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Contact Your Commissioners |
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Kevin McCasky
Kathy Hartman, Chair
Jim Congrove
303.271.8525
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| Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority Holds First Meeting |
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 "The Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority is open for business."
So stated Bill Ray, Deputy City Manager for the City of Arvada who was appointed interim executive director by the Authority's Board of Directors, at its inaugural meeting May 22, 2008, at Arvada City Hall.
Jefferson County Commissioner Kevin McCasky was named chair, Arvada Mayor Bob Frie vice-chair, and Broomfield Mayor Pat Quinn Treasurer.
Other business included the adoption of meeting rules and bylaws, scheduling the next meeting (Thursday, July 17 at 9:00 a.m. at Arvada City Hall), and an authorization to explore staffing options for the Authority such as hiring a project manager, either an individual or a management firm.
The Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority was formed with the goal of constructing the last remaining piece of the metropolitan beltway, which will close the gap between State Highway 128 in Broomfield and State Highway 93 at approximately West 58th Avenue north of Golden. Public highway authorities are authorized by the State of Colorado for the purpose of financing, constructing, operating, and maintaining transportation improvements that cannot be undertaken by a single local government because of cost or location. The participating governments contributed $100,000 each as initial startup funding that can be reimbursed by the public highway authority.
Federal and state transportation funding has been greatly reduced in the last decade and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future. Because of this, private financing through a toll road has been determined to be the only feasible means of completing this crucial missing link.
Director McCasky encouraged private sector interests to take a proactive approach to the ultimate construction of the Jefferson Parkway. "We ask executive management firms, design/build engineering and construction firms, and investors to contact the Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority and pursue their potential involvement. Construction of this final, missing link to the Denver Metropolitan Beltway is long past due, and we are looking toward the private sector to help us make that happen."
In a Jefferson County Commissioner's staff briefing March 30, McCasky reported that the overwhelming response from citizens has been to move forward with the Jefferson Parkway project because it will allow Jefferson County to attract larger businesses and more retail, which will increase job opportunities and allow people to work closer to home.
The Denver Post printed an editorial Sunday, March 23 supporting the idea of a metro loop. "Jefferson County, Broomfield and Arvada are forming a public highway authority that might finally end the metro area's 40-year long Battle of the Beltway. It's too early to tell if their plan to complete a tollway . . . will prove financially feasible. But we applaud their efforts to bypass the endless political bickering that has so far stalled plans to complete the Beltway."
Commissioner Kathy Hartman, chairman of the Board of Jefferson County Commissioners, spoke to the need to relieve traffic in northwest Jefferson County and the dangers that now exist along Highway 93, particularly in bad weather. "Public safety is imperative," she said, adding that establishing an authority simply allows for the opportunity to go to the financial market and seek investors interested in building and operating a toll road. "Formation of the authority enables us to explore the possibilities. If there are no takers in the market, this won't happen."
McCasky explained that motorists will only pay tolls on a part of the new roadway. The approximately six miles through Golden and three miles in Broomfield will remain a "free" road. The portion through Golden will be built similar to the stretch of Highway 6 that now exists from the Jeffco Administration & Courts Facility to 19th Street. This portion will embrace elements of the Muller Study, which was commissioned by the City of Golden, with speed limits of 45 mph, noise mitigation and few stoplights, and would reconnect neighborhoods now cut by Highway 93 and US 6.
Commissioner Jim Congrove said, "Many millions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted over the years on studying this project. It's a sad commentary on those of us responsible for infrastructure and transportation, and should have been done decades ago. I hope we can all sit at the table and find out what will work best for the beltway and the City of Golden and find the funds to get this completed. The cost of construction is not going to go down."
Until permanent staffing of the Authority is established, communication with the Authority will go through interim executive director Bill Ray at 720-898-7506 or bray@arvada.org.
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| Airport Open House Salutes Armed Forces, Past and Present |
 Three time U.S. National Aerobatics Champion Patty Wagstaff headlines a day of aviation entertainment (in the sky and on the ground) at the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport's annual Open House on June 7.
The Open House is from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is free to the public. The airport expects more than 100 aircraft on display and 20,000 people in attendance.
Wagstaff is the only woman to win the national aerobatics title and is a six-time member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team. She will perform aerobatics in her high-performance Extra 300S airplane. The 350-horsepower, propeller-driven plane was built in Dinslaken, Germany by Walter Extra. She has won numerous aviation awards and her Goodrich Extra 260 airplane is on display at the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum, in Washington, D.C., where it hangs next to Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega. This is her first time performing in the Denver metro area.
She joins loud, heart-pounding and fast demonstrations from Air Force and Navy fighter jet teams, the Coast Guard C-130 Hercules, WWII bombers and assorted flybys. The Open House also includes educational and entertaining ground displays of military aircraft, Warbirds, corporate jets, U.S. military exhibits, war heroes and more. The Jeffco Airport Association (JAA) will host its annual "fly in" which includes an estimated 80 airplanes.
Open House schedule and details:
Static displays (9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)
- "The Martha Jean" WWII B-25 Bomber
- "Sentimental Journey" WWII B-17 Bomber
- F-16 fighter jet from Buckley Air National Guard
- MiG-17 (Korean War and Vietnam War fighter)
- P-51 Mustang (WWII and Korean War fighter)
- C-21 Learjet 35 from Colorado Air National Guard, Peterson AFB
- Warbirds (historical military aircraft)
- Corporate Jets
- General aviation aircraft
Aerial Demonstrations (10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.)
- Col. Jack Wilhite and his MiG-17
- Dr. Mike Bertz and his P-51 Mustang
- Mark Johnson and his Venom jet
- Roy Halladay and his T-33
- Fly-bys: B-25, P-51
- At 11:30 a.m., ceremonies begin with a parachute jump bringing in the American Flag, followed by the singing of the National Anthem and recognition of local war heroes.
Aerial Demonstrations (1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
- Patty Wagstaff and her Extra 300S
- USAF F-16 West Coast Demo Team & Heritage Flight (fly-by of old and new)
- USN F-18 Super Hornet
- U.S. Coast Guard C-130 Demo
- Air Force Academy Glider performance
- Fly-bys: B-17, B-25, P-51 Mustang
Exhibitors (9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)
Up to 55 exhibitors from local war heroes, branches of the military and activities for the entire family, including:
- Colorado Aviation Historical Society
- Spirit of Flight Center
- Tuskegee Airmen (America's first black airmen of WWII)
- The Air Force Academy Falcon
Please note: Aerial demonstrations are subject to change. Normal airport operations will be in effect during the Open House so the public will also experience usual take-offs and landings in addition to scheduled fly-by demonstrations.
Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport is located at the southwest corner of Highway 128 and Wadsworth Blvd. (one block south of Hwy. 36). Open House admission and parking is free. There will be plenty of food and beverage concessions and other amenities available. Visitors are advised to bring sunscreen, sunglasses and hats since there is limited shade. Not allowed: pets, coolers, cans, glass bottles or alcohol. For more information about the Open House, please call 303.271.4850 or visit www.flyrmma.com. |
| Jeffco Building Inspectors Answer the Call After Windsor Tornado |
 Following the devastating tornadoes in Northern Colorado last week, the Building Division of Jefferson County quickly mobilized to lend their support to emergency response efforts. Upon arrival in Windsor, Colorado, the same morning their support was requested, the Damage Assessment Coordinator assigned the Jefferson County inspectors to the area referred to as the "war zone" - the most restricted and heavily damaged section of town. The Jeffco building inspectors assisted in evaluation of structural damage to residences and businesses throughout the impacted area. While examining buildings, the area came under the threat of another tornado. Advised to take cover, the inspectors went into the basement of the most structurally sound home they could find to wait it out. Fortunately, the threat passed without incident. By the end of a long day, the Jeffco inspectors had evaluated and documented the condition of 40 properties. Jefferson County inspectors are highly trained and professionally certified, and are able to provide immediate assistance in response to natural disasters. The Building Division has developed a reputation for their support and expertise, and they are often specifically requested. For example, Jeffco was the only building department contacted to help after the severe snowstorms that occurred almost two years ago in the southeast part of the state. The department volunteers its time and when performing damage assessment, operates under the umbrella of the State's Emergency Management Office. |
| Submit Your Photos of Jefferson County! |
 Do you have interesting or dramatic pictures of Jefferson County? Share them with our readers! The photos will be showcased on the Jefferson County Web site and one may be selected each month to appear in the county's eNewsletter. Visit the Jefferson County Web site for all of the details and specifications on how to submit. |
| Get Better Gas Mileage with These Tips |
Drive Sensibly
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.
Fuel Economy Benefit: 5-33%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.18-$1.16/gallon
Observe the Speed Limit
While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer.
Fuel Economy Benefit: 7-23%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.25-$0.81/gallon
Remove Excess Weight
Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
Fuel Economy Benefit: 1-2%/100 lbs
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.04-$0.07/gallon
Avoid Excessive Idling
Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.
Use Cruise Control
Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
Use Overdrive Gears
When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.
Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $3.51/gallon.
Provided by www.fueleconomy.gov
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| Paper or Plastic? Jeffco Voters have Options at the Ballot Box |
 Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder Pam Anderson announced a plan to give Jefferson County voters more options on Election Day. Paper ballots will be available to voters at every Jeffco precinct polling location for the August 12 Primary and November 4 Presidential elections. Electronic touch-screen voting machines will also be present for voters who choose to use them. "Many of our voters enjoy voting on our current touch-screen voting system, but some have expressed a desire to cast a paper ballot," said Anderson. "We will now be able to give voters the option to choose their preferred method of voting at the polls," she added. A majority of Jefferson County's active registered voters already prefer to receive paper ballots delivered by mail, and over 140,000 people have signed up to be permanent mail-in voters. With a high turn-out expected at the polling places, Jeffco voters will be given a choice on election day between a paper ballot and an electronic ballot. "We will continue to work diligently to inform voters of their options in the coming months so they are well prepared to make their voices heard in August and November," Anderson said. |
| Prevent Animal-borne Diseases this Summer |
Jefferson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) reminds residents that, as summer approaches, so does the risk of contracting certain animal-borne diseases, like Rabies, West Nile Virus, Western Equine Encephalitis, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Bubonic Plague, Tularemia, and Colorado Tick Fever. All are diseases that can be carried by various animals and insects (rodents, mosquitoes or ticks) and then transmitted to humans. They are also more common during the summer when people tend to be outdoors more often and wild animals and insects are active. JCDHE recommends everyone help control the presence of rodents and mosquitoes around their home; and, when heading outdoors, particularly to areas where wild animals and insects are active, wear insect repellant, appropriate clothing and protect your pets from fleas and ticks. Remember not to handle sick or dead animals or animal waste. A few precautions go a long way toward preventing animal-borne disease. To learn more about the symptoms, treatments and get information about these diseases and more, visit the Jefferson County Department of Health and Environment Web site, Zoonosis Program page. You can also call the JCDHE Environmental Health Services Zoonosis Program at 303.271.5700. |
| 'Be Kind to Animals' Poster Winner Announced |
Tate Ottenstein, a 5th grader from Bradford Intermediate School in south Jefferson County, was named grand prize winner of the 19th annual 'Be Kind to Animals Week' poster contest. The contest was hosted by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Animal Control section in conjunction with national Be Kind to Animals Week.
Judges from Animal Control, the Sheriff's Office, and the Table Mountain Animal Center judged hundreds of poster entries on creativity, artistry and message. First, second and third prizes were awarded in each participating classroom, and judges selected Tate's poster as "best in show" from among the first place winners.
Tate's poster features a person living in harmony with animals from all over the world, and includes messages about respecting animals.
Sheriff Ted Mink presented Tate with her award on Friday, May 9 at the Sheriff's Office semi-annual exemplary awards ceremony. Kids' Pages magazine donated a restaurant gift card for Tate, while the Kong Company donated a gift basket filled with pet toys and treats.
This is only the second year that judges have selected a grand prize winner in the contest.
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