“We believe Mr. Mingura is well-qualified to help strengthen our emergency preparedness and response efforts."”

Sheriff Kevin Armstrong

GILPIN COUNTY - A roundtable discussion focused on emergency management and hosted by the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office on June 18 drew a crowd of engaged residents to the Gilpin County Community Center.

Gilpin County commissioners and several other County officials were present.

Representatives from Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office included Patrol Division Chief Sean Wheeler, Detention Division Chief Zak Adami, Undersheriff Greg Demo, Sheriff Kevin Armstrong, the new Emergency Manager Steven Mingura, and Nowell Curran, the Field Operations Manager for the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Held at the Gilpin County Recreation Center, Sheriff Kevin Armstrong and the senior members of his leadership team were there to answer questions and listen to concerns.

At first, no one spoke. Armstrong joked this would be a short meeting. Then, questions and concerns abounded.

Community members asked about wildfire readiness, traffic enforcement, emergency funding, and especially the future of the Gilpin County Animal Response Team (GCART).

The meeting also included questions about Mingura’s past, including accusations from his time in law enforcement that have surfaced online. Specifically, the audience asked if he had a felony conviction.

Mingura addressed them head-on: “There was never anything on me that was convicted. They were accusations—never any criminal conviction.”

He said his main goal is to earn the trust of the community. He added that building trust would take time, and he plans to work on it through open events like this and ongoing outreach.

He introduced himself and shared some background, including work with the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and the Ponca Tribe. He explained that he is originally from a small mining town in Arizona, similar to Gilpin.

“I’m happy to be here. I definitely want to get to know each and every one of you, address your concerns, your comments and find a path forward that benefits us as a whole within this community under the scope of emergency management.”

When asked if he lived “up here,” the new manager said he and his wife are struggling to sell their house in Nebraska after the region suffered from a natural disaster. Once it sells, they hope to move to the area.

Armstrong opened the evening by reaffirming the department’s commitment to transparency and explained that Mingura’s hiring followed “a comprehensive and lawful process” in coordination with County policy and state emergency partners.

“We believe Mr. Mingura is well-qualified to help strengthen our emergency preparedness and response efforts,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong stood by the decision to hire Mingura, noting that he was selected from 15 candidates after a thorough background check and panel interviews that included state and local emergency experts.

Curran, the State Emergency Manager who oversees Gilpin and six other counties, also spoke in support of Mingura’s appointment. She served on the interview panel and complimented both his qualifications and character.

“If Gilpin hadn’t hired him, I would’ve tried to poach him for the state,” she said. She explained his combination of real-world experience and technical knowledge, adding, “There’s a difference between book smart and street smart—Steven has both.”

Former Emergency Manager Melissa Lewis was present in the audience and was one of the most vocal participants in the room.

Lewis had stepped into the OEM role during a transitional period but left the position some time ago. She is a staunch supporter of GCART.

Early in the discussion, Lewis questioned how GCART would be revived and maintained under Mingura’s leadership, especially given the program’s instability over the past few years.

She pointed out that when emergency managers leave, GCART tends to go dormant, leaving volunteers without direction or access to needed resources.

She recognized that Google does not tell the whole story of anyone, referring to the allegations about his character.

Later, responding directly to Curran’s endorsement of Mingura, Lewis acknowledged his qualifications but stressed a deeper issue.

“It’s not about whether Steven is capable, it’s about structure,” she said.

“The problem is that GCART keeps living and dying by whoever holds that one position. That’s not how we build something sustainable.”

Other GCART members questioned why donated funds weren’t accessible, why free training was reportedly declined, and why GCART hasn’t had clearer leadership.

Mingura and Demo acknowledged the gap and pledged to collaborate with the group to restore and strengthen it.

“GCART is something I’m not completely familiar with,” Mingura admitted. “But I’m relying heavily on your input and want to rebuild it in a way that works for the community.”

Lewis suggested that GCART might be better served outside of County government entirely, proposing it become a nonprofit organization or fall under an agency like Timberline Fire, which already works closely with the team during emergencies.

Mingura said, “You bring up some good points and that’s something we can have an open discussion [about]...and kind of see what’s best for the community.”

He shared that he previously founded and ran a nonprofit organization focused on supporting emergency services in tribal communities, in an effort inspired by the loss of his child to cancer.

That experience, he said, taught him not only how nonprofits operate but also the importance of compassion, resilience, and long-term planning.

“If that ends up being the best path for GCART, I’m open to exploring it with you,” he told Lewis.

Residents also raised concerns about communication gaps, speeding and noise on Golden Gate Canyon, and a lack of outreach. Several attendees offered constructive suggestions, including integrating better animal evacuation plans and resuming wildfire education efforts.

Hyper-Reach, an emergency notification system that allows residents to get up-to-date information from the Sheriff’s Office, was mentioned as a valuable resource.

A member of the audience announced that an online form is available for those requiring assistance during a natural disaster. To sign up for Hyper-Reach and access the form, visit https://gilpincounty.colorado.gov/elected-officials/sheriff/emergency-management/hyper-reach-emergency-notification.

Armstrong asked if there was interest in holding more meetings like this one in the future. Several residents gladly responded in the affirmative, and Armstrong and his team were thanked for their time.