Arapahoe County Board of Health - Regular Meeting

And so I'm going to do my best to not do a so I'm Michelle Weinram. I'm one of the members of Board of Health, and I'm gonna chair this meeting today. So please thank you in advance for grace, kindness, all the good things. And if I forget something, just go like this, and I will not be sad. So I'm gonna call this meeting to order with a little thing.

I just do do it hard.

That's fine. Abby, would you mind calling the role?

Director B. B. Kleinman.

Oh, she is absent and excused. Director Sean Davis?

Present.

Director Christine Burrows? Is also absent and excused.

Director Mark Levine? Here.

Director Mark McMillan?

Here.

Director Terrence Walker?

Here. Director Michelle Weinckrodt? I am here. Alright. So I'd like to ask the staff the directors in the room to introduce their staff. Hi, everybody. And just let us know who's in the room today.

Michelle, do you wanna start? Sure.

I'll just introduce to a few additional people today

or that are here now since our earlier session. Sarah Garrington, our emergency preparedness and response program manager Steve Schivalier, our environmental health manager over the early childhood environmental protection programs. We have Connor Gurkin, our environmental health supervisor over the water quality program, along with Amara Thomas, one of our environmental health specialists with the water quality program. Pat, next.

Hi, everybody. Joining us are Alexa Escobarpayas, our population health epidemiologist, and Grace Dolan, our health equity and community engagement coordinator. And Leslie Levine will be joining us just a little bit for

a presentation. My favorites. And then I'll introduce Heidi Williams from the nutrition division who's here for Jill Bunchinski.

Awesome. Thanks, everybody. Thanks for being here today. Let's see. Next item is to approve the February meeting minutes. And I ask for a motion.

So moved. Okay.

Move for approval.

Thank you.

Yes. Second.

Second from Mark and Mark. Thank you.

So I move for the board of

health to approve the February '25 meeting minutes as presented. You already motioned. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thanks, John. Thanks for not saying nay. Motion carries. Okay. At this time, we're gonna actually adjust our agenda a little bit because we have guests with us today.

And so I'm gonna read a script, so bear with me. This is a so we're gonna enter a hearing. Is there anything else I need to say before I start reading? Okay. This is a hearing before the Arapahoe County Board of Health regarding an on-site wastewater treatment system or OWTS, see acronyms everywhere, concerned at three one four zero West Girard Avenue in Inglewood, Colorado.

We are here to determine, one, whether or not there has been a violation of the Public Health Act for maintenance of a public health nuisance and also violations of the Colorado On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems Act and the Arapahoe County Public Health On-site Wastewater Treatment System regulations. And two, whether this board will issue civil penalties against the property owner for these violations. Board of Health has authority to conduct this matter under Colorado revised statutes sections 25 dash one dash five zero eight paragraph five, section 25 dash one dash five one eight, section 25 dash one zero dash one zero six, and finally, section 25 dash one zero dash one one three, paragraph two. The tone of this meeting will be informal. First, will hear a presentation from the Arapahoe County Public Health Staff, then we will take comments and hear from the property owner, and the Arapahoe County Public Health Staff may then respond to the property owner's comments.

This board will then make a finding whether there has been a violation of the OWTS Act and regulations and whether to assess civil penalties. The expected duration of this hearing will be about thirty minutes. So I'll just lay a

very quick foundation under the OWTS Act for this board's issuance of a cease and desist order. It does require a notice of hearing at least forty eight hours in advance. The property owner has been sent a notice of hearing and is at our hearing today. I would also just keep in mind that the level of proof to support a violation here is preponderance of the evidence, which just means that the agency must show that a violation is more likely true than not. It's the standard for civil matters. But this may proceed.

Okay. Thank you. We'll now hear a presentation from the Arapahoe County Public Health staff. Please make sure to introduce yourselves before you begin.

Thank you. Steve Schwalier. I'm one of the environmental program managers, and one of the programs that I oversee is water quality. Before diving into the details of this case, I wanted to do a very high level one on one septic system introduction. As you can see on the slide, sewage is created inside the home, goes to the septic tank where the solid settles to the the floor of the tank.

The grease and fats go to the surface, and then the effluent is in the middle. By the way, there it then gets transported to the drain field where it relies on filtration and absorption to purify the waterboard that's living off the water table. Go to the next slide. So these are generally the contaminants of concern. So if a septic system is not functioning properly, these are some of the issues that we have concern with in terms of impacting public health.

Next slide. And then here's a more detailed look of how septic systems work. It really relies on pretreatment occurring within the septic tank, settling up those solids so the solids don't get to the absorption field where make it impossible for infiltration to occur. And that infiltration is is necessary to provide physical, biological remediation of any potential catch contaminants in the in the. Very early on, we went over responsibilities of the board in a previous session, but just to remind the board, one of your responsibilities is to hold a hearing for civil penalty assessment for a person in violation of the regulation.

That's why we're here today. And next slide, please. Going through the packet, this is a screenshot from Garoppau County assessor's parcel search. So I'm showing that House Purchase LLC is the owner. And next slide, please.

This shows a pre submittal application showing that the property owner intends to redevelop the property into into a multifamily use. The next slide shows a letter of intent sent by the owner, again, affirming that they were looking to redevelop the property. This shows a basic outline of the property, including the building envelope as well as track and other aspects of the property. Slide. And this gets into our timeline.

So before I get into the timeline, the the board should know that as part of our regulations, if a property is on septic system, they're required to apply for a a transfer of title inspection and permit to use the system. The seller of the property has to apply. They get inspection done by a third party contractor that's been certified to conduct these types of inspections, and the whole point is to try to find issues that might be wrong with the system so that we can bring the system back to minimum standards before we issue a a use permit to to to use the systems. If the seller does not apply for a use a use permit inspection or go through the title transfer title transfer process, then it's the buyer's obligation to go through that. If there's any issues that are identified during inspection, those issues have to be remediated prior to us issuing the use permit.

In this situation, there was a an application that was submitted by the seller in March 2024. There were items that were identified as needing repair by the the inspector the septic company doing the inspection. And one of those items was that the tank was failing. It's no longer watertight, which can impact groundwater and potential public health concerns there too regarding servicing. At that time, the seller and the the buyer were not interested in pursuing a conditional use permit.

Conditional use permits are issued when the buyer and seller needs more time to repair the system and still allow that that sale to go through because we understand that it it takes time to to get contractors on-site to to repair systems. They weren't interested in doing that and instead they communicated to us that the system was going to be tied in. Initially, the seller had made application with the Sheridan Water and Sanitation District to tie into the sanitation line sewage sanitation line that's running in the street outside of the property, and then that that application was rescinded. From from there, we continue to try to maintain contact with the seller. Eventually, we lost contact with the seller, and then the property turned turned over and it was sold to the current owner.

We then were able to locate the property owner and start connecting with them, asking them what their plan was to tie into city sewer. And to this date, the property has not tied into city sewer. During this time as well, we requested that the property owner keep the the system in a nuisance street condition, meaning that the system can tank the pump periodically to prevent effluent from surfacing and and potentially impacting public health. As you can see in in your board packet through this timeline, there's quite a bit of back and forth just trying to get the the tank pumped at least once. Most recently, it was last pumped last Friday.

We did a site visit following this Monday, and is servicing again. So just pumping the tank is not going to resolve this issue. There's currently, as as we understand, a few people living in this home. As you can imagine, there's quite a bit of volume that's produced by eight people. And with a field that is potentially not accepting effluent anymore, there's nowhere else for that effluent to go other than out through the tank and onto the surface.

Especially with considerations of the the proximity to property lines for effluent to leave the property and then considerations for for what we understand children living on the site and pets as well. There's a potential for public health impacts. I think there, I will leave it and put it up to any questions or to run through regulations and statutes.

Yeah. If you all have any questions about sort of the facts.

Steve, thank you for the introduction there. So I think what I heard in your opening comments there is that there's no requirement or obligation obligation for the seller that, in essence, I mean, it's gonna be someone's responsibility, but the seller's not absolutely responsible by for selling them something. Is that correct? Yeah.

So it if if the seller doesn't meet that that obligation, then it falls back on the buyer. We're also relying on loan origination companies to not process loans with without a title of transfer of title inspection or or use permit from us. And and in this case, that that system failed. It still allowed the the sales allowed to go through, and and we were relying on on the buyer to perform their due diligence and and bring the system into compliance. Thank you. Can you

just kind of hold on that if I may, the two? So as I read through the the timeline there, thank you to to the team who put that together, I interpreted that to be that the buyer assumed the responsibility that the I don't know the LLC in front of me, they were making motions to tie it into the system. So I read that as an assumption that they understood they had no responsibility.

Yes. Yes. That's that's fair. We also with the the presubmittal meeting with the county, we were present as well, and we're very good on those responsibilities in person and then again in writing following that meeting. Thank you.

Can

I ask

a question, Steve?

Sure.

So in this case, one of the things you mentioned is that it fell it, you know, somewhere it fell through. So, like, with the loan, normally, when you have a septic system that like you said, how did it go to closing and then not be addressed? So I'm just saying I've never heard of that. So that's where it's not just a failure. I think at some point, isn't that a required step when you have a septic system?

From my understanding, it it's something that that needs to be completed prior to closing. Different different mortgage companies might have different rules and and doing their their checks and balances as they're they're going through all the paperwork that they have. So

I will actually go through our authority and and relevant statutes just so that you all have it. It was included as part of the packet. So Abby, I don't know if you can skip all the way to where, those are. But just so that we, are all under operating under, you know, the same information about what our authority is and what we, you all can consider. So the first statute at issue is under the Colorado Public Health Act, and it's CRS Section 20 five-one-five zero eight.

That talks about the county boards of health authority. And in there, the board of health has authority to determine policies to be followed by the health director in administering the, and enforcing public health laws, orders, and rules, as well as standards of the state board of health. Then authority to issue orders and adopt rules not inconsistent with public health laws that you may deem necessary for the proper and exercise of the powers and duties vested in this board. And you have the authority to hold hearings, which is what we're doing here today, administering oaths, subpoena witnesses, and take testimony in all matters relating to the exercise and performance of your powers and duties. Also under the Public Act is CRS 25 dash one dash five eighteen, which is a nuisance statute, which provides that the County Board of Health shall ex examine all nuisances, sources of filth, causes of sickness, which in its opinion may be injurious to the health of the inhabitants within the county and destroy, remove, or prevent this, the nuisance.

And so the statute is actually goes through various abilities that this board actually has the ability to go in and fix and remove nuisances that may exist or may require the owner to do that or may hire a third party to do that. And any expenses that are, that accrue for doing that can be added as liens on the property or can actually be added as special assessments that are sent out every year. And so it would be added as a tax assessment on the property. The yes, we talked about that. I didn't include it in the packet, but I should have.

The next statute, which is also under the Public Health Act, is 20 five-one-five 16, which talks about unlawful acts and penalties. And the statute provides that it is unlawful for any person, association, or corporation to willfully violate, disobey, or disregard the provisions of the public health laws, as well as any orders issued by this board. With respect to nuisances, it is, unlawful to willfully fail to remove from private property under their control and at their own expense within forty eight hours after being ordered to do so by the County Board of Health, any nuisance source of filth or cause of sickness within the jurisdiction. And any violations of the Public Health Act constitutes a class two misdemeanor, which under statutes would be, and upon conviction would be twelve months in a county jail or a $750 fine or both, as well as the ability to file civil actions for damages. And then I'll skip next to the Colorado On-site Wastewater Treatment Act.

Under '20 five-ten-one 104, the regulation of on-site wastewater treatment systems, the local board of health is required to develop and adopt rules for on-site wastewater treatment systems. And so back in 2022, this board adopted our Arapahoe County regulations that are online. Under twenty five ten one zero six, basic rules for administration, the local board of health has rules that require the inspection and supervision of installed systems, the issuance of cease and desist orders, and the maintenance and cleaning of systems. With respect to the issuance of a cease and desist order, the order may be issued after a hearing is conducted, which is what we're here to do today. After no less than forty eight hours written notice, the order must require that the owner bring the system into compliance within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed thirty days, or thereafter cease and desist from use of the system.

The cease and desist order is issued by this board of health and may be reviewable at district court. So also under the OWTS Act 25 dash 10 dash one twelve, general provisions. No person shall construct or maintain a dwelling or other occupied structure that is not equipped with adequate facilities for the sanitary disposal of sewage.

And

so staff request a finding that there is a violation of this statute. Also, section 20 five-ten-one

113

provides that any person who commits any of the following, commits a civil infraction. And the violations are if they construct or alter, install, or permit the use of any on-site wastewater treatment system without first applying for receiving our permit as required under this article. And so that gets to what Steve was talking about earlier. There is a regulation in the Arapahoe County, OWTS regulations, that require that upon the happening of certain events that a use permit application has to be applied for, and it is either the owner prior to selling or the owner after purchase needs to apply for a use permit or a repair permit to continue using the system. In addition, any violations of the OWTS Act upon a finding by the local Board of Health that a person is in violation of this article or of its rules, the Board of Health may assess a penalty of up to $50 for each day of violation.

And in determining the amount of the penalty, the board is to consider the seriousness of the danger to the health of the public caused by the violation, the duration of the violation, and whether the person has previously been determined to have committed a similar violation. And then we also added the Arapahoe County, OWTS regulations as part of the packet. And I can point out the specific provisions that Steve had mentioned. So in section 3.1, requires that no person shall install, alter, repair, or use an OWTS within Arapahoe County unless they hold a valid permit. So in this, for this particular property, there is not a valid permit in effect right now.

Under section 3.9, application to repair and emergency use of a malfunctioning system shall be made within two business days by any owner or occupant after receiving notice from the department that the system is not functioning in compliance with these regulations. The date of expiration for the repair permits shall not extend beyond thirty days. And so Steve had gone over the facts of the first indication of a malfunction was back in, I believe, March. Under section four, four point two, this is the events requiring a use permit. States that the owner or seller of a property served by an OWTS shall obtain an inspection report and issuance of a use permit within twelve months prior to the occurrence of one of the following.

And the first is the sale of the property. And if the property owner does not obtain a use permit prior to a covered transaction, the purchaser of the property shall then be required to obtain the use permit. And then it has the same language that with respect to the general prohibitions and penalties, it's the same language that was already in the Colorado On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems Act. So I won't repeat those. Did you have questions? Know I just flew through those. I a question.

You you said that we can take into account the amount of risk that there is to the people who are living at the property. Also, is there can we take into account if if we know of risk to the neighbors, particularly those that are downstream of the effluent?

Yes. Let me just find the specific provision. So with respect and and what you're asking about is specifically the cease and desist order. The statute provides that you may consider the seriousness of the danger to the health, to the public caused by the violation. And so that's all of those factors that you have mentioned, the duration of the violation and whether the person has previously been determined to have committed a similar violation.

And do I understand correctly the facts are that eight people are living in that property?

That's what we understand from our our visits over the last few weeks. Thank you. Let

me just ask, are there any other staff that are gonna present any information? Do you have a question for staff? Yeah.

So thank you for walking us through the the authorities and so forth. You've mentioned as part of that potential fine associated with noncompliance, $50 a day. Is that retroactive to these March 24 dates? Is that or is that

It would be starting tomorrow.

Decision any

if the board decides to go down route. Yeah. Thank you.

Oh, Sean. Go ahead. Thanks, Adam. You're muted. You're muted.

I just wanted a clarification because I I hear I I heard Monica, you say that there's two days that they would have two days or forty eight hours if they need to, if the system is out of compliance. My my question is what happens if the system is out of compliance and it actually needs to be replaced? Is that a different timeline? Because even with thirty days I don't know about Denver, but, usually, it's really hard to get a a new septic system just in thirty days.

Right. And so the way that the department has handled that is that we work with with property owners, and we we give them a reasonable time for compliance. Mhmm. This this statute is is worded right in the most strict sense so that the the board and the department does have authority to step in within forty eight hours if nothing is done. And and so but how we how we enforce enforce that is we work with with the property owners to make sure that they're actually moving things along.

And and the the history of the facts here do lay out sort of all of the back and forth that staff have had with the property owner. Yep.

Thank you for that.

Okay. At this time, I'm, I'm gonna suggest that we hear from the property owner who's present. And so we'd like to hear from you now. Would you introduce yourself? Oh,

thank you, guys, for having me. So I guess I bought the property and closed in the April, so it wasn't March. And had I known all these documents were filed and they come up on title, I would have one or two choices asked the seller to fix that themselves or I would ask for a discounted price. But I didn't know all this. Usually, it comes up on title, and I can address anything that comes up.

A special assessment or anything like that I could have addressed. I would have made is my first property in the city Of Denver Metro Area, period. So I don't know the lay of the land here. Frankly, I bought it for my son who was gonna go to college somewhere close by, but, nevertheless, I decided since he went somewhere else to just go ahead and develop the property. But had I known all this was taking place beforehand and I can see that clearly, I would have done something differently at closing.

So second of all, I didn't put there's four people on that lease. I that's all that I knew that was going in there, and they are on a month to month basis. I walked the property today, and I was horrified because that tenant is actually storing cars for the next door neighbor on the property and making money on it that I didn't even know about. And so but the fact that they put so many people in there, I had no idea whatsoever. So I don't normally just knock on everybody's door and search their properties every single day.

I don't I don't do that. The other problem I had was trying to now get a bank loan in a very high interest rate environment to make it supportive of the project that I wanna do to go ahead and upgrade the system there and hook into the city services. So that actually should happen here in the next two to three weeks once they finish their appraisal process. But as you guys know, banks are not quick right now on anything. So I have done when I heard from Amara here, I've done the best I could to address the situation, and I'm still addressing it.

But the fact that they put that many people in that place, I had no idea. Today, I walked and I see many, many beds in there, and the tenants just lied to me totally that there's only four people. Because if you look at my lease, there's four people. So here's what I've done to address that. I gave them a thirty day notice to move out.

I'm hoping they can be out by April 1. I'm actually having the septic tank pumped out two times a month here. And so once they're out, I definitely there should be no more waste material going into that, and I do not plan on trying to rent this out until I know that that is hooked up to the source system. But I am working as fast as I can. I didn't get I got caught off guard with this whole thing. I did not know that all this activity took place prior to me buying this property, or else I would have asked for the discount. I wouldn't have bought the property. That's where I'm at.

So let me ask at this point, does the public health staff have anything to say or like to share with us in response to the property owner's statements? So appreciate your presentation. Board members, it is now time for us to discuss and determine how best to proceed. The issues we are asked to decide is, number one, whether the on-site wastewater treatment system at this property constitutes a nuisance in violation of Colorado Public Health Act and also in violation of the Colorado On-site Wastewater Treatment System Act and its regulations. And two, whether to begin assessing civil penalties against the property owner for the violations.

Also, please consider whether this board needs any legal advice at this time requiring an executive session or if you are all prepared to make a determination today. The matter is now open for board discussion.

I have excuse me. Yes. Would you mind stating your name? Michael. So that we have it in the minutes. Sure. Michael Butler. What was your last name?

Butler, b u t l e r. Thank you.

Yeah. So thank you so much. Thank you, sir, for for joining us today and providing some additional context. Again, thank you to Steve and the staff there. The packet of information that you've provided to us is very substantial. I know there's a lot of work that would come in. Think all of this, I think, you know, appreciate the concern for the public health. But also the the impact on the dependents and the neighbors there. I mean, the the photos, for example, are pretty hard to believe in terms of the impacts out there. Like, the photos show, for example, children that that play in the AR and they are pets as well.

So I I think the the concerns are very, very real. I think the staff the process. You know, let's go through the timeline, for example. I do wonder what the remedy is. I know that's that's a big part of our discussion today in terms

of

fines that I think we could, as I understand from our authorities, could go even further in terms of a cease and desist. Mhmm. I I was encouraged to hear you say, sir, that you recognize the the challenges out there and, in essence, issued an eviction notice as I

understand there. So is that No. I can say you prove

from that. That is that is a remedy in there for sure. We we heard today too that the the pumping the frequency of the pumping is not doesn't seem to be working, that the system is just completely collapsed as I understand it.

Yeah. And I'm concerned with

that today too. Yeah. If you're out there Friday and you're pumping, you're back out there on Monday, and you've got more out

there. Which gave me an indication that there's more people living there

than four people. Yeah. So pretty pretty substantial. So yeah. I I appreciate the sort of the challenge there, but it's good to hear that you're taking some steps in that in that direction. Thank you. It's a pretty good point, sir. I

have a question. When did you close on this property?

Think at the April, it's gone and closed, but there was no one in the property until, like, October. I think they moved in at the September or October 1,

somewhere around there. September or so. Yeah.

Is that April of June 4?

Yeah. Last year. Yes, So and, again, if I if this would have come up on title, I could have addressed it at that point because I could have asked the bank for more money or asked for a discount or something to that if I knew all this paperwork was going back and forth with you guys, I could've caught that at that point in time,

but there

was nothing that came up at closing. And do you have

a relationship with the seller? I don't. I

never met the person, period.

Was today the first day

you visited the property

since then? No.

I visited Holly lives here, and so she helps manage the property for me along with some other property that I own in

Colorado Springs.

Today was the first day I visited the property of this year. I did a drop on the outside to headed up north for a visit with and so I did a drop on the outside, but, obviously, you don't wanna knock on tenants' doors and disturb them all the time. So back in January, there was really no big issue that came forth to me as far as what I needed to do. And so I knew that on a thirty day lease, month to month lease that I can just have them gone at any particular time as far as within thirty days. So we're gonna do the eviction, and we're also gonna do the term your lease terms are up.

So either way, they will be gone.

So question. What what what will you do if you don't get the bank loan for the redevelopment?

Then I'll pay for it out of pocket. But no one else will occupy the place, and so all the affluent and everything will be just going at that point because I would have the concepting company just take it all off.

I have a question about the amount of risk that there is to the current residents and also to the neighbors. Does staff have any insight that would help us to judge the amount of risk?

Currently, as we observed, the effluent is staying on the property. Would residents continue to live in in the property, then it's likely that their loan would would move off the property and then could could increase the risk to others beyond the the tenants on the property.

And how how much distance is there between the end of this property and the neighboring property the the neighborhood residence? Yeah.

Let me introduce my staff here too.

I'm Connor Kirk, and I'm the supervisor for the water

quality program. Can allow me

to speak louder, please? Connor Kirk and the environmental health supervisor for the water quality program.

When we went out

and observed that the tape was around five feet from

the property line, and then

there was about a foot in between their chain link fence to a wooden picket fence of the border and property owner.

Sir, to to answer your question also to that, I'm gonna the notice is given today. I will have the septic emptied every ten days until they move out, until there's nothing else left in there, basically. That's all that I can do until I get these guys out of there. I'm hoping I can convince her to move by April 1, but, you know, legally, she's still with that thirty days.

I thought you said you were accompanying it twice a week?

No. Twice a month.

Oh, twice a month. I don't think 10 every ten days is gonna be enough. Doesn't sound like

another setting. What would you recommend?

Well, I'm not I'm not a I'm I'm getting deferred to staff. I would recommend

What do I need to do?

Yeah. So this was something that we had asked mister Butler to provide us with quite a while ago. It was about water meter readings so that we could understand how much water is being used. We never never received that. If we're able to receive the water meter readings, then we could understand how much effluent is that going in the tank, and I can recommend a suggested schedule for pumping. Thanks.

Can I ask to Steve, what other what other documentation have you asked for and either received or not received?

In terms of documentation, that's that's the only thing that I can think of offhand. However, with our recent site visits and requirements for mitigation of the effluent that we saw servicing Mhmm. We asked for that that area to be fenced off and also to be treated with Lyme so that if there were pets or children or people walking through that area, they would not bring it into their house. It does not appear that that has been not conducted. Has he responded to her request for information from our site visit on Monday? To

me, that that to me, that poses an immediate public health danger because you can't to your point, you cannot be there twenty four seven, and you cannot control kids who are in the neighborhood walking through this affluent and then tracking it into

their No. And I get it. I just asked her why that wasn't done. Mhmm. And she said because it was pawned. So that wasn't followed. So I'll take the responsibility for my people not doing what I the emails they do. But I will get that done tomorrow.

One more question for me, Rose, for now. Did you put in an application

to tap into the city water system

and then you rescinded it?

No. I didn't I didn't rescind anything. It was the part

Was it the

The previous owner reset.

I guess so.

Okay. So you put that in, and can I ask when?

I guess a few weeks ago, I guess.

Okay.

Because I knew what the bank would do if they see me moving forward, then they can pay the money directly to the city.

Will the bank be making a site visit before they honor before they own

The banks never really make a site visit. I I've never had in thirty years them come out and make a site visit. Okay. But if they like to, they could. I would have made a site visit if I knew

what was filed previously. Question for Monica, if I may. So what is it is concerning again to know that it is a continuous issue after Friday and Monday, and you're overwhelming. The system again shows it's completely failed in my opinion. And do we have the authority to require things like requested documentation, the fencing signage perhaps, and it's something that raises awareness in in our timeline?

Yes. Yes. So under the nuisance statute, you can order anything to eliminate, reduce the nuisance impact. And so we can absolutely, when we if this board decides to issue a cease and desist order, we it would be sent out tomorrow, and then it would include whatever provisions you all would like to see included in there as far as requirements with respect to the water meter with request to the area being fenced off and signage that you want added, that area has to be treated a certain way.

So for a cease and desist, we would dictate what goes into that.

Staff would send it out, so it would be sent out by the agency. But if there are specific provisions that you want to have included, yes.

Are there, as you just answered that question, Monica, both both the terms of my question there, does the board have the authority to require those outside of the ceasings as a I trust mister Butler in terms of saying that he's issued an eviction notice. I I I would be very honest. I I I feel bad for the tenants there, but I don't know what the other solution is until this is this is this is captain. He's very, near term. So must it be a cease and desist that that lines out the requirements? For example, like fencing and otherwise.

So I I think that you absolutely can. The cease and desist is specific to the OWTS Act, and the nuisance is under the Public Health Act. And so you can treat them as two separate things.

I would like to suggest consideration. I would like to suggest consideration of a list of of asks from you that we would need in writing. Okay. Okay? As part of the nuisance declaration so that in addition to the levy of a fine, a per day fine, that it would include documentation of the eviction notice, documentation of your loan application. Okay.

Document These are private loans. So

That's fine. But we need something to know that you've actually made an application. Sure. You know what I mean? Sure. Documentation that you're pursuing signage, fencing and mitigation of biafoil to prevent immediate harm to people and pets that are not in the house, but are outside. Okay? What else? Those are my that's my list right now. And, Steve, I'd really like to hear from you on this as the expert in the room.

Yeah. In in terms of confirmation of application from the sewer district, I I would amend that and request that a letter be provided from the sewer district confirming that application has been made. Understood.

Nothing's jumping at me inside. You can capture it.

Is there a timeline? Sorry.

Doesn't mean we question now in terms of how quickly we can see those things. Mister Barber, what's your thought on how quickly we can provide those?

I'd say seven seven days or so. But the defensin will be up tomorrow, so we can document the letter posted on the door telling the tenants to vacate. We can document that. I don't know if we can actually do an eviction eviction, but if they don't leave within thirty days, I can actually file the eviction. We can determine if they're leased because it's a thirty day lease. So we're trying to I think she's trying to find them somewhere else to go immediately because we did have this discussion with her just about two hours ago that you're gonna have to leave. So we can get you anything that says that she has to go.

I'm concerned with the amount of time between now

and when they do leave.

It's apparent that continued use of this septic system, which is dysfunctional, is a continuing health hazard. Is there an opportunity for you to provide an alternative form of sewage? Well, I can put porta potty out there. Or something like that until they leave.

Yeah. We thought about putting the porta potty out there, but I don't, other than giving them the time to leave, that's I'm legally responsible for. I don't know what else I can do. I don't know. Now I'm open to some other ideas, but if they got that many people there, it's gonna be a coordination effort of me asking every day, have you guys found a place to live? So I don't know what else I can do.

I wonder whether or not we could require the use of a porta potty.

I'm not sure that would be helpful.

I'm sorry?

I don't know that that would be helpful.

It would be in conflict with our regulations. I'm sorry?

It would

be in conflict with our current regulations. It

would. Okay.

I just can't imagine a scenario where someone's gonna go use that when they have just so many doors.

They're not

gonna do it. I I didn't think so, but that's why I said if you had an alternate,

let me know. I think it's more wise for you to spend your money to mitigate than to patch.

Well, I need to get them out of there as quick as I possibly can. Yeah. So if I can help them with a first month rent or something somewhere else to go faster, I can do that.

But I appreciate that. But while that's that's that's helpful for long term, the affluent's already there.

No. I know. We we'll have that sucked up still. But I'm just saying if I can get them out by April 1, that would be something I can deal with. Let me ask

a question. Don't forget. Can we require the septic system to be pumped more frequently than the owner's plan?

Yes. So we can require that the water readings be provided so that staff can determine the schedule, the minimum schedule that it would need to be pumped. This board also has authority if you decide that it is a nuisance, that it the law would trump the contract, the lease contract. And so we technically, this board has authority to enforce the eviction within forty eight hours. Or have the owner provide the water ratings so that staff can determine that schedule.

Sean,

I'm so sorry. You gotta unmute, though, friend. Sean, can you unmute?

Yeah. Just my recommendation is I think we are well intentioned as a board. I'm in favor of what we're proposing, but I would say, can we write it in such a way that Steve oversees it? I would say, let the expert determine the timelines and everything that's involved. Because once it's in writing, I think it's a lot harder to negotiate that. Is there a way that we can do it to where Steve, just say, oversees everything and we use his judgment? Because he's actually the one overseeing everything. Is that correct?

Yeah. I would still like for the order to be as specific as possible. Okay. And I think overall, right, staff would have determination of whether there is sufficient compliance happening. But I think that with respect to, like, requiring the water readings, the loan application, the various documents that apparently exist, I I think it it would be for us to include those.

Okay.

In the order of salary? Yes. I'm trying

I have a question. So you said something about forty eight hours that you can write something to be out within forty eight hours. I think that helps me show the tenant that, hey. You have to go speedily fast so there's no delay in on their behalf. I can only see that helping.

That would be a Board of Health determination of whether they want to go that route, or does this require the ratings from you and the pumping of the tank?

I do have a question, and Steve might be the best answer to this. This defense, is that enough to mitigate let's just say they stay until April 1 or however long. Is defense enough mitigation to keep people safe? Do you think about, like, we got flies coming in. We got, you know, vermin that are checked too. Like, it's it's it's enough.

It's it's our it's our standard protocol to to keep people and animals from walking through the area. No. Okay. My answer is no. That's it. Yeah.

Yeah. No. That's a good question.

Well, I mean, my thought was, there's eight people in this house. Something is something is a change sooner rather than later. Even Yeah.

But where

are they gonna

I I

I have concerns

I don't know. Because, I mean, we're we're gonna punish people for using a failed system by potentially unhousing them. Well, I

I feel I'm being punished too because I didn't know they put that many people in place.

As a property owner, that's part of our responsibility.

Oh, I I I know, but I I don't knock on everybody's door and monitor how many people there. So I I This

is not a new problem.

Right? Yeah. It's it's something that you were have been aware of for some time that there was an issue with this septic tank.

That's what I'm trying to tell you. I wasn't aware of everything that I all the paperwork, I wasn't aware of that happening back when I bought the property or else I would have negotiated that.

Understand that, but, we you know, I believe you've been in communication with the health department for some time now trying to

resolve this issue. I for probably two to three months.

When was our first communication?

Directly with Mr. Butler would have been in December. Otherwise, it was through contractors and realtors. You said contractors? Yes. So the the septic system inspector that was hired to conduct the inspections and also your your realtor that is representing your your interest.

Not interested in unhousing people in forty eight hours. I mean, I I feel like I feel like there should be a responsibility, an an ethical responsibility for you to make sure that they have a place to live that is safe from from from the situation.

But she's a product.

Alright. Yeah. But but I'm that that's not gonna be, I don't think, for

this one.

Where are you guys? How you going? Yeah. Sean, where are you?

I'll I'll support y'all decision. Like you said, I fought there I have a whole bunch of questions. And so like you say, some of it is just trying to hear virtually versus being being there because a key part of what got communicated is and I still go back to the fact that there shouldn't have been allowed a septic system to be you know, you can't convert a by law, realtors are responsible when that's not disclosed. And so I know it's not his fault, but I think if we encounter this in the future, there has to be, you know, laws in place. Most states have laws that prevented or where you sue them if that's not disclosed.

That is huge. And so I would just say we're you know, that's not for the matter of this court. But whatever you decide related to the actions you wanna take, I support the board's decision. The other question, there's eight people living in the house and only four are on the lease. I know we don't wanna unhouse them, but I guess the you know, that also raises a question also. But whatever so I'm in favor of writing it up and the restrictions and everything that everybody mentioned. So I do agree that it is a public health hazard, and so we do have to find a way to resolve it.

So two things on my my head. I'll take maybe the easier one. Of course, for Steve and your your team. I appreciate the letter meter records because I think that probably informs, like, the schedule to pump out. But it's again, it just seems like it's completely failed. I mean, if you find it on Monday, I don't know if major, but that's filling up a hurry and filling that that yard again. So I think it's good to have those data. But I and I would defer to the experts in terms of what that looks like. I do think that the board should require those those records and then move to staff for the interpretation on what that schedule looks like. But, sir, I think that twice a month is probably insufficient based on what we've heard here.

Well, that's what I've been doing in the past. I just said I'll do it three or four times a month until they leave here Okay. At this particular time. So I don't know if that's enough until, I guess, they get the water readings to determine it, but I can have him probably back over there, suck it up when tomorrow.

I feel like it's gonna

So we're probably tomorrow. So I'll see how fast they can get out.

So so here here's kinda where

I am.

And then we'll close. Okay. Go for it. Yeah. So I read from time to time these sort of horror stories where our tenants don't move out even under under eviction notice. Mhmm. So what happens on '31 when they're not out? Are we gonna be out of this conversation in six months or a year? Is there

a thought?

They're still there?

I I get it, sir. But legally, I mean, I can do everything legally according to my contract with them, but I beyond that, I just have to go go to court or do what you guys have to do as far as legal things. I can't just go over there and grab them and take them out of the house. I'll do everything I can to get them out of the house. She's gonna try to find them somewhere else to go because she has other problems that she manage. But that's all that I can do.

To my understanding with communicating with them today,

they are planning on packing and moving. They have no intention in staying any longer. I'm gonna I'm gonna revisit this list, but I need you to pay real close attention and see what I'm missing. And then we're gonna attribute a timeline as mister Butler alluded to, maybe a seven day timeline for all of this entire list and see what we're missing. Alright? And so this would be this would be regarding the new slot. Because we're we're trying to avoid a cease and desist order. Honestly, not for you, but for your tenants. Okay. Okay?

And so this new sense order is gonna attach a lot of things to it because we need it. Because this is a terrible home hazard, not just for those tenants, but for that neighborhood. Okay. Okay?

And I'm willing to do whatever. Okay.

So my list includes documentation of your application for a bank loan. Okay. Documentation that you have communicated with the septic system business.

Sorry. Can I just interrupt you? Yes. Can you add your timeline

for each item? Yes.

Do you want I I I need your expertise either in this, or it could be a blanket of seven days.

I think seven days is appropriate given we need a turnaround from the business too that we can't control.

Okay. So seven ten Seven days? Yep. Yep. Okay. So documentation of the bank loan, documentation of communication with the septic system business to replace that system.

Ma'am, I I have communicated with them.

But We we need documentation. We need back and forth emails, letters, something that says you're working toward mitigating this.

Well, they said that I couldn't it wouldn't do any good to replace that because I need such a bigger area to replace that system. So that's why we're going with the sewer system hooking it to actual sanitation.

That's what you said. Go ahead. What's your timeline for that?

Well, that's

the Okay. So we need to so so the documentation of

From the city. Yeah.

Right. Correct.

Is that correct for the time, sir? Yes, sir. Thank you.

Documentation of water meter records that have been requested in the past.

Natural records. Sorry. Yeah. Natural records. In what duration how far back, Steve?

I think I think a month is is

Oh, yeah. Two. Thank you.

And within seven also within seven days?

Yes. Mhmm.

And then how do you wanna treat I wanna address fencing, signage, and treatment of what's standing out there.

So I'd love to, again, turn to you to you, Steve, your staff. I mean, envisioning against fencing that is adequate that to the best of

They at least don't keep kids out.

Reasonable ability. Exactly. I'm thinking people Will it will it, though? I have children. Yeah.

That's It's a mitigation. It's not a it's not a clear prevention.

Yes. So I think we should Yeah. Using standard standard protocol and and continue to require fencing. Mhmm. I would say within twenty four hours, apply lime to the the soil, till it in within twenty four hours to any impacted area.

Is that, a standard six foot treatment? How many to

read this stuff. I know. I'm I'm

I know. I'm trying to.

Yeah. There's no

I assume it was like a like a construction fence.

That that works. That's When when the city of Aurora has San Jose overflows, that's what they that's what they put up as

a construction fencing. Thank you.

And I think he's outfencing in English and in Spanish. I do.

Sorry. Keep

out keep out fencing. Yes. Signage rather on the fencing in English and in Spanish.

And I think that's

a reasonable request for forty eight hours.

I also recommend that the board consider pumping the tank within forty eight hours. And then until we get those water heater readings, then we can assess those to continue to monitor the tank and the the field for any servicing effluent and pump escalated.

Does pumping the tank get the stuff on the surface out as well?

So from from what I understand, looking at

the inspection

reports, the the the field isn't accepting that filling anymore.

That's cool.

So it's just it's just the tank filling up. So

you wanna say as needed, not with the timeline?

Right. As a Forty

eight hours. Within forty eight hours now and then monitor.

And that will provide us the flexibility to be able to look at the water meter readings and then provide a schedule from that. Okay.

Sorry. I'm confused. So pump tank within the next forty eight hours. And then if I mean, the pump the water readings, he has thirty days to submit to us. What's the amount

of seven days for

the past thirty?

Oh, that's right. Seven days. But is that is that

What about for the past thirty?

I apologize for the infection paperwork too.

You mentioned that when you

were doing your list earlier. Yes. Okay. That you're moving to change the face of the property. Yes. Because otherwise, it's just gonna keep happening.

Alright. How long does it take to get the readings for the the water? Is that is that a quick can we get that sooner than seven days so we can I just I don't know? How long does it take to actually produce that?

It it'll it varies by the water provider, so I I don't have I don't have a good answer to that.

But the requirement is for seven days to Is it a max to provide those records? Yes.

So what happens if these aren't met within the time frame? What what happened?

Yeah. Look at that. Fault chart will run, literally.

Well, then we are going to have an emergency meeting to to then decide whether we go directly to district court and ask for Cease

desist.

Yeah. Well, we can issue the cease and desist, but it's it's essentially bringing the sheriff's office in. Okay.

So we're trying to avoid that. So let's do all these things quickly.

Okay.

Because it's public health, and

and it's your, you know,

it's your livelihood. I get that. But we gotta make a change right quick. And if we don't get all this stuff, then we're gonna go to court. So we have to take care of people.

Okay. Alright.

Question. Question.

Steve and your team, anything else that we should be thinking about?

Covers it. Let's cover it as best as I

can for right now? Okay. Alright. So we're gonna attempt to read a motion with with everything we just discussed.

Okay. So I think we're gonna

do that. Right. That. Right? Yep. And then not this. Right.

Okay. Okay. Go ahead, sweetheart.

Can we also request the the pumping receipt for each time that

the system is pumped Yep.

To be provided within seven days of pumping?

For each event. For each event. Thank you. Go ahead. Okay. Maybe a question for Monica. So first of all, thanks to the board and Monica and staff for helping to walk us through the authorities, but also to keep just the lay of the land and the concern for coming in. So one thing that we very briefly touched on were financial penalties associated with noncompliance. And so I don't know if that motion that we made here includes the law of sanctions in The UK. Alright. Thank you for

the question. Okay. Alright. I'm gonna read a motion, and then I'm gonna ask for a second for discussion. I move for the Board of Health to adopt a finding that House Purchase LLC through its manager, Michael Butler, for the property located at 3140 West Girard Avenue in Englewood, Colorado, is in violation of Colorado law for maintaining an on-site wastewater treatment system on the property that constitutes a public health nuisance in violation of the Colorado Public Health Act, Colorado revised statute section 25 dash one dash five one eight, and also violations of the Colorado On-site Wastewater Treatment Act, Colorado revised statute section 25 dash 10 dash one zero one, and the Arapahoe County Public Health on-site wastewater treatment system.

Thank you. Regulations. We also determine that House Purchase LLC, the property owner, shall be assessed a civil penalty of $50 a day beginning tomorrow, Thursday, 03/20/2025, and continuing until such time that this board finds that House Purchase LLC has achieved compliance with the stated statutes and regulations. Additionally, we issue an order pursuant to the Colorado Public Health Act to take steps to remove, prevent, and remediate the nuisance arising from the failed septic system. We ask mister Butler to do the following.

And then this is the list. Document the bank loan within seven days. Document your interaction with the septic system from them, from the septic system folks. Had the water meter readings within is this thirty days?

Seven days.

Seven days. But for thirty days going back thirty days. Going back thirty days within seven days. Thank you. Address the need for immediate fencing, signage, and treatment of the affluent within forty eight hours. Bilingual. And then yes. Place all signage to be bilingual. Pump the tank within forty eight hours of today, and then provide receipts of the pumping costs within seven days to Arapahoe County Public Health for each event. Okay?

Communications with the sewer district?

Say again?

Communications with the sewer district. Yes. Thank you. The applications to the sewer district directly for completing the property?

I submitted the application, but you can't do it without paying the cost front view. I think it's 11,000 silver tabs, so that's part of the loan.

Can you can you you need to ask them for proofing for the Arapahoe County Public Health entity to show that you've made an attempt.

Okay. Yeah. I already sent that form already, but I

Do we have that?

It is just a form that's filled out. I can't tell if it's been submitted to anybody. Okay.

I can forward the email to you.

Okay. Yeah. We need something from that from Okay. Your So we are directing you to comply with all the continuity requests of this, and so this is the last piece. We're asking you to comply with all the continuity requests of the staff of Arapahoe County Public Health to cease use of the OWTS or connect the property with the sewer district. So we need your responsiveness within a reasonable amount of time. What's reasonable? What's I'm asking. What's reasonable to get to have these communications? Because we're not I don't think we're having them. We're not getting from you what we that's why we're putting all these in here.

Yeah. One one business day. I in in this situation, one business day is Okay.

Respond within one business day, believe.

When we when we reach out to you guys, then you need to get back to them within one business day because we're putting this all in this nuisance act to try to avoid a cease and desist. And that that hurts you and them, and it hurts your attempt to get a loan, honestly. Right? Okay. So can I have a second? Second. Thank you, Doctor. Levine. All in favor of this, say aye. Aye. Thanks, Sean. Any onen opposed? And do we have any abstentions? Motion carries.

You may want to consider reconvening on this at your next Board of

Health

meeting determine status and whether compliance has been achieved to cease the daily penalties.

Alright. I was about to ask Gabby if we have anybody online for public comment. We got No. Don't think we do. I'm not on now. We'll wait

for her to come back. Yeah.

I'm not gonna touch. We can

yeah. No. We'll wait. We'll wait. We yeah. We'll move on to to to board comment. Oh, here she goes. Oh my god. No. You're good. I didn't hear too. Thank you. Doing all the things. That's awesome. Yeah. Do we have anybody online for public comment, Abby?

Got Sean. What got what you got, Sean?

I got something to say.

Know that's right. There's no Time for director's candid. You can get your chance now. Time is now is the time for director's comment. This time, we're the board of directors is invited to share insights from community leaders and partners to gauge the current state of the community. I don't think we have three hours. I'm gonna start with you, doctor Levine.

Hi. We're going to shortly hear, an update from some things with the, Arapahoe County Food Security Collaborative. I guess one interesting piece of news is that we've received word yesterday that the school of public health has some interest in, partnering with us or perhaps one or there are two students who are interested, although they have not yet confirmed working with us on data acquisition and presentation to to help us with with funding. So that's one thing. Another thing is that through my work at Hip Buff, I I think we are making some headway in them addressing ir we've own health so we're of something I think has been long overdue as I think there is an opportunity to help both the patients and also HIPAA, particularly in this time of

spiral

funding considerations. So those are my two updates. Thank you.

That's okay, Michelle. I had the pleasure last week to attend half day presentation put on by by CU Denver called the W. P. Du Bois from theory to action. And a good friend of mine and long time colleague, doctor Arthur McFarland, who presented there.

He's the great, great grandson WB Dubois Okay. And provided their really, you know, historical perspective and all the things that doctor Dubois had had done with the the list of accomplishments and is impossible for me to capture, but folks probably know some of those highlights in terms of creating the NAACP. He was the first African American to earn a PhD at Harvard. He spent extensive time in Africa in the fifties in terms of some of the Pan African efforts there around colonization. And and on and on, the list is so long.

I can't can't really go fully and get it all out. But the the reason I mentioned this is because it was fascinating and a little sad to to go through the timeline and all the things that that doctor Dubois was experiencing, the things that he was calling for all those years ago. And it feels very much here again in terms of my observations and the observations from doctor McFarlane and others who who spoke there. So he took it as yet another call to action of the important work, for example, within public health and of ours of this team here and look at us collectively as a team and then beyond. So, again, really powerful presentation.

A little sad that we're in 2,025, but realistic as well that we are here in 2025 and there's work to be done.

Sean, I know you have something.

Yeah. I would just, I would just add. So one of the things we're doing, I'm also, on the board of the ACLU, and I'm the equity, equity officer for Colorado. A lot of chapters and ACLU as a organization has maintained a focus on DEIN equity. And we've looked at and so one of the things is the I know if you have a government contract, particularly a federal one, it affects that.

And there's been a few groups I've worked with where they've had the contract sent back or canceled and asking them to remove the DEI language. But for organizations, there's just certain things that you can check with the attorney that prevents, you know, that prevents you from falling. Just say pray to that. So I applaud, you know, the ACLU, and there's a bunch of other organizations across Colorado. There's a group on public health that represents the public health organizations that said, you know, as we go down this road, we have to communicate.

I believe that we are in favor and we support equity, but I would agree there has to be a lot of changes. I think a lot of what's been communicated is that we can do a better job in the area, not to get rid of it. And so I'm always in favor of making changes. And then, also, I'm on the board of street fraternity, and we we were one of the groups that received a proclamation from the city of Denver for all of the work we do serving African immigrant and refugee community, which is on a board is on a Colfax quarter, so it borders Aurora and Denver. So I would just have the board keep in mind that there's a lot of great work going on in this space.

And so a lot of times, a lot of the media or the or the focus is on what's not working, but I will say this is the time where we also have to double down and recommit and, you know, refocus and double our commitment to equity and say, like you said, there are some great pioneers who came through, and I agree with you, Mark. W. E. B. Du Bois was one of the was one of the pillars.

And the second graduate of Harvard was Carter g Woodson who founded Black History Month or National Negro Week, and he was also a pillar. So I think we got some strong shoulders to stand on, and I don't think we have to go through anything compared to what our ancestors went through. So for me, I don't think we have a lot to complain about. So I always try to stay upbeat. And I do wanna say, Michelle, you did an absolutely fantastic job sitting in and narrating. I thought you was an attorney, so I I I told Monica her job might be at stake, so she might need to look out.

Thank you, Sean. I hope you guys are having fun. I was thinking about what I wanted to share with you guys today, and it it it always I always wanted to have to do with what we do together and and our work. And it I it's funny to me because I thought about this yesterday, and then Sarah did brought in the study session, brought her her team's work to us. And I want I want you to hear that in my negativity on positive.

And that is that in the negative spaces that we find ourselves in that I find my fear of disinformation being right now at the top of the list because the the head of the federal government in charge of our health is disinformation person and is not rooted in science or math or evidence based practice, but we are. And so while I feel it's important to stay up on it, and I know we all have to do what's good for our own mental health as part of our health to just discern what news we ingest and what we step aside from. If, you know, if if there if for my personal choice, it's just for me, I do choose to root myself in the facts of what is being placed out there, including the facts of disinformation. Because it's it gives us it gives us the power of having that knowledge to continue our work and maybe tweak our work in ways that we never thought we would do, but we did it five years ago. And we're doing it in a kind of the same way, and I'm sorry that that might bring up stuff for people too.

But we have a responsibility. And it's hard because I hope you all have great lives and homes and exercise plans and caffeine and whatever else brings you joy because we have a responsibility to take care of the people who are being misinformed. And we have a responsibility to maintain our access points for those who are being misinformed, and it can be tiring. And, you know, how many times can we teach a family about the true the true mortality risk of measles? How can we how many times can we teach a family about the true risk of bird flu?

And that having all the birds infected would not be a good choice. But we have to continue that work. And so when I am faced with disinformation, I'm so grateful that I get to be the smallest part of this work with you because you are the opposite of that. So you need to just I just beg you to remember that when you're tired and when you're feeling dejected and when you're you've done all the right things and it's still not working the way we it should, that we we together, we can we can get it done. We just will.

And we'll be tiring, and we will rest after this time again, and say, oh my gosh. We got through it again. But you have an amazing staff leader. You have an amazing staff, and I'm just grateful that you are in this fight with us. That's that. All right. We're gonna move into study session time. We have three study sessions today. The first study session item is to hear the end of your fiscal year twenty four financial report. In

two minutes or less is what I have.

No. No. No. No. No. Good. It's only 03:30. I know it's 01:30. I know it's it's 03:30.

Alright. I feel like I should have the theme song antihero where it's hi, it's me.

I'm a problem. And I could take it from home, of course. Alright.

So today, we're gonna do a policy update, a department update. I'll breeze through unaudited year end financials and our unaudited fund balance. So as far as the policy update, unfortunately, we're still in the uncertainty around, very specifically, the state budget. The revenue forecast that JBC had been waiting for came out on Monday. It was this much better than they had anticipated.

It's 1,160,000,000 shortfall instead of the 1,500,000,000.0 we might have anticipated. Unfortunately, one thing that did come out of it was a recommendation to eliminate the marijuana tax cash fund transfer that funds quite a bit of work at CDPHE. It's the tune of about 23,700,000.0. That recommendation came forward on Monday. Where you are I did some light reading the other night looking at the long bill.

That cash fund pops up in very many of the line items. So that is a new risk that kinda popped up this week. We also have several funding streams that we're monitoring closely as the state has not received their federal notice of award for that funding stream, and we have they're coming up through renewal or have passed. So those are kind of our big ticket items right now. As far as the department update, had two highlights that I wanted to bring up for my department or I'm sorry, my division.

Arapahoe County Public Health received a low risk rating from FRMS at CDPHE, which is a huge win for our team. It's a testament to the work that Tracy, Todd, and Justin on my team have done for two years now. And so just for a real quick background, for those that don't know what FRMS is, the financial risk management system within CDKGN. It reviews compliance with state laws, contract terms, policies, procedures, OMB guidance, audit requirements. I mean, it's a big deal. So this is a huge win for the department and my team. And then just another highlight. Thank you. No. I don't have two minutes.

The vital records department, as of March 1, I'm sorry, the Vital Records Office on March 1 now participates in the necessary documents program through Metro Caring and the Office of Health Equity within CDPHE, provides, lowers the barrier of service and provides documents for individuals that may not be able to afford them, but birth certificates and death certificates. So that's a great step. And again, a shout out to Camille and Ashley who carried that process all the way. Alright. On to the quarterly financials.

So highlight, we collected a 106%. Sorry, Abby. There we go. And I should have titled this. Actually, this is unaudited financials. So these are what we see in SAP. I don't anticipate very many adjustments through the audit process, but it is just worth noting. We collected a 106% of our budget in revenue. We collected 25,400,000.0. That increase is attributed to an increase in Medicaid revenue, an increase in battle records revenue, and then some grants we just did not necessarily budget for, we didn't necessarily anticipate receiving.

Of that 25.4, 7.1 is county contribution and the remainder is fees or reimbursable grants. And then within expenses, ended the year at 99.2 percent of budget. And our total expenses were 23.8 with 19,200,000.0 being staff. One note sorry. Real quick. You don't have to go back, Abby. On our aging revenue, so for revenue that was billed within 2024, and so that's 16,200,000.0 of that, we have $5,333 outstanding.

Oh. Wow.

So that's pretty darn good.

Yeah.

This time last year, we were at a million. Wow. Yes. An increase in an improvement in process and an increase in oversight will A million

percent. Yeah. Yeah. So this is just a

deep dive into the at

a granular level, look at

these those numbers. Again, highlighting investment revenue is something we never know until the end of the year. Accounting gives it to us last year, we were $83,000. So a little bit better this year. Just helps helps. Salary benefits. I did wanna call out within the supplies and services line. This is an opportunity for us to kind of improve our budgeting process as we refine where expenses need to be categorized.

All right, on to the fun stuff.

So within the unaudited fund balance, I'll remind the board, you passed a fund balance policy previously that asked for approximately 6% of our operating revenue. I'm sorry. 6,000,000 in operating revenue. We are making great headway. We ended 2024 with and it actually should not say available. It should say committed fund balance because we're still building our reserves, which is where that 6,000,000 would be.

So that

was my mistake. $2,500,000, we increased that by 1.6 this year. I will note that the ending 2023 fund balance is corrected. So last year when I presented it, I was essentially double removing the unavailable revenue. I didn't understand with the reports I was reading out of SAP that it's already been removed.

So that number is higher than you saw last year. It's corrected and it is correct on this slide. The $832,000 of unavailable revenue, it is the revenue that we is expenses we received in December, mostly payroll, was billed in January per normal cycles. We had to accrue it back into December. And therefore, until we collect the cash, it is unavailable revenue. So that is that number. I think I did pretty good on my two minutes. Few questions. Great. Thank you.

I'm a long

list of questions.

Okay. Let's go.

I'm sorry. I I actually have a question Yeah.

Before because his will be way more detailed. Mine's That's more. Terms of yes. Yeah. It is true. No. It'll be, like, understanding budget, and I just have a Yeah. That's feel good question. Yes. How unusual is it? And I'm not this is not rhetorical. Truly, I wanna know. How unusual is it to get that kind of rating with such a new entity, meaning such a new public health entity?

Don't know the last time that a new entity was started before the Tri Cavita Solution. Okay. Yeah.

So But don't you think it's unusual, highly unusual? I do. Okay.

Yeah. I mean, I it was a giddy day. I was and nobody was here, so I was, like, skipping down the hall

We might we might have to leave with, like, a little soccer moment. Yeah. Yeah. We went under a hard answer. We were done? Yeah. But I just I I really wanted to ask the question truly because if there was an answer, I wanted to know, but also to reemphasize how I think that's a really big deal.

And I can't I cannot take any credit for it. It's a 100% my staff. Yeah. The the hard work they put into it.

We'll let you let you come coach him.

Yeah. Under her lead. Co sign.

Yeah. But it it is huge. I think we,

you know, flippantly said that we would want to have that rating within a couple of years. Not really I mean, knowing that that actually wouldn't happen because it's a it's not an easy assessment. That's very detailed and things. But so it it's a huge deal.

And and I do have to give a shout out to the CPHE staff within that office. They're very supportive. They very much help in the having that role. So

go ahead. Got a question. Yeah. Thank you so much. I mean, I've just been so impressed with you and your team, you know, for the board and for the rest of the team here, you know, with Ned, you know, for your team with with Brianna and her staff and just really appreciate the meticulous effort. And and I know getting the this high grades from the state was was huge. And I think we sat down probably about March, and you guys were already working on it, like, to to improve it. The fact that your accounts receivable is so small is is hard to fathom, frankly, coming from organizations that have been multiple millions of aged and uncollected revenues. So it's a huge kudos to you guys. Thank you.

Anybody else? Sean, you have a question? Sean.

I have a well, one, I have a comment. I just wanna say, Brianna, you and your team are doing an amazing job. I think, you know, part of I don't want you know, part of what's going on nationally, this is in the conversation. I I think everybody talks about government being efficient. I think when you are efficient, and I would definitely consider us in the top 1%, my question is, does, like, the county commissioners and does the county appreciate how good we are.

And so, you know, so many times to focus just as on services and how those are but I would say how many times do we get to highlight how good and how efficient and effective we are? And so that's just a question I have for Jennifer and the team, you know, because I think as much as we put out press releases about other stuff, I think this is newsworthy, you know, with the negative attention that gets put on government and that government doesn't know how to manage or they're not doing a good job. I think it just, you know, say it can be done, and we're doing it here in Arapahoe County.

I really appreciate that. Yeah. And they do I mean, the our board of commissioners are as proud of this health department as you all are. But to the extent that what I share with you or what we share with you, we don't with the commissioners. So I think this is a great opportunity to talk.

You're right. We we have not touted these things. We usually do with the commissioners focus on service delivery. And without the without the business office doing such an efficient job, we don't do a good job at service delivery. So I think it might be time for a joint meeting with the commissioners because we have I don't think we've done that recently. So and ways to to think about how to brag on the department of things that are not just the number of services that we provide. So thank you, Sean.

We have that too. And that's kinda where that channel is going is. I I do think there's an opportunity for how we communicate with the public as well. I mean, there's such a big push on a one, and we're thankful that that that passed. But I think it's also an opportunity to tell our story more publicly in terms of it can get lost in sort of the numbers, but there's a way to frame that for for the public of just the efficient use of resources, and I think it really and and connect it back to the services that that Repo County is able to provide. But I I would really recommend trying to get that out on social media or otherwise. Okay.

Keep feeling giddy. It keeps giving. Alright. We're ready to move on? Our next study session item is to hear a chip highlight and regarding improving access to nutritious and affordable food.

Guarantee. Alright. Hi there. I'm Leslie Levine. I'm a senior community health promotion specialist in the community health promotion program. You saw me a couple months ago during a presentation about tobacco and nicotine prevention. So I split my time between that work and on nutrition and food insecurity work, And all of my work is policy focused. So today, obviously, the focus is on healthy and affordable food. Next slide, please. So within the community health improvement plan, it's under the priority area of increasing economic security and mobility.

One of the objectives that we're working on has to do with nutrition policies within the within emergency food providers. And how do we increase the nutrient density of the foods and beverages that are being distributed? And we'll go into more of that. Next slide, please. So we're doing this work through the Arapahoe Food Security Coalition.

We used to be called the Arapahoe County Food Security Collaborative. We tried to tighten up the name, make it a little bit less of a mouthful. The books you see on the screen are from our strategic planning process over the summer. Next slide, please. And so we have over 100 members of the coalition at this point, representing 60 organizations. You see a lot of the organizations here on the slide. These are the folks who are heavily involved in the work. So we had, during strategic planning, we had Advent Health. And know I'm gonna mess

this up.

Integrated Family and Community Services, Englewood Police Department. We had folks from our WIP program, Backpack Society, Cafe one hundred eighty. I think I got everybody. And then I do also want to highlight that we had commissioner Carrie Warren Gully participate in one of our sessions, and that was fantastic. We do also have residents at the table. So these are residents who are passionate about food insecurity. We're in the process of bringing on folks who are experiencing food insecurity now. So it really is a great group of folks. Next slide. So I'm coming to this work through a grant that I have from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

It's through the Cancer, Cardiovascular, and Pulmonary Disease grant program. My grant is specifically focused on reducing consumption of sugary beverages and addressing health disparities. So when I originally started this work, and again, it is all policy focused. When I originally started the work, I was looking at beverages in kids meals and have since pivoted from there because we weren't really getting traction in the community. So there are other evidence based policies to address consumption of sugary beverages.

I've mentioned nutritional quality of foods and beverages among our emergency food providers. And another tactic is looking at sugary beverage taxes because the higher prices reduce consumption. I do have some materials on the table that you can grab after the meeting if you wanna look more at that information. And I'm happy to meet with anybody afterwards if you wanna chat about that. We did also receive in September a $10,000 grant from CDPHE.

It was a rapid response grant. And we used that funding to create a data dashboard, so we have easy access to data on food insecurity. And then we also hired a contractor to kind of help with some of the administrative pieces of standing up a brand new coalition. And then lastly, after some relationship building, we received a $2,500 grant from a local family foundation. And we're using that funding to put together a website for the coalition. Next slide, please. So here you see our vision and our mission. So to be really clear, this coalition is not doing food distribution. Our work is focused on capacity building of our emergency food providers. Many of these folks are they're small.

Maybe they have a staff, or they're just volunteer run. And so we are working related to their ability to gather food, store food, distribute food. And I also want to mention that despite the fact that we're called the Arapahoe Food Security Coalition, we actually are not countywide yet. We are focused on the Tri Cities area, so Littleton, Englewood, and Sheridan. And we do anticipate geographically expanding across the county. All right. Next slide, please. So here are the value statements. Just to highlight a couple of them. So this coalition is not housed under the county.

We are a community owned coalition. During strategic planning, the folks were really clear that they wanted the community to own it and really raise up community voice. I also want to share about equitable participation. So a lot of the folks at the table are here in a paid capacity. But we have a growing number of people who are volunteering.

And so we're trying to figure out how do we make sure everybody, again, has that voice at the table. And then I want to highlight sustainability. So we are a small, but my group don't have a lot of funding. And so everything that we're doing, I'm thinking about the long term prospects of those of the work. So we're trying to keep our focus narrow for now, knowing that as grant funds come in, we'll widen our scope of work and, again, our geographic reach.

Next slide, please. So our problem statement. So there absolutely collaboration taking place among our emergency food providers and our referral organizations. But we know we need to increase that. And so we're really focused on how can we further partnerships that exist, expand them.

And then we also know on the individual level for our member organizations, how can we help them address their storage needs, their funding needs, and needs with volunteers, and especially those volunteers who speak multiple languages. And I forgot to mention on this slide about members. So it's emergency food providers, referral organizations like AdventHealth, Stride Community Health Center, Doctors Care. We have elected and appointed officials, and then, again, the residents. Next slide, please.

So this is a slide that probably looks familiar from the community health assessment. And just wanted to highlight that in Arapahoe County, it's our children who are experiencing food insecurity at the highest rates, and just slightly higher than what we see at the state level. Next slide. So about this time last year, we decided to do a food insecurity lived experience survey. We wanted to have a better understanding of what food insecurity looks like in Arapahoe County. And so we had about 100 responses. We have WIC staff here. So props to our WIC team. They really pushed this out in their waiting rooms. Most of the respondents were Spanish speaking WIC participants.

But I wanna share a little bit of data from there. So on this slide, we asked about how food insecurity impacts their household. So the top response there was, you can see that definitely a lot of worry that they experience, wondering if they're going to have enough food to eat. We also heard about decreasing food choices, lowering the quality of food that they're providing to their family, and obviously eating less food as well. Next slide, please.

We wanted to see how people are getting the are able to feed their families and have in their household. So we pretty much assumed that we would hear about community organizations like food pantries. That was the top response there. And then people also shared that they are eating less expensive and unfortunately less healthy food. And then they also rely on their friends and family to make sure that they have enough to eat.

Next slide, please. So for our last data slide, we wanted to know how often they are tapping into these community resource organizations. So the pantries, the backpack programs, the hot meal programs, etcetera. And over 60% of respondents are using these resources at least once per month. So this is a really busy slide, but we've been really busy over the last year.

So about a year ago, January 2024, went to a Littleton Notary Meeting and just happened to sit down next to some staff from Graceful Foundation. And they're the ones who shared, we really need to see more collaboration among our emergency food providers, and we need a coalition focused on food insecurity. And so one of those staff facilitates the change the trend coalition that brings together I'm sorry. They bring together organizations that provide services to the unsheltered population. So we pulled in a couple

of those folks, a few

other people in February 2024, and said, are you interested in a coalition just about food insecurity? You can guess what the answer was. So from there, I allocated some of the funds from my CDPHE grant, and we hired some strategic planning consultants who led us through a process over the summer. And we created a one year strategic plan. Again, we decided that we didn't want to be housed within the county government.

And so

we have a partnership with the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center as our fiscal sponsor. And then in September, we started recruiting people fiercely to join the coalition. And we started our monthly coalition meetings and task force meetings. At that point, they're all virtual. And I would say we have between twenty five and thirty five people per coalition meeting, which actually is really successful given how new we are.

I mentioned that data dashboard that went live towards the September. And then really exciting, we came together for the first time as a coalition in October for a networking event, and Doctor. Levine joined us for that. And people, you could tell, it was really hard to get people to quiet down after some networking time. And we broke out into small groups, and we talked about what are some of the assets in our community for addressing food insecurity, and what are some of our challenges.

And you'll see that information reflected in the next slides. We did a coalition survey in November. This was one of my grant requirements. A little bit odd to do a coalition survey to see do people feel like their voices are being heard and they have engagement opportunities just two months after launching a coalition, but we did that. We have some good baseline data. And then we seeded our leadership committee in January. So this is a mighty group of four people. We have representatives from Backpack Society, Cafe one hundred eighty, Advent Health Littleton, and then we have a passionate community resident. So it's been really fun and really good to work with these folks. They're very committed to leading the coalition.

We did our first training just earlier this month. That focus was on those nutrition guidelines, nutrition policies for food pantries, and other emergency food providers. We had about 30 people, and people stayed past the event time, the end time for the event. So that's always a good sign when people want to ask lots of questions of our speakers.

And then

now, we are in the process of conducting a capacity assessment of our emergency food providers. So we're doing one hour interviews, and we're talking about how they're procuring their food, how they're storing their food, distributing the food, the volunteers, their funding, what do their kitchens look like. So we really are getting an idea of how things are going to serve our food insecure population, again, that focus on the Tri Cities area. Next slide, please. So I mentioned our task forces. We have six. They all reflect the goal areas within our one year strategic plan.

Some of

the things that they've worked on or they're currently working on now, governance and operations is creating bylaws for the coalition. The data and evaluation task force put together that coalition survey and created the interview protocol for the capacity assessment. Outreach and engagement is really trying to find the folks who maybe they're attending our monthly coalition meetings, but they haven't joined a task force yet. And then we're just really trying to reach more people to join on and take a role within all the work that we're doing. Programs and projects is a small but mighty team who did the training events and the networking event.

Fundraising, we're working on a fundraising plan that really will be a diverse mix of donors, hopefully local family foundations, and other grant opportunities. And then communications, they're overseeing

the development of our website.

Next slide.

So I want to dive in a little bit more to this capacity assessment. I've done four of the interviews so far. And it really has been quite wonderful hearing stories and just learning a lot more about what this work looks like on the ground. I haven't done that myself. And so it's helpful being in the role that I'm in to hear those stories and hear what's working in those pain points.

So generous donors. So a couple of people in my conversations have talked about they can just pick up the phone and call a congregant of their church or community member and just basically say, I need $500 I need $2,000 We need more money for food. We need more money for equipment. And people are saying yes, which is wonderful. We hear a lot about the stability of long term volunteers.

That is critical for them, and it's working really well. Sometimes in these conversations, they just jump right into, this is what's worth what's working, and these are the things that we really need help with. Other times, we have to probe a little bit. They want to, you know, show things are going really well. And so once we start probing, we hear about those pain points. People are really worried about having to turn folks away. Whether it's a pantry, a hot meal program, they don't wanna have to do that. And demand for these services is rising. We, as individuals, are complaining about food prices. Imagine if you're running a hot meal program, a pantry, Nourish Meals on Wheels with their meal delivery service.

Even when they're buying in bulk, the cost of food is so high, and that's heating up more and more of their budget. And then Food Bank at the Rockies is all the way over in Aurora. We don't have a drop off point on the West Side of the county. And so volunteers are taking their personal cars, driving over, pulling up to the loading dock. And so there's worry about the liability to these personal vehicles. We also hear folks received a lot of grants during COVID, especially to buy equipment. They don't necessarily have the funding to maintenance that equipment, to

make sure that it's running.

And then marketing. Right? So if you have a hot meal program and you have a 120 chairs, you wanna make sure every one of those chairs is full. And so they need help with marketing. I do also wanna share on the what's working side. They do hear a lot of thank yous from clients receiving their services, not only for the food, but for the social connection that those services provide to them. So as you can imagine, during these interviews, these conversations, there's great

place. So some of

the ideas ideas, nothing committed yet, that have come up is a purchasing cooperative. How can we help the big organizations and the smaller ones lower their price points? What if we had a an insured vehicle, an insured driver that our members could essentially rent to go over to Food Bank of Iraqis? And then we know, absolutely, we need to have a shared storage facility and potentially a commercial project. Next slide, please.

So what is up for us? In a nutshell, a lot. We know we need to ramp up our community engagement and our outreach, and again, especially residents with lived experience. We anticipate our website will launch in April. That will be really important for our recruitment purposes as well as our fundraising purposes.

We don't have a public presence at this point. Our next training, we hope over the summer, will be related to fundraising. And then we want to start holding quarterly, very casual, in person networking events. We do anticipate meeting over the summer. We want to dig into the capacity assessment data and prioritize some short, medium, and long term capacity building projects.

And just have to note, those short term projects are going to be so important because we have to keep our members at the table and excited, and engaged in this work. And then we'll do a fundraising plan to raise money for all those projects that we prioritize. We really need at least a part time staff person to run the coalition. And then just, obviously, any coalition has some small operational needs. We're going to roll I'm just gonna keep going through this. We're gonna roll out membership fees in June.

That will help cover some of the operational costs.

We are also going to use the community engagement spectrum, does it say the right tracking tool? So that we can see as our different member organizations step in and out, you know, light and deeper engagement with

the coalition. So that'll help

us see what that looks like over the long term. And then lastly, and so exciting, it's not on the slide. Last week, we just started conversations with Littleton Rotary and the South Metro Community Foundation. We're going to hold a community forum about food insecurity in Littleton. Last year, they did one on foster youth and had about 150 people from the business community and folks who were civically engaged. And so this will be so important for us to start bringing in the business community and just more recruitment and education. So really excited about that. All right, next slide. So funding next steps. I had no idea how hard it was going to be to raise money for the coalition.

So you see at the top of the slide the applications that we applied for, that were not awarded, not small lifts. But we keep going. And so moving forward, at least for the short term, our focus is going to be on local family foundations, looking for donors, businesses that want to, you know, invest in their community. We are going to apply for grants to Littleton Rotary Foundation and probably City of Littleton as well. Next slide.

So this might be a little unusual for presentations to the Board of Health, but we need your help. We need help recruiting coalition members. We need help with coalition members who have specific skill sets. We need new collateral. Our collateral is from our strategic plan being launched in September.

We are going to launch that website, but we need at least one social media platform. We need to create a very basic budget for our coalition so that when we're engaging with donors, we can tell them, this is at least what we need. I can create big, beautiful budgets for an EPA grant application, but really getting down to the to the bare bones of what's needed. And then just simply food donations so that we don't need to spend any of our budget. I mean, membership fees on it so that when we have networking events and trainings, we can feed our guests who are attending.

And then on the fundraising plan side, introductions to businesses that might want to engage in some way, whether it's their staff, whether it's making donations, introductions to those family foundations that have invitation only grant opportunities.

Haven't quite figured out how to crack

that nut yet. And then lastly,

so we have a lot of most of

our members are emergency aid providers. And so they are all applying to the same grant opportunities, the same foundations. They need money for food, and they need money for operations. And so how can we do this in a collaborative way? It demonstrates the power of the coalition, and hopefully makes them more successful in getting the grant funds they need to be able to feed their community members. So looking for thought partners to figure out how can we make that happen. All right.

Next slide. That is all. We have time for questions. Thanks, Leslie.

I can jump in really quickly. I just wanna give enormous kudos to Leslie. I'm I'm sure it's evident not only does she have a very sophisticated knowledge of systems change and food systems, which is difficult enough as it is, but really on her shoulders has been an amazing dynamo. And you can tell that timeline within just a year to have this level of planning, assessment, diversified funding pursuit, and engagement of the partners. Know, just to have that commitment already and their interest at being at the table so consistently has just been and this is only a portion of her role.

She's doing other work at the same time. And so I've just really been so impressed with your efforts and excited about what is coming of this. And so we were excited to bring this to you as the first chip update, And Yeah.

You can

let us know as we go along how this this style deals. You'll be getting chip related information in a variety of ways. But just wanted to really recognize Leslie for her herculean efforts around this. It's been exciting.

And I'd like to second that. I've been following along fairly closely with

what Leslie has been doing here.

It's tremendously impressive. So thank you.

Thanks for supporting.

And a great presentation today. Yeah. Think it's it's such a important area. It seems like getting the website set up is really key in terms of any central repository of information, you know, not only for, you know, claims, if you will, but also, you know, how to adapt. So

So we have a contractor working on it right now as we speak. The anonymous donation went towards it and a little bit of my great funds. So hopefully, April, we will go live. Do

you have academic partners? And as you're describing them, thinking about, like, grad school projects and what have you. I know there's ways to tap there.

Well, yeah. We have a connection with the School of Public Health. And there are two students in the School of Public Health who are interested but not yet committed to helping us with data, understanding our data, accumulating our data, and then expressing our data so that funders and other supporters can can we can use that data

for good purposes. Tell tell a story.

Yes. Yes. So we we have the state data, the county data. Now we're gathering all of this data from the emergency food providers. They're also sharing annual reports and other survey data they might have from their pantry clients. So if we can really tell a robust story about what food insecurity looks like, I think that will help not only, I mean, a coalition of guests and our emergency food providers.

I'm just I'm just thinking how do I the whole time I

was thinking, like,

how do I help?

Like, what do I do?

Can I volunteer? Like and I I think in, like, business, like, I work at a not necessarily an organization of my partner, but but then I don't know. I've never asked a question. So that that's what my response is like, how how exactly do I help? So I don't know. I really question. It was like, that's where my.

We have lots of little project opportunities. We have a group that just met today. They're creating a language access plan, not just spoken language, but visually. How do we make sure that we are accessible to anyone who would want to participate? As we start digging into these capacity building projects, we'll have ways people who can't commit to monthly meetings, can they commit to a short term project? Like, we created the scope of work for the website. So we're always looking for people who have various skill sets to come to the table and join us for however much they have to give. Sounds like you should have a cookie

with Terrence. What?

I'm a matchmaker. What can I tell you? Sean, do you have anything?

No. I think it was a like I said, it's a great project, and definitely food security is the biggest social determinant in Arapahoe County. And so I think it's a great project, so I really like it. And thanks, Mark, for all of the volunteering and the work he's doing on that too. So doctor Levine, I know he's real passionate about there. And I saw his picture, unless that was his twin, that was on one of the slides.

So thank you for participating there.

I had to highlight that.

Yeah. First

of all, awesome. You're amazing. Seen you in action with the school district.

There are other food coalitions in our county, and I I got a pre attended a presentation yesterday from one in Aurora, but it's totally different. It's really looking upon providing local food that they are producing through community gardens and other things like that. But, nevertheless, there's a lot of interest in food within our county and a huge amount of need. I know that there's a huge need in other parts of the county, particularly, original Aurora and, and that area. So and there are opportunities perhaps for us to reach out to Adams County, which I know is also interested in these kinds of things.

So this may be the beginning of something that's even bigger. Let us take your you're doing a suit.

Things. One is I know the T course sits in Douglas County officially, but they serve our students. And so my suggestion is to see what and in fact, I'm gonna be down there next week for a site visit because we we did with our bond passing with Cherry Creek Schools. We are building a student family resource center Mhmm. On the Iraq on the Overland campus.

And that will include a a much more robust resource pantry than we have there now. We have 20 resource pantries inside schools. So I would say if if if if a site visit would be helpful to any of the coalition members to see what's working, what's not working, and how to serve at that point where they don't have to go they don't have to go to a new place because kids go to school. Mhmm. And so that might be interesting. But I think it'd be an interesting conversation with Lisa Long. So we have Debbie Blair Okay.

The table, and she did one of the capacity assessment committees. Okay. Awesome. Yeah. And we have Nina Sheehan also. That's my that's my runs the pantry.

She sure does.

Yeah. She amazing. And I have a volunteer for her comms, So get with me afterwards. Okay. I know it's 5 it's not 406. It's 506, and we we still have a director report. And I have gotten the okay from somebody much more important to me to say that if you are staff and you don't need to stay, you can go home. Because I know that you'll feel bad getting up. And if I say it's okay and it's 05:00, you should go home. Oh my gosh. So thank you for being here. Your boss is gonna give us a report, and we'll show if you don't know what she's gonna say, then we got bigger problems. Thank you. Thank you, guys. Thank you all.

And so any other questions for Leslie other than we thank you for everything you're doing? And we'll keep helping you, and you just need to you just need to ask us, like, to Terrence's point. Just tap us for individual things or phone calls or whatever we can do. We just often don't know because we're not in it with you every day. Right? I mean, doctor Levine is, but

Not every

day. Not every day.

So just ask us

for help,

for real. But you got my greatest people at

the table, so there you go.

Okay. Final study session. We it. Did it. Alright. You said get comfortable, Michelle. I I

know I did. You're in here for a long time. But first, I just wanna thank you all for the consideration that you put into the hearing given this was the first one. And I think when we did OWTS one zero one last year, we're like, oh, yeah.

You just once in my career have we done a hearing. Of course, we're gonna do that. Mean, know, it's now. We're still here. Oh my god. Yeah.

I remember that now. Yeah.

So I just wanna thank you for the thought that you put into the evidence preview presented by staff, listening to the property owner, taking into consideration, displacing eight individuals. So I just I thank you for the thought and consideration because it's it's a lot of information to absorb and then have to make decision on the spot with an audience. So I think the resulting resolution was a good one and really gives us teeth to to hold them accountable. So thank you. Appreciate that.

So couple of things I wanna highlight in the mission moments. I kept I have a theme this month of fiscal stewardship because I wanted to highlight first the FMRS audit. But, you know, fiscal stewardship is one of our guiding principles and not often something that we talk a lot about because we do focus our mission moments more on the the direct service and the people that we're serving. But again, without the fiscal responsibility, the business side of it, we wouldn't be able to do what we do. So we talked about the financial risk management and the loan risk.

But I also wanted to highlight the environmental health program and the their extraordinary effort of getting license renewals. It is a huge undertaking, so we issue the renewals in November. They are for the calendar year for the license. We start getting that money coming in in December, January. But come February, they do a huge campaign of calling.

We do our best to try to get compliance for people who want to renew their license without having to take them or issue fines. But by the date that we issued this report, 99.9% had renewed their license, which brings in close to $900,000. Then in February, after lots of calls, emails, attempts, they did issue approximately 60 facilities had not paid, and we issue a civil penalty of $500, a lot more than the $50 a day

that we

just issued mister Feller. But that resulted in $30,000 in revenue for fees. So it's, you know, we're not in this for generating revenues and fees, but it is an important piece, and it ensures compliance that people are operating with a license. So really important work, but it's it's a heavy, heavy lift from the environmental health team, and they do a phenomenal job of ensuring compliance because we want people to be operating with a license. So just wanted to recognize that team because often overlooked.

And then Brianna did mention the Vital Records office. Very creative in the work that they do in ensuring accessibility. So we opened our second office in Altura. Now we have this agreement, or we're participating with Metro Caring to be able to Metro Caring offers the voucher to receive birth or death certificates, but it removes that barrier of receiving really important documentation to be able to either get a job or, you know, just your basic help, interschool, all the things that might be needed. So it's great to be participating with that.

And again, on the financial theme, our maternal and child health program, one of their goals this year, and something they did, they partnered with Adams County Health Department and Arapahoe County Human Services to host volunteer income tax assistance days. And we did them in February. And during that month, we assisted 34 households, 25 who successfully filed their taxes. And of those 25, collectively received 33 over 33,000 in federal refunds and almost 56,000 in state tax refunds for a total of 81,000. So a huge service to our families in Arapahoe County.

It was Arapahoe. So it was a great partnership between the five entities. They hosted it on-site at Arapahoe County Human Services. We had they were booked for every day that they did that. So very successful. Hopefully, we'll be able to do it again. And you'll know I wanna point out in the report, Heather has been helping with the CHIP groups. Like, if it's an activity that relates to a CHIP initiative, it's highlighted, and we we indicate which goal it is working toward. So we wanted to make sure that we were connecting those. And then on thinking about performance, not necessarily as much on the the economic side, but the performance of a a program.

The nurse liaison program, which is a home visit program, different than nurse home or family nurse family partnership. But it is a partnership. It is fully funded by human services, and it is it pairs nurses with the caseworkers. So they are cases referred to our nurses by human services. So very different complex families and complex issues.

They set a performance target of 40% engagement, meaning that they engage with 40% ticket referrals. They would pull data for the first time out of Q and A. And between December 1 and January 31, they had an engagement rate of 44%. So they surpassed their goal of 40, hit 44%. So really excited and proud of that.

So that means they're engaging with 44% of those. Right now, since probably the January into February engagement, like, we may see a drop off because our clients have been fearful to answer the door, answer our phone calls. So we may see a bit of a drop, and hopefully, we'll be able to get that tick back up. They they do trust public health, and they trust their nurse, but just getting them to come to the door right now is a challenge. And then last month, I presented one of our mission moments last month was the RTD grant that we had received for tickets, and we had some success stories.