Town council passes 2015 budget without summer cuts

Larger, philosophical discussion will happen in January

While stating that the long-term situation needed to change, the Crested Butte Town Council on Monday passed the 2015 budget on a 4-3 split vote. The split came as the majority of councilmen put back $30,000 in cuts proposed by the staff that would have reduced some summer amenities such as flowers and bike racks on Elk Avenue.

The town staff and some councilmen had been adamant that cutbacks in the parks and recreation department be made in the town’s capital fund after voters rejected a proposed sales tax increase last November by three votes. The tax was touted as being earmarked for parks and recreation.
Under the Crested Butte five-year plan, the budget would be busted in a few years without the sales tax increase, despite a current fund balance of $1.4 million. The town’s general fund is expected to have a fund balance of more than $3 million due in large part to increasing sales tax collections over the last two years, but the staff was very reluctant to move any money from that fund balance to the capital fund.
At the December 1 council meeting, the staff suggested cutting some summer seasonal positions. That move would have delayed getting some summer amenities like bike racks out on the streets and would eliminate the popular flower barrels.
“As I have expressed before, I feel very strongly that we go into the general fund reserves to cover the $30,000 that is being proposed to be cut,” said councilman Jim Schmidt. “I’d propose we approve the budget tonight but set a date in January to really talk about this again.”
Schmidt admitted that part of the reasoning for delaying the discussion until January was the time constraint at the December 1 meeting that had several major items on the agenda, including annexation discussions.
“So, the concept is that the council is still undecided on these cuts, so let’s revisit it in January,” said mayor Aaron Huckstep.
“I’m decided,” responded Schmidt. “It is such a small cut. I realize if things don’t change we will have to adjust. But I think we should revisit the sales tax initiative next November. It only lost by three votes. I realize we can’t perpetuate the current situation but I think we can perpetuate it one more year and work to get an initiative passed.”
“I think this $30,000 is the wrong $30,000 to cut,” said councilman Chris Ladoulis. “I’d prefer to look at other options. Saving 116 flower barrels and actually getting bike racks out on the street before Bike Week is necessary.”
“The issue is really the projects lined up in the future because we can’t take care of what we already have,” explained town finance director Lois Rozman. “I agree that the $30,000 is miniscule with $1.4 million in reserves. It is a policy discussion that will need more than 15 minutes. And if you wait until January to relook at it, you’ll have an idea of how the winter is shaping up.”
“I feel the budget is broken the way it is and I would be reluctant to vote for it with these cuts,” said councilperson Shaun Matusewicz.
“I agree with Lois [Rozman] that we need a bigger discussion than over the $30,000,” said Huckstep.
“I’m not keen on taking the $30,000 out for cuts,” said councilman Skip Berkshire. “The value of preserving what we have is worth it.”
Matusewicz made a motion to pass the 2015 budget without the suggested $30,000 in cuts. That passed, with Matusewicz, Schmidt, Berkshire and Ladoulis voting for it and Huckstep, Roland Mason and Glenn Michel voting against it.
“All the no votes are not against the concept [of keeping the flowers] but rather wanting to have the larger policy discussion,” concluded Huckstep. “If we don’t discuss this it will only perpetuate the cycle. The overall discussion has to happen.”
The council agreed to put the broad issue on the agenda for the first meeting in January.