The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
The signs are there. We are in transition time. The seasons are changing.
There are clumps of yellow on some of the aspens. There was a big hoorah of Labor Day busyness on Elk Avenue this past weekend. But there is a different type of calmness out in town right now. The kids are back in school, parking on Elk won’t be a big problem during the weekdays and the Broncos kick off the football season on Thursday.
Every season has a rhythm and the one that seems a tad out of whack right now is election season. Because of the upcoming county-coordinated mail election, names for Crested Butte Town Council candidates had to be submitted in August. That feels early. And we’re already getting the candidates’ introductions and actual endorsement letters. That is certainly early. But we appreciate every piece of correspondence and Lord knows, this election has the potential to facilitate some change.
Because mail ballots will be sent out starting October 11, we are thinking of holding our annual candidates’ forum on Thursday, October 10. That would be two weeks earlier than normal. But the Crested Butte Community School fall break is the next week and we want to give everyone an opportunity to show up and grill the candidates. Plus, since there won’t be a polling place in Crested Butte you have to use the U.S. mail system or run your ballot down to Gunnison to cast your vote this year. That means everyone will likely be voting earlier than the official November 5 Election Day.
So, we’ll start asking the candidates questions at the end of this month and run their answers in the paper through October. If you are an interested voter or are an out of town observer who can’t vote but wishes you could (like myself) and you have a question for the candidates that you’d like to see addressed in the paper, send it to us at editorial@crestedbuttenews.com.
In the meantime, while election season seems to be hitting us early, summer seems to be holding on longer than normal. It has to get cold before we can officially enjoy an Indian Summer but so far it just keeps being summer up here at 9,000 feet. That is a blessing.
So before being consumed by local politics, take advantage of these warm September days and evenings and get out. It’s a lot less crowded now in the backcountry and on the benches. Filling your brain with pretty views and fresh air can’t hurt when helping to make a clear decision when election season hits us in full force. Enjoy the late summer.
