Page 2 - The Castle Pnes Connection OCT 2008

Page 2
www.cpnhoa.org
Local Officials Gear Up
Fire Station Survey Underway -
Public Hearing Set for October 15
by Terri Wiebold
For the past 23 years, the Parker-South Metro Fire Rescue Authority’s (PSMFRA) Fire Station 36 has been providing fire and emergency medical services to the residents of Castle Pines North (CPN). There have been several changes in the past two years that have the PSMFRA staff evaluating the services it provides, as well as its available resources.
The PSMFRA recently issued a study proposing the relocation of the current CPN station to the north- west corner of Castle Pines Parkway and Monarch Boulevard, known as CC-20.
The South Metro Fire Rescue board of directors will hear public comment on this issue at a public hearing on October 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the DCS Montessori School, 311 East Castle Pines Parkway in CPN. All CPN residents are encouraged to review the extensive history of this issue and attend this important meeting.
Learn more at www.cpnhoa.org and type in key word search “south metro fire rescue authority.” To read the Fire Authority’s complete analysis, go to: http://www.cpnhoa.org/pages/news/articles/2008/qtr3/sta- tion36NeedsAnalysis.pdf.
In September, the Master Association e-mailed a survey to CPN residents, soliciting input on the Fire Authority’s recommendation to relocate the existing station 36 to the corner of Castle Pines Parkway and Monarch Boulevard (CC-20).
While as of press time the results of the survey were not complete, hundreds of residents from all over the city (and a few from outside city limits) responded on both sides of the issue. The latest numbers showed that 52.7 percent “strongly disagree” with the recom- mendation to relocate the station, while 19.8 percent “strongly agree”with the recommendation to move the station.
Those in favor of the move sited improved response times to the northern and western portions of the city, as well as a more central location in the city, while those opposed thought it was a waste of tax payers’ money and were concerned about additional lights and noise near their homes. Here is a sampling of com- ments from the survey:
“ThemostcriticalissuehereistheresponsetimeforEMScalls –thebulkofthecalls.Shavingoffevenoneminutecanmean thedifferencebetweenlifeanddeathorpermanentdisability.” (Continued on page 14)
Xcel Energy Agrees to
for Election Day by Lisa Crockett
Pole Height Reduction by Lisa Crockett
After months of negotiation, a task force of Castle Pines North (CPN) citizens has reached a compromise with Xcel Energy regarding height of several new poles to be placed on the ridge adjacent to Coyote Ridge Park.
Last winter, residents from across CPN voiced their objection to two towering poles placed at the top of the ridge. Xcel agreed to remove the two poles, 165 feet and 180 feet, respectively, and replace them with a 105-foot and a 120-foot pole. The 165-foot pole has already come down and the 180-foot pole will be removed by Xcel sometime during the fourth quarter of this year.
During a meeting with CPN residents to discuss the replacement towers, Xcel announced that it would install an additional four new poles to accommodate “crossover”lines. Two of the new poles were slated to be a towering 170 feet; the two “shorter” towers were to have been 150 feet.
“When the task force met with Xcel, we asked them to think outside the box and come up with a way to route the new lines under the exisiting lines, rather than above them,” said CPN resident and task force mem- ber Bruce Thompson.
Xcel has agreed to do just that, reducing the height of the new towers a whopping 90 feet.
“The new lines will be over the ridge, and they will be low enough that a number of CPN residents won’t really be able to see them,” said Thompson. “For those of us who can see them, we will just see the tops of the towers. The visual impact has been greatly reduced.”
As of press time, an installation time line for the new poles had not been determined.“I know the task force was very happy to hear the results of their time and efforts pay off,” said CPN City Councilperson Jennifer Havercroft, who served as a liaison to the task force. “Of course no one wants more poles, but to have the heights lowered by this much is such a wonderful com- promise by Xcel.”
Formoreinformation,e-mailcommunications@cpnhoa.org.
With a history-making presidential race and several important local races and issues on the November bal- lot, Douglas County election officials are offering sev- eral ways for voters to cast their ballot.
“We are encouraging voters to vote by mail, to visit a vote center early, or to bring a completed sample ballot to their designated polling place on Election Day,”said Douglas County Clerk and Recorder Jack Arrowsmith. “Sample ballots are allowed in the voting booth.”
Douglas County voters can now sign up to be perma- nently placed on a “vote by mail” list, which ensures that they will receive a ballot for every election run by the county election commission (special districts, like Castle Pines North Metro District, run their own elec- tions.)
As the name implies, “vote by mail” ballots can be mailed back to the election commission and must be received (not simply postmarked) by 7 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted. Alternatively, voters may drop ballots off at designated locations throughout the county.
Voters who wish to vote at a polling place may partici- pate in early voting at locations throughout the county. Voters who want to cast their vote on Election Day, however, must do so at their designated polling place. On Election Day only, paper ballots will be available in addition to voting machines.
“If we start to have congestion at the voting machines on Election Day we can give paper ballots to people waiting in line in order to speed the process,” said Arrowsmith.
Important Voter Information:
If you choose to vote on Election Day, you must vote at your designated polling place. To find your polling place,visitwww.douglasvotes.com,orcall303-660-7444.
• October 6: Last Day to Register to Vote in the General Election
• October 20-30: Early Voting for General Election
• November 4: Election Day, all mail-in ballots
must be received in the Douglas County Elections Department by 7 p.m.
To verify voter registration, view sample ballots, find voting locations and link to other important vot- ing information, visit www.douglasvotes.com or call the Douglas County Clerk and Recorder’s Office at 303- 660-7444.
The Castle Pines North newsletter, The Connection, is distributed bi-monthly by the CPN Master Association. Tentative publication dates for 2007 are the first weeks of February, April, June, August, October, and December. Deadline for all submissions is the first of the month preceding publication. Submit news items to communications@cpnhoa.org.
News Editor & Layout`- Lane Roberts, APR editor@cpnhoa.org 303-482-3078, ext. 123
Writers -
Lisa Crockett - crockett@cpnhoa.org
Elean Gersack - gersack@cpnhoa.org
Anthonette Klinkerman - aklinkerman@cpnhoa.org Terri Wiebold - wiebold@cpnhoa.org
Advertising Manager - Sharon Kollmar 303-482-3078, ext. 124 advertise@cpnhoa.org
Ad Production and Photographer - Tim Gamble - gamble@cpnhoa.org
Advertising Rates, Sizes and Policies -
Advertisements must be pre-paid. Completed ads must be black and white and be provided in a PDF format. Advertising is subject to space availability. Rates are subject to change. Extra charges apply to ad changes and modifications. For advertising deadlines and rates, contact Sharon Kollmar at 303-482-3078, ext. 124, or advertise@cpnhoa.org.
Copyright, 2008 - Castle Pines North Master Association. Articles or portions of articles cannot be reprinted without written permisssion. All rights reserved.