CB bag ban will be discussed at June meeting

Donuts in a cloth bag? Doesn’t seem to work.

by Mark Reaman

Public discussion of a ban on single use plastic and/or paper bags in Crested Butte will continue with a Town Council work session dedicated to the matter on Monday, June 20. Momentum for the ban has been gaining steam and the council has asked the citizen’s group proposing the action to come back with a proposed ordinance.

Several letters citing concern over banning both plastic and paper bags were received by the council since the last meeting when it appeared the citizen’s group was advocating for a two-year phase-out of most single-use bags. Several council members indicated they had also been approached in person with concerns by local businesses.

Third Bowl owner Matt Smith told the council at the Monday, May 16 meeting that a comprehensive ban could be pretty severe. “I want to ensure consideration for all options for every business in town and how such a ban would pertain,” he said.

Smith gave an example that if a customer came into his business and ordered two donuts, having to put them in a cloth bag or a box would not be very efficient or realistic. “There perhaps need to be some exemptions for some businesses,” he suggested.

Councilwoman Erika Vohman is part of the citizen’s group advocating for some sort of ban and she assured Smith that the group would be modeling their official proposal on ordinances from other towns that have such exemptions. “It’s more for the check-out bags,” she said.

“It seems it is really for the Clark’s [Market] bags,” said councilman Chris Ladoulis.

“Clark’s was one of the first places I went and I talked to the manager and he said they would do it,” responded Vohman.

“Well I’ve gotten an earful that isn’t repeatable from some of their employees who are against it,” said Ladoulis. “Before the work session on June 20 can we get input from Clark’s? Given the impact on this particular business that probably is one of our top sales tax collectors, it would be prudent to know where they stand.”

“There are Clark’s Markets in other communities with plastic bag bans,” said Vohman.

Interim town manager Bill Crank suggested a representative of Clark’s be invited to the work session.

Town attorney John Belkin said he was working with citizen group leader Benjamin Swift to compile bag ban ordinances from other mountain communities. He intended to help the group sift through the various laws and condense them into a PowerPoint presentation for the work session meeting.

“We have been ahead of the curve on some fronts like marijuana regulation but I think we are probably following others on this issue,” said Belkin. “We can look at what they have done and how it works.”

Mayor Glenn Michel wanted to assure the local citizens and businesses that no decisions have yet been made. “We want a transparent and open process with lots of opportunity for the citizens to comment,” he said.

It appears the first formal opportunity for public review and possible comment on a proposal will be at a council work session on June 20.