Karen DeAguero, Tiffany Munoz, and Lily Allish

The City of Arvada’s scoring process for filling the vacant at-large councilmember seat revealed significant differences in how councilmembers evaluated applicants. A review of the scores submitted by each councilmember highlights discrepancies that raise questions about the consistency of the scoring criteria and the alignment of councilmembers’ priorities. These inconsistencies risk undermining public trust, especially as the top candidates proceed to interviews. Evaluation Criteria for...

Mission Arvada, a homeless navigation center and emergency winter shelter, provides a vital lifeline for people experiencing homelessness in Arvada and the greater Jefferson County area. Recently, members of the Arvada Voices team took a tour of the facility to drop off donations for 50 Mission Arvada clients and to learn more about its services and the challenges it faces as it strives to meet the needs of an underserved community. What we discovered was both inspiring and eye-opening—and a...