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.