DENVER — Amid a $250 million budget deficit, most City and County of Denver offices, departments and agencies were closed Friday for the first of two mandated furlough days.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced the mandated furlough days during a news conference back in late May, where he also announced the city was considering layoffs to make up for the deficit.
The first furlough day was scheduled for Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, while the second is scheduled for the day after Thanksgiving, on Nov. 28, 2025.
For those like Benjamin Hastings, a Colorado Springs resident in Denver for the day, a locked door at the Denver Public Library was not what he expected.
"Well, it's closed, so I couldn't go in," Hastings said. "I was just trying to check the bus schedule to get back home. I took the bus from Colorado Springs today to file an appeal at the Judicial Center here, and just hanging out for an hour or so while I wait for the bus."
A quick glance over to the left of the front doors of the public library told Hastings what he needed to know. Staff were off for a furlough day, therefore leading to the library's closure.
"I'm just kind of surprised," he said. "I knew it'd be closed for Labor Day, I figured on Monday, but I didn't know that it would be closed on Friday as well."
For city staff members, like Mark Montoya, a senior aide for Councilmember Flor Alvidrez, who represents District 7, Friday was a one of his four furlough days.
"This is my third furlough day out of four, and the furlough days are based on pay range, so all city employees have to take at least two furlough days," Montoya said.
He told Denver7 that on a typical Friday inside of Councilmember Alvidrez' office, the phones are buzzing and the work is centered around constituent needs.
"Today is a day where me and my team of three other council aides would be on the phones, checking emails, responding to constituents, always very serious issues, even if it's potholes or responding to roosters in people's backyards," he said. "All these issues for our neighbors are very serious, and unfortunately, our team is not available to answer those phone calls."
He went on to say the furlough day only adds to the workload the aides in the District 7 office will have to catch up on come Tuesday, when everyone is back from the Labor Day holiday.
"What makes it worse is we also have a holiday on Monday, so it's going to be four consecutive days where people are not available from the city to answer our neighbor's calls for help," Montoya added.
Denver7 also spoke with Mike Wallin, a Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) employee and the president for Local Union 158, which represents City of Denver workers.
He told Denver7 that while he's disappointed by mandated furlough days, he realizes the alternative.
"It's better than losing more employees," he said. "If I can take, like, this small sacrifice for me, so that, you know, maybe one other person doesn't have to be laid off, I think it's worth it in that sense."
Below is specific information on how city departments are impacted by the two mandated furlough days:
3-1-1 INFORMATION LINE, DENVERGOV.ORG AND DENVER 8 TV
- The city’s information line for non-emergency services will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
ANIMAL SHELTER & ANIMAL PROTECTION
- The Denver Animal Shelter will be open on Friday, Aug. 29 and closed on Monday, Sept. 1. Animal Protection Officers will be available to respond to emergencies through 911.
AUDITOR’S OFFICE
- The Auditor’s Office will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
BUILDING AND ZONING PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS
- Building and Zoning permitting will be closed on Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1. No inspections will be scheduled on those days, according to the city.
CITY COUNCIL
- Denver City Council offices will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
CITY-OWNED GOLF FACILITIES
- Golf courses will be open Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
CLERK & RECORDER’S OFFICE
- The Office of the Clerk and Recorder – including the Denver Elections Division, marriage licensing, the Public Trustee, Records and Recording – will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
COURTS
- The Denver County Court will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1. All state-operated courts, including the Denver District Court, Juvenile Court and Probate Court located in the City and County Building, will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
DENVER ARTS & VENUES
- Outdoor spaces at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, as well as the Visitor Center and Trading Post will be open Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1. Any scheduled events at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, the McNichols Civic Center Building and Denver Public Art will not be affected by the holiday.
DENVER MOTOR VEHICLE TITLE AND REGISTRATION
- Denver Motor Vehicle Title and Registration will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING STABILITY
- The Department of Housing Stability will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
DENVER HUMAN SERVICES
- Denver Human Services will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1, however child and adult protection emergency response teams and telephone hotlines will be taking and responding to reports.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE PERMIT COUNTERS
- DOTI permit and the Right Of Way Enforcement offices will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
EXCISE & LICENSES
- Excise and Licenses’ customer service counters and offices are currently accepting in-person applications but will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
HUMAN RIGHTS & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
- Denver Human Rights & Community Partnerships will be closed on Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
LIBRARIES
- All Denver Public Library locations will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1, and will reopen Saturday and Sunday for regular hours.
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
- The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES TALENT ACQUISITION, NEW HIRE ONBOARDING, AND I-9 ASSISTANCE
- The Office of Human Resources will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
DENVER DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
- DDPHE offices, including the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner, will be closed to the public on Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
PARKING: ON-STREET PAID PARKING AND MAGISTRATE
- Parking meters are free on Sundays and on recognized city holidays, and will be free Monday, Sept. 1.
- The Parking Magistrate’s Office will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
RECREATION CENTERS
- All Denver Recreation Centers will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
TAXPAYER SERVICE CENTER
- The Taxpayer Service Center will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
TRASH, RECYCLING & COMPOST COLLECTION
- Denver Solid Waste Management staff will be off on Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1. Collections will be delayed by one day following the holiday. The Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-off will be closed August 29 through September 1.
VEHICLE IMPOUND FACILITY
- The Vehicle Impound Facility, located at 5160 York St., will be closed to the public on Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept.
VITAL RECORDS (BIRTH & DEATH CERTIFICATES)
- The Denver Vital Records office will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT
- The Wastewater Management Building, located at 2000 W. 3rd Ave., will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
WORKFORCE CENTERS
- All Denver Workforce Centers will be closed Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1.
Denver Health, a partner entity of the City of Denver, will remain open on both Friday, Aug. 29 and Monday, Sept. 1 as will agencies that operate 24-hours a day and 7-days a week.
Sworn members of the Denver Sheriff's Department, Police and Fire departments as well as other emergency responders will also report for duty Friday and on the Labor Day holiday.
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