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November 12, 2014 VOLU M E 53 | I S S UE 45 | 7 5 ¢
PikesPeakCourier.net T E L L E R C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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Woodland Park voters approve aquatic center Ensminger re-elected to second term By Norma Engelberg Contributing writer
The third time was a charm for the Woodland Park Aquatic Center. After more than 20 years of trying to bring a pool to the city and two previous votes, city voters finally approved a proposal to allow Woodland Park to foot the bill. Ballot Question 2A, which will allow the city to increase its bond debt by more than $10 million to build the center, was resoundingly approved by a vote of 2,582 to 1,113. With this approval, city officials hope to complete construction and open the new center by late 2016. Question 2A was Teller County’s only local ballot question and the county also had only one contested race. Despite a respectable showing by his opponent, incumbent Republican Sheriff Mike Ensminger defeated unaffiliated challenger Mark Manriquez by a vote of 6,432 to 4,529. Ensminger began with a lead when
early votes were counted and retained that lead throughout the evening’s count, which ended at about 2 a.m. Nov. 5. In the uncontested races, County Assessor Betty ClarkWine had 8,011 votes, Clerk and Recorder Krystal Brown had 8,395 votes, 8,145 votes were cast for Dist. 2 Commissioner Dave Paul, Treasurer Robert Campbell received 8,268 votes and Coroner Al Born received 8,485 votes. All Fourth Judicial District judges and Teller County Court Judge Linda Billings-Vela were retained. County residents who regularly commute to El Paso County were also watching that county’s Pikes Peak Regional Drainage Authority question, which would likely have funded drainage projects on U.S. 24 between Crystola and Manitou Springs through the Waldo Canyon Fire’s burn scar. El Paso County voters rejected the question by a vote of 92,920 t0 106,030. Election results will not become official until the final canvass on Nov. 19. There were about 100 ballots with signature discrepancies that need to be resolved by Nov. 12.
Krystal Brown holds a ballot for the election Nov. 4 while standing near the counting machine. Photo by Pat Hill
‘This was a big election. I am pleased and in behalf of all the people who need aquatics I thank voters for their overwhelming support.’ Gerry Simon POSTAL ADDRESS
PIKES PEAK COURIER (USPS 654-460)
OFFICE: 1200 E. Highway 24 Woodland Park, CO 80863 PHONE: 719-687-3006 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Teller County, Colorado, the Pikes Peak Courier is published weekly on Wednesday by Colorado Community Media, 1200 E. Highway 24, Woodland Park, CO 80863. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 11 a.m. Legal: Thurs. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 10 a.m. G ET SOCIAL WITH US
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Citizens thanked for their support Almost 70 percent of WP voters approved bond issue question on Nov. 4 By Norma Engelberg Contributing writer
Gerry Simon, president of the Woodland Aquatic Center, thanked Woodland Park voters who supported Ballot Question 2A on Nov. 4, giving the city permission to increase its debt to build an aquatic center. “This was a big election,” he said at the Woodland Park City Council meeting on Nov. 6. “I am pleased and in behalf of all the people who need aquatics I thank voters for their overwhelming support.” Mayor Neil Levy added his congratulations and thanks for all the aquatic center volunteers who made this outcome possible. “I can’t wait to see that first little kid jump into that pool,” he said, after which Simon handed him a small gift bag that contained swimwear that Levy refused to show, let alone model. After the meeting Council-
members Bob Carlsen and John Schafer also made some comments. “I’m absolutely delighted with the election results, especially with the margin (of approval),” Carlsen said. Schafer added that the vote represents a change in the city’s demographics over the past 15-22 years. “This shows that there are good things coming to our city,” Carlsen said, with Schafer mentioning the Main Street program and the Creative Arts District. With voter approval, next year’s budget numbers are changing. To learn about those changes, council will have a work session on Nov. 13. City Manager David Buttery said he would not only explain budget changes due to aquaticcenter approval but he will also go over information about the city’s other capital projects: Memorial Park renovations and the new fleet maintenance facility. At the Nov. 20 council meeting, Buttery will go over aquaticcenter-location options. It was thought that the Woodland-Station site was set but there have been questions, he said. The public will be invited to comment and a final location will be chosen.