Courier View Pikes Peak
PIKES PEAK 1/16/13
Teller County, Colorado • Volume 52, Issue 5
Jamison resigns Jamison releases her statement By J.J. Jamison Former Teller County Clerk & Recorder “When you walk into an office with the phone and computer on the floor, policies and procedures in disarray, little institutional knowledge, none for elections, and the staff believing you are going to fire them on day one you must literally begin from the ground up…that takes time. Did I make some mistakes? Admittedly. Was I making the effort? Absolutely! The recall committee called me and set an appointment to meet.
I was looking forward to speaking to adults who would allow me an audience without leveling accusations and yelling. They cancelled that appointment via email J.J. Jamison letting me know they were moving ahead with the recall petition. Most people would say last, but not least, I say, first and foremost, I thank my staff for their dedication to the citizens of Teller County, their loyalty and friendship to me, and their courage to go the distance as far as I could take it. I wish to thank the county departments that have so generously coop-
erated with this office. Even if I successfully withstood a recall election, the county administration would continue to render me ineffective. I want to see this office move forward. I wish to thank those citizens who have called, emailed, and sent me cards and letters of encouragement and support, which have held me strongly in place, and helped me hold my head high. I know that you understand my need to step away, and on to other adventures. That being said I issue you a call to action. If you accept what you have always gotten you will continue to get what you have always accepted. If you object to the business practices of your county commissions don’t tell me. Tell them.”
Lawrence gets 10 years for GMF arson Destroyed by arson fire last year, the Green Mountain Falls Town Hall is today only a memory. With the sentencing last week of Kyle Lawrence to 10 years in prison, and five years of parole, there is a measure of closure. Zachariah Shaffer, who masterminded the crime, is serving a 12-year sentence and five years of probation. File photo by Pat Hill
By Pat Hill
phill@ourcoloradonews.com Kyle Lawrence, 23, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 5 years of parole for his secondary role in the arson fire that destroyed the Green Mountain Falls Town Hall Feb. 23. Lawrence pled guilty to the crime in November. In handing down the sentence Jan. 22, Judge Robert Lowrey was not swayed by the supportive statements for Lawrence from friends and relatives. “I struggle to understand your motivation for this horrible crime,” Lowrey said. “This has changed the town of Green Mountain Falls forever.” As well, the cost to the town of the crime is expected to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, Lowrey said. Lawrence was an accomplice in the fire masterminded by Zachariah Shaffer, who was sentenced last year to 12 years in prison and 5 years of parole. His supporters emphasized that Lawrence had been influenced by Shaffer. Lawrence was severely burned during the arson in an explosion inside the building and spent several months in a hospital in Denver. To this day, he cannot straighten his legs, said his attorney Cynthia McKedy. “He has suffered horribly, physically and men-
tally,” she added. Lawrence and Shaffer planned the crime, said Reggie Short, prosecutor for the 4th Judicial District. “They scoped out the building, took some time to locate the building,” Short said. As well, a text message sent by Shaffer to Lawrence pointed to the motive. “Shaffer’s message said, `you want to play with some fire? I just got sent to the Green Mountain Falls court. Some building is going down.’” Shaffer was due in the municipal court in Town Hall as a result of violating a deferred sentence, which began with a traffic ticket for running a stop sign. As a result of traffic infractions in
other jurisdictions, Shaffer was set to receive the maximum penalties and fines for the original charge. Short, the prosecuting attorney as well for Shaffer, repeated that the fire could have killed the elderly neighbor next door. He didn’t identify the neighbor, Barbara Gafford, by name. In arguing for the prison sentence, Short added that Lawrence consumed marijuana daily. Before Lowrey handed down the sentence, Lawrence said, “It was a reckless decision; I should have taken a different path. It was in the back of my mind that this was a bad decision.” Lawrence left the court in handcuffs.
January 30, 2013
75 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourtellercountynews.com
Jamison submits compilation of statements from friends and colleagues Everyone in Teller County recognizes the name of “JJ” Jamison. Her commitment to our community is evident in her volunteer activism from the Pikes Peak Rotary Club, Girl Scouts, Junior Achievement, Salvation Army, Community Cupboard and Prospect Home Care & Hospice. She was elected as our Teller County Clerk and Recorder; she was the choice of the Republican Party. Prior to her election “JJ” had just completed 25 years as a financial planner, and CFP with Ameriprise Financial Services. She successfully sold her practice with the desire to commit 100 percent of her time and energy to the citizens of the county that is her home; to serve them in a different capacity. We believe her skill set is one that complements the office of clerk and recorder. Citizens are often not aware of the responsibilities of this office. The scope is broad, from the Department of Motor Vehicles, Recording, Vital Statistics (handled by most counties in the Department of Social Services), Elections (in 64 counties there are 64 ways of running Elections…it is a style and technique opportunity), and working with the treasurer and the assessor with the Board of Equalization, and on and on. While the buck stops with the leader, without skilled staff for the delegation of duties there can always be breeches in the system. “JJ” was investing in the future. The fiber of her commitment, and dedication to serve never wavered. She did her best, with the best intentions at all times. “JJ” believes without a doubt, that this office is better now than when she began.
Mistakes made were utilized for learning and improvement. Transitional leaders do not often continue when the energies of major change have taxed the system and culture. Some of those improvements include and are not limited to: the branch office in Woodland Park is now open during the noon hour to better serve the citizens, a regular informative article in the paper entitled “Clerk’s Clues,” more effective cooperation with other courthouse elected officials, an open door policy for citizens, with responses directly from the clerk for concerns and complaints, the extension of the Colorado Quilt Council’s Colorado Midland Trails Quilt Block project (one in each location), the successful application (with the county facilities department) of a $17,795 Americans with Disabilities Accessibility grant for the Woodland Park location (completion expected soon with hopeful expansion to include the Courthouse), and others. “JJ’s” vision may not be complete, and she regrets she will not be part of its continued development and improvement. Distractions from constant critiques to the grief of living through a possible recall make it necessary for her to step aside. One wonders if the energy of the Republican Party and her fellow elected officials would have been better placed to assist in her success, Teller County may have achieved the clerk and recorder desperately needed. Teller County Government is losing a very gracious public servant, and we are confident that her contributions to our community will prevail. Thank you, “J.J.”
WP police officers involved in shooting Suspect dies in hospital By Norma Engelberg nengelberg@ourcoloradonews. com An attempt by Woodland Park Police officers to apprehend a car
thief ended in tragedy for the thief. According to news reports, Craig Bondo, 20, of Colorado Springs was pulled over at about 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 22 on U.S. 24 near the Woodland Park Walmart in a car that Woodland Park Police Department officers determined had
been stolen In the attempt to make the arrest, Bondo allegedly tried to get away and hit an officer with the stolen vehicle. An officer started firing and Bondo was wounded. Paramedics were called to the scene and Bondo was taken to a hospital where he was later pro-
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nounced dead. The police department did not name the officers who fired weapons but did confirm that more than one officer was involved in the incident. The officers were placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation by the 4th Judicial District. This is standard procedure when law enforcement officers are involved in shooting
incidents. Further information about the investigation will be released by the judicial district. During the incident and the subsequent investigation, eastbound U.S. 24 was closed from Aspen Garden Way to east of Crystola. Traffic was rerouted down Aspen Garden Way to Old Crystola Road. Bondo leaves a 2-year-old son.