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Larimer County's Employee Newsletter
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LARIMER COUNTY FARMER'S MARKET CELEBRATES 50 YEARS
The Larimer County Farmers’ Market celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, with opening day set for Saturday, May 16. Operated by the CSU Extension Office in Larimer County, the market has grown from a small outlet for home gardeners in 1976 into one of the largest volunteer-run, growers-only markets in Colorado.
A reminder to Courthouse employees: Please do not park personal or County vehicles in the parking lot on Saturdays between 5am and 2pm during market season, as the lot is reserved for vendors and market operations.
Click to read more...
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MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH
FrWhether you’re looking to gain new insights, find a supportive network, or discover the local organizations dedicated to well-being, this is your home base. We’ve curated a calendar of events and training designed to spark conversation, build resilience, and strengthen the bonds that make our community thrive. Click to read more...
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SAME COMMUNICATION RESOURCES, NEW SITE
Communication resources have moved to the BBoard! All existing materials and more are now in this centralized location. The legacy Google site will be decommissioned on June 1, 2026, so please update your bookmarks soon.
For questions, contact the Public Affairs Team at public...@co.larimer.co.us
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STOP THE ALGAE MONSTER! EXCESSIVE NUTRIENTS ARE HARMFUL
Did you know harmful algae can form in waterways due to excessive nutrient loading from yard waste and fertilizers? We all want a healthy green lawn, but how we get there matters. Learn more about what you can do from Larimer County’s Stormwater Program and the Colorado Stormwater Council.
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BEFORE YOU HIT SEND 
Email is one of the most common ways we communicate at work, and while it may seem simple, small habits can make a big difference in how messages are received. Clear, thoughtful communication not only helps information move more efficiently, but also reduces confusion, frustration, and overflowing inboxes.
- Start with the Subject Line - One of the easiest ways to improve communication starts before the email is even opened: the subject line. A clear, descriptive subject helps recipients quickly understand the purpose of the message and whether action is needed. A subject like “Action Needed: Compliance Training” provides far more context than a vague “Question” or “Update,” and makes it easier for employees to prioritize their inbox throughout the day.
- Tone Matters More Than You Think - Because email lacks facial expressions and verbal cues, messages can easily be interpreted differently than intended. Humor, sarcasm, excessive punctuation, or ALL CAPS may come across more harshly than expected. In most cases, the best approach is to keep communication professional, respectful, and conversational, similar to how you would speak to a colleague in person.
Click to read more...
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HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION EVENT
When: Saturday, May 16th | 09:00 AM - 03:00 PM
Location: Event entrance on the east side beside Sugar Beet Park.
Streets Facility, 625 Ninth St., Fort Collins, CO, 80524, View Map
Accepted Items: Please visit the City of Fort Collins Event Website to learn more about what you can dispose of at the event.
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BENEFITS NEWS
- MSA WEBINARS
- Student Loan Changes: What to Decide Before July 1st
Wednesday, May 20th | Reserve Your Spot
Upcoming student loan repayment changes could impact your monthly payments, timeline, and long-term debt strategy. Join this live event to understand what’s changing, which options may be phasing out, and what actions you may want to consider before July 1st.
- FITNESS CENTER HOURS CHANGING
The Larimer County Fitness Center at 2601 Midpoint Drive is expanding hours of operation. It will now be open seven days a week from 4:30AM - 10:30PM.
As a reminder, the Fitness Center is FREE for all Larimer County employees to use. For liability reasons, it is not available for family members or friends who are not Larimer County employees to access.
For more information, click here.
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WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?
There are no "What's Up with That" responses to share at this time.
Submit a "What's Up with That" Question via Open Voice
ASK HR
Q.
As the team reviews 2027 compensation adjustments, I wanted to share a data-driven perspective on how inflation is impacting our workforce.
Current BLS data shows a 4.2% increase in cost-of-living for the Front Range. A standard 2% market adjustment in compensation - while appreciated - covers less than 1/2 of the actual rise in local living expenses. In addition, some estimates put the "true" cost-of-living increase closer to 6% when factoring in the recent spike in fuel and food prices. At these rates, a standard market adjustment plus merit adjustment might result in less purchasing power!
I'm raising this to emphasize the "day to day" reality of living in the Front Range, and to encourage you to deliver "real wage" increases for employees, not just nominal adjustments. Is real wage growth something that the county intends to deliver in 2027 and beyond?
A.
It is a valid point, and we hear the concern loud and clear. It’s hard to ignore the price of gas or the grocery bill right now, and we know that the Front Range reality feels different from the national average.
When we make recommendations for 2027, the goal is always to deliver the most meaningful increases possible. However, it is a complex balancing act that involves much more than just the inflation rate.
While a market adjustment might be 2%, it’s important to remember that most employees receive two types of increases: the Market Adjustment and a Merit Increase. Historically, when you combine these two, County employees see an average base pay increase of about 5% per year. In many years, this total increase has actually exceeded the local inflation rate. We recognize that merit increases occur at different times for everyone, depending on evaluation dates, but the cumulative effect is designed to build real wage growth over time.
One of the toughest hurdles we face is that the County’s revenue, the money we use to pay salaries, does not automatically increase just because inflation does. Our budget is largely defined and restricted. If inflation is at 4% or 6% but the County’s revenue grows by only 2%, we face a very difficult choice. To fund a 4% salary increase across the board without new revenue, we would have to find those funds elsewhere, which usually means cutting services, reducing operations, or even reducing staff.
Example: If a department of 50 people receives a 4% raise that isn't covered by new revenue, the department would need to "find" roughly $175,000 to fund it. In practical terms, that could mean reducing the team by two positions just to pay for the raises of the other 48.
Our leaders and Commissioners work incredibly hard to avoid those kinds of trade-offs because we value both our people and the services we provide to the community.
What Else Goes Into the Mix?
Inflation is a vital data point, but it isn't the only one. We also look at:
- What are other large cities, counties, and private employers paying for the same work?
- Ensuring pay remains consistent across jobs.
- We monitor turnover rates and unemployment trends to see where the pressure points are for our workforce.
We aren't just looking at a single number; we’re looking at the County's long-term health. We are constantly searching for ways to find the money to keep salaries moving forward while ensuring we don't have to sacrifice the jobs or services we’re here to provide.
Our commitment for 2027 remains the same: to provide the most competitive and sustainable compensation possible, keeping the lived reality of our employees at the center of the conversation.
Q.
In a continuation of the question: HR allows employees to donate sick time to employees. However, this is only to be used for the employee to care for sick or injured family members. It is not to be used for the employee's own illness. I am wondering why there is no way to donate sick time to employees for their own illness or injury? Seems very strange and unfair.
Why doesn't the County offer the option for an employee to purchase short term disability insurance for dependents (similar to life insurance)? Since the County has such a large number of employees, there should be some discount available.
A.
Those are great follow-up questions.
The County offers an uncapped accrual of sick leave, which is a significant benefit. By allowing employees to bank up to 4 hours per pay period without a cap, the County essentially empowers every employee to build their own income replacement over time. This structure recognizes the appropriate use of sick leave, ensuring that those who treat their leave as income replacement have a funded resource in the event of a major personal illness or injury.
A common question is why donations are permitted only for family members rather than for the employee’s own illness. When an employee is seriously ill, they have two primary income protections: their own uncapped sick leave bank and, typically, a Short-Term (and Long-Term Disability) insurance policy - both paid for by the County. There is no insurance product offered (it doesn't exist) that pays an employee’s salary while they are away from work to care for a relative. By limiting donations to life-threatening family situations, the County ensures the program remains an emergency-only resource, preventing the system from being overwhelmed by routine illnesses that should be managed through an employee’s personal sick accruals.
Short-Term Disability (STD) for dependents is not an option the County has chosen to exclude; rather, it is a product that does not exist in the insurance industry. STD is strictly defined as Income Replacement Insurance for the policyholder. While Life Insurance for dependents exists because a death creates an immediate financial burden for the employee (such as funeral costs), disability insurance is legally and technically tied to the specific workplace and the specific salary of the person covered. In short, because it is not your income, you cannot purchase a policy to ensure their income replacement; they would need to purchase that policy, and it would need to be through their employer. It is not an insurance that offers dependent coverage.
As a reminder, support for sick leave donation is only for life-threatening situations, so it is not frequently used and is reserved for the most difficult situations employees face when caring for their loved ones. If it were offered for all routine illness situations, we could see how that could be seen as unfair or strange, but it is very limited.
Submit an "Ask HR" Question via Open Voice
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GUIDING PRINCIPLES
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