Author: Daniel Chac
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Watering restrictions could be coming for 2013
Outdoor watering restrictions and a possible increase in the price of water are on tap for next year if the dearth of precipitation continues. Colorado Springs Utilities says it will recommend outdoor watering restrictions for up to three days a week and ask the Utilities Board to consider a water rate increase or hiking the…
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Preliminary OK given for tougher foothills fire codes
Mountain Shadows residents whose homes were destroyed by the Waldo Canyon fire must follow stricter and what city officials called smarter fire codes if they rebuild. The City Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday to fire code changes the Colorado Springs Fire Department says will make homes in the foothills more fire resistant and reduce property…
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Springs faces difficult choices with legalization of marijuana
Colorado Springs faces an “extraordinarily difficult time” dealing with the legalization of marijuana, City Attorney Chris Melcher said Monday — the same day Gov. John Hickenlooper declared Amendment 64 part of the Colorado constitution.“Many of your questions will not have an answer yet,” Melcher told the City Council during a briefing on Amendment 64, which…
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Mayor questions millions spent on Utilities PR efforts
Colorado Springs Utilities has spent more than $8.3 million in the past five years on outside marketing and public relations firms, prompting Mayor Steve Bach to question whether the billion-dollar monopoly is spending ratepayer dollars wisely.Documents obtained by The Gazette under an open-records request show that Utilities has spent between $1.36 million and $1.9 million…
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Two incumbents, newcomer to run for City Council
Two incumbents and a newcomer formally announced plans this week to run for Colorado Springs City Council in the April municipal election. Council members Angela Dougan and Tim Leigh said they plan to seek re-election. Dougan is running in District 2, and Leigh is running in District 1. Jill Gaebler, development director for local nonprofit…
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City Council gives preliminary approval to 2013 budget
The Colorado Springs City Council on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to the 2013 budget without drawing down reserves, honoring a request from Mayor Steve Bach. Rather than dipping into the city’s rainy day fund to balance the budget as it indicated Monday it might, the council decided to make up a $982,590 deficit by cutting…
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Council moves to tap reserves for water in parks
For years, the city of Colorado Springs has asked for a cheaper water rate for municipal parks. For years, city-owned Colorado Springs Utilities has said no. On Monday, the thorny issue resurfaced when officials from Mayor Steve Bach’s office told the City Council they were looking at Utilities to plug a $545,000 hole for parks…
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Springs bans solicitation in downtown zone
Beggars will be asking for trouble from Colorado Springs police if they continue to panhandle downtown. They won’t be alone. Salvation Army bell ringers and the Girl Scouts could also end up on the wrong side of the law under an ordinance the City Council approved Tuesday that bans all forms of solicitation in a…
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Council moves to tap reserves for water in parks
For years, the city of Colorado Springs has asked for a cheaper water rate for municipal parks.For years, city-owned Colorado Springs Utilities has said no.On Monday, the thorny issue resurfaced when officials from Mayor Steve Bach’s office told the City Council they were looking at Utilities to plug a $545,000 hole for parks watering in…
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New strategies aim to thwart copper thieves
Copper-wire thieves are costing Colorado Springs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. But Colorado Springs Utilities is making it tougher for them to strike again. The city-owned utility has been rolling out new measures to clamp down on copper-wire theft. Utilities is trying a variety of strategies, spokesman Steve Berry said in an email, including:…