Water rules squash plans

SUMMIT COUNTY — Lack of adequate water supplies probably will prevent the Summit County Christian School from opening as planned at the Agape Outpost location near Farmers Korner this year.

After a work session with the Summit County commissioners last week, Agape pastor and school founder Mike Atkinson said water issue presents a crisis for the private school, which has been operating in the old Silverthorne Elementary School for the last three years.

Atkinson asked the commissioners to consider changes to the county's water policies to provide water to the Agape site. But based on the complex regulations, it's not likely that any changes could be approved or implemented in time to help the school this year.

“This would be a significant shift to our policies,” said county attorney Jeff Huntley.
The county has acquired water rights to offset demands from wells in the Upper Blue basin, but that supply is not intended for new development or more intensive land use, county manager Gary Martinez explained.

Several local residents with children at the Christian school expressed concern about the problems.

Losing the school would eliminate one of the few educations choices for local parents, said Breckenridge real-estate agent Todd Johnson.

Johnson said his two children have benefited from the school’s focus on building morals and character values like personal responsibility and accountability, integrity and honesty.

He said the low student-to-teacher ratio at the Christian school enables the teachers to integrate those values into the curriculum without losing focus of academic goals.
Losing the school would eliminate one of the few choices local parents have, Johnson said.

The school, which serves about 50 students from kindergarten through eighth grade, has been renting space in the elementary school from the Summit School District to the tune of about $8,000 per month for the last three years.

Atkinson said the school can't afford that price and approached the Upper Blue Planning Commission last month to seek approval for expanded operations at the Agape Outpost.

As part of the work session, the church needed to show proof of adequate water supplies. Other questions included potential traffic impacts on Highway 9 and compatibility with surrounding land uses.

But the availability of water was the key issue. The church currently is served by a well providing about 300 gallons per day. That's not close to enough water for a school with 75 students.

Atkinson said he knew of the potential limitations and had worked with Vidler Water, a private supplier, to explore a supplemental water supply.

Atkinson said the church had a letter of intent from Vidler.

But once again, the county's complex water rules disqualified the Agape Outpost from using Vidler water.

Without additional water, the school won't be able to operate at the Farmers Korner location this year, Atkinson said.

For now, the school has a short-term lease to use space at the Dillon Community Church through Nov. 1, but after that, the situation is unclear, Atkinson said, adding that he is looking to find some alternative space for this academic year.

“It’s a wonderful school,” said real-estate agent Tom Williams, who has two children enrolled. “It sets some Christian standards. It has some values that are important enough for us to send our kids there.”

The school give local parents a choice beside the Summit County School District, he said.

“We want our kids to have a Christian education. This will be our seventh year ... we’ve faced challenges all along. This is one of the few alternatives we have in this county,” Williams said.

Without criticizing the county commissioners, Williams said he would ask local officials to give the matter careful consideration.

“There’s no doubt in my mind, if this were a public school, they’d find a way to do it,” Williams said. “This is a solid local institution. I think we’ve earned some slack.”

Bob Berwyn can be reached at (970) 331-5996, or at bberwyn@summitdaily.com.