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July 4, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourwestminsternews.com
Adams County and Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 68, Issue 37
D50 board moves ahead with mill levy override By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com Adams County School District 50 school board signaled the district voters it intends to move forward with a mill-levyoverride question for the November ballot. The resolution was approved after a staff recommendation during the board’s June 25 meeting. “While Colorado is strategically moving ahead in finance reform, there is no guarantee that those efforts will be successful,”
said District Administrator James Duffy. “If our current school finance situation remains unchanged, the district will have to continue to have to pay back any short fallings from the state by using operating expenses or reserves, which are one-time funds and once spent are depleted.” Duffy said that with the district already tapping into reserves by about $4 million to balance the 2013-2014 budget, those reserves could be depleted, forcing the district to make significant cuts to expenditures. Discussions about a mill-levy override
began last year during a study session in December when the Adams County School District 50 fiscal oversight committee suggested the school board consider an override question for next November’s election. At that time, committee member Bill Christopher said after the board had to reach into the reserve fund and pull out $4.4 million to balance the 2012-13 budget, the mill-levy-override option is something the board needs to consider. “We have done bond refinancing, which helps, but we have to think about the fu-
ture,” Christopher said. “The mill-levy increase is an important step that needs to be done in the next couple of years. And it’s something the school board has to decide whether they want to embrace it.” Final language and the increase amount will not be determined until the second school board meeting in August. District 50 voters will already be headed to the polls in November when two seats on the board open up — those of board President Marilyn Flachman, who is term limited, and Sharon Whitehair, who is not running for re-election.
Transit sparks mixed views Meeting stirs emotions concerning rail By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com
Metropolitan State University student Joe Diefenbach poses before ending with a major belly flop during the 17th annual Belly Flop Contest at Water World on June 27. Diefenbach went home as the overall winner of the day. Courtesy photo by Water World
Flop always a hit Water World serves up annual belly flop contest By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com
Emily Duffel, a University of Denver student, was the top female competitor during the June 27 Belly Flop Contest at Water World. Photo by Ashley Reimers
Metropolitan State University student Joe Diefenbach didn’t just show up to the annual Belly Flop Contest at Water World; he came to win. Sure enough, competing as his alter ego, “Super Joe,” Diefenbach made his way to the top, beating out 20 other college students who also sacrificed their bellies in the name of a good splash. “After my third jump, I thought it turned out pretty well,” he said. “I’m pretty excited to have won.” The event on June 27 was sponsored by Water World and College in Colorado, a free, comprehensive website dedicated to providing adults and students with information about career exploration and higher education. As the top winner overall, Diefenbach went home with a $1,000 schol-
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arship, a laptop provided by College in Colorado and summer concert tickets from The Wolf radio station. “This scholarship will really help pay for school,” Diefenbach said. “Paying for school hurts more than a belly flop.” All of the floppers really had to shine on the platform during the contest to impress judge Darren Taylor, also known as Professor Splash. Taylor, from Colorado, has more than 25 years of professional high-diving experience and has traveled the world breaking world records. In 2008, he made a record splash at Water World. As a judge, he said the No. 1 thing he’s looking for is a good splash. But he’s also looking for a flat body and a great splash sound. “The best part is seeing their faces when they get out of the water,” Taylor said. “If they have a rough look on their faces, you know they had a good flop.” Emily Duffel, a University of Denver student, was the top female competitor. She also went home with a $1,000 scholarship and a laptop provided by College in Colorado. The second-place male and female each took home a $750 scholarship, and the third-place male and female each took home a $500 scholarship. “This is such a great event because of the collaboration of Water World and College in Colorado,” said Joann Cortez, with Water World. “The event brings great attention to Water World, which brings more people and revenue. And all the money we make goes right back into community programs.”
Many who attended the recent Regional Transportation District Citizens Advisory Committee meeting in Westminster had one thing in common — dissatisfaction. Community members and elected officials voiced strong opinions during the June 26 meeting at City Hall about the need for a rail system in the Westminster area. They told the 17-member advisory board that a bus rapid-transit system just isn’t enough. “We are the ones having to fight the traffic every day,” said Faith Winter, Westminster mayor pro tem. “It doesn’t matter how pretty the buses are, they are still buses, and they aren’t enough.” Bus rapid transit, BRT, is part of the U.S. 36 Express Lanes project, a $312 million, multimodule project along U.S. 36 between Federal Boulevard and 88th Avenue Street in Louisville/Superior. The project is building an express lane in each direction that will accommodate highoccupancy vehicles; bus rapid transit; and tolled, single-occupancy vehicles. Before residents gave their opinions, project manager NaFaith dine Lee gave a quick Winter, presentation on the project, describing the mayor benefits of BRT. pro tem She said BRT will provide a high level of transit service with upgraded stations and improved customer interface, as well as queue jumps and transit-signal priority at interchanges for the buses. “We are giving the advantage to the buses; that’s our focus,” Lee said. “We are trying to get the buses ahead of everybody else by giving buses the priority as much as possible.” Although Lee did her best to describe the benefits of BRT on U.S. 36, people in the crowd weren’t convinced. Some residents told the committee they felt BRT is just a bait-and-switch tactic to eventually replace the idea of having a rail system in the Westminster area. Emma Pinter, a resident running for Westminster City Council, said as she knocks on doors in the community, she constantly hears from people about the need for rail in Westminster. “I hear it again and again,” she said.
‘We are
the ones having
to fight
the traffic
every day.’
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