Henderson named Garfield County deputy manager

PRESS RELEASE
December 12, 2022

Garfield County has named Bentley Henderson its new deputy county manager following an exhaustive search to fill the role. The Meeker native brings a wealth of experience to Garfield County, a place he has long considered home.

Henderson received his bachelor’s degree at Fort Lewis College in Durango and earned his master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado Denver. He formerly served as assistant city manager in Aspen, public works director in Basalt, and numerous roles for the Town of Carbondale over 15 years, including assistant town manager and chief building official. More recently, Henderson served as county administrator in Archuleta County and as assistant county manager in Summit County.

“The beauty of it is that each location I’ve worked in has offered a different perspective on how to meet the needs of elected officials and the public,” he said. “This experience has been very beneficial in public service, and I’ve gained insight into how to work with many different views and perspectives.”

Henderson said he sees the key to success in local government is the prudent allocation of resources to ensure that projects and initiatives support the needs of the community and the overarching goals set by elected officials.

“I’m very budget-driven in terms of making sure that we are thoughtful during the budgeting process and then following that up by maximizing the utilization of the resources available to provide the greatest public service,” he said. “We must be as efficient and effective as possible with public funds.”

Henderson is in the process of moving back into a Carbondale property that he and his wife purchased in 2004 and cannot wait to be again living in Garfield County.

“We’re coming full-circle,” he said. “This is actually the third time we’ve lived in Carbondale. We’ve considered Carbondale home for a long time, even though we’ve lived in other places in Colorado.”

The Garfield County position became available when former Deputy County Manager Fred Jarman accepted the county manager role. Henderson said the opportunity to live and work in the area was too great to pass up.

“My goal is to hopefully add value to the organization, as well as benefit the citizens of the county,” he said. “As a native of western Colorado, I’m fully aware of the contrasting challenges facing both western and eastern Garfield County.”