Town Administrator May 26, 2020

Board Retreat
Julia Novak from the Novak Consulting Group facilitated a two-day Board retreat on Friday and Saturday, May 15/16. Mayor Jennifer Carroll and Trustees were joined by Deputy Town Administrator, Farrell Buller, and myself. Normally, Department Directors would also attend the retreat, but to comply with the 10-person limit on gatherings due to COVID-19, the directors attended via Zoom.

The goals for the retreat were to establish a foundation for effective governance and to identify top priorities. To explore the issue of effective governance, Ms Novak asked the Board to consider several questions, including: What does good governance look like to you? What values are important to you in governing? What is important to remember when your position is the prevailing decision, and what is important to remember when your position is not the prevailing decision?

To help identify top priorities, Ms Novak also asked the Board to identify “What is true about Erie today that you hope will still be true in ten years?” and “What is not true about Erie today that you hope will be true in ten years?” Using the Board’s responses to those questions, and through a series of other exercises, Ms Novak facilitated the Board’s work to identify nine key areas on which to focus, and to evaluate the roughly 50 Work Plan issues to confirm they should remain top priorities on which to focus Town resources.

You can see the Board’s key focus areas, summaries of responses to Ms Novak’s questions, and other details of the retreat in this report.

Public Works Week

The week of May 17- May 23 was National Public Works Week. Erie’s Public Works staff continue to provide excellent service throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The week’s recognition is especially timely with the unveiling of the 2020 Water Quality Report. The report contains information about the quality water services the Town delivers to you daily.

Mental Health Month

The COVID-19 pandemic is making many things especially trying. For anyone struggling with, or assisting someone who is struggling with mental health issues, it's important to know where to reach out for help. Call or text a friend today, or reach out to any of these resources:

CO Crisis Services Text: Text ‘TALK’ to 38255
COVID-19 resources: https://covid.colorado.gov/
CO Crisis Services Phone: 1-844-493-8255
Veterans in crisis: http://veteranscrisisline.net
Coping with COVID-19 stress: http://bit.ly/covid-coping
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline '1-800-273-TALK (8255)'
Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990
Substance abuse helpline: 800-662-4357

Park Construction

Staff is reviewing the proposed playground equipment and finalizing the design of Crescent Park, located at 1300 Lombardi Street. Also, designers are preparing construction documents in anticipation of the bid stage for the disc golf course. Additional information about these projects can be found at www.erieco.gov/1365/Parks-Recreation-Master-Plan-Projects.

Personal Training

The Parks and Recreation Department is making personal training and nutrition consultations available from the comfort of your home! Let a nationally certified personal trainer design a safe, effective, and challenging workout to meet your fitness goals. Or, work with a licensed nutritionist to create a healthy, personalized eating plan. Contact Shondra Frogge, Fitness and Wellness Coordinator for more information and to register at sfrogge@erieco.gov.

Lead By Example

It's quite easy for dog owners to overlook the impact an off-leash dog can have on children, seniors, and other animals - including well behaved dogs and their law abiding owners - but the consequences can be disastrous. Off-leash dogs have been known to get caught in dangerous situations; hit by vehicles, falling through thin ice, run-ins with barbwire fences and fatal fights with wildlife. It shows respect for others when you keep your dog on a leash; it’s also the law to keep dogs under control and on a leash not over 15 feet long. We invite you to 'Lead By Example' and share images of your furry (and leashed) friends at https://erieco.us/ShowUsYourLeash.