Lone Tree Voice 092123

Honey Pig

Chef Jose Lara, center, plates an order of sesame chicken while chef Xie Zhi, left, prepares sweet and sour chicken in the kitchen of Honey Pig Cafe on Sept. 6.

PHOTO BY RACHEL LORENZ

County o cials call for ‘summit’ meeting to discuss property tax relief

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As an impending wave of higher property tax bills continues to loom over the Denver metro area, Douglas County o cials have put out a call for a meeting of local government leaders in hopes they may act to blunt the coming tax spike.

“ e purpose of the summit is to provide a means to have an important conversation about the property tax crisis that has engrossed our state and, through the conversation, search for means to provide some relief to property owners that the state government would not provide,” said Toby Damisch, who heads Douglas County’s property valuation o ce.

“In this case, that must include discussing the lowering of mill levies wherever possible,” Damisch said. A “mill levy” is the o cial term for a property tax rate, and local taxes are in the spotlight after homeowners around the metro area checked a notice from their county assessors this spring and saw that their home value had jumped by sometimes shocking

amounts.

Driven by a costly real-estate market, those home values — as calculated for tax purposes — have spiked since the last time homeowners received notices of value two years ago. In Douglas County, residential properties faced increases between 30% and 60%, with a median of 47%.

e high increase in property values means families’ property tax bills could jump up next year.

at’s because when property values rise, the amount of taxes people owe goes up — even if local governments’ tax rates themselves don’t change.

Property taxes partly fund county governments, but they also fund school districts, re and library districts, and other local entities.

In response to concerns about tax bills, the county government is taking the dramatic step of attempting to put many leaders of local government districts together in one meeting.

“We’re all working together to mitigate the impact of rising property taxes on our residents,” Douglas County Commissioner George Teal said during a recent meeting of county

o cials when asked what message he and his colleagues want to convey at the summit.

e county’s leaders don’t just want to hear perspective from o cials of smaller local government entities — they’re also seeking to hear from impacted Douglas County residents.

“Our approach is meant to be inclusive, so much so that we are using our live town hall technology to engage participants, not only in the room but also by phone and online,” said Damisch, the county assessor.

e meeting on property tax issues is set for Sept. 25 in the county commissioners hearing room at 100 ird St. in Castle Rock, the building where county o cials often hold public meetings.

What tax rates depend on

Getting local government entities to lower their property tax rates means talking about the potential impact on the budgets they’re planning for next year.

For the most part, many local entities are in the middle of budget-forming season, according to Damisch.

“ at includes (the) Douglas County government,” Damisch said. “Most entities have to have their initial budget completed by mid-October, which is one reason the timing of this summit is so important.”

Making decisions about how high or low to set property tax rates — in other words, guring out how much property tax revenue a government aims to collect — depends in part on what’s called a “certi cation of value.” at tells local government entities the total taxable value of properties that exist within their boundaries. In other words, it tells them the total value that the local government’s property tax rate would be multiplied by, Damisch said.

ese conversations also involve the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, which limits the amount of money that the state government can collect and spend, or save, each year. Revenue above the limit — sometimes called a “TABOR surplus” — generally gets refunded to taxpayers. TABOR is an amendment to the Colorado Constitution.

But TABOR also plays a role in local governments’ tax revenue.

“TABOR restricts revenue, generally speaking, to growth plus in ation, so for a TABOR-restricted entity, if the increases in property (value) assessments are greater than what TABOR

allows for in the resulting revenue, they are required to reduce their levy, at least temporarily,” Damisch said. But “most entities have exempted from TABOR and can accept additional revenue received through an unchanged levy and increased (property value) assessments,” Damisch said. at means many entities stand to take in more property tax revenue than they did last year without attempting to raise their property tax rates.

Role of Douglas voters

For most local districts, any votes by their boards of leaders to attempt to raise their property tax rate must have already occurred, according to Damisch.

“ is is not the time to propose a levy. To the extent that a district is asking for a levy increase by their citizens for this December, they would need to have it on the ballot by now and approved before that time,” Damisch said.

Not all levy increases require voter approval, Damisch said.

But, for example, the Douglas County commissioners cannot increase the county’s mill levy without voter approval, Damisch said.

“And neither can most authorities. However, that’s not the real issue this year,” Damisch said. “ e real problem is allowing mill levies to remain the same. Doing so will result in tax increases on the public that are commensurate with the increases in property assessments. is is a central point of the summit.”

Timeline may depend on Prop HH e county Assessor’s O ce provided local entities an initial certi cation of value in August and will provide updated certi cations at the summit, Damisch said. e districts are to receive a nal certi cation in November, and their mill levy choices are due back to the county commissioners by the statutory deadline of Dec. 15.

If Proposition HH — a proposal Colorado voters are set to soon vote on — were to pass in November, all of the deadlines move back about two weeks, according to Damisch.

Democrats say they rolled out Prop HH to blunt the impact of high property values on Coloradans’ property tax payments. Republicans have criticized the proposal, in part arguing Prop HH would not o er much property tax relief.

Old latex paint? Don’t flip out! Dry it out!

Have you been stockpiling cans of latex paint?

Good news – latex paint is water-based and safe to throw away, if prepared properly. If the paint is completely dry, simply remove the lid and throw the can away. If there is still wet paint in the can, mix in some dirt or cat litter to fully absorb it. Once it is dry, throw it away.

Remember, this only applies to water-based latex paint, and NO paint can be dumped in the gutter or thrown in the trash wet. Make a difference in keeping our waterways clean by practicing cost-effective ways to dispose of materials properly.

Local stormwater agencies are teaming together to bring you this message. We take this so seriously that we posted this ad rather than send you more garbage in the mail. One thing is clear: our creeks, rivers and lakes depend on you.

A Boozy Brunch Joint, HashTag, to open this fall

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Inspired by his time traveling across the globe, Chef Troy Guard has brought a blend of avors to his breakfast restaurant, HashTAG, the Boozy Brunch Joint Now, Highlands Ranch residents will get to experience those dishes this fall.

TAG Restaurant Group is opening their newest breakfast location at 1485 Park Central Dr. St. 300, near the UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital.

“ ey’re not just eating the basic continental two eggs, bacon and hash browns,” said Guard. “ ey’re going for some savory, pretty cool dishes and also a cocktail or two.”

O ering an immersive culinary experience, e Boozy Brunch is

one of four concepts from the TAG Restaurant Group.

At HashTAG, guests will be able to enjoy lively music, cocktails and innovative takes on classic brunch dishes.

“Now people are working from

home, people on their days o , people on the weekend are wanting to go hang out and celebrate with friends and family,” said Guard.

As the chef, Guard said he tries to use better ingredients and di erent plating techniques.

Guard was born and raised in Hawaii since opening the rst restaurant of TAG Restaurant Group in Denver in 2009. He has been voted Best Chef in Denver, among many other accolades and awards throughout his career.

His restaurants use cage free eggs and said all their products are as fresh as they can be.

“None of our restaurants have freezers in them,” said Guard. “So everything is made fresh, delivered fresh.”

Among the many items on the menu are guests can try dishes such

as egg benedicts, cast-iron cinnamon rolls and biscuits and gravy, however, everything has a little tweak, said Guard.

Cocktails will include an espresso martini, a maple bacon old fashion and a fruity cougar.

While looking forward to the opening of the Highlands Ranch location, Guard has thought about extending the restaurant hours. He hopes his restaurant can be a place for hospital sta working the night shift to enjoy a good breakfast before going home.

“We want to grow and pick the right locations and blow them away with great hospitality, great service and great food,” said Guard.

TAG Restaurant Group also announced a second location to open in downtown Denver in the rst half of 2024.

REVERSE MORTGAGES MADE EASY

The rendering of TAG Restaurant Group’s new HashTAG location in Highlands Ranch, opening this fall.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TAG RESTAURANT GROUP

Douglas County opts in to Prop 123 a ordable housing funds

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A state program approved by voters last November to help tackle Colorado’s housing a ordability crisis is set to make an impact in Douglas County now that leaders have opted in to its funding.

Proposition 123 directs state funding to programs that include “helping essential workers, such as teachers and nurses, buy homes,” according to a county sta report. e measure sets aside a portion of annual income tax revenue in Colorado — up to 0.1% of taxable income each year — for a ordable housing programs.

Priorities eligible for funding under Prop 123 include a ordable homeownership and addressing homelessness, among other items, the sta report says.

To qualify for Prop 123 funding, the Douglas County commissioners had to commit to increasing the number of housing units that are considered “a ordable.” ey took that step at a Sept. 12 meeting.

Under Prop 123, “a ordable” housing was de ned based on two factors: household income and housing costs.

For certain programs, a household’s income is compared to the area median income, or the midpoint of what households in a speci c area earn. As de ned in the measure, a ordable housing means housing for renters making up to 60% of the

area median income, or homeowners making up to 100% of the area median income, according to the state’s 2022 “blue book” voter guide. For a housing unit or project to qualify as a ordable housing, housing costs must not exceed 30% of the household’s income, the guide says.

How

the county qualifies

To qualify for Prop 123 funding, Douglas o cials had to identify the county’s baseline, or existing, number of a ordable housing units and commit to increasing that number by 9% over the next three years.

e American Community Survey from 2017 to 2021 was used to determine the baseline number, the county sta report says.

Douglas County’s commissioners voted to certify that the baseline number of 4,820 current a ordable

This Suicide Prevention Month, the 988Lifeline is here to support you. No matter what you are going through, the trained crisis counselors of 988 can help. Call or text 988.

Register now for Youth Congress

Douglas County students, in grades 9-12, have an opportunity to become involved as youth delegates at the 2023 Douglas County Youth Congress on Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the State Capitol. To complete your online registration or to learn more, visit douglas.co.us and search for Youth Congress

What’s happening with your County government?

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, visit douglas.co.us and search for Business Meetings.

Volunteers Needed

Helping Older Adults Stay Independent

The City of Lone Tree is opting into the state’s housing program approved by voters last year. FILE PHOTO

SEE PROP 123, P10

Water employees receive industry awards at the Rocky Mountain Water Conference

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Two Centennial Water and Sanitation District employees, John Droullard and Andy Smith, were recognized by the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Water Works Association at the Rocky Mountain Water Conference in Loveland.  e Rocky Mountain Section of the American Water Works Association, is an educational and scienti c membership organization dedicated to treating and managing water.

Recognized for his performance, dedication and teamwork, Droullard is the recipient of the Ralph M. Leidholdt Outstanding Water Treatment Plant Operator Award.

“I was surprised to be nominated and to receive this award,” said Droullard. “Individual awards are nice but we have a great team at Centennial Water. e district’s strength is that challenges are addressed and goals are accomplished in an atmosphere of mutual respect.”

Droullard is Centennial Water’s Water Treatment Plant Lead Opera-

tor and holds Class A Water Operator and Class A Wastewater Operator certi cations.

e class levels of Colorado water treatment facility operators range from Class D, which is entry level to Class A, the most advanced level.

As the plant’s lead operator, Droullard monitors the facility and runs the equipment that is used to treat the water, making it safe for the public to use and drink. He has been part of, led and managed everything from infrastructure replacement improvements, to capacity expansion and process changes and optimization.

“John is very deserving of this award,” said Nic George, Centennial Water superintendent of water and wastewater operations, in a press release. “His knowledge, steadfastness and mentorship have helped prepare many operators, myself included, to continue the excellence that he exhibits.

e district’s Water Treatment Plant Maintenance Lead Andy Smith received the 2023 Water Treatment Plant Maintenance Award.  Smith has worked at Centennial

Water for 12 years and holds Class D Water Operator, Class D Wastewater Operator and Mechanic 2 certi cations.

In addition, Smith has been involved in the creation and implementation of the district’s asset management system, internal upgrades and retro- ts to process areas, has responded to multiple emergencies and serves as the main contact for general contractors during construction projects.

Smith said he is honored to be recognized and is also grateful for the team at Centennial Water.

“Everyone at Centennial Water deserves this award and the recognition just as much as we do,” said Smith.

Ross James, the superintendent of facilities maintenance and asset management said in a press release that with his great work ethic and positive attitude, Smith has been an excellent example for his crews over the years.

“Both gentlemen exemplify hard work, a desire to continually learn and look for ways to innovate, and are amazing mentors to coworkers,” said General Manager San Calkins.

From left: Rochelle Larson, the chair of the Rocky Mountain Section of American Water Works Association, Andy Smith, Centennial Water’s water treatment plant maintenance lead and Kate Nutting, a National American Water Works Association representative.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY WALDRON

Sheri ’s department cuts ties with Able Shepherd

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A new statement from the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce says it will no longer participate in trainings or events with Able Shepherd, a “tactical training” group facing backlash after its involvement in a protest at the Douglas County PrideFest.

Sheri Darren Weekly told Colorado Community Media that he had received new information that prompted the decision to not work with Able Shepherd moving forward, but would not specify what information he had learned.

“Over the last week and a half, more information that we’ve garnered has come to my attention and as the sheri I like to have as many facts as possible to make decisions,” he said.

When asked what new information contributed to the decision, Weekly said: “I can’t go into specifics on that.”

e Aug. 26 PrideFest protest consisted of around 75 men — wearing matching shirts reading “Stand To Protect Children” — blocking the stage and postponing the drag show by 30 minutes. No one was arrested or issued a summons during the event.

e sheri ’s o ce con rmed sev-

eral investigations open related to PrideFest, but hasn’t provided more details. At least one of the investigations is related to anti-LGBTQ vandalism at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, where PrideFest took place.

Following the event, the sheri ’s o ce said on Sept. 7 it didn’t have scheduled trainings with Able Shepherd but wouldn’t commit to not working with the group in the future.

e sheri ’s o ce previously conducted an active shooter training with Able Shepherd in August. Weekly said the earlier statement “wasn’t meant to de ect the question” and that he tries to make thoughtful decisions.

“I don’t just go with the initial information that I have, I like to gather as many facts as possible,” he said.

Weekly added that he doesn’t have a personal relationship with Jimmy Graham, the CEO of Able Shepherd. Weekly appeared on the Aug. 17 episode of Graham’s podcast.

“I think more is being made out of the relationship (with Graham) and the training than it is,” he said.

Weekly also said his o ce doesn’t have any con ict of interest when it comes to the investigations related to PrideFest.

“ ere absolutely is no con ict,

we’re not hiding anything and we’ll investigate and charge as appropriate,” he said. “As the sheri , I serve all citizens, I don’t serve one political party or any special interest groups.”

e Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce, the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce and Arapahoe Community College have also said they will not be working with Able Shepherd in the future.

Members of Able Shepherd stand in front of the stage at Castle Rock PrideFest on Aug. 26 to block the “G-rated” drag show. After negotiations with event security, protesters eventually moved so that the stage was visible and the show could continue.

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

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Honey Pig Cafe is taste of real China

interior.

But not for long — both the interior and the menu are set to change, Choi said.

BY RACHEL LORENZ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Honey Pig Cafe, an unassuming new restaurant with big plans, quietly debuted over the summer in Lone Tree.

“We just wanted to get the doors open as soon as possible,” James Choi, director of operations for One Concept Restaurant Group, told Colorado Community Media. “Just to get the interest out there to the locals so that when we do reopen with the new look and everything, people are already aware of our existence.”

Drawings for the planned dining room renovations show the addition of a full bar, dramatic lighting and more booths, plus the removal of the superuous sushi counter. e eatery will need to close brie y for the remodel, which should start in a few months, according to Choi.

IF YOU GO

Honey Pig Cafe is at 9400 Heritage Hills Circle, #400, in Lone Tree. It’s open for lunch and dinner — dine in or carryout — seven days a week. honeypigasiancafe.com

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Honey Pig Cafe, a subsidiary of the Greenwood Village-based One Concept Restaurant Group, occupies the 3,000-square-foot space in Lincoln Hills Shopping Center that was formerly home to Jasmine Cafe. It sports a modest menu featuring ai and Chinese cuisine as well as a sampling of beer, wine and whiskey.

In an e ort to keep quality consistently high and each dish “incredible,” the menu is purposefully “pretty simple,” said Honey Pig’s manager Ryan Hua. So is the establishment’s recently repainted, but otherwise unadorned,

In the meantime, the restaurant group’s chefs are working on an array of dishes that employ avors and techniques used in China but are not seen as often in the United States. e intention is for the revamped Honey Pig Cafe to reopen a full authentic menu — with items like mapo tofu, twice-cooked pork, szechuan chicken and dim sum — in addition to the current menu which has familiar favorites like sesame chicken, fried rice and lo mein.

“ e overall goal, and we’ve already kind of started it through our specials menu, is introducing the locals to more authentic Chinese,” Choi said.

Chinese American food tends to be sweeter, less spicy and generally easier on the palate than traditional fare from China, which often has more heat or just uses certain spices to “power the avors” of a dish, he said.

While One Concept Restaurant Group started with a focus on sushi,

including the swanky Makizushico in Littleton, it has expanded to bubble tea, poke and a variety of Asian cuisines. Its adventure in authentic Chinese food started just over a year ago, Choi said, when the group purchased Spicy Basil Asian Grill in Denver and then brought chefs from outside of Colorado to teach the sta to cook more traditionally. Now, those chefs also work at Honey Pig Cafe.

“We felt like this was a good time, now that people enjoy Chinese foods, to let them know really what the people in China are eating,” Choi said.

A second Honey Pig Cafe, this one slated for Broom eld, is currently in the works as well.

If you’re not yet familiar with this newest eatery, Choi isn’t surprised. ey’re holding o on marketing Honey Pig until the Lone Tree venue’s interior has been renovated. Nevertheless, people are discovering this low-key spot on their own or through social media.

“We’ve gotten a lot of word of mouth … a lot of community helping out.”

Kitchen assistant Josue Benavides garnishes a pair of spring rolls at Lone Tree’s Honey Pig Cafe on Sept. 6. PHOTOS BY RACHEL LORENZ

Traditional cooking is hallmark of eaterie in Lone Tree

Manager Ryan Hua hands an order of sweet and sour chicken and white rice to a server in the kitchen of Honey Pig Cafe on Sept. 6.

Proposal to further punish Thomas fails

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In what could signal a turning point in the string of recent 2-to1 con icts on Douglas County’s board of elected leaders, Commissioner Abe Laydon voted against the fourth attempt in less than a month to reprimand Commissioner Lora omas.

“ e people of our county are not interested in paying for this conversation or this activity, and it grieves me unbelievably that we are spending our valuable time having this fruitless discussion. I would love to see all three of us work well for those we serve,” Laydon said during a Sept. 12 meeting of Douglas County o cials.

At the meeting, Commissioner George Teal again proposed to remove omas from more positions on outside organizations in the community.

ough Laydon and Teal had voted to remove omas from positions on other outside organizations in the community just two weeks earlier, Laydon blocked the newest proposal to punish omas — at least for the moment.

“I don’t have enough information in front of me,” Laydon said, adding: “I’m open to hearing it and receiving it, but at this point, I would really prefer to move forward with the good work of the county.”

‘Show it to me’

In recent weeks, Laydon and Teal have taken several steps to reprimand omas following what they say is behavior inappropriate for a county commissioner.

Teal and Laydon voted at a Sept. 5 meeting to cancel omas’ county credit card and to suspend her travel and mileage allowance. at

move came a week after Laydon and Teal voted to remove omas from outside boards that oversee organizations in the community, and it occurred two weeks after they voted to censure, or formally disapprove, of her.

omas’ colleagues censured her largely in response to her actions criticizing a volunteer board that advises the county on how arts and culture funding should be spent. (For details on those actions and what led up to them, see Colorado Community Media’s coverage at tinyurl.com/CommissionerVotes.)

At the Sept. 12 meeting, omas argued Teal lacked evidence to further punish her.

“I have done nothing wrong,” omas said.

“Well, you have,” Teal responded.

“ en show it to me,” omas said.

Teal pointed to “additional communications I’ve received — some of them verbal, by the way.”

Some of them “were communications from other members of the boards in question, suggesting that there was more work for us to do for the betterment of the people of Douglas County on these,” Teal said, continuing to argue in favor of removing omas.

“ ose actions that you took that caused that censure are now having ripple e ects, and they’re having ripple e ects to where the very integrity of the operation of this county is being called into question,” Teal also said.

He added: “ e evidence is what has already been presented and adjudicated as part of your censure.”

After hearing pushback from Laydon, Teal said: “How many more meetings do you want to have?”

“Because this isn’t going to go away. And, quite frankly, the in-

dividuals that approached me on reassigning these boards, they’re going to come back,” Teal said.

‘Ample evidence’

Speci cally, Teal proposed to remove omas from positions on organizations including the High Line Canal Conservancy; the Douglas County Emergency Telephone, or 911, authority; and the Uni ed Forensic Lab board.

Laydon voted against the proposal but left the door open to changing his mind.

“I think there is ample evidence to warrant the censure and the decisions that we’ve already made —

they’ve been made on the record, publicly and transparently,” Laydon said. “ at said, I am not interested in continuing to punish or reprimand an individual for the behavior that occurred. If that behavior continues to occur, I am pleased to do that, and I think that’s consistent with our policy manual.”

Laydon added: “I don’t want to spend another millisecond of time on this. But if I must, I will do that for the bene t of this board and the people of this county … So for me, today, in the interest of time, I need to hit the pause button. I remain open to any speci c information or evidence as needed.”

Peterson, opponents debate mill levy proposal

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLOROADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Four Douglas County conservatives argued for and against school funding measures on the ballot this November at an event hosted by Douglas County GOP event in Centennial.

Douglas County School Board President Mike Peterson and Invest in DCSD campaign manager Christa Gilstrap debated in favor of the $66 million mill levy override and $484 million bond that the school district is asking voters to approve.

Former school board presidents Kevin Larsen and Meghann Silverthorn took the opposing side during the Sept. 12 event.

Around 50 people attended the debate at the Blue Spruce Brewery. e debate allowed each side 20 minutes to present their arguments and then ve minutes for rebuttals, followed by audience questions and comments.

e $66 million mill levy override

school resource o cers, or SROs, while the $484 million bond would go to building three new elementary schools, expanding two middle

Peterson and Gilstrap started the discussion by describing how the current funding situation is hurting the district, citing examples like the

“Our classes are starting to become crowded,” Peterson said.

housing units in unincorporated Douglas County is correct.

“Unincorporated” parts of the county are those outside of city and town boundaries, such as Highlands Ranch and others. Based on that number, the county’s commitment to develop 9% more a ordable units in unincor-

porated Douglas County would result in 434 units over the next three years, the sta report says.

Eye on ‘workforce,’ older adults e text of the resolution that the county commissioners voted on at the meeting points to a need for housing in Douglas County.

“Douglas County has a growing need for a ordable housing for residents with earned income that is insu cient to secure quality housing in reasonable

proximity to their workplace, also known as workforce housing,” the resolution says.

Commissioner Abe Laydon echoed that, saying: “Our greatest concern is for workforce housing.”

at’s including for rst responders, “many of which may not be able to a ord a (home) in Douglas County,” Laydon said.

Commissioner George Teal said he “actually didn’t vote for Prop 123.”

But he recognized not only the “workforce housing” that the county will be able to work on “but, also, housing for our senior adults,” he said.

“I am going to vote in favor of this resolution because it is actually the faith I have here in (e orts in) Douglas County,” Teal said. e three commissioners approved the resolution to meet the requirements of Prop 123 unanimously, with Commissioner Lora omas also voting yes.

To learn more about the Baha’i Faith or find a gathering, please contact us.

castlerockbahais@gmail.com castlerock.local.bahai.us/

Parker Parker

“So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.” ~ Bahá’u’lláh

Castle Rock

Invest in DCSD campaign manager Christa Gilstrap argues in favor of the school funding questions on the ballot this November at a debate hosted by the Douglas County GOP on Sept. 14 at the Blue Spruce Brewery. Gilstrap and school board president Mike Peterson spoke in favor of the $66 million mill levy override and $484 million bond, while former school board presidents Kevin Larsen and Meghann Silverthorn represented the opposition.

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

SEE FORUM, P12

FORUM

FROM PAGE 10

“We already have an elementary school where we got zero applicants for second grade, so we took three classrooms, we made them two and we’ve got over 30 kids in each one. at’s the harbinger of what’s coming.”

e county has one of the lowest starting salaries in the Denver metro area and Peterson said the gap exists because of other districts passing mill levy overrides and bonds regularly while Douglas County has only passed one of each in the last 17 years.

In response, Silverthorn and Larsen argued that Douglas County schools have maintained high graduation rates and test scores across that period of time without constant funding.

“ ere’s not a correlation between teacher salary and results,” Silverthorn said.

Larsen added that he’d like to see pay for performance return to the district.

“I want to compensate great teachers better, I don’t want to compensate subpar teachers better, we need to di erentiate and I’d love to see when a mill is proposed that we make that distinction,” he said.

Gilstrap said in order to pay for performance, the district needs to pass the mill levy override.

“Kevin mentioned pay for performance, well in what industry do you have over performing employees and expect them to stay for $20,000 less? ey’re outperforming so they deserve a raise,” she said. “ e schools are still great but this is unsustainable.”

Both sides agreed that the current School Finance Act and state funding mechanisms are broken, which contributes to the problem.

Larsen and Silverthorn said more focus should be paid to the state funding before adding to local property taxpayers’ burden.

“I’m all for funding, but these kinds of numbers are not sustainable in a single year,” Larsen said.

On the other side, Gilstrap and Peterson said passing school funding locally is still important as state

level solutions haven’t happened yet.

“Not voting for it doesn’t change what’s happening at the state or the funding formula,” Gilstrap said. “We can all agree that the funding formula is terrible and needs to be changed, but starving Douglas County of the funds it desperately needs is not going to x that. (Gov. Jared) Polis doesn’t care if we starve our district, he just doesn’t.”

Like the mill levy override, Larsen and Silverthorn put forth that the bond is asking for an extraordinary amount of funding, even as enrollment is seeing a slight decrease. Larsen also said developers should take more responsibility for building schools in their neighborhoods.

“Are the builders and developers putting in the minimal amount of infrastructure, support and investment when they’ve got whole communities moving there because they expect a school,” he asked.

Peterson said that a bond will be passed at some point because it’s necessary for capital maintenance, calling it responsible and healthy debt. He added that the longer the

bond is deferred, the more expensive it will get.

“You are all going to pass a bond, it might not be this year or next year, but if we keep going until kids are blowing out their ACLs on torn up turf elds and gym roofs are caving in and parking lots look like the San Andreas fault, eventually there will be a pain point when Douglas County passes a bond,” he said. “Just know we rack up $35 million every year in expenses maintaining our 111 buildings.”

As part of his closing argument, Peterson reiterated that the district is in a crisis and said waiting to pass funding is not an option.

“You potentially risk the future of Douglas County School District, in my opinion, because if we wait until the crash hits and our academic ratings are going down and people aren’t moving here, then it’s too late to correct that ship,” he said. e opposing side emphasized that the funding asks are too much at the wrong time, saying the impact is not worth the results.

“You can support the concept, but these numbers are really hard to support,” Larsen said.

Weight of healthcare

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Vote for school funding

lap band surgery. He has lost weight, feels good, and is doing well.

My other brother was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal condition that helped him lose weight. I would rather not take that route.

FROM THE EDITOR

Over the years, the women in our family have often joked about being cursed as soon as we reach adulthood. We joke about that curse because it seems like when we reach the age of 18, we gain a ton of weight. Whether it’s hormones, how we eat, or genetics — it happens. It happened to me. It happened to my cousins. It seems like it happens to us all.

Neither my mom’s side of the family nor my dad’s are particularly healthy.

at leaves me, who became a mother at an older age, constantly worrying about what that means for my future. Weight is an issue for me. It has been for years.

However, when you work hard to lose weight, follow all the rules, and lose three pounds in a month but gain ve on a day where you cheat — the enthusiasm to try wavers.

at leads to conversations with my doctor. What am I supposed to do? I often ask, explaining my family’s history, and telling her that I am trying. She even agrees. She’s prescribed phentermine. After all, my insurance company will pay for that. Sure — it curbs my food cravings for a bit but does not help with my long-term goals.

en, last year, she prescribed another drug that is said to be working for women my age. As a woman hits her 40s, it often feels like the “woman my age” scenario is considered a lot.

However, the weight loss drug was never picked up or used because my insurance company refused to pay. Out-of-pocket it was nearly $1,000 per month with recommendations to take it for three months or more.

Like many, I do not have $1,000 in extra cash lying in the bank account or under my mattress.

at meant the help was a nogo. My brothers are going through similar issues. One tried phentermine but did not have luck. Eventually, he was approved through the VA to get

I am still left wondering what to do — even researching generic options at non-traditional medical sites online.

According to the National Institutes of Health, “Despite growing recognition of the problem, the obesity epidemic continues in the U.S., and obesity rates are increasing around the world. e latest estimates are that approximately 34% of adults and 15-20% of children and adolescents in the U.S. are obese. Obesity a ects every segment of the U.S. population.”

But — my biggest issue is when will weight and obesity be designated what it should be — an actual health issue that insurance companies have to pay for. It is not just associated with how someone eats. It is genetics, hormones and so many other issues than just saying someone is irresponsible.

How much better would our world be if insurance had to pay to help people get healthy and prevent being diagnosed with conditions like diabetes and heart failure?

So many conditions are tied to weight. If weight-loss help became more accessible, imagine the possibilities.

Preventable diseases would indeed be prevented. As a society, we would be much healthier.

And it is not just healthcare. Obesity also has an economic impact on society that should be considered as more weight-loss drugs are proving e ective but unavailable to many.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Annual nationwide productivity costs of obesity-related absenteeism range between $3.38 billion ($79 per individual with obesity) and $6.38 billion ($132 per individual with obesity).”

Obesity is its own epidemic and those truly seeking help should be able to nd it and a ord it.

e mill levy override (MLO) and school bond (bond) are investments that will pay dividends to everyone.

e MLO and bond are investments in the community. e rst question from families moving into an area is “what about the schools?” A quality education system attracts companies with jobs and middle-class families with disposable income to Douglas County. Who has more discretionary income to spend in your shop, a techie or a food-service worker? Do you want good medical care nearby as you age? Having good schools supports a vibrant economy so doctors and medical specialists want to base their practices here. Good schools help make Douglas County a desired place to live. Even if your kids go to private schools, you still live in the community. What kind of community do you want to live in?

e MLO and bond are investments in children. e quality of education directly a ects graduates’ ability to compete in the job market, obtain high-paying jobs, and shoulder a larger portion of the tax burden. A poorer education adversely a ects students’ ability to compete, resulting in lower paying (possibly minimum wage) jobs. Lower earnings mean older cohorts (you and I) will retain a greater share of the costs of government.

e MLO and bond are scally conservative and responsible. Preventative maintenance is more cost-e ective than deferred maintenance. Do you regularly maintain your car or skip maintenance until it dies? Building necessary new schools gives taxpayers a tangible return (infrastructure) for tax dollars instead of burning dollars as fuel for bussing.

If both the MLO and bond are passed, the cost will be $20 on every $100,000 of assessed value of your home. So, if you have a million — dollar home, the cost would be $200 per year. If your home value is less, the cost to you will be less.

Now, $200 feels like a lot of money. I remember buying a loaf

of bread for 10 cents. Gasoline was 25 cents a gallon. Yes, back then, $200 was a lot of money. Today, $200 is half a cup of co ee at Starbucks each week. Compared to the investment in kids, our schools, and our community and the dividends we’ll get back, $200 is negligible.

What’s more important to you: a half cup of co ee at Starbucks each week or our kids and community? Vote yes on the MLO and school bond.

Michael Burmeister, Highlands Ranch

Concerns about Page

I want to express reservations about Mr. Page’s candidacy for the Douglas County School District Board. Mr. Page doesn’t thoughtfully represent all DCSD families, his promise of a “balanced vision” is little more than rhetoric, and his commitment to engaging a diverse community is limited at best. Mr. Page’s emphasis on community involvement is important. We must ask for a detailed look at what this involvement entails. ere are questions of his history with, and commitment to, any DCSD run and approved school is equal to that of the other candidates. Is he here to work on behalf of all DCSD students, public and charter? As a voter who is being asked to trust my public school students to his leadership, I need transparency and assurance he cares for our public schools. Promises without honesty fall short of what we deserve.

Furthermore, Mr. Page’s claims of respecting, encouraging, and developing our teachers is commendable. Voters deserve a deeper understanding of what his goals are and how he intends to achieve them. Given his connections I am concerned he may advocate for arming sta , or other extreme actions, despite repeated and clear statements that our community rejects extremism. We deserve concrete proposals and actionable plans that voters can analyze and discuss before the election to ensure we are choosing

Thelma Grimes

elma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.

LETTERS

the right people.

Engaging parents is a goal that resonates with many of us. However, Mr. Page has dismissed the legitimate concerns of DCSD community members as “silliness.” He stated on Aug. 22, at a Board of Education meeting, “If we want to save money, let’s knock o the silliness” referring to the multitude of lawsuits DCSD has faced. Being found guilty of violating Colorado Open Meetings Laws is not “silliness.” Being a parent or student faced with persistent racist harassment and bullying is not “silliness.” Being wrongfully terminated from your lifelong employer as part of a political agenda is not “silliness.” Mr. Page doesn’t appear to value us enough to take these seriously — he views devastating events to real people as a silly waste. He should apologize, now.

It is important to ask if the “balanced vision” Mr. Page speaks of is real or empty words. We must ask if the supposed “best” slate is really what DCSD needs, or if it is a vehicle for partisan ideas. We need the truth from Page et al, and local journalists must help.

Lindsey Smithson, Castle Rock

Let’s have five commissioners

I read (again) in the Sept. 7 Highlands Ranch Herald about the disagreements among the three Douglas County commissioners. I am distraught that three grown adults are unable to work together, negotiate and work to make Douglas County a better place to live. I think all three should be removed from o ce and replaced with people who have the skills to negotiate and make positive changes in Douglas County.

at said, I also believe that having three commissioners in such a populated county is counterproductive. A continual 2:1 vote on every issue o ers no opportunity to look at other points of view. I think Douglas County is ready to elect ve commissioners when that opportunity becomes available. ere will be more diverse and hopefully productive discussion of the many issues that face Douglas County. I would like to see the commissioners work for the citizens rather than bicker like little kids on a playground.

Marilyn Binkley, Highlands Ranch

District su ers without funding

e Douglas County School District su ers at its core due to the lack of funding, particularly for teacher and sta salaries. Because of poor pay, many teachers come to DCSD to get a few years of experience due to the hiring desperation, and then immediately turn to districts with higher pay such as Cherry Creek School District.

e solution is to use your rights as citizens of a democracy, and vote in favor of the Mill Levy Override in this ballot. is act will take a slightly higher percentage of tax based on the value of your home, about $20/ year per $100,000 of home value. is way, people are only contributing what they can already a ord.

Teachers are highly valued as they help to determine the experience and maturity that the upcoming generation has in their adult lives, and they deserve to be compensated for the hard work they put into their students not only in the classroom but outside as well.

In conclusion, we are asking for you to vote this general election period. We can’t change your vote, but we request that it will be in favor of the Mill Levy Override in the upcoming local. ese teachers are the reason that our country will succeed in the future, so we think it is only fair that they are properly compensated.

Maddie

Financial hypocrisy

Gates, Parker

I don’t quite understand how Commissioners Laydon and Teal can take Commissioner Lora omas to task for requesting reimbursement of approximately $6,000 in legal costs she incurred defending herself from baseless charges levied by her fellow elected o cials. is request stems from Laydon and Teal hiring an outside attorney (with county funds) to investigate Lora re: a memo released on the DC Sheri ’s Department. e outside counsel did not nd any cause to bring any additional charges forward. e cost to the county taxpayers was $ 24,000.

In May, Laydon had the county pay $ 17,000 for his 3-week training class at Harvard. Laydon announced that he would pursue grants to cover this individual expense, and if he was not able to obtain grants, he would reimburse the county for the $17,000. To date,

UNIQUE EATERIES

FORMER FOOD WRITER POINTS TO RESTAURANTS OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL CITY THAT STAND OUT

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Mark Antonation endeavored to eat at every restaurant on Federal Boulevard in Denver city limits. He started near Hampden Avenue on the south end and made his way up above 50th Avenue on the other end, north of Interstate 70.

Skipping national-chain and dollar-a-scoop joints, he ate food from one restaurant each week. He did that for about 75 weeks.

So Antonation, the former food editor at Westword, knows a thing or two about the Denver metro area’s restaurant scene.

He had set out to capture the

spirit of the storied Federal Boulevard — with its authentic Asian and Mexican eateries — about a decade ago, but his food writing travels also took him through the suburbs outside Denver.

What makes the Denver area’s food scene di erent from other parts of the country is how the di erent cuisines are spread out and, in a way, “integrated,” he said.

“In other cities, say you want to nd a Chinese restaurant. You’re probably (going to) go to a district where there’s a high concentration of that or any other style,” Antonation said.

But in “metro Denver, especially when you hit the outskirts — ornton, Broom eld, those areas — it’s a lot more mixed,” he said.

TOP LEFT: Javier Cruz, owner of Garibaldi Mexican Bistro, sits at the restaurant on Sept. 6 in Englewood. Cruz emphasized what he says is the unique nature of his menu compared to other Mexican restaurants.

And there’s good news for foodies in the suburbs: With real estate becoming so expensive, a lot of new restaurants are opening in the north Douglas County area, Antonation said.

Elsewhere, around “Westminster and ornton and Broom eld, there’s a lot of Asian restaurants opening up there, Chinese and ai speci cally,” Antonation said.

“If you live in the suburbs — if you live outside the suburban area even — it’s probably going to keep getting more interesting for you,” Antonation said.

Colorado Community Media asked Antonation what restaurants outside of Denver stand out to him. Here are some of his favorites — places where you might encounter dishes that you can’t nd anywhere else.

Garibaldi Mexican Bistro in Englewood

Unless you happen to pull over for

PHOTOS BY ELLIS ARNOLD

TOP RIGHT: Decorations hang near the counter at Garibaldi Mexican Bistro Sept. 6 in Englewood. A white board lists specials.

“We never nd this kind of food here. So when we opened this restaurant, we said we’ve got to sell this.”

Javier Cruz owner of Garibaldi Mexican Bistro

UNIQUE EATERIES

gas right across from the Gothic eatre, you might never notice that there’s a restaurant in the same building as a Conoco convenience store.

Years ago, Javier Cruz stopped to get gas there, and a small food outlet was serving burgers at the time.

“And kids said, ‘Can we get fries?’” Cruz said, recalling how he noticed the restaurant.

Cruz spoke to someone with the business who said of the small space: “You want it? Take it,” Cruz recalled.

Di erent food outlets have come and gone at that spot — Cruz still receives mail for many other businesses, he said.

But eight years in at that location, Cruz and his family are still serving up food that he says sets them apart from other Mexican restaurants in the area. He put up a wall to separate the restaurant from the gas station part of the building, adding new paint and artwork and a new ambiance.

With heritage from Mexico City, his family felt that “we never nd this kind of food here,” Cruz said. “So when we opened this restaurant, we said we’ve got to sell this.”

He recommends the food on the “menu Azteca,” featuring dishes made with cactus that he says make Garibaldi unique.

You can nd Garibaldi Mexican Bistro on Broadway a few blocks north of Hampden Avenue in Englewood.

Chile con Quesadilla in Brighton e Chile con Quesadilla food trucks opened on March 15, 2020, just before the response to the coronavirus pandemic intensi ed and restaurants and bars stopped sit-down service.

“We were never shut down due to being classi ed as ‘take-out’ and gained exposure at a rapid pace when many restaurants were shut down,” said Christina Richardson, co-owner of Chile con Quesadilla. “We frequently went to neighborhoods, apartment complexes, HOAs and served food to people who were staying in their neighborhoods (and) homes while on lockdown.”

Since Chile con Quesadilla started, Richardson and her husband Jason have received several local awards for their food, and they recently opened a brick-and-mortar Chile con Quesadilla restaurant location in Brighton.

“Our liquor license got approved on May 5, 2023, and (we) have been operating since,” Richardson said.

She says that Chile con Quesadilla is “not traditional in any sense.”

“We create many di erent and unique avor combinations, for a Mexican-American

fusion with a multi-award-winning green chile at the heart of a lot of the recipes,” Richardson said.

Her top sellers include birria, or beef, tacos and the BBQ bacon brisket tacos, dubbed “ e Triple B.”

“We are a quesadilla concept, but anything on the menu can be ordered in the form of quesadillas, tacos, nachos, sandwiches or a bowl, essentially turning nine menu options into 45 di erent items,” Richardson said.

You can nd the Chile con Quesadilla restaurant on Main Street in Brighton, a couple blocks north of Bridge Street or state Highway 7.

Hong Kong Station in Centennial

A bustling dinner crowd came on Sept. 6 to Hong Kong Station, a restaurant that stands out among Chinese eateries.

“It’s kind of an unusual Chinese restaurant for Americans because a lot of the food is in uenced by Europeans who settled in Hong Kong, so they have a baked rice dish that has like a pork chop and Italian-style tomato sauce,” said Antonation, the former food writer.

e restaurant also serves traditional Hong Kong-style Chinese food, but it’s well known for its Hong Kong French toast, Antonation said.

He describes that dish as two thick slices of white bread usually with peanut butter and an egg batter, pan-fried and served with a big slab of butter.

“I think it was the rst place I knew of in metro Denver that was serving this, and it’s kind of become a trendy dish lately,” Antonation said.

You can nd the restaurant at 6878 S. Yosemite St., a bit south of Arapahoe Road in Centennial.

Farmhouse Thai Eatery in Lakewood

One of Antonation’s favorite newer ai places is Farmhouse ai in Lakewood near 1st Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard.

“ eir dishes tend to, I would say, capture traditional avors, but they do a lot of interesting modern presentations or updates on traditional fare without straying too far from the canon,” Antonation said.

Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton

A standout Italian restaurant far north of Denver serves a Detroit-style, thick-crust pizza, Antonation said.

“And the weird thing is that the pan is rectangular and has a rectangular hole in the middle … and so the advantage is that every slice has a crusty edge, unlike a normal Detroit-style pizza where you’ve got some with a soft edge and crusty edge,” Antonation said of Wholly Stromboli.

You can nd that restaurant at 410 Denver Ave. in Fort Lupton.

People sit outside Hong Kong Station restaurant in Centennial on Sept. 6. Inside, sta were busy with dinner customers.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Mark Antonation, right, stands at the 2022 Colorado Restaurant & Bar Show. Antonation, the former food editor at Westword, serves as communications manager for the Colorado Restaurant Association and Foundation. COURTESY PHOTO

Signs mark the outside of Garibaldi Mexican Bistro on Sept. 6 in Englewood. The restaurant sits in the same building as a convenience store at a Conoco gas station, separated by a wall.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

LETTERS

not one dime has been repaid. Using my calculator, I come up with $41,000 in county expenses paid for by requests from Laydon and Teal. Am I missing something? When Laydon and Teal can approve whatever amount they want (we won’t add in the $200,000 approved for the Douglas County Community Foundation by Laydon and Teal), but they insist that Lora not only pay her own legal expense, brought on by them, but no the county cannot reimburse her legal expenses? Lora’s only recourse is to le suit against the county. For retaliation, Laydon and Teal have revoked Lora’s county credit card, and refuse to reimburse any of her expenses for county commissioner business? Sounds to me like they are forcing her to quit, which I doubt will happen. ese three elected o cials supposedly work for the voting resi-

dents, but it appears in Lora’s case, she works for only Laydon and Teal?

I nd it appalling that there does not seem to be any veto power over the actions of Laydon and Teal. ey can approve any expenditure in their way of thinking, but heaven help anyone who voices criticism for their actions. Is this what we thought we were getting with these two elected o cials?

Jim Weglarz Larkspur

Vote for balance on board

Many community members were tricked into voting for the current board majority by expensive, slick advertising that cost half a million dollars in 2021. Instead of healing our community, the majority have only succeeded in amassing lawsuits, violating open meeting laws, and ignoring their board committees. Without consulting with DCSD’s board committees and ignoring the expensive polls the district paid

for, the board majority rewrote the educational equity policy in one meeting, leading to a board director’s resignation. e majority’s political ideology was prioritized over the equity policy that was previously approved unanimously by the board committees after one year of study.

At the Aug. 22 meeting, the board majority, who ran on a platform of listening to parents, ignored their own board committees, made up of parents, before modifying the rules for public comments. Families of four DCSD students of color led a federal civil lawsuit against DCSD in August, alleging that DCSD and school administrators failed to take adequate measures to protect the students from severe and pervasive racism and bullying.

In May, the board majority voted to reject a settlement agreement because they refused to admit they were wrong after a judge ruled that the board majority violated the Colorado Open Meetings Law. Finally, the illegal ring of Super-

intendent Corey Wise has led to an $833K settlement payout. is is money that should have been used to educate students. How many more lawsuits will we see in the next two years before their terms are up for reelection?

e board majority has proven that they cannot be allowed to rule unchecked. ere must be board members who are willing to stand up for what is right and insist on transparency and accountability. ree candidates will provide the board with absolute power to do as they please. ree candidates will insist that the board majority obey open meeting laws and be held accountable for the expensive lawsuits they are amassing. Please vote for Susan Meek, Brad Geiger and Valerie ompson this Nov. 7 to maintain checks and balances on the Douglas County School Board.

Kevin Leung, Castle Pines Former DCSD board director

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TRIVIA

1. U.S. STATES: Which state is home to a giant sequoia tree named General Sherman?

2. ANIMAL KINGDOM: Is a rhinoceros an herbivore, omnivore or carnivore?

3. GEOGRAPHY: Which city in India is home to the Taj Mahal?

4. MOVIES: What is the title of the rst James Bond movie?

5. TELEVISION: What was the product featured in the rst TV advertisement?

6. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which French fashion designer is credited with inventing the Little Black Dress?

7. FOOD & DRINK: What does it mean to julienne vegetables?

8. GOVERNMENT: What does the acronym GDP stand for in economic terms?

9. LITERATURE: What is the cat’s name in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”?

10. SCIENCE: Who is considered the father of the atomic bomb?

Answers

1. California, Sequoia National Park.

2. An herbivore, a plant eater.

3. Agra.

4. “Dr. No.”

5. Bulova watch.

6. Coco Chanel.

7. Cut into short, thin strips.

8. Gross domestic product.

9. Grimalkin.

10. J. Robert Oppenheimer.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Public Notices

Public Notices

Public Notices

Legals

Public Trustees

PUBLIC NOTICE

Highlands Ranch

NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0127

To Whom It May Concern: On 7/5/2023 11:47:00

AM 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: SHARON T. MCNALLY

Original Beneficiary: WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 10/20/2004

Recording Date of DOT: 11/5/2004

Reception No. of DOT: 2004113964

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $247,000.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $246,869.14

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: 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 37, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 88A, 1ST AMENDMENT, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 6694 Dutch Creek St, 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.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 25, 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: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 7/5/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

ALISON L. BERRY

Colorado Registration #: 34531

9540 MAROON CIRCLE SUITE 320, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112

Phone #: (303) 706-9990

Fax #: (303) 706-9994

Attorney File #: 23-029688

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2023-0127

First Publication: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE

Littleton NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0130

To Whom It May Concern: On 7/12/2023 1:40:00 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: HEATHER KREBS AND KRISTOFFER WEST AKA KRISTOFFER C WEST

Original Beneficiary: FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF OMAHA

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF OMAHA Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 9/30/2021

Recording Date of DOT: 10/1/2021

Reception No. of DOT: 2021113088

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $596,850.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $582,275.63

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 pay installments of principal and interest, together with other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof.

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 712, ROXBOROUGH VILLAGE FILING NO. 16-A, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 7432 Elk Trail Pl, Littleton, CO 80125

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, November 1, 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: 9/7/2023

Last Publication: 10/5/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 7/12/2023

DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

NEAL K DUNNING Colorado Registration #: 10181

7995 E. Prentice Avenue, Suite 101E, GREENWOOD VILLAGE, COLORADO 80111 Phone #: (303) 329-3363

Fax #: Attorney File #: 3554-040

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2023-0130

First Publication: 9/7/2023

Last Publication: 10/5/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

Littleton

NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0134

To Whom It May Concern: On 7/25/2023 10:42:00

AM 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: LIGITA S BARDULIS

Original Beneficiary: ARGENT MORTGAGE COMPANY, LLC

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR PARK PLACE SECURITIES, INC. ASSET-BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES

2005-WHQ3

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 3/31/2005

Recording Date of DOT: 1/6/2006

Reception No. of DOT: 2006001890

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $323,550.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $284,415.50

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: 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 213, ROXBOROUGH DOWNS, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO

Which has the address of:

10506 Brown Fox Trail, Littleton, CO 80125

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, November 15, 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: 9/21/2023

Last Publication: 10/19/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 7/25/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

ALISON L. BERRY

Colorado Registration #: 34531

9540 MAROON CIRCLE SUITE 320, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112

Phone #: (303) 706-9990

Fax #: (303) 706-9994

Attorney File #: 18-019380

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2023-0134

First Publication: 9/21/2023

Last Publication: 10/19/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0124

To Whom It May Concern: On 6/30/2023 9:35:00

AM 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: David Siu

Original Beneficiary: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as Beneficiary, as nominee for Ideal Home Loans LLC, its successors and assigns

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Citizens Bank, N.A.

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 1/20/2022

Recording Date of DOT: 1/25/2022

Reception No. of DOT: 2022005598

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $515,262.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $503,511.16

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.

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 111, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 122-S, 1ST AMENDMENT, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 3158 Woodbriar Dr, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

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, October 25, 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: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 6/30/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

HEATHER DEERE

Colorado Registration #: 28597 355 UNION BLVD SUITE 250, LAKEWOOD, COLORADO 80228 Phone #: (303) 274-0155

Fax #:

Attorney File #: CO21977

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2023-0124

First Publication: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0126

To Whom It May Concern: On 7/5/2023 10:24:00

AM 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: TIMOTHY S EMERY

Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. ACTING SOLELY AS NOMINEE FOR MIDWEST LOAN SOLUTIONS, INC.

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not individually or personally but solely in its capacity as Trustee on behalf of the ICW MAT Trust Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 1/29/2020

Recording Date of DOT: 1/30/2020

Reception No. of DOT: 2020006683

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $422,211.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $363,374.37

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 pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof.

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 189, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 122-R, ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED PLAT THEREOF. COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 10672 Braselton St, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

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, October 25, 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: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 7/5/2023

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 W. DRAKE

Colorado Registration #: 43315

1391 Speer Boulevard, Suite 700, DENVER, COLORADO 80204

Phone #: (303) 350-3711

Fax #:

Attorney File #: 00000009663444

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2023-0126

First Publication: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

LETTERS

Commissioners disappointing

I am a longtime resident of Lone Tree and Douglas County (30 years). As such, I’d like to express my disappointment in the actions of my county commissioners and the time and expense they have expended in arguments against each other. Other than what I read in the Lone Tree Voice (LTV), I am certainly not privy to what goes on behind the scenes. But having read for the past issues of LTV I can piece together what I believe are the 2-against-1 behaviors of people who are putting pride before performance.

What prompted me to write this was Teal’s quote in the Sept. 7 issue. “No matter how this lawsuit goes, it is the people of Douglas County who will pay for Commissioner omas’ petulant and childish lawsuit.”

It showed me a character side of Mr. Teal. Same point could have been made by omitting what he considers to be petulant and childish. Is name-calling necessary?

e Sept. 7 article reported that omas personally paid $5,700 for her own defense that outside legal counsel determined did not create the hostile work environment for which she was accused. e article noted that the investigation of omas “by outside legal counsel cost about $24,000.” Question, who wrote that check?! I believe it was the “people of Douglas County.” I can’t be the only one who sees the hypocrisy.

How much time, energy and money has been used up by this behavior?

Please stop this and act as the

mature, responsible, intelligent individuals I thought I was electing. is country is already divided enough. Wouldn’t it be great to see these three individuals, who don’t agree on subjects, come together and do what they were elected for instead of spending time and money combating each other?

Julie Schrock, Lone Tree

Open letter to Ken Buck

Dear Rep. Ken Buck,

You are my representative and if asked today whether I would vote for you again I would hope to nd an alternative. First, I question your judgment based on your now famous letter responding to Todd Watkins about the Jan. 6 defendants. Secondly, I question your prosecutorial presumption about the Jan. 6 defendants where you’ve stated that “Every single person who organized or participated in the riot must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” You seem to accept all charges and don’t seem to believe they are innocent until proven guilty. ird, you’re not representing your Republican constituency and in your letter to Mr. Watkins you are instead supporting last year’s J6 Democrat Congressional media farce.

I’ve carefully read your letter that may be legally correct, but you proceed to make a black and white case, completely ignoring any merit for supporting supporting any J6 defendant. You’re not just being stubborn, like Chris Christie you’re revealing the many ways you’re seeking to oppose President Trump even if it means not supporting the current Biden impeachment inquiry. Hence, you’re supporting Liz Cheney and the J6 Democrat Congressional inquiry and the maligned J6 evidence they produced. For some reason you don’t

Public Notices

see the contradiction of selectively accepting any action against the J6 defendants on one hand, but not accepting the abundant evidence for impeaching President Biden on the other.

In conclusion, politically you have found and chosen a terrible letter to make your point that simply demonstrates poor judgment. It’s clear that you’re pleased with the status of pre-trial detainees and thus you are contributing to the weaponization of our now two-tiered judicial system.

Smith Young Parker

Uneasy about Polis

As whispered concerns grow louder over Joe Biden’s obvious decline, alternative Dem candidates are being conjectured.

One such person is our own dear governor Jared Polis, whose recent interview with John Stossel has him appearing to be much more moderate than Gavin Newsom — the leader evidently so admired that many citizens are reportedly eeing for less-taxed states.

While libertarian-appearing Jared stated during this interview that he is “for freedom and lower taxes,” I question what he really means. Touching on the topics he covered, does he mean freedom from student loan debt because of nasty colleges overcharging students? Does he mean stopping the Trump-era tari s that punish our freedom to buy whatever we want? Does he mean the personal freedom to imbibe in marijuana and magic mushrooms — but impair gun ownership? Does he mean employment freedom granting more work permits to those who wander into our country? Does he mean school choice — which is limited to publicly funded schools rather

than an alternative voucher system? Or does he mean the freedom to choose identity over biology and abortion over life?

Yes, Jared can brag about the almost 3% reduction in state income tax, but I noticed he didn’t mention the 7% average increase in property taxes. Yes, he can also tout the balanced state budget with reserves, but how long will it last? A boatload of money is being expended for universal preschool and other social programs. As crime and homelessness increase, Jared says we should just hire more cops and pitch more tents. Doesn’t money solve all social ills?

Speaking of social ills, Polis recently released a multi-page equity policy (deja vu to our own county’s recent struggle with the same). Stossel pointed out that “equity” involves the philosophy of critical race theory: equity of outcome rather than equality of opportunity. Shockingly, Polis laughed and dismissed CRT as being some dusty, college-level theory with no bearing on reality. He is either woefully ignorant or just giving the party line. e nal question I have about Polis possibly stepping into the presidential race at some point is why he would make a divisive statement about Republicans censoring more than Democrats — and using the recent illustration of TikTok being banned in Montana while ignoring that TT was banned for all federal employees in the Biden administration. It doesn’t matter who censors whom. When we have more authoritarian decisions in social media and legacy media to squash opinions, research, and even true news that doesn’t t a desired narrative, we’re heading into dangerous waters that may overwhelm and sink our ship.

Linda Mazunik, Lone Tree

OCCUPANT - BRAD L KIRCHER AKA

BRAD LAWRENCE KIRCHER - DOUGLAS

AKA

You and each of you are hereby notified that on the 7th day of November 2019 the then County Treasurer of the County of Douglas, in the State of Colorado, sold at public tax lien sale to DOUGLAS E CARLILE JR. the following described real estate situate in the County of Douglas, State of Colorado, to wit:

LOT 11 WOODMOOR MOUNTAIN 1 3.98 AM/L

and said County Treasurer issued a certificate of purchase therefore to DOUGLAS E CARLILE JR.. That said tax lien sale was made to satisfy the delinquent* taxes assessed against said real

estate for the year 2018. That said real estate was taxed or specially assessed in the name(s) of BRAD L KIRCHER for said year 2018

That said DOUGLAS E CARLILE JR. on the 16th day of September 2022 the present holder of said certificate, has made request upon the Treasurer of said County for a deed to said real estate; That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issued for said real estate to the said at 1:00 o’clock P.M., on the 21st day of December 2023 unless the same has been redeemed. Said property may be redeemed from said sale at any time prior to the actual execution of said Treasurer’s Deed.

Witness my hand this 7th day of September 2023

/s/ David Gill

County Treasurer of Douglas County

Legal Notice No. 945952

First Publication: September 7, 2023

Last Publication: September 21, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press ###

Ranch Herald Legals September