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November 13, 2014 VOLU M E 6 | I SS UE 46 | 5 0 ¢
BrightonBanner.com A D A M S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
GOP nearly sweep county Only two Democrat candidates win county office
McIntosh
By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@colorado communitymedia.com
O’Dorisio
New sheriff in town
There were eight contested races for Adams County offices and the majority of voters chose Republicans to fill all but two seats. “This is historic,” said Jan Pawlowski, the Republican who won the District 5 county commissioner seat. “There hasn’t been a majority of Republicans in elected offices in Adams County since 1940 and I’m proud to be a part of it.” Voters chose the Republican candidates for sheriff, clerk and recorder, assessor, treasurer and two county commissioner seats. Only Democrats Monica Broncucia-Jordan and Steve O’Dorisio won their election bids for coroner and a District 4 commissioner, respectively. The newly elected officials will be sworn in Jan. 13.
The majority of voters in Adams County chose Mike McIntosh as their new sheriff. McIntosh garnered 51.52 percent (62,632) of the votes; while his opponent Democrat Rick Reigenborn received 48.47 percent (58,905) of the votes. “I am honored to have been elected as the 17th sheriff of Adams County and want to thank our citizens for their trust and support,” McIntosh said. “The journey ahead is exciting and I look forward to serving Adams County in this new era with the Sheriff’s Office.” He replaces term-limited Sheriff Doug Darr. McIntosh has been with Adams County Sheriff’s Office for more than 26 years and has served in every division of the agency, most recently the division chief of administrative services. He has lived in Adams County for almost 40 years and graduated from Brighton High School. He served in the U.S. Navy before joining the Sheriff’s Office in 1988.
History made POSTAL ADDRESS
The first ever District 4 and District 5 commissioners were elected. Pawloski and Democrat
Pawlowski
Steve O’Dorisio will be sworn-in as the first commissioners to fill the newly created board seats. Voters approved in 2012 a ballot measure to increase the number of elected commissioners from three to five. Members on the board will be residents in their districts but are to be elected by the voters of the entire county. It was a close race, but O’Dorisio won the majority vote for the District 4 spot — he received 50.23 percent (60,703) of the votes. His opponent, Republican Joe Domenico, received 49.77 percent (60,143) of the votes. That’s a difference of 560 votes. O’Dorisio lives in the Welby neighborhood and served four years with the Adams County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor. He served seven years on the Adams County Planning Commission. Pawlowski secured 50.45 percent (60,846) of the vote, defeating her opponent, Democrat Wilma Rose who received 49.55 percent (59,752). Pawlowski served eight years as the mayor of Brighton and six years prior to that as a council member. For the past 30 years, she has owned and operated Varsity Sports in Brighton.
By Tammy Kranz (USPS 290)
OFFICE: 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Adams County, Colorado, the Brighton Banner is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210, Westminster, CO 80031. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT BRIGHTON, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. G ET SOCIAL WITH US
tkranz@coloradocommunitymedia.com Starting Jan. 1, retail marijuana establishments will be allowed in unincorporated Adams County. Right now the county has a moratorium on retail marijuana that expires at the end of this year. “The county will adopt land use regulations by the end of the year that dictate where retail facilities can be located,” according to a statement by the county attorney’s office. “Retail marijuana will be allowed in designated areas
Melonakis
Incumbent Erik Hansen, Republican won his re-election bid for the District 3 seat. He has received 54.27 percent (66,423) of the vote, while his opponent, Democrat Manuel Solano received 45.73 percent (55,967). Hansen supported the addition of two members on the board. “I think we’ll have a better functioning deliberate governing body,” he said. “I believe we’re going to have some balance as well, with Republicans and Democrats, and I’m looking forward to moving ahead with everyone.”
New clerk and recorder, assessor elected
Republican candidate Stan Martin edged out his opponent Democrat Cynthia Martinez by receiving 51 percent (62,107) of the vote. Martinez got 49 percent (59,676). Martin, who has 23 years of experience in business management, will replace term-limited Karen Long. Republican Patsy Melonakis beat out Adams County deputy assessor Democrat candidate John Schaul for the assessor seat. Melonakis received 52.19 percent (62,311) of the vote;
Grimm
Broncucia-Jordan
while Schaul received 47.81 percent (57,075). Melonakis has been in property management and a real estate broker for 21 years and will replace term-limited Gil Reyes.
Coroner, treasurer re-elected Voters decided to keep the incumbents for the coroner and treasurer positions in Adams County. Republican Brigitte Grimm received 53.24 percent (64,523) of the vote. Her opponent, Democrat Steve Douglas, received 46.76 percent (56,680). Broncucia-Jordan won her reelection bid for coroner, receiving 52.99 percent (63,333) of the vote. Her opponent, Republican Michael Arnall, got 47.01 percent (56,182).
unless and until further action of the Board of County Commissioners.” Last week, voters approved by 54.87 percent, or 69,888 votes, to approve a countywide 3 percent sales tax on retail marijuana and their products. This sales tax will apply to retail marijuana and their products sold throughout the entire county, even the incorporated cities. This means that businesses in Northglenn and the portion of Aurora in Adams County that allow retail marijuana establishments will be affected. For Northglenn marijuana retailers, they will be hit with two sales tax increases as Northglenn voters also approved a 2 percent sales tax last week. County attorney Heidi Miller in September
explained that the sale of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products is currently taxed by the state of Colorado with a small percentage of the tax being shared back amongst all of the communities. “The current state sales and excise tax structure on retail marijuana and retail marijuana products is not designed to provide an equitable share back of the tax revenue to the communities from which revenue is derived,” she said. The money generated from the tax would pay for educational programs and for direct and indirect costs incurred by the county related to regulating and licensing such establishments, Miller said. According to the ballot language, the county expects to generate $1,260,000 annually in the first fiscal year (2016) if the tax measure passes.
Voters approve expanded sales tax use Revenue generated by existing tax could fund human services facility By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@coloradocommunitymedia.com
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Martin
County prepares for pot stores Moratorium on retail marijuana expires Dec. 31
BRIGHTON BANNER
Hansen
The majority of voters supported Question 1B in Adams County that expands the use of an existing tax. Voters approved by 54.28 percent (67,696 votes) to expand the use of its existing one-half of 1 percent sales tax to provide funding for po-
tentially building or relocating its human services offices. The language of the existing tax previously only allowed funding for constructing, acquiring, equipping, operation, maintaining and expanding the Adams County Justice Center, a pre-trail holding facility and a centralized government center. The expanded use of the existing tax can include the following: to construct, equip, maintain, and expand existing and new Adams County Government facilities, in addition to the Adams County Justice Center, a pre-trial holding facility and a centralized government center
The majority of human services functions are located in the Adams County Government Center, 4430 S. Adams County Parkway. Forty-percent of the revenues of the existing sales tax are shared among the county and the incorporated cities and towns in Adams County for improvements to or the building of roads and bridges. This 40 percent will remain dedicated to such projects. Voters first approved the tax measure in 1993 to construct the Adams County Justice Center. Voters extended the sales tax in 1997 for the expansion of the Adams County Detention Center, in 2001 to provide for road and bridge projects and in 2006 to the language it is today.