In a 6-2 vote Tuesday, the Loveland City Council decided to offer Crop Production Services $300,000 for executing a lease for office space at Centerra. Crop Production Services is currently located in Greeley and employs 250 people.

The money comes out of the City Council Economic Development Incentive Fund. The fund, allocated $350,000 annually, is meant for primary employers — those that export more than 50 percent of their goods and services outside of Larimer County — that pay average wages 150 percent higher than the county average. CPS’ average annual wage is 160 percent of the county’s average annual wage.

Colorado State University professor and regional economist Martin Shields indicated the company would bring Loveland a net fiscal impact of up to $600,000 during the next five years, assuming the company adds 100 new positions. The number of positions was determined using information from the site selector, the company, CSU and the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corp.

Greely City Council Application for Ward IV is now available on the city’s website. This is an application to be appointed to the seat resigned by Pam Shaddock.

To be eligible for the seat, based on the application, the following critera must be met.

• Citizen of the United States
• At least 21 years of age
• Hold no other elective office
• Resident of the City of Greeley for 1 year or more
• Resident of Ward IV for at least 90 days
• No felony convictions

Don’t know if you live in Ward IV. A map of the city voting wards is available here. Ward IV is roughly north of 10th st and west of 23rd Ave.

For only the 3rd time in 20 years a Greeley Judge has denied a liquor license.

Cheba Hut “Toasted” Subs shop, a marajuana themed sandwich shop, has been denied a liquor license by Greeley Judge Robert Frick.

Frick’s major concern seems to be wuth the theme of the restaurant, as well as 2 DUI convictions of a manager that won’t be working in Greeley.

“While mere suspicion that there might be future problems with illegal activity is not reason alone to deny a liquor license, allowing a business of this nature to sell and/or serve alcoholic beverages is not a reasonable requirement of the neighborhood,” Frick wrote. “This restaurant is founded upon the principles and theme of the illegal drug marijuana and incorporates other illegal controlled substance related themes.”

Greeley City Council has been throwing around ideas of privatizing the management of the Union Colony Civic Center, the Ice Haus, the Family FunPlex and Greeley city golf courses.

This is an interesting topic. On one hand, these facilities are costing the City a significant amount of money. On the other, our tax dollars have paid to create these valuable public services. Should a private firm be able to step in, manage the facilities, compete against other local health clubs and recreational facilities, all with the advantage of public buildings and existing customers.

If you have any comments, I would love to hear them.

Greeley City Manager, Ray Otto, has released the 2007 City Manager’s Work Program Update & Performance Measures Report.

A lot of interesting information in here. I recommend everyone read it, and if you have comments be sure to post them.

The city of Greeley now has two Real-Time traffic cams so we can check traffic before we leave the house.

Of course, “Real-Time” doesn’t appear to be accurate. I viewed them, they seem to be on a ten minute 1/2 hour cycle.

Pretty good for a town that can’t afford to pay keep more than one month of City Council minutes on the website.

One has to wonder, is this where the new sales tax money is going to go? Into trinkets like this?

El Voto Latino will have a barbeque to kick off their 2007 Latino voter registration efforts.

From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Jesus Rodarte Center, 920 A St., candidates will meet with residents. There will also be folk dancing and representatives from the Colorado Progressive Coalition, Congregations Building Community and several other groups.

Greeley City Council wants to hear from the public on a proposed sales tax that would be used to fund Greeley roads.

This is basically an alternative to RTA plan rejected recently by the council. The intention is to spend the money directly on Greeley road construction and maintenance needs.

The road maintenance sales tax is proposed as a .54% tax increase (54 cents on a $100.00 taxable purchase) and the transit sales tax is proposed as a .25% increase (25 cents on a $100.00 taxable purchase). These proposed tax questions could be placed separately or combined on the ballot. Options to include concrete repair and potentially other ideas brought forward in the public hearing will be considered by Council members.

This is the first of two public hearings on the proposed sales tax.

The meeting is to be held tonight, Tuesday, August 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Council Chambers at the old Public Safety Building located at 919 7th Street, Greeley.

Greeley’s Citizen Transportation Advisory Board has recommended a fare increase for Greeley Public Transportation.

Fares will likely increase from $1 to $1.25 come fall.

Greeley Mayor, Tom Selders, has caused controversy in Greeley with his comments about Illegal Immigration

Selders’ recent trip to Washington D.C. to urge lawmakers to reform immigration policies sparked controversy last week when he told officials how December’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids on the Swift & Co. meatpacking plant negatively affected Greeley’s families.

What do you think?