Briefs Mt. Crested Butte

Because premier packs Grand Ballroom
The town council heard from Corey Tibljas, co-founder of Two Plank Productions, who asked for and received an $800 marketing grant from the town to help fund a premier showing of their newest film, Because.

Tibljas thanked the council for their contribution to the event, which was a standing-room-only success at the Grand Ballroom in Mt. Crested Butte. He said more than 480 people saw the film in person and thousands more saw it online. The event was so successful that there “is a need for a second, encore screening,” next year.
Tibljas closed a letter to the council, “… the event was a massive success and without the enormous support from our hometown, businesses and community we would not have been able to put on such a good show. As a result, we will certainly be hosting our World Premiere here once again, in 2013.”

2013 budget approved
The council approved the final resolutions related to the 2013 budget after a second reading. A resolution related to the mill levy didn’t change much, setting the rate at 10.378 mills. Of that, 5 mills were marked for the general fund and the remaining 5.378 mills will go into the capital fund.
A second resolution was passed approving the expenditures from each fund in the town’s 2013 budget.

Sales tax collections finish strong
Sales tax collections for the last few months have come in higher than expected in Mt. Crested Butte, with September sales tax revenues more than 35 percent above what was budgeted for the month. October was up just .8 percent, but up nonetheless.
 September sales tax numbers came in more than $22,000 above budget, at $84,669, while things were mostly flat in October. ‘Retail’ and ‘Restaurants’ collected more sales tax in October than they did the same month last year and ‘Lodging’ and ‘Other’ posted a slight drop.
“We have November and December [collections] to get through, so we’ll see,” town manager Joe Fitzpatrick said. “Projections for December are still tracking down as far as occupancy and right now there’s only one day on the flash report … when there are more than 4,000 people expected on the mountain. That’s December 28.
For the last five months tallied for this year, town sales tax collections are up more than 7 percent than they were last year and are tracking right on budget if December holds steady.

Town takes step back on parking rules
The Town Council approved a resolution rescinding rules related to the parking of recreational vehicles and construction trailers in high-density multi-family areas of town. When the town Planning Commission revised Chapter 21 of the zoning regulations last year, they wanted to do away with the trailers to keep town looking neat and clean.
“Upon enforcement and response to that enforcement, the Planning Commission decided to one, clear up a little bit more the definition of heavy construction equipment, and two, to bring back the allowance for parking of recreational vehicles,” Carlos Velado told the council.
While the Town has been consistent in its position against parking construction vehicles, like bobcats and backhoes, in residential lots, Velado says the planning commission understands that small construction trailers and snowmobile trailers are “the nature of where we live.”
The new language makes a clear distinction between what can and cannot be parked in residential lots and asks people who do keep construction or recreational trailers to keep them parked in an orderly way.

Gitin gone but not forgotten
Andrew Gitin officially relinquished his role on the Mt. Crested Butte Town Council, Wednesday, December 19, accepting a plaque for his years of service and thanking his fellow councilmembers for giving him the chance to take such an active role on the council.
“When I moved here I wouldn’t have considered myself much of a voter, even,” he said, “so to become active in the town government has been really great.”
Former councilmember Tom Steuer was then welcomed back to the council and informed of his many board responsibilities. Steuer will serve out the rest of Gitin’s term, which ends in 2016, starting at the council’s regular meeting January 2.
“I feel that this council is more pro-active with the community and other entities that serve Mt. Crested Butte as well as all of the Gunnison Valley. I would like to be a part of you efforts,” Steuer told the council.