City Awards and Recognitions

Blue, green, purple stripes in the back with star trophy layering on top of the stripes

Healthy Lifestyles

  • Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) Lafayette Parks, Recreation & Open Space Department
  • National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management – 2002, 2014
  • HEAL City (Healthy Eating, Active Living) from LiveWell Colorado
  • American Heart Association– Gold Fit Friendly Worksite
  • Lafayette Skatepark: ACI (American Concrete Institute) Award of Excellence for Parks and Open Spaces
  • Starburst Award from the Colorado Lottery - Nature Kids Discovery Zone, Lafayette Skatepark, Greenlee Wildlife Preserve
  • Indian Peaks Golf Course: Golf Digest, Best Places to Play
  • CPRA (Colorado Parks and Recreation Assn) Columbine Award for the Innovative Junior Ranger Program, Kids "Try"athlon, and Rocky Hockey Inline Hockey Programs

Community Life

Sustainable Living

  • US Dept of Energy SolSmart Award - Gold designation
  • Colorado Association for Recycling's Outstanding Elected Official Award - 2015 Mayor Christine Berg
  • Gold Level Solar Friendly Community
  • Xcel Energy Sustainability Commitment Award –for outstanding leadership in sustainability and commitment to energy efficiency and renewable energy
  • Center for Resource Conservation 'Conservation Community Leader' ReWard Winner
  • Eco-Cycle 'Local Government Award' Zero Waste Community Partner
  • Colorado Dept of Health: Environmental Leadership Program Bronze Achiever Award for work in promoting Zero Waste
  • Colorado Dept of Health: Environmental Leadership Program Bronze Achiever Award for work in promoting Non-toxic Algae Solutions
  • Tree City USA: 1995-present
  • 2022 -14 of the Best Restaurants and Bars in Lafayette - 5280
  • 2022 #31 of 50 Best Places to Live in the US - Money.com
  • 2022 4th Safest Small City in Colorado -MoneyGeek
  • 2021 7th Best City in Colorado -Home Snacks
  • 2021 47th Best City to live in America -24/7 Wallstreet.
  • 2020 19th safest City in Colorado -OutthereColorado 
  • 2018 AARP Most Livable Cities for populations between 25,000 and 99,999- ranked #4 nationally
  • 2018 Governor's Award for Downtown Excellence: The Collective Community Art Center - Best New Addition to Downtown
  • #12 - Best 25 Suburbs to Live in the Denver Area
  • 2015, 2019 Governor's Award for Downtown Excellence: Best Adaptive Reuse or Rehabilitation; for the Lafayette Commons project | Best Public Space Project - Festival Plaza 
  • 2015 Best Small City in America ranking 3rd in Colorado, 48th in the nation -Wallethub
  • Top 5 Best Cities for Families in Colorado - Livability.com
  • Best Places to Raise a Family in Colorado - Wallethub
  • Top 100 Places to Live -Livability.com
  • Top 5 Best Places for Young Families in Colorado -NerdWallet
  • Top 10 Safest Cities in Colorado - Movoto
  • 6th safest Colorado city with a population of 20,000+ ValuePenguin
  • Boulder County Gold: Best Community Event: Art Night Out - Daily Camera readers choice
  • Best of the West: Indian Peaks Golf Course, Bob L. Burger Recreation Center -Yellow Scene Magazine
  • Best of East Boulder County: Indian Peaks Golf Course, Bob L. Burger Recreation Center - Boulder Weekly
  • 10th Happiest City in the U.S.
  • National League of Cities -Inclusive City Award
  • 2012 Governor's Arts Award for Excellence in Arts for City/Business/Arts Community Collaboration
  • Fiesta at Festival Plaza: Boulder County Aging Services Division, Create Our Future Social & Civic Engagement Award
  • Simpson Mine Park: President's Award of Excellence for Design from the American Society of Landscape Architects
  • Boulder County Youth Corps Sponsor of the Year
  • Lafayette founder, Mary Miller, inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame
  • Denver Regional Council of Governments' award for Local Government Collaboration – for the Josephine Commons development with Boulder County
  • Intercambio Uniting Communities Partner of the Year for the Lafayette Public Library
  • Donor of the Year from Sister Carmen Community Center
  • Multicultural Award / Government category - Mayor Pro Tem Gustavo Reyna
  • 2008 100 Best Communities for Young People -America's Promise Alliance

Department Certifications and Awards

  • Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award - Finance Department
  • Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report  -Finance Department
  • Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting - Finance Department
  • National accreditation by the American Public Works Association
  • Accreditation by the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police
  • Professional Standards Compliance Award by the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police 1988 to 2022
  • Gold Level: Lexipol Connect Program: Excellence in Policy and Training Management - Police Department
  • Insurance Services Office Public Protection Class 2 - Fire Department
  • Colorado Manager of the Year - Gary Klaphake, City Administrator - by the Colorado City/County Management Association
  • Colorado City Clerk of the Year – Susan Koster, City Clerk – by the Colorado Municipal Clerks Association
  • AAA Standard and Poors Rating for Water Bonds
  • AA+ Standard and Poors Rating for General Obligation Bonds
  • Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency Loss Prevention Award 2018


Loss Prevention Award