The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
More snow is needed, so more trucks are needed
Big Air on Elk is on for Saturday, March 7 with approval from the Crested Butte Town Council, but given the lean snow year, the cost is skyrocketing. Instead of having a ready supply of the white stuff to prepare the course and build the jumps, additional truckloads of snow will have to be hauled in, and that will cost money.
Representatives of this year’s organizer, Two Plank Productions, came to the council on Tuesday, February 17 for final approval. They got it, but not before getting dressed down by some of the council, led by Skip Berkshire.
“I’m not against the event and I really like it but you blew the 45-day deadline,” Berkshire told Two Plank’s Corey Tibjlas. “We have applications in here already for events in July. So, I am upset with the way it’s been managed as a last-minute, hair-on-fire deal. This is a big event and it is just so irresponsible and inconsiderate and it’s because you guys didn’t have your act together two months or even six months ago.
“I’m not against this event but it tells all the other events that have their act together that they’re chumps,” Berkshire continued. “I’m disappointed with how this has been handled. At the very least, I think you should pay the $100 late fee. You are a private group, not a non-profit depending on volunteers.”
Tibjlas explained the last-minute shift in organization left some loose ends and he would indeed pay the $100 penalty.
Councilperson Shaun Matusewicz said, “On a slightly different note, I think while the application is late, it is incredibly detailed and I appreciate that. I know Corey took it over this year and that resulted in some transition issues.”
“We understand there was the transition between Gabe [Martin] and Corey this year,” added mayor Aaron Huckstep. “But next year, come to us as early as you can. The early timing and early conversations make it easier on everyone.”
Tibjlas asked the council to pay for the rental of concrete Jersey barriers for the 2015 event. Those barriers are used to separate spectators from snowmobiles along Elk Avenue and were implemented as part of the upgraded safety plan last year.
Pedestrian access on the north side of Elk Avenue between the post office and Third Street will be closed off this year. Tibjlas said he has been working with the businesses there to accommodate their needs during the event. A beer garden will be located at Third and Elk and Jumbo-trons will be located at the east end of the venue for easier viewing.
While Tibjlas said sponsorships are increasing at both the local and national level and television and on-line coverage is expanding, the cost of hauling snow is a big anchor on the event and that is why he was hoping the town would pick up the cost of the barrier rental.
“The barriers are required because it is a life/safety issue,” said town manager Todd Crossett.
“Given the snow conditions, we are expecting to pay a lot more for hauling snow and so we hoped the town would help with the barrier costs,” said Tibjlas.
“We already expect the town to pick up $18,000 of in-kind costs for the event,” said Berkshire. “I’m more comfortable with in-kind donations. I expect the entity putting on the event to pay for the infrastructure. It doesn’t mesh.”
“We are still approximately $8,500 short with costs right now,” said Tibjlas. “In the long-run, the support from the national sponsors is lining up and starting to happen. But we project we’ll need an extra 50 truckloads of snow hauled in and that will cost about $15,000. If we had half the snow we had last year it wouldn’t be needed, but that’s a big, unexpected cost.”
The current plan is to bring back the snow that was trucked to the outskirts of town from the in-town storage areas. That effort will begin Tuesday from places like the gravel pit near the school. Tibjlas said there is plenty of old snow now to use for the event but a cleaner, whiter top layer will have to be laid down to help prevent melting that would occur with dirtier plowed snow. The crew will begin building the Elk Avenue jump late Thursday night/early Friday morning March 6.
“Because of the lack of snow, the town needs to focus on something else like this event,” said Councilperson Chris Ladoulis. “I’m in support of the town helping with the rental cost of the barriers to make the event a reality.”
“I am a big supporter of the event but I’ll vote against this expenditure because there is a clear grant process in place for stuff like this,” said Matusewicz.
“If we vote to spend the money I think it should come out of the council’s discretionary fund and not any of the grant money,” said Councilperson Roland Mason. “That is set up in a clear process to stop individual pleas coming to us. I don’t want to send the wrong message.”
The council voted 4-3 to spend the $3,000 on renting barriers. Berkshire, Matusewicz and Councilperson Glenn Michel voted against funding the request.
Public Works director Rodney Due made it clear to both Tibjlas and the council that if the weather pattern changes, the event comes second to street plowing. “We’ve been blessed every year so far but if it snows on that date, our plows will be plowing and not building that jump,” Due said. “I just want to make sure we are all clear on that.”
The council agreed and Tibjlas said he was looking at contingencies in case that happened.
