Local News

Planning for New Fountain Fire Station and Expanded Police Station Underway

Boy Scouts Lead Council In Pledge Of Allegiance

The scouts are working on their Wolf rank advancement and were required to visit an important place in their community such as a government location and then explain why it is important.

Scouts from Pack 238 Wolf Den are Brian Bass, Andrew Bailey, Austin Martin, Charlie Savia, Oakley Wykstra, Bobby Farmer, Trey Park and their Leader Annette Bass.

News photo by Karen Johnson

Planning for New Fountain Fire Station and Expanded Police Station Underway

by Karen Johnson

The Fountain City Council approved the adoption of a Public Safety Facility Master Plan during its Feb. 14 meeting allowing for plans to build much needed new facilities for the fire department and to expand the police department. Due to the increase in staff members over the years to accommodate the city’s growing population both departments have outgrown the existing facilities.

Councilmembers were previously provided with this master plan during their annual retreat in January.

Fountain Police Chief Todd Evans reported last fall Fountain Fire, Police and Emergency Communications Department heads worked together and developed a Public Safety Facility Master Plan for facility space needs for their departments, both short term and long term plans. With council’s approval, city staff will take immediate steps to implement the short range plans including determining a project manager, developing and finalizing the financial package, hiring architects to update existing plan designs, acquire the necessary property, bidding on the construction project and construction of the planned facilities.

Councilmember Sharon Brown asked if the project manager position would be filled by someone currently on city staff.

Chief Evans explained that position would be filled by one of the present city engineers.

Councilmember Sam Heckman reviewed the upcoming projects stating the council’s basic goal is to have a new fire station built over by the Salvation Army office (on Lyckman Pl.), completed as soon as possible, so Fire Station 1 can be cleared out-allowing for the Police Department to remodel that side of the building and move into it. He said long range plans involve building a new fire station on the east side of town and once that is completed construct a new police department in that location as funds are provided. City Manager Scott Trainor later said the city is looking into creating a temporary fire station on the east side of town in the meantime, due to present lengthy response times to that area. Council voted unanimously to approve this master plan. Councilmember Patricia St. Louis was absent.

City Applies For Goco Grant For Trail Improvements

Also at its February 14 meeting, the Fountain City Council unanimously approved a resolution supporting an application for a River Corridors Initiative Grant to the state board of the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund (GOCO) projects within the Fountain Creek Watershed.

The city of Fountain is partnering with El Paso County to submit an application to GOCO to fund extensive recreational and open space projects within the Fountain Creek Watershed. Projects include trails, an environmental playground, Fountain Creek Nature Center expansion, underpasses, overlooks and interpretive designs. The total cost of the projects exceeds $7 million.

The city of Fountain is sponsoring only one specific project on the application, an extension of the Front Range Trail from the Fountain Creek Regional Park through the Christian Open Space south to the Santa Fe Bridge over Fountain Creek.

Planning Director Dave Smedsrud explained the Front Range Trail is a multi-purpose trail when once completed will span 876 miles from Wyoming to New Mexico running along the Front Range connecting 15 cities and 14 counties. He said state parks and GOCO have given high priority to projects that complete the missing links of the trail system which include portions from Fountain to Pueblo.

He explained the estimated cost of this part of the project at $205,300 of which GOCO would provide $153,950 or 75 percent funding of the project cost and the city of Fountain and the county will share the local match requirement. Fountain would provide $20,530 in cash and in kind services while the county would provide $31,340 in cash and in-kind services. The city’s cash match of $18,000 will be paid from collected Park Impact Fees.

Electric Tariff Adjustment Approved

Council voted 5-1 for a resolution approving changes to the city’s energy adjustment tariff, base energy charges contained in base electric rates and changes in the energy cost adjustment calculation methodology effective April 1. Councilmember Jim Coke voted no.

The ECA, Energy Cost Adjustment, is an adjustment to rates that is passed on to consumers on a dollar-for-dollar basis. It allows the electric department to recover, on a timely basis, increases in electric service costs that are contractually required or over which the electric department has no control. The ECA tariff is designed to recover increases or refund decreases in costs that are incurred under power purchase contracts previously approved by council.

Donna LaChey questioned that this change in the ECA tariff was really a rate increase. She was assured by several city staff members that the proposed changes are revenue neutral to customers and they will not increase margins or net income earned by the electric department.

Plans For Bark In The Park Event Discussed

Renee Ten Eyck gave a power point presentation on plans for the Bark in the Park event at Metcalfe Park tentatively planned for June. She presented new ideas on how to grow and expand the event this year and on into the future.

In Other Business:

Karen Bell was appointed as an alternate member to the Heritage Special Improvement Maintenance District Board.

LaChey also addressed council requesting, with the addition of newly elected councilmembers, they reconsider bringing back the new code of ethics ordinance for approval which the previous council denied in a split vote last year.

LaChey also asked for council to consider fire protection and emergency services vehicles current response times to calls to residents living on the east side of the railroad tracks - urging how important it is a new fire station be built on the east side of the railroad tracks in the southern portion of Fountain. She pointed out when responding to emergency calls fire trucks can be stuck at two sets of railroad tracks making their response time close to 15 minutes.

Colorado Springs Man Arrested In Connection with Deadly Shooting of Widefield Resident

Erik Camacho

A Colorado Springs man was arrested Friday morning following a deadly shooting Thursday on North Academy Blvd.

According to Colorado Springs Police, Erik Camacho, 23, was arrested in connection with the shooting. He was charged with 1^st Degree Murder and is being held in the El Paso County jail without bond.

According to police, at 5:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to a Disturbance with shots fired in the area of Galley Rd. and Academy Blvd. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered an adult male deceased from an apparent gunshot wound near Academy and Uintah.

The Coroners Officer has completed its investigation and determined the victim died of a gunshot wound and ruled the death a homicide. The victim has been identified as Joshua Bueno, 22, of Widefield, according to police.

It appears the victim and suspect knew one another but specifics had not been released by Colorado Spring Police by presstime. According to local sources, both Bueno and Camacho attended Mesa Ridge High School at the same time.

District Eight School Board January Recognitions

At its Jan. 25 Board meeting the Fountain-Fort Carson School District Eight Board of Education presented honors as shown below.

Melanie Baker (second from right) of Abrams Elementary School was recognized for winning the State’s 2012 Celebrate Literacy Award. Baker was selected by the Colorado Council of the International Reading Association due to her significant contributions to literacy in our community. Her expertise and creativity have made a significant impact on the lives of students, their families, and staff. She is shown with School Board President Tom Downing (left), Principal Janet Liddle and Superintendent Cheryl Serrano.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHIONA NASH, FOUNTAIN-FORT CARSON SCHOOL DISTRICT EIGHT

Levi Mallonee, an 11th grade student at Fountain-Fort Carson High School,
was recognized for making the Colorado All-State Honor Choir for 2012. Levi and five other students from FFCHS auditioned at Widefield High School and competed against over 4,000 other singers in the State of Colorado for 350 spots in the three choirs. He is shown with School Board President Tom Downing, Choir Director Ron Wilson and Superintendent Cheryl Serrano.

Willie Gresham, a 4th grade student at Eagleside Elementary School, led
the Pledge of Allegiance. He was introduced by his principal, Jason Crow. They are shown with Board member Suzanne Foster and Superintendent Cheryl Serrano.

Fountain Police Investigating Saturday Morning Stabbing

Fountain Police are continuing an investigation into a stabbing which occurred early Saturday morning on Progress Dr.
According to Fountain Police, the victim was attending a party and got into a physical altercation with another person at the party. After the fight, the victim and his girlfriend left the party and were driving on Academy Blvd. when he noticed a pain in his side. He realized he had been stabbed.
They pulled off into the Walgreens parking lot on South Chelton Rd. and the victim’s girlfriend called 911. He was transported by ambulance to Memorial Hospital with multiple stab wounds.
The suspect in the stabbing was later discovered at Evans Army Hospital on Fort Carson where he was being treated for an eye injury (Fracture of the Orbit.)
Since the investigation is ongoing, no names have been released, according to Fountain Police.

Wanted Sex Offender Arrested at Fountain Wal-Mart

A wanted sex offender was arrested at the Fountain Wal-Mart about 2 p.m. Sunday.
According to Fountain Police, a person recognized the individual and called police. Three officers responded and Darrell Anderson was arrested and taken to the Criminal Justice Center.
He is listed on the Colorado Springs Police Department Sex Offender Website.

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