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Tri-Lakes generosity sets a record

View a photo of fundraising at King Soopers

The local Monument Hill Sertoma, Lewis-Palmer High School Serteen clubs, and other volunteers rang the Salvation Army bell during this Christmas season, collecting a record amount of money from our generous community. Each year, in cooperation with the local King Soopers and Safeway stores, these volunteers team up for bell ringing for the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign. They start the weekend before Thanksgiving and end Christmas Eve. This year, they collected over $30,000—$4,400 more than last year. One hundred percent of the donations go to the Salvation Army.

Volunteers manned the bells at both stores from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends, totaling over 486 hours.

In addition to the bell ringers, others deserve recognition for their hard work: Eddie Kinney, who coordinated the campaign; Sam DeFelice and Mike Wicklund, who picked up the contributions each night; Stan Snyder, who coordinated bell ringers at King Soopers; Al Byers, who rang the bell the most, over 20 hours; and the store managers, Russ Nolotny for Safeway, and Kim Howell for King Soopers, and their staffs.

And thanks are due also to all the generous people in our community who year after year donate to this campaign to help the less fortunate.

On Dec. 11, the El Paso Count Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved three building projects in the Tri-Lakes region. Commissioner Jim Bensberg called for reconsideration of the June 19 BOCC decision to deny a subdivision exemption for an expanded Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District (TLFPD) Station 2. After adding a condition limiting residency at the station to a maximum of one year, the subdivision exemption was unanimously approved. Construction of the expanded station could start in February. In two other actions, the BOCC unanimously approved a preliminary plan for eight lots in the Walden Pines Subdivision (one-half mile east of Highway 83 and south of Walker Road) and a final plat for Struthers Ranch Subdivision Filing No. 1 (three-quarters of a mile south of Baptist Road on the east side of I-25).

On Oct. 14, 1982, the BOCC approved a "use subject to special review" to allow an emergency facility on the 16,000-square-foot site and approved a subdivision exemption for an 1,800-square-foot storage garage. Conditions on those approvals required that "neither the parcel nor structures thereon shall be inhabited" and that "well water shall be utilized for fire-fighting purposes only and specifically not for domestic use."

On April 15, 2003, the El Paso County Planning Commission held a hearing on a proposal to expand Station 2 to a 6,576-square-foot, two-story manned fire station. By a vote of 5-4, the planning commission approved the location of the station and recommended approval of the associated subdivision exemption removing the conditions of the 1982 approval. The approval of location by the planning commission was a final action and was not forwarded to the BOCC. The recommendation for approval of the subdivision exemption was forwarded to the BOCC for final action.

On June 19, the BOCC held a hearing on the subdivision exemption request. The proposed design of Station 2 includes individual bedrooms with a common eating area and would be a semi-permanent residence for upgrading college student firefighters; it would also be an inexpensive way to provide continuous manning of the new facility. This kind of arrangement is common in Colorado mountain resort towns. Neighbors and commissioners expressed concerns at the June 19 hearing about pets, spouses, or children residing at the station for extended periods and about the storage of private vehicles on the one-third-acre lot. Concerns were also expressed that the site was too small for the proposed station and that the architectural style would not be compatible with the neighboring 2.5-acre residential lots. In a 3-2 decision, the BOCC rejected the subdivision exemption. Commissioners Bensberg, Jeri Howells, and Wayne Williams were opposed to the request. Williams is the commissioner for District 1 that includes the Tri-Lakes area. Commissioners Chuck Brown and Tom Huffman were in favor of the exemption.

At the Nov. 20 TLFPD board meeting, board president Charlie Pocock announced that TLFPD had torn down the existing Station 2 building. The board unanimously passed a resolution to build an expanded Station 2 with or without BOCC approval, under an emergency "public safety necessity" provision of Colorado Revised Statutes on independent fire districts, specifically C.R.S. 30-28-110 (1) (c).

On Dec. 8, the three other north end fire departments—Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD), Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD), and Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD)—submitted to the BOCC a joint letter of opposition to Station 2 signed by W/MFPD Board President Robert Browning, DWFPD Board President William Lowes, and Palmer Lake Mayor Nikki MacDonald. Some of the points in their letter were:

Bensberg requested the BOCC reconsider the Station 2 subdivision exemption. He cited resolution of questions about the arrangement for providing water to the site, significant district taxpayer support for the station evidenced by petitions collected by TLFPD, and a change in the neighbors’ position on the proposal.

County attorney Mike Lucas said that although this application had to be submitted as a new proposal, as a re-hearing the commissioners could narrowly focus their discussion and public comments to new facts only.

Mike Garrott, planner with the county planning department, reviewed the background of the project and noted that there were 2,600 signatures on petitions presented to the BOCC. Williams noted there was no paperwork showing that the county’s 300-year water availability requirement was satisfied and no health department review of the proposed vertical septic system. Garrott said there had not been sufficient time to perform a full subdivision exemption request, as the application was only received on Nov. 19, though he added that this is typical of many such applications. Huffman noted that the wrong plan drawings had been submitted. Garrott concluded his review by saying the planning department had no recommendation for or against the subdivision exemption.

Attorney Bruce Wright spoke on behalf of TLFPD. He noted that TLFPD had obtained an agreement with the Northgate Company and Great Divide Water Company, owners of the adjacent parcel to the north and associated deep aquifer well. He said the agreement guarantees that TLFPD can use the well to satisfy the county’s 300-year water availability requirement. He also noted that the adjacent landowners to the west of the site, who had vocally opposed the proposal, sold their property to the Brysons, who favor the subdivision exemption and are working with TLFPD on a landscaping buffer between the two properties. He added that the site would serve 1,800 residences, 4,000 residents, and would have responded to 25 percent of all the TLFPD calls during 2003.

Williams asked if the petition signatures had been verified. Wright said they had not, but there were more than enough to make the district’s case nonetheless, and those signers from outside TLFPD were probably within the mutual aid service area for the four north end districts.

Pocock presented maps of five-minute driving times from the various Tri-Lakes area fire stations to illustrate how Station 2 would improve response times to the eastern portion of the district. He said the maps represent six-minute response times assuming one minute from call to vehicles rolling. Williams asked if these times were "no traffic, no lights" times. Pocock said they were the average of nine different time-of-day and day–of-the-week test runs. Pocock said the goal with Station 2 is to provide 24/7 coverage near the largest need with a properly equipped station and trained people.

Pocock said that, thanks to their training program, the district has qualified personnel to staff the facility, but added, "We may have to hire one or two." He said the district has equipment for the station, although some of it might have to be upgraded.

Williams said, "Are you asking for people to live there as their regular residence? Pocock said the station did not have apartments; rather, it would be a dormitory. He said, "Anyone staying at the station is an active on-duty firefighter. There will be no pets, no cooking, no drinking, and no visitors past 9 p.m. as at our other fire station."

Williams responded, "There is a significant difference between fire stations where firefighters stay for a few days versus that being their residence in terms of impact on the surrounding neighbors."

There followed a discussion between Pocock and Williams as to how many hours of continuous occupation defines a permanent residence. Williams insisted that Pocock say whether or not there would be firefighters sleeping at the station who had no other permanent residence. Pocock said the intention was for people to stay at the station for at least a semester of college study, probably for at least one year, and up to two years. He added that he did not want the BOCC setting time limits on occupation. He said he opposed Williams’ suggestion of a 48-hour maximum residency at one time and denied he had agreed with Williams to a 48-hour restriction prior to the hearing.

Pocock noted that there are 37 Colorado districts having semester-to-semester residency programs for college student volunteer firefighters.

Williams then referred Pocock to a Dec. 10 letter to the BOCC from Della Gins, town clerk for Palmer Lake, which states in part:

"Did you make that threat that if they spoke out against the station, you would revoke their service?" Williams asked.

"No," Pocock said.

"So this is a lie?" Williams asked.

"The board was very upset at receiving that letter," Pocock responded. He added, "We have had an excellent relationship with Palmer Lake. We interpret this as meddling in our business. We didn’t object when they bought a new fire truck. The ambulance service contract is due to run out at the end of December, and they have not signed it. I didn’t say we were going to rescind it. I said we’re going to discuss it."

Pocock added that he and his board were not upset by W/MFPD and DWFPD signing the Dec. 8 letter of opposition, just by Palmer Lake. He said he questioned whether Palmer Lakes was still a friend of TLFPD.

Pocock added that ambulance response times are five to eight minutes longer from the main station and that Station 2 would eliminate the climb up Highway 105 in bad weather. He said noise complaints about the new station were irrational. The new station was needed and would be built because it is needed and the board has the money in the bank to proceed immediately, with or without BOCC approval.

Ten Tri-Lakes area residents spoke in favor of the station, saying it would decrease response time for medical and fire equipment and personnel in the heavily forested area.

Bonnie Hildebrandt, wife of TLFPD board member John Hildebrandt, reported that people she knows who live on Roller Coaster Road are in favor of the project and have no objection to firefighters living there all the time. During her testimony, Hildebrandt did not identify her connection to the TLFPD board.

Forest Heights resident Keith Duncan said he was puzzled by the June disapproval saying, "It looks like public safety was not the number-one consideration."

Dustin Muth described the extreme fire hazard and inadequacy of fire protection in the eastern part of the Tri-Lakes area. Muth did not mention that he is a TLFPD firefighter.

Bent Tree resident and Walden developer Bill Dunston said, "I am surprised at the amount of politics in this fire business, the fighting over tax dollars. Those who oppose it have an ax to grind and are not looking at overall public benefit."

New neighbor Elizabeth Bryson said, "We need the station. A local insurance agent said it would reduce premiums 30 to 40 percent. Having the firefighters live there is not a factor. We lived near a station on Austin Bluffs and never saw any."

Neighbor Andy Reed expresses conditional support. He said it had been falsely reported in the press [not OCN] that he opposes the project and has sold his property. He said he had questioned the design of the building, its compatibility with the neighborhood, and how cramped it is on the site. He said, "This is literally in my backyard. Despite all that, I don’t oppose the construction of a fire station. I do have concerns about it being a permanent residence."

Elk Creek resident Brenda Eberhardt said, "Fire is a big issue. Medical response is very important to me. If students are willing to live there and be at my beck and call, God bless them."

Lowes then spoke for the letter signers, saying the Roller Coaster location is inefficient, particularly since W/MFPD is in favor of moving its station to Furrow Road. Note that the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation district has recently offered to purchase the current W/MFPD station for vehicle storage and maintenance. Lowes pointed out that the five-minute travel time drawings had nothing to do with insurance ratings, which are based on five road-mile distances from a station. He noted that the location of Station 2 would not meet five-minute travel time to Elk Creek. He said a station to cover the area east of Highway 83 should be further east than Station 2.

DWFPD Chief Bill Sheldon supported Lowes’ observations on the five-mile insurance criterion. He said the five-minute response time concept is only a goal, not an insurance requirement, and that "five-minute" arguments confuse citizens and commissioners. Sheldon said the demolition of the old Station 2 put 21 Tri-Lakes subdivisions in the highest possible insurance cost rating, ISO-10. He added that in bad weather the Colorado Department of Transportation could order the closing of the gates on Highway 105 at Highway 83, making response from Station 2 difficult. He also recounted the role DWFPD played in creating water storage cisterns in un-included areas of Black Forest.

Williams agreed the Roller Coaster location was not ideal. He said that because fire districts are independent government entities, the only issues the BOCC could address with this particular proposal are land use issues and whether or not the new station was an appropriate use of the lot.

Wright commended DWFPD on their efforts to encourage installation of cisterns to supply water for firefighting east of Highway 83. Regarding the Roller Coaster Road site, he said, "Nothing is perfect, but with this location there is only moderate overlapping of coverage and it fills a huge hole to the east." He said it is more important to provide six-minute response to a significant portion of the area now versus a marginally more optimal solution in a few years.

Bensberg said, "Some of the earlier objections have been corrected. It is probably not the most perfect plan, but the overwhelming evidence supports it." With that, he moved approval. Brown seconded the motion.

Williams said, "I am convinced a little bit further east would be better. It is not appropriate to stick four college apartments in this area." He also complained of a lack of forthrightness in the negotiations regarding this proposal. He then made a motion to amend the approval to restrict maximum residency periods to 48 hours. His motion died for lack of a second.

At that point, the BOCC broke for lunch. During lunch, Williams, Pocock, Wright, and Lucas worked out a compromise condition that would limit residency at Station 2 to one year, with the BOCC retaining the right to place additional restrictions on the length of stay of fire rescue personnel if needed, to "preserve the residential quality of the neighborhood."

The subdivision exemption was then unanimously approved.

Land planner David Jones presented the plan for a seven-lot subdivision covering 8.9 acres within the Walden development, south of Walker Road, one-half mile east of Highway 83. Jones noted that the minimum lot size is .89 acres and the average is 1.2 acres. The area is zoned RR-1 (Rural Residential), which allows a minimum lot size of one-half acre. No one spoke against the project. The BOCC unanimously approved the project.

The final plat for Struthers Ranch Filing 1 consists of 69 single-family lots on 18.36 acres just east of I-25 and three-quarters of a mile south of Baptist Road. Barry Holmes, planner for the county planning department, said the final plat is consistent with, and contains one less lot than, the approved Struthers Ranch preliminary plan.

Representing the developer, Jones reported that the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse habitat conservation plan required by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for Struthers Ranch has been approved at the regional level.

Jones noted that Filing 1 is south of the drainage way that bisects the project. Access will be from the segment of Struthers that connects south to Northgate Road. Approval of Struthers Ranch development north of the drainage way is dependent on completion of Struthers Road/Jackson Creek Parkway north to Baptist Road. No one spoke against the project. The BOCC unanimously approved the final plat.

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Information on county land use rules and projects is available at www.elpasoco.com or by calling the planning department at 520-6300.

Monument Board of Trustees special meeting on the 2004 budget Dec. 9

The Monument Board of Trustees (BOT) held a special meeting, Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m., to have a final discussion on unresolved budget issues and to then pass the 2004 budget and appropriation ordinances as well as a resolution setting the property tax rate. The meeting was timed to ensure that this mill levy was certified before the state deadline of Dec. 15. All six serving trustees were present; the other trustee position was vacant due to the resignation of Doug Warner.

The 2004 budget has much higher expenditures than revenues. Expenses in the appropriation ordinance total $6,545,350, while revenues are only expected to be $4,325,209. The end-of-year general fund balance is forecast to be $215,037, down from a starting balance for 2004 of $490,141. The water fund will start the year at $3,645,562 and drop to $1,417,841 at year’s end. The community development fund balance is forecast to be $0 by the end of 2004, down from a starting balance of $35,020. Debt service is $255,623. The conservation trust fund balance will start the year at $7,954 and drop to $0 by Dec. 31. The traffic impact fee fund will start at $62,053 and also drop to $0. The cemetery fund will start at $17,161 and likewise drops to $0. The BOT contingency fund will increase $5,000 to $40,000. The town is using the Modified Accrual Basis of accounting for the FY2004 budget.

The 2004 budget "wish list" items are:

Because there were several citizens in attendance, Mayor Betty Konarski opened the floor to public comments first. Local Attorney Tim Schutz commented on some general concerns he had while reviewing the fourth draft of the 2004 budget.

Schutz first questioned how the 2002 end-of-year general fund balance of $246,152 became a 2003 beginning general fund balance of $390,621. Treasurer Judy Skrzypek said the difference was the 2002 end-of-year cash balance of the town’s water fund, which was $144,469 but listed as a debit, or ($144,469). She said the audit in June required the town to keep the cash in the general fund for interest purposes. The listing in parentheses shows that the general fund owes that cash amount to the separate water fund. There was no change in the amount in the water fund throughout 2003, and the budget also shows ($144,469) as the 2003 end-of-year water fund balance. She then noted that there was no transfer of funds from the water fund to the general fund in 2003 to show why the end-of-year amount was unchanged.

Schutz then questioned the addition of capital outlays into the water fund balance. He said one cannot sell a road improvement or a town well, so he did not see how it could be considered a liquid asset like a building or a truck. He said that when illiquid water system assets were not counted, the available cash in the water fund is only about $115,000, which is dangerously low during a drought. He said the amount of cash reserves spent in 2003 was excessive as the water fund deficit for 2003 was $1,803,607, reducing the end-of-year balance from $2,281,287 in 2002 to only $477,680 in 2003. Skrzypek said that generally accepted accounting practice (GAAP) procedures have to be applied based on the June 2003 audit. She noted that although the water system would not be sold, it would have an assessed value if the town was annexed by the city, for example, and this value must be documented then updated and depreciated annually. She said the water fund was worth approximately $1.6 million plus another $500,000 in the general fund under GAAP.

Schutz next questioned the magnitude of the town’s capital projects for 2004, particularly when a large fraction of 2003 projects could not be completed as planned. In the Capital Outlay Supplemental Schedule, the supplemental Arapahoe Aquifer Well—from 2003—was listed as $839,939 but actually will cost over $1.2 million. It was agreed that another line item in this supplemental schedule, titled "New Well" for $400,000, accounted for the increased additional cost of this well to be spent in 2004 and was simply labeled incompletely. This $400,000 is needed to increase the size of the well and add a separate on-site water treatment facility. The first estimate assumed water from the new well would be piped to another well’s on-site treatment facility.

Schutz questioned how the franchise tax for the water fund could jump from $11,500 in 2002 to $148,500 in 2004. Other franchise fees for Mountain View Electric, Aquila Gas, US West, and Adelphia showed only very slight increases from 2002 through 2004. Schutz said while the water franchise jump may be legal, such a large increase should be explained, as should the reason why more money is taken out of the water fund than added. Schutz then noted that water fund expenses doubled, from $130,603 in 2002 to $260,091 in 2004, but the number of personnel did not double. Skrzypek said that the BOT had arbitrarily chosen 12 percent for the franchise fee rate, which caused part of the rise. A change was made in accounting procedure where portions of the salaries of supervisory and administrative workers are distributed across various town functions. Thirty percent of the salaries for Town Manager Rick Sonnenburg, Public Works Supervisor Tom Wall, Town Engineer Tony Hurst, Finance Assistant Mary Russelavage, and Skrzypek are now being charged to the water fund. Furthermore, one additional water technician position was created, adding roughly $50,000 in salary and benefits to water fund expenses.

Schutz said there had been insufficient public notification on the town’s intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Triview Metropolitan District for operating and maintaining Triview’s water system for $162,300. He asked why the town would want to take on this work for Triview and how much Donala had been charging Triview. Donala Water and Sanitation District has been operating and maintaining the Triview system.

Glenda Smith asked what the $300,000 for board contingencies would be spent on. Konarski responded that the town was digging itself out of a hole and had considered less contingency funds. She added that the board would have to be careful throughout the year when approving projects, with a close eye on how much overruns are affecting the contingency fund. Schutz said the actual figure in the budget is $241,512.

There was no other public comment, and Konarski closed the public hearing.

Limbach Park Expansion: Trustee George Brown asked if there was a line item for Limbach Park land purchase. Sonnenburg said no because the land to expand Limbach and create additional parking would not be paid for until the first quarter of 2005.

Curb Extensions on Second Street: Trustee Dave Mertz asked if there was a line item for curbs and gutters. The budget calls for $4,500 for curbs and gutter construction of curb extension on Second and Washington Streets. Konarski said there has been no groundswell to do parts of Second Street curbing early, so all curb and gutter improvements—including extended pedestrian-friendly corner peninsulas—will be made when the overall downtown improvement plan is initiated.

The curb extension on the northeast corner of Second and Washington and relocation of the stop sign there had been proposed as a solution to a line-of-sight problem addressed to the BOT by Monument resident Fred Jackson. Jackson said westbound Second Street motorists could not see the stop sign in its current location at the Washington Street intersection due to parked cars. However, the town’s traffic engineering consultant, SEH Inc., said the stop sign’s current location meets minimum traffic engineering standards. The Historic Monument Merchants Association also recommended adding curb extensions and moving the stop signs, as well as making the intersection a four-way stop. Cost is $4,500 per corner extension, which includes pedestrian ramps and flow-through drainage.

Water Saving Incentives: Wall said that water users had cut back on outside water use voluntarily due to the drought, but not enough to cause insufficient water revenue. Wall’s savings proposal calls for two water-saving incentives that use the same dollar amounts as currently offered by Colorado Springs Utilities: $125 for installing an "ultra-low use washing machine" that has an energy star label noting 50 percent savings in water and electricity and $75 for installing a "low-volume" flushing toilet (1.6 gallons per flush). Wall estimated a rebate cost of $15,000 for 2004 and $96,250 overall, to be taken from the water contingency fund.

IGA with Triview Metropolitan District for Street Sweeping: A $9,000 increase was proposed in this replacement for the expiring two-year-old IGA. The new IGA calls for Triview to pay $1,118 per sweeping event or $2,236 per month at its discretion. A sweeping event is specified as 19 hours of sweeping. The contract calls for 24 sweeping events, two per month, for $26,832. Special requests cost $48 per hour. Smith said there were 47 sweepings in Jackson Creek, but only five in Monument’s Old Town, and she felt the new IGA was unacceptable because of unequal service to Old Town under the previous IGA, regardless of the fact that Triview actually pays the lease. Wall said the IGA pays for the street sweeper annual lease of $22,500 through 2005 and that he has not the manpower to also sweep Old Town. Konarski agreed the IGA was needed and felt strongly that this Old Town sweeping issue should be handled separately at a later BOT meeting and should not hold up passage of the budget.

IGA with Triview for Operating Triview’s Water System: Smith asked if Triview or the town would purchase water treatment chemicals; Wall said Triview would. Smith asked whether contract renewal would be automatic; Wall said Triview will review the situation at the end of 2004 to determine whether or not to continue outsourcing operations and maintenance or switch to an in-house operation.

Triview manager Ron Simpson stated at the Nov. 19 Triview board meeting that Donala had asked for $50,000 more in 2004 than the IGA calls for. A new department with completely separate personnel (two people) is described in the budget. Wall said Donala’s fee was actually $240,000, which caused some trustees to question how the town could perform the IGA for only $162,300. Wall said Triview is growing faster than Gleneagle so it must pay an ever-increasing percentage of Donala’s overhead, which is much higher than the town’s overhead. Town Attorney Gary Shupp answered Smith’s question about a Triview default by saying that a failure to pay Monument was a breach of contract, which would absolve the town of its obligation to continue operations.

Mill levy: The actual mill levy needed to provide the revenue called for in the 2004 budget dropped slightly, from 6.469 mills to 6.454 mills.

The votes: The 2004 budget and the 2004 appropriation ordinances passed 5-1; Smith voted no, primarily because of the street sweeping inequity issue. The mill levy certification resolution setting the 2004 property tax passed unanimously.

The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m. The next BOT meeting is Jan. 5 at 6:30 p.m. in Town Hall.

The public hearings on the Comprehensive Land Use Master Plan and the Comprehensive Update to Subdivision and Zoning Ordinance, scheduled for the Dec. 15 Monument Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting, were deferred again due to the illness of Town Planner Mike Davenport and the request by Trustee Frank Orten, who was absent. Trustee George Brown was also absent. However, David Mertz, a recently appointed trustee and former Monument Planning Commission chairman, said "this is the last time" he would agree to deferments of these two items because they had been approved by the Planning Commission after months of effort and forwarded to the BOT while he was still serving as commission chairman. Four trustees were present.

The board unanimously approved the preliminary and final plat (replat) of Monument Industrial Park Phase 1 (Synthes) at 1101 Synthes Avenue. The replat combines lots 2 through 8 into a single lot; the completed plant expansion crosses the lots’ boundaries. The replat realigns easements for the new large lot (portions of the old easements are now under the expanded building).

However, in order to "allow" the two taps previously approved by the BOT for the expanded plant depicted in the replat, Public Works Supervisor Tom Wall recommended an amendment to regulation 13.08.030, Service Line Regulations, which restricts the number of permitted water taps after replat to one per lot. The amendment would allow town approval of "a looped water line serving a single undivided parcel" and states that "commercial development with multiple utility connections on a single lot under single ownership may retain those connections." It was approved unanimously.

The annual contract with the town’s water consultant, Halepaska and Associates, was unanimously renewed for 2004. Hourly rates for all classes of service will remain the same as they were for 2003.

The annual contract with Pikes Peak Humane Society was also unanimously renewed for 2004. There was no fee increase, and the service level is unchanged. The fee is $6,900.

Regional Building asks all member government entities to formally adopt their permit fee schedule whenever Regional Building revises the schedule. Monument has been a party to the Intergovernmental Agreement since 1985. The average increase in fees for the new 2004 schedule is 5.8 percent, based on the anticipated number of inspections. Increases are calculated to cover the rising costs of conducting the various kinds of inspections. Fees are based on the effort expended on a per permit basis. Mayor Betty Konarski asked Town Manager Rick Sonnenburg what the difference was between Table B, "Permit Fees for New R-3 Occupancies," and Table C, "Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing Permit Fees"; Sonnenburg said he would find out. The fee schedule was approved unanimously, with a request for a follow-up explanation to Konarski by staff.

Town Treasurer Judy Skrzypek reported that the county had provided the town a check for $133,500. The check is for cost-sharing reimbursement of the $200,000 mitigation expense incurred by the town for contractor services performed on Preble’s Meadow jumping mouse habitat at Monument Lake. Trustee Glenda Smith asked Wall if this was the final mouse mitigation payment from the county. He said there would be another payment for some plantings still to be completed in the spring, which would produce another small cost-sharing reimbursement. Smith asked which account would receive the $133,500; Sonnenburg said the water contingency fund. Skrzypek then said it would in fact be listed as a negative capital outlay for the water fund, as shown in "Capital Outlay–Water" of the monthly financial statement. This financial report was approved unanimously.

Skrzypek noted that overall sales tax revenue for 2003 is currently about $8,000 behind the expected amount. She added that it is too early to tell what the actual impact of the new I-25 exit configuration has been on the nine businesses along Highway 105. Tentative figures for October show a drop in sales tax revenue that is not markedly different than the drop from September to October in 2002. There is a two-month lag in the state reporting sales tax revenue to Monument, and she said she would need a full quarter of data to be able to show a valid trend. Mertz asked Skrzypek if she had gotten more definitive revenue data on these nine businesses from Lee Kilbourn of the Monument Economic Development Council (EDC). The town had authorized a working agreement between her and Kilbourn in November because he might be able to get the revenue trend data from the business owners more promptly, before the 2004 budget and mill levy certification had to be approved. Skrzypek said she had received "nothing yet" from Kilbourn. Mertz asked if she could draw a conclusion about the possible effects of a revenue shortfall from these businesses on her 2004 budget figures. She said no, but she had added cushion in the new budget to protect against a potentially serious revenue downturn.

A payment of $133,414.69 ($129,191.64 for paving and $4,223.05 for water line repairs) to Schmidt Construction Co. was recommended by Town Engineer Tony Hurst. Town engineering consultant GMS recommended payment of $51,757.22 to Aquatic & Wetland Co. for mouse mitigation earthwork and excavation in Dirty Woman Creek Park and the north shore of Monument Lake. Both payments were approved unanimously without discussion.

Sonnenburg proposed dividing the 3 percent salary increase previously approved by the BOT. An across-the-board cost-of-living allowance raise was recommended to be 1.9 percent, with the remaining 1.1 percent allocated to the merit pool. He also recommended increasing the bottom and top of all salary ranges by 1.9 percent. Then he calculated additional 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 percent raises for the three police salary ranges as previously approved by the BOT. Separate motions for the raises all passed unanimously.

There were no committee or staff reports.

Wall has submitted the town’s application for Tree City USA to the state office in Woodland Park. The town’s water consultant has completed the Substitute Water Supply Plan that will be submitted to the state engineer’s Office. The Pikes Peak Area Council of Government appointed Rob MacDonald its transportation planner, replacing Fred VanAntwerp, who is stepping down.

Safeway and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) reached agreement on the traffic light construction at the Safeway entrance on Highway 105. Safeway has renewed the performance bond for the light for another six months, beginning Dec. 16. Safeway will pay up to $100,000 to CDOT. CDOT estimates total cost of approximately $200,000, of which installation costs $116,151. Construction will begin in March.

Konarski announced the winners of the 2003 Spirit of Monument awards: town employees Tamara Rosario, Rick Tudor, and Rob Stuart (see related article). Konarski also announced that Police Advisory Committee member George Case has volunteered to fill the vacant trustee position created by the resignation of Doug Warner. No other volunteers were announced, and the issue will be discussed at the next meeting.

Konarski asked Wall if filling Monument Lake would increase the likelihood of West Nile virus, and thus require additional expense to minimize mosquito breeding. Wall said that although the town would have to buy its own insecticide materials, a full lake is far less likely to generate a mosquito or West Nile virus problem than a near-empty one.

Sonnenburg noted that a number of citizens had raised questions that would require traffic studies to answer. Since no studies were included in the 2004 budget, they would have to be paid for out of the contingency fund. Sonnenburg recommended that citizens present their questions to the BOT so it could decide if a traffic study should be initiated and funded. The board directed Sonnenburg to first attempt to satisfy citizen queries himself, but bring citizens’ questions to the BOT if the solution would require expenditure of funds. An example requiring BOT approval for spending money would be doing traffic studies to determine if stop signs are in fact required at a number of town intersections as has already been requested by some citizens.

Konarski then asked for the board’s views on supporting a request for a triathlon using Monument Lake for the swimming phase. U.S. Fish and Wildlife has restricted activity in the lake to fishing and rowboating only, specifically prohibiting swimming. Konarski thought the value of promoting such an event warranted seeking at least a temporary, if not permanent, waiver on this restriction. Police Chief Joe Kissell added that the police department has not staffed previous similar events, such as bike races. He said it should be the responsibility of the event organizers to obtain and pay for traffic and crowd control. Mertz noted that a number of potholes would have to be fixed for a cycling or running event. Konarski said the town should support the triathlon as a national event.

The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m. The next meeting will be held at Town Hall on Jan. 5 at 6:30 p.m.

Revised plans for the Lake of the Rockies dominated the agenda at the Monument Planning Commission meeting Dec. 10. In other matters, the Chick and a Windshield mobile business plan was unanimously recommended for approval, and copies of the draft Parks and Trails and Open Space Master Plan were distributed. Commissioner Kathy Spence was absent. The Academy View Preliminary Plan and Regency Park 4th Amendment related to the Academy View project were continued at the request of the applicant.

Bob Mooney, chair of the planning commission, recused himself and sat in the audience during this item. He lives near the southeast corner of the site. Commissioner Lowell Morgan presided. Timothy Nelson and Lindsey Bottoms of Manhard Consulting appeared on behalf of Ernie Biggs’ Gulf Coast Resorts, owner of the Lake of the Rockies Retreat and Camp Resort.

Mike Davenport, town planner and assistant town manager, noted that the Monument Board of Trustees approved the present planned development (PD) master plan in May 1993. He said, "Several areas of the property were developed differently than the approved plan. This amendment is to revise the plan to reflect what actually has been developed on the site."

The site consists of 66 acres, of which 48.6 acres are used. There are 364 RV sites and 25 tent sites.

Nelson said, "We are not proposing any new campground beyond what is there today. The RV storage where it is now is where we would like it to be." He noted that the eminent domain agreement with the town for lake access disconnected 2.2 acres from the rest of the property. A sketch plan for that property was submitted separately as Lakeside Manor Estates, discussed later in the meeting. Nelson said, "The biggest change is the location of 14 cabins on approximately one acre. This is considerably less than what [Ernie] is allowed to build by ordinance."

Some of the issues with the project were:

The project was unanimously recommended for approval with conditions limiting the number of RV sites in the southeast corner to the number in the approved 1993 plan, precluding permanent residents other than the caretaker, limiting the road on the south side to 16 feet wide, and directing the applicant’s engineers to work with the town’s engineers to determine how extensive a drainage study needs to be prior to a hearing before the board of trustees. Morgan said, "We need to make this thing minimal impact to people who live there now."

Schutz added, "The lake is a public entity. The town needs to make sure people know it is open to the public and not private."

Davenport summarized Gulf Coast Resort’s proposal for six single-family lots on 2.2 acres east of Monument Lake. He said the minimum lot size is 9,814 square feet, with an average lot size of 10,587 square feet, yielding a net density of 4.1 dwelling units per acre. The gross density including the road right-of-way is 2.6 dwelling units per acre.

Davenport said the purpose of the sketch plan is to elicit reactions to the proposed land use. Approval of a preliminary plan and site plan would be required prior to proceeding with the project. Nelson added that a significant financial investment is required to meet preliminary plan requirements.

Nelson said there are problems with the connection between the lake access road and the design of the six-lot subdivision. He said, "We will likely need some land swapping [with the town] to make this work." He objected to the condition to increase the road right-of-way to 60 feet saying, "The town’s traffic consultant said 40 feet would be okay." Davenport added that 50-foot right-of-way is allowed in steep areas and that the town had approved an eight-lot subdivision with a 40-foot right-of-way posted for no on-street parking and with an additional off-street parking requirement. He said a 50-foot right-of-way would allow on-street parking.

Davenport noted that residential land use is a conditional use in the Planned Commercial District (PCD) zone. He suggested that prior to the preliminary plan hearing, the regulation could be changed to allow residential as a permitted use in that zone district.

Davenport noted that the site has potential issues with the floodplain and Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse habitat. He said both those issues would need to be resolved at the preliminary plan stage.

Although no members of the public spoke regarding the proposal, written comments were submitted supporting and opposing the plan. William Gust suggested the land be donated to, or purchased by, the town. He wrote, "The town is already residentially overdeveloped." Richard and Leah Squires wrote, "The Town of Monument has just spent millions of dollars to repair the Monument Lake dam and is planning open space around the lake for public use. We do not think that high density housing is a compatible use for adjacent lake land." They also expressed concern that the proposed 30-foot structure height would block lake views from adjacent residences. Lela Nemmers, Harley Jergensen, and Bob Mooney indicated they had no objection to the project.

DeLaney’s motion to recommend approval of the sketch plan passed unanimously.

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The Monument Planning Commission meets on the second Wednesday of each month at Monument Town Hall, 166 2nd Street. The next meeting will be Jan. 14, 6:30 p.m. For additional information, contact Mike Davenport at 481-2954.

The Monument Parks and Landscape (P&L) Committee held a regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 at Town Hall. Committee members Monika Marky and Toni Martin were unable to attend. Because Ed DeLaney recently resigned from the committee to fill the Planning Commission vacancy created by David Mertz—and no volunteer has filled the committee’s empty fifth position—there was not a quorum; only Chairman John Savage and member Linda Pankratz were present.

All the scheduled agenda items were discussed with Town Planner Mike Davenport. The items will be on the agenda again for the next P&L meeting. If there is not a quorum at that meeting, the committee’s comments from Dec. 8 will be passed along, without a vote, by Davenport at the next Planning Commission (PC) meeting on Jan. 14 and Monument Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting on Jan. 18. According to a BOT policy passed a year ago, the absence of a quorum at any of the town’s advisory committee meetings for two consecutive regular meetings will not delay a BOT hearing. This policy has been used with two other citizen advisory committees: The Public Works Committee, which has been dormant for six months, and the Police Advisory Committee, which has not had a quorum at its last two regular meetings, both of which were canceled.

This vehicle-only business application is the first to be evaluated under the new regulations concerning businesses operating in a parking area. No landscape plan or landscaping is required of Chick and a Windshield. The landscaping for the final PD site plan for the new Safeway Market Place fueling center on Highway 105 was attached to the mobile business proposal, for information only. Savage and Pankratz recommended approval of the plan, saying that the zoning change request should be added to the package and that a letter from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should be attached to show that the project has been reviewed for possible effects on Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse habitat.

The purpose of this amendment is to show the areas that have been built since the plan’s initial approval eight years ago. The planning staff recommended approval of the amendment. However, the plan drawing by Manhard Consulting, Inc., for Ernie Biggs’ Gulf Coast Resorts, needs to be corrected so pedestrian and trail routes with connection points are identified, the name and address of the property owner are added, the plan’s name is corrected to Master PD Site Plan and business title added, and the actual site conditions are added. The BOT will require a public land dedication or cash in lieu at the final plat hearing.

The sketch plan drawing depicts a six single-family unit, 2.2-acre subdivision on the east side of Monument Lake. Again, the drawing by Manhard Consulting, Inc., for Ernie Biggs’ Gulf Coast Resorts, needs to be corrected so pedestrian and trail routes with connection points are identified, the name and address of the property owner are added, the topography curves at 10-foot intervals are added, and the wooded areas are depicted on or within 100 feet of the subdivision. The BOT will require a public land dedication or cash in lieu at the final plat hearing. Staff noted that the detail on site characteristics depicted was insufficient for the preliminary plan, the next step of the approval process. It was also noted that part of the subdivision project lies within a floodplain, which will require review by the Flood Plain Administrator’s office of the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department.

The 24-page application requests a state matching grant for trees along Second Street, between Beacon Lite Road and the new Monument entry sign to be built on the southeast corner of Highway 105 and Second Street. The three-year maintenance plan for the trees was also reviewed. Up to $3,000 has been requested from Colorado State Forest Service and the Colorado Tree Coalition.

Committee members reviewed the Sept. 4, 2003, concept drawing for the Tri-Lakes destination signs to be constructed next to the new Highway 105 bridge spanning I-25. The town is providing $11,000 of capital improvement funds and $20,000 of community development funds, which is being matched by $10,000 from the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce.

The meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m. The next meeting is at Town Hall on Jan. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

View a photo of the Triview metro board meeting Dec. 10

Web site exclusive: View the results for grading for Jackson Creek Parkway

At its regular meeting Dec. 10, in addition to a variety of other topics, the Triview Metropolitan District board of directors discussed expansion of the Waste Water Treatment Facility (WWTF) with Dana Duthie, manager of the Donala Water and Sanitation District. The WWTF is jointly owned by the Triview district, the Donala district that serves Gleneagle, and the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District that currently does not have any users. The board also unanimously approved a revised 2003 budget, a 2004 budget, and set the district mill levy at 25 mills. Director Martha Gurnick was absent due to illness.

Rick Blevins of Marketplace developer Vision Development, Inc., was absent. At last month’s board meeting, Blevins reported that design consultant CLC Associates was reworking the drawings for water, reuse water, and sewer utilities to reduce construction costs. Initial bids for that work came in about $600,000 over budget. Simpson said he expected the new bid to be $200,000 lower.

Dale Hill, Triview district administrator, reported that bids for the revised design are due the week of Dec. 15. Hill also reported that Vision Development received a letter of intent from Wells Fargo bank to occupy a pad next to Jackson Creek Parkway.

District engineer Chuck Ritter of Nolte and Associates added that construction of the gravity sewer to serve the site is awaiting acquisition of easements through condemnation proceedings.

Ritter reported good results from the new well A4 in the Arapahoe aquifer and the new well D7 in the Denver aquifer. He said the quality of water from A4 is a bit better than other Arapahoe wells but will still need some treatment. He said the production from D7 is greater than expected.

Ron Simpson, Triview district manager, said he is continuing to work to resolve Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse habitat issues on the Wal-Mart site. He said a response from the Department of the Interior’s solicitor is due the week of Dec. 15. He added, "I expect that won’t be the end of it."

Simpson has been looking at properties that could be used as part of habitat conservation plans (HCP) to satisfy the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) requirements for the Wal-Mart site, the expansion of Baptist Road, and the extension of Jackson Creek Parkway. He said, "Everybody wants to have habitat for all three items tied up by the end of the year."

Ritter reported that the WWTF expansion group is interested in site visits to comparable plants that use the proposed new process called Sequencing Batch Reaction (SBR). Duthie said, "Although it is not a new process to Colorado, it is not widely used here." Simpson later said, "If SBR doesn’t work, we will have a real site problem, sending [the cost] to the moon."

Duthie said a financial commitment is needed from Triview to avoid building too small a plant that would have to be expanded again later. Director Steve Stephenson asked, "What form of commitment do you expect from this board?" Simpson interjected, "Dana needs to see ‘Show me the money’."

Duthie said, "The [intergovernmental agreement (IGA)] says not only show but deposit it." He said $7 million would be needed in an escrow account to cover construction costs.

Peter Susemihl, attorney for the Triview district, said, "The intent is by the end of 2004 to come up with a firm financing plan to show we are ready to proceed with construction."

Simpson added, "We are looking at two other financing sources. We will have a way to finance our $4 million share." Triview’s share of the $7 million construction cost is 65 percent.

Duthie said, "Here we are willing to fund your expansion with our taxpayers’ dollars." Simpson replied, "You will get a $13,000 check to cover our share of the design done so far." Stephenson said, "We have a project here we need to embrace. We need to be comfortable with where we are on design. During the design, we can pursue sources of funds."

An adjustment to the 2003 total budget to reflect actual income and expenditures was unanimously approved. The adjusted 2003 budget was set at $1,650,143, including $75,000 in design and constructions for the extension of Jackson Creek Parkway and $72,000 for landscaping along Leather Chaps.

As reported in last month’s OCN, an intergovernmental agreement with the Town of Monument has been approved whereby the town will provide operation and maintenance of the Triview district’s water and wastewater systems at an annual cost of $162,500, and Donala will be paid $22,000 as part of the one-month transition of the work to the town.

Simpson said, "[Monument] wants to start Jan. 1, we pay Donala through March, and bring Monument on March 1."

Regarding OCN’s coverage, Duthie said, "It was a surprise to me and three of our board members to read that we are being fired and getting $22,000." He added that the IGA calls for six months’ termination notification, but then said, "You are not hurting our feelings. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed. Operationally, I have some concerns about it. Monument does not have the sophistication, especially on automation. Tom [Wall] can run your plant for you definitely in January, February, and March. The issues come in April, May, and June when the new wells need to be working."

Stephenson asked Duthie, "Will you change staff size?" Duthie replied, "We are looking at that. If so, we will do it by attrition."

After a few adjustments were made to the $1.7 million preliminary budget (detailed in last month’s OCN), the 2004 budget was adopted and the mill levy was set at 25 mills, unchanged from last year.

The board then went into executive session to confer with Susemihl regarding the condemnation proceedings being used to obtain utility and road easements needed to serve the Marketplace/Home Depot site.

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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. The next meeting will be Jan. 28. For further information, contact the Triview Metropolitan District at 488-6868.

View a photo of the Triview metro board meeting Dec. 10

Web site exclusive: View the results for grading for Jackson Creek Parkway

At its monthly meeting, the Palmer Lake Town Council announced it was considering an emergency option for 2004 that would have town medical and ambulance emergency service provided by Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD) and Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) respectively, due to a sudden threat of cancellation of these services by Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District (TLFPD) on Dec. 10. The council also unanimously approved the budget and appropriation resolutions for 2004. The meeting was held on Dec. 11, two weeks earlier than usual, so the town could certify its mill levy before the state deadline of Dec. 15. Trustees Randy Jones and Eddie Kinney were excused. About 20 citizens and two representatives of W/MFPD attended.

Bathsheba (Candy) Smith’s application was unanimously approved for her new portrait and wedding photography business to be operated at 84 Highway 105 in Unit A. Normal business hours for Candy’s Photography will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with appointments at the studio or in clients’ homes. There were no objections, and the council welcomed her new business to the community.

Committee Reports

Trustee Cindy Allen reported that no expenses are expected for parks until March.

Trustee Chuck Cornell reported that the water system’s backwash tank installation is on schedule for full operation at the end of February. While the reservoir is down a little bit, water service looks good overall, with usage at 150,000 to 160,000 gallons per day.

Larry Gaddis, town attorney, reported for Trustee Eddie Kinney that the Intergovernmental Agreement with Monument for police mutual aid was ready for approval. It passed unanimously.

Trustee Susan Miner reported the renewal of the town’s contract with Pikes Peak Humane Society and said that 32 animals had been picked up this year, up 20 percent from 2002. She added, "The state may take over control of vicious animals."

Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD) Chief Greg Lokken reported that there were nine fire calls, three for mutual aid, in November and that their fund-raising and star-lighting dinner on Nov. 29 raised about $2,000 for maintenance of the town’s Christmas star on Sundance Mountain. Two new volunteers from the community joined the department. Later in the meeting, Lokken was presented with a "big big" plaque by Palmer Lake Mayor Nikki MacDonald to commemorate his five years of service as chief. Julie Lokken was approved unanimously as the new chief. She will take over in January.

Miner announced the town is seeking nominations for its Spirit of Christmas decoration contest, where the deciding factor is spirit rather than the number of lights or cost of the decorations. The winner will receive "Palmer Lake dollars," redeemable at town businesses.

Background: In a joint letter to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) dated Dec. 8, MacDonald, signing for PLVPD, and the board presidents of W/MFPD and DWFPD objected to the location of the new TLFPD Station 2 at Roller Coaster Road and Highway 105. The letter also objected to the negative effect of the large debt load being incurred to build the station on the merger negotiations with the other three districts. The letter says that although the county was considering Station 2 as solely a zoning issue at the Dec. 11 re-hearing, the BOCC should also consider that the station’s location would seriously reduce the potential effectiveness of north-end county fire protection east of Highway 83. The letter also asserts that BOCC approval would effectively eliminate the likelihood of a merger by all four fire districts because of Tri-Lake’s dramatically increased debt.

PLVFD has been engaged in merger discussions with W/MFPD. DWFPD will join those discussions in 2004.

Town Clerk Della Gins reported that TLFPD Board Chairman Charlie Pocock notified her by phone on Dec. 10 that the TLFPD contract for emergency medical and ambulance service with the town would not be renewed for 2004 unless MacDonald immediately renounced her letter to the BOCC opposing the new fire station.

The BOCC held its second hearing on Station 2 on Dec. 11. At that time, Commissioner Wayne Williams passed out copies of a letter from Gins, dated Dec. 10, noting that Pocock had said on Dec. 10 "that his board must receive a letter rescinding the letter of opposition to the building of a station (on Roller Coaster Road), dated December 8, 2003, along with the signed ambulance agreement by the close of business today." MacDonald did not change her position. At the re-hearing, the subdivision exemption was unanimously approved. (See the related article on the BOCC hearing.)

Discussion: Miner reported that she and Cornell are on the Joint Working Group with W/MFPD board members Tom Conroy and Russ Broshous. Miner said the location of Station 2 was ill-advised and redundant, as shown by the recommendations of the $30,000 joint study by Emergency Services Education and Consulting Group. She added that this station would be very expensive. With PLVPD debt on its new fire truck, the town could not afford to take on even a portion of Tri-Lakes’ debt load. By comparison, W/MFPD expects to be debt-free by April, and DWFPD debt will be $108,000 after its main station is expanded in 2004. Miner noted that the town was given less than eight hours to respond to Pocock’s demands, so they turned to W/MFPD, which immediately offered to provide emergency medical services for Palmer Lake. DWFPD offered to provide ambulance service from AMR. Conroy said that both districts were happy to support the town and looked forward to further merger discussions. Miner and Conroy said the action by TLFPD was very disappointing and reiterated that town residents are safe despite the TLFPD action.

Gary Atkins was scheduled to give a presentation against Fusion Extreme Gaming’s leased paintball facility, but was too ill to attend the meeting.

The new town personnel manual, complete with all revisions recommended at previous town council meetings, was approved unanimously and will go into effect Jan. 1.

Ordinances 7 and 8—the 2004 budget and the appropriation of funds to execute it—were unanimously approved. Gins noted that the appropriation was for the maximum amount of money, but not all of it has to be spent if savings can be made.

Jeannine Engel made an impassioned plea to the trustees to reject the application for a liquor store at 78 Highway 105. She said a liquor store would negate the wholesome family-friendly atmosphere created by her ice cream shop and country store and all the other restaurants and shops along the Highway 105 near the ball fields and town gazebo. She said a liquor store would be out of place and a potential hazard to pedestrians, who make up the bulk of shoppers and visitors to that part of the town.

Trudy Finan asked about the status of the gazebo’s repair. Miner noted that the baluster spindles have to be replaced and would need to be turned by hand. Gins said the historical society had to approve the spindle, handrail leg, and landscaping designs. Finan also asked that the town use both of the Palmer Lake Post Office bulletin boards for public hearing and water announcements, to enhance citizen notification.

The meeting adjourned at 7:59 p.m. The next meeting is on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m.

The chief issue before the Planning Commission was a request for a conditional use permit in an R3 (residential) zone for the properties at 90 Pie Corner and 40 Columbine. Becky Albright and Jess and Maria Smith propose to start Precious Jewels Center for Child and Family Development. Child care would be provided in the Smith’s home at 90 Pie Corner, one block from Palmer Lake Elementary School. The Center for Family Development, which will be located nearby at 40 Columbine, would provide educational and support services and resources for families. Prenatal and birth classes, child development and parenting workshops, parent-child relationship enhancement opportunities, family therapy, and counseling could be available there.

The child care center could open in March or April, depending on state licensure and town approval of the conditional use permit. The anticipated opening date of the Center for Family Development is late 2005. In the interim, more rooms would be added to the house. In a letter to the neighbors, Albright and the Smiths stated they plan to put in a tall privacy fence along the north edge of the properties to cut down on the noise and visuals of the playground and parking lot. Hours of operation would be 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Since Pie Corner is already a thoroughfare for school traffic, the additional traffic would be minimal. The lot next to 40 Columbine would serve as parking, so clients would not have to park on the street. The letter also addressed neighbors’ property values, predicting that they would be unaffected due to the proximity to other businesses and to a school, and noting that convenient child care could be a plus, perhaps even increasing property values.

Carl Goodwin, who lives on Upper Glenway, and Dave Cartlidge, who lives on Columbine, wrote letters to the town objecting to the proposed conditional use. Both expressed concerns about increased traffic and resulting safety issues and about decreasing property values. Goodwin was also concerned about noise from the child care center and the possibility of dysfunctional adults attending the Center for Family Development. He considered the proposed privacy fence to be a "blight" that would block the [neighbors’] view and estimated that property values could be reduced 20 to 30 percent. Other neighbors, including Planning Commissioner Denise Hammond, addressed the commission to voice their concerns.

Chairman John Cressman informed Hammond that she must sit in the audience during discussion of the proposed child care center. Albright addressed the commissioners, stating that she and the Smiths were not requesting a vote at this time, so the matter was tabled until the next workshop and meeting on Jan. 14 and 21. Albright noted that she had met with a representative from the licensure department who evaluated the building and found it appropriate for child care use. A maximum of four to five infants, five toddlers, five to six toddler-preschoolers (ages two-and-a-half to five years), and 12 before- and after-school students would be allowed. Albright said she will meet with the Hammonds at their home "to get their vantage point." She and the Smiths invited neighbors to meetings to help with decisions that would affect them. The meetings will take place at 90 Pie Corner on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. and Jan. 10 at 10 a.m. In addition, Albright was trying to locate an existing noise study of child care centers she had heard about.

Goodwin addressed the commissioners, saying, "I don’t want to listen to 15 crying kids. I don’t want my property value to decrease…. Why don’t you just leave it residential and make everybody happy?"

Cressman noted that anyone wishing to speak with the town attorney must first get approval from Tara Berreth in the town office. She will get that person’s billing information, as a bill will be sent for the attorney’s time. This is true for trustees as well as citizens.

The commissioners unanimously recommended approval to the Town Council of a request by Kathy Allen for a sign permit at 19 Highway 105 and a request by William Johnson to vacate the common lot line utility easement between lots 3 and 4, creating one lot for a single-family home, at Block 2 of Lakeview Heights Subdivision.

On Dec. 29, the Forest View Acres Water District (FVAWD) board of directors unanimously approved the inclusion of the Raspberry Ridge Subdivision at an 8:30 p.m. meeting in the Palmer Lake Town Hall. The subdivision is south of Highway 105 and contiguous with Palmer Lake. All board members were present, as were representatives of the landowners. Six citizens attended. There were neither speakers in opposition nor written objections submitted.

The district accepted inclusion of the 66-acre subdivision owned by Raspberry Ridge Investments, RLLLP (RRI) and 4.5 acres owned by Gary and Prudence Nevins. The landowners all petitioned for inclusion to meet the 100 percent requirement of state law (Colorado Revised Statute 32-1-401). The 4.5-acre parcel is under option for purchase by Raspberry Ridge Investments. Some terms of the inclusion agreement are:

Discussion: Board President Tom Guenther reviewed all the rules and procedures required by the state and the district. He said the benefit for the district was the ability to use the water rights being transferred by the landowners to drill a second Dawson aquifer well. This will reduce district dependence on its 1,800-foot-deep Arapahoe aquifer well. Compared to Dawson aquifer wells, water from the district’s Arapahoe aquifer well is more expensive to pump and requires treatment to reduce the much higher concentrations of iron and manganese. The one-time RRI payment of $150,000, coupled with $10,000 of state design grant money, will enable the district to repair damage to the current Dawson well, which is only producing about 25 gallons per minute, and begin drilling the second Dawson well, which should produce about 200 gallons per minute.

Treasurer Pat Burkhart noted that the district is grandfathered against having to provide augmentation water to offset a portion of the Dawson water used. This grandfathering right to groundwater was awarded to the district by the water court in Pueblo on May 16, 2003.

RRI’s advantage in the inclusion is connection to a central water system to satisfy county water availability requirements and the guarantee of fire hydrants, a major selling point for the lots. All FVAWD residents benefit from a more reliable and plentiful source of treated water (an additional 800 acre-feet per year), a more robust infrastructure through loop connections, and better chlorine and pressure regulation.

Vice President Kevin Lonergan emphasized the value of having RRI perform the trenching for the new transmission line in steep rough terrain along a ridge line that would cost the district about $200,000 if done separately. He said this new transmission line benefits the entire district, not just RRI’s subdivision.

Upon closing the public hearing, the board unanimously approved inclusion of the Raspberry Ridge subdivision.

The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

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The next FVAWD board meeting is Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. in Palmer Lake Town Hall.

Additional information is available at the Forest View Acres Water District Web site www.fvawd.org.

The Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) Board unanimously approved a final draft of its new Policy and Procedures Manual, covering full-time and volunteer firefighters, at its final meeting for 2003 at 7 p.m. Dec. 11. The board also unanimously approved its much larger budget for 2004 and the appropriation to execute it. The board certified its mill levy at 7 mills, meeting the state’s Dec. 15 certification deadline (which is why the meeting was held a week earlier than normal). Treasurer Dennis Feltz was excused.

Chief Bill Sheldon announced a final policy decision regarding overtime that will be incorporated in the final draft of the district’s new policy and procedures manual. Five volunteer firefighters have the same certification credentials as those required of the district’s full-time firefighters. These five volunteers will receive the same overtime pay as full-time employees, $15 an hour, effective Jan. 1. Vacation policy is unchanged and will continue to be granted on a first-come, first-served basis to full-time personnel first, then to volunteers. The district will purchase five sets of personal bunker gear for the volunteers for their overtime shifts. DWFPD attorney Peter Obernesser will make the final review of the manual and then forward the text to the printer.

Sheldon noted, and the board concurred, that this manual will evolve as it is refined by insights gained during practical operational experience. Sheldon will do all the performance evaluations on his subordinates. Board member Kevin Gould confirmed that these evaluations would be the primary basis for discretionary salary increases over and above the across-the-board cost-of-living increases and that neither type raise would be given until satisfactory performance or qualification had been achieved. Currently, there is no expectation that any discretionary pay raises will have to be withheld. Board member Brian Ritz endorsed holding back cost-of-living increases until all required certifications were attained, as a motivation tool.

Sheldon noted that the donation from the Gleneagle Sertoma Association was the exact cost of the defibrillator, so there would be no further action required by the board or the treasurer on this purchase. Now, every fire truck in the district has a defibrillator. On Nov. 19, the board allocated $900 for an unbudgeted fire truck brake repair. The actual repair expense was $826, but an additional $110 was spent to repair the truck’s rear suspension leveling air bags. The incremental expense was approved unanimously.

Battalion Chief Jeff Edwards is working with educational consultant and Fox Run Homeowner’s Association vice president Joel Azrikan on a study guide for a field day program with District 20’s Antelope Trails Elementary School. The study guide, sponsored by the Rotary Club, will be available for use by other regional schools, and is designed to fit within school districts’ science and technology curriculum requirements.

Sheldon reviewed DWFPD support on a number of traffic accidents during and after the snowstorm on Dec. 8 and 9. These included a head-on collision at Gleneagle and Candlewood and three separate accidents on Northgate Road. The most severe accident of the three was at the intersection with Highway 83, involving a Ford pickup truck and a Chevy van holding seven workers, and it required four ambulances and a Flight for Life helicopter. A highway patrolman responding to a rollover accident on I-25 at Monument Hill fell and broke his arm on the ice, and his cruiser was hit by an 18-wheeler skidding to a stop to avoid the accident scene. Ritz asked that all three shifts be reminded of parking vehicles safely at icy scenes unless required to park in a way that isolates the scene from passing traffic, particularly on curves along Gleneagle Drive.

Sheldon distributed copies of a Dec. 10 Slice article by Jane Reuter on the new Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District (TLFPD) Station 2 at Roller Coaster Road and Highway 105. He noted that Palmer Lake Historical Society President Sam DeFelice was quoted as saying that TLFPD wanted the society to disassemble and move the original station before the DWFPD inclusion election on Nov. 4. DeFelice denied the assertion by TLFPD board chairman Charlie Pocock that the society wanted to take down the station before the weather got bad, saying instead that the district gave the society this ultimatum: "Do you want the building or not? Because if you don’t, we’ll find someone who does." Pocock is also quoted as saying the proposed Furrow Road and Highway 105 location for a relocated Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD) station does not make any sense because W/MFPD trucks would have to drive west before they could go south for a call. However, W/MFPD believes the Furrow Road location is a better one if Station 2 is moved further east under a complete merger of all four north end districts.

(See the article on the Board of County Commissioners’ hearing approving the Station 2 subdivision exemption and on the Palmer Lake Town Council meeting on for other examples of comments by Pocock, Commissioner Wayne Williams, and Palmer Lake Town Clerk Della Gins.)

A levy of 7.00 mills applied to the 2003 district property assessment of $128,543,950 will generate revenues of $899,807, up dramatically from $492,282 in 2002 and $499,892 in 2003. There was no debt service in 2003; debt service will be $108,000 in 2004, incurred in large part by the $264,000 to be used for the imminent main Station 3 expansion. (The Gleneagle Drive facility will be re-numbered as Station 1 at that time.) There were no such capital projects in 2003. Salary, health insurance, volunteers annuity fund, and pension expenses have grown, reflecting the additional manning required for year-round 24/7 operations, initiated in July: $328,085 in 2002, $406,102 in 2003, and $514,000 in 2004. Because of the station expansion, the total 2004 operating and administrative expenses of $1,135,500 exceeds revenue by $142,493, yielding an end-of-year fund balance of $242,507. Revenue exceeded expenses in 2002 by $64,591, yielding an end-of-year fund balance of $92,365; and in 2003 by $235,000, yielding an end-of-year fund balance of $385,000. By comparison, TLFPD will have a debt of $2.5 million after building Station 2; W/MFPD will be debt-free by April; and Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department is only paying off its new truck.

Board President Bill Lowes said the electorate has spoken and only two people contacted the board after the election. He noted that the members of one filing of Elk Creek subdivision had petitioned for inclusion by TLFPD, and he wished them well. The board will make a decision at the Jan. 21 meeting on how it will recoup costs from the Black Forest property owners not included in any fire district. He noted that these voters rejected DWFPD inclusion as well as TLFPD inclusion in an earlier special election. However, DWFPD will go to this area if dispatched to help fight fires. The board agreed to a proposal to disseminate the policy decision to subdivision homeowner associations through the Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO).

In concluding actions, Lowes asked board members to prepare their input for the 2004 goals, objectives, and timeline. The board unanimously approved a bid of $7,500 to prepare the request for proposal for construction of the main station expansion. The board hopes to begin construction no later than February. Ritz expressed a goal of completing a significant portion of merger discussions with W/MFPD and PLVFD before the board’s term expires in May. The board then moved to executive session at 8 p.m. to discuss a personnel issue. There were no announcements after the executive session.

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The next board meeting returns to its regularly scheduled time, the third Wednesday of the month. It will be held at DWFPD Station 2 at 7 p.m. on Jan. 21.

Tri-Lakes FPD Board meeting Dec. 18

At its meeting Dec. 18, the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District (TLFPD) board of directors discussed issues regarding ambulance service to Palmer Lake and plans for proceeding with Station 2 on Roller Coaster Road, recently approved by the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). Director Gary Morgan was out of town. Rick Barnes was absent due to illness.

District director and treasurer John Hildebrandt reported that, as of the end of November, the district is more than $23,000 ahead of projected revenues from the ambulance service. He said, "The billing software appears to be working well."

He also noted that the latest report from the county assessor’s office showed an increase in anticipated 2004 revenue of $9,621. He said most of that increase was due to recent inclusions into the district. He said the approved 2004 budget was adjusted by adding the increased revenue to the budget for contingencies.

Chief Robert Denboske reported that during November, the district responded to 80 calls, bringing the total for the year through November to 1,014, versus 882 at the same time last year. Of the 80 calls, there were 32 medical, 25 traffic accidents, 15 fires, seven public assists, and one involving hazardous materials. Twenty-two people were transported to area hospitals. The district has 74 personnel including the board members.

Denboske announced that the district awarded three certificates: Jim Ferguson was named member of the year, Lisa Frasca was named firefighter of the year, and Max Mayberry was named Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) of the year.

The chief said the district is preparing Firefighter I training for the North End Group of Chiefs. He said nine people have signed up so far, and Mike Keough is coordinating the class. Responsibility for the class will rotate among the participating fire districts.

Ron Thompson, assistant chief and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) coordinator, reported that 14 people participated in ice rescue training Dec. 5. He expects the Tri-Lakes district will have 12 people certified.

Thompson recounted a recent medical emergency with an active heart attack. District personnel recorded an EKG and used a LifePak 12 defibrillator. Based on the EKG taken by district personnel and supplied to the emergency room doctor, the patient was immediately prepared for bypass surgery. Thompson said, "This demonstrates the value of doing EKGs in the field before treatment is started. Without this, treatment would have been delayed."

Pocock said the three factors that caused the BOCC to approve Station 2 after rejecting it in June were the 2,600 signatures on the petition, the travel time coverage charts showing the benefit to the location of Station 2, and the residents who spoke in favor of the project.

He said that based on the coverage charts, "It is obvious to me Station 2 is in the right place. If the Woodmoor-Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD) station were moved east to Furrow Road, [without Station 2] that would leave 12 square miles in the east not covered."

He said it would take 15 to 30 days to take care of the administrative matters associated with Station 2 and then three weeks to award a construction contract. He said the district hopes to break ground in mid-February.

Pocock reported that the neighbor to the west moved 15 trees from Station 2 to his lot as part of a landscape buffer between the two properties. The district unanimously approved paying $535, half the cost of moving the trees.

Pocock said the petition accepted last month covers about half of Elk Creek. He said it is two signatures short of 100 percent of the property owners in that filing.

He reported that the district received an inclusion petition signed by the owners of all 11 lots in Walden Pines. The board unanimously approved accepting the petition and scheduling a hearing on the Walden Pines inclusion. Pocock said, "If people want to come to us, that is fine. I don’t want to go out and blanket the area."

Pocock noted that Duane Hanson, a 25-year member of the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD), was in the audience. He said Hanson had been instrumental in negotiating the current ambulance contract by which the Tri-Lakes district provides service to Palmer Lake residents.

Pocock noted that one of the changes to the contract is that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requires that anyone who rides in the ambulance must watch a video and sign a statement. Since the Tri-Lakes district is governed by HIPAA, PLVFD personnel would have to watch the video and sign the statement before they could ride in the Tri-Lakes ambulance.

Pocock said the revised contract covering that issue and several others was presented to Palmer Lake in October. He said, "For some reason they haven’t signed it." Hildebrandt added, "The current contract is still in force. Riding in the ambulance is the only issue. We don’t need to give them an ultimatum. Just let them know they can’t ride in the ambulance."

Pocock related an analysis of Palmer Lake medical calls and concluded that the average amount received per Palmer Lake call has been $137, whereas the breakeven point is at least $500. Despite that, he said, "We would prefer them to sign the contract." Denboske added, "They need to give us some feedback. If there are things they are not happy with, let us know." Hanson said he would contact Palmer Lake Mayor Nikki McDonald.

Hildebrandt said, "We, as a board, have been painted rudely in the [Gazette] Slice. For example, it has been said that Station 2 is a bad location and that we pulled out of the consolidation negotiations. It has been widely quoted that we are not following the [Emergency Services Education and Consulting Group (ESECG)] study. Those who say that leave out parts of the study they [the other three fire districts] are not complying with. For example, the study called for formation of a fire authority rather than inclusion. It also recommended that there be one medical service provider: Tri-Lakes. We budgeted 24/7 paramedics, proposed providing ambulance service to W/MFPD, and they turned us down."

Hildebrandt continued, "We didn’t pull out of the consolidation negotiations: Tri-Lakes and the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) voted to pursue a fire authority. Palmer Lake and W/MFPD didn’t." Hildebrandt said that at the joint working group meeting following the vote, some conditions of participation were that the future of Station 2 was negotiable and the decision regarding ambulance service would be left up to the board of the future combined district. He said, "If we were not willing to approve all of the conditions, they said don’t come. We didn’t go."

Hildebrandt concluded, "The only thing that has been consolidated has been the fight against this board. Politics have no place in providing fire service. Our firefighters are working and training together. Most of the departments are coming to the training."

Denboske agreed, saying, "The line level folks are working well together."

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

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The Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District board normally meets at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the district firehouse, 18650 Highway 105 (near the bowling alley). The next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 15.

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

Woodmoor-Monument FPD Board meeting Dec. 8

The Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD) held its December board meeting on Dec. 8, earlier than usual, so it could pass a resolution regarding the 2004 budget and certify next year’s mill levy at 9.921 percent before Dec. 15. President Bob Browning introduced James Rackl, who would be having his final employment interview for the newly created position of assistant chief in the executive session following the open meeting. All board members were present for the 8 a.m. meeting.

Vice President Si Sibell asked that the minutes of the November executive session be amended to show that the board’s decision to hire James Rackl, effective Dec. 1, as assistant chief was not unanimous due to his abstention. Treasurer Russ Broshous asked that the minutes reflect that the approval to purchase a 2004 Tahoe is approval for a replacement vehicle for the current 1997 Tahoe rather than a third vehicle for Rackl. He added this policy is in keeping with the district’s strong commitment to fiscal prudence in its 2004 capital budget. In discussion about use and types of vehicles, it was noted that Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) acquired a Hummer right after the 1997 blizzard, when the north end regional departments had to solicit Hummer support from Fort Carson. W/MFPD did not take any action to acquire a Hummer.

There were no public comments, as no citizens attended the meeting. President Bob Browning noted that W/MFPD enjoys the best financial status of any special district in the region, with little outstanding debt. In fact, all debt should be eliminated by April, even as they execute the 2004 capital budget.

Sibell noted that the 2003 legal fees to date are more than twice the amount budgeted. Chief Dave Youtsey said the reasons for this are the additional legal review required for inclusion negotiations with Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD) and legal assistance needed for processing the request for funds from the old hire pension, funded by the Fire and Police Pension Association (FPPA). Browning asked Youtsey to get with the district’s attorney, Tim Schutz, to learn the status of this unanswered request for the $322,000 from FPPA.

Director Tom Conroy asked how accrued vacation and sick pay are accounted for when people leave the department. Recording Secretary Donna Arkowski said that all unused vacation pay is reimbursed, but not more than 920 hours of sick pay can be accrued. Sick pay is reimbursed based on seniority: The greater the number of years served, the higher the fraction of cash value (one to five years of service, for example, yields 25 percent of accrued sick pay hours, and on up from there). Sick pay that is not totally reimbursed must be listed as a full liability and a potential partial asset since a departing or retiring employee may not be eligible for a portion of sick pay.

Assessed valuation for the district went up overall from the Aug. 25 estimate, yielding an additional $6,000 in property taxes as of Nov. 24. The budget resolution and the certification of the mill levy at 9.921 mills were approved unanimously. Broshous noted that not increasing the mill levy was good for taxpayers, even though the Gallagher Amendment would have allowed an increase of 3.4 percent.

The district’s general and management liability coverage was renewed, with an increase in premium of $308 to $13,834 for 2004. The representative for the provider, VFIS, explained that Colorado recently eliminated no-fault personal insurance protection. VFIS added $10,000 of no-fault injury coverage for any non-W/MFPD people riding in district vehicles at no cost. Department personnel are covered separately under workman’s compensation. Youtsey added that he thought VFIS had the best training and inspection programs of any company that presented at the Breckenridge Chiefs’ Leadership Conference the previous week and confirmed that no bonds are needed since coverage remains the same across the board. Conroy ensured that director and officer coverage, which provides the bonds for the treasurer and other board members, was included to protect the district’s financial status against malfeasance, errors, and omissions by the board or operational supervisors. Sibell confirmed that terrorism coverage is in place. The motion to renew the VFIS policy was unanimous.

Conroy said the board is still waiting for a formal response from the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD) on W/MFPD’s inclusion procedure draft. There has been no contact with DWFPD or Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District (TLFPD) since the last board meeting.

Browning said he had a draft letter to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) regarding TLFPD’s plans to rebuild its now-demolished Station 2 at Highway 105 and Roller Coaster Road. The BOCC was scheduled to meet on Dec. 11 to re-hear TLFPD’s request for an immediate subdivision waiver in order to start construction on a new station. Further discussion of the letter and whether or not to deliver it in person was deferred to the executive session that followed this open session. However, no decision was announced after the executive session regarding letter delivery or attendance by a board member at the BOCC meeting.

Conroy restated the board’s position that the relocation of W/MFPD’s fire station to Highway 105 and Furrow Road and of TLFPD’s Station 2 to Highway 105 and Highway 83—as proposed in the Emergency Services Education and Consulting Group study for the north end of El Paso County—was preferable to having TLFPD rebuild at the Roller Coaster location. He said the study showed the shortcomings of the Roller Coaster site. There is no change in position on building a more effective layout of facilities in the region per this study. Browning said the current boundary lines for the four "very independent" north end districts are inefficient and need to be merged; he added that he hopes a merger is completed in 2004 because it needs to be done "for the good of all."

Secretary Bob Harvey said that nearly all local businesspeople are very happy with the work Captain Eastburn is doing as interim fire marshal and with the process of inspection he has implemented since Raymond Blake’s resignation. He plans on having a draft report next meeting.

Once all three shifts of firefighters have been to each business to learn about their layout and the available equipment, Harvey recommends a transition to outsourcing life and occupant safety inspections. He also recommends having engineering inspections outsourced. Eastburn will continue to be principal fire marshal the first half of 2004 and then return most of his attention to his operational leadership position. Broshous asked who was available to perform these various inspections and if they could be done at a cost savings. Harvey said that the Colorado Springs Fire Department is preparing a list of available services and training. He added that once outsourcing of inspections is implemented, firefighters still need to be trained to do inspections as part of their professional development.

Harvey said he will be finalizing options regarding the structure and composition of an inspection appeals board for business owners who have questions or concerns about inspection results. He is recommending that the board include members of the construction and insurance industries. He noted that all board members should be aware that some business owners will never accept engineering and life safety code enforcement.

No votes were taken on any aspect of Harvey’s presentation, as it is still in the preliminary stage. Broshous asked for specifics on training and outsourcing costs to verify that money would be saved when W/MFPD firefighters were released from outsourced inspections. Conroy agreed with Broshous on the need for estimated data to properly analyze the value of outsourcing before making any decisions on this new policy. Sibell asked about the progress on standardizing procedures regarding Regional Building. Harvey noted that the lack of district engineering expertise will inevitably lead to inspectors having to refer some situations to regional building for clarification rather than note them as violations. Harvey said that being open and honest about the need for outside help should partially allay business owner concerns, but this kind of situation requires clear and open communication in an atmosphere of earned trust backed by formal referral procedures. He added that Eastburn and Rackl would organize most in-house training for firefighters.

There was a brief discussion of an alarm malfunction at Grace Best Elementary School that was resolved through troubleshooting a defective upper corridor detector. Harvey noted that the call lists still needed to be analyzed for errors in dispatches, such as wrong address or incorrect/incomplete naming of the emergency, to get a firm understanding of types of calls and training needed. He added that the call rate is 43 percent higher per person than in Colorado Springs because residents in the district are older. Conroy reminded Youtsey that he had been asked at the previous board meeting to begin auditing 10 percent of the district’s calls to determine if reflex and response time data in the logs was accurate and to determine if response time could have been improved. Conroy then asked Youtsey to report on his analysis of November calls. However, Youtsey had been on vacation and then out of town at a conference, so he had not had time to prepare an analysis. Rackl noted that W/MFPD had better response times than most departments, and Conroy agreed there had already been great improvement this year. The board again agreed to go with stopwatch times rather than invest in expensive computer-aided dispatch equipment, which is not yet in general use in El Paso County.

Browning then summarized the district’s achievements for 2003, noting that board members are "essentially volunteers doing a difficult job because they care about their community."

The board then went into executive session. Afterward, Youtsey confirmed to OCN by phone that the board had announced a 2 percent across-the-board pay increase, confirmed that the new Tahoe SUV would be a replacement vehicle, and that the replaced 1997 Tahoe would be sold via sealed bids. The board also formally announced Rackl’s appointment as assistant chief.

Lewis-Palmer School Board meeting Dec. 18

By Tommie Plank 

The Creekside Middle School choir, under the direction of Carolyn Skloven-Gill, sang five Christmas arrangements for the Lewis-Palmer Board of Education at its Dec. 18 meeting.

Jim Giblin and Tom Sistare of Hoelting and Company presented the results of the independent audit of District 38 finances for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, and explained the new GASB 34 basis of accounting. District 38 continues to be in sound fiscal health.

Charles Holt, principal of Monument Academy, requested an extension on the academy’s application for a separate high school charter. Citing incompleteness of the pending application, the board advised taking more time and submitting a new, more thorough application. After discussion of several issues, Holt agreed that a new application for a separate four-year high school program would be presented in July 2004. Between now and then, the academy will concentrate on developing a curriculum for expansion to Grade 10 next fall, as provided under the existing contract with District 38.

Executive Director of Special Services Linda Williams-Blackwell presented her annual report concerning the status of special education in District 38. There are currently 450 district students receiving various special education services at an average cost of $6,586.86 per student.

Superintendent Dave Dilley announced that all 10 reporting sites in the district (six elementary schools, three middle schools, and the high school) did very well based on student performances on the CSAP tests last year. The Colorado Department of Education rated six district schools as Excellent: Lewis-Palmer Elementary, Monument Academy Charter Elementary, Prairie Winds Elementary, Creekside Middle, Monument Academy Charter Middle, and Lewis-Palmer High. All of the rest of the district schools were rated as High for the 2002-03 school year.

Executive Director of Curriculum MaryAnn Wiggs and Dr. Keith Jacobus, high school principal, presented a plan to implement honors courses at the high school next year. Students must complete an application process by Feb. 20, 2004, to be accepted for next fall. The purpose of the program is to encourage students’ critical thinking and analysis of in-depth studies that go beyond the regular curriculum.

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The next District Accountability Committee meeting will be held Jan. 13 at Lewis-Palmer Middle School. The school board will meet on Jan. 21 at Grace Best Elementary.

Letters to Our Community

It has been brought to our attention that the current owner of 78 Highway 105 (on the corner of Lower Glenway and Highway 105 in Palmer Lake) has intentions of requesting a license for a liquor store. The owner, currently a resident of Perry Park, indicated that he was going to live at this location. The Town Council approved his request.

Numerous residents have asked the owner about his intentions. His response has been that he is going to live there, that it is a house. The Palmer Lake town clerk was asked what the owner’s intentions were. Her response: "I believe he is going to open a liquor store." His permit was for a place of residence, but the town clerk seemed to already know that the property owner wanted to open a liquor store. The building was being inspected based upon residential codes, not commercial codes.

On Dec. 3, 2003, an article titled "Palmer Lake Deli Owner’s License to Sell Beer Approved" was published in the Tribune. The article stated, "The confusion over the matter was whether or not Sylvia Amos [of Sylswap Corp., DBA Palmer Lake Country Store & Deli] would go ahead and get the license, due in large part to the fact that a liquor store may soon be located next door." "Next door" is 78 Highway 105. The article went on to say, "Shortly after Amos was approved, Trustee Susan Miner motioned to establish a perimeter of the entire town for canvassing for the retail store’s approval. Trustees approved the motion."

The Town Council had voted on a canvassing issue for a commercial liquor store going into a place that had been issued a residential permit, was not close to being complete, and for which the owner had not requested a liquor license? Did the town council know something nobody else did? Maybe it was the potential tax revenue from a liquor store that was so incredibly blinding? Maybe this explains why a town employee had been promoting the idea of a liquor store to others who had applied for a business license. At this point, I think it’s pretty obvious something was and still is wrong here.

Had anyone done an impact study regarding what a liquor store can do to a community, before promoting the idea? Did anyone study the impact on the residential street traffic since access from Highway 105 would be denied? Did anyone consider the residents in the area?

Palmer Lake, "Almost Heaven"? Oh, that’s right, it’s because we don’t have a McDonald’s or some other chain/franchise in town. At least we know they will not be hanging any ugly banners, because we sure don’t want to make the town look bad.

For additional and updated information, please visit www.plalmostheaven.org.

Computer Education and Family Entertainment Center best describes our new business venture that many identify with "paintball." The fact that Fusion Extreme Gaming is a family-oriented local business has to date gone unreported. What follows are the well-documented truths about our business history, current status, and our plans for the future.

My name is Brian Jennison, owner of the newly opened and often disparaged paintball facility in Palmer Lake (see any local news publication for details from the negative ones). As a Microsoft Certified computer consultant for a large defense contractor, I have learned a thing or two about big business and complex computer systems. This experience has enabled me to understand, program, repair, sell, and network personal computers. This experience helped my partners and I develop the complex technical arena that opened indoors at our paintball facility in Palmer Lake.

Prior to our operations, this commercially zoned land was an industrial eyesore. It was littered with weeds, auto parts, rubbish, and scrap metal. We have invested our life savings in this community to clean up the mess, level the field, and construct a local, family-friendly entertainment venue. However, the outdoor paintball arena is only one aspect of our business. We are confident that it will continue to be safe, fun family entertainment in the future.

We would like to assure the citizens of Tri-Lakes that we continue to empathize with and address the concerns of the negative ones. We have discontinued the outdoor paintball facility until such time that we can do a better job of paintball containment. This voluntary business decision underscores our commitment to the residents of Palmer Lake. We are currently evaluating several options for paintball containment, and we are confident that the majority of people will find our solutions acceptable. We estimate that these changes will allow our outdoor operations to resume as early as late spring.

Our indoor facility opened on Dec. 6, 2003. We have 16 computers linked together to form a social experience that cannot be beat. Kids and parents have found that this venue of PC games far outshines the home computer game environment known by X-Box and PS2 users. Participants learn teamwork skills, hand-eye coordination necessary for life skills (such as becoming an airline pilot), and complex planning and competitive strategy thought processes.

The second aspect of our business features more potential for family and educational growth. Our computer software training programs open in February 2004. We will teach common computer applications at a reasonable rate, with courses of study such as "MS Windows and Internet and Email for Busy Moms." More formal training will be offered for people of all ages to learn the entire line of Microsoft computer applications. Our first class entitled "Internet and Email for Moms" starts in February 2004, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (while the kids are at school).

The last aspect and the part of our business that will excite many of our adult customers will open by the end of 2004. Fusion Computer Services will fill the void left by the exit from Monument of J and L Computers. We will build, service, repair, and sell computers as the retail aspect of our business. We are confident that you will learn to trust our integrity as we move forward with our business plan.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank the local businesspeople who have steadfastly supported us. These people have become our friends and customers. They have leased us our land, participated in our events, and helped us advertise and market our new business. We appreciate the numerous compliments that we have received from our 300-plus customers on providing a productive family environment for everyone.

Please see our ad on the back page of Our Community News this issue!

We all want better education for our children. For years, the local Roman Catholic Church has tried to build a parochial school in our neighborhood. Certainly we need more schools as our area grows, and this way the burden does not fall on our local school district in the form of higher taxes. However, the current proposal is based on lies.

Several years ago, the local Roman Catholic priest told the newspapers and the Monument Town Council that this structure on 1st and Washington Streets would be a "Parish Education Center" and not a school. It was approved for that purpose. It was constructed on too small a piece of ground to be anything else, since it does not meet codes for a school. Now the local Roman Catholic Church wants to renege on its agreement with the neighborhood and the town by converting the use to a school, which they previously stated it would not be.

With all the trouble the Roman Catholic Church has caused in this country, one would think they would want to improve their reputation by honoring their agreements and not lying to the public or even their own parishioners. I am not against education, but we should not build positive institutions like schools on lies.

On Feb. 12 and 13, the Monument Police Department will sponsor the eight-hour AARP 55 Alive Driver Safety Program. The classes will be held at the Monument Town Hall from 5 to 9 p.m. both days. You must attend both classes to complete the course. The cost is $10, which includes all class materials and workbooks.

AARP’s Driver Safety Program is the nation’s first and largest classroom refresher course, designed especially for drivers age 50 and older. It is also the most recognized comprehensive nationwide course designed for this age group. It takes into consideration the maturing driver’s physical changes and identifies ways the driver may compensate for those changes. Students learn defensive driving techniques, new traffic laws, and rules of the road. Through interaction with each other, they learn how to safely adjust their driving to compensate for changes in vision, hearing, and reaction time.

Over the past 20 years, more than 8 million drivers have taken the course nationwide.

Legislation in 36 states and the District of Columbia requires all automobile insurance companies conducting business in those states to offer a premium discount to graduates of state-approved driver improvement courses. Colorado is one of the states covered. In addition, several insurance companies in the remaining states voluntarily provide premium discounts to graduates of the AARP Driver Safety Program. This program is approved in every state.

The Monument classes are limited to the first 30 people who register. To register, call Chief Joe Kissell at the Police Department, 481-3253.

Several feeders offering different kinds of foods reduce waste and minimize congestion. Having multiple feeders in different places will also attract a variety of species, since birds typically feed at different levels. Woodpeckers, jays, nuthatches, chickadees, and finches readily feed in trees, so these will visit higher-set feeders. Likewise, thrushes, towhees, sparrows, and juncos usually feed near the ground. Place feeders close to windows so you can enjoy the action, but beware of large picture windows that may result in collisions. Avoid ground feeders if there is a risk house cats will pounce from nearby shrubs.

1. Ground-feeding table. This screen-bottomed tray sits several inches off the ground and is useful for helping to keep grain and bird excrement from coming in contact with each other. Some designs have covers to prevent snow from accumulating over the seed; others are surrounded by wire mesh to keep out squirrels and large birds such as crows and grackles. Place the feeder in an open location, at least 10 feet from the nearest shrub, to give birds a chance to flee in the event of a cat attack. Ground feeders are especially favored by doves, juncos, sparrows, towhees, goldfinches, and thrushes.

2. Sunflower-seed tube feeders. If you are going to put out just one bird feeder, this is the best choice. Be sure to select a model with metal ports around the seed dispensers to protect the feeder from nibbling squirrels and house sparrows. Hang the feeder at least five feet off the ground and position it near a window, where you can enjoy the visitors. These feeders are especially attractive to small birds such as chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, goldfinches, siskins, and purple and house finches.

3. Suet Feeder. Suet is readily eaten by titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers. In addition to the regular suet-feeder visitors, wrens, creepers, and warblers occasionally pick at these mixes. You can hang suet chunks from a tree in an onion bag or a half-inch hardware-cloth basket, or in a more durable cage feeder. A wide variety of commercial suet cakes are readily available and provide excellent food for our fat-loving feathered friends. Avoid feeding suet when temperatures climb into the 80-degree range; it turns rancid and drippy and may damage feathers.

4. Hopper Feeder. Hopper feeders provide dry storage for several pounds of mixed seed that tumbles forward on demand. Place hopper feeders on a pole about five feet off the ground or hang low from a sturdy tree branch. Hopper feeders attract all of the species tube feeders attract, as well as such larger birds as jays, grackles, and red-winged blackbirds.

5. Thistle Feeder. Especially designed to dispense niger seed, also known as thistle seed—different from the prickly garden weed—these feeders typically have tiny holes that make the seed available only to small-beaked finches such as goldfinches, redpolls, and pine siskins. Thistle-seed-dispensing bags are not recommended, since squirrels can easily tear holes in them and waste this expensive seed. Hang your thistle feeder from a tree or place it on a five-foot pole near other feeders, taking care to protect it from squirrels by using a special baffle.

On Jan. 1, we turn our calendars to the next year and turn our thoughts to redoing or expanding … our spaces, our finances and work, our minds, our inner selves, and, of course, the ever present outer self. As always, there are authors to tell us (precisely) how to accomplish each feat.

Ty’s Tricks
By Ty Pennington, $19.95

Trading Spaces’ model-like carpenter shares his considerable experience with home repairs and creating "cheap and easy" projects. From fountains to lighting (amply illustrated with photos of Ty), this book is also fun and practical. Two other books in the Trading Spaces series are: Make It Yours: Customize and Personalize the Trading Spaces Way ($19.95) and Color: Punch It Up with Color the Trading Spaces Way ($19.95).

The Road to Wealth: Everything You Need to Know in the Good Times & Bad
By Suze Orman, $17.00

Orman’s first two books, The Nine Steps to Financial Freedom and The Courage to Be Rich, were New York Times best sellers. In her latest book, Orman creates a financial reference book in her straightforward style. She covers a number of topics, including home buying, college tuition, securing income for the senior years, and investing with confidence, to name a few. She also references the 2003 revised tax code.

Do What You Want for the Rest of Your Life: A Practical Guide to Career Change & Personal Renewal
By Bob Griffiths, $13.95

Jack Canfield, of Chicken Soup for the Soul fame, is quoted on the cover: "A unique and invaluable ‘whole person’ approach to career transition that helps readers through the emotional and spiritual, as well as the practical, elements of this major change…." From resume creation, financial planning, and exercises for tapping hidden strengths, this book delivers. Griffiths did it for himself and will help you do it, too.

So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading
By Sara Nelson, $22.95

Nelson is the publishing columnist for the New York Observer, and set herself the task of chronicling a year’s worth of reading. She set up a system to read 52 books in 52 weeks; her system fell apart the first week. After discovering that books chose her as much as she chose them, she surrendered to serendipity. This is a charming biblio-memoir, with the end result being many suggestions for great reads.

Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason
By Nancy Pearl, $16.95

From the Seattle librarian who brought us the "One City, One Book" idea comes this wonderful book about reading. She gives some great advice: You are not going to get to heaven by slogging through a book you don’t like. Her rule acknowledges that "time is short and the world of books is immense." Need suggestions? She has a chapter for just about any reading need, from New Orleans, WWI fiction, techno-thrillers, King Arthur, and Grit Lit, to railroad history ….over 120 categories.

Dealing with Stuff That Makes Life Tough: The 10 Things That Stress Girls Out and How to Cope with Them
By Jill Rutledge, M.S.W., LCSW, $14.95

Dieting, anxiety, depression, boyfriends, friends—this book is about real girls and the coping strategies (calming skills) they have developed, with the help of Rutledge, to "finally get a good night’s sleep." As it says on the cover, "Dr. Jill has the 411 on all top emergencies."

Yoga for Depression: A Compassionate Guide to Relieve Suffering Through Yoga
By Amy Weintraub, $14.95

Dr. Christine Northrup, who wrote Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom says in her recommendation of this book that it "is a godsend: beautifully written, medically accurate and very practical." A veteran yoga instructor and one who has suffered from depression herself, Weintraub discusses how immersing oneself in a daily yoga routine can heal depression.

The South Beach Diet
By Arthur Agatston, M.D., $24.95

This Florida cardiologist has created quite the stir, right on the coattails of Dr. Atkins. The low-carb dieting phenomenon is everywhere, and Agatston and Atkins have fueled it. While acknowledging Atkins, the South Beach diet is more tolerant to carbohydrates and somewhat less tolerant to fats in its approach to weight loss and heart disease risk management. The program is in three phases and contains many recipes (a number from well-known chefs) and menu-planning to create a less stressful weight loss experience.

The Ultimate Weight Loss Solution
By Dr. Phil McGraw, $26.00

In a completely Dr. Phil-esque way, he begins his book with, "You have a decision to make!" and then goes on to suggest that if you are overweight, you are out of control. No surprise for anyone who has ever seen Dr. Phil on TV. His 7 Key approach is intended to change the way you behave and think about food, weight loss, and, ultimately, yourself. There is an appendix with food lists and workout diary.

The Ultimate Weight Solution for Teens
By Jay McGraw, $15.95

Dr. Phil’s son and best-selling author of Life Strategies for Teens contributes his own book on weight loss for teenagers. He suggests that weight issues are one of the leading causes of teen depression. Graphically attractive with a workbook-style approach, this book could transform a teen’s life. Although following the 7 Keys from his Dad’s book, his style, format, and appendix are teen-oriented, with fast-food choices and a relaxation script.

Good luck with any resolutions for remodeling you might make. Finding the right book to increase the odds of success is often the first step.

Until next month, happy reading.

View photos of Monument's Small Town Christmas and DWFPD's Santa

A Yule Log Hunt to remember

The 70th annual Yule Log hunt on Dec. 14 was filled with mischief, merriment, and, of course, a little sleuthing. Katie Tillotson, 10, Lauren Schumacher, 10, and Nicole Schumacher, 12, found the cut-and-notched Yule Log with a ribbon tied around it. They were led in the search by trail leaders Tim Watkins, a 40-year participant, and Tom Allen. The log was hidden by log cutters Rich Kuehster and Kevin LaBella. Kuehster said that for him this event kicks off the Christmas season in Palmer Lake.

A reception at Town Hall followed, hosted by the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department. Winners got the first cups of wassail, a special hot cider made from apples, cider, and spices. The committee that prepares the wassail, a treasured tradition, offers a recipe to the public that "may not be 100 percent accurate," Joan Steininger, secretary-treasurer of the Palmer Lake Yule Log Association, said mischievously.

Half of last year’s Yule Log, saved for this fire, and half of this year’s log were kindled, per tradition, in the Town Hall fireplace. A little mischief occurred when the Town Hall fireplace set off the smoke alarm, to everyone’s amusement. The fire department did a superb job of resolving the "emergency." The other half of this year’s log will be set by the fireplace for next year’s reception.

The event was organized by the Yule Log Association. Also helping organize the event were Gary and Pat Atkins and David and Joyce Quintana.

Cartlidge family wins Palmer Lake decoration contest grand prize

View photos of the Cartlidge family's award winning decorations

This Christmas, there was more to see on the side of the mountain than just the Star. There was a wonderland of colorful lights and decorations, as the people of Palmer Lake went all out in decorating their houses for the holidays. From the farthest east side of town, all the way up Highway 105, and all over the side of the mountain, there were displays from the sensational to the simple.

The "Christmas Under the Star" contest is judged as much on creativity and spirit of the season as it is on the extent of the display. This year’s grand prize winner of $50 was the Dave Cartlidge family at 80 Columbine for their display, which included a penguin skating on "Palmer Lake" as a holiday train goes by. Other entries that were determined to be of equal charm, and awarded $15 each, were: the Condie family at 276 Milton Street, the Tremblays at 101 Greeley, the Facinellis at 189 Shady Lane, the Soles family at 523 Park Hill, and the Grabenbauers at 598 El Paso Road.

An additional prize went to an entire neighborhood. At Chatauqua and Largo, there are five homes decorated, making their neighborhood very festive: Jim and Sue Rhatigan, Laurie and Greg Welsh, Jim and Beth Divornak, Barbara and Ben Delwhimple, and Sue and Doug Thompson.

Special thanks to the businesses. Almost every business along Highway 105 was decorated, making the trip to and from town cheerful. It was also noted that the highway was lit up from the trailer parks’ decorations all the way around the lake! Congratulations to all for a fabulous and festive display of holiday spirit.

View photos of the Cartlidge family's award winning decorations

Spirit of Monument Awards

Three Spirit of Monument Awards were presented to town employees at the staff Christmas Party on Dec. 12. Mayor Betty Konarski announced the awards at the Board of Trustees meeting Dec. 15. Some details of their nominations are:

On Jan. 27, 2003, Sergeant Rick Tudor from the Police Department met with nine young adults from the Tri-Lakes area to discuss membership in the Monument Police Department Explorer Program. The same nine individuals met with Tudor on Jan. 31 and elected officers, creating the foundation for the Monument Police Department Explorer Program.

Through Tudor’s efforts, the Police Department partnered with the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District to create a program designed to expose youths between the ages of 14 and 21 to the aspects of law enforcement and firefighting. Members attend classroom training, ride with officers on duty, and this year assisted the police with crowd control at the Fourth of July parade. Tudor also served as a mentor in Project Adventure, an outdoor experiential education program that partnered law enforcement officers and firefighters with troubled youths. The officers and firefighters helped kids build self-confidence and self-esteem, while helping them achieve goals and make good decisions.

The Explorers became an important part of the Police Department’s Community Oriented Policing philosophy, and Project Adventure was a great success because of Tudor’s efforts.

Officer Rob Stewart oversees the Police Department’s Cops for Kids Program, designed to help youth in the community relate to a role model and mentor. Stewart started the program three years ago so at-risk youth could interact with police officers in a positive manner while enjoying local activities. The program has taken the kids to the Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain and to Sky Sox games as well as other events.

Stewart coordinates with School District 38 to obtain the names of children between the ages of 10 and 17 who could use a mentor; however, the program is open to other kids in the community. Through his efforts, mentors have expanded to include firefighters, school counselors, and parents. He receives tickets and cash donations to keep the program going, and promotes the program on his time off.

Stewart also served as a mentor in Project Adventure, for which he and Tudor received recognition from District 38.

Staff members think of Tamara Nazario as "Wonder Woman." She works for the town of Monument full-time as the assistant planner and helps whenever needed at Town Hall—whether making food, crafting scarecrows, or planning parties. In addition to being a mother of five children, ages 1 to 16, she is also going to college (and getting straight A’s) while her husband, Staff Sergeant William Nazario, is in Mosul, Iraq, with the 52nd Combat Engineering Battalion of Fort Carson. She recently moved her family to another house. In addition to being an asset to the town, she helps a number of seniors by doing their yard work.

Reflections: Only with Her Permission

Really, turning 18 doesn’t mean much to those of us who thought 21 was the big deal. But it is a whoop-tee-do event for those turning 18 in the present day. After all, one can get one’s skin permanently stenciled as well as pay to get holes deliberately placed in any number of interesting and scary places. One can now vote and one has "rights."

We have just sent daughter number two off to college with its most eager emphasis on independence and confidentiality. Just for example, all grades are online and you don’t have the pin number. You may write the checks, but the accountability is up for negotiation. During orientation, as I was reminded yet again of the university health service’s mandate for never letting a parent know anything, I remembered four years ago…

…"What do you mean I can’t speak to the doctor without her permission?" I asked, in as sweet a voice as I could muster.

"Your daughter is over 18 and therefore has to give permission for us to talk to you," the college health service receptionist said, echoing my sweetness with the practiced confidence of someone who has said those words before.

Hello.

I knew then that my firstborn had really and truly left the nest. The only trouble was that I hadn’t quite stopped sitting on it.

I had guessed she was gone: The bed stayed made, there was no need to always have an avocado on hand, the local calls were much fewer and the long distance calls much more often, and her ancient green Volvo never moved from its appointed spot. Still, I must have convinced myself that this was just temporary.

That phone call put an end to my pretty delusion. Not only was my darling gone but also she was now a beginner grown-up. She could vote, live on a co-ed floor, stay up all night if she liked, and give, or not give, permission to a doctor to speak to her mother.

Not give permission? To me? Her mother?

Think about it. The college health service does not give a rip that we sat through well-baby checkups, vaccinations, ear infections, fevers, stomach flu, chicken pox, a concussion, and various and sundry boo-boos that needed to be kissed. They do care about the legality of her 18th birthday.

We got through the medical emergency (with permission) and life moved on. It even became normal, sort of. But something had changed…

And now we are in the throes of a second launching. This daughter is geographically closer but psychologically in the same process. I don’t know what will face us in terms of medical services or grade negotiations. I do know that I am wiser, and I do know that I have changed, she has changed … we both have changed.

My friend’s small warning, "Honey, and you thought first grade was a big deal," is now completely acknowledged. I get it. This is really it, and I need to move on from the "be carefuls" to the "good lucks." All the platitudes about this being our job as parents to raise them to leave, sounds trite at best and hollow at worst. Sure is easy to say the words; sure is hard to live them. But since we can’t put them on a shelf and turn them off until we are ready for the next stage, I think it’s a done deal.

It probably won’t be so bad. I left the nest once myself. Just why does the ground look so far away?

Light Pollution, Part 3: Its Costs

This third and concluding article on light pollution takes a look at the costs related to poor lighting and offers resources for obtaining more information about the lighting-related issues (light pollution and light trespass) this series touched on.

People are generally unaware of how expensive it is for a town or city to light its streets. They are probably also unaware that cities and towns are not obligated by law to put any lights out at all! Outdoor lighting is optional. Many towns are electing to turn off street lights to help their budgets, usually finding that doing so does not increase crime or traffic-accident rates. In fact, both rates sometimes decrease when glaring lights are turned off.

Unshielded lights represent a colossal waste of energy and money and are a huge blemish on the record of 20th-century society and technology. Their glare is dangerous to motorists and intrusive to homeowners, night-sky viewers, and others, and they should be banned from any taxpayer-funded usage. A good percentage of light in unshielded or partly shielded outdoor lamps goes outward and upward in a totally useless manner. Because of this, such fixtures require brighter, more-expensive, higher-wattage lamps. On the other hand, full-cutoff fixtures place all of the light onto the ground below, where it is useful and needed; lower-wattage (lower-lumen) bulbs can then be used and great taxpayer savings (or great business/residential savings) realized. Proper reflectors in full-cutoff fixtures should allow substantial reduction in the lumen outputs of the lamps—resulting in substantial energy and money savings to go along with glare reduction or elimination.

Let’s briefly look at the energy use of inefficient outdoor lighting fixtures. A very common fixture seen everywhere throughout the United States is the so-called 175-watt dusk-to-dawn mercury vapor lamp. It is used for yard lighting, security lighting, and street lighting. It contains a photocell sensor switch to turn it on at dusk and off at dawn, hence the name commonly used for it. Quite a number of fixture manufacturers make such a unit, and many utility companies push its use for "security" or "safety" at night. We see ads proclaiming "Light Up the Night" in the interest of security or safety. However, this flies in the face of data indicating there is more crime in the daytime than at night and in well-lit areas than in dark areas.

Due to all this advertising, most of us have come to relate lighting at night with safety. Quality lighting can and does promote safety, security, and utility at night, and there should be little opposition to quality lighting. Poor lighting, lighting that causes glare, light trespass, urban sky glow, and light that compromises visibility, rather than helping us see, are quite another matter. Such poor lighting wastes light, energy, and money.

Let’s look at this 175-watt dusk-to-dawn mercury vapor lamp in some detail. It retails for around $29.95. When considering the ballast and other items, the system uses about 210 watts of overall energy. Most security lamps and street lamps are switched on and off by a photocell, as part of the fixture. They burn approximately 4,100 hours a year, which equals 11.23 hours per night.

Multiply 210 watts times 4,100 hours. The result is approximately 860 kilowatt-hours (KWH) per year of energy used. (One KWH is 1,000 watt-hours.) At 8.6 cents per KWH locally, the average cost of operating such a lamp is more than $70 a year. That’s more than twice what the fixture cost to purchase. In some places, it’s more than three times as much.

An alternative light source is low-pressure sodium, preferred by astronomers because of its narrow line width and minimal atmospheric scattering. It is the most efficient lamp in the known universe, approaching the theoretical upper limit–the so-called quantum limit–to efficiency. Even high-pressure sodium lamps are preferable to mercury vapor lamps.

In Colorado, there is good state regulation regarding the lighting required for state-funded fixtures. But the essentially bare light bulbs blazing outside businesses and homes at all hours of the night are testament to the lack of local lighting guidelines and regulations. There is some action on this front in parts of the state: Archuleta County, home to Pagosa Springs, has begun drafting a set of regulations geared to the reduction of light pollution and light trespass for new construction and grandfathered lighting. Lighting standards that address safety, light pollution, and light trespass for Douglas County can be found at www.douglas.co.us/planning/documents/zoningres/section30.htm.

In Arizona, the installation of new mercury vapor lamps is banned and no existing mercury vapor lamps will be permitted to operate after 2011. Arizona’s state lighting law permits county and local regulations to be applied when they are more stringent than the state’s. Flagstaff’s regulation efforts have made the northern Arizona town perhaps the greatest showcase in this country of wise lighting design and installation—preserving the night skies overhead, yet making life in and around town safe and navigable at night. Sierra Vista and Sedona, also in Arizona, have in place lighting regulations that preserve the night sky and will enhance the quality of life for residents there for generations.

In communities around the country, some form of municipal or county regulations have proven instrumental in establishing wise nighttime lighting standards and regulations because of the focus and education engendered by establishing such rules. Developments with covenants and some form of residence association or architectural control committee can prescribe their own lighting guidelines. In every locality where that has been done, the successful approach has been to make it a win-win situation. The communities that have tackled these issues directly, but with care and consideration, have produced smart regulation that always has a return on investment to counterbalance whatever the initially higher costs may have been. Over time, smart and effective lighting that avoids or reverses the pitfalls and hazards of the usual light polluting sources has reduced the cost of lighting paid by residents, local government, and businesses, and made those towns safer and more pleasant places.

While it could be hoped that the marketplace and good will of builders, developers, and property owners would ensure the use of appropriate, non-polluting, non-intrusive light fixtures around the Tri-Lakes area, it is unlikely to happen that way. With significant infrastructure changes underway in and around the area—the I-25 interchange redesign, the future Baptist Road interchange makeover, the Jackson Creek development, school expansion, and other projects large and small—this would seem an opportune time for the community to pay attention to lighting and take steps to preserve the beauty of the night skies above us. As we move further into the 21st century, let’s try and keep the glare of lights out of our eyes and those of our children and grandchildren.

Special Events and Notices

The Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts has announced its winter schedule of classes. It will offer drawing, watercolor, oil painting, jewelry making, floral design, sculpting, stained glass, photography, and children’s classes. For more information, visit the Web site at www.trilakesarts.com. The center is located at 304 Highway 105 in Palmer Lake. Center hours are Tuesday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m.

The monthly meeting of the Gleneagle Women’s Club will be held at Biaggi’s Italian Restaurant, located at the Briargate Shops, on Jan. 16 at 11:30 a.m. The speaker will be Dr. Paul Magarelli discussing "Today’s Women’s Health Issues." The club’s November Book Fair raised $500 to purchase books for Tri-Lakes Care for the Children and Christmas Unlimited. The club’s annual charity dinner/auction will be held Feb. 20. The theme this year will be "Colorado Cowboy Chic." Watch for details next month. For reservations, call Cecilia Neill at 481-1283; for additional information, call Mary Drexler at 488-8298.

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 Jan. 16, 17, & 18 at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 11 p.m. Tri-Lakes Today normally airs the third weekend of each month.

The annual "Punt for Health" health and wellness fair is planned for Jan. 17, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Lewis-Palmer High School. Co-sponsors are the Tri-Lakes Health Advocacy Partnership and the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce. Free health screenings–for cholesterol, glucose, bone density, hearing, depression, body fat analysis, blood pressure, and more–are planned for the event. Health and wellness professionals will be on hand to give demonstrations and answer questions. To reserve space or for information, call the chamber at 481-3282.

Brush up on the rules of the road and earn discounts on your insurance by taking AARP’s 55 Alive Driver Safety Program. Students must attend both classes, on Jan. 19 and 20, noon to 4 p.m. Advance registration and a $10 fee are required. Classes fill up, so register early. Classes will be held at Monument Branch Library, 1706 Lake Woodmoor Dr. For information, call 488-2370.

The Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Town Forum on Jan. 21, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Monument Town Hall. A panel discussion on the changing face of the Tri-Lakes area will be followed by comments and questions from the audience. The panel will include Monument Mayor Betty Konarski, High Country Store owner Woody Woodworth, and Jackson Creek developer Rick Blevins. This is your chance to discuss issues concerning the Tri-Lakes area, from the effects of growth to how we can better work together as a community.

The Historic Monument Merchants Association (HMMA) is holding a "Spoil Yourself Rotten in Monument" contest. The grand prize is a basket full of gifts and gift certificates from HMMA members: 2-Watts Creative, Pankratz Studios & Gallery, Cranberry Cove, Colorado School of Iyengar Yoga, Santa Fe Trail Jewelry, Aesthetically Unique, Covered Treasures Bookstore, High Country Store, The Catbird Seat, Expectations Day Spa, Monumental Miniatures & Toys, Balanced Rock Bike & Ski, Columbine Studio, Coffee Cup Café, Folk Art Gallery, The Office Center, and Petal Pushin’.

The grand prize, along with other prizes, will be given away at a reception toga party on Feb. 7. Watch for details next month. To enter, stop into any of the above-mentioned establishments and fill out an entry blank. Enter as often as you like.

The Tri-Lakes Health Advocacy Partnership needs volunteers for several of its community programs. 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. 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.

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