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Triview Metropolitan District, Jan. 23 – 2025 water and wastewater rates and fees increase approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Jan. 23, the board held a public hearing before approving the 2025 water and wastewater rate and fee increases. Monument Town Councilor/former board Director Marco Fiorito discussed relationship building with the district. The board received an update on the Higby Road improvement project.

The board held an executive session to discuss the acquisition or sale of water/land and to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, to develop strategies for negotiations, and to instruct negotiators in the potential participation in the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) pipeline, to develop incentives, and intergovernmental agreements.

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

2025 water and wastewater rate and fee increase

President Mark Melville opened a public hearing on the 2025 water and wastewater rate and fee increases proposed for implementation on Feb. 1, 2025. See https://wp.ocn.me/v25.n1tmd/. The hearing was posted in the appropriate places and no public comments were received before or during the meeting.

Background: At the December meeting, financial consultants Andrew Rheem and Theresa Jurotich of Raftelis presented their findings that capture the funding necessary for the district to remain solvent over the next 10 years. The study noted the 12% price increase in 2025 from Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to convey, treat and delivery the district’s water via the Northern Delivery System (NDS), additional district water that will be received via the NDS in the future, and a 6.5% increase identified per year over the next four years. The district anticipates other costs for ongoing repairs and replacement, change cases to obtain the district’s water rights, and other projects to increase in cost. The rate increases are small, frequent adjustments that will be level and not bounce around over the next 10 years. For example, the typical residential customer with a three-quarter-inch meter using about 8,000 gallons per month in 2024 would be billed $117 per month for the water portion only, and with the rate applied in 2025 it would be about $129.

At the January meeting, Rheem presented two residential water rate table options to the board and said the presentation was a follow on from the December presentation and included water financial plan drivers, the NDS completion, purchased water cost increases, district inflationary costs for Operations and Maintenance, and capital for ongoing annual repairs and replacement.

Option 1 follows the existing gallon usage tier system. The board agreed that customers would have more flexibility to remain within the Tier 1 bracket if the previous volume rates were maintained with increases. See table below:

  • The water base rate per month (renewable water fee) $45.00 (previously $40.00)
  • Metering and billing charge per month $6.00 (previously $5.00)

Volume rates per 1,000 gallons

  • Tier 1 0 to 8,000 $9.70 (previously $9)
  • Tier 2 8,001 to 20,000 $14.55 (previously $13.50)
  • Tier 3 20.001 to 30,000 $21.56 (previously $20.00)
  • Tier 4 30,001 and above $32.33 (previously $30.00)

Wastewater base rate per month $62.87 (previously $57.68)

Average November-February volume use uniform rate $6.20 (previously $5.69)

The commercial- and irrigation-only rates can be found at: www.triviewmetrodistrict.com.

The board decided to omit Tier 5 from Option 1, for 40,000 gallons and above at a rate of $43.11, after District Administrator Sara Lamb said few customers use that much water, and when a high bill occurs it is usually due to an accidental leak. Those customers with unusually large bills due to leaks are charged at a lower tier rate.

In a 3-0 vote, the board approved Resolution 2025-01 establishing the rate and fee increase for 2025, using the rates noted above.

Director Jason Gross said, “Although the rates for the district are higher than neighboring communities, the district is providing a service that other districts have not yet made available to their customers. TMD customers are receiving 100% renewable water.”

Melville said, “At some point all neighboring districts will have to do the same, but at greater cost.”

Vice President Anthony Sexton said, “As easy as it is to sit at the table and delay, TMD forged ahead with purchasing water rights and building the NDS pipeline, and it pains me to see the higher rate, but it would be different if the district still had to begin the NDS project.”

Option 2 was not adopted. The tier structure would have reduced gallon usage per tier as follows:

Volume rates per 1,000 gallons

  • Tier 1 0 to 4,000 $9.50
  • Tier 2 4,001 to 10,000 $11.40
  • Tier 3 10,001 to 25,000 $16.65
  • Tier 4 Over 25,000 $23.75

Councilors offer support

Fiorito said the development of the Home Rule Charter for the Town of Monument created two districts, east and west Monument, and he and Councilor Kenneth Kimple both represent the TMD voters and will support the district. The Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF) is a point of interest, along with the commercial development within the district, now that plenty of residential rooftops exist, said Fiorito.

Melville said a letter was drafted by district counsel George Rowley in September and sent to the Town of Monument (TOM) Interim Town Manager Madeline VanDenHoek requesting the town include the district’s road miles to give the district access to HUTF benefits. “Money is being left on the table, now the 2025 deadline has been missed, leaving about a $1 million delta for the district’s annual revenue,” said Melville.

District Manager James McGrady said he had a scheduled meeting with VanDenHoek to discuss HUTF, and Gross would represent the district on the TOM Stakeholder Planning Committee.

Gross suggested the Town Council and the board engage in a work session, and he would seek the TMD Board of Directors’ opinion after attending the Stakeholder Planning Committee meetings.

Higby Road update

McGrady said the Town Council had stated the Thompson Thrift and Zeal for Living apartments could not begin construction until funding for the Higby Road improvement project had been secured. A special meeting is planned for March 3 to approve ballot language regarding the bond for the mail-in election on May 6. The next customer newsletter will contain detailed information about the Higby Road improvement project, and information is available on the district website, said McGrady. See https://triviewmetro.com and Monument Town Council article on page < 9 >.

Note: A brief community survey can be found at htpps://triviewmetrodistrict.com or https://www.research.net/r/TMD_WEB_DEC?ID=[ID_value]] The survey allows customers to provide feedback to the district, to help gauge the appetite for a bond question which, should it pass, will allow the district to issue about $12.6 million for the widening of Higby Road and other capital improvements. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n11tmd/.

Financial update

The board accepted the December 2024 financial report as presented and approved 17 checks from December and seven for January over $5,000, totaling about $913,506. The payment to CSU for the conveyance, treatment and delivery of the district’s residential and commercial water for December was about $127,449, and of note in January was $312,978 to T-Bone Construction for water improvements to the district’s Arkansas Valley Irrigation Canal Company Augmentation Station.

The district received a total of about $2.4 million in sales tax revenue from the TOM for 2024. It was better than 2023, said McGrady.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 8:15 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) section 24-6-402(4)(a), to discuss the acquisition or sale of water/land, and CRS 24-6-402(4)(e), to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to potential participation in the NMCI, development incentives, and intergovernmental agreements.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that after the meeting returned to the regular session at 9:16 p.m. no action was taken and the meeting promptly adjourned.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 20

at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

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

Triview Metropolitan District, June 22 – NDS pipeline project progressing

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on June 22, the board received an update on the progress of the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pipeline project, approved a water rights lease agreement, and held an executive session to discuss acquisitions, negotiations, and receive legal advice for water, and property, and the draft aquifer storage and recovery report.

Vice Chairman Anthony Sexton was excused.

NDS update

District Manager James McGrady said the NDS pipeline project had reached Roller Coaster Road, and Kiewit Infrastructure is installing about 300 feet of pipeline per day, (the original bid had predicted 200 feet per day). The pipeline project has reached the trail head entrance to Fox Run Regional Park, and everything is going extremely well, he said. The pipeline is expected to reach Highway 83 by September, and he thanked Kiewit Infrastructure for working with landowners along the pipeline to negotiate storage of materials along the route. The district plans to complete the overlay of asphalt along the pipeline route in early fall, he said.

For NDS pipeline project updates, answers to questions and concerns, and to sign-up for email notifications, visit www.triviewnds.com. The link can also be found at www.triviewmetro.com.

Note: TMD is expecting to receive district-owned renewable surface water via the pipeline after the pump house is built next to the Colorado Springs Utilities water storage tank east of Highway 83 and Old Northgate Road. The pump house is scheduled for completion in October 2024.

Water rights lease agreement

McGrady requested the board review and consider an amendment to the district water rights lease agreement between James Treat of 7021 County Road 104, Salida and TMD. The district owns all of Bale Ditch 1, that diverts water into the Arkansas River, and owns half of Bale Ditch 2. The Treat family owns and uses the second half of Bale 2 to irrigate a hay crop. The agreement allows the district to have a standing lease to begin using the second half of the Bale Ditch water whenever Treat decides to stop using the water. The district will pay Treat for the use of the water. In addition to an existing water right, the agreement will justify and include the Treat water right, and whenever he decides to sell in the future, the district would likely be the buyer of the other half of Bale 2. The district has undertaken the engineering portion to divert the water from Bale 2 back to the Arkansas River, he said.

Water Attorney Chris Cummins of Monson Cummins & Shotet LLC said the lease agreement is favorable for owner Treat because it will avoid his duplication of the engineering costs to divert his share of water back into the Arkansas River.

Director Jason Gross said the agreement constitutes astute planning.

The board approved the water rights lease agreement between the district and Treat and authorized the district manager to sign with only non-substantive changes to the approved agreement, 4-0.

Operations report

McGrady said the following:

  • The Pueblo 1041 permit was scheduled for review and consideration by the Pueblo County Commissioners on June 27. The permit is critical for the district to operate all its water assets and exchanges between it and Pueblo.
  • The pump station at the Stonewall Springs Reservoir, Pueblo County, was commissioned on June 26, and the district has begun storing water in the reservoir.
  • The Upper Monument Creek Waste Water Regional Treatment Facility’s 86-page report is being reviewed by the district. The report will be discussed in the July executive session. See www.ocn.me/v23n4.htm#tmd.

Higby Road redesign

McGrady said the Higby Road redesign was undecided due to the multiple staff turnovers at the Town of Monument (TOM). A meeting is scheduled with the TOM to work through some of the technicalities of the design. The district has a comprehensive functional design that meets everyone’s needs including the school district’s, he said. The TOM Planning Department now have new staff with different ideas on the width of the road. The district is managing the project and engaged two traffic engineers, one with over 25 years of experience from Colorado Springs, and a design engineer. A Kiewit engineer also provided a cost estimate for the project. The district did collect money from developers to pay for the Higby Road project, he said.

Gross requested a confirmation briefing to ensure the design considers teen driver safety. See www.ocn.me/v23n2.htm#tmd.

Unexplained water loss cause discovered

Superintendent Shawn Sexton said after re-calculating the water usage versus water sold the district discovered a water loss of a little over 7% compared to previous months that indicated as much as a 15%-22% water loss. Water loss is at a normal acceptable level, but zero would be best.

McGrady said the unexplained water loss discussion in May was due to the district reading the meters on the 28th of each month, but the real reading is on the last day of the month. In winter, the extra days are added to the next month, but a hot day after the 28th in spring and summer would show higher usage. In the future, the district will compare apples to apples to ensure accurate water loss levels. The calculations were just a measurement issue, thrown off by high usage days, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n6.htm#tmd.

Financial update

President Mark Melville requested the board review and approve the checks over $5,000 and said that all expenses were budgeted line items and part of the overall 2023 budget.

The board approved the checks over $5,000 as presented, 4-0.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart noted that vehicle expenses were at $660,000—1100% over the budgeted $20,000 for 2023 in the financial report.

McGrady said the staff would need to investigate what appears to be a possible line-item discrepancy. The district conducts all vehicle oil changes in house, but expenses have been high for tires and fuel. Having an in-house mechanic has saved money for the district, and until the district purchased a $500 blade sharpener, the district had a weekly expense for the sharpening of blades. The cost of sub-contracting jobs is high and the district endeavors to keep most jobs in house, he said.

The board accepted the financial report as presented, 4-0.

Public Works and Parks and Open Space update

Superintendent Matt Rayno said the following:

  • The spring weather pattern has been a huge challenge for the staff to keep the district in viable shape. The district has seen excessive plant growth due to the rainfall, and additional weed control and early pruning is needed. A typical spring is not usually as wet, and herbicide control has been diluted by the water. Mowing is needed every five days, and the staff are working hard to catch up.
  • The paving is now complete at the new state-of-the-art facility at A Yard (located adjacent to the power station east of Jackson Creek Parkway). The new facility will house the 900-ECO 12-yard truck-mounted combination sewer cleaner, on order since August 2022. See www.ocn.me/v22n9.htm#tmd.
  • The Agate Creek Park enhancement project is nearing completion, with two staff dedicated to working on the park. Staff planted about 500 shrubs alongside the trails and anticipate a July 4 completion date. Foot traffic will not be permitted until after the surface is stabilized and the first mow is completed.
  • The Remington Hills overlay project was placed on hold due to erosion from the new development and the weather, but the district is hoping to begin the overlay July 9, after patching and re-stabilizing the road.

This reporter mentioned the wet trail behind Split Creek Drive at the intersection below the retention pond behind Transcontinental Drive in Promontory Pointe. Although a drain exists in the low point of the trail intersection, and drain improvements had been made in the past, the area more often remains wet throughout the year, causing the majority of trail users to cut another trail close to a property line. The pet station receptacle placed just west of the soggy area is often difficult to access from the trail that runs from the northern utility tract, south to Lyons Tail Road. Although the region has experienced an unusually wet spring, the problem has existed since the beginning of the development, hence the well-worn trail that veers from the designated trail, she said.

Melville suggested some additional buildup in the area might alleviate the problem.

Gross asked if a wet spot on the trail system behind Oxbow Drive could be fixed. He said a neighbor’s sump pump drains onto the trail, and he suggested the district install drainage in that area.

Rayno said that another resident on Lacuna Drive has a sump pump dumping out, and that the district needs to create culverts to help drain water in these spots, but many trails need work, especially after the prolonged heavy spring rain storms.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:21 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), and (e), to discuss acquisitions, negotiations, and receive legal advice for water and property, and the draft aquifer storage and recovery report. See www.ocn.me/v23n6.htm#dwsd.

After the meeting, Assistant District Manager Steve Sheffield confirmed that no decisions were made when the board returned to the regular meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 8:13 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday every month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 20 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

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

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Dec. 16 – Study reveals water and wastewater rate increase; administrative/utility offices pursued

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting, the board received a presentation from Raftelis Financial Consultants on a proposed financial plan to maintain a 10-year revenue stream, authorized the acquisition of property to build administration and utility department offices, and approved the terms and conditions of a lease/purchase loan to construct the district’s administration/utility operations building.

The board heard about costs increasing for the 1.5-million-gallon water tank installation project and awarded a bid from Kiewit Infrastructure for the site development portion of the project. The board discussed seeking voter approval to fund the Higby Road improvement project and heard about a second water main break under Forest Lakes Drive.

The board held an executive session pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(a), for the purpose of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to potential development incentives and intergovernmental agreements.

The district is still waiting to hear if Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) will move ahead and build the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor pipeline. The project was a point of discussion during the executive session. See FLMD article on page < 7 >.

Raftelis water fund enterprise study

District Manager James McGrady introduced financial consultants Andrew Rheem and Theresa Jurotich of Raftelis and said the team had conducted another study to determine the district’s path to remain financially solvent over the next 10 years.

Rheem said the study findings presented are focused solely on the water enterprise fund, and next year the study will focus on wastewater. Raftelis conducted a study in 2021, and the 2024 study updates the previous findings. The proposed recommendations in January will be for implementation on Feb. 1, 2025. The district staff have also requested an alternative rate structure for the residential water tiers that will be designed to generate the same revenue.

The study suggested the rates increase by 10% in 2025, then by 6% every year from 2026 through 2030, and by 5% every year from 2031 through 2034. The projected revenues pay the debt service after operations and maintenance expenses have been paid. The legal requirement on the existing loans is 110% or 1.1 times the annual debt service, so for every dollar in debt service the district is legally required to have $1.10 in revenue after expenses, he said.

The study also accounts for a 12% price increase in 2025 from Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to convey, treat, and deliver the district’s water via the Northern Delivery System (NDS). The district will receive additional water via the NDS, and then a 6.5% increase has been identified per year over the next four years. The district anticipates other costs for ongoing repairs and replacement, change cases to obtain the district’s water, and other projects to increase in cost. The rate increases are small, frequent adjustments that will be level and not bounce around over the next 10 years, according to the study. For example, the typical residential customer with a three-fourths-inch meter using about 8,000 gallons per month in 2024 would be billed $117 per month for the water portion only; with the rate applied in 2025 it would be about $129, said Rheem.

McGrady said the district should also look at raising tap fees in 2025 to ensure new growth is paying for itself instead of putting that on the backs of current consumers. The district will meet demand with its own water rights accessed via the entire boxed-in system that includes CSU and the Southern Delivery System, he said.

Vice President Anthony Sexton said the district will not always be able to rely on tap fees to fund projects in the future, like it did with the NDS.

2025 water and wastewater rates/fees increase

McGrady said the board will hold a public hearing at the Jan. 23 meeting. RAFTELIS will present all of the proposed rate increases for 2025 before the board adopts the 2025 water and wastewater rates/fees increase for implementation on Feb. 1, said McGrady.

Survey seeks appetite for bond

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said the district worked with Magellan Strategies to create an electronic survey for customers to complete on the district’s website or via email. The brief community survey can be found at www.triviewmetro.com or https://www.research.net/r/TMD_WEB_DEC?ID=[ID_value]].

McGrady said the survey allows customers to provide feedback to the district to help gauge the appetite for a bond question, which if passed would allow the district to issue about $12.6 million for the widening of Higby Road and other capital improvements. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n11tmd/.

Higby Road design revealed

McGrady presented a PowerPoint of the design for the Higby Road improvements that can be viewed by the public under Higby Road Expansion Project at www.triviewmetrodistrict.com before completing the survey. The proposed bond is not a tax increase but a re-allocation of some of the uses of that for debt service, for a project that will enhance road safety. The project was originally estimated to cost about $6 million, but costs increased and the district does not have the $12.6 million in cash to complete the project, said McGrady.

Director Jason Gross offered to present the design to the D38 Board of Education to let it know what the district is doing for it and explain the financials a little bit to the community. The public can see the value of the safety features and realize that although they are not saving money, approving the bond is not costing them more either. Getting the community on board and presenting to the Town of Monument (TOM) would also be a good idea, he said.

Vice Chair Anthony Sexton said, “It is fine to let the school board know, but I don’t really have an opinion about what the D38 board thinks unless they are ponying up for some of the cost. This is for them and the developers, and the district residents are paying for it, it is truly a great project for everyone attending the school, but only TMD residents are paying for the road. It is important to note this is a reallocation of revenue that costs the taxpayers money, and to say it does not raise taxes is incorrect when there is an opportunity to lower the mill levy without the bond. The district needs to be transparent, and the residents will hopefully see the value and approve the bond,” said Sexton.

McGrady said the residents north of Higby Road, the TOM, and D38 are not contributing to the cost of the road improvements, and the district agreed to complete the project. However, as the project grew, D38 and the town added bells and whistles, such as sidewalks, road widening, islands and additional gutters, adding to the cost. The district receives a portion of the sales tax collected from the TOM from businesses within the district, and as development grows, taps and tax revenue will increase and help bring down the debt service, he said.

The general consensus of the board was despite the safety features the road design will bring, the Higby Road improvements will help expedite development within the district. See MTC article on page < 1 >.

Property site lease purchase approved

The board approved Resolution 2024-15, authorizing the acquisition of a 2-arce property for about $1 million from Santa Fe Park JV LLC to build the district’s administration and utility department offices on a lot north of West Baptist Road. The district is paying cash that was included in the budget for the lot.

Lease/purchase loan proposed

The board approved Resolution 2024-16, establishing the terms and conditions for a 10-year lease/purchase loan from Vectra Bank for about $5.144 million (includes about $1.144 million with about a 4.79% fixed interest rate) to construct the district’s 8,000-square-foot administration/utility operations building.

Water tank project update

McGrady said the cost to install the 1.5-million-gallon water tank at B Plant, St. Lawrence Way, increased beyond the original estimated cost. He said:

  • The district received a $1 million matching grant from the American Rescue Plan Act.
  • The bids received are substantial and the district will need to reconsider its approach to installing the tank.
  • The grant stipulates the project must be awarded to a contractor before Dec. 31, 2024, and the grant must be spent on building the tank by June 30, 2026.

He requested the board award Kiewit Infrastructure for $27,960 to conduct the site development for the project. Site development will continue until the $1 million is spent, but the lowest initial bids to install a tank was about $7 million. Developing the site incrementally may mitigate some of the costs initially bid, and the hope is to pay cash as the project moves along. The project requires a screen wall, landscaping, the re-routing of storm drainage pipes, and a detention pond, and some work could be done in-house, but eventually the site will be ready for a tank, and it will likely cost about $3.3 million to install a tank on a foundation. The site has been cleared and Kiewit Infrastructure will begin site development in December.

Mario DiPasquale, vice president of RESPEC, said costs have increased and the site is challenging behind the existing tank, but the availability of construction companies and materials is limited nationwide. The C Plant tank built in 2016 cost the district just under $1 million with utilities included, on a simple site, and the same type of tank for another client built in 2024 on a similar site cost $3 million, he said.

The board unanimously approved awarding Phase 1 to Kiewit Infrastructure.

Financial update

The board accepted the November 2024 financial report as presented and approved 16 checks over $5,000 totaling about $668,544. The payment to CSU for the conveyance, treatment and delivery of the district’s residential and commercial water was $123,156. Of note was $196,840 to T-Bone Construction for water improvements to the district’s Arkansas Valley Irrigation Canal Company Augmentation Station.

Water utilities update

Water Utilities Superintendent Gary Potter said 96% of the water produced for November was from the NDS with 4% from the wells. The district produced about 15,824 million gallons (MG) of water in November 2024, with almost 13,652 MG billed to customers.

District pinning down water loss

Potter said that unbilled water represents a 10% loss for November 2024, and this was up from previous months. However, the percentage is misleading when compared to the amount of water produced, because the actual amount of water loss was down in November (about 1.6 million gallons) compared to September when about 2.9 million gallons was missing.

The loss is usually higher during irrigation months and can be a combination of leaks and/or some issues with billing and accounting issues, but meters are often a source of unaccounted water. The replacement of a leak gate valve on Talus Road could have been leaking for a while and likely attributed to a good portion of the unbilled water, said Potter.

Sheffield said the district staff are working toward a less-than-5% monthly water loss.

McGrady said he had never compared the gallon loss, only the percentage, and it could be metering that always runs slower than the flow, and it could also be the commercial meters.

Sheffield said it is important to keep pushing the commercial meter switch to the Badger meters; the goal of changing out five meters per week is being achieved.

Water main break

Potter said a second major water main break had occurred on Nov. 23 in a section of pipe on Forest Lakes Drive, the second within months and in close proximity to the first. The repair was made overnight with a contractor and the district crews, and he thanked the operational staff for restoring service to the residents in Forest Lakes Metropolitan District.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 9:02 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(4)(a), to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to potential development incentives and intergovernmental agreement.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that after the meeting returned to the regular session at 9:50 p.m., no action was taken and the meeting promptly adjourned.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 23 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

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

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Nov. 21 – 2025 annual budget approved; mill levies set

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Nov. 21, the board approved the 2025 annual budget and certified the district’s mill levy. The board approved the fourth amendment to the agreement for contract operations services between Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD) and TMD, an audit engagement letter for the district’s 2024 financial audit, the annual administrative resolution, the amended and restated public records request policy, and a resolution calling for a May 6, 2025, election of the Board of Directors.

The board discussed the lack of response from the Town of Monument (TOM) relating to the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF) request. The board held an executive session pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(a), for the purpose of acquisition or sale of water/land, and 24-6-402(4)(e), to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to potential development incentives and intergovernmental agreement.

Vice President Anthony Sexton was excused.

2025 budget

President Mark Melville opened the public hearing on the 2025 budget and, with no comments from the public, the hearing was closed.

District Manager James McGrady proposed the board approve 14.000 mills upon each dollar of the total valuation of assessment of all taxable property within the district for the year 2024 to balance the General Fund budget and meet the general obligation debt retirement expense of about $2.528 million. In the past, the debt service mill levy was 35 mills.

He also proposed the board approve 6.500 mills upon each dollar of the total valuation of assessment of all taxable property to meet the General Operations expense of about $1.174 million. The final assessed valuation of property levy will total 20.5 mills, with no change from 2024. The total assessed value for the district is about $180.591 million. The district anticipates receiving about $2.7 million in sales tax revenue from the TOM, and a total of about $8.9 million in combined revenue from Special Ownership Taxes (vehicle sales) for 2025, property tax from the TOM (about $450,000), Road and Bridge Impact Fees, and the revenue from providing services to FLMD ($150,000), said McGrady

Melville said it is the first time in five years the board has not approved an increase in mills for the general obligation debt.

McGrady said the district has some extraordinary expenses on the horizon, and the increase to 6.5 mills will be needed for the general operation of the district.

The board adopted the 2025 budget with minor adjustments and certified the mill levies in a 4-0 vote.

FLMD contract increase

The board also approved a 3% increase to the FLMD contract for operations and services to increase the hourly rates of service to coincide with the district employee benefits and salary cost-of-living allowance. The TMD Public Works and Open Spaces Department maintains the landscaping and public areas and provides snow removal in FLMD.

McGrady said the FLMD board will be requested to approve the increase at the annual public hearing on Dec. 2.

Other approved items

The board also approved the following:

  • An audit engagement letter for Haynie and Co. to complete the TMD 2024 financial audit for a fee not to exceed $29,000.
  • The 2025 annual administrative Resolution 2024-13, setting forth the board obligations.
  • The policy for responding to CORA requests with a maximum statuary charge increase to $41.37 per hour. The periodical increase is set by statute and had previously been set at $30.
  • A May 6, 2025, director election.

Election considerations

McGrady said the board will also need to consider ballot language in January 2025 to request removal of a revenue cap for the TABOR and a bond question to pay about $12 million for the widening of Higby Road and capital improvements. See https://wp.ocn.me/v24n11tmd/. The 2025 election may also include a question to remove term limits for board directors. Three incumbent directors are term limited, he said.

Highway Users Tax Fund dispute

McGrady said if the TOM were collecting Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF) revenue correctly, the district should be receiving about $70,000 to $80,000 per month. The district paid a contractor to measure the roads and notified interim Town Manager Madeleine VanDenHoek via letter, requesting an agreement several months ago, he said.

Director Jason Gross said for every month the district does not receive a response from the TOM, the district is losing about $70,000 to $80,000 per month for road repairs.

McGrady said the town is claiming a third of the total roads and some of the TMD roads without reimbursing the district, and that is incorrect. TMD repairs the roads within the district at a cost to its residents. The HUTF is gas tax revenue collected statewide, and the town should be collecting the correct amount of revenue for all town roads (including TMD roads) and distributing the district’s HUTF portion to the district, McGrady said. Monument will need to continue collecting HUTF, and the district’s proposed cost-sharing agreement needs to be signed to allow the district to recover road repair costs in perpetuity, he said.

Note: TMD falls within the TOM municipality, and the Colorado HUTF has been available to municipalities since 2009. The district is responsible for repairs in the residential areas east of I-25, north of Baptist Road to encompass Sanctuary Pointe, Leather Chaps Drive, Jackson Creek Parkway, and up to and including the south portion of Higby Road.

The board discussed further action regarding the HUTF agreement in executive session.

Financial update

The board accepted the October 2024 financial report as presented and approved 17 checks over $5,000 totaling almost $1.389 million. The payment to Colorado Springs Utilities for the conveyance, treatment, and delivery of the district’s residential and commercial water was $261,053.

Water utilities update

Water Utilities Superintendent Gary Potter said the district produced about 32.206 million gallons (MG) of water in October 2024, with 29.942 MG billed to customers. Unbilled water represents a 5.05% loss for October, slightly lower than 5.60% in October 2023, but the district is still working on lowering the loss with the help of the District Administrator Sara Lamb. The loss is low at 5% compared to many districts and the district may never achieve 0%, said Potter.

Wells recharging

Potter presented the board with a graph showing well level trends from the start of the Northern Delivery System (NDS) operations and said the chart demonstrates a steady recharge of all static well levels since the NDS became the primary water source for the district from September through November. The dips show the 1% of water pumped to maintain well operation, but the recovery of the wells is a slow and steady recharge, and he anticipates a full recharge before irrigation season begins in 2025. The wells can drop hundreds of feet during high usage before recovery. The district is receiving 99% of its water via the NDS, said Potter.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 8:13 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(4)(a), for the purpose of acquisition or sale of water/land, and 24-6-402(4)(e), to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to potential development incentives and intergovernmental agreement.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that after the meeting returned to the regular session at 9:40 p.m., no action was taken and the meeting adjourned at 9:48 p.m.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

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

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Triview Metropolitan District, Oct. 24 – Bond pursued for road widening project

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Oct. 23, the board approved an engagement letter for the issuance of a General Obligation Bond Series for 2025 and a resolution to implement inclusion policies and fees. The board heard about operations staff responding to repair a water main break in Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD), tracking of the district’s well levels, and the steps taken to reach full automation of the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pump station.

The board held an executive session pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(a), for the purpose of acquisition of water/land, and 24-6-402(4)(e), to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to claims and possible legal settlements.

Director Jason Gross attended the regular meeting until 6:10 p.m. and returned during the executive session at 7:55 p.m.

District pursues bond for road widening project

District Manager James McGrady said the district has been discussing the need for widening Higby Road for some time, spending time designing the project, and sought an original bid two or three years ago for $6 million. About three weeks ago, the bid was $12.6 million, and McGrady said:

  • The cost has been growing exponentially, and the district has had various agreements with the developer to fund the road, with the district planning to use road and bridge fees for the district’s portion of the project.
  • The problem is obtaining enough revenue from building permits and growth to fund the road.
  • The area is a “tricky spot” on the corner of Higby Road and Jackson Creek Parkway, with a lot of commercial to the south, and existing development to the north. The residential growth in Jackson Creek North (JCN) is typically only about 50-75 homes per year.
  • The district needs to pay for the road widening project, and eventually JCN will generate enough growth to pay back the cost to the district.
  • Issuing a bond will “jump start” the project instead of waiting for enough development to occur, avoiding a possible $15 million to $16 million project in the future, in an area that is an increasing safety issue.

McGrady recommended the board consider an engagement letter for General Fund Bonds to be issued with a low interest rate. The district has a 7 mills Operations & Management mill levy and the debt service fits well within the 7 mills. The project would be financed with about 4.5 mills out of the 7 mills. The district will be required to seek a vote from the residents in May 2025, asking to redirect the revenue without raising taxes, he said.

Nate Eckloff, managing director of Piper Sandler & Co., said a bond question would be structured for the May 2025 ballot for the primary purpose of widening Higby Road.

The board approved the engagement letter for the General Obligation Bond, Series 2025 for about $12 million, between Piper Sandler and TMD. Gross was absent for the vote.

Inclusion policies and fees adopted

Water attorney Chris Cummins said in the past the Family of Christ Church, Baptist Road had petitioned to be included into the district, but other residential and commercial property owners could petition to be included. The addition was ad hoc due to the lack of a resolution. He requested the board consider and approve Resolution 2024-11 to establish inclusion policies and fees.

The petitioner would be responsible for all of the district’s attorney fees, engineering costs, and staff time associated with the consideration and inclusion of the property. Each petition for inclusion of property must be accompanied by a non-refundable payment of $5,000 to defray the costs. If the Board of Directors or the district manager determines the amount is insufficient to cover the district’s anticipated fees and costs, the petitioner would be required to pay additional inclusion fees before any further consideration of the petition could take place.

The board approved the resolution, 4-0. Gross was absent for the vote.

NDS running effectively

McGrady said the district has operated the NDS pump station at 100% since Sept. 11, pumping district water via Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) about once a week, and the process is working well. The 19th payment of $55,506 to Kiewit was made, and the final payment will be some retainage for the pump station, said McGrady.

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said work continued on completing the NDS pump station to include the instrumentation, controls, and operational optimization, and that should make the operation of the pump station fully automated.

Water Utilities Superintendent Gary Potter said the NDS provided about 79% of the water produced in September, with only 21% from the wells. The groundwater wells and treatment filters will be run minimally on a rotating basis to ensure the district can utilize the wells when needed, said Potter.

Water rights decreed

McGrady said the Bale Ditch change case was decreed on Oct. 8, and all of the district’s water rights are decreed with the exception of the Excelsior Ditch water rights. A meeting with the experts indicates a clear path forward to decree the last of the water rights, he said.

Note: The district purchased water rights with multiple entities over a period of time for the purpose of delivering water to the district via the NDS. A decreed water right is the legal claim to the water that is secured by a water court decree. Legal documents define the amount, priority, location, and use of the water rights.

Recharge ponds under construction

McGrady said the construction of the recharge ponds on the Chicago Springs Ranch property in Buena Vista for the Arkansas Valley Irrigation Canal began on Oct. 23. The ponds allow water to be returned back to the system for the Historic Consumptive Use (HCU) and the Historic Return Flows (HRF), he said.

Note: The HCU is a measure of the actual beneficial use of a water right over a period of time. The HRF is the portion of unused water, captured to be returned downstream for other users.

District tracks well levels

Potter provided the board with historical well level data for the district’s Arapahoe Aquifer wells 7 and 8, and said:

  • The groundwater wells show a decrease in dynamic or pumping level over the past decade.
  • Most of the wells show a decrease in static or recharge level over the past decade.
  • The recharge rate of the wells will be closely tracked now that the district is minimally operating the wells.

It is hard to determine what the long-term static levels will be, but it is timely that the NDS is delivering the district’s water, said Potter.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart said he was curious to see if the wells recover with less usage.

Potter said a graph shows a 10-year cycle using some historical handwritten records with limited data. The records are a good depiction, but they do not say how long the wells were run and how much water was pumped. The district has been monitoring for two months, but eventually monitoring might reveal if the wells can recover, he said.

Water utilities update

Potter said the district produced about 47.593 million gallons (MG) of water in Sept. 2024, with 43.864 MG billed to customers. Unbilled water represents a 6.25% loss for September 2024; it was 9.7% in September 2023. The district is still working on lowering the loss, said Potter.

McGrady said the district has about 20 Badger meters to install in residential homes, and next year the district will make a concerted effort to install new meters in the commercial properties and the inground irrigation meters. The new meters will help the district pin down the water loss to a minimum, a task that is critical now that CSU conveys, treats, and delivers the district’s water via the NDS, he said.

Financial update

The board unanimously approved the September 2024 financial report and 30 checks over $5,000 totaling about $1.713 million. Of note was the payment of $314,234 to CSU for the district’s residential and commercial water for the first month (includes additional startup costs).

The board accepted the financial report, 4-0.

District responds to water main break

Potter said the operations staff responded to a large water main break on Forest Lakes Drive on Oct. 2. Staff managed the emergency with an outstanding team effort, got the break under control and kept the plant running in a limp mode to provide everyone with water except for three Forest Lakes Metropolitan District customers he said. The contractor was able to get the plant up and running quickly, he said.

Higby Road repaired

McGrady said the district repaired the wavy patch on Higby Road that occurred after the installation of the 12-inch pipeline. It drives smoothly now, he said.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:28 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-6-402(4)(a), for the purpose of acquisition of water/land, and 24-6-402(4)(e), for the purpose of determining the positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for negotiations, and instructing negotiators as it relates to claims and possible legal settlements.

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that after the meeting returned to the regular session at 9:06 p.m., no action was taken.

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

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

Other Triview Metro District articles