The Town of Basalt is currently seeking community input on its new public services building, which will jointly host the police and public works departments. The Town is seeking input through surveys sent by mail, as well as an anonymous survey online at letstalk.basalt.net
“Basalt is at an inflection point where we need to make some key, strategic investments in the services our community relies on every day,” said Mayor David Knight. “This proposed facility is being planned with long-term needs in mind. A community investment in a shared facility will mean more responsive services, improved public safety and stronger infrastructure from our roads and utilities to parks and public spaces.”
The new building, which will be constructed south of the intersection of Original Road and Highway 82, is currently in the planning phase. During an April council meeting, the Town selected Wold Architects and Engineers as the design and engineering team for the project.
Both the Police Department and Public Works Department work out of buildings that have been identified to fall short of safety and space needs.
The Police Department operates in an office building not designed for law enforcement, which lacks adequate space for interviews and evidence storage. A new building is intended to be sufficient for these needs, and will include a community room meant to strengthen relationships between officers and residents.
The proposed facility is currently estimated by Wold to cost approximately $25 million. The Town has already identified $7 million in reserves to fund the project. Basalt intends to finance the remaining $18 million over time. The Town is also considering a 0.5% sales tax to fund the project’s development and long-term operation and maintenance, which would raise the sales tax from 8.45% to 8.95%. It’s been noted by the Town that even with the proposed increase, Basalt’s sales tax would remain lower than that of Aspen, Carbondale or Glenwood Springs. In addition, a sales tax, as opposed to a property tax, would be a financial burden shared by both visitors and residents.
The council has yet to decide whether to place this funding question on a future ballot.
Age-Friendly initiative
During this week’s meeting, the Town of Basalt reviewed Pitkin County’s 2026 Age-Friendly initiative, which is designed in partnership with AARP to act as a “north star” towards making Pitkin County a more livable, inclusive and supportive place for its aging residents.
During a presentation, age statistics and forecasts were provided for both Pitkin and Eagle counties.
In Eagle County, 19% of the total population is currently over 60 years old, which is up 125% since 2010.
Eagle County attributes much of its projected population increase over the next decade to residents 65 and up, expecting a 54% increase in residents aged 75-84 and a 142% increase in residents 85+. Eagle County also projects a 15% decrease in residents aged 0-17.
Pitkin County’s Age-Friendly initiative targets eight domains of livability for seniors: outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, wellness and enrichment, inclusion, civic engagement and employment, communication and information, and community and health services.
The Initiative outlines possible actions to address each domain, including partnering with parks and rec departments to assess parks and trails accessibility and collaborating with Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) to subsidize senior travel or expand senior-focused transportation options.
Council was not required to take any action during this meeting, and simply reviewed the new initiative with representatives from Pitkin County Senior Services.
The initiative is intended to work alongside Eagle County’s Aging Well Roadmap. Eagle County has likewise identified healthcare, housing and transportation as priority areas for the improvement of the lives of its aging population.