With no public comments, no elected official reports and a short consent agenda, the Garfield Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) got to the heart of Monday’s meeting right out of the gate. They listened to updates from local nonprofits that receive county funding. YouthZone (YZ) provides services to improve everyday life for youth who have […]
Local Government
Posted inEnvironment
Public Works initiates talks on Crystal River water usage
Carbondale Public Works held a meeting on March 26 with Crystal River water managers (ranchers and farmers) to begin discussions on the Crystal’s water usage this coming summer. The initiative comes in the wake of record-low snowpack this past winter and anticipated very low flows in the Crystal and Roaring Fork rivers. The gathering, organized […]
Posted inLocal Government
Glenwood Report: City withdraws from interagency SPEAR crimes task force
Glenwood Springs, on a 6-1 vote by City Council, is withdrawing from the interagency Special Problems Enforcement and Response (SPEAR) task force that’s headed up by the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, over concerns about potential information-sharing with federal immigration enforcement. At the April 16 City Council meeting, Glenwood Springs Police Chief Joseph Deras gave a […]
Posted inEnvironment
Carbondale Tree Board brings the blooms on Town’s Arbor Day
Each spring, communities around the world celebrate a variety of holidays around growth and living things. In the U.S., a new tradition started in 1872, when Nebraskan journalist and politician J. Sterling Morton prompted the secular observation of Arbor Day. Morton coordinated with communities across the state to plant one million trees on April 10 […]
Posted inLocal Government
Exit interview: Bohmfalk reflects on the past four years as mayor
At 8am every Friday for the past four years, longtime Bonfire barista Lety Gomez has placed a small sign on a round table in the back of the café: “Reserved — Coffee with the Mayor.” And most weeks, unless he’s out of town or dealing with an emergency at home or work, Ben Bohmfalk has […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: The right to hunt and a South Bridge permit
The right to hunt and fish in Garfield County was at the top of the Garfield Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) agenda on Monday, April 13. The meeting was short and devoid of public comment, which allowed the BOCC to jump right into the agenda. First up, Commissioner Perry Will offered a resolution to protect […]
Posted inLocal Government
Marble Report: Wildfire concerns laid bare, mixed-use zoning debate continues
Residents of the Roaring Fork and Crystal River valleys seeking solace from wildfire-related jitters would have come away disappointed from April’s meeting of the Town of Marble’s Board of Trustees. The key invitee was Rob Goodwin, chief of the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District (CRFPD), without doubt one of the busiest people in the […]
Posted inLocal Government
Carbondale Report: Trustees streamline process and expand eligibility for ADUs
Correction: This article has been updated to clarify that the amended town code does not permit ADUs in River Valley Ranch, Hendrick Ranch and Roaring Fork Village, as mistakenly stated. Zoning restrictions in these neighborhoods must be amended to permit ADUs. The Carbondale Board of Trustees streamlined the process by which residents can add accessory […]
Posted inLocal Government
Basalt Report: Three elected to Basalt Town Council
After a municipal election held on April 7, the Town of Basalt welcomed three new members to Basalt Town Council for four-year terms beginning April 28. Angela Anderson, Greg Shaffran and Elyse Hottel were elected to serve as councilors through mid-April 2030. During this week’s meeting, the council discussed new construction guidelines in Historic Basalt […]
Posted inLocal Government
Eagle County sues over fast-tracked expansion of Uinta Basin oil depot
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently fast-tracked approval for an expansion of the Wildcat Loadout Facility near Helper, Utah. And Eagle County has filed suit. ”The county challenges BLM’s decision to approve the facility’s expansion using emergency procedures that bypass standard environmental review and public input requirements,” said attorney Nathan Hunt, who represents the […]