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Monument Sanitation District Articles

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 wastewater expected to have little impact

Parker told the board the estimate of the wastewater the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center would produce had been revised using actual numbers from a like-sized Buc-ee’s and now stood at 27,000 gallons per day. He said the district’s engineers were not worried about the updated estimate, which was a “minimal” fraction of what the district is currently processing. That amount was “a lot less” than the residential development that was previously planned for the site would have produced, Parker said. In addition to the updated estimate, Buc-ee’s had submitted a preliminary plan for the pipeline that would connect the travel center to MSD’s system.

Parker explained that El Paso County was pushing Buc-ee’s representatives to finalize their plans for the infrastructure required to move wastewater from the travel center into MSD’s collection system so that the county could start improvements to Beacon Lite Road that include leveling and straightening the road.

In response to a question from Director Janet Ladowski, Parker said Buc-ee’s has paid for the wastewater studies done so far. MSD assumes no responsibility for development projects, he said. MSD’s long-standing policy is that the district’s engineers bill the district for any work required by new development and the district forwards the bills to the developer for payment, he said. He added Buc-ee’s would build any necessary pipelines at its expense and, once complete, MSD would take ownership.

System evaluation underway

Parker said an annual evaluation of the district’s pipeline and manholes was underway. An assessment of the pipelines had been completed with no major issues found. The manholes would be inspected, photographed, and evaluated for inflow and infiltration. Parker said he expected the evaluation to be complete by the end of August.

Parker also mentioned that security upgrades, including video and motion-sensing lighting, were underway at district facilities.

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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 Aug. 20. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

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Monument Sanitation District, June 18 Raspberry Point sewage spill resolved

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

In May, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met briefly to hear an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker. Parker updated the board on a sewage release by Raspberry Point Townhomes in May that threatened to contaminate Monument Lake. Parker reported on a letter he had received from Buc-ee’s and on the resolution of an issue with the district’s supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software.

Pine tree roots the culprit in sewage overflow

Parker told the board that a video inspection of the service line owned by the Raspberry Point Townhomes that failed on May 14, leading to a sewage spill, showed the line had been blocked by 3 feet of tree roots. An 8-inch cleanout was added to the line and no further problems have occurred, Parker said. He noted a previous repair that was “pretty shoddy at best.”

Immediately following the spill in May, the ownership of the service line was under discussion. The Raspberry Point Townhome Homeowner’s Association (HOA) believed the service belonged to MSD but was unable to produce any documentation to support that belief. MSD had no records showing the district had agreed to be responsible for the line and related manhole. Parker said he was waiting to receive invoices for the work done to repair the line and the manhole before presenting them to the HOA for payment.

County encourages Buc-ee’s to plan Beacon Lite Road work

Parker said he had received a letter from Buc-ee’s regarding work that will need to be done on Beacon Lite Road if its proposed travel center goes forward. The letter said El Paso County, which is planning grading and straightening improvements to Beacon Lite that are independent of the proposed travel center, is pushing Buc-ee’s to get the approvals required for its sewage to be conveyed to MSD’s collection system. Parker said Buc-ee’s would need to plan for both lift stations and gravity flow to handle their sewage. The county’s plans can’t proceed until Buc-ee’s design is approved. Parker said Buc-ee’s letter had been sent to GMS Inc., the district’s consulting engineers.

SCADA issues resolved

Parker said changes to the algorithms used by cellular service providers, that misidentified SCADA alarms as spam, had temporarily interrupted the district’s SCADA system, which operates portions of the district’s infrastructure. The problem was fixed, and the SCADA software is again able send alarms by email and text.

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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 July 16. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

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Monument Sanitation District, May 21 – Manhole overflow threatens Monument Lake

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

In his Manager’s Report at the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) meeting in May, District Manager Mark Parker spoke about a wastewater release that required an emergency response from the district and led to a discussion about ownership of the manhole in question. The board heard comments from its auditor on the 2024 draft audit, welcomed Shannon Clark to the board, and elected officers.

Raspberry Point Townhomes manhole fails

Parker told the board that while he was traveling in Arizona in April he was contacted by Cheran Allsup, MSD’s accounts administrator, concerning a manhole that was releasing wastewater. He determined that the manhole was privately owned by the Raspberry Point Townhomes, which are on Raspberry Lane just north of Monument Lake. Parker decided to involve the district in addressing the issue due to the possibility that the wastewater could reach the lake. He called a contractor to clear the service line to the manhole and deal with standing wastewater. He reported the wastewater release to the state and determined that MSD does not have the manhole listed on its maps.

On May 14, the district received another call regarding an overflow from the same manhole. Parker had the service line examined by video camera and found a second portion that needed to be cleaned out. A belly, or low point, in the line was also detected. He called a contractor that got the line flowing a second time.

The homeowners association (HOA) for the Raspberry Point Townhomes believes that the service line and manhole belong to MSD, but there is no documentation establishing ownership, Parker said. The HOA told Parker it had a verbal agreement with a previous MSD district manager that MSD owns the manhole.. MSD has spent $5,000 to $7,000 on the problem, Parker said, adding the total cost is not clear yet because not all the invoices have been received.

Parker said he would continue to work with the HOA to determine ownership and would keep the board informed. He also thanked the Town of Monument and the Triview Metropolitan District for providing equipment that was used to keep the spill from reaching the lake.

2024 draft audit

Derek Watada, of Olson, Reyes & Sauerwein LLC, the district’s auditors, gave the board preliminary results of the 2024 audit. Watada said there were no major issues but noted that some bank accounts were not accurately reconciled and needed to be adjusted. He said the small size of the district’s staff made it challenging to segregate duties but he felt the district was properly mitigating this by having the entire board review the district’s finances.

Watada said the district was handling its accounts payable on a cash basis but its financial reporting on an accrual basis. He recommended moving to an accrual basis across the board and said his company or Haynie & Co., the district’s accountants, could help to make the district’s financial matters consistent. The board voted to approve Watada’s audit report.

Clark joins the board; officers elected

Shannon Clark joined the board at its May meeting, having been sworn in the previous day along with Director Skip Morgan. Clark replaces John Howe, who was term limited after serving two terms. Clark said she had served on the Town of Monument’s Home Rule Commission but had never served on any other board.

The board voted to elect Dan Hamilton to serve a second term as board president and to elect Janet Ladowski to remain as board secretary. Tony Archer was elected treasurer, a role previously held by Howe. Morgan will continue as the board liaison with the Joint Use Committee (JUC), which oversees the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility. The Town of Monument operates the facility jointly with the Town of Palmer Lake and the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District. Clark will serve as Morgan’s alternate on the JUC.

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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 June 18. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

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Monument Sanitation District, April 16 – District plans for Buc-ee’s impact

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At the Monument Sanitation District’s (MSD) April meeting, District Manager Mark Parker updated the board on work underway to ensure the district’s collection system can handle the estimated wastewater from the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center. Parker also updated the board on issues at the district’s headquarters building. Board Treasurer John Howe, who is term-limited and will be replaced by Shannon Clark at the board’s May meeting, said goodbye to the other board members.

Pipeline capacity examined

Parker told the board that he was working with GMS Inc., the district’s consulting engineers, to assess the existing pipelines and manholes between Dirty Woman Creek Park and the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility (TLWWTF). The park and the treatment facility are both on Mitchell Avenue south of Mount Herman Road, about a half mile apart from each other. GMS is documenting the rim and invert elevations, pipe sizes, and material types of each manhole and performing a hydraulic evaluation to determine the current capacity of the system.

Parker said the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center would produce an estimated 15,000 gallons of wastewater per day. The 12-inch pipeline that runs between the park and the treatment facility is currently carrying about one-eighth of its maximum capacity, Parker said. He estimated the wastewater from the travel center would have minimal impact on the pipeline.

One manhole remains to be documented, Parker said, adding he was not sure it made sense to open it for inspection due to its location under Dirty Woman Creek. The manhole had been examined by video, he said.

Parker said he would meet with GMS later in the day to verify the existing infrastructure, including pipeline capacity and the TLWWTF, can handle the travel center’s wastewater if it is built.

MSD headquarters to receive new tree

Parker told the board that the Town of Monument would replace the tree in the MSD headquarters’ courtyard with a chokecherry on Arbor Day, April 25. The old tree was improperly installed, he said, and was dying. See Arbor Day photo on page < 21 >.

Parker also mentioned that an expansion tank in the building had been replaced.

Howe bids the board farewell

Having completed his second and final term on the MSD board, Howe wished the best for Shannon Clark, who will replace him. He thanked Chairman Dan Hamilton for his leadership, Director William Morgan for agreeing to fill a vacancy on the board and volunteering to be the board’s liaison with the Joint Use Committee that oversees the TLWWTF, Secretary Janet Ladowski for her wealth of scientific knowledge, and Director Anthony Archer for his background with sanitation.

Howe also said goodbye to Parker, to Accounts Administrator Cheran Allsup, and Operations Specialist James Kendrick.

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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 May 21. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

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Monument Sanitation District, Mar. 19 –Upcoming election canceled

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its March meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) announced the cancelation of the election scheduled for May 6, which would have filled two board seats. Resident Chad Smith raised concerns about the self-nomination process by which candidates declare their intention to run for the MSD board. In his Manager’s Report, District Manager Mark Parker updated the board on maintenance issues at the district’s headquarters building and on the effort to encourage customers to pay their bills online.

Two candidates for two available seats

Parker told the board that, because the number of candidates matched the number of seats available on the board, there was no need to hold an election. The two candidates will serve four-year terms, Parker said. Some of the incumbent board members are serving three-year terms due to a decision by the state Legislature to move special district elections to odd years.

Board President Dan Hamilton said the two candidates were Shannon Clark, who was applying for her first term on the board, and Skip Morgan, who is an incumbent. Board Treasurer John Howe is term-limited and will leave the board.

Smith speaks to difficulty in self-nomination

Smith told the board that he had tried to nominate himself as a board candidate but had been unable to successfully complete his paperwork. According to the district’s website, the deadline for self-nomination forms to be submitted was Friday, Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. Smith said he emailed Kara Winters, of Collins Cole Winn & Ulmer PLLC, the Designated Election Official overseeing the election, at 2:13 p.m. on Feb. 28 with a question; he did not receive a reply until 3:49 p.m.

Smith said he tried to go to the district office, but it was closed. He pointed out the nomination form did not correctly specify the time on Feb. 28 after which forms would no longer be accepted. Smith said he received another email from Winters, which he did not have time to look at, but he believed he had successfully nominated himself to run for a seat on the board.

On March 13, Smith said, he was told two people had been selected to serve on the board, but he was not one of the two. He followed up with Winters and was told she had gotten his application confused with the application of another candidate with the same name who was seeking to run in another election in El Paso County. Smith admitted his application was received 26 minutes after the deadline.

Hamilton thanked Smith for telling the board his experience and said the board would see if the self-nomination process could be made more transparent. Parker reminded the board that there were very specific laws governing elections in districts like MSD.

Smith said he would consider an appointment to the board if any of the members should be unable to serve out their term.

Manager’s Report

Parker told the board that two toilets had been replaced in the headquarters building to resolve ongoing water leaks that had inflated the district’s water bill. He said he wanted to put a pressure-reducing valve in place to lower the water pressure coming into the building to help prevent water leaks in the future.

Parker said that phone calls had increased regarding the recent imposition of a $2 fee for receiving a paper statement. The district imposed the fee to encourage customers to receive their monthly statements via email, which would reduce the district’s costs. Parker said the change had been well received by most customers. He estimated 60 percent to 70 percent of the district’s customers were using the online process.

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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 April 16. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

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Monument Sanitation District, Feb. 19: District manager clarifies upcoming election

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its February meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker that included details about the upcoming election which will fill two seats on the MSD board. It also heard updates on repairs needed at the district’s headquarters.

Two board seats to be filled in May election

In response to a question from resident Laura Kronick, Parker explained that two board seats would be on the ballot on May 6. The election will be held at the MSD community room at 130 Second St. in Monument between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The directors elected will serve four-year terms.

Kronick asked why some incumbent directors had been elected to three-year terms. Parker said the state Legislature had decided to move special district elections to odd years, keeping state elections on even years. Three-year terms facilitated this change, he said. He explained board President Dan Hamilton and Directors Tony Archer and Janet Lewandowski were elected in May 2023 for four-year terms. Directors John Howe and Skip Morgan were elected in 2022 to three-year terms. Parker said two self-nomination forms for the two available seats had been requested.

Parker said directors were limited to two consecutive terms unless voters decide to remove that limitation.

Headquarters gets repairs

Parker told the board that the Town of Monument’s smart water meters had indicated the MSD headquarters had a water leak resulting in 12,000 gallons of lost water for which the district had to pay. A plumber rebuilt the toilets and traced the leak to a dish soap dispenser at the Black Forest Foods Café and Deli, one of the tenants in the building. Parker said he would use the EyeOnWater application provided by the Town of Monument to do a weekly check on water usage at the headquarters building.

A cracked heat exchanger in the HVAC unit serving the conference room led to the replacement of the entire furnace, at a cost of $5,354. The furnace was more than 20 years old, Parker said. An expansion tank on the hot water system had also failed, and Parker elected to do the repair himself.

Parker said the recently applied $2 fee for a paper monthly statement had encouraged many of the district’s customers to switch to paying their bill online: 737 of the district’s 1,708 accounts are now being paid online.

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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 19. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

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Monument Sanitation District, Jan. 15 – Board passes administrative resolution

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At a brief meeting in January, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board passed its annual administrative resolution and heard an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker. Resident and Monument Town Council member Laura Kronick clarified her remarks at the board’s previous meeting.

Administrative Resolution sets rules, regulations

The board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 01152025-1, which specifies how the board will do its work in 2025. A similar resolution is passed at the beginning of each year.

The resolution states, in part:

  • Directors will be compensated for their work on the board.
  • The Colorado Springs Gazette will be the paper in which the district’s legal notices are published. Notices will also be posted on the district’s web page at https://monumentsanitationdistrict.org.
  • Meetings will be held in the district’s community room at 130 Second St. at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month.
  • The district manager will also serve as the budget officer and will propose a budget to the board by Oct. 15, will schedule a public hearing on that proposed budget, will prepare a final budget, amend it as necessary, and submit it to the state by Dec. 15.
  • Kara Winters, of Collins Cole Winn & Ulmer PLLC, will serve as the designated election official for any elections to be held in 2025.
  • The MSD community room will be the polling place for all elections in 2025.
  • Collins Cole Winn & Ulmer will be the district’s general counsel, GMS Inc. will provide engineering services, and Haynie & Co. will provide accounting services.

Manager’s report

Parker told the board Alphalete Plumbing had replaced a temperature and pressure relief valve at the district headquarters building. He said return envelopes would no longer be included in the district’s monthly statements to customers as a cost-saving measure and to encourage customers to use Electronic Funds Transfer instead of checks. The district is still working with representatives of the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center to get estimated wastewater flow projections.

Kronick clarifies remarks on pay increases

At the previous board meeting, Kronick told the board that while the board had discussed giving district employees a 5% salary increase (3% for cost of living and 2% for merit), the final budget listed a 14% increase for salaries. The difference caused a perception problem, she said.

During the public comments portion of the January meeting, Kronick emphasized that the issue was one of perception only. She asked that the minutes for the previous meeting be amended, with the words “rate increase” being replaced with “pay increase.”

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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 Feb. 19. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

Monument Sanitation District, Dec. 18 – Four properties added to service area

Table of Contents

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its December meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board held a public hearing on four petitions for inclusion into the district’s service area. A vote was held following the hearing. Board President Dan Hamilton proposed a 5% salary increase for district employees. The board approved an update of construction standards for wastewater infrastructure and heard a report from District Manager Mark Parker.

Petitions for inclusion approved

Parker opened a public hearing to consider adding four properties to the district’s service area. He explained that in updating the district’s service area map, he discovered that four properties that the district serves and that are within the district’s service area boundaries had never been formally included in the district. Two of the properties are owned by the Town of Monument: the Town Hall on Beacon Lite Road and the parcel containing the town’s water treatment plant and the Code One building, also on Beacon Lite Road. The third property is in the Wakonda Hills neighborhood. The fourth property is on Washington Street.

Operation Specialist Jim Kendrick recalled that there had been discussion concerning the town’s properties several years ago.

There were no comments from the public on the petitions, and Hamilton closed the hearing. The board voted unanimously in favor of the petitions.

5% salary increase approved

Hamilton proposed a 5% salary increase for Parker, Kendrick, and Accounts Administrator Cheran Allsup. He said all were doing excellent work for the district. Parker said the 2025 budget, recently approved by the board, included funds for a 3% merit increase and a 2% cost of living increase.

Parker said he loved working for the district. Kendrick said he felt the district was currently run the best it had been over the past couple of years.

The board voted unanimously to approve the salary increase.

New construction standards approved

Parker presented the board with a draft of new construction standards for the district’s wastewater infrastructure. Dave Frish, of GMS Engineering Inc., had reviewed the new standards, Parker said. Parker said the changes were mostly in the formatting of the document. He said that one important change was specifying that new manholes be built without the use of steps. He said that required anyone entering a manhole to bring a ladder, the ladder serving as proof of intent to enter the manhole. Parker said other districts were making the same change to their manhole standards.

The board voted unanimously to approve the new standards.

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker said the switch from paper statements to electronic statements had been very well received by the district’s customers, many of whom were using the form on the district’s website to move to electronic statements and avoid the newly imposed $2 fee for paper statements. Paper statements are still available to customers without access to a computer, he said.

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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 Jan. 15. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

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Monument Sanitation District, Nov. 20 – Board approves rate increase, plans for Buc-ee’s impact

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

The Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board focused on its rates, fees, and the 2025 budget at its meeting in November. It held two public hearings: the first on its rates and fees and the second on its 2025 budget. The hearings were followed by votes on resolutions to raise its monthly rates and fees and to approve the budget and appropriate the funds needed.

In his manager’s report, District Manager Mark Parker told the board about a meeting he attended with representatives of Buc-ee’s, which is planning to build a travel center on property west of I-25 and south of County Line Road that is currently part of MSD’s service area.

Rate increase of $5 per month approved

Parker opened a public hearing on a new fees schedule that increases the monthly residential use fee from $40 to $45. The schedule also adds a $2 per month fee for customers who choose to receive a paper statement each month. The paper statement fee is intended to offset mailing costs.

The schedule also raises the commercial use fee to $45 per month for the first 5,000 gallons of wastewater generated. The commercial fee increases to $6.10 for each 1,000 gallons thereafter.

Residential customers will pay a $5 late fee on any outstanding balance after the 16th day of the month. Commercial customers will pay a 5% late fee.

Residential and commercial tap fees, which are paid once when new customers connect to the district’s infrastructure, remain unchanged in the new fee schedule.

Following the public hearing, at which there were no comments from the public, the board unanimously approved Resolution 11202024-2, which adopts the new fee schedule.

The board discussed the new fee schedule in detail at its previous meeting in October. That discussion is reported in the November issue of Our Community News here: https://wp.ocn.me/v24n11msd/.

2025 budget approved

There were no comments on the proposed 2025 budget at the public hearing that Parker opened, and the hearing was closed.

The 2025 budget included in the packet for the meeting projects total income for the district will be $2.998 million and total expenditures will be $2.889 million, leaving an ending fund balance of $1.730 million. Parker said the final budget reflected the concerns the board expressed when it discussed the budget at its October meeting.

The board voted unanimously to approve Resolution 11202024-1, which adopts the 2025 budget and appropriates funds as required.

The board’s detailed discussion of the 2025 budget is reported at the link above.

Manager’s report includes discussion with Buc-ee’s

In his manager’s report, Parker told the board that on Nov. 19 he participated in a meeting with engineers representing Buc-ee’s to discuss its plans for a travel center in the northeast corner of MSD’s service area. Parker said the district took no position on where the travel center obtains water. He said the center was estimated to produce 15,000 of wastewater daily and would require the installation of a grease interceptor. Parker said he expects to meet with representatives of Buc-ee’s monthly.

Parker said Buc-ee’s would pay one tap fee for the center and would also pay a plant investment fee for its impact on the Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility (TLWWTF), which would process the center’s wastewater. Parker said the TLWWTF would need “major upgrades,” and new developments need to “pay their way.” A plant investment fee has never been charged in the past, he said, but the travel center would require the fee.

The TLWWTF is jointly owned and operated by the Town of Monument, the Town of Palmer Lake, and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District. The Joint Use Committee (JUC) oversees the operation of the treatment facility. Each of the owners pays a portion of operating costs based on the amount of wastewater it generates. In the past, disagreements about allocating operating costs have been resolved in court.

Parker also mentioned that the travel center might require a lift station to be built. How El Paso County decides to develop Beacon Lite Road will impact the need for a lift station, Parker said. Parker explained that if Buc-ee’s wants MSD to run the lift station, then other district customers would need to be included. If Buc-ee’s wants the lift station to serve only their center, then the district will not take responsibility for its operation, Parker said

Later in his report, Parker asked the board to approve a 2025 budget for the JUC that includes a 5% pay increase for its employees and a cost-of-living adjustment that will cover a 13.5% increase in employee insurance cost. The board voted unanimously to approve the proposed budget.

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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 Dec. 18. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

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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 MSD’s delinquent accounts. Parker gave the board an operational report.

Rate increase of $5 or $10 per month debated

Board Secretary Janet Ladowski opened the discussion of rate increases, saying a $10 per month increase would “cause a huge uproar.” She suggested an increase of $5 per month initially and re-evaluating in two years to see if that amount had covered inflation, costs, and interest rates. She said the board should print information about what it was doing and why.

Board President Dan Hamilton agreed the increase should be $5 and recommended that the district move to online payment of bills and discourage payment by check. He proposed a $10 per month increase with a discount of $5 if the customer paid their bill online.

Ladowski said many of the district’s customers were elderly and Hamilton’s proposal would punish some for not being comfortable paying their bill online.

Parker estimated that 75% of the district’s customers pay by check, with the remainder paying online. The trend is moving toward online payment, he said, adding “the older generation loves their checks.” Board Treasurer John Howe said older customers distrust online payment. Hamilton responded that checks are less secure than online payment. Parker said online payment would not save the district much time or effort because the district’s software systems were not well integrated. Ladowski said customers who write checks use their check registers to track their finances and many would need training to switch to using their computers for that purpose. Parker pointed out that MSD spends $14,000 per year mailing bills to its customers.

Returning to the issue of rate increases, Director Tony Archer said an increase of $5 per month would cover inflation. Howe said that costs at the Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility that MSD shares with the Town of Palmer Lake and the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District were increasing dramatically, and MSD’s budget would need to include those costs.

Parker reminded the board that the rate study done by GMS Engineering Inc. recommended that the rate be set to allow the collection of up to $55,000 per year above operating expenses to cover capital projects.

Operations specialist Jim Kendrick agreed with Howe that treatment costs were rising due to changes in treatment limits and “emerging constituents of concern.” Treatment costs are operational, he said, rather than capital costs. Parker confirmed that treatment costs had doubled in the last year.

There was a consensus among the board members that an increase of $10 per month was too high, but no specific action was taken. Parker said the board would need to make a final decision in November.

2025 budget presented

Parker included a proposed 2025 budget in the board packet for the meeting and asked the board for feedback. The proposed budget listed total income increasing from $2.520 million in 2024 to $2.696 million in 2025. Total expenditures are budgeted to increase from $1.213 million in 2024 to $2.913 million in 2025. The 2025 budget allows for a 5% increase in MSD salaries and a new employee.

Parker said that 2024 was a banner year for interest income, with MSD earning between 4.5% and 5% on its COLOTRUST account. He questioned whether that would continue in 2025. The funds budgeted for engineering services are expected to rise in 2025 because in 2024 MSD was able to use funds from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) for those services. ARPA funds will not be available in 2025, he said.

Parker said the 2025 budget would have to include funding for capital projects such as manhole repairs, lining some of the older service lines, and increased costs at the treatment plant. Parker explained janitorial costs would fall in 2025 because a bonded and insured cleaning company had given the district an estimate that was half of what it was currently paying.

The board took no action following the discussion.

County treasurer to collect on delinquent accounts

Parker told the board there are 13 delinquent accounts, most with balances under $5,000.

The board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 10162024-1, which authorizes the county treasurer to collect on those accounts.

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker said the lift stations were working well, there were no issues with the tenants renting space in the district’s building, and improvements to the district’s supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA) were complete except for one radio that needs to be replaced.

Parker told the board that he had identified four properties that were receiving sewer service but were not within the MSD service area. He said he would provide details and ask the board to approve their inclusion at the November board meeting.

Parker updated the board on a six-unit building on Raspberry Lane that had encountered problems with a private common sewer line owned by the Homeowners Association. Parker assured the board that the district’s infrastructure was not the cause of the problem.

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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 Nov. 20. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

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Monument Sanitation District, Sept. 18 – Board reviews rate study

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its September meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard a report on a rate study performed by GMS Inc. and an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker. The board discussed the three board seats that will be open in the next election cycle.

Dannah Koeniger, a project engineer, and Erica Countryman, a staff engineer, both with GMS, presented to the board their study of the district’s rates. Koeniger said the purpose of the study was to ensure that the district would have adequate revenue to cover planned operational expenditures. Capital projects were not included in the study. Rates should be fair, reasonable and justifiable, she said.

At present, the residential rate is $40 per month and the commercial rate is $40 per month for the first 5,000 gallons of wastewater and $5.10 for each 1,000 gallons thereafter, Koeninger said. The late fee is 5% of the unpaid balance. The district has 1,635 residential accounts and 135 commercial accounts. The study used a five-year review period from 2025 to 2029 and assumed an annual growth of 10 residential accounts per year during that period. Expenditures were projected to increase 4% per year due to inflation, and the study assumed $59,700 per year in revenue from interest, rental of part of the headquarters building, and other sources.

Koeniger said rates should generate $50,000 per year beyond operating costs so the district can build its reserves. The district could consider one large increase during the review period or smaller annual increases to meet this goal, she said. Koeniger noted the district had last raised its rates in 2020.

Countryman noted a big jump in the district’s expenses between 2021 and 2023 and said she expected 2024 “to come in negative.” She said the costs of salaries and benefits have increased in every community between 2021 and 2023 and she wanted to make sure the district could keep qualified staff. The cost of electricity has increased, which affects the cost of operating lift stations, she said.

Koeniger pointed out that newly published standards for wastewater treatment, such as the standards for PFAS chemicals, would also increase the district’s expenses.

Parker said the board would discuss the future of its rates at the November board meeting,

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker said the lift stations were working well, there were no issues with the tenants renting space in the district’s building, and improvements to the district’s supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA) were on budget but taking longer than expected as issues with upgrades to the radios not yet resolved.

Parker asked the board to approve Resolution 09182024-1, which specifies the MSD office is open from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and closed on Fridays. The board voted unanimously to approve the resolution.

Parker said MSD’s old website was not automatically forwarding to the new website, but that problem has been fixed.

Three board seats to be vacant

Director John Howe pointed out that three directors would need to be elected in 2025. Parker explained that board President Dan Hamilton and Howe have both served two terms and are term limited, but Director Skip Morgan could run for a second term.

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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 Oct. 16. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

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Monument Sanitation District, Aug. 21 – Board approves four-day work week

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

In August, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met to discuss moving to a four-day work week and to hear an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker.

Parker told the board the MSD office typically receives only one or two calls on Friday, and he recommended transitioning to a four-day work week, with the office open Monday through Thursday. The office phone is programmed to ring forward to his cell phone, Parker said, so emergencies and requests to locate utilities would still be dealt with quickly. A four-day work week would save the district a little bit of money. Parker pointed out that Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Mountain View Electric Association, and Black Hills Energy all used four-day weeks.

The consensus of the board was that, starting Sept.1, the MSD office would be open from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and closed on Fridays.

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker updated the board on the progress that had been made bringing the district’s website into compliance with the requirements of HB 21-1110 and with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Streamline, the company hired to update the webpage, had a new version online. Initially the plan was for the new page to use the same URL as the old page, but it was decided to use a new URL for the updated page, which can be found at https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. The old page will be set to forward users on to the new page for 90 days, Parker said, and then the old page will be deleted.

Parker said that the decision to move to a local accounting company, which he announced at the previous board meeting, had to be reversed because the local company was not able to meet MSD’s requirements. Haynie & Co. will continue as MSD’s accounting company, Parker said.

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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 Sept. 18. See https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org. For a district service map, see https://MonumentSanitationDistrict.org/district-map. Information: 719-481-4886.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me. James Howald can be reached at jameshowald@ocn.me.

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Monument Sanitation District, July 17 – Repair completed without blocking traffic

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

The Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met in July to hear a report from District Manager Mark Parker and to discuss final edits to the district’s newsletter, The Pipeline.

No spot repair needed

Parker told the board that repairs to the pipeline running under Highway 105 were complete, and a spot repair anticipated at the last board meeting was found to be unnecessary. Had the spot repair been needed, excavation would have been required and traffic on Highway 105 would have been impacted. Aegion/Insituform, the contractor repairing the pipeline, was able to complete the repair simply by lining the pipeline with no need to excavate, Parker said.

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker said that Streamline had been hired to bring the district’s website into compliance with the requirements of HB 21-1110 and with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Streamline will monitor the website continuously and do all required monthly and quarterly reporting to the state, Parker said, at a cost lower than the cost to the district if the work was done in-house. The website will be completely redone but will retain the same URL as the current page, Parker said. MSD staff will continue to manage the information that is published on the page.

Parker also announced that the district was planning to replace its current accounting company, Haynie & Co., with Numeric Strategies LLC, a company headquartered in Monument. Staff turnover at Haynie & Co. contributed to the decision to make a change, Parker said.

Finally, Parker said the Willow Springs Ranch neighborhood, just south of the Town of Monument, had reached complete buildout. Willow Springs Ranch is part of the MSD service area.

Newsletter gets final edits

The Pipeline, a newsletter to be published by MSD and drafted by Directors Janet Ladowski and John Howe, was reviewed by the board. The newsletter will keep customers up to date on district issues. Howe said he wanted to add some wording to the newsletter pointing out that MSD is not affiliated with the Town of Monument. Operations Manager James Kendrick said that MSD is a “separate and distinct public utility.”

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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 Aug. 21. 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.

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Monument Sanitation District, June 19 – 2023 audit accepted; repair hits snag

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

In June, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard an audit report from Derek Watada of Olson, Reyes & Sauerwein LLC, the district’s auditor. In his Manager’s Report, District Manager Mark Parker discussed a change to the plan to repair a sewer line that runs under Highway 105 adjacent to the Taco Bell restaurant.

Audit shows no concerns

Watada thanked the MSD staff who helped with the audit. He described the district’s finances as “business as usual.” He mentioned that the grant MSD received as part of the American Recovery Plan Act, which is being used to repair a sewer main connecting the Willow Springs neighborhood to the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility, was a new category in the audit. The district’s net position, or equity in MSD’s infrastructure, increased from $5 million to $9.4 million, primarily due to a lift station built by the developer of Willow Springs and then donated to the district, which will maintain it.

Watada asked the board to be aware of the need to separate duties, pointing out that it was difficult to compartmentalize duties in an organization with such a small staff. Parker pointed out that Haynie & Co., the district’s accounting company, assisted Accounts Administrator Cheran Allsup and Parker in their efforts to separate all duties involving financial matters.

The board voted unanimously to accept the audit report.

Unexpected spot repair needed

In his Manager’s Report, Parker told the board that the repair to a sewer line running under Highway 105 was planned to be complete by June 4, but that deadline had not been met. After telling MSD that the pipeline could be repaired by relining it, with no need to excavate and interrupt traffic on the highway, the contractor, Aegion/Inasituform, had changed its position and now said a spot repair was needed. Parker said he believed that change of position invalidated the district’s contract with Aegion/Insituform. Parker said he was organizing a meeting with the contractor and GMS Engineering Inc., the district’s consulting engineers.

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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 July 17. 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.

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Monument Sanitation District, May 15 – Board aims to educate community

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

In May, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board discussed improving communication with district customers. The board also heard an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker and discussed a recent requirement that the district’s website be accessible to disabled customers.

Board brainstorms how to get their message out

Directors John Howe and Janet Ladowski told the board that they met to discuss how to improve the district’s communications with its customers. Howe suggested that, two to four times per year, the board put together a communication to district customers explaining what MSD does, who makes up the operational staff, and who sits on the board. How to contact the district should be included, he said.

Ladowski said the communication should cover anticipated road closures and should educate customers about the district’s infrastructure, explaining the role of lift stations and wastewater treatment. Howe said that one topic to cover would be how MSD, the Town of Palmer Lake, and the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District manage the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility (TLWWTF) on South Mitchell Avenue together using the Joint Use Committee. Howe said customers need to understand that MSD operates independently of the Town of Monument.

District Manager Mark Parker suggested the planned communication would be helpful when tap fees or rates need to be increased.

Operations Specialist James F. Kendrick said the communication could counteract the misinformation about the district that appears in social media sites such as Nextdoor.

Howe said a draft would be ready for review in time to publish in September.

Manager’s report

In his Manager’s Report, Parker said one of the pumps failed at a lift station serving the Wagon Gap and Trails End neighborhoods and had been repaired.

There were no issues with the tenants who rent space in the district’s headquarters building, and office painting and flooring repairs were complete.

Parker said the district would do a study of inflow and infiltration to determine how much rainwater is entering the system. Insurance companies use this information to determine the cost of policies, Parker said, and the study would help keep the district’s insurance costs low.

Parker said the replacement of a sewer line between the Willow Springs Neighborhood and the TLWWTF was underway. The American Recovery Plan Act was paying for $900,000 of the project’s total cost of $1.4 million, he said. The district has 180 days to complete the work, Parker said, adding that he was optimistic that deadline would be met.

Website accessibility

Parker said he was using an online service to verify that the district’s website was compliant with state law that dictates how the site must accommodate disabled customers. He believed the site was already 98% compliant.

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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 June 19. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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Monument Sanitation District, April 17 – Repair will spare traffic on Highway 105

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

In April, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board accepted a proposal to repair a pipeline that runs under Highway 105 and a proposal to upgrade the radios used by the district’s supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. The board also heard an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker.

Pipeline to be relined, not replaced

Parker told the board that Insituform Technologies Inc. had proposed repairing a sewer line that runs under Highway 105 and serves the Conoco gas station, the McDonald’s restaurant, Jarrito Loco and the Taco Bell restaurant by using Cured in Place Pipeline (CIPP) technology. The repair will be made without interrupting traffic on Highway 105, Parker said.

When a pipeline is repaired using CIPP, a felt liner saturated in resins is pulled through the pipeline, then the liner is cured in place using steam. Using CIPP, there is no need to excavate the pipeline, which is 11 feet under Highway 105, Parker explained. Part of the McDonald’s driveway will be blocked for one day while the repairs are made, Parker said.

The board voted unanimously to accept the proposal.

Radios due for replacement

Parker told the board that I&C Design LLC had given the district a proposal to upgrade the radios used by the district’s SCADA system. The SCADA software collects data from the district’s lift stations and automates some aspects of the district’s sewer infrastructure. Parker explained that there are no replacement parts for the radios currently in use, and newer models are not backward compatible. Parker recommended taking a proactive approach and replacing all the SCADA radios at one time. He said the old radios would be sold.

The board voted unanimously to accept the proposal.

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker said the annual evaluation of the district’s collection system would begin in April. Pipelines would be assessed using video cameras and repaired as needed.

At its March meeting, the board heard a request from Rick Squires to provide sewer service to his property on Monument Lake Road. At that meeting, Parker told the board that efforts to locate the sewer main that Squire’s property would tap into had failed. At the April meeting Parker said that the main had been located 30 feet away from the documented location. Parker said the company that had incorrectly documented the location of the main had given the district a refund.

Parker said he had provided GMS Engineering Inc. the information it had requested for a rate study. He hoped the rate study would be completed in time to set 2025 rates.

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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 May 15. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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Monument Sanitation District, March 20 – Property owner petitions for inclusion

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

The Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board held a public hearing March 20 on a homeowner’s petition for inclusion in the MSD service area. The board also heard an operational report from District Manager Mark Parker.

Failing septic system prompts request

Parker told the board that he had been approached by Rick Squires, the owner of a 2.8-acre property at 128 Monument Lake Rd., to provide sewer service to the property. Parker opened a public hearing to consider the request.

Parker explained that the leech field of the septic system at Squires’ property was failing, and El Paso County would not issue a permit to repair or replace it since MSD had sewer infrastructure close to the property. Parker said that Squires would pay all costs required to bring sewer service to his property. Those costs would include an $8,000 sewer tap fee and the cost of a lift station like the one in place at the Wakonda Hills neighborhood, as well as legal fees.

It was difficult to locate the MSD sewer main, Parker said. He believed the locating equipment did not correctly measure the depth of the pipeline. The pipeline runs under railroad tracks, Parker said, which added a complication to providing service.

There were no comments from the public, and Parker closed the hearing.

The board voted unanimously to approve the petition for inclusion.

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker told the board that accumulated grease had been pumped out of the Wakonda Hills lift station.

He said the upgrade of the district’s supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA), which controls, monitors and analyzes the district’s sewer infrastructure, had gone well so far but had revealed that the radios used by the system are no longer available to purchase and newer models are not backward compatible. Parker said replacing the radios would cost $16,000 if done now; next year the cost would go up to $25,000. He recommended immediate replacement.

Internet connectivity is in place at all the SCADA sites, Parker said, and he recommended that connectivity become the primary method of connecting the SCADA sites, with radios moving into a backup role. Parker said he would bring a detailed proposal to the next board meeting for consideration.

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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 April 17. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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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.

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Monument Sanitation District, Jan. 17 – Willow Springs sewer line to be replaced

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its January meeting, General Manager Mark Parker updated the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board regarding a project to replace a sewer main. The board passed two administrative resolutions and heard operational reports.

Sewer main due for replacement

Parker told the board that he had attended a bid opening regarding the replacement of a sewer main running between the Willow Springs neighborhood and the Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility. There were four bids for the project, Parker said, ranging from $1 million to $1.5 million. The four companies submitting bids were all companies he would be glad to work with, Parker said.

Parker said the American Recovery Plan Act was providing most of the funding for the project. View Homes would be responsible for about $350,000, Parker said. MSD’s 2024 budget has $1 million allocated for the project. The final documents for the project would be presented to the board at its next meeting. He expected work on the project to begin on March 2, Parker said.

Administrative resolutions passed

The board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 01172024-1, which documents administrative details such as the schedule and location of board meetings, how elections will be conducted, and who will serve as general counsel, accountant, and auditor for the district.

The board also approved Resolution 01172024-2, which designates the district’s website as the location where meeting notices will be posted. The district’s website is monumentsd.colorado.gov/.

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker told the board the pump at the Wakonda Hills lift station had been replaced. A lease for a portion of the MSD headquarters building had been signed with Cara Guirguis, the new owner of The Second Street Salon. MSD had received a grant from the Special District Association of Colorado and had purchased an automated external defibrillator with the money. Parker said he had submitted revised construction standards to GMS Engineering Inc., the district’s consulting engineers, for its review and he was working with Frontier I.T. to add offsite backups to the district’s security procedures.

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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 Feb. 21. 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.

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Monument Sanitation District, Dec. 20 – Board sets bonuses and salary increases

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its December meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board decided on bonuses and salary increases for its staff. It also renewed letters of engagement with the district’s engineering, accounting, and auditing companies and scheduled a workshop to review its duties and responsibilities.

Bonuses and salary increases

Board President Dan Hamilton told the board that he was happy with the performance of the district staff and had surveyed the bonuses given by surrounding districts to their managers, which varied from no bonus to $5,000. Last year, MSD gave General Manager Mark Parker a bonus equal to one month of his salary. He proposed giving Parker a $4,000 bonus for 2023.

After some discussion, the board settled on a $4,500 bonus for Parker, and bonuses for Accounts Administrator Cheran Allsup and Environmental and Regulatory Compliance specialist James Kendrick proportional to their pay rates. The board voted unanimously in favor of a motion to provide bonuses in those amounts.

Regarding salary increases, Hamilton reminded the board that last year it had given 9% increases. He said the Denver Aurora Consumer Price Index was 4.5% and suggested rounding that up to give a 5% salary increase to district staff in 2024. The board voted unanimously for a 5% increase.

Letters of engagement renewed

Parker told the board that the district’s auditors had asked the board to renew letters of engagement with companies providing services every year. He provided the board with letters of engagement for GMS Engineering Inc., the district’s consulting engineers, for Haynie & Co., the district’s accountants, and for Olson Reyes & Sauerwein, the district’s auditors. The board voted unanimously to renew all three letters of engagement.

Workshop scheduled

At the request of board Treasurer John Howe, a workshop to review the board’s duties and responsibilities with Allison Ulmer, of Collins Cole Flynn Winn and Ulmer, the district’s legal advisors, was scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 5 p.m. The workshop will be held at the MSD headquarters building at 130 Second St. in Monument.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 Jan. 17, 2024. 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.

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Monument Sanitation District, Nov. 15 – Board approves budget, leaves rates unchanged

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its November meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board held a public hearing on its 2024 budget and voted on two related resolutions.

Budget approved; funds appropriated

District Manager Mark Parker opened a public hearing in consideration of the 2024 budget and told the board that he had made only minor changes since the last board meeting. The amount budgeted for contingencies had been increased, he said. He made a conservative estimate of the revenue the district would receive from sewer tap fees, pointing out that phase two of the Willow Springs development would require 32 new taps. Parker explained the tap fees could only be used to fund infrastructure maintenance and improvement. User fees fund administrative and operational costs, he said. The 2024 budget anticipates $945,000 in user fees, an increase of $80,000 over the amount budgeted in 2023.

Parker said he anticipated two more years of substantial revenue from tap fees, as the Monument Ridge North development along Beacon Lite Road and the RAO Investment’s development on Rickenbacker Avenue proceed.

Parker closed the hearing on the 2024 budget and the board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 11152023-2, which adopts the budget and appropriates $2.27 million from the General Fund to operate the district.

Rates remain unchanged

The board voted unanimously in favor of Resolution 11152023-1, which adopts wastewater service and tap fees for 2024. The monthly residential use fee remains unchanged at $40 per month. Parker said rates and fees have not been increased since 2020.

The complete schedule of fees can be found on the MSD web page here: https://monumentsd.colorado.gov/schedule-of-fees.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 Dec. 20. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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Monument Sanitation District, Oct. 18 – Board addresses budgets, rates, liens

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

Financial matters—budgets, rates, and liens—were the focus when the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met in October. The board began work on its budget for 2024 and set a date for a public hearing. The board also briefly considered the 2024 budget developed by the Joint Use Committee (JUC) for operation of the Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility (TLWWTF). The board discussed potential changes to rates and fees and scheduled a public hearing to consider them. The board heard a report on delinquent liens and a monthly operational report from District Manager Mark Parker.

MSD 2024 budget presentation

Parker reviewed the MSD budget for 2024 that he presented to the board at the previous meeting. In response to a question from Director Skip Morgan concerning reserve funds, Parker explained the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) requires the district to maintain a certain amount of money in reserve that can’t be used for operating expenses. He pointed out that the 2024 budget increased the money budgeted for property and loss insurance and for workers compensation insurance. He explained that engineering fees increased over the previous budget due to $43,000 in unpaid engineering fees owed to the district. Legal fees also increased because some recording fees and document review fees were included that would be broken out in future budgets.

The board voted to hold a public hearing on the 2024 budget at its next board meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m. Nov. 15 at the district office at 130 Second St. An announcement of the hearing is included in bills for October.

JUC 2024 draft budget

Parker presented a draft of the 2024 budget for the JUC. MSD partners with Woodmoor Water and Sanitation district and the Town of Palmer Lake in the operation of the TLWWTF: All three approve the JUC’s budget.

Parker said sludge removal costs are increasing due to increased fuel costs. Board President Dan Hamilton pointed out the operations costs increased by 30% in the proposed budget.

The board voted unanimously to approve the JUC budget as presented.

Rates and fees remain unchanged

The board discussed online payments, and Parker pointed out that out of 1,757 accounts only 302 pay online with a credit card. The district charges a 2.59% fee for online payments, he said. Hamilton commented that some customers pay by check to avoid the fee. The board discussed a small increase in rates to cover this fee for the customer, but Parker recommended no increase in the 2024 budget. He said staff would continue to study the issue.

Parker said MSD had not raised rates since 2020, when the monthly rate increased from $35 to $40 per month.

The board also discussed tap fees, which are charges paid when a new customer connects to the MSD infrastructure. Parker said the 2023 budget anticipated $500,000 in tap fee revenue but the actual figure came in closer to $1.9 million. He said he expected tap fee revenue to be lower in 2024. He explained some tap fees were being paid by homeowners in Wakonda Hills whose septic tanks were failing, requiring them to connect to the MSD collection system. Parker said he expected to see additional tap fee revenue in 2024 from the Willow Springs development, the Monument Ridge development, and from the Rickenbacker Avenue development.

The board scheduled a second public hearing to address rates and fees for 9 a.m. Nov. 15 at the district office at 130 Second St. An announcement of the hearing is included in bills for October.

Liens on delinquent accounts

Parker said the district had about 11 delinquent accounts and asked the board to approve Resolution 10182023-1, which would place liens on those accounts. One delinquent account amounted to $43,000, he said. The board voted unanimously in favor of the resolution.

Manager’s report

In his manager’s report, Parker said a recent upgrade to the MSD office building’s electrical service had been completed at a much lower cost than anticipated. He said he had signed a contract with a roofing company to repair the office building’s roof.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 Nov. 15, 2023. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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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 law requires governmental organizations that maintain email systems to have a written policy governing their proper use. District Manager Mark Parker told the board that work on MSD’s email policy was begun with their previous lawyer and was now ready for a vote.

Resolution 9202023-1 specifies:

  • MSD’s email system is owned by the district and is limited to messages related to district business. Personal or private messages are not allowed.
  • Use of personal email systems for district business is not allowed and may subject the district to discovery orders, seizure, and inspection in the event of litigation.
  • Messages sent through the district’s email are public records and are available to the public through Colorado Open Record Act requests.
  • The district may monitor messages sent through its email system.
  • The email system is an extension of the workplace and is subject to the district’s personnel policies.
  • Board President Dan Hamilton summed up the policy by pointing out that there is no privacy in use of the email system. Parker pointed out that board members would need to be careful in their use of the “Reply All” feature, as emails going to three or more board members constitute a meeting. Parker said he used the blind carbon copy feature to prevent board members from inadvertently creating a meeting by replying to everyone on the distribution list.

The board voted unanimously to approve the resolution.

Preliminary 2024 budget discussed.

Parker gave the board a preliminary draft of the 2024 budget and asked for their feedback at the next board meeting. He said he estimates income low and expenses high, and that generally works out. Legal and engineering fees were underestimated in the previous budget. Legal fees were somewhat higher than expected in the 2023 budget because of the legal work needed on the district’s bylaws and employee handbook. For the 2024 budget, he assumed a 10 percent increase in worker’s compensation costs and a large increase in the cost of gas and electricity. Interest income is up due to higher interest rates, he said.

Parker pointed out that MSD could impose a 7.734 mill levy, but that was not needed because the district is able to cover its cost of service through tap fees and user fees.

HQ building needs roof repair, HVAC upgrade.

MSD owns the building at 130 Second St. that houses the office space and conference room used by the district, as well as three businesses: the Black Forest Foods Café and Deli, Santa Fe Trail Jewelry, and the Second Street Hair Studio.

Parker told the board that, due to age and hail damage, the building’s roof needs to be replaced. The cost of replacement is less than the insurance deductible, he explained, so MSD will be paying for the replacement. Parker said he was working with the district’s insurance carrier to find alternatives to the current deductible.

Parker asked the board to consider paying for an engineering study to design a comprehensive solution to the building’s problems with heating and ventilation. The Black Forest Foods Café and Deli kitchen has created issues with ventilation that were not anticipated when the building was designed. The kitchen hoods pull air out of the building and makeup air is needed to run the building’s furnace efficiently, he said. The study would need to assess whether the rafters can support the needed equipment as well as the snow load in the winter months. The building’s electric service would also need to be included. Parker estimated the study cost at $5,500.

MSD Environmental/Regulatory Compliance Coordinator Jim Kendrick pointed out that over the last 20 years contractors who addressed issues stemming from the restaurant kitchen have put in place ad hoc solutions. He argued the cost of a comprehensive study and design would be money well spent.

The board did not take a vote but agreed that Parker should proceed with the proposed study.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 Oct. 18. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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Monument Sanitation District, Aug. 8 – Board hears request to merge with town’s Water Department

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its August meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard a summary of a meeting between two MSD board members and representatives of the Town of Monument to discuss merging MSD with the town’s Water Department. The board voted on updates to the district’s employee handbook and to its bylaws. In his manager’s report, District Manager Mark Parker discussed maintenance and security issues at the district’s headquarters. Board President Dan Hamilton led a discussion of improvements to the district’s billing system. The meeting ended with an executive session.

LaKind and Kronick propose merger

Hamilton told the board that he and Director John Howe met with Monument Mayor Mitch LaKind and Councilmember Laura Kronick to discuss the possibility of merging MSD with the town’s Water Department and ultimately creating a water and sewer authority that combines the MSD service area, which is not entirely within the town borders, with the town. Hamilton said no specific proposal was made. Howe recalled that a similar discussion had taken place when Don Wilson was mayor, but no proposal was made.

Hamilton said if a specific proposal were made, it would be the board’s duty to consider it.

Jim Kendrick, who handles operations for MSD, said he did not know of a merger between a special district and a charter town in the state of Colorado.

Employee handbook and bylaws updated

Hamilton presented changes to the district’s employee handbook, which has been under review by MSD’s lawyer to bring it into compliance with recent changes to state law. Most of the changes address Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, he said.

Hamilton said under the updated policy employees with one to five years employment would earn 160 hours of PTO per year, employees with six to 15 years would earn 240 hours, and employees with more than 15 years would earn 320 hours. Parker added that Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) law mandates that employees with less than a year on the job earn one hour of PTO for each 30 hours worked.

Hamilton proposed that each of Parker’s 28 years of experience in wastewater management add one-half a year of service to Parker’s 2 1/2 years of employment in MSD. He also pointed out that Colorado law requires any employee with less than 80 hours of earned PTO to be provided 80 hours if a public health emergency is declared.

Two half days off at Christmas and New Year’s were removed along with two floating days off and replaced with a day off following Christmas and New Year’s.

The board voted unanimously to approve the updated employee handbook.

The board also voted to approve amended bylaws. Parker said the changes were minimal, and he recommended reviewing the bylaws on a five-year schedule.

Manager’s report

Parker said the Black Forest Foods Café and Delicatessen, which rents a portion of the MSD headquarters building, was struggling with air conditioning issues and had deployed two swamp coolers on a temporary basis. He said its HVAC units were aging and would be evaluated for replacement. As the building’s owner, MSD would pay for any new equipment, he said.

Parker reported heat and hail damage to the roof on a section of the building and said a claim had been submitted to MSD’s insurer.

Parker told the board that Marylee Reisig, owner of Santa Fe Trail Jewelry, a tenant in the headquarters building, had thwarted a robbery attempt at her store. Pictures of thieves who had stolen $5,000 worth of merchandise from the Garden of the Gods Trading Post had been circulated to similar retailers and Reisig recognized them when they entered her shop. Reisig was able to prevent any theft by kicking them out, and Parker called police. Security camera footage showed the thieves driving by the store, parking their car, and entering the store.

Improvements to billing proposed

Hamilton said he would like to see the district make its autopay option easier for customers. He proposed eliminating the fee for paying with a credit card. He said he was willing to increase rates to eliminate the fee. Parker said credit cards were accepted only online and he intended to make it possible to pay with a credit card in the office as well. Parker said he did not want the district to store customer information as that would require compliance with additional regulations. Account Administrator Cheran Allsup said some older customers prefer to pay in person.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to consider Allsup’s annual review.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 Sept. 20. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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Monument Sanitation District, July 19 – Good news on Highway 105 sewer repair

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its July meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard an operational report and a financial report from General Manager Mark Parker and briefly discussed two issues that were tabled until the next board meeting.

Manager’s report

Parker updated the board on a repair needed on a sewer line that serves the Conoco gas station, the McDonald’s restaurant, and Jarrito Loco. The line runs under Highway 105, and at the previous meeting Parker said the line was 14 feet underground and if the repair required the line to be excavated traffic on the highway would be impacted. At the July meeting, Parker said following a discussion with engineers he believed the repair could be made by lining the pipe without digging it up.

Parker said he had signed up the district to participate in CoWARN, a statewide water and wastewater response network. CoWARN facilitates mutual aid between utilities to resolve emergency situations, he said, adding that membership does not obligate members to offer or accept aid.

Parker told the board that Black Forest Foods Café and Delicatessen, which rents a third of the MSD headquarters building, was struggling with inadequate heating and air conditioning. MSD, as landlord, would be responsible for any necessary upgrades.

In his discussion of district finances, Parker mentioned the district was receiving fewer requests for sewer taps, which are connections to the district’s wastewater collection system, and was seeing lower revenue from tap fees, which are one of the ways infrastructure improvements are funded. He said there was plenty of sewer and treatment capacity, so scarcity of water would be the factor limiting the demand for new sewer taps.

Items tabled

A decision to accept the employee handbook was tabled so that it could be updated to comply with new state laws. A review of district bylaws was also tabled.

June meeting update

Following the executive session held at the end of the previous board meeting, the board voted unanimously in favor of an 8.5% raise for Parker. This vote was not officially announced until after the July issue of OCN had gone to press.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 Aug. 16. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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Monument Sanitation District, June 21 – Board hears audit report

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its June meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board heard an audit report of the district’s 2022 budget. General Manager Mark Parker discussed the need to repair a sewer line running under Highway 105. The meeting ended with an executive session.

District finances in good shape

Derek Watada, an auditor from Olson, Reyes & Sauerwein LLC, told the board that as part of his audit process he worked with district staff to understand financial processes and tested them. He said the district’s books are clean, requiring only a few minor adjustments. The district’s financial statements are materially accurate, he said.

Watada said the district’s assets increased by $1.7 million over 2021. Tap fees generated $1.9 million in cash flow in 2022, an indicator of Monument’s rapid growth. He mentioned $200,000 in receivables, most of which is uncollected user fees, $60,000 of which are delinquent. A single commercial account owes $55,000 of the delinquent fees, he said.

Watada pointed out a new line item in the audit report: net pension assets. He explained this line resulted from the fact that Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association, which had been underwater, is now in a position where future payouts are less than its balance. Previously, MSD’s audits had shown a pension liability, but with PERA’s return to financial health the current report shows an asset instead. MSD’s previous audit showed total liabilities of $400,000; that total is now $275,000, Watada said, primarily due to the new pension asset.

Watada said MSD’s net position, which represents equity in the district’s infrastructure, had increased by $1.9 million in the last year.

He ended his presentation by commenting that the tap fees from over 200 new accounts were the primary driver of the year’s financial performance.

The board voted unanimously to approve the audit report and to file it with the state.

In his discussion of the financial reports for May, Parker pointed out that an increase in gas prices had raised the amount spent on utilities. Director William Morgan pointed out that interest income for the district had increased due to the higher interest rates.

The month’s financial reports were approved unanimously.

Sewer line needs attention

Parker said a sewer line that serves the Conoco gas station, the McDonald’s restaurant, and Jarrito Loco has been discovered to have portions that have sunk and are causing problems. The line runs under Highway 105 and is next to Taco Bell’s drive-through on the west side of the highway. Parker said he thought the problems resulted from poor installation. The line is installed 14 feet deep, making the repair more difficult, Parker said. In the short term the line can be cleaned, but repairing it properly could result in interruptions to business, he said.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss the general manager’s performance review.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 July 19, 2023. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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Monument Sanitation District, May 17 – New board members sworn in

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

Three board members took their oaths of office at Monument Sanitation District’s (MSD) May meeting. Once its new members were sworn in, the board reorganized. A resolution authorizing an upgrade to the district’s internet service was passed. The board planned for a public celebration of its 60th anniversary serving the community and heard operational reports.

Board reorganizes

Tony Archer, Dan Hamilton, and Janet Ladowski were sworn in for four-year terms. Archer was previously appointed to the board on Feb. 15 to replace Director Laura Kronick, who resigned from the MSD board to serve on the Monument Town Council. As an appointee, Archer was required to run for a seat at the next election. Hamilton was also an incumbent, having served as the MSD board president for the previous four years. Ladowski replaced Marylee Reisig.

Following the oaths, the board reorganized, electing Hamilton to serve another term as president, incumbent John Howe as treasurer, and Ladowski as secretary.

Board votes to upgrade internet service

The board voted in favor of Resolution 23-051723, which accepts a bid from Force Broadband LLC to provide internet service to the MSD headquarters building using a fiber connection. Previously, the buildings’ internet service used wireless connectivity. Fiber-based internet service is much faster and more reliable.

District Manager Mark Parker explained that the installation cost would be shared with Lolley’s Ice Cream who will use fiber in its new event center, where Ice Cave Cider used to be, next to the MSD building. Parker said Black Forest Foods Café and Deli, which occupies half of the MSD headquarters building, is considering switching to fiber internet service, which will lower costs.

Hamilton, part owner of Force Broadband LLC, recused himself from the vote on the resolution but answered technical questions about the service during the discussion. The materials for the meeting included a conflict-of-interest disclosure form for Hamilton. The form is registered with the Colorado secretary of state.

60 years of service to be celebrated

Director Howe told the board about the plans he and Parker are making for the district to host a public celebration of MSD’s 60th anniversary. The celebration is planned for Saturday, July 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the courtyard of the headquarters building at 130 Second St. The district’s customers will receive invitations in their June billing statements. Monument Town Council members and County Commissioner Holly Williams will also be invited, Howe said. Complimentary hamburgers and hotdogs will be provided by the Black Forest Foods Café and Deli, which will also be open to serve its lunch menu.

Parker said the event will also have an educational side, with information provided about the district’s operations.

Highlights of operational reports


  • Parker told the board that MSD had received a $995.88 Safety and Loss Prevention grant from the Colorado Special Districts Pool. Parker said he used the funds to purchase a first aid kit and is working with the Monument Fire Department to identify an Automated External Defibrillator that is compatible with their equipment.

  • Parker remarked that the recent heavy rains had stressed the district’s lift stations but none had failed.

  • Parker also noted that the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition software that automates much of the district’s operation had been impacted by the failure of an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS). One lift station was affected by the issue. The battery was replaced in the UPS to return it to service.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 June 21. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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Monument Sanitation District, April 20 – Focus on infrastructure

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

Infrastructure—sewer and network—was the main topic of discussion at the Monument Sanitation District’s (MSD) April meeting. District Manager Mark Parker briefed the board on repairs to three lift stations. He also filled the board in on a proposed upgrade to the network infrastructure in the MSD headquarters building. The board also heard operational reports.

Lift stations repaired

Parker told the board that lift stations in the Wakonda Hills, Wagon Gap, and Willow Springs neighborhoods had been repaired in the last month. Lift stations use pumps to ensure wastewater continues to flow in situations where gravity alone is insufficient.

In Wakonda Hills, the lift station’s pump failed, causing the circuit breaker to trip. The pump was replaced, which fixed the problem, Parker said. The Wakonda Hills and the Wagon Gap lift stations needed to be cleared of accumulated grit. The Willow Springs lift station had a water leak that resulted in a loss of 260,000 gallons of water. The developer was still working on the repair when the MSD board met, Parker said.

Parker noted that a bill had recently passed the Colorado Legislature requiring the packaging for so-called “flushable wipes” to explain that the wipes may in fact clog wastewater facilities if they are flushed. The wipes are a common cause of expensive repairs to lift station pumps, Parker explained.

The board also voted unanimously to approve the bill of sale for the Willow Springs lift station. Lift stations are typically constructed by the developer and then, after inspection, sold to the sanitation district for a token price.

Network upgrade brings more speed, reliability

Parker told the board that he had received a proposal from Force Broadband to upgrade the headquarters building’s internet connection to optic fiber. Optic-fiber cables move data as pulses of light through glass fibers, increasing the speed and reliability of data transmission over copper cables.

Force Broadband is owned by Dan Hamilton, who serves as the president of the MSD board. Hamilton discloses this potential conflict of interest at the start of each MSD board meeting and recused himself from the discussion of the proposal.

Parker said discussions with Lolley’s Ice Cream and Black Forest Foods Café and Delicatessen were underway to determine if they would want to help defray the $1,800 cost of installing fiber-optic cable and make use of the improved internet access. The board took no action on the proposal at the April meeting.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Parker told the board the employee handbook had been updated and now covered recently passed legislation such as the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act.
  • The district’s auditor is now requiring letters of engagement to be signed with service providers on an annual basis.
  • The board discussed plans for a celebration in honor of MSD’s 60th birthday.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 May 17. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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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. Finally, the board heard operational reports.

Candidate withdraws

Parker told the board that Randy Estes had withdrawn his application to run for one of the three open seats on the board, reducing the number of candidates to three and eliminating the need for an election. Parker said the election was expected to cost between $5,000 and $10,000 had it been needed. Estes is willing to serve by appointment if a seat opens unexpectedly, Parker said.

The legal report from designated election official Peggy Rupp included a cancellation of election report and declaration of candidates elected that names Anthony Archer, Daniel Hamilton, and Janet Ladowski as elected to four-year terms that will begin on May 17. Archer is currently serving on the board, having been appointed in February to fill the seat vacated by Laura Kronick’s resignation. Hamilton is currently serving as the board president.

Legislation aims to educate consumers

Parker updated the board on Senate Bill 23-150, which, if passed, will require the labels on wipes to warn consumers that the products are not truly “flushable” in that they do not dissolve once in the sewer system and increase maintenance costs by jamming the pumps in lift stations, clogging filters, and catching on tree roots, leading to repair costs that are shouldered by the ratepayers. Use of wipes increased following COVID. They can create dams that cause wastewater to back up into homes, Parker said. The bill will require informational labels instructing consumers to dispose of them without flushing them down the toilet.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Parker noted that legal expenses were higher than typical in February due to work by the district’s law firm on the election and on rewriting the employee manual, which needs to be updated in light of Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance program, the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, and the Department of Labor Family and Medical Leave Act. Job descriptions are also being updated, he said.
  • Double authentication, which requires signoff by two employees, has been put in place to improve the security of ACH transactions.
  • The district is scanning documents produced during its 65-year existence. The paper documents are being converted to Portable Document Format files that can be easily searched.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 April 19. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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Monument Sanitation District, Feb.15 – Board appoints new director

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

At its Feb. 15 meeting, the Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board appointed a new director to take the seat previously held by Director Laura Kronick. General Manager Mark Parker told the board about his meeting with an engineer working for Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) to discuss its possible use of the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility (TLWWTF). Parker covered additional topics in his Manager’s Report.

Tony Archer joins board

Before the meeting convened, Parker administered the oath of office to Tony Archer. Archer joins the board to replace Kronick. Kronick accepted an appointment to the Monument Town Council, which prohibits its members from serving on other boards in the Town of Monument. Kronick also resigned from her seat on the Joint Use Committee, which oversees the operations of the TLWWTF.

Archer’s appointment will continue until May 2, when an MSD board election will be held. Archer has filed a self-nomination form to run for the seat in that election.

Manager’s report

Parker told the board that he met with an engineer working for DWSD to discuss DWSD’s possible use of the TLWWTF. The engineer asked Parker for an overview of the TLWWTF system and operations. He also asked for information about the TLWWTF’s current processing capacity and biological oxygen demand, a measure of the amount of organic matter in water. The engineer told Parker DWSD’s transition from its current waste treatment facility to TLWWTF would likely be slow and that DWSD would pay any engineering costs related to the switch of providers. Parker said he presented two ways for DWSD to make use of the TLWWTF.

Parker reported to the board on a recent update to MSD’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software, which gathers, analyzes, and displays data generated by MSD’s lift stations, valves, and treatment facility. The new version of the software alerts staff of events using texts rather than emails and can be operated remotely, Parker said.

Parker mentioned that a recent call for service to the MSD building’s heating and cooling system had revealed a need to make changes in the building’s attic to prevent extreme variations in temperature in different parts of the building.

Finally, Parker said that the repairs to pipelines on Raspberry Lane had been successfully completed.

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 15. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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Monument Sanitation District, Jan.18 – Raspberry Lane repair launches

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

Correction

In the January issue of OCN, it was incorrectly reported that candidates for seats on the MSD board had until Feb. 24, 2024, to file a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form. In fact, that paperwork must be filed by Feb. 24, 2023, with Peggy Rupp, the Designated Election Official. Rupp can be reached at prupp@cogovlaw.com. OCN regrets the error.

In his Jan. 18 manager’s report, Monument Sanitation District (MSD) General Manager Mark Parker told the board a project to repair the sewer line on Raspberry Lane would begin in January. Parker covered other projects, policy changes, and operational details in his report. The board also voted on a resolution on public notices for meetings.

Raspberry Lane sewer line near failure

Parker said the sewer line on the west side of Raspberry Lane was clay pipe, and an inspection showed that failure was imminent. The repair would be done using a technique called sliplining that involves lining the clay pipe with a smaller carrier pipe without the need to disturb the asphalt by digging a trench to reach the line. The sewer line on the east side of Raspberry Lane required other repairs before being sliplined, Parker said.

Parker told the board a preconstruction meeting would be held Jan. 20 and the work would begin on Jan. 23. Manhole repairs on Raspberry Lane have already begun.

Manager’s report

Parker told the board that the lift station installed by the developer of the Willow Springs Ranch development was working well and processing about 8,000 to 10,000 gallons of wastewater daily. Parker said an official acceptance of the gravity waste system and the lift station would be issued soon.

Parker said MSD was changing its policy on payment of late fees to allow for some discretionary waiving of fees, based on payment history and other factors. In the past, no exceptions to late fees were allowed, he said.

Parker told the board he had been contacted by an engineer working for the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) concerning that district’s request to explore using the Tri-Lakes Waste Water Treatment Facility (TLWWTF) to process DWSD’s wastewater. At present, DWSD uses a treatment facility operated jointly with the Triview Metro District and the Forest Lakes Metro District. Those metro districts are considering partnering with Colorado Springs Utilities for wastewater treatment and abandoning the facility they share with DWSD. If that happens, DWSD has inquired about the possibility of routing its wastewater through MSD’s infrastructure to the TLWWTF for processing.

MSD’s boundary maps were updated in December, Parker said, as required by the state Department of Local Affairs and El Paso County. Some properties surrounded by the MSD service area that were not part of the service area would need to be annexed, he said, adding that three of these were owned by the Town of Monument. Two of the properties are on Washington Street, he said.

MSD will begin posting signs in locations where projects that might inconvenience residents are due to begin, Parker said. MSD will put more effort into communicating changes to the public, he explained.

Resolution specifies posting sites

The board voted unanimously to approve Resolution 01182023-1, which requires notices of public meetings to be posted on the MSD website at https://monumentsd.colorado.gov. If internet service is interrupted for any reason, meeting notices will be posted at the MSD offices at 130 Second St. Notices must be posted 24 hours in advance of the meeting,

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Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally 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 Feb. 15. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://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.

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