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Download our March 6, 2010 issue

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Below: During the Palmer Lake Town Council meeting Jan. 14, Jack and Ginger Frank (Far right), representing Modern Woodmen of America (MWA), present a $5,590 check to the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department. The check is a matching grant the MWA funded as part of the fire department’s Chili Supper fundraiser held Nov. 28. Proceeds from the fundraiser are used to maintain the Palmer Lake Star. Photo by David Futey. See article below for coverage of the meeting.

The Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) held its annual meeting Jan. 25, following a few months of controversy between incumbent and challenging candidates.

President George McFadden presided at the meeting. After reviewing the protocols involved in the election, including involvement of the League of Women Voters for counting the ballots and the use of a post office box for receipt of proxies, the balloting was opened. There was brief confusion over the procedure of voting on site, as no blank ballots were immediately available.

Seven candidates were listed, one of whom had withdrawn too recently for his name to be removed from the ballot. Each spoke briefly on his goals as a board member. No nominations were offered from the floor

Incumbent candidates Bill Brendemuhl, Gary Marner, and George Labesky said that they were content with the current operations of the board. Efforts had been made to bring the association’s legal documents in line with state requirements. The Barn (the association’s public gathering building and the site of its offices) had been substantially renovated due to mold problems and was now available for use free of charge by members, a new trail had been constructed in a common area known as the Marsh, and several community festivals had been held.

In addition, a new group called the Woodmoor Business Group had been formed to promote business within the community. Accounting practices had also been improved.

The challenging candidates, Jim Hale, Paul Lambert, and Nick Oakley, said that they objected to the adversarial tone of board meetings, projects such as the trail without community input, the expenditure of association funds on social events, reduction of benefits for association employees, and discontinuance of association involvement with the state’s Firewise program. The Firewise program had provided many grants to the Woodmoor community in the past.

Results of the election, made available later in the week, showed that Hale, Oakley, and Lambert were elected. The results are as follows:

H.L. (Nick) Oakley 657
Jim Hale 648
Paul Lambert 656
Bill Brendemuhl 466
Gary Marner 437
George Labesky 364
Ed Miller 90

Miller withdrew from the race a few weeks prior to the meeting, but his name appeared on the ballot.

Following an organizational meeting later in the week, the board for the coming year is as follows:

President – Chuck Maher
Vice President – Jim Hale
Secretary – Jim Wilson
Treasurer – Nick Oakley
Architectural Control – Anne Stevens-Gountanis
Common Areas – Jim Hale
Covenant Control – Nick Oakley
Forestry – Chuck Maher
Public Safety – Paul Lambert
Director at Large – George McFadden
Director at Large – Mari Rollins
Director at Large – Larry Goad

Full article...

Below: Map from the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District’s Web site, www.woodmoorwater.com. 

At the Jan. 20 regular monthly meeting of the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority (PPRWA), several members expressed disappointment that on Dec. 30, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District filed with the water court seeking a decree for exchange rights on Fountain Creek and the Arkansas River. (See map above.)

The members of the PPRWA are the Cherokee Metropolitan District, the City of Fountain, the Donala Water and Sanitation District, the Town of Monument, the Town of Palmer Lake, the Woodmen Hills Metropolitan District, and the Woodmoor district.

According to articles in the Pueblo Chieftain, Woodmoor is seeking the exchange decree for water it is hoping to purchase from the Highline and Holbrook canals, which primarily serve farmers in Otero County.

Among those opposing the Woodmoor district’s water court filing are the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District and the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District.

Some PPRWA members noted that the actions by the Woodmoor district have complicated the PPRWA’s negotiations with the Super Ditch Co., which is planning to file for similar exchange rights and will now have lower priority. The Super Ditch Co. consists of the Bessemer Ditch, Highline Canal Co., Oxford Ditch, Catlin Canal, Otero Ditch, Holbrook Canal, and Fort Lyon Canal. The PPRWA is in negotiations with the Super Ditch Co. to lease about 2,000 acre-feet of water per year. An acre-foot is 326,851 gallons.

Another sore point was that the Woodmoor district recently sent a letter to entrepreneur Aaron Million expressing interest in being a potential customer for his proposed project to build a pipeline from the Green River in southwestern Wyoming east across Interstate 80 in northern Colorado to the Front Range. The Woodmoor district reportedly expressed interest in about 3,000 acre-feet of water per year from the pipeline.

According to documents Million submitted Jan. 20 to the Army Corps of Engineers, the El Paso County Water Authority is shown as a potential customer interested in 22,600 acre-feet per year, . The amounts of water reported for those shown on Million’s potential customer list total 379,100 acre-feet per year. Million has said he will have about 250,000 acre-feet available. The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation has said that in order to maintain adequate stream flow for fish, only 165,000 acre-feet are available .

Million is going head-to-head with the Colorado-Wyoming coalition of water providers headed by Frank Jaeger, manager of the Parker Water and Sanitation District. The coalition has proposed a similar project for bringing water from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir to the Rueter-Hess Reservoir, a 70,000 acre-foot facility being constructed three miles southwest of downtown Parker.

The Woodmoor district’s letter of support for Million has complicated the relationship between the PPRWA and Jaeger, who has invited the PPRWA to join his coalition.

Several PPRWA members expressed concern that the Woodmoor district took these actions without consulting the other members of the authority. That raised questions about the purpose and usefulness of the PPRWA in coordinating the actions of its members.

Jessie Shaffer, manager of the Woodmoor district, replied that the actions they have taken are in the best interest of the Woodmoor district and do not prevent participation in potential negotiations or projects with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) or the Super Ditch. He added, "We are still engaged."

Regarding the letter to Million, Shaffer said it is not a commitment and does not involve any money. It is merely a letter of interest. He said he would be willing to send the same letter to Jaeger; however, Jaeger wants $20,000 as an indication of commitment.

Kip Peterson, manager of the Cherokee district and president of the PPRWA, said the issue is that the other members of the PPRWA were not informed and so were caught off guard and had to do damage control. He asked, "How do we continue to do business when individual members are going in other directions? This is an organizational issue."

Larry Bishop, manager of the Woodmen Hills Metropolitan District, the newest member of the PPRWA, said the situation bothers him and makes him question whether the annual PPRWA dues is money well spent.

Dana Duthie, manager of the Donala district, asked what the point of the PPRWA is if the projects result in individual contracts. He cited the connections to CSU that involve contracts between CSU and the individual PPRWA members and the Super Ditch negotiations that look likely to result in contracts with the individual members.

Shaffer said a strength of the group is that it presents a united front and opens the door for individual members to negotiate contracts.

Curtis Mitchell, conservation and supply manager for the City of Fountain, agreed with Shaffer that the PPRWA’s stronger voice opened opportunities with the Super Ditch. He added that he was surprised by the Woodmoor District’s actions and has concerns when individual actions start to undermine the group effort.

Gary Barber, manager of the PPRWA, distributed a proposal under which the Green River/Flaming Gorge project plan would be negotiated using the existing basin roundtables, forwarded to the Interbasin Compact Committee for review and adjustment, and made into law by the Colorado Legislature. He noted that this parallels the way the Fountain Creek issues that stalled CSU’s Southern Delivery System were resolved through a task force approach and legislation that created the Fountain Creek Watershed District.

Barber said he plans to meet with Jaeger and that an additional meeting with the Super Ditch representatives is planned for Feb. 8.

Full article...

Below: The Upper Monument Creek Water Quality Management Association met on Jan. 27 in the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District conference room and approved Monument Sanitation District’s site application for two small lift stations that are to be installed on the southwest corner of Wakonda Hills by the Santa Fe Trail later this year. The lift stations will serve a small number of homes that cannot be served economically by gravity lines. (Clockwise from left): Jason Meyer, GMS, Inc.; Mike Poeckes, Donala Water and Sanitation District; Hope Winkler, Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District; Anthony Pastorello, Academy Water and Sanitation District; Randy Gillette, Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District; Bill Burks, Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility; Duane Hanson, Palmer Lake Sanitation District; Steve Sheffield, Triview Metropolitan District; Mike Wicklund, Monument Sanitation District; and Dave Frisch, GMS, Inc. Photo by Jim Kendrick

District Manager Mike Wicklund advised the Monument Sanitation District Board that frost buildup would force general contractor Brannan Construction Co. to take a winter break in late January from the ongoing expansion of the district’s Wakonda Hills sanitary sewer collection system. Brannan has concluded all the deepest excavation, down to 27 feet, for new manholes. Brannan will use smaller excavators for the shallower trenching that will resume in the spring.

Full article...

Below: Jan. 27, Donala board President Dennis Daugherty (L) congratulates Robert Hull for being named employee of the quarter. Photos by John Heiser.

At the Jan. 27 meeting of the Donala Water and Sanitation District Board of Directors, Dana Duthie, Donala’s general manager, reported on the community meetings held at the Gleneagle Golf Club on Jan. 13 and 14. (See photo and drawing.)

Duthie said a total of about 100 people attended the two meetings. He noted that the questionnaires submitted after the meetings were all supportive of the proposal to authorize up to $20 million in additional debt for infrastructure to connect to Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU). Most attendees who submitted questionnaires were also supportive of a property tax increase of up to 5 mills to pay off the additional debt.

At its Feb. 24 meeting, the board plans to make a decision on the exact wording of the debt measure and determine whether a property tax measure will be proposed to voters on the May 4 ballot.

Duthie added that a committee of volunteers called Water for the Future has been formed to advocate for the ballot measure or measures once approved by the board. State law prohibits use of district funds to advocate for ballot measures. Duthie said that following the Feb. 24 board decision, all related information, including prior monthly newsletters, will be removed from the district’s Web site www.donalawater.org. 

Board positions currently held by board President Dennis Daugherty, Dick Durham, and Tim Murphy are up for election May 4. Durham has announced his decision not to seek re-election. Daugherty is term-limited and cannot run for re-election.

Candidates must file a self-nomination and acceptance form with the district by Feb. 26 and be a resident of the district, own property in the district, be the spouse of someone who owns property in the district, or be obligated to pay taxes under a contract to purchase taxable property within the district. For more information, contact Jackie Sipes, the district’s designated election official, at 488-3603.

Full article...

Below: A.B. Tellez, owner of Rosie’s Diner with his family in Town Hall on Jan. 19 after receiving a plaque from the Monument Board of Trustees honoring him for his restaurant’s Thanksgiving dinner open house. He and his staff prepared and served free meals to over 100 Tri-Lakes area seniors. Photo by Jim Kendrick.

Below: Assistant Town Clerk Claudia Whitney describes leave donation plan of Monument’s town staff to raise money for the Red Cross to use for Haitian relief efforts at the Board of Trustees meeting on Jan. 19. The board authorized employees to donate up to four hours of leave pay, which could raise up to $5,000 in donations. Photo by Jim Kendrick.

On Jan. 4, the Monument Board of Trustees approved a proposal from Deputy Town Clerk Claudia Whitney to allow employees to voluntarily donate up to four hours of vacation time each as cash donations to the Red Cross for victims of the Haitian earthquake. Whitney noted that the town had done this for Hurricane Katrina victims. Town Manager Cathy Green said Whitney’s proposal could raise up to $5,000.

Police Chief Jacob Shirk announced that Monument will host Operation Overload, a large-scale police emergency training exercise, on June 14-18. The exercise will center on a response to an active shooter in a school, with a chemical spill. It will identify weaknesses and areas that can be improved by deliberately overloading the situation, Shirk said. All local police, fire and school districts, ambulance companies, and the county Sheriff’s Office will participate in the training portion of the exercise. The town’s Public Works Department will also be involved to handle the chemical spill.

Shirk said the exercise will require several hundred volunteers. About 120 to 150 volunteers will be "made up" to simulate severe injuries. In the past, the realistic makeup has caused some of the kids to faint from what they see and experience. Local reporters will be asked to participate in developing plans for handling media representatives trying to get into the perimeter. They will also portray intrusive reporters to help test public information officers and police.

Mayor Travis Easton presented a plaque to A.B. Tellez, the owner of Rosie’s Diner, for providing over 100 free Thanksgiving meals to seniors in his restaurant. The diner staff volunteered their time to prepare and serve these meals. Members of the board thanked Tellez for his generosity and hospitality in creating this event.

Full article...

Below: With members of the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department seated behind her, Shana Ball takes the oath of office for PLVFD fire chief position. Ball took the oath during the Palmer Lake Town Council’s January 14 meeting. Photo by David Futey.

Below: A bassoon quartet from the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony (CSYS) takes a bow after playing for the Palmer Lake Town Council and those in the audience at the council’s Jan. 14 meeting. At the meeting, Mayor John Cressman read a proclamation that recognized the 30th season of the CSYS. Photo by David Futey.

The Palmer Lake Town Council approved the appointment of Shana Ball as fire chief at the Jan. 14 meeting. Town Clerk Della Gray administered oath of office. Chief Ball presented a plaque to Dan Reynolds in recognition of his leadership as the previous fire chief.

Jack and Ginger Frank presented a check for $5,590 to the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department as a matching grant based on the proceeds received from the PLVFD Chili Supper. The Chili Supper is a fund raiser to maintain the Palmer Lake Star. (See the photo.)

Mayor John Cressman read a resolution recognizing the 30th season of the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony (CSYS). In particular the resolution mentioned the "quality of music and innovative performances" and the positive impact on children ages 8-18 who are members of the symphony and are "cultural ambassadors for Colorado Springs."

CSYS Music Director Gary Nicholson told the council that 15 percent of the CSYS performers come from northern El Paso County and that many members of the symphony have moved on to musical careers with orchestras and symphonies. There are 10 chamber ensembles, four orchestras and two bands with over 300 musicians involved in the CSYS. On this evening a bassoon quartet from the CSYS played a melody of patriotic songs.

Full article...

Palmer Lake 2010 Ordinance 1 as PDF file. This is a 305 Kbyte file and will take about 2 minutes to download using a dial-up modem. Click here for help with PDF downloads. To view and print the file, you will need to download and install the free Acrobat Reader Program.

On Jan. 21, the Palmer Lake Town Council held a special meeting to address an ordinance governing medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation, TABOR ballot issues, and change of investment banks.

By unanimous decision, the council approved a 90-day moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation. Town Clerk Della Gray met with the Planning Commission on Jan. 20, along with Trustees Max Stafford, Nikki McDonald, and Dan Reynolds. They agreed to have a combined meeting of the Planning Commission and council on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. The purpose of the meeting would be to discuss the dispensary and cultivation ordinance and seek a consensus on how to proceed with the complex problem of drafting zoning and operating regulations. Gray said she would be encouraging businesses and other interested parties who want to provide input. An advance notice announcing the Feb. 4 combined meeting was sent out on Jan. 22.

An application for a medical marijuana business license was turned in on Jan. 20. It cannot be approved until an ordinance is finalized. Police Trustee Bryan Jack said "we are not bound to the 90 days" if the moratorium passes. If there is consensus at the Feb. 4 combined meeting, passage of an ordinance on dispensaries and cultivation can be considered immediately by the Planning Commission as early as Feb. 17 and by the Town Council on March 11. Fire Trustee Jan Bristol said "we would rather solve this sooner than later."

Gray said she will provide a packet of information for commission and council members attending the combined meeting. Regarding the issue at the state level, Gray said the "state is silent on the issue of dispensaries and cultivation" even though it passed laws in 2000 and 2008 related to both.

Full Article...

Treasurer Dennis Feltz reported at the Jan. 27 Donald Wescott Fire Protection District Board meeting that he is still having problems managing the accuracy of Wescott’s paycheck records after taking control of the district’s payroll two months ago. Feltz also tried and failed to reverse Administrative Assistant Cheryl Marshall’s 2 percent pay raise for 2010 after Assistant Chief Vinny Burns stated that Feltz was trying to take punitive action against Marshall outside of executive session without offering her the chance to attend the board meeting.

Chairman Kevin Gould’s absence from the meeting was excused, and the 7:30 p.m. meeting was chaired by Secretary Greg Gent.

However, Gould arrived at the meeting at 8:35 p.m. from an out-of-town trip. The board unanimously approved Gould’s proposal to begin planning for construction of Station 3 at the intersection of Highway 83 and Stagecoach Road by soliciting proposals for a design-build contract.

Full article...

Below: Fire Marshal Curtis Kaufman (center) presents statistics for fire prevention, education, and inspections in 2009. To his left is Chief Robert Denboske. To his right is Firefighter Elliot Link. Photo by Bernard Minetti.

The January board meeting of the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District was hallmarked by a discussion of the 2010 revenue/expense status of the district. Treasurer John Hildebrandt reviewed the 2009 final figures, stating that as of Dec. 31, tax revenues were $3,081,897 or 99.68 percent of the budgeted amount. Specific ownership taxes (SOT) were $317,628 or 91.73 percent of budgeted revenue. Ambulance revenues were $397,602 or 86.44 percent of the budgeted revenue. The overall expenses were 100.66 percent of total revenues.

Full article...

The Board of Education met twice in January to continue its discussion of additional budget cuts for 2010.

Before addressing this problem, there was a brief discussion of overall priorities to keep in mind. Among them were:

Full article...

Below: Photo taken in 2006 of the Doewood controversial gate. Photo by Chris Pollard.

County Commissioner Wayne Williams and County Engineer Andre Brackin of the El Paso County Department of Transportation hosted a standing-room-only community meeting on Jan. 13 at Palmer Ridge High School concerning the controversial Doewood Drive gate.

The meeting was arranged to solicit public comments on the improvements needed on Doewood Drive as well as traffic flow, safety concerns about flow in the affected neighborhoods and the county’s plan to consider removing the Doewood Drive gate between the Chisholm Trail and Ridgewood Circle intersections. A roster was passed around to create an e-mail notification list for future public meetings.

A 1996 resolution established that the barricade would remain in place until completion of several other streets that were planned for the area and acceptance of those new streets for county maintenance. Those conditions were met, and the neighboring streets were accepted by the county on Nov. 24, 2009. The streets include Hammock Oaks Drive, Misty Acres Drive, Old Antlers Way, Painter Drive, Alexandria Drive and Mepham Court.

Full article...

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(Updated March 10, 2010)

Monument Planning Commission Meeting, Wed., Mar. 10, 6:30 p.m.

D-38 Special Education Advisory Committee, Wed., Mar. 10, 6-7:30 p.m.

Tri-Lakes Non-Profit Council Meeting, Thu., Mar. 11, 2-3:45 p.m.

Palmer Lake Town Council Meeting, Thu., Mar. 11, 7 p.m.

Chuck Pyle Concert, Fri., Mar. 12, doors open at 7 for the 7:30 p.m. show

NEPCO Meeting: Land Use and Planning Issues and Updates (including Gleneagle Golf Course development), Sat., Mar. 13, 10 a.m.-noon

Monument Board of Trustees Meeting, Mon., Mar. 15, 6:30 p.m.

El Paso County Planning Commission Meeting, Tue., Mar. 16, 9 a.m.

Senior Tea, Tue., Mar. 16, 1-3 p.m.

Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority Meeting, Wed., Mar. 17, 8:30 a.m.

Donald Wescott Fire Protection District Board Meeting, Wed., Mar. 17, 7 p.m. 

Woodmoor Water & Sanitation District Meeting, Thu., Mar. 18, 1 p.m.

Monument Library: AARP Mature Safe Driving Program, Thu. & Fri., Mar. 18-19, 1-5 p.m.

Donala Water & Sanitation District Board Meeting, Thu., Mar. 18, 1:30 p.m.  

Lewis-Palmer School District 38 Board Meeting, Thu., Mar. 18, 6 p.m.

Monument Sanitation District Board Meeting, Thu., Mar. 18, 7 p.m.

Palmer Lake Historical Society: "A Portrayal of Lucretia Vaile," Thu., Mar. 18, 7 p.m.

Hausmusik Quartet Chamber Music Concert, Sun., Mar. 21, doors open 2 p.m. for a 2:30 show

Triview Metropolitan District Board Meeting, Wed., Mar. 24, 5 p.m.

Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District Board Meeting, Wed., Mar. 24, 7 p.m.

Woodmoor Improvement Association Board Meeting, Wed., Mar. 24, 7 p.m.

Forest View Acres Water District Board Meeting, Thu., Mar. 25, 6 p.m.

Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts & Castle Rock Players present "Bubba’s Killer Grits," Sat., Mar. 27, 6 p.m.

Palmer Lake Town Council Workshop, Thu., Apr. 1, 7 p.m.

Palmer Lake’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Sat., Apr. 3, 10-11 a.m.

Palmer Lake’s Annual Easter Pancake Breakfast, Sun., Apr. 4, 6-11 a.m.

Monument Board of Trustees Meeting, Mon., Apr. 5, 6:30 p.m.

El Paso County Planning Commission Meeting, Tue., Apr. 6, 9 a.m.

Academy Water and Sanitation District Board Meeting, Wed., Apr. 7, 7 p.m.

View the complete list 

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Baptist Road

Drilling and Mining

Emergency Services

I-25

Property Taxes & Special Districts 

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Triview Metro District

Water Supply

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