Budgets and budgeting - The Durango Herald

La Plata County weighs cost-cutting options

To save pennies as revenue streams take a nosedive, La Plata County officials are considering a possible reduction of cellphone stipends and county-provided phones for employees. ...

DATE: Jan 24, 2017 | CATEGORY: Local News

Homeowners’ tax break is trouble for La Plata County budget

State rule could deplete revenue an additional $800,000 in 2018

DATE: Jan 12, 2017 | CATEGORY: Local News

Bayfield may explore home rule in 2017

Town trustees also rank priorities for year

DATE: Jan 8, 2017 | CATEGORY: Local News

Ignacio Town Board sets 2017 budget

New downtown businesses expected to help sales tax revenues

DATE: Dec 29, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

La Plata County approves 2017 budget

Revenue expected to fall 14 percent

DATE: Dec 13, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

La Plata County Sheriff: Tighter budget means no body cameras for now

Department would need to spend $30,000 to equip deputies, sheriff says

DATE: Nov 30, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

ConocoPhillips to sell its assets in San Juan Basin

Sale could put crimp in La Plata County’s operating budget

DATE: Nov 22, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

District attorney’s office seeks funds for a new prosecutor

Strains felt from heavy case load

DATE: Oct 19, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

Sheriff’s Office faces budget challenges

Department looks for ways to save

DATE: Oct 17, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

Parking tickets may increase to pay for transit

Future funding sources needed

DATE: Oct 14, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

New public art not funded in 2017 budget

City applied for grant to fund new art for U.S. Highway 550/160 intersection

DATE: Oct 14, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

Durango Council split on future of organic parks

The organic parks program could face major changes next year, as it comes to the end of its three-year pilot program. There are eight parks managed without herbicides, but weeds ...

DATE: Oct 14, 2016 | CATEGORY: Local News

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Haunted house northeast of Durango gets bigger every yearCody Petersen’s Halloween hobby is his escape from the daily grind

Durango resident Cody Petersen said when he moved into his home at 15 Edgemont Way several years ago, his house on the corner looked lonely and spooky.Today, it’s a madhouse. Halloween decorations are splayed practically on every inch of his lawn, in the trees and up and down his home.

A group of school-aged kids stop in front of his house every day to pose with a little gothic doll in the lawn, he said. It’s the favorite attraction amongst hundreds of decorations Petersen bought locally and online as early as July in preparation for Oct. 31, Halloween.He said he doesn’t want to think about how much money he’s spent on fog machines, animatronics and Christmas lights, but the bill easily totals several thousands of dollars.

For trick-or-treaters on Halloween, whom he encourages to visit, jumpscares abound at Petersen’s home, featuring animatronic spiders, growling wolves and other monsters, he said.He’s working on his own animatronic coffin, which shakes and rattles, and a pulley system that will push and pull a ghost up and down the yard, but neither will be ready for this year’s Halloween.He said he has fond memories of his parents decorating for the holidays during his upbringing and he’s a huge horror genre fan. So he enjoys going all out on decorations for the spooky season. He justifies his hobby with the logic his kids will only be in high school a few more years, and it isn’t as cool to decorate the lawn for Halloween when one doesn’t have children living at home.But the neighbors enjoy his haunts as much as the rest of the community. He said his Halloween scene has gradually grown larger every year; at least 50 trick-or-treaters turned up at his home last year.“I'm a home inspector, so I do have a lot of tools and no fear of trying things out,” he said.

He said typical Halloween animatronics cost $400 a piece, but they only last one year or so without breaking. That’s frustrating, he said, and he believes he can do better by building his own.He said this year’s display and experience is more organic than past years thanks to his handiwork. Among his myriad decorations, trick-or-treaters can spot easter eggs referencing “Beetlejuice,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Pet Sematary.”Among the horror props are real animal bones Petersen said he’s found on hikes across the countryside.“I've got ghosts and spiders and witches and that kind of thing,” he said. “Here in Edgemont, we have giant spiders for real. ... We get these huge wolf spiders that are bigger than my hand. I mean, huge, bigger than tarantulas.”

Petersen said he was motivated to make his first decorations within the first month he and his wife moved into the home on the corner at 15 Edgemont Way.A lone pine tree, a typical Christmas tree that would be strung up with lights and ornaments in December, stood out to Petersen in the yard, he said. He just felt compelled to decorate it and light it up.He said he thoroughly decorated the tree and left it lit year-round. Within a month of moving into the house, his neighbor died. The man was old and suffering from Alzheimer's.

Months later, the man’s wife approached Petersen and told him she and her husband’s last salient moments together were spent looking out at Petersen’s lighted Christmas tree, pretending it was Christmas. In the following hours, the man succumbed to delirium. He died several days later.“I don't know why I had that tree, why I lit it, but that's why that tree, even when Halloween is over, all year round, that Christmas tree always stays lit now,” he said.Petersen is a horror movie fan, and in particular he’s always enjoyed the sinister character Michael Myers of the “Halloween” franchise.

He said every year, after thrilling trick-or-treaters at his home, he takes to downtown and East Third Avenue in his Michael Myers costume, bearing a giant bowl of candy, to continue the fun.The highlight of his yard, the creepy doll neighborhood kids like to pose and take pictures with, is Petersen’s “elf on the shelf,” he said. He likes to move the doll around the house, sometimes propping her up to hold animal bones.“I have a real busy and pretty stressful job,” he said. “I just love the fall so much. And to come home, it's just a good way to wind down and, you know, de-stress, just go out and work in the yard.”cburney@durangoherald.com

Cody Petersen’s Halloween hobby is his escape from the daily grind

Reader-submitted photos of Halloween decorationsLast week, we asked readers to submit photos of their Halloween decorations or a neighbor’s decorations. We received dozens of photo submissions. We have selected some of the most spooky, elaborate and fun photos to share in this gallery. Enjoy!

Photos: FLC volleyball returns homeFort Lewis College volleyball took on Adams State University on Tuesday

Fort Lewis College volleyball took on Adams State University on Tuesday

Photos: Expert leathercrafter and collector estate sale near IgnacioItems belonging to the late Alex Pappas were auctioned for sale on Saturday

Items belonging to the late Alex Pappas were auctioned for sale on Saturday

Photos: Pro boxing in DurangoLegends on the Animas boxing showdown took place on Saturday

Legends on the Animas boxing showdown took place on Saturday

Fort Lewis College women’s soccer loses to Colorado School of Mines 5-1

Photos: Durango Cowboy Gathering draws crowd with Horseback Social and paradeThe cowboys, cowgirls and their horses took center stage Saturday in downtown Durango

The cowboys, cowgirls and their horses took center stage Saturday in downtown Durango

Durango Cowboy Gathering hosts its first ever mechanical bull roping competition

About 1,000 sheep move along down Buck Highway during the annual event on Saturday

La Plata County weighs cost-cutting options

Homeowners’ tax break is trouble for La Plata County budget

Bayfield may explore home rule in 2017

Ignacio Town Board sets 2017 budget

La Plata County approves 2017 budget

La Plata County Sheriff: Tighter budget means no body cameras for now

ConocoPhillips to sell its assets in San Juan Basin

District attorney’s office seeks funds for a new prosecutor

Sheriff’s Office faces budget challenges

Parking tickets may increase to pay for transit

New public art not funded in 2017 budget

Durango Council split on future of organic parks

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