Summer! JULY 2017 From the President- Tom Wells.. About the Community Center.. We seem to have stirred up a few folks on the Ranch, some positive, some negative and many with questions. How do you feel about it? Last January we formed a committee to look into various aspects of building a center, and put together information regarding available sites, construction costs, administrative issues and maintenance costs. At the same time, we also asked for input from Ranch residents regarding what you might like to see if we were to build one. We got a few good ideas and many negative responses from people who do not want one at all. Many responders seemed to think that the board have some kind of agenda and want to force something down the throats of the membership. Quite the opposite; I sincerely believe that the five members of our board are quite dedicated to doing our best to serve the community the best we can. We formed the committee to gather information for the membership that could help us understand some of the options, cost impacts and potential benefits. The committee has worked hard to put much of the information together, and has included it in a survey (to be mailed to all owners) to collect everyone s thoughts on whether you would like to have us pursue building a center, and if so, what we should try to provide. Please respond, before the annual meeting, so that we can discuss the matter at that time and decide whether or not to move forward. Because we budgeted a small amount of money to fund some items that would be needed if our decision was positive, some members seemed to panic. Other than paying the postage to mail the survey, the committee has not spent a dime on this project; their efforts have all been donated for your benefit. While I believe a center would be a significant benefit to the Ranch and the property owners, all board members are dedicated to doing our best to serve the community. Input from the survey will direct us whether or not to proceed, followed by a yes or no vote before we commit the Ranch to the project. Please take the time to complete the survey when you receive it so your wishes are known. Thanks, Tom From Hartsel Fire.. In this issue, we bid a fond farewell to our intrepid Hartsel Fire contributor Andy Grey. Andy has given us excellent information every issue to help keep us fire-smart and safe during each season. He is moving on to other projects. A sincere thanks, Andy for all your dedication to residents at the Ranch. At the same time, we are welcoming a new fire chief, Chris Tingle, who takes over for Jay Hutcheson, Fire Chief since 1988, on July 1, 2017. Chief Hutcheson has been to many of our annual meetings and has been a good friend to the Ranch. We wish him well in his retirement. Have fun, Jay! In-coming Chief Chris Tingle has over fifteen years of firefighting experience. He began his firefighting career as a volunteer in 2002. In 2012 Chris became fulltime with the department. In 2014 he was promoted to Assistant Chief after having served as Lieutenant for three years in Hartsel. Chris has a degree in Fire Service Management from Pikes Peak Community College, as well as various Forest Service wildland firefighting certifications and is an EMT. He holds weekly firefighter training on the first, second, and third Tuesday nights of the month at 7 p.m. in order to keep the department current on equipment and technical requirements. Chris came to the district while also working in construction as an electrician. He has been in the Hartsel community since 1990 when his family relocated from Woodland Park, and helped his family run the gas station in Hartsel. He enjoys working on restoration projects, outdoor activities, and spending time with friends and family.
ROTR HIKERS As you read this the ROTR Hikers are well into our 7th season of hiking, having completed a third of the 25 hikes scheduled for 2017. We have hiked trails in Browns Canyon National Monument, San Isabel NF, and Pike NF, extending from the Sawatch Range and Arkansas Valley, to the Mosquito Range, and up to Kenosha Pass. This August we plan to concentrate on trails along the Cottonwood Pass Rd since it will be closed next year beyond Rainbow Lake. We have an extremely active group and several times this spring we have exceeded 20 participants for a hike. In mid-june, 38 people showed up for a pot luck planning supper. It was a great evening with wonderful friends and food, and we even managed to plan the hikes for the remainder of the year. Our group are all owners at Ranch of the Rockies. The majority of hikers are in their 60 s and 70 s but there are a few youngsters who show up to help us seniors up the mountains. Actually, the only part of the hikes we have a problem with is getting up after lunch at a scenic overlook as the picture shows. If you want to be included in this dynamic group, please contact Harry Konen at mtnharry@gmail.com From Your Vice-President, Jeff Deardorff When elected to the board three years ago, I felt honored, humbled and quite naïve. My wife Judy and I were new to the Ranch and we knew very few people and even less about the Ranch, its policies and procedures, and its manager s duties. I was questioned by some about what our manager actually did. As I didn t really know, I called John Adams and asked if I could spend a day with him on the job and learn more about the Ranch and his duties. He agreed, and it was one of the best things I could have done as a new board member. I wrote a Newsletter article in 2014 titled Ridin with the Manager. Three years later, I m still learning about the Ranch, its policies and operating protocols, and the duties of our manager. Many know that from 8 till noon, John has regular office hours when he is available for face-to-face meetings with Ranch residents (new and long-time) to answer questions, coordinate contractor work, issue post box letters, various permits, trash compactor cards, etc. It s also the best time to reach him by phone. What you might not know is what all he is responsible for doing from noon until the day is done. I met John about 11:30AM as he was dealing with some issues arising out of a member s use of the corral facilities and care of the horses. Yes, he manages those facilities as well as all the Ranch s other structures and common areas to insure they are properly maintained. We fueled the Ranch s truck and went to BV to duplicate some keys, pick up equipment parts, and inquire about snow fencing. From there, we drove out to the Ranch s reservoir where we discussed repairs made in response to the latest inspection, and the weir, which he must clean out every two weeks or it will not work properly. John is also required to monitor water levels and flow rates, and perform releases prescribed by the Commissioner. Our water rights are subject to proper management and maintenance of the reservoir (pretty important, no?). While there, we also questioned someone who was fishing at the reservoir without the required permit (which John also issues). We then headed back to the Ranch where we drove many miles of roads (some I had not been on before!) where John pointed out road conditions and violations of our covenants and Park County s Land Use Regulations. He explained what he, our Rules Enforcement Committee (ably chaired by Darla Kohring) and Park County were doing to address these problems. Very delicate work.
Ridin with the Manager, cont. As a volunteer fire fighter, John monitors Hartsel Fire s radio frequency. We reported what appeared to be a fire near 39-Mile Mountain, but it was just a very odd low-hanging cloud also reported by others. We also inspected and measured several hundred yards of derelict snow fencing which the board wants to replace in cooperation with Park County. At the request of a property owner, we drove and hiked to one of the Ranch s remote boundaries to inspect and repair livestock fencing which the Ranch is required to maintain under the State s open range grazing laws. John made temporary repairs until he could return and complete the job with the right tools. We returned to the Ranch Office shortly before 5 o clock me quite tired from the day s chores and scorched by the sun. This ride with the manager revealed even more duties our manager performs that I did not know about three years ago. I encourage the new board members to take time to do this to gain a better appreciation of what our manager actually does and to gain a better understanding of what is required to properly manage the Ranch of the Rockies. Summer Time is here and we are in a Burn Ban. We haven t had much moisture this spring and it s starting to show with the grass turning brown; that is a scary feeling when it comes to wildland fires. If you are going to want a campfire when you come up, please call the fire department first at 719-836-3500 or the Dispatcher 719-836-4121 The reservoir is doing great, and we have been fortunate to have water flowing over the spillway this summer, with some nice fish reportedly being caught. The pastures are in great shape and I have spread the horses out to maintain the growth of the grasses. Summertime is a great time to come up and visit your property and see beauty of the mountain. For those who live up here, please keep up the great work being done with fire mitigation. Bears have been really active this year and I have had a few reports of them breaking into a shed, standing on a porch and looking in a window. Please be bear aware, and when out walking the roads have a whistle or some bear spray with you Just as a precaution. The large trash roll-offs will be at the Ranch August 11-14. Enjoy the summer and I hope to see you all at the Ranch s Annual Meeting. August 12. Also, my sincere thanks to Suzan Gebow and Jeff Deardorff for their service on the Board and for all they have helped From Your Member-at-Large, Ed Hart Looking forward to seeing all our neighbors at the Annual Owners Meeting and Picnic. This year we set it up as a 2-day event on August 11th and 12th. Friday the 11th is just for neighbors to get together and have fun. Lots of activity for the family and friends. We need volunteers to help with all the activities we have planned. If you want to pitch in and help let John Adams, our Ranch Manager, know by calling 719-836-2079 or contact the Events Committee Chair, Niki Griffin, at 316-312-5766 or griffin0998@gmail.com Saturday will be the Owners meeting and picnic. We are encouraging local Merchants/Service Companies/ Tradesmen and Suppliers to attend and set up tables to introduce themselves and market their wares. Instead of having a White Elephant auction/sale we would like to encourage all that are planning to attend, to bring usable household items that you would like to donate to the Habitat for Humanity. Please make it something that someone in need can put to good use. Those of you who haven t been here in a while will be surprised at the number of new homes that have been built or are in the process. In order to accommodate continued growth, IREA, our local electricity provider, is in the process of upgrading the electric service here to three phase power. This upgrade will also help prevent power outages.
From your treasurer, Ron Rose.. Ranch of the Rockies Association remains in a strong financial status and is tracking on budget for the year. As a member you can see the monthly Treasurer's Reports that are posted to the RORA website. If you do not already have an ID setup at the website you will need to request one. At any time you can contact me if you have questions on the Ranches finances. Several years ago we started sending the Newsletters out electronically to those requesting it. This option saves us the cost of printing and postage, not to mention the man hours assembling them four times a year. The electronic copy is posted to the Ranch website in a PDF format that most every device can view. When we post the electronic version you will receive an email letting you know it is there for you to get. I understand getting the Newsletter electronically is not for everyone but I would encourage everyone to consider it. If you would like to sign up for it, send an email to the ranch email address or stop by the Ranch Office with the request. Ranch of the Rockies Annual Picnic August 11 & 12, 2017 This year, our intrepid annual meeting committee, led by Niki Griffin and Ed Hart, have planned a two-day extravaganza to give you more opportunities to connect with your neighbors. Here s the line-up: Friday August 11: Hike and fishing: A three to four-hour day hike into the high country and a fishing tournament at the reservoir. Prizes for the tournament will be presented Saturday during the picnic. For the hike and/or the fishing tournament, meet at the Pavilion at 9 AM with your gear. Ice Cream Social at the pavilion: Ice cream and fixings with games, music, and a campfire. Meet at the Pavilion, 6 PM Saturday, August 12: RORA Board Meeting: Election Results and Speakers: Starts at 9:30 AM Lunch with live music by the Ranch Hands, resident countdown and prizes: 12:00 Noon Afternoon games: Horseshoes, Corn hole, Volleyball, Bowling (yes, Bowling), Softball, Yard Yahtzee, Kite-Flying, and kids bike parade Evening campfire at the pavilion: Music, roasting marshmallows for s mores and jawing with your neighbors There is still time to help: We have many opportunities for you to get involved. RORA Picnic Committee meets the first Saturday of every month at the Ranch office at 8:00am. Contact Niki Griffin at 316-312-5766 or griffin0998@gmail.com. Kudos to Niki Griffin, Ed Hart and their committee for putting this all together.
R.O.R.A. Annual Homeowners Association Meeting & Picnic Saturday, August 12, 2017 At the Pavilion on Lazy Circle (Turn left on Lazy Circle at the Hwy 24 entrance) Meeting Agenda 9:00 AM Registration 9:30 AM Welcome by President Tom Wells President s Report Introduction of Board candidates 10:00 AM ARC/REC Committee Reports Treasurer s Report Vice-President s Report Secretary s Report Member-at-Large Report Closing of ballots 10:30 AM Ranch Manager s Report Introduction of Guest Speakers: South Park Ambulance Park County Commissioner 11:50 AM Secretary: Election Results 12:00 PM Lunch followed by entertainment, 2:00 PM Games prizes for fishing derby and assembly of Habitat for Humanity donations. Menu: BBQ Brisket and Chicken, Hamburgers and Hot Dogs. Drinks, condiments and utensils supplied. Please bring your favorite side dish or dessert to share, based on the alpha list below: A salad or appetizer if you last name begins with T - Z A vegetable if your last name begins with A - I A dessert if your last name begins with J - S Habitat for Humanity: Please bring usable, unwanted household articles, something that someone in need can put to good use. Join us! NOTE: Please- No trailers at the dump station during the picnic.