The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“Democracy is a living entity you need to feed…”
By Mark Reaman
With little choice when it came to policy direction, Crested Butte voters definitively chose experience over youth to lead the Crested Butte town council the next two years. Incumbent mayor Ian Billick was returned to office Tuesday over challenger Anna Fenerty. Billick tallied 405 votes to Fenerty’s 230, a percentage gap of 64% to 36%.
With three open council seats, current councilmembers Beth Goldstone and John O’Neal who signed up to run were automatically in with four-year council terms. The town is taking applications from Crested Butte citizens until 9 a.m. on November 10 to fill the third seat.
“It’s a great privilege and brings me joy to serve Crested Butte as mayor,” Billick said Wednesday morning. “Thanks to Anna for running and her service on the council. She has brought a fresh perspective to town, as well as creative and thoughtful thinking. In the next two years, I look forward to working with community members, especially residents in our deed restricted units, to deepening our affordable housing policies to better emphasize community. I also look forward to working with the county, Mt. Crested Butte and our other north valley partners to develop an integrated approach to land use development and wildlife, mass transit and broader infrastructure needs, such as recreation and trails.”
Fenerty said she appreciated the support she received during the campaign. “One of the things I’ve come to believe during my time as a public official is, you don’t have to be perfect to contribute. It’s a privilege to represent and participate at this level,” she said. “Thank you to all the people who believe in me. The high-fives, the support, the bench time, the grocery store moments, to all those who simply took the time to return their ballots – thank you. Things at high altitude move slow, change included. I have a long vision of this valley, and I will continue to serve my community in multitudes. I will continue to try and live up to what I believe I’m supposed to be doing. Our systems desperately need reworking, and we have more power at a local level than we realize. I wish Ian grit and grace the next two years. I look forward to interacting with him as a constituent. Democracy is a living entity you need to feed, as is the sacredness of this valley. It’s been an honor to serve.”
In Mt. Crested Butte, voters narrowly approved a ballot issue changing the town home rule charter to allow the town to consider municipal judge applicants that do not live in Gunnison County. That vote was 175 to 166.
