El Paso County proclaims National Small Business Week; local owners describe community role

The El Paso County Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted a proclamation recognizing May 3–9, 2026 as National Small Business Week, and invited several small-business owners to describe how their operations contribute to community life.

Vice Chair Lauren Nelson introduced the proclamation, which the board approved by a 5-0 vote. The declaration in the meeting text highlighted El Paso County as home to more than 750,000 residents and cited an estimated 18,579 small-business establishments in the county.

Local owners who spoke said their businesses are neighborhood gathering places and sources of jobs and connection. "Ascent isn't just a brewery. It's a gathering place, a modern-day town square where neighbors meet," said Joe Pru, owner of Ascent Brewery, thanking the commission for earlier support for the Falcon business. "What stood out most wasn't the scale of those events, but the look on kids' faces. Pure connection shared by an entire community." (speaker: Joe Pru)

Other presenters described similar community impact: Chris Vicir said his company amplifies local voices and builds community through creative work; Robert Brunet ("Chef BB") recounted years operating restaurants and publishing local entrepreneur stories; Shantel Lucas described transitioning from a catering business to a Fountain food business and thanked the county for grant support; and Claire Duprey said her Duprey Academy of Music creates jobs and community through instruction and performances.

Commissioners praised the entrepreneurs' risk-taking and contributions. One commissioner emphasized the importance of avoiding one-size-fits-all regulation that could stifle small businesses, and another called the county's small-business ecosystem foundational to local culture and the economy.

The commission recessed briefly for a photograph after the proclamation vote. The proclamation text and guest remarks are part of the meeting record.