available visit fcgov.com/coronavirus.
ECONOMIC HEALTH
Take the Pledge to Shop Local this Holiday Season
Pledge to shop early, shop local and shop safe this holiday season by filling out our pledge form and
help us keep Fort Collins businesses in business!
Once you’ve taken the pledge, you’ll have the opportunity to download an “I Pledged to Shop Local”
badge to post on your social media platforms. You can also win a $25 Gift Card to NoCo Nosh! Here’s
how:
Sign the Pledge to Shop Local this holiday season
Post the “I Pledged to Shop Local” Badge OR a photo of yourself showing us how you shop
local #ForFortCollins on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and hashtag #ShopLocalFoCo.
Tag the City of Fort Collins in Your Post:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
A limited number of gift cards are available; pledge signers will receive a gift card on a first-come, first-serve
basis.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 22
NoCo Nosh offers Fort Collins Restaurants Free Sign Up & Zero Commission Rates
The City of Fort Collins has launched a program to assist local restaurants and incentivize residents to
support their favorite restaurants by partnering with NoCo Nosh, a local restaurant delivery service. As part
of the program the City will pay the restaurant portion of the delivery fees eliminating the fees that
restaurants typically pay for NoCo Nosh to take, process, and fulfill a takeout or delivery order on their
platform from now until December 30, 2020. During this period, the City will also be covering the processing
fee and the first $0.50 of the delivery fee charged to Fort Collins residents placing orders on the NoCo Nosh
platform.
NoCo Nosh was selected through a competitive bid process that was open to all third-party delivery services
that operate in Fort Collins. NoCo Nosh is a food delivery service co-owned by Northern Colorado
restaurants working together to keep food delivery economically sustainable, focus on customer service, and
keep local dollars in NoCo. Any licensed Fort Collins restaurant may participate in the program, even if they
have an existing contract with NoCo Nosh or any other third-party delivery vendor. Fort Collins restaurants
not currently signed up with NoCo Nosh can also be added to the platform at no cost until December 30,
2021.
Beginning December 31, 2020, restaurants will still have discounted delivery costs. The City of Fort Collins
has negotiated a discounted delivery cost of 15% and takeout cost of 12.5% for restaurants that use NoCo
Nosh services. This will be in effect until December 31, 2021 or until all governing public health agencies
have lifted indoor dining restrictions (whichever comes first).
If you are a restaurant owner, Sign your Fort Collins restaurant up for NoCo Nosh delivery & takeout
services today. Encourage customers to use NoCo Nosh when ordering delivery or takeout from your
restaurant. Fort Collins community members can also support local restaurants and businesses AND
receive a Noco Nosh gift card by pledging to shop local! Take the pledge to shop locally this holiday season,
show how you shop local on social media, and receive a $25 Noco Nosh gift card to fuel up after your
shopping is done. Learn more about the pledge at ShopLocal.ForFortCollins.com
UTILITIES
CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS
Utilities Customer Accounts held the biannual Key Account meeting on December 4, 2020 from
noon-1 p.m. Topics included Horsetooth Outlet Project, water quality following the Cameron Peak Fire,
and 2021 rates.
Water Conservation Staff is now accepting applications for the Allotment Management Program to
assist with customers impacted by Excess Water Use surcharges. Full applications are due by
December 31. Seven pre-application and four full applications have been approved. Current 2020
participants saved an average of $6,000 and a collective water savings equated to over 5 million
gallons!
Utilities has four focus groups, the first was held on Nov. 4, to get feedback from developers and
stakeholders on proposed updates to the water supply requirements. This feedback will be used to
finalize and shape final recommendations for council. Staff expects to finalize changes by Quarter 2 of
2021 and go to Council in Quarter 3 of 2021, with the goal to implement any approved changes in Jan.
of 2022.
The residential Xeriscape Incentive Program has issued rebates to 59 customers for converting high-
water use landscapes to low-water/no-water landscapes. The commercial Xeriscape Incentive Program
is wrapping up the 2020 program year having supported seven projects on over 13 total acres of private
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 23
property. Water savings for these projects is estimated at 4.6 million gallons annually. The commercial
Xeriscape Incentive Program will fund seven commercial-scale projects in 2021.
Water Conservation will receive technical assistance from two consulting firms - Water Demand
Management and Western Resource Advocates - to develop and advise on residential water budgets
from Jan. to May 2021. There are no matching funds required to receive this technical assistance.
Water budgets help with demand management in a number of ways and can be used during water
shortages in lieu of restrictions; for monthly rates (Greeley uses budgets for rates); targeting customers
for incentives/programs (offer to those that are over-budget or using more than they should need); and
for general water use literacy, comparing use to outdoor landscape and indoor occupancy needs.
Annual Sprinkler Audit Reports for each of the participating districts are complete and will be provided
to Fort Collins Mayor and City Council, ELCO, and FCLWD in December 2020. The season ended with
359 audits, despite a 25% shorter season than previous years due to impacts from COVID-19 and the
need to develop new protocols to provide safe and effective audits.
Double toilet rebates are being offered on qualifying toilets purchased Nov. 16 to Dec. 31, 2020. For
more information on commercial rebates visit: fcgov.com/water-efficiency and residential rebates visit:
fcgov.com/UR
This fall Water Conservation launched a direct install program for hotels in our service area.
Through the program hotels receive free high-efficiency sink aerators and showerheads. Currently 6 out
of 20 hotels have participated. The program will run through the end of 2020.
In 2020, Utilities Community Engagement has reached 6,010 participants through 177 outreach events
and programs.
In the month of November, Utilities offered the following engagement opportunities:
November 4th – Commercial Water Supply Requirement Focus Group: This group provided
impacted stakeholders the opportunity to share feedback on new water supply requirement
process considerations.
November 5, 19 – Utilities Affordability Programs (UAP) Board Updates: Utilities
Affordability Programs staff presented an update on the UAP offerings and progress in 2020 to
the Affordable Housing Board on November 5.
November 6th – Housing Catalyst Event: Utilities staff provided assistance to 13 residents for
the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) application and ways to save on their utility
bills.
November 12th – Fort Collins Benchmarking Ordinance Overview: Building Energy and
Water Scoring: This overview included information on the benefits of benchmarking, who is
required to comply, what is required to comply, and what resources are available including data
requests.
November 18th – Epic Homes Solar 101 – Solar and the Real Estate Transaction: Attendees
gained an understanding of available solar options and tools to help clients take advantage of
incentive programs and navigate clean, renewable energy systems.
In the month of December, Utilities will offer the following engagement opportunities:
December 3 – Commercial Water Supply Requirement Focus Group: This group will provide
impacted stakeholders the opportunity to share feedback on new water supply requirement
process considerations.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 24
December 16 – Fort Collins Benchmarking Ordinance Overview: Building Energy and
Water Scoring: This overview will include information on the benefits of benchmarking, who is
required to comply, what is required to comply and what resources are available including data
requests.
December 17 – Utilities Affordability Programs (UAP) Water Board Update: Utilities
Affordability Programs staff will present an update on the UAP offerings and progress to the
Water Board.
WATER RESOURCES AND TREATMENT OPERATIONS
Environmental Regulatory Affairs Division
Staff from Environmental Regulatory Affairs, Utilities Customer Connections, and Water
Conservation held a planning workshop on December 1 to develop a detailed 2021-2022
Education and Outreach (E&O) Plan for all issues related to the Municipal Separate Storm
Sewer System (MS4). The effort will lead to shared priorities and E&O actionable plans to
achieve agreed-upon objectives.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 25
Cameron Peak Wildfire Recovery
On December 3, after 112 days, the Cameron Peak Wildfire was declared 100% contained.
This wildfire was the largest in Colorado history, impacting 208,913 acres in watersheds that
supply drinking water to many Northern Colorado communities including Fort Collins,
Greeley, and Loveland.
The focus has shifted to the longer-term Recovery phase. Fort Collins Utilities staff are
partnering with the City of Greeley, Larimer County, the U.S. Forest Service, Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Poudre River Watershed Coalition
(CPRW) to assess risks to water supplies, leverage funding and develop targeted treatment
plans.
Watershed treatments, including aerial mulching and other erosion control measures, are
expected to begin Spring 2021 and continue for one to two years.
Horsetooth Reservoir was not directly impacted by the Cameron Peak Fire, but some future
impacts to water quality are expected from the East Troublesome Creek Fire, which
simultaneously burned extensive areas of the watersheds that feed into the Colorado-Big
Thompson (C-BT) system, managed by Northern Water.
To date, there have been no observed impacts to water quality due to the wildfires. Notable
changes in water quality are expected to occur during the coming Spring snowmelt runoff
and summertime rainstorms. Monitoring systems and plans are in place on the Poudre River
and Horsetooth Reservoir to allow early detection and response to any changes in water
quality.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 26
COMMUNITY SERVICES
RECREATION
On November 25, Larimer County entered red level restrictions.
This had the following impacts on Recreation programs and
services.
o Youth and Adult Sports are on hold until restrictions
lessen, or no later than January.
o Recreation drop-in usage and programs can continue
in groups of 10 or less, with mandatory registration
for contact tracing.
Camp FunQuest onsite childcare is offering an in person remote
learning opportunity for area families that need childcare.
o Discounted registration is being offered for low income
families.
o Recreation staff has partnered with Poudre School District,
Alphabest, Boys and Girls Club, and the Bohemian
Foundation to help provide in person learning opportunities
for the most at-risk youth in the community.
o The Northside Aztlan Community Center is now offering
licensed preschool.
The pools are being heavily utilized this month.
o 95% of available space for drop-in swimming at EPIC is utilized.
o 96% of available space for drop-in swimming at Mulberry Pool is utilized.
o Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga is now being offered and nearly at capacity.
Adaptive Recreation (ARO) offered a virtual dinner and a movie with 10 participants this month.
Staff prepared trivia questions and incorporated the event into ARO’s Super Hero theme week.
PARKS
Holiday lights are up and twinkling in downtown.
All winterization operations in the Parks system are complete.
Ice skating rink has been installed in Old Town Square.
Rolland Moore Basketball Court resurfacing complete.
CULTURAL SERVICES
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 27
Garden of Lights – one of Northern Colorado's favorite holiday traditions takes place throughout
December at the Gardens on Spring Creek. The 2020 event will feature an expanded number of
nights, more light sculptures and music playing throughout the grounds. Garden of Lights features
nearly a half mile of perennial flower beds, huge sculptural flowers, grapevines, butterflies, holiday
village, and other favorite garden creatures—all constructed entirely from holiday lights. The event
will take place December 4th through the 30th, with entrance times from 4:15 - 9 p.m. All tickets must
be purchased in advance online and will not be available at the door. The Gardens and Gardens of
Lights will be closed Christmas day.
NATURAL AREAS
Recovery From Cameron Peak Fire at Bobcat Ridge Natural Area
The Cameron Peak Fire burned through Bobcat Ridge Natural Area in October. The natural area is
closed for visitor safety and for the recovery of the site. Bobcat Ridge is expected to reopen in the
summer of 2021 and it may reopen in phases. The timeline for reopening accounts for other priority trail
projects, winter weather, coordination with the US Forest Service, COVID-19, the Natural Areas
Department’s seasonal workforce, and other factors.
Thanks to firefighters’ hard work, the ranger residence and historic buildings at Bobcat Ridge were
spared. Initial assessments show that prior to reopening to visitors, fallen and burnt trees need to be
cleared from trails, trails and other infrastructure must be repaired and several trail bridges need to be
replaced. The area used as the ranch dump (previous to City of Fort Collins ownership) was disturbed
and needs to be remediated.
The recovery is being planned and implemented in coordination with the larger Cameron Peak Fire
recovery efforts. Ecological restoration will begin in the spring, however visitors should expect the
restoration process to take some time. Learn more and see additional photos at
https://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/finder/bobcat
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 28
Permit Received for Flow Restoration Project at CSU Environmental Learning Center (ELC)
In November, the Flow Restoration Project met a big milestone when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
recommended the project for a Nationwide Application Permit. Nationwide permits are issued for
projects that have minimal adverse effects, and their approval timeline is 45 days.
The goal of the ELC project is to rebuild a diversion structure to keep water flowing through a side
channel of the Cache la Poudre River. This work is critical for maintaining a water right that keeps water
in the river for fish, wildlife, and recreation at the ELC.
This project is a collaboration between the Natural Areas and Utilities Capital Projects that aligns with
City Council’s priority to “protect and enhance instream river flows”. This fall, the cross-departmental
team selected a low-impact design for the diversion structure that will accommodate fish passage and
provide a larger floodplain area for wildlife habitat. Final design will be completed in 2021 with tentative
installation in 2022. Learn more at https://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/elc
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Home2Health/Housing Strategic Plan
Public engagement activities for the Home2Health project as well as the Housing Strategic Plan
continued in November. Public engagement efforts focused on strategy identification and evaluation
criteria. City staff hosted approximately 35 workshops and small group discussions with different
community groups and engaged approximately 450 community members.
Equity Indicators Project
Public engagement efforts for the Equity Indicators project came to an end. City staff, in partnership
with CUNY Institute, held a variety of workshops and focus groups focused on issues impacting
historically underserved communities in Fort Collins. The Equity Indicators Project Team is currently
analyzing data and feedback received and will be submitting a detailed report by the end of the year.
BROADBAND – FORT COLLINS CONNEXION
Homeowners’ Association Colorado 811 Awareness & Education
Fort Collins Connexion is partnering with Loveland Pulse to provide a free webinar for homeowners’
association board members, property management companies and their residents about changes to
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 29
the Colorado 811 laws that may impact their communities. The event was held on Tuesday, December
8, 2020 and had more than 40 registrants. For additional information, please visit fcconnexion.com/hoa.
Connexion TV - NOW AVAILABLE!
We are excited to announce that Fort Collins Connexion TV service is live! New and existing
customers can sign up for service by calling our customer care team at 970-207-7871.
Connexion TV also offers premium channel options, as well as Spanish language and Sports
packages. Visit https://www.fcconnexion.com/residential-tv to learn more.
Connexion TV Everywhere
TV Everywhere is a free service for Connexion TV customers as part of their service. Customers can
enjoy streaming a wide variety of channels on any device. More information is available at
https://www.fcconnexion.com/watch-tv-everywhere
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 30
Upcoming Work Session
The Connexion team will provide City Council and our community with an update on the progress of the
community-wide broadband roll out on Tuesday December 22nd. This date was changed from the
original time on November 24th.
Social Media
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! Join the Connexion community—get updates and information on
services and more! @FCConnexion @ConnexionFC
COMMUNITY DASHBOARD HIGHLIGHT
The Community Dashboard features performance data and information that highlights how the City is
doing in achieving its seven Outcome areas: Neighborhood Livability and Social Health, Culture and
Recreation, Economic Health, Environmental Health, Safe Community, Transportation, and High
Performing Government. The Dashboard is made up of 36 total metrics that are published quarterly and
demonstrate where the City is doing well and where there are opportunities to improve. The color
status of performance for each metric is determined based on the actual result for the quarter
compared with the target. The color status of performance for the Outcome is determined based on the
average calculation of the performance of each metric within that Outcome.
Each month the City Manager’s Update will highlight a metric from the Community Dashboard. This
month’s feature is from the High Performing Government Outcome Area.
Analysis:
Note: This historical data of this metric changes in subsequent time periods because injury data is tied
to the date of injury regardless of when treatment occurs or the case changes from recordable to time
away restricted or transferred. For example, if an employee has an injury in March but he does not seek
medical treatment until June, it will be captured on March's OSHA log and it will not show up on the
June log.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE 31
In looking at our three categories of injury reports, we've seen:
A 23% decrease in the number of Recordable cases
Only a small change in our First Aid Only and Report Only cases
A small reduction in the total number of cases reported (5.9%)
In reviewing the data between 2020 and 2019, we also look at changes in the work environment.
Changes that we feel have impacted our employees are:
COVID-19 related changes to where, when, and how work is performed
COVID-19 and its impact on the community
Reduction in workforce
The City is:
Working to improve available PPE for employees who have work that requires them to interact
with the public.
Evaluating work that is being done to ensure that proper equipment and staffing is available to
get the job done safely.
Reaching out to departments to identify any new safety needs they have due to the change in
how work is performed.
Definition:
The Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR) is a nationally recognized standard safety metric. It is based
upon the total number of work-related injury and illness cases reported that, generally speaking,
required more than standard first aid treatment, as it relates to the total number of employee hours
worked. Current-year benchmarks are not available as they are published by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics and have an approximate 18-month lag time.
Why is this metric important?
The Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR) is important because it is a nationally benchmarkable
measure that allows us to track injury frequency trends over time. It is important for the City to provide
a safe workplace for all employees and the only way to achieve that is by driving a culture of proactive
safety built on continuous improvement. As safety efforts drive down injuries, the costs associated with
workers' compensation claims can be driven down as well. While the TRIR is a lagging indicator, it is
valuable as a symptom of the effectiveness of our proactive injury prevention efforts.
City’s impact on this metric:
High – Reducing the TRIR rate requires the City to reduce the number of injuries that are sustained in
any given year. Driving down injuries requires workgroups to actively work to identify and mitigate injury
causes. We are seeing more employee involvement throughout the City now than at any point in the
past through sharing of best practices and lessons learned, excellent active safety meeting attendance,
new safety teams being launched, and safety team members being called on more than ever by their
workgroups to help spearhead safety improvements.
Benchmarks:
This metric contains General Industry and Public Entities benchmark data. The General Industry
benchmark gives overall context to the City's performance, while the Public Entities benchmark allows
for a closer comparison that accounts for the unique challenges that face local governments.
To view the entire Dashboard, please visit: http://fortcollins.clearpointstrategy.com/