Edgewater Mayor John Beltrone
From Edgewater Mayor John Beltrone:
Greetings! I hope the holiday season was enjoyable and that 2022 is off to a good start. There are many things going on right now and much to look forward to in the new year. I wanted to take a few moments to share some updates on happenings at the city.
Covid 19 Update
Although the pandemic continues, I remain hopeful as a majority of our residents are embracing public health recommendations. As of January 6, more than 81% of residents over the age of 5 have received at least one vaccination shot. Other good news is that over 85% of residents are choosing to wear masks.* Getting vaccinated (and boosted when eligible) and wearing a mask in public spaces remain the best way to keep yourself and our community safe and will help keep our businesses open.
With the omicron variant surge happening now, the latest numbers show that infection rates are the highest they have been the entire pandemic: nearly a quarter of people tested are showing positive. In response, I have asked that all City boards and commissions (including City Council) meet virtually for the month of January, or until the surge passes.
For the most part, Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) recommendations have not changed in response to the recent surge. Wearing masks in public, getting vaccinated, and getting tested if symptomatic or exposed are still the key recommendations. However, JCPH has added that those who are high risk (people over 65 or those with certain medical conditions) should be extra cautious and avoid exposure during this time. Fortunately, the omicron surge is expected to only last a few weeks. You can view the latest data provided by JCPH on their website.
*Edgewater’s public health data is included in the county statistics provided by JCPH.
Boulder County Fires
My heart goes out to our neighbors impacted by the December 30 fires in Boulder County. I know that many of us have friends or family who lost homes and are navigating a very difficult situation. I have been touched by the generosity that our community and region have responded with. At least one impacted family has found temporary housing in Edgewater, and there has been an outpouring of both donated items and contributions by our residents. You can donate online at Colorado Gives – Boulder County Wildfire Fund.
The City of Edgewater was able to respond with our own direct donations to the City of Louisville and Town of Superior to help with their recovery and rebuilding efforts. We have also been working with other municipalities in coordinating a Gift Card Drive for those impacted. The drive finishes up Friday, January 14, and we are accepting gift card donations at the Civic Center.
Upcoming City Council Meetings
This Thursday, January 13, a City Council Retreat will be held virtually at 4 p.m. The retreat will include a discussion of community priorities that Councilmembers heard while campaigning. We will also review the City Manager’s annual work plan and have a strategic planning discussion.
2022 is an important planning year, as we work toward updating our City Comprehensive Plan in late summer/fall. The goal of the Comprehensive Plan is to articulate Edgewater’s overall vision established by the community through an extensive planning process. Once complete, the plan will serve as a framework and guide for community aspirations and intentions for years to come. Lots has changed in our community since the plan was first written in 2013. I invite everyone to be thinking about what your priorities are for Edgewater and participate in the Comprehensive Plan process later this year.
At the retreat, we will also continue our ongoing discussion about the impacts of Covid on our community and city operations. Finally, we will set the agenda for our next regular City Council meeting, occurring virtually on Tuesday, January 18, at 6:30 p.m.
Road Construction Update
Thank you, everyone, for your ongoing patience as the city works to complete infrastructure improvements envisioned in our traffic calming mobility plan. Below are some construction updates:
The raised intersection pictured below at 25th & Gray was completed the week of December 20.
The new roundabout on 20th & Harlan will be opened this week (weather permitting). In addition, sidewalks on the north side of 20th between Depew and Harlan have been widened.
The next phase of the project started this week. Construction of a roundabout at 24th & Pierce will cause the intersection to be closed for up to 8 weeks. The city has been communicating with Jeffco Schools to minimize disruption. Next on the project list is a roundabout at 20th & Benton, but we are still waiting on an easement from Target before we can begin. No start date has been determined yet.
If you have questions or would like to connect, please feel free to reach out to me.
Contact Mayor John Beltrone at jbeltrone@edgewaterco.com or 720-643-6077.
Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.
Nice news letter
I like the information format