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Volunteers reporting on community issues in Monument, Palmer Lake, and the surrounding Tri-Lakes area

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Allen Alchian

Monument Sanitation District, Feb. 21 – Federal dollars help fund sewer line replacement

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its February meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board approved a notice of award for replacing a sewer line, funded primarily by the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA). The board also heard an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker.

ARPA provides $900,000 of $1.4 million needed for sewer line replacement

Parker asked the board to approve a notice of award to Pate Construction Co. for $1.4 million to replace a sewer line running east from the Willow Springs neighborhood to the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility (TLWWTF). Parker said Pate Construction’s bid was the lowest responsible bid of four bids presented to the district.

Parker said the existing line is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and was poorly installed. The line has low points, called “bellies,” where grit accumulates and blocks the line, requiring annual cleanings. When the line is replaced, it will be upgraded from 8-inch pipe to 12-inch pipe and will be moved 30 feet to the north within the easement belonging to Willow Springs. ARPA was funding $900,000 of the $1.4 million required to replace the line and the additional funds are earmarked in the district budget, Parker said. The district had offered to partner with View Homes, which plans to build houses adjacent to the line, but that effort was stymied by the Town of Monument’s moratorium on new construction, Parker said.

The board voted unanimously to approve the notice of award, which authorizes Parker to sign the agreement with Pate Construction.

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker told the board that residents in the Wakonda Hills neighborhood were continuing to see their septic systems fail, requiring them to connect to the district’s wastewater collection system. As many as 24 residences need to make this transition, Parker said. Connecting to the district’s infrastructure requires the homeowner to build a service line to the district’s pipeline, which can cost as much as $25,000. Some of the residents paid the required sewer tap fee ahead of time when the tap fee was between $1,200 and $2,000, less than it is presently. Those who waited to pay their tap fee must pay the current $8,000 fee.

Parker told the board that the process controller electronics at the Wakonda Hills lift station had been replaced. The process controller had lost its configuration and had gone back to its default settings, Parker said, causing the lift station to stop working. A power surge may have been the cause of the failure, he said. Parker also mentioned that the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) hardware in the headquarters building was being upgraded to match the equipment in use at the TLWWTF. Due to its age, replacement parts were not available.

Parker said the ducts had been cleaned at the district headquarters building for the first time in six years and he was working on getting the carpet replaced for an expected cost of $5,500.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are 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 March 20. See colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me.

James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Feb. 22 – Renewable water supply increases; CSU ties into NDS

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Feb. 22, the board heard about an increase in the municipal renewable water supply and the tie-in of Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to the Northern Delivery System (NDS). The board also discussed informing the residents about the district’s path to becoming an 80% renewable water supply municipality and how sales tax and growth had helped achieve the district’s goal. The board held an executive session and approved the potential purchase of land.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart and Director Amanda Carlton were excused.

Renewable municipal water supply increases

Water counsel Chris Cummins announced a successful water change case that decreed about 1,050 of the district’s water shares in the Fountain Mutual Irrigation Co. (FMIC). The decree changed the shares from agricultural water to municipal use water shares that equate to about 740 acre-feet in municipal water. The district leases 244 acre-feet of those shares to Fountain Valley Power for about $15,000 per month. The remaining acre-feet will increase the municipal water supply to the district by about a half a year’s worth of water from now on. In July that reusable renewable water will be available through the NDS, he said.

District Manager James McGrady said about 80% of the district’s annual water supply beginning Jan. 5, 2025, will come from a renewable source, and the remaining 20% will be sourced from the district’s Denver Basin groundwater wells. The renewable water supply will further increase as more water rights come into play, he said.

Northern Delivery System update

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said Kiewit had requested substantial completion and the two-year warranty period begins for the NDS pipeline on Jan. 31. The tie-in to CSU occurred on Feb. 5, but the district is anxious to get water moving through the pipeline to ensure the system is working 100% and can hold pressure. Kiewit recognizes that the pump station will not be complete until June and the pipeline will not be fully operational until mid-summer, he said.

Cummins said some pressure testing has occurred and the fire hydrants installed along the pipeline route held the correct pressure when tested with the static water in the pipeline.

McGrady said the pipeline should hold, but there is nothing like running the water through the pipeline to know for sure. The NDS pump station (located east of Highway 83 at Old Northgate Road) is moving along in its construction and is framed with roofing to begin on Feb. 26. The interior will be dry-walled by the end of the month and then the installation of the pumps will begin, he said.

Public relations—the path to renewable water

President Mark Melville requested future newsletters reflect a timeline story beginning in 2015 on the district’s path to its renewable water source.

Vice President Anthony Sexton requested the newsletter communicate all the reasons for the decisions the board makes. Many of the projects and the district’s achievements are made through sales tax and growth, and an explanation would be useful for the residents, he said.

Director Jason Gross said the district has a wonderful story of vision, good timing, smart decision-making and long-term thinking and it would be a tragedy to not capture and share with the residents as the district reaches the end of the tunnel on its path to renewable water sourcing for the community. The story sets a good example for other municipalities, he said.

Cummins said in the last seven years the board only had about three votes that were not unanimous, and it has been important to have a board that can listen, understand, and make sound decisions and allow the district staff and consultants to do the things they need to do based on those decisions.

McGrady said there has been no micromanagement from the board; it gave vision and direction, setting the tone for staff to follow then standing back with confidence as staff and counsel pursued the projects needed to sustain renewable water for the future.

Operations report

McGrady said the following:

  • A meeting to discuss an emergency interconnect with the Town of Monument (TOM) was delayed due to scheduling conflicts and is now scheduled for March 4.
  • The Bale and Arkansas Valley Irrigation Co. (AVIC) ditch change cases are both moving forward. The district is trying to avoid a trial on April 1 with the AVIC change case by getting the objectors out as quickly as possible.
  • The re-vegetation plan for the AVIC in Buena Vista is in order, and that had been a problem for some objectors.
  • The district is planning to build recharge ponds to accommodate the AVIC water in the future, after the change cases are decreed and the property is annexed into the town of Buena Vista.
  • Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) will kick off with a project meeting at the end of February.
  • CSU held a meeting to discuss an indirect potable reuse plan. The district does not necessarily need the project to manage the district’s wastewater return flows unless it becomes more cost effective.

Sheffield said the following:

  • D38, the TOM and the district have reached an agreement on the striping and layout on Creekside Drive. Two westbound lanes at Bear Creek Elementary School will be incorporated soon to assist with the drop-off/pick-up flow.
  • TMD is exploring the possibility of widening Leather Chaps Drive and is working with Black Hills Energy to avoid the gas line that runs about 36 to 42 inches deep beside the road.
  • Multiple meetings took place with the TOM planning staff and NES Inc. to discuss the water tank installation at Plant B on St. Lawrence Way in Promontory Pointe.
  • An extensive meeting took place with Classic Homes to discuss a potential connection of sanitary sewer into the TMD collection system for Flying Horse North, Hodgen Road.
  • District administrators are working with Ireland Stapleton Law to review and possibly revise the personnel manual.

Financial report

Sexton said he was curious about the check to Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority for $5,687.83.

McGrady said the annual Transit Loss Fee is variable and is required to pay for the re-calibration of the gauges on Fountain Creek down to the Arkansas River. Every water district that uses Fountain Creek for water transit pays the re-calibration fee annually.

Cummins said that the flows were excessive last year following the huge amount of rain received in May 2023.

The board accepted, 3-0, checks over $5,000 and the financial report for January as presented.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:18 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), (e) to discuss acquisitions and receive legal advice for negotiations regarding water acquisitions, the Highway Users Tax Fund share return, strategic planning, and change cases.

Sheffield confirmed the board returned to the regular session at 9:20 p.m. In a 3-0 vote, the board authorized McGrady to sign a letter of intent to potentially purchase a 2-acre parcel of land near the northwest corner of I-25 and Baptist Road for the future home office and storage yard.

The meeting adjourned at 9:21 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of every month at the district office located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for March 21 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit triviewmetro.com.

Natalie Barszcz can be reached at nataliebarszcz@ocn.me.

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Woodmoor Improvement Association, Jan. 29, 31 – Annual meeting and reorganization

By Jackie Burhans

The Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) board met on Jan. 29 for its annual meeting to elect new board members, review 2023 accomplishments, state 2024 goals, and recognize good neighbors. The board met on Jan. 31 to certify the election, reorganize its positions, and approve operational procedures. The regular February meeting was held on the 28th, after the deadline for Our Community News, and will be reported in next month’s issue.

Annual meeting

Board President Brian Bush called the meeting to order and covered the presentation available on the WIA website at bit.ly/wia-2024-annual. Bush confirmed that a quorum was achieved via residents returning their ballots and noted that the board had saved over $2,100 by not providing postage-paid envelopes and saved $1,000 by having staff count the ballots in lieu of the League of Women Voters. Bush reviewed the rules of conduct for the meeting, which he summarizes as “Be Nice!”

Bush reviewed the mission of WIA to perform covenant enforcement and architectural control; maintain and improve common areas; and provide public safety. He also noted that WIA monitors issues in surrounding areas that may affect its residents. Bush emphasized that, contrary to media reports on other homeowners’ associations (HOAs), WIA does not foreclose on properties, enforce ridiculous covenants, or fail to work with residents on reasonable solutions, nor does it have rigid and unchanging rules and regulations. However, he said, the board cannot change the covenants without a 66% vote of lot owners. He noted that the board had recently changed the rules for gates and fences as well as increasing the number of cars allowed to park on the property outside of a garage. If a resident has a problem, Bush invited them to contact WIA via email.

Noting that board positions are unpaid, he introduced the 2023 board members and WIA staff, many of whom have been on staff for quite some time. The WIA dues for 2024 have increased by $8 to $291 annually after considering the impact of inflation on salaries and the cost of improvements. The top three income sources were dues, new construction fees, and Barn rentals. Top expenses other than payroll were common area improvements and forestry maintenance. Bush commended the WIA and Woodmoor Public Safety (WPS) staff for holding expenses under budget.

WPS services include immediate officer response, vacation checks, crime prevention, traffic control, 24/7 patrol, and interagency support and communication. In 2023, WPS had 13,500 on-duty hours; drove 72,837 miles; completed 12.772 vacation checks, responded to 882 calls for service, and more. WPS received $19,080 in donations for vacation checks. In 2023, WPS added two new vehicles to replace aging jeeps. Bush noted that the board invested in body cameras for all officers. He also noted that in 2023 the El Paso Board of County Commissioners had decided to only plow Priority 3 roads when snow depths reach 6 inches, which creates hazardous driving conditions; he noted that by law WIA cannot plow county roads.

Bush reviewed 2023 highlights:

  • WIA purchased a new computer server to replace its 8-year-old server.
  • WIA continues to support the Safe Routes to School trail, which has been a long-term project. He noted that the trail will benefit association members as well and hopes to report on more progress this time next year.
  • Thanks to the $275,000 matching grant for wildfire mitigation, $550,000 of mitigation has been done in the community.
  • Four chipping days over two weekends that were free to residents; a $10 donation was requested of non-residents.
  • WIA improved two miles of trail on the South Woodmoor Preserve that it accepted as a donation from WOSC LLC.

For 2024 goals, Bush highlighted:

  • Obtain more funding for a fire mitigation grant.
  • Developing trails in common areas.
  • Continuing to digitize WIA files.
  • Continuing WPS patrols.

Top architectural projects were roof replacement repairs, with 595 total projects (down from 634), of which 98.8% were approved by the Architectural Control Committee (ACC) or office staff.

The Good Neighbor award went to John and Susanna Finter, who helped an ill neighbor by watering, removing snow, and helping in the house. The couple received a $50 Home Depot gift card.

The meeting ended with a round of questions and answers about vegetation blocking visibility at intersections, the cattails at Wild Duck Pond, WIA’s role in traffic safety for School District 38, and the decision not to plow streets until there are 6 inches of snow. If an intersection is in the WIA area, WIA’s contractor can help remove overgrown vegetation, said Bush. ACC administrator Bob Pearsall said he had plans for the contractor to work on the Wild Duck Pond cattails. Bush said that the board had concluded that it was unsafe for officers to do traffic control in front of the middle and high schools. He also noted that snow removal is solely done by the county and recommended residents contact their county commissioner Holly Williams (HollyWilliams@elpasoco.com).

Board reorganization

At the Jan. 31 meeting, Bush reviewed the certified election results, which re-elected three members. The board re-instated directors to the following roles:

  • Brian Bush, president
  • Peter Bille, vice president, re-elected
  • Connie Brown, treasurer
  • Steve Cutler, Common Areas, re-elected
  • Rick DePaiva, secretary and Community Outreach
  • Brad Gleason, Public Safety
  • Ed Miller, Architectural Control, re-elected
  • Per Suhr, Covenant Control
  • Cindy Thrush, Forestry

Board highlights

  • The board appointed Bush, Bille, Brown, and DePaiva as authorized signers on its financial accounts.
  • The board voted unanimously to meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 pm. The November and December meetings will be moved earlier due to the holidays. All meetings are held at The Barn.
  • The board set its covenant hearing dates for the second Thursday of each month at 6:15 pm.
  • The board set its ACC meetings for the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. except for December when there is only one meeting. The board appointed the 2024 ACC committee members.
  • The board authorized the ACC administrator to approve certain miscellaneous projects, handle compliance fee refunds up to $500, and handle routine change orders for all projects without prior ACC approval.
  • The board authorized the director of Forestry to review and approve tree removal requests and Firewise lot evaluations. The board appointed Forestry Committee members for 2024.

WIA and area developments

WIA is a member of the Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Organizations (NEPCO), which tracks new developments. WIA is working with The Heights property owners association (POA) to monitor the proposed development called Monument Ridge East. The Heights, a 62-member association, is behind the proposed Monument Ridge East development. WIA also works with the David Weekley Homes on the development of the Cloverleaf area, which has 131 homes. WIA will administer the covenants of this sub-HOA. Bush noted that they wanted to have wrought-iron fences which were not approved.

Bush noted that the North Bay development proposals have ranged from 41 to 13 units but is currently inactive. The Waterside development, which is just north of The Barn, is active and has changed from 52 to 44 units. WIA is working with the La Plata Communities/Vantage Homes and will be reviewing the governing documents. Bush reiterated that there is not one-square-inch of Tri-Lakes that is not planned for development at some point.

For more information on NEPCO, see www.nepco.org; for more information on development projects in Woodmoor, see woodmoor.org/woodmoor-developments/.

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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 will be on March 28.

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.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me.

Other Woodmoor Improvement Association articles

February Weather Wrap

By Bill Kappel

February was warm and wet, with overall moisture values coming in greater than the 100-year recurrence interval. In other words, there was less than a 1% chance in any given February that we would receive as much moisture as we did last month. These higher levels of moisture available also meant temperatures were warm as the origin of most of the storms that came through was the Pacific Ocean and not the Arctic. Lows never dipped below zero for us during the month.

Another benefit of the numerous storms moving through from the west/northwest was the amount of snow that accumulated in the mountains. This brought snowpack levels up to average by the end of the month. This pattern is typical of an El Niño winter overall for most of Colorado, so the mild and wet conditions were expected.

The Palmer Divide region was affected by a new storm about once per week. The first one moved through on the 2nd and 3rd. This storm was of sub-tropical Pacific origins and was therefore very mild for early February. In fact, the storms started out with a little rain/snow mix during the afternoon of the 2nd before everything turned into a heavy, wet snow. This was more like April than February. Heavy snow quickly accumulated along the higher elevations of the Palmer Divide, with amounts quickly falling off in lower elevations. New snow amounts ranged from 3-12 inches with high variability over short distances.

Mild air moved in behind this system, with highs reaching into the 50s by the 6th ahead of another active system which began to affect the region on the 9th. This storm moved in from the northwest and therefore was cooler than the previous storm. This meant all snow and blowing snow. Snow fell heaviest on the 10th, with 8-12 inches accumulating. This left behind a good snowpack across the area, and clearing skies on the 11th allowed temperatures to drop to the single digits.

A week of quiet weather moved in from the 11th to the 15th, with temperatures warming to the upper 40s and low 50s by the end of the period. A weak cold front brought light snow and cool temperatures on the 16th and 17th, with 1-3 inches of new snow around the region.

Temperatures then warmed again over the next few days, reaching the mid- to upper 50s from the 19th through the 21st. A very quick cool down accompanied by a spring-like pattern produced a few snow showers and even a few rumbles of thunder on the 22nd. Sunny and mild conditions quickly returned with highs back into the mid- to upper 50s from the 24th though 26th, helped with gusty westerly winds at times.

One final cold front moved through on the 27th, with a quick shot of snow that afternoon and evening into early on the 28th. This brought temperatures back to below normal levels to end the month.

A look ahead

March is known for a wide range of weather conditions in the region. We can see 70° temperatures one afternoon and blizzard conditions the next. Many of us remember the blizzard of March 2003 when we received 30-50 inches of snowfall that shut down the region. However, snow that does fall begins to melt quickly this time of the year, providing beneficial moisture for our plants as we head into spring.

February 2024 Weather Statistics

Average High 43.9° (+4.2°) 100-year return frequency value max 51.9° min 32.8°

Average Low 19.2° (+6.4°) 100-year return frequency value max 21.9° min 3.7°

Highest Temperature 59° on the 26th

Lowest Temperature 7° on the 11th

Monthly Precipitation 2.25” (+1.31” 240% above normal) 100-year return frequency value max 2.10” min 0.02”

Monthly Snowfall 31.9” (+14.1”, 80% above normal)

Season to Date Snow 90.0” (+19.5”, 27% above normal)

Season to Date Precip. 3.16” (+1.51”, 200% above normal)

Heating Degree Days 971 (+67)

Cooling Degree Days 0

Bill Kappel is a meteorologist and Tri-Lakes resident. He can be reached at billkappel@ocn.me.

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Letters to Our Community – Caught by Surprise

The local community around Fox Run Park was largely caught by surprise recently at the plans of El Paso County to build a nature center in the more remote, wooded section of Fox Run Park, clearing trees to construct a building, a tower that rises above tree line, and 60 parking spots. Notification of the project was never directed at neighborhoods directly adjacent to the park—it came only through local citizen efforts. About 75 citizens showed up at a meeting held 20 minutes away on a snowy, icy night to discuss concerns about the project. Despite the expressed intention of the meeting, at least one attendee left questioning the true purpose.

There are legitimate traffic safety issues by those living on the residential streets around the park, not to mention other worthy considerations. In one person’s attempt to explain issues documented in a 161-page speeding report on Becky Drive and urge the exploration of relocation of the center to a direct entrance off of Roller Coaster Road, the response was that said person needed “to have an open mind” to the current plan. While many attended the meeting with a perhaps naive expectation on its expressed goal to gain input, it felt to many that the intent was to defend “the plan” and to appease the concerned.

Unfortunately, the Fox Run Nature Center will likely become another example of the strong arm of public servants to further projects with little disruption, despite negative impact on local citizens. However, the attempts to force alternative considerations that appropriately protect the Fox Run area are noble and in line with our societal foundations. The next opportunity for discussion is an open house to be held on March 14, 2024, from 6-8 p.m. at Pikes Peak Brewery, 1756 Lake Woodmoor Drive in Monument.

Kelly Bane

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