BOULDER COUNTY 5 STAR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has approved the Boulder County Administrative Committee’s application for the state’s Five Star variance program.  As a reminder, business applications for the program will open by Friday, February 5th, with inspections beginning the week of February 8th. 

 

Information on how to prepare for the application and how to apply will be posted on Boulder County’s 5 Star Certification Program website - http://bit.ly/BOCO5STAR – TODAY, February 2nd.  This website is available in English and Spanish, and will provide instructional videos, sample inspection checklists (including the general inspection and HVAC checklists), and sign resources for businesses interested in applying for the 5 Star program.  This website will also be the location for the application when it goes live by February 5th.  There will also be a technical assistance webinar for businesses to learn about the process and ask questions on February 5th at 11am - http://bit.ly/5StarInfoSession. 

​

 

Businesses in Erie:

 

You can qualify to operate one step lower on the State's COVID-19 dial. 

Erie businesses in both Boulder AND Weld counties that are certified compliant with the 5 Star criteria are permitted to operate one level below Boulder County's current state COVID level. The Town of Erie's Economic Development Director, Ben Pratt, petitioned Boulder County's 5 Star Administrative Committee to allow Erie to extend to the Weld County side of Erie Boulder County's State-approved 5 Star program so all Erie businesses could benefit from the program. The Administrative Committee approved Pratt's petition, as did the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

For a business to qualify, it must implement all required public health measures to help protect customers and staff from contracting COVID-19 and be inspected by the 5 Star program staff. According to the Administrative Committee's press release, "Businesses are eligible for less restrictive capacity caps and may be allowed to operate one level below the county's current state COVID dial level if the county's public health metrics meet certain requirements." This means restaurants can increase their indoor dining based on their building's capacity.

According to the Boulder County 5 Star Administrative Committee, applications for the program will likely open Friday, February 5, with inspections beginning the week of February 8. Application information will be posted on Boulder County's 5 Star Certification website starting February 2. The website will provide instructional videos, sample inspection checklists, resources, and details about the technical assistance webinar at 11 a.m. on February 5.

 

 

5 Star Volunteer Recruitment

Boulder County is seeking volunteers to help administer its 5-Star business variance program, either as
direct volunteers to the program or employees of businesses / organizations willing to volunteer the employee’s time for the program. Businesses certified through the program are required to implement safety measures beyond what is already required by public health orders and guidelines to help slow the spread of COVID-19, and in doing so, they will be able to expand operations. This program is for responsible businesses that are following public health guidance and going above and beyond to prioritize the health and safety of their staff and customers. More detail can be found here: https://covid19.colorado.gov/press-release/cdphe-finalizes-parameters-for-5-star-variance-program.

​

We need your help!  In order to make this program possible and keep the costs down for businesses, Boulder County is seeking volunteers to help administer its 5-Star business variance program.  Volunteers can either be direct unpaid volunteers from the community or employees of businesses / organizations willing to volunteer the employees’ time for the program. A minimum of 8-hours per week for a minimum of 6-8 weeks is needed to help implement this program throughout Boulder County.  Volunteers will work with our third-party vendor, H2 Manufacturing Solutions, and will be trained for one of the following roles:

• On-site Inspectors at Businesses

• Administrators within H2’s Command Central team

 

Learn more about the positions, training and responsibilities here.  Sign up to be a volunteer as either an inspector or in Command Central at the following link.  You will receive an email confirmation and then a follow-up email with the training syllabus and upcoming training times. 

 

Let’s work together to implement this program across Boulder County and make a difference for our businesses! 

​

For more information regarding the program, please visit:  http://bit.ly/BOCO5STAR.  All questions and comments concerning Boulder County’s 5 Star Certification Program can be sent to BoulderCountyFiveStar@gmail.com.

​