Briefs Mt. Crested Butte

Taking care of the fine print on Snodgrass
On Tuesday, February 17, the Mt. Crested Butte Town Council took care of some final paperwork in preparation for the conservation of three parcels collectively referred to as Promontory Ranch.

The Crested Butte Land Trust raised $2.8 million to conserve three parcels that total nearly 108 acres of land near the start of the Snodgrass Trail, and some of it is in the town limits adjacent to Mt. Crested Butte.
The deal was originally slated to close January 15, but the closing was delayed to account for the sale’s complexity. The paperwork reviewed last week will ensure that in the event of condemnation on the Ingraham Parcel, proceeds will be shared with donor 1% for Open Space. It will also ensure that the conservation easement applies to all three parcels, and the official record reflects the fact that the town of Crested Butte contributed funding to the purchase.

Sales tax revenue for 2014
According to town manager Joe Fitzpatrick, sales tax collection was 28 percent above budget for December 2014. That puts the year at 16.8 percent above budget.

Listening up
The council recently gave Robert Orlinski, president of Reserve Metropolitan District #2, the chance to vent for the second time in two weeks. Reserve Metropolitan District #2 is a finance district that collects taxes to service a bond debt for infrastructure and sets the mill levy rate for District #2 property taxes. It is currently the focus of a lawsuit involving the town of Mt. Crested Butte because it exceeded the mill levy cap outlined in a service agreement between the town of Mt. Crested Butte and Reserve Metropolitan Districts #1 and #2.
A visibly agitated Mr. Orlinski expressed several frustrations, from the conduct of other parties in the lawsuit to the size of his tax bill. Though Orlinski wanted the Town Council to rectify his complaints, the majority of his issues did not fall under the council’s jurisdiction and no formal proposal was submitted for consideration. As a result, no action could be taken by the council beyond listening.

Jumping through hoops
The council took the first steps toward creating an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Colorado Department of Transportation by approving its structural format. It’s the first of many requirements in order to receive a nearly $1 million grant that will go toward completing the rec path between Marcellina Lane and Winterset Drive.