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Geologist predicts deep aquifer water shortages within decades

View photos and graphics from Dr. Raynolds' Presentation Mar. 14

An estimated 150 people attended the Protect Our Wells (POW) meeting at the Black Forest Community Center March 14 that featured Dr. Bob Raynolds, a geologist with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and a faculty member of the Colorado School of Mines. Raynolds presented data showing that water levels in the Denver Basin are suffering significant declines, on the order of 30 feet per year, or an inch a day.

The Denver Basin is a system of bedrock aquifers that extend from north of Denver to south of Colorado Springs. Unlike the common misperception of an underground lake, Raynolds said the water is held in the microscopic pore spaces within the porous rocks. He demonstrated this by pouring coffee on a sample of sedimentary rock. The coffee was absorbed immediately. He suggested audience members might like to try extracting the coffee from the rock.

Portions of the Denver Basin lie beneath the northern part of El Paso County east of the Front Range. The four Denver Basin bedrock aquifers—the Dawson, the Denver, the Arapahoe, and the Laramie-Fox Hills—supply most of the water for the Tri-Lakes area, all of the water for Black Forest, and much of the water for the Falcon and northeastern El Paso County areas. The city of Colorado Springs is considering increasing its use of Denver Basin water, especially during droughts. Water providers and private well owners in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Jefferson, Morgan, and Weld counties also draw water from the Denver Basin aquifers.

Many Front Range water providers, including Tri-Lakes area water districts and municipalities, tap into the Arapahoe aquifer within the Denver Basin. Raynolds cited well data showing that, depending on the area where the measurement is taken, the Arapahoe aquifer is dropping 20 to 54 feet per year. He suggested that if the rate of decline continues or worsens, as is widely expected, many of the 1,000- to 2,000-foot-deep high-volume commercial wells used by Front Range water providers could fail within the next few decades. He added that even now, it is difficult to find water when drilling wells in areas around the towns of Parker and Elizabeth that lie near the eastern boundary of the Denver Basin.

Raynolds also predicted, "The west side of El Paso County is going to start to have water problems, and the problems will then move east."

Raynolds’ research—funded by the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the National Science Foundation, and the Parker Water and Sanitation District—examined records of numerous Front Range area water, oil, and natural gas wells, with particular focus on Douglas County. The research included the results of drilling the Kiowa well, a 2,000-foot core boring east of Castle Rock near Elizabeth.

Raynolds uses a geological approach to modeling the aquifers. He has concluded that the water-bearing rock in the aquifers was deposited as alluvial fans formed near the end of the Cretaceous Period about 65 million years ago, the third and last period of the Mesozoic Era, characterized by the development of flowering plants and the disappearance of dinosaurs. The alluvial fans were formed by sediment deposited by rivers flowing east from the mountains.

He discussed three of these fossilized alluvial fans: The Green Mountain alluvial fan near Denver, the Wildcat Mountain alluvial fan west of Sedalia, and the Pulpit Rock alluvial fan near Colorado Springs. To support his theory, he compared the geological characteristics of the Denver Basin formations to recently formed Andean alluvial fans in Bolivia.

Raynolds said the water in the deeper aquifers is tens of thousands of years old and is not being recharged by surface water. He added that the bottom of the Denver Basin aquifer, below the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer, is formed by 8,000 feet of essentially impermeable Pierre Shale.

Raynolds’ presentation included little information about the status and prospects for the shallower Denver and Dawson aquifers that are the source of water for many private wells but he did note, "I can’t find any physical boundary between the Dawson and Denver aquifers." He characterized it as an administrative boundary.

The Dawson/Denver aquifer is generally considered to be tributary, meaning it is recharged by surface water, although that recharge may take decades or longer. Raynolds noted that from his research, the Dawson/Denver aquifer is apparently not connected in any significant way to the lower aquifers.

Raynolds said that an obstacle to confronting the problem of the declining water levels in the deep aquifers is that Front Range water providers are scattered and small. To help address that issue, local water providers have formed several organizations. One of those, the El Paso County Water Authority, was founded in 1998. It is composed of about 20 water system operators in El Paso County including the towns of Monument and Palmer Lake, the Donala Water and Sanitation District that serves Gleneagle, the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District intended to serve the Forest Lakes area west of I-25 near Baptist Road, the Triview Metropolitan District that serves Jackson Creek, and the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District.

The County Water Authority commissioned a water report intended to help members meet water demands through 2020. The report was issued in fall 2002 and is available on the county’s Web site at http://adm.elpasoco.com/planning/water_report.asp.

The host for the March 14 meeting, Protect Our Wells (POW), also known as the Denver Basin Aquifers Private Well Owners Association, is a nonprofit, citizen-based group formed to advocate the interests of private well owners. POW President Larry Stanley said the group was formed 18 months ago in response to concerns that the County Water Authority’s 2002 report failed to adequately address the prospects for private wells. POW’s goals are to advocate and promote the unified interests of private well owners at the local and state levels, gather information about the status of Denver Basin groundwater supplies and advocate their conservative use, and educate private well owners about Denver Basin groundwater. POW has proposed that each private well owner be assessed a fee of $10 per year to help fund private well water level data collection and analysis.

Near the end of the meeting, four of the five candidates for Board of County Commissioner District 2 made statements and responded to questions from the audience. Present were Doug Bruce, Bernie Herpin, Margaret Radford, and George Ross. Candidate James Day was absent. Tom Huffman is the current county commissioner for District 2. The Tri-Lakes area lies within District 1, currently represented by Commissioner Wayne Williams, whose term is not up until 2006.

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For more information on Protect Our Wells, contact POW President Larry Stanley at 495-7825 or visit www.protectourwells.org.

Raynolds’ presentation is available online at www.protectourwells.org. Under "Resources," click on "presentations" and then "Bedrock aquifers in the Denver Basin: A finite resource."

Articles describing Raynolds’ research have been published in Rocky Mountain Geology, Vol. 37, No. 2, and Vol. 38, No. 1. Those are available as a double issue for $25 (including shipping) from the University of Wyoming, Department of Geology and Geophysics, P.O. Box 3006, Laramie, Wyo. 82071-3006. For further information, call (307) 766-3386 or visit http://pubs.gg.uwyo.edu/.

The report prepared by the El Paso County Water Authority is available online at http://adm.elpasoco.com/planning/water_report.asp.

View photos and graphics from Dr. Raynolds' Presentation Mar. 14

There were three items of particular interest to residents of Northern El Paso County at the March meeting of the El Paso County Planning Commission.

The property is zoned RR-3 (minimum 5-acre lots). It is located between Hodgen and Higby roads and east of Roller Coaster. The proposed lots would be 10 acres and 28.36 acres in size. It was unanimously recommended for approval.

The property is located adjacent to Highway 105 between Monument and Palmer Lake. The El Paso County Department of Transportation had no objection, and an adjoining property owner had his concerns satisfied at the meeting. It was unanimously recommended for approval.

The Struthers Ranch development adjacent to Chaparral Hills, Gleneagle, and the Falcon’s Nest subdivision: This was a request for approval of final plats for Phases II and III, to include 104 single-family homes. The final plat of Phase I was approved by the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) in January. Adjacent residents of Chaparral Hills once again asked for denial, citing the urban density of 7,500-square-foot lots adjacent to 5-acre lots. The planning commission had previously recommended denial of the sketch plan and preliminary plan; however, the BOCC approved both. This time, although there had been no changes from the preliminary plan, the final plats were recommended for approval by a vote of 4-3.

The Struthers Ranch developer also requested elimination of a condition that has been in the approved plans since first proposed over three years ago. The condition required that before building permits would be issued for Phases II and III, the developer must complete—or prove that funding is available to complete—Struthers Road, also known as Jackson Creek Parkway, from the south boundary of the development to the present intersection of Baptist Road and Jackson Creek Parkway. This would require construction of a bridge over Preble’s meadow jumping mouse habitat on the Struthers Ranch parcel.

The Struthers Ranch developer and the county have been negotiating this condition for several years. At one point, it was announced that the county would build the bridge and the developer would build the road. Later, it was announced that the developer would build the bridge or culvert and four lanes of Struthers Road/Jackson Creek Parkway immediately adjacent to the property, and the county would build the remainder of the road.

Although the county staff were not clear on what the final resolution would be, it appeared the developer has agreed to build a culvert and two lanes of a portion of the road adjacent to the property, and county taxpayers will pay for construction of the remainder of the road adjacent to the parcel and approximately three-fourths of a mile of road north to reach Baptist Road.

The planning commission voted 4-3 to recommend denial of removal of this condition.

Wal-Mart was scheduled for a hearing before the planning commission on March 23, but the hearing has been delayed until April 27 at the earliest. The segment of Struthers Road discussed above would improve access to the proposed store, should it be approved.

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The county planning commission normally holds hearings on the third and, if necessary, the fourth Tuesday of each month. The next hearing will be April 20. The agenda will be posted at http://adm.elpasoco.com/planning/Agendas/PC/PC-Agn.asp. The hearings begin at 9 a.m. in the 3rd floor hearing room of the county building, 27 E. Vermijo, Colorado Springs.

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

The Monument Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously approved the appointment of Joshua Baron to the five-person Police Advisory Committee on March 15, increasing the active membership to four. The traditional voting locations of Town Hall and Creekside Middle School were officially approved for the April 6 BOT election, as were the nominated judges for the 12-hour sessions. No candidates applied for write-in eligibility, so any write-in votes submitted will be ignored. Monument Police Chief Joe Kissell received unanimous approval of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) for mutual aid between the Monument and Palmer Lake Police Departments. The Palmer Lake Town Council (PLTC) still has to approve the IGA at its next meeting in April. Trustee Dave Mertz was absent.

Baron, a member of the Monument Police Explorers program for nearly a year, was endorsed by Chief Joe Kissell and all the officers of the department. He hopes to become a police officer.

The public hearing on the Jackson Creek Market Village preliminary plat was postponed due to the developer’s decision to reconsider the design of private roads in the 40-unit townhouse development. Town Planner Mike Davenport said the continuance was requested after the developer learned the town rejected a request by the Monument Villas residents to take over ownership of the Villas’ private roads.

Request for reimbursement: Gayle Wade, owner of Monumental Miniatures and Toys at 274 Washington St., made her final appeal to the BOT regarding her request for partial reimbursement from the town for a ruptured 42-year-old water service line in front of her business. Public Works Supervisor Tom Wall and Town Manager Rick Sonnenburg had reviewed her reimbursement request and concluded that the town bore no responsibility for the broken pipe that was buried about a foot inside her property from a town-installed curb stop. The leak was discovered on Feb. 14 to be on the property owner side of the standard curb stop shutoff valve. The ruptured length of pipe was repaired by Feb. 16 at a cost of about $2,000 to Wade. She still has to pay to replace the destroyed landscaping. The town’s liability insurance carrier, Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency (CIRSA), also reviewed her request and found no liability. CIRSA cited Colorado Regulatory Statute 24-10-106, Immunity and partial waiver, saying her circumstances did not fit any of the allowed exceptions to the statute.

Wall had inspected the excavated broken pipe before it was removed and replaced, and it appeared to him to have ruptured due to normal corrosion. However, the town did move the new replacement shutoff valve and protecting curb stop box they had installed, at no expense to Wade, several feet toward her building, to ensure that the weight of her customer’s cars would not affect her portion of the water service line. Trustees said they could not agree to approve her appeal. Wade withdrew the appeal and thanked the BOT for giving her the time to speak and Public Works for installing the new shutoff valve and curb stop box.

Town alley within Front Range Storage property vacated: The town owned an alley that fell within Sally Beck’s property that spans from Second Street to Third Street, east of Beacon Lite Road. The 20-foot alley runs north-south parallel to Beacon Lite from Second to Third on the west edge of her property, between Front Range Storage and all the adjacent properties with frontage on that block of Beacon Lite. Town Attorney Gary Shupp prepared the 13-page ordinance conveying ownership of the alley to Beck, based on concurrence by all the staff supervisors that the town had no use for this land. Beck has maintained the alley without assistance from the town since 1981. The ordinance passed unanimously.

Police departments create new IGA: This IGA between the Monument and Palmer Lake Police Departments allows officers to act with full police powers in the other town’s jurisdiction when their assistance is requested. However, the officers will remain under the supervision of the primary police department official in charge of the scene. The IGA also defines the methods to be used by the dispatcher at the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office for passing requests for mutual aid, similar to those used for the North Group fire districts. This new IGA is more comprehensive than the previous Memoranda of Understanding and will be voted on by the PLTC at its next meeting in April, after the trustee election.

Well 7 payment: An interim payment of $48,196.25 to AmWest, Inc. for work on the town well 7 rehabilitation project was approved unanimously. This well is on the north side of Highway 105 by the parking lot for the Santa Fe Trail.

Recommended highway projects: Sonnenburg said he had coordinated with Davenport, Wall, and Triview Metropolitan District General Manager Ron Simpson to prepare a list of 11 projects to be submitted to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) for incorporation in the PPACG 2025 Transportation Plan. The BOT approved this list unanimously, with one change: The Second Street railroad overpass project was moved from tenth to first priority. This list will be the same in the soon-to-be-issued PPACG 2030 Transportation Plan. None of the 11 projects is expected to be funded in the next few years.

Landscape yard on Dellacroce property: The El Paso County Planning Division requested comment from the town on the proposed construction of a landscape material yard on the Dellacroce property on either side of Woodcarver Road, south of Baptist Road and west of the interstate. It was discovered by town staff during comment preparation that most of the property on the southeast corner of Woodcarver and Baptist (2.81 acres) lies within the Monument town limit, contrary to the position taken by county planning that none of the property was part of the town. Davenport said the Monument boundary on the county assessor’s map was wrong. However, the town’s maps, the Forest Lakes Commercial Center boundary map, and the county’s zoning maps show this as town property. This discovery led the staff to recommend that the county also require the owner be notified that any portion of the business falling within the town boundary must be approved by the BOT. The staff listed concerns about Woodcarver Road’s adequacy regarding expected traffic increases, drainage adequacy, and the appearance or attractiveness of the business. The motion to forward these concerns to county planning passed unanimously.

Pegasus Transit is withdrawing the Monument Express shuttle bus service to and from downtown Colorado Springs in April due to lack of ridership.

Police: Kissell reported that nine officers earned certificates after attending the eight-hour training class, "First Responder Operations Clandestine Laboratory Training." Two officers from the Colorado Springs Metro Vice and Narcotics Unit taught this class on dealing with methamphetamine labs. James Mitchell is Monument’s newest police officer. He previously served with the Teller County Sheriff’s Office, then the Cripple Creek Police Department. His prior experience and training include highway and over-the-counter drug interdiction, SWAT, and interview and interrogation techniques. Total staffing is now two sergeants, eight full-time officers, one part-time officer, and one investigator, in addition to Kissell. The new 2004 Chevy Impala police car was purchased through the State Patrol 1122 program, rather than the state bidding method, to save money. In February, total cases were 95 and total summons were 63.

Public Works: Wall reported that a mainline water break along North Monument Road was repaired and water service restored to customers by evening.

Planning: Davenport reported that the Board of Adjustment would meet on March 18 to consider Colorado National Bank’s request for a variance to the maximum allowed height for a sign. An application for a Greater Outdoors Colorado grant for Limbach Park was submitted on March 3.

Town Manager: Sonnenburg reported that the town’s water lawyer had not provided a response regarding the status of the town’s Substitute Water Plan. The town has filed a water lawsuit to change the current date of its water rights to an earlier one that coincides with the year the state charged the town with maintaining Monument Lake (1893). The town is seeking the right to use this higher priority water right basis to divert water from Monument Creek to fill the lake, if and when the drought-devastated creek flow rate increases.

The low bid from Audio Analysts for a new Town Hall recording system that includes public address was approved unanimously. The system specification was revised last month to add a telephone connection interface for absent trustee BOT participation, and then rebid.

The meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m.

Web site exclusive: View the Soc n' Roll Plan

Web site exclusive: View the Village Center @ Woodmoor Plan

Web site exclusive: View photos of the Monument Planning Commission March 10

At its March 10 meeting, the Monument Planning Commission heard pre-application presentations on proposed construction of two additional buildings at the Soc n’ Roll and planning for a 140-acre mixed residential and commercial development on the Wahlborg property adjacent to Highway 105 east of Knollwood Drive. The commission held hearings on the Kerr annexation and on the change in use of the St. Peter’s Parish Education Center to be a K-5 elementary school.

Steve Yates, president and co-owner of Soc n’ Roll, presented a proposed expansion of the facility to include two additional buildings. Both would be further from Old Denver Highway than the existing building and about 8 feet lower. Yates said they would be similar in appearance to the existing building. One would be used for expanded activities, and the other might be leased for storage.

Commissioner Lowell Morgan said, "The only real concern is traffic. There have been close calls there because there aren’t any turn lanes."

Mike Davenport, town planner and assistant town manager, said that a variety of technical reviews, including traffic impact, would be done prior to the project coming before the planning commission for a hearing.

Jerry Haire of Pinnacle DesignWorks presented a master site development plan for a mixed residential and commercial development on the 140-acre Wahlborg property along Highway 105 east of Knollwood Drive.

The plan showed 330,000 square feet of commercial space in 16 buildings on 48 acres, about 19 acres of patio homes, with a total of 95 to 150 units, 48 lots of high density (7-plus dwelling units per acre) single-family houses, 112 lots of low density (2-3 dwelling units per acre), and about 37 acres of open space and trails.

The largest of the commercial pad sites is 100,000 square feet. Haire showed a design for that building, which he described as having historic cues and a "village feel." The commercial and higher density residential portions are closest to Highway 105, with the lower density residential portions on the south side of the parcel.

If the project is approved, Haire said the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District would supply water and sewer service. Access to the project would be provided from Knollwood Drive and from a new intersection opposite the existing church.

Bob Mooney, chair of the planning commission, said he has concerns about the density, especially the 48 lots of high density single family houses on 6.5 acres.

Davenport said the annexation hearing on the Wahlborg property will be held April 19. He added that a planning commission hearing on the project plans is expected in May, with a hearing before the Board of Trustees in June.

John Kerr, of Present Perfect Gifts, submitted 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. JKerr Properties, LLC is buying the 1.28-acre lot from the Union Pacific Railroad Company.

Kerr presented a plan for a 12,000-square-foot building that could be divided into an 8,000-square-foot space for Kerr’s wholesale business and a 4,000-square-foot space for a tenant or future retail business.

Access to the property in the latest plan would be entirely from two driveway openings on Mitchell Avenue. Kerr estimated that in addition to daily UPS deliveries, there would be two or three large diesel truck trips per week. He said he anticipates eight to 12 employees would work in the facility.

John Wilson, representing neighbor Dolores Wilson, expressed concern about potential drainage from the property. Davenport replied that state law requires that development of the property not result in increased drainage flows on adjacent properties. It was agreed that Wilson could consult with the town’s engineer and the applicant’s engineer to satisfy himself that drainage issues are being properly addressed.

The planning commission unanimously voted to recommend approval of the plan.

Davenport reviewed some of the history of the project, which was originally proposed as an elementary school and then revised and approved as a parish education center with a maximum of 60 students. The church is now seeking a change in the use to allow a K-5 elementary school.

Davenport said the town’s initial technical analysis of the project was done when it was still proposed as an elementary school. Part of that analysis included review of a traffic study dated March 15, 2001.

Davenport said, "In the middle of the process, the parish decided to limit the use to an education center with no changes to the site or the building."

Father Bob Jaeger and architect Brian Bucher addressed the commission. Bucher said the project was always designed as a parochial school. He said the decision to limit the initial use was "a nice stepping-stone. It led to a smoother process. As a community service, the church only asked for a partial use at that time."

Mooney referred to the Colorado model education standards for physical education. He asked how playground space would be provided. Bucher said the paved parking lot south of the church could be used. Mooney noted that the children would have to cross the alley to reach the parking lot.

Mooney asked where children would be dropped off and picked up so as to minimize impact on the neighbors. Bucher replied that the parking lots on the other side of First Street would be used. He said crosswalk striping would be added and crossing guards would be used to improve safety.

Since an estimated 80 people attended the hearing, Mooney asked those wishing to speak in favor or opposed to the project to avoid stating something already covered and limit their remarks to three minutes.

Perry Park resident Martin Redicer said, "This is where my daughter goes. It beats the alternatives in Larkspur."

Woodmoor resident Randolph Licht said, "It is a real boon to Monument. It brings people to bond with Monument. It is good all the way around for Monument." He asked for a show of hands of those in the audience who favor the project and noted that 50 to 75 people raised their hands.

Former Lewis-Palmer School Board member Tommie Plank said she sees that the revised use can be very beneficial by relieving growth strains on the Lewis-Palmer school district and by offering choice to parents and students. But she said she also has serious concerns about plans for traffic management (e.g., staggered starting and stopping times relative to Grace Best Elementary School on Jefferson Street), the likely extent of on-street parking, and whether the children will want to use the hard surfaced playground. She said, "Physical education is important. Children don’t get enough exercise."

Peggy McFarland, director of the education center, said they currently have 68 children from Perry Park to Briargate. She said, "I am proud of the academic excellence of our school."

Joan Puckett, owner of a rental property adjacent to the church property, expressed concern about traffic on the alley that crosses the parcel adjacent to the south side of the education center building. She said traffic on the alley is an intrusion on her renters. She asked that measures be taken to require that parents use the parking lot to drop off and pick up children.

In response to the concerns about the use of asphalt parking lots for physical education, Jaeger said, "I always played on asphalt, as do the children at many public schools." Regarding concerns about traffic, he said, "We will have people directing traffic."

Mooney asked if the alley might be vacated for public use. Bucher said, "That is an option, but there are issues of fire access and access to utilities."

Mooney asked how many students there would be. Bucher said the rooms are designed for a maximum of 20 students. He said that since there are 14 rooms, the maximum number of students is 280 even though the application requested 60 preschool and 300 K-5 students.

Planning commissioner and former board of trustees member Lowell Morgan said, "We are suffering from institutional memory loss. The bottom line is traffic. The project was initially presented as a school. There was an outcry, and they backed off. The traffic report was revised to account for 60 children: 30 in the morning and 30 in the evening. That was the traffic study we used for approval. That is what it was approved under. We didn’t see the original study."

Davenport replied, "The town’s consultant reviewed the original study."

Morgan said, "It was approved on 60, not 360, students. We and the board of trustees have never seen the original traffic study. We are making a judgment based on a one-page letter from Janet Hruby [the town’s traffic consultant]. Traffic is important. This is a 100-year-old neighborhood. It was not made for a large flux of cars."

Commissioner Tom Donnellan made a motion to continue the hearing to April 14 to allow time for the planning commissioners to review the original 2001 traffic study. The motion passed 4-2, with Mooney and commissioner Ed DeLaney opposed.

At Davenport’s request, the commission agreed to advertise the board of trustees’ hearing prior to the planning commission producing a recommendation. Davenport later said that action would reduce the delay in holding the board of trustees hearing from a month to about two weeks.

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The Monument Planning Commission normally meets on the second Wednesday of each month.

The next meeting will be April 14, with a work session at 5:30 p.m. encompassing two pre-application presentations, and a meeting at 6:30 p.m.

One item on the agenda for the meeting will be consideration of a comprehensive update to the zoning and subdivision regulations.

The meeting will be held at Grace Best Elementary School, 66 Jefferson St.

For additional information, contact Mike Davenport at 481-2954.

Web site exclusive: View the Soc n' Roll Plan

Web site exclusive: View the Village Center @ Woodmoor Plan

Web site exclusive: View photos of the Monument Planning Commission March 10

With the addition of three new members, the roster for the Monument Police Advisory Committee (PAC) is now complete. The new members are John Stearns, Ginger Cullen, and Joshua Baron. Co-chair Gasper Blea directed the meeting; Chairman Dan Gilliana was absent. The meeting was largely an orientation for the new members. Trustee George Case, a former PAC member for six years, also attended to provide background, as did Police Chief Joe Kissell. Case’s son, Bruce, also attended; he is a Monument Police Department Explorer.

Introductions: New and old members reviewed their backgrounds.

Kissell then reviewed the resolution that created the committee and its bylaws. The three newly appointed members will be renewed in July for regular two-year terms. He explained that the committee reports directly to the Board of Trustees (BOT), not to him.

Old Business: Case recommended that the new members become familiar with the work the committee had done previously on getting a new police station on the ballot. The measure was not included in the November 2003 election as hoped because one of the filing process dates was inadvertently missed. If there is to be a ballot issue for funding for a new police department building, it will have to wait until November 2005 because of TABOR limits. However, Case urged the new members to become familiar with all the documentation in the committee archives, to be effective advocates for the police personnel; he said the police station building is the worst in the state.

Blea and Kissell discussed the recent decisions by the BOT to create a combined Town Hall/Police Department building. They said that combining police functions and town administrative functions although lowering construction costs would disqualify the building for most commonly sought police grants. Currently, there is insufficient justification for an auxiliary police station in Jackson Creek by the new Monument Marketplace.

Kissell advised the committee that the two weapons of mass destruction exercises that are to be funded by the Department of Homeland Security will be held on May 10 and Aug. 14 at 8 a.m. in Palmer Lake. He described the new intergovernmental agreement (IGA) on mutual police aid that has just been signed by all the required officials from the towns of Monument and Palmer Lake. The IGA establishes procedures for providing mutual backup assistance and clearly specifies that all the workman’s compensation and other legal issues that arise for an officer will be paid for by their own departments. Kissell noted the very good working relationships the department has with the Tri-Lakes and Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection Districts.

The committee approved a bi-monthly schedule for the rest of 2004. Kissell reviewed all the major decisions that have been made by the BOT since the last PAC meeting in November. The committee concurred that projects approved by the BOT since then, as well as known projected construction projects, will not overload them.

Kissell explained to the committee the nature of two traffic citations that citizen William Lamdin received, which precipitated his numerous letters to the editor to several newspapers, as well as to Monument trustees, town staff, and PAC members. Lamdin’s first ticket resulted from not waiting for the car in front of him to make a left turn from eastbound Second Street onto Highway 105. He crossed two double yellow lines and cut off the turning driver in front of him. Just after he left his court hearing for that citation, he ran a stop sign and made a U-turn on Second Street, which resulted in his second citation. These circumstances differ markedly from those described in the many letters of complaint he has written.

The meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m. The next meeting is at Town Hall on May 26 at 7 p.m.

Monument will hold its election for the Board of Trustees (BOT) and mayor on April 6 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at two locations. Residents living on the west side of I-25 should cast their votes at Town Hall, 166 Second St. Those residing on the east side of I-25 vote at Creekside Middle School, 1330 Creekside Drive.

Mayor Betty Konarski is not running for re-election. She has stated that she might move to California to live closer to family before a second term would be completed. Byron Glenn, an incumbent trustee whose term is not expiring, is running unopposed for mayor. Trustee Glenda Smith is term limited. Six candidates are running for five trustee positions. However, because Glenn is an incumbent trustee, he will have to resign at the April 19 BOT meeting and then be sworn in as mayor along with the five elected trustees. Glenn’s trustee position would then be available to be filled by appointment or the new BOT could advertise for other volunteers. The three elected trustees with the most votes will serve for four years, and the other two electees will serve for two years. Dave Mertz and George Case were recently appointed to the BOT and must be elected to continue in office.

Our Community News (OCN) offered each candidate the opportunity to respond to two questions. They were asked to limit their answers to about 300 words. Candidate Leon Johnson did not respond to OCN’s request.

The questions are:

1. What in your background would help you as a trustee?

2. What do you think are the two greatest issues facing the town, and what would you propose the town should do to deal with them?

1. I was elected as a result of the recall. I believe that I, along with town employees, the mayor, and fellow trustees, have made great progress in the last year and a half. I would like to be a part of the new board to provide continuity to achieving the goals, objectives, and vision that is currently in place.

2. Water availability—for daily use, the lake, and infrastructure needs—is a statewide issue, especially given the drought conditions that we continue to experience. Town members participate in various statewide forums and in community groups formed to lobby for solutions. Plus we have water resource professionals working on behalf of the town to fight for our water rights in the court system and to get water to the lake. The problem is compounded when current conditions show very little runoff from snowmelt. The lake cannot be filled without water from snowmelt. We will be faced with water conservation restrictions again this year. As far as infrastructure needs, there are active projects to provide for much-needed well improvements and the adding of an additional well to meet town growth.

The other issue is infrastructure needs for Old Town. There is a "needs analysis" currently being completed for the first phase, which will provide storm drainage. The analysis includes not only Old Town, but other parts of town as well. The plan is to put in the storm drainage in Old Town in 2005. Once completed, then gutter and curb can be constructed. Although, I must say fiscal responsibility is also extremely important. The town employees, mayor, and trustees have worked hard to get the town’s financial viability to an acceptable point. We are in the black (not red), have audited financials, and meet guidelines for budget submittal. We need to continue to balance current revenues to needs.

1. I have lived in the town of Monument approximately 14 years and have a history of relatives who have lived in the town from the early ‘60s. I have seen a lot of changes. I have worked with the Boy Scouts in the past, served on the Police Advisory Committee for five to six years, and I was appointed to the Board of Trustees four months ago to replace Doug Warner. I want to be more involved with the future of the town and do right for the community.

2. Growth: What I plan on doing is following the master plan once it is approved and addressing issues as they come up. For example, I am concerned about the storm drainage of the town. I would like the board to look at the studies that have been done or get new studies and do small sections at a time to stop erosion and flooding in the town; and to figure out ways to do it in a timely fashion, and to be economical for the town, and look at a long-range plan down the road.

I also want to work on a new police station for the town of Monument, whether it is a new police station/town hall, or work on the police station that is there now to make more room for the police officers. As the town is growing, we have more police officers to create a safer environment for all.

1. My youngest daughter once said to me, "You think too much!" I like to think things through and listen to all sides before making decisions. I like to see the "big picture." For a number of years, I have been involved in a leadership capacity with several organizations. This experience will be useful, as I now have the time to consider and analyze problems facing the town of Monument. During my time on the homeowners’ association board, I’ve worked with Monument town officials and builders, and this has helped me to gain some insight about leadership here and what the citizens want. I have no specific agenda other than to help create a town that people want and to do so in the best way possible. While I was traveling the last few years, I began wondering exactly why I like certain towns. I came up with a few simple and interesting reasons for preferring certain towns over others: Seniors like living there or they retire there because of lower taxes; the downtown areas are inviting and you feel safe being there, even at night; churches are mixed in well with homes on the main streets; the town is organized so that you feel comfortable even if you haven’t been there before; and the town has a friendly feel to it. I would like to do what I can to keep Monument’s future on this path.

2. Infrastructure in the downtown area needs to be upgraded. The east side of I-25 is overburdened with their infrastructure debt. The downtown area should be more "user friendly" for businesses and people. The streets and sidewalks could be upgraded along with an upgraded park area, which would make it a delight to go downtown and spend the day or evening shopping, eating, and just walking around. The mission used to attract people into the downtown area ought to be more along the lines of, "Come into town and stay awhile."

Care should be taken with the east side in order to keep it "friendly" to the people who live there. Monument needs the businesses being developed on the east side; however, I think the town leaders on both sides of the interstate dropped the ball in explaining how Wal-Mart could affect the community. As a result, Wal-Mart has decided to simply move across the street from where Monument would have liked it. Since the new site is outside of the city limits, Monument won’t get the benefits from the sales tax but will still have to fix the problems on Baptist Road.

More money needs to be put up front on developing Jackson Creek from the developers so they are not saddled with any more debt to pay off.

Keep Monument, Monument. Seven years ago, I started planning to move out of Denver. I had the time to check out communities from Greeley and Ft. Collins all the way to Colorado Springs. After three years of searching, it became quite evident that Monument was the place for me. Monument had a definite feel to it that other towns did not. It had a small town atmosphere, yet it was modern enough to be functional for today. This is still true about Monument, and I believe this is the reason most of us like it here. Therefore, we need to approach growth decisions with the idea of preserving the small-town quality of life. We need to be reasonable with retail franchises and limit incompatible industries, and we should encourage the development of housing and businesses we’ll be proud of in 50 years. Even though there are two sides of Monument, divided by the highway, I believe people who live on both sides want Monument to stay Monument.

1. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from San Diego State University and am licensed as a professional engineer in the state of Colorado, with 18 years of experience. Throughout my career, I have managed design teams of four to 10 individuals and projects with multimillion dollar budgets. I have extensive experience in land development including site feasibility, planning and zoning, along with extensive design experience in earthwork, drainage and flood control, roadways, sanitary sewer, water systems and land acquisitions. I have served on the Monument Board of Trustees the past 2½ years, Baptist Road Rural Transportation Authority the past two years, Pikes Peak Regional Building Commission the past two years, and the Tri-Lakes Economic Development Committee. I also currently sit on the Crystal Valley Metropolitan District board in Castle Rock, giving me hands on experience with special districts.

2. There are many issues that will continue to face the town as it begins to expand its boundary and grow in population. Growth is necessary for a diverse and strong economy. The developers, residents, and town leaders must work actively together to ensure this growth is well planned to meet the needs of the town and the Tri-Lakes area, and to keep our natural environment as pristine as possible.

Water is, and will be for some time, a critical issue. Water supply and demand will always need to be in the forefront of the minds of the board members and town residents. Water use and future supplies should be continually planned for the long-range outlook, with these plans capable of being redefined and updated to keep the town viable, safe, and secure.

Our police department is in serious need of a larger operations facility—to protect potential evidence in line with law enforcement standards and judicial requirements, provide adequate office space for the police officers and administration staff and public assistance, and a larger protected area for the patrol cars. The previous board has been looking at potential ways to finance a new Town Hall and Administration Building, which would be large enough for the police department, administration, water personnel, and a facility where residents and businesses of the Tri-Lakes area can meet for lunch or special meetings and gatherings.

1. My 3½-year tenure on the Planning Commission has allowed me to accomplish what I consider significant strides for Monument. We adopted a Comprehensive Land Use Master Plan, which will now serve our community as a visionary document for future growth. A precedence has been established with developers through the course of scrutinizing applications and integrating open space, trails, and parks at every achievable opportunity. Accountability is now at a higher standard. This development awareness has significantly aided me in my duties as trustee. Allow me to advocate on your behalf as we shape our town’s vision for tomorrow.

2. It was certainly the quaint bedroom community environment that drew many to the Tri-Lakes region. It’s this same quaintness that has lured developers to capitalize on real estate opportunities. Growth is inevitable; however, there are many steps that we can take to ensure it’s done in a manner that preserves the qualities that attracted us to Monument. The Comprehensive Land Use Master Plan and update of our Zoning and Subdivision Regulations will serve as the foundation for this effort. I will hold developers accountable to smart growth principles and strongly advocate for the integration of open space, trails, and parks.

The perception of a bipartisan board (historic downtown versus Jackson Creek) continues to linger. This perception may worsen as committee representation from Jackson Creek increases with the expansion of homes in the area. The town is currently faced with many significant issues that require objectivity (i.e., historic downtown preservation, creation of a focal point at Monument Lake, establishment of a cultural/sports center, and commercial development of Interstate 25’s corridor). It’s imperative that our town issues are decided without any partisan affiliations. My loyalty is to the constituents of Monument, and I will advocate for the town’s best interest as a whole.

1. I have a degree in accounting and have successfully worked as a trustee for two years and have worked in business as a manager for 24 years.

2. I think the two greatest issues facing the town are fiscal responsibility and revitalizing the historic downtown area.

For fiscal responsibility, I would continue the success we have had the past two years in returning the town to a conservative financial approach. The past two audits have received unqualified opinions from the external auditor (the best you can have) and positive cash has been carried into the next year. The town staff is directly responsible for this success and should be thanked.

To revitalize the downtown area, I would like to see curbs, gutters, and sidewalks put in. This is easy to talk about and hard to fund. With the new retail development in the town, we will be receiving new sales tax revenue, and I support using some of these funds to invigorate the downtown area.

At its regular meeting March 24, the Triview Metropolitan District Board of Directors discussed the status of the Marketplace and Jackson Creek Market Village projects and cancelled the planned May 4 election since only two candidates applied for the three open positions.

Aside from directors Steve Stephenson and Martha Gurnick, no other Triview district residents were present.

Ron Simpson, manager of the Triview district, reported that he was told by Mike Davenport, Monument assistant town manager and town planner, that the final version of the updated Monument comprehensive plan is being printed and will also be available on CD-ROM.

Based on concerns highlighted at the February Triview board meeting, the developer of the Jackson Creek Market Village project—formerly known as the Academy View project, east of the King Soopers shopping center—has revised plans to widen the internal roads from 30-foot to 40-foot right-of-ways, with 30 feet of asphalt paving and 3-foot sidewalks on either side. Although the rights-of-ways are wider than originally proposed, they still do not meet Triview’s 50-foot standard or the town’s 60-foot standard. Simpson said the plan needs further revisions to incorporate 5-foot sidewalks and to exclude parking on the hammerhead cul-de-sacs. He also noted there are concerns that the long, straight, sloped walkway to the King Soopers shopping center will attract skateboarders.

As noted last month, the applicant is seeking Planned Development (PD) zoning that is a variant of Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning. Variances or waivers such as the one required allowing narrower roads are termed "modifications" and are part of PD zoning approval.

Rick Blevins, of Marketplace developer Vision Development, Inc., reported as follows:

Jason Spielman of Nolte and Associates, sitting in for Chuck Ritter (Nolte’s engineering consultant for the district), said construction of the sewer line to serve the Marketplace has encountered crossing of nine fiber optic cables within Baptist Road. Due to the number and location of the cables, the portion of the sewer line along Baptist Road will be installed using directional drill boring rather than trenching. Baptist Road will be closed in both directions between Struthers Road and Jackson Creek Parkway Friday night and Saturday night, April 2 and 3 from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Spielman said the project is under way to connect raw (untreated) water from the new well A4 in the Arapahoe aquifer to the reuse system to supply water for irrigation this summer.

Simpson noted that this past summer, irrigation of Creekside Middle School playfields and the roadside landscaping consumed 3.3 million gallons per month. He predicted consumption would be higher this summer due to irrigation of landscaping at the Marketplace and other new construction.

In response to a question from Stephenson, Spielman said the water will be chlorinated but will not be treated for iron or magnesium content.

Simpson said that in case of an emergency, such as sudden water shortage or fire, water from A4 could be switched to the potable water system. He said connecting the water to the nearest existing water treatment plant would cost about $250,000, which he categorized as an unnecessary expense. Triview plans to build a third water treatment plant near well A4.

Simpson added that bids for equipment for well A4 are due March 26. Due to the short schedule for completing the connection of A4, the board authorized Simpson to spend up to $140,000 for the equipment.

Stephenson asked about the prospects of completing the reuse system so water from the wastewater treatment plant can be used for irrigation. Simpson replied that the district is short about $175,000 in equipment needed to complete the connection. He also said a storage facility for reuse water is needed. The plans for the Marketplace showed a 100 acre-foot reuse water storage pond just north of the site. Simpson said, "We are in a much better position to switch to reuse than almost anybody I know."

The Waste Water Treatment Facility (WWTF) is jointly owned by the Triview district, the Donala district serving Gleneagle, and the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, which currently does not have any users.

Spielman reported that the trip to Sequencing Batch Reaction (SBR) plants in California and Nevada in early March provided strong support for switching the WWTF to the SBR process. Simpson added, "There is very little question that SBR is preferable to expanding the current process."

Simpson reported that a 17.2-acre parcel has been found that can be placed in a conservation easement as part of the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse habitat conservation plans (HCP) needed to satisfy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) requirements for the Wal-Mart site, the expansion of Baptist Road, and the extension of Jackson Creek Parkway. He said the FWS "blessed this property."

Simpson said an HCP has been submitted to FWS for the 5,000-foot sewer interceptor line to serve planned commercial and industrial projects west of I-25. Simpson reported that according to the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, it will be eight months or more before they would be ready to participate in the project, the costs of which are to be split equally with Forest Lakes.

Simpson suggested that the line be extended north of Baptist Road fairly soon. Blevins asked, "What’s the rush? There’s no development plan, no user." Simpson replied, "We need the interceptor."

Susemihl suggested that if there is a benefit to the district to put it in now and if Forest Lakes is not ready to pay their share of the costs, then a recovery agreement could be entered as a lien against Forest Lakes.

Stephenson asked, "Why risk the relationship on something we don’t need." Simpson replied, "It’s hard to sell blue sky without services. It helps to have something real and tangible." Stephenson said, "I wouldn’t do anything that would offend [Forest Lakes]."

Simpson said that Irene Walters at Monument Town Hall helped prepare the 25 pages of forms required from the district by the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG). The forms identify high priority road projects in the area. PPACG is involved in allocation of federal and state highway funds. Board President Kathy Walters expressed the district’s thanks to Irene Walters (no relation) for her help.

Only two candidates applied for the three open positions on the board. Charles Burns and Steve Stephenson were declared elected to four-year terms. Julie Glenn, wife of Monument Trustee Byron Glenn, was appointed to fill the position vacated by Linda Jones, who resigned last month. Peter Susemihl, attorney for the district, said Julie Glenn must be reappointed after May 4 in order to serve the remaining two years of Jones’ term. The Triview board now consists of the following four Jackson Creek residents:

Charles Burns
Martha Gurnick
Steve Stephenson
Julie Glenn

Of the four, only Gurnick has been voted into office by district residents.

Simpson reported that Jackson Creek resident and former Monument Planning Commission member Joe Martin has expressed interest in being appointed to fill the remaining vacancy on the five-member board.

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The Triview Metropolitan District Board of Directors normally meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month, 4:30 p.m., at the district offices, 174 N. Washington St.

The next meeting will be held April 28.

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

The Palmer Lake Town Council (PLTC) endorsed Trustee Susan Miner’s recommendation that the town move forward on having its Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD) participate in a merger with Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD) and Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD)—not just the latter, as originally discussed. A special candidates’ night for citizens to hear and question all those running for trustee in the April 6 election was scheduled for March 25. Also, John McCarty, director of the El Paso County Department of Transportation, gave a presentation on facts, options, and the required decision time line regarding town participation in the projected Nov. 2 election issue on creating a countywide rural transportation authority (RTA). All trustees were present, and about 12 citizens attended the meeting.

Request for new business license: The council unanimously approved Charles Edmondson’s request for a new business license for Home Audio-Video at 780 Highway 105, Suite A. The business will focus on home theater design and installation. Trustee Randy Jones asked if sales would be made in the office. Edmondson said he might perform contract signing in the office as well as at people’s homes, but that it would not be a standard cash-and-carry type of retail operation.

Trustee Cindy Allen, who is stepping down due to term limitation, said that customized trim repairs for the town’s gazebo would be performed by Rocky Mountain Trim, a local firm, and that replacement balusters are on order. She also requested that the town staff direct the contractor who dug a trench across the trail by the town tennis courts to restore the grounds and the trail to its original condition.

Trustee Chuck Cornell said that the town’s water levels are "not looking good" and that water restrictions are likely. Allen said the town should announce these restrictions before the spring gardening season begins so citizens do not invest in plantings that may not survive limited watering. Miner suggested immediately posting a notice in the post office.

Jones said he had nothing to report on roads. Allen asked if the planned striping for a crosswalk on Highway 105 had been scheduled. Roads Supervisor Bob Radosevich said that the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) staff had not responded to his requests for information. Jeannine Engle reported that the Downtown Business Owner’s Group was working with CDOT on the crosswalk as well as on obtaining a city limit sign by the County Line Road railroad crossing that would have room for directional arrows and advertising for the businesses along Highway 105. The crosswalk will be adjacent to the parking lot at O’Malley’s. She invited the trustees and trustee candidates to join the group at 3 p.m. on April 6 for their monthly meeting at the Speed Trap Café.

Trustee Eddie Kinney gave the police department report for February. There were a total of 103 calls for service, down 7 from January and down 14 from last February. He also said there were 2 custody arrests, 18 ongoing cases, 37 traffic citations, 7 traffic and dog warnings, and 3 dog citations last month.

Several municipal fee changes were approved unanimously:

Kinney said the town received $9,000 in reimbursement from its insurance policy for the totaled police vehicle. The town also received a gift of $1,000 that will help pay for a replacement Blazer. The trustees unanimously authorized up to $14,500 for purchase of a used replacement vehicle, plus an additional $1,700 for purchase of a new roof-mounted light bar. All emergency equipment from the totaled Blazer will be transferred to the replacement.

Miner reported 16 fire calls in February, bringing the total to 40 for the year. There were eight medical calls, two traffic accidents, one wildland fire, two public assists, two other calls, and one mutual aid call. Total mutual aid calls for 2004 are eight. Two Driver Operator 1 courses will be offered by PLVFD, one in March for its staff and one in April for North Group attendees. PLVFD hosted the countywide wildland refresher course.

Mayor Nikki McDonald reported that $5,072 had been raised on Casino Night and that the Deuces Wild Company had provided all 10 dealers for free as a service to the town. Numerous suggestions to have casino nights more often will be discussed by the council after the April 6 election. She also noted that Jaqui Parker’s visioning committee, Palmer Lake Committee for Community Awareness, is averaging eight to 14 attendees and will hand out fliers on network building at the election to increase volunteerism.

Citizen Bob Miner reported on his recent appointment to the El Paso County Water Authority Technical Committee. He was also appointed the Palmer Lake representative to the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan, sponsored by the Colorado Conservation Board. The post was previously unfilled, and money for the study ran out before the portion of the flood control document regarding the Palmer Lake area could be completed. Recent flooding issues and locations were discussed. The last major flood damage in town occurred in 1999 when a Greeley Boulevard culvert for Monument Creek was lost, damaging a sewer line and gas line.

McCarty said that the proposal was initiated 18 months ago by County Administrator Terry Harris at a Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) meeting. The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and Colorado Springs City Council agreed to move forward on this joint proposal in August 2003. Their respective staffs have worked with PPACG to develop five city and five county "corridor projects." These ten corridor projects are comprised of 25 individual city and 25 county construction projects. Road and bridge construction for these corridors would be paid for by 55 percent of the 1-cent countywide sales tax. The highest priority county corridor project is comprised of five separate Baptist Road construction projects. .

Of the remaining 45 percent of the collected tax monies, 35 percent would go to non-itemized road and bridge repairs (or replacement) and 10 percent would support regional public transportation in and outside Colorado Springs.

The road and bridge construction portion of the tax (55 percent) would expire after 10 years, but there is an option in state law for voters to extend it for another limited period. The other 45 percent of the countywide sales tax would be permanent. The election for the ballot issue to create this RTA is tentatively planned for Nov. 2. McCarty made the same presentation to Monument’s Board of Trustees in February.

The town can opt not to participate and would not be subject to the tax or eligible to receive road maintenance funds from this RTA. If the town does participate, and the measure passes, every Palmer Lake taxpayer will pay the tax. If the measure passes, one elected official from the town will participate on the management committee that carries out the ballot issue mandate without the option of changing the list of projects or their prioritized ranking. The membership on this committee roughly parallels the membership of the PPACG board. The town can recommend alternative projects for consideration prior to the election, but must do so very soon if it chooses to participate. Alternatively, the town could set up its own RTA with at least one other municipality, such as Monument or Peyton, for example, and levy up to a 1-cent sales tax on these respective taxpayers.

Assuming all county towns participate in the RTA, Palmer Lakes’ share for road maintenance would be about $88,000 the first year. Because the town is not growing, its share could go down as its fraction of the total county population decreases. There is no fair share provision for capital road/bridge construction or transit. Only this 35 percent of the 1-cent tax collected on sales within the town is guaranteed to come back. However, a significant portion of the sales tax generated within Palmer Lake is paid by nonresidents.

If the PLTC votes not to participate in the RTA from the outset, Palmer Lake residents could later vote to join the RTA by town election in an odd-numbered year if a subsequent council changes its position.

McDonald asked how the $88,000 could be spent. McCarty said the money could be spent on any maintenance of its choosing, but not on new roads or on road expansion. The PPACG staff would process billing paperwork the town would submit and then write checks to the town once the repair project documentation was processed.

Meadow Lane Extension: Trustee Randy Jones asked the council if it would be receptive to allowing him to trade land in an unpaved alley right-of-way for an equal amount of land around the edge of the wetlands within a parcel he would like to purchase and develop. The parcel lies between Elephant Rock and the railroad tracks by Elephant Rock Trailer Park. He wants to build a 24-foot-wide roadway on top of this right-of-way, rather than across all but one end of the wetlands. Use of the unpaved alley for the road was also requested by the Army Corps of Engineers. There was agreement that covenants would prohibit fences around the boundary with the wetland, to preserve its natural look. A developer asking a municipality about planning and zoning limitations or options for a proposed development is common, though it is unusual for a trustee to make direct appeals. Town attorney Larry Gaddis said that Jones would need to apply for replat that would show the changed lot boundaries before he could get formal approval. Trustees felt his proposal was feasible, clearing the way for him to begin the process of purchasing the land for development. Town Clerk Della Gins will write a letter to Jones stating the council’s opinion for future reference by the newly elected council and other agencies.

There was also agreement among the other trustees, Jones, and Radosevich that Jones had resolved the culvert issue on Meadow Lane. Sue Coons, of Meadow Lane, appeared before the council in July 2003 to seek remediation of a drainage problem on her property. Apparently, the problem was caused by runoff from the new Elephant Rock Acres subdivision. Jones extended Meadow Lane and built two new houses there. He installed a culvert under Coons’ driveway, but that culvert filled with runoff from the construction site, causing water and sand to drain onto Coons’ property. A town water truck was sent to flush the culvert. Jones reinstalled the culvert so it would not clog again. Coons has not replied to town queries about any further problem. The trustees, with Jones recused, voted 6-0 that the matter was closed.

Susan Miner reported on her committee’s review of the proposal from the W/MFPD board. The committee included Cornell, PLVFD Chief Julie Lokken, former PLVFD firefighter Nick Casale, and current firefighter Kevin LaBella. Miner added that she and McDonald, Lokken, and Trustee Brent Sumner attended a joint board meeting hosted by DWFPD and W/MFPD the previous evening. There the council and PLVFD were invited to join in a proposed merger of all three fire organizations as a single special district. Lokken summarized the briefing that W/MFPD Board Secretary Russ Broshous gave on March 10. See the article on this joint meeting on page 26 for more details.

Palmer Lake taxpayers incorporated in the new fire district would have to vote to pay about 7.1 to 7.3 mills to this new district to participate, and the single new board would be initially based on proportional representation. The town would be relieved of its current budget of $48,000 for PLVFD but would lose its complete control over funding and policy. Long-term staffing plans call for a goal of four personnel on call 24/7, two would be full-time and two would be volunteers. One of the four would be a paramedic.. This would likely require construction of a new station building. The current building, built in 1938 and expanded in the 1950’s, cannot support overnight sleeping by crews, and bringing the building up to codes while modifying it to include overnight accommodations would cost more than a new modular building. The financial reserves and property of the PLVFD Association are not under the control of the Town Council and would not be subject to the merger.

McDonald said, "There is a desperate need to support this merger." She called for public meetings to educate citizens. Consultants have identified the current underfunding of the department as a potential stumbling block to the merger. She said the town needed to approve a mill levy for fire and medical emergency services so PLVFD could join with the other two districts. Jones asked what 7 mills would mean to a residential taxpayer. Miner said it amounts to about $45 per $100,000 of resale value, although the method to arrive at that number is much more complicated, using assessed values and percentages. The average residential tax bill for the new special district in Palmer Lake would be $90 per year, or $7.50 per month. Miner added that the chiefs will begin working on operational issues, while the two boards and the town council will handle budgets, capital, and manpower issues.

Resident Gary Atkins asked if the new tax revenue would stay in town, in contrast to the construction and mass transportation portion of the proposed RTA tax; Miner said the station would stay in town. The mill levy tax collected from all residents in the new merged district, including those within the town limits of Palmer Lake, would go into the new district’s general fund. The rough draft of the merger plan acknowledges that a new station is needed to support 24/7 operations, though it does not currently specify when or where in Palmer Lake it would be built. Atkins said a new station is needed. Resident Carl Goodwin noted McCarty’s request for town residents to contribute tax money to mass transit in Colorado Springs, saying that Palmer Lake voters should give the merger a higher priority.

Gaddis said the elections for each issue would be at a different time—November for the RTA issue and May 2005 for the merger. In 2002, Palmer Lake residents rejected a 1-cent sales tax ballot measure to support the fire department.

The council unanimously approved Miner’s motion to move forward with this negotiation and the division of council and operational responsibilities.

Miner noted that she will not to run for reelection on April 6, so another trustee will have to be selected as lead negotiator on the merger. However, she has volunteered for the town’s Board of Adjustment and to assist the replacement fire trustee. McDonald noted that six candidates are running for trustee and that her opponent for mayor has withdrawn from the race. Gaddis praised Cindy Allen’s 14 years of service as a trustee. McDonald lamented that there would be no women trustees on the new council, drawing a laugh, as she closed the final meeting for this council.

The meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m., with a reception afterward.

The next meeting will be on April 8 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, when the new council will be sworn in.

Palmer Lake will hold its election for the board of trustees on April 6 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 54 Valley Crescent.

Mayor Nikki McDonald is running for re-election unopposed. Her former opponent, Joe Donaldson, recently withdrew from the election. He said his new retail music store was taking more of his time than he had expected and felt he couldn’t give the mayoral office the time and attention it requires.

Trustee Cindy Allen is term limited, and Trustees Susan Miner and Eddie Kinney are stepping down. Trustees Chuck Cornell and Randy Jones are incumbents and not up for reelection. There are a total of six candidates running for four trustee positions.

Our Community News (OCN) offered each candidate the opportunity to respond to two general questions. They were asked to limit their answers to about 300 words. Candidate Gary Atkins has been out of town on a long-planned family trip and could not be reached by OCN. The questions are:

1. What in your background would help you as a trustee?

2. What do you think are the two greatest issues facing the town, and what would you propose the town should do to deal with them?

1. I have a great deal of leadership, troubleshooting, and creative problem resolution and facilitation experience. I designed and implemented the recovery plans for three major departments (within three different companies). All three were successful. Not only did they become more efficient, have increased productivity, improve their on-time delivery rates, and meet higher quality standards, but they also became profitable. I designed two completely new departments from the ground up, which also became highly successful. I am a trained facilitator, and I even taught instructional techniques to technical instructors. I have a great deal of management experience and plenty of volunteer experience as well. Most of all, the fact that I truly care and will do what is right will help me as a trustee.

2. Lack of effective two-way communication between the town, the residents, and the business owners is the biggest problem. If we improve upon that problem, I do think together we can begin resolving all the others. I have plenty of ideas as to how we can improve communication, but not enough space to address them here.

1. I have been in Palmer Lake for over nine years and have attended Planning Commission and Town Council meetings for over four years. I have a small land surveying company and deal with land issues every day. I enjoy budgeting and working hard at getting the most out of my, or anyone else’s, dollar. I think I do well with issues that tend to be volatile. Attendance at many town meetings has shown to me that sweet is better than sour. Honesty and representing the people is the only way to run a government. It does not pay to try and hide problems. I’m a member of the Palmer Lake Planning Commission and am a volunteer for the Fire Rehab Division of the Pikes Peak Area Firefighters group. Volunteering for the town and getting involved is the best way to help the town. I want to help the town in any way that I can, as the town has accepted us and made us feel welcome. Our "special" son loves this place and greets everyone as if they are his best friend. I feel that my land surveying experience and past dealings around town make me qualified to help make decisions for the town.

2. We need to have controlled and sensible growth due to the town’s boundaries. Palmer Lake cannot expand its limits as Monument and Colorado Springs can. A town cannot exist on real estate taxes from existing homes. It also needs income from commercial properties, sales tax, tap fees, etc., to pay for the services it provides.

As our new well comes on line in the next month or so, we can feel better about the impending drought and how it affects our reservoirs. Pumping water is quite expensive compared to the old way, so education on conservation is a must. Water laws and rights are tough, and block some apparently easy solutions to filling the lake.

Palmer Lake has always had a great, well-respected volunteer fire department. A paid department doesn’t mean better firefighters, but better equipment and ways to fight fires. Lots of choices are available, but all will need help from the taxpayer. It is my goal to help the town find ways to help it survive financially, helping existing groups to work on all these issues.

I believe there are three huge issues for Palmer Lake, but one of them would be relieved by the outcome of the fire department merger. They are water, the merger, and the budget.

As for the water issues, we are very hopeful that our new well will help us tremendously. However, in saying that, whenever you rely on a well, you are using very expensive water. It cost us $1,500 in electrical usage to run the well for a three-day test run. That does not include testing or chemicals. So we will have to look at those issues.

The second issue is the merging of fire departments. I feel this is a very important issue, especially for us here in Palmer Lake. Our department has served us wonderfully for many years on a shoestring budget. In saying that, however, we must realize that Palmer Lake has grown a lot, and we need to step up to the plate and give our volunteers the support and equipment they deserve as they put their lives on the line for each of us routinely. I believe by merging, we will be able to provide them with what they need; we will not have to struggle to try to make our fire engine payments yearly. And with the added money not going into the fire budget, we can use those funds for police and general fund.

Which brings a solution for now as to the third issue and that is our budget. Everyone tries to do more with less. However, folks, our staff have not received a raise in two years! That bothers me a lot. Hope it bothers you, too.

1. In my current job, I work on large projects that require a lot of coordination. I believe that my experience in this area would be a great asset in performing the duties of a trustee.

2. The most severe issue facing Palmer Lake as well as the rest of Colorado is the lack of water. Everyone knows about it, but we don’t seem to be making any headway in solving this issue. The term crisis may not seem appropriate to describe the situation, but we could be using it very soon if we are not vigilant. I believe there may not be many options for Palmer Lake to solve this problem itself; but through continued engagement with the various levels of government, the trustees can strive to ensure that the town has a clean, safe, and renewable water supply.

The second issue is development. Palmer Lake is known as an historic place, a community that has always prided itself in being an independent small town. Recently, there has been more growth in Colorado, El Paso County, and the surrounding municipalities. There has also been growth in Palmer Lake. Growth can manifest itself in several ways: passive growth or smart growth. Passive growth is just that—take any or all comers because growth is, in and of itself, good. Growth brings in money, people, and potential. But along with the potential for good, growth can also bring potential for problems. Passivity does not always guarantee that there will be no problems.

Smart growth is working to understand and balance what is best for the community. If we plan successfully, there can be growth that is acceptable to all the citizens. Smart growth is laying out the framework that provides for the successful development of the town’s potential without sacrificing the independent small-town image. The town has the framework for achieving smart growth—updated zoning ordinances, a comprehensive plan, and the elected officials to execute what’s best for the town. I believe that there is still some work to be done with this framework to adequately protect the interests of the people.

1. The experience I’ve gotten is from attending 95 percent of Palmer Lake Planning Commission, Town Council, and community awareness meetings during the last two years. My background before moving to Colorado includes being a partner in the family’s Acme Metal Products with my father and brothers for eight years. Acme manufactured parts for the aircraft and electronic industries. After leaving Acme to move to Colorado Springs in 1959, I was sole owner of Worldwide Horse Transportation for all breeds of horses for 35 years. During that time, I started another company, Stockman’s Hay & Grain, to bring higher quality products to the region by truck from western Colorado. We then built and operated our A & W Root Beer Drive-In & Restaurant on 8th Street. I retired from these three ventures 10 years ago, and then opened Palmer Lake Motors on Highway 105 about 18 months ago.

2. I think the two biggest issues are the Palmer Lake budget and the merger of Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department. The town should listen to the people for different options and do what’s in the best interest for the people and town of Palmer Lake.

1. Part of my job assignment at work is to establish and maintain a budget for our area within the company. I work to maintain this budget as many surprises occur, and I have always been able to stay within the limits. I understand that with limited budgets spending has to be controlled and monitored. My job is local, and I would almost always be in the Palmer Lake area.

2. I feel the two greatest issues are fire and emergency protection and our water shortage. The fire department has done a super job with their volunteer force, but we should investigate the opportunity to merge if it will provide us with better coverage. Our fire department should not be incorporated into another department but left in Palmer Lake as a separate and distinct unit. This way, we can assist others and welcome their help when needed.

The water shortage issue is a problem that every citizen of Palmer Lake needs to be informed of and encouraged to help with. This help should range from ideas to helping conserve our water.

Four of the six candidates competing for four trustee positions on the Palmer Lake Town Council answered questions at Palmer Lake Candidates Night at Town Hall on March 25. Recently appointed trustee Brent Sumner, current Palmer Lake Planning Commissioner Gary Coleman, George Reese, and Malcolm "Max" Parker spoke to an audience of over 30 people. Candidates Gary Atkins and Nick Casale were out of town on previously scheduled trips.

Citizens filled out slips of paper asking a single question. Todd Bell was the moderator and time keeper for the question-and-answer session. Town Clerk Della Gins ensured that the questions asked were appropriate and nonrepetitive.

The atmosphere was positive and friendly throughout the evening, among the candidates and the audience. The reception after the questioning also lasted about an hour, reflecting the citizens’ interest in talking to the candidates and the candidates’ willingness to discuss their views.

The following are the questions asked of the candidates and their responses. Due to the format, not every candidate answered every question.

What is your vision for Palmer Lake?

How will you increase town revenues?

What changes would you like to see in Palmer Lake?

Reese

How will you handle complaints?

Joint fire district board meeting Mar. 10

View a photo of the joint fire district board meeting Mar. 10

The boards of the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) and Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD) held a standing-room-only joint meeting on March 10 at DWFPD Station 2 to announce significant progress toward a merger. Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD) Chief Julie Lokken, Mayor Nikki McDonald, Trustee Brent Sumner, and Town Clerk Della Gins attended the meeting as invited observers. All those in attendance agreed to continue working toward this three-way merger.

The Town of Palmer Lake would have to relinquish control of all the PLVFD property it owns to the merged district. However, the cash and land assets of the independent volunteer organization, the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department Association, would not be transferred to the merged district. The association currently raises money through a variety of activities to pay for the fire engine loan and other expenses not paid for by the town.

DWFPD President Bill Lowes opened the meeting by referencing the $30,000 study to optimize regional fire services by Emergency Services Education and Consulting Group (ESECG), titled "Tri-lakes Area, Colorado Regional Fire Protection Feasibility." He noted that despite the fact that the last public meeting was in August, these kinds of mergers—especially among vastly different departments—typically take three to five years to implement. Palmer Lake has always had a completely volunteer department, there is no one left in today’s totally paid staff at W/MFPD who served with the earliest volunteers, and DWFPD has always had a mix of paid and volunteer members.

Similarly the source and level of funding differs. PLVFD receives $48,000 annually from the town’s general fund and numerous forms of contributions from its supporting association. This dramatically contrasts with the $900,000 in taxes DWFPD receives from its special district mill levy from owners of residential and commercial property. Woodmoor/Monument has had a roughly 9.5-9.9 mill rate for a few years, while DWFPD recently changed from 1.94 mills, supporting weekday operations only, to 7.0 mills in 2004 to fund the district’s new round-the-clock operations.

W/MFPD Board President Bob Browning thanked Lowes for arranging the meeting. In a prepared statement, he noted that W/MFPD had also "been committed to the concept of unification of efforts in our districts for a long time" and "that the overall fire and medical safety interests of our people should and must be placed above other lesser considerations that would hinder and make this process too difficult."

Russ Broshous, W/MFPD treasurer, described decisions made to date and proposed a "thumbnail" staffing plan and a time line for the "merger," the term the three boards are using. The merged district would be formed with voter-approved TABOR tax limitation exemptions like those currently approved for W/MFPD. Tax rates across the three organizations would be the same for all residential property and commercial property owners. Board representation would be proportional, based on the number of eligible voters in each district. No changes have been made since the August joint meeting regarding any of the agreed-upon wordings for the mission statement, shared vision, or goals and objectives.

This merged structure is entirely different than the largely cooperative fire authority structure proposed in 2002 by the ESECG study. At that time, the W/MFPD, Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District (TLFPD, which is no longer part of the merger plan), and PLVFD would have retained their separate tax bases and rates and kept their respective board and town council policymaking bodies intact.

Broshous said that analysis of cost projections indicate that a two-way merger could be adequately funded at 7.0 mills. Currently, taxpayers in DWFPD pay that amount; W/MFPD residents pay over 2.9 mills more than that, so they would see a decrease in taxes. The 7.0 mill rate would cost about $90 per year for a house worth about $200,000. The addition of PLVFD would require an estimated mill increase of approximately 0.1 to 0.3 mills. The May 2005 goal for the merger vote would ensure separation of the merger and TABOR exemption ballot issues from the more complicated county and state issues expected to be on the November 2005 ballot.

The boards would continue to operate separately and independently until voters approve the merger. Under the separate, but parallel, operational merger plan, Sheldon would be chief and Youtsey would be deputy chief. Three other supervisory positions were also listed: fire marshal, assistant chief for operations and training, and medical coordinator. A large degree of integration of fire and medical emergency training and services between the three organizations is planned to be in place at the start of 2005 so voters can observe how the merged districts would operate for several months before the standard special district election in May.

Broshous described the long-term goal for the staffing plan: W/MFPD and DWFPD would both schedule six certified people per 24-hour shift. Four firefighters, each with a minimum certification of Firefighter I (FF I), would man the engine. Each of the four firefighters would also be a certified emergency medical technician-basic (EMT-B) at a minimum. Three would be career full-time and the fourth a volunteer. Two people would be scheduled on the American Medical Response (AMR) advanced life support (ALS) rated ambulance for each 24-hour shift. One would have a minimum certification of paramedic and the other would have minimum certification of EMT-B, plus FF I. The current manning of each 24-hour shift at the two districts varies from this goal.

Currently, W/MFPD schedules five certified people per shift in a similar manner. The three firefighters scheduled on the engine are rated at FF I/EMT-B (or higher.) The ambulance driver works for AMR and is rated at EMT-B (or higher), and W/MFPD provides an FF II/paramedic.

Currently at DWFPD, there are four certified people scheduled for each 24-hour shift. The engine is manned by two FF I/EMT-B (or higher) personnel. The paramedic works for AMR, and the driver is an FF I/EMT-B (or higher) provided by DWFPD.

In the long-term staffing plan, Broshous tentatively proposed the possibility that Palmer Lake might someday have two full-time and two volunteer personnel (one a paramedic), as well as a long-term goal of staffing 24/7. However, as Lokken pointed out after the meeting adjourned, this is not possible with the current PLVFD building that was built in 1938 and expanded from two to three truck bays just over a decade later. It has no room for sleeping quarters, is not code compliant, and would be too costly to modify for around-the-clock operations.

However, this optimistic long-term staffing goal builds on the continuous upgrade of PLVFD staff skills, which Lokken has directed over the past several years. There are 20 operational volunteers: 15 of them are certified as Firefighter I, three certified as Firefighter II, and two are upgrading to Firefighter I. Additionally, seven volunteers are certified as EMT-basics, and the others are qualified as first responders or qualified to give first aid. There are also two supporting administrative volunteers who assist with administrative and financial matters.

Lowes said the planned three-way merger has been facilitated by the low debt of each organization. Through consolidation refinancing, DWFPD has incurred a debt of $659,000 for the expansion of its Gleneagle Drive station and lease-purchase of its tender and pumper engine. However, they currently have cash reserves in excess of this amount. PLVFD owes about $212,000 on its pump engine. W/MFPD paid off all its outstanding debt early this year.

Browning said the financial hurdle to merger was resolved. It "doesn’t raise [your taxes] and lowers ours." Lowes added that PLVFD has a lot to offer because of "their well-trained volunteers and modern equipment that works"—if they can get their taxpayers to agree to the 7 mill requirement for merger.

Lowes did not discuss TLFPD. That district currently has about $1.8 million in debt, $800,000 of which is from a loan to finance construction of a new station on Roller Coaster Road near Highway 105. In addition, pumper and tender vehicles for this new station would need to be purchased, adding to that debt. Even more indebtedness may result if another TLFPD facility on Jackson Creek Parkway, near DWFPD station 3, is created.

The board members, the three chiefs, and the Palmer Lake town officials voiced their support of the plan. They said that completion of the operational merger by January 2005 would help convince voters to support the merger and the mill levy in May 2005.

Sheldon noted the brush truck just purchased by PLVFD brings the total to five among the three organizations. He said "the chiefs need to work the personnel issues" and Lokken needs to be fully and equally involved in this effort.

McDonald said she would "need a lot of help in selling this to the residents" because too many Palmer Lake citizens "think the fire department does just fine without taxes." She also said, "The time has come for all residents to support PLVFD," to recognize that this merger is in their best interest for continued improvement in fire and medical emergency service, and that the actual small tax per household or business is well worth it.

Conroy said the districts need to merge before the next major fire occurs. He added that this merger would help meet the goal of a five-minute response time for ALS medical service for over 90 percent of medical calls across all three districts. Browning said that citizens need to recognize and understand how well trained and capable the three staffs are in providing a higher quality of service, that this training costs money, and that fire departments in larger neighboring markets are only too happy to give fully trained staff a $20,000 raise after the districts have paid for all their training.

The meeting adjourned at 9:03 p.m.

View a photo of the joint fire district board meeting Mar. 10

The Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) held its regular monthly board meeting on March 17. All members of the board were present. Also attending was board candidate Dave Cross, a United Airlines pilot who had previously served as a volunteer firefighter and Air Force pilot. He was introduced by Board President Bill Lowes. Chief Bill Sheldon reported on the progress of the operational merger with Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD) and Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD) since the joint board meeting of March 10. Sheldon also updated the board on the February Insurance Services Organization (ISO) inspection.

Treasurer Dennis Feltz noted that he had prepared the paperwork for a $100,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant and received unanimous approval for the district’s $10,000 share if the grant is approved. Recording Secretary Ginnette Ritz reported that the state had just forwarded tax revenues of $325,000. Total tax revenue for 2004 is expected to be about $900,000. The board unanimously approved a fire truck lease-purchase payment of $55,000.

Departments are inspected every 15 years by the ISO to help regional insurance providers assess their policy risks and to help districts verify the quality of their services. It will be six to eight months before the department receives any feedback on its ISO rating, which is currently 6 for hydranted areas and 9 for rural areas. He noted that for ISO purposes, brush trucks and water tenders don’t count, though they are critical in this area of urban-wildlife interface. He said the ISO preference to have two engines on every call, each with a four-person crew, is a very difficult goal to meet. It appears that ISO standards now focus primarily on urban settings.

Sheldon met with all three shifts of DWFPD and W/MFPD during two evening meetings at the Gleneagle Station 3 on March 15 and 16. He met with volunteer firefighters from PLVFD at their station on March 17. He said that the response from all those he spoke with was positive. Their concerns were allayed when he told them no one would lose their position or experience a salary cut or benefits change, even though some people’s titles might change beginning on April 1. He added that the biggest short-term challenge is to bring DWFPD full-time firefighters’ pay up to the level of W/MFPD pay. This may require two or three incremental increases to keep within the current 7 mill levy. The budgets and pay scales for 2004 will not change.

Lowes said the pumper and tender that are the primary vehicles for operations at Station 2 will remain there for the foreseeable future. Two other engines will be stored at the old Black Forest Fire District station on Shoup Road by Black Forest Road so they can be immediately available during wildland fire season. Sheldon said that North Group needs every piece of backup equipment it can store indoors to handle what may be an active wildland fire season (there were two such fires just west of Highway 83 on March 15 and 16).

Sheldon said he was very proud that the EMTs in the merger districts were going to be certified on the leading edge combi-tool that provides two paths for intubation of emergency patients. There is a growing problem with some new drugs that can paralyze and totally collapse the airway to the lungs. This tool is proving effective in over 90 percent of traumas. Feltz was tasked with notifying the public information officer for the merger, Tom Conroy of the W/MFPD board, to include this news in future press notifications.

Sheldon said the district’s new brush truck should be in service in early April.

There has been a slight delay on gaining approval of the 15-foot setback from the property boundary for the additional bay. The district’s engineering consultant is working with the county’s Planning Division.

DWFPD and Donala Water District will jointly hold their elections on May 4 at the Antelope Trails Elementary School, just across from Station 3, at 15280 Jessie Drive. Because they are expecting a big turnout, each district will have two election judges.

There was an extended executive session regarding personnel matters. No announcements were made after the executive session. The meeting adjourned at 10 p.m. The next meeting will be held at Station 2 on Sun Hills Road at 7 p.m. April 21.

Tri-Lakes FPD Board meeting Mar. 18

Web site exclusive: View photos of the TLFPD Board Meeting Mar. 18 (includes updated district map)

At its meeting March 18, the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District (TLFPD) board of directors approved petitions for inclusion of six additional parcels and subdivisions east of Highway 83 and signed a $788,000 contract for construction of station 2 on Roller Coaster Road near Highway 105. Director Gary Morgan was out of town.

Board president Charlie Pocock said prompt action on the inclusion petitions is needed because the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District is stopping coverage for these areas April 1. He added that some insurance companies notified property owners that if they were not included in a fire district within 30 days, their insurance would be terminated.

Initial hearings were held on the following petitions for inclusion:

All the petitions were signed by 100 percent of the property owners.

The inclusion petitions were unanimously accepted, subject to receipt of formal notification of agreement by the school district. A special meeting was scheduled for March 24 to hold final hearings on these inclusions.

Chief Robert Denboske reported that a petition was received for Walden filing 5. The petition was signed by 48 of the 49 property owners. He said that one of the property owners is a volunteer with the Wescott district and refused to sign the petition. Director and district Treasurer John Hildebrandt said, "We will have to go to election." Pocock added that holding the election would add expense and introduce a six-month delay in including the subdivision into the district.

Denboske noted that Equine Acres, site of two recent fires started by bottle rockets, and several other areas east of Highway 83 are collecting inclusion petition signatures.

Hildebrandt reported that as of the end of February, the district had received 30 percent of anticipated income for the year and had expended 14 percent of the annual budget, 2.7 percent less than expected at that point in the year.

Denboske reported that during February, the district responded to 68 calls, bringing the total so far this year to 182, a 14 percent increase from the same period last year. The 68 calls during February were as follows: 32 medical, 6 fire, 22 traffic accidents, 6 public assists, and 2 hazardous materials; 22 people were transported to area hospitals.

The chief reported there are three candidates for the two open positions on the board to be decided at the May 4 election. The candidates are Keith Duncan, John Hartling, and Jim Lipper. Duncan and Lipper were in the audience.

The board voted unanimously for an increase from $75 to $100 as payment for each of the three election judges who will oversee conduct of the May 4 election.

Denboske reported that Insurance Service Organization (ISO) will be conducting an inspection of the district on April 19 and 20. He said the prior inspection was conducted 15 years ago. He added that ISO reportedly plans to increase the average frequency of its inspections to every three to five years. The chief said the current ISO rating is a 6 for portions of the district within five road miles of a station and a 9 elsewhere. The chief said he discussed the expansion of station 2 with ISO and was told the station’s current status will not affect the rating.

Denboske reported that he received an e-mail from Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District Chief Youtsey inquiring as to whether specific streets are within the Tri-Lakes district. Denboske said the intent seemed to be to reduce response to areas not included in a fire district. He said, "If they don’t wish to respond to areas that aren’t covered, that is their responsibility and liability. We are here to take care of folks."

Ron Thompson, assistant chief and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) coordinator, reported that the district will be attending a grant hearing March 24 on their application for a state EMS grant. The money will be used for a 4x4 ambulance to replace ambulance 3, a replacement cot for ambulance 2, and two Striker stair-chairs to aid transporting patients down flights of stairs.

Thompson reported that a man came to the station for a blood pressure check. Brian Jack recognized that the man was having a heart attack, which he confirmed using the 12 lead EKG. Jack had to then persuade the man to be taken to the hospital.

Thompson reported that Rick Simons and Ron Thompson passed their amateur radio license test, joining district personnel Larry Dunn, Jim Ferguson, Elliot Linke, Rick Simmons, and John Vincent in holding such a license.

Rick Barnes, board member and architect for station 2, reported that Thomas Construction, with a bid of $788,000, was the low bidder on the construction contract for the station. The contract was unanimously accepted by the board and signed by Pocock. Work on the 180-day project is scheduled to start about April 1. Barnes said, "I am very pleased with the contract. This station should last us a lifetime. For those of us who live east of the highway, this means an awful lot." Hildebrandt added, "With another site, we would have had to get a well permit and drill a well." Pocock noted that delays in approval by the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners cost the district about $20,000 in legal and other expenses.

In response to concerns about the district’s level of debt, Hildebrandt said, "We have about $1.8 million in debt. I was concerned in 1998 to 1999 when we built station 1 and purchased a ladder truck. We added $1.3 million in debt in one year, but we have a growing tax base and have been responsible in our use of money. I feel very comfortable with this situation."

District Captain Tom Mace thanked the board for persevering with the expansion of station 2. He said, "From the ground level, we appreciate it."

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The Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District board normally meets at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the district firehouse, 18650 Highway 105 (near the bowling alley). The next meeting is scheduled for April 15. For more information, call Chief Denboske at 481-2312 or www.tri-lakesfire.com.

Web site exclusive: View photos of the TLFPD Board Meeting Mar. 18 (includes updated district map)

Tri-Lakes FPD Board special meeting Mar. 24

The Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District (TLFPD) held a special meeting on March 24 to approve six inclusion petitions from the previously unprotected (and untaxed) area east of Highway 83 and south of County Line Road. Board member Gary Morgan was excused.

In the Nov. 2 election, residents voted against inclusion in the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) despite the district having provided free fire service for about 30 years. Several years before the November election, these residents voted against being included by TLFPD. Since the first no vote, several subdivisions have been added.

Residents and property owners in the 13-square-mile voting area were notified by DWFPD in February that their free fire service would be terminated April 1; some are now petitioning TLFPD for inclusion. The majority of the petitioners live within five road miles of the replacement Roller Coaster Road station that is to be built beginning in late April or early May.

Areas that received approval at one of two required petition hearings included:

The Board of Director’s Resolution had proposed the inclusion of all lots located within Walden III, Filing 5. However, the legal description of the property to be included within the District must be modified to expressly exclude lot 43, Walden III, Filing 5. This amended description of the inclusion area must be listed in the documentation submitted to the district court for final approval. It was also unanimously approved if the residence on lot 43 is sold, the district will notify the new owner of the lot’s status and offer to accept a petition for inclusion.

In other matters, the board authorized a new formal class A dress uniform that costs $440, including hat and gloves. This price was the low bid of three uniform companies. Treasurer John Hildebrandt proposed that excess revenue, above the amount estimated in the 2004 budget, from ambulance fees be used to partially or fully reimburse the full-time firefighters for their uniform purchase. The amount of reimbursement will depend on the amount of excess ambulance revenue, which will not be known until December. This is to partially compensate for the recent board decision to eliminate the fixed annual uniform expense account each full-time firefighter had previously been authorized. The proposal passed unanimously.

In public comments, OCN requested and received a draft copy of a letter that was noted in the minutes of the special board meeting held on Feb. 26. In those minutes, there is a reference to a letter of support for Woodmoor-Monument Firefighters Union Local 4319 from the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District Board of Directors that was approved but not made public.

The letter points to an effort by the TLFPD board to affect the outcome of the proposed merger of Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD), Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, and Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department. The slate of candidates endorsed by Local 4319—Bob Hansen, Rod Wilson, and Jeremy Diggins—all advocate inclusion by TLFPD of W/MFPD, rather than the three-way merger. The text of that letter, which was signed and approved by TLFPD and Local 4319 before the announcement of the merger, is:

"The Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District Board of Directors supports the objectives of the Woodmoor-Monument Firefighters Union Local 4319, specifically that inclusion of the Woodmoor-Monument Fire Protection District into the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District could result in better fire protection and emergency medical service to the citizens of both districts while providing significant savings to the tax-paying residents and business owners of the Woodmoor-Monument Fire Protection District.

Election of a Board of Directors oriented to the best interests of the Woodmoor-Monument citizens will be a positive step in achieving these objectives."

Woodmoor/Monument FPD Board meeting Mar. 22

The Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District (W/MFPD) Board held its regular meeting on March 22, with all members present. Also in attendance were Rod Wilson and Jeremy Diggins, candidates for the board in the special district election to be held on May 4 at the station, located at 1855 Woodmoor Dr. George Reese, a candidate for trustee of the Palmer Lake Town Council, also attended.

Chief Dave Youtsey noted that the cost of administering written tests on Feb. 21 to 41 applicants for a future firefighter position was $246.75, but was offset by applicant payments totaling $245. The treasurer’s report was accepted unanimously.

Of the 15 applicants selected to take the physical agility test for the firefighter position, nine passed. Each of the top five was interviewed, then placed on the list of potential hires. Replacements will come from this list for two W/MFPD firefighters, Steve Garcia and Rick McNew, who have resigned to accept positions with the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD).

Bids on the 1997 Tahoe, formerly Youtsey’s vehicle, have been solicited in three local newspapers, with a deadline of March 30. No bids had been received as of the meeting. One bid has been received since then.

Three applicants have responded to ads soliciting volunteer firefighters. Two of these live in the Woodmoor/Monument district. Board members agreed that they would prefer, if possible, not to encourage volunteer firefighters who are currently working for other districts or departments to leave for positions with W/MFPD. Treasurer Russ Broshous will help in interviewing these three volunteer candidates.

The board has been working on improving the manner in which benefits are presented to employees. Members reviewed the paperwork that describes the city employees’ menu-style benefits package that members of CSFD are eligible for. Secretary Bob Harvey, a CSFD captain, noted that the size of the city’s employee force helps achieve savings, and that the large number of choices offered reflects the wide variety of family situations of employees nationwide and the fact that spouses often have their own benefits. He added that only a few of the many options are typically selected, however, and a package that only listed this smaller number of options would be easier to read and analyze in the future. Youtsey said there needs to be 50 or 250 employees to get the discounts people expect from a group plan. The discount for over 50 employees is only possible through a merger, since W/MFPD has but 14 employees. Youtsey will work on preparing a simpler district package that emphasizes only the options that would be most likely to be used if a consolidated district were to be formed that meets the 50-employee threshold.

The activity report on the new American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance from Feb. 20 to March 17 was 36 total responses with 17 transports. Within the district, the statistics were 32 calls with 15 transports. The other four calls and two transports were for emergencies outside the district. The AMR ambulance goes out on every call, and the AMR ambulance at Donald Wescott Fire Protection District on Gleneagle Drive serves as the primary backup if a medical call within W/MFPD occurs while their equipment is away from the station on another incident. Harvey noted that AMR’s ambulance will become increasingly active with growth in the area and an older population than Colorado Springs, and that the ambulance is providing the level of service that has been the district’s long-term goal for some time. Broshous added that there are two paramedics on every call now, one on the engine and one on the ambulance.

There were 39 district dispatches in the month of February, bringing the 2004 total to 89. There were 4 structure fires, 27 medical calls, 7 traffic accidents, and 1 public assist. Medical responses resulting from these 39 calls were: 7 advanced life support, 8 basic life support, and 19 ambulance transports.

Arrangements have been made to publish a monthly article on fire safety in the Woodmoor Monthly newsletter and also in the Woodmoor Improvement Association newsletter. The articles will be offered to the town of Monument for possible inclusion in their newsletter as well.

Inspection forms have been edited to include a definition of combustibles and to add words that offer business inspections at the request of owners.

There were two North Group automatic aid calls at the same property near Thompson Road and Filly Road on March 16 and 17. The property is in rangeland that is not part of any fire protection district. Youtsey expressed concern about his fire equipment being eight miles away from the district; had there been a substantial emergency within the district—resulting in a slower response time—there might have been legal ramifications for a slower response to district taxpayers. The first fire, a wildland fire, was the responsibility of the county’s wildland team, but their response time would likely have been over half an hour, so North Group units responded first. The second incident was reported as an explosion in a house (structure fire) on the same property, and W/MFPD’s pumper was the first engine on the scene. This type of fire, a reported structure fire, is not the responsibility of any county fire agency and is served on a purely voluntary basis by North Group.

Also at issue is compensation to the district for this assistance. Board member Tom Conroy noted that although it costs about $1,000 for each call made by the district, the North Group billing standard is only $167 per hour for the engine plus the cost of the firefighters’ salaries while fighting the fire—hardly enough to cover the direct expenses, even if insurance companies agree to pay. Most often, these type properties are uninsured and owners typically refuse to pay the bill. Fire districts often write off the expense rather than file a lien against the unprotected and uninsured owner’s property.

The board agreed to ask North Group to review procedures for calls to unprotected territory and to limit the amount of equipment that is sent. Also, they will propose that only the first engine goes with the lights and sirens on; all others will go with traffic with the lights and sirens off. There was little enthusiasm for putting a lien on the property of the owner who refuses to pay for the fire service rendered. Youtsey observed that the chiefs of Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) and Black Forest Fire District (BFFD) would prefer not to respond to these out-of-district fires because the people in this area voted against inclusion by these districts and clearly do not want to pay taxes for fire service.

Diggins explained his role in helping defeat the DWFPD inclusion ballot issue, which resulted in TLFPD including his home and others in a 13-square-mile area in its service area. While not a resident of W/MFPD, he is seeking election to its board as a Monument business owner. He said his group voted against DWFPD inclusion because the Gleneagle station was too far away. DWFPD had money in the 2004 budget to build a station within that area, which would have been closer than the TLFPD Roller Coaster station that will now service Diggins and the others. That distance may negatively affect insurance rates for those residents. DWFPD also planned to have the citizens of that area help decide where to build their new station.

Harvey recommended that only one engine respond to unprotected land and any other vehicles respond in a "tiered" non-emergency manner; this was approved unanimously. Browning asked Youtsey to coordinate this change through the North Group.

The board unanimously approved the funds to pay for the fees and training costs for two election judges for the May 4 election. Mileage and standard county stipends will be provided for the judges to attend training in Security.

Browning briefly discussed progress made since the joint board meeting with DWFPD on March 10. The chiefs from W/MFPD, DWFPD, and Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD) are meeting weekly. Sheldon has met with the firefighters from all three organizations and explained how the integration of their separate operations will proceed over the rest of 2004. Browning said the remaining obstacles to complete a subsequent merger of the new consolidated district with TLFPD are the construction of the Roller Coaster station and the $1.8 million debt of TLFPD—which will only increase if they build another station in Jackson Creek, a mile from the DWFPD Gleneagle station and also purchase a pumper and tender for each of these two stations.

The meeting then transitioned into executive session regarding personnel issues. No announcements were made after the executive session.

Following the general meeting, OCN asked W/MFPD board candidates Wilson and Diggins if they had any comments on the meeting in general or the progress reported regarding the merger. Wilson said he was "just a concerned citizen." Diggins had no comment. When asked if they opposed the merger with DWFPD and PLVFD, they again refused to comment. When asked if they would actively fight the merger if elected and attempt to have W/MFPD be included as part of TLFPD, Wilson—who is a volunteer firefighter in TLFPD—again refused to answer and walked away. Diggins initially refused comment, but later said he was generally in favor of merger but did not know enough specifics about the proposal to make a decision.

Lewis-Palmer School Board meeting Mar. 18

Ted Bauman, Benny Nasser, and Jeff Ferguson presented the board with a framed display of the George Washington Honor Award from this year’s Freedoms Foundation National Awards Program. This award was given to District 38 in recognition of the district’s efforts, in partnership with Monument Hill Sertoma, to instill in students an understanding and appreciation of responsible citizenship and patriotism.

After hearing a report from Ted Belteau, executive director of Student Services, the board decided that Creekside and Lewis-Palmer Middle Schools and L-P High School will be closed to open enrollment of out-of-district students for the 2004-05 school year. The limitations do not affect children of District 38 employees. Out-of-district student enrollment requests for the five elementary schools will be accepted and are subject to principal approval.

The board received preliminary information regarding development of the 2004-05 school district budget. The first budget workshop will be April 8. School funding promises to be particularly rancorous this year, as members of the state General Assembly battle over a tax revenue shortfall and conflicts presented by the Taxpayers Bill of Rights and Amendment 23. Rep. Keith King (R-Colorado Springs) has presented a bill that proposes to fund pupil count at the same percentage that students attend school. High school students, for example, often are not in class for the entire day as they near graduation, choosing to work part time or take classes at the college level. This funding plan ignores the fact that teachers are usually hired to teach full time. "This is a proposal which picks the pockets of schools in order to take care of the state deficit," stated Superintendent Dave Dilley.

The board was informed of the process being used to select a new high school athletic director to replace Ken Emry, who is retiring. Dr. Jacobus reported that he received 34 applications from several excellent candidates. Growing enrollment is expected to move Lewis-Palmer into the 5A category next year, putting it at the highest level of state high school competition. The board also approved Dilley’s recommendations for administrator contract extensions for 2004-05. It was announced that Dan Lere, director of Human Resources, has been selected as the new superintendent for Pueblo District 70.

Donald Wescott Fire Protection District is no longer covering property east of Highway 83. After meeting with the chiefs of the local fire districts, Director of Transportation Hal Garland recommended, and the board approved, inclusion of Kilmer Elementary School and the 69 acres of property owned by District 38 at Highway 83 and Walker Road into the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District.

Dr. Pete Heinz reported on the March District Advisory and Accountability Committee (DAAC) meeting, noting that the site visit at L-P Middle School showed impressively that the school is moving forward with a good plan. The next DAAC meeting will be held on April 6 at the district administration building.

Grace Best Elementary School fifth grade students performed the short play "The Ordinary Princess" for the board. Middle school forensics students also presented selections: Creekside student Deanna Thirkell performed "The Tribunal," and L-P students Alex Magerko, Olivia Prosseda, Dana Bomgaars, and Kelsey Shingledecker performed "Murder Most Fowl."

The next regular meeting of the Board of Education will be April 21 at 7 p.m. at the district administration building.

Lewis-Palmer High School - Dealing with Growth

Several items on the agenda of the March 18 District 38 Board of Education meeting were in preparation for holding discussions and meetings concerning how the district can most effectively deal with overcrowding at the high school.

The board approved a contract with Strategic Resources West, Inc. to update the District Growth Plan and to have this information no later than May 20. SRW has provided growth projection information for D-38 in the past; the last update of the growth plan was in 1999.

They also approved two contracts with Muegge & Associates, Inc. The first agreement is to provide an update to the 2002 land appraisal of the 34 acres of vacant land southeast of Higby and Struthers Roads. This land, south of the high school, may be needed for an expansion of the current high school campus, either for buildings or for playing fields. The district is also examining, through legal records, how much additional land is owed to the school district by Jackson Creek Development Company.

A second contract with M&A is for an updated appraisal of the approximately 69 acres of land the school district owns at the southeast corner of the intersection of Highways 83 and 105. This land was purchased by the school district in 1995, which is the last time it was appraised.

In addition to these two parcels, the district continues to look for other possible alternatives. "We are looking at a variety of land options and facility configurations," said Superintendent Dave Dilley.

In explaining how the process will be handled, Board President Jes Raintree stated, "This is a highly emotional subject. It is important to have discussions that are productive." She went on to say that the board plans to have three community meetings before the end of this school year. Information will be available on the district’s Web site (www.lewispalmer.org) and in newsletters. Patrons can add their names to a list to receive automatic updates and announcements by e-mail. Board members may also be contacted by e-mail or telephone.

Decisions will be based on "The High School Experience Statement of Values," which was collected from input and suggestions in a series of 34 community meetings held two years ago. The document states, "We must teach today’s generation what they need for tomorrow, not what our generation needed for yesterday," and lists the following seven values:

1. High expectations of academic success for all students.

2. Course offerings and academic opportunities that prepare our graduates to compete in their worlds.

3. Curriculum that incorporates community resources to enhance the classroom experience, giving our graduates relevant experiences to assist them in school and career choices.

4. A school culture in which our students make personal connections and experience a personalized learning community.

5. A safe environment for our students.

6. Safety nets and programs for our students who might otherwise slip through the cracks.

7. Extracurricular opportunities that engage all our students.

Snapshots from the annual chamber dinner and silent auction

Letters to Our Community

When he wrote The Mouse That Roared, Leonard Wibberley could hardly have envisioned a reallife mouse capable of so loud a roar as the Preble’s mighty meadow jumping mouse of El Paso County, Colorado. How grown, educated adults can spend endless time and energy, not to mention taxpayer’s money, debating the care and upkeep of a pesky rodent, simply because it can jump 18 inches in the air and—watch out!—actually switch direction in the process, is stupefying beyond belief. One wonders how this world ever succeeded for so long in creating and sustaining plant and animal species in balanced harmony without the "helping" interventions of wellmeaning but misguided and apparently underchallenged environmentalists and animal rights activists. Enough already!

What is really at issue here, of course, is "turf"—selfinterest above public interest; preservation of the status quo and bureaucracy at the expense of rational progress, territorial protectionism and control in perpetuity. I would venture that few indeed really give a rat’s -- about a mouse’s survival! From distant creation to today, we’ve worked hard to stamp out the pesky creatures, and I would guess we’ll continue to do so in the future, irrespective of mouse genus or species, or how high or how far it can jump. And should we win the war by bringing the mouse to extinction, most of us will celebrate in triumph.

In the meantime, to those who wave the banner for the poor defenseless rodent of El Paso County, as if it has no other place to go or means of survival, get a life! If mice are capable of anything, it’s survival! All the folderol and fuss you are making about the Preble’s is little more than another instance of a mountain going into labor and bringing forth—what else—a mouse! Have the bureaucrats—including those in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—nothing more urgent to do? Giving us back the fishing lakes you drained last year might be a worthwhile place to start!

Wm. R. Lamdin’s letter (OCN, March 6, 2004) regarding his traffic tickets was certainly interesting. It appears that he believes that laws he disagrees with shouldn’t apply to him. This reasoning could be expanded to folks arrested for having marijuana—after all, many people believe that it should not be illegal and that they should not be prosecuted for using or selling it. I think the double yellow line rule was exactly what makers had in mind. Mr. Landin’s interpretation of "perfectly safe" may not be the same as the person who may have turned into his path from a side road. The pedestrian or cyclist who may have been entering the intersection Mr. Landin rolled through may have interpreted the STOP sign differently.

If each citizen were allowed to interpret the laws to suit themselves, there would be no rule of law or man. There are a number of laws and rules I don’t agree with, but I take responsibility if I get caught breaking them. None of us, including this man, are "above the law." If you "do the crime," then "do the time." Get real.

Diane Wilson

1. Clean up. General cleanup in your lawn and gardens will help prevent molds from spreading and unwanted insects from infesting your living areas. Rake lawns vigorously and help aerate areas where snow may have been sitting longer over the winter. Gently rake or sweep leaves and debris away from tender plant shoots and around perennials in the garden areas to help promote strong growth at the base of the plants. Next time you change seed in the bird feeders, clean them using a stiff brush and a mild solution of one part vinegar and four parts water. Get your bird houses ready for spring by removing the old nest and debris and cleaning with the same solution.

2. Amend soil. Now is a great time to add organic matter to the top four or five inches in your garden. Good soil should clump a bit in your hand. If your soil is a hard clay, help plants breathe by adding a good composted material such as EKO Clay Buster and a little sand to the soil. If your garden is sandy, moisture needs to be retained, so use a soil amendment such as EKO compost and other organic matter to give it body.

3. Clip and trim. The basic rule in pruning shrubs in the spring is: If you get a springtime flower on it, trim it within a couple of weeks after the flower is gone. Don’t trim your forsythia, lilacs, plums, almond, or any early flowering plants. If you left your perennials in the garden untrimmed throughout the winter, now is the time to remove the old stalks and seed heads and add them to your compost pile. Woody plants and most vines do not need trimming, but most other perennials can be trimmed about two inches from the ground.

4. Fertilize. A quick top dressing of time-release fertilizer such as Osmocote right now will make your perennials grow strong through the entire growing season. As the season progresses, use a water-soluble fertilizer that has a nitrogen level twice as high as phosphorous. Shrubs and trees can use a shot of granular fertilizer with an NPK ratio similar to that mentioned above, with the nitrogen level being about 15 to 19. Lawns also need a shot of a nitrogen-based fertilizer. Use organic fertilizers that contain dried poultry waste or chemical compounds. Either way, when you fertilize anything, be sure to water it in well.

5. Mulch. Mulches keep the moisture in the ground by reducing evaporation. They also keep weeds under control and make it easier to pull the odd weed that does happen to grow. We use a product called Soil Pep in our flower gardens. It is very fine in texture and resembles forest mulch. Larger areas can handle bigger pieces of mulch such as small, medium, and large cedar bark chips or shredded red cedar.

6. Check water system. Check your sprinkler heads and drip lines to assure you have correct direction and flow. Replace the battery in your timer, and reset the timer to your local watering restrictions. Make sure your hoses are in good shape, with no leaks. They should all have proper washers, and all nozzle attachments should have positive shutoff valves.

7. Organize tools. Check through your garden tools for rust and dull edges. Inspect the handles of shovels and rakes to make sure they are safe and not loose. Replace the gasoline in your trimmers and mowers to assure a good starting motor.

8. Get a plan. Gardens change as time goes on. Some get overgrown, some plants die off, and sometimes sun-to-shade ratios change. Walk the yard and plan your garden changes or discuss how you are going to improve your older gardens and change the landscape. Most jobs go much smoother and are less expensive if you have a plan and stick to it.

9. Visit your garden center. Find out what’s new and exciting. Talk to the staff and find out what plants are arriving. Browse through the seeds, pick up some fertilizer, or just stop in and say hello. Your garden center will be in the middle of changing displays, adding stock, and making sure you get the information you need to be a successful gardener.

10. Plant something. Pansies, nemesia, chives, and thyme are all hardy enough to stand 20 degrees. Trees and shrubs can be planted now as well as wildflower seed and grass seed. If nothing else, April is a time for getting into the garden spirit. Take something home and plant it today!

No doubt, some of your favorite books as a child sported the gold Newbery Award seal. For me, those seals didn’t have much personal import until I took a Children’s Lit class in college. Although it now seems a silly protest, I took an F on a test because I refused to memorize all the Newbery titles and years of publication. And believe me, there were far fewer titles then! Despite my unique memory of the Newbery Awards, I now look forward to each year’s winner and am not only a reader of each year’s selection, but a collector as well. John Newbery might be a bit surprised.

Newbery, an 18th-century children’s bookseller, was the originator of children’s books designed to give pleasure as well as instruction. He believed in and knew good writing and hired the best to create books for him. He also made the books attractive with Dutch floral paper and gilt edges. Historians give him credit for creating a body of work such that children’s books were taken seriously and thus became an important part of bookselling.

During the 1921 annual meeting of the American Library Association, Frederic G. Melcher proposed an award for the most distinguished children’s book published in the United States during the previous year. He suggested the award be named after John Newbery.

It is difficult to select highlights from the winners because, of course, each Newbery book is a highlight. The first award, in 1922, went to The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem van Loon, a world history book for grades 7-12. The book is still in print. In 1923 came the perennial favorite, The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle, by Hugh Lofting. From this book, still read today, we have seen two major motion pictures. Since that time, we have also seen a select list of some of the most wonderful children’s literature written.

Here are the four most recent winners, just in case you haven’t kept up!

2004 The Tale of Despereaux
being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup and a spool of thread
by Cate DiCamillo; Illustrated by Timothy Ering, $17.99

Ahhhhh, what a delightful book! Written for DiCamillo’s friend’s son who requested a story just for him, with an "unlikely hero who has exceptionally large ears." She does so admirably with her tale of a shamed mouse, Despereaux, Princess Pea whom he loves, an evil rat, illegal soup, and the necessary plot to make it all live. It goes without saying that the writing is wonderful, with charming (and not so) characters and with a sufficiently complex plot to engage children and adults alike. It is not a sweet book; there is both cruelty and insensitivity and lots of time in the dungeon. However, like many fairy tales, it has a satisfying and happy ending (for the good guys!). DiCamillo tells the tale directly to the reader, with her appealing and not overused, "dear reader" construct. I loved the soft, classic illustrations and the nice graphic design of the book. I believe it would be an excellent read-aloud book for everyone in the family. (Ages 9-12)

2003 Crispin: The Cross of Lead
by Avi, $6.99

With Avi’s 50th book, this prolific, genre-jumping author wins the Newbery. You already may know his work from the very popular True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle and others. With Crispin, you are treated to a wild, action-packed adventure in 14th-century England. Crispin has been accused of a crime he didn’t commit and is fair game to be killed for a reward. There is more to this book than adventure (a lot of heart for one)—a compelling history of the times and a mystery as to who Crispin really is and what his name actually means to his past and future. (Ages 8-12)

2002 The Single Shard
by Linda Sue Park, $6.99

Park’s inspiration for this book came from her research on two previous books about Korea. She was intrigued by the mention that 11th- and 12th-century Korean pottery was considered to be the most beautiful in the world. Her curiosity as to why this would be so led her to write the absorbing and moving The Single Shard. Tree-ear is a homeless orphan living under a bridge with his father figure Crane-man. He is attracted to a potter’s studio and, while snooping, accidentally breaks a pot. Having to pay for the pot gives Tree-ear the chance for a very different life, with both complicated new relationships and a special new skill. This is an atmospheric book, with enough history to anchor the time and enough adventure to keep those young readers reading. (Grades 5-8)

2001 A Year Down Yonder
by Richard Peck, $5.99

This comic novel is set during the Depression, and 15-year-old Mary Alice is forced to move from Chicago to rural Illinois in order to live with her eccentric grandmother in a town filled with characters—in the unconventional sense—such as an itinerant artist and a risqué postmistress. Peck is a spare writer with an excellent sense of comic timing, and as Mary Alice makes peace with her new life, there are many genuinely funny moments. Young readers are also given an appreciation for Depression times and the hardships that occurred. (Grades 5-8)

**********

It is a book-loving thrill to scan the Newbery Awards list from 1922 to 2004. Your favorites leap out, and you remember fondly the books you read yourself and those you read to or with your children. You recognize those that have become classics. Just look at the four books reviewed here: You experience a fairy tale, medieval England, 11th-century Korea, and a small Depression town in the United States. If John Newbery’s goal was to give pleasure as well as instruct, I would hope he would nod in approval at the award bearing his name.

For further information, including specific criteria for the award, see www.ala.org.

From left to right: Bill Nance, past president; Donna Bertram; Marilyn Maffet, president, Gleneagle Sertoma Club.
Photo provided by the Gleneagle Sertoma Club

The Service to Mankind Award is the highest honor Sertomans can bestow on a non-­Sertoma member. It is an award for select individuals who exemplify the highest standards of community service. Clubs from throughout the Sertoma International organization select the most deserving individuals in their respective communities.

The Gleneagle Sertoma Club has chosen Donna L. Bertram as the Sertoman of the Year for her long-term and continuing volunteer contributions. In her 28 years in the nursing, teaching, writing, and hospital management areas, Bertram has demonstrated a multifaceted, dedicated approach to "Service to Mankind," with a heavy volunteer schedule in Colorado Springs and nationally.

Bertram is chief operating officer and senior vice president for Centura Health/PenroseSt. Francis Health Services. She spends 16 to 20 hours per month on her volunteer activities, which are health care and community related. In addition, she is working on a doctoral degree in health services from the Kennedy Western University (online) and is expected to complete the degree in September.

The Lewis Palmer District 38 Board of Education received the George Washington Freedom medal from the Monument Hill Sertoma for its program supporting an understanding and appreciation of the benefits of a free society. Sertoma presented the award on behalf of the Freedoms Foundation in Valley Forge, Pa.

For more than 20 years, eighth graders at District 38 middle schools have written essays on "What Freedom Means to Me." Last year, more than 450 eighth grade students participated. This program is a team teaching effort between English and history instructors at the middle schools. The submitted essays are then read and judged by a Monument Hill Sertoma committee, and first-, second-, and third- place winners from each school are selected. The winning essays are read at a breakfast meeting with parents, teachers, principals, and members of Monument Hill Sertoma. Each winner is presented with a plaque and savings bond. The three first-place winners attend a combined district Sertoma banquet that honors students from 33 Colorado Springs and Pueblo middle schools during Freedom Week in February.

Five years ago, Monument Hill Sertoma, in cooperation with the Immigration and Naturalization Service, further expanded the program. Once or twice a year, the students who authored winning essays become part of a naturalization ceremony in Denver. They read their essays on "What Freedom Means to Me" and pass out copies of the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence to the new citizens. In 2003, a student in the Lewis Palmer school district was invited to sing the national anthem and "America the Beautiful" at the ceremonies.

View photos of the Freedom Award and presentation

Reflections: The Male Vocabulary

If 13 years of marriage has taught me anything, it’s this: Men and women don’t communicate very well. Shocker, I know! My wife actually set the TV on fire once to get my attention. Well, she didn’t get that far, but the carpet still smells of gasoline. It isn’t necessarily my inability to pay attention that is the problem; it’s really my limited vocabulary.

Did you feel that? It was the collective eye-roll of women out there voicing their disagreement. It’s true, though. Have you ever heard the saying "Can’t see the forest for the trees?" That’s the way I feel about words. The stream of words that, at times, propels toward me faster than the speed of light only provokes one thing in me: confusion. Have you ever asked someone for their phone number and that person tosses seven digits at you so fast you might as well go ahead and calculate pi to the 27th decimal place using only your fingers? Well, that’s the way I feel when caught up in any lengthy conversation. I think Einstein had it right too: Lengthy conversation is relative. I mean, he did determine that time speeds up or slows down depending on your point of view; I tell you, time does tend to slow down when I’m in a conversation that involves more than four words.

I wouldn’t blame my inability to hold a decent conversation just on my lack of vocabulary. Usually the phrase "We need to talk" translates into my imminent demise due to some misconduct on my part. That phrase initiates a thought process in me that is equal only to the stampede seen during the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. How can I be expected to carry on an intelligent conversation when I’m thinking of ways to get out of trouble? This poses additional problems when one considers that to find out about said trouble, one must listen. But thinking about how to get out of unstated trouble precludes any real attention to the conversation. Now maybe you understand why we men are always asking, "Is that water running somewhere? I better go check it out."

One day, my wife gazed at me with a perplexed look across her brow. She studied my vacuous face for a minute, then asked, "I wish you’d tell me what’s on your mind. Just once I wish you’d open up to me and tell me what’s going on up there inside of your head." Her question surprised me. I thought everyone knew that the only thing inside a man’s head was the low hum that resembles high voltage power lines. (Don’t quote me on this, but I’m sure this had been scientifically proven.)

Slowly, I came out of my trance-like state, saw my beautiful wife intensely staring at me, and like a man who has just awakened from a long sleep asked one of my more intelligent questions: "Huh?" Better than a grunt, I guess, but I’ll get to that in a minute. She asked me again what’s going on inside my head and proceeded to get mad when I answered, "Nothing." "You never tell me what you’re thinking," she said again. So, I said, "If you really want to know what I’m thinking, I’ll tell you." Her face lightened with relief, thinking that finally she would get inside and find out what that low hum is all about. "I’m wondering if I have any clean socks." It was her turn to mutter something untranslatable.

My five-year-old son and I sat at the kitchen table one Saturday afternoon eating lunch. The following is an entire conversation we had discussing whether or not he wanted a piece of my sandwich:

Me: grunt? (Pointing to sandwich.)
Him: grunt. (Shaking head.)
Me: grunt? (Are you sure, it’s good, I made it myself?)
Him: grunt. (Shaking head.)
Me: grunt. (Okay.)
Him: grunt. (Thanks anyway.)

An entire conversation with no words, and it was perfectly clear to each what the other needed and wanted.

And what kind of question is "Are you listening to me?" Now seriously, what woman truly wants an answer to that question? That falls in the same category as "Does this dress make me look fat?" or "Sometimes I feel like crying," which my six-year-old daughter actually said to me one afternoon. Is that water running somewhere? I better go check it out.

Reflections: It Ain’t Yo Mama’s Saks

It ain’t yo Mama’s Saks Fifth Avenue anymore. At least, not by the look of a recent catalog.

We’ve encouraged our oldest daughter, a recent college grad, to establish some credit—not to really USE mind you, just to HAVE. Along with a regular credit card, her Dad suggested finding a department store she liked as a place to begin. I noticed her Saks card one day and felt a fleeting surprise at her choice. Cost of the average item notwithstanding, I was thinking fashions for me, her mother, perhaps, not for her. After all, I used to go shopping there.

My aunt, a nearly five-foot-tall woman of impeccable fashion sense with a wardrobe of hats and matching colored gloves, used to take me to Saks Fifth Avenue. I would be perched at her side as she pulled out of the garage in her gigantic Cadillac, barely able to see over the steering wheel. I would smooth my current Aunt Kathryn-dress in anticipation of getting a new one from Saks. It was an occasion filled with dignity and glamour … and I was instructed to whisper.

I’m no naïf when it comes to retail change. After all, I know that Abercrombie and Fitch, the hip clothing retailer, is no longer a stodgy supplier of outdoor gear for old guys. In fact, it can, on occasion, be a purveyor of soft porn, as witness the brouhaha over one of last year’s catalogs.

But when did Saks become the darling of the twenty-something, young working woman? Just flipping through the pages of the newest mailing made me certain that Saks was not for me and that my Aunt Kathryn would no longer have been a client. Expensive, hip-to-the-hop clothes—such as a short-sleeved, gray hoodie for $155 or the cute little double-ruffled, top-of-the-thigh skimming chiffon skirt for $165—fill the pages. Now I know you can add, but note that’s $320 for the ensemble (not including a $60 requisite plain tank top). And so I wondered, who are these "new" customers? My daughter wondered, too.

She admitted to getting the Saks card because in wandering through the store one day, they offered her an additional 15 percent off a sale pair of clogs. As we talked, she wondered about the entire idea of credit. "Having" credit, but not "using" credit (because you have to be responsible), so it would be there when you need it for that car or house. Hmmmm...

Our daughter has a pretty decent job for a brand new grad, and not being able to afford a single thing in the recent Saks offering made us think. Who could afford a nifty $320 casual outfit? (Why they would want to purchase it is another debate altogether.) We decided, after excluding possible trust-funders or those with suckers for parents, absolutely no one. Not unless...

Not unless you go into debt. Lots of debt. I took the catalog and our theory to a friend. My opening question as to who could afford these clothes was cut off mid-sentence. "Young working women with lots of retail debt," she answered. "One of my young co-workers leaves her credit card bills for everyone to see, and she has a continuing running balance of over $5,000!" Gulp.

It’s no crime for those credit card companies to be sitting out on the quads of college campuses, hawking to every 18-year-old college freshman free T-shirts with credit cards attached. But it could be criminal. It’s such a tease to have a credit card, because we all know that it "doesn’t cost anything when you swipe it." Those cards at 18 may lead to five-grand balances at Saks or Abercrombie and a young life saddled with debt—credit used but not owned.

Geez Louise, we now have to add MasterCard warnings to our already long list of cautionary tales for our pre-adult children. Life was sure simpler when all I had to think about was whether I wanted a pink or lavender party dress from Saks.

The Society Page: Society and the Colorado Women of Consequence

By Leon Tenney

Jeanne Varnell spoke to the Palmer Lake Historical Society on March 18 and told us of the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame that is celebrating its 20^th year. She also told us of growing up here in the Tri-Lakes area—in the house with the white picket fence just across from the Monument Town Hall.

From her book’s story of the lives of 59 Colorado women spanning two centuries, Varnell chose several to talk about. She told us of women who were prime ministers, Miss Americas, legislators, and congresswomen. Some of these women are in the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

One of these was Frances Wisebart Jacobs, who became known as the Florence Nightingale of Denver’s tuberculosis camps. Medical knowledge of the time encouraged people to move to arid climates to treat the symptoms of TB. Frequently, these people spent all their money just to get to Denver and then wound up in squalid camps living off the charity of the community. Jacobs helped organize the local charities into a comprehensive system of relief for these folks, and she helped organize one annual charity drive to collect money. Among her many other activities, she started the first free kindergarten.

Next, Varnell turned to Dr. Florence Rena Sabin, who was regarded in her time as the world’s foremost woman scientist. Sabin had an unusual childhood, spending time in many locations without her mother’s guiding hand. She eventually graduated from Smith College and was one of the first women in the new doctor’s school at Johns Hopkins University. She did much work on stem cells and ended up at the Rockefeller Research Center. She retired at age 68 and returned to Colorado, but her contributions to public health were not over. She helped revise the state’s health laws that had not been updated since Colorado became a state in 1876. Her accomplishments were so many and large that there is a statue of her in the nation’s capital—the only Coloradoan to receive such an honor.

Varnell could not help mentioning Patricia Scott Schroeder, who became a congresswomen in the wake of the Vietnam War in the early 1970s. Among her many accomplishments was to help start the Women’s Caucus. She became known as the dean of women in Congress.

Finally, Varnell told us of the local women who had made significant contributions to Colorado life. Isabella Bird was one of the first women to travel extensively in Colorado, writing her book Life in the Rocky Mountains, in which Palmer Lake was described. Helen Fiske Hunt Jackson wrote the novel Ramona that dramatized the plight of the American Indian. Frances McConnell Mills was a pioneer toxicologist and forensic pathologist. Varnell told us of her own ancestry and growing up in Monument. In addition to all their famous doings, most of these women had it all when they got married and raised many children.

Naturally, not all these lives can be described in one short article. Those of you who want the facts should read Jeanne Varnell’s book Colorado Women of Consequence.

Next month, the society will hear from an expert pioneer, Robert Connerly.

Special Events and Notices

Trained AARP volunteers will be available every Monday and Thursday until April 15 from noon to 3 p.m. to answer questions and to assist filers in completing their federal and state income tax returns. On Mondays, they will be at the Monument Town Hall; on Thursdays they will be at Tri-Lakes Cares’ new location near the Presbyterian Church in Monument. Volunteers will assist taxpayers in claiming any Earned Income Credit, Child Tax Credit, and/or Education Credits the taxpayer might be entitled to and in preparing the following forms: Schedules A, B, C-EZ, EIC, D, R, and SE, as well as forms 2441, 8812, and 8863. Taxpayers with more complicated returns should seek the advice of a paid professional. Filers are asked to bring their W-2s, 1099s, and other materials needed to complete their 2003 return, plus a copy of their 2002 tax return. For more information, call Jim Taylor at 488-1317.

A committee to explore the feasibility of incorporating Black Forest and to examine methods of avoiding potential annexation of portions of unincorporated Black Forest by any city has been formed under the umbrella of the Black Forest Community Club (BFCC).

The committee has been charged with gathering information as it pertains to these matters and will present current information on April 8 at the regularly scheduled meeting of the BFCC. This meeting will be for the purpose of explaining the mission of the committee, describing the methodology to be used to develop the information, and soliciting volunteers interested in serving on any of the subcommittees. The committee is looking for volunteers with experience in numerous areas. Black Forest residents interested in serving on a committee are encouraged to attend this meeting.

Information is available at www.blackforest-co.com/bfcc/.

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

The Tri-Lakes Women’s Club is sponsoring the 28th Annual Pine Forest Antiques Show and Sale on April 17, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and April 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is held at Lewis-Palmer High School in Monument, located off I-25, exit 158 or 161. All proceeds benefit community schools and services. Tickets are $5 for adults (13 and over). Visit www.tlwc.net for more information. Interested dealers can contact Minch Antique Show Management, LLC, 204 North Link Lane, #1, Fort Collins, Colorado 80524, (970) 484-1242.

County Planning head Carl Schueler announced that the Wal-Mart project proposed for Baptist Road has been tentatively scheduled to be heard by the County Planning Commission on April 27, 9 a.m., at 27 E. Vermijo, Colorado Springs. For more information, contact John Heiser at 488-9031.

Antelope Trails Elementary School will observe Cinco de Mayo with a school-wide celebration on May 5. Led by the school’s Spanish teacher, Maria Claflin, and music teacher, Deanie Allen, this annual event is the culmination of a Spanish unit that incorporates history, art, music, Spanish, PE, and technology. Students from every grade level will perform traditional Spanish songs and dances. The students will perform at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on May 5. Following the performances, students will visit Antelope Trails’ version of a Mexican marketplace, where they can sample traditional Mexican fare such as tamales, sopaipillas, and salsa. Antelope Trails is located at 15280 Jessie Drive in Gleneagle. For more information, call Deanie Allen or Maria Claflin at Antelope Trails at 234-4100.

After launching a highly successful art show last year, TriLakes Views is back with another event. TriLakes Views 2004 is a juried art show that will be on display throughout the month of June in the TriLakes Center for the Arts (the historic Kaiser Frazer building in Palmer Lake).

This year’s show will feature artists from all art media and again have a special place for juniors. Scholarships have been set aside to offset the student’s entry fees. Cash prizes will go to winners in Best of Show, Best Painting, Best Photography, Best ThreeDimensional Art, and Judges Awards in Adult and Junior Divisions.

Applications for entries are now being accepted; the deadline is May 15. For further information on how to submit art for the show or to purchase tickets to the gala opening, contact Sandra Kinchen at 4810475, or visit the Web site at www.trilakesviews.org.

Tours of award-winning, colorful private gardens that use water wisely are planned in three Front Range cities June 19 and 20, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sponsored by Colorado Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. and Colorado WaterWise Council, the tours will demonstrate water conservation principles in the home landscape. Six private gardens in Colorado Springs, Denver, and Boulder will offer ideas to help your own garden and landscape survive Colorado’s drought. Hostesses and expert gardeners will be on hand at each stop to answer questions and to describe Xeriscape principles and ideas. Plants will be labeled, and, in many cases, the homeowners will be on hand to answer questions. Xeriscape resource guides and garden information sheets will be available at each tour garden.

Tickets are $15 per city and are a tax-deductible contribution to Colorado Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. Each ticket is a map to all six gardens for that city’s tour.

Visit the official Web site for the Xeriscape Garden Tours (www.coloradogardenclubs.org) for up-to-date information and tour garden photos (as soon as they become available). For information, call Doris Duckworth, 481-4608.

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