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Appointments to Boards & Commissions
Commissioners appointed Jefferson County Director of Administrative Services Todd Leopold to represent the county on the Table Mountain Animal Center Board of Directors. Leopold replaces Jeffco Sheriff's Office Division Chief Jeffery Shrader, who recently resigned. | |
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BCC Encourages Citizens to Be Counted in 2010 Census
This month, Jefferson County elected officials and staff are launching a countywide collaboration with cities and organizations to encourage more than 225,000 households to participate in the 2010 Census.
 The 2010 Census begins mailing questionnaires in March. Public Information and Planning & Zoning staff briefed Commissioners on the county's Census efforts at the Staff Briefing.
In 2000, about 73 percent of households in Jefferson County returned their questionnaires by mail. When households do not return their surveys, Census workers attempt to reach residents at their homes, increasing the cost of the Census. About $85 million is saved for every 1 percent increase in mail participation.
Census data will affect how more than $400 billion per year in federal funding is distributed to local governments, including Jefferson County. Information from the census helps determine locations for child care and senior centers, new roads, hospitals, schools and community centers.
The 2010 Census form asks 10 questions and takes about 10 minutes to complete. Every person living in the residence, both relatives and nonrelatives, should be included on the form. People should be counted in the residence where they live and sleep most of the time.
Census form answers are safe and confidential. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents' answers with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities. All Census Bureau employees take an oath of nondisclosure and are sworn for life to protect the confidentiality of the data. The penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment of up to five years, or both. Personal information gathered through the Census cannot be shared with the Internal Revenue Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency or any other government agency. Not even the President of the United States.
Jefferson County is coordinating with a variety of entities, including the Public Health Department, Sheriff's Office, Human Services Department and the cities and towns within Jefferson County on a variety of efforts. Those efforts include:
The U.S. Postal Service will begin mailing forms in March. In May, Census workers will follow up with households that did not return questionnaires. Finally, the U.S. Census Bureau will deliver counts to the President in December.
To learn more about the 2010 Census, go to www.jeffco.us/2010census.htm. |
BCC Designates Area in Wheat Ridge as Blighted
The Board of County Commissioners agreed to declare an area in Wheat Ridge to be a slum and blighted at the request of the city of Wheat Ridge. The designation allows Wheat Ridge to access Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds in order to redevelop the area.
 In 2001, Wheat Ridge conducted a "slum and blight" study of Wadsworth Boulevard from 35th Avenue to 44th Avenue. Of the 49 buildings studied, 18 were found to be deteriorated or deteriorating. One piece of land had been vacant for as long as 40 years after a store burned down there.
According to the Colorado Urban Renewal Law, an area must meet four of 11 factors to be determined blighted. The Wadsworth area meets six of those 11 factors.
- Slum, deteriorated or deteriorating structures
- Defective and inadequate street layout
- Faulty lot layout
- Unsanitary or unsafe conditions; conditions that endanger life or property
- Deterioration of site or improvements
- Inadequate public improvements
Patrick Goff, Wheat Ridge deputy city manager, and Ken Johnstone, Wheat Ridge community development director, told Commissioners that they hope the CDBG funds will allow the city to complete work that will be a catalyst for new development in that area.
Commissioners plan to formally designate the area as blighted at their next BCC Hearing. |
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BCC Approves Agreement with CDOT for Wadsworth/Bowles Improvement Project
A new southbound through lane, a pedestrian bridge and other improvements will take place at the West Bowles Avenue and South Wadsworth Boulevard intersection, following Commissioners' approval of an intergovernmental agreement with the Colorado Department of Transportation.
The agreement is for more than $7 million for right-of-way acquisition, construction and engineering at the intersection in South Jeffco. About $2.2 million of that funding will come from the Southeast Jefferson County half-cent sales tax. The rest will be federally funded.
The intersection is on the county's Major Thoroughfare Plan and represents a continuation of the regional transportation network in Southeast Jeffco. Work will include an additional southbound through lane, improvements to turning safety and capacity, and enhancements to pedestrian safety, including a pedestrian bridge over Wadsworth Boulevard. | |
 View BCC Meetings Online! | |
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