Tri-Lakes
Tribune
December 19, 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 51
Fire district appoints interim chief By Norma Engelberg
nengelberg@ourcoloradonews.com The Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District met in a special meeting just a few days after posting a job offering for a permanent fore chief to discuss appointing an interim fire chief. On Dec. 12, board President Jake Shirk, who is also the Monument Police Chief, presented the board with Jack five options for an interim chief. Leave things as they are with the job shared by the district’s three battalion chiefs. Leave things as they are but with more board oversight. Appoint an internal interim chief. Contract for an interim chief with another nearby fire department. Go to the state fire chief’s association and contract with a retired fire chief.
After presenting the options, the meeting was opened to public comment. After that the board went into executive session to discuss the options as a personnel matter. “We decided we didn’t want to have a `CEO by committee’ and appointed Battalion Chief Bryan Jack as interim chief,” Shirk said. “He and the two other battalion chiefs will appoint an interim battalion chief to fill the third battalion chief position.” The district is posting its chief hiring announcement nationwide. “We will have a vetting committee go through applications,” Shirk said. “After my many years in public service I’m really impressed with the process the district is putting together, a process that is fair and transparent.” In January the district should be going back to its regular fourth Wednesday meeting schedule. The complete schedule for 2013 is available at the district website, www.tri-lakesfire.com, along with fire chief hiring information.
Janaka Branden was promoted to lieutenant by the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District in June but the official pinning ceremony celebrating his promotion didn’t happen until Dec. 12. Here Lt. Branden’s wife Laura pins on his new badge, his son Kederen has pinned his brass collar pin while one of his in-laws looks on. Also at the ceremony were his coworkers in B-Battalion and several Monument Police Department officers. Courtesy photo
Donala water to raise water, sewer rates Operation, maintenance costs exceed revenue By Lisa Collacott
lcollacott@ourcoloradonews.com
Allison Miller, right, hosted her annual cookie and candy exchange Dec. 8 at her home and asked guests to bring donations of baking supplies to donate to Black Forest Cares and Tri-Lakes Cares. Pictured with Miller is her mother Karla Dickey, who donated the raffle prize. Courtesy photo
Cookie exchange brings in baking supplies Items to be donated to Tri-Lakes Cares, Black Forest Cares By Lisa Collacott
lcollacott@ourcoloradonews. com When Allison Miller started her holiday cookie and candy exchange eight years ago in her home it was just a small gathering of friends. But the gathering has grown,
one year even bringing as many as 60 people, so Miller decided it was time to make the gathering about more than exchanging cookies and candy. This year Miller asked everyone to bring a donation of baking supplies to be donated to Black Forest Cares and TriLakes Cares so families will have the items they need to
‘It’s a good, fun holiday (activity) to do.’ Allison Miller
make their own holiday treats. Those who attended the cookie exchange on Dec. 8 donated flour, sugar, sprinkles, pie filling and other items. Miller tried to get people to bring donations a couple years ago but it didn’t go over so well because she said she didn’t advertise it enough. This year she made sure she got the word out so it would be a success. In addition to the baking supply donations Miller had a raffle. The raffle item was a beau-
tifully handcrafted box her father had made and was filled with decorative pine cones and candles. The raffle brought in $36.50 and will be donated to Black Forest Cares. Miller also had items available for her guests to purchase for holiday gifts and invited friends to sell their artwork and crafts. “It’s a good, fun holiday (activity) to do,” Miller said. Miller plans to have people bring donations next year at her cookie and candy exchange. “I think it was a really positive thing to do,” Miller said.
Donala Water and Sanitation customers can expect to pay more for water and sewer next year. The Donala Board of Directors approved an on average 25 percent water rate increase recently. Below is a listing of the new rates: $4.50 per thousand gallons used for 0-10,000gallons, a 15 percent increase from the current $3.90 $7.50 per thousand gallons for 10,00120,000 gallons, a 27 percent increase from $5.90. $10 per thousand gallons for 20,00130,000 gallons, a 36 percent increase from $7.35 $15 per thousand gallons for 30,00140,000 gallons, a 46 percent increase from $10.25. $20 per thousand gallons used for 40,001-50,000 gallons, a 30 percent from $$15.35 $25 per thousand gallons above 50,000 gallons, a 52 percent increase from $16.50 The last time customers saw a rate increase was in January of 2012 when rates increased on average by approximately 40 percent. “We’re expecting this to go on for a number of years to pay for the water infrastructure to at least 2015,” Jackie Sipes, office administrator at Donala, said. Donala sent out a letter to customers with their monthly water bill explaining that in order to deliver renewable water through Colorado Springs Utilities this year it cost Donala $1.5 million and that only accounted for 30 percent of their total demand. Donala is expecting to pay 30
Donala continues on Page 4
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