2 Pikes Peak Courier
November 11, 2015
www.PikesPeakNewspapers.com
Victor voters reject bid to eliminate term limits By Sonja Oliver Contributing Writer Despite heavy campaigning by Mayor Buck Hakes, residents of Victor rejected his call to eliminate term limits. Voters also chose to keep the city clerk and treasurer as elected positions instead of making them appointees of the City Council. Ballot issue 2A would have eliminated term limits while 2B would have allowed appointment of the city clerk and treasurer. Voters overwhelmingly rejected both. Just 58 voted in favor of eliminating term limits with
103 opposed, nearly a 2-to-1 margin. And just 55 favored appointing the clerk and treasurer while 106 opposed the proposal. It represents a major defeat for Hakes and the City Council, which voted to put both questions on the ballot. Hakes campaigned hard to sway voters in favor of both measures saying they were necessary to encourage and retain qualified potential candidates. “Even if we did get rid of term limits, there is still an election and people can still vote (representatives) out if they are not satisfied,” Hakes said, adding that he had no personal interest in the contest because he is not planning to run again for mayor anyway.
Victor’s small population makes it hard to attract enough candidates, he said. And the same is true for the treasurer and clerk positions, which require specialized skills. Looking forward, Hakes said he said he plans to spend the next two years’ remaining in his term to “keep the city going forward and continuing to improve.” In council races, Ward 1 candidate Tarla Perdew, who petitioned onto the ballot, was elected with 38 votes. A write-in candidate, Diana Bowman, received 14 votes but was disqualified. Ward 2 voters elected Terry Akins as their representative with 64 votes. Opponent John Strever received 17 votes.
Cripple Creek re-elects mayor, councilman; welcomes new-old councilman 911 Dispatchers recognized; building to be demolished By Sonja Oliver Contributing Writer One day after the 2015 general election, Cripple Creek City Council met and swore in Tom Litherland as one of the city’s Ward 4 representatives. Litherland returns to the council following a 14-year hiatus; he served as Cripple Creek’s mayor from Nov. 1999 until Nov. 2001. Litherland ran unopposed for the open position vacated by Terry Wahrer and will serve a four-year term. His reasons for re-entering public life? “To be honest, I enjoy politics,” Litherland said. “I want to represent the residents, businesses and voters of Ward 4. I look forward to working with the council. I know each member individually and they have (the city’s best interest) at heart. “Hopefully (the city) will continue to move forward and make Cripple Creek a stronger and better community for our residents and our businesses.” Mayor Bruce Brown was unopposed in his bid for a second four-year term and Ward 5
Councilman Chris Hazlett beat challenger Les Batson by 20 votes, 52-32. All of Cripple Creek’s council seats are limited to two terms. More election results and perspectives are discussed in a related article in this week’s Pikes Peak Courier.
911 dispatchers recognized Cripple Creek Police Chief Mike Rulo and the council recognized two police dispatchers, Dawne Jacobs and Patti Koller, presenting them with a plaque for “an excellent job done.” The El Paso/Teller 911 Authority Board voted Jacobs as “El Paso/Teller 911 Dispatcher of the 2nd Quarter” and Koller as “El Paso/Teller 911 Dispatcher of the 3rd Quarter.” They were selected from a group of 180 dispatchers who work in the Teller County, Colorado Springs, El Paso County and Fort Carson areas. On Apr. 24, 2015, Jacobs, a five-year veteran of dispatch for Cripple Creek, was able to assist a gentleman suffering a stroke and whose wife was in the hospital. “Dawne directed not only medical, fire and flight to his aid, but also Animal Control to take
Casino. The property is located next to a convenience store currently under construction by Wildwood casino. Although the Historic Preservation Commission wanted the house to be preserved, Historic Preservation Coordinator and City Planning Director Renee Mueller recommended for its demolition following an inspection by Building Inspector Jeff Kurka. Kurka concluded in his report to Mueller that the house was not a “viable structure” due to numerous issues including cracked foundation walls, missing rafters and roofing, holes in floors and walls caving in, both chimneys falling apart and more.
care of his two dogs… “Dawne was compassionate and kind with him as well as accurate and compliant” as stated in the nomination write-up. Koller, who was in the “application phase” of her training with only 58 days on the job, “calmly and professionally” coordinated and relayed information with several agencies in the challenging rescue of an individual who had fallen down a remote mine shaft on July 30, 2015. Through teamwork, the High Angle Rescue, Mine Rescue, Mutual-aid Fire and Medical and Flight for Life responders were able to get the man out of the mine shaft. He was flown to the hospital with serious injuries requiring treatment in a hyperbaric chamber due to the gasses in the shaft.
And though the unpainted wooden building displays a certain western ambiance and picturesque photo op for visitors, Mueller states in her report to council that the building doesn’t fit any of the city’s criteria for its preservation. Mueller stated that 1) the structure does not qualify as a historical landmark, 2) is not an integral part of the Historic and Business Districts, and 3) is not of unusual or uncommon design. In addition, Mueller said the cost to the city to take the
Abandoned house to be demolished? A request for a “Certificate of Appropriateness” was approved by council for the demolition of a former residential building located on the east side of Highway 67 across from the Wildwood Casino. The wooden house had been abandoned long ago and stands on property owned by Wildwood
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building by eminent domain for its purchase and then somehow restore it would be prohibitive. Currently the building is boarded up to prevent safety hazards and intrusion.
Other city news… In other city proceedings, the council gave authority to Mayor Brown to sign two “Small Community Water and Wastewater” grant applications that will be submitted to the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment. Water Dept. Director Mickey Groves will submit two grants which total $850,000 which will be used to update the water plant infrastructure as required by Colorado statute. The city will hold a sealed bid equipment auction beginning at 9 a.m. Nov. 9 and ending at noon on Nov. 20. Items include trucks, generators, repair equipment and miscellaneous office equipment. During public comment Tas Blevins presented the city with two framed photo composites from this year’s Salute to American Veterans Motorcycle Rally and thanked the city for its support over the past 20 plus years.
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