PERA deal to absorb DPS retirement plans up in air
A plan to merge 13,000 active and retired members of the Denver Public Schools Retirement System into the state’s retirement association is nearing a crucial deadline with no deal inked.
But DPS retirement-system officials told the school board Monday they were hopeful the deal could be completed by October.
DPS leaders hope to get rid of the district’s retirement system and put workers into the state’s Public Employees Retirement Association because they think it would be easier to recruit teachers from suburban districts.
Teachers in all Colorado districts except Denver get retirement benefits from PERA. Some teachers are hesitant to transfer to Denver for fear of losing what they’ve built up in the state system, board members have said.
But the merger has been plagued with problems. Both PERA and DPSRS face financial instability at current contribution rates, and the two systems have different benefit packages.
DURANGO
Board works to set kayak water rights
The Colorado Water Conservation Board grappled Monday with rewriting rules for cities and towns seeking water rights to build kayak courses. But after five hours, commissioners voted to continue the public hearing at their November meeting.
The Colorado Supreme Court has held that municipalities can claim, capture and control a reasonable portion of a river to provide whitewater recreation when enough water is available. But defining what is “reasonable” and available has proved difficult.
The contentious issue has pitted thirsty farmers, developers and growing cities against tourism interests and towns eager to develop whitewater recreation.
The Colorado Water Conservation Board is stuck in the middle, having been charged by the state legislature to set down the procedures by which municipalities apply for these water rights.
DENVER
State high court rules against water sale
The state Supreme Court on Monday shot down as too ambiguous a massive water sale described as a compromise between Colorado’s competing rural and urban interests.
Two private companies – High Plains A&M and Independent Shareholders Group – bought up Arkansas River water in southeastern Colorado and plan to sell it for agricultural irrigation, municipal drinking supplies or dozens of other possible uses in any of 28 eastern Colorado counties.
The Supreme Court blocked the deal, agreeing with state Water Judge Dennis Maes that the two companies’ applications violated state anti-speculation law because they were so “expansive and nebulous” that other users would not be able to tell if they would be hurt by the deal.
The Supreme Court dismissed the applications but said the companies could refile more specific applications in the future.
FORT CARSON
Stolen computers contained GI records
The Army said Monday that thieves stole computer equipment containing Social Security numbers and other personal records of a number of soldiers, some of whom are serving in Iraq.
Fort Carson spokeswoman Dee McNutt said that she did not know how many soldiers’ records were involved or how many of them are in Iraq but that no cases of identity theft had been reported.
Fort Carson has thousands of soldiers in Iraq.
Computers and hard drives were stolen in mid-August from a post building where soldiers get identification cards and update their personnel records, McNutt said.
BOULDER
CU research grants total $257.6 million
The University of Colorado at Boulder received $257.6 million in sponsored research awards last fiscal year, CU said Monday.
About half of the funding in fiscal 2005 came from the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The total was down about 1 percent from last year’s record of $259.7 million.
The top four major-funding agencies remained the same: $46.7 million from the National Science Foundation, $44.5 million from NASA, $39.3 million from the Department of Health and Human Services and $26.5 million from the Commerce Department.
WASHINGTON
Delegation to Bush: Spare financial center
Colorado’s nine-member congressional delegation has sent a letter to President Bush asking that he reject the recommendation to close the Defense Finance and Accounting Service in Denver.
The Base Realignment and Closure Commission recently put the Denver facility on its list of recommended closings.
“DFAS Denver’s 1,184 employees are a critical component of the city of Denver’s workforce. The $150 million in wages they earn and the significant purchasing power they command will be very difficult to replace, particularly in a time when Denver is attempting to recover from the nationwide economic downturn,” said the letter from Sens. Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar and Reps. Joel Hefley, Diana DeGette, Tom Tancredo, Mark Udall, John Salazar, Bob Beauprez and Marilyn Musgrave.
DENVER
Deputy charged with felonies in jail sting
Denver sheriff’s Deputy Solomon Mikael was charged Monday in connection with allegations that he sold marijuana and other contraband to inmates inside the Denver County Jail, the district attorney announced.
Mikael, 34, is charged with three counts of bribery and three counts of introducing contraband, all felonies.
The charges allege that on several occasions, Mikael sold marijuana, tobacco and cigarettes to inmates in the jail, according to a statement from the district attorney’s office.
GUNNISON
Private funds tapped for college building
Western State College is the first public college in Colorado that will build a major academic building solely with private money.
The college will break ground Saturday on the Borick Business Building to house the college’s most popular program.
The Gunnison college decided not to wait until the state could help fund a new building for business students, who use the third floor of the oldest building on campus, said college president Jay Helman.
The college raised $5.6 million in the past 18 months toward its $6 million goal. Steven Borick, a 1975 graduate who is president of Texakota Inc., committed $3 million.
