Redstone October/November 2023

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EDSTONE R •E •V•I •E •W

Redstone stands with President Zelensky and the people in Ukraine

VOLUME 24, NUMBER 9

LYONS, COLORADO

RESIDENT / OCCUPANT PRSRT STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID LYONS, CO PERMIT No 2053 $.50

OCTOBER 18 / NOVEMBER 15, 2023

B •R •I •E •F •S Lyons Spooktacular Parade Saturday, October 28 LYONS – Lyons, and tigers, and bears – oh my. The spooky nights will be here in no time. The fun takes place on Saturday, October 28, for the Annual Lyons Halloween Spooktacular. This year’s activities include the Halloween Parade, Trick or Treat, Garden Club’s Chili Cook-off held at Main Stage, music, tricks, treats, and games for ghouls and goblins, all leading up to the foot parade through town. Kids activities will be held at the Lyons Elementary School from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The human powered foot parade along Main St will start at 6 p.m. The Lyons Middle / Senior High School band will kick off the parade. For more information, go to www.townoflyons.com.

Lyons blood drive LYONS – The Lyons Regional Library, 451 Fourth Ave., will host a blood drive on Monday, October 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There is a critical shortage of blood. Please sign up today if you are able to donate.

Town Hall and Library Art Show LYONS – Silver Linings Retrospective is the next LAHC Library and Town Hall Art Show, featuring work by two local lifelong artists, Ruth Wilson and Carol Groves. In addition, other artwork from local artists will be on display at Lyons Town Hall. Stop by for the opening reception on Wednesday, October 18 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Lyons Fire Protection District Artist’s Showcase LYONS – A Multi-Agency Peer Support and Artist’s Showcase will be held on Saturday October 21, beginning at 12 noon at the A Lodge, 338 W. Main St. in Lyons. Come on out to an artist showcase benefiting the Lyons Fire Fund. Enjoy live music with performances by local musicians and singers and events to help with peer support.

Boulder County wildfire mitigation BOULDER COUNTY – Boulder County has taken a significant leap forward in its commitment to community safety and environmental stewardship with its recent Continue Briefs on Page 7

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I •N •D •E •X LYONS

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MAYOR’S CORNER

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CONTRAST

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OPPORTUNITY

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INSIGHT

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A&E

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CREATIVES

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INTEREST

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SEASONS

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WHAT’S COOKIN’

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CROSSROADS

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Fern Berta-Thompson of Lyons shows off the pumpkin she chose at Loukonen’s Pumpkin Farm in Longmont. Fern’s mom is Jesse Berta-Thompson, one of the main caretakers of the Lyons Botanic Gardens. PHOTO BY CATHY RIVERS

Town Board repeals sales tax vendor fee, discusses new town signage and other matters By Susan de Castro Redstone Review Editor LYONS – At a regular board meeting in midOctober, the Lyons Town Board unanimously approved on second reading, Ordinance 1154 to repeal the sales tax vendor fee. The board has earlier asked staff to research some options to increase sales tax revenues to cover increasing expenses. Staff found that the town code allows retail vendors to retain 3 1/3 percent of the town’s 3.5 percent sales tax as a collection. Finance Director Cassey Eyestone, told the board that many municipalities have removed the allowance for this fee so as to recover 100 percent of the municipal sales tax paid by customers. She pointed out that sales tax collection has greatly improve over the years making it much easier and that some consideration should be given to the elimination of a business license renewal fee if a business is in good standing with the state and local government and completed an application in January of each year. Director Eyestone pointed out that if the sales tax vendor fee is removed, it will result in additional sales tax revenue for the town. “It is estimated that this could result in approximately $57,000 in additional revenue annually,” she wrote in her report. In other matters the board heard a presentation from Wayfinding Master, a company that works with municipalities to create signage for all types of situations. The presenters were the company owners, Kristin Cypher and Michael Baker. They talked about constructing signs that create a sense of place. They held some meetings at the library to get to know residents and hear everyone suggestions. They read over all the written responses they received and told the board that every-

one wanted to involve the art community in the sign making and they planned to send out a call to artists through the art groups in Lyons. Cypher said that over 80 people came to their open house at the library. Trustee Greg Oetting asked if signs could be used for specific problems such as redirecting mountain bikers from taking up all the parking in town and then leaving their cars parked all day while they are off mountain biking. Cypher said yes, it is possible and also effective. Another idea Cypher suggested is for people walking around town to have signage that directs them to walk in the nearby parks and Botanical Garden. Trustee Tanya Daty said that the town needs parking signs as soon as possible even on a temporary basis. Wayfinding Master staff plans to begin sending out the call for artists

as soon as possible. Earlier in the evening Lyons Town Board held a joint workshop with the Planning and Community Development Commission (PCDC). The first item under discussion was the condition of sidewalks in town, presented by Town Planner David Kimmett and Consor, a a nationwide engineering, planning, and design consultancy. No recommended action was made although solutions were discussed. The joint boards went on to discuss a housing assessment plan that the Town of Lyons has retained Bohannan Huston Inc., a nationwide engineering, planning, and design consultancy, to conduct a grant funded assessment of the current housing dynamic and offer paths to creating more affordable housing. Bohannan pointed out that Lyons property values, and rents, have skyrocketed over the past ten years. As an example, in 2013, the average sale price of a home in Lyons was $325,000; in 2023, that price is now over $1,000,000, far outpacing inflation and the Continue Town on Page 14

Town board approves contentious Spirit Hound lease By Greg Lowell Redstone Review LYONS – The Town of Lyons Board of Trustees unanimously approved a controversial lease agreement with Spirit Hound Distillers during its second reading at their September 18 meeting. The $3,300 annual lease allows the distiller to use sections of Town land behind the nowdefunct Clark’s Hardware and Circle K gas station as well as extending Spirit Hound’s existing rental of Town land. Spirit Hound purchased the former Clark’s Hardware and will be using it for its business expansion. Under the terms of the lease, Spirit Hound will be leasing three parcels of town land for the same price as it now pays for one parcel.

The parcels are part of the old railway bed owned by the Town of Lyons. The railbed is slated to be turned into a recreational trail extending from McConnell Drive to the intersection of Routes 36 and 66. To accommodate the trail, Spirit Hound, under the terms of the new lease, would give up 16 feet of the railbed it currently uses for its backyard patio. Blue Mountain Stone, which also leases two sections of railbed land, will also be surrendering some rented Town land for the trail. Criticism of the lease terms came from former town trustee Mark Browning and former Mayor Nick Angelo. Browning (in an earlier email to the Lyons Town Board) said the distiller should pay a Continue Lease on Page 14


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