December 16, 2021
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
DouglasCountyNewsPress.net
VOLUME 120 | ISSUE 6
SPECIAL REPORT
School board drops mask requirement
‘We used to never have anything like this’ In Douglas County, signs of homelessness are on the rise
Divided board votes 4-3 in hours-long meeting
BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Often, Dan Makelky, the human resources director for Douglas County, looks out his office window in Castle Rock and sees someone get released from the nearby county jail and wander down the road with nowhere to go. Central Castle Rock is outside the Regional Transportation District. Without public transportation connecting the town to other areas, some newly-released people can’t afford a taxi and don’t have anyone to call for a ride. “I wonder where they go, honestly, that’s the first thing,” Makelky said. “Or where they’re heading to.” Makelky and others, like county Sheriff Tony Spurlock, say this is just one of many factors that may contribute to what appears to be a growing number of people experiencing homelessness in the county.
BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
on the November ballot. Instead, they approved two of the four. Stressing a need for new revenues streams to fund public safety and parks and recreation and open space needs, the town asked voters to approve four separate revenues streams. The voters were asked to approve a new tax on new-home construction, a 10-year pause to TABOR, a sales tax increase and a
Masks are again optional in the Douglas County School District after a new board majority in the wee hours of Dec. 8 narrowly passed a resolution that prohibits the district from instating universal masking or COVID-19 vaccination policies. The resolution, adopted after the board’s special meeting on Dec. 7 ran past midnight, took effect immediately. Implementation will be up to each school, which is also tasked with making individual accommodations for people who might be vulnerable to COVID-19. The resolution said the district would comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, which could require individual classrooms or activities to have mask-wearing rules around people at-risk of the virus. Federal, state and local mandates would supersede the policy, district officials said. Board President Mike Peterson — among four board members elected last month as part of a slate challenging some previous district policies — said the goal of the rule change is to provide students with a consistent, predictable masking policy and move to a system where individual accommodations are made instead of broad masking mandates. He also urged respect for district staff as they shift to the new system
SEE BUDGET, P7
SEE MASKS, P15
Officer Ricky Stegmaier with the Lone Tree Police Department shines his flashlight over an urban encampment used by people experiencing homelessness. Items left behind at the site -- located behind a trash compactor at a local store -- included PHOTO BY ELLIOTT WENZLER cooking supplies and tent components.
“What happens is, they have no place to go, so they just try to find a place to stay,” Spurlock told Colorado Community Media. Multiple law enforcement agencies, nonprofits and local governments across the county say they are seeing a surge in the number of unhoused people in the area. Reports from these agencies
include new urban encampments, higher demands for services and — though it doesn’t always indicate homelessness — more panhandling. Castle Rock and Lone Tree are two of the main areas seeing these increases, local leaders say. But SEE HOMELESS, P8
Castle Rock council approves 2022 budget Changes reflect tax measures rejected in election BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Castle Rock Town Council has approved a $302 million budget for 2022, reflecting changes that
were required after voters rejected two ballot measures in the November election that would have created two new revenue streams. The finalized budget is about $6 million less than the $308 million first draft that was proposed in September. Town Manager David Corliss said the original draft of the budget was based on increased revenues the town would have had if voters approved all four measures
Dream Big Dreams...
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19 | SPORTS: PAGE 26
Special CD Rate
.65%
Special CD Rates ** Term * Term Or 2.74% APY 2.33% 16APYMonth 27 Month 120 S. Wilcox, Castle Rock ♦ (303) 660-4001
120 S. Wilcox, Castle Rock (303) 660-4001
APY * 11 Month Term
Percentage Yield Annual Percentage Yield (APY) and interest rate for Certificate of Deposit (CD) may change after account opening. Fees could reduce earnings on the CD. A*Annual penalty may be imposed for early(APY) and interest rate for Certificate of Deposit (CD) may change after account opening. Fees withdrawal. *To open the CD, $1,000 minimum opening deposit is required. The CD is automatically renewed into a Standard 12 month CD with current rate at renewal. **To open the CD, couldYield reduce earnings on the CD. A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. The CD is automatically renewed into $1,000 minimum opening deposit is required. The CD is automatically renewed into a Standard 24 month CD with current rate at renewal. The Annual Percentage is current as of 11/22/018. a Standard 12 month CD with current rate at renewal. *The Annual Percentage Yield is current as of December 8, 2021.
