DOLA's Sustainable Main Streets Initiative Named Finalist in ColoradoBIZ Magazine's 2011 Sustainability Champion Awards

Congratulations to DOLA's Office of Community Development for its work on the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative (SMSI), which was launched in April of 2010.  The SMSI was chosen as a finalist for ColoradoBIZ Magazine's 2011 Sustainability Champion Awards.

Chosen among dozens of entries, the SMSI, which has focused efforts on four pilot communities: The Five Points Neighborhood, the Town of Fowler, the City of Monte Vista and the City of Rifle, was recognized for meeting criteria in the areas of environment, economy, innovation, society and education.

To read more about the awards and this important recognition, go to 2011 Sustainability Champion Awards - ColoradoBIZ Magazine.

Sustainable Main Streets Initiative Event a Success

Gov. Ritter addresses the audience at the Nov. 30 event celebrating the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative

The Sustainable Main Streets Initiative celebrated an important milestone for the four pilot communities and partnering state agencies at an event held November 30 at the Denver Art Museum.

DOLA executive director Susan Kirkpatrick joined Gov. Bill Ritter, Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien and OEDIT executive director and initiative co-chair, Don Marostica, for the event to highlight the accomplishments of this initiative that was launched just a short time ago in April.

The Five Points neighborhood in Denver, Town of Fowler, City of Monte Vista and City of Rifle, were able to share their accomplishments, goals and next steps.

Gov. Ritter praised the communities for their hard work and extended his appreciation to DOLA's staff for laying the groundwork for this new and improved way of doing business to help communities gain better access to state and other resources.

To read more about the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative, be sure to check out the web page. To read Gov. Ritter's announcement, click here.

DOLA Regional Manager, Elyse Ackerman-Casselberry, joins representatives from the City of Rifle

DOLA Executive Director Susan Kirkpatrick (center) joins representatives from the Five Points community

Susan Kirkpatrick presents an award to Fowler's Mayor, Pat Christensen (center), and representatives from the Town of Fowler

Susan Kirkpatrick and representatives from the City of Monte Vista celebrate their Sustainable Main Streets Initiative award

Colorado Sustainable Main Streets Initiative Report - 11/30/10

Sustainable Main Streets Initiative Receives a Boost from HUD

Gov. Bill Ritter at Oct. 20 event announcing
HUD's award of $1.28 million to Colorado
for the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative

Wednesday, October 20, marked an important event for the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative (SMSI).  Colorado was awarded nearly $1.3 million toward the initiative, which was launched in April by Governor Bill Ritter (to read more about SMSI, see "Sustainable Main Streets Initiative" below).

The announcement, held at the Blair-Caldwell Library, celebrated a $1.28 million Challenge Planning Grant that will help renovate historic buildings and improve downtown walkways in the Five Points neighborhood of Denver, the City of Rifle on the West Slope, the City of Monte Vista in the San Luis Valley and the Town of Fowler in the southeast.

About the grant, Governor Ritter said, "Vibrant downtown business districts are the mark of successful communities.  These funds will help Colorado communities improve their central business districts and create a brighter and more sustainable future. Thank you to the federal government for supporting Colorado communities."  To read the Governor's announcement about the HUD grant, click here.

                                  

Rifle Citizen Telegram Article (Oct. 7): Lt. Gov. O'Brien visits Rifle

JOHN GARDNER
CITIZEN TELEGRAM STAFF
Rifle, Colorado

Walking and talking

Colorado Lt. Governor Barbara O'Brien (left) talks with Rifle Mayor Keith Lambert (right) and Rifle Downtown Development Authority manager Helen Rogers (center) while taking a walking tour of Rifle, Tuesday. O'Brien visited Rifle to talk with community leaders about the town's participation in Governor Bill Ritter's Sustainable Main Street Initiative program.

John Gardner Citizen Telegram

Colorado Lt. Governor Barbara O'Brien visited Rifle on Tuesday to see firsthand the impacts of the Governor Ritter's Sustainable Main Street Initiative program.

The Sustainable Main Street Initiative program is headed by the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), and Rifle was one of four Colorado communities chosen for the pilot program, which was announced by Gov. Ritter in May. The program's mission was to identify needs and seek solutions to strengthen Colorado communities in partnership with state and federal agencies such as, the Department of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency and DOLA.

“We really appreciate what smaller communities are up against and what incredible strength they also bring,” O'Brien told a group of community leaders and members at Rifle City Hall after a walking tour of the downtown.

Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien

The initiative helped with projects such as development of the Health and Wellness Center, the Ute Theater renovations, and also formation of a combined revolving loan fund and downtown business incubator to improve and promote the downtown area.

O'Brien accompanied Rifle Mayor Keith Lambert, city councilors, downtown business owners and city staff on a tour of downtown projects including the new Rifle branch of the Garfield County Library District, the Ute Theater renovation, Centennial Park and the site of the proposed Rifle Health and Wellness Center on east Second Street.


The premise of the visit is to gather input on the effectiveness of the program so to pass along any valuable information to the future administration. Gov. Ritter is not seeking re-election and the program is in jeopardy of being discontinued under a new administration.

“We just thought, can one of us get out to all of these four communities to see how it's going and see if there are lessons to be learned that we can pass on to the next administration,” O'Brien said.

“Because if they decide to go forward with this (program), or something similar, that is totally their call, but we were hoping to show that if it's possible to get enough momentum and to get state agencies talking to each other in a new way to benefit a community, that this might really become a tradition,” O'Brien said.

Rifle was selected along with Five Points Neighborhood in East Denver; the town of Fowler and the city of Monte Vista. The program helped bring people to the table with ideas and solutions who perhaps would not have been involved in the process, according to Lambert.

“We've got new faces in a sense,” Lambert said. “This brought them into action with a cooperative event and I think that has been beneficial.” Overall, O'Brien was impressed with the projects Rifle has been able to work on through the program. And she praised Rifle for the work, of which all involved have contributed.

“What you have been doing for a long time, what you are doing now, and the execution of it, it's just really impressive,” she said.

Monte Vista Journal Article: State officials take look at Main Street, discuss ways to revitalize core

Monte Vista Journal
Posted: Wednesday, Sep 1st, 2010
BY: SYLVIA LOBATO

MONTE VISTA — Two top state officials took Monte Vista’s pulse Friday and said its heart is good and its main street progress is showing.

  Colorado Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien addressed a group of citizens and town officials in 

Central Auditorium  Friday, Aug. 27.

Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien and Susan Kirkpatrick, executive director of the Colorado Dept. of Local Affairs (DOLA) as they visited the community, took a walking tour, talked with businesspersons and residents and held a brief public meeting in the historic gymnasium at Bill Metz Elementary.

They visited as part of the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative (SMSI), which is directing state agencies to share information about and coordinate their relationships with participating communities such as Monte Vista, which is one of four Colorado communities tapped for the program.

DOLA, while working with representatives of communities participating in Phase One of the Governor’s Sustainable Main Streets Initiative, will report to the governor, the lieutenant governor and members of the General Assembly.

Standing in front of a series of drawings showing community plans and ideas, both women spoke about the initiative, in which state agencies are coordinating their relationships with participating communities so that more collaborative approaches with local stakeholders can be undertaken to build sustainable communities across Colorado.

The Lieutenant Governor’s Office is providing assistance relating to early childhood services, a P-20 approach to education, citizen engagement in community service and the building of a healthier community.

Kirkpatrick shared her knowledge about downtown deterioration and said Monte Vista appeared to be fending off that problem, for the most part.

She shared the “broken window” theory of downtown disintegration, noting that when one window is broken downtown, it’s easier to break the next window and the next and the next, but when a community avoids the first broken window, it is on its way to recovery.

Successful places concentrate on local assets first, she said, noting that “Monte Vista has fantastic assets,” such as historic structures, a state/U.S. highway and people with creativity and commitment.

O’Brien speaks

O’Brien said the visit to Monte Vista was her second stop in a town with an SMSI. The other town had boarded up businesses all along its main street, save for a couple of stores and a bar.

“The governor and I believe that, if you are to keep what’s special about Colorado, you need to keep the small towns viable,” she said, speaking for Gov. Bill Ritter. “Every town has its own character.”

“Monte Vista is a living, breathing community,” she observed.

Alamosa News Article: Lt. Gov. O'Brien & Director Kirkpatrick visit Monte Vista

MONTE VISTA - Monte Vista’s downtown energy impressed both Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien and Susan Kirkpatrick, executive director of the Colorado Dept. of Local Affairs (DOLA) as they paid a quick visit to the community Friday.

Working with representatives of the Phase One participating communities, DOLA reports to the governor, the lieutenant governor and members of the General Assembly.

Meeting with community members at Metz Elementary School during the afternoon, both women had good words for the community.

They were in the San Luis Valley as part of the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative, which is directing state agencies to share information about and coordinate their relationships with participating communities such as Monte Vista, which is one of four Colorado communities tapped for the program.

Standing in front of a series of drawings showing community plans and ideas, both women spoke in support of the initiative, in which state agencies are coordinating their relationships with participating communities so that more collaborative approaches with local stakeholders can be undertaken to build sustainable communities across Colorado.

Kirkpatrick shared her theories about downtown deterioration and said Monte Vista appeared to be fending off that problem, for the most part.

She shared the “broken window” theory of downtown disintegration, noting that when one window is broken downtown, it’s easier to break the next window and the next and the next, but when a community avoids the first broken window, it is on its way to recovery.

She said the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative matches the capability of state and agency partners with designated communities, creating a partnership between local energy and the state.

Successful places concentrate on local assets first, she said, noting that “Monte Vista has fantastic assets,” such as historic structures, a state highway and people with creativity and commitment.

The Lieutenant Governor’s Office is providing assistance relating to early childhood services, a P-20 approach to education, citizen engagement in community service and the building of a healthier community.

She said the visit to Monte Vista was her second stop in a town with a sustainable main street.

“The governor and I believe that, if you are to keep what’s special about Colorado, you need to keep the small towns viable,” she said, speaking for Gov. Bill Ritter. “Every town has its own character.”

To view the article, visit the Alamosa News.

Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien's Visit to Monte Vista to be Rescheduled

Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien's visit to Monte Vista with DOLA Executive Director Susan Kirkpatrick will be rescheduled as the City of Monte Vista and State of Colorado mourn the loss of Faith Hinkley, who was killed while serving in Iraq.  A funeral service has been schedule for August 17 at 1 p.m. in the Monte Vista High School gym.

http://www.montevistajournal.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=72&story_id=2461

Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien to Visit Monte Vista Aug. 17

MONTE VISTA - Members of the community are encouraged to join Lt. Gov. O’Brien on Aug. 17 at 2 p.m. for a community forum at the Central Auditorium.

Lt. Gov. O’Brien will be joined by Susan Kirkpatrick, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), and Don Marostica, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade OEDIT).Kirkpatrick and Marostica serve as co-chairs of the Governor’s Sustainable Main Streets Initiative.

Monte Vista is one of four pilot communities participating in the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative. The community forum will include information on the several efforts being undertaken by the local committee, including the proposed arts center, downtown development and economic blueprint.

Prior to the community forum, Lt. Gov. O’Brien will tour Main Street and receive an update on the community’s progress toward its goals from the Monte Vista Sustainable Main Street Steering Committee.

The Sustainable Main Streets Initiative, which is being led by DOLA, directs state agencies to identify and target specific resources to support community projects, ranging from increasing disaster readiness plans to improving energy efficiency in downtown areas to preserving the cultural integrity of the community’s core.

On April 28, Gov. Bill Ritter launched the Initiative and signed an executive order directing multiple targets for state resources to help communities overcome their unique challenges and achieve long-term stability and prosperity.

In addition to Monte Vista, the other communities are the Five Points Neighborhood in Denver, the Town of Fowler, and the City of Rifle.

DOLA's Division of Local Government is Hiring a Land Use Planner

The Department of Local Affairs, Division of Local Government is hiring a land use planner. Please visit the department's employment website at: http://dola.colorado.gov/employment.html  (you may have to copy and paste this link into your browser). Click "Employment opportunities" and then choose "Department of Local Affairs" from the listing of departments. This General Professional III will work in the downtown Denver office.

Please note:  close date is August 13th

Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien joins DOLA Executive Director for Fowler Visit

Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien and Department of Local Affairs Executive Director, Susan Kirkpatrick visited the Town of Fowler – one of four Colorado communities taking part in the state’s Sustainable Main Streets Initiative. They visited on August 3, to talk with residents and local leaders about their ideas for economic development and redesigning their downtown.
 

Fowler is a rural community of just over 1,100 people located in the Arkansas River Valley in southeastern Colorado, about 30 miles east of Pueblo.

Lt. Gov. O’Brien and Director Kirkpatrick visited the Fowler Senior Center, took a walking tour of downtown and participated in a community forum to advance the state’s Sustainable Main Streets Initiative. Along with Fowler, Rifle, Monte Vista and Denver’s Five Points neighborhood are also taking part in the Main Streets pilot program, which aims to enhance the sustainability of downtown corridors.

Sustainable Main Streets Initiative Update

Since Governor Ritter signed Executive Order D2010-007 on April 28, the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative has been making good progress. The Initiative outlines a collaborative, integrated process among state agencies, local communities, non-profits and the private sector to leverage technical and existing financial resources to help communities enhance the sustainability of their downtowns. Four Colorado communities are participating as pilots for the Initiative: Five Points Neighborhood of Denver, Town of Fowler, City of Monte Vista and City of Rifle.

Pilot community members, state agencies and foundation partners met July 1 at a workshop focused on identifying financial and technical resource opportunities. Governor Ritter also met with pilot community Champions and others to discuss progress on their efforts and listen to their experiences so far. Each of the pilot communities has identified specific sustainable outcomes they are working toward, such as increased use of renewable energy, reduced number of vacant storefronts, disaster-readiness enhancement and increased volunteer opportunities, to name a few.

Governor Bill Ritter Kicks Off Sustainable Main Streets Initiative

Governor Bill Ritter Kicks Off Sustainable Main Streets Initiative

On April 28, Gov. Bill Ritter announced four communities around Colorado will pilot a new Sustainable Main Streets Initiative, which will target state resources to help communities overcome their unique challenges and achieve long-term stability and prosperity. Gov. Ritter signed an executive order directing multiple state agencies to partner and concentrate on creating more livable local communities.


“One of the greatest things about Colorado is that we are bound together by a fabric of distinct cities, towns and communities,” Gov. Ritter said during a news conference in Denver’s historic Five Points Neighborhood. “Each of these places has a center or a heart or a Main Street that reflects the community’s unique character and personality.

The Sustainable Main Streets Initiative will direct state agencies to identify and target specific resources to support community projects, ranging from increasing disaster readiness plans to improving energy efficiency in downtown areas to preserving the cultural integrity of the community’s core.

DOLA is leading the initiative to help communities achieve their desired outcomes.

The four pilot communities are Five Points, the Town of Fowler, City of Monte Vista and the City of Rifle. The communities are geographically distributed throughout Colorado with demonstrated management capacity and readiness to move forward with specific strategies to achieve sustainable outcomes for their downtowns.

To read more about the Sustainable Main Streets Initiative, go to DOLA's Sustainable Main Streets Initiative page or the Governor's website.