From a marshal who was also the mayor and the fire chief, to a department planning around thirty-seven sworn officers: how Monument built its police force.
Author Archives: Michael Christensen
Posted inLocal News
A History of the Monument Fire Department
In December 1957 The Columbine Herald printed a set of instructions for reaching the Monument fire department. Call GR. 5-2454 during business hours. Call GR. 5-2350 after them, and the Simpson family across from the Higby store would turn in the alarm. If neither telephone answered, walk to the north side of the Simpson house, […]
Posted inGovernment
Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, August 13, 2026: A New Administrator, a Land Swap and a Legal Bill Past Budget
Palmer Lake hired a permanent town administrator, declared a water emergency, gave a Hermosa Avenue land swap an informal 3-1 blessing the mayor had to recuse himself from, and learned legal spending has passed $174,600 with five months of the year to run.
Posted inLocal News
In Palmer Lake, Outdoor Watering Is Now One Hour a Week, by Bucket
Palmer Lake’s trustees declared a Stage 1 water emergency on August 13th. Outdoor irrigation is confined to Wednesdays between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., by five-gallon bucket only. Monument Creek has been dry since mid-June.
Posted inGovernment
Palmer Lake Could Vote in 2027 on Dissolving Its Fire Department
Monument Fire District told Palmer Lake’s trustees it can take over fire and EMS for 8.4 more mills, and recommends a new station at Elephant Rock rather than in the village. A ballot question could come as early as May 2027.
Posted inLocal News
Three Governments, One Map: The Independent Launches TriLakes Growth
Development records for the Tri-Lakes sit in three unrelated government systems, and no map showed all three at once. TriLakes Growth, a Monument Independent publication now in beta, indexes El Paso County, Monument and Palmer Lake filings into one free public record.
Posted inLocal News
Acquired for the Public: Palmer Land Conservancy Now Owns 674 Acres Below Pikes Peak
Palmer Land Conservancy has acquired Pinestone Ranch, 674 acres at the foot of Pikes Peak that had been on the market at $5.9m as a development site. The land is to become public open space — after the conservancy finds an owner for it and raises half the purchase price.
Posted inLocal News
Opposition Groups Put a Number on Buc-ee’s: A Net Loss of $600,000 a Year
Tri-Lakes Preservation and The Community Voice estimate a Buc-ee’s on Monument Hill would leave local governments and districts about $602,000 a year worse off. The estimate turns on a projected fall in nearby home values.
Posted inLocal News
Buc-ee’s Hearing Set for Aug. 27
El Paso County’s commissioners will hear Buc-ee’s appeal on Thursday, Aug. 27, deciding whether a 74,000-square-foot travel plaza is a “convenience store” under C-1 zoning.
Posted inGovernment
Matt Grubesic Enters the District 1 Commissioner Race as a Write-In
A finance veteran, economics graduate and author who spent two years on the Ford Amphitheater noise dispute is running for El Paso County commissioner in District 1. He filed as a write-in on July 6th.