2016
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       HOUSE MEMORIAL 16-1004
       
       BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Priola and Primavera,  Arndt,
       Becker J., Becker K., Brown, Buck, Buckner, Carver, Conti, Coram,
       Court, Danielson, DelGrosso, Dore, Duran, Esgar, Everett, Fields,
       Foote, Garnett, Ginal, Hamner, Humphrey, Joshi, Kagan,
       Klingenschmitt, Kraft-Tharp, Landgraf, Lawrence, Lebsock, Lee,
       Leonard, Lontine, Lundeen, McCann, Melton, Mitsch Bush,
       Moreno, Navarro, Neville P., Nordberg, Pabon, Pettersen, Rankin,
       Ransom, Rosenthal, Roupe, Ryden, Saine, Salazar, Sias, Singer,
       Thurlow, Tyler, Van Winkle, Vigil, Willett, Williams, Wilson,
       Windholz, Winter, Wist, Young, Hullinghorst.
       
       MEMORIALIZING FORMER REPRESENTATIVE 
          WILLIAM "BILL" MICHAEL BERENS. 
       
          WHEREAS, Our respected former colleague, Bill Berens, a past
       member of the Colorado House of Representatives, departed this life on
       September 7, 2015; and
       
          WHEREAS, Representative Berens was born on December 9, 1948,
       in Montrose, Colorado, to William and Clementine Berens; and
       
          WHEREAS, Representative Berens graduated from Grand Junction
       Central High School and, after serving as an infantryman and drill
       sergeant in the Army, received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil
       Engineering from the University of Colorado-Boulder and a Master of
       Business degree from the University of Northern Colorado; and
       
          
       
       
       
       
       
          WHEREAS, After moving to Broomfield, Colorado, in 1975,
       Representative Berens was elected to the Broomfield city council in 1985,
       became Mayor Pro Tem in 1987, and in 1994 was elected Mayor and
       served for 4 terms, becoming Broomfield's first Mayor to be term-limited
       in 2001; and
       
          WHEREAS, During Representative Berens' time as Mayor an
       amendment to the Colorado Constitution creating the City and County of
       Broomfield was passed, a new water system and treatment facility were
       brought on-line to replace the system near Rocky Flats, and, as a result of
       the combined City and County of Broomfield, resident's baseline property
       taxes were cut by 20%; and
       
          WHEREAS, Representative Berens, acting as Mayor of Broomfield,
       served as Chair of the Board for the Northwest Parkway Public Highway
       Authority and was appointed by Governor Bill Owens to the Urban
       Drainage and Flood Control District, the Denver Regional Council of
       Governments, the Broomfield Local Licensing Authority, the Broomfield
       Planning and Zoning Commission, and was a founding member of the US
       36 Mayors and County Commissions Coalition; and
       
          WHEREAS, Representative Berens was elected to the United Power
       Board of Directors in 2009 and proudly served in that capacity until his
       passing; and
       
          WHEREAS, In 2004, Representative Berens was elected as a state
       representative and served until 2006; and
       
          WHEREAS, During his time as a state representative, Representative
       Berens served on the Health and Human Services Committee, the Local
       Government Committee, the Transportation and Energy Committee, the
       Capital Development Committee, the Police Officers' and Firefighters'
       Pension Reform Commission, and the Transportation Legislation Review
       Committee; and
       
          
       
       
       
       
       
          WHEREAS, Representative Berens was well respected by colleagues
       on both sides of the aisle and will be remembered for his hard work and
       accomplishments; now, therefore,
       
          Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventieth
       General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
       
          That, in the death of Bill Berens, the people of the State of Colorado
       have lost a dedicated public servant and outstanding citizen, and that we,
       the members of the House of Representatives of the Seventieth General
       Assembly, do hereby extend our deep and heartfelt sympathy to the
       members of his family and pay tribute to a man who served his state well
       and faithfully.
       
          Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of this Memorial be sent to his
       wife, Tami Berens; his son, Bill Berens; his son, Andy Berens; his
       stepson, Chris Muniz; Mayor of the City and County of Broomfield,
       Randy Ahrens; the Broomfield City Council; former Governor Bill
       Owens; Senator Cory Gardner; Senator Michael Bennet; Congressman
       Jared Polis; President of the United Power Board of Directors, Brian
       McCormick; and the Broomfield Enterprise.
       
       
       
       
       
       ________________________________________________________
       Marilyn Eddins              Dickey Lee Hullinghorst 
       CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE        SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
       OF REPRESENTATIVES                OF REPRESENTATIVES