The New Falcon Herald

If the county agrees to lease a portion of Fox Run Regional Park for an aerial adventure park, the new park would be a short drive for Falcon residents.

Tim Wolken, head of the El Paso County Community Services Department, explained the concept to the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners in July.

The aerial park would involve building a series of platforms and walkways about 40 feet in the air. Visitors would be tethered to lines, climb a walkway to the platforms and then exit by a zip line to the forest floor.

Wolken said the idea first surfaced when a Black Forest resident brought it up at a meeting of the parks board in April.

In July, the parks department held a public meeting that was attended by 30 people living near the Fox Run Regional Park. Many were not happy with the idea.

"There's an inherent conflict between bringing people into the park to enjoy it from a regional standpoint and those that enjoy the park because they live around it," Wolken said.

The opposition raised concerns about traffic, lack of parking, noise and dust. Some were concerned about as much as 1,000 people entering the park every day. "I don't think we'll ever get to that point, but a cap of somewhere in the 200 range would make quite a difference to those that were in attendance at the meeting," Wolken said.

An adventure park implemented as a public-private partnership would have the benefits of generating additional income to support the park system, as well as drawing tourists into the county, which would increase sales tax collection, he said.

As a model, Wolken proposed an aerial adventure park that opened in Maryland this year. He also listed Seattle, Wash.; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Victoria, British Columbia; as cities with successful aerial adventure parks.

The Maryland facility generates between $30,000 and $40,000 annually for the park system, based on a percentage of revenue and an annual lease payment, he said. "That certainly caught our interest. We would appreciate that as well." Wolken said.

As an appropriate location within Fox Run Regional Park, he said the parks department is looking at the Fallen Timbers Wilderness Area, which is accessed from Roller Coaster Road.

Commissioner Wayne Williams said the purpose of the county's regional park system is to attract people from outside the area.

"Fox Run is changing. It used to be in the middle of nowhere," Williams said. "With the annexation of the Flying Horse development by Colorado Springs, Fox Run is now very close to major urban areas. It's going to be more heavily used because now it's very close to where a lot of people live."

He said his major concerns had to do with generating enough revenue to cover the cost of additional road maintenance and parking, which would be addressed in the lease agreement.

"I'm anxious to hear from the park advisory board as to what their recommendation is on this particular use of Fox Run Park," Williams said.

Commissioner Amy Lathen said the idea is something worth looking at, but it's too early to evaluate the concept in detail.

The parks department will continue to investigate the terms of a lease agreement that will handle concerns about liability, insurance requirements, revenue sharing, funding requirements and default stipulations.

Wolken said a second business has approached the parks department since the public meeting in July. "So, there will be some sort of bidding process if we get to that point," he said.

Editor's note: The parks department held a second public meeting Aug. 31 to discuss the possibility of an aerial adventure park at Fox Run. The New Falcon Herald will follow up on the results.

If all goes well, Fox Run Regional Park will be home to the new Aerial Adventure Park. From www.elpasoco.com

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Falcon receives new ISO rating
By Kathleen Wallace

The results are in: the Insurance Services Organization reviewed the Falcon Fire Protection District in January, and completed their evaluation in August.

Effective Sept. 1, the Falcon fire district has a new rating of 5 in areas with hydrants, said Trent Harwig, fire chief. The new, lower ISO rating should help homeowners get lower insurance premiums.

Although lower ratings normally equate to district improvements, the new rating reflects a change in the way ISO rates fire districts.

"The last time the ISO evaluated the Falcon fire district was in 1999," Harwig said. "At that time, the district was rated a 6/10 with no hydrant requirements because of our demonstrated ability to deliver water at 250 gallons per minute for two hours without interruption."

The 6/10 split meant that any property within 5 road miles of a Falcon fire station was rated a 6 and all other property was rated a 10, he said.

For the new rating, the ISO took into account the district's automatic aid agreements with Black Forest Fire and Rescue and Cimarron Hills Fire Department, Harwig said. Thus, a property that's within 1,000 feet of a hydrant and within 5 road miles of a Falcon, Cimarron Hills or Black Forest fire station has a new ISO rating of 5.

A property that's not within 1,000 feet of a hydrant but is within five road miles of a Falcon, Cimarron Hills or Black Forest fire station has a new ISO rating of 7. A property that's more than 5 road miles from a fire station has a rating of 10.

"Very few properties are rated 10 in the Falcon district," Harwig said.

An ISO rating of 5 is definitely a good thing, said Shawna Cauthen, an insurance agent for Pieper and Sons Insurance Agency in Calhan.

"Just that one little change in number will help [lower] the price of homeowners' insurance premiums," Cauthen said.

Some insurance companies won't insure homes in areas with a rating of 9 or more.

A rating of 7 means that a wider range of insurance carriers are available to homeowners in the parts of the district that don't have hydrants than would otherwise be available, she said.

"ISO evaluates all aspects of the fire [protection] delivery system - training, equipment, pump capacity, number of personnel, station distribution, water supply and dispatch," Harwig said.

The report also provides guidance on how the district can improve its rating in the future: build three to four new stations and staff them, he said.

"The district will continue to hire firefighters and build stations strategically located to deliver the highest level of service with the least amount of response time as funds will allow," Harwig said.

"However, the grim economic outlook and its effect on property values will certainly be a challenge over the next several years."

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Falcon teens - top 100 in the region
By Natalie Gowen

Two Falcon High School seniors, Mary McClure and Kiah Hicks, have been honored as part of the Mayor's Top 100 Teens in the area. Last year, Hicks represented FHS, and McClure will represent the school this year.

McClure will be inducted into the group at a September ceremony featuring Colorado Springs Mayor Lionel Rivera.

The Mayor's Top 100 Teens program began in 1996, and recognizes the accomplishments of area teenagers. The program provides community service opportunities to the top teens.

Hicks said she met outstanding students through her participation in the Mayor's Top 100 Teens. "There are so many amazing students that don't normally get recognized," she said.

Her experience with the Mayor's Top 100 helped her gain greater respect for her peers. "We might be 15, 16 or 17, but there is so much we can do for the community," Hicks said. "My confidence in what I can do has grown."

McClure said she was unaware of the nomination until she was chosen to participate with the elite group of students. "I was really honored; it's such a big honor for someone to think of me," she said. "I am looking forward to volunteering and helping people in need."

McClure is student body president, a member of the National Honor Society and regularly volunteers her time in the community at Care and Share Food Bank and Adopt-a-Road cleanup projects.

She plans to attend college for a teaching degree. "I want to teach elementary school and then later teach high school math," she said, adding that the icing on the cake would be to serve as a student government faculty advisor.

Nicole Paxton, FHS Student Advisory Council faculty advisor, said McClure is one in a million. "I nominated Mary because she is an incredibly passionate and motivated student," Paxton said. "She has dedicated her life to being exemplary, and it shows on a daily basis."

Hicks said McClure will represent Falcon well. "She is so responsible and such a hard worker," Hicks said. "A lot of people take her for granted or don't notice what she does. She deserves this recognition."

Mary McClure, Falcon High School. Photo submitted

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Look before filling up
By Kathleen Wallace

Not even a gas pump is safe when it comes to stealing information from credit cards.

It's called a skimmer - an electronic device planted at the gas pump - that copies information from the thousands of credit cards used to purchase gas every day. To the person buying gas, the transaction goes through as it normally would. The pump dispenses the gas, and the victim drives off, unaware that his or her credit card number has been "skimmed."

Skimmers were discovered at four gas stations at least in the Colorado Springs area this summer. Denver also experienced a rash of credit card skimming this summer, said Lt. Lari Sevene, public information officer for the El Paso County's Sheriff's Office.

When enough data is collected, the skimmer is removed and taken to a safe location where the card numbers are offloaded and used to make duplicate credit cards. Or, the numbers are sold on the Internet.

That process is low technology compared to high-tech thieves who install skimmers the size of a cell phone that transmit credit card information through the wireless network.

People should be suspicious if they see someone using a laptop computer within 50 yards of a gas station, Sevene said.

Some inept scam artists could damage the pump when removing its cover in order to install the skimmer, but most of the time, it's really hard to tell if a pump has been tampered with, she said.

According to an article on credit card fraud at www.consumerreports.org, there are only a couple of pump manufacturers, and it's easy for a disgruntled employee to copy the key that opens the door to the pump's inner workings.

Some gas station managers wrap security tape around the pump, but most scam artists are smart enough to replace the security tape.

"It seems like every time they [the managers] find something to fix the problem, the thieves find another angle," Sevene said.

Using a debit card at a pump with a skimmer is even worse because the cardholder's PIN is also copied, enabling the thief to empty a person's bank account at an ATM machine.

Carol Odell of the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado said she is aware of a woman who bought gas this summer in the Colorado Springs area using a debit card. When the woman checked her account a few days later, she had a balance of $1.96.

If using a debit card at a gas station, choose the screen prompt that identifies the debit card as a credit card, Odell said.

The purchase is still deducted from the bank account, but it's processed as a credit card transaction, which doesn't require the PIN number, she said.

Sevene said the risk of purchasing gas from a pump that's been compromised is lower at stations where the pumps are monitored by video cameras.

Some stores, like Costco, have a person on duty to monitor the pumps.

Odell said scam artists are more likely to target places where the gas station closes at night. "That's when they put the device in and take it out," she said.

"A lot of the responsibility lies with the business owners. The business owners have to pay attention and inspect the gas pumps every day," Sevene said. "They should check to see if they've been tampered with, and check whoever comes to work on the gas pumps."

According to the Federal Trade Commission Web site, the cardholder's maximum liability for unauthorized use of a credit card is $50. If the loss involves a credit card number but not the loss of the card itself, the cardholder has no liability for unauthorized use.

The rules are different for debit cards and depend on when the cardholder reports unauthorized activity. The FTC states the cardholder is liable for unauthorized transfers involving the debit card number (but not the loss of the card) that occur 60 days after the mailing of the cardholder's bank statement showing the unauthorized withdrawals.

Experts suggest checking credit card and bank statements for any suspicious transactions as soon as the statement arrives - it benefits all cardholders.

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The future of Memorial Health System
By Kathleen Wallace

In February, the Colorado Springs City Council created a nine-person citizen commission to explore possible changes to the ownership and governance of Memorial Health System, which is currently owned by the city.

Bob Lally, commission chairman, said the commission has three objectives of equal priority:

Minimize taxpayer financial and legal exposure
Maximize MHS's benefit to the community
Ensure access to excellent health care, designed and delivered around the needs of the community

On Aug. 4, the commission invited David Burik, strategic market development advisor from Navigant Consulting Inc., to talk about MHS options and how it compares with other hospitals around the country.

"In many respects, our health care system was born out of post-World War II exuberance," Burik said.

In 1946, it was hard to get workers, so health care became a benefit attached to employment - something that only happened in the United States, he said.

In the same year, President Truman signed the Hill-Burton Act. The act helped communities finance hospital construction, resulting in an explosion of stand-alone, community-based hospitals, Burik said.

He said Colorado Springs is one of just three cities in the country with a favorable ratio of hospitals to insurance companies, which means hospitals in Colorado Springs are in a better negotiating position than the insurance companies. The other cities are Cape Coral, Fla., and Spokane, Wash.

It also means that Colorado Springs is a good place to own a hospital. Nonprofit and for-profit buyers would be interested in talking with MHS, he said.

MHS has other positives: 65 percent of Colorado Springs' in-patient market, a low average length of stay of three days and exposure to the affluent and growing Briargate area, Burik said.

The negative for MHS is its financial loss of $31.9 million in 2008, but that is offset by improved operating income for 2009, he said.

Another negative for MHS and the Colorado Springs area as a whole is the lack of an academic medical center. Such a center would provide physician training, residency programs and other benefits that would draw physicians to the area, Burik said.

Burik listed several alternatives for changing MHS's ownership:

Merger with a nonprofit system
Joint venture with a for-profit system
Sale to a for-profit system

All three of the options could result in more cash flow to expand MHS, but all three options would reduce or eliminate local control, he said.

On Aug. 18, the commission invited Ed Epperson, chief executive officer of the Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center in Nevada, to talk about how his hospital decided to change its ownership structure 10 years ago.

Carson Tahoe is similar to MHS: publicly owned, located 40 miles from a larger and competitive metropolitan area (Reno), and it serves a geographic area larger than the government entity that owned it.

Unlike MHS, the main driver for changing Carson Tahoe's ownership was the need for capital to build a new hospital campus.

Because Carson Tahoe was a publicly owned hospital, its board had to make decisions in public.

"When we talked about a heart surgery program, our competitor from Reno was in the audience and said, 'not if we can help it'," Epperson said.

He said the hospital's staff considered staying county-owned, affiliating with a nonprofit, selling to a for-profit and converting to a nonprofit 501(c)(3).

"We had 10 to 12 for-profit entities come to town and express their interest," he said.

Ultimately, Carson Tahoe decided to convert to a nonprofit 501(c)(3) because it would satisfy their goals of relieving taxpayers of worry about the future and would allow the hospital to deliver better services while retaining control of their future, Epperson said.

"People in our town care a lot about the hospital. They feel like it's theirs even today," he said. "The community was very engaged in the whole process and didn't like the 'slicks' who tried to buy it."

Epperson said Carson Tahoe funded their conversion by selling bonds, which got a BBB+ rating from Standard and Poor's. Their bonds have returned to a credit worthy status after the hospital lost money in 2008 because of the economy.

"Our debt is coming down and our cash-to-debt ratio keeps marching up. Wall Street wants to see that," he said.

Epperson emphasized the importance of having board members with background in finance. After the conversion, his board added three such members.

Since converting to a nonprofit organization, Carson Tahoe has a new 75-acre campus, a cancer center and an open heart surgery program. It is also expanding its psychiatric program.

"We take great pride that we're the only hospital in Nevada that has a psychiatric program," he said "That comes directly from the local citizens saying 'this is important; we've got to do it.'"

Epperson said the biggest lesson he learned from the conversion was to communicate continuously with the community.

He offered to assist MHS if it decides to convert to a nonprofit.

The citizens' commission will report its recommendations to the Colorado Springs City Council in November.

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Service dogs trained in Falcon
By Lindsey Harrison

A viral infection in the vestibular nerve from his brain to his left ear caused severe equilibrium problems for DeWayne Witt of Security, Colo. Witt had trouble shopping with his wife or navigating a parking lot. Elevators were out of the question and walking down a store aisle could easily throw off his balance. Then came Eli, a service dog trained in balance (referred to as a balance dog), and Witt's life changed for the better.

After learning about a balance dog from another person with an equilibrium problem, Witt applied for a dog with Paw Pals Assistance Dogs. Nine months later, he had a new best friend.

Two years later, Witt and Eli hike together and do things that Witt used to avoid. "Eli's my buddy," he said. "Where I go, he goes. I can't say enough good about what they've (PPAD) done just for me, and they helped so many more."

Helping people with mobility and other health issues through a companion service dog was Wendy Okabayshi's goal when she founded PPAD in Murietta, Calif., in 2002.

Okabayshi is still the director of the organization that has branched off into other areas of the country.

One branch is located in Falcon. Sandy Miller had been training service dogs for 20 years when she heard about PPAD. "They were certifying some of the dogs I was training privately," Miller said. When she decided in 2005 to start her own PPAD chapter in Colorado, Miller chose Falcon because of the spacious and rural environment. "It's a great place for training," she said. "We love it here."

Miller said the goal of PPAD is to "obtain and train assistance dogs to fit the specific individual need of each recipient applicant, child or adult, whose physical well-being would be enhanced by interaction with a service animal."

Before training service dogs, she raised them as puppies. From her first puppy in 1991 to the present, Miller has raised four puppies and is currently raising her fifth - with the help of her husband and two grown children, she said. "It's always hard to say goodbye, but you know what you're raising them for," Miller said.

People interested in raising puppies are volunteers, who commit to the program from 12 to 16 months. They apply to the program, and if accepted provide everything the puppy needs, including food, veterinary visits and social situations. The volunteers also bring the puppies to training sessions twice a month. Many of the puppies are trained at the Chapel Hills Mall. One volunteer lived in Vail and traveled all the way to Colorado Springs for her student puppy's classes.

The puppies are exposed to multiple types of experiences and stimuli that require them to act appropriately. On one field trip, the puppies went to the Falcon Fire Protection Department where they learned about the flashing lights and sirens of the fire engines. Trips to the light rail between Colorado Springs and Denver gave the puppies an opportunity to get used to different modes of transportation. Three years ago, one service dog group was the first-ever allowed at the Denver Zoo. "They told us where we could visit and where we couldn't, but it was a really successful trip," Miller said.

Once a dog has completed the program, they are ready to be placed in a variety of settings, depending on their particular skills and abilities. Some dogs are specifically trained as balance dogs that serve people with equilibrium and balance issues. They perform different tasks and serve a different function than the typical service dog. Some dogs that aren't able to perform as service dogs because of health issues become therapy dogs. Lani, who had hip problems, was placed with Memorial Hospital's dog therapy program.

Currently, PPAD is choosing a dog for a soldier who returned from Iraq with a traumatic brain injury. The dog will be named Hershey in honor of a soldier who was killed while serving with the soon-to-be recipient.

Veteran puppy raiser May Shankar said, "It's hard to give up the dog after a year and a half, but we've met the people who these dogs are helping, and it's rewarding to see how much these dogs mean to (them). It has touched our lives in so many ways."

Shankar moved to the United States from India with her husband 20 years ago and to Black Forest, Colo., from California 11 years ago. She said raising puppies for a service dog organization was a "really nice way to teach (our kids) to give back." The entire family has raised two dogs and is anticipating a third. Her daughter, who is off to college this fall, wrote an essay for her application that described the sadness of saying good-bye to the puppy and the rewards of knowing the end result is about helping others.

Sandy Miller, her apprentice advanced trainer Mary Keenan and the entire team at PPAD have been involved with many success stories. The National Mill Dog Rescue organization contacted Miller about a litter of golden doodles (golden retriever and poodle) that had been rescued from a puppy mill in Missouri. They wanted to see if she could use the dogs in her service work instead of sending them to a shelter, which didn't guarantee adoption. Most of the four male puppies were petrified of people, but Miller placed one of them with a family that worked hard with him. "He's in advanced training now in California, working to be in an assisted living facility for adults," Miller said. "He started out as a mill puppy, and now he's going to be greatness as a service dog."

People who would like to find out if their needs fit with a service dog can apply to PPAD.

PPAD is always looking for volunteers and people to raise puppies. For more information, visit www.paw-pals.org, or call Sandy Miller at 719-495-5696.

DeWayne Witt and his service dog, Eli (raised in Vail, Colo.)

The Shankar Family, Aarthi, Rahul and May (now a breeder for PPAD) with Mardi

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Water Quality Management 208 Plan for public comment

The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments has released a draft of the 2010 Water Quality Management Plan (the 208 Plan) for public comment. The public can access the 208 Plan at www.ppacg.org/downloads/Environment/Water-Quality.

As the designated water quality planning agency for El Paso, Teller and Park counties; PPACG is required to prepare and update a Regional Water Quality Management Plan under Section 208 of the Federal Clean Water Act. This plan is commonly referred to as the 208 Plan; it is a planning document - not a regulatory document. The 208 Plan is used to address water quality and environmental related issues and to recommend implementation strategies to restore impaired rivers and streams.

Key aspects of the 208 Plan:

A description and identification of treatment facilities necessary to meet the anticipated municipal wastewater treatment needs of the area until the year 2030
The identification of nonpoint sources of pollution caused by runoff from mines, agriculture, urban and construction activities, wildfires, hydrologic modification and septic systems
An identification of agencies necessary to carry out appropriate portions of the 208 Plan
Description and evaluation of surface water and groundwater quality issues and concerns
Recommendations to address water quality issues and concerns

The public is asked to submit comments on the 208 Plan to the PPACG before Sept. 28.

The PPACG Board of Directors will take action on the 208 Plan Oct. 13 at PPACG in the main lower-level conference room. For further information, contact Rich Muzzy, PPACG Environmental Program Manager, at 719-471-7080, x109 or rmuzzy@ppacg.org.

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PPACG needs public input

The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments is leading a new effort in cooperation with government entities, schools, nonprofit organizations, citizens and others to create measurable regional sustainability goals for El Paso and Teller counties. Goals will be developed in multiple areas, impacting the environment, economy and health of the region. These goals will provide a foundation to create a Regional Sustainability Plan - the framework to identify how individual, business, institutional and government choices can work toward a better future.

Public input is a critical component in the development of these goals, to ensure that the goals reflect the values and concerns of the community. If you are interested in participating in this effort, you are invited to attend one or all of the remaining focus group meetings:

Built and Natural Environment Group - Sept. 13
Economic Development Focus Group - Sept. 20
Transportation Focus Group - Sept. 27

All meetings will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at PPACG, 15 South 7th St. in Colorado Springs in the main lower-level conference room. For further information, contact Rich Muzzy, PPACG environmental program manager, at 719-471-7080, x109 or rmuzzy@ppacg.org.

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  Commissioners tour the county
  By Kathleen Wallace
  Photos by Kathleen Wallace

In August, the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners took a bus tour of county projects. One focus of the annual "Work Session on Wheels" included a tour of the eastern plains and Falcon.

Andre Brackin, head of the county's transportation department, led the tour. He addressed a number of issues in the area.

Brackin said the work funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to correct drainage problems on Highway 24, west of Judge Orr Road, is complete except for fencing. The project successfully dried up groundwater that was flooding three basements in the area, Brackin said.

The installation of culverts to correct drainage problems that closed Judge Orr Road between Highway 24 and Eastonville Road this spring is also complete, but it's a temporary fix, he said.

The county would like to replace the culverts with a bridge, but if funding delays the bridge, the new culverts are designed to last 25 to 50 years, Brackin said.

The detention pond on the south side of the Safeway shopping center is the next problem Brackin would like to fix.

The pond doesn't function properly because it's always full of groundwater, so a constant flow of water from the pond has cut a channel that flows under Highway 24 south to Falcon Highway, he said.

"The pond is owned and maintained by the Woodmen Hills [Metropolitan] District, but based on our coordination with the district, I'd like to make changes to that outlet structure and decrease the volume and damage downstream," Brackin said.

Meridian Road between Woodmen Road and Stapleton Road is due for some attention, too.

The old two-lane Meridian Road was turned into the southbound lanes when the northbound lanes were completed in 2005, said Jennifer Irvine, a project manager for the transportation department. The project to upgrade the southbound lanes of Meridian Road has already been awarded, and work is scheduled to start after Labor Day, Irvine said.

As the tour bus headed east toward Calhan, Craig Dossey, project manager for the county's development services department, said the BOCC approved the planned unit development for 4-Way Ranch in July.

"Development services is also reviewing an application for a zoning conceptual plan that includes Big R to expand commercial [development] in that area," Dossey said. "Primarily, the purpose is to legitimize some of the illegal uses occurring on that same site."

The department is also reviewing Two Star Station and Silver Star - two PUDs in the same area. "This means this area of the Highway 24 corridor could develop as a commercial node," he said.

Dossey also reviewed plans for a power transmission line along the north side of Highway 24 from the Clipper Windpower wind farm, which has been proposed for the hills east of Calhan, to Mountain View Electric Association's substation in Falcon.

The transmission line would run close to the Rock Island Trail and require approval from the county's parks advisory board, which has scheduled a public meeting for Sept. 9.

Discussions about the wind farm are preliminary, and Clipper Windpower has not yet submitted any applications to the county, Dossey said.

The wind farm itself will require multiple special uses that must be reviewed by development services.

A few miles east of Calhan, the bus turned south on Harrisville Road to view the area proposed for the wind farm.

Dossey said the wind farm might include up to 100 wind towers, each 425-feet tall when a blade is positioned at the top. The towers would be located between Calhan Highway and Ramah Highway and south of Highway 24 and north of Judge Orr Road.

If Clipper Windpower submits applications, Dossey said they will be evaluated for visual impacts and impacts on the county's road system.

The tour also visited Berridge Bridge, a wooden bridge built in the 1930s that's one of five bridges in the county with a sufficiency rating of less than 50. The rating means the bridge is structurally obsolete, Brackin said.

The county has obtained $750,000 in federal funds to replace the bridge, but Brackin said the bridge can be replaced with a box culvert for $450,000.

On Oilwell Road, Max Birnbaum from the county's transportation department said the department is using a new approach for maintaining the county's 1,000 miles of gravel roads. Instead of trying to do more miles with less material, they're applying 6 inches of gravel to about 20 miles of road each year.

Birnbaum said the county is using a new technique called "asphalt blade patching" on roads with lots of potholes.

"It's effective when there's poor pavement condition and potholes are grouped together over a short stretch," he said. "We dump the asphalt out of the back end of a dump truck and grade it."

Sometimes, they also chip seal a road that's been asphalt blade patched.

The technique saves the county time and money. Total cost of materials for six miles was $30,000, Birnbaum said.

Next, the bus bounced along South Calhan Highway - an eight-mile section of road scheduled to be completely rebuilt.

"You never want to let a paved road get to this point," Brackin said.

"If you overlay a road every six years, it's a lot cheaper than rebuilding it entirely," he said.

In the eastern part of the county, the transportation department faces logistical problems in delivering hot mix asphalt and keeping it at the right temperature, Brackin said.

The tour returned to Colorado Springs along Highway 94.

At Ellicott Highway, Dossey said the planning commission had just approved the Big Valley sketch plan, consisting of 19 acres of neighborhood commercial development and 188 acres of single-family residential development.

The plan is likely to go to the BOCC for approval in September, he said.

Andre Brackin said this erosion, where Woodmen Road ends at Highway 24, was caused by a faulty detention pond on the north side of Highway 24. It continues south, past Falcon Highway.

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Clipper Windpower to host informational open house

The public is invited to attend an informational open house hosted by Clipper Windpower Development Company Inc. on Thursday, Sept. 9, in Swink Hall at the north end of the El Paso County Fairgrounds, 10th Street and Calhan Highway, Calhan, Colo. The open house will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Representatives from Clipper Windpower will host information stations to update interested individuals on their planned wind project's powerline project. The wind park is planned for the Calhan area. A portion of the powerline connecting the wind park to the existing electric grid is proposed to run along the Rock Island Regional Trail from the Peyton area to the Falcon area.

More information is available from Kathy Fay at 303-951-6949.

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