BERTHOUD - The Aims Community College District will remain unchanged after Berthoud voters resoundingly shot down a measure to include the town.

Voters overwhelmingly decided against inclusion in the Aims district, which would have levied 6.299 mills on residents in exchange for the opportunity to attend Aims at a discounted rate. A resounding 78 percent of voters said "no" to inclusion in the district.

At the same time, 81 percent of voters already in the Aims District said "yes" to allowing Berthoud in. Aims has been working toward construction of a new campus in Berthoud, near the intersection of Interstate 25 and Colorado Highway 56.

"Of course we are disappointed in the election results in Berthoud, but we are just delighted in the obvious trust shown by the voters in our taxing district," said Aims President Marsi Liddell, in a prepared statement sent to the Business Report. "We are a very new entity in the Berthoud area and will work diligently to also earn their trust.

"The future timing of the campus in Berthoud will depend on the Aims Board of Trustees objectives and goals," she added. "The results of the vote will not impact the decisions about the Berthoud campus nearly as much as the current state of the economy. We are still committed to our strategic plan for a Berthoud campus."

After two previous attempts failed, Loveland voters cleared the path for the city to levy a lodging tax. Issue 2B passed with 58.3 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results. The item will create a 3 percent "bed tax" on hotel and guest accommodations within the city limits. Proceeds, estimated at $400,000 annually, will be used to market the community as directed by a seven-member Community Marketing Commission.

Timnath voters passed a similar tax with about 57 percent in favor.