January 25, 2012

LOOK INSIDE:

PAGE 4

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RFCC turns 4

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Ram Jam Hoboes

the

Sopris Carbondale’s

weekly, non-profit newspaper

Sun

Volume 3, Number 50 | January 26, 2012

Dance for Us returns Deborah Colley (in black) and Brianne Jones (in shorts), both of Carbondale, rehearse their dance piece,” Sisters,” for this year’s presentation of Dance for Us, on Jan. 27-28 at the Thunder River Theatre Company in downtown Carbondale. The evening features 20 dancers performing African, jazz, modern, tap, contemporary ballet and break dancing styles. For details, e-mail danceinitiative@gmail.com.

Photos by Jane Bachrach

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Carbondale Commentary

The views and opinions expressed on the Commentary page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sopris Sun. The Sopris Sun invites all members of the community to submit letters to the editor or guest columns. For more information, e-mail editor Lynn Burton at news@soprissun.com, or call 510-3003.

Shopping center saved Carbondale in the 1980s

By John Foulkrod I thought I might try and bring some historical perspective on the town of Carbondale’s finances over the last 30 years.

In 1976, Carbondale improved the town water system by installing 10-inch lines and building a storage tank on White Hill.

In 1980, Carbondale voters approved a .01 percent sales tax increase, raising the town sales tax to .03 percent. The purpose of this increase was to provide financing for capital improvements as it related to streets, curb and gutter, and sidewalks — a logical progression after the water lines were completed. The town then guaranteed up to .025 percent of its sales tax revenue to bond street improvements to the tune of $1.75 million. The bonds were for eight years at an average interest rate of 12.1 percent.

In 1983, the town was in danger of default and could not make its payment. The revenue and growth projections made at the time the bonds were issued fell short. Carbondale refinanced the bonds at $2 million for 15 years at an average rate of 10.6 percent and bought some time and kept its head above water.

In the same year as the refinance of the street bonds, 1983, the town of Carbondale entered into an Industrial Development Financing Agreement with The U.S. Trustee Company of New York, Columbia Savings (a federal savings and loan association) and D&R Enterprises (the owners and developers of the Crystal Village Plaza Project (current City Market location). The agreement allowed tax-free bonds to be sold to individuals with returns of 8.5 percent for 10 years. The funds generated by the bond sales were put into certificates of deposit, which guaranteed a loan of $3.1 million, which was then used to finance the project and allowed the developer a lower interest rate.

General fund balances The town of Carbondale’s General Fund Balance at the end of 1982 was a $59,632.

In 1983, the ending fund balance was $58,473 on a budget that spent $730,000. In 1984, the general fund balance was $188,355.

By 1985 the ending fund balance was $395,186, with General Fund revenues at $968,923 and expenditures at $762,042.

The new shopping center had made Carbondale fiscally solvent. By 1986, Carbondale’s budget was just shy of $1 million with a General Fund balance of $434,144.

At the time of the Industrial Development Financing Agreement, many argued that it was unfair to other businesses and interfered with the free market process. By partnering with the town, the developer received a lower interest rate, making the project viable. Many asked what would happen to the existing store (Circle Super in Sopris Plaza). The plan for the new shopping center was not the best, as it was not solar oriented, and the parking lot would be icy.

I voted against the plan, but in the end it passed and the new shopping center contributed to solving Carbondale’s economic problems.

Sometimes you have to do something, even if it’s not perfect.

John Foulkrod served on the Carbondale Board of Trustees in 1982-1992 and is currently on the board.

Dan and Meredith Bullock had to travel quite a piece to catch up on their reading but they managed to land in New Orleans long enough to get it done.

Courtesy photo

2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • JaNUaRy 26, 2012

Letters

The Sopris Sun welcomes your letters, limited to no more than 400 words. Letters exceeding that length may be edited or returned for revisions. Include your name and residence (for publication) and a contact email and phone number. Submit letters via email to letters@soprissun.com or via snail mail to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623.

LETTER FROM ThE EDiTOR hello everybody. We had to lay out our letters to the editor section early this week due to an employee work-schedule change.

So, at 3 p.m. on Tuesday i sent all the letters we had at that time to the layout department (17 letters total). At the time of this writing, if any late letters come in we’ll try to get them in.

– Lynn Burton, editor

Bad design Dear Editor: I have voted against the VCR project for one reason: it is bad design.

The first glaring planning problem is the outdated reliance on the automobile. It is yet another proposal with buildings plopped down in a sea of parking, with bogus “streets” in between. It has nothing to do with what is right for the site or Carbondale.

It is a textbook reaction to bad planning principles.

This is not the developer’s fault I might add. The town of Carbondale needs to radically change, not update, its way of planning large projects on our most valued and accessible land. Does it make sense to build a roundabout on Highway 133 that does not align with a future connection with Eighth Street? This is ludicrous, two potential roundabouts a few feet apart.

Does it make sense to put the market at the north end of the site, away from Main Street, requiring most people to drive or ride up to Main, and then down the highway to the roundabout to access the market?

What concerns me is that the town my family has called home for 12 years has no reliable, common sense approach to how Carbondale will face it’s future. I am against poorly managed and poorly planned growth.

I am for growth in a conscientious and sustainable way. Follow an old, outdated road map and you will surely get lost.

Greg Watts Carbondale

If only I could Dear Editor: If I could vote ‘no’ on the VCR referendum, I would. Since I live outside of Carbondale, I can only write this letter, and hope that those who read it will take heed and cast their ‘no’ votes in my stead.

I live on Missouri Heights. I have a choice about where I shop for groceries. I am almost equidistant from El Jebel with its super-sized City Market and Carbondale with its smaller store. Most days, I turn towards Carbondale.

Why? First, I choose to spend my money in Carbondale in hopes of supporting the town and all the great reasons for living here. Second, the El Jebel City Market is large, impersonal, has hideous parking, and is often so crowded that whatever benefits I might get from hav-

ing an excess of shopping choices is nullified.

Third, both grocery stores are owned by Kroeger.The prices are the same, the primary groceries are the same, and I don’t think Kroeger really cares which one I support as long as I shop. Why should Carbondale pin its future hopes and dreams on up-sizing our grocery store? Especially if shopping at that store will cost an extra 1 percent?

When I drive into Carbondale from Highway 82 I don’t see a town that is “closed for business.”Instead, I see an eclectic and diverse collection of storefronts and businesses that are overshadowed by the beauty of Mount Sopris. I see a place that is unique. El Jebel and Glenwood are both graced by malls at their entrances. Carbondale is uniquely mallfree; that says a lot about our community and is one of the reasons I live here.

My primary reason for urging a no vote on this issue is, however, the PIF. The PIF would, essentially, make me pay for the“privilege” of shopping in the community that I call home.

Development should pay its own way. It makes no sense to charge people extra to buy their groceries. If anything has the potential for driving sales tax dollars out of town, this would do it.

When faced with a choice of shopping in LETTERS page 7

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970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com Visit us on facebook.com Send us your comments: feedback@soprissun.com The Sopris Sun is an LLC organized under the 501c3 non-profit structure of the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation.

VCR turnout close to 50 percent and climbing

By Lynn Burton Sopris Sun Staff Writer With the Jan. 31 final voting date closing in fast, as of Jan. 25 nearly 50 percent of the Carbondale’s registered voters had sent in their ballots.

“We sent out 2,877 ballots and accepted 1,281 (before Jan. 24),” said Garfield County Clerk and Recorder Jean Alberico.

“We accepted 42 more today.”

Carbondale residents are being asked via mail-in ballot whether to approve the 24 acre Village at Crystal River PUD on the west side of Highway 133, which would allow residential, commercial and other uses.

Garfield County is in charge of the election and Alberico reminded voters of a few

important dates and procedures: • Ballots can be returned to Carbondale Town Hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day (Jan. 31); to the Garfield County Courthouse East Entrance in Glenwood Springs Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., to the clerk’s office Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Jan. 31.

• The last day ballots were mailed out was Jan. 24; they can still be picked up at the county clerk’s office.

• The post office said ballots mailed to the county clerk on Friday should arrive by Jan. 31. Alberico said voters should bring their ballots to the courthouse or town hall if they want to be on the safe side.

• Voters must sign and date their return envelopes (aka Affidavit of Voter).

• Voters must fill in the “No” or “Yes” box with either a black or blue pen, but not a felt tipped marker.

• All Affidavit of Voter signatures are scanned to make sure they match up with signatures on record at the Garfield County

Voters must fill in the “No” or “Yes” box with either a black or blue pen, but not a felt tipped marker.

Courthouse, Alberico said. If they don’t match up, Alberico will send out a Letter of Discrepancy, notifying the voter to submit a new ballot. Voters have up to eight days after the election in which to submit a new ballot. So far, a Letter of Discrepancy has been sent to 23 voters. One voter submitted a ballot without a signature.

As for other nuts and bolts, Alberico said the votes will be counted in Room 402 at the Garfield County Courthouse, which will be open to the public. She said ballots will be picked up in Carbondale on Jan. 31 at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. She expects all the ballots to be counted by about 8 p.m. The results will be posted at the courthouse and also on Garfield County’s Web site at www.garfield-county.com.

Community access radio station KDNK expects to provide live coverage on Jan. 31, according to a station spokesman. The Sopris Sun also hopes to post the election results at www.soprissun.com after the votes are counted on Jan. 31.

The Village at Crystal river development is the second such project to go to a vote in the past eight years. A larger project was shot down 57-43 percent in 2003.

For more on the Village at Crystal River, please turn to page 13.

Trustees OK special event street closures

By Lynn Burton Sopris Sun Staff Writer

A climber worked his way up Avocado Gully last week. The well-known ice climbing area is located just off highway 133 about 13 miles south of Carbondale. Those in the know say Avocado Gully is a “classic” moderate ice climb and is a Wi3 in the 60-70 degree range. Some folks say the climb is called Avocado Gully because the ice has a green color to it. Photo by Julie Albrecht

The Carbondale Board of Trustees voted on Tuesday night to close sections of Main Street for three special events this year: First Friday in May, bike races in September and First Friday in December. A Community Appreciation Day barbecue and dance first proposed for Main Street in front of the Pour House will take place on 4th Street Plaza, which will close Fourth Street from Main Street to the Gordon Cooper Library.

After Tuesday night’s meeting, mayor Stacey Bernot said “there are a couple of new events that are still in preliminary stages, so locations have not been confirmed.”

Trustees also directed staff to start researching grant opportunities to help fund the formation of a Creative District.

According to a memo from town manager Jay Harrington, in 2011 the Colorado legislature passed HB111031, which encourages the formation of Creative Districts in communities, neighborhoods or contiguous geographic areas for purposes that include: attracting creative entrepreneurs and artists to a community; creating hubs of economic activity; attracting visitors; revitalizing and beautifying communities; and showcasing cultural and artistic organizations, events and amenities.

THE SOPRIS SUN • JaNUaRy 26, 2012 • 3

Calaway reflects on RFCC’s first three years

By Lynn Burton Sopris Sun Staff Writer Jim Calaway is many things: retired oilman, philanthropist, chairman of lifetime trustees at the Aspen Institute, lover of animals and books, well-connected Democrat, co-chairman of the Roaring Fork Cultural Council, River Valley Ranch resident and frequent face at the Third Street Café.

One thing Jim Calaway isn’t: stuffy.

During an interview early this week to discuss RFCC’s past and present, the Texas native explained that Harvard Prof.

Henry Louis Gates will reveal results of a DNA test on Calaway at his Feb. 4 presentation at Thunder River Theatre.

“I hope it’s not all white … I hope there’s some black or brown to make it interesting,” he explained. He concluded the thought with a chuckle: “I just don’t want any Republican blood in me.” Then he touched this reporter’s arm and clarified “I’m just joking … I’ve got a lot of Republic friends.”

The interview took place at the long table in the back of the Third Street Café with morning sun streaming through the curtains and steam rising from the locally crafted mug that contained his coffee. He was dressed in tan kakis, and a pullover sweater with some kind of local logo or sporting event on front. If it were the 1950s when football linemen only went 200-220 pounds, he’d be hefty enough to play tackle on a football team but he says he doesn’t follow the game, “Except for Texas” (his alma mater).

Calaway and Craig Rathbun founded the Roaring Fork Cultural Council in 2009 to bring a variety of well-known public fig-

ures to speak about cultural, political, ecological and all kinds of issues “ … that we want to know about … and some we ought to know about,” Calaway said.

In the past three years of presentations at Thunder River Theatre, RFCC has brought to town a lineup that reads like a list from Sunday morning news shows:

“…issues that we want to know about … and some we ought to know about.”

Thomas Friedman, Madeleine Albright, former Senator Gary Hart, best-selling author Walter Isaacson – 19 distinguished speakers in all.

Calaway lands most of the speakers through contacts he’s made during the past 35 years as a member or trustee at the Aspen Institute. “Others have come from politics or business,” he said.

Tickets to the events are only $15.

They’d be free but early on, Thunder River Theatre Company Director Lon Winston told him too many people would turn out unless RFCC charged something.

Many of the speakers are already in Aspen when they drive down to Carbondale. None are paid, Calaway said, although they do eat out with the RFCC sponsors before the presentation at either the Pour House or Hestia.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright spoke in 2010 and has asked to return this year, soon after her book about uprisings in the Middle East is published.

“She loves this event,” Calaway said.

When asked about his favorite speaker so far, he said “everyone is my favorite,” although right now folks are saying that twotime Pulitzer prize winner Thomas Friedman is tops. Gary Hart was a big surprise for Calaway, who was involved with Hart’s presidential campaign in the mid-1980s until the Donna Rice affair sunk his chance.

Upcoming presenters in 2012 include former Gen. Wesley Clark and former Colorado Gov. Richard Lamm.

For 2013, Calaway is talking to or will be talking to former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Nobel prize winner in economics Richard Brown, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former astronaut John Glenn.“But he’s 89 … I hope he doesn’t get too old on me,” Calaway said.

If Jim Calaway isn’t stuffy, he certainly isn’t shy. When asked about how he manages to entice world figures to little ol’ Carbondale, he compares it to being at a dance.

“When the prettiest girl is in the corner, you’ve got to go over and ask her to dance, because she sure isn’t going to come to you.”

Next steps:

Prof. Henry Louis “Skip” Gates at Thunder River Theatre as part of the Roaring Fork Cultural Council’s 2012 speaker series; Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m.; tickets are $15 at www.roaringforkculturalcouncil.com.

Sponsored by

SOPRIS LIQUOR & WINE Be Responsible!

Cop Shop

The following events are drawn from incident reports of the Carbondale Police Department.

Jan. 18 at 1:41 p.m. an officer spoke to a resident on Latigo Loop about complaints that her dog was urinating and defecating in neighbors yards and was allowed to run free. The resident said she’d fight it in court if a citation were issued and police would have to “prove it was her dog.”

Jan. 19 at 11:38 p.m. police gave a transient a ride to detox in Glenwood Springs.

Jan. 20 at 2:32 p.m. police responded to a report of a raccoon on a business’s roof on Highway 133. Police advised the employees to leave the raccoon alone and gave them the phone number for a pest control company.

Jan. 21 at 1:01 p.m. a woman called police from Denver and said her roommate tried to poison her when she lived in Carbondale.

Jan. 23 at 1:15 a.m. police were called to a bar fight downtown. Upon responding, the doorman said he’d been punched in the face after asking a patron to leave.

Police arrested the alleged assailant and took him to jail.

FEATURED CRIME

INFORMATION WANTED

The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office is looking for any information on two recovered possibly stolen four wheelers. They are described as green, Not actual photo 1996 Polaris Sportsman 500s. Authorities believe the four wheelers that may have been stolen sometime around December and are looking to speak with anyone who may have any information on stolen four wheelers within the past twelve months.

Crime Stoppers of Garfield County and the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office are searching for information that will lead to the arrest and or indictment of the suspect or suspects involved in this case.

Carbondale will change the east and westbound stop signs to yield signs at the intersection of Eighth and Main streets on Feb. 1.

“The change is to promote the flow of traffic and eliminate two unnecessary stop signs in our community,” said a press release from the town. “People traveling north and south on Eighth Street have a clear view of oncoming traffic along Main Street as well as traffic turning left from Eighth onto Main Street and there is not a need for a vehicle to come to a complete stop at the intersection.”

The stop signs for north and sound bound traffic on Eighth Street (shown here) will remain. Photo by Lynn Burton 4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • JaNUaRy 26, 2012

Remain anonymous and earn up to $1,000.00 by calling 970-945-0101 or visiting

www.garcocrimestoppers.com and clicking “Report a Tip” Tab. “Let’s solve this case”

High school highlights

The RFhS Ram Band performs the grand finale at the Ram Jam Winter Concert on Jan. 19. The Ram Band is Abriah Wofford and hannah hendershot, violins; Naomi Peters, flute; Sasha Williams, clarinet; Travis Provost, Jackson hardin, alto saxophone; Jack Fisher, Logan Sabo, tenor saxophones; Cynthia Ayala, baritone saxophone; Kevin Drudge, Tanner Nieslanik, Kerwin hirro, trumpets; Angel Cruz, Mitch Brown, Andrew Gray, trombones. Not pictured: Emily Bruell, piano; Zack hunt, bass and Zack Ritchie, percussion. Conducted by Mark Gray, trumpet.

Above: Maddie Nieslanik and hailey Reynolds from the RFhS guitar class perform “Momma Always Told Me” written by Reynolds.

Right: Cynthia Ayala plays the baritone saxophone

Photos by Sue Rollyson

Autumn Grandberry (#35) splits the defenders in Roaring Fork’s 49-30 loss to Rifle on Jan. 20. The Ram girls roared back and defeated Cedaredge 63-45 the following day. The girls stand 4-2 on the season in Western Slope League play and they hit the road for a game against Grand Valley at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 27, followed by a home game against Gunnison at 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 28. As for the boys, they defeated Rifle 56-43 on Jan. 20 and Cedaredge 69-53 on Jan. 21. Roaring Fork’s league record is 4-2. They face Grand Valley on Jan. 27 and Gunnison at home at 4 p.m. on Jan. 28.

THE SOPRIS SUN • JaNUaRy 26, 2012 • 5

Scuttlebutt

Send your scuttlebutt to news@SoprisSun.com. it enjoys buzzing the Roaring Fork Valley when it’s not lumbering over football stadiums.

Spring Gulch is open “The cross-country ski trails at Spring Gulch are OPEN!” reports the Mount Sopris Nordic Council. “We finally have enough snow to groom.”

Snow and grooming conditions can be tracked down at www.springgulch.org. Upcoming Spring Gulch events include the annual Ski for Sisu fund-raising skiathon on Feb. 5. “It’s a perfect outdoor activity to prepare for the Super Bowl!” said the entire Mount Sopris Nordic Council board of directors in unison.

yum, yum

Big Daddy delivers Big Daddy Lee (of King Bee fame) has released his third CD titled “The Reason.”

BDL reports the CD is blues related, “but there is quite a range with country, Cajun and psychedelic.”

The CD is a solo affair, with the following musicians helping out: band member Dave Hill, and Boulder area players such as Sally Van Meter (dobro and lap steel), Roxane Webster (flute), Jon Stewart (sax), Eric Moon (accordion, piano and organ) and Sean Hopper (Hammond B3 organ). Oh yea, Tim O’Brien (aka “That Tim O’Brien”) also sits in on fiddle and mandolin.

BDL reports: “The songs are all original. I wrote most of them (9 of 12) in a three-day period just before going into the studio. I really hadn’t written too many songs before but it worked out OK. This album is an exploration of what I could do with a big band and lots of time to rehearse … and some high paying gigs. Possibly it could lead to that.”

Big Daddy Lee & the Kind Bees plays Carbondale Beer Works these days. “I gave up the Jimmy’s gig (in Aspen); just too demanding.”

That’s the jet!

You know the gigantic, unmarked, military-style aircraft

Folks had a high old time at Wick Moses’s KDNK retirement party/birthday bash at the Third Street Center on Saturday night. Word has it that Moses, 65, plans to teach rock and jazz music appreciation classes at Colorado Mountain College. Photo by Jane Bachrach that locals have spotted flying low around the Roaring Fork Valley from time to time for at least the past 10 years?

Well low (very low) and behold (“there it is!”), the same exact jet flew over the New England Patriots stadium during the National Anthem before Sunday’s playoff game against the Ravens.

Still no official word on what type of aircraft the mystery jet is, who dispatches it, where it takes off from or why

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The lunch menu for RE-1 schools is as follows: • Jan. 27: Elementary schools, homemade pizza, cucumber sticks, fresh kiwi, milk; middle schools, homemade pizza, carrot sticks, grapes, milk; high schools, pizza, fruit and vegetable bar, milk.

• Jan. 30: Elementary, baked French toast, herb roasted potatoes, sausage, grapefruit wedges, milk; middle, super nachos, refried beans, salsa, fresh kiwi, milk; high school, hot dog, fruit and vegetable bar, milk.

• Jan. 31: Elementary, homemade ham and cheese hot pockets, carrot and celery sticks, grapes, milk; middle, pepperoni dipsticks w/marinara sauce, steamed broccoli, diced pears, milk; high school, steak sub sandwich, fruit and vegetable Bar, milk.

• Feb. 1: Elementary, Asian BBQ chicken, rice, carrot sticks, apple crisp, milk; middle, Asian BBQ chicken, rice, steamed broccoli, apple sauce, milk; high school: cheeseburger, fruit and vegetable bar, milk.

• Feb 2: Elementary, macaroni and cheese, cucumber salad, cherry crisp, milk; middle, macaroni and cheese, green beans, pineapple, milk; high school, nachos supreme, fruit and vegetable bar, milk.

They say it’s your birthday Birthday greetings to: Amber van Berlo, Kristen Graham, Victoria Madden and Karen Olson (Jan. 26); Wally Finley, Elizabeth Ritchie and Laura McCormick (Jan. 27), Sherry Herrington and Theresa Olander (Jan. 28), Shane Holmberg (Jan. 29), John Baker, Kelsy Warkentin, Calvin Lee, Sally Mencimer, Skip Bell and Katherine Schuhmacher (Jan. 31), Megan Larsen (Feb. 1).

Letters continued om page 2 Glenwood on my way home from work, shopping in El Jebel if I’m passing by, or shopping in Carbondale and paying an additional 1 percent, I would choose to spend my money elsewhere.

With many apologies to Joyce Kilmer: I think that I shall never see A roundabout that is lovely.

A mall whose entrance mouth is prest Against a roundabout’s sweet breast.

A fast food joint and so much more Let’s not support those chain-owned stores; A tax that costs us all our days, To fill our carts with groceries; Poems are made by fools like me, But please vote no and shop PIF-free.

Susy Ellison Carbondale

a yes man turns no Dear Editor: You have probably never seen a letter to the editor from me though I’ve lived in Carbondale 31 years .

It’s time.

The Jan. 13 Post Independent op-ed article did it for me. The writer was thoughtful, respectful, even apologetic, and spot on.

He/she respectfully acknowledged the hard work many folks have put into the VCR process over the years. However, the Post Independent is now encouraging a no vote on the Village at Crystal River because “our pessimism outweighs earlier enthusiasm.”

I too was a long-time yes man, but no longer. We don’t need VCR today like we

needed it five years ago. The PI writer says it succinctly: “We are in a new economy now, and few reasonable people expect we will see that prior level of economic activity or property value any time in the next decade.”

Another quote from the PI op-ed piece: “ … the 1 percent PIF fee is a raw deal. … If the developer needs more income to pay for highway frontage upgrades, he should collect it in rent from commercial tenants rather than sticking it to their customers.”

The owners of the current City Market shopping center also felt “Compelled to respond” in a letter to the Sopris Sun editor: “ … if the citizens subsidize (PIF) this transaction, rest assured that all new development will expect like subsidies for their projects.”

I feel bad that Mr. Schierburg bought his property at the top of the market. But it’s pretty simple. Line up all the positives against the negatives and it’s clear Schierburg’s asking you for a bailout to maximize his profit.

Down the road I know I’ll again support a good project on that property. But, to Schierburg: I’m sorry pal, don’t put your bad investment on my back.Today I’m voting no.

Hank van Berlo Carbondale

When no is yes Dear Editor: By now we all know that 76 cents of every dollar is not leaving Carbondale, and the projected revenues for Village at Crystal River were based on faulty data (if any.) But that is not what really keeps me up at night.

February The Health Sciences Scholarship is for those entering or continuing with studies in the medical field. Two scholarships will be awarded. Any person wishing to study or to continue studies in the medical field is eligible for this scholarship.

Completed applications are due Friday, April 13, 2012 by 5 pm. For further information and applications for either of these scholarships, please call Annalise Appel, at 384-6656.

Who to believe?

Dear Editor: The vote on the Village at Crystal River seems to have become less of a debate about what people want for Carbondale and more about who we can believe. We all want more sales tax generation, more jobs and a thriving downtown. The question is whether we believe that the VCR will bring us these things. Some misleading statements from the developer have made me very cautious about believing his promises.

The developer has told us that we’ll have the “Most sustainable full-service grocery store in the state.” The fact is, there are no sustainable“full-service”grocery stores in the state.”A study commissioned by the town itself concludes that the current plan is not likely to create a building that is very energy efficient at all.

We’ve heard that VCR will be a boost for our downtown and locally-owned businesses.

Actually, the developer’s revised numbers predict a significant drain from current busiLETTERS page 8

Community HEALTH FAIR

Teeny Jeung Memorial Scholarships

Valley View Hospital Auxiliary Health Sciences Scholarships

saying yes to this latest iteration of the development just because we’ve been at it for“long enough” and we’re being told no one will want to do business here if we don’t say yes.

That is a response from fear and lack – not from wholeness. Not from our collective brilliance.

Sometimes, like now, no is yes.

Gwen Garcelon Carbondale

AT VALLEY VIEW HOSPITAL

VVH Auxiliary offers scholarships Valley View Hospital Auxiliary offers four scholarships in memory of Teeny Jeung, a long time nurse at Valley View Hospital.

Any local graduating high school student who has been accepted into a Health Sciences program at a college or university is eligible.

In thinking about yes or no on VCR, I find myself looking beyond this piece of land, this town — to the larger context within which this decision exists.

In the native American Okonagan tradition, when community decisions are made someone is designated to speak for the land.

In this case I wonder what it might say.

With the amount of expertise in this valley – from the efforts of Colorado Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute, Sustainable Settings, CLEER, CORE, Solar Energy International,Aspen Center for Environmental Studies and Rocky Mountain Institute (and there are many others that complete this list), I imagine the land to say: “You know what to do to live in harmony with the land.

Listen to your very best thinking and create something that will inspire the world.”

Is that a fancier grocery store with a few green bells and whistles to allay the creeping feeling that we are selling out future generations so we can have more choices of food trucked and flown in from far to far away? I shudder at the thought of my children saying, “Really? A third of the world lives on less than a dollar a day and you want “a more complete shopping experience?”

Really, are we not capable of better? I believe we are. In fact, during the many years of deliberation on this development we have gotten savvier, more clear about our strengths and needs. We are much closer to something that future generations will celebrate us for.

But I don’t believe we are there yet. And I don’t believe we have to get pressured into

SAVE THE DATES:

Health and Wellness Classes Valley View Hospital dieticians offer weekly sessions on eating for wellness.

The class is free to Valley View’s Cardiac Wellness members.

The fee is $7 for non-members.

February 3 Common cardiac food-drug interactions

February 17 The best recipes, websites and nutrition resources for heart health

February 24 What is a healthy weight?

Do you need to lose, gain or maintain?

Classes are held in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Conference Room.

Preregister by calling 384-7159.

Saturday, April 7, 7-11 am Coal Ridge High School, New Castle •

Saturday, April 14, 7-11 am Roaring Fork High School, Carbondale

Saturday, April 28, 7-11 am Glenwood Medical Associates, Glenwood PreDraws for blood draw only (no appointment needed) Glenwood Springs Community Center Wednesday, March 7 • 6:30 to 10 am Wednesday, March 21 • 6:30 to 10 am

CPR Classes Heart Saver with First Aid February 25, 9 am - 4pm

Health Care Provider - Live Class: February 20, 5:30 - 9:30pm Health Care Provider Online Skills Check-off Sessions: February 9, 4-5:30 pm (30 minute slots)

Please call (970)945-2324 to register

Thank you from the Auxiliary

Many thanks to The Williams Foundation, Alpine Bank, and American National Bank for their continued support of the Valley View Hospital Auxiliary’s annual quilt raffle.

All proceeds from the raffle benefit local health occupations scholarships and the Connie Delaney Medical Library at the hospital.

VALLEY VIEW HOSPITAL 1906 BLAKE AVENUE, GLENWOOD SPRINGS • WWW.VVH.ORG • 970.945.6535

THE SOPRIS SUN • JaNUaRy 26, 2012 • 7

Letters continued om page 7

CARBONDALE’S HARD WORKING FAMILIES WILL HAVE TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR OUT OF THEIR FOOD BUDGETS IN ORDER TO SUBSIDIZE THIS DEVELOPER.

JUST SAY

NO To the VCR THERE ARE CURRENTLY

60 COMMERCIAL SPACES FOR RENT OR SALE IN CARBONDALE. VCR WILL JUST ADD TO THE GLUT.

VOTE NO TODAY! You must bring your ballot to Carbondale Town Hall or Garfield County Courthouse by Tues, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.

Paid for by Locals for Smarter Growth - 837 Sopris Ave - Craig Silberman, Treasurer

8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • JaNUaRy 26, 2012

nesses. For example, he predicts the chain restaurant will generate $1.25 million and 50 percent will be from current businesses.That’s $625,000 per year sucked out of our current restaurants. How is that helping them?

The developer told us that he has already spoken with local construction companies about providing jobs. The fact is, he is responsible for just a small portion of the construction of VCR. City Market will make their own decisions about their construction, and they have said they will not prioritize local construction companies.

The developer told us he provided the town with revised sales tax generation figures to reflect the slow economy. The fact is, neither town staff nor a reporter for the Post Independent have been able to find a report or memo with revised figures. All they can find are comments in the meeting minutes regarding lower numbers for the amount shoppers will pay through the PIF – a change which makes the development look even rosier to many consumers. Thinking about lower numbers for sales tax generation does not paint such a rosy picture.

The developer is now “envisioning” all sorts of possibilities for the flex zone. To envision something is not the same as creating it. No other business besides a transplanted grocery store has shown any interest or made any commitment to build at the VCR. In this economy, it is pure speculation to insinuate otherwise.

Please examine this salesman’s promises very carefully and join me in voting no on VCR. Debbie Bruell Carbondale

Searching for facts Dear Editor: In his recent letter to the editor, Rich Schierburg, the Village at Crystal River developer, accused the Locals for Smarter Growth of misrepresenting the facts regarding sales tax revenue. We have looked high and low for those facts, but so far all we have to go on is the outdated (according to Schierburg) 2009 Fiscal Impact Statement (upon which we based our comments), his comments at the public forum (see kdnk.org) and his recent letter to the editor. The town manager confirmed last week that no new documents revising projected sales tax revenue downward had been submitted.

At the forum, Schierburg claimed that he had submitted new sales tax projections since submitting the 2009 document and that he was “thrilled” to address this issue. He said he had revised his numbers downward because of the bad economy. He went on to explain how he arrived at the $335,000 figure the Say Yes literature is touting. Oddly, the transcript of the forum (kdnk.org) shows that he could only get to “over $210,000” -nearly a third less than $335,000. He also said that only 50 percent of that would be new business, meaning that existing businesses will lose 50 percent of their business instead of the 2009 estimation of 20 percent, thereby making it a significantly worse deal for Carbondale.

Although, I am tempted here to ask who exactly is misrepresenting the facts, I have come to realize that there are no facts about projected sales, only speculation. And in this

shaky economy I’m not willing to bet that we will all buy more groceries, gasoline and fast food. I’m not willing to bet that shoppers will come from up and down the valley to shop at our City Market, or that Costco shoppers will stop driving to Edwards, or even that Carbondale’s population will grow much in the next 10 years. The developer is bluffing and I will not gamble away Carbondale’s distinct character, independent locally owned businesses and lively downtown. Please vote no on VCR. Shelle de Beque Carbondale

Support each other Dear Editor: In an ideal world it would be great if our town wasn’t divided, but at this point while it is: It’s that time to sharpen your pencils and head to the polls.

We’re all counting on all of you to do the right thing as we live outside the city limits -please vote no or someone just might say to you, “Hey there, highly educated artisan farmer rancher dude. You enjoying your under-paid job at the Big Box Chain Store, selling short-lived plastic crap, made by enslaved sweatshop workers, with a monumental carbon footprint, from across the Big Blue, because we weren’t there to support each other in all we can be?!”

Just thinkin’, Just blessin’ and prayin!!

Barbara Sophia Ulrych Marble

Inescapable realities Dear Editor: Listening to the arguments presented by both sides in the Village at Crystal River debate, there seem to be some inescapable realities.

For one, something is going to be built on the site. There is no escaping that. I, though, am going to take some pride in simply being part of a community that can vote “no” to such things.

The restaurant pads on the current design will most likely be, as they always are, filled by the Pizza Huts and McDonalds of the world. They will generate tax income for the town of Carbondale at the expense of existing locally owned restaurants. They will generate minimum wage, mostly dead-end jobs.

The further demise of a viable downtown inevitably brought on by the VCR development will hopefully be met in the future by an increase in participation and better effort to remedy it as those in the smart growth camp have “had a long time to come up with something else.”

I might be idealistic, but one of the reasons I made Carbondale home is that I don’t drive past a rim of fast-food and national chain franchises to get to town and to my home. It won’t last forever, but I live in a place where it is not too late and one actually can vote “no” on the VCR development, and I will.

And when it is built, I will still have a mocha at Dos Gringos or Bonfire and stop at the Starbucks counter at the new grocery store and let them know just how unappreciated they really are.

Peter Pierson Carbondale LETTERS page 9

Letters continued om page 8 Thanks, Ryan Dear Editor: First of all, thank you, Ryan Grobler, for responding to my letter.

My first point is that the true locals have wonderful ideas for keeping Carbondale going. I’m a little concerned when I see money going towards bump out/bulb outs into the street and landscaping. If the town has financial concerns I don’t think they would be doing these extra things.

Excellent point about the fact that a bigbox could have been put in originally. I remember how scary that was. Unfortunately, Colorado Rocky Mountain School was going broke in the 1980s and somehow got the town to annex the land and make it commercial, so they could sell it. Thank goodness the citizens of Carbondale voted that project down in 2003.

“Big Boxes” – what a term. This mall (which is not a “Village on the Crystal River”) will still be a “big box.”Any oversize store with or without windows and amenities is still an eyesore.

I cannot imagine how moving a grocery store across the street and leaving another big building empty is going to be of any benefit to Carbondale. The original supermarket space (Circle Supers) is currently empty.

And finally, the American economy and all the world economies are going to change radically in the next 30 years or so. The earth is a finite place and once we realize that, we will see that we need to recycle, renew and live lighter on the earth.

Betsy Bucher Lincicome Carbondale

It doesn’t matter Dear Editor: It doesn’t matter if you are happy with the size of the Village at Crystal River. It doesn’t matter if you think we need the shopping that VCR will create. It doesn’t matter if you think we need a bigger grocery store. It doesn’t matter if you are happy with the planned residential at the VCR. The public improvement fee (PIF) does matter! It is the one main reason we should vote it down. Vote no Rich Walker Carbondale

The view from Mancos Dear Editor: Not a developer subsidy? Bring revenues?

Enhance Carbondale?

Facts?

I suppose there is a grain of truth in every point of view, but can we agree on the definition of a subsidy? And can we agree who will make huge profits versus who will make minimum wage? Perhaps it ultimately comes down to which group is larger these days: those who want to preserve Carbondale’s natural beauty and pioneer spirit versus those who are interested in money and convenience.

Why has the developer of the Village at Crystal River written a letter every week? I think it’s because he knows he’s defending the morally challenged (but monetarily strong) side. He wants Carbondale shoppers to pay a 1 percent public improvement fee (PIF) so he can keep more profit? I believe in “capitalism with morality.” It’s not about helping greedy businesses succeed; it’s about having competition so that only the smartest and the best

find a way to success without taking advantage of the consumer.

I can understand wanting a brand new City Market and wanting to generate sales tax for Carbondale, but this project is an old approach. As we look to sustainable and renewable sources for our energy, water, and food, the last thing we need is a big new building that relies on the trucking industry (i.e. gas and oil) to import our groceries.

I hold on to the hope that I might return home to Carbondale one day. I just hope Carbondale will choose smarter growth over the VCR proposal. Please vote no.

Sarah Perry Mancos, CO

The view from Portland Dear Editor: I recently moved to Carbondale from Portland.Accordingly, I’m new to the specific issues surrounding the Village at Crystal River. I offer the perspective of someone who spent the last 31 years living in a place that grapples constantly with the very same questions raised by the proposal for the VCR. Portland was once considered the provincial, sleepy cousin to the south of much more sophisticated and affluent Seattle. But while Seattle was adding lanes to its freeways to accommodate sprawl, wise planners in the Portland metro area, they created an urban growth boundary to preserve farmland and imagined how they could attract people and business by leveraging Oregon’s traditional strengths.

Residents rallied repeatedly to keep big box retail developments out. They took a lot of heat, too. But guess what? Today, Portland has a distinct identity that stands out among cities. Planners from around the country— including Seattle!—come to Portland to learn.

I moved here because of Carbondale’s similarly special character and legacy.

How about a state-of-the-art, “green” conference center on part of those 24 acres?

Properly protected and cultivated, Carbondale’s unique identity — not another anywhere-USA shopping center — is what can help this community truly thrive over time.

The future is a fragile thing. Let’s not let a poorly conceived development highjack Carbondale’s. Vote no on VCR. Barbara Dills Carbondale

The view from Oregon Dear Editor: I often travel to Carbondale to visit good friends and to enjoy the atmosphere of a wonderful, small town. The Oregon county where I was born decades ago, and now reside, has small towns too. Some of the most vibrant ones died on the vine from a lack of value-based growth and loss of sustainable family-wage employment. These towns have “grown,” as there are more people, more buildings, and an amazing reduction in open space replaced by parking lots and other reasons for sprawl. But they are not as vibrant.

Speculative real-estate transactions and expansions eliminated smart development.

Historic downtowns are drained. Small, family-owned restaurants are out — Applebee’s and Red Robin are in.

It looks like good ol’ Bonedale may be taking a similar turn for the worse with the latest VCR proposal.

LETTERS page 16

JUST SAY

NO To Pie-in-the-Sky Promises

The truth is: s City Market estimates only 8 new jobs at the VCR store. s City Market says they will not give priority to Carbondale construction companies. s Fast food jobs won’t pay liveable wages.

JUST SAY NO TO THE VCR! You must bring your ballot to

Carbondale Town Hall or Garfield County Courthouse

by Tues, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. because it’s TOO LATE to mail your ballot!

Paid for by Locals for Smarter Growth - 837 Sopris Ave - Craig Silberman, Treasurer

THE SOPRIS SUN • JaNUaRy 26, 2012 • 9

Community Calendar THURSDAY Jan. 26 ROTaRy • The Mt. Sopris Rotary meets at noon at Mi Casita.

GRaNT INFO • The Basalt Library continues a series about grant-seeker online resources from 11 a.m. to noon. This weeks’ program is titled “Your Board and Fundraising.” It’s free. Info: 927-4311, Ext. 2.

FRIDAY Jan. 27 MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre presents “The Descendants” (R) at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27Feb. 2 and at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 27-29.

LIVE MUSIC • TRUNK plays Carnahan’s in the Dinkel Building at 10 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC • Steve’s Guitars presents live music every Friday.

LIVE MUSIC • River’s restaurant in Glenwood Springs presents Steve Skinner and the Uninhibited Super Pac (resort rock) from 9 p.m. to midnight. No cover.

SATURDAY Jan. 28

To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Saturday. Events take place in Carbondale unless noted. For up-to-the-minute valley-wide event listings, check out the Community Calendar online at soprissun.com. View and submit events online at soprissun.com/calendar.

Chamber Resort Association holds its annual ball and auction at the Hotel Colorado. The theme is “Dancing with the Stars.” The Citizen of the Year will be recognized.

Cocktail attire is encouraged. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Tickets are $75 each or $150 for couples. Info: 9456589.

SUNDAY Jan. 29 aBUNDaNCE WORKSHOP • highlifeunlimited.com presents its “The Abundance of Enough Workshop” at the Third Street Center from 3 to 5 p.m. For details, go to highlifeunlimited.com.

LIVE MUSIC • Drop Top Lincoln (twangy rock ‘n’ roll) plays Carnahan’s in the Dinkel Building at 10 p.m.

MONDAY Jan. 30

DRUMMING • Laurie Loeb’s Rhythms of the Heart offers an African-inspired drumming workshop at the Carbondale Community School from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $40 (drum rental for those without one is $10) and pre-registration is required.

Info: 963-2798.

5POINT DINNER • The 5Point Film Festival holds a fund-raising dinner at Six89 restaurant starting at 6:30 p.m. The night includes five speakers and a five-course dinner paired with five New Belgium brews.

The speakers are: Tommy Caldwell, Wende Valentine, Linden Mallory, Amanda Boxtell and Craig DeMartino. Tickets are $75.

Reservations: 970-401-0831.

aNNUaL BaLL • The Glenwood Springs

SPECIaL PERFORMaNCE • The Glenwood Springs Community Concert Association presents the award winning octet Voces8 at Mountain View Church at 7 p.m. Admission is by membership ticket.

Based in London, England, the a cappella octet entertains with a repertoire that ranges from 13th century harmonies to jazz and pops.

Info: 945-5384.

WEDNESDAY Feb. 1 ROTaRy • Carbondale Rotary meets at the firehouse Wednesdays at 7 a.m.

SCHOOL LECTURE • Ross Montessori School presents “Montessori 101: The Science Behind the Genius of Dr. Maria Montessori” from 6 to 8 p.m. Betsy Hoke, a long time Montessori teacher, will put actual student works into parents hands so they can can understand some of the philosophical background of Montessori. The school is located north of town hall on Fourth Street. RSVP at 963-7199.

OPEN MIC • Dan Rosenthal hosts open mic nights at Rivers restaurant in Glenwood Springs every Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m.

A UNIQUE RESALE BOUTIQUE AT RED ROCK PLAZA 774 HWY 133 CARBONDALE (Next to the Co-Op) 970-510-5030

BRAND NEW MERCHANDISE AT DISCOUNT PRICES! Open Daily 11AM - 7PM, Sundays Noon to 5PM LABELS HAS A SELECTION OF MEN'S CLOTHING TOO! Abercrombie & Fitch, Tommy Bahama, Hollister, Polo, Tommy Hilfiger, Izod and Calvin Klein await your shopping pleasure. Don't forget about R.A.D.S.- our Random Acts of Daily Sales!

STOP BY TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE ON SALE TODAY!

10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • JaNUaRy 26, 2012

Further Out THURSDAY Feb. 2

RIVERSIDE SKIING • The Roaring Fork Conservancy’s Riverside Cross County Ski day takes place at Stein Park in Aspen. Guided tours along Roaring Fork River banks will explain the riparian ecosystem along the Rio Grande Trail. It’s free but registration is required at 927-1290.

FRIDAY, Feb. 3 REaDING TO yOUR KIDS • Raising a Reader and the Western Colorado Pre-school Cooperative present Ellen Galinsky at 6 p.m. at Carbondale Middle School. Galinsky has appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America and World News Tonight. It’s free and a Spanish translation will be provided. Info: 230-9117.

CHOCOLaTE GaLa • The CMC Children’s Mini College holds its 9th annual Chocolate Extravaganza at 1402 Blake Ave. from 6 to 7:30 p.m.The evening includes free chocolate desserts, a drawing for $500 and a silent auction featuring more than 100 items. Info: 945-2446.

SATURDAY Feb. 4 SHOWSHOE RUN/WaLK • The Redstone Community Association sponsors its third annual Redstone Snowshoe Race/Fun Walk. The 5K (approximately 3-mile) race starts at 10 a.m. in the west parking lot of the Redstone Inn. Registration is available on the morning of the race at the Church at Redstone starting at 8 a.m. and pre-registration can be completed at Independence Run and Hike located in the La Fontana Plaza in Carbondale. A

CALENDAR page 11

Further Out continued from page 10 beneďŹ t for Hospice of the Valley, registration is $20 and includes a rafďŹ&#x201A;e ticket for one of many donated prizes. For more information go to redstonecolorado.com or call Sue McEvoy at 704-1843.

FREE yOUR HEaRT â&#x20AC;˘ Creative Spark Studio offers â&#x20AC;&#x153;Free Your Heart! Free Your Mind Free Your SPIRIT?â&#x20AC;? at the Third Street Center from 1 to 5 p.m. The cost is $50. Info: 618-0561.

Ongoing MayORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COFFEE HOUR â&#x20AC;˘ Chat with Carbondale Mayor Stacey Bernot on Tuesdays from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Village Smithy, located at 26 S. Third St. SENIOR ZUMBa â&#x20AC;˘ Senior Matters offers Zumba classes for seniors at the Third Street Center from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays through Jan. 31. There is a fee for attending. Info: 9458822.

BILINGUaL STORy TIME â&#x20AC;˘ The Gordon Cooper Library hosts a bilingual story time Saturdays at 11 a.m. Fun will be had with stories and songs in Spanish and English. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open to all. Info: 963-2889.

BONFIRE STORy TIME â&#x20AC;˘ Betsyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Barefoot Books invites children of all ages to a series of family story times featuring local childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s authors at BonďŹ re Coffee from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. every Friday through February.

SELF DEFENSE â&#x20AC;˘ Cuong Nhu Oriental Martial Arts holds self defense training at the Santa Fe Ballet space in the Third Street Center Thursdays at 7 p.m. Info: 274-0870.

FREE CLaSSES â&#x20AC;˘ True Nature Healing Arts offers one week of free classes to Roaring Fork Valley residents who are ďŹ rst time stu-

Sangria wine, beer, horchata and hibiscus tea.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be a silent auction. Tickets are $75 at www.ShiningStarsFoundation.org.

SHINING STaRS â&#x20AC;˘ These tickets wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t last long. A beneďŹ t hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres dinner with fondue, prepared by Susie Jimenez of Spice It Up catering, takes place from 6:30 to 10 p.m. on the Little Bear rooftop in Aspen. The nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music will be provided by Already Gone. Menu items include: tuna tartare on wontons, chicken dumplings with soy lime dipping sauce, vegetable spring rolls with jalapeno cilantro sauce, shrimp ceviche on

spiced tortilla chips, avocado mousse, parmesan and apples wrapped in proscuitto, ďŹ ngerling potatoes with creme fraiche and caviar, sopes with trufďŹ&#x201A;ed white bean puree and cabbage slaw, rice cakes with seared tilapia, Chile de arbol aioli, pork spring rolls with sweet chile sauce, pan seared beef, ricotta and blue cheese stuffed jalapenos with lemon crust, lamb cous cous, and taziki stuffed mini pitas; chocolate fondue with assorted dipping items,

dents to TNHA. Info: 963-9900.

GarCo library board meets

UNITaRIaN UNIVERSaLISTS â&#x20AC;˘ Two

The GarďŹ eld County Libraries Board of Trustees next regular board meeting takes place at the RiďŹ&#x201A;e Library on Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. For details, call 625-4270.

Rivers Unitarian Universalists meet at the Third Street Center Sundays at 10 a.m. Child care is provided. Info: www.tworiversuu.org.

MUSIC CLaSSES â&#x20AC;˘ All Valley Music Together enrollment for Winter Bells Music classes continues. This is music and creative movement for parents with their young children (infants to 5). Info: 963-1482.

BaSaLT LIBRaRy â&#x20AC;˘ Story time returns to the Basalt Library Mondays at 10:15 and 11 a.m. for Book Babies. Preschool story times are Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m., with Toddler Rhyme Time at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays.

GORDON COOPER â&#x20AC;˘ The Gordon Cooper Library presents activities for kids from kindergarten through ďŹ fth grade from 4 to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, and toddler and infant story time on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Info: 963-2889.

BOOK CLUB â&#x20AC;˘ The Senior Matters Book Club meets the third Tuesday of the month at the Third Street Center from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Info: 945-7094.

Hold the Presses

FRIDAY Feb. 10 CCaH SHOW â&#x20AC;˘ Entries are due for the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities show â&#x20AC;&#x153;Art & Fashion for a Sustainable Future.â&#x20AC;? Info: 963-1680.

Energy programs slated GarďŹ eld Clean Energy and Energy Smart will present â&#x20AC;&#x153;EfďŹ ciency Programs for 2012 in the Region,â&#x20AC;? at the Third Street Center from 9 a.m. to noon.

Hosted in partnership with Xcel Energy, SourceGas, Holy Cross Energy, Aspen Electric, Franklin Energy and Glenwood Springs Electric, the event should be of interest to electricians, contractors, insulation contractors, HVAC companies, lighting specialists, and other efďŹ ciency contractors, building analysts, and anyone interested in learning more about local utility and community programs to promote efďŹ ciency, according to a press release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great opportunity for local contractors to hear it straight from our utility partners,â&#x20AC;? said Erica Sparhawk, program manager with GarďŹ eld Clean Energy/CLEER. To register, go to www.garďŹ eldcleanenergy.org.

aVSC presents program The Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club presents â&#x20AC;&#x153;75 Years of Greatnessâ&#x20AC;? at the Elks Lodge on Hyman Avenue at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 31. The suggested donation is $8. For details, call 925-3721, ext. 102.

BLM developing plan The Bureau of Land Management is developing a wildlife mitigation plan to streamline the approval process for wildlife habitat improvement projects designed to off-set potential impacts to wildlife from oil and gas development within the Colorado River Valley Field OfďŹ ce boundaries.

The deadline is Feb. 24. Comments can be sent to the Colorado River Valley Field OfďŹ ce, 2300 River Frontage Road, Silt, CO 81652.

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Community Briefs Healing gathering slated

Ross Montessori School employees and supporters recently transformed the school’s front entrance into a Zen rock garden. Employees and supporters shown here are: Leslie Schramer, Andrea Waldman, Jackie Parker, Todd Nero, Mary Boucher, Sonya hemmen, Jay Parker, Brett Cruel, Steve Groom and Smiley Wise (not shown is Jackie Skoric). The team wishes to thank the following businesses and individuals who helped out on the project: Ace hardware, harlin Atkin Trucking, Walt Brown, White Maine Trucking, BobCat Bobby, Robert Condon, Dennis Fangman, All in All Trucking, John Foulkrod, Grand Junction Pipe, Steve Groom (town of Carbondale), Marwin harris, (Custom Concrete and Design), Doug hill, harold Leonard (All in All Trucking), Malcolm and Betsy McMichael, Shawn Mello (Western Slope Materials), Sarah Moore, Todd Nero (Nero Construction), Jay Parker (Parker Trucking), Pitkin County Landfill, Planted Earth, RFTA, Edgar Rojo, Tom and Leslie Schramer, Ray Simpson (Savage Construction). Photo by Silvia Ramos

Community leaders from eight spiritual and integral health organizations in Carbondale have gotten together to create a healing gathering to help foster reconciliation and moving forward together creatively and positively after the VCR vote, according to a press release Hearts Healing, A Carbondale Community Gathering takes place at the Gathering Center (at the Orchard) on Snowmass Drive at 6 p.m. on Feb. 2.

“We are asking our Carbondale community to join us to honor each other and nurture our shared future,” said event spokeswoman Oni Butterfly.

The event has been organized as a grassroots effort of spiritual and integral health community leaders including pastors of several of Carbondale’s churches.

“The overall goal is to support moving forward with open hearts and love, and to help restore relationship, friendships and our civic health,” she continued.

Inspiration and guidance from several traditions will be offered in the interfaith gathering. Music will be presented

by Jimmy Byrne (of Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist) and Jerry Alcorta (of The Orchard Life).

Community members are invited to bring cookies to share.

Appetizers will be provided by more than 10 local restaurants.

“We expect this to be an expression and outpouring of the goodwill that is a hallmark of our town and valley,” Butterfly concluded.

Parenting workshops offered The parenting workshop “Control vs Influence: Supporting your Child in the Developmental Tasks in Childhood and Adolescence” is offered at Carbondale Community School from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 1. Strategies will be presented to enhance intellectual, physical, emotional and social development. Practical, creative and other tips will also be presented.

For details, call 963-9647.

school students at Carbondale Middle School Tuesday afternoons (3:45 to 5:5 p.m.) from Jan. 31 to April 17. For details, call 303-717-1310.

Carbondale holds energy classes The town of Carbondale is teaming up with multiple entities to provide free training regarding the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code. An actual live teacher will present the information. A date was not available at press time. For details, call John Plano at 510-1211.

CCaH offers courses for kids

art aRound Town entries taken

The Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities is offering several classes for kids, including: drop in figure drawing, inkle loom weaving, garment construction, knitted socks, beginning sewing for youth, block printing, nature photography, visual journaling, natural wood assemblage sculpture, indigo dying, Ukrainian egg decorating, yarn spinning and more. For details, go to www.carbondalearts.org or call 963-1680.

The Carbondale Public Arts Commission is accepting entries for his Art aRound Town program. The deadline to apply is Feb. 8 for non-CPAC members and Feb. 29 for CPAC members. Each of the 12 sculptures chosen receives $500 and a chance at the $1,000 Best in Show award. For details, call 963-3155.

african-inspired drumming Laurie Loeb's Rhythms of the Heart offers an Africaninspired drumming workshop at Carbondale Community School from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 28. The fee is $40 plus $10 drum rental if needed. Advance registration is imperative at 963-2798.

Drumming for middle schoolers Eric Baumheier offers drumming classes for middle

12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • JaNUaRy 26, 2012

Snowfield class slated The Roaring Fork Conservancy offers a snow science field day on McClure Pass from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 17. The cost is $70 for members and $50 for nonmembers. For details, call 927-1290.

Graduation rescheduled Graduation ceremonies for Roaring Fork, Glenwood Springs and Basalt high schools take place at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively on June 2. Ceremonies were originally scheduled for a different date.

How to “raise a reader” presented at CMS on Feb. 3 Submitted Press Release Raising A Reader and the Western Colorado Preschool Coop are partnering to bring Ellen Galinsky, author of “Mind in the Making – The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs,” to Carbondale Middle School Carbondale at 6 p.m. on Feb. 3. The event will provide an opportunity for parents to learn simple everyday things they can do to equip their children with life’s most important tools.

Galinsky is president and co-founder of Families and Work Institute and helped to establish the field of work and family life while at Bank Street College of Education.

In addition to the highly acclaimed “Mind in the Making,” she has written more than 45 books and reports including “Ask The Children” and the now classic “The Six Stages of Parenthood.” She has published more than 125 articles in academic journals, books and magazines. In 1997, Galinsky was a presenter at the White House Conference on Child Care, and she is featured regularly in the media including appearances on “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight” READER page 14

Town of Carbondale, Colorado

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES

The Town of Carbondale is soliciting proposals and statements of qualifications from qualified civil engineering firms to provide municipal engineering services. The Town is interested in receiving proposals from local engineering firms. Local engineering firms are interpreted to be firms located between Aspen and Rifle, Colorado. A Scope of Services and qualifications can be obtained at Town of Carbondale, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado 81623.

Proposals must be received on or before 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 15, 2012.

Inquiries can be directed to Larry Ballenger, Director of Public Works, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado 81623.

Phone 970-510-1217, email lballenger@carbondaleco.net.

Some Q&A on allowed uses at the Village at Crysal River

By Trina Ortega Sopris Sun Correspondent This week, Carbondale voters make their ďŹ nal deliberations about whether to approve or deny the rezoning of the 24 acres known as the Village at Crystal River. If it passes, citizens will be saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;yesâ&#x20AC;? to the development of up to 140,000 square feet of commercial buildings and 164 multi-family residences (or a combination thereof), a grocery store no larger than 60,000 square feet, other commercial buildings (no larger than 30,000 square feet), and a 1 percent Public Improvement Fee against most sales within the VCR. But if citizens say â&#x20AC;&#x153;noâ&#x20AC;? to the ordinance appearing on the mail-in ballot, what happens to the 24 acres? The property is privately held, and the owner can still propose a variety of developments under the existing zoning.

This week, The Sopris Sun takes a deeper look at how the 24 acres that comprise VCR are currently zoned and what could be allowed on the property as it currently exists. Janet Buck, senior planner for the town of Carbondale, helped clarify some of our questions.

Sopris Sun: Are there town guidelines that pertain speciďŹ cally to the development of this property?

Janet Buck: Ordinance No. 21 of 1997 outlined the process the developer would have to go through under the current zoning. The code section outlines the permitted, special review and conditional uses in the two zone districts under the current zoning. It also outlines a process (Community Impact Assessment) that would be required if any building exceeds a certain square footage.

Sopris Sun: What is the current zoning of the properties that make up the Village at Crystal River?

Janet Buck: There are actually four properties. â&#x20AC;Ś The

zone districts do not follow the property lines. â&#x20AC;Ś Roughly, the southerly one-third of the property is zoned Planned Community Commercial (PCC) and the northerly two thirds are Commercial/Retail/Wholesale (CRW).

Sopris Sun: If there are four properties, and the property lines donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fall under any one zone district, how could a developer realistically build without seeking rezoning?

Janet Buck: The zone districts donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to follow property boundaries, though it is more ideal. Note that both zone districts have similar uses.

Sopris Sun: Could each or any of those four properties be sold separately?

Janet Buck: I am not an attorney, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see why they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be sold.

Sopris Sun: An excerpt from Condition (2) of the 1997 ordinance reads: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The board of trustees shall receive and review such materials at any regularly scheduled meeting. They shall then send any comments or concerns to the planning commission, who will consider such statements at a regularly scheduled public hearing. The planning commission shall be the ďŹ nal approving body. The applicant may appeal a denial or any condition of approval to the board.

This obligation shall run with the land and shall be binding upon future owners.â&#x20AC;?

Sopris Sun: According to the ordinance, the owner cannot simply go to the town planning department, pull a building permit and start digging or plunking down modulars. Is this a correct interpretation?

Janet Buck: That is correct.

Sopris Sun: Furthermore, if the owner wanted to build

)) $3 &,3 -$+/ $! .# )) $3 '0/ ('0/ ,($/ %/ )) .,1+# 1+

something on the existing site(s) under the existing zoning, he/she would get scheduled at a trustees meeting, and then the trustees would forward the plan to the planning and zoning commission for a public hearing, according to the ordinance. P&Z would have ďŹ nal approval.

Janet Buck: That is how I read the ordinance.

Sopris Sun: So, from all we can gather, there would be some trustee-level review of the property no matter what.

Janet Buck: There would be some trustee level review based on the 1997 ordinance.

Sopris Sun: Some citizens have had many different ideas on what to do with that land (regardless of current ownership). Some have talked about a convention center, but according to the allowed uses under the existing zonings, a â&#x20AC;&#x153;convention hallâ&#x20AC;? is not allowed in either the PCC or CRW zones. Nor are these uses: motel, hotel, newspaper ofďŹ ce, bulk storage/sale of liquid propane gas, private club, boarding house, home occupation (ofďŹ ce), library, municipal administrative ofďŹ ces, museum, ofďŹ ces for state and federal agencies, ofďŹ ces of utility services. The current zoning requirements state that a community impact assessment is required if any units in the proposed project exceed 30,000 square feet and if there are more than 500 average daily trips in the commercial zone (1,000 average daily trips in a mixed-use project). But it further states that â&#x20AC;&#x153;any grocery store, medical establishment, or educational facility which exceeds the square foot minimum â&#x20AC;Ś is not subject to the community impact assessment procedures.â&#x20AC;? Can you clarify?

Janet Buck: The word â&#x20AC;&#x153;waiverâ&#x20AC;? means that a grocery store would not have to go through the impact assessment process. The board would have to approve the waiver.

VCR INFORMATION Read all about the VILLAGE AT CRYSTAL RIVER at the town of Carbondaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Web site:

www.carbondalegov.org GO TO THE LINK â&#x20AC;&#x153;Village at Crystal River documentsâ&#x20AC;? on the right of the home page. (î&#x192;&#x201A;is ad brought to you by the non-proďŹ t Sopris Sun, which is made possible through donors, fund-raisers and advertisers).

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Concluding another public divisiveness cycle We are at the end of another cycle of public divisiveness in the valley and methinks it will not be the last time we suffer together participating in community engagement.

Perhaps we need civic dance lessons. We could learn to not step on each other’s toes, to not become just another non-participating wallflower, and to dance to the same tune.

Years ago there was a country song with the lyrics “… it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in everyway.” That seems to be the cry of both sides in civic disengagement battles.

The banners and bumper stickers all read the same if you think about it: “Join us, only our side is right.”

No one is sitting down at the roundtable of diplomatic compromise that leads to real life collaborative solutions of give and take.

A place where no one gets all they want but everyone can live with the solution hammered out from conflict’s sweat and tears

(no blood; remember we have many complex interdeare doing this peacefully). pendencies with each other soWhenever a heated pubcially, culturally and especially lic issue is brought to a vote economically. no one really wins. It’s us or All the more reason to rigorthem all over again. ously exercise cooperation and Where are the peacecollaboration in new, dynamic makers in times of conflict? and creative ways to achieve One would think that those long-term sustainable solutions. seeking real power for the Spending money on another body politic would listen to study or presenting more the words of Christ: “facts” in another public meet“Blessed are the peacemaking is not the answer. We need ers for they shall be called to change our behavior and the children of God.” start working together if we

By Bill Kight How about: “Blessed ever want to get anything done. are the meek for they shall This is where the peacemakinherit the earth.” And lastly: “Love your ers come in. Extend the olive branch and ask neighbor as yourself.” for real dialogue, the kind where listening Simple solutions? No, not at all. In becomes more important than talking. today’s world nothing is easy. Trying to live The place you choose to do this makes by the Golden Rule never has been easy. We all the difference. Think of a venue like the

Common Ground

Aspen Institute where history dictates a protocol of respect as you sit at the same roundtable where world leaders hammered out new ways to deal with one another.

Respect and trust have to be the building blocks of true dialogue.

Checking your ego at the door is a must. This is where “meek” gets mistaken for “weak.”

Hardly.

Exhibiting a quietness of nature and a willingness to listen takes a centeredness that comes from deep within.

This is where my job as columnist ends.

Provoking some thought. I’ve kicked the ant nest. Now it’s time to run.

Bill Kight is an outdoorsman who has spent over 30 years helping manage America’s public lands. he also passionately believes in and practices active community involvement.

Traveling with, getting to know, Carbondale’s hobos

By Andrew Cohen Sopris Sun Correspondent Riding in the car back from temp agency work in Aspen a month ago, I passed a haggard man holding up a cardboard sign with, “Homeless Anything Helps Godbless” written on it with black sharpie.

The man stood on the intersection of Highway 82 and 133, right where one turns into Carbondale. The driver, who I met that day at the construction site half joked to me, “I thought they kicked all the bums out of Carbondale.”

The Carbondale Police Department says no such thing, telling me there are no town ordinances on the books regarding panhandling, only state laws prohibiting “interfering with traffic” and being intoxicated on the highways.

However, an officer did say that if they see someone panhandling in town they are likely to ask them what they are doing as well as make sure they are not being aggressive.

Glenwood’s laws prohibit “soliciting” within 100 yards of a public intersection without a permit.

It seems then, that the choosing of the aforementioned intersection as the regular spot for “flying signs” is due to the amount of traffic and a tacit agreement from law enforcement agencies. That spot is state property outside the town limits.

I recently met up with a pair of travelers named Ariel and Jeremy who, after a day at the spot, said the police had come to investigate reports they were running into traffic. According to the pair, Garfield County deputies and Colorado State Patrol officers drove past them multiple times and after running their ID’s, spoke light-heartedly about the laughs of passing drivers they induced with their dancing and sign that read “Smile.”

Ariel, who is in her early 20s, left Southern California a couple of months ago to travel and participate in the Occupy Movement. She tells me that in addition to obtaining money for basic physiological needs (food and shelter) she tries to offer something positive to the public, be it a silly dance move or a wave.

Jeremy — older, sporting a thick New York dialect, black Carhartt overalls and a thick black beard — chimes in to say that his flying of only the smile sign and the two fingers symbolizing “peace” with no requests for money brings a good name to travelers and all people with cardboard signs. He also notes most of his friends would not allow him to ask for money, feeling it identifies them as members of the hippy culture.

The difference between “travelers” and those who reside in a single location permanently is essential to understanding the culture of panhandling. Many who give money to travelers say,“pass it on” or “I’ve been there,” whereas those giving to the more sullen, stagnant figures may consider it more in line with traditional charity.

14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • JaNUaRy 26, 2012

“This is my job, 24/7, to give a vicarious thrill to people who wish the traveling life for themselves, to seek out the genuineness in people … .”

– Jeremy Among citizens and travelers alike the conception that “home bums” typically use money for alcohol or drugs persists, although verification of such claims are difficult. Jeremy is adamant about the fact he will never use money obtained through sign flying for drugs or booze. He stresses self-sufficiency, relying on anarchist principles such as voluntarily giving when one is able and asking when one is in need instead of using public resources such as food stamps, homeless shelters or soup kitchens.

Hitting the road I hit the road with Jeremy last week, seeing for a handful of days the life that inspires his self-described spiritualism.

We hitched a ride from Glenwood Springs to Wolcott with some road-tripping hippies. From there, a hospital worker picked us up and drove us north to Bond, a town of a post office, train yard, and auto-body shop. With a prideful grin he said, “People are too scared nowadays, and they’re not even sure what of. Even though we might dress different now since I’m stuck and can’t live that life anymore, we still are the same.”

From Bond we hopped on a Union Pacific coal train idling in the intimidating expanse of snow-covered sage. We jumped out south of Nederland where the speed of the train more than tripled the temperature and through luck, a gift, or The Force, met a man in the wild western setting who gave us shelter for the night and also happened to be related to one of Jeremy’s good friends from Occupy Oakland.

Two days later, after a day offering free therapy (lending a listening ear and advice to anyone who stopped by our “Free Therapy” sign) at Colorado State University we stand on the corner of a Whole Foods parking lot in Fort Collins with the smile sign along with one that says, “Travel’n, Broke, & Outta Luck.” On the back of the sign is a list of things we need for the day, as well as a pentagram inside a circle that was colored in with black sharpie. It is called the “20 kick button,” meaning if we press it, we are to be given $20 soon after. As snow comes down on our packs lying next to us on the sidewalk, we wait for the proverbial ice to break until a window rolls down and a hand gestures to us.

“Everybody wants to be human, they want to interact and smile. The greatest government conspiracy is the separation

between human beings. This is my job, 24/7, to give a vicarious thrill to people who wish the traveling life for themselves, to seek out the genuineness in people, to help people if they need help,” Jeremy says with a snaggle-toothed smile.

As cars pass by, some honking, some breaking into smiles and some straining to look in any direction other than ours, we continue the old hobo tradition and press the button.

(Andrew Cohen moved into Carbondale six months ago from Portland, Oregon. he grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut. After graduating high school, he has for two years tried desperately to escape the pull of the suburbs. The success of this quest is undetermined, but looking up).

Reader continued om page 13 and the “Oprah Winfrey Show.”

Galinsky cites seven critical areas children need most: focus and self control; perspective taking; communicating; making connections; critical thinking; taking on challenges; and self-directed, engaged learning.

For each of these skills, she provides studies to support her thesis and provides numerous concrete things parents can do — starting today — to strengthen children’s skills.

Galinsky has spent her career pursuing these essential skills through her own studies and through conversations with hundreds of the most outstanding researchers in child development and neuroscience.

“These are simple everyday things all parents can do to build these skills in their children. They don't cost money and it's never too late to begin,” she said.

Judy Woodruff, senior correspondent for“PBS NewsHour,” called “Mind in the Making” a “must read for everyone who cares about America’s fate in the 21st century.” Jayne Poss, founder of the local Raising A Reader organization adds: “This is a perfect opportunity for parents to learn a host of research-based insights into child development.”Western Colorado Preschool Coop Director Elaine Grossman, comments that “Ms. Galinsky has a wonderful ability to present complex concepts in a manner accessible to every parent.We are thrilled to bring her to the Roaring Fork Valley.”

Galinsky also will speak to a group of 140 early childhood educators while visiting the Roaring Fork Valley at Raising A Reader’s seventh annual Story Festival Conference in Glenwood Springs on Feb. 4.

Carbondale Middle School is located on Snowmass Drive.

Fish Florida, but don’t fall asleep at the wheel “That a dolphin nearly walloped me out of my kayak … tended to keep me on my toes.”

that it couldn’t get at one of the flounder I pulled in, or that a few 50-foot yachts nearly wave trained me into the deep blue-ish depths of canals, tended to keep Greetings from Anna Maria Island, Florida, where me on my toes. Even without giant man-eating crocthe herons shadow your every move (if you have a odiles or hammerhead sharks, even without pocketing fishing pole or a bait bucket) and the tourists are greypoisonous cone snails or stepping on sting rays, even hairs and the grey-hairs are retirees and the retirees without stop sign running Cadillacs, strip malls, are snowbirds and the snowbirds are residents. bridges on spits and spit bridging spits, even without Where love is still the best thing in the world, and the any of this, Florida remains the kind of place where thing that lives longest. you don’t want to fall asleep at the wheel. Or with a Minus a few shady sea captains, mermaids and few gruyere croissants in the oven. walruses, I bet I’m the only person around with a Florida is, however, the kind of place to fall asleep beard. Though I can’t imagine I remind anyone of beneath the full moon, the moon so full and the air so their grandson, and no one has offered me a ride on humid it casts a giant ring in the sky. Florida is the

By Cameron Scott kind of place to feel the feeling you are feeling when one of their ocean-going water craft to fish for marlin, people have said hello to me, including Frank you keep wanting to feel it. And Florida is the kind who I met sitting hunched over on top of his of place to set your pet loose. Except for the bait bucket, and my grandpa, who year after cold blooded kind. Because you never know year gets shorter and thinner, and more storkwhich ones will grow big enough to eat you. ish (not that he has much of a choice).

But most of all, more than anything, truth Besides licking sea urchins (don’t do it!) be told and damn the undammed dam, and wading the flats in a pair of vinyl softFlorida is a good place to visit grandparents, soled loafers donated by my grandpa, I because unlike the desert (no water) or Calihaven’t been up to much. Each dusk I come fornia (not everybody has a notion) Florida is wandering back with a fly rod or spin rod or worth its weight in fish, and fish are worth heron in tow, with wet feet, a sour smelling their weight. hat, and various articles of clothing covered Between convincing my grandpa to take a in fish slime. The species of fish who have few casts off a dock and watching his smile slimed me include: flounder, speckled sea and imagination light up at the ticks and trout, red fish, some sort of snapper, puffer fish, some skinny toothy bumps of finned fire flamers, otherwise known as Advil for the achy red and white things that smile like the Cheshire cat, a catfish that hearted, aka a little dab of sunshine, aka those weighty fish, Florida smiled at me like a panda bear, and a few miscellanies like a crab that is here, like it has always been, not only for the mini-mall highball wouldn’t let go of my glow-in-the-dark Berkley Power Bait shrimp happy hour or the pier pear-shaped party patrons, but for the adimitation (biodegradable). venturers and risk takers where the only thing easy about being 94 That a dolphin nearly walloped me out of my kayak, pissed off is still being able to cast a fishing rod.

Tailgate

…the kind of place to fall asleep beneath the full moon, the moon so full and the air so humid it casts a giant ring in the sky.

Finally, Snow Did we bring the boots?

We didn’t bring the boots, ok.

Did we bring a shovel?

We didn’t bring a shovel, ok.

Gloves? Hats?

Ok, you have a hat, ok.

No promises? Ok. How far do we have left to go?

Ok. It’s getting colder.

Just keep going.

Ok. Ok. Ok.

– Cameron Scott

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Send resume and references to Carbondale Police Department, 511 Colorado Ave., #911, Carbondale, CO 81623 or to Sgt. Chris Wurtsmith, cwurtsmith@carbondaleco.net, or for an application and further information, go to www.carbondalegov.org.

Deadline is 'FCSVBSZ , 201 at 5:00 p.m.

THE SOPRIS SUN • JaNUaRy 26, 2012 • 15

Additional Letters continued om page 9 By approving the VCR proposal as is, shoppers there will get to pay a special added tax. This tax is for the honor of paying the developer to build a CDOT required roundabout, required only due to the development, and certain to add plenty of grief to the drive in and out of town for at least one construction season.

I live where a sales tax remains unconstitutional, but I understand the need for a better grocery store to draw tax dollars back to the local government. But is it really necessary to subsidize a 24-acre development on unbroken ground just to get a new City Market?

Were I able to vote on this VCR proposal, my choice would be clear. The vote is no.

Miles Barkhurst Myrtle Creek, Oregon

The view from California Dear Editor: We visit the Roaring Fork valley regularly and were dismayed to realize that the town is once again considering a mall-like development along the entrance to town.

We have always found respite in the quiet,

Legal Notices PUBLIC NOTICE

INVITATION TO BID

Sealed proposals will be received by the Town of Carbondale Police Department (owner) at Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Suite 911, Carbondale, Colorado until 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 3, 2012 for the Town of Carbondale Official Police Garage and Town Towing Services for the Carbondale Police Department in Accordance with Attached Specifications found in the Request for Proposal Packet. Request for Proposal Packets can be obtained at the Carbondale Police Department, 511 Colorado Ave, Suite 911, Carbondale, Colorado, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. from January 20 to February 3, 2012. All questions can be directed to the Carbondale Police Department at 970-963-2662.

artistic community of Carbondale, with its superb restaurants and artistic settings and fairs. Building this over-indulgent development will rob the most unique community we know of its identity and potential as a model for future, sustainable growth. Yours is a community ripe for greenhouse food production, investing in more solar energy and recreation models, and attracting businesses that fit the new world economy. You have both youth and retirees to create a balanced sense of community.

Why tax them for the developer’s need for a roundabout and access? Why alienate a community by making them pay more for groceries over the next 20 or 30 years?

I have worked as an engineering consultant for 60 years and have never witnessed a PIF tax; this is a strong indicator, a real “red flag” that the development cannot stand on its own and that its proposed tax revenues for the town are suspicious.As there are no committed retailers coming in aside from a transplanted grocery store claiming that the needed tax income for the town will be forthcoming is inaccurate at best.

Why revisit this tired battle? Why mess with perfection? You owe yourselves better.

H.A. Passanisi San Mateo, California

rest will come from CDOT funds as they become available.

City Market is committed to purchasing land for their larger store planned as the anchor for the development. The areas that are not yet developed will remain green areas, not an eyesore work zone. The roundabout into the development is planned in the vicinity of the Roaring Fork Co-op, not at the corner of Main and Highway 133, so it will not bring the bulk of the traffic to the entrance to Main Street.

Jim Calaway talked about sponsoring a famous sculptor to create a sculpture for the roundabout that will complement the view of Mount Sopris for visitors and present Carbondale as the beautiful town that it is.

It is readily apparent that a lot of careful planning and thought has gone into making the project an asset for Carbondale in many ways, and I feel we should give it a chance.

This project offers a chance for Carbondale to grow with the times. Change means embracing the future, and the future is here.

A convergence of factors is needed, and these factors are now in place. All we need to do is lend our support.

Fred Pulver Carbondale

yes on VCR

Dear Editor: Quite a few years ago, a group of “developers” planned to buy a beautiful parcel south of Carbondale and pour 1,200 concrete slabs with utilities to entice RVs and trailers to come to Carbondale and set up their trailer camps.

Touted as a great economic boost to Carbondale, the proposal went through numerous arguments and meetings, only to be shot down finally by a citizens group recognizing the absurdity of the plan. That parcel is now River Valley Ranch.

Carbondale citizens now have an opportunity to reject another plan that is not right for Carbondale, in favor of waiting for a plan that endorses smarter growth.

Dear Editor: Proponents of the VCR proposal held a meeting at the Gathering Center at the Orchard in Carbondale Jan. 24, and answered many questions.

The main concern indicated by the question cards submitted concerned the PIF. According to the developer, the PIF is needed because development costs would be too high otherwise to make the development feasible.

According to the engineer, CDOT has already committed $3.7 million to the roundabout area, the PIF will generate around $2.5 million, as that is enough to cover the onethird of the highway including the roundabout from Highway 82 to Main Street. The

At said time and place, and promptly thereafter, all bids that have been duly received will be publicly opened and read aloud.

Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids and the right to waive informalities.

Published in The Sopris Sun on January 26, 2012.

Vote no on VCR

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The“developers”would have locals believe that a new grocery store is the most important issue in this debate, while there are millions to be made in the sale of housing and other “amenities” the VCR would bring to town.

Moving the grocery store a few blocks north would be extremely costly and would fail to bring the herds of shoppers from Basalt, El Jebel and Glenwood Springs that the “developer” would need to back claims of hugely increased tax revenues. Not to mention the empty“warehouse”they would be leaving behind, while commercial space is in very low demand and available throughout Carbondale.

On a mailing sent out by the “developer” (a part of the $30,000 expended to promote the VCR) the site was depicted as a small portion of the huge surrounding area owned by CRMS, presumably an effort to diminish the visual impact of the project. Too, the messages sent out by the “developer” use language like “. . . UP TO” (80 new construction jobs), and “+/-” 145 new jobs. Please take note of the possible low end of “up to” and the (-) minus included in much of their claims.

The “roundabout” craze that seems to be sweeping the country doesn’t address the impossibility of use by pedestrians and bicyclists.

And now there is mention of a world-class sculpture proposed to adorn the roundabout.

One might question where the supporters of the sculpture idea have been in the over 10 years of Art aRound Town. The answer: There was no election to buy back then. Too, there’s the 20+ year PIF tax to pay back to the developers twice as much as the roundabout costs.They have stated numerous times that without the PIF tax the VCR would not be possible.

GOOD! What we don’t know about this development almost certainly outweighs what we do know, but what we do know is that VCR is not only not beneficial to Carbondale it is detrimental. Your “no” vote on the VCR is a positive vote for smarter growth.

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