Tri-Lakes
Tribune
November 28, 2012
Free
A Colorado Community Media Publication
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Tri-Lakes Region, Monument, Gleneagle, Black Forest and Northern El Paso County • Volume 9, Issue 48
Monument Merchants want to make a BID Propose formation of business improvement district By Norma Engelberg
nengelberg@ourcoloradonews.com Several Monument downtown merchants have organized to create a business improvement district to help not only improve the town’s downtown area but also market it as a cohesive unit. They are having a series of meetings to discuss the concept that has been used successfully in more than 1,200 communities across the United States. The next public exploration meeting is on Nov. 29 at the Tri-Lakes Monument
Fire Protection District office on Second Street. During the meeting, the merchants group will show participants what a business improvement district is and what its members can expect it to do for them. “A business improvement district (BID) is a private sector initiative to manage and improve the environment of a business district with services financed by a self-imposed and self-governed assessment,” they explain. According to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, there are four types of improvement districts allowed by state law. These types are distinguished by what type of government entity organizes them,
county or municipality, and how they are funded, taxes of assessments. Organizers have proposed the following timeline leading to the formation of an improvement district: November: Have public presentations to inform the community about business improvement districts, form a steering committee, initiate real- and personal-property-owner petition drive to form the district and develop a database. December: Communications and outreach. January: Schedule a panel discussion with other business improvement district directors and board members, submit completed petitions to Monument Town Coun-
cil, town council conducts a public hearing on district formation and adopts ordinance forming the district, and district begins preparations for assessment election. February: Preliminary business improvement district budget submitted to the town and an election is held to determine district assessment. If the town council and voters approve, the rest happens. March: District holds public hearing on budget and finalizes assessment. May: Monument Downtown Business Improvement District begins. For more information, call Vickie Mynhier, Town of Monument downtown director at 719-460-4179.
Monument celebrates Small Town Christmas Event takes place over three Saturdays this year By Lisa Collacott
lcollacott@ourcoloradonews.com
Western Museum of Mining & Industry resident burro Nugget, left, greets the museum’s new donkey Chism. Burros smell each other’s breath to get to know each other. Courtesy photos
Mining museum gets new resident donkey Special to The Tribune
Western Museum of Mining and Industry There’s a new burro roaming around at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry. The museum has been the home to burros since the 1970s and recently adopted its newest addition. Working with the Longhopes Donkey Shelter, the museum’s new burro, Chism, arrived on Nov. 7 to the greetings of the museum’s adoring volunteer team. Waiting for the arrival of Chism was the museum’s long-time resident burro and local community icon and museum mascot, Nugget. While these long-eared pack animals are called donkeys in the rest of the country, in Colorado the Spanish word is used. Since the mid-1800s, the prospector with his burro has been an iconic symbol of mining and the American West. As pack animals, they accompanied the prospector and carried his belongings as he panned and placer-mined for gold in hopes of finding the mother lode. Prior to mechanical forms of transporting mining materials, burros also provided power for hauling rock from underground mines. The sad but true fact is that in the late 1800s as mining booms played out and other forms of transportation became available, miners released their burros to fend for themselves. The animals were very well adapted to the dry desert environment of the American Southwest where their wild populations flourished. In 1971, the United States Congress passed the Wild Horse and Burro Act. The act made the Bureau of Land Management responsible for managing these herds
Western Museum of Mining & Industry resident burro Nugget (left) welcomes the museum’s new burro Chism along with burro wranglers Jennifer, Margo, Brad Poulson (Programs & Communications Coordinator), Tricia and Kristen. and established the Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Program to give wild, unwanted horses and burros a chance to live a happy existence. When an over-population of wild burros exists on a range, the excess animals are removed and offered for adoption. Besides their duties as mascots, Nugget and Chism play a vital role in the museum’s education mission. The burros are key participants in the museum’s “Pack Your Burro and Discover the Pikes Peak Region” program and other special events throughout the year. Through interaction with our burros in their playpen, our two-legged visitors learn about donkey history, physiology, diet and grooming.
Nugget and Chism are supported by museum donors, including the recent generous and contribution of labor and materials for critical infrastructure from Green Electric and Sunstate Equipment Company. An invitation-only adoption party with volunteers and burro supporters will be held for Chism in the coming weeks, and the community is invited for introductions at the museum’s Winter Break with the Burros event at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Dec. 28. For further information on Chism’s arrival, go to http://wmmi.org/burros-2012. For information on museum events, tours, and admission prices, check out the museum’s website at www.wmmi.org or call (719) 488-0880.
Once again people will make their way to downtown Monument to enjoy an old fashioned Small Town Christmas. Small Town Christmas is a tradition that takes place one Saturday in December in downtown but instead of happening just one Saturday this year the event will take place on three Saturdays. “Since there was a blizzard last year we decided to spread it out over three Saturdays this year,” Tom Wisdom, owner of Wisdom Tea House, said. The first Saturday of the event was the Annual Small Business Saturday and took place on Nov. 24. Started by American Express it’s a day for shoppers to support small businesses in their communities all across the country and occurs the day after Black Friday and two days before Cyber Monday. On Dec. 1 will be the traditional Small Town Christmas that Tri-Lakes residents and visitors have come to enjoy over the years. There will be kid’s crafts at the TriLakes Monument Fire Protection District. Hot chocolate, miniature donkeys and reindeer will at various merchants and Santa and Mrs. Claus will greet children at La Casa Fiesta.There will be a Kid’s Shopping Day on Dec. 8. Merchants will have specially priced gifts for children to purchase for the loved ones on their shopping list. Parents can sit and relax and enjoy refreshments. Cinderella’s carriage will be at the Secret Window Fine Art Gallery and Floral Studio. “It will be a real life-size Cinderella carriage. Kids can have their pictures taken with it,” Wisdom said. Santa Clause and hayrides will be available all three Saturdays. All activities take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Elves will be on hand to pass out a list of activities. Small Town Christmas is sponsored by the Historic Monument Merchant’s Association. The annual Christmas Tree Lighting will take place at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 30 in Limbach Park as well.
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