News
ELBERT 2/21/13
Elbert County
February 21, 2013
75 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourelbertcountynews.com
Elbert County, Colorado • Volume 118, Issue 4
Budget showing promise Goal to stay ahead of curve, away from cliff By Deborah Grigsby
dgrigsby@ourcoloradonews.com Elbert County entered 2013 with just a few thousand dollars, but in spite of cutting it close, the piggy bank seems to have a little more rattle than anticipated. “Every single day, we are watching our cash flow,” District 1 Commissioner Robert Rowland said at a Feb. 13 Board of County Commissioners meeting. “We’re keeping an eye on where we are, and steering ourselves back to that to the ultimate goal of being ahead of the curve. According to Rowland, the county now has line-item budgets that provide more detailed accounting of spending. “We’re now adding science to the spending we do,” he said. When it comes to revenue, Rowland pointed out the county is actually running about $8,000 ahead of where it was at the same time last year. Additionally, Rowland projected the county would end the month of February Rowland with a positive cash flow of about $89,000. “February is a traditionally low month for revenue,” he said, “but ultimately we want to end the year with our required reserve and stay within our budgets.” Property tax revenue typically flows into the county in late February and early March. “The good news is, we find ourselves in a position much different than we were last year when we were holding back so many expenses we couldn’t afford to pay,” Rowland said. “We’ve really worked hard to current on our expenses.” However, the county, as well as curious residents will have to wait to see final numbers on where the previous budget sits. “Right now, the answer is, ‘We don’t know,’ ” Rowland said. “A lot of this is commingled and revenues for 2012-2013 crossed the line on Dec 31 and don’t necessarily get distinguished until we do what’s called a ‘close’ and that will come in the next few weeks. A financial close is an in-depth financial analysis and reconciliation of revenue and expenditures. “Until then, we really won’t know whether our expenses exceeded revenues or not,” he said. “But what we do know, is what we will accomplish this year, and that is to be further away from that Elbert County fiscal cliff than we have been in the past — it’s tight, but we got both hands on the wheel.”
FEBRUARY 2013 (Numbers are approximate as of Feb. 13) General fund $440, 000 (Not including roads and bridges or health services) Expenses $56,000 Sub total $384,000 Payroll $300,000 EST. BALANCE $84,000
During a dress rehearsal of “Oklahoma!” at Elizabeth High School, chorus members perform “Many a New Day,” a familiar piece from the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Photos by Deborah Grigsby
Chorus members clamor for a peek inside the “little wonder” in Elizabeth High School’s upcoming performance of “Oklahoma!” The musical is set to open Feb. 28.
Lauren Turner and Tony McConnell perform “Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” one of many songs in Elizabeth High School’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!”
‘Oklahoma!’ more than just OK Elizabeth High School debuts Broadway classic By Deborah Grigsby
dgrigsby@ourcoloradonews.com Almost 70 years after it first opened on Broadway, “Oklahoma!,” Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic story of romance and statehood, will hit the stage at Elizabeth High School, promising to be as grand — and as genuine — as Will Rogers himself. Under the direction of Zachary Coles, the three-day production will feature live orchestra music, colorful costumes and more than a dozen student vocal performances.
POSTAL ADDRESS
Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.
IF YOU GO What: “Oklahoma!” When: 7 p.m., Feb. 28, March 1, 2 Where: Elizabeth High School, 34500 County Road 13 Elizabeth Tickets: General admission seating; Advance tickets $6, $10 at the door More information: Patrons are asked to remove hats and remain seated during the performance. Absolutely no flash photography. For tickets and information, call 303646-4616 According to Coles, the school has had a run of more modern theater productions and felt a need to return to something more traditional. “We have the perfect cast to pull this off,” said Coles who is also the school’s vocal music director. “And really, how can you go wrong with Rodgers and Hammerstein?” “Oklahoma!” was cast the first week in November and on-stage rehearsals began in January. The two-act musical takes place in Oklahoma Territory in 1906, near the town of Claremore, a year before statehood. It follows the romantic adventures of cowboy Curly McLain, played by sophomore Tony McConnell, and farm girl Laurey Williams, played by senior Lauren Turner. Torn by her love for Curly and her fear of lonely farmhand Jud Fry, played by junior Bowe Huismann, Laurey is forced into an uncomfortable triangle that ultimately pits
‘We have the perfect cast to pull this off. And really, how can you go wrong with Rodgers and Hammerstein?’ Director Zachary Coles the two men against each other. Coles, who joins technical director Emma Michel, and orchestra director Christian Noon, describes the school production as an ultimate learning experience for faculty and staff, pointing to the fact both he and Michel are relatively new to Elizabeth High School. “We also have a very young cast this year,” explained Coles. “We only have four seniors in the entire on-stage cast, and that means we’ll be seeing a lot of great performances from this cast in the future.” General admission tickets are currently on sale and Cole encourages patrons to buy early, as Friday and Saturday night performances are usually sell-out events. “Come expecting classic, true-blue ‘Oklahoma!,’” he said.