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Issue #298 — Volume 26 Number 1 — Saturday, January 3, 2026 Our website is OCN.ME. Audio is posted for most of the articles and videos for some events. In the paper, events with videos are marked:
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MONUMENT, CO PERMIT NO. 32
Dinosaurs spotted in Monument
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 18 and page 19 or check wp.ocn.me/events for event locations and other details of these and many other local events. • Mind Quest Puzzle and Game Store Opening, Sat., Jan. 3, 10 am-8 pm. See ad on page 4. • Monument Town Council meeting, Mon., Jan. 5, 6:30 pm9:30 pm. • Palmer Lake Board of Trustees meeting, Thu., Jan. 8, 6 pm-9 pm. • Spaghetti Dinner & Bake Sale Fundraiser - Scout Troop 17, Sat., Jan. 10, 5 pm-7:30 pm • NEPCO, Sat., Jan. 10, 10 am-12 pm. • Palmer Lake Outdoor Classic Youth Hockey Camp, Sat., Jan. 10, 9 am-12 pm. • Palmer Lake Outdoor Classic CHSAA Foundation Hockey Game, Sat., Jan. 10, 6 pm-9 pm. • Palmer Lake Outdoor Classic Adult Hockey Tournament, Sun., Jan. 11, 3 pm-6 pm. • Monument Planning Commission meeting, Wed., Jan. 14, 6 pm-9 pm. • St. Matthias Special Sunday School Program - The Sermon on the Mount, Sun., Jan. 11, 9:45 am-11 am. See ad on page 5. • Monumental Med-Spa Botox Event, Thu., Jan. 15, 9:30 am-6 pm. See ad on page 7. • Monument Town Council meeting, Mon., Jan. 19, 6:30 pm-9:30 pm. • YMCA Spring Youth Sports Early Registration Starts, Mon., Jan. 19. See ad on page 6. • Palmer Lake Town Planning Commission meeting, Wed., Jan. 21, 6 pm-9 pm • Palmer Lake Board of Trustees meeting, Thu., Jan. 22, 6 pm-9 pm. • St. Peter Catholic School Open House, Sun., Jan. 25, 11:30 am-1 pm • D38 board meeting, Mon., Jan. 26, 6 pm-9 pm. • Restyle Your Fur, Mon.-Tue., Feb. 2-3, 10 am-5 pm. See ad on page 9. • Monument Town Council meeting, Mon., Feb. 2, 6:30 pm9:30 pm. • OCN mailing days, Fri., Feb. 5, approx. 7-8:30 am. If you can help, even for an hour or two, getting the papers ready to mail, contact AllenAlchian@ocn.me or (719) 4883455. • OCN Publication, Sat., Feb. 7.
Above and right: Anyone driving south on I-25 recently might have been surprised to see a herd of dinosaurs congregating on the west side between the highway and Old Denver Road. They’re the first of what will be many such creatures that will populate the Lost Island II Adventure Park including a T-Rex as shown at the right. The park will include four 18-hole miniature golf courses, a 40,000-square-foot indoor multi-level playground and trampoline park, as well as a full-service restaurant and tiki bar. The project was approved by the Monument Town Council in July of last year. Director of Planning Dan Ungerleider says it’s scheduled to open in the spring of 2027. Photos by Michael Weinfeld.
Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, Dec. 2, 11
Beltran appointed; Caves, Krob, and Boyett resign By James Howald and Jackie Burhans The Palmer Lake Board of Trustees (PLBOT) held a workshop meeting on Dec. 2 to interview candidates to fill the board seat vacated by Amy Hutson’s resignation. At a special meeting following the workshop, Tony Beltran was appointed to replace Hutson. At a nearly seven-hour meeting on Dec. 11, Trustee Tim Caves and Town Attorney Scott Krob read their letters of resignation. The board voted to settle a lawsuit with Integrity Matters but tried and failed to decide how to interpret the annexation ordinance passed earlier in the year on the issue of the timing for the annexation election that the ordinance put in place. The board voted to amend its 2025 budget, approve its budget for 2026, and appropriate the required funds, but not without concerns raised by Trustee Roger Moseley. The board also voted to separate the Water Fund into a Water Operating Fund and a Water Capital Fund. On Dec. 12, Trustee Mike Boyett resigned.
Beltran interviewed and appointed
Mayor Dennis Stern opened the workshop intending to interview two candidates for the vacant board seat: Tony Beltran and Katherine
Keeley. Keeley did not attend the workshop, so only Beltran was interviewed. The board asked Beltran a list of questions like those asked of other recent candidates for board seats. In his opening statement, Beltran said his focus was on growth, tax revenue, and the town’s natural resources. His experience as an airline pilot for Frontier Airlines led him to believe that serving the traveling public mirrors government service, Beltran said. He mentioned that he holds two college degrees in aviation. Beltran said he was motivated by a sense of civic duty and a desire to serve the community. In response to a question from Trustee Beth Harris, he said rebuilding public trust in the board, managing ecological resources, and planning for economic development were his top issues. Preserving “small town values” was also important, Beltran said. Public comments were not taken at the workshop. Note: Beltran’s interview is on the town’s website here: https://tinyurl. com/3tftcucn. At the special meeting following the workshop, Stern noted that the candidate appointed would serve until the next coordinated election, which will be held in November 2026. He opened the meeting to
questions from the public. Local homebuilder Kurt Ehrhardt recounted his experience trying to build a Dollar General store within the town limits, which included him and his family being attacked on social media. He said the board needed to learn to compromise and asked what if Buc-ee’s struck a deal with El Paso County and the town received no revenue from the travel center. Resident Keven Dreher, who was recently recalled from a seat on the board, faulted the board for being biased against the proposed travel center and for lacking transparency in its conversations. Bill Bass, who served a term as mayor and was previously interviewed for the vacant board seat, sought to correct an impression that he was unfamiliar with the town’s master plan. He said when he was mayor, he and the board did a lot of work to update the master plan. Town Clerk Erica Romero, who is responsible for coordinating the town’s special elections, recommended that the board make an appointment that night rather than using an election to fill the vacant seat, pointing out that the last special election had cost the town about $26,000, not including staff time
PL BOT (Cont. on 2)
In this issue Palmer Lake News 1-5 Monument News 1, 5-7 D38 News 7-11 Water & San District News 11-13 Fire District News 13 County & HOA News 13-14 Letters 14 Columns 14-15 Snapshots 15-17 Notices and Calendar 17-23 OCN Info 1, 17, 19
County Property Protection 17
Above: At the Dec. 11 meeting of the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, Mayor Dennis Stern and Trustee Mike Boyett turn their backs on Trustee Roger Moseley as Moseley responds to Town Attorney Scott Krob’s defense of his legal guidance to the town regarding the proposed Buc-ee’s travel center. Boyett resigned from the board the next day; in his letter of resignation, he said, “I exhibited behavior that was unbecoming for a trustee by turning my back to a sitting trustee when he spoke at the lectern against our town attorney.” Screen capture from the video provided by the town.
Monument Planning Commission, Dec. 10
Commissioners recommend approval of 2026 zoning map, show appreciation for outgoing members By Janet Sellers The Monument Planning Commission held its final meeting of the year on Dec. 10 and unanimously recommended approval of the town’s 2026 official zoning map following a brief presentation from staff and a public hearing with no
citizen comments. With Commissioner Cathy Green absent, Alternate Commissioner Valerie Baumer was seated as a voting member for the evening. The commissioners first approved the minutes from the previous meeting before turning to the night’s primary
agenda item: the annual adoption of the zoning map required under the Monument Municipal Code. Planning Director Dan Ungerlieder presented the map, noting that it incorporates all annexations, rezonings, subdivisions, and boundary
MONUMENT PC (Cont. on 5)