Growing staff needs new town hall

By Dan MacArthur
Fossil Creek Current

Timnath is preparing to build a new municipal building in 2007 to house the growing staff overflowing cramped quarters.

That development surely will be welcomed by the town's newest employee and his colleagues who share the small, spartan modular office now parked behind the town hall.

But John Nelson, the town's first assistant manager, isn't complaining. He's happy to have made the short but significant move from Windsor, where he worked as a town management intern for the previous year.

Nelson said he's excited about being involved at the beginning of what will be a big transition as Timnath launches a $15-million capital improvement program next year.

"There's so much happening here, you really get in at the ground floor," he said.

A Wheat Ridge resident, Nelson will assist Town Manager Becky Davidson. He will be responsible for revising and enforcing codes, coordinating Timnath's emergency operations plan and managing service contracts, such as the one with the county sheriff for providing law enforcement. Nelson also will coordinate special events and serve as the town's public information officer.

Nelson, 27, earned a political science degree from Kansas State University. This month, he expects to complete his graduate degree in political science with an emphasis in public policy from the University of Colorado at Denver.

He interned for a state representative in Kansas and worked in sales and as an account manager before landing the paid internship in Windsor. Nelson will earn $54,000 annually in his new position.

Nelson said design work already is proceeding on a town hall to house the current staff as well as a town clerk, part-time court clerk and community development director to be hired next year.