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Volunteer needed for Park Advisory Board

March 29th, 2012, 4:30 pm by

Are you community-minded and concerned about parks in El Paso County? If so, there is a volunteer position open for the District 3 representative on the Park Advisory Board that might be of interest. District 3 primarily encompasses El Paso County west of Nevada Avenue, including the Broadmoor and Manitou Springs areas.

Applications for the position are due by April 6.

The Park Advisory Board consists of nine members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners for three-year terms. The limit to serve is two full consecutive terms.

Members make formal recommendations to the commissioners regarding philosophies, objectives and proposals related to park department policies.

The application is located at www.elpasoco.com and can be accessed by clicking on the “Volunteer Boards” link. Applicants should identify the board and position they want to represent and include a mailing address and phone number. Completed applications and resumes or letter of interest should be emailed to webmaster@elpasoco.com or faxed to 719-520-6397. They can also be mailed to:

Board of County Commissioners

Attn: Frances St. Germain, County Administration Manager

200 S. Cascade Avenue

Colorado Springs, CO 80903-2208

 

Posted in: city of colorado springs • El Paso County • El Paso County Commissioners • Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

New bridge increases student safety

March 19th, 2012, 4:34 pm by

A state-of-the-art pedestrian bridge is providing safer passage for Stratmoor Hills Elementary School students. The bridge eliminates a long-term safety concern that forces students, parents and teachers to cross B Street, the railroad tracks and Loomis Ave. on their way to and from school.

The new bridge is lighted and protected from the weather.

“El Paso County and Harrison School District came together with Fort Carson as part of their railroad expansion project bringing critical pieces to the table allowing this pedestrian bridge to be built,” said District 4 Commissioner Dennis Hisey, who represents the area.

El Paso County purchased a small piece of land on the east side of the road, the school district provided land on the west side and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers paid for construction of the bridge as part of the railroad expansion at Fort Carson.

A ribbon cutting ceremony is set for March 28 at 1 p.m. at the bridge while the school is closed for spring break.

Posted in: city of colorado springs • El Paso County • El Paso County Commissioners • Youth | 1 Comment »

Firearms Coalition Endorses Incumbent Commissioners

March 13th, 2012, 2:05 pm by

Three challengers took their best shot but missed the target as the Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition endorsed a trio of incumbents for county commissioner. The PPFC announced its support for Dennis Hisey, Sallie Clark and Amy Lathen on its Facebook page this morning.
Bernie Herpin, treasurer for PPFC, and also a Colorado Springs city councilman, posted the info on Facebook. Here’s a sampling of the post: “The endorsement was based on their previous support for our right to keep and bear arms, their performance at the PPFC candidate forum, results from a candidate survey on firearms issues, and a straw poll of the PPFC members.
“The candidates’ survey answers are available on the PPFC website: www.ppfc.org. The PPFC PAC will be making further endorsements prior to the November general election.
“A candidate survey has been sent to all local candidates for the Colorado legislature. The candidates responses will be posted on the PPFC later this month.”
Clark is opposed in District 3 by Karen Magistrelli. Hisey is opposed in District 4 by Auddie Cox. And Lathen is opposed in District 2 by Phil McDonald.
It’s notable that the county commissioners approved a new firing range in a joint agreement with Fort Carson.
The Republican Assembly is March 24.

Posted in: city of colorado springs • El Paso County • El Paso County Commissioners • elections • Uncategorized • • • • • • • • • • • | 1 Comment »

Local bus system ranks 37th out of 100 cities for job connections

May 13th, 2011, 2:11 pm by

Despite massive cuts to local public transportation service in 2009 and 2010, Colorado Springs didn’t fare that badly in a survey of how well transit systems in the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas connect workers to their jobs.

Colorado Springs ranks 37th out of 100 cities in terms of public transit coverage and job access, according to the Brookings Institution report, “Missed Opportunity: Transit and Jobs in Metropolitan America,” which was released May 12.

But local bus riders wait nearly 8 minutes more than the national average to catch a bus during rush hour, the survey shows.

The findings:

Colorado Springs’ share of working-age residents near a transit stop: 51 percent

National average: 69 percent

Colorado Springs’ median wait in minutes for any rush-hour transit vehicle: 17.6 minutes

National average: 10.1 minutes

Colorado Springs’ share of all jobs reachable via transit in 90 minutes: 40  percent

 National average: 30 percent

The survey was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of this year. Study organizers said it’s now time for the federal government to step up to help maximize transit for the labor market.

Click here for the link to the report.

Posted in: city of colorado springs • El Paso County • Transportation • • • | Post a Comment »

About 50 participate in economic development trip to Oklahoma

May 4th, 2011, 1:43 pm by
Amanda Mountain of Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Service is one of about 50 local community and business leaders on the Oklahoma City trip.

What does Oklahoma City know that Colorado Springs doesn’t? Fifty local business and civic leaders are in Oklahoma City this week, not to watch the Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association playoffs, but to learn the flourishing city’s secrets.

 The goal of the scouting mission: Find out what led to Oklahoma City’s economic renaissance and how Colorado Springs can follow suit.

 “This city is known for innovative ideas, and there are some great things happening,” said City Councilwoman Jan Martin, who is on the trip, which concludes Friday.

 On the trip are representatives from top businesses and organizations, including El Paso County, the city of Colorado Springs, the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Colorado Springs Regional Economic Development Corp., the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and others.

 The population of Oklahoma City is 579,999, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, slightly larger than Colorado Springs’ 416,427 residents.

Participants are learning about Oklahoma City’s developments in the arts, government, sports and the environment, said El Paso County spokesman Dave Rose. Each organization is paying its way, he said.

The site of the 1995 bombing of a federal building, Oklahoma City has since resurrected a moribund downtown with renovations and additions that include a baseball park and library, improved its public education system and added 72,000 jobs between 2004 and 2009, according to the city’s website. During the recession, Oklahoma City consistently had the lowest unemployment rate in the nation.

This is the third annual “Regional Leaders Trip” to study cities that are nationally recognized as doing things right. Local officials visited Charlotte, N.C. and Austin, Texas, on previous trips.

Rose said participants on last year’s trip were impressed by how Charlotte and Mecklenburg County work together to enhance public services and save money. 

As a result, El Paso County and the city of Colorado Springs improved joint contracting to get lower prices on fuel through volume purchasing, he said.

Also, last month, El Paso County commissioners renewed a push to collaborate with the city of Colorado Springs. On the table is at least one idea gleaned from Charlotte: a centralized customer service call center to respond to transportation issues.

Oklahoma City’s downtown development details

 Late 1980s: Companies began abandoning downtown following a major economic downturn

 December 1993: Voters passed a 1 percent sales tax increase to fund a $254 million downtown revitalization project including a new baseball park, a new sports arena, convention center expansion, a new library, a downtown canal and river construction, renovations to the State Fair Park, civic center upgrades and a transit system

 1998: What is now the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark opened; voters approved a six-month extension of the sales tax

 December 1998: Voters approved a six-month extension of the sales tax

 1999: Trolley system opened

 2001: Extensive renovations completed at the Civic Center Music Hall; voters pass a sales tax and bond issue to fund public school construction projects

 2002: The Ford Center, a concert venue that in 2005 hosted the NBA’s Hornets franchise following Hurricane Katrina and now is home to the Oklahoma City Thunder, opened

 2004: North Canadian River parks and waterway restoration completed

2009: Voters passed a $777 million tax-funded proposal to build a central park downtown, a new convention center, a commuter rail system and other economic development projects

 Source: The Oklahoman

Posted in: city of colorado springs • economic development • El Paso County • • • | 34 Comments »

Free city, commuter bus rides on Earth Day

April 15th, 2011, 11:07 am by

Always wanted to try the bus service? On Earth Day, April 22, Mountain Metropolitan Transit will offer free bus rides on city buses and the two commuter lines, the FrontRange Express north to Denver and the Ute Pass Express west to Divide.

The city of Colorado Springs operates the systems and wants to give loyal riders, as well as newcomers, the chance to experience the local service, according to Craig Blewitt, interim transit division manager.

Free bus rides also will be given to active duty military and reserves throughout May, in honor of Military Appreciation Month. Military passengers will need to show their identification cards to get the free service.

Posted in: bus service • city of colorado springs • mountain metro transit • Uncategorized • • • | 4 Comments »

County commissioner not wasting any time with new City Council

April 6th, 2011, 1:53 pm by

El Paso County Commissioner Peggy Littleton seems eager to work with Colorado Springs’ new City Council members – so eager, in fact, that she’s scheduled a town hall meeting and issued a special invitation for them to attend, before they are sworn into office.

Littleton, elected last November, announced at Tuesday’s commission meeting that she will  hold her first town hall meeting from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on April 16 at Centennial Hall, 200 S. Cascade Ave.

Littleton said she is extending a special invitation to the six new council members and one incumbent who won  in Tuesday’s municipal election. But they won’t be seated until they take the oath of office on April 19.

“My Commissioner District 5 sits squarely in the center of Colorado Springs, and many of these new council campaigned on a willingness to look seriously at ways to improve service and reduce costs through greater city-county collaboration,” Littleton said. “I really hope that this will be the informal start of a collegial discussion involving the county, the city and our citizens about shared services.”

Maybe, but maybe not before they start their new job.

At the meeting, Littleton plans to provide an overview of county services and give an update on the relocation of county offices. More than half of the county’s 2,000 employees are being reshuffled to different buildings to consolidate offices and create a service center with multiple county services in one place. Commissioners and top county staff will move to Centennial Hall later this year, as the Sheriff’s Office moves into the county administration building on Vermijo Avenue.

Citizens are invited to attend Littleton’s town hall and give input. Free parking will be available in the El Paso County juror parking lot directly south of Centennial Hall.

Posted in: city of colorado springs • El Paso County • El Paso County Commissioners • elections • Uncategorized • • • • • | 7 Comments »

City elections could be different next time around

April 5th, 2011, 3:44 pm by

  In a municipal election, like the one being held today, leadership at the city of Colorado Springs independently gets to choose who conducts the election. The city typically has decided to contract with a private entity and do some of the work in-house.

But it could be a different story next time a city election rolls around.

El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Wayne Williams, who took office in December, said Tuesday that he is open to playing a “more active role” in city elections. His office runs all other elections, including county-coordinated ballots and general elections.

“It depends on the new mayor and city council, but I’d be surprised if this wasn’t something we looked at more of sharing services,” he said.

 His office did provide voter registration lists and signature verification for the April 5 city election.

Posted in: city of colorado springs • Clerk and Recorder Office • El Paso County • elections • Uncategorized • Wayne Williams • • • • • | 1 Comment »

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