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D38 at the state capitol
Attendees were able to meet with Rep. Don Wilson, D20 Monument; Sen. Mark Baisly, SD-4, Sen. Paul Lundeen, SD-9, and Sen. Janice Marchman, SD-15. All have Education Committee assignments. Wilson and Lundeen are local to the Tri-Lakes area and Marchman is a working teacher. The group also got to sit in on part of a House and Senate session and watch a debate on Senate amendments to HB23-1064 Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact designed to make it easier for teachers, especially active military members and eligible military spouses, from one member state to receive a teacher’s license from another member state. The amendments were rejected, the bill was passed in the Senate, sent to the governor, and signed into law.
In the photo from right to left are Leah Braaten, elementary teacher; Alexandra Seabourn, reading interventionist; Amy Sienkowski, middle school assistant principal; Tiffiney Upchurch, board member; Cynthia Eversole, music teacher; Chris Thomas, kindergarten teacher, Brett Ridgway, chief business officer; Carolyn Bedingfield, grandmother; followed by several other attendees up through KC Somers, D38 superintendent. Not shown are: Char Armstrong, psychologist; Jackie Burhans, community member and parent alumni; Courtney Bushnell, business/marketing/computer science teacher; James Howald, community member and parent alumni; Stephanie Markle, social studies teacher; and Theresa Phillips, board vice president. Photo by Jackie Burhans.
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Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education, March 20 – Proposed pay schedule introduced
By Harriet Halbig The Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education received detailed information about a proposed pay schedule for the 2023-24 school year and discussed developments in the Portrait of a D38 Graduate and Portrait of a D38 Educator during its March 20 meeting. Pay schedule discussion Chief Business Officer Brett Ridgway introduced a draft pay…
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El Paso Board of County Commissioners, Feb. 28 and March 21 – Board hears calls to set aside Flying Horse North decision amid impropriety concerns
By Helen Walklett At the Feb. 28 El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting, a citizen raised concerns of possible impropriety during the November 2022 BOCC hearing on the Flying Horse North (FHN) revised sketch plan. Citizen raises impropriety concerns relating to hearing Philip Shecter, an FHN resident, raised concerns at the Feb. 28…
Monument Academy School Board, March 9 – MA building corporation executes construction documents; board extends interim COO contract
Monument Academy School Board, March 9 – MA building corporation executes construction documents; board extends interim COO contract By Jackie Burhans At its March 9 regular meeting, members of the Monument Academy Building Corp. (MABC), which owns Monument Academy’s (MA) West Campus property, signed documents executing contracts for its recirculation construction. Also, the MA board…
El Paso County Planning Commission, March 2 and 16 – Commissioners say 5-acre lots under attack, vote against rezone
By Helen Walklett At the March 16 El Paso County Planning Commission meeting, the commissioners heard an application to rezone a 5-acre property in Outlook Estates to 2.5 acres. At the same meeting, the commissioners heard a variance of use for a second dwelling at an RR-2.5 (rural residential) property in Black Forest. Earlier in…
Monument Town Council, March 6 and 20 – New clerk, new police officers, and $100,000 change order approved
By Chris Jeub The Monument Town Council (MTC) met March 6 and 20. They welcomed a new town clerk, swore in three new police officers, voted to table an ordinance while passing another, approved a $100,000 change order to complete construction on a water tank, and heard a presentation from Silver Key Senior Services. New…
Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, March 9 and 23 – Future of Elephant Rock property unclear
By James Howald and Jackie Burhans In March, the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees (PLBOT) continued to discuss the future of the Elephant Rock property without settling on any clear direction. The board debated snow removal policy and voted on an ordinance to regulate it. It continued to clarify its policy on short term rentals…
Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, March 13 – New technology for sewer maintenance
By James Howald At its March meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board approved a more efficient way to identify sewer lines in need of maintenance. The board awarded a contract for a sewer saddle replacement project and heard a request from a resident to buy land from the district. The board heard…
Monument Sanitation District, March 15 – Election canceled
By Jackie Burhans and James Howald District Manager Mark Parker told the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board at its March meeting that its upcoming election had been canceled because there are not more candidates than vacant board seats. He also updated the board on legislation that would govern how so-called “flushable” wipes would be labeled.…
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Donala Water and Sanitation District, March 16 – Board seeks long-term contract with CSU
By James Howald and Jackie Burhans At its March meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board met with representatives of Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to discuss CSU’s proposed long-term contract with DWSD. The board returned to the issue of the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF), which it shares with Triview…
El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, March 16 – Compliance with procurement policies approved
By James Howald Compliance with county, state, and federal procurement policies imposed by receipt of American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds was the main topic at the El Paso County Loop Regional Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board meeting in March. EPCRLWA President Jessie Shaffer updated the board on the status of the project’s water testing, and…
Triview Metropolitan District, March 23 – District will hold election; multiple contracts approved
By Natalie Barszcz At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on March 23, the board heard about the 2023 Board of Directors’ election for two board director seats and approved contracts with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), Pueblo Water, and Kiewit Infrastructure. The board also held an executive session to approve authorization to seek eminent domain…
Triview Board Candidate Statements
Two Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) Board of Directors positions are open for election on May 2. Ballots are mail-in-only to the district or they can be hand delivered to the drop-off box in the foyer of 16055 Old Forest Point. For further instructions, visit www.triviewmetro.com. If you are a TMD customer, you are eligible to…
Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, March 15 – Board of Directors election canceled
Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, March 15 – Board of Directors election canceled By Natalie Barszcz At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) meeting on March 15, the board heard the 2023 Board of Directors election had been canceled and that a new recruit had dropped out of firefighter training. Note: The meeting…
Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, March 22 – Local COVID emergency status ends; vehicle storage agreement approved
By Natalie Barszcz At the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) meeting on March 22, the board terminated the local COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration, approved a vehicle storage agreement for two nonprofit organizations, and recommended funding to memorialize a firefighter. The board also received multiple district updates and scheduled a special meeting in April to…
Monument Fire District, March 22 – Four board directors elected; cell phone tower contract approved
By Natalie Barszcz At the Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on March 22, the board elected four board directors and approved a cell tower contract and the first payment on the ladder truck. The board also approved snow removal equipment and heard about a change of plans for a training center and the plans for…
Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Organizations – NEPCO hears from fire officials
By Marlene Brown The Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Organizations (NEPCO) held its general membership bi-monthly meeting March 11 at the Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) Barn Community Center. Bob Swedenberg, vice president, introduced board and committee members. Swedenberg also discussed County Ordinance No. 22-002 regarding parking on county roads in Homeowner Association (HOA)…
Woodmoor Improvement Association, March 22 – Board approves revisions to design manual
By Jackie Burhans At its March meeting, the Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) board approved revisions to its Project Design Standards Manual (PDSM), postponing its response to a resident’s concern about a neighbor’s shed. It also approved the acquisition of a hybrid Toyota RAV4 to replace an aging Jeep. Board members also provided reports. Revised PDSM…
March Weather Wrap
By Bill Kappel It was an interesting March around the region with colder than normal temperatures but very little snowfall. This combination is rare. Usually if March is cold it is also snowy, and if March is dry it is warm. But not this year. This is also a little disappointing, as it would have…
Letters to Our Community – Necessary mitigation
If you were upset and thinking that the wildfire mitigation efforts underway at Monument Preserve are ugly, imagine the catastrophic conflagration that could occur if such mitigation wasn’t done. Imagine the heartache if one of your beloved places was burned to a crisp, reduced to nothing but blackened stalks of trees and scorched earth. Trails…
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Letters to Our Community – D38 demographics changes are important
It is not about school district money, it is about having a plan for teachers and student population changes. Our school district neighbors in Denver closed schools apparently because they did not see or plan for the growing student loss over the previous years. School districts and boards like D38 are expected to identify changing…
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Between the Covers at Covered Treasures Bookstore – The power of human connection
By the staff at Covered Treasures “Social connection is such a basic feature of human experience that when we are deprived of it, we suffer.”—Leonard Mlodinow If we have learned anything these last few years, it’s the powerful need for human connection. These nonfiction and fiction books are noteworthy reads centering on this. We Are…
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April Library Events – Quilt show continues
By Harriet Halbig The quilts made by the Palmer Divide Quiltmakers will remain on display through April. Patrons can come and enjoy the variety of techniques and colors. Above: Palmer Divide Quiltmakers (PDQ) held its 21st annual quilt show at the Monument branch library in March. Members contribute to the community by providing pillows, turbans,…
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Palmer Lake Historical Society, Feb. 16 – History of the KKK in Denver presented
By Marlene Brown At the March 16 meeting of the Palmer Lake Historical Society (PLHS), special guest speaker Shaun Boyd, curator of History Colorado, presented a program on the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in the greater Denver area in the 1920s. Even though it was a dark time in Colorado history, the Colorado History Society…
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High Altitude Nature and Gardening (HANG) – Plants can fill us with food and fill our electrical energy needs, too
By Janet Sellers Garden friends, it’s April and that means outdoors we’ll have snow and sunshine and rain and every mix of weather here in our area of Colorado. That’s not good news for outdoor planting unless you have a greenhouse to protect everything. But we can start tomatoes and other plants that take four…
On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Wildfire mitigation in Monument Preserve
By Steve Pate Anyone who has hiked or biked in Monument Preserve, around the Rock, on either side of Mount Herman Road will be shocked to see the results of the United States Forest Service’s (USFS) efforts to reduce the risk of wildfires in the preserve. According to Friends of Monument Preserve (FOMP), “Most of…
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Art Matters – Paper mache: a high art with a long history
By Janet Sellers Paper and paper mache are materials that have found a high calling in fine art. In making art, an artist creates meaningful communication. Artists can use nearly any medium to create their art, and the value lies in the intention and imagination more than mere materials. Paper mache as artifacts will last…
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Snapshots of Our Community
D38 at the state capitol Above: On March 1, a delegation of community members, parents, educators, board members, and the administrators from D38 took a trip to the state capitol to meet with state legislators and attend both House and Senate sessions. The trip was arranged by district lobbyist Amy Attwood and gave the district…
An important message for our readers – OCN needs your help!
Our Community News is an all-volunteer organization. For the past 20 years, our volunteers have provided unbiased reporting on important local issues, including real estate development, fire departments, school districts, and water availability. We have provided a very favorable platform for advertising local businesses. We have published letters to the editor to allow you to…
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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. Student video contest The…
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…