Thank you to the more than 700 residents who provided input on our Trash and Recycling Service Survey in October. Residents were asked to give their opinion on whether to keep trash and recycling service as is (using your own containers) or if they would rather use 96-gallon trash and recycling totes that would be provided at no charge by Waste Connections. Some people were interested in the totes. Other residents preferred for the service to remain status quo as they do not want to handle the larger totes or do not think they have room for them. Since there was a strong interest in both options, the Master Association Board decided to provide a hybrid system. Residents will have the option of continuing to use their own containers (either trash cans or bags) or of using totes provided at no charge by Waste Connections. Trash and recycling service will be weekly as it is now. If you prefer to use the 96-gallon totes, you will need to contact Waste Connections at kencarylco@wasteconnections.com so they may deliver totes to your home for a January start date. Please tell them you are a Ken-Caryl resident and provide your name, address and phone number. If you want to continue using your own containers, you do not need to do anything. Your service will continue as is. If you decide that you would like to use the tote system at a later date you can sign up at that time. Residents were also asked if they would be interested in a composting service. About 20 percent of respondents indicated they would be willing to pay extra for composting. We will provide an opportunity to sign up for this service in the first quarter of next year. We will need at least 500 residents to sign up in order for this program to be established.

The recently completed Community Master Plan supports resident desires for “more consistency between neighborhoods.” The Master Association Board supports this approach. With the new community entry and directional signs, the Board is seeking to present a unified community image and believes that the individual neighborhood signs may no longer be necessary or appropriate. Many neighborhoods have multiple entrances, some of which have signs and some do not. Therefore, the signs provide limited help in finding your way to a specific neighborhood. The Board also feels that the signs are visual clutter, and their removal would improve the overall image of our community. With many people using phones or car navigation systems, the need for signs to help direct folks is reduced. Earlier this fall the Master Association Board asked for residents' thoughts regarding the future of the individual neighborhood signs. Thank you to those residents who responded. However the variety of responses from residents did not offer a clear direction regarding the signs. Therefore a survey is in order. Please take a minute to answer the Neighborhood Sign Survey.

Crews are making great progress on the Ranch House in the north end of the building, the lobby and the Adult Lounge. Completion of this first phase is anticipated to be in late-December, and then the crews will start on the office area. As a reminder, the main entrance to the Ranch House is closed during renovations. Please use the Recreation Office entrance instead. The Community Center and Dakota Lodge renovations will start as soon as the building permits are granted, which is expected any day now. If you have any questions, please email bondprojects@kcranch.org.

The Ken-Caryl Ranch Metropolitan District has a variety of camp options for kids on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Thanksgiving week. If you are in need of care for your kids that week, check out these awesome programs:

Join us for an informational meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Ranch House to learn more about the Ken-Caryl Ranch Preschool and the different schedule options we will be offering for the 2016-2017 school year. For more information, please contact Kailey Bucher, Recreation Coordinator for Early Childhood Programs, at 303-979-4070, ext. 111, or kaileyb@kcranch.org.