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This week in Longmont: Council planning virtual open forum, library trivia, parenting classes and more

A recap of news and events happening in Longmont as provided by the city.
Civic Center
Longmont Civic Center (Photo by Matt Maenpaa)

Speak to city council at open forum
Longmont City Council will hold a virtual open forum via Zoom beginning at 7 p.m. Jan. 19, in place of the regular city council meeting. At this forum, members of the public may speak to council for 5 minutes on any topic. For instructions on calling in to speak watch the livestream on the city’s YouTube channel at LongmontColorado.gov or at LongmontPublicMedia.org. Following the meeting you can watch a recording on the city’s YouTube channel.

New utility rates for 2021
A new year is underway and Longmont has new electric and water rates to go with it. For a typical household, this will mean an additional $3.67 per month in electric costs and an additional $3.50 per month in water costs on average. Rates took effect Jan. 1. Options are available to help keep bills low, including Longmont CAReS, Efficiency Works and Colorado’s Affordable Residential Energy Program, or CARE. More information on rate changes and financial assistance programs can be found online at LongmontColorado.gov/RateChanges.

Boost Longmont Business Grant Program wrap-up
The Boost Longmont Business Grant program has officially closed, having awarded a total of $1,327,895 to 97 small businesses throughout Longmont. All funds were disbursed to businesses by Dec. 31, and a final list of grant recipients is available on the city’s website. In total, 182 businesses submitted applications totaling approximately $2.66 million in funding requests. With only $1.3 million in possible grant funds available, the review panel had the difficult task of selecting those businesses most in need and who demonstrated strong future viability.

Are You Smarter Than a Librarian?
From 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, the Longmont library will host “Are You Smarter than a Librarian?” This interactive, online trivia game for adults and older children is moderated by a Longmont librarian. It can accommodate up to 25 people teams, or households to compete for bragging rights by winning the best of five rounds of play. Advance registration is required, and the registration confirmation will have instructions for joining online. Visit bit.ly/LibPrograms for more information and to register. 

Nurturing Parenting classes
The city of Longmont’s Children, Youth and Families Division is offering free virtual parenting classes that focus on the importance of raising children in a warm, loving and compassionate home. Classes meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays for 10 weeks. Classes in Spanish begin Tuesday; classes in English begin March 30. For more information and to register, call Claudia Orona at 720-363-5613 or email [email protected]

Play Library Bingo and win prizes 
Don’t let the cold and the dark of winter get you down; spend some indoor time playing Wintertime Bingo with the Longmont Public Library. It’s easy to play. Through the end of February, pick up a bingo card from the library’s curbside delivery tables in the 300 block of Emery Street during open hours, or download and print one online. Then, start reading books, watching movies, listening to audiobooks and more to get a bingo and win prizes. For details and to get a bingo card online, visit bit.ly/LibPrograms

Virtual Discovery Days at the Museum
Discovery Days encourages children ages 2 to 6 and their caregivers to learn together through engaging hands-on activities. To keep our littlest learners safe, the Museum now presents Discovery Days in a virtual format. Virtual Discovery Days is a two-part program that includes a monthly at-home craft kit for purchase and virtual crafting and storytime sessions that match the crafts and themes in the kits. Sessions run Jan. 20 through April 30 at 10 and at 11 a.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Learn more at LongmontMuseum.org or call 303-651-8374. 

City holiday schedule
Longmont city government observes the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 18. Most city facilities will be closed, but all Longmont Recreation facilities will be open regular hours by reservation. Trash, recycling and composting collection will be one day later than usual throughout the week.