2009 11 19

Sopris Sun THE

VOLUME 1, NUMBER 41 • NOVEMBER 19, 2009

Winter has arrived, deer

A quiet realization on White Hill on Monday. Photo by Jane Bachrach

Carbondale Commentary 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.

Why the secrecy, PitCo? Dear Editor: Months ago, the Two Shoes/Sutey Ranch exchange proponents requested “a letter of support." from Pitkin County.

Since then, the Pitkin County Open Space Board and BOCC have held at least five executive sessions on the exchange. Why all the secrecy? The federal BLM land in Pitkin County belongs to the U.S. taxpayers. Pitkin County has no land-use or legal authority over the land involved. Remember, the request is/was simply a support letter. Sutey Ranch is in Garfield County; not Pitkin County.

The BLM land proposed to be exchanged for the Sutey Ranch will be permanently sterilized with a conservation easement to prevent any road construction, any residential construction, any oil/gas/resource extraction, any other development.

This is superior protection than BLM provides. Sutey Ranch will become public land and forever eliminate potential massive residential development. Sutey Ranch will undergo thorough BLM planning to analyze wildlife, cultural resources, endangered species, recreational use etc.

Motorized use will be prohibited. Sutey Ranch adjoins Red Hill and will preserve its precious values. Mr. Wexner agrees to donate $1 million to Pitkin County preservation efforts to meet Pitkin’s request that “there be more in the exchange for Pitkin.”

The Sierra Club and Wilderness Society

also joined this coalition with Garfield County, Eagle County, the town of Carbondale, Aspen Valley Land Trust, Eagle Valley Land Trust, Red Hill Council, Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association, Hanging Valley Ranch, Prince Creek Homeowners, Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association and many highly respected, conservation-minded valley residents recommending Pitkin County support the exchange.

Executive sessions should be used infrequently to ensure public business is public.

Limited circumstances justify executive sessions: personnel matters, pending litigation and contract negotiations. Obviously, this exchange is not a personnel matter or pending litigation. There is no Pitkin County contract negotiation because they are not party to the exchange. This is a BLM land exchange, not Pitkin County.

One can only speculate about why Pitkin County feels compelled to consider this issue in secret. I respectfully urge the county commissioners to lift the domes of silence. Please vote to send a letter of support for the Two Shoes/Sutey Ranch exchange. The public benefits of this exchange are enormous. Pitkin County commissioners, please do the right thing and support the exchange.

Davis Farrar Former Carbondale Town Manager, current president of the nonprofit Red Hill Council

Protect our wild places

Cured by Dr. Dave

Dear Editor: In America we are losing 6,000 acres of open space every day. Our wild lands are too important to neglect.

Our wild places: • protect watersheds and drinking water; • protect species-dependent habitat, critical winter range, big game migration corridors, and habitat for wildlife; • filter and protect the quality of the air we breathe; • absorb carbon dioxide pollution from the atmosphere; • provide recreational opportunities (wild lands and protected areas support a large segment of the economy. Nationally, outdoor recreation contributes more than $700 billion to the American economy, and supports 6.5 million jobs.); • offer haven and respite.

Some places are too special to develop and should be protected for us and for future generations. Residential expansion and related infrastructure, road building, industrial development and related activities all diminish the availability of our wild lands.

Our wild areas need permanent protection.

Almost all we do and enjoy has a price for admission. Not so, our protected wild lands and special places. Our protected public lands and our private lands with conservation easements protect these values.

Only our lawmakers can act to save our nation’s wild lands, our wildlife, migratory routes and wildlife habitat, our watersheds, our places of refuge, our environmental quality – the quality of life we value in the West and in the Roaring Fork Valley.

Several proposed actions in our region support the protection of wild places and wildlife. Please support the efforts of the Thompson Divide Coalition, the Hidden Gems wilderness proposal, and the Sutey/BLM land exchange project to protect our special places from future development.

Support those who support the protection of our special places.

Dorothea Farris Carbondale

Dear Editor: I want everyone to know that alternative medicine does make a difference. It has changed and saved my life and I owe it all to Dr. Dave Teitler at the Carbondale Acupuncture Center.

I am 39 years old and my mother and father have watched me suffer from severe asthma all my life. I have been to doctors on the East Coast, the West Coast and even overseas and what they did for me was supply me with three different kinds of inhalers, several kinds of allergy pills, nasal sprays etc. that did nothing but clog me up to the point of almost terminal illness.

Finally my mom introduced me to Dr. Teitler. He looked at my tongue and quoted, “I will have you like a new woman for your 40th birthday” – and that’s exactly what he did through his acupuncture and Chinese medicine. ’Til this day, at 41 years old, I have not taken one narcotic pill or had one asthma attack.

My health is now at 90 percent, my body is in balance, my energy level is up and I can focus better on any project. I continue to take my Chinese herb tincture and visit Dr. Teitler for my regular tune-ups. I am now de-clogged and exercise, and I stick to healthier eating habits. I can ride my bike with my friends (which I could never do before). I just live a productive life now and just feel absolutely great. I cannot thank this wonderful, intelligent, gentle man for all he has done for me.

Chinese medicine and acupuncture in my experience are the best natural way to go. Thanks again and again, Dr. Teitler, for your patience and kindness.

Debbi Fadli Carbondale

Local youths for wilderness Dear Editor: As Carbondale high school graduates, residents of Colorado, hikers and ecologists, we understand the value of wilderLETTERS page 19

Blind Justice Skilling makes a killing Antonin hears his case Houston was too hostile So Jeffrey flees the chase Mohammed gets his hearing In New York’s friendly streets Will Clarence be as doting And prevent his dangling feet?

Tony Alcantara Carbondale

Correction

No rainy weddings in Puerto Rico. There was plenty of sunshine when Pam Zentmyer and Robbie Williams (couple on the right) tied the knot on Nov. 7. John Villafranco (left) and other Carbondalians attended the happy event as well. Photo courtesy of Meredith Bullock

2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009

In the Community Calendar in the Nov. 12 edition, we incorrectly stated that a hand-drumming workshop led by Laurie Loeb would occur on Nov. 12. The workshop will actually take place today, Nov. 19.

Sopris Sun THE

The Sopris Sun is an LLC organized under the 501c3 nonprofit structure of the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation, Editor: Terray Sylvester • 618-9112 news@soprissun.com Advertising: Anne Goldberg • 379-5050 anne@soprissun.com Reporters: Trina Ortega • Jeremy Heiman Photographer/Writer: Jane Bachrach Page Production: Terri Ritchie Ad Production: Barbara New Paper Boy: Cameron Wiggin Sopris Sun, LLC • P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 www.soprissun.com

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density dominates housing discussions

By Trina Ortega The Sopris Sun As new mixed-use developments wind their way through the town’s planning and zoning process and are reviewed by the board of trustees, there has been criticism that the added density of affordable housing has compromised Carbondale’s small town feel.

Some worry that affordable housing, which is typically denser than other residential development, results in neighborhoods that are out of place in Carbondale.

But proponents of affordable housing claim that some of the very people who give Carbondale its charm – teachers, young professionals, community volunteers and voluntary civic leaders – are among those who would get pushed out if the town had no affordable housing guidelines.

“It’s what Carbondale is all about,” said Charlie Kees, who serves on the town’s new Housing Advisory Group. “That’s why affordable housing is important to me. Without something in place, those are the types of people we’re going to lose.”

With recent neighborhoods, including Cleveland Place II, Mountain Sage and Keator Grove, the town stands to increase the total number of deed-restricted units to 111.

But those three developments have not built

filed to get into one property.

“The free market is no longer providing housing,” Philip said.“We’re losing our middle class; they’re getting squeezed out.”

a look back

The 60 deed-restricted homes in the Thompson Corner development comprise one of Carbondale’s first attempts to preserve affordable housing in the midst of sky-rocketing property values. It's a problem with which the town is still grappling. Photo by Terray Sylvester all of their approved affordable housing units, leaving the town with an existing 78 units that are based on the area median income.

For a town of more than 6,000, housing

planner Kay Philip believes that is simply not enough. She cited one of the recent lotteries for a deed-restricted house in Thompson Corner at River Valley Ranch – 42 applicants

Before the community housing program and the advisory group, before affordable housing lotteries, before the town’s ordinance requiring developers to provide affordable housing within their projects, there was River Valley Ranch. It was the mid-1990s, and RVR was the largest residential development to come before the town. Citizens and trustees had the foresight to procure some affordable units out of the deal. They agreed that 10 percent of the 600 residential units would be deed-restricted. And so Thompson Corner, with 60 units, was established.

“You really have to wonder where we’d be if we didn’t have those 60 homes. It’s really nice,” Philip said.

In October 2001, the town recognized that there was a growing gap between housing costs and wages in Carbondale, and leaders developed a community housing program with the intent to require new developers to mitigate their impacts by designating 15 percent of their residential units as affordable.

HOUSING page 9

slim 2010 town budget beginning to take shape

By Jeremy Heiman The Sopris Sun Only a few more decisions remain before Carbondale has a budget for 2010, and it looks like it’s going to be a lean one – about a million dollars smaller than the previous year’s.

In a Nov.10 budget work session,the Board of Trustees worked with Town Manager Tom Baker and other staff members to adopt additional parts of a $5.2 million spending plan for the coming year, pared down from 2009’s $6.1 million budget.

The final budget is slated to be adopted Dec. 8, after another public hearing.

Town revenues have continued to decline.

For the first three quarters of 2009, the town’s sales tax, its biggest source of revenue, is down by about 15.5 percent, Baker told the trustees. Town officials forecast that 2010 will be no better than 2009.

Carbondale’s general fund reserve is still robust. Instead of declining due to the recession, it has been bolstered by $846,000 in mineral leasing and severance tax funds from the state of Colorado and now totals an estimated $3.95 million.

The 2010 draft budget prepared by Baker and Finance Director Nancy Barnett does take an additional $109,000 from the reserves. This draw on the reserves was authorized by the Board of Trustees in an earlier work session on the budget.

At the meeting, town staff and trustees discussed some of the numbers behind the town’s late-October decision to layoff one part-time and four full-time employees.

One issue that was questioned was the $88,000 budgeted for unemployment insurance payments for those laid off. Baker said that the amount actually could range any-

where from $60,000 to $100,000, depending on whether and when former employees found new jobs.

Trustee Ed Cortez questioned whether the money spent on unemployment insurance would cut into the money the town planned to save with the layoffs. But Baker explained the insurance would cut into the savings by, at most, 20 percent.

Other budget ups and downs for the evening included the following: • The police department will get an additional $10,000 for investigations. Police Chief Gene Schilling said that lately the department has been forced to perform more in-depth, expensive investigations.

• Schilling said his department would be able to cut staff expenses if he can get a grant to pay for a pedestrian-activated crossing light at Snowmass Drive and Highway 133, so that an officer would not have to be there to direct traffic.

• The recycling containers provided to the town by the apparel manufacturer, Patagonia, are costing the town three fifths of a fulltime employee’s salary, because their contents must be sorted. “It’s conceivable we may … put those away for six months,” to save money, Baker said.

• Funding for the Historic Preservation Commission will be dropped from $20,000 to $5,000. This money is spent mainly for professional consulting.

• The building inspector will be trained to enforce zoning issues as well. “We’re trying to do as much as possible in-house,” said Community Development Director Doug Dotson.

• A contingency fund of $77,000 will be established. At this time, Baker said, no uses for this money have been identified.

• A new car, perhaps a hybrid, to be used by staff and trustees attending out-of-town meetings and trainings, will be purchased, costing an estimated $25,000. It would replace a 1998 Ford Taurus, which Town Clerk Cathy Derby described as “a hunk of junk.”

In addition to the car, the town government does expect to make one big capital expenditure in 2010. A new street sweeper costing $100,000 appears in the proposed budget. Most of the trustees agreed that it was past time for the town to get rid of its existing sweeper, which has to be repaired frequently. Trustee Ed Cortez was the exception.

“I have a real concern about capital expenditures right now,” Cortez said. “We just got rid of four good employees. If we’re going to use that money, let’s use it for infrastructure.”

Cortez pushed for Public Works staff to continue maintaining the old machine.

Trustee Stacey Bernot pointed out that the street sweeper “doesn’t work, even when it’s working,” and dirt and gravel remain on the street after the device passes.

The other trustees were not swayed by Cortez either, and the machine remains in the 2010 budget.

Next Steps:

The final budget session, in which requests from local non-profits will be considered, is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 24. That meeting will be a public hearing. Final adoption of the 2010 budget is scheduled for Dec. 8.

sopris sun holiday deadlines For Nov. 26 Turkey Day issue ad reservations due by Fri., Nov. 20.

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THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009 • 3

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News Briefs The Bonedale News Brief The Sopris Sun and the KDNK news departments team up each week to discuss recent news from the Roaring Fork Valley. Catch the Brief on KDNK at 7:50 a.m. and at 5:50 p.m. on Thursdays, or find it online at KDNK.org.

overlook application tabled, maybe until February A representative for the Overlook Neighborhood cancelled an appearance before the Carbondale Board of Trustees Tuesday, asking for more time.

“The applicant would like to request that the matter be tabled,” attorney Larry Green told the trustees.

“The ownership group has some very significant business decisions to make, and they need more time,” Green continued. He asked that the public hearing be put off for 60 to 90 days, and said representatives of the applicant could be back before the board before the end of February.

The decision was necessitated by “some economic drivers” Green said after leaving the council chambers. He said economic factors were the only issues that contributed to the request for postponement.

The Overlook application calls for 145 to 170 residential units and a hotel designed in new urbanist style on about 12 acres of land currently used by light industrial concerns and the Ross Montessori School, just north of Carbondale Town Hall. The trustees have called for numerous changes to the application during several previous appearances before the council.

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Garfield County Public Health will host a swine flu vaccination clinic Saturday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its Rifle and Glenwood Springs locations. The Rifle office is located next to City Market; the Glenwood Springs office is near Valley View Hospital. Families with school-aged children are encouraged to attend. All swine flu – also known as H1N1 – vaccine is free if received through Public Health.

Those being targeted to receive the vaccine include: • Pregnant women; • people who live with or take care of children younger than 6 months old; • all children 6 months to 24 years old; • people 25 to 64 years old who have chronic health conditions, i.e. asthma or other lung disorders, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes or other disorders that may compromise the immune system; • all health care workers, including school health workers.

Third street Center approaching funding goal Reserva All Six Varietals

The Third Street Center announced on Friday that it has raised $1.25 million in its capital campaign. The campaign’s goal is $1.875 million.

According to a press release, the center has received gifts from individuals, government agencies and foundations. The center has received $500,000 in grant money from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, $135,000 from the Town of Carbondale and $100,000

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4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009

Tuesday, Nov. 10 At 4:10 p.m., Carbondale police received a report that a man had purchased a $30 gift certificate from Domino’s Pizza near City Market. He had then cashed it for $300 at a Domino’s in Denver. Denver police had declined to take up the case, but the Carbondale police records stated that, “the community-minded Carbondale Police Department will investigate the matter.”

Friday, Nov. 13 At 6 p.m., a man called from Lamprecht Drive to report that his exwife was in his garage. He was wondering what could be done about it. Police advised the man that he had a civil, not a criminal, matter on his hands. sunday, Nov. 15 At 12 a.m., someone reported that there was a cow in the 2100 block of Highway 133. Police contained the animal until its owner arrived. sunday, Nov. 15 At 1:30 a.m., police received a report of a fight at El Horizonte. An officer found three men hitting each other. But the men explained it was all in good fun – they had been watching a boxing match. sunday, Nov. 15 At 2:15 a.m., police received a report of several people fighting in the street on Wheel Drive, but failed to find any of the suspects. sunday, Nov. 15 At 3:30 a.m., police received a request for medical assistance from the Cowen Center. Upon arrival, officers learned that no one needed medical help, but that a man did need a ride home. He’d missed the last RFTA bus.

Garfield County moving slowly on clean energy district

By Jeremy Heiman The Sopris Sun Garfield County commissioners are taking a go-slow approach to creating a local clean energy improvement district. The district would fund a loan program in Garfield County for energy-saving home improvements and renewable energy systems.

The Board of County Commissioners voted on Monday only to direct county staff to draft a resolution to create a local improvement district under which such a loan program could be set up. The commissioners did not agree to proceed with recommendations before them from the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative board (G-NECI) to approve the formation of such a district or to identify a funding source for energy loans.

In the Nov. 3 election, neighboring Eagle, Gunnison and Pitkin counties each ap-

proved home energy loan programs. Homeowners there will be able to take advantage of a Colorado program signed into law by the governor last year. Colorado House Bill 1350 authorized the formation of energy improvement districts to finance home energy improvement loans. Taking the issue to the voters was necessary only to approve the bonding authority that will provide a pool of funds from which loans will be drawn in those counties.

In a presentation to the commissioners Monday, G-NECI board member and Rifle Mayor Keith Lambert told the commissioners the program would be a good investment for county funds, because the county could set the interest rate, and the return is pretty much guaranteed.

“You have to invest your money somewhere,” Lambert said. “Why not invest in your constituents?”

Commission Chairman John Martin, however, stated that he would like to see the issue placed before the voters.

Commissioner Trési Houpt argued that the timing is important. There’s an opportunity to arrange to share administrative costs of an energy loan program with the neighboring counties while they are setting up their programs, she said.

Deputy County Attorney Carolyn Dahlgren advised the board that a local improvement district could be formed without first identifying a funding source for loans.

Alice Laird, director of G-NECI, pointed out that an election isn’t necessary if bonds are not to be issued. A Colorado law known as the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) requires an election if bonding or taxation is initiated. But if the funding were to be drawn from an existing pot of money, such as county reserve funds, an election

would not be necessary. The district itself can be created through a resolution by the commissioners.

Martin was not convinced.

“We need to bring the citizens along with us,” he said.

However, early this summer the G-NECI advisory board asked the county commissioners to move forward with a ballot issue to approve a local energy improvement district and funding for energy loans. At the time, the commissioners stated they did not want to do so.

Also on Monday, the commissioners approved contracting with Ennovate Corporation, an energy service company located in Aurora. The company will be hired to conduct energy audits on public buildings throughout the county in order to determine what energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements are appropriate for each.

school board debates revision to public records policy

By Terray Sylvester The Sopris Sun School board members grappled, briefly last week, with the board’s record-keeping procedures and transparency to the public.

The conversation arose during the Nov. 11 board meeting when RFSD Re-1 school board members rejected a proposal to pare down the public records kept from each board meeting.

Superintendent Judy Haptonstall proposed that the board minutes be shortened to the minimum suggested under guidelines drawn up by the Colorado Association of School Boards, an advocacy group and resource for education boards. Her proposal comes in the wake of a handful of discussions by the board concerning the amount of time spent, during each meeting, discussing the minutes. School board meetings tend to run long anyway, and in some sessions more than a half an hour has been devoted to correcting the previous meeting’s minutes.

According to the school board association guidelines, minutes don’t need to in-

clude anything more than the topic of a discussion, the exact wording of any motions and who made them, an explanation of whether a motion failed or passed, and, in the case of a presentation, the topic and the name of the person presenting.

The district’s current policy dictates that minutes should also include a “brief summary of the board’s discussion and have typically consisted of the main points of given discussion.”

Carbondale board member Debbie Bruell voiced the strongest opposition to Haptonstall’s proposal.

“I think we should have the main points of discussion and who brought them up,” Bruell said. “I know it’s not required by law, but I think it’s a way to build accountability and trust with our community and staff.”

Bruell argued that larger issues of openness and public perception were at stake.

“I don’t think there’s a strong sense of trust with the community,” she said. “It’s about transparency. We have no accountability for what we do except the record of

our meetings.”

Haptonstall told The Sun that her main concern was to shorten the amount of time spent discussing past minutes.

“The historical value of board minutes, in my experience, is to be able to go back and double check to see how the vote went on specific issues,” she said. “To my knowledge we have never had to go back and recount the conversation that happened two or three years ago in the process of making a decision.”

Ultimately the board agreed to leave its current policy in place.

During the discussion, Bruell also suggested that audio recordings of the meetings

be posted on the district website and that the board consider televising its meetings.

The district currently maintains audio recordings of its meetings as required under Colorado House Bill 09-1082, which went into effect Aug. 5. The recordings are available at the district office in Glenwood Springs, but Bruell contends that the recordings would be more accessible on the Internet. The records are destroyed after 90 days.

Haptonstall told The Sun that budget concerns have been the main reason the district hasn’t yet posted the audio recordings online. She said that as yet, no one has asked to listen to the recordings at the district office.

Next Steps:

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the Roaring Fork Re-1 Board of Education won’t meet again until 4 p.m., Dec. 9, at the district office at 1405 Grand Ave. in Glenwood Springs. Minutes are typically available four to six weeks after a given meeting and can be viewed at rfsd.k12.co.us/board-minutes. Audio recordings are available at the district office. For more information, call 384-6005.

Gracious graffiti: Students from Mr. Kenny’s third grade class at Crystal River Elementary School recently took a trip to the graffiti wall at the Carbondale Skate Park. They wrote about respect.

Photos courtesy of Kenny Teitler

THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009 • 5

Scuttlebutt

Send your scuttlebutt to Scuttlebutt@SoprisSun.com

ron robertson update Ron had his seventh surgery as of Monday and is doing well. He is being taken off the respirator to strengthen his lung capacity.

Rotary taped live conversations at the meeting yesterday to share with Ron. Unfortunately we didn’t know about it in time to get it into last week’s Sopris Sun. Our thoughts are with you, Ron! If anyone in the community wants to send us a one-line message to Ron, email it to us by next Monday and we’ll send it with your own personal messages. Send it to Scuttlebutt@SoprisSun.com.

thing? Is a baby that is 19 inches at birth going to be smarter that an 18-inch baby?

We are curious, let us know what you think about this, please.

With that in mind, we are happy to run the following birth announcement and, just so you know we’re not picking on you, Stephanie and Nathan, all parents announce the length of their new baby.

Stephanie and Nathan Helfenbein, of Redstone, are pleased to announce the birth of their first child, Mason Stephen Helfenbein. He was born at 10:44 p.m., Oct. 17, at Valley View Hospital. He weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces, and was 19 inches long at birth.

Proud grandparents are Steve and Debbie Onorofskie of Glenwood Springs; Ken Helfenbein and Darcy Brown of Moab, Utah; and Lisa Dancing-Light of Carbondale. Congratulations, Stephanie and Nathan.

He was 40 inches at birth

He was 19 inches at birth We like to run birth announcements in Scuttlebutt because new babies make people smile. But what’s baffling is this: why new parents seem so proud of their baby’s length, proud enough, in fact, that they include it in the birth announcement. Is length that important? Is there a big difference between a 21-incher and a 23-incher? Is it a status

Another high five goes out to our neighbors, Bryan and Jennifer Welker, who live next door to The Sopris Sun. At 1:22 a.m. last Saturday, Nov. 14, at Valley View Hospital, Jennifer gave birth to their baby boy, Rocco Harrison Welker. We’re just kidding of course about Rocco being a 40-incher. He was really only 20 5/8 inches.

They danced their asses off According to SS, our somewhat reliable contact in Rincon, Puerto Rico, the Williams/Zentmyer wedding was the wedding of the year. SS said Robbie Williams and Pam Zentmyer were wed in a “palm

tree paradise.” During the ceremony,“a light tropical rain” fell, but by the time their vows were exchanged, the sun came out. You can predict what happened next: Just as the couple’s lips pressed together, sealing their vows, a rainbow emerged. The faint rustling of the island palms grew louder, swelled during the kiss and then calmed. A faint ocean breeze provided soft background music as the couple, now married, walked back down the aisle.

John Villafranco performed the ceremony and Carbondale’s own Stimulus Package, Steve Skinner’s new band, played at the reception. In addition to the bride’s parents, Bob and Kathy Zentmyer, attendees from Carbondale included John and Sarah Villafranco, CeCe and David Zumwinkle from Juicy Lucy’s, Adam and Leah and, of course, Carbondale’s own world travelers Patrick and Leslie Johnson.

SS also provided us with the following scuttlebutt from the wedding weekend: Bob and Kathy Zentmyer hooked up; John Villafranco served as the magistrate; Patrick Johnson won in the flipper race; “frightening” amounts of beer and rum were consumed; and Bob and Kathy Zentmyer danced their asses off.

The roaring Fork open The Roaring Fork Open in this case, has nothing to do with golf. It has to do with art and features more than 100 area artists. The show is currently on display at the Aspen Art Museum and Carbondale is well represented.

According to Scuttlebutt’s roving art-scene

reviewer, the following Carbondale artists are included in the show: Alpen Badgett, Stanley Bell, Barbara E. Courtney, David Durrance, Anne Goldberg, Mark Harris, Majid Kahhak, Wewer Keohane, Alleghany Meadows, Rose Mehlhaff, David Notor, Susan Obermeyer Strauss, Olivia Pevec, K Rhynus Cesark, Barry Sheehan, Amber Sparkles, Roy Toma and Chrissy White.

The show runs through Nov. 29. Admission is free. For more information, call 925-8050.

Wanted: a couch, not a bed If your couch has ever wanted to moonlight in show business, now is its big chance.

The Thunder River Theatre company is looking for a small couch or large loveseat from the 1950’s or earlier. It should be approximately 5 feet long with straight lines and a neutral color. The prop will be used in the upcoming show, “Visiting Mr. Green,” which opens with a preview on Dec. 3 and runs for three weekends. If you have a suitable couch, and you’d like it to play a role in this upcoming production, please call Judy Benson at 963-0405.

Birthdays: recent past or near future Claudia Piccione, Kelsey Freeman, Robin Tolan, Heather Lafferty, Larry Smith, Nancy Wood, Bob Ezra,Thane and Betsy Lincicome.

That’s some true love Many thanks to Carol Truelove, who went out of her way to pick up a few ink cartridges for us in the midst of our deadline day!

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What to do with an empty field — P&Z still debating village at Crystal river

By Trina Ortega The Sopris Sun Eight meetings and $250,000 later, the developer for the Village at Crystal River says he still has no clear picture of what the town of Carbondale wants on the 24-acre parcel of land northwest of Main Street and Highway 133.

As the Planning & Zoning Commission continued its consideration Nov. 12 of rezoning the land as a mixed-used PUD, developer Rich Schierburg of Peregrine Group Development said he’s flabbergasted at the mixed direction he’s received.

“This is the eighth meeting we’ve sat in, and we have no idea what you want. … I’ve

Bicycling and snow-flake slurping: A Carbondale resident multitasks Saturday afternoon, Nov. 14. This resident, who wished to remain anonymous, is a non-skiier and her age is closer to 60 years than 50, which proved that anyone can have fun on a snow day. Photo by Julie Albrecht

heard everything,” said Schierburg, who was involved with the citizen-led Economic Roadmap Group and has been trying to meet the needs described in the group’s guiding document for the property.

P&Z members repeated that they want to make the project work, but they also want what’s right for the town. Some of their concerns are whether the development is an inviting entrance into town; is pedestrian and bike friendly; and connects well with Highway 133 and the rest of town. They are also concerned about the fiscal impacts to the town.

Originally slated to be entirely commercial, Schierburg is seeking to have the property rezoned as a planned unit development to add more residential units to the project.

His proposal — formerly called the Crystal River Marketplace — calls for 138,000 square feet of retail/commercial development and 268 residential units.

Schierburg presented the landscaping plan on Nov. 12 but it was criticized for blocking off too much of the neighborhood from Highway 133 and the rest of town.

Rich Camp and Charlie Kees, both landscape architects, also said there is not enough room in the highway right of way for quality berming and landscaping.

They — along with Jeff Dickinson and Kathy Goudy — said the overall design, in-

cluding the landscaping, is not right for the entryway into Carbondale.

“I think it’s neither [urban nor rural]. It seems more suburban and strip-mallish to me,” Camp said. He also said it’s not acceptable that the back of the 59,000-square-foot grocery store would be the first sight when driving into town from Highway 82.

Lorey Esquibel and Bill Spence, however, were OK with the proposal, stating that it’s an improvement to the “hodgepodge” that exists now.

Dickinson recommended the P&Z think about developments that have succeeded, such as the Gateway Plaza (that houses Alpine Angling and Independence Run & Hike on Cowen Drive).

If P&Z is arguing that the buildings be oriented to face Highway 133, it’s a “dead deal,” Schierburg said.

To which Dickinson responded: “I’m arguing for a nice entrance to town.”

Later in the meeting, the commission split when asked whether the property should be rezoned from a full commercial site to mixed use with residential.

Schierburg and his designer will return to P&Z in December with renderings and examples of what the buildings would look like from the Highway 133 corridor and within the development itself.

Next Steps:

The next P&Z meeting is scheduled for Nov. 19, when a public hearing continues on the Carbondale Elementary School/teacher housing rezoning. The commission is expected to continue reviewing The Village on Dec. 10.

THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009 • 7

Citizens selected for GarCo comp plan committee

By Terray Sylvester The Sopris Sun Garfield County has chosen the members of the citizens’ committee that will help shape the county’s new comprehensive plan over roughly the next year.

Early last week, the Garfield County Board of Commissioners and the county planning commission selected 21 county residents to sit on the Citizens’ Advisory Committee. Long range county planner Tamra Allen said that the advisory committee “will function as the foundational support for drafting the comprehensive plan.”

The comprehensive plan is intended to set an overall vision for countywide land use policies and inform county code.

According to county guidelines, the committee will act as an advisory body to the planning commission and will assist in editing and reviewing the comprehensive plan document. Committee members will meet about once every six weeks and will serve on a volunteer basis.

“They are asked to bring what they can to the table,”Allen said, and emphasized that the county attempted to fill the committee with representatives from diverse interest groups.

Representatives from the communities of Silt, Rifle, Parachute, Carbondale, New Castle, Glenwood Springs and Battlement Mesa will sit on the committee. The committee will also include two members of the county planning commission; representatives from agencies including RFTA, the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service; and members intended to represent oil and gas,

agriculture/rural lands, natural environment, tourism/recreation and business concerns.

Three at-large members will also sit on the committee.They will be Cassie Cerise of Carbondale, Mary Jane Hangs of Silt, and Carbondale resident Ken Nuebecker.

Ben Bohmfalk, a teacher at Roaring Fork High School and member of the Carbondale Planning & Zoning Commission, was selected as the Carbondale member of the committee.

Bohmfalk said he expects the comprehensive plan process to offer an opportunity for the town of Carbondale and the county to coordinate development priorities for the county land near town.

“The ongoing issue that everybody is always talking about is, of course, density. Do you do it [development] in your existing town limits, which means higher density, or do you do it outside of town limits, which means sprawl,” Bohmfalk said.

“I think there’s been a sense in Carbondale that we have made a decision 10 years ago in our comprehensive plan to encourage density in our town, but there wasn’t a corresponding decision on the county’s part to discourage development just outside of town. So we’re getting density and sprawl. Through this process, if the county can understand that we’re encouraging density, maybe we can discourage sprawl.”

David Harris, who was selected to the tourism/recreation seat, also spoke about the need to better manage development near town borders. Harris lives between Carbondale and Glenwood and said he is a vice president of the Land Title Guarantee Company.

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He has worked in commercial real estate development in Glenwood Springs in the past.

“My primary interest in all of this is that I believe the more extensive, high-density growth should happen either within or directly adjacent to the existing municipalities,” Harris said. “I think it’s wise for us to focus our code in that direction.”

Speaking from his experience as a developer, Harris described the comprehensive plan as “hugely important,” and “without question” an actively used document.

Daniel Gardner was selected for the agricultural/rural lands seat. Gardner is a fifth-generation resident of Battlement Mesa who says he splits his time between his family’s ranch and his own company, Gardner Excavating.

His company generally works in commercial infrastructure and heavy oil field excavation.

Gardner said he volunteered to sit on the committee to ensure that “old time ranch families” and “longtime small businesses” have a voice. He said he would like to see someone with“dirt under the nails”sitting on the committee.

Raymond Langstaff, a resident of Silt, has

been selected as the natural environment representative. Langstaff said he has worked for the Forest Service for 30 years and was employed as a roads engineer when he retired.

Langstaff, said that his family has lived in Garfield County since the 1880s, and that he will bring a “long-term view to the table.”

Yancy Nichol, an engineer with Sopris Engineering in Carbondale, was selected for the business community seat.The oil and gas seat was allotted to Brad Moss, a Rifle resident and employee of Williams Production, an energy company. Nichol and Moss could not be reached before press deadline.

As of Tuesday (press deadline at The Sopris Sun), several of the committee members stated that they had not yet been told which seat they would occupy on the committee.

The advisory committee is one of several sources of input Garfield County will be tapping. The county will also hold at least three sets of public input meetings in various communities, Allen said.

The county started the comprehensive plan update process in September and expects to complete it by November 2010.

Next Steps:

The Citizens’ Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting from 6-8:30 p.m. Nov. 23 at the county administrative at 108 Eighth Street, Glenwood Springs. The meeting is open to the public.

A first round of general public input meetings will be held in communities around the county on Nov. 18, 19 and 21. A meeting will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon this Saturday, Nov. 21, at Carbondale Town Hall. For more information, call 945-8212, or visit GarfieldComprehensivePlan2030.com.

What’s “Right” When You’ve Been Wronged?

Please Gather With The

Mid-Valley Unitarian Universalists This Sunday, November 22 THE CAMEL WHO WANTED HORNS (Vengeance and Forgiveness) Our nationally-known speaker and writer, UU Minister ROBERT LATHAM, describes himself as a “Baptist-born, Humanistic, Spiritual, Mystical Liberal.”

His “Lessons” series will continue: December 13: How Odd of God (Reflections On Grace) January 10: Give A Little Whistle (The Good of Guilt) February 14: The Wizardry of Worth (The Great Cultural Con) 10:00 a.m., WIN Health Institute, Basalt Behind Mid-Valley Medical Center at Hwy 82 and Original Rd. Child Care Provided +++ Casual or Sports Dress Welcome

For More Infomation Call Bill or Sue, 963-2163 8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009

Carbondale still struggling to house its middle class continued om page 3 Last year, town trustees increased the requirement to 20 percent.

And in late spring 2009, the town formed the Housing Advisory Group to research ways the town can provide affordable housing and not just lean on developers for such mitigation. Established for short-term work and long-term solutions, the group is expected to present its findings to the trustees in early 2010.

“It’s pretty hard to create something out of nothing, but they’re trying really hard,” said Philip, who is the staff assistant for the group that is led by Town Manager Tom Baker.

The search for solutions The members have been looking at the town’s inventory of available property and examining funding sources; the profit motive (so that whoever builds will make a living but not a killing); public-private partnerships; and more.

Kees said the group has developers participating who are providing numbers on land, construction and infrastructure costs so the group remains realistic in its solutions. Important in that equation is that those participants do not have projects up for review and are able to objectively examine the question: “How do you make a project affordable?”

What they’re finding is that density makes a project affordable, Kees said.

“It’s an interesting dilemma,” said Kees, who also serves on the Planning & Zoning

Commission and has heard criticism that density is among the concessions granted to developers — a leniency that is destroying Carbondale’s character.

Arguments come in from both sides, but he said it’s usually the people who’ve been here a long time, who bought a piece of property 20 years ago, who say the town is sacrificing too much.

Then there are the younger, newer residents who’ve been here five years or so who support the idea of some compromise because they really want to stay but can’t buy into the expensive trickle-down-from-Aspen housing market.

“There’s a fine balance. … I can understand both sides of the argument,” he said.

an opportunity Kees himself is among the twenty- and thirty-something professionals who make good salaries but have had a hard time buying a house in the town where they work.

He moved to Carbondale about six years ago to work at the landscape architecture firm DHM Design. He was in his fourth year of renting when a friend presented him the opportunity to purchase a deed-restricted house at Thompson Corner in River Valley Ranch. It was before the lottery system was established, and Kees jumped on the chance to actually own a home.

Kees loves Carbondale and his job; he surmises that he may still have continued renting had he not gotten his house.

But one can only “stick it out” so long, he

says, especially on one income. Even married couples — with double the salary —have a tough go of it here. Kees said he often sees friends and acquaintances move downvalley or leave the area entirely because of housing costs. And Kees additionally has brought in a roommate to help cover his mortgage.

Not solely the developer’s problem Kees doesn’t question the town’s ordinance that requires developers to provide 20 percent affordable housing, but that onus should not be entirely on new builders, he said. There is no silver bullet, he said, and the town needs to be creative in its answers.

Both he and Philip are hopeful. The town has established stricter guidelines and is offering resident-owned options that don’t have income guidelines like the deed-restricted units. What’s more, trustees passed a resolution last week stating they are in support of raising the “conforming loan limits” for Garfield County.

Currently a low cap of $425,000 forces local homebuyers to choose between taking a higher interest loan to live in town or pur-

chasing a home in a neighboring county at a lower interest rate, Philip explained.

Changing that cap would help local homebuyers obtain lower interest mortgage loans, providing them with a greater chance of buying a home in Carbondale.

All the figures and terms aside, Philip said: “I think what people really want to know is ‘How can I get a home?’”

Her advice? Start where you are. Take the free Homebuyer’s Education class offered by Mountain Regional Housing or get in touch with the local office for advice, start planning by minimizing your debt and other monthly payments.

Philip says the town must continue to champion the cause.

“The main reason is to maintain balance in your community and that will always be the goal,” she said. “Our profile is changing.

We have more young professionals coming in. Who can afford to stay here?”

This article in the first in a series of articles that will examine affordable housing in Carbondale.

Next Steps:

Mountain Regional Housing Corporation offers monthly, free homebuyer education classes. Those who take the classes qualify for down payment assistance and low interest mortgage rates. Upcoming classes will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Nov. 21 and Dec. 5, at the US Bank community room next to Safeway in Glenwood Springs. Spanish-language classes are offered as well. For more information, call 704-9801.

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THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009 • 9

Community Calendar THURSDAY Nov. 19 iNTerNeT CLass • The Pitkin County Library will offer a class on the ins and outs of homepages, involving contests and prizes from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

DivorCe CLass • Alpine Legal Services offers a Do-it-Yourself Divorce Clinic at 5 p.m. at the Garfield County Courthouse in Glenwood Springs. Attendees will be given the paperwork needed to complete a divorce, and the information to manage one.

Optional donation. Info: 945-8858.

DaNCe PerForMaNCe • At 6 p.m. the Aspen Art Museum at 590 North Mill Street will host a dance program featuring a collaboration with Aspen Dance Connection and other guests. They will ask, “How does dance inspire and contribute to culture in the Roaring Fork Valley?”

Book siGNiNG • At 6:30 p.m., the Gordon Cooper Branch Library hosts a book reading and signing with Charlotte Graham, author of “Memoirs of a River … Up the Crystal.” Info: 704-0567.

GreeN DriNks • The Sustainability Center of the Rockies (SCoR) hosts a networking event for nonprofits, academia, government and business from 5-7 p.m. at Eco-Goddess Edibles at 335 Main Street. For more information, visit greendrinks.org. eCo-GoDDess TuNes • Eco-Goddess at 335 Main Street presents singer/songwriter Karen King from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. No cover.

Info: 963-7316, eco-goddess.com.

Live MusiC • Famed blues/jazz/gospel singer Hazel Miller will perform at 7:30 p.m. at CMC’s Spring Valley Center. Tickets are $20 for adults. Discounts for students. To order, call 947-8367.

P&Z MeeTs • The Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission will discuss the teacher housing proposed for the former Crystal River Elementary School during a special meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

CouNTy PLaN MeeTiNG • A meeting to gather citizen input on the 2030 Garfield County Comprehensive Plan will be held from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Garfield County Administration Building at 108 Eighth Street in Glenwood Springs. For more information call 945-8212 or email tallen@garfieldcounty.com.

FRI.–SAT. Nov. 20-21 X-Mas BaZaar • The 30th annual Emma Schoolhouse Christmas Bazaar will be held from 4-8 p.m on Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the schoolhouse located two miles west of Basalt on Highway 82. Handmade local art, crafts, food and more. Info: 923-3347.

FRI.-SUN. Nov. 20-22 THeaTre • A production of Mitch Albom’s “Tuesdays with Morrie” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of Carbondale, Friday through Sunday. Friday and Saturday performances start at 7:30 pm. Sunday performance starts at 2 p.m. Tickets: $25 and $15 for students on Sunday.There will also be a pre-performance cocktail hors d’oeuvres party starting at 6 p.m. on Friday for $20.

FRIDAY Nov. 20 HeaLTH sCreeNiNGs • Mountain Family Health Centers conducts free health screenings, open to the public, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Mountain Family Health Center 1905 Blake Avenue, suite 101. Call Sharla

To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is 5 p.m.

Friday. Events take place in Carbondale unless noted.

Gallegos at 618-3159 or Rosa Gonzalez at (970) 456-6473 for more information. aDoPTioN CeLeBraTioN • Garfield County will host a Foster Care and Adoption Celebration from 3-5 p.m. at the Glenwood Springs Community Center. The event will be a celebration of adoptive families and an informational meeting about foster care and adoption. More info: Garfield County Human Services, 945-9191 ext. 3005.

Movies • The Crystal Theatre shows “Coco Before Chanel” (PG-13) at 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 20-25,“Whip It” (PG-13) at 5:15 p.m.

Nov. 21 and “Amelia” (PG) at 5:15 p.m.

Nov. 22. Closed Nov. 26 for Thanksiving.

SATURDAY Nov. 21 DruMMiNG WorksHoP A workshop on African-inspired rhythms for beginning and intermediate players will be held 2-5 p.m. at the Carbondale Community School.

More info: 963-2798.

PiZZa TuNes • Jacob Jones, from Nashville, will play live from 7-10 p.m. at White House Pizza at 801 Main Court.

No cover. For info: thejacobjones.com, 704-9400.

Further Out Nov. 28

Book siGNiNG • Novel Tea bookstore at 449 Main Street will host a book signing with Meredith Ogilby, author of “Voices of the American West,” from 6-8 p.m. More info: 963-2617.

CriMsoN PuB • The Wind Walkers’ therapeutic riding program holds its annual Crimson Pub fundraising event at 6:30 p.m. at Cedar Ridge Ranch on Missouri Heights. Catered pub fare, live entertainment, and “the world’s most practical” silent auction. Adults, $40; children aged 6-16, $10.

More info: 963-2909.

Nov. 29

CouNTy PLaN MeeTiNG A meeting to gather citizen input on the 2030 Garfield County Comprehensive Plan will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Carbondale Town Hall at 511 Colorado Avenue.

Information also available through Tamra Allen, 945-8212 or tallen@garfieldcounty.com.

Live MusiC • Big Daddy Lee and the King Bees will play roadhouse blues, R&B and swing starting at 9 p.m. at the Black Nugget, 403 Main Street. No cover.

SUNDAY Nov. 22 BLueGrass BruNCH • Ella at 348 Main Street will host Acoustic Mayhem during Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Info: 704-0377.

TUESDAY Nov. 24 HeaLTH sCreeNiNGs • Mountain Family Health Centers conducts free health screenings from 2 -7 p.m. at the Glenwood Springs Library 413 Ninth Street. Call Sharla Gallegos at 618-3159 or Rosa Gonzalez at 970-456-6473 for more information.

Book BasH • The Gordon Cooper Library will host an after school Book Bash at 4 p.m. “The Mysterious Benedict Society” by Trent Lee Stewart will be the topic of discussion. Info: 963-2889.

TrusTees MeeT • The Carbondale Board of Trustees holds its regularly scheduled meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

WEDNESDAY Nov. 25 roTary sPeaker • The Rotary Club of Carbondale will host presentations by the recipients of its 2009 fall grants. Weekly meeting starts at 6:45 a.m. at the fire station building at 645 Meadowood Drive. More info: Jay Leavitt, (970) 379-1436.

Live MusiC • The Smuggler Mountain Boys will play bluegrass 7-9 p.m. at Ella at 348 Main Street. Info: 704-0377.

10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009

sPiriTuaL sPeaker • Kimberlie Chenoweth will speak at 10 a.m. at A Spiritual Center at 695 Buggy Circle. More info: 9635516.

Live PoeTry • The Hotel Lenado in Aspen will host live music with Smokin’ Joe Kelly; an open mic for poets; and special guest poet Bruce Berger from 7:30-10 p.m. Info: (970) 379-2136.

Dec. 3 oPeN sTuDio • Clay artist Frank McGuirk and basketmaker Karen Aldredge will host an open studio Dec. 3 at McGuirk’s Aspen Glen residence. The show will feature handcrafted gifts by local artists.

Email fmcguirk@designmosiac.com in advance to attend.

Dec. 4-5 syMPHoNy • Symphony in the Valley presents Beethoven’s triple concerto for piano, violin and cello at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 4 at Glenwood Springs High School, and at 5 p.m., Dec. 5, at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen. More info. and ticket prices: SymphonyInTheValley.org.

Dec. 4 Book siGNiNG • Novel Tea bookstore offers a book reading and signing with Charlotte Graham, author of the new book, “Memoirs of a River … Up the Crystal: People and place of the Crystal River Valley,” a compilation of her columns in the Crystal Valley Echo.

Tree LiGHTiNG • Carbondale's annual tree lighting with caroling and marshmallow toasting will be held at Fourth and Main streets, 5:30 - 8 p.m. Santa will be there to listen to children’s wishes.

by the senior residents. More info: 963-9326.

Dec. 8-12 HaNDeL’s MessiaH • The Aspen/Glenwood Community Chorus will present Handel’s Messiah in Glenwood Springs at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 8 and 9 at United Methodist Church, 824 Cooper Ave. The concert will be presented in Aspen at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 and 12 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 533 East Main Street. Tickets are $10.

Dec. 15 TrusTees MeeT • The Carbondale Board of town Trustees will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Carbondale Town Hall.

Dec. 21 BaskeTBaLL siGNuPs • This is the deadline for registration for the men’s basketball league at the Carbondale Recreation and Community Center. Play begins Jan. 3. Full payment is required to reserve a spot in the league. More info: 704-4115.

Jan. 8 Live MusiC • The Band of Heathens will perform at 8 p.m. at the Gathering Center at the Church of Carbondale. Tickets available at the CCAH office and Dos Gringos. $20 for CCAH members, $25 for non-members.

Ongoing CHorus reHearsaL • Rehearsals for Handel’s Messiah will be led by Ray Adams, Director of Aspen/Glenwood Community Chorus, from 6-8 p.m. Mondays at United Methodist Church, 824 Cooper Ave. Glenwood Springs. Rehearsals will also be held in Aspen on Sundays at Saint Mary's Catholic Church, 533 Main Street.

WeiGHT-Loss CLass • Principles of Effective Weight Loss meets at 5:30 p.m., Wednesdays, at the Carbondale Recreation Center. Minimal fees. More info: Valerie Gilliam, (970) 948-5877 or githens@ sopris.net. suiCiDe suPPorT • A support group for those who have lost a loved one to suicide, meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Glenwood Springs at 824 Cooper Street. For more information, call Pam Szedelyi at 945-1398 or email at pamsz@ sopris.net. reForMers uNaNiMous • Reformers Unanimous, a faith-based program for those who are struggling with addiction, meets at 7 p.m., Fridays, at Crystal River Baptist Church, 2632 Highway 133. Info: 963-3694.

LeaF DuMP • From Oct. 10 to Nov. 22, Carbondale residents may dispose of their leaves and small branches by bringing them to the parking lot on the northeast corner of Colorado Avenue and Fourth Street. Absolutely no trash or dumping of any other kind is allowed. For more information, call 963-1307.

Dec. 5

DaNCe CLasses • Learn African and Caribbean dances with live drummers and fun rhythms. All ages and abilities welcome. $10. Mondays from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Carbondale Community School, 1505 Satank Road. Call Steve at 379-8422 with questions.

HoLiDay BaZaar • The first annual Holiday Bazaar will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Crystal Meadows Senior Housing on Hendrick Drive. Hand-crafted gifts, homemade baked goods and other food presented

ZuMBa oFFereD • Colorado Mountain College offers a new fitness class with a Latin dance flair. Class meets noon to 1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at the Lappala Center.

Call 963-2172 to register.

Community Briefs Chili cook off for our troops Do you have chili skills? Your culinary prowess could win an award, delight your friends and neighbors, and benefit American troops abroad. The American Legion of Carbondale will host a chili cook off at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22, at the Legion Hall at 97 Third Street. Please bring your chili to the legion by 1 p.m. The entry fee is $10 for the first entry, $5 for additional entries. If you are not entering any chili the cost to sample all the entries is $10 per person. All the proceeds will go towards care packages for our troops. Prizes for first and second place chilis will be awarded. For more information, call Julie Cevette at 970-309-5417.

kDNk seeks community input Our local radio station needs to hear from you as they set station programming and make major policy decisions. The community is invited to participate in a meeting of the KDNK Community Advisory Board at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19, at Mason & Morse Realty, 0290 Highway 133. The advisory board allows the station’s governing body to gather community input about station programming, and major policy decisions.

To be on the board and attend the meeting, contact Steve Skinner at steve@kdnk.org or 963-0139.

rFTa adopts ski season schedule It is time to hang up your bikes, dust off your skis and snowboards, and get ready to catch the bus to the mountains. RFTA buses are making the inevitable switch from bike racks to ski racks. As of Sunday, Nov. 1, ski racks have begun to be installed on all RFTA buses. Bike racks on the front of RFTA buses will remain in place until Saturday, Nov. 21. During November, bikes may only be loaded on RFTA buses from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. because at night the bicycle wheels block the headlights on the bus.

Make note of the following winter RFTA bus schedule changes: Beginning Nov. 26, limited service ski shuttles will be offered to Aspen and Snowmass mountains, Aspen’s Galena Street Shuttle will return to service.

Starting Dec. 12, RFTA will implement its high season service and begin offering Highlands and Buttermilk skier shuttles, and direct buses between Snowmass and Aspen.

Other Aspen free shuttle routes, including the Cross Town and Highlands shuttles will commence their winter schedules on Dec. 12.

The Woody Creek Shuttle begins service on Dec. 12 and will be free of charge this winter.

Sophia Ulrych, Anna Cunningham, Rio McGown-Kauffman, Alex Solano, Paige Gianinetti and Jose Loaeza were all honored as students of the month by the Carbondale Board of Trustees early this month. Photo by Denise Gianinetti

Art Briefs young artists Concerto Competition entries due Limber up your music muscles, the deadline for young musicians to enter the Symphony in the Valley Concerto Competition is approaching.

Symphony in the Valley invites all musicians, age 30 and younger, to enter the 2010 Young Artists Concerto Competition. Application forms must be postmarked by Dec. 2.

The contest is open to classical musicians and vocalists nationwide. It is separated into two age divisions: the junior division for musicians ages 6 to 18 and the senior division for musicians ages 19 to 30. Selected winners will be invited to perform a classical piece with the orchestra at its Mother’s Day Concerts this spring on May 8, in Rifle, and on May 9, in Glenwood Springs.

The entry fee is $30. The competition before professional judges will be held Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork near Carbondale.

To download the rules and application form, and for more information, visit sitv.org.

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THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009 • 11

12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009

Love and loss, life and laughter: “tuesdays with Morrie” to be staged this weekend Special to The Sopris Sun “Tuesdays with Morrie” is a story of life and love, loss and laughter, learning and growing. The play will come to Carbondale this weekend from Breckenridge via Texas.

This fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Carbondale features valley actor and Rotarian Bob Moore and his longtime actor-friend from Austin, Texas, Jon Whitfield. Wendy Moore, former Principal of Roaring Fork High School and also a Rotarian, directed the production. “Tuesdays with Morrie” promises to be the same unforgettable journey for the audience that it was during its highly successful run at the Backstage Theatre of Breckenridge earlier this year.

“Tuesdays with Morrie” was published as a book in 1997. After over 250 consecutive weeks on The New York Times Best Seller List, the story was made into an Emmy award winning film before being adapted by its author to the stage. The play parallels the book in telling the true story of Mitch Albom’s reconnection with his favorite college professor, Morrie Schwartz. Although Morrie is declining with Lou Gehrig’s disease, he is a devoted teacher to Mitch. Through Morrie, Mitch learns the important lessons of life. As Morrie says, “It’s hard to find your way in life. You can’t always do it alone.

We need teachers.”

While 20 years separate the actors, Bob Moore and Jon Whitfield have a chemistry that is built on a solid foundation of shared theatrical experiences, including a performance of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” in a 12th century castle in Switzerland. While the Moores and Whitfield no longer live in the same state, the opportunity to again work together brought Jon from Texas to Breckenridge and now to Carbondale.

Proceeds from this weekend’s productions will go to support the community work of the Carbondale Rotary Club, an international organization devoted to “Service Above Self.” With over 80 members, the club has been involved in everything from scholarships to grants to the Christmas Head Start Party to ringing the bells for the Salvation Army.

“Tuesdays with Morrie” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 20-21, at the Church of Carbondale. It will also be staged at 2 p.m. on Sunday. The

“Tuesdays with Morrie,” playing this weekend at the Church of Carbondale, stars Bob Moore and Jon Whitfield (not pictured). Photo by Bob Bloch ticket price is $25, and $15 for students on Sunday. Carbondale Rotary will host a Friday pre-performance cocktail/hors d’oeuvres party at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20. Purchase tickets at all Roaring Fork Alpine Banks, the Parkside Gallery, from any Rotarian and at the door.

Nonprofit highlight NoveMBer uPDaTe • Final phase of construction begins!

Informal groundbreaking and open house on Dec. 3 at 4:30 p.m.

• Half of the space in the Third Street Center has been leased to tenants.

• TSC Capital Campaign has received $1.25 million of its $1.875 million goal.

• Call for Entries: Beginning this month, a design competition is being held to thank those who donated to the capital campaign.

Learn more at www.thirdstreetcenter.net

This content sponsored by the Third Street Center.

0QFO EBZT B XFFL 220 MAIN STREET CARBONDALE 963-1569

THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009 • 13

14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009

hot and heavy — local artist Barry sheehan loves his metal work

By Trina Ortega The Sopris Sun For his largest piece of metal sculpture, Carbondale blacksmith Barry Sheehan bought a new torch that sounds like a jet plane when it’s lit and he used an 8-pound sledge hammer that, at times, he would swing like a baseball bat at the metal.

“At the end of the day, I was more energized than I was tired,” Sheehan said. He loves working with hot metal and was challenged by the process of having to think through every move.

What started as a 92-pound flat sheet of steel has become “Big Head,” the handhammered metal face watching over Fourth and Main streets. It is one of this year’s Art aRound Town public sculptures.

The sculpture — yes, for many, a reminder of the Polynesian heads of Rapa Nui, or Easter Island — has perfectly pocked cheeks and forehead, with deep, inset eyes and a foreboding nose. Layers of patina add waves of subtle color to the dark face. Grand in presence, the sculpture is the most taxing piece Sheehan has ever done.

“The Big Head was the noisiest, biggest thing I’ve ever done in my life. In fact, I almost drove Michael out of the shop,” Sheehan said of fellow blacksmith Michael Lindsay, owner of Michael Lindsay Sculpture and Design, and with whom Sheehan shares a shop up Cattle Creek Road.

In general, though, forging is that way, according to Sheehan. If you’re sensitive to high temperatures, noise and physical ex-

ertion, blacksmithing is not for you.

“If you don’t love it, you don’t do it.

It’s hot, loud, physically taxing and dirty,” he said.

Sheehan got his start in blacksmithing during college, where he worked with wood, but the wood was stubborn.“It kept telling me to do what it wanted me to do,” he said.

The school had a forge in the basement and one day he went downstairs and started heating up metal. It was that simple. He got an apprenticeship under wellknown smith Brad Silverberg and has been doing it ever since.

Now Sheehan owns the business Feng Shui Forge – which provides architectural metal work – and runs his fine arts business under his name. Without a doubt, he has found his passion in shaping metal, which has been a driving factor all his life.

When he was a kid, Sheehan remembers his father’s response when asked about retiring. “Never,” his dad would say because he loved his work so much.

“That’s what I want — I want a job that I never want to retire from,” Sheehan said.

His work is largely figurative and his style is minimalist. He doesn’t want to give everything away; he wants the viewer to be familiar with the form, the human figure, but also wants the person to fill in the blanks.“I want to make people think,” he said.

He rarely sketches and he doesn’t study the masters or rely on others for inspiration.

He points to his head when describing the

source of his ideas “I have a vision in my head. If I can make it immediately, it’s more true,” he said.

Sheehan additionally never critiques his work until he’s done. Despite perhaps his own desire to improve a finished piece from earlier years, he also never makes changes to a completed sculpture.

“Once I’ve decided I’m done, I’m not going to go back, ever,” he said. It’s his legacy and a record of his life as an artist, he explained.

“Big Head” is part of that legacy, and the latest piece in this artist’s story garnered him Best in Show at the annual Crested Butte Art Show this summer. Because the sculpture will be on display through next September, Sheehan said it was a difficult decision to display it. He aims to enter more high-end shows and would like to take “Big Head” with him.

Yet, his sculpture and his other community-oriented efforts, such as his 10 years as a volunteer disc jockey on KDNK, are ways to be engaged in the town.

He also appreciates the Public Arts Commission’s program and the group’s work to beautify Carbondale through the Art aRound Town public sculpture program.

Next Steps:

For more about Sheehan’s artwork, visit www.barrysheehan.com. Visit publicartcarbondale.org to learn more about Art aRound Town, including artist deadlines.

Barry Sheehan turns heads while posing with his large metal sculpture, “Big Head,” at Fourth and Main streets. Photo by Trina Ortega

LET’S RETHINK CHURCH Rethinking church is about taking action.

It is a wake-up call reminding us of the many needs of human beings, both in our own backyards and around the world. It is a call to action for all people to become involved together in a world bigger than one individual’s reach.

CARBONDALE COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST

CHURCH SCHEDULE “Where we take the Bible seriously but not literally” Christian Worship Sundays 10:30 a.m.

Melody Group (AA) Thursdays 8:00 p.m.

Children’s Sunday School during worship

Narcotics Anonymous Wednesdays 7:00 p.m.

Centering Prayer Wednesdays 6:30 p.m.

Overeaters Anonymous Saturdays 9:00 a.m.

Bell Choir rehearsals Thursdays 4:30 p.m.

Lift Up Food Bank MWF 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Adult Choir rehearsals Thursdays 7:00 p.m.

Hosting Extended Table First Mondays of each month

United Methodist Women Fourth Thursdays 1:00 p.m.

Buddhist Meditation Group Tuesdays 6:00pm

Iglesia de Dios Hispanic congregation F,S,Su 7:00 p.m.

The People of the Carbondale Community United Methodist Church invite you to become more actively engaged with spiritual seekers in your community.

385 So. 2nd Street – PO Box 793 Rev. Wallace D. (Wally) Finley, Pastor Rev. Dr. Richard Lyons, Pastor ccumc@rof.net Church: 963-446 963-4461• •Wally: Wally:379-5686 379-5686••Richard: Richard 987-4034 Church: 987-4034

THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009 • 15

Up the Crystal river – page by page Book tells the tales of the Crystal River Valley

By Trina Ortega The Sopris Sun

For those who have not been able to read all of Graham’s work in The Echo, the 160-page “Memoirs of a River” is a good way to enjoy the valley’s history in one sitting, or piece by piece.

Each chapter tells of a famous place, such as the Marble Community Church, or residents, from Duncan to fourthgeneration pioneer settler Lew Ron Thompson, who still lives in the Carbondale house in which he was born.

“It’s their stories. It’s all about them,” Graham said.

“They talk about things that we’re never going to see again.”

Close your eyes, Graham says, and you can just see the horse meandering up the street to the feedbox. Although we may not be able to turn back the clock to the time of the early Americans, Graham said the Crystal River Valley still embodies wildness. With its rugged red cliff mountains, dense evergreen and aspen, a rushing river, few people and no cell phone reception, the valley is still primitive.

“You can open your eyes and see the mountains the way the Utes did,” she said.

Driving south on — or up — Highway 133 has the capability to slow people down, Graham explained. Plus, along the river it is easy for the average person to get to the mountains and be in touch with nature.

The book has been well received, Graham said, but noted that the greatest compliments have come from 30-year residents who have said they learned something from the book.

Graham also has learned much from compiling the book.

“We maybe talk about being independent today but we are so dependent on city services. What I’ve heard from these folks is that life was really hard,” she said.

And even though they may have had their differences, people always would lend a hand to others in need of help.

In contrast, Graham says today’s technology and material goods have made us less reliant on our neighbors. “The

Charlotte Graham hasn’t always been enraptured with history. In fact, the author of the recently published “Memoirs of a River … Up the Crystal” thought history class was “the most dry, boring thing in the world.”

However, when she moved to the Crystal River Valley more than a dozen years ago she wanted to know everything about the people who have called the area home.

While driving regularly up and down the Crystal River Valley, she wanted to know more about the places nestled in the scenic and rugged Elk Mountains.

“The history’s just really alive,” she said. “There’s some kind of sense of place here that people want to know about.”

Graham also loves to hear people’s stories. Even when she was little, she asked questions of her elders.

“When the old-timers would get together, all the kids would go out and play. I’d sit on the floor and listen to them talk,” she said of her childhood. “I still do.”

Additionally, she always has loved writing. When she first moved to Marble in 2000 she began a novel. Even though it’s still only two-thirds of the way done, Graham has not put down the pen. She helped start the Marble Charter School’s newspaper, and is a supporter of local newspapers, which she calls the “lifeblood” of a community.

But this scribe clarifies that she’s not a reporter; she tells the stories of people and places. So with help from the Crystal River Heritage Association, she began telling those stories in a column for The Crystal Valley Echo in February 2007.

During the past two years of running in The Echo, Graham was often prodded to publish a collection of the stories.

And the book was born. It honors the elders of the valley, beginning with Clifford Duncan, a fourth-generationremoved Northern Ute elder of the “First People,” or Nuche.

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16 • THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009

more that we have, the more isolated we’ve become.”

A “seed” of those settlers’ hardship still exists among the residents of the Crystal River Valley, she said. It is the core belief that you help your neighbor in time of need. It is an inherent value of the people who live “Up the Crystal.”

“Memoirs of a River ... Up the Crystal, Volume 1” is available at NovelTea and other businesses in Carbondale, Redstone and Marble, as well as Amazon.com. For more about Graham, visit marbledweller.com.

Next Steps:

Graham will hold a book signing at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Nov. 19, at the Gordon Cooper Library. An additional book signing will take place at 5 p.m. at NovelTea on Main Street during First Friday on Dec. 4.

We are pleased to announce Amoré Realty is back!

The past 4 years with Sotheby’s International Realty has been a very educational and rewarding opportunity for us.

With the experience and knowledge gained nationally and internationally, we have significantly improved our ability to serve our clients’ needs and we are excited to return “home ” Our focus has always been on our clients right here in the Roaring Fork Valley and we plan to continue that focus as we start a new chapter of Amoré Realty.

What we have found is that there really is no place like home and “Home is Where the Heart Is.” All of us at Amoré Realty look forward to working with you on all of your Real Estate needs.

Please come by 711 Main Street on Friday, December 4th, 5-7 PM to help us celebrate.

Candles & Gifts

CHRISTMAS SCENTS

Charlotte Graham with her “bookends:” Northern Ute Elder Clifford Duncan (left) and Lew Ron Thompson, descendant of some of Carbondale’s first European arrivals.

Duncan and Thompson are featured, respectively, in chapters 1 and 20 of Graham’s book, “Memoirs of a River ...

Up the Crystal.” Photo by Doug Whitney

Lynn M. Kirchner, Owner & Managing Broker

MBA, MRE, CRB, CRS, GRI, ABR, SPHR

711 Main Street, Carbondale, CO • 970.963.5155 www.amorerealty.com

News Briefs continued om page 4 from Garfield County. Grants from foundations including the Aspen Community Foundation, the Environment Foundation and the El Pomar Foundation have helped push the center toward its capital campaign goal, along with a $100,000 challenge grant from the Gates Family Foundation. Alpine Bank and the Manaus Fund have supported the center as well.

The center also announced that the Aspen Community Foundation will establish a downvalley office in the building. The foundation will join tenants that include Mountain Valley Developmental Services, Solar Energy International, Sustainability Center of the Rockies, the Wilderness Workshop, YouthZone and the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities. To date, half of the center’s space has been leased.

The center is housed in the former Carbondale Elementary School building, and the final phase of construction began this week. Construction is slated to finish in May. A grand opening is planned for June, 2010.

The Third Street Center will host an informational open house and groundbreaking celebration at 4:30 p.m., Dec. 3. For more information, visit thirdstreetcenter.net.

Home insulation rebates to end in mid-December A home insulation rebate for propane and all-electric homes is slated to expire Dec. 15.

The Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative is offering the rebate to qualifying homes in Garfield County. It covers attic and wall insulation and whole-house air sealing.

The rebate will cover up to 20 percent of project costs up to $300 and includes a “kicker” from Garfield County worth $150 for a $450 total rebate.

Homeowners are encouraged to reserve their rebate in advance and to get the ball rolling as soon as possible.

For a list of contractors and rebate reservation form, visit GarfieldCleanEnergy.org.

Brush pile burns planned for Basalt, Fourmile Creek

A sign of the times? Folks generally say liquor stores are recession-proof; turns out they're handy during a housing downturn as well. This sign was spotted last week near City Market. Photo by Mark Burrows

Federal fire fighters are planning to burn about 250 slash piles on Light Hill near Basalt this winter along East Sopris Road. Crews are also planning to burn about 150 piles at Oak Meadows near Fourmile Creek. The piles are the result of fuel reduction efforts in those areas.

Burns may begin as early as next week and will potentially last through February during favorable weather conditions. During that time, smoke may be visible in surrounding areas. The burns will occur Monday through Friday and will end two hours before sunset.

For more information, call Ody Anderson at (970) 876-9030.

THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009 • 17

room to roam When public lands feel cramped, Western Slope clubs offer quality upland hunting This winter treat your upland hunting dog to a day in the field.

I’ve got one day off from work, my dogs are giving me the,“please taking us hunting” eyes, it’s too far to drive to the eastern plains of Colorado, Kansas or Nebraska for the day and I’m itching to get out of Dodge.

As any owner of bird dogs can tell you, a huge investment goes into training,

by Sue Melus conditioning and caring for the dogs. When the season comes, hunters need to seize the opportunity to make it all worthwhile. Public land upland hunting opportunities on the Western Slope of Colorado are limited. Blue grouse season is fun and exhilarating, but all too short. Pheasant, chukar and quail public land opportunities are limited to a few small hot spots.

Fortunately, several private upland hunting opportunities exist on the Western Slope, which make a quality day of hunting possible on short notice. Although these private hunting clubs come with a fee, it’s worth it considering the investment that has already gone into the dogs. And for people who don’t have hunting dogs, these clubs offer first-class guided hunts for beginners and experienced hunters alike.

The following is a roundup of three private hunting clubs that are easily accessed from the Roaring Fork Valley.

Black Canyon Wing & Clay is located seven miles southwest of Delta. The owners, originally from the Midwest, haven’t missed a pheasant opener in Nebraska in 33 years and have a good idea of what a quality hunt is all about. The 730-acre private hunt club holds pheasant and chukar in reportedly excellent cover. Black Canyon Wing and Clay

Deerfly Diaries

is generally a members-only club, but it does offer a one-time free trial hunt for prospective members to check out the property.

Hunters can bring their own dogs and are just responsible for covering the cost of the birds. Call two days ahead at (970) 8747195 for more info or to book a hunt.

The North rim Hunt Club is on the other side of Hotchkiss just past Paonia. The club is situated on the rim of the North Fork of the Gunnison and offers access to some prime upland and waterfowl hunting and also unique combo fly fishing and upland hunting “cast and blasts” on the Gunnison and the North Fork rivers. The North Rim Hunt Club just added over 2,000 acres of prime hunting on the river bottom property between Paonia and Hotchkiss. Hunters can bring their own dogs or book a guided hunt with pointing dogs or labs. Additionally, a wobble-deck and 5-stand sporting clays course offers on-site sport shooting. Call (970) 874-8184 to book a hunt.

The Cottonwood Hunt Club is also in the North Fork Valley just outside Crawford. The club has successfully managed its 850 acres to offer a diverse habitat for wildlife. The Cottonwood Hunt Club stresses high quality dog work and doubles as a sporting dog training facility and boarding kennel. A newly remodeled 3,600-square foot lodge accommodates multi-day member hunts. The club also offers guided day hunts for non-members, priced by the day with unlimited birds, and the opportunity to hunt over well trained labs and pointing breed hunting dogs. Get more information at (970) 921-7100.

All three of the hunt clubs are considered Colorado licensed private game-preserves.

So, licenses for upland hunting are unnecessary and the season will run through most of the winter. Hunters going after geese, ducks or other migratory birds will need to possess the necessary licenses.

Sue Melus has a degree in natural resources.

She is a freelance writer and also specializes in public relations for the outdoors industry and resource conservation groups. Read her blog at www.deerflydiaries.com.

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18 • THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009

Above: Hunting on club lands above the North Fork of the Gunnison.

Right: Sue Melus with a pheasant shot last spring at the North Rim Hunt Club near Paonia.

Photos courtesy of Sue Melus

Letters continued om page 2 ness. Not only do these wild lands provide much-needed habitat for the organisms that live there, they also provide us with indirect economic values such as clean water, air and erosion control, not to mention recreational and aesthetic value.

Unfortunately, as the population of Colorado expands there will continually be more pressure on our wilderness.

The motorized recreation industry will continue producing more snowmobiles and ATV’s, and as the population increases, there will be an increased demand to use these recreational vehicles in the backcountry. At this time there are more than 34,000 snowmobiles registered in Colorado, and that number will only increase.

When public lands were originally set aside no one would have anticipated the current motorized use, let alone what’s to come. We would like to voluntarily limit our generation’s impact on these areas by supporting the Hidden Gems wilderness proposal. We feel that people need to start thinking less of what they want to do and more about what we need to do for our wildlife, and our future generations.

When our first wilderness areas were set aside there was much opposition, but we all see the wisdom of it now.

We would like our children to know that we also had the foresight to set aside wilderness for them.

For those that need or want to use motorized vehicles there are, and will still be, many places to ride. The president of Mount Sopris Rec Riders stated, “There seems to

Unclassifieds be a huge misconception that all we do is ride the trails.

The trails are just a means to get us started, nothing more.

The true snowmobiling experience begins when we turn off the trail and head out into the backcountry. This is where we truly ride, this is where it happens.” Sadly, this off-trail riding is even more stressful for wildlife that don’t know where it’s safe to stay, and also causes more destruction, even by the best-intended rider.

Only 2.73 percent of the lower 48 states are protected as wilderness – about the same percentage that is paved.

We must do something to protect remaining natural areas.

By supporting the Hidden Gems proposal, we can ensure that the integrity of these areas will be preserved.

The preservation of these wild lands for us and future generations to enjoy is crucial and cannot be achieved if motorized recreation and organized lobbies trump needed protections for our wildlife.

Nick Harris, College of the Atlantic, human ecology; Luke Gottlieb, Ft. Lewis College, environmental studies; Morgan Williams, Warren Wilson College, biology/chemistry; Sam Stevens, Ft. Lewis College, journalism; Julia Hedman, Ft. Lewis College, environmental studies/biology; Ned Perry, Ft. Lewis College, geology

Legal Notices PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Board of Trustees for the purpose of considering amendments to the Community Partnership Planned Unit Development in the Town of Carbondale. The proposed amendments are intended to accommodate a potential public library site, additional school district housing, improved access and parking.

The applicant/owner is the Roaring Fork RE-1 School District. Land use for public schools is regulated by the State of Colorado. Unless modified by the PUD, the standards to be used for the residential districts will be based on the Carbondale Municipal Code development standards. The Third Street Center (parcel 4), location of the former elementary school building, is owned by the Town of Carbondale and zoned Community Arts.

The site is the Community Partnership Planned Unit Development which includes the former Carbondale Elementary School property, 600 South Third Street, and the former Carbondale Middle School property, 455 South Third Street.

Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO. at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 8, 2009 before the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Copies of the proposed application are on file in The Planning Department office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO. and may be examined by interested persons during regular working hours, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Doug Dotson Community Development Director

Published 1x on November 19, 2009 in The Sopris Sun

ORDINANCE NO. 7 Series 2009

AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO, AMENDING TITLE 9 OF THE CARBONDALE TOWN CODE CONCERNING THE MAXIMUM DU-

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RATION OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLE OCCUPANCY WITHIN TOWN LIMITS

NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on November 10, 2009

Submit Unclassifieds to unclassifieds@soprissun.com by 5 p.m on Friday 2 BEDROOM CENTRAL CARBONDALE CONDO for rent. Large, new, airy, 1 1/2 baths, unfurnished with private decks, great views. A/C,W/D, No pets or smokers. $1195.

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ON VACATION? NEED AN OFFICE? SHORT TERM? LONG TERM? If you need professional office space while visiting the area, stop in and use one of our offices. Phones, fax, scanner, secured high speed internet, private offices.

Daily, weekly and monthly rates available. Long term also available 379-4766.

PACKING SUPPLIES YOU WANT TO RECYCLE? I need bubblewrap; peanuts; sturdy, medium to large boxes and other wrapping material to ship ceramics. Will pick up locally. Anne pottery@annegoldberg.com 379-5050.

PROFESSIONAL WRITER AVAILABLE for press releases, annual reports, letters and special projects. Call Lynn Burton at 963-1549.

SPORTS REPORTER. The Sopris Sun seeks a volunteer to cover RFHS sports. Call 618-9112.

This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication of this notice. The full text of said Ordinance is available to the public at www.carbondalegov.org or at the office of the Town Clerk, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado, during normal business hours.

THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE _________________________ By: s/s Michael Hassig, Mayor

ATTEST: __________________________ s/s Cathy Derby, Town Clerk

Published 1x on November 19, 2009 in The Sopris Sun

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THE SOPRIS SUN • NOVEMBER 19, 2009 • 19