The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Looking for someone with passion for regionalization
With little discussion, the Crested Butte Town Council approved a Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The document has been eight months in the making and is intended to guide the town in the parks-and-rec arena for the next decade.
“It’s what we had in mind when we started the process,” Parks and Recreation director Jake Jones told the council. “It took a little longer than expected, but it was a good process and we got a good document.”
The council was in agreement. “The best thing about it is that it is a very practical plan,” said councilperson Jim Schmidt. “It’s not all pie-in-the-sky like so many planning documents. I am very appreciative of the common sense aspect of the plan.”
The council adopted the plan through a resolution at the Monday, April 5 meeting. At the same meeting, the council touched on the next steps of the recommendations. One overriding recommendation was to try to regionalize parks and recreation in the Upper East River Valley. The town staff outlined the details of what that would take, including the idea of an election to raise taxes at this end of the valley to pay for programs and facilities.
“In this economic climate, a tax measure doesn’t stand a chance this year,” said Schmidt. “I would rather look at ways within town to pay for a cover for the current ice rink.”
Town Manager Susan Parker didn’t want to mingle the two issues of regionalization or covering the Big Mine Ice Arena.
“It isn’t the best environment—it isn’t easy, it is complicated,” she said. “But in another year there may be a turn-around and maybe this is a chance to start gathering information for regionalization if that is what this council wants.”
“I agree 2010 is out of the question as far as a tax initiative,” said councilperson Dan Escalante. “But I think it just keeps getting put off. We need to find a person with passion for this subject to lead the charge. It’s a positive that we have had a good response about regionalization from people in town, in Mt. Crested Butte and in Crested Butte South.”
Mayor Leah Williams thought the idea of looking for a leader to head up regionalization was a good idea. “But we also need to consult with Jake [Jones] and lay out a blueprint.”
Schmidt and Escalante will meet with Jones to discuss the potential for regionalization and further recreational priorities.
