OCN

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

OCN > ws > Page 4

Water & Sanitation District Articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, March 16 – Compliance with procurement policies approved

By James Howald

Compliance with county, state, and federal procurement policies imposed by receipt of American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds was the main topic at the El Paso County Loop Regional Water Authority (EPCRLWA) board meeting in March. EPCRLWA President Jessie Shaffer updated the board on the status of the project’s water testing, and the board heard a brief financial report.

ARPA funding brings compliance burden

Shaffer said the authority had not yet received its Public Deposit Protection Act identification number, which is required to account for the receipt and expenditure of certain public funds.

Russell Dykstra, EPCRLWA counsel, explained that ARPA and other grants require use of procurement policies that meet federal standards. He presented to the board a policy that met those standards as well as applicable Colorado state standards. As an example, Dykstra said there was a $60,000 limit on funds for capital improvements. Dykstra mentioned some state requirements could change, and he would adjust the policy as needed to maintain compliance.

The board voted unanimously to approve the policy as presented.

Shaffer said he would ensure all requests for proposals, bids and job descriptions complied with state and federal standards.

Water quality testing underway

At its February meeting, EPCRLWA signed a contract with JVA Inc. to provide ongoing water quality testing that would be used to design the water treatment protocols needed to purify the water delivered to consumers.

Shaffer reported that the contract with JVA had been approved by legal counsel, and testing is underway.

Financial report

Cathy Fromm of Fromm & Co LLC, the authority’s accounting firm, told the board that a bank account was needed so that invoices could be paid. Four invoices totaling about $14,000 have been received, she said, leaving the authority with about $735,000 cash on hand.

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 20 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Triview Metropolitan District, March 23 – District will hold election; multiple contracts approved

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on March 23, the board heard about the 2023 Board of Directors’ election for two board director seats and approved contracts with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), Pueblo Water, and Kiewit Infrastructure. The board also held an executive session to approve authorization to seek eminent domain should it be required to complete the installation of the Northern Delivery System (NDS).

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart was excused.

2023 Board of Directors election

District Attorney George Rowley of the White Bear Ankele Tanaka & Waldron law firm recommended the four self-nominated candidates for two available board seats each submit statements of 400 words or less with a photograph. The mail-in-only election will be held on May 2, and a drop-off ballot box will be located in the foyer of the district office building at 16055 Old Forest Point, he said.

District Administrator Joyce Levad said any ballots dropped off at the TMD bill pay box located in the Baptist Road shopping center will not be counted. Information on the candidates and voting instructions can be found at www.triviewmetro.com.

Note: The designated election official is White Bear Ankele Tanaka & Waldron law firm.

Board approves contract for water delivery

District Manager James McGrady said the convey, treat, and deliver contract had been presented at a Colorado Springs Utilities Board hearing on March 22, but even though the board members were supportive of the agreement, one member requested additional information, and the contract was removed from the consent agenda to allow presentation in a public forum. The contract will be considered again at the Colorado Springs City Council meeting on March 28, he said. See www.ocn.me/v22n11.htm#tmd.

Water Attorney Chris Cummins of Monson Cummins & Shotet LLC said changes were made to the draft contract the board reviewed last month, and CSU agreed to the changes and addressed the district’s concerns. Cummins requested the board approve the agreement between CSU and the district to convey, treat, and deliver regional water service via the NDS and said CSU recognizes the opportunity to utilize its underutilized water assets. The Colorado Springs Utilities Board meets between the Colorado Springs City Council meetings and are the same voting members, he said.

McGrady recommended the board approve the contract and said everything hinges on the agreement. The district purchased stranded assets, and the contract will allow the district-owned water to be delivered to its customers, he said.

The board approved the contract barring any major changes, 3-0.

President Mark Melville asked if the water delivered via the NDS would need additional treatment.

McGrady said the district may have to add a small amount of chlorine, but it will not need any further treatment when it is received via CSU. The water will be treated and delivered via the pipeline in hours, he said.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:30 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4) (a), (b), (e), to discuss acquisitions and receive legal advice for negotiations associated with water delivery infrastructure, water, and property acquisitions.

When the board returned to the regular meeting, McGrady requested the board review and consider approval of Resolution 2023-02 authorizing the district manager to initiate eminent domain proceedings for the acquisition of easement and real property interests necessary for pipelines, utilities, and infrastructure associated with the NDS project, should good-faith negotiations fail.

The board approved the resolution, 3-0.

Kiewit contract amendment

McGrady requested the board approve a third amendment to the NDS contract with Kiewit Infrastructure to guarantee the maximum price for the installation of a pipeline project, procure materials and equipment for the pump station, and establish a payment and construction schedule. He said the cost increases are mainly due to inflation and the addition of four high-pressure fire hydrants, but the project had found some savings from pipe material changes and by shortening a bore around Sanctuary Pointe. The total cost of the project will be about $21.2 million, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n3.htm#tmd.

Kiewit Infrastructure project manager Max McLean said the contract pricing will be locked in and confirmed in April and there should not be much change.

McGrady confirmed the project remains on time and the pipeline construction is expected to commence on May 4. For details, visit www.triviewmetro.com.

The board approved the contract, 3-0.

Pueblo water exchange agreement

McGrady requested the board approve an agreement between Pueblo, a municipal corporation, acting by and through the Board of Water Works of Pueblo, and the district. The 10-year agreement would make 20 acre-feet of water available for exchange with the district. The water to be exchanged to TMD would be released from Clear Creek, Turquoise, and Twin Lakes Reservoirs, or from direct-flow transmountain rights via the Arkansas River. In exchange, Pueblo will receive TMD water stored in Pueblo Reservoir. TMD will pay $150 per acre-foot or about $3,000 per annum, and a non-refundable fee of $10,000.

The board approved the agreement, 3-0.

Sand Creek Golf Course lease agreement

McGrady said the district owns 1,057 shares of stock in the Fountain Mutual Irrigation Co. and currently supplies 40 of those shares to Fontana Enterprises Inc. to irrigate the Sand Creek Golf Course. He requested the board approve a water lease agreement for $6,199.60 for the first year, with a 4% annual increase. The agreement would be in place for water years 2023 through 2029.

The board approved the water lease agreement, 3-0.

Upper Monument Creek Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility

McGrady said the UMCRWWTF study by Carollo Engineers Inc. is still in progress.

Melville asked if the UMCRWWTF would require expansion at district build out.

McGrady said the increase in high-density apartments in the region will change the wastewater flows, and the study will also look at build-out density in Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) and Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, along with all future regulatory requirements. The demand on the UMCRWWTF will be slightly higher than current wastewater capacity, he said. See DWSD article on page < 17 >.

Public Works and Parks and Open Space update

Superintendent Matt Rayno reported the mild weather was helping crews get ahead on the spring projects, and he said:

  • The Old Creek Park has received new playground equipment and an Americans with Disabilities Act ramp will be installed along with a 16-by-16-foot shade structure on an 18-by-18-foot concrete pad to house a picnic table.
  • Crews conducted a thorough playground equipment audit and made repairs. A plastic slide repair at the Burke Hollow playground was made in-house. The playground is due to be replaced next year.
  • Aeration began on March 23, but the ground was very dry and completion will be delayed until moisture is received.
  • April turf fertilization and testing the irrigation main lines will begin on April 3, and that will allow aeration to continue.
  • The irrigation is in place at Agate Creek Park, and the system will be charged in time for early spring seeding.
  • Tree and shrub pruning and pre-emergent fertilization is almost complete.
  • Street sweeping occurred on Lyons Tail Road and in Sanctuary Pointe.

Director James Otis said residents had complimented the holiday light display at the Baptist Road and Leather Chaps Drive intersection.

Rayno said the lights are the crown jewel of the district during the holiday season, and the east side of Leather Chaps Drive may receive some upgraded landscaping later in the season.

The meeting adjourned at 8:40 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 board meeting is scheduled for April 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 Board Candidate Statements

Two Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) Board of Directors positions are open for election on May 2. Ballots are mail-in-only to the district or they can be hand delivered to the drop-off box in the foyer of 16055 Old Forest Point. For further instructions, visit www.triviewmetro.com. If you are a TMD customer, you are eligible to vote.

Listed alphabetically are the four candidates for the two open positions:

  • Amanda Carlton
  • Barrett Edwards
  • Jason Gross
  • Ann-Marie Jojola

The statements below are the candidates’ responses to two questions posed by Our Community News:

  1. What in your background would help you in serving on the Triview Metropolitan District board.
  2. What are the one or two biggest issues facing the district and what should be done about them?

Amanda Carlton

Hello Monument! My name is Amanda Carlton and I am a Colorado native who grew up in the area. After attending school, working in Melbourne, Fla., meeting my husband and having three children, I always dreamt of returning to my home state. I envisioned raising my babies in the most amazing community, and moved back in 2020. I love everything about Colorado—hiking, biking, nature’s beauty, and our community. I am drawn to Monument for its quality lifestyle where families can raise children comfortably, infrastructure is well-maintained, and where people can be confident in well-managed growth. Monument is a very unique town with special people and I’m truly blessed to call it home.

I have a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, a master’s in Systems Engineering, and an MBA. I work in the defense industry and I strive to be successful in protecting our country through developing and expanding technology for our military and the nation’s defense.

I would love to extend my passion for our community as a Triview Metropolitan District board director. As a project engineer, I believe I will well serve the community’s need for long-term planning, maintenance, and improvement. As a Monument resident, I’m appreciative of Triview’s recent upgrade of surrounding playgrounds, landscape improvements, and efforts to reduce our dependency on non-renewable well water. As a board member, I will focus on our open spaces, parks, renewable water resources, and maximizing our tax dollars to the fullest extent. I look forward to working with members of our community and current directors of the board to continue to enrich and maximize our area’s potential.

Barrett Edwards

As of press time, OCN had not receive a response from Barrett Edwards.

Jason Gross

Retired Lt. Col. Jason Gross has lived in Monument since 2016. His 24-year military career included leadership and management responsibilities for both projects and organizations. He currently works for Space Force’s Space Systems Command integrating new satellite tracking capabilities into the U.S. Space Surveillance Network. Jason has a strong track record of successful teamwork to solve complex problems and looks forward to applying his experience to help Triview Metro District provide a sustainable, safe, and family-centered environment for our community.

Jason has been married to his wife Shannon for 23 years. Shannon is a teacher in the Lewis- Palmer School District. They have four children, two of whom graduated from Lewis-Palmer High School and two are currently attending.

As a Triview board member, his initial focus would be ensuring the corner of Jackson Creek and Higbee Road near Lewis-Palmer High School is updated to improve traffic flow. Currently, the intersection is dangerous and often congested. New development is increasing traffic in that area, and the many inexperienced drivers that go to and from the high school requires thoughtful design to help keep both pedestrians and other drivers safe.

Jason’s other priorities include ensuring Triview maintains focus on long-term sustainable water supplies, adequate street and open space maintenance, and ensuring taxes are kept as low as possible and be spent appropriately.

Ann-Marie Jojola

  1. What in your background would help you in serving on this board? Through many of my current and past positions, from my 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force, working with law enforcement, finance, childcare or volunteering, integrity, professionalism, commitment, determination, a strong work ethic is among my strengths. My ability to work well with others, adapt to varying environments and problem solve while providing quality, timely responses have significantly contributed to my successful efforts in building strong, lasting relationships with internal and external offices and organizations. I believe my qualifications and experiences as well as having the desire to continue to make our community a better place for all who live and work here would make me a valued TMD board member.
  2. What are one or two of the biggest issues facing the district and what should be done about them? TMD continues to lead the way to provide for our current water needs while also anticipating and planning for what will be needed upon full build out. I find it complicated yet fascinating. It is impressive to see the hard work that has been done to date by the board, who are members of our community. They ask the hard questions and tackle obstacles all with the community at the forefront of their minds. I want to contribute to this effort, first with seeing the NDS to completion, and then to continue the development of the renewable water system.

TMD makes the time to care for customers; they take pride in their work and maintain regular communication across our community. These traits appealed to me and being able to give back to my community on TMD’s Board of Directors would be another way to serve my community. Thank you for your time and your vote.

Other Triview Metropolitan District articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Feb. 13 – Board permits Monument Academy to build road to ease traffic

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Feb. 13 – Board permits Monument Academy to build road to ease traffic

By James Howald

At its Feb. 13 meeting, the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board granted Monument Academy (MA) permission to build a road on MA’s property that crosses a WWSD easement. The board considered an amendment to its supplemental water agreement with the developer of Monument Junction. It also awarded a contract for a sewer saddle replacement project and discussed three other projects. The board heard highlights of operational reports, and the meeting ended with an executive session.

MA gets permission to build buffer road over sewer line

District Manager Jessie Shaffer explained to the board that MA, with El Paso County’s assistance, is building a road looping around the MA West campus, on land belonging to MA, that will alleviate traffic congestion on Highway 105. Shaffer described the purpose of the road as “traffic storage.” MA families had been using the driveway of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Shaffer said, but that access would be going away. The planned road would be built through a Preble’s meadow jumping mouse conservation easement belonging to WWSD and over a WWSD sewer line.

Shaffer told the board the conservation easement has been in place since 2002. He added the land in question was no longer considered to be mouse habitat, but the conservation easement was still in place. MA has the required permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service to build the road, Shaffer said.

Shaffer presented to the board an agreement that would give MA permission to build the road and would indemnify WWSD against claims or liability resulting from the road’s construction.

The board voted unanimously to authorize Shaffer to sign the agreement with MA.

Monument Junction to transfer supplemental water

District Engineer Ariel Hacker explained the background information regarding Classic Homes’ request to transfer supplemental water from one part of its development to another. The Town of Monument required Classic Homes to reduce the number of apartments in the Monument Junction West development from 250 to 240, Hacker said. Classic Homes intends to increase the number of single-family residences in another part of the development from 120 to 129, and has asked WWSD to allow them to transfer the supplemental water they purchased for the apartments to the single-family residences.

Shaffer explained that supplemental water is supplied to a specific plot of land, so the request to transfer it requires consent from the board. He went on to explain the district’s policy on supplemental water. WWSD provides ½ acre-foot of water per year for each acre of land at the district’s standard rates, which is adequate for a single-family residence on a ¾-acre lot. When a developer wants to build anything that requires more water, they must contract with WWSD to purchase supplemental water, which is much more expensive than the standard allotment, starting at $29,000 for an additional acre-foot and rising to $43,000 for larger allotments. In addition to the one-time charge, there is a monthly charge for water used, Shaffer said.

Following a brief discussion, the board voted unanimously to allow Classic Homes to transfer the supplemental water as requested.

Sewer saddle replacement contract awarded; other projects discussed

Hacker told the board she had received several bids from contractors to replace sewer saddles in the Forest subdivision, with Caraveo Construction Inc. submitting the low bid of $303,593. Sewer saddles are vertical connectors that join residential sewer lines to sewer mains. She said Caraveo had done a similar project for WWSD last year with good results and she recommended that the contract be awarded to them.

The board voted unanimously to award the contract to Caraveo.

Hacker said another project to replace 30 saddles, five valves and three hydrants adjacent to Fairplay Drive had been put out to bid. She also told the board that a total of five pressure reducing valves would need to be installed for the Monument Junction developments. She anticipated that work would cost $250,000. Shaffer said a portion of that cost would be reimbursed by Classic Homes.

Hacker also discussed how the El Paso County-led project to widen Highway 105 might impact WWSD. First, a traffic roundabout would be installed on Knollwood Boulevard at the new west entrance to MA. The county is putting that work out to bid in February. Next, some WWSD water lines would be abandoned and many water and sewer lines would be rerouted. Hacker said she anticipated those changes would be “a big long project,” starting with the portion of Highway 105 between Jackson Creek Parkway and Lake Woodmoor Drive, and then moving on to Highway 105 between Lake Woodmoor Drive and Furrow Road. A third phase would lie outside the WWSD service area, she said. Hacker added that the first two phases would take more than a year to complete.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Operations Supervisor Dan LaFontaine said two bald eagles are nesting near Woodmoor Lake. The eagles are killing Canada geese, and a large bobcat or small cougar are cleaning up remains. The district is doing any further cleanup needed.
  • The Cloverleaf development (previously known as the Walters family open space), is close to conditional acceptance and WWSD plans to provide three water taps a month until the end of 2023.
  • Construction of a new well, Well 22, is slated to begin in spring of 2023.
  • The Monument Ridge West development, in the northwest corner of the WWSD service area, has resumed its discussion about annexation with the Town of Monument.
  • The Whataburger planned for the Monument Junction West development could be complete by summer of 2023, and the apartments in that development are not expected to be complete before 2024.
  • The plan for the North Bay development, adjacent to the north side Woodmoor Lake, now specifies 30 single-family homes.
  • A design for 52 units, some duplexes, some fourplexes, has been submitted for the Waterside development on the east side of Woodmoor Drive north of The Barn community center.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for March 13, 2023 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive; please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

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

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

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

Tony Archer joins board

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

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

Manager’s report

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

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

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

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

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 15. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Feb. 16 – Assistant manager hired; district receives $3.4 million

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Feb. 16, the board was introduced to the recently hired assistant district manager, heard about a large net in tap fees and public works fees, and declared a board director seat vacancy. The board received multiple updates to include the Northern Delivery System (NDS) project timeline and discussed various matters in executive session.

President Mark Melville and Vice President Anthony Sexton attended via Zoom.

Note: Several district residents interested in a board seat attended the meeting.

Assistant district manager hired

District Manager James McGrady said the board’s December directive to find a qualified assistant district manager was complete, and he introduced Steve Sheffield. The idea is to train the Sheffield over the next few years and share the workload as the district completes the NDS project. By the time McGrady is ready to retire, Sheffield will be ready to take over as district manager, McGrady said.

Sheffield said he is currently working for the Town of Monument as the assistant Public Works director and will begin working for the district on March 13. Sheffield grew up in Colorado Springs and has resided in the district since 2001, having previously worked for TMD.

McGrady welcomed Sheffield and said he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and is a great fit for the district.

Director resigns early

McGrady declared a board seat vacancy and said Director Marco Fiorito resigned from the board when he received a seat on the Monument Town Council. He suggested the board continue the discussion in executive session and either decide on the appointment of a director at the March meeting or wait until the May election. See the MTC article on page < 1 >.

Sexton thanked Fiorito for serving almost eight years on the board. Melville made a motion to formerly thank Fiorito. The board unanimously concurred.

Apartment complex generates high revenue

McGrady said the district was able to net 276 tap fees and public works fees on the Thompson Thrift apartment complex, generating a total of about $3.4 million in revenue for the district. The income virtually allows the district to pay cash for the NDS project and avoid any long-term debt on the project. The apartments are located off Jackson Creek Parkway. A second apartment complex was approved on Bowstring/Higby Road, and that is expected to generate about $4 million in tap fees and public works fees, he said.

Northern Delivery System

McGrady said the district had already ordered the valves and the pipes for the NDS project, but another amendment to the Kiewit contract would be needed because of the long lead times on materials for the pump station building and electrical equipment that could be anywhere from 50 to 70 weeks until delivery. Fortunately, the construction of the pump house is scheduled to begin at the end of the summer, and the pumps and electrical will be installed during the winter. The plans for the pipeline are at 100%, and Kiewit will begin the project in April, he said. See www.ocn.me/v23n2.htm#tvmd. For construction updates, visit www.triviewmetro.com.

Note: The NDS, in partnership with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), will bring TMD-owned renewable water to northern El Paso County and the district. On completion of the NDS, the district will receive 80%-90% of its water from renewable sources and will be less reliant on nonrenewable Denver Basin aquifers.

District manager’s report

McGrady said the following:


  • The district has finally received a building permit to construct a 330-square-foot pump station at the south reservoir. The construction will begin in March and is expected to take about four weeks. The goal is to begin depositing water once the pump station is finished.

  • CSU has begun a direct and indirect potable reusable water return flow study. The study is designed to find a way to avoid sending flow to and receiving flow from Pueblo County. Alternate solutions designed to pick off the reusable flow beforehand could save about 5% of the water that is lost in transit.

  • The results of the study could open some future exchange opportunities and savings for the district that were not possible in the past. The study is being fast tracked, and results are expected at the end of April.

  • The roads in the Remington Hill development are scheduled for repairs beginning in April, with an overlay of asphalt planned for May.

Utilities Department update

Water Superintendent Shawn Sexton said the A4 well is off-line for routine maintenance. The last maintenance occurred in 2017, and the wells are maintained on a rotational basis. The almost annual sludge haul from the main water plant in Promontory Pointe is expected to take about three trips from the plant to a facility in Deer Trail, he said.

McGrady said it is expensive to deposit the sludge, and the district pays about $20,000 per trip for a total of $60,000. In the future, the district plant will be supplemental and won’t be run much at all.

Note: The sludge is a result of the groundwater filtration system.

Public works, parks, and open space update

Superintendent Matt Rayno said the department is restabilizing landscape timbers along trails to prevent erosion occurring during the spring run-off. Crews are finishing up the concrete sidewalk at the north end of Agate Creek Drive that terminates in a cul-de-sac. The connection in the cul-de-sac to the trail system is too steep and the crews are making the slope compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, he said.

Superintendent Shawn Sexton relayed kudos from a resident that lives on the south side of Bear Creek Elementary School who said they were happy with the landscaping services.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 6:35 p.m. pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 24-6-402(4)(a), (b), and (e), to receive legal advice regarding negotiations associated with water delivery infrastructure, water acquisitions, property acquisitions, and the Upper Monument Wastewater Plant Evaluation/Contract.

McGrady confirmed to OCN that when the regular meeting resumed, no action was taken by the board.

The board adjourned at 9:30 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 board meeting is scheduled for March 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

Donala Water and Sanitation District, Feb. 16 – Donala to lease water to Martin Marietta

By James Howald and Jackie Burhans

At its February meeting, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) considered a request from Martin Marietta to lease water from the district. A construction contract for a pipeline from Well 16A was approved and the board heard operational reports. The meeting ended with an executive session.

Martin Marietta water lease

General Manager Jeff Hodge said Martin Marietta had requested to lease DWSD’s treated effluent water and was willing to pay a higher price for that water than the district was currently getting. Martin Marietta was proposing a one-year lease, Hodge said.

The lease document specifies the water to be leased is treated reusable effluent discharged from the Upper Monument Creek Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF). Martin Marietta needs the water to increase its discharge to the Arkansas River to offset losses from evaporation and use by its gravel mining operation.

The lease obligates DWSD to provide 135 acre-feet of water per year, and Martin Marietta to pay $300 per acre-foot. DWSD is not required to provide the water if its prior obligations are not met for any reason.

The board voted unanimously to approve the lease agreement.

Pipeline contract awarded

Hodge asked the board to consider awarding a construction contract to K. R. Swerdfeger Construction LLC for a raw water pipeline to connect newly drilled Well 16A to the R. Hull Water Treatment Plant. The engineering report for the project says the contractor will use directional boring under Bermuda Dunes Way, which will minimize impact on traffic. Some open excavation on DWSD’s property on Pauma Valley Drive will be required. The bid from K. R. Swerdfeger was for $292,302.

Hodge mentioned that only one bid for the contract was received. He said other potential bidders lacked the staff to do the work.

Highlights of operational reports

  • Hodge told the board he and one other staff member had received training that qualified them to enter the arsenic removal building.
  • Chief Waste Plant Operator Mike Boyett told the board that the UMCRWWTF had a high mercury result in its last round of testing.

Executive session

The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss contract negotiations with Colorado Springs Utilities concerning a long-term water contract and to receive legal advice on questions about the UMCRWWTF contract.

No action was taken following the executive session.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for March 16 at 1:30 p.m. Generally, board meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and include online access; call (719) 488-3603 or access www.donalawater.org to receive up-to-date meeting information. The district office is located at 15850 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs.

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

Other Donala Water and Sanitation District articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Feb. 16 – Board adopts budget, awards testing contract

By James Howald

At its second regular meeting, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) held a public meeting on its budget and awarded a contract for the water quality testing needed to establish a baseline for upcoming design work. The board discussed hiring a project planning and workflow manager and a request for proposal for a schematic engineering design report. The board also voted on five resolutions drafted by its attorney that address administrative matters.

Budget approved and funds appropriated

EPCRLWA President Jessie Shaffer opened the public hearing on the 2023 budget. On the revenue side, he said the four participating entities—Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD), Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), Town of Monument (TOM) and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD)—had each contributed $250,000. Funding from The American Recovery Program Act (ARPA) added an additional $800,000, for a total of $1.8 million. Shaffer anticipated spending a total of $388,000 on accounting, legal and audit costs, surveying services, water quality and other studies, and two staff positions: a project manager position, discussed below, and a land acquisition specialist. Shaffer estimated engineering work, easements, and land acquisition would total around $1 million. He told the board he estimated total expenditures for 2023, including contingencies and miscellaneous items, would be about $1.775 million, leaving a balance of about $25,000 at the end of the year.

There were no comments from the public and Shaffer closed the hearing.

The board voted unanimously in favor of a resolution to approve the budget and appropriate the required funds.

Water testing contract awarded

Three companies—JVA Inc., LRE Water, and Amaruq Environment Services—presented their water testing qualifications and their thoughts on how to handle EPCRLWA’s water testing requirements to the board.

Brett Gracely, of LRE Water, focused on his company’s 50 years of experience in Colorado, and said LRE Water would optimize testing by removing analytes whose measurements were stable from the testing protocol to keep costs low. He said a dashboard would be provided to display results.

John McGibbon and Richard Hood, of JVA, said they would provide a certified water technician to collect all samples and would maintain a clear chain of custody of the samples to ensure the most accurate results. Hood said JVA’s approach would focus on collecting the data needed to design a water treatment protocol in the future.

Andres Skibo from Amaruq Environmental Services noted his company assisted WWSD with water quality testing of Woodmoor Lake and was familiar with the local issues.

Following the presentations, Shaffer commented that in his opinion all three companies could do the job. He said Amaruq’s bid was $41,000 with no markup on lab fees, JVA’s was $48,000 with no markup on lab fees, and LRE’s was $49,000 with a 5% markup on lab fees. EPCRLWA Assistant Secretary Jeff Hodge, who also serves as the DWSD general manager, said using a certified water technician was important. Kevin Brown, representing CMD, also saw the value in a certified technician. Shaffer pointed out that JVA is made up of water treatment engineers, and that expertise would be valuable when the water quality testing data was used to design a treatment protocol.

The board voted unanimously to award the testing contract to JVA.

Project manager position and schematic design project discussed

Shaffer told the board he was working on a draft of a job description for a project planning and workflow manager position. The manager would be responsible for coordinating the activities of the engineers, consultants, and other contractors needed to complete the project. The EPCRLWA board members all have jobs with the participating water districts, which makes a project planning position necessary. The responsibilities would not include construction oversight, which might require another person when the project reaches that stage, he said.

The board voted unanimously to authorize Shaffer to define and fill the position.

Shaffer said a request for proposal was being developed to have a schematic engineering design report written by an engineering company. The report would integrate the data collected in previous studies and would take the design to the next level of detail, addressing issues such as water treatment design, location of pumping stations, and so forth. The report is needed to increase the precision of cost estimates, Shaffer said. The report will determine exactly what each participating entity owns and what financing will be required. Brown said the report will include a full hydraulic analysis, including pressures in pipelines and pump stations and storage tank design. He added that the report would be required for issuing bonds to finance later stages of the project.

The board decided to proceed with development of the request for proposal.

Administrative resolutions passed

The board approved five administrative resolutions:

  • A resolution laying out tasks needed to comply with state statutes.
  • A resolution detailing compliance with the Colorado Open Records Act.
  • A resolution indemnifying the board members for lawful acts taken in performance of their duties.
  • A resolution authorizing online notice of meetings.
  • A data privacy resolution that protects personal and consumer data.

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 16 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Jan. 9 – Board sets rules for new year

By James Howald

The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board voted on two resolutions in its first meeting of 2023 that define the rules and procedures for the rest of the year. During public comments, the board heard from a resident interested in running for a seat on the board. In his Manager’s Report, District Manager Jessie Shaffer gave the board an update on the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA). The board also heard the timeline to refill Woodmoor Lake and operational reports.

Resolutions address procedures and election

The board voted unanimously to pass Resolution 23-01, which addresses issues required of special districts by the state of Colorado such as providing a map of the district’s boundaries and documentation of the district’s outstanding debts. Attorney Erin Smith told the board that the resolution also specifies that the date, time, and location of board meetings will be posted on the district’s web page and at the district’s office, sets forth the district’s officers and establishes the upcoming election as a polling place election.

The district’s web page is at https://woodmoorwater.com and the district’s office is located at 1845 Woodmoor Drive, Monument, CO 80132.

The board also passed Resolution 23-02, which provides further details about the election, to be held on May 2, 2023, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., using the Woodmoor Improvement Association Community Center (“The Barn”) as a polling place.

Two seats on the board will be filled by the election: the seat currently held by President Brian Bush, who is term-limited, and the seat currently held by Director Barrie Towne, who was appointed to the board and therefore must run in the next election.

Candidates for the seats must file a Self-nomination and Acceptance with the district’s Designated Election Official, Mandi Kirk, by Feb. 24, 2023. Kirk can be reached at MKirk@NortonSmithLaw.com.

Resident announces candidacy

Roy Martinez used the public comment portion of the agenda to introduce himself and announce his candidacy for a seat on the board. Martinez told the board he is retired but had worked as the director of the Water Works Foundation, as a senior staff member at the Water Research Foundation, and at HDR Engineering, as well as at other water-related jobs.

Loop Water Authority to hold first meeting

Shaffer told the board that the EPCRLWA had scheduled its first regular meeting for Jan. 19. The EPCRLWA is an intragovernmental agency formed by WWSD, the Town of Monument, Donala Water and Sanitation District, and Cherokee Metropolitan District to design, build and operate water re-use infrastructure that will treat and convey water from Fountain Creek to customers in the four participating districts. When complete, the infrastructure will give WWSD a way to move the water it acquired when it purchased Woodmoor Ranch to WWSD customers.

Shaffer said the EPCRLWA was working on administrative issues such as choosing a law firm and bank and on technical issues such as defining the water quality testing required to establish a baseline to be used in developing the water treatment requirements.

The first meeting of the EPCRLWA is covered in a separate article on page < 16 > in this issue of Our Community News.

Woodmoor Lake refill timeline

Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine, in response to a question from Bush, told the board that the district’s plan was to have Woodmoor Lake fully refilled by May 2024. Currently there is 28 feet of water in the lake, he said.

The construction of the new Lake Pump Station required the lake to be completely drained, which is not typical during the annual cycle of filling the lake during the spring and emptying it during the high demand months in the summer. LaFontaine said water levels in the lake would rise during the spring of 2023 but not to the levels seen in a more usual year, due to the degree to which the lake was emptied to accommodate the upgrade to the pumping station. Then levels would fall again during the summer. By 2024, he said, levels would return to what they were previously.

Highlights of operational reports

  • LaFontaine reported that there were five line breaks in December.
  • Shaffer reported that the district was replacing sewer saddles in the Woodmoor Forest neighborhood of the WWSD service area. Saddles are the connections between sewer main lines and residences.
  • Shaffer said he expected home construction in the Cloverleaf development east of Lewis-Palmer High School would begin soon.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m. at the district office at 1845 Woodmoor Drive; please see www.woodmoorwater.com or call 719-488-2525 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District articles

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

By Jackie Burhans and James Howald

Correction

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

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

Raspberry Lane sewer line near failure

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

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

Manager’s report

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

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

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

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

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

Resolution specifies posting sites

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

**********

Monument Sanitation District meetings are normally held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the district conference room at 130 Second St., Monument. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 15. See https://colorado.gov/msd. For a district service map, see https://colorado.gov/pacific/msd/district-map-0. Information: 719-481-4886.

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

Other Monument Sanitation District articles

El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Jan. 19 – Water re-use project holds first meeting

By James Howald

On Jan. 19, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA) held its first board meeting in Monument Town Hall. The board passed a resolution that lays out the operational rules it will follow and presented bylaws for future adoption. It chose a legal firm and an accounting firm to assist it. The board heard a proposal for a study addressing the feasibility of the water re-use project that the authority was formed to design and build. The board briefly discussed its strategy for water quality testing and heard a request from a developer to join the project. Finally, the board decided on a schedule for future meetings.

Background

The EPCRLWA, informally known as “the Loop project,” was formed in November 2022 by an Intergovernmental Agreement between Cherokee Metropolitan District (CMD), Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), the Town of Monument (TOM), and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) to address the depletion of groundwater that provides the bulk of water consumed in northern El Paso County by building infrastructure that would allow water, including treated effluent from the Tri-Lakes Wastewater Treatment Facility (TLWWTF), to be re-used. In the case of WWSD, the project would provide a way to convey water from Woodmoor Ranch near Fountain to its consumers.

After the participating districts signed the agreement that created the EPCRLWA, it received $4 million in American Recovery Plan Act funding from El Paso County.

The loop project, when complete, would divert water from Fountain Creek, use the Chilcott Ditch to transfer it to the Callahan Reservoir, and then, after treatment, pump it through 20.7 miles of new pipeline to the existing Sundance pipeline owned by CMD. The Sundance pipeline would move the water to its northern endpoint at Hodgen and Black Forest Roads. From there, the water would be pumped 11 miles through new pipelines to DWSD, TOM and WWSD for distribution to their customers.

The EPCRLWA board is made up of Mike Foreman, Monument town manager; Jeff Hodge, DWSD district manager; Amy Lathen, TMD general manager; and Jessie Shaffer, WWSD district manager.

Other water providers may join the project as it moves forward.

Operating rules approved

The board voted to approve Resolution 2023-1, which establishes the procedures it must follow to comply with state law and El Paso County requirements. It also considered bylaws that will govern the board, such as the policies for unexcused absences of board members and how vacancies on the board will be filled. The bylaws will be voted on at a future meeting.

Law and accounting firms engaged

SpencerFane was approved as the authority’s law firm, with attorney Russell Dykstra taking the lead. The board engaged Fromm & Company LLC to handle accounting matters.

Operational study authorized

Dan Niemela of BBA Water Consultants Inc. proposed a study that would model the operational details of the infrastructure for the loop project and would validate the overall design by ensuring that it would meet the needs of the participating districts. He said he had performed related modeling for WWSD for 10 years.

Niemela explained that the model would expand on the initial modeling done in 2022 that confirmed the viability of the project. The expanded model would be based on a 24-year period from 1987 through 2020 and would account for many variables that come into play in a complex water system, such as water rights yields, reservoir, transit and treatment losses, amount of reusable effluent available, the storage capacity of the system, and demand during wet, average and dry years, among others.

Niemela estimated the study would cost $54,000 and be complete in three months.

The board voted unanimously to authorize BBA Water Consultants to proceed with the study.

Water quality baseline discussed

Board President Jessie Shaffer said two proposals for water quality testing had been received, both costing about $90,000. Shaffer recommended using a wide range of tests initially to establish a baseline of water quality data that would be used later to design the treatment regimen. The board voted to table the issue to allow for further analysis.

Developer wants to join project

Shaffer emphasized that the four participants welcomed other water providers to join the effort.

Mike Flannery, the owner of Four-Way Ranch, a 6,500-acre development between Falcon and Peyton, expressed interest in joining the loop project. Flannery said he was looking for between 5,000 and 6,000 acre-feet of water for his development, which has its own metropolitan district.

The board took no action on Flannery’s request.

Meetings and workshops scheduled

The board voted to hold regular meetings on the third Thursday of every month at 9 a.m. in Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road, Monument. Cherokee Metropolitan District meets at 6250 Palmer Park Blvd., Colorado Springs.

Workshop meetings will be held every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues:

  • First Thursday—Town of Monument
  • Second Thursday—Cherokee Metropolitan District
  • Third Thursday—venue to be decided
  • Fourth Thursday–Cherokee Metropolitan District
  • Fifth Thursday—Town of Monument

**********

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 16, 2023 at 9 a.m. Regular meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at Monument Town Hall at 645 Beacon Lite Road. Workshop meetings are held every Thursday at 9 a.m. at rotating venues. Please see loopwater.org or call 719-488-3603 to verify meeting times and locations.

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

Other El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority articles

Triview Metropolitan District, Jan. 19 – Rate increases approved; NDS pipeline project moving along

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Jan. 19, the board approved water and wastewater rate increases effective Feb. 1, received an update on the Northern Delivery System (NDS) pipeline project, received multiple other updates, and held an executive session to discuss water delivery infrastructure and water and property acquisitions.

Director Marco Fiorito was excused.

Rate and fee increase discussion

District Manager James McGrady said a comprehensive rate study a few years ago looked at the district’s future revenue requirements. The study revealed that over the next five years the district needed to consider an annual 10% rate increase. An increase was implemented last year, and this year it is necessary based on capital projections, he said.

Vice President Anthony Sexton said that last year the increase did not equate to 10% due to the adjustment of the rate tiers. It actually lowered water rates for the bulk of the users.

In 2022 the Tier 1 water rate was increased by 2,000 gallons, from 6,000 to 8,000 gallons from previous years. Average ratepayers did not notice much of an increase. This year, the district does not have that option and a rate increase across the board is needed, Sexton said.

Director James Otis recommended the district include an explanation in the district newsletter to avoid any bad feelings. Two years ago, the rate increase blew up on social media, because everyone shut off their sprinklers due to an early freeze, and when they turned them back on the rates were higher, and that caused bad feeling until calmer heads prevailed, he said.

President Mark Melville asked what was causing the incremental rate increases over five years.

McGrady said the debt service, obtaining water rights, and the NDS pipeline project were causes. The district can pay for the vast majority of the NDS project with saved revenues, but it will deplete reserves. The budget has set aside about $16 million on the NDS, but the total cost of the project is about $20 million. The downturn in the housing market has also reduced revenue. It was common to sell 10-15 taps per month, and over 12 months that equated to 150-200 homes at $26,000 per tap ($2.6 million-$3 million), but now the district is selling half that amount of taps. The district needs to pay the debt service, replenish reserves, and recapture the expenditure because of the slowdown in the housing market, and that is what is driving the rate increases, he said.

Treasurer/Secretary James Barnhart said that on the plus side, the district will have renewable water, but we cannot change or predict the housing market.

Sexton said that after the study, the district enacted the recommended plan, but it ought to conduct another study, because at the time the district did not know the cost of the NDS project.

Water attorney Chris Cummins said that when he resided in the neighboring Donala Water and Sanitation District, a 30% increase year over year was implemented for two or three years when they were purchasing renewable water resources. The costs are significant, and in the long term the resources are extremely beneficial to the residents, but the residents need to know in the monthly newsletter—knowing ahead of time did soften the blow for Donala customers, he said.

Otis said unlike TMD, Donala residents have a distinct lack of commercial revenue, and the TMD residents are used to having a gravy train.

McGrady said at the conception of the NDS project the district was fortunate to know the cost, but that was when the plan was to use 24-inch pipe, and when neighboring partners were onboard. To make matters awkward, piping increased in price, so the pipe was downsized to 16-inch pipe, and now the district is without partners in the project. A study in 2024 would be beneficial, because sooner or later the development will go away. Without the tap fees from the hundreds of homes, the district would not have been able to obtain water rights and build the NDS.

Melville said in retrospect the district has made capital purchases when interest rates were low, some very timely decisions that were needed for the future of the district.

McGrady said that most of the bonds that were issued had less than 3% interest rates.

Melville opened a public hearing for the 2023 water and wastewater rates and fees, effective Feb. 1.

Resident Jason Gross said McGrady did a good job explaining the reasons for the rate increases.

Hearing no other comments, Melville closed public hearing.

Later in the meeting, the board approved 4-0 the 2023 increase in the district’s water and wastewater rates and fees.

Note: The new base rate (renewable water fee) increased by $3; the metering and billing charge per month increased by 50 cents. The volume rates per 1,000 gallons are: Tier 1: 0 to 8,000 gallons—increased by 62 cents. Tier 2: 8,001 to 20,000 gallons—increased by 95 cents. Tier 3: 20,001 to 30,000 gallons—increased by $1.69. Tier 4: 30,001 to 40,000 gallons—increased by $2.21. Tier 5: Over 40,000 gallons—increased by $3.27. The wastewater base rate will be $52.44 per month. For more information and the full rate table, visit: www.triviewmetro.com.

Northern Delivery System update

McGrady said the following:

  • The plans for the NDS pipeline are almost at 100% and the pump station plans are at about 90%.
  • The 16-inch pipe has been ordered, with about a 16-week delivery time. There are no other apparent supply delays.
  • The installation of the pipeline will begin at TMD plant “C” (behind the Sanctuary Pointe development) and be installed from there toward Roller Coaster Road beginning in April. The district expects to have all the pipe installed by September.
  • The convey, treat and deliver contract was expected to be delivered for comment by the end of January. The Colorado Springs Utility Board will then consider the contract in late February, followed by a review in March by the Colorado Springs City Council.
  • Segment “C” of the NDS pipeline, from Agate Creek Park through Homeplace Ranch and up to serve Jackson Creek filings 3-6 is complete. The project went over cost by $30,000 due to an additional bore of 30 feet at $500,000 per foot and the addition of poured concrete bores to secure giant reverse anchors to hold the pipeline in place and prevent sagging. The final cost was $1.699 million. See www.ocn.me/v22n12.htm#tvmd.

District receives reimbursement

McGrady said the district received about $537,147 from the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to help reimburse the costs for the work the district completed on the south reservoir. The district has almost $300,000 remaining on a 2022 loan at 2.05%.

Cummins said CWCB is almost begging districts to build water storage facilities.

Reservoir level outlook

Cummins said the snowpack statewide is terrific, particularly in the upper and lower Colorado River basin where it is about 158% above normal. The Arkansas River basin is at about 72% and maybe better by late January. The levels emphasize how necessary it was for the district to purchase water rights diversification and the development of adequate storage, because the long-term forecast is wet and cold this winter, and depending on where the low pressure passes along the Front Range, somewhere the district owns water rights that will receive snow, he said.

Higby Road widening project

McGrady said he had met with the Lewis-Palmer High School principal, the D38 school board, and the administrative staff to discuss the widening of Higby Road. The district shared its design for the widening project, and it was generally happy with the district’s design, but the intersection has not been defined. A solid island with a pass through is included in the design from Bowstring Road to Jackson Creek Parkway. Students will be able to exit and travel east on Higby Road. It is a tough spot and school officials rejected a traffic circle that would create excessive traffic pouring into the neighborhoods along Bowstring Road, he said.

Otis said that the final plan needs to be idiot proof, unlike the traffic islands on Baptist Road that adults cannot navigate safely. The island should be just high enough that no one will plow over it, exactly like the islands along Jackson Creek Parkway, he said.

Gross said that he would prefer the district spend extra dollars during the widening of Higby Road to ensure the high school students can navigate the Lewis-Palmer High School area safely. One life of a student saved will be worth it, he said.

Public Works, parks, and open space update

Superintendent Matt Rayno said the following:

  • The Public Works Department had been clearing snow from the streets in Forest Lake Metropolitan District, another 3-4 miles of road in addition to TMD roads.
  • Some minor repairs and preventive maintenance were made to the snow removal equipment.
  • Public Works implemented additional webinar safety training for 2023, along with the regular weekly training.
  • Staff are working around the weather to put the landscaping back at Agate Creek Park.
  • Detention pond repairs and maintenance will be made in February, before the spring snow run-off begins.
  • At the end of February and in early March, the pre-emergent herbicide weed control application will begin.
  • Snow clearing is the priority in the winter.

Barnhart complimented the district on the snow clearing during the Jan. 17-18 storm, saying the Public Works staff did a phenomenal job.

Rayno said the crews worked 10-hour shifts to complete the major roads and side streets in the recent heavy storm, the staff are getting better educated with every storm, and he thanked the board for their compliments.

Otis asked about street parking problems during snow clearing operations.

Rayno said it happens just about everywhere, but it is the worst in Sanctuary Pointe where the roads are narrow, and due to the higher elevation of that neighborhood the roads become icy, and it is challenging. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to clear driveways and sidewalks, and the staff make every effort to slow down and avoid spraying snow back on sidewalks, he said. For the Public Works snow removal policy, visit www.triviewmetro.com.

Public comments

Resident Eric Lingle said at the request of a neighbor, the district installed signs in his neighborhood stating “private property of Triview.” That same neighbor has also planted shrubs in the space and had thrown dog excrement into the open space to deter trespassers. It appears they are attempting to claim the space as their private property along an unofficial path that runs up to a district park. Those same neighbors ran out of their house last night to scream at children sledding on the open space in an effort to enforce the signs.

Lingle said it is a joy to see kids playing in the woods, and it does not bother him, but his grave concern is that children go home and complain to parents, and that could escalate into a bad interaction between neighbors. He has not seen anyone misusing the path in 12 years, and other neighbors are not bothered by the children playing. He can, however, hear everything that is going on whenever there is an interaction on the path, and it would be beneficial if the district could incorporate the path into the greenbelt of the district and remove the signs, he said.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at 7:15 p.m., pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes 24-6-402(4)(a), (b), (e), to discuss acquisitions, receive legal advice, to negotiations, regarding water delivery infrastructure, water, and property acquisitions.

The district administrator confirmed that no decisions were made or approved when the board returned to the regular meeting.

The meeting adjourned around 8:35 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 board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 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