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Fox Run Regional Park Lantern Festival, Sept. 22
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El Paso Board of County Commissioners, Aug. 29 and Sept. 14, 26, and 28. Approvals for the Flying Horse North service plan and increased parking at Pumpkin Patch
By Helen Walklett During September, the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved the Flying Horse North (FHN) service plan with a total debt cap of $400 million, the largest of any El Paso County metro district. It also heard a special use application from Colorado Pumpkin Patch to increase the allowed parking numbers…
Monument Fire District, Sept. 27. Fleet purchase approved; budget impact of Nov. ballot items; community paramedic proposed
Monument Fire District, Sept. 27. Fleet purchase approved; budget impact of Nov. ballot items; community paramedic proposed. By Natalie Barszcz At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Sept. 27, the board approved two new engines, received the first presentation of the proposed 2024 budget, and heard about a proposed community paramedic concept. President Mike…
El Paso County Planning Commission, Sept.7 and 21. Preliminary plan for 21-home subdivision recommended for approval
By Helen Walklett At the Sept. 21 El Paso County Planning Commission meeting, the commissioners voted unanimously to recommend for approval an application for a preliminary plan for 20 single-family lots to be known as the Hay Creek Valley subdivision. The one residence currently on the property will remain, making a total of 21 lots.…
Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Sept. 20. 2022 audit is clean; 2024 budget direction explored
By Natalie Barszcz At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on Sept. 20, the board received the 2022 audit presentation, discussed the major 2024 budget priorities, and reviewed the board officer by-laws. The board also witnessed the swearing in of Capt. Michael Torres. A brief Pension Board of Trustees meeting preceded the…
Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, Sept. 27 – Board meeting canceled
By Natalie Barszcz On Sept. 27 at 2:09 p.m., this reporter received notice that the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District Board of Directors had canceled the scheduled meeting due to the lack of a quorum. For the Joint Factual Summary for the Donald Wescott sub-district dissolution regarding ballot questions 6A and 6B, and information about…
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Town of Monument, Aug. 29. Gleneagle residents voice concerns about potential annexation
By Natalie Barszcz Town of Monument (TOM) officials held a town hall meeting with residents of adjacent Gleneagle on Aug. 29 to gauge their interest in being annexed into the town. The public was invited to participate in a question-and-answer session and was encouraged to attend online because of limited space at the Family of…
Monument Town Council, Sept. 5 and 18. Unanimous vote hopes to put ethics allegations to rest
By Chris Jeub The Monument Town Council met twice in September to swear in and promote new officers and staff, pass ordinances to clean up the town’s permitting code, and grant the local ice cream shop a liquor license to expand its services. The council also broke into executive session, of which the mayor abstained,…
Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, Sept.14 and 28. Elephant Rock property lease with option to purchase approved
By James Howald and Jackie Burhans In September, the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees voted on a resolution authorizing a lease for a portion of the Eagle Rock property and on a resolution regulating recreational vehicle (RV) use and storage on private property. An ordinance governing signs was discussed and tabled. Palmer Lake Police Officer…
D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Sept. 12. Committee sets priorities for coming year, appoints new co-chair.
By Harriet Halbig The D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee (formerly the District Accountability Advisory Committee) set priorities for the upcoming schoolyear at its Sept. 12 meeting. Assistant Superintendent Amber Whetstine reported that the district was once again accredited with distinction for the previous school year. She said Lewis-Palmer High School and Palmer Ridge High…
Monument Academy School Board, Sept. 14 and 20. MA responds to ACLU, prepares for budget amendment.
By Jackie Burhans At its Sept. 14 meeting, the Monument Academy (MA) board heard their lawyer’s response to the ACLU and prepared to amend its budget, review carline safety concerns, and consider revisions to its employee handbook. At a special meeting on Sept. 20, the board continued the discussion of its emergency operations procedure (EOP)…
Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education, Sept.18. Prairie Winds students win national award; Education Foundation reactivated
By Harriet Halbig The Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education celebrated achievements of its students and teachers at its Sept. 18 meeting. President’s Environmental Youth Award. Sixth-graders Amelia Ashby, Sloan Clary, and Annabel Montero from Prairie Winds Elementary School were awarded the President’s Environmental Youth Award for their project to reduce waste by composting green waste…
Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Sept. 18. Contracts awarded for infrastructure.
By James Howald Construction contracts were the focus of the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) at its September meeting. The board awarded two new contracts and changed the award of a third to a different company. It continued the discussion of water and sewer tap fees that began in its previous meeting, hearing a…
Monument Sanitation District, Sept. 20. Board approves email policy, plans building improvements
By Jackie Burhans and James Howald The Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met in September to vote on a resolution outlining the district’s email policy. It discussed a preliminary draft of a proposed 2024 budget and took up issues concerning improvements and repairs of the district’s headquarters building. District email for business use only. State…
Donala Water and Sanitation District, Sept. 21. Preliminary 2024 budget presented
By James Howald and Jackie Burhans At its September meeting, Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) General Manager Jeff Hodge and Accounts Payable specialist Christine Hawker presented a preliminary draft of the district’s 2024 budget. The board awarded a contract for rehabilitating the district’s water tanks, updated a lease to sell effluent water, and made…
Continue Reading Donala Water and Sanitation District, Sept. 21. Preliminary 2024 budget presented
Triview Metropolitan District, Sept. 21. Northern Delivery System pipeline installation nearing completion
By Natalie Barszcz At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Sept. 21, the board received updates on the Northern Delivery System (NDS) Pipeline Project and the release of water deeds, and heard about wastewater flow monitoring and a system to remove radium. The board also approved a small lease of water shares, heard about…
El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Sept. 21. Board approves outreach to contractors
By James Howald At its September meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board heard a plan from its recently hired Project Planning and Workflow Manager (PPWM) to advertise the project. The board heard results from the most recent water quality tests. The board also set a date for a public hearing…
Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO) – Sept. 9. Monument Fire Department, Planning Commission visit NEPCO.
By Marlene Brown The Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO) general membership heard presentations on Sept. 9 by staff members of the Town of Monument Planning Commission (MPC) and Monument Fire District (MFD) Chief Andy Kovacs and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) Mark Gunderman.…
Woodmoor Improvement Association, Sept. 27. Board hears concerns about development next to common area.
By Jackie Burhans At its September meeting, the Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) board heard from residents concerned about a developer’s impact on drainage near one of its common areas. Board directors provided reports on their areas of responsibility. Residents voice concern about development and drainage. Residents voice concern about development and drainage The WIA board…
September Weather Wrap
By Bill Kappel Temperatures were above normal most of September, only interrupted by a wet and cold period during the middle of the month. Precipitation ended right about normal, but it all occurred during a four-day period. The first week of the month was well above normal with high reaching the upper 80s on the…
Letters to Our Community – Tom Olmstead – strong candidate for D38 school board
Tom Olmstead is an honest, open, and refreshing candidate for D38. Tom puts parents and students first and his refreshing candor about personally meeting parents in the district brings back much needed trust in our system. There are some haters in our community trying to lie about Tom. He’s had a stellar career as former…
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Letters to Our Community – D38 School Board director, District 2 election
Patti Shank Ph.D. is an exceptional candidate for the District 2 director of the Lewis-Palmer School District Board of Education. Her experience in learning and instructional design enables her to truly understand the challenges facing our teachers and students. Her attention to detail allows her to easily identify and collaboratively resolve unintended consequences of proposed…
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Letters to Our Community – Kindness is alive in Monument
I have a collection of buttons and pins. One of the buttons says “Try a Little Kindness,” which I believe referred to a hair product many years ago. Recently, during a visit to my local barber shop for a “cut” I was told that a gentleman who just left had paid for my haircut. I…
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Letters to Our Community – Thanks, Kiwanis Monument Hill Foundation!
Thank you to the Kiwanis Monument Hill Foundation for granting the money to purchase upgraded teacher access for Gimkit and Quizizz, two online educational review programs. Both Gimkit and Quizizz are online educational quiz-like game platforms that get students excited about practicing math problems in a competitive but no-pressure environment. I am so grateful to…
Continue Reading Letters to Our Community – Thanks, Kiwanis Monument Hill Foundation!
Letters to Our Community – Upcoming D38 school board election
The D38 school board election is coming up this November. I would like to personally recommend Patti Shank Ph.D. as a school board candidate for D38. Patti has the dedication, ability, commitment, desire, and qualifications to be an excellent school board director. She is also committed to our community and wants to give back and…
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Letters to Our Community – Vote for Tom Olmstead
I’m writing in support of candidate Tom Olmstead for D38 School Board. I had the opportunity to hear Mr. Olmstead at the Candidate Forum conducted by KOAA on Sept. 28. I found him to be clear and committed to the parents, students, and staff of D38. His openness to hear ideas from everyone to make…
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Letters to Our Community – Vote Patti Shank for D38 School Board
When considering positions on a School Board, background, character, education, and stances of the candidate should be considered as a whole. If one element is missing, look for another, more qualified candidate who aligns with the aggregate. Patti Shank is a widely cited author on the science of learning and has over 20 years in…
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Letters to Our Community – D38 elections—know who you’re voting for
I am writing to express my concerns about Tom Olmstead as a candidate for the Lewis-Palmer School District (D38) Board of Education, District 2 director. Based on my research, I believe that Tom’s track record and positions are not aligned with the best interests of our community. Tom’s lack of experience in education and unfamiliarity…
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Letters to Our Community – Ethics Commission takes up complaint against mayor as “non-frivolous.”
In May 2023, I wrote a letter to OCN stating that Monument taxpayers were going to pick up the tab for Mayor Mitch LaKind’s personal attorney fees to the tune of $21,000 under the guise that it was “in the Town’s interest.” That “interest” was actually an inappropriate sexual comment LaKind made to a female…
Between the Covers at Covered Treasures Bookstore – Wonders of our universe
By the staff at Covered Treasures “Earth is a very small stage in the vast cosmic arena.”—Carl Sagan In celebration of the upcoming solar eclipse in October, here is a list of books that provide information on planets, planetary travel, stars, eclipses, and much more. Packing for Mars for Kids By Mary Roach (Norton Company)…
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October Library Events – New programs for Teens and Tweens; Culture Pass for Pikes Peak Highway
By Harriet Halbig This October the library will host several seasonal activities for teens and tweens. On Oct. 13 from 2:30 to 5:30 there will be a Teen Spooky Movie Marathon with titles to be chosen by the teens in attendance (ages 13 to 18). Registration is not required. On Oct. 16 from 4:30 to…
High Altitude Nature and Gardening (HANG) – Gardening with cinnamon; fall tool care
By Janet Sellers “It’s amazing how many worries are lost while gardening.”—”The Empress of Dirt” Cinnamon is good for people and gardens I’ve used cinnamon for flower pots and veggie beds to keep out critters with success, but I recently learned about the wide range of how it helps gardening. Cinnamon has gotten more expensive…
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Art Matters – October is Arts Month
By Janet Sellers September was the last Art Hop month of the season, but we have more art events coming up for fall. October brings its own art events and fun for the Pikes Peak Region, the annual Arts Month. This year marks the 10th annual event. The theme is “Open Your World with the…
Snapshots of Our Community
Fox Run Park trail work Above: Volunteers from the Friends of Fox Run Park worked on the trails in Fox Run Regional Park in August and September. After over 60 days of rain in the area, the trails were heavily damaged. Thanks to the El Paso County Parks Department providing the gravel and road base,…
Our Community Notices
Our Community Notices By Janet Sellers Although we strive for accuracy in these listings, dates or times are often changed after publication. Please double-check the time and place of any event you wish to attend by calling the information number for that event. Please notify us if your event listing needs to be updated. Community…
Our Community Calendar
By Janet Sellers Although we strive for accuracy in these listings, dates or times are often changed after publication. Please double-check the time and place of any event you wish to attend by calling the info number for that event. Please contact calendar@ocn.me with changes and additions. GOVERNMENTAL BODIES Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, Pinon Pines…