WATER

Still opposing the Renewable Water Resources project, omas expressed concern that the county’s formation of a water commission is “another swing at that ball.”

Asked whether any representatives of RWR have spoken with county ofcials about the water commission, Teal said: “I think I did see that Sean Tonner, he’s one of the principals of RWR … has put in an application to be on the water commission.”

Teal said he has been friends with Tonner for 20 years.

“We are very likely to drink beer together and have a social visit. He may bring it up,” Teal said. “But otherwise, that hasn’t happened yet.” omas said her understanding is that county sta are treating information about who has applied as a non-public matter and will not release information until nalists are chosen. surveyed parents and families on various short-term solutions until more sta can be hired.

Teal said he hasn’t seen the application itself.

Paula Hans, spokesperson for the district, said the district understands having rolling cancellations is hard for families and continues to look for solutions. e rolling cancellations will impact all general education routes.

“Of course, we recognize that none of the options were ideal, and we are committed to continuing our driver and assistant recruiting e orts over the course of this year,” Hans said in an email.

Hans said the district’s transpor-

Makeup of commission

ose who join the water commission may include local elected ocials, those with experience on water district or metro district boards; others with management oversight or with a professional background in water; and a representative who can serve as the “voice of rural Douglas County,” the county said in a news release.

Metro districts are a type of government entity that carries out some government functions, such as the Highlands Ranch Metro District that oversees some services in that community.

e county’s water commission will commence in the third quarter of this year and meet six to eight times during the rst 12 months with the focus of developing a Douglas County Water Plan. Applicants must be Douglas County residents, and the county asked for applications by close of business Aug. 11.

e county envisions that the water commission will integrate existing water provider plans into the Douglas County Water Plan.

tation team will email families in advance to notify them of which routes will be canceled. roughout the school year, each route will run for four weeks and then be o for one week.

Transportation sta ng is down 104 bus drivers and 32 transportation education assistants, who are responsible for monitoring special education students with moderate to severe needs and challenging or emotional di culties on school buses.

Hans said that even with rolling cancellations, some routes may still experience day-of cancellations.

Di erent proposals

Teal favored the idea of assembling a commission of residents that could determine the appropriate steps to take for the future of the county’s water supply.

e water commission would digest information and make recommendations to the overall board of county commissioners, Teal said.

e county commissioners are Douglas County’s elected leaders, above the county’s other “commissions” that deal with certain topics of policy.

It’s better to have input from others “rather than (have it be) something that just Abe and I would do,” Teal said.

Asked whether the county’s formation of a water commission is a way to eventually gain more momentum and support behind the RWR plan, Teal said: “I don’t need a water commission to do that.”

“I am very aware of the criticisms of that proposal. But with where we are — I mean, great, we’ve got (water) falling every day from the sky,” Teal said. “But we’re coming o (many) years of hard drought, and water has become a very serious aspect of our business.” e criticisms he hears include the projected cost and how much time it would take to deliver, he said. e Parker Water and Sanitation District has worked on a project that would partner with a water conservancy district in Sterling, a town in Eastern Colorado, to capture unused

“Concerns that a water program that brings water into the county would cost too much and take too long? ey all cost too much and they all take too long,” Teal said.

He also has heard the concerns about taking water from the San Luis Valley.

“Far as I know … there is no taking water there. All water will be bought from willing sellers. And if there are no willing sellers, that’s where the deal starts to fall apart,” Teal said.

Teal pointed to another water transmission plan, involving the South Platte River and the Parker area’s water provider.

“It was kind of pitched as an alternative to the RWR plan,” Teal said.

“In the case where drivers or assistants are out, we will rst do our best to cover any vacant routes with internal sta prior to moving forward with a cancellation,” she said.

Already, the district has consolidated 30% of its bus routes, increased the outsourcing of special education routes to thirdparty transportation providers and reduced daytime eld trips to keep sta available.

Hans added that families who paid for an annual bus pass will receive a partial refund to offset water during high runo years from the South Platte River there and store it to pipe back to the town. e project won’t impact existing water rights and won’t allow buy-and-dry of nearby agriculture, Ron Redd, the district manager of Parker Water, has said.

Teal said he wants to know more about the cost structure.

“No one has ever shown me that. If it does cost less, I’d like to see that — and hey, they go to No. 1 priority super quick. No problem,” Teal said.

One of Teal’s ideas for the water commission is that it could land the county new plans.

“ is is just an idea — this is not a laid-in-stone plan — but maybe it will attract water proposals” that are more viable than the South Platte plan or the San Luis Valley plan, Teal said.

Money in Parker

Real estate developers interested in exporting water they own from the San Luis Valley to Douglas County have contributed thousands of dollars to candidates for the Parker Water and Sanitation District Board, one of the largest water providers in the county, according to reporting from Fresh Water News.

Recently, Robert Kennah won a seat on the Parker water board and had received two donations from partners in RWR, a real estate development group whose principals include former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens. e contributions were made by RWR principals John Kim and Hugh Bernardi, according to lings at the Colorado Secretary of State’s O ce, Fresh Water News reported.

A second RWR-backed candidate, Kory Nelson, also received $10,000 in donations from RWR, but did not win a seat on the Parker water board. Nelson has contested the results of the election.

If Nelson had won, RWR would have ties to three members of the ve-member board, according to Redd, Fresh Water News reported.

Parker board member Brooke Booth is related by marriage to RWR principal Tonner, Redd said, according to the reporting.