Lone Tree
Voice
November 15, 2012 A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourlonetreenews.com
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 11, Issue 44
Police chief search begins City pays severance to fired top officer By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com
Author Nicholas Sparks speaks to a crowd of hundreds on Nov. 10 at Cielo at Castle Pines. The writer told the crowd how he became an author, shared some personal tales that have inspired his works, and took questions.
SPARKING FAN INTEREST PHOTOS BY RYAN BOLDREY
Courtesy of the Tattered Cover Book Store in Highlands Ranch, all 16 of Nicholas Sparks’ best-selling novels were available for purchase at Cielo at Castle Pines. The author signed books for hundreds of fans at the gathering, which was arranged by Douglas County Libraries.
Best-selling author Nicholas Sparks doesn’t believe in “traditional readings.” Making the joke that most of his fans know how to read, he instead treated a packed house Nov. 10 at Cielo at Castle Pines to his own personal story of how he became a writer, offered insight into the inspiration behind his works and engaged the audience in a questionand-answer period. Sparks, who has written 16 best-sellers, including “The Notebook,” “A Walk to Remember” and “Message in a Bottle,” appeared as part of Douglas County Libraries’ Project Live! Series. Several of Sparks’ books have been made into major motion pictures.
Lone Tree may bar marijuana sales City officials weigh options, await clarification by state By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com Lone Tree likely will bar the city gates on legalized marijuana, Mayor Jim Gunning said in the wake of the Nov. 6 election. Colorado voters passed a referendum legalizing marijuana, though Amendment 64 failed in Douglas County with only 45 percent in favor of it. The amendment allows individual communities to ban marijuana retail stores, but those over 21 still could legally possess and grow small amounts of the drug in their homes. “We’ll have to have a council discussion,” Gunning said. “But my personal position is that we’ll pursue opting out. I think it’s a value judgment for our community.” Such a move would be consistent with Lone Tree’s stance to date on marijuana: It adopted a ban on medical marijuana dis-
HOW AMENDMENT 64 FARED A look at the vote in metro-area counties: Arapahoe County No: 54 percent Yes: 53 percent Jefferson County No: 47 percent Yes: 54 percent Douglas County No: 46 percent Yes: 44.5 percent Statewide No: 55.5 percent Yes: 55 percent Elbert County No: 45 percent Yes: 46 percent pensaries in 2011. Gunning said some discussion or action on the issue is likely during the council’s next meeting on Nov. 20. Other Lone Tree council members said they want to hear the state’s take on marijuana legalization before taking any action. Marijuana is illegal under federal law, and it’s unclear how the U.S. Justice Department will respond to voters’ approval of recreational marijuana legislation in both Colorado and Washington. “I think the state needs to provide some real leadership in resolving the will of the people in Colorado in terms of federal law,” Councilmember Jackie Millet said. Millet, the mother of two teenagers, said her parental instincts come into play as
well. “As a mother, I’m very disappointed in the vote,” she said. “I think it will increase the availability to kids. “As a legislator, I recognize I need to represent the community. At the same time, it’s still against federal law.” Councilmember Kim Monson said she objects to the method marijuana advocates took toward legalization. “The primary reason I was opposed to that is that I think a constitution is a very special document, and I felt that this should not be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution,” said Monson. “It’s a more complicated issue from there on out.” Councilmember Susan Squyer said the issue’s failure in Douglas County shouldn’t be overlooked. “We think different than some other parts of the metro area,” she said. “I think our culture is overall conservative.” Millet agreed. “People reached out to me more on this than any other state issue in my four years on council,” she said. “It is not something that fits with the values in our community.”
The City of Lone Tree has cut a $136,000 severance check to its ousted former Police Chief Steve Hasler, and launched the search for a new chief. Acting Police Chief Ron Pinson said he doesn’t know yet if he’ll apply for the position. Hasler was fired without cause from his post as the city’s first and only chief Aug. 29, and city officials never have offered a reason for his dismissal. Hasler Hasler charged it was retaliation by City Manager Jack Hidahl, stemming from a 2011 hostility complaint against Hidahl filed by a female police department employee. Hidahl said he won’t further explain his decision to fire Hasler out of respect for the former chief. Immediately following his dismissal, Hasler said he wanted his job back, saying members of the police force were like family to him. The next chief will lead a force of 47 officers in one of the fastest-growing, most affluent communities in Colorado. Starting pay for the position ranges from about $104,000 to $135,500. Police chief continues on Page 11
Schools plan no cuts for 2013-14 Announcement breaks five-year string of decreases By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com
Bolstered by a cheerful state revenue forecast, the Douglas County School District announced it foresees no budget cuts for the 2013-14 academic year. It will mark the first time in five years the district — and most schools statewide — has not had to make do with less. Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen also credited sound fiscal management at the local level for the good news. Instead of pondering cuts, she wrote in a Nov. 5 email to DCSD staff, “I hope your spring budget season is filled with conversations about what to do with the money we hope to add to your schools. What a refreshing change after so many years of inSchools continues on Page 11
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