Gunnison Country Times, May 16, 2024

School construction to start next month

Bridge closure not yet impacting budgets

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

Nearly a year and a half after the Gunnison Watershed School District passed its historic $95 million bond for district-wide renovations, construction is set to begin at each of the Gunnison Valley schools this summer.

By the end of the summer, students at Gunnison Community School (GCS) and Lake Preschool and Kindergarten will have entirely new playgrounds. At Crested Butte Community School (CBCS), contractors will start building Schools A6

NEWS: Western planning library renovations, A15

COMMUNITY: From the ice age, B1

SPORTS: Three GHS golfers qualify for state, B6

A3

A4

A16-A21

B6

CR 26 openings favored by all but wildlife managers

Increased traffic disturbs Gunnison sagegrouse, big game

Bella Biondini Times Editor

The early opening of County Road 26, known as the Lake City cutoff, came with a sense of relief for many Gunnison Valley residents. The other detours out of Gunnison and around the Blue Mesa bridge closure — up to seven hours of travel time — were unreasonable. Brief windows on CR 26 in the morning and the evening allowed traffic

to bypass the closure.

But in the days before the road opened, a flurry of panicked phone calls, texts and emails flew back and forth between wildlife biologists. It was mid-April, and barely past peak breeding season for the threatened Gunnison sagegrouse. As the snow melted, hens were preparing to select a nest and begin laying eggs. CR 26, rarely traveled, cuts right through the middle of Sapinero Mesa and some of the most high-value Gunnison sage-grouse habitat in the valley. As the only realistic detour to Montrose, Grand Junction and the remainder of the Western Slope, the county road is experiencing a high volume of traffic.

Sage-grouse A8

Homeowner sues county over septic regulations

Rental occupancy exceeds system capacity, county says

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

A spacious backcountry cabin sits in a high-country meadow north of Crested Butte, under the shadow of Gothic Mountain. Undisturbed, most would consider it a blueprint for the Gunnison Country’s more iconic terrain.

But that cabin is now at the heart of a lawsuit that was filed against Gunnison County

at the start of February by the property’s owner. In a matter of months, the conflict has unfolded into an ongoing legal exchange including debate over the legal limits of the county’s regulatory codes and accusations that the county is concealing salient public records.

The legal back-and-forth calls into question the county’s limits in regulating homes and cabins in the backcountry, which often have their own off-grid septic and utility systems. The lawsuit was mentioned in a hearing for a recently-defeated Senate bill that sought to limit Colorado counties’ ability to regulate backcountry cabins under short-term rental regulations.

Andrew Fink, who lives fulltime in Boulder, purchased Septic A6

BIKE BUDDIES: Gunnison Community School students navigate an obstacle course behind the school during a bike safety event on May 7. Bikers pedaled through cones and over a teetering seesaw to hone in their balance. For more, see A13. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)

HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS

“It was such an eyeopener to realize that even though I’ve always had a passion for history, I wasn’t looking back far enough.”

— Kathleen Curry Gunnison rancher

See story on B1

Crested Butte designated camping webpage unveiled

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests launched a new webpage to provide information to forest visitors on designated camping restrictions in Crested Butte.

In 2022, new regulations went into effect, converting dispersed camping areas within seven major drainages around Crested Butte to designated campsites and developed campgrounds. The website provides maps and information on how to reduce and minimize the harmful effects of resource damage caused by high recreation use, such as trampled vegetation, expanded campsite footprints and littering. Visit fs.usda.gov/ gmug to learn more.

Driver license office hours reduced due to bridge

The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced a reduction in operating hours for the Gunnison State Driver License Office until further notice.

The Hwy. 50 bridge closure has cut off the main travel route for DMV employees covering the Gunnison office. Starting this week, the DMV will only be open one week per month. Residents are encouraged to use online services or to schedule an appointment at other offices such as Salida, Canon City, Alamosa or in Lake County.

Western scholarships available for highschoolers

High school seniors starting at Western Colorado University in the 2024-25 academic year are eligible to receive one of 140 scholarships of up to $1,500 to help cover tuition, fees, books and equipment, thanks to funding from Opportunity Next Colorado.

Special consideration will be given to students interested in pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM). For more information about the application process, visit western.edu.

The Gunnison Valley hosts many events that bring the community together, encouraging unity, economic prosperity, and vibrancy. Summer brings its blockbuster events, like the 4th of July celebration and Cattlemen’s Days, while fall and winter invite more of a hometown holiday atmosphere, gathering our local community at the center. The downtown business district sees it all, especially Halloween’s Trick-or-Treat Street and Night of Lights. Both of these events have become memory-making traditions to those that call Gunnison home, and those who visit annually.

Trick-or-Treat Business District and Night of Lights are cornerstone events, and the City of Gunnison and the Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce are looking towards their continued futures. Each has grown in attendance and popularity, and the City and Chamber would like to know what these festivities mean to the community. It is also time to imagine how they could evolve as they remain two the of most anticipated gatherings of the year. The best way to understand is to ask you, the community, for input.

The City and Chamber would appreciate businesses and participating organizations and the community spending 5 minutes on a short survey to share their thoughts on these annual holiday celebrations. Two versions of the survey have been published: one for all members of the public and one for business owners and organizational leaders. The surveys are designed to help the City and Chamber strategically gain insight to multiple factors of each event by asking questions like:

Are the current locations best suited to continue hosting and operating these events?

Do these events bring vibrancy and prosperity to the central business district?

Do the traditions of the events need to continue in their current form, or can these events evolve into something new?

Does the Night of Lights tree have to be placed on South Main Street? Does it have to be a real tree from a local’s yard? (The City has found a shortage of trees that fit the traditional model: a local pine tree of at least 60 feet that is available for donation per the property owner’s request).

Careful examination and assessment of the community’s feedback paired with the current resources and abilities of event organizers can ensure the continuation of these celebrations in their best capacity. The Gunnison City Council has already ensured funding and a contract for holiday lighting along Main Street and Tomichi Avenue for the 2024 holiday season. The Chamber will once again be selling Gunnison Greenbacks for the 2024 season to help support holiday shopping and appreciation of local businesses.

WANT TO CONTACT US?

When answering the survey as a community member, think about the years that you have attended these events. What are important pieces of the experience? What are things about the celebration that could use a new spin? Are there ideas for these events that could be introduced for the first time?

When answering as business owners or representative of a local organization, consider how your organization fits into the event. What kind of impact do these events have on your operations? How do these festivities happening in and around the valley affect your business day? What value does an organized holiday event bring to your organization or business?

Both versions of the survey are available in English and Spanish through the City’s website, gunnisonco.gov, under the News Center on the homepage.

The survey deadline will close on June 1, 2024, so please take a few minutes to share your thoughts.

David Dan Dunn

David Dan Dunn, 77, of Ridgway, Colorado and formerly of Gunnison, passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital on May 2, 2024. Crippin Funeral Home and Crematory is assisting Mr. Dunn’s family. Please call 970249-2121 for more information.

Tori Alice Brown

Tori Alice Brown was born to Jessica and Drew Brown of Gunnison on May 6, 2024 at 8:10 p.m. She weighed 6 lb., 13 oz. and measured 21 in. long at birth. She is welcomed by her grandparents, Judy and Wayne Brown and Jenny and Danny Daquila, all of Gunnison, and her big sisters, Kimberly (7) and Hailey (4).

Friday night lights

Local photographer Katie Lyons captured the northern lights dancing above Crested Butte last weekend during the largest geomagnetic storm since 2003. As electromagnetic waves from solar flares collided with Earth’s geomagnetic field, the vibrant aurora borealis could be seen as far south as Oklahoma.

(Courtesy Katie Lyons)

970.641.1414

© 2024 Gunnison Country Times

Publisher/Owner Alan Wartes publisher@gunnisontimes.com

Office Manager Bonnie Gollhofer bonnie@gunnisontimes.com

Editor Bella Biondini bella@gunnisontimes.com

Staff Writer Abby Harrison abby@gunnisontimes.com

Photo Editor Mariel Wiley mariel@gunnisontimes.com

Sports Editor Alex McCrindle alex@gunnisontimes.com

Advertising Manager Steve Nunn steve@gunnisontimes.com

Advertising Assistant Issa Forrest issa@gunnisontimes.com

Production Manager Issa Forrest issa@gunnisontimes.com

THE GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES (ISSN 0892-1113) is published weekly by Alan Wartes Media LLC., 218 N. Wisconsin St., Gunnison, Colorado 81230. Periodical postage paid at Gunnison, Colorado. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:

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2023

LETTERS POLICY

Letters to the editor must be 500 words or less. We favor local topics and discourage argumentative letters addressed to particular people. If you reference data, please include sources for fact-checking.

We will not print letters from candidates for public office.

Email letters to editor@gunnisontimes.com or send to 218 N. Wisconsin St., Gunnison, CO 81230. Include your full name, address and a phone number — for our internal use only.

The deadline is Tuesday at 12 p.m. Letters may be edited for grammar, clarity or length.

Was CDOT slow to act on bridge warnings?

William Spicer Special to the Times

For more than a decade, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has been urging states to conduct specialized testing on T-1 steel bridges, due to the potential for cracking in crucial welds which could lead to failure and collapse. At least two such bridges exist in Colorado, both of those over Blue Mesa Reservoir on Hwy. 50. However, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) appears to have been slow to act on these warnings — until a month ago. In doing so, they put off looking for problems with the Blue Mesa middle bridge that might have been identified and addressed sooner, possibly avoiding a highly disruptive closure.

The Blue Mesa Middle and Lake Fork bridges were built in 1963 from a new type of steel known as T-1. While T-1 is much stronger than regular steel, it’s a lot more susceptible to poor quality welding. Improved techniques were adopted in the mid-70s, but older T-1 bridges are prone to potentially serious issues with cracks introduced during the fabrication process.

Although these cracks start out small, repeated stress cycles from heavy trucks crossing the

LETTERS

In response to Dobson’s letter

Editor:

I am writing in response to the letter under the title "Republicans meet with Gays Against Groomers.”

In the letter, Ms. Dobson talks about House Bill 24-1039. After some research on this bill, I found that it provides an addition to the anti-discrimination statutes in Colorado and applies to students "kindergarten-twelfth grade," not 3-year-olds. The bill allows for a student in these grades to file a discrimination complaint if being harassed at school by any employee of the district that does not use the students chosen name.

According to the legislation, "chosen name means any name that a student requests to be known as that differs from the student's legal name, to reflect the student's gender identity."

The adult does not immediately "have charges brought against

bridge cause them to grow over time. Typically this process takes millions of cycles, equating to decades of use. But eventually a crack can reach critical size, at which point there’s risk of a sudden fracture of an entire structural member. According to the FHWA, a “fracture critical” bridge like Blue Mesa is one that lacks redundancy in its structure, meaning that this kind of event could result in collapse.

Fracture critical bridges made from T-1 steel have a history of safety closures due to weld cracking. In 2011, the Sherman-Minton bridge carrying I-64 over the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky was shut down for five months due to cracking in critical weld areas. Cracks were initially observed during routine visual inspection, but as part of the repair process the bridge was inspected using a more rigorous technique called non-destructive testing (NDT). That inspection revealed critical cracking that had not been visually detectable, and which was serious enough to force closure of the bridge.

The FHWA responded quickly to the Sherman-Minton incident. In September 2011 they issued a technical advisory that “strongly recommended” state departments of transportation identify all fracture critical bridges made from T-1 steel and verify the soundness of critical welds through both visual inspection and NDT.

But throughout the next decade, CDOT continued to conduct routine biennial inspections on the Blue Mesa

them" as stated in the letter, but rather goes through due process and a lengthy and documented process to determine the nature of the discrimination.

The anti-discrimination statute also states (contrary to the assertion that "they do not have to tell the parents) that after a complaint is made the district must "provide written updates about the status of an investigation or proceeding to the parties and the parties' parents or legal guardians at each stage of the investigation or proceeding, but at least every fifteen business days."

The letter is full of inaccuracies and anti-gay sentiment and makes me wonder how one can be "concerned about the children" while also finding it okay for some children to face discrimination and bullying from their educators.

Molly Diachok Mugglestone Gunnison

bridge on a visual-only basis. During this timeframe, any cracks that might have existed within the critical main support girders since the bridge was first constructed continued to go undetected.

Then in 2021, the Hernando de Soto bridge, which carries I-40 across the Mississippi in Memphis, Tennessee, suffered a major fracture that nearly severed one of its main tension ties. It was closed for two months for repairs. Thorough non-destructive testing was conducted on the entire structure, and as with the ShermanMinton bridge, it revealed critical cracking that had not been detectable through visual means.

This time, the FHWA felt the need for stronger action: in December 2021 they issued a memorandum giving states a hard deadline of March the following year to identify all potential problem bridges, and mandating that non-destructive testing be completed on each bridge by March 2024. The memo left no doubt about the importance of these directives, concluding: “These actions are critical to maintaining safety, avoiding similar closures of important structures, and the major disruption that follows.”

By this time, the potential problems were well known within the bridge community. As CDOT’s Chief Engineer, Keith Stefanik, acknowledged during a recent public webinar: “We are not the first state that has encountered this issue with the T-1 steel.”

Nonetheless, CDOT’s routine inspection in 2022 was once

I am not the only voter taking notice

Editor:

again a visual-only affair, with no significant defects reported, according to CDOT inspection records. During the most recent webinar Stefanik stated that the two Blue Mesa bridges were identified as T-1 steel only in November 2023, more than 18 months after the FHWA deadline and 12 years since states were first urged to look for them.

CDOT finally initiated nondestructive testing of the middle bridge in April. (The ultrasound currently being conducted on the Blue Mesa bridge is the most commonly-used form of NDT.) That testing has already revealed a number of “anomalies” that were not previously detected through visual inspection.

With the Sherman-Minton and Hernando de Soto bridges, cracks went undetected for years until they grew large enough to become critical safety problems. In warning of the need for urgent action, the FHWA noted that these incidents “had profound effects on the lives and livelihoods of the traveling public, the regional and national mobility of freight, and the vitality of the local and regional economies.”

Despite these efforts to avoid another incident, the Blue Mesa bridge has now suffered the same fate. If CDOT had heeded those warnings and acted sooner, it’s a fate that might have been avoided.

(William Spicer is a Gunnison writer and retired analyst with a background in applied mathematics.)

This letter is in response to Cori Dobson’s letter of May 9, 2024, in which she chided the Gunnison Country Times staff for not attending a Gunnison County Republicans event where a member of Gays Against Groomers was the featured speaker. Before declining the invitation, perhaps the Times staff conducted a rudimentary investigation of the group’s founder, Jaimee Michell, something that Ms. Dobson and her fellow board members may have not done. Jaimee Michell is a wellknown far-right activist and social media agitator. According to Media Matters, her former career includes “promotion of the QAnon conspiracy theory, intimate involvement with the efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, and emphatic support for the violent actions of the January 6 insurrectionists.”

In November of 2022, shortly after the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs, Michell appeared on the Tucker Carlson Show, where she said that there will be more such shootings "until we end this evil agenda" i.e. gender-affirming care. Six of our fellow Coloradans were murdered at Club Q. Rather than express horror, Michell lays the blame at the foot of a trope that she and her fellow GAG members created out of thin air for their own political gain.

In 2021, on her Twitter account and writing of her distaste for an FBI agent investigating Russian interference in the national elections of 2016, she posted “I want handcuffs and public hangings. Both the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League have labeled GAG as an anti-LGBTQ extremist hate group — quite a distinction. As for the word “groomer.” The ADL considers the term

“groomer” to be a slur — which it is — an insult with an added dose of innuendo. The term was popularized by Christina Pushaw, press secretary to Florida governor Ron DeSantis and directed toward opponents of the infamous Don’t Say Gay Bill: If you oppose this bill “you are probably a groomer…” Candidates for local office do not understand the alienating effect such statements have on voters — former Republicans like me included — and perhaps do not remember that in January of this year Mr. DeSantis dropped out of the Republican presidential primary after polling in single digits.

In sum, Gays Against Groomers is an ult-right group of self-serving individuals who derive their sense of worth and income (funding for the group is not disclosed) by adopting the assumed cause célèbre of the day. They care more about their presence on social media sites, many of which have kicked them off their platforms, than about a child with gender identity issues.

I want readers of this letter to note that I have said nothing regarding House Bill 24-1039, the original focus of Ms. Dobson’s concern. However, the Gunnison County Republicans should explain to the voters of this county their aim in showcasing a group such as GAG, an organization whose very name is based on a slur. To paraphrase a recent country western tune, I am not the only voter who has taken notice of this event.

David Haedt Gunnison

No longer support the party

Editor:

Two letters in last week’s paper epitomize why after 30 years of being a registered Republican, I can no longer support the party.

The mean spiritedness and hypocrisy of certain factions of the party are overwhelming. Cori Dobson, current chair of the Republican Party, in her letter uses a meeting with a member of Gays Against Groomers to imply that our civil rights and freedoms are being eroded by the LGBTQ community and by extension, Democrats. I personally see this whole bigoted argument to be spectacularly over blown and nothing more than a not-so-subtle way of rallying the far right.

For example, Gays Against Groomers is not the benign organization it is made out to be. It is a reactionary organization that promotes false conspiracy theories against the LGBTQ community. The organization was so radical that it was banned four different times on Twitter, pre-Musk. Research the organization to see its true goals.

A second letter is titled “Sad day for women.” This is based on a proposed minor change to Title IX, the effects of which will be nothing like what the writer

implies, but will benefit some individuals. If one wants to talk about a sad day for women and loss of freedoms, we should be discussing a woman's right to make her own decisions about her body and health. Or laws that prevent parents from making decisions about their children’s health and wellbeing. Or about laws aimed at certain demographics, making voting much more difficult rather than easier. Or banning books. Or inciting a mob, with the stated goal to murder the vice president and the speaker of the House for not agreeing to over tune a fairly won election. All are right-wing initiatives.

I am sorry to point out that the Republicans do not hold the moral high ground on these issues.

Charles Welch Gunnison

The ‘poor’ go unseen

Editor:

Yesterday, a man and his young son stood with a sign "Need Help! $$For Gas, Food, Please!" in the parking lot outside a Jeff Bezos-owned Whole Foods here in Portland where Susan and I had just spent $10 for a loaf of (very nice) bread and a sack of rice.

The father was playing a violin and singing. He was pretty good, certainly good enough for the dollar I handed him and for which he crossed himself, thanking me, telling me God loved me, almost crying. One dollar.

Gas is $4.50 a gallon here. How far can he get on one dollar? Not far enough. I, not he, should be ashamed, and I am. I could have — would have, had I been thinking — done better. I swear to do better at the next opportunity, a chance I will surely get right now any minute.

The man was poor, but he was not "poor" in the way we think about when we talk about, oh, the high price of groceries.

Among us in all cities and towns, the poor go unseen. Recently, with longtime friends in Gunnison, discussing the book "Poverty By America," I was ashamed again when I was quickly made to realize that the truly poor are hardly concerned about more "affordable" housing. No. Affordable housing is designed for people who have trouble making ends meet, who are straddling the poverty line. Affordable housing is so far beyond the wildest dreams of the truly poor that … Well, the thing is that in Gunnison, too, we have really poor people who have nothing, as in nothing. People who hardly can hope to ever, instead, have something. We don't see them. Where are they? What would we do if we could see them? Give them a dollar?

The poor I'm targeting in this letter — I just finished a Paul Bunyan breakfast, am wondering where I might go for lunch, then later maybe that cool new place down the street for happy hour, all tough decisions — might be able to read, but if they

can read, one thing they are not reading are columns about the rising cost of groceries. That's for the rest of us to worry about, then go on and buy organic. Don't get me wrong, we should write and read and talk and rail about high prices. Then look more closely for those fellow citizens whose voices we don't hear because they are not talking but rather standing with their children with homemade and often-misspelled signs along freeways and at red lights all across this country. I mean, good grief. One dollar. I can do better and so can we all.

Mike Ritchey Gunnison

GCEA election begins next week

Editor:

Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) will begin its annual election of board directors next Monday, May 20. We are excited for all GCEA members to receive their ballots in the mail, review the voting instructions and then cast their votes. Polly Oberosler is running uncontested to retain her seat for District 6 and we have three candidates running for District 7: Frank Stern, Edward Howard and Shannon Hessler. Regardless of where you live, all GCEA members are encouraged to vote. Candidate and voting information may be found at.gcea.coop.

To help make voting easier, GCEA offers electronic voting. Ballots will be sent out to all GCEA members on May 20, with the option to either vote electronically by June 16, return your mailed ballot by June 18 or vote in person on June 18 at the annual meeting. It is important to note that members may only vote once, and there is only one vote per membership. If you try to vote electronically and by mail, you’ll cancel both votes. Whether you’ve never voted in a GCEA election or have voted every year, your vote is important and signals your opportunity to select directors who best support your goals and priorities for safe, reliable and affordable electricity. We appreciate your interest in your local electric cooperative and encourage you to vote!

Alliy Sahagun GCEA

Hessler announces candidacy for GCEA board

Editor:

In a time when so much in the world feels outside our control, we’re fortunate to have our own non-profit energy co-operative here in Colorado’s high country. How do we want the future of Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) to look? How can we build a local energy future that reduces costs, reflects our values and creates resilience against aging infrastructure and

the new “additions” in hopes of migrating classes there during the 2024-25 school year. Outside of a few changes to pick-up and drop-off locations, the district’s summer programs will remain unchanged, Superintendent Leslie Nichols told the Times

“It’ll be exciting to move from concept and design to something physical, breaking ground. I’m excited to see that,” board member Mark VanderVeer said at a board meeting on May 6.

The improvements are funded by a voter-approved $95 million bond, supported by a property tax increase. Architect TreanorHL has completed about 60% of each building’s new design, said Artaic project manager John Usery. Denverbased Artaic Group is the district’s “owner’s representative” and is responsible for the budget, schedule and overall communication.

The design is now getting more detailed. For example, a group of school administrators and teachers traveled to Colorado Springs to look at possible furniture options for each school. The project team is also acquiring permits and subcontractors for each project. They are trying to maintain an “aggressive” construction schedule while keeping costs down, Usery said.

At GCS, most of the work this summer will prioritize the large parking lot off 11th Street and the playground. This includes improving the vehicle and bus drop-off loops and installing a new playground for students at the front of the school. Those

renovations are expected to be complete by the start of the 2024-25 school year. The team is staggering indoor renovations through 2025. The corridor containing the administrator’s offices and media center is first on the list, Usery said.

“Her [GES principal Robin Wilkinson] team really rallied to make that playground exceptional and recognize what a community asset is, what a public facing asset it is. That says a lot about how much we care about kids,” Nichols said.

At the Lake School, construction crews will improve the front entrance to the parking lot off 14th Street and renovate the playground. Next summer, construction will move indoors to expand the board room, improve LED lights and electrical controls, and more.

At CBCS, where capacity is the main issue, contractors will build out the new spaces to relocate students and teachers before renovating existing buildings. These new additions include the two-story Career and Technical Education (CTE) classroom next to the library, several new classrooms and administrative offices next to the high school and the pre-K and elementary addition to the south.

Certain areas around the school will be used for staging, and be off-limits to teachers and students, but traffic flow won’t change in the elementary and high school parking lot. The team is still trying to figure out teacher access to the building along 9th Street, the road that circumvents the school to the north. As a good portion of that road access will be limited during construction.

“We are working closely with your principals to make sure that your staff members who are

impacted this summer are able to still educate students and perform their day to day jobs, despite the inconveniences we are tasking them with,” Usery said.

Pathways will follow the same construction path as CBCS, Usery said. Builders will start with the additions and then move to renovations on the existing classrooms. Throughout construction of the additions, the main entrance and parking lot will remain open.

Costs remain steady

The district’s renovation budget has remained unchanged since the end of February since the board approved an additional $14 million for the project to account for cost inflation and energy efficiency upgrades. The influx of cash is a result of accruing interest and bond premiums which means the increase is not an additional request for Gunnison Valley taxpayers.

The biggest unknown in the budget is the cost of labor following the Hwy. 50 “middle bridge” closure. Already, contractors in the Gunnison Valley have faced difficulty staffing their crews as many employees live in Montrose and Olathe. So far, Artaic feels confident that the recently-expanded budget will cover extra expenses, Usery said.

Artaic included contingency pricing in its overall cost estimates, which account for the “known unknowns” of the construction processes, like cost inflation in labor and supplies. The team’s next pricing check-in is scheduled for this month, at which point Artaic will evaluate any new impacts of the bridge closure.

“They [FCI Constructors] have been really proactive and trying to map out what the potential worst case scenarios are,” Usery said. “How do we adapt to that?” The team applied for a $5 mil-

lion grant from the Colorado Department of Education’s BEST program, which funds the construction of new schools and renovation of existing schools, and will look to future funding from the federal School Violence Prevention Program. The district will also seek state energy efficiency rebates after the projects are complete, Nichols said.

A groundbreaking ceremony for Pathways and GCS is scheduled for May 30, and CBCS on May 31. Construction schematics are available on the project’s website: gwsdschools.com/.

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)

the property under the LLC McCloud Placer in August of 2022 as a family vacation home. Seeing its potential as a backcountry ski spot that others could enjoy, he decided to rent it short-term during the winter, and brought on Gunnison Valley-based Campfire Ranch to manage the rentals.

Eleven days before Fink opened the cabin for winter and spring bookings, the county sent a septic system violation letter. The letter stated that his current permit was not adequate for the advertised use of the home, according to court records. Soon after, officials saw unvented gas heating appliances on the property’s website that posed a serious risk from carbon monoxide poisoning, and revoked the certificate of occupancy — forcing him to close the cabin immediately.

The result was $68,000 lost in just booking fees, according to the complaint. Fink later sued the county, claiming it “exceeded its jurisdiction and abused its discretion” in using the septic system regulation to limit occupancy in his home.

“It has been a very emotionally taxing process,” Fink wrote

in a statement to the Times. “We canceled all of our planned trips this winter, including a trip for my wife's birthday and a large trip planned for my parents and their friends … The lawsuit itself has consumed a staggering amount of time and money, all to regain the ability to use our home in the way that everyone else enjoys.”

But from the county’s point of view, Fink was advertising the property for double the permitted capacity of its onsite wastewater treatment system permit, putting public health and safety at risk. The county also claims the home has other building and land use violations, not all of which have been remedied.

McCloud Placer currently has an appeal pending with the Gunnison County Board of Adjustment.

The county’s position is that rather than working with staff to come into compliance, and apply for a new permit, Fink instead buried them in Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) requests and pushed forward with the lawsuit, according to court records. The lawsuit is “meritless,” County Attorney Matthew Hoyt wrote in a statement to the Times

“We would much prefer working with our business community to allow our private sec-

tor partners to flourish while also complying with the law,” Hoyt wrote. “Unfortunately, McCloud Placer and Campfire Ranch have chosen conflict over collaboration.”

The limits of regulation

The 3,000-square-foot home sits in an open meadow in

Washington Gulch, north

and offers visi

tors views of the high-alpine ridgelines and timbered hills of the Gunnison National

According to Campfire’s website, the rental costs $1,500 a night and up to 12 people can stay in the home at once. But according to the county,

advertising the property for 12 people renders its current septic system inadequate. The system was last permitted in 1998, for three bedrooms and six people, according to the violation letter the county sent in December of 2023. In it, Gunnison County

The Lake School playground. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)

of Crested Butte

-

Forest.

The backcountry home sits in a broad meadow north of Crested Butte. (Courtesy Campfire Ranch)

Building and Environmental Health Official Crystal Lambert asked Fink to adjust the listing to no more than six people.

The county also claims it discovered other regulatory issues with the building and parking conditions. One of the building code issues — unvented gas heating appliances — could have killed the property’s occupants, according to court records. Staff temporarily suspended the home’s certificate of occupancy, but it was reinstated weeks later after the issue was resolved.

As a result of the violation letter, Fink canceled and refunded the winter and spring bookings, amounting to a loss of roughly $68,000, according to court records. Fink’s lawyers allege the county knew about the issues at least a month in advance, and instead “laid in wait” to send the violation letter in an effort to maximize harm to the family and its business. The heart of his issue is that the county cannot use septic system regulation to limit occupancy in his home.

He contends, through one of three law firms working on his behalf, that the county “placed a target” on his business. This includes secretly monitoring Campfire Ranch’s advertising and embarking on “an ever shifting onslaught” of regulatory enforcement in hopes of finding evidence that the rental was illegal.

The county attempted to have the case dismissed at the end of April. The county, in its response through attorney SGR, LLC, claims that Fink never applied for an updated septic permit when he purchased the property, which would be required when the cabin was being advertised for 12 people.

Further, the lawyers argued that the county’s septic regulations are routinely considered in permitting decisions, to make sure that the systems are not overloaded and there’s no safety risk of it breaking or leaching into surrounding soil. The county also claims that Fink is violating a long-standing protection laid by the state courts that requires one to exhaust all possible administrative solutions, which could include expanded permits, before going to court.

Fink and Campfire owner Sam Degenhard submitted three Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) requests from May to December of 2023, seeking various records related to septic system regulations, short-term rentals and communication between elected officials about their property. The county produced thousands of pages of emails, texts and internal documents, but withheld 45 records under the “deliberative process” and attorney-client privilege.

Deliberative process allows governments to withhold documents that are so candid and honest that their release might stifle frank discussion between staff members.

Fink and his lawyers argued that members of the public are entitled to know how their county government makes land use decisions when the with -

held documents are related to the county’s “unfair” treatment of McCloud Placer.

Judge J. Steven Patrick has now ordered the county to produce a privilege log, which describes each document withheld under the county’s claim of attorney-client privilege. The county has until the end of May to produce the log.

A failed bill

The lawsuit has outgrown its provenance in Gunnison County, and was mentioned in a Senate committee hearing for a bill in late April. Senate Bill 213 sought to prevent Colorado’s county commissioners from being able to regulate the state’s backcountry huts and cabins under short-term rental rules, as long as those cabins were used primarily for recreational purposes. Although the bill passed the Senate 28-7, it failed to pass the House.

One of the bill’s lobbyists was public affairs firm Capstone Group. State lobbying records show that Capstone is working on behalf of investment firm Marshall Street Management, co-founded by Jesse Fink, Andrew’s father. Andrew stated the lawsuit is not directly connected to the bill.

“Our lawsuit is related to what we believe is a misapplication of the county’s OWTS [septic] regulations, while the bill was solely about short-term rental regulations,” he said.

Bill sponsor Sen. Steve Fenberg argued in session that backcountry huts and cabins used for winter recreation or hunting are becoming overregulated, and caught up in each county’s discretion to regulate other short-term rentals. Gunnison County Commissioner Liz Smith traveled to Denver to share the county’s concerns about the bill at an April 25 hearing before the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

Smith said the legislation would allow some homeowners to circumvent septic and building regulations that ensure homes are safe to live in. Many of these homes have their own heating systems and wastewater treatment systems, and are advertised for recreation, she said.

“The definition is so broad that it can conceivably encompass nearly every short-term rental in unincorporated Gunnison County,” Smith said.

Degenhard said the bill would have paved the way for more Coloradoans to enjoy the outdoors and for the state to support its booming outdoor recreation industry.

“When you lay these regulations across off-grid properties that usually have no resources from public utilities … These regulations simply do not fit,”

Degenhard said. “[Short-term rental regulations] will continue to and have limited the ability for people to access and use these properties.”

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)

With that comes noise, dust and disturbance in an area that serves as a refuge for wildlife, including the Gunnison sage-grouse — a species the Gunnison Valley community has put decades of conservation work in to save. Wildlife managers across multiple agencies are worried sage-grouse populations on Sapinero Mesa may decline if the detour is used long-term.

CR 26, an offshoot from Hwy. 149 that runs from Powderhorn to Sapinero, is closed from March 15 to May 15 for lekking season. During this three-month period, Gunnison sage-grouse gather in large groups to breed in the early hours of the morning. The grouse return to the same places, called “leks,” each year. Numerous roads and trail systems have annual closures, such as Hartman Rocks and Signal Peak, to protect the birds during this time.

CR 26 usually stays covered in snow until the late spring, and the road’s opening coincides with the end of the annual sagegrouse closure. But following the sudden shutdown of the bridge, Gunnison County plowed the road early. Public Works set the original morning window for traffic at 6 a.m., a decision that alarmed wildlife biologists. Five active leks are known to be on the mesa, some of which are near the road.

After meeting with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the agency that manages most of the land on Sapinero Mesa, the county moved the time slot

LETTERS

continued from A5

an unstable climate? We have the opportunity to decide, right now, by voting for the GCEA Board of Directors. And I am excited to announce my candidacy,

I’m Shannon Hessler, a professional town planner, Master of Environmental Management from Western Colorado University and trained environmental engineer. I grew up in Fairplay, home to wind, ranching families, a deep mining history — and not much else. I hold rural values of independence and self-sufficiency dear. As a town resident today, I also know the cost of living crisis firsthand.

Our rural residents are looking for solutions that help them save on ranch and heating costs, alongside options to diversify their income with a solar installation — if they choose. Our towns are looking for electrification options, unlocking thousands of dollars of savings each year through new appliances and vehicles.

I’m running to be a partner for all our residents, working on solutions that honor our needs.

I’d be honored to earn your vote to represent our communities as your next partner on the GCEA board, working on solutions that work for all our members. For more information, visit shannonforgcea.com

to 6:30 a.m. to minimize the amount of disturbance to the grouse. Public Works also placed cones and barricades in front of all of the side roads to prevent vehicles from wandering from the main route. According to Public Works Director Martin Schmidt, no additional time windows or detours will be considered until after the sagegrouse closure is lifted on May 15.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the federal agency that helps manage threatened and endangered species around the country, went through an emergency consultation with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) regarding CR 26. According to Schmidt, the county has addressed Fish and Wildlife’s concerns by adjusting the morning window and constraining maintenance to the road and out of the sage.

“As long as we stay within that existing impacted road right of way, we really felt like we were doing our best to balance the needs of the community with the needs of the wildlife in that area,” Schmidt said.

The Fish and Wildlife Service plans to evaluate additional conservation measures as the situation evolves, Kristin Salamack, a liaison between CDOT and the wildlife agency, wrote in an email shared with Gunnison County.

Sapinero Mesa, dominated by ponderosa pine forest and rolling sagebrush, is home to populations of elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, coyote and pronghorn. Due to its remote location, the mesa contains some of the best breeding and brood-rearing habitat in the region. Because of

GCEA's 2024 Board of Directors election opens for voting on Monday, May 20 and closes at the annual meeting on Tuesday, June 18. You can vote by mail ballot, online in GCEA's secure system or in-person at the annual meeting.

Shannon Hessler Gunnison

Regarding Mr. Wrisley’s letter

Editor:

This is regarding Mr. Wrisley's letter, "Waiting for someone to say something," (Times, May 2). Sure. Let's talk about how long the Jewish people have been in what's called today the country of Israel. The vast majority of scholars concur that Judaism flourished in the area around 4,000 years ago, compare this to Islam's founding in the Arabian peninsula city of Mecca in 610 A.C.E.

In 597 B.C.E., the Babylonian empire under Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed the city of Jerusalem and exiled thousands of Jews from the region. A practice which was somewhat duplicated by the Romans following Pompey's conquest of Judea in 63 B.C.E. Thus, over time, an impassioned desire to return to their origins became the Jewish flame of Zionism, especially after the horrors of

Crews continue to work on County Road 26 to ensure it can be used as a local detour route. (Courtesy Colorado Department of Transportation)

this, the BLM has led numerous wet meadow restoration projects to boost the health of the floodplain. The wetter the land, the more food available for chicks.

“It's one of the largest lek complexes in the valley … It's spectacular habitat,” said National Park Service wildlife biologist Theresa Childers. She has been monitoring sagegrouse numbers on Sapinero Mesa for 18 years.

The BLM is drafting a new plan that will create more consistent management guidelines for the Gunnison sage-grouse and its habitat, which stretches beyond the valley and into Utah.

The plan will include the designation of new “areas of critical environmental concern” which are typically subject to motorized closures and visitor limitations. One of the zones in the draft is Sapinero Mesa.

“We were going to have added protections because it is such a good place for grouse,” said BLM wildlife biologist Kathy Brodhead.

the Holocaust came to light after 1945. That flame became Israel on May 14, 1948.

I don't see his "connecting the dots" opinion (as he said in his letter), between "right-wing lunatics" Benjamin Netanyahu, Viktor Orban and Donald Trump. Netanyahu is trying to protect the people of Israel from terrorists whose stated aim is to destroy their country. Orban is standing up in defiance of the Brussels, Strasbourg European Union elites and their goal of flooding his country of Hungary with unwanted, or not needed immigrants. And then there's Trump, who's been out of office for over three years now. I do see under the current U.S. president a troubled economy, an immigration crisis, lunacy involving women's sports and major global conflicts that are destabilizing our world.

Contrary to his letter comparing American support of Israel to its support of the absolute monarchy of Saudi Arabia, Israel is indeed our democratic partner within the region. I do know that the LGB community in Israel is free to live as they choose, unlike in some Islamic fundamentalist countries. Add this to the fact that, since 1949, Arab Muslims have been seated in the Israeli Knesset.

In retrospect, wasn't there a "two-state solution" already in the works with Israel and the Gaza/Rafah cities before

But it’s been nearly a month since CDOT closed the bridge, and the agency has yet to release a substantive timeline for bridge repairs. Construction estimates range from from a couple of months to over a year. This means it’s possible the increased traffic and the presence of heavy machinery to maintain the condition of the county road could persist for just as long.

Cars and trailers traveling down CR 26 must follow a pilot car so drivers don’t speed down the dirt road. The BLM plans to issue a temporary closure of public access to all other BLM routes in the area until the bridge is fixed to reduce the amount of people moving across the mesa. Most dead-end and are not often used except by hunters during the fall.

Research has shown that sagegrouse lek numbers fall when roads are upgraded and become more traveled, Brodhead said. This was true at Waunita along CR 887 and Chance Gulch east of Gunnison. But the number of

October 7, 2023? And by the way, relative to their respective populations, the 1,200 Israeli civilians murdered by Hamas on that day would be approximately equal to 40,000 Americans slain. What would you do?

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) is highly motivated in its genocidal resolution to annihilate the state of Israel and the Jewish people by any means necessary. No "twostate solution" will change that resolve till the jihadist link of everlasting hatred is permanently broken for the future of the children of Gaza and beyond.

Jon Matuszczak Gunnison

We commend students in Legion Club

Editor:

How good it was to read the Veterans’ Voice article in the May 2 issue of the Times We want to commend the students involved in the Legion Club and their parents. What an honorable project and great learning experience. Thanks to Mark High, Kelsey McDonald and John Vader for their commitment to this great experience for these students.

I doubt very much you’ll see their faces at anti-American

birds at the leks taper off naturally in late April, which will make it difficult to measure the impacts of traffic along CR 26 until next spring.

Staggered travel windows is one way the BLM is trying to protect the grouse. But with limited detour options, more cars are passing through the Sapinero Mesa than ever. The dust and noise is already driving wildlife out of the area. And it’s likely more time windows will be introduced this summer.

“It’s a critical need, the community is trapped,” Brodhead said. “But grouse are not really being considered.”

(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)

demonstrations in the years to come.

Thank you all.

Jack and Amy Perry Gunnison

Questions about the bridge

Editor:

The May 7 meeting about the Hwy. 50 bridge discussed four possible fixes for the problem. All involved increasing the mass of the span. Why was the high strength alloy used in the first place? Was it to save money by allowing the support columns to use less material? Or does the underlying geology of that location limit the deadweight of the structure?

Peter Caloger Gunnison County

IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION: ‘HOW DO YOU LIKE TRUMP NOW?’

Sheila, I have always thought you to be intelligent, fair, and honest. It is a difficult time in this nation, because of the predetermined narrative that is being fed to an unsuspecting public. Joseph Goebbels was Minister of Propaganda for Hitler. Mainstream media are the new propaganda ministers, suggesting that our cities will be burned down if Trump is elected president again. Cause and effect is at play all around us. We only have to open our eyes to see the truth.

Biden got into office and immediately began to dismantle everything Trump put into place to protect the American people. He canceled the Keystone Pipeline and shut down drilling for oil. We had to buy foreign oil, and I saw $7.49 for a gallon of gasoline in California. Suddenly people had to spend so much on fuel to get to their jobs, they had to cut back on groceries and other necessities.

Inflation is the cruelest tax of all. When asked about inflation, Biden said, “They have the money.” Venezuela, once one of the richest nations on earth, became a poor country, by uncontrolled spending and high taxes. It broke the backs of the working people, and it all collapsed on itself. Farmers just walked away; people began starving. Russia got rich selling oil and they had enough money to attack Ukraine. Consequently, many people died with the stroke of Biden's pen, on that executive order. Even the Russian people were against that war.

Trump had the border more secure than it had ever been. Since Biden took office, at least 9 million illegal immigrants have entered. I know people don’t like to hear Trump say that the other countries are ridding themselves of people they no longer want to deal with in their prisons, etc., but it is true in part. There are now over 30,000 Chinese nationals, single men of fighting age, embedded into our country. Immigrant families who fled their home countries are being accosted and shaken down by the Coyotes who control the border from the Mexico side, and they are getting very rich. Our resources are being overwhelmed. The governments and hospitals are bleeding cash in a way that is unsustainable. This week, Denver was given a list of demands from the immigrants. The liberals and Biden are securing votes for a one-party rule via this mass migration. It is no longer a system of checks and balances that would prevent a dictatorship. Why do we need identification to buy beer, but you don’t have to prove who you are to vote? The liberals are advocating drivers’ licenses for illegal immigrants and the

ability to use them to vote in our elections. Our elections are a sham. The blue state governors tried to get Donald Trump taken off of the ballot by accusing him of being an insurrectionist, even though he was never tried or found guilty of such.

This kind of thing should shake us to our very core. It is very much like Russia. No one can run for president of Russia unless they are approved by the Kremlin and Putin controls the Kremlin. Alexei Navalny, 46 years old, who challenged Putin, died anyway, as an example to all who would dare to do that again.

The Supreme Court ruled the governors of the states cannot legally remove a presidential candidate from the primary ballot, because it is a federal issue. So as planned, the Trump haters have taken Trump to court on matters designed to tie him up throughout the entire campaign cycle, in spite of the fact that he is the chosen nominee for over half of the nation. I can tell you they are collectively mad as hell about the whole thing. This nation was built on a system of checks and balances. Without them, we cease to be a free nation.

Alvin Bragg, the prosecutor of Trump in New York, filed charges against Trump for inflating values in financial statements to the banks. The charges were not brought by any bank. The prosecutor has no standing to bring the charges and for that, the supreme court will surely throw the case out. The banks defended Trump and stated there was no harm, and they were always paid as agreed. Still, he was found guilty, because that was the plan all along, and the result was a fine of $454 million.

Then they tried to use legal means to seize Trump Tower. Donald J. Trump is the first president in the history of our nation to be so persecuted after leaving office. Even Hillary is defending Trump as one who should be immune from prosecution. A fine thank you for serving his country. It would make any man think twice about ever running against the opposition and that may be the whole point. And they accused Trump of insurrection and election interference. They have been after Trump from before he was president, every day he was in office and every day since then. Why? Because Trump is standing in their way of creating a one-party rule and he said he was going to drain the Washington swamp. Meanwhile, Hunter Biden was offered a generous plea deal involving 3 felonies and 6 misdemeanors (later overturned by a judge), while a candidate for the presi -

dency sits in court every day on trumped up charges from almost 30 years ago. Prominent men, especially politicians, have always been a target for women. The fact is Liberals play dirty. Mar-aLargo was raided like Trump was a drug lord, and he would have let them in willingly, had they only asked. More stage for drama to discredit him.

And as a former president, he had a right to have classified information in his possession. Biden had files marked as classified lying visible to the public in his garage in a corner on the floor with the garage door open while he was showing off his corvette. As vice president, he had no right to have them in his possession. Nothing to see here! Hillary scrubbed over 30,000 classified emails off her phone and computer. No foul there.

Biden is single handedly going to cancel student loan debt. The supreme court said it had to be an act of Congress, but Biden is singing that song again now before the election and is finally talking about the border. Such blatant hypocrisy. It is just a political ploy to buy votes from young people. The student loans will be passed on to the taxpayers in this country. The hard-working stiffs who never had a chance to go to college. The debt every single American owes from birth to death, right now is $101,000.

But let’s not forget the Green New Deal, which is the largest spending package ever passed in history under Biden. It is estimated to be north of $93 trillion, even though this country is already trillions of dollars in debt. Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are supposed to cover the nation and 250 million acres of land are to be turned into solar farms. Russia and China have the rare earth materials needed for EVs and they will get richer on American dollars. The truth is, people are now wary about these electric vehicles and auto dealers are refusing to take them back as a trade-in. Both political parties need to work hand in hand to progress in these areas, but for one party to shove their programs down the throats of the American people without a consensus or a vote, is just absurd. And to enrich our enemies under the guise of the Green New Deal is craziness.

And lest anyone thinks they can get out of their tax burden to pay for all of this, Biden appointed 80,000 more tax collectors.

Then there was Afghanistan. It may have been good to get out of there, but it was a very bad idea to pre-announce the date of the withdrawal on August 30, 2021. The Taliban had plenty of time to plan and as a result Biden left $7.12

billion in high tech military equipment and U.S. citizens dead and alive. Plane loads of Afghan citizens arrived in the U.S. including unknown Taliban, who are now embedded in our country. A flood of regional U.S.-funded weapons fell into the hands of the Taliban and some have been seized by militants in Indian controlled Kashmir.

And who was providing the tents and the food around the college campuses where outside instigators made up to 60% of the “students against Israel?” Israel has always stated they will share the land of Israel with the Palestinian people, but Hamas got involved and lit the fuse that started the war between them. And, why not? The U.S. is standing by and doing nothing. The Palestinians are conditioned from birth to hate Israel and have vowed to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.

Consider Covid. The right to refuse a vaccine was removed for most Americans, if they wanted to work, attend school or travel. Many Americans are suffering serious side effects from that mandate. Especially young men. Unexplained deaths in that age group soared. The policies invoked by Biden caused more harm than good, but they figured out how to control the population of the earth. It was the greatest crime against humanity ever perpetrated in the history of mankind. WHO even advised vaccines for children who were known to be at low risk for any adverse effects. This served to line the pockets of big pharma for a vaccine that was untested.

Then after all that, Biden will likely sign a treaty with the World Health Organization (WHO) to follow their dictates in any future world health concerns once their finalized draft is complete. The WHO was a friend of China during the Covid -19 pandemic.

So you ask. How do I feel about Trump now? I can only assume from your question that you have been fed your talking points by the fake news media. Blatant lies are the order of the day. On Newsmax, they continually show the day's talking points from the propaganda mainstream media and then flip from one show host to another and they are all saying the same thing at precisely the same time. In that way, I always hear both sides.

Why would E. Jean Carrol bring a sexual abuse case against Trump from almost 30 years ago? My guess is there may have been a benefit to her, provided by the billionaire’s club to bring a lawsuit during the presidential campaign for the sole purpose of keeping Donald Trump out of office.

They say, the nation cannot stand another four years

with Trump in office. Look at the state of the nation today, Sheila. The opposite is the truth. Trump did not cause any wars. He cut taxes and helped to negotiate a favorable fairtrade deal with other nations. He made countries pay their fair share to belong to NATO. He brought industries back from overseas. People were better off. He controlled the border. The extreme left liberals are doing everything they can to ruin this nation and help the UN to achieve a one world order. They have to get rid of God, kill capitalism, redistribute wealth, seize property and over tax the poor people.We have been invaded with a weapon of mass immigration. In one generation, the 9 million people who arrived since Biden took office will multiply exponentially with each new generation. Right now, most cannot legally work, so we must feed, house, and provide them with health care. Trump says he will send them back. What a mess. Take a look around. There are tent cities filled with homeless people everywhere. Biden is a puppet ruler for the powers that be. Biden has a lot of blood on his hands from Ukraine, Jerusalem, Palestine and Afghanistan. But as Karine Jean Pierre likes to brag, this president got us out of a war. There is no telling how many he created, or will be created by, his lame duck presidency. But I get that you like him. You are not paying attention. Nigel Farage, English leader of the Brexit party, stated "Trump is not everyone’s cup of tea, but he is a great leader and a man who kept his campaign promises." Trump cares about the American people and our freedoms. I am convinced, if the last election were done fairly, Biden would have never been President of the United States. It’s obvious, by all I have mentioned, Trump is being set up to lose again. Trump is like Winston Churchill. Churchill offended people too, but he led his country back to freedom when it was all but lost. Joe Biden was deemed mentally unfit to stand trial regarding his mishandling of classified documents. How in the world is he fit to run a country when he can’t even find his way off a stage? He is not fit, and the liberals will slip in a surprise candidate before the election. One that the billionaires can control. We are ALL being played, and we need to wake up before it is everlastingly too late.

Your little sister, Pam

GCEABOARD ELECTION GCEABOARD ELECTION

GCEA’s 2024 Annual Meeting is just around the corner, which means it’s voting time again. As part of your rural electric cooperative, you have a voice in who serves the GCEA membership in the board room Regardless of where you live, as a GCEA member, you may vote for the candidates you support for all director seats that are up for election. All GCEA members are encouraged to vote.

A snowy summer forecast

The Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce’s Summer Forecast carried on beneath gray skies at the I Bar Ranch on May 10. Attendees wandered between local business’ booths to learn about upcoming summer events. As they browsed, they ate food from Mario’s Pizza & Pasta, Base Camp Bakery, Plant ‘N Tree Jamaican and Vegan AF Box food trucks. The chamber hosted a silent auction during the event. All of the money raised will support its Gunnison Holiday Greenback Program.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

GCEA receives grant to improve grid reliability in Lake City area

Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) will receive $5 million from the Department of Energy to boost grid reliability in Hinsdale County. The grant money, awarded to GCEA last month, will come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. GCEA was one of the 19 community-led clean energy projects selected from across the country. More than $78 million was set aside to expand access to reliable and affordable energy in rural and remote communities across the country.

GCEA is a member-owned, nonprofit electric cooperative that delivers electricity to homes and businesses throughout Gunnison and Hinsdale counties and parts of Saguache. Established in 1938, the cooperative serves just over 11,000 consumer-members with 1,100 miles of line and four substations. GCEA is one of 22 co-ops in the Colorado Rural Electric Association.

With this funding, GCEA plans to replace 30 miles of aged, overhead electric distribution lines between GCEA’s “Skito” substation and Powderhorn. Utility company leaders hope the upgrade will mitigate the rising costs of maintaining outdated and unreliable infrastructure and increase grid reliability for rural Gunnison County residents

who experience frequent power outages.

This work constitutes the first phase of a larger project to improve resiliency for Hinsdale County residents. Over the last two years, the service area experienced more than 70 outages due to extreme weather conditions and the threat of wildfires, including a 28-hour outage during sub-zero overnight temperatures.

Upgrading electric distribution infrastructure will enhance local grid resilience, reduce maintenance costs, prevent fires due to overloading and facilitate the integration of more renewable energy. It will also support the growth of businesses, farms, ranches and housing, while mitigating climate threats that prevent residents from living and working full-time in the region.

Government funding will help support the proposed 30-mile upgrade project by paying for approximately 70% of the project. This will allow GCEA to minimize the impact on member rates for this project while significantly improving grid reliability. The estimated system lifetime for these upgrades will last 50 years or more.

(Source: Gunnison County Electric Association.)

Local business owners and community members recognized the hard work of Gunnison High School seniors during an award ceremony in the school’s auditorium on May 9. The Cowboys received award plaques and scholarship funds to support their future endeavors. The GHS class of 2024 will graduate this Sunday, May 19.

(Photo by Mariel Wiley)

When: Saturday May 17th from 9-am - 12:00pm

Where: The covered parking at the Fred Field Center

Housing Authority welcomes new executive director

LaMonica hired after fourmonth search

Bella Biondini Times Editor

On May 13, Gunnison local Melissa LaMonica spent her first day in the office as the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority’s new executive director.

Her leadership comes during a time of transition for the Housing Authority, which has struggled to find a stable footing as the organization cycled through executive directors. At the same time, the jurisdictions the organization serves — Gunnison, Crested Butte, Mt. Crested Butte and the remainder of Gunnison County — are building new affordable housing at a record pace. The board, alongside LaMonica, hopes to expand its capacity in the coming years to keep up with the growing inventory of units and the housing needs of residents.

The search for a new executive director spanned roughly four months, and began almost immediately following the resignation of former director Andy Kadlec. He took over in late 2022 and served as executive director for a little over a year. Kadlec’s resignation left the Housing Authority’s board of directors scrambling to find new leadership during what would become the organization’s second transition in less than three years. Julie Baca served as interim director during the search.

The board selected LaMonica from its second pool of applicants, drawn to her expertise in finance, real estate and human resources at companies that ranged from a few employees to hundreds. The Housing Authority board finalized LaMonica’s contract during a regular meeting on May 9.

“The search process took some time, but part of the reason was to make sure who we were hiring was a good fit for the board, the organization and the community … What we really need right now is someone who is strong in ‘systems thinking’ and putting policies in place that can be scaled upward,” said board president Laura Puckett Daniels.

The Times sat down with LaMonica to learn more about how she plans to expand the Housing Authority’s reach into the community.

(This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.)

Tell me more about yourself and your background.

We moved to the valley in 2020 during COVID. Prior to that we were on the Front Range for 10 years. I have a bachelor's degree in real estate and finance and a master's in

organizational leadership. I've worked in the real estate property management space at the executive level for about six years, the software space, in a dual finance and HR role and then moved into operations. We moved out here and own a business, Alpine Landscapes and Construction.

The first time we came out here was when our youngest daughter, who just graduated from Western, was probably 5 years old. We fell in love with the place. This is where we wanted to be and we kept giving it a try for many years until finally everything aligned and made sense.

Why the Housing Authority?

After my career in corporate America, I wanted to do something that contributed to the community. Then we moved here and were hit with the housing crisis personally and professionally — ourselves, our kids, our employees, and everyone we talked to.

We experienced housing insecurity ourselves. Our lease was not renewed and we were unable to find a house. So we moved into our camper the previous winter and figured we would come back in the spring and try to find housing. Fortunately we were able to buy a house while we were gone, sight unseen.

We've been homeowners, and I know how to buy a house. How must it feel to people who don't have the means, or the knowledge to navigate the system? This is something that is very close to me.

Every person, agency and business is trying to address this housing problem. Are there any tools or tactics you're not seeing here that you think may work?

There's obviously no easy answer. There's a lot of projects in the pipeline, and all of our jurisdictions are working hard to solve the problem. Something that I continue to hear about and dig into myself is engaging the small business owners who don't have the money — like the local governments, the university and the hospital — to buy housing for their people. I think that could be an opportunity because so much of our workforce is employed by the small businesses in the community.

What are your top two priorities as the new executive director?

My top priority is to work internally to create operations that will provide [added] capacity and enable us to scale. The Housing Authority has been through a number of executive directors and needs some continuity. We need to assess how we do what we do so we can really be good at it. We have a lot of projects coming in the pipeline and want to be able to provide great service to the jurisdictions and to our community members.

Then it’s being able to support these projects as they come on board, whether it's [through] property management, or deed restrictions. It's going to be a lot and we need to make sure that we have the capacity to do that. One of my main priorities is to also work toward being the expert on housing in the valley for community members, business owners and our jurisdictions.

(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)

Melissa LaMonica (Photo by Bella Biondini)

Wheels on the bike go round and round

Gunnison Community Schools students enjoyed a two-day bike bonanza last week. Students learned biking safety principles at different stations during their P.E. classes on May 7. Officers from the Gunnison Police Department taught classes how to properly navigate intersections, follow the correct direction of traffic, use biking hand signals and move their bikes through an obstacle course. The following morning, elementary and middle school students rode their bikes to school from all across town.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

5:00pm

Cranor receives outstanding educator award

Shan Hays, a previous award recipient, and Scouts Troop 476 Senior Patrol Leader Lincoln Hemmert, presented an award to Clara Cranor at the American Legion Post 54 hut on May 7. Cranor was selected to receive the Elbert K. Fretwell Outstanding Educator award in recognition for her work teaching beginner riding with the Gunnison County 4-H Horse Committee, along with her service as cadet commanding officer for the Norwich University Cavalry Troop. The award is presented to community members who are positive role models for their students and exemplify the moral values of the Scouts.

(Courtesy Margaret Cranor)

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Western plans expansive library renovation

More study space and improved environmental footprint

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

Pending state budget approval, Western Colorado University’s Leslie J. Savage Library will undergo significant renovations in the coming years. The changes are meant to upgrade the library’s infrastructure, and make it a “central hub” on campus.

The project is estimated to cost just over $43 million, which the university is seeking entirely in next year’s state budget requests. The proposed renovations include asbestos abatement, replacement of boilers, the HVAC system, windows and updated plumbing and ADA access. Administrators are also considering more student and faculty work spaces inside the library.

The library, built in 1939 and later named after Leslie Savage — a former trustee who pulled in state and federal funding for the university — sits near the center of campus. It’s Western’s only formal library and was designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style

architecture, boasting unique terracotta fixtures and reddish roof tiles.

The project plan is still in flux and there may be some modifications in coming months, said Vice President of Finance and Administration Ian Higgins at a board meeting on May 3. If the legislature approves Western’s funding request, the university will receive the money in July of 2025 and then have three years to spend it. The Western Board of Trustees approved Higgins’ recommendation to submit the state funding requests at the recent meeting.

“We're hoping to make it more of a hub, more of a center and get people excited about going to the library,” Higgins said.

There have been few renovations on the space since it opened, while most of the campus’ other buildings have been renovated to some degree in the last decade, Western President Brad Baca said. Western previously asked the state for library renovation funding, but this request is the largest and the only one that includes extensive design changes.

Under the guidance of Director of Library Services Tiffanie Wick, Western convened a committee of students and staff to brainstorm how to make the library a more useful and attractive space to everyone

in the Western, and Gunnison Valley, community.

The draft plans call for new meeting rooms and study spaces, creating more nonspecific “flex” spaces for professors and students to collaborate. The possibility of multi-purpose working spaces, cubicles or study rooms is particularly appealing, said student trustee and Student Government Association President Kyla Engleman. There’s not many spaces on campus open late enough for students to gather and cram for tests.

“If you've ever had to write a paper that you forgot about in a few hours, a space to be with other people to ask questions or think of that random word that you can't find would be helpful and beneficial for students,” Engleman said.

The design would lower the building’s water and electrical use, and make the roof “solarready,” or capable of supporting solar panels in the future. Collectively, the changes bring the building up to achieve a LEEDS silver certification, the second-highest in an international “green” building rating program. The plans also call for new exhibition areas with environmental controls that allow students’ work, and any of the university’s rare, sensitive or archival objects, to be displayed safely.

The plans call for an updated space on the lower level to house all of Western’s student success programs, effectively creating a “one-stop-shop” for these types of services, Higgins said. In theory, this could include Disability Services, the Office of Inclusivity, Restorative Justice and Title IX Office, the Academic Resource Center, the Registrar's Office, Financial Aid and more.

“Fortunately, a lot of the services that we hope to bring into that library already exist elsewhere,” Baca said. “I think our question would be what are we going to do with those spaces that become freed up? I think that opens up a lot of interesting discussions.”

For Baca, the renovations put the university in a better position to achieve its strategic goals. This could include a new energy transitions center or a partnership with Gunnison Valley Health to bring more medical services oncampus or create a central location for rural mountain health, he said.

The university is also seeking money for a number of projects related to campus safety and future development. This includes a campus-wide electrical upgrade, roadway rehabilitation and the second phase of an exterior and interior lighting project. The university’s electric system is at maximum capacity,

Higgins said. For that reason, the City of Gunnison will not allow any new development without an increase in the system’s capacity. Without the electrical system expansion, the university would be unable to move forward with the 52-unit housing project administrators are eyeing for the east side of campus, Higgins told the Times

Many of the campus’ roads and parking lots are in a “failed condition” and need full rehabilitation, Higgins said. Of the just under 900,000 square feet of paved roads and parking, roughly 43% are in need of immediate repair. The worst of the roads and pavements present a multitude of safety and ADA concerns, Higgins said.

The first step is to submit the renovation plans to the Office of the State Architect and the Colorado Department of Higher Education, which reviews and prioritizes all requests and sends them to the governor for consideration. If the Gov. Jared Polis approves the project, it will be submitted as part of his budget requests on Nov. 1, and go up for legislative approval.

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)

Bethany Church

909 N Wisconsin St. (behind Powerstop) • 970-641-2144

Two services at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

FREE lunch for college students following the 10:30 a.m. service gunnisonbethany.com 9 a.m.: Family Service with nursery & children’s church

Check out our website for updates! Or download our app on the App Store by searching, Gunnison Bethany.

B'nai Butte Congregation

PO Box 2537 Crested, Butte CO 81224 305-803-3648 bnaibutte.org

Serving the Jewish communities of Crested Butte, Gunnison and the East River Valley in Colorado Spiritual Leader Rabbi Mark Kula is available for you at RabbiMarkKula@gmail.com bnaibutte@gmail.com

New Song Christian Fellowship

77 Ute Lane • 970-641-5034

A Christ Centered Gospel Sharing Community where we want to be part of a community who encourage and support one another in our spiritual journey.

Sunday 10 a.m. / Wednesday 7 p.m. newsonggunnison.net

Faith Directory

Community Church of Gunnison

107 N. Iowa • 970-641- 0925

Pastor Larry Nelson

Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m.

Weekend Services 9:30 a.m. Nursery & Age-Graded Ministry Weekly Student Ministry Weekly Adult LifeGroups

Office Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9-4

For more info: ccgunnison.com or email info@ccgunnison.com

Join us in-person, listen to our broadcast on 98.3 FM, or view online stream on YouTube

Transforming Lives • Building Community

First Baptist Church

120 N. Pine St. • 970-641-2240

Pastor Jonathan Jones

SUNDAY

Sunday School at 10 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship at 11 a.m.

Sunday Evening Service at 6 p.m. (during school year)

WEDNESDAY (during school year)

Truth Trackers Kids Club at 6:30 p.m.

Youth Group for Teens at 7:30 p.m. firstbaptistgunnison.org.

Gunnison

Congregational Church

United Church of Christ

317 N. Main St. • 970-641-3203

Open and Affirming

Whole Earth · Just Peace Sunday, 10 a.m.

Casual, Relaxed, “Come As You Are” Worship gunnisonucc.org

Trinity Baptist Church

523 N. Pine St. • 970-641-1813

Senior Pastor - Joe Ricks Sunday Service 9:30 a.m. Adult Bible Study 8 a.m. trinitybaptistsgunnison.com

Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church

711 N. Main • 970-641-1860

Senior Pastor Robert Carabotta

Assoc. Pastor Jacob With Childrens Sunday School – Sunday 9 a.m.

Adult Sunday School – Sunday 9 a.m.

Divine Service of the Word – Sunday 10 a.m.

The Good Samaritan Episcopal Church

307 W. Virginia Ave. • 970-641-0429

Rev. Laura Osborne, Vicar First Sunday of each month –11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II Alternating at Good Samaritan and All Saints in the Mountains

Check our websites for location Second Sunday-Fifth Sunday –9 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II Children’s Sunday school –2nd and 4th Sundays, monthly Office hours: M-TH 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Taize – 1st Wednesday, monthly - 7 p.m. goodsamaritangunnison.org

Visit our partnership church: All Saints in the Mountains, Crested Butte Meeting Second-Fifth Sundays at 5 p.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite II

403 Maroon Ave, Crested Butte

Visit our website for location of 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, First Sunday of each month allsaintsinthemountains.org

Church in the Barn 8007 County Road 887 Waunita Hot Springs Ranch • 970-641-8741 Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Non Denominational Come as you are.

Rocky Mountain

Christian Ministries 1040 Highway 135 (1/4 mile N. of Spencer Ave.) • 970-641-0158

Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m. Nursery and Children’s ministry through Middle School

“Remedy” Worship Nights Small Group Ministries mcmchurch.org

St. Peter’s Catholic Church 300 N. Wisconsin • 970-641-0808 Fr. Andres Ayala-Santiago gunnisoncatholic.org crestedbuttecatholic.org or call the Parish Office.

St. Peter’s - Gunnison Sat 5 p.m. & Sun 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m. (Spanish) Mass First Sunday of every month bilingual Mass 11 a.m.

Queen of All Saints - Crested Butte, 401 Sopris Sun 8:30 a.m. Mass

St. Rose of Lima - Lake City Mass Service, Sun. at 10 a.m.

EC ELECTRIC IS SEEKING

Journeyman & Residential Wireman for projects in the Gunnison and Crested Butte areas. Must have a valid Colorado driver’s license and pass a pre-employment drug screen. Top pay & Benefits.

Send resumes to info@ec-electric.com or call 970-641-0195

www.ec-electric.com/careers

GUNNISON WATERSHED SCHOOL DISTRICT

See GWSD website for details gunnisonschools.net

Gunnison Watershed School District believes that students thrive when they are connected to something bigger than themselves. That’s why we create learning experiences that spark curiosity, helping students discover who they are and how to make a difference in the world around them. As they excel in academics, athletics and the arts, students find the confidence to pursue any opportunity in life. Our team is “Driven to be the Difference!”

HOURLY OPPORTUNITIES: Bus Drivers Food Service

Lead Custodian - Lake School

Educational Assistants - Lake School

Assistant Building Manager - CBCS

Substitute Teachers

Special Education EASignificant Needs

PROFESSIONAL

OPPORTUNITIES:

District - School Psychologist

CBSS - Assistant Principal

CBSS - Science

CBSS - Language Arts (one-year only)

CBSS and GHS - Special Education Teacher GES - Music Lake - Kindergarten GES - 5th grade

COACHING:

GHS - Speech and Debate

GHS - Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach

CBHS - Volleyball Coach

CBHS - Head Basketball Coach

CBMS - Assistant Track and Field Coach

Please contact:

Superintendent’s Office JoAnn Klingsmith 800 N. Boulevard 970-641-7760 jklingsmith@gunnisonschools.net

GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Administrative Generalist Full-time, 40 hours/week, hourly rate range $22.91-$26.08 plus full benefits.

Administrative Assistant –Permitting/Job Costing Public Works: Full-time, 40 hours/ week, hourly pay range from $27.03-$30.77 plus full benefits.

Public Health Nurse II –Substance Abuse Prevention Juvenile Services: 20 hours/ week, hourly rate range from $33.79-$41.08 plus partial benefits.

Patrol Deputy Sheriff: Full-time, 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $5,857-$6,669 plus full benefits.

Detention Deputy Sheriff: Full-time, 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $5,263-$5,992 plus full benefits. Only work 14 days a month.

Heavy Equipment Operator I Full-time, 40 hours/week, hourly rate from $22.91-$26.08 plus full benefits.

Seasonal Public Works: Guaranteed 40 hours/week, hourly rate range from $20.58-$23.43 depending on experience, plus partial benefits. Outdoor work that includes traffic control, fencing, tree and brush removal, trail work, recycling, equipment training and much more, all in a 4-day work week.

For more information, including complete job descriptions, required qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCounty.org/jobs.

HAS IMMEDIATE OPENINGS FOR A SERVICE TECHNICIAN AND COLLISION CENTER TECHNICIAN

Competitive pay, 401K, insurance, paid vacations. 40 hour work week.

Apply at John Roberts Motor Works.

212 WEST HIGHWAY 50 GUNNISON, CO 81230

family health, dental, vision and life

12 paid holiday days, two weeks paid vacation, employer contribution to retirement plan (5% automatic mandatory employer matching with 1-3% optional additional matching), employer provided uniforms and a seasonal ski pass. Full job description is available at mcbwsd.com. Please submit cover letter and resume to Mt. Crested Butte Water and Sanitation District, PO Box 5740, Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225 or email info@mcbwsd.com. Position is open until filled. MCBWSD is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

COME JOIN THE HARMELS TEAM IN ALMONT: We are still needing to fill two full-time positions as soon as possible. Cooks starting at $18/hour and servers starting at $14.50 + tips. We are looking for experienced persons with great attitudes. Onsite housing possible. Call 970-641-1740 or email resume to jointheteam@harmels. com.

THE TOWN OF MT. CRESTED BUTTE

is looking for a full-time, year-round parks worker. This position has a wide range of duties from landscaping, maintaining playgrounds, cleaning up after events, installing and repairing sprinkler systems, operating chain saws, vehicles, power and hand tools, light equipment such as skid steer and lawn mowers, snow removal in the winter with hand shoveling, ice picking and using a bob cat. For a full job description, please go to mtcb.colorado.gov. Schedule is four 10hour days with one weekend day in the winter required. Overtime is required based on weather and snow storms. Must have a sevenyear clean driving record, the ability to obtain your flagger certification, safety lift 80 pounds, good customer service, communication and team work skills, ability to work outside in the winter and summer for an extended period of time. Starting pay is between $44-$66,000, depending on experience. The town offers an amazing benefit package with paid health, vision and dental insurance for you and your family, 401(k) or pension plan, 12 paid holidays, generous vacation and sick time,

CITY OF GUNNISON EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Public Works Director Full-time, $135,000-$155,000/yr

$64.90-$74.52/hr

This position oversees engineering, electric, fleet, facilities, refuse and recycling, streets and alleys, wastewater collection and treatment, water treatment and distribution, and stormwater all managed by experienced, capable superintendents, including a utilities manager.

Water/Wastewater Operator

Full-time

Starting salary ranges:

$49,700-$55,400

Responsible for the operation of the water supply, distribution, and storage systems. They also perform maintenance, repairs and construction of water distribution, sewer collection, irrigation and storm drain systems, installations, repairs, and testing on all water meters.

Police Officer Full-time, $68,900-$93,100/yr

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT THE PIONEER MUSEUM

Work 4 hours per week

Hours: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. or 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. 7 days a week.

This is a chance to meet people from many states and foreign countries. The museum will open May 15 and be open until September 30.

Please call volunteer coordinator Darrah Miller at 970.596.2226 with questions or for more information.

Details will be discussed at a volunteer meeting on May 10 at 10:30 a.m. at the Fred Field Center, 275 S. Spruce Street.

All are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served.

NTERPRISES OF MONTROSE LLC.

NOW HIRING: APPRENTICES, RESIDENTIAL WIREMAN, JOURNEYMAN ELECTRICIANS

Skills/qualifications:

• High-end residential and commercial experience a MUST.

• Team player

• Physical, hands-on environment

• Must have basic hand tools.

• Employer will provide specialty tooling.

EXCELLENT WAGES AND BENEFITS!

Please email a resume to reception@raelectric.com.

wellness program and more. Contact Addison Ives at aives@mtcb.colorado.gov with any questions. To apply, email your resume, cover letter and three references to Tiffany O’Connell at toconnell@mtcb.colorado.gov.

WAITSTAFF WANTED AT PALISADES: Full and part-time. Apply in person. No experience necessary. 820 N. Main St., Gunnison. 970-641-9223.

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Mountain Roots is seeking a company leader to manage procurement, distribution, customer service and logistics for our farm and food relief operations and manage regional food hub partnerships. Starts at $25/hr, moving to salary as we grow. mountainrootsfoodproject. org/join-our-team.

EXPERIENCED LEAD CARPENTERS NEEDED in Crested Butte. Local Crested Butte-born, residential construction company, growing regional, excellent pay. Text/call 512-947-7797.

$33.13-$44.76/hr

Performs technical, professional, and administrative duties related to maintaining the security of the city, protecting constitutional guarantees of all persons, protecting life and property, preserving public peace and order,preventing, solving and detecting crimes, facilitating the safe movement of people and vehicles and other emergency services as needed. POST Certification not required. The city will pay for the police academy if needed and pay a cadet wage of $50,900 while attending the academy. Includes a $15,000 signing bonus. Increased wages over above-listed salary available for working nights. Personal liability insurance paid by the City of Gunnison. Housing is available. Part-Time Openings Special Events/Project Assistant -up to $24.23/hr

The City of Gunnison offers a competitive benefit package, including 75% of medical, dental and vision premiums paid for the employee and their dependents, 5% of gross wages in a retirement plan, 3 weeks of vacation (increasing based on the years of service), 13 paid holidays and 12 days of sick leave per year.

For more information, including complete job descriptions, benefit packages, required job qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCO.gov/HR.

COME JOIN THE HARMELS TEAM IN ALMONT: We are looking for housekeepers with experience but will train the right person. Pay starts at $16/hour; higher wage with experience. Onsite housing possible. Call 970-641-1740, or email resume to jointheteam@harmels.com.

GUNNISON VALLEY VETERINARY CLINIC is looking for customer care representatives. Full or part-time hours are available. Must be able to communicate clearly and effectively with clients, handle multiple phone lines, be able to multi-task and be able to adapt to a fast-paced and ever changing work environment. We require a professional, mature individual, focused on the task at hand, and the applicant must have excellent computer skills. Please send a resume to info@gunnisonveterinary,com or contact the office at 970-641-1555.

LEGACY FAMILY MINISTRIES seeks a director for the Lighthouse: A Pregnancy and Family Resource Center. 24 hours/week, $24 per hour. We are a faith-based 501c3 nonprofit and there is a faith requirement for employment. The Lighthouse serves our community through education, advocacy and supplies for those experiencing an unexpected pregnancy. To request an application, please email Wendy Solheim, legacyceo.LFM@gmail.com.

Call or text 970-596-9999 for more information.

MOUNTAIN

EXPRESS SHOP

TECHNICIAN: JOIN OUR TEAM. Mountain Express is looking to recruit a shop technician for immediately available shifts. Applicant required to hold a CDL class BP-2 with no air brake restrictions, or we will pay for you to obtain one. Starting wage is $22.60/hr. Health insurance is available based on hours worked. Ski locker benefit. Shop technicians are responsible for daily fueling and cleaning of fleet vehicles and other related tasks at the direction of the shop supervisor. Please contact Leah Petito at lpetito@mtnexp.org to apply. For a complete job description, visit mtnexp.org. EOE.

HIGH-VOLUME, PROFESSIONAL

GENERAL CONTRACTOR seeks fulltime, experienced controller with 5+ years experience. Duties include overseeing general ledger and accounting functions, balance sheet reconciliation, maintaining accounting systems access controls and oversight of accounting managers including accounts receivable, accounts payable, billings functions and payroll preparation. Successful candidates will be detail-oriented and proactive in our fast-paced environment, with proficiency in Quickbooks and experience in ProCore a bonus. Competitive base salary and benefits. Please submit resume to david@davidgrossgc.com or call 970-901-1798.

LOCAL EVENT COMPANY SET-UP CREW: Work outside this summer. Event and tent set up, full and part-time hours available, $25/ hr. Dishwasher: part-time, flexible schedule, $25/hr. Please contact via phone or email for a complete job description. 970-596-2145. operations@alpengloweventsco.com.

SUMMER YARD CREW: Positions available starting mid-May. Summer yards and groundskeeping person needed.

$24/hour. Perfect for a college student home for summer looking for beer money. Contact PR Property Management today. prpropertyoffice@gmail.com, 970-349-6281.

SAGUACHE COUNTY ANNOUNCES AN OPENING FOR A FULL-TIME EMERGENCY

MANAGER: Job responsibilities include maintaining an integrated emergency management system for Saguache County including mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery projects. Manage budget, grants and accounting for the office of emergency management. Promote

training opportunities, monitor NIMS compliance, plan and execute exercises and take corrective action. Work with state, regional and federal agencies to ensure coordinated disaster planning and response.

Job requirements: Incident Command System experience, high school diploma or equivalent, bachelor’s degree preferred. Minimum three years of related experience in emergency response or management if possible, and a valid Colorado driver’s license. In addition to the starting salary rate of $55,000/yr., the county employee benefit package includes vision, dental and health insurance coverage, paid time off and a generous 401a retirement plan. Prospective employees applying with Saguache County, please note that the chosen candidate will be required to submit and pass a pre-employment drug screening, which will include testing for marijuana use and criminal background check, before being hired. Applications and a complete job description are available at the Saguache County Administration Office, 505 3rd Street, PO Box 100, Saguache, CO 81149, 719-655-2231 or on the Saguache County website, saguachecounty.colorado. gov. Completed applications can be hand delivered or mailed to Saguache County Administration at the address listed above, sent by email to wmaez@saguachecountyco.gov or faxed to 719-655-2635.

Application deadline: May 22, 2024, at 3 p.m., Saguache County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

PUBLIC HOUSE IS SEEKING A MOTIVATED LINE COOK to join the team. This role is directly responsible for all kitchen functions including food, preparation and maintenance of quality standards, sanitation and cleanliness, preparation, plate presentation, portion and cost control. This position will work closely with managers and co-workers to provide excellent service to customers. This position requires 2-plus years cooking experience in a full-service restaurant, problem solving abilities, self motivation and organization. This position also requires knowledge of ingredients for flavor profiles and basic cooking techniques. The ideal candidate will have a culinary certificate and/or degree, and knowledge of cuisine and familiarity with wine pairings. This full-time, seasonal position starts at $22-$25/hour plus tips, depending on experience and qualifications. The season runs May-Nov. We also offer opportunities for career growth within our organization. If you are passionate about cooking and thrive in a dynamic kitchen environment, we would love to hear from you. For more information and to apply, please visit elevenexperience. com/careers.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT:

The right candidate would be reliable and experienced in property cleaning with attention to detail. Cleaning will be short term rentals, private homes and condo associations. Some snow removal and lawn care required. General maintenance and repair skills would be a plus. Weekend on-call availability for owners and short term rental guests is a must with two midweek days off. Free employee housing, 600 square foot studio apartment available for the right candidate after an evaluation period. Housing is job-attached. On top of the free housing, an hourly wage will be provided. Candidate must be an effective communicator. We only work with the best and always expect and provide 5 star service. Hours per week vary depending on season but the expectation is full-time work. Raises, bonuses and ski pass can be provided for an exceptional employee. Please email resume to info@highviewpropertymanagement.com.

EXPERIENCED CARPENTERS NEEDED in Crested Butte. Local Crested Butte-born, residential construction company, growing regional, excellent pay. Text/call 970-5961131.

PINNACLE ORTHOPEDICS is hiring an office manager for our Crested Butte and Gunnison locations. Responsibilities include various organizational and administrative tasks, patient and staff support, inventory management and coordination with external resources. Come join our dynamic team. $28+/hr commensurate with experience. Send resume to office@ pinnacleorthocolorado.com.

UNASE AL EQUIPO DE HARMELS EN ALMONT: Buscamos camaristas con experiencia pero capacitaremos a la persona adecuada. El pago comienza en $16/hr; salario mas alto con experiencia. Posibilidad de alojamiento en el lugar. Llame al 970641-1740 o envie su curriculum por correo eletronico a jointheteam@harmels.com.

FACILITIES MANAGER: Crested Yeti Property Management is hiring for a facilities manager/maintenance manager. Full-time, year-round salaried position. Benefits include IRA match, ski pass, PTO and paid fuel. Duties include driving a bobcat for snow removal and general maintenance and minor repairs. Send resume to Hop@CrestedYeti. com.

THE GUNNISON BANK AND TRUST is seeking applications for an assistant to the CFO. This is a full-time position that will be responsible for supporting the financial department of the bank. This includes, but is not limited to, the handling of transactions, month-end closing tasks, financial statement preparation, internal/external audit preparations, year-end close-outs, budget preparations, risk calculating and reporting and other job-related duties as assigned. This position will support general accounting, accounts payable and payroll. Applicant should have a thorough understanding of accounting principles. Essential duties and responsibilities: monitors and maintains the general ledger, performs account analysis and reconciliation of balance sheet accounts and all subsidiary ledgers at month end, compiling and analyzing financial information for month-end reporting, including welldocumented journal entries for approval to ensure financial records are accurate, resolving accounting discrepancies, yearend closing tasks, fixed asset accounting; investment accounting, monitoring cash balances daily. Assist other departments and bank officers as needed. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from employees and/or customers. High level of oral and written communication skills, attention to detail, ability to organize work and set priorities to meet deadlines, be an effective team member. Ability to plan, initiate and complete work assignments with a minimum of direction. Comprehensive knowledge of use of financial, worksheet and word-processing software, including Excel and Word. Recognition as a CPA is a highly desirable qualification, with a minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience in accounting. Competitive and comprehensive benefits package includes 401(k), medical insurance, vision insurance, life insurance and disability insurance (ST and LT), paid time off, holiday pay and wellness benefits. Monthly salary range: $4,875-$6,250 DOE. Please email resume to apply@gunnison.bank.

PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE

Authority. Responsibilities include being the management agent for two apartment complexes owned by the Saguache County Housing Authority. Applicants must possess professional office and interpersonal skills, property management experience and a high level of initiative. The starting salary will be $55,000 per year depending on experience. A valid Colorado driver’s license is also required. In addition to the starting salary rate of $55,000/yr., the county employee benefit package includes vision, dental and health insurance coverage, paid time off and a generous 401a retirement plan. Prospective employees applying with Saguache County, please note the chosen candidate will be required to submit and pass a pre-employment drug screening, which will include testing for marijuana use and criminal background check, before being hired. Applications and a complete job description are available at the Saguache County Administration Office, 505 3rd Street, P.O. Box 100, Saguache, CO 81149, 719-655-2231 or on the Saguache County website, saguachecounty.colorado. gov. Completed applications can be hand delivered or mailed to Saguache County Administration at the address listed above, sent by email to wmaez@saguachecountyco.gov or faxed to 719-655-2635.

Application deadline: May 22, 2024 at 3 p.m. Saguache County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

CONSTRUCTION LABORER: David Gross General Contractor is hiring full-time, hourly construction laborers. Duties include driving dump trailers, job site cleaning, receiving and handling of materials and variety of other needs. Must have current driver’s license. Please submit resume to david@ davidgrossgc.com or call 970-901-1798.

LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE is seeking a long-term, full-time, qualified early childhood teacher to join our fantastic team. Very competitive pay, benefits and perks offered all the time. This is a super rewarding career and a fabulous group of families and teachers. Please email interest letter and resumé to Jessica at lilredschoolhouse1@ gmail.com.

OPEN SPACE AND TRAILS ASSISTANT,

TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE: The parks, rec, open space and trails department seeks an Open Space and Trails Assistant for the 2024 field season. This position is responsible for general field maintenance on conserved properties and rec access areas in the town’s open space and trails portfolio. General duties include conservation easement monitoring, data collection, trail maintenance, agricultural lease maintenance and other divisional tasks. Candidates could start as early as mid-May and work through October, although start/end dates are flexible. This position is scheduled for 24 hours/week at $18-22/hour DOE. To apply, send application, resume and cover letter to jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

LUNA BAKERY is hiring for a baking position. Experience preferred. Pay starts at $20 hour, but opportunity to grow with the business. Part-time to start and closer to full-time during the summer, weekends off. Contact Deven, 970-231-3247.

position is also available. Please drop resume at Powerstop, 905 N. Main St. Attn: Sean.

ASSISTANT OPERATIONS MANAGER for PR Property Management. Full-time, year-round, starting now. Insurance reimbursement, IRA, ski pass. $28/hour DOE. Valid driver’s license and experience required. Please email prpropertyoffice@ gmail.com or call 970-349-6281.

JOB OPPORTUNITY, WAREHOUSE/ STOREKEEPER: Gunnison County Electric Association is currently seeking both internal and external applications for warehouse/ storekeeper. This is a full-time position that will be reporting to the Gunnison Headquarters location. This position is responsible for maintaining the warehouse to ensure proper and adequate distribution equipment is available to meet association’s needs for construction and maintenance of distribution equipment. Complete purchasing, receiving and record keeping needed to run the warehouse effectively and efficiently. The wage for a warehouse/ storekeeper is between $66,227-$88,296 annually. Actual compensation offer to candidate may vary outside of the posted hiring range based upon work experience, education and/or skill level. Applicable overtime pay may apply occasionally or when needed. Upon meeting eligibility requirements, this position offers health care benefits, retirement benefits, paid time off and paid scheduled holidays. To see the complete job description and to learn how to apply please visit our website at gcea.coop, “About” tab, “Careers.” Deadline to apply is May 28, 2024.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN TREES AND LANDSCAPING now hiring for our 40th summer season. Come join a team that’s deeply rooted in the Gunnison Valley. Visit rockymountaintrees.com/employment/ to view available positions.

TODDLER LEAD TEACHER: Tenderfoot Child and Family Development Center is seeking an early childhood qualified teacher to work with children aged 1-3 years old. The lead teacher position can be part-time or full-time, $19.93 -$24/hour. Tenderfoot will support professional development to earn credentials for this position. Benefits include flexible scheduling, a supportive team, paid time off, free child care while working and continuing education. Email tfootdirector@ gmail.com or call 970-642-1949 for more information. EOE.

INTERESTED IN A CAREER WITH BENEFITS? The Crested Butte Bank, a branch of the Gunnison Bank and Trust Company, has an opening for a full-time teller to join the operations side of our growing bank. Applicants should have strong customer service skills, the ability to multitask, and a willingness to learn. GB&T fosters a learning environment where you will gain exposure to multiple areas of the bank with a strong foundation in operations. Pay starting at $18. Robust benefits package includes 401(k), medical insurance, vision insurance, life insurance and disability insurance (ST and LT). Pooled transportation is available. Send resume to abrown@crestedbuttebank. com or lbeda@gunnisonbank.com.

TECHNICIANS WANTED TO JOIN THE SEALCO TEAM: $33+ hourly - $1,800+ weekly potential with performance and safety bonuses. Seeking motivated, hardworking and dependable individuals. No experience necessary. On the job training working outdoors. Paid weekly. Must be capable of lifting 60 pounds. Email resumes to Aaron@sealcoincorporated.com or call 970-641-4260.

ACC MOUNTAIN WEST is hiring heavy equipment operators, CDL drivers and laborers for the US 285 and Highway 9 project. Hourly wages from $20-$35 and great benefits. ACC MW is a drug-free work environment (including marijuana), Equal Opportunity Employer and we participate in E-Verify. Apply at accbuilt.com. For more information, call 303-795-2582.

FINISH CARPENTRY: High volume, professional general contractor seeks full-time, detail-oriented carpenters for a variety of carpentry needs, including back out framing, finish trim work, custom millwork and potential for other custom work. Competitive salary DOE, fuel stipend, vacation pay, health insurance, ski pass among top benefits. Please submit resume to david@davidgrossgc.com or call 970-9011798.

SAGUACHE COUNTY ANNOUNCES AN OPENING FOR A FULL-TIME

HOUSING DIRECTOR: Experienced individual sought for the position of housing director for the Saguache County Housing

POWERSTOP is hiring cooks. Cooking experience a must. Pay based on experience but the minimum would be guaranteed $20/ hr after tips earned. The yearly average is between $25-$28 per hour. Kitchen manager

WILD RIVER BUILDERS IS HIRING CARPENTERS: All positions. We are a small company that works hard and appreciates our employees. We offer competitive wages with regular pay raise

opportunities, $500 signing bonus after four months, transportation from Gunnison or mileage reimbursement, retirement match after one year and more. wildriverbuilders. com/careers or contact Evan at 970-5962897.

CRESTED BUTTE BURGER COMPANY

is hiring the following positions: Cooks and cashiers, flexible schedule available, starting pay $16-$18/hr. + gratuity. For more information or to submit a resume, please email crestedbutteburgerco@gmail.com.

MOUNTAIN EXPRESS DRIVER: JOIN

OUR TEAM. PAID CDL TRAINING.

Mountain Express is looking to recruit drivers for immediately available shifts. We will offer CDL training at an outside CDL training agency, as well as a sign-on bonus. Starting wage is $22.60/hr. Health insurance is available based on hours worked. Ski locker benefit. Drivers are responsible for safe transport and friendly assistance of passengers on our bus route. Please contact Leah Petito at lpetito@mtnexp.org to apply and for a complete job description, visit mtnexp.org. EOE.

THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE is hiring a finance and administrative assistant to provide services and functions critical to the day-to-day operation of the town. This includes accounting, human resources, purchasing, contracting, IT support, budgeting and communications. The finance and administrative assistant is responsible for daily financial tasks including but not limited to administration of the sales tax and business license process, cash receipting, departmental customer service and file and records maintenance. Starting hourly range is $25.48-$31.12 and includes 100% employer-paid health, dental and vision benefits for employee and dependents. The full job description, benefits and application are available on the town’s website at townofcrestedbutte.com. To apply, submit an application via email to jobs@crestedbutteco.gov. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

GARAGE / YARD SALES

YARD SALE: 38163 US Hwy. 50, look for signs. Recreational gear, duckies, pop-up camper, truck bed trailer, clothing, shoes, furniture and more. May 18 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

REAL ESTATE

1,500 SQ. FT. RETAIL/OFFICE SPACE

AVAILABLE in the Gunnison Meadows Mall next to City Market. Address: 722 N. Main. $22/ft. NNN = $2,750/month. For more information, call Jordon Ringel, 817-7336947 or visit GunnisonMeadows.com.

Legals

AGENDA

Proposed Budget/Regular Meeting Agenda May 20, 2024 5:30pm Crested Butte Community School Library Crested Butte, Colorado

This meeting will be conducted in person and by distance using the video conferencing platform ZOOM Webinar. Please check the GWSD website for further instructions. 1. Call to order

Roll call

Pledge of Allegiance 4. Approval of agenda (ACTION, All)

a. School Culture and Climate Presentation (Discussion, Successful Students)

• Hannah Hanson, Emergency

Manager

• Jennifer Read, CBCS School Counselor, Threat and Suicide Risk Assessments

• Susan Powers, GHS Assistant Principal, Vape Detectors

b. Athletics and Activities Drug Testing (Discussion, Successful Students)

Abby McDonnell, CBCS Athletic Director and Ernie Kothe, CBCS Principal

Kevin Mickelson, GHS Athletic Director and Jim Woytek, GHS Principal

c. Personnel updates 2024-2025

(Discussion, Strong Employees)

d. FY25 Proposed Budget Presentation

(Discussion, Healthy Finances)

• Mrs. Tia Mills, Director of Finance

e. Consider approval of Gunnison County Education Association and Gunnison Watershed School District Agreement for 2024-2025 (ACTION, Strong Employees)

f. Employee Housing Statement (ACTION, Strong Employees)

g. Consider modification to School Board Calendar 2024-25 (ACTION, All)

School Board Policies (All)

IHAMA-Teaching about Alcohol, Tobacco Products, Drugs, and Controlled Substances (ACTION)

Second reading to consider rescinding policy

• IHAMB-Family Life/Sex Education (ACTION)

Second reading to consider rescinding policy

• IHAMC-HIV/AIDS Education (ACTION)

Second reading to consider rescinding policy

i. Other Administrative Report Items(Discussion, All)

Dr. Leslie Nichols

9. Items introduced by Board Members (Discussion, All)

10. Board committee reports (Information, All)

a. Board/Student Engagement - Dr. Coleman and Mrs. Roberts

b. School Board Policy - Mrs. Brookhart and Dr. Coleman

c. Executive Committee for Bond Project - Mr. Martineau

d. Superintendent Evaluation- Mrs. Brookhart and Dr. Coleman

e. District Accountability Committee (DAC) - Mrs. Roberts

f. School Accountability Committees (SAC)

GHS - Dr. Coleman

GCS - Mrs. Brookhart

CBCS - Mr. Martineau

g. Gunnison County Education Association Negotiations - Mr. VanderVeer

h. Gunnison County Education Association 3x3 - Mr. VanderVeer

i. Fund 26 - Dr. Coleman

j. Gunnison Memorial ScholarshipMrs. Roberts

k. Health Insurance Committee - Mr. VanderVeer

l. Housing Advisory Committee-Mr. VanderVeer

m. Gunnison Valley Education Foundation-Dr. Coleman

11. Upcoming agenda items and meeting schedule (Information, Engaged Community)

a. Saturday, June 1, 2024 Crested

Butte Graduation 10:00am CBCS

b. Monday, June 10, 2024 Regular meeting/Budget Hearing@5:30pm-GUN

c. Monday, June 24, 2024 Regular meeting/Budget Adoption @5:30pm-GUN

12. Executive Session: (Discussion, Strong Employees)

C.R.S. 24-6-402 (4)(f) that the Board enter executive session to discuss a personnel matter. The particular matter that is to be discussed behind closed doors is the superintendent evaluation.

13. Adjournment

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of May 16, 2024

13378

PUBLIC HEARING

Attorney for Petitioner 2834 Jackson Boulevard

P.O. Box 9129 Rapid City, SD 57709-9129

(605) 721-1517

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of May 16, 23, 30, June 6, 2024 13365

PUBLIC HEARING

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT

PUBLIC NOTICE AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR POST-AWARD HEARING

The City of Gunnison will conduct a public hearing at 201 W. Virginia Avenue, Municipal Building, Council Chambers on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. at the Gunnison City Council Regular Session. The purpose of the hearing is to allow citizens to review and comment on the performance of the City of Gunnison in carrying out their Lazy K Housing Project, which was financed with federal Community Development Block Grant funds provided by the State of Colorado.

Written comments are also welcome and must be received by noon on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at the Municipal Building, PO Box 239, 201 W. Virigina Avenue Gunnison, CO 81230 or eboucher@gunnisonco.gov; Attention: Erica Boucher, City Clerk. Information and records regarding the above described project are available at the Municipal Building, 201 W. Virginia Avenue, Gunnison, CO 81230 during regular office hours.

A public hearing to receive citizen views concerning the community’s economic and community development needs will be held at the Municipal Building, 201 W. Viriginia Avenue, Council Chambers on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. For information concerning the public hearing contact (City Clerk Erica Boucher, 201 W. Viriginia Avenue, 970.641.8140).

The public may attend the public hearing by phone or computer via Zoom. To register to access the public hearing go to https:// us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ mufdgK6MRyKbki40lOV8jg

The public hearing is being conducted in a handicapped accessible location. Any handicapped person requiring an interpreter for the hearing impaired or the visually impaired should contact Erica Boucher, City Clerk at 201 W. Virigina Avenue or 970.641.8140 or eboucher@gunnisonco.gov at least 5 calendar days prior to the meeting and an interpreter will be provided. Any non-English speaking person wishing to attend the public hearing should contact Ricardo Esqueda, Community Outreach and Policy Liaison at 201 Virginia Avenue or 970.641.8159 or resqueda@ gunnisonco.gov at least 5 calendar days prior to the meeting and a language interpreter will be provided. To access a Telecommunication Device for Deaf Persons (TDD), specifically Gunnison uses a Teletypewriter (TYY) system, please call 970.641.8200. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) during these hearings should notify City of Gunnison City Clerk Erica Boucher at Municipal Building, 201 W. Virigina Avenue, Gunnison, CO, 81230 at least three days prior to the hearing to be attended.

/s/ Erica Boucher City Clerk City of Gunnison

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of May 16, 2024 13367

the application will be accepted until June 3, 2024. Submit written comments by email (planning@gunnisoncounty.org) or by letter (to the Community Development, 221 N. Wisconsin, Suite D, Gunnison, CO 81230). A copy of the application is available in the Gunnison County Community Development Department, 221 N. Wisconsin, Suite D, Gunnison, CO; additional information may be obtained by calling the Planning Department (970) 641-0360. /s/ Sean Pope Planner I

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of May, 16, 2024 13319

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR SAGUACHE COUNTY COURT FACILITIES FEASABILITY STUDY

For: SAGUACHE COUNTY PO BOX 100 505 3rd Street Saguache, CO. 81149

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR SAGUACHE COUNTY COURT FACILITIES FEASABILITY STUDY

Table of Contents

I. OVERVIEW II. BACKGROUND III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION IV. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS V. SCHEDULE

I. OVERVIEW PROPOSAL DUE DATE/DELIVERY

REQUIREMENTS – Responses due by June 10,2024 at 3PM

Delivery of 4 original copies either by USPS or hand delivered in a sealed envelope to: Wendi Maez PO Box 100 505 3rd Street Saguache, CO 81149

All official communication with Candidates and questions regarding this RFP will be via email to the Wendi Maez at wmaez@ saguachecounty-co.gov.

No inquiries will be accepted after the clarification deadline as indicated in the project schedule.

All Candidate inquiries will be responded to at the same time which will be after the “Clarification Deadline”. Candidates should not rely on any other statements, either oral or written, that alter any specification or other term or condition of the RFP during the open solicitation period. Candidates should not contact any team member, or any individual associated with the Owner or Saguache County regarding this RFP or this project except to schedule an optional site visit.

RFP Schedule

RFP Available, May 1, 2024

Optional Site Visit, By apt with all RFP Clarification Deadline, May 28, 2024

RFP Clarification Responses, May 31, 2024

RFP Responses Due, June 10, 2024

Interview Invitations Sent, June 12, 2024

Interviews, June 25, 2024

Selections Made and Candidates Notified, July 3, 2024

Contract Negotiations/discussion - Complete, July 9, 2024

Notice to Proceed Given to Successful Firm, July 16, 2024

Study to begin , July 17, 2024

Study completion and submittal date, October 1, 2024

Report submitted and reviewed by BOCC, October 8, 2024

It is expected that the selected firm has the current capabilities and capacity to complete the project by the date listed in the project schedule. Provide a detailed schedule, including milestones, from the notice to proceed date the completion of the study, modifications or alterations, including deviations from the estimated schedule set forth in the RFP Schedule.

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado

Publication dates of May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 2024

13178

SUMMONS

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION

DISTRICT COURT, GUNNISON COUNTY, COLORADO

200 E. Virginia Avenue, Gunnison CO 81230 Telephone: 970-642-8300

Plaintiff:

Cimarron Canal & Reservoir Company

v. Defendants:

Cimarron and Uncompahgre Valley Canal and Reservoir Company (a defunct corporation); Vernal Mesa Ditch and Reservoir Company (a defunct corporation); and all unknown parties who may claim in interest in the subject matter of this action.

Case Number: 2024 CV 030015 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

TO: THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT(S)\

You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of the complaint filed with the court in this action, by filing with the clerk of this court an answer or other response. You are required to file your answer or other response within 35 days after the service of this summons upon you. Service by publication of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the complaint may be obtained from the clerk of the court. If you fail to file your answer or other response to the complaint in writing within 35 days after the date of the last publication, judgment by default may be rendered against you by the court for the relief demanded in the complaint without further notice. This is an action to adjudicate that Plaintiff is the owner of the following real property: 1. That property conveyed by deed recorded July

Gunnison County Records, described as follows: Beginning at a point on the West Bank of the Cimarron Canal whence the East quarter-corner of Section 5 Township 46 North Range 6 West NMPM bears East 561 feet; thence along the West bank of said canal as follows: North 19°20’West

Consent

(ACTION, All) Items in the consent agenda are considered routine and will be enacted under one motion. There will not be separate discussion of these items prior to the time the board votes unless a Board Member requests an item be removed from the grouping for separate consideration.

a. Board of Education Minutes

• May 6, 2024 Regular meeting

b. Finance: Approve for payment, as presented by the Director of Finance, warrants as indicated:

• General Account # last update

5/6/2024

• Payroll Direct Deposit # last update

5/6/2024

c. Personnel Madison Caster-Electives TeacherGMS

Nick Jordan-8th grade Science Teacher-GMS

Rita Merrigan-Resignation-ELL EACBCS

• Sierra Cucinelli-Resignation-6th grade LA-GMS

• Danette Casebolt-ResignationKindergarten-Lake

• Michelle Gallowich-ResignationEducational Asst.-GES

8. Items for information, discussion, and action

NOTICE OF HEARING

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA COUNTY OF CUSTER

IN CIRCUIT COURT

SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT 16CIV21-000014

IN THE MATTER OF NAME CHANGE FOR HANNAH HACKNEY

STACY KOPP, PETITIONER

v. JIMMY TODD HACKNEY, RESPONDENT

YOU WILL PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a hearing on Petitioner’s Verified Petition for Name Change of Minor Child shall take place before the Honorable Judge Heidi Linngren on the 20th day of June, 2024 at 10:00 a.m., or as soon thereafter as parties can be heard, at the Custer County Courthouse, Custer, South Dakota.

Dated this 13th day of May 2024. CLAYBORNE, LOOS & SABERS, LLP /s/ Hollie L. Smith Hollie L. Smith

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE OF A LAND USE CHANGE APPLICATION LUC-23-00027, CONCERNING NEW COMMERIAL USE OF 5 ACRES OR LESS AT 26575 STATE HIGHWAY 135, LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS TWO TRACTS OF LAND LOCATED WITHIN THE N½ OF THE NW ¼ OF SECTION 11, AND THE S ½ OF THE SOUTH ½ OF SECTION 2, T14S, R86W, 6TH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN

APPLICANT: The applicant is GVS LLC, representing the property owner, the Town of Crested Butte.

PARCEL LOCATION: The property is located at 26575 State Highway 135. Legally described as TWO TRACTS OF LAND LOCATED WITHIN THE N½ OF THE NW ¼ OF SECTION 11, AND THE S ½ OF THE SOUTH ½ OF SECTION 2, T14S, R86W, 6TH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN.

PROPOSAL: The applicant is requesting the approval of a 1.065 MW Solar Array within a 3.9 acre section of land. The proposal is classified as a Minor Impact Project of New Commercial Use of 5 Acres or Less. COMMENT PERIOD: Comments regarding

Report accepted and approved, October 15, 2024

II. Background

Saguache County has outgrown the current space the county and judicial staff occupy. There is no additional space to expand and the need for more space continues to grow.

III. Project Description

Saguache County is searching for a vendor to conduct a feasibility study which will assist in deciding the option that best suits Saguache County, it’s needs and its circumstances. The options are – a) Construct a new “Judicial Building” that would house the judicial portion of the current courthouse, b) Remodel the 3rd floor of the courthouse to better accommodate the Judicial Department, c) Build a new County Government complex.

Cost of project study not to exceed $70,000.

IV. Submittal Requirements

Saguache County asks for a letter of interest which incorporates your experience and your qualifications. In addition, please include the cost of the study. Refer to the first page of this document for the address and manner of submitting your information.

V. Schedule – See RFP Schedule

South 33°20’ East 290 feet; Thence South 2°40’ West 96 feet; Thence South 45°10’ West 150 feet; Thence South 21°30’ East 385 feet to the Point of Beginning; containing 4.4 acres more or less. The right-of-way

Gunnison - Crested Butte Regional Airport Gunnison, Colorado AIP Project No. 3-08-0030-065-2024

Sealed bids, subject to the conditions contained herein, for improvements to the Gunnison - Crested Butte Regional Airport, Gunnison, Colorado, AIP Project No. 3-08-0030-065-2024 will be received by the Gunnison - Crested Butte Regional Airport, Airport Manager's Office, Gunnison, Colorado, 81230, until Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., and then publicly opened and read aloud.

The work involved will include the following: Schedule I: Rehabilitate Taxiway Connectors A4 - A8

The approximate bid items and estimated quantities for the main items of work involved in the proposed work are:

Construction for this project is expected to take 26 calendar day(s). Construction may take place in either 2024 or 2025. Timing of construction will be at the sole discretion of the Sponsor based on funding availability.

Contract Documents. The complete set of bid documents (Contract Documents, Plan Set, Specifications, and Addendums) can be downloaded from Quest Construction Data Network (Quest CDN) at www.questcdn.com and/ or https://woolpert.com/markets/aviation by selecting the “Project Bids” header and inputting Quest Project # 9066564 – Rehabilitate Taxiway Connectors A4-A8 on the Project Search page beginning on May 13, 2024. Interested parties may view the bid documents at no cost prior to deciding to become a plan holder and bidding on the project. To be considered a plan holder, register with www.questcdn.com for a free Regular membership and download the bid documents in digital form at a cost of twenty two dollars ($22.00). Downloading the documents and becoming a plan holder is required to bid as plan holder’s receive automatic notice of addendum(s) for this project and bid updates. It is the bidder’s responsibility to review the site for addendums and changes before submitting their proposal. This includes review for environmental changes. Environmental changes during construction could take up to four weeks for approval. Contact QuestCDN Customer Support at 952-233-1632 or info@QuestCDN.com for assistance in membership registration and downloading digital bidding documents.

Pre-Bid Conference. The pre-bid conference for this project will be held on May 29, 2024 at 10:00 a.m., in the Airport Administration Conference Room at the Gunnison - Crested Butte Regional Airport, 519 Rio Grande Ave, Gunnison, CO. 81230. All bidders are required to examine the site to become familiar with all site conditions prior to submitting their bid.

Bid Conditions. The bidder is required to provide all information as required within the Contract Documents. The bidder is required to bid on all items of every schedule or as otherwise detailed in the Instructions to Bidders. Bids may be held by Gunnison County for a period not to exceed 120 calendar days from the date of the bid opening for the purpose of evaluating bids prior to award of contract.

The right is reserved, as Gunnison County may require, to reject any and all bids and to waive any informality in the bids received.

All questions regarding the bid are to be directed to Jesse Erickson with Jviation, Inc., 720 South Colorado Blvd., Suite 1200-S, Glendale, Colorado, 80246, (303) 524-3030, Fax: (303) 524-3031, or email Jesse.Erickson@woolpert. com.

Bid Bond. Guarantee will be required with each bid as a certified check on a solvent bank or a Bid Bond in the amount of five (5) % of the total amount of the bid, made payable to the Gunnison County Performance & Payment Bond. The successful bidder will be required to furnish separate performance and payment bonds each in an amount equal to 100% of the contract price. Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982 as Amended. In accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act, as amended, the Contractor will be required to comply with the wage and labor requirements and to pay minimum wages in accordance with the schedule of wage rates established by the United States Department of Labor Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Requirement. The proposed contract is under and subject to 41 CFR Part 60-4 and Executive Order 11246 of September 24, 1965, as amended, and to the equal opportunity clause and the Standard Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Construction Contract specifications including the goals and timetables for minority and female participation.

Title VI Solicitation Notice: The (Name of Sponsor), in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 USC §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders or offerors that it will affirmatively ensure that for any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, select businesses, or disadvantaged business enterprises or airport concession disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and no businesses will be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), creed, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), age, or disability in consideration for an award.

DBE Requirement.

Bid Information Submitted as a matter of responsiveness:

The Owner’s award of this contract is conditioned upon Bidder or Offeror satisfying the good faith effort requirements of 49 CFR §26.53.

As a condition of responsiveness, the Bidder or Offeror must submit the following information with its proposal on the forms provided herein:

(1) The names and addresses of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms that will participate in the contract; (2) A description of the work that each DBE firm will perform; (3) The dollar amount of the participation of each DBE firm listed under (1) (4) Written statement from Bidder or Offeror that attests their commitment to use the DBE firm(s) listed under (1) to meet the Owner’s project goal; and (5) Written confirmation from each listed DBE firm that it is participating in the contract in the kind and amount of work provided in the prime contractor's commitment; and (6) If Bidder or Offeror cannot meet the advertised project DBE goal, evidence of good faith efforts undertaken by the Bidder or Offeror as described in appendix A to 49 CFR part 26. The documentation of good faith efforts must include copies of each DBE and non-DBE subcontractor quote submitted to the bidder when a non-DBE subcontractor was selected over a DBE for work on the contract.

The bidder shall make good faith efforts, as defined in Appendix A of 49 CFR Part 26, Regulations of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, to subcontract 0.40 % of the dollar value of the prime contract to small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (DBE). In the event that the bidder for this solicitation qualifies as a DBE, the contract goal shall be deemed to have been met. Individuals who are rebuttably presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged include, women, Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, and Asian-Indian Americans. The apparent successful bidder will be required to submit information concerning the DBE's that will participate in this contract. The information will include the name and address of each DBE, a description of the work to be performed by each named firm, and the dollar value of the contract. If the bidder fails to achieve the contract goal stated herein, it will be required to provide documentation demonstrating that it made good faith efforts in attempting to do so. A bid that fails to meet these requirements will be considered non-responsive. Those firms currently certified as DBE's by the Colorado Department of Transportation are eligible to participate as DBE's on this contract. A list of these firms can be obtained from the State, the consulting engineer, or the Sponsor.

FAA Buy American Preference

The Contractor certifies that its bid/offer is in compliance with 49 USC § 50101, BABA and other related Made in America Laws, U.S. statutes, guidance, and FAA policies, which provide that Federal funds may not be obligated unless all iron, steel and manufactured goods used in AIP funded projects are produced in the United States, unless the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a waiver for the product; the product is listed as an Excepted Article, Material Or Supply in Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 25.108; or is included in the FAA Nationwide Buy American Waivers Issued list.

The bidder or offeror must complete and submit the certification of compliance with FAA’s Buy American Preference, BABA and Made in America laws included herein with their bid or offer. The Airport Sponsor/Owner will reject as nonresponsive any bid or offer that does not include a completed certification of compliance with FAA’s Buy American Preference and BABA.

The bidder or offeror certifies that all constructions materials, defined to mean an article, material, or supply other than an item of primarily iron or steel; a manufactured product; cement and cementitious materials; aggregates such as stone, sand, or gravel; or aggregate binding agents or additives that are or consist primarily of:

The Offeror/Contractor must provide immediate written notice to the Owner if the Offeror/Contractor learns that its certification or that of a subcontractor was erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous by reason of changed circumstances. The Contractor must require subcontractors provide immediate written notice to the Contractor if at any time it learns that its certification was erroneous by reason of changed circumstances. Unless the restrictions of this clause are waived by the Secretary of Transportation in accordance with 49 CFR § 30.17, no contract shall be awarded to an Offeror or subcontractor:

1) who is owned or controlled by one or more citizens or nationals of a foreign country included on the list of countries that discriminate against U.S. firms published by the USTR; or

2) whose subcontractors are owned or controlled by one or more citizens or nationals of a foreign country on such USTR list; or

3) who incorporates in the public works project any product of a foreign country on such USTR list. Nothing contained in the foregoing shall be construed to require establishment of a system of records in order to render, in good faith, the certification required by this provision. The knowledge and information of a contractor is not required to exceed that which is normally possessed by a prudent person in the ordinary course of business dealings. The Offeror agrees that, if awarded a contract resulting from this solicitation, it will incorporate this provision for certification without modification in all lower tier subcontracts. The Contractor may rely on the certification of a prospective subcontractor that it is not a firm from a foreign country included on the list of countries that discriminate against U.S. firms as published by USTR, unless the Offeror has knowledge that the certification is erroneous. This certification

by the

shall be based on its implementation of the Equal Opportunity Clause,

set forth in 41 CFR 60-4.3(a) and its efforts to meet the goals. The hours of minority and female employment and training must be substantially uniform throughout the length of the contract,

make a good faith effort to employ minorities and women evenly on each of its projects. The

the Contractor’s goals shall be a violation of the contract, the Executive Order and the regulations in 41 CFR Part 60-4. Compliance with the goals will be measured against the total work hours performed.

3. The Contractor shall provide written notification to the Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) within 10

Like mother, like son

Moms and sons spent quality time together during the first Mother Son Dance Party at the Gunnison Arts Center on Sunday, May 11. Kat Avila provided face paintings with a variety of sports and movie character designs. Attendees snacked on pizza, did arts and crafts, played games and hit the dance floor during their evening of fun.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Lights & Sirens

GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

MAY 6

— N. COLORA -

- RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — 200 S. 11TH ST.

MAY 7

ASSAULT: THIRD DEGREE - BODILY INJURY — 403 E. TOMICHI AVE. WELFARE ASSIST — N. COLORADO ST.

CRIMINAL TRESPASS - MUNICIPAL: X5 — 900 N. MAIN ST. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — S. 14TH ST.

MAY 8

TRAFFIC - DUS — 100 S. 12TH ST. ALARM — 232 W. TOMICHI AVE.

WELFARE ASSIST — 1010 W. VIRGINIA AVE.

MAY 9

WEAPONS VIOLATION - POSS./ PREVIOUS OFFENDER — 880 N. MAIN ST.

WELFARE ASSIST - MISSING

PERSON — W. DENVER AVE.

ALARM — 201 N. MAIN ST. AGENCY ASSIST — HWY. 114

MAY 10

ASSAULT: SECOND DEGREESTRANGULATION — 220 N. BOULEVARD ST.

WARRANT SERVICE - OTHER JURISDICTION — 220 N. BOULEVARD ST.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF - DAMAGE TO PROPERTY — W. NEW YORK AVE.

WELFARE ASSIST — N. COLORADO ST.

ASSAULT: THIRD DEGREE - BODILY INJURY — 618 W. TOMICHI AVE.

MAY 11

THEFT: TWO OR MORE THEFTS IN 6 MONTHS X3 — 900 N. MAIN ST. MAY 12

CIVIL PROBLEM — 1010 W. VIRGINIA AVE.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF — 305 S. 12TH ST.

ALCOHOL VIOLATION - UNDERAGE POSS./CONSUMPTION — 1313 W. OHIO AVE.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT - UNREASONABLE NOISE — 122 S. BOULEVARD ST.

ASSAULT: SECOND DEGREEWITH DEADLY WEAPON — 916 W. GEORGIA AVE.

MAY 7

-Information report - civil dispute and disorderly conduct at a campground

-Information report about County Road 25 and people driving over it

-Deputies assisted the Gunnison Police Department with a domestic in progress

MAY 8

-Gunnison County Resolution 2018-30 - male black lab found on the highway was taken to the Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League and retrieved by owner the next day

MAY 9

-Somerset deputies responded to trespass and criminal mischief at a local business with security footage of the event

-Civil papers served

-Somerset deputies took a fraud report where someone illegally opened a T-Mobile account using another person’s information

-Deputies in Gunnison took a fraud report where someone opened an account at a local bank using someone else’s information

-Deputies arrested one person for failure to appear on a driving under the influence case

-Welfare check on a suicidal subject

MAY 10

-Information report on a juvenile/ family disagreement

MAY 11

-Property disagreement - possible harassment in Marble

MAY 12

-Deputies assisted the GPD with a criminal mischief subject -Information report on possible child abuse - under investigation

-Deputies assisted the GPD with an assault

MAY 13

-Deputies served civil papers -Deputies assisted the GPD with a disorderly, intoxicated subject

-Somerset/Marble deputies took a theft of materials off construction site report - under investigation

Hospice 2024

Celebration of Life

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ATHLETES

At Gunnison Valley Health we believe in supporting the valley’s incredible athletes by offering quality care to enhance performance and recovery from injuries.

REHABILITATION & ATHLETIC MEDICINE

We offer a diverse range of cutting-edge services to keep you active and well.

HOSPITAL | 970-641-7268

711 N. TAYLOR | GUNNISON

PRIMARY CARE

GUNNISON | 970-641-2001

112 SPENCER AVE.. | GUNNISON

CRESTED BUTTE | 970-349-5684

214 6TH AVE. | CRESTED BUTTE

With family medicine, internal medicine and pediatric care, we can help you be at the top of your game.

GUNNISON | 970-642-8413

707 N. IOWA | GUNNISON

WCU CAMPUS | 970-943-2707

104 TOMICHI HALL | GUNNISON

Our orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Blake Clifton and Dr. Gloria Beim, have the expertise you need to recover from injuries and return to activity quickly and safely.

WE WORK HARD TO KEEP YOU PLAYING HARDER

CRESTED BUTTE | 970-642-8413

305 S. 6TH | CRESTED BUTTE

GUNNISON | 970-641-8899

112 SPENCER AVE, STE A | GUNNISON

CRESTED BUTTE | 970-349-5103

405 ELK AVE | CRESTED BUTTE

TELLURIDE | 970-641-8899

500 W. PACIFIC AVE | TELLURIDE

COMMUNITY: Valley’s immigrant leaders recognized, B3

POETRY: Dogs serve as accidental Buddhas, B5

they left behind they left behind The things The things

SPORTS: Gunnison gymnasts shine at home exhibition, B9

GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2024

Gunnison residents share ancient artifacts at archaeological roadshow

Mariel Wiley Times Photo Editor

Deep in the mountains of the Upper Gunnison Basin, a hunter abandoned a stone spear point during the last ice age. They’d once used it to fell wooly mammoths and giant bison. After they left the point behind, it remained nestled in the soil there for over 8,000 years. Many millennia later, a hiker recognized the stone point as one hewn by human hands, and lifted it from the earth. It sparked in them a curiosity to know more about the person who’d made it long ago.

University of Oklahoma archaeologists Bonnie Pitblado and Noah Powell have encountered similar wonders while researching Paleoindian arti -

facts, which range between 8,000 and more than 13,000 years old and predate written history. For his thesis project, Powell decided to build on Pitblado’s work, by researching a group of people, called the Clovis, theorized to live in the mountains around the Gunnison Valley during the last ice age.

But the chances of finding an elusive Clovis stone spear point are small for just two people, so Powell and Pitblado sought the help of Gunnison Valley residents in their search. The pair hosted an artifact roadshow at the Gunnison County Library on May 11, during which they identified, dated and shared more information about the

various artifacts that attendees brought in.

“A lot of these community collaborators are so intertwined with their land that they’re almost like mini-scientists,” Powell said. “They’re testing hypotheses, and they want to know just as much about the past as we do.”

As Powell inspected some of

the artifacts, attendees shared their stories about how they’d come into possession of these ancient objects. Some had inherited collections from older relatives. Others had chanced upon archaeological sites on their own property. No matter the means by which they came across these artifacts, every attendee shared a desire to learn more about the people who’d walked these lands before them.

Most brought in an assortment of stone arrowheads and spear points. Bow and arrows were introduced to the Gunnison Basin roughly 2,000 years ago, which falls beyond the scope of Powell’s research. But ancient peoples who lived in this region, including the Clovis, used spears tipped with stone points to hunt and for ceremonial purposes throughout the late ice age. Powell and Pitblado worked with attendees to identify what group of people had made each point, and when.

The group ran their fingers across the flaked edges of each stone tool, searching for the subtle differences that signify

A case full of casts made from complete spear points serves as a tool to compare artifact fragments.

Bonnie Pitblado analyzes an arrowhead as two community members discuss the differences between projectile points. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)

the craftsmanship of different peoples. All were made from different kinds of silicate rock, such as chert and quartzite, and varied greatly in color. Despite the expansive range of the Clovis people, the points they made were remarkably uniform in style. They’re readily recognizable by their lance-shaped tip and the long, concave grooves called “flutes” that run a quarter of the way up the center from the base of each point.

Given their wide domain, Powell theorized that the Clovis people likely resided in the various mountain ranges that stretch between Crested Butte to Lake City. Despite the high likelihood that they once resided here, no Clovis points had previously been found in this region. But at the roadshow last weekend, a Gunnison local brought in the base of a Clovis point. Noticing the telltale flute, Powell excitedly identified the artifact as Clovis before photographing, measuring and recording details about the location the point was found.

This discovery was a positive step in support of Powell’s hypothesis, and would not have been possible without the collaboration of inhabitants of Gunnison and surrounding areas. The deep landscape knowledge of the people who live in an area of study is invaluable to an archaeologist who is studying a region, but doesn’t live there, Pitblado said.

One such local is Kathleen Curry, who owns a private ranch just outside of Gunnison with her husband. When walking her property one day, Curry “literally stumbled” across a quartzite core amidst the sagebrush, she said. Upon closer inspection, she recognized that the stone had at some point been worked by human hands, with the signature flakes of an ancient stone butchering tool. Curry reached out to Pitblado to learn more about the artifact she found on her land.

“It was such an eye-opener to realize that even though I’ve always had a passion for history, I wasn’t looking back far enough,” Curry said. “I realized I hadn’t even begun to appreciate all that I was seeing.”

Through conversations with

Pitblado and other archaeologists, Curry began to grasp not only the significance of the tools themselves, but of what life may have been like for the ancient people that made them, she said.

But Curry and many other landowners who discover artifacts on their property are often hesitant to talk to anyone — archaeologists included — out of worry that collectors might trespass to steal or damage artifacts.

Once we pull something out of the ground, we can never put it back the way it was. In most cases it’s best to just leave it be.

Noah Powell Archaeologist

Modern laws prohibiting the collection of artifacts from public lands also deters people from approaching archaeologists with their collections. It’s hard to prove if the arrowhead gathering dust in the back of someone’s closet had been lawfully collected on private land, or unlawfully pocketed during a recent trip to a national park. Whether they acquired their artifacts legally or not, peoples’ fear of legal penalization often prevents them from contributing their findings to archaeological knowledge.

At the heart of it all is a desire to feel connected to a thread of human history that spans tens of thousands of years. For some, that manifests as a desire to pick up and keep these ancient objects. For others, it becomes a drive to preserve and protect them. But through collaboration with archaeologists, people can find new ways to connect with the remnants of long-gone societies.

For Pitblado and many archaeologists working today,

the goal isn’t to incriminate people for collecting, but rather to share why it’s ideal not to disturb artifacts in the first place. Any kind of excavation irreversibly alters the archaeological site, and is usually employed by archaeologists when other observation methods, such as visual surveys, are impossible. The decision to excavate or collect is made on a case-bycase basis, and should never be taken lightly, Pitblado said.

“Once we pull something out of the ground, we can never put it back the way it was,” Powell said. “In most cases it’s best to just leave it be.”

Today, most archaeological research is conducted via survey, or walking the lands and documenting findings, Pitblado said. If people come across artifacts on public lands or their own private property, they can collect data in the form of photographs, GPS coordinates and detailed notes about the site where the artifact is located. They can then pass this information along to local archaeologists, who can provide greater clarity about the artifacts found and the people who once used them.

“The more you start looking, the more you find. We’ll never really understand exactly what was going on, and we probably never will,” Curry said. “But at least we know to honor that they were here.”

Powell and Pitblado will host two more artifact roadshows this weekend in Crested Butte and Lake City. The show in Crested Butte will be held in Crested Butte Town Hall at 507 Maroon Ave. in the Community Room from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m on Saturday, May 18. The show in Lake City will be held in the Lake City Public Library at 206 Silver St. from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 19.

(Mariel Wiley can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or mariel@ gunnisontimes.com.)

Noah Powell takes a break during an excavation of a 19th-century post office in Carbon County, Wyoming in 2022. (Courtesy Noah Powell)

A clear quartzite spear point fragment.

Mountain Words Festival returns over Memorial Day weekend

The 2024 Mountain Words Festival, which spans 45 events over three days, is set to unfold at the Center for the Arts and other Crested Butte venues May 24 through 26. The festival will welcome nationally and internationally acclaimed authors and presenters.

“In this fifth year of the festival, we’re thrilled to present a lineup of events that aims to inspire, entertain and connect audiences of all ages,” said Festival founder Brooke MacMillan. “Expect thoughtprovoking conversations, performances, and interactive sessions from leading and emerging writers and thinkers. This festival isn’t just for readers and writers, it’s for anyone interested in literature, ideas and new thinking.”

The festival will feature more than 20 sessions that are free and open to the public including mainstage discussions at the Steddy Theater with Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and journalist Timothy Egan, Betsy and David Quammen, Hampton Sides, Michelle Nijhuis, Kevin Fedarko and others. Student and educator reduced pricing and full scholarships are available.

Headliners include Egan, the author of 10 books, including his most recent, “A Fever in the Heartland, The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them,” a historical thriller and immediate New York Times bestseller. A lifelong journalist, Egan worked as a national cor-

respondent and opinion columnist for the New York Times, roaming the West.

This festival isn’t just for readers and writers, it’s for anyone interested in literature.

Brooke MacMillan Festival founder

Crested Butte local and international best-selling author Shelley Read will share her experiences as part of a publishing panel and will give a craft workshop. Read’s debut novel, “Go As A River,” became an instant international bestseller and is being translated into over 30 languages and has been optioned for film. Continuing the festival’s strong 2024 non-fiction theme, New York Times bestselling author Hampton Sides will give a talk about his round-the-world travels. Sides is the author of the bestselling histories “Ghost Soldiers, Blood and Thunder, Hellhound On His Trail, In the Kingdom of Ice,” and, most recently, “The Wide Wide Sea.”

Other notable speakers include Montana Poet Laureate, Chris La Tray; NatGeo explorer, journalist and author, Kevin

Fedarko; award-winning journalist covering the cosmos, astronomy, space exploration and history, Rebecca Boyle; international bestselling author of speculative fiction and winner of the Hugo, and Nebula awards, Paolo Bacigalupi; chronicler of policy in the West and author of “American Zion and True West,” Betsy Gaines Quammen; award-winning young adult novelist Olivia Chadha; and author and journalist David Quammen whose 18 books include “Breathless” (2022) and The Tangled Tree (2018).

The weekend will feature a variety of workshops and panel discussions on topics ranging from nature writing, sci-fi, playwriting, poetry, ecology, science and documentary filmmaking. Not-to-miss sessions include, “The Future of Ski Towns,” “Public Lands and Future Threats,” “Timothy Egan in Conversation” and “A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon with Kevin Fedarko.”

The festival tradition of presenting incredible live theater returns with the debut working performance of “Singletrack! The Musical” one night only, Saturday, May 25. Written by acclaimed playwright, actor and Western Colorado University Theater Director Steven Cole Hughes, the hysterically funny production is a deconstruction of 1980s sports and action films like “Footloose,” “Flashdance,” “Karate Kid,” “Rad,” “Rocky”

and “Top Gun” — but mostly “Rad,” the 1986 cult classic about teenage BMX racers. Children’s sessions include a collaboration with the Trailhead Children’s Museum for special bookmaking workshops, including EverExpanding Books, and Team Zine that combine literary and visual arts into hands-on crafting projects. Firebrand Theatre Company will present a community production of “Alice in

Wonderland” over the festival weekend.

And back by popular demand, festival goers and trivia lovers alike can come together for literary trivia with Quiz Quiz Bang Bang.

For a full schedule, passes, ala carte pricing, scholarships, student-educator pricing and more, visit mtnwords.org.

(Source: Crested Butte Center for the Arts.)

Participants gather at a workshop with Julia Wheeler at the 2023 Mountain Words Festival. (Courtesy Nolan Blunck)

Free Qigong for cancer

In partnership with Tough Enough to Wear Pink, Heidi Magnus will offer free, gentle Qigong for anyone who has been recently diagnosed, currently in treatment for, or in remission from cancer. Caregivers are welcome. The five-week course will take place on Mondays from 4-5 p.m. through June 17 at Sanctuary Somatics, 513 S. Main St. in Gunnison.

Mountain Roots CSA

Join Mountain Roots 16-week CSA program. Delivery begins on June 27. Support local farmers and enjoy fresh, organic produce delivered weekly to your doorstep. Sign up at mountainrootsfoodproject.org.

Children’s theater

Firebird Theatre presents an all-ages production of “Alice in Wonderland” on May 17-18 and 24-25 at Parish Hall in Crested Butte. Showtimes are 6:30 p.m. on Fridays and 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Tickets are $5 for kids and $10 for adults. Find more information at firebirdcb.com.

AAUW meeting

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) will meet on May 18 at the home of Bobbi Harper, 227 W. Cottonwood Rd. in Gunnison. All are welcome to this annual brunch to learn more about the organization. Call Sharon at 970.641.2883 or Bobbi at 970.641.2346 for more information.

Summer dance programs

The Crested Butte School of Dance will offer dance camps for preschool and elementary kids, and dance classes for all ages from June 17-July 12 and July 22-Aug. 16. Scholarships are available for both youth and adults. The deadline to apply is May 21. Visit dancecrestedbutte. org to register. Contact programs@dancecrestedbutte.org for more information.

Youth nature classes

Ripples Wilderness in Crested Butte offers classes for kids ages 6 and up to discover the beauty and importance of nature and where we fit in it all. Financial aid is available. Sign up for summer programming and find more information at rippleswilderness. com.

Trail closure

The Doctor Park trail is closed to all uses from now to Memorial Day weekend for bighorn sheep protection. Please respect all trail closures.

Producers’ Guild plant sale

The Gunnison Valley Producers’ Guild will host a vegetable and herb plant sale on May 25 at 513 S. Main St. from 11 a.m.2 p.m.

100th birthday celebration

Friends of Thomas McKelvie are invited to attend his 100-year birthday celebration on May 26 from 12-2 p.m. at the Western Colorado University Center.

Crested Butte Memorial Day

Observe Memorial Day in Crested Butte on May 27 with a military march at 9:15 a.m. from 2nd Street down Elk Avenue to the Crested Butte Cemetery, where a mass for the fallen and gun salute will take place at 10 a.m. Lunch will be provided at Queen of All Saints Parish Hall at 11:45 a.m. A polka dance featuring the Pete Dunda Band will follow from 1:30-4:30 p.m. This is a free, family-friendly event, rain or shine. Donations are appreciated.

Community Heritage Day

The Pioneer Museum will offer free admission to Community Heritage Day on June 1, celebrating their 60th anniversary season with music, refreshments and special activities. The museum is open daily through September from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., with admission at $15 for ages 13 and up,

GUNNISON ARTS CENTER BRIEFS

Youth

Youth ages 12 and up are invited to join Chelsea McKenzie to learn the art of wood burning on May 18 from 2:30- 5 p.m. at the Gunnison Arts Center. $35 includes all supplies for taking home a live edge plank. Light snacks and one complimentary beverage are included. Register at gunnisonartscenter.org.

$5 for those 6-12 and free for 5 and under. Find the museum on Facebook for updated information.

Volunteers needed

Habitat for Humanity Gunnison is seeking volunteers on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-5 p.m. at 211 S. 6th St. in Gunnison. Help with painting, landscaping and basic construction tasks. No experience is necessary. Volunteers get a free t-shirt and lunch on Saturdays. Call 970.641.1245 or visit hfhgunnisonvalley.org for more details.

Rotary grant

The Rotary Club of Gunnison invites proposals from local charitable organizations for grant support, specifically those that serve children from birth to high school graduation. Organizations must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt or other type of charitable organization. The application deadline is June 3 at noon. Email Pam Montgomery at pgmflower@gunnison.com or call 970.901.9950 for more information and to apply.

GHS reunion

Gunnison High School’s 60-year class reunion will be held on July 12, with dinner at 5B's BBQ at 5 p.m. For more information, call Bob at 970.596.1556.

Youth nicotine anonymous

Nicotine Anonymous for Young Adults meets every Wednesday from 2-3 p.m. at 601 6th St. in Crested Butte and from 4-5 p.m. at the Fred Field McDonough Room in Gunnison. This is a mutual support group with no religious affiliation. Contact ajohnson@gunnisoncounty.org with questions.

Overeaters Anonymous

Overeaters Anonymous meets on Thursdays from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at The Last Resort, 114 Wisconsin St. in downtown Gunnison. This is an open meeting.

Woodburning and watermelon mojitos

Chelsea McKenzie will teach the art of wood-burning to those aged 21 and up on May 18 from 6-9 p.m. at the GAC. The cost is $34 and includes supplies, snacks and a beverage. Register at gunnisonartscenter.org.

CB CENTER FOR THE ARTS BRIEFS Artist reception

Join the Crested Butte Center for the Arts at the Kinder Padon Gallery for a free reception to celebrate “Natura de Libris” by Alvaro Alejandro on May 24 from 5-7 p.m. Find more information at crestedbuttearts.org.

Musical theater

The Mountain Words Festival presents “Singletrack! The Musical” by playwright, actor and Western Colorado University theater director, Steven Cole Hughes, at the CBCA on May 25 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 at crestedbuttearts.org.

Literary trivia

The Mountain Words Festival presents Literary Trivia with the Quiz Quiz Bang Bang podcast on May 26 at 7 p.m. at the CBCA. Tickets are $5 at crestedbuttearts. org.

wood burning workshop

Yard dogs among us serve as accidental Buddhas

Wendy Videlock Special to the Times

I don’t know much for certain, but I can tell you this: we humans don’t just love our dogs, we love talking about our dogs.

Most of us have loved a few, lost a few, found a few. Maybe even been found by one or two. Of warm blood and dewy eyes, they comfort us and we seem to comfort them. The poets, too, have a lot to say about dogs. Ferlinghetti describes the dog as:

A real realist with a real tale to tell and a real tail to tell it with.

The dog has played a significant role across cultures. It often serves as a symbol, not just of companionship, but as steward and teacher of wisdom.

I was talking with my border collie Gracie the other day. We were discussing philosophy, as we often do.

Eat, drink and be merry, she said.

For tomorrow you die? I asked. She cocked her head. What’s tomorrow?

— John Anglim

The dog as a keeper of wisdom or a wet-nosed accidental Buddha is a recurring theme among mystics, storytellers and myth makers. Here’s Mary Oliver with a fragment from one of her dog-as-teacher offerings:

… he spins until the white snow is written upon in large exuberant letters, a long sentence, expressing the pleasures of the body in this world.

Oh, I could not have said it better.

From Canadian poet Vincent Starrett we have the lament:

If only we had learned to speak

the tongue of dog instead of Greek …

Daiva Chesonis has the same idea.

Baja beach dog I want to be you

And from Linda Pastan we are given this bit of psychological introspection:

this manic animal whose innocent disruptions make nonsense of my old simplicities…

I just can’t resist that sound is an echo to the shifting sense! The effect is a thrilling little sonic boom of a turn. Alicia Ostriker recounts a vivid experience:

… owners throw sticks

Or half-bald tennis balls Into the surf

And the happy dogs leap after them

As if catapulted—

That little fragment launches the frenetic energy off the page into the physicality of it all. Those half-bald tennis balls end up catapulting us all into the surf. Ioanna Carlson grounds us back to the earth:

… loyal to being on your own in the fur of your skin, able to exist just for the sake of existing.

I just love that little twist on the concept of loyalty. Let’s be honest, most dogs across the world don’t have a human for whom loyalty is even an option.

To consider the dog as a creature on her own, wandering the city streets or in a dark mill somewhere, remaining loyal to her own form is a pretty remarkable reshaping of an old trope.

Jennifer Hancock asks the question:

if the wolf is the apex predator why cooperate why set up a den circle four times in the leaves nuzzle and whimper into each other's fur burrow a muzzle under a paw blink at the one you love why not tear out her throat her heart what do they know what don’t we know

Heather McHugh can be counted on to bring a different vernacular to the table. Here she is describing the family pet.

the dirty dog, doctor of crotches, digger of holes.

David Kirby offers an alternative kind of cock of the head:

I bet the Eighth Street Dog had been a movie star, because everything I read about movie stars suggests they can’t control themselves for more than five minutes.

Rick Kempa gives us a glimpse into a private scene:

Twenty times a day I make her laugh and her laughter makes me glad, makes me laugh— and the dog too raises his orange head from the rug and his jaw drops and he laughs with us, pink tongue rippling, tail twitching. Nobody who knows dogs would say this is not so.

What a lovely way of saying how dogs seem especially susceptible to our moods. They want to laugh and cry with us. And of course no conversation about dogs in verse would be complete without something from that old song and dance man, Billy Collins.

The way the dog trots out the front door every morning without a hat or an umbrella, without any money or the keys to her doghouse never fails to fill the saucer of my heart with milky adoration.

(Wendy Videlock is poet laureate of the Western Slope where she advocates for the arts in public spaces. Her books are available where books are sold and her visual art features in galleries across the Grand Valley. Reach her at westernslopeword@gmail. com.)

Three GHS golfers make championship

Schwartz returns to state

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

The GHS girls golf team put on an electric performance at the regional tournament at Cattails Golf Course in Alamosa on April 14. With state qualification spots on the line, Allie Schwartz, Aiden Tomlin and Faith Pederson rose to the occasion and finished in the top 21 to make the cut.

“There were so many twists and turns this season, so it felt really good to see the hard work pay off,” Schwartz said. “I’m also excited to return to state with Aiden and Faith and compete as a team.”

The Cowboys remained focused throughout their rounds at Cattails on Tuesday,

GHS track and field gears up for state

15 athletes qualify for meet

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

The Cowboy track and field team peaked during the final week of the regular season at the Friday Night Lights meet in Pueblo. Fifteen athletes qualified for the state championship May 16-18 in Lakewood. For senior distance runners and first-time state qualifiers Spencer Hays and Julian Ryter, four years of hard work finally paid off.

“I’m so proud of these senior boys for sticking with it, working hard and getting better over their high school careers,” said Head Coach Stacey Mickelson. “I think they’ll go out hard and give it everything they have.”

On May 10, a handful of Cowboys competed at the Friday Night Lights meet at Pueblo West High School.

Angela Hindes practices the high jump at the Mountaineer Field House last week. (Photo by Bella Biondini) Track B9

State qualifiers Aiden Tomlin, Allie Schwartz and Faith Pederson celebrate at Cattails Golf (Courtesy Kevin Mickelson)

Mountaineer track and field sends 10 to nationals

Gregg Petcoff

Special to the Times

Ten Western Colorado University athletes qualified for the 2024 Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships May 23-24 in Emporia, Kansas.

In the women’s track events, Allison Beasley is seeded sixth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 15th in the 5,000-meter run. At the 2023 outdoor championship meet, she placed fifth in the steeplechase to earn AllAmerica honors, and 10th in the 5,000.

Another double entrant is Leah Taylor. She will be seeded ninth in both the 1,500 and 5,000-meter runs. Taylor earned All-American honors earlier this season at the NCAA indoor championship meet, placing sixth in the mile. She also placed third in the 1,500 at the outdoor meet last season. Both Simon Kelati and Tyler Nord will double up at the national meet, racing in the men’s 1,500 and 5,000.

Kelati holds the second-fastest time in the country in the 5,000 this spring and is seeded ninth in the 1,500. Kelati is coming off an All-American indoor season in which he captured the national title in the 3,000-meter run and third in the 5,000 at the 2024 NCAA indoor meet. Nord enters the 2024 outdoor championship seeded fourth in the 5,000 and 14th in the 1,500. He placed seventh in the 3,000 at the 2024 indoor NCAA meet.

Kaiya Firor and Ali Aldrich, Western's two other athletes heading to Kansas, are seeded in the top eight.

Firor posted the fifth-fastest time in the country this spring in the women’s 400-meter hurdles and was an All-American in the event at the 2023 outdoor championships. Aldrich claimed the third farthest toss this year in the women’s shot put — an event she placed eighth in at the 2023 outdoor meet and also earned AllAmerican recognition.

On the oval, Emma Kjellsen, Lauren Willson and Eddie Siuda will represent Western in their

respective races. Kjellsen is seeded 11th and Willson 16th in the women’s 1,500. Siuda is 12th in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase. Kjellsen returns to outdoor nationals after placing 17th in the 1,500 in 2023, while Willson and Siuda are making their first appearances at the outdoor NCAA championship.

Eireann Donohoe will join Aldrich in the field events. A 2022 NCAA outdoor championship participant in the women’s triple jump, Donohoe will once again hit the runway in

the same event in 2024 with the 17th seed.

( Gregg Petcoff is the assistant athletics director for communications at Western Colorado University and can be reached at gpetcoff@western.edu.)

Simon Kelati wins the 1,500 at the 2024 RMAC outdoor championship with a meet record.

despite a lightning delay. The girls navigated the tree-lined fairways and water hazards, and shot their best scores of the season. Tomlin led the Cowboys and finished ninth overall with a season-best 94. Senior captain Tomlin was hot on her teammate’s tail, and shot a 95 to finish tied for 10th.

After a long wait in the clubhouse, Pederson returned to the back-9 to finish her round after the storm. She hovered around the 21st position, needing to finish strong to earn a spot at the state championship. Pederson bogeyed the final two holes, while her opponents

struggled to keep up. The sophomore finished 21st with a 109, and secured her spot alongside Schwartz and Tomlin.

Schwartz will compete at state for the first time since her sophomore year thanks to an improved swing and determination.

“I worked hard to improve my tempo and ball striking this season, as well as some of my short game,” Schwartz said. “It feels good returning to state.”

The three girls will compete as a team at the Olde Course in Berthoud on May 20 and 21 to polish off the spring season.

(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)

There were so many twists and turns this season, so it felt really good to see the hard work pay off.

Allie Schwartz

Senior Captain

Baseball splits final games at North Fork

The GHS baseball team finished its regular season in an away doubleheader against North Fork on May 14. The Cowboys split the two league games, winning the first 7-2, and falling 10-8 in the final game. The results moved the Cowboys to a 12-10 overall record, and fifth in the 3A Western Slope League with a 6-5 record. GHS finished the regular season seeded No. 25 in the state, and will take on No. 8 Forge Christian in the first round of the playoffs on May 18.

Aiden Tomlin pitches from the rough at a tournament this month.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Despite a snowstorm that caused the GHS mini buses to get stuck on Monarch Pass, a few athletes drove separately and competed in their respective events

Distance athletes Madelyn Stice and Hays dominated in their events, with Stice taking first in the 1600-meter run and Hays winning the 3200 meter. Jemma Petrie and Julian Ryter also shined in the mile. Petrie

finished second in 5:27.52, and Ryter took fourth with 4:33.95. The four distance runners all claimed top-18 spots in their respective events, and booked their tickets to the state championship.

Angela Hindes will head to state as the top-seeded Cowboy athlete. The junior high jumper placed seventh at state last year, and is close to reaching her personal best of 5 feet 6 inches. Now she is ranked first in the state. Hindes said her goal is to break the GHS record of 5 feet 7 inches and stand atop the podium this weekend.

Queens of the beam

“State is always a blast, I’ve made so many great memories competing,” Hindes said. “I’ve put so much hard work into the high jump, and believe I can PR and win first place this year.”

Sienna Gomez and Lee Brunsting are the other two qualified jumpers, and will take on the long jump in Lakewood. Caroline Sudderth will compete in the 100-meter hurdles, and sprinter Bodin Bichon will aim to finish his senior season strong in the 200- and 400meter dash.

The girls 2x100, 2x200 and 2x800 will compete in

Lakewood. In the 100 and 200, Eden Williams, Gomez, Sudderth and Hindes will pass the baton. Catalina Schwab, Izabella Hartzell, Justine Mowery and Brooke Terry will take on the 800.

Shane Mensing is the only thrower that will represent the Cowboys at state. He will compete in the discus during the three-day competition.

The state meet will take place at the Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood to wrap up the spring season.

“The competition has been so tough this season,” Hindes

said. “But I’m proud of all our athletes for working hard. We attacked the regional competition, and now I think we can achieve greatness at state.”

(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)

Gunnison’s compulsory and elective gymnastics teams tumbled their way through the Gunnison Rec Center during a meet on May 8. Each of the gymnasts performed choreographed beam, floor and bar routines as their teammates cheered on.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Gunnison Valley immigrant leaders recognized

Five-week class ends in community graduation

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

On Tuesday, May 7 in the Gunnison County Library, seven students of Latin American descent, but now rooted in the Gunnison Valley, received graduating certificates for a five-week leadership course. The class of community leaders, entrepreneurs and business owners stood proudly in front of the room, and were recognized by Gunnison Mayor Diego Plata.

The class, called “Leadership for good,” was led by Western Colorado University professor Paul Duba. The program equipped immigrants with skills to be successful in their community, and help them find their voice.

The course taught leadership and teamwork strategies. Duba gained experience with the Spanish language instructing workshops in Peru and Chile. He said it was difficult, but rewarding to bridge the cultural gap between Gunnison communities.

“I was challenged by teaching across a cultural divide, and wanted the content to land,” Duba said. “Almost all of the students wanted to help smooth the path for other immigrants living in the Gunnison Valley, and help them speak up.”

The class was a product of the Hispanic Affairs Project, and the Gunnison Cultural Connection

(GCC). After the course concluded, the students were recognized with a graduation ceremony, and met with local nonprofits, such as Gunnison Valley Mentors and the Gunnison County Food Pantry to sign up for volunteer opportunities. Four students took center stage and spoke passionately about their newfound leadership ability. Sandibel Rosas, a medical interpreter and doula of Mexican descent, said the course will change the way she stands up for herself and other immigrants in her career.

“A lot of people in our community don’t want to speak or take leadership roles because they are afraid of being mocked for their accent,” Rosas said. “The class gave me the courage to speak up, even though I might be scared. Now, I think all of the students from this class can rise up and create change for immigrants in this community.”

Rosas said the most impactful lesson was about different leadership and personality types. The class observed a four-color

chart, representing extroverted and introverted leaders, and different ways each personality approaches problem solving.

“Before the class, I would get frustrated working in groups, because I wouldn’t understand others' decision making,” Rosas said. “Now I analyze groups I’m involved with at work, and understand different perspectives and our overall compatibility.”

Although the class was planned to be a one-time opportunity, the GCC and Gunnison County Community Foundation plan to fund another due to the overwhelming success.

“Seeing my students speak so powerfully on Tuesday was super gratifying,” Duba said. “My goal is that they would feel more confident, and that they would act as leaders with more intention and urgency.”

(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)

Sandibel Rosas receives her certificate from Mayor Diego Plata.

A crowd of students and family supporters at the ceremony. (Photos by Bella Biondini)

Lend a hand, or a shovel

Getting the Gunnison Valley’s trails ready for summer is no small feat, and many hands make light work. On May 5, Gunnison Trails hosted the 2024 Hartman Rocks Spring Cleanup with help from Bureau of Land Management, Gunnison County, the Sustainable Tourism and Outdoor Recreation (STOR) Committee, City of Gunnison, Gunnison Nordic, GOATS, Gunnison Climbers, Aberdeen Historic Society and an army of volunteers. The crew smoothed trails, cleared drains, laid new rock work in problem spots, and picked up trash and dog poop — just in time for the annual Growler race over Memorial Day weekend.

STAND OUT IN A MOUNTAIN CROWD!

Signs • Vehicle Decals & Wraps

Store front signs and lettering

Screenprinting • Embroidery

Promotional Products • Stickers

Banners • CANVAS PHOTO WRAPS

Removal, pruning, dead wooding and shaping of trees. Now available stump grinding! Fully Insured.

Trim your bush! It’ll make your deck look bigger!

(Courtesy Rae Anglen/Gunnison Trails)

Children visited Western Colorado University’s campus in late April to celebrate the installation of the new Little Free Earth Library. A group of undergraduate students in the Clark Family School of Environment and Sustainability hosted the outing, providing lunch, a painting activity and a game of environmental-themed hide-and-seek. The Western students wrote a grant proposal for the project in their environmental grant writing class, and presented their work to Western’s Sustainability Fund. After being awarded the funds, the students spent two months assessing their budget, purchasing supplies and coordinating logistics. Western Lumber, Mario's Pizza and OffCenter Designs also supported the project, while Gunnison Valley Mentors and the Gunnison Community School helped spread awareness. Most of the children and families who attended were first-language Spanish speakers from Guatemala and Columbia who now reside in Gunnison. Each child was given a copy of the bilingual book “We Are All Connected / Todos Estamos Conectados: Caring for Each Other & the Earth” by Gabi Garcia. The Free Little Earth Library will stay stocked with free reading material for children.

(Courtesy Brooke Zanetell/Western Colorado University)