The city of Grand Junction has denied allegations made by the Grand Junction Peace Officers’ Association that the city and three individuals mismanaged an employee retirement fund and misled its
The Grand Junction City Council held a lengthy discussion at its Monday workshop on how to move forward with developing ordinances to regulate the newly allowed marijuana businesses.
One of the main topics under discussion was over how to further engage the community to get input and feedback on those regulations. Interim Mayor Pro-Tem Chuck McDaniel said he felt the council needed significant public engagement.
âMy strong preference is to get this matter fully vetted among the public and listen to anyone who wants to say something about it,â McDaniel said.
Senior Planner Lance Gloss gave the council a presentation laying out what work had been done on the marijuana regulation issue including the past public engagement.
With the city of Grand Junction set to receive $11.7 million through the American Rescue Plan Act, a City Council member is proposing community input to help prioritize where that money is spent.
Council Member Rick Taggart said at Wednesdayâs City Council meeting that he would like the city to form a committee that includes community members and people that represent interest groups from economic development to parks and recreation.
âIâd like to deviate significantly from our normal approach,â Taggart said. âI would very much like to see us put a committee together of folks from the economic development side, folks from the homeless side, nonprofits, public safety.â
The Grand Junction City Council discussed an implementation matrix to help it prioritize projects identified in the One Grand Junction Comprehensive Plan at its Monday workshop.
The comprehensive plan calls for the city to develop the matrix to prioritize short- to long-term projects and strategies for implementing the plan.
Council Member Phyllis Norris, whose term on the council will soon end, said she felt the incoming council should have a say in the matrix.
Norris noted that the council, which will be elected on April 6, will also be developing the cityâs strategic plan for the next two years, which may draw on the implementation matrix. Council Member Chuck McDaniel said he agreed with Norris and said the strategic planning process is a good way for new Council members to learn about the issues facing the city.
Just off Patterson Road there is a collection of undeveloped fields and a few informal trails that, if developed, would be the largest city park in Grand Junction.
Matchett Park, which had been the proposed site for a community center, sports fields, bike trails and a community pavilion before being voted down in 2019, has sat undeveloped since the city purchased it in 1996. Since then, the city has developed two large parks â Canyon View and Long Family Memorial Park â but, in the time since, demand for sports fields and outdoor shelters has more than doubled.
While a community center was identified as the top priority for Grand Junction residents in the recent Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Master Plan, there was interest in developing Matchett Park specifically. That interest extended to amenities a developed park would provide, such as multipurpose fields and trails.