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2024 year in review: March

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• Pagosa Springs Elementary School staff and students had reason to celebrate in February and early March. The school participated in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Kids Heart Challenge, with the school’s heart heroes surpassing the school’s $14,000 goal by raising $16,203.52. In addition to raising funds for the AHA, students also had the opportunity to learn hands-only CPR and how to keep their hearts healthy. 

The school reported the top three classes for fundraising were Renea Smith’s first-grade class with $1,960.44, Scott Galabota’s third-grade class with $1,616.50 and Laura Frey’s third-grade class with $1,056.14. The top three students were Henry R. with $1,235.73, Harper F. with $1,085.76 and Amelia E. with $602.98.

• In a March 1 decision, the Colorado Independent Ethics Commis- sion dismissed an ethics complaint brought by Archuleta County Attorney Todd Weaver against Liane Jollon, the former executive director of SJBPH.

The Aug. 29, 2023, complaint raised concerns about the ethics of the $215,745 in emergency compensation payments that Jollon received between March 2020 and May 2023.

• The Pirate boys’ basketball team traveled to Denver to face the Colorado Academy Mustangs in quarterfinal action at the 4A basketball playoffs on March 2. The Mustangs defeated the Pirates by a score of 63-43 to end the Pirates’ run at the state title and bring the team’s season to a close.

The Pirates completed the year with an overall record of 24-2.

• The Lady Pirates’ run at the state title also ended with a loss on March 2, to the Resurrection Christian Cougars in quarterfinal action.

The Cougars defeated the Lady Pirates by a score of 53-44, but Pagosa was the only team in the Great 8 that kept the margin of defeat in the single digits.

The trip to the Great 8 capped off a 21-5 season for the Lady Pirates.

• The driver of the SUV involved in the Jan. 29 crash that included a school bus was charged with careless driving causing bodily injury in early March.

The two-vehicle crash left the driver of the SUV, identified as Bret Smith, 54, of Pagosa Springs, in critical condition.

According to Rockensock, Smith “made the claim” he didn’t remember the accident or what he was doing that may have caused it, but stated he believed he could have fallen asleep.

• Archuleta County voters voted in line with the state as a whole in the March 5 presidential primary.

On the Democratic side, Joseph R. Biden Jr. was the top vote-getter in Archuleta County and Colorado, while Donald J. Trump received the most votes at both levels for the Re- publican ballot.

• In early March, LPEA announced that Graham Smith would serve as interim CEO.

• In a March letter to ASD staff and community, Holt announced that the district’s finance director, Michael Hodgson, had submitted his resignation effective at the end of the current school year.

In the letter, Holt highlights Hodgson’s contributions to the district, stating, “during his tenure, Mike has made significant contributions to our district, spearheading initiatives that have positively impacted our educational community. Under his leadership, we successfully passed two mill levy overrides, providing essential funding for vital programs and resources.”

Holt also notes that Hodgson “played a pivotal role in implementing substantial salary increases for all staff members, recognizing their dedication and hard work.”

• The BoCC discussed potential locations and next steps for building a county administration building at its March 5 work session.

• At the March 6 BoCC meeting, the BoCC voted to accept two grant awards from CDOT for the airport totaling $187,000 in state funds.

Airport Manager Chris Torres explained that a geotechnical work grant would support core sampling of the airport runway to determine what future rehabilitation might be needed, while an automated weather observing system, or AWOS, grant would fund the replacement of the current weather monitoring system at the airport, which was outdated and difficult to find parts for.

According to the award letter documentation, the geotechnical grant includes $75,000 in CDOT funding matched by $8,334 in local funds, and the AWOS grant includes $112,000 in CDOT funds matched by $12,445 in local funds.

• The PSHS Lady Pirate soccer team kicked off its season with a 10-0 victory over the Del Norte Tigers in Del Norte on March 7.

• The Pirate baseball team opened its season on March 7, as well, playing three games in the Aztec tournament in Aztec, N.M. The team dropped its opening game to Aztec, but bounced back to defeat both Bosque and Page in the next two games.

• At a March 7 work session, the PAWSD board discussed tightening the district’s affordable housing policy, as well as approaches to supporting the increased cost of affordable housing fee waivers.

• At a special meeting on the same date, the PAWSD board approved a response to the SJWCD’s concerns about its Running Iron Ranch subcommittee.

In its response, the PAWSD board contended, among other things, that PAWSD has the sole discretion to sell the property.

• On March 9, Biden signed into law a funding bill that included, among other things, $1 million in congressionally directed spending for Build Pagosa’s regional workforce career and technical training center.

On March 8, Sen. John Hickenlooper’s office announced the funding was heading to Biden’s desk and was part of $88 million that was secured for Colorado communities in the bill.

“I think everyone on the board and everyone that has contributed to this is just absolutely thrilled that we get to move forward with this project,” said Build Pagosa Director Will Ridlehoover.

• In March, CDOT awarded $250,000 in Revitalizing Main Streets funding to the Town of Pagosa Springs for a new sidewalk and parklet in front of Pagosa Springs Middle School.

The grant was spearheaded by the Pagosa Springs Main Street Program to leverage resources and vision with the town’s Community Development Department.

• The elementary Destination Imagination team from Pagosa Springs competed at the regional competition at Escalante Middle School in Durango on March 9. It competed against teams from Cortez, Durango and Dolores, and earned second place at the tournament.

• On March 11, Tyler James Intermaggio, 39, of Pagosa Springs, entered guilty pleas in a pair of cases as part of deals.

Intermaggio pleaded guilty to criminal attempt to commit murder in the second degree and to criminal attempt to commit assault in the first degree.

The plea to criminal attempt to commit murder in the second degree comes in a 2023 case in which two deputies responded to a call for service involving a disturbance be- tween two male subjects.

According to an ACSO press release released following the Jan. 4, 2023, incident, “During the incident, one of the male subjects deployed a firearm and attempted to discharge the firearm at an ACSO Deputy. The second Deputy discharged their duty weapon at the male subject, neutralizing the immediate threat.”

It further notes that deputies “provided lifesaving support immediately after the incident until medics arrived.”

According to the plea deal, “On or about Jan. 4, 2023, in Archuleta County, Colorado, Tyler James Intermaggio knowingly attempted to cause the death of William Lucero. At the time, William Lucero was a peace officer engaged in the performance of his duties.”

The plea deal came with a stipulated sentence of 20-24 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.

• After lengthy discussion through multiple regular board meetings and a work session held the week prior, the ASD Board of Education approved new graduation requirements for PSHS at a special meeting held March 12.

The new requirements were first proposed at the June 2023 regular board meeting and were revisited in the December 2023 and the February 2024 regular board meetings.

• Concerned business owners and residents packed a meet-and-greet event on March 12. The subject of the event was the upcoming CDOT U.S. 160 reconstruction project through downtown Pagosa Springs.

• The PAWSD board voted to expand CIF affordable housing waivers following presentations by the Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation (PSCDC) and Habitat for Humanity of Archuleta County at its March 14 meeting.

• Swan Solo (or Swanie) was the talk of the town in mid-March after it was spotted alongside a new companion in Pinon Lake. Many were hopeful Swan Solo had found a mate.

• In March, Gov. Jared Polis appointed Sean P. Murray as the district attorney for the 6th Judicial District.

The appointment filled a vacancy created by the resignation of Champagne and became effective on March 16.

• Lady Pirates Annie O’Donnell and Daveyann Snarr took part in the 2024 Colorado Coaches of Girls’ Sports All-State Basketball Games on March 17 in Aurora. The games honor the state’s top senior athletes. O’Donnell and Snarr played on the 4A blue team, which was coached by Lady Pirate coach Sarah Osborn and assistant Emily Buikema.

• At its March 18 meeting, the SJWCD board discussed a letter from PAWSD responding to a previous letter from the SJWCD.

SJWCD board members Charles Riehm and Bill Nobles volunteered to reach out to the PAWSD subcommittee and attempt to arrange a work session.

• The Colorado Department of Local Affairs announced a More Housing Now grant award on March 19 of $1,919,200 to Archuleta County for infrastructure improvements in the Chris Mountain II and Trails subdivisions in the Pagosa Lakes area. 

These funds were set to pay to upgrade existing roads, along with bringing in electric and broadband utilities, allowing for homes to be built on lots for the first time since the subdivisions were platted in the 1970s. 

• At its March 19 meeting, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) selected Civic Possible as the consultant to create the county’s strategic plan.

The selection followed presentations by five finalists at the March 12 BoCC work session.

• On March 21, the board of the Pagosa Springs Sanitation General Improvement District (PSSGID), which also sits as the Pagosa Springs Town Council, voted to approve a new memorandum of understanding with PAWSD.

“This item will lay out the beginning of a road map for the future operations and maintenance of wastewater systems in our community,” explains PSSGID agenda documentation on the matter. 

The PAWSD board approved the agreement at its March 14 meeting.

• On March 22, the Pagosa Peak Open School Board of Directors unanimously voted for Murphy, the school’s current assistant director, to take the helm as school director following the departure of Reali-Crossland.

• With a 9-3 vote, the LPEA Board of Directors voted March 25 to formally withdraw from the membership of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and filed its Notice of Intent to Withdraw at the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission in Washington, D.C., effective April 1, 2026. 

This departure, according to the agency, will aid LPEA’s efforts toward the advancement of affordable, clean energy initiatives, increasing resiliency and expanding local generation.

• PSCDC staff, construction workers from contractor BWD and community partners held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the PSCDC’s workforce housing project on March 25. 

The project includes the construction of 10 workforce housing units in 2024 and also involves extensive grant-funded infrastructure and road improvements in the Trails and Chris Mountain Village II subdivisions.

• The BoCC approved a $300,000 grant for the PSCDC at a March 29 special meeting to cover construction contingency funds requested by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Division of Housing for a PSCDC affordable housing grant application.

At a March 26 BoCC work session, the board discussed the need for contingency funds and the formulation of deed restrictions for the PSCDC affordable housing project with PSCDC Executive Director Emily Lashbrooke.

• A portion of the PSHS Pirate track and field team opened the season on March 30 at the Pine River Invitational in Bayfield, with the meet taking place over the Pirates’ spring break.

That was followed by another meet on April 1 that featured only part of the team due to many being out for the Future Business Leaders of America state competition.