The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Public hearing in November
It is government budget time and the Crested Butte Town Council is working on its $9.7 million overall budget. The general fund, which is the town’s primary operating fund, is slated to run at $2,720,584 in 2011. There is a $2,732,200 reserve.
On the capital side, that budget is $2,099,489 and has reserves of $1,827,000. More than half of that 2011 figure is supplemented through outside grants. So while the budgets are getting tighter due to a decrease in the main funding sources of sales tax and Real Estate Transfer Tax, there is still a cushion not enjoyed by many municipalities in these difficult economic times.
The times have brought out more requests for the so-called “service grants” as well. Service grants are requested contributions from non-profit or service organizations. This year, more than two dozen organizations put in requests, ranging from several $10,000 requests to $400 for summer reading books for the library.
The largest requests came from the Crested Butte South Property Owner’s Association for money to help run the shuttle busses into Crested Butte South during the winter; Food for Thought, a group promoting healthy farm to school relationships; the Office for Resource Efficiency asking for its standard contribution through a service contract; and the Paradise Food Project, a group hoping to receive money for three community organic vegetable gardens.
Additional service grant requests came for cloud seeding and pre-school assistance and from the Chamber of Commerce, the High Country Citizens’ Alliance, Living Journeys and the Jubilee House.
A subcommittee of council members Dan Escalante, Reed Betz, Jim Schmidt and mayor Leah Williams will cull through the grant application requests before making a recommendation on funding to the overall council. Last year, the town donated $43,000 and kept another $11,000 that they distributed throughout the year. This year’s total requests come to $101,685.
“There are a lot of worthwhile projects,” said Escalante. “Lots of altruistic endeavors. It seems different this year with more and larger requests. I also see a lot of overlap in the requests. There is more than one group trying to do something with locally grown organic food. There may be ways to get those groups together.”
“It is a sign of the times that we are seeing more of these types of requests,” said town finance director Lois Rozman.
The council will budget a number for the requests and have specific recommendations in time for the budget public hearing on November 15.
The council also plans to continue its paving program next summer. Plans are to pave the public parking lot at First and Elk and the public works area by the bus barn.
“What about the lot at the Four-Way behind the Visitor’s Center?” asked Schmidt. “That could impact the Vinotok fire. If it wasn’t for that, I’d think it would be a no-brainer.”
“We could incorporate fire brick where we put the fire,” said councilperson John Wirsing. “It could be a cool advertising for Vinotok all year long when people ask why it is there.”
Town manager Susan Parker said the staff would look at the paving alternatives but if there were no objections, the staff would continue on with the two planned projects.
The public will have a chance to comment on the proposed town budget in mid-November. A public hearing is expected to be held November 15.
