Turning Back the Pages  

30 years ago – February 22, 1985

Water availability in Black Hawk could reach a critical point within the next few days, Paul Felton, public works director, said Wednesday. The city’s pump line from North Clear Creek to the reservoir is frozen and has at least one break. The city has been forced, off and on, mostly on, for the past three weeks to purchase water from the City of Central. Currently Black Hawk is purchasing all of its water from Central, approximately 85,000 gallons a day at $1.00 per 1,000 gallons, Felton said. Felton stressed that getting the pump lines open and reestablishing Black Hawk’s own source of water will become critical as Central’s reservoirs drop. The two city’s water problems began the last week of January and the first of February when area temperatures plunged beneath the minus 30 degree mark. The last two weeks of relatively warm weather and lack of snow cover have been driving the frost line deeper into the ground. The surface moisture seeps deeper into the ground on warm days and refreezes at night. Felton says that, with help from a proposed steam pump that, “we are almost out of the woods.” He added, “Everybody’s just been super.”

Pat Warkentin has submitted his letter of resignation as Central City Police Chief. He said the resignation will be effective as soon as the city hires a replacement. He will not rush the Mayor and Council. Warkentin will not, at the present time, make any recommendations on who the city should hire. He said that first, he wants to see who applies for the job, and that he will only make a recommendation if it is requested. Warkentin was appointed Police Chief in August 1981. Prior to that he was a reserve officer for Central. He will “probably” be moving to the Golden area, but does not discount the possibility of moving back to Central at a later date. He said he has “enjoyed” his job as police chief, and certainly has “no hard feelings” as he leaves.