leaders are voicing concerns over the sweeping legislation proposed through the state Legislature known as SB23-213.
e bill would preempt a great
Nearly a week after Polis and Democratic lawmakers unveiled the land use bill to address the growing housing crisis, Arapahoe County Commissioner Carrie Warren-Gully said the biggest issue is taking away
Over 30 recognized
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM“As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness.”
A quote by Dieter F. Uchtdorf was used as the theme for a recent teacher appreciation event that brought people together.
e Highlands Ranch Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosted the annual Teacher Appreciation Award night where each graduating senior in various
congregations nominated a teacher to be honored and celebrated.
A soft melody began to be played on the organ and everyone took their seat. Behind the podium sat principals and directors of Douglas County schools and leadership sta
our state,” she said. “We have come together to look at our successes and take on our challenges. I have some concerns on how this one-size- tsall approach is going to work.”
Warren-Gully said with 13 cities and towns in Arapahoe County,
As upcoming elections are approaching, the Highlands Ranch Metro District Board of Directors has three open seats in the local to be held on Tuesday, May 2.
The metro district is composed of an elected seven-member board of directors who represent the entire community. The board sets policy and assists staff in budget preparation, maintenance of roadway landscaping, construction of storm drainage facilities and parks and open space.
According to a press release from the Highlands Ranch Metro District, six candidates are running for the three open seats.
Renee Anderson, who is currently the chair of the Highlands Ranch Metro District is running for another term in the Southwest Region.
Absentee deadline is April 25 SEE
many of them are already working together to address the housing issues and what can be done at the local level.
e City of Centennial has been working for more than a year on a housing study focused on the local needs. Centennial Mayor Stephanie Piko said SB23-213 would wipe that out and require municipalities to follow new requirements.
In Castle Rock, Mayor Jason Gray said, “ e town’s policies — and more importantly, our planning — have provided for an array of market-based housing choices within Castle Rock while respecting property owners’ rights and ensuring quality town services, like longterm renewable water. We cannot allow the governor and the General Assembly to upend our community’s planning and character — and Castle Rock homeowners’ nancial investments — with this overreaching legislation.”
Gray said the council will vote on a letter and resolution to o cially oppose SB23-213 on April 4.
Castle Rock is not alone. In Parker, while the council hasn’t taken a stance on the bill, town o cials said a discussion and possible vote would be coming soon. Littleton may also consider an o cial action to oppose the measure.
In an email statement to Colorado Community Media, Littleton Mayor Kyle Schlachter said he appreciates the legislation the bill is trying to address, while noting that housing is
an important issue that even Littleton has labeled as a top priority.
“While I personally would support much of the land use changes SB23213 suggests here in Littleton, such as ADUs (accessory dwelling units), missing middle housing, parking requirements, and occupancy requirements — I am concerned about the unprecedented preemption of home rule authority,” he said. “I think removing local input from land use decisions would be a step in the wrong direction for our state.”
Home rule is a form or structure of governing de ned by the citizens of a municipality or county that allows for more control over matters of local signi cance.
rough home rule, Piko said, Centennial has worked directly with citizens to create housing options to t local needs, which SB23-213 would end.
“Centennial has recently engaged with our residents on several large housing projects, like e Streets at Southglenn and e District. Between e Streets at Southglenn and e District, we’re looking at adding an additional 3,000 units to our community,” she said. “ at process allowed for the opportunity to engage with citizens, the developer and the city to work through project proposals together to amend projects to meet the needs of our community. Even though not every citizen is happy with the outcome, they have the opportunity to have their concerns heard by their local o cials who can be held accountable for the outcomes of the development.”
Warren-Gully said Arapahoe County is working to address the housing shortage. e county cur-
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rently has more than 108,000 units already approved for construction, which would provide homes for nearly 280,000 people.
“ at’s planned housing for all those people,” she said. “ e problem is all those homes will not be built by next year. Development will happen not overnight. is legislation just can’t make them get built faster.”
Arapahoe County is expected to reach 800,000 residents by the year 2030. e current population is just over 650,000.
Cherry Hills Village Mayor Katy Brown agreed with Piko and Warren-Gully, saying a lot of collaborative planning that has gone into meeting Arapahoe County needs at local levels would be undone with the bill passage.
“You’ve just heard a lot about the great work that’s being done to address housing needs locally in Arapahoe County,” she said. “You’ve heard about the smart and collaborative planning and development that takes into consideration the unique communities in our county. But this bill would put an end to all of that by taking decision-making out of the hands of local communities and giving it to the state.”
Under Polis’ land use bill, cities and towns would be barred from limiting the construction of multiplexes and add-on housing units.
Opponents say that is not so simple.
In Colorado, Warren-Gully said, it may sound good to create these plans to force more housing, but the cost is not necessarily going to compute. To give an example, WarrenGully said when a home valued at $450,000 is instead developed into a triplex where the units are sold for $750,000 each — a ordability is still an issue.
“Density does not address affordability,” she said. “We have to be much more intentional to make things a ordable.”
Brown said zoning is currently created by local governments with extensive input from the community.
“By allowing increased density on
any single-family lot as a use-byright, this bill takes away a community’s ability to situate housing where it makes sense,” Brown said. “Where it can be sustainable for things like water and sewer. Questions like — Are the pipes underground big enough to handle the increased volume of water and well, frankly, poop that has to go down them? Are the roads and tra c, are the roads wide enough to accommodate the travel, parking and emergency vehicle access? My community still has some narrow dirt roads. It wouldn’t make sense to build an apartment building there, but we might be required to do so under this new legislation.”
Piko said she supports the idea of building more townhomes and condominiums in the metro area, however, past legislative decisions and liability for developers have created a hesitancy to build them over the years.
Schlachter said SB23-213 could also create extra layers of bureaucracy and regulations and that passage of this legislation would mean restricting development of new housing instead of encouraging it.
During a recent town hall, Sheridan Mayor Tara Beiter-Fluhr said with current projects and future plans, the city is working to increase a ordable housing without mandates from the state. SB21-213 does not actually guarantee a ordable housing while municipalities like Sheridan are working to provide “truly a ordable housing,” she said.
With housing being a statewide concern, Schlachter said SB12-213 does not cover it. Schlachter said solutions that work for Denver may not make sense for Littleton, just as Littleton solutions may not work for neighboring communities.
“I wish the a ected municipalities had been brought to the table sooner to help craft legislation that would better address the issues regarding housing a ordability,” he said.
SB23-213, which was o cially introduced on March 22, will be discussed in committee on April 6. Nina Joss contributed to this story.
People lled the room at the Highlands Ranch Library as freshman state Rep. Robert Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, held his fourth town hall event since his election to speak about his decisions on proposed bills in the 2023 Colorado legislative session.
In an event that was livestreamed on Facebook, Marshall, who represents House District 43, spent more than an hour discussing various topics, including the controversial gun bills making their way through the House and Senate.
ere are four bills concerning guns that the Democratic majority is moving toward the governor’s desk. ese include Senate Bill 168, manufacturers’ liability; Senate Bill 169, increasing the minimum age to purchase rearms; House Bill 1219, the three-day waiting period; and House Bill 1165, county authority to prohibit rearms discharge.
According to Marshall, all four have passed the House and two are in the Senate.
Before speaking about his reasoning behind his votes, Marshall brought up when he was rst asked to run by the Democratic Party.
“ ey came and asked my positions on both guns and abortion and I told them that, whatever my personal opinion is, as the representative for Highlands Ranch, my position was going to be to ght any e ort to roll back any restrictions in Colorado on rearms but I wouldn’t support any further restrictions,” said Marshall.
Marshall voted for Senate Bill 168, the manufacturers’ liability bill, as he believes it was not a restriction on rearms. e bill aims to lift the manufacturers’ immunity and make them just as responsible for proximate cause issues as any other industry.
“I look at the issue on its merits,” said Marshall. “And on its merits, they had given a very special immunity and privilege to an industry that was just not appropriate.”
e other bill Marshall voted for was the Extreme Risk Protection Order, or ERPO, expansion to the Red Flag law. He said he has no problem with ERPO’s constitutional procedure for due process, however,
the issue is that only sheri s were allowed to ask for an ERPO. Marshall said this became a big issue in the caucus because of the mass shooting that happened at Club Q in Colorado Springs.
Marshall agrees that DAs and mental health professionals should be allowed to ask for an ERPO. However, Marshall said he is hesitant about the educators having the ability.
“So, the educators was the only one where I had some issues,” said Marshall. “Is this appropriate or not? And I decided in the overall scheme of things, I wasn’t going to vote against that bill just based on that piece.”
Based on the commitment Marshall had made to not vote for any further restrictions on rearms, the two bills that he voted against were the bill pushing for a three-day waiting period to buy a gun, and the bill increasing the age from 18 to 21 to purchase a weapon.Marshall also brought up what is being called the “assault weapons ban,” which will be discussed in committee on April 5.
A public attendee asked Marshall to allow this subject to be fully debated and what would get his “yes” vote. In response, Marshall said he feels he needs to uphold his commitment. However, as there are still moving parts and the measure has been postponed a week, he would like to not go into detail.
Marshall moved the conversation to his positions on the three reproductive-rights bills.
Two bills Marshall voted for were Senate Bill 189, to waive copays and deductibles, and another Senate bill to keep other states’ anti-abortion laws from having an extraterritorial impact in Colorado.
“I was a big believer, regardless of the issue, that if we have a public policy in Colorado, we should protect it and not allow other states to interfere with it,” said Marshall.
Marshall also took time to talk about Rule 14, where Democrats voted to limit debate time regarding gun bills and other controversial bills Republicans have worked to stall.
Marshall said after nine hours of debate one day with no movement, another nine hours the next day and two broken agreements, it was time to limit the debate.
“We had more than two-thirds vote and we only need 50%.” said Marshall.
And our research has developed ways to get you back out there faster.Rep. Robert Marshall holding a town hall at the Highlands Ranch Library. PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
e Douglas County School Board rmly rejected a request from the chair of the Douglas County GOP to allow teachers to carry rearms in schools.
Steve Peck, the Douglas County GOP chair and a former school board member, sent a letter on March 27 in the aftermath of the Nashville shooting, asking the district to let trained sta be armed at schools without school resource o cers. Peck did not respond to an interview request from Colorado Community Media.
“We cannot a ord to wait any longer or play political games with the lives of our nearly 63,000 students in the district, especially elementary and rural schools who have no SROs and are sitting today without any armed security,” Peck wrote in the letter.
Board members responded to the letter during the March 28 meeting by reiterating the district has no plans to allow sta to be armed in schools with the exception of school resource o cers, or SRO, who are trained law enforcement.
e district currently has an SRO at every middle and high school.
Board President Mike Peterson said a sta member with a concealed carry permit would not rise to the standard of training the district has for school resource ocers, so he would not support them being armed in schools.
“I’ve had three criteria for our folks who are armed in schools,”
Peterson said. “ e rst one is that they are competent, trained to a ridiculously high standard. Two, that they are pro cient, so they maintain that competency and skill for not just physical, but mental decision making. And third, that they are an integrated part of our planning and response.”
Board member Elizabeth Hanson said the letter created unnecessary chaos in the community because the elected panel has no intentions of arming teachers, which she adamantly opposes.
“I want to call it what it is, it was a political stunt, it was reckless, and I think it was very purposefully sent to create division,” Hanson said.
A statement from Lucy Squire, a third-grade teacher and the president of the local teachers’ union, Douglas County Federation, noted that allowing teachers to be armed would potentially pit them against their students.
“We know that often the perpetrator in a school shooting is a current or former student,” Squire said.
“Why would the Douglas County GOP want us to be confronted with the possibility of having to shoot our own current or former students?”
ough the board doesn’t support arming teachers, it is looking at ways to fund 10 more school resource o cers, which would help ll coverage gaps. e district estimates it would cost $5-6 million.
One possibility is that the district asks voters for the money as part of a mill levy override.
“We all respect our SROs,” Hanson said. “We mutually understand that what they bring to our district is absolutely invaluable and we want to continue to elevate that relationship and nothing else.”
Colorado state Rep. Brandi Bradley had strong feelings about recent actions taken by Democrats to limit debate and discussion over controversial gun bills in the 2023 legislative session.
During a town hall in Castle Rock on March 29, Bradley, a Republican from the area south of Highlands Ranch who represents House District 39, joined fellow Douglas County state Reps. Lisa Frizell, RCastle Rock, and Anthony Hartsook, R-Parker, to talk about the current session and issues they have with how Democrats, who hold the supermajority in the House, are silencing their voices.
After hours of debate had arleady taken place, on March 24, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, DWheat Ridge, moved to limit debate to one more hour for Senate Bill 169, which, if approved, will make it easier to sue gun manufacturers and sellers, and Senate Bill 170, which would expand the controversial red ag law.
e vote, which falls under Colorado House Rule 14, passed 39-19, with all Republicans voting against it.
According to the Colorado General Assembly, the legislature’s rules allow the majority party to limit discussion whenever they want. In this
case, Democrats hold a supermajority in the House with 46 Democrats vs. 19 total Republicans.
Bradley told several dozen Douglas County residents that when Republicans have been in power, they have not invoked Rule 14.
“ is is a problem. is should not be a party issue,” Bradley said. “And I appeal to the Democrats. What if Republicans got up there and stripped abortion rights. eir precious abortion rights. Do you think that they would say, ‘Yeah, we are only going to take 10 hours’? ey would not do it. is is not a party issue. is is wrong to limit our ability to speak for all of you.”
Frizell said despite losing the ability to debate and ght a bill, Republicans have not quit. Delay tactics now include requiring the bill to be read multiple times.
“Our strategy at this point is to drag this out as long as possible,” Frizell said. “ ey are going to keep invoking (Rule 14) and our response to that is to keep reading the bill out loud and sometimes twice. at will back the calendar up. We are up libustering on every bill. We are going to go after them. at is why we are there so much. We are slowing things down.”
Reading an entire bill at length multiple times is not considered debate, which means the amount of time to read the bill in its entirety does not count.
Frizell, in her rst term, said Democrats had to take the extreme action to limit discussion because
Democrats have more than 600 bills on deck this year and only 120 days to push them through. Halting opposing voices allows Democrats to continue to push through bills aimed at limiting parental rights, property rights and other rights, Frizell said.
Bradley said at the current rate, Democrats are trying to push through one bill per hour, every day.
“ ey are angry that we are holding things up to speak our truth,” she said.
In a statement from state Rep. Robert Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, Rule 14 was only invoked after the GOP broke two agreements to limit debate. Marshall is the only
elected Democrat from Douglas County.
“ e GOP was using debate simply to kill time in a legislature, that, by law, can only sit for 120 days,” he said in the March 25 statement. “ is was not legitimate debate to convince the majority that a bill should be amended, changed or rejected. After 18 wasted work hours and multiple broken agreements, this was a legitimate invocation for Rule 14.”
Even with the Democrats’ motion to limit discussion, according to a Colorado Sun report, total debate for Senate Bill 170 lasted about nine hours, and Senate Bill 168 continued for about 10 hours.
With community survey results on Douglas County School District’s equity policy showing support for the current guidelines, the school board directed Superintendent Erin Kane to move forward with creating an implementation plan.
During the March 28 meeting, Kane told the board she plans to bring forth an implementation plan, also called a regulation, for the equity policy on April 25 that will be informed by feedback from the survey. Kane added that she doesn’t expect to recommend changes to the policy.
“We will be producing a regulation around (the equity policy) and (the regulation) will cover the following areas: academics, student wellness, human resources, resource allocation and parent engagement,” she said.
e district has been discussing potential changes to its equity policy since the board voted 4-3 in January 2022 to direct the superintendent to make recommendations on the policy. e policy states the district will work to provide an inclusive culture and equitable educational opportunities for all students.
In February, the district contracted with Hanover for $75,000 to conduct the survey with the goal of gathering feedback to inform the recommendations.
During the meeting the board also got a presentation from Hanover Research, which conducted the survey and focus groups. Findings were based on responses from 3,970 parents, sta , students and community members, which Hanover determined to be valid participants and not spam respondents. A majority of the participants were parents.
More than half of respondents believe the implementation of the current equity policy would have positive impacts on the district, with 52% saying the policy might contribute to decreased bullying and greater respect among students. Another 49% said the policy could better academic growth and achievement.
When it comes to hopes for policy implementation, 68% of respondents want curriculum that promotes critical thinking and problem-solving, and 62% want historically-accurate and comprehensive social studies. e third most popular response was the hope that implementation would increase student growth and achievement.
e top concerns with the policy implementation were politicization of school curriculum and the school environment, as well as a loss of focus on core curriculum.
Suggested metrics for policy implementation included student growth and achievement data, student perception data and sta retention and recruitment data. Focus group participants shared that the policy is a good starting place and praised its inclusivity, but also said it lacked speci city and ex-
pressed varying perspectives on the policy de nitions and implementation. Students also pointed to issues with reporting potential violations of the equity policy.
Kane said the results show many of the clarity issues center on implementation, not the policy itself, which she hopes to address with the regulation.
“When we come back with our implementation plan and action steps, we’ll draw direct lines between key ndings of the presentation you’re getting tonight and the resulting implementation plan and action steps,” Kane said.
Board members were supportive of Kane’s plan, but also discussed making changes to the equity policy. Board member Christy Williams said she thinks the focus group comments show the policy is too ambiguous.
“I do think that from (the results) we got, there does need to be some language changes,” Williams said.
Board member Mike Peterson also supported potential language changes. He gave the example of wanting to expand the de nition of diversity in the policy to include personality di erences, cognitive di erences and skill variation.
Unlike Williams, board member David Ray said he didn’t think the survey results “provide a compelling argument that the policy needs to be changed.”
Ultimately, the board decided to look at potential changes after hearing more details on the implementation plan.
“I’m really concerned that if we start working on the policy revisions prior to the superintendent bringing us her recommended potential changes then we are not following our process,” board member Elizabeth Hanson said.
Hanson also suggested the board rescind or revise the Jan. 25 resolution that directed the superintendent to recommend potential changes to the equity policy since the board plans to do so.
It’s unclear how many other board members support taking action on the resolution. e board will have a rst reading of the implementation plan on April 25.
Want to learn more about history, spend time appreciating abstract or contemporary art or get in touch with nature? SCFD organizations have your entrance fee and cultural passions covered. For more information, including specific dates and locations, visit scfd.org
Payments must be received by the Treasurer’s office by April 30, 2023. Payments received after the due date must include applicable interest. To obtain the amounts due or to pay online, please visit douglascotax.com and search for your account.
Do you have hazardous waste from a painting project, old oil from your car’s maintenance, or other waste from your recent DIY project? This curbside service is available to Douglas County residents for $30. For details call 1-800-4497587 or visit douglas.co.us and search Household Waste Management
Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view public meeting agendas, participate in-person or remotely, or watch select meetings via live stream, visit douglas.co.us and search for Business Meetings / Public Hearings.
You can help keep your community healthy. The Douglas County Health Department investigates communicable diseases. You can help by reporting infectious diseases along with animal bites that break the skin. To report, visit douglas.co.us and search Health Department
‘I do think that from (the results) we got, there does need to be some language changes.’
Christy Williams, school board member
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Some Colorado homeowners reaped the bene ts of skyrocketing home prices in recent years, selling homes for much more than they paid to buy them. But for those who stay put, there’s a drawback: When home prices rise, so do families’ property tax bills.
And this May, property owners in Douglas County could be in for a shock. Property values — as determined for tax purposes — could rise by around 40% to 50% on average, one of the county’s elected leaders says.
“If you had a tax bill last year that was $6,000, next year in 2024 you’ll pay $9,000 unless the legislature does something to control the increase,” said Douglas County Commissioner Lora omas.
Property taxes partly fund county governments, but they also fund school districts, re and library districts, and other local entities. Property taxes pay for Douglas County sheri ’s deputies, omas noted.
Even when tax rates themselves aren’t increasing, the amount that homeowners owe increases as the value of homes rises. e state legislature could intervene to cap the increase, but Colorado lawmakers face a delicate balancing act: A cap that’s too high could squeeze families’ nances in a tough economic time.
But a cap set too low could force local governments to make cuts to services.
Douglas County o cials want to be reasonable and not see citizens “overtaxed,” omas said.
But “I don’t want to have to lay people o because we can’t pay them,” she added.
State in the mix
Rising property values are a problem statewide, not just in the Denver metro area, said omas, who has heard input from other counties.
To address the issue, state Rep. Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Roack, pushed a bill in the legislature that initially proposed a 5% cap on increasing residential property values between 2022 and 2025. Frizell later amended that to a proposed 10% cap after hearing feedback from rural counties.
Her bill met defeat in a committee — before reaching a full vote in the state House — in early March.
One Democrat voted for her bill, which failed 6-5, Frizell said, but that doesn’t mean the conversation is over.
“Uno cially, I was told that (lawmakers) were discouraged by leadership to vote for it,” said Frizell, adding that Democrats are anticipating a plan from the governor’s o ce and “didn’t want the distraction.”
Local o cials as of late March were waiting to hear what Democrats may propose, and a percentage for a possible cap isn’t clear yet, according to omas and Frizell.
A cap as low as 3%, for example,
would pose problems for Douglas County’s budget, county o cials said.
“Local government revenues need to keep up with, at minimum, in ation in order to keep the lights on,” Frizell noted.
If the state doesn’t take action, Douglas County may reduce residents’ tax bills on its own.
If property values increase around 50%, “we will do a temporary mill levy credit like we have done ve of the last seven years that I’ve been a commissioner,” omas said.
e county has authorized such credits in 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, e ectively lowering county revenue by $30 million.
But omas hopes the state will step in. e budget that Douglas County o cials wrote for 2024 was based on expecting a 9% residential property value increase, she said.
“I would like to see us be able to in uence (a legislature) bill to cap that property tax increase 7% to 10%, somewhere in there,” omas said.
(For example, if a home was valued at $500,000, with a 10% increase, its value would rise to $550,000 for 2024 tax purposes.)
If Colorado lawmakers pass a cap lower than that, the county services that could be a ected aren’t yet clear.
omas and her fellow commissioners haven’t had a conversation about that, so “I can’t even begin to guess what we would do,” omas said.
It’s the job of county assessors’ o ces to establish accurate values of homes and other properties to determine how much property owners will owe government entities in taxes — a process meant to ensure that the amount of taxes people pay is fair and equitable.
( e assessor doesn’t set the tax rate but determines the value of the property that the tax rate then gets applied to.)
e law requires the assessor to value properties every two years in June, so the property valuation homeowners will soon receive is based on June 2022 data, near the recent peak in the real estate market, omas said. So even though home prices have declined since then, property values determined by the assessor’s o ce re ect last year’s exceptional highs.
Since the start of 2010 — when the median single-family home price in
metro Denver was about $200,000 — the median price had roughly tripled, according to a report by the Colorado Association of Realtors based on data as of August. Statewide, it had tripled as well, according to the association.
Homeowners can see the breakdown of the property taxes they owe by typing in their address in a large search bar near the top of the Douglas County assessor’s webpage at douglas.co.us/assessor. at search function shows how the taxes are divided among each government entity based on the “mills” charged. Property tax rates are o cially called “mill levies.”
One “mill” is equal to one thousandth of a dollar. Generally, property taxes are calculated using a formula that involves mills — the tax rate — and the property value.
Living within a metropolitan district, such as Highlands Ranch, can make a big di erence in a home’s total property taxes, omas said. Metro districts are a type of government entity that can o er some government services.
A complex background
Part of why property taxes can rise so relatively high is that Colorado voters recently repealed the Gallagher Amendment, omas noted.
A state constitutional amendment, Gallagher prevented residential property tax bills from quickly rising by shifting the tax burden to commercial property owners through assessment rates, which help determine how much property owners pay in taxes, the Colorado Sun reported. But Gallagher collided with another constitutional amendment, the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, in a way that had hamstrung government entities that rely on property tax revenue, the Sun reported. See more on that at tinyurl.com/ SunGallagherExplain.
Nationally, Colorado has relatively low residential property taxes, according to an analysis by the conservative Tax Foundation. Colorado ranked 47th in property taxes paid as a percentage of owner-occupied housing value in 2020, according to the foundation.
And while businesses pay more, their taxes still appear to be lower than the national average, according to the Colorado Sun. Colorado had the 17th best “State Business Tax Climate” for 2020, according to the Tax Foundation. Colorado had the 14th best “property tax rank” for businesses in 2020, according to the foundation.
FROM
e North Central Region candidates include newcomer James E. Freiberg, who has been a resident of Highlands Ranch for 16 years, and incumbent Andy Jones, a current board member who has also served as vice chair.
Tammy M. Kelly was one of the candidates originally listed, but withdrew her candidacy in March. ree candidates are running for the Northeast Region, including Nancy W. Smith, a current board member, Homar Alvarado, an active member and resident of Highlands Ranch since 2011, and the current Chairman of Colorado Senate District 30, Bradford Mark Wann. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hendrick O ce Building, 62 Plaza Dr.. All voters can cast a vote for one candidate in each of the regions, regardless of which region the voter resides.
of the Colorado Stake. Mountain Vista senior opened the evening by recognizing and thanking all teachers.
“We thank you for all the jokes and pictures that you put in your presentations,” said Mountain Vista Senior. “We thank you for your patience in helping us with the problem you just did on the board no less than ve minutes ago. We thank you for the o topic stories that tend to take up a good amount of class but teach us who you really are.”
Dr. Christopher Page Jr., principal of Highlands Ranch High School, was introduced with recognition as he was just named the Colorado High School Principal of the Year by the Colorado Association of School Executives.
Passionate about building community, Pages’ speech focused around serving others and making an impact in the world, quoting the in uential Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother Teresa.
“ ere is no area that we can think of better where we provide service all the time than being a teacher,” said Page. “If you really think about it, teachers impact countless lives.”
As Jimmer Fredette presented the awards for the third time, the audience heard multiple stories of
Directors must live or own property in the region in which they are running, according to the Highlands Ranch Metro District elections page. Eligible electors can request an absentee ballot to vote by main in the May 2 election. To request an absentee ballot, complete the Application for Absentee Ballot online at highlandsranch.org/elections. Once the application is complete, email the ballot to the designated o cial at info@highlandsranch.org or may be mailed or delivered to the Hendrick O ce Building, 62 Plaza Dr. . e deadline to submit absentee ballot applications is by close of business on Tuesday, April 25. Highlands Ranch residents will also be voting on the Centennial Board vacancies, which started with 18 total candidates.
Learn more about candidates running for the metro district and water board, see the Q&As presented by Colorado Community Media at https://highlandsranchherald.net/ hrelections/index.html.
a lifetime impact school teachers, coaches and piano teachers made on students. e connection between students and their teachers and role models were made visible through bursts of laughter, tears and hugs.
39 students honored school and piano teachers and coaches from underridge, Mountain Vista, Rock Canyon, Highlands Ranch, Ben Franklin Academy, the DCSD Bridge Program, Platte River Academy, Northridge Elementary and Heritage Elementary.
One by one, each senior handed a plaque to their nominated teacher or coach and Fredette read aloud what the student wrote about that person. Words such as genuine, inspiring, charismatic, warm-hearted, generous, irreplaceable and sel ess were just a few to describe the nominees.
Students wrote, “One of the things that makes me smile is that she always says ‘good morning sunshine’,”, “Although some may see you as a simple librarian, I know that you are truly an extraordinary person,”, “She encourages and inspires me to work hard and also love and appreciate life,”, “Was friendly during uncertain times,”, “She will never know how much impact that one hug did for me.”
“Being a teacher of 19 years, it’s always nice to hear that you’re appreciated and what you’re doing does make a di erence,” said Joni Ables, underridge teacher.
Thu 4/13
Colorado Country Dance Social @ 6pm / $10
Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora Music City Hit-Makers; From Nashville with Strings @ 6:30pm
Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St, Lone Tree
Tue 4/18
Spring Cherry Creek Race Team | Ages 9-18 @ 3:30pm / Free
Apr 18th - May 16th
Cherry Creek Reservoir, 4800 S Dayton St, Greenwood Village. 303-757-7718
Sarah Banker @ SUNROOM
BREWING @ 5pm
Sunroom Brewing, 3242 S Acoma St, En‐glewood
Enslaved @ 5pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood
Phat Daddy @ 7pm
The Angry Clover, 15350 E Smoky Hill Rd, Aurora Knolls
Guayacán Orquesta @ 8pm Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora
Jay_Martin @ 6:30pm Rocker Spirits, 5587 S Hill St, Lit‐tleton
Dear Marsha,: Tax Day with Dear Marsha and her Freaky Band @ 8pm Mirage Sports Bar, 8340 W Coal Mine Ave, Littleton
Sun 4/16
2023 Rockin' on the River 5K @ 8am / $20
The Hudson Gardens & Event Center, 6115 South Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. SarahN@ ssprd.org, 303-483-7034
Tony Medina Music: The Open Mic at The Alley @ 5:30pm The Alley, 2420 W Main St, Little‐ton
Wed 4/19
Ladies Night @ 5pm / $10 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora
Meaghan Farrell @ 6:30pm
Parker Arts, Culture & Events Cen‐ter, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker
DeMoor Global Running Distance Classic 2023 @ 11pm / $35-$35
Apr 14th - Apr 23rd
PO Box 1972, Englewood
Fri 4/14 Sat 4/15
Jay Stott Trio at The Alley, Littleton @ 7pm
The Alley, 2420 W Main St, Little‐ton
Vamonos Pest/Mobro: Va‐monos Pest at Brewability Lab @ 5pm Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Englewood
Judd Hoos @ 5pm Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker
Finn O'Sullivan: Sofar Sounds @ 7pm Sofar Sounds, Englewood
The Sound of Animals Fighting @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, En‐glewood
Cory Michael @ 12pm Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia
DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo at 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 7pm Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan
Thu 4/20
LIVE AT THE STAMPEDE 4/20 THROW DOWN @ 5:30pm / $50 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora
The Word Alive @ 6pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood
DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo - Tailgate Tavern & Grill @ 7pm Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker
Sean Curran: The Whosoever Tour with Rend CollectiveDenver (Highlands Ranch), CO @ 6pm Cherry Hills Community Church, 3900 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch
Rend Collective @ 6pm Cherry Hills Community Church, 3900 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch
A
Answers in short supply FROM THE EDITOR
few weeks ago I wrote about the need for school resource o cers, or SROs, in local schools. I did not have crystal ball, but days after the editorial went live the shooting at East High School occurred.It was a tragic day. Not only were two innocent administrators shot, but a young man who was allowed to continue coming to school despite his troubled record died. Had that student been placed in online learning or so many other options we as parents have today — would we not have lost him and would our teachers not be feeling like they are in a war zone?
I was impressed to see the superintendent of the school district stand up and say something has to be done and that means SROs back on campus protecting our students.
I can’t imagine what those parents in that district are feeling as details come out and the constant political debate continues. I had a sinking feeling to nd out the student who is now dead had attended my own children’s school district. A little too close for comfort.
Bottom line — teachers and administrators deserve protection too. at means school boards, superintendents and principals are going to have to speak louder as politically correct decisions are being placed above their safety and our general student population. A teacher being shot by a 6-year-old is not OK. A teacher videoed being beaten unconscious by a student who was mad she took his game is not OK.
en, we had another mass shooting at a school in Tennessee. ree children at the age of 9 were killed. ree adults trying to save lives were also killed.
Like every shooting, as soon as tragedy strikes — we lack the ability to come together as a country today. We lack the ability to be empathetic and sympathetic because it might create a problem in subjecting political will.
My son is 9 years old and with each shooting I become even more disheartened. ese children should not be the target in a world where adults have created a politically driven war zone in every aspect of our lives.
Of course, the gun debate comes up almost immediately. I saw articles and comments online where a father of one of the innocent victims said simply that he hopes his daughter nds peace in heaven. He was put down for taking that approach. I saw comments where people thought he should be angry and point to gun control.
I say this — He lost his daughter. He has a right to comment and react however he chooses and we as a society should be sympathetic and supportive.
en, I saw a troubling statement online about the fact that stopping these shootings may be causing political division and debate but stopping them is not so simple.
Our country has an astounding mental health crisis on our hands and when you have a gunman decide that they are going to take weapons and kill innocent people with the objective of dying that day themselves — What do we do to stop it?
In the end, I want an SRO, a trained member of law enforcement, posted at the front doors, back doors and in each hallway of schools. ey are trained to go ahead and complete the wishes of the disgusting people who are on these suicide missions. And they may do so before innocent lives who deserve none of this are killed.
elma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.
LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
WINNING
She moved across the country with her 4-year-old son to start a new life and to reconnect with family. Her son was having a hard time adjusting to the new time zone, new surroundings, and new family members he had to get to know. His lack of sleep meant that she wasn’t getting any consistent sleep either, and the vicious cycle of no sleep and stress began. Additionally, she started a brand-new job, and he started school for the rst time, causing even greater disruption and stress. She looked in the mirror one morning and asked, “Why does everything have to be so di cult right now?”
As a career leader and salesperson he knew how large and complex deals could take longer than others. He had started the process on a new opportunity many months ago. As with any sales role, pressure comes when deals slip or push month-to-month and quarter-to-quarter. He was doing everything by the book, awlessly following the process and aligning with the buyer’s journey, yet the deal kept slipping. Finally, almost at the nish line to win the business, a week of discussion with the customer’s legal team forced more delays. He asked some of the people on his team, “Why does everything have to be so di cult right now?”
We all know stories like these, don’t we?
ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com
he weeks seemed to be piling up, one right on top of the next. With the time ying by so fast, it also seemed as if the to-do list grew longer while the things checked o kept getting shorter or couldn’t keep up with everything that needed to be done and the additional things being added to the list. As they woke up to start another day, she asked her husband, “Why does everything have to be so difcult right now?”We have all felt like this at times, haven’t we? I could add several more just like the ones above, but instead, let’s focus on what happens next.
Here we are in another season of new beginnings, and for many of us it is because we associate it with Easter as we celebrate the Risen Christ. In the week and weekend ahead, hope lls our hearts, and our outlook becomes elevated as we have new encouragement and inspiration. For some, it’s just about springtime and the budding of trees, grass turning green again, more sunlight pouring through our window, owers beginning to bloom, and the start of baseball that gives us a new and positive attitude.
Another season of new beginnings. So I say to the couple, the mom and her son, and the professional salesperson all mentioned above, as well as any of us who may be saying the same thing right now, “Let today be a day of new beginnings.” If what we are doing right now isn’t working, let’s start over and develop a new plan that aligns with who we want to be, where we want to go and grow, and what we want to enjoy in this life. Everything will get better for you as a couple, a new, safe, and happy new life awaits you mother and child, and that deal will close as will many others for you in your brilliant sales career. is season of life will pass just like every previous season. If we hold on to the yesterdays of life that have caused us stress, fear, worry, and doubt, we are only anchoring ourselves in that negative cycle of gloom and doom. As Zig Ziglar said, “Failure is an event, not a person, yesterday really did end last night.” It’s time for another season of new beginnings.
How about you? Are you asking yourself why things are so di cult right now? Would it be helpful if you could see the light and
A publication of
Call first: 9233 Park Meadows Dr., Lone Tree, CO 80124
Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110
Phone: 303-566-4100
Web: HighlandsRanchHerald.net
MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com
THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com
MCKENNA HARFORD Community Editor mharford@coloradocommunitymedia.com
AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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On a recent Saturday morning, Douglas County Schools Superintendent Erin Kane stopped at a Parker restaurant for breakfast burritos. e woman working behind the counter instantly recognized her and chatted her up. e woman was not a parent with a concern, or a teenager who remembered Kane from her days as a school principal. She didn’t recognize Kane from news coverage of the previous year’s school board sta ng and political tumult.
She recognized Kane because she currently works for her – an employee of the Douglas County Schools working the second job she needs to pay rent.
In the 2022 election, Douglas County voters rejected ballot measures 5A and 5B which would have generated more revenue for salaries and top infrastructure
On April 6, Colorado Parent Advocacy Network (CPAN) will hold a Denver rally for conservatives supporting “parents’ rights” at the state Capitol. e related legislation in the US House pushed by MAGAs is no coincidence.
CPAN’s practical problem is clear … informed people here in DougCo won’t be sidetracked by the current right-wing triggers — “parents’ rights” and “woke.” We haven’t gotten over the damaging divisiveness of last year’s fake triggers — “critical race theory,” “Marxist teachers unions,” “teaching homosexuality and transgender in public schools” and more. Triggers concocted by the central planning process coming out of the dark-monied “libertarian in name only” think-tanks on the East Coast, with a helping of Bannonista rhetoric.
Our own DCSD has been besieged by the local Reformers mix since 2007 and before. Back then, there was a direct line from Reformers politics to the Koch-funded Tea Party and think-tanks Americans for Prosperity, American Enterprise Institute and the Independence Institute, among others.
CPAN is the latest of many darkmonied Reformer committees established to hornswoggle voters in the runup to DCSD and other school board elections in November. During CPAN’s November 2022 evening kicko , multi-layered connections between the current DCSD Board
FROM PAGE 12
love at the end of the tunnel? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can prepare our hearts and minds for our own season of new begin-
priorities. Frankly, the timing was terrible. In ation and interest rates were surging, and asking for a tax increase from economicallystressed homeowners was predictably doomed to fail.
e bond request for school construction failed by more than eight points. e request for a mill levy increase – to retain and attract quality teachers and sta – came closer, falling short by a mere 2,495 votes.
So here we are in 2023. Douglas County is now the only school district in the metro area where starting pay for a teacher is below $50,000 per year. A teacher commuting to Parker from Aurora will likely pass several Cherry Creek schools where the average teacher makes $18,000 more per year.
Anecdotally, the Douglas County teachers who can a ord to stay teaching are those with economically-secure partners. Young teachers are hard to recruit, and those who do take jobs quickly move to better-paying jobs in nearby districts after a year or two.
It is likely that the school district will try again in the upcoming
majority and the host of Trumpist/ anti-minority organizations were in plain sight. e proof is in the bitter pudding of the same cast of roving anti-minority activists who continue to show-up for false-fronted nonpro ts like CPAN.
“Stripping back the layers of the onion” shows the same worn-out ideological players: current “CPAN award winning” DCSD Superintendent Kane and her four board members; CO and DougCo GOP; old-timey Reformers/Tea Partiers; billionaire funded local think tanks (Independence Institute et al.), Clarity (Anschutz) Media and radio KNUS, Foundation Against Intolerance and Fascism, some churches and grifting election deniers. Among others.
e DCSD community has already seen how quickly the current DCSD Board majority (aka Reformers Redux) stripped away the institution’s standing, energizing a new era of mistrust and disappointment. It behooves each of us to stay informed about school board politics and demand good faith candidates we can comfortably support in November. And it is time to pass the MLO and bond measures despite heavy reservations.
So, the question for DCSD taxpayers — isn’t it time we demand good choices among local school board candidates, people who have the intellectual and decision-making
o -year election. ey have to – or Douglas County teachers will only fall farther behind. Meanwhile, the surging county population is screaming for new schools. We won’t know until the school board authorizes the ballot initiatives this summer, but Kane and her team are already gearing up.
is time, the outcome will hinge on voter turnout. In o -year elections, voters tend to be whiter, older, and more conservative – not exactly the ideal demographic mix for a successful public education funding initiative. To pass, the new measures will require strong turnout from DCSD parents to counteract those dependable Douglas County voters who re exively say NO to anything resembling a public funding increase.
Fortunately, the economic outlook is better this year than last.
ey have that going for them.
Public education has no shortage of critics and skeptics (frequently, I am one). However, Parker’s economic and workforce competitiveness cannot be separated from the issue of public school funding. is year, public school funding will
need to be a priority issue for businesses.
e Parker Chamber of Commerce’s Government A airs Committee met with Kane’s team recently to discuss the anticipated 2023 ballot request. All agreed that, this time, an endorsement will not be enough. A uni ed message is needed, and chambers, major employers, and concerned parents will need to make clear that investment our community’s teachers is an urgent business priority.
e schools in Douglas County are academically competitive with every other district in the area, but the deterioration of teachers, sta , and infrastructure chips away from success potential every year that funding falls dramatically short of need.
You simply can’t attract primary employers and top-notch talent to a place where special education teachers wrap burritos and re ll salsa stations to a ord groceries.
T.J. Sullivan is the CEO of the Parker Chamber of Commerce. Find him on Instagram at @ParkerChamberCEO
nings, it really will be a better than good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
An tiques might seem like a eld that’s struggling to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, but the local scene in Elizabeth — and elsewhere in Colorado — suggests a renaissance of sorts might be occurring in the industry.
Randy Wallace owns Randy’s Antiques and Art on Main Street in Elizabeth. e bustling scene in town — featuring e Prickly Pear Antiques, e Carriage Shoppes and 1897 House of Antiques, among others — breeds community, not competition, he said.
“ e more stores in town, the better,” Wallace said. “People love to come antique shopping when there are multiple stores. Each one of our shops has a di erent niche, each one has just a little bit di erent style; I think customers enjoy having a di erent variety when they come to Elizabeth.”
Wallace said that while his shop specializes in antique art and furniture, others cater to di erent interests, like the Prickly Pear’s tearoom.
Over in Littleton, owner Joe Crawford of Old Crow Antiques had the novel idea to add a root beer bar to his shop, with the eventual goal of making the soda section — which currently carries between 60-90 varieties of vintage soda pop at any given time — the largest root beer bar in the world.
Crawford said Old Crow — which he opened three years ago with his brother — is one of the “new kids on the block” in the local
antiquing scene, but said they’ve been welcomed into the scene with open arms.
“I feel like we’re part of a larger community in the metro area,” Wallace said. “ ere are stores throughout the area, and we’ve gotten to know the people who own and work there — some have been here a long time.”
Nostalgia and good, old-fashioned, quality craftsmanship
Antique shops can often sprawl thousands of square feet — Old Crow’s showroom is over 45,000 square feet — packed with items from all eras and purposes. Shopkeepers say that a sense of longing for a di erent time helps people nd what they’re looking for out of the scores of inventories, in addition to the fact that many antiques have stood the test of time for a reason.
“In antique furniture, it’s already lasted 100 years, and — if you take care of it — it’ll last another 100 years,” Wallace said. “A lot of today’s stu is kind of throwaway.”
Julie McCoy, who runs own Unique Treasures Antiques and Collectibles in Wheat Ridge with her parents, echoed Wallace’s sentiment.
“(Antiques are) made so much better,” McCoy said. “ ey’re around 100 years later for a reason. It’s not like Ikea stu that you put together and throw away. It’s good quality
FROM PAGE 14
stu that’s built to last. It builds a lot of memories with people.”
People also point to childhood nostalgia or family memories as reasons for antique shops’ sustained popularity.
“(People seek out) childhood memories,” McCoy said. “Stu that’ll last, people come in and say, ‘My mom had this,’ they need to have that again to relive their childhood.”
Crawford said his family got into the antiques business because of a love for history and historic items cultivated from time spent with grandparents as kids.
“We tell people it’s a walk down memory lane,” Crawford said. “You’ll see something that reminds you of another time, maybe a simpler time, or childhood. Something you haven’t thought of in maybe 50, 60 years.
“I’ll be reminded of my grandma, my family and that’s what it is for me, the stories and experiences of everything that’s here,” Crawford continued. “We say, ‘ ere are a lot of ghosts under this roof.’”
Since 1984, members of the Denver Lyric Opera Guild have raised enough to give over a million in support money to help young (23-32) opera singers get started on their professional careers.
e top award of this year’s competition was given by the judges to operatic bass Gry en Hagen Tracy, a Coloradan, who has been an apprentice with the Santa Fe Opera and is a graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where he had a residency and received a Master of Music Degree.
He has been in Central City Opera Company’s training program and received his Bachelor of Music degree from Lamont School of Music at DU. He also has a Master of Music from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
It’s necessary for these young singers to travel to auditions in order to be cast in operatic performances and these awards help them with launching into a professional career.
e group meets monthly at Columbine Country Club in Littleton and welcomes new members. Visit the website.
Kathy van Arsdale will be the next DLOG president.
Colorado Ballet
e Colorado Ballet has announced performances of “Sinfonetta,” originally planned for the 2019/2020 season and nally appearing. e work, choreographed by Jiri Kylian in 1976 and new to Denver audiences, is set to a score by Leos Janacek and blends clasic and contemporary techniques.
Elie Caulkins Opera
A horn fanfare is performed from the audience at the Elie Caulkins Opera House. Performances: April 14, 15, 21, 22 at 7:30 p.m. and April 15, 16 and 23 at 2 p.m. 303-837-8888, ext. 2. Ballet Masterworks tickets start at $40. See ColoradoBallet.org.
Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center
Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center, one of History Colorado’s community museums, is among 15 nalists for the 2023 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. It is located in the San Luis Valley and shows visitors what a frontier fort
looked like. It’s a great site for a family visit with kids who are learning about our state. Well organized to tell a story. e address is 29477 Hwy 159, Fort Garland, CO and is open every day from 9 a.. to 5 p.m.. Call 1-719-430-3512 for information. Or, try 303-HISTORY.
Mary Louise Lee Orchestra
e Mary Louise Lee Orchestra will play a Tribute to Natalie Cole at 8 p.m. April 21 at Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree 720-509-1000. Tickets cost $31 to $45.
Colorado Gallery of Art
e Colorado Gallery of Art at Arapahoe Community College Littleton Campus has an exhibit of work by invited students and alumni. Ooen Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Grapefruit Lab to perform
Grapefruit Lab performs “Strange Bird, Queer Bird” April 7 to 15 at Buntport eater, 717 Lipan St., Denver. Original music by Teacup Gorilla, choreography by Kate Spear and design by Colorado Shoe School. Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 15, additional matinee at 2 p.m. Name your price for tickets.
Parker Symphony Orchestra
Parker Symphony Orchestra will perform a Concert called “Arabian Nights” at 7:30 p.m. at the PACE Center, 20000 E. Mainstreet, Parker.
303-805-3289. Box o ce MondaySaturday noon to 5 p.m.
Denver Audubon
e 2023 Birdathon will be held May 1-31 by Denver Audubon. Form a team, pick one day in May for a team. Have team members collect donations for Audubon on one day in May and look for birds during that day in your yard, on a hike... Pledges might be for $1 a bird. A Birdathon Meet and Greet will be held at the Kingery Nature Center at Denver Audubon, 9303 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Littleton. email info@denveraudubon.org, Can donate there as well. Donations will be used to add more educational programs and reach more schools year- round.
Arvada Center
“Damn Yankees” plays April 7 to May 7 at Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. , Arvada. Tickets start at $53. 720-898-7200, arvadacenter.org.
*Call for artists: CORE Art Space, 6501 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood. invites entries for “Flower Power” which will run May 12 to 28. Entries due by April 16 at CAFE, .callforentry.org. Juror Michael Paglia. Show runs may 12-28, with a reception May 12, 5 to 10 p.m.. Gallery open 12 to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday* eater for kids: “Robin Hood” will play april 8-22 and May 27-June 24 at Miners Alley Playhouse, 1224 Washington Ave, Golden,: Saturday at 1 p.m. and June 17 and 24 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. 303935-3044.
Six candidates are competing for two seats on the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District board of directors.
e May 2 election will be the district’s rst regular election in an odd-numbered year, after 2019 state legislation changed timelines to stagger county and special district elections.
e district’s board election is accustomed to seeing very low voter turnout, with just over 1% of eligible voters casting ballots in 2022.
“With any election, your vote matters,” said Jennifer King, the designated election o cial at South Suburban. “We encourage people to participate in these elections because these are the decisionmakers of what’s going on in the district.”
District background
South Suburban, which formed in 1959, is a regional provider of parks and recreation services. e special district manages recreation centers, indoor sports facilities, golf courses, playgrounds, parks and trails in its 46-square mile area, which includes portions of Arapahoe, Douglas and Je erson Counties.
According to 2022 nancial documents, in-district taxpayers pay about $8.40 in tax to the district per $1,000 of assessed property value.
e board of directors, made of ve elected residents, adopts policies and governs the district, according to the district’s website. e executive director implements board policies and oversees operations. Candidates are running for the elected seats of Jim Taylor and Ken Lucas, whose terms are ending in May. Hopefuls include Michael Edwards, John Priddy, Pam Eller, Elizabeth Watson, Alexis Barrere and Ken Lucas, who is running for re-election.
e South Suburban board meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 6 p.m. in the South Suburban Sports Complex at 4810 E. County Line Rd.
Am
To be eligible to vote in a South Suburban election, a person must be a registered voter in Colorado. In addition, they must reside within the district boundaries or own taxable property within the boundaries. A person who is married or in a civil union with a property-owner in the district is also eligible.
e district’s boundaries expand southeast towards Lone Tree and northwest to Sheridan, crossing the lines of many municipalities and three counties.
To see who is eligible to vote,
residents can check the county assessor’s website to see if they own taxable property within the district. Residents can also check their district resident information through the Secretary of State’s database at www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/ or by contacting their county clerk and recorder.
For this election, voters may vote absentee or in-person at a polling station on election day. Absentee voters must request a ballot by April 25.
“We do not mail ballots to everybody in the district, compared to the county election where they do, where they just automatically get a ballot,” King said. “If they want a ballot mailed to them, they have to apply for that.”
Absentee ballot applications must be physically signed by the applicant — no electronic signatures will be accepted. Applicants can email a scanned version or photograph of the document to Elections@ssprd. org or mail the application toSouth Suburban at 4810 E. County Line Road in Littleton.
King said the district doesn’t automatically mail ballots to all voters because of costs.
“Cost is a big factor on doing an all-mail ballot (election),” King said. “We would be mailing ballots to every resident and non-resident of the district — we have a lot of people
ALEXIS BARRERE
Profession: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Biography: I was born and raised in Littleton and now I am raising my 2 children here. I love to rock climb, play soccer in the park, and take my kids to swim lessons at our local rec center. I am lucky enough to live in the same community as my parents and my brother and his family. Our local SSPRD park is very much a part of our lives and serves as a place where many memories are created between generations.
Website: votealexisbarrere.com
Why are you running for the South Suburban board?
I am running for a seat on the SSPRD board because our parks, open spaces, trails and recreation programs are integral to the quality of life that we enjoy, most important, they are crucial to our health and well-being regardless of our age. As a nurse practitioner, I understand the need for recreation and outdoor activities for the physical, mental, and emotional health. As a board member, I want to make sure to build on the great things SSPRD has already created and ensure that future endeavors are done with consideration for environmental sustainability and more voices from residents.
When it comes to serving on this board, what are your top three priorities?
We’re good stewards of the District’s 4,000 acres of parkland, 100+
miles of trails, and 4 recreation centers for the enjoyment of people of all ages and abilities.
We ful ll the 2023 Master Plan goals and objectives in scally responsible and sustainable ways.
We make certain that the voices of all residents in the district have equal voices in the future of SSPRD.
What needs to be done to address those priorities?
I hear from citizens that they are concerned that active recreation facilities and activities for which SSPR collects fees are prioritized over maintenance and enhancement of parks and open spaces. I want to ensure that the lands SSPRD is stewards of are getting the attention and funding they require for ALL to enjoy and this is done through increase transparency and engagement with community members and community partners. ere is a lack of voting participation from di erent parts of our community and SSPRD needs to do better through more robust voter participation.
With continued growth in the region and call for more rec centers and youth programs, how does the board keep property taxes from going up and meet budget obligations?
I am not sure I agree there is a call for more rec centers; after a cursory review of the SSPRD Master Plan 2023 draft, it looks like 85% of respondents use SSPRD for walking, hiking, or jogging on the trails, 72% use the playgrounds, and 62% use nature themed playgrounds. Given this information, I would argue SSPRD resi-
dents are seeking more support for parks and open spaces. I have serious concerns about why there is a new rec center being built in Lone Tree, what South Suburban is committing to nancially, and how that compares to what residents would like to see.
If elected, how would you improve community outreach to educate all eligible voters about upcoming elections, property taxes and South Suburban business?
Since less than 2% of the 150,000+ residents of the SSRPD voted in the last election, I believe there is a lot of work to be done to increase community involvement and decision transparency in SSPRD. If elected, I am going to push for at a minimum of a more widely accessible election through measures like using already established SSPRD monthly catalogs to engage voter for the elections and a increasing visibility through instituting streaming for SSPRD board meetings.
PAM ELLER
who own property but don’t live in the district, so we would be mailing ballots to each and every one of those individuals… It’s a pretty signi cant cost.”
Requested absentee ballots will begin being mailed out on April 3, according to South Suburban’s website.
Absentee voters can mail ballots to South Suburban Park and Recreation District at 4810 E. County Line Road in Littleton, CO 80126. To ensure votes are in on time, South Suburban asks residents to mail their ballots by April 28.
Alternatively, voters can drop o completed ballots at the Goodson Recreation Center or South Suburban Sports Complex. Ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. on May 2. In-person voting will also be available at the Goodson Recreation Center in Centennial from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 2.
At 6 p.m. on April 12, South Suburban and the Littleton Business Chamber are holding a candidate forum at Shift Workspaces on Main Street, with a meet-and-greet hour preceding it.
ere will also be a candidate forum at 10 a.m. on April 15, hosted by the League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties at the South Suburban Sports Complex.
I actively participated in PTO at Wilder Elementary School, Goddard Middle School and Heritage High School.
I served on the Burning Tree HOA for several years as Pool Director. I am a golfer and tennis player. I walk and bike the trails of SSPRD and am a regular at the Buck Community Recreation Center (individual workout and tness classes).
Website: www.SSPRD.org/BoardElection
Why are you running for the South Suburban board?
Profession: I retired from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center after 27 years as a Research Associate.
Biography: I was born in Denver and graduated from South High School. I received my BS (Biological Science) from Colorado State University and my MA (Physiology) from the University of Colorado, Denver.
My husband and I and our two daughters moved to Burning Tree in Columbine Valley 37 years ago.
Serving on the SSPRD Board comes with challenges and opportunities. I was a dedicated board member for eight years, from 2010-2018. I believe my experience and relationships with the leaders of the cities, counties and organizations that partner with South Suburban will serve the District over the next four years. I understand the commitment of time and energy required to be an e ective board member, and I am prepared once again to meet that commitment. I have a passion for SSPRD and a demonstrated work ethic that is acknowledged by those who support me.
When it comes to serving on this board, what are your top three priorities?
SSPRD has the responsibility to safeguard all facilities in the community — nancially, physically and with attention to preserving and maintaining our natural resources.
1) e condition of District facilities, parks, and trails is always a top SEE
priority. Beyond the responsibility of maintaining clean recreation centers, the District must address cleanliness and safety in parks and on trails. is issue has gained prominence with the increasing challenge of overnight camping and drug use in parts of the District. 2) Water conservation is an increasing concern in Colorado. SSPRD has implemented several excellent measures to ensure smart use of water throughout the District. But water costs will continue to increase, and South Suburban must meet the challenge of keeping our outdoor spaces as green as possible while carefully managing the water budget. 3) All costs to operate a park and recreation district as diverse as SSPRD are increasing substantially. ese include costs for sta , utilities, and materials. Managing these costs without compromising quality of service will be an ongoing challenge.
What needs to be done to address those priorities?
Facility managers and park rangers need to have the resources to deal with safety and cleanliness issues quickly, securely, and e ectively. Employees at every level must be trained to know how to respond to speci c incidents that might impact the safety of patrons and themselves. Much of this is already in place throughout the District, but policies and training should be updated regularly. Ongoing education of employees is key. New policies for resource conservation have been implemented
throughout the District over the last few years. ese include water use, management of utilities, and changes in vehicle use to reduce gas consumption. ere continue to be new developments in resource conservation. e District should encourage employees to research innovative methods and suggest ways to implement them across SSPRD. e Board of Directors must be proactive in managing the District budget with a view toward continued changes in the cost of maintaining current facilities. Additional facilities and major upgrades to older ones need to be closely monitored to ensure that the pace of construction does not outpace the capability of the District to manage expenses.
With continued growth in the region and call for more rec centers and youth programs, how does the board keep property taxes from going up and meet budget obligations?
It is important to note that property taxes cannot be increased without voter approval. is requires the Board of Directors to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money. Managing the nances must continue to be a top priority for all future boards. In 2017, voters approved a measure to remove the sunset clause on the District’s two separate mill levy assessments. is has allowed the District the security of a xed mill levy, so the revenue from property taxes is a known entity. Personally, I see no need for any discussion asking voters for a property tax increase. Also in 2017, the voters approved a $46M bond issue after the District presented to the community a list of the priorities that would be covered
by this bond. True to its reputation, South Suburban has applied those funds to every item on that list, and most of those projects are completed or nearing completion. ese include the new South Suburban Sports Center and replacement of the tennis “bubble” at Federal and Bowles. If major projects were to be identi ed in the future that would require additional funding, voters would have to approve these projects in a November election.
If elected, how would you improve community outreach to educate all eligible voters about upcoming elections, property taxes and South Suburban business?
South Suburban maintains an excellent website—www.ssprd.org—with current information on elections and much more, as well as a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and a YouTube presence. Each quarter, sta mails a catalogue of classes and programs to every District household.
e South Suburban Youth Commission and Public Art Committee involve numerous residents. A live voice always answers the District’s main phone number, 303-798-5131, to answer questions and direct calls to sta for additional information. Board members and managers could improve community outreach by frequently attending the regular and district city council meetings and the many community events sponsored by local governments and organizations. is would better facilitate exchanges of information and ideas. Finally, as a previous Board member, I consistently sought and welcomed direct contact from constituents, encouraging them to attend our twice
monthly board meetings to meet the board and sta , to ask questions, and to learn much more about all aspects of South Suburban. If elected in May, I pledge to continue my outreach.
Profession: Retired from a publicly traded energy company. Biography: Born in Greeley, raised in Denver. Graduated from John F. Kennedy HS. Graduated from CSU with BS in Business Administration, Concentration in Real Estate. Independent landman in Denver and Durango. Moved to CA and worked for a start-up energy company. Attended law school at night, received a JD and passed the CA Bar (still an active member). Last 14 years in Investor Relations for two publicly traded companies, responsible for interacting with top Institutional Shareholders (like Fidelity, Blackrock, T.Rowe Price) and explaining nancial and operational information to stock analysts with top commercial banks (like JPMorgan, Citi, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America).
Why are you running for the South Suburban board?
I learned to swim at the South Suburban Harlow pool when it opened in 1969 and learned to ice skate at the seasonal ice rink o Arapahoe and University in the early 1970s. When we moved back to Centennial in 2007, my children
SEE Q&A, P22
bene ted from activities at South Suburban facilities - my son took karate lessons and golf lessons and my daughter took ballet and ice skating lessons (40 years after I learned to skate with SSPRD!) I’m running because I want to contribute to this organization and make sure that current and future generations can enjoy the programs, facilities, trails and open spaces.
When it comes to serving on this board, what are your top three priorities?
1) Financial - making sure that the diverse set of properties and programs are well run, well taken care of and that tax dollars are invested in a responsible manner.
2) Listening to taxpayers to hear their wants, needs and for ways to improve existing programs and properties.
3) Finding ways to connect more residents to nature and wildlife experiences.
What needs to be done to address those priorities?
1) Diving into the nancial information to understand xed costs, variable costs, cost saving measures, contingency planning for various economic conditions.
2) Visiting as many of the facilities, parks, trails and programs as I can and engaging in conversations with participants.
3) Talking with sta to understand current outreach and to look for ways to collaborate with the District’s
municipal and county partners. Also, asking residents for ideas.
With continued growth in the region and call for more rec centers and youth programs, how does the board keep property taxes from going up and meet budget obligations?
Taxpayers get to make the decision on tax increases at the ballot box. So, outreach and interaction with taxpayers is vital to understand if there is a desire to add rec centers and youth programs AND if a tax increase is needed and, ultimately, something taxpayers would approve. New urban developments will add residents, so increased revenue from adding those residents should be part of the calculation of any tax increase.
If elected, how would you improve community outreach to educate all eligible voters about upcoming elections, property taxes and South Suburban business?
I have read about the process and procedures used in writing the Master Plan to solicit feedback from residents about what they think the District’s priorities should be in the future. I do not know how community outreach is handled for elections, property taxes and South Suburban business, so my rst need it to understand how it is
Profession: VP - Health Plan Operations Colorado Access
Biography: I am currently the Vice President of Health Plan Operations for Colorado Access. Colorado Access is a non-pro t, healthcare payer
that manages contracts on behalf of the State of Colorado’s Department of Health Care Policy & Financing. I have been with Colorado Access for 10 years, and prior to that I had an extensive career in the Telecommunications and Technology sectors. My MBA with an emphasis in Finance and Accounting is from the University of Washington, Seattle. My undergraduate degree, in Finance is from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and I am also a Certi ed Project Management Professional (PMP). I am a candidate for the SSPRD Board because of my desire to serve the community and the value my family and I have received from South Suburban programs and facilities over these past 24 years.
Website: https://www.linkedin. com/in/johnkpriddy/
Why are you running for the South Suburban board?
Most mornings I start my day with a work out at the Lone Tree Rec Center. We have been members since the day the Lone Tree facility opened. My son worked at the Sheridan Rec Center and I can pinpoint the spot on the Goodson Center Basketball Court where my daughter made her rst basketball shot. ese facilities, the people that work there, the community we’ve built and the friends we’ve made there, are all an integral part of my family’s life. We have bene ted from our access to the facilities and programs of the SSPRD District for over 20 years. I am fortunate in now being able to support the community by serving on the Board.
When it comes to serving on this boardwhat are your top three priorities?
1. Plan for Growth;
2. Preserve & Maintain our Parks and Facilities;
3. Connect with our communities and its diverse set of priorities.
What needs to be done to address those priorities?
As I review the Guiding Principles set out in the 2022 Master Plan and the 2022 Strategic Plan my top 3 Priorities are aligned and integral to the work ahead of the District. e recognition that the District has to e ectively Plan and manage growth is a recurring theme in the Planning Document. As a Parks and Rec district that is over 60 years old it is imperative that we continue to maintain and improve these facilities. Finally, the district serves a broad and increasingly diverse population - residents across six cities, and both Unincorporated portions of Arapahoe and Douglas counties. To successfully meet the needs of residents and stakeholders across this diverse set of constituencies is a skill and one I hope to be able to contribute to as a Board member.
With continued growth in the region and call for more rec centers and youth programs - How does the board keep property taxes from going up and meet budget obligations?
Fiscal responsibility is a Guiding Principle of the district, and in my interactions with the Executive Leadership of SSPRD and review of their publicly available nancial material, I believe the team is as committed to prudent and judicious use of the public dollar as I would be as a Board Member. My top priority is to Plan
SEE Q&A, P23
for Growth - erefore I view my role as a Board Member, in planning for growth in the region, to be a voice for disciplined scal management of the resources we steward, and not to re exively reach to increase property taxes to fund growth.
If elected, how would you improve community outreach to educate all eligible voters about upcoming elections, property taxes and South Suburban business?
Without a doubt, there are improvements we can make to engage a broader electorate about the elections, taxes and the business of the SSPRD district. My intent is to rst listen and learn. With that skill and with the expertise of the district’s professional sta , I will seek and advocate for ways to increase participation in the election process.
ELIZABETH WATSON
Profession: Owner, Watson Marketing & Public Relations, LLC
Biography:
Work/Career: I have over 15 years of experience as a marketing professional for architectural and engineering rms, including CH2M Hill, GEI Engineering and DHM landscape architecture. As a marketing manager I have led multi-disciplinary teams preparing proposals, presentations and client-focused events. I graduated from Colorado State University, Pueblo, with a Mass Communications degree with a double major in journalism and public relations.
In December 2022, I started my own marketing company, Watson Marketing & Public Relations, LLC. Instagram @watsonmarketingandpr Board experience: I have served as a volunteer on Boards, but those were not elected positions. I am not a politician. I am a small business owner, a homeowner, a Colorado native and an active user of South Suburban’s amenities, both rec centers and open space and trails.
ree members of the South Suburban Board will be serving their second term. Working alongside these dedicated and experienced community members would be a privilege. is election is an opportunity for taxpayers to decide if there is value in electing Board members who will bring an additional renewed focus on serving the in-District taxpayers and contribute fresh, new ideas.
Past and current service to volunteer organizations:
I have nine years of experience as an in-classroom volunteer in Littleton Public School classrooms. I have volunteered as the Marketing Co-Chair
for the Denver Arthritis Walk and have also volunteered as the Public Relations Committee Lead for the Colorado chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services.
Recreation interests:
I enjoy several sports at the recreational level. I play tennis, sand volleyball, and pickleball on a fairly regular basis. My most regular recreation is walking our dog, Newt, on South Suburban trails.
Personal interests:
Reading and writing are high up on my list of personal interests. And while I don’t consider myself a “foodie,” I like to cook. I have three children. My daughter is 19 and away at college. My two boys are at a LPS high school. And my husband Matthew still loves his job that he’s been at for 31 years.
City of residence: Centennial
Number of years you’ve been a resident of the District: 19
Websites: Facebook - Elizabeth Watson, Instagram - watsonmarketingandpr
Why are you running for the South Suburban board? If you are running for reelection, please say how long you have served.
I believe that South Suburban board members should be committed to transparency and providing their in-District community with an active, inclusive public involvement process. South Suburban is a taxpayer-funded organization that will receive almost $30,000,000 from property taxes paid by in-District residents in 2023 alone.
I am running for the board because I believe in-District taxpayers should know exactly how their taxes are being spent. And I believe South Suburban’s focus, its mission and vision, should be providing services that bene t their in-District community.
When it comes to serving on this board, what are your top three priorities?
Transparency, public engagement and outreach, providing a renewed focus on services to South Suburban’s in-District community.
What needs to be done to address those priorities?
ere are simple changes that could help address transparency. One example is broadcasting and recording all board meetings. But an even more signi cant shift needs to happen within the board itself. Currently, this board seems to be focused on being representatives for South Suburban. I believe that needs to change so that board members truly represent the in-District taxpaying community. at is impossible to do if there is no public engagement. South Suburban is legally required to hold three public meetings for input on their budget. In 2021 there were zero in-person members of the community at those meetings. In 2022, two people attended.
With continued growth in the region and
call for more rec centers and youth programs, how does the board keep property taxes from going up and meet budget obligations?
SSPR’s 2021-2025 Capital Improvement Plan details the Ridgegate East Inclusion (page 8). “Planned development for the District includes a recreation center, 65 acres for a regional park, 100 acres of neighborhood parks…” e District has included $4 million in 2023 for development of the regional park in Lone Tree, east of I-25. SSPR’s 2023 budget is $128,253,646. If SSPR continues to focus on regional services and new construction, your taxes will go up.
It’s important to note that in the 2023
Draft Master Plan, page 50 shows results from a 2022 Community Survey “Community desires - improve aging and well-loved parks, trails, and facilities over new facilities”
If elected, how would you improve community outreach to educate all eligible voters about upcoming elections, property taxes and South Suburban business?
Currently SSPR’s communications seem to focus on informing the community about services, programs and classes. Operations and nancial information should be provided to the community as well. If elected, I will work with SSPR to have nancial information included in the catalogs mailed to our in-District community. Speci cally, I would like to see an end of year Financial Highlight and a statement showing if the board voted to raise your taxes. Participation in this election and public input on the budget has to be increased. A more meaningful relationship with local media and a focus to involve and inform local organizations are both opportunities to increase awareness.
KEN LUCAS
Why are you interested in becoming a candidate for the Board?
I am currently a member of the SSPRD Board of Directors and have throughout my tenure seen SSPRD expand and provide the increasingly wider variety of premier services and amenities to the more than 150,000 residents in the six cities/towns that they serve. I have also experienced having a great working relationship with the very profes-
sional sta members while serving on the board. Many new milestones have been accomplished by the board; i.e. the opening of the new Sports Complex in Douglas County, Dave Lorenz Regional Park, City of Lone Tree’s expansion Ridge Gate and their planning of a new regional park. Pickle Ball courts are being built and more in various planning stages. Other projects that are in progress is a new club house being built at the Littleton Golf & Tennis Club and the replacement of the bubble at the Family Sports complex with a permanent building. It has been a great experience to have been part of this growth and would like to continue my role as a board member and treasurer if re-elected.
Biography
I am now retired from over 30 years of senior level nance and accounting positions as well as owning several businesses that were heavily involved in venture capital, private equity, securities, and publicly traded companies.
U.S. Navy combat veteran with three tours of duty in Viet Nam.
City of Centennial where I served for 8 years as a city council member and mayor pro tem.
Education:
BA - Public A airs - Drake University MPA - Master’s Degree in Public Administration - Drake University
MBA - Master’s Degree in Finance and Accounting - Regis University
Board experience:
Currently serve on South Suburban Parks & Recreation District Board of Directors and serve as Treasurer and member the Audit Committee as well as liaison to the City of Centennial.
Over the years I have also sat on many boards in both the public and private company sectors during my years in venture capital and private equity investing.
Past and current service to volunteer organizations:
Senior Men’s Golf Club @ South Suburban Golf Course. Many committee’s when I was serving as a council member with the City of Centennial.
Personal interests:
Staying physically t, lots of reading, staying abreast of local and state politics, and improving my golf game.
City of residence:
Centennial
Number of years you’ve been a resident of the District: 22 years.
FROM
independence to solve issues with local thinking rather than falling back to outsiders and interference that failed our schools before? After all, shouldn’t we be electing local o cials who have the leadership moxie to bring all kinds of people together?
Lloyd
GuthrieRoxborough Park
Pick a name
Compared to Colorado, with our weak gun laws, the State of Tennessee has almost no gun laws. e six people who died in the Nashville school shooting were simply traded for the right of every Tennessean to own a weapon of war. Or two or three or a dozen.
Douglas County has three County Commissioners who support the right to own an AR 15 assault/pistol/ ri e, or other weapon of war, over the lives of every school student in Douglas County. ey were elected by a majority of the residents of the county who have similar views. Other elected o cials do not even support the red ag law that would take these weapons of war out of the hands of mentally ill people.
I would like to invite a representative group of the afore mentioned AR15 supporters to join me in visiting three schools that are a short walk from my house. Students from these three schools pass my house every day. ese representatives would simply trade their AR 15s for the life of every student and teacher or keep their AR 15s and pick a name, who they view, has less value than an AR 15.
Roy Legg Highlands Ranch
What goes around
We can certainly engage in gallows humor over Trump’s indictment, but the reality is that this political move will just light a re under some to go after Biden for his family’s foreign in uence money — which we all know would be like furiously pedaling a stationary, nodestination bike in a spin class. Hey. While we’re about it, let’s just indict every government o cial who has been doing insider trading.
And because I’m already on the path to mix more metaphors, all I can picture is Nero playing the violin while Rome burns. In our country’s case, though, it’s not just dollars going up in smoke. We ourselves may be willingly stepping into the incinerator.
Linda
Mazunik Lone TreeWhere’s the civility?
Do you readers think that Lynn Popowski (letters to the editor 3/30/2023) might have noticed when she opened her paper to read her letter, the letter following by Larry Norton? Might she have realized that her letter might be judged as lacking in the civility that he mentioned? But I doubt that such an idea would enter her head. She has already claimed that there might not be any “sane” Republicans in our midst. She calls Dave Williams a far-right conspiracy theorist and election denier. She calls legislators spiteful and insane — for even trying, in the face of insurmountable odds to oppose her Democratic worn out and useless tropes which have become law or will become law because Democrats control — with an iron st — Colorado’s legislature and governor.
Lynn closes with a leftist jab — “Sanity prevailed-for the Democrats.” No, insanity is running roughshod over the body politic here in Colorado because Republican have always been the party of “Nice.” No longer. Democrats are causing chaos and disorder and a lot of angst with their nasty words and actions. It is time we just said “no” to these displays of ignorant juvenile incivility.
Mary Ann McCoyLone
Tree
Having trouble deciding
Re: “Country (sic) receives more than $60K in funding for mental health”
I am hesitant to become a paid subscriber to the Lone Tree Voice (LTV) until I see a more balanced viewpoint in the selection of articles provided and the editorial opinion. Additionally, there is very little substance of real importance provided by the regular contributors, i.e. their u and feel-good articles. I am
SEE LETTERS, P31
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covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Borrower's failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust.
THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A
FIRST LIEN.
The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.
Legal Description of Real Property:
LOT 207, HIGHLANDS RANCH, FILING NO. 112-A, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO
Which has the address of: 9307 Desert Willow Trail, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
NOTICE OF SALE
The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.
THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.
First Publication: 3/9/2023
Last Publication: 4/6/2023
Publisher: Douglas County News Press
Dated: 1/11/2023
DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee
The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:
DAVID R DOUGHTY
Colorado Registration #: 40042 9800 S. MERIDIAN BLVD. SUITE 400, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112
Phone #: (303) 706-9990
Fax #: (303) 706-9994
Attorney File #: 22-028513
*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE
DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/ Legal Notice No. 2023-0013
Pursuant
The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.
Legal Description of Real Property:
LOT 176 HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 122-H, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO
Which has the address of:
4705 Hunterwood Drive, Highlands Ranch, CO 80130
NOTICE OF SALE
The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.
the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.
First Publication: 3/16/2023
Last Publication: 4/13/2023
Publisher: Douglas County News Press
Dated: 1/19/2023
DAVID GILL
Colorado Registration #: 46396 3600 SOUTH BEELER STREET SUITE 330, DENVER, COLORADO 80237 Phone #: (303) 353-2965
Fax #:
Attorney File #: CO220011
*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/
Legal Notice No. 2023-0030
First Publication: 3/30/2023
Last Publication: 4/27/2023
Publisher: Douglas County News Press City and County
Public Notice
The
DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO
Which has the address of: 9762 Westbury Cir, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
NOTICE OF SALE
The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.
THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.
THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.
DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee
The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:
AMANDA FERGUSON Colorado Registration #: 44893 355 UNION BLVD SUITE 250, LAKEWOOD, COLORADO 80228
Phone #: (303) 274-0155
Fax #: Attorney File #: CO21342
*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE
DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/
Legal Notice No. 2023-0017
First Publication: 3/16/2023
Last Publication: 4/13/2023
Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
A public hearing will be held on April 25, 2023, at 2:30PM, in the Commissioners' Hearing Room, 100 Third St., Castle Rock, CO, for a proposed vacation of a portion of Douglas County Road No. 5 between the intersections of Roxborough Park Road and Thunder Run. For more information call Douglas County Planning, 303-660-7460.
File No. SB2023-007 / Vacation of a Portion of Douglas County Road No. 5
Legal Notice No. 945250
First Publication: April 6, 2023
Last Publication: April 6, 2023
Publisher: Douglas County News-Press
Bids and Settlements
The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: RYAN BOURGEOIS
Registration #: 51088
Speer Boulevard, Suite 700 , DENVER, COLORADO 80204
*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/
Highlans Ranch NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0030
To Whom It May Concern: On 2/3/2023 2:13:00
PM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.
Original Grantor: Pete Surette
AND Rachel W Surette
Original Beneficiary: Washington Mutual Bank, FA
Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 6/23/2005
Recording Date of DOT: 7/29/2005
Reception No. of DOT: 2005070385
DOT Recorded in Douglas County.
Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $489,000.00
Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $486,461.94
Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: failed to make the monthly mortgage payments as required by the terms of the Note and Deed of Trust.
THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.
The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.
Public Notice
INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) #019-23
CARCASS REMOVAL SERVICES
The Douglas County Department of Public Works, on behalf of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, hereinafter referred to as the County, respectfully requests bids from responsible and qualified individuals/companies for services related to carcass removal from roadways within unincorporated Douglas County.
The IFB documents may be reviewed and/or printed from the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System website at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com. IFB documents are not available for purchase from Douglas County Government and can only be accessed from the above-mentioned website. While the IFB documents are available electronically, Douglas County cannot accept electronic bid responses.
its successors and assigns Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 2/28/2020 Recording Date of DOT: 3/4/2020 Reception No. of DOT: 2020015070 DOT Recorded in Douglas County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $386,650.00
Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $307,227.46
Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: FAILURE TO MAKE TIMELY PAYMENTS AS REQUIRED UNDER THE EVIDENCE OF DEBT AND DEED OF TRUST. ***This loan has been modified through a Loan Modification Agreement recorded 1/27/2022 at Reception No. 2022006436 in the records of the Douglas county clerk and recorder, Colorado.***
THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.
The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.
Legal Description of Real Property: Lot 272, Highlands Ranch Filing No. 111-B, County of Douglas, State of Colorado.
Which has the address of: 2179 Gold Dust Ln, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
NOTICE OF SALE
The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.
THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at
Legal Description of Real Property: Lot 13, Highlands Ranch filing No. 108-D, County of Douglas, State of Colorado.
Which has the address of: 3730 White Bay Dr., Highlans Ranch, CO 80126-5020
NOTICE OF SALE
The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.
THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 24, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.
First Publication: 3/30/2023
Last Publication: 4/27/2023
Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 2/3/2023
DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee
The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: MARCELLO G. ROJAS
Bid responses shall be submitted in a sealed envelope plainly marked “IFB No. 019-23, Carcass Removal Services” and mailed or hand-carried to the address shown below prior to the due date and time. Electronic and/or faxed bid responses will not be accepted. Bids will be received until 3:00pm on Thursday, April 20, 2023 by the Douglas County Finance Department, Purchasing Division, 100 Third Street, Suite 130, Castle Rock, Colorado 80104. Bids will not be considered which are received after the time stated, and any bids so received will be returned unopened.
Douglas County Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive formalities, informalities, or irregularities contained in a said bid and furthermore, to award a contract for items herein, either in whole or in part, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the County to do so.
Additionally, we reserve the right to negotiate optional items/services with the successful bidder.
Please direct any questions concerning this IFB to Carolyn Riggs, Purchasing Supervisor, 303-6607434, criggs@douglas.co.us, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
Legal Notice No. 945271
First Publication: April 6, 2023
Last Publication: April 6, 2023
Publisher: Douglas County News-Press
Public Notice
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
#010-23
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES
The Departments of Community Development and Human Services of Douglas County Government, hereinafter referred to as the County, respectfully requests proposals from responsible and qualified Domestic Violence (DV) organizations.
The RFP documents may be reviewed and/or printed from the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System website at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com.
RFP documents are not available for purchase from Douglas County Government and can only be accessed from the above-mentioned website. While the RFP documents are available electronically, Douglas County cannot accept electronic proposal responses.
RFP responses will be received until 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 11, 2023 by Douglas County Government, Finance Department, Purchasing Division, 100 Third Street, Suite 130, Castle
On March 25, the Englewood Police Department arrested Reginald Maclaren, 81, after he allegedly killed his wife and adult daughter with an ax to prevent them from becoming homeless.
Police documents say he was arrested on multiple charges, including murder in the rst degree and a weapons charge.
According to the arrest a davit, Maclaren allegedly admitted to killing his wife, Bethany Maclaren, 70, and daughter, Ruth Maclaren, 35, because his family was running out of money and would not be able to a ord their home anymore.
Maclaren went to the emergency
more hesitant after seeing regular grammar and spelling errors in the LTV, the latest being the subject headline, the front page headline at that, which clearly had no or poor editorial review since the text should have obviously read “County.” Journalism today isn’t what it was in the glory days. I’ll subscribe when the LTV becomes a truly quality newspaper.
Philip Rahrig
Lone Tree
Housing questions
Referring to your March 23 article by Ellis Arnold and published in the Douglas County newspapers, the idiom “the devil’s in the details” has been validated by our Douglas County commissioners who have met the devil and voted 2 to 1 approving the Ulyssses Development Group (UDG) application for a zoning change to permit the development of a 220-unit low-income housing project.
department at Swedish Medical Center on the evening of March 25, where he waived his Miranda rights and shared information with the police, documents say.
In this interview with detectives, Maclaren allegedly said his family would have had to vacate their apartment on March 25, and they had nowhere to live afterwards because they had no money, documents say.
He was allegedly previously employed at Hospital Shared Services and worked frequently with the homeless population. According to authorities he said being homeless was a miserable life.
Maclaren allegedly began planning to kill his family approximately 10 days ago, according to police
But wait, Commissioner George Teal is not one to be easily deceived and has taken the following actions after his Jan. 10 vote. First, he checked and is still working on having been told (hard to believe) that the UDG property does not meet Section 8 subsidized voucher quali cations.
Next, he then called the UDG team “on the carpet” (his words) based on much of my research accusing UDG of presenting false and misleading information. He found, for example, that an investor who lends $100 can earn $96 in federal tax credits in 10 years. Keep in mind that these great low hanging investor fruits are not available to residents such as you and me, but are only available to large institutional investors such as the recently collapsed Silicon Valley Bank, SVB. ( is is true.) Having clari ed the use of tax credits for nancing UDG is now caught in the cross hairs of having lied during their presentation when UDG adamantly alleged that the insultingly misnamed “Workforce Housing” project is not government subsidized. e term “low-income housing” is considered politically
documents. Investigators say he bought an ax, two large trash cans and a hand saw at Home Depot and stored these items in his apartment.
At approximately 6:03 p.m. on the day of the murders, police say they received a call from Maclaren stating that he thought his wife and daughter had been killed with a hammer.
When o cers entered the residence at 901 Englewood Parkway, they found the two victims inside large trash cans in the living room/ kitchen area. According to police, both victims had substantial visible injuries.
Maclaren allegedly struck his wife and daughter in the head that morning with the ax while they were sitting on the couch, making them
incorrect and avoided by peddlers of rental “a ordable housing” or “attainable housing” projects, however, low-income is properly named when it’s subsidized by the LowIncome Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) as quoted in March 23 article by Connor Larr, a UDG partner who clari ed that the applied LIHTC is a federal tax credit.
Upon my request, Commissioner Teal requested the county attorney to either validate or nullify UDG’s assertion that Workforce Housing is not subsidized in the context of the following (lookup MTSP):
unconscious, according to police documents. He then allegedly struck each in the head with the ax two more times. e a davit says he then sawed their arms and legs o to make them t in the trash cans.
Englewood detectives, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Crime Scene Unit and the Arapahoe County Coroner’s O ce conducted a homicide investigation at the scene of the crime.
Maclaren allegedly said he does not regret killing his family because he “knows they are in a better place.”
Police documents say Maclaren being held without a bond. He appeared in Arapahoe County District Court this week to hear the charges led against him.
“HUD refers to projects nanced with tax exempt housing bonds for low-income residential rental development projects as Multifamily Tax Subsidy Projects (MTSPs).”
e county attorney, however, is now not responding because of the ensuing legal appeal by residents (to include myself) to reverse this zoning decision. However, if it walks and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck, and the lesson learned is “Oh, what a tangled web we weave when rst we practice to deceive.”
Smith Young ParkerThe Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state — our community — can better understand itself.
In this way, The Sun contributes to a more vibrant, informed and whole Colorado.
The Sun, launched in 2018, is committed to fact-based, in-depth and nonpartisan journalism. It covers everything
Rock, Colorado 80104. Three (3) copies of your proposal response must be submitted in a sealed envelope, plainly marked “Request for Proposal (RFP) #010-23, Domestic Violence Services”. Proposal responses will not be considered which are received after the time stated and any proposals so received will be returned unopened.
Douglas County Government reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to waive formalities, informalities, or irregularities contained in a said proposal and furthermore, to award a contract for items herein, either in whole or in part, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the County to do so. Additionally, we reserve the right to negotiate optional items/services with the successful vendor.
Please direct any questions concerning this RFP to Carolyn Riggs, Purchasing Supervisor, 303-660-7434, criggs@douglas.co.us, 8:00 a.m.
Property for the purpose of preserving and protecting the Conservation Values defined in the Conservation Easement, while utilizing a high-density, short-duration cattle grazing program to benefit the health and vigor of native plant communities; help control noxious weeds; provide compatible outdoor recreation opportunities, including trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding; and hosting interpretive programs, and special events all in accordance with the Conservation Easement and this Plan.
The contract, issued as a result of this IFB, will be for a period of approximately ten (10) years, beginning in May 2023 to and including December 31, 2032.
from politics and culture to the outdoor industry and education.
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For Colorado Sun stories, opinions and more, and to support The Sun’s misssion as a member or subscriber, visit coloradosun.com.
IFB documents are not available for purchase from Douglas County Government and can only be accessed from the above-mentioned website. While the IFB documents are available electronically, Douglas County cannot accept electronic bid responses.
Bid responses shall be submitted in a sealed envelope plainly marked “IFB No. 013-23,
and qualified indi-
for a long-term partnership with a Livestock
(consultant) to manage the
The IFB documents may be reviewed and/or printed from the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System website at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com.
