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8A ✧ NEWSRIO BLANCO HERALD TIMESThursday, September 20, 2012RDH: After more than a year of planning and 23 meetings, now near completion Continued from Page 1Athat doesn’t happen, the architectsplan it, you bid it out to a contractor,and the contractor says, ‘Well, thatlooks good on paper, but we can’tmake that work.’ But we’d alreadyworked through those (issues) for ayear-and-a-half of planning.”More than a year of planningbefore ever breaking ground wasn’thow Goshe and the RDH Board initiallyenvisioned the project. A $38.7million bond initiative passed in May2010 was followed by a 15-monthdelay when conflicts betweenHousing and Urban Development(HUD) requirements and Bureau ofLand Management (BLM) regulationsstymied the project’s start.Rather than go through HUD, thehospital sought out help to sell thebonds privately, a move that cut thelife of the loan by more than 10 yearsand reduced the interest rate frombetween 6.5 and 7 percent to 5.25percent. The change resulted in anestimated $40 million project savings,Goshe said.An initial proposal to build a newhospital was rejected by voters in2007. When the hospital brought thebond issue back to the ballot in 2010,concerns expressed included theamount taxpayers would be responsiblefor and whether there was really aneed for a new building. Goshe saidthat while he still talks to people whowanted more information or input onthe process, many didn’t realize that23 Town Hall meetings were advertisedand held in various locationsand times for that purpose.Goshe believes that people maybe getting used to the reality of a newhospital.“I don’t notice the public oppositionat board meetings now,” he said.“We used to have standing roomonly, and now it’s rare to have visitorsattend a meeting.”NOTICE OF COMMUNITY MEETING REGARDINGSEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATORLAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES: Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office and Meeker Police DepartmentA YES vote on any ballot issue is a vote in favor of changing current lawor existing circumstances, and a NO vote on any ballot issue is a voteagainst changing current law or existing circumstances.I, Michael Mauer, Director of Research of the Colorado LegislativeCouncil of the General Assembly of the State of Colorado, do hereby certifythat the following is a true copy of the measures that will be votedupon by the registered electors of the state of Colorado at the statewideelection to be held on November 6, 2012.AMENDMENT SShall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning thestate personnel system, and, in connection therewith, expanding the veterans'preference; increasing the number of candidates eligible to beappointed to a position; adjusting the duration of allowable temporaryemployment; allowing the flexibility to remove a limited number of positionsfrom the system; modifying the residency requirement; adjusting theterms of service for members of the state personnel board; and requiringmerit-based appointments to be made through a comparative analysisprocess?Text of Proposal:Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-eighthGeneral Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein:SECTION 1. At the next election at which such question may be submitted,there shall be submitted to the registered electors of the state ofColorado, for their approval or rejection, the following amendment to theconstitution of the state of Colorado, to wit:In the constitution of the state of Colorado, section 13 of article XII,amend (1), (2), (5), (6), and (9) as follows:Section 13. State personnel system - merit system. (1)Appointments and promotions to offices and employments in the STATEpersonnel system of the state shall be made according to merit and fitness,to be ascertained by competitive tests of competence A COMPAR-ATIVE ANALYSIS OF CANDIDATES BASED ON OBJECTIVE CRITE-RIA without regard to race, creed, or color, or political affiliation. ANUMERICALOR NONNUMERICALMETHOD MAY BE USED FORTHE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CANDIDATES.(2) (a) The STATE personnel system of the state shall comprise allappointive public officers and employees of the state, except the following:(I) Members of the public utilities commission, the industrial commissionof Colorado, the state board of land commissioners, the Colorado taxcommission, the state parole board, and the state personnel board;(II) Members of any board or commission serving without compensationexcept for per diem allowances provided by law and reimbursement ofexpenses;(III) The employees in the offices of the governor and the lieutenant governorwhose functions are confined to such offices and whose duties areconcerned only with the administration thereof;(IV) Appointees to fill vacancies in elective offices;(V) One deputy of each elective officer other than the governor and lieutenantgovernor specified in section 1 of article IV of this constitution;(VI) Officers otherwise specified in this constitution;Your presence is requested at a Community Meeting.DATE: 09/26/2012 TIME: 6:00pm-8:00pm LOCATION: Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds-New Community Bldg.700 Sulphur Creek Road, Meeker, CO 81641Pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 16-13-901 through 16-13-905, the meeting is being held to provideinformation concerning the release of a Sexually Violent Predator into this community. Educational informationregarding sexual offending will also be presented by a team of professionals involved in the management of sexoffenders in our community. The goal of the meeting is to enhance public safety and protection.VIGILANTISM, OR USE OF THIS INFORMATION TO HARASS, THREATEN, OR INTIMIDATE ANY OF THEFOLLOWING PEOPLE IS CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED: THE OFFENDER, THEOFFENDER'S SIGNIFICANT OTHERS AND THE COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION TEAM.The individual subject of the notification has been convicted of a sex offense that requires law enforcementregistration. Further, he or she has been determined to present a high potential to re-offend and are therefore subjectto community notification regarding his or her residence in this community.This law enforcement agency has no legal authority to direct where a sex offender may live. Unless court restrictionsexist, they are constitutionally free to live wherever they choose. Sex offenders have always lived in our communities,but they were not required to notify law enforcement of their residence until registration laws were implementedpursuant to the Jacob Wetterling Act in 1994. Law enforcement may now share that information with members of theircommunities, and in the case of Sexually Violent Predators, law enforcement must actively notify citizens.Due to the mature content of the information that will be presented, it is not advisable to bring children to the meeting.It is strongly encouraged that the appropriate Sexually Violent Predator information and public safety informationpresented be reviewed with children after the meeting. No one under the age of 18 will be permitted to attend themeeting.It is requested that your organization designate 1-2 representatives to attend the meeting and receive the notificationmaterials.If you have questions, please call the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office at (970) 878-9620 .(VII) Faculty members of educational institutions and departments notreformatory or charitable in character, and such administrators thereof asmay be exempt by law;(VIII) Students and inmates in state educational or other institutionsemployed therein;(IX) Attorneys at law serving as assistant attorneys general; and(X) Members, officers, and employees of the legislative and judicialdepartments of the state, unless otherwise specifically provided in thisconstitution;(XI) SUBJECT TO THE APPROVALOF THE STATE PERSONNELDIRECTOR, THE FOLLOWING PERSONS FROM EACH PRINCIPALDEPARTMENT: DEPUTY DEPARTMENT HEADS, CHIEF FINANCIALOFFICERS, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS, LEGISLATIVELIAISONS, HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTORS, AND EXECUTIVEASSISTANTS TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS; AND(XII) SUBJECT TO THE APPROVALOF THE STATE PERSONNELDIRECTOR, SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE EMPLOYEES.(b) THE TOTALNUMBER OF EMPLOYEES EXEMPTED FROM THESTATE PERSONNELSYSTEM PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPHS(XI) AND (XII) OF PARAGRAPH (a) OF THIS SUBSECTION (2) SHALLNOT EXCEED AN AMOUNT EQUALTO ONE PERCENT OF THETOTALNUMBER OF PERSONS IN THE STATE PERSONNELSYS-TEM.(5) The person to be appointed to any position under the STATE personnelsystem shall be one of the three SIX persons ranking highest on theeligible list for such position, or such lesser number as qualify, as determinedfrom competitive tests of competence THE COMPARATIVEANALYSIS PROCESS, subject to limitations set forth in rules of the statepersonnel board applicable to multiple appointments from any such list.(6) (a) EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (b) OF THIS SUB-SECTION (6), all appointees shall reside in the state, but applicationsneed not be limited to residents of the state as to those positions foundby the state personnel board to require special education or training orspecial professional or technical qualifications and which OR THESTATE PERSONNELDIRECTOR DETERMINES cannot be readily filledfrom among residents of this state.(b) IF A POSITION IS FOR WORK THAT IS TO BE PERFORMED PRI-MARILY AT A LOCATION THAT IS WITHIN THIRTY MILES OF THESTATE BORDER:(I) APPLICATIONS FOR THE POSITION ARE NOT LIMITED TO RESI-DENTS OF THE STATE; AND(II) AN APPOINTEE TO THE POSITION IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE ARESIDENT OF THE STATE.(9) (a) The state personnel director may authorize the temporaryemployment of persons, not to exceed six NINE months, during whichtime an eligible list shall be provided for permanent positions. No othertemporary or emergency employment shall be permitted under theSTATE personnel system.(b) NOTHING IN PARAGRAPH (a) OF THIS SUBSECTION (9) SHALLBE CONSTRUED AS PERMITTING THE APPOINTMENT OF A TEM-PORARY EMPLOYEE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELIMINATING A PER-MANENT POSITION FROM THE STATE PERSONNELSYSTEM.HEATHER ZADRA(Above) During the day, staff at the main entrance's switchboard and reception area will direct patientswhere they need to go. (Below) The clinic nurses' station is situated next to the clinic exam rooms andphysician offices. A reception and check-out area will separate sick patients from patients in the dentist'soffices next door.Workers have finished majorcomponents of the building’s interiorin recent weeks, including drywallingand painting, with landscapingscheduled for completion by the endof the month. The wing housing thedental offices, clinic, and administrativearea are finished with the exceptionof trim work and some wiring,while other sections of the hospitalwill soon receive flooring, trim, andcabinets.“I’ve been on it since the verybeginning, and that’s been exciting,getting to see it develop from theplanning stage until now,” Goshesaid.All but one department managerand dozens of staff members havewatched the project go from being abond issue in early 2009 to a nearlycompleted building. That includesdoctors Karyl Ting, MercedesCameron and Chris Adams andphysician assistant Diana Wright, allof whom are nearing or have reachedthe three-year mark as regular hospitalstaff.At the hospital’s open house,scheduled for Dec. 7, patients may beawestruck by the building’s size,which Goshe said exceeds mostdepartment managers’ minimum2012 Statewide Ballot Issues: pg 1In the constitution of the state of Colorado, section 14 of article XII,amend (1), (2), and (3) as follows:Section 14. State personnel board - state personnel director. (1)There is hereby created a state personnel board to consist of five members,three of whom shall be appointed by the governor with the consentof the senate, and two of whom shall be elected by persons certified toclasses and positions in the state personnel system in the manner prescribedby law. Each member APPOINTED OR ELECTED PRIOR TOJANUARY 1, 2013, shall be appointed or elected SERVE for a term offive years. and may succeed himself, but of the members first selected,the members appointed by the governor shall serve for terms of one,two, and three years, respectively, and the members elected shall servefor terms of four and five years, respectively. EACH MEMBER APPOINT-ED OR ELECTED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2013, SHALL SERVEFOR A TERM OF THREE YEARS. NO MEMBER SHALL SERVE MORETHAN TWO TERMS OF OFFICE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ATERM IS A FULL TERM OR A PARTIAL TERM FILLING A VACANCY.Each member of the board shall be a qualified elector of the state, butshall not be otherwise an officer or employee of the state or of any stateemployee organization, and shall receive such compensation as shall befixed by law.(2) (a) Any member of the board TWO OF THE APPOINTED MEM-BERS OF THE STATE PERSONNELBOARD SERVE AT THE PLEAS-URE OF THE GOVERNOR. BOTH ELECTED MEMBERS OF THEBOARD AND THE APPOINTED MEMBER SPECIFIED IN PARAGRAPH(b) OF THIS SUBSECTION (2) may be removed by the governor for willfulmisconduct in office, willful failure or inability to perform his OR HERduties, final conviction of a felony or of any other offense involving moralturpitude, or by reason of permanent disability interfering with the performanceof his OR HER duties, which removal shall be subject to judicialreview. Any vacancy in office shall be filled in the same manner asthe selection of the person vacating the office, and for the unexpiredterm.(b) THE MEMBER OF THE BOARD WHO IS APPOINTED FOR ATERM COMMENCING ON JULY 1, 2013, AND THE SUCCESSORS TOTHAT POSITION DO NOT SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE GOV-ERNOR.(3) The state personnel board shall adopt, and may from time to timeamend or repeal, rules to implement the provisions of this section andsections 13 and 15 of this article, as amended, and laws enacted pursuantthereto, including but not limited to rules concerning standardizationof positions, determination of grades of positions, standards of efficientand competent service, the conduct of competitive examinations ofcompetence, grievance procedures, appeals from actions by appointingauthorities, and conduct of hearings by hearing officers where authorizedby law.In the constitution of the state of Colorado, section 15 of article XII,amend (1), (3), (4), (5), and (7); and repeal (6) as follows:Section 15. Veterans' preference. (1) (a) (I) The passing grade oneach competitive examination THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ACANDIDATE TO BE PLACED ON AN ELIGIBLE LIST FOR A POSITIONshall be the same for each candidate for appointment or employment inthe STATE personnel system of the state or in any comparable civil serviceor merit system of any agency or political subdivision of the state,including any municipality chartered or to be chartered under article XXof this constitution.(II) IF A NUMERICALMETHOD IS USED FOR THE COMPARATIVEANALYSIS BASED ON OBJECTIVE CRITERIA, APPLICANTS ENTI-requests for space.“Ninety-five percent of the hospitalis built just to state code (requirements),”Goshe said. “Most managers,when they came in, said, ‘OK,we need this much space,’ and thenwe found out that the code minimumwas more than what they were askingfor. Some of that’s because we’reused to working out of a closet andnow we’re going to a full-size department.But I think it’s very adequate.It definitely looks big.”Big might mean 140 parkingspots, more than twice the number atthe current site, flanking the building’smain and rear entrances. A newhelipad located next to the nearly3,000 square-foot ambulance garagelinks to an emergency unit completewith four exam rooms, a triage room,trauma room and psychiatric room.Other features of the building arelarger than life, like the 12 examrooms and six physician offices thatcurve around the clinic nurses’ station,with reception and check-outareas separating sick patients fromthose in the dental office waitingroom down the hall. A 1,350 squarefootmeeting room will host patienteducation, community outreach, ortraining sessions, while the new pharmacy’sretail section will offer overthe-countermedications and get-wellcards. Just a few steps from the clin- See RDH, Page 9ARANGELYREADY MIXCONCRETE675-8300Fresh • LocalCompetitiveWANTEDWe Buy HeavyEquip., Trucks,Unwanted FarmEquip. Large amountsof ScrapMetal.We will pick up& pay up to $150/ton.Free EstimatesCall 970-987-9039
RIO BLANCO HERALD TIMESThursday, September 20, 2012NEWS ✧ 9ARDH: Despite 15-month delay, Rangely District Hospital due to open Dec. 1710%Oil, Gas, & CoalIndustrialState OwnedResidentialCommercialAgriculture8%4%3% 1%74%Oil, Gas, & CoalIndustrial StateOwned Residential Commercial Agriculture and the hospital’s long-term careunit, Goshe said.Right now, though, the goal is toget through the “punch walk,” orfinal check before state inspectorsarrive in November, then look aheadto the hospital’s grand opening onDec. 7, move starting Dec. 14, andopening day on Dec. 17.“We’ll probably be running twoplaces at the same time during thetransition,” Goshe said. “And it’ll bechaos for a few days. But everyone’sexcited and we have lots of good helpto do it.”HEATHER ZADRA(Above) CEO Nick Goshe says the cafeteria, which seats 40 indoors and includes an outdoor diningspace, is a common area where visitors and patients can share a meal. (Below) The concrete of the newhelipad and surrounding walkways is heated and will melt snow up to -17 below zero. Continued from Page 8Aic, the cafeteria seats 40 and isframed by a slate fireplace and a wallof windows leading out to a patiowith more dining tables.Many staff members are lookingforward to stretching out in the newfacility.“Everybody feels like they’re ontop of each other here,” said RDHstaff accountant Maxine Stewart,who shares office space with twoother employees. “The hospital reallyhas met its useful life. Now we’re justbiding time.”Another feature of the building isa distinct separation of spaces. Thephysical therapy department, whichcurrently separates its “rooms” withcurtains, will have four privaterooms, along with separate exerciseand aquatics rooms. The long-termcare wing houses ten private roomswith amenities just for its patients,including an outdoor sitting area,food prep space and activities room.With the new building comesequipment and built-in technologyconsidered cutting-edge in the healthcareindustry, Goshe said. Thatincludes patient lifts in the eightacute and ten long-term patientrooms, negative pressure rooms forinfection control in the acute unit,and a 64-slice low-dose radiation CTscanner. Eighty percent of the equipmentwill be new, Goshe said, withold equipment and furniture traded inas equity or sold to organizations thatthen take them to third-world countries.To maintain all of the space andnew equipment, the hospital hashired an additional maintenanceworker and plans to employ morehousekeeping staff, Goshe said. Hesaid that other expenses may be comparableto the old building.“As far as utilities, it’s a biggerbuilding, but because our old systemsare so inefficient, and because everythingin the new building is energyefficient,we feel like our gas andelectric might stay the same,” Goshesaid.Otherwise, unless new servicesare added in the future, the currentRDH staff will be the staff patientssee in the new building. Patientsshould, however, expect to see morespecialists coming to Rangely on amonthly or bimonthly basis.Administration has targeted the specialprocedures unit, which will onlybe used approximately two days permonth at the outset, for increased useby specialists who currently requireRangely patients to come to theirGrand Junction offices.“We’ve got specialists who say,‘We’re not coming up here if wedon’t have room,’” Goshe said. “Werealize we’re not going to be able tosupport an orthopedic surgeon or anykind of specialist. But there areenough patients in Rangely that (specialists)could visit once a month, andif we have the space for them, we willhave them... Like we said during ourTown Hall meetings, our goal is tosave patients as many trips out oftown as we can.”At its current size, the hospitalwill never deliver babies or performsurgeries requiring general anesthesiadue to insurance restrictions,Goshe said. But some procedures,like vasectomies, colonoscopies andendoscopies will continue to be done,and others like cataract removals maybe options in the future.Chief Financial Officer JimDillon said that RDH’s financial stabilitycomes from its status as a criticalaccess facility, which means thatMedicare pays for some of its overheadcosts, and as a special districthospital, which provides an operationslevy that has been in place foryears. Once the hospital is complete,administrators and the board hope tofurther plans for a six-unit apartmentcomplex for visiting or interim staff,along with a six-bed independent livingsenior facility that could includelight housekeeping and meal services.The facility would complementthe Eagle Crest Assisted Living area2012 Statewide Ballot Issues: pg 2TLED TO PREFERENCE UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE GIVENPREFERENCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPHS (b) TO (e) OFTHIS SUBSECTION (1). IF A NONNUMERICALMETHOD IS USED,APPLICANTS ENTITLED TO PREFERENCE UNDER THIS SECTIONSHALL BE ADDED TO THE INTERVIEW ELIGIBLE LIST.(b) Five points shall be added to the grade COMPARATIVE ANALYSISSCORE of each candidate on each such examination, except any promotionalexamination, who is separated under honorable conditions andwho, other than for training purposes, (i) served in any branch of thearmed forces of the United States during any period of any declared waror any undeclared war or other armed hostilities against an armed foreignenemy, or (ii) served on active duty in any such branch in any campaignor expedition for which a campaign badge is authorized.(c) Ten points shall be added to the passing grade COMPARATIVEANALYSIS SCORE of any candidate of each such examination, exceptany promotional examination, who has so served, other than for trainingpurposes, and who, because of disability incurred in the line of duty, isreceiving monetary compensation or disability retired benefits by reasonof public laws administered by the department of defense or the veteransadministration, or any successor thereto.(d) Five points shall be added to the passing grade COMPARATIVEANALYSIS SCORE of any candidate of each such examination, exceptany promotional examination, who is the surviving spouse of any personwho was or would have been entitled to additional points under paragraph(b) or (c) of this subsection (1) or of any person who died duringsuch service or as a result of service-connected cause while on activeduty in any such branch, other than for training purposes.(e) No more than a total of ten points shall be added to the passinggrade COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS SCORE of any such candidate pursuantto this subsection (1).(3) (a) When a reduction in the work force of the state or any such politicalsubdivision thereof becomes necessary because of lack of work orcurtailment of funds, employees not eligible for added points PREFER-ENCE under subsection (1) of this section shall be separated beforethose so entitled who have the same or more service in the employmentof the state or such political subdivision, counting both military service forwhich such points are added PREFERENCE IS GIVEN and suchemployment with the state or such political subdivision, as the case maybe, from which the employee is to be separated.(b) In the case of such a person eligible for added points PREFERENCEwho has completed twenty or more years of active military service, nomilitary service shall be counted in determining length of service inrespect to such retention rights. In the case of such a person who hascompleted less than twenty years of such military service, no more thanten years of service under subsection (1) (b) (i) and (ii) shall be countedin determining such length of service for such retention rights.(4) The state personnel board and each comparable supervisory oradministrative board of any such civil service or merit system of anyagency of the state or any such political subdivision thereof shall implementthe provisions of this section to assure that all persons entitled toadded points and preference in examinations A COMPARATIVE ANALY-SIS and retention shall enjoy their full privileges and rights granted bythis section.(5) Any examination which is a promotional examination, but which NOPERSON SHALL RECEIVE PREFERENCE PURSUANT TO THIS SEC-TION WITH RESPECT TO A PROMOTIONALOPPORTUNITY. ANYPROMOTIONALOPPORTUNITY THAT is also open to persons otherthan employees for whom such appointment would be a promotion, shallbe considered a promotional examination OPPORTUNITY for the purposesof this section.(6) Any other provision of this section to the contrary notwithstanding, noperson shall be entitled to the addition of points under this section formore than one appointment or employment with the same jurisdiction,personnel system, civil service, or merit system.(7) This section shall be in full force and effect on and after July 1, 1971,and shall grant veterans' preference to all persons who have served inthe armed forces of the United States in any declared or undeclared war,conflict, engagement, expedition, or campaign for which a campaignbadge has been authorized, and who meet the requirements of serviceor disability, or both, as provided in this section. This section shall applyto all public employment examinations OPPORTUNITIES, except promotionalexaminations AS SET FORTH IN SUBSECTION (5) OF THISSECTION, conducted on or after such date, and it shall be in all respectsself-executing.SECTION 2. Each elector voting at said election and desirous of votingfor or against said amendment shall cast a vote as provided by law either"Yes" or "No" on the proposition: "Shall there be an amendment to theColorado constitution concerning the state personnel system, and, inconnection therewith, expanding the veterans' preference; increasing thenumber of candidates eligible to be appointed to a position; adjusting theduration of allowable temporary employment; allowing the flexibility toremove a limited number of positions from the system; modifying the residencyrequirement; adjusting the terms of service for members of thestate personnel board; and requiring merit-based appointments to bemade through a comparative analysis process?"SECTION 3. The votes cast for the adoption or rejection of said amendmentshall be canvassed and the result determined in the manner providedby law for the canvassing of votes for representatives in Congress,and if a majority of the electors voting on the question shall have voted"Yes", the said amendment shall become a part of the state constitution.AMENDMENT 64Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerningmarijuana, and, in connection therewith, providing for the regulation ofmarijuana; permitting a person twenty-one years of age or older to consumeor possess limited amounts of marijuana; providing for the licensingof cultivation facilities, product manufacturing facilities, testing facilities,and retail stores; permitting local governments to regulate or prohibitsuch facilities; requiring the general assembly to enact an excise tax tobe levied upon wholesale sales of marijuana; requiring that the first $40million in revenue raised annually by such tax be credited to the publicschool capital construction assistance fund; and requiring the generalassembly to enact legislation governing the cultivation, processing, andsale of industrial hemp?Text of Proposal:Be it Enacted by the People of the State of Colorado:Article XVIII of the constitution of the state of Colorado is amended BYTHE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read:Section 16. Personal use and regulation of marijuana(1) Purpose and findings.Third-Party Comments onColorado Northwestern Community CollegeUpcoming AccreditationColorado Northwestern Community College is presently undergoing anaccreditation review. Information regarding accreditation is available on TheHigher Learning Commission’s (HLC) website. As part of this process and oureffort to reach out to a broad range of constituents, the College is requestingcomments regarding the institution. HLC forwards the comments to theaccreditation evaluation team members so they can be included in their review ofthe institution when they do their site visit scheduled for September 24-26, 2012.Deadline for comments is October 1. Comments are submitted directly to HLCvia the form on the HLC web-link:http://www.ncahlc.org/Information-for-the-Public/third-party-comment.htmlOr in written form to HLC at:Public Comment on Colorado Northwestern Community CollegeThe Higher Learning Commission230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500Chicago, IL 60604-1411(a) IN THE INTEREST OF THE EFFICIENT USE OF LAW ENFORCE-MENT RESOURCES, ENHANCING REVENUE FOR PUBLIC PURPOS-ES, AND INDIVIDUALFREEDOM, THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OFCOLORADO FIND AND DECLARE THAT THE USE OF MARIJUANASHOULD BE LEGAL FOR PERSONS TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGEOR OLDER AND TAXED IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO ALCOHOL.(b) IN THE INTEREST OF THE HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY OFOUR CITIZENRY, THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO FUR-THER FIND AND DECLARE THAT MARIJUANA SHOULD BE REGU-LATED IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO ALCOHOL SO THAT:(I) INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE TO SHOW PROOF OF AGE BEFOREPURCHASING MARIJUANA;(II) SELLING, DISTRIBUTING, OR TRANSFERRING MARIJUANA TOMINORS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY-ONE SHALL REMAIN ILLEGAL;(III) DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MARIJUANA SHALLREMAIN ILLEGAL;(IV) LEGITIMATE, TAXPAYING BUSINESS PEOPLE, AND NOT CRIM-INALACTORS, WILLCONDUCT SALES OF MARIJUANA; AND(V) MARIJUANA SOLD IN THIS STATE WILL BE LABELED AND SUB-JECT TO ADDITIONALREGULATIONS TO ENSURE THAT CON-SUMERS ARE INFORMED AND PROTECTED.(c) IN THE INTEREST OF ENACTING RATIONALPOLICIES FOR THETREATMENT OF ALL VARIATIONS OF THE CANNABIS PLANT, THEPEOPLE OF COLORADO FURTHER FIND AND DECLARE THATINDUSTRIAL HEMP SHOULD BE REGULATED SEPARATELY FROMSTRAINS OF CANNABIS WITH HIGHER DELTA-9 TETRAHYDRO-CANNABINOL(THC) CONCENTRATIONS.(d) THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO FURTHER FINDAND DECLARE THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE CONSISTEN-CY AND FAIRNESS IN THE APPLICATION OF THIS SECTIONTHROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THAT, THEREFORE, THE MAT-TERS ADDRESSED BY THIS SECTION ARE, EXCEPT AS SPECIFIEDHEREIN, MATTERS OF STATEWIDE CONCERN.(2) Definitions. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXTOTHERWISE REQUIRES,(a) "COLORADO MEDICAL MARIJUANA CODE" MEANS ARTICLE43.3 OF TITLE 12, COLORADO REVISED STATUTES.(b) "CONSUMER" MEANS A PERSON TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGEOR OLDER WHO PURCHASES MARIJUANA OR MARIJUANA PROD-UCTS FOR PERSONALUSE BY PERSONS TWENTY-ONE YEARS OFAGE OR OLDER, BUT NOT FOR RESALE TO OTHERS.(c) "DEPARTMENT" MEANS THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE ORITS SUCCESSOR AGENCY.(d) "INDUSTRIALHEMP" MEANS THE PLANT OF THE GENUSCANNABIS AND ANY PART OF SUCH PLANT, WHETHER GROWINGOR NOT, WITH A DELTA-9 TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CONCEN-TRATION THAT DOES NOT EXCEED THREE-TENTHS PERCENT ONA DRY WEIGHT BASIS.(e) "LOCALITY" MEANS A COUNTY, MUNICIPALITY, OR CITY ANDCOUNTY.(f) "MARIJUANA" OR "MARIHUANA" MEANS ALL PARTS OF THEPLANT OF THE GENUS CANNABIS WHETHER GROWING OR NOT,THE SEEDS THEREOF, THE RESIN EXTRACTED FROM ANY PARTOF THE PLANT, AND EVERY COMPOUND, MANUFACTURE, SALT,
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