Colorado Real Estate Journal - June 1, 2016
The City of Fort Morgan is a home-rule municipality located 75 miles northeast of Denver along Interstate 76. Affectionately known as the Capital of the Plains, the City serves as a commercial, industrial, and recreational hub for the Northeast Colorado region, with close proximity to Denver International Airport and ease of access to railway. The county seat of Morgan County, Fort Morgan houses over 11,000 residents, but serves as a focal point for more than 28,000 citizens. In comparison to cities of similar size, Fort Morgan offers a broad range of services. The City manages nine public parks, one of which incorporates miles of trails in an open space the size of New York City’s Central Park and the first DiscGolfPark in the United States. The City also operates a local library and museum complex, a community swimming pool, a golf course, and an airport. One of Fort Morgan’s most unique assets is that all utilities (i.e., electric, natural gas, water, wastewater, and sanitation) are municipally owned and operated. This local ownership assures residents and businesses prompt and exceptional customer service, as well as some of the lowest utility rates in the state. In fact, Fort Morgan was named one of Colorado’s 10 most affordable cities in 2015. The City recently established its own department dedicated to local Economic Development efforts. The department focuses on promoting productive partnerships, streamlining public processes, and endorsing responsible and critical development in its efforts to manage attraction, retention and expansion of business and industry in the local trade area. A few of our local relationships include: • Fort Morgan Workforce Center, a branch of Colorado’s Department of Labor and Employment, which offers job training, employee recruitment, applicant assessment, and even temporary shared office space for businesses under construction • East Colorado Small Business Development Center, a branch of the statewide network, which is dedicated to providing a range of confidential consulting services to help new and existing businesses grow and prosper • Morgan Community College (MCC), which provides a variety of innovative accreditation offerings • Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade, which partners in statewide initiatives, financial programs, and technology platforms to create a positive business climate and encourage sustainable job growth Fort Morgan has been assisting community development for years through the comprehensive services of its Planning and Zoning department; however, the Economic Development department has continued to streamline these processes for all new developments. The office offers a one-stop-shop approach to answering all development questions, from code requirements to utility infrastructure and everything in between. Through its various strategic partnerships the office has access to information on workforce statistics, local industry, and commercial property listings. For example, the labor force numbers over 13,000 with a continually increasing population over the past several years. The wide diversification of local industries ranges from transportation, manufacturing and telecommunications to healthcare, arts, entertainment and more. Morgan County offers the highest average annual wage of the six northeastern Colorado counties. With access to the state of Colorado’s InSite platform, the office can locate active property listings and produce detailed, descriptive reports on everything from pricing terms to parking availability. The Economic Development office’s partnerships also provide access to an incredible wealth of information on financial programs that range from revolving loans to incentive tax credits and state initiatives. For example, Fort Morgan is a Colorado designated Enterprise Zone (EZ), which means a multitude of tax incentives are offered by the state to encourage businesses to locate and expand in the area. Additionally, by owning and managing all local utilities, the City offers a unique and inclusive perspective on infrastructure to all development projects. While numerous projects are always in the works in the Economic Development office, Fort Morgan is most enthusiastic about the design, engineering, and development of a citywide gigabit broadband system to offer businesses and citizens increasingly urban amenities in a friendly, hometown atmosphere. Fort Morgan aspires to be the city of choice for ourselves and future generations – beautiful, clean, and safe. We seek to provide services that meet the collective needs of the citizens. This includes actively identifying and seizing all opportunities that will improve the quality of life. Our vision involves accessible and efficient governance that enhances the healthy economic environment of the community. Our diverse community and innovative spirit makes the City of Fort Morgan a top location for new business and real estate development interested in ease of access to multiple transportation options. We hope you join us soon! For more information, contact Josh Miller, Director of Community Services and Economic Development, at jmiller@cityoffortmorgan.com or visit us at www.cityoffortmorgan.com