Legal Formation
The Southeast Metro Stormwater Authority (SEMSWA) was formed
via an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) among the City of
Centennial, Arapahoe County, the Arapahoe County Water and
Wastewater Authority, East Cherry Creek Valley Water and Sanitation
District, and the Inverness Water and Sanitation District.
SEMSWA is a political subdivision and a public corporation
of the state, falling under the guidelines of Colorado state
statute for a “drainage authority” (29-1-204.2
C.R.S.).
SEMSWA Board Structure and Staff
SEMSWA is governed by a board of directors representing
the entities that are part of the intergovernmental agreement.
Board members are appointed by elected persons of the City
of Centennial Council and the Commissioners of Arapahoe County,
as well as the special district representatives of the intergovernmental
agreement. The SEMSWA Board is comprised of six members and
two alternates. The Board member appointed by the special
districts is a non-voting position on the Board.
Current Board Members
| Board Member |
Appointed By |
SEMSWA Position |
| Bart Miller |
Centennial City Council |
Chairman |
| Rod Bockenfeld |
Arapahoe County Commissioners |
Chair Pro Tem |
| Ron Weidmann |
Centennial City Council |
Secretary and Treasurer |
| Andrea Suhaka |
Centennial City Council |
Board Member |
| Jim Dyer |
Arapahoe County Commissioners |
Board Member |
| Linda Lehrer |
Special Districts' representative (non-voting) |
Board Member |
 |
| Susan Beckman |
Arapahoe County Commissioners |
Alternate Board Member |
| Jacque Wedding-Scott |
Centennial City Council |
Alternate Board Member |
SEMSWA Staff
The SEMSWA Board and staff are committed to excellent
service to our community. They are well acquainted with the
issues and challenges the area faces, as well as the measures
needed to improve our stormwater management. A listing of
the SEMSWA staff is shown below.
| Staff |
Position |
John A. McCarty, P.E. |
Executive Director |
| Dave Agee |
Director of Administration and Finance |
| Amber Law |
Stormwater Inspector |
| Andy Kuster |
GIS Manager |
| Ashley Byerley |
Land Development Coordinator |
| Beth Bradley |
Administrative Assistant/Customer Service |
| Bob Winzent |
Drainage Crew Leader |
| Brad Cox |
Stormwater Inspector |
| Carrie Powers, CPESC, IT |
Stormwater Specialist |
| Dan Olsen |
Stormwater Inspections Supervisor |
| Dennis Welker, P.E. |
Land Development Program Manager |
| Gregg Bradshaw |
Drainage Crew Technician |
| Jeremiah Unger |
Drainage Crew Technician |
| Jeremy Eckenroth |
Drainage Crew Technician |
| Jerry Hutchings |
Lead Stormwater Inspector |
Jon Nelson, II, C.F.M.
|
Land Development Engineer |
| Jose Barraza |
Drainage Crew Technician |
| Kevin Heck |
Drainage Crew Supervisor |
| Kelly Leutbecher |
Drainage Crew Technician |
| Lanae Raymond |
Water Quality and Special Projects Program
Manager |
| Mason Staub |
Maintenance Program Manager |
| Mike Vinson, P.E., C.F.M. |
CIP Program Manager |
| Molly Young Trujillo, P.E. |
CIP Project Manager |
| Monica Bortolini, P.E., C.F.M. |
Floodplain and Master Planning Program
Manager |
| Peggy Vana |
Technical Assistant |
| Peter Reinhardt, C.F.M. |
Floodplain Management Specialist |
| Quang Nguyen, P.E., C.F.M. |
CIP Project Manager |
| RoxAnna Jones |
HR/Office Manager |
| Sandra D’Agostino |
Receptionist |
Scott Palmer, E.I.T.
|
CIP Project Manager |
Formation of SEMSWA
SEMSWA was formed via an intergovernmental agreement that
was signed on September 19, 2006 after public meetings held
by both the City of Centennial City Council and the Arapahoe
County Commissioners. This agreement was the outgrowth of
several years of studies by the IGA members, a local task
force, and a steering group which recommended the formation
of SEMSWA as the solution to the area’s stormwater challenges.
The formation of SEMSWA and potential stormwater fees were
discussed at the public meetings of the City of Centennial
Council and the Arapahoe County Commissioners in the summer
of 2006. SEMSWA also made presentations to homeowner groups
and Centennial City Council Ward meetings. Public communications
about SEMSWA, stormwater fees, and stormwater projects will
be ongoing.
Stormwater Advisory
Committee Recommends a Solution
The Stormwater Advisory Committee (SWAC), a local advisory
committee, met intensively throughout 2002 to study stormwater
issues. The SWAC was comprised of local government staff and
representatives from homeowners associations, businesses,
schools, churches and environmental groups. The SWAC met intensively
throughout 2002. They researched and studied the extent of
the stormwater runoff problems in Centennial and unincorporated
Arapahoe County, estimated costs involved, and explored the
most cost-effective solutions.
The SWAC proposed the formation of a new independent authority
to manage stormwater runoff and to implement the many remedial
and capital projects that are needed to maintain and upgrade
our stormwater infrastructure. Current identified stormwater
improvement projects are estimated to cost $76 million. The
SWAC found that other local governments across the state and
country have created stormwater utilities, such as SEMSWA,
as a successful approach to solve stormwater problems.
Stormwater Steering Group Solidifies
the Move to an Intergovernmental Agreement
After the recommendation of the SWAC, representatives of
the City of Centennial, Arapahoe County, and the special districts
formed a Stormwater Steering Group (SSG). The SSG met during
2005-2006 to begin formation of SEMSWA. The SSG helped lay
the groundwork for the drafting of the intergovernmental agreement
(IGA) that became the final IGA. The final IGA was ultimately
adopted in late September of 2006.
Intergovernmental Agreement
Forming SEMSWA
To view and read a copy of the Intergovernmental Agreement,
click
here (PDF)
|
