Residents urge road repairs and question open-space processes; commissioners issue proclamations for child-welfare workers and workforce development

Several residents used the public-comment portion of the Sept. 9 Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners meeting to press the county on local infrastructure and open-space processes, while the board issued two proclamations recognizing child-welfare workers and workforce development.

Road repairs request: Two Watkins Farm residents presented a petition and asked the county to accelerate road repairs. Susan Bagenfeld (address given as 34623 East Tenth Drive, Watkins) said Watkins Farm Road has 26 cracks at least eight inches wide and said the neighborhood last saw significant repairs in 2010; the petition was signed by 96 residents and requests repairs sooner than the 2028 schedule listed in county materials. Becky Roberts (714 N. Bowdoin Road, Watkins) described staff visits that resulted in a staff condition rating of 53.34 (classified as “poor”) and said a work order had been developed to install additional signage and striping for a sudden curve on Bowdoin Road. Both speakers asked the board to allocate resources to road and bridge sooner than currently scheduled.

Open-space grants/process concerns: Mark Flink (citizen) criticized a proposed resolution staff had prepared regarding open-space program administrative authority and urged the board not to permit Open Space staff to approve extensions or modifications to grant-funded projects without review by the citizen advisory board (OSTAB). Flink cited “resolution 21‑263” (as stated in his remarks) and said the Littleton Spur Trail paving project demonstrated risks from administrative approvals; he alleged failures by the City of Littleton to disclose design changes, community engagement lapses, and a $200,000 contribution issue in project submissions. Flink urged that all extension and modification requests be submitted to OSTAB for public notice and recommendation before county staff acted.

Environmental and school-safety concerns at proposed Costco site: Greg Sullivan (Littleton) asked the board to demand a full environmental assessment of a proposed Costco development in Littleton that he said cleared mature trees across 60 acres and disturbed a swale less than 300 meters from two schools. Sullivan urged investigation into on-site processing, diesel and particulate emissions, and stormwater/soil contaminants; he asked commissioners to “act now” to investigate potential health risks for children and pregnant women at nearby schools.

Elections and county trust comments: Karen Tallentire (Littleton) made remarks critical of state election officials and mail-in ballots; her comments contained allegations about officials and past resignations. Commissioners did not respond during public comment; the board noted that public comment is recorded and may be followed up by staff as appropriate.

Proclamations: The board unanimously adopted two proclamations. Commissioner Warren Gulley moved to adopt a proclamation recognizing Sept. 8–12, 2025, as Child Welfare Worker Appreciation Week; Nicole Brown, child- and adult-protection services section manager, spoke in appreciation for front-line child-welfare staff and thanked the board for supporting the division. The board also adopted a proclamation designating September 2025 as National Workforce Development Month in Arapahoe County; Sasha Easton, director of ArapahoeDouglas Works, spoke about services that connect jobseekers and employers and thanked the board for support. Both proclamations were adopted by voice vote.

The board did not respond to individual public comments during the meeting but acknowledged receipt and said staff would follow up as appropriate.