The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Counting on federal grant funds
By Mark Reaman
The Crested Butte town council has agreed to pledge $1 million to help fund a new building for Mountain Express on the Whetstone Transit Campus. The council had previously set aside $500,000 in its budget for the building.
Mountain Express managing director Jeremy Herzog explained to the council at the April 21 meeting that he was applying for a $14 million federal grant to help pay for construction of the building that is estimated to cost $18 million or $926 per square foot. A 20% local match is required for the grant, and he said the increase in the town’s contribution would be beneficial for the grant application. He also approached Mt. Crested Butte for financial support for the building to supplement funding from the state and Mountain Express, and the Mt. CB council will consider the request at a future meeting.
Herzog said the transit agency purchased the land in the Whetstone Industrial Park in conjunction with the RTA and while four previous grant applications have been unsuccessful, the hope is that number five will yield funds.
The Mountain Express currently operates out of the Crested Butte public works yard. The move would not only benefit Mountain Express with a larger, more modern bus barn but free up space for the Crested Butte public works department.
Crested Butte town manager Dara MacDonald said the pledge would be incorporated into the budgeting cycle and probably not have to be allocated until 2027 at the earliest.
“This has been in the works a long time and it is only getting more expensive,” said councilmember and Mountain Express board member Anna Fenerty. “It is needed for all the Mountain Express plans we have as we try to expand transit.”
“We are at or beyond capacity in terms of our ability to store more Mountain Express buses,” added mayor and Mountain Express board member Ian Billick. “Any change to what we are currently doing requires a new facility. I’ve looked closely at the Mountain Express reserves and there is nothing more to be squeezed. The longer we put this off the more expensive it will be, especially with the current cutbacks from the federal government. My take is that we need to do everything we can to make this happen since it’s funded through a federal grant.”
“Is there a Plan B if this grant funding doesn’t come through?” asked councilmember Beth Goldstone.
“There is no way Mountain Express could come up with $14 million, so no,” responded Herzog.
“It seems so important to get this done,” commented councilmember John O’Neal. “Could Mt. Crested Butte add more money?”
Billick explained Mt. CB has been contributing more money through its admissions tax for operations. Herzog made a funding request of $500,000 to the Mt. CB council on May 6, and the council is prepared to discuss the request at their May 20 meeting.
“I would recommend saying yes to the idea of the $1 million,” said Billick. “At the end of the day we need to do whatever we can to get that $14 million from the feds.”
“It feels like a lot of money, but transit is so much of our future core,” said councilmember Gabi Prochaska. “We can’t talk out of both sides of our mouths. We need to do this.”
The rest of the council was on the same page so Herzog will use the $1 million figure contribution pledge as part of his upcoming grant application.
