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 been there — coffee in hand, waiting to see who might stop by.
“I used it as a barometer for what people were fired up about,” Bohmfalk said during a recent visit to Bonfire, one of his final as mayor. “If someone emails me and says, ‘Here’s something I want to talk to you about,’ this is the time you offer to meet with people. It’s a barometer for community sentiment, public opinion and what the hot issues are.”
In a wide-ranging exit interview with The Sopris Sun, Bohmfalk reflected on the challenges that defined his tenure, from the sudden arrival of Venezuelan migrants to the completion of the Town’s largest-ever capital project, as well as the slower, less visible work of guiding growth, managing expectations and building consensus in a small town.
When did you decide you wanted to be mayor?
I became interested when I was teaching high school civics at Basalt High School. I was always telling my students to get involved — take on a local issue, go to town council. At some point I realized I should be doing the same. So I joined the Planning and Zoning Commission in 2006.
It was really interesting. That was a time when there were big conversations about what Carbondale was going to become and how to manage growth and development. I got really interested in being part of those decisions.
I served on Planning and Zoning for six years,then I ran for the board of trustees in 2016. I learned a lot during that time and watched Dan Richardson as mayor. He was a great mentor.
As mayor, what are you actually responsible for? What do people misunderstand about the role?
I think the biggest misconception is that the mayor runs the town. In our system, the town manager is the full-time executive. The mayor is almost a volunteer doing this on the side.
But it’s still a huge responsibility. There are a lot of things out of your control that are still your responsibility. Building consensus, getting the majority of the board to move forward on something. You’re the nexus between staff, the Board of Trustees and the community. You’re concerned about every decision: How will my board feel about this? How will my staff carry it out? And how will my community feel about it?
You’re basically the communicator in chief. When there’s confusion or tension, it’s the mayor’s job to explain what’s going on and be accessible.
It’s a job that seems to require a lot of trust. Why do you think people trusted you? Where did you come from before becoming mayor?
I’ve worked for the Roaring Fork School District for over 20 years. I was a teacher, then in a tech support role and, about a year into being mayor, I became COO. I taught over 1,000 students over 10 years so I got to know their parents. Then, during my time on Planning and Zoning, I got to know the development community and got their respect.
You have to have some deep well of connection in multiple ways. People need to know you, trust your judgment and not feel like they have to be involved in every decision. That’s what’s broken down in higher levels of government right now.
What were the most challenging moments during your time as mayor?
The Venezuelan migrant situation, without a doubt. It was out of the blue, and we were totally unprepared. There was no state or federal support, no infrastructure, no staff.
We were heading into winter with 50 to 80 unhoused people in our community. We had a choice to respond in a humanitarian way or not. We felt that if we didn’t, the impacts — for them and for the town — would be significant.
It was really hard. It lasted about five months. But I’m really proud of how we handled it. We didn’t have anyone die. We didn’t see a big increase in people sleeping in cars or human waste in the streets. The community really stepped up.
What else stands out from your time in office?
The completion of the new pool. It’s the biggest capital project in the town’s history — about $14 million.
From voter approval to financing to design and construction, it took the full four years, really closer to six considering all the conversation before. There were moments where costs increased and new board members had valid questions, but in my mind you either stay the course and get it done, or it costs more to change direction. My role was to provide direction and remind people that this is what the community asked for.
What are Carbondale’s biggest strengths?
The people. People here care deeply about the town and want to celebrate everything about it — the arts, the ranching, the immigrants, the culture. They show up, they volunteer, they want to make it the best it can be.
We also have a more resilient and diversified economy than people might think. We’re less dependent on tourism than upvalley communities, and during COVID we didn’t see the same drop in revenue because we’re a local-serving economy.
And its biggest challenges?
Housing, without question. We’ve made some progress — like passing a short-term rental tax that goes toward affordable housing — but we don’t have the kind of dedicated funding other places do.
There’s also a tension around tourism. Being off Highway 82 is a strength and a weakness. It helps preserve the character of the town, but it also makes it harder for local businesses.
And then there are bigger projects, like the Town Center development. We have a strong plan and community support, but the costs are high. Those take time.
What’s next for you?
I’m going to take a break from public service. I’ll still be involved through my work with the school district, and I’ve offered to be a resource if the new mayor wants to talk through anything. But after 16 years of night meetings, I’m looking forward to sleeping a little better, worrying a little less and maybe laughing a little more.