A to Z Directory of Services
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A to Z Directory of Services Arapahoe County A to Z Directory of Services Arapahoe County is one of the fastest growing counties in the Denver metropolitan area and offers a wide variety of services. This guide provides designed to help you access our services and find the answers to your questions. For your convenience, we’ve listed several non-county frequently-called numbers as well. You can access this directory and additional County information by visiting our website at www.arapahoegov.com. Still don’t know where to call to get information or help with a problem? We’re here to help. Call us at 303-795-4400 or toll-free 1-800-331-3739 for eastern Arapahoe County residents. Arapahoe County Communication and Administration Services 5334 South Prince Street, Suite 440 • Littleton, Colorado 80120 • 303-795-5467 Directory of Services 1 A Little History As Colorado’s first county, our history dates back to 1855 when Arapahoe County was part of the Kansas Territory. Arapahoe County was named for the Arapaho Indians, one of the larger tribes of plains Indians, who along with the Cheyenne, occupied Arapahoe County east of the foothills running into what is now western Kansas. In 1861, when Kansas was made a state, Colorado was made a territory with Arapahoe County as one of the 17 original counties. The original Arapahoe County was 30 miles wide and extended from Sheridan Boulevard, the present western boundary of Denver, Adams and Arapahoe counties to the Kansas border. This peculiar shape was due to the practice of giving counties with large amounts of plains territory at least some of the foothill territory where there was water for mining and irrigation. After a local election to determine the new county seat, voters selected Littleton, where it remains the county seat of Arapahoe County today. Arapahoe County spans 806 square miles and is a land of contrast. The western part of the County is mostly urban with residential, retail, office and industrial areas, while the eastern portion is relatively rural. Littleton, along with Sheridan, Englewood, Aurora, Bennett, Bow Mar, Centennial, Cherry Hills Village, Columbine Valley, Deer Trail, Foxfield, Glendale and Greenwood Village, make up the County’s 13 incorporated cities. Arapahoe County offers a variety of attractive residential choices and a moderate cost of living. Residents enjoy excellent parks, greenbelts and trail systems, superior public services and an inviting quality of life. There are nine school districts within the County and more than 350 local improvement and service districts. School districts include Aurora, Bennett, Byers, Cherry Creek, Deer Trail, Englewood, Littleton, Sheridan and Strasburg. Arapahoe County is governed by the Board of County Commissioners. The Commissioners, along with the Assessor, Clerk and Recorder, Coroner, Sheriff, Treasurer and District Attorney are elected by voters to administer County services. The Board oversees the County by serving as the administrative policy-making body. The Board approves the budget, hires staff, oversees land-use planning and development in unincorporated Arapahoe County; and administers county services, such as road and bridge maintenance, transportation improvements, snow and ice removal, human services and animal control. 2 Arapahoe County A to Z The Commissioners are elected by voters to represent five districts, each divided by population. All non-elected departments report directly to the Board of County Commissioners. These departments include Communication and Administrative Services, Community Resources, County Attorney, Facilities and Fleet Management, Finance, Human Resources, Human Services, Information Technology, Office of Strategy and Performance, Open Spaces and Intergovernmental Relations and Public Works and Development. The County has more than 2,230 employees and a $430 million budget. Arapahoe County has one of the lowest mill levies in the Front Range. In 2011, Arapahoe County voters approved a ballot question that extended the 0.25 percent open space sales and use tax to Dec. 31, 2023. Arapahoe County has more than 24 government offices offering citizens a variety of services. Commissioner offices are located on the Fourth Floor of the Administration Building, 5334 S. Prince St., Littleton, CO 80120-1136. The Board meets every Monday and Tuesday. Public Hearings are held at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday and are livestreamed through our website and YouTube channel. Commissioners can be contacted by telephone and email at the numbers on the following pages. To contact the entire Board, send an email to [email protected]. Directory of Services 3 Commissioners DISTRICT 1 Kathleen Conti 303-795-4630 [email protected] Kathleen Conti is serving her first term as Arapahoe County Commissioner representing District 1, which includes the communities of Bow Mar, Cherry Hills Village, Columbine Valley, Englewood, Littleton, Sheridan, portions of Centennial and unincorporated north Arapahoe County. She is serving as Finance Officer in 2020. Her term of office runs through January 2021. As Commissioner, Kathleen oversees the Information Technology and Public Works and Development Departments. Kathleen’s goals are to wisely manage taxpayer dollars and to spur economic development and job growth by reducing the heavy burden of regulations. She is committed to addressing the growing problems of teen mental health, alcohol and drug abuse and suicide with creative solutions and through new and more effective partnering with faith-based and not-for-profit organizations. 4 Arapahoe County A to Z Commissioners DISTRICT 2 Nancy N. Sharpe 303-795-4630 [email protected] Nancy Sharpe is serving her third term as Commissioner representing District 2, which includes Centennial, Greenwood Village, a portion of Aurora and unincorporated central Arapahoe County. She is serving as Board Chair in 2020. As Commissioner, Nancy oversees the Communications and Administrative Services, County Attorney, and Human Services Departments. Nancy currently serves on the Colorado Counties, Inc. Health and Human Services Steering Committee. She serves on the Board of Directors of Developmental Pathways and is Chair of the National Association of Counties Human Services and Education Steering Committee. She also serves as a Governor appointee on the Colorado Executive Leadership Council on Child Welfare and the Works Allocation and Child Welfare Allocation Committees. Directory of Services 5 Commissioners DISTRICT 3 Jeff Baker 303-795-4630 [email protected] Jeff Baker is serving his first term as Commissioner representing District 3, which includes portions of the cities of Centennial and Aurora, the Town of Foxfield, the towns of Bennett and Deer Trail and unincorporated eastern Arapahoe County. His current term expires January 2021. As Commissioner, Jeff oversees the Open Spaces and Strategy and Performance Departments. Jeff represents the County’s interests on a variety of boards and committees, including the Arapahoe County Housing Authority, the Arapahoe County Water and Wastewater Authority, the Board of Social Services, the Public Airport Authority and the Justice Coordinating Committee. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Arapahoe County Foundation. 6 Arapahoe County A to Z Commissioners DISTRICT 4 Nancy Jackson 303-795-4630 [email protected] Nancy Jackson is serving her third term as Commissioner representing District 4, which includes the unincorporated area in north Arapahoe County and portions of the City of Aurora. As Commissioner, Nancy oversees the Human Resources and the Public Works and Development departments. She serves on the County’s Executive Budget Committee. She serves on the Arapahoe/ Douglas Regional Workforce Development Board, the Arapahoe County Foundation Board of Directors, the Justice and Public Safety Committee, the Board of Social Services and the Arapahoe County Housing Authority. Nancy’s primary goal is to represent her constituents and be a voice at the table to promote effective policies that maintain and improve County services. Her priorities include preserving the environment through Open Spaces, encouraging entrepreneurship and livable wage employment opportunities, supporting public safety and criminal justice reform, providing adequate behavioral health services, partnering with community and civic organizations and educating the community about County services. Directory of Services 7 Commissioners DISTRICT 5 Bill L. Holen 303-795-4630 [email protected] Bill Holen is serving his second full term as County Commissioner representing District 5, which includes the City of Glendale and portions of the City of Aurora. He is serving as Chair Pro Tem in 2020. He was first appointed Commissioner in January 2012 and began his first term as Commissioner in Jan. 2013 and his second term in Jan. 2017. As Commissioner, Holen oversees the Finance and Community Resources Departments. He serves on the County’s Capital Improvements Project Team, the Arapahoe County Foundation Board of Directors, the Public Airport Authority, the Housing Authority, the Community Services Block Grant Advisory Committee, the Board of Social Services and the Forfeiture Committee for the Sheriff’s Office. Bill’s goal as Commissioner is to ensure the County’s fiscal situation is managed efficiently and effectively and that taxpayer dollars are being fairly dispersed. He aims to maintain a high level of service for Arapahoe County citizens and to improve collaborative efforts with cities,