Triview Metropolitan District, June 19 – Bond funding approved; director positions assigned

Board positions assigned
2025 budget amendment
Bond issuance
Higby Road improvement project
Economic incentive policy
Developer fees
Operations report
Assistant manager’s report
Revenue water/non-revenue water
Utilities update
Kudos for staff volunteers
Pothole reporting
Executive session

By Natalie Barszcz

At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on June 19, the board approved an amendment to the 2025 budget to incorporate funding for the Higby Road project and up to $12.6 million in bonds to move forward with the project. An economic incentive policy and an updated policy for developer water fees were also approved. The directors assigned board positions and received multiple updates.

The board held an executive session to discuss the purchase and sale of water and land, economic incentive agreements, and agreements with the Town of Monument (TOM) and other governmental and private entities.

Board positions assigned

The board unanimously assigned the board positions.

**Above:** From left, President Jason Gross, Secretary/Treasurer Amanda Carlton, Vice President Ann-Marie Jojola, and Directors John Gibbons and Erik Demkowicz. Photo by Chris Cummins.

2025 budget amendment

President Jason Gross opened a public hearing on the 2025 budget amendment.

District Manager James McGrady said the amendment was prompted by an influx of cash from the issuance of the $12.6 million bond and additional expenditures from the Public Works Capital Improvement Fund for the construction costs for the Higby Road improvements. The 2025 budget did not include funds for the Higby Road improvements, because the district did not know it would be issued bond financing. The budget needs to be adjusted accordingly, even though the district does not anticipate a bond payment in 2025 but will have two payments in 2026, said McGrady.

General Counsel George Rowley said it is standard procedure to acknowledge that the district will be receiving additional unplanned revenue. State law requires the district amend the budget to reflect the additional funding when the district ends up spending more than anticipated, said Rowley.

Gross closed the public comment hearing on the 2025 budget amendment.

The budget was amended to reflect $8.5 million in the 2025 budget (not the full bond amount). The district does not anticipate spending more than the amended amount on Higby Road in 2025. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.

The board unanimously approved Resolution 2025-10, amending the 2025 budget.

Bond issuance

McGrady requested the board review and consider approving Resolution 2025-07, a resolution of the TMD Board of Directors, issuing a $12.6 million bond for the Higby Road project.

The board unanimously approved the resolution.

Higby Road improvement project

McGrady requested the board approve Resolution 2025-11, a resolution to widen and improve Higby Road. He said the TOM had issued a plat note denying approval of further development in the north of the district without assurance that Higby Road will be widened. The district will present the resolution with the financial plan to the Planning Commission to comply with the plat note. The district has received solid bids with a maximum price of about $12.4 million to build the road. The district occasionally takes on large projects such as the widening of Jackson Creek Parkway for about $6.6 million in 2018. See https://wp.ocn.mev25n6tmd/.

Director Erik Demkowicz said he hopes the town knows that the TMD residents are paying for the road improvements for everyone’s benefit.

Gross said the project is an important safety priority, and the town worked with the district to incorporate the road from El Paso County. Somehow in the agreement the town incorporated the road, but the TMD residents are paying for the project.

The board unanimously approved the resolution.

Economic incentive policy

The board also approved Resolution 2025-08, an economic incentive policy. An economic incentive package was approved in April for the development located south of Monument Marketplace, however the district’s incentive policy required approval and some amendments for future large retail projects. See https://wp.ocn.me.v25n5tmd/.

Rowley said it is a net positive to give up some development proposals to allow for larger retail projects with at least 100,000 square feet of retail space, generating at least $500,000 in sales tax for the district, according to the sales tax share back from the intergovernmental agreement with the TOM, and a minimum of 50 full-time employment opportunities is included in the policy. The district receives 1.5% in sales tax with 0.5% dedicated to renewable water from the TOM for sales tax collected within the district. The policy allows for some fees to be waived, he said.

The board unanimously approved the resolution with two amendments.

Developer fees

The board also unanimously approved Resolution 2025-09, a revised schedule setting water fees and development requirements in lieu of fees for developers.

Operations report

McGrady said the following:

The district continues to supply renewable water to customers, with good inflows of water coming in from the district’s water rights.
Consumer demands are being met by the Northern Delivery System (NDS), with a little well pumping to maintain the wells, delivering 80% to 90% of the water from renewable sources.
The water rights plan is working appropriately, with received flows diverted into the South Reservoir. Any excess flow will be exchanged into Pueblo Reservoir in readiness for the winter months.
The augmentation station diversion structure on the Arkansas Valley Irrigation Co. Ditch (Buena Vista) has been completed, and it was scheduled to be operational by June 27.
The district received the first invoice for the Northern Monument Creek Interceptor design.
The district is working hard to move the Higby Road project forward.

Assistant manager’s report

Assistant Manager Steve Sheffield said:

The district has about 15 Badger meters left to be replaced between residential/commercial properties.
The district is working on the engineering standards to ensure compliance with the latest construction practices.
The Sanctuary Pointe Park sporting field reservations are down from 2024, but the district has received a large number of reservations for the fall season.

Revenue water/non-revenue water

Water Treatment Superintendent Gary Potter said he continues to research water loss, known in the industry as revenue water/non-revenue water. The team is working together to combat the problem from both ends, finding apparent loss, such as meters not entered into the system correctly, incorrect meter input, and active leak detection services. Water loss in a system with 66 miles of distribution pipe is inevitable, and the district will never achieve zero loss, he said. The American Water Works Association used to quote under 10% as acceptable loss but has moved away from that figure because one-size-fits-all does not work for all systems.

The district is at 6.35% loss for May, and when all avenues have been explored over the next several months, the team will need to determine how much water loss is an economically recoverable amount. The degree to which the district puts money into researching water loss will change over time, said Potter.

Sheffield said the average water system loses 15%-20% monthly.

Utilities update

Potter also said the following:

The A plant (Oxbow Drive) will be decommissioned due to the two wells being transferred to B plant (St. Lawrence Way). The plant will be used for vehicle storage or sold to another district.
A laser flow meter was installed at the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (UMCRWWTF) to measure the accuracy of the district’s wastewater flumes. The collection of data over the next month will determine flow accuracy.
The NDS produced 80% of the district’s water in May, with a little higher well water pumped due to the work taking place at B Plant yard.

Kudos for staff volunteers

Parks and Open Space Superintendent Matt Rayno said the district staff had received a letter of gratitude from the president of the Pikes Peak Soap Box Derby for providing volunteers from the Public Works Department from May 31-June 2. The event closed Higby Road and would not have been successful without the district’s support and Tom Martinez from the Town of Monument.

Pothole reporting

Rayno said pothole patching typically occurs in spring and about 250 pounds of asphalt has been used to repair issues in 2025. Residents can use the district website to report pothole issues that occur within the district’s area of responsibility.

Note: The district is not responsible for the commercial property areas and Baptist Road.

Executive session

The board moved into an executive session at about 8:42 p.m. to discuss the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer, or sale of real, personal, or other property interests needed by the district, pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) section 24-6-402(a), and to receive legal advice pursuant to CRS section 24-6-402(4)(b), as it relates to water matters and agreements with the TOM, and other governmental and private entities including Creekside Developments, LLC and associated entities. The session also determined the district’s positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, related to the purchase and sale of water and land, economic incentive agreements, and agreements with the TOM, and other governmental and private entities including Creekside Developments LLC and associated entities, pursuant to CRS section 24-6-402(4)(e).

Sheffield confirmed to this reporter that when the board returned to the regular session at 9:17 p.m., no action was taken by the board, and the meeting promptly adjourned.

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Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of the month at the district office located at 16055 Old Forest Point, Suite 302. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 17 at 5:30 p.m. For meeting agendas, minutes, and updates, visit https://triviewmetro.com.

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