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If you are interested in how Jefferson County forms policies for Open Space parks, want to help libraries keep up with growing demands, have ideas about planning and zoning issues or the type of events that should be held at the county fairgrounds, then you should apply to join one of the county's boards and commissions that help to make these and other important decisions.

The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (BCC) appoints more than 300 citizens to serve on advisory boards and commissions. Members study issues in depth, make recommendations regarding specific county functions, and assist in governing Jefferson

County.

A summary of the duties and roles of many of the boards and commissions along with application forms can be found on the county's boards and commissions website. Some have current vacancies and some have terms coming due at the end of March. If a board doesn't have a current vacancy, applications will be kept on file for future vacancies.

Completed applications are due in the Commissioners Office, (100 Jefferson County Parkway, Suite 5550, Golden, CO 80419) by March 23. For information call Lynda Fine at 303-271-8504 or email commish@jeffco.us. Completed forms may also be emailed to that address. All interested Jefferson County residents are urged to apply.

Have you heard about the BOA or rather the Board of Adjustment? The BOA is a Jefferson County volunteer board and its members are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners.

So what does the BOA do exactly? The Board of Adjustment is the board that considers granting variances or special exceptions to established zoning regulations in cases where property owners cannot meet the standards in their zone districts.

Along with variances, the board considers special exceptions for temporary activities, such as short-term rentals or even temporary dwellings like a trailer while the permanent structure is being built. This is also the board that citizens can go before if they wish to appeal the Zoning Administrator's written decision, determinations and interpretations.

Basically, this is the board that landowners go in front of if they believe they have a valid reason to ask for something like building an addition to their home 25 feet from the property line, when their zone district requires a 50 foot setback.

The granting of the variances and special exceptions is not automatic. The homeowner may need to prove an adequate hardship and public testimony is also considered. Public notices are posted for these cases and anyone from the public is encouraged to attend and testify for or against any of the cases.

The BOA meets the first and third Wednesday of each month at 9 a.m. The meetings are open to the public and are held in Hearing Room One located in the Administration and Courts Facility, 100 Jefferson County Parkway.

Current chair Richard Ingram, who moved to the Evergreen area in the early 80s and has a background in real estate said, "I've enjoyed giving back to the county. It's been good to me and I have really liked living in Jeffco. By serving on the board I feel I can contribute even a little bit to the community." 

When asked who he thought would be the best kind of volunteer for this board he stated, "We have had quite a variety on the board, including attorneys, construction folks and realtors, but mostly those that would be best to serve are those people with good common sense."

This board does require not only a time commitment and dedication, but also "An ideal candidate is a good listener, has a good knowledge of zoning and construction, and it even helps to have a 4-wheel drive vehicle to access the remote sites in the applications that the board reviews," said the county's Zoning Administrator Mike Chadwick. 

If this board or any other boards or commissions sound like something you would like to volunteer for, please visit www.jeffco.us/bcc and click on the Boards & Commissions link on the left side of the page.

BOA Members Back row: Louis Matis, Curtis Westphal, Ed Ford, Max W. Mues Front row: William Mathews, Lois J. Tate, Richard G. Ingram

Jeffco Wins Award for Road Project

by Bailey Becker, Jeffco Public Information

Chatfield was widened from two lanes to four from Wadsworth Boulevard to Everett Street. It also included safety improvements for vehicles, pedestrians and the local residents such as sidewalks, retaining walls, visual traffic calming that helps slow traffic to posted speed limits; and the removal of residential driveways from the arterial road.

What garnered attention and made this an award winning project, was Transportation and Engineering's approach of involving the more than 30 adjacent property owners from the start and working with them towards mutual solutions to limit the impact of the project on their properties.

The county, along with the contractor, Merrick & Company, designed the project to avoid total purchases of residential lots and created unique retaining walls that minimized easement needs and utility relocations. To also ensure that the property owners' needs were met, even improvements on residential front and side yards were made if they were affected by the construction.

Jacki Paone Named Director of CSU Extension

March Into March...Public Health Updates

by Nancy Braden, Jeffco Public Health

March, march and march some more   

Lift right knee up, hold, slowly lower, lift left leg up! Marching is one of those aerobic exercises, meaning "with air or oxygen" that can help reduce falls, keep your heart healthy and help manage weight. Aerobic activity is long in duration, but can be low in intensity. Marching can also increase your energy, improve your mood and reduce stress and it requires no specialized equipment. Marching on carpet or grass reduces the impact on your joints. If you have any difficulties with balance, march in place near a counter or couch that you can hold onto. This March, try marching!

JCPH Celebrates March as National Nutrition Month

Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) dieticians and WIC (Women, Infants & Children Program) educators are celebrating nutrition month with their clients this year by offering free cooking demonstrations promoting healthy eating. Everyone is encouraged to learn more about making healthier food and beverage choices. Check out the website created by the state of North Carolina and take a trip through the grocery store to learn some tips. 

Get Savvy about Salt   

Most of us, nine out of 10 U.S. adults, get too much sodium in their diets every day. According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average person consumes about 3,300 milligrams of sodium per day. That's more than twice the recommended limit for about half of Americans, and it does not include any salt added at the table. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg a day. That is equivalent to about one teaspoon of salt. Adults with high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and those 51 years of age or older are recommended to further limit their sodium to 1,500 mg a day.

According to the report, more than 40 percent of sodium comes from 10 types of foods: breads and rolls; cold cuts and cured meats such as deli or packaged ham, or turkey; pizza; fresh and processed poultry; soups; sandwiches such as cheeseburgers; cheese; pasta dishes (other than macaroni and cheese); meat-mixed dishes such as meat loaf with tomato sauce; and snacks such as chips, pretzels, and popcorn.

For more information, check out these resources:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• USDA 
• JCPH Salt and Sodium handout 
• Jefferson County Nutrition Services Program 
•  Jefferson County WIC 

Take Care of your Brain...March is Brain Awareness Month

A brain injury can happen anytime, anywhere, to anyone. The numbers are alarming:

• 475,000 children sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year in the U.S.
• 3.1 million individuals live with life-long disabilities as a result of a TBI.
• 52,000 people will die, 275,000 people will be hospitalized and more than one million people will be treated and released from an emergency department this year due to a traumatic brain injury.

These are numbers we can dramatically reduce by paying special attention to injury prevention. Traumatic brain injuries are caused mostly by falls (35 percent); car crashes (17 percent), workplace accidents (16 percent), assaults (10 percent), and other (21 percent). JCPH urges everyone to learn more about preventing falls, motor vehicle safety and wearing appropriate protective gear when participating in sports and other activities.

Taking care of your brain also means feeding it properly. Healthy foods help create healthy minds. Wild salmon, blueberries, black beans, walnuts, carrots and oats are all healthy foods that are also good for your brain. View JCPH super foods handout.

The JCPH Health Care Program for Children with Special Needs (HCP) helps families of children with TBI and other conditions. Call 303-239-7006 or visit JCPH Health Care Program for Special Needs for more information.

You can also learn more by checking out the following resources:

• Brain Injury Association of America    
• Mind Boggling Puzzles and Exercises provided by the DANA foundation  
• Games and Puzzles and fun with brain science 

Support for Stronger Smoke-Free Ordinances Continues to Grow

St. Anthony Hospital joins the list of organizations in Jefferson County, which supports stronger protections from secondhand smoke for workers and the public. The St. Anthony Hospital Board of Directors reviewed the smoke-free provisions recommended by the Citizens for a Healthier Lakewood coalition and unanimously passed a resolution in support.

The smoke-free provisions that are being recommended are proven to protect workers and patrons from secondhand smoke and help reduce youth initiation of tobacco use as well as overall consumption of tobacco. The provisions include making all indoor area of workplaces smoke-free regardless of the type of business, making outdoor seating and dining areas of bars and restaurants smoke-free to protect workers, and patrons of all ages, and making certain outdoor public places smoke-free, including recreation areas, playgrounds, parks, public transit waiting areas and sidewalks around hospitals.

Read more about this continued support for stronger smoke-free regulations in JCPH's recent news release.    

"One, Two, Buckle My Shoe"    

JCPH's Immunization Program nurses and staff are advising parents about the importance of reading aloud to their children and also providing age-appropriate books to take home. JCPH is one of the more than 180 participating clinics in the Reach Out and Read Colorado program. This non-profit distributes more than 143,000 books to more than 82,000 Colorado children annually.

For more information, visit www.reachoutandreadco.org or call the JCPH Immunization Program at 303-232-6301.

Welfare Fraud is a Crime  

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, 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 Human Services Investigation Unit takes welfare fraud very seriously and works tirelessly to ensure funding goes to the right people. Welfare fraud is not only a crime, but it 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
• Unreported income

In 2011, the Investigation Unit received 271 allegations of fraud from caseworkers, and 353 additional complaints from the general public hotline. Further reviews led to 233 cases being investigated, which established $327,030 in fraudulent overpayments.  This process saved an additional $134,400 in county dollars by disqualifying those individuals, who were found guilty of fraud through an administrative or criminal proceeding, from receiving further assistance. 

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