----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Rebecca McClellan" <RMCentennial@aol.com>
To: vcmoon@comcast.net
Sent: Tuesday, July 6, 2010 9:34:43 PM
Subject: Rebecca McClellan Reports: July 6, 2010
| Friends and Constituents, I hope you all had a happy 4th of July! This Thursday evening, July 8th, I'll be speaking at the Willow Creek 3 HOA meeting. If you'd like me to speak to your group, just let me know. On Thursday morning, July 15th, I'll host "Coffee with McClellan," from 7:30 to 8:30 AM, at The Egg and I restaurant on Yosemite, just south of Arapahoe Road. I hope you can join us! Many have expressed concerns about the I-25 & Arapahoe Road project. If this issue is of interest, please take a moment to read my open letter, "Why I Oppose an I-25 Underpass but Support an Improved Partial Cloverleaf," at the end of this message. Kind Regards, Rebecca McClellan Council Member, Dist. 3 City of Centennial, CO (303) 956-2845 UPCOMING COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMSHere are some items tentatively set for City Council future agendas. On July 12th, the general issue of neighborhood sound walls will be on the 6 PM study session agenda. Also on July 12th, the topic of open space acquisition opportunities will be covered. On July 19th, RV parking on public property will be discussed, and on August 2nd, we will hear about the keeping of bees, as well as fence maintenance. Our meetings are open to the public, of course. Public comment is welcomed at the start of the 7 PM Regular Meeting. You can also listen to City Council meetings from home using the link on the city web site, at www.CentennialColorado.com. You can send a note to all of our City's elected officials at once, at council@centennialcolorado.com. Please note that the Long Range Draft Agenda for upcoming items can change. Don't hesitate to call on Thursday before a Monday meeting. That's when we get our council packets, and I can confirm the agenda. You can also check the city web site for updates. Summer Movie Night in Centennial Centennial Night at the Movies is Friday, July 10 at the Trails Recreation Center in Centennial. The event starts at 7:00 p.m. with pre movie entertainment and the movie, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs will begin at sunset. The Trails Recreation Center is located at 16799 E. Lake Ave. (at Orchard Rd. and Buckley Rd.) Picnic dinners are allowed. The public is advised to bring a blanket or lawn chairs to the event. Other events scheduled for this summer are: Friday, July 16- Centennial Night at the Movies at deKoevend Park Pre movie entertainment will begin at 7:00 p.m. The movie, Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs will begin at sunset. Saturday, August 7, 6 PM – Centennial Under the Stars at Centennial Medical Plaza The movie, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian will begin at sunset and a spectacular fireworks show will conclude the event. All ages are welcome. There will be health screenings, family safety information, fitness and exercise activities and children's entertainment. This is the 5th Annual Event. DENVER – The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has received its first confirmed case of West Nile virus in 2010. Heading into the holiday weekend, health department officials advise people to take precautions against West Nile virus by wearing insect repellent and using other methods to avoid mosquito bites when outdoors. Elisabeth Lawaczeck, state public health veterinarian, explained, "Although we can't predict how severe the West Nile virus season will be this year, we do know that we will see virus activity statewide." Reports this week of a human case in Weld County indicate that West Nile season has arrived. West Nile Virus is carried by certain birds and transmitted to people by bites from mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds. Female Culex mosquitoes, the species that carries the virus, usually start emerging in late April or early May. Lawaczeck said, "Each season this virus will be present and circulating around the state. The severity of the season will depend on the weather." Studies show that cool, wet weather in early spring followed by very hot temperatures throughout the summer could result in a bad year for mosquitoes. Lawaczeck said, "The good news is that West Nile virus is preventable, and now is the time to take precautions against the disease." Additional precautions to take against West Nile virus include: · DRAIN standing water around the house weekly since it's where mosquitoes lay eggs, including: tires, cans, flowerpots, clogged rain gutters, rain barrels, toys and puddles. · DUSK & DAWN are when mosquitoes that carry the virus are most active, so limit outdoor activities or take precautions to prevent mosquito bites. · DEET is an effective ingredient to look for in insect repellents. Always follow label instructions carefully. · DRESS in long sleeves and pants during dawn and dusk or in areas where mosquitoes are active. The Department of Public Health and Environment and local public health agencies maintain a Website containing additional information about West Nile virus at www.FightTheBiteColorado.com. Meningococcal Disease AdvisoryGuidance for Colleges and Health-care Providers June 24, 2010 Since May 30th, four cases of laboratory-confirmed serogroup C meningococcal disease, including two deaths, have been reported in Larimer County, Colorado. One of the cases is a Colorado State University (CSU) student and the other three (including the two fatal cases) are hockey players in the same division of a Fort Collins adult hockey league. An unrelated case of serogroup B meningococcal disease was also reported from Larimer County during this time period. PFGE (pulsed field gel electrophoresis), or DNA fingerprinting of bacteria from the three hockey players shows that they match the bacteria from the CSU student and a Denver metro area college student who became ill and died in April. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be doing further testing to compare this strain to others in the U.S. and other parts of the world. The local health department (Larimer County Department of Health and Environment) has provided prophylaxis for close contacts of the cases and has recommended vaccination for hockey players. Health-care providers should be aware that the increased attention on meningococcal disease may lead to a greater demand for meningococcal vaccine. CSU students, particularly freshmen living in residence halls, are encouraged to get the meningococcal vaccine. Other at-risk groups (defined below) should also consider getting the vaccine. Groups for whom the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended routine vaccination against meningococcal disease include: - All previously unvaccinated adolescents ages 11 through 18 years, - All previously unvaccinated college freshmen who will be living in dormitories, - All persons ages 2 years and older with anatomic or functional asplenia, or terminal complement component deficiencies, - All persons ages 2 years and older anticipating travel to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the annual Hajj - Any person working as a microbiologist with routine exposure to isolates of N. meningitidis, - Military recruits, and - Any other person wishing to decrease their risk for meningococcal disease Since June 18th, no new cases of meningococcal disease have been reported and we are hopeful that we will not see secondary cases. However there may be asymptomatic persons in the community colonized with this organism. Persons with symptoms of meningococcal disease should seek medical care immediately and should be reported to your local health agency or the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Symptoms of Meningococcal Disease may include: High fever, Severe headache, Stiff neck, Chills, Nausea, Vomiting, Photophobia, Confusion / Disorientation, Sleepiness, Rash (bruise-like rash) These symptoms can develop rapidly. The incubation period varies from 1-10 days, most commonly 3-4 days. REPORTING: Immediately report all suspected cases of meningococcal disease to your local health agency or CDPHE (303-692-2700 or after-hours call: 303-370-9395). The Colorado Help hotline (Co Help) is available to answer questions from the public about meningococcal disease: 1-877-462-2911 For more information on meningococcal disease, please see: http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/index.html
Census Information for Centennial Residents Census 2010 questionnaires are arriving in the mail and many have the wrong city in the address. This can include Aurora, Littleton or Englewood, with whom we share zip codes. If your Census form has the wrong city address, answer the 10 Questions and mail it in. The Census Bureau has assured us that every Centennial Census returned will be credited to Centennial. For more information, visit our Website at www.centennialcolorado.com or the Census at www.2010Census.gov First Wednesday, Each Month: Centennial Airport Noise Roundtable Meeting The Airport Noise Committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month at the Hotel Gold Crown Ramada, by the Air Traffic Control Tower at 7770 S Peoria St. Public comment is allowed at the start of each meeting. Advice on Coyote Encounters This is the time of year when coyote pups leave their dens and are taught how to hunt for food. Centennial residents may see more coyotes and their pups out and about in backyards, neighborhoods, and in open spaces. Coyotes are attracted to neighborhoods due to the availability of their natural food sources, pet food, birdfeeders, compost piles and garbage. Please keep these attractants away and securely fastened. In addition, pets may be easy prey for coyotes. To ensure pet safety cats should stay indoors and small dogs should be accompanied outdoors. Pets should be on a leash at all times. Stay in well lit areas and keep a whistle handy. If small dogs must be kept outdoors daily or at night, the City strongly recommends a fully enclosed dog run secured to the house. The following measures have been reported to work well in hazing and in actively co-existing with wildlife in our urban areas. If approached by a coyote practice the following hazing techniques: · Wave arms and yell in an authoritative voice · Bang pots and pans · Spray with garden hose · Throw rocks, sticks, tennis balls and any non-edible items toward the coyote · Use air horns or whistles · Motion detection yard lights · Coyote Can Shaker - soda can with pennies wrapped in aluminum foil sealed with duct tape. Shake to make noise or throw toward the coyote · Do NOT feed coyotes- it is illegal to feed coyotes in the state of Colorado. Please report individuals feeding coyotes to the Colorado Department of Wildlife at (303) 291-7227. When using hazing techniques it is very important to change the hazing method used each time. It is important to continue hazing until the coyote leaves the area. The City of Centennial Coyote Management Staff encourages you to log on to: www.centennialcolorado.com to report any coyote sightings, encounters or incidents. This information is crucial in providing the City with critical resources to specific areas. Arapahoe / I-25 Interchange Project Why I Oppose an I-25 Underpass, but Support an Improved Partial Cloverleaf by Centennial Councilwoman Rebecca McClellan Plans to improve the I-25 & Arapahoe Rd. interchange could include an underpass from the Country Dinner Playhouse area, under I-25, to intersect Yosemite near Walnut Hills. The underpass would direct an eventual 18,000 cars daily onto Yosemite, and would add at least $55.6 million to the cost of the project. I support the improved partial cloverleaf design without an underpass. I have been the leading voice of opposition to the underpass concepts because I believe we should avoid using eminent domain property takings and save the more than $55.6 million underpass cost by putting our money to work at the I-25 & Arapahoe interchange itself, where it's truly needed. It doesn't help to force traffic toward homes and an elementary school, and interchange improvements shouldn't take a back seat to a controversial underpass that could damage home values and businesses. You may have heard that the process to select a plan to improve the interchange is only beginning. Unfortunately, the truth is the underpass plan has been communicated to members of Congress as a locally preferred option according to the post trip report from the February, 2010 Washington trip. This despite prior written notice from the Walnut Hills Civic Association, formally opposing the underpass. Initiated in 2005, the Arapahoe Road Corridor Study held meetings for input, but the public outreach is thought by many to have been insufficient. When I went door to door in 2009 to talk with residents about an alternate underpass location, I could not find a single resident who knew about any underpass plan. According to David Evans & Associates, who performed the Study's public outreach, only three residents west of Yosemite were mailed notice of the 2005 Arapahoe Road Corridor Study by that firm. Centennial was represented on the Arapahoe Road Corridor Study's executive committee by then Mayor Randy Pye, a lobbyist with Capitol Solutions for the last year of his mayoral term. I-25 Coalition meetings, held at the Greenwood Village City offices, have been unrecorded and without public audience, over my repeated requests for greater transparency. In one of my last meetings on the Coalition, I asked that the Centennial City Attorney attend, and I brought a recording device, which, of course, I disclosed. Following my call for greater transparency and my opposition to the waste of $55.6 million on an underpass, I am no longer a member of the Coalition. The lobbying contract with Capitol Partnerships (VA) Inc., for the Coalition is run through the City of Greenwood Village, with the monthly payments of $5,000. each from Arapahoe County and Centennial, being paid to the City of Greenwood Village. While I do support the aim of improving the interchange itself, I am concerned that citizens may have had a less public process than we should have, with Coalition meetings and technical and executive committee meetings having been held unrecorded and without adequate public involvement. Recently, the Centennial City Council adopted potentially protective 1041 regulations that may require a permit before construction of an underpass into Centennial. To hear my support for these protections, please listen to the audio portion of the Regular Meeting of June 21, 2010, under General Business, Item C, click on item xi, then listen to the proceedings after the vote on item xi, at www.CentennialColorado.com. I was disappointed that concerned citizens were not given any warning that their protections under the 1041 regulations might be changed on June 21st, because the matter was not on the agenda. I worked quickly to help ensure that the council would remain in a position to take responsibility in this matter. Your taxes have been paid, but it's still your money and you should have a say in how it's spent. Citizens can state their opinions on the I-25 & Arapahoe Road project for the Environmental Assessment record by writing to: Leah Langerman, Community Outreach Coordinator, David Evans & Associates, 1331 17th Street, Suite 900, Denver, CO 80202. phone: (720) 225-4651, fax: (720) 946-0973. LLangerman@deainc.com. David Evans & Associates has been contracted to conduct public outreach for the federally required Environmental Assessment. To contact me, Councilwoman Rebecca McClellan, or be added to my e-mail update list, call 303-956-2845, or e-mail RMCentennial@aol.com. Below are links related to the project, from the outcome of the Arapahoe Road Corridor Study begun in 2005, to the current Environmental Assessment process. I-25/Arapahoe Interchange System Level Feasibility Study: Arapahoe Corridor Study & project documents: Current Environmental Assessment: Contact info: Joe Hart or Leah Langerman, David Evans and Associates, Inc. 720-946-0969, jhart@deainc.com , llangerman@deainc.com New Project Website Launched, www.I25ArapahoeRoadEA.com |
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