News
Elbert County News
Elbert County
May 16, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourelbertcountynews.com
Elbert County, Colorado • Volume 118, Issue 16
Paving project sets tone Small stretch of road is precursor to major construction work By Rhonda Moore
rmoore@ourcoloradonews.com
Travis Tinnes, firefighter/EMT with the Elizabeth Fire Protection District, anchors the ropes for a rescue training May 7 outside of Castle Rock. The training included firefighters from four area agencies, and was prompted by last year’s Christmas Day rescue at Castlewood Canyon State Park. Photo by Rhonda Moore
Elizabeth Fire practices rope rescues Agencies heed lessons of Castlewood Canyon By Rhonda Moore
rmoore@ourcoloradonews.com A day devoted to rope training was designed to improve interagency tactics for Elizabeth Fire Protection District and other emergency responders. Elizabeth joined agencies from Castle Rock, Franktown and Larkspur to hone their skills on cliffs such as those in the Castlewood Canyon State Park, widely used by recreational climbers. The May 7 training was prompted by a Christmas Day steep-terrain rescue in the park that
called on a team of 20 responders from Douglas County and Franktown. The Christmas Day 2012 rescue required the help of Douglas County’s search and rescue team. The team was joined by Franktown firefighters to rescue a 20-year-old man who had fallen about 50 feet when he slipped near the park waterfalls. While the man was brought to safety within about two hours of the call, the experience moved agencies to include multi-agency rope training to their 2013 list. “In Franktown, we have Castlewood Canyon with a lot of recreational climbing,” said Ryan Bray, Franktown firefighter. “We found we need to familiarize our-
selves with the capabilities of surrounding agencies. Different skills call for different thought processes, and this is a skill we need to practice and improve.” Bray helped lead the day of training on a cliff east of Castle Rock with terrain similar to that at Castlewood Canyon. The training was made up of three sessions throughout the day, to include firefighters from all agencies and all shifts. To mimic a complicated rescue, the cliff was selected for its 90-degree drop, calling for the use of a tripod pivotal to a successful rescue. The tripod is set near the cliff’s edge to add height at the peak of the climb, giving rescuers who are Ropes continues on Page 15
Town officials settle into their new digs Site that housed chocolate shop was purchased from bank
FacTs abouT ElizabETh’s Town hall Date of Purchase: Jan. 24, 2012 Move-in Date: Dec. 14, 2012
By Rhonda Moore
Purchase Price: $224,827.87
rmoore@ourcoloradonews. com Elizabeth’s town offices have a new place to call home, with a new town hall steps from the town’s longtime digs. The town in February celebrated the grand opening of town hall, and on May 4 added the building to its list for some sprucing up. The new building was among those slated for cleanup during Elizabeth Clean Up day, with a new coat of paint on the exterior handrail that welcomes visitors. The new town hall is at
reMoDeLing Price, incLuDing architect fees, contractor anD furnishings: $125,172.13 totaL 2012 buDget for the Project: $350,000 new town haLL square footage: 6,877
Elizabeth celebrated the grand opening of its town hall in February. The building is the former Banner House chocolate store at 151 S. Banner St. Photo by Rhonda Moore 151 S. Banner Street, former home of The Banner House chocolatiers. The town bought the bank-owned building for
$225,000 in January 2012 and by year’s end, moved town staff into the refurbished space. “It is fantastic,” said Eliza-
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oLD town haLL square footage: 2,868
beth Police Chief Mike Phibbs. “It is a much better facility to conduct town business than we had before.” The new town hall is less than a block down the street from the former town hall, which served its purpose for more than 30 years. Upon purchasing the new space, the town embarked on a remodeling effort that transformed the former storefront to house the town’s planning department, Town hall continues on Page 15
Travelers on Colorado Highway 86 recently had a chance to experience what’s to come later this summer, when CDOT begins a paving project from Elizabeth to Franktown. The Colorado Department of Transportation on May 6 conducted maintenance on a short segment of the highway, adding a coat of new asphalt to the road’s surface. The project was completed in about a day, with nearly a dozen paving trucks on site to put a half-inch coat of new asphalt on about 1,000 feet of the road just west of Elizabeth. Traffic was down to one lane during the project, with flaggers managing cars in both directions. The resulting traffic delays gave drivers an idea of the larger-scale project set to begin before summer’s end. CDOT is scheduled to repave the highway from Franktown to Elizabeth in a project expected to last about three months, said Bob Wilson, CDOT spokesman. The Highway 86 repaving project will begin in August and is scheduled for completion in October, Wilson said. The project will include removal of the existing road surface and application of two inches of asphalt, he said. “This (May 6 project) is a very short segment,” Wilson said. “When maintenance crews do it, they do a skim layer to maintain the roadway until a bigger paving project comes through. That bigger paving project will be much longer-lasting.” CDOT has yet to schedule a start date for the repaving project. More information will be provided before construction begins, Wilson said.
Mental-health bill passes Legislature Hickenlooper requested action in wake of Aurora shootings By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com A bill that will pump nearly $20 million into the creation of a statewide mental health crisis response system passed the Legislature last week. Senate Bill 266, which was a major funding priority for Gov. John Hickenlooper this legislative session, passed the House on May 6, following a bipartisan vote of 4421. It had already Report cleared the Senate. Sen. Linda Newell, D-Littleton, called the bill “historic legislation.” “When it comes to mental health funding in Colorado, we have never funded it appropriately,” Newell said during a recent Senate debate. “I honestly believe this bill will save lives.” The bill creates a 24-hour mental health
Capitol
Crisis continues on Page 15