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July 16, 2014 VOLU M E 49 | I S S UE 26 | 7 5 ¢
Tri-LakesTribune.net T R I - L A K E S R E G I O N , M O N U M E N T, G L E N E A G L E , B L A C K F O R E S T A N D N O R T H E R N E L P A S O C O U N T Y
A publication of
No recreational shooting in Mount Herman forest area
Mount Herman rises in the background of the no shooting sign. Photos by Rob Carrigan
Ranger District bans target practice because of abuses, close calls By Rob Carrigan
rcarrigan @coloradocommunitymedia. com
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OFFICE: 325 Second Street, Suite R Monument, CO 80132 PHONE: 719-687-3006 A legal newspaper of general circulation in El Paso County, Colorado, the Tri-Lakes Tribune is published weekly on Wednesday by Colorado Community Media, 1200 E. Highway 24, Woodland Park, CO 80863. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO. 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
A 12-mile section of the forest, in and around Mount Herman Road between Woodland Park and Monument, was declared off-limits to recreational shooting by new Forest Service rules last week. “The areas closed to target shooting are areas of concentrated activity with many nearby roads and trails, recreation sites, private land developments and livestockgrazing nearby. Resticting shooting in these areas reduces hazards to
others who play, live, or work within these areas,” says material and a map put together by officials of the Pike and San Isabel National Forest. Jon Pfeiffer, reserve law enforcement officer and off-highway vehicle manager for the Pikes Peak Ranger District, said that enforcement of the new rules has been going well so far. Pfeiffer, and others, placed nearly 30 signs in the off-limits area last week after the new rules went into effect. He was patroling on Mount Herman road Friday, and noted that first sign crews put up Tuesday, did have ‘fake’ bullet hole stickers on it already. Barb Timock, public affair officer in the district’s Pueblo office, also said the public has been supportive of the new rules. She said near misses,
whizing bullets, and other dangers over time prompted the official action early last week, but the district had considered it carefully and was ready with signs, maps, educational material and an enforcement plan. “The Pike National Forest has many places enjoy your favorite recreational activities including target shooting if done in a safe and responsible manner,” according to Forest Service material. Estimates from the district hold that 94 percent of the forest is still available for recreational target shooting. Exempt from these closure areas are: • Any person posessing a current and valid State of Colorado hunting license and who is actively involved in hunting No shooting continues on Page 13
Jon C. Pfeiffer, reserve law enforcement officer for Pikes Peak Ranger District, was patrolling the recently closed area on Friday afternoon, July 11.
District 38 mill levy will drop slightly in 2015 That should be good news for area homeowners By Danny Summers
dsummers@coloradocommunitymedia.com Lewis-Palmer School District 38 assistant superintendent Cheryl Wangeman knows that whenever any word associated with “tax” comes up in a conversation, hair stands up on the back of people’s heads and some folks might even grab for pitch forks and form mobs. That’s why she felt it necessary to include information on the mill levy at last month’s Board of Education presentation. “Nobody likes to hear that they might be paying more taxes,” Wangeman said. “I felt it was important to point out where we are. “Mill levies go up and down based on assessed property values.”
The property tax mill levy for 2014 is 50.091 mills. That includes 23.164 in operating mills, a 9.397 mill levy override approved by voters in November of 1999, and the G.O. Debt mill of 17.188. For 2015, Cheryl Wangeman the mill levy is projected to be 49.055; 23.164 in operating mills, the override of 9.213, and 16.678 mills for repayment of general obligation bond debt. This 2.701 mill decrease equates to a 5.4 percent reduction. The projected reduction, according to Wangeman, is primarily due to a decrease in the General Obligation Debt mill of 3 percent, and an increase in estimated assessed valuation of 2 percent. “The assessed valuation estimate is provided by the Colorado Department of Education,”
Wangeman said. For 2015, the assessment ratio on residential property will remain at 7.96 percent. That is a good thing for homeowners. It is estimated that a homeowner with a home valued at $350,000 in 2015 will pay $1,366.67 for school district property taxes as compared to $1,395.54 in 2014. “The District has been aggressive in refunding General Obligation Debt,” Wangeman said. “As a result, the District has provided savings to taxpayers since 2009 of $3.3 million.” In the November 2013 general election, a group calling themselves “Lewis-Palmer DIRECTION 38!” - a non-partisan group of TriLakes citizens - helped mobilize 75 percent of area voters to defeat District 38’s proposed $4.5 million Mill Levy Override. The hotly contested issue brought out a record 60 percent of area voters (13,211). “Three themes surfaced as we spoke to thousands of area voters
about the unpopular MLO ballot measure,” said DIRECTION 38! President Ana Konduris, “Trust, Taxes, and Turnout.” Konduris added that DIRECTION 38! was founded in 2009 to ensure broader community representation within District 38. She welcomes Tri-Lakes voters to get more information at the DIRECTION 38! website, www.lpd38. wordpress.com. Wangeman said that mill levy drops in 2017 and again in 2025. “This current Board inherited debt and is taking aggressive action to get rid of that debt,” Wangeman said. “The Board has been proactive through this great recession and has made plans to ensure stability. It’s been financially prudent and will continue to be. “We understand that last November our citizens weren’t willing to take the risk of increasing their tax debt, but at the same time we know they are very proud of our schools.”