March 17, 2016
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Residents seek to recall councilmembers
Petitions targeting mayor, two others are certified for circulation
By Shanna Fortier sfortier@coloradocommunitymedia.com Residents seeking to have Castle Rock’s mayor and two other councilmembers removed from office have taken an initial step toward their goal. The Castle Rock town clerk recently certified three petitions for circulation.
Donahue
Valentine
Heath
The petitions seek to recall Mayor Paul Donahue, who is the councilmember in District 1; District 2 Councilmember Mark Heath; and District 5 Councilmember
Renee Valentine. Three petitioners — Suzanne Hackett, Malia Reeves and John Buckley — submitted the petition for District 1, which includes parts of The Meadows. The petition to recall Donahue claims his leadership style and voting record have been detrimental to the health of the community. The petition reads, “in council, he has led an agenda to suppress voices of those with whom he disagrees yet took an oath to represent.” Specific incidents cited in the petition
allege Donahue has dramatically reduced allotted time for public comment; denied residents the opportunity to speak; and shown deference to out-of-town developers and “citizens who support his personal and political interests.” The petition reads, “his voting record includes supporting a rate of development that arguably exceeds infrastructure and environmental sustainability, voting for a reduction in public comment during town council meetings, and rejecting grant monies that would benefit Castle Recall continues on Page 34
Virtual venture very vivid Google Expeditions takes kids on ‘field trips’ around world
By Mike DiFerdinando mdiferdinando@coloradocommunitymedia.com The sharks and whales were so close the students could almost touch them. The children looked up and down and all around, seeing schools of fish and underwater caves. Kids reached out their hands to grab hold of objects. Looking up, they could see the surface of the water. “It’s really cool. You look down into the sea and see sharks and dolphins and Google Cardboard whales and it uses two lenses to looks like you create a 360-degree are going to fall,” image. Photo by Mike said Frontier ValDiFerdinando ley Elementary second-grade student Griffin Hasche. Students at Frontier Valley in Parker Virtual continues on Page 7
TECHNOLOGY Tablets offer benefits, challenges for learning PAGE 14
Carolyn Temperly, 66, says she doesn’t feel her age. She enjoys living in a residential care facility because of the home comforts it provides her. Photo by Shanna Fortier
Assisted-living homes stir debate Some Castle Rock residents want more regulations for residential care facilities By Shanna Fortier sfortier@coloradocommunitymedia.com Brandy Sparks, manager of Assisted Living at the Woodlands, has a challenging goal — making sure older people and those with mental health conditions and physical disabilities can live in a safe and comfortable place that feels like home. And home is what her six-patient facility on Wild Star Way in Castle Rock’s Escavera neighborhood looks like:
A wooden fence shields from view the wheelchair ramp that leads to the front door. In the summer months, plants grow to hide the fence. Other than a few more cars in the driveway during business hours and the large letters that mark exterior exits, a passerby would not know the white ranch-style house is an assisted living facility. “It’s nice to not pull up in front of a nursing home-style building,” said Sparks, who lives on-site with her husband. They facilitate individualized care for the residents, some with diagnoses
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COMMUNITY INPUT The Town of Castle Rock held open houses Feb. 8 and 22 for residents to discuss how best to meet the needs of those in assisted living homes and their neighbors. Several hundred people who live in the vicinity of established residential assisted living homes were invited to attend, discuss with neighbors and provide their written feedback to the town. Approximately 70 people attended. Results will be presented to the town council at a meeting in April or May, depending on the agenda schedule.
Care continues on Page 7
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