In 1886, the residents of Hastings voted to establish a municipally-owned water supply. Opponents noted that if the vote succeeded, sanitary sewer service was sure to follow (they were right). The site of the first municipal water well is still in use today. That site was chosen due to two factors. First, citizens wanted the noise and commotion of the water wagons a comfortable distance away from the hustle and bustle of downtown, where nearly everyone resided. Also, the site was the highest point in Hastings, which locals thought would make it easier to run the operation. The first deliveries of water were in barrels, until actual water transporting mains were put in at a later date. Some water mains still in use today in downtown Hastings are more than a century old.

The second service to be provided was sanitary sewer which began in 1890. Today, wastewater treatment is provided at the Pollution Control Center which began its operation in 1982.

Electricity, initially only for street lighting, was first provided in 1899. The first power plant was fueled by burning coal. Ironically, the main source of local power generation today, is the coal-fired Gerald T. Whelan Energy Center. The site of the first plant, the North Denver Station, is still used today. Several natural gas driven generators provide peaking and standby power. The first plant was placed on the same grounds as the municipal water works.

Through the years, until 1942, natural gas was distributed locally by privately held companies. In 1942, the local gas distribution network was purchased from a private concern. In the 1950's, the natural gas department was brought under the auspices of the other three utility services and Hastings Utilities was formed.

Originally created as a three member board in 1936, today the five member Board Of Public Works establishes the policies which govern the operations of Hastings Utilities. During the hard times of the depression, local citizens decided that the utilities' departments should provide cost based services, without benefit of tax dollars. The Board was instructed to run the utility departments like a business. Today, board members are appointed by the mayor, with the approval of the city council. Board terms, for the five members, are five years in length. One board position per year, barring unforeseen circumstances, is up for re-appointment or re-assignment. The board sets policies that effect day-to-day operations and recommends to the city council such things as rates to be charged and the budget for the various departments. Final approval rests with the mayor and the council.

The current board members are; Charles Shoemaker (Board chair), appointed on 7/2/05, reappointed in 2010, His term will expire in 2015. Scott Krieger, appointed on 10/27/08. His term expires in 2013. Willis Hunt, appointed on 7/01/06, reappointed in 2010. His term expires in 2016. Jeanette Dewalt, appointed on 7/13/09. Her term expires in 2014. Jeff Kully, appointed on 1/1/13. His term will expire in 2017.

The Jacob Fisher Rainbow Fountain, is a local and regional landmark which draws numerous crowds to its location throughout the summer months. Originally meant to be a temporary exhibit at the 1932 Adams County Fair, it was relocated to Highland Park, the municipal park located in front of Hastings Utilities' main offices, in 1933. It was a "sign of hope" for local and area citizens during the Depression and dust bowl days of the 1930's. Fisher Rainbow Fountain, the largest of its kind between Denver and Chicago, remains a source of great community pride today. It's name was derived from two winning essays written by young school children in an effort to name the structure. Jacob Fisher was the mayor of Hastings when the park was first developed. The "Rainbow Fountain" describes the many changing colors of lights that accompany the varying arrays of water sprays that reach heights of 67 feet.

The fountain was computerized in 1983, allowing the number of possible color-waterform configurations to be increased from the original 32 to over 2 million. There are five controllable waterforms, yielding 31 possible stable waterform configurations and additional interphases. These waterforms are the high vertical jet, the somewhat lower eight vertical jets, the three spray nozzles, and the outer eight jets. This gives great versatility in setting and altering the shape of the water.
The colors come from four red lights, four green lights, four blue lights, three amber lights, and white base lights (14,000 watts all together). The lights are relatively close to each other and to the water nozzles, thus allowing a partial blending of colors. For example, when all four colors are on, the overall effect is pink, with localized areas of peach, modified green, lavender, and other shades, gradually blending from one to another.

The fountain has become a permanent part of the lives of Hastings citizens, offering serenity, beauty, and a location for many memorable evenings of ice-cream socials, band concerts, and other special events.

 

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