The year 2020 was a difficult year for many yet, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the litany of challenges that resulted, the Town of Berthoud accomplished a great deal last year.

At the meeting of the Berthoud Board of Trustees on Jan. 26, Town Administrator Chris Kirk highlighted the work the town has done to improve the quality of life. The accomplishments are many.

Kirk’s presentation stated, “Within the context of an unprecedented global pandemic, Town staff made necessary adjustments to keep the community moving forward. Part of that effort included providing local businesses support with both Town funds and federal funds provided by the CARES Act.”

Through the programs Kirk highlighted, Berthoud was able to provide $229,000 in CARES Act funding to 35 Berthoud businesses via the Berthoud Recovery Fund and provide sales tax rebates totaling $75,000 to 34 Berthoud businesses. The town partnered with the Berthoud Area Chamber of Commerce to assist with various programs and provided $61,000 of support to Berthoud small businesses and an additional $10,000 in support for measures such as signage and façade improvements, advertising, marketing, outdoor seating and heaters.

“2020 was a year that many people will want to forget. Fortunately, in the Town of Berthoud, we began and completed numerous important projects that will have lasting legacies for future generations in Berthoud,” Kirk said in his presentation that further highlighted the improvements made throughout town. The Waggener Farm Park project with the Berthoud Recreation Center is “on schedule and on budget,” as Kirk and town staff have routinely maintained.

Projects beyond the rec center that were also mentioned in the presentation include the town’s dog park, which was re-surfaced in December, the near completion of Berthoud Reservoir recreation area (electrical service remains in limbo), as well as $1 million in sidewalk and street maintenance projects that were both much in need and long overdue. The town also constructed a new fishing dock at Robert’s Lake Park, completed the designs for a new skate park and partnered with Berthoud Local to support multiple projects at the Pioneer Park community garden.

Further projects completed by Berthoud Parks and Recreation include tail improvements and connections all over town including Bein Park, Hillsdale Park to the Rose Farm Acres development, along 10^th Street, McNeil Reservoir and along South Berthoud Parkway from Welch Avenue to Blue Bell Road.

To help assure that things continue to run smoothly, the town also completed multiple infrastructure projects including rebuilding all on potable irrigation pumps at Pioneer Park in order to convert all irrigation at park to non-potable and completed repairs at the Pioneer Park Pavilion, Repaired the Roberts Lake outlet pipe to improve drainage.

In an effort to preserve Berthoud’s legacy as the Garden Spot of Colorado, the town also held 79 tree plantings, pruned 375 more, treated 516 ash trees against the invasive Emerald Ash Borer disease and conducted Russian Olive mitigation at Hillsdale Natural Area, Neilson Greenway Trail and Berthoud Park Reservoir.

While the town was able to accomplish a great deal in 2020, far more than can be outlined in this space, Kirk concluded his report by stating that the 2021 will bring even more reporting, “There are 38 projects budgeted in our 2021 budget that include capital expenses, major equipment purchases, planning and design efforts, and more, totaling nearly $28 Million.”

Updates will continue to be shared with the public as details emerge.