Board election, speakers on local issues at OWN Town Hall Jan. 31

       Several informational speakers will be featured and the annual board-member election held when the Organization of Westside Neighbors (OWN) hosts a Town Hall Thursday, Jan. 31.
       All Westsiders are invited. The event will start at 7 p.m. at the Westside Community Center, 1628 W. Bijou St.
       OWN is the city-recognized advocacy group for the older Westside, within a specific area known as the Westside Neighborhood Strategy Area (NSA).
       The following presentations are scheduled:
  • Councilmember Lisa Czelatdko, whose southwestern-city District 3 includes the Westside NSA, on the council redistricting that takes effect in the April election.
  • A County Sheriff's Office representative, on use of the new .23 percent sales tax (Question 1A in last November's election) in staffing unincorporated parts of the Westside.
  • Colorado Springs Police Department Gold Hill Commander Pat Rigdon, on Westside law enforcement efforts.
  • El Paso County Engineer Andre Brackin, on the Westside Avenue Action Plan, a multi-jurisdictional study covering the Colorado/Manitou Avenue corridor between 31st Street and Highway 24.
  • OWN President Welling Clark, on the Avenue Task Force and on flooding issues. The task force is an informal group of local merchants, residents, law enforcement and elected officials seeking to alleviate crime problems along the corridor. The flooding concerns are a result of the Waldo Canyon Fire.
           The election will fill five positions on the nine-member OWN board. Positions open are Areas 1, 2, 3 and 6 and At-Large 1. All of these have three-year terms except Area 2, which is for two years; and Area 3, for one year.
           Three of the OWN seats are at-large, and six serve specific geographic areas of the NSA. Candidates and voters must be Westside NSA residents or must own residential property there.
           For more information, contact OWN President Welling Clark by e-mail at welling80904@yahoo.com or by phone at 471-4740.

    Westside Pioneer article