VOLUME 52 | ISSUE 32
WEEK OF JANUARY 18, 2024
$2
SWORN IN
Idaho Springs City Council started the new year by swearing in new commissioner Lisa Manifold. PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL
VOICES: 8 | LIFE: 10 | SPORTS: 14 | CURRENTS: 15
Elected in November, Lisa Manifold was sworn in to her position Jan. 8
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2 Clear Creek Courant
January 18, 2024Jan
One city councilor sworn in, another selected at Idaho Springs City Council Meeting Elected in November, Lisa Manifold was sworn in to her position Jan. 8 BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
In the November 2023 Idaho Springs City Council election, Lisa Manifold edged out incumbent Art Caccavale in the Ward I seat and Jeremy Jones won an uncontested race for one of two available Ward II seats. However, that left one Ward II seat still open as the council started the new year. Council members solicited letters of interest from the community to fill the seat. Two residents sent letters to the city expressing interest in the vacant seat, and in a 3:2 vote, coun-
cilors elected Janine Mariani, a long-time Court Appointed Special Advocate with CASA of The Continental Divide out of Dillion. “It is my hope I could bring fresh energy and insights to the Idaho Springs City Council as a young, female professional who is passionate about making a difference in her community,” Mariani said in her letter of interest. Mariani beat out Caitie Maxwell, an Idaho Springs resident who moved with her family from Austin, Texas in January 2021. Mariani is expected to be sworn in at the next council meeting. Longtime city employee Diana Breece was also sworn in as City Treasurer. Breece won the position from write-in votes as no one was officially on the ballot for the treasurer position.
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Elected in November, Lisa Manifold was sworn in to her position as Idaho Springs PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL Ward I Commissioner.
City acquires Colorado Parks and Wildlife grant for bear-proof trash cans
Assistant City Manager Jon Cain secured a $50,000 grant from CPW to purchase at least 36 new bear-proof trash cans to be placed around Idaho Springs. The new trash cans will replace old ones, which are in poor condi-
tion due to weather and age, according to Public Works Superintendent Paul Crain. Compliments of the grant, the only cost to the city will be the application of city graphics, but the city will save tens of thousands of dollars in the purchase of new cans, Crain said.
Clear Creek Courant 3
January 18, 2024
Clear Creek County grants writer brings millions of dollars to county BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Clear Creek County invested when hiring Rebecca Abrahamson in 2022. Since then, she’s written grant requests to federal, state and local agencies that, behind the scenes, have funded some of the newest and most visible equipment, personnel and services in the county. Since starting with the county, Abrahamson has secured nearly $7.4 million in grants, nearly 100 times her salary, according to public records. Rebecca Abrahamson has secured nearly “I write grant applications to vari- $7.4 million in state and federal grants for ous state, federal agencies and pri- Clear Creek County since her hire in 2022. vate organizations that will have PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL programs that offer funding for specific goals or objectives,” and supplies. Abrahamson said. “So I put together CCHAT is a coordinated effort with the application and basically make a Clear Creek EMS, the Clear Creek case for why we need the money and County Department of Human Serhow we’re going to make an impact vices and law enforcement, includon our community.” ing the Clear Creek County Sheriff ’s The Clear Creek Health Assistance Office. CCHAT is overseen by Clear Creek Team is just one example of Abrahamson’s grant work raising more than EMS, according to the county. It’s a well-researched, innovative $400,000 for staff salaries, vehicles
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concept in how first responders can effectively respond to an increasing number of challenging 911 calls. Last year, those calls represented 1520% of total 911 calls, according to county spokesperson Megan Hiler. CCHAT responds to calls for welfare checks, trespassing, indecent exposure, Safe2Tell and much more.: The team is underway running emergency calls with two providers: a community paramedic and a licensed crisis clinician, all initially
funded by a grant Abrahamson secured. The Town of Empire received $4 million for needed upgrades to the water system. The Clear Creek Health Center in Idaho Springs was awarded $1 million for construction. The grants list provided by county administrators goes on, showing grants that are still pending, includSEE GRANTS, P4
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4 Clear Creek Courant
January 18, 2024Jan
Clear Creek County School District starts search for permanent superintendent Despite facing challenges over from each of the (school) buildings, ent and inclusive process that conInterim Superintendent the school district’s proposed bus parent representatives, community siders input from all stakeholders;” finalizing plans for Carlson representatives, the board is in the North added. Mike Gass will step down barn, Elementary’s move to Building 103 process of compiling that list,” FunThe job opening is publicly posted and more, Gass has gained a positive ston said. with an advertised salary of between reputation for his work among other The school board will engage with $130,000 and $150,000 plus benefits. in July as the Board of school district employees. Norman Ridder at McPherson & JaThe school board will begin rehired him as an interim and cobson as a consulting firm to assist viewing candidates’ applications Education expects to hire a he’s“Wecome in and done an amazing in the search. It’s the same firm hired immediately before selecting finaljob,” Clear Creek Schools Director of to guide the search that resulted in ists for interview questions. long-term replacement Human Resources Kristin Funston hiring Gass and helped the district BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
When Mike Gass took the role of interim superintendent in August of 2023, he said he planned to continue the “fantastic work” of outgoing superintendent Karen Quanbeck.
GRANTS FROM PAGE 3
ing $175,000 for the transfer station to buy new equipment to turn yard waste into mulch rather than it going to the landfill Abrahamson said she hopes to hear soon if the county will be awarded the grant. “She is a skilled collaborative partner for all departments at the County and has helped identify multiple grant funding opportunities,” said County Finance Director Maria Ostrom. After a grant is awarded to the county, Abrahamson’s work isn’t done.
Timeline:
said. However, Gass’ year as interim superintendent will be up this summer, and the school district is now starting its search for a permanent superintendent. “We’re putting together our stakeholder group right now, so people
hire Quanbeck five years ago. “The selection of a permanent superintendent is a decision that will shape the future of Clear Creek School District RE-1,” Clear Creek Board of Education President Jessica North said. “We are committed to a transpar-
“We have to prove that we spent it the way we said we were going to spend it and provide proof that it’s doing the good things that we wanted it to do,” she said. Even with a master’s degree in Health Services Administration, Abrahamson said she never saw herself in a role as a grants writer but that she’s here she said grateful for the opportunity. “It feels really good, it’s crazy like I wouldn’t have imagined myself in this role several years ago, but now that I’m here it’s really cool,” Abrahamson said. “I’m just really grateful that I get to be part of it. I get to learn so much through the process and see the impact on so many different people.”
Members of the Clear Creek Health Assistance Team exist in part from Abrahamson’s grant work raising more than $400,000 for staff salaries, vehicles and supPHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL plies.
• Feb. 26: closing date for applications • March 27/28: BOE holds final candidate interviews • March 28: superintendent seSEE SEARCH, P7
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Clear Creek Courant 5
January 18, 2024 ADVERTISEMENT
Here’s a Statistical Review of the Denver Metro Real Estate Market in 2023
Now that 2023 is in the books, I have done some statistical analysis of the year and how it compared to the other three “Covid years.” The result of that research is reflected in the various charts on this page. In addition to the “Covid years,” of course, we have the “interest rate surge” years, which had the opposite effect. Covid unexpectedly super-charged the real estate market, while the interest rate surge put a wet blanket on it. The effects of each are clearly visible in the charts. One way to do an apples-to-apples comparison of the years is to look at the price per finished square foot, which is independent of the price of the home. In this first chart, you can see how the value of homes using that criterion surged during 2020 and 2021 but dropped quickly in 2022 and has more or less leveled off since:
Looking at the both the median and average sold prices of homes, you see the same trend. I like to look at the median rather than the average when studying the market, because a few multimillion-dollar home sales can have a big effect on the average price of sold homes but has no effect on the median price.
market but because listings go under contract so quickly. However, when interest rates surge as much as they did in 2022-2023, homeowners will refrain from moving up (or downsizing) because of “rate lock.” They don’t want to sell their home with a sub-3% mortgage only to buy a replacement home at double that rate (or more). You can see that in this chart of active vs. sold listings:
In mid-2022 as interest rates began to rise, the sale of homes began to plummet and sellers took or kept their homes off the market at a rate higher than usual. The initial surge in active listings at that time was because fewer listings already on the market were going under contract as buyers waited in hopes that interest rates would decline again. By January 2023 it was evident that rates were staying high, and the pent-up demand of buyers to buy and sellers to sell kicked in. So, how slow did the market become? The following charts are good measures of that. As the pandemic took effect in March 2020, buyers flooded the market (as reflected above) buying homes further from their places of work and/or with more room for home offices now that work-at-home became a thing. This depleted the supply of homes for sale (again as reflected above), and caused the median days on market to plunge to 5 or 6 days. Because there are always overpriced homes which languish on the market, the average days in MLS (DIM)
However, the fact that the average sold price is consistently higher than the median price shows how active the market in million-dollar homes is. In a seller’s market, the number of active listings drops, not because homeowners aren’t putting their homes on the
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remained over 20 until finally sellers saw the writing on the wall and lowered their prices enough to sell, hence the low average DIM by mid-2023. By November 2022, new listings had dropped to a record low, but that was matched last month as shown in the next chart. Expired listings are another meas-
ure of the market’s health — and of how many sellers overprice their homes. That, too, hit a peak in late 2022 and again at the end of 2023. One of my favorite measurements of the seller’s market during Covid was the average ratio of sold price to listing price, indicating how much the average home benefited from a bidding war. In early 2021 and 2022, as shown in the following chart, it reached a record of
about 6% over asking price. Prior to 2020 it was typical for homes, on average, to sell slightly below asking price. As this last chart shows, homes aren’t now selling for above their original
How I Define Metro Denver
Every real estate statistician I know defines the metro area using county boundaries. The statistics I have gathered for this week’s column are derived from REcolorado’s listings within an 18-mile radius of downtown Denver, as shown above.
price but are selling for about their current listing price once that price had been lowered enough. As I’ve said so many times in the past (see the archive of my columns online at www.JimSmithColumns.com), pricing your home at or slightly below the market will typically net you more than if you list it for a wished-for price and then chase the market downhill. Also, just like politics, all real estate is local. Even within my hometown of Golden, I have watched homes languish on the market in one neighborhood while they trigger bidding wars a mile or two away. Bottom line, always hire an experienced Realtor like those of us at Golden Real Estate if you want to price your home right and get the highest price.
Rita and I Are on Vacation — Sort of...
As you read this, I’m in the second week of my 122day world cruise on the Viking Sky with my wife, Rita. You can subscribe free to my daily travel-blog at http:// WhereAreJimandRita.Substack.com. Because of the excellent internet connectivity on the ship, I’ll continue to do “business as usual,” except that my broker associates will be my “boots on the ground.” If you are on WhatsApp, you can call me, even at sea, using the same number as my cell phone. And you certainly can still email me. If you want to list or buy a home, I’ll refer you to the broker associate I feel best fits your needs.
Jim Smith
Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851 Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com 1214 Washington Ave., Golden 80401 Broker Associates: JIM SWANSON, 303-929-2727 CHUCK BROWN, 303-885-7855 DAVID DLUGASCH, 303-908-4835 GREG KRAFT, 720-353-1922 AUSTIN POTTORFF, 970-281-9071 KATHY JONKE, 303-990-7428 “I cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do.” —Jana Stanfield
6 Clear Creek Courant
January 18, 2024Jan
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Clear Creek Courant 7
January 18, 2024
A publication of
Contact Us: 1630 Miner St., Idaho Springs, CO 80452 - 303-566-4100 Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: ClearCreekCourant.com To subscribe call 303-566-4100
LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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Clear Creek interim Superintendent Mike Gass (left), teacher Dacia Kelly (middle) and Clear Creek High School principal Chris Gould (right) FILE PHOTO stand outside the school.
SEARCH FROM PAGE 2
lected • June 1: superintendent start date “The search process will adhere to a rigorous and transparent schedule, ensuring the community is kept wellinformed and has opportunities to provide input,” North said. “The district is dedicated to selecting a candidate who aligns with the district’s values, vision and commitment to educational excellence.” According to the job posting the district is seeking “a leader that’s humble yet driven, somebody that’s going to come in and see what our vision is.” “We want someone who’s going to come in and continue our vision, somebody who’s going to be a good communicator. Yes, this a small district but it’s also a tight-knit community. We need somebody that can communicate all the different partnerships,” Funston said. Keeping the school district on track
In his limited tenure, Gass dealt with finalizing plans for Carlson Elementary to move to Building 103 in Idaho Springs and keep its name. He was on the front lines of what became a heated legal debate between Idaho Springs and the Clear Creek School District over the school district’s proposed bus barn.
Clear Creek County schools Superintendent Mike Gass will step down this summer. Board of Education members have started a search FILE PHOTO for a permanent superintendent.
After trading multiple legal jabs, the Clear Creek County School District agreed to meet halfway with the City of
Idaho Springs on several issues regarding zoning and other codes, avoiding what could have been a lengthy court battle over jurisdiction. Gass encouraged the district’s vision of embracing the expeditionary, exploratory and outside learning that Quanbeck initiated. Gass referred to it as the district’s “gift of place.” “We’ve been able to continue programs at the school and kid level that were set in motion under previous administration in a pretty seamless manner,” Gass said. “I think we’ve done a good job of working on culture districtwide. I think we’ve done a good job of mending some fences around town on some of the hotter topics as I walked in the door. “We had some challenges with some of the construction stuff but I think we have some good working agreements going,” Gass continued. Funston wanted to recognize Gass for his work as interim superintendent. “I really can’t thank him enough for the time he’s given us and the amount of effort and energy that he’s put in,” Funston said. Gass said he’ll take a hands-off approach to the selection process but he certainly doesn’t mind telling candidates about this unique “gift of place.” “I really won’t have a role in that because you don’t get to choose your successor, but I’ll be reaching out to my colleagues… really kind of selling what’s great about this place,” Gass said.
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Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Courant. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.
Clear Creek Courant (USPS 52610) A legal newspaper of general circulation in Idaho Springs, Colorado, the Clear Creek Courant is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 1630 Miner St., Idaho Springs, CO 80452. PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT Idaho Springs and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Clear Creek Courant, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
8 Clear Creek Courant
LOCAL
January 18, 2024J
VOICES From illusion to delusion
T
o make good decisions unfettered by illusions, we must act on clear, honest, factual information. At times though, we ignore the truth in front of our nose and forge ahead despite ominous flashing caution and warning signs. Think of a person or group you thought would never do you harm but did or had your best interests at heart but didn’t. How did you feel when you realized that? Angry? Hurt? Snookered? Betrayed? If you’ve been played the fool, you not only might harbor those feelings, you might also feel demeaned, used, or manipulated like a puppet on a string. Understandably so given that no one, I presume, wants to be used, to be another’s puppet. When the truth is revealed, it can be akin to ripping a bandage off raw skin because it invariably touches on sensitive core areas like religious, political, social, or personal. Of them, the personal can be the most difficult to swallow because it can reveal something uncomfortable about you. It’s important to distinguish between illusion and delusion. While they mean similar things—something false or misleading—delusion is a mental disorder that is often a symptom of psychosis. It involves the inability to tell what is real from
what is unreal and truth from falsehoods. Illusion, on the other hand, can be not only more benign, it can be useful at times. After all, if we knew all that could be known about another, we’d probably shrink back Columnist in disgust or horror. We’ve coined a term for that: TMI. Frighteningly though, sometimes we know the truth but opt to deny or disregard it. Why do we do that? Why create and hold fast to illusions and live out parts—if not all—of our life in accordance with them? Myopia is both a physical and psychological condition. While eyewear can facilitate correcting the physical limitation, it takes conscious will to step from the world of myopic illusion. If we fail to do that, we fall into the trap of believing that our perceptions and worldviews are the only valid ones. To that the nineteenth-century philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer stated, “Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.” A tenet of Buddhism is that we spend much of our earthly time living lives of illusion, seeing all that
JERRY FABYANIC
surrounds us, from the immediate to the greater universe, as substantial, ultimate reality. It’s hard for the Western mind to wrap itself around that as well as the Buddhist concept of emptiness. Reason suggests that if something is empty, there’s nothing in or to it. But that is not necessarily the case. An uncovered empty bottle is not empty. Rather, it’s filled with the same benign—hopefully—air that you’re breathing. But a sealed bottle that is similarly empty might be filled with a noxious gas. That image can serve as a metaphor about the negativity we fill our minds with and help us take stock of our illusions. Some are benign; others malodorous. We generally believe the stories we tell ourselves about others or situations, both positive and negative, are true. But that can be self-delusional because sometimes we discover we were wrong, what we believed was erroneous. Our healthy nature surfaces when we admit the errancy of our perspective and change it. The unhealthy aspect appears when we obstinately remain steadfast despite irrefutable evidence to the contrary. That is when illusion can morph into pathological delusion, which often manifests or expresses itself as bitterness, anger, or rage. That has ramifications at the
personal and interpersonal levels and at the macro, societal level. To our detriment, we sometimes don blinders and concoct fantastical fictions in order to absolve our consciences of acknowledging the unpleasant truth of a person or group so to continue covering for and supporting them by ignoring or explaining away their excesses. As it is with the Buddhist teachings on illusion and emptiness, it can be hard for the Western mind to grasp the Buddhist concept of impermanence, although the impermanent nature of phenomena might be easier to grasp because we know nothing lasts forever. Including us. One day each person taking breaths in 2024 will be gone. And all that will remain is that which we leave behind, primarily our legacy and our story replete with a chronicle of our behaviors and choices. If we’d keep that forefront in our minds, our lives would be not only more authentic and reality based, they’d be less illusionary. We’d make wiser choices, maybe sleep better, and this world would be in a far better place. Jerry Fabyanic is the author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for Thought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.” He lives in Georgetown.
OLDS: This week in the Clear Creek Courant… 50 years of Courant headlines not to be confused with news
BY TEDDY JACOBSEN SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Influenza strikes Clear Creek region – Jan. 16, 2013
Two Clear Creek County residents were hospitalized due to the flu, due to public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said
Colorado is one of 24 states reporting high influenza levels. “Stay home if you’re sick,” Nurse Tami Bradley said. “Nobody else wants it.” Survey shows local students use more drugs than normal – Jan. 18, 1989
A survey administered to Clear Creek students in grades four through 12 indicated that students were using a variety of drugs. In some areas, the Clear Creek students demonstrated a level of use that outstrips the national average. They indicated that hallucinogens and heroin were “fairly easy” to obtain.
Escapee captured in county – Jan. 19, 1979
A prisoner who escaped from the Clear Creek County Jail was captured in Idaho Springs by Deputy Bob Cahill. Sheriff Gene Kiefer said, “He was in his cell at midnight but apparently the cell wasn’t locked.” County grant sparks political wranglin’ – Jan. 18, 1974
There was a dispute at a joint meeting between the Georgetown Volunteer Fire Department and the town’s Board of Selectmen over who should receive a $3,000 county pay-
ment earmarked for fighting rural fires.The selectmen said the money should go through the town treasury. The angry firemen then voted to stop answering county calls unless they received the funds directly. The Clear Creek Courant was created in August of 1973. These items come from Courant’s historic archives. As it turns out, previous Courant writers had the same idea for the paper’s 25th anniversary. Their section was dubbed, “Olds: Not to be confused with news.” It lives on for an entire year to celebrate the paper’s 50th birthday.
Clear Creek Courant 9
January 18, 2024
Mind-blowing: Bubble-wrapped brains
E
OBITUARIES RUSSALESI
Jack Russalesi
March 26, 1947 - December 1, 2023
volution is a curious process. Whether devouring a mate, squirting acid from the abdomen or shooting blood from the eye, each species fits perfectly in its own niche, even though that niche is not always understood by humans. For example, the expectation that two 300-pound animals, each carrying 30 pounds of horn on his head, should run into each at 40 mph is staggering. Bighorn sheep have intrigued scientists who wish to learn how the animals’ head-bashing behaviors do not result in concussions. In an interview with the New York Times, Dr. Gregory D. Myer, director of research in sports medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, shared a head-scratching description of the mechanism by which bighorn sheep rams avoid concussions. He stated that “bighorns’ brains are naturally protected with mechanisms that slow the return of blood from the head to the body, increasing blood volume that fills their brains’ vascular tree, creating the Bubble Wrap effect.” Myer continued his mind-boggling explanation: “The sheep has hollow pneumatic horn cores attached to its respiratory system that allow it to re-breathe its air and thus increase carbon dioxide in its bloodstream, expanding its intracranial vascular tree and enhancing the Bubble Wrap effect.” No quiz will be given at the conclusion of this article. Yet, there has been recent research suggesting that the sheeps’ headramming might be more impactful to their brain health than earlier believed. In 2022, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai published a study in Acta Neuropathologica revealing that signs of concussions and head trauma were present in the brains of deceased bighorn sheep and muskoxen.
If brain damage isn’t enough of a challenge, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (RMBHS, for those in the know) face serious threats from infringement of the more aggressive mountain goat and the tragic effects of a strain of Christie Greene pneumonia contracted from domestic goats and sheep which is fatal to RMBHS lambs. Colorado Parks and Wildlife states that the separation of domestic sheep and goats from RMBHS is critical to the survival of the state’s wild sheep. In Idaho, a sheep rancher’s grazing permit was retired in order to prevent infection of a neighboring RMBHS herd after the wild herd suffered 100% lamb mortality for several consecutive years. Domestic sheep are carriers of the disease but remain asymptomatic. Fortunately, the largest bighorn sheep herd in Colorado is receiving support from federal and state government agencies. The Colorado Department of Transportation will be constructing a wildlife overpass near the town of Empire, protecting the sheep and other wildlife from collisions with vehicles. The project is to be completed by 2025. Additionally, Rocky Mountain National Park protects its bighorn sheep population from the threat of encroachment by mountain goats by killing goats that enter the park. Humans can support bighorn sheep populations by keeping domestic sheep and goats contained, driving carefully in bighorn sheep habitats, refraining from feeding sheep and by giving them space. As the majestic Colorado State animal since 1961, the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep deserves protection and respect.
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Jack Russalesi passed away on December 1 after a long battle with Parkinson’s and other health problems. In Clear Creek Jack wore many hats including: Lions Club leader, fireman, paramedic, addictions counselor, and former Idaho Springs City Manager. A Vietnam Veteran Military Service will
be at Fort Logan Cemetery January 26 at 2 p.m. Memorial Services will be at the Idaho Springs Elks Lodge at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 27. Donations can be made in his name to the Idaho Springs Lions Club.
Memory In Loving
Place an Obituary for Your Loved One. 303-566-4100 obituaries@coloradocommunitymedia.com Self placement available online at CanyonCourier.com
10 Clear Creek Courant
January 18, 2024J
LOCAL
LIFE
STARTING 2024 WITH A SPLASH
More than 400 locals inaugurate the new year at Evergreen Lake Plunge BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
W
hether they wanted to support a local cause or wash off any remnants of 2023, more than 400 people from across the Denver metro area celebrated New Year’s Day by jumping into Evergreen Lake. The annual Evergreen Lake Plunge had record participation in 2024. Nonprofit Active4All, which fundraises for local parks and recreation programs, sold out its 400 pre-registered spots and limited day-of registrations. The weather was likely a factor, as several plunge veterans said the sunny conditions and 40-degree temperatures made a difference. In other years, participants have faced cloudy, windy weather and literal 0-degree conditions, which made getting out of the water that much worse, they described. This year’s participants were also a mix of returners and newcomers, with many convincing their friends and relatives to jump too. Wheat Ridge’s Steve Moyer said doing a Polar Plunge-type event has been on his “bucket list” for years. So, when he decided 2024 would finally be the year he’d take the literal plunge, he convinced three of his loved ones to do it with him. SEE SPLASH, P11
Wearing a shark hat, Wheat Ridge’s Steve Moyer leaps into the water during the Jan. 1 Evergreen Lake Plunge. Moyer, a newcomer to the plunge, convinced some of his family members to do it with him, saying it was one PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN of his “bucket list” items.
Clear Creek Courant 11
January 18, 2024
SPLASH FROM PAGE 10
Moyer even sported a shark hat for the occasion, which was one of many fun costumes people wore to the event. Evergreen’s Jon Balliet dressed as a hummingbird — complete with sound effects. Balliet, who’s done the plunge seven or eight times, said he wears a new costume each year. He’s won the costume contest before as a shark eating a person and decided to dress as an elk for 2023’s event. This year, he chose a hummingbird, saying, “They’re all over Evergreen.” Brothers Stephen and Greg Leathers — from Highlands Ranch and Englewood, respectively — donned Christmas sweaters and pajama pants for the plunge. Stephen said he talked Greg into doing it, as they both thought it’d be fun. Greg had plunged before at Lake Michigan, but both were newcomers to the Evergreen event. They appreciated the community aspect of it, noting how many people decided to start 2024 this way — plunging into icy waters together. Several groups like Evergreen Country Day School seventh-graders and the Evergreen High School girls basketball team plunged together. Golden High School swimmers Mica Gillaspie and Hanna Heard decided to as well. Gillaspie, a member of the Evergreen Hurricanes swim team, said she heard about it from her coach and roped Heard into doing it too. The two said their goals for 2024 included helping the Golden Demons “make it to state.” The Evergreen Lake Plunge is also a fun New Year’s Day outing for the spectators, like bagpiper Dan Kingsley. The Lakewood resident said event emcee Alan Gionet recruited him to provide music while participants are waiting in line. Kingsley’s now performed at the event five or six times, describing it as an overall positive experience. “So many people are out here having a great time,” he said. “ … It’s a good way to start the year off fresh.” So long, 2023!
Some participants signed up for the 2024 Evergreen Lake Plunge because they had a less-than-ideal 2023 and wanted a powerful way to transition
Dressed as walruses, the Bebarta siblings of Greenwood Village approach the platform for the Jan. 1 Evergreen Lake Plunge. Emma Bebarta, who was doing her third plunge, said she signed her siblings up to do it with her this year.
Centennial’s Tricia Holloway reacts to the cold water during the Jan. 1 Evergreen Lake Plunge. Holloway and her friends dressed as phoenixes to symbolize starting PHOTOS BY CORINNE WESTEMAN 2024 by “rising from the ashes,” they described.
into the new year. Greenwood Village siblings Emma, Grace and Owen Bebarta described their 2023 as “eventful” and “weird.” So, they wanted to start the new year “with a bang.” Emma, who was completing her third plunge, said she signed up the first time because she “wanted a refresh” after the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, she made her siblings do it with her. Emma and Grace — who are both in college — and Owen — a junior and a swimmer at Cherry Creek High School — described the plunge as a fun activity they could do together while they were all on winter break. In that spirit, they donned matching walrus costumes for their family
plunge. Likewise, Tricia Holloway and Michelle Kemberling — both from Centennial — and Annie Zdrojewski of Evergreen dressed as phoenixes to symbolize starting 2024 by “rising from the ashes.” The three friends plunged last year, saying it was a strong way to start 2023. Their intention when they plunged, they described, was to have a year of transformation. 2023 was ultimately a transformative year with a lot of growth, they said, but perhaps not in the way they wanted. They described it as “a burning year.” So, the three were being more specific with their 2024 intentions, asking for transformation mixed with calm, stability and gratitude. And, rather than donning the tutus they wore in 2023, they dressed as phoenixes — creatures burn but rise to soar again. Holloway, Kemberling and Zdrojewski recommended others try it, as it’s a “beautiful way to start the year” that people won’t regret. All4 a good cause
The Evergreen Lake Plunge is Active4All’s biggest fundraiser, raising at least $25,000 annually for Evergreen Park & Recreation District’s special education program — called INSPIRE — and other programs. Balliet said the fundraising aspect is a big reason he plunges every year. “It’s a great cause,” he said. “Everyone should have access to parks and recreation.” That’s something Clint Frost and his family know all too well. Frost’s 9-year-old son is an INSPIRE participant, attending the annual summer camp, and going on regular outings like swimming and horse riding. Frost said his son really enjoys skiing and being in the mountains, adding, “That’s his happy place.” So, Frost plunged this year to support his son and other INSPIRE participants who benefit from Active4All’s fundraising. Frost said he’s plunged before in 2016 or 2017, but travel and COVID-19 prevented him from doing it again sooner. Now, though, he wants to be a regular. He described how hard everyone works to make the annual event a success, from the sponsors and organizers to the firefighters and volunteers. The participants’ financial contributions and word-of-mouth advertising are also big factors. Frost said of everyone who helps make it possible: “I can’t thank them enough.”
12 Clear Creek Courant
January 18, 2024Jan
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Clear Creek Courant 13
January 18, 2024
Parents and kids learn American Sign Language at Idaho Springs Library FriYAYs continue at Clear Creek County Library District BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Young voices around the library table shouted “bunny,” “cat” and “snake” as library assistant Joe Merritt used American Sign Language to illustrate each animal on Jan. 5 at the Idaho Springs Public Library. Learning sign language is the theme throughout January at the library, where Merritt will also teach how to sign emotions, food and colors in the coming weeks. “It helps with language development a lot with kids… because hav-
Seven-year-old Kensley Hospodar shows the sign language for “deer” at the Idaho PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL Springs Library.
ing a language that you can completely understand without having to hear anything,” Merritt said. “So kids if they have hearing problems, sometimes if they have attention
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Avery followed each hand signal for every animal. “I love bringing them here because it’s enriching. It’s a good portion of the day that we can sit down and do crafts or be enriched by learning something,” Hospondar said. “I’ve been here 12 years and I think year over year we get better at implementing opportunities for the community to get together,” Hospondar continued. At the end of the hour-long event, Merritt distributed small white gloves that the children quickly turned into animals to articulate the signs. American Sign Language is based on the French version of signing and although the first school for the deaf was opened in 1817 in the U.S., signing wasn’t recognized as a language until the 1960s, according to Merritt.
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14 Clear Creek Courant
LOCAL
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January 18, 2024Ja
Youth basketball numbers are down at the Clear Creek Rec Center After-school programs seek to provide positive outlets for kids BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Sophia Champion knows how important sports can be to an individual’s childhood, both firsthand as a lifelong soccer player and as the youth programs coordinator at the Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District. She’s trying to boost awareness and interest about various afterschool youth programs at the rec center, including youth basketball, which began on Jan. 8. But numbers are down slightly this year, with about 36 kids signed up — roughly 20 less than last year. Registration is ongoing until Jan. 16. “I think the rural communities are even harder to do marketing,” Champion said. “Because there’s Facebook and social media, and that’s usually how people find out about programs. But if you don’t have those things, you need to be looking at things like fliers at your local post office. The resources just aren’t really here compared to say, downtown Denver. But I think sports are a really critical part of growing up.” The programs at the rec center typically combine three different elementary schools: Carlson, King Murphy and Georgetown Community School. Ideally, players from those schools would compete against one another, but a lack of numbers might require some shuffling. “A ton of kids have signed up at King Murphy, but what we may have to do if more people don’t sign up is take the kids that signed up at Carlson and have them either play at Georgetown or at King Murphy,” Champion said. “We are also not just doing third- through sixth-grade, we’re incorporating some seventhgraders this year.” Another issue is that the number of girls interested is “significantly less”
than the boys, she said. That’s a problem for the Clear Creek High School girls basketball team as well. First-year head coach Doug Maier said last month the numbers on the bench are slim, and he’s hoping to continue to draw interest even as the season unfolds through the new year. “Come on over. We’ve got jerseys available,” Maier said. “I want to see us grow in number on the bench. If I start the season at nine players, if I can get to 12 by the end of the year, that’s a good thing.” Many parents may enroll their kids in youth basketball, but eventually have to move because of the increasing rise in cost of living in the area, Champion said. When this happens, there’s no continuity or camaraderie with the kids to continue playing until the high school level, which may help explain some dwindling numbers at Clear Creek High School. Champion said she’s starting a nonprofit in the mountains called High Country Mutual Aid. The goal is to help rural communities meet their needs, whether it’s simply a hot meal or extra equipment like new shoes for sporting events or otherwise. “I’m very into just being able to provide for the kids in a way that everyone has access to everything,” she said. “One of the barriers to access to be able to play is the registration fees. So, Clear Creek Metro Recreation District has come up with youth scholarships so that everyone is able to play. That’s something we’re really trying to market and advertise. We do have the money available if you can’t afford it for your kid.” Also, interested kids can play for free if their parents volunteer as coaches for the youth programs at the rec center. Games begin on Feb. 1, and registration is ongoing until Jan. 16. Champion said there are a number of other programs, sports and activities available for kids who aren’t interested in youth basketball. For more information, explore the “Programs” tab at www.clearcreekrecreation.com.
Boys and girls at King Murphy Elementary School get some shots up during the afterschool youth basketball program through Clear Creek’s Recreation Center. RegistraPHOTOS BY JOHN RENFROW tion for the program is open until Jan. 16.
The Clear Creek Metro Recreation District is looking for more numbers for its youth basketball programs through the rec center. Ages include third through seventh grade, and registration is open until Jan. 16.
Students at King Murphy Elementary play a game of knockout during the afterschool youth basketball program through the Clear Creek Recreation Center.
Clear Creek Courant 15
January 18, 2024
CURRENTS We’d like to know about events or activities of interest to the community. Visit www.clearcreekcourant. com/calendar/ and post your event online for free. Email ckoeberl@ coloradocommunitymedia.com to get items in the print version of the paper. Items will appear in print on a space-available basis. UPCOMING
Take a look at virtual reality at John Tomay Memorial Library: Oculus Quest Two virtual reality system will be available to explore the world of VR. Must be 12 or older and make reservations through the John Tomay Memorial Library in Georgetown, email heather@cccld. org. The event takes place 2-4 p.m. Jan. 26. FriYaY at Idaho Springs Library: Learning sign language is the theme throughout January at the library, where sign language expert
Joe Merrit teaches how to sign emotions, food and colors. The class starts at 10 a.m. Friday Jan. 26 at the Idaho Springs Library, 219 14th Ave. 2024 Cabin Creek Pond Hockey Tournament: The 2024 Cabin Creek Pond Hockey Tournament will start at 8:15 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, on Georgetown Lake at Cabin Creek Brewing. For more information, visit the Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District website at clearcreekrecreation.com. Clear Creek County Commission meeting: Issues and agendas in the county addressed at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday Feb. 26 at 405 Argentine St., Georgetown. Meetings occur the first and third Tuesdays of each month with other irregular meetings occurring at the discretion of the County Commissioners. Indian Hot Springs in Idaho
Springs retreat: Upgrade your Energy with Globally known Mystic Healers Ombiya and Fab at the Indian Hot Springs, Colorado Retreat March 1-4. Tickets available at the hot springs: 302 Soda Creek Road, Idaho Springs, CO 80452. Free senior foot care clinic: Clear Creek County Metropolitan Recreation will hold the event in Idaho Springs March 27 from 1-3 p.m. Call Heather at CCMRD 303-567-2020. ONGOING
Clear Creek EMS/Evergreen Fire Rescue Launch Mugs for Rugs Campaign: Bring an old throw rug and you’ll leave with an awesome bright green mug! You can bring them to Station 1A in Dumont (3400 Stanley Road), or you can email captains@clearcreekems.com and CCEMS will come to you to make the trade! Have elderly neighbors? Bring them and their throw rugs
with you. Clear Creek EMS also offers Fall-Risk Assessments. EMS will also bring someone from the fire department to make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly. To request a visit, fill out the form located here: https://www.clearcreekcounty. us/1388/Community-Outreach Clear Creek Democrats: The Clear Creek Democrats meet from 5-7 p.m. the third Thursday of the month at the Vintage Moose in Idaho Springs. Join them for conversation and social time. Blue Spruce Habitat volunteers needed: Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers. A variety of opportunities and flexible schedules are available on new construction sites as well as for exterior minor home repairs. SEE CURRENTS, P16
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16 Clear Creek Courant
CURRENTS
January 18, 2024Jan
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hills including Clear Creek County. They also facilitate school and community groups to build life skills in wellness and resilience among youth. For more information or to schedule a counseling session, visit R1220.org, email Resilience1220@gmail.com or call 720-282-1164.
Walk-in vaccine clinics: Walk-in vaccine clinics for adults and children needing flu and other vaccines are available from 10 a.m.4 p.m. Wednesdays at the Clear Creek Health and Wellness Center, 1969 Miner St., Idaho Springs. No appointments required for the vaccines, though you can pre-register by calling 303-670-7528.
Dental clinics: Cleanings, Xrays, dentures, tooth extractions and more. Most insurances are accepted including Medicaid. Sliding scale/low-cost options are also available. No appointment necessary. This is a mobile dentist that comes once a month. Call program manager Lauralee at 720-205-4449 for questions.
Resilience1220 counseling: Young people 12 to 20 can get free counseling through an Evergreenbased organization called Resilience1220. Composed of licensed therapists, Resilience1220 serves individuals and groups in the foot-
Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meetings: Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meets at 7:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Marion’s of the Rockies. 2805 Colorado Blvd., Idaho Springs. For more information, email loeffler806@comcast.net.
FROM PAGE 15
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Support After Suicide Loss: A safe place to share and learn after losing a loved one to suicide. This group meets every fourth Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. via zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 office. For ages 14 and up. Suggested donation for this group is $15. Register at resilience1220.org/groups. Storytime with Miss Honeybun: Storytime with Miss Honeybun is at 11:15 a.m. Tuesdays at the Idaho Springs Public Library and at 11:15 a.m. Thursdays at the John Tomay Memorial Library in Georgetown. Sensitive Collection: Resilience1220 strives to inform and support highly sensitive people to live healthy and empowered lives. It meets the third Wednesday of each month from 6-7 p.m. and is offered via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 office. Register at resilience1220.org/groups.
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Public Health offering sexual health and family planning: Clear Creek County Public Health is now offering Sexual Health and Planning Services at the Health and Wellness Center in Idaho Springs. Public Health is offering the following services: • Counseling • Emergency contraception • Pregnancy testing • STI and HIV screenings • Basic infertility services • Birth control options and referrals These services are confidential. Public Health can also now bill Medicaid and most private insurances. However, if you do not have insurance, fees are based on a sliding scale — and no one will be turned away if they are unable to pay.
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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GEORGETOWN 812 Taos St., Georgetown • 303-569-2360 Serving the community since 1874. Sunday worship 10:00 am. Please join us! FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF IDAHO SPRINGS 100 Colorado Blvd., P.O. Box 840, Idaho Springs, CO 80452 Family worship Sundays at 10 a.m. ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US!
THE UNITED CHURCH OF IDAHO SPRINGS AND CLEAR CREEK COUNTY 1410 Colorado Blvd., Idaho Springs (303) 567-2057 Sunday Worship Service – 10:00 AM
WORSHIP DIRECTORY Join Our Worship Directory! Call Ruth at 303-566-4113
Clear Creek Courant 17
January 18, 2024
© 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.
Solution
TRIVIA 1. MOVIES: What state is the setting for the 1990s movie “Twister”? 2. GEOGRAPHY: Lake Okeechobee is in which U.S. state? 3. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president adopted the expression, “Speak softly and carry a big stick”? 4. MUSIC: Actor/singer Jared Leto also is the front man for which rock music band? 5. HISTORY: The U.S. Civil War ended in 1865 when Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union forces in which Virginia town? 6. SCIENCE: Which element has the symbol Pb? 7. GAMES: What is the destination in the board game Candy Land? 8. TELEVISON: Who was the longrunning host of “American Bandstand”? 9. U.S. STATES: What is the capital of Alaska?
10. LITERATURE: Who is the author of the autobiographical work “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”? Answers 1. Oklahoma. 2. Florida. 3. Theodore Roosevelt. 4. Thirty Seconds to Mars. 5. Appomattox. 6. Lead. 7. Candy Castle. 8. Dick Clark. 9. Juneau. 10. Maya Angelou. (c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
Crossword Solution
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CONIFER AREA SCHOOLS NEEDS YOUR HELP! With the passage of Healthy School Meals for All, all students have been eating at no cost since the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. WHAT THIS MEANS: At some Conifer-area schools, we are feeding up to 450 students per day!
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Clear Creek Courant 21
January 18, 2024
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PUBLIC NOTICES
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Public Notices call 303-566-4123 Legals
Section 2. That the following sums are hereby appropriated from the revenue of each Enterprise, to each Enterprise, for the purposes stated: WATER ENTERPRISE: Current Operating Expenses $94,386.00 Current Debt Service $21,580.00
City and County Public Notice CITY OF IDAHO SPRINGS Clear Creek County, Colorado Ordinance No. 12, Series 2023 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 21-210 OF THE IDAHO SPRINGS MUNICIPAL CODE CONCERNING PERMISSIBLE FENCE HEIGHT Legal Notice No. CCC781 First Publication: January 18, 2024 Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant
TOTAL ALL FUNDS: $399,005.00 Adopted this 26th day of December 2023. Alessandria Regester, Mayor Attest: Chelsea Nihiser, Town Clerk
Public Notice CITY OF IDAHO SPRINGS Clear Creek County, Colorado
Legal Notice No. CCC776 First Publication: January 11, 2024 Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant
Ordinance No. 13, Series 2023 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS 2115, 21-50, 21-93, AND 21-127 OF THE IDAHO SPRINGS MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH UNSTAFFED HOTELS AS A PERMITTED USE WITHIN THE CITY Legal Notice No. CCC782 First Publication: January 18, 2024 Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant Public Notice TOWN OF SIL VER PLUME DRAWER F SIL VER PLUME, COLORADO 80476 RESOLUTION TO APPROPRIATE SUMS OF MONEY (Pursuant to 29-1-108, C.R.S.) Resolution No. 2023-10 A RESOLUTION APPROPRIATING SUMS OF MONEY TO THE VARIOUS FUNDS AND ENTERPRISES, IN THE AMOUNT AND FOR THE PURPOSE SET FORTH BELOW, FOR THE TOWN OF SILVER PLUME, COLORADO, FOR THE 2024 BUDGET YEAR. WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Town of Silver Plume has adopted the annual budget in accordance with the Local Government Budget Law, on the 26th day of December 2023, and; WHEREAS, the Town Board of Trustees has made provision therein for revenues in an amount equal to or greater than the total proposed expenditures as set forth in said budget, and; WHEREAS, it is not only required by law, but also necessary to appropriate the revenues and reserves or fund balances provided in the budget to and for the purposes described below, thereby establishing a limitation on expenditures for the operations of the Town of Silver Plume. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF SIL VER PLUME, COLORADO: Section 1. That the following sums are hereby appropriated, from the revenue of each fund, to each fund, as purposes stated: GENERAL FUND: Current Operating Expenses $140,875.00 CONSERVATION TRUST FUND: Current Operating Expenses
SEWER ENTERPRISE: Current Operating Expenses $135,000.00 Current Debt Service $7164.00
Public Notice Town of Silver Plume P. O. Drawer F Silver Plume, CO, 80476 BUDGET MESSAGE (Pursuant to 29-1-103(1)(e), C.R.S.) TOWN OF SILVER PLUME, COLORADO The attached 2024 Budget for the Town of Silver Plume, Colorado includes these important features: * * Provide normal water, sewer, and road maintenance services * Approach all expenditures in a fiscally conservative manner The budgetary basis of accounting timing measurement method used is “cash basis”. The services to be provided/delivered during the budget year are the following: * Continue to implement the goals from 2022 & 2023 Budget Years * Maintain proper fund balances * Make repairs/improvements to favor compliance within all departments Alessandria Regester, Mayor Date: 12/26/23 Chelsea Nihiser, Town Clerk Date: 12/26/23 Town of Silver Plume Drawer F Silver Plume, CO 80476 RESOLUTION TO ADOPT BUDGET (Pursuant to 29-1-108, C.R.S.) Resolution 2023-09 A RESOLUTION SUMMARIZING EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES FOR EACH FUND AND ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF SILVER PLUME, COLORADO, FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR BEGINNING ON THE FIRST DAY OF JANUARY 2024, AND ENDING ON THE LAST DAY OF DECEMBER 2024.
WHEREAS, whatever increases may have been made in the expenditures, like increases were added to the revenues or planned to be expended from reserves/fund balances so that the budget remains in balance, as required by law. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWN BOARD OF TRUSTEES of the TOWN OF SIL VER PLUME, COLORADO: Section 1. That the budget as submitted, amended, and summarized by fund, hereby is approved and adopted as the budget of the Town of Silver Plume, Colorado, for the year stated above. Section 2. That the budget hereby approved and adopted shall be signed by Alessandria Regester, Mayor, and made a part of the public records of the Town of Silver Plume, Colorado. Adopted this 26th day of December 2023. Alessandria Regester, Mayor Attest: Chelsea Nihiser, Town Clerk Legal Notice No. CCC775 First Publication: January 11, 2024 Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant Public Notice CLEAR CREEK COUNTY NOTICE OF LIQUOR LICENSE HEARING Notice is hereby given that application for an Optional Premise Liquor License for the retail sale of malt, vinous, and spirituous liquors was received by the Clear Creek Board of County Commissioners on October 17, 2023, from Jogan Inc, LLC, dba Brothers’ Grille to do business at 19285 Hwy 103, Idaho Springs, CO 80452 in Clear Creek County. The sole member of the limited liability company is as follows: Daniel Dietrich A public hearing to consider the application has been set by the Clear Creek Board of County Commissioners for 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at the Clear Creek County Courthouse, 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado, where and when all interested parties may appear and comment upon the proposal. Randall P. Wheelock, Chairman Clear Creek Board of County Commissioners Legal Notice No. CCC785 First Publication: January 18, 2024 Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant
We are community.
WHEREAS, the Town Board_of Silver Plume has appointed Trustee Leonard Berenato to prepare and submit a proposed budget to said governing body at the proper time, and; WHEREAS, the Budget Committee of the Town Board has submitted a proposed budget to this governing body on December 11, 2023, for its consideration, and;
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WHEREAS, upon due and proper notice, published or posted in accordance with the law, said proposed budget was open for inspection by the public at a designated place, a public hearing was held on December 26, 2023, and interested taxpayers were given the opportunity to file or register any objections to said proposed budget, and;
Public Notice Town of Silver Plume, Drawer F Silver Plume, CO 80476 Resolution 2024-01 RESOLUTION TO SET MILL LEVIES (Pursuant to 39-5-128, C.R.S. and 39-1-111, C.R.S.) A RESOLUTION LEVYING PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE YEAR 2024 TO HELP DEFRAY THE COSTS OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE TOWN OF SILVER PLUME, COLORADO, FOR THE 2024 BUDGET YEAR WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Silver Plume, Colorado has adopted the annual budget in accordance with the Local Government Budget Law on 26th day of December 2023, and; WHEREAS, the amount of money necessary to balance the budget for general operating purposes from property tax revenue is $21,133.00 and;
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WHEREAS, the amount of money necessary to balance the budget for voter-approved bonds and interest is $21,580.00 and; WHEREAS, the amount of money necessary to make municipal revenue contributions to the Clear Creek Emergency Services District is $12,485.00 and; WHEREAS, the 2023 valuation for assessment for the Town of Silver Plume as certified by the Clear Creek County Assessor as of December 18, 2023, is $44,124,980.00. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY 1HE TOWN BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF SIL VER PLUME, COLORADO: Section 1. That for the purpose of meeting all general operating expenses of the Town of Silver Plume during the 2024 budget year there is hereby levied a tax of 7.719 mills upon each dollar of the total valuation for assessment of all taxable property within the Town of Silver Plume for the year 2024. Section 2. That for the purpose of meeting all payments for bonds and interest of the Town of Silver Plume during the 2024 budget year, there is hereby levied a tax of 7.882 mills upon each dollar of the total valuation for assessment of all taxable property within the Town for the year 2024. Section 3. That for the purpose of meeting all payments for municipal contributions to Clear Creek Fire Authority for the Town of Silver Plume during the 2024 budget year, there is hereby levied a tax of 4.569 mills upon each dollar of the total valuation for assessment of all taxable property within the Town for the year 2024. Section 5. That the Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to immediately certify to the County Commissioners of Clear Creek County, Colorado, the mill levies for the Town of Silver Plume as hereinabove detennined and set, or be authorized and directed to certify to the County Commissioners of Clear Creek County, Colorado, the mill levies for the Town of Silver Plume as hereinabove determined and set, but as recalculated as needed upon receipt of the final (December) certification of valuation from the county assessor in order to comply with any applicable revenue and other budgetary limits. ADOPTED this 8th day of January 2024. Alessandria Regester, Mayor Attest: Chelsea Nihiser, Town Clerk
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Legal Notice No. CCC784 First Publication: January 18, 2024 Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant
Clear Creek Courant January 18, 2024 * 1
22 Clear Creek Courant
Public Notices
Commercial (per 1,000 gallons)
$8.61 $8.87
$17.20 $17.72 January 18, 2024Ja
Municipal (per 1,000 gallons)
$10.53 $10.85
n/a
City & County
Inside City Outside City & Chicago Prior to applying the charge to actual sewer system use, theCreek City shall issue a notice of its decision
Public Notice Bi-Monthly Base Rate
CITY OF IDAHO SPRINGS WATER ACTIVITY ENTERPRISE Clear Creek County, Colorado
Residential
Ordinance No. 1, Series 2024
Commercial
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING RATES AND CHARGES FOR WATER AND SEWER SERVICE AND MAKING CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO THE IDAHO SPRINGS MUNICIPAL CODE
WHEREAS, pursuant to Chapter 12 of the Idaho Springs Municipal Code (“Code”), the City maintains its water and wastewater facilities as an enterprise known as the Idaho Springs Water Activity Enterprise (the “Enterprise”); and WHEREAS, the City Council, acting as the governing body of the Enterprise, periodically reviews the rates and charges imposed for water and sewer services and evaluates the adequacy of the same to provide safe and reliable service to existing and projected future users; and WHEREAS, voters approved on November 8, 2022 City Ballot Question 2B to enact a one percent (1%) sales tax increase to be fully dedicated to water and wastewater improvements and to reduce the impact of rate increases on users; and WHEREAS, as a result of this new sales tax effective January 1, 2023, its annual review and evaluation, and in accordance with the recommendations of the Water and Wastewater Financial Plan, Cost of Service and Rates presentation previously provided to City Council by JVA Consulting Engineers and Raftelis Financial Consultants, the Council finds that a proposed six percent (6%) increase in water rates may be reduced to three percent (3%) and a proposed six percent (6%) increase in sewer rates may be reduced to two percent (2%) in 2024 to reasonably and responsibly keep pace with the projected demands on the City’s water and sewer systems; and WHEREAS, the Council therefore wishes to amend the Code to implement such increases and changes, as further set forth herein; and WHEREAS, the Council finds and determines that the rate and charge increases enacted by this Ordinance are a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory means of raising sufficient revenues to pay the costs of providing service to customers of the Enterprise. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Idaho Springs, acting also as the governing body of the Enterprise, as follows: Section 1.
The above and foregoing recitals are expressly adopted as findings of the City Council.
Section 2.
Subsections (B) and (C) of Section 12-122 of the Code are hereby amended as follows:
(B) The consumption charge is based upon the amount of water taken during the billing period, as shown by the meter. The consumption charge for all services, prorated to the date of meter reading, is an amount set forth below.
Customer Class Customer Class Residential Tier 1 (0Residential to 10,000 Tier gallons) 1 Tier 2 (0 Residential to 10,000 gallons) (10,001 to 30,000 Residential Tiergallons) 2 Residential 3 (10,001 to 30,000Tier gallons) (Over 30,000 Tier gallons) Residential 3 (OverCommercial 30,000 gallons) (per 1,000 gallons) Commercial
(per 1,000 gallons) Municipal (perMunicipal 1,000 gallons)
(per 1,000 gallons)
Charges per Thousand Gallons Charges Inside City per Thousand Gallons Outside City Limits & Chicago Creek Inside City Outside City Limits & Chicago Creek $5.14 $5.29 $5.14 $5.29 $6.44 $6.63 $6.44 $6.63 $7.71 $7.94 $7.71 $7.94 $8.61 $8.87
$10.28 $10.59 $10.28 $10.59 $12.84 $13.23 $12.84 $13.23 $15.42 $15.88 $15.42 $15.88 $17.20 $17.72
$8.61 $8.87 $10.53 $10.85
$17.20 $17.72 n/a
$10.53 $10.85
n/a
(C) The bimonthly service charge is based upon the size and type of the meter and applies to all services connected to the City system at any time during the billing period. The bimonthly service charge for all services (not including fire services) is an amount set forth below, multiplied by the multiplier established for such premises pursuant to Section 12-61 of this Chapter. The bimonthly service charge shall be imposed upon each active tap regardless of whether any water is taken from the City system during the billing period. Inside City
Bi-Monthly Base Rate
& Chicago Creek Inside City
$82.85 &$80.44 Chicago Creek
Outside City $160.88 $165.71
Residential Commercial
$80.44 $82.85 $123.75 $127.46
$160.88 $247.48 $165.71 $254.90
Commercial
$123.75 $127.46
$247.48 $254.90
Subsections (B) and (C) of Section Charge 12-182 of per the Code are hereby amended as follows: Thousand
(B) The volumetric use charge is based upon the water consumption for each service. During Gallons Charge per April Thousand the months of November of one (1) year through of the following year, the charge is applied Customer Class Inside City to actual water consumption. For the months of May through October of each year, the charge is Gallons applied to the lower Class of: (1) average winter water use (November through April); or (2) actual water Customer & Chicago Creek Outside City consumption. Inside City
Residential
& Chicago Creekevidence that Outside Cityof the City Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the City receives reliable the actual use sewer system at a location significantly exceeds average winter water use at that location, the $6.95the $7.09 $13.90 $14.18 Residential use charge shall be applied to actual sewer system use, and the winter averaging method shall not be available. Commercial Low Strength Commercial Commercial Low Strength Medium Strength Commercial Commercial Medium Strength
$6.95 $7.09 $9.36 $9.55
$9.36 $9.55 $16.60 $16.93 $16.60 $16.93
$80.44 $82.85
$160.88 $165.71
$123.75 $127.46
$247.48 $254.90
The volumetric charge for any premises not served by the City water system, and therefore not metered for water, shall be applied to an assumed water consumption of twenty thousand (20,000) gallons per bimonthly billing period. (C) The bi-monthly service charge for all services (not including fire services) is an
Charge per Thousand Gallons Inside City & Chicago Creek
Outside City
$6.95 $7.09
$13.90 $14.18
Commercial Low Strength
$9.36 $9.55
$18.70 $19.07
Commercial Medium Strength
$16.60 $16.93
$33.21 $33.87
Commercial High Strength
$24.91 $25.41
None accepted
Customer Class Residential
amount set forth below, multiplied by the multiplier established for such premises pursuant to Section 12-61 of this Chapter. The bi-monthly service charge shall be imposed upon each active tap regardless of whether any wastewater is discharged from the premises to the City system during the billing period.
Bi-Monthly Base Rate
Customer Class Residential
Inside City
Outside City
Chicago Creek Sanitation District
$64.34 $65.63
$128.67 $131.24
$64.34 $65.63
Commercial Low Strength
$128.67 $131.24
$257.33 $262.48
$128.67 $131.24
Commercial High Strength
$128.67 $131.24
None accepted
$128.67 $131.24
Section 4. The rates enacted by this Ordinance shall be invoiced for the service period commencing on April 1, 2024 after the effective date of this Ordinance and subsequently invoiced by the City in July of 2024. Section 5. Should any one or more sections or provisions of this Ordinance, or Code provisions enacted hereby, be judicially determined invalid or unenforceable, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remaining provisions thereof, the intention being that the various sections and provisions are severable. Section 6. Any and all Ordinances or Code provisions or parts thereof in conflict or inconsistent herewith are, to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency, hereby repealed; provided, however, that the repeal of any such Ordinance or Code or part thereof shall not revive any other section or part of any Ordinance or code provision heretofore repealed or superseded. INTRODUCED, READ AND ORDERED PUBLISHED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Idaho Springs, Colorado, held on the 8th day of January, 2024.
Outside City
Bi-Monthly Base Rate Residential
Section 3.
to do so, which notice shall include the reliable evidence in support of the decision and the process by which the customer may request a hearing on the same. The hearing shall be conducted by either the City Administrator or a hearing officer appointed by the City Administrator. At the hearing, the burden shall be on the City to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the premises’ actual sewer system use significantly exceeds the premises’ average winter water use.
$13.90 $14.18 $18.70 $19.07
Legal Notice No.: CCC783 First Publication: January 18, 2024 $18.70 $19.07
$33.21 $33.87
$33.21 $33.87
Charles Harmon, Mayor ATTESTED AND CERTIFIED:
Diane Breece, City Clerk PASSED, ADOPTED AND APPROVED, after publication, at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Idaho Springs, Colorado, held on the 12th day of February, 2024.
Charles Harmon, Mayor ATTESTED AND CERTIFIED:
Diane Breece, City Clerk Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant
Clear Creek Courant January 18, 2024 * 2
Clear Creek Courant 23
January 18, 2024
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Public Notices Water Court Public Notice DISTRICT COURT, WATER DIVISION 1, COLORADO DECEMBER 2023 WATER RESUME PUBLICATION TO: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN WATER APPLICATIONS IN WATER DIV. 1 Pursuant to C.R.S. 37-92-302, you are notified that the following is a resume of all water right applications, and certain amendments filed in the Office of the Water Clerk during the month of DECEMBER 2023 for each County affected. (This publication can be viewed in its entirety on the state court website at: www.courts.state.co.us) 2023CW3165 (16CW3149, 2009CW121, 93CW055) CITY OF BLACK HAWK (“Black Hawk”), c/o Director of Public Works, 987 Miners Mesa Road, P.O. Box 68, Black Hawk, Colorado 80422, Telephone: (303) 582-1324, tisbester@ cityofblackhawk.org. Mailing address for purposes of this application: David L. Kueter, #26136, Kent Holsinger, #33907, Holsinger Law, LLC, 1800 Glenarm Place, Suite 500, Denver, Colorado 80202, Telephone: (303) 722-2828, dkueter@holsingerlaw.com, kholsinger@holsingerlaw.com. APPLICATION FOR FINDING OF REASONABLE DILIGENCE in GILPIN AND CLEAR CREEK COUNTIES. 2. Name of structure: City of Black Hawk Effluent Diversion. 3. Describe conditional water right giving the following from the Judgment and Decree: 3.a. Date of prior decrees: Original decree entered August 22, 2003, Case No. 93CW055, in the District Court, Water Division No. 1, State of Colorado; amended diligence decree entered October 29, 2010, Case No. 2009CW121, in the District Court, Water Division No. 1, State of Colorado; diligence decree entered December 11, 2017, Case No. 2016CW3149, in the District Court, Water Division No. 1, State of Colorado. 3.b. Legal Description of Point of Diversion: The diversion point is located at the outfall of the existing Black HawkCentral City Sanitation District Wastewater Treatment Plant located in Section 26, Township 3 South, Range 72 West, at a point 1,600 feet east of the West section line of Section 26, and
2,100 feet north of the South section line of Section 26, Gilpin County, Colorado. See Exhibit A hereto. 3.c. Source: Effluent from the Black Hawk-Central City Sanitation District Wastewater Treatment Plant, including, but not limited to, City of Black Hawk and Central City municipal return flows which contain diverted and/or stored surface water from the South Platte River and its tributaries, ground water from the alluvium of the South Platte River and its tributaries, and West Slope water, nontributary water, and developed water, if any. 3.d. Appropriation Date: May 28, 1993. 3.e. Decreed Amount: 0.63 c.f.s. absolute; 4.37 c.f.s., conditional. 3.f. Decreed Use: All municipal purposes, including domestic, irrigation, industrial, commercial, fire protection, stockwatering, recreation, piscatorial, storage and all other municipal purposes. The water may also be used by exchange for the foregoing purposes, for replacement, and for augmentation purposes. Additionally, Applicant shall have the right to use and reuse, for all of the aforesaid purposes, including reuse by exchange for all said purposes, all water lawfully diverted and/or stored under the decree and shall account for such uses on accounting forms reasonably acceptable to the Division Engineer. Applicant is entitled to reuse to extinction water diverted pursuant to the decree, or diverted based on use of water diverted under the decree as a source of substitute supply for exchange or augmentation. Black Hawk is not entitled to any right of successive use or rights of disposition, as those terms are defined in City & County of Denver v. Fulton Irrigating Ditch Co., 506 P.2d 144, 146-47 (Colo. 1972), of the water diverted pursuant to this decree. Black Hawk’s appropriation is of the “unappropriated” waters of North Clear Creek. Thus, it may divert effluent resulting from decreed “one-use” surface water or groundwater. Black Hawk is not entitled to divert, or place a call on, any effluent that is subject, either now or in the future, to a decreed right of reuse. Reusable effluent is not available for appropriation until it has left the dominion and control of the party owning the reuse right. To the extent that “one use” effluent is available for appropriation at the outfall of the Black Hawk-Central City Wastewater Treatment Plant, either now or within a reasonable period in the future, Black Hawk is entitled to divert such effluent up to the full decreed amount of 5.0 c.f.s. The conditional water right in this case is a decreed source of substitute supply for Black Hawk’s exchange decreed in Case No. 92CW059. This conditional water right may also
be used as a source of substitute supply in Black Hawk’s conditional exchanges decreed in Case No. 2007CW327, Case No. 2009CW276, and Case No. 2012CW303. Black Hawk reserves the right to claim additional exchanges utilizing water from this conditional right as a source of substitute supply, provided that any such exchanges will need to be separately decreed. 3.g. Place of Use: The place of use for the City of Black Hawk Effluent Diversion is any place served in the present or in the future by the City of Black Hawk’s treated water and/or raw water systems. 4. Provide a detailed outline of what has been done toward completion or for completion of the appropriation and application of water to a beneficial use as conditionally decreed, including expenditures: As part of Black Hawk’s decrees in Cases Nos. 92CW058 and 92CW059, entered on August 22, 2003, the Water Court ruled that Black Hawk’s water project, which includes the conditional water right described above, is an integrated project, and that pursuant to C.R.S. § 37-92-301(4)(b), work on one or more of the separate components constitutes diligence for all. 4.a. During the diligence period beginning on December 11, 2017, the City of Black Hawk has spent in excess of $15,950,000 on its integrated water system of which the subject water right is a part: 4.a.(1) For fiscal year 2018, the City of Black Hawk expended $2,934,151 on its water system including $741,990 on capital projects. Projects included construction of the Church Ditch Augmentation Station, painting the exterior of the Dory Hill water tank, sand blasting and painting PRV vaults in the distribution system, sealing Green Lake with sodium bentonite, design and construction to dredge Georgetown Lake, pre-design for a new headgate for the Leavenworth diversion for Green Lake, and final design of power generators for the Hidden Valley Treatment Plant & Pump Stations. 4.a.(2) For fiscal year 2019, the City of Black Hawk expended $2,603,209 on its water system including $619,808 on capital projects. Projects included construction of the Hidden Valley Stand-by Generators back-up electrical system, design for a new headgate for the Leavenworth diversion for Green Lake, rebuilding the Hidden Valley pipeline pumps, design and construction of the Green Lake seepage flume. 4.a.(3) For fiscal year 2020, the City of Black Hawk expended $2,013,906 on its water system including $264,600 on capital projects. Projects included improvements to the Church Ditch Augmentation Station, purchasing the headgate structure for
the Leavenworth diversion for Green Lake and improvements to the fiber optic communication system. 4.a.(4) For fiscal year 2021, the City of Black Hawk expended $2,969,848 on its water system including $1,179,493 on capital projects. Projects included construction of the new headgate structure for the Green Lake intake, new generators for the water treatment plant, and expansion of the water distribution system. 4.a.(5) For fiscal year 2022, the City of Black Hawk expended $3,351,317 on its water system including $476,200 on capital projects. Projects included design of a new potable water tank, design of the expansion of the Hidden Valley Water Treatment Plant and continued expansion of the water distribution system. 4.a.(6) For fiscal year 2023 through November 13, 2023, the City of Black Hawk expended $615,292 for administration and $1,468,970 for operations. 4.b. The amounts in paragraph 4.a include approximately $1,100,000 for engineering and $164,500 for legal fees and costs during the diligence period. 4.c. During the diligence period, Black Hawk filed applications in Cases Nos. 17CW3204, 18CW3152, 20CW3140, and 22CW3211 for diligence on exchanges including the subject water rights as a source of substitute supply. 4.d. During the diligence period, Black Hawk participated in rulemaking hearings and other proceedings before the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission regarding water quality standards and the Black HawkCentral City Sanitation District’s CDPES permit. 4.e. During the diligence period, Black Hawk has participated as an objector in numerous Water Court proceedings in order to protect its water rights, including the subject water right. 5. Claim to Make Absolute: N/A. 6. Names and addresses of owners or reputed owners of the land upon which any new diversion or storage structure or modification to any existing diversion or storage structure is or will be constructed or upon which water is or will be stored. Black Hawk-Central City Sanitation District, 271 Gregory Street, P.O. Box 362, Black Hawk, Colorado 80422. WHEREFORE, Applicant requests that diligence be found for the City of Black Hawk Effluent Diversion and that the remaining 4.37 c.f.s. be continued as conditional in full force and effect until the due date of the next diligence filing herein. (Number of pages of Application: 6, plus 1 page of exhibits.) THE WATER RIGHTS CLAIMED BY THESE APPLICATIONS MAY AFFECT IN PRIORITY ANY WATER RIGHTS CLAIMED OR HERETOFORE ADJUDICATED WITHIN THIS DIVISION
AND OWNERS OF AFFECTED RIGHTS MUST APPEAR TO OBJECT WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY STATUTE OR BE FOREVER BARRED. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that any party who wishes to oppose an application, or an amended application, may file with the Water Clerk, P. O. Box 2038, Greeley, CO 80632, a verified Statement of Opposition, setting forth facts as to why the application should not be granted, or why it should be granted only in part or on certain conditions. Such Statement of Opposition must be filed by the last day of FEBRUARY 2024 (forms available on www.courts.state.co.us or in the Clerk’s office), and must be filed as an Original and include $192.00 filing fee. A copy of each Statement of Opposition must also be served upon the Applicant or Applicant’s Attorney and an affidavit or certificate of such service of mailing shall be filed with the Water Clerk. Legal Notice No. CCC786 First Publication: January 18, 2024 Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant
Notice to Creditors PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Charles Nelson, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 30033 All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Clear Creek County, Colorado on or before May 11, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Nel Nelson Personal Representative 14005 E Arizona Ave Aurora, CO 80452 Legal Notice No. CCC778 First Publication: January 11, 2024 Last Publication: January 25, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant
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Clear Creek Courant January 18, 2024* 3
24 Clear Creek Courant
January 18, 2024Jan