Briefs: Crested Butte

Skip has a few ideas—snowplowing, and Christmas trees
Former town councilperson Skip Berkshire came to the council asking them to consider changing the town’s snowplowing policy.
Given the town’s parking regulations, the town snowplows remove the snow on the opposite side of the street from where vehicles are parked. This results in residents finding a snow berm in front of their house or driveway the next morning. But people living on the north and east side of the street get the joy of dealing with the solid pile of snow four out of seven days when the plows are running. And given the storm of last week, the plows were running a lot.

“In the second hour of trying to get through the plowed berm today I realized there was a basic unfairness, an inequity with the days people have to deal with the plowed snow,” Berkshire told the council at the December 20 meeting.
“Under the current system, some people are getting plowed in 25 times more than other people. The thing that really got me as I was waging war on the snow bank was that I was getting mad at the town. I mean really pissed. It bothered me to get angry at the town.
“This is real important and it means a lot to people living in town,” Berkshire continued. “There is a disproportionate burden for people on the one side of the street. It’s an issue of equitability.”
Berkshire asked that the council consider changing the parking regulations, and thus the plowing situation, to a more fair system. He suggested alternating plowing the sides of the street based on an even or odd date on the calendar. The council agreed to have the staff look at various alternatives. Public works director Rodney Due will be consulted over the issue but is out of town until the middle of January.
Berkshire also suggested the town plan a time to drive a truck through town to pick up recycled Christmas trees. Currently residents can drop off the old trees at a lot near the bus barn. But Berkshire pointed out that usually means each tree requires an individual car trip. “It’s a really good gesture and would save people’s time and is the ‘green’ thing to do,” he said.

Quiznos isn’t cheap
Town manager Susan Parker said she and local organizers for the Quiznos Pro Challenge bike race attended a meeting in Denver with representatives of the other host cities. “We have a lot of things to consider and get in order before August when the race comes through,” she said. “The $20,000 you budgeted for the event may not be enough. We’ll know more as time goes on.”

MMJ sunset eliminated
The council eliminated the sunset provision of the medical marijuana ordinance. This will allow the current dispensaries to continue to do business. The council will be considering changes to the ordinance in January.

Atmos agreement in limbo?
The council is not pleased with the proposed Atmos Energy franchise agreement. They will formally consider entering into such an agreement at the January 3 meeting.
“This is a tough one but we need a franchise agreement,” stated mayor Leah Williams. “We obviously need gas. There comes a point when we have to say we’re not happy with the agreement but we have to bite the bullet.”
“I disagree with that completely,” said councilperson Reed Betz.
The primary sticking point is that the town wants to be named as “additionally insured” in the gas company’s liability insurance. Atmos executives have said they will not do that.
“I think they too need to go the extra mile and get the additional insurance,” said councilperson John Wirsing. “It is important to them as well to get this contract. It just seems backward to me. It leaves the town exposed in a bad franchise agreement.”
“They have us over a barrel,” said Williams. “We need to serve the people of this town and the citizens need gas at a reasonable price. Without a franchise agreement, I think the cost of gas could go up more.”
In a letter to the council, Atmos representative Erikka Hise said the company’s insurance carrier insures only utilities and will not underwrite a municipality. “We have had a very good record with respect to municipalities, however, and I don’t know of any instance in which a city or town had to pay out of pocket for a claim related to Atmos’ operations,” Hise wrote in her letter.
The council will discuss the issue in depth at the January 3 meeting when representatives of Atmos Energy are present. In the meantime, Parker will investigate the consequences of not having an official franchise agreement with the energy company.

Wirsing concerned with “green”
The council approved a service agreement with the Office for Resource Efficiency (ORE). Councilperson Wirsing voted against the agreement. When asked why, he stated that while he felt ORE did a good job, but he felt there was too much grey area in some of the green movement. He cited the problems with CFL light bulbs in terms of disposing them and the long-term impacts of spray foam insulation.
“Neither are ‘green’ when you really think of it,” he said. “ORE does some great things but we need to be thinking deeper and not just buy into the propaganda of the moment when it comes to being green.”
ORE executive director Andris Zobs said ORE’s goal was to give people information and let them make their own decisions. “We provide people with alternatives,” he said. “There is no dogma coming from our organization.”