OCN

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

OCN > tmd > Page 3

tmd

Triview Metropolitan District, Jan. 8 and 25 – Mill levy lowered; 2024 budget approved

By Natalie Barszcz

The Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) board held a special meeting via Zoom on Jan. 8 to certify the district’s mill levy and approve the 2024 budget. At the regular board meeting on Jan. 25, the board received multiple updates on water infrastructure projects and heard about a pause in planning approvals, the lower-than-expected sales tax revenues in 2023, and how street parking was hampering the district’s snow removal efforts.

Mill levy certification

District Manager James McGrady said the district finally received the total property tax revenue assessment for 2024 at the end of December. The district was anticipating about $179 million, but the final amount after the changes made by the state Legislature in November was reduced to just over $172 million for 2024. After reassessing the 2024 budget, the district is still in a position to lower the mill levy by 3.5 mills from the 2023 mill levy of 24 mills. The operating mill levy has been raised to 4.5 mills, but remains under the 7 mills limit, and 16 mills will be set for the debt service. He also informed the board that the 2024 budget had been revised to add $500,000 back into the 2024 budget for the Promontory Pointe overlay project. It had accidentally been omitted in the final proposed budget in December, he said.

Vice President Anthony Sexton asked if the district envisions ever needing to go to 7 mills or above for operational use.

McGrady said he projects the budget five years ahead and does not anticipate the district needing to increase the general operations mill levy to more than 5 mills unless the district loses a major retailer or a substantial downturn in property values occurs. Those losses could cause the district to go to 7 mills, but if the property valuations continue to increase and the district maintains the current retailers, even adding more commercial growth, the mill levy should not ever go to 7 mills.

Sexton said the board had lowered the mill levy consecutively for the past four years.

Director Jason Gross asked what was driving the increase in general operating costs.

McGrady said the biggest drivers increasing the general operating costs are inflationary pressures, wages, materials, gasoline and the increases in road miles and open spaces the district is required to maintain. The Northern Delivery System (NDS) is a separate entity paid for by water and wastewater rates and fees and is not funded by the general operations and debt service mill levy. To “cross pollinate” the two would be a direct violation of TABOR, he said.

The board unanimously approved Resolution 2024-01, accepting the 2024 budget and certifying the mill levy at 20.5 mills for 2024.

Note: The mill levy is needed to cover about $3.5 million in general obligation bonds and interest, and the debt service bonds and interest for 2024. The district’s property tax assessment was about $125 million for 2023. The certificate of tax levies for 2024 can be found at www.triviewmetro.com.

The Jan. 8 meeting adjourned at 4:57 p.m.

Above: The TMD Board of Directors is made up of, from left, Vice President Anthony Sexton, Director Amanda Carlton, President Mark Melville, Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart, and Director Jason Gross at the Jan. 25 board meeting. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

District manager’s report

McGrady said the following:

  • The district has hit a pause on the NDS until the pump station construction is complete. The pump station is going well after some conflict between the construction company and the Kiewit engineers. The district has spent about $18.7 million to date on the NDS, and the project is about 82.4% complete. The total budget for the completed project is expected to be about $22.2 million.
  • The 16-inch pipeline that could transport water from the west side of I-25 (known as Segment “C”) has been installed to Old Denver Road. The pipeline will allow Conexus to begin construction. If the Town of Monument (TOM) requires an interconnect to the pipeline, the pipeline will be available for a fee.
  • The Fountain Mutual Irrigation Co. (FMIC) change case is processing through the water court. The district has 557 shares with the FMIC, and two parties remain in opposition to the change case. (The shares will be necessary to operate the NDS).
  • The box culvert installation project on the Excelsior Ditch is complete. The culverts were installed under the Nyberg Road underpass to allow the expansion of flows to the reservoirs from about 25 cubic feet per second to 170 cubic feet per second. The project cost about $340,000, with TMD contributing about 80% of the cost (about $270,000).

Water Attorney Chris Cummins said a couple of other choke points remain in different areas downstream that require box culverts, but they are less urgent and will be less costly to install due to the positioning under narrower, less-trafficked roads.

Water tank planning progressing

McGrady said the six-month moratorium the MTC approved effective Jan. 4 is unlikely to impact the six-month planning process for the 2-million-gallon water tank the district is planning to install at plant “B” (Promontory Pointe). The district scheduled a pre-application meeting with the two remaining town planners on Feb. 1. The $1 million matching water tank grant funding the district received through the American Rescue Plan needs to be spent by mid-2026. The planning process can take up to six months, and the district is expecting to install the tank by July 2026. See www.ocn.me/v24n1.htm#tmd and MTC article on page < 1 >.

Assistant manager’s report

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said the following:

  • The district has engaged in multiple meetings with the TOM to discuss the plans and improvements for the Higby Road widening project. The project is dependent on build-out of residential homes, apartments and commercial growth in the northern part of the district.
  • JHL Contractors is redoing the head gate and the diversion at the district’s Arkansas Valley Irrigation Co. ditch site in Buena Vista. The contractors conducted aerial LiDAR mapping over several weeks to provide a solution to the wetland constraints for the Matrix Design engineers.
  • The intrusion alarm on the SCADA system at the South Reservoir pump station on Nyberg Road, Pueblo, had been activated.

Financial update

McGrady said sales tax revenues were less than expected in 2023 and that it was likely due to less new construction and residents “tightening their belts.” However, the district received 92% of the projected water sales in 2023, “not bad” considering the late wet spring in May and June. The warm fall temperatures generated good water usage in September to help pull the numbers up, he said.

In addition, he said the district budgeted for 50 taps in 2023 but had a flurry of activity in the fourth quarter. The income for the taps added about $4.1 million to about $2 million that was received in early 2023 for the Thompson Thrift Apartments on the west side of Jackson Creek Parkway. The district had estimated about $5.3 million in tap fees but netted about $7.9 million in 2023. The district has conservatively budgeted about 50 tap fees for 2024.

District Attorney George Rowley cautioned about the rising crime of backflow preventer theft occurring in the Denver Metro area. He suggested the backflow units be individually noted on the insurance policy to avoid costly replacement should any by stolen.

Sexton said a community his landscaping company services had a backflow preventer stolen the night before.

The board unanimously approved checks over $5,000 and accepted the December financial report.

Parked cars hamper snow removal efforts

Public Works and Parks and Open Space Superintendent Matt Rayno said some streets were difficult to plow due to the number of parked cars on streets. It was particularly prevalent in a couple of the older subdivisions of Jackson Creek and on Panoramic Drive in Sanctuary Pointe.

McGrady said the district website requests residents do not park on the street during snowstorms and the TOM ordinances apply within the district. When heavy snow events occur, the problem of clearing the snow is particularly bad. Visit www.townofmonument.org Snow Plow Information Code of Ordinances: MMC 10.08.010 and MMC 12.04.2020 and MMC 12.04.040.

Rayno said the district’s snow removal team applies liquid brine to the priority roads before each snowstorm. The district aims to provide better service with each storm by revisiting the snow removal areas to see the result. If something is not working and ice dams are building, the problem will be addressed to avoid future issues, he said. The snow removal priority map can be found at www.triviewmetro.com.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at about 6:50 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(a), (b), (e), to received legal advice regarding acquisitions and negotiations associated with water acquisitions, strategic planning, and change cases.

Sheffield confirmed that no actions were taken after the board returned to the regular session. The meeting adjourned at 8:53 p.m.

**********

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of every month at the district office located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit triviewmetro.com.

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

Other Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Dec. 13 – 2024 budget public hearing presented; rate increases discussed

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Dec. 13, the board held a public hearing for the 2024 budget, deferring its approval until after the district property tax assessments are received on Jan. 3, discussed future rate increases, and approved a participation agreement for Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD) to participate in the Northern Delivery System (NDS). The board also approved multiple resolutions and agreements for 2024.

President Mark Melville was excused.

Note: Due to snow affecting travel in the region, a quorum could not be reached until 5:48 p.m.

District Manager Jim McGrady confirmed that the district had posted the public hearings in The Gazette, to include the issuance of additional debt in the form of a Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) loan and the switch to Zoom-only attendance.

2024 budget

McGrady said the district would not receive the final property tax assessment from the El Paso County Assessor until about Jan. 3, and the district would need to certify the mill levy no later than Jan. 10. Under normal circumstances, the district usually certifies the mill levy by Dec. 15 and a special meeting to certify the 2024 mill levy would be needed on Jan. 8 or 9. Before the change in the state Legislature, the district was planning to lower the debt service mill levy to 16 mills for 2024, for a total of 20.5 mills, down from the 24 mills assessed in 2023. The change may need to be revised after the property tax assessed valuation is received from the assessor.

He suggested the board consider the following items:

  • A 10% rate increase to the Tier 1 water rates to cover the cost of conveying water from Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU).
  • A sewer utility rate increase in February or March of about 9% to 10% before the heavy water use season that usually begins in April/May.
  • The district expects an increase of wastewater flow through the Upper Monument Creek Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility from 640,725 to about 957,838 gallons.
  • A potential lease of 300 acre-feet of water with Pueblo if 2024 is a dry year, budgeted at $70,000.
  • An increase in the Amcobi National meter reading service fee.
  • The budget allocates $500,000 to purchase land for a future office building. The district office lease expires in 2025, and no buildings are available for lease or purchase within the district.
  • $150,000 is allocated in the budget for Burke Hollow Park.
  • Well transformer and pump replacement costs.
  • Northern Monument Creek Interceptor for the 30% design cost for $350,000.
  • About $564,000 for the annual availability of service fee for CSU to convey, treat, and deliver the district’s water through the NDS.
  • An additional storage tank at Plant B to be built behind the existing tank. The purchase is made possible with a matching $1 million through the American Rescue Plan Grant. The design for the tank is budgeted at $250,000. The extra storage will assist firefighting needs and will allow the blending of surface and well water. It will be the last tank the district builds.
  • Arkansas Valley Irrigation Co. water rights utilization (annexation into Buena Vista) for $2.5 million. About 528 acre-feet of water is available to run through the NDS.
  • The NDS pump station is budgeted at $4.5 million. The district has spent about $16.7 million to date, and upon completion it is expected to total about $22 million (the total includes Segment D connecting to the west side of I-25 near Old Denver Road).

The budget allocation will decrease for:

  • Engineering fees—as the district nears buildout and plan reviews are fewer.
  • Development services and water attorney fees.
  • Water testing now that all tests have been completed for radium, and it is under control.
  • Electric utilities are expected to decrease when the NDS pump station is online and the well operations decrease. The cost to run the NDS pump station will be less than 100% of well operations.
  • The Vac truck is paying for itself quickly by avoiding costly outsourcing for sewer line cleaning.
  • The district expects about 75 tap fees to generate about $903,000 in 2024.

McGrady said every district has different costs, and typically the district’s rates are lower than most, but fixed costs are driving rate increases and the district needs to ensure debt can be paid. The district is considering an increase to the tap fees that have not increased in three years, but it is important that growth pays for itself with tap fees, he said.

Water Attorney Chris Cummins said the board is not approving the mill levy until Jan. 3 due to the failure of Proposition HH and the outcome of the state Legislature special session in late November. The board will adopt the 2024 budget by Jan. 10 based on the new El Paso County Assessor’s property tax assessment numbers, expected on Jan. 3. The rate increases will be approved separately in early 2024 after a public hearing.

Vice President Anthony Sexton said the budget review reveals the things the district would like to do, but nothing is set in stone, it is simply a guideline except for the mandatory expenses. Funds for projects can always be reallocated and projects rolled over to 2025—it is a work in progress. He likes to see the district always tightening belts, and if there is extra cash the district gets to do things like the NDS. The district has done rate increase studies, and the cost of the goods is increasing. The only way to keep the district operational is to increase rates when necessary. The district rates are low to mid-tier within the area and the 2024 budget looks good, he said.

Director Jason Gross said he would need to look at the proposed rate tables, but a 10% increase considering inflation does not sound unreasonable.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart said the expenses are higher as the district transitions from well water to deliver renewable water to the district. Renewable water is just more expensive and there is just no way to “shake” that it is a big contributor, he said.

McGrady said the district never knows how much revenue will be generated from water sales, and the budget can be trimmed and tightened as needed, but the district is projecting about $5 million in cash at the end of 2023.

In a 3-0 vote, the board approved the following:

  • An audit engagement letter between TMD and Haynie & Co. to perform the district’s 2023 financial audit for a fee not to exceed $27,500 (including expenses).
  • The Northern Delivery System Joint Funding and Participation Agreement between TMD and Forest Lakes Metropolitan District (FLMD), with authorization for the district manager to sign. See FLMD article on page < 12 >.
  • An intergovernmental agreement between TMD and Lewis-Palmer School District 38 regarding the dedication of a 20-foot perpetual, non-exclusive easement to provide for future Higby Road improvements between Jackson Creek Parkway and Bowstring Drive. In exchange the district would make improvements to Creekside Drive and Leather Chaps Drive near Bear Creek Elementary School.
  • Amendment 3 between TMD and FLMD to provide utility operations services for a monthly fee of $18,150 in 2024. The terms and fee structure for the landscaping and snow removal services was extended to Dec. 31, 2024, with authorization for the district manager to sign.
  • Resolution 2023-10, an amendment to a loan contract from the Colorado Water Conservation Board for the Stonewall Springs Reservoir Complex Loan Contract, up to a maximum principal amount of about $5.2 million at about a 3% interest rate.

Note: The board packet for the Dec. 13 meeting can be found under Board Meeting Agendas & Minutes at www.triviewmetro.com.

Baptist Road intersection

Gross asked if Baptist Road was within the district’s area of responsibility and if a change could be made to the intersection opposite 1st Bank to prevent motorists illegally cutting through the left-turn intersection to avoid travelling east to the Leather Chaps Drive intersection to turn around and reach the Kings Soopers shopping complex.

McGrady said the district has no jurisdiction over Baptist Road except for maintaining the north sidewalk and it does supply water and wastewater services to the commercial properties on the south side of Baptist Road and the corner of Struthers Road. El Paso County owns and maintains the road and the traffic lights on Baptist Road, he said.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at about 8:20 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), (e), to discuss acquisitions and receive legal advice for negotiations regarding water acquisitions, strategic planning, and change cases. No actions were taken after the executive session. The meeting adjourned at 9:24 p.m.

**********

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 Thursday, Jan. 18 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit triviewmetro.com.

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

Other Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Nov. 13 – Commercial property inclusion; cell tower contract approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Nov. 13, the board approved an inclusion of commercial property and a cell tower lease agreement, and agreed to approve an amendment to the Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) agreement to convey, treat, and deliver district-owned water. The board received updates from Kiewit representatives on the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pipeline installation project, and an update on the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) pipeline project. The board held an executive session to receive legal advice and discuss negotiations regarding water supply contracts, property acquisitions, strategic planning and change cases.

President Mark Melville was excused.

Inclusion of property

District counsel George Rowley said a commercial property owner had petitioned for an inclusion of property into TMD Subdistrict A, about 19.88 acres south of the southeast corner of Higby Road and east of Jackson Creek Parkway.

District Manager James McGrady said commercial property would add substantial mills to the district’s revenue, and the additional revenue will help pay for the Higby Road improvements.

The board approved resolution 2023-09, 4-0.

Cell tower contract

McGrady requested the board review and consider a cell site lease agreement for $1,800 per month between Dish Wireless LLC and the TMD for a cell phone tower at the district’s C Plant in Sanctuary Pointe, and authorize the district manager to sign the contract after the Monument Planning Commission had reviewed the plan.

Several board members raised concerns regarding esthetics and the removal of equipment from the water tank should the contract end.

McGrady requested Rowley add the obligation to remove equipment to the contract, and a stipulation to maintain an esthetically pleasing look with the intent to match the color of the equipment to the tank, to include the shed.

The board approved the lease agreement contingent on the additional conditions, 4-0.

Convey, treat, and deliver contract amendment

Water attorney Chris Cummins requested the board review and approve an amendment to TMD’s convey, treat, and deliver water contract with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU). The amendment provides greater clarity for TMD to include additional lands into the service area, to provide water service outside of the TMD boundaries pursuant to contracts/commitments, and to wheel water through the NDS to other entities, specifically including Forest Lakes Metropolitan District. The amendment is pending review and approval by Colorado Springs City Council and the CSU board. Upon approval of the measure by the TMD Board of Directors, the district manager is authorized to execute such amendment on behalf of TMD, subject to approval by City Council/Utilities Board in January, he said.

The board agreed with the revision and expected to approve the addition in early 2024.

Northern Delivery System update

Construction/Operations Manager Mike McDonald of Kiewit Infrastructure said the NDS pipeline project began as promised in May 2023, the installation was on schedule, and overall the public is happy and only a few complaints were received. He thanked the board and the executive team for the opportunity to complete the pipeline.

Project manager Max McClean said 29,000 feet of pipe had been installed and the Pump House tank was enroute from France. The electrical equipment is expected to be in the district in March and the metal building will be constructed in December 2023.

McGrady said Kiewit Infrastructure had been on board for three years and had kept the price within 10% despite inflation. The district has spent about $16 million on the project so far, and the road overlay and completion of the pump house remain to complete the contract. The project is expected to total about $21.8 million. Fire hydrants are now installed every 1,000 feet along the pipeline route.

Cummins said that besides the Cherokee Sundance Pipeline that runs down Volmer Road, Rollercoaster Road is the second road in Black Forest with a continuous number of fire hydrants in a heavily wooded area within the county.

Kiewit will complete the Segment D pipeline installation to a new proposed road in the Conexus development on the west side of I-25. On completion, the NDS pipeline will connect northern El Paso County to CSU. There is nothing else like the NDS other than the Southern Delivery System in southern Colorado, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n10.htm#tmd and www.triviewmetro.com.

Northern Monument Creek Interceptor update

McGrady said four vendors submitted bids for the NMCI design, and it makes sense to the district and Forest Lakes Metropolitan District to participate in the project. The district will know if the project will make financial sense in July 2024 and should budget accordingly for the potential for the project to move forward and be completed in 2026. The NMCI pipeline project would move wastewater from the district to the J.D. Phillips Water Resource Recovery Facility in Colorado Springs, located off Mark Dabling Boulevard.

Participating in the NMCI will lower operational costs and gives the district certainty that upgrades will not be needed in the future. The Upper Monument Creek Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) is land locked and the mandatory upgrades will be difficult to install should expansion be needed at the facility, he said.

Vice President Anthony Sexton said that in the past some quotes for the upgrades to the UMCRWWTF were estimated at about $30 million, and the customer rates to accommodate those upgrades would be high. The cost for the NMCI would be split with other communities participating in the project, he said.

Superintendent Shawn Sexton said the district’s wastewater flows will need to be known and accurate before fully participating in the NMCI. Bai Engineers of Greenwood Village began a six-month study in August to examine the fluctuating wastewater flows at the UMCRWWTF. The past couple of years saw slight increases in the flows, but not as significant as 2023. The district will know more in three months, he said.

Sanctuary Pointe Park update

McGrady said Classic Homes had decided to postpone the Sanctuary Pointe Park Grand Opening until June 2024. The park rental fees will be held in an escrow account for future maintenance and turf replacement, he said.

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said the district will look at how the county and city park rentals are managed, but the district will give priority to local teams.

Secretary/Treasurer James Barnhart suggested blackout periods to allow the residents to use the field.

Sexton said the district will need to collect enough funds to pay for the artificial turf replacement in about seven to 10 years. The replacement is estimated to cost about $1 million.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 8:03 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), (e), to receive legal advice, discuss negotiations regarding; water supply contracts, property acquisitions, strategic planning and change cases.

District Administrator Joyce Levad confirmed that after the meeting, no actions were taken by the Board of Directors when the regular meeting resumed.

The meeting adjourned at 9:03 p.m.

**********

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 Wednesday, Dec. 13 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, Oct. 19 – Traffic safety concerns; NDS pipeline nears completion

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Oct. 19, the board heard about measures to enhance traffic safety measures along Gleneagle Drive, received an update on the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pipeline project, heard about an addition to an existing loan, and held an executive session to discuss water supply contracts, property acquisitions, strategic planning, and change cases.

Director Jason Gross was excused.

Traffic safety measures enhanced

Ann-Marie Jojola, president of the Promontory Pointe Homeowners Association, thanked the board and the district for the traffic study conducted in the Promontory Pointe neighborhood along Gleneagle Drive. The study will help alleviate a lot of the questions about speed for the residents, she said.

District Manager James McGrady said the district is making changes after the study revealed that motorists were travelling through the neighborhood a few miles over the posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour. The district will change the speed limit to 25 mph near the Little Train Park and through the curved areas from Kansas Pacific Court down to Baptist Road. The straight areas will be 30 mph. A split-rail fence will be installed along the east and south sides of the park to prevent children chasing after balls down Gleneagle Drive. An additional number of crosswalk reminder signs will also be installed, making safety improvements and signs that make sense for the road conditions, he said.

NDS update

McGrady said the Kiewit team installing the NDS pipeline would be wrapping up the installation project along Rollercoaster and Northgate Road by the end of October. Milling and paving has begun at the north end of Rollercoaster Road, and the overlay is expected to be completed before winter. After completion of the pipeline installation, Kiewit will install a pipeline to the Conexus development for $200,000. The pipeline to segment D (future Conexus development) is part of the NDS and it is hoped the installation will move the Conexus development forward. The pipeline will end about 200 feet from the Town of Monuments municipal water infrastructure. See MTC article on page < 12 >. The district has spent almost $15 million as of September and the project is about 68% complete. The project is projected to total about $21.8 million.

Note: For NDS pipeline project updates, alternative traffic routes, road closures, answers to questions, and to sign up for email and text notifications, visit www.triviewnds.com. The link can also be found at www.triviewmetro.com.

Addition to loan proposed

The district is working with the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to increase an existing loan. The state-funded agency receives its revenue from oil and gas severance taxes and provides loans for water resource projects. The district received a loan from CWCB for about $4.7 million to build the first phase of the South Reservoir, but as the project is ending there are several invoiced items that arose, such as creating the bottom of the reservoir to enable good drainage, and $19,000 for additional engineering. Adding the expenditure of $419,930 to the loan at 2.05% for a combined project total of about $5.1 million is a smart solution, taking advantage of the low interest loan rather than spending district cash, he said. The proposal will be presented for approval at the Nov. 16 board meeting.

Operations report

McGrady said the following:

  • Water Attorney Chris Cummins is still working on the participate agreement with the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District’s (FLMD) attorney. Cummins is waiting on some information from JDS Hydro and the FLMD attorney and is aiming for a completed agreement by the end of December to enable the first payment at the beginning of 2024.
  • Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NMCI) requests for proposal for the design of the pipeline were due at the end of October. The stakeholders will begin looking at designs around Nov. 6.
  • The district continues to work with D38 on the Higby Road design. Some of the developers will submit their final development plans soon, but the final right of way is still being discussed. Discussions with the Town of Monument continue regarding the final width of the widening/redesign project.
  • A flow test on the pump at the South Reservoir was conducted with the pump manufacturer, and the pump reached the maximum of 32 cubic feet per second. The pump is designed to allow 64 acre-feet of water flow into the reservoir per day.

Utilities Department update

McGrady said the following:

  • Water sales for September were a total of about 46.508 million gallons. The district hit the maximum to date at 50 million gallons in July. Production was at 1.5 million gallons per day, but it is down to less than 1 million gallons per day now that the homeowners have drained their sprinkler systems.
  • The check valve for the A4 Well, located at the bottom of a pipe 1,600 feet deep, had failed and was causing problems with the variable frequency drive, so every time it was turned on the pump had to move a full column of water to the surface. The pipe was pulled out and the valve at the bottom was replaced, and another valve was installed half way down the pipe to avoid pumping a large amount of water in the future.
  • All backflow tests and prevention checks were completed, and 100% compliance has been achieved.
  • The Vactor truck has cleaned about 1,600 feet of sewer lines since being placed into service. Monument Marketplace and the Vista Apartments are completed, and the district has saved about $48,000 so far. The process can take place only when the temperatures are above freezing. The truck is winterized daily and housed in a heated environment to protect the apparatus from any water residue freezing in the truck.

Badger water meters

McGrady said the district has about 158 Badger meters (a cellular water meter with real-time water monitoring technology) left to install out of 2,100 homes. It costs more for the district to manually read those meters from the street, and eventually the old technology will not be available to read the old meters remotely, and access to basements will be the only solution. The district may need to take steps in the future if 100% compliance cannot be achieved. Residents refusing the installation of the new meters may need to pay extra for meter reading in the future, he said.

Note: There is no cost to residents for installation of the new meter, and installation takes about 30 minutes. For more information about the cellular meter, visit https:/www.badgermeter.com.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 6:45 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), (e), to discuss acquisitions and receive legal advice for negotiations relating to water supply contracts, property acquisitions, strategic planning, and change cases.

District Administrator Joyce Levad notified OCN after the meeting that no actions were taken by the Board of Directors when the regular meeting resumed.

The meeting adjourned at 8:01 p.m.

**********

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 Nov. 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.

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Sept. 21. Northern Delivery System pipeline installation nearing completion

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Sept. 21, the board received updates on the Northern Delivery System (NDS) Pipeline Project and the release of water deeds, and heard about wastewater flow monitoring and a system to remove radium. The board also approved a small lease of water shares, heard about a revegetation program, and received an update on the Higby Road widening project. The district also held an executive session to receive legal advice regarding various negotiations on water supply contracts, property acquisitions, strategic planning, and change cases.

Director Amanda Carlton attended remotely; however, sound communication was unavailable for the participants attending via Zoom for the duration of the meeting.

Northern Delivery System pipeline project.

District Manager Jim McGrady said he attended a get-together with the Kiewit employees as the NDS project reached 100 days and is about 75% completed on the pipeline installation. The closeout for the pipeline portion of the project is anticipated to be the end of November and everything is on schedule, he said. Roller Coaster Road will be completed by mid-October, and Old Northgate Road is expected to be completed by the end of September. The pumphouse at Highway 83/Old Northgate Road is estimated to be completed in July 2024, he said.

President Mark Melville said the pump station had many long lead-time items. The district was able to purchase an electrical transformer from Mountain View Electric Association ahead of time and well before construction, he said.

Note: For NDS pipeline project updates, alternative traffic routes, road closures, answers to questions, and to sign-up for email and text notifications, visit www.triviewnds.com. The link can also be found at www.triviewmetro.com.

Release of water deeds.

McGrady said the Stonewall Springs South Reservoir is full. TMD and the Arkansas Ground and Reservoir Association (AGRA) water rights contributed to filling the reservoir. The district will begin running the NDS in less than a year and will need municipal water to run the pipeline. The district may need to lease a little water next year until all the decrees for the municipal water are in place. Some of the AGRA water could be utilized to supply the NDS, along with 500 shares (about 350 acre-feet) of the Fountain Mutual Irrigation Co. (FMIC). A portion of the 557 shares of FMIC, which the district is changing to municipal water shares, will likely be decreed after the 2024 runoff. The district will have a plan B and will pump water from its wells if needed to fully supply the district customers he said.

Melville said the district needs about 900-1,000 acre-feet annually, but the plan has always been to use about 20% well water and keep the wells in use, he said.

Water flows examined.

Assistant District Manager Steve Sheffield said Xuehua Bai of Bai Engineers is examining and taking measurements of the water flows at the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF). The district is not 100% confident in the accuracy of the flow numbers that are released from the treatment facility and is double checking Triview’s existing flow measurement devices, he said.

Superintendent Shawn Sexton confirmed a new flow meter at the Upper Monument Creek Waste Water Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) had been replaced a couple of years ago. The district is keeping up with high summer water demand, and during August the district had a 9.7% variance (unaccounted water due to pipeline leakage), which is not uncommon. Nationwide some municipalities have up to 40% unaccounted water loses. The district is drilling down on losses, because previously the numbers presented were not the whole picture, he said.

Vice President Anthony Sexton said the 9.7% is a whole lot tighter than previous months, but it would be interesting to know why there are fluctuations in lost water between the summer months and the winter months, he said.

McGrady said Bai is taking readings on a flume every 15 minutes over 24 hours to capture 96 reads, then using an integration formula the district will know the volume that travelled through the flume in 24 hours. It will be important to identify the cause and the correct flows to the treatment facility as the decision to participate in the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor (NCMI) pipeline draws closer. The pipeline capacity will need to be accurate to accommodate the correct amount of wastewater. The cause could be metering or infiltration, he said.

Hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) system.

Sexton said the district is almost done with the hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) redesign and rebuild, and it looks completely different from the original design, and it will be “awesome.” He had attended the Rocky Mountain Water Conference from Sept. 10-13 in Loveland, with Lead Engineer Mario DiPasquale of RESPEC (formerly JDS Hydro). DiPasquale presented the HMO system to about 30 attendees, and after the presentation Sexton helped DiPasquale answer questions.

TMD and one other small district statewide are adopting the HMO system. The system consists of a combination of suspended manganese oxide particles that form a slurry, and when combined with raw water the chemical affixes to radium and the particles are large enough to be removed via filter, making it possible to easily remove when the filters are backwashed, he said.

McGrady said Donala Water and Sanitation District is implementing the HMO system after consulting with the TMD team. The system makes sense and works very well at a very reasonable cost compared to other systems, he said. Radium testing takes up to three months to complete. and then further testing is required. It took TMD about a year to complete and comply with the state requirements. The district is trying to spread the word about the economic benefit of the HMO system. TMD implemented the HMO system because other methods of removal are expensive. Radium is not just a Front Range issue, he said.

Melville said the HMO system will remove radium at a low cost of about $200,000, unlike some systems that require separate plants and cost over $1 million.

Director Jason Gross thanked Sexton and his team for going the extra mile, making the district exceptional just by taking the time to discover the HMO system.

Lease of water shares.

McGrady said he was approached by Curtis Mitchell, a consultant for Cross Creek Metropolitan District (CCMD) located between Widefield and Fountain Boulevard near Mesa Ridge High School. Mitchell requested a small lease of six shares to offset evaporative losses in a small sub-division pond that the state had mandated be drained due to evaporation loss. The agreement is a good neighbor relations project, and the district makes a little revenue in the process. He requested the board review and consider approving the agreement between CCMD and the TMD for the lease of six shares from the FMIC for three years from Nov. 1 through Oct. 31, 2026, to augment evaporative losses on the pond located within CCMD.

Water Attorney Chris Cummins said the district always includes a reclaim clause should the district need the water, but he had not written the agreement and would need to confirm. The lease provides only 4.2 acre-feet to offset evaporation in a small pond adjacent to a play area. If the provision to reclaim the water is needed by the district and is not already included, it will be added, he said.

The board unanimously accepted the agreement with a retraction clause should the district need the water.

Revegetation plan.

McGrady said TMD hired retired Colorado State University Professor Ed Rendente, an expert restoration ecologist, to work for the district on a revegetation plan at the Chicago Springs Ranch, located near Buena Vista and the place of use for the district’s Arkansas Valley Irrigation Co. water right. The land is covered by various grasses. After the irrigation water is removed, most of the hay and some species of grass will die out and the other intermixed vegetation is expected to thrive. A reference property near that has never been irrigated will mimic that land, but it could take 10 years or more, he said.

Cummins said the division engineer office mandates rules and regulations to implement a revegetation plan after irrigation rights are removed to prevent dust bowl conditions, he said.

Higby Road widening project.

McGrady said the Higby Road widening project design was approved. The road will be about 95-100 feet wide, about 20 feet less than Jackson Creek Parkway. The design also incorporates two roundabouts: one about midway of the Lewis-Palmer High School south parking lot for entry purposes, and the second at Bowstring Road. Until the district can figure out how to incorporate a sidewalk on the northeast side near the school baseball fields, two crosswalks will be installed to reach the sidewalk on the south side of the road, he said.

Above Triview Metropolitan District received a 900-ECO 12-yard Vactor truck in early September. The multi-use vehicle with many capabilities besides cleaning sewer systems will be utilized both residentially and commercially throughout the district and in Forest Lakes Metropolitan District. The district spent about $560,000 on the truck and expects to see a cost savings in a couple of years by avoiding costly outsourced services. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.

Public works, parks, and open space update.

Superintendent Matt Rayno said the following:

• The district had received the radar speed signs for Promontory Pointe and installation had begun. The 25-mile-per-hour sign would be removed.

• He and the snow captain would attend a snow and ice removal conference to receive continued certification in snow removal.

• The district purchased a dump truck with a snow plow for snow removal.

Gross said he likes the increase in service to the residents.

McGrady said the district was able to find a used diesel truck for about $37,000 sitting on a lot with only 50,000 miles on the odometer and a snow plow. The truck was then sandblasted, re-painted and fitted with a new sander for $16,000. The final cost was about $53,000 instead of about $150,000 for a new truck.

Melville suggested the large flat drainage pond that receives little runoff between Split Creek and Gleneagle Drive could be put to recreational use with a little bit more mowing and a couple of soccer nets.

McGrady said metropolitan districts in the Phoenix, Ariz., area have utilized dry retention pond areas for recreation, and he would look into utilization of the space.

During public comments, a resident said he was very happy about how his taxes are being spent by the district, especially when he sees the beautiful landscaping work and how great the district looks.

Executive session.

The board moved into executive session at about 7:23 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), (e), to discuss acquisitions, receive legal advice regarding negotiations on water supply contracts, property acquisitions, strategic planning and change cases.

After the meeting, Sheffield confirmed that when the board returned to the regular meeting, no further action was taken.

The meeting adjourned at 9:23 p.m.

**********

Correction.

In the September issue of OCN, the TMD article should have read: “Rocky Mountain Turf Solutions are installing 115,600 square feet of UV-protected AstroTurf for the multi-use sporting field in Sanctuary Pointe.” After the September issue was published, McGrady provided the following information: The TMD Board of Directors approved $1 million from the parks and open spaces fees collected from the Sanctuary Pointe development for the AstroTurf installation. TMD collected just over $2 million at the point of construction, about $3,373 for each of the 600 homes in Sanctuary Pointe. About $1,666 per home was contributed to the park from those fees. The Homeowners Association fees were not used in the development of the park. OCN regrets the error.

**********

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 Oct.19 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