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December 18, 2014 VOLU M E 1 1 9 | I S S UE 46 | 7 5 ¢
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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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Sheriff to get 7 new vehicles Commissioners approve $356,000 for purchase By Rick Gustafson
Special to Colorado Community Media
The Elizabeth High School cheer squad competes at the State Spirit Championships in Denver on Dec. 6. Photos by Rick Gustafson
Cards move up in cheer results Squad takes 22nd spot at state championships By Rick Gustafson
Special to Colorado Community Media
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ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100)
OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
The Elizabeth High School cheer squad made the trip north for Day 2 of the Colorado High School Activities Association’s State Spirit Championships in Denver on Dec. 6. The twoday event at the Denver Coliseum drew more than 200 teams from Colorado high schools to compete for the title of state champions in their respective divisions. The categories included cheer, pompon, jazz, co-ed, and hip-hop. “They have been practicing this routine since August,” said second-year cheerleading coach Katie Rothe just before her squad took to the competition floor. “They’re young, but they’re going to do a great job. I’m really excited.” The cheer “red, black,” echoed through the coliseum as the squad’s veterans, seniors Jordan Byrd and Alycia Legge, junior Shelby Otte and sophomore Regan Kearns competed alongside four members making their debut at the state championships, sophomores Heather Philis, Kerah Clouse, Nadia Gunn and Megan Gleman. Cheer continues on Page 13
Karah Clouse, top, and Heather Philis compete for the Cardinals at the State Spirit Championships in Denver.
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. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ELIZABETH, COLORADO and additional mailing offices.
In a unanimous vote, Elbert County commissioners approved resolutions to replace seven aging sheriff’s office vehicles. The two resolutions passed at the board of commissioners’ regularly scheduled meeting on Dec. 10 authorize the finance and purchase of two Dodge Chargers, one Dodge Durango and four Dodge Ram pickups. The county plans to enter into a five-year, 2.7 percent financing deal with Kansas State Bank for the $356,000 required for the purchase of the vehicles and make quarterly payments of a little over $19,000. The cost of the new vehicles was included in the 2014 budget, but the BOCC delayed the purchase until the end of the year to ensure the funds were available. “In 2014, we didn’t execute this because our revenues weren’t what we felt they needed to be until just recently,” County Manager Ed Ehmann told the BOCC on Dec. 10. “We’re at a point where we are comfortable replacing these vehicles.” Part of the $356,000 price tag includes the upfit costs from the vehicles’ standard equipment to make them serviceable as a police car. The upfit is equipment essential to law enforcement vehicles, including internal cages, consoles for lights, decals and racks for electronic equipment and new radios. In order to handle the increased electrical draw from additional electronic equipment and lighting, the vehicles also require a more powerful alternator and heavier wiring than an off-the-shelf model. The typical life cycle of a vehicle in Elbert County begins with the sheriff’s department. As they age and become less reliable for police service, they are transferred to less rigorous duty either within the Public Works Department or into the county’s fleet of pool vehicles. “We’re in a replacement program where we start out with our fleet in the sheriff’s department and as they reach 75,000 miles or so we transfer them into other departments or into our pool,” Ehmann said. Pool vehicles are used for county business as well as some commuting by public officials and staff authorized to do so. As cars reach the end of their service life or if wrecked, the county retires them and sells them for their salvage value. The vehicles purchased under the resolutions passed last week are slated to replace cars and trucks that the county salvaged or surplused earlier this year and will not result in the retirement of any additional county vehicles.
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Elizabeth High coach Katie Rothe gives some last-minute advice to her cheer squad.
The Elbert County Sheriff ’s Office is poised to get seven new vehicles. Photo by Rick Gustafson