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View photos of the Tri-Lakes Forum Jan. 21
By John Heiser
More than 40 people attended the Tri-Lakes Forum on the
evening of Jan. 21, proving that growth and concerns about its impact on the
area is a topic that still attracts a crowd.
The forum, entitled "The Changing Face of the Tri-Lakes
Area," was sponsored and hosted by the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce and
moderated by Marylou Doehrman, the chamber’s executive director.
Panelists were Darryl
Edwards, Mountain View Electric’s manager of member services, Monument Mayor
Betty Konarski, Palmer Lake Mayor Nikki McDonald, and Woody Woodworth, owner of
the High Country Store in Monument. Rick Blevins, of Monument Marketplace
developer Vision Development, Inc., had to cancel at the last minute due to a
family emergency.
Doehrman introduced the session saying, "We want people
to have a voice in the changing face of the Tri-Lakes area." She expressed
concern about the fragmentation of the area, e.g., Monument, Palmer Lake,
Woodmoor, Gleneagle, and said the chamber is willing to create a task force to
address problems.
Edwards presented a series of facts about Mountain View
Electric (MVE):
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The rural electric cooperative was founded in 1940 with
50 members. When MVE incorporated in 1941, it had 250 members.
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The number of services (meters) has grown 95 percent in
the past 10 years, from 19,000 in 1994 to a projected 37,000 by the end of
2004.
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Two-thirds of the members are west of Calhan. There are
10,000 members in the Tri-Lakes area.
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In the 1950s and 1960s, the members were 80 percent
rural. Edwards said, "If there was an outage, they would send us a
postcard." Now 80 percent of the members are urban and have higher
expectations for reliability and power quality. Edwards later added that 80
percent of members are residential.
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MVE serves an area of 5,500 square miles and employs 120.
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Over the past decade, the capital investment in the plant
has grown 195 percent, from $45 million to $133 million. The number of
substations has grown from 14 to 20. During that time, five substations have
been upgraded. MVE is planning to upgrade five more and build two new
substations.
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Since 1994, MVE has added 1,000 miles of power lines; 60
percent of those additional miles are underground. He said that although
underground lines look nicer, they cost three times as much to install as
overhead lines and have a 20-year life, half that of overhead lines.
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MVE is planning to spend $30 million over the next two
years for upgrades, replacements, and new construction. Edwards said,
"It is a struggle financially." Due to potential delays obtaining
easements and permits, he said MVE tries to remain five years ahead of
predicted growth.
McDonald presented some background on Palmer Lake:
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She has lived there 24 years and been mayor for 3½
years.
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The town’s new well is scheduled to be on-line in
February or March to help with the demand for water during the summer.
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Thanks to a bequest, the town has completed a new town
office and municipal center.
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There are only 50 buildable lots left within the interior
of Palmer Lake; other lots have a variety of issues, including access and
utility service.
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There are some new businesses including a photo studio
and an Internet café on Highway 105. There is no application for a liquor
store at this time.
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The police department obtained a $72,000 homeland
security grant.
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The Willow Creek townhouses are finished. She said,
"It is sad for a lot of us that have lived there a long time. It
changed the look. When it was approved, we were told they would be good for
the elderly. Now they are three stories and have steps to get to the first
floor. It is a disappointment."
-
She said, "Think not about tomorrow but about 20
years from now. Some mistakes were made. Hopefully, we can correct some of
those and continue to go on as we have and depend on our volunteers."
Woodworth discussed his involvement in the community and the
state of the local economy:
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He has been owner of High Country Store for the past
eight years. Over that time, he said his business has changed from a feed
store serving ranches and selling 10 tons of horse feed per week to more of
a lawn and garden store serving houses and selling premium pet foods and
10,000 pounds of grass seed per year. He said he now sells 5 tons of horse
feed every two weeks, and garden sales are 50 percent of gross sales.
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Although he and his wife live in Colorado Springs near
Manitou, they are heavily involved in the Historic Monument Merchants
Association and other Tri-Lakes community activities. He said, "Even
though this town is growing, it still has a small-town feel. This community
is a good community for us. We aren’t planning on going anywhere. We are
going to dig in our heels and survive."
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Regarding the Home Depot expected to open in May or June,
he said, "I don’t think we are overly concerned about it. We expect a
drop in sales. We have to come up with ways to beat the big-box stores by
providing better knowledge and service. It is a matter of getting to know
who your customer is." He added, "The independent store is the
backbone of America."
Konarski, mayor of Monument since Sept. 11, 2001, presented
her vision for Monument and the area:
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At their September 2002 retreat, the Monument board
unanimously agreed that "Monument must become a full-service community
where people can live, work, and play, or it will be gradually engulfed by
Colorado Springs."
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To achieve that vision, Monument must grow its services.
There must be a consolidation of functions. The multiplicity of special
districts must eventually disappear into one cohesive and financially
effective organization. Citizens cannot continue to support the costs of all
the duplication of infrastructure. Fire district merger and formation of a
regional transportation authority are steps in that direction.
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Monument must grow its boundaries while balancing such
growth between residential and commercial growth to afford the expanded
services.
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Monument will have two hearts: The historic center west
of I-25 with a regional park around the lake and small independent shops and
restaurants drawing people from Denver, Pueblo and farther; and "New
Town" east of I-25, with an athletic center, recreational fields open
to the public, perhaps a new library, small performing arts center, movie
theater, and affordable housing for teachers and the elderly. The two hearts
would be connected through a system of roads, parks, and trails. There may
be some subsiding of one part by another, but both must be healthy.
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The voters must not be afraid of affordable housing or
commercial or industrial development. Without a mix of housing and jobs,
Monument will stay a largely bedroom community.
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Avoid separatism: Elect people who represent the best
interests of the whole area. Do not let boundaries keep you away from the
process.
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Create community by supporting collaborative efforts such
as Sertoma, the Tri-Lakes Women’s Club, Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts, and
Tri-Lakes Views.
-
Support collaborative organizations such as the Palmer
Divide Water Group and mergers of special districts and perhaps even
municipalities. Maybe the area will become the "City of
Tri-Lakes."
In response to a question about the feasibility of the
consolidation of services, Konarski said, "You have to get a lot of egos
out of the way. You need to see past all that. You the voters control all
that."
Regarding the inefficiencies of overlapping and fragmented
delivery of services, Konarski added, "People in Jackson Creek can afford
to pay just so much in taxes. They are the most heavily taxed in our area."
Referring to budgetary limitations in Palmer Lake, Konarski
said, "Nikki just said she is a dying municipality." McDonald replied
that she had not said that, but acknowledged that having a largely residential
tax base makes it difficult to fund services.
Emphasizing the importance of sales tax revenue, Monument
landowner John Dominowski said Monument property taxes are $270,000 and the
police budget is $600,000.
Woodmoor resident Benny Nasser said, "The thing that is
going to drive this is water."
Konarski replied, "[Protect Our Wells] is scared
spitless. They already have wells going dry. Parker drilled a new well and is
getting miniscule water out of it." She suggested the Monument and Palmer
Lake water systems should be interconnected to help with storage and in times of
drought.
In response to a question as to the source of water for the
Monument Marketplace, Konarski replied that the Triview Metropolitan District
has adjudicated wells.
Regarding how to invigorate the downtown Monument area
similar to the old town in Castle Rock, Woodworth said, "You can’t have
empty lots. You have to have sidewalks, streetlights, and shops that are open
consistent hours."
Maria Tillberry, owner of the Expectations salon in Monument,
asked, "How many years have we been waiting for sidewalks?" Konarski
replied, "Since 1991. It is why you need a ‘big box’ [store]." She
added, "It is no good to beautify the downtown when nobody is open after 6
p.m. and half the lots are empty."
Dominowski added, "I have been going to [Monument] Board
of Trustees meetings for 16 years waiting for sidewalks to be put in the
budget." Despite that, Dominowski lauded the efforts of the board of
trustees to balance competing interests. He said, "The future is bright for
Monument."
There was a divergence of views on the turnout for the
meeting. Doehrman asked, "How do we get the rest of the people to get
involved? We want to see representation from every area we cover."
Dominowski replied, "This many people is incredible. Compare it to the
Board of County Commissioners with three people." He expressed concern that
if future meetings are too big or too structured, people will not feel as
comfortable expressing their views.
The consensus was that the chamber should plan to hold
another forum in about two months and include representation of local special
districts (e.g., fire, water, sewer).
**********
For more information, contact the Tri-Lakes Chamber of
Commerce at 481-3282.
View photos of the Tri-Lakes Forum Jan. 21
Web site exclusive: View a photo of the
proposed Kerr Annexation
By Jim Kendrick
At its first meeting of the New Year, on Jan. 5, the Monument
Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously appointed George Case, from the Police
Advisory Committee, to replace Doug Warner as trustee until the April election.
The board endorsed the Comprehensive Plan Update passed by the Planning
Commission in August and started the process of considering two separate
annexation and rezoning proposals for a wholesale gift business and a 140-acre
subdivision. They also amended town zoning and subdivision regulations
concerning recoupment, downtown water, and parking, and commercial public land
dedication. Trustee Byron Glenn was absent. There were 10 citizens in attendance
for the regular meeting.
Special Meeting
Draft Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan: Monument
Assistant Town Manager and Town Planner Mike Davenport reviewed the progress
made to date on the draft Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan and
discussed a related Greater Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant as well as future
GOCO grant applications. The draft plan, prepared by graduate students in urban
planning at the University of Denver’s Colorado Center for Community
Development, was submitted to GOCO on Dec. 17 for final payment. . The draft
plan also shows GOCO how future grants would help support fulfillment of the
plan’s goals and specific objectives. Davenport proposed the following steps
for review and adoption of the master plan:
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Staff will compile citizen input from a survey included
in the town’s December newsletter.
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Staff will submit an edited and revised draft for a full
review by the Monument Parks and Landscape (P&L) Committee.
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Following a public notice, P&L would take public
comment at its next regularly scheduled meeting, and then forward its
recommendations, along with citizen comments, and the final draft to the
Monument Planning Commission (PC).
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The PC would hold a public hearing on whether the master
plan should be incorporated into the town’s recently revised Comprehensive
Plan, which the PC approved in August 2003 and the BOT endorsed on Dec. 15.
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The PC would forward the final draft of the master plan
and any recommendations and comments received to the BOT. The BOT would
endorse the plan or send it back to the PC with recommendations for change.
Davenport summarized the history of the master plan’s
development and reviewed its major recommendations. He said that a section on
creating a park and recreation area around Monument Lake needs to be added to
the plan. Mayor Betty Konarski endorsed the plan’s comments that Monument is
the northern gateway to the Pikes Peak region. She said the plan’s
philosophical stand on connecting east and west Monument by trails crossing I-25
should not be lost during BOT turnover after the April election.
Konarski also noted that a key feature of the master plan is
the requirement for view shed analysis of any commercial development adjacent to
I-25 to protect motorist sight lines of the Front Range. (A view shed is a
zoning area where building heights are restricted to prevent scenic views from
being blocked by new construction.) Davenport noted that the viewshed
regulations are not often seen in master plans.
Trustee Dave Mertz asked Davenport if all wording and maps
were consistent between the Comprehensive Plan and the master plan; Davenport
said yes. Mertz added that the proposed timeline for master plan adoption was
too optimistic; Davenport said it would probably take twice as long as his ideal
forecast. Davenport also said the strongest citizen comment was a general
dislike of using the Preble’s mouse as a town mascot/icon; otherwise, the
response to date was uniformly positive. Konarski suggested a BOT work session
to provide the PC with budget priorities for the plan, because implementation
depends so heavily on grants and grant timing.
New GOCO grant application: Town Manager Rick Sonnenburg
discussed the status of the town’s GOCO grant applications for the spring 2004
cycle. Applications for the various types of GOCO grants (open space, local
parks, and outdoor recreation) are due the first three days in March. The town
will ask GOCO to subsidize 70 percent of the cost of purchasing three parcels of
Denver and Santa Fe Western Railroad land west and south of Limbach Park for
park expansion and for parking spaces. One parcel would expand the park west to
the railroad tracks, and one parcel would expand the park south to connect with
another parcel dedicated to the town by the developer of the Monument Addition
No. 5 subdivision. The third parcel between Mitchell and the railroad tracks,
south of Second Street, would be used for off-street parking. Monument has the
right of first refusal to purchase this land from the railroad. The contract
being negotiated will delay payment to the railroad until early 2005.
Newsletter: After receiving comments on frequency and
content of the town’s newsletter, Konarski said that monthly delivery would
continue and asked that the mailing list–about 1,200 resident and business
license addresses–be updated. She added that copies of the newsletter would
continue to be distributed to seniors at the Monday and Thursday lunches.
Triathlon: Konarski then noted that a triathlon will be
scheduled for Monument July 10-11, if Monument Lake can be filled in time—after
Fish and Wildlife confirmed that there would be no restriction on holding the
event’s swimming competition in the lake.
The special meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
Regular Meeting
Warner Commendation: A resolution commending Doug Warner
for his service as trustee was approved unanimously. Warner was unable to attend
the meeting because of increased business obligations, which was his reason for
resigning from the board in December. His service on the Parks and Landscape
Committee and the Advisory Committee to the Regional Building Commission were
also commended.
Case Appointed Trustee: George Case is a 13-year resident
who served on the Police Advisory Committee for six years. Konarski reminded him
that he would have to stand for election in April if he chose to continue
serving. He was approved 5-0. Town Clerk Judy Skrzypek administered the oath of
office and Trustee Case took his place on the board for the remainder of the
meeting.
Police Advisory Committee Goes Dormant: The Police
Advisory Committee’s number of vacancies increased from two to three after
Case’s move to the BOT. Trustees cannot also serve on any of the three
advisory committees. The committees each have five members. The Police Advisory
Committee will now go dormant due to a lack of a majority for a quorum. The
Public Works Committee (PWC) similarly went dormant when the number of vacancies
increased from two to four after its July 2 meeting. Larry Neddo, the one
remaining active PWC member after Mike Wicklund’s and Faye Elbaum’s terms
expired, moved to the Planning Commission (PC) on July 21. Furthermore, the lone
remaining active advisory committee, Parks and Landscape, has one vacancy due to
the move of Ed Delaney to the PC on Oct. 6, with no volunteer to replace him at
this time.
Annexation of Wahlberg Property: Davenport said that
Steven Barr of Colorado Commercial Builders, Inc. requested, in a Dec. 31 fax,
to appear before the BOT to make a presentation regarding possible annexation of
140 acres southeast of Highway 105 and Knollwood Drive. The property is listed
in the August 2003 update of the Comprehensive Plan as a possible site for
annexation. Barr is proposing mixed use, commercial and residential,
development, of the parcel.
Davenport observed that while state law calls for annexation
and rezoning in a sequential manner, the common practice is for there to be
agreement in principle on the proposed development and the required zoning to
implement it. He said the purpose of the presentation was to give the trustees
an opportunity to ask questions of the developer in a public session, to
preclude any controversy over direct contact by Barr with trustees prior to
application hearings. Steve Shuttleworth spoke for Barr at this meeting and was
accompanied by Chuck Schoeninger.
The development is called the Village Center at Woodmoor.
Davenport noted that this was the first annexation action under the revised
Comprehensive Plan and revised zoning and construction regulations.
Shuttleworth displayed a detailed sketch plan. The parcel is
L-shaped, looking eastward along Highway 105, with a small cutout (lower left
corner of the "L" on the northwest corner) that includes the Woodmoor
Veterinary Hospital and the new modular Integrity Bank building. The northwest
portion of the parcel would have commercial lots, the northeast portion patio
homes, and along the southern boundary would be single family homes. The single
direct access to Highway 105 would be aligned with the existing Mormon church
entrance near Lake Woodmoor Drive. Another subdivision entrance would be on
Knollwood, south of 105. The developer is negotiating with the owner of the
property between the Wahlberg parcel’s Knollwood access and Jackson Creek
Parkway for direct access to the parkway, as called for in the Comprehensive
Plan.
Mertz noted that the Comprehensive Plan’s land use map
showed community commercial zoning, which is different than what’s being
proposed for this parcel. Davenport said that a different developer had
suggested the use shown on the older map. He noted the new developer’s changed
plans are consistent with the guidelines of the recently revised Comprehensive
Plan, however.
Davenport discussed the overall annexation timeline. The BOT
must next hold an eligibility hearing in at least 30 days to determine if the
proposed annexation meets minimum state requirements; he suggested Feb. 16. If
the proposed annexation is found eligible, the BOT must hold an annexation
hearing 30-60 days thereafter; he suggested April 5. He said the BOT can and
should also simultaneously review proposed zoning, platting, site plans, and the
development agreement to expedite the annexation in a customary manner. He added
that the site plan would go through the Planning Commission before the BOT had
to make its final annexation and zoning decisions.
The current plan is for detached duplex patio homes, rather
than apartment buildings, with prices starting at $175,000. A sit-down
restaurant, drive-through bank, and office space are also planned. Shuttleworth
pointed out the green open space on the sketch plan, but noted that this sketch
was a "bubble plan" and not firm at this time. He added that he would
need help from the town in securing Jackson Creek Parkway access.
Review of 2003 Update of the Comprehensive Plan: Davenport
observed that although the PC has final authority on adoption of the
Comprehensive Plan, per Colorado state statute, the commission’s policy is to
seek endorsement of the Comprehensive Plan and subsequent revisions (to include
the component Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan) from the BOT because
the trustees must subsequently approve the funds to implement all aspects of the
plans.
Davenport gave an abbreviated summary of the changes in the
update and written comments received. He noted that the PC had decided against
changing Forest Lakes Tech Center–the southernmost commercial area between
I-25 and the railroad tracks, bordering the Air Force Academy–from light to
heavy industrial (Planned to Mixed Industrial). The Schuck Corporation had
requested the zoning change to allow a concrete batch plant to be built just
east of the Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility shared by the
Donala, Triview, and Forest Lakes water districts. Davenport reviewed the
concerns of possible height conflicts with the Academy’s auxiliary runway
immediately south of this location and noted that the plan now requires Schuck
to notify any developer of this parcel about runway noise and hazards before
construction begins.
The Comprehensive Plan calls for annexations on a
case-by-case basis, with two annexations pending: the Wahlberg and Kerr
annexations. Discussion of the Kerr annexation was deferred until later in the
meeting as a separate agenda item.
Also in the revision to the plan:
A note regarding plans to add a park and athletic fields just
south of Lewis Palmer High School, subject to variations caused by possible
future school expansion, has been added, though the land use map has not been
revised to show this change. The fields would be southeast of the intersection
of Higby Road and Jackson Creek Parkway.
By resolution, the BOT (including Case) endorsed the revision
to the Comprehensive Plan 5-1. Trustee Frank Orten voted no because the plan did
not reduce the public land/open space dedication requirement for commercial
development below 10 percent. He stated that this requirement is driving
commercial development into nearby unincorporated county property, costing the
town needed tax revenue.
Town consultant Community Matters, Inc. will now make all
final corrections to the text and drawings and publish the finished revision in
February.
2003 Comprehensive Update of Zoning and Subdivision
Regulations: Konarski recused herself from this issue. Due to the absence of
Mayor Pro Tem Glenn, the board unanimously appointed Mertz to be interim chair.
The BOT has held several hearings on this issue, taken a number of comments, and
returned the draft consolidated regulations to the Planning Commission for
further review. The PC made new recommendations in November, which were
incorporated. Davenport said that although the comprehensive update is not ready
for BOT consideration, three regulation issues need to be addressed promptly for
existing and potential development applicants: recoupment requirements, water
and parking requirements in the downtown area, and commercial public land
dedication requirements.
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Recoupment: Costs should be shared among developers who
benefit from public improvements, easements, rights-of-way, and
"on-site oversizing required to facilitate utility services to adjacent
areas." The first developer to build may have to pay for all the
required public improvements, but would be reimbursed by other developers
when they built. Recoupment would be paid on an "ability to serve
basis" at the time of approval of the final plat or site plan.
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Downtown Parking and Water: The sunset date on the
variance for downtown parking standards for businesses was extended to Dec.
31, 2004. Another regulation was added that states, "The replatting of
existing [downtown] lots will not cause a reduction in the assumed amount of
water available if the lots had not been replatted. Where this provision is
used, compensating water conservation measures shall be taken." Many
existing downtown lots are smaller than would be required of a new
subdivision and would not now meet existing water standards. This caveat
prevents these small existing lots from becoming useless upon replatting.
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Commercial Public Land Dedication: This requirement was
increased from 10 percent to 20 percent in 2000 and is now proposed to be
returned to 10 percent for nonresidential development. Davenport said the
rationale for the difference is that residential and nonresidential
development requires police and fire protection, but new businesses do not
generate an additional need for schools, parks, trails, and open spaces. The
requirement for nonresidential dedication ranges from 2 percent to 30
percent elsewhere in the region. The Planning Commission recommended keeping
the requirement at 20 percent.
Board discussion focused on public land dedication. Orten
felt that any land dedication was counterproductive to business development
within the town. Mertz favored 20 percent. The other trustees favored 10 percent
as a satisfactory compromise. Mertz reluctantly agreed to 10 percent, after
suggesting 15 percent as a compromise. The three changes to existing zoning and
subdivision ordinances passed by a vote of 4-1. Orten voted no, opposing the 10
percent dedication requirement for nonresidential development, and Konarski
abstained. These changes to existing zoning and subdivision regulations will be
incorporated in the final comprehensive revision.
Downtown Street Sweeping: On Dec. 15, Trustee Glenda
Smith had voted no on the 2004 budget because downtown street sweeping was not
included in the budget. At that time, she requested that Public Works
Superintendent Tom Wall estimate the 2004 costs for sweeping downtown streets
twice a month. At the January meeting, he said it would cost about $6,500 for
the year—$3,500 for the first six months. Konarski asked Town Manager Rick
Sonnenburg to add an agenda item for July where Wall will report actual expenses
and compare them to his estimate for the first six months. At that time, the BOT
will determine if downtown street sweeping will actually cost $6,500 for the
year and then decide how to pay for this unbudgeted expense—either from unused
Public Works funding, if available, or from the BOT contingency fund. The street
sweeping proposal and July analysis were approved unanimously.
Floodplain Administration Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA): The
IGA, between Monument and El Paso County, was first signed in July 1985 and is
renewed annually. It passed unanimously. Kevin Stilson, county floodplain
administrator, presented a plaque from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
honoring the county’s community rating improvement on Oct. 1, 2003, which
significantly reduced flood insurance rates countywide.
Town Well No. 7 Contract: Water consultant John C.
Halepaska and Associates received two bids to lower the pump in well 7 (Arapahoe
aquifer) to protect it from sand, silt, and other solids. The new pump and motor
are larger, requiring the diameter of the well to be increased. The winning bid
was from AmWest for $61,995. The amount budgeted in 2002 under Water System
Capital Improvements for well 7 was $75,000 and has been carried forward twice
(from 2002 and again from 2003). Well 7 is located east of the Santa Fe Trail
parking lot on Highway 105.
Town Well No. 9 Proposal: Wall noted that seven bids were
received for the new well (to be called No. 9) and on-site water treatment
plant, which was to be built at the south end of the Village of Monument
subdivision (under construction southwest of Santa Fe Avenue and Old Denver
Highway). He called the bids "cost of service estimates" and said it
was clear that the original budget of $840,000 was not enough. "Based on
the quotes received, it is likely the original scope of work could not be
completed for under $1,100,000." He added that treating the water from
well 9 at the well 8 treatment plant "has the potential to save over
$100,000, depending on the level of in-house versus contracted services."
Town engineering consultant GMS, Inc. indicated in its letter
of Oct. 10 that $620,000 could be saved by not building the well 9 treatment
plant. However, GMS estimated this alternative would incur new costs
of $206,100 for a new 7,360-foot transmission pipe from well 9 to well 8 at
Beacon Lite and Second Street. Another $327,600 would be required to
increase the water treatment capacity at well 8 to properly treat the average
flow of 175 gallons per minute from well 9. Water from well 3 is already being
pumped to well 8 for treatment.
However, the GMS savings indicated on Oct. 10 were based on
the BOT making a decision by the end of October. GMS also said its cost
estimates were "provided without the benefit of any detailed preliminary or
final design or construction documents." GMS was the only company to offer
to coordinate bidding for Wall’s revised concept. Wall proposed that he
"redirect the engineering and design phases to the town’s existing
consultants of John Halepaska and Associates, Inc., GMS, Inc., and/or the town
engineer." These two firms are the town’s primary water and engineering
consultants, respectively.
The board unanimously approved Wall’s revised water
treatment concept for well 9, based on these very preliminary cost estimates.
New Method of Compensation for Water Department Employees: Both
new workers who will operate and maintain the Triview Metropolitan District
water system, along with four current Public Works water employees, will be
trained to the higher standards required by Triview. Pay scales are to be
revised upward to match the higher qualifications. Additional salary cost is
$4,992 for 2004, $3,328 for 2005, and $3,120 for 2006. Training costs are
already budgeted for the most part. Wall will prepare a final figure for
approval as an expense over $5,000.
Disbursements over $5,000: Payments of $12,677.44 to GMS
for engineering services, $5,729.79 to Halepaska for well 7 consulting, and
$6,539 for well 6 pump installation were approved unanimously without
discussion.
Planning Commissioners Reappointed: Ed Delaney, Larry
Neddo, and Kathy Spence were reappointed through 2005. The appointment of
Planning Commissioner Chairman Bob Mooney was extended through 2005 to ensure
continuity.
Kerr Annexation: John Kerr, of Present Perfect Gifts,
presented an annexation petition on Jan. 2 for a wholesale business to be
located on the northeast corner of Second Street and Mitchell Avenue, west of
the railroad tracks. Davenport recommended that the BOT schedule an eligibility
hearing for the Kerr Addition No. 1 on Feb. 16. JKerr Properties, LLC is buying
the 1.28-acre lot from Union Pacific Railroad Company. Davenport said the
planning staff has advised Kerr "that the building, although a wholesale
warehouse, must look like a downtown retail business to be in character for
approval as a downtown business." Kerr plans to eventually open a small
retail outlet in a portion of the building.
Part of the railroad land is the east half of Mitchell
Avenue, which the town would not annex based on a 10-year-old policy of all or
nothing on annexing roads. In all, 1.84 acres would be annexed. The board
unanimously approved the Feb. 16 eligibility hearing date and will begin
notification procedures for neighboring landowners and for the public hearing.
The meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m. to go into executive
session regarding a negotiation. No announcement was to be made following this
executive session.
The next regular BOT meeting date was changed to Tuesday,
Jan. 20, because Jan. 19 was Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Web site exclusive: View a photo of
the proposed Kerr Annexation
Web site exclusive: View a photo of the "Park Lane" Access to Lakeside Manor Estates
Web site exclusive: View a photo of the Lake of the Rockies
RV Storage Area
By Jim Kendrick
Ernie Bigg’s Lake of the Rockies campground dominated the
Monument Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting on Jan. 20 that lasted well over three
hours. The existing recreational park’s re-plat was approved but the sketch
plan for Lakeside Manor Estates was withdrawn when it appeared the plan would be
voted down. The application from the Chick and a Windshield repair business to
operate in the King Soopers and Safeway parking lots was approved unanimously.
Trustee George Brown was absent.
Because of heavy snow and traffic delays for a number of
speakers, by unanimous vote of the board, the meeting agenda was not followed.
Some agenda items were interrupted to complete others when some speakers
arrived and had to leave as soon as possible. NOTE: This report arranges the
events to correspond with the sequence of the published agenda for ease of
understanding. – Ed.
Judge Ciccolella Reappointed: Town Clerk Judy Skrzypek
administered the oath for the judge’s new term. Because his initial term was
off cycle by one year from the two-year terms required by town code, the
expiring term was for only one year. This new term now complies with code and
runs to December 31, 2005.
Chick and a Windshield: Karen Evans requested a business
license for her parking lot windshield repair operations in two Monument
shopping center parking lots. Husband and business partner Tim Evans spoke for
the applicant, who could not attend due to illness. She had written the recently
adopted regulation for the town of Monument that applies to four types of
businesses that are not located in permanent stick-built structures. Konarski
asked why they hadn’t had a license in four years of operation. Town Planner
Mike Davenport answered for Evans, saying that they had paid for a license each
of the four years, but the town had never issued one because they didn’t know
how to write one for a parking lot business until creation of the ordinance they
had written for Monument. Karen and Tim Evans received no compensation from
Monument for numerous hours of research and writing the regulation. Konarski
asked Evans why they had not paid taxes in four years. Trustee Dave Mertz
answered for Evans, reminding Konarski that there are no taxes for repair
businesses. Davenport said there was no way to renew his license at this hearing
because he had never been issued the four licenses he had paid for. Evans’
application for a "new" license passed unanimously.
Lake of the Rockies Master Plan Replat: Before the
hearing began, Trustee Glenda Smith asked several questions of Trustee Byron
Glenn. She asked Glenn if he was still employed at Manhard Consulting; he said
no. He added that Manhard now serves as a consultant to his current employer.
She asked him if he had referred Biggs, owner of Lake of the Rockies, to a
consulting firm for this project, or Manhard Consulting in particular. Glenn
said Biggs had approached him to ask if Manhard would do the consulting for
these two actions. Glenn then introduced Tim Nelson of Manhard Consulting to
Biggs as a potential consultant for Biggs’ replat and development of Lakeside
Manor Estates before leaving Manhard. Smith then asked Town Attorney Gary Shupp
if Glenn’s relationship to Nelson and Biggs created a conflict of interest
problem. Shupp said it did not create an actual conflict of interest and could
only create what might appear to some to be an appearance of one. Glenn then
said he did not need to recuse himself from the discussion because there was no
conflict of interest nor the appearance of one.
Konarski asked if the hearing on the replat and the sketch
plan were separable because they involve the same parcel. Davenport said he had
consulted Shupp and confirmed that they were different processes, covering
separate parts of the parcel. The replat also concerns many irrevocable vesting
rights while a sketch plan hearing is just a process to see whether or not the
town would have significant problems with an applicant’s proposed usage of a
property. The sketch plan application does not contain enough information to
justify amending a PD site plan. Nelson said he preferred that the two agenda
items remain separated. Konarski agreed to go with the agenda everyone else had
agreed to follow before the meeting.
Glenn then said, "Because of the animosity implied by
Trustee Smith’s questions and the people in the audience, I think it best to
recuse myself at this time even though there is no need." Shupp prompted
Glenn by saying "Based on a perception rather than a legal conflict?"
Glenn said yes and left the hearing room.
Davenport gave a detailed overview of the controversial
history of the ten years of changes made on the Lake of the Rockies property
"…developed differently than the approved 1993 [master development]
plan," often without town approval. The planning commission approved the
master plan on April 28, 1993 and the BOT approved the master plan on May 10,
1993. The purpose of the replat application was to "revise the plan to
reflect what actually has been developed on the site." Davenport then said
that the Monument post office had just informed him that written notices had not
been delivered to five neighboring property owners. Submitted neighbor concerns
were:
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Violations of the plan requirements in the past.
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Moving of the RV storage area from the south to the north
part of the site.
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RV sites on the north end appear to be used as residences
instead of for camping. The plan should specifically prohibit occupancy from
Nov. 1 to Mar. 31, except in the caretaker’s residence.
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Proposal for a go-cart track on the north. (Staff did not
find this on the final replat plan.)
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Trees and berm that have been created along the south
side of the property are not shown on the plan; they contribute to flooding
on neighboring properties. Biggs’ assertion that neighbors should have
checked his plat before purchase are invalid, because the plat does not show
the cause of the flooding, nor was building of the berm approved by the town’s
engineering consultants.
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Although numerous improvements are called for
(horseshoes, shuffleboard, etc) the specific location of the improvements is
not depicted.
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Current one-way 12-foot roads are changed to two-way
24-foot roads.
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The number of parking places in the southeast corner,
next to West Oak Ridge Subdivision increases from 29 to 36. This change,
along the perimeter fence, will create much more dust along neighboring
contiguous backyards.
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The 40-foot park lane access to the new subdivision is
inadequate.
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The year-round trailer park spoils the view and value of
the lake as a recreational park.
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Barbara Reed-Polatty commented "Can’t you just say
‘no’ to development once?"
The latter is related to the drainage report that was
required by the planning commission on Dec. 10. The report was not available at
this hearing. Most of the flooding occurs on the property of Bob Mooney,
chairman of the planning commission.
Nelson reviewed completed corrections requested by town staff
and the planning commission. Several of the trustees reiterated citizen
concerns. Nelson acknowledged these concerns saying he had only been associated
with this replat for a short time. He and the trustees agreed that a grading
plan rather than a full drainage report would be sufficient to resolve the
flooding issue.
Local attorney Tim Schutz addressed the board, recommending
approval of the replat, saying that what has been done in the past ten years is
hard to reverse. Konarski said, "I’m shocked. I’m surprised."
However, he asked that the town vigorously enforce the replat’s constraints,
particularly those regarding occupancy of RVs when the trailer park is closed.
Mertz said that the replat simply legalized a decade’s worth of deliberate
violations by Biggs, which made him angry. He noted that some RVs were decorated
with illuminated Christmas lights throughout the holiday season. There was
agreement among board members that this is an enforcement issue. Nelson also
said that the town should enforce its ordinances. Mertz added that town
ordinances should be reviewed "to see if we need a new one."
After the meeting Chief Kissell discovered that there is no
ordinance prohibiting permanent occupancy and no way to ask the RV occupants to
leave even though the park is closed. Shupp was asked to research the legal
definition of permanent residence to facilitate drafting an ordinance to
preclude occupancy while the park is closed.
Trustee Mertz extensively questioned Nelson about the wooden
screening fence along Mitchell Ave., noting it was not an adequate size to
screen most of the RVs in the storage are. Davenport expressed concern that it
would deteriorate over the years. Mertz added that it might become as ugly as
the RV storage along I-25 by the weighing station and give a trailer park
appearance to what the town hopes is the entrance to a Monument Lake park that
would become the major tourist attraction in the north end of the county. He
asked that more buffering be required to help hide the unauthorized storage
location. The replat was approved with these conditions, 5-0, Glenn abstaining.
Lakeside Manor Estates Sketch Plan: Early in 2003,
Monument obtained a right-of-way for a 40-foot dirt road leading to the lake
along the northeastern edge of the RV property. The "park lane"
separated/isolated a portion of Biggs’ property. This proposed subdivision of
six residential lots is on this separated portion. Trustees were concerned about
the inadequacy of the park lane access for a permanent residential subdivision.
For example, a moving van could not negotiate the 90-degree turn encountered at
the edge of the lake when approaching from Mitchell Avenue. Schutz said he had
strong concerns about "horse-trades" of land in the condemnation
negotiations that were never reviewed at a public hearing, precluding
neighboring citizen comment about the park lane’s size or apparently
inadequate configuration. He expressed concern that negotiations to obtain land
for appropriate curve radii along the park lane would be done with similar
"horse-trading" that again precluded public comment or review. Several
trustees expressed concern that unauthorized actions would be taken by Biggs in
the future, given the record since 1993. Konarski asked if Biggs would be
willing to have flood plain and Preble’s meadow jumping mouse assessments done
before sketch plan approval. Nelson said it would be cost prohibitive to do so
without assurances of approval of the sketch plan ahead of time. When it was
apparent the trustees were going to reject the sketch plan because of all the
unresolved issues, Nelson agreed to withdraw the sketch plan.
Meeting location schedule: Town Clerk Skrzypek
recommended that all BOT meetings be held in Town Hall until after the trustee
election in April, due to lack of attendance at Creekside Middle School
sessions. The board approved unanimously.
Lease-purchase for public works trucks: Glenn asked if it
was a necessity for the four newly purchased pickup trucks to be all
four-by-fours and why they were all to be Chevrolet "Silverados."
Public Works Superintendent Tom Wall said two trucks were for the two new water
employees that would be working at Triview Metropolitan District, taking over
day-to-day water operations from Donala completely as of Feb. 1. The other two
trucks are replacement trucks. Wall added that although "Silverado"
was a luxury model of pickup in the past, the brand name now means
four-wheel-drive. The board approved unanimously.
Annexation policies: Davenport gave an overview of
procedures for annexation of two parcels that was identical to those given to
the parks and landscape committee and the planning commission. (These procedures
are reported on in articles about those meetings and not repeated here.)
Notification of annexation for the Wahlborg property was approved unanimously
with the eligibility hearing date set for Mar. 1.
Health care: The maximum reimbursement limit for one year
for a town employee was increased from $2,500 to $7,000. Also, due to new hires,
medical insurance payment authority was increased from $14,000 to $15,000 per
month. The board approved unanimously.
December financial report and disbursements over $5,000:
Both were approved unanimously.
Monument Police Department statistics for 2003: The
police department handled 1,103 cases: 460 criminal, 97 traffic accidents, 164
incidents, and 382 supplemental actions. Total number of summons issued was 482.
BOT election schedule: Skrzypek is the town election
official. She distributed a seven-page schedule that lists numerous ballot
requirements to help trustees and staff stay on schedule. The option of a
mail-in election was rejected previously as too costly. Voting will take place
at Town Hall and Creekside Middle School on Apr. 6.
Web site exclusive: View a photo of the "Park Lane" Access to Lakeside Manor Estates
Web site exclusive: View a photo of the Lake of the Rockies
RV Storage Area
By Jim Kendrick
El Paso County Department of Transportation Director John
McCarty and County Commissioner Wayne Williams solicited support from the
Monument Board of Trustees (BOT) on Feb. 2 for the joint El Paso County-Colorado
Springs proposal to institute a countywide regional transportation authority (RTA.)
This RTA would be larger, but similar to the Baptist Road Rural Transportation
Authority; the same Colorado statute defines both. McCarty also discussed using
a special county 1 percent sales tax through 2015 as a way to raise additional
tax revenue for funding specific countywide road and bridge building and repair
projects as well as expanding city-county transit service. A permanent 0.45 cent
sales tax dedicated to the RTA would remain in effect after 2015, when the
one-cent sales tax sunsets.
The regular BOT meeting was comprised mainly of awards
ceremonies and routine approvals of payments for services. All trustees were
present.
Special Meeting
Mayor Betty Konarski opened this meeting, at 5:30 p.m., by
saying that McCarty had asked the town for time to present the RTA proposal. He
will also brief every other town and city in El Paso County, other than Colorado
Springs, over the next few months. His purpose is to help each of these towns
and cities think about the RTA proposal and prepare for meetings and
administrative actions needed prior to the November ballot. Williams accompanied
McCarty for the presentation, also urging the town’s support of the RTA and
one-cent county sales tax ballot initiative. McCarty gave what he said was
essentially the same information as the briefing presented at the Community
Summit on Transportation in Centennial Hall on Jan. 14. He noted, for
clarification, that the paper copy of the briefing slides he distributed was the
version used in a preliminary briefing to gain approval of the County
Commissioners and City Council on Dec. 29 for the slightly different slide
presentation made at the press conference on Jan. 14 in Centennial Hall.
The details of the RTA proposal are not repeated here in
this article as they are unchanged from those reported in the related OCN
article on the Jan. 14 transportation summit, page 27.
McCarty said, "In order to make it an attractive ballot
issue, the RTA ballot language would provide a high level of certainty on how
revenues would be expended." The ballot language will give detail on which
projects will be done and how much money will be allocated to each. These
features are included due to lessons learned from the defeat of the water bond
issue (Referendum A), which he said resulted from lack of specifics on where
water projects would be initiated. The RTA board would meet at the Pikes Peak
Area Council of Governments (PPACG) building, since most of the RTA board
members would also be on the PPACG board. PPACG staff would perform
administrative services and funds distribution at very low cost since they are
already familiar with, and involved in, the planning of these projects. The RTA
board would be a "weak board" that would not set policy, but simply
carry out the directions of the ballot language. McCarty promised that neither
the city nor county would reduce current funding for road and bridge building
and repair projects or transit service not paid for by the RTA.
However, McCarty said the options to also include a $10
vehicle registration fee and a 2 percent visitor’s tax had lost significant
support since the Jan. 14 presentation and most likely will not be part of the
final wording of the ballot proposal. The Colorado statute that permits creation
of rural/regional transportation authorities allows these two options. While the
sales tax is projected to raise about $60 million per year, the Jan. 14
presentation asserted that the vehicle registration fee would raise $6.5 million
per year and the visitor’s tax would raise $1.2 million per year. He said many
other revenue options allowed by the RTA statute were rejected as unattractive
to voters, but did not discuss them.
If the BOT votes to participate in the RTA, the town would
have one representative on the new RTA board if the vote in November were
favorable. If the BOT does not agree to join the RTA, Monument residents would
not vote on the ballot issue and the town would not be able to collect a share
of the 35 percent of additional sales tax revenue for road and bridge building
and repair. The town’s repair funding would probably be over $140,000 per
year, according to rough calculations made by McCarty and Town Manager Rick
Sonnenburg. Alternatively, the town could form its own regional transportation
authority with one or more county towns, for example Palmer Lake and/or Peyton.
A Monument RTA could levy its own 1 percent sales tax, keeping its share of all
the revenue for construction and transit, as well as repairs. Konarski pointed
out that the upgrade of the Baptist Road corridor, the top in priority of five
projects for the county whether the RTA passes or not, would be completed
whether or not Monument participates in the November ballot. There was no
discussion on whether or not Monument residents would likely vote for a one-cent
sales tax increase under either scenario. McCarty added that there is also a
provision in the Colorado RTA statute that would allow Monument to join the
countywide RTA after it is created, by carrying out the same hearing and ballot
process in a subsequent year.
Several board members expressed unease about the present lack
of specificity of the proposal since there is currently no draft of the ballot
language. However, they acknowledged McCarty’s and Williams’ statements that
this is the only practical way to raise revenue to meet the imminent county
transportation crisis. Williams also noted that the joint RTA precludes the
possibility of the county or the city forming their own RTA ahead of the other,
reducing the likelihood of passage of the second RTA. He added that while the
county can demand that developers build streets and collectors within a
development, the commissioners cannot demand that developers also build
arterials. The RTA is the only agency that keeps up with the demand for
arterials, given current TABOR and Gallagher Amendment constraints. Trustee
Glenda Smith asked if BRRTA would go away with passage of this proposal, adding
that BRRTA was quite unpopular with citizens. Williams said BRRTA will go away
in any event once all the houses in Jackson Creek are built, since there would
be no more road use fees to collect. He added that BRRTA’s unpopularity was a
reason the RTA proposal language is going to be so specific in setting limits on
the RTA’s authority.
Trustee George Brown expressed concern about cost increases
in the first projects draining all the available money before the final projects
could be started. Williams said that while they can fluctuate, sales tax
revenues often rise more rapidly than inflation in a good economy, which would
help prevent Brown’s scenario from occurring. Related projects are also
grouped together as "corridor projects" to make sure there is a high
likelihood a corridor project is completed. For example, five separate Baptist
Road projects have the top five priorities on the current county capital
improvement list, making the Baptist Road corridor the top priority corridor.
Furthermore, Williams noted, Baptist Road is being widened to six lanes right
away at the Jackson Creek Parkway intersection, rather than widening to only
four lanes now and then to six lanes five years from now. This avoids Baptist
Road always being under construction, like Woodmen Road.
Sonnenburg asked how often population figures would be
updated to recalculate Monument’s proportion of road maintenance revenue,
noting that Monument is the fastest growing town in the county. The current
population of Monument is 3,500, and the county has roughly 500,000 residents.
Monument’s share is calculated by dividing 3,500 by 500,000 or 0.7 percent.
Sonnenburg said Monument’s share should rise significantly each year through
2015. No decision has been made on how frequently town and city shares would be
recalculated.
McCarty said the RTA issue would consist of three separate
questions, possibly written in a way so passage of at least two would mean
passage of all three. The questions would separately ask for authorization of
the RTA, the one-cent sales tax, and specific "de-TABOR-ing" of the
RTA revenue. McCarty will be soliciting all towns and cities, other than
Colorado Springs, to provide their final comments and recommendations on the
issue by April 1 so the statutory three-hearing sequence required of each
participating town or city can occur prior to the November election. McCarty
also noted that there are other proposals being made, such as delaying the tax
sunset past 2015 to at least 20 years so the funds could be partially or
completely bonded. However, Williams noted that the alternative proposals all
make the RTA issue less attractive to voters. McCarty assured board members that
PPACG administrative costs would be very low because they would need no
significant staff increases to process revenue checks received from the states
and disbursed to the towns and cities. The RTA would reimburse PPACG for staff
time as its accounting consultant.
The special meeting adjourned at 6:27 p.m.
Regular Meeting
Minutes for Jan. 20 BOT meeting: The draft minutes for
the regular BOT meeting of Jan. 20 were not approved, as several trustees noted
omissions of their comments in the second half of the meeting. Dialogue that was
said to be missing centered on opposing comments made regarding the unauthorized
actions taken by Ernie Biggs during the past 10 years at the Lake of the Rockies
campground. Several trustees noted that their comments opposing the sketch plan
for Bigg’s proposed subdivision development on the north shore of Monument
Lake were also missing from the minutes. Sonnenburg noted that the last two of
the three tapes used to record the three hour and 30 minute meeting on Jan. 20
were found to be blank when Deputy Clerk Irene Walters was transcribing the
minutes and that affected trustees should contact her to provide additional
content. A motion to defer approval of these minutes until they could be
completed passed unanimously.
Scheduled Guests
Plaques presented to Intel: Intel Corporation donated
over $3,000 worth of protective equipment including decontamination goggles,
gloves, NOMEX suits, and boots that will be used by Monument police in securing
and investigating suspected methamphetamine labs. In December Sergeant Steve
Burk and Master Patrol Officer Rob Stewart completed Drug Enforcement
Association training at the FBI Training Academy in Quantico, Va., for these
types of drug labs. Stewart assisted Police Chief Joe Kissell in presenting a
plaque of appreciation to Dan Robbins, Intel’s facility maintenance manager
(and also a Monument Police Department Chaplain), and Judy Cara, Intel’s
public affairs officer. Cara said the Monument plaque would be displayed in the
main lobby of the Intel plant on Garden of the Gods Road.
John Stearns joins Police Advisory Committee (PAC):
Stearns, lending manager and bank officer for TCF National Bank, was approved
unanimously, becoming the third active member of the committee—in effect,
replacing George Case, who resigned to become a trustee in January. Stearns’
appointment reactivates the PAC because if all three current members attend
there will once again be a quorum for the five-person committee. He has over 15
years’ experience in emergency services, including 10 years of medical,
firefighting, and law enforcement in the Air Force, and currently volunteers in
the Fire Marshall’s Office of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Volunteers for the other two PAC positions are still being sought.
Monument Villas Townhouses: Ted Whitman, association
manager for Mountainside Property Management, Inc., represented the homeowners
of Monument Villas Townhouses, speaking for eight residents in attendance. They
are requesting street maintenance for the private roads in this development,
Villa Grove and Paula Circle. Trustee Glenda Smith noted that she was on the BOT
when this development was initially approved and said the town staff would have
to do some research on whether or not these roads meet standards. Whitman said
the town plows all the neighborhood streets except the two private roads in
Monument Villas, adding that adjacent roads appear to be of similar width and
construction.
Trustee Byron Glenn asked why a developer usually asks for
approval to build private roads in a development. Town Planner Mike Davenport
said that usually private roads are approved but not accepted for municipal
ownership because they are too narrow and/or their construction quality does not
meet town standards. Case said that the PAC recommends against private roads.
Davenport confirmed that the town discourages private roads, but they are not
prohibited. Trustee Frank Orten asked if this was really a request for Monument
to take ownership of these roads; Whitman said yes. Smith said the board should
not vote until staff could ascertain the maintenance history of the roads.
Konarski asked if they met specifications. Public Works Superintendent Tom Wall
said the townhouses only had 7-foot setbacks so the developer could make more
money and did not know if the roads’ quality met town standards.
Konarski said, "We’re being asked to maintain these
roads forever." She asked what compensation the town would receive for
taking on this responsibility. Orten asked if a waiver was required to accept
them.
Monument Planning Commissioner Lowell Morgan asked to speak
from the audience. He noted that he was a trustee when the board approved this
development in 2000. He said that Mayor Si Sibell and the trustees were adamant
that the roads would have to be private because of the setback issue and that
the roads were only 35 feet wide as he recalled, far less than the prevailing
60- and 50-foot requirements in force at that time for plow maneuverability and
safety. Konarski asked again for compensation to warrant taking on added costs
for maintenance. Orten said he would need to review a list of all private roads
in town before voting. Trustee Dave Mertz agreed, saying the BOT should not risk
setting a bad precedent without more information. The item was continued,
pending further staff research on all the questions raised.
Glenn Receives Plaque: Rolf Philipsen of the El Paso
County Regional Building Department presented a plaque to Byron Glenn honoring
"two years of service on our governing board." Glenn filled the
rotating position given in turn to each town in the county. Green Mountain Falls
will now provide a board member to replace Glenn.
Franchise Audit Proposal: Treasurer Judy Skrzypek
introduced Jon Brown of Mark V Professional Consultants, who is offering
expertise for auditing the town’s franchise contract with Adelphia, Inc. Brown’s
written offer is on the letterhead of ARK Professional Consultants. Sonnenburg
then solicited a competitive written proposal from Revenue Recovery Group, Inc.,
the only other firm in the area that does this kind of work. Skrzypek
recommended that Brown perform the audit if the BOT wants to consider his
proposal. Trustee George Brown asked how far back audits of Adelphia, Qwest, and
Aquila would go. Jon Brown said it would depend on the length of the contracts
and when major technological changes occurred in each industry. George Brown
asked if he had done these kinds of audits before. Jon Brown said he had
recently retired from a full career of negotiating franchise agreements for
these types of companies, but had not performed an audit "from the other
side of the bargaining table." He was offering his services because he felt
that small towns and cities bargained ineffectively, not getting what he thought
was a fair return and using contract language that had not changed in decades.
George Brown asked Skrzypek to check Jon Brown’s references. Orten noted that
this kind of consulting is relevant to any large company or town using franchise
services and is well worth doing. Citizen John Dominowski endorsed the proposal
for Brown to review contracts and town ordinances. A motion to have Brown review
the town’s contracts and ordinances passed unanimously.
Definition of Permanent Resident: A controversial issue
regarding Lake of the Rockies deliberations on Jan. 20 was the plat restriction
of "one permanent residence" on the recreational vehicle (RV) park
property. Citizen Tim Schutz and several trustees expressed concern at that
meeting that people were living in RVs at Lake of the Rockies year-round, making
the RV facility a de facto "trailer park," in violation of zoning
regulations. He pointed out that Lake of the Rockies is closed November through
February, yet citizens have observed the display of Christmas lights on RVs in
Lake of the Rockies throughout the holiday season. Some trustees said that
approval of the replat of Lake of the Rockies at that meeting legalized 10 years
of violations by owner Ernie Biggs, then voted for the replat’s approval.
There is no town ordinance prohibiting RV occupancy when the park is closed,
because there is no effective way to define what constitutes permanent
residency. Town Attorney Gary Shupp was asked at the Jan. 20 meeting to research
the issue in order to advise the BOT about how to write such an ordinance.
Shupp recommended that the BOT leave the permanent residence
issue alone for now, saying there is no good case law or example of an ordinance
from another town or city that adequately spells out "intent to become a
permanent resident." Case law regarding homeless people in large cities was
discussed, showing that legal definitions regarding the location of a residence
have become too ambiguous to predict how any Monument ordinance might fare in
court. Federal Housing and Urban Development requirements for mobile homes have
similarly made it difficult to define permanent residency with respect to the
type of mobile dwelling that would qualify as a potential permanent residence.
After much discussion, the board continued the issue, asking for further
research by the staff to avoid devising an ordinance too bureaucratic and
difficult to enforce.
Fee schedule: The town’s 2004 fee schedule was approved
unanimously. There were only minor changes made to some cemetery fees, notary
fees, and park reservation fees. The specifics of the changes were not
discussed.
Emergency Snow Routes: The emergency snow route list was
amended to add the Second Street extension, the Beacon Lite extension, and
Jackson Creek Parkway. The three additions passed 6-1. Smith voted no because
McShane Place was not included as an emergency snow route.
Additional items: The following agenda items were all
approved unanimously, with only brief discussion:
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At no cost to the town, AIG insurance will be authorized
to provide employees with investment portfolio advice for a fee paid solely
by the employee.
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A final payment of $15,053.07 will be made to XKE
Contractors, Inc for the Mitchell Avenue Bike Lanes Project.
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A contract for up to $20,000 will be authorized for
Halepaska & Associates to design town well 9.
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A contribution of $3,500 for police department membership
in the Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team (DVERT) may be made from the
department’s current discretionary budget.
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A change order reducing excavation expenses for mouse
habitat at Monument Lake Dam by $967.50 due to work done by town staff will
reduce the final authorized payment to Aquatic and Wetland Company. The
final payment is $8,534.78. Both actions were authorized.
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A payment of $7,213.02 will be made to GMS, Inc. for
engineering services.
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Creekside Middle School will be used again as a second
voting location in the November election, in addition to Town Hall.
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The planning staff is approved to allow a contract with a
landscape architect to perform final design for the Monument entry sign at
Second Street and Highway 105. Mertz asked that more evergreens be included
than shown in the preliminary sketch plan for year-round color. He also
asked about water and electrical service; Davenport said the landscape
architect would finalize these aspects of the project.
Staff Reports
Batch Plant Lawsuits: Shupp reported that the town’s
two batch plant litigations, with Transit Mix and Ready-Mix, were moving forward
toward trial because, as expected, no pre-trial settlements could be reached.
Home Depot: Glenn, who is also president of BRRTA, asked
Davenport if Home Depot, currently under construction at the Monument
Marketplace, would be allowed to open on July 1 if U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service mouse habitat reviews delays widening of Baptist Road from Jackson Creek
Parkway to I-25. Davenport said the town could waive the restriction on Home
Depot operation without road widening up to six months, based on traffic studies
by several consultants. Glenn asked about whether a six-month extension would be
compromised by winter weather; Davenport said no, because there was no
expectation that mouse delays would be significant.
The one-week delay in trenching from Jan. 26 to Feb. 2 was
caused by the Colorado Department of Transportation, CDOT, not Fish and
Wildlife, according to developer Rick Blevins’ statement at the Triview
Metropolitan District board meeting on Jan. 28. He said CDOT wanted a week to
review the Fish and Wildlife authorization paperwork before letting Baptist Road
trenching begin.
The board unanimously agreed to change the next meeting to
Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m. due to the President’s Day holiday on Monday. The meeting
adjourned at 8:03 p.m.
Web site exclusive: View a
photo of the Parish Education Center
By Jim Kendrick
The Monument Planning Commission (PC) reviewed proposals for
Jackson Creek Market Village and its goals and schedule for 2004 at its Jan. 14
meeting. Chairman Dave Mooney and Commissioner James Thresher were excused.
Commissioner Lowell Morgan chaired the meeting.
Regency Park 4th Amendment: Monument PRD, LLC requested
rezoning of the 5.8 acres east of the King Soopers shopping center, which is
managed by Regency Corp., from residential to light (area) commercial (PCD).
This proposed PCD rezoning is less dense commercial zoning than the rezoning
that would be required for a big-box store like a Wal-Mart supercenter on the
parcel directly across from King Soopers.
Monument PRD’s shopping center land is part of a 10.1-acre
parcel formerly called Academy View. It borders Baptist Road and Lyons Tail,
west of Leather Chaps. The remainder of the parcel, adjacent to Lyons Tail,
would still be zoned PCD-10, which is residential with a maximum density of 10
units per acre. Although Monument PRD is not related to Regency Corp., the
proposed shopping center will look like an expansion of the existing retail
facility. The new center will use the existing eastern access and
right-in/right-out connection to Baptist Road. No other entrance is planned.
Considerable excavation will be required to attain an elevation that can use the
eastern access lanes. This dirt will be used to create a slope up to the
townhouses.
Miles Grant and his engineering consultant, Wendell Ayers of
Paragon Engineering Consultants, Inc., represented the property owner. They made
no formal presentation but did display a different alignment for the eight
townhouse buildings than had been provided in the pre-meeting review packages,
as requested by the town planning staff. Town Planner Mike Davenport described
the new building arrangement as "more interesting" in terms of
available open space and views for residents.
Commissioner Kathy Spence was concerned that the center
proposal included drive-through businesses that were not shown in previously
submitted drawings. She asked how the town would benefit from an even denser,
more profitable land use requiring more garish and larger signage. Davenport
said that increasing the number of stores would make the two centers more
"resilient" if the Wal-Mart proposal is approved by the county. He
added that there is no restriction in the proposed PCD zoning that precludes
drive-through businesses.
Spence said the kids in the 40 proposed townhomes "would
have no place to play." Davenport replied that the new layout of the
townhouse buildings would permit much more open space between the buildings.
Spence reiterated her concern with last minute changes that
increased density. Commissioner Tom Donnellan suggested rezoning the residential
to PRD-8. Town Attorney Gary Shupp interrupted the discussion to say that public
meetings are not the place for zoning negotiations and that the PC could only
vote yes or no on the printed proposal. Davenport added that townhouses located
well above the roofline of the two shopping centers were an excellent transition
for the rest of Jackson Creek. Grant expressed a desire to work with the town to
have a pleasing set of proposals that would be well received by the community.
There was a brief discussion about the drainage issues
involved. Slopes and landscaping will be used instead of a 30- to 40-foot
vertical retaining wall, so there are significant elevation differences between
the shopping center and the townhouses. The 4th Amendment rezoning was
unanimously approved, with the condition that the staff’s proposed changes,
per the town’s engineering consultant GMS, be incorporated prior to Board of
Trustees review and final approval.
Jackson Creek Market Village Preliminary Plat and Site Plan: In
conjunction with its rezoning proposal, Monument PRD, LLC proposed preliminary
specifics for its shopping center and townhouse developments, consistent with
the split in zoning, noted above, on this 10.1-acre parcel. The county highway
department had turned down the developer’s request for modification of the
existing right-in/right-out access to the Regency Corp. property. The county
requested the name change because another development already uses the name
Academy View.
Grant noted that the new stores would be about 12 feet below
the current ground elevation, on average, and that the lowest foundation of the
townhouses would be at least 35 feet above the roofline of the shopping center.
At the request of town staff, the townhouses have been realigned on the 4.3-acre
residential portion of the property to maximize views for all residents. He said
the maximum slope for the new shopping center is 4 percent, to make it look like
a continuation of the Regency Corp. property.
Spence asked how townhouse residents would walk to the
stores, considering the slope. Grant said it was a design challenge not to have
steps that descend into what appears to be an intimidating alley between the two
shopping centers. Spence said she didn’t want a McDonald’s drive-through
with huge light-polluting arches, reminding Grant that the 40- and 50-foot
fast-food signs on Highway 105 were built before the town restricted new signs
to 25 feet. Grant replied that there would be a single sign on the southwest
corner of the retail property, comparable to the existing Regency sign to make
the two centers look as one. He noted that fast-food stores on Highway 105 are
negotiating to move to these two pads.
Davenport said the townhouses were much lower density than
the maximum permitted for residential housing, which is a plus. Grant added that
commercial sales revenue was another plus as revenues from Highway 105 stores
decline. Spence asked if the townhouse design would be acceptable to the patio
home owners across Lyons Tail. Davenport said stonework and gables would make
the townhouses more attractive than the patio homes, rather than detracting from
the neighborhood. Grant agreed, saying to allay Spence’s concerns he will
provide specific illustrations for PC review before construction begins. Spence
asked if the new shopping center’s lighting would be as inoffensive as those
in the King Soopers center. Grant said it would be quite similar for continuity
and equally unobtrusive. The plans were approved unanimously.
2004 Schedule: Davenport reviewed the draft PC goals and
schedule for 2004. Morgan noted his surprise that there was no reference in the
schedule to the PC reviewing the addition by St. Peters Church of elementary
school classes on church grounds. Davenport said discussions were too
preliminary to have prepared formal documentation, but a K-3 program was being
discussed for the current three-story parish
education center, which would grow to K-6 over the years. Morgan
emphasized the need to use new procedures to solicit widespread community review
and comment. The demise of two of the town’s citizen advisory committees makes
it harder for citizens to voice concerns, he added. Spence said the PC would
need all the town’s documentation regarding the original approval of the
parish education center for review well in advance of the hearings. Morgan
concurred, saying the history of that approval was complicated. Several waivers
to existing restrictions on a building that size in a residential neighborhood
were approved at that time. All agreed that neighbors’ comments must be
solicited and considered before approving a heavier use of the building.
Spence asked what changes would be made if the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service changes the protected status of the Preble’s meadow jumping
mouse. Davenport said it would open the possibility of requiring Triview
Metropolitan District and the Jackson Creek developer to build the "field
of dreams" sports field originally planned near Creekside Middle School
before the mouse issue emerged. Davenport reminded the PC that another sports
field complex just southeast of Lewis-Palmer High School is also being proposed
in the pending draft Parks, Trails, and Open Space Plan, and that mouse issues
would not hold up this other field complex.
The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m. The next meeting is Feb.
11 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall.
Web site exclusive: View a
photo of the Parish Education Center
Web site exclusive: View a photo of
the Monument Parks & Landscape Committee meeting Jan. 13
Web site exclusive: View a photo of the
proposed Kerr Annexation
By Jim Kendrick
The Monument Parks and Landscape (P&L) Committee reviewed
proposals for Jackson Creek Market Village (formerly called Academy View),
Limbach Park expansion, and annexation of the Wahlborg Property and the Kerr
Addition on Jan. 13. Some items from the Dec. 9 meeting were also reviewed
because there was not a quorum at that meeting. All members of the committee
were present.
Highway Signage: Linda Pankratz asked Town Planner Mike
Davenport to clarify the Dec. 9 minutes’ listing of sources for funding for
signage at exit 161 on I-25. Two signs that say Tri-Lakes and list Monument,
Woodmoor, and Palmer Lake will be built on the shoulders of I-25 by the Highway
105 bridge. A separate sign for Monument only will be constructed at the
southwest corner of the intersection of Highway 105 and Second Street. Each of
the three signs will have two banner poles. Additionally, a separate GOCO grant
is being sought for trees to be planted along Second Street between Highway 105
and Beacon Lite Road.
Jackson Creek Market Village: The preliminary plan and
related Regency Park 4th Amendment rezoning request from Monument PRD, LLC, were
briefed to the committee by Davenport. This is the fourth rezoning action within
Regency Park since its creation in 1987. It follows the recent 3rd Amendment,
which was the comprehensive rezoning included in the new Monument Comprehensive
Plan approved in August by the Planning Commission. The proposed Market Village
project is a five-store retail strip mall with two drive-through pads to be
built east of the King Soopers shopping center along Baptist Road, across from
the church.
Considerable earth moving is required to make this new retail
facility look like a continuation of the existing Regency Corp. property. Hence,
much more of the property’s existing scrub oak will be removed to hollow out
the current topography. However, Davenport noted that the retail facilities’
plans exceeded town standards for landscaping and open space. Monument PRD, LLC
will make the Market Village stores look architecturally similar to the Regency
stores. The existing right-in/right-out Regency center driveway off Baptist Road
will be the sole entry.
A 40-unit townhouse subdivision will also be built between
this new shopping center and Lyons Tail in Jackson Creek. Davenport noted that
the developer, Miles Grant, is working with the town in leaving a landscaped
slope between the townhouses and the shopping center rather than building a 30-
40-foot vertical wall behind the new stores as Wal-Mart has proposed across
Baptist Road to the south. So the housing will be on top of a landscaped hill,
rather than perched on a sheer wall. He noted that the townhouse proposal is
only a preliminary plan; there were no specific placements for the eight
residential buildings, no building elevations, and no landscape plan for the
P&L committee to review. The final site plan will show these features as
well as how sidewalks and trails will connect to adjacent facilities. The
rezoning request and sketch plans for the residential and retail portions of the
proposed development were forwarded to the Planning Commission and Board of
Trustees without comment since neither included landscaping and open space plans
at this early stage of review.
Limbach Park Grant Request: The town is preparing a GOCO
grant request that would provide approximately 70 percent of the purchase price
of three parcels of railroad land south and west of Limbach Park. The committee
reviewed the long-term vision and goal for the park, which would be listed in
the grant request. The draft park plan identifies a band shell or stage,
upgraded permanent restrooms (to replace the single portable toilets currently
installed), and increased parking as possible future improvements if the town
receives the grant. The land between the west park fence and the tracks is
needed to provide room for the band shell and the restrooms. The land between
the tracks and Mitchell Avenue is needed for parking for summer concerts. The
railroad parcel south of the park will connect the park to the open space
donation from Wayne Black for Monument Addition No. 5. This subdivision is
currently under construction further to the south. The proposal to buy the
railroad land in 2005 and seek the GOCO grant were approved unanimously.
Previously drafted P&L committee goals for Limbach Park
were discussed and reviewed for completeness before being incorporated into the
draft grant request. The finalized draft goals include: adding a gazebo, keeping
existing playground equipment close to the multi-use stage so parents can watch
their kids and the performance at the same time, installing automatic
sprinklers, constructing a separate pedestrian railroad crossing to the new
parking lot west of the tracks, and adding a picnic table pavilion for shelter.
Kerr Addition and Wahlborg
Property Annexation: Davenport briefed the committee on the upcoming
proposal by John Kerr, of Present Perfect Gifts, which they will need to review
at the Feb. 10 meeting. Kerr proposes to build a warehouse for a wholesale gift
business on the to-be-annexed Kerr Addition, which is a 1.28-acre parcel between
the railroad tracks, Second Street, Mitchell Avenue, and Mountain Farmer
Landscaping. Kerr is purchasing the land from the railroad, contingent on
rezoning and annexation approval by the town. The warehouse may eventually
include a retail outlet. Davenport said the town "will want to make sure
the building and its landscaping are in character with other retail businesses
in historic downtown." He also briefly discussed the mixed-use subdivision
that is proposed on a 140-acre parcel called the Wahlborg Property, located
southeast of Highway 105 and Knollwood. He reviewed the narrow time-constrained
sequence of events for separate but overlapping annexation, rezoning, and
development plan approvals the committee and town will need to complete for both
these projects.
Goals and Schedule for 2004: A draft schedule for the
next 11 meetings was approved. Included were upcoming development projects to be
reviewed, park and cemetery planning and visitation, and a number of grant
applications for parks, trails, and open space improvements.
The next regular P&L meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Feb.
10 at Town Hall.
Web site exclusive: View a photo of
the Monument Parks & Landscape Committee meeting Jan. 13
Web site exclusive: View a photo of
the proposed Kerr Annexation
By John Heiser
At its regular meeting Jan. 28, the Triview Metropolitan
District Board of Directors made preparations for the May 4 election of three
members of the five-member board, approved a variety of contracts, and discussed
expansion of the Waste Water Treatment Facility (WWTF). 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.
Director Linda Jones was absent. Aside from directors Martha Gurnick and Steve
Stephenson, no other Triview district residents were present.
Monument Marketplace status
Rick Blevins of Marketplace developer Vision Development,
Inc., reported as follows:
-
The project is on schedule and within the $7.5 million
construction budget.
-
The drainage structures are being finished now.
-
Bids on the roadwork contract came in substantially over
budget and the low bidder, Rocky Mountain Asphalt, responded with a number
of additional conditions. The work will probably have to be rebid. Blevins
added that the work must wait anyway for warmer weather in April or later.
-
TR Construction submitted a bid for $1.45 million to
construct water, sewer, reuse, and storm water inlet facilities. This is
about a $1 million savings compared to the bids received prior to the
redesign work on these facilities by consultant CLC Associates.
-
RE Monk offered to perform additional riprap work for
$188,942. This was substantially less than the next lowest bidder. The board
unanimously approved amending the existing RE Monk contract.
-
The county recently approved a permit for the street work
associated with the sewer line serving the Marketplace site. Arapahoe
Construction has already commenced the sewer line construction.
-
CLC Associates design drawings for the changes to Baptist
Road are being reviewed to determine what is required for the Marketplace
and what is required for Wal-Mart.
-
Colorado Structures, Inc. is scheduled to complete the
construction of the Home Depot in May. Store opening is expected no later
than July 1.
-
Wells Fargo Bank is under contract to occupy a pad next
to Jackson Creek Parkway. Construction is scheduled to start in late summer
or early fall, with opening planned for early 2005.
-
A verbal approval has been received from Kohl’s for one
of the store sites near the Home Depot. Opening of that store would probably
not occur until 2005 or 2006.
-
The parties are nearing agreement on two drive-through
restaurants including a Sonic. The restaurants would be on the southeast
corner of the Marketplace site.
-
There has been considerable interest in the in-line shop
space. In response, the developer is accelerating development of the shop
space on the east side of Jackson Creek Parkway opposite the Marketplace.
-
Sierra Properties is marketing the smaller pads near
I-25.
-
Although discussions have been held with several large
box retailers such as Target, Costco, and Wal-Mart, there are no new
developments regarding the 200,000 square foot pad site on the north side.
Blevins said, "We need another large user."
Condemnation proceeding
Peter Susemihl, attorney for the Triview district, said the
Marketplace sewer line easements across the properties owned by the Watt family,
including the property being leased by Foxworth-Galbraith, have been obtained
through negotiations. Foxworth-Galbraith will receive $5,000 for the cost of
moving their outdoor storage. The district has agreed not to block their
entrance during business hours. Susemihl said the previously scheduled
condemnation hearing has been cancelled.
WWTF expansion
District engineer Chuck Ritter of Nolte and Associates
reported Donala’s engineering firm GMS, Inc. has confirmed that the WWTF will
reach its limits in late 2008 so construction must start in 2007. He said that
means prior plans to start design were six to nine months earlier than actually
required.
Ritter reported that Donala has organized site visits in
early March to comparable plants that use the proposed new process called
Sequencing Batch Reaction (SBR). The plants are in Salida, California near
Sacramento and Fallon, Nevada near Reno. Ron Simpson, manager of the Triview
district, said he is most interested in the Fallon plant since it is more
comparable in terms of climate and elevation. Simpson noted that Ritter and
Triview board member Steve Stephenson will be going on the site visit trip
Simpson added, "Our biggest concern is what it puts on
the operational side. What the plant management has to do."
New Wells
Ritter described a $30,000 plan to connect raw (untreated)
water from the new well A4 in the Arapahoe aquifer to the reuse system rather
than connecting it to the potable water system. He said the water would be used
for irrigation to relieve some of the summertime demand on the potable water
system. Simpson said, "We need A4 especially in summer months. We irrigate
seven out of 12 months. October was the [Creekside Middle] school’s biggest
month."
Ritter noted that piping the raw water from A4 to water
treatment plant B for use in the potable system would be more expensive. He said
that in about 2007, water treatment plant C will be constructed next to A4.
Simpson added that the cost for WTPC would be about $1.5 million.
Stephenson asked why well A4 was drilled now if it is not
needed for the potable system. Simpson replied that it is needed for
construction water and for the Marketplace.
Blevins expressed surprise that the water from A4 would not
be sent to treatment near-term. Ritter replied that with the addition of the D7
well into the Denver aquifer, the potable water system has plenty of capacity
for the present needs of the Marketplace.
Water consumption
Ritter reported the results of the district’s water
consumption analysis. District tap fees are based on the calculated number of
single-family-equivalents (SFEs) associated with the size of the water line
connection.
Ritter said the district planned for 240 to 270 gallons per
day per SFE, but actual use stands at about 190 to 200 gallons per day per SFE.
He said average residential use works out to about 158 gallons per day; but
water use by some commercial, office, and industrial customers such as King
Soopers and the Shell station car wash has been "larger than we
expected."
Simpson added, "King Soopers is doing 84 SFEs. Not even
2 percent to 5 percent comes from irrigation. I don’t know what he is doing in
there. If we had charged King Soopers for 80 SFEs, it [the tap fees] would have
cost as much as the store. They wouldn’t be here." Simpson said he would
contact the King Soopers management to "Find out why they are using so
much."
At a Monument board of trustees meeting several years ago, it
was mentioned by staff that at that time a similar local car wash was using
about 500,000 gallons per month during the summer. Without revealing any
consumption numbers for the Shell car wash, Ritter noted that it is improving
its water recycling percentage.
Wal-Mart and the mouse
Simpson said a meeting is scheduled with the Department of
the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in mid-February to discuss
the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse habitat issues on the Wal-Mart site.
Simpson has been looking at properties that could be used as
part of habitat conservation plans (HCP) to satisfy FWS requirements for the
Wal-Mart site, the expansion of Baptist Road, and the extension of Jackson Creek
Parkway. He reported that another property has been found that could satisfy the
HCP requirements for the Baptist Road expansion but it is not large enough to
satisfy the Wal-Mart site issues. He said the property is about one-third as
expensive as some of the other properties they have considered and is currently
under a conservation easement.
A new development
Simpson reported that a "tax exempt use, a school,
church, or something" is interested in a possible development in the
northwest corner of the district west of I-25, south of Highway 105, and north
of Dirty Woman Park. Since no Triview facilities are near the site, Simpson said
other entities might be used to provide services to the site.
Agreements with Monument
Simpson presented intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) with
the Town of Monument for street sweeping within the district and operation and
maintenance (O&M) of the Triview district’s water and wastewater systems.
The maximum cost for street sweeping is set at $32,000. The O&M agreement
sets an annual cost of $162,500. Donala is being paid $22,000 for a one-month
transition of the work to the town. Simpson said the town will take over full
time at the end of January. He said the town has two people working full time on
the project. Simpson said, "We feel very good about the way this is
going." The board unanimously approved the two IGAs.
Contracts
The board unanimously approved the following:
-
A $10,645 contract for Supervisor Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) equipment to let Monument remotely monitor and control
Triview’s plants. Simpson said, "Probably none of this would be
thrown away when Triview goes independent."
-
A $54,960 contract with Timberline Landscaping for 2004.
-
A contract with ASAP for road repair.
-
A $48,875 contract with Colorado Structures, Inc. (CSI)
for snow removal during 2004.
-
A cost plus contract budgeted for 2004 at $60,000 with
CSI for general maintenance during 2004. Simpson said, "They are acting
as staff for us."
-
The 2004 Nolte master contract, with hourly rates for
engineering work budgeted at $88,000.
-
A 2004 contract with Ayers Associates for drainage
analysis.
-
A $23,180 contract with Rick Giardino for utility rate
analysis during 2004.
-
A $78,000 contract for Ron Simpson’s services during
2004.
Snow routes
Simpson asked the board if they wanted to designate snow
routes. He said that although it has not created particularly large problems for
the snowplows, School District 38 has complained that cars parked along bus
routes create problems for bus drivers during and after snowstorms.
Simpson said that if the district designates snow routes, it
must post signs at a cost of $250 to $275 per sign. The police can then write
citations for any cars parked on the snow routes. He noted, "It causes hard
feelings."
Susemihl said, "It ain’t going to work unless they can
tow ‘em." He suggested sending a letter to residents highlighting the
problem and asking them to park in their driveways. Simpson noted that Jackson
Creek covenants already forbid overnight on-street parking.
The board directed Simpson to write a letter to the
residents.
Streetlights on Lyons Tail
Simpson said that four streetlights are to be installed along
Lyons Tail in the area of Jackson Creek filing 5 at a cost of $13,579. He said
the Jackson Creek filing 5 Public Facilities Authority will pay for streetlights
within filing 5.
Mountain View undercharge
Simpson reported that Mountain View Electric discovered they
undercharged the district by more than $50,000. Mountain View has agreed to
waive about half of the undercharge and is asking the district to pay $23,524 in
installments over the next year.
May 4 election of three board members
Simpson noted that three four-year positions are open. Kathy
and Gary Walters, both of whom are term-limited, and Steve Stephenson who was
appointed in July to complete Jim Perry’s term occupy the positions. Gurnick
and Jones, the other two directors, were elected in 2002. Their terms end in
2006.
The board designated Creekside Middle School as the polling
place with the district office as an alternate if the school is unavailable.
Dale Hill, Triview district administrator, was designated the election official.
**********
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 held Feb. 25.
For further information, contact the Triview Metropolitan
District at 488-6868.
By Judy Barnes
Liquor store polling area: At the Nov. 13 meeting, the
liquor licensing board approved a 3.2 percent beer off-premises liquor license
for the Country Store and Deli. The canvassing area for that license was a
radius of 1,500 feet from the store. Following a question from the town clerk
about the possibility of a liquor store coming to town, the board voted
unanimously at that same meeting to define the canvassing area for a future
retail liquor store as being the boundaries of the whole town. At the Jan. 8
meeting, trustee Ed Kinney commented that he thought a radius of 1,500 feet,
instead of the whole town, was an adequate canvassing area for a liquor license
poll. He said a proposed store’s immediate neighbors are the ones who would
have to live with it; distant residents shouldn’t be able to control the
decision. Meanwhile, town staff reported that no further interest in opening a
liquor store in Palmer Lake has been expressed.
Committee reports
Parks and Recreation: Trustee Cindy Allen, representing
the Parks and Recreation department, said that in the spring a guardrail would
be installed to replace the split rail fence at Glen Park. In the past, the
fence has been knocked down several times a year.
Water: Trustee Chuck Cornell, representing the Water
Department, noted that the building for the new filter plant is up.
Police: Kinney, representing the police department,
reported that the police department is down to two vehicles due to an accident
on Dec. 22 in Red Rock Ranch. The officer, Mike Brennan, was out due to
injuries, and the vehicle was totaled. There were 126 calls for service in
December.
Mayor: Mayor Nikki McDonald announced that a Casino Night
and Silent Auction to raise money for the new fire truck is scheduled for Feb.
13 at Pinecrest Event Center. She also reported that she has been elected
treasurer of the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments. McDonald noted that
five seats on the town council will be open for this year’s election. Randy
Jones and Cornell are the only trustees whose terms do not expire this year, and
the others are not seeking reelection. Nomination petitions will be available at
the town office by the end of February.
Emergency Services: Trustee Susan Miner reported that she
and Julie Lokken attended a preliminary meeting in December, held between
Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD) and American Medical
Response (AMR) about having an AMR ambulance at the W/MFPD station on Woodmoor
Drive. Currently, AMR provides ambulance service for W/MFPD, and the closest AMR
ambulance is at the Donald Wescott station on Gleneagle Drive, about 6 miles
away. Another option would be for W/MFPD to purchase its own ambulance. A
van-type vehicle would cost around $56,000 plus the cost of equipment.
Oath of office: Bill Duven was sworn in as associate
municipal judge, and Julie Lokken was sworn in as fire chief. Chief Lokken
reported that the department had a new $60,000 brush truck they acquired for
$2,000, with grants paying the rest of the cost. The department recently
received a grant of $15,000 from the El Pomar Foundation.
New business license: G. Marshall and Amy Clark received
a license for Marshall Clark Photography at 88 Highway 105. They specialize in
portrait photography and custom framing.
Vacation of a utility easement: William Johnson
requested, and the council approved, vacating a 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.
Approval for grants: Police Chief Dale Smith reported on
two grants available to his department. The Victim Assistance and Law
Enforcement (VALE) grant of $7,600 will be used for an emergency call box that
would be installed in front of the water bill drop box at the police station, 54
Valley Crescent. One button will call 911, which will connect the caller to the
county sheriff’s office. The second button, for non-emergency use, will also
connect to the sheriff’s office. A security camera will monitor the call box
to discourage vandalism or misuse.
The other grant, $72,000 from the federal Homeland Security
Office, will fund overtime pay and travel expenses for staff to participate in
training exercises during their time off. Smith plans to have one of those
exercises relate to the town’s water system. The council unanimously approved
both grants.
By Judy Barnes
At the Jan. 21 meeting of the Palmer Lake Planning
Commission, there was considerable discussion about a manufactured home proposed
to be placed on Lower Glenway and about the proposed child and family
development centers at 40 Columbine and 90 Pie Corner.
Request to vacate the common lot line utility easement
between lots 7 and 8, Block 2, Lakeview Heights Subdivision: The
commissioners voted unanimously to recommend that the Town Council approve this.
Request for a conditional use in a CC zone for a
single-family residence at 0 Lower Glenway, Moroni Subdivision: After seeing
a photograph submitted by Michael Brennan of the proposed manufactured home,
Commissioner Denise Hammond referred to the comprehensive plan that recommended
the creation of a pleasant visual environment appealing to residents and
tourists. It also recommended encouraging the historical nature of the town,
Victorian and Western. Hammond noted that the lot abuts the town green and doesn’t
fit in.
Chairman John Cressman commented, "Unfortunately, we
really don’t have architectural codes. The comp plan is a guideline…it [the
proposed home] is ugly, but we really don’t have the teeth to do
anything."
Kathy Bremmer, who lives across the street from the lot,
commented, "This looks more like a trailer than a house, especially with
the end [not the front of the house] facing the street." She added that the
neighborhood has worked hard to make the area look nice, and that this would
have a negative impact on property values. Hammond added, "It’s not fair
to the rest of the neighborhood to throw something so incongruous into the
neighborhood."
A motion to recommend that the council approve the
conditional use with significant aesthetic improvements to fit better with
neighborhood properties, including the streetside view, passed unanimously.
Request for a conditional use in an R3 zone for a child
development center, 90 Pie Corner: Denise Hammond recused herself and took a
seat in the audience. Becky Albright reviewed the activities and issues of her
proposal so far. Then Ti Mix, a real estate agent for Prudential, addressed real
estate values near the Tri-Lakes Community Preschool at 85 Washington St., in
Monument. He claimed that values were unaffected by the preschool. Albright’s
attorney, Tim Schutz, also spoke, citing excerpts on R3 zoning from the Palmer
Lake Municipal Code supporting the conditional use.
Denise and Frank Hammond, Carl Goodwin, and Lynn Glassburn
spoke in opposition to the project, citing drainage and traffic issues and
concerns that the proposed centers would not fit with the character of the
neighborhood. They also raised questions about whether the family development
center might actually provide medical services, not just educational services.
Cressman read the response of the town’s attorney, Larry
Gaddis, to questions about the conditional use. Gaddis stated that a day care
home is an appropriate use; that a day care home is a family care home. He noted
that the town doesn’t have a definition for a family care home or a day care
center.
The commissioners agreed that the proposed center for family
development was an educational center. Denise Hammond pointed out that in the
municipal code there was no definition of "education." Cressman stated
that the definition of "educational institution" in the code was just
about requirements, that there be 100 feet of frontage and 50 feet between the
principle structure and the neighboring lot line.
After scrutinizing the site plan, Cressman discovered that
there was less than 50 feet from the proposed family development center to the
lot line of the proposed childcare center. "It’s nonconforming to the
definition we have of an educational institution," Cressman declared. Upon
advice from Schutz, Albright withdrew her application and the meeting adjourned
at 9:35 p.m.
By Kim Makower
The recently formed Palmer Lake Citizens for Community
Awareness (PLCCA) is a committee of concerned citizens that, according to its
mission statement, is "to act as a conduit and a source of information
between the government of Palmer Lake and its citizens." The committee has
met on several occasions since summer 2003, most recently on Jan. 29. Six
members were present: Jaqui Parker, Gary Coleman, Travis Coleman, George Reese,
Frank Hammond, Ann Sparks, and Donna Arndt.
Prior to the start of the meeting, Town Clerk Della Gins told members about the
upcoming fund-raiser for the fire engine fund. The Casino Night and Silent
Auction is scheduled for March 5, 7 p.m. at the Pinecrest Events Center.
Admission is $5 at the door; call Gins for information at 481-2953. Gins also
informed the group that four of six town trustee seats and the mayor’s seat
will be up for election in April. Gins then left to attend to other matters.
When the committee last met Oct. 30, Parker was informally
elected to be the meeting facilitator. She assumed this role again by opening
this meeting with remarks related to the growth pressures on the Tri-Lakes
region. "We [Palmer Lake] are being pushed from both Denver and Colorado
Springs, and this committee has developed a good foundation to help us better
determine our own future as a town," she said.
The discussion focused on two issues. One was the scheduling
of an information gathering "field trip" to the various city
departments such as water, police, roads, parks and recreation, and economic
development—to learn what they do, how they do it, and what their limitations
are. Arndt agreed to contact the various town departments to schedule a time and
day for the field trip sometime in March.
The other issue was the recruitment of more community
representatives. Parker stated, "It is now time to put the much-discussed
charter of the PLCCA into action. We are seeking committed volunteers who will
gather information regarding the status and future of Palmer Lake via town
meetings [planning commission and/or council meetings], local newspaper reports,
posted information at the post office, town hall, etc., then participate in
disseminating this information quarterly through neighborhood meetings.
Hopefully, the output of the neighborhood meetings will result in communication
back to our council members of the thoughts and concerns of their
constituents." She identified three vehicles for this recruitment process:
flyers distributed door-to-door, e-mail distribution of the minutes of the PLCCA,
and articles written in the local press.
Hammond spoke about the dubious state of the town’s zoning
ordinances. He said that these laws are poorly written and easily manipulated by
people seeking to do business with Palmer Lake. He would like to see the
committee help rewrite these laws and strengthen the town’s comprehensive
plan. His involvement with the committee began with the divisive debate
concerning the land use issue of a day care and learning center in his
neighborhood. He was able to unify the thoughts of his neighborhood by going
door to door to collect over 30 e-mail addresses and phone numbers to help
disseminate information to his neighbors. Hammond volunteered to create and
print flyers for recruitment of neighborhood representatives to join the PLCCA.
Parker suggested keeping meetings to one hour due to the time
constraints of the average prospective committee member. The next meeting’s
agenda is: 1.) recruiting neighborhood representatives; 2.) developing a
template for neighborhood informational meetings; and 3.) determining the best
day to schedule the PLCCA monthly meeting.
Sparks said she was "pleased with the progress [of the
committee] tonight" due to the ability of the group to focus and move
forward with definite action items. The next meeting will be Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
at the Palmer Lake Town Hall; all are encouraged to attend. For information call
Jaqui Parker, 487-7434.
View photos of Ice Rescue Training in Gleneagle
By Jim Kendrick
This regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Donald
Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) was held at Station #2 on Jan. 22 at 7
p.m. Director Kevin Gould was excused. The board announced positive progress on
merger discussions with Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD) and
Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD). The board changed its policy and
will no longer be the primary emergency responder in the portion of Black Forest
covered by the recent November inclusion election. The Gleneagle Drive station
will be renumbered Station #1, from Station #3, to reflect its status as
operational headquarters.
Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Dennis Feltz reported
that the end-of-year budget transition had gone smoothly, with more than
adequate reserves for last-minute expenses. The district’s financial position
is strong, helped by not having to build a new station to serve Black Forest,
for which about $125,000 had been budgeted. Expenditures for 2003 exceeded
forecast by just $281 in a challenging year where there were several new hires—expanding
the full-time workforce to provide 24/7 coverage for the first time—as well as
unexpected election expenses. Cash on hand at the end of the year was
$418,651.29, placing the district in a sound position to perform the upcoming
$264,000 Station #3 expansion as well as move forward with merger talks with W/MFPD,
which is also financially sound.
Policy Change on Black Forest Coverage: The November
election resulted in an area of Black Forest no longer being covered by DWFPD.
However, attempts by President Bill Lowes and Chief Bill Sheldon to contact
homeowner associations (HOAs) in the election area to alert them to the change
in coverage have produced no responses by phone or mail. The Northern El Paso
County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO) cannot help with notification
because none of the area HOAs is a member of NEPCO. A few subdivisions in the
un-included area have presented unanimous petitions for inclusion by Tri-Lakes
Fire Protection District (TLFPD) in the past four months. They were all approved
by the Tri-Lakes board on a case-by-case basis.
The board considered three options regarding service to the
Black Forest election area:
-
Discontinue responding to this area as the primary
responder.
-
Charge a fee per call, per fees accepted by Pikes Peak
Chief’s Forum.
-
Continue responding on calls in the area until those
homeowners join another district.
Sheldon noted that the majority of calls in this area are
medical calls for which DWFPD could not submit bills. The eastern half of the
inclusion ballot region is well outside the five-road-mile coverage of the
Roller Coaster station that is to be built by TLFPD. He said these citizens
could also petition Black Forest Fire and Rescue District for inclusion. Falcon
Fire Protection District is too distant to provide anything other than mutual
aid coverage. Sheldon recommended that DWFPD focus on its own district’s
projects while continuing to provide only mutual aid, if requested. Director
Brian Ritz asked if mutual aid calls could be billed. Sheldon said no, because
mutual aid is reciprocally given to DWFPD, when needed, by other fire districts.
Only the primary district can bill. Lowes agreed with Sheldon that service
should be limited to mutual aid only.
Peter Obernesser, attorney for DWFPD, recommended that a
notice be published stating that Wescott would no longer be the primary
provider, as there are long-standing written or verbal agreements with
developers of a few subdivisions in that area. "Notice is required to be
fair to all homeowners in that area, even though the majority voted against
providing any revenue to Wescott for its services." He recommended a
newspaper notice so "there is no continuing expectation of response to
emergencies by DWFPD." Ritz asked about the 150 votes for inclusion.
Obernesser said they were not in the majority. Sheldon said Westcott’s
decision is cost-driven. This is the second time this area has voted not to be
taxed for fire protection, so DWFPD should focus on its taxpayers, who approved
a mill levy increase to pay for full-time service.
The board voted 3-1, with Ritz voting no, to terminate
primary service to this Black Forest area with a 30-day notice. Sheldon said he
would notify El Paso County Sheriff’s dispatchers to change their 9-1-1
rosters and prepare the newspaper announcement for immediate publication in the
Tribune.
Architect contract: The DWFPD architectural consultant,
Architect’s Office, will prepare a standard American Institute of Architect’s
(AIA) contract to define the scope of work the consultant will perform in
developing forms for proposal requests for Station #3 expansion. Director Gould,
who is an architect, will have the legal firm Oberring and Wurth review the
$7,500 contract with Architect’s Office before it is signed. Sheldon requested
authority from the board to manage the day-to-day details of executing this
standard AIA contract, based on his previous experience with this type of
standardized contract. The board approved both actions unanimously.
Executive Session: There was a short executive session to
let the board receive legal advice on a negotiation. There were no announcements
regarding results of the session.
Merger Discussions Update: Lowes and Sheldon first
discussed ambulance service in the region. TLFPD’s threat on Dec. 10 to
rescind ambulance coverage for Palmer Lake has resulted in accelerated
negotiations with American Medical Response (AMR) by W/MFPD, Palmer Lake
Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD), and DWFPD to add ambulance service at the
Woodmoor Drive station. DWFPD will also continue working with W/MFPD and PLVFD
to develop a merger agreement that is beneficial to all three departments.
Differing mill levies is a primary source of concern. The mill levies for DWFPD,
W/MFPD, and PLVFD are 7, 9.2, and 0, respectively. Palmer Lake voters have
rejected a mill levy for fire service in the past. Another alternative to a full
merger might be a looser fire authority relationship, though this option was
rejected in previous preliminary discussions. The number of ambulances on call
in the region might also be an item for negotiation, due to TLFPD having its own
ambulances at its home station and projecting another full-time ambulance at the
Roller Coaster Station. (A rule of thumb is that an ambulance must make one
billable transport per day to pay for itself and it is unclear if there are
enough such calls to finance round-the-clock ambulance service by four fire
stations.) Lowes will work on scheduling a working group session in March.
Chief’s Report: Sheldon noted that two large fires that
generated mutual aid calls from the county were instructive in relearning
lessons about command dispatch decisions. A fire on Teak Road in Falcon on Jan.
15 resulted in 32 pieces of apparatus and 65 firefighters—from as far away as
Green Mountain Falls and Fort Carson—responding ineffectively to an "all
call" from the Sheriff’s office dispatching center for the entire county.
The building burned to the ground and traffic jams were created that might have
precluded re-dispatching these fire vehicles to other emergencies. Sheldon said
Assistant Chief Vinny Burns "correctly chose not to have DWFPD provide
mutual aid 44 miles away when there was already too much equipment on the scene
to be used." The next evening, a similar-size fire on Greenland Road in
Larkspur was also handled by mutual aid, this time involving only five trucks.
The fire occurred in an area that had no close water or fire hydrants, requiring
a water shuttle. Although this house was lost, Burns’ use of vehicles was
effective and efficient. Sheldon noted the expertise of the North End Group in
responding appropriately to this Larkspur emergency and praised Burns on his
decisions regarding these two calls as well as proper on-scene calls by the
firefighters in carrying out the water shuttle.
For 2003, DWFPD had 572 calls, plus 1,047 automatic and
mutual aid calls for a total 1,619. Often, more than one vehicle responded to a
call. Types of calls for the year were: Medical-related alarms (excluding AMR
alarms) 524 (32 percent), AMR alarms 867 (54 percent), fire-related alarms 175
(11 percent), other alarms 53 ( 3 percent).
An Insurance Service Organization (ISO) compliance inspection
of areas with hydrants will be conducted Feb. 17-19. The district has an ISO
rating of 6 and hopes to lower that rating for the benefit of district
taxpayers. A lower rating would lower fire insurance rates. The decisive issues
in the rating are water supply, manning, and equipment, in that order.
Policy & Procedures Update: Sheldon said the
preliminary copy of the policy and procedures manual has been given to the
firefighters for questions and comments. The only remaining policy question is
how to handle unused vacation/sick time at the end of the year. The board
decided to temporarily let unused time roll over to the second year, while
assessing commonly used accrual alternatives by other fire organizations and
also asking the district’s accountant and auditor to analyze current trends
for unforeseen impacts on the department.
Other items:
-
Discussion of the board’s goals for 2004 was deferred
to the next meeting after the directors exchanged copies of lists of
suggested goals they had prepared.
-
Ritz noted that Sheldon has given the Colorado Springs
Police Department’s Training Academy two sets of expired bunker gear to
assist them in training police officers in the use of tasers.
-
The department held ice
rescue training in Gleneagle on Jan. 17, certifying 12 firefighters.
Twelve more will be certified in February.
-
Palmer Lake’s Police Department has received a grant
for $72,000 for training on weapons of mass destruction. DWFPD will
participate in this training.
The meeting adjourned at 9:55 p.m. The next meeting will be
at 7 p.m. on Feb. 18 at Station #2 on Sun Hills Drive.
View photos of Ice Rescue Training in Gleneagle
View a photo of the TLFPD board
preparing for Station 2 groundbreaking
By John Heiser
At its meeting Jan. 15, the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection
District Board of Directors approved inclusion of two subdivisions east of
Highway 83, approved a 3 percent across the board pay raise, discussed plans for
Station 2 on Roller Coaster Road near Highway 105, and made preparations for the
May 4 election of two members of the board.
Inclusion hearings
Hearings were held on petitions for inclusion of the Walden
Pines Subdivision (10 lots) and Elk Creek Filing #2 (29 lots). Both inclusion
petitions were signed by 100 percent of the property owners. The board
unanimously approved both inclusions.
Dispatching problems
Chief Robert Denboske reported that when the sheriff’s
office converted to a new dispatching system, some of the geographic information
was lost, resulting in dispatching the wrong emergency services agency for some
properties along Highway 83 between Hodgen Road and County Line Road. Denboske
said, "We are working with E911 to update the maps. We need to get it
corrected as soon as possible."
The chief also noted that when Station 2 is operational, he
intends to coordinate coverage in the Highway 83 and County Line Road area with
the Franktown department.
Financial Report
District director and treasurer John Hildebrandt reported
that, as of the end of December:
-
The district had received $835,799 in property tax
revenue, all but $1,353 of the property tax revenue it is due for 2003.
-
Specific ownership taxes at $121,000 for the year were
$13,244 over budget.
-
Ambulance revenues were $54,900 over the budgeted amount
of $115,170.
-
The net result: revenue $108,779 over budget.
-
Expenses were $37,481 (3 percent) over budget. $32,811 of
that was expenditure of a $35,000 grant the district received that was not
in the budget. Another portion was prepayment of 2004 contracts and special
district association dues.
-
The net increase in the fund balances during 2003 was
$66,151.
Hildebrandt concluded, "The state of the finances is
good. We have been prudent and have an increase in the fund balances."
Board President Charlie Pocock said, "We didn’t
anticipate coming out quite as well as we did so we did not budget a pay
increase. Since the budget came out better than planned, we have looked again at
a cost of living increase." The board unanimously approved a 3 percent
across the board increase to base and overtime pay but not incentive pay. The
increase is retroactive to Jan. 1.
Chief’s Report
Denboske reported that during 2003, the district responded to
1049 calls vs. 882 last year. There were 418 medical calls, 295 traffic
accidents, 223 fires, 90 public assists, and 23 involving hazardous materials.
376 people were transported to area hospitals.
Pocock said, "There are differences in the way
departments report call statistics. We report all calls, in district and mutual
aid. We treat each as a single call regardless of the number of apparatus. Some
districts treat each apparatus as a call."
EMS Report
Ron Thompson, assistant chief and emergency medical services
(EMS) coordinator, reported that the district received a grant from the
Emergency Services Association for a 12 lead EKG simulator. He added that the
district has applied for a variety of state grants.
Thompson reported that the Tri-Lakes district and the
Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District had 12 to 14 students in recent base
EKG training. Training on 12 lead EKG will be held next month. Thompson thanked
the board for providing the TV/VCR, and PowerPoint projector that have been very
helpful during training.
Thompson noted that the department has been working with
local ham radio operators for coordination in emergencies. An antenna may be
added to the station as part of this effort.
Thompson recommended donation to the Elbert Fire Department
of a heart monitor the department is no longer using. The board unanimously
approved the donation.
Station 2
Rick Barnes, board member and architect for Station 2,
reported that the construction contract for the station will be ready for bid by
the end of January. He said he anticipates three or four bidders. Groundbreaking
is scheduled for March 1.
May 4 election
Denboske was designated the election official for the May 4
election. The election will fill the board positions occupied by Oscar Gillespie
and Gary Morgan, both of whom are term-limited.
The board discussed possible ballot measures including
raising the mill levy. Pocock said, "I think 7 mills is enough. An increase
is not justified or fair to the citizens. I don’t think we should accumulate
money in the bank. Spend it for the taxpayers’ benefit." Barnes said,
"I don’t think we need any more money."
Pocock said, "The problem for special districts is
finding people willing to run and serve." Gillespie made a motion to
include a ballot measure to exempt the district from term limits.
Custodian of Records
District administrative assistant Paula Robbins was
designated the custodian of records.
Executive session
The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss
strategy for negotiations.
**********
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 Feb. 19.
For more information, call Chief Denboske at 481-2312. The
Tri-Lakes district has a new web site: www.tri-lakesfire.com.
View a photo of the TLFPD board
preparing for Station 2 groundbreaking
By Jim Kendrick
The Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District Board (W/MFPD)
began negotiations for contracting full-time ambulance service at its Woodmoor
Drive station at the board meeting held on Jan. 26. All board members were
present. Mark Bruning, Vice President of American Medical Response (AMR)
ambulance service operations for the Rocky Mountains/Plains Division, and local
citizen George Reese, owner of Palmer Lake Motors on Highway 105 attended.
Associate Chief James Rackl and Acting Fire Marshal Tom Eastburn also attended.
There were no public comments.
Chief’s Report
Chief David Youtsey noted that the terms of three board
members expire in May. He asked those three–Bob Browning, Si Sibell, and Tom
Conroy–to fill out a self-nomination and acceptance form by Feb. 27. If no
others seek nomination, an election will not be necessary.
Written testing for firefighter candidates will be
administered to 12 applicants on Feb. 21. Their physical agility testing will
occur on Feb. 28. They will be selected from a list of approximately 100
applicants. Rackl said the closing date for being added to the list is Feb. 16.
Applications are held for one year. Conroy asked how many spaces have been
filled recently. Youtsey said 19 spaces were filled in the past eight years,
eight in the past three years.
The district has been sending postcard survey forms to
residents who have had emergency service and comments have been uniformly
positive.
Calls in December and the totals for 2003 were:
Structure
Fire
5 100
Medical
37 340
Traffic Accident
3 73
Wildland
0 21
Hazardous Materials 5 29
Public Assistance
0 26
Other
4 41
Total
54 630
Medical runs were up 54 percent and traffic accident runs
were up 12 percent in 2003. Conroy asked Youtsey to determine the number of
ambulance dispatches to an emergency scene and the number of ambulance
transports to a hospital that would have occurred in 2003 if W/MFPD had an
ambulance on 24/7 call at the station. Youtsey gave a preliminary response of
340 fire calls and 73 traffic accidents for dispatch.
Attorney Tim Schutz is working for the district to recover
unclaimed funds from the Fireman’s and Police Pension Association (FPPA)
"old hire pension program" of $348,744. This program was discontinued
in 1984 by the state fire pension board. One firefighter under the program died
without heirs and the policy proceeds have remained invested with FPPA since
then. Six others left the fund before they were vested. These six collected
their own contributions for transfer to new pension programs. However, the
district’s matching contributions for these six remained invested with FPPA.
The FPPA refund can be used by the district for current
expenses, half to pay current pension contributions and social security taxes
for current employees and half for other fire fighting requirements. The amount
will be higher than expected because of about $14,000 in interest and dividends
that accrued throughout 2003 that was not previously reported to W/MFPD by FPPA
during its negotiations with Schutz. The refund can be turned over to the
district’s investment banker, yielding 4 percent, until used for the purposes
noted above. Money can currently be borrowed at 2.6 percent. The 1.4 percent
difference would yield $4,900 in one year on $350,000. Other options Youtsey
proposed were paying off vehicle loans or refinancing vehicle leases. The board
agreed unanimously to use a portion of this money to pay off loans on the Quint
2130 fire engine, to purchase the new Suburban that is replacing the 1997
Suburban used by Chief Youtsey, and to invest the remainder. The 1997 Suburban
will be sold via sealed bid auction.
Conroy led a discussion of average times needed to roll
trucks after dispatch and average times to drive to an emergency scene, reflex
and response times respectively, as recorded by stop watch. Goals for reflex and
response are one and six minutes. These times have improved dramatically in the
past year. The accuracy of logs published by the county dispatchers at the
Sheriff’s Office is also improving due to the high interest in errors by
several departments over the past several months. Youtsey will continue to audit
the logs for ways to further improve these department times and prepare a report
on runs that take longer than the desired goals of one and six minutes. The
whole board congratulated the firefighters for this important improvement.
In other matters, Recording Secretary Donna Arkowski was
appointed district election official. She will be responsible again for all
administrative actions regarding the May board member election. Election notices
will be posted at the W/MFPD fire station, the Monument post office, and
Monument Town Hall.
Joint working group update: The merger counter-proposal
from Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD) to W/MFPD was received
minutes before the meeting, so there had been no review of it by board members.
Plans are being made to meet also with the board of Donald Wescott Fire
Protection Board after February.
Inspection Process Investigation Report: Secretary Bob
Harvey reported that most issues had been resolved. Rackl is prioritizing a list
of buildings in the district that ranks them from highest to lowest risk.
President Bob Browning said that merchants no longer see a problem with the way
inspections are performed, thanks to Eastburn’s positive approach to resolving
the issue. Harvey cautioned that there are a few building owners who will never
believe in the building inspection process or accept negative findings as
legitimate. Sibell said the problem had been isolated and eliminated and that
"Eastburn is doing one (heck) of a job." Conroy proposed a discussion
at the next meeting on how to proceed with regard to a permanent fire marshal
nomination since funding for the position expires in June.
AMR Negotiations: Treasurer Russ Broshous noted that the
district’s ten-year plan has always called for having 24/7 ambulance service
by 2005. Browning added that this was still just an option and the board will
determine what is best for the taxpayers in the district.
The board then went into executive session at 9:30 a.m. to
discuss a personnel issue and conduct negotiations with AMR’s Bruning about a
possible contract for 24/7 ambulance service. No announcement was made after the
executive session and no decision was made regarding AMR. The next board meeting
will be on Feb. 23 at 8 a.m.
By Tommie Plank
The board was presented with proposed new school calendars
for the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years. The school calendar has remained
basically the same for several years. These proposed schedules differ in that
the goal is to have school finished by Memorial Day. In order to accomplish the
earlier ending while still maintaining the same number of contact days for
students and teacher workdays, some of the school year vacation days will need
to be eliminated. The board will review the proposed variations and expects to
adopt a new calendar at the February meeting.
School district parents Steve Fillo and Darrell Bryant
presented a comprehensive report requesting the addition of competitive ice
hockey at the high school level. A lively question-and-answer session followed
the presentation. The board expressed appreciation for the professional quality
of the presentation but, given the amount of time needed for the high school
growth issue, felt that they were not in a position to take on another
time-consuming project. The matter was tabled until the board reaches a decision
on the high school.
The student accountability report focused on the upcoming
Battle of the Bands. The issue of affordable healthy food choices was raised for
the second time. The students plan to meet with high school administrators to
see if there are alternatives available.
Dr. Pete Heinz, chairman of District Accountability (DAAC),
reported that interest in the committee’s work has kept attendance at meetings
at a high level. The DAAC will visit Kilmer Elementary for their Feb. 10
meeting.
The district is evaluating the gifted and talented program.
Mary Anne Wiggs, executive director of Learning Services, has hired a consultant
to conduct surveys of students, teachers, parents, counselors, and
administrators as a part of this evaluation.
The district is also evaluating the way grades are reported
at the elementary level. A standards-based approach to teaching is now used
district-wide, and the current manner of reporting progress and learning does
not reflect this approach. A committee of parents, teachers, and administrators
has been formed to research the issue. They intend to pilot a new report card
format for some schools and grades next year with the intention of fully
implementing the program the following year.
The elementary social studies curriculum has been the focus
of the ongoing evaluation and revision of district curriculum for this year. The
result is a recommendation for a new text and learning materials. Mrs. Wiggs
presented for the board’s consideration the Social Studies Alive program from
the Teachers Curriculum Institute, which meets the Colorado Model Content
Standards. The board heard from teachers Sid Hough, Char Wahlborg, and Melissa
Bent, three of the 21 teachers to pilot programs for the evaluation. They were
very impressed with this particular program and highly recommended it to the
board. The board took materials about the study with them and will consider
approval of the program in February.
The first reading of a new parental involvement policy was
heard. The board took the policy under advisement and it will be scheduled for a
second reading, discussion, and approval at a future meeting.
The board approved several routine consent agenda items
related to students, personnel, finances, and land use requests.
Tom Battle was recognized for his extensive help with the new
Grace Best Elementary School playground. He received a commendation certificate
from Board President Jes Raintree
The next regular meeting of the Lewis-Palmer Board of
Education will be 7 p.m. Feb. 19 at Grace Best Elementary School.
By Chris Pollard
Attendance was slightly lower at this WIA meeting Jan. 26
than in previous years, with around 60 to 70 people. The most recent
controversial issue, the Walters Commons town home development proposed near
Lewis-Palmer High School, was presented to the El Paso County Planning
Commission and approved by them unanimously a few days before, on Jan. 20.
The first major item of business was the announcement of the
winner of the Vincent J. Elorie Citizenship Award, given each year to
significant long-term contributors to Woodmoor and the local community. Father
Robert Jaeger of St. Peter Catholic Church read the introduction and made the
presentation to Jim Taylor. Last year, Jim’s wife, Marian, received the award.
They have been very involved with the WIA over many years, and Jim has also been
a key contributor to many Sertoma programs.
This year, three directors’ terms expired, Nona Overcast,
in charge of the community center; Paul Lambert, public safety director; and
Bryan Clark, treasurer. The three new directors are:
-
Allan McMullen (328 votes). A resident for 1½ years, he
has two children and came from a similar subdivision in Sante Fe, N.M. He
wants to work on adding more community events and is interested in improving
the aesthetics of the area.
-
Susan Shields (327 votes). A resident for 12 years, she
is a local realtor and is concerned about the effects of growth on Woodmoor
and wants to be involved with planning for future building projects in the
area.
-
Michael Varnet (360 votes) A Pikes Peak Library District
employee, he has been in accounting for many years and has served on a large
number of boards.
Susan Cooley, current president of the WIA board, gave a
short overview of the past year in Woodmoor. The major portion of the speech
focused on an assessment of the Walters Commons project. At a previous board
meeting, concerns had been expressed about whether the conservation easement on
the part of the Walters property not being used to build townhomes was actually
going to happen. The concern was that this would mean additional houses in that
area. At this meeting, Cooley sounded more confident that the easement would go
through. She and several other Woodmoor residents made presentations to the El
Paso County Planning Commission, raising concerns of traffic and safety issues.
The commission expressed an interest in helping to solve the traffic issues but
voted to approve the project.
Some progress was made in establishing a walking trail along
Fairplay, though the county officials responsible for approving the plan were
not forthcoming with their concerns. Later in the meeting, a number of residents
raised other concerns with the trail. A few objected to the possibility of
having to remove a substantial amount of scrub oak at points along the planned
route.
In the case of another long-term project, Woodmoor entrance
signs, visible progress should be seen shortly. New signs were scheduled for
sandblasting last week and for installation in the next two weeks.
The WIA was active last summer in its West Nile mosquito
abatement program and planned to continue this effort in the future while the
threat remained.
For the coming year, Cooley said she hoped work would
continue on evolving the rules for multifamily developments. Deficiencies in the
rules were found when the Walters Commons project was reviewed and it was felt
that with several areas, particularly around Woodmoor Lake, still undeveloped
but zoned for multifamily, that an attempt should be made to rectify these
deficiencies. She also hoped that some improvements could be made in developing
a trail system.
She thanked a number of the board members and the office
staff for their help during the past year and made special note of John Ottino’s
contribution, as WIA vice president, in assisting with the annual Great American
Clean-up.
In Paul Lambert’s outgoing report as public safety
director, he noted continuing improvement in the reduction of criminal activity
and animal complaints. At the same time, he was concerned about a recent spate
of problems with loose and aggressive dogs. In the past year, the patrol was
operational for 13,000 hours, driving 85,000 miles and performing 17,000
vacation checks. He noted that two replacement patrol vehicles, silver Jeep
Liberties, had been ordered and would be due shortly. He thought they offered a
balance between four-wheel-drive capabilities and better fuel consumption than
the present vehicles.
Mike Smith, director of the architectural control committee,
noted in his report that the majority of applications were now for major
additions and renovations rather than new home construction.
**********
For information, contact the WIA at 488-2693.
In 2003, there were 19 fatal car accidents in all of
unincorporated El Paso County. Eleven of the accidents were due to driver error,
drunken driving, or excessive speed for the conditions. The El Paso County
Department of Transportation (EPCDOT) examined the remaining eight sites to see
what kinds of safety improvements might be made.
In the north end of the county, four locations that could
benefit from safety improvements were cited:
Highway 83 and Shoup Road intersection
Two accidents involved inattention to stop
conditions. Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is responsible for
this intersection, which is scheduled for major redesign/reconstruction this
year.
Highway 83 and County Line/Palmer Divide Road intersection
One accident involved inattention to stop signs. CDOT is
also responsible for this intersection. In 2003, CDOT installed
flashing beacons and bigger stop signs.
Highway 105 and Furrow Road intersection
One accident involved inattention to the stop sign southbound
on Furrow. The intersection is in CDOT jurisdiction. CDOT has installed
larger stop signs and flashing beacons on the north and south approaches on
Furrow Road. Additionally, CDOT will begin an intersection improvement project
this summer. These improvements will include left-turn lanes on Highway 105
and should be completed in the fall. The county recommends that CDOT consider
crosswalk striping and pedestrian-signal timing improvements.
Vollmer Road
Two accidents, including one car leaving the roadway
and one at the intersection of Burgess Road where the driver failed to
yield to traffic on Vollmer. Field investigation identified trees that may
be contributing to unsafe conditions. Also, sight distance at the
intersection is limited by "road geometry" that can be mitigated by
additional warning devices. County recommendations: (1) clear trees within
the right-of-way of Vollmer Road, as well as on the east and west approaches of
Burgess Road; (2) consider reinstalling rumble strips on Burgess
approaches; and (3) consider installation of 48-inch stop signs at Burgess and
Vollmer. EPC DOT, in cooperation with Mountain View Electric, has begun an
extensive tree-clearing project in the vicinity of Burgess and Vollmer. Prior to
tree removal, a survey to identify trees within the clear zone will be performed
on the northerly portion of Vollmer. Guardrails may be an option.
Web site exclusive: View a photo of
the PPACG transportation planning open house Jan. 13
By Jim Kendrick
The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) held an
open house from 4 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 13 to solicit public comments on its four
goals in updating the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan. This plan lays out
funding priorities for area governments in three counties for federal and state
grants used for road improvements, new roads, bicycle and pedestrian facilities,
and transportation system management activities. PPACG manages this long-range
25-year plan as well as the short-term six-year transportation improvement
program (TIP) for the Pikes Peak Region. The latter plan affects ongoing
improvement programs for Powers Boulevard, Woodmen Road, and other major
arterials. Rob MacDonald, newly appointed executive director of PPACG, and
several of his planning staff greeted citizens in attendance.
The transportation plan’s four proposed goals are:
-
Mobility. Provide a safe and efficient regional
transportation system to meet present and future mobility needs. The
objectives are to support economic vitality within the region and provide
the safest and most effective, efficient system.
-
Environment. Provide a regional transportation system
that is compatible with natural and human environments. To that end,
objectives include: meeting air quality requirements for the region;
choosing solutions that have the fewest impacts on the natural environment
and on neighborhoods and areas that are or will be identified for cultural
or historical preservation; and promoting transportation system strategies
and/or actions that are supported by the community in which they are
planned.
-
Accessibility. Provide a multi-modal regional
transportation system that meets the accessibility needs of all by
encouraging the development of multi-modal options and promoting expansion
of accessibility choices throughout the region.
-
Maintenance. Maintain the regional transportation system,
which includes maintaining the physical infrastructure of the system and
providing an acceptable level of system operation.
These planning goals and objectives are meant to be broad
enough to include the full scope of subsequent detailed planning, yet specific
enough to be measurable.
You can read about these two plans at www.ppacg.org
or by contacting PPACG at 471-7080.
Web site exclusive: View a photo of
the PPACG transportation planning open house Jan. 13
Web site exclusive: View a
photo of the Community Summit on Transportation Jan. 14
By Jim Kendrick
Representatives of El Paso County, Colorado Springs, and the
Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) offered a list of possible
solutions for solving $1.319 billion of unfunded regional transportation during
the interval 2000–2015. The solutions were offered during an 80-minute
presentation at a press conference held in Centennial Hall downtown on Jan. 14,
moderated by the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce. Six options for solving
the local metropolitan area’s traffic congestion, considered the worst of 14
small cities (population 100,000 to 500,000) along Colorado’s Front Range,
were presented.
The presentation concluded by advocating the sixth option:
establishment of a regional transportation authority (RTA) for El Paso County as
the single best solution. (Note: a regional transportation authority is a
variant of a rural one under the state law that allowed formation of the Baptist
Road Rural Transportation Authority or BRRTA.) The RTA would be governed by a
board of directors made up of three county commissioners, three city council
members, and one elected official from each of the other cities and towns in El
Paso County that also belong to the PPACG Board of Governors. However, the RTA
Board is not to be an agency of PPACG even though it would meet at PPACG’s
office building. All authority for managing county transportation funding would
rest in this undefined and unspecified committee of representatives from
affected government entities. The RTA issue is expected to be on the ballot in
the November 2004 election. Ballot language would specify which projects the RTA
would fund as well as the specific prioritization of this limited number of
projects. How this RTA would work with BRRTA is yet to be determined.
The countywide RTA would raise over $65 million per year
through a one-cent sales tax that drops to a permanent 0.45 cent tax after 10
years, a $10 vehicle registration fee, and a 2 percent visitors’ tax. Only 10
percent of needed funds, $147 million in taxes, will be collected during the
next decade under current tax schedules. One problem noted was that sales tax
fluctuates with economic conditions, and the solution may not raise enough money
for long-deferred and new projected maintenance and construction. Most of the
summit speakers expressed dismay that taxpayers had voted down several different
tax initiatives in recent elections—each implying, if not directly stating,
that citizens had created the funding shortfall with their "no" votes.
During the first 10 years of the proposed RTA, 55 percent of
revenues would be used for road construction and 35 percent would go to
road/bridge/curb/gutter repair or reconstruction. The other 10 percent would go
to expanding transit bus service, $132 million over the next decade.
Of the top 25 projects in its County Capital Improvements
list, El Paso County’s top five priorities for this funding are: 1) widening
Baptist Road east of I-25 to Desiree Drive; 2) widening Baptist road west of
I-25 to Hay Creek Road; 3) building the Baptist Road railroad crossing overpass;
4) building the Baptist Road–Hodgen Road connection; and 5) upgrading Hodgen
Road to connect Highway 83 to Interstate 25 via Baptist Road. No funding is
planned, however, to deal with Baptist Road’s gradient of more than 10 percent
near the Donala water tanks, between Desiree and Tari that far exceeds 5 percent
to 6 percent limits for an arterial, and where icing often makes the road
impassable for hours at a time.
Transportation problems to be solved by the proposed RTA are
replacing crumbling roads now "too costly to repair due to years of
neglect," replacing dangerously decaying bridges, servicing newly created
roads "donated" by developers, widening existing roads, and expanding
public transportation for an aging population. Videotaped news segments from
every local TV channel were used to illustrate the "daunting scale of
failure" by regional government to maintain existing transportation
infrastructure, coupled with the city and county governments’ acknowledgement
of their inability to maintain new roads that will be "donated" to the
city and county by developers over the next 11 years.
The current backlog for road and bridge repairs and
reconstruction is $472 million. Most will deteriorate to the point of having to
be completely replaced, even though they could be repaired now at a small
fraction of the replacement cost. The funding shortfall due to projected growth
through 2015 for El Paso County is $494 million to $518 million, while the
comparable Colorado Springs’ shortfall is $825 million. These figures are
based on a presumed growth of 130,000 people and 162,500 autos countywide during
the 15-year period, as well as a 39 percent increase in vehicle trips and 54
percent increase in vehicle miles traveled.
Rapid growth in El Paso County will continue unabated,
according to presentation projections. Most of the population growth results
from families already living here. The growth caused by people migrating into
the county is a small part now and will remain constant over the next decade,
becoming an insignificant percentage by 2015.
The five other funding options that were dismissed were to:
reduce other programs and shift funds to transportation; increase state gas
taxes; increase property taxes; establish a city sales tax and a county road and
bridge mill levy; and do nothing.
The briefing summary predicted catastrophe if voters do not
approve the RTA and the three related regional tax increases in November. The
conclusion was that citizens will have no one to blame but themselves for the
gridlock that is inevitable if the ballot issue fails.
**********
For additional information on regional transportation issues,
visit:
www.ppacg.org
www.adm.elpasoco.com
www.adm.elpasoco.com/transprt/baptist_rd.asp
www.springsgov.com
www.interstate25.com
www.woodmenroad.com
www.thepowerslink.com.
Web site exclusive: View a
photo of the Community Summit on Transportation Jan. 14
We would like to thank all of the residents of the Tri-Lakes
area who made this Salvation Army Christmas holiday bell ringing a huge success.
It is good to see that this area has not forgotten how to care about people less
fortunate than themselves.
You, the men, women and children of the Tri Lakes area,
opened your hearts and pocketbooks to an amazing amount of over $30,600. This
was over $4,400 more than last year.
We would also like to thank the managers of Safeway (Russ
Novotny and Jeremy Lauser) and King Soopers (Ken Howell and Butch Quigley). They
made all this possible by allowing the Monument Hill Sertoma to ring bells at
their locations.
Also thanks to the members of the Monument Hill Sertoma,
Lewis Palmer High School Serteens, and five local area volunteers. They
contributed 486 hours of bell ringing.
We would also like to thank Sam De Felice and Mike Wicklund,
who each day picked up the contributions, counted the money, and deposited it in
the bank. Your help was deeply appreciated. Again thank you all!!
Eddie L. Kinney, Chairman
Stan Schneider, Vice Chairman
Monument Hill Sertoma
2003 Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Drive
What makes Mr. Leon Tenney so afraid of preschool and
kindergarten children? Most people in a community are pleased to have these
programs available for their little people, regardless of religious affiliation.
Mr. Tenney’s letter seemed primarily to exude hatred of all
things "Roman Catholic"—a term with which he peppered his short
letter. Will other religious groups be his next targets? Will small "Roman
Catholic" children be safe to walk the streets of Monument while Mr. Tenney
is on this crusade?
Anna Paul
In response to the highly dishonest letter written by our
former mayor, Leon Tenney ("Lies," OCN, Jan. 3, 2004), I would like to
clarify the subject of his letter. In regard to the St. Peter Catholic Education
Center, Mr. Tenney knows that the facility was always designed as a school, for
he personally congratulated me, the architect, for its successful design. He
also congratulated the church for phasing its use from
Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten schooling to its future use as a parochial school.
With several years having passed, now is the future for the facility.
For the record, the St. Peter Education Center is a community
resource that is performing just as it was intended. It provides valuable
meeting and educational space for the church and the community. It was designed
per the Uniform Building Code for a public school and was always intended to
accommodate just such a use, when the time and conditions were right. I would
welcome the public to review the lengthy public record on this facility’s
planning process and design.
Before condemning the Roman Catholic Church throughout
America, I strongly suggest our recalled former mayor, Mr. Tenney, look in the
mirror. There appears to be only one party that is lying about this issue, and
that is Mr. Tenney.
Brian Bucher
In the fall of 2001, the fire districts agreed to participate
in a joint study to determine if merging the departments would be feasible. A
company specializing in advice to fire departments, Emergency Services
Consulting Group, was selected to conduct the study. Their conclusions were
reported in May 2002. They said it is feasible. The plan was for the districts
to convene an "intergovernmental council," its mission being to hammer
out a plan for coming together in some organizational form that would accomplish
the broad goals of cooperating, establishing a regional vision for the delivery
of services, to engage in intergovernmental agreements and, ultimately, to move
to a unified service.
The timetable called for this new unified service to go into
effect in January 2004. So where are we in this process? Well, the idea was for
any restructuring to have been voted on in the November 2003 elections. I didn’t
see anything to vote on. Did you?
As well intentioned as the directors of the boards may have
been, the main mission has not been achieved. They met many times. They
accomplished some coming together, such as a common chart of accounts, common
personnel policies, common pay plans and some other more or less easy-to-achieve
sharing. But the guts of a broad-based, grand scheme for delivering service to
the entire north end area have escaped them.
Why? One can only speculate, using evidence garnered from
what appears as a result of their inaction. Something has happened to queer the
deal. One district or the other—maybe all—didn’t want to give on
something. One of them found fault with the other and wasn’t willing to
compromise to get to a resolution. How many times have we seen good intentions
go to hell when stubborn people hold sway? How easy it is to lose sight of a
goal that will result in "the greater good"?
These board folks are well intentioned. They have to be or
they wouldn’t have volunteered for the job. But it’s like they become
saturated with such a heavy dose of team spirit that they lose sight of the
major objective and turn into provincial despots. They forget the big picture.
Take the ambulance service for example. There are enough
resources right now to run an ambulance service for the whole area if those
resources were managed appropriately. Assign the paramedics to three locations,
along with the existing three ambulances, and we could enjoy a five-minute
response time for our next heart attack! Can’t do that now. All the ambulances
are at one station. The paramedics are spread out unequally. And now there is
talk of starting a completely new ambulance service when sufficient resources
are already available to do the job. Fantastic!
These board people have got to get a grip. We need them to go
back to the table. We need them to put aside the petty stuff and reason together
for the greater good of these essential services. You don’t mess around with
life-and-death matters. You make good, sound decisions, having the welfare of
the people being served always at the forefront of your thinking. Our hearts and
our properties depend on quick response in an emergency. We ain’t getting it
as well as we could be.
Glenn Scott
Photo provided by the Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts
By Pat Yorke
Editor’s note: Donna Arndt is a multitalented sculptor
who works in sand-blasted glass and bronze and lives in Palmer Lake with her
husband, Steve, and young daughter, Julia. Donna has bachelors and masters
degrees in speech/language pathology from the University of Northern Colorado.
Her work is currently available at the Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts gift
shop. Pat Yorke recently met with Arndt to learn more about her artwork.
I met Donna Arndt in early January. She and her dog, Chica,
greeted me as I walked into her home. From every window, I could see the
majestic mountains framing Palmer Lake. Arndt and her family hike in the
mountains, where she says she often gets ideas for her sculptures. She showed me
the drapes and the stained-glass window piece she made. I was awestruck, as I
hadn’t known she also did stained glass. The piece had Colorado pinecones and
wildflowers to match her décor. It was simply gorgeous. "I did this piece
for the window above the bathroom sink because, although I love the light, it
was too intense and I needed some diffused light," Arndt explained.
Her studio is a large room with lots of natural light and a
sliding glass door that leads to a walk-out patio. One side of the studio
represented her glass art; the other, her sculpture molds and tools. A large
table, which Arndt made and where she creates her art, stood in the center.
As I admired her sculpture pieces in various stages of
completion, Arndt explained the complicated 11-step process of bronze casting,
starting from an original drawing, then sculpting and wax chasing, to the final
stages of lost wax sculpture and patina. I took some pictures, and we headed
back upstairs to the kitchen table to talk.
Arndt has lived in Colorado since early childhood and grew up
appreciating the beauty of the mountains and the wildlife. "I have always
enjoyed creating art," she said. She sees sculpture as being created from
the "inside out." Her knowledge of the anatomy and structure of her
subjects is evidenced by her work and make her pieces believable. Arndt
explained, "Design principles are the difference between a good sculpture
and a great sculpture. Understanding and being able to direct tension, space,
and visual movement in that subject is what can give the piece its own life,
presence, and emotion. I like to sculpt pieces that express life and tell a
story."
Arndt’s sculpture and glass pieces have won many awards,
and she has shown her work in New York, Arizona, New Mexico, and throughout
Colorado, including the Colorado Springs airport. She may be reached through the
Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts Gallery Gift Shop and by phone at 487-9316.
The Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts Gallery Gift Shop will
present a sample of Donna Arndt’s sculptures and glass works as part of the
"February Fantasy" photographic show that opens Friday, Feb. 6, at 7
p.m., and runs through the month. For more information about the arts center,
visit www.trilakesarts.com, or call
481-0475.
View a photo of Myers and
the Service to Mankind Award
By Rich Lybolt
Dorothy Myers has received the Service to Mankind Award from
Monument Hill Sertoma. This follows on the heels of being named volunteer of the
year for Congressional District 5 by the Colorado Association of Partners in
Education, in recognition of her 16 years of service.
An avid reader, Dorothy saw a void in the local community
when it came to reading, and has strived to instill in the youth of the
community love for the written word. Since 1987, Myers has volunteered at the
Lewis-Palmer Elementary School library, where she has performed a variety of
tasks. In addition, she has been facilitator for the "Junior Great
Books" program at the school for 12 years. She also organizes
the "Battle of the Books," in which students read 50
selected books and then compete in teams to answer questions about the books.
She has coached the Lewis-Palmer Elementary team and has served as judge
within the Pikes Peak region. She also serves as a volunteer tutor and
"book buddy," working with children to improve their reading skills.
For the past 15 years, Myers has also participated in the
Golden Nutrition (Senior Meals) Program, serving more than 12,200 meals at
the Monument Town Hall. She is currently site manager. Dorothy Myers’
many volunteer efforts and service to others help make the Tri-Lakes area a
better place to live for all in our community.
View a photo of Williams
and the Sertoman of the Year award
By Dexter Peak
Sharon Williams has been chosen by the Monument Hill Sertoma
club as its Sertoman of the year for 2003. Williams, a Certified Massage
Therapist and life member of Sertoma, joined Tri-Lakes Sertoma in 1993, serving
two terms as club secretary and two terms as club president. After Tri-Lakes
disbanded in 1999, she sought membership in Monument Hill Sertoma, becoming the
club’s first woman to be installed.
Over the years, her contributions have been many and varied.
She introduced and oversaw what has become one of the club’s major
fund-raisers, the Empty Bowl dinners, which has generated nearly $50,000 for
Tri-Lakes Cares, one of the club’s sponsorships. She also founded another
fund-raiser, the Fourth of July Flag Sales, which raises more than $800 annually
for charity.
Her contributions extend into the community as well. She
coordinated the Salvation Army Holiday Kettle Bell Ringing from 1995 to 1999 and
has rung bells for the effort; she raised $300 to help the Lewis Palmer High
School Serteens with their Christmas gift-wrapping project; she helps prepare
food baskets for the Tri-Lakes food drive; she provided massage therapy to
workers at the Hayman fire; she has helped secure prescription drugs for those
unable to afford the medication; she coordinated the Teddy Bear project for the
Monument Hill Police Department; she planted and maintained the vegetation
around the historic Chapala Building; she was Trail Maintenance Coordinator for
Barr Trail on Pikes Peak. And the list goes on. Other volunteer work has
extended to the numerous boards she has served on in the community.
Williams has received a number of well-deserved plaudits from
Sertoma and the community. Among them: in 2002, the American Massage Therapy
Association Meritorious Award for contributions to community and profession;
also in 2002, a nomination from the American Red Cross and Better Business
Bureau for the Community Heroes Award for Courage for her work in New York City
during and after 9/11.
Williams’ leadership and professional skills are recognized
locally and across the nation. In the words of another Sertoman, "The
American Red Cross, American Massage Therapy Association, and the Mayor of
Colorado Springs see fit to recognize Sharon for her community service; why not
Monument Hill Sertoma?"
View a photo of Monument
Hill Sertoma President Rich Rima presenting the check to Salvation Army Major
Joseph Hoogstad
On Jan. 17, the Monument Hill Sertoma Club presented a check
for $30,675 to Major Joseph Hoogstad of the Salvation Army. Christmas
bell-ringing for the Salvation Army
collected this record amount in 2003—a 16.8 percent increase over the
$26,261.63 collected in 2002. In total, 74 members of the Sertoma Club
participated in the effort, along with five members of the community, and 52
members of the Lewis-Palmer High School Serteen Club.
The Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts presents "February
Fantasy: A Photographic Exhibition," Feb. 6-27. This photography
show will be juried by Lee Manning, a nationally and internationally exhibited
artist and chairman of the 2003 2nd Annual Rocky Mountain Regional Photo
Exhibit. For more information, call 481-0475 or visit www.trilakesarts.com. The
center is located at 304 Highway 105 in Palmer Lake. Center hours are
Tuesday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m.
The public is invited to attend the second workshop on El
Paso County’s Major Transportation Corridors Plan Feb. 9, 6 to 8:30
p.m. in the Lewis-Palmer Middle School cafetorium, 1776 Woodmoor Drive. The
event will begin with a 30-minute open house, giving people the opportunity to
study project information and to speak with county staff and consultants. Next
will be a presentation about projected growth and what it means for future
transportation conditions in the county. Last, participants will be asked to
comment on transportation alternatives proposed for study as part of the plan.
The latest project information, including population
projections, travel conditions, and existing and committed projects, is posted
on the Web site at www.elpasoMTCP.com. For more information about this project
or the upcoming workshops, call the project information line at 659-3941.
In February and March, Central Colorado Wilderness Coalition
(CCWC) is forming small teams for indoor natural resource data collection
related to potential wilderness areas. Training, task checklists, and forms for
data recording will be provided. For details, check the CCWC Web site at
www.ccwcwilderness.org, come to the Feb. 12 CCWC meeting, or contact John
Stansfield, 303-660-5849 or jorcstan@bewellnet.com.
Renowned photographer John Fielder will present highlights
from his new book, John Fielder’s Best of Colorado, at the Palmer Lake
Historical Society (PLHS) meeting on Feb. 19. Fielder’s new book will
be available for sale and he will sign it and any of his books that you bring
along. A portion of the book sale proceeds will be donated to PLHS. All are
invited to this free event at the Palmer Lake Town Hall, 28 Valley Crescent, at
7 p.m. For more information, call Sam DeFelice, 481-8623.
The Gleneagle Women’s Club annual charity dinner/auction
will be held Feb. 20 at the Air Force Academy Officers Club from 6 to 11
p.m. The theme this year is "Colorado Cowboy Chic." That means get out
your western duds and get ready for a Colorado hoedown! All proceeds go to local
charities. Get your reservations in to Sherry Edwards at 488-1044. For more
information, call Mary Kay Jones at 488-0653.
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 Feb. 20, 21, and 22 at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 11
p.m. Tri-Lakes Today normally airs the third weekend of each month.
A Casino Night and Silent Auction is planned for March 5,
7 p.m., at the Pinecrest Events Center, 106 Greeley Blvd., in Palmer Lake.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Palmer Lake Fire Truck Fund. Silent
auction prizes include a week’s stay in Cancún, a $600 spa package, and
gourmet hors d’oeuvre trays. Admission is $5. For information, call the Palmer
Lake Town Office at 481-2953.
Stock up on lots of good reads at the Tri-Lakes Friends of
the Library book sale on March 6. The sale will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
at the Monument Branch, 1706 Lake Woodmoor Dr. Fill a bag with books for only
$3. Also, in celebration of the 100th birthday of Dr. Seuss, stories will be
read to children for 100 minutes, beginning at 1:30 p.m. For information, call
488-2370.
The Hausmusik Quartet.
Top: Rebecca Lee. Left to right: Jennifer Yopp, Tim Adian, Cynthia Robinson
Photo provided by the Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts
The Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts presents an evening of
chamber music, from the baroque to the 20th century, on March 6. Hausmusik
Quartet, a string quartet comprised of members of the Colorado Springs
Philharmonic, has been performing chamber music for 11 years. Doors open at 7
p.m. and the concert begins at 7:30. Admission is $12 for TLCA members and $15
for non-members. The center is located at 304 Highway 105 in Palmer Lake. Visit
www.trilakesarts.com or call 481-0475 for more information.
The Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring its annual
dinner and silent auction on March 13, at the USAFA Officers Club. Guest
emcee Captain Dan from "K-Lite" (KKLI, 106.3 FM) will add a bit of
splash to the Caribbean-themed party, and a special disc jockey will play dance
tunes from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Dinner and a silent auction will round out the event.
Dress is, of course, Caribbean (or business casual). Everyone is invited—chamber
members and non-members. Call the chamber, 481-3282, for more information.
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 March 15 and 16, 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.
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