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Jeffco Commissioner Donald Rosier Honored by Colorado Counties, Inc.

Jefferson County Commissioner Donald Rosier has been named Freshman Commissioner of the Year by Colorado Counties, Inc. (CCI), a group that represents boards of county commissioners from more than 60 Colorado counties.

John Sandoval, CCI president and Conejos county commissioner, presented the award at the CCI annual meeting November 29. CCI is a non-profit, membership association that provides information and education to county officials, and helps counties work together on common issues.

Rosier was chosen for the award by the CCI Board of Directors for quickly stepping into his new role of county commissioner, working with other counties to build consensus, and enthusiastically representing local government at the regional, state and federal levels.

Rosier was elected to the Jefferson County Board of Commissioner (BCC) in 2010 and sworn in on  January 11, 2011. He currently serves as BCC chairman pro tem and represents Jeffco at CCI, where he was elected vice chair of the CCI Front Range District that covers Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties.

Rosier also serves on the National Association of Counties (NACo) Community and Economic Development Committee, which develops NACo policies and represents counties across the U.S. before Congress on matters related to community development and redevelopment, housing programs, building and housing codes, subdivision regulations, public works and economic development.  

Locally, Rosier also represents Jefferson County on several other boards including the Denver Regional Council of Governments, the Jefferson Economic Development Corporation and the Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority.   

He is a Jefferson County native who graduated from Arvada Senior High School and Colorado State University. He holds a degree in civil engineering with an emphasis in water resources. Prior to his election as a county commissioner, he was vice president of operations at Summit Oil Field Services and a principal with Westside Investment Partners.

County Administrator Ralph Schell, Assistant County Administrator Kate Newman and Commissioner Faye Griffin with Commissioner Donald Rosier and his family.

Draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Now Available for Public Comment

by Will Kerns, Jeffco Transportation & Engineering  

Jefferson County's draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Maps are now available for public comment. The two maps, one for the Bicycle Plan and the other for the Pedestrian Plan, were developed by the Transportation Planning team in the county's Transportation and Engineering Division. The purpose of the two plans is to guide the county in developing a network of on-street bicycle corridors and off-street paths, sidewalks and trails.

In creating these maps, the Transportation Planning team made regional recommendations by incorporating various municipal bicycle and pedestrian plans. Using a regional approach, the bicycle and pedestrian corridors will be continuous and consistent in the cities, towns and unincorporated county areas. An important feature of this plan is to utilize Kipling Street as a north-south multi-modal "backbone," connecting to a ladder-style network of east-west connections. No funding is currently available to implement the plan, but projects will be implemented as individual roadway corridors are developed.

This plan shows a long-term vision for Jefferson County and represents significant future investments. Reviews and comments on the plan maps are being accepted through January 31, 2012, at www.jeffco.us/bike-plan. Please make your voice heard on this important plan.

For more information, contact Will Kerns, AICP Transportation Planner, at 303-271-8497 or wkerns@jeffco.us.

 County's Credit Rating Upgraded - Only One In Colorado  

by Todd Leopold, Director of Administrative Services    

Jefferson County has recently received the exciting news that its credit rating has been upgraded, and out of the Colorado governmental entities reviewed, it was the only one to be upgraded.

Following Standard & Poor's credit rating downgrade of the US government on Aug. 2, 2011, there has been a renewed interest of the credit worthiness of current Aaa-rated state and municipal governments. Jefferson County's current credit rating is listed at Aaa. Following the federal government's downgrade, all Aaa-rated entities were put on a "negative" outlook by Moody's Investors Service on Aug. 4, while it conducted an extensive review of the economic and financial position of these entities as they related to federal spending and healthcare employment in the areas of Medicaid or Medicare.

County staff has been working diligently with Moody's to assess the financial and economic vitality of the county as it related to federal impact in the area. Jefferson County was one of among 161 local governments nationwide assessed, and was the only entity in Colorado to have its Aaa-rating retained and revised up from a "negative" to "stable" outlook.

According to an announcement by Moody's, it analyzed "specific metrics such as federal procurement activity, federal employment and healthcare employment as indicators of economic sensitivity. Medicaid expenditures for states and public hospital expenditures for local governments as indicators of direct exposure to federal spending are also considered along with the presence of short-term or 'puttable' debt as an indicator of exposure to capital markets disruptions."

"The findings from Moody's confirm that Jefferson County is well positioned economically and financially for the longer term," said Commissioner and Board Chair Faye Griffin. "With that in mind, there is no question we will continue to remain fiscally prudent with the resources entrusted to us; while ensuring that the county continues to provide high quality service that the citizens expect."

Jefferson County's Archivist, Ronda Frazier has recently become a Certified Archivist. She received the certification through the Academy of Certified Archivists by taking an exam that is offered only to those who have a combination of a master's degree and a certain amount of professional archival experience. Recertification is every five years and is based on professional experience, continuing education and contributions to the profession such as attending meetings, participating in workshops, presenting papers, and serving on committees for regional and national organizations.

Frazier has a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Family & Consumer Sciences, from the University of Wyoming where she studied historic clothing and textiles. While in graduate school, Frazier took all the archives classes taught through university's American Heritage Center (AHC), where she then took a job as a processing archivist. There she worked in the arrangement and description unit processing manuscript collections. She processed popular culture and oil and gas collections and then moved on to congressional records, most notably the records of former U.S. Senator from Wyoming, Alan Simpson. She worked at the AHC for six years.

Ronda Frazier with the Historical Commission

In 2006, Frazier moved to Utah, taking a job with Salt Lake County Records Management & Archives as a reference and processing archivist. She worked there until August 2009 and then came to Jefferson County. Frazier has been instrumental in creating different outreach programs to let the citizens of Jeffco know that the Archives Office even exists. As a result, research requests have increased, people have sought to volunteer and donations have been made to the Archives Office. Frazier has even been approached by Jeffco Public Schools to serve as a sponsor for its High School Executive Internship program.

The county's Archives Office was established in February 1991 by the Board of County Commissioners. The Archives Office collects, preserves, arranges and describes the permanent records of Jefferson County Government dating from 1859 to 2007. These valuable and historical records are available to citizens, genealogists, historians, and researchers who are interested in the history and development of Jefferson County. These records tell the story of the county and its people and serves as the institutional memory of the county's government.

If you are interested in seeing the archives, call 303-271-8448 or send an email to archivist@Jeffco.us  to make an appointment.

Jumping January Public Health Updates

by Nancy Braden, Jeffco Public Health

January starts with the letter J and so do many activities that can help you get the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity you need each day. Get a jumpstart this year with exercises that start with J. Jump-roping, jogging or jumping jacks are all good cardio activities that also help build almost every muscle in your body.

Prescription Painkillers Are Taking Their Toll  

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention details just how serious the problem of prescription drug overdose is in the United States. The number of overdose deaths is now greater than those deaths from heroin and cocaine combined. A major part of the problem is use of prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons. In 2010, about 12 million Americans (age 12 or older) reported nonmedical use of prescription painkillers in the past year.  

Put your medicines up and away and out of site    

More than 60,000 young children end up in emergency rooms every year because they got into medicines while their parents or caregivers were not looking. For tips and facts, visit www.upandaway.org.   

Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning   

It's odorless, it's colorless and it's a gas that kills without warning. Carbon monoxide poisoning claims the lives of hundreds of people every year and makes thousands more ill. Many household items including gas and oil-burning furnaces, portable generators, and charcoal grills produce this poison gas. Following these important steps can keep your family safe.

It's Not too Late to Protect Yourself and Your Family from Flu!   

The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year. Everyone six months and older should get vaccinated. Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) provides flu shots by appointment, call 303-232-6301. Flu shots at our clinics are for children six months and older and adults through the age of 64. JCPH cannot bill Medicare.   

For more information on influenza, visit www.flu.gov.   

January is National Radon Action Month

JCPH encourages all residents to have their homes tested for radon gas. Radon is a naturally occurring gas that you can't see, smell, or taste, but it can be present at dangerous levels in your home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in the U.S. and claims the lives of about 500 Coloradans each year.

Testing is the only way to know for certain if you and your loved ones are at risk.

January is an excellent time to test your home. Testing requires all windows and doors be closed, but is simple to do. Residents in Jefferson and Gilpin counties can purchase short-term test kits for $10 at Jefferson County Public Health Environmental Health Services. Visit the Golden office at 1801 19th Street to pick-up your testing kit. Long-term test kits are also available at local hardware stores, supermarkets and other retail outlets.

For more information, contact JCPH Environmental Specialist John Moody at 303-271-5714, or visit www.epa.gov/radon/nram/.