Mayor's Message, March 2023
Greetings!
The Palmer Lake Board of Trustees is actively partnering with Town staff and our wonderful citizens and working in unison towards a strong finish to the first quarter of 2023.
We would first and foremost like to welcome Mr. Nick Ehrhardt to our Board as our newly appointed Trustee, officially appointed by the Board on 2/23 to fill the recent vacancy. Nick brings dedicated service to this Board, a lifetime in Palmer Lake, and a strong enthusiasm about parks and trails. Nick has a young family, embraces life to the fullest, and will be a driving force for the future of Palmer Lake.
I have thoroughly enjoyed hosting our bi-weekly, “Moments with the Mayor,” and have been joined by several Trustees. Learning more about the passion of people in our community has been extremely rewarding. I am humbled by the talent we have in this Town! It is a true blessing to get to know you and your vision for the future of Palmer Lake. Together, we will continue to move mountains.
The first annual “All You Need is Love” Valentine dinner and dance was a huge success. Thank you to the Fun-Raisers of Awake the Lake for your creativity and love of our community!
We are working diligently to address the questions coming to the Board regarding the Elephant Rock property. We have received overwhelmingly positive direction from numerous citizens asking us to slow down. We want you to know that as a Board, we are listening and will take the time to fully develop a plan for the long-term use of this important gift. We will update the community regularly on the progress. Beginning this week, there will be a page on the town website dedicated to information regarding Elephant Rock. Designated page found here - https://www.townofpalmerlake.com/community/page/elephant-rock-property
Following the vote to allow recreational marijuana sales in Palmer Lake, two marijuana establishments are approved for retail store licenses and will be opening soon. Thanks to months of planning, approval from the Marijuana Enforcement Division, and ultimately the support of the voters of Palmer Lake, we anticipate a strong partnership and substantial revenue and job creation for our town in the coming months.
An analysis is currently underway for the Water Department and Enterprise Fund, and in the second quarter, we will learn results and recommendations for the planning of capital improvement savings and water rate recommendations. Anticipate more on this topic.
The Planning Commission is currently working on rewriting a proposed town sign ordinance. Watch for these recommendations when they are presented to the Board of Trustees. We encourage your input.
In the next few weeks, the Board will be holding workshops to prioritize items requiring future planning, such as the town water system improvements, drainage planning, and other department operational planning. This preparation is imperative in order to develop shovel-ready projects for available grant funding.
Please continue to reach out to me with your questions and concerns. I look forward to your calls and emails. You may also contact the Town office to schedule a “Moment with the Mayor” on Wednesdays from 2-4pm or Fridays from 9-11am.
Thank you for your ongoing support and input.
Mayor Glant Havenar
