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Tri-Lakes Senior Center moving to a new home
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Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, June 30, July 10, 24 – Candidates for board interviewed; recall election planned; annexation agreement published
By James Howald and Jackie Burhans At workshops in June and July, the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees (PLBOT) interviewed candidates for a vacant seat on the board. The board debated how to proceed with the recalls of Trustees Shana Ball and Kevin Dreher and with the petition to require annexations to be approved by…
Monument Town Council, July 7 and 21 – Council focuses on growth, state mandates, and strategic planning
By Chris Jeub In a pair of July meetings, the Monument Town Council (MTC) worked through a hefty agenda that included local ambitions and state-imposed challenges. Council members discussed economic development goals, infrastructure projects, and compliance with new state housing laws. A joint session with the Planning Commission focused on the town’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan.…
Monument Planning Commission – Commission welcomes new leaders, reviews major development amendment and vision for Monument’s future
By Janet Sellers In the July 9 meeting marked by new leadership and forward-looking discussion, the Monument Planning Commission addressed several significant developments shaping the future of the town. The agenda included the election of new officers, the introduction of a new commissioner, a detailed public hearing on a key development proposal, and updates on…
Monument Academy School Board, July 17 – Board prioritizes marketing plan, passes policy on religious opt-outs
By Jackie Burhans The Monument Academy (MA) school board met in July to elect officers, and appoint committees, urge the creation of a marketing plan, and pass a policy to allow for religious opt outs to curriculum, take other board actions and hear reports. There were no committee updates. Board organization Board member Craig Carle…
Monument Fire District, July 23 – Station 2 operational; property inclusion approved
By Natalie Barszcz At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District (TLMFPD) dba: Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on July 23, the board heard multiple station updates and that crews had re-occupied the remodeled Station 2. The board held a public hearing before approving an inclusion of property and received an update on the 2024 audits.…
Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, July 14 – 2025 budget gets midyear tune up
By James Howald At the July board meeting, District Manager Jessie Shaffer discussed midyear adjustments to the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District’s (WWSD) 2025 budget. Richard Hood, a project manager with JVA Consulting Engineers, Inc., proposed a less costly approach to a project to update a lift station on Lost Arrowhead Drive. The board heard…
Continue Reading Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, July 14 – 2025 budget gets midyear tune up
Monument Sanitation District, July 16 – Buc-ee’s potential impact studied
By Jackie Burhans and James Howald In July, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met briefly to hear operational details from District Manager Mark Parker, who focused on studies underway to assess the impact of wastewater from the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center. Parker also discussed an ongoing evaluation of the district’s wastewater collection system. Buc-ee’s…
Continue Reading Monument Sanitation District, July 16 – Buc-ee’s potential impact studied
Donala Water and Sanitation District, July 17 – Board tours treatment facility, adjusts sewer bills
By James Howald and Jackie Burhans The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board met in July at the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) to tour the facility and to amend the policies by which sewer bills are calculated in two problem cases. The board also heard operational reports and held an…
Triview Metropolitan District – 2024 audit receives unmodified opinion; construction bid awarded
By Natalie Barszcz At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on July 17, the board received the 2024 audit presentation, approved an amendment to the 2024 budget, and awarded the Construction General Manager Contract (CMGC) bid to Kiewit for the completion of the Higby Road project. The board held an executive session to discuss the…
El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, July 17 – 2024 finances receive clean audit opinion
By James Howald The El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board met in July to hear an audit report on its 2024 finances and a monthly financial report. Rebecca Hutchinson, a Civil Design Engineer with Merrick and Co., gave the board a progress report on work being done by the…
Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO) – Developer reduces home sites, HOA affected state laws
By Marlene Brown The Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO) held their meeting July 12th at The Barn on Woodmoor Dr. led by the President of the Board, Mike Aspenson. Aspenson reiterated the purpose of NEPCO and welcomed the Board and the Members. Members are Homeowner Associations and there are 49 current…
Woodmoor Improvement Association, Jul. 23 – Board recognizes Eagle Scout project, clarifies parking near open spaces
By Jackie Burhans The Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) board met on July 23 to celebrate an Eagle Scout project and clarify rules about parking near common areas. The board also heard director reports. The WIA June meeting was cancelled due to a lack of quorum. Eagle Scout project President Brian Bush introduced Eagle Scout Bren…
Between the Covers at Covered Treasures Bookstore – Settle in for some Romance
By the staff at Covered Treasures “The Very Essence of Romance is Uncertainty” — Oscar Wilde While it’s hot outside, grab a good romance and sit under the shade of a tree. Check out these new titles below to smile, laugh, cry, and feel the love. Problematic Summer Romance By Ali Hazelwood (Berkley Books) $20…
Continue Reading Between the Covers at Covered Treasures Bookstore – Settle in for some Romance
August Library Events – Book clubs, Dungeons and Dragons, Palmer Lake Big Band concert
By Harriet Halbig The Monument Library features two book clubs sponsored by the Tri-Lakes Friends of PPLD. The First Friday Friends of PPLD Book Club will meet from 10:30 until noon on Friday, Aug. 1 to discuss Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies by John Carreyrou. The Third Friday Friends of PPLD Book Club will meet…
Palmer Lake Historical Society, July 19 – The power of print
By Marlene Brown On July 19th, the Palmer Lake Historical Society (PLHS) presented Power of Print – in Chautauqua Style – with hands-on demonstrations of graphic arts from the past at the Palmer Lake Town Hall. Demonstrations included letterpress printing by the Letterpress Depot. Everyone, including children, were able to print their own artwork. The…
Continue Reading Palmer Lake Historical Society, July 19 – The power of print
High Altitude Nature and Gardens – Wild Horse Fire Brigade: successful fire mitigation since the beginning of…plants
By Janet Sellers Wild horse wildfire mitigation We may think that wildfires are an unavoidable phenomenon, but extensively published scientific studies show that the loss of large herbivores results in abnormally excessive grass and brush wildfire fuels. The same published scientific research shows that on every continent, when herbivore populations collapsed, catastrophic wildfires evolved. Wilderness…
Art Matters – We Can’t Unchop a Tree
By Janet Sellers Art is not passive documentation; it is a form of creative action. We can use art as a tool for ecological storytelling to foster not only beauty and upliftment, but also awareness and our future well-being. Maya Lin, designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, powerfully explores this through her project What Is…
Snapshots of Our Community
July 4th Fireworks https://youtu.be/1cN9QAg6D00 https://youtu.be/xgjHmwDDC-s Local landmark christened Above: Palmer Lake residents gathered June 28 to celebrate the return of a beloved local landmark—a red British telephone box—at a tea party hosted by Richard and Lindsay Willan. The Willans originally salvaged the booth from an antique warehouse and installed it outside their Tudor-style home, where…
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. Be “bear smart”, do…
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 Academy Water and Sanitation District board…