Sheriff Regina “Reggie” Marinelli has no time to rest on her laurels, saying, “There’s work to be done.”
After winning the November election, Marinelli kicked off her first term as sheriff during the Jan. 10 Jefferson County Swearing-In Ceremony.
Likewise, Clerk & Recorder Amanda Gonzalez and Surveyor Robert Hennessy started their first terms Jan. 10, while four other county officials began their second terms after being reelected in November.
The elected officials remarked how important the occasion was, committing or recommitting themselves to improving the lives of Jeffco residents for the next four years.
Gonzalez thanked her family, friends and supporters for all their help during her first-ever campaign. She said she ran for clerk & recorder to protect people’s right to vote and “make sure everyone’s voice is heard.”
Lesley Dahlkemper, who was reelected to a second term as District 3 county commissioner, was grateful for the voters’ trust in her. During her first term, she and her colleagues were forced to charter unknown waters during the COVID-19 pandemic. She felt fortunate that Jeffco had such strong internal and external partners during that time, adding how collaboration in general is key to elected officials’ work.
She and other elected officials commended county staff members for their tireless efforts and innovation, with Dahlkemper saying they make Jeffco what it is.
Treasurer Jerry DiTullio thanked his staff for weathering two years of budget cuts and COVID-19-related challenges. He also shared how his office is working with the state legislature to improve seniors and veterans’ lives.
“We’re working hard for the citizens of Jefferson County,” he continued.
Coroner Annette Cannon also believed her staff’s efforts usually go unseen and unheard because of the nature of their work. During her first term, her staff had to handle the pandemic, the opioid epidemic, mass fatalities, staffing shortages and budget cuts, and other harrowing circumstances. She praised their very critical work and dedication, adding how her staff members make all the difference.
As they start new jobs or new terms, the elected officials reflected on how much serving Jeffco means to them.
Marinelli shared how she hadn’t considered how important becoming Jeffco’s first female sheriff would be, until several people told her on Election Night how much it meant to them — how their daughters could become anything they wanted.
She said she doesn’t take this job lightly, especially given how difficult the past few years have been for those in law enforcement.
Assessor Scot Kersgaard, quoting other public figures, described elected office as “where poetry meets prose, where vision meets action.”
He described how, four years ago, on his first day as assessor, someone asked if he planned to run for reelection. Only one day into his new job and with reelection four years out, the question took him aback.
Ultimately, he responded: “If I’m having fun.”
