The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
by Alissa Johnson
August sales tax revenue down
Mt. Crested Butte sales tax collections were down in August, coming in 8.6 percent, or $15,294, below budget. Town manager Joe Fitzpatrick attributes the performance to the absence of events such as the USA Pro Challenge or Whatever USA. In 2014 the Pro Challenge came through Mt. Crested Butte in August, and event organizers for the Bud Light promotion were also staying in the town.
John Sale resigns from council
Councilmember John Sale resigned from Town Council effective October 20. He is moving outside of town boundaries and is therefore ineligible to serve on council.
Sale’s position will be filled by appointment, for a term that runs through April 2016.
Pay raise for mayor and council
At a work session for the 2016 budget, the Mt. Crested Butte Town Council allotted funds to give council members a pay raise. Currently, the mayor makes $150 per month, and councilmembers make $75 per month.
The budget includes increases to $300 per month for the mayor and $150 per month for councilmembers, and will be effective for newly elected and re-elected members only.
“It’s been many years since we adjusted the numbers and it seems there are more and more requirements as far as work for the council. I think it’s a reasonable step,” said outgoing mayor David Clayton, whose term ends in April 2016.
The budget also includes a raise for the Planning Commission as well, increasing pay to $200 for the chairperson and $100 for the rest of the commission each month. Raises can only be implemented for incoming or reelected positions.
