Broomfield News

Broomfield residents wishing to serve as volunteers on City and County of Broomfield boards or commissions have until Friday, March 2, 2012, at 5 p.m. to apply.

Interested residents can obtain an application at the Community Assistance Center in the lobby of the City and County Building, 1 DesCombes Drive, or fill one out online from the Web page.

Applicants must be residents of Broomfield.

Should Council desire an interview, applicants will be contacted and interviews will be scheduled on the evenings of March 19, March 22 or March 26, 2012. Appointments will be made at the regular City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 10, 2012.

Potential applicants are encouraged to attend a meeting of the committee in which they are interested before the interviews.

Online application

City and County Manager Charles Ozaki announced this week that he has promoted David F. Allen to Public Works Director for Broomfield. The promotion came after a month's long external recruitment process.

Allen has over 21 years of progressively responsible experience in municipal public works and utility departments. He has been Broomfield's Deputy Director of Public Works since October of 2008 where his focus was operations, water resources and water and wastewater treatment processes.

"There were three very qualified finalists for the position," Ozaki said. "But David’s range of experience and knowledge of Broomfield made him a logical choice."

Before coming to Broomfield, he was Director of the Public Works and Utilities Department for the City of Northglenn, Colo. During that time, he also served as the acting city manager for six months during that council’s search for a new manager.

Prior to his work in Northglenn, Allen was a water planning and resources manager in the Public Utilities Department in Anaheim, Calif. He also worked for the Keith Companies in Costa Mesa, Calif. And the Department of Water and Power in Los Angeles.

Allen holds a Master of Science degree in civil engineering and water resources from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Colorado State University. He is a registered civil engineer in Colorado and California. Allen is also a member of the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation.

City and County Manager Charles Ozaki announced this week that he has hired James L. Becklenberg as Broomfield's assistant city and county manager. Becklenberg and his family will be moving from Pacific Grove, Calif. He will start work on Feb. 8, 2012.

He joins the upper management team in the City and County Manager's Office with deputy manager Kevin Standbridge and Ozaki. Becklenberg's areas of responsibility will include the Information Technology, Finance, City and County Clerks and Courts Administration departments. His Broomfield salary will be $142,500.

"Jim brings excellent credentials to Broomfield," Ozaki said. He has 17 years of experience in city administration and is leaving the deputy city manager position for the City of Pacific Grove to come to Broomfield. His last day there was January 20. Prior to Pacific Grove, Becklenberg worked for the City of Fremont, Calif., for six years, serving as budget manager from 2004 to 2006.

Becklenberg holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Kansas. He received a B.S. in Public Affairs from Indiana University in Bloomington.

Ozaki said he was most impressed by Becklenberg's range of experience: chief financial officer, risk manager, information technology manager, and deputy city manager. He also has experience with shared services between public sector partners.

His work over the last decade has required directly confronting difficult issues including unanticipated economic shocks to diverse local economies, taking action to mitigate long-term retirement system risks, and negotiating new models for service delivery with public agencies and foundations, Ozaki said.

Becklenberg has extensive experience participating with elected officials in establishing goals and priorities. Once priorities are established, he has worked with city councils and staff, and the community, to translate them into specific programs, budgets and action plans, Ozaki said.

Becklenberg's experience also includes management positions for cities in Kansas and Missouri. He began his career in Bloomington, Ind., in 1994 as an intern.

Becklenberg is the 2011 recipient of the Assistant Excellence in Leadership Award by the International City County Management Association and was named the 2011 Public Official of the Year by the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce.

Under his direction, the City of Fremont received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers' Association for four consecutive years.

On Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 the Broomfield City Council will be deciding what issues and projects it would like city and county staff members to focus on in 2012. Call, write or email your ideas to the city.

Email the mayor or any councilmember, or email the city at info@broomfield.org.

Written comments may also be mailed to arrive by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 to:
City and County Manager's Office
1 DesCombes Drive
Broomfield, CO 80020

The city's main phone number is 303.469.3301

Or bring your ideas in person to the Broomfield City Council Study Session meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 at 5 p.m. The meeting is in the Council Conference Room, next to the Council Chambers, at 1 DesCombes Drive.

The Broomfield Cultural Affairs division presents a free "Cultural Feast - a smorgasbord of cultural programming" on the first Wednesday each month through May. The feast will feature opera music, ballet, the pops and a fiesta at the Broomfield Auditorium, 3 Community Park Road.

Feb. 1, 2012 at 7 p.m.

Central City Opera - Love Notes
Love Notes is a musical reflection on the ups, the downs, the all-around magic of love, featuring a romantic duo (and dynamic pianist) from the Central City Opera Ensemble. Relive the rollercoaster of love through this eclectic program of songs and duets from opera and musical theatre, including selections from La Boheme and Oklahoma!, which will be in Central City Opera's 2012 summer festival.

This free community concert features Central City Opera Ensemble Artists Judeth Shay Burns, soprano; Jason Baldwin, tenor; and Deborah Schmit-Lobis, pianist.

March 7, 2012 at 7 p.m.

Ballet Nouveau Colorado - Excerpts from Rock Ballet
BNC proudly presents excerpts of Garrett Ammon's Rock Ballets featuring the music of INXS, Queen and David Bowie. The performance will also include a discussion with BNC's Artistic Director and Choreographer, Garrett Ammon.

April 4, 2012 at 7 p.m.

Denver Pops Orchestra - Dancing with the Pops
The Denver Pops Orchestra, also known as the Mostly Strauss Orchestra, performs a great mix of light classical music. They will be presenting an evening of ballroom favorites, including Blue Danube Waltz, Ballsirene Waltz, Blue Tango and Lord of the Dance.

May 2, 2012 at 7 p.m.

Fiesta Colorado
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo a few days early with Fiesta Colorado! Fiesta Colorado Inc is a non-profit organization and its mission is to preserve the Hispanic Arts of the Southwest. There is an overwhelming response to Fiesta Colorado's performances. They provide a presentation of excitement, expertise and beauty that truly is the ambiance of Colorado and its Hispanic cultural representations.

For more information contact Cultural Affairs 303-464-5835 or 720-887-2371.

Broomfield's Depot Museum, 2201 W. 10th Ave., is now open Saturdays from noon until 3 p.m. The 1909 station in its original location served the Colorado and Southern Railway and a commuter electric rail service, the Denver and Interurban Railroad. It now has many diverse items from Broomfield's history.

The Broomfield Depot Museum property contains the original Broomfield train depot and several other buildings moved to the location. The Honey House, built in 1905, is a building where honey was extracted and processed as part of a commercial operation. There is also a pump house and a circa 1938 Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed outhouse.

The museum grounds are also the home to the grave of Shep, "the turnpike dog." Shep lived near the Denver-Boulder Turnpike toll booth and became friends with the operators as well as the motorists who stopped to pay the toll.

The museum is an historic example of a "living-in depot," that is, one that included housing for a station agent and his family in addition to providing ticketing and waiting areas for passengers and freight operations.

Guided tours explain the significance of the depot in Broomfield history, point out some of the building's architectural features and include information about some of the families who lived there.

Admission is free and donations are greatly appreciated.

For more information about the museum please call City and County of Broomfield Museum Administrator Jacqui Ainlay-Conley at 303-460-6824 or visit the museum's web page.

Tickets are on sale for the Jan. 27, 2012 performance of Sphere Ensemble. The Colorado-based group offers a conductor-less string orchestra performing a diverse collection of music that some say resembles an electronic "shuffle play" setting.

Sphere will mix the music of J. S. Bach, award winning jazz composer Wil Swindler, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Kailin Yong's Peace Project and Dmitri Shostakovich with Celtic, rock and folk music.

Without a conductor, members of the group must possess extraordinary musical awareness and discipline. Ensemble members come from diverse performing backgrounds including several professional regional orchestras and local bands such as Danielle Ate the Sandwich, Blow the Vault, Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, Wadirum, and Feast. This range of experience gives Sphere the versatility to present great music of any style.

The concert is presented by the City and County of Broomfield Cultural Affairs department.

The concert is Friday, Jan. 27, 2012 at the Broomfield Auditorium, 3 Community Park Road, at 7 p.m. The Sphere Ensemble brings to their audiences the richness of a string orchestra with the intimacy of a string quartet.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and are available for purchase online, or at the Broomfield Auditorium box office. Call 720-887-2371 for more information.

There are 20 performances by 11 artists scheduled so far for the 2012 season at Broomfield's 1STBANK Center. From Cirque Du Soleil to Radiohead and Kelly Clarkson to The Black Keys - see who's coming - click on the links below to get tickets.

(Tickets are on sale now unless stated differently below.)

Feb. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12: Cirque Du Soleil: Dralion. Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 10 at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 11 at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Feb. 12 at 1 and 5 p.m.

Feb. 16, 17 and 18: Phil Lesh and Friends hit the road for the first time in more than three years with a three-night stand at the 1STBANK Center. The Grateful Dead's legendary bassist returns with an all-star lineup. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show at 8 p.m.

Feb. 22: Big Time Rush with JoJo, 7 p.m.

March 3: Harlem Globetrotters, 2 p.m.

March 13: Radiohead (sold out), doors open at 6:30 p.m.

March 18: Kelly Clarkson with Matt Nathanson, 7:30 p.m.

April 10: Rodrigo y Gabriela, 8 p.m. Tickets on sale Friday, Jan. 20, 2012 at 10 a.m.

April 19: Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, 7:30 p.m.

April 30: The Black Keys with Arctic Monkeys, 7:30 p.m. Tickets on sale Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012 at 10 a.m.

May 4: Bear Grylls, 8 p.m.

July 26: Neil Diamond, 8 p.m.

Attend a free local artist's reception for Arlo White at the Broomfield Auditorium, Jan. 22, 2012 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the gallery. The auditorium is located at 3 Community Park Road. The event will also feature light refreshments and a wine tasting.

Arlo White's exhibit is called "Planet Rock" and draws inspiration from rock 'n' roll and pop culture and combines painting, mixed media and "found art".

There will be a wine tasting hosted by Broomfield winery Turquoise Mesa Winery. For more information, call 720-887-2371.

The Broomfield Police Department is offering "BPD - Inside" Academy, a series of three separate informational classes.

Registration is required! Deadline to register is Feb. 15, 2012. An application must be completed one week prior to the start of the first class - Feb. 22, 2012. A background check will be conducted and you will be notified of your acceptance and reservation in the class.

Additional information and application.

The pool at the Paul Derda Recreation Center has been reopened and all pool activities will resume as scheduled on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012.

The City and County of Broomfield general offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012.

The Broomfield Community Center (Recreation) will be open normal hours, 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Senior Center will be closed.

The Paul Derda Recreation Center (PDRC) will be open normal hours, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.