Briefs Crested Butte

Betz drops from council race
The Crested Butte Town Council race got a tad smaller last week. Former Councilperson Reed Betz withdrew his name before it was officially placed on the ballot. There are still five people running for council and two for mayor.

 
That wasn’t a dream—July was busy
Not only did it seem busy in July, it was. Sales tax for the town of Crested Butte came in 9.1 percent over last year. The $381,726 in sales tax represented a new record for the town’s busiest month. Overall for the year, sales tax is up about 8 percent.

Talking to the businesses
Town manager Todd Crossett presented a quick PowerPoint to the council at the September 3 meeting, showing results of a survey the town conducted with Elk Avenue businesses. “We had 38 out of 110 surveys returned,” said Crossett. He showed the council that the majority of businesses that participated liked sidewalk seating. Most said bike parking on the street was good but they didn’t want any more. “Overall, folks are largely happy with what’s there now,” he told the council.
“One clear message is that we’re on the right path with looking at the traffic congestion on Elk Avenue,” said Mayor Aaron Huckstep.
Crossett said he was working with the chamber of commerce to possibly set up a forum for a larger business-oriented discussion this fall.
 
TA still looking at financial request from town
Tourism Association executive director Pamela Loughman came before the council to tell them, while not yet asking them for hard dollars, she was still pursuing a promotional idea with the Colorado Vacation Guide, for an eight-page insert that would cost $96,000. She had originally said the grant she was hoping to acquire to help pay for the promotion had to be matched by entities not normally in the TA funding pool. Loughman noted that wasn’t correct but she was likely to continue her requests of local government entities for financial partnership. She wants to go to the Local Marketing District (the county commissioners) first with the idea.
Councilperson Jim Schmidt said he wouldn’t support such a request. “I’m reluctant to fund the marketing district,” he said, “just as they would be reluctant to fund a police car for us. The TA is set up specifically to fund such promotions.”
More bus service to Judd Falls and 8th Street?
Mountain Express board member and Councilperson Roland Mason reported to the council that the bus service is looking healthy financially. “So we are looking at increasing some service,” he told the council. “We’re considering a bus to Judd Falls and possible servicing the east side of Crested Butte, perhaps running a bus down Eighth Street.”
Mason said the board was also looking into ways to get more bikes onto the shuttle between Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte in the summer schedule. Even the idea of a bus to and from Crested Butte South was mentioned.

Tennis Love
Mayor Aaron Huckstep said the town had received a dozen letters from people in support of improving the town tennis courts. They all wanted the courts to be included in the upcoming budget. “Jake [Jones] is working toward a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant to improve those courts,” he promised.
Crossett said the initial grant request hadn’t been approved but had “scored highly in the last round. We’ve resubmitted the grant request and the town has definitely heard that it is a priority,” he said.

Oops
In what appeared to be a couple of snafus, the council continued a public hearing over a request from the Crested Butte Land Trust to have the town hold a conservation easement. The actual ordinance that would accept the easement wasn’t included in the council packets so they couldn’t officially consider it. The staff also reported to council that it was scrambling to secure lumber for the recreation path extension. Apparently such lumber is in short supply and the businesses that the town had hoped would supply the product couldn’t find enough. The staff will look to see if they can piece enough quality material together to secure the lumber.