March 29, 2021

In Support of Boulder
from the Board of Trustees

We write in anguish at last week's violence and the senseless deaths. Our hearts are with the families of the victims and the survivors of the shooting in Boulder. In the midst of this horrific tragedy, we also express our deepest gratitude to the first responders who immediately placed themselves in harm's way to rescue others, including fallen officer, Eric Talley.

This message may offer little solace in light of the continual acts of violence affecting our communities, and far too frequently in Colorado, Yet, we hope that you are able to be with those you care about, let them know they are loved, and find comfort in your Erie family.

The Town of Erie is a small town and a mighty town. Like the rest of our State, relationships are close. We don't just share a mission; we are a family. We thank all of the Erie Police Officers on scene last night for the bravery it takes just to do their jobs.
Take good care of yourselves and each other, and, please reach out should you need support.

Town of Erie Board of Trustees

Women of Erie Police Department

To close out the month of March, the Town offers a shout-out to the dedicated women of the Erie Police Department in honor of Women's History Month. View the interactive tool to learn more about each woman by visiting www.erieco.gov/police.

Virtual Arbor Day Celebration

The Parks and Recreation Department, along with the Tree Board, is switching the Annual Arbor Day Celebration to a virtual format this year! To keep the celebration interactive, the Town Forester and Tree Board would love to hear any questions you might have about trees. Are you new to the area and looking to plant a tree? Did your existing tree sustain damage from heavy snowfall? Would you like to learn about tree incentive programs in Erie? Let us know what questions you'd like answered by the experts by Saturday, April 24. Submit your questions here!

Calling All Playground Experts

At the time of this publication, there have been 21 ideas submitted by Erie's playground experts to the Country Fields Playground Design. Visit EngageErie to view their ideas, vote for your favorite, and submit your ideas soon! You may also view the recorded community meeting from March 25 at https://erieco.us/countryfields.

New Jake Brake Ordinance

On Tuesday, March 23, the Board of Trustees passed ordinance 07-2021 that prohibits the use of engine compression or dynamic braking devices, also known commonly as 'Jake Brakes' within the Town of Erie. Town staff is replacing signs and educating construction sites, Waste Connections, and well sites that the ordinance is in effect. The maximum penalty is $2,650 for using these brake devices at any hour of the day, any day of the week. Enforcement will begin after a two-week education effort.

State of the Town

In case you missed it, you may view Mayor Carroll's State of the Town address last week to learn more about what's happening at Town Center, where does the current budget stand, when the Town expects Nine Mile to be complete, and much, much more. Special thanks to the Erie Chamber of Commerce for hosting this event each year. Please visit www.erieco.gov/StateoftheTown to view the recording.

COVID-19 Update

Dial 3.0
The State implemented a new COVID-19 Dial Version 3.0. Boulder and Weld counties continue to be in Yellow, with increasing average cases recently. For more information on the Dial, go to COVID-19 dial | Colorado COVID-19 Updates. For more information on capacities and level restrictions in Yellow, go to COVID-19 dial dashboard | Colorado COVID-19 Updates.

A few changes to note:

The new Dial makes it a bit easier for counties to reach Level Green from Level Blue.
The State has lifted restrictions on capacity limits for outdoor venues. Counties may implement local restrictions on outdoor events, but as of now, there are no capacity limits.
The State is now following the CDC guidelines for personal gatherings indoors instead of the State creating guidelines.

Face Coverings
The State's face coverings mandate will expire on April 4. Two new guidelines are going to be in place concerning masks at the State level:

Any counties at Level Green would only require masks in schools and in congregate care homes.
All other counties at Level Blue or higher would still require masks indoors where more than ten people would be gathering.

Boulder County's face coverings mandate does not have an expiration date. The Town of Erie has been following Boulder County guidelines, and at this point, Boulder County Public Health does not anticipate rescinding its current mandate.

Vaccine Distribution
Vaccine Distribution for groups 1B.3 and 1B.4 are open. More information on those groups and resources are below. Six community sites are opening statewide and information on those sites can be found at Where can I get vaccinated? | Colorado COVID-19 Updates.

Free COVID-19 Tests for Food Service Workers
Restaurant workers and other food services staff can now get FREE at-home COVID-19 test kits. Use them to screen for COVID-19 for a whole month. Learn more.