Clear Creek commissioners interview Heidi McCollum and Janine Mariani for Gateway to the Rockies opioid council seats

Clear Creek County commissioners interviewed District Attorney Heidi McCollum and Idaho Springs Council member Janine Mariani on Dec. 10 as part of the county’s reappointment process for representatives to the Gateway to the Rockies Opioid Council (GROC), the local body that allocates opioid‑abatement funds for Clear Creek, Gilpin and Jefferson counties.

Both candidates said they would emphasize connecting people to treatment and harm‑reduction services. McCollum, who currently serves on GROC as the law‑enforcement representative for the judicial district, told commissioners she has seen the crisis through daily court work and said that prosecutors must exercise discretion and help reduce stigma. “Not everyone who goes through that is a criminal,” McCollum said. “It doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve compassion and that they don’t deserve empathy.”

Mariani, co‑executive director of CASA of the Continental Divide and a member of the Idaho Springs City Council, described her work with children and families affected by substance use and said local peer recovery supports and easier access to Narcan are priorities. “Peer recovery groups are huge,” Mariani said. “Getting Narcan and those life‑saving measures into people’s hands saves lives.”

Why it matters: GROC distributes settlement dollars from litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors. Commissioners said the county’s appointees influence how regional dollars are prioritized between high‑population areas — where more people can be served — and smaller mountain communities such as Clear Creek County, where per‑capita needs can be acute.

During her interview, McCollum acknowledged that allocation raises tradeoffs: funding concentrated in metro areas can serve more people immediately, she said, but Clear Creek and other small counties still require targeted resources for transportation, counseling and harm‑reduction programs. “I will support any funding in the immediacy coming into Clear Creek County that is going to best serve the residents of Clear Creek County,” McCollum said.

Mariani described local gaps she has observed, including a lack of nearby treatment and places for people in recovery to gather. She noted community events and peer recovery services that have shown promise. Both interviewees told the commissioners they had reviewed GROC materials and were willing to answer follow‑up questions; commissioners said they expect to decide appointments within two meetings and will direct staff to bring appointment items to a future agenda or explain why they decline to appoint.

What was not decided: Commissioners did not make appointments during the Dec. 10 meeting. They said they would consult further and may contact candidates individually before bringing appointments forward.

Context and next steps: GROC is a regional opioid‑abatement board managing funds from national settlements. The county’s appointment policy requires interviews for appointees; commissioners said they try to reach a decision within two regular meetings of an interview. Commissioners also said they may ask appointees follow‑up questions in the interim.

Speakers quoted in this article spoke during the appointment interviews recorded Dec. 10: Heidi McCollum, District Attorney; Janine Mariani, Idaho Springs City Council member and co‑executive director of CASA of the Continental Divide.

Ending: Commissioners closed the interviews after a brief public discussion and said staff will return appointment recommendations at a future meeting.