All trustees were present at the regular meeting on Sept. 12 with the exception of Luis Yllanes.
Accounts payable, approved on the consent agenda, was especially hefty with $1,043,522.75 paid to Redoubt Restoration for grant-funded Crystal River Restoration work, in addition to other one-time expenses like $62,705.50 to Land+Shelter for new pool design work.
Other items on the consent agenda were reappointments of Dan Bullock, Lisa Paige and Joanne Teeple to the tree board, liquor license renewals for White House Pizza and Thunder River Theatre Company, a retail marijuana license renewal for High Q, reappointments of Hollis Sutherland, Rose Rosello and Ashley Hejtmanek to the Parks and Rec Commission (plus the appointment of Eli Cohen as a youth commissioner) and approval of a $25,000, 3% interest loan for Tuesday Foods from the Carbondale Revolving Loan Fund.
Several members of the public then gave general comments regarding the Forest Service project and lack of a public process. Protestors informed the trustees that Representative Lauren Boebert’s office has “opened a file on this matter.”
Next on the agenda, the Youth and Family Advisory Council, represented by Dr. Anna Cole, acting Roaring Fork School District superintendent, presented a $253,000 budget request making use of tobacco tax funds to provide nonprofit grants, direct school-based mental health funding, a wellness series, Youth Advisory Council (facilitated by Stepping Stones) and data summit. This will fulfill the third of a three-year commitment for the tobacco tax.
The Parks and Rec Commission then presented its 2024 budget goals, with the pool project and Chacos Park being two major items, in addition to ongoing maintenance expenses. Director Eric Brendliner stipulated that park bathroom improvements will likely have to wait. Trustee Erica Sparhawk suggested adding installation of piñata poles to a few public parks, in alignment with feedback from Latino outreach.
The next portion of the meeting consisted of hearing from Garfield Clean Energy (GCE) representatives and Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) on ongoing efforts toward sustainability. GCE is requesting $40,000 from Carbondale in 2024.
CLEER, represented by Zuleika Pevec, presented its Path to Net Zero for Existing Buildings plan, which will help determine CLEER’s scope of work in 2024 and beyond. Pevec emphasized this is a “living document,” which will be updated regularly to reflect technology trends, economic realities and other factors. The plan was approved with one caveat. Mayor Ben Bohmfalk asked that on-site renewable energy requirements be calibrated based on the percentage of renewables on the grid. With the exception of that change, which will return on a consent agenda, the plan was approved and can be viewed at www.bit.ly/P2NZ-EB
Quickly, Carbondale Clay Center received a liquor license approval and permission to close a portion of Main Street for the Settings fundraiser on Sept. 23.
Then, Town Arborist Carl Meinecke presented the Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan, identifying 438 public ash trees, including 278 along the River Valley Ranch (RVR) right-of-way. Excluding the RVR trees for now, because that data is not final, 81 trees have been identified for treatment (direct injection of the insecticide emamectin benzoate), which will cost an estimated $74,000 over 15 years with additional costs for tree removal and replantings.
Trustee Colin Laird suggested establishing a program for private property owners to buy in and receive treatment for their ash trees, streamlining the process.
Trustees then heard from Briston Peterson with MSP Development Group, requesting an extension for public improvements at the Carbondale Marketplace development. In November of 2022, the project’s previously private open space, including a futsal court, was made public in exchange for condominiumization of the apartment buildings to help finance their completion.
Although the futsal courts are complete, there is no safe access while the site remains a construction zone. Peterson cited inflation and banking criteria as having paused the project. Trustees approved an extension of two years for the public improvements.
Lastly, trustees continued a public hearing for clean-up of language in the Unified Development Code to Oct. 24, and the meeting adjourned at 9:21pm.