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John Odom is Jeffco's Newest County Commissioner

by Kathryn Heider, Jeffco Public Information Officer

The Jefferson County Republican Party Vacancy Committee has appointed John Odom to fulfill the remainder of the term of

the District 2 County Commissioner seat.

Faye Griffin, Chair of the Board of County Commissioners announced, "We are very pleased that Mr. Odom has been selected to fill this vacancy.  With only a three-member board, it is important to have full membership on the board as soon as possible. Mr. Odom signed the oath of office this morning, so he could officially assume the duties of his new office and get up to speed quickly."

Commissioner Don Rosier commented, "I look forward to working with newly appointed commissioner John Odom. I got to know John very well during the last election campaign when he ran for Senate District 20.  His knowledge and skills will be an excellent complement to the existing board members."

The District 2 County Commissioner seat is in central Jefferson County and encompasses portions of Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Golden and Edgewater, as well as mountain communities including Lookout Mountain, Genesee and Idledale.  Odom will fill the two years remaining in the term of Kevin McCasky, who resigned to become CEO of the Jefferson Economic Council.

John Odom has lived in Jefferson County since he was six months old.  He grew up in Lakewood, attending Stober Elementary School, Manning Jr. High School in Golden, and graduated from Jefferson High School in Edgewater.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Chinese from Metropolitan State College of Denver and CU.  As part of his degree, he attended schools in China for an intensive, language immersion program.  He is a fluent Mandarin speaker and owned and operated a small business in Beijing in the 1990s.  He earned an MBA at the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona and is a former aide/intern to Colorado State Senator John Evans.

John and his business partner own a small business located in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.  Their company manages and distributes hospital products and services all over Colorado and Wyoming. They have grown their business for nearly five years and have more than a dozen people working for them.

John has been very involved with in charity work with projects that take Colorado doctors overseas to perform lifesaving surgeries and this past June took two Colorado surgeons to Hohhot, Inner Mongolia in China, where they operated on a 14-year old girl and a 15-year old boy who both suffered with severe scoliosis (deformity of the spine).

He lives in Golden with his wife, Olga, and their seven year old son, Jack.

Jeffco Residents We Need Your Input

by Bailey Becker, Jeffco Public Information

The Jefferson County Commissioners are asking citizens to chime in on what is important to them economically for the county by taking part in an online survey. Not only will the feedback you provide be used by the county to create an Economic Development Plan, but Governor John Hickenlooper will use it in the new administration's initiatives.
 

Governor Hickenlooper has recently started an initiative to build an "Economic Development Plan from the bottom-up" by working with counties to chart an economic revival. As part of the plan, counties are seeking feedback from their citizens.  The state has an online survey for Jeffco residents to fill out.  Feedback from it will be used to assist in developing economic priorities for Jefferson County to be included in a statewide plan. 

The deadline for the survey is March 25.  To participate go online to

www.surveygizmo.com/s3/462074/County-Economic-Development-Self-Assessment-Survey.

To learn more about the Governor's initiative go to http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite

/OEDIT/OEDIT/1251588165225. 

Look in future editions of this newsletter and our website to learn more about our Economic Development Plan.

Assessor to Host Business Property Tax Forums

by Jim Everson, Jefferson County Assessor 

Jefferson County Assessor Jim Everson and his staff will be conducting four Business Property Tax Forums this spring.  Each forum will be at 6 p.m. and held in various library community rooms.

• Wednesday, March 16 - Belmar Library in Lakewood
• Wednesday, March 23 - Arvada (downtown) Library
• Wednesday, March 30 - Evergreen Library
• Thursday, April 7 - Columbine Library in South Jeffco.

"In 2011 we are required to revalue all real property in Jefferson County for property tax purposes to the June 30, 2010 level of value," stated Everson.  "Notices of those new values will be sent to owners on May 1.  In addition, businesses that received a business personal property tax declaration form in January 2011, which is due April 15, will be able to file their declaration online.  We want to make ourselves available to business owners to answer any questions they might have about either real or personal property valuation for property tax purposes."

"We hope business owners and their tax service providers will take this opportunity to find out more about their property taxes and how to deal effectively with the Assessor's Office, in addition to learning about our online personal property system," added Everson.

The Jefferson County Assessor's Office is responsible for valuing all property in Jefferson County for property tax purposes. 

The Jefferson County Assessor's website, http://assessor.jeffco.us, offers information about the assessment process and property valuations.  The Assessor's office is located in the Jefferson County Administration and Courts Facility, 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Suite 2500, in Golden.  Property owners may also call 303-271-8600 or email the office at assessor@jeffco.us.

by Nancy Braden, Jeffco Public Health Communications

Green, Orange, Purple, Red . . . "Eat Right with Color"

Jefferson County Public Health in conjunction with the American Dietetic Association encourages everyone to add color and nutrients to meals through this year's National Nutrition Month theme:  "Eat Right with Color."

"Adding color to your meals through a variety of fruits and vegetables provides needed nutrients and can help to make every meal a little healthier," says Sara Lemley, registered dietitian and supervisor of JCPH Nutrition Services.

For more information AND some ways to brighten up your servings, click HERE for the color guide.

Registered Dietitian Day is Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Jefferson County Public Health and the American Dietetic Association proudly announce the fourth annual Registered Dietitian Day.  As the nation's food and nutrition experts, registered dietitians are committed to improving the health of their patients and community.  Get your nutrition advice from a registered dietician, through the Nutrition Services web page, or call 303-239-9581 for advice.  You can also check to see if you are eligible for WIC .  The JCPH WIC program provides nutrition education and vouchers for healthy foods for women, infants, children and pregnant women who qualify.  Call 303-239-7143 in Lakewood, 303-275-7510 in Arvada and 303-239-9580 in Edgewater. 

Women Ages 40-64 . . . Take Advantage of Cancer Screenings that Can Save Your Life

Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) has recently received additional money through the Women's Wellness Connection to provide free cancer screening for 98 eligible women who are 40 years of age or older.  The services provided through this program include breast and pelvic examinations, a Pap smear if needed, and a voucher for a free mammogram through Exempla Lutheran Breast Care Center.

All services must be delivered by June 30, 2011. Interested women should click HERE for more information.

Welfare Fraud is a Crime 

by Kristine Kinzli, Jeffco Human Services 

Helping people step toward better, safer lives is the main goal of the Jefferson County Department of Human Services.  Through early childhood education, adult and child protection, job training, food assistance, Medicaid, mediation and other programs, Jefferson County Human Services strives to ensure these services and benefits go to those most in need.  Unfortunately, there are individuals who intentionally try to take advantage of such services by committing fraud. 

The Investigation Unit of Jefferson County Human Services takes welfare fraud very seriously and works tirelessly to ensure funding goes to the right people.  Welfare fraud creates a burden for taxpayers by increasing the cost of programs.  Certain forms of fraud include:

• Reporting incorrect household members
• Providing false or misleading information or documents
• Receiving benefits in more than one state, and unreported income

In 2010, the Investigation Unit received 253 allegations of fraud from caseworkers who regularly work with individuals receiving public assistance and received 270 additional complaints from the general public hotline.  Further reviews led to 240 cases being investigated which established $227,602 in fraudulent overpayments.  This process saved an additional $87,684 in county dollars by disqualifying those individuals, who are found guilty of fraud through an administrative or criminal proceeding, from receiving further assistance. 

By reducing welfare fraud through the Investigations Unit, Jefferson County increases public confidence in the welfare system, saves taxpayer dollars, and ensures that funds are available to those who really need assistance.

Welfare fraud is a crime.  You can help by reporting fraud to the Jefferson County Welfare Fraud Hotline at 303-271-4287 or emailing stjones@jeffco.us.  You may also contact the state welfare hotline at 1-877-934-6361.  All reporting parties can remain anonymous.

News from Jefferson County Public Library

by Rebecca Winning, Jeffco Public Library 

JCPL Achieves Record Service Levels

Jefferson County Public Library (JCPL) achieved record service levels in 2010, with year-over-year increases.

• Patrons checked out nearly 7.5 million items, up nearly six percent.
• Patron visits grew to nearly three million, up nearly three percent.
• The number of computers available for public use grew to 322, with nearly 376,000 hours of use recorded.
• Access to online databases grew to nearly 292,000, up 33.3 percent.
• Page views of JCPL's website increased to 4.8 million, up nearly 24 percent.

"We continued to increase service levels in nearly every category," said Marcellus Turner. "We're doing our best to provide a meaningful level of service despite ongoing budget challenges."

To read the full article click here. 

JCPL and Colorado Bright Beginnings Team Up to Promote Early Literacy

JCPL and Colorado Bright Beginnings are partnering to offer classes designed to help parents give their newborn children (0 - 36 months) a solid start in life.

In these 30 to 45 minute workshops, a JCPL Children's Librarian will provide an overview of early childhood development and offer tips for encouraging early literacy. Colorado Bright Beginnings will provide each parent with a tote bag of resources they can take home and use with their newborns to support early literacy and development.

The classes, entitled Giving Your Child a Bright Beginning, are scheduled at various libraries as noted below: 

• Wed., March 9, 10:30 a.m., Arvada Library
• Fri., March 11, 10:15 a.m., Golden Library
• Tues., March 15, 10:45 a.m., Lakewood Library
• Thurs., March 17, 10:30 a.m., Belmar Library
• Fri., March 18, 11:00 a.m., Evergreen Library
• Fri., March 25, 11:15 a.m., Wheat Ridge Library

Parents are welcome to bring their babies; however, class sizes are limited, so check with your local library before attending a workshop.  

To read the full article click here.