Briefs – Crested Butte

by Mark Reaman

Special events are close and some will have changes

Summer is coming and that means events. The Crested Butte Town Council on May 2 approved several special event permits. The Crested Butte Bike Week that includes the Chainless Race will take place June 23-26. The Farmers Market will start up June 5. Splatterdash was approved for July 2 and the People’s Fair is September 3 and 4. All include at least some limited road closures.

The Fourth of July special event was approved with conditions. One condition is that the annual spectacle of giant four-wheel drives climbing over each other’s tires will not occur this year. Sorry, Earl. The marshals apparently felt there were some safety issues with the “float.” The council also wants nothing thrown from parade floats this year, “particularly super balls.” And it appeared everyone discussing the event at the May 2 meeting agreed last year’s 15,000 people were enough so the Chamber will not be actively promoting the event.

And there will be a meeting in June between the Town Council and Vinotok organizers. Issues to be discussed include the bonfire location, safety and bathrooms. The Vinotok council will mull over the issues this month before meeting with the town and would appreciate any feedback.

CB and county friction?

Interim town manager Bill Crank told the council at the May 2 meeting that he has been spending a lot of time working with the county on two issues. The first is the proposal concerning the Foxtrot subdivision and whether new houses should eventually be required to hook up to the town’s wastewater system and the developers be required to submit an application to the Town under the”201 IGA” agreement. The second is how to structure a payment split with the county over work being done through the Coal Creek Watershed Coalition in conjunction with the Mt. Emmons mine transfer.

“You as the council authorized paying the entire $13,500 the Coal Creek Watershed Coalition requested at the April 18 meeting with the hope the county would pay for half,” Crank said. “Since that time we’ve been dealing with the county and they have not been agreeable to entering into a contract with the CCWC. I’m not sure why. If we can’t get the issue worked out with the county, is the council still willing to foot the whole cost?”

The council indicated it was.

“I can’t determine if it’s an issue of misunderstanding or terminology,” said Crank. “We’ll continue to try to work this out.”

As for Foxtrot, the county has requested a meeting for the developers, the town and the county to discuss the issue next week. The Planning Commission will then hold a continuation of the initial public hearing on Friday, May 20 at 2 p.m. at the Crested Butte Town Hall.