Westsider WESTSIDER 3.21.13
North Jeffco
POSTAL PATRON
March 22, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourwestminsternews.com
North Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 11
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Sequestration socks Jeffco State and county cuts affect vulnerable By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews. com The most vulnerable in Jefferson County, including the homeless and the developmentally disabled, will be among those most affected by automatic spending cuts, known as sequestration. Jefferson County Community Development Director Kat Douglas said programs offering rental assistance and homeless shelters face immediate cuts. She said the county would be cut between $100,000
to $150,000 for 2013. “The people who are hurting the most are those who need those services,” Douglas said. Douglas said once the Department of Housing and Urban Development decide on how to apply the budget cuts, they will hand off the reduced funding to states, who then in turn will have to decide how to divvy up the reduced funding to counties and cities. “And so far, nobody has any answers for us,” said Douglas. The only news so far is not encouraging. The state will fund Jeffco at 50 percent of its usual allocation, and hopefully increase that amount once HUD has decided what it is doing. Douglas said the coun-
ty usually signs grant contracts with area nonprofits at the start of March, but have had to reduce those contracts in half, or not offer them at all this year. A similar air of uncertainty surrounds education funding. According to the White House, sequestration will result in $16.5 million less money for Colorado students this year. Roughly half of that money would have gone to Title One programs — targeted at lower income students who qualify for free or reduced lunches. The other half would be for children with disabilities. “These are populations we care deeply about and we want to do everything we can to give them a bright future. They’re hard cuts to
make,” said Heather Beck, chief academic officer with Jeffco Public Schools. The Jeffco school district enrolls about 10 percent of the state’s children. “But I don’t know if the state is just going to hand down a straight percentage of cuts to us or not,” Beck said. The new academic fiscal cycle begins July 1, which should be when the cuts go into effect, though Beck said she had not received confirmation of that. She says even if the cuts do come down, the district has enough reserve funding budgeted to forestall any reduction to teaching staff or services for one year. Beck said that if sequestration
is not reversed, the district would be looking at $9 million in less revenue over the next five years. “That will mean teacher loss, program loss,” Beck said. Across the state, sequestration cuts will hit many sectors. An estimated 12,000 Department of Defense employees will face furloughs. Army and Air Force spending will be reduced by $65,000. Program funding for children, seniors, veterans and law enforcement will also be effected. Beck says for now at least, all that can be done is to wait and see, and keep fingers crossed. “We’re sticking on the optimistic side of things and hope Washington can figure these things out.”
Arraignment continued in Sigg case By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com Austin Sigg, the teen accused of killing Jessica Ridgeway of Westminster, did not enter a plea during his arraignment hearing on Tuesday, March 12. Instead, Judge Stephen Munsinger continued the hearing for 30 days, allowing Sigg’s defense team Austin Sigg more time to investigate possible defenses. Originally, the defense team asked for an additional two months due to the massive amount of information in discovery. One defense attorney told the judge more time was needed because the team hasn’t thoroughly gone through every piece of discovery, which includes 50,000 pages of information, 2,500 photos and 1,800 pieces of physical evidence. Sigg is now expected to enter a plea April 12. “You have three choices, guilty, not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity,” Munsinger told the defense team. “I will allow you to amend the plea down the road if needed.” Sigg is facing 18 charges, including firstdegree murder, kidnapping, sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a child. During the preliminary hearing on Feb. 22, Westminster investigator Louis Lopez testified that Sigg confessed to the murder of Ridgeway during a 911 call. Sigg told the dispatcher “I murdered Jessica Ridgeway, I have proof.” He said the remains were in the crawl space at his home, and he was giving himself up completely. Police investigated Sigg’s home in Westminster and found the remains. Lopez testified that Ridgeway’s death was asphyxiation, according to the coroner. Sigg is accused of kidnapping and killing Ridgeway in early October 2012. He is also accused of attempting to abduct a woman jogging around Ketner Lake in May 2012.
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North Metro Community Services client Wayne, works on taking apart a computer. He is an employee at DataSafe Colorado, which provides employment opportunities for developmentally disabled adults through North Metro Community Services. Photos by Ashley Reimers
Helping those with developmental disabilities By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com The goal of North Metro Community Services is simple: Provide strong advocacy for people with developmental disabilities. This is done through a variety of programs and services for adults and children with disabilities. North Metro Community Services, 1001 W. 124th Ave. in Westminster, is a community center board location designated to Adams County serving people with developmental disabilities. North Metro provides client intake, case management, day program services, residential services, support services, employment opportunities and a variety of support services for children. North Metro resource
coordination staff members help clients determine the best services needed. For adults in the day program, the client has the opportunity to choose his or her yearly program. Executive Director Randy Brodersen said some clients might choose to head out into the community by participating in volunteer opportunities at nonprofit organizations or go the local recreation center for swimming. “Our clients get to do some great stuff. We have one group that formed a band and even headed to Red Rocks on afternoon for their own concert,” he said. “They set up speakers, electric guitars and drums and got to be rock stars for the afternoon.” Randy said another big part of the day programs is community
integration. He said it’s important to get people exposed to the clients and help the community feel more comfortable with people with developmental disabilities. “There is a lot of prejudice for people who are different and what’s really interesting is that people who come the facility end up feeling like rock stars because all of the clients want to shake their hand and be their friend,” he said. “There is a whole world of disabled people who are the nicest, friendliest folks you’re going to meet.” For clients seeking employment, North Metro also offers jobs opportunities at DataSafe of Colorado, a division of North Metro. DataSafe of Colorado provides secure document destruction Community continues on Page 21
North Metro Community Services client Melody works on taking apart a computer. She is an employee at DataSafe Colorado, which provides employment opportunities for developmentally disabled adults through North Metro Community Services.