Fort Collins named 5th safest in state

A national ranking of city crime rates puts Fort Collins in the bottom quarter of 397 cities in the country and ranks it as the fifth safest city in Colorado.

CQ Press, which publishes books, directories, subscriptions and Web products on American politics, federal and state government, American institutions, campaigns and elections, current events, and world affairs, last month published its 10th annual "City Crime Rankings 2008-2009: Crime in Metropolitan America."

Fort Collins Mayor Doug Hutchinson said the ranking shows that Colorado's fifth largest city is a pretty safe place to live.

"On the other hand, it shows we do have issues with certain kinds of crimes, which we probably always will," he said. "That doesn't mean we should settle though."

Hutchinson said he couldn't pinpoint any one area where law enforcement could improve to help keep the community safe.

"There's no one area that stands out," he said. "I think it's an across-the-board thing. Making sure people feel safe in Old Town and feel safe against suburban burglaries."

Fort Collins police spokeswoman Rita Davis said the department is always cautious about taking rankings too seriously but that the ranking of 97th safest city in the country reflects Fort Collins as a safe community.

She credited not only law enforcement but the cooperation of the community, as well.

"One of the techniques that Fort Collins police uses is community involvement with policing and problem solving and that has proven to be an ef

Crimes taken into account when figuring the crime rates were murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft. Larceny-theft was not used in the equation because those crimes consistently make up more than half of the crimes committed in any given city, according to the CQ Press Web site.

The rankings included all cities that reported 2007 crime data to the FBI and any city with a population of 75,000 or larger.

The most dangerous city was New Orleans, a city that has seen drastic fluctuations in population since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. New Orleans' population dropped from more than 450,000 people to less than 240,000 people between 2005 and 2007.

The safest city in the country was Ramapo, N.Y.

Fort Collins has lots of positives going for it

As a community, we continue to invest in ourselves, in our people, in our businesses and in the things that make Fort Collins unique and desirable. I am grateful to live and work in a city that has so many positives going for it. Here are just a few:

 FortZED and the Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster are positioning Fort Collins to be a leader in clean-energy development and job growth. CSU is developing technology that will be used in FortZED, a zero-energy district in the downtown area, and Poudre School District is beginning to offer clean-energy manufacturing classes in its high schools.

The Rocky Mountain Innovation Initiative, or RMI2, continues to support innovative startup companies that have the potential for significant growth. Companies in RMI2 range from software development to green toys to engine parts and components. Currently, RMI2 itself is growing and is working to build an expanded facility.

Plans are developing for both the North and South College corridors. The North College Marketplace, a project that will spur further investment in the area, is the first major redevelopment resulting from the North College Urban Renewal Authority. The South College corridor plan emphasizes transportation and infrastructure improvements while preserving open space and encouraging business development.

 We are well into the engineering and design phase for the Mason corridor, and construction is expected to begin as early as next year. This is one of the top transit-oriented projects in the nation, and it will spur high-quality infill and redevelopment for properties along the corridor.

 Our downtown continues to thrive, offering visitors and residents unique shopping and dining opportunities while also contributing to our Fort Collins identity. The vibrant arts and cultural community, high-quality bike trails and park system, outstanding schools and the incredible contributions of Colorado State University all make Fort Collins one of the best cities in the nation.

   Fort Collins is not immune to the problems plaguing our country.     However, I am confident that we are making smart choices in business development, clean energy, transportation and more. Fort Collins is well-positioned as a leader and model for other communities. We must continue to be creative and forward-thinking.

Health System Best in the Country!

It's now official:  Northern Colorado Health System is the best in the country.  Just another reason to make Northern Colorado home!

Poudre Valley Health System CEO Rulon Stacey celebrates the health systems 2008 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award on Tuesday at Medical Center of the Rockies. Stacey celebrated with about 300 doctors, nurses, staff and volunteers during a ceremony at the hospital. PVHS was the only health-care company in the country to win the award. (Photo courtesy of Kyle Stopperan/PVHS)

PVHS was one of three winners and the only health-care organization to receive a 2008 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's highest presidential honor for organizational innovation and performance excellence.

The award will be formally presented by President-elect Barack Obama at a White House ceremony in late January or February.

At a celebration Tuesday at Medical Center of the Rockies, health system CEO Rulon Stacey told about 300 doctors, board members, staff and volunteers: "Today, you are part of the best health-care organization on the planet."

The recognition culminates a 10-year journey to provide world-class health care, he said.

"That doesn't happen by accident. It's been a 10-year commitment by 4,500 people and I'm so proud and happy for them."

Several times throughout the celebration, Stacey pumped his fists, raised his arms and applauded his staff.

He choked up when he talked of the impact of the award beyond the recognition for the health system.

"I believe there are people alive today that would not be" if not for the doctors, nurses and staff who dedicated themselves to providing world-class care.

"And God bless you for that," he said. "The patients in the region are better off because of your sacrifice and work."

The Baldrige award, given by the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology recognizes manufacturing, small business, service, education and health-care organizations that demonstrate sustainable performance excellence.

"It's like winning the Super Bowl," said Kym Budish, patient access admissions nurse coordinator. "It's just phenomenal. It's a huge honor. The hugest we can get, and we've worked really hard for many years."

PVHS first applied for the Baldrige award in 1999 and has used the annual application process to drive improvements, Stacey said.

"While other health-care companies were content to do their budgets every year, we did our budgets, too, but we also looked at every process of the organization and turned over every leaf to see where we could do better," he said.

Each year brought new analysis and feedback from examiners and a commitment from the health system's board of directors to increase staffing to provide a "higher level of care," Stacey said.

As a result, PVHS has the lowest turnover rate among U.S. health-care systems, Stacey said.  And, low turnover helped save the health system $32 million this year alone in advertising, hiring and training costs and resulted in better quality care provided by long-term employees, he said.

The 50-page application included 250 questions and a four-day site visit that included interviews with more than 250 employees, physicians and volunteers.

The recognition "means all our hard work is paying off," said Lynn Boyce, a cardiac nurse at Medical Center of the Rockies.

"We have a world-class health-care mindset, and we're always raising the bar," said Boyce, who left PVHS to go overseas during the Gulf War but returned after looking at hospitals throughout the country.

"This is a very good place. ... We're always challenging ourselves to be better."

As a Baldrige recipient, PVHS will take its show on the road sharing its success stories with other companies and organizations, said Pam Brock, vice president for marketing and planning.

PVHS was one of three winners and the only health-care organization to receive a 2008 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's highest presidential honor for organizational innovation and performance excellence.