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Our Community News - Home Vol. 3 No. 11 - November 1, 2003

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Residents review, criticize road plan

View photos of the Major Trans. Corridors Plan Meeting Oct. 23

View the Tri-Lakes Portion of the 1987 Major Trans. Corridors Plan

By Jim Kendrick and John Heiser

County Project Manager Jude Willcher headed an information-gathering team at an El Paso County Major Transportation Corridors Plan Open House at Lewis-Palmer Middle School Oct. 23. Approximately 100 area residents attended. During the first part of the meeting, citizens reviewed a variety of displays and completed comment sheets regarding questions and concerns. This was followed by small group discussions to identify the most important transportation improvements and to gather citizen statements on what the county’s transportation goals should be. County Commissioner Wayne Williams arrived as the latter portion began.

Open House

This open house was the last of a series of open houses throughout the county. These have been the first of three steps in the county’s nine-month timeline for making transportation decisions. Step 1, Issues and Concerns, started in July and focuses on the question, "What are the important challenges and opportunities?" Step 2, Alternatives, addresses the question, "How will different alternatives affect the county’s future?" Step 2 ends in January. Step 3, Preferred Plan, answers the questions, "What is the preferred plan?" and "How can it be improved?" Step 3 concludes in March. Project information is available at www.elpasoMTCP.com.

Displays included a number of maps, aerial photos, and process descriptions to help citizens familiarize themselves with the history of overall county transportation plans since 1987. Team project members circulated, soliciting questions and concerns. In addition to Willcher and other county transportation staff members, staff from engineering consultant LSA Associates and public relations firm Catalyst Consulting also moved through the crowd, answering questions and collecting comment sheets.

Questions asked on the comment sheet included:

  1. What do you like about how you travel in El Paso County?

  2. What do you think are the most important transportation improvements for El Paso County? Why?

  3. In making transportation choices for the future (e.g., which roads might be extended or widened), what potential impacts (positive and negative) do you want to see considered?

  4. In your view, what should the county’s transportation goals be? What do you think is the right balance between keeping traffic moving, supporting the economy, and providing a quality place to live and work?

Comments will be accepted through the first week of November and can be faxed to Willcher at the county transportation department at 520-6878.

Small Group Discussions

Williams has announced that the county’s number 1 and 2 priority projects are construction of a $1.2 million bridge at county expense within Struthers Ranch and the $800,000 extension of Baptist Road east of Roller Coaster Road to Hodgen and Highway 83.

Critics said the principal beneficiaries of the Struthers Ranch bridge are developers including the proposed Wal-Mart project and the money would be better spent reducing the county’s $60 million road maintenance backlog.

Numerous Baptist Road residents expressed concern about the proposed extension of Baptist Road to Hodgen and Highway 83. This extension would provide another east-west corridor from Highway 83 to I-25 in addition to Highway 105 and Northgate Road.

Some of the reasons given for opposing the Baptist to Hodgen connection were the already inadequate and unsafe crumbling shoulders, the steep 10 percent gradient that causes numerous accidents in icy conditions, truck noise on the steep grades, wildfire risk from drivers’ discarded cigarettes, and existing rush-hour congestion that will worsen if Wal-Mart is approved.

Residents noted that the Baptist Road/I-25 interchange is very congested and will likely not be improved until 2008 or later. They said that connecting Baptist Road to Hodgen and Highway 83 would significantly worsen an already dangerous situation.

Many residents urged the county to require road improvements to be built prior to construction of additional developments.

Fox Run resident Steve Waldmann distributed copies of the Baptist Road portion of a county map called "Tri-Lakes Planning Area Transportation Map" dated July 9, 1999 that can be found at http://adm.elpasoco.com/planning/comp_plan/pdf/transport.pdf/. He also distributed form letters protesting a north-south road along the west edge of Fox Run Regional Park and through the Baptist Convention Center across the east end of Baptist Road. This particular corridor was part of the 1987 plan and is still shown on the 1999 map. Willcher told Waldmann the road was going to be removed from the map and that he had stirred up residents by soliciting signatures on a form letter to the county against what she asserted was a now defunct road proposal.

Waldmann’s concern paralleled that of numerous residents who said they do not want a grid of north-south and east-west connectors through the heavily treed region of Black Forest. They said that areas of rural, isolated housing would be turned into a major grid of urban feeders for the city, in violation of several county and city master plans.

A factor motivating heavy attendance by Baptist Road and Black Forest residents was the county’s ongoing attempt to extend Milam Road through Black Forest Regional Park north of Shoup Road. When the district court sided with residents and ruled against the county’s approval of the plan, the county appealed the decision. The appeals court upheld the lower court decision. The Board of County Commissioners has now appealed the case to the Colorado Supreme Court and also approved use of condemnation of private property to obtain the right-of-way adjacent to the park.

Residents stated that Commissioner Williams’ support of this appeal is merely an attempt to "pay back" developer and political contributor Dan Potter, helping Potter avoid the expense of providing better access to his 161-lot Cathedral Pines subdivision by upgrading existing roads. Residents said they wish to preserve the most desirable quality of this rural residential region they said would be harmed by extending Milam road.

Results of the comment sheets and discussion groups for the entire four-month phase will be consolidated, summarized, and presented at the next round of open houses—part of Step 2 of this process—in the next three months.

View photos of the Major Trans. Corridors Plan Meeting Oct. 23

View the Tri-Lakes Portion of the 1987 Major Trans. Corridors Plan

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Empty bowl dinner a huge success

View photos of the Empty Bowl Dinner Oct. 15

The Empty Bowl dinner Oct. 15, coordinated by Monument Hill Sertoma, was again a huge success. The annual event raises money for Tri-Lakes Cares, a local charity that provides food for needy Tri-Lakes residents. This year, 675 people attended the dinner at Lewis-Palmer High School. Sertomans Chris Otto and Don Ravers co-chaired the event, and Gloria Ingram was publicity chairperson. According to Ingram, local businesses and churches prepared 198 gallons of soup, and 182 women from local churches made desserts. Bella Panini, Panera Bread, and Marigold Café and Bakery donated the breads. Walgreen’s, K-Mart, Target, Wild Oats, Vitamin Cottage, and Albertson’s donated bottled water, Serrano’s donated coffee, Golden West Pawn donated tea, and McDonald’s donated 400 servings of orange drink. Potters made more than 700 ceramic bowls. "It was absolutely marvelous to see the way the community comes together for this event," said Ingram.

Linda Pankratz and Anne Shimek coordinated the potters who made bowls for the Empty Bowl dinner. This year over 700 bowls were produced by: Bemis Art School pottery classes, Betsy Bray, Kaye Caunt, Circle D Ceramics, Colorado Springs Senior Center, John & Jennifer Ellis, Diane Foster, Gale and Jackie, Thad Handrick, Jean Leppa, Joan Lovelett, Lewis Palmer High School pottery classes, Debbie McIver, Richard Pankratz, Pikes Peak Community College Centennial Campus, Cindy Rush, Anne Shimek, Anita Smythe, Rondi Stratton, Timberview Middle School Art Club, Two-Watts Creatives, Eillene Wiley, Denise Vre, Phil Walsh, and Denny Wilson.

Dinner music was provided by the Monument Hill Brass Quintet, directed by Craig Kettels, as well as guitarist Woody Woodworth, pianist Joe Bohler, and the Tri-Lakes Community Adult Handbell Choir, directed by Betty Jenik. Seventy high school Serteen volunteers set up, served, washed dishes, and cleaned up. Leftover food went to the Marion House soup kitchen in Colorado Springs, and desserts went to Tri-Lakes Cares.

Soup was prepared by Cactus Rose, B & E Filling Station, Bella Panini, The Depot, The Broiler Room, the Palmer Lake Bowling Alley, Village Inn, Rosie’s Diner, High Country Store, the Rock House, Columbine Gardens, The Villa, Tri-Lakes Church of Christ, Tri-Lakes Chapel, Vineyard Christian Fellowship, Monument Community Presbyterian Church, Church of Woodmoor, Mountain Community Mennonite Church, Faith Community Church, Family of Christ Lutheran Church, St. Matthias Episcopal Church, Brenda Keir, and Don and Mardel Brown.

Desserts came from Monument Community Presbyterian Church, St. Matthias Episcopal Church, St. Peter Catholic Church, Tri-Lakes Chapel, Vineyard Christian Fellowship, Tri-Lakes United Methodist Church, Trinity Lutheran Church, Faith Community Church, Christ the King Anglican Church, Church at Woodmoor, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Northgate Presbyterian Church, and Monument Hill Church.

View photos of the Empty Bowl Dinner Oct. 15

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NEPCO meeting Oct. 4 featured Commissioner Williams

 View Safeway Gas Station Site Plan

Academy View Site Plan

By John Heiser

At the Oct. 4 meeting of the Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO), County Commissioner Wayne Williams presented information on a variety of topics and responded to residents’ questions and comments. Williams was sworn in Jan. 14 to represent District 1 that includes the Tri-Lakes area and extends south to Flintridge and Academy in Colorado Springs.

Land Use Items

Dave Swanson, NEPCO land use committee (LUC) chair, noted that his committee reviews land use proposals and prepares comments that are forwarded to the county planning department, county planning commission, and the board of county commissioners (BOCC). He said the LUC is now also reviewing proposed projects within the Town of Monument. Swanson summarized the following land development proposals currently being reviewed and urged NEPCO members to submit any comments they have on the projects:

  1. Struthers Ranch Final Plat (county): The Struthers Ranch parcel occupies 105 acres and lies east of I-25, three-quarters of a mile south of Baptist Road, south of Chaparral Hills, west of Gleneagle, and north of the Academy View and Summer Glen Estates developments. The former zoning, RR-2—rural residential with 2½-acre minimum lot size—would have allowed about 40 single-family lots. Despite opposition from neighbors and the county planning commission, Williams made a motion on July 24 that was approved 3-0 to rezone Struthers Ranch to a Planned Unit Development (PUD) with 173 single-family lots, some as small as 6,000 square feet (0.14 acres). Swanson said the submitted final plat is consistent with the approved PUD preliminary plan.

  2. Academy View (Monument): This proposed project is due east of the King Soopers shopping center and is bounded on the south by Baptist Road and on the north by Lyons Tail Road. It consists of 5.8 acres of commercial space on the south side of the parcel that includes a five-store strip and two satellite store pads. Access to the stores would be from the King Soopers shopping center. The northern 4.3 acres contains six multifamily buildings with a total of 40 town homes. Access to the multifamily portion would be from two access points on Lyons Tail Road. (See the site plan)

  3. Safeway gas station (Monument): The proposed gas station would include six pumps and occupy part of the existing parking lot near the principal entrance from Highway 105. (See the site plan)

Wayne Williams

NEPCO President Steve Sery introduced commissioner Williams, who spoke on the following topics.

County Revenues

Williams said El Paso County is more dependent on sales tax revenue than many other Colorado counties. He noted that it has the same 1 percent sales tax as Douglas County, but the property tax rate is one-third the rate in Douglas County.

He took as an example a hypothetical house in Woodmoor with the median market value of $319,000. Using the 2004 factor of 7.96 percent, set in accordance with the Gallagher Amendment passed in the 1980s, the taxable value would be $25,390. The resulting property tax would be as shown below:

Entity Mill Rate 2004 Tax
Lewis-Palmer School District 47.9 $1,217
Woodmoor-Monument FPD 9.9 $252
Woodmoor Water & San. 9.5 $241
Pikes Peak Library District 3.3 $83
General County 6.3 $160
Road & Bridge 1.6 $40
County Total

7.9

$200

Total Property Tax 78.5 $1,993

Williams noted that if the hypothetical house were in Douglas County rather than El Paso County, the county total would be $616 instead of $200.

Courthouse/Jail Expansion

Williams noted that the jail expansion is under construction at a projected cost of $38 million.

He said the courthouse expansion is in design. He said by limiting the central portion of the building to three stories, with the other portions at five stories, the proposed design preserves a view of the top 2,000 feet of Pikes Peak.

County Ballot Issues

Williams urged support of Referendum 1A to provide funding for people with developmental disabilities. He noted that the measure would add 1 mill and about $25 to the property tax for the hypothetical $319,000 Woodmoor house.

He also urged support of Referendum 1B, which would exempt state revenues to the county from the TABOR limits. He said that as things stand, when the state sends money to the county for specific purposes, the county must reduce other expenditures to compensate. Williams presented a chart showing TABOR-imposed refunds of $3.7 million in 1996, $381,500 in 1999, and $8.8 million in 2000.

State Ballot Issues

Williams said he favors the proposed Amendment 32 that would eliminate the Gallagher Amendment and freeze the factor for calculating taxable value from market value at 8 percent. He said the Gallagher Amendment has squeezed school district revenues to the point that Lewis-Palmer School District 38 is constrained in its capacity to issue additional bonds to fund school construction.

Williams urged opposition to proposed Amendment 33. He said it would force gambling on local communities without providing money to address local impacts.

Dan May, candidate for county district attorney who was in the audience and was introduced by Williams, said that when gambling was introduced in Teller County, the felony rate rose 62 percent.

Williams said he supports Referendum A because Colorado could then store more water during wet years. He noted that the funding is by revenue bonds that he characterized as "not taxpayer obligations."

Transportation – State/Federal Projects

Williams gave the following scheduled completion dates:

  • Highway 105/I-25 interchange: Spring 2004

  • Woodman/I-25 interchange: January 2004

  • Powers connection to Highway 83: 2005

He also mentioned the realignment of the Highway 83/Shoup Road intersection but did not give an estimated completion date. He said, when completed, Highway 83 would be four lanes wide to the top of the hill north of the intersection.

Williams described his efforts to secure funding for transportation projects. He said many of the funding sources are dependent on an improvement in the state’s economy.

Baptist Road Rural Transportation Authority (BRRTA)

Williams said, "The concept of BRRTA is that growth should pay for its own way." He acknowledged that the BRRTA fees (e.g., $500 per house) are insufficient to pay for the road improvements needed. He expressed the hope that money can be obtained from the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) or other sources to fund the needed roadwork.

Transportation – County Projects

Williams said the county is facing a $60 million maintenance backlog. He said the current road and bridge property tax, $40 per year on the hypothetical $319,000 house, is insufficient. As an example of the problem, he noted that the county has three snowblower vehicles and they are more than 20 years old. During a storm last winter, two of the three broke down.

Williams then talked about the top priority transportation projects in the county. He said the BOCC voted that the number one priority is construction of a bridge over Black Forest Creek that bisects the Struthers Ranch development. He said this bridge, which he estimated as costing $1.2 million, is urgently needed to complete the connection of Jackson Creek Parkway/Struthers Road from Baptist Road to Northgate Road. He said, "This is a key part of the county’s transportation plan." He said Struthers Road/Jackson Creek Parkway will provide an alternative route between Highway 105 and Northgate Road when I-25 is backed up.

The second priority transportation project in the county, according to Williams, is the connection of Baptist Road east to Highway 83. The connection would be made to the stub of Hodgen Road that extends west from Highway 83.

Williams said that despite the projected $8 million shortfall in the county’s 2004 budget, $2 million has been earmarked to cover the Struthers Ranch bridge and the Hodgen connection.

Sery, who sits on the county’s planning commission, said, "[The BOCC] continues to approve more developments that create more traffic on Baptist Road with no idea of how we are going to pay for the improvements. It would seem there needs to be more improvements required as a part of project approval, but that doesn’t happen in most cases."

Williams replied, "There are some limits on what can be required."

Sery asked, "If you spend $1.2 million on the Struthers Ranch bridge and Wal-Mart and Struthers Ranch aren’t built due to mouse issues, won’t that leave gaps in the connection?"

Williams replied that the plan is for the county to build the bridge and the developers to build the rest of the four-lane road. He added, "We are not going to build a bridge to nowhere. If the projects don’t go, we will either delay the bridge or the county will build the bridge and a two-lane road." He added, "That road needs to be built. The Baptist Road to Hodgen connection needs to be built." He said the projects would be done over two years.

Beth Courreau, a 16-year Woodmoor resident and former president of the Woodmoor Improvement Association, said, "The Baptist Road interchange will not be improved until 2008, 2010, or beyond. It is ludicrous that projects are approved without requiring [the interchange improvements] be completed first."

Williams said the solution to the county’s $60 million maintenance backlog is passage by voters in November 2004 of a countywide rural transportation authority (RTA). The RTA would impose a 1 percent sales tax to fund road maintenance and construction. He said a small portion, perhaps 10 percent, would go to mass transit.

**********

The next NEPCO meeting will be held Dec. 6, 9:30 a.m., at the Monument Library, 1706 Lake Woodmoor Dr. For more information on NEPCO, contact Steve Sery at 488-8533 or seryj@earthlink.net.

Commissioner Wayne Williams’ direct phone number is 520-6411. His e-mail address is waynewilliams@elpasoco.com. The county’s website address is www.elpasoco.com.

 View Safeway Gas Station Site Plan

Academy View Site Plan

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County planning commission meeting Oct. 22

By Steve Sery

The meeting began with the announcement that Ken Rowberg, director of the El Paso County Planning Department for more than 20 years, is retiring. Until a new director is named, Carl Schuler, assistant director, will perform most of Rowberg’s duties. Denny Cripps, assistant county administrator, will assume the administrative duties of the department. The appointment of the new director may be on hold until the "One Stop" Regional Facility, located behind the Health Department on South Union, is complete and departments relocated early in 2004.

Amendment to the Drainage Criteria Manual
El Paso County Department of Transportation

This was a request by the county department of transportation to amend the Drainage Criteria Manual (DCM) by including Volume 2 that addresses storm water quality policies, procedures, and Best Management Practices. (Volume 1, which is already part of the DCM, deals with water quantity.) Volumes 1 and 2 are from the City of Colorado Springs. Using these documents helps ensure consistency between city and county practices. The DCM is part of the Land Development Code. Over the next few years, implementation and enforcement procedures will be developed. The amendment was approved unanimously.

 

Variance of use (continuation) for second dwelling in the RR-3 district
Harry Direen

This is a request for a 10-year extension to an existing variance that allows two residences on one lot in the RR-3 zone. The property is located at the northwest corner of Highway 83 and Northgate Road. A variance is permitted if the applicant can show undue hardship or peculiar and exceptional practical difficulties. In this case, the hardship is that the applicant must provide care for his mother. The conditions of approval include that the second unit cannot be leased or rented and is only for the use of an immediate family member. There were no objections from adjoining landowners, and the variance was approved unanimously.

Decisions of the El Paso County Planning Commission are made as recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). The BOCC may or may not decide to go along with the Planning Commission recommendations.

**********

The county planning commission normally holds hearings on the third and, if necessary, the fourth Tuesday of each month. The next hearing will be held Nov. 18. The agenda for that hearing will be posted at http://adm.elpasoco.com/planning/Agendas/PC/PC-Agn.asp. The hearings are held starting at 9 a.m. in the 3rd floor hearing room of the county building, 27 E. Vermijo, Colorado Springs.

For more information on this and other projects within the county, contact the planning department at 520-6300 or visit www.elpasoco.com/planning. You may submit comments or questions to the El Paso County Planning Department, 27 E. Vermijo Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.

Steve Sery is an associate member of the El Paso County Planning Commission. He reports for OCN on those planning commission actions likely to be of particular interest to Tri-Lakes area residents.

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Monument Board of Trustees meeting Oct. 6

By Judy Barnes

The special meeting scheduled for 5:30 p.m. was cancelled due to lack of a quorum. Trustees Glenda Smith, David Mertz, and Doug Warner were absent from the regular meeting. David Phillips of Boy Scout Troop #79 led the Pledge of Allegiance. Former Trustee Ed Delaney requested to be appointed to fill the vacant seat on the Planning Commission. Delaney had served on the commission from 1981 to 1989. A motion to appoint him passed unanimously.

Substitute Water Supply Plan for Monument Lake

Town Water Attorney Bob Krassa reported that the current water court case for more senior (1891) water rights might not be resolved until the end of 2004. This would mean that Monument Lake couldn’t be filled until spring of 2005. The proposed Substitute Water Supply Plan that involves purchase of water from Colorado Springs Utilities would be an interim method for filling Monument Lake as early as spring of 2004.

In response to questions from Trustee George Brown, Krassa stated the town would pay Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) for the interim right to retain water to fill the lake. Mayor Betty Konarski said the regional water commissioner wanted the town to install stream flow meters upstream and downstream of the lake, so $8,000 of the $20,000 cost estimate is a cost the town would incur anyway. Krassa said he would recommend the town file an Exchange Rights case in the future. Konarski stated, "I’m going to speak against this." She reported she had informed the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant officials that she was withdrawing a portion of her grant concept due to the lack of water in the lake; the Fishing is Fun Grant requires a certain level of water. Krassa added that if the drought continues, there might not be enough water to fill the lake even with the Substitute Water Supply Plan. The plan would be renewable for up to five years while the town’s current water court case is in progress, he said. A motion to approve the plan passed unanimously.

Comprehensive Update to Subdivision and Zoning Ordinance

Town Planner Mike Davenport recommended a continuation to the Dec. 1 meeting due to several significant changes that would have to be brought before the Planning Commission. A motion for postponement passed unanimously.

Ordinance #17-2003 Amending Town Code to Eliminate the Requirement that the Town Clerk Co-Sign All Financial Warrants

Judy Skrzypek requested the ordinance so she, as the clerk and the treasurer, did not have to co-sign financial warrants since it is a conflict with the accounting practice called "segregation of duties" for the treasurer to sign financial warrants. A motion to approve the ordinance passed unanimously.

Ordinance #18-2003: The Village at Monument Phase II Final PD Site Plan and Final Plat

Davenport said that Phase II would consist of 20 detached patio homes, a change from 10 duplex units approved in the preliminary plan in the fall of 2001. The number of dwelling units stays the same. The garages, originally in front, are now behind the dwellings.

Jack Wiepking, the developer, addressed the changes from the original plan: "The change to single-family [dwellings] from duplex units was sales driven; the duplexes across the street haven’t sold well." He pointed out that this was the most intensely landscaped development in the county outside of Colorado Springs. Also, he added a parking spot for every unit. There were no public comments. Trustee Byron Glenn voiced concern that the 16-foot-wide drive, reduced from 24 feet, is too narrow for two vehicles to pass comfortably. He also commented that the use of tall fescue sod is not a responsible use of water. Wiepking replied that the roots of tall fescue go down deep, and they’ve prepared the soil well, so it should be more drought-tolerant than Kentucky bluegrass. Trustee Frank Orten asked about the comments from the town’s water resources consultant firm. Davenport replied that there appears to be sufficient water for this phase of the development, with enough left over for the commercial phase. A motion to approve the plan passed unanimously.

Resolution #22-2993 Advocating Voter Approval of the Nov. 4, 2003, Ballot Issue Regarding Excess Revenue

The town will only be able to spend the $2 million in excess revenue if the ballot issue passes. A motion to approve the resolution advocating voter approval passed unanimously.

Pay requests and disbursements

The trustees approved a pay request of $68,828.47 for J&J Excavating for water system improvements; a change order for extra work ($2,424) and pay request of $91,102.83 for XKE Contractors for the Mitchell Avenue bike lanes project; a change order reducing Schmidt Construction’s fee by $3,483 for street patching and paving; and a payment of $21,205.44 to GMS Engineers.

FY 2004 Budget public hearing

Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 6:30 p.m. will be the public hearing on next year’s budget. The board scheduled budget work sessions for Oct. 20, Nov. 3, and Nov. 17.

Report on current and potential development applications

Davenport mentioned the potential application for annexation and development of the Wohlberg property, 140 acres south of Highway 105, east of Knollwood Drive. He also addressed the issue of water requirements for senior housing, one-story duplex cottages clustered in a complex in downtown Monument. He asked if the board would be receptive to a regulation change to reduce the water requirement for redevelopment that involves replatting in the downtown area. The response from the board was positive.

Committee/Staff Reports

Town Manager Rick Sonnenburg reported that the grant application for sidewalks in the downtown area was not approved. The traffic lights for the Santa Fe Trail pedestrian crossings at Second and Third Streets were changed to flashing yellow lights. Sonnenburg presented a framed plaque for the award the Monument Dam received. Konarski said she would like to work with the planning department on a grant for a trail along Jackson Creek Parkway and Leather Chaps Drive between Baptist Road and Highway 105, to be the first link to allow trail access through the Jackson Creek area connecting to the west side of I-25 to the Santa Fe Trail. The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.

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Correction

The Oct. 4 OCN printed the point paper Trustee George Brown distributed to the members of the Monument Board of Trustees at the Sept. 15 meeting, incorrectly calling it his prepared remarks. Listed below are some of the decision factors from his statement, which he asked OCN to publish. They have been edited due to space limitations.

I believe there is a need for new development like the Marketplace and the leveraging of Monument’s "old Town."

In forming a special district, the developers of Triview had to get approval from El Paso County and the district court, to identify who would provide necessary services to residents and businesses. The developers made the decision that Triview would be responsible for water, sewer, drainage, parks, and streets. The town of Monument provides police, land use/planning, and tax administrative services because Triview, as a special district, cannot.

There are more than 500 special districts in the state of Colorado. The extreme exception to the norm is a special district receiving any sales tax revenues from a town, city, or county, or from the state. The special districts can and do impose mill levies and other special taxes; they cannot collect taxes. So the 50/50 split of taxes is the rare exception versus the rule.

The Tri-Lakes area has many other special districts such as fire, schools, library, and sanitation. To date, none of these special districts have asked the town of Monument for funding to support their services.

The town’s current long-term debt is $4.3 million. This measure would have increased our debt by almost 50 percent and could have limited our ability to fund other necessary projects. The voter question provided a statement and promise that we would not increase taxes or the tax rate. Given that we were incurring an additional $2 million indebtedness, along with other possible expenses in the future, how could we guarantee this provision?

Our review of the Marketplace project back in March/April/May never had considerations that we would have to contribute to monies that Triview Metro District was responsible for under their service plan. These cost-sharing conversations should have started in 2002, not three months before the ballot issue was due. I feel my vote of "no" was the right vote.

If deemed appropriate, a revised Intergovernmental Agreement between Monument and Triview can be drafted, for approval of the voters, that provides benefit to all parties.

George Brown
Trustee of the Town of Monument

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Monument Board of Trustees meeting Oct. 20

By Jim Kendrick

The Monument Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting Oct. 20 dealt with telephone voting, routine financial matters, and the first of several budget work sessions scheduled for the rest of the calendar year. Trustee Doug Warner was absent. Chad McDaniel of Boy Scout Troop #514 led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Policy on Telephone Voting by Trustees

Background: Mayor Betty Konarski participated in discussions and votes by phone during several September BOT special and regular meetings on the emergency ordinance for a ballot issue on town participation in funding Jackson Creek Parkway construction. The emergency ordinance on the ballot issue required six yes votes to pass, which would have required a unanimous vote of the trustees had she not voted. Mayor Pro Tem Byron Glenn ran these meetings in her physical absence. Several trustees questioned the appropriateness of Konarski participating and voting, given the limitations of a standard speakerphone in transmitting the discussion to her remote location—reflected by her repeated requests for trustees to speak louder. However, no trustee said she should not participate at any of these meetings when she asked if she could comment and vote. This raised trustee questions on which issues are important enough to warrant voting by phone. Town Attorney Gary Shupp prepared a draft policy, Board Members Voting Via Telephone, for consideration at the Oct. 6 BOT meeting. Smith, who was not at the Oct. 6 meeting, asked Konarski to continue the policy’s consideration to Oct. 20.

Shupp gave a review of his research on the policy of voting from out of town, observing that a 50-50 split emerged when he contacted attorneys for other regional government entities. His draft policy said that phone voting would be the exception applying to major decisions with deadlines that could not be postponed at the discretion of the absent official and only if a quorum was physically present. The policy listed no standard for how absent officials must be able to observe presentations made at the meetings or be able to read documents passed out to board members.

Konarski said there should be two steps to deciding on a policy—should there even be any policy on phone voting and, if so, which one should they choose. David Mertz said he favored having a policy. Smith said she did not think a policy was necessary, then said she wanted to discuss it because it was apparent it was going to pass. Frank Orten said he did not know if a policy was needed. Brown said yes. Glenn said he had changed his mind, based on having voted by phone from Chicago but having been unable to hear the full discussion. He said it was okay to monitor the meeting by speakerphone, but not to vote. Konarski said such votes should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Mertz said he would rather have a policy for exceptions. After more discussion, Shupp was asked to redraft the policy for discussion at a future meeting. No votes were taken.

Monthly Financial Report

Treasurer Judy Skrzypek reported that there was insufficient data available to draw a firm conclusion on how much tax revenue is being lost due to the closure of the weigh station on-off ramp to I-25. Also the repair of a Monument Sanitation District sewer pipe crossing Highway 105 between McDonald’s and Rosie’s Diner during the week of Oct. 13 temporarily skewed tax receipts. Her financial report and disbursements over $5,000 were approved unanimously with no further discussion.

Open Discussion of Draft 2004 Budget

Trustees asked Skrzypek about the purpose of a few line items, which she readily answered. They also asked about the "absence" of a few dollar amounts in the draft budget, but in each case the numbers had simply been moved to a different part of the budget at the recommendation of the town’s auditor to account for changes required by generally accepted accounting procedures (GAAP). Converting the draft budget to this GAAP format was ongoing because of the large number of changes required.

Several trustees expressed a desire for one type of funding or another to be listed as desirable goals, though none advocated taking money from other projects for funding. In public comment, local business owner John Dominowski praised Skrzypek for the readability of her draft budget and monthly financial reports. Konarski noted that it was rare for the board and Dominowski to be in complete agreement.

The meeting adjourned at 8:01 p.m. The next meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 3 at Creekside Middle School at the north end of Leather Chaps in Jackson Creek.

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Monument Parks and Landscape Committee Oct. 14

Web site exclusive: View Monument Parks, Trails, and Open Space Plan

By John Heiser

Park maintenance

When town manager Rick Sonnenburg told the Monument Parks and Landscape Committee that the town is planning to budget $124,500 for park maintenance for 2004, the members voiced dismay that many of the town’s parks are not better maintained.

Committee member Linda Pankratz said details such as maintaining the gravel in the children’s areas are often overlooked.

Committee member Monika Marky noted that since park maintenance is only done for six months, the budget funds amount to roughly $20,000 per month. Sonnenburg responded that sometimes three or four people are working on the parks. He added that purchase of an additional vehicle is included in the 2004 budget. The cost would be split between the parks and cemetery maintenance budgets. Sonnenburg noted that Tom Wall, public works superintendent, had been scheduled to meet with the committee to explain the budget but had a family emergency.

Wall’s parks budget calculations showed that his $124,500 request would cover only about 40 percent of the park work needed.

Committee chair John Savage said, "It doesn’t seem like the parks get taken care of as well as if we had a private company doing it. The parks seem to be the last thing that gets taken care of. What we have asked for is a parks department instead of it being on Tom [Wall]’s back." Savage added, "In, I think, 1994, we outsourced taking care of the parks. They never looked so good as that one year."

Sonnenburg said the work could be outsourced if the town set standards and specifications as to what is to be done. He added that if the work were outsourced the town would have to lay off two people.

Sign on Second Street

Mike Davenport, town planner and assistant town manager, noted that the $60,000 to $80,000 budget request for a downtown entry sign to be installed on Second Street was reduced to $10,000 based on the committee’s discussion last month.

The committee members agreed the sign is very important to the economic health of downtown. Davenport said he would revise the budget request to include the full amount.

Parks, Trails, and Open Space Plan

Davenport distributed copies of the draft plan. He said the map will be mailed with the November town newsletter and will be discussed at the Nov. 11 meeting. (See plan)

Vacancy

Davenport announced that Ed DeLaney resigned from the Parks and Landscape Committee since he has been appointed to the planning commission. The town will advertise the vacancy.

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The next Parks and Landscape Committee meeting is Nov. 11 at Monument Town Hall, 166 Second St. There will be a work session at 6 p.m. followed by the regular meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Web site exclusive: View Monument Parks, Trails, and Open Space Plan

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Triview metro board discussion includes Marketplace, Wal-Mart, 2004 budget, and condemnation

By John Heiser

The Triview Metropolitan District Board of Directors held its regular meeting Oct. 22.

Konarski addressed the board

A source of conflict between the Town of Monument and the district is Monument Board of Trustees’ 5-2 vote Sept. 8 that fell short of the number needed for an emergency ordinance for a ballot measure asking voters to approve transfer to the Triview district of $2 million in future sales tax revenue from the Home Depot. Monument Mayor Betty Konarski, who voted for the measure, said, "I am still working to try to get things on your side." She later added, "At least know that five of us are ready to give you that support."

Konarski also outlined potential park, trail, and open space projects that could be jointly undertaken by the town and the district. She said, "Even after I am no longer mayor, I plan to pursue grants."

Monument Marketplace

Rick Blevins of Marketplace developer Vision Development, Inc. reported that grading of the extension of Jackson Creek Parkway from Baptist Road to Higby Road is substantially complete.

He said the design of the drainage structures has been revised to reduce costs by more than $300,000 and to shorten the schedule. The board unanimously approved a bid from R.E. Monks for $960,410 for the revised drainage structure work. The board also unanimously approved a $1,025,653 paving bid from Rocky Mountain Aggregates. In both cases, Blevins assured the board that the developer would provide a loan to the district if the planned sale of Phase G bonds fails. Phase G is the collective label for the roadway, water, wastewater, reuse water, and drainage improvements associated with the Monument Marketplace project.

Blevins said bids for installation of water, reuse water, and sewer utilities in the roadways have come in about $600,000 over budget. Vision Development is negotiating with bidders and seeking additional bids.

He reported that the Compass Bank credit committee approved the proposed letter of credit needed for the Phase G funding. He said Sam Sharp, vice president of Kirkpatrick Pettis, the district’s bond agent, believes he will be ready to go to market on Nov. 4.

Due to the decrease from 9.15 percent to 7.96 percent in the residential factor used by the county assessor for determining taxable value from market value, Blevins reported that the mill levy cap agreement approved by the board two months ago will increase the maximum mill levy from 54 mills to 62 mills. The change in the value of the cap does not change the current approved property tax rate for the district, which stands at 25 mills. The statewide Gallagher Amendment, which would be supplanted if Amendment 32 on the Nov. 4 ballot passes, dictates the decrease in the taxable value factor.

Blevins said the concrete pad for the Home Depot site would be poured Oct. 23, eight weeks ahead of schedule. He said the earthwork is six weeks ahead of schedule.

In a related matter, Blevins presented an agreement addressing the developer’s donation of land for right-of-way for the extension of Jackson Creek Parkway and Leather Chaps Drive. He said the developer is seeking the agreement to ensure the company will not later be found liable to construct the road. The Triview district is providing funding for the road construction. Peter Susemihl, attorney for the Triview district, added that the agreement would preclude the town from charging the developer fees related to the land donation.

Waste Water Treatment Facility (WWTF) expansion

The WWTF is jointly owned by the Triview district, the Donala Water and Sanitation district that serves Gleneagle, and the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District that currently does not have any users. District engineer Chuck Ritter of Nolte and Associates reported that projected costs for expanding the plant have significantly increased. He said, "They have everything but the kitchen sink in there."

Ron Simpson, Triview district manager, said he has talked with Dana Duthie, manager of the Donala district, regarding the cost increase. He said, "It amounts to about $1 million more than we were talking about for Triview."

Duthie is planning to start design of the expansion in January 2004.

Wal-Mart and the mouse

Simpson said the district is working to resolve Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse habitat issues on the Wal-Mart site, the expansion of Baptist Road, and the extension of Jackson Creek Parkway south of Baptist Road. Simpson said he found six properties that could be used as part of habitat conservation plans for the three sites.

He said a question to be resolved is who is to be the steward of the properties purchased to offset habitat destroyed at the three sites. He suggested four candidates: the current owners of the conservation properties, the Triview district, the Wal-Mart Public Improvement Corporation (PIC), or the Trust for Public Lands. He said the property owners are not interested and the Trust for Public Lands insists on conditions that may be unacceptable, including escrowing money to cover the cost of obtaining a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). He noted that the PIC has not been formed yet and suggested the Triview district be the applicant to FWS and later the PIC could take over.

Simpson added that the stewards for the district’s existing mouse habitat conservation plan are the current landowners.

Simpson mentioned that legal challenges to the inclusion of the Preble’s mouse on the endangered list. He said the effort "will probably win, but it will take five years."

Traffic signs

Director Steve Stephenson noted that more speed limit signs are needed on Lyons Tail Drive.

Power surge damaged water treatment plant

Simpson reported that water treatment plant A was damaged by a power surge Oct. 22. As of the board meeting, there was no power to the plant so the full extent of the damage could not be assessed. Simpson said a variety of equipment at the plant including pumps, motors, and controllers was likely damaged in the incident. He said, "It is going to be expensive." He said insurance would cover the loss. When contacted later, Simpson said the plant returned to service Oct. 28. He said he did not yet have a figure for the total cost of the incident.

Condemnation

Susemihl told the board that in accordance with authorization granted last month, he filed a condemnation lawsuit against Miles Grant to obtain needed right-of-way. He said a Dec. 5 court hearing is scheduled.

The board unanimously approved a motion authorizing Susemihl to use condemnation to obtain easements on the Foxworth-Galbraith property. The easements are needed for the gravity sewer connection from the Marketplace site.

Executive session

The board went into executive session to discuss a personnel matter. When the executive session concluded, the board unanimously voted to grant Simpson a 10 percent increase to his approximately $70,000 annual pay for managing the district. Stephenson said, "The board is very appreciative of what you do, how much you do."

2004 Budget

Simpson did a line-by-line review of the draft budget distributed at the September meeting. The budget information is split into an enterprise fund and a district fund. The enterprise fund covers water, wastewater, and reuse water services. The district fund covers all the other operations of the district.

The table below summarizes the totals for each of the funds.

  2003 Budget Draft 2004 Budget Percent Increase
District Fund $597,800 $684,200 14.5
Enterprise Fund $906,900 $1,007,500 11.1
TOTAL $1,504,700 $1,691,700 12.4

The draft budget includes $50,000 for resumption of collecting Graphical Information System (GIS) data. Simpson said in addition to as-built drawings, it would include a database of costs, inspection history, and other information on the district’s entire infrastructure. Stephenson said, "It is just good business practice. Each day, we are getting larger." Simpson said the current bondholder has opposed it as an unnecessary expense. Stephenson said, "You will pay for it in hidden costs."

District revenue projections assume 90 single-family equivalents (SFE) would be built per year and there would be 2,300-2,400 SFEs in the district at full build-out.

Proposed capital projects include:

  • Wastewater: About $350,000 for the sewer interceptor needed to supply service to the planned commercial properties to the west of I-25.

  • Water: About $325,000 for well A4 and $485,000 for water lines to serve the Marketplace.

  • Reuse: $275,000 to install reuse lines under the extension of Leather Chaps and Jackson Creek Parkway.

  • Streets: $1.1 million for the extension of Leather Chaps and $3.8 million for the extension of Jackson Creek Parkway

  • Drainage: $252,000 for storm water detention facilities.

  • Landscaping and Trails: $150,000 for trails and landscaping along the extension of Jackson Creek Parkway.

All the capital projects would be financed from the Phase G bonds except the sewer interceptor. That project is being developed through an agreement between Triview and the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District. Costs are split between the two districts. The current balance in the escrow account of more than $1 million came from a negotiated settlement with Pinetree Properties.

Creekside Middle School irrigation

Simpson noted that irrigation of the playing fields and landscaping at Creekside Middle School is using treated drinking water from the Triview water system rather than reuse water from the wastewater treatment plant as planned. He said, "We have over $3 million invested in reuse. School irrigation is such a drain on us. The state has approved the plan. The school has approved the plan. The bondholder is saying, ‘It doesn’t make me money. I am not paying for it.’" Simpson characterized this as "typical bottom line thinking." He said $175,000 is still needed to complete the system to supply the school with reuse water. Additional capital expenditures by the district on reuse would diminish the district’s bond payments since the agreement with the bondholder is that he is to receive all funds remaining after operations and maintenance.

Read-ahead packets

Stephenson asked if board members could be provided with packets of information prior to the board meetings. Citing experience at prior jobs including assistant director of El Paso County Planning, Simpson said preparing information packets is very time-consuming. Stephenson replied, "We need something greater than zero so we can get some visibility prior to the meeting." Stephenson suggested further discussion be deferred until after the 2004 budget is approved.

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The Triview Metropolitan District Board of Directors normally meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month, 4:30 p.m., at the district offices, 174 N. Washington St. Due to conflict with holidays, the upcoming meetings will be held Nov. 19 and Dec. 10. The regular schedule will resume in January.

For further information, contact the Triview Metropolitan District at 488-6868.

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Palmer Lake Town Council workshop Oct. 2

By Judy Barnes

Business license applications

  • Keith and Crystal Hernandez for Sweet Peas, serving soup, sandwiches, and salads seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Suite P in the West End Center, 755 Highway 105.

  • Crystal Burnham-Hernandez will provide therapeutic massage and reflexology at An Escape Day Spa at 755 Highway 105.

  • Janet Peterson, Peterson Oximetry Services, will conduct in-home diagnostic testing for qualification for Medicare home oxygen.

  • Consulting Engineer Stephen Arndt, SArndt Incorporated, will do civil and residential structural engineering design and analysis.

  • Rick Hamm, Horizon Door & Millwork, will manufacture utility trailers at 707 County Line Road.

  • Mary McGahee, Nails by Mary, will have an acrylic nail salon at Sundance Studio, 104 B Highway 105.

Lake update

Mayor Nikki McDonald commented that the bottom line of the proposed ways to fill the lake was that they would take water away from the citizens. The town’s water lawyer was looking at all the options. Town Clerk Della Gins noted that they were not yet prepared to identify the best solution. Judy Harrington stated that she was continuing her research and found that Palmer Lake had old water rights, from 1887, when water was piped over the Estemere property for a bubbling fountain in the lake. She asked if recreational water rights had been explored.

Amendment to a PUD–Inn at Palmer Divide

Al Fritts said he still has not been able to get funding for a B&B conference resort. He requested permission for a change of concept to an assisted care facility, acknowledging that he will need new plans to take to the Planning Commission. The deadline to get funding for the original concept was Oct. 8; he wanted the council to vote for a change of use at the Oct. 9 meeting if he was not able to get the first concept funded. "We are basically hedging our bets," said Fritts. Neighboring resident Denise Cornell suggested the state examine the property, located between the highway and railroad tracks, to see if the assisted living option is viable. She voiced concern about ambulances and helicopters coming at all hours.

Paintball at Fusion Extreme Gaming

Opinions for and against the paintball business were voiced at the meeting. McDonald gave each side 30 minutes to speak. A visual aid listed the neighboring residents’ issues: containment of paintballs and public safety, noise, littering, building code issues, parking, general nuisance, and devaluation of the neighborhood. Alan Bockhaus and Gary Atkins questioned whether paintball was actually an outdoor sport rather than a game. A recreational sport would not be appropriate in a C-2 zone. "The county took a year and a half to approve a paintball court. How could Palmer Lake do it in a couple of meetings?" asked Bockhaus. He referred to the neighborhood as a bedroom community. Suzanne Coons noted that the noise might exceed the maximum decibel levels assigned by the state, and she asked the trustees if they had ever measured the noise at Fusion Extreme Gaming. Kurt Ehrhardt questioned using portable outhouses for a permanent building. George Winnick commented that the facility should be in a suitable environment with open space. "If people don’t have the kind of homes they purchased for the reasons they purchased it, that’s not right," said Winnick. All questioned how much investigation of paintball gaming the trustees had done.

Fusion Extreme Gaming owners Tommy Fletcher, Peter Jennison, and Brian Jennison stated that the main issue was containment. To mitigate the problem of escaping paintballs, they have brought in dirt for berms and extended the nets higher. When Intermountain Rural Electrical Association buries the overhead power lines, they intend to cover the entire facility with nets. "Noise we don’t think is an issue," said Brian, noting the constant traffic on Highway 105. Fletcher commented that it was not really a bedroom community since businesses, the highway, and the railroad border it. The portable outhouse is just temporary, he added. Brian explained that they were only open on Saturdays and Sundays now.

McDonald stated Fusion Extreme Gaming was doing nothing wrong. "It’s a permitted use," she said. "People didn’t come to meetings regarding rezoning." Trustee Chuck Cornell concurred, "If it’s a permitted use in that area, there’s nothing you can do about it." Trustee Susan Miner said, "If they meet the zoning, we have very little latitude to do something. The only recourse is to change the zoning before a business comes in. There’s very little now that we can do." She added, "It’s so critical to have zoning reviews as an area develops. That needs to be citizen-driven. It is not your representatives’ responsibility to keep you informed; it’s your responsibility. The town is trying to remedy this by e-mail contact."

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Palmer Lake Town Council meeting Oct. 9

By John Heiser

Public input

J.J Kaelin appeared before the Palmer Lake Town Council to announce the Tri-Lakes Women’s Club Wine Tasting Benefit and Silent Auction, Nov. 16, 6-9 p.m. at the Pine Crest Event Center. She said the event is limited to 300 people. Information on purchasing tickets is available at www.tlwc.net or by contacting Gail Wittman at 487-9836. Trustee Susan Miner said, "Palmer Lake entities do benefit greatly from the Tri-Lakes Women’s Club’s grants." She encouraged participation in the event.

New business licenses

The following new business licenses were approved: Peterson Oximetry Services, Sweet Peas Restaurant, Crystal Burnham-Hernandez, SArndt Incorporated, Nails by Mary, and Horizon Door & Millwork.

Committee Reports

Parks and Recreation: Trustee Cindy Allen said the parks have been shut down for the season but the bears are still active, so be careful. She reported that someone has been stealing large rocks from Glen Park.

Roads: Trustee Randy Jones reported that through the summer, $8,150 of Class 6 road base and $10,323 of dust control chemicals were placed on roads throughout the town. The dust control project is completed for the year. He said that depending on the budget, next year the roads department hopes to do more. Council approved Jones’ request to place an ad to sell one sanding unit (not the truck).

Water: Trustee Chuck Cornell reported that the new filter plant is proceeding per schedule.

Police: Trustee Ed Kinney reported that there were 118 calls for service during the month. There were 112 last month and 132 during the same month a year ago.

Community and Economic Development, Buildings (EDC): Trustee Susan Miner said she plans to attend the next Palmer Lake Citizens for Community Awareness (Visioning Committee) Oct. 30 to help clarify the difference between the Visioning Committee and the EDC Committee. Appreciation was expressed to Jim Adams for donating his time to repair the stairs on the Lower Glenway side of the museum.

Fire: Mayor Nikki McDonald reported that so far this year there have been 166 calls for service: 115 were in Palmer Lake, and 51 were mutual aid calls for other areas. In September, there were 23 calls broken down as follows: 1 fire, 16 medical, 1 traffic accident, 2 wildland, 3 other. McDonald said the turnout at the Oct. 4 fire station open house was very good.

McDonald said the fire department is currently working on a problem with a delay in receiving pages from the sheriff’s office.

McDonald reported that the department received an award from School District 38 for participation in Project Adventure.

The Mayor noted that vinyl We Have a Little Emergency (W.H.A.L.E.) stickers are available at the fire department. This is a program designed to give information on children in child seats in the event that adults are non-responsive following a traffic accident.

Mayor’s report: McDonald said the Visioning Committee will meet in the town hall Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.

Paintball controversy

Jones asked for the council’s input on the possibility of leasing town-owned property to Fusion Extreme Gaming. The land in question is east of the existing hill behind the new filter plant off County Line Road.

McDonald said, "It would be a neat solution. It would solve a lot of problems." She added that the lease rate could be adjusted based on their profitability. She later said, "We are trying to make it a win-win for everyone."

Cornell suggested a letter be sent expressing the town’s interest. Allen cautioned, "We need to make sure we are not in a conflict and that we have a piece of land that could be used."

Resident Judith Harrington requested that a sound trial be conducted to check the potential noise impact prior to making the offer. She asked to be included if and when a sound trial date is set. McDonald said, "We would have to be sure it’s not going to bounce."

Jones’ motion to send a letter offering the possibility of leasing town-owned land was unanimously approved.

Chipping program

Bob Radosevich, roads supervisor, stated the chipping program had been shut down for the season. He said, "There was a good response this year."

West end water issues

Kurt Ehrhardt spoke as the owner of the West End Center. Ehrhardt explained that his well must be updated due to the addition of Sweet Peas Restaurant. He said he would like to see a fund set up to help those at the west end of town who have been paying bond taxes but do not receive water service from the town. He said, "I am feeling slighted and am seeking some equity, some equal planning." He suggested the help could be in the form of the town taking responsibility for their wells or if a well were to go dry, the money could be used to redrill the well. Council members stated they would look into the situation.

Lake level

Resident Gerry LaFont said, "I decided to retire here by the beautiful lake." He said he is upset at the current water level in the lake and asked if the town could hire a geologist or hydrologist to look into refilling it.

Resident Jim Adams said that at one time there was natural drainage from both sides of the lake to help fill it. He added, "I am dumbfounded that there is no drainage plan for Palmer Lake."

Harrington asked why the money from the Lake Maintenance Fund could not be used to determine if the train derailment in the 1980s redirected the stream.

McDonald asked that the citizens be patient and wait until the November meeting when more information has been received from the attorney.

Dust control

Bob Miner suggested the town adopt a program where those with medical conditions that are affected by dust could register with the town and their areas would be given priority for dust control on the roads.

Sports facility

Resident Kim Makower stated he had been approached by Susan Miner to study the feasibility of a multi-use sports facility. Makower also noted that a citizen donated a snowblower. He said volunteers will use it to keep the tennis courts free of snow this winter.

Land use items

Vacation of Interior Lot Lines and Easements, John Bailey: The council unanimously approved the vacation of lot lines separating lots 6, 7, and 8 of block 1 of Lakeview Heights Unit 1.

Amendment to a PUD – Pinecrest – Little Shepards at Pinecrest, Victoria Jamie- a bilingual child care center: Victoria Jamie stated she would like to care for a total of eight children, that she has already fenced the backyard area and provided for adequate parking. She said she is in the process of obtaining her state child care license and will apply for her Palmer Lake business license in the near future. A motion to approve carried unanimously.

Amendment to a PUD – Inn at Palmer Divide – 443 Hwy 105 – Al Fritts: Fritts submitted a written request to have the item tabled until further notice.

Pre-inclusion Agreement – Town of Palmer Lake and Woodmoor-Monument Fire Protection District

Susan Miner made a motion to propose that Palmer Lake counter this proposed agreement with terms that are more balanced to the interest of the citizens of Palmer Lake and that a small group, consisting of Chuck Cornell, Miner, two representatives of the fire department, and one citizen, be formed to prepare the counter-offer. The motion carried unanimously. Cornell said the door is open to any other entity wishing to offer a proposal to the town.

Preliminary Budget

Town clerk Della Gins presented the preliminary budget and asked for each trustee and department head to contact the office to set a time to discuss the budget. She remarked, "It looks pretty bad."

At 8:40, the council went into executive session to discuss a personnel issue. The meeting adjourned at 9:18 p.m.

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Donald Wescott FPD Board meeting Oct. 15

By John Heiser

The Donald Wescott Fire Protection District board of directors held its regular monthly meeting Oct. 15 with all board members present except Kevin Gould. Chief Bill Sheldon, assistant chief Vinny Burns, and administrative assistant Ginnette Ritz also attended the meeting.

Referring to the October OCN Perspective article titled "Don’t Shoot the Messenger," which reiterated the way the OCN covers meetings, board president Bill Lowes said, "To the best of our knowledge, statements made at our meetings have been true and accurate."

Antelope Trails teaching project

Sheldon reported that Joel Azrikan, local Rotary Club representative, contacted him with a proposal that the Wescott district provide instruction to children at Antelope Trails Elementary School on how fire apparatus operates, with a tie-in to math and science subjects. The board unanimously approved expenditure of $500 on the project. Sheldon said the Rotary Club will contribute $1,000 and Rotary International will provide matching funds to bring the total to $3,000.

Open House

Regarding the station’s open house on Oct. 4, Sheldon said, "We had a great turnout, the largest we ever had." He estimated 650 or 700 people attended. He added that 350 people went through the smoke trailer.

Flying Horse Ranch

The Flying Horse Ranch parcel lies west of Highway 83 from Northgate Road down to the Rampart Range campus of Pikes Peak Community College. Its western boundary is contiguous with existing developments east of Voyager Parkway. Lowes reported that the Colorado Springs City Council unanimously approved the annexation of this parcel. Sheldon said the developer plans to start with the golf course and use that to lure home builders. He also noted that School District 20 is moving forward quickly with plans to build a K-12 school as part of Flying Horse Ranch. The three-school, 20-acre campus is to be built just southwest of the intersection of Northgate and Roller Coaster Roads.

Lowes added, "[Flying Horse Ranch] will remain in the Wescott district until such time as the Colorado Springs Fire Department builds and staffs a ‘Northgate’ station." Sheldon said he heard the developer has agreed to pay 40 percent of the cost of that station.

The Wescott district has relinquished previously unincorporated southern district property, including its Station 1, as city limits have moved northward and subdivisions have been steadily annexed over the past several decades.

Merger/Consolidation

Lowes said the merger agreement between the Woodmoor-Monument Fire Protection District and the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department "was not eagerly received by the Palmer Lake Town Council." He said a committee is writing a counterproposal and noted that the process has slowed considerably because of Palmer Lake Trustee Scott Russell’s departure.

Lowes said that at the Special District Association conference, Woodmoor-Monument district board members Tom Conroy and Bob Browning expressed interest in renewing merger discussions. Lowes said, "We will begin negotiations in earnest after the first of the year. They are very willing to participate." Board member Brian Ritz said, "The approach is to identify major points that are stumbling blocks." Lowes added that this is a long-term project. He said, "With two or three different philosophies, it is going to take a while to work out."

Homeland Security

Board member Joe Potter reported on an Oct. 15 meeting he attended on regional homeland security contingency plans. Potter, a retired Air Force colonel, is also head of local volunteer command and control activities that would be activated by the Department of Homeland Security during national emergencies. Potter added that the head of the regional homeland security coalition was impressed with Sheldon’s presentation on homeland security. Potter noted that grant money would likely be available to implement homeland security projects.

Policy and Procedures Manual Update

Sheldon reported that the new unified policy and procedure manual for the Wescott district is nearing completion. He said the district’s attorney, Peter Obernesser, is reviewing the draft. Sheldon said the manual is scheduled for printing and distribution in January. Each paid employee will get one. Copies will be available for the volunteers. Each member of the department will be required to sign a statement that they have read and understood the manual.

Expansion of Station 3

Sheldon distributed a drawing of a proposed expansion of Station 3, near Gleneagle and Baptist Road. The expansion would be on the north side of the station. The lower floor would include a 46-by-17-foot apparatus bay, three offices, a boardroom, workshop, and restroom. The upper floor would include a training room, additional offices, and storage and utility areas.

The board unanimously authorized Sheldon to have detailed plans prepared so construction bids can be sought. Sheldon noted that to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, board member and architect Kevin Gould has said he will not be a candidate for the contract with the district for the architectural work.

Chief’s Report

Sheldon reported that he has prepared a new three-year ambulance service agreement with American Medical Response (AMR). He said it covers stationing an ambulance at Wescott Station 3, cross-staffing, and other services. The details were reserved for the executive session.

Sheldon distributed a sheet giving details on the 138 calls the district responded to during September. Of those, 42 were within the district. The other 96 were instances of mutual aid or automatic aid to other districts. Of the 138, there were 19 medical calls in the district and 88 ambulance calls outside the district. The total number of responses for the year through September stands at 1,116. Sheldon projected a total of 1,500 for the year. He noted that even though Wescott is smaller than the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District, the call volume is greater. He noted that there have not been any firefighter injuries so far this year.

Executive Session

The board then unanimously voted to go into executive session to discuss personnel issues, salaries, and the contract with AMR.

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The Donald Wescott Fire Protection District board normally meets at 7 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the district firehouse, 15000 Sun Hills Drive, where Tari Drive dead-ends into Sun Hills Drive. The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 19.

For further information, contact Donald Wescott Fire Protection District Chief William Sheldon at 488-8680, fax 488-8929, or chiefwfd500@aol.com.

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Tri-Lakes FPD board meeting Oct. 16

By John Heiser

At its meeting Oct. 16, the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District board of directors discussed a variety of topics including handling of a recent structure fire, the status of efforts to gain county approval of fire station 2 on Roller Coaster Road and Highway 105, and initial discussions of a potential fire station 3 near the recently approved Monument Marketplace on the extension of Jackson Creek Parkway north of Baptist Road. Directors John Hildebrandt and Gary Morgan were absent.

Amendment 32

Board President Charlie Pocock presented background on the proposed Colorado constitutional amendment 32 on the Nov. 4 ballot. He noted that 13 years ago, the factor for calculating taxable value from market value for residential real estate was 14.7 percent. Due to the Gallagher amendment approved by voters in the 1980’s, that factor has now dropped to 7.96 percent. He said this decline in the calculated taxable value hurts special districts such as schools and fire protection districts that are heavily dependent on residential property taxes. He said, "Passage of amendment 32 will assure us a continued revenue rate and make it easier to budget out years."

Tuition assistance

Pocock reported that fire fighter Chris Mola has requested tuition assistance by the district to help him pursue a degree in business management. As a personnel policy to be tried for one year, the board approved up to $60 per semester-hour or $40 per quarter-hour, not to exceed $1,000 per calendar year, for up to 4 years. To receive the reimbursement, district personnel must earn a grade of B or better. Approval for participation in the program is determined case-by-case.

Chief’s Report

Chief Robert Denboske reported that during September, the district responded to 89 calls bringing the total for the year to 825, which he said is a 17% increase compared to last year. Of the 89 calls, there were 44 medical, 22 traffic accidents, 13 fires, 6 public assists, and 4 involved hazardous materials. 37 people were transported to area hospitals.

Denboske said that seven people completed firefighter 2 training and two people completed firefighter 1 training. The chief reported on North Group training exercises held over the past couple weekends. He noted that four departments participated each time.

Colonial Park Drive Fire

Lieutenant John Vincent displayed some of his equipment damaged during a recent garage fire on Colonial Park Drive in the Bent Tree subdivision.  He thanked the board for approving the purchase of additional bunker gear and breathing equipment. He said, "The equipment did what it was supposed to do. When we arrived, it was a fully involved vehicle in a fully involved garage." He estimated temperature in the garage at 900-1200 degrees. He added that use of the equipment made possible an aggressive attack that contained the fire to the garage.

Pocock added, "The aggressive attack saved the $600,000 house. John jumped right in the middle of that thing. He did an outstanding job." Pocock observed that if station 2 were manned, it would have reduced the response time by 7 minutes.

Denboske said participation in the response to the incident included personnel and equipment from the Tri-Lakes district, the Woodmoor-Monument Fire Protection District, the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department, the Black Forest Fire Protection District, and the Larkspur Fire Department. He expressed appreciation for the efforts of all the departments. Denboske reported that the Larkspur chief expressed surprise that they were able to save the structure.

Vincent said there was a cadet from the Tri-Lakes district on the initial response. He said the cadet helped with hose lines and other support tasks. Vincent added that the North End Group of Chiefs is not in favor of having cadets at fire scenes. Pocock added, "They can sure help out."

Station 2

Pocock reported that he met Oct. 15 with county commissioner Wayne Williams to ask for reconsideration of the May 22 denial of a subdivision exemption for station 2. Pocock said, "[Williams] is dead set on the notion we should not have our intern program. He was totally immovable. He thinks it is going to be like a college frat house." Pocock said he described to Williams the strict rules governing behavior at the proposed facility to no avail. Regarding the 2,700 petition signatures the district submitted supporting approval of station 2, Pocock reported that Williams said, "Oh yeah, people do that all the time."

Station 3

Architect and Tri-Lakes district director Rick Barnes reported that he participated in additional meetings regarding the potential site for a fire station and facilities near the Monument Marketplace. He said Rick Blevins of Marketplace developer Vision Development Company has been very helpful.

Vincent asked whether the likely design of station 3 would be similar to the designs for the Tri-Lakes district’s stations 1 and 2. Barnes replied, "We have not been hired to do any work on it, but my inclination would be to make it look like a Tri-Lakes district station." He added, "We have seen other departments spend tremendous amounts of money to make their stations a work of art. Anyone who spends $3 million to $4 million on a fire station is not being careful of the use of taxpayers’ money."

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss personnel matters and strategy for negotiations.

**********

The Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District board normally meets at 7 pm on the third Thursday of each month at the district firehouse, 18650 Highway 105 (near the bowling alley). The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 20.

For more information, call Chief Denboske at 481-2312. The Tri-Lakes district has a new web site: www.tri-lakesfire.com.

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Woodmoor-Monument FPD Board meeting Oct. 17

By Jim Kendrick

At its Oct. 17 meeting, the Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD) Board moved forward on creating and filling a new assistant chief position, energizing the department’s grievance procedure, and continuing the process of upgrading reflex time reporting. Routine matters were approved unanimously. The dates for the next two board meetings were moved up to ensure time to work the new budget and prevent conflicts with holidays.

Public Comment

Betty Cleamons, a 25-year Woodmoor resident, was first to speak. She had wanted to address the Oct. 6 board meeting but there was no public portion (since it was an "executive session only" special meeting) and board members had departed the station without knowing she was there to speak to them about the firefighters’ no-confidence letter regarding Chief David Youtsey. She suggested the board should have each member of the department present their concerns individually to the board—alone, with no supervisors present and no fear of retribution. She said that each of the supervisors should also "speak their piece" to the board. She felt that the board should and could mediate any issues before they diminish the department’s ability to function.

Board president Robert Browning responded that during his seven years on the board, performance, ability, and professionalism had steadily improved. He told her that all the board members live in the district and they want the same things she does. Cleamons said that W/MFPD has done a lot to make the community a safe, secure place. Cleamons lightened the tone considerably as she said she’d like to discuss the matter further but she had an unfortunately early hairdresser appointment she had to get to. The board thanked her for her humor and moved on to routine business after she left.

Old Business

Youtsey asked that the February minutes be corrected to delete an erroneous reference to commitments made by two firefighters to the department. Youtsey said neither had made a verbal or written commitment to give up the right to leave the department for any period of time. He said this had been a matter of concern to other firefighters as he had moved forward on addressing concerns expressed in the no-confidence letter.

Treasurer Russ Broshous reported that the department was in an enviable financial position, with cash on hand.

In the Chief’s report, Youtsey reported that the 50-day limit on claiming the refund of contributions from the Old Hire Pension Plan would run out on Oct. 27 and a request to have the funds disbursed to W/MFPD will be voted on at the regular November meeting. The funds are proceeds from the pension of a recently deceased retired firefighter with no heirs.

Youtsey told board members that their meeting packet included the draft job description for the new assistant chief position. Secretary Bob Harvey said that adding a Fire Officer 3 certification to the job description was highly desirable and that training is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Fire Academy. Youtsey concurred on the desirability of having all the chiefs attend the FEMA academy’s two-week fire officer executive program, which is fully federally funded except for meals ($14/day).

Youtsey said the department’s grievance policy was also in the meeting packet and had been passed to all employees as well. He asked the board to note that their role was defined in step 3 of the policy and to also note that bringing a grievance to the board is entirely the responsibility of the employee—who must first bring a grievance to the affected supervisor and chief, in turn. Board member Tom Conroy asked when the last time the policy had been used; Youtsey said it had never been used since he had been chief. Browning said the department had gotten away from using the procedure and it had caused a lot of grief for everybody. He added that if followed, the policy should help resolve remaining problems. Conroy said that a letter of no confidence is not a grievance, the latter being the correct method for resolving problems. Browning agreed, saying all personnel problems would be handled through "normal channels." He directed Youtsey to go over the policy with each chief saying, "We’ve got a procedure. We should be following it."

After the executive session, which followed the regular meeting, the board issued a statement [reprinted at the end of this article] expressing full confidence in Youtsey, saying the no-confidence letter matter was closed.

Youtsey reported that sheriff’s office reflex times were no longer being used to analyze department performance. After a discussion of stopwatch criteria and the costs that may be involved in adopting a more computerized automated system, Youtsey observed that El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa recognized the problems with his office’s current dispatch times. Maketa is concerned about similar problems with the centralized dispatches under his command. Police and sheriff’s officers log in their individual mission completion times on laptop PCs in their patrol cars, while fire personnel have to radio the sheriff’s dispatcher. Problems in recording times occur when dispatchers are handling multiple emergencies simultaneously—so recording them is a relatively low priority—and the frequency is not clear to report fire response times. Youtsey suggested two stopwatches be used in-house to record alarm-roll and roll-arrive times. Harvey suggested an automated system that is used in Colorado Springs fire vehicles. There was some concern about the cost of the latter system. Youtsey will investigate the system and report back to the board.

Conroy reported no significant changes in progress with the department’s merger with Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department or long-range merger discussions with Donald Wescott FPD. Susan Miner is the new Palmer Lake contact for negotiations and had asked for time to make a counterproposal to the initial W/MFPD document.

Harvey has still not completed his report about fire inspection concerns expressed by more than 30 town business owners. He plans to recommend an advisory board to help resolve inspection issues despite some business owners’ concern about adding a layer to the inspection process. Progress has been made by the new fire marshal in allaying their concerns. Youtsey said there will be a new federal building code that will have to be reflected by revisions made in the Regional Building code. W/MFPD practice is to revise inspection procedures after Regional Building, to minimize conflicts. These implied revisions to fire codes will certainly not be made in the next few months and may not be implemented for another year or two.

New Business

The board then recessed to go into executive session to discuss personnel matters. A press release was issued after the meeting, as was the text of the job description for the new assistant chief position.

The next meeting has been rescheduled to Nov. 17 to accommodate the Thanksgiving holiday and allow adequate time for budget review before the Dec. 8 meeting, also moved for budget and Christmas holiday reasons.

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Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District Statement

The Board of Directors of the Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District is committed to providing high levels of emergency service delivery to the residents of the District. To that end, we express confidence in the management of the human and physical resources under the direction of the fire chief and his management staff. Our firefighters and emergency medical technicians are among the best qualified anywhere in the state. We believe that long-range goals and formulation of sound policies has enabled the District to accomplish our mission and we support setting high standards of performance and quality,

We will work with managers and staff members to identify and solve any and all problems that may interfere with effective and responsible fire prevention, education, suppression and emergency medical services. We encourage all constituents to participate in the democratic process by making suggestions for ways of improving service delivery.

Our mission continues to evolve in complexity and we will strive to meet our obligation to provide assistance to those who have need of our services. We will continue to be responsive to organizational developments and put the right people, with the right skills, in the right place at the right time.

We appreciate the continued support of the entire community.

Robert Browning, President
Robert Harvey
, Secretary

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Lewis-Palmer School Board meeting Oct. 16

By Tommie Plank

After approving a settlement agreement, Board of Education members expressed satisfaction at finally resolving their nearly three-year-old dispute with the Baptist Road Rural Transportation Authority (BRRTA). The dispute was over whether or not the school district owed an impact fee to BRRTA for having built Creekside Middle School within the authority’s boundaries. The assessed fee was $100,000 and was designated for improvements to Baptist Road. The two boards finally came to a resolution at an executive session on Sept. 25. It was agreed that, in return for a one-time payment of $34,000, BRRTA would never again, under any circumstances, assess School District 38 a fee for any new buildings or renovations to current facilities. This applies to the current BRRTA boundaries, as well as to all future BRRTA annexations.

Monument Academy (MA) principal Chuck Holt presented a charter application from the academy’s High School Committee. The application is for a four-year liberal arts high school for 500 students, offering three tiers of classes:

  1. A track for students who have no desire to go to college

  2. College prep classes, with six to eight Advanced Placement courses

  3. An International Baccalaureate Program

In order to fund the opening of a high school of this scope, MA plans to file for grant money that is available only to new charters; this is the reason the committee is seeking a separate charter from the existing MA charter. School board members, while stating that they welcome another high school in the district, expressed several concerns.

Hugh Eaton said he is worried about the fiscal problems MA will experience. High schools are more expensive to operate than elementary schools; after the initial grant money is expended, the school’s fiscal operation would be at risk. Tommie Plank questioned if MA would consider opening the high school first without the IB component, in order to give them some experience in running a secondary school before dealing with the additional complications and requirements of an IB program. Jes Raintree criticized the application document, pointing out that it was insufficient and was actually no more than a staff handbook. She stated they must address specifically how the MA high school will be operated, including class offerings, scheduling, staffing, administration, and budgetary management, among other items.

The school board and Holt agreed to meet on Oct. 30 with other officials from District 38 and the Charter Academy to discuss in detail the school’s plans and the board’s expectations. Board President Jeff Ferguson expressed the district’s favorable view of the charter high school, saying it might satisfy the preferences of those parents who favor a smaller facility for their high school students. However, he said, there are concerns regarding the complexity of offering a high school program for which a strong administrative and financial structure is critical. Careful planning is needed in order for the school to be successful.

The board approved an agreement with Dream Team Technologies to improve the district’s Web site. The plan allows for technologies and training for numerous uses at the building and the district levels, such as personnel services, learning services, professional development, and public relations.

Maryann Wiggs was recognized for being named the Colorado Association for Gifted & Talented Administrator of the Year, in honor of her work with gifted and talented students in the district and the state.

Chairman Pete Heinz reported that in October, the District Advisory and Accountability Committee (DAAC) meeting was the Meet the Candidates forum, which was well attended and informative. He also thanked Dr. Ferguson and Mrs. Plank, on behalf of the DAAC, for their dedication and years of service as long-standing members of the school board.

Superintendent Dave Dilley pointed out some highlights of the accomplishments of the Lewis-Palmer Board of Education and administrators from a recent report of statistics compiled by the Colorado School Finance Project. The report covered a 13-year period between 1988-89 and 2001-02. He highlighted the following:

  • Student enrollment increased 120 percent, from 2,149 students to 4,735

  • Special Education population increased 136 percent

  • Expenditures on instruction increased 258 percent

  • The operating budget for administrative support decreased from 11 percent to 9.5 percent

  • Number of teachers per 1,000 students increased 15.3 percent

  • Teacher salaries increased 43.1 percent

  • Even with growth, the average experience of district teachers remained close to 11 years of experience

  • The number of teachers with master’s degrees increased from 32.7 percent to 48.6 percent

Four Prairie Winds Elementary School students, who are in teacher Debbie Ross’ Brown Bag lunch program, made a presentation to the board. Emily Dean, Katie Boylen, Logan Woish, and Ben Fetter talked about their exploratory study of Colorado wildflowers and gave the board a "Window of Wildflowers" to be hung in the Administration Building after the renovation is finished.

A commendation certificate was presented to Food Service Supervisor Donna Link for managing this department so well since 1989. She has made continual improvements in the service as well as in the financial health of the operation. Commendations were also presented to several people from the Air Force Academy Foreign Language Department for their assistance in the English Language Learners program by providing translations for their English Language International Dinner.

Registered voters are reminded of the school board election on Nov. 4. Voters can select one candidate from each of the three districts in which a seat is up for election. On Nov. 13, the board will meet at 7 p.m. at Grace Best Elementary School for the swearing-in of the newly elected school board members. The newly formed Board of Education will then have an organizational meeting, according to Colorado statute, at which time members will vote on officers for the next two years.

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Letters to Our Community

Drilling at Mt. Herman

We have in office a president who is giving oil and gas companies huge tax breaks for exploration of natural oil/gas in the country. What affects our little neighborhood is currently sponsored by the Dyad Oil Company of Midland Texas. A local oil consultant who has 20 years’ experience and has been researching the Mt. Herman drilling—and who has tried unsuccessfully to talk to Tom Dyches from Dyad— met with me and explained some things. The technical documents are available for anybody to see at the Covered Treasures Bookstore in Monument.

The well would be a "tight hole," or company proprietary special design, and implementation is not open to outside inspection. The actual drilling site is a small pad, and the area surrounding it is not huge. The well will be drilled at an unspecified depth but at a fairly steep angle, not a directional angle that will invade any nearby areas. Oil and gas companies are required by federal law to do extensive reclamation when the area is evacuated. If gas is found, another test hole would be drilled from the same surface location. A gas discovery could lead to more drilling sites and…well, it won’t be pretty.

Tim Grantham, land specialist at the U.S. Forest Service, is the contact for this project. He met with concerned citizens a few months back and is planning on letting people know when Dyad will move forward. At this point, Dyad is not willing to pay for the environmental studies of the affected area. They have been leasing the land from the federal government with the intention of seeing a financial gain from the investment in the form of gas. Need I say they don’t want to spend more?

Both Dyad and the Forest Service will schedule public meetings at some point, but I suggest looking into the documentation at the bookstore. My question is, why not look for alternative forms of transportation and energy use so we don’t have this problem? Can we not get past our hugely dependent state and get past the interest in foreign countries where we get our oil and get past dealing with the environmental issues that plague us because of our dependency?

Sure, Dyad could bolster our small community economically with this drilling for a short time—a month if nothing is found, or longer if gas is found. But at what price? Oil and gas have been a big part of our state economically. It is a boom and bust industry, and there are issues that must be examined as a result of this. Let’s think ahead and not just react to the current situation.

Tim Watkins

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A Better Life, Sport, Arts, and Education

Is that not what we want for our children, a better life than we had? I have heard that living in the Tri-Lakes region is challenging for some parents, especially those who are monetarily challenged. I have heard concerns about the lack of recreational and educational resources here. Many parents drive their kids to activities such as soccer games in Denver, Vail, and Colorado Springs. Many parents homeschool or pay for private school plus the transport costs for their kids. All because they truly believe that they are giving their children the chance for a better life. However, there may be better alternatives.

As a teacher, I have found that if a child gets hooked on anything, it will improve everything in her life, including academics. I am talking about PASSION. It burns in a child most frequently in sports and art. These have been typically among the first things that a school board is forced to cut to save precious tax dollars. If a kid plays and acquires a passion for tennis, volleyball, cycling, baseball, basketball, skateboarding, or another sport, it will vastly improve her life. If a kid acquires a passion for piano, guitar, flute, drawing, painting, sculpting, visual arts, stagecraft and design, creative writing, or another artistic or creative discipline, it will vastly improve her attitude and ultimately her life.

All of the activities mentioned above are available locally at an average or above average facility and program. Some are nationally prominent such as the Colorado Juniors Volleyball Club of Monument. This training program has been responsible for 86 scholarships worth over $4,537,000 since 1991. [See related news item in this issue of OCN]. It is beyond the scope of this letter to mention each sport or art program, but if you contact me, I will be happy to refer you to the appropriate person or venue.

One program in the arts and education not well known in Tri-Lakes is the Denver School of Arts (DSA, 303-321-9435, http://dsa.dpsk12.org). The DSA is a public school, grades 6-12, that ranks eighth in Colorado in CSAP scores. A new open schools law recently passed in Colorado. It allows any child in Colorado to attend this school or any other school in Colorado, subject to admission and audition requirements. Approximately one-third of the kids attending DSA are from "out of the Denver public school district," according to the principal, Patti Bippus. This school has been recognized and won an invitation to have their students perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.!

This is a Denver public school, FREE to all Colorado residents. Simply get the children to Denver public transportation and they safely arrive at school. Perhaps the TREX station or Mineral station could be a drop point. I envision that one day soon, our citizens will be able to board a train at the Palmer Lake station and ride to all points north and south.

The Palmer Lake Tennis Center will hire a bus to transport up to 40 kids and their families to the DSA auditions on Jan. 31 or Feb. 7, 2004, free to the auditioning children. An information night is scheduled at DSA for Dec. 1, with an application deadline of Dec. 12, for admission to the DSA in 2004 and 2005. For more information, contact me at 487-9184 or info@palmerlaketennis.com. The tennis center’s web site is www.palmerlaketennis.com.

So why not get inspired, excited, and passionate about transportation, sport, and the arts for our kids?

Kim Makower

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Extension of Baptist Road

Our County Commissioner, Wayne Williams, believes there is a groundswell of support for extending Baptist Road east to Hodgen Road. While it is possible that he is correct, I doubt it.

Commissioner Williams knows that every winter there are at least three days when Baptist Road, on the hill between Desiree Drive and Tari Drive, is extremely dangerous. Despite that fact, he wants to put more traffic onto Baptist Road.

Commissioner Williams, who sits on the board of the Baptist Road Rural Transportation Authority (BRRTA), is keenly aware that BRRTA does not have any plans to significantly increase safety on Baptist Road in its most hazardous section.

If Commissioner Williams understands that Baptist Road is dangerous, then why does he want to put more traffic onto it? Could it be because extending Baptist Road east past Roller Coaster Road would enable developers to sell more houses east of our community to future homeowners who would find it more convenient to get to the interstate?

If you believe that we don’t need Baptist Road extended, then please contact Commissioner Williams at 520-6444, waynewilliams@elpasoco.com, 27 East Vermijo, Colorado Springs, CO 80903-2208, or fax him at 520-6397 and tell him that the county doesn’t need to spend millions of dollars building roads that are neither needed nor wanted.

Steve Waldmann

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Ignorant Decisions

An election is coming, with lots of voting for additional flexibility of public funding for governments at local, county, and state levels. However, in providing a blank check to such governments, one should consider their past records to determine if additional trust in their management is warranted.

First, let us consider the use of federal funding in our area. Two projects come to mind. One is the unneeded expenditure to build a wall around the cadet area at the Air Force Academy. Has anyone considered what psychological impact this walling off will have or the cost of maintaining guards at the many entrances to this walled-off area? Another odd use of federal dollars is closing the on-off ramp near the State Weigh Station, based on safety. Many accidents occur on I-25 at speeds exceeding 70 mph, while none occurred at the 25 mph level on these ramps. So much for common sense.

Next, let us consider any misplaced trust in our county commissioners. Last year, the voting public rejected using taxpayer dollars for an unneeded expansion of the jail and courthouse; yet, our county commissioners ignored the voters and went ahead anyway. Now in 2003, the county is cutting all needed programs 4 percent across the board to hoard money to build a bridge over Struthers Creek to aid private developers, who do not want to pay their fair share of the transportation costs their projects will cause.

Next on the list of untrustworthy local governments is the Town of Monument Board of Trustees, who want to increase authority over town funds to give away the town reserves to the Triview Metropolitan District that is a doormat for bad development and does not want to collect traffic impact fees developments in the rest of the town must pay. Most of the trustees want to give away $2 million to the Triview Metro District, which has run up over $30 million in debt without any public works to show for it and without a vote of the district residents, as required by the TABOR Amendment to the state constitution. This board of trustees has given away multiple town assets to private individuals near the lake and in various neighborhoods. Can you trust them to protect the town interests or give them away?

If you live in Jackson Creek, you do not even get to vote for additional indebtedness (as required by TABOR). So much for trust there. Why aren’t the elected officials representing these people doing anything about this?

Lastly, we look at the state putting a bunch of funding initiatives on the ballot, from Amendment 33 to Referendum A. Why can’t the state squeeze the measly $20 million out of its $2 billion annual budget to promote tourism? If water is important, why can’t the state Legislature do something about it? Do we want to be like California, with 80 percent of our budget spent on mandated programs? Should we not be able to discuss these needs in open forums of government or must we be asked to take on these issues without all the facts and make uninformed decisions like the many illustrated above?

Leon Tenney

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Just Say No to Wal-Mart

I am writing to express my concern over a Wal-Mart superstore in our neighborhood. We live in the Jackson Creek subdivision. The area is quiet, peaceful and with easy access to I-25. A Wal-Mart store at the proposed location on Baptist Road would change all that.

If a Wal-Mart had already been in the proposed location, we would never have even looked at or considered the Jackson Creek subdivision. There are endless reasons why: the added traffic, noise, the demolition of the natural landscape…I could go on. Currently, there is a Wal-Mart just 8 miles south of here. For me and others I’ve talked to, that’s close enough. I know I don’t want to live next to or a half-mile away from a Wal-Mart. I’m fearful of my home value and neighborhood value decreasing.

 Our previous home was in Round Rock, Texas. While we were there, a Wal-Mart was built at an intersection to I-35, near our home. And, oh yes, intersection improvements were made ahead of time, but they were no match for the traffic that Wal-Mart sucked in. The congestion that Wal-Mart caused made a once-easy access to I-35 impossible. If you could make it through that intersection after three traffic signal loops, you were doing well. My wife and I could no longer use that intersection. A three-mile detour was much more desirable. To detour from Baptist and I-25 would be much more inconvenient.

I know I don’t want to drive 14 miles home from work and have to fight all that traffic with only half a mile left to get home. I’m not sure people realize how much traffic a Wal-Mart brings in; it’s like a black hole. If they did, I don’t think this project would even be considered here. And with a store just 8 miles way, I’m constantly asking myself "why?" The store would be as big as the town—it’s not even proportional to the area’s population.

From my point of view and everyone else I’ve talked to in the neighborhood, leave the field, the horses, the trees, and the hometown feel of King Soopers alone and let Wal-Mart build someplace else. I’m sure they’ll do fine without a Monument store.

 Norman & Linda Baker

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Paintball concerns continue

Complaints about Fusion Extreme Gaming, the paintball park in Palmer Lake, have gone down dramatically over the past several weeks.

You might think that the paintballs that escape the game area—which are hitting homes, businesses, and cars, littering our neighborhood, and endangering anyone outside the netted game area but within paintball gun range—are being contained. You also might assume that the intolerable noise of paintball gunfire and bunker hits, coupled with players’ loud yelling, might be buffered somehow. You could assume that the parking ordinances are in compliance and the Fusion Extreme Gaming and Fletcher’s Well Drilling have cleaned up the stored junk.

Don’t be fooled by fewer complaints being made. The diminished activity at the paintball park is the reason for reduced complaints by homeowners and businesses. Fusion Extreme Gaming announced at the last Palmer Lake Town Council meeting that the operation hours would be reduced during the winter.

Fusion Extreme Gaming, the Palmer Lake Town Council members and mayor, along with some other authorities, are clouding containment issues. Claims are being made suggesting that the escaping paintballs are not coming from the paintball park, but from others outside the game area.

You would have to have quite an imagination to believe that. The game area is about 50 yards long and 30 yards wide. With the gun range of about 75-plus yards or more, it is impossible to keep the paintballs within the boundaries set up in this open-air park. The paintballs can easily be shot out of the compound as well as ricochet out of the game area off bunkers. Paint and paintballs are evident outside the netted game area during and after play, including on the electrical power poles owned by IREA.

On Oct. 19 at about 3 p.m., I observed two Fusion Extreme owners stepping on and grinding into the dirt road, paintballs that littered Commercial Lane, just outside the paintball park. They seemed to be also checking for paintball hits on the adjacent building that has been hit before. Persons and property within paintball gun range are at risk of being hit by these stray paintballs. Employees parking in the adjacent business’s parking lot are at risk, as well as mail delivery, parcel post, and other delivery services.

Home and business owners surrounding this paintball park that signed petitions as well as submitted complaint letters are waiting for an appropriate response from Palmer Lake Town Council and the mayor concerning their unresolved issues. It is unconscionable to expect these property owners, business owners, and people who signed the petitions to endure any longer the intolerable nuisance of this business in Palmer Lake.

Gary Atkins

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A homeowner’s perspective of the paintball facility on Highway 105

A junkyard? A war zone? A little piece of heaven in Palmer Lake—or hell? Is this what you moved here for? Do you want to see this mess [paintball at Fusion Extreme Gaming] every time you drive into Palmer Lake?

The mayor and the town council seem very defensive about this issue. We fought tooth and nail to be heard, but our concerns seem to fall on deaf ears. When we have tried to discuss our issues, the council has set up a confrontational situation between Fusion Extreme Gaming and the neighbors, when we feel we should be addressing our concerns exclusively to the town council.

Waiting patiently for months now for minutes of alleged town meetings. Still unclear if they followed proper procedures for this aggressive business that has damaged surrounding homes and businesses, with potential for serious physical harm. Cat-and-mouse game to get a printed response to the formal paperwork we handed in weeks ago that included stated code violations and crucial information that we feel should have been reviewed before allowing approval of this facility. I believe that there were no real standards to approve this paintball facility. Colorado Springs hasn’t allowed them, and one facility in El Paso County took almost two years for approval. People have said the paintball facility at Fusion Extreme Gaming was supposed to be fully enclosed. So what happened? Why does everyone have a different story about this, and why didn’t this dangerous and objectionable business get more attention before it was approved?

Is this how the natural beauty and good qualities of Palmer Lake are retained by this administration? Do you think it’s fair to expect the neighbors and families to invest everything they own without a say and without the logical, necessary, and careful investigation by our town of this aggressive, warlike activity that encourages violence and exposes us to direct property damage, personal and public safety, major nuisance issues, and real estate depreciation? This quick decision by the council may increase revenues to the town, but at what expense to neighbors and families already overwhelmed by irregular planning on this side of Palmer Lake? The town has dumped this in our backyard. It is so noisy we can’t even enjoy our property anymore. I can’t mow my lawn without fear of getting hit by paint bullets. In their hearts, the owners and the town council must know by now from the strong opposition that this is definitely the wrong place for a paintball facility.

Of course, nonresidents say NO problem. They like the convenience factor. Well, then YOU move this War Zone and Junkyard facility to YOUR neighborhood. How’s that for convenient? If they think it’s so safe, then take off the protective gear and face the bullets as innocent bystanders have to here. Shoot it at your cars and let it dry and see IF the paint comes off. I’m afraid to leave my car in the driveway and so are my friends. The best place to put this facility is away from where it impacts any residents.

We don’t want to be at the mercy of this facility. Now they are playing with torn nets and big gaping holes. I pass by there everyday; the town has done nothing to control this, and this is extremely dangerous to our neighborhood. Who knows: These lower standards may open the door to many businesses rejected by other towns. Noise, garbage, property damage, littering, code violations, safety issues–no problem, come to Palmer Lake and get approved! Perhaps everyone in Palmer Lake can now store junk because this town administration and police have done absolutely nothing to get rid of the broken, rusted-out trucks and cars, garbage, and litter that fill and surround this facility. We were told that someone mistook the paintball facility for the dump and left an old refrigerator. Do you think if this was happening in the mayor’s and council members’ neighborhoods, this would have gotten this far?

George Winnick

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Letters from Law Enforcement: Crime prevention

By Joe Kissell,
Chief, Monument Police Department

The Monument community has been experiencing a rash of car break-ins. The people who suffered damage to their property and lost valuable items left those items in their cars. In some cases, the cars were left unlocked, with the items in plain view. Others left items of value in view but locked their cars; in those cases, the criminals broke windows to take what they wanted. In two cases, garage doors were left open and the criminals entered the garages and stole valuables out of the cars parked there.

The Monument Police Department would like to offer suggestions as to ways you can protect your property and help avoid the possibility of becoming a victim.

  • Park your car in the garage if you can. If you have to park it outside, keep it locked.

  • Do not keep your valuables in the car overnight. Many of the items stolen could have been locked in the trunk of the car or brought into the house.

  • Do not leave checkbooks, credit cards, wallets, cell phones, laptops, or receipts in your car.

  • Always close your garage door when you are not in the garage and check it every night to make sure it has been closed.

  • If your garage is too full to park in, consider a storage unit or shed, or empty the garage so you can use it to protect your cars and valuables.

  • Consider installing motion detector lights. Criminals are sneaks. That is why they operate primarily at night. They don’t want to be seen.

  • Get to know your neighbors. Know who lives in the neighborhood and what they drive. Use each other to watch the house when you are out of town or away for an extended period.

  • Become involved in protecting your community.

The police department is investigating the break-ins and needs the community’s help deterring crime. We are looking for volunteers of the different neighborhoods in Monument to serve as block captains for the Neighborhood Watch/Community Watch program. In this program, citizens—in cooperation with their local law enforcement agency—directly participate in the detection and prevention of crime. Citizens are trained to recognize criminal activities in their neighborhoods and report them to the police department, providing valuable information to the police to aid them in their duties. Block captains are responsible for organizing their neighbors, working with the police department to establish dates for initial meetings, staying in contact with the department for updated information, and keeping the neighborhood informed. Together, we can develop a formidable team designed to decrease our vulnerability to the criminal element.

If you are willing to serve as a block captain or are interested in starting a Neighborhood/Community Watch program, contact the Monument Police Department at 481-3253.

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Perspective on Our Community: Where do we go from here?

By Chris Pollard

When I moved to this area 25 years ago, I rather liked the lack of houses on our street but knew that in time the lots would be built on. Today, most lots have houses on them, and apart from the road having a layer of asphalt and the addition of culverts, things really seem no worse than before. The road doesn’t wash away with every heavy storm, the traffic isn’t bad, and the friendliness of the neighbors and interaction with them compensates for the loss of open space. Overall, the quality of life in this microcosm of the area is slightly improved.

When I look at the larger neighborhood, I’m not so sure of improvements in quality of life. Highway 105 is no bigger than it used to be but has much more traffic. The old local hardware store that seemed to have almost everything I wanted is no longer around, and the one that replaced it, though bigger in size, doesn’t seem to have quite the same appropriate selection. There is one major improvement, to me: We gained a Safeway along the way. We didn’t like the local supermarket, located in the same building as the hardware store, and so we traveled into Colorado Springs for our groceries. Now, we just cross the highway and have the added advantage of a pharmacy that is open every day of the week. We have gained a few other useful stores—a Radio Shack, a bookshop, a coffeeshop or two, and some other items of interest.

As I think beyond the neighborhood, to the county area, this sort of measure of overall quality goes downhill really fast. We’ve added lots of people, but the unique resources have not grown to compensate. We’re struggling to keep one professional orchestra going, and though we may have far more stores and restaurants, they have mostly come as national chains. The number of people sharing the outdoors and facilities has obviously grown markedly.

The trend for the future is even worse. As Wal-Mart continues to grow its monopoly, the market share for uniqueness falls. The selection of materials available there is driven almost purely by cost and a rabid desire to push suppliers to source materials from yet lower cost sources. Quality, variety, longevity, and uniqueness do not figure in this plan.

We keep being told that growth is good—that growth pays for things that improve our lives. But in the Colorado Springs area, this is surely not what is happening. When the number of people here grows to a point where it actually affects how much water we are allowed to have; when the roads are no bigger than they were 25 years ago—then it is obviously not working.

If we listen to the spiel of the developers, realtors, and business advocates, more is better. Lately, I am questioning this. If I aspired to having a house on 2 acres 25 years ago and there are four times as many people here now, that means I’ll only be able to have half an acre for my home. If I once was able to drive to the Springs in 20 minutes and it now takes 40, that means a lot more wasted time. Even the developers seem to be caught in this trap. One prominent developer lives in a large older house surrounded by what used to be pasture. The land has since been mostly developed for other smaller estates. His own quality of life has been clearly diminished by this.

So it is that I think we need to turn around. Instead of growing willy-nilly, adding more and more sprawl as our savior of a better life, we should think about how we can improve the quality of life in the area and make individual growth, outlook, and prosperity the goal.

We have been besieged lately with arguments regarding Referendum A on money for water projects. "We need to spend more money on water storage projects. Because of the drought, our reservoirs are nearly empty." Excuse me, but adding more storage capacity when you aren’t using what you have is quite ludicrous. If we are using most of the resource already, then adding more capacity to support more people will only make the system even more precarious.

The same with energy. There is some talk of drilling in the local national forest. If we have to drill in the national forest today to get enough energy to support the people already here, what will we do in the future? We seem to be approaching the limits as it is.

So where do we go from here? I think that we have to realize that this area has limits. Limits to resources that are essential for our existence. Transferring water from the other side of the mountains—even though they say it’s "ours," to allow more development here— makes for a poorer and riskier quality of life here. As far as I have seen, the Colorado River isn’t exactly the Mississippi at the best of times; and by the look of the country it goes through, the land could almost all do with every drop that is available.

I think we need to change to a system of development that does not rely on growth by adding population but instead try to divert to a system that improves the quality of life. Growth in the area would be growth for the individual. We need to concentrate on becoming a society that is sustainable, not one that implodes every few decades because we ran out of something.

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Perspective on Our Community: Monument Express Bus Service: Use it or lose it

View the Monument Express Schedule and Route

By Tim Schutz

As a frequent user of the Monument Express Bus Service, I want all residents to know that the bus service has not been discontinued. However, usage on both routes will be periodically reevaluated and assessed. Obviously, if the community believes this type of service is beneficial, it needs to support it. To that end, a number of regular riders have volunteered their time to publicize this service so prospective riders might know what a great service this is for Tri-Lakes residents.

There are four primary two-way bus routes:

  • Direct route between the Monument Park and Ride (on Highway 105 across from 7-11) to downtown Colorado Springs (the bus station at Kiowa and Nevada)

  • Direct route between the Monument Park and Ride to the Garden of the Gods Tech Center (looping around LSI Logic at Agilent)

  • Direct route between the Monument Park and Ride to Tiffany Square Park and Ride (southwest of Woodmen and Corporate Center Drive)

  • Direct route between Tiffany Square Park and Ride to downtown Colorado Springs

The bus is a bargain. If you pay one trip at a time, the one-way cost is $2.25, or $4.50 round-trip. That amount decreases to $1.75 one way, and $3.50 round-trip if you buy a $75 Monument Express 40-ride ticket. A 10-ride ticket costs $20. Tickets are available at the Safeway courtesy counter, the downtown bus terminal on the corner of Kiowa and Nevada, and online at www.springsgov.com (click on Transportation and Transit, then select the Springs Transit Link).

One of the regular downtown riders has calculated that the fuel/maintenance/parking expenses associated with a daily commute from Monument to downtown Colorado Springs is approximately $150 per month. The bus costs her $60 per month, resulting in an annualized savings of $1,080!

The bus is extremely comfortable and seating is generous. The passenger mix is diverse. I have transformed my 30-minute commute from sitting behind the driver’s wheel to productive work time. Others use the commute time to read a book or simply relax.

Every passenger represents one less car in the I-25 gridlock. The resulting savings to life, limb, and property are difficult to quantify, but obviously very real. Consider the 10-plus crashes, including one fatality, on I-25 this past Friday (Oct. 24) alone. Also, the bus runs on compressed natural gas, so it is environmentally friendly.

The bus provides a means of transportation for those who could not otherwise drive to town. As the father of a legally blind daughter and the brother of a quadriplegic, I know firsthand that not all who need transportation can drive. Mass transit is obviously a significant benefit to the disabled, the elderly, the poor, and many others.

The Monument Express also represents a first step. I have lived in Monument for 16 years, and this is the first time that I can recall a regular bus service between Monument and Colorado Springs. If well received, this service will provide a predicate for more extensive bus and rail services along the entire Front Range, from Pueblo to Denver.

So, with apologies to Paul "Rhym’n" Simon,

Make a new plan, Stan
Drop off the key, Lee
Hop on the Bus, Gus
and Ride the Monument Express.

View the Monument Express Schedule and Route

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Between The Covers at the Covered Treasures Bookstore: Confessions of a trade show junkie

By Judith Pettibone

"Did you have fun, Mom?" my daughter asked. Fun? Only if you think it would be fun to spend three days surrounded by folks who love books … book sellers, book publishers, authors and two ballrooms filled with tables, tables, and more tables of books. Fun? Only if you think it would be fun to listen to brand new and best selling authors and illustrators talk about writing/illustrating and their latest books. Fun? Only if you think it would be fun to hear publishers give a 15-minute, rapid-fire spiel on their "hottest" books for the upcoming season. In short, I had fun.

I recently spent a weekend at my third Mountains and Plains Regional Trade Show. My inaugural show was utterly overwhelming. My second show was better but still somewhat hard to absorb. This year, almost all modesty aside, I am nearly a pro … with only a modicum of being in over my head.

Friday: We saw the premier of a wonderful documentary about Denver’s Joyce Meskis’s (owner of The Tattered Cover), two year long fight to protect customer records as a First Amendment right. There was good discussion on the potentially sobering effect of the Patriot Act on libraries and bookstores.

Every quarter hour, at "Pick of the Lists," we heard a different publisher’s rep give us their best guess at what might be a best seller or "must buy" for the next season. Except for the idea that there are already too many books and too little time, it’s energizing to hear knowledgeable reps wax enthusiastically about books we may be unpacking soon.

Saturday: "Author Benefit Breakfast for Literacy" With all profits going to literacy projects and a panel of wonderful authors, this is one of my favorite parts of the show. This year’s panel was comprised of:

(a) Brand new author Karol Griffin (Skin Deep: Tatoos, The Disappearing West, Very Bad Men and My Deep Love for Them All) who had never spoken in front of more than two people at one time. She did just fine.

(b) Brand new author, Marisol, with a six-figure contract for her first book, The Lady, The Chef and the Courtesan who gave us the low down on writing a book, and getting both an agent and publisher in a most unconventional and hilarious way;

(c) Caldecott Honor winning illustrator, Peter Sis, with his latest children’s/adult picture book on Darwin, The Tree of Life. As he admits to stage-fright, he used a slide show to illustrate his early influences and what inspired this particular book. One of his goals with this book, and I suspect subsequent books, is to investigate human beings who have altered the way we humans think.

(d) And then …. Joyce Carol Oates. Twice nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and professor of literature at Princeton, she has almost iconic stature. If you have seen her photos, you might think she would be intimidating. You would be wrong; we were. In a tour de force demonstration of "after dinner speaking," she managed to weave an amusing, intelligent and captivating speech from the words of the other three authors. She barely mentioned her own books and we didn’t notice. For the record, her latest adult novel is The Tatoo Girl and her most recent young adult book is Freaky Green Eyes.

After breakfast, the "Floor" (ballrooms heaped with books) opened. ‘Kid in a candy store’ comes to mind as one wanders the booths, picking up advanced reading copies, catalogues, promotional gifts, and actual free copies of real books. Taking advantage of show specials, we place orders. We make many trips back to the room with heavily laden book bags. Even though I made a yeoman’s effort, I did not visit every booth in the day and a half. Perhaps next year.

Interspersed throughout the day and evening, are book signings. In small conference rooms, authors give a short talk and then sign their latest books. My favorite was Colorado Spring’s illustrator Michael Hague who was signing two of his books, Santa by Frank L. Baum and Peter Pan by Barrie. We waited an hour for him, as he actually illustrates the frontispiece of the book; in our case, a full page Santa head. He spent about 4 – 5 minutes per book. When one of our colleagues asked if he wasn’t getting tired, he replied, "Well, you have to understand that this is what I do all day long … draw." Indeed.

Sunday: "Children’s Author/Illustrator Benefit Breakfast for Literary" We were treated this year to:

a) Betsy Lewin, illustrator of the absolutely hilarious Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type and Giggle, Giggle, Quack, presented her newest book, Two Eggs, Please. With slides, Lewin amusingly showed us how illustrations are more than they seem … for example, at times, cleverly advancing the plot. Two Eggs, Please is a bright, charming book on understanding differences. By the way, Click, Clack, Moo has been used by adult groups in conflict, as an excellent (and funny) example of negotiation that succeeds.

b) Rosemary Wells, author and illustrator, who is probably best known for her Max and Ruby series. Wells, also with the assistance of slides, showed us how she works - her studio, her paints, and her palette. It was very satisfying to someone who loves the behind the scene story of almost anything. Wells’, new book, The Small World of Binky Braverman is written by Wells and illustrated by Caldecott-winner, Richard Egielski. It is the charming story of a small, lonely boy who becomes brave through his nighttime imagination. Wells is also passionate about her other new book Only You written for a special audience of new mothers for whom life has not been easy and where attachment difficulties could arise. Wells will take no royalties on this book that will be given to new moms by social service programs.

It was a full three days … full of books and book folk. I had fun!

Until next month, good reading.

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High Country Highlights: The Fall Garden

By Woody Woodworth

October is one of my favorite months for color in the garden. Last month was so unseasonably warm we still saw late blooms on mums and asters into the third week. The Autumn Joy sedum sported large heads of seed-like flowers that turned almost bronze in the record-breaking temperatures. Our Autumn Blaze maple tree and our Burning Bush were showstoppers again with their vibrant red leaves against the green leaves that were still on the bushes surrounding them. The only bare bush at that time was the Red-Twig Dogwood. It had already started to show signs of cool weather by its leaves turning golden early, falling quickly, and the greenish-yellow branches turning fire engine red.

We spread a natural fertilizer and deer repellant called Milorganite to keep the hungry does and fawns from munching the ground covers, tearing the leaves off the purple leaf plum and devouring the pyracantha and lilac bushes. The sprinkler system has been drained since a cold snap hit in early October, so we have had to hand water the trees, shrubs, and perennials a few times to keep up with the hot, sunny days.

The temperatures were low enough for a few nights in a row to hard-freeze the annuals. We said good-bye to the beautiful fuchsia, calibracoa and scaveola hanging baskets. One night, we lost the angel wing begonias and impatiens. We watched as the morning light and warmth from the sun instantly started to shrivel them up and make them turn brown. The geraniums were hit hard, as well as a couple of basil plants we neglected to cover. They have all been removed and thrown on the compost pile to keep disease and pests away from the surviving plants.

The perennial vines all got frosted, but not before the red flames of the Virginia creeper showed every foot of themselves climbing the fences and entwining around the arbor in a beautiful showcase event. Virginia creeper and trumpet vines are so wild, we won’t have to baby them through the winter months. The grape, honeysuckle, and clematis are all mulched in at the roots and watered well. The winter sun is too hot for them, and we will take care to not let them dry out.

Most of the herb garden is still strong, as well as the lilies, iris, and a few of the hardier wave of petunias. The gazania is still blooming, and we saw a few blooms on the blue salvia last week. The Karl Forester grass plumes have turned golden brown, and the champagne grass is a pink champagne color. They will stay that way, along with most of the other perennials, through the winter to provide a neat winterscape until I cut them back in the spring.

November, the days are shorter, the nights are colder, and we spend less time in the garden. If you haven’t prepared your gardens for winter, remember these three things: Mulch well, water plants twice each month on the nice days, and kick back and enjoy the "off-season" while you dream of an early spring.

Woody Woodworth owns High Country Feed & Garden and is a member of Garden Centers of Colorado and the Green Industry.

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Palmer Lake chili supper and star lighting Nov. 29

By Judy Barnes

The Town of Palmer Lake will host its annual chili supper on Nov. 29 at the Town Hall. The lighting of the star on Sundance Mountain will follow supper. The money raised goes to the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department for maintenance of the star. Last year’s event drew about 700 people.

Dinner is at 5 p.m. In addition to chili, potato soup and cinnamon rolls will be served. The star lighting is between 7 and 8 p.m. This is a unique, fun event—a wonderful way for people to begin the holiday season. Tickets will be available at the door for $6 ($3 for children under 12).

In addition to supper and socializing, there are chances to win prizes donated by local merchants and business owners. When you walk in the door, you buy a two-part ticket; one part is for supper, and the other part goes into a fire hat for door prize drawings. Then, inside is the bucket raffle that offers prizes donated by area businesses and providers of goods and services. In front of each prize is a fried chicken bucket. A bucket raffle participant competes for one or more raffle prizes by placing one or more tickets in a bucket in front of the prize desired. Tickets for this raffle are $1 each, or 6 tickets for $5. One prize is very special. The winner of this prize will get to flip the switch that lights the star.

For information about the supper or to donate prizes, call the Palmer Lake town office, 481-2953.

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The Story of the Palmer Lake Star

The Christmas Star on Sundance Mountain owes its existence to the many dedicated people of Palmer Lake who over the decades have donated time and money to its care. The star had its origins in 1934, when several Palmer Lake residents came up with the idea. Byron Medlock, Clarence Rader, and Floyd Bellinger worked on the design. The actual construction was a community project, with the men of Palmer Lake hauling poles, cable, sockets, and light bulbs, while the women provided food to keep the crew going.

The property on Sundance Mountain where the star was built was owned by Art and Reba Bradley, who donated the land to the Town of Palmer Lake in 1966. When Reba died in 1979, part of her estate was left to the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department for the maintenance of the star. In 1976, as a bicentennial project, the star was completely rebuilt with new cable and steel poles in concrete.

The star is illuminated by 91 light bulbs. With the exception of the years during World War II, the star has continued to be lit during the month of December. It has also been lit to mark such occasions as the release of the Iran hostages and the end of Desert Storm.

The fire department continues to maintain the star, using money raised by the annual chili supper and the interest accrued from the $3,000 certificate of deposit donated by Reba Bradley.

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Monument Fall Festival Fun Oct. 11

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The Society Page: Society Welcomes the Fading Past

By Leon Tenney

Susan C. Appleby presented her now and then photos of Douglas County at the October gathering of the Palmer Lake Historical Society. Appleby has been collecting interesting pictures and historical facts about the county for many years and wrote Fading Past: The Story of Douglas County, Colorado, published by Filter Press (and available at Covered Treasures Bookstore). She brought her publisher, Doris Baker, to this affair.

Memories of youth filled many of us as she gave her presentation. She began with an old photo of Castle Rock and then some shots of the train depot and old courthouse. Douglas County got a slow start on the development train because no major gold strikes were made in the county. Mostly, it served as a highway for travelers to more lucrative opportunities. But as luck would have it, the county was a wonderful place to raise a family, and during the 1880s, farms, ranches, sawmills, and dairy farms popped up.

Castle Rock became the county seat in 1874 after someone grabbed all the relevant records out of Franktown, which had been the county seat for awhile. In 1889, the new courthouse was built of rhyolite, which made such a fine building stone that even the hoi polloi in Denver used it for some of their buildings. Next came numerous pictures of Perry Street, which was the first business district of Castle Rock. Appleby filled us in on the pioneer ethic of that long-forgotten age of Douglas County history. Early pioneers put a lot of stock in civic pride and education, which was reflected in the sturdy construction of their public buildings.

We moved out of Castle Rock and into Deckers and South Platte. This area of the county became developed because of the railroad building a branch line up there in order to get wood. Since its heyday, this area of Colorado has become a sleepy, secluded spot. Then she told us of a leaky dam that burst in 1933 and caused a big flood (not of biblical proportions, though). The new dam built further downstream, in 1950, was called the Cherry Creek Dam and has been there ever since.

Throughout her presentation, Appleby interjected quotes from early residents and newspaper articles, saying "the past speaks for itself." We were told of early Highlands Ranch history and about John Springer and his society wife, Isabelle. They divorced when two men (neither of whom was her husband) fought a duel over her, which somehow got in the papers. Appleby showed us pictures of the inside of their home.

Following her presentation, Sam DeFelice, the society president, got up and talked for awhile. Then we all got to eat some great food provided by our loyal hostesses Phyllis Bonsel, Ethel Engel, and Paula Whittier.

Next month, the society will feature Jim Sawatzki and his latest video history, "Here Lies Colorado Springs." Don’t miss it. For information, phone DeFelice at 481-8623.

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Gift shop opening at TLCA

The Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts will open a gift shop on Nov. 7 with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Member-artists now have an opportunity to display their items for sale year-round at the center, not just during exhibitions. The gift shop opening will be held in conjunction with the "Black, White and Other Colors" art exhibit that also opens on Nov. 7. Both functions are open to the public at no charge.

Merchandise at the gift shop includes many forms of art, such as pottery, stained glass, jewelry, scarves, fountains, Fabergé -style eggs, baskets, sandblasted glassware, cards, seasonal décor, and more. Artists must be members in order to have their pieces on display in the gift shop. The shop’s policy is that no more than 40 percent of the items on display will be priced above $25, so the majority of items are $25 or less. 

Gift shop hours will be noon - 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays,and it will be open during special events.

The Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization with a mission of creating community partnerships for demonstrating, teaching, exhibiting, and promoting the arts. The center is located in the historic Kaiser Frazer building at 304 Highway 105 in Palmer Lake. Visit www.trilakesarts.com for information on upcoming performance events, classes, and exhibitions. Call 481-0475 for more information about the center or the gift shop.

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Special Events and Notices

Election Day

Tuesday, Nov. 4 is election day. If you didn’t vote by mail or in early voting, this is the day to go to your local polling place and vote your choice on school board candidates and important statewide and local issues. For information, call the El Paso County Election Department at 575-8683.

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Author Nancy Atherton coming to Palmer Lake Library

Meet author Nancy Atherton! The Palmer Lake Book Group will be hosting Atherton at the Nov. 7 meeting that begins at 9 a.m. Read an Aunt Dimity mystery by Atherton and discuss it with the group and the author. The group normally meets the first Friday of each month at the Palmer Lake Branch Library, 66 Lower Glenway. For information, call 481-2587.

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New art exhibit at TLCA

The Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts is presenting "Black, White & Other Colors," an exhibition juried by Gwen Fox, a nationally recognized artist. The show opens Nov. 7 with a celebration at 7 p.m. The exhibit will be on display Nov. 7-26. The Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts is located at 304 Highway 105 in Palmer Lake. For more information, call 481-0475 or visit www.trilakesarts.com.

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Pine Creek Holiday Bazaar

The 6th Annual Pine Creek Holiday Bazaar is Nov. 8, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Pine Creek High School, 10750 Thunder Mountain Ave. Admission is free. The bazaar features 140 booths of fine arts and holiday crafts, including cigar-box purses, original artwork, hand-thrown pottery, jewelry, fabric arts, Russian treasures, stained-glass, and creative woodworking. Also enjoy Grandma’s Kitchen, a bake sale, live holiday music, and a silent auction. This event benefits the school’s band program. To reach the school, take I-25 to Exit 153 (Interquest Parkway), go south on Highway 83 to Old Ranch Road, then east 3 miles (past Lexington Drive), following detour signs to the school. For information, call 531-0186 or 495-0155; or visit www.geocities.com/pcbazaar.

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John Fielder to speak at Sierra Club

Nationally renowned nature photographer and preservationist John Fielder will present his latest book, Seeing Colorado’s Forest for the Trees, at the November general meeting of the Pikes Peak Group of the Sierra Club. The event will be held on Nov. 11, at 7 p.m., at the First Congregational Church, 20 E. St. Vrain, in Colorado Springs. Fielder’s book includes Steve Smith’s thoughtful discussion on forest ecology and the human relationship to our woodlands, as well as Fielder’s beautiful photographs of Colorado’s trees. Fielder’s books and calendars will be on sale, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit the local Sierra Club. The event is free and open to all age groups. For more information, contact Janet Marletto at 226-1474 or jcmarletto@msn.com.

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TriLakes Women’s Club hosts Wine Tasting Benefit

The TriLakes Women’s Club (TLWC) presents Wine and Roses II, "An Event to Attend," on Nov. 13, 6 to 9 p.m., at Pinecrest Event Center, 106 Pinecrest Way, Palmer Lake. All are welcome to this evening featuring fine wines from around the world, served by celebrities from the Colorado Springs media, food, and a silent auction. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Reservations are limited. You may order tickets by mailing a check to TLWC, P.O. Box 669, Monument, CO 80132, or by e-mail, communityproj@tlwc.net. Ticket requests received after Nov. 1 will be held at will call the evening of the event.

The TriLakes Women’s Club is a nonprofit organization, created exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. In the past 28 years, more than $365,000 has been awarded to schools, fire and police departments, and nonprofit organizations that provide services to residents within the boundaries of Lewis-Palmer School District 38. For more information, please contact Wine and Roses II cochairs J.J. Kaelin, 4889242, jjkaelin@dellepro.com, or Jan Vaughn, 4870064, jvaughn@cs.quik.com.

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Library Channel airs local program

Adelphia cable channel 17, the Library Channel, will air Tri-Lakes Today, a 30-minute public affairs program featuring news and information about the Tri-Lakes area, on Nov. 21, 22 and 23 at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 11 p.m. Tri-Lakes Today normally airs the third weekend of each month.

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Palmer Lake Chili Supper and Star Lighting

The annual chili supper and bucket raffle will be on Nov. 29 at the Palmer Lake Town Hall, 28 Valley Crescent. Supper is at 5 p.m. and will be followed by the lighting of the star on Sundance Mountain between 7 and 8 p.m. The money raised goes to the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department for maintenance of the star. Tickets are available at the door. The cost is $6 for ages 12 and up, $3 for children under 12. For information, call 481-2953.

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Palmer Lake Christmas decoration contest in December

The town of Palmer Lake will hold its fourth annual house and yard decoration contest, featuring various categories. Pick up entry forms at the town office or at the Palmer Lake Post Office. For information, call 481-2953.

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Girls volleyball

The Colorado Juniors Volleyball Club, based at the Tri-Lakes Recreation Center in Monument, will soon be holding tryouts for the next season. According to Leslie Klein of Epic Sport Marketing in Colorado Springs, this girls volleyball training center has been successful in getting full-ride athletic scholarships for its senior girls. To date, according to the club’s web site, www.coloradojuniors.com, 86 college scholarships, totaling more than $4.5 million, have been awarded to its players. For more information on this or on the upcoming tryouts, call Colorado Juniors, Judy or Bill Peer at 534-3072, or check out the web site.

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Volunteer opportunities with HAP

The Tri-Lakes Health Advocacy Partnership, HAP, needs volunteers for several of its community programs. The foot clinic, at the Tri-Lakes fire station on the third Friday each month, needs pedicurists to clip toenails for seniors. Call Sue Meiler at 535-2749. The Respite Program, which provides rest for in-home caregivers, needs volunteers. Free respite training is available. Phone Liz Slusser at 488-8639 for more information.

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