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 Valley right now. Caught in the grip of a grueling schedule of public meetings, he has been tirelessly educating the community about this year’s elevated wildfire risk. Goodwin commended each of the local fire districts for their successful collaboration and recruitment efforts ahead of the fire season.
Wasting no time in laying out the facts, he described local communities as “buzzing with anxiety,” and current conditions as “extraordinary.” This year has seen the warmest winter and the lowest snowpack with the lowest moisture content in recorded history. Nonetheless, he gave assurances that his team was “as prepared as we know how to be,” sharing his maxim: “Keep fires small and nobody dies.”
CRFPD will be making a presentation at the Marble fire station at 6pm on Friday, May 1, followed by another on Saturday, May 16 at 10am.
The latter will be attended by Dr. Hussam Mahmoud of Vanderbilt University, the developer of a groundbreaking modeling able to predict wildfire paths through communities with up to 92% accuracy. Goodwin praised the model for its successes, saying it “had been validated over and over.” Unlike other models, this one takes into account the varying construction characteristics of every building, an essential input to accurately predict the likely progression of a wildfire.
Results of the Marble model will form the foundation of a detailed evacuation plan for the town. Mahmoud has already completed a plan for Snowmass Village and is in the process of collecting data for the greater Carbondale area. Next on his hit list are Glenwood Springs and Basalt, with the ultimate aim of covering the entirety of the Roaring Fork Valley.
Marble will hold a fire mitigation day on April 18, the goal of which is to clear public rights of way of combustible debris. Town resident Mariah Villalobos will share information on how to assemble a “go bag” and what to do in an emergency situation. Volunteers are asked to gather at 8am at the truck and trailer parking opposite the entrance to the Millsite park. Sustenance in the form of hot dogs will be provided at 2pm and, for those wishing to fuel up ahead of their labors, the Marble Charter School will be putting on a pancake breakfast from 9am until noon.
Treasurer’s report
Next on the agenda was the Treasurer’s report presented by Amy Rusby. Of significance was an update on the Town’s cash position, which now stands at $532,000, an increase of $75,000 from the same point in 2025. Rusby attributed the gain to reduced snow removal costs and compound interest.
Mixed use
The last item of note was the continuing discussion over the proposal to ascribe mixed use (commercial and residential) zoning to properties bordering the main thoroughfare through Marble. The proposition has attracted vehement opposition from some quarters, most notably from long term Marble resident Tim Hunter, who at March’s meeting cited concern about the Trustees’ business ties to the town, insisting the matter be decided by public ballot.
There is also anxiety that the proposal, for which Trustee Dustin Wilkey has led the charge, will erode Marble’s unique charm. Mayor Ryan Vinciguerra has spoken regularly of the need for informed public debate on the issue to determine the path Marble will take that respects the wishes of the majority of its citizens.
A motion was unanimously passed to hold an initial public hearing on the subject on Thursday, June 4, at 6pm.
Aside from Hunter’s feedback in March, the board has heard little from the broader community. A fact sheet is to be published ahead of June’s meeting, and a mailshot will go out to the town’s residents. Should these efforts be met with an apathetic response from the public or should a broad consensus prove elusive, the board may be left to settle the issue themselves. The debate continues.
To round off the meeting, Vinciguerra, owner of the Slow Groovin’ restaurant, announced the reprise of his popular annual fundraising dinner for the Marble Charter School, to be held on Saturday, April 23. Dinner will be served by the students and all proceeds will go toward helping fund a school trip to Boston.
The next meeting of the Town of Marble’s Board of Trustees will be held on Thursday, May 7, at 6pm in the Marble Community Church’s Fellowship Hall.