WEEK OF MAY 15, 2025
VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 46
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Arvada City Council approves contract for new city manager Don Wick BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
ARVADA CHAMBER HONORS AWARD-WINNERS P2
Johnson said the experience has been great for the pair’s bonding. PHOTO BY RYLEE DUNN
APEX, FIRE BOARD ELECTION RESULTS P3
Arvada dog captivates passersby with motorcycle riding prowess to take things into his own hands. Rigel, a 5-year-old Airedale Terrier, led“IJohnson just welded it up and engineered it,” Johnson said. “Engineering wasn’t the problem. has become adept at riding on (The seat is designed) to hold (Rigel) in. It’s a V-shape, so he can wedge his little butt back in that corner there, and he leans. his owner’s bike BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
GET READY FOR SUMMER READING: DENVER METRO LIBRARIES P10
Rigel is only 5 years old, but he’s seen a lot more of the world than most Airedale Terriers. Whether he’s traveling up and down state Highway 93 or traversing I-70 on the back of owner Sam Johnson’s motorcycle, Rigel likes to take in the sights — and passersby have taken a liking to him as well. Johnson, a semiretired engineer, fashioned a custom seat for Rigel so that the pair could spend more time together. Last summer, Johnson began looking into options for dog seats for his motorcycle and was frustrated by the available options. Existing seats on the market are expensive and often don’t allow for quick installation, which
VOICES: 8 | LIFE: 10 | CALENDAR: 13 | SPORTS: 16
“The hard part was training him,” Johnson said. Johnson started out by using a table in his backyard as a stand-in for the motorcycle seat. He would put a bowl of food on the table and gradually move it closer to the center so that Rigel would jump up. Eventually, Rigel was jumping all the way up on the table, and Johnson repeated the process with the newly welded motorcycle seat. After a few weeks, Rigel was off to the races. Riding on the back of Johnson’s red BMW bike, Rigel goes all around town and beyond, drawing attention from passing cars — while Rigel was posing for photos for this story, he was stopped a handful of times so that folks could take pictures. SEE ARVADA DOG, P23
Arvada’s new city manager will be getting a bit of a raise, as the city council approved a contract for newly-minted city team head Don Wick that will see him earn $320,000 annually. Wick — the former deputy city manager — will assume his new role on May 17. Former city manager Lorie Gillis earned $260,000 annually during her tenure. Wick’s contract was unanimously approved by a 6-0 vote at the May 6 city council meeting. Arvada Mayor Lauren Simpson emphasized Wick’s qualifications for the job and said she was looking forward to working with him in this new capacity. “Mr. Wick, you’ve been with the city for longer than any of us up here,” Simpson said. “For those in the audience who don’t know, Mr. Wick is a former police chief, then he was head of public works, then he was the deputy city manager. He was supported unanimously by our executive leadership team. “He has really strong connections throughout the entire organization and the community,” Simpson continued. “We are so excited to be working with you in this new role and to have you in your leadership for the future.” Councilmembers also thanked Deputy City Manager Linda Haley for serving as interim city manager from the time of Gillis’ departure until now. “I just want to take a moment to recognize Linda for the last nine months,” Councilmember Bob Fifer said. “Tonight, we did vote for a new city manager, and, Linda, for you being the interim for the last 10 months. We appreciate your dedication to keeping the city moving forward. “There’s been trying times, there’s been good times, there’s been bad times, and you persevered through it all,” Fifer continued. “And I genuinely appreciate your support during this transition. Arvada’s Director of Communications Rachael Kuroiwa said that the city will begin looking for a new deputy city manager to replace Wick shortly.
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