Spring election results in two new MetRec board members

Fire district measure approved

By Mark Reaman

Two regional special districts held elections that concluded on Tuesday, May 2. Based on unofficial results, the Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District (MetRec) voters chose three board members while the Crested Butte Fire Protection District was approved to “De-Bruce” the district so it could collect and keep all the tax revenue allowed under its mill levy.

Mary Haskell, Keith Bauer and Cassia Cadenhead were elected to the MetRec board. Haskell received 139 votes of the total 252 cast while Bauer received 132 and incumbent board member Cadenhead garnered 130. Ethan Mueller tallied 105 votes while Brendan McLarney got 15. There were 135 votes cast in Crested Butte, 41 people voted in Gunnison and 76 submitted absentee ballots.

The three will serve four-year terms and join Loren Ahonen and Earl Marshall on the board. The results will be officially certified May 11.

The CBFPD election was a total mail-in election. The preliminary results for the De-Brucing election came in with 398 votes to approve the action and 219 people voting against the measure. De-Brucing allows the district to keep tax revenues in excess of the state’s TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) limitations.

CBFPD chief executive officer Sean Caffrey said the district appreciated the vote. “With the current uncertainty on how to address property tax increases at the state legislature this week, and with the potential for competing ballot measures this fall, the CBFPD team is very excited to have the financial security of the district, and our ability to provide services, more under the control of our locally elected board of directors,” he said. “We are grateful for the support of district voters and will continue to manage our funds in a prudent and accountable manner.”