Citizen Centennial 7.26.13
Centennial
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 36
July 26, 2013 A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourcentennialnews.com
Mayor, council pay set to rise Salary increases will take effect in 2016 By Deborah Grigsby
dgrigsby@ourcoloradonews.com
Good day, sunshine
As the sun sets behind Centennial Center Park, local kids cling to the last rays of light and final drops of water before the city-owned sprayground shuts down for the evening. The 11-acre award-winning park is located on the north side of Arapahoe Road, between Revere Parkway and Vaughn Street, and features not only a children’s water feature, but also an outdoor amphitheater, shelters and playground. Photo by Deborah Grigsby
Oil, gas efforts take shape in county Rules, development potential explored at town hall meeting
‘Myself, i don’t do it for money, i do it for
enjoyment.’
By Deborah Grigsby
dgrigsby@ourcoloradonews.com While other areas of the state struggle with developing the administrative permitting process that accompanies oil and gas exploration, major oil companies have praised Arapahoe County for its open and collaborative efforts. But as District 2 County Commissioner Nancy Sharpe detailed much of the history behind the process to residents at a July 20 town hall meeting hosted by Republican state Rep. Spencer Swalm of Centennial, she hinted at the notion that oil and gas activity in Arapahoe is starting to “look promising.” “We’ve approved 33 wells since the use by special permit process was finalized,” she said, and while it’s still too early to know how much windfall the county would receive should production take off, Sharpe said it would most likely come in the form of ad valorem tax — a tax on the value of the fuel. Under state law, the county would also be entitled to a share of the severance tax, which is a tax imposed by the state on non-renewable resources extracted or “severed” from the earth. Revenues from extracted minerals are split between the state and the county. The county would then divide its share among eligible municipalities. Citing improvements in safety and pro-
The city council and mayor of Centennial are getting pay raises, the first in the city’s 12-year history. The increases, approved in a 6-2 vote on July 15, range between 42 and 56 percent, and will add $37,430 to the city budget. The mayor’s post will pay about $5,800 more a year, the mayor pro tem job will see a raise of about $4,000, and other councilmember posts will get an increase of $3,600. Although the additional jingle won’t kick in until 2016 because the city’s home rule charter prohibits councilmembers from voting pay raises during their current terms, the move is meant to align Centennial’s elected-official compensation with that of 14 similarly sized communities within the Denver metropolitan area. District 2 Councilmember Keith Garner, who voted against the increase, said for Keith Gardner, him, the job was District 2 more about serving the community than it was about the pay. “I understand we’re probably on the low side of what we’re supposed to be paid,” Gardner said. “Myself, I don’t do it for money, I do it for enjoyment; it’s something I want to do and when I ran, I decided there were just certain things I would incur as a cost to do something I love, so I will be voting no on this.” Centennial resident Jim Hargis thinks the salary bump is warranted. “I support the motion to increase the pay,” Hargis said. “I have seen firsthand the hours required are extensive … the work the council does is substantial.” Rebecca McClellan, District 3 councilmember, suggested the additional pay would open the doors for more people to serve by helping cover personal costs such as child care. “I know that everyone’s circumstances are different, but in my early days of service, when my children were little, many times when I was here, I had a babysitter on the clock,” said McClellan. “I’m pleased that we’ll be doing something to possibly open up the avenue for community service and participation to a greater proportion of our citizens.”
District 2 County Commissioner Nancy Sharpe joins Rep. Spencer Swalm at a July 20 town hall meeting at the Smoky Hill Library in Centennial. Sharpe spoke confidently of the county’s future with oil and gas exploration. Photo by Deborah Grigsby duction best practices, Sharpe said she is confident with how the county has laid out expectations for oil and gas exploration, particularly when it comes to things like spills. “The smallest of spills must be mitigated,” explained Sharpe. “Even a spill the size of a water glass is still considered a spill and must be reported to the state.” The county also has hired a new oil and gas specialist that will serve as the county’s eyes and ears in the field.
‘The new specialist has completed the same safety training that state inspectors get.’ Nancy Sharpe, Arapahoe County commissioner
“The new specialist has completed the same safety training that state inspectors get,” said Sharpe. “Although our specialist is not certified to perform drilling inspections, she can certainly look at and understand the same things they are looking at.” There is a total of about 1,200 wells within the county, said Sharpe. A little more than 1,000 of them have long been abandoned or sealed off. Although interest in drilling seems to be growing in Arapahoe County, Sharpe doesn’t anticipate the number of wells to exceed 2,000. Part of that reason is that the most practical areas to drill are in eastern unincorporated Arapahoe County. State setback regulations and local control of access point and roads become extremely complicated in more densely populated areas.
Raise continues on Page 23
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