Conducting research
The Carbondale Nature Park (aka the Delaney dog park) is a 31-acre piece of bottom land located about a quarter-mile north of Town Hall, where the water treatment plant currently sits.
I’m researching the dog park’s history and now we are getting somewhere. The Town bought the property from Mesa Verde Associates, LLC in 1999, according to documents at Town Hall. Robert Delaney was the Mesa Verde manager and signed at least one letter to the Town in regard to the pending purchase. Town trustees had knowledge of this letter and thus knew that Mr. Delaney signed it. As time passed, some users began calling the Carbondale Nature Park “the Delaney dog park.” Some still know it as that, while most just refer to it as “the dog park,” which is actually the larger of two dog parks, the other being located near senior housing over by the Wells Fargo bank.
Anyway, I’m looking for any scrap of info I can get about the park’s history and related matters. For example, does the ditch that runs through the property have a name? Does anyone remember when the dog park’s orchid was in the news and whether it’s still alive? I think I remember a boy scout was instrumental in upgrading the parking lot. Speaking of which, when was the portable toilet brought in? You get the picture.
Info, leads, rumors, anecdotes and observations are gratefully being accepted at lynnburton679@gmail.com
Thank you in advance,
Lynn “Jake” Burton
Glenwood Springs
Just dandy
With dandelions now in magnificent full bloom, it’s come to my attention that some otherwise virtuous Carbondalians are hard at work digging up and poisoning the Bonedale city flower.
The reasons are hard to fathom. I suppose we humans tend to despise the ordinary and the common. But a golden stand of flowering dandelions is not only stunning to behold, but a delight to every boy and girl with a beating heart and eyes to see. What is it that children appreciate that so many grownups completely miss?
Yet it’s more than aesthetics alone. Dandelion nectar and pollen are critical food sources for a myriad of pollinators. Honeybees deplete their food stores over the winter, and dandelions can literally spell the difference between starvation and a nutritious start to a summer of honey making.
If you’re incorrigible, or simply anal, nothing I say will dissuade you from your mission of order and control over nature. I get that. I can’t make you stop killing dandelions any more than I could change your politics.
You should still celebrate Dandelion Day on Saturday. It’s a Carbondale tradition. Mingle with your neighbors. Have fun. And most importantly, take a day off from weed control.
Ed Colby
New Castle
Beaver Lake
Let us count the ways we love this Crystal River Valley. Even if it means “unto death.”
At stake now is the future of Beaver Lake State Wildlife Area (SWA), situated between Gunnison County and the Town of Marble. The state maintains more than 300 lakes in Colorado, some designated for water-based recreational activities, others as more quiet wildlife viewing/hunting areas.
Beaver Lake has been a SWA for more than 60 years, when it was turned over by the Loudermilk family. From 2019 on, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) repeatedly denied a local commercial business permit for rentals and use of their water sport product on Beaver Lake.
CPW granted the owners permits to operate at other recreational lakes where allowed. That wasn’t good enough. Time for a “work-around.” They launched a rental business just off-lake. When hordes of visitors descended upon Beaver Lake in 2019-2020 and since, there were complaints to CPW for not providing enough toilets or sufficient parking, demanding more trash receptacles.
Locals noted that last Fourth of July reportedly had more than 200 people on the tiny lake.
In 2023, CPW announced a moratorium at Beaver Lake from Aug. 2, 2023 to Aug. 2, 2024, returning to strict SWA guidelines “until under better control.”
At a Town of Marble meeting in September 2023, CPW representatives stated, “The state is under audit to bring all SWAs into compliance. Currently, Beaver Lake is at 95% non-compliance.”
Of concern today, an announcement on a public Crystal Valley Facebook page penned by one aggrieved business owner speaking as the Marble Chamber encouraged everyone to contact CPW during the moratorium about their opinions of Beaver Lake usage.
Inevitably, there were remarks/jokes alluding to going out and doing more of the same illegal activities. To reach 100% noncompliance? Force the hand? If the jokers prevail, we may all learn the hard way why we can’t have nice things anymore.
To those who knew and love Beaver Lake as the quiet family-fishing lake of old, you too can express your opinions about the future of this fragile Crystal Valley treasure.
But please don’t wait. Call or email today CPW Area 8 representative Matt Yamashita: 970-947-2927,
matt.yamashita@state.co.us.
Aho,
Charlotte Graham
New Mexico (formerly of Marble)
Where’s the beef?
The recently released Colorado Commission Report on Property Tax contained a number of ideas for reducing future property tax increases including: #1 adjusting the assessment rate downward if property values increase too much; #2 spreading out monthly payments over a 12-month cycle; #3 making all residential properties eligible for a homestead value reduction; #4 implementation of a property tax increase control mechanism such as Consumer Price Index plus population growth; and #5 citizen approval for property tax increases that exceed a specific benchmark (see #4 above).
All well and good, but my question, to quote the legendary Clara Peller of Wendy’s hamburger fame, is — “Where’s the beef?” Where is the relief for the 25% unvoted-upon 2024 property tax increase that was recently levied on Colorado property tax-payers? Where is the money that should rightfully be refunded? To quote the car dealer’s famous line from “Breaking Away” — “Refund? What refund?” There is no mention of a refund anywhere in the Commission Report, and yet it should be a fairly simple matter to calculate the size of the refund. Calculate the difference between the 2024 Social Security taxpayer income increase of 3% and the 25% property tax increase and refund the difference to the property taxpayers. The county treasurers would send out a bill to the various taxing authorities for the return of the excess taxes (approximately 88% of the tax increase sent to the taxing authorities) and then return the money back to the taxpayers in the form of a check or credit against ‘25 taxes.
Property taxpayers in Colorado will be looking closely to see if the Colorado Property Tax Commission can find the “beef” they left out of their report.
Mike Meehan, CFA, MBA
Avon
Sending thanks
On behalf of the English in Action staff, immigrant community and the board of directors, I want to thank the Aspen Thrift Shop for their generosity in granting funds to English in Action for the vital programming offered throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.
In addition, I would like to thank the hundreds of generous community members and businesses who have donated $4.3 million toward our goal of $5 million for the creation of our new home. On May 1 we celebrated our groundbreaking and need your help in realizing our dream. Only $700,000 to go!
With immense gratitude,
Helene Gude
English in Action board of directors
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