Lone Tree
Voice
October 25, 2012
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourlonetreenews.com
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 11, Issue 41
Ballot contains incorrect option
A REAL BAT MAN
Some Lone Tree voters get wrong RTD director question By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com
Rob Mies, scientist and renowned bat expert for the Organization for Bat Conservation, shows off a Malayan flying fox, the largest bat species in the world, during a presentation at The Wildlife Experience Oct. 18. Mies taught children and parents alike about bat behavior while showing off three different species, all of which had been injured at some point in their lives. Photo by Chris Michlewicz
Coyote program working, city says No new pet deaths recorded; reports of aggression decline By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com Lone Tree’s coyote hazing program is working, and the lone coyote suspected in a series of spring and early summer pet deaths likely has left the area, officials said last week. “We aren’t having those aggressive confrontations,” acting Lone Tree Police Chief Ron Pinson told the city council. “That rogue coyote we had that was responsible for three or four of the pet deaths isn’t being sighted anymore.” Six dogs were killed earlier this year in the Lone Tree and Acres Green area, and
Jana Hundley, a resident of the Lodge at Willow Creek apartments, took this picture from the door of her home recently. She sees coyotes in the area at least once a month, she said, and hears them howling several nights each week. Courtesy photo several witnesses reported seeing a large, seemingly unafraid coyote. City officials were so concerned about the animal’s unusually brash behavior, they gave po-
lice authorization to kill it. It has not been seen in recent months. Since then, the police department also Coyote continues on Page 5
County officials are sending supplemental ballots to about 1,700 Lone Tree voters to correct an error on mail ballots. The mistake is limited to one question the election of a Regional Transportation District board member and to one area of the RidgeGate development. The area is south of Lincoln Avenue and west of Interstate 25, near Sky Ridge Medical Center. Although those Lone Tree residents live in RTD’s District G, voters in the east portion of Precinct 257 were asked to vote for board members in District H. Candidates for the RTD board in District G are former Parker Mayor Gary Lasater and former Lone Tree Mayor Jack O’Boyle. That error is tied to the 2010 Census. Based on census results, districts were redrawn to more evenly distribute the population. That shifted an area of Lone Tree previously in the same district as much of Highlands Ranch east to one that includes portions of Parker and Centennial. That change isn’t reflected on the ballot for those Precinct 257 voters. “This is not an unknown phenomenon,” said Douglas County Clerk and Recorder Jack Arrowsmith. “It happens from time to time. The important thing is, can we correct it and not necessarily disenfranchise any voters in the process?” The county this week created a plan to do just that, conferring with the secretary of state’s office for its approval. Plans called for mailing supplemental ballots and a letter of explanation early in the week of Oct. 22. The supplemental ballot will only apply to the RTD race. Those who have already voted won’t have to fill out an entire new ballot, Arrowsmith emphasized. Additionally, election clerks are on the alert for incoming ballots from Precinct 257, and will separate those ballots by hand as they arrive. Votes on those ballots applying only to the RTD director race will not be counted. The issue only impacts those who are voting with a mail-in paper ballot, and won’t affect voters who come to the polls on Election Day. Arrowsmith said he does not know if the error will impact the race. “Our focus is to ensure that any eligible voter in the RTD District Director G race has the opportunity to cast their vote,” he said. Even though the supplemental ballot
Ballot continues on Page 10
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