gtt-2023-01-19-a-000

Addicted to the ice

Sawtooth to open doors by summer

Affordable housing development offers relief to ‘missing middle’

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

Gunnison County’s next affordable housing development is just months away from welcoming new residents. Dubbed “Sawtooth'' by Gunnison County Commissioners — in honor of the landmark mountain south of Gunnison — the complex will be located on South 14th Street, just west of the Gunnison County Fairgrounds, on land that has historically been used for overflow parking during

Cattlemen’s Days.

By making Sawtooth units for rent only, instead of for sale, the county hopes the development will address the “missing middle,” which refers to residents who earn too much to qualify for a mortgage on housing that is deed restricted, said John Cattles, assistant county manager for operations and sustainability.

Federally subsidized housing like Garden Walk and Palisades Apartments serve those around 70% of the area median income (AMI) and below. The city offered units from 80% to 140% AMI for their affordable housing development Lazy-K, and many on the higher end of the AMI limit have been difficult to fill.

“One of the reasons why this project won’t be for sale is that we’re concerned that for-sale,

Sawtooth A6

Finalists emerge for city manager position Council’s decision expected by February

Bella Biondini Times Editor

Gunnison City Council has selected three finalists for the city manager position, which has sat vacant since late October. Staff expect a new manager to be in place by April 1.

RTA bus ridership soars in 2022

Gunnison transit center in the works

Bella Biondini Times Editor

bus ridership skyrocketed in 2022, with the organization reporting its “biggest year” on record — only one bus load short of a quarter of a million passengers.

The RTA’s numbers have continued to rebound as pandemic impacts fade. Ridership was up a little over 40% in November,

Jacob Spetzler

Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority (RTA)

Jacob Spetzler

QUOTE of the week

BRIEFS

County distributes hundreds of doses of life-saving drug

Narcan trainings given to high school students, bartenders and bus drivers

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

For many months, headlines have warned of the heavy toll that fentanyl is taking on families and communities in America. The drug — which is many times more potent than heroin — increasingly claims younger and younger victims, as accidental overdose rises.

Overdosing can disrupt essential body functions and be fatal within minutes. Narcan reverses or reduces the effects of an opioid overdose by attaching to opioid receptors in the brain and blocking the effects of other opioids.

“All of us may come in contact with somebody who needs Narcan,” Juvenile Services Director Kari Commerford said. “A good way to think about it is it's a life saving device just like an AED, or knowing first aid or CPR.”

Some community members are seeking out opioids such as fentanyl, Commerford said, but some are unknowingly ingesting it laced in cocaine or prescription drugs coming from well-known distributors like Xanax or Vicodin.

On Jan. 13, the Little Blue Creek Canyon construction project opened to two lanes of traffic with no delays until the spring. Work will resume once weather allows and continue through summer of 2023. The project team has not announced a spring start date.

Name a city snowplow

The City of Gunnison is hosting a snowplow naming contest that will remain open until Jan. 27.

Staff will select up to 15 finalists for a public voting round starting on Feb. 6. Visit surveymonkey.com/r/BK5GC3L to submit snowplow name ideas.

State opens new affordable housing incentive program

On Jan. 13, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade announced a new funding opportunity to support the development of the state’s innovative housing manufacturing industry. The fund is expected to create up to 5,000 low-cost housing units over the next five years.

The Innovative Housing Incentive Program (IHIP) is expected to lower the cost of affordable housing projects for local governments and organizations looking to purchase factory built housing, so they can provide rentals for lower- and middle-income households.

Compared to traditional building practices, modular, manufactured and kit homes can be produced more efficiently and at a lower cost.

The program grew out of innovative housing manufacturers’ need for help with supply chain constraints, narrowing margins and longer-term financing to build factories.

“Transformative programs like this ensure there is housing for every budget in our communities which is increasingly important as our state grows,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a press release.

While Gunnison County is faring better than most other counties on the Western Slope, it’s no accident, as local officials have been working hard to keep it that way.

Community-wide distributions

For the past year, members of Gunnison County Juvenile Services and the GRASP consortium, a group emphasizing harm reduction, treatment, recovery and prevention for Substance Use Disorder across all age groups, have been distributing Narcan to community members around the valley.

The distributions are a part of GRASP’s Narcan Awareness and Distribution strategy, which first started in 2019 to address increased incidences around the state of fentanyl found laced in cocaine, methamphetamine and prescription drugs. Since July of 2022, the consortium has distributed over 500 doses of the drug and received more requests for large-scale trainings than ever before.

Drug-seeking behavior is not the only way fentanyl poses a risk to the community, she said.

People who have taken prescribed pain medication for long periods of time may continue to take opioid-based medications to manage their pain, but those people are at risk for overdose if they stop taking painkillers for a period of time and then restart again.

“We're starting to understand more and more that there is a population of people who are overdosing, who are not using drugs as a way to get high,” she said.

The first trainings were for staff at Western Colorado University, emergency responders, firefighters and city and county police officers. The training starts with education, GRASP Coordinator Kyle Tibbett said. Before participants are taught how to distribute the drug, they discuss trends and statistics about the occurrence of drug use in the valley. Tibbett said one of the things that stuck out to him was the number of

Western students who know what Narcan is or had already used it.

The pandemic put a pause on the campaign, but in 2021, Commerford and Tibbett started expanding the sessions across the community to staff at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, bartenders, Mountain Express bus drivers, Western students and Gunnison Watershed

School District staff. That group now includes high school students.

Into the classroom

Commerford, accompanied by a City of Gunnison police officer, gave the firstever Narcan training to a current events class at Gunnison High School in the fall of

OBITUARY

Harold F. Yale

Harold F. “Hal” Yale passed away Dec. 28, 2022. A celebra-

BIRTH

tion of his life will be held this summer at a date and time to be determined. Donations in honor of Hal can be made to the

Zaya Wren Cammack

Zaya Wren Cammack was born Dec. 31, 2022 at 5:17 a.m. to Laurel and Dan Cammack of Gunnison, Colorado. She weighed 7 lbs. and measured 19.5 inches in length. She has an older brother named Alder Emerson Cammack who is 2 ½. Her grandparents are Kristen Wellis, Bernard Reinhardt, Mary Helen and David Cammack all of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Her great grandparents are James and Carol Ann White of Pagosa Springs.

Rotary Scholarship fund P.O. Box 1274 Gunnison, Colorado 81230 or to a charity of the donor's choice.

2022. The school district had already changed their policy in 2021 to allow schools to keep Narcan in health offices, but Commerford’s training was the first time students were taught how to use it.

“With the growing awareness of fentanyl in not just our community, but all communities, and that it was so lethal and has already become a real problem — it was already on people's radar,” said District Nurse Sherilyn Skokan.

After the first training, students in the civics class asked the administration to give the training to the student body as a whole. Now, most juniors, and all staff and administrators in the district have received the training. GHS Principle Jim Woytek said the school is planning to train the rest of the student body.

Education for adults and for kids looks different, Commerford said. Adult training includes an assumption of some drug use, meaning the work is more about harm reduction and personal safety, whereas student training focuses more on upstream prevention and education, centering on risk factors that might increase the likelihood that a young person is going to choose to use a substance at all. These trainings live in a larger ecosystem of education about suicide, bullying prevention and mental health promotion — efforts

to ensure positive health outcomes for youth.

Upstream strategies to prevent substance abuse in kids tend to look the same for addressing alcohol, nicotine, opioid and cocaine, but fentanyl is different, Commerford said. Prevention is more about teaching kids not to take a prescription drug that's not prescribed to them.

Data from the Healthy Kids Colorado survey, a once-everytwo-years study that takes a closer look at the overall health and well-being of students across the state — revealed that since 2009 that the use of prescription drugs for non-medical

purposes has increased for 6th -12th graders. Although numbers reported for the Gunnison Watershed School District were not quite as high as the rest of the state, juvenile services wanted to get ahead of the issue, Commerford said.

“We said, let's get ahead of this. Let’s start to understand prescription drug misuse in kids, and include that in our prevention, treatment and recovery across the lifespan model, so that we don't see those same trends that we're seeing nationally, locally,” Commerford said.

That fentanyl is showing up more and more in counterfeit pills passed off as prescription drugs, like Percocet and Adderall, makes awareness among young people even more crucial, Commerford said.

“Our biggest concern with youth is individuals taking what they think is a Percocet that has fentanyl laced in it,” she said.

“And pills are tricky, because you need just a grain of salt of fentanyl to cause an overdose.”

Training is available for anyone in the community who feels that they themselves, or someone close to them, is at risk for an overdose. Those interested in receiving Narcan training can reach out to Commerford at kcommerford@gunnisoncounty.org.

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

District Nurse Sherliyn Skokan holds a Narcan nasal spray. Abby Harrison

Narcan nasal spray is kept in the nurse’s office at Gunnison Community School.

continued on A3

continued from A2

All of us may come in contact with somebody who needs Narcan … a good way to think about it is it’s a life saving device just like an AED, or knowing first aid or CPR.

Kari Commerford Director of Juvenile Services

Little Blue open through remainder of winter

We can’t sustain life with only traditional soil farming. Diversifying farming practices is essential to continuing to produce food in the West with our rapid water depletion.

—

Alex Van

Zandt, owner of Gunni Gal Aquaponics

Publisher//Owner

Alan Wartes publisher@gunnisontimes.com

Office Manager Issa Forrest issa@gunnisontimes.com

Editor Bella Biondini bella@gunnisontimes.com

Photo and Sports Editor

Jacob Spetzler jacob@gunnisontimes.com

Staff Writer Abby Harrison abby@gunnisontimes.com

Sales Director

Bobbie Duft bobbie@gunnisontimes.com

Sales Representative Jack Anderson jack@gunnisontimes.com

Production Manager Michaela Keefe production@gunnisontimes.com

Production/ Social Media Manager

Libby Marsden libby@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: The Gunnison Country Times, 218 N. Wisconsin, Gunnison, CO 81230-0240

Lessons learned — part two

As I promised in part one of this commentary, I propose to present a few possible lessons learned in the wake of three very challenging pandemic years. I set myself the goal of doing that with a local focus, in the hope of seeing clearly what we might do differently as a community when the next storm rolls in.

However, it’s impossible to get there without first taking a hard look at some truly uncomfortable topics that aren’t strictly local, but that we can’t afford to ignore. My premise is that it’s a conversation we must have, if we hope to avoid doing it all over again.

Ask anyone who calls the Gunnison Valley home why they chose to live here and most will say our sense of community keeps them here. That didn’t just happen, it was built by everyone who came before us, through the many challenges that they faced. Now it’s our turn to do that work and hope to leave the community better than we found it.

I don’t have all the answers about how to do that. Finding answers is harder than ever, and talking about what you find is even harder. That’s because everyone now inhabits what one friend recently called their own “media ecosystem.” That means people may find some of the things I identify below to be truly shocking, because they aren’t reported by preferred news outlets, despite coming from credible sources. This may, in fact, be the problem that feeds all the others.

Here are a few things we

LETTERS

In response to letter titled ‘We are not afraid of new ideas’

Editor: I have a Master’s of Divinity and have served as a pastor in congregations for 30 years. I’m a Western alum and I have lived in the valley for 20 years. A few thoughts:

1. A public library has no responsibility to God or the Bible. A library is a public institution and has a responsibility to the citizens it serves.

2. If someone doesn’t like books about differences in gender or sexual orientation, they don’t have to check those books out. No need to ban books. Banning books flies in the face of anyone or any group who claims to value freedom. Freedom of the press is part of the First Amendment. Any attempt to ban books puts us on a path to losing our democracy. It should be a huge red flag when any group attempts to ban books.

3. The book of Romans is very dense and contains many social issues of first-century Rome and Corinth. The Apostle Paul wrote this letter as guidance for a specific group of people during a specific time frame. When reading the Bible, we must always situate it in its context, so as not to

Publisher

must account for on our way to lessons learned. (Please keep in mind the large helping of hindsight involved and that my purpose is to learn, not to lay blame.)

• Lockdowns may have caused far more harm than good. It didn’t take long after the early months of the pandemic to realize that the worst case scenario was unlikely to materialize. Yet business closures and other severe social restrictions persisted. Without the infusion of millions in pandemic relief funds, the cost to our local economy would have been much more severe than it was. As it is, repercussions are still being felt, and whether the “return” justified the hardship and risk is debatable.

• The mRNA vaccine may have dangerous side effects. If you search that question online, you’ll find several pages of sites claiming to debunk this notion. But a different story may now be emerging. Based on data from multiple sources, many health and insurance industry professionals are beginning to sound the alarm about adverse health effects possibly linked to vaccination.

A good place to start in studying this idea yourself is the CDC’s own Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which records possible harmful outcomes after any vaccine, as reported by health care professionals. The data suggest an urgent need for serious investigation.

• Access to information about all the above has been intentionally suppressed. Recent revelations about Twitter have invited the conclusion that a coordinated campaign of censorship continues to deprive Americans of their right to speak freely — but also to hear all points of view on important topics in order to make informed decisions.

To be abundantly clear: These are mysteries to solve, not foregone conclusions. But they will never be solved if we refuse to acknowledge them in the first place.

With that in mind, here are a few suggested conclusions that can be used as a guide in the future.

• Public health and politics don’t mix. It is worth noting that the impact of most of the above is politically neutral. That is, if the picture painted by these ideas passes the test of inquiry and turns out to be accurate, then its impact is felt by everyone. Yet, during the height of the pandemic, much of what passed for debate seemed motivated by a desire for political advantage, making honest analysis hard to achieve. Let’s agree to guard against this in the future.

• National authorities aren’t infallible. Nor are they incorruptible. As a community, it’s okay to be skeptical and to make the official narrative stand up to scrutiny — according to what seems best here. Let’s communicate to our local leadership that we support that kind of thinking and that we have their back as they undertake tough, outside-thebox decisions.

• Transparency is everything. When those tough decisions have been made, they should be clearly communicated to those who must live with them — with access to all the information that went into the choices.

Accountability is never more important in governance than when the stakes are really high.

• Demonizing dissent is a bad idea. As I’ve argued before, in a small community like ours, we need each other and have to live together long after a particular challenge has passed. Harsh and divisive name-calling may feel satisfying in the heat of a moment, but it undermines everything else we must do as a community.

One last time: My purpose is not to promote one set of conclusions over another. It is to start an honest conversation so that the conclusions we do reach are sound.

(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@ gunnisontimes.com. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his alone.)

LETTERS

those very hierarchies, burning down dehumanizing systems and encouraging human flourishing. Of course, that’s the reading I prefer, and I hope my coreligionists will do the same.

Ian Wrisley Gunnison

Simply love them for who they are

Editor:

This is in response to Jo Laird’s letter “We are not afraid of new ideas.”

Growing up, I always went to church. My family went to a small non-denominational church, but I questioned a lot of what was told to me. As a young child, I remember asking my local pastor if dogs go to heaven. As a small girl who had just lost a pet, I cried when he told me, “no, because dogs don't have souls.”

I credit that moment to my lifelong questioning of my family’s faith.

While I don’t identify with the faith anymore, I still carry some of the principles of selflessness, service and acceptance that I learned from my time attending church. I now give myself over to service, working tirelessly for young people in our community. I know the young adults in our valley, and some of the kids are not alright.

In May of 2022, the most recent and diverse national study of LGBTQ+ youth came out with some telling statistics.

• In the past year, 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide.

• 14% of LGBTQ youth attempted suicide in the last year, including nearly 1 in 5 transgender and nonbinary youth.

tation in TV/movies made them feel good about being LGBTQ.

To sum up, there are LGBTQ+ children in our community. Banning books that show LGBTQ+ representation and publishing harmful letters to the paper are two ways that we show the kids — and trust me they are watching — that this isn’t an accepting community. Those are two ways we increase their chances of committing suicide.

If you’re worried about the “rest of their lives,” accept them, so that they can live those lives. If you want to protect innocent, defenseless children, simply love them, for who they are.

If you, or someone you know is struggling with mental health, there are resources that can help you. You can call 1.844.493.8255 or text TALK to 38255 to connect with Gunnison’s Mobile Crisis Services.

scale where it’s needed most in our community. Let’s all get behind this.

Loren Ahonen Gunnison

Life is precious

Editor: Damar Hamlin recently stopped breathing due to a blow to his chest in an NFL football game between the Bills and Bengals. Thanks to the timely intervention of medical personnel and the outpouring of prayers of so many, he has achieved a remarkable comeback.

Some have asked, was his recovery a miracle? His answer to that question: “God has been involved all the way.”

Whetstone offers next opportunity for attainable and affordable housing

Editor:

I’m writing in support of the Whetstone Housing Project which has now been in development consideration since August of 2021. From the available materials on the website and in other public forums it’s clear that there has been significant, iterative consideration for the project. As a community, we speak a lot about housing challenges facing our workforce, small businesses and people in general. Yet, oftentimes when it comes to executing carefully considering solutions to these challenges, many of us become experts in the least productive way possible.

The value placed on Hamlin’s life by so many speaks for itself, and I write to bring attention to the life and death decisions being made in Gunnison County by expectant mothers considering permanently stopping the heartbeat of the unborn child in their womb.

Some expectant mothers feel so overwhelmed and helpless that they see aborting their baby as their only option. Those mothers are faced with the decision: Should they have this baby? Fortunately, Lighthouse Pregnancy Center of Gunnison can help these mothers realize that support is available and give them the confidence necessary to celebrate the “precious life” of their child.

use it for our own gain. (Nor use it as a weapon against others.)

In short, the main point of Paul’s letter was to stress the importance of not judging each other. (2:1) If anyone wants to have a longer discussion about the book of Romans or any other part of the Bible, my number and email are: 970.209.1613 and jellykoclark@gmail.com.

thing.”

The author isn’t interested in condemning gay people or trans people. He’s leading his readers toward a reminder that judging others is a dumb thing to do.

Here’s another Bible story: one of Jesus’ disciples dreams of a voice instructing him to eat “unclean” food. When he refuses, the voice says, “Don’t call unclean what I’ve called clean.”

The disciple wakes up and goes to visit some people he assumes are “unclean.”

queer Christians. Identity is not lifestyle.

The religious tradition that shaped me centers the marginalized and encourages compassion and solidarity. And it’s part of what motivates me to live and work toward justice and equity. Here’s where the writer and I agree. I, too, care about innocent, defenseless children — children who know that if they express their identity a religion of grace will be weaponized against them.

• LGBTQ youth who felt high social support from their family reported attempting suicide at less than half the rate of those who felt low or moderate social support.

• LGBTQ youth who found their school to be LGBTQaffirming reported lower rates of attempting suicide.

• LGBTQ youth who live in a community that is accepting of LGBTQ people reported significantly lower rates of attempting suicide compared to those who do not.

I will acknowledge that I am no affordable housing design or development expert — but I am a supporter of those who have invested their careers and expertise into developing housing for others.

The Lighthouse Pregnancy Center offers these brave women and their partners a safe and loving place to carefully consider all their options so they can make a choice from a place of strength — being fully informed, rather than from a place of stress and fear. The Lighthouse doesn't tell anyone what to do, but instead walks alongside them in their journey.

The Bible is a dangerous book

Editor:

In seventh grade I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. In ninth grade I was baptized. After college, I earned an M. Div. from an evangelical seminary.

I was intrigued by a letter in last week’s Gunnison Country Times that quoted Romans I, a chapter often used to bash gay folks. Now we’re more sophisticated and use it to knock trans people, too.

But context matters. Romans

I leads to this: “Therefore you’re without excuse ... when you judge others: in passing judgment you condemn yourself, because you're doing the same

He soon realizes the dream wasn’t about food, but people. “Don’t call anyone unclean.”

But seriously, who cares? In a secular society, religious institutions and ideologies don't get special treatment and the Bible has no bearing on which books the public library should have in its collection.

In a secular society, many of us are going to see things that offend our religious sensibilities. Jews and Muslims don’t eat pork. I can’t salute the flag. But we make space for pigs and flags.

Last week’s letter asserts that being gay or trans is a lifestyle.

Being LGBTQ is identity, not lifestyle. Being a rancher or a ski bum is a lifestyle and there are queer ranchers and gay skiers. Being a Christian entails lifestyle choices, and I know

I care about children left without resources to navigate the common human experience of becoming an adult, finding identity, feeling new attractions to others. Books are a great avenue for self-exploration and understanding.

Books are both safe and dangerous — dangerous because they expose us to new ideas that radically deconstruct the world, and incredibly safe, because that exposure takes place in one's mind, where new ideas and old ideas can interact.

The Bible is a dangerous book. It’s dangerous because it is used to promote horrendous hierarchies of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity,and class. But it’s also dangerous because it sets fire to

• Nearly two in five LGBTQ youth reported living in a community that is somewhat or very unaccepting of LGBTQ people.

• 89% of LGBTQ youth reported that seeing LGBTQ represen-

I will wholeheartedly say I’m fortunate to own a home within 100 feet of the largest affordable housing development in the county, Paintbrush. I’m fortunate because affordable housing developments at scale (like Paintbrush and Whetstone) create opportunities for my friends, neighbors and fellow citizens to succeed, which buttresses our community.

To me, Whetstone offers the next opportunity to offer attainable and affordable housing at

Over the past few years, the number of clients served through the Lighthouse has increased from 10 to 69, with 55 children impacted in 2022 alone. More and more families are finding help and support. Parents have free access to education, support, advocacy and supplies during the pregnancy and after the birth of the baby.

About half the clients are expecting, and half have infants and need supplies and education. And the Lighthouse relies completely on financial donations and grants to operate.

For more information, phone

Kelly Jo Clark Gunnison

Sierra Cucinelli Gunnison

Alan Wartes Times

After serving for six years, former City Manager Russ Forrest announced his resignation in August 2022, with plans to return to Vail where he worked in different roles for over a decade. Finance Director Ben Cowan has filled in as interim since Forrest’s departure.

Staff hired a recruitment service called Columbia Ltd. to begin a national search for a replacement. Over the course of a month and a half, the city received more than 25 applications. During a closed session on Jan. 10, Columbia Ltd. CEO Andrew Gorgey reported that the company had reduced the applicant pool to six. City council narrowed the number of candidates even further — selecting three finalists.

Gunnison residents are invited to a “Meet the Finalists” forum on Thursday, Jan. 19 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Gunnison Rec Center in the Palisades Room. This event will give the community an opportunity to meet the candidates and to provide input that will help council members select Gunnison’s next leader.

Finalists will be screened by a variety of interview groups, allowing the city to gather input from other local entities, city employees as well as the public. The interview

process will wrap up at the end of this week with an official announcement likely to occur before the beginning of February. City managers are often required to give 60 days notice to their current employers, meaning a new manager could feasibly be in place by the first of April, Cowan said.

The city manager is the only employee council is responsible for selecting.

“This is one of the bigger decisions the council will make,” Cowan said.

The city manager is responsible for all other city employees and oversees a budget of more than $38 million. The manager drives the overall direction of the city through projects and relationships with other municipalities and entities such as Western Colorado University and Gunnison County. As the chief administrative officer, they help guide every corner of the city system, from the finance department and public works to parks and rec and everything in between.

“We want to make sure that we vet all of the finalists and find someone who can bring to the community both experience and proven leadership,” said Mayor Diego Plata.

“While we're in a bit of a ‘let's get to the finish line mentality,’ so we can get somebody in place and get the operation under the right

Sawtooth

from A1

especially with this interest rate environment, is a burden on people,” Cattles said. “People won’t have to find a loan and be subject to those interest rates.”

Sawtooth was mostly funded through federal COVID relief money; three rounds of stimulus funding through the American Rescue Act of 2021 amounted to just under the $6.1 million project.

The county selected Fading West Construction, a Buena Vista modular housing manufacturer, to build the housing complex, which will consist of 18 modular units made up of six duplex buildings and six singleoccupancy spaces. The latter will sit above two-car garages behind the duplexes.

Site work was originally scheduled to begin in the fall of 2022, but supply chain delays pushed construction to earlier this year. Units will go into production in March, be installed by May and ready for occupancy in late June, said Thomas Grasp, Fading West project coordinator.

The development will include yard space, which was priority, since another of the county’s affordable housing developments, Paintbrush Apartments, does not have any, Cattles said.

Fading West’s factory-built townhomes were similar in cost to site-built framing, but the schedule was much faster.

“We’ve seen the need for attainable housing and want-

ed to be part of that solution," Grasp said. “People are knocking down our door asking for cheaper housing. We've seen a huge demand since we've opened up our manufacturing facilities.”

To stay on track with the county’s climate goals, the new development will be fully-electric and use ground source heat pumps — which are two and half times more efficient than electric baseboard heating — to heat and cool the buildings. The units are expected to be solarready and to comply with 2021 International Code Council standards.

The project was designed in two phases. Phase one, the 400 Block, encompasses the north end and is situated between San Juan Avenue and Evans Avenue.

Cattles said the modular style of housing fits pre-existing zon-

Brian Berger

As the town administrator, treasurer and clerk for the Town of Poncha Springs, Colorado, Berger does a little bit of everything for the small community — including plow driving. Prior to city management, Berger worked as lift revenue controller for Monarch Mountain and as the officer manager for Rock Cottage Glassworks in Merriam, Kansas.

Lowe is a recruiter for managers and consulting services governments with a company he founded in 2019. Previously he served as interim town manager for the Town of Elizabeth, Colorado, and was the Town Manager for the Town of Monument.

RTA

isn't running today. That doesn't do us any good as a passenger.”

Thomas is the city administrator for the City of Amity, Oregon, a small rural community of less than 2,000 in the northeastern corner of the state. He is a 20-year U.S. Air Force veteran and former lieutenant colonel and squadron commander.

leadership, I wouldn't say that we're in a rush to pick someone for the sake of picking someone,” Plata said. “The

opportunity to open the search back up does exist. And while it wouldn't be my first pick, it's certainly not off the table.”

while the count continued to climb into the end of the year.

RTA buses moved more than 38,600 passengers across the Gunnison Valley in December.

On New Year’s Eve alone, buses carried over 1,900 riders.

“We were way, way up … nine of the last 10 months have been records,” said RTA Executive Director Scott Truex during a regular board meeting on Jan. 6.

As the busy winter season continues, Truex also acknowledged some overcrowding in the five o'clock window when locals head to and from work. He said the RTA may try to add an additional bus in that time slot next winter.

Reducing the carbon footprint

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

might exist for other groups that sometimes struggle to get into housing like this and see if we can lower those barriers.”

Ridership isn’t the only thing that has improved, Truex reported. Equipment upgrades have made it easier for the large buses to operate in winter weather.

The RTA’s monthly bus reports include the number of bus trips, riders on board and miles traveled. Board member Anna Fenerty asked if Truex could find a way to calculate the amount of emissions generated from the bus system.

ing, so there was no need for a months-long public process just to rezone the land.

Phase two, the 500 Block, is everything south of Evans Avenue to the end of South 14th, and is a little more complicated, he said. South 14th Avenue dead-ends on Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office land, so the county needs to figure out how to install utilities and acquire parking access for vehicles. In just a few weeks, the county will start work with the City of Gunnison on that planning process, which will likely involve rezoning the 500 Block.

The county intends for the start of leasing to coincide with Rural Welcoming Week.

“We want to make sure we're reaching out to non-English speakers,” Cattles said. “We’re trying to find out what barriers

The county will not place deed restrictions on the units, since officials have no current interest in selling them, but will instead manage the rents through county policy, Cattles said. So far, half of the 18 units are committed to rents not exceeding 80% AMI. There is no policy yet for the other nine units, but those will likely be offered to county employees using a qualified income ratio anywhere between 80-120% AMI. The county will contract with the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority to manage and administer the units.

“We would like to keep a few units with flexibility while we maintain our affordability goals on the majority,” he said.

Revenue from Sawtooth will be funneled into the county’s newly-minted Housing Authority Fund. This will, in part, help pay for the county’s coming affordable housing projects, like Whetstone, located just south of Crested Butte.

“We're going to keep that revenue focused on that goal of affordable housing,” Cattles said. “It’s a nice way for us to take a one-time influx of funding and turn it into a sustainable revenue source that will last as long as those buildings.”

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

Although the Gunnison Valley has been continuously hit by winter storm cycles since the holidays, RTA buses have been able to climb the hill below Crested Butte Mountain Resort even when the roads are slick. This is due to a combination of aggressive tread, chains and a new suspension system that allows the driver to drop the tag axle, giving buses better traction. In the past, riders often unloaded at the Crested Butte 4-Way Stop to catch a smaller Mountain Express bus to the ski resort when road conditions deteriorated.

“Buses have been rolling really smoothly,” said RTA board member Boe Freeburn. “They're looking great.”

Truex said RTA staff are working with Alpine Express, the company that runs the RTA’s bus services, to improve its alert system on the app it uses to keep passengers informed of delays and route changes.

Visitors and residents can use the international “Transit App” to get live updates on where buses are and when they will arrive at each stop by favoriting the route.

Although the RTA is not able to change how the technology works, staff are working on ways to create a better system, Truex said.

“We're doing our best to improve our messaging so that passengers fully understand what's happening,” Truex said. “The message to Alpine has always been, the clearer we are to the passenger from a passenger perspective, the better, because sometimes the alerts go out and they say Route F3

“I think both sides of the val ley are really interested in stay ing conscious of, and account able, to the emissions we cre ate,” Fenerty said.

After the arrival of two new buses in April, Truex said that 80% of its fleet will run on recaptured CNG, which stands for compressed natural gas. CNG, which is essentially recaptured methane, is a cleanburning alternative to gasoline and diesel that reduces exhaust emissions.

Jason MacMillan, another RTA board member, said gath ering the information would be an interesting addition — allow ing the RTA to speak to the ben efits of catching the bus instead of driving around the valley.

“I want to reduce my car bon footprint,” MacMillan said. “Knowing what those numbers are may encourage people to take the bus more often that may not otherwise.”

Transit center in the works

The RTA has been work ing with City of Gunnison and Gunnison County planners on a Hwy. 135 and Hwy. 50 access plan that will begin to prepare the travel corridors for future development. The plan will include a recommended loca tion for a transit center.

Truex said he hopes to pres ent the RTA board with a pro posal in the coming months so the project can progress. One potential location is on Spencer Avenue near the Gunnison Rec Center, but nothing has been finalized, he said.

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

Christopher Lowe

Michael Thomas

(The candidates will introduce themselves and share their qualifications to lead the city on Thursday, Jan. 19 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Gunnison Rec Center. This will be followed by a Q&A session. Interpretation services will be provided.)

Jacob Spetzler

Sawtooth will be built along South 14th Street, west of the Gunnison County Fairgrounds.

People are knocking down our door asking for cheaper housing. We’ve seen a huge demand since we’ve opened up our manufacturing facilities.

Thomas Grasp Fading West Construction Project Manager

from A1

Jacob Spetzler

A Gunnison RTA bus picks up passergens at the Gunnison High School stop.

City’s community grant program survives cuts in 2023

Search for way to fund street maintenance continues

Bella Biondini Times Editor

While searching for ways to fund ongoing street maintenance operations after voters failed to pass a sales tax increase last fall, Gunnison City Council has decided against making any immediate or drastic cuts to its community grant program — one that often provides much-needed financial support to nonprofit groups and organizations throughout the valley.

City council holds a work session once a year following the approval of its budget to select the recipients of its economic development and public service grants. The program, common amongst municipalities and governments, is designed to fund services not directly offered by the city and promote new ways to increase sales tax revenue.

Members of council shared their preliminary funding suggestions with the finance department before the annual session on Jan. 10. With nearly $2 million in requests, council carefully divided the $244,000 allotted in the 2023 budget. Although the future of Gunnison’s road system was still undecided, the majority agreed that immediate changes would do more harm than good.

The city’s community grant program is split into two categories. Public service grants bolster private or nonprofit programs that promote the health and well-being of the city.

Past recipients have included the Gunnison Valley Health Foundation, Gunnison Trails and Safe Ride. The second, economic development grants, are intended to boost the city’s sales tax base. Cattlemen’s Days and the Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce have been regular recipients.

The money used to support the grant program is pulled from the city’s general fund and the marijuana tax, which can only be used to pay for educational programs related to substance abuse prevention and counseling.

The majority of the funds are generated by local sales tax revenue. The amount budgeted for community grants has remained flat in recent years.

This year, council focused on mental health support and child care facilities. The Gunnison

Arts Center, the Gunnison Country Food Pantry, Gunnison Valley Mentors and GCSAPP also received significant portions of the allotted amount.

While Mayor Diego Plata and the rest of council helped divide the money, Councilor Jim Miles abstained from the process.

Following the failure of ballot initiative 2A last fall, Miles said would not take part in “giving city money away.”

“This is one place we can cut without hurting our infrastructure … I beg you to cut back on some of this to roll the money into streets and alleys and our infrastructure,” Miles said. “I'm certain it's going to upset some, and it's going please, I'd say, the majority. The people that benefit from it are actually few. Hardly anybody gets even a portion of what they asked for.”

Floodgate brings bluegrass to the ‘Mont

Ben Cowan Finance Director and Interim City Manager

Council member Jim Gelwicks said his goal was to try and reduce the grant budget by 10% — marking “quite a few zeros down the line.” He expressed worry about the 26% decline in marijuana funding available compared to the previous year.

Using a different approach, Council member Mallory Logan said she went “all or nothing” as she moved through the grant requests. She favored organizations such as Project Hope and those “that really do make a difference in the health and safety of our residents,” Logan said.

Looking at the grant program as a whole, Plata agreed that it was an area where the city could potentially save money. But it would be a disservice to ask, receive and review applications in 2023 and then not fund them, he said.

“I’m all in for this year and then maybe we discuss the approach to the entirety of the process for next year’s cycle and, through that, give individuals and applicants the space and time required for them to plan their financial years as necessary,” Plata said.

Cutting the grant program

entirely would save approximately $100,000 within the city’s “general fund.” This part of the budget covers expenses for parks and rec, the police and fire departments and more — all areas competing for the same funding as road maintenance.

On Jan. 24, council will hold another special session to try and address the failed election. Different courses of action include keeping operations status quo and allowing roads to continue to decline, bringing a modified ballot initiative back to voters and exploring ways to make budget cuts.

“Maybe the grants are part of it,” Finance Director and Interim City Manager Ben Cowan told the Times

Although reducing grant funding is always an option, choosing the right amount to cut is a matter of debate, he said. Cowan said he’s seen numerous councils try and

make the cuts, but it can be a challenge, as many residents receive direct benefits from Gunnison’s nonprofit community — from clients at Six Points to students and those who are food insecure.

“They're pillars of our community, and a lot of the volunteers work tirelessly to provide services,” Cowan said.

Tina McGuinness, executive director of Gunnison Valley Mentors, said the grant awards are an important piece of the nonprofit’s funding puzzle each year. Money from local governments also gives the organization credibility in the eyes of other potential funding streams.

“An award from the City of Gunnison is an investment in the lives of our local youth, and benefits the whole community into the future,” McGuinness wrote in an email. “It really makes a difference.”

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

They’re pillars of our community, and a lot of the volunteers work tirelessly to provide services.

continued from A8

Crested Butte’s Floodgate Operators played at the Almont Resort on Friday night, Jan. 13 as a part of the Snowdance Winter Concert Series — made possible by a partnership with I Bar Ranch.

Taylor Ahearn

Western welcomes two new trustees

Ferchau leaves

board after two terms

Western Colorado University recently welcomed two new members to the Board of Trustees: Millie Hamner and longtime Gunnison resident, Dave Wiens. Hamner fills the position vacated by Pam Shaddock, and Wiens replaces Erich Ferchau, who served eight years on the board.

“I am thrilled to have both of them join our board,” said Western President Brad Baca. “They bring expertise, experience and a strong understanding of Western’s strengths and opportunities.”

Hamner resides in Summit County and is an affiliate at the Keystone Center in Keystone, Colorado. From 2010-2018, Hamner served in the Colorado House of Representatives, where she represented parts of Gunnison County, serving as chair or vice chair of the Joint Budget and Education committees. Before her time as an elected official, Hamner was the superintendent of the Summit School District and educator in both K-12 and higher education institutions.

Wiens resides in Gunnison and is the executive director of the International Mountain Biking Associate (IMBA). He is also the founder and director of Gunnison Trails Inc. and was instrumental in establishing Western’s Mountain Sports program. Along with serving on the USA Cycling Board of Directors, Wiens served on the boards for the National OffRoad Bicycling Association and the National Interscholastic Cycling Association. A 1990 graduate of Western, Wiens was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 2000.

“I love the Gunnison Valley,” Wiens said. “Having Western here for over 100 years has, in part, defined this valley, and I think in a very positive way. I would like to just be a part of

that moving forward.”

In particular, Wiens said he is interested in promoting greater integration between the campus community and towns at both ends of the valley.

Erich Ferchau is leaving the board after eight years, but his history of involvement with Western spans many decades.

His father, Hugo Ferchau, was a biology professor at Western for 30 years.

“He was a phenomenal person and a very committed faculty member,” Ferchau said. “He loved his students. We lived on campus. It was my playground.”

Looking back on his tenure as a trustee, Ferchau acknowledged that higher education faces headwinds, but said he sees opportunity in that.

“If you're the best at your game, I don't think that matters, he said. “The university is producing good results, I don't care if enrollment is going down across the country, we're going to get as many people or more that want to be getting an education and there will always be people going to college.”

Wiens joins Crested Butte resident Kara Buckley as one of two trustees representing the local community on the the board. Buckley is the founder and director of the Crested Butte Institute, which engages in academic research in three Western Slope policy areas: energy, land use and water.

Wiens said his first step as a new trustee is to listen to people in the community.

“I've thought about, okay, what how? What are the nuts and bolts of making this happen? How do I not just talk to all the people that I know and talk to some new people? I want to be as accessible as possible.”

Local mommas host speaker

(Source: Western Colorado University.)

Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) hosted speaker Danielle Grosse at Webster Hall last Wednesday, Jan. 11. Grosse, who lived and raised her own kids in Gunnison, gave a talk called ‘Raising Kids with Helping Hearts.’ “In a culture that is increasingly isolated, there seems to be an attitude of ‘I love me, who do you love?’ As parents, how do we combat that and raise our children with concepts and practices that will teach them empathy and the power of helping others?” she wrote in an email after the event.

Jacob Spetzler

Millie Hamner

Dave Wiens

Courtesy

Having Western here for over 100 years has, in part, defined this valley, and I think in a very positive way. I would like to just be a part of that moving forward.

Dave Wiens

WCU Board of Trustees

New law grants tax break to ‘non-soil’ food producers

LIGHTS&SIRENS

CITY OF GUNNISON POLICE REPORT

JANUARY 9

MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION —

300 N. 9TH ST.

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGE - MUNICIPAL — 1000 W. RAILROAD AVE.

ANIMAL:NUISANCE ABATEMENT - EXCREMENT — 600 N. COLORADO ST.

HARASSMENTCOMMUNICATIONS — 38064 W. HWY. 50

WARRANT SERVICE - OTHER JURISDICTION — 404 W. RIO GRANDE AVE.

JANUARY 10

AGENCY ASSIST — 711 N. TAYLOR ST. FRAUD BY CHECK $100.00$500.00 — 412 W. TOMICHI AVE.

TRAFFIC VIOLATION — S. WISCONSIN ST.

JANUARY 16

THEFT — 213 N. LOVELAND ST. WELFARE ASSIST — E. TOMICHI AVE.

PROPERTY WATCH BURGLARY - SECOND DEGREE — 1140 N. MAIN ST.

GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

JANUARY 10

-Deputies responded to a residence for a possible domestic -Vicious dog report -Theft report under investigation -Accident by a snow plow -Agency assisted the Colorado State Patrol and Gunnison Fire Rescue with a vehicle that had crashed and was in the river

JANUARY 11

Aquaponics and greenhouses qualify for ag exemption

Alexis Taylor Special to the Times

House Bill 22-1301, which went into effect on Jan. 1, lays the foundation for future changes in tax law that could have a positive impact on nontraditional farmers — ringing in a new era of agriculture in Colorado.

The bill, sponsored by Colorado Representatives Matt Soper and Dylan Roberts, amended an existing law to include “crops grown within a controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facility,” as a part of agriculture and exempted all agricultural equipment located inside a CEA from property

Before this bill passed, if a farmer spent tens of thousands of dollars on a greenhouse, it would raise their assessed property value and most likely increase their property taxes.

Food production was only considered “agriculture” if it came through the land’s soil, and the property’s water was not considered an agricultural medium.

This bill is the first step to stop penalizing farmers who need a greenhouse for their operation to succeed.

Alex Van Zandt, owner of Gunni Gal Aquaponics, has been a farmer in the Gunnison Valley for a year, producing high-quality greens, herbs, bok choi, pea shoots, tomatoes and more, year round. Yet, her operation was not considered agricultural, despite producing thousands of pounds of vegetables and fish for the community.

For Van Zandt, this new law gives aquaponic growers a “seat at the agricultural table” — finally valuing non-soil growing as farming, too. With the addition of water as an agricultural medium, hydroponic and aquaponic growers in the state of Colorado might finally begin to see some of the tax benefits

that soil farmers have enjoyed for decades.

Still, it won’t be an easy battle.

“The onus is on the farmer to prove to the county that the greenhouse structure itself is a part of the ‘equipment’ that is now exempt from property taxes,” Van Zandt said.

Greenhouses like Gunni Gal’s utilize passive solar and are essential to producing food year round, she said. Without the greenhouse structure consistently impacting the heat, humidity and light, it would be impossible for her to grow crops like greens throughout the year in the Gunnison Valley’s harsh climate.

“Investors in alternative types of farming are important for Colorado, especially because of our arid climate and finite supply of water,” Van Zandt said.

Aquaponic farming utilizes fish waste to benefit plants, and it uses significantly less water than flood or overhead irrigation which is frequently used in traditional soil farming. Regenerative soil farms conserve water through drip irrigation, whereas aquaponic grows recycle and recirculate the same water to reduce usage.

Aquaponic operations also have a smaller footprint and are able to produce food year round in any climate.

“We can’t sustain life with only traditional soil farming,” Van Zandt said. “Diversifying farming practices is essential to continuing to produce food in the West with our rapid water depletion.”

While House Bill 22-1301 is likely not going to bring any tax benefits to the backyard grower with a small greenhouse, it will hopefully begin to bring tax relief to CEA farms and establish their importance to the future of agriculture in Colorado. Recognizing the value of all types of farming is an essential step in feeding our communities as the climate changes.

(Alexis Taylor has lived in the Gunnison Valley — and grown food here — for several years. She is the owner of Sundrop Flora, a flower farm.)

JANUARY 11

HARASSMENT — 130 E. DENVER AVE.

WELFARE ASSIST — ESCALANTE DR. HARASSMENTCOMMUNICATIONS — N. IOWA ST. THEFT - INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE — 318 REED ST.

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — 800 W. OHIO AVE.

JANUARY 12

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF - DAMAGE TO PROPERTY — 301 S. 2ND ST. PROPERTY - FOUND — 910 W. BIDWELL AVE.

AGENCY ASSIST — MM 155.5 W. HWY. 50

JANUARY 13

JUVENILE PROBLEM — W. TOMICHI AVE.

VIOLATION OF PROTECTION ORDER — 624 N. MAIN ST. DISTURBING THE PEACE — 624 N. MAIN ST.

AGENCY ASSIST — 400 N. PITKIN ST.

HARASSMENTCOMMUNICATIONS — N. 8TH ST.

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — W. ARTHUR AVE.

JANUARY 14

ABANDONED VEHICLE — 700 W. RUBY AVE.

ABANDONED VEHICLE — 700 W. RUBY AVE.

ABANDONED VEHICLE — 900 W. DENVER AVE.

ABANDONED VEHICLE — 900 W. DENVER AVE.

ANIMAL - VICIOUS /

-Harassment call -Vin Check

-North end deputies assisted a stranded motorist with his stuck truck blocking the roadway -Deputies assisted a driver who hit a ladder that was on the highway, causing the vehicle to become stuck

-Search and rescue call with Western Mountain Rescue team, stuck snowmobilers in a blizzard located safe

-Deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol with a slide off vehicle needing a tow -Deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol with a citizen who slide off the road into the snow

JANUARY 12

-Deputies arrested one person for driving under the influence of drugs, illegal distribution of marijuana, possession of controlled substances, no proof of insurance, operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license and careless driving

-Deputies arrived on scene where a deer had been hit by a vehicle, injured and needed to be dispatched

-North end deputies assisted a stranded motorist

-Deputies responded to a stranded motorist but upon arrival the vehicle had gotten unstuck -Vin Check

-Lost property report of a jacket containing cash

JANUARY 13

-In county warrant arrest -K-9 deputy Freya and her partner Deputy Janssen made a visit to the Gunnison High School and to the Gunnison Community School to meet students and answer questions -Civil harassment call -Deputies responded to stranded vehicle call

JANUARY 15

JANUARY 14

-911 hang up call

-Agency assist to the Colorado State Patrol, Emergency Medical Services and Gunnison fire / -Rescue with a one vehicle roll over accident

-Deputies assisted a stranded motorist

-Search and rescue by Western Mountain Rescue Team and Pitkin quick response team found the stuck snowmobiler

Courtesy

Gunni Gal Aquaponics grows many varieties of greens year round.

continued from A14

JANUARY 15

-Deputies with K-9 Deputy Freya assisted the Gunnison Police Department with the search of a vehicle believed to be connected in a crime

-Summons issued for under age possession/ consumption, and one person was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and underage possession/ consumption of marijuana

LETTERS

continued from A5

Wendy Solheim 970.275.6167 or legacyceo.lfm@gmail.com.

Greg Kruthaupt Gunnison

Great Decisions

Editor:

I am excited to share an upcoming opportunity with the Gunnison community to participate in a non-partisan discussion group called Great Decisions, an annual forum featuring a variety of timely foreign policy topics.

These sessions will be held Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at the new Gunnison Library and virtually between Jan. 25 and March 15. Topics to be discussed this year — selected by the Foreign Policy Association — include energy geopolitics, war crimes, China and the U.S., economic warfare, politics in Latin America, global famine, Iran at a crossroads and climate migration. Each one-

JANUARY 16

-Suspicious person call -Welfare check on an upset young person in the highway with his bike

-Harassment call -Medical call for a different county- mistakenly called Gunnison

-One person was arrested for driving with ability impaired and careless driving

hour session will consist of a 30-minute video lecture on the topic of the week, followed by an engaging discussion.

Attend all the sessions or choose weeks featuring topics that pique your interest.

Supplemental reading materials will be available at the Gunnison Library or electronically by request.

This foreign policy discussion series is a chance to come together as a community to learn and share differing viewpoints about current events and challenges facing our world. And, as I see it, for all of us to move a little more towards the middle and away from polarized viewpoints.

All willing to learn and engage in cordial discourse are welcome and encouraged to attend.

I hope that it will strengthen our ties as a community and as global citizens.

Lindsay Davis Gunnison

Jacob Spetzler