Triview Metropolitan District’s Manager Jim McGrady, Water Superintendent Shawn Sexton, and Parks and Open Space Superintendent Matt Rayno reported on their respective operational activities at the Sept. 16 board meeting. Sexton described a potential new process that the district plans to test to further reduce radium from drinking water.

Staff, board directors, water attorney Chris Cummins, and general counsel George Rowley attended the meeting either online or in person. Director James Barnhart was excused.

The September board meeting packet, including the agenda, may be accessed via https://triviewmetro.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Triview-Board-Packet-for-9.16.2021.pdf.

Triview is a Title 32 special district in Monument that provides road, park, and open space maintenance, as well as water, stormwater, and wastewater services to Jackson Creek, Promontory Pointe, Sanctuary Pointe, and several commercial areas.

During his update about August water activities, Sexton reported that the district would begin a hydrated manganese oxide (HMO) demonstration study in early October. He described the HMO process as combining potassium permanganate or sodium permanganate with manganous sulfate in its groundwater before it is filtered and clarified. Any radium present in the water adheres, or adsorbs, to the HMO whereby it creates a suspension and can be physically removed from the water during filtration. The collected waste must then be transported to a disposal site that can accept radioactive materials. McGrady added that the district would be working with a radioactive waste management company called Rad Pros to develop a disposal plan.

The purpose of the demonstration study is to reduce radium in water to such an extremely low level that, when blended with other sources of water, there is no danger of being close to maximum contaminant level limits, continued McGrady. He described the HMO process as brilliant and relatively inexpensive since the equipment could be installed by district personnel. Anticipated as a 10-week study, district staff expects to have very successful outcomes and to continue the process until the district can draw water primarily from its renewable, or surface, water resources rather than groundwater.

In response to a director’s questions, Sexton explained that the demonstration study would reveal the amount of waste generated and thus provide accurate numbers for calculating the disposal costs. State regulations stipulate that anyone handling technologically enhanced normally occurring radioactive material (TENORM)—material considered to have an elevated level of radioactivity relative to soil—must be licensed. It is also likely that Triview will be required to have on-site personnel trained to ensure radioactivity safety for all personnel.

Sexton also assured directors that, because the HMO process is a physical removal of radium, the taste of the water would not be affected. McGrady confirmed that Rad Pros would be involved in Triview’s waste disposal training and licensing.

Included among the district manager’s many project updates, McGrady discussed recent progress pertaining to the developing regional renewable water pipeline known as the Northern Delivery System (NDS). Because about 10% of the pipeline will cut through Fox Run Park, Triview has been collaborating with El Paso County and has recently begun survey work in the park.

In response to residents’ questions, McGrady proposed creating an information card with a quick response (QR) code that would direct people to the district’s website, which will address frequently asked questions. Triview also intends to host an open house that will include county personnel and explain the district’s water resources plan and route. A location and date had yet to be determined as of the board meeting.

Director James Otis noted an additional benefit of the NDS is that it would supply the park with water for fire hydrants. McGrady added that the pipeline’s 25- to 30-foot easements would naturally create fire buffers as added mitigation and, because the pipeline’s construction involves creating new trails, the county would gain new trails in the park that it would not otherwise have been financially able to accomplish. President Mark Melville stated that the NDS serves a regional role since it has the capacity and probability to provide water to other districts in the area in addition to Triview.

Related to the Northern Delivery System, McGrady announced that Triview and Donala would partner in a $200,000 Regional Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project grant that they received from the Colorado Water and Conservation Board. The grant is contingent on a 75% to 25% match; therefore, each district must supply $25,000 in additional funds. The project involves pumping renewable water out of storage in locations such as the Pueblo Reservoir through the Southern Delivery System (SDS) and storing the water in the Arapahoe aquifer, which Donala proved several years ago can be artificially recharged or replenished. Not only does this technique provide another manageable form of water storage, but the water in an aquifer does not evaporate, said McGrady.

Another water project, the Pueblo Reservoir Excess Capacity Agreement, has entered the environmental assessment public comment phase, which is a requirement of the National Environmental Policy Act. The press release and the draft environmental assessment can be accessed on Triview’s website under Water Updates or by accessing https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/#/news-release/3972 and https://www.usbr.gov/gp/ecao/nepa/triview.html, respectively. The Bureau of Reclamation requests that public comments be submitted by Oct. 4. Depending on comments received, the contract could be finalized in October, McGrady said.

Triview continued to move forward on transforming its Stonewall Springs Reservoir Complex. The next step was to construct an outlet pump at its south reservoir. McGrady characterized the approximated $836,314 expense as realistic due to the pipeline footage necessary, the pump itself which must travel vertically, the electrical complexity, and the gravity outlet works. The district must obtain a 1041 permit from Pueblo County to weave together an agreement that allows Triview’s Stonewall Springs water rights to utilize Pueblo County’s SDS. Weekly meetings between the two entities had been established to help maintain the project’s momentum.

McGrady briefly commented on two additional projects. Due to the uncertainty of development in the district’s territory west of I-25, pipe installation on what is called Segment D of the I-25 bore—a portion of the NDS—had ceased. Any pipe remaining from this part of the installation would be diverted to another segment of the pipeline. McGrady also confirmed that attorneys were drafting an annexation agreement of Triview’s renewable water purchase of the Sailor Investments LLP and Quarter Circle 2 Ranch LLC properties near Buena Vista. See https://www.ocn.me/v21n2.htm#tvmd. The draft was expected to be complete by September’s end.

After discussing the newly installed landscape enhancements and a planned retaining wall at the juncture of Leather Chaps Drive and Baptist Road, Rayno updated directors about the A-Yard building’s progress. Current activities were taping and mudding drywall and installing electrical fixtures with the anticipation that the building would have power by the end of September. Next steps included adding plumbing fixtures and painting.

A higher-than-expected asphalt cost precluded the district from paving the A-Yard parking lot in 2021, stated McGrady, but recycled asphalt would be spread in parking areas until paving could be completed in 2022. He further explained the tremendous importance of the A-Yard building in providing a safe and warm place to repair equipment because "crews have been fixing trucks in the mud for years" and confirmed that the building is coming along nicely, with mainly "punch-list stuff that needs to be completed." Expressing a desire to show the new building, McGrady anticipated that the November Board of Directors’ meeting would be conducted in the A-Yard building.

Caption: Triview Metropolitan District’s Parks and Open Space crews completed median landscape enhancements along Leather Chaps Drive near its intersection with Baptist Road. Another landscape enhancement includes a retaining wall that is expected to be finished by the end of October. Photo courtesy of Triview’s Parks and Open Space Superintendent Matt Rayno.

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Triview board meetings are generally held on the third Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 21. The district office is located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. Check the district’s website, https://triviewmetro.com, or call 488-6868 for meeting updates and to confirm if the meeting will be in person or online/teleconference. See also "Triview Metropolitan District" on Facebook or Twitter.com/@TriviewMetro.

At the Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on Sept. 15, the board approved a resolution for a joint exclusion plan, received a "clean opinion" for the 2020 audit, and approved a policy to adopt a wage and leave accrual schedule for future budget years. The meeting was preceded by a volunteer pension board meeting.

Director James Abendschan was excused.

Fire Chief PJ Langmaid said the following:

Board Secretary Donna Arkowski said that with a project like this, properties can easily be missed, and administrative amendments can be made to add any addresses that are missed during the process.

Background: The total number of properties to be excluded in a phased approach over several years is about 2,200. The board began the exclusion process in July 2018, because Colorado Springs residents were paying taxes for fire protection services to both BFFRPD and Colorado Springs. For more information, visit www.bffire.org.

Langmaid said this is just the beginning of this second phase of exclusions and the board will need to approve the resolution, pending the correction of two dates and a review by the district’s attorney Linda Glesne.

The board approved the resolution, 4-0.

Colorado Springs resident Colleen Murphy said the City of Colorado Springs has been notified of an additional five properties found after she spent about four hours on Sept. 9 combing through the list of 660 properties to ensure accuracy, and hopefully those properties were added to the list the district received on Sept. 10. "The process with the City of Colorado Springs has been slow, but the residents sincerely appreciate the efforts of Fire Chief PJ Langmaid and Colorado Springs Fire Department, Chief Randy Royal," said Murphy.

District Auditor Dawn Schilling of Schilling & Co. Inc., announced the district had received a "clean opinion" for the 2020 audit, and thanked Langmaid, Deputy Chief James Rebitski and the Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn for providing the assistance locating information during the auditing process, and noted the following:

Schilling recommended the board approve an existing policy that had not formally been approved, for the adoption of an annual Wage and Leave Accrual Schedule as part of the annual budget process, and requested the board review the 2020 audit over the next 10 days to meet the state filing date of Sept. 30.

The board accepted the 2020 audit as presented, subject to an adjustment required for the cost of the training center, 4-0.

Langmaid requested the board approve and adopt the district policy of including an annual wage and leave accrual schedule for each employee, as recommended by Schilling. The reconfiguring of the schedule will provide greater clarity to all staff on how they can move up in the organization.

The board approved Policy Manual 401, 4-0.

Langmaid said after careful consideration of fuel moistures, the weather forecast, and the limited availability of resources for an initial wildland firefighting attack, the district moved to Stage 2 fire restrictions on Sept. 13. For updates and information regarding the restrictions, visit www.bffire.org.

Langmaid requested a $5,000 deposit to secure the services of wildland pre-plan developer Dave Reid of the South Metro Fire Rescue Authority, Denver, and said:

Vice Chairman Nate Dowden requested a wildland pre-plan presentation at the Nov. 17 meeting to set some expectations, and everything is negotiable given the deployment status of Reid.

The board approved the $5,000 deposit, 4-0.

Langmaid said a contractor has been engaged to perform the work needed to correct the concrete and erosion problems and elevate the showers at Station 2, as approved at the August board meeting.

The scope of work letter for the Station 2 remodel and expansion was finalized and required board approval before the research and development of the potential renovations can begin, said Langmaid. See www.ocn.me/v21n9.htm#bffrpd.

Dowden requested the deadline for response in the scope of work letter should be Oct. 21, followed by a possible site visit.

Langmaid said the letter would go out Oct. 1, and the results would be presented at the Nov. 17 meeting, but the budget will take priority.

The board approved the Station 2 scope of work letter, 4-0.

The regular board meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.

The BFFRPD Volunteer Pension Board of Trustees met before the regular board at 7:05 p.m. The seven-member board includes the regular five-member board and former firefighters Lisa Montijo and Jon Strupp.

Chairman Rick Nearhoof requested the board approve the minutes of the Feb. 19, 2020 and the Sept. 3, 2020 volunteer pension board meetings and the financial records for the Volunteer Pension Fund.

The board approved the minutes and accepted the June 2021 financial report as presented, 4-0.

The Pension Board of Trustees confirmed there was no activity to report concerning the retired BFFRPD volunteer firefighters pension fund.

The Volunteer Pension Board meeting adjourned at 7:09 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday every month at Station 1, 11445 Teachout Road, Colorado Springs. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. For updates, agendas, and minutes, visit www.bffire.org or contact the Administrative Officer Rachel Dunn at admin@bffire.org or call 719-495-4300.

At its Sept. 2 meeting, the El Paso County Planning Commission heard an application for a rezoning request for a 20.88-acre portion of the proposed Red Rock Acres development southeast of Palmer Lake. The commissioners also recommended for approval a rezoning request for a property northwest of Monument Lake.

The commissioners heard that the application by JZ’s Land Development LLC to rezone property along the east side of Red Rock Ranch Drive, immediately south of its intersection with Highway 105, had raised numerous neighbors’ objections. John Green, planner II, Planning and Community Development Department, said the county had received around 110 letters of opposition.

The land is currently zoned RR-5 (residential rural), and the applicant’s request is to rezone 5.37 acres on the northern part of the property to RR-0.5 and the remaining 15.51 acres to RR-2.5, with Monument Creek serving as a buffer between the two zones. As stated in the applicant’s letter of intent, the proposed rezoning is intended to facilitate future single-family residential development on the subject property and the 33.69-acre property, also owned by the applicant, that is zoned RR-0.5 and is located directly east. About 37 homes would be built in total.

The land proposed for rezoning is bordered by residential parcels on all sides, not all of which are developed. The parcels to the east, west and south are zoned RR-0.5 although lots on the Cloven Hoof Estates subdivision to the south exceed the minimum and range in size from just under 0.7 acres to 2 acres. Properties to the north are zoned RA (residential agricultural) which requires a minimum lot size of 5 acres.

Issues raised in written objections, at a virtual neighborhood meeting held in March and by the 16 neighbors who spoke in opposition at the hearing, covered traffic and congestion, wildfire risk, wildlife habitat impact, water concerns, the impact on the school district, and overall density compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood. Green told the commissioners that while all were very important issues, most were not relevant to the criteria that were used when considering a rezoning application but rather would be addressed at the preliminary plan and final plat stages if the rezone were granted. Lori Seago, senior assistant county attorney, and some commissioners reiterated this guidance during the hearing. No one spoke in favor of the proposed rezoning.

In rebuttal, Ingrid Richter of Olive Real Estate Group Inc., representing the applicant, said, "What I continue to hear from the neighbors is fear, right, it’s fear of preserving this way of life that they’ve had the benefit of having for decades and we understand that. A lot of what you heard today will be addressed in preliminary plan and our goal is to work with these neighborhood associations to make sure that this is done right, that this is responsible growth, that we’re doing this the right way, and that it will comply with all of the requirements from the county and in a way that the homeowners’ associations and the surrounding neighbors can live with."

Ahead of the vote, the commissioners urged those with objections to raise their concerns at the preliminary plan stage, should the rezoning be approved. Commissioner Becky Fuller said, "I think the people against it, your shot is really at the preliminary plan and, you know, the water is going to be a big deal, wastewater will be a big deal, and they’ll have to meet all the criteria. Obviously, they feel like they can, or they wouldn’t bother through the time and expense of coming to this meeting."

Commissioner Tim Trowbridge commented, "Unfortunately a lot of your concerns aren’t really something we can address today. They’re really more appropriate for the next step, which is the preliminary plan, and that’s when all of those questions have to be answered."

Commissioner Jay Carlson said, "A couple of the criteria I don’t think we meet. The first one, I don’t think there’s been a substantial change in the character of the neighborhood at all recently. And then, I believe it’s the third one, it says it has to be compatible to the zoning in all areas, all around the property.… I don’t go along with the idea that a rural road is a buffer so, on those two, I don’t feel the applicant met those two criteria, so I won’t be voting in favor of this."

The commissioners voted 5-3 to recommend the rezoning for approval. Commissioners Carlson, Lucia-Treese, and Merriam were the no votes with concerns about compatibility with the surrounding area and density.

The application was then heard at the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on Aug. 24. See BOCC article on page 6.

The commissioners unanimously recommended for approval an application by John Puskas to rezone 3.94 acres of a 74.46-acre property from RR-5 (rural residential) to RR-2.5 (rural residential) and the remaining acres from RR-5 to A-35 (agricultural). The property is located at the southwest corner of the Monument Lake Road and Peak View Boulevard intersection, to the west of Highway 105.

The 3.94-acre parcel has been purchased by neighbors Brian and Tibby Peterson and adjoins their existing property in the Shiloh Pines subdivision, which is zoned RR-2.5. The remaining Puskas property is used for agricultural purposes that are more in keeping with an agricultural zoning. Puskas is not proposing any changes to the existing uses at this time. The Petersons envision one day possibly building another house on the property they have acquired.

The item was heard as a consent item, meaning there was no discussion. The request was scheduled to be heard at the BOCC meeting on Sept. 14.

During September, the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved a rezoning request for part of the proposed Red Rock Acres development off Highway 105 between Monument and Palmer Lake.

The Red Rock Acres rezoning application came to the Sept. 14 BOCC meeting with a recommendation for approval from the Sept. 2 El Paso County Planning Commission meeting. See the Planning Commission article on page 1.

The request by landowner JZ’s Land Development LLC was to rezone a 20.88-acre property zoned RR-5 (rural residential) on the east side of Red Rock Ranch Drive, immediately south of its intersection with Highway 105. The application was two-fold with a request to rezone the northern 5.37 acres to RR-0.5 and the remaining southern 15.51 acres to RR-2.5. The applicant also owns property directly east, which is zoned RR-0.5. The intention would be to develop both properties as the Red Rock Acres subdivision with a total of around 37 single-family homes.

John Green, planner II, Planning and Community Development Department, told the BOCC that there have been significant objections by neighbors to the rezoning, with over 100 letters of opposition received ahead of the Planning Commission meeting. At that meeting, commissioners heard concerns centered on density, traffic impacts, wildlife impacts, fire mitigation, and a wish to preserve the rural character of the neighborhood. No one spoke in favor at that meeting.

Eleven members of the public spoke in support at the BOCC meeting, many stating that the development would provide much-needed affordable housing in the area.

A neighbor spoke specifically in support of the 0.5-acre rezone, stating, "I know there have been some concerns about bringing in small properties, half acre, but a half-acre property is hardly small compared to others in the Tri-Lakes area." He continued, "I think this option is the best we can hope for, and I’d like to thank JZ’s Land Development because I know a different developer might be here in front of you today trying to get multi-family housing in there, apartments."

Jason Sanders, a Palmer Lake resident, described the rezoning as important because it would provide continuity with the bordering acres. He said, "there’s multiple eyesores coming into Palmer Lake like commercial, bars, dog grooming, there’s trailer parks like we’ve had mentioned. When you come into the valley of Palmer Lake there is a sea of homes that are on the hillside, so adding these additional homes is not going to cause any ugliness or any downside to the road."

Eleven neighbors spoke in opposition, citing incompatibility with nearby developments and with the surrounding zoning. Martha Brodzick, a nearby resident, said, "I’m not against development. I’m just wanting to have something that fits into an area of this part of El Paso County that is more rural like the rest of it."

Replying to the public comments, Jim Stilltner of JZ’s Land Development said, "During the application process, my team has met El Paso County staff and I assure you that if I thought that this did not conform with the rules and guidelines, that staff right there would [have] told me and I would [have] made modifications to this. This plan does work, and it conforms, and it is really good for this area." He continued, "Many of the residents brought up terrific points we know we need to address at the preliminary and final plat to include traffic, water, sewer, utilities, fire evacuation, and many other items. I understand this."

Ahead of the vote, Commissioner Stan VanderWerf commented, "This is one of the very difficult ones that we’ve had to go through. We’ve had an enormous amount of testimony both in favor and in opposition."

Commissioner Holly Williams said, "I know that traffic is a big concern, and I suspect that we will see some improvements there at the Red Rocks and Highway105 intersection. Acceleration, deceleration lanes as I know that that is typically what comes forward with these applications."

The vote to approve was unanimous. VanderWerf said, "Congratulations to the applicant and we ask you to continue working with the neighbors going forward."

The applicant will now submit a request for approval of a preliminary plan and final plat to subdivide the property into individual lots and rights-of-way.

At the Sept. 7 meeting, the commissioners approved the preliminary release of a check for $30,996 following the completion of all subdivision improvements at the Monument Hill Business Park located at the southeast corner of Deer Creek Road and Monument Hill Road.

The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board canceled its regular meeting and instead held a special meeting on Sept. 23 to include a radium informational session to answer community concerns. The board also learned that it was awarded a grant to collaborate with Triview Metropolitan District (Triview) on an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) pilot project.

Board President Ed Houle noted that there were representatives from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), and both LRE Water (LRE) and GMS consulting firms available to answer questions and concerns.

Houle said that board members live in the district with their families and are committed to delivering the best possible water and to transparency. District Manager Jeff Hodge said the district staff are water professionals who remove solids out of water, starting with bacteria and now including radionuclides. Hodge said that Office Manager Tanja Smith, Christina Hawker, and Victoria Clark-Powell have fielded 90% of customer calls and concerns about radium.

Hodge explained that the district is high on a mesa, and groundwater is harvested from solid rock 1,000 to 1,500 feet deep in aquifers that are millions of years old. Wells introduce air into the aquifer, which speeds up the process of releasing radionuclides. The district’s Holbein Plant recently measured 6.7 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), which exceeds the CDPHE maximum. Only the Holbein Plant exceeds the limit, and its water is primarily used in the summer for watering. The sampling was taken at the plant before it goes into the tank and is mixed and then sent out to customers. Samples were also taken recently at the street outside of some homes; the results should be back by the week of Sept. 27 and will be posted on the web.

Hodge noted that the physical plant removes some solids using manganese and that the staff is meeting with consultants to determine the blend of well water from both of its plants and the surface water it owns to make the best water for residents. DWSD owns water rights from a 700-acre ranch it purchased in Leadville. Surface water comes from snow melt that contains no radium. The water flows down to Pueblo and then is sent up to DWSD via the Southern Delivery System. The district pays Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to treat, convey, and deliver the water it owns.

Hodge said that, since DWSD has exceeded this rolling annual average, the state gives them five years to comply. The board takes this situation seriously and sent out letters that committed to a two-year timeframe, he said. Although it does take time to address, he said the numbers are dropping, and hopefully the district will have the numbers below the limit much sooner.

During the question-and-answer portion, the following points were made:

The session ended with Houle thanking the staff for its work on addressing customers’ concerns. This effort was not unnoticed and was greatly appreciated, he said.

In his manager’s report, Hodge told the board that DWSD and Triview worked with LRE to submit a joint proposal that won a $150,000 grant to study aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) technology that allows water to be stored and retrieved from an aquifer rather than a storage tank or reservoir, limiting evaporation.

The grant came from the Colorado Water and Conservation Board (CWCB). This follows a 2011 demonstration by DWSD that injected 8 acre-feet of water into an aquifer and recovered it, demonstrating the feasibility of storing water underground. The team approach is unique and CWCB is very interested in the result, Hodge said.

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The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 16 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month and include online access due to coronavirus restrictions; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs. See www.donalawater.org for more information about the district.

By James Howald

At its September meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board announced the final details of its months-long project to refinance the district’s outstanding debt. The board considered a supplemental water service request from Classic Homes for its Monument Junction development, and an easement agreement with Mountain View Electric Association (MVEA). Finally, the board heard operational reports.

At the end of the regular meeting, the board went into executive session to receive legal advice on potential agreements with JUWI Inc. and Lewis-Palmer School District 38.

The district’s 2021 bonds were sold on Aug. 25. The new bonds refinanced the district’s debt from bonds sold in 2011 that were due to mature in 2036. As with a home purchase, some of the financial details of the sale are not known until the day the sale is complete.

Jim Manire of Hilltop Securities, the district’s financial advisor, estimated at the board’s previous meeting that the refinancing would save the district’s customers about $6.8 million. When the sale was complete, the savings exceeded that estimate, coming in at $7.04 million.

The net interest on the new bonds is 0.98%. The coupon rate on the bonds is 5%, allowing them to be sold at a premium, that is, at a price higher than their face value, which generates additional funds for the district.

In addition to those savings, the refinancing delivered another benefit to district customers by raising the district’s Standard & Poor’s credit rating from AA- to AA.

The board chose to reduce the repayment period from 15 to 10 years and was able to do so while lowering the annual debt service payments by about $20,000 per year. Shortening the repayment period eliminates debt service payments of $1.95 million per year from 2032 through 2036.

District Manager Jessie Shaffer asked the board to consider a request from Classic Homes for supplemental water service to its Monument Junction development. When complete, the 84-acre development, south of Highway 105 on both sides of Jackson Creek Parkway, will include 554 residences, both single- and multi-family, 7.3 acres of commercial space, a Monument Police Department substation and 37 acres of open space, parks, drainage, and rights of way, all contained in two metro districts.

Shaffer said Classic Homes requested 166.9 acre-feet of supplemental water in addition to its standard water allocation. The request would not exceed the limit the district has planned for, Shaffer said, because other developments are projected to use less water than anticipated. The district has the necessary water treatment capacity, Shaffer added. In response to a question from board President Brian Bush, Shaffer said the district should plan to drill a new well into the Denver Basin aquifer in 2022.

Bush pointed out an acre-foot of supplemental water costs $29,000. Tap fees for the project would be additional revenue, he said.

The board voted unanimously to direct district staff to draft an agreement with Classic Homes that will come back to Bush for approval.

The board voted to grant MVEA an easement needed for electric service to the new Lake Pump Station that WWSD is constructing on the west side of Lake Woodmoor, close to The Barn Community Center. Lake Woodmoor has been drained so that the Lake Pump Station can be built.

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The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive. Please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

At the Monument Sanitation Department (MSD) Sept. 15 meeting, the board met to set dates for public hearings on 2022 rates and fees as well as a workshop and public hearing on the 2022 budget. The board also talked about moving forward on the request for proposal (RFP) for legal services.

The board discussed the public meetings for both 2022 rates and fees as well as the public budget hearing. The 2022 Rates and Fees public meeting will be part of the November meeting.

District Manager Mark Parker said a preliminary 2022 budget would be available for the October meeting after a special Budget Workshop meeting on Thursday, Oct. 7 at 5:15 p.m. in the district offices. The public hearing will be in November, and the board will be asked to vote to approve the budget at the December meeting. Notices are going out to customers, and legal notices are published in The Gazette.

Parker provided the board a draft of the RFP for legal services. The board agreed to review the draft by Sept. 17 and add a list of required services. Then the RFP will be updated and sent out to legal firms on the Special District Association of Colorado website (www.sdaco.org).

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 20 at 9 a.m. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

At the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) meeting on Sept. 21, the board discussed some potential stumbling blocks involved with the unification process, planned an increase to the volunteer pensions, and approved roof repairs at Station 1 and an extension of the interim fire chief contract.

The volunteer pension board meeting was held after the regular meeting.

Director Joyce Hartung was excused.

Interim Fire Chief Warren Jones said he met with Hartung for a couple of hours on Sept. 20 and brought her up to speed on district issues.

Jones said the following:

TLMFPD board President John Hildebrandt said a contract package with the Colorado Springs Fire Department to take over fire protection services for the sub-district would eliminate one of the steps.

District Attorney Emily Powell of Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe PC law firm in Denver said a merger by inclusion is not possible with the way the sub-district is currently structured, unless TLMFPD merged into DWFPD. The district’s mill levy is both lower and higher than TLMFPD’s, and the sub-district "gums up" the transfer.

A joint work session for DWFPD and TLMFPD will be held before Thanksgiving, and a decision will need to be made on whether to move forward in December, said Jones.

The DWFPD volunteer pension board met after the regular board meeting. The board is composed of the district’s regular board members and Trustees Bryan Ackerman and Timothy Hampton.

Ackerman and Director Joyce Hartung were excused.

Hampton said the following about the allocation and pension status report:

Hampton requested the board approve an increase to the 20-year volunteer payout from $400 to $450 per month.

Powell said the following:

Chairman Mark Gunderman said a lot can happen in a few years, but we should set a precedence just so long as we do not have to put money into the fund.

Secretary Larry Schwarz said, "The community has given a lot of time and money to support the district and we should support the people that have given their time and earned it."

Jones said the volunteer pension fund will keep going during the authority until the merger by inclusion happens, and then the fund will be assigned to the TLMFPD board, and it will be managed separately. If a merger by inclusion happens, the pension fund cannot be left behind, said Jones.

Powell recommended the pension board approve a motion to add an agenda item for approval by the regular board at the next board meeting, for the permanent increase to the pension plan benefit "Plan B" according to the actuary study, from the current $400 to $450 per month for the 20-year volunteers, beginning Nov. 1.

The pension board approved the recommended permanent increase be added to the November board meeting agenda for approval, 4-0.

Note: The regular board could not approve the increase having already met, but before COVID-19 distancing protocols the volunteer pension board met before the regular board.

Administrative Assistant Stacey Popovich said hopefully the COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted in time for the April 2022 meeting.

Retired volunteer firefighter Mike Badger thanked Hampton for his hard work and the board for its attentiveness and said, "it does mean something for the retired volunteers, it is not a trivial amount, and the increase does directly affect the volunteers’ way of life."

The pension board meeting adjourned at 5:41 p.m.

Jones said Station 1 is 20 years old with a complicated roof system, and in September a section of the roof fell in over the bay resulting in water damage. The repair encompasses more than just the bay area, and about $25,000 to $28,000 is needed to make the repairs. Based on the insurance percentage value of the building, the district will need to pay some out of pocket and at least up to the insurance deductible. Jones requested the board approve up to $40,000 from the district reserves for the roof repairs.

The board approved the cost of the roof repair, 4-0.

Gunderman said the interim fire chief’s contract would now extend until the end of 2021 and required approval.

Jones said there would not be a lot for a permanent fire chief to do other than signing documents during the unification process, and a DWFPD acting chief could be his replacement. He said if the unification proceeds later in the year, it will determine the decision to conduct a search for a replacement permanent chief, as early as the October meeting and certainly in November

The board approved the extension to the contract, 4-0.

Jones said:

Jones said the two proposals from cell tower companies could be a lot of hassle but would generate $15,000 per year. See www.ocn.me/v21n9.htm#dwfpd.

Powell said there will be a lot of work negotiating through the issues of the agreement, and the district already has a lot on its plate.

The board unanimously agreed that the chief could tell the cell tower companies that after considering the proposals it is not the right time for the district to pursue a cell tower lease agreement with the pending unification process.

Jones recommended the board continue to table the discussion on Station 3.

Gunderman said there is too much going on right now in the district, and it would be a distraction from the priority focus of the unification process.

The board agreed with Gunderman.

The regular meeting adjourned at 4:57 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Tuesday of the month at Station 1, 15415 Gleneagle Dr., at 7 p.m. Due to COVID-19 distancing protocols, meetings are held virtually for public attendees. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 19 at 4 p.m. For updates, virtual meeting joining instructions, agendas, and minutes, visit: www.wescottfire.org or call Administrative Assistant Stacey Popovich at 719-488-8680.

At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District (TLMFPD) meeting on Sept. 22, the board heard the deputy chief was retiring, the board president was recognized for his dedicated service, and the board received a presentation on the proposed 2022 budget, a wildland-urban interface fire emergency planning project, the 2022-26 strategic plan, and numerous other updates.

Treasurer Jason Buckingham was excused.

Deputy Chief/Division Chief of Logistics Randy Trost announced his retirement after 36 years in the fire service and serving the last seven years at TLMFPD. "TLMFPD is a great place to work, and I plan to remain involved in the community, but I have had a good run and will stay connected to the department," said Trost. He thanked the board, the men and women of the organization for their professionalism, and the community for their trust and financial support to the district.

Fire Chief Andy Kovacs and the board applauded board President Dr. John Hildebrandt for receiving the dedicated service award for 23 years of service to the TLMFPD at the Special District Association during its annual conference in Keystone on Sept. 14.

Retired Battalion Chief/CEO/Principal Mike Rohde of Rohde and Associates LLC., Orange County, Calif., presented the board with the Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Emergency Planning project and said the following:

Vice President Roger Lance said it would be more cost-effective in crossover areas to have shared funding from multiple agencies and departments.

Division Chief of Community Risk/Fire Marshal Jamey Bumgarner said it would have been nice to have had a sheet of paper on the first day of the Black Forest Fire in 2013 to help with interagency support, and at least on a bad day they would have something to share with their partner agencies when the project is complete.

Kovacs said there have been a lot of changes in 2021, and the executive staff and managers have spent countless hours looking at the numbers. This year, a lot more responsibility has been delegated to shift managers and budget coordinators, and any board changes and discussion over costs are encouraged. Kovacs, the staff, and department managers proposed many budget increases and additions as follows:

Kovacs said the district property tax assessment values have increased by $1.5 million for the 2022 budget year, and 84% of the district revenue is generated by property taxes. The district is spending in a responsible way, but it is up to the board to make the final decisions, and the staff can provide more clarification to the board and continue the discussion at the October board meeting, said Kovacs.

Kovacs presented the 2022-26 strategic plan that was developed from the 2019 Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) master plan that provided recommendations on how to improve the agency, combined with strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis, both internal and external, and with all the elements combined and generated from the conversations he had with personnel when he first arrived, and the results from the community stakeholder meeting.

Kovacs noted the following during the presentation:

Director Terri Hayes requested a broader community survey be conducted in the future besides a community stakeholder survey that included the response of only 10 selected participants from the May 8 community stakeholder meeting.

Kovacs said a broader community needs assessment would be valuable in the future, and he requested the board review the plan over the next month and discuss adopting it at the October meeting.

ESCI project manager Dan Qualman identified a real deficiency in the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) fleet and the funding that has not been set aside in its capital fleet replacement fund. The boards will be brought together in November to discuss the ESCI feasibility study. See www.ocn.me/v21n6.htm#tlmfpd and www.ocn.me/v21n7.htm#tlmfpd and the DWFPD article on page 12.

Kovacs said Battalion Chief Kris Mola will take over as division chief of training in November for two years on a district rotation.

Kovacs said there is not a lot of data yet on how often the Wescott American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance and the Northgroup districts are providing EMS mutual aid, but a nice balance of about three or four calls between the districts occurred in August. The trend will be monitored for several months to see where we stand with AMR and how mutual aid is being provided. See www.ocn.me/v21n9.htm#tlmfpd.

Division Chief of Operations Jonathan Bradley said the battalion chiefs have the right to reserve one ambulance within the district but will provide mutual aid to DWFPD.

Trost said the Station 1 remodel encountered a few delays in September and the project is now estimated to be completed Oct. 25.

Engineer Adam Wakefield announced the Fourth Annual Monument Professional Firefighters Local 4319 Pumpkin Giveaway. The event will take place at the Monument Marketplace Clock Tower, 15986 Jackson Creek Parkway, on Saturday, Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Live music, free pumpkins and candy will be featured, and the public will have the opportunity to judge "The Chief’s" pumpkin carving crew competition. A non-perishable food item for the Tri-Lakes Cares food drive is encouraged.

The meeting adjourned at 10:14 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce, 166 Second St., downtown Monument. For Zoom meeting instructions, agendas, and minutes, visit www.tlmfire.org or contact Director of Administration Jennifer Martin at 719-484-9011.

During the Sept. 9 meeting of the Monument Board of Trustees, Darcy M. Schoening was appointed to fill the trustee position left vacant by Jamy Unruh. Rob Rathburn, who has been a supervisor in Public Works for over 35 years, was recognized for his expertise. Two Public Works projects were approved by the board.

Although Town Manager Mike Foreman asked the board members to turn on their microphones, some trustees were completely silent, although it was apparent they were speaking. One of those was Trustee Laurie Clark, so there are no quotes from her in this article.

Trustee Mitch LaKind attended virtually.

Schoening beat out five other candidates to be appointed by a vote of 4-2. Three candidates including Sean White, Kenneth Kimple and Schoening were present. Isabella Matthews and Amy Yocom-Vos failed to attend the meeting.

Schoening told the board she has lived in Jackson Creek for a little over a year after a brief move to Denver. She previously owned Dex’s Diner/Depot with Greg Duncan, a restaurant that operated from 2017 to 2020. She continues to serve on the St. Peter Catholic School Home and School Association as vice president of fundraising. Schoening is also the owner of The Colorado Herald, an online newspaper that claims to support Clark’s campaign for governor.

Acting Town Attorney Joseph Rivera provided a legal review of the requirements for an appointment, noting there is very little guidance provided by statute: a simple majority by a motion can appoint anyone over 18 years of age who has been a resident of town for at least the last 12 months.

After interviewing three of the candidates, Trustee Ron Stephens nominated White, who has been serving on the Monument Planning Commission since 2019. LaKind nominated Kimple, an outspoken resident who is the de facto representative for the Promontory Pointe development. Both of these nominations came without a motion. Rivera recommended that the board make a motion to nominate one of the candidates. Trustee Jim Romanello wasted no time in nominating Schoening. Both Stephens and LaKind voted against the nomination.

Rob Rathburn, a Public Works supervisor who has been with the town for 35 years, was recognized by the board. Before his work for Monument, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Mayor Wilson said it is a blessing to have an employee like Rathburn, who has received numerous letters from residents touting his professionalism over the years. Public Works Director Tom Tharnish thanked him for all his work.

The board approved a change order to the existing contract for the Public Works building expansion. D2C Architects is contracted to provide design and engineering for the new building. After purchasing a building at 259 Beacon Lite Road, Public Works realized the new space will need to be reworked and so asked for $75,000 extra so that D2C Architects could redesign the new space as well.

The board also consented to purchase a small piece of land adjacent to the well redrill that happened along Beacon Lite Road. Well 3 had to be redrilled, and by state statute the new well must be within 200 feet of the original. "This created an issue for the town, as all the land they own has buried utility lines," according to the board packet. An easement was created with Porchlight Properties, the owner of the property adjacent to the original well. The in-kind exchange means no town funds were used for the purchase. The owner wishes to have roadway access, but their parcel is landlocked.

The well has been completely outfitted. The next step is to install the new pump and motor.

The request was unanimously approved.

Resident Barbara Kennet asked the board to reconsider the minutes from the previous meeting because they didn’t match a full transcript of what was said.

Town Clerk Laura Hogan explained that the meeting minutes do not need to reflect word for word comments during a meeting. For a full transcript of the meeting, Hogan directed Kennet to the town’s YouTube channel where all meetings can be watched.

Resident Steve King thanked Planning Director Meggan Herrington for her communication with the public during the recent Conexus Commercial Metropolitan District service plan review by the board at its Aug. 16 meeting. King said of the potential industrial facility that was planned, or "last mile fulfillment centers" as he called them, would have a negative effect on the community. See https://ocn.me/v21n9.htm#mbot0816.

Kimple spoke of an upcoming emergency evacuation drill and wondered when the emergency plan would be created for the east side of I-25.

Stephens said he was concerned along with the citizens regarding building heights of 90 feet being allowed in zoning. Stephens said this came to his attention at the last meeting, although he attended the June 7 meeting and approved the recent zoning update in which this stipulation was included. No members of the board questioned the building height at that time. See https://ocn.me/v21n7.htm#mbot0607.

The meeting adjourned at 8:27 p.m.

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The Monument Board of Trustees usually meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month at Monument Town Hall, 645 Beacon Lite Road. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 4. Call 719-884-8014 or see www.townofmonument.org for information. To see upcoming agendas and complete board packets for BOT or to download audio recordings of past meetings, see http://monumenttownco.minutesondemand.com and click on Board of Trustees.

The Monument Planning Commission (PC) took two votes at its Sept. 8 meeting: one considering final plats for Home Place Ranch Filings 1 and 2 and another for Sanctuary Pointe Filing No. 10 Final Plat. Motions to approve recommendation of these final plats to the Board of Trustees (BOT) passed unanimously.

This meeting was attended by Monument’s new planning director, Meggan Herington, as well as Planner Debbie Flynn and Planning Technician Theresa Rust. In attendance on the Planning Commission itself were Chairman Chris Wilhelmi, Vice Chairman Sean White, and Commissioners Daniel Ours and Martin Trujillo.

Information about the Home Place Ranch Filing 1 and 2 Final Plats was presented by Planner Debbie Flynn, followed by another presentation from the applicant. Representing the applicant were Phil Stuepfert and Ken Huhn of HR Green Inc., along with Vanessa Amoruso serving as legal counsel for Challenger Homes.

Public comments, as described in a draft of the meeting minutes:

The commissioners asked several questions, seeking clarity on the project. Here are some, but not all, of the topics addressed, as described in a draft of the meeting minutes:

Many of these questions and concerns were addressed by town staff and the applicant’s representatives. Please see the minutes that will be posted online for more information or contact town staff.

In the end, Commissioner Ours motioned to approve these final plats for recommendation, with a condition that Tract A be split into two tracts. The motion passed unanimously, 4-0.

Details about Sanctuary Pointe Filing No. 10 Final Plat:

There were no public comments or questions from commissioners about this proposal. Commissioner White’s motion to approve the final plat for recommendation to the BOT without conditions passed unanimously, 4-0.

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If there is a PC meeting in October, it is expected to be held on Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Monument Town Hall.

The Palmer Lake Board of Trustees (PLBOT) met twice in September. Regular board meetings were held on Sept. 9 and 23. A workshop meeting scheduled for Sept. 23 was cancelled. The Sept. 23 meeting ended with an executive session to discuss a possible annexation.

The board heard a remembrance of Wilma French from resident Shana Ball. David Green of Green & Associates presented the town’s 2020 audit. There were updates at both meetings on Elite Crane’s move to a new location in Monument. A vacant seat on the Parks Commission was filled by appointment. The board considered the need for a survey to determine the proper location for a fence to prevent people crossing the railroad tracks to reach the lake. The board voted on issues related to properties within the town and established an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Castle Rock concerning fire truck maintenance. Finally, the board granted two special event permits.

Ball shared with the board her memories of French, pausing with emotion at times and calling her an "extraordinary woman" who taught Ball how to be humble and the importance of service to community. French expressed her love for her neighbors by cooking for them, Ball recalled. French also cared for the town’s dogs, using her home as a kennel for strays until they could be claimed by their owners, without charge, and in some cases finding new homes for them, continuing her caretaking into her 80s. French embodied faith, humility, and kindness, Ball said.

Wilma Fern French died on Dec. 6, 2020, at age 98. She was a resident of Palmer Lake since 1957 where she started and ran Sundance Kennels for 54 years.

Mayor Bill Bass presented Ball and her cousin Tyson Reese with a street sign that will mark the corner of Prairie and Spring Streets as French’s Hill.

David Green said his audit of the town’s 2020 finances led to an unmodified clean opinion. The town’s financial controls are improving, he said, with only two areas of minor concern: some record-keeping issues and segregation of duties. Both are common in small organizations, and steps have been taken to correct those issues, leaving the town in a better position for reporting and safeguarding assets, he said.

At the Sept. 9 meeting, Bruno Furrer, the current owner of the property occupied by Elite Cranes, told the board that Elite Cranes was scheduled to close on its new property in a week and would then need two to three weeks to prepare the ground at the new property to receive the cranes. Local builder Kurt Ehrhardt said the town was being taken advantage of by the repeated failure of Elite Cranes to meet its self-imposed deadlines for vacating its current location and suggested Elite Cranes make a financial donation to the town. The discussion at the Sept. 9 meeting ended with board members observing that Elite Cranes would have missed another deadline to vacate its current location by the board’s next meeting, and that they would decide their next step at the Sept. 23 meeting.

At the Sept. 23 meeting, Sam Lawry, owner of Elite Cranes, told the board that progress had been made although he had not yet closed on the purchase of his new property. He said he expected to close within a week. He was preparing the new location by removing trees and surveying, he said. Hauling dirt to the new location would take three weeks.

Trustee Glant Havenar was skeptical about Lawry’s new timeline and pointed out that there had been many missed deadlines and that Sept. 15 had been a "drop-dead" date for the move. Trustee Karen Stuth said she believed the time had come to begin fining Elite Cranes for its repeated failures to keep its agreements with the town. Lawry responded he was preparing litigation for that eventuality and cited several justifications for the missed deadlines.

In the end, Lawry would not commit to another deadline to leave his current location.

Bass made a motion to give Elite Cranes until Oct. 31 to vacate. The motion passed with Bass, Trustees Darin Dawson, Jessica Farr, and Sam Padgett voting in favor and Trustees Nicole Currier, Havenar and Stuth voting against.

Resolution 41-2021, appointing Lindsey Leiker to a vacant seat on the Parks Commission, was passed as part of the consent agenda at the Sept. 9 meeting.

At the Sept. 9 meeting, Town Administrator Dawn Collins told the board the agreement between BNSF Railway and the Town of Palmer Lake obligates the town to build a fence to prevent people from crossing the railroad tracks to reach the lake from the town. Collins said the town should have the area surveyed to help determine the placement of the fence. Awake the Lake planned to fund the fence construction, Collins said.

Town Attorney Matt Krob commented that either the town would build the fence or the railroad would build it and bill the town for the cost, adding the railroad seemed to be more concerned with having the fence built as specified in the contract than with the optimal placement of the fence.

Bass instructed the town staff to have the area surveyed and to reach out to the railroad to discuss placement.

The board took the following steps regarding property issues:

Fire Chief Kevin McCarthy shared with the board the difficulties he has had finding reliable service for the Fire Department’s heavy equipment, including fire trucks. He asked the board to approve Resolution 44-2021, which establishes an IGA allowing the Castle Rock Fire Department to service Palmer Lake’s equipment. McCarthy said the agreement would allow Palmer Lake to use other service companies if appropriate.

The board voted unanimously to approve Resolution 44-2021.

The board granted a special event permit for the Seventh Annual Palmer Lake .5K Run, scheduled for Sunday Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. until noon. The event is a fundraiser for Awake the Lake, event organizer Cindy Kuchinsky said, and the route was changed this year to begin on the east side of the lake and incorporate the pedestrian bridge.

The race will begin at 10:30 a.m., Kuchinsky said, and there will be a donut station midway on the course. Beer and root beer will be served at the finish line.

Kuchinsky asked the board to waive the usual special event fee.

The board voted to approve the permit. Currier and Dawson abstained, as they serve on the Awake the Lake committee.

At the Sept. 23 meeting, the board reviewed a special event permit for the YMCA Creepy Crawl, to be held on Oct. 30 beginning at 7 a.m. The event includes a 5K run for adults and a Kids Fun Run. Runners are encouraged to come in costume, event organizer Pat McDonough said.

The board voted unanimously to approve the event permit.

Caption: At the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees meeting Sept. 23, Mayor Bill Bass presented Shana Ball and her cousin Tyson Reese with a street sign that will mark the corner of Prairie and Spring Streets as French’s Hill. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Caption: Wilma Fern French died Dec. 6, 2020, at age 98. French was a resident of Palmer Lake since 1957 where she started and ran Sundance Kennels for 54 years. Mayor Bill Bass presented Shana Ball and her cousin Tyson Reese with a street sign that will mark the corner of Prairie and Spring Streets as French’s Hill. Photo courtesy of Shana Ball.

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The Board of Trustees is scheduled to hold three meetings in October, a regular meeting on Oct. 14 and a workshop and regular meeting on Oct. 28. See the town’s website at www.townofpalmerlake.com to confirm times, dates, and locations. While the Town Hall is being repaired, evening meetings will be held at the Palmer Lake Elementary School Library at 115 Upper Glenway and daytime meetings will be held at the Tri-Lakes Chamber Community Meeting House at 300 Highway 105. Meeting times may change. Meetings are normally held on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. Information: 481-2953.

Three Academy School District 20 (ASD20) Board of Education (BOE) seats are up for election on the Nov. 2 ballot. Citizens who are registered to vote and live within the ASD20 boundary will have an official ASD20 BOE question on their November election ballot.

Ten candidates are campaigning for the three open seats. Current board member Thomas LaValley is seeking re-election; the other nine candidates are not currently board members. Each position has a four-year term that begins on Jan. 1, 2022.

The candidates are:

There will be two BOE Candidate Forums ahead of the election to provide the community an opportunity to meet candidates, hear about their positions, and ask questions.

Board elections occur every two years, and board members can serve a total of two terms.

Further information can be found on the ASD 20 website: https://www.asd20.org/announcements/2021-board-of-education-elections/

The Monument Academy (MA) School Board held a regular meeting on Sept. 9. It spotlighted a staff member, welcomed two new staff, addressed the uniform policy, and heard a public comment on its open records response.

Board member Misty McCuen led the discussion on an alternative to hoodies in the elementary and middle school uniform policy. She moved to provide the option for a high quality crewneck sweatshirt with a school crest patch. These sweatshirts, with no hood or pocket, can be ordered from an approved vendor in black, royal blue, or gray.

Board member Chris Dole said MA is a school of excellence and student dress is a big part of that, noting that when the uniform policy is relaxed it shows up in behavior. Dole and board member Megghan St. Aubyn voted no, while McCuen and board members Lindsay Clinton and Ryan Graham voted yes to carry the motion. Board policies 1501ES and 1501MS are at bit.ly/ma-bd-policies.

The board spotlighted Amy Torrance, Communications and Marketing specialist, for her support of MA’s enrollment growth goals. McCuen presented Torrance with a certificate of achievement.

After a lengthy executive session, the board adjourned and then allowed public comments on items not on the agenda. A community member said she had made a Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request that should have been filled in three days or up to 10 days under special circumstances. The board’s lawyer replied that the documents would be ready after that deadline. She said she was given a box with 600 pages of wet and wrinkled papers, of which 500 were duplicates and charged $134 per board policy 1512. She expressed shock at the unprofessional response.

These items were highlighted at the regular board meeting:

Caption: Amy Torrance, left, was recognized by the MA board at their meeting Sept. 9 and presented with a certificate of appreciation by Misty McCuen. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Caption: At the Sept. 9 board meeting, Tamiko Thomas was introduced as the new assistant principal at MA’s East Campus. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

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The next regular board meeting has been moved to Thursday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. at the East Campus band room due to fall break. The meeting will be in person only. The MA School Board usually meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month. For more information, see https://bit.ly/ma-boe.

The Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education held a special meeting on Sept. 2 and voted to cancel participation in November’s election because only two incumbents filed paperwork to run. Board President Chris Taylor and board Secretary Tiffiney Upchurch will each serve an additional four-year term.

Taylor commented that he was disappointed that he would not be able to reach out to the community during a campaign. Upchurch said she was honored to serve an additional term to maintain the momentum the current board has achieved.

The remainder of the board, including Theresa Phillips, Ron Schwarz, and Matthew Clawson, is serving four-year terms that will end in November 2023.

At the regular meeting on Sept. 20, there were several comments from the public. Three of these were from physicians in the area who said that El Paso County is again in the orange to red zone regarding COVID-19. They urged the board to take action by encouraging all staff to be vaccinated, including by offering incentives. Students should also be masked to avoid quarantine, they said.

Three local parents also urged stronger action by the board, one of them saying that his son was exposed at school and the schools had opted not to receive tests.

Four individuals thanked the board for allowing parents to make the decision regarding masking.

One individual commented on the fact that the board is considering altering its policy regarding the teaching of controversial materials and that this is unnecessary. Others supported this opinion.

In his update, Superintendent K.C. Somers reported that the district’s new executive team went to all schools in August to introduce themselves and encourage feedback.

Teachers and other staff said it was important to them to feel valued and that compensation should be improved.

Other subjects Somers mentioned were the first professional development day on Sept. 1, and the district will relaunch a Financial Advisory Committee soon. This group will consist of eight to 10 community and district staff members, chosen by formal application. The group will be tasked with creating fiscal credibility and stressing transparency.

Regarding the subject of the district reaction to the pandemic, Somers said the district continues to follow the guidelines of the Department of Public Health.

He recognized Anne Icke, Davis Saunders, and Allison Sobers for being named National Merit semi-finalists and Madison Wilson of Palmer Ridge High School for being named a KOAA Athlete of the Week.

Dr. Merlin Holmes, chief operating officer of Monument Academy, presented the school’s annual report and thanked the district for their partnership. He said the school did well through the pandemic, and its enrollment has grown by 100 to 125 pupils annually. The new campus serves grades six through 10. Plans are in place for an additional wing to serve students through 12th grade.

Assistant Superintendent Amber Whetstine moderated a report on district activities in support of strategic priority 2, to ensure high-quality instruction and relevant educational experiences for all students. The focus is on early education and pathways to the future after graduation.

Due to staffing shortages, the Palmer Lake preschool had to be closed, but students were moved to Kilmer and other locations, including Monument Academy and a local private preschool.

There are currently 147 preschool students. Forty-five percent of these are funded through the Colorado Preschool Program or special education, and the remainder are funded by tuition.

Initiatives in the early-learning area include stressing staff training, offering social-emotional support, and monitoring the new department of early childhood education.

In the later elementary grades, there are two new reading resources being implemented at various locations. Both resources are approved by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). Forty teachers returned early from summer vacation to undergo training in reading resources.

Assessment Coordinator Michael Brom reported on student learning outcomes over the past year. He reviewed results on CMAS tests, Advance Placement, and the PSAT.

Some tests were not administered last year, and others were done remotely, so results are difficult to evaluate. He said that the district’s scores were better than the state scores.

There was a report on the various pathways to graduation in the district. These included the traditional high school plan, Advanced Placement classes which could yield college credit, Career Start which allows high school juniors and seniors to attend Pikes Peak Community College part time, and concurrent enrollment which involves students attending college courses with credit guaranteed to transfer to college. Recently, some of the college classes have been offered at district locations. These include basic English, American Sign Language and beginning college math.

Other offerings include career and technical education and Project Lead the Way, which includes programs in business, construction, health care, and cosmetology. Some of these programs lead to certification.

There is also the district’s online program, created by Lewis-Palmer staff and approved by the CDE.

For those wishing to enter the military, the district administers the ASVAB Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) twice a year.

The board was presented with a list of policies with suggested changes. Most of the changes were recommended by the Colorado Association of School Boards.

Superintendent Somers said he would like to link policies to the Strategic Plan and have one or more board members review each before approval.

Chief Financial Officer Kitte Overton explained how emergency COVID funding was spent by the district. These funds included the COVID Relief Fund (CRF) and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund (ESSER). Spending of CRF funds were for preparation for closing and reopening the schools, cleaning, sanitizing, and improving ventilation, distance learning development, and delivery and provision of food during closures.

ESSER funds were for continuing services during closures, coordination of COVID preparedness and response, assessments, improved student engagement, and facility improvement to reduce risk of transmission.

There are two additional ESSER funds that will be made available in the next two years. These will be earmarked for sanitation supplies, planning to implement activities during closures, technology for online learning, and mental health services.

In total, the per pupil funding from these sources equals about $1,000.

Caption: From left to right, seated to standing are Ryan Graham, Monument Academy (MA) Board president, Chief Financial Officer Marc Brocklehurst, and Chief Operating Officer Merlin Holmes. MA administrators and a board representative appeared at the Lewis-Palmer Board of Education meeting on Sept. 20, to discuss MA’s annual report for the school year 2020-2021, at in accordance with the charter school’s contract with the district. Holmes did not show the presentation, which can be viewed at http://bit.ly/ma-2021-annual, but asked if there were any questions. Holmes responded that MA’s biggest accomplishment was to survive and thrive during the pandemic. Students are continuing to grow and learn, and enrollment continues to increase, he said. He highlighted middle school athletics and the orchestra program and said he appreciated the partnership with the district. The biggest challenge for MA is that the East Campus almost at capacity, he noted, saying that MA is working on financing for the phase 2 expansion. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

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The D38 Board of Education meets at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of each month in the district learning center, 146 Jefferson St., Monument. The next meeting will be on Oct.18.

The Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) met on Sept. 25 to hear an owner’s concerns and discuss fee increases.

A resident called the board’s attention to many dead trees behind his property, leading up the hill to the Woodmoor common area known as The Point. He has been mitigating on his property and asked WIA to do the same on the open space. Board President Brian Bush said the board would review the current mitigation projects on the 142 acres of open space it manages. Tom Smith, director of forestry, and Steve Cutler, director of common areas, agreed to go out the following day and look at the issue both from the homeowner’s property and from the trailhead off Four Winds Way that leads to The Point.

The same resident raised a concern about erosion on the common area hill that impacts his property. Bush said this issue is more difficult, and he wasn’t sure what could be done or how much it might cost. Colorado’s water laws make redirecting water problematic. Bush said that staff will investigate the issue and will respond to both concerns in a week or two.

Another resident raised traffic safety concerns about Furrow Road from County Line to Highway 105 and had reached out to Woodmoor Public Safety (WPS), which directed him to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPCSO) because the road belongs to the county. He hasn’t received a response and asked what more he or the board could do. Bush noted that WIA had partnered with a group of HOAs asking for traffic-calming measures for the extension of Furrow from Highway 105 to Higby as part of the Grandwood Ranch development. Once the county implements that, the board can request the same be done to the northern end of Furrow Road.

Vice President Peter Bille has the task of looking at the current covenant violation fee schedule and coming back to the board with recommendations. The current schedule is at www.woodmoor.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fine-Schedule-Revised-2017.pdf . Bush noted the fines have not been updated in four years and recommended the board consider raising fines for uncut grass, weeds, vegetation, and nuisances to $200 for a first violation and $400 for a second. Third and subsequent violations will be whatever fine the board deems appropriate. He also recommended the board simplify the fines schedule for fireworks to start at $5,000 for any use in Woodmoor. He noted that the board has discretion about imposing a fine or not, if appropriate. The board unanimously voted to accept these recommendations.

A resident said the increases seemed steep and asked if the current structure was not effective. Bush explained that the board has a table of fines but has wide discretion that allows them to suspend or lower fines. He said the board prefers to have compliance over fines but that some of these issues, when related to fire, are a grave danger to the community. Director of Public Safety Brad Gleason noted that there is a defined process, and the goal is not to make money but to have residents take covenant violations seriously.

Caption: WIA Board President Brian Bush opened the meeting with a recognition of two student volunteers, (L to R) Brie Chester and Noelle Garcia. He noted that they generously donated their time to weed the island by the pavilion in front of The Barn. They also donated and installed flowers from Home Depot. This was part of their National Honor Society (NHS) project. Bush said they demonstrated caring for the community and set examples of leadership. Even as part of an NHS project, Bush said, any young adult who volunteers to do weeding is a hero to him. He presented Chester and Garcia with framed certificates of appreciation. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

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The WIA Board of Directors usually meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month in the Barn at 1691 Woodmoor Drive, Monument. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 20.

The WIA calendar can be found at www.woodmoor.org/wia-calendar/. WIA board meeting minutes can be found at www.woodmoor.org/meeting-minutes/ once approved and posted.

September can be a month of extremes as we transition from summer to fall. Just last year, we saw record highs immediately followed by record cold and snow. This is not unusual for us on the Palmer Divide and Tri-Lakes region as we often flip back and forth between seasons, and the transition can be quick. This results from our location at a high elevation and in the middle of the continent away from any modifying large bodies of water. We also have direct access to moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and cold air from the Arctic region.

Then add in the extra lift and elevated heat sources provided by our elevated terrain and the Front Range foothills and it all comes together to create widely variable weather conditions throughout the year. Therefore, it’s not surprising that we saw some big swings in the weather this year. The theme for the month was warm temperatures, as we were well above normal overall. Fortunately, precipitation was above average as well, but it all fell on just a few days. We did manage to drop below freezing for the first time this season.

The month started off wet with three days in a row of rainfall. Each day began quietly with afternoon showers and thunderstorms developing during the day and extending into the evening. During the first three days of the month, around an inch of rainfall accumulated, providing some much-needed moisture after a relatively dry August.

Dry and warm conditions took hold over the next week, with highs moving from the upper 70s on the 4th and 5th to record highs in the upper 80s to low 90s on the 9th, 10th, and 11th. As temperatures warmed during the second week of the month, monsoonal moisture began to sneak into the region. This set the stage for some active weather, as moisture levels increased with the warm air to produce higher levels of instability.

The first sign of this was afternoon and evening showers that developed each day from the 11th through the 13th, priming the atmosphere for the main event on the 14th. Strong to severe thunderstorms quickly developed by early afternoon, with heavy rain and hail covering the ground in many locations. This line of thunderstorms moved out of the region fairly quickly by that evening with dry and mainly sunny conditions returning for the next several days.

The pattern again changed quickly between the 19th and 20th as a frontal passage during the early morning hours of the 20th brought a taste of fall to the area. Gusty winds and cooler temperatures that morning were enhanced by cloudy skies and rain showers that afternoon and evening. Cooler air continued to work into with temperatures reaching the mid-30s as the last areas of rainfall moved out. As skies cleared that morning, temperatures didn’t have far to fall to reach the freezing mark, and many areas dropped just below freezing the morning of the 21st. It was the first day of fall and right around the normal time of the year when we first dip below freezing. Highs were held in the upper 50s that afternoon, and mostly clear skies again allowed temperatures to touch the freezing mark on the 22nd. The good news is that temperatures didn’t reach the "hard freeze" category, so instead of ruining our chances of beautiful fall colors, this should help to enhance the process.

Quiet and seasonal conditions returned from the 22nd through the 27th as temperatures warmed from the low 70s to the low 80s through the period. However, one last storm affected the region over the last few days of the month. This was associated with an area of low pressure slowly spinning over the desert southwest and moving through the Four Corners region. This brought unsettled conditions to the region, with some much-needed moisture in the mountains and parts of the Front Range.

October can be an active weather month for the region with our first snowy conditions often experienced. Most years, we seem to get a good snowfall around Halloween, and after a warm and dry September, we could use a wet and cold storm this year. Snow can be heavy at times during any part of October as when over 20 inches of snow fell from Oct. 9-10 in 2005, and 2006 saw over 24 inches of snow fall in less than 24 hours on Oct. 26.

Of course, the big storm some of us remember occurred during October 1997, when nearly 4 feet of snow and blizzard conditions shut everything down for several days. But we are just as likely to get mild and sunny conditions, so enjoy those sunny days when you can.

Have you been waiting for the newest book by a favorite author? Here are some new releases that make great gifts for others or yourself:

Set in Constantinople in the 15th century, in a small town in present-day Idaho, and on an interstellar ship decades from now, Pulitzer Prize-winning Anthony Doerr’s third novel is an imaginative, soaring story about children on the cusp of adulthood in worlds in peril, who find resilience, hope, and a book. Doerr has created a tapestry of times and places that reflects our inter-connectedness.

Astrobiologist Theo Byrne searches for life throughout the cosmos while single-handedly raising his unusual 9-year-old, Robin, following the death of his wife. Robin is a warm, kind boy who spends hours painting elaborate pictures of endangered animals. He’s also about to be expelled from third grade. As his son grows more troubled, Theo learns of an experimental treatment that involves training Robin on the recorded patterns of his mother’s brain. Powers has created a moving novel of a father and son’s ferocious love.

The New York Times bestselling author of Wonder is back with an enthralling adventure that will show readers how to choose courage. Twelve-year-old Silas embarks on a quest to rescue his father, with only a ghost as his companion and a mysterious pony as his guide. He will face his fears to unlock the secrets of his past and explore the unfathomable mysteries of the world around him. Palacio spins a harrowing yet distinctly coming-of-age story about the power of love and the ties that bind us across distance and time.

When an inventive mouse misses the biggest cheese festival the world has ever seen, he’s determined to turn back the clock. With the help of a mouse clockmaker, a lot of inventiveness, and the notes of a certain famous Swiss physicist, he succeeds in traveling back in time. But when he misses his goal by 80 years, the only one who can help is an employee of the Swiss Patent Office, who turned our concept of space and time upside down. Kuhlman, in his beautifully illustrated mouse adventure, explores the question: Suppose Albert Einstein’s famous theories first came into being through an encounter with a little mouse.

Dive deeper into the world of Little People, Big Dreams with this keepsake treasury featuring 50 dreamers from the critically acclaimed, best-selling series. Learn more about each of your favorite dreamers with new in-depth stories, facts, and figures. Each story is rewritten to be appropriate for an older audience. Divided by profession, the treasury includes profiles of the world’s greatest artists, activists, writers, musicians, TV and film stars, scientists, and sports legends. A timeline, glossary, index, and further reading provide even more to explore. (Available Nov. 9)

What’s to be done about a jaywalking moose? A bear caught breaking and entering? Mary Roach tags along with animal-attack forensics investigators, human-elephant conflict specialists, bear managers, and danger tree faller blasters all over the world. Combining little-known forensic science and conservation genetics, Roach reveals as much about humanity as about nature’s lawbreakers. Fascinating, witty, and humane, Fuzz offers hope for compassionate coexistence in our ever-expanding human habitat.

Created by the ever-curious minds behind Atlas Obscura, this guide transforms our sense of what people around the world eat and drink. Covering all seven continents, it serves up a loaded plate of incredible ingredients, food adventures, unexpected dishes, delicacies, and edible wonders. It reveals food’s central place in our lives, history, science, art, and traditions from historical to recent discoveries. (Available Oct. 12)

Until next month, happy reading.

Free math tutoring has returned to the Monument Library! Monday afternoons from 3:30 to 6:30, come to the library for free help with math at all levels. No appointment is necessary. All volunteer tutors are experienced teachers. Tutoring will not be held on library or school holidays.

The community room is available for reservations. Please see the website www.PPLD.org and look under services under meeting/study rooms. Be sure to have alternate dates in mind

Construction on the ADA-compliant ramp at Palmer Lake Library continues.

Please note that all library facilities will be closed on Monday, Oct. 4 for staff training.

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On the evening of Sept. 16, the Palmer Lake Historical Society resumed its monthly scheduled program at the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce Community Meeting House in Monument. Pikes Peak Trolleys, a fast-paced, photo- and fact-filled program by John Haney, was presented to a captivated, full-house audience.

Trolleys, streetcars, and trams were used interchangeably to describe the same mode of horse-drawn and electric-powered form of urban rail transportation. Early in the 1890s, trolley systems were prevalent in the Colorado towns and cities of Denver, Trinidad, Durango, Aspen, Leadville, and Grand Junction.

The Colorado Springs area was blessed by a streetcar system that was one of the best to be found anywhere. This had much to do with Winfield Scott Stratton, who became the owner of the Colorado Springs Rapid Transit Railway Co.

Haney’s presentation covered the history of streetcar service pre- and post-Stratton, how it affected the lives of residents and what became of it. He reviewed what is happening presently in the trolley world and what we might imagine for the future of downtown Colorado Springs.

In 2018, studies for consideration of re-establishing a trolley system in Colorado Springs were presented to the city administration with no objections.

Haney is a Colorado Springs native whose family has been here since the 1890s. In the 1980s, he helped found what is now the Pikes Peak Trolley Museum and Restoration Shop, located at 2333 Steel Drive, Colorado Springs, 719-475-9508.

Caption: Pikes Peak Trolleys program presenter John Haney. Photo by Wayne Russert .

Caption: Trolley under construction in trolley car barn, 500 S. Tejon St, Colorado Springs, c.1906. Caption by Sharon Williams/John Haney. Photo courtesy Pikes Peak Library District collection.

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The Palmer Lake Historical Society monthly programs are presented at 7 p.m. every third Thursday of the month at Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce-Community Rm, 166 Second St., Monument. The Oct. 21 program, The Long Expedition, will be presented by John Stansfield. Info: 719-559-0837, www.palmerdividehistory.org.

September gave us many warm afternoons and only a few chilly mornings. October looks to do the same, and we can still get our harvests, especially with using the frost cloth as help. I will be putting up the hoops and the frost cloth for autumn and winter gardening. February will be our coldest month, so I still have hope for October, November, December, and possibly January for some crops to thrive. If they are in the ground and growing in October, they’ll keep going for months if protected.

We’ve had some very sneaky varmints in the garden and likely some grasshoppers tasting our delicious food crops. I think I planted about 50 green bean plants, and I got nothing except the "almost" bean pods and then something grabbed them all. Varmints didn’t invade any of the plants I sprinkled with cayenne pepper, but any rain or sprinkler watering washes that off and then the food is up for grabs. Every year is different, and a challenge, but worth the effort if only a lovely time out with nature and the soil to heal the soul.

The apple trees around town have had a bumper crop, with plenty to share, and the pears are everywhere. These late bloomers always thrive despite our late snowy, frosty weather that zaps my March apricot blooms. Driving around town, we see the apple and crabapple trees loaded with fruit, and most of the cherry trees are loaded, too. Chokecherry harvests were record high, and I hear that friends’ chokecherry brandies are in full swing.

Many in our community have reported bumper crops and wonderful harvests especially with the evasive tomatoes. This is quite a coup, because sometimes we get a great crop and sometimes we don’t. Lots to consider. Our annual September frost made a lot of gardeners hurry out to get the green tomatoes yet again for green tomato salsa. I just toss them in the freezer and use them as needed, which is so easy compared to canning. I got just a few strawberries all season and look to have a full bed of them next year.

In October, when most people think that harvesting is key, we can also put in seeds and start some late season, cold weather crops. I have newly planted beans, beets, herbs, peas and the like and they are thriving. I had to let my radishes go to seed pods, but frankly, those taste the best, even better than the radish root. The tender pods are laced with a light, delicate radish flavor. Snow peas also thrive now.

Tell us your local gardening secrets—we’d love to hear from you.

The Art Hop completed its 2021 season on Sept. 16 with beautiful music, artists, poets, and visual art throughout the town. Our community is restoring its conviviality and enjoying our outdoors and local places, and indeed our autumn arts enjoyment will continue with monthly events around town.

At Bella Art and Frame Gallery, poets Tom McGuire, Jessy Randall, and Sarah Nance joined artist Pam Aloisa in the ancient Greek tradition of ekphrasis. Ekphrasis, from the Greek meanings of "telling out," "recount," and "description" can focus on an artifact or a poem describing a visual work of art that could be real or imaginary.

Homer’s description of Achilles’ shield in Book 18 of The Iliad stands at the beginning of the ekphrastic tradition. We are close to ekphrasis in our contemporary culture with lyrics such as those in Don McLean’s song Vincent (also known as Starry Starry Night), where McLean describes many of Van Gogh’s paintings with lyrics about the colors and seasons of flowers, harvests, and snow.

Such intimate descriptions of seasons as McLean creates in Vincent, without actually saying the season, is also indicative of Japanese haiku poems. Often, friends will make haiku poems at a gathering, or create a small painting together with a haiku poem written in calligraphy. This is called "shikishi" haiku painting. I did this with artist friends in Japan. Of course, they helped correct my Japanese, but we had a lot of good times making them. It’s also a fun school project for kids, since haiku are simple and fun to create.

Our rich artful culture is strongly influenced by the ancients in visual art, poetry, song, and more. While much of our thinking in Western education is rooted in ancient Greco-Roman influence, locally we also have our indigenous influences and nature, and these are close by for the discovering, no museum needed.

In the times when few people could read and write, art was an important means of communication. Just as we take photos today to remember special events, the arts of our ancients helped record events in ancient Greece, Egypt, and Rome. Our local indigenous culture has recorded special communications through a prolific number of bent trees, known as culturally modified trees, prayer trees, or spirit trees, and rock formations and sacred sites.

One of the biggest and hugely fascinating works of indigenous art we have close by and visible is the Elephant Rock we can see from Highway 105 between Monument and Palmer Lake. Upon close examination, we can see details of the elephant anatomy including the neck, head shape, eyes and eyelids, mouth and more.

Caption: From left, poets Jessy Randall and Sarah Nance, artist Pam Aloisa, and poet Tom McGuire share their creativity in poetry and painting at the last Art Hop event of the season on Sept. 16. Dr. McGuire explained the ideas behind the three poets’ ekphrastic poetry, which is a tradition in describing a visual work of art in poetry. Each poet read their poems and were available along with the painter to discuss their works with visitors throughout the evening. Photo by Janet Sellers.

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