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Volume 7, Number 1 | February 12, 2015

Trustees divided on 191 proposal By John Colson Sopris Sun Correspondent

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Good times roll

Paraders, spectators and several folks somewhere in between turned out for the First Fat Friday parade at about 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 6. The thermometer was nudging 60 when the Roaring Fork Valley Co-op float pulled out from Second Street to lead the procession west on Main Street. Casey Concrete’s vintage cement truck was a hit with kids as it spit yellow balloons from its tumbler. Shown here is Rae Esthers on the Pour House float. For more Fat Friday photos, please turn to pages 8-9 and also check out The Sopris Sun website at soprissun.com. Photo by Jane Bachrach

20-40%OFF

he Carbondale Board of Trustees on Tuesday split over whether to deny a redevelopment application for property at 191 Sopris Ave., voting 3-3 on a motion by Trustee A.J. Hobbs that, had it passed, would have rejected the development plan. Voting to deny the application were Hobbs and Trustees Katrina Byars and Pam Zentmyer. Voting against the motion, which would have amounted to approval of the development project, were Mayor Stacey Bernot and Trustees Allyn Harvey and John Hoffmann. Trustee Frosty Merriott was not present at the meeting. The redevelopment proposal, from Carbondale residents Kim and Jeff Kelley and their company, Sopris Properties LLC, is to tear down an existing 2,600-square-foot, single-story home at the corner of 2nd Street and Sopris Avenue, and replace it with an approximately 5,000-square-foot, two-story, fourplex rental property that would rise to a height of 25.5 feet at the midpoint of the roof (about 29 feet to the roof’s ridgeline). The proposal was approved by the planning and zoning commission in December of last year. But a next-door neighbor of the project, Brigitte Heller of 226 S. 2nd St., filed a formal appeal of the P&Z decision that already consumed one hearing before the board of trustees on Jan. 27, and was continued to the meeting this week. And following a protracted discussion of the Kelleys’ application and the possible implications of denying that application, the trustees decided to keep open the public hearing on the matter and continue the discussion again to a later meeting. The hearing at Tuesday’s meeting took up approximately two hours, roughly 45 minutes longer than the time scheduled by the mayor at the outset of the hearing. Much of the time was dominated by a presentation by Kim Kelley and her development team — local land use planning consultant Mark Chain, local architect Jess Pedersen and local attorney Kelcey Nichols. At different moments during the presentation, the team members noted several points they felt the trustees should consider in approving the project, including: TRUSTEES page 15

1030 Highway 133 CARBONDALE 704--1104 1104

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.

Time to re-think water, and “e Plan”

By Ken Neubecker Gov. John Hickenlooper recently received the initial draft of the Colorado Water Plan. This “plan” has been in the making since the drought year of 2002, and it’s not over yet. Work on the plan, including public input, will continue through the coming year, with the final version due to the governor in December 2015. The Colorado Water Plan in many ways is indeed historic. Water planning and development has traditionally been based upon the needs of individual water rights and utilities. The Colorado Water Court and state engineer act as judge and referee, but the process has always been on more of a piecemeal basis, rather than following a guiding principle. This is the first time that Colorado has attempted a cohesive and comprehensive approach to planning for future water needs on a statewide basis, taking into account the array of conflicting priorities encompassed under a single strategy. So why do this now? The answer, is growth. We are rapidly out growing our supply of water. To many Coloradoans, this may come as a surprise — water flows thoughtlessly from our faucets; irrigated farms fill the valleys and plains with a lush carpet of green; and sprinkled lawns and parks grace many of our communities. But streams gushing from melting mountain snows struggle to fill both rivers and reservoirs every year. This perceived plenty is often interrupted by periodic drought, noticed when watering restrictions are imposed, and the public is alerted to a simmering problem by a frenzied media. The time of shortage is quickly forgotten with the next heavy snowpack and a return to “normal.” But the well-watered world we have engineered is not “normal.” Colorado is an arid state, where water has always been a scarce and often contentious resource. Despite our

best efforts, Colorado has yet to become like Ohio and that isn’t likely to change with the new Colorado Water Plan. In fact, the available supply of water for growing demands is projected to decline. The result is what is called the “Gap,” the difference between the water we think we’ll need in the future and the water available to satisfy those needs. Filling this gap, and finding water for a population expected to double by 2060, is the primary goal of the Colorado Water Plan.

OPINION

Core values The governor has directed that the plan must provide for several core values. These include vibrant and sustainable cities, viable and productive agriculture, a robust recreation and tourism industry, smart land use and a strong environment (including healthy watersheds, rivers and streams and wildlife). Many projects that might supply water for these core values are listed in the plan. Hundreds of water storage, supply and other projects have been cataloged. Among them are many potential conservation efforts that could help restore and protect rivers and watersheds around the state. But many of the proposed projects could end up doing more harm than good. Newly proposed trans-mountain diversions would drain even more water from the already heavily tapped and degraded Colorado River. New dams and diversions may have a place in filling the “gap,” but the truth is that there is only so much water — we can’t create more. What will these new reservoirs be filled with? It could be argued that every drop of water from the Continental Divide to the Utah border has already been spoken for — so now what do we do?

Conservation Colorado’s future water supply won’t come by simply draining more rivers to a

breaking point. It must come from greater conservation, efficiency and re-use of the limited water supply we have. The Colorado Water Plan should devote far more space to this effort, rather than from fanciful pipedreams of imagined new water from the Colorado River system. We also have to recognize that growth, the catalyst for the plan, must be dealt with. Colorado’s population has doubled every 40 years or so through the last century. The Colorado Water Plan hopes to provide water for a population double what we have today; 10 million, by 2060. It is reasonable to expect that our population will double again before this century is out, with 20 million Coloradoans by 2100. Where is the water going to come from for these new, unaccounted for millions of thirsty mouths? And keep in mind that Colorado is not alone in this dependence. The cities of the lower Colorado River Basin states, including Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Diego, will be growing as well and at a similar rate. Regionally, the situation is difficult to solve, at best. It’s time we take a hard look at the reality of water and growth in Colorado. If we really want to plan, and to supply water for each of the governor’s stated core values, we must reexamine more than just how we traditionally secure water — more diversions, engineered rivers and reservoirs will not increase the state’s basic supply. We need to think very differently, and more creatively, than the current plan envisions. That could make the Colorado Water Plan truly historic. Ken Neubecker lives in Glenwood Springs and works for American Rivers as associate director of the Colorado River Basin Program. He is also a member of the Colorado River Basin Roundtable and has been deeply engaged in the Colorado Water Plan.

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 news@soprissun.com or via snail mail to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623. The deadline to submit letters to the editor is noon on Monday.

Fire board member speaks (Editor’s note: This letter was addressed to the Carbondale Fire Board members and also sent to The Sopris Sun). Dear Editor: At the Jan. 28, 2015, Fire District board meeting, the issue of public discussion by individual board members was raised. At that meeting we all agreed to discuss this issue at the Feb. 11, 2015, board meeting. I was surprised to see the issue was addressed in The Sopris Sun, prior to the Feb. 11, meeting. Since it has now been made a public issue I want to take the time to address my thoughts and opinions, to both the district board, and the public. First, I agree that the district board should have one official spokesperson, and logically it should be the president of the board or the vice president, in his or her ab-

sence. In my opinion, that spokesperson should announce and answer questions on official fire board decisions and consensus agreements. I agreed with this concept when the board discussed the issue. However, at no time did I believe this policy should preclude any individual fire district board member from stating their opinion on any board action. Each fire board member has been individually elected and represents the voters in the fire district. They not only have the right to express their opinions, but all have the responsibility to express the reasons for their positions to the voters. Gene Schilling gave many reasons why district board members should not speak openly about fire district issues. I would like to address several of the reasons given by Gene Schilling on the matter of speaking to

2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015

the public. I would first like to address the comparison between the fire district board and the Carbondale Police Department. The police department is a semi-military organization, where the chief is the one responsible for the entire police department staff and what they do and what they speak about. On the other hand, the fire district board is elected by the citizens, and we are responsible to the citizens and have the freedom and responsibility to openly discuss issues facing the fire district with them. LETTERS page 19

Correction A story about The Goat restaurant in the Feb. 5 Sopris Sun misidentified a restaurant. The correct name is the Ironbridge Grill.

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To inform, inspire and build community. Donations accepted online or by mail. For information call 510-3003 Editor: Lynn Burton • 970-510-3003 news@soprissun.com Advertising: Bob Albright • 970-927-2175 bob@soprissun.com Reporter: John Colson Photographer: Jane Bachrach Graphic Designer: Terri Ritchie CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS board@soprissun.com Barbara Dills, President Denise Barkhurst, Vice President Debbie Bruell, Secretary Colin Laird • Sue Gray Craig Fulmer • Cliff Colia Honorary Board Members David L. Johnson • Laura McCormick Jeannie Perry • Trina Ortega • Frank Zlogar Founding Board Members Allyn Harvey • Becky Young • Colin Laird Barbara New • Elizabeth Phillips Peggy DeVilbiss • Russ Criswell

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WWII Marine pilot recounts Tokyo and Okinawa missions Twenty-one years old at the time (Editor’s note: February marks the 70th anniversary of the U.S. bombing of Tokyo and Japan during World War ii). By Martin irons Special to The Sopris Sun They walk amongst us, heroes, members of the “Greatest Generation.â€? At most, some will wear hats that show their branch of military service, maybe some campaign ribbons, or the name of their ship or unit. They don’t beat their chests nor see themselves as heroes. Just the opposite is true. Of the survivors that remain in our community, if approached, they will talk about the servicemen they knew who they see as being heroes. In Carbondale, Philip Wilmot DDS, is one of these men. In 1945 though, he was known as 1st Lt. Wilmot, USMCR, pilot in Marine Fighter Squadron 451 — the Blue Devils. His peers called him “Pots.â€? In February, 1945, the United States Navy returned to bomb Tokyo and Japan for the ďŹ rst time since Doolittle’s Raiders attacked Tokyo nearly three years earlier. In April 1942, Col. Jimmy Doolitte led a ight of 16 Army bombers from the deck of the USS Hornet in a surprise raid against the throne of the Japanese Empire. It was a bold action just a few months past the crippling attack at Pearl Harbor. The Navy could only send two carriers screened by 12 cruisers and destroyers. Most of the eet’s battleships had been sunk or were in the midst of major repairs. On Feb. 16, 1945, Marine Fighter Squadron 451 (VMF451), in its ďŹ rst mission of the war, sent her pilots aloft from the USS Bunker Hill. Target: Tokyo. They were part of a large U.S. Navy battle group (the Fast Carrier Task Force) composed of 16 carriers supported by nearly 100 battleships, cruisers and destroyers. It was the most potent naval weapon ever created. It was a bold attack but tempered by the fact that nearly half the pilots had not own a combat mission previously.

Famous plane Wilmot ew the most famous plane in the PaciďŹ c, the Chance Vought F4U-1D Corsair ďŹ ghter. Its gull wings, six machine guns, rugged construction and powerful engine combined to make it a fearsome predator. At the same time, it was not an easy plane to land on the oating runways of the carriers. Serving as a wingman for 1st Lt. James Anderson, the two aviators combined to shoot down a Japanese oat plane, the ďŹ rst score during the inaugural attack of the squadron. At the end of the day, American pilots claimed over 300 enemy planes shot down. The next day saw the Navy and Marine iers from the task force return to Tokyo. Intense action over the Japanese mainland caused Wilmot to burn more fuel than was allotted for the mission. “Hang in there, Pots,â€? encouraged his squadron leader, “we’ll make it back.â€? Wilmot’s fuel gauge disagreed and he ran out of fuel just as he attempted to land

Philip Wilmot and his Marine squadron ew from the USS Bunker Hill from January into May 1945 before it was severly damaged in a kamikaze attack during the Battle of Okinawa. Navy pilots on the Bunker Hill had a hand in sinking the Japanese battleship Yamato in April of that year. Photo by Lynn Burton aboard the closest available carrier. While pilots ditching planes near the escorting destroyers was not unusual, survival was not guaranteed. Only about half who ditched lived to see another day. Wilmot kept the ďŹ ghter’s nose up into the wind, retracted his landing gear, locked his canopy in the open position and tightened his shoulder and lap straps. He was able to execute a textbook water landing but soon found he was struggling to extricate himself from the sinking 9,000-pound plane. He freed himself from his bird but lost his expensive goggles and his wife’s garter that he kept attached to his headphones. Dye packs colored the water around Wilmot and soon a destroyer, the USS Charles S. Sperry, was on its way to retrieve the 21-year-old pilot from the unforgiving PaciďŹ c. Reared in southern California, he had no trouble swimming but ended up swallowing a great deal of chartreuse-colored salt water. A young sailor holding onto a cargo net grabbed ahold of Wilmot as the destroyer came alongside. He would remain aboard for a few days while the teenage seamen treated him as a celebrity. The USS Bunker Hill gave a portion of their ice cream stores to get their young pilot back from the destroyer. PHiLiP WiLMOT page 5

Kamikaze attack concluded Lt. Wilmot’s military duty By Lynn Burton Sopris Sun Staff Writer Marine Lt. Philip Wilmot had just gone to his bunk below deck at about 9 a.m. on May 11, 1945 when he was awakened by blasts from the USS Bunker Hill’s 5-inch guns. “When you hear ďŹ ve-inchers, you know they (Japanese planes) are far out,â€? Wilmot told The Sopris Sun from the cozy home he shares with his wife, Mary Francis, on Wheel Circle. Then came the Bunker Hill’s 40 mm guns. “ ‌ and you knew they were getting closer.â€? Then the 20 mm machine cannons. “ ‌ you knew they were real close.â€? Next, the whole ship “shudderedâ€? when the ďŹ rst Japanese kamikaze hit the rear part of the aircraft carrier. KAMiKAzE page 5

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THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015 • 3

Town Briefs

Shenanigans sweeps to three-peat Sopris Sun Staff Report The Adult Broomball League tournament was held last weekend at the Gus Darien arena on County Road 100, with Shenanigans winning the coveted broomball trophy for a third year in a row. In other news from town manager Jay Harrington’s weekly memo to staff (date Feb. 6), the ďŹ nal class of the Youth Learn to Play Hockey program was held on Feb. 5, and according to Harrington it had been a “successful programâ€? with 36 skaters learning to skate with sticks in their hands. Harrington praised volunteer coaches Ants Cullwick, Jaime Rooney, Bryan Nelson, Jason Phillips, Nate Kaegebein, Emily Hightower and Sheila Harrington. Meanwhile, Harrington continued, the recreation center’s Youth Basketball Program will continue the week of Feb. 6-12 with games against teams from Aspen, Basalt and Glenwood Springs. The program is expected to continue into March, featuring a girls’ team and two boys’ teams for third and fourth graders; and three girls’ teams and three boys’ teams for ďŹ fth and sixth graders, with a total of 91 participants. Also continuing are the youth climbing classes, the adult volleyball league, and drop-in games in basketball (Wednesday nights), soccer (Friday nights) and Pickleball (Saturday mornings). The Parks and Recreation Commission continues to review the draft Parks, Recreation & Trails Master Plan, and was scheduled to discuss ďŹ nal revisions to the plan at the commission meeting on Feb. 11. Town staff members, if given the go-ahead by the board of trustees, are set to pursue a GarďŹ eld County Federal Mineral Lease District grant to build a roof over a set of

bleachers at the Gus Darien Riding Rodeo Arena, and make improvements to the arena’s announcer’s booth. Street department workers are installing spring banners along Main Street, as well as ďŹ lling potholes in the streets, as the warm temperatures continue. Street crews also have put up No Parking signs at the RFTA bus stop on Main Street, to discourage motorists from parking there, and have painted the curb yellow to emphasize the point. As part of the town’s ongoing efforts to bear-proof public trash containers, receptacles have been ordered for Miners and Stairway parks. Planning work continues for improvements to Barber Drive this year, according to Harrington. He reported that town staff met with SGM engineers, who were scheduled to be in town this week to work on drainage problems, and that the town hopes to put the project out to bid “in the near future.â€? Carbondale Police Department School Resource OfďŹ cer Michael Zimmerman is starting up a Junior Police Academy program at the Carbondale Middle School, Harrington reported. Town staffers have met with representatives of the Davi Nikent and MasterMinds 4 Wellness organizations, with an eye toward setting up policies intended “to promote bringing healthy-eating and active-living to our communityâ€? as part of a statewide program spearheaded by the LiveWell Colorado initiative. The ďŹ rst step in the local effort, Harrington wrote, will be a proposed resolution for the board of trustees to establish a set of policies that would encourage local citizens to engage in “physical activity and healthy eating.â€?

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

FRIDay, Jan. 30: at 6:54 p.m. police were called to an accident at Highway 133 and Colorado, just north of the new roundabout. One driver was ticketed for failing to yield. SaTURDay, Jan. 31: at 1:58 p.m. an ofďŹ cer stopped a man for allegedly failing to obey a “trafďŹ c control deviceâ€? on Merrill Avenue, and ticketed the man on a charge of driving while under the inuence of alcohol or marijuana. SaTURDay, Jan. 31: at 9:54 p.m. an ofďŹ cer was called to a store at Highway 133 and Main Street, over a report of an “unruly customer.â€? The customer was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and third degree trespass. SUNDay, Feb. 1: at 11:32 a.m. police learned that “Happyâ€? the dog was on a leash at an address on Latigo Loop, but that Happy slipped his collar and allegedly bit an unidentiďŹ ed person. That person declined medical treatment and Happy, presumably, was not arrested. SUNDay, Feb. 1: at 3:10 p.m. police were informed that a local woman’s cell phone had been stolen, and that the phone’s location was learned using a â€œďŹ nd my iPhoneâ€? app. The phone was recovered and returned to the woman, and no charges were reported as a result of the incident. THURSDay, Feb. 5: During a trafďŹ c stop at 8:06 a.m. police noticed that a child in the offending vehicle did not have a proper child safety seat. The driver was ticketed for failure to show proof of insurance and failure to have the child properly restrained. THURSDay, Feb. 5: at 3:17 p.m. police arrested a local juvenile on a warrant out of Glenwood Springs. No further information was contained in a police summary report.

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4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015

Philip Wilmot om page 3 Okinawa

ing Cross for, “heroism and extraordinary achievement.” A pair of kamikazes took the Bunker Hill out of action in May, 1945, thus ending Wilmot’s combat flying. If you see Pots on the street, a 91-year-old bespectled man, the retired dentist with a

Wilmot would go on to fight in the air over Iwo Jima and the biggest Navy battle of the war, the invasion of Okinawa, for the next three months. He completed 66 carrier landings and was awarded the Distinguished Fly-

Kamikaze

om page 3

the end of World War II, and when the war ended nobody cared enough to write much about it. Wilmot, a retired dentist from California who looks slim enough to fit into

About thirty-seconds later, the second of two suicide airplanes struck the ship at about mid-section. The Marine pilots bunked in the front part of the ship and the Navy pilots the mid-section. “Almost all the Navy guys were lost … .” A total of about 400 of the 2,200 men on the USS Bunker Hill were killed that day. When Wilmot and his fellow Marine pilots made it to the flight deck immediately after the attack, they were greeted by the sight and smell of charred sailors, and choking, black smoke. When a ship commander handed Wilmot and others hoses and charged into the smoke and flames, they were right behind. “Those were brave guys.” The fires and fire-fighting continued through the day, through the night, and into the next day, before the ship was stabilized and started its nine-day journey to Ulithi Atoll, part of the Caroline Islands in the western Pacific. If you’ve never heard of the mostly uninhabited Ulithi Atoll, it was a secret Navy staging area at

Marine Lt. Philip Wilmot during World War ii. He wore his wife’s garter on his left headphone but lost it after having to ditch his plane in the Pacific Ocean following a mission over Japan. Courtesy photo

twinkle in his eye, ask him about his adventures. He might tell you he was afraid during combat or that he was not a hero, but he will enthrall you with tales of battle decades ago. Or, he might just talk about his own personal plane and that he’s been a pilot for eight decades. He’ll brag about the love of his life, Mary Francis, his wife of 72 years. Just don’t

his old Marine uniform, was part of a squadron that first flew missions over mainland Japan, and was then engaged in the lengthy Battle of Okinawa, known as the Pacific’s most brutal and deadly. “I flew 52 missions (over Okinawa)” providing air support for ground troops. Out and back from the Bunker Hill took about 3 ½ hours. He was usually over his targets on Okinawa for a half hour or 45 minutes. Down on the ground, the Japanese Army was shooting 20 mm and 32 mm rounds, and five-inch cannons. “ … the 20 and 32 mm, they float up at you like golden golf balls, then whiz by.” One time, an anti-aircraft round knocked his F4U-1D Corsair fighter sideways. “But I wasn’t dead, so I kept going … thinking that this was a kinda dangerous job.” Out of 32 pilots in the 451 squadron, eight were shot down and killed or died when they had to ditch the planes in the ocean. Today, only two other pilots from Wilmot’s squadron are still alive. While the 451 was flying missions over Okinawa, Navy pilots on the

ask him in front of Mary if he still flies with her Chanel No. 5 infused garter. Philip Wilmot will be featured in a book by Martin irons to published in 2016, titled “Phalanx Against the Divine Wind: The USS Haynsworth with Destroyer Squadron 62.” irons lives in Fair Haven, Vermont.

Bunker Hill pulled some coveted duty. The legendary Yamato battleship was discovered on a one-way mission to protect Okinawa and slow the U.S. advance toward mainland Japan. On April 7, 1945, aircraft-carrier based bombers and torpedo bombers sent the big ship to the ocean floor. “Those Navy guys were so excited (they were getting to go) … They loved to sink enemy ships.” Wilmot served on the USS Bunker Hill from January to May of 1945. On their way to Ulithi, he and the other pilots figured they’d be reassigned and sent back to fight. That turned out not to be the case. When the squadron returned to Hawaii, Wilmot learned he had accumulated enough points to be discharged from the Marines. “I was very happy about that.” By June, he had rejoined his wife in California, and was making plans to attend the University of Southern California on the GI Bill. Although he’d left the military, the military had not quite left him. “Most of the guys I was in school with” had served in World War II as well.

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Scuttlebutt

Send your scuttlebutt to news@SoprisSun.com. again. Because most folks have to work on Presidents Day, the federal holiday sometimes slips up on them. Then, for example, they are thwarted by a locked door at the post office when they attempt to rush in just before the 4:30 p.m. closing time, and realize the PO has in fact been closed all day. If you’re wondering, Roaring Fork School District schools and offices will also be closed on Monday. However, Garfield County libraries (including Carbondale’s) will be open. On a related note, lift lines in Aspen and Sunlight Mountain Resort may be a bit longer than normal on Feb. 16.

GS cookie alert

Jackson Hardin, a RFHS senior, won State in Poetry interpretation and Contrasting Monologues, and Leah Allen won 10th at State for her Original Oratory on PTSD. Jackson has also won numerous art and photography awards at RFHS. Photo by Sue Rollyson

baby please, don’t go If you’re thinking of starting your week on Monday, Feb. 16 with a trip to the bank, post office and various government offices (including Carbondale Town Hall), think

The local Girl Scout cookie season kicks off at the El Jebel City Market on Feb. 13 and continues at various locations through the end of the month. The City Market schedules are as follows, according to the Girl Scouts of America website: • El Jebel: Feb. 13, 4-8 p.m.; Feb. 14, 9 a.m. to noon and 3-6 p.m.; Feb. 16, 4-8 p.m.; Feb. 18, 4-8 p.m.; Feb. 21, 6-9 p.m.; Feb. 22, 1-4 p.m.; • Carbondale: Feb. 15, 1-4 p.m. and 47 p.m.; Feb. 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Feb. 28, noon to 3 p.m.

Insider tip Mark your calendar for CCAH’s Green is the New Black Fashion Extravaganza at the Carbondale Recreation Center on March 1314. Tickets are $30 for CCAH members, $35 for non-members, and $100 for VIP seating.

6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015

Folks who love the action from ringside seats take note: to buy your VIP ticket today and not risk a complete sell out, go to carbondalearts.com. Word has it 10 of the 26 designers are new, and some come from as far away as California and Wisconsin.

Fire district honors personnel After a large boulder tumbled onto Highway 82 near Carbondale on Nov. 23, hitting a van and pinning its lone occupant inside, Carbondale Fire District ambulances responded. Within 25 minutes of arrival, ambulance crews extricated the seriously injured driver from the van and took him Valley View Hospital. For their actions, the fire district presented its Life Saver award to the following personnel on Jan. 10: Jake Spaulding, Ashley Buss, Will Handville, Paul Herr, Frank Nadell, Brian Farris, Ray Sauvey, Brandon Deter, Monique Beach, Marc Bassett, Ken Clark and Tom Morelli. (Note: ambulances from Basalt and Glenwood Springs also responded to the incident, in which another vehicle was hit). Others receiving awards at the districts annual appreciation dinner were: • Mark Gandolfo (Firefighter of the Year); • Duncan Elice (Rookie of the Year); • Ray Sauvey (Most Calls); • Ray Bourg (Ambulance Driver); • Jacki Stadick (Most Improved); • Jim Pidock (Ever Ready); • Carla Callahan (EMT); • Hilary Fletcher (MVP); • Brandon Deter (Training “Monster”);

• Brandon Deter (Leadership award); • Kevin Greene (Safety award); • Josh Greene (Distinguished Service).

Library offers Spanish computer course The Carbondale Branch Library offers a free introductory computer class in Spanish at 5 p.m. on Feb. 19. The new class is offered the first and third Thursday of each month. For details, call 963-2889 or go to gcpld.org.

Get the RFHS scoop You’ll find the Roaring Fork High School Rampage student newspaper in this week’s Sopris Sun, and among the headlines: “Roaring Fork’s cutest couple;” “Gems of the Valley: Date Night Edition;” “Carbondale: Where is the Love;” and “Rising to the top: Climbing Team reaches new heights.” From the “Heard in the Hallways” section: “Wow, your hat-vest combo is quite the statement.” Reply: “I’m sorry if my culture offends you.” And: “Dude, this sub is pretty dank.” Reply: “Quite dank.”

Graduated Briana O’Kane recently graduated from Fort Lewis in Durango with a degree in anthropology. She attended high school at Colorado Rocky Mountain School.

They say it’s your birthday Folks celebrating their birthday this week include: Wendy Moore (Feb. 18).

Still no deal in Sirko/Stein RE-1 negotiations By John Colson Sopris Sun Correspondent

District hires facilitator

The Roaring Fork School District continues to wrestle with the after-effects of a debate over who will be the district’s superintendent. The district announced last December that it would retain Superintendent Diana Sirko in the position for two more years, with the district’s chief academic ofďŹ cer, Rob Stein, scheduled to take over the reins of the district after that. Stein, who had been chosen in 2012 to replace former Superintendent Judy Haptonstall in the superintendent’s position, was on the job for about a month when his wife suffered serious injuries in a bicycle accident and he resigned to be with her during her recovery. Sirko, who had been superintendent in the Aspen School District from 2003-2010, agreed to step into the breach on an “interimâ€? basis, but the “interimâ€? status was dropped after a few months, and Stein was hired back by Sirko in a subordinate position. Last year’s selection of Sirko to stay on the job had generated some opposition among parents and others, who had assumed she would be stepping down after the year to let Stein take over management of the district. The objectors maintained that the school board had unexpectedly changed direction in deciding to keep Sirko in the superintendent’s position, but others argued that there never was a formal agreement about Stein taking over and that Sirko has strong skills for the job and should be retained. The school board agreed that Sirko should stay on the job but struck a compromise that would turn the reins over to Stein after two years. But in a statement issued this week, the district’s board of directors announced it would be discussing the details of its contracts for superintendents and for assistant superintendents at its Feb. 11 meeting, which took place after the Sopris Sun’s deadline for this edition.

“We hope the public will be patient with this process, as we are engaged in good work that will beneďŹ t the district now and into the future,â€? said Board President Daniel Biggs in the statement released on Monday. The statement declared that “multiple meetingsâ€? are still being held to clarify contract details, “deďŹ ning roles, responsibilities and organizational dynamics,â€? and that a facilitator-consultant, Pam Britton of The Knowledge Environment in Grand Junction, had been hired to shepherd the process along. Calling it “an evolving and ongoing process that everyone hopes to complete over the next several weeks,â€? Biggs added, “All of the parties strongly believe in getting this right, rather than committing to an unrealistic time line.â€? The prepared statement indicated that discussions of the contract talks will take place behind closed doors, and that a decision was not expected at the Feb. 11 meeting. Sirko, in a telephone interview on Tuesday, said the talks are proceeding “really positivelyâ€? and are simply evidence that the school board, along with Stein and Sirko, are “making sure we have the right amount of clarityâ€? in the contract language describing the arrangement. She said the discussion is not between attorneys for the different parties, but between the school board, Stein and herself, and that scheduling is a big part of the delay in coming to a ďŹ nal resolution. “People have to remember that we’re also running a district at the same time,â€? and that the board members are volunteers who have jobs of their own, which makes it difďŹ cult to “get everybody together at the same time.â€? But, she added, “I think we’re really close.â€? The district oversees schools in Glenwood Springs, Carbondale and Basalt, with a total enrollment of more than 5,400 students, including preschoolers.

Library district board formalizes ďŹ rearms policy By John Colson Sopris Sun Correspondent Anyone feeling insecure about his or her safety while visiting a GarďŹ eld County public library can now carry a concealed ďŹ rearm as they browse the stacks — at least, they can if they have the proper permit. But they cannot carry a gun openly, following a decision on Feb. 5 by the GarďŹ eld County Library District board of directors, which amends the district’s previous policy of banning the possession of weapons in any way while in the library. While the board might have adopted a policy to ban all ďŹ rearms within the facilities, that concept was rejected because of the prospective costs associated with having metal detectors and guards on the premises, as required by state law where such bans are in effect. The issue came up in GarďŹ eld County after it created a stir in several communities in eastern Colorado over the past couple of years, including the Clearview Library District in the town of Windsor, where a woman had to leave a library building in 2012 after the concealed pistol she was carrying shifted and became visible to another patron. The woman left, but her cause was taken up by the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners Association, for which she worked, which threatened to sue the Clearview district if they did not change their policy to allow the carrying of concealed weapons as permitted under state law. GarďŹ eld County Library District Director Amelia LiBRARY POLiCiES page 14

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Funning around at First Fat Friday 1

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This year’s traveling First Fat Friday Parade trophy goes to the Mt. Sopris Rotary Club. Frosty Merriott and Carol Bruno were the official judges, but word has it that unofficial curbside judges were particularly impressed not only by the Rotary Club’s pirate theme and pirate related costumes, but the “ship’s” wheel, white sails and the kid with a toy sword that walked alongside. Runner Up went to Sopris Liquor & Wine, whose float sported cutout mountains on a flatbed trailer and tall guys in dazzling white outfits. In a tight race, the Best Effort award went to Crystal River Spas. The Carbondale Recreation Center float featured very fit people pedaling like crazy on stationary bikes, which earned it Thanks for Trying honors. Better Luck Next Year went to the Pour House (one observer said they’ll have a better chance of winning in 2016 if the people on the float actually play their musical instruments).

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Sopris Liquor & Wine Kid candy-catcher Tutu-wearing ballerina dog Crystal River Spas Roaring Fork Valley Co-op crew Mt. Sopris Rotary The Pour House The Sopris Sun Kid with Casey Concrete balloon Bead-wearing kid with candy stash

10 THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015 • 9

Community Calendar THURSDAY Feb. 12 LIVE MUSIC • The Denver-based Chain Station bluegrass band plays Steve’s Guitars in the old part of the Dinkel Building at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and the show is appropriate for all ages. Info: 963-3304. ROTaRy • The Mt. Sopris Rotary meets at Mi Casita at noon every Thursday.

FRI.-SAT. Feb. 13-14 bURLESQUE • Roaring Fork Follies presents Le Burlesque de L’Amour at the Launchpad. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 with a limited number of VIP tickets at $50. They are available at Downhill Boardshop and at eventbrite.com (under Roaring Fork Follies). A portion of the proceeds benefit Advocate Safehouse.

FRI.-SUN. Feb. 13-15 THEaTRE • The Sopris Theatre Company presents “The Women of Lockerbie” at the CMC Spring Valley Campus at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13-14, and 2 p.m. on Feb. 15. The play continues at 7 p.m. on Feb. 19-21 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 22. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Info: 947-8177 or on Eventbrite.

FRIDAY Feb. 13 MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre presents “The Theory of Everything” (PG-13) at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13-19 except Feb. 15, which will show only at 2 p.m. (close-captioned); “Wild” (R) at 5 p.m. on Feb. 13 and “The Imitation Game” (PG-13) at 5 p.m. Feb. 14-15.

To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is noon on Monday. 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 events online at soprissun.com/calendar.

aMy GOODMaN • “Democracy Now!” host Amy Goodman will talk and sign books at the Carbondale Branch Library at 7 p.m. as part of KDNK’s winter membership drive. Seating is limted to 80 people and a $20 donation is suggested. Her fifth book, “The Silenced Majority: Stories of Uprisings, Occupations, Resistance and Hope” was co-written by Denis Moynihan and rose to #11 on the New York Times best seller list. Goodman’s talk will also be broadcast live on KDNK (88.1, 88.3, 88.5 and 93.5 FM). Info: steve@kdnk.org. CUP CHaLLENGE CONCLUDES • The Waste Free Roaring Fork Cup Challenge concludes at Bonfire Coffee and Boomerang Coffee in Carbondale, and other locations in the Roaring Fork Valley. Info: wastefreeroaringfork.com. LIVE MUSIC • Steve’s Guitars in the old part of the Dinkel Building presents live music every Friday night. Info: 963-3304. baSaLT LIbRaRy • Chocolate Week at the Basalt Regional Library continues with teen trivia (grades five and up) from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. From 5:30 to 7 p.m., churros and Mexican hot chocolate will be served. LIVE MUSIC • Rivers restaurant in Glenwood presents Corn Bred Fed from 9 p.m. to midnight. No cover. On Feb. 20 it’s the Leonard Curry Trio. SPECIaL MEETING • Those in the health and wellness professions are invited to a planning session at the Third Street Center for the April First Friday, which is tentatively titled “Spring into Wellness Carbondale!” The meeting is hosted by Davi Nikent, Master-

10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015

Minds 4 Wellness and Hippocrates’ Table, and is supported by the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce First Friday Committee. Info: 510-6390 or info@davinikent.org.

SATURDAY Feb. 14 LIVE MUSIC • Steve’s Guitars in the old part of the Dinkel Building presents a rare doubleheader: Dan Bern at 8 p.m., and Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers are 10 p.m. Info: 963-3404. SyMPHONy SWING • Symphony in the Valley presents its annual Symphony Swing dinner/dance at the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs beginning at 7 p.m. Info: sitv.org. LIUb • Extreme Sports Camps/Ascendigo hosts the fourth annual Light it Up Blue as part of Autism Awareness Day at Aspen Highlands. Events include an on-mountain scavenger hut, giveaways and après ski party. baSaLT LIbRaRy • All ages are invited to decorate a cupcake from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Basalt Regional Library. EaGLE CREST • The Saturday Winter Market continues at Eagle Crest Nursey in El Jebel on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Check out the local produce, food, coffee, clothing, accessories and more.

SUNDAY Feb. 15 FaMILy HOEDOWN • The Early Childhood Center hosts its second annual Lil’ Wranglers family hoedown at Cozy Point

Ranch (Highway 82 near Aspen) from 3 to 7 p.m. The event includes square dancing, pony rides, calf roping, archery, bounce houses and more. Food will be provided by Smoke Modern Barbecue. There’ll also be beer, wine and spirits. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Info: eccfamilyhoedown.org. aSC • A Spiritual Center in the Third Street Center presents Larry Gottlieb (“The Seers Explanation”) at 10 a.m. On Feb. 22 it’s Lisa Dancing Light (live music). Info: 963-5516.

MONDAY Feb. 16 KDNK • Community radio station KDNK kicks off its on-air winter membership drive. Info: KDNK.org. MEDITaTION • Silent meditation is held at the Launchpad from 6:45 to 7:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Please bring your own cushion or chair. Info: meditationcarbondale.weebly.com. LIbRaRy • The Carbondale Branch Library presents Get Your Ukulele On at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Monday of the month. CRMS • Mae Peshlakai, a traditional Navajo artist, will share her experiences on Navajo lifestyles, beliefs, arts and culture at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School barn at 7 p.m. Peshlakai is a silversmith. She is the daughter of a medicine man and medicine woman, according to a press release. KDNK MEETING • The KDNK board of directors meets at 76 S. Second St. at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and the agenda is posted at the station. Info: 963-0139. CALENDAR page 11

Community Calendar TUESDAY Feb. 17 TWO-STEP TUESDay • Foot stompin’ fun continues at the Third Street Center with TwoStep Tuesday. An intro for two-step beginners is offered from 7 to 7:30 p.m., followed by a mix of country, line and other dance styles until 9:30 p.m. Admission is $8 per person and $14 per couple, plus $2 for a lesson. Don’t forget your hats, boots, Wranglers and bling jeans. Info: http://www.meetup.com/RFVDance/events/219969549/

WEDNESDAY Feb. 18 KDNK • KDNK’s on-air winter membership

Further Out

THURS.-SAT. Feb. 19-21 LaFF FEST • The Wheeler Opera House hosts the fifth annual Aspen Laff Festival. Comedians include Hippieman and his “Plan for America,” Jim Breuer, Andrew Sleighter and others. Info: aspenshowtix.com.

THURSDAY Feb. 19 WyLy • The Wyly Art Center in Basalt presents “What is Wild? What is Domestic” with Susan Obermeyer Strauss at 5:30 p.m. A discussion will revolved around her current show “Do-

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drive continues “Ask the Vet” at 4:30 p.m., followed by a Business After Hours at 5 p.m. at Alpine Animal Hospital (17776 Highway 82. There’ll be snacks, drinks and pet/human portraits. Info: KDNK.org. aSH WEDNESDay • Usher in the season of Lent with Carbondale Community United Methodist Church for Ash Wednesday services at 7:15 p.m. There will be special music, a Lenten message by Pastor Brad Walston and the traditional receiving of ashes. The church is located at 385 S. Second St. Also, join CCUMC for Holy Week services on Good Friday, April 3, and on Easter Sunday,

mestic Wild.” A $10 donation is suggested. Info: wylyarts.org.

SATURDAY Feb. 21 LIVE MUSIC • JJ Worley and the Mutton Busters bluegrass band takes the stage at Steve’s Guitars starting at 8:30 p.m. Info: 963-3304.

CLay CENTER • The Carbondale Clay Center (at the east end of Main Street) presents Molly Berger and her show “A Thing Like

at 5:30 p.m. It’s free. LIVE MUSIC • Dan Rosenthal hosts open mic nights from 8 to 10 p.m. every Wednesday at Rivers restaurant in Glenwood Springs. CULTURE CLUb • The Carbondale Culture Club presents “Child Abuse: Myths, Facts and Response” with Kerry Ach at noon at the Third Street Center. Ach is a forensic interviewer and community outreach coordinator with River Bridge Regional Center. ROTaRy • The Rotary Club of Carbondale meets at the Carbondale Fire Station at 6:45 a.m. on Wednesdays. Info: riccarlson@gmail.com and steve@kdnk.org.

York that they’ll be attending. Info: 384-5777.

p.m. The cumbia party will feature DJ/spoken word artists Logan “Dirtyverbs” Phillips. Info: aspenwords.org.

MaRIMba WORKSHOP • Eric Baumheier teaches Zimbabwean marimba from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at the Launchpad. The cost is $25 for adults and $20 for kids under 16. Info: carbondalerhythmcollective.org or 303-717-1310.

FRIDAY Feb. 27

MODEL UN • A fund-raiser for the Roaring Fork High School Model UN program takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Third Street Center. There’ll be food and a presentation about the upcoming Model UN Conference in New

yOUTH POETRy SLaM • Aspen Words presents a youth poetry slam and cumbia dance party from 6:30 to 11 p.m. at the Third Street Center. It’s free. Student sign up begins at 5:30

Home” through Feb. 27. Info: 963-2529 or carbondaleclay.org.

through Friday. Info: 963-1680 or carbondalearts.com.

VVaS CONTINUES • The 35th annual Valley Visual Art Show, featuring 60 local artists, continues at the Launchpad through March 6. The R2 Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday

KOROLOGOS • Ann Korologos Gallery in Basalt continues “Color & Form” featuring Peggy Judy and Gayle Waterman through Feb. 13.

Ongoing MayOR’S COFFEE HOUR • Chat with Carbondale Mayor Stacey Bernot on Tuesdays from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Village Smithy.

April 5. Regular Sunday worship is at 11 a.m. ROTaRy • The Rotary Club of Carbondale presents Asadour Santourian (the Aspen Music Festival) at 6:50 a.m. at the Carbondale Fire Station. Coming up: Colin Laird (the Third Street Center on Feb. 25), Eric Brendlinger (the Carbondale Recreating Center on March 4), Mary Harris (the Audubon Society on March 11) and John Quinn (Home Care/Hospice of the Valley) on March 18. Info: rotarycarbondale.org. NaTURaLIST NIGHTS • The Naturalist Nights series at the Third Street Center continues with a CCAH wilderness pecha kucha

MONDAY March 2 CLaSSIC MOVIE NIGHT • The Sopris Sun presents “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” at 7:30 p.m. at The Crystal Theater. Tickets are the regular $8, with proceeds benefiting your non-profit community newspaper. Costumes are encouraged. Come see the Oscar winning film from 1969 starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Get your cowboy on!

THE WyLy • The Wyly Art Center in Basalt continues “Domestic Wild” featuring Susan Strauss Obermeyer through March 7. WEEKLy RUNS • Independence Run & Hike holds runs group runs at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and 6 p.m. on Thursdays. Info: 704-0909.

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015 • 11

Cops still looking for alleged meth lab suspect By John Colson Sopris Sun Correspondent Police are still looking for a man they say was running a small meth lab in his apartment in the 400 block of Garfield Avenue, a lab that was shut down last week after police found it during a “welfare check” conducted following a tip about meth use in the apartment. Chad Boulter, 26, of Carbondale, was at home when police entered the apartment, and was contacted by police. But he was not arrested at that time, Carbondale Police Chief Schilling told The Sopris Sun, because the Ninth Judicial District Attorney's Office “requested more information before they were OK for us to arrest him.” But, according to Schilling, several other

people were there and all the occupants were told to leave when police quarantined the apartment as a site where suspected methamphetamine was being manufactured illegally. Schilling said police are not certain whether the others who were present actually were living in the apartment, which is one of two apartments at the address. The other unit reportedly is occupied by the building's owner, who is not a suspect in the meth case, Schilling said. According to police, the incident began at about 5 p.m. on Feb. 5, when police got a call requesting a “welfare check” based on the caller's suspicions that meth was being used in the apartment. When police entered the apartment, they detected odors that they felt indicated a meth

lab was in operation and got permission to search the premises. No methamphetamine was found, Schilling said, although there was “paraphernalia” normally associated with meth use, as well as the chemicals and the equipment police say was being used to make the drug. A police statement issued early on Feb. 6 stated that “there were no residents treated for any medical problems,” and that the suspect's name was not being released at that time. The police statement naming Boulter as the suspect, and announcing that a warrant had been issued for his arrest, was sent out from the police department “in the evening” on Feb. 6. Aside from the Carbondale police officers present at the initial contact, officers from the

Two Rivers Drug Enforcement Task Force were summoned to the scene. The Carbondale fire department also responded, according to police. Schilling said the suspected meth lab was not a large one, and was not believed to be an explosive hazard. Some larger meth labs discovered by law enforcement around the U.S. have either exploded during the manufacturing process or were believed to have explosive potential due to the chemicals and the processes used. Regarding the alleged meth lab on Garfield Avenue, Schiiling said it was a small operation, adding, “It seemed to me, I would use the word 'personal use' for himself and his friends.”

Carbondale fire district splits master plan contract By John Colson Sopris Sun Correspondent The elected leaders of the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District on Feb. 5 decided unanimously to split a contract for a new district master plan between two companies, one of which is out of Florida and the other of which is based in Carbondale. According to a statement released by the district, the contract is being divided between Mark Chain Consulting, based in Carbondale and headed by a former member of the fire board, and Almont Associates of Port Orange, Florida, a firm that originated in the small town of Almont, Colorado, near Gunnison.

The board had budgeted $90,000 for the master plan contract, and the statement from the district noted “the combined proposal figure is $86,985, within the district’s budgeted amount.” Chain, who was on the fire board until he was defeated in the last board election and initially submitted a bid of $98,500 for the entire master plan job, is to be paid roughly $53,000 for his part of the plan process. Chain’s portion of the planning process is to be largely a matter of “leading the public involvement process, which entails community surveys, community outreach, and website and communication services, along P TR ERFE FIN D EA T O CT V T H R G AL E E IFT NTI TH NE’ S IS WE EK

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questioned whether it is appropriate for Chain to get the lion’s share of the contract because of his past close association with the fire board. Fire board vice president Mike Kennedy, in a letter issued on Feb. 6, maintained that during the process of selecting a firm for the master planning process, “it began to become apparent that the consulting firms with the most fire district accreditation experience … were not necessarily the best firms to complete the public outreach portion of our process in the manner that the CRFPD board envisioned.” Kennedy’s letter stated that Chain’s firm and its “co-consultant,” Lamont Planning MASTER PLAN page 15

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with the financial feasibility process portion of the Master Plan,” according to the district’s statement. Almont, which initially submitted a bid of $68,225 for the entire contract, is now to be paid approximately $33,900 for work that covers “an analysis of the fire district’s current operations, including comparisons with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International standards and National Fire Protection Assoc. codes and standards” as well as “recommendations on future services and the organizational structure of the district,” according to the district’s statement. Some observers of the selection process have

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Thursday, February 19th from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Ahora Aceptamos Aplicaciones Para el ciclo escolar 2015-2016 Un Curiculo activo basado en las experiencias de la vida Clases pequenas que combinan ninos de diferentes edades Grados Kinder - 8 • Educacion y actividades al aire libre Desarrollar estudiantes independientes v motivados

Exposicio Noche de la escuela abierta. Estan invitados a conocer nuestros maestros. Jueves, 19 de Febrero de 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Fecha limite para aplicationes: 3 de Abril

Carbondale Community School 1505 Dolores Way, Carbondale 963-9647 (Public Charter School of the Roaring Fork School District)

12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015

Commission expands historic downtown survey work By John Colson Sopris Sun Correspondent Carbondale ofďŹ cials have begun the process of adding to a ďŹ ve-year-old survey of the historic homes still existing in the downtown area, as part of the Carbondale Historic Preservation Commission’s (CHCP) ongoing work to preserve as much as possible of the town’s architectural legacy. The CHPC this week issued a “request for proposalsâ€? from ďŹ rms interested in updating the 2010 Historic Resource survey, which was conducted by Aspen-based Suzannah Reid, of Reid Architects, Inc. The 2010 survey, which Reid said cost approximately $11,000, identiďŹ ed and catalogued 20 historic homes in town and contains a lively summary of the early history of the Roaring Fork River Valley and Carbondale in particular. Reid also conducted a 2006 survey that identiďŹ ed 29 historic commercial structures. But as of this week, she told The Sopris Sun on Monday, Reid had not applied to take on the proposed survey update. According to CHCP member Ashley Allis, who works for Design Workshop in Aspen, the commission hopes the survey will be at least partly funded by grants from the Colorado Historical Society, which also contributed to the costs of the previous two surveys. Allis conďŹ rmed that the proposed survey is “buildingâ€? on the earlier survey work, and that the commission hopes to add at least 20 historic homes to the 20 that were identiďŹ ed in the 2010 survey.

the preservation of others.â€? The idea, Reid indicated, was to keep collecting information on the town’s historic homes and other structures, with an eye toward preservation in the face of what she anticipated as increasing redevelopment pressures once the effects of the recession begin to recede. Ganssle noted that the CHPC is not a regulatory body backed by city codes and regulations — “We can only make recommendationsâ€? — although the town’s historic preservation ordinance does contain a provision allowing the CHPC to delay a demolition permit for 30 days in cases involving a historic property. The ordinance also requires owners of historic properties to make a presentation of redevelopment plans to the commission early in the review process. “It gives us some time to work with the town and a property owner to try to come up with a new plan,â€? she said. The Carbondale Historic Preservation Commission has identiďŹ ed this old cabin on GarďŹ eld Avenue is one of several structures that are potentially eligible for Local Landmark status, as opposed to historic designation on the National Register. Photo by Lynn Burton “There’s still more work to be done,â€? she said of the surveys conducted so far and the one now being planned. The current chair of the CHCP, Dana Ganssle, has been with the commission since she moved to town in 2008, when the late Ron Robertson was still on the commission. Robertson, who lived in a historic log cabin on GarďŹ eld Avenue, was a founder of the CHPC, the author of the town’s advisory historic design guidelines that remain in use,

and an acknowledged expert in Carbondale historical information. Ganssle said the commission, made up of six volunteer members, expects to apply for the state grant in October, “which is why we’re starting to do our research now.� In the 2010 survey, Reid included a list of recommendations, advising, “The slowdown in the economy (due to the Great Recession of 2008-2009) has given a reprieve to some at-risk buildings and has potentially delayed

Historic designation The 2010 survey identiďŹ ed two local homes deemed eligible for historic designation on the National Historic Register, and the 2006 commercial-buildings survey identiďŹ ed one Main Street building, the Odd-Fellows Hall, as eligible for the same kind of designation. One of Reid’s recommendations in the 2010 document was to pursue those historic designations as soon as possible to avoid further changes to the buildings or possible demolition due to development pressures. She also noted that the 2010 survey identiďŹ ed 14 homes that are “candidates for local HiSTORiC HOMES page 14

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TOWN OF CARBONDALE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

HISTORIC BUILDING SURVEY The Town of Carbondale Historic Preservation Commission is seeking proposals from consultant Âżrms to facilitate a historic building inventory survey of residential structures within the original town site and Weaver Addition. ,QWHUHVWHG LQGLYLGXDOV RU Âż UPV ZKR ZRXOG OLNH WR UHFHLYH D FRS\ RI WKH 5)3 VKRXOG FRQWDFW 7RZQ 3ODQQHU -RKQ /H\ERXUQH DW 25 MOH\ERXUQH#FDUERQGDOHFR QHW 5)3 VXEPLWWDOV PXVW EH UHFHLYHG E\ )ULGD\ )HEUXDU\ 7KH 5)3 PDWHULDOV DUH DOVR EH DYDLODEOH YLD WKH 7RZQ ZHEVLWH DW KWWS ZZZ FDUERQGDOHJRY RUJ

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015 • 13

Library policies om page 7

Snow and ice might have punked out but the dog parade did not, at the sixth annual WinterFest in Redstone on Saturday. An estimated 40 dogs and their handlers paraded from the Redstone inn to the Crystal Club, at which point they gathered around for some tricks and headto-races in something called the Weiner Luge. Non-dog events included a fat-tire bike race, and snowshoe race, around the Redstone Castle. ice climbing and ski-joring were cancelled due to warm weather and the accompanying lack of snow and ice. Photo by Lynn Burton

Shelley confirmed the new policy was adopted to conform to state law, which does allow the carrying of concealed weapons in many public places, including libraries. “The only institutions that are truly weapons-free are schools, under Colorado law,” Shelley said on Wednesday. Concealed-carry has been legal in Colorado since 2003. According to one published account of the meeting, which was held at the Carbondale Branch Library, there was more than an hour of discussion and feedback from the public on the matter, and at least one objector to the library district’s policy of prohibiting guns in library buildings reportedly threatened to never allow his children to visit the library again unless the policy were changed. Those arguing in favor of concealed-carry in libraries have maintained that prohibiting guns in the libraries actually makes them unsafe for the general public, because they offer targets for troublemakers who otherwise would avoid libraries where patrons could carry guns. The policy was reported to go into effect immediately. Shelley said library staff have been instructed to inform police if a weapon is seen being carried by a patron in a library, and “then it will be up to the police to talk to the person, to see if they have the correct permit.” The new policy covers only firearms, Shelley said. The matter of carrying knives in a library will be addressed at a future board meeting, she explained, “But we (library staff) need to do some research on that before we can make a recommendation” to the board of directors. Shelley said there have been no gun-toting incidents in the county’s libraries since passage of the new policy, but noted that on Feb. 9 someone apparently fired a pellet gun at the Rifle Branch Library building, breaking a window. The pellet was not found, and no arrests were made, Shelley said, adding, “But the police assume it was kids.”

Historic homes

landmark status,” a designation that she said also should be pursued. In the upcoming survey, Ganssle said, one goal is to survey homes in the Weaver Addition at the north side of town, in keeping with a recommendation from the 2010 survey. Ganssle said the hope is to add another 20 historic

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14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015

homes to the town’s inventory. “Historic preservation is both looking back and looking forward,” she said of the philosophy behind the CHPC’s work, explaining that it is an attempt to at least create a record of the town’s beginnings, architecturally speaking, in order that future generations will have a base of historic knowledge about the town’s early years.

Trustees om page 1 • the P&Z approval, which was unanimous; • the fact that the plan has seen significant modifications, including reductions of the size of the planned structure, in response to neighborhood objections; • the developer’s work with neighbors to minimize impacts and come up with a building that would fit into a neighborhood that the developers characterized as “an eclectic mix” of single- and multi-family buildings; • and the developers’ contention that the proposal complies with the town’s “in-fill” development guidelines and the zoning for the neighborhood. But neighborhood critics maintained that, despite the alterations made to the proposal, it still would not fit in with the neighborhood and was too massive, too tall and would bring too many traffic and other impacts to an established neighborhood. The development team submitted a 28-page sheaf of documents to back up their arguments, including a list of supporters that covered a page and a half and a letter of support from the

neighboring Bair family, whose house is next to the project site on Sopris Avenue. The documents also included a page and a half of what the developers termed “facts and myths” examining the neighbors’ complaints and claims, and providing “facts” that the Kelleys feel disprove those complaints and claims. The objectors relied mainly on spoken testimony from Heller and her daughter, Barbara Sophia Ulrych of Redstone, and others who feel the proposed redevelopment is out of character with the neighbor and should be rejected. Hobbs, in making his motion to deny the application, told those at the meeting, “I feel like we, as a community, can do better” in terms of redevelopment of properties in the old section of Carbondale. He said he was elected largely by voters who want to maintain Carbondale’s existing character and charm, and worried that developments such as the one proposed by the Kelleys “is not the most beneficial thing we can do” in order to achieve those goals. Trustee Hoffmann at one point urged the applicants to withdraw their plans from consideration and come back with a new one that

Master plan contract om page 12 Services, also of Carbondale, “together bring a total of 60 years of experience in local government and planning services to this project,” and are more directly responsive to the fire district’s public-outreach needs. Kennedy’s letter did not directly address the issue of a possible conflict of interest in Chain’s selection. But Ninth Judicial District Attorney Sherry

Caloia, contacted about the potential conflict, concluded that no legal conflict exists. For a true conflict to exist, Caloia wrote in an e-mail to The Sopris Sun, “There has to be some sort of transaction that is unfair. Such as the board contracting with Mark while he is on the board. Just being a prior board member does not create a conflict.” The district expects to have final contracts,

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proposes a smaller building. “This isn’t bad,” Hoffmann said, “but it’s in-our-face big.” The mayor, clearly frustrated by the discussion, laid out a number of points she felt should guide the trustees’ thinking, starting with the P&Z approval. “I don’t take going against that very easily,” she remarked, applauding the commission’s role in writing a new set of Unified Development Codes to guide the town’s development in the future, and its general work in analyzing development applications and making recommendations to the trustees. Concerning Heller’s contention that the application should fail because the proposed building would eliminate much of her view to the south, including Mount Sopris, the mayor stated flatly, “People have the opportunity to purchase the property next door to them if they want to preserve their view plane.” And, she said of this proposal, “It could be a heck of a lot worse, with a different board or a different applicant.” She added later,“I think denying this is wrong.” The 3-3 tie vote on Hobbs’ motion could have

meant the P&Z’s approval essentially would become the town’s last word on the subject. Instead, Trustee Hoffmann moved to reopen the public hearing and continue the discussion to March 10. In other action the trustees: • Approved a special events liquor license for two upcoming events at the Third Street Center, on Feb. 19 and on March 19; • Approved cultivation and retail-sales permits for a new recreational cannabis center, Crystal River Growers. • Approved a liquor license renewal, with stipulations, for the Gandhi India’s Cuisine restaurant on Highway 133; • Approved an extension of a month, to April 20, for submission of the Phase One application concerning a large, affordable housing project planned for the athletic field between the Bridges High School complex and the Third Street Center on Carbondale’s south side; • Approved a proposal to apply for a Federal Mineral Lease District grant to build a roof over a set of bleachers at the Gus Darien Riding and Rodeo Arena on Catherine Store Road east of town.

negotiated with Chain and Almont, to be completed and in place by the end of the month, according to the statement from the district. The master plan is an outgrowth of a 2013 tax hike election, in which voters rejected the district’s request for additional tax revenues to overcome losses of revenues due to the effects of the recent national recession. District officials have warned taxpayers that the district is facing serious fiscal problems and must find ways to boost its revenues or be

faced with cutting the quantity and quality of services provided to district residents. The fire fighters and equipment of the district serve approximately 15,000 residents in a 320-square-mile area that includes the towns of Carbondale in Garfield County, Redstone in Pitkin County and Marble in Gunnison County. Founded in 1953, the department has 19 career personnel and 68 volunteer personnel, according to information on its website, www.carbondalefire.org.

OPEN HOUSE Sat., Feb. 14, 3-5pm CARBONDALE 620 Bridgewater Place River Valley Ranch 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, Finished Basement, Fenced Yard

$263,000 Faith Lutheran Church purchased the Doctors Medical building at 1340 Highway 133. The congregation plans on renovating the building during the coming years converting the waiting area and front offices into a sanctuary and renovating the back portion of the building into a Child Care Center to serve the needs of the Carbondale Community. Faith Lutheran Church is the result of the recent merger of Messiah Lutheran Church in Aspen and Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Glenwood Springs. Faith Lutheran Church is being served by the Rev. Thomas Thierfelder Mdiv, Ordained pastor of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. The Child Care Center is under the direction of Mrs. Cindi Maynard.

www.garfieldhousing.com 618-0319 or 625-3589

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970-510-5046 THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015 • 15

EAT. SHOP. PLAY CONFLUENCE OF RIVERS, RECREATION & CULTURE

Get ready to yuk it up at the Laff Fest on Feb. 19-21 Sopris Sun Staff Report The Aspen Laff Festival returns to the Wheeler Opera House on Feb. 19-21 with some of the top comedic practitioners working the comedy club circuit today. The Wheeler has been the place for comedy in Aspen for most of the past 20 years, according to press release. It served as a principal venue for the HBO/U.S. Comedy Arts Festival for most of its 13-year run in Aspen, and has co-produced two comedy series as well as three years of the Aspen Rooftop Comedy Festival. The Wheeler introduced the first Aspen Laff Festival in 2011 to give standup comics more opportunities to stretch and really explore what they can do on the stage. The festival launches on Feb. 19 with “Hippieman’s Plan For America,” a special free show that kicks off the festival at 6:15 p.m. “He’s our go-to comedy guy since he won our first New Faces competition in 2011,” said a Wheeler spokesman, “and he’s been someone our audiences have looked forward to every year.” This year, he’s polishing a show he put together for Boulder’s Dairy Center for the Arts. At 7:45 p.m. on Feb. 19, the festival welcomes Jim Breuer, with his quick wit and stories. Named one of Comedy Central’s 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time, Breuer is one of the most recognizable pros in the business, known for his charismatic stage antics, dead-on impressions, and family-friendly stand-up. His big break came in 1995 when he joined the cast of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” During his four years on SNL, Breuer quickly became a fan-favorite for his original character “Goat Boy” and his impressions of actor Joe Pesci. After that came

“Half-Baked” with Dave Chappelle. Tickets to Jim Breuer are $30. On Feb. 20, up-and-coming comic Andrew Sleighter starts the night. Sleighter has not only played comedy festivals from Bumbershoot to Laughing Skull and Cabo, he has also written for Norm MacDonald’s “Sports Show,” been featured on MTV’s “Money From Strangers” and was on the latest season of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” Single tickets are $12. Following Sleighter at 7:15 p.m. on Feb. 20, it’s a double set by Ophira Eisenberg and Robert Dubac. Folks say that Eisenberg stole the show as MC of the Wheeler’s live taping of “The Moth” last March, with a dry and knowing style that takes the questionable joy of inter-human relationships to a whole new level. She’s also the host and raconteur of NPR’s newest hit show, “Ask Me Another.” Dubac’s one-man show — “The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron” — has been an international hit since its launch in 1998. His new stage piece — “The Book Of Moron” — is earning raves in Denver and elsewhere. Tickets to Eisenberg/Dubac are $22.50. Closing out on Feb. 20 at 9:15 p.m. is another double bill with Kira Soltanovich and Tom Rhodes. Tickets are $22.50. On Feb. 21, Emily Galati kicks off the action at 6 p.m., followed by Pete Lee and Josh Sneed at 7:15 p.m. Christopher Titus returns to Aspen to wrap up the festival at 9:15 p.m. Single ticket, day passes and the Full Festival Pass are all offered, and are available at aspenshowtix.com.

Town of Basalt

On the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month, meet in an informal setting with Basalt Mayor Jacque Whitsitt for coffee and a chat.

SNOW REMOVAL POLICY As we begin our annual snow removal efforts, the Town of Basalt asks for cooperation from residents of the Town in the following areas:

• RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS - All

• STREET PARKING - Cars parked illegally

snow from private property or adjacent sidewalks, should be stored on private property. Residents are responsible for clearing snow along sidewalks and away from mailboxes and fire hydrants.

may be towed.

• PRIVATE SNOW PLOWING - Placing, dumping or pushing of snow onto city streets or right-of-ways from adjacent properties is prohibited.

• SAFETY AROUND PLOWS - Please slow down and use caution. Keep back a minimum of 50 feet.

Coffee with the

Mayor

• Ideas for downtown redevelopment? • Thoughts on marijuana laws? • Questions on the river project? This is a great opportunity to share your thoughts, make comments and catch up on what’s happening in Basalt. All issues and topics welcome.

• CHILD SAFETY - Please ensure that

The next Coffee with the Mayor is:

children refrain from playing on, in and around snow mounds.

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970-927-4384 144 Midland Avenue, Basalt, Colorado 81621 16 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015

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Irene (Strong) Hartman: Aspen was an adventure By Denise Barkhurst Sopris Sun Correspondent “I’m so glad I was born at that time in Aspen. I really am. We just had so much fun!” Irene’s blue eyes light up every time she laughs, and, at nearly 83 years old, she laughs a lot as she recounts stories of her youth in Aspen. She pulls out her high school graduation book to show the 13 students who graduated in 1950 in Aspen, pointing to the nine classmates that she was with from first through 12th grades. All their names flow easily from her lips, and many stayed friends for life. “Oh, we were ornery!” As proof, she tells of the time her friend, Hugh Chisholm, bought a new car with leather seats. As a prank, she and her friends “got Dave Ray’s billy goat and put him in the car. We didn’t know that goat would eat the leather! Oh, we were pretty quiet kids for a while after that! The sheriff even came around asking us questions. Years later, I told Hugh it was me.” Irene’s grandfather Strong came from Ireland and made his way to Aspen in 1882 to work in the mines. He married Irene’s grandmother, Esther, who had come from England, but who was widowed

when her husband, George Olford, was killed in a mine accident. Irene’s father, John, was born and raised in Aspen at the turn of the century. On her mother’s side, Irene’s grandparents, William and Martha Luther, came from Leadville by stagecoach in the 1880’s to work in the mines. Sadly, Martha was left alone with seven children to raise; William had walked out one day and was never heard of again. His fate, to this day, is unknown. Grandmother Luther took in people’s laundry, washing clothes on a washboard to keep her children fed. Irene’s mother, Emma, was one of those seven children. “We called her ‘grandma across the ditch’ ‘cause a ditch ran in front of her house.” Irene, born in 1932, was one of the eight Strong children born to John and Emma. Her father and uncle Ernie started the lumber mill that was once located on West End Street; they logged timber up Lincoln Creek and Lost Man Creek. She pulls out her mother’s old journal, which contains a hand-written ledger from the business as well as their personal HARTMAN page 18

“Look at this – dad paid $669 for the bridge to be built across Lincoln Gulch. Isn’t that somethin’?”

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irene Hartman and her wall of pins in her Crystal Meadows home. Hartman was one of 13 students who graduated from Aspen High School in 1950. Photo by Jane Bachrach

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Faboo Ribbon Cutting Celebration Faboo-Basalt Emporium & Flying Circus Open House

February 19

Aspen Orthopaedic Association & Roaring Fork Physical Therapy

March 19

WJ Bradley Mortgage & Land Title Guarantee Co. (St. Patrick’s Day theme)

April 16

Basalt Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting & Dinner

May 21

Basalt Mountain Inn & Friends

June 18

Ann Korologos Gallery, Sotheby’s International Realty, Windows and Doors by SolarGlass

July 16

New Business Member Event

August 20

Aspen Rent-All

September 17

Willits Town Center Block Party

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November 19

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www.BasaltChamber.com THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015 • 17

Hartman î&#x2C6;&#x2021;om page 17 expenses: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Look at this â&#x20AC;&#x201C; dad paid $669 for the bridge to be built across Lincoln Gulch. Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that somethinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? And here â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a big crate of four dozen eggs was $2.25.â&#x20AC;? The ledger is a whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who of old Aspen names â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sardy, Mace, Cerise, Deane, Benedict, Phister, Herwick â&#x20AC;&#x201D; people buying logs, receiving wages and providing services. Irene was particularly close to her brother, Kenny, and they often accompanied her father and uncles to the logging sites. On one occasion, they were spending the night in a small cabin on Lost Man Creek. The cabin had no windows, and as the moonlight shone in, they heard a mountain lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bloodcurdling scream. The two siblings jumped into their uncleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bed, but his sympathy was absent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He yelled at us, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Get back in your own beds! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only a mountain lion!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? She laughs but says she and her brother recently talked about their fear that night. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wish those old cabins were still there.â&#x20AC;?

Population: Under 500 Life in Aspen as a kid in the 1930â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;40â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s was full of adventure. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aspen was less than 500 people back then,â&#x20AC;? and there were no chair lifts or après ski venues. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We went up the old boat tow, skiing down on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;loooongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; skis.â&#x20AC;? The boat tow was a contraption made of two 12foot pine toboggans that looked like a small boat; it was pulled up the mountain by a steel cable attached to a converted Model A Ford engine. The fee was 10 cents when it began operation in 1938. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In heavy snow years, we would sled down Aspen Mountain onto Mill Street, all the way to the (Hotel) Jerome.â&#x20AC;? Her family lived in houses on Hyman and then Hopkins streets. For a while, they lived next door to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Momâ&#x20AC;? and Joe Popish. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I always called her â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mom.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; They used to make wine in their basement. When I was 14, Joe invited me over to try some. I drank out of a hose that came out of a barrel. I was so drunk! Oh, and my mother was so

Of the dozens of pins Hartman has collected over the years, the purple butterďŹ&#x201A;y is her favorite. Jane Bachrach photo mad at Joe!â&#x20AC;? She and her siblings kept busy hiking, picking raspberries and going on scavenger hunts. She and Kenny would pack a sandwich and take off into the woods for the day, always exploring. During their summers, they lived in Lenado (east of Woody Creek) so her father, John, could work in the sawmill. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Us kids would hike over the mountain down to town once a week to go to the movies at the old Isis Theaterâ&#x20AC;?; admission was ďŹ ve cents. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were poor. The lumber mill made just enough to keep us

fed.â&#x20AC;? But it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to matter too much. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve really had a fortunate life.â&#x20AC;? When asked about Aspenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transition to a playground for the rich and famous, Irene says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of those things you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t notice until itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too late. Aspen isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Aspen anymore.â&#x20AC;? She remembers the paradigm shift as she points to two girls in the high school photo. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The three of us got all dolled up once â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cause we heard Van Johnson was coming to town. In the movies, he was so handsome. But when we got on the mountain where he was skiing, we were so disappointed! He wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t handsome at all!â&#x20AC;? After high school, Irene went to work for the sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ofďŹ ce and then the county clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ofďŹ ce. Meanwhile, her brothers Bud and Walter moved the lumber mill down to the outskirts of Carbondale along Catherine Store Road. Irene married Hal Hartman, head of avalanche control who later became the manager of Buttermilk before his passing in 1979. They raised four children together, all of whom have stayed nearby. In 1989, Irene moved to Carbondale to care for her mother. She was still hiking and skiing every chance she got. Her favorite hike was Lost Man trail, then looping up along the peaks to Independence Pass. Eventually, she moved into the Crystal Meadows complex where she now enjoys good friends, cooking from new recipes and morning walks. In Ireneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home, the shelf of old bottles speaks to Aspenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mining history and the past she appreciates so deeply. Then Irene points to an entire wall of collected pins that would rival Madeline Albrightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. She points to one Ms. Albright owns as well. The antiques and collectibles range from Native American pawn, to bejeweled, to a limited edition â&#x20AC;&#x153;red onionâ&#x20AC;? from Werner Kuster, given to Ireneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter Marty when he owned the namesake bar in Aspen. She laughs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have lots of collections. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a character.â&#x20AC;?

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18 â&#x20AC;˘ THE SOPRIS SUN â&#x20AC;˘ www.SoprisSun.com â&#x20AC;˘ FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015

Written by William Shakespeare

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Letters continued om page 2 Secondly, I would like to discuss the negative concerns expressed by Gene Schilling. I too, as noted in The Sopris Sun, do not understand what especially the issue is that Gene is concerned about. I do not believe publically discussing issues facing the fire district is negative; in fact I believe it is very positive. Leadership requires that those responsible for making decisions openly discuss any, and all, subjects facing an organization. Since my election, I have come to truly grasp how intelligent, knowledgeable and discerning the citizens of the fire district truly are. I believe they can differentiate between open, honest discussion and pure negativity. The third issue is the Command Trailer. I have never stated I wanted to “get rid of” the Command Trailer. I raised the question of the need for the trailer, the expenses for maintaining the trailer, and the potential of selling the trailer. As far as I am aware, the Carbondale Fire District is the only fire district in the Roaring Fork Valley that has a Command Trailer. The fire district is facing significant fiscal difficulties, and the question I raised is owning and maintaining funds be exthe trailer a priority and should the pended to do so. I will state again, I do not think so. I would also like to state that I have raised operational and fiscal questions about the fire district after my election and during the public meetings concerning the 2015 budget. I expressed concerns about the purchase of a ladder truck, the number of ambulances the fire district owns (four), the number of recently promoted positions on the fire district and hiring replacement personnel in lieu of alternate methodologies for replacing personnel. I am also concerning about the lack of investigating the need to replace a 30-year-old fire engine, and other fire district operation priorities. These are reasons I voted against the 2015 budget and have openly expressed my reasons for doing so. The last significant issue concerns Gene Schilling’s statement that “you guys are backing Carl” referring to The Sopris Sun. I can’t speak for the newspaper, but I believe in the professionalism of the staff of The Sopris Sun, as well as the other local newspapers. I believe

they strive to report the news in a professional and non-biased manner. Most importantly, I do not want them to support me. I want honest professional news reporting on the fire district, and every other issue facing the Carbondale and surrounding communities. I want to know what is going on and rely on the press as a critical avenue for news. I want to know if someone thinks I have made a mistake. I have made many in my life and tried to use my mistakes as a learning experience. I also don’t kid myself and I haven’t always been successful at learning from my mistakes. Finally, I may sound a little sentimental, but I truly believe in the Bill of Rights and specifically the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press particularly as they apply to discussing fire district issues, and many other issues. I look forward to the discussion at the Feb. 11, board meeting and I am interested in your thoughts and ideas on this important subject. Respectfully, Carl L. Smith Carbondale and Rural Fire District Board Member

RF Co-Op thanks Dear Editor: I would like to say “thank you” to Crystal at the Roaring Fork Co-Op for donating so many wonderful toys and treats to Redstone’s 10th annual Dog Parade, as well as Eric from RJ Paddywacks. Thanks also go to Laurie Raymond from High Tails in Glenwood, Nancy Thomas from the Roaring Fork Kennel Club and Susan Weber, our very own, Mobil Vet, for being such detailed and attentive judges. Thanks to Kim and Billy Amicon for hosting the Weiner Luge and to Gary Nelsen for building the course. And the biggest “thanks” goes to all the well-dressed and talented canine contestants who really show off every year to make this such a fun event! See you next year. Becky Trembley Redstone

Lindsey Utter Recreation Planner Pitkin County Open Space and Trails 530 East Main Street, Third Floor Aspen, CO 81611 lindsey.utter@pitkincounty.com http://www.rockymountainbidsystem.com/ Desk: (970) 920.5224

Proposals must be received at the above address no later than 1 p.m. MST, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, to be considered. There will be a mandatory Pre-Bid meeting at 10 a.m. MST, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015, at the project site, the current parking lot at Elk Park. Project Goals. The CDOT EEO officer has set Disadvantaged Business Goals at 3.5% for this project. There will be no on the job training goals.

The CDOT Form 347, Certification of EEO Compliance, is no longer required to be submitted in the bid package. This form certified that the contractor/proposed subcontractors were in compliance with the Joint Reporting Committee EEO-1 form requirements. The EEO-1 Report must still be submitted to the Joint Reporting Committee if the contractors and subcontractors meet the eligibility requirements (29CFR 1602.7); we will, however, no longer require certification. For additional information regarding these federal requirements, please refer to: http://www.eeoc.gov/employers/eeo1survey/faq.cfm This project includes funding by CDOT administered by FHWA grants; therefore Davis Bacon wages will apply.

Bidder must include CDOT forms 606, 1413, 1414 with his bid. On the day of the bid opening, the low bidder will be given the following forms: Form 605, Contractors Performance Capability Statement Form 621, Assignment of Antitrust Claims Form 1415, UDBE Commitment Confirmation (If the UDBE goal > 0) Form 1416, UDBE Good Faith Effort Documentation (If the UDBE goal is not met) These forms need to be returned to the Local Agency by 4:30 pm the following day.

Unclassifieds Submit to unclassifieds@soprissun.com by Friday 12 p.m. Rates: $15 for 30 words, $20 for up to 50 words. Payment due before publication.

GET THE WORD OUT IN UNCLASSIFIEDS! Rates start at $15. Email unclassifieds@soprissun.com.

If a work schedule is included as part of the bid package it must also be completed in ink and signed by the individual who will execute the Contract Form. Any work form completed as part of the bid package shall indicate the commencement date for construction. The work schedule must conform to the commencement and completion dates for the contract.

Published in The Sopris Sun: Jan. 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 2015.

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THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • FEbRUaRy 12-18, 2015 • 19