Outlook

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A magazine for everyone who calls Castle Rock home

securing water for our future

legacy water PROJECTS

new opportunities close to home

HIGHER EDUCATION

care behind the scenes

police DISPATCHERS

Moving TABLE OF Contents

outstandingdesignAwards Seven projects, outstanding design 4

forward

stairClimbtribute Fire Department honors the fallen

5 You should be receiving this just

teamlifelessons Basketball team gives back

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legacywaterprojects Securing water for our future

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meetcouncilmembers Your Town Connection 10-13 highereducationArrives Great classes, close to home 15 policedispatchworks Town team juggles calls every day

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A publication of the Castle Rock Community Relations Division Designed by Karen McGrath, Senior Community Relations Specialist Executive Editor Fritz Sprague, Deputy Town Manager Editors Kim Mutchler, Community Relations Manager Kristin Accola, Senior Community Relations Specialist Administrative Assistant Shannon Sweitzer photography Mark Sims, Karen McGrath, Tim Tonge, Tony Lane

as we wind down on summertime in Castle Rock. It’s a beautiful time of year here, and I hope you’ve been able to spend much of your free time outdoors enjoying the many parks and trails, or events that Castle Rock has to offer. If not, there’s still time.

Look in the Rec Guide attached to this magazine for outside activities or indoor classes. There’s truly something for everyone.

As the school year starts, so does the planning season for the Town’s 2012 budget. We’ve fared better than most municipalities during the recent economic downturn, but we still have tough decisions ahead.

For those of you who participated in the Community Survey – thank you – your responses will help us move forward with community priorities, which become Town Council budget priorities.

Certainly, one of our most important priorities is securing renewable water resources for the Town’s future water supply. You’ll read more about that in this issue. As your elected officials, we strive to provide you with a quality water supply at the best rate we can achieve. At some point, we may need to ask residents to pay a property tax increase to support the water infrastructure needs.

Economic development and vitality is another priority for us in our planning. We have earmarked up to $5 million from the Town’s budget, which can be used toward economic development incentives. We want to increase the tax base, create jobs and make Castle Rock an easy and appealing place in which to conduct business.

When we begin our budget process, I hope that you’ll participate. I encourage you to attend or, now, you can watch meetings live online from the convenience of your family room. Either way, I hope to hear from you.

On the cover: Pictured is a Castle Rock residence with xeriscape landscaping, which conserves water and looks beautiful.

New way to catch up Paul Donahue Mayor

You may have noticed that we have a new format

for the Town’s Outlook magazine.

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It’s the same magazine but we’ve “piggybacked” with the Rec Guide to save on mailing costs. You’ve told us that you don’t want to read your magazine online, so we’re sending it to you – without paying for extra postage.

to GOOD KNOW Road work

The Colorado Department of Transportation will be reconstructing State Highway 86 (Founders Parkway) through November.

The parkway will remain open at all times, though lane closures will occur, and delays should be anticipated.

In addition to reconstruction, the work will include a new storm drain system and new raised medians, curbs and gutters and landscaping.

To stay updated, visit coloradodot.info and click the cell phone icon in the upper right corner. From there, you can subscribe to Hwy 86 information.

The project also has a public information hot line, 303-814-6084.

Digital city We’re No. 1! Castle Rock placed first (among cities with a population of 30,000-74,999) in the 2010 Digital Cities Survey for successfully incorporating information technology into operations to better serve constituents and businesses. The Town’s website also placed fourth among city websites nationwide in the annual Best of the Web Awards, beating out bigger cities such

as Chicago and San Diego.

Where to call:

Open government

Three major changes recently were implemented on CRgov.com to help foster transparency of Town government.

The biggest change was the addition of a transparency portal, accessible via the brown Transparency Portal button on the left side of every web page, or at CRgov.com/transparency.

The portal is part of a countywide effort to increase accountability to residents. It includes information on community connections, elections, Town financials, land use, lobbying, open records and public meetings.

From within the portal – and via a new video button on the homepage (near the Facebook and Twitter links) – site users can access the second new feature: live streaming videos of Town Council meetings.

Click Watch Live on the videos page to watch meetings as they happen. They typically are held every Tuesday, beginning at 6 p.m. Also on the videos page are archived Council meeting videos, as well short, informative videos about the Town.

The final new feature is a listing of land-use notices at CRgov.com/notices instead of in the newspaper. Publishing online allows for cost savings, expedited hearings and better public notice opportunities.

Survey says The Town thanks the 1,600 residents and 385 business owners who answered the Town’s 2011 community survey. Results of the survey will be available beginning in late August at CRgov.com/2011survey.

Animal control/nonemergency Police 303-663-6100

Municipal Court

303-663-6133

Building permits

720-733-3527

Park rental

720-733-2260

Business licenses

720-733-2227

Public Works/snow removal

720-733-2462

Chamber of Commerce

303-688-4597

Recreation Center

303-660-1036

Code enforcement

720-733-3559

Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course

720-733-3500

Douglas County government

303-660-7400

Town Council information

303-660-1367

Douglas County Libraries

303-791-7323

Town employment

720-733-2218

Elections/voter information

303-660-1367

Transit-dependent services

303-814-6407

Fire Department nonemergency

303-660-1066

Utility/water billing

303-660-1373

Main Town number

303-660-1015

Water conservation

720-733-6000

Castle Rock character T own ’ s 2 0 1 0 Des i g n A war d s Seven projects whose outstanding design meets the Town’s Vision 2020

were recognized via the Town’s 2010 Design Awards program:

Business or Commercial Building – The Courtyard at Castle Rock, 333 N. Perry St. Developer Brad Brown was recognized for the project, which “respects the history and heritage of Castle Rock’s Council-approved design guidelines, while incorporating modern construction materials and innovative design elements.”

Environmental Project – Meritage Homes’ development in The Meadows The nominating team found that this project “provides a great example of how use of green energy building materials and energy-saving devices and products can be incorporated into a tract home development.”

Historic Preservation – Holcomb House, 220 Lewis St. Owners John and Katherine Gallagher were recognized for their project, which represents “preservation of historic architectural details to portray the history and heritage of Castle Rock in a unique and individualistic manner.”

Public Facility/Community Project – Rhyolite Regional Park, 1701 Crystal Valley Parkway The project was recognized for providing a “variety of features for active and passive recreation for the entire family while using design features and structures that respect the natural topography and aesthetic values of the area.”

Residential Remodel – Hammerton Home, 422 N. Gilbert St. Owners Jerry and Ruperta Hammerton were recognized for their project, which “represents an excellent use of old and new construction techniques while respecting the heritage and history of the property.”

Sense of Place/Community Character – “Coolin’ the Dogs” sculpture, median at Fifth and Gilbert streets Artist Craig Bergsgaard was recognized for his work, which “represents a positive and aesthetically pleasing use of public space by the Public Art Commission. The Old West theme provides interest and enhances the history and heritage of our Town while acting as an entry feature to the Downtown area.”

Site Features – Festival Park, 300 Second St. The project was recognized for its reuse of an abandoned parking lot in the Downtown core, which “was critical to restoring the health and vitality of our community character and heritage through a variety of Downtown events and activities, which enhance the social aspects of our Downtown area.”

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The Vision 2020 identifies four cornerstones for the community. The first is Town Identity, with the intent to “preserve Castle Rock’s character as a distinct and physically separate community that is the center of Douglas County.”

It was with that cornerstone in mind that the Design Awards program was created.

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heights

reaching new

Six years ago, two Castle Rock Firefighters, Oren Bersagel-Briese and Scott Eckels, along with a few Denver firefighters, started meeting once a month at a downtown Denver high-rise building for a little job-related training and exercise. It’s all upstairs from there.

The firefighters used the stairways in the high-rise building to run up and down.

That September, they decided to move their workout to Sept. 11, and to climb 110 flights of stairs – the same number of flights that the firefighters who fought the World Trade Center fires in 2001 had climbed. The next year, a dozen-or-so more joined them. In 2007, there were 250 participants.

Then, in 2008, they limited the number of climbers to 343 – the same number of New York firefighters killed on 9/11. This year, the climb filled up in 66 minutes!

Because of logistics, the event is capped at 343, and several hundred applicants are wait-listed. Firefighters from nine area states are participating. Last year, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation approached the Castle Rock duo about taking their program nationally. Today, they have 30 climbs planned to take place in communities across the country on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

“This is one of the most incredible things we have ever been part of,” said BersagelBriese. “Nothing comes close to the reward that we receive when we hear from one of the FDNY families that lost someone that day.”

Each climber pays a $25 fee, which goes directly to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, earmarked to help 9/11 Cancer/Disease victims. From the Denver climb, the Foundation will receive about $10,000. Nationally, close to $300,000 this year.

Pictured below: Colorado participants in the 2010 9/11 Stair Climb stand atop the high-rise building at 18th and California streets in downtown Denver.

“The firefighters that benefit from this fund didn’t die on 9/11, but they’ll ultimately pay the same price because of the work that they put in at Ground Zero,” said Lt. Scott Eckels.

A public stair climb has spun off of this event. For information on that climb, go to 9-11stairclimb.com.

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the game of giving back It’s customary for the families of the children involved in the Parks and Recreation Department’s youth athletics leagues to “chip in” at the end of the season for gifts for their coaches.

Typically, the teams buy their coach a gift card to say “thanks” for all the time and work they put in over the season.

This past season, two teams chose to show their appreciation in a different way.

A the request of Coaches Stentz Whitaker and Jonathan Smith, their teams donated their would-be gift money – more than $100 from each team – to the Parks and Recreation Department’s scholarship program. The program helps pay the way for children whose families otherwise could not afford for them to join a Town team.

The idea of donating his team’s collection originated with Whitaker. “I thought it would be a great opportunity for the boys to kind of learn as a group about giving back,” said Whitaker, whose son, Bradley, played on the third-grade team.

Smith, whose son David played on Whitaker’s team, learned of Whitaker’s request and decided to ask his team do the same. “My wife and I thought that was a fantastic idea in lieu of a gift for me,” he said. Smith’s older son, Kendal, played on his sixth-grade team.

Coach Whitaker took the lesson a step further, asking his team’s members to write short essays on why basketball is important to them. Since the boys weren’t the ones actually paying for the donations, he thought the letters would help the significance sink in.

His opinion is that it worked. “All the boys really were excited about it,” he said.

Whitaker plans to continue coaching – and to continue requesting scholarship fund donations in lieu of gifts. He hopes that the practice catches on among more Town teams as word of the idea spreads.

Keeping it

Current RoadRANGERS Aspen Creek Dental – Sapphire Pointe Boulevard Castle Rock Orchestra – Prairie Hawk Drive

Castle Rock Stars – Front Street from Scott Boulevard to Fifth Street The man and woman you see picking up litter along Woodlands Boulevard and Black Feather Trail some Sunday mornings aren’t being punished – they’re pitching in to help their community.

The Patrick and Michelle Rindler Family adopts the roadsides through the Town’s Road Rangers program. Patrick says he sees it as an easy way to both give back and improve the aesthetics of his neighborhood.

Patrick has been volunteering for the Town since moving to Castle Rock about five years ago. He says adopting the streets has been the easiest effort in terms of the time commitment involved.

Patrick and Michelle spend a few hours to a half-day picking up trash along the roadsides three times a year: once in spring, once in summer and once in fall. Sometimes, their teens Kelsea, 15, and Drew, 17, join in.

During their first cleanup in summer 2009, the family collected at least four bags of trash. Now, they pick up about half of that on each outing. Patrick also finds himself stopping off to pick up the occasional piece of trash he sees on trips to and from home. “It becomes habit, kind of,” he said.

The De Lay Family – Ridge Road Elite Home Care – Wilcox Street Gary and Alice Friedman – Coachline Road and Perry Street from Fifth Street to Plum Creek Parkway

Genesis Church – Meadows Boulevard from

Butterfield Crossing Drive to Coachline Road Global Interfaith Community – Plum Creek Parkway from Gilbert Street to Ridge Road Gopixel.com – Enderud Boulevard

Rotary Club of Castle Rock – Plum Creek Parkway from Wilcox to Gilbert streets Laura and Nick Tapparo – Meadows Boulevard from Prairie Hawk to Butterfield Crossing drives

Victoria’s Le Petite Boutique – Plum Creek Boulevard from Plum Creek Parkway to Emerald Drive

The Wodell Group – Crowfoot Valley Road, Crystal Valley Parkway and Meadows Boulevard from Coachline Road to Prairie Hawk Drive

Road segments open for adoption Copper Cloud Drive/Autumn Sage Drive

Patrick wants prospective volunteers to know that helping to keep Castle Rock clean isn’t hard.

Fifth Street from Gilbert Street to Ridge Road

“We’ve always tried to do our part,” he said. This is just one really simple thing to do.”

Gilbert Street from Fifth Street to Plum Creek Parkway

Front Street from Founders Parkway to Scott Boulevard Park Street

Plum Creek Boulevard from Emerald Drive to Crystal Valley Parkway Plum Creek Parkway from Interstate 25 to Wolfensberger Road South Street/Valley Drive from Fifth Street to Plum Creek Parkway Topeka Way/Prairie Hawk Drive south of Wolfensberger Road Wolfensberger Road

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Securing our water future

CRconserve.com CRconserve.com went online in July, giving Castle Rock residents an easy, interactive way to learn about water conservation. The Town worked with a Colorado web design firm to develop the site, which was funded by a Colorado Water Conservation Board grant. Below are a few of the site’s highlights. There is plenty more to explore on the site – log on today.

Personalize your page Create an account to personalize your Water Wiser. Then, sign in to customize a watering schedule to show when you should use your sprinklers; display weather data specific to your location; and create a xeric plant shopping list, which you can print and take with you to a local nursery.

Watch the weather Want weather information? You’ve got it. We’ll report the temperature, wind, humidity, solar radiation and rain for the Town’s four weather stations. Hopefully, you’ll use that information – which, combined, indicates the day’s evapotransporation factor – to conserve water. Don’t know what an ET factor is?

You can sign up for a Water Wiser workshop via the site and find out.

Pick your plants Xeriscape is an uncommon word that all Castle Rock residents should know. It is a type of landscaping that reduces water use. But don’t think that means it isn’t beautiful. The site’s xeric plant list, complete with photos, helps demonstrate just how breathtaking low-water-use plants can be. Users can search for different plant categories, landscaping styles, sun exposure and water needs to find the perfect plants for their lawns.

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O U T LO O K FA L L 2 0 1 1

Legacy Water Projects With a goal of using 75 percent renewable water by the time the Town is built out, the Town of Castle Rock has several projects under way or planned to meet that goal.

“It’s not a simple proposition,” said Utilities Director Ron Redd. “It’s a matter of negotiating for water rights and storage, and asking residents to support local and regional infrastructure to meet the community’s needs. It sounds easy but, it’s a comprehensive, years-long effort, which requires people to think about future generations.”

This forward thinking prompted Castle Rock Water to call this set of projects the Legacy Water Projects. These are the projects necessary to ensure that we have enough water resources available to support our families now and in the future. This also will ensure property values and quality of life.

All of Castle Rock’s water currently comes from nonrenewable wells – some as deep as 2,000 feet.

Once at the surface, we pump the water to one of several water treatment plants, before it is pumped to water storage tanks. From there, it’s delivered to homes. The wastewater generated by customers is conveyed to the Plum Creek Wastewater Authority for treatment, and then it is released into East Plum Creek.

It’s expensive to provide water this way. It costs a lot to bring the water up from so far underground.

We need to establish renewable water resources, and Castle Rock Water is working to do that.

Currently, a team of employees is working in partnerships with other municipalities and water districts to develop regional water solutions that can more easily be accomplished together. We’ve hired a consultant who will work with us to determine the best option to pursue. At some point, residents may be asked to support a property tax increase to pay for these projects.

Conserving water now and in the future will save us from having to buy even more water to meet demand. If Castle Rock residents continue to conserve, the Town will see up to $100 million in savings over the next 20 years.

“Our businesses and residents have reduced our water use by 20 percent in the past five years,” added Redd. “This really helps reduce our future costs associated with purchasing renewable water rights.”

Pictured: A rendering of Plum Creek Water Purification Facility.

One of the Legacy Water Projects, now beginning construction.

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Local laws. The annual budget. Land-use decisions. Direction and policy. That’s just the beginning of the responsibilities of the seven members of the Castle Rock Town Council.

C ontact y o u r T own C o u nc i l m e m b ers :

Council is not a full-time job, and the members don’t have offices at Town Hall. Contact Your Town Council representative using the contact information below.

Mayor/District 1 The Meadows Paul Donahue Mayor Pro Tem/District 6 Southeast Castle Rock Clark Hammelman District 2 Woodlands, Metzler Ranch and Diamond Ridge Brian Logan District 3 Red Hawk and parts of The Meadows Jennifer Green District 4 Downtown core and Castle North Chip Wilson District 5 Escavara, The Woodlands, Castle Oaks, Renee Valentine

Cobblestone Ranch and parts of Founders Village District 7 East Founders Village and Castlewood Ranch Joe Procopio

720-733-3585 303-660-1371 303-660-1396 303-660-1366 303-660-1384 303-660-1383

pdonahue@CRgov.com chammelman@CRgov.com blogan@CRgov.com jgreen@CRgov.com chipwilson@CRgov.com rvalentine@CRgovcom

303-660-1372 jprocopio@CRgov.com

mayor Paul Donahue The Meadows

District

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Paul first was elected in 2008. His current term ends in 2012.

Mayor Donahue grew up on a farm in south-central Nebraska.

He’s been in and out of Castle Rock since 1990, when he started work toward his master’s degree in business administration at the University of Colorado. He’s lived in Town continually since 2002.

Paul also has a bachelor’s degree from Trinity University in San Antonio.

He worked in regional sales for Verizon for a number of years before becoming a financial adviser. He currently works for Edward Jones in Castle Rock.

He and wife, Jennifer, have three sons – Tanner, 17, Aidan, 15 and Mac, 13.

He spends most of his free time at his boys’ sporting events. He also is active at The Rock church.

c o u n c i l m a yor p r

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Clark Hammelman Southeast Castle Rock

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Clark first was elected in 2010.

His current term ends in April 2012.

An Iowa native, Mayor Pro Tem Hammelman lived in New Jersey, Omaha, Neb., and Washington, D.C., before moving to Colorado in 1987. After he retired from a 30-year career in public policy and business, Clark and his wife, Carol, moved to Castle Rock in 2004.

Before being elected to Town Council, Clark served for five years on the Town Planning Commission.

He also has served on the Downtown Advisory Commission and Sign Ordinance Working Group.

He and Carol have four grown children and one granddaughter.

Brian Logan The Woodlands, Metzler Ranch and Diamond Ridge

District

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Brian first was elected in 2010.

His current term ends in April 2012.

Councilman Logan was born in Denver. He lived in Castle Rock briefly as a middle-schooler and always dreamed of moving back. When his wife, Sara, was looking for a place to locate her dental practice a few years ago, he finally got the chance. He now splits his time working between her practice and another dental specialist’s office.

The couple live in Sapphire Pointe with his 7-year-old son Marcus, their newborn son, Brook, and two dogs. The Councilman loves the outdoors, where he enjoys spending free time with his family.

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c o u n c i l

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Jennifer Green District Red Hawk and parts of The Meadows Jennifer was elected in 2011.

Her current term expires in 2014.

Councilwoman Green is one of two new members to Town Council, but she’s not new to Castle Rock. Jennifer and her husband, Rob, have lived in Castle Rock for about 10 years. Before that, the couple resided in Parker.

“We absolutely love the gorgeous mountain views we have in Castle Rock,” said Green. “Castle Rock has the small-town charm that we enjoy, yet the amenities of a big town. There are so many family-friendly activities here.”

Originally from Tennessee, Jennifer moved to Colorado after being raised in Albuquerque. She moved to attend Colorado State University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies.

She has worked in the communications industry for the past 12 years and currently manages global offers and contracts for a company with offices in Douglas County.

“There were many reasons we were drawn to Castle Rock,” added Green.

“Our commutes to work couldn’t have been easier, with Santa Fe (U.S. 85) being so close. However, I think my husband would say that my reason for wanting to be in Castle Rock was so I could be closer to the outlet mall.”

Jennifer and Rob have been married for 12-plus years and have two children – son Logan is 9, and daughter Cassidy is 6.

They are involved in Plum Creek Community Church, and she and Rob spend much of their free time outdoors, enjoying all that Castle Rock has to offer. She says the family can be found at the Castle Rock Recreation Center about five days a week, as her son is on a year-round swim team.

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O U T LO O K FA L L 2 0 1 1

District

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Chip Wilson Downtown core area and Castle North Chip first was elected in 2008.

His current term expires in 2012.

Councilman Wilson was born and raised in western Massachusetts. He joined the Army after graduating high school in 1985 and moved within the Army to Colorado in 1988. Chip studied military law and served in the United States and abroad, including two years in Germany. He left the Army after the Gulf War. Since then, he’s been working for United Airlines, where he’s currently a manager.

He’s lived in Castle Rock since 1995.

Chip’s wife, Terry, is a third-generation Castle Rock resident.

Terry’s family helped homestead the Town and owned the Ford dealership here from 1940 to 1987. Chip, Terry and their children – Emily and Will – live in Terry’s childhood home just outside Craig & Gould.

He loves golfing, camping and boating. He also enjoys traveling – Aruba and Kauai are among his favorite destinations.

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Renee Valentine Escavera, The Woodlands, Castle Oaks, Cobblestone Ranch and parts of Founders Village

District

Renee was elected in 2011.

Her current term ends in April 2014.

Councilwoman Valentine and her husband moved from West Chester, Ohio, to Colorado eight years ago. One year later, they made Escavera their home.

“What initially drew us to Castle Rock was the small-town atmosphere, the topography of the neighborhoods and the Douglas County Schools,” Valentine said. “Since then, we’ve really grown to appreciate the strong sense of community here.”

Renee worked for Marriott Hotels and Resorts in sales and marketing for 15 years and transferred to Colorado with her company. A couple years later, she began her career in real estate. She is a broker/owner with Keller Williams Real Estate, Denver Tech Center, with plans to purchase a property and open her own office in Downtown Castle Rock.

Renee and her husband, Paul, have been married for 20 years and have four children – Jaclyn, 19, and sons Zack, 16, Luke, 15, and Leo, 3. Jaclyn (not pictured) is a graduate of Castle View High School and is attending Miami University of Ohio. Zack and Luke attend Douglas County High School.

Renee’s parents live next door to U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner, and she credits him with giving her some of her ambition.

“I’ve served as precinct co-chair for the Republican party in my district since 2006. After traveling to Washington, D.C., in January to witness John Boehner’s swearing in, I was inspired and when I returned home, I decided to become more involved in serving my own community.”

Joe Procopio District Castlewood Ranch and parts of Founders Village

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Joe first was elected in 2008. Term ends 2014.

Joe, 70, grew up in New Jersey. He moved here 10 years ago from Fairfax County, Va., to be closer to his son’s family and a longtime friend. Joe has attended seven colleges and earned four degrees – a bachelor’s in electrical engineering; a master’s in operations research and two law degrees. He’s a retired Navy officer, corporate executive and attorney. He now spends much of his time substitute teaching and coaching high school lacrosse. He’s long been active in Town committees, including the Board of Adjustment, a budget reconciliation committee, the Transportation Advisory Board, and the Planning, Public Works and Utilities commissions.

Joe’s grown son, who has three children, lives in Highlands Ranch. He also has a grown daughter, who also has three children, and lives in the Chicago area.

Joe also keeps busy as president of the Navy League of Colorado and New Mexico, president of the Navy Reserve Association of Kansas, coaching high school lacrosse, working in jail ministry, mentoring a Christian teen group and teaching middle school Sunday school.

C R g o v. c o m 13

St. Jude Dream Home comes to Castle Rock Ticket sales offer purchasers a chance to win, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital a chance to do more

More than 3,000 square feet of living space, high-quality construction, sustainable features, a corner lot with million-dollar views and all of the community amenities The Meadows community offers. Could you imagine having all of this for $100?

Sounds like a dream but, for someone, the dream will come true.

Beginning Aug. 5, volunteers will sell up to 11,000 tickets for $100 each, with all proceeds benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Your ticket purchase entitles you to a chance to win the home. Of course, the more tickets you buy, the better chance you have at winning.

In addition to the house, there also will be 19 other prizes valued at $500 or more, including an $8,000 shopping spree from Furniture Row. If you purchase your ticket by Sept. 9, you also will be eligible for the early bird prize – a 2011 Suzuki Kizashi SE courtesy of the Denver Area Suzuki Dealers. All prizes will be drawn live Nov. 11 on Fox 31.

St. Jude has Dream Home locations in 32 communities across the country but, this is the first Dream Home in Colorado.

The home, 4418 Fell Mist Way, will be open for free tours starting Sept. 24. Each Saturday, the home is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. until the giveaway on Nov. 11. The project planners will advertise the home throughout the Denver area, and regionally.

“This is a great opportunity for those living outside of Castle Rock to come and visit,” said Castle Rock Development Services Director Bill Detweiler. “We anticipate the advertising and activity surrounding the Dream Home and ticket sales will also bring traffic to our shops and restaurants.”

Most of the vendors working on the home have donated their services and are providing their products free or at cost.

By donating, the companies enable St. Jude to benefit more through ticket sales. Up to $1.1 million can be made for the organization through this project.

The home, designed by architect Michael Woodley, is being built by Joyce Homes. The lot was donated by Castle Rock Development Co. and The Meadows. The home includes 2,700 square feet of living space in the main home and almost 500 square feet of space in a carriage house. It’s a four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath, two-story home with a three-car garage.

It has a modern farmhouse style with a wrap-around porch. It doesn’t just look good, though, it’s also energy efficient. It’s Energy Star-rated, and includes a 96 percent efficient heating system, a Rinnai tankless water heater, recycled insulation throughout and many more green products and features.

Tickets can be purchased online at dreamhome.org, by calling 800-276-7695 or from volunteers stationed at a variety of community events.

This is a great opportunity for those living outside 14

of Castle Rock to come and visit O U T LO O K 2 0 1 1

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HIGHER EDUCATION comes to

Castle Rock Town Council has long held the goal of attracting higher education to Castle Rock, and now there are two new educational opportunities debuting in Town in the coming months.

Arapahoe Community College

Earlier this year, Council offered economic assistance to Arapahoe Community College. ACC is leasing about 8,000 square feet of office space at 4700 Castleton Way and plans to open for the 2011-2012 school year. The economic assistance was used to begin interior renovations at the location.

The community college plans for close to $1 million in improvements to design the space for classes and administrative offices. The economic assistance agreement outlines that the Town will provide ACC up to $230,000 over a five-year period.

Future site of Castle Rock location of Arapahoe Community College, 4700 Castleton Way.

Courses to be offered include associate of arts transfer program; career and technical education; workforce training; concurrent enrollment offerings; and community education. Registration begins in July and classes start in mid-October. For more information, go to Arapahoe.edu/castlerock.

Webster University Another education opportunity headed this way is Webster University.

Through Webster, you can earn your master’s degree in business administration or management and leadership without ever leaving Castle Rock.

Beginning in January 2012, the regionally-accredited Webster University/ Denver campus will offer a master’s cohort at the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce. Classes will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

The program consists of five, nine-week classes per year, with breaks in between each class. Participants can earn their degree in a little over two years (or sooner). Tuition is $1,500 per class for fiscal year 2011-12. Military discounts and financial aid are available, as well as transfer credits, if applicable.

Learn more at webster.edu/Denver or call 303-708-8305.

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Dispatchers Allison Potton and Melissa Varela – all in a day’s work.

care behind the scenes

p ol i ce d i s p atc h

Imagine a work day at least 10 hours long, in which you must multi task and answer to a broad range of emotions, and which periodically involves managing an incredible tragedy.

This is a day in the life of the 11-member Castle Rock Police Department dispatch team.

To get a sense of the often-frantic pace of a dispatcher’s day, one simply needs to look at their workstations. Four computer monitors on each desk give the first indication: a dispatcher has a lot to juggle.

There are the phone lines to answer – four for 911 calls and seven for nonemergency calls. There are the police cars to track – at least one for each of four patrol districts, plus command and traffic vehicles, for a typical total of at least seven. There are the searches to conduct – verifying vehicle registrations and driver’s license statuses; completing background and warrant checks; locating resources for issues including animal control and mental health concerns; and much more.

Coming from the computers is a symphony of sounds, for which the dispatchers have creative nicknames. The main sound to listen for is the “Close Encounters” sound, which is a 911 line ringing.

The calls are even more varied than the sounds. “It’s like going to a buffet,” Dispatcher Anna Page says. “What kind of deliciousness am I going to find today?”

Among the calls on her “plate” on one summer morning are two car accidents, reports of theft and trespassing, a parking complaint and an emotional call regarding a restraining order violation.

Fortunately, the dispatchers are trained to handle sensitive calls. In addition to their 12 to 16 weeks of initial training, they receive ongoing education on issues such as suicide prevention, crisis intervention and assisting those with substance abuse issues.

Though, with all of their training, those dreadful calls still come that feel like “kicks in the stomach.”

If you keep up with the news, you know the ones.

Those calls hit hard, Page says, but the dispatchers’ training and sense of duty – to take care of the caller, take care of the officers and take care of the public – keep them going during those tough cases. And they have to keep going, because the phones keep ringing.

“You have to be able to give your all to the next person on the phone,” Dispatcher Allison Potton says, “because you don’t know what’s going on in their lives.”