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October 24, 2014 VOLU M E 1 3 | I SS UE 48
CentennialCitizen.net A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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‘Arctic Shark’ to tackle city’s ice Centennial buys new winter equipment By Christy Steadman Panelists discuss this election’s four ballot issues during a League of Women Voters forum on Oct. 15 at the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce in Centennial. Photo by Jennifer Smith
Ballot issues’ pros, cons explored League of Women Voters condense political ads into two-hour forum By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia. com The League of Women Voters held a well-attended forum at the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce in Centennial on Oct. 15, with panelists representing both sides of each of the four statewide ballot issues. Voters will decide the fates of Amendment 67, Definition of Person and Child; Amendment 68, Horse Racetrack Gambling; Proposition 105, Genetically Modified Food; Proposition 104, School Board Meeting Requirements. Drew Hymer was the only man on the panel and the only one with a prop. He laid out his basic argument in favor of what’s known as the “personhood amendment” on a white board placed next to him: “It is wrong to intentionally kill an innocent human being. Abortion intentionally kills an innocent human being. Therefore, abortion is wrong.” Representing the other side was Buffy
Mendez, who said the law could criminalize some forms of birth control and potentially even miscarriages. “You’re giving legal and constitutional rights to a woman’s fertilized egg,” she said. “It will change literally hundreds of laws in our criminal code.” Representing those in favor of allowing gambling at what could become an extensively remodeled Arapahoe Park racetrack was Monica McCafferty. With some of the profits marked for education, she said the amendment could mean $132 more per student per year. “It’s good for education, it’s good for Colorado and it’s good for the economy,” she said. Polly Page, a former Aurora city councilmember, is extremely opposed to gambling so close to her community and doubtful that McCafferty’s numbers add up. “This is a constitutional amendment to benefit one company, and that company is not even a Colorado company right now,” she said. Ranelle Lang, a former school superintendent in Greeley, was there to argue against opening negotiations between teachers unions and their districts to the public. She says it’s overbroad, an un-
funded mandate and poorly worded. “It is something that can already happen, and it takes away local control,” she said. Francoise Bergan, a prolific blogger for the Independence Institute, said it’s a step toward more transparency in government. “As far as being an unfunded mandate, it doesn’t cost much to unlock the door,” she said. Labeling genetically modified foods as such is one both sides agree should happen, but they differ as to how. Trina Cooper said her pro-Proposition 105 group is working with a coalition of 37 states in an effort to establish what could become a national model. “But if we can’t get it done on a national level, we have to come back down to the people,” she said. Ashley Breitnauer, associate director of policy communications for Colorado Farm Bureau, says the piecemeal approach could put this state’s farmers and ranchers at a disadvantage. With food products crossing state lines all the time, Breitnauer says labeling requirements should be made at the federal level. “It’s making our state a little island unto itself,” she said.
Pierson’s temper drew attention at school Arapahoe High gunman had multiple run-ins with teachers, administration By Chris Rotar
crotar@colorado communitymedia.com Karl Pierson’s temper flared publicly two days before he attacked Arapahoe High School with a gun, a machete and explosives. Arapahoe High teacher Vicki Lombardi told investigators the following account of the incident, as presented in a summary of the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office’s report, released Oct. 10. “On Wednesday, December 11, 2013, Karl got locked out of Vicki’s classroom. By the time someone opened the door for Karl, he was yelling and pounding on the door. Karl was very angry over the incident and Vicki asked him to leave the classroom. Vicki called for assistance from Shooting continues on Page 16
A day after the Dec. 13, 2013 shooting at Arapahoe High, the school remained cordoned off with crime-scene tape. File photo
csteadman@colorado communitymedia.com
Residents in some of Centennial’s neighborhoods may see crews out with an imposing-looking device cutting through ice build-up this winter. The City of Centennial is launching a pilot program with a new piece of ice-cutting equipment known as an Arctic Shark. An Arctic Shark, according to the manufacturer’s website, is a “mechanical roadway ice removal attachment for heavy equipment that increases overall productivity and reduces usage of de-icing chemicals.” The Arctic Shark, purchased by the city for roughly $37,000, should be faster and more effi- Noon cient than the city’s current procedures for dealing with ice build-up, Centennial Mayor Cathy Noon said. However, the Arctic Shark is a pilot program, said Councilmember Stephanie Piko, who serves on the Arctic Shark subcommittee. Its performance will need to be monitored. “There’s going to be a learning curve,” she said. The program will be launched for six weeks this winter, but an exact date is dependent on snowfall and ice build-up. The ideal time is after ice formation from snowstorms, but before the melting period, which usually occurs in March. The Arctic Shark will primarily be used on Priority 3 snow-route streets. Theoretically, Priority 1 and 2 streets will not need the Arctic Shark because these are the busier streets that the city already regularly maintains with snowplow equipment, Noon said. The city will provide ice-cutting services “as an enhanced service when authorized,” city council staff reports state. The Arctic Shark will be dispatched on a case-by-case basis. A resident will report a need for service online on the city’s website. Officials will then inspect the area to see if it meets certain criteria. If so, crews will go out with the Arctic Shark. Some criterion includes “when ice encroaches into a travel lane or obstructs a gutter pan and forces water onto the sidewalk,” city council staff reports state. In the 2013-14 season, 32 calls for snow maintenance services west of I-25 were made, and 24 of them would have met the criteria. East of I-25, 23 calls came in, and 15 would have met the criteria. During discussion, councilmembers raised this question: If one resident reports an incident that meets the criteria, and while on inspection, crews discover a house on the same block that did not place a report but also has ice build-up that meets criteria, would the Arctic Shark provide service to the entire area, or only where the service request was placed? Council agreed that most likely, it would be most efficient if the entire area is serviced — reasons being the cost of Ice continues on Page 5