OCN

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

OCN > 2305 > Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, April 10 – Trail agreement with school district approved

Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, April 10 – Trail agreement with school district approved

By James Howald

The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board approved an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Lewis-Palmer School District 38 allowing the school district to use a maintenance road adjacent to Woodmoor Lake as part of its Safe Routes to School (SRTS) trail system. District Manager Jessie Shaffer updated the board on the status of WWSD’s water meter replacement project. The board also heard operational reports. The meeting ended with an executive session.

SRTS takes a step forward

Board President Brian Bush asked the board to approve an IGA with the school district that would authorize the district to include a portion of a maintenance road that runs along the south and west edge of Lake Woodmoor in the SRTS trail system, which the school district has been planning for several years. The proposed trail system will connect Lewis-Palmer Elementary School, Lewis-Palmer Middle School, and Palmer Ridge High School, allowing students to walk to those schools with the minimum exposure to traffic.

The text of the IGA specifies that bikes can’t be ridden on the maintenance road. The IGA also says WWSD will not do additional maintenance for the road to accommodate its use as part of SRTS.

The school district will be responsible for building a bridge over the spillway in the south end of Woodmoor Lake and has obtained a separate grant to fund it.

The board voted unanimously to authorize Bush to sign the IGA.

Meter replacement project hits snag

Shaffer told the board that WWSD’s project to replace water meters with newer, more capable technology had uncovered an incompatibility between the electronic components in some of the new meters and the software the district uses to bill customers. About 430 recently replaced meters would need to have their network endpoints updated. The endpoints upload water usage data through a cell network to the billing software, which bills customers and enables them to track their water consumption online. Shaffer said customers with faulty meters have been identified and would be contacted to schedule the needed fix.

Operations Superintendent Dan LaFontaine emphasized that the endpoints would be replaced with no interruption to water service. Some customers would receive an estimated bill for April, he said, adding the repairs should be done by the end of May.

Highlights of operational reports

  • The Chilcott Ditch is being cleaned up, a new culvert has been installed, and water delivery to customers should begin by mid-May.
  • Shaffer said the Colorado Senate was considering SB23-270, a bill which, if passed, would allow stream remediation projects to proceed with a simplified assessment of their impact on water rights. Shaffer said the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority was opposing the bill on the grounds it could take away water rights in some cases.
  • LaFontaine reported two main breaks and a tank overflow. The overflow was due to a radio failure, he said, adding that 70% of the overflow was recovered and added to Woodmoor Lake. A backup battery was added to prevent future overflow, he said.
  • Equipment plans for Well 22 are being reviewed by El Paso County.
  • Contractors have been lined up to begin work on Well 19.
  • Tap permits for the Cloverleaf development in South Woodmoor are expected to be issued in six to eight weeks.
  • The apartments planned for the Monument Junction have been delayed due to the current state of the housing market.

Executive session

The April meeting ended in an executive session to consider strategies relative to negotiations and receive legal advice concerning potential agreements with the Monument Fire District.

**********

The next meeting is scheduled for May 8 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