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December 12, 2013 Douglas County, Colorado | Volume 12, Issue 48 A publication of
lonetreevoice.net
Vision expands as city grows Business coordinator focuses on present, future By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com When Torie Brazitis looked out over the weeds and high grasses on the vacant land southeast of Interstate 25, she saw her future. “As soon as I drove over the east side, I thought, ‘I have to take this position’,” said the city’s first fulltime business development coordinator. For Brazitis, the east side offers acres of opportunity, the chance to help shape a community that — despite its presence in the metro area — is only about one-quarter grown. About 11,000 people now live in Lone Tree, all of them on the mostly developed area west of I-25. When development is complete on the four square miles east of
the highway, projections show the city will be home to about 40,000. Brazitis presented a road map for that future to the Lone Tree City Council earlier this month, outlining eight areas of focus to help guide the city’s development and ensure its continued success. “Lone tree is really a location of choice, both nationally and in the metro area,” said Brazitis, who joined the city staff in April. “We have so many great opportunities and a variety of feathers in our cap we’ve gotten recently that really attract attention. Brazitis, who has a master’s degree in public administration, is spring boarding from the job previously held by City Manager Seth Hoffman. Hoffman managed both economic development and assistant city manager responsibilities until his late 2012 promotion to lead city official. Hoffman helped negotiate with the Charles Schwab corporation, now building a campus in the city, and Cabela’s, which opened Vision continues on Page 9
Torie Brazitis is Lone Tree’s first full-time business development coordinator. Photo by Jane Reuter
Pet-door burglar busted 20-year-old female caught by homeowner By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@ourcoloradonews.com
Jenny Follmer, client services manager for the Douglas/Elbert Task Force, works through the paperwork of the more than 20 families that came in Nov. 26 for assistance. Photo by Virginia Grantier
20 families, 20 stories of struggle Douglas/Elbert Task Force is crucial safety net By Virginia Grantier
vgrantier@ourcoloradonews.com It’s in an industrial park on Park Street in Castle Rock — past storage units and a gun shop, and various other shops, in one of those nondescript rectangular buildings, where every day 20 or more families come to get help — many for food, clothing, money so utilities aren’t turned off, so rent can be paid. Jenny Follmer, the client service manager at the Douglas/Elbert Task Force, 1638 Park St., usually stops at 20 families, a task force rule. The 21st person wanting to sign up to get help is asked to come back the next morning. But it’s the holidays. “We’re so swamped,” said Follmer, sitting behind a desk that has on it the day’s stack of file folders with 20 families’ paperwork in
them. So even though she’s seen 20 this day, she’s still trying to help three or four more and has calls out to churches and others to see if help is out there — for the family whose electricity has been turned off and the family with seven children whose house has been foreclosed on and they’re being evicted in a couple of days. Follmer, who has degrees in marketing and Spanish, volunteered here for four years, and liked helping people, so she took a job with the agency more than two years ago, trying to help some more. Sometimes she can, sometimes it’s tough. This day was some of both. And she goes back through them all. She opens up the first file folder: First family: A Castle Rock family, renters, mom, fiancé and three kids. The utilities have been turned off. Both adults are in school and have part-time jobs. They have food stamps, but they can’t buy some things with them — toilet paper, toothpaste, diapers. They need help get-
ting their utilities back on and they need food. Families can get food every 30 days from the task force, and the amount depends on how many people. This family of five leaves with 146 pounds of food, lots of canned goods from the food bank. Food stamps often are used to buy fresh produce. Like all the other families that day, they’re offered a turkey. All but one family takes one. “They’re desperate for protein,” Follmer said. Second family: A Highlands Ranch family, renters, two adults and two kids. Never been here before. Wife lost job and has filed for unemployment. Husband has a new job but doesn’t get paid until the end of December. They have two disconnect notices and need help with their December rent, utilities and need food. Third family: A Douglas County Struggle continues on Page 19
After multiple Highlands Ranch residents reported being victimized by someone breaking into their homes through pet doors in the middle of the night this fall, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has taken a suspect into custody. Mackenzie Mavis, 20, was arrested in connection with a Nov. 29 burglary in which she allegedly awakened the sleeping victim while inside the home. Mavis reportedly fled from the residence on foot, but Mavis the homeowner gave chase and detained her until law enforcement arrived. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is recommending that Mavis be charged with felony second-degree burglary, felony crimes against an at-risk adult, misdemeanor theft and criminal mischief. Mavis remains in custody on a $50,000 bond. According to a news release from the DCSO, the investigation is ongoing and there is no further information available at this time. Colorado Community Media previously reported on five pet-door break-ins occurring between Oct. 18 and early November. According to Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Teller, the burglar, or group of burglars, spent a short time in each home, grabbing small things of value like iPads and cell phones before fleeing. Burglar continues on Page 5
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