Courier View Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak 10-16-2013
Teller County, Colorado • Volume 52, Issue 42
‘It needed to be in a place where people could see it.’ Bill Wells, one of the men who donated the water tank
October 16, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourtellercountynews.com
Government overhaul in Falls turns into complex issue Mayor expresses concerns about town manager position By Pat Hill
phill@ourcoloradonews.com
Jeff Kurka, city of Cripple Creek’s building official, designed the lid for the water tank donated by Bill Wells and Rich and Lee Johnson. Courtesy photos
A towering presence Heritage center spruced up with tower
By Pat Hill
phill@ourcoloradonews.com As conveyor of history, the new water tower at the Cripple Creek Heritage Center tells a story while heralding the evolution of water storage as well as transportation. The tower is significant, a towering presence announcing the historic treasury inside the center, with photos and stories of farming, ranching and transportation in the beginning of the 20th century. Bill Wells, Rich and Lee Johnson donated the water tank last year while the city of Cripple Creek’s building department put the finishing touches on in September. “The water tank was put together in South Dakota in the 1940s from a kit,” Wells said. According to history compiled by Wells, the tank supplied water for the farm owned by Pete and Zelma Divan for more than 35 years. By 1970, the tank was obsolete, replaced by a submersible pump. In a serendipitous connection with Teller County, the tank wove its way through Divan family ties, passed down from one generation to the next. POSTAL ADDRESS
In a carefully-planned execution the building department in Cripple Creek put the lid on the water tank adjacent to the parking lot at the Cripple Creek Heritage Center. When the Divans’ son, Butch, married Linda Johnson, the fathers of the couple struck up a bond over the tank. In a reversal of the kit assembly, Ernie Johnson and Pete Divan took the tank apart, numbering each piece of redwood in order to reassemble the structure at Johnson’s cabin in the Four Mile area.
They hauled the pieces to Teller County on a trailer hooked up to Johnson’s 1965 Chevy pickup. “The tank was reassembled here and used until 2000,” Wells said. “The tank tapped into a spring that was actually on my property as well.” For the past 13 years, the tank was only a charming piece of history sitting in the woods between the Johnson and Wells properties. “It needed to be in a place where people could see it,” Wells said. On the hill a few miles from the city, Printed on recycled Wells’ wishes have been met, the visibilnewsprint. Please ity heightened by the lettering “Midland recycle this copy. Terminal Railway, Cripple Creek, Co.” Jeff Kurka, manager of Cripple Creek’s building department, designed the roof while Ed’s Custom Sheet Metal did the assembly. The project was estimated to be around $2,000.
There’s a storm brewing in Green Mountain Falls over a proposal by Mayor Pro Tem Jane Newberry to initiate a new form of government under a town manager. Along with her suggestion at the board meeting on Oct. 1, Newberry asked for a vote to name Public Works Director Rob McArthur to the position. Mayor Lorrie Worthey balked at the suggestion, citing the suddenness of the proposals as well as the specific recommendation of McArthur. While supportive of the idea, Worthey emphasized the need for research. Worthey effectively stopped the vote that evening. In a follow-up interview, Worthey emphasized her concern over the proposal. “If we decide to do this, appoint a town manager, we need to look for applicants for the job,” she said. “There are many people who would love to live and work in Green Mountain Falls.” Worthey is particularly disturbed over the perception that the proposals would be voted on that evening. “To bring this up on a moment’s notice is not good practice,” she said. “You don’t just put something on the agenda without having the citizens weigh in on this.” The issue is complex, Worthey said. “What is the relationship between the town manager and the board? Is the town manager the ultimate authority?” she said. “Do we split the duties between the town clerk and the town manager? We don’t know.” While a town manager would remove any personality issues that crop up between the board and the liaison to the trustee, Worthey said, on the other hand, there could be auxiliary issues. “We also need to talk to other communities that have this form of government,” she said. “It’s a lot about the personality of our town.” Another snag is the upcoming election, when a new board will be seated in April. “I just don’t think this is the direction we need to take,” she said. “I suggest we do the research between the first meeting Jan. 7 and after the election in April.” Naming McArthur to the position without doing the research also is a concern for the mayor. “To have a person already picked out is not good practice,” she said. McArthur disagrees. “There are many projects lined up for the near future, and GMF needs someone with a proven record for getting things done. I have a lot of postsecondary education, but a master’s degree is not going to get the work accomplished.” Because McArthur is already is a fulltime employee, he considers his candidacy viable. “All the trustees are volunteers who are elected officials and do not have the time to invest in gaining a complete understanding of the municipal functions, especially if they are in for one term only,” he said. “There needs to be one individual with an understanding of this community’s municipal idiosyncrasies, methods, codes, infrastructure and resident population.” Among the arguments against a town manager is the idea that a town manager would cost the town an additional salary. “The proposal is not for a standalone town manager, but rather a town manager\public works director who, in this case, is not asking for a wage increase,” he said. “This Falls continues on Page 11