| Contact your Commissioners |  | |
Kathy Hartman,
Chairman, District Three
Faye Griffin,
Chairman, Pro Tem,
District One
Kevin McCasky,
District Two
303-271-8525 |
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| Jeffco Human Services Wins Outstanding Customer Service Award | |
Jefferson County Human Services Director Lynn Johnson and the Jeffco Department of Human Services have received a prestigious award for outstanding customer service at the United States Department of Health and Human Services 2010 Regional Directors Honor Awards Ceremony, which took place on Oct. 28.
Jefferson County was the only county Human Services Department in the six-state region of the US Department of Health and Human Services to receive the award. Region 8 includes Colorado, Montana, North and South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. Jefferson County's Human Services was honored for what the federal agency called "a complete makeover in terms of customer service."
Called the Francis T. Ishida Award for Customer Service, it recognizes the exceptional achievements in service to the beneficiaries of Medicare, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs. |
| BCC Actions | |
Want more news from the county? You can also subscribe to 'BCC Actions,' a newsletter that covers the happenings from your Jefferson County Board of Commissioners Hearings and Staff Briefings.
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Commissioners Receive 2011 Proposed Budget
Tina Caputo, Budget Director | Jefferson County's Administrator Ralph Schell has presented the Board of County Commissioners with the 2011 Proposed Budget of $476.8 million, a 5.8 percent decrease over the 2010 adopted budget.
Schell explained that elected officials, departments and divisions of the county had to make cuts in this economic climate, but the overall goal of the county is still to provide the citizens of the county the core services at the levels they expect. The District Attorney and Sheriff's Office will see the biggest cuts as part of the prioritization process that looked at all county services and service levels in an attempt to reduce the General Fund operating budget by $750,000. In internal departments, the largest cuts will occur within the Information Technology, Facilities and Fleet divisions.
Some of the assumptions for the 2011 budget are:
- Maintain $45 million in Fund Balance in the General Fund through 2014.
- Reduce the General Fund operating budget by $750,000 using the Prioritization model.
- Reduce the Internal Service Funds' operating budgets by 5 to 7 percent.
- Allocate an additional $2.6 million county-wide for medical benefits so that employees' contributions will remain the same for 2011.
- No salary increases for 2011.
- Five-year Capital and Business cases for catastrophic or safety-related items only (unless offset by revenue).
- Travel and training cut by 10%.
The commissioners began meeting with each elected official and department head during the week of October 22. Citizens are encouraged to attend the public hearing at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 16 or can submit comments by email to commish@jeffco.us. The adoption of the budget is set for December 7. The complete proposed budget can be viewed on the Budget Management page, including the detailed message, overview and department's operating budgets. |
| Sheriff's Office Updates | |
 We've Got Some Wild, Wild Life
Jefferson County is an intersection of urban and rural living. Its geography and population mean that residents sometimes find themselves in the middle of something wild. To find out more on living safely with the wildlife in our area in this month's "Behind the Badge" - a periodic newsletter from Sheriff Ted Mink.
Fire Restrictions LiftedEffective on October 25, the Jefferson County Sheriff lifted the temporary fire restriction order for all areas of unincorporated Jefferson County. Recent rainfall and cooler temperatures have reduced the danger of wildfire; however, people are encouraged to be vigilant as the danger of fire is always present in the high country.
It's That Time of Year - Are You Prepared for Winter?
Check out Colorado's Emergency Management website for safety tips and information about winter weather. It's headed our way! |
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Public Health Updates
Nancy Braden, Jefferson County Public Health |
Great American Smokeout
Jefferson County Public Health encourages all tobacco users to Quit for A Day or Quit for Life during the Great American Smokeout,  November 18, 2010. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. The CDC estimates cigarette smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke causes 443,000 (or 1 in 5) deaths each year in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, people who plan their quit day in advance DOUBLE the odds of staying tobacco-free forever.
Resources
- The Colorado QuitLine connects you with trained counselors who can guide and support you. 800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).
- The Colorado QuitLine website provides information, support and tools for tailoring your own personal plan for quitting.
- The JCPH tobacco prevention webpage has tips and a list of local resources to help you quit.
Tobacco Prevention Projects in Jefferson County
Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) has received funding for tobacco prevention projects in four Jefferson County communities. JCPH will continue to build upon some of the tobacco prevention efforts already in progress in each of the funded communities as well as initiate new projects designed to promote health and reduce tobacco's deadly toll.
Each of the funded projects includes a community survey process, a public information/education campaign to address misperceptions and gaps in awareness, grassroots-level community coalition engagement, and involvement of a strategic advisory group made up of community leaders.
For more information and to get involved in community efforts in Wheat Ridge, Golden, unincorporated Jefferson County or Lakewood, please email Donna Viverette or call at 303-275-7555.
Talking Turkey - Cook Safely for Upcoming Holidays
Thanksgiving is right around the corner. It is the time of year for family gatherings and holiday meals. Don't let food-borne illness spoil your holiday season. Jefferson County Public Health is reminding the public to take special care when preparing food for the holidays. Food-borne illness is most often caused by foods being kept at temperatures that allow bacteria to grow, and by food handlers who have not washed their hands and food preparation equipment sufficiently. To get more information on making sure bacteria are not allowed to grow and to prevent food from becoming contaminated, visit the JCPH food borne illness webpage.
Environmental Health Services Award
 Dr. James E. Dale, DVM, MPH, MBA, Director of Jefferson County Public Health's (JCPH) Environmental Health Services Division added the prestigious Milton M. Miller award to his long list of accomplishments on September 29, 2010. The award is given to an outstanding Environmental Health professional in a managerial position by the Colorado Environmental Health Association at their annual conference each year. See the full release for all the details.
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CSU Extension Updates
Rusty Collins, Jefferson County CSU Extension | |
Successful Visit with University of Tennessee Extension Members
Jefferson County CSU Extension hosted a team of 18 Extension representatives from the University of Tennessee Extension system for a week in October. The group is a specialized Renewable Energy team who toured NREL, the National Earthquake Center and packed their week with a significant exchange of ideas, resources and technology. Their week in Jefferson County was fruitfull and we are very proud that other Extension systems see the value of our local work and come here to learn and play in our incredible Colorado backyard.
Extension Team Award for Clean Energy Work
The CSU Clean Energy Strategic Initiative Team (CESIT) was awarded the CSU Extension Team Award at the annual Extension Forum held on the Colorado State University campus in October. This Team is composed of Extension representatives from around the state who work in the areas of solar, wind, biofuels/biomass, geothermal, energy efficiency and more. Jefferson County Extension served as a critical arm of this team by creating partnerships with the Governor's Energy Office, Energy Outreach Colorado, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, the Department of Energy and more. The impact of this Team for the citizens of Colorado has been substantial. Rusty Collins is the local representative for this team from Jefferson County.
Urban Agriculture
There is a sweeping movement in Denver and the surrounding metropolitan area (including Jeffco) toward urban agriculture, which includes activities like community and school gardens, raising backyard chickens and bees, container and rooftop gardening, utilization of greenhouses for food production, locally grown food being brought into the schools, aquaponics (raising fish), and items related to Urban Homesteading. In response to this trend, key Extension personnel from campus will participate in an Urban Ag tour sponsored by our local Jefferson County and Denver Extension offices on November 19. Tour members will include new Economic Development Coordinator, Kathy Rennels, the Dean of the School of Agriculture, Dr. Craig Beyrouty, Northern Region Director, JoAnn Powell, Energy Specialist Cary Weiner, and more. |
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Human Services Update
Kris Kinzli, Jefferson County Human Services |
Getting and Keeping Customers Workshop
 Jefferson County's Business Education Series Training (BEST) and Jefferson County Workforce Center are hosting a workshop for businesses and organizations on "Getting and Keeping Customers."
When: Wednesday, December 8 from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m.
Where: Wheat Ridge Recreation Center, 4005 Kipling Street
Cost: $15, includes breakfast
Wy Livingston, President and CEO of Wystone's World Teas, LLC, will be presenting 'serving customers and making money,' 'who gets it right and what they have in common,' and 'where is your organization?' An objective of any company is to attract customers, but the key to success is the ability to keep customers coming back. The ultimate goal of your company should not be success, but to meet the needs of your customers and the community, both now and in the future.
For more information on the workshop, the presenter and to register, visit www.jeffcobrc.org/BusinessEducation.
Kids Don't Need Perfection - They Need You
 November is National Adoption Month, a time
to bring attention to the 123,000 children and youth in foster care waiting for adoptive families. There are over 30 children in Jefferson County and over 550 children throughout Colorado still waiting to find permanent homes. Every child deserves to belong to a "forever family" who can give them stability, commitment and guidance into adulthood.
Jefferson County Human Services works with families interested in adoption or foster care throughout the year, and while adoptions are finalized year-long, National Adoption Day is an opportunity for families to rejoice. This year, 15 families are planning to formalize adoptions on National Adoption Day, Saturday, November 20, at the Jefferson County Courthouse, 100 Jefferson County Parkway.
With the goal of finding every child their forever family, an exhibit of photographs, known as the Heart Gallery, highlights the spirit of foster care children will be on display this November. This year's Heart Gallery opening celebration will take place on Monday, November 1, at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
Parenting is an immensely satisfying experience involving smiles, giggles, lessons-learned, wisdom and most of all, love. Parenting takes commitment, persistence and sometimes a leap of faith. If you would like to take a leap of faith and make a difference in the life of a child call 303-636-1KID or visit Jefferson County's Adoption Services Website at www.collaborativefostercare.com.
For additional information regarding the Heart Gallery visit www.heartgalleryco.org. |
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