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Palmer Lake Pumpkin Patch fundraiser, Oct. 20
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Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, Oct. 10 and 24 – Board begins “flagpole annexation” process for Buc’ees travel center on I-25
By James Howald and Jackie Burhans The Palmer Lake Board of Trustees set a date for a public hearing on a set of six requests to annex portions of County Line Road and land just east of I-25 at which a Buc’ees travel center would be located. Town Administrator Dawn Collins presented a proposed budget…
Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, Oct. 16 – Deputy Chief resigns; board addresses handling of personnel matters; multiple issues require attention
By Natalie Barszcz At the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) Board of Directors meeting on Oct. 16, Chairman Nate Dowden addressed public inquiries regarding employee matters and the release of information regarding them in the recent investigations into three members of the executive staff. The agenda was amended to move into executive session…
Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, Oct. 8 – Merger process nears completion; mutual aid agreements terminated
By Natalie Barszcz At the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) special meeting on Oct. 8, the board was updated on the merger process with Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) and approved three notices to terminate mutual aid, and the transfer of two assignment and assumption agreements for vehicle storage…
Monument Fire District, Oct. 8 and 23 – 2025 proposed budget presentations
By Natalie Barszcz The Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District dba Monument Fire District (MFD) held a special meeting on Oct. 8 after the Sept. 25 meeting was postponed due to a lack of quorum. The board received the first presentation of the 2025 budget and accepted a petition for inclusion of real property, before setting…
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Monument Planning Commission, Oct. 9 – Commission raises concerns about ultimate use for Jackson Creek North
By Janet Sellers The Oct. 9 Monument Planning Commission meeting began with roll call, with all but commissioner Greg Collins present in person. Collins was present online. Discussions focused on the rezoning of 574 N. Washington St. and the preliminary and final plat for Jackson Creek North. The commission unanimously approved the rezoning of the…
Monument Town Council, Oct. 7 and 21 – Council discusses finance, nonprofit work, employee survey
By Chris Jeub The Monument Town Council meetings on Oct. 7 and 21 covered the unanimous approval of a new revenue and finance ordinance, updates from local nonprofits Tri-Lakes Cares and the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the results of the town’s first employee satisfaction survey, and public feedback on council stipends and…
Lewis-Palmer D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Oct. 8 – Grace Best Elementary School, Career-Innovation Center plans discussed
By Harriet Halbig The Lewis-Palmer D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee met at Lewis-Palmer Elementary School (LPES) on Oct. 8. Among the subjects discussed were activities at the school, potential treatments of the Grace Best Elementary School building, and ongoing development of the new Career and Innovation Center LPES report LPES Principal Davonne Johnson conducted…
Monument Academy School Board, Oct. 17 and 24 – Board hears financial audit, improvement plan, internal review
By Jackie Burhans The Monument Academy (MA) board held two meetings in October. In its first meeting on the 17th, the board heard its financial audit, unified improvement plan, and October enrollment count report. It passed several policies. At its second meeting on the 24th, the board heard an internal school review audit from a…
Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education, Oct. 21 – Board approves Unified Improvement Plans, selects contractor for Career and Innovation Center
By Harriet Halbig There was no livestream available of the Oct. 21 meeting of the Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education. This article is based on information in boarddocs. To refer to this source, please see the district website, lewispalmer.org. Go to the Board of Education tab, boarddocs, meetings, and select the meeting date. Click on…
Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Oct. 14 – Board considers ways to fund Loop
By James Howald At its October meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board discussed options for funding the district’s portion of the Loop water reuse project. WWSD is one of four water districts participating in the project to divert water from Fountain Creek and return it to customers in El Paso County. Cherokee…
Continue Reading Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Oct. 14 – Board considers ways to fund Loop
Monument Sanitation District, Oct. 16 – Board considers rate increase; discusses 2025 budget
By Jackie Burhans and James Howald At its October meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board continued its discussion of rates that began at its September meeting. The board also discussed the proposed 2025 budget drafted by District Manager Mark Parker. The board voted on a resolution authorizing the El Paso County treasurer to collect…
Donala Water and Sanitation District, Oct. 10 – Board receives preliminary 2025 budget, considers rate increase
By James Howald and Jackie Burhans At its October meeting, Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) General Manager Jeff Hodge presented a preliminary budget for 2025, prompting discussions of capital projects and a rate increase. The board voted to put the question of eliminating term limits to the voters. The board heard financial and operational…
El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Oct. 17 – Board hears financial reports
By James Howald In October, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board received the results of its 2023 audit and a report on its monthly finances. John Kuosman, a water practice leader with Merrick and Co. who serves as the Loop’s workflow manager, gave the board an update on…
Triview Metropolitan District, Oct. 24 – Bond pursued for road widening project
By Natalie Barszcz At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Oct. 23, the board approved an engagement letter for the issuance of a General Obligation Bond Series for 2025 and a resolution to implement inclusion policies and fees. The board heard about operations staff responding to repair a water main break in Forest Lakes…
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El Paso Board of County Commissioners, Oct. 8 and 15 – County presents its 2025 preliminary balanced budget
By Helen Walklett During October, the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) heard proposals for the 2025 county budget. The commissioners also voted to appoint Commissioner Carrie Geitner as chair. Current Chair Cami Bremer is preparing to leave for a new role in 2025. 2025 preliminary balanced budget The county Financial Services Department presented…
El Paso County Planning Commission, Oct. 17 – Two Tri-Lakes developments recommended for approval
By Helen Walklett During October, the El Paso County Planning Commission recommended for approval development requests for the final portion of the Settlers Ranch development north of Hodgen Road and the Waterside at Lake Woodmoor development off Woodmoor Drive. Settlers Ranch At their Oct. 17 meeting, the commissioners heard requests for a rezone and final…
Woodmoor Improvement Association, Oct. 23 – Board approves budget, dues increase
By Jackie Burhans At its regular board meeting on Oct. 23, the Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) board approved its 2025 budget, which included an increase in annual dues. The board also heard about a development just north of the YMCA along with director reports. 2025 budget increases dues President Brian Bush said the board has…
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October Weather Wrap
By Bill Kappel For the second month in a row, temperatures were much warmer than normal and precipitation was below normal in October. This mild and dry pattern is typical of a fall season when we are entering into a La Niña pattern. This generally produces a large and persistent ridge of high pressure over…
Letters to Our Community – Tax, spend, and tax some more
The Town of Monument is at it again. In the October 2024 OCN, the Monument Town Council (MTC) talked about how to make up a $2.663 million budget deficit. That’s 22.8% of the town’s budget unpaid for by projected revenues. Part of where they want to cover that deficit is by raiding the Police Department’s…
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Letters to Our Community – Vote no on Prop. 127
Science as the basis for wildlife management decisions is a core tenet of the North American model of wildlife conservation. This hunting ban runs counter to science. Mountain lion populations are not biologically threatened. They range from northern Canada to the southern extent of South America, the largest latitudinal range of any mammal in the…
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Between the Covers at Covered Treasures Bookstore – New fall releases
By the staff at Covered Treasures “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”—Charles Dickens Here are some gems that we picked up at the recent book trade show that are a great way to welcome in the Thanksgiving season. Mrs.…
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November Library Events – Book clubs, LEGO program, scheduling change
By Harriet Halbig The Monumental Bookworms evening book club will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12. This club is sponsored by the Tri-Lakes Friends of the Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD). This month’s selection is Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. All are welcome to attend. The Monumental Readers book club will…
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Palmer Lake Historical Society, Oct. 17 – How the star and Town Hall became historic places
By Marlene Brown The Palmer Lake Historical Society (PLHS) held its monthly membership meeting at the Palmer Lake Town Hall on Oct. 17. Longtime resident of the Palmer Divide area and friend of the PLHS Jack Anthony, and his wife Margo, explained how they were able to get the Palmer Lake Star and the Palmer…
High Altitude Nature and Gardening (HANG) – Let’s protect our forests, soil, and gardens
By Janet Sellers Trail markers, aka trail blazes We will soon see some newer trail markers on trees in Fox Run Regional Park. Volunteers with the Friends of Fox Run Park made great efforts recently to put up new, silver-colored markers safely tacked to pine tree bark, (older versions were blue), but the markers have…
On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Enjoy being outdoors, but be prepared
By Steve Pate On a hike up the Palmer Lake Reservoir trail Oct. 22, I took one of my favorite loops, the Ice Cave Creek trail to connect with the Swank trail and then back by the upper reservoir. I found only a few patches of color left, but the pine, fir, and spruce forest…
Continue Reading On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Enjoy being outdoors, but be prepared
Art Matters – It’s not just decor: Art creates a space and creates our sense of place
By Janet Sellers We walk through rooms or sit on furniture, but we take in and look at wall art, sculptures, and vases for respite, for rest, for reliance. In finalizing room design for setting the tone of where we are, we are impacted by many things, and a need for self in safety comes…
Snapshots of Our Community
Paint Drop-Off, Sep. 12 Above: Area residents got rid of thousands of gallons of old paint at the free PaintCare drop-off in Monument on Sept. 12. An estimated 19,200 pounds of latex paint and an estimated 1,600 pounds of oil-based paint were collected. Twenty-two gallons of latex and oil-based paint in good condition were given…
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. Do not remove trail…
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…