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Issue #283 — Volume 24 Number 10 — Saturday, October 5, 2024 Visit our NEW MOBILE-FRIENDLY WordPress-based website:
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On the Trail (in Memory of Tim Watkins)
Investigation of Tim Watkins’ murder revitalized
Audio is posted for many of the recent articles and videos for some events.
Local Events Readers should assume that event information published in this issue is subject to change and information should be confirmed a day or two before the event by calling the information number or checking the organization’s website. See page 22 and page 23 for event locations and other details of these and many other local events. • OCN mailing day, Thu., Oct. 3, approx. 7-8:30 am. • Palmer Lake Art group small works art show and sale, Fri., Oct. 4, 5-8 p.m. See ad on page 10. • WMMI Miners pumpkin patch, Every Sat. in Oct. See ad on page 12. • Nance Construction Company Auction, Sat., Oct. 5, 10 am. • Palmer Lake Farmers Market at Calvert’s Mini Market, last market Sun., Oct. 6. 10-2 pm • WMMI Lecture Series, Tue., Oct. 8, 4 pm: Mel McFarland, Colorado Springs: A Look Back. • Funky Little Theater Company: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Oct. 11-26. • Palmer Lake Historical Society, Thu., Oct. 17, 7 pm. • YMCA three races for a great cause, 5K race series. Creepy crawl, Sat. Oct. 26, Turkey trot, Thu., Nov. 28, Jingle jog, Sat., Dec. 14. See ad on page 6. • Mad Science Day - Space Foundation Discovery Center, Sat., Oct. 26. See ad on page 12. • Front Range Maker’s Market, Sat.-Sun., Oct. 26-27. See ad on page 24.
Above: Vickey Meeker remembering Tim Watkins. Photo by Steve Pate. Left: The Palmer Lake Star was lit Sept. 14 in memory of Tim Watkins. Photo by Vickey Meeker. By Steve Pate Seven years after Tim Watkins was killed, the investigation into his murder has been reinvigorated. There’s a new detective on the case who’s been reinterviewing friends of Watkins in the past month. As OCN has previously reported (see the October 2022 issue at https:// ocn.me/v22n10.htm#photos), Watkins was murdered while riding in one of his favorite areas near Mount Herman and Limbaugh Canyon. He was shot and killed, his body moved off -trail and partially buried. He was found Sept. 17,
2017, by volunteers searching for him. Often a community has information that might be of value to criminal investigators. If you have information about Watkins or his murder, please contact Jennifer Bucholtz, criminal investigator with El Paso County Sheriff ’s Office at 719-520-7227. About 50 people participated in the dedication of a plaque at the Watkins memorial next to the Palmer Lake Library on Sept. 14. Vickey Meeker, who helped organize the event, said this will become an annual celebration of Watkins’s life, whether or not his
killer is found. Meeker is one of those who’s been interviewed by the investigator recently. After presentations by Meeker and her son, Rob Meeker, who rode with Watkins, many of the group biked from the ceremony in Palmer Lake down the Santa Fe Trail to Trails End Tap Room and Eatery in Monument to continue sharing memories and good times with Watkins. The Palmer Lake Star was lit on the evening of Sept. 14 to honor Watkins’s memory. Steve Pate may be contacted at stevepate@ocn.me.
Monument Town Council, Sept. 3 and 16
Council discusses budget deficits, strategic spending, future priorities By Chris Jeub The Monument Town Council met on Sept. 3 and 16 where various financial concerns were brought to light, including shortfalls in the General Fund, Police Fund, and Water Fund. The council worked to identify potential areas for spending adjustments while also tackling issues related to project prioritization, police retention, and councilmember compensation.
2025 budget review
Above: Monument Police Officer Cory Yarbrough raises the flag on Sep. 11 while a volunteer from TLMFPD looks on. See 9-11 Remembrance photo on page 20.
In this issue Monument News 1-4 Palmer Lake News 4-6 Water & San District News 1,6-10 Fire District News 11-12 D38 News 14-16 County News 16 HOA News 16-17 Weather 17-18 Letters and Columns 18-19 Snapshots 19-21 Notices and Calendar 22-23 OCN Information 1, 10, 22-24
On Sept. 3, Senior Accountant Steve Murray presented the budget outlook, which raised concerns due to project-
ed deficits in some of the town’s primary funds. The General Fund was forecasted to run a deficit of $2.663 million, with revenues projected at $11.672 million and expenditures totaling $14.335 million. Despite this, the fund would maintain a balance of $424,355 in unreserved funds by the end of 2025. The 2F Police Fund was also projected to face a shortfall of $65,358, though it would retain a healthy reserve of $667,741 due to a strong beginning balance. Meanwhile, the Water Fund faced a larger deficit of $4.639 million, leaving only $146,335 in unreserved funds. The 2A
Water Fund, however, was in a stronger position, with a deficit of $407,801 but set to end the year with a much larger reserve of $7.04 million. The conversation focused on finding ways to tighten spending and potentially defer certain projects. Mayor Mitch LaKind highlighted the discrepancy between revenue and expenditure, noting that “there’s quite a bit in the hole … more expenditure than revenue.” Town Manager Madeline VanDenHoek advised the council to provide guidance on which projects could
MONUMENT (Cont. on 2)
Triview Metropolitan District, Sept. 19
Northern Delivery System fully operational; resident raises traffic concerns By Natalie Barszcz At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Sept. 19, the board heard about the Northern Delivery System (NDS) delivering district water via Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) and the pumping capabilities of the NDS pump station, dangerous traffic concerns for students within the district, and approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between Chaffee County and the district. The board held an executive session to discuss water and land acquisitions, and potential development incentives and IGAs. Director Amanda Carlton attended via Zoom.
Northern Delivery System running effectively
District Manager James McGrady said the NDS pump station began running on Aug. 29, and since Sept. 11 the dis-
trict has reduced the outflow from the wells dramatically. Its customers are receiving district water conveyed, treated and delivered via CSU. A tiny bit of usage occurred on Sept. 18 to keep up the chlorine levels in the filters and to exercise the wells by pumping about 96,000 gallons. The rest of the district’s water, 92 acre-feet, was pumped through the NDS pump station. The district will use the 490-acre-feet lease-purchased water from Pueblo through March, and then the district will use its stored water in Pueblo Reservoir. Then run-off season begins and the district will add water back to its portfolio. It is working as expected, said McGrady. Water Utilities Superintendent Gary Potter said the wells will be run once a week, just enough to turn over the clear well in the plant, or about 90,000 gallons, to keep chlorine residual in the clear well and keep some
of the filters available if needed, rotating through at a minimum pace before putting it into the tank and then the distribution system. McGrady said the pump station was tested with two pumps running (it was installed with three) designed to run with two at 1,500 pounds each, pumping 3,000 gallons a minute, running for six hours. It was proof that the pump station can maintain what it was designed to do, he said. The district has pumped 290-acre-feet so far, and the tank filled up quickly, said McGrady. Potter said the NDS has delivered over 16 million gallons to the district, and the highest daily production was 2.7 million gallons. Start up and training on the NDS has been the primary focus of the TMD Water Department over the past month, said Potter.
TRIVIEW (Cont. on 6)