Dear Fellow Residents,
 
I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope your holidays were joyous.
 
In an upcoming newsletter you will find the 2009 Annual Report that reviews some highlights of the Town's activities during 2009.  I hope that you will find this informative.  I want to use this month's article to address the numerous projects that the Town has planned for 2010.
 
April is election season for the Town.  As part of the Town's agreement with Louisville there will be a ballot question for a proposed 1.50 mill property tax increase to fund library services.  This levy will raise approximately $240,000 a year beginning in 2011.   Initially these funds will be used to defray the costs incurred by the Town to pay for library services at the Louisville library. In the upcoming months the Town Board will discuss how the library service will look in the future, including the possibility of providing services within the Town boundaries.
 
It is also anticipated that there will be a ballot issue to move April elections to November to coincide with the federal election cycle.  The goal associated with this is to improve election turnout and voter participation by a significant percent.
 
The Town will continue to discuss and plan new park projects including a new park located between Horizons Apartments and Saddlebrooke.  This park may include a dog park, frisbee golf course, and BMX bike park.  Parks and Open Space Committee will be working on these plans and other and will be bringing concepts back to the Town Board. 
 
Snow Plowing Operations have been increased in 2010 for residents.  Town streets are generally divided into one of three categories, or tiers.  Tier 1 routes such as McCaslin and Rock Creek Parkway are plowed when snow accumulation reaches 2 inches, and continues until the storm abates.  Tier 2 routes such as Indiana and Coal Creek Drive are also plowed once snow reaches 2 inches of accumulation, but are only maintained from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm. Tier 3 routes such as Riverbend, Eldorado, and Yarrow Circle are plowed after accumulations of 10 inches or more.  Side streets and cul-de-sacs are generally not plowed, except in extreme storm events, due to the prohibitive cost involved.
 
Other projects the Town will be considering include an additional Town wide event tentatively planned as a bike race.  Continuation of the street maintenance/rehabilitation program that began in 2009 will also occur in 2010.  There will be trailhead improvements at the Coalton and McCaslin intersection.  Rock Creek drainage restoration through Community Park and Coal Creek drainage improvements in Original Town will also be conducted in 2010.
 
As always, I would invite residents to forward any comments or concerns about Town operation to myself and the members of the Board of Trustees.

Sincerely,
Andrew Muckle

Annually, Rocky Mountain Fire refreshes our ice rescue training skills in Superior's lakes.  In over a decade of searching for good ice to practice on, we have found that Superior does not have safe ice for public recreation. Portions of the lakes and ponds in Superior do cover with ice but when we are searching for a good practice spot we see the cracks, pockets of thin ice, and uneven layers. These dangerous conditions are created by frequent cooling and warming spells and underwater currents.  Please do not go onto the ice in and around Superior, it is not safe.
 
Many ice rescues are the result of people going out onto the ice to try and save their pet or wildlife that has just fallen through the ice.  If your pet does fall through the ice, call 911, do not attempt to save them yourself, it is very likely you will need rescued as well if you do.  We do and will respond to animals through the ice, but they will be pulled out only after all people who may have fallen in are rescued first.  
 
If you are at a lake that has been deemed safe by officials for public recreation and do fall in, don't try to swim out unless a boat, log, or the shore is close by.  By moving your limbs, you are actually increasing the blood flow to your extremities and increasing the rate of heat loss from your body.  Instead, assume the HELP position (Heat Escape Lessening Position).  Bring your knees to your chest, hold your arms to your sides, clasp your hands and if possible cover your head.  If you are in a group and you all fall in, the group should huddle together.   If you are with someone and they are still on shore or you can see someone call for help, try to stay calm.  If a current is pulling you under the ice, hold onto the ice with your arms fully extended and the ice up next to your chest.  Try not to allow your body to be pulled under the ice and keep talking to the people on shore.
 
As we prepare for our annual training we hope this is one more year that we don't need to respond to a person or animal through the ice.  Thank you for staying off the ice and keeping your pets safe.

Each month, the Town includes information about issues and trends in the area of code enforcement.  During the month of November, 69 code violations were identified, primarily right-of-way obstructions such as basketball hoops, RV's, trailers. Sixty-five of these were promptly corrected, resulting in a 94% compliance rate.