Don Marostica served as State Representative from Colorado House District 51, where he was a member of the Joint Budget Committee before being appointed by Governor Bill Ritter to the position of Executive Director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
Marostica spoke to attendees of the Bent County Development Foundation Annual Meeting on Feb. 25, telling the audience that the Colorado’s finances are in turmoil.
“It’s not a depression. It’s not a recession. It’s a transformation,” he said.
What people are earning is falling and the unemployment trust fund will run out in less than 10 days, he said.
“Unemployment in the state is not a pretty picture,” he said.
However, in Southeast Colorado, the unemployment rate is running below the state average, he said.
Colorado is a fiscally conservative state, he said, which has helped and hurt it.
New industry from other nations is being solicited for the state, including solar and wind energy and IT jobs.
One of the problems is that when other countries open businesses in Colorado, they want to be within 13 minutes of Denver International Airport.
Marostica applauded what the Bent County Development Foundation is doing and said to keep doing the same thing they have been.
Lisa Trigilio, executive director of the Foundation spoke and told the audience of several different businesses or renovations that were going on in Las Animas and Bent County.
The Bent County Web site has had 344,000 hits and new businesses are opening up like Java Jackie’s, The Bag Lady Boutique and NAPA, which has new owners.
The Santa Fe Trail Inn is being remodeled and will feature a Southwest theme and a weather camera has been placed on the Ark Valley Internet Tower so that Las Animas is featured on KRDO every day.
Additionally, the expansion of Valley Wide Health Systems will bring more services to the area, including dental services.
Valley Wide will be relocating temporarily while the construction to expand the clinic is ongoing.
The new location, at 215 Maple Ave., will take place in the next 30-45 days.
Dr. Heather Abrahamson said Valley Wide is very grateful for the partnership between Bent County and Valley Wide and said the current situation with the clinic makes it difficult for the two physicians and their staff to move.
“It’s like going down Union Station,” she said.
The new clinic will go from 1700 feet to 4500 square feet and will include a dental suite and more exam rooms, Abrahamson said.
“I’m glad to be here and I’m going to stick it out,” she said.
Konnie Martin, CEP of Valley Wide, thanked Trigilio, Susan Kirkpatrick with the Department of Local Affairs, the Bent County Commissioners and Lee Merkel, regional manager for DOLA for their assistance.
Martin presented copies of Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms to Bill Long and the Bent County Commission.
The Four Freedoms are part of the United Nations Charter and were from a speech given by Franklin Roosevelt.
The Four Freedoms are: freedom of speech and expression, Freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear
“We’re extremely grateful to Valley Wide. Thank you, thank you very much, not only for the recognition but for what you’re doing for the community,” Long said.
