Thursday, May 1, 2008

Pagosa team wins state title, goes global

By Sarah O. Smith

The Pagosa Imaginators 3, a seventh- and eighth-grade Destination ImagiNation (DI) team from Pagosa Springs Junior High School, beat out teams from across Colorado at the state DI competition April 26 in Littleton to win first place and land a spot in the global competition later this month.

“They are just so, so first place,” said Sally High, DI coordinator. “They rocked that competition.”

The team members are Garek Erskine, Kitman Gill, Brooke Hampton, Dean Hampton, Gabby Pajak, Brandan Thomas, and Isaiah Thompson. Parent managers are Julia Hampton and Linda Gill.

The Pagosa Imaginators 3 have been working together for three years in DI competitions, and this year they built and tested a scale model of the Trojan horse. Not only did they win the title of state champions, they also won a special Renaissance Award for their team project (they also won two Renaissance Awards at the regional competition in Durango March 8). This is the first time a Pagosa team has qualified for the global competition, and they will travel to Knoxville, Tenn., May 21-25 to represent “Team Colorado” in a competition at the University of Tennessee, featuring winning teams from all 50 states and more than 56 other countries.

Destination ImagiNation is an interdisciplinary project in which students practice creative, improvisational and theatre skills; use science, geography, history and communication knowledge; and perfect their critical thinking and creative problem solving skills. Pagosa currently has four DI teams — two at the elementary level and two at the middle school level.

The Pagosa Imaginators 3 began work on their project in November. At the state competition, they won the “Hit or Myth” challenge, which involved researching geography and history, the use of the scientific method and math, creative writing, and a theatrical performance. The students had to choose a myth from history and test its validity using the scientific method. The Imaginators chose to test the myth of the Trojan horse, as described in Virgil’s “Aeneid.” They built a 1:12 scale model of the horse based on Virgil’s descriptions in what High called, “My little, tiny Social Studies classroom.” When tested, the horse held over 600 pounds, and using mathematical calculations, they proved that the Trojan horse would have held 41 Greek warriors in full armor — thus proving this famous myth from history could indeed be true.

The team also wrote an eight-minute script set in modern Turkey, near the site of ancient Troy. They built a set for their performance — a treehouse in an olive tree — and used a historically accurate Grecian warrior costume. The Renaissance Award was given to the team for the detailed construction of the horse, and for its use in the performance.

But, don’t expect the Imaginators to just sit back and relax until the global competition. According to High, the team has already begun revising and perfecting its performance, not to mention practicing for the other challenges of the competition. The team will not only showcase its central “Hit or Myth” challenge, but will also participate in “Instant Challenges,” in which the team is given a new task and must meet the challenge, usually in just around five minutes.

These instant challenges require the students to think on their feet and work as a team. The students have no prior knowledge of the challenge — it might be an improvised theatrical performance or a quick construction project.

“You never know what you’re going to get,” said High.

The third- and fourth-grade Destination ImagiNation team, the Pagosa DI Nerds, and the fifth-grade team, the Pagosa Geekinators, also competed at the state competition. High said both teams did “remarkably” and garnered very respectable scores. Imaginator Gabby Pajak also qualified for the state History Day competition for her research paper “Prohibition: the Conflict and Compromise of the 18th Amendment.”

The Pagosa DI teams will hold a car wash, bake sale and lemonade stand soon to help raise funds for the Imaginator’s trip to Knoxville. The Imaginators will also host a performance of their project at the Archuleta County 50 Joint School Board meeting Tuesday, May 13, at 6 p.m., and all are invited to come to the junior high school library to watch the team before they head to the global competition.

For more information about Destination ImagiNation, contact Sally High at the junior high, 264-2794.

County financials: ‘We're doing OK’

By James Robinson

County administrative staff provided a first-quarter financial report Monday, and the analysis indicates a horizon dotted with a handful of seemingly surmountable financial glitches, coupled with a plan to rectify negative fund balance problems that have dogged the ledgers for more than a year.

According to Archuleta County Administrator Greg Schulte, revenues and expenditures are generally in line with projections and the county has the financial wherewithal to deal with the funding issues currently on the radar.

In short, “We’re doing ok,” Schulte writes in the report.

For example, in the 2008 budget, the county projected sales tax revenues would increase by 2 percent from 2007, and so far, Schulte said, collections appear on track.

According to Archuleta County Finance Director Don Warn, $1.7 million was budgeted for sales tax collections in 2008, and thus far the county has collected $403,000 or 24 percent of that amount as of March 31 — the end of the first quarter.

In the report, overall revenues are listed at $15.6 million, and first quarter figures show $5.3 million or 34 percent had been collected as of March 31.

The report indicates building department revenue is down with just 25 building permits issued by March 31, 2008. According to Schulte the five-year, first-quarter average is 65 permits.

With just 25 permits issued, building revenue as of March 31, hovered at $24,000 or just 8 percent of the $300,000 budgeted for building department collections. Schulte said records show first-quarter building department collections typically hover around 12 percent.

Schulte said expenditures are staying under budget and, as of March 31, the county had spent $2.9 million, or just 11 percent of it $25.7 million expenditure budget.

Although Schulte recognized expenditures are on track, he said a number of revenue stream glitches may strain the coffers later in the year. For example, Schulte said if the trend continues with building permits, building department revenues could come in at $150,000 — half the budgeted amount for 2008.

Second, county administrative staff will have to find $110,000 to cover an unbudgeted, 2-percent cost of living allowance promised to county employees in January 2008.

Third, a proposed, but also unbudgeted 2-percent merit pool increase for county departments could cost the General Fund $55,000, and Warn and Schulte will be tasked to find a revenue source to cover the expense.

And, fourth, projecting potential sales tax revenue for the peak summer months, may be an act of crystal ball gazing, at best. Gas prices broaching $4 per gallon, increased food prices, a dramatic drop in national economic indicators, and the word “recession” being bantered around by policy makers and financial officials, could dampen the summer tourist season, thus driving down sales tax collections which would ultimately bode ill for both county and town coffers.

While the sales tax revenue stream remains difficult to project, Schulte said the county has three funding resources with which to tackle the financial challenges in 2008. Schulte said salary savings should address the $110,000 needed to fund the 2-percent cost of living allowance. Second, $200,000 has been placed in contingency to address unforeseen funding challenges. And third, per the Citizens Financial Advisory Task Force’s recommendation, $250,000 was set aside in the 2008 budget for debt service, although the money was originally earmarked to pay for district attorney’s services and to repay county funds showing negative fund balances.

According to county auditors, carrying negative fund balances is a violation of state statute, and staff members of the task force, auditors and elected officials have agreed that solving the negative fund balance problem remains one of the organization’s most pressing, and vexing, financial problems.

In order to comply with statute and eliminate the negative fund balances, Warn and Schulte suggested two solutions that work in conjunction: an interfund transfer to deal with deficits in nutrition and fleet; and an interfund loan that will cure deficits in road and bridge, human services, the airport and capital improvement funds.

For the interfund transfer, Warn has calculated on a three -year average the amount of fleet and nutrition debt attributable to various county funds, and if approved by the BoCC, dollars from those funds will be transferred out and into fleet and nutrition so that fleet and nutrition can achieve zero fund balances.

The interfund loan plan calls for borrowing $3.03 million from the Road Capital Improvement Fund to make road and bridge, human services, airport and capital improvement funds whole again.

According to the plan, the $3.03 million borrowed from Road Capital Improvement would be repaid over 20 years, with 3-percent interest, and an annual payment of $197,956. According to the plan, payments would begin in June 2009.

Although Schulte said the county has the legal authority to borrow from the Road Capital Improvement Fund, some concerned citizens say otherwise.

According to county resolution 2001-102, “Monies credited to the Fund shall not be available to be pledged or expended by interfund transfer or otherwise for any general purpose of the County.”

The Road Capital Improvement Fund was created by the voters, first in 1994 and then reapproved in 2001. Under the agreement, 1 percent of the 2-percent sales tax collected in Archuleta County goes into the fund with the express purpose of funding road capital improvement projects, including maintaining and acquiring equipment for the maintenance and construction of county roads, or to pay debt service on bonds or other obligations of the county issued to provide capital improvements. The other 1 percent goes to the Town of Pagosa Springs.

Schulte said borrowing from the Road Capital Improvement Fund will have, “no affect on this year’s scheduled projects. It may affect bigger, long-term projects, but there will be no affect this year.”

The interfund transfer and the interfund loan will require resolutions from the Board of County Commissioners and Warn said annual audits would ensure the county complies with its repayment obligations.

The matters will go before the board May 6, at 1:30 p.m.

Pagosa Mountain Hospital CEO resigns

By Chuck McGuire

Though just shy of four months in business, Pagosa Mountain Hospital is again without a chief executive officer.

Tuesday morning, Upper San Juan Health Service District (USJHSD) board chair Neal Townsend informed The SUN that hospital CEO Daniel Boatman resigned his post Monday, amid what Boatman himself has described as difficult personal problems.

According to Townsend, Boatman gave notice — effective immediately — and will soon return to Minnesota to address private family matters. Boatman and his wife, Grace, moved to Pagosa Springs in August 2007, when he assumed duties as hospital CEO five months prior to the facility’s formal opening.

Boatman’s departure leaves Pagosa Mountain Hospital without an official administrator of day-to-day operations. As a result, the health district board of directors will immediately search for an interim CEO to fill in, until another lengthy advertising and interview campaign ultimately yields a full-time hire.

Between January and July 2007, three separate CEO searches eventually culminated in the district’s offer of employment and Boatman’s subsequent acceptance as the hospital’s initial CEO. The first two campaigns resulted in offers of employment as well, but each time the preferred candidate suddenly declined acceptance in the final hour.

While a nationwide quest for an interim CEO continues, the hospital’s director of nursing, Linda Mozer, has temporarily assumed CEO responsibilities. Ken Johansen of Kenneth E. Johansen, P.C., provides the health district with regular contract accounting services, and will assist Mozer in addressing the hospital’s ongoing financial affairs.

Meanwhile, the USJHSD board will meet in executive session tonight to discuss Boatman’s severance package and the district’s obligations therein. Townsend said likely discussion will also include necessary steps in finding an interim CEO, before launching a more in-depth search for a full-time executive. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Pagosa Room at the Pagosa Mountain Hospital.

When asked how long it might take the district to find an interim CEO, Townsend declined to speculate, though he did acknowledge the search could last a few months.

“I hope it doesn’t take that long,” Townsend said, “but we’ll just have to see. I’m already notifying some of our contacts around the country.”

While an interim CEO will only serve until a permanent one is found, Townsend said there are people out there who do that sort of thing.

“Many like to move around and are not interested in a long-term commitment,” he said, “but they have what it takes to do the job. It’s even possible that the interim CEO could wind up being hired permanently.”

For now, though, the quest for a hospital CEO resumes again, this time in Daniel Boatman’s absence.

And, as Townsend put it, “Dan has a big heart. He was a real asset to the district and the community, and we’ll miss him.”

NEWS

COUNTY

County secures funding for court security officer

Following Board of County Commissioner action Tuesday, the Archuleta County Courthouse will soon have an unprecedented addition to its corridors — security.

During Tuesday’s special meeting, the BoCC approved receipt of $46,525 in state grant funding that will pay for one full-time officer to perform court-related security duties through Dec. 31, 2008.

According to Archuleta County Special Projects Manager Karin Kohake, the grant is renewable annually, with state sources saying funding should continue through 2017.

“We think it’s monumental. This is brand new for the Archuleta County Courthouse,” said Detective Sgt. Carl Smith of the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Department.

Smith was part of an 11-member team that worked to secure the grant funding, and will serve as the direct supervisor for the officer once that person is hired.

“We’re one of the few jurisdictions in the state who don’t have security. In the past we’ve relied on a phone call or video monitoring,” Smith said. “We’ve been living on borrowed time.”

According to Smith, the court security officer will be stationed near the entry to the courtroom, along with a metal detector. In addition, the officer will also provide security for the probation office.

According to Kohake, court surcharges, paid by all who have business with Colorado’s courts, create the funding pool. She said, of the 46 counties that applied, Archuleta County received the largest grant.

“We’re really pleased we can provide this kind of security, and we’re pleased that we got the grant from the state,” Smith said.

Archuleta County Judge and District Court Magistrate Jim Denvir also worked on securing the grant. Denvir could not be reached for comment by press time.

TOWN