Briefs Gunnison County

County donates to Foundation
The Board of County Commissioners had a little money left over in their coffers this year. The discretionary budget finished the year with a $27,000 balance. Rather than let that money roll over into next year’s budget—where it would go into the general fund instead of being set aside for funding of community programs or events—Commissioner Hap Channell suggested giving that money to the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley as a donation.

“We went to a contract for services primarily in the areas of human services, with some economic development thrown in. I was proposing we could end the duplication of our grant process by donating funds to the foundation grant fund… In previous discussions, we had discretionary funds left and that might be good use of those funds yet in 2011,” Channell said.
Channell asked the other commissioners for input on a draft letter to accompany the donation, which asks that the donations go to non-profit organizations in the recreation, arts and culture categories. It also requests that beneficiaries be notified they are receiving county money.
“The draft did what the purpose was, which was phasing arts and culture out of our process,” said Commissioner Phil Chamberland.
At Commissioner Paula Swenson’s suggestion, the commissioners allocated $3,000 for the Gunnison Rotary Club’s Fourth of July fireworks. In early December, the Rotary requested a one-time grant to ease the transition between a county-funded show and no financial commitment from the county. The remaining $24,000 will be given to the Foundation.

A little land-use housekeeping
A public hearing regarding proposed changes to the Gunnison County Land Use Resolution drew a sparse crowd on December 6. County planning director Joanne Williams presented the changes to the commissioners.
“Most of the proposed amendments are housekeeping-kinds of amendments, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t done without tremendous amounts of intelligent thought,” she said.
Under the proposed changes, only residents of Gunnison County who meet specific income requirements will qualify for exemption from the workforce housing linkage fee.
Notification requirements for homeowners seeking setback variances would also be revised so that homeowners do not have to seek approval from neighbors to even take the matter before the commissioners. The intent is to keep neighbors from having a veto power.
The definition of wetland would be updated to match the language in the Special Development Project Resolution and update enforcement requirements.
The commissioners formally adopted the amendments at a regular meeting on December 20.

County budget approved
Gunnison County’s 2012 mill levy is 11.328—a slight increase over last year but less than the 13.1 allowed by state statute. As a result, the county’s total collection of property taxes will go down this year, and county staff estimate that not taking the full increase in the mill levy will save county residents nearly $8 million in property taxes over the next five years.
“We’ve talked a lot on this year’s budget about assessed value, and that was the starting point when we decided how we were going to look at this year’s budget because there was a little over 16 percent decrease in the assessed value,” said Linda Nienhueser, county finance director. She outlined the 2012 budget at a sparsely attended budget hearing with the Board of County Commissioners. Only two members of the public attended.
“We have continued to do what has been statutorily allowed since 1978, so making the decision to drop the mill levy down, you have decreased the potential [for future collections], reset the baseline,” Nienhueser said. That’s where the nearly $8 million in savings comes in.
The total 2012 county budget is projected at $73 million, $32 million of which is from the hospital and health care system. Property taxes make up only 18.3 percent of the total budget, whereas sales tax makes up 4 percent.
“Property tax is not a big chunk of the total and in lot of counties that’s a much bigger piece,” Nienhueser said.
“As is sales tax,” added Paula Swenson.
“This is a very diverse county compared to other counties in our category,” said Nienhueser.
The Board of County Commissioners formally adopted the budget on Thursday, December 15, and the mill levy was set on December 22.

TA, commissioners back on same page
Last December, the Gunnison Crested Butte Tourism Association (TA) and the Board of County Commissioners met for the second time to discuss the TA marketing plan. In earlier budget discussions, commissioner Paula Swenson had said she was “quite concerned we’re not getting an actual marketing plan for the upcoming year.”
At the latest meeting, TA executive director Jane Chaney eased some of those concerns as she walked the commissioners, who comprise the Local Marketing District (LMD) that funds the TA, through specific marketing plans and new technologies that will better track online campaigns.
“At any point in time we can look into any given campaign and see how it’s performing,” Chaney said. “You’re going to be able to look at a campaign and see all the activity on that campaign.”
Chaney also promised to talk with both of the valley’s chambers of commerce to address reports that TA marketing partners were in decline because they were displeased with the return on investment. That was news to Chaney, who said she would look into it before redesigning the TA web site.
“I’m excited that this is going to be a much more informative reporting system,” said Swenson, “And those types of conversations can help inform you when you start looking at web site redesign. What are our concerns? I think you will be much more informed.”
The commissioners agreed to set the 2012 TA budget at $940,000, holding off on a funding decision for a web site until January. But before adjourning the discussion, members of the public spoke up on behalf of the TA and Chaney, including Loree Mulay Weisman, founding board member of the TA.
“To see [the TA’s] mission continue county-wide, year-round is a recipe for success. If you look at the tax revenues that have increased steadily over the last what, seven years, since we’ve had the LMD collections, that is so impressive,” she said.
The TA and the commissioners will meet quarterly to promote better communication.