June 16, 2016
ROCK RIDERS
VOLUME 121 | ISSUE 20 | 75¢
Cycling event at Douglas County Fairgrounds draws riders on PAGE 12.
ElbertCountyNews.net E L B E R T C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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Deer-culling program gets extended Limited bow hunting in town reduces problem interactions By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media
Two deer cross Highway 17 just outside of Elizabeth. Most collisions with deer go unreported unless the accident disables the vehicle or causes a serious injury or death to the occupants. File photo
In a unanimous decision, the Elizabeth Board of Trustees voted to continue the town’s Deer Management Program for another season. Initiated in the fall of 2014, the program that allows limited hunting of deer within designated areas inside the Elizabeth town limits, under tightly controlled parameters, was created in response to the increasing
domestic deer population in and around the town. According to town administrator Dick Eason, there were two factors contributing to the trustee’s view of a successful program. “It was the fact that we’ve got two years under our belt, and there has not been a single incident. That was one of our primary concerns going into the first year is, number one, safety,” he said. “The other thing is while the numbers, thus far, are not keeping up with the population growth, we are making progress.” One of the goals of the program is to keep a manageable deer population in the hope
that it will reduce the number of negative interactions between the animals and people, such as car accidents. Finding an accurate number of collisions between vehicles and wildlife has been problematic, and Eason attributes the difficulty to two factors. A majority of minor collisions go unreported, and no metric for measuring reported deer-versusauto collisions exists. A collision with a deer involving one car is likely to be coded as a singlevehicle accident. “Even with the incidents that have been reported, there’s not Deer continues on Page 9
County shows off election protocols Officials explain how they aim to ensure fair, comprehensive vote By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media
Landon Mecham of Tropic, Utah, shows off the type of boots he and other saddle bronc riders wear during competitions. Rodeo riders provide their own equipment, pay entry fees, as well as pay Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association dues to compete in sanctioned events. Photo by Rick Gustafson
Crucial eight seconds By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media Rodeo cowboys Landon Mecham and Chase Bennett roll out of Salt Lake City a little after 8 a.m., eightplus hours on the road ahead of them.
Their route through the heart of the Rockies will land them in the rolling hills of Colorado’s eastern plains for the June 4 evening performance of the Elizabeth Stampede and Rodeo. That’s 16 hours of travel for half that number of seconds on the back of a saddle bronc named 939 Ridicu-
lousness, and a payday ranging from zero to $1,272. At 30 years old, Mecham is in the prime of his rodeo career. And the Elizabeth Stampede is one of about 20 rodeos he will enter in June. Cowboy continues on Page 10
“There are so many misconceptions in the public about what we do here,” said Elbert County Election Manager Rhonda Braun. “We don’t do something sinister in some back room. We encourage them to come see us and ask questions.” To help alleviate rumors or suspicions around the election process, Braun and Clerk and Recorder Dallas Schroeder held an Election Procedures Evening for the public at the Elbert County Courthouse in Kiowa on June 9. Braun and Schroeder answered questions from around 20 residents in attendance, and the presentation featured explanations of the lifespan of a typical ballot, verification procedures, and methods for ensuring voter privacy and signatures. “We are looking for reasons to accept. We’re not signature experts. We’re not trying to make sure every little “t” is exactly the same,” said Schroeder. “One thing we do monitor with our election judges is the rate of rejection.” Following a tiered review process, voters whose ballots have questioned signatures are contacted by Braun and Vote continues on Page 9
ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 | PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ELIZABETH, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 12 p.m. | Classifieds: Mon. 10 a.m. | Obits: Mon. 10 a.m. | Legals: Thurs. 11 a.m.