Carbondale’s regular Board of Trustees meeting on Nov. 12 began with student of the month awards, followed by approval of a consent agenda including appointing Meredith Bullock to the Tree Board, youth Oliver Skagen to the Environmental Board, Frank Nadell to the Public Arts Commission, a liquor license renewal, accounts payable and $136,820 toward a new blower for the wastewater treatment plant.
Niki Delson then spoke to the sex assault that occurred last week. As a woman, neighbor and someone who had a career working with sexual offenders, she stated the police reasoning for believing the incident was isolated was not reassuring. She also felt the neighborhood should have been alerted, which segued into Sue Zislis’ comment recommending TextMyGov, a tool New Castle uses that enables a municipality to contact its community with urgent messages.
Ron Kokish, representing Age-Friendly Carbondale thanked the trustees for taking seriously their Highway 133 hazards report. “Regardless of what happens in the country, democracy is working quite well in Carbondale,” he said.
During the town manager’s report, Lauren Gister introduced Patrick Thibault, Carbondale’s new municipal clerk. He will have several weeks of overlap training with outgoing clerk Jessica Markham.
Moving on to action items, five applicants were approved to form the Town’s first Latino Advisory Board in accordance with a resolution passed two years ago. Ana Tapia, Maria Graciani, Maria Judith Alvarez, Maribel Barbosa and Viviana Quintero will elevate the voice of Carbondale’s Latino residents and help remove barriers to participation.
Next, Little Blue Preschool quickly received an extension for public improvements to the facing sidewalk and landscaping given construction on their building expansion has been delayed by a year.
A larger item meriting more discussion was an amendment to the code updating inclusionary housing requirements. The change primarily consisted of requiring 25% (up from 20%) of all new residential developments with more than nine units, including rental-only, to be accessible according to Carbondale’s area median income (www.bit.ly/CdaleAMI24). Developments with four units must have one unit be resident-owned and restrictions augment with the number of units up to ten.
Trustee Ross Kribbs asked why it wasn’t possible to increase the number to 30% as suggested at the previous hearing, to which Planning Director Jared Barnes responded neither the Planning and Zoning Commission nor the public had sufficient opportunity to consider that substantial of a change as part of the process. With that explanation, the ordinance was unanimously approved.
Trustees then got to review a final draft schematic design for Chacos Park and the 4th Street Plaza. Nicholas DiFrank with re:LAND presented the project, 14 months in the making. The goal of Chacos Park, he explained, is to be “Carbondale’s Swiss Army Knife — the do-it-all tool.”
From daily activities to headline events like Día de los Muertos and farmers’ markets, the design is intended to be versatile and pedestrian-centric with ample shade, a seasonal water feature, fixed stage and seamless connection across 4th Street. Seven parking spaces are reduced to four and bicycle parking is dramatically increased.
The estimated total cost is $2,883,985, increasing annually with projected inflation. Undergrounding powerlines would be an additional cost of approximately $250,000. Three timelines were delineated, depending in part on a competitive Land and Water Conservation Fund grant, with construction possibly beginning in May of 2026 or lasting into 2027.
With approval of that schematic design, trustees then looked at their five-year capital improvement plan (www.bit.ly/CdaleCapital), identifying projects costing more than $20,000. Highlights include $280,000 toward Town Hall renovations to accommodate for more employees; $400,000 toward a new motor grader; up to $6.75 million over several years toward a new roundabout at Industry Way.
“We’ve been talking about this for a while,” Trustee Colin Laird said of the roundabout. “I just want to push this as fast as we can.” Additional Highway 133 crossings will be prioritized before the roundabout, but can not practically be constructed in 2025, Public Works Director Kevin Schorzman said.
Finally, trustees reviewed community grants and took another look at the draft 2025 budget. Each year, Carbondale dedicates 1% of its general fund expenditures to local nonprofits. This year, that amount is $121,000 with an additional $35,000 allocated toward special events. Considering the Mt. Sopris Music Fest and second Sunday summer concert series, Mayor Ben Bohmfalk suggested zeroing out those dedications and combining them for a total of $8,480, then bringing that amount to $10,000 and requesting bids for a refreshed music in the park series. “I’d rather see us have three really good [concerts] than five nobody knows about,” he said. Other trustees agreed.
Regarding the 2025 budget, trustees decided to add $90,000 predicting a modest 1% sales tax revenue increase. “The next time we see this, we’ll be asked to approve it,” said Mayor Bohmfalk of the budget.
Regarding upcoming meetings, the trustees have a work session with the police department on Jan. 21 and will also talk about water rights and conservation. The Mobility Access Plan will be reviewed on Jan. 28.
