Tuesday’s board of trustees meeting, June 10, featured Spanish interpretation for a check-in with members of the Latino Advisory Board. All trustees were present minus Jess Robison.
The quickly-approved consent agenda included accounts payable, meeting minutes, a special event liquor license for the Typical Ghost album release party at KDNK on June 20, liquor license renewals for Brass Anvil and Tiny Pine Bistro, approval of Beth Shoemaker joining the Environmental Board, a memo authorizing interim finance director Renae Gustine to sign checks until a new finance director is hired — the same memo allows the public works director to also sign checks until a new town manager is onboarded — plus $89,800 to Grand River Construction for overlaying asphalt on the pedestrian trail that connects Snowmass Drive to Meadowood Drive.
Several members of the public gave general comments, including Doc Philip who couldn’t quite articulate his thought and promised to return in two weeks, as well as three Mountain Valley Mobile Home Park residents asking for financial support to purchase the land beneath their homes. As Maria Romero emphasized, there are more than 250 people living at Mountain Valley, which is now for sale. “We want to stay here,” she said. “It just breaks my heart to hear the kids worried about where they’re going to go.”
“We have been discussing it and we are going to add it to future agenda items and we are very seriously considering a pretty large contribution,” Mayor Ben Bohmfalk responded.
Jeff Basler, a recent retiree living at the Ranch at Roaring Fork, took the public comments opportunity to introduce the Carbondale Beautification Club, a new initiative organizing volunteers to keep public spaces looking tip-top.
The first action item involved a presentation by the Latino Advisory Board, established with a resolution in 2023 with the mission “to strengthen equity, communication and civic engagement by serving as a bridge between Latino residents and the Town.” The board officially launched in January 2025 and has since met on the first Monday of every month.
The Latino Advisory Board recommended the Town of Carbondale create a bilingual WhatsApp channel for one-way communication. They envision a two-step approach, beginning with official Town announcements and then adding community-based resources like health fairs and educational opportunities.
“That sounds like a great idea to me,” remarked Trustee Ross Kribbs. He suggested it’s also important that communication flows in the other direction, from Spanish-speaking residents to Town officials. “Don’t hesitate to come with other ideas sooner and less baked,” he added.
Mayra Juarez-Denis, executive director of Centro de los Trabajadores, took a few minutes to discuss their work, training laborers in hospitality, construction and childcare with a program sponsored by the City of Denver, and protecting workers from exploitation by preventing wage theft.
Next, Nick Nardecchia and Amalia Sparhawk, both Roaring Fork High School students, were approved as youth members to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Trustee Erica Sparhawk recused herself from the vote as mother to Amalia.
Anne Krimmer and Gianfranco Palumbo were then approved to join the Planning and Zoning Commission as alternates following brief interviews. Krimmer already served on the commission as an alternate and offers the perspective of a long-time local with experience in accounting. Palumbo is a land use planner for Pitkin County and previously Salida. He pointed out that Carbondale is due for a new comprehensive plan in the next few years which should guide redevelopment in the industrial area north of Town Hall.
Lastly, the trustees received another Aquatics Center update. Joe Farstad, mountain region vice president at Wember, the Town’s owner’s representative on the project, expressed optimism with the pool house going vertical that the new facility will be complete in October. He revealed that a shade structure over the pool was struck from the design.
Town Manager Lauren Gister further explained that that particular 30’ by 40’ shade structure would have cost $100,000 — $80,000 more than budgeted. A snap decision had to be made whether to accommodate six 10-inch posts to support it, and the fabric was not rated for use over a playground or pool which could have been a liability.
Kribbs expressed frustration that the decision had to be made so abruptly. He said that the package of add alternates was approved collectively and if they had the opportunity to divide it up, he would not have voted to approve the hot tub.
Sparhawk defended the decision. “We always got cooked at the pool anyway,” she said. “If you had come with another $80,000 [expense] that would have been another problem.”
Aquatics and Health & Wellness Coordinator Brian Froelich said he visited recently-constructed pools in Eagle, Rifle and Basalt and none had shade directly over the pool. Farstad added that if identified as necessary, shade can be added in the future “at a much lower rate” with “minimal intrusion into the existing adjacent landscape.”
This Thursday, June 12, the public is invited to meet four town manager finalist candidates at the Third Street Center from 5:30 to 7:30pm.