Development | Events | Fire | Parks | Police | Roadwork | Town Council | Water
Town of Castle Rock
VOL. VOL. 17 17 || ISSUE ISSUE 11 || SPRING SPRING 2022 2022
PRETTY inPINK
Full Full blooms blooms in in The The Meadows Meadows decorate the landscape decorate the landscape as as spring spring awakens awakens the the Town. Town. Flip Flip over over to to see see the snowy side of spring the snowy side of spring ROAD IMPROVEMENTS: How the Town is making your drive better
A LOOK INSIDE
BEHIND-THE-SCENES OF THE MANY MOVING PARTS THAT KEEP THE TOWN RUNNING COVER PHOTOS
In Castle Rock, we have two sides of spring: the bloom of flowers in warmer weather, and playing on the powdery playground in colder weather. We love the variety the season brings to our Town. Here, photographer Nick Lucey captures a family snowball fight on the driving range at Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course.
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MAGAZINE TEAM Assistant Town Manager Kristin Read kread@CRgov.com 720-733-3552 Community Relations Manager Melissa Hoelting mhoelting@CRgov.com 303-660-1365 Sr. Community Relations Specialist KerriAnne Mukhopadhyay kmukhopadhyay@CRgov.com 303-660-1381 Community Relations Specialist Joelle Beckett jbeckett@CRgov.com 303-660-1387 Community Relations Specialist Sydney Kozel skozel@CRgov.com 303-660-1382 Photos by: Nick Lucey, John Leyba, Mark Sims, various staff and volunteers Graphic designer: Joelle Beckett
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Meet the experts
A skilled team of planners and engineers oversee building in Town
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Wildland team
CRFD's training helped assist in Boulder County's Marshall Fire
Follow us on social media @CRgov Sign up for our email newsletter: CRgov.com/SignUp
Water protection SCADA system keeps water safe and flowing to residents
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More rec, more fun Feasibility study completed for third rec center
Town memories Take a walk down memory lane with "Our Town Over Time"
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Reach out
New Town phone number gets you connected
This magazine is printed with soybean oil inks on post-consumer paper. Please recycle.
OUTLOOK MAGAZINE / SPRING 2022 3
WELCOME
Behind the scenes, we work for a quality community
T
hose reading this likely take for granted that clean water comes from the faucet when it’s turned on; that buildings within Town are structurally sound; and that there are roads that connect to where folks need to go. Similarly, that there are places nearby to enjoy the outdoors and that a response comes quickly when 911 gets called are likely givens to Castle Rock residents. But, these things are not afterthoughts to us: they are part of the work we engage in every day on the community’s behalf. Planning to ensure the continuation of quality Town services is a major part of our jobs as your Mayor and Town Manager. Though we may be some of the most visible people engaging in these efforts, the Town staff working on the community’s behalf every day is hundreds strong. It includes those executing on the important road projects we have happening this year. Learn more about those on Page 8. Also critically important are those who work to secure water for the Town’s future and who serve and protect Castle Rock on our public safety teams. We intend to continue engaging with the community this year on ways we can work together to ensure these essential needs remain met. Also important to the fabric of our community is having ample places to recreate. Turn to Page 18 to learn how we’re advancing efforts in that area. We are committed to keeping Castle Rock a great place to live as it continues to grow. This edition of Outlook aims to give a behind-thescenes look at some of the lesser-known ways the Town’s team is working for you every day. As you read it, we hope you enjoy learning more about your Town and all that goes into making it a place worthy of you calling “home.” Your neighbors,
Mayor Jason Gray Mayor@CRgov.com
Town Manager David L. Corliss TownManager@CRgov.com
Town Manager David L. Corliss (left) and Mayor Jason Gray prepare for prepare for a Town Council meeting with an agenda review session.
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TOWN COUNCIL
FORWARD FACING: Moments before a Town Council meeting, Councilmembers are ready to begin.
Balancing worlds
I
Take a peek inside serving residents on Town Council
t’s obvious that being a Town Council member means attending Town Council meetings. But, what else goes into representing the community as an elected citizen legislator? Councilmembers spend a lot of time and energy caring for their community every day of the year. This is on top of their full-time obligations as parents, partners, employees, neighbors and friends. On top of attending Council meetings, Councilmembers spend time preparing for those meetings. In addition, each member serves as the liaison to Town boards and regional groups. Councilmembers also have a lot of community contacts. And, with the advent of hybrid attendance, many now call into their meetings while out of Town, to ensure their constituents OPEN HOUSE: Councilmember and the Town are represented at every Desiree LaFleur answers a opportunity possible. All of this adds up to a big resident's questions. time commitment on Councilmembers’ part. It’s their love for Castle Rock that keeps them going when days turn long. Take a peek into some of the behind-the-scenes details of what serving on Town Council is like:
Community contacts
An important task of Councilmembers is to field community members’ contacts. These might come in the form of a call about a local law, a social media inquiry about a project’s status or emailed feedback on how the Town can improve its services. The Mayor and Councilmembers report fielding up to 10 contacts daily. This doesn’t only happen when they’re focused on their Council duties but also while they’re out grocery shopping, attending appointments, at family functions and more. One Councilmember also reports concerns to Town departments that he's observed while out walking his dog. Councilmembers are intentionally visible and accessible so they can better serve the community.
OUTLOOK MAGAZINE / SPRING 2022 5
TOWN COUNCIL
Contact Town Council
Council liaison and other meetings In addition to their service on Council and representing the Town on boards and committees, Councilmembers also frequently attend open houses, neighborhood meetings and other community functions. Here’s what this might look like during a non-Council meeting week: Monday: Councilmember Hollingshead attends an HOA meeting for The Meadows, which he represents, during the daytime; at night, Councilmember Johnson attends the Public Works Commission meeting, and Councilmember LaFleur participates in a virtual neighborhood meeting hosted by a potential developer Tuesday: During the day, Mayor Gray and Mayor Pro Tem Bracken attend a Castle Rock Economic Partnership meeting; in the evening, some Councilmembers attend a meeting on a potential park partnership the Town hosts at the Recreation Center Wednesday: Councilmember Cavey attends a Design Review Board meeting Thursday: During the day, Councilmembers Dietz and Johnson participate in a Douglas County Homeless Initiative Executive Committee meeting; in the evening, Mayor Gray attends a Planning Commission meeting For a complete list of board and commission and public meetings, visit CRgov.com/Events.
Have a policy you’d like considered or an area to which you think Town funds should be prioritized? These are great items to discuss with the Mayor and/or your Town Council representative. Here’s how you reach them:
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Town Council meetings in 2021
73
hours and 39 minutes Council was in session
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Council meeting prep
It’s about 5 p.m. on Thursday, and that means it’s agenda packet time! Between now and when the Town Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Councilmembers must familiarize themselves with the contents of the meeting’s agenda packet. This is a major task.
hours and 38 minutes average meeting length
1,836
pages was the largest agenda packet in 2021
655
pages was the average size of a 2021 agenda packet
Mayor Pro Tem, District 3 Councilmember Kevin Bracken, 303-663-4402 or kbracken@CRgov.com District 1 Councilmember Ryan Hollingshead, 720-733-3585 or rhollingshead@CRgov.com District 2 Councilmember Laura Cavey, 303-663-4406 or lcavey@CRgov.com District 4 Councilmember Desiree LaFleur, 303-660-1384 or dlafleur@CRgov.com
17,695 total pages in the agenda packets for 2021 meetings
Mayor Jason Gray, 303-663-4401 or Mayor@CRgov.com
Councilmembers Caryn Johnson (left) and Laura Cavey chat before a Town Council meeting.
Council meeting It’s
the first Tuesday of the month, which means there’s a Council meeting tonight. (Council meetings are also held on the third Tuesday of each month.) Councilmembers generally arrive closer to 5 p.m. to share dinner together beforehand. The length of each meeting varies from around an hour to upward of four hours.
District 5 Councilmember Caryn Johnson, 303-663-4403 or cjohnson@CRgov.com District 6 Councilmember Tim Dietz, 303-663-4405 or tdietz@CRgov.com
Scan to find your Town Council district by entering your address. For more routine customer service issues, Town staff are your best contacts; see Page 22 for ways to reach out.
TOWN COUNCIL: (L-R, back row) Gray, Dietz, Hollingshead, Bracken; (L-R, front row) LaFleur, Johnson and Cavey.
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DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
TEAMWORK: From the request window (bottom photo), where staff meets with residents, to staff collaborating to inspect plans for buildings, the Development Services Department ensures the Town keeps its character.
Developing ideas
A STAFF OF EXPERTS MAKES SURE THE TOWN KEEPS ITS CHARACTER OUR TOWN IS A WORLD-CLASS COMMUNITY with small-town character. Planners, engineers and other Town staff work to ensure this remains central to all we do. Land owners have property rights known as “entitlements” that legally allow them to develop property, including both multifamily and single-family residences and commercial uses, as long as their plans meet approved zoning and land uses. What you see under construction today was likely approved in the 1980s or 1990s. Nearly 90% of existing residential entitlements were granted by the year 2000. Based on today’s entitlements, it’s estimated the Town’s population
will grow to 120,000-140,000 residents. Check out CRgov.com/Entitlements for more details. To help make sure development aligns with the Town’s vision for the future, Town staff guides developers on the steps required to complete a project to help assure high-quality development. Our team of experts evaluates all aspects of development and annexation proposals, including traffic and water impacts, as well as design and aesthetic standards. They help dot I's and cross T's, so what is presented at public hearings is vetted and complete and meets Town standards. For more details about the development process, visit CRgov.com/DevelopmentSteps.
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DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
MEET OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS Our staff include engineers and planners with advanced experience, certifications and education who review each project submittal to maintain high-quality development in Town.
DEVEOPMENT SERVICES TEAM
AVERAGE TOTAL YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
19.8
6.3
AVERAGE LENGTH OF YEARS WITH THE TOWN
Review impacts to traffic, drinking water, storm water, sanitary sewer, parks and trail facilities; confirm open space dedication; and review access routes, egress and fire mitigation strategies.
FIRE & RESCUE
PARKS & REC
PUBLIC WORKS
TECHNICAL REVIEW GROUP
61
PROFESSIONAL LICENSES
16 PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Manage land-use applications; review allowed zoning and compatible land uses with adjacent properties; and review other technical criteria for code compliance.
36 ACADEMIC DEGREES
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
PLANNERS PROJECT COORDINATORS
WATER DEPT.
Coordination occurs with utilities, State and Federal agencies and local entities, such as Douglas County School District and homeowners associations. OUTSIDE AGENCY COORDINATION UTILITIES
STATE & FEDERAL
LOCAL ENTITIES
CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
SITE DEVELOPMENT INSPECTORS
BUILDING PLAN REVIEW INSPECTION TEAM
Inspect public infrastructure (streets, utilities, etc.) for compliance with codes and approved plans. Also review and issue building permits and inspect building construction for code compliance.
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PUBLIC WORKS
NEW TREATMENT PROGRESS TRACKER Where have we been, and where is our team going next? Track the progress of the Pavement Maintenance Program with our new treatment progress tracker at
CRgov.com/PMPTracker.
Roadwork rundown An overview of improvement projects coming soon
W
ith many roadwork plans heading into construction in 2022, it is projected to be a
busy year! Road construction may not be everyone’s favorite, but Public Works is confident these additions will improve transportation access throughout Town to keep people moving smoothly and safely. Here’s an overview of projects heading your way. All roadwork timelines are current projections and subject to change.
PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE PROGRAM Every summer, Public Works focuses on an area of Town as part of its Pavement Maintenance Program. Annual maintenance extends the life of Town roads and helps get the most out of infrastructure
investments. The focus of this year’s program is southern Castle Rock, which includes Crystal Valley and Plum Creek. Additionally, the program is scheduled to improve segments of Fifth and Gilbert streets. In 2022, $18.5 million is dedicated to the Pavement Maintenance Program, which is expected to touch 123 total lane miles. Visit CRgov.com/PMP to view an interactive map that highlights the five regions of Town and what year they will see roadwork. PLUM CREEK PARKWAY WIDENING The Town is investing in widening Plum Creek Parkway from Gilbert Street to Ridge Road. Stay up to date by visiting CRgov.com/PlumCreekPkwy. • Construction: spring 2022-2023 FOUR CORNERS INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS To accommodate the Town’s growth, safety and roadway improvements are being made at the intersection of Founders Parkway, Fifth Street, State Highway 86 and Ridge Road, also known as the “Four Corners” intersection. Construction will begin in 2022 and is expected to be completed by 2023. Learn more at CRgov.com/4Corners. • Construction: fall 2022-2023
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“The Town has some key transportation master plans that guide us into our transportation future.” Public Works Director Dan Sailer
PUBLIC WORKS
Crowfoot Valley Road widening
LEGEND 2022 PMP WORK IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
Fifth Street widening Four Corners intersection improvements
Crystal Valley interchange
Plum Creek Boulevard and Crystal Valley Parkway roundabout
Plum Creek Parkway widening
Town of Castle Rock ROADWORK PROJECTS
CROWFOOT VALLEY ROAD WIDENING To further safe and efficient travel along Crowfoot Valley Road, the stretch between Knobcone Drive and Macanta Boulevard is being widened. This project is being led by Douglas County in partnership with the Town. Updates can be found at CRgov.com/Crowfoot. •Construction: winter 2022-2023
FIFTH STREET WIDENING Road and pedestrian improvements are coming to Fifth Street from Gilbert Street to Ridge Road. The project includes sidewalk additions, eastbound roadway widening and intersection improvements. Visit CRgov.com/FifthStreet for project updates. • Construction: 2023
PLUM CREEK BOULEVARD AND CRYSTAL VALLEY PARKWAY ROUNDABOUT Traffic at Plum Creek Boulevard and Crystal Valley Parkway has increased due to new home construction in the area. A roundabout at this intersection will increase safety, improve reliability and reduce environmental impacts. • Construction: winter 2022-2023
CRYSTAL VALLEY INTERCHANGE Construction of a new interchange at Interstate 25 and Crystal Valley Parkway will improve safety and mobility in the surrounding community and provide a key regional transportation link from Interstate 25 to southern Castle Rock and Douglas County. The project is currently in its design phase. View the schedule at CRgov.com/CVI. • Design: 2022-2023 Construction: 2023-2025
Behind the scenes with Public Works Director Dan Sailer For 20 years, Dan Sailer has worked in the Public Works Department, supporting the Town’s transportation infrastructure and maintenance needs in a variety of positions.
How does the Public Works Department prioritize its projects? “The Town has some key transportation master plans that guide us into our transportation future,” said Sailer. “They also identify recommended implementation timelines, which we use to guide budget recommendations. For street maintenance, our team conducts annual condition assessments. Each year, we assess our finite financial resources and propose capital and maintenance recommendations that provide the biggest bang for the buck.” What is the Public Works Department excited to achieve this year? “Our goal is to continue to maximize value for the community with our maintenance and capital improvement programs,” said Sailer. “We have several new capital improvements that are planned to move into the construction phase in 2022. We also have a significant Pavement Maintenance Program that is focused on the southern region of the Town. Folks can also learn more about this work on the Town’s website.” Learn more at CRgov.com/Roads.
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CASTLE ROCK WATER
Cybersecurity is a critical issue nationwide, and it’s great to know our team has put in place an extremely robust system to protect our operational technology. MARK MARLOWE
Director, Castle Rock Water
SCADA: The heart and brains of the Town's water system
O THE T E F LA A P S O T S DR
I
t seems pretty simple: You turn on the tap, and water flows. But behind the scenes, there’s a sophisticated system that ensures 80,000 Castle Rock residents have clean, reliable water 24/7.
SCADA
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system is the brain, circulatory system and nerves of the Castle Rock Water system. It helps protect
$730M infastructure assets across 33 square miles of Town.
The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system is the brain, circulatory system and nerves of the Castle Rock Water system. It monitors chemicals in the treatment process, the pressure of the water in the distribution system and how much water each well is pumping. It allows water operators to move water from one storage tank to another to maintain fresh water and adequate firefighting supplies. If there is a break in a water main, a filter that requires cleaning or a control that is rising, the system will alert a water operator. And, it stores all the regulatory information for water quality adjustments and reporting. With more than $730 million in infrastructure assets across 33 square miles, this system is critical to providing water to Castle Rock Water customers. In late 2021, Town Council approved $12 million for a major overhaul of the system. A primary focus of the upgrade is standardization and updates. The project is expected to take five years.
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CASTLE ROCK WATER Standardization will create efficiencies so that any technician or operator can look at one system and understand the next. Control screens, equipment and processing apparatus will all have a similar look and feel. Since no water system is the same as that of the next community, the internal processes are not, either. Having a standardized system will allow the next generation of SCADA employees, as well as water operators and maintenance techs, to more easily learn, understand and work with the Castle Rock Water system. The upgrade will also add redundancies and increase security. Cyber terrorism is the most likely threat to any water system. The Castle Rock Water SCADA system is 100% internal. The isolated interfaces do not share any connections with the outside world. Adding a redundant control system provides another level of security in case of physical threats such as tornadoes, train derailments, fires or other catastrophic events. Redundancy also guarantees consistent water quality, should equipment be taken offline for maintenance. One of the primary benefits of SCADA is efficiencies. Just two or three water operators can manage and control the entire water system from one location. With increasing complexities, like recently added Advanced Treatment processes at the Plum Creek Water Purification Facility, SCADA streamlines treatments to work more effectively, allowing plant operators more time to manage quality checks and attend to maintenance duties. While giant water storage tanks, microfiltration membranes and rushing stormwater through the storm drain may get the limelight, it’s the integrally wired network in the SCADA system, between mechanical and electrical, and operations and maintenance, that is the true champion, ensuring the Castle Rock community receives quality drinking water.
SCADA Supervisor Harvey Bessonett and his team manage the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system.
Employees keep water flowing to residents Castle Rock Water has many engineers and technicians working together to keep water flowing. SCADA Supervisor Harvey Bessonett and his team manage the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system, ensuring that all the electrical signals make the mechanical processes work.
SCADA PROTECTED: The blending tank has security, safety and water quality measures. The Castle Rock Water SCADA system is 100% internal, which provides added protection from security threats and physical threats like fires and tornadoes.
After getting burnt by a battery in sixth grade, Bessonett embarked on his lifelong journey to expand his knowledge about electricity, industrial electrical systems, mechanical processes and engineering design to find out WHY things do what they do. After years as an electronic control mechanic for Proctor & Gamble, owning his own system integration business and a brief stint as a cowboy in haunted hayrides and Wild West shows, Bessonett now ensures interfaces in and between electronic and mechanical systems are running smoothly, safe from malicious events, and effectively providing data to ensure safe and reliable water is delivered to Castle Rock residents every day.
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OUR TOWN OVER TIME
A walk down memory lane
M
any events and people have shaped #OurTownOverTime. Here are some of the many historical tales that have been shared on the Town’s Facebook page @CRgov and posted at CRgov.com/TownHistory. We invite you to follow the Town's social media channels to learn more about Town services, amenities and the history of the beautiful community we’re lucky to call home.
1843 If a certain explorer, war hero and politician had his way, we’d be living in Poundcake Rock, Colorado.
Images courtsey of Douglas County Libraries Archives &
1875
On April 22, 1875, the plat for the "Wilcox Addition to Castle Rock" was filed with the Douglas County Clerk. This third plat for the Town is significant, because it's the one that officially added Castle Rock itself to the Town's map. The original 1874 plat contained First through Seventh streets, along with Elbert, Jerry, Wilcox, Perry and Castle streets A second plat filed that same year – for Craig and Gould's Addition – added Front, Cantril and Main streets. This plat comprised the Town's boundaries through 1890.
During the 1840s, American explorer, military hero and politician John C. Fremont led five separate expeditions into the American West. During his second expedition, his goal was to map and document the second half of the Oregon Trail, find an alternate route to Wyoming’s South Pass and push westward to the Pacific. A July 9, 1843, entry in his autobiography describes his first encounter with Castle Rock’s iconic butte: “This morning, we turned to the eastward, along the upper waters of the stream on which we had encamped, entering a country of picturesque and varied scenery ... everything to give it a varied beauty, except game. To one of these remarkably shaped hills, having on the summit a circular flat rock, two or three hundred yards in circumference, someone gave it the name of Poundcake Rock, which it has been permitted to retain, as our hungry people seemed to think it a very agreeable comparison.”
1881 The Town was laid out on a 120-acre parcel of land donated by one of Castle Rock’s original homesteaders – Jeremiah Gould – in 1874. This is the same year that Castle Rock became the seat of Douglas County, which at the time stretched from the Platte River in the west to the Kansas state line in the east. A group of 51 electors assembled in Castle Rock on April 14, 1881, and a vote was taken – 28 voted for incorporation, and 23 voted against. The Town had a population of 165 at that time. A little over a month later, the State of Colorado certified the decision, and Castle Rock was officially incorporated on May 17, 1881.
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OUR TOWN OVER TIME 1929
In August 1929, the Town installed its first stop signs along Wilcox Street, at the intersections of Third, Fourth and Fifth streets, according to a news brief published in the "Record Journal of Douglas County" on Aug. 16, 1929.
1965 On June 16, 1965, saturated clouds began to dump massive amounts of rain on the Colorado Front Range. Approximately 14 inches of rain fell in just four hours. The flow of Plum Creek at Castle Rock surged 1,000-fold in three hours, from 150 cubic feet per second to 154,000. A wall of water carrying debris, cars, asphalt and trees barreled toward Littleton. The Wolfensberger Bridge was washed a half-mile downstream, to its final resting place aside our Town’s East Plum Creek Trail.
Archives & Local History
All said and done, 21 lives were lost, and $543 million worth of property was destroyed Statewide – equivalent to more than $4 billion in today’s dollars. The Great Flood of 1965 changed the face of our region forever.
Wilcox th the for the one that the ontained with e streets. for Craig Cantril d the
cel of ginal 4. came time st to
was 3 n of er, the nd n
1968
Castle Rock was a relatively quiet Town when on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 1968, Howard Ellis saw what he believed to be an egg-shaped UFO hovering above a power line near Downtown. According to his report, when he shined a flashlight on it, lights came on, and it proceeded to drift above the courthouse, levitated above a market, and then emitted flames and shot straight up in the air and out of sight.
1978
The incident gained publicity in local newspapers the following day but was immediately debunked the next. As it turns out, the “UFO” was actually concocted by two high school students, brothers Jack and Tom Dietrich, out of plastic dry-cleaning bags, sticks, and a cup filled with candles. Heat from the candles warmed air inside the bag to give it lift, and hot wax caused the contraption to burn and shoot into the sky.
The former Douglas County Courthouse was built in 1890, when the burgeoning settlement of Castle Rock was an important stop along a railroad corridor stretching from Denver to Colorado Springs and Pueblo.
DUI, when she ignited the fire in a stairwell. Within hours, the two-story late Victorian building was just a smoldering skeleton of locally quarried Rhyolite stone. For nearly nine decades, the courthouse had stood proudly in our Town’s center.
But, all that would go up in smoke when the courthouse was torched to the ground by 17-yearold Rose Ann Lucero on March 11, 1978. She was attempting to create a distraction, angered that her boyfriend was being detained in the courthouse for
Today, a modern edifice stands in its place. And, although she did two years in a state correctional facility on three counts of arson, Lucero probably never knew the impact that she’d have on our Town’s history.
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CASTLE ROCK POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAINING DAY(S)
CRPD focuses on decision-making so officers are sharp in every situation Training is important in any profession. In policing, it’s critical. The State of Colorado requires all officers to complete 24 hours of training per year, with half of those hours in the areas of driving, arrest control and firearms. Castle Rock Police Department quintuples the amount of training required for its officers. “Our department is strongly commited to training, and we’re very fortunate our Town leaders support our mission in doing that,” said Police Chief Jack Cauley. “With their backing, our training has become much more
advanced over the past 10 years.” CRPD requires officers to complete a minimum of 120 in-service training hours each year. In 2021, each officer averaged more than 200 hours of internal and external training in skills including driving, de-escalation, use of force and more. Often times, these exercises are multifaceted and multiskilled. “We really believe training is more than just going through the motions,” said Police Commander Jason Lyons. “We teach the physical skill but also train on the decision-making behind everything our officers learn.” The Police Department aims to make its trainings as close to real
The theme for CRPD's training this year is "Building on the Basics." Here, officers practice on a firing range.
OUTLOOK MAGAZINE / SPRING 2022 15
CASTLE ROCK POLICE DEPARTMENT
Officers train for the Bike Unit in a weeklong certification course.
Force Option Simulator training is some of the more than 120 hours of annual training CRPD requires.
life as possible. The State mandates some trainings be focused on a specific skill, like shooting; however, after that requirement is met, CRPD goes one step further and trains to sharpen an officer’s decision-making by incorporating dispatch calls or other specialized units into their scenarios. In other instances, it involves using actors to play specific roles in situations an officer might encounter. Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Every two years, officers in Colorado are required to complete Standardized Field Sobriety Testing. CRPD conducts this training every year and has even turned it into a scenario. Actors will drive around a training track, and officers will practice conducting a roadside stop, where they must look for signs of intoxication. Actors have even gone as far as rinsing with mouthwash in the car so officers can detect an odor of alcohol coming from their breath, which helps the officers learn to engage with all of their senses when evaluating a situation. “It really takes creative instructors to create valuable scenario-based training,” said Training and Logistics Officer Lee Gizzi. “The instructors are always there to provide feedback and make sure officers are training in accordance with the newest and updated laws in our State.” Force Option Simulator Proper police training – focused on
human factors, decision-making and de-escalation – has never been more critical than it is today. CRPD added a Force Option Simulator to its training repertoire in 2021. This tool uses virtual reality to aid officers with their decisionmaking skills. Simulators prepare law enforcement officers with reality-based situational training so they – and every member of the community – are protected to the best of their abilities. These scenarios are designed to teach critical concepts including officer presence, communication skills, verbal and nonverbal cues, de-escalation and more. Building on the Basics The department looks at policing trends throughout the United States annually and creates a training theme. The goal is for the lessons to build off one another from year to year. Once the theme is set, Gizzi will begin building a training schedule for the following year, determining who lead instructors are and where the lessons will take place. The theme for 2022 is “Building on the Basics.” “Last year, our training theme was ‘Back to the Basics,’” said Gizzi. “The idea was that a successful prosecution starts with the basics. This year, we want to build on top of what we learned in 2021 to take our department to the next level.”
16 OUTLOOK MAGAZINE / SPRING 2022
CASTLE ROCK FIRE & RESCUE How Castle Rock Fire and Rescue’s training prepared its Wildland Team for a once-in-a-lifetime event, the Marshall Fire Each year, Castle Rock Fire and Rescue firefighters spend more than 190 hours training to prepare to respond to any situation in which a need may arise to protect the safety of individuals, property or the environment. A portion of that training played an important role in late 2021 when CRFD firefighters responded to the Marshall Fire in Boulder County. When the call for assistance came at about 3 p.m. on Dec. 30 from the State of Colorado, Lts. Clay Kallweit and Patrick Richardson, along with two other members of Castle Rock Fire and Rescue, were ready to respond. “We got to the station to grab our gear by 3:30 p.m. Three out of four of us were off-duty,” recalled Kallweit. Richardson was assigned as an experienced division supervisor and departed ahead of the group. As division supervisor, Richardson was responsible for managing a large geographic portion of the Marshall Fire and moving resources, including equipment and crew members, to support the incident commander.
Castle Rock Fire and Rescue members participate in live fire training.
OUTLOOK MAGAZINE / SPRING 2022 17
CASTLE ROCK FIRE & RESCUE 12-hour period from 5:30 p.m. to about 4 a.m. on Dec. 31. Kallweit’s team was actively firefighting during that time. “We had one break in that period,” he said.
Follow Castle Rock Fire Department’s new Facebook page! Follow the official Facebook page to learn more about CRFD and the work they are doing in the community. Find their page at Facebook.com/CRFireCo, or search “Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department” on Facebook.
“Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to be able to make myself available and acquire not only the training but the experience,” shared Richardson. “There’s always a big difference between the fundamental training and actually being able to acquire the context to put your training to work.” When describing the LT. PATRICK RICHARDSON Marshall Fire, Richardson said, “Seeing a fire of that magnitude is really a once-ina-lifetime event for most firefighters. Or really, they may never see something like that.” Kallweit and his two team members, Engineers Chris Hinkle and Taylor Reifschneider, departed to the Incident Command Post with their Go Bags filled with food and supplies to be self-sufficient for up to 14 days. Upon reaching the command post, Kallweit and his team were assigned to the most active division. “Once we started getting close and reached the barricaded locations, we flipped on our lights,” said Kallweit. “By 5:30 p.m., our CRFD firefighters were actively engaged with the Marshall Fire.” KEEPING UP THE PACE Richardson recalls the fire being most active over the
MAKING IT WORK While actively engaged in the fire, Kallweit said, “We had to get creative and open up high-density areas we didn’t have tools for.” This all comes from experience being in the field. Although the team predominantly used traditional firefighting techniques, in one instance, the team needed to take down fencing between homes to slow down the fire. In another, they filled water pitchers from a sink to put out a developing fire in a garage. “We had to go old school,” said Kallweit. “A lot of LT. CLAY KALLWEIT that goes down to basic training at the fire academy to stay calm. It was muscle memory. The more that you’ve experienced, the better decisions you’re able to make.” WILDLAND TRAINING: AT A GLANCE Eighty-six members of CRFD are trained to the basic level of wildland firefighter and complete their required Wildland Firefighter and Wildland Fire Behavior classes. “Annually, we complete about 35 hours of wildland training for each firefighter, including scenarios, videos, case studies and company-level training to stay sharp,” explained Lt. Michael Moore. Only 23 CRFD firefighters have completed additional training to become deployable and fight wildfires nationally, which can require years of commitment and study. “Wildland fire is a significant risk in our community, and we have focused heavily on ensuring all of our personnel are well trained. This training, coupled with the experience of deploying to other significant wildland fires, certainly helped our crew at the Marshall Fire,” said Fire Chief Norris Croom. “The experience they gained allows them to bring back lessons learned to better prepare our entire department should we experience a fire of this magnitude in Castle Rock or Douglas County.”
18 OUTLOOK MAGAZINE / SPRING 2022
PARKS & RECREATION
Concept image of an indoor track from the study.
Aquatics is an element envisioned by the study.
Three times the fun C
Parks and Recreation working to bring distinctive third indoor recreation facility to community
astle Rock Parks and Recreation is anything but common: It’s one of only 191 accredited parks and recreation operations in the country and one of only five Colorado parks and rec providers to win more than one prestigious national “Gold Medal” award for being the best in parks and rec. With credentials like those, it should come as no surprise that the department is pushing the envelope as it works to plan a third indoor
recreation facility for the community. A facility programming and financial feasibility study recently assessed the indoor recreation amenities the Town already has between the Recreation Center and the Miller Activity Complex and identified “gaps” that the upcoming third facility might seek to fill. The study says the third center should offer one convenient location for youth and adult sports with spectator seating, specifically: •c ompetitive aquatics and increased
Meeting/team spaces could look something like this.
lap lanes with spectator areas •a n indoor adventure track, centrally located to strength and cardio areas •a functional fitness area for team sports • meeting and team spaces •a large-scale gymnasium for wrestling, basketball, volleyball, pickleball and other court sports Including these amenities would require a building in excess of 55,000 square feet, which could be expected
A multilevel building could include fitness stairs.
OUTLOOK MAGAZINE / SPRING 2022 19
PARKS & RECREATION
Therapeutic Rec provides unique opportunities
HISTORY OF TOWN REC CENTERS
1988
The first, 40,000-squarefoot phase of the Recreation Center opened with a lap pool, gym, racquetball courts, weight room, meeting rooms and locker facilities. The Town’s population was 8,000.
2005
The Recreation Center was expanded again, this time by 34,000 square feet, which included the leisure pool, group exercise studio and toddler rooms. The Town’s population was 35,500.
2025
Earliest potential year for opening the Town’s next indoor recreation facility. It’s estimated the Town’s population will be near 90,000 at this time.
to cost in the range of $35 to $55 million and may require a phased approach to construction. Funding such a facility while continuing to add new parks to the community was identified as the department’s No. 1 challenge in its most recent strategic plan. But, if anyone can tackle a challenge, it’s the Parks and Recreation team. The team this year put out a request for proposals seeking
1996
A 26,000-squarefoot expansion to the Recreation Center added new locker rooms, a multipurpose room, an indoor track and an area for the Castle Rock Senior Center. The Town’s population was 12,500.
2014 The 64,000-square-foot Miller Activity Complex opened, bringing amenities including indoor turf fields with drop-down batting cages, an aquatic center with a leisure pool, a children’s climbing structure and a trampoline area. The Town’s population was 55,000.
potential partners to provide suitable property or other assistance for the Town to open a third indoor recreation facility. One proposal was received that may allow a facility to open as soon as in 2025, in a distinctive setting central to all areas of Castle Rock. Plans are being fine-tuned. The Town is excited to share details with the community later this spring. Watch for updates at CRgov.com/ProjectUpdates.
The Town’s desire for unique recreational opportunities doesn’t stop with its dreams for its next indoor recreation facility. Our Therapeutic Recreation Program stands out within the area for providing diverse leisure opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities. The Meadows residents Lindsey and Matt Reynolds recently signed up their sons Henry, 8, and Preston, 5, for Special Olympics Basketball. The whole family has enjoyed the experience thus far. “The boys get a huge smile on their faces when we tell them it’s time for basketball. Seeing them laugh, smile and interact with other kids on the court makes me smile,” said Lindsey. “They are learning how to play together as a team, basketball skills and how to take direction from other adults. Overall, it’s been an amazing experience. The coaches have made it a safe, fun environment for all abilities.” Therapeutic Rec offerings vary by season and also include aquatics, art, camps and clinics, cooking, crafts, dance, family activities, field trips, golf, skiing and special events, as well as one-on-one and group programming. Visit CRgov.com/TherapeuticRec for more information.
The annual Climb4Change raises funds for the Therapeutic Recreation Program. Visit CRgov.com/Climb4Change to register.
20 OUTLOOK MAGAZINE / SPRING 2022
WORK FOR THE TOWN
Join the Town team, serve the community
W
orking for the Town of Castle Rock offers more than excellent benefits and competitive pay. It offers a sense of teamwork and Town pride.
Learn about these opportunities and more: CRgov.com/Jobs
We love joining together as a 600-member team to build a better life for everyone, with an emphasis of Town values and work-life balance. See how rewarding it can be to work together to serve the Town's 80,000 residents. There are many positions available now for the right people to join our passionate team. A few highlights: Facility Services Worker: Do you want to be part of a team that ensures a clean and pleasant environment for Town of Castle Rock patrons and employees? This parttime position is a critical member of the Town team. Fleet Technician: Maintains, diagnoses and repairs all types of automobiles, light- and heavy-duty trucks, and light- and heavy-duty equipment, at a skilled-work level. This position is also responsible for maintaining and repairing generators, pumps, small portable equipment, and fire and police vehicles. The Town will assist with obtaining a commercial driver’s license and DOT Air Brake Inspector Certification. Lifeguard, Aquatics Group Instructor: Perfect positions for the student or person wanting to earn some money while enjoying the pool lifestyle. These part-time positions are responsible for ensuring a safe and clean environment for all Town aquatics facilities, including those at the Miller Activity Complex and Rec Center. No experience is necessary. The Town will assist with obtaining certifications. Meter Services Technician: Performs skilled work installing, inspecting, reading, maintaining and
Lifeguards soak up the sun in the summertime while keeping a safe and clean environment.
repairing new and existing water meter infrastructure. The Town will train and assist in obtaining CDL and American Backflow Prevention Association backflow tester certification. Operator: Performs a variety of skilled and semi-
OUTLOOK MAGAZINE / SPRING 2022 21
WORK FOR THE TOWN skilled tasks, including manual labor and equipment operation, in the construction and maintenance of roadways, drainage facilities and equipment. Duties include street sweeping, snow and ice control, and repairing small to moderately sized roadway failures including potholes, cracks, sinking pavement and utility patches.
TEAM CASTLE ROCK: From working in facilities to being the Town Clerk, it takes many hands to keep the Town running smoothly.
Preschool Instructor: The 30-to-39-hour preschool instructor supervises and instructs children enrolled in preschool and pre-kindergarten classes. Work includes planning, organizing, and implementing a diverse range of curriculum, activities and programs. The instructor must be Group Leader Qualified per State of Colorado licensing requirements. Stormwater Conveyance System Operator: This position performs specialized corrective and preventative maintenance and inspections on Townowned infrastructure, detention ponds, channels, outfalls, culverts and the storm sewer collection system. This position is also part of the Town’s snow removal program. This will include scheduled on-call responsibilities through the winter months to remove snow using a four-wheel-drive pickup and/or heavy equipment. Snow removal shifts are typically 12 hours. The Town will train and assist
LEARN MORE ABOUT WORKING FOR THE TOWN:
with obtaining CDL and operator certifications. Traffic Engineering Technician: This position reviews and coordinates traffic control plans,
manages information in the traffic crash database, performs traffic signal work, provides customer service, and maintains the school beacon program. Water Distribution System Operator: Performs a variety of specialized maintenance functions primarily related to water distribution for the operation, construction, repair, maintenance and replacement of the Town’s water, sewer and stormwater lines, facilities and infrastructure. The Town will train and assist with obtaining CDL and operator certifications.
Town offers many benefits The Town offers an excellent full-time benefits package including two health plan options, dental and vision insurance. In addition to Social Security, general employees participate in a 401a retirement plan. The required employee contribution is 4% of salary, with a 7% contribution from the Town. Employees are fully vested after one year of service. Paid time off includes 10.5 holidays and 24 hours of personal leave. Vacation accrual rates begin at 80 hours a year, with an increase to 96 hours after two years of service. Accrual rates increase again at five, 10, 15 and 20 years of service. Accruals begin immediately. Additional benefits include an Employee Assistance Program, 457 and ROTH IRA plan options, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, Rec Center or Miller Activity Complex membership, travel assistance, flexible spending account, dependent care account, health savings account and a wellness program.
22 OUTLOOK MAGAZINE / SPRING 2022
CUSTOMER SERVICE
#WeWorkForYou
WE'RE LISTENING
New Town phone number adds to many ways to contact us
P
roviding exceptional customer service is one of the Town’s core values. We work for you, and we want to resolve your concerns as best we can.
NEW Dial 720-896-TOWN (8696) Want to reach us by phone but don’t know which number to call? Try this one! This easyto-remember new line features a menu to route callers to those who can help with our most frequently asked questions, or an option to reach someone live during the workweek to direct your call.
720896TOWN
Report concerns online While many of our staff work 24/7, those who field customer service issues generally work typical business hours. We realize, however, that you may have more time to report concerns during your off hours. The Report A Concern feature at CRgov.com is always available for you to submit your issues, and we’ll get back with you at our soonest chance. Keep in mind that some issues – like excessive noise – are best reported “live” to our nonemergency police line, 303-663-6100.
That said, how do you reach out when you need our help? There are a number of ways – old and new – for you to call upon the Town team for assistance: Meet us where you already are, on social media Since 2008, the Town has had a strong social media presence so we can answer residents' questions and hear their compliments and concerns. We currently actively monitor accounts under the handle @CRgov on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Nextdoor, Twitter and YouTube. While you’re online being “social,” come check out what the Town has going on, or drop us a comment. We work with residents to resolve issues shared on social media.
@CRgov
@CRFireCO @CRPoliceCO
Go about it in “old fashioned” ways You don’t have to use electronics to get our help. Though, email is another great way to reach us – access a listing of our emails at CRgov.com/ContactUs. We welcome you to stop by Town Hall, 100 N. Wilcox St., or our other customer-facing facilities, which are listed online. You can send us snail mail also. However you reach out, we’ll do our best to serve you!
OUTLOOK MAGAZINE / SPRING 2022 23
TURE D A E ES F I EB W
known benefits of volunteering is its impact on the community.
Volunteering is a great way to show your love for the Town and make it a better place. Even helping out with the smallest tasks can collectively make a big difference in the community. The Town recently launched its own volunteer web service, making it even easier to find volunteer opportunities to give back in Castle Rock. The new resource at CRgov.com/Volunteer features many ways to get involved. Some options you’ll find include supporting athletics coaching, bluebird nesting box monitoring, and working with the Town’s POST Partners parks, open spaces and trails volunteer program.
S
GET INVOLVED
E C
FOR SER D VI NE One G of the better-
More comprehensive offerings that include areas outside of parks and recreation like fire, roads, water and even the Castle Rock Senior Center will ultimately be added to the new resource at CRgov.com/Volunteer. “We’re very excited to offer Castle Rock residents a new, streamlined way to find and sign up for volunteer opportunities in our community,” said POST Partners Volunteer Program Coordinator Marcy Jones. “Our hope for the new platform is to bring our community together around volunteerism and create a dynamic online volunteer community.” Through the online platform, volunteers can search for possibilities to help by date and opportunity. They also can learn more about each program before signing up. Visit the site to explore chances to give back to your Town.
Summer will be sizzlin’ with events
ummers in Castle Rock are extra special. The season brings an ideal opportunity to explore our abundant trails and acres of open space. Or, stroll our historic Downtown, dine alfresco and partake in an abundance of events all season long. While event details are still in the works, you can be sure that the summer lineup will shine. You can expect to see concert announcements for the Summer Concert Series in mid-April. Summer wouldn’t be complete without First Fridays and our 5K series in Festival Park to look forward to each month June through August. The Festival Park Farmers Market will return on Sundays starting on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8. And, you won't want to
miss our one-of-a-kind western heritage homage cattle drive, followed by the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo, in July. Details on all these events and more are coming soon. Check out CRgov.com/Events for the calendar of planned events. Watch the Town’s social media channels for event postings. Get more information about individual events at CRgov.com/TownEvents. Or, sign up for notifications at CRgov.com/SignUp. There’s always a memory to be made in Castle Rock, and this summer will be a season of events and outdoor adventures you won’t forget.
100 N. Wilcox St. Castle Rock, CO 80104
*****ECRWSS***** Postal Customer Castle Rock, CO
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Spring snow&sun Volunteer
New web feature makes it easy to help your neighbor