RMRA Welcomes Another Agency to Our Membership!
How did your agency come to establish its ranger program?
It has long been the desire of the Foothills Park & Recreation District to establish a ranger program to enhance its ability to provide clean and safe parks for the benefit of the public. The Foothills Park & Recreation District was established on December 31, 1959 as the South Jeffco Metropolitan Park & Recreation District to serve the recreational needs of the growing suburbs in unincorporated south Jefferson County. Since that time, the District has faced many challenges which have demonstrated the need for a ranger program. Like any urban park system, Foothills properties are often the unfortunate victims of vandalism, criminal mischief, private encroachment, dumping, and numerous other forms of misuse and abuse. As the suburbs grew, so too did the need to establish a solution to monitoring the District’s properties for these problems, with the ability to apply corrective measures where and when appropriate.
In March 2015, initial planning efforts were undertaken to explore the possibility of creating a ranger program. Unfortunately, austere budgets prevented immediate action in the formation of a ranger program under the District’s Parks Department. However, with the arrival of a voter approved increase to the District’s mill levy in 2017, the District was able to begin moving forward with the creation of a ranger program. By 2021, the District was able to formally inaugurate its program with the addition of two, part-time permanent Rangers. These two Rangers, who had been formally educated through the Red Rocks Community College’s Park Ranger Technology program, began laying the foundation for the Foothills Park Ranger Program by authoring its first Ranger Operations Manual and began patrolling District properties in the afternoons and evenings.
Since then, the District’s program has rapidly evolved. By 2023, the District was able to hire its first full-time Ranger and began implementation of a digital patrol and activities log through ArcGIS’s Survey123 app. Violation data tracking and management was also implemented through Survey123, and the process to formally codify and adopt the District’s Rules and Regulations was begun. A standardized uniform and appearance code was adopted and an updated Manual and Handbook was authored and published. Temporary vehicle markings were replaced with permanent reflective logos and striping, enhancing the program’s ability to engage in crime prevention measures by establishing immediate presence when arriving at park sites. 2023 also saw the addition of the District’s first seasonal rangers, hired to assist the full-time ranger with their duties during the summer season. As we move into 2024, the District has continued to invest in its ranger program through the addition of another full-time position and is continuing to expand its operational abilities.
What unique challenges and opportunities does your jurisdiction present?
The Foothills Park & Recreation District is a Title 32 Special District, defined under the C.R.S. as a “quasi-municipal” corporation and political subdivision which is not a city or county. It has its own elected Board of Directors and independent taxing authority separate from any other local government, but does not have ready access to the full suite of services that a city or county may utilize. As such, the program has grappled with defining its scope of authority and is continuing to explore possibilities to enhance its operational authority on those properties under its control. There also remains considerable confusion among our allied public safety partners as to whether or not the District is a public or private entity, which can sometimes delay response and remediation of issues requiring external support.
Additionally, the District is urban in nature and experiences many of the same problems that other urban jurisdictions face. Increasing social and economic strain has caused unhoused persons to begin seeking shelter in our park system at higher rates than before, and the unprecedented growth of the metro area has put an additional strain on public spaces as visitation and use continue to soar. The urban nature of our District also means that the properties under our custodianship often are the victims of misuse and abuse. Violations such as vandalism, dumping, and other miscellaneous criminal mischief are often difficult, if not impossible, to prosecute, creating a constant need for vigilant patrol, with several park sites remaining indefinitely on the directed/increased patrol list due to reoccurring problems.
The District is uniquely positioned, however, to provide ready access to outdoor spaces and recreational opportunities right in the backyards of many of the communities and neighborhoods we serve. While perhaps lacking the full suite of recreational opportunities hosted by a state or national park, our properties provide the public with quick and easy access to the outdoors in a familiar setting without having to travel far. Our program anticipates exploring our ability to further enhance our communities’ connections to their outdoor public spaces through formal and informal educational programming opportunities. Personnel in our program have already begun investigating creating conditions to move toward certification of some of our native areas as National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitats. The District’s Recreational Services Department hosts a wide range of opportunities for our program to engage with the public and youth across our service area, and our District’s Recreation Centers provide ideal spaces for rangers to be able to interact with the public in a formal or classroom setting.
What questions or problems can RMRA member agencies provide advice and experience to help you solve?
Our program is eager to learn from other agencies and rangers who have started their programs from scratch. We have been extremely fortunate to have retained some contacts with some of your member agencies, which have already been extremely helpful as the program navigates its uncharted waters. We are especially interested in hearing the experiences of other Special Districts with regards to how they have obtained their operational authority and how they interact and collaborate with their allied public safety partners. We also look forward to hearing the experiences of other urban systems with regards to how they have curtailed or impacted ongoing or continued common violations on their properties, such as vandalism and dumping. Our program would also be eager to learn about any potential funding sources for equipment purchases or which may support educational programming efforts.
What skills and expertise does your agency have to offer to RMRA?
The Foothills Park & Recreation District has been providing exceptional recreational services to the public since 1959, and its Parks Department staff possess well over a centuries worth of combined experience in parks operations and management. The Parks Department includes personnel certified across a multitude of disciplines who would be willing to share their knowledge or expertise with any other agency which provides services to recreational venues or urban parks.
Tell us more about yourselves and your work experiences!
Ranger Supervisor Kevin Wilks is the current program supervisor and also the Regional Parks Superintendent for the Foothills Park & Recreation District, overseeing the operations at the Schaefer Athletic Complex and Robert A. Easton Regional Park. Supervisor Wilks began working for the District in 1992 as a seasonal and has propelled himself to his current position through his dedication to the people of the District, diligent hard work, and an undeniable passion for creating safe and clean parks for the benefit and enjoyment of all. Supervisor Wilks is a Metropolitan State College of Denver alumni, and a native son of Englewood, Colorado.
Ranger Michael Burtnett was the second full-time ranger hired by the District and is the current incumbent in the position. Ranger Burtnett began their career in parks through volunteer experience at a Nature Center in Maryland at the age of 14, progressing to part-time Park Attendant by age 17, and eventually becoming a Seasonal Ranger for Larimer County in 2007. While serving as a seasonal ranger with Larimer County, Ranger Burtnett completed the Front Range Community College Emergency Medical Technician certification program and became a Nationally Registered EMT-B in 2009. Ranger Burtnett served four seasons with Larimer County before returning to Denver to complete a degree in Political Science at the Metropolitan State College of Denver in 2013. After completing their degree, Ranger Burtnett worked in the private sector before returning to Maryland to again pursue a career in natural resources, before eventually returning to Colorado in 2021. Ranger Burtnett was brought on as a part-time permanent ranger with the District in 2022, which eventually grew into the current full-time position they hold today. Ranger Burtnett has been the recipient of a Medical Cardiac Save Award and is a named recipient of a Unit Commendation from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and at present holds a certification as an Emergency Medical Responder.
Ranger Gwen Ganow has served the people of the State of Colorado as a ranger for 14 years and is the District’s newest full-time ranger. A native of New Mexico, Ranger Ganow moved to Colorado to complete her Biology degree at the Metropolitan State College of Denver and shortly thereafter began her career in natural resources at Roxborough State Park as a seasonal ranger. After serving two seasons with Roxborough State Park, Ranger Ganow accepted an appointment as a ranger with Denver Mountain Parks, where she worked at the world renowned Red Rocks Amphitheater and Park for the next 10 years. During her decade of service to Denver Mountain Parks, Ranger Ganow pioneered the first ranger-led interpretive programming ever held at Red Rocks and eventually rose to the position of Senior Ranger before separating from employment with the City and County of Denver. Ranger Ganow then completed another two years of service with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District as a full-time ranger before joining the Foothills team, bringing her vast experience to bear in the creation of our fledgling program. Ranger Ganow was formerly certified as an EMT-B and as a Krav-Maga instructor. She currently holds certifications as an Emergency Medical Responder and as an instructor in Non-Escalation, De-Escalation, and Conflict Management techniques.