WESTSIDER 12.27.12
North Jeffco
Westsider
December 28, 2012 A Colorado Community Media Publication
North Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 11, Issue 51
ourwestminsternews.com
County hears budget comments Cuts to mental health and human services draw concern By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews.com A contingent of community members and city and state officials expressed hopes at a Dec. 18 meeting that the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners would reconsider their plans to cut $688,000 from three county human services programs: Family Tree, the Jefferson Center for Mental Health and Seniors’ Resource Center. Former state Sen. Moe Keller called cut-
ting such services “more than egregious, they’re baffling.” She said that any cuts to mental health and human services often just shifts new costs to prisons, jails and emergency rooms. She suggested the county could use its ability to increase property tax to raise the necessary funds. “On the hundreds of people who have contacted me, I would ask that you reconsider these cuts,” Colorado State House District 25 Representative Sue Schafer told the commission. Jefferson Center for Mental Health board member Buzz Cleveland told the commission that the center had received no warning, and had no dialogue to prepare them
for the budget cut. He asked for the funding to be restored, or even increased to meet public demand. “You are concerned with what we can afford.” Cleveland said. “The question I have is what can’t we afford? And we can’t afford any more Columbines, and we can’t afford any more Jessica Ridgeways, or any more Aurora theaters, or what’s happening in Connecticut.” After public comment board Chair Don Rosier broke with official meeting protocol to reply to the public speakers. “No one here is saying the services provided here aren’t needed,” Rosier said, adding that the cuts were needed to maintain
the county’s fiscal health. Rosier pointed the finger at the state and federal level, which has been cutting its contributions to county Human Services by millions. He also said that increasing the property tax would burden all seniors on a fixed income. District 2 Commissioner John Odom was absent. District 1 Commissioner Faye Griffin said the county hoped for future increases in home values to help increase the county budget situation. “When those funds do become available, they will go to the highest and best use,” Rosier said.
Murder of 10-year-old shakes the community Compiled by Ashley Reimers and Darin Moriki
cials. The cap stood at 30 for most of the year and is divided among nine municipalities based on their population in Adams County. The Adams County commissioners passed a resolution on Dec. 12 that will double the jail cap to 60 and set a Jan. 7 to adopt the resolution. The county charged each city a $45 daily fee for each inmate exceeding its cap.
It was a year of ups and downs in Westminster and Adams County. From new construction in the area, to budget cuts, to a murder that shook the north metro area, in no particular order here are the top 10 stories of 2012:
TOP TEN
Quality Paving and Quality Resurfacing trials conclude
Adams 12 Budget cuts
The Adams 12 Five Star Schools Board of Education cut $12 million to balance the 2012-13 budget, resulting in the loss of about 60 full-time employee positions, including at least 51 cuts to certified teacher positions. The plan also called for a $6.8 million reduction in compensation for employees through options such as furlough days and increased contributions to the school district’s retirement system.
Abduction and murder of Jessica Ridgeway
On Oct. 5, 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway disappeared while walking to school in Westminster. Days later her body was found in the Pattridge Park Open Space area in Arvada. Police later Jessica Ridgeway received a call from the mother of 17-year-old Austin Sigg leading police to his arrest.
Westminster Police officer T.C. Cunningham talks with another officer while blocking off an intersection at West 102nd Avenue and North Moore Court Oct. 24. Officials were search the home of Austin Sigg in connection to the Jessica Ridgeway murder. Photos by Andy Carpenean Sigg is now facing 19 charges, including four counts of first-degree murder. He is being tried as an adult, and if convicted, could face up to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 22.
District 50 moves up in accreditation
Adams County School District 50 moved up from a turnaround district to a priority improvement district after an increase in its performance indicators. Two years ago District 50 was labeled as a turnaround district, with seven of the district’s 18
schools in the turnaround category. The district now has three years to move from the priority improvement category into either the improvement or accredited level.
U.S. Highway 36 express-lanes project
Construction on the U.S. Highway 36 express-lanes project began in August and is set to be completed by December 2014. The $312 million project between Federal Boulevard and 88th Avenue Street in Louisville/Superior will build an express lane in each direction of Highway 36. The lanes will accommodate high-occupancy vehicles, bus rapid transit and tolled single-occupancy vehicles.
Westminster Station
Teachers and supporters hold up signs while protesting at a Adams County School District 12 school board meeting. Photo by Andrew Carpenean
Commuter-rail transit is on its way to Westminster. The project is part of the Regional Transportation District’s FasTracks Northwest Rail Line corridor project. It includes construction of a Westminster Station, which will be surrounded by 135 acres for future development. The first 6.2-mile segment from Union Station to south Westminster, at 71st Avenue and Lowell Boulevard, is already funded through the Eagle P3 project and is set for completion by 2016.
Standley Lake sexting scandal
Two Standley Lake High School students were charged with sexual exploitation of a child after recording and sharing a video involving a sex act while traveling to a baseball game in March. The two teenage boys are facing felony charges and could face a deferred sentence or up to two years in juvenile detention. Both could also have to register as sex offenders.
Voters approve board expansion from three to five
Voters narrowly passed Ballot Question 1A in November, which expanded the county commissioner board’s representation from three to five members. The first part of the ballot question asked if the number of board of county commissioner members should be increased, and the second part asked how these commissioners should be elected. Voters opted to have five at-large district commissioners. The two commissioner seats will not be decided by voters until 2014.
Disagreements continue over county jail caps
The fight over jail caps imposed by the Adams County Commissioners in response to staffing and budget cuts was a contentious one for the commissioners, sheriff and neighboring city offi-
The multi-year Quality Paving and Quality Resurfacing scandal concluded this year following the convictions of four employees and county officials accused of bilking $1.8 million from Adams County taxpayers for work that was either never done or completed. Quality Paving and Quality Resurfacing Vice President Dennis Coen was sentenced to 13 years in prison; former president Jerry Rhea was handed a nine-year prison term, but has appealed his sentence and is currently free on an appeal bond issued; former Adams County construction manager Samuel Vidal Gomez was given a four-year prison term and former Adams County public works chief Leland “Lee” Asay pleaded guilty in October to one count of theft and will be sentenced in January for his involvement.
Commissioner Alice Nichol cleared of wrongdoing
Adams County Commissioner Alice Nichol will not face any criminal charges following an extensive investigation that scrutinized her alleged involvement in the multiyear Quality Paving and Quality Resurfacing scandal. Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey, the special prosecutor assigned to the case, officially ended his 21-month investigation in October. He said his office was unable to prove Nichol’s involvement beyond a reasonable doubt. Allegations leveled against Alice Nichol and her husband Ron primarily stem from work done on the couple’s residence in July and August 2005 by Quality Paving and Quality Resurfacing. Nichol lost her bid to keep the District 2 seat as a commissioner after losing the Democratic Party’s nomination in the primary election.
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