The Upper Black Squirrel Creek Groundwater Management District board election was held Feb. 4. James R. Bond of Division 1 and Michael Stine of Division 2 won their respective elections in what UBS staff called a relatively high turnout. Candidates running on platforms to advance water interests for Meridian Ranch and Woodmen Hills were defeated.The Upper Black Squirrel District was formed in 1979 to regulate the use, control and conservation of groundwater within the district boundaries. The state created eight districts to manage water well use, where a lack of surface water means users rely on groundwater as their primary source of water, according to the Colorado Ground Water Commission website. Metropolitan districts such as Meridian Service and Woodmen Hills distribute water that usually comes from UBS board-governed aquifers. The metro districts’ sources of water and usage within the districts are governed by the groundwater districts and the state water commission.The UBS board is made up of five division board members from five geographical divisions, roughly determined by population. Board members are elected for four-year terms. Division 1 covers Meridian Ranch, Latigo and the areas of Peyton and Calhan north of U.S. 24. Division 2 covers Woodmen Hills, between Stapleton Drive and Woodmen Hills Boulevard; and the areas of Falcon and Calhan, between U.S. 24 and Judge Orr Road.In Division 1, James R. Bond received 108 votes and incumbent Laurence Rodgers received 67 votes.In Division 2, Michael Stine received 62 votes, Martha ìMartiî Wallner received 34 votes and Scott Miller received 7 votes.ìIt was a very large turnout for us,î said Tracy Doran, UBS office manager. ìWe were very impressed with how many people got involved. It was similar to the numbers we got for the mill levy elections.îDefeated candidates Rodgers and Wallner are both connected to the Meridian Ranch development. Rodgers is a member of the Meridian Ranch Design Review Council. Wallner is the administrator of the Meridian Ranch YMCA. Both were supported by Meridian Ranch in numerous ways, including signage on development property, mentions on the Meridian Ranch and Antler Creek Golf Course Facebook pages and features in the community newsletter. Their defeat leaves Tim Hunker, manager of Meridian Service Metropolitan District, as the remaining suburban-density development representative on the UBS board.Perennial low turnout could have been evidence of apathy and lack of education on the part of residents in those communities, said Kathy Hare, a former UBS board member. Hare fought confusion and misunderstanding about the difference between metro districts and the UBS district during her 2003-2008 term. ìPeople need to realize there’s that whole basin here, and then that’s it for water,î Hare said. ìIt’s in the interest of anyone who is on the UBS board to preserve what we have for as long as possible. It’s going away for everybody.îDeveloper interest in keeping water flowing to homes they build is vital to their bottom line. ìMaintaining your water rights and keeping water affordable helps keep your home value up,î according to a statement by Rodgers published in a flier provided by Antler Creek. ìWe need to work together to ensure that our water rights, which we own, are not taken from us.îHare said the board has been split for years among agricultural, well owners and suburban development interests. ìIn the beginning, it was all the agricultural irrigators, and they’re still the largest water holders as far as I know,î Hare said. ìBut then the metro people got in there, starting with Cherokee. I understand the developers want to make sure they protect their investments.ìAt the end of the day, you all still need the same thing: a decent water supply.î
