Community Matters: Navigating the budget, SNAP funding, parks & open spaces, and local elections together

Hello, fellow residents of Jefferson County! Welcome to another edition of my commissioner newsletter. In this edition, I'll be covering some key developments and events that impact our community. We will delve into the county budget proposal, address the recent efforts to mitigate the effects of the federal government shutdown on SNAP funding, and share highlights from my informative north Jeffco tour of our parks and open spaces.

As we continue to navigate these important matters, I'd also like to invite you to take an active role in shaping our county's future by participating in the upcoming local elections. Be sure to read on for more detailed information on when and how to turn in your ballot. (Hint: It's too late to mail your ballot, so please plan to drop it off at a ballot drop box!)

Be sure to read on for more detailed information on all these topics and how they relate to the well-being of Jefferson County. I hope you find this newsletter informative and engaging. As always, your participation and feedback are essential to ensuring our county's progress and success!

P.S. I hope you enjoy our practical joke on Commissioner Andy Kerr where we all dressed up like him for his birthday. I think we nailed it!

It's budget time!

As a former member of Colorado's Joint Budget Committee, I had the privilege of serving on a team that played a critical role in shaping our state's financial future. The experience was demanding and technical, yet incredibly rewarding. Now, as a member of the Board of County Commissioners, I bring that same dedication and enthusiasm to the Jefferson County budget process.

Just as the state's budget impacts our entire state, the Jeffco budget has a significant effect on our local community. Our Strategy, Innovation & Finance Director (aka Budget Department Director), Dan Conway, and our new Budget & Strategy Director, Colleen Doan, presented the 2026 Proposed Budget to the commissioners in a public hearing last week, and I thought the presentation was excellent. If you didn't have an opportunity to tune in, however, I will summarize some of the key points and include a link to their presentation.

First, the Jeffco budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year outlines the planned allocation of funds across various departments and initiatives within Jefferson County. The proposal aims to maintain a balanced budget while addressing key priorities and challenges facing the county. Some highlights include investments in public safety, infrastructure improvements, and support for community programs. Additionally, the proposal focuses on regular ongoing operating costs, salary and benefit adjustments, and new and continuing projects (including the retained revenue from 1A). The proposal also accounts for potential revenue changes and external factors impacting the local economy (such as anticipated state and federal budget cuts).

Overall, the Jeffco Proposal seeks to maintain fiscal responsibility while promoting growth and well-being within the county. The next step in the process will be a public hearing for the budget and adoption of the mill levy, which will take place on November 18, 2025 at 9:00 am. To view the budget presentation delivered to the Board on October 21, 2025, click HERE. For more details and to view the full proposal, click HERE.

County endorses ballot measures LL and MM

The recently passed federal funding bill, H.R. 1, will significantly alter how the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as SNAP, will be funded and administered. With policy changes starting on November 1, 2025, Colorado faces a reduction in the federal cost share for SNAP administration (from 50 percent to 25 percent) and will be subject to new State matching and performance requirements.

For Jefferson County, the Colorado Department of Human Services estimates that 170 residents will lose eligibility due to immigration status, 5,567 residents will become newly subject to Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) work requirements; and 12,302 households will lose automatic Heating and Cooling Utility Allowance support. Additional impacts are expected among older adults, veterans, former foster youth, and individuals experiencing homelessness. 

There are two statewide ballot measures that could help mitigate some of the anticipated local impacts of these changes: Proposition MM (Increase State Taxes for School Meals and Food Assistance Programs) and Proposition LL (Retain and Spend State Revenue Exceeding the Estimate for Proposition FF). The two propositions seek to strengthen and preserve revenue dedicated to school meals and community food supports. Because these initiatives could help absorb the cost shift of SNAP administration from the federal government to the state, the Jeffco Board of County Commissioners endorsed Propositions MM and LL. For more information on the Board Resolution, click HERE.

Jeffco letter to community partners on federal government shutdown and the impact to food assistance programs

Last week, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners sent a letter to our community partners regarding the halt in distribution of November, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance benefits due to the federal government shutdown. 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not released the funds that the State of Colorado relies on to issue SNAP food assistance benefits for November. The lack of access to SNAP benefits has significant impacts on our community and our most vulnerable residents. SNAP benefits are paid monthly and are an essential resource for low-income households to purchase food. With a funding disruption of almost $7.6 million locally, benefits are on hold for nearly 22,000 Jefferson County households and over 38,000 individuals, nearly 34% of which are children.

In response, Jeffco has reached out to our state and federal elected officials, urging prompt restoration of funding for SNAP benefits and highlighting the urgent consequences of a prolonged delay. Our staff in the Department of Human Services continue to process new SNAP applications and recertifications, and they are working to ensure all eligible clients are ready to receive benefits once funding is restored. We are communicating with SNAP recipients in Jefferson County via county communication channels, guiding them to resources, and encouraging them to check their online benefit status via the state’s PEAK system. 

For additional food resources we encourage the community to reach out to local food banks or community agencies in the area:

• Colorado 211: Dial 2-1-1 or (866) 760-6489 or visit https://www.211colorado.org.
• Feeding Colorado Resources at Find Food or info@feedingcolorado.org
• Jefferson County Human Services Find Resources page includes local food banks and many other resources.

North County Tour of Jeffco's Parks and Open Spaces

As a new county commissioner, I recently embarked on a tour of various parks and open space properties managed by the Jeffco Parks and Open Space department, exploring seven different locations in the northern part of the county. I went on a similar tour of the southern and western portions of the county earlier in the summer. With an impressive 58,000 acres preserved and 27 parks managed by the department, I had the opportunity to see firsthand the dedication and efforts put into preserving our natural resources and providing recreational opportunities for the community.

South Table Mountain Park - Research Rd.

We started off the North county tour at South Table Mountain Park, located near the NREL facility and the Pleasant View neighborhood. We viewed the park from three different vantage points, including the area where a new multi-use trail is underway. The new T-Rex Tooth Trail will provide 1.5-miles of new soft surface trail to visitors. The trail will also create a new 3-mile loop opportunity when connected with Fossil Trail, Old Quarry Trail, and Basalt Cap Loop. Trail construction started this Fall and the trail is expected to open to the public in Spring of 2026. 

Mount Galbraith Park

Next, we traveled to Mount Galbraith Park, which is unique in that it is a hiker-only destination. The trail is very popular, with nearly five miles of steep, rocky trails that reward with commanding views of Golden, the plains and the Continental Divide. The park's popularity has led to various parking challenges, which staff is working to address.

North Table Mountain Park

Our next stop was North Table Mountain Park, and similar to its sister to the south, was formed about 60 million years ago from lava flows. North Table Mountain Park consists of panoramic views, and over 15 miles of trails and breath-taking rock climbing. We mainly discussed a new trail connection known as the Tucker Gulch Trail Project, a new regional trail connection extending from the North Table Mountain West Trailhead to West 56th Avenue. Located almost entirely on JCPOS-managed land, this trail will complete a missing link in the regional trail system north of Golden.

Van Bibber Park

We viewed Van Bibber Park from two different angles, beginning with the Van Bibber Park & Greenway Trail Extension, which is a new trail segment that will connect the Van Bibber Park Indiana Trailhead (located between W 56th Drive and W 55th Drive in the Golden/Arvada area) to the Fairmount Trail at the base of North Table Mountain Park. Then we traveled to original park trailhead and I learned about our partnership with the Serene Conservancy. This beautiful urban get-away offers both soft-surface trails that meander through open meadows, and a 1.5-mile concrete trail that travels the length of the park.

Rocky Mountain Greenway Trail

We continued our tour by heading north to the new Indiana Street Bridge that connects portions of the Rocky Mountain Greenway. This is one of three segments to a statewide priority trail projects that intersect Jefferson County. The vision of the project is to ultimately connect the three Front Range National Wildlife Refuges (Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Two Ponds and Rocky Flats) with Rocky Mountain National Park through a multi-use, regional trail system. The pedestrian bridge over Indiana Street remains closed until construction is completed. The County looks forward to opening this access point once final construction is finished and signed off by the engineer.

Coyote Ridge Open Space - Town of Superior

The next stop was at the northern end of the county on the border with the town of Superior. The Coyote Ridge Open Space is a short-grass prairie natural area spanning over 300 acres at the southern edge of the Town of Superior. This unique area encompasses portions of the Western Great Plains Short Grass Prairie that serves as a transitional zone between the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. I forgot to take a picture, but here is our soon-to-be-retired executive director, Tom Hoby, explaining one of the many partnerships Jeffco Parks and Open Space undertakes--Coyote Ridge serving as another prime example.

Coal Creek Canyon Park

The final stop on the tour was to an undeveloped portion of Coal Creek Canyon that is situated above the Blue Mountain Estates. The Coal Creek Study Area (CCSA) is closed to public access. We are in the process of implementing a Conservation Planning process to develop a formal plan for the area. Right now, the area lacks formal trails, parking, and facilities. The CCSA is a 7,200-acre property that was brought together through acquisitions spanning more than four decades We drove up to the Brum Trail Road access and discussed the potential for a proposed trailhead, likely off of Highway 72, as reserving a portion of this property as an Open Space Preserve.

Seed harvesting and wrap-up

Overall, this tour allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the department's current work, ongoing construction projects, and future plans to continue protecting and enhancing our beautiful parks and open spaces. As I was preparing to leave, I stumbled upon a group of Jeffco Parks & Open Space staff and volunteers engaged in seed harvesting and found myself joining in, separating rose hip seeds from their berry-like pulp in preparation for spring planting. It was a rewarding and hands-on way to conclude my tour, emphasizing the community effort required to maintain and enhance our parks and open spaces. The experience solidified my admiration for the hard work and passion invested in preserving the natural beauty of Jefferson County.

Coordinated Election Ballots Mailed Out

The 2025 coordinated election for our local city council and school board is fast approaching, and your vote matters! While it's too late to mail in your ballot, you can still make your voice heard by dropping it off at a secure ballot box drop-off site. Your ballot must be turned in by 7 pm on Tuesday, November 4th. For election information and a list of drop-off ballot boxed, click HERE. Additionally, don't forget about the two state ballot measures, Proposition LL and Proposition MM (formally endorsed by the Jeffco Board). Let's ensure our community continues to thrive by casting our votes and making informed decisions.

Request for Application for Early Childhood Council: Jefferson, Clear Creek and Gilpin counties are seeking applicants for their Early Childhood Council. Guided by statute, Early Childhood Councils (ECCs) increase and sustain the quality, accessibility, capacity, and affordability of early childhood services for young children 0-5 years and their families in the areas of early care and education, family support, mental health, and health. ECCs have a unique role within their communities to serve as a hub for partners, providers, caregivers, policymakers, and business leaders to coordinate, collaborate, and align resources. Applications will be accepted through November 15, 2025. To learn more, click HERE.

Feeding Jeffco Together: Addressing the issue of food insecurity in Jefferson County the Feeding Jeffco Together fundraiser aims to increase access to healthy food for residents. This initiative is led by 10 local food pantries, the Jefferson County Food Policy Council, and Food Bank of the Rockies. To support the cause and help reach the goal of raising $12,000, visit ColoradoGives.org and search for "Feeding Jeffco Together" to make a donation. Your contribution will help combat hunger and ensure that more families have access to nutritious food. For more information, click HERE.

Recording of Recent Town Hall Now Available: The Board of County Commissioners recently held a Virtual Town Hall on October 2 from 6 - 7 pm, providing an opportunity for residents to connect with key county staff and discuss important topics. The event covered federal impacts on the county budget, programs, and services, as well as updates on homelessness, sheltering, and extreme weather response. If you missed the live event, a recording of the Virtual Town Hall is available for viewing at www.jeffco.us/townhall, ensuring you can stay informed on these crucial issues.

Colorado Healing Fund Activated for Evergreen High School: In response to the tragic mass violence incident at Evergreen High School, the Colorado Healing Fund (CHF) has been activated and is not accepting donations to support students, teachers, and the broader community. Those wishing to contribute can visit ColoradoGives.org to donate directly to the fund, ensuring that their support reaches those affected by this devastating event. The CHF is dedicated to providing essential resources and assistance as the Evergreen community heals and recovers.