TOWN OF CASTLE ROCK
VOL. 11, ISSUE 2
Fall • Winter 2013
A magazine for everyone who calls Castle Rock home
North Meadows Extension
The path to the project
Student safety
Police partner with Douglas County Schools
New neighbor
Castle Rock Adventist Hospital fulfills vision Castle Rock Recreation Center 2301 Woodlands Blvd. Castle Rock, CO 80104
ECRWSS POSTAL CUSTOMER CASTLE ROCK, CO
PRESRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID CASTLE ROCK, CO PERMIT NO. 26
New neighbors What a great time it is to live in and be Mayor of Castle Rock. The weather is warm, local events are in full swing, and the community again gave the Town’s services two big thumbs up, with favorable ratings in the 2013 community survey (see page 5 for more details). We are blessed, indeed.
In this issue
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Legacy Water Projects
Town makes significant strides with new facility, WISE agreement
12
Focusing on school safety
New partnership brings new programs
14
Information technology
Learn what it takes to wire a Town
16
Growth funds growth
Increased revenue builds capacity
22
New trails
Hangman’s Gulch now open
The community is thriving, welcoming new amenities – and neighbors – as it evolves. To continue to meet service levels, we’ve acquired new equipment for the Fire Department (pages 18-19) and added to our Development Services Department’s capacity (pages 16-17). Homebuilding activity is the highest it’s been in Castle Rock since 2006, contributing to the Town’s financial resources, but also to the community’s service needs. As we continue to keep pace with that growth, we are also focused on making progress on long-term water efforts (pages 8-9), and on the construction of Philip S. Miller Park and Fieldhouse (page 24). Last, but certainly not least, we have welcomed a significant new amenity with the recent opening of Castle Rock Adventist Hospital. This milestone helped us further achieve our Vision 2020 goal of having a 24-hour medical facility in Town. Centura Health has a reputation of providing personal, quality care and hiring top-notch professionals. We know the hospital will be a wonderful addition to our community. Please join me in welcoming all of our new neighbors and in being thankful for such a great place to live.
Mayor Paul Donahue
where to call community resources at a glance Animal control/nonemergency Police Building permits Business licenses Chamber of Commerce Code enforcement Douglas County government Douglas Count Libraries Elections/voter information Fire Department nonemergency Main Town number Municipal Court Park rentals
A publication of the Castle Rock Community Relations Division Design Karen McGrath, Community Relations Creative Services Supervisor Lisa Edgar, Imagine Design
303-663-6100 720-733-3527 720-733-2227 303-688-4597 720-733-3559 303-660-7400 303-791-7323 303-660-1367 303-660-1066 303-660-1015 303-663-6133 720-733-2260
Public Works/snow removal Recreation Center Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course Town Council information Town employment Transit-dependent services Utility/water billing Water conservation
720-733-2462 303-660-1036 720-733-3500 303-660-1367 720-733-2218 303-814-6407 303-660-1373 720-733-6000
E mergency Mass Notification Life can change with just a moment’s notice. Make sure you are connected to emergency personnel. To register, visit CRgov.com/CodeRED.
Executive Editor
Fritz Sprague, Deputy Town Manager
Editors Kristin Zagurski, Management Analyst Karen McGrath, Community Relations Creative Services Supervisor Caroline Kipp, Community Relations Specialist
Photography Mark Sims, Karen McGrath, Versatility Marketing Essentials, Centura Health and Katie Russell On the cover Police officers and Douglas County Schools form innovative safety partnership.
Light the Rock
Energy-saving LED lights now illuminate our symbol of freedom atop the Rock. The Town’s Parks and Recreation Department piloted new lights to light the American flag at night. White LED lights were chosen based on community feedback.
A tribute to Ray Waterman
Go green. Get fit. Bike around.
The Town, Castle Rock Adventist Health Campus and Castle Rock Bike & Ski have teamed up to provide residents with another way around Town. The Free Cycle program allows residents and visitors to borrow bicycles for up to four hours, free of charge. In its second year, the program now has four locations, including Town Hall and the Castle Rock Recreation Center. Bikes can be reserved online, castlerockfreecycle.com.
GOOD TO KNOW
St. Jude Dream Home
The St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway offers participants a chance to win a beautiful home while raising money to research and treat childhood cancer. It is a team effort again this year. Sponsors of the program include Oakwood Homes, which is building the home, and Castle Rock Development Co., which donated the lot in The Meadows. Other sponsors include Fox 31 Denver, KYGO, KBNO, Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Brizo, Shaw Floors and the Town of Castle Rock, which reduced building fees for the home. Learn more and purchase tickets online, stjude.org/dreamhome.
Former Mayor Ray Waterman was known as teacher, mentor, community leader and family man. For all he did for our community, Town Council this summer honored Waterman’s memory with the Cornerstone Tribute award, which recognizes residents who have contributed to the Castle Rock vision. In addition, community contributions helped the Town plant trees along Sellars Gulch in honor of Waterman. The Cornerstone Tribute plaque is located near those trees.
Honored to be a safe community Nationwide geographic research and data analysis firm Neighborhood Scout recently ranked the 100 safest communities of more than 25,000 people. Castle Rock ranked No. 32. View the entire list at neighborhoodscout.com.
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TOWN FINANCES Improved economy drives financial planning updates Look around, and you’ll see signs that the local economy is improving. Some of the most visible indicators are the construction of new homes and businesses in Town.
What is the 2013-2015 Balanced Financial Plan? • The plan is balanced for all three years, without raising taxes. • The plan supports core Town Council priorities – public safety, securing renewable water, the North Meadows Extension, Philip S. Miller Park and economic development. • The plan maintains high-quality operating services, infrastructure and advances technology and looks beyond 2015. Learn more at CRgov.com/balancedplan.
While new construction has a positive impact on the Town’s revenues, it also creates pressure points in terms of meeting established levels of Town services. Last year, the Town created a three-year plan to put in place a strategy for moving your local government from recession into recovery. The 2013-2015 Balanced Financial Plan is prudent with public funds and is balanced for all three years – without raising taxes – while allowing for movement on projects that had gone unfunded during the recession. Town leadership realized that the plan would need to be updated as better information was obtained, and that time has come. Revenues in 2012, and so far in 2013, have been stronger than projected. That has allowed the Town to advance some projects, such as security improvements
at the Police Department, as well as to add some capacity to meet service levels – most notably in the Development Services Department (see pages 16-17 for details). These and other initiatives have been incorporated into a revised three-year plan, which was presented to Town Council in June. The plan remains balanced while accomplishing the Town’s major priorities. View the plan at CRgov.com/balancedplan. Town staff is now working to refine the plan for 2014-2016, including specifics of the proposed 2014 budget, which will first will be presented to the public at the Oct. 22 Town Council meeting. The formal first reading of the proposed 2014 budget is scheduled for the Nov. 5 Council meeting, and second and final reading for Council’s Dec. 3 meeting. All Council meetings begin at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at Town Hall, 100 N. Wilcox St. Public comment is welcome. The proposed budget will be posted online ahead of the Oct. 22 Council meeting, CRgov.com/2014budget.
The local economy showed improvement in 2012 and continues to do so thus far in 2013. All major revenue indicators for 2012 came in near or above what was projected. 2013 projections also have been adjusted upward, based upon experience to date.
Indicator: Sales tax Residential building permits Commercial building permits
Projected for 2012: 6 percent increase over 2011 425 5
2012 actual: 7.7 percent increase over 2011 534 5
Indicator: Sales tax Residential building permits Commercial building permits
Original 2013 projection: 5 percent increase over 2012 350 5
Revised 2013 projection: 5.3 percent increase over 2012 750 12
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Fall • Winter 2013
Survey shows community members pleased with life in Castle Rock The people of Castle Rock love living here, and it shows in the results of the Town’s 2013 community survey.
issues facing Castle Rock. Business respondents expressed hopefulness regarding their future sales prospects.
Survey respondents indicated that the Town government is doing a solid job, and that they favor maintaining Castle Rock’s small-town character as the community grows. The existence of special events is one aspect particularly important to keeping Castle Rock’s hometown feel, respondents to the statistically valid survey said.
Small-town character and central location were the reasons most frequently given for living in Castle Rock, along with the Town’s scenic beauty, proximity to work and school, and available amenities.
Residents and Town business license holders gave most Town services, amenities and quality of life items high marks. Virtually all were ranked near or above good, on a scale where 3 is “average,” 4 is “good” and 5 is “excellent.” Of the 77 items that could be compared to a similar community survey conducted in 2011, 62 items – or 81 percent – showed an improvement. Similar to the 2011 survey, the research indicated that long-term water and traffic congestion are the most salient
A majority of those surveyed said that they agreed with the Town’s vision, to be a world-class community with small-town character, and current priorities: 1. Securing long-term renewable water 2. Completing the North Meadows Extension 3. Providing outstanding public health and safety services 4 Creating jobs/expanding the tax base 5. Constructing Phase One of Philip S. Miller Park View the full report on the survey results at CRgov.com/2013survey or on the Community Connections page on the Town’s Transparency Portal at CRgov.com/transparency. CRgov.com
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THE ROADWAY TO A ROAD PROJECT
It’s the largest road project in Castle Rock history, and it’s also one of the larger transportation projects currently in the works in Colorado. Once complete, the road will cross over one creek, and two railroads, intersect with two major highways, and have a total grade change of more than 20 stories. It’s not only a large project, it is also a very complex one.
So buckle up for a look at the Town’s No.1 transportation priority. The North Meadows Extension has come a long way since voters approved funding for the project in 2005.
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From research to design to construction, there are many phases to building a road of this magnitude, each step involving the Town’s project partners and the community. Shortly after voters approved the 2005 bond issue, which also funded two other road projects that are now part of Plum Creek Parkway, project engineers researched the parameters and set goals for the North Meadows Extension. This process also included understanding the requirements for each of the jurisdictions involved, including compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
April 2005 More than 75 percent of Castle Rock voters approved a $30 million Transportation Action Plan bond issue to help build three roadway projects in Town, including the North Meadows Extension.
February 2006 To alleviate congestion, it is decided a new Interstate 25 interchange is needed. Later that year, the new North Meadows Extension interchange became part of the Denver Regional Council of Governments’ Fiscally Constrained 2030 Regional Transportation Plan.
February 2007 The Town hosted an open house to gather input to begin the project’s Environmental Assessment. The assessment is a federal requirement and describes the project’s benefits and impacts on the surrounding area.
April 2008 The Town hosted an open house to evaluate where the road should travel. At first, the project team had more than 20 options to consider.
February 2010 Union Pacific again stated it would not move the rail line, as the benefits to the railroad would not outweigh the costs. Town Council decided not to continue negotiations with the railroad.
April 2010 The Town hosted a open house to gather input on the complete draft of the Environmental Assessment. Town Council chose the Castlegate alignment, after having an original 20 options and hosting eight open houses, including three before the bond issue was passed in 2005.
Late 2010 Environmental Assessment is completed. March 2011 The Federal Highway Administration reviewed the Environmental Assessment and signed a Finding of No Significant Impact, meaning the project would not negatively impact the area and, therefore, could move forward.
July 2011 A value engineering study generated more than 110 ideas for cost-savings on this project, following an increase in material costs. Town Council voted to move forward with 26 viable cost-reduction options.
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North Meadows Extension
This 2-mile road will bridge over the BNSF Railway line, Plum Creek and a Union Pacific Railroad line, in addition to intersecting with Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 85.
That means many agencies are involved in approving the design and construction of this new road – Douglas County, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, along with the railroads, the state’s Public Utilities Commission, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Once the initial research was complete, an Environmental Assessment was performed in accordance with the Environmental Policy Act. This assessment began in 2007 and was completed and approved by the Federal Highway Administration in early 2011. In the meantime, there were some significant decisions to make, such as the alignment of the road and whether it should travel over or under the railway line and I-25. These decisions were carefully considered based on community involvement over the past seven years. The road’s path, for example, started with more than 20 options.
Using extensive community input during eight public open houses, Council in 2010 decided the road will align with the existing Castlegate Drive North. In 2011, Council decided the road would cross under I-25, and in 2012, Council decided the road will pass over the railroad. Also in 2012, Town Council approved a general contractor for the project. In addition, the Town had to obtain approval from the Federal Highway Administration and the Colorado Department of Transportation for the road’s intersection with U.S. 85 and I-25, a process that began in 2008 and was completed in 2013. With these key decisions made and approvals obtained, the project team began to finalize the design, which was shown to the public at an open house in February 2013. With this input, the design is mostly complete, and the project team has started working with landowners on necessary property acquisition. Then, construction can begin.
Construction will be done in three phases, starting on the west side and going over the BNSF railroad. The project is still on track for construction to begin this year and for the road to open in 2015. Learn more online, CRgov.com/NME.
December 2008 CDOT approved a construction option that would save up to $14 million – a signalized intersection at U.S. Highway 85, rather than an overpass. Still, it would have meant moving 1 mile of Union Pacific Railroad line, which the railroad indicated it would not do.
April 2009 The Town hosted an open house about alignment alternatives. More than 600 people attended, and more than 230 comment cards were submitted after the event.
August 2009 Town Council hosted a public hearing about alignment alternatives. Town Council directed staff to continue talks with Union Pacific about moving the rail line.
September 2009 Town Council met with state legislators about the rail line issue.
December 2011 Town Council chose design firm Tsiouvaras Simmons Holderness to lead design, and formal design began.
May 2012 Residents helped decide the project will cross over the BNSF Railway tracks northwest of Castle View High School, rather than under the tracks. Town Council chose Edward Kraemer & Sons as the project’s general contractor.
February 2013 The Town hosted an open house to gather input on the project’s landscaping and other aesthetics. More than 100 people attend or provide comments online.
July 2013 The Town and Douglas County enter into an intergovernmental agreement in which the County contributes $10.5 million toward the project, specifically to construct regional areas of the project between U.S. 85 and I-25.
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Council approves WISE agreement Major progress toward securing Castle Rock’s long-term water future was made in May, when Town Council unanimously approved the Town’s participation in the regional WISE Partnership.
Council approved an agreement to form the South Metro WISE Authority, of which Castle Rock is therefore one of 10 members.
Through its participation in the authority, the Town is set to receive 1,000 acre-feet of water per year from Denver and Aurora, with initial, smaller deliveries starting in 2016 and the full amounts arriving by 2020. (The average Castle Rock household uses about one-half an acre-foot of water per year.) Approval of the agreement was the result of more than four years of effort. Now, in order for the delivery of WISE water to come to fruition, contingencies must be met: • Approval of a pipeline agreement to move the water to the south metro area • Army Corps of Engineers approval to store the water in Rueter-Hess Reservoir, which is anticipated before the end of 2013 • Approval of a separate agreement among 18 entities statewide to work cooperatively on water resource issues
The Town’s estimated annual operational and maintenance costs for WISE water are $2.3 million, and capital costs are estimated at $37.1 million – both of which will be covered by the Town’s current water rates and fees structure. The WISE agreement will provide the Town with a permanent, but variable and interruptible, water supply, using partnerships and existing resources.
It is a major component of the Town’s Legacy Water Projects and will advance the Town’s goal of a 75 percent renewable water supply by 2065, when it is expected the Town will reach full population build out. It also will allow the Town to share renewable water costs with other entities and to spread those costs more evenly among current and future Town water customers. Learn more about the Town’s long-term water efforts at CRgov.com/LegacyWater.
PLUM CREEK WATER PURIFICATI 8
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Tour the Water Purification Facility Watch as your water gets purified before your eyes by touring the Town’s new, state-of-the-art Plum Creek Water Purification Facility – one of the Town’s Legacy Water Projects.
Want to know what all of those steps entail? See them in action during one-hour tours of the facility, being held at 10 a.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month through November.
The facility’s unique design uses a five-step treatment process to purify both groundwater and surface water: 1) Chemical pretreatment 2) Flocculation/sedimentation 3) Greensand filtration 4) Membrane filtration 5) Post-filter chemical treatment
Reservations are required and can be made online at CRgov.com/watertours or by calling 720-733-6000. Part of a scout, school, church or civic group? Special tours can be scheduled at other times for groups larger than 10 people using the above information. Those who can’t make it out for a tour can take a virtual trek through the plant at the above website.
ION FACILITY CRgov.com
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Castle Rock Adventist Hospital offers 24-hour care locally It’s all about local at Castle Rock’s new hospital, which opened Aug. 1. Foremost, the new neighbor makes available a local choice for those seeking hospital care, further fulfilling the Town’s Vision 2020 goal of facilitating the development of a 24-hour medical facility in Castle Rock. (The 24-hour emergency room attached to the hospital opened about two years ago.) “After years of planning and development, our team is excited the day has finally come for us to open Castle Rock’s first hospital and start providing compassionate care and comprehensive services to our community,” CEO Todd Folkenberg said. The 50-bed Castle Rock Adventist Hospital, 2350 Meadows Blvd., connects Castle Rock to Colorado’s largest health
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care system, Centura Health. Expert providers at the state-of-the art facility specialize in areas including orthopedics; emergency, pediatric and cardiac services; intensive care; radiology/imaging; rehabilitation; and sleep disorders.
service. National award-winning Executive Chef Dan Skay will bring most items to patrons’ plates by way of local vendors, including one very local option – the hospital’s on-site community garden, the Garden of Eatin’.
The hospital also gives expecting parents a local option for bringing the newest Castle Rock residents into the world. The west-facing labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum rooms are complete with small chandeliers and fold-down couches, where dad can catch some sleep.
The restaurant has a wood-fired pizza oven, a coffee shop and serves nonalcoholic wine. It, and other areas throughout the hospital, is beautified with stone from local provider Sunset Stone.
Local touches continue throughout the hospital.
Elegance exudes throughout the facility; even the food that goes to patients’ rooms will be served on real china – more like room service than hospital food.
There’s Manna, the hospital’s restaurant, which is far from a stereotypical hospital cafeteria. Hungry visitors will be completely taken care of, with sit-down
Artwork carries a local, aspen theme, and includes a giant installation in the lobby, with lights choreographed to music that change colors with the seasons.
Add photo
Other high-tech items include interactive screens, programmed by Denver digital signage company Four Winds Interactive. In the hospital’s lobby, but have an appointment in the attached medical office building? Finding your doctor’s office will be a snap, using touch-screen wayfinding, complete with printed-out directions to your destination. Most employees of the hospital won’t need directions, however, and will
have a short commute; Centura hired well-trained and board-certified staff who wished to both live and work in Castle Rock, completing the local connection. “We know Centura Health and Castle Rock Adventist Hospital are a wonderful addition to our community, and we look forward to a long-term and positive partnership,” Mayor Paul Donahue said.
Residents of Castle Rock and beyond no doubt are excited about this new neighbor. Enthusiasm may cause the new hospital to grow quickly – the building’s fourth floor is a blank slate, offering room for expansion in any needed area at just a few months’ notice.
LEARN MORE AT castlerockhospital.org.
“ After years of planning and development, our team is excited the day has finally come for us to open Castle Rock’s first hospital.” TODD FOLKENBERG, CEO
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Pictured here: Police Chief Jack Cauley and Douglas County School District Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Fagen, center, with police officers and students.
A SAFE PLACE TO LEARN PARTNERSHIP FOCUSES ON
innovation IN school safety
As they listen to their teacher read aloud, work on a new math problem, or play outside, children aren’t thinking about how safe their school is. But parents can be assured that teachers, as well as school staff and public safety personnel in Douglas County, have our children’s safety at the forefront.
“This partnership is a win-win situation for everyone,” said Castle Rock Police Chief Jack Cauley. “Our combined efforts will enhance security within our schools and will increase our interaction with staff and students. We will continue to work together to make our schools in each of our communities a safe place to learn.”
After the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School last year, Douglas County School officials immediately met with Douglas County law enforcement agencies, including the Castle Rock Police Department, to take a proactive look at school safety.
The cost of hiring the two new officers is $177,950 per year. The one-time cost to purchase two police vehicles is $83,196, and the one-time cost to equip the officers is $19,742.
Douglas County Schools already had a strong safety program in place. Still, it’s important to be continually evaluating the safety of the area’s youngest residents. So, what started as a meeting resulted in a standing school safety committee and additional safety features for schools. Starting with the 2013-2014 school year, police officers will have a stronger presence at area schools through the new School Marshal Program, which 12
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school district leaders believe to be the first of its kind in the country. Castle Rock will hire two additional officers to patrol two preschools, nine elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school within its jurisdiction. (Castle View High School already has a Castle Rock school resource officer, and Douglas County High School is covered by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.) Officers with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Lone Tree and Parker police departments will patrol schools within their jurisdictions.
The school district will contribute $138,000, plus $10,400 for each of its two charter schools annually, covering most of the costs to employ the officers. Castle Rock will hire new officers in January 2014 and will use existing resources to patrol the schools until then. In addition to the Marshal Program, the school district is adding security features to school buildings. For safety reasons, those details are not public. The new safety committee will continue to meet regularly, keeping student safety on the top of everyone’s mind.
One of Castle Rock’s oldest family traditions returns this summer for its 121st season. Enjoy two entertainment stages, three professional rodeos, bull riding, an antique tractor pull, Mutton busting, a stick-horse rodeo, 4-H exhibits and more. An expanded carnival is part of this year’s event. The annual parade, hosted by the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce, starts at 9 a.m. Aug. 10 in Downtown Castle Rock. More information and tickets are online, douglascountyfairandrodeo.com.
Fall into fun in Castle Rock. From family-friendly traditions, like the County Fair, to frightful Halloween events, everyone will find fun this fall. Oktoberfest, Sept. 14
The Downtown Merchants Association invites you to celebrate the feel of fall in the area during the annual Oktoberfest from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Festival Park. Live music by Rick Bolger and the Average German Band, along with a variety of beer, wine and food, are the highlights of this event. A Kid’s Zone will include face painting, a bounce house and a petting zoo. Learn more at downtowncastlerock.com.
Halloween fun and fright
FALL EVENTS
121st annual Douglas County Fair and Rodeo, Aug. 8-11
The Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department’s Castle of Terror runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26. The Fire Training Center, 333 Malibu St., transforms into a scary scene for this event.
For children, the Castle Rock Recreation Center hosts the annual Spooktacular festival from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 26. Bring your little ghost or goblin for fun and games. For children of all ages, Festival Park is the place to be on Halloween from 2 to 5 p.m. Join the Town for a costume contest, activities and trick-or-treating at Downtown businesses. Spooktacular and Trick or Treat Street are free. Tickets for the haunted house will be available online, CRgov.com/terror. For more information on all of these and other local events, visit CRgov.com/events or downtowncastlerock.com. .
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The genius team Design - Photo Collage
Town’s IT division advances technology, secures infrastructure From the financial world to the nonprofit and governmental sectors, Castle Rock Chief Technology Officer Jennifer Jaeger has a broad range of experiences that have helped her in her first year of leading one of the Town’s most technically complicated areas, the Division of Innovation and Technology.
the team supports two significant records management systems – one for Castle Rock Police and one for Castle Rock Fire and Rescue. IT also manages applications for utility billing and the snowplow tracker, which shows residents where snowplows are during a snowstorm.
It’s 25 years of experience that she draws from each and every day.
Then, there is the significant responsibility of keeping all of this information and infrastructure secure. On a typical day, the IT infrastructure blocks more than 1 million connections with the Town’s firewall, securely backs up 96 databases, and blocks more than 150 email viruses and more than 1,000 spam messages. It also scans every open file for viruses.
“There’s no typical day for us,” said Jaeger, who was promoted to the post in November 2012. “IT is a constantly challenging and changing world. There is a lot of juggling that goes into our normal work day.” Numbers help tell that story. Jaeger’s team of 13 employees and one intern manages 50,650 feet of fiber that runs throughout Town to provide network connectivity for employees in 16 different facilities. The team also manages more than 400 mobile devices, 200 wireless user accounts, 500 desktop computers, 30 tablets and 300 desk phones. The team supports 100 applications throughout Town, which are as different as the departments they serve. For example,
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To pull all of this off, team members, who wear blue each Wednesday as a fun team-building initiative, look to each other. “We all help each other,” said Jaeger. “We’ll stop what we’re doing to work together on a large-scale project or urgent matter.” All of those devices and applications, along with 74 servers, 96 databases and 17 terabytes of data, need support. On average, the DoIT team, as it is internally known, responds to between 15 and 20 help desk tickets every day.
“We want to make sure our customers, which are our Town employees, have the technology and support necessary to do their jobs,” Jaeger said. “That’s our primary goal.” A recent division survey indicates 93 percent of employees were overall satisfied with the division’s customer service. “Jenn is a rare talent,” said Deputy Town Manager Fritz Sprague. “She and her team really get the human side of what technology is about and its purpose to serve all of our customers.” While juggling daily tasks, the team also supports a variety of long-term projects Townwide. Currently, the team is working on 60 different projects. It has led the installation of in-car cameras for the Castle Rock Police Department (see page 20 for more),
and is helping the Development Services Department find mobile solutions for its inspection and permitting processes. The GIS, or geographic information systems, team within DoIT creates maps that help employees determine slope of an area, the population density of a neighborhood, where to find various animal habitats, and much more. It goes without saying that doing this complex work requires a particular skill set. “I work with highly intelligent people, with an unmatched level of tenacity to complete their work and solve complex problems,” Jaeger said. “But we are also a fun group. We joke with each other. We are a true (blue) team.”
“ IT is a constantly changing and challenging world. There is a lot of juggling that goes into our normal work day.” J E N N I F E R J A E G E R , C H I E F T E C H N O L O G Y O F F I C E R
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Rebuilding resources
CONSTRUCTION PAYS FOR CAPACIT Y TO MEET SERVICE LEVELS Growth pays for growth in Castle Rock. That means that funding for development-related staffing ebbs and flows along with development patterns. Building is again taking off in Castle Rock, bringing in additional revenues that are providing for Town Council’s June authorization of 10 additional full-time development-related positions. The hiring of those positions is wrapping up as construction activities continue into late summer and early fall. The Castle Rock Economic Partnership – comprised of the Town and the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Development Authority and Economic Development Council – prides itself on growing the tax base, creating a quality business climate and being responsive to its customers’ needs.
To stay competitive during the recession, the Economic Partnership established a program that guarantees a 10-day turnaround on certain permits – a promise previously unheard of that has since been adopted by other area development services departments throughout Colorado. To maintain that and other established service levels amid the current surge in development, the Town must reinstate some of the positions that it cut during the recession. “Developers and businesses pay fees to ensure quality service from the Town’s Development Services Department,” said Frank Gray, president and CEO of the Castle Rock EDC. “Allocating these additional resources will ensure that those services live up to expectations.”
“ Developers and businesses pay fees to ensure quality service from the Town’s Development Services Department,” said Frank Gray, president and CEO of the Castle Rock EDC. “Allocating these additional resources will ensure that those services live up to expectations.” 16
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“ We want to make it easier for businesses to come here, for services to come here, for jobs to come here,” Mayor Paul Donahue said. “ And this is a great way to make it happen.”
The Development Services Enterprise’s 10 new full-time positions are funded by increased development revenue and not general tax dollars. They are: THREE
Combination building inspectors
The Town’s development operations are conducted like a business. Development fees – not general tax dollars – pay for development resources.
ONE Building inspector supervisor, reinstated to
Called the Development Services Enterprise, the business had significant resources in 2006 and 2007, when construction peaked ahead of the recession. It once had 56 full-time positions, which dwindled to 28 during the economic downturn.
ONE Construction project manager, a new position
2013 activity expectations help demonstrate the need for more development manpower. The Town is anticipating 219 development applications, 484 development reviews and 3,225 building permit reviews this year. That is up from the previous records of 171 (2009), 231 (2012) and 2,118 (2005), respectively. Improvements to codes; electronic plan review and permit systems; and added staff expertise have resulted in efficiencies that do not require a return to 2007 staff levels, despite some activity levels this year being higher than they were then. As Town Council authorized this year’s positions, Mayor Paul Donahue acknowledged that the Town’s development staff worked hard to keep up with demands while facing rather limited resources during the recession. Now, it’s time to ensure the standards the staff worked hard to maintain continue as development activity increases. “We have had a change in the economy. We have seen an excitement around Castle Rock, around economic development. If we want to be competitive, then we have to ante up to make it happen,” Donahue said. “We want to make it easier for businesses to come here, for services to come here, for jobs to come here. And this is a great way to make it happen.”
ensure proper administration and supervision of building inspection staff that will oversee legislative, plan review and construction activities
ONE Plan review engineer technician, a new position
to assist the plan review project manager with simple project and plan review coordination
ONE Planner I, reinstated to assist with legislative
applications, simple site plan applications and customer service inquiries
ONE Fire plan review position, to conduct plan
review and field inspections
ONE Utilities plan review position, to conduct plan
review activities
QUARTER-TIME Plan review engineer in Public Works, to
assist with completion of all site plan and CD applications
HALF-TIME Project manager in information technology,
to assist with implementation of development software updates and support
QUARTER-TIME Geographic information systems specialist
position, to assist with GIS tracking and map updates
Projected Development Services Enterprise Fund revenue increase for 2013:
$1.35 million
Annual cost for positions: Vehicle/equipment/supplies one-time cost:
$878,695 $103,042 CRgov.com
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Answering the call NEW FIRE TRUCKS HELP MAINTAIN COMMUNIT Y SAFET Y Safety is of utmost importance in Castle Rock. That means everything from high-quality fire and police services to a safe water supply, secured technology and well-maintained roads. At the Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department, for example, highly trained personnel are constantly evaluating services against data such as response times, accident type and incident locations. They also evaluate the equipment used against the same benchmarks. To continue to meet demands, the Fire Department recently acquired a
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new quint ladder truck, which replaces a 1994 model with nearly 100,000 miles on it. A quint has five functions – a pump, a water tank, fire hose, an aerial ladder and ground ladders – meaning it can answer nearly any type of call the department receives. The new truck is now in service at Fire Station No. 155 in Sapphire Pointe. “Our fire and rescue personnel are some of the best in the industry, and I am proud of the incredible work they do,” said Castle Rock Fire Chief Art Morales. “Their skill and compassion, combined with the right technology and fire rescue equipment, make our Town one
of the safest places to live, work and raise a family.” The new truck features the strongest aerial ladder on the market, along with some key safety features, such as full airbags for all riding positions, independent front suspension for stability and 100,000 pounds of tested crush strength for the cab. It also includes an information data screen for monitoring vehicle functions and a data recorder (or black box) to track those functions. When making decisions about new equipment, Town Council carefully considers data and measures the
expenditure against department goals. For the Castle Rock Fire Department, those goals are outlined in its accreditation documents. Castle Rock Fire and Rescue last year earned national accreditation through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, an honor just 161 of the more than 26,000 fire departments nationwide had earned at the time of the accreditation.
Accreditation means an ongoing commitment to improvement and a continuous eye on community needs. That’s why the community was invited to celebrate the arrival of the new truck. But they didn’t get to see it for long. Shortly after the cake was cut during June’s celebration, Station No. 155 got the call. And the new quint answered.
Two new engines also online Also to continue levels of public safety service, the Town retired two fire engines this year. Each logged about 100,000 miles while responding to countless calls throughout Castle Rock and the south metro area since 1997. The engines were replaced by two 2012 KME-brand trucks, which also offer enhanced technology and safety features for the public and for the fire and rescue crews that use them.
“Our fire and rescue personnel are some of the best in the industry, and I am proud of the incredible work they do.” ART MORALES, FIRE CHIEF
The new engines’ main use is as work platforms for the services the department provides, such as rescues, emergency medical services and firefighting. They have the same new technology features as the quint. Engine 151 has some additional features that allow it to function as a rescue engine, including a larger generator to power a hydraulic rescue system built into the vehicle, and additional storage for wood cribbing and rescue struts, used in extrication of patients at the scene of an accident.
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POLICE IN-CAR CAMERAS Officers utilize new technology
If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a video worth? For police officers, that value cannot truly be put into words. Across the country, the use of in-car cameras by police departments is increasing. According to Police Chief Magazine, 72 percent of state police and highway patrol vehicles are equipped with cameras. Now, Castle Rock Police are also using the technology. The department’s 25 patrol, community policing, traffic and K-9 cars have been equipped with in-car cameras. The camera package in each car costs $5,900, including installation, and includes a front camera, a backseat camera, a microphone, a G-force sensor, battery backup, software maintenance, extended warranty and a wireless access point. For officers, the value is in safety, training and transparency.
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Each patrol officer is assigned a transmitter, which connects to the camera, helping determine which video belongs to which officer. The camera will automatically start recording at a number of trigger points, such as the officer turning on emergency lights, or the car reaching a certain speed. An officer can also manually start the recording. The video is automatically transmitted with Wi-Fi and stored on a secure server once an officer returns to the department. The video is also useful evidence in court cases. Because the video is automatic in most cases, it gives a full and unbiased account of the incident. It is also carefully logged and stored in accordance with state law. The cameras record incidents from beginning to end, giving officers a resource for training. Officers can play back the video for critique. Or, videos can be used in training classes.
“As technology continues to evolve, we evaluate new tools and how they can help our officers and the community,” said Commander Tim Gorman, who led this project for the Police Department. “This is another tool that will help keep our officers and our residents safe.” These cameras have proven their worth nationwide. In 2002, the International Association of Chiefs of Police performed a national study on in-car cameras. The organization selected 20 states and surveyed officers about their use of the cameras and the technology’s impact on things like officer safety, professionalism, performance and public opinion. The study indicated that the greatest value of the cameras was officer safety. A majority of officers said they reviewed
CASTLE ROCK COMMANDER GRADUATES FROM PRESTIGIOUS FBI NATIONAL ACADEMY Sometimes, our best teachers are our peers.
different viewpoints. It creates a more well-rounded leader.”
Castle Rock Police Commander Jason Lyons earlier this year joined 267 of his law enforcement peers to attend the FBI National Academy, a prestigious 10-week training opportunity completed by fewer than 1 percent of law enforcement officers nationwide.
Lyons brings nearly 20 years of experience to the Police Department. Prior to coming to Castle Rock, Lyons served the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in Clearwater, Fla. He received an associate’s degree in law enforcement technology from St. Petersburg College, a bachelor’s degree in administration of criminal justice from Mountain State University and a master’s degree in justice administration from Norwich University.
The training covered a broad range of topics – everything from management to terrorism to officer-involved shootings. Internationally known instructors who are experts in their fields led the classes, for which many academy participants earn masters-level college credits. Focusing on police leadership during his academy experience, Lyons said it was the opportunity to see police work from more than 200 different perspectives that left a lasting impression. their video to see how they approach each situation and to learn from how they handled it. This ongoing training option, they said, increased their safety. The study also indicated the recordings lead to better written reports and increased professionalism.
“I really think the greatest takeaway from my experience was that my view on police management changed,” Lyons said. “The FBI National Academy encourages the police manager to view police management through 268
It was this experience, combined with his current rank and a recommendation from Castle Rock Police Chief Jack Cauley, that qualified Lyons for one of the coveted spots in the academy. “Our community places a high value on public safety. From my experience at the academy, I know other police departments aren’t as well supported, so I am truly thankful for our community,” Lyons said. “I feel lucky to have had this opportunity.”
“Transparency is key to providing top-notch public safety services to our community,” said Police Chief Jack Cauley. “Our police officers are well-trained and provide a high level of safety and security to our community. Technology, such as in-car camera systems, will allow our officers to enhance the level of service they provide on a daily basis.”
Pictured here: Police Chief Jack Cauley and Commander Jason Lyons. CRgov.com
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Trails, bike park additions open WITH 2013 PROJECTS COMPLETE,
CASTLE ROCK PARKS AND RECREATION FOCUSES ON FUTURE NEEDS Mountain bikers in Castle Rock were clamoring for new bike park elements on which to practice their skills. They were so eager for them that they gave more than 140 hours of volunteer time to perfect the new elements at Rhyolite Bike Park this past spring. After the contractor finished installing the new session zone at Rhyolite Bike Park in May, more than 25 volunteers worked to rake, pack down and water the new jumps and berms, making them ready for adventurous riders. Rhyolite Bike Park now features an entirely new session zone with rollers, jumps, berms and a wall ride. The elements are for beginning, intermediate and advanced riders alike. These improvements are just some that Castle Rock Parks and Recreation has completed for residents and visitors so far this year. Shortly after completing the new Bike Park features, the Town officially opened the final phase of Hangman’s Gulch Trail, a key trail connection for Castle Rock and the Front Range. In Town, Hangman’s Gulch is the first trail to connect east to west, running from the Castle Rock Recreation Center to East Plum Creek Trail. On a broader level, the trail is part of the Colorado Front Range Trail, which connects a series of trails along the Front Range from Wyoming to New Mexico.
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Castle Rock is unique in that it forms the crossroads of that trail at Hangman’s Gulch. Eventually, the trails will take hikers to Chatfield or Cherry Creek state parks. Vital drainageway improvements were also part of this trail project. The Castle Rock Utilities Department installed small dams and drop structures that improve the stability of the drainageway. (A drop structure is different from a dam in that it is built for erosion prevention, not raising the water level.) These improvements keep the trail from being damaged or eroded and are instrumental in maintaining water quality downstream. With these projects completed, Parks and Recreation is already on to the next trails project. New sidewalks will be installed along Crowfoot Valley Road, Founders Parkway and Ridge Road in 2014. Currently, there are just small shoulders along these roads. The Crowfoot Valley Road sidewalk will run from Founders Parkway to Sapphire Pointe Boulevard. Along Founders Parkway, the path will run from Crowfoot Valley Road to Woodlands Boulevard. For Ridge Road, the path will run between Plum Creek Parkway and Appleton Way. Learn more about Parks and projects at CRgov.com/parks.
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Hard hats were ceremonial gear in mid-May, when Town Council led the groundbreaking at Philip S. Miller Park, the Town’s largest park project.
Grading and other foundational work began at the site June 6. Crews have also installed some erosion-control measures to prevent flooding, and started mass excavation.
Now that construction is well underway at the park, along Plum Creek Parkway and south of The Meadows, the hats are required protection equipment.
This first phase of the park is set to open in summer 2014.
Pictured here: Mayor Paul Donahue and Town Council members at the May 15 groundbreaking.
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Stay updated on the park’s progress online, CRgov.com/PSMpark.