[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6642972,"mediaKeyId","2532655-785d87264edee06a0a54a8df16e7312c","parentId",2532655,"title","Englewood IT department presents three‑year technology plan; council flags cybersecurity and staffing needs","audioSeconds",2375,"startMs",7658000,"endMs",10033000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2532655-785d87264edee06a0a54a8df16e7312c&start=7658&end=10033","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2532655-785d87264edee06a0a54a8df16e7312c/thumbnail_7658000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6642972/Englewood-City/Arapahoe-County/Colorado/Englewood-IT-department-presents-threeyear-technology-plan-council-flags-cybersecurity-and-staffing-needs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6642972-9aadf6a9d789556c8bc7dfe7398d7d54/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195589&Signature=PmsSiNSyRwyBOAo6F5yam4AWvgnFRGA~8gLrfh46cYBl0KrGIFcyyPj6Ra~jV7-su8bw8yKLFdwRFdnCh3iPFCDqOZR3aq102wM-nA2dSJhLnNpi~HtWdlf9urd58syXjy2ojAJCCguI9T~TPh-eeKbIeN8t7dr3n-spSNWDkQrczO1LbfvrVTh-jQ9ekgIrlOI0n3T~gQfriBmXAO5JI4SPRzKWpSkzGDRVNUQCyfi2F5V8ER6yVHas3FIiP6SOZC~sVV1YpQMLs2UolnCrV3KB1McWeS~~CTHPMxlPyHjP4Z9aPPCE3MiV8cdZOF9KheuGfRVSo6nzcVEcy~Y-jw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Englewood City, CO","date","2025-03-11T05:28:42.877Z","article","City of Englewood Information Technology leaders presented a three‑year strategic plan during a City Council study session, outlining priorities that include improving help‑desk service and staff training, strengthening cybersecurity, standardizing governance and capital planning, and expanding data governance and dashboards for decision making.

Joe Eisenbart, Director of Information Technology, described the plan as an effort \"to put ourselves in position to support the long term needs of the city as it relates to technology.\" He said the department’s current capability is largely reactive and that the plan aims to move Englewood toward a documented, aligned and proactive IT function.

Plan structure and priority areas

The plan groups work into four outcome areas:

1) Elevate people and ignite innovation — improve help‑desk procedures, build a centralized knowledge base and increase training and self‑service tools so staff can resolve routine problems without wait time.

2) Next‑generation technology and security — adopt a layered cybersecurity approach (NIST‑aligned), create an incident‑response plan and develop business‑continuity programs. Brandon Brown, IT operations manager, said the department will contract for a cybersecurity plan and run penetration tests to identify gaps.

3) Maximize value and sustainability — standardize onboarding/offboarding, centralize vendor and contract management, implement consistent refresh cycles for hardware and software and pursue grant and alternative funding strategies for IT capital projects.

4) Drive data‑informed decisions — form a data governance committee, create a single visualization tool for dashboards and reports, and implement a formal request process for analytics work.

Current state and metrics

IT staff reported results from a user survey of city employees: roughly 60–63% of respondents said they were satisfied with IT overall or confident in help‑desk capability, while communication and time‑to‑resolve issues scored lower. The department’s internal maturity assessment ranked current operations at a low level, with a goal of reaching a higher, more aligned level by the end of the three‑year plan.

Staffing and near‑term asks

Eisenbart told council the IT group includes about 15 staff members across operations, business services and data analytics. Staff recommended adding specialized roles: in particular a cybersecurity engineer. Council members pressed for a quick external security assessment and penetration testing; Eisenbart said money has been set aside this year to contract for a cybersecurity plan and that the contractor would include scanning and testing to build the business case for permanent staff.

Council questions and AI

Council members asked whether short‑term contractors or long‑term hires are preferred. Staff said contractors are useful for short, discrete needs but that in‑house expertise creates continuity and deeper institutional knowledge. On artificial intelligence, staff said a measured rollout and city AI policy are in place; staff cautioned that AI adoption requires careful governance because models ingest data.

No formal vote

The session was informational; council did not vote. Several members urged a rapid external cybersecurity assessment and quicker progress on help‑desk responsiveness, while staff described a mix of immediate procurement for an external cyber assessment and multi‑year internal work to raise maturity.

Next steps

Staff will pursue contracting an external cybersecurity assessment, continue to develop SOPs and a training program, refine the project prioritization process and return with more detailed business cases and funding options for council consideration.

End note: Council members emphasized cybersecurity and requested that staff prioritize visible service improvements while advancing the longer strategic work.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Special Meeting - 10 Mar 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City of Englewood Information Technology leaders presented a three‑year strategic plan that centers on staff training and help‑desk improvements, a layered cybersecurity program, governance over IT investments, and a program to deliver data dashboards to city decision makers.","taxTitle","Englewood City, Arapahoe County, Colorado","taxId",52219,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6642976,"Englewood staff seek approval for South Broadway design guidelines, with pilot festival planned this year",3490,3639000,7129000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2532655-785d87264edee06a0a54a8df16e7312c&start=3639&end=7129","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2532655-785d87264edee06a0a54a8df16e7312c/thumbnail_3639000.jpg","/articles/6642976/Englewood-City/Arapahoe-County/Colorado/Englewood-staff-seek-approval-for-South-Broadway-design-guidelines-with-pilot-festival-planned-this-year","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6642976-13b1a33f3e17eca50961aeccae75cacb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195589&Signature=TNaOAJVssGtpHf9v4X9gnSUIziNhySUymOXTJGnbpPihyWAxvNLiUl0BELB38jWU4N1VaQ-pbd~ANpM5QIm9CYNC5cX1W4H4S1VBN16Z1LlvId~jeJ1C9U-JylG~69pORLgYoQLdA8kwvYiACqWBgk~jlg4plKVWB0qJsqssRvnvUDp8iBxlR13mMyZafxIypScnK~mIGnS3ByegO0mHbC~ioukkhph0ji9B0yiRfrPoIzKcJCUMv49-5Brnyy5ZgtQY-03AriZAD4Qo3s1dZpJwesG8ru2mo3Lw1DK3rlb7WmeBu-UhMWrWEpkMPJTHXh8eckfjeGyUe9zoM-fIbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Englewood Downtown Development Authority (EDDA) presented draft design guidelines for South Broadway — the city’s downtown main‑street corridor — and recommended adopting the document by ordinance to shape future exterior renovations, new construction and public‑realm uses.

Hilary Portel, executive director of the Englewood Downtown Development Authority, and Chaney Bostick, lead designer with Studio Seed, reviewed the project scope, community engagement and a 30% streetscape design that will inform final design work. \"Private investment follows public commitment,\" Portel said, explaining the effort to protect the corridor’s character while supporting new business activity.

Why it matters: staff said clear, concise design guidelines will help the city protect the downtown’s pedestrian‑oriented character as new investment arrives and to make public‑realm improvements that support businesses and accessibility.

What the draft guidelines would do

- Applicability: The guidelines apply to exterior renovations, full redevelopment and new private use of the public realm in the Broadway subarea (from Little Dry Creek to Eastman Avenue, Lincoln to Acoma), and are scaled so smaller projects trigger fewer requirements. Interior renovations that do not alter exteriors are not covered.

- Content and intent: The 50‑page draft focuses on universal access, preserving local character, street‑level activation, outdoor dining, materials and storefront treatments. Designers emphasized an accessible route, street trees, curb extensions for safer crossings and options for outdoor dining that do not block pedestrian circulation.

- Process and review: If adopted, the guidelines would be incorporated into the city’s development review process and become part of the required checklist for applicable permit submittals. Staff said projects must follow applicable guidelines or document why compliance is not feasible; community development staff would review compliance and the EDDA would advocate for applicants and maintenance plans.

Community engagement and pilot projects

EDDA staff said outreach included an online survey with 631 responses, multiple open houses, a project advisory group and a block‑party demonstration. Two pilot activations took place: a Flower Pop Alley and a planned West Hampton festival street demonstration. Portel said a festival‑street pilot will be implemented in June as a temporary demonstration of one design treatment.

Council concerns and clarifications

Council members asked whether the guidelines are mandatory. City staff explained the guidelines will be adopted by ordinance and folded into the development‑review process; projects that cannot meet a guideline may request an exception or demonstrate hardship. \"They are guidelines,\" one staffer said in describing the culture of review, \"but they have the force of law when adopted by ordinance and used in the development review process.\"

Council Members raised questions about cost and implementation burden for small businesses, and whether grants or maintenance funding will be available. Portel said the EDDA’s near‑term priority is planning and funding the streetscape construction and maintenance; grant programs for façade or activation improvements could be considered after the streetscape and maintenance plan are in place. The EDDA also described an intent to manage maintenance of public‑realm enhancements established through the DDA’s authority.

Timeline and next steps

Staff described the guidelines as concise and designed to be reviewed in an administrative process. The EDDA and staff plan to complete final streetscape design in 2025 and to implement the festival‑street pilot in June. The presentation noted that City Council would consider ordinance readings to adopt the guidelines; during the session staff and council indicated the ordinance readings are anticipated in April.

What was not decided

Council did not vote on the guidelines tonight. Several members asked for more detailed examples of how the rules would apply to unique or historic buildings and for a short list of comparable cities in the Denver‑area that have implemented guidelines. Staff said they would provide additional examples, outreach to affected property owners and a refined ordinance package ahead of the formal council readings.

End note: Support from the local business community was noted during the presentation; staff emphasized the guidelines are intended to be a market‑friendly tool to protect downtown character while accommodating new investment.","The Englewood Downtown Development Authority presented draft South Broadway design guidelines and a 30% streetscape concept at a City Council study session, asking council to consider adoption of concise design standards to guide exterior renovations, new construction and public‑realm activation in the downtown Broadway subarea.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6642983,"Englewood council reviews flood-basin prioritization study; city, Mile High Flood District identify three top basins",3643,116000,3759000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2532655-785d87264edee06a0a54a8df16e7312c&start=116&end=3759","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2532655-785d87264edee06a0a54a8df16e7312c/thumbnail_116000.jpg","/articles/6642983/Englewood-City/Arapahoe-County/Colorado/Englewood-council-reviews-flood-basin-prioritization-study-city-Mile-High-Flood-District-identify-three-top-basins","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6642983-62753746af57ee9869565a3d63c1d4a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195589&Signature=OQSnxCOh~b7dLy5sWygAqS7vT2rJlYFmjR~b~Ju6wcdbZtn0F3o2qRi3SOD-04fYNGp3Lhne40CrSsKf7aQe~lJ5VRUq8lhMvDSpnJp3vhW9RwLIN8RN0gOD4~ilAAG-U-9Z94-aWr4l-cbLd3~-QcbPNf8iCcGKG4Ijlkek~2HPD6R7rG0FUOdQhLgwoM5tyrzIeDKtNpK2FG0GuQnT2IW3pKgYDYdEOQD7asYPO4euOUNvkjAA~Fhbm3lJkrP1JDinCiR4iv09QBj53ZbSG34j0UmZ5LNaC1SGXxoMn6kIe7ZgOXaI35BoKwD4WXY6y7g909hWn8pW~dgH83kxOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Englewood and the Mile High Flood District presented results of the Englewood Flood Hazard Mitigation Basin Prioritization Study at a special City Council study session, laying out a ranking of 19 drainage basins and recommended next steps that include formal floodplain mapping and targeted capital projects.

The study, presented by Tim Host, Deputy Director of Engineering for the City of Englewood, and Jennifer Winters, watershed manager at the Mile High Flood District, used citywide hydrologic modeling, land-use and population data, and critical‑infrastructure overlays to score basins for public‑safety and equity concerns. \"The official title of this report is the Englewood Flood Hazard Mitigation Basin Prioritization Study,\" Host said as the presentation opened.

City and district staff said three basins rose to the top of the prioritization: Little Dry Creek, Dry Gulch and the South Englewood Basin. Jennifer Winters described the scoring framework: \"We looked at flood water inundation, land use and zoning and critical infrastructure,\" and combined depth, velocity, resident vulnerability and presence of schools or medical facilities to create a composite ranking.

Why it matters: the study is intended as a planning tool to direct scarce capital funds toward projects that deliver the greatest public‑safety benefit. City staff emphasized the study does not itself change FEMA flood maps or require immediate construction; instead it is intended to guide future design and capital improvement planning.

Key findings and recommendations

- Scope and methods: The team modeled a range of storm scenarios across the whole city, identifying where stormwater flows to low points and how deep and fast water would be in a 100‑year event. The study mapped areas with less than 1 foot of depth, between 1 and 2.5 feet, and greater than 2.5 feet, and then layered zoning, population density and social vulnerability indicators on top of the flood results.

- Priorities: Little Dry Creek, Dry Gulch and South Englewood Basin scored highest across the combined criteria, staff said. Little Dry Creek requires a separate, more detailed hydrology study because of its large upstream drainage area that includes Cherry Hills Village and Centennial. Dry Gulch already has an active capital improvement project; consultants are expected to be selected in April, and staff said construction could begin as early as 2027. For South Englewood Basin, the City’s current target is to achieve 25‑year capacity as the immediate milestone.

- Next steps and mapping: For each high‑priority basin staff recommended official 100‑year flood mapping to support infrastructure decisions and homeowner notification. Winters explained the study’s 100‑year modeling was planning‑level and that formal flood‑plain maps for regulatory and insurance purposes would require a separate, more detailed mapping effort.

- Funding saved and flexibility: City staff said about $5,000,000 has been collected for projects in the South Englewood Basin and roughly $2,000,000 is allocated for Dry Gulch; the funding agreement with the flood district allows funds to be reallocated if a project is certified complete.

Council questions and concerns

Council members pressed staff on development, timetables and neighborhood impacts. Council Member Rita Russell said she was concerned about ongoing approvals in high‑priority basins and rising density: \"I don't know. But I'm very concerned that we just keep studying, but never learning. And when are we going to start implementing what we've, what we're figuring out?\" Russell asked, citing a recently approved project in the Little Dry Creek basin and other changes that will increase impervious surface.

Director of Public Works Victor Rochelle said developers have been given and are using the most recent adopted studies during permitting. \"Sam's is doing detention as well,\" Rochelle said, noting that some projects include detention and water‑quality measures and that the city evaluates development against adopted standards at the time of permit review.

Council members also asked whether previously completed projects have reduced risk in South Englewood. Tim Host and Winters said earlier work reduced the number of structures in the floodplain and that the district and city plan to hire a third‑party modeler to verify whether 25‑year protection has been achieved after recently completed and ongoing construction. \"If the answer is yes,\" Winters said, \"then we can take those funds we've been collecting and move them to another priority basin.\"

Other technical points

- The study distinguishes planning‑level 100‑year modeling from FEMA regulatory flood mapping; staff recommended follow‑on mapping for decision‑making and resident notification. Dry Gulch and Little Dry Creek already have FEMA floodplain designations in portions of their corridors; South Englewood does not. Staff recommended updating FEMA or local mapping after targeted CIP projects.

- The South Englewood Basin work includes large detention ponds, a tunnel and culvert infrastructure; staff noted the tunnel pipe is sized for a 100‑year event to avoid repeated reconstruction.

- A range of non‑structural actions were also recommended: update GIS stormwater data, study roadway crossings, strengthen multi‑agency coordination, and expand public outreach and education.

What council directed or decided

Tonight’s session was a study presentation; council did not take a formal vote. Council members requested additional detail and follow up in several areas: verification of how adopted drainage standards were applied to recent developments in high‑priority basins; a third‑party review to confirm South Englewood Basin 25‑year capacity after construction; and clearer resident notification about flood risk and available mitigation grants for affected homeowners. Staff said they would return with more detailed mapping, hydrology reports and implementation steps.

Looking ahead

Staff said they will pursue floodplain map revisions as part of basin‑level follow up, continue collaboration with the Mile High Flood District and begin the detailed studies or CIP design work for the three priority basins. Little Dry Creek’s hydrology update is already underway; Dry Gulch has an active CIP procurement scheduled; South Englewood will undergo an independent verification of 25‑year capacity as a next step.

End note: Council members called for ongoing, clearer communication with neighborhoods in all basins and for staff to ensure that pending and future developments are reviewed against the latest studies and standards.

","The City of Englewood and the Mile High Flood District presented results of the Englewood Flood Hazard Mitigation Basin Prioritization Study at a special City Council study session, laying out a ranking of 19 drainage basins and recommended next steps that include formal floodplain mapping and targeted capital projects.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Englewood IT department presents three‑year technology plan; council flags cybersecurity and staffing needs

Englewood staff seek approval for South Broadway design guidelines, with pilot festival planned this year

Englewood council reviews flood-basin prioritization study; city, Mile High Flood District identify three top basins