The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Town sends legal letter to Anheuser-Busch
by Mark Reaman
Elk Avenue will get a three-quarter inch layer of fresh asphalt after the height of the summer season in an effort to cover grooves left in the street after a snafu with the painted street from last September’s Whatever USA promotion.
Town public works director Rodney Due suggested just seal coating and striping the street to see if that looked good, since the street was in good condition. Councilman Shaun Matusewicz wanted a complete repaving of the street. The council came down in the middle with a relatively new idea for a so-called “Thinlay Asphalt” layer.
While Thinlay Asphalt has never been applied in Crested Butte, Due and town manager Todd Crossett said this newer process came at the recommendation of one of the town’s main paving contractors, United Company.
Thinlay Asphalt requires no further milling of the street and only one pass with no specialized equipment.
The problem began after Whatever promoters apparently compromised the quality of the road-grade paint used to paint Elk Avenue blue by insisting on a poor mix to get the desired color. As a result, the paint peeled and ran in a rainstorm following the party. The town took emergency measures to lift up the remaining blue paint by milling the road, and that left grooves in the street.
The council wants them gone.
But town attorney John Belkin said the Whatever promoters are balking at the cost of the repairs. The council gave approval for Belkin to write a letter to Anheuser-Bush to be signed by mayor Aaron Huckstep demanding the company pay for any and all street repairs made as a result of the paint snafu. “It should be their responsibility,” he said.
“There is only one appropriate solution—redo the street,” said Matusewicz. “We’ve tried several half measures and they haven’t worked. Events have an obligation to return the town to the same or better condition.”
While about $60,000 remains in a Whatever contingency fund, a full paving job would cost about $100,000. The three-quarter asphalt deal would run about $51,000. But Belkin pointed out some of the remaining $60,000 would go to legal and administrative costs.
“Using this three-quarter asphalt solution would bring the street back better than it was before Bud Light,” said Due. “The street is very sound. It was not scheduled for a full pavement job for at least seven years. Keep in mind the integrity is fine. One of my thoughts is to just seal coat it and put crosswalks in and see how it looks. We are talking cosmetics. That would cost $10,000 or whatever. Tell Anheuser-Bush we’ll take that approach first but if it doesn’t work, they’ll be responsible for paying for a three-quarter inch asphalt job in the fall. You might not see so much push-back from Anheuser-Bush if you give it a try.”
“We need to put this behind us,” said councilman Skip Berkshire, “and this three-quarter option seems like a good solution.”
“I’ve never used it. It’s fairly new technology,” said Due. “I’m going on United’s recommendation. But they are here and they will stand behind it.”
“I feel like I’m in Groundhog Day,” quipped Matusewicz.
“[Anheuser Busch spokesperson] Bobby Wells always said the street would be returned to normal,” said councilman Jim Schmidt. “I can’t believe Anheuser-Bush won’t back the promise of their spokesperson. We need to send them the letter.”
“It’s untested technology. We’ve tried half measures. Why short-change the public? Anheuser-Bush needs to completely fix the street,” said Matusewicz.
“It is amazing to me that Anheuser-Bush is even arguing with us about this at all,” said Huckstep. “Information is apparently being delivered from promoter representatives to local businesses, and then directly from that business to Town staff and Council. The information is neither accurate nor productive.”
Council voted 5-1 to proceed with laying the three-quarter asphalt in late August or early September. Matusewicz voted against the motion.
