This week, the Town of Basalt announced a ribbon cutting for the nearly-completed Midland Streetscape Project, and also approved a regional emission reduction roadmap which hopes to steer Eagle County toward net-zero emissions by 2030.
Town Manager Ryan Mahoney kicked off this week’s meeting recommending the allocation of Basalt’s discretionary grant and tobacco tax funding. The Town Council grants subcommittee reviewed 42 applicants for funding and selected 32 to receive grants ranging from $1,000 to $15,000, selecting organizations in healthcare, education, arts, food security and more. In total, Town Council received approximately $143,000 in funding requests, with an available budget of $254,000 including this season’s grant cycle and tobacco tax funding.
In addition, Town Staff and the grants subcommittee recommended a one-time $50,000 grant to Mountain Family Health Centers, a nonprofit which provides accessible primary, dental and mental health care. The organization has experienced funding issues due to the sunsetting of COVID-era Medicaid policies, and has been forced to close two clinics in Basalt schools. While the funding will help continue operations at the organization’s location on Emma Road, this is to be a one-time grant.
Manager Mahoney also provided a very brief update on the Midland Streetscape project. The project is nearly completed with one final section of paving by St. Vincent Catholic Church being held over until the new year, and the construction team is still awaiting the new light fixtures which, after some backordering issues, will be installed in February.
Mahoney announced that this Friday, Dec. 13, the Town of Basalt will be hosting a ribbon cutting for the Streetscape Project as well as a celebration for the Christmas tree lighting during the Merry on Midland Block Party. Scheduled from 4 to 6pm, the celebration will include live music, vendors and a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Claus. The Town of Basalt invites families to come out and enjoy the new Midland Avenue and some festive fun.
Additionally, Council unani-
mously adopted a regional net-zero roadmap to guide Basalt toward achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030. The regional roadmap was created in a collaborative effort between local governments in the Roaring Fork and Eagle River valleys, utility providers, community nonprofits and sustainability experts. The presentation of the roadmap was led by Gina McCrackin of Walking Mountains Science Center, which is taking the reins coordinating Eagle County communities.
In Basalt, the construction and operation of buildings remains the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, building codes and construction have been prioritized in the regional roadmap which defines an ideal building as all electric, powered by renewable energy, with the ability to store energy and shift use to reduce demand on the grid, minimizing embodied carbon and electric vehicle ready. Ideally, these new codes will create healthier, more energy-efficient buildings, as well as make life easier for the construction workforce who will be able to operate consistently in different communities and worry less about the complexity of differing codes.
While the Town of Basalt already adopted a roadmap to net-zero in 2022 through Resolution 56, this new document will act as a supplement and help standardize and create predictability for designers and builders in the region.
Mayor David Knight praised the regional roadmap, saying, “I’m happy to see other groups coalescing around a common set of goals and objectives.”
Knight then asked about next steps for the roadmap and how the program would affect existing buildings. McCrackin responded that the Climate Action Collaborative and the Community Office for Resource Efficiency — both of which act as community coordinating entities — will be applying for grants through the Colorado Energy Office to support implementation programs, such as workforce trainings and education for local government staff.
McCrackin also stated that the Regional Roadmap is geared toward new construction and does not currently have guidelines for the modification of existing buildings, which she said would be far more expensive and complicated. However, the plan is aspirational in nature, and the regional roadmap anticipates amendments as technologies and practices improve.