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Happy Friday, City of Greeley,
This week, we met with JPMorgan as part of the bank’s due diligence prior to providing the COP (certificates of participation) funding that will go toward design and other predevelopment work for West Greeley. We shared a comprehensive presentation with them, as is standard in these kinds of financial review meetings, about our city, our operations and major projects, projected growth, finances and budget, expected impact of the development on city revenue, as well as the internal and external teams managing the project.
Their response was very positive — about the project, the team, and the city. They believe there’s a strong market for the West Greeley entertainment district, impressed we’re working with “world-class” industry partners, and with the experience and collaboration of our internal and external project teams. They see our city as on the cusp of transformational, well-planned growth, and they’re excited to be at the table with us.
I know many have asked about the project’s cost, risks and benefits, which is a continual topic of conversation for all of us. I am sharing this feedback from JPMorgan since it’s important for everyone to hear what we’re hearing behind the scenes. Thanks to the Finance, Budget, and C&E teams for their hard work and collaboration on the presentation.
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In other news, we’re about six weeks away from the launch of our new Greeley website. I’ve seen a demo of the new site, and I am excited for it to go live. It is easy to navigate, designed with the users in mind, and importantly, meets the requirements of accessibility now in effect in Colorado. One in four adults in the U.S. lives with a disability, which is why compliance with accessibility standards is so critical.
Digital accessibility means that everyone — regardless of ability — can understand, operate and engage with digital content, tools, technologies, as in, websites, documents, apps, and software. Much like ADA standards ensure people of all abilities can access physical spaces, technology accessibility ensures everyone has equal access to online, digital information. For Greeley, that means making information we have posted (and link to) on our city website accessible, so all residents can readily learn about and use city services.
The Customer Experience (CX) team has done an amazing job of making content on the new site accessible — a heavy lift. They’ve also built Greeley 311 as well as the new Utility Billing portal (both coming soon) to meet accessibility requirements. Now it is on each of us to be champions of accessibility, and make sure any documents we create comply.
The team is making it easy. They’ve created the “Accessibility Center” SharePoint site for “everything accessibility and the City of Greeley.” The site includes links to on-demand training, testing and tools, guidance on creating accessible content, FAQ, and accessibility experts to contact if you need additional support. You can also request in-person training for your team.
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Last, something to watch. A few months ago, I participated in a video filmed over dinner at Zoe’s with the three other Greeley recipients of the 2025 BizWest Most Influential Leaders awards — Mitzi Moran, CEO, Sunrise Community Health; Cheri Witt-Brown, CEO, Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity; and City Council Member Brett Payton, partner at Coan, Payton & Payne. The dinner (delicious) was hosted and prepared by Ben Fusco, Director of Events at Zoe’s. He asked us about who inspires us, rituals that keep us grounded, when we knew we were truly part of the Greeley community, among other topics. I haven’t seen the full cut yet, but I like this one section where I talk about when I realized Greeley was my home.
Have a great weekend.
Raymond
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