On Thursday night, Basalt Town Hall overflowed with applause as it said goodbye to Councilor Elyse Hottel and Mayor Bill Kane, congratulated Councilor David Knight on his assumption of the position of mayor and welcomed its two newest councilors, Angele Dupre-Butchart and Hannah Berman.
Prior to swearing in its newest members, the council voted to approve a $1.78 million contract with Roaring Fork Valley-based commercial builder RA Nelson for the development of two affordable housing units at Stott’s Mill. In 2022, Basalt purchased four lots at Stott’s Mill to develop affordable housing for town employees and, after posting a request for proposals in January, staff selected RA Nelson to construct a duplex on two adjacent lots.
Afterwards, Town Manager Ryan Mahoney was the first to bid farewell to Councilor Hottel and Mayor Kane. Mahoney highlighted the achievements the council made during this previous term. Although groundwork was laid for Basalt River Park by the previous council, Mahoney praised the hard work of this current team which brought the park to life. This team also made the necessary preliminary efforts for the rejuvenation of the Clark’s Market lot, as well as initiated the massive Midland Avenue Streetscape project, which Mahoney stated is the “last piece of the puzzle” to revitalizing historic downtown Basalt.
Great as these accomplishments are, Mahoney urged those in the room to consider that they make up a small portion of what this council has done for its community in the past four years. Mahoney then presented Mayor Kane, Councilor Hottel and Councilor Knight with plaques to commemorate their service to the community during their tenure.
Councilor Hottel offered her thanks to the community and reflected on her goal to improve the trust and communication between Basalt’s government and its citizens. “I hope that will be my legacy,” said Hottel, “that folks feel like they can communicate to the council, and that they trust we’re making decisions with their best interests at heart.”
Mayor Kane then took the microphone to make his final statements. He first acknowledged ex-councilor Glenn Drummond who stepped down earlier this spring, thanking him for his service to Basalt even though his tenure was cut short.
Kane then expressed his gratitude to every council and staff member. “Thanks for all the memories and the wonderful stuff we hacked through together,” he said. “This is a wonderful town, and it keeps getting more wonderful with time. … We’re a great place to live, and let’s keep it that way.”
Mayor Kane then donned his western hat and, to a round of applause, Town Hall bid adieu to two leaders of the Basalt community.
After a round of congratulations, Knight was sworn in as the new mayor of Basalt. New councilors Dupre-Butchart and Berman were also welcomed with applause.
Mayor Knight, in his new seat, thanked Hottel and Kane for their outstanding service: first to Hottel for being so approachable to the community and second to Kane for his leadership.
The first action this new council took was a resolution to oppose a proposed ordinance to Basalt’s municipal code. A petitioner’s committee submitted the proposed ordinance which would create a spending limitation on the Town’s Capital Construction Fund, a parking area limitation prohibiting any reduction in the number of parking spaces present downtown and a parking use limitation which would prohibit the Town from allocating any off-street parking spaces to third parties except if those spaces remain open to the public in perpetuity.
Council unanimously opposed this ordinance, with Mayor Knight and Councilor Ryan Slack agreeing that it would add unnecessary confusion to Basalt’s municipal code which already has guidelines for these matters. Notably, councilors stated the ordinance will not and cannot, as a matter of law, retroactively apply to the Midland Streetscape project, or any other project previously approved by the Town.
This ordinance will be present as Question 1 on a special ballot on May 21.