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Jefferson County creates citizen budget advisory committee to review retained revenue from ballot measure
Summary
Commissioners approved a policy establishing a citizen review panel to monitor and advise on uses of revenue retained under Ballot Initiative 1A, including geographic representation and staggered terms for members.
The Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners voted April 8 to adopt a policy creating a citizen budget advisory committee to review retained revenue resulting from Ballot Initiative 1A.
The policy establishes a committee—provisionally called the Budget Retention Advisory Committee—charged with evaluating uses of the retained funds designated by the ballot measure for transportation, infrastructure and public safety. County staff said the committee will also provide a public, citizen-driven review to satisfy the ballot’s requirement for annual audits and transparency.
Dan Conway, the county chief financial officer, told commissioners the committee will be composed of about seven to nine members who serve up to three-year terms, with the initial appointments staggered (one-, two- and three-year terms) so terms do not all expire at once. Conway said staff intends the committee’s membership to reflect geographic diversity across the county’s three commissioner districts and that the county will recruit applicants by open application.
Conway said the committee will include appointments from the existing budget advisory committee and the audit committee, with the remainder selected by application and appointment by the board. "The primary function of that citizen review committee is to evaluate the uses of the money as they are retained through the years," Conway said.
The board approved the motion; the clerk recorded: Commissioner Kerr — Aye; Commissioner Zenzinger — Aye; Commissioner Dahlkemper — Yes. The motion passed and staff indicated they would begin recruiting and bring the first slate of members forward for appointment.
County staff said the committee is intended to increase transparency about how retained revenue from the ballot measure is spent and to provide an annual review consistent with the ballot language.
Next steps include revising the county’s boards and commissions policy to reflect the new committee and initiating recruitment.
