Parker Chronicle 022422

Page 1

Week of February 24, 2022

FREE

DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

ParkerChronicle.net

INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 15 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 24

School board approves superintendent search plan Process expected to go quickly BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The job posting for the next Douglas County School District superintendent will be displayed online beginning Feb. 17 and ending Feb. 25. The district’s board of directors approved the preliminary timeline for the position in a special meeting Feb. 16. The board plans to fully approve a schedule for hiring the position — which would set March 3 as the date finalists will be identified — during a Feb. 22 meeting. During the special meeting, the board sparred over whether this timeline was too brief. “We really need to get stability back, and I’m concerned that if we are leaving the superintendent seat vacant without a long-term solution, this sort of division is going to continue,” Director Christy Williams said in support of the shortened timeline. Directors Susan Meek and David Ray spoke against the timeline. “Why is this timeline so compressed that it prevents true, authentic public engagement in the hiring?” Meek asked. The original timeline proposed by Board President Mike Peterson suggested the board vote on finalists by Feb. 24. The superintendent position became open after the Feb. 4 firing of former Superintendant Corey Wise in a 4-3 vote. The previous superintendent search, which resulted in the selection of Wise, took about four months. Wise was selected as SEE SEARCH, P6

VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 13

Parker Task Force celebrates 35 years Group offers assistance with food, other services BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Members of the community have come out in support of the majority school board members as they take steps to do what was promised during the 2021 election. The board members do have supporters who agreed with terminating former SuperintenPHOTO BY THELMA GRIMES dent Corey Wise.

HEART HEALTH MONTH

A Q&A on heart failure

P10

Genese Sweeney had just started attending Parker’s Methodist Church in 1987 when a “little lady” named Nancy Gripman stood up at the podium to speak. “She made the announcement about this new organization called the Parker Task Force,” Sweeney said. Sweeney wrote down the name of the nonprofit and then about 10 years later, she rediscovered the note and decided to try out volunteering there. Now, she’s the group’s longest-serving volunteer. “I just love volunteering,” said Sweeney, who will be 80 next month “I think it’s just wanting to help and being thankful that I’m able to go out and spend time helping where I’m needed. It’s a gift for me.” This month, the Parker Task Force is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Since it started, the Parker Task Force has been an organization fully run by volunteers with the goal of providing food, limited financial assistance and other support services to help community members in need become self-sufficient. This past year, the 501(c)(3) organi zation helped more than 7,700 clients and nearly 3,000 families, according to the nonprofit. They have about 94 core volunteers, most of whom have SEE CELEBRATE, P23

LET IT ROLL

Exploring the world of van life

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