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Nearly sixty people packed the Veterans of Foreign Wars building in Colorado City Thursday, April 28, to hear what the candidates running for Colorado City Metropolitan District (CCMD) board seats had to say.
During the well-thought-out and civil meeting, questions were asked clearly and candidates were given the chance to respond to each question on a rotating placement basis and with a time limit.
For the most part, the audience remained quiet and respectful, although they were allowed to chime in occasionally to gain a better understanding of a few of the answers or issues.
District manager Jim Eccher was on hand to explain some situations or add information on issues.
Attendees were asked to write their questions down as they came into the meeting and the questions were then read by a moderator.
The following are most of the questions asked of the candidates in the order they answered them. Some questions and responses may be summarized.
What needs to be done about the Applewood Park?
Greg Collins- The last I heard we are waiting on gravel. I have pushed for volunteers from the community for many projects.
Vance Hulben- Why are we waiting on gravel? Colorado City owns a gravel pit or, if gravel isn’t available there, I could have gravel here from Pueblo West in two hours and have volunteers to help spread it.
Sara Hunter- I hadn’t heard about the park and didn’t realize it was an issue. The park needs to be completed. Rod Clark- I am not up to speed on the park but I can attest to the gravel situation. What is at the pit is being held for emergency repairs. I agree that volunteers would be able to help.
How many CCMD board meetings have you attended over the last twelve months?
Hulben- ten or twelve Hunter – five or six Clark- none Collins- nearly all of them (Collins is the incumbent board member)
What would you do to help with funding issues for the park cleaning and maintenance?
Hunter- Clean up dates and projects with volunteer and nonprofit groups. Parks and Rec can only do what they have funding for.
Clark- I don’t know. That doesn’t mean I don’t care or won’t find out.
Collins- I wasn’t aware of the flag issue. (In reference to an attendee stating a complaint that there was no flag at the ball field, and that he had volunteered to provide one but the offer was rejected and there remains no flag.) Josh (Josh Briggs, Parks and Rec manager) is excellent at what he does, there just is not enough manpower or money. Hulben- The flag shouldn’t be a money issue. Get a tractor, get some volunteers and clean it up.
Can something be done to calm the dust on the roads?
Hulben- Most roads are Pueblo County roads so that is a county issue.
Hunter- I have no input on that.
Collins- 95% of the roads are county-owned. There are only seven to eight miles of CCMD roads and not many houses on those roads.
Clark- I live on a dirt ,county road and run the grader for Pueblo County. We are starting mag chloride treatment in May. There is an option to private fund areas for treatment.
Why are you running for office?
Hunter- There needs to be a change. We need some diversity. We do need to focus on the water but we also can’t forget other areas.
Clark- I felt I could do some community service here and thought I would take a turn. I have some infrastructure knowledge and would like to help.
Collins- I want to finish what I have started. I am really starting to understand how things work, and the water and sewer problems. New state regulations are really causing problems for our outdated plants.
Hulben- I have lived here most of my life and I have a passion for this community. I’ve watched it slide downhill and lose things that used to be here, and I want to stop that. People just moving here have no idea about the water issues.
If you are voted in, what are your top five priorities?
Clark- To get an up-to-date water study, water supply, water storage, and waste treatment. Hunter- Water storage, clean water, parks and rec for the community, the golf course brings a lot of people to the community who support other businesses so it needs taken care of.
Hulben- Water quality, water supply, water storage, water rights, and providing more open communication
Collins- Water, the dam is the single biggest concern because if we don’t get it fixed we are going to lose even more water storage. Water distribution, we are losing over half the water being produced and don’t know why. We need the leaks found.
What creative ideas do you have to help the community?
Collins- Rules and regulations have increased so that the manager cannot handle the load. I am working on creating a water/sewer manager position.
Hulben- Get the community involved, get more input and work together.
Hunter- More community involvement.
Clark- I believe the secret is to gang up on the problem, and not each other. If we all came together on issues, we could find it a helpful situation.
What measures would you implement to conserve water during drought times?
Collins- As a district, all we can do is evoke restrictions. It is kind of an honor system and, ironically enough, every time we put on restrictions water use goes up.
Clark- I am not up on how to restrict water usage.
Hulben- As a landscaper, I am helping people create nice yards using rocks and desertstyle plants.
Hunter- Water storage needs to be expanded and restrictions need to be implement ed sooner.
What specific problems would you address concerning Colorado City’s water issues?
Hulben- the dam
Hunter- water storage
Clark- water storage and water leaks
Collins- the dam and where all the water is going
Would you vote to place a moratorium on new residential water taps until water issues are resolved?
Hunter- that is a doubleedged issue, we need the tap fees coming in to have the revenue to resolve the problems
Clark- No, I do not support limits or stops.
Collins- It would have to get pretty bad, worse than it is, before I could do that.
Hulben- I would vote for it immediately. We need to take care of the people who are already here.
The moderator gave each candidate a few minutes to say what they would like to.
Clark- Thank you to the VFW for providing a place the meeting could be held. I realize there are a lot of answers I don’t know and that I have some weak points, but I want to do community service.
Hulben- It is nice to see a full meeting house. I would like to work together and get positive things done.
Hunter-Thanks for coming out. You asked some great questions.
Collins- Thanks for being here and thanks to the VFW. I want to finish what I have started. Anything with the government is slow and painful and I am understanding it better now.