The Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners kicked off its 2022 agenda Jan. 11 by approving its officer assignments, committee and liaison roles for the year. The Board voted to place the following Commissioners in leadership posts: 

• Nancy Jackson (District 4): Chair 
• Carrie Warren-Gully (District 1): Chair pro tem 
• Bill Holen (District 5): Finance Officer

As the recovery from all aspects of the pandemic proceed, the Board will address a comprehensive to-do list in 2022. “All County employees and partners have spent the past two years executing our normal duties in addition to going the many extra miles that were dictated by the pandemic,” said Board Chair Nancy Jackson. “In the coming year we will establish or continue our work on programs that will help the County recover more quickly from the COVID crisis and address the fiscal and operational challenges that remain. The Board is optimistic that the County will emerge from this unique period in history stronger than ever.”

Among the many business items the Board will oversee this year are: 

• The creation of a single-county health department to replace the Tri-County Health partnership, which is likely to take most or all of 2022. This became necessary after last year’s departure of Adams and Douglas counties, and Arapahoe County residents will receive all public health services from Tri-County until a new agency is in place.
• The further implementation of the Board’s long-term Strategic Plan, a long-term vision that mandates that the County provide essential services in a timely and fiscally responsible manner. This will include addressing the County’s aging infrastructure.
• Primary elections in June and the general election in November. 
• The management and distribution of federal relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which assist our post-pandemic economic recovery in multiple areas and for a wide variety of community stakeholders, including small businesses and nonprofits, as well as industries that were disproportionately affected by COVID. This will include a public-facing economic development campaign.
• Continuing and creating regional programs to combat homelessness and opioid addiction in partnership with municipal and nonprofit entities.
• Supporting recurring events and programs such as the County Fair, the Mayors and Commissioners Youth Awards, Open Spaces events, and many others.
• Ongoing planning for the reshaped 18th Judicial District, which will take effect in 2025. The new 18th will remove Lincoln, Elbert and Douglas counties and will require a new District Attorney to be elected in 2024.
• Re-formalizing the County’s relationship with the Northern Arapaho Tribe. The County has maintained intermittent contact with the Tribe over the years, but the Board plans to solidify this partnership in 2022 to create more opportunities for awareness and cultural exchanges that honor the County’s unique history with the Arapaho Nation.

The Commissioners’ committee and liaison assignments can be found on their respective bio pages.