The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Goal to increase wages, hours and efficiencies
By Kendra Walker
The town of Mt. Crested Butte has agreed to provide additional funding to the Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce to help it run its visitors centers in the north end of the valley.
During the November 19 town council meeting, Chamber executive director Heather Leonard requested an increase in the town’s funding from $67,279 to $75,000 as part of their 2025 service agreement with the Chamber. The town of Crested Butte has already agreed to increase its funding. Leonard also approached the Gunnison County Commissioners for additional Local Marketing District (LMD) funds that collect lodging taxes to fund marketing, tourism, affordable housing and early childhood resources, but they opted to stick to their annual contribution of $25,000.
“The Chamber and visitors center go hand-in-hand because so much of our businesses are impacted by the visitors,” said Leonard. “We would love the opportunity to further connect and better manage the visitors centers.”
She explained that both visitors centers have been operating at a deficit with staff who are making below the starting wage for most positions in the north end of the valley. “We are at the point where we need to raise wages and increase hours of operation,” she said. “An increase in funding addresses the deficit and allows us to increase the starting wage from $17 to $20 an hour.”
The proposed 2025 plan includes keeping the Mt. CB visitors center operating hours the same at 239 days per year, and increasing the Crested Butte visitors center from 321 to 327 to provide additional coverage from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October.
Leonard also noted that both the Plaza and Three Seasons have removed their front desks, so having a local contact in Mt. Crested Butte to answer questions is more important than ever. “We’re working to ensure that hotel front desks, short-term rental managers and businesses know that our staff are on site and available to answer questions in person or over the phone.”
Leonard told the council that a digital kiosk like the one recently installed at the Four-way visitors center is scheduled to arrive later this winter. “This kiosk will allow us to gauge how many people interact with it outside of visitor center hours,” she said. “As we’ve learned with CB, it will take time to be sure this is set up correctly and a usable resource and to encourage visitors to interact with it.”
Leonard stressed that the Chamber will continue to provide transparent communication with the council, including accurate and detailed budget reporting, visitor tracking, work to increase revenue through retail and event support and expand relationships with local partners.
“We’re asking for additional funding so we can keep working on what we’re doing with the overall goal to find some more efficiencies and cut back in other areas where we can.”
“I’m super stoked when people ask us for money for better wages,” said council member Steve Morris. “To me, that focus on retention of employees is significant. With that in mind I support this increase.”
Council member Alec Lindeman sits on the Chamber’s board, and noted the improvements since Leonard became executive director. “In past years there were always unanswered questions. Heather is knowledgeable and is clear and will quickly find out answers she doesn’t know when we ask questions. I see a serious shift in morale of the board and we’re able to be productive and accomplish some things.”
“I’m supportive of the additional ask because I think things are moving in a positive direction,” said mayor Nicholas Kempin.
The council directed staff to incorporate the $75,000 Chamber request into the budget, pending the council’s approval of the finalized budget which they plan to review for second reading during their December 17 meeting.
