Inside Arvada

Send us Fan Mail Jim Greer, Arvada's Construction & Inspection Supervisor, talks about the municipal inspection process and how his team works to protect critical city infrastructure. The team of 10 inspectors partners with contractors and developers, ensuring projects are completed safely and efficiently. Episode highlights:  The team focuses on everything underground up to the surface (...

Send us Fan Mail This September, in honor of National Preparedness Month , we’re doing a two-part series with our partners at Arvada Fire. Part 2 focuses on Arvada's Community Wildfire  Protection Plan (CWPP) with Arvada Fire's Wildfire Mitigation Specialist, Chris Warren, and the City of Arvada’s Emergency Manager, Brian Wilkerson. In case you missed it, you can go back and listen to Pa...

Send us Fan Mail This September, in honor of National Preparedness Month, we’re launching a two-part series with our partners at Arvada Fire. The first episode, Arvada Fire 101, features Fire Marshal Steven Parker. The second episode, which will come out Sept. 17, brings together Arvada Fire’s Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Chris Warren and the City of Arvada’s Emergency Manager Brian Wilkerson to...

Send us Fan Mail Aislinn Droski, Arvada's bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, shares insights on the City's micromobility program that has facilitated over 130,000 rides since launching in 2021. The program has evolved from a pilot to becoming a permanent transportation option connecting residents to transit, commercial centers, and other services. Micromobility includes devices like e-s...

Send us Fan Mail Arvada City Forester Ian MacDonald discusses the alarming spread of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) throughout the city and what residents need to know to protect their ash trees. This invasive pest has accelerated from small isolated areas to citywide presence, with MacDonald warning that we're now entering the steep part of the mortality curve where tree loss happens rapidly. In th...

Send us Fan Mail Judge Kathryn Kurtz discusses Arvada's Municipal Court and the value of balancing community safety with support for the individual. In this episode:  Arvada's Municipal Court handles 7,500-8,000 cases yearly including traffic violations, ordinance violations, code enforcement, and animal control issues A ballot measure is being considered to remove the residency requirem...

Send us Fan Mail In honor of Park and Recreation Month in Arvada , Parks Manager Steve Gustafson joins us to share his lifelong passion for parks maintenance and the complexities of managing the city's vast outdoor spaces. In this episode: Overview of the Arvada Parks Department , which maintains over 200 sites across 4,200 acres with 56 full-time employees The collaborative relationship and...

Send us Fan Mail Don Wick talks about his 30-year journey of serving the Arvada community, from starting out as an entry-level police officer in 1985 to recently becoming the new city manager .  Don explains how all of his previous experience – Police Chief, Public Works Director, and Deputy City Manager – has prepared him to step into his new role leading the city.  In this episode: How the city...

Send us Fan Mail Utilities Engineering Manager, Mary Stahl discusses some of the public improvement projects happening throughout Arvada to replace aging water and sewer systems. Much of Arvada's underground utilities were installed in the 1960s-70s and now, 50-60 years later, they need to be replaced to maintain public health and prevent service disruptions. In this episode: Sheridan sewer l...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready for the City's new summer kickoff celebration, Arvada Summerfest , with Special Events and Public Arts Manager Adelle Burton.  Summerfest is a brand new event sponsored by the Arvada Festivals Commission on Saturday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ralston Park Addition (64th Ave. and Quail St. just north of Arvada West High School). The free event is both family-...

Send us Fan Mail Sam Rogers, Civil Engineer with Arvada's stormwater and floodplain team, details how the City manages flood risks through infrastructure projects. Sam provides updates on the Ralston Creek Improvement Project near the West Woods Golf Course that stems from the 2013 floods. Also mentioned in the episode:  The Lake Arbor Restoration Project that is complete Other work of the st...

Send us Fan Mail Arvada's Open Space Supervisor Bob Bromley shares his 35 years of experience managing the city's trails and natural areas. He explains the ecological approaches used to maintain over 150 miles of hard surface trails and 3,400 acres of open space using sustainable practices. Topics discussed in this episode include:  Arvada's trails network , which includes the Ralst...

Send us Fan Mail Manager of Golf Course Maintenance and Operations Joe Kunze brings 30 years of industry experience to Arvada's two city-owned courses, Lake Arbor and West Woods , implementing sustainable practices that benefit both golfers and the broader community. Topics discussed in this episode include: • Tips on how to maintain your own lawn, including when to fertilize and aerate • How...

Send us Fan Mail Arvada partners with two organizations providing support and healing for victims of crime and child abuse in our community. Jennifer Griffin of Victim Outreach Incorporated and Don Mosley of Ralston House discuss their organizations' missions, services, and unique partnerships with the City of Arvada. Mentioned in the episode: Victims Rights Week (April 8 - 12)  Jefferson Cou...

Send us Fan Mail Arvada's Pavement Program Manager Ben Sawaya gives an inside look at how the City maintains and repairs its 1,500+ lane miles of roads. Ben explains the different types of work the program is responsible for, how they prioritize work, and how they address program challenges, stretching limited resources as much as possible to perform maintenance and rehab work throughout the...

Send us Fan Mail Learn about the work of the Arvada Urban Renewal Authority (AURA) with Executive Director, Maureen Phair, focusing on urban revitalization efforts over the last two decades. Hear about AURA's funding structure, relationship to the City, and a variety of projects that showcase a commitment to improving our community and fostering sustainable development. In the episode: Introd...

Send us Fan Mail Sarah Kolb from the Arvada Arts and Culture Commission, joins us to talk about some of the new public art projects in the city.  In this episode:  History of the Arvada Arts and Culture Commission and how it relates to the Arvada Center  Garrison Street Underpass Mural Quaker Street Underpass Mural   Update to the Babe Walls murals   Upcoming projects for the Arts and Culture Comm...

Send us Fan Mail Homelessness Resolution Case Managers Alex Williams and Hudson Janz share information about their work with the unhoused population in Arvada.  In this episode: How the case management process works Understanding the Point-In-Time count Sharing City-run and other local resources The day-to-day work and recent success stories Cold weather resources and other challenges facing the u...

Send us Fan Mail Senior Landscape Architect Maki Boyle discusses the Gold Strike Park revitalization project. Located at the confluence of Clear Creek and Ralston Creek in southeast Arvada, Gold Strike Park is known for being the location of the first documented gold discovery in Colorado.  Maki shares what's happened so far with the project and what to expect next!   In this episode:  Histor...

Send us Fan Mail Happy New Year to all our listeners! As we reflect back on 2024 with some of our favorite moments throughout the past year, we are also looking ahead to be an even better podcast in 2025. Help us improve the show by taking a short 3-question survey . Provide us your address at the end of the survey and we'll mail you an Inside Arvada podcast sticker!  This best-of episode fea...

Send us Fan Mail Chase Amos, Public Information Officer with the Arvada Police Department, joins us to discuss trending topics in public safety. Chase shares his unique career path, from the US Foreign Service in Israel to local law enforcement in Arvada.  In this episode: Which situations you should use the non-emergent line to contact Arvada PD , 303-980-7300, and when you should call 9-1-1  Sta...

Send us Fan Mail Learn about what it takes to help keep our roads safe and passable in the case of a snow storm.  Hear from Streets Manager Keith Bohan about the City's snow plow operations. Keith shares information about the routes City teams plow, how they make decisions about deployments, what materials they use on the roads, and innovations the team uses like route optimization technology...

Send us Fan Mail Arvada's Utilities Department ensures that our high-quality, essential water, wastewater, and stormwater services are running 24/7, 365! Join us with guest Sharon Israel, the City's Director of Utilities, who shares how water, wastewater, and stormwater services are handled with care. Learn more about how the City budgets for these services, including the upcoming adjust...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered what it takes to bring a state-of-the-art aquatics center to life? Want to know when the new Arvada Aquatics Center will open? Tune in to hear it here first, the grand opening of the Arvada Aquatics Center is just around the corner! The new facility promises to be an amazing asset for local swim teams and regional meets, boasting a 50-meter competitive pool,...

Send us Fan Mail Finance Director Bryan Archer joins us to talk about the City budget, taxes, bond projects and more. Bryan has been with the City of Arvada since 1996, serving several roles, including budget analyst, accounting manager and controller. In his role as Finance Director, Bryan oversees all areas of finance, including treasury, budget, cash, investments, accounting and purchasing. Top...