Week of March 9, 2023
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
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INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 22
VOLUME 36 | ISSUE 14
SUMMER CAMP LISTINGS In this week’s paper!
Candidates crowd field for metro district, Centennial Water Election is May 2 BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Multiple candidates will run for open seats on the Highlands Ranch Metro District and the Centennial
Water and Sanitation District boards of directors for the upcoming May 2 election. Eight people have announced they will run for three seats on the metro district board, while voters will have 18 candidates to choose from for the three seats with the water district. The metro district’s open seats
represent the north central, northeast and southwest director regions, while the water district seats are elected at large. Candidates for the metro district’s north central seat are incumbent Andy Jones, James Frieberg and Tammy Kelly. In the northeast region, incumbent Nancy Smith will
face Homar Alvarado and Bradford Wann. Representing the southwest region, Renee Anderson is running unopposed. The candidates for the water district board are Andrea Anzur, Matthew Burcham, Martin Claus, SEE ELECTION, P2
Bill to expand commission to 5 fails quickly Marshall stands by proposal BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
and retain staff in recent years. During the Feb. 28 meeting, the Board of Education unanimously approved a proposed 3.5% base increase for all licensed staff, such as teachers, as well as a 2-2.5% step increase, a 6% increase for classified
A proposal to put a larger number of elected leaders at the helm of large counties in Colorado — and to require at least some of those leaders to represent specific areas of their counties — met defeat in the State Legislature. Supported by state Rep. Bob Marshall, a Highlands Ranch Democrat, the bill sought to expand the number of members on a county’s board of commissioners to five. The bill would have affected several Front Range counties with large enough populations, including Douglas County, where the board has become known for its bitter conflicts and 2-1 votes. “All I know is we’ve got two people running the whole county,” Marshall said. In his view, contentious 2-1 splits
SEE TEACHERS, P5
SEE COMMISSION, P7
Cherokee Trail Elementary School teacher Leighanne Brown uses new literacy curriculum to teach her students the science of reading. The Douglas County School District is in the process of implementing three science-based reading programs at all elCOURTESY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ementary schools this year.
Hansen calls boost in teacher pay a ‘Band-Aid’ More funding needed BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
In the hopes of gaining a slight advantage this hiring season, the Douglas County School District
board approved salary increases for staff earlier than in the past, bumping starting pay from $43,680 to $45,209. Currently, Douglas County School District has one of the lowest starting pays in the Denver metro area and Superintendent Erin Kane said the district has struggled to attract
T S E B F THE O T S E B
2023
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