2012
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 12-044
       
       
       BY SENATOR(S) Grantham, Aguilar, Bacon, Boyd, Brophy, Cadman,
       Carroll, Foster, Giron, Guzman, Harvey, Heath, Hodge, Hudak, Jahn,
       Johnston, King K., King S., Lambert, Lundberg, Mitchell, Morse,
       Neville, Newell, Nicholson, Renfroe, Roberts, Scheffel, Schwartz,
       Spence, Steadman, Tochtrop, White, Williams S., Shaffer B.;
       also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Becker, Barker, Bradford, Brown, Coram,
       Court, Ferrandino, Fields, Fischer, Gerou, Holbert, Kerr A., Kerr J.,
       Massey, McCann, Murray, Pace, Schafer S., Soper, Swalm, Swerdfeger,
       Todd, Vigil, Wilson, McNulty.
       
       
          CONCERNING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARKANSAS
       VALLEY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. 
       
       
          WHEREAS, The Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility opened in July
       1987 and marks its 25th anniversary this year; and
       
          WHEREAS, Located in Crowley County, the Arkansas Valley
       Correctional Facility was completed at a cost of $43 million and is a
       mixed-custody correctional facility designed to hold 1,007 adult males;
       and
       
          WHEREAS, The facility employs 323 full-time staff members, over
       70% of whom currently live within the Arkansas Valley, an increase of
       more than 50% from a year ago; and
       
          WHEREAS, The increase in local employment in the Arkansas Valley
       is a direct result of the facility's central role in absorbing staff from the
       decommissioning of the Fort Lyon facility; and
       
          WHEREAS, The mission of the facility states that it "is a proud
       organization of excellence, whose legacy has withstood the test of time.
       We are committed to the safe and secure environment for all, working
       together as a cohesive team of highly trained correctional professionals
       who encourage offender participation in programmatic opportunities";
       and
       
          WHEREAS, The facility offers a broad range of educational and
       vocational programs as well as mental health and recreational activities
       for offenders to make positive behavioral changes and become
       law-abiding citizens; and
       
          WHEREAS, Not only does the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility
       contribute millions of dollars each year to the economy of southeastern
       Colorado, but the entire state also benefits from the facility, which
       provides best practices in offender management as well as fiscal
       accountability to the citizens of Colorado; and
       
          WHEREAS, Due to the dedication of many people, including former
       State Representative Elwood Gillis, former State Senators Jim Rizzuto,
       Ron Strahle, and Kathy Arnold, and community members Ralph
       Grantham, Dick Berg, and Shannon Torgler, the facility is now marking
       its 25th anniversary; now, therefore,
       
          Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-eighth General Assembly of
       the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:
       
          That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, recognize
       the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility for its 25 years of service to the
       State of Colorado.
       
          Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to
       the Honorable John Hickenlooper, Governor of Colorado; Tom Clements,
       Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Corrections; former
       State Representative Elwood Gillis; former State Senator Ron Strahle;        former State Senator Kathy Arnold; former State Senator and current
       President of Otero Junior College, Jim Rizzuto; and the members of the
       Board of County Commissioners for Crowley County.
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Brandon C. Shaffer                     Frank McNulty
       PRESIDENT OF                    SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
       THE SENATE                        OF REPRESENTATIVES
       
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Cindi Markwell                        Marilyn Eddins
       SECRETARY OF                CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE
       THE SENATE                        OF REPRESENTATIVES