WEEK OF MARCH 6, 2025
VOLUME 23 | ISSUE 13
FREE
Lawmakers offer more mental health help for youth Bills tackle insurance coverage and cell phone use in schools BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
At the annual Parker State of the Town, Mayor Joshua Rivero speaks about where Parker came from, how it has evolved over 44 years and how town staff is PHOTO BY HALEY LENA planning for the future.
Parker’s State of the Town looks at past, present, future Legend High School principal recognized with Impact Award at event featuring new Mayor Josh Rivero BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
For 16 years, the Rotary Club of Parker has hosted a State of the Town event to celebrate the previous year and to look forward to what’s ahead. And this year, the event focused on making lasting changes for the betterment of the community. For “over 44 years, this town’s elected officials have guided Parker’s progress and made sure that while we have grown, we have also preserved that hometown feel that makes Parker unique,” said Mayor Joshua Rivero. Speaking at the State of the Town for the first time as mayor, Rivero took a look back at Parker’s roots.
When the town was incorporated in 1981, Rivero said the town started with 285 people. By the year 2000, the population had grown to 23,000 and it now has more than 68,000 residents. But Rivero said the hometown feel is not judged by the size of the population. “It’s judged by how we treat each other,” Rivero said. Including the re-implementation of the Parker Police Department’s traffic unit, modernized updates to the town’s land development ordinance and online permitting process, 2024 worked on changes for the future safety and success of Parker. In terms of economic development, a majority of the town’s revenue goes to public works, parks and recreation and public
VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 14 | CALENDAR: 17 | PUZZLES: 18
safety. Rivero said there was an increase in expenditures for the parks and recreation department in 2024 due to the Salisbury Park expansion, which will expand the park by 91 acres. Having received $8.7 million in share back fund distributions from Douglas County, the park will include multiple baseball fields, two multipurpose sports fields, pickleball, tennis and basketball courts, a BMX track and a playground. The park is to be constructed in four phases, with the first phase anticipated to begin later this year. Construction will also continue on Parker’s roadways as the engineering and public works departments work on the trans-
portation system, including updates to the traffic system with new equipment. With some roadway projects already completed and more to be done, Rivero said the projects are a nearly $90 million investment to the town. “I know that myself and (Councilmember) John Diak, we like to see orange cones because that means progress,” said Rivero. “It means a betterment in the future.” But roadways aren’t the only areas undergoing construction — progress on the Town Hall expansion was also made in 2024. The final product will allow more town staff to work under one roof and it will provide SEE TOWN TALK, P12
Legislation aimed at improving the mental health of Colorado’s children is gaining ground after garnering bipartisan support among lawmakers, say bill advocates. “I think everyone is aware that there is a mental health crisis among our kids,” said Zach Zaslow, VP of Community Health and Advocacy at Children’s Hospital Colorado. “I think (lawmakers) are stepping up to be helpful in fighting this crisis.” Zaslow, Dr. Lauren Eckhart, clinical director for the Colorado Springs division of the Pediatric Mental Health Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado and about 100 parents, health care providers and primary care physicians were at the State Capitol to hail the passage of two key bills — HB 25 1002 and HB 251135. Both measures passed the State House and now are headed for Senate hearings before they are voted on by the whole legislature. Zaslow said neither measure costs taxpayers but could likely save lives in the long term. HB 1002 tries to cut the disparities between standard physical health and mental health benefits. The measure would ensure private health insurance carriers are not denying coverage for medically necesSEE MENTAL HEALTH, P6
2025
VOTING STARTS
NOW!
PARKERCHRONICLE.NET • A PUBLICATION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA