South Metro Fire to hold spring election

4 Board Members Up

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

South Metro Fire Rescue, a re rescue authority that serves approximately 560,000 people in the south Denver metro area, will hold an election this spring to select four members of its board of directors.

The agency will accept self-nominations through Feb. 24.

The agency covers many cities and towns, including Bow Mar, Castle Pines, Centennial, Cherry Hills Village, Columbine Valley, Foxfield, Greenwood Village, Littleton, Lone Tree and Parker, along with nearby unincorporated portions of Arapahoe, Jefferson, and Douglas counties.

South Metro Fire Rescue is governed by a seven-member board of directors who are publicly elected and oversee an annual budget of more than $127 million, according to the agency’s website.

Each board member represents a specific geographical portion of the overall fire district, known as a director district, the agency explained in a 2020 governing body document.

Four of the directors’ terms ex- pire in 2023, including Sue Roche of District 1, Jim Albee of District 3, Cindy Hathaway of District 4 and Renee Anderson of District 5.

The agency announced the election will be held May 2 and it will be a mail ballot election.

Ballots will be mailed to all eligible electors between April 11 and April 18, per the agency’s website.

There will not be an election precinct or polling place, but ballots can be dropped off at 9195 E. Mineral Ave. in Centennial, according to the agency’s resolution about the election.

The director position is a fouryear term and people can nominate themselves for one of the four open seats. According to the agency’s website, all candidates must complete a self-nomination form and either email the completed form to DEO@southmetro. org or hand deliver the form to 9195 E. Mineral Ave.

Residents who are interested in learning more about the election and how to become a candidate can find information, including the self-nomination form, at bit. ly/southmetronom. Those who wish to check which district they live in and who represents them can visit: bit.ly/southmetromap.

According to the Colorado Department of Human Services, the last emergency allotment bene t was delivered this month.

According to a report released by the Colorado Department of Human Services, the SNAP program caseload for Douglas County for 2022 was 3,549, with a client count of 6,998. is includes non-public assistance and public assistance.

Many people don’t feel Douglas County has this need but Executive Director of SECORCares Mark Heistand said it is prevalent in the community.

“ e county’s always like ‘we’re one of the… whatever… fth richest counties in the United States,’ well yes, we may be per capita income, but we have our friends and neighbors that are right next to us and are experiencing all sorts of life issues,” said Heistand. “ ere are people that are deciding between paying the rent or purchasing groceries or paying a medical bill.” e Colorado Department of Human Services estimates an average reduction of $90 per person each month.

SECORCares is a nonpro t organization that provides food and nancial assistance to Elbert, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.

On an average day, SECORCare will serve 400 to 500 people and on Saturdays they serve up to 3,000 people. Of those served, about 35 to 40% are Douglas County residents according to Heistand.

“So it’s a pretty hefty drop o happening, at the same time we are seeing kind of these record highs in grocery prices,” said Brie Dilley, director of philanthropy at SECORCares. “Along with all of the economic instability that we’re seeing across all of the di erent socioeconomic statuses. It feels a little bit like the straw that’s gonna break the camel’s back.”

Not only will the reduction in bene t amounts impact residents, it will also impact organizations like SECORCares that serve the community. e increase in grocery prices will a ect the amount of resources these types of organizations receive. About 30 to 40% of the food that SECORCares passes out depends on donations they receive from grocery stores and partners.

SECORCares grocery rescue program includes items such as cans of beans, vegetables and rice.

“What happens is our guests then don’t have the ability to pick up the kind of food that they normally get,” said Heistand. “So it’s compounded by the fact that we no longer have a lot of pre-rescue food coming in, in order to give our hosts and their guests the amount of food they

In addition to SECORCares, Douglas County provides various food, medical and nancial assistance programs.

Rochelle Schlortt of Catholic Charities of Central Colorado said there is not just one program that can o set the reduction of SNAP bene ts.

“It will require a re-examination of a family’s entire budget,” said Schlortt. “Looking at where income can be increased, where expenses can be reduced, how families can change meal planning to lower meal costs, tapping into monthly supplemental programs, shopping pantries, couponing and taking advantage of grocery sales.”

Heistand said there has already been a trend developing in the number of people coming in for assistance.

“I don’t think we know for sure what kind of impact we’re going to see,” said Heistand. “And if that trend stays like it is and then we add on top of this, this reduction in the amount of money that folks are going to have for groceries, it could be critical very quick.” e Colorado Department of Human Services provides tips for families to make the transition. Tips include rolling over unused SNAP bene ts to the next month and stock up on non-perishable items.