1-Color
May 15, 2014
50 cents Adams County, Colorado | Volume 50, Issue 39 A publication of
LOOK INSIDE for a handy THORNTONFEST Guide!!
northglenn-thorntonsentinel.com
Merge planned for two fire departments By Ashley Reimers
areimers@colorado communitymedia.com The Southwest Adams County Fire Protection District, SWAC, and North Washington Fire Protection District have plans to merge into one department to be called the Adams County Fire Protection District. The process is under way with both departments currently working together in trial runs allowing firefighters the opportunity to train together and get familiar with
each other’s districts, stations, equipment and techniques. Last month North Washington’s board of directors approved the inclusion of SWAC into their district and approved the name of the merged department. And coming up on May 21 SWAC’s board of directors will conduct a public meeting to consider excluding and transferring jurisdiction to the Adams County Fire Protection District. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. at SWAC headquarters, 3365 W. 65th Ave. in Denver. North Washington Deputy Chief Stu-
art Sunderland said the idea to merge has been on his mind and in the minds of others in his department for many years, but a merge can be difficult when both departments have chiefs on staff. Both departments started seriously thinking about the merge two years ago after SWAC Chief George Ditolla started considering retirement, he added. Ditolla retired in January. “When we talked to Chief Ditolla he also saw value in a merge and with him retiring in the future at that time, it was the perfect window because it’s just one less hurdle
to get over,” Sunderland said. “His retirement was one little piece that helped push us over the edge, along with better service and it making better financial sense for both departments.” North Washington Chief Pat Laurienti said combined the fire districts will cover approximately 19 square miles and serve about 100,000 people. He said merging resources and reducing costs will allow Merge continues on Page 7
Road bill passes House Measure in response to U.S. 36 construction contracts By Vic Vela
vvela@colorado communitymedia.com Private-public road construction partnerships moved one step closer to having greater oversight with a bill that passed the House on May 5. Senate Bill 197 is a response to grumblings over the U.S. 36 road construction process, perceived by some as being too secretive. “This is what we heard loud and clear, that people wanted transparency in this project; that people wanted to be informed and involved and they wanted the legislature more involved in the process,” said Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp, D-Arvada, a bill sponsor. The bill increases public notice and legislative oversight of public-private partnerships of Colorado Department of Transportation road projects. The legislation also requires a CDOT board to hold public meetings throughout the road project process and keep the Legislature and other local elected officials informed along the way. Under the bill, any road project that exceeds 35 years must be approved by the Legislature. And the bill also requires that CDOT post the terms of the partnership agreement on its website. The bill was spurred by fallout from the $425 million U.S. 36 road project, one that will widen the lanes of the highway and incorporate toll lanes. Because it is a private-public partnership, much of the road funding will come
Buses line up outside Brantner Elementary School in Thornton to drop off students. The district is considering whether to place a $150 million construction bond and a $7.5 million mill levy override on the ballot in November. The construction bond, if passed, would fund completing the construction at Brantner. Photo by Tammy Kranz
D27J considers two ballot measures Construction bond, mill levy override to help operational needs, build new schools By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@coloradocommunitymedia. com School District 27J Board of Education will consider whether to place two measures on the November ballot. The first measure would be a $150 million construction bond and the second would be a $7.5 million mill levy override for district operational needs. The $150 million bond would cost about $65 per year for every $100,000 of home value, according to Kevin Denke, the district’s public information officer. He said the $7.5 million mill levy override would be about $70 per $100,000 of home value.
“While numbers are preliminary, we estimate that the combined cost of the bond and mill levy would raise property taxes by about $11.25 per month or about $135 per year for every $100,000 in home value,” Denke said. “The average home price in our district is about $217,000.” Jason McEldowney, who is part of the executive team on the Parents and Community for 27J, said that voter sentiment is that districts have enough money and should spend wiser but this was not the case for 27J. “It’s very clear this is not a matter of dollars being wasted and (the ballot issues are) a fix for that — it’s a matter of the community coming together and doing what’s right for our kids,” he said. McEldowney was one of the 40 members of the Quality Schools Initiative (QSI) committee that was tasked with studying the potential ballot issues. He said the committee came to the conclusion that “it was painfully obvious that
the need is valid.” The district is on track to becoming one of the largest districts in the state, he said, “It’s physically impossible to fit the students coming through here in our current facilities.” The district has 16,734 pre-K to 12th grade students enrolled in its schools, and the population is projected to reach 18,615 by 2019, according to Joy Gerdom, 27J’s planning manager. Of the current population, 2,055 students are from the Thornton area, and by 2018 that area will bring about 3,118 students to D27J, an increase of 1,063, Gerdom said. “There are two primary factors that are driving enrollment increases,” she said. “New housing development, which brings enrollment; and, the current larger upper elementary and secondary grade levels generated from
Ballot continues on Page 7
Road continues on Page 7 POSTAL ADDRESS
NORTHGLENN-THORNTON SENTINEL (ISSN 1044-4254) (USPS 854-980)
OFFICE: 8703 Yates DR., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Adams County, Colorado, the NorthglennThornton Sentinel is published weekly on Thursday by MetroNorth Newspapers, 8703 Yates DR., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WESTMINSTER, COLORADO. 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: Tues. 12 p.m.
GET SOCIAL WITH US Colorado Community Media wants to share the news. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Linkedin. Search for Colorado Community Media.
Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.