Thornton Harvest Fest
Saturday, Sept. 10, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Community Park
York St. and Thornton Parkway, Thornton
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Arapahoe County Commissioners approve new position to support local veterans
Posted on: August 18, 2020
One-year pilot program jointly funded with Adams County and City of Aurora
The Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an agreement that will create a new Veterans Service Officer position to increase service to local veterans within the City of Aurora. Adams and Arapahoe counties will jointly fund the position, with the City of Aurora providing in-kind materials.
“This is the result of a truly collaborative effort between veterans and government that we’ve been working on for some time,” said Commissioner Bill Holen, District 5, a disabled U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam. “Our County Veterans Service Office receives as many as 1,000 queries and processes as many as 100 claims per month, so to be able to create this dedicated position, and to do it jointly with our county and community partners,is especially rewarding and will help give veterans better access to the services and attention they deserve.”
Veterans Service Offices are county-level departments in each state that assist veterans and their families by answering questions, advising, and educating individuals and groups on what benefits are available from federal, state, county, and local resources. These officers also assist eligible persons with filing the necessary claims.
This one-year pilot program is the result of intergovernmental discussions that began in February and continued amid the COVID-related changes and developments this spring. “Too often there is a disconnect that prevents veterans from receiving the benefits that they have earned through their military service,” Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said. “The VSO position created by this IGA will fill a critical gap by stationing a support officer near the VA Hospital and connect underserved vets to these services. I am pleased Aurora is collaborating with Adams and Arapahoe Counties to provide much needed support for our military heroes.”
The new position will help support the goals of the Align Arapahoe performance management program, including enhancing the quality of life for Arapahoe County veterans by helping them achieve successful claims or connecting them with Arapahoe County’s Community Resources department. “Colorado and the Arapahoe-Adams area are home to many veterans who can benefit from the services the two counties and the City of Aurora provide every day,” said Commissioner Jeff Baker, District 3, a retired U.S. Army Warrant Officer. “By creating a single point of contact, we hope to streamline and focus these operations and reach even more veterans than we already do.”
The office’s proximity to Adams County will also provide a welcome option for the area’s veteran population. “Expanding services to our veterans has been a priority for Adams County over the last few years,” said Emma Pinter, Adams County Commissioner and Board Chair. “It was our goal in adding this new position to bring additional resources and personnel to an area with a high number of veterans so that we can better serve those who have served our country.”
The hiring process for the position will begin around September 1, 2020. Once staffed, the position will provide services from Arapahoe County’s Altura Plaza office in Aurora. By creating this project as a “pilot,” the entities will be able to evaluate, after the first year, the usage of the position and the potential value of maintaining a shared position going forward.
The full text of the Board’s resolution is available here.
Posted on: September 8, 2016
Adams County Animal Shelter/Adoption Center Events
If you're looking for a new addition to your family, come out to one of the free adoption events offered by the Adams County Animal Shelter/Adoption Center. The shelter will have dogs from the shelter available for adoption.
Posted on: September 7, 2016
Community Resource and Employment Fair
Join us for the next Community Resource and Employment Fair on Thursday, Oct. 6, 9 a.m.—2 p.m. at the Waymire Dome, Adams County Regional Park (9755 Henderson Rd., Brighton). Meet with employers, apply for jobs and attend our free job workshops. Also, register for a wide variety of support programs, including: food assistance, Medicaid, housing, childcare, early childhood education, senior services, employment services, health and wellness, and more. Additional information, including helpful documents, will be posted shortly.
Posted on: August 23, 2016
New Section of South Platte River Trail Opens
Adams County Parks and Open Space has opened the new segment of the South Platte River Trail. The trail became active on Wednesday, August 24, completing the trail within unincorporated Adams County. This $1.8 million project, funded by the Adams County Open Space Sales Tax and a Great Outdoors Colorado “Paths to Parks” grant award, will add approximately two miles of concrete trails along the river as well as two bridges to accommodate pedestrians between 104th Avenue and 120th Avenue.
Posted on: August 10, 2016
Adams Hollow Disc Golf Course Grand Opening
Adams County Parks and Open Space will host a Grand Opening Ceremony on Friday, Aug. 12, 3:30 p.m., for Adams Hollow Disc Golf Course, located at the Regional Park, 9755 Henderson Rd., Brighton, CO 80601. The ceremonial “First Disc” will be thrown at 3:45 p.m.
Posted on: August 8, 2016
County Hires Oil and Gas Liaison
The Adams County Department of Community and Economic Development (CED) hired Chris Simmons to serve in the role of oil and gas liaison. In an effort to increase public outreach and provide administration of the county’s new oil and gas regulations, the Board of County Commissioners approved the addition of a full-time oil and gas liaison following a six-week moratorium on oil and gas development, which ended March 22, 2016.
Posted on: July 11, 2016
Construction Begins on North I-25 Express Lanes from 120th Avenue to Northwest Parkway/E-470
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) broke ground this week on the latest expansion of the I-25 Express Lanes project. The $97.5 million project is an extension of the Express Lanes project completed on I-25 between US 36 and 120th Avenue, which will add one tolled express lane in each direction from 120th Avenue to Northwest Parkway/E-470. Details regarding construction and toll information can be found here.
Posted on: July 6, 2016
Commissioners Add Evening Schedule for Public Hearings
With the goal of increasing citizen engagement and participation, the Adams County Board of Commissioners is adding one evening hearing per month for the duration of 2016. The first evening hearing will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 2, at the Government Center, 4430 South Adams County Parkway, Brighton.
Posted on: June 22, 2016
County Wage Growth Leads Colorado
Adams County employees are enjoying the largest wage growth numbers in Colorado. In a report published Tuesday by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees in Adams County recorded the most impressive gains among Colorado’s largest counties at 5.1 percent. The increase in wages comes as the unemployment rate in the county dropped to 3.9 percent, down from 4.4 percent in 2015 and 6.2 percent in 2014.
Posted on: March 21, 2016
Commissioners Approve Amended Oil and Gas Regulatory Process
Ending a six-week moratorium on new oil and gas permit applications, the Board of County Commissioners today approved amendments to the county’s regulatory process by a 3-2 vote.
A vote on a separate amendment to revise the county's fee schedule to add new application fees for administrative use by special review application also passed on a 3-2 vote with the Board's direction to create a task force to provide recommendations on traffic impact fees as they relate to oil and gas production.
