The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Hoping for 200 subscribers next year
By Kendra Walker
During their December 16 meeting, the Mt. Crested Butte town council approved a 2026 professional services agreement between the town of Mt. Crested Butte, the town of Crested Butte and Elements Mountain Compost to continue their north valley composting program. However, council members were hesitant to continue the program given its low participation, especially in Mt. CB. They ultimately decided to give it another year in the hopes that more people subscribe.
In June 2024, the towns partnered with Salida-based Elements Mountain Compost to launch a composting program. Users pay a fee of $17 a month and receive a code to access the compost bins at the Four-Way Stop drop-off location. The total monthly program cost is $3,500, and the two towns share the subsidy for the program. The town of Mt. CB paid a total of $16,435 in 2025.
There are currently 61 active residential participants, a 13% increase since 2024. Mt. CB planner Shannon Hessler told the council that each household averages 40 pounds of compost per month. There are three commercial participants, including Montanya’s, CB Catering and Crested Butte Community School when school is in session.
“Since the program began, Elements Mountain Compost has collected more than 40,000 pounds of organic waste,” said Hessler. “The commercial collection program, launched in January 2025, has diverted an additional 6,328 pounds, and more than 3,000 pounds of organic waste were captured at community events including the CB Town Picnic, Mt. CB Town Picnic, the Mt. CB Food Truck Competition and Vinotok.”
She continued, “In total, the program has diverted over 40 cubic yards of organic material from the landfill and converted it into compost for use in local agriculture. Elements has also returned approximately 8 cubic yards of finished compost to Crested Butte–area residents for landscaping and gardening projects. Overall, the program’s 2025 composting efforts resulted in a carbon savings equivalent to removing four passenger vehicles from the road for an entire year.”
Hessler said about 15% of subscribers are in Mt. Crested Butte, but it’s based on the addresses participants list. Because some of those are PO boxes and not their physical addresses, “We think it’s closer to 20-30%,” she said.
Hessler told the council that the town has been working with Elements to create more opportunities to increase participation in Mt. Crested Butte, including a pilot drop-off station at the Matterhorn Lot, a discount for businesses from $150/month to $25/month, $10 off the monthly cost for Mt. CB residents and reduced costs for residents in deed-restricted units.
“Additionally, staff is working with staff from the town of Crested Butte and Clark’s Market to create a drop-off site at Clark’s Market and engage Clark’s as a commercial subscriber,” said Hessler.
Council members expressed concern over the disproportionate funding split with Crested Butte, given Mt. Crested Butte’s low participating numbers.
“I’m concerned about the agreement split, it’s so lopsided between Mt. Crested Butte and Crested Butte,” said council member Bobbie Sferra.
“I hate to say this feels totally doomed and that we’re throwing cash down the drain,” said council member Steve Morris. “I would love to see it work but sometimes I feel like there’s these hurdles. It just feels like this is a cultural thing and we aren’t consumers here that support this kind of thing. I feel like there’s better opportunities to focus on sustainability than with this program. I feel like this number should have grown more. I’m also for giving programs two to four years to get legs, but with these static residential numbers, and commercial too, I don’t think there’s a chance.”
“What would you like to determine for viability?” asked council member Roman Kolodziej.
“Three-hundred subscribers by the end of 2026,” said Morris.
“Two-hundred residential subscribers would let the program fly without subsidies from our town,” said Hessler. “Ten to 15 commercial subscribers make the program sustainable and able to run on its own.”
The council voted 6-1, with Sferra voting against, to approve the 2026 professional services agreement with Elements in the hopes of giving it another year to get up to 200 subscribers.
