$1.00
Week of January 12, 2023
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
EnglewoodHerald.net
VOLUME 102 | ISSUE 48
Arapahoe County to redraw commissioner districts 9-member board chosen BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Staff members of the new Arapahoe County Public Health Department listen to speakers at the grand opening on Jan. 3. PHOTO BY NINA JOSS
Arapahoe County Public Health opens 200 attend meeting BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Roughly 200 people gathered in a conference space at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds. The bus-
tling noises fell into an organized silence as the crowd listened for the farthest thing they could hear. Then, for the closest. These listening exercises were part of the team-building activities at the grand opening of the Arapahoe County Public Health Department on Jan. 3. The
174-employee department, tasked with providing public health services, replaces the seven-decadeold Tri-County agency. Tri-County served Arapahoe County and its neighbors, Adams and Douglas counties, SEE HEALTH, P10
Arapahoe County operating under $499M budget for 2023 26 amendments adopted BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Arapahoe County is now functioning under its 2023 budget, which was adopted with amend-
ments in December. The 2023 budget is balanced at about $499 million in revenue and the same in expenses, Finance Director Todd Weaver said at a Dec. 6 Board of County Commissioners meeting. The bulk of the funding will go toward paying county staff. It
includes approximately 2,553 fulltime equivalent positions, which is up about 198 from last year, mostly due to new hires in the public health department. As reported by Colorado Community Media, other funding will SEE BUDGET, P9
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17
EMOTIONAL LEARNING, ART, GOOD MEDICINE P12
Arapahoe County’s commissioners have given approval to a process that will redraw their own boundaries, meaning constituencies could change. The commissioners have tasked a nine-member Citizens Redistricting Advisory Committee to lead the process, which begins this month. By law, Colorado counties must redraw commissioner district boundaries every 10 years, in line with new population data. Because of delays in 2020 Census information, Colorado’s legislators granted counties extra time to complete redistricting. Committee members
The advisory committee was chosen by commissioners through an application process last year. It includes three Democrats, three Republicans and three unaffiliated members. Alternate members have also been assigned in case they’re needed. Commissioner Jeff Baker of District 3 said the equal distribution of members, including those who are unaffiliated, is meant to ensure fairness. “This whole process is intended to limit, if not eliminate, gerrymandering,” he said. “The whole idea is that one party does not have more constituents in any one commissioner district.” Gerrymandering is political talk for attempts by parties, groups and incumbents to shape districts to their advantage. Process
The advisory committee is expected SEE DISTRICTS, P9