JULY 8, 2010

The Palmer Lake Town Council meeting was called to order by Mayor Cressman at 7:08 p.m., July 8, 2010.

Attendees:    

John Cressman/Mayor               

Trustees:    

Coleman

Jack

McDonald

Polonsky     

Stafford  

Stern

 Attorney:  Gaddis

Audience: 44

Pledge of Alliance:  Mayor Cressman

September Planning Commission Liaison – Trustee Jack

October Planning Commission Liaison – Trustee McDonald

November Planning Commission Liaison – Trustee Polonsky

Item #2:  Approval of Agenda:

The Agenda was amended to include Item #3A:  Proclamation – In Harmony: Pikes Peak International Music Festival and Item #4 A: MOU regarding El Paso County  Park.

Trustee Jack made a motion to approve the agenda as amended, seconded by Trustee Stern.  Motion carried unanimously.

Item #3:  Consent Items:

1. Approval of Minutes –June 10, 2010
2. Payment\Ratification of Bills – June 2010

Trustee Jack made a motion to approve the Consent Items as presented, Seconded by Trustee McDonald.  Motion carried unanimously.

Item #3A:  Proclamation – In Harmony: Pikes Peak International Music Festival

Mayor Cressman read the Proclamation.    The Colorado Springs Children Chorale gave a well orchestrated performance.

Item #4:  Committee Reports

Mayor Cressman – Mayor’s Report

The 4^th of July went very well, even though it was quite wet.

Trustees Coleman and Polonsky – Parks\Rec and EDC

Trustee Polonsky

- Assisted with the July 4^th Fun Run; event raised approximately $7,000 for the PLES

            - May assist as Race Director for next year’s run

- Waiting to hear back from Christie Ramshur regarding the work on the Gazebo; will follow up this week.  Trustee Jack reported there had been a fire at the Gazebo.

-  Spoke with Trustee Jack regarding funding for a website for the Get Stuff Done Committee

- Trustee Coleman and I need to get together to discuss the last few months

Trustee Coleman

-         Helped with the ERock Bike Race

-         Meet with the Chautauqua Group – everything is on target

-         Met with Susan Adams, Fall Festival, to survey for the vendors booths.

-         Gloria, PinZ Bowling Alley would like to start a Palmer Lake business group

Trustee Jack –

Calls for the month of June- 32

7 Medical

5 Fire

8 Wildland

3 TA

1 Hazmat

8 Other- fire alarms and public assists

Total calls for the year to date- 147

Volunteer Hours-1,419.5

Total hours for the Year to date-7,587

For the Month of June the department participated in:

-  24 hours of ERock bike ride

-  Elephant Rock bike ride

-  4 days of Active Shooter training sponsored by Monument PD, SWAT and TEMS

Fire Combat Challenge at the Air Force Academy

-  Assisted Asst. Chief Greg Lokken with a burn tower training for Lockheed Marten

 firefighters

-  Supported the fund raiser for the Denver Burn Camp Run where the ride ended at the 

Palmer Lake Fire Department

-  Repairs had to be done to Brush 2040

-  Bunk beds have been donated to the fire department by the Living Word Chapel

-  Richard Wolfe has become a new member of the fire department

-  There was a wildland fire in Palmer Lake that was started by a twelve year old boy

            The area burned was approximately 800 by 900 sq. ft.

-  Members will be participating in the Estemere open house on Saturday, July 24^th from   

9 to 5 by bringing the fire engine 2015 to the Estemere.

-  An After Action Review for the active shooter training will be held July 22^nd at 10am at

the Monument Police Department for anyone who would like to attend

-  An After Action Review for 4^th of July will be held July 16^th at 10am at the Palmer

     Lake Fire Station for anyone who would like to attend

Trustee McDonald – Police

Highlights: 

New equipment obtained right in the nick of time…

• The Palmer lake Police Department obtained three sets of Stop Sticks, a pursuit/fleeing vehicle intervention device which deflates tires.  These Stop Sticks were obtained through a grant from the Tri-Lakes Women’s Club.  They arrived June 1^st and were placed into service.  On June 18^th at about 1:35 a.m. Douglas County Sheriffs Deputies were following a stolen vehicle southbound on I-25, entering El Paso County.  The following began at mile marker 188, some 25 miles north.  PLPD Officers Ryan Koski and Michael Greeder deployed the Stop Sticks at I-15 at mile maker 161.  The stolen vehicle ran over the stop stick device and the vehicle stopped in the area of I-25 and Baptist Road.  Two suspects were arrested after a brief foot chase.  There is no doubt that the danger to El Paso County residents and law enforcement personnel was significantly reduced by the actions of our employees.
• Twenty-eight days after being placed into service, one of the new bean-bag shotguns was used to persuade an aggressive bear who had broken into a home, in search of food, to leave the premises after being struck by one bean-bag round in the buttocks.

Crime:

A total of 21 Case Report numbers were used by PLPD Officers during the month of June.  Again, no consistent crime pattern exists and, overall, the case reports were for minor criminal acts such as criminal trespass auto and thefts.  Two incidents do stand out, however:

• Prohibited discharge of a weapon on June 14, at 52 Vale Circle, wherein a new gun owner, unfamiliar with his shotgun discharged a round into the common wall of his neighbor’s unoccupied bedroom.  Matter was resolved between neighbors and the violator was cited into TOPL Court, after he voluntary sold off his shotgun. 
• Arson case on June 17, area of Crescent and Largo, wherein a vacation 12 year-old boy from the east coast admitted to starting a fire which grew beyond his ability to control.  After conferring with the El Paso County D/A’s Office, the boy was cited and released to his parents.

Traffic:

• A total of nine traffic summonses were issued for a variety of traffic violations.
• Three adults were arrested for DUI.
• Three hit and run traffic accidents occurred with only minor property damage. 

Dispatch Statistics:

El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) Dispatch reported that PLPD Officers self-initiated, or responded to:

• 40 incidents, considered “high-risk”
• One Priority 2 or “emergent” calls.
• 24 Priority 3 or “urgent” calls.
• 51 non-emergent calls.
• PLPD Officers handled a combined total of 170 calls for service/self-initiated activities.

The EPSO does not indicate how many calls for service were for areas outside of TOPL, where PLPD officers provided “cover” for EPSO Deputies/Monument PD or other L/E agencies; or “held the scene” before another agency responded to take over the call/investigation.

(Page four is attached – EPSO Dispatch Report)

Administrative & Training:

• Officer Terri Lenhard resigned from her position as a full-time police officer in order to take a full-time position with the Pikes Peak Community College Police Department.  After consulting with her new employer Officer Lenhard will be able to stay with us as a part-time PLPD Officer.  We will allow her to get used to her new position and have her make us aware of her availability for part-time work, sometime in July.
• We will lose another full-time officer due to a pending shoulder surgery, next month, on July 6^th.  That officer may be out, anywhere, from six weeks to a year.
• Three new part-time members of the PLPD were sworn in: Shontelle Gallegos, Michael Greeder, and Adam Lundy.
• Kevin Ringler, the final candidate of January’s eight top finishers has been given a conditional job offer to fill the vacancy created by Terri Lenhard’s departure from full-time employment.  The candidate had to complete a (self-financed) two-week CO POST refresher course before undertaking all necessary steps toward employment with PLPD. 
• Chief Moreland, Sergeant Nikki Tezak, Officers Ryan Koski, James Deyoe, and Terri Lenhard attended the two-day combined Colorado Central Mountain Training Foundation and Palmer Divide Public Safety Group Active Shooter trainings held at palmer Ridge High School in Monument.
• The Impala patrol vehicle required four new tires and needed to have its hand- operated spot lamps replaced.
• The Durango patrol vehicle was found to have lighting problems which will take almost $1400 to remedy.  We are seeking other bids for the needed service.  The Durango also required all four brakes to be replaced.
• The Blazer patrol/chief’s vehicle required a single tire repair and an oil change.
• Three sets of “Stop Sticks” (pursuit intervention tire-deflation devices) were obtained and placed into service.  These stop ticks were obtained through the Tri-Lakes Women’s Club grant.
• Two new less-lethal bean-bag shotguns were obtained and placed into service.  These less-lethal weapons were also obtained through the Tri-Lakes Women’s Club grant.

Chief’s Activities:

06/05 – On a day off, made appearances at both the Palmer Lake Fishing Derby and the Native American Cultural event

06/06 – On day off, provided traffic control at the Elephant Rock Cycling tour event.     

06/07 – Monitored Court…met with TOPL Judge regarding safety issue.  Also agreed to reduce court to every other month, due to reduction in summonses.

06/08 – Took Impala in for repair/replacement of hand-operated spot lamps.

06/09 – Took Impala in for replacement of tires.

06/16 – Responded to call of injured deer in 500 block of Hwy 105.  Deer had compound fractures to both rear legs and was humanely put down.

06-17/18 – Attended Active Shooter training at Palmer Ridge High School.

06-17 – Broke away from training to assist with traffic control at the scene of a fire in the area of Largo and Crescent.  Served as Public Information Officer (PIO) at the request of PLVFD Chief Ball.

06-21 – Took Durango in for brake replacement.

06/23 – Attended Independence Day Fireworks planning meeting, conducted by PLVFD Chief Shana Ball at Monument PD.

06/29 – Responded to call of an aggressive bear intrusion on Glenway Street.  Bear had entered resident’s sunroom and pulled out a 50 lb. bag of sunflower seeds.  Bear was ushered back to into the hills, along Reservoir Trail, after being hit with bean bag round in the buttocks.  

Eight days, total, spent as primary responding patrol officer for PLPD.

Trustee Stafford – Water

I spoke to Steve about the Surface water treatment plant plans. There were some delays due to questions about the electrical service. The plans should be ready for our approval next week. The next step will be the State approval process. These delays are pushing us into a winter construction project.

I attended the 19 June 2010 meeting of the PPRWA. The next meeting will be 21 July 2010 at 8:30 AM. The new board at Cherokee has decided not to participate in the PPRWA. I will be out of town for this meeting.

I was unable to attend the Fountain Creek Watershed meeting 25 June 2010.  A special meeting will be held to approve the bylaws 12 July 2010 at 1:00 PM. The next regular meeting will be held 1:00 PM 23 July 2010. I will be out of town for this meeting also.

Trustee Stern – Roads

• Prepped roads for dust control. We used over 30,000 of water during grading operations.

• Ordered and placed approximately 17,000 gallons of dust suppressant on about 9 lane miles of road. We began on June 3^rd.
• Motor grader had a minor breakdown. A radiator hose split. We were able to repair it ourselves.
• The Roads Dept along with the Water Dept. spent many man hours prepping for the 4^th of July. This included putting up barricade fencing, fence posts, and “no parking” signs. Special THANKS to the City of Colorado Springs for lending us 2 Message Boards for the event.

Staff:  

4^th of July went great in spite of the weather.  The committee will be drafting a thank you in the near future to be put in both of the newspapers.

We need to set the amount of licensing and applications for MM that have multiple applications.

The cooperative grant with El Paso County regarding noxious weeds, the town land at the filter plant has a large quantity of myrtle spurge that needs to be addressed.  The weeds are located mainly on the hillside heading down to the Emory Hightower Trailhead.  The weeds can be either dug up or there is a variety of herbicides that can be applied.  The cost of eradication has not been determined at this time.

We recently received a letter with FAQs from Conservation Trust:

6. “Does SB 10-98 allow for weed/noxious weed control on government-owned  park, recreation and open space properties?

            Yes, weed/noxious weed control on government-owned park, recreation and open space properties has always been considered as a maintenance expense to keep the eligible property from decline.”

Question:  If this area is considered to be open space, would CTF and water entertain splitting the cost of eradication of these weeds?

Clerk Gray stated she had neglected to list the two new business licenses for the Mile High Holistic and the Native Growers Grow Centers heard during the Liquor\Medical Marijuana Licensing Authority immediately prior to this meeting.

Trustee Stern made a motion to allow the Town Clerk to process the business licenses for both locations administratively, seconded by Trustee McDonald.  Motion carried unanimously.

Trustee Jack made a motion to set the fees for each additional Medical Marijuana Application and License at $500 each, seconded by Trustee Polonsky.

DURING PUBLIC INPUT DISCUSSION WAS HELD  CONCERNING  A SECOND APPLICATION FEE AND LICENSING FEE FOR A MEDICAL MARIJUANA APPLICANT THAT HELD A LICENSE UNDER THE SAME NAME.

DISCUSSION WAS ALSO HELD REGARDING IF THIS WAS TO BE THE NORMAL PROCEDURE.  NO DECISION WAS MADE AT THIS TIME.

Trustee Jack made a motion to approve the full Application fee of $500 and $250 for the License Fee for Mile High Holistic, seconded by Trustee Polonsky.  Motion carried unanimously.

Item #4A:  MOU – El Paso County Parks

A formal motion was made to accept the MOU with El Paso County with the corrections:

- remove the clause regarding waiving the fee for Palmer Lake Sanitation

- change the signature line from ‘president’ to Mayor

Road Supervisor Radosevich and Clerk Gray will clarify for Miles regarding his responsibilities under the agreement.

Trustee Stern made a motion to accept the MOU with El Paso County, with the above amendments, seconded by Trustee Jack.  Motion carried unanimously.

Item #5:  Awards Presentation – Chief Moreland\Chief Ball

Chief Moreland and Chief Ball presented awards to the following:

Sundance Kennel – Susie Gordon – for their assistance with accepting stray animals.

Palmer Lake Riding Stables – Heather Simpson – for her assistance with large animals.

Tri-Lakes Women’s Club – for their generous donations.

Items displaying the purchases from the Tri-Lakes Women’s Club was available for viewing.

Item #6:  Motion to Approve Employment of Officer Kevin Ringler

                        Oath of Office administered by Chief Moreland

Trustee Stafford made a motion to approve the employment of Officer Kevin Ringler as a Palmer Lake Police Officer, seconded by Trustee McDonald.  Motion carried unanimously.

Oath of Office was administered by Chief Moreland and Officer Ringler’s mother did the honor of pinning on his badge.

Item #7  Conservation Plan Grant – Linda Firth

Linda will be meeting with Monument and Tri-view to offer the same estimate as she presented to Palmer Lake.  She will write a grant for a conservation plan for the three entities.  The cost will be $6,000, if all three entities participate.  $1,000 will be required from each entity up front.  If the grant is not awarded, no other monies will be owed.  If it is awarded, then the additional $1,000 per entity will be payable.

Trustee McDonald made a motion to accept the proposal presented, seconded by Trustee Stafford.  Motion carried unaimously.

Item #8:  Request for New Business License:  Counter Revolution – Christian Walters

            780 Hwy 105 Unit F – Countertop Fabricator

The walls will be insulated to minimize the noise level and the water for the saws will be recycled.

Trustee Stafford made a motion to approve the Business License for Counter Revolution, seconded by Trustee McDonald.  Motion carried unanimously.

Item #9:   Public Input

Bob R., Road Supervisor, asked for council to review the Sidewalk Maintenance Ordinance that he had presented and asked for Attorney Gaddis to review it for approval in August.

Trustee Jack made a motion to adjourn at 9:53 pm, seconded by Trustee Polonsky.  Motion carried unanimously.

Approved as written or amended this 12^th day of August, 2010.

John Cressman, Mayor                                                        Della Gray, Town Clerk