LookoutAlert is the new official emergency notification system of the regional collaborative of Jefferson County and all cities within it, the City and County of Broomfield and the City of Westminster. Through LookoutAlert, emergency responders are able to provide emergency and public safety messages to residents.

Anyone who visits, lives or works in Jefferson County, Broomfield or Westminster are encouraged to visit LookoutAlert.co to sign up to receive free emergency alerts via text message, email, and/or voice message. Learn more about Lookout Alert here.

Many people think they are not in danger of flooding if they don't live near a stream or creek. Unfortunately, this is not true. Flooding is the nation's number one natural disaster.

Colorado's flood season runs from May through October and includes both snowmelt and thunderstorm flooding. Snowmelt floods result from the melting of the winter snowpack in the high mountain areas which becomes spring runoff.

Jefferson County is excited to announce that the number of SLASH collection days will be doubled in 2022 compared to previous years. SLASH collections will now be open Thursday through Sunday at most locations (find a full list of dates and locations here). In addition, Jeffco is excited to partner with Jefferson Conservation District to operate slash collections and work together to reduce the risk of wildfire in our community.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) works with your local fire departments to provide as many resources as possible during a wildfire event and to safely get people out of harm’s way. But don’t wait for someone to come save you. Be Your OWN HERO in protecting your life and property. 

Ready to get started? Visit our JCSO Wildfire webpage at jeffcosheriff.co/BYOH for more information and an interactive online guide that provides important information to help you prepare and plan before, during, and after disasters that could happen in your neighborhood.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) recognized the Jeffco DMV with a 2022 Achievement Award for the division’s online chat service. Implemented with the help of the Business Innovation and Technology team, the DMV chat provides customers with yet another option for doing business without having to make a trip to the office. As an added bonus, it helped DMV staff reduce wait times for customers over the phone as well.

Meanwhile, the Elections division won a NACo Achievement Award for the mobile in-person vote center they created by retrofitting a surplus trailer from Open Space. By creating a mobile solution, Elections workers were able to serve voters outside, allowing them to socially distance and limit COVID-19 risks more efficiently.

Jefferson County Public Health is gathering community input from organizational partners and individuals on two tobacco policies, including tobacco retail licensing and expanding smoke/vapor-free protections, in unincorporated Jefferson County. If you live, work or recreate in unincorporated Jefferson County, please complete this survey. There will also be opportunities to give feedback during town hall events coming up in June.

The Jefferson County Archives recently launched a newly designed website to make historical information about the county easier to find. It contains links to our keyword searchable catalog, our brand-new digital collections site and more.

Our just-launched Digital Collections site allows you to explore our ever-growing collection of digitized records such as Board of County Commissioners’ Minutes and Resolutions, Assessment Rolls and Tax Lists, records for genealogy research, historical maps, photographs and much more. New content will be added weekly, so check back often!

If you have Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), make sure your updated address, email, and phone number is on file. It’s important to keep your contact information updated so that you can get communication about your Health First Colorado or CHP+ coverage. Take action today. Visit Colorado.gov/PEAK or use the Health First Colorado app on your phone to update your information.

Jefferson County is completing the final design of West Quincy Avenue from South Beech Way to South Swadley Court. Once completed, West Quincy Avenue will be widened to arterial road standards.

Utility coordination and improvements are underway and will continue through the year. Brannan Construction has begun the replacement of Lakehurst Water and Sanitation District's waterline and service lines. Additional utility work will be completed by Xcel Energy. Get all of the project details here.

Last month Jefferson County Public Library opened the Express Library West Arvada, the first of its kind in the U.S. The entirely self-service space connects Jeffco residents with their library materials with just a swipe of a registered library card. Resources include a browsable collection of popular titles, holds pickup, wifi access and more. Learn more at jeffcolibrary.org/express-library.

In case you missed last month's Drug Take Back Day, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has permanent Medication Disposal Drop Boxes available during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) at each of its three precincts and jail lobby:

A quart or gallon size bag with loose pills will fit through the drop box opening. There is no limit to the number of bags. The box is about the size of a mailbox, with the same capacity.

Believe it or not, the State Primary Election is already upon us with ballots on their way to military and overseas voters. In just a few weeks, Jeffco Elections will start mailing ballots to everybody else – so make sure your registration is up to date so you receive your mail ballot! Visit VoteJeffco.com to update your information and see key dates ahead of Election Day on June 28.

Interested in getting outside with your friends, family, or neighbors? National Trails Day is Saturday, June 4 and this year’s project will provide a unique and engaging experience for all participants. Jeffco Open Space will be working at Elk Meadow Park in an effort to make a loop trail more usable for visitors with disabilities. This is part of a larger goal at Jeffco Open Space to provide members of all communities the ability to experience nature. The goal of the project is to provide a 10,000-foot loop experience for visitors with varying abilities. Register to secure your spot today!

The Jefferson County Historical Commission has moved to a new video submission format for our annual JCHC History Video Symposium. We would like to invite our community cultural partners to submit historical narrative videos related to the history of Jefferson County based on the annual theme. The 2022 theme is "People and Places that Matter."

Please send submitted videos to Kelly Cvanciger by July 1. Check out the Jeffco History Video Symposium Submission Packet for more information.

You can help break the cycle of generational poverty when you donate in honor of a Jeffco Human Services Foundation Colfax Marathon runner! All month long we are raising money to support families in our Jeffco Prosperity Partners (JPP) program through the Colfax Marathon fundraising page. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to help families on their path to prosperity. We couldn’t do this work without you Jeffco!

For additional information contact Roxanne Dunaway at [email protected].

Colorado’s new Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) is excited to invite Coloradans to participate in a statewide BHA Advisory Council that will shape and make recommendations to improve the behavioral health system for children, youth, and adults throughout Colorado. The council is currently accepting applications from Coloradans with lived behavioral health experience.

Jefferson County has made a commitment to its constituents to make decisions that protect the economic, social, and environmental health of the community. Making decisions and taking action that is sustainable recognizes the "big picture" and takes into account the impact on future generations as well as today's pressing needs.

A sustainability framework requires that decisions are made that give equal consideration to the economy, society, and environment. Read the full article from Commissioner Kerr.

Quick links to Commissioner Information:

What if your home landscape could not only provide beauty, enjoyment and food, but also sequester more carbon? 

The good news is that it already does, and the better news is that getting it to sequester more involves taking many of the same steps you might consider anyway such as using native species, focusing on soil health, planting diverse species, and thinking about the greater ecology. View a useful primer and find plenty of resources for native gardening from CSU Extension here.

Allow children to master fire escape planning and practice before holding a fire drill at night when they are sleeping. The objective is to practice, not to frighten, so telling children there will be a drill before they go to bed can be as effective as a surprise drill.

When you walk through your plan, check to make sure the escape routes are clear, and doors and windows can be opened easily. Have a ready to go kit with essentials and important items. Pack light! Go outside to see if your street number is clearly visible from the road. If not, paint it on the curb or install house numbers to ensure that responding emergency personnel can find your home. Find more building safety tips.

The May TRIAD senior safety meeting will be held May 24 at 1:30 p.m. Attendees can make connections and receive training for living safely. Meetings are located in the training room at the DA’s Office, 500 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden. Questions? Call 303-271-6970.

TRIAD of Jefferson County is built on a cooperative relationship between community members, the DA's Office, local law enforcement agencies, and senior service providers.

Regional Opportunities for Thriving Schools is Jeffco Public Schools’ 18-month initiative designed to respond to the Board of Education’s (BoE) request for a comprehensive plan to ensure thriving schools and extraordinary student experiences across our district. As part of this work, and following the April regional opportunities resolution, the Board is considering updates to policy FCB and regulation FCB-R, which were last revised 20 years ago, in 2002.

The Board welcomes public comment at their June 2 meeting prior to their vote. This is a challenging and critical dialogue that we invite and encourage our community to participate in. Moving Jeffco from good, to great, to extraordinary requires both building on our many bright spots and confronting our challenges through the lens of opportunity.

West Metro Chamber is excited to bring you Taste of the West, Jeffco’s premier food and drink festival featuring local eateries, breweries, distilleries and more. Join us Thursday, June 9, from 5–8 p.m. at the Foothills Fieldhouse. General Admission tickets are available for only $25. Find out more and buy your tickets.

Learn about local resources and services at Lakewood's free Older Adult Wellness Fair on Friday, May 20 from 8:15 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Whitlock Recreation Center (1555 Dover St.). Over 40 vendors will be attending to share resources for ages 55+. This event is open to older adults, caregivers and family members. A virtual option will also be available; details coming soon.

Join Foothills Park & Recreation District for Concerts in Clement Park, Thursday nights at 7 p.m., starting June 9 through August 11 (no concert June 30). Visit www.ifoothills.org/concerts to view the full line-up and for event details.

The Spring Whale of a Used Book Sale is one of Jefferson County Library Foundation's two annual mega sales. The Whale Sale helps raise funds to support early literacy programs at Jefferson County Public Library. Attendees will have access to tens of thousands of books, CDs, DVDs, LPs, and rare/collectible items. The Whale of a Used Book Sale will take place June 2-5 at the Jeffco Fairgrounds.