Windsor Wonders

Sherrie Peif, (Bio) speif@mywindsornow.com
December 4, 2007

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Have you ever wondered about something concerning your Town, your school, your neighborhood or a local business but you've been too afraid to ask because you think it's a non-issue?

Well, here's your chance to ask those questions without anyone knowing it was you by turning to "Windsor Wonders." This is your chance to get the answers to all those puzzling questions. Windsor Now will get the answers and publish them once a week in the paper.

There are few rules though. We can't ask your neighbor why he chose to paint his house that awful asparagus green. We can't ask the guy who runs the local gas station why he's 20 cents a gallon higher than the other guy next door. In a nutshell, we won't answer personal, defamatory, obnoxious or rude questions. This isn't a forum for prejudice, hypocrisy or bigotry.

So start sending the questions now. You can send your inquiries to Sherrie Peif at speif@mywindsornow.com, by phone at (970) 392-5632 or in person at 423 Main St. Please include a name and phone number so you can be contacted if something isn't clear. It will not be used in the publication.

This week's questions:

The Windsor area has three main taxing districts that we give a lot of money to, they are: The school district, the fire district and the library district. Each of these districts has governing boards (local residents) that make the decisions on how to spend this money. Explain how board members are elected or appointed to each of these boards.

Answer: Library -- There are a total of seven members on the Library District board, including two liaisons, with one from Windsor-Severance Re-4 School District board -- appointed by that board -- which is now John Vazquez James, and one from the Town Board -- appointed by that board -- which is now James Pfenning, who acts as vice president and is a voting member. The other five positions are picked through word of mouth, Pfenning said, and sometimes it is very difficult to get people to apply. Applicants are interviewed and voted on by current members to 4-year, staggered terms, without limits. Positions are non-paid.

Fire -- Five positions on the Windsor Severance Fire Board are elected positions, with elections held every two years in May. They are four-year, staggered terms. If a vacancy occurs between elections, a replacement can be appointed by the remaining board members, but the office then is open again at the next election. Qualified candidates must apply with the fire board to be placed on the ballot. Positions are non-paid.

Schools -- Some of the Windsor Severance Re-4 School Board members have four-year terms; others have two, with terms expiring in different years. However, every two years a portion of the seats on the school board are open for change. This is done this way in order to keep continuity on the board while still allowing change. Qualified candidates need to turn in a petition signed by 50 registered voters to be placed on the ballot. Positions are non-paid.

We were told that animal control won't pick up stray cats anymore, could you find out why and how to handle them in the future?

Answer: According to Windsor Police Chief John Michaels, there is no ordinance in Windsor that allows the ordinance officers in his department to handle stray cats. Three different Town Boards have looked at the idea of implementing an ordinance, but continue to stop short of passing anything. Michaels said each time the subject has come up his investigation shows the expense and time of chasing down stray cats would cause him to have to double or triple his ordinance budget and the town has never felt the expense was justified. For example, the city of Evans, population between 18,000 and 19,000 -- similar to Windsor -- contracts with the Weld County Humane Society for all stray dogs and cats brought in by its animal control officers. In 2007, that cost was $56,000. In Windsor, dogs go to Garden Valley Veterinarian Hospital at a cost of $130 per dog for five days boarding. Year to date, Windsor had paid Garden Valley $4,204 in boarding fees.