Latest news with #RecreationandCulturalServices
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Garden of the Gods completes crucial waterline project
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — On Tuesday, June 3, the Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services (PRCS) department marked the completion of an improvement project at Garden of the Gods Park that will provide crucial access to water for park safety. The Garden of the Gods waterline project recently wrapped up, after eight months of ongoing work. The project was made possible by collaborations between PRCS, the City of Colorado Springs Office of Accessibility, Colorado Springs Fire Department and Colorado Springs Utilities. The project involved the installation of 8,000 feet of new waterline and 9 fire hydrants to enhance park and fire safety, and improve emergency response capabilities by ensuring a readily available water source. Additional improvements were made to enhance accessibility, with the creation of a fully accessible parking lot and ADA compliant trails into the Central Garden. Approximately 3,200 feet of asphalt was replaced to provide accessible parking nearer to the Central Gardens. A more sustainable, accessible concrete trail into Central Garden was also created. A little over two months ago, a fire burned dangerously close to the park and nearby homes. Fire Marshal Kris Cooper said these improvements will provide greater access to critical water infrastructure that could save lives and property in the event of an emergency. 'Over 5 million visitors to the park every year, and with that comes a lot of human activity. And unfortunately sometimes that creates fires. Humans are our greatest cause of fire in our area,' said Colorado Springs Fire Marshal Kris Cooper. 'We do spend a lot of time in the park… and so this gives us great benefit with added access.' Funding for the waterline project came from Colorado Springs Utilities, the Office of Accessibility, the Lodgers and Automobile Rental Tax (LART), Park Land Dedication Ordinance (PLDO), and the Garden of the Gods Foundation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Master Plan approved for Fishers Canyon Open Space
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services (PRCS) said its Master and Management Plan for Fishers Canyon Open Space has been approved. According to PRCS, the open space, bordered by Pike National Forest to the west, Broadmoor Hotel holdings to the north, and Cheyenne Mountain State Park and the Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station to the south, represents a significant addition to the city's natural spaces. The approved plan proposes a new trail system comprising about nine to 10 miles of enhancements in a 'wilderness-like' setting designed for a variety of users, including hikers, bikers, and equestrian riders. The Plan also includes designated zones for bouldering and rock climbing, along with a fully accessible, hiking-only trail loop complete with ADA-compliant trailhead parking. 'We would like to thank the entire community for their involvement in the planning process for Fishers Canyon Open Space,' said Britt Haley, Director of PRCS. 'This master plan will provide numerous benefits to our community, offering opportunities for outdoor recreation while also ensuring the preservation and conservation of its valuable resources and wildlife habitats. We are committed to protecting this unique landscape, allowing future generations to enjoy its beauty and ecological significance.' PRCS said one of the key highlights of the plan is its connection to the Chamberlain Trail, a 26-mile master-planned trail with the aim to connect multiple open spaces along the City's western edge including; Blodgett Open Space, Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Bear Creek Regional Park, Stratton Open Space, North Cheyenne Cañon Park, and Fishers Canyon Open Space. 227 acres or 66% of the open space is designated for wildlife and habitat protection, placing a strong emphasis on conservation, according to PRCS. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Caution advised as heavy rains create flooding dangers
(PIKES PEAK REGION, Colo.) — With the prolonged rainfall occurring in the region from Monday, May 5, through Wednesday, May 7, city leaders are issuing warnings about areas vulnerable to flooding and how people can stay safe and protect their properties. The City of Manitou Springs reported that officials are monitoring water quality, stormwater infrastructure, and roadway conditions throughout the community. The city paused operations at the water treatment plant due to high turbidity readings in French Creek and switched to the second water storage tank to continue providing safe and reliable water. 'We're very fortunate to have the new tank online,' said Denise Howell, City Administrator of Manitou Springs. 'It's proving to be a vital resource that allows us to maintain operations and reduce costs during challenging conditions.' The city encouraged community members to take the following precautions: Avoid walking or driving through floodwaters Ensure gutters and drains on your property are clear Know multiple exit routes from your neighborhood Prepare an emergency kit with water, medication, and important documents Sign up for Peak Alerts: Courtesy: Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services posted an advisory that many trails in the area are muddy and underpasses are flooded. Community members are asked to avoid muddy trails to prevent long-term damage and watch for flooding, especially in low-lying areas. Bicyclists are advised to consider alternate routes or transportation options until the rain lets up. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
City council could appoint acting city manager today
Apr. 30—An acting city manager could be named by the end of the day today. The Lodi City Council will hold a special closed session meeting at 5 p.m. to consider appointing an individual to take over administrative duties on a temporary basis in the wake of the fallout with City Manager Scott Carney. The council spent nearly three hours interviewing two candidates in closed session last Tuesday, after which Mayor Cameron Bregman said he was "ecstatic" about both. Carney was placed on administrative leave April 9, a week after he read a prepared statement during a council meeting alleging that city attorney Katie Lucchessi and city clerk Olivia Nashed edited staff reports without his knowledge or approval. He claimed the pair redacted parts of his approved reports protect some employees, and that internal reviews of purchasing activity revealed evidence of widespread misuse of public funds and city credit cards to purchase personal items. He added that there was resistance to his investigation among staff and that there was evidence the city had been failing as a steward of public trust. Bregman ordered Carney to stop speaking before he could finish his statement during the April 2 meeting. Bregman later said he stopped Carney from continuing because he began speaking about ongoing personnel investigations and a non-agendized item, which opened the city up to litigation that could cost "millions of taxpayer money." The Brown Act forbids city staff and elected officials from discussing personnel matters that are not placed on an agenda. The council appointed Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services director Christina Jaromay acting city manager on April 11, and Bregman said Carney's leave was expected to last 45 days. Bregman added the city would investigate Carney's claims of financial misappropriation while he was on leave. The council hired Carney last May to replace former city manager Steve Schwabauer, who retired in 2023. Prior to coming to Lodi, Carney served as the deputy director of administration for the California Department of Health Care Services for three years. He also served at Stockton City Hall from 2014 to 2020 before taking a sabbatical. Wednesday's meeting begins at 5 p.m. at Carnegie Forum, 315 W. Pine St. It will also be livestreamed at
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City of Lodi adds new positions but holds off on HR overhaul
Apr. 4—The City of Lodi's human resources division will not be getting an overhaul in the near future as leaders expressed concern that job descriptions were not included in a Wednesday proposal. The Lodi City Council unanimously approved the 2024-2025 mid-year budget, but without changing the human resources manager and information technology manager positions to deputy director titles. In February, the consultant firm Municipal Resource Group proposed the city rebrand the city's human resources division as a department and put a director in charge, rather than a manager, as well as add clerical support and a risk management analyst, or retain the human resources division and change the manager to a deputy director. A third proposal was to retain the division, and increase its full-time employee roster to include an senior analyst and administrative clerk and change the manager to a deputy director. Wednesday's staff report proposed eliminating the existing human resources manager — whose salary is $223,950 — and adding a deputy director at a cost of $241,810. In addition, staff proposed eliminating the information technology manager — whose salary was 213,835 — and adding a deputy director at a cost of $229,300. Vice mayor Ramon Yepez and councilman Mikey Hothi questioned the need for changing the titles, and both said they would not be voting for the proposals. Yepez said he would vote no on any proposal that did not include job descriptions. "The new positions will be doing essentially the same job," city manager Scott Carney said. "But we're doing a name change because we think it will be good marketing to be able to attract talent." Hothi said he wanted to speak with the city's labor groups before voting on personnel changes. "I'm happy to look at some of the other options on the table and hear from my colleagues," he said. "But I don't feel comfortable voting on personnel title changes until I know what the impact is on our rank-and-file employees." Despite the decline to approve the two positions, Hothi and Yepez agreed to adding seven new positions to city hall, including a budget analyst at $200,310 and a Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services program coordinator at $110,730. Also approved were two customer service representatives in the Finance Department at $175,280 each, and two associate planners in the Community Development Department at $262,250 each. The city's general fund is now projected to be about $90 million, and is due to a $6.42 million increase in carryover funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, and an additional $5,000 donation from the Lodi Fire Foundation. Revenues are estimated to be about $90 million, an increase of $2.53 million due to an income increase not included in the original budget and an increase in property tax revenue, as well as a one-time true-up of the lease agreement for the 215 W. Elm St. building with the Judicial Council of California, staff said. Expenses are anticipated to be about $92.8 million, and are $1.15 million higher than first projected last summer. The council will adopt the 2025-2026 budget in June.
