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Issue #128 — Volume 11 Number 10 — Saturday, October 1, 2011
Upcoming Local Events
Woodmoor district moving forward with deal for ranch water
See pages 31-35 for details of these and many other local events. 38th Annual Christmas Arts & Craft Fair, Sat.-Sun., Oct.1-2, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. Bear Creek Elementary Walk to School Day, Wed., Oct 5, 8:30 a.m. Public forum: Meet the Candidates for D-38 Board of Education, Wed., Oct. 5, 7-9 p.m. Monument Academy Charter Hosts the D-38 Candidates, Mon., Oct. 10, 7-8:30 p.m. The 2011 Empty Bowls & Silent Auction, Wed., Oct. 12, 5-7:30 p.m. Monument Annual Town Forum, Mon., Oct. 17, 5 p.m. Tri-Lakes Annual Health & Wellness Fair, Sat., Oct. 23, 7 a.m.-noon Wine and Roses, Fri., Oct. 28, 6-9 p.m. Check www.tlwc.net for new location. Rocky Mountain Music Alliance (RMMA) Free Concert, Sat., Oct. 29, 7 p.m. Monument’s Safe Trick or Treat, Mon., Oct. 31, 4-6 p.m. Coordinated County-wide Election by Mail-In Ballot, Tue., Nov. 1 47th Annual Black Forest Arts & Crafts Guild Fall Show & Sale, Thu.-Sun., Nov. 3-6, Thu.-Sat., 9 a.m.8 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. ■
Above: Winners of the People’s Choice Award for chili and salsa, Kevin Holbrook and Lisa Shoblo. Photo by Candice Hitt. See page 28 for additional information and photos from the 2011 Chili Cookoff.
Donala community meeting draws almost 200, highlights need for substantial water rate and fee increases
In this issue Water & San District News 1-16 D-38 News 17-21
Water Range (gallons) 0-6,000 6,001-25,000 Above 25,000
Monument News 22-23 Weather 24 Letters 25
Water Sewer
Books, Gardens, Birds, Arts 25-28 Snapshots of Our Community 28-29 Library Events, History 29-30 Special Events and Notices 31 Our Community Calendar 32-35 OCN information 35, 36
By Candice Hitt At the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District’s (WWSD) board meeting Sept. 13, members discussed the current status of the JV Ranch acquisition. Currently the district is dependent on the Denver Basin Aquifer, which is a non-renewable source of water. Aquifers are shrinking and are not a reliable source for a longterm supply of water, so aquifer dependency is an issue. Public meetings are being scheduled to answer questions and provide additional information on the project. For additional information, visit www.woodmoorwater.com. The first public meeting is scheduled for Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. at The Barn at the Woodmoor Improvement Association. Board members also discussed their commitment to acquiring a renewable water source for the district and working toward the goal of meeting the district’s water needs for many years to come. WWSD will use revenue bonds to finance the JV Ranch acquisition with a 25-year repayment plan. The ranch would provide rights to roughly 2,500 to 3,400 acre-feet of water annually, a reservoir, and storage rights. The purchase price will be $25 million to $31 million, dependent on the water rights decided in water court. A water rate increase and addition of a monthly “renewable water investment fee” is planned for customers to assist in repayment of the purchase. The new rates are anticipated to begin Jan. 1, 2012. A letter has been sent to customers outlining the rate changes the board will vote on at its Oct. 13 meeting. An online rate calculator is available on the district’s website to estimate the cost to residential customers. Commercial and other customers should contact the district directly for cost estimates. Average customers will see a $48.50 renewable water investment fee along with a slight increase in use fees dependent on actual water use. The chart below outlines the water rate change based on use.
By John Heiser On Sept. 7, the Donala Water and Sanitation District held a community meeting to address current and future sources of water for the Tri-Lakes area and the associated costs. Dana Duthie, Donala’s general manager, made a presentation and responded to residents’ questions. Duthie’s presentation and speaker’s notes are posted at www.donalawater.org in the
“News and Events” section under “Town Meetings.” For background information on the Donala district and the local water situation see “Water for the future,” OCN, Vol. 8, No. 1, Jan. 5, 2008, posted at www.ocn.me/v8n1.htm#water and “A Perspective on Our Community: Are we running out of water?” OCN, Vol. 9, No. 6, posted at www.ocn.me/v9n6.htm#water. (Continued on page 3)
Rate per 1,000 gallons/month Old rate New rate Increase $ 5.38 $ 5.47 2% $ 8.88 $ 9.02 2% $ 14.18 $ 14.40 2%
Fixed monthly fees $ 7.21 $ 7.34 $ 24.41 $ 25.14
Operations report
2% 3%
Assistant Manager Randy Gillette gave the operations report, saying well 7 was out of the ground and needs a new pump and motor. He also stated the district was being taken off surface water and put on ground water because of complaints about taste and odor. Meter readings in August showed a 95 percent accountability of water use. Construction plans for a Kum & Go gas station on the corner of (Continued on page 2)