Since Nov. 3, 1998, when the voters statewide gave their blessing to make Broomfield the 64th county in the state, Broomfield has officially been in "transition mode."  The nuts and bolts of building a brand new county are all in their places, and beginning November 15, 2001, county services will be offered in Broomfield, as promised.

The transition to the City and County of Broomfield has been managed from the city manager’s office. Members of the City Council participated by providing critical policy direction for our new county, with city staff supporting their efforts through research and background information.

When City Council adopted an aggressive timeline for the  transition process, presented in early 1999 by City Manager George DiCiero,  the top concerns were the new buildings needed. By November 15 of this year, the Broomfield Police Department Detention Facility and Training Center, a police and courts building, and the newest Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library will join a remodeled Health and Human Services center at Number 6 Garden Center (Broomfield's previous city hall building). They will all be open to provide services to our community.  

The new buildings around the Broomfield Municipal Center include the library and police and courts building.  The Broomfield Police Department Detention Center and Training Facility is located in southwest Broomfield.

Space made available at the Municipal Center, after police, courts and library services move into the new buildings, will be remodeled during the beginning months of 2002.  

The Health and Human Services Department is the only department in the city and county that is all new.  Specific to this new department are:

• Single entry point for long term care services
• Services for children and families
• Services for childcare and early childhood development
• Services for the elderly and disabled, including senior center services and adult protection
• Veterans' services
• A new restorative justice component
• Services for employment and self sufficiency
• Workforce development
• Low income public assistance benefits
• Public Health education
• Immunizations
• Food service inspections
• Epidemic control
• Community Extension Agent
• Vital Statistics

Other county functions will be woven into existing city departments.  For example, the Police Department will be responsible for sheriff functions, court security, jail management and emergency management.  The Finance Department will handle property assessments, assessment records, property tax collections, sales and use tax licensing and collections, and the functions of the Public Trustee.

The Clerk and Recorder Department will add wider elections administration, document recordings, motor vehicle registrations, vehicle license plates, vehicle use tax collections, marriage licenses, birth certificates and death certificates to existing city clerk activities (central records administration, voter registration, mail room duties, courier services and central supplies).

County services that will be added to the Community Development Department include applications review for new septic systems, new restaurant plan reviews, and county surveyor activities. (The Community Development Department will move from its temporary building south of the parking lot into the space formerly occupied by the library.)  The Public Works Department will take on swimming pool inspections and septic system inspections.

Broomfield's Courts Administration Department will manage three levels of judicial activities in Broomfield's new combined courts building. It will house the municipal court, county and district courts to optimize efficient use of space, parking, and security, and to create a "one-stop" shopping scenario for Broomfield citizens. By sharing one facility, residents and corporate citizens of Broomfield, and other court users, can have all of their state and local legal matters heard at a single location. The City and County of Broomfield will recruit, train and supervise all of the court clerk staff.

The Probation Department and the17th Judicial District Office of the District Attorney will also be housed in the new building to provide Broomfield court users integrated judicial services. Broomfield will be in the jurisdiction of the 17^th Judicial District.

The location in the Municipal Center formerly occupied by Municipal Court will house the innovative Central Records Office, a one-stop shop for many services. (Please note: Broomfield's Central Records Office initially will be located on the second floor of the Municipal Center.)

This is an innovative new concept for the State of Colorado. It will combine information and services often located separately in the Clerk and Recorder, Assessor, Treasurer and Public Trustee offices into one central location.

In Broomfield, the Central Records Office has been designed to best serve the citizens  with one central source of information. Citizens will not have to go to multiple separate offices to conduct business or to have questions answered.

 We have created a one-stop shop for services offered in the separate offices of the Clerk and Recorder, the Assessor, the Public Trustee, and the Treasurer. We have combined them into one location.

A significant participant in the Central Records Office, is the Clerk and Recorder's Office.  At this new office, Broomfield residents will be able to:

Broomfield's Assessor will also be a partner in the Central Records Office. The assessor is responsible for discovering, listing and valuing all property within the county on the assessment date. The values are used to determine mill levies necessary for generating the property tax revenues that pay for schools, fire and police protection, roads, parks and recreation and many other local services.  Those researching or needing information on property valuations will be able to come to the Central Records Office to conduct business, get information or have questions answered. 

Call or visit the Central Records Office from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The telephone number is (303) 464-5819.

Opportunities for citizen participation in the new City and County of Broomfield will be through new citizen advisory boards, commissions and committees.   These new groups include:

• Cultural Council
• Human Services Advisory Committee
• Public Health Advisory Committee
• Health and Human Services Citizen Review Panel
• Health and Human Services Work Force Investment Board
• Board of Equalization.

The members of the city council, in addition to their regular duties, will take on the functions of the Human Services Board and the Board of Health. 

If you have a question about the transition, feel free to call  Broomfield's public information officer, Rosann Doran, at (303) 438-6308.