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AGENDA
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
December 2, 2019
4:00 PM, City Council Chambers
130 S Galena Street, Aspen
I.WORK SESSION
I.A.Valley Health Alliance Update
I.B.Saturday Market Update from CCLC
I.C.Review of City Council Memberships
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MEMORANDUM
TO:City Council Members
FROM:Alissa Farrell, Interim Asst. City Mgr./HR Director
CC: Sara Ott, City Manager
Chris McDowell, VHA Executive Director
MEMO DATE:November 24, 2019
MEETING DATE:December 2, 2019
RE:Valley Health Alliance (VHA) Informational Update
REQUEST OF COUNCIL:
This memo is to update Council on VHA activities, accomplishments, and milestones. No action
from Council is requested.
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
The VHA is a non-profit organization presently comprised of six of the largest, partially self-funded
employers in the Roaring Fork Valley. Current members include Aspen Skiing Co., Aspen Valley
Hospital, the City of Aspen, Mountain Family Health Centers, Pitkin County, and Valley View
Hospital.
The VHA was initially formed in 2011 by local leadership concerned about how to manage
escalating healthcare costs, which included the City of Aspen. For the first few years, the VHA
focused on employer-shared wellness programs. After the VHA acquired its 501(c)(3) status in
2014, the VHA began focusing on creating a structure and process for the employer and
healthcare communities in the Roaring Fork Valley to work together. The objectives have been
to reduce or sustain the total costs of healthcare and improve the health and wellbeing of the
employees and family members.
As it pertains to the City of Aspen, the City currently serves on the VHA board and continues to
participate in the Benefit Plan Design and Wellbeing committees.
DISCUSSION:
Large employers and healthcare providers in the Roaring Fork Valley have worked collaboratively
on systematic, long-term community solutions to sustain healthcare costs, ensure access to
healthcare, and provide a long-term population health management model – similar to an
accountable care organization (ACO) – where in its simplicity, individuals receive the right care at
the right time. A few examples of initiatives for the nearly 7,000 employees and family members
currently underway or soon to be underway include: providing coordinated, value-based care,
reduction of healthcare redundancies, integration of healthcare services, along with offering
support to healthcare providers through training, resources, and data analytics.
The VHA has developed a partnership with the Community Care Alliance (CCA) based in Grand
Junction, CO. The CCA focuses on the quadruple aim, by supporting the value-based capabilities 2
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of a provider network to improve population health, increase the quality of care provided, reduce
or sustain healthcare costs, and maintain provider engagement. The VHA employers provide
data to the CCA; the clinical and claims data is then analyzed for population health management
and overall data analytics. The information will allow primary care physicians to ensure high risk
individuals receive enhanced care coordination and management. The VHA contracts with the
CCA, and the CCA will assist with training and the deployment of care coordinators. Care
coordinators help individuals manage and coordinate their care while under the direction of a
Clinical Advisory Board (CAB), comprised of physicians and advanced practice providers.
Recently the VHA Executive Director, Chris McDowell along with Aspen Valley Hospital and
Valley View officials have been in discussions with local business chambers in the Roaring Fork
Valley. These discussions are aimed at creating a local health plan in cooperation with selected
insurance carrier(s) and aims to use the provider network that is currently being created for the
VHA. Next steps are currently in development.
In summary, the VHA is focused on providing a long-term, sustainable, local healthcare
ecosystem for our community through an integrated, population health management approach in
conjunction with adding a health plan option for local business chambers.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
Currently, most employer members including the City of Aspen contribute an annual payment to
the VHA of $56,721. In addition, the City pays an annual CCA administrative fee of $12,000 and
a per member per month (PMPM) variable care management fee based on a population health
risk analysis of $27,312 annually for a total cost of $96,033.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:
None.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City could decide to discontinue funding for the VHA in future years. This would impact the
VHA’s timeline and ability to meet its milestones and objectives.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Continue to stay the course and support the VHA in achieving its milestones and objectives.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
None.
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MEMORANDUM
TO:Mayor and City Council
FROM:Rebecca Hodgson, Assistant to the City Manager
THRU:Sara Ott, City Manager
DATE OF MEMO:November 29, 2019
MEETING DATE:December 2, 2019
RE:Membership Benefits and Costs
DISCUSSION: The Aspen City Council directed staff to provide information on the benefits
and costs of the various membership organizations they belong to.
Currently the Aspen City Council are members of the following organizations: Northwest
Colorado Council of Governments, Colorado Municipal League, Colorado Association of Ski
Towns, Club 20, and the I-70 Coalition. Recently interest was expressed to join the National
League of Cities.
Northwest Colorado Council of Governments
Northwest Colorado Council of Governments (NWCCOG) is an association of county and
municipal governments that believes in the benefits of working together on a regional basis to
energy, economic development, regional transportation, broadband, water quality and watershed
services, and all hazard emergency management.
They provide guidance and assistance in problem solving, information sharing, advocate
members’ interests and needs with local, state and federal entities, and provide services to
members such as:
Elevator inspection program;
Provides “critical mass” necessary to take advantage of federal programs that have
minimum population requirements to enact the program;
Speak with a unified voice on regional issues to local, state, and federal policy
makers;
Promotes regional multi-jurisdictional cooperation for improved efficiencies and
effectiveness between multiple governmental jurisdictions on issues such as river
restoration, wildfire mitigation and forest health;
Utilizes member dues as matching resources to acquire public and private grants.
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The NWCCOG Council meets approximately seven times during the year. Dues are calculated
using a formula applying a $.52 multiplier on population and .0001280 multiplier on assessed
valuation. The dues for 2020 are $31,823.00. The Water Quality/Quantity Committee is an
additional fee that is paid by the Water department.
Colorado Municipal League
The Colorado Municipal League (CML) provides services and resources to assist municipal
officials in managing their governments. They provide advocacy and legal services, report on
Senate and House bills and legislative updates, networking and events, education and training,
publications, data reports and news on key topics and issues.
There is a Mayors’ Summit, Annual Conference, and a minimum of one district specific meeting
each year. The dues for 2020 will be $29,976.00.
Colorado Association of Ski Towns
The Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST) is comprised of 28 municipalities and four
counties whose economies are largely dependent upon the ski industry and tourism. Members
use the power of coalition to seek support for legislation that will benefit and sustain the
mountain communities. There are five meetings in 2020 held in Avon, Denver, Westminster,
Telluride, and Park City, UT. Dues for 2019 were $2,310.00.
Club 20
Club 20 is a coalition of individuals, businesses, tribes, and local governments with an interest in
ensuring the vitality and well-being of communities and residents in Western Colorado. The
group speaks in a unified voice on issues of mutual concern such as agriculture, business affairs,
education and workforce development, energy, health care, public lands and natural resources,
telecommunications, tourism and outdoor recreation, transportation and water.
They held approximately twelve meeting January thru September 2019, and eleven County
Caucus meetings during September, October and November 2019. Dues for 2020 are $500.00.
I-70 Coalition
The I-70 Coalition is comprised of 28 local government and businesses along the I-70 mountain
corridor. Their mission is to “enhance public accessibility and mobility in the I-70 mountain
corridor and adjoining dependent counties and municipalities through the implementation of joint
public and private transportation management efforts.” The Coalition states they are actively
involved in plans and processes that affect the mountain corridor, support transportation funding
initiatives, develop and implement travel demand management strategies, and participate in
information sharing and outreach.
The I-70 Coalition hold quarterly meetings in January, April, July and October. The Board of
Directors meet eight times per year. The 2019 dues were $1,200.00. A statement for 2020 dues
has not been received at this time.
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ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES:
Organization Est. # of Meetings
Membership
Dues Est. Cost per
Conference
Meetings
Hotel
and
Travel
Per
Diem Total *
NWCCOG zero meetings $31,823.00 $0.00 0 0 0 $31,823
CML
1 conference, 1
district meetings $29,976.00 $400 + 175 $500 $300 $96 $30,872
CAST 5 meetings $2,310.00 $50.00 $250 $875 $320 $3,755
Club 20
12 meetings, 1
district causus $500.00 $10.00 $130 $1,950 $832 $3,412
I-70
Coalition
zero meetings
attended $1,200.00 $0.00 $0 $0.00 $0.00 $1,200
ARCA
Food & Wine
Luncheon, State of
the City, Winterskol,
Sundeck $620.00 $45 - $55 $220 $0.00 $0.00 $840
* Assumption is one person per meeting using a City vehicle. Using personal transportation adds a
minimum of $56 in mileage reimbursement.
A round trip to Denver in a personal vehicle adds approximately $224 based on 400 miles round
trip.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Informational only.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Memo from Jon Staveny, Northwest Colorado Council of Governments Executive
Director
B. I-70 Coalition Membership Information
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MEMORANDUM
PO Box 2308 ● 249 Warren Ave ● Silverthorne, CO 80498● 970-468-0295 ●
Fax 970-468-1208 ● www.nwccog.org
To: Sara Ott, Aspen City Manager
From:Jon Stavney, NWCCOG Executive Director
Date: November 2019
Re: Local Benefits of NWCCOG Membership
Aspen’s membership to NWCCOG combined with other member dues allows NWCCOG programs the ability
to qualify for and fund services which have direct benefits to the City of Aspen and across the 5 county region.
Aspen’s membership allows NWCCOG to:
Operate an Elevator Inspection Program that inspects 277 elevators annually in Aspen and more
than 2000 across a 10-County region. Having 2 administrators and 5 inspectors serve this large area
saves Aspen from having a partial FTE in a highly technical role requiring extensive ongoing
training. Also, being a member saves $75 per annual inspection, totaling a savings to conveyance
owners of $20,775 annually.
Fund a Regional Broadband Director position (a $200,000 benefit funded 50% by a DOLA grant)
who has worked closely with Aspen and Pitkin County staff to develop Project THOR which is a
regional middle-mile network which Aspen is leveraging to provide broadband services to Aspen
and to Pitkin County’s wireless project through the city meet-me-center. Aspen participates in
Project THOR through a no-overhead fee-for-service contract with NWCCOG. THOR is a $2.5M
project developed by NWCCOG to serve local broadband projects.
Manage the $3M Northwest Business Loan Fund (NLF)which in the past 18 months closed on two
loans to Pitkin County clients including an Aspen business that received a loan for $20K
(confidential), as well as to Captiol Creek Brewing/Aspen Public House for $95,000.
Operate Mountain Ride Call Center which schedules Non-Emergent Medical Transport (NEMT) to
qualified medicade patients. This is tracked at a County level. In 2018 in Pitkin County that
included 555 trips totaling over 48K miles and issued checks to Medicaid recipients totaling
$26,082.38.Year to date totals through September of 2019 are 85 trips, 35K miles and $10,753.
NWCCOG operates the call center with three staff covering 7 counties in a role that would require a
partial or full County FTE by state regulations.
Operate Alpine Area Agency on Aging (Senior Services) with $35,000 in member dues leveraged
to deliver $1.5M in federal funds annually to 5 counties. In 2019 AAA contracted with Pitkin
County Agencies to deliver $114,000 in funds in addition to direct services
Manage the 208 Water Quality Plan and the Economic Development District for the region.
Provide a forum to encourage and highlight regional information sharing ofbest practices. Provide
local facilitations and other member services upon request 24
Mission: To enhance public accessibility and mobility in the I-70 Mountain Corridor and
adjoining dependent counties and municipalities through the implementation of joint public &
private transportation management efforts.
Return on Membership Investment: The I-70 Coalition brings together 28 local governments
and businesses to collectively advocate for the I-70 mountain corridor. It is this broad, multi-
jurisdictional coalition that results in effective, powerful advocacy for this critical transportation
corridor. The I-70 Coalition employs a full-time Executive Director who monitors policy,
projects, legislation, and effectively advocates on your behalf, reducing staff time commitments
for each Town/County/Business. Examples of work undertaken by the I-70 Coalition include:
Brings attention to the fact that I-70 doesn’t just provide Front Range residents access to the
mountains. The I-70 mountain corridor is criticalto the state’s economy, to inter- and intra-state
commerce, as well as to communities, small businesses and residents throughout the Western Slope.
Supports the consensus recommendation among membership that, although some road
improvements are absolutely necessary, the long range plan for this corridor must be multi-modal.
Maintains close relationships with CDOT, the Transportation Commission, State Legislature and
Federal Congressional delegation highlighting the high value and high needs of the mountain
corridor.
Heavily focused on transportation demand management strategiesthat will reduce congestion,
increase vehicle occupancy and reduce the number of vehicles on I-70. Strategies are implemented
through partnerships with resorts, businesses, local governments, tourism-related organizations,
climate action groups and others.
Advocates for fundingof major mountain corridor projects such as Floyd Hill and Vail Pass as the cost
of those projects far exceed the capabilities of CDOT’s regional planning project budgets.
Direct involvement in all projects, studies and processes which impact the I-70 corridor.
Advocates for and monitors the implementation of long term improvements as outlined in the I-70
Record of Decision.
Monitors all proposed state legislation that could impact the corridor, notifies members of possible
impacts, and lobbies legislators as directed by Coalition membership.
P.O. Box 4100 Frisco CO 80443 info@i70solutions.org www.i70solutions.org
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