County Commissioners Focus on Growth Issues
Published Apr 16, 2005
It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it. Or rather, three people have to do it.
All three Jefferson County commissioners – Dave Auburn, Jim Congrove and Kevin McCasky – began serving their 535,000 constituents in early 2005. Congrove and McCasky were elected to four-year terms in November 2004, while Auburn was appointed in March 2005 to finish a two-year term that had become vacant.
But are three commissioners enough to serve such a large population?
“More government is never the solution, so three is just fine,” Congrove says. “It’s a huge job with many responsibilities, but we are all full-time commissioners. We don’t have other jobs – being a commissioner is our job.”
Congrove says the primary job for a Jeffco commissioner is being a good steward of taxpayers’ dollars.
“I support property rights, government accountability and limited taxation,” he says. “Commissioners are in charge of a $500 million budget, and there are 2,800 employees of Jefferson County.
The board of commissioners oversees land use for the unincorporated part of Jeffco, of which there are about 200,000 residents. Land use duties include rulings on rezoning, planning and code enforcement issues. Commissioners are also involved in transportation matters, making decisions on big-ticket items such as highways, major roadways and arterial improvements.
“We also concentrate on economic development, making policy changes in government that allows Jefferson County to retain and expand its current job base,” McCasky says. “For example, right now we are pushing for completion of the belt-way around the Denver metropolitan area known as C-470. We in Jeffco know that this is still a missing transportation component in the upper third of our county, and its completion would mean that traffic congestion would be decreased to a significant degree.”
Auburn says commissioners also fill vacancies in other elected offices, establish budgets, collect taxes and pay the expenses of the county.
“My goals include fiscal management to reduce taxes without sacrificing needed services,” Auburn says. “I desire to attract major corporations that can provide higher paying jobs. The diversity of Jefferson County includes issues specific to both mountain and plains areas, and one of my goals is to be certain all areas and all citizens are represented equally.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Current Weather Conditions In Golden, CO (80401)
Clear, and 42 ° F. For more details?
Click here...
