With schools back in session, the first regular Carbondale Board of Trustees meeting of September saw the return of Student of the Month awards. Congratulations to Scarlett Cohen and Nico Dominguez! All trustees were in attendance, minus Jess Robison.
The swiftly-approved consent agenda consisted of meeting minutes, liquor license renewals for White House Pizza and Rhumba Girl Liquors, accounts payable and authorization for the new town manager and finance director to sign checks. Carbondale’s new finance director is Ola Verploegh. He grew up in New Mexico, moved to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2006 and has held leadership roles in finance for more than 20 years. This is his first job in municipal finance.
During trustee comments, Ross Kribbs mentioned that the Insane-A-Cycle sculpture by William Morrow was appraised at a rate lower than his heirs valued it, causing them to hold the donation. Kribbs emphasized the appraisal value does not represent the Town’s appreciation. “We really love that sculpture,” he said. “Having it in the Town’s collection increases the value and makes sure it’s well-kept.”
Colin Laird announced that the West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition is moving forward on the purchase of another home, this time in Carbondale, through the Good Deeds program which has now secured close to 20 deed-restricted houses by helping locals purchase them.
Town Attorney Susan Ryan announced she was appointed by Governor Jared Polis to serve as a 9th Judicial Court judge. Although this means her departure from working for the Town of Carbondale, the news was received with much support. “I really enjoyed working with all of you,” she said.
The first action item of the meeting consisted of permit approvals for Potato Day, Oct. 4. In its 116th consecutive year, Potato Day will feature a beer garden (with wine and spirits) and raise funds for Seed Peace — Casey’s Fund for Farmers under the fiscal umbrella of The Center for Human Flourishing. In honor of the 100th anniversary of “The Great Gatsby,” the theme is “The Grate Spudsby.”
Trustees then received their monthly update on the Aquatics Center. Stephanie Hirsch with Wember, the owner’s rep on the project, informed trustees that a number of factors will push the project’s completion into January, however this shouldn’t affect the target opening date of May 22. By the end of November, a memo states, “conditions will allow for the removal of the construction fence … making the sidewalk and bus stop accessible.” Most additional costs will be absorbed by the contractor’s contingency. Contract extensions for architect Land+Shelter and Wember will be covered by the owner’s contingency, which remains healthy, Hirsch stated.
Kribbs requested that with more time for the project to come together, and now that the Forest Service building is complete, a pathway from Main Street to Sopris Park be considered similar to the one that previously existed. “It would gladden my heart,” he said.
Lastly, trustees accepted an extension for landscaping public improvements at the Little Blue Preschool. Trustees reviewed a deed restriction for the Mountain Valley Mobile Home Park — a condition for granting funding toward the purchase of that park by residents. They then heard from the Town’s auditor, McMahan and Associates, and began discussing the 2026 budget.