DLG Launches New Website

The DOLA website is new and improved.  Access to information about the Division of Local Government's services has been designed to be more user-friendly.

DLG's Jarrod Biggs, Tamra Hooper, Tareq Wafaie and Barbara Musick, put in a tremendous amount of time and effort into getting the new site up and running.  We owe a great deal of thanks to them and to other DOLA staff who helped create a site we hope you'll find is less cluttered and easier to navigate.

We would really appreciate your feedback.  Any suggestions on improvement will be helpful in making this the best DOLA/DLG site it can possibly be.

Here's the direct link to the Division of Local Government (http://www.colorado.gov/dola/dlg).

The Impact of U.S. Census Data on Water & Wastewater Infrastructure is Explained in the Spring 2011 Issue of Colorado Rural Water Association Quarterly

The new median household income data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau has raised new interest in this widely used indicator of community economic strength.  To help provide a better understanding of the new data and its relationship to the state revolving fund programs for water and wastewater infrastructure, DLG's Barry Cress wrote an article for the Spring 2011 edition of the Colorado Rural Water Association's quarterly magazine.  The article appears on pages 32 and 33 of the publication at:  http://coloradoruralwaterassociation.club.officelive.com/Documents/CRWA_Mag_Spring_11[1].pdf

 

DOLA and CGFOA to Host Budget 101 Workshops

The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA ) and the Colorado Government Finance Officers Association (CGFOA) are hosting a training opportunity for beginning budgeteers. If you or someone you know needs some basic budget knowledge or just a basic tune-up, take a look. Upcoming workshop dates are:

•  Tuesday, July 26 - Alamosa
• Wednesday, July 27 - Durango
• Thursday, July 28 - Rifle
• Tuesday, August 2 - Westminster

We will also be offering a Budget 101 webinar on Aug 4th for those who are unable to attend at one of the above dates or locations.

About the Program:

• Whether you’ve never budgeted, gone through one cycle, or just want a little better understanding and knowledge of “where to go from here?”
• Whether you’re with a County, City, Town or Special District.
• Whether you’re a Budget Officer, an employee, a newly Elected Official or a volunteer.
• We can relate to you!
• We’ll review Colorado Local Government Budget law, Basic Calendar, Legal Limits on the Budget, and you’ll hear from experienced Budget Officers who have been through the ringer (many times!) and learned “hands on” how it really works.

Registration starts at 9 a.m. and class begins promptly at 9:30 a.m. and will run until approximately 3 p.m. A box lunch will be provided. CPE credits can be earned and a certificate will be issued to those who sign the CPE attendance sheet.

The cost is $20 for CGFOA members and $30 for nonmembers.

Scholarship funds available for this class -- go to http://www.cgfoa.org/scholarship.htm.  For questions or more information, contact Jarrod Biggs , (303) 866-4493.

Department of Local Affairs Announces Leadership for the Divisions of Emergency Management and Local Government

Reeves Brown, executive director of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), has announced the selection of David Hard as the director of the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) and Tony Hernandez, as director of the Division of Local Government (DLG). 

About Dave Hard's appointment, Director Brown said, "I am so pleased Dave Hard will be coming on board to lead the Division of Emergency Management.  His experience in emergency management and local government as a fire chief will serve him well in this position and brings an important perspective that will benefit Colorado communities."

Dave Hard will join the Division starting June 1, 2011.  He has a career in fire safety and emergency management that spans more than three decades.  A returning Colorado resident, Hard served the state of Oregon for several years as Fire Chief for the Jackson County Fire District No. 3 from 2007 - 2010, and the Klamath County Fire District No. 1 from 2004 - 2007.

He also served as Assistant Fire Chief and Fire Marshal of Oregon's Ashland Fire & Rescue from 1999 - 2004.  Prior to that, he was the Assistant Fire Chief of the Glendale Fire Department in Colorado from 1978 - 1999.

About Tony Hernandez' selection, Brown said, "Tony's depth of experience and distinguished career serve Colorado local governments and communities well.  He is an asset to the department and the work we do on behalf of Colorado."

Hernandez has served as the Division's director since December 2008 and was selected to continue his work in this State Executive Service (SES) position for another two year contract. 

Hernandez served as Director of Fannie Mae's Colorado Business Center since 1998, during which he oversaw the House Colorado Investment Plan which directed $15 billion of investments toward assisting at least 135,000 families.

Prior to joining the Fannie Mae Corporation, Hernandez was appointed by Secretary Henry Cisneros as the HUD Regional Administrator for the Rocky Mountain States from 1994 to 1998.  Tony was responsible for the administration of all HUD funded programs in the six-state Rocky Mountain Area of Colorado, Montana, North and South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

He served in the Colorado legislature as a State Representative from 1984 to 1994, where he successfully carried legislation that enabled cities, counties and non-profit organizations to access money from the state's "Short-Term Loan Revolving Fund" to assist in acquiring land and building single, multi-family and handicapped accessible housing for low and moderate income people.  In 1989, the Economic Councils of Colorado recognized Hernandez as the "Legislator of the Year" for making the most significant contributions to economic development in Colorado.

High Water Status & Info. Resources Available at COEmergency.com

Colorado’s northern and central mountains have experienced an unusually deep snowpack over the 2010-2011 winter season. Consequently, the speed at which the snow melts, compounded by additional water from spring rains and a new round of mountain snowfall has the potential to create high water conditions throughout the northern and central mountain and Front Range regions.

For information and resources, go to DOLA's Division of Emergency Management blog.

Additional resources include:

• National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Services (AHPS)

• Snotel's Colorado snowpack map

DOLA's Community Development Office to Co-sponsor Planning Commissioner Training Session

The DOLA Community Development Office is cosponsoring a planning commissioner training session at the annual American Planning Association's Colorado Chapter (APA Co) conference on June 10, 2011.  Planning commissioners and planners in Colorado will spend the first half of the session discussing the unique role of planning commissioners and their responsibilities.  They will learn tips on conducting effective public meetings, making motions, and more importantly – how to stay out of legal trouble.  Recent case studies will be highlighted to give the discussion context.  The remainder of the session will focus on the diminishing supply of water in Colorado.  Planning commissioners will learn their specific role in preparing for the future of water supply and conservation, and discover the importance of integrating land use planning and water supply planning efforts.  Denver Water will provide an update on the Colorado River Cooperative Agreement, a recent landmark agreement that changes the way Colorado’s water resources are managed from the West Slope to the Front Range and in between. 

June 10, 2011 - 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

Session includes presentations by:

Wayne Reed, AICP, Community Development Director for the City of Centennial

Eric Heil, AICP, Heil Law & Planning, Inc.

Eric Hecox, Colorado Water Conservation Board

Denver Water (TBD)

The session will be moderated by Tareq Wafaie, AICP, Department of Local Affairs

Please visit APA Colorado's website for further information at:http://www.apacolorado.org/content/annual-conference    

RMPBS' "Colorado State of Mind" Video Featuring Sustainable Main Streets Initiative (Feb. 2011)

Watch the full episode. See more Colorado State of Mind.