I started this series last month and I’ll continue over the next few months to focus my message on some of our 2014 accomplishments in each of the City Council’s top priority areas. Their 2014 priorities were Safety, Image, Economic Health & Development, and Infrastructure & Growth. And in fact they’re planning to keep those same priorities for 2015.
In January I covered Public Safety and this month we’ll take a look at Infrastructure & Growth. It’s tough to narrow these highlights down because there are so many large and visible projects that were completed last year. Here are a few examples from Public Works: a state of the art traffic control system was installed with the help of a federal grant; a 500kW solar array was constructed at the Family FunPlex supplying 40% of that facility’s energy needs; and roadway and streetscape improvements were made on 10th Street and 8th Avenue. And we made Public Works history—for the first time ever resources dedicated to street maintenance hit $10 million in one year.
When it comes to water and sewer service for local residents and businesses, Greeley is always pro-active with efforts to keep our infrastructure in great shape and planned out for the future. A big part of that is the Bellvue Pipeline, which when complete will run thirty miles from the City’s Bellvue water plant, at the mouth of the Poudre canyon, to Greeley. A portion of the Northern segment of the pipeline near La Porte began in late 2014 at a cost of $22 million. When the entire Northern segment is complete in 2016 it’ll bring the pipeline progress to a total of 25 miles and water will flow to Greeley via this new 60” line. On the other side of the water system, the Water Pollution Control Facility received a million dollar state grant that will allow for a unique (to Colorado) new technology that’ll help keep Greeley on the award-winning and cutting edge of wastewater treatment.
On the Human and Civic Infrastructure side of this priority there were also several “wins.” For example, Greeley’s Creative District earned full designation by the State of Colorado; the Oil & Gas public forums successfully brought hundreds together to create a dialogue; Weld Project Connect served almost 1,100 people at the Island Grove Events Center; and the Middle School sports program and new Crown Jewels Bus Rides with student ID program exceeded all expectations.
When it comes to City employees’ 2014 accomplishments there’s a lot to brag about even beyond what’s listed here. Next month I’ll highlight progress we’ve made maintaining and improving Greeley’s economic health.
Roy H. Otto
City Manager