Meet the new council members Mt. crested butte

Editor’s Note: The News fired off the following questions to the incoming councilpersons in Mt. Crested Butte, regarding issues that will likely define their time in office. Four seats were open for the election and these four stepped up so the election was canceled.

 

 

 

 

William Buck
What’s your position on Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s proposed Snodgrass expansion?
As president of the Colorado Association of Ski Towns, I have the opportunity to see our competition up close and personal six to seven times a year. These municipalities openly share information on channels of revenue and clearly attribute additional revenues occurring due to successful expansions at their resorts. That and other personal experience leads me to believe that the success of CBMR will be significantly aided by expanded lift-served intermediate and advanced skiing on Snodgrass Mountain. I am all about increasing opportunities for economic well being and sustainability and with proper planning and management this addition to our destination ski area is a very realistic opportunity.

Should tax dollars be used to build and/or operate the proposed Mt. Crested Butte Performing Arts Center?
In 1997 the Downtown Development Authority was formed in order to be used as a mechanism for economic development with its bonding capability and payments made through Tax Increment Financing. Since its formation the only use of that mechanism has been to aid the development of the public transportation system at Mountaineer Square and general improvements to roads and town infrastructure within the DDA. In our research for the development of an aquatics/recreation facility we found that the town could not afford that project. The use of these tax dollars now in significant partnership with the Crested Butte Music Festival in order to realize a state of the art performance hall with civic attributes indoors and out is a clear benefit to all as this facility will improve the stature and standing of Mt. Crested Butte, the Crested Butte Music Festival and other arts, cultural and private entities countywide.

How best can you partner with other local entities to improve the town’s economy?
This question tags nicely onto the last one as the town has recently partnered with the resort this past year in accomplishing the new Adventure Park enhancing a core of activity at the base area. The ability to create these public/private partnerships allows for the realization of projects that one entity on its own could not realize. Case in point is the new Performing Arts Facility as the town is in partnership with the Crested Butte Music Festival and CBMR in order to create an additional attraction and bring patrons of the arts to the area.

What’s your favorite KBUT show?
KBUT has amazing programming in general but for my money “El Chino” is the man.

 

Chris Morgan
What’s your position on Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s proposed Snodgrass expansion?
My position on the proposed Snodgrass expansion begs a bigger question—does Snodgrass fit into my vision for our resort community? My vision is to make Mt Crested Butte the most successful destination resort possible. This will require our community (the town, CBMR, the DDA and the rest of the private sector) to embrace a series of goals to meet this vision. These goals include a need to expand our base area to include more retail and restaurant services. We need to increase our high quality lodging establishments. Mt. Crested Butte must embrace public/private partnerships to help bring a performing arts center and a recreation center to our base area to diversify the options for entertaining our visitors and citizens. Our air service must expand. And finally, we need to expand our intermediate skiing terrain—and the logical place to do this is to expand onto Snodgrass. However, for me to support expansion onto Snodgrass, we must embrace an overall plan that will meet the goals of my vision. Snodgrass, nor any other single element of my vision, will solve our current resort decline—they must all come alongside each other. For example, while I cannot take credit for the construction of the conference center in Mountaineer Square, one main reason it exists today is that I negotiated in the East Trade Parcel Annexation Agreement (Prospect) that a conference center be built by a date certain as a condition for annexation. We might not have a conference center today without that negotiation. I know how to bring public benefits and amenities alongside growth and development—I have already done it.

Should tax dollars be used to build and/or operate the proposed Mt. Crested Butte Performing Arts Center?
The DDA was formed in 1997 for the purpose of constructing public amenities to enhance our resort community with revenue generated by property tax increment financing. Therefore, the DDA should fund part of the construction costs. Currently, the town and the DDA are partnering with the Crested Butte Music Festival and CMMR in a public/private partnership to make this project happen. However, the cost of operations of such a facility must be satisfactorily addressed before I could support construction of such a facility. I have watched other performing arts facilities, such as the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek, experience serious operational cost struggles with a much larger population and tax base. We cannot have a facility that is operationally underfunded. However, these challenges can be solved.

How best can you partner with other local entities to improve the town’s economy?
I just read an autobiography of a recent U.S. president who proclaimed, “The cooperation of business and government is more important than the dominance of either.” Following that spirit, I propose that Mt. Crested Butte should consider hiring a full time event coordinator with admission tax dollars to develop, promote and execute events in our community. I believe this position would produce a much higher return on investment than some of the programs currently being supported with admission tax dollars. Our top partners in such a program would be the town of Crested Butte and CBMR—partners who would provide benefits to everyone in our greater community.

What’s your favorite KBUT show?
I listen to everything from classical, to jazz, to rock to electronic music. I cannot pick a favorite.

 

Danny D’Aquila
Hello everyone, I am Danny D’Aquila. Having served Mt. Crested Butte as a town councilman for two terms (2000-2008), I am honored to return to the council for another four-year term. Thank you! To our outgoing members, your hard work, dedication, and vision will not diminish. I would like to think that the four council appointments compliment the efforts and direction of recent past councils. My wife, Jenny, and I are raising our five children here because we continue to believe that this valley can offer anyone the education, employment opportunity, recreation, and quality of life to place roots that will last forever.

What’s your position on Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s proposed Snodgrass expansion?
Our home is located in Mt. Crested Butte on top of Sunlight Ridge, with the help of some of our local talent, Jenny and I were able to design, position and build our home. Looking not only at the current ski area and into the valley but also at Snodgrass Mountain. We have always anticipated and supported Planned Development on Snodgrass.

Should tax dollars be used to build and/or operate the proposed Mt. Crested Butte Performing Arts Center?
The redevelopment of our current base area and expansion discussions became reality when the Muellers purchased the ski area. The partnership that developed between the town and the new CBMR hit the ground running with the construction and completion of the new base area. Including a heated, free public transportation drop off area that ranks with the best in the industry.

How best can you partner with other local entities to improve the town’s economy?
This of course was the first of several phases of planned Mt. Crested Butte redevelopment. During the past two years the town of Mt. Crested Butte, the DDA, and CBMR have discussed the next logical plan of development for the base area, the Performing Art Center. Like the Mountaineer Square with the convention facility being the centerpiece of the complex. I believe the Performing Arts Center would provide the town the ability to generate year round world-class events, ultimately affecting the growth of the Mt. Crested Butte business community and tax base. I support the efforts of our previous council and will continue, absolutely to work with all involved at making our community the best “last great Colorado ski town.”

What’s your favorite KBUT show?
NPR is what I tune into on KBUT during my day except for country music. I always read, watch, and listen to all aspects of the news. KBUT, thanks for all you do in the community as well as the Crested Butte News.

 

David O’Reilly
News: What’s your position on Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s proposed Snodgrass expansion?
I am a strong supporter of the proposed Snodgrass expansion.

Should tax dollars be used to build and/or operate the proposed Mt. Crested Butte Performing Arts Center?
Yes, tax dollars should be used to help build the Performing Arts Center. I look forward to working with the committee to address their expenditures and building process.

How best can you partner with other local entities to improve the town’s economy?
We need to continue the strong, positive relationship with CBMR by helping them bring in more destination skiers. I see a need to work with the county commissioners, the Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism Association, the RTA and the town of Crested Butte in order to generate new ideas for stimulating and improving the town’s economy. We need two representatives from each of the above-mentioned groups to meet monthly with ongoing discussion and sharing of ideas.

What’s your favorite KBUT show?
Orange Blossom Special.