The Town of Carbondale drew a firm line on Tuesday against a potential statewide escalation of immigration enforcement efforts and natural gas sales.
The Board of Trustees passed a resolution in its consent agenda opposing Amendment 81, “Law Enforcement Reporting Requirement to Federal Authorities.” The proposed amendment would modify the Colorado Constitution, requiring law enforcement agencies to report individuals not lawfully present in the United States — or those whose lawful presence is unknown — to the Department of Homeland Security within 72 hours after a charge, if the person is charged with a violent crime or has previously been convicted of a felony. Amendment 81 will go before voters in the Nov. 3 general election and requires 55% approval to pass, as is required of constitutional amendments in Colorado.
The town said the amendment conflicts with the town’s policies, including a resolution passed in 2017 that “limits immigration-status inquiries and actions based solely on immigration status and generally requires Board approval for participation or partnership with federal immigration officials,” according to the resolution.
The resolution also said the amendment conflicts with the town’s Comprehensive Plan, which “includes goals related to inclusivity and equity and seeks to keep Carbondale welcoming and accessible to all members of the community.”
“Whereas, the Board of Trustees finds that Amendment 81 could conflict with the Town’s policies, reduce community trust in local law enforcement, and limit local discretion in addressing public-safety needs while respecting due-process protections,” the resolution states.
The board on Tuesday also formally opposed Amendment 82, a proposed amendment to the Colorado Constitution that would enshrine the right for consumers to purchase natural gas, a fossil fuel, for “cooking or heating in homes or businesses throughout the state,” and embedding the right for distributors and utilities to sell natural gas “for homes or businesses.”
In its resolution opposing the amendment, the town notes that its Environmental Bill of Rights, passed in 2017, directs environmental considerations to “guide Town plans, codes and practices.”
“Whereas, the Board of Trustees finds that placing a right to purchase and sell a particular energy source in the Colorado Constitution could restrict regulatory options that the Town may otherwise consider and could interfere with the Town’s ability to adopt local policies responsive to community needs, changing technology, and climate objectives,” the resolution states.
“On behalf of the Environmental Board, I would like to thank you for your public opposition to [Amendment] 82,” Environmental Board Chairperson Fred Malo told the trustees in public comment.
Also on the consent agenda …
The board passed a resolution formally supporting the Garfield County Public Library District’s proposed property tax extension, which asks voters to continue a tax passed in 2006 and slated to sunset after 2027. The one-mill property tax would provide funding for the district’s facilities, staff, books, technology, community programs, nonprofit partnerships and more.
The board resolved to support a bipartisan citizen group-led pledge, the “Garfield County Protect our Elections Pledge,” expressing confidence in the Colorado election system, calling for lawful election results to be honored, rejecting unlawful interference, encouraging eligible voters to participate in the upcoming election and more, according to the town.
The town endorsed the Glenwood Hot Springs Protection Act, which would prohibit the U.S. Secretary of the Interior from processing or approving applications striving to expand the Mid-Continent Limestone Quarry, located immediately north of Glenwood Springs, from 16 acres to 56 acres.
“Any expansion of the mine,” the town said in its resolution, “poses a serious and irreversible risk of damage to the fragile groundwater network, which channels snowpack and rainfall downward from the Flat Tops mountains to the artesian hot springs that emerge along the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs.”
In other news …
Additionally, trustees approved a 3.2% increase in its waste hauling rate, as requested by contractor Mountain Waste and Recycling. It also amended a mandate by the state requiring all roads within 1,000 feet of a school to be defined as a school zone. The town’s change allows certain roads in Carbondale that are within 1,000 feet of a school but don’t immediately connect to the school to remain outside of the zone.