Board Gone Rogue?
If you live in Bennett, or frequent any of the stores or restaurants there, it might be time to start asking questions. The Board of Trustees for the Town of Bennett have been making some pretty significant decisions that have affected the rapid growth and expansion of this little dot on the map. It should have been an indication to natives that King Soopers was certainly going to be a game changer when it was built. However, with the addition of the several more stores, shops, the Quiktrip gas station and Love's enormous new asphalt jungle, that our quiet pit stop out of town would soon be a blossoming little city.
With the construction of several housing developments and influx of amenities, the population of Bennett has risen 43% since 2017. The increase of transplants from Denver and surrounding areas, has seen a large uptick in crime in neighbors and out in the open caught on security cameras and Ring doorbells. With a higher volume of citizens from areas not acquainted with small town living, theft and vandalism are sky rocketing.
All that growth. It was encouraged by town leaders, but they did not anticipate the need for an increase in budgeting for law enforcement to combat a rise in crime that always follows and large increase in fast growing communities.
That may prove to be a huge problem for the Board, as they were forced to end their contract with the Adams County Sheriff's department. Their contract expired in December as a result of the department's request to increase funding in order to cover the costs of the increased area and amount of incidents in the area. The Board of Trustees had budgeted for a 6% increase for 2024, however the ACSO said that they would not negotiate any lower than a 26% increase.
Bennett residents were NOT happy with the news that this was not handled property, as well as there being a pause in protection of the town until the the Trustees could come to an agreement with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's department. Taking to Facebook and Next Door, they voiced their frustration:
With the construction of several housing developments and influx of amenities, the population of Bennett has risen 43% since 2017. The increase of transplants from Denver and surrounding areas, has seen a large uptick in crime in neighbors and out in the open caught on security cameras and Ring doorbells. With a higher volume of citizens from areas not acquainted with small town living, theft and vandalism are sky rocketing.
All that growth. It was encouraged by town leaders, but they did not anticipate the need for an increase in budgeting for law enforcement to combat a rise in crime that always follows and large increase in fast growing communities.
That may prove to be a huge problem for the Board, as they were forced to end their contract with the Adams County Sheriff's department. Their contract expired in December as a result of the department's request to increase funding in order to cover the costs of the increased area and amount of incidents in the area. The Board of Trustees had budgeted for a 6% increase for 2024, however the ACSO said that they would not negotiate any lower than a 26% increase.
Bennett residents were NOT happy with the news that this was not handled property, as well as there being a pause in protection of the town until the the Trustees could come to an agreement with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's department. Taking to Facebook and Next Door, they voiced their frustration:
Reports of crime in the not so small town of Bennett are popping up more and more frequently. New members of our society don't seem to know the expectations of how to behave. Vandalism, theft, hit and runs, the list goes on.
The increase in traffic, homes and even panhandlers will continue to be a problem that the Board of Trustees are not prepared to handle. We can certainly let them know our thoughts. Board meetings happen on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. You can find the board meeting agendas online here as well as the previous board minutes here. Also, of the 5 Trustees, 3 of them have terms ending in April, and will have to run for re-election. This is also true of the Mayor himself. The Town Board elections will be on Tuesday, April 2nd. This is a chance for all citizens of Bennett to sound off about the direction of the town. Next month - an in depth look at the candidates running for these positions. |