CONSOLIDATION

partments will put a consolidation question and a question to increase property taxes on the November ballot. ey must decide by Sept. 8 to put the question on the ballot, and voters in all three departments must agree to both questions for the consolidation to occur.

e boards of the three re departments voted in the last two weeks to hire Turn Corps to create and execute the communications/education plan. While most members of the three boards favored moving forward with the education phase, Elk Creek board member Chuck Newby and Inter-Canyon board member Jackie White voted no on this phase of the process.

White voted no because she believed the education component costing about $26,000 or more for each department was unnecessary.

Newby said he believes consolidation would severely diminish re service to Elk Creek residents, so Elk Creek should not be spending more money on an education campaign. Newby also is involved in the Conifer & South Evergreen Community Committee, and the committee has created an explainer about what consolidation would mean for the departments. It can be accessed at cosecc.org under the Fire Protection tab.

e survey performed by Magellan Strategies — the results were released to the public during the re boards’ January meetings — said between 69% and 80% of respondents

SEE CONSOLIDATION, P11

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Young Writers’ Conference returns on March 30

Young writers in kindergarten through fth grade — and their families — are invited to the Young Writers’ Conference on March 30. e conference, which will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Marshdale Elementary School, is revitalized after a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic.

“We’re excited to start this back up,” said Kirstin Pulio , a conference organizer. “It’s been an annual tradition for about 25 years.”

Author Je erson Knapp will be the featured author and guest speaker, who will talk to both parents and students. en, while students read their original stories to small groups of peers, parents can attend seminars on how to promote literacy in their students.

So far, e Bergens, Marshdale, Wilmot and Parmalee elementary schools, and Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen are participating.

Organizers thank the schools’ PTAs for supporting the conference. HearthFire Books will host a book fair.

“ e conference elevates the importance of both reading and writing,” Pulio said. “It gives students a chance to share what they have written and be proud of their work. It’s not just work they do in class and take home. ey are rewarded for their work.”

Conference organizer Kristin Manley added: “It shows them how their writing is special. ey see themselves as writers, and that’s important.” e conference is capped at 200 students, and registration will close on Feb. 28. For registration and event questions, contact kirstin. pulio @je co.k12.co.us.

Evergreen library remodeling plans move forward

Plans to remodel the Evergreen library are moving forward after the Je erson County Public Library board agreed to have the architect complete the plans. e plans hit the 30% completion mark in November, and the board asked for a cost estimate, especially considering how construction prices

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