Summary

In This Issue

This month’s bulletin highlights the people, communities, and initiatives that continue to shape WISDOM Management and the districts we serve.

Inside, you’ll meet our Employee of the Quarter, explore how Perry Park Metropolitan District is helping protect its community through wildfire preparedness, and catch up on highlights from our recent Open House. You’ll also find a brief overview of the 2026 Colorado legislative session, current banking information, and practical reminders to help districts stay informed and prepared.

Thank you for partnering with WISDOM Management as we continue working together to support strong, well-governed communities throughout Colorado.

Banner for the WISDOM Management July 2026 newsletter featuring the WISDOM Management logo alongside a desktop workspace with a notebook, pen, coffee mug, keyboard, and office supplies on a light-colored background. The text reads, "WISDOM Management – July 2026 Issue."
**Alt text:**

Panoramic view of Perry Park featuring a calm lake in the foreground, a lush green golf course winding through the landscape, and rugged red and tan rock formations surrounded by dense pine-covered hills beneath a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds.

Featured Community: Perry Park Metropolitan District

Perry Park is a place where natural beauty and community pride go hand in hand. Located just west of Larkspur and bordered by the Pike National Forest, it offers a peaceful mountain feel while still being close to everyday amenities. The area is known for its striking red rock formations, tall pines, and quiet charm.  The setting is part of what makes Perry Park special and part of why the community takes wildfire preparedness so seriously. Formed in 1976, the Perry Park Metropolitan District helps protect that landscape by providing key services, including fire mitigation.

Perry Park was one of the first communities in the nation to earn the Firewise Community‑USA designation back in 2002. With portions of the community falling into “moderate and high intensity fire risk,” the District has built a strong culture of mitigation and readiness. The Board regularly reminds residents that, “it is not a matter of if, but when” a wildfire will threaten the area – a mindset that drives their commitment to offering practical, effective programs to residents.

Piles of tree branches and brush await pickup along a roadside in Perry Park as part of the District's slash pile program, which helps residents reduce wildfire fuel around their homes.

Slash Pile Program

Twice a year—starting June 1 and October 1—the District offers free pickup of eligible landscape cuttings (“slash piles”). Residents simply place their piles near the road, and a local company collects them. This service makes it easy to maintain defensible space and reduce fuels around homes, helping protect the entire community.

FRWRM Grant Program

The District was awarded a Forest Restoration & Wildfire Risk Mitigation (FRWRM) grant from the Colorado State Forest Service  in 2025. The program provides for a 50/50 cost share—$441,000 from the state matched by $441,000 from participating property owners (District and/or resident property owners) —for a total of $882,000 in mitigation work. These funds support treatment of 27 District-owned open space parcels and offer residents reimbursement opportunities of up to $3,000 in matching grant funds for fire mitigation work completed on their property.  Since 2001, PPMD has received over $3.5 million in grants.

911 Residential Address Marker Program

Clear, visible address markers save precious time during emergencies. The District provides these markers free of charge, and District volunteers, along with the Larkspur Fire Volunteer Auxiliary , help install them. It’s a simple program with a big impact on emergency response.

The District’s website includes additional resources on emergency preparedness, giving residents tools to stay informed and ready year‑round.

For more information about the District and its programs, visit perryparkmd.colorado.gov.

Sunny rural roadside with mailbox
Linnea Mellinger smiles while standing on a hiking trail surrounded by pine-covered hills and red rock formations beneath a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

Linnea Mellinger joined Wisdom Management in September of 2025. She grew up in a small country town in Illinois and was involved in community events and building relationships. While living in California, she worked in hospitality and management for CoCo’s, a well-known restaurant chain. After moving to Colorado 25 years ago, Linnea obtained her bachelor’s degree in business administration and launched her career in HOA management for 16 years. Linnea also obtained her real estate license which has been beneficial working in community and residential management.

Linnea is a dedicated district manager for several entities managed by Wisdom who has a passion for serving others in the community and exemplifies our core values of collaboration, human centeredness, innovation, and integrity. She is a true team player who is worthy of this accolade.

Linnea has been married to her husband for 33 years.  They have two grown children, Nathan and Lauren. She and her husband enjoy time with their dogs Rory and Milo. Linnea enjoys a good cup of coffee after an enjoyable meal, reading, hiking, swimming and being with family and friends.

Current interest rate sheets from Eastern Colorado Bank and Kirkpatrick Bank are provided for your reference as you evaluate district investment and certificate of deposit (CD) opportunities.

Call to order: The chair officially starts the meeting.
Roll call: The secretary confirms a quorum is present, which is the minimum number of members needed to conduct official business.
Approval of minutes: The assembly reviews and approves the minutes from the previous meeting.
Reports: Officers and committee chairs provide updates.
Unfinished business: Topics postponed from previous meetings are addressed.
New business: New motions and ideas are introduced.
Announcements: Relevant announcements are shared.
Adjournment: A motion is made and passed to end the meeting.

Colorado’s 2026 legislative session brought relatively few major changes for special districts, but several new laws will influence how communities are planned, funded, and served in the years ahead.

The biggest updates include continued investment in water infrastructure, recognition of emergency medical services (EMS) as an essential public service, and ongoing support for wildfire response and firefighter behavioral health. Lawmakers also continued to focus on affordable housing and community development while considering proposals related to property taxes and local government funding.

Several bills that could have reduced local government revenues or expanded state mandates did not become law, helping preserve local decision-making for special districts.

Overall, the session emphasized long-term investments in infrastructure, emergency services, and housing while leaving most day-to-day district operations largely unchanged. Water resources, property taxes, housing, and government transparency are expected to remain key topics in future legislative sessions.

Reception area of the newly remodeled Wisdom Management office, featuring the company logo behind the front desk, modern wood accents, and seating prepared for the open house.

On Thursday, May 7th, we at Wisdom Management proudly celebrated a milestone in our Company’s growth with an open house at our recently remodeled office space located at 3204 N. Academy Blvd, Suite 100

Company culture is critical to us here at Wisdom Management, and we were excited to share with our attendees the workspaces which allow us to collaborate with one another as well as our clients, innovate consistently and with integrity- always while remaining intentionally centered on the people and the communities we are honored to serve.

A big thank you to all who attended and celebrated with us!

A .gov Email Address for Your District

A .gov email address gives your District a professional, secure, and trusted way to communicate with residents, consultants, and partner agencies. It also helps keep official District business separate from personal email accounts.

If you’ve ever wondered whether a .gov domain is worth considering, the answer is yes—and WISDOM Management is happy to help guide you through the process.

Why Consider a .gov Domain?

Professional & Trustworthy
Email addresses like boardmember@district.gov, info@district.gov, or directorname@district.gov clearly identify official District communications and help build public confidence.

Separate Personal and District Business
Dedicated District email accounts help board members keep official communications separate from personal email, making records management and organization much easier.

Enhanced Security
.gov domains follow strict federal security standards designed specifically for government entities, providing additional protection against fraud and cyber threats.

Cost-Effective
There is no annual registration fee for the .gov domain itself, making it an affordable long-term investment.

What Does Setup Involve?

Obtaining a .gov domain does require several steps, including eligibility verification, federal approval, domain configuration, and email setup. While this may sound technical, most Districts don’t have to navigate the process alone.

WISDOM Management is happy to assist with planning, coordination, and implementation to help make the transition as smooth as possible.

Email Setup Options

Many Districts choose to configure their .gov email accounts through SIPA using discounted Google Workspace licensing available through the state contract.

Current pricing is approximately:

$57 one-time setup fee per license

Approximately $46.20 per user, per year

Many Districts also use Cloudflare for DNS management because it provides free services for .gov domains along with strong security and reliability.

The Bottom Line

A .gov domain is a practical way to strengthen your District’s professional image, improve cybersecurity, and create a clear separation between personal and official communications.

Although implementation involves a few technical steps, WISDOM Management can help guide your District through the process from start to finish, making it a manageable and worthwhile long-term improvement.

nfographic titled "Our Values – Our CHII" featuring the Wisdom Management logo at the top. Four vertically stacked sections spell the acronym CHII, each with a large circular letter, decorative gold vine accents, and a themed icon. C – Collaboration: handshake icon with text about working together through shared purpose, open communication, and mutual support. H – Human-Centeredness: person with leaves icon describing prioritizing the needs, well-being, and dignity of individuals. I – Innovation: light bulb with a sprouting leaf representing creativity, forward-thinking, and continuous improvement. I – Integrity: tree with balanced scales symbolizing honesty, transparency, accountability, and ethical leadership. The design uses a white background with green, teal, and gold branding throughout.

Upcoming Statutory/Jurisdictional Deadlines

REQUIREMENTDUE DATEDETAILS
Annual Detention Pond InspectionsJune 30Inspection and maintenance reporting due to the City of Colorado Springs. Date varies by jurisdiction.
Audit Report to the BoardJune 30Auditor must provide audit report to the Board of Directors, unless audit exemption approved.
Annual Backflow TestingJuly 1Final day for licensed backflow testers to submit backflow testing to Colorado Springs Utilities. Date varies by jurisdiction.
Annual ReportJuly 31Report date varies by District. Refer to the District’s service plan to verify the date.
Annual Audit Report/ Request for ExtensionJuly 30Final day to submit the audit report or request an extension from the State Auditor.
Annual ReportJuly 31 /August 1County Assessors will provide early estimates of assessed property values (not market value) for the current tax year, which are used in early budgeting and mill levy planning.
Preliminary Assessed Values for AssessorsAugustCounty Assessors will provide early estimates of assessed property values (not market value) for the current tax year, which are used in early budgeting and mill levy planning.
Final Day to File Audit for Approved ExtensionsSeptember 30Final day to submit audit for State Auditor-approved audit extensions.
REQUIREMENTDUE DATEDETAILS
Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
(Community water systems)
July 1Community water systems must submit the CCR to their customers on or before this date.