ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Currently, oil and gas development and production takes place in District 3 (including the eastern part of the City of Aurora). Road impact fees for oil and gas operators are being developed. The Board of County Commissioners is also working on how to best implement new local government responsibilities and authority under Senate Bill 19-181.
Property rights of mineral right owners and landowners is the governing factor in my support of oil & gas development because the United States Constitution protects these rights. Many farmers and ranchers use surface land leases and mineral leases to supplement their incomes from widely fluctuating crop and meat prices. Remember that weather conditions and wildfires can devastate their seasons too so having the steady, reliable income from leases helps my constituents in District 3 make it from year to year.
When re-elected, I plan to work in a bi-partisan way with the other Commissioners on creating these new county-centric rules. Coordinating with the towns and cities of Arapahoe County is essential and I have established relationships with the leadership of those towns and cities which will go a long way in that effort.
I was selected by my fellow Commissioners to serve as the chair of the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners for two years in a row, in 2018 and 2019. I took on a few added duties in this role but still fulfilled to the best of my abilities my primary role of representing the citizens of eastern Arapahoe County. It was a busy year for the County’s partners along I-70 including the towns of Watkins, Bennett, Byers, Strasburg and Deer Trail. My aim is to do my best to keep Arapahoe County the best place to live, raise families and conduct business.
Managing the responsible growth in Arapahoe County is the most important thing I do as a County Commissioner. Growth of population and business is already here and increasing every year. Oil and Gas development is likely to grow as well. How do we manage some of the seeming conflicts around water usage, roads and bridges, the rights of property and mineral rights owners and industry?
Great things were accomplished in my first term of office:
The improvement of the highly congested intersection of Quincy Ave. and Gun Club Road has begun with utility line relocations and we are currently in the process of moving a large ECCV waterline. The major construction for this innovative “partial continuous flow intersection” project was anticipated to take about one year to complete.
At my initiative, the Commissioners passed a resolution implementing a 6-month moratorium on injection wells in Arapahoe County. One application for this type of “disposal” well, planned along Quincy Ave. near Watkins Road, was able to file their application prior to the moratorium going into effect. That application is being processed and we expect to rule on that in the near future.
The Byers Park and Recreation District was awarded a County grant of $326,604 for the first phase of the community park renovation. The district has also asked both Adams and Arapahoe Counties for help in selecting a new member of their Board of Directors. That decision is currently pending.
The County is working closely with the Sheriff Office and the Principal at Byers School on Front Street to enhance safety in the School Zone by installing solar powered “SCHOOL” flashing signs.
County staff negotiated design requirements with CDOT to use federal funds to rehabilitate Jolly Road bridge.
