Once a month, a Town of Carbondale employee spends about three days slowly driving near every house the Town provides water service to. This is currently the only means of gathering data on water usage. Not only is it an inefficient use of time and resources, the information obtained is limited.
For these and other reasons, Assistant Public Works Director Scott Wenning spent months researching an alternative. On May 27, he recommended a solution with a $1.3 million price tag to the Board of Trustees.
But first, a consent agenda was approved that included meeting minutes, liquor license renewals for El Dorado and Downtown Liquors on Main, special event permits for Wilderness Workshop and Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra, accounts payable, appointment of Francisca Deloya to the Latino Advisory Board, reappointment of Drew Sorenson to the Parks and Recreation Commission and appointment of Josh Crawford and Noah Sakamoto to the Tree Board.
During general public comments, Patrick Guerra returned to raise concerns about a house under construction in River Valley Ranch he deems an anomaly due to its height and retaining walls. He requested a meeting with the planning director and building official to address mitigation.
The first of three action items involved April Long, West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition executive director, and Tim Townsend, Thistle ROC program director, with an update on the Mountain Valley Mobile Home Park, located just outside Carbondale limits. Townsend gave an overview of Thistle ROC, an organization that works to purchase mobile home parks and convert them to a resident-ownership model.
Trustees had the opportunity to ask questions and air concerns. Ross Kribbs asked if keeping rents low may paradoxically cause the price of homes in the park to rise. Townsend responded that some resident-owned communities place requirements in their bylaws to prioritize selling to low-income families.
Colin Laird asked if this and the Aspen-Basalt Mobile Home Park must be purchased together. Townsend said they’re not linked, necessarily. Separate offers will be made for each park depending on at least 80% buy-in from residents.
Mayor Ben Bohmfalk admitted to struggling with the notion of committing public funds now that it’s known there’s a deed restriction which requires Mountain Valley to remain a mobile home park no matter to whom it’s sold — assuaging concerns the land would be redeveloped, displacing all 64 families. Townsend revealed there’s a statewide trend of investor portfolios selling mobile home parks, possibly related to Colorado’s more stringent laws. Nonetheless, “There’s a very real possibility that a corporate group will come in and pay the large amount of money because they know they will raise the rents,” Townsend said.
“I think it’s really easy for us to say that just because the previous owner doesn’t have high rates means that the market can’t bear it,” said Jess Robison. “That’s a dangerous assumption to make. Nobody would have thought five years ago that the median home price in Carbondale would have been $2.3 million for a single-family home … There’s people who are willing to pay whatever it takes to get into this market.”
Colin Laird referred to the opportunity as a “buydown program on steroids.” He said, “It’s a way to maximize our investment and get more affordable units.”
“Does this pass the sniff test?” asked Ross Kribbs. “Are we being hoodwinked on some level to consider this out of desperation rather than opportunity?” Townsend said he’s seen similar terms on previous deals and believes it’s legitimate. Because there’s already a $15.5 million offer on the park, the residents have only a few months to match it.
No action was taken.
Back to a new water meter system, Wenning recommended the Town purchase cellular-based infrastructure from Mountain States Pipe and Supply that would transmit data remotely every hour, helping to adjust rates and detect leaks. With unanimous board approval, staff will pursue grant funding to offset the $1.3 million cost and devise an implementation strategy which could take place over 10 years or less.
Lastly, trustees returned to a discussion of the Town Center Master Association which Town Manager Lauren Gister has labored to dissolve as part of developing land donated to the Town for affordable housing. She called the 134 pages of documents “fall asleep at the dinner table legalese.” The goal is to have a vote on the matter at the June 24 meeting.
The public will have an opportunity to meet four town manager finalists at the Third Street Center on June 12 — time to be determined. Trustees will interview those candidates the following day, weighing feedback from the public.