Gunnison Country Times Apr. 13, 2023

Page 1

State bill stands to ‘crater’ rural health care

New building may improve retention and patient volume

(Editor's note: This is the second of a two-part update on Gunnison Valley Health. The first appeared in the April 6 edition of the Times.)

The state-wide landscape for healthcare going in 2023 is more challenging for rural providers than it was just a year ago, as Gunnison Valley Health executives are looking at slimmer profit

Maybe you can put all

your eggs in one basket

School district approves architect for facilities improvement project

NEWS: Upper Gunnison awards $300K in community grants,

COMMUNITY: Western magic show brings color back to chemistry, B1

Board will continue to explore feasibility of ground source heat at GCS

The Gunnison Watershed School District Board has

SPORTS: Hausdoerffer wins free skiing championship, B7

selected an architectural firm to lead the design work for major district-wide improvements following the passage of its $95 million bond last fall.

In November, ballot measure 5A passed by a slim margin and is supported by a property tax increase of 5.7 mills, or about $200 per year for every $500,000 of assessed residential property value. The bond includes funding for projects at all of the district’s schools — Lake Preschool, Crested Butte and Gunnison Community

Western Slope no longer experiencing drought conditions

Above average precipitation bodes well for Blue Mesa

The Upper Gunnison River Basin, alongside the rest of the

Western Slope, is no longer recording drought conditions as of last month. It is a welcome change from the beginning of the year when nearly 30% of the county was registering “abnormally dry conditions,” the least severe tier in the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Freedom from drought conditions means that in just two years, the basin has slowly

Drought update A7

Schools, Gunnison High School and Marble Charter School — and places priority on security improvements, relieving overcrowding in the North Valley and building maintenance.

During a regular meeting on Monday, April 10, the school board approved a $4.5 million contract with the Denver-based architect TreanorHL. The district’s owner’s representative, Artaic Group, which is overseeing the school district facility upgrades and acting as the project manager, assisted the

district in the selection process for design services. Th e school board chose an owner’s representative in January, kicking off the start of the long-term project.

According to Artaic Group representative Christopher Guarino, the group is in the process of helping the district hire a project team, which includes the architectural firm and eventually contractors. Artaic interviewed three potential architectural firms last week, but selectSchool board A6

Traces of winter were still present at Hartman Rocks over the weekend. Mariel Wiley
INSIDE
GVH A6
TODAY
OBITUARIES A3 OPINION A4-A5, A14 CLASSIFIEDS A18-A21 SPORTS B7 ONLINE GUNNISONTIMES.COM VOL. 142. NO. 15 | THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023 | $1.00 WESTERN: Students reignite land back
SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM SUBSCRIBE NOW
Easter Sunday, April 9, American Legion Post 54 hosted the annual mass egg hunt at Jorgensen Park. For more, see A16 and A17.
of
On
Morgan Raspanti

QUOTE of the week

The first step is understanding that if we are going to lay out what looks like a welcome mat or red carpet, can we receive what's coming through that door.

PURSUING A

See story on page A9

BRIEFS

City launches new fiscal transparency website

Last month, the City of Gunnison launched a new fiscal transparency site making its budget information easier for interested community members to access and understand.

“Our budget includes specific line-item detail and the website includes weekly postings of revenue and expenditure detail,” said Finance Director and Acting City Manager Ben Cowan. “However, residents want to know how their tax dollars are being spent, and sharing complex financial documents doesn’t always help.”

The site includes interactive charts and graphs and will eventually display project status updates, along with funding sources. The website can be found at cleargov.com/colorado/gunnison/city/gunnison.

Interior announces next steps to protect Colorado River Basin

On April 11, the Bureau of Reclamation released a draft supplemental environmental impact statement that outlines the tools needed to manage drought in the Colorado River Basin and strengthen water security in the West.

The draft includes proposed alternatives to revise 2007 Colorado River Interim Guidelines that provide operation criteria for the Glen Canyon and Hoover dams. It analyzes alternatives to address potential shortages to protect dam operations and system integrity in 2024 through 2026 — after which the existing guidelines expire. It also ensures Reclamation has the tools to continue water deliveries and hydropower production for 40 million people.

These include provisions designed to provide a greater degree of certainty to water users about timing and volumes of potential water delivery reductions for the Lower Basin states, as well as additional operating flexibility to conserve and store water in the system.

The draft will be open for public comment until the end of May. The final document is anticipated by this summer.

Like most communities in Colorado, water is a big topic in Gunnison. On the TV, radio, and in the newspaper, droughts, forest fires, floods, and water contamination are commonplace. Gunnison is no exception. Historically, Gunnison had a surface water treatment plant, which was abandoned in 1966 due to deteriorating filters. Nine groundwater wells were drilled in the middle of City streets as a temporary solution until a new treatment plant could be constructed. 57 years later, the City is still in need of a treatment plant, and our municipal water system still consists of those nine groundwater wells discharging directly into the water distribution system.

The City recently initiated a Water Master Plan to evaluate our water system and identify infrastructure improvements needed to meet Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment regulations. The improvement recommendations identified as critical were to provide a Water Treatment Plant and provide distribution upgrades.

Selecting a site for a water treatment facility for the City posed some unique challenges. Factors considered for site selection included proximity to the City, location in relation to the hydraulic grade of the sources, land acquisition, proximity to sources (groundwater and surface water), floodplain location, proximity to utilities required to support the treatment facility, layout of the transmission line to pump the treated water to the tanks, room for expansion and additions as the City grows, and community acceptance of new facility buildings and ponds.

Several treatment locations were identified in consideration of the criteria. Not all the sites met all the criteria, but each showed some merit. The following sites were evaluated: VanTuyl Ranch, Water Storage Tank Site (above Western),

Public Works site, far north of the City, and the Lazy K property. Of the sites evaluated, the VanTuyl Ranch was the only site that met all criteria, making it the best fit. The Ranch has multiple surface water and groundwater rights, along with storage rights, which will allow the City to best utilize and maximize our diverse water rights portfolio. A treatment plant located on the Ranch will be resilient to flood, drought, upstream forest fire, and groundwater contamination, ensuring Gunnison’s residents will have treatable water readily available now and in the future.

The Ranch is also an important part of Gunnison’s history and a cornerstone of the community. Great consideration has been made to preserve the active cattle ranch and its agricultural, recreational, and community open space uses. The City tasked its engineers and architects to provide a unique treatment design that maximizes municipal water quality, diversity and resiliency without impacting any recreational or agricultural uses. Future design will include an advanced water treatment facility, underground infiltration gallery pumping station, and

three new high-producing groundwater wells. The initial design also explored the idea of a solar array that could generate enough electricity to offset power needs. The footprint of the facility has since been better defined, and the City abandoned the large solar array concept, deciding that rooftop solar panels are a more viable option for this project. The addition of a small solar array provides the City with opportunities to apply for additional state funding. The building and structures will be designed to match the style and character of the existing ranch headquarters and vistas. No fences will be installed, in order to preserve the ranch’s aesthetics and natural beauty. A future reservoir is also being designed to store water for emergency situations, and will be available to the public for summer and winter recreation as an added benefit.

The VanTuyl Ranch Management Plan allows underground utilities and groundwater well fields. The City will be processing a PUD amendment for the Water Treatment Plant and infiltration gallery pump station locations. Architectural renderings are being created for public feedback to finalize the look and style of the facility. A PUD Amendment is a public process that will have public hearings at the Planning and Zoning Commission as well at City Council. All public hearings will be published in the paper and posted in City Hall.

For more information, please contact Public Works Director David Gardner at dgardner@gunnisonco.gov.

Facebook: facebook.com/CityofGunnison Instagram: instagram.com/cityofgunnison

NEW LISTING 3 bdrm/2 ½ bath nearly 1,700sf home with additional family room & attached 2 car garage features a fully fenced backyard on just over half an acre. 430 Fairway Lane; $699,000.

located near the schools & RTA bus stop. 817 W. Denver Ave.; $350,000. 3

NEW LISTING 3 bdrm/2.5 bath, 1,348sf townhome with first floor master bedroom and laundry room. Kitchen has been fully renovated with quartz countertops and lighting. Property has a fully fenced backyard. 50 Bambi Lane;

OVER 1,900SF log cabin on 35 acres features 2 bedrooms, an open living room & kitchen with custom made oak cabinets, Upstairs loft includes additional beds for guests & the woodstove keeps the cabin warm. Well in place & solar panels for electricity. Seasonal pond and sold partially furnished. Lot 1 Stratman Subdivision; $425,000.

PRICE REDUCED 3 bdrm/2 bath, ranch level home with a walkout basement. Open kitchen & dining area with a pellet stove. Property has an attached oversized 2 car garage. Over 1,800sf with great southern views of Sawtooth Mountain & W Mountain. No HOA or covenants. 851 County Road 18; $399,000.

WHITEPINE LAND Very nice lot in the town of White Pine about an hour from Gunnison. This is a great location to build your dream cabin or park your RV. 9900 County Road 888; $25,000.

Please stop by City Hall at 201 W. Virginia Avenue Call 970.641.8080 || www.gunnisonco.gov Email City Clerk Erica Boucher at eboucher@gunnisonco.gov
WHILE
SUSTAINABLE
WANT TO CONTACT US?
PRESERVING GUNNISON’S PAST
FUTURE
PRICE REDUCED 4 bdrm/2 bath 1920sf home and a fully remodeled basement with 2 car detached garage conveniently located near the new library & trail system. Includes a cozy great room & bonus room for storage or crafts. 108 Irwin Street; $639,000. NEW LISTING 1 acre river front property on the Ohio Creek. Property has electric to the lot line with central sewer available. Water is serviced by a shared well. 205 Spring Meadows Trail; $349,000. MOUNTAIN GETAWAY Home on 5 mining claims in Ohio City features an excellent mixture of wildlife, nearby trails, aspen, pines & 300 feet of Gold Creek frontage. 3 bdrm/2 bath house, huge attached garage, large detached barn, touched by Forest Service lands. 5498 County Road 771; $1,750,000. 10.33 ACRE Virginia Lode Mining Claim is located north west of the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in the Gothic area of Mount Crested Butte. Two sides of the property border public lands with the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness nearby as well as Judd Falls; $25,000. DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY chance to purchase R-3 lots & finish the West End Townhomes for a spec option, rental investment or employee housing. City approved site plans allow for two more duplex units. Water & sewer taps are already installed. Centrally
HOMES TOTAL Investment opportunity in town where each home is 2 bdrm/1 bath, tenants pay utilities, $5,400 income per month. Location near the airport and fairgrounds.
S. 12th St; $1,200,000.
Matt Burt
314
$565,000. 3 bedroom/2 bath home with woodstove, large open kitchen, laundry room & work shed in Pitkin. Built in 2012, great condition, tile entryway, tucked away in the trees. 832 River Street; $449,000. FEATURED PROPERTY MOTIVATED SELLER Virgin rth in the Gothic area of he pu nowmass Wildernes $25000 SOLD JOSH TOWNSEND Broker/Owner (970) 209-4479 Honest, Ethical, Professional CLARKE AGENCY REAL ESTATE 241 N. Main St. Gunnison, CO 81230 Office: (970) 641-0511 www.clarkeagency.net View listings at: www.clarkeagency.net AUDRIE TOWNSEND Broker/Owner (970) 209-6208 People’s Choice Award for Best Realtor 2021 & 2022
A2 • NEWS • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times

OBITUARIES

Agnes ‘Nan’ Wenum

Agnes “Nan” Wenum, 96, of Camp Douglas, Wisconsin passed away on Feb. 20, 2023. Nan was born to Agnes and Warren Herrick in Lake Forest, Illinois on July 29, 1926. She met her husband while he was finishing military service in 1957, and they were married in 1958.

Nan loved the outdoors and in 1968 found a place in Wisconsin with 40 acres of fields, forest and bluffs. It was a haven each summer for the growing family including their children J, Erik and Nanette. During the 1970s and 80s, the family camped and toured parts of the Mountain West each summer. All the children were able to find careers that kept them in the Mountain West as permanent residents, heeding their mother’s advice of “the West is best.”

Nan and John moved permanently to their country place, “Nutty Acres,” in 2005. Nan kept a small flower garden and kept many birds and other creatures happy with food and treats and thoroughly enjoyed life in the country.

Nan’s health began to decline in the last several years and finally took her away at the age of 96. She was a great mother, a dear and loving companion to John and a lady loved by all who knew her. She is survived by her husband, her three children J

BIRTHS

(Rhonda), Erik (Teresa) and Nanette, grandchildren Megan, Kirsten, Hannah, Marisa, Kyle and Tony and great grandchildren Parker and Layne.

Marlys G. Peck was born in Brainerd, Minnesota on August 17, 1921 and passed away March 30, 2023. She was 101.6 years old.

Marlys moved to Seattle, Washington as a young lady to work for Boeing Airlines during WWII. There she met John W. Peck, Jay as they called him. He was in the Coast Guard. They moved to Gunnison and married in 1945.

Marlys was a loving, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother and great grandmother. She loved her family and

Bryce Michaels of Gunnison, Colorado. He weighed 8 lbs. 2 ozs. and was 20 inches in length. “Into this wondrous world of many wonders one more wonder came.”

Hudson Carter Smith

baked and cooked the best meals. She was always involved with the Gunnison community alongside her husband Jay for 65 years, until Jay became ill. They moved to Atwater, California in 2009.

Marlys loved Gunnison and the people there. She was a member of the Community Church for 65 years, belonged to Rebekah’s and was an associate member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Elks ladies, AARP and volunteered at the Pioneer Museum along with Jay for many years. Western State College athletics, now Western Colorado University, was important to them, and they were strong supporters of the Mountaineer Booster Club. She loved their sports.

The many people of Gunnison who came into her life made her home there incredible. She loved the Gunnison country.

Marlys is survived by her daughter, Marjay, her granddaughters, Tangi (David), Jaynee (Sean) and four great grandchildren, Eliseo, Kaden, Lena and Aridian.

Marlys is preceded by husband Jay, son Jay W. II and sonin-law Jon Galloway.

No service is planned. She will be respectfully placed with her husband, Jay, at the Gunnison cemetery.

BIBLE GEMS

A HOLY GOD: TWO PLACES, TWO PURPOSES

“For thus saith the High and Lofty one... inhabits eternity...I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who has a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble...the heart of...contrite.”

Isaiah 57:15

At 7:01 p.m. on March 31, Gilbert Ballantyne Michaels was born to Leah Thomas and

Hudson Carter Smith was born at 8:20 a.m. on March 14 to Katie Fightmaster and David Smith of Gunnison, Colorado. He weighed 5 lbs. 14 ozs. and measured 19 ¼ inches in length. He has an older brother named Graylin who is 16 months old. His grandparents are Mike and Vicki Fightmaster of Denver, Colorado and Robert and Karen Smith of Brighton, Michigan.

Selected and provided by Gene Siemer

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Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • NEWS • A3

970.641.1414

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In defense of the freedom to speak

First, thank you to all who wrote letters to the editor in response to my recent commentary, “So many lies a sign of evil?” My door is always open, and I welcome the feedback. The reader’s right to speak freely and disagree with something we publish, even harshly, is one of the most fundamental features of American society. It’s a key part of what sets us apart from other, less free people around the world. As publisher of the Times , I consider it my duty to practice this freedom, strengthen it and defend it on behalf of others.

To me, it’s not just a vague, feel-good freedom for special occasions. It is an essential condition for good self-governance. When citizens hesitate to express strong and contrary opinions, then the collective conversation about important matters is inevitably skewed toward whichever narrative currently dominates, whether it is correct or not. Good leaders welcome dissent, because it is by considering alternative points of view that we test the strength of what we believe to be true.

That is every bit as applicable in local politics and governance as it is in Washington D.C. Which brings me to an objec-

LETTERS

Dear city manager candidates, (a call to action)

tion raised by some recent letter writers — that, by writing what I did, I shirked my responsibility as publisher of a hometown newspaper to stick to local issues and leave “COVID conspiracies'' and “Jan. 6 justifications'' out of it. I wholeheartedly agree! I didn’t justify anything or cite any example that can’t be backed up with emerging evidence.

As for whether my comments have local relevance, my answer is: absolutely.

To illustrate why, let me introduce another group of local letter writers and visitors who contacted me over the past couple of weeks and expressed their thanks and support for what I wrote. Readers of the Times wouldn’t know about them otherwise, because one thing most of these folks had in common was the desire that we not publish their letters and comments

in the newspaper. The reason they gave was generally the same: fear of reprisal.

Think about that for a moment. Right or wrong, some of our neighbors believe they would incur seriously negative consequences — at work or in their relationships — if they said out loud what they really think about a wide range of topics.

It’s hard to argue they are wrong about that. In recent times, we’ve seen multiple examples — right here in the valley — of what can happen when people publicly oppose the dominant narrative by insisting that their views also be considered in important collective decisions. In many cases, they’ve been subjected to a level of vitriol that is, frankly, shameful.

Naturally, that has a chilling effect on anyone else considering stepping up with unpopular opinions. Aside from the basic human decency dimensions of that, there is another, more practical reason for us all to be concerned: the erosion of good public decision-making. Why? Because, as a result, local elected officials are probably not hearing all points of view before casting their votes on important questions. The absence of vocal dissent on some local issues may not, in fact, be evidence of

unanimity, but rather of forced conformity, fueled by the fear of reprisal (and the resignation it breeds).

If we are honest, we’ll admit that this fear is not evenly distributed in the community. These days, it’s generally our conservative neighbors who feel under pressure to silence themselves and avoid the potentially harmful consequences of speaking their minds. In past times, that shoe has been — quite wrongly — on the other foot; so everyone, regardless of political affinity, should understand just how damaging this is to the pursuit of happiness and a healthy community. We all suffer when truth and goodwill are sacrificed for momentary political advantage, one way or the other. Does that matter here, in our little corner of the world? You bet it does. The ability to speak and listen to each other with mutual civility is the foundation beneath everything else we hope to do together — and well worth defending.

(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@gunnisontimes.com. He welcomes any and all feedback, especially in conversation with in-person visitors.)

2023

2023 Member

LETTERS POLICY

Letters to the editor must be 500 words or less. We favor local topics and discourage argumentative letters addressed to particular people. If you reference data, please include sources for fact-checking.

Email letters to editor@gunnisontimes.com or send to 218 N. Wisconsin St., Gunnison, CO 81230. Include your full name, address and a phone number — for our internal use only.

The deadline is Tuesday at 12 p.m. Letters may be edited for grammar, clarity or length.

Editor: Gunnison is within definitive times of transition: Gunnison Rising offers profound and dynamic shifts of our structure, and we remain a town much in the middle of the mountains strung to civilization by power lines we are so dependent upon. Our community is bound to inevitable growth which begs a path of careful decisionmaking in order to sustain our working class that call it home, yet allow an economic bounty.

These are broad issues that this town has faced for many years, but now it’s time to react to those issues rather than scout them.

Our city manager needs candor, to direct and focus all project deadlines — and as stated before, the ability to say no with certainty.

Our city manager needs foresight to plan for an uncertain future in several visions. That of comfortable growth, and that of shortage.

Our city manager needs empathy for the well-being of home owners, business owners, minority populations, ranchers, youth and newcomers.

Our city manager needs spur to motivate their counterparts into ease of purpose. Oftentimes, city managers do not remain long. We hope you will see your duty done.

The generous salary compensation offered to this person is

a catalyst for action. The people of Gunnison need a leader to guide and secure them in times of newness and times of emergency.

I’m sorry for being so poetic. What I'm trying to say is please goodness, find your groove swiftly, establish sensible budgeting that doesn’t tax the backsides of its people and businesses — beans and rice — onto that, why do we so often hire people to do our jobs ...? Next, please think of what energy source we must utilize for times of emergency that do not originate in Nebraska.

Lastly, please attend school board meetings. Our duty to youth is to offer them understanding and strategy in this unforgiving world. Will we strategically implement Gunnison’s share of Proposition 5A?

We the People of Gunni, wish our candidates luck and welcome to our community. Choose your challenges wisely, for we are depending on your unique ability to do so.

Van Tuyl is Gunnison’s Central Park

Editor: March is mental health awareness month. I’d like to reflect on how after working long hours, throughout the season, how much a bike ride, ski or walk around Van Tuyl helps

my physical and mental health.

While on these evening pilgrimages, I enjoy wildlife sightings, like foxes, skunks, coyotes, owls, hawks, herons and migrants like cranes, tanangers and orioles. I also take joy in seeing the llamas, cows, pigs and horses.

After I leave Van Tuyl Ranch I always feel peaceful and recharged. Van Tuyl Ranch is a human and wildlife refuge. The thought of permanently changing the character of this celebrated space is inconceivable.

Van Tuyl Ranch is a harmonious marriage of recreation, regenerative agriculture and wildlife habitat. It is a legacy space. But because it is owned by the city, it is being eyed as a possible location to build a water treatment plant with solar arrays. This will inevitably open the doors to allowing the property to be used for other future infrastructure needs — which is why the city needs to relinquish its ownership of the property and put the Van Tuyl Ranch into a conservation easement.

Central Park in Manhattan could have been developed hundreds of time over to support population growth, energy production and other infrastructure, but it has been conserved in perpetuity as a consideration for the well being of future generations.

Van Tuyl is Gunnison’s Central Park. Public open spaces are as essential to public health as other types of infrastructure. The only difference is

once open space is developed, it’s gone forever. A $20-30 million water treatment plant will be loud, large and will forever change the character of our refuge.

Yes we need to update our water treatment, and there is no denying we need renewable energy. We also need open spaces close to our homes for mental and spiritual well being. As the open spaces around our town continue to be developed the need for Van Tuyl to remain intact will only grow.

Twelve years ago our leaders had the vision to designate Van Tuyl Ranch for agriculture, recreation and wildlife. A water treatment plant cannot be built without its zoning changing, which requires public input.

Let us as the public not only oppose changing the zoning, but let's finish the job and put Van Tuyl into a conservation easement to ensure its many benefits be enjoyed by Gunnisononians in perpetuity.

Arly Landry Gunnison

When does satire become defamation?

Editor:

In the April Fools, 2023 edition of the Crested Butte News, the piece titled; “CBCS will officially add CRT studies to curriculum,” printed defamatory content directed at Dave Taylor (Rave Slayer) and Mandy

ALAN WARTES MEDIA
COMMENTARY
OPINION THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023

Roberts (Sandy Boberts). The edition also included a satirical advertisement, “Gilbert & Gertie,” which again defamed Taylor and Roberts.

Satire is “the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.”

Defamation is a malicious lie passed off as truth.

Satire is legal in the United States and is protected by the First Amendment, but infrequently, satire is considered defamation by the courts. From Satire v. Defamation: A Legal Explanation, “Cases exist where an artist considered his or her work transformative and satirical, but a judge thought otherwise.”

In a law review article entitled: “Just a Joke: Defamatory Humor and Incongruity’s Promise,” Laura A. Little summarized the fact/opinion dichotomy in U.S. defamation law. She wrote:

“[When considering satire defamation cases, judges must consider] the right of individuals and groups to be free from attack on their property, dignity, and honor versus the right of individuals to free expression. To make matters more complicated — in fact, much more complicated — the line must not only account for, but also respect, the artistry of comedy and its beneficial contributions to society.”

Of course, I am insinuating litigation against the Crested Butte News which I have no intention of pursuing. I am a Civil Libertarian and staunchly support the First Amendment, so what I find ironic is the ongoing effort in our country to limit free speech. I support free speech and a free press and trust the reader to decide. What is satire? What is defamation?

The bigger question is: How is this satire a beneficial contribution to society?

In conclusion, I am honored to live rent free in the hearts and minds of the Crested Butte News. There is a saying, “The time to be concerned is when they stop talking about you.” Portray me using satirical defamation if you choose, I forgive you, because forgiveness is the greatest gift we get to share.

GCEA warns of solar panel scam

Editor:

Recently, Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) has received several concerning phone calls from members who have become victims of Facebook ads targeting members by using our name in their advertising to sell solar panels.

The ads will say something like “Gunnison County Electric Assn Customers Getting Solar Panels For $$,” or use GCEA’s logo or a picture of GCEA’s headquarters. Members have told us they responded to these ads because they trust GCEA

and think we are the ones installing their panels and servicing their new solar arrays.

They were later dismayed with poor service from the installers who ended up coming from the Front Range or other places in Colorado to install, and then failed to communicate the completion of the project and confirm the array was generating power.

Please know that GCEA is not affiliated with these solar companies in any way and does not have any contractual agreements with solar installers. We do support solar, however, by having a solar specialist on staff who can meet with you to discuss your interest and answer questions about your solar installation.

He can discuss your current electric usage and any plans to add electric load onto your property to help assess the adequate system size. He can also explain our net-metering rates and educate you on how future rate changes could affect your investment. And, finally, he can walk you through the steps of installation, switching to a net meter and your electric inspection before energizing the system.

Once your system is energized and generating solar-powered electricity, GCEA staff can help you understand how your bill reflects electric usage from the grid as well as any banked kilowatt hours (kWh) delivered from your solar array to the grid. Staff can educate you on how to use our SmartHub app to view your net usage on a daily, weekly or monthly basis and identify ways to shift usage to the times when the array is producing.

In short, GCEA does not install solar, but we do want to be your trusted resource as you consider solar or other distributed generation systems. Electricity is a precious resource and comes from a variety of energy sources. We are here to support you if you choose to provide your own energy source like solar, as well as provide access to the grid after dark.

Whenever you want the lights on, our mission is to provide safe, reliable and responsible energy to power your possibilities.

Colorado “State” of Mind - Part II

Editor:

The Colorado state legislature and Gov. Jared Polis continue their government overreach on families and businesses. Here is a list of new bills up for vote:

HB23-1003 - The bill creates the sixth through 12th grade mental health assessment screening program administered by the department of public health and environment.

The bill allows any public school that serves any of grades sixth through 12 and meets certain requirements to participate in the program and requires a public school that wants to participate in the program to

notify the department. The bill requires participating schools to provide written notice to the parents of students within the first two weeks of the start of the school year in order to allow parents to opt their child out of participating in the mental health assessment screening.

The bill specifies that a student 12 years of age or older may consent to participate in the mental health assessment screening even if the student's parent opts out.

Will the information from the surveys be used to determine what kinds of mental health care will be provided to the students inside school clinics without parents knowing? More erosion of the family by the state.

SB23-189 - With the minor’s consent, a health-care provider licensed, certified, or registered pursuant to title who is acting within the health-care provider’s scope of practice may furnish contraceptive without notification to or the consent of the minor’s parent and parents, legal guardian, or any other person having custody of or decision-making responsibility for the minor.

Current proposed legislation would expand the state-run "reproductive health-care program" to allow minors under the age of 19 years to apply for and enroll themselves in the state-funded “family planning services” and “family planning related services” program, which includes access to contraception and abortion referrals without parental consent.

SB23-1192 - Concerning state and land use requirements, and, in connection therewith, establishing a process to diagnose and address housing needs across the state, addressing requirements for the regulation of accessory dwelling units, middle housing, transitoriented areas, key corridors, and manufactured and modular homes, prohibiting certain planned unit development resolutions, prohibiting a local government from enforcing certain occupancy limits, modifying the content requirements for county and municipal master plans, prohibiting certain municipalities from imposing minimum square footage requirements for residential units.

Goodbye Gunnison Zoning Committee, the land use resolution and HOA jurisdiction. If passed by the state, Denver decides our land use and planning. What do they know about our needs and lifestyle?

Wonder how the folks in Skyland and Prospect will react when the state decides to place multi-unit housing or halfway houses for paroled felons in their community?

“It comes down to reality

And it's fine with me 'cause I've let it slide

I don't have any reasons I've left them all behind I'm in a Colorado state of mind” - Government overreach

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School board from

ed TreanorHL pending the final approval from the board.

The projects will be staggered throughout the duration of the three-year bond program, allowing the team to conduct price checks as the district moves through each one, Guarino said.

“We need to be really fi scally responsible in how we plan day one, so we are comfortable planning the final day as well,” he said.

Now that an architect has been chosen, the board will undertake a schematic design process, where it will “nail down the big picture” for each of its projects, Guarino said. Each will require a cost estimate that will serve as an initial “gut check” for the team as well as the board. Artaic will present the guaranteed maximum price of construction for each project once the design work is complete.

“That [way], when we decide to pull the trigger on a site project here at the Lake School, we're not selling ourselves short on our renovation or addition on either the Pathways project or the Crested Butte

GVH

from A1

margins and trying to solve the years-long issue of employee retention. But as administrators look down the pike at what may be a tough year in cost-recovery, a larger shadow looms at the state level.

A ‘devastating’ bill in legislative session

The Colorado legislature is considering House Bill 1215, which would prohibit hospitals from charging facility fees for most outpatient visits. Hospitals charge facility fees to both insurers and patients to cover costs of providing care that are outside of what doctors get paid. The argument for the bill is consumer protection, as facility fees can appear as an unexplained or extraneous add-on to a patient’s final bill.

But for GVH, this fee is anything but extraneous, said GVH Chief Executive Officer Jason Amrich. It pays for nurses, techs, supplies, facilities and utilities, essentially allowing the service the hospital provides to be "financially viable.”

“It's an absolutely devastating, terrible bill that will crater many health care organizations … It would get rid of our thinking about having a medical office building, and will potentially force us to close services. It would really impact whether or not GVH could be in business,” Amrich said in a Gunnison County Commissioners meeting on March 28.

The Colorado Hospital Association (CHA), a statewide advocacy group representing over 100 hospitals, is working with lobbyists and legislators to try and amend or even kill the bill, as CHA is estimating a $9.8

Community School or whatever the case may be,” Guarino said.

Treasurer Dave Taylor reminded the architects how important it was to voters that the board explore the feasibility of installing a ground source heating system at the Gunnison Community School. Board President Tyler Martineau agreed.

“But there are those in a community who are not going to be happy if we're wasting the community's money on a flight of fancy,” Martineau said. “We have to do the work to show that this is not only environmentally sensitive, but it is financially the right thing to do … time and expense, but I think we owe it to the community to do that and not just launch down one path without considering all the r Guarino said the team will study the geothermal option compared to traditional HVAC systems during the early design phases — complete with an analysis of three different systems and payback comparisons.

According to TreanorHL principals Chad Novak and Patrick Johnson, HL Architecture, which was found-

ed in 1963, merged with a called Treanor six years ago. HL led the bond project for the Gunnison Watershed School District in 1998 at the Gunnison and Crested Butte Community schools.

“The work here really inspired Patrick and I to really focus our careers on schools and concentrating on student achievement in places that were inspiring to learn,” Novak said. “Through this process, it

has just felt like we're coming home.”

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

said, especially with telehealth and in-home care service. Th e building is meant to help the hospital keep up.

“We feel that is more important than building more beds for the hospital or more ORs, because that kind of demand is staying where it is and everything else is shifting outside the walls of the hospital,” he said. “If we're not investing in that type of delivery model, then we're potentially falling behind.”

A new building stands to accommodate growth by keeping potential patients in the valley, rather than losing them to adjacent hospitals in Montrose or Salida. Right now, the hospital is limited by offi ce space: there’s simply not enough space for specialists to see patients, Amrich said.

billion dollar loss in revenue to health care organizations. Most health care margins hovering close to zero, Amrich told the Times, so the removal of facility fees would hit hard.

“We're in that same boat, I mean, we're going to be fighting and scrapping this year to try to get a 2% margin, and this would wipe that off the books,” he said.

Rural hospitals as close as neighboring Delta County Memorial Hospital (DCMH) are already feeling the strain.

DCMH fell into dire straits recently when cash funds dropped dangerously low after repayment of pandemic-era Medicare loans drained the business of available money. After board members learned the hospital was saddled with debt, they brought on a new CEO, tasked with parsing a financial future in an industry

caught in a funding bind.

A recent amendment to the bill would exclude certain hospitals, including GVH. But Amrich said the amendment is not enough, and the bill, if

passed at all, would create “untenable” ripples across the state’s entire health care system.

A new building for more services

To improve the patient experience and create more office space, GVH is planning to build a medical offices building to house primary and urgent care providers and visiting specialists. The facility, still in preliminary planning stages, may offer ambulatory services like primary care, an eye doctor, a dentist, physical therapy or even basic radiology services. Staff envision the building as a “hub for all things medical,” so residents can come for anything health care-related in the Gunnison Valley.

Industry trends reflect a continued movement toward ambulatory services, Amrich

The “if you build it, they will come” strategy has been proven in one department. The hospital hired Dr. Augustine Lee in general, colon and rectal surgery and is already seeing “through the roof” colonoscopy numbers for the first quarter, along with an overall increase in the number of general surgeries. The same story goes for radiology; a full-time employee brought on in 2022 has catalyzed appointment numbers. The hospital will figure out the details of the design, financing and location this year, before formally moving the project forward in 2024.

“Obviously, our number one goal is to always keep care local and provide access to the community,” Amrich said. “We feel like a new building could do that.”

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

We’re going to be fighting and scrapping this year to try to get a 2% margin, and this would wipe that off the books.
Jason
GVH Chief Executive Officer
A1
The recently passed bond initiative includes facility improvements across the entire district including at the Gunnison Community School. Jacob Spetzler Jacob Spetzler
A6 • NEWS • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times
Nurses, doctors and administrators rest during a quiet moment in the emergency room last March.

Drought update

from A1

moved from the monitor’s most extreme or exceptional drought categories — the highest on its intensity scale — to no drought conditions whatsoever. The Front Range hasn’t been so lucky, as most counties are still showing “severe” or “moderate” drought.

The long-term view from the drought monitor predicts that most areas of the basin will stay out of drought conditions for the next three months. For the areas where drought does return “it's not going to be excessive like it has been in the recent past,” Beverly Richards, water resource specialist at Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, reported to Gunnison County Commissioners on April 11.

The change may come as no surprise, as the county has received a considerable amount of precipitation in the last 30 days. Between March 10 and April 7, precipitation ranged from 100-300% of normal in some areas. Th is infl ux of water helped boost soil moisture, which bodes well for the valley as it enters runoff season, Richards said.

With a slew of late-season storms, the snowpack in the entire Gunnison River Basin is hovering around 165% of normal — a vast improvement over levels around 100% this time last year.

In the last couple months, some of the basin’s SNOTEL sites in the lower basin have registered snow totals as high as 200-300% of normal, including 248% at Cochetopa Pass, 314% at Columbine Pass and 212% at Overland Reservoir.

“So far it is good news, but it's early in the season,” Richards told the Times

Last year, the basin saw a good amount of snow going into March, but wind and duston-snow events started the melt early, ultimately leaving the basin below start-of-year projections. And runoff has

likely already started due to the current warm and dry climate conditions, she said, so it’s hard to know if good news will last.

Blue Mesa projections

As of April 9, combined reservoir storage in the Gunnison River Basin sat at 55% of average and the Upper Basin at 48%. The Bureau of Reclamation is projecting 850,000 acre-feet — or 134% of average — of unregulated inflow for Blue Mesa Reservoir from April to July.

The end-of-year water level at Blue Mesa is projected at 590,000 acre-feet, or 72% of average. Still, 72% will bring Blue Mesa back up to standard operating levels, which is the “preferable level,” for the first time in two or three years, Richards said. Water elevation in Blue Mesa has been steady over the past month, and as of April 10, sits at 36% percent of capacity. By September, the reservoir is projected to have 675,000 acre-feet of storage, or 82% of full capacity.

The forecasted inflow into Taylor Park Reservoir for the same time period is 128% of a 30-year average. Th e reservoir is estimated to fi ll to 98%, just one foot below the spillway, structures used to pass floodwater safely through or around a dam when levels are too high.

Releases were supposed to rise on April 1, but ice jams upstream of Harmels have paused the increases. By the end of the month, releases from the reservoir will have doubled from the winter rate of approximately 80 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 190 cfs. Reservoir storage across the Upper Colorado River Drainage Basin has not changed much since the beginning of the year, and still sits at 52% of average.

Lake Powell remains the most critical on the list at just 23% full. Inflows into Lake Powell are projected to bring levels to 32% by the end of the year.

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

HIGH ALTITUDE EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY MASTER OF SCIENCE THESIS DEFENSE SCHEDULE – SPRING 2023

Macey Arseculeratne: Effects of Ischemic Preconditioning on Inflammatory Markers in Female College Soccer Players

Friday, April 7, 1:00pm Gym 203

Nicole Lewis: The Effect of High Intensity Functional Training on Framingham 10-year Risk of Heart Attack

Monday April 10th, 3:00pm Gym 205

Allison Dages: The Dose Response Relationship with Insulin Resistance and High Intensity Functional Training in a Metabolic Syndrome Population

Monday April 10th, at 4:30

Gym 205

Daniel Vargas:strate Utilization Patterns Using Ventilatory Thresholds as Markers of Exercise Intensity.

Wednesday, April 12, 11:00am

Gym 203

Emma Cantril: The Effects of Remote Ischemic Preconditioning on Levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha and C-Reactive Protein in Female Collegiate Soccer Players

Monday, April 17, 2:00pm

Gym 205

Kieran Nay: The Effects of Intermittent Hypoxic Training on Altitude Performance in Cyclists Acclimated to 2,348 Meters

Tuesday, April 25, 4:30pm

Gym 205

Kai Emmsley: Importance of Reactive Strength Index in NCAA Athletes and Correlation to Injury and Performance

Wednesday, April 26, 5:00pm

Gym 205

Adam Orynczak: The Effects of Intermittent Hypoxia on Cognitive Function and Motor Coordination at Altitude

Thursday, April 27th, 4:30 pm

Gym 205

Alex Mason: Protection from Endothelial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Post-menopausal Women Using Remote Ischemic Preconditioning

Friday, April 28th at 1:30pm

Gym 204

Hannah Mae Gigstad: The Effects of Heat Acclimation on Vascular Function in Post-Menopausal Women

Friday, April 28th at 4:00 PM

Gym 205

Jacob Stroup: The Effects of a Supplemental Grip Strength Training Protocol on Bench Press One Repetition Max Performance in Collegiate Track and Field Athletes

Monday, May 1, 2:00pm Gym 205

Gillian Cullen: The Effect of a Single Session of High Intensity Functional Training on Endothelial Function

Monday, May 1, 4:00pm Gym 205

Benjamin Juckett: A Proof-ofConcept Investigating Lactate Administration on Endothelial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

Wednesday, May 3, 2:00pm Gym 205

Gabriel Sams: Impact of Ischemic Preconditioning on Maximal Accumulated Oxygen

ners

Friday, May 5, 2: 00pm Gym 205

Blue Mesa Reservoir was frozen and covered in snow in February 2023. Jacob Spetzler
-
at High Altitude
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Gunnison County, the BLM, and the U.S. Forest Service will be closing roads to all motor vehicles to protect Gunnison sage-grouse during their mating season and to prevent road damage during the wet spring conditions. The cooperation of the public is required to successfully implement these road closures.

Gunnison County, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U. S. Forest Service (USFS) have temporarily closed a number of roads to all motor vehicles to protect Gunnison sage-grouse during their mating season and to prevent road damage during wet spring conditions.

These roads are closed March 15 and will reopen on May 15, 2023. The U.S. Forest Service closures in the Flat Top Mountain area north of Gunnison extends through June 15 to protect nesting Gunnison sage-grouse, and an area closure prohibiting all human uses in the Almont Triangle between Hwy 135, County Road 742, and County Road 813. These include Henkel Road and Smokey Bear access roads.

BLM roads across the basin are subject to the motorized closures except for Hartman Rocks north of the Powerline Road.

Roads and trails in the north end of Hartman’s are subject to closure based on winter and mud conditions but those will open when roads and trails dry out.

Signal Peak roads and trails on BLM lands remain closed to motorized use from January 1 to May 15 to protect wintering wildlife.

Mechanized use on Signal Peak is allowed east of the Signal Peak Rd beginning May 1 after 10 am.

There is a human use closure on Signal Peak from March 15 to May 15; affected trails include: The Ridge, Rasta Gulch, and Chicken Wing.

Copies of the closure list and maps are available at Gunnison County Public Works, 195 Basin Park Drive; Gunnison

Virginia Ave; Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Gunnison, Colorado.

These closures apply to all motorized vehicles. Do not park at the closures in a manner that blocks access through the closure gates. All non-motorized trail users are also requested to use Gunnison Basin roads/trails only after 9 a.m. during this period to help reduce disturbance to sage-grouse. For additional information call Gunnison County Public Works at 641-0044; BLM at 642-4940; or the U.S. Forest Service at 641-0471.

Four city manager finalists selected

‘Meet the Candidates’ forum set for April 13

Bella

After emerging from the first city manager search empty handed, Gunnison City Council has chosen four new candidates it believes has the credentials to lead Gunnison.

The city is hosting a ‘Meet the Candidates’ forum on April 13 at 6 p.m. at the Gunnison Rec Center — giving the community a chance to ask the finalists questions and provide feedback that will help city council select Gunnison’s next leader. Staff are hopeful a new manager will be in place by the start of July.

Former City Manager Russ Forrest left his role in October of 2022 to serve as Vail’s town manager. Finance Director Ben Cowan has been serving as the

interim since Forrest left the Gunnison Valley.

The City of Gunnison reopened the job listing for the vacant city manager position in February, restarting the search after previous finalists withdrew from the running. After some adjustments to the listing — including an increase to the salary range and offering transitional housing — the executive recruitment fi rm the city hired for the search, Columbia Ltd., received 51 of applications during the second round.

The finalists will undergo extensive interviews on April 13 and 14, with city council expected to make a final decision on Friday afternoon during a closed session. According to Cowan, the city will announce the new manager by the end of the month, with a start date set near July 1.

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

CITY MANAGER FINALISTS

Jarrod Biggs

Biggs is presently the assistant finance director for the City of Durango. Prior to this role, he served as Durango’s assistant utilities director, a position he held from 20172021.

Metteer is the town manager of the Town of Minturn, which is located in Eagle County. Prior to her position as town manager, Metteer served as Minturn’s economic development director, a role that she held from 2012-2018.

Amanda Wilson

Fisher is the current town and zoning administrator for the Town of Nederland, a position she’s held since 2021. Prior to this role, Fisher acted as deputy town administrator and town clerk for Nederland.

the director of infrastructure and development services for the City of Sandpoint, Idaho — a small community located near the Canadian border.

Previously, Wilson served as program manager, founder and principal for Windward Project Solutions LLC, a government consulting firm.

Miranda Fisher Michelle Metteer
NOTICE OF GUNNISON COUNTY, BLM, AND USFS 2023 SPRING SEASONAL ROAD CLOSURES www. gunnisontimes .com ONLINE ALL THE TIME! A8 • NEWS • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times

Western community rekindles land back movement

A focus on meaningful action supported by senior leadership

For the first time in years, students and staff at Western Colorado University have taken up the mantle of drafting a land acknowledgment — or land back statement — for the university. These statements are meant to acknowledge that land, now often owned by the government, was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples who were the original caretakers. These same people were forcibly and violently displaced from their homelands as westward expansion propagated.

Th e spark was lit at the 33rd annual Headwaters Conference, held at Western, which brought community leaders, students and conservation organizations together to participate in discussions about Indigenous issues. During the conference, Masters of Environmental Management candidate Chase Cordova participated in a seminar that asked Western community members what they would like to see in a land back statement. Inspired by the community’s action, he took the feedback and started to organize it.

Notes from the seminar reflect that the university could pursue a number of actions, Cordova said. In the classroom, it could look like professors' awareness of what readings are presented to class, and a mindfulness about who is speaking and who is not during conversation. Students suggested changing building and trail names both on and off campus and even reconsidering the mascot, the Mountaineer, a figure some link to the forced removal of Indigenous people that accompanied westward expansion. The Robidoux building, for example, is named for western furtrader Antoine Robiduex, known to have murdered or enslaved Indigenous people.

“Those names have a lot of power in terms of who comes here and they see who they're represented by … who actually comes to Western and who stays here because of how they're represented,” Cordova said.

Participants also voiced an interest in funding additional resources for students from Indigenous tribal communities, even providing housing for students and families who are moving from a reservation. A central outcome of the process, Cordova said, is creating a space where Indigenous students feel they have the ability to speak and be heard earnestly.

“It's addressing a much larger dialogue, at least within Western, as far as systemic

power and the ability for people to be represented and be seen … I think a lot of the land back process comes down to the ability to feel a belonging and a value of being back on these lands and being welcomed to them,” he said.

But Cordova is not the first to approach the land back issue at Western. In 2021, sociology professor Matt Aronson started conversations with Southern Ute peoples to draft a land back proposal. Tribal leaders expressed they weren’t interested in having a hand in the process unless it was accompanied by meaningful action, Aronson said. Without clear goals, the process fell to the back burner.

For years, the missing piece has been collective action, Cordova said. Although a number of community members and departments have made their own efforts, a unified front from senior leadership has yet to come.

“As far as the institution goes,

it shows a like-minded effort of the entire community,” he said.

“It allows for not only those individual efforts to have merit but for everyone to be on the same page about the action

as Indigenous leaders and allies have decried the statements as perfunctory, allowing institutions or companies to participate in the conversation without meaningful change. Drafting these statements is complicated, said Poetry Concentration, Director CMarie Fuhrman, as institutions must avoid using the statements as a self-congratulatory “epigraph” on the website.

Many times, they may ring hollow as text on a page, in an email signature or on a website are the end-all of the process; words without action behind them, she said.

“It's just an acknowledgement, which is a terrible word for what we're trying to do,” she said. “I keep pushing towards Indigenous commitments, these are Indigenous commitments.”

Community members at Headwaters even voiced an interest in present-tense language, including the reality “that these are people who have been here not only in the past, but exist here in the present and will always exist here,” Cordova

For Fuhrman, before any plans are drafted, educational institutions must focus on healing relationships with Indigenous people. The scars of American Indian boarding schools remain, as “bodies are still being unearthed,” she said. rst step is understanding that if we are going to lay out what looks like a welcome mat or red carpet, can we receive what's coming through that door with the promise that they can be themselves and have the tools to go out and be themselves in the society in which we now live?” she said.

Taylor agreed that the land back statement must be a framework for real changes at the university.

moving forward.”

Collective action can connect disparate efforts, providing a “hub” or guiding principle behind the work that connects students and staff applying for grants, doing projects or even planning events.

The time is now, as the board is in process of updating its strategic plan and the university is in its first couple years of new senior leadership, said Interim Vice-President Leslie Taylor. Just this year, Western hired a first-ever Vice President of Inclusivity Steven D. Parker. The university also recently applied for a grant to help fund the repatriation of a collection of Native American remains housed in the university’s CT Hurst Museum, the first step in a long and complicated process of returning those people to their homelands.

Action, not words

Land back statements have come under fire over the years,

“Without the commitments, the statements are a little hollow,” Taylor said. “It does help students, faculty and staff recognize that we are on the traditional ancestral homelands of Ute nations and peoples. But if we don't have actions and commitments behind that statement, it’s really just for us.”

So far, Cordova has brought the issue to the Faculty Senate, the Board of Trustees and student government. He intends to go back to the board in May with a more thorough draft, one that will lay out a plan of action. The focus is not to harp on the failures of the past, he said, it is instead to focus on the future.

“This is not about what we should have done in the past, or that we haven't been there,” he said. “Right now people are engaging with this broader topic of diversity and inclusivity to a point that we can act on all of these things without it making another empty promise.”

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

Molly Mazel, Dorsey Dick and Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk speak on a panel at 33rd Annual Headwaters Conference at Western Colorado University. Jacob Spetzler Students walk past Robidoux Hall on Wednesday morning.
It’s addressing a much larger dialogue, at least within Western, as far as systemic power and the ability for people to be represented and be seen.
Chase Cordova Masters student at Western Colorado University
Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • NEWS • A9
Courtesy Western Colorado University

Gunnison, Crested Butte stand against land use bill

The City of Gunnison and the Town of Crested Butte have both shared their opposition toward a new Colorado bill that, if passed unamended, has the power to take away local governments’ authority over zoning and land use decisions and put it into the hands of the state.

Senate Bill 23-213, or the “Land Use” bill, was introduced on March 22 and proposes state-wide land use reform with the goal of increasing housing stock in Colorado. Although the bill is primarily focused on urban municipalities and resort communities, Gunnison could still be affected by the mandates, which are designed to override local regulatory policy and increase the construction of a variety of housing types.

At first glance, a bill created to establish a process to diagnose and address housing needs across the state seems timely and necessary to relieve the pressure the housing market has placed on the Gunnison Valley community. But there’s nothing within the “amorphous,” 105-page bill that actually creates affordable housing, City Attorney Kathy Fogo said during a special session on April 4. The city adopted an offi cial resolution opposing the bill at a regular city council meeting on Tuesday.

“What it seems to create is really poor living conditions crammed in all over the place,” she said.

If unamended, possible state mandates under the bill would unravel local authority and allow accessory dwelling units (ADU) in any zone that permits single-family homes. It could also remove or loosen occupancy restrictions, square-footage requirements and require the city to draft plans that would accommodate boosts in development. No language exists to ensure any of these new homes would be deed restricted or affordable.

If the bill were to pass, Fogo said she expects municipalities, particularly on the Front Range, and resort communities such as Crested Butte, to “get hit hard” by the new legislation. Due to its size and location, Gunnison will experience the least restrictions related to the bill, but the full effects are still being determined, she said.

The largest premise of the bill is the loss of local control, Finance Director and Interim City Manager Ben Cowan told the Times . The city may not have the infrastructure capacity to support a sudden jump in housing development and existing residents may end up subsidizing part of the cost. Th e construction of ADUs also increases property values — making it a more challenging and costly purchase for local homebuyers once it goes up for sale.

“It's a very top down approach and makes it so that you cannot make educated decisions based on your local situation,” Cowan said.

According to Crested Butte Town Manager Dara MacDonald, the town will continue to oppose the bill unless it is amended. The legislation as proposed would eliminate the town’s ability to require ADUs to be long-term rented, and remove the board that ensures new projects fit into the guidelines established for the Crested Butte Historic District.

It would also tie the town’s hands on zoning requirements like the “Resident Occupied Aff ordable Housing” or ROAH fee, which mandates all new developments contribute toward affordable housing based upon the workforce needs that a project will cause, she said.

“Due to a lack of understanding of market conditions in rural resorts the unintended consequence of the bill would result in fewer affordable units being constructed in town,” MacDonald wrote in an email.

She said staff will continue to work closely with its partners in the Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST) and the governor’s office on proposed amendments to the legislation. It spent nearly 12 hours in its first hearing in the Senate Local Government and Housing Committee on Thursday, April 6.

According to CAST President Jonathan Godes, Colorado’s rural resort communities have aggressively pursued affordable housing for more than 30 years, with demonstrable positive outcomes.

“Through these efforts they have built a deep and nuanced understanding of the interplay between market forces and the regulatory environment on affordable housing,” he wrote in a letter to Gov. Jared Polis and Colorado lawmakers. “It is our analysis that state mandated upzoning in single-family neighborhoods will not result in any increase of workforce housing.”

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

FEES: $2.00 PER GALLON/POUND ($2.00 MINIMUM) GUNNISON COUNTY • CITY OF GUNNISON • TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE • CB SOUTH METRO DISTRICT UPPER GUNNISON RIVER WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT For further information contact Gunnison County Public Works at 641-0044 or Fire Marshal Hugo Ferchau at 641-8153. GUNNISON COUNTY (NO COMMERCIAL) THE FOLLOWING ITEMS AND MUCH MORE WILL BE ACCEPTED: AcidsFertilizersAntifreezeFlammable LiquidsCar Batteries OilCleanersPaint/Spray PaintCausticsPesticides NO ELECTRONICS ACCEPTED 218 N. Wisconsin St. | 970.641.1414 | gunnisontimes.com Have an idea? Let us know! The Gunnison Country Times is always looking for the stories that impact the lives of our Valley’s residents. Submit your article, photos and story ideas to editor@gunnisontimes.com or give us a call at 970.641.1414
As proposed, local leaders believe it will result in fewer affordable housing units
A10 • NEWS • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times

Jazz and steel: A match made in heaven

In a testament to a recent class-time collaboration between Western's Jazz and Steel bands, the Almont Snowdance Winter Concert Series hosted a soiree combining sounds from the tropics with jazz classics on the evening of Friday, April 7.

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Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • NEWS • A11

In pursuit of the afikomen

B’nai Butte hosted a Passover seder on Thursday night, April 7, at the Fred Field Center. Passover is a Jewish holiday that takes place every spring and memorializes the biblical story of the Jews’ enslavement in Egypt and subsequent escape. The ceremony centers around a dinner. Matzoh, unleavened cracker-like bread, plays a central role in the holiday. During the seder, a piece of matzoh called the “afikomen,” which means desert in Hebrew, is hidden and the youngest participants are tasked with finding it.

WRECKEDROADS? REC&ROADS MONDAY,APRIL24FROM6-7:30PM @THECOMMUNITYCENTER,200ESPENCERAVE OR JOINTHECITYFORANINTERACTIVEPUBLICINPUTANDINFORMATIONALSESSION TheParksandRecsalestaxsunsetin2023 Thestreetfundingdeficit TheCityofGunnisonisseekinghelptodeterminethebestway tosolvetwocriticalfundingdilemmas: REFRESHMENTS,CHILDCAREANDINTERPRETATIONSERVICESWILLBEPROVIDED PleasecontacttheCityClerkat970-641-8080oreboucher@gunnisonco.govformore information A12 • NEWS • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times

County awarded $10 million for Whetstone

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Money earmarked for water, sewer and electric

This week, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) awarded Gunnison County $10 million for Whetstone, its largest and most ambitious affordable housing development. The money is slated for horizontal infrastructure, like roads, water, sewer, electric and sidewalks. Although the total project cost is not known at this time, the $10 million award represents just over 60% of the estimated total infrastructure.

“This grant is catalytic and critical for the Whetstone project,” wrote Assistant County Manager for Community and Economic Development Cathie Pagano in a statement to the Times . “As we begin to engage with development partners, this funding enables Gunnison County to have a strong fi nancial position and a solid foundation to attract quality developers.”

Whetstone will offer the valley 231 units on a 15-acre parcel a mile and half south of Crested Butte. The county purchased the parcel in 2019, and work started in the spring of 2021. The sketch plan proposal, approved in February, outlines units of multiple building types: triplexes, townhomes and apartments. The goal is that the development be 100% deed-restricted, although the county’s land use resolution

only requires at least 40% to be considered an affordable housing project.

The cost to build Whetstone will affect the eventual cost for people to rent or buy the units, Pagano wrote in an email, so reducing building costs directly affects the development’s affordability.

The county is corralling funding for several aspects of the project, including updates to the Brush Creek Road intersection that will include a pedestrian underpass under Hwy. 135 and a connection to the Deli trail. Martin Schmidt, assistant county manager for Public Works, is working to secure a $2.5 million grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation for the underpass. If the application is approved, the county would have to match just over $600,000 to bring the total to $3.1 million.

The DOLA funding for the county represents a third of the $30 million awarded for affordable housing projects across Colorado. The money was distributed through the Transformational Affordable Housing Grant Program, which will provide nearly 600 additional affordable housing units to Colorado residents. Gunnison’s $10 million share was the highest amount awarded to any county.

“We know the state has worked hard to prioritize affordable housing and these large grant opportunities cement that prioritization,” Pagano said.

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

The approved sketch plan of the Whetstone property includes a greenspace, a perimeter trail and a three-story apartment complex next to Hwy. 135. Courtesy Gunnison County
O ÚNASEALACIUDADPARAUNASESIÓNINTERACTIVADECOMENTARIOPÚBLICOYSESIÓNDE
REFRESCOS,CUIDADODENIÑOYSERVICIOSDEINTERPRETACIÓNSERÀN PROPORCIONADOS
ALateStPatty'sDay5KFundraiser ALateStPatty'sDay5KFundraiser tosupportGunnisonValleyMentors tosupportGunnisonValleyMentors tosupportGunnisonValleyMentors $45IncludesBreakfast, Beer & Tshirt $45IncludesBreakfast, Beer & Tshirt Beer & Legs,Kegs&Eggs Legs,Kegs&Eggs Legs,Kegs&Eggs Saturday,April22nd Saturday,April22nd Saturday,April22nd Register@TheDive Register@TheDive Register@TheDive 213WestTomichiAve 213WestTomichiAve 213WestTomichiAve 970-641-1375 970-641-1375 Registration9am Registration9am Race10am Race10am Start:TheDive Start:TheDive Finish:IBarRanch Finish:IBarRanch Finish:IBarRanch Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • NEWS • A13

Linda Belle Mining Claim, Pitkin

8.55 Acres, close to the historic Alpine Tunnel! Located in the Quartz Creek Mining District about 5 miles up Cumberland Pass Amazing recreation opportunities including hunting, National Forest, located in GMU 55 $20,000 | MLS# 802002

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Level Lot Features Mature Trees & Southern Exposure With Incredible Views $250,000 | MLS# 800545

26 Meadowlark Trail $995,000 MLS 792288. Built 2022 4bed 3bath 2471 sqft.

26 Meadowlark Trail is the newest home within highly coveted North Elk Meadows subdivision. This custom home is meticulously built and designed from solid cedar including the exterior siding with rock accent. Large foyer with vaulted 18 feet ceilings, a large 8 x 24 back deck, solid wood front door, abundant windows throughout the home giving natural light and views of Carbon Peak, Red Mountain, Flat Top and SignalPeak. This property has an open kitchen with 9 ft ceilings throughout the main level.

304 C Van Tuyl Circle - $392,000 - 2 bed/1.5 bath Townhome located in the Van Tuyl Townhomes. This unit is a well kept, 2 story townhome with all appliances included and completely fenced front yard. Great location that is centrally located in town and close to Van Tuyl trails, grocery store and shops and blocks from the bus stop. Call for a showing today!

CB Music Festival merges with the Center for the Arts

The Crested Butte Music Festival (CBMF) has announced it will be integrating with the Center for the Arts. This change was approved and fi nalized by the board of directors of both organizations at the beginning of the month.

“The Center for the Arts is known for their wide range of musical programming in a wonderful venue, and they will be able to provide long-term stability for Music Festival programming. We believe that the Center will be able to attract strong artists and a broad, yearround audience,” said Gary Keiser, CBMF board president.

For 26 years, CBMF has presented a festival offering a wide range of music during the summer. In the fall of 2022, faced with a financial shortfall as a result of rising costs and reduced revenue, CBMF made an emergency appeal to the community and raised suffi-

LETTERS

continued from A5

Vote for Keith Bauer

Editor:

The Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District (MetRec) is electing board members on May 2. These board members will help shape the content and direction of recreation in the Gunnison Valley. If you care about the future of recreation in our valley, you should vote on May 2. I encourage you to vote for Keith Bauer for the MetRec board. Keith has been a very active member of our community for over 25 years.

cient funds to enable it to move forward with planning a 2023 season.

However, CBMF then experienced the loss of a key staff member, Executive Director Erica Vernon, due to unrelated issues, and the CBMF board felt that merging with the Center was the best path forward.

“The Center is proud to continue the programming and educational opportunities that the Crested Butte Music Festival has brought to our community for more than a quarter century,” said Brooke MacMillan, Center for the Arts co-executive director. “We are excited to expand our classical, jazz, blues, and bluegrass offerings to the community year-round, and to utilize the Center’s phenomenal facilities to showcase these genres.”

(Source: Crested Butte Center for the Arts.)

Wiggins runs for reelection

Editor:

I would like to continue to represent District 1 on the Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) Board of Directors. This year I have a challenger for my District 1 board seat.

I was elected to the Board June 2011 and have gained valuable experience to continue to lead the co-op through challenging times.

Lazy K, Gunnison’s newest subdivision has several units still available for purchase by individuals or institutions/businesses! MORE UNITS COMING THIS SPRING. We have 1 unit at 80% AMI units meaning if you make less than $50k-$70k/year depending on household size, you may qualify to purchase this new 2 bedroom/1.5 bath unit at $268,271! Applications to determine your eligibility can be found at GVRHA.org. To arrange a viewing or questions about the property, please contact Gunnison Real Estate & Rentals.

1207 Van Tuyl Circle, 3 bed 2.5 bath, 1628 sqft $710,000 MLS#798505

This hidden gem, single family home within the Van Tuyl Subdivision consists of 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, approximately 1628 sqft. with a detached one car garage with a carport. Updated, move in ready, high ceiling, recessed lights, and open kitchen with an island separating the kitchen from the living room, pellet stove. The abundant natural light from the makes this home appealing and speculator. The other two bedrooms are upstairs with a 3/4 of a bathroom that consists of a walk-in shower with modern touches located in-between inviting, and intriguing home with a master suite downstairs with its own entrance and mini fridge/microwave section. The modern walk-in tiled shower and glass door is an impeccable touch. The storage space in the utility room is fully utilized with shelving and cabinets with front loading washer/dryer easily accessible. It's a must see property that's very inviting worth calling your agent today.

970.641.4880

During his decade-plus tenure as the executive director of CB Nordic, Keith took the organization to a new level that led to the state recognition of Crested Butte as the Nordic capital of Colorado. He also led the Crested Butte Land Trust as its board president. Keith is also a prolific “recreator.” He bikes, hikes, skis and runs rivers.

I have been fortunate to work with Keith for over 10 years and have seen him in action. His knowledge, hard work and commitment are exceptional. He has the skills to make a very effective member of the MetRec board. We need Keith to represent us. PS - If you are registered to vote in Colorado and live or own property within the special district, you are eligible to vote. Voting will take place on May 2 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at All Saints Church in Crested Butte or at the Fred Field Center in Gunnison.

Absentee voting is also permitted, but the last day to request a ballot is April 25. For questions, or an absentee ballot email the designated election official at deo@gcmetrec.org, or Sue at 970.901.6851. Skip Berkshire Crested

I have been a Gunnison Country resident for 40 years, married my wife Kathy in Crested Butte, raised my two kids, Montana and Dakota, and own and operate PR Property Management.

GCEA is one of the best run companies in Gunnison County and I want to keep it that way.

If you like what GCEA has been doing — keeping the lights on at a fair price — I would like your vote. If you think it is time for something different, then vote for my challenger that moved from Boulder.

Electronic voting is available this year along with the standard ballots or in person voting at the annual meeting in June.

My office is at the Skyland Lodge and the phone number is 970.349.6281.

Get your vote out. The ballots will be available May 22, 2023. Thank you for your past support, please give me a call to discuss any thoughts or concerns.

Butte
970.641.0077 137 W. Tomichi Ave., Suite A Gunnison, CO 970.349.1394 315 Sixth St., Crested Butte, CO 26 Nicholson Lane, Crested Butte 3,040 S.F. Home W/4 Bedroom, 3.5 Bathroom Three bedrooms can be found in the lower level w/a small kitchenette Two large decks w/demanding views of the Gunnison Valley and Crested Butte Mountain The garage provides plenty of storage with shelves and includes the laundry area. $1,950,000 | MLS# 797664 7810 Aspen Glen Lane, Gunnison NEW OFF GRID HOME JUST COMPLETED 35+ acre parcel 15 mins South of Gunnison 3 Beds & 3 Baths, 2 furnaces, 1 up, 1 down plus a wood burner stove on the main level 4,026 S.F. Living Area + 900 S.F. Attached Garage, and state of the art with 16 panel solar set up This home features vaulted pine beetle kill T & G ceiling, loads of storage, granite countertops, $1,225,000 | MLS# 775946 117 Caddis Fly Lane, Gunnison 1.00 Acre Lot in Riverwalk Estates, Backs Up To Open Space & Pond Fish Along The Banks Of The Gunnison River & Stocked Ponds. Enjoy The Private Walking Trails & Guest Cabin
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UNDER CONTRACT A14 • NEWS • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times

Upper Gunnison awards $300K in community grants

Xeriscaped bus stop, Coal Creek dam renovations among projects selected

This year, the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District awarded nearly $300,000 to organizations and individuals working to conserve water in the Upper Gunnison River Basin.

The District’s grant program has continued to grow since it first launched in 2009 — with the amount of money available to the community nearly tripling over the past decade. In 2023, the organization selected 19 projects from across the basin. All were required to provide a 50% match and align with the District’s mission to fund programs that maintain high water quality standards and promote water education and conservation throughout the valley.

As the ongoing drought remains on the minds of most in the Southwest, many of the projects the District received this year were related to water efficiency, or the practice

Bethany Church

of reducing water waste, said Beverly Richards, the District’s water resource manager. The City of Gunnison is using the grant money to build a xeriscape garden at the new library bus stop with educational signage, while more than half of the applicants will focus on irrigation improvements.

‘A piece of the management puzzle’

During the construction of the new Gunnison Library, the intersection of 11th and Quartz Street was realigned, creating a triangular patch of land near the adjacent bus stop. Gunnison Parks and Rec Department staff thought it would be the perfect location for a xeriscaping project that would need a minimal amount of water, said Director Dan Vollendorf.

The department worked with local landscape architects at Sprout Studio to create a conceptual design and the project cost fell just under $50,000. Vollendorf presented the design to city council late last year, but councilors thought it was too expensive.

The District’s grant program turned out to be a good fit, covering almost half of the cost. The design includes various perennials, such as purple cornflower and white sagebrush, native grasses and shrubs and juniper and cottonwood trees — all species that are drought resistant.

The project also has an educational piece, with plans to involve students at the Gunnison Community School. Students recently created a new pollinator garden where they learned about ways to increase biodiversity while also being mindful of water use. Located just across the street, the new xeriscaping garden has the potential to serve as another outdoor classroom.

In 2023, approximately 50% of the applicants focused on irrigation efficiency. Without the grant program, a lot of these projects wouldn’t move forward, said Jesse Kruthaupt, one of the District’s watershed management planning coordinators. Over the years, he has helped ag producers address their infrastructure needs. Some producers don’t have

the revenue base to justify making significant investments in water and irrigation infrastructure, which can become neglected over time, he said.

“Each one of them has its own piece of the water use and management puzzle,” Kruthaupt said. “Each improvement helps on the greater watershed scale little by little.”

Projects come in a variety of shapes and sizes from irrigation water control structures that help the irrigator send water to the areas that need it, to small piping projects that prevent seepage and prevent water from eroding the surrounding banks. These are scattered across the basin from Quartz Creek to Cebolla Creek, expanding from the District’s usual range in the Tomichi and Ohio Creek areas.

The District’s grant funding is also supporting the Coal Creek dam construction project at Lake Irwin, situated just west of Crested Butte. State engineers have labeled the dam as “high hazard” in 2022. According to Town of Crested Butte Engineer Carolyn de Groot, portions of the dam's infrastructure between 80 and 150 years old.

Coal Creek is the sole municipal water source for Crested Butte and receives water from Lake Irwin through the debilitated Coal Creek dam. The loss of that water supply through a dam failure would have “devastating” impacts to the downstream community from flood-

Fai Directory

909 N Wisconsin St. (behind Powerstop) • 970-641-2144

Two services at 9 & 10:30 am gunnisonbethany.com

9 am: Family Service with nursery & children’s church 10:30 am: Western Student Service with FREE lunch for college students following

Check out our website for updates!

Or download our app on the App Store by searching, Gunnison Bethany.

B'nai Butte Congregation

PO Box 2537 Crested, Butte CO 81224 305-803-3648

Thursday, April 6, 5:30 PM, Second night

Community Passover Seder potluck.@ Fred Field Center in Gunnison 298-278 S Spruce St, Gunnison.

Friday, April 7 ,7:15PM, Friday Shabbat Service, Oneg & Desert to follow @ The Elfenbeins home, 149 Zeligman, CB South.

Saturday, April 8,10:30AM, Coffee and Schmooze with Rabbi Mark Kula @ T-Bar Tea House 229 Elk Ave, Crested Butte. 5PM, Nordic/snowshoe followed by Havdallah. Meet at the Gronk parking lot.

Sunday, April 9 ,11AM, Torah Study hosted by Amy & Roger Rolfe at their home @ 42 Sydney Court, Gunnison

Church of Christ

600 E. Virginia • 970-641-1588

Sunday Morning Bible Class: 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Evening Worship: 6 p.m.

Wednesday Night Bible Class: 7 p.m.

Community Church of Gunnison

107 N. Iowa • 970-641- 0925

Pastor Larry Nelson

Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m.

Nursery & Age-Graded Ministry

Weekly Student Ministry

Weekly Adult LifeGroups

Office Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9:00-4:00

For more info: ccgunnison.com or email info@ccgunnison.com

Join us in-person, listen to our broadcast on 98.3 FM, or view online stream on YouTube

Transforming Lives • Building Community

First Baptist Church

120 N. Pine St. • 970-641-2240

Pastor Jonathan Jones

9:30 A.M. Share & Prayer Fellowship

10 A.M. Sunday School Classes

11 A.M. Morning Worship Service

6 P.M. Evening Service

Wednesday 7 PM - Children's Patch Club

Gunnison Bible Institute

Thursday 7 PM - College & Career Christian Fellowship www.firstbaptistgunnison.org.

THE Good Samaritan

Episcopal Church

307 W. Virginia Ave. • 970-641-0429

Rev. Laura Osborne, Vicar

Sunday Morning Holy Eucharist, Rite II 9 a.m.

Children's Sunday school 9 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.

Office Hours: M-Th 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

www.goodsamaritangunnison.com

Visit our partnership church: All Saints in the Mountains, Crested Butte

Holy Eucharist, Rite II, Sunday 5 p.m. Union Congregational Church, 407 Maroon Ave., Crested Butte.

Gunnison

Congregational Church

United Church of Christ

317 N. Main St. • 970-641-3203

Open and Affirming Whole Earth · Just Peace

Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Casual, Relaxed, “Come As You Are” Worship www.gunnisonucc.org

Grace Covenant Church Gunnison

101 N. 8th St. Gunnison

Meeting at the Historic 8th St School House

Reformed, Confessional & committed to Expository preaching Sundays 10:00 a.m. Thursdays 1:00 p.m.

Women's Bible Study gracegunnison.com

Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church

711 N. Main • 970-641-1860

Bible Study and Sunday School at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays Church Service at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays

Pastor Robert Carabotta, Pastor Jacob With

New Song

Christian Fellowship

77 Ute Lane • 970-641-5034

A Christ Centered

Gospel Sharing Community

Sunday 10am / Wednesday 7pm www.newsonggunnison.net

ing, District General Manager Sonja Chavez told the Times.

The total cost of the project is $8 million. While the District’s program can only provide up to $50,000 to each project selected, the money is a “critical seed” that shows local government and community support — allowing the project team to leverage outside grant dollars, she said.

“Many small rural communities are struggling to keep up with replacement of aging infrastructure because they don’t have the large population base to generate the kind of revenue needed for expensive water infrastructure,” she said.

During this year’s funding cycle, the District received requests for more than $370,000. The grant program is on an annual cycle, with applications due in February each year. Chavez urged potential applications to reach out to the organization if they need help with an infrastructure assessment or engineering.

“It was a very competitive cycle and I strongly encourage those who were not funded to reach out to us to discuss their project and how they can make it stronger for the next cycle,” Chavez said in a press release.

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

Rocky Mountain Christian Ministries

1040 Highway 135 (1/4 mile N. of Spencer Ave.) • 970-641-0158

Sunday Morning Worship 9:30am

Nursery and Children’s ministry through Middle School

“Remedy” Worship Nights Small Group Ministries www.rmcmchurch.org

St. Peter’s Catholic Church

300 N. Wisconsin • 970-641-0808

Fr. Andres Ayala-Santiago

www.gunnisoncatholic.org

www.crestedbuttecatholic.org or call the Parish Office.

St. Peter's - Gunnison Sat 8:30 am, 5 pm & Sun 10:30 am, 12:00 pm (Spanish) Mass

First Sunday of every month bilingual Mass at 11am

Queen of All Saints - Crested Butte, 401 Sopris Sun 8:30am Mass

St. Rose of Lima - Lake City Communion Service, Sat 4:00pm

Trinity Baptist Church

523 N. Pine St. • 970-641-1813

Senior Pastor - Joe Ricks

Sunday Service 9:30 a.m.

Adult Bible Study 8:00 AM www.trinitybaptistsgunnison.com

Each improvement helps on the greater watershed scale little by little.
Watershed management planning coordinator
Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • NEWS • A15

Huge beautiful kit/din/fam main level w/pine bettle kill T&G Vaulted Ceiling! Dual Zone Central Heat W/16 Panel solar plus backup16-20KW Generator! Prewired for Satellite, 600 sq ft attached garage, plus huge detached metal barn.

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Surf and turf egg hunt

Two Easter egg hunts were held over the weekend — one aquatic and the other terrestrial. On Saturday morning, April 8, local littles put their swimming skills to the test in an underwater Easter egg hunt at the Gunnison Rec Center. Then, on Sunday, April 9, American Legion Post 54 hosted the annual mass egg hunt at Jorgensen Park.

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Call Gerald Lain 970-209-0077 A16 • NEWS • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times

Stop by the senior resource office every Wednesday for assistance in applying for SNAP, Medicare, LEAP, Health First Colorado and other community programs. Also introducing to the community is Mom’s Meals, a a meal delivery program that supports low income individuals 60 years and older who may struggle to buy groceries or cook. Mom’s Meals can deliver up to 10 nutritious meals every two weeks!

For more information or to sign up, contact the Senior Resource Office at 970-641-3244 or stop in between 9-12:00pm, every Wednesday

220 N SPRUCE, GUNNISON

SPRING RUN-OFF

There is potential for flooding. If you are a property owner in an area prone to high water or flooding, please consider the following: Is your property flood insurance in force and up to date? What is covered by your flood insurance? Have you taken steps to prepare your property for flooding (berms, sandbags, etc.)? Are there items that could be moved to higher points on your property or in your home in the event of a flood? Have you and your family identified where you would go and what you would take with you should you need to evacuate?

Prepare early – don’t wait until the last minute. Visit www.floodsmart.gov or the Colorado Water Conservation Board Flood Information & Resources cwcb.colorado.gov/focus-areas/hazards/flood-information-resources for information on the National Flood Insurance Program and other flood information.

For local information, please contact the Community Development Office of the jurisdiction in which you reside.

CITY OF GUNNISON FLOODPLAIN MANAGER

Eric Jansen | 970-641-8151 | ejansen@gunnisonco.gov

GUNNISON COUNTY FLOODPLAIN MANAGER Hillary Seminick | 970-641-7930 | HSeminick@gunnisoncounty.org

GUNNISON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FLOOD INFORMATION www.gunnisoncounty.org/851/Flood-Info | 970-641-2481 smorrill@gunnisoncounty.org or eclay@gunnisoncounty.org

TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE FLOODPLAIN MANAGER Troy Russ 970-349-5338 | truss@crestedbutte-co.gov

TOWN OF MT. CRESTED BUTTE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT | 970-349-6632 wwww.gunnisoncounty.org/851/Flood-Info | 970-641-2481 smorrill@gunnisoncounty.org or eclay@gunnisoncounty.org

Mariel Wiley
++
Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • NEWS • A17

Classifieds EMPLOYMENT

THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE seeks applicants for a building inspector and efficiency coordinator position to join the Community Development team. The building inspector and efficiency coordinator performs a variety of commercial, industrial, and residential building and safety inspections of new and existing properties for compliance with Town adopted regulations and building codes and coordinates building efficiency and renewable energy programs for the Community Development Department’s responsibilities to the Town of Crested Butte’s Climate Action Plan. This yearround position includes an excellent benefits package with 100% employer paid employee and dependent health, dental, vision, life insurance and matching contributions to a retirement plan after one year of employment.

Starting salary is $50,958 – $60,585 DOQ.

Full job description is available on the Town’s website at townofcrestedbutte. com. Please submit an application, cover letter and resume via email to HR at jobs@ crestedbutte-co.gov. The position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SIGN ON BONUS WITH ROCKY

MOUNTAIN TREES AND LANDSCAPING:

Now hiring all positions for the 2023 summer season. Come join a great team. To apply and see what positions we have visit rockymountaintrees.com/employment/ or give us a call at 970-349-6361.

LOCAL LAWN SERVICE COMPANY

looking for a full time seasonal employee, four 10hrs mon-thur May through Oct..

Zero turn mower operation, grass trimming, and general yard maintenance experience necessary. Sprinkler system knowledge and maintenance a plus. Submit resume to j2funke@gmail.com / pay DOE.

GUNNISON FAMILY DENTISTRY is seeking a registered dental hygienist. Our practice is dedicated to quality patient care and we promote an environment of fun and professionalism for our patients and team. The ideal candidate would approach their duties with enthusiasm, kindness, and the confidence that comes with being a strong clinician. We are open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. no weekends. This position is 3-4 days per week. We offer competitive pay and a benefits package, including:

Health insurance

Dental discount

Retirement account

Paid time off

We require our hygienists to have an active RDH license, a current CPR certification, laser certification, and the ability to administer local anesthesia. Any other skills we require will be taught in-office. If you’d like to join our dynamic practice, please send along your cover letter and resume to gunnisondds@gmail.com.

SUMMER PARKS CREW: Housing

Available. Need housing in CB? Join the Town of Crested Butte parks crew and live in the heart of town at the beautiful Ruby communal housing residence. Enjoy a flexible schedule and be at the center of summer fun in CB. Work is available in April through late fall with a $1/hour-worked bonus for those who complete the season. Landscaping, field maintenance, irrigation and equipment experience preferred but not required. Candidates must be able to work outdoors and lift 50-100 lbs. and possess a valid driver’s license. Full job description and application available online at townofcrestedbutte.com click on “Careers”.

Pay $20-21/hr. DOQ. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

GRASSY CREEK/ELEVEN MUSIC is seeking an admin. specialist position in Crested Butte. 50% of the responsibilities will be focused on the Public House Live Music Venue and the remaining 50% is remote assistance with the Floki Studios and the Record Label, The Eleven Record club and more. The role will include managing show day artist management, media storage, talent booking, contract negotiations, social media content, website maintenance, accounting tasks, managing album advances, marketing budgets and liaising with distributors and publicists.

Strong organizational skills experience with Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Cloud are required. The salary range is between $45,000-$55,000. Please submit resume to jobs@elevenexperience.com.

HELP THE ARTS and make good money. The Center for the Arts is hiring bartenders, event staff, and security staff positions. Join our team of creative professionals working to bring arts, culture and the community together. All levels of experience and availability invited to apply. $15-$23/hour

DOE + tips. EOE. Email resume to melissa@ crestedbuttearts.org. Visit crestedbuttearts. org/about/employment/ for more information.

LEGACY FAMILY MINISTRIES a faith based non-profit is seeking an executive director responsible for client advocacy, administration, community relations and the day-to-day operations of the Lighthouse Pregnancy Center. 24 hours per week, $22-24/hour DOE. Email Wendy Solheim legacyceo.LFM@gmail.com to apply. Check out our website for more information: lighthousegunnison.org.

TODDLER PROGRAM TEAM MEMBERS: Tenderfoot Child and Family Development Center is seeking early childhood qualified teachers to work with children aged 1-3 years old. Positions include both a Toddler Program Supervisor ($45,614/annually) and/or a part-time ($19.16/hr) or full-time ($21.16/hr) Toddler Lead Teacher. Our new toddler team will be offered consistent administrative and external support to transition the program to new leadership while maintaining quality programming for children and families. Benefits include paid time off, child care and continuing education. Email tfootdirector@gmail.com or call 970642-1949 for more information. EOE

THE TOWN OF MT CRESTED BUTTE is excited to announce that we will be hiring a summer horticulture internship. This opportunity is aimed at providing a student with field experience and education in park development, installation and maintenance of various garden projects with an emphasis on xeric, native plant species and conservation. The second focus of the internship is to develop and implement a public education program to share the important role of native plants, pollinator gardens, and rain gardens in conserving natural ecosystems.

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

-Interns will be required to work 40 hours per week for a minimum of 8 weeks at $25/hour.

-Projects will include primarily outdoor field work in variable mountain and inclement weather conditions.

-Interns will have the opportunity to choose a project from a suggested list or special interest projects approved by the Parks Supervisor.

-Interns must be currently enrolled in a college institution.

-Intern work will be supervised by the Parks Supervisor and other staff.

Primary Tasks:

-Maintenance and selection of drought tolerant and xeric plantings of trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, grasses, and bulbs.

-Perform seasonal landscape work including pruning, mowing, clean-up, bulb planting, dividing and transplanting, and leaf removal.

-Scout and identify pests, disease, and invasive species.

-Participate in trash removal procedures, as needed. For the full job description please go to mtcb. colorado.gov. If you have any questions, please email or call Tim Roybal at troybal@ mtcb.colorado.gov or 970-349-6632, ext 115. To apply please email your cover letter and resume to Tiffany O’Connell at toconnell@ mtcb.colorado.gov.

IRWIN GUIDES is seeking a part-time seasonal office/sales assistant. The position will be responsible for assisting the Irwin Guides administrator with day-to-day operations included but not limited to data entry, completing and filing paperwork, interacting with guests face-to-face or via phone/email, booking trips and assisting with walk-in traffic and retail inquires/purchases.

A strong candidate will have knowledge of the outdoor industry and local activities, strong administrative skills, effective communication, both oral and written, is detail-oriented, responsive to delegation, and comfortable working independently and in a fast paced team environment. During the operational seasons this position will be required to work some early mornings and late afternoons, at least one weekend day per week, and some holidays as necessary. Qualified candidates should send a cover letter and resume to jobs@ elevenexperience.com. This is a winter seasonal position starting at $18 - $20 a hour depending on experience and qualifications.

PROJECT HOPE OF THE GUNNISON

VALLEY is hiring an experienced leader to fill the executive director position. Position is a full-time salaried role, with annual COLA increases, plus PTO, paid sick leave, and a health stipend. Full job description and application instructions available at hope4gv. org/employment Email info@hope4gv.org with questions and to apply.

THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring an F&B event coordinator/admin assistant. This is a full-time year-round position with medical, retirement and vacation benefits. Salary range is $60,000-$65,000/year. For more information or to submit a resume, please email jobs@clubatcrestedbutte.com.

DOS RIOS GOLF CLUB RESAURANT AND BAR: Now hiring for AM/PM line cooks. Starting pay $21 per hour. Rate increase after two months. Please call 979-530-3801 to set up an interview. Free golf. Restaurant opens April 1.

MOUNTAIN EXPRESS DRIVER: Join our free paid cdl training workshop - license and training costs also fully paid. Mountain Express is looking to recruit drivers. Drivers are responsible for safe transport and friendly assistance of passengers as a bus driver on a fixed route and demand response service. Sign On Bonus of 1k after your 10th shift with MX. The Workshop Training starts May 16-June 2. $15/hr. during training. Once

your CDL is obtained, the starting wage is $21.85/hr. Health insurance is available based on hours worked. Ski locker benefit. Please contact Leah Petito at lpetito@ mtnexp.org to apply and for a complete job description visit mtnexp.org. EOE

THE GUNNISON VALLEY REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY (GVRHA) is accepting proposals for part-time bookkeeping services. Experience with non-profit/government accounting desired. Outline of services needed can be found at gvrha.org, or by emailing akadlec@gvrha. org.

GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

*Housing is held for Gunnison County employees and may be available for you to rent*

Fairgrounds Manager Fairgrounds: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $5,238 to $6,537 plus full benefits.

Data Analyst I Assessor: 30 hours/ week, monthly salary range from $3,330 to $3,791.25 plus full benefits.

Title Administrator I Assessor: 30 hours/week, monthly salary range from $2,688.75 to $3,060.75 plus full benefits.

Patrol Deputy Sheriff: Full-time, 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $4,989 to $7,057 plus full benefits.

Public Health Nurse II: Child Care Health Consultant HHS: Part-time, 6 hours/week, hourly rate range from $32.03 to $45.31.

For more information, including complete job descriptions, required qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCounty.org/jobs.

WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY

is seeking applicants for the following State of Colorado Classified positions.

Western’s benefit package includes Colorado PERA retirement, low-cost insurance plans (with generous employer contributions to medical/dental/vision), employee and dependent tuition benefits, paid vacation, paid sick leave, and 11 paid holidays per year. All classified employees receive basic life insurance and short-term disability coverage at no cost. Employee wellness programs and professional development trainings are available for FREE.

Administrative Assistant III (fulltime): This benefitted position is located in the Office of Academic Affairs. Responsibilities include clerical office support, receptionist duties, purchasing, travel and event planning, and student worker hiring/supervision. This position provides training and guidance to administrative assistants in various academic departments on campus.

Human Resources Assistant/ Administrative Assistant II (part-time): This is a benefitted, part-time position (average 20 hours/week) in the Office of Human Resources. Flexible work schedule negotiable. Responsibilities include administrative and clerical support to HR staff, departmental purchasing, record maintenance, information request processing, data tracking, report preparation and office receptionist duties (for visitors, phone, mail, email).

Security I (full-time): This benefitted position is scheduled for night shifts (8 p.m.-6 a.m.) and is paid an additional 14% per hour on weeknights and 20% more per hour on weekends. Responsibilities include patrolling campus, responding to violations and safety hazards, documenting incidents, conducting crowd/traffic control during campus events, working with local law enforcement to respond to criminal activity (as needed).

To view the full job announcement(s) and apply, visit western.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/western. AA/EOE

Colorado Statewide Network

To place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado newspapers for only $300, contact your local newspaper or email Colorado Press Association Network at rtoledo@colopress.net

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AMERIGLIDE

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To place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado newspapers for only $300, contact your local newspaper or email Colorado Press Association Network at rtoledo@colopress.net

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023 641.1414 PLACE AN AD: gunnisontimes.com LISTINGS TODAY Mail or stop by: Gunnison Country Times 218 North Wisconsin Gunnison, CO 81230 Email: classifieds@gunnisontimes. com Ad policy & Rates: • $7 for 20 words or less, 20¢ each additional word. • Display Classified rate is $9.40 per column inch. • Deadline is NOON SHARP TUESDAY. CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT A14 REAL ESTATE A16 RENTALS A16 LEGALS NOTICES A16 COMMUNITY CROSSWORD A15 57 SCAN TO PLACE AN AD hiring Hiring all shifts — come by and grab and application, talk to Ally! ON THE CORNER OF MAIN ST. AND DENVER OPEN 7 days a week from 6 am until 4 pm YOUR GRADUATION GIFT GIVING HEADQUARTERS!
COLORADO STATEWIDE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING NETWORK

EC ELECTRIC IS SEEKING

Journeyman & Residential Wireman for projects in the Gunnison and Crested Butte areas. Must have a valid Colorado driver’s license and pass a pre-employment drug screen.

Top pay & Benefits.

Send resumes to info@ec-electric.com or call 970-641-0195 www.ec-electric.com/careers

GUNNISON WATERSHED SCHOOL DISTRICT

See GWSD website for details gunnisonschools.net

Gunnison Watershed School District believes that students thrive when they are connected to something bigger than themselves. That’s why we create learning experiences that spark curiosity, helping students discover who they are and how to make a difference in the world around them. And as they excel in academics, athletics, and the arts, students find the confidence to pursue any opportunity in life. Our team is “Driven to be the Difference!”

HOURLY OPPORTUNITIES

Food Service-CBCS and GCS

ELL Educational Assistant-GMS Building Manager-CBCS

Assistant Building Manager-CBCS

Lead Custodian-Lake School Supervision EA-CBCS

Special Education EA- CBSS

Permanent Substitute-CBSS

Bus Drivers Substitute Teachers

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

PE and Health Teacher-GMS

Industrial Arts Teacher-GMS

Half-time Kindergarten-job share(1 year only)-CBES

Primary Classroom Teacher

Kindergarten and 2nd grade (1 year only) CBES

ELL Teacher-GES

Secondary Music Teacher-CBSS

Secondary Art Teacher-CBSS .5 SPED/.5 RtI and InterventionCBES Counselor-CBES Counselor - (1 year only) - GES

English Language Arts TeacherCBSS

Newcomer Teacher and Integration

Specialist

Math Intervention Teacher-CBSS

Coaching: GHS-Speech and Debate

Please contact:

Superintendent’s Office

JoAnn Klingsmith 800 N. Boulevard 970-641-7760 jklingsmith@gunnisonschools.net

GUNNISON VALLEY HEALTH

Gunnison Valley Health is hiring. Please note This is not a complete list of all our open jobs - you can view all open positions at our website, jobs.gunnisonvalleyhealth.org

Facilities TechnicianFT $21.53-$24.76/hr. DOE

Self Pay/Customer

Service SpecialistFT $18-$21.55/hr. DOE

Unit Coordinator, Emergency DepartmentFT $19.10-$22.91/hr. DOE

Medical Assistant (non-certified)FT $18.17$21.81/hr. DOE

Benefits Eligibility: Medical, dental, vision, health care FSA, and dependent care FSA: All active employees working 40 or more hours per pay period are eligible for benefits on the first of the month following date of hire. PRN staff are not initially eligible for benefits, and GVH follows all Affordable Health Care Act Eligibility guidelines.

Please visit our website for more indepth position descriptions, specific qualification requirements and to apply online gunnisonvalleyhealth. org/careers/, or call HR for questions 970-641-1456. (PRN = as needed). All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a negative 10 panel drug screen test, criminal background check, reference checks, infection prevention procedures (TB test, Flu Shot, immunization records, etc.), physical capacity profile and acknowledgement of policies.

NO EXPERIENCE? NO WORRIES:

We provide on-the-job training. The Town of Crested Butte is looking for a Public Works maintenance worker/heavy equipment operator to fill an open position.

Qualifications: Colorado Commercial Drivers License (CDL) or ability to obtain one within thirty (30) days of the date of employment. Experience driving loaders, rollers, backhoes and other heavy equipment preferred but not necessary. This is a fulltime position with benefits. Starting pay is $40,000 – $57,000 DOQ. Benefits include fully subsidized medical, dental and vision insurance for employees and dependents. Paid holidays, vacation time, sick time, disability insurance, life insurance and retirement are also position benefits. The full job description is available on the Town’s website at townofcrestedbutte.com. Please submit an application to the Town of Crested Butte via email at jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov. The position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer. (1/20/135).

SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR: The Town of Crested Butte seeks applicants for a sustainability coordinator position.

The sustainability coordinator performs a variety of professional, technical, innovative and analytical work to advance the Town’s Climate Action Plan both internally and externally. The Sustainability Coordinator provides leadership and coordination of complex projects and is responsible for tracking and reporting on progress toward

4 DAY WORK WEEK M-TH (4x10)

AUTOMOTIVE MASTER TECHNICIAN. If you are curious about how your current job compares to Precision Automotive? EMAIL your resume to precisionauto4040@hotmail.com, call or text Steve at 970-596-9999 ALL INQUIRIES ARE STRICKLY CONFIDENTIAL! Benefits include: PAID VACATION, PAID HOLIDAYS, MEDICAL, DENTAL, MATCHING IRA.

AUTOMOTIVE APPRENTICE Do you love cars? Get your start in the well paid and exciting world of Automotive Repair that could turn into your life passion. Work along side your mentor a Master Certified Technician while completing online modules such as: Electrical, Engine mechanical, Transmission, Drive train, Suspension & Steering, Heating & A/C, Engine Performance and Brakes.

CAR WASH/DETAILER/SHOP MAINTENANCE. Call or text 970-596-9999 for interview.

PRECISIONAUTO.NET

of newly acquired fixed assets, tracking existing assets and depreciation.

• Audit of daily cashier sessions.

• Matching and review of Accounts payable checks to appropriate invoice, purchase order or encumbrance.

• Submits monthly sales tax reports to City of Gunnison and State of Colorado.

• Reviews Non-resident Alien student accounts, annually prepares 1042 Tax Forms.

• Prepares audit work-papers and engages in annual financial audit.

• Responds to requests from internal and external parties for various financial information and analysis, and aids with the resolution of problems as required.

SALARY: $50,000 - $60,000 per year; FLSA exempt. Position qualifies for an excellent benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance plans, retirement plan, tuition benefits, and generous paid time off.

QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field OR four years of relevant experience is required. Knowledge of assets management and accounts receivables principles, methods, and techniques preferred. Successful candidates must possess excellent oral and written communication skills. Successful candidate must be technologically savvy, preferred candidate will have higher education accounting experience and familiarity with WorkDay software.

TO APPLY: Visit western.edu/about/ administration/human-resources/facultyand-exempt-job-announcements/ and select Workday. Required attachments to online applications include a cover letter describing position specific interest, resume, and a list of professional references.

random drug testing, per DOT regulations. This position requires standby and call-out for after-hours emergencies on a shared rotation typically every fourth week for a week at a time. Atmos Energy offers competitive pay and an excellent benefits package, including medical, dental, 401k and paid time off. To apply, go to www. atmosenergy.com and click “Careers” no later than end of business day on 4/15/2023.

EOE M/F/D/V

DOS RIOS GRILL AND BAR está contratando cocineros de línea a tiempo completo y parcial AM y PM. Envie mensaje de texto al 979-530-3801 para programar un horario para hablar.

LOADER OPERATORS NEEDED ASAP IN CB: Very high pay for qualified people. Willing to train the right person. Ski pass and end of season bonus. Call Jean at 970-2758731.

ALAN WARTES MEDIA IS HIRING AN ADVERTISING MANAGER:

We are looking for a creative and motivated person to join the Gunnison Country Times and Gunnison Country Shopper team.

Duties:

• facilitate marketing for existing clientele

• foster relationships with new advertisers

• develop and implement creative marketing strategies

• work closely with production team

Skills:

• marketing experience preferred

• proficient in digital workflow

• preferred experience in CRM, Wordpress, Analytics, Trello, Google Drive

CLUES ACROSS

1. Atomic mass unit

4. Criticize mightily

7. Sino-Soviet block (abbr.)

10. Stand in for

11. Everyone has one

12. Brew

13. Rectify

15. Popular Dodge truck model

16. Beef or chicken intestine

19. Satisfy 21. Of a particular people or localized region 23. Movements in quick tempos 24. Able to pay one’s debts 25. Fleshy bird beak covering

65. Even’s opposite CLUES DOWN

1. Sharp mountain ridge

2. Thin, fibrous cartilages

3. Provides new details

4. Muscular weaknesses

5. Ottoman military title

6. Banes

7. Horse-riding seats

8. Arms of a shirt

9. Narrow path along a road edge

13. Viper

14. Disfigure

17. Variety of Chinese language

the achievement of the Town’s sustainability goals. This position is highly visible, working closely with citizens, community non-profits, governmental partners and employee groups to achieve specific sustainability goals Identifies and analyzes sustainability options to the town, its employees and the general public. Works closely with the town manager and department heads to provide guidance and consultation regarding sustainability programs, costs, timelines and other related activities. Makes public presentations to the Town Council. This year-round position includes an excellent benefits package with 100% employerpaid employee and dependent health, dental, vision, life insurance and matching contributions to a retirement plan after one year of employment. Starting salary is $67,000 - $80,000 DOQ. The full job description is available on the Town’s website at townofcrestedbutte.com. Please submit an application, cover letter and resume via email to HR at jobs@crestedbutte-co. gov. The first review of applications will be on April 26. The position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY is seeking innovative candidates for our full time Assets Accountant position.

DUTIES: The Assets Accountant reports to the Controller and provides the University with professional accounting services in the areas of assets, accounts receivable, and general accounting. The position:

• Posts, balances and reconciles GL cash accounts and bank statements.

• Reconciles incoming payments for students, grants, camps and other miscellaneous sources between payment processor software, bank statement and financial software.

• Manages incoming and outgoing cash flow needs for the University.

• Prepares month end and year end journal entries.

• Assists in maintaining University’s fixed asset accounting, including review/recording

__ Diego

29. One point east of due south

31. 007’s creator

32. The NBA’s Toppin

33. Midway between north and northeast

37. Examples

38. __ Gould, actor

39. The habitat of wild animals

40. Artful subtlety

41. Infielders

42. Keep under control 43. Herb 44. Distressed

CROSSWORD

ANSWERS FOR PREVIOUS WEEK

THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring the following part-time and full-time seasonal positions: Housekeeping flexible schedule available, $20-$25/hr.; Greens maintenance, $20-$23/hr.; Swim Instructors for both private and small groups, must be CPR/First Aid certified, starting pay $25/ hr.; Front desk attendants, $16-$18/hr.; General maintenance $18-$20/hr.; Servers, bartenders, and hosts $15/hr. + Gratuity; Line cooks and dishwasher $20-$25/hr. + Gratuity; market attendants $15/hr. + Gratuity; market manager $22-$25/hr. + Gratuity; Golf shop attendants, $18-$20/hr.; Cart barn attendant $18-20/hr. Employee benefits include complimentary golf rounds and employee discounts. For more information or to submit a resume, please email jobs@clubatcrestedbutte.com.

TEMPORARY LABORERS NEEDED: Need some cash this off season? The Town of Crested Butte Parks and Recreation Department is hiring temporary laborers for spring prep/cleanup season. Work will begin once the snow is gone from the majority of parks and public areas. Duties include raking, power washing, painting and general cleanup and repairs. Full job description and application available online at townofcrestedbutte.com click on “Careers”. Pay $19/hour. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

CONSTRUCTION OPERATOR/ SERVICE TECHNICIAN/DISTRIBUTION

OPERATOR: Are you looking for a career opportunity in Gunnison Colorado?

Atmos Energy Corporation, one of the largest natural-gas-only distributors in the US, is looking to add a technician to our Gunnison, CO team. This position is responsible for distribution system construction and maintenance as well as customer service field activities.

Atmos Energy requires attendance in several high quality training programs that requires travel (paid for by Atmos Energy). Due to our extensive training program, consideration will be given to all applicants regardless of previous experience. The successful candidate must have a HS Diploma/GED and a valid driver’s license (CDL preferred). Candidate must be computer literate and willing to participate in

47. A way to go down

48. Type of acid

49. Take by force

51. Collected fallen leaves

52. Shout of welcome or farewell

53. Monetary unit

58. Swiss river

• effective self-starter with minimal supervision

• growth oriented

Compensation:

• minimum $50K per year, including commission

• two weeks paid time off

• flexible hours

• retirement benefits

• excellent team-oriented working environment

Send a resume with references to publisher@gunnisontimes.com.

ALAN WARTES MEDIA IS HIRING AN OFFICE MANAGER/SALES ASSISTANT:

Duties:

• greet and assist guests

• answer phones and emails

• receive and process classified and legal ads

• manage distribution of all publications

• assist advertising manager in developing and managing clientele (with commission income potential)

Skills:

• strong customer service mindset

• experience with office equipment and digital workflow

• preferred experience in CRM, Wordpress, Analytics, Trello, Google Drive

• professional attitude and appearance

• solid communication and organizational skills

Compensation:

• minimum $40K, including commission

• two weeks paid time off

• retirement benefits

• excellent team-oriented working environment

Send a resume with references to publisher@gunnisontimes.com

ALAN WARTES MEDIA IS HIRING AN PART-TIME GRAPHIC DESIGNER/ SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: This position will be about 20-30 hours per week, mostly Tuesdays and Wednesdays with some Thursdays and Fridays. Candidate must have experience with Adobe Creative Suite, Indesign expertise a plus. Wage is $20-$23 DOE. Please submit resume and cover letter to Michaela at production@gunnisontimes. com.

26.
35.
36.
45.
46.
47. Low
Rugged
54. Compel to do something
A way to carve 56.
Clay 60. A
62. Born
63. Time
64. Sea
Dueling sword 27. Helps 30. Court is in it 34. Touch lightly
Airborne (abbr.)
Of one 41. Baked good
Jai __, sport
About aviation
oval mound 50.
mountain ranges
55.
Sao __, city in Brazil 57. Mustachioed actor Elliott 59. American Idol runner-up
way to soak 61. Car mechanics group
of
zone
eagle
18. Portray in a show 20. Wrongful act 22. No (slang) 27. State of agitation 28.
Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • CLASSIFIEDS • A19

THE TAYLOR RIVER RANCH is looking to hire its summer staff. The positions are from May 15th to September 15th. We are looking for a couple of cleaning, wait staff, and flower gardening people. A yard, firewoood and maintenance person. Must have vallid drivers license. We pay a good wage and gas allowance. Possible housing. For more info call Rory or Becky 970-641-2606 or email rorynbirdsey@gmail.com.

GUNNISON CEMETERY DISTRICT is now accepting applications for assistant cemeterian. This person will assist the cemeterian with grounds maintenance, which includes lawn mowing, trimming, burials, etc. and maintaining equipment and tools. The position is 40 hour/week with some weekend hours from April 1- Nov.1. Starting wage will be $18.50 an hour. Valid Colorado Driver’s License is required. Position will remain open until filled. For more information and to apply contact Colorado Workforce at 970-641-0031 at 109 E. Georgia or email cdle_gunnison_wfc@state.co.us.

WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR I – IV(LEAD):

The Town of Crested Butte Water Division is seeking a dedicated and customer service orientated individual for the full-time position of Water System Operator I – IV (LEAD).

*Entry Level applicants are encouraged to apply. Sponsorship for licensing and certification through CDPHE will be provided by the Town of Crested Butte. Placement in the Water System Operator position is based on organizational needs and candidate qualifications. (See general placement information).

Water System Operator IV (LEAD) placement requires possession of a current Colorado Class B Water Certification, Colorado Class

2 Distribution Certification, current backflow prevention certification and a minimum of 3+ years related experience or approved equivalent combination of education and experience.

Water System Operator III placement requires possession of a current Colorado Class B Water Certification, Colorado Class

2 Distribution Certification, and a minimum of 2+ years related experience or approved equivalent combination of education and experience.

Water System Operator II placement requires possession of a current Colorado Class C Water Certification, Colorado Class 1 Distribution Certification, and a minimum of 1+ years related experience or approved equivalent combination of education and experience.

Water System Operator I placement requires possession of a current Colorado Class D Water Certification, Colorado Class 1 Distribution Certification, and a minimum of 6 months to 1 year of related experience or approved equivalent combination of education and experience.

Salary Water System Operator I – $50,529.96$61,146.98 ($24.29 - $29.40)

Water System Operator II - $50,957.64 -

$61,885.54 ($24.50 - $29.75)

Water System Operator III - $55,297.08$67,653.82 ($26.58 - $32.52)

Water System Operator IV (LEAD)$67,088.52 – $80,319.38 ($32.25 - $38.61)

Enjoy Industry Leading Benefits

Liberal paid vacation starting at time of hire, paid sick leave, 13 paid holidays per year. 100% medical, dental, vision, employer paid premiums for employee, and dependents.

Employer paid Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) to offset medical, dental, and vision out of pocket costs. Employer paid life insurance, long-term disability, and on-call premium pay.

Competitive employer matching contributions to 401(a) retirement plans, in addition to individual 457b retirement plan. Full job description is available on the Town’s website townofcrestedbutte.com. Please email application to jobs@crestedbutte-co. gov or mail to the Town of Crested Butte, Attn: Human Resources, PO Box 39, Crested Butte, CO 81224. Position open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer. AA/EOE.

ARE YOU TIRED OF WORKING MULTIPLE

JOBS TO MAKE IT IN THE VALLEY? Iron

Horse is looking for the right individual to join our expanding property care team. This individual is responsible for property inspections, inventories, and the overall quality and presentation of vacation rentals in our luxury inventory. You will work hand in hand with our maintenance, housekeeping and reservation teams to ensure that our guests experience vacation perfection. Pay starts at $22 per hour plus a company car, health insurance, on-call pay, paid vacation, ski or health and wellness pass, 5 day work week and more. If you are detail oriented, organized, punctual and only want the best, then submit your resume to steve@ ironhorsecb.com and qualified applicants will be contacted for an interview. Clean driving record is required. No phone calls please.

THE ELEVATION HOTEL AND SPA AND JOSE CRESTED BUTTE are hiring for the summer season and beyond. Full time team members are eligible for full benefits including medical, dental, vision, PTO, 401k, gym membership, room night discounts and housing. The following roles are available to high quality candidates: Night auditor $21/hour, bell person $17/hour + tips, front desk gent $20.25/hour, bartender $17/hour + tips, bar back $16/hour + tips, server $15/hour + tips, host $18/hour, cook $19/ hour, dishwasher/steward $17/hour, room

attendant $18/hour, engineer 1 $20/hour, banquet captain $20/hour + tips, food and beverage manager $65-70k/year. For details and to apply, please visit highgate. com/careers.

INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN REAL ESTATE BUT NOT SURE HOW TO GET STARTED? Coldwell Banker is seeking a broker support specialist to join our team. This position a perfect way to learn the business and get paid to do it! We are looking for an individual who works well with all types of people, has a strong attention to detail, will creatively help with marketing and is capable of implementing systems. The job requires strong computer knowledge for work on a PC in Excel, Word and many web based programs. This is a full time, year round position. Email resume to molly@ cbmp.com or call 970-209-4234.

SPALLONE CONSTRUCTION has immediate openings for laborers in the Gunnison, Crested Butte area. Experience required not required, but preferred. Must be able to assist laborer performing physical tasks involved in construction activities. Must have a valid drivers license, references required. $22/hr or higher depending on experience, benefits available after one year of employment. Please submit resume to: office@spalloneconstruction.com.

SPALLONE CONSTRUCTION has immediate openings for dump truck drivers in the Gunnison, Crested Butte area. Experience of 3-5 years required. Must be able to assist laborer performing physical tasks involved in construction activities. Must have a valid drivers license, references required. $25-$38 depending on experience, benefits available after one year of employment. Please submit resume to: office@spalloneconstruction.com.

LOOKING TO GET ROOTED THIS SUMMER? Connect with nature, planting and caring for perennial gardens throughout the valley. Laborer/Gardener positions available May 1-Oct. 31. Experience preferred but will train. Small company, good wages. Horizonfinegardens@gmail.com or 970-275-1020.

THE TOWN OF MT CRESTED BUTTE IS HIRING FOR A FULL-TIME YEAR-ROUND PLANNER II POSITION: The position of Planner II requires professional planning work in planning tasks associated with various aspects of the Town’s Community Development Department, such as processing advanced land use applications, maintaining and creating maps and other planning related graphical information, informing the public of planning regulations and procedures, conducting research and analysis for a variety of planning activities, and drafting town code amendments and regulations.

Qualifications:

-Bachelor ’s degree in economic development, urban planning, marketing, business administration, public administration, real estate finance, or related field and three (3) years related experience.

-An equivalent combination of formal education and related work experience, which produces the knowledge, skill and ability required to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this position.

-Preferred applicants will have experience in rural resort communities.

-Preferred applicants will have experience with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) platforms, including but not limited to ArcGis or ArcGis Pro.

-AICP certification preferred, or ability to obtain certification within one year of start date.

Starting salary range is $62,015 to $84,754, depending on qualifications and experience. Housing is available if needed. The town offers an amazing benefits package, including paid health, vision and dental insurance for you and your dependents, paid life insurance and long term disability insurance, 13 paid holidays a year, vacation time, sick time, and 401(a) retirement account. Applicant must have a seven year clean driving record. Applications will be accepted until a qualified pool of candidates is established, but preference will be given to applicants who apply before April 15, 2023. For the full job description please go to mtcb. colorado.gov. If you have any questions, please email or call Neal Starkebaum at nstarkebaum@mtcb.colorado.gov or 970349-6632 ext 117. To apply please email your cover letter, resume and three (3) professional references to Tiffany O’Connell at toconnell@mtcb.colorado.gov.

IRWIN BACK COUNTRY GUIDES LLC is seeking a full-time, year-round global human resources administrator. This position will manage and maintain on-boarding, offboarding, payroll, benefits, HRIS processing, and perform additional administrative tasks for multiple global entities while embodying company values and holding strong ethical standards. The ideal candidate will have strong communication and organizational skills, the ability to handle high-pressure demands and competing priorities, and 1-2 years of professional experience in global payroll/benefits and/or broad HR management experience. The starting salary is $50,000-$65,000 annually, depending on experience and qualification, and includes full benefits. For more information and to apply, please visit elevenexperience.com/ careers/.

IRWIN BACKCOUNTRY GUIDES LLC is seeking a full-time, year-round human resources payroll administrator. This position will manage and maintain U.S. payroll, benefits, HRIS processing, and perform additional administrative tasks for multiple entities while embodying company values and holding strong ethical standards. The ideal candidate will have strong communication and organizational skills, the ability to handle high-pressure demands and competing priorities, a background in accounting, and 1-2 years of professional experience in payroll/benefits and/or broad HR management experience. The starting salary is $50,000-$65,000 annually, depending on experience and qualification, and includes full benefits. For more information and to apply, please visit elevenexperience.com/careers/.

WONDERING WHAT YOU ARE GOING

TO DO STARTING OFF-SEASON? Little Red Schoolhouse is hiring a year round full time teacher, and a couple aides for the summer. This is a wonderful opportunity to secure a stable, rewarding and fun job with opportunity for growth. Pay depending on experience, and benefits are stellar. We have the best kids and families, and a great group of teachers to boot! Come join the team. Please send resume and interest email to lilredschoolhouse1@gmail.com.

GUNNISON SAVINGS AND LOAN IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR A SENIOR STAFF ACCOUNTANT: We have served the Gunnison Valley for over 110 years and are looking for an individual who wants a career in banking. This position requires a solid working knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and strong financial analysis skills. An outstanding senior accountant should also possess strong Excel skills, be detailoriented, highly organized, and able to work with little to no supervision.

Preferred Qualifications:

-Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance.

-Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.

-Strong organizational skills.

-Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly with Excel.

Responsibilities:

-Daily accounting operations of the Association including cash management, correspondent banking, wire transfers, processing rejected in-clearings and rejected ACH payments.

-Preparing journal entries, reconciling accounts, maintaining work papers

-Periodic reporting including preparation of monthly financial reports, payroll tax reports, quarterly FDIC reporting, liquidity projections, interest rate risk reports, CECL reporting, public funds, qualifying collateral, and qualified thrift lender reports.

-Preparing revenue projections and forecasting expenditures.

-Preparing accounting work papers for audits and examinations.

Benefits:

-Competitive Salary (entry level skills $40,0000 - $50,000; higher with experience)

-401(k) retirement plan

-Group life and health insurance plans

-Paid vacation (after 90-day probationary period).

-48 hours of paid sick leave per year

-HSA employer contributions

-Paid Federal Holidays

-Free checking account

Work Environment:

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m-5 p.m.

Dress: Business Casual

Please submit your resume, reference, and letter of application to Maureen Eden, Executive Vice President/ Chief Operations Officer 303 N. Main Street, Gunnison, CO 81230 maureene@gunnisonsl.com 970-6412179.

ELEVEN EXPERIENCE is seeking licensed massage therapists for our Colorado properties. Qualified applicants will possess current Colorado licensure and relevant experience to provide high-end massage and body treatments; yoga teacher certification is a plus. The ideal candidate has strong communication skills, pays attention to detail, the ability to uphold a premium standard of service and guest interaction, and assists in promoting a supportive and cooperative team environment. This is a seasonal position for Summer 2023, starts May 15th, and is based in the Gunnison ValleyPlease submit a cover letter and resume to jobs@ elevenexperience.com.

BLIND FAITH CUSTOM WINDOW

FASHIONS is looking for an incredible showroom teammate and installer to join our team. This is a full-time (4.5 days) position. We will need this person to be able to install manual, motorized and wireless shades and blinds in high end residential homes and condos, accurately measure windows and doors for future installation and be able to load/unload products. Excellent customer service, follow through on customer service situations, the ability to use a computer, communicate via email and make phone calls is a must. This team member will also need to have: a Valid Colorado Driver’s License, flexibility (adjust on the fly according to schedule and appointments), respect for co-workers and clients while being dependable and punctual. This is an hourly, plus commission position and a company paid ski pass is provided.

Please send a resume or request for an interview to admin@blindfaithcb.com or call Kelly 850-855-8838.

ELEVEN EXPERIENCE is seeking hospitality and culinary/chef professionals for our Colorado properties, Scarp Ridge Lodge and Taylor River Lodge. Based in Crested Butte, we are a global adventure travel company that provides unparalleled experiences for our guests as well as an exciting work culture for staff. We currently have openings on both the culinary team and lodge staff team. Full-time, part-time, seasonal and year-round positions available. Applicants must be dedicated team players who thrive in a fast-paced work environment, have strong communication skills and are eager to contribute to a growing company. Pay starting at $20/hour or more based on experience. Benefits include a generous tip pool, end of season ski pass bonus and retail discounts. Housing options available for the 2023 summer season. For more information on current openings and to apply, please visit elevenexperience.com/careers/. ** $500 sign-on bonus will be given to lodge staff positions that come on board for the summer season**

LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE is seeking a part-time aide for the summer and beyond to work M-F 8-1:30 (or any combo of days) with opportunities for afternoon subbing. This is a great opportunity to enter the field of early childhood education and get to spend your days with amazing little people. Pay starting at $19/hr with tons of room for paid education, raises, benefits and much more. This has potential to be a stable year round full time job, which is hard to come by in this valley. Please inquire with Jessica at lilredschoolhouse1@gmail.com.

REAL ESTATE

OFFICE BUILDING FOR RENT: Available immediately at 210 W. Spencer. 3600 sq. ft. 8 individual offices, conference room, breakroom with microwave and refrigerator, copy room and separate manager’s office. 12 parking spaces, 1 handicapped. Rent and utilities negotiable depending upon length of lease. Snow removal and lawn care included. Contact Dan at 970-922-9910.

PRIME OFFICE SPACE on Main St. Five private offices. Client waiting/conference room, reception desk, 12 paved parking spaces. Call or text 970-596-9999 for more info.

WANTED

WANTED: Any vintage, modern or antique license plates. Cash paid based on age, rarity, condition, etc. Call/text Colin at 970367-7594.

Legals

NOTICE OF NAME CHANGE

PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME

Public Notice is given on APRIL 10, 2023 that a Petition for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Gunnison County, Colorado Court.

The Petition requests that the name of ELIZABETH NADINE MENSE be changed to ELIZABETH NADINE ANDERSON Joy Case Clerk of Court/Deputy Clerk /s/ Joy Case

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado

Publication dates of April 13, 20 and 27, 2023

8590

NOTICE OF ORDINANCE

Notice of Ordinance The Town of Pitkin Ordinance 1 Series 2023

An Ordinance Setting the Compensation for the Town of Pitkin Building Inspector. Published by Short Title. For complete copy contact the Town Clerk at: thetownofpitkin@ gmail.com

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado.

Publication date of April 13, 2023

8586

Scholarships may be used at a trade school, college or university but you must reside in Saguache County to apply and possibly receive scholarship funds.

Applications are due by April 14, 2023 and are available through our website at www. saguachecounty.colorado.gov to download the application or by contacting Wendi Maez at 719-655-2231 or by email at wmaez@ saguachecounty-co.gov.

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado.

Publication dates of February 9, 16, 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and April 6, 13, 2023.

7719

REQUEST FOR STATEMENTS OF INTEREST

COUNTY OF SAGUACHE, COLORADO REQUEST FOR STATEMENTS of INTEREST PROJECT 25304 Saguache CO/Crestone

Ph2 MMOF

April 6, 2023

I. General Information:

The COUNTY OF SAGUACHE, COLORADO, hereinafter referred to as the Local Agency, is seeking Statements of Interest (SOIs) from consultant engineering firms for (a) Preliminary and Final Design and Engineering Services; and (b) should the project proceed, and as determined exclusively at the County’s discretion, Construction Management and Testing Services for a Project funded through the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) with federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) Multimodal Transportation and Mitigation Options Funds (MMOF).

The Local Agency is soliciting SOIs from a minimum of three (3) firms with audited and approved indirect costs and rates to establish a Contract per C.R.S. 24-30-1401, C.R.S. 24-30-1403, C.R.S. 24-30-1404, C.R.S. 24-30-1405 et seq.

This project will be designed and constructed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Public Right of Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) requirements, as well as any other applicable standards, including CDOT design, construction standards, policies, and clearance requirements.

The Local Agency will evaluate and rank each proposal received using the criteria set forth herein and will select what it determines to be the most qualified firm to complete the work. If contract terms cannot be agreed upon between the selected firm and the Local Agency, the Local Agency may then select the next most qualified firm or may contact and solicit proposals from other firms. The Local Agency reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to waive any and all formalities, to negotiate contract terms with the selected firm, and to disregard all nonconforming, nonresponsive or conditional proposals.

II. Scope of Work:

The Local Agency is seeking a consultant engineering firm to provide all labor and provisions necessary to (a) complete the Preliminary and Final Design and Engineering; and (b) should the project proceed, and as determined exclusively at the County’s discretion, perform the Construction Management and Testing Services for the project:

Project: The project is identified by CDOT as 25304 Saguache CO/Crestone Ph2 MMOF. Saguache County is the recipient of this MMOF award to enable students to walk, bike, and walk-with-a-parent, to the Crestone Charter School from the adjoining Baca Grande Subdivision.

• This Phase 2 Project includes a segment of approximately 0.75 miles (see Figure 1 below and Section VIII. ATTACHMENTS

- File: “CDOT 25304 Saguache CO/ Crestone Ph2 MMOF”) that will commence at the northeast corner of the intersection of Camino Baca Grande and Baca Grant Way, and extend along the east side of the Saguache County Camino Baca Grande Right of Way (ROW), on a separated pedestrian/bicycle pathway; terminating at the northeast corner of the intersection of Camino Baca Grande and Palomino Way. The completed project will lie entirely within the Local Agency Right of Way (ROW).

PUBLIC NOTICE

ATTENTION GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

The Saguache County Board of County Commissioners are accepting scholarship applications for graduating seniors who will be graduating high school in 2023.

Commissioners will be awarding graduating seniors’ college scholarships that will be paid through the Marijuana Excise Tax funds.

Although not anticipated, any ROW acquisitions which may be required for this project must be acquired in compliance with CDOT procedures (as stated in CDOT’s Right of Way and Local Public Agency Manuals), state statutes, and federal regulations (e.g. the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, A.K.A. the Uniform Act). All Permanent Easement (PE) acquisitions must be negotiated by ROW professionals or consultants that have been pre-approved by CDOT. If ROW acquisitions are necessary, it will be added to the scope of work with a change order.

The project will consist of construction

A20 • LEGALS • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times

of a 10’ wide shared use path, drainage improvements, and ADA ramps. Some of the challenges include traffic control, terrain and existing drainageways, limited material supply around Crestone CO, limiting ROW constraints, and the tight tolerances of ADA construction. The general duties required by the consultant selected are outlined below.

1. Preliminary Design and Final Engineering

The project will require preliminary and final engineering design including, but not limited to, the following:

a) Project Scoping with meeting on site

b) Site surveying and analysis

c) Geotechnical analysis

d) Drainage Analysis and Design

e) Cross sections

f) Right of Way clearance

g) Utilities clearance

h) Environmental, Historical, Cultural clearances

i) Construction plans that meet CDOT requirements for federally funded projects

j) Detailed and itemized cost estimates

k) Field Inspection Review (FIR) Plans (30% complete) with full day meeting in the Local Agency

l) Final Office Review (FOR) Plans and specifications (90% complete) with full day meeting at location to be determined

m) Advertisement Plans and Specifications

n) Pre-bid meeting and responding to bidder questions and inquiries.

o) Bid review, tabulation, and recommendation of low bidder.

2. Construction Management and Testing Services

Should the project proceed to construction, and as determined exclusively at the County’s discretion, the selected consultant may be asked to provide Construction Management and Testing Services. This would be accomplished with a new contract. Potential tasks including, but not limited to, the following:

a) Project Preconstruction Meeting in person, location TBD

b) Ensuring the work is completed in conformance with the project contract documents

c) Construction Observation Services, including but not limited to:

i. Minimum weekly site visits and for all major construction activities

ii. Issuing field reports

iii. Issue resolution during construction between the Contractor, the County, and CDOT

iv. Change Order writing and receiving approval from the County and CDOT

v. Overseeing compliance with the stormwater management plan (SWMP).

Attend Monthly SWMP Audit Inspections with CDOT and Contractor.

vi. Understanding decisions affecting public safety ensuring the contractor maintains a safe work zone

vii. Monitoring compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) and CDOT Public Rightof-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG).

Measuring the slopes and grades of shared use path, sidewalk, and curb ramps to ensure these requirements are met.

viii. Identifying and rejecting work that does not meet contract requirements.

ix. Verifying pay quantities using the CDOT Form 266 and reviewing and approving Contractor pay requests

x. Performing project acceptance walk through and evaluating project closeout. Preparing Certificate of Final Completion and appended punch list.

xi. Compile and submit Project Final Documentation Package to CDOT for review and acceptance

d) Project Owner Acceptance (OA) Material Testing, including but not limited to:

i. Perform all OA testing per the OA Frequency Schedule Guide in the CDOT FMM

ii. Notify Contractor and construction management team of passing and failing test results.

iii. Document and compile all material testing

iv. Perform Independent Assurance Testing per the CDOT Form 379

v. Collect, review, and file all Certificates

of Compliance (COC) and Certified Test Reports (CTR) for all materials permanently incorporated in the project.

vi. Compile and submit Project Final Documentation Package to CDOT for review and acceptance

3. Federal guidelines. The selected Consultant should understand the federal reimbursement guidelines including that all work may be audited by CDOT and/or the federal government and that all invoiced payments by the Local Agency must be tracked through the Consultant’s accounting department and fully documented until ‘proof of deposit’ with the Consultant and each individual’s bank account so that the Local Agency may be fully reimbursed by CDOT. Invoices for services performed (including work by sub consultants) must meet the requirements of CDOT’s procedures for consultant billing.

4. Environmental and Historical Requirements. The Consultant will be responsible for preparing documents in accordance with requirements of the current federal and state environmental and historical regulations including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).

The project will likely qualify for Categorical Exclusion for NEPA documentation. The Consultant will present documents to the Local Agency and CDOT for review. In some cases, the documents will be submitted to the appropriate state or federal agency for clearances as applicable.

The contracted firm must comply with all applicable federal statutes, regulations, and Executive Orders, including the American Rescue Plan Act, and any interpretive guidance by other responsible parties relating to these funds. The contracted firm shall also ensure that its subcontractors and vendors do the same.

III. Schedule

The following chart represents the schedule for this SOI. Any change in the scheduled dates for the Proposal Submission Deadline will be transmitted in the form of an addendum to this request. The schedule for the evaluation process and other future dates may be adjusted without notice.

Upon issuance of the Notice to Proceed by CDOT, the Consultant will be responsible for meeting the estimated timeframes for Work Tasks listed below. These projections apply to Consultant services only, and do not include periods required by CDOT for reviews and approvals. These timeframes shall be a condition of the contract, and requests for changes in this Schedule must be submitted in writing and approved by Saguache County.

a. Confirm the respondent’s firm has audited and approved indirect cost rates or can obtain the same prior to contract execution per the schedule above. Please do not include rate sheets or cost estimates for consultant work at this time. The evaluation will be determined on a qualifications-based process only. Firms that include rate or cost information will be disqualified from consideration.

b. List five (5) similar projects by respondent’s firm, which have been completed within the past (five) 5 years with other municipalities on state or federally funded design and engineering and construction projects. This information should be included for all members of the team. This information should include project name, owner, size, completion date, estimated budget, actual project cost and summary of work performed on the project.

c. Provide a narrative description to show the respondent’s familiarity with CDOT design requirements and specifications.

d. Provide a narrative description demonstrating the respondent’s familiarity and experience with CDOT funded projects.

e. Provide a statement concerning any pending litigation for the respondent’s team members concerning projects within the last 5 years.

3. PROJECT APPROACH AND PLAN

a. Describe the respondent firm’s understanding of the project and its approach to comprehensively address all (a) design and engineering requirements; and (b) all construction management and testing requirements.

b. Describe the staffing plan and devotion to the project by the consulting firms.

4. REFERENCES

a. Provide three (3) client references for whom the respondent’s firm has performed similar work from the project list in Section

2a. Include project name, total project cost, owner, and contact information. If the original contact is not available, please provide an alternate contact that had direct involvement with the project.

5. GENERAL CONDITIONS:

a. Contract terms The Local Agency anticipates the design and engineering work will be initiated as enumerated in III.1. Estimated Schedule of Activities

– Preliminary and Final Design and Engineering

The Local Agency will require that the selected firm shall maintain general liability, automobile, workers’ compensations, and errors and omissions insurance. Certificates of insurance will be required at the time of contract signing following selection to serve as the Design and Engineering Consultant(s). Confirm that your firm meets the following insurance requirements:

▪ Worker’s Compensation — Meet the minimum requirements of Colorado’s Labor & Employment criteria for worker’s compensation insurance.

▪ General Liability — Maintain general business liability insurance in the amounts of $1,000,000 per occurrence; $2,000,000 aggregate.

▪ Automobile Liability - Maintain automobile liability insurance in the amounts of $1,000,000 per occurrence; $2,000,000 aggregate.

of any commercial general liability policy, the carrier shall provide at least 10 days’ prior written notice to CDOT.

V. Selection Process and Criteria:

Respondents will be evaluated not only on their past experience for the type of work involved, but also on their ability to successfully complete the project. The Local Agency shall review all proposals for quality and thoroughness. The final consultant selection will be determined solely by the information provided in the respondent’s Statement of Interest.

Selection will be based on the following

evaluation factors:

• Qualifications

• Approach to work

• Ability to furnish professional services

• Anticipated design concept

• Ability of their personnel

• Demonstrating that Firm can meet the DBE goal

• Past performance

• Willingness to meet time and budget requirements

• Location

• Current and projected work load, and

• Volume of previously awarded projects

The Local Agency reserves the right to withdraw this invitation at any time without prior notice and to reject any and all proposals without cause or reason. All responses shall be treated confidentially but will become property of the Local Agency and will be retained or disposed of accordingly.

The Local Agency shall not be liable for any expenses incurred by any respondent including, but not limited to, costs and expenses incurred responding to this solicitation.

The type of compensation on this contract will be the Cost-Plus Fixed Fee / Specific Rate of Pay method of compensation.

VI. Project Inquiries Do not contact any other Local Agency employee or department regarding this project. For questions contact the following:

Wendi Maez, Saguache County Administrator

501 Fourth Street P.O. Box 100 Saguache, CO 81149

Email: wmaez@saguachecounty-co.gov

Phone: 719-655-2231, ext. 244

Questions must be submitted in writing no later than April 18, 2023

VII. Proposal To be considered, respondents must submit a proposal addressing all of the requested information. The proposal shall be submitted via EMAIL to:

Wendi Maez, Saguache County Administrator

501 Fourth Street P.O. Box 100 Saguache, CO 81149

Email: wmaez@saguachecounty-co.gov

Phone: 719-655-2231, ext. 244

IV. Proposal Requirements: Proposals should be formatted to correspond exactly to the following information requirements. Clear and concise responses are appreciated. The total page limit is 20 pages, single sided (8.5x11).

1. PROJECT TEAM EXPERIENCE

a. Identify (a) the proposed design/ engineering team and (b) the construction management and testing team, including the project engineers/inspectors, material testers and any subconsultants.

b. Present a brief description of the respondent’s qualifications and experience working with the proposed team and subconsultants on similar projects.

2. FIRM CAPABILITIES/ PAST PERFORMANCE/ EXPERIENCE

▪ Protected Information - Liability insurance covering all loss of State Confidential Information, such as PU, PHI, PCI, Tax Information, and CJI, and claims based on alleged violations of privacy rights through improper use or disclosure of protected information with minimum limits as follows: a. $1,000,000 each occurrence; and b. $2,000,000 general aggregate.

▪ Professional Liability — Maintain professional errors and omissions liability insurance in the amounts of $1,000,000 per occurrence; $2,000,000 aggregate.

▪ Crime insurance including employee dishonesty coverage with minimum limits as follows: a. $1,000,000 each occurrence; and b. $1,000,000 general aggregate.

▪ Additional Insured - The State shall be named as additional insured on all commercial general liability policies (leases and construction contracts require additional insured coverage for completed operations) required of Local Agency and Subcontractors. In the event of cancellation

Proposals must be received no later than 4:00 p.m., May 2, 2023, to be considered. Proposals received after the deadline will not be reviewed.

VIII.

Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • LEGALS • A21
Preliminary and Final Design and Engineering Task Date Complete / Weeks Projected SOI Available ___ April 6, 2023 Proposal Submission Deadline May 8, 2023 Local Agency Selects Consultant May 16, 2023 Contract Signed June 20, 2023 Notice to Proceed with Design Phase TBA F.I.R. of Preliminary Construction Documents 11 weeks F.O.R. of Final Construction Documents 16 weeks Complete Advertisement Plans & Specs 8 weeks Issue Invitation to Bid. Recommendation to County 10 weeks
Publication dates of April 13, 20 and 27, 2023 8524 WINNER! BEST IN CLASS 2021 Colorado Press Association Awards The news you need. The excellence you deserve. Best Classified Pages or Sections Best Print Ad Best Use of Digital Advertising Best News Media/ House Ad Promotion Best Advertising Special Section - 1st Best Advertising Special Section - 2nd Best News Media/ House Ad Promotion Best News Story Best Environmental Story - 1st Best Environmental Story - 2nd Best Education Story Best Editorial Writing Best Business News/ Feature Story Best Sports or Sports Event Story Best Agriculture Story Best Sports Column Writing Best Newsletter Excellence in Audio Digital Storytelling - 1st Excellence in Audio Digital Storytelling - 2nd Best Photography Portfolio - 1st Best Photography Portfolio - 2nd Best Feature Photograph Best Page Design Best Photo Slideshow, Gallery or Photo Essay Best Sports Photograph Best Informational Graphic Best Sports Photograph Best Cover Design www.gunnisontimes.com Putting arts and culture in the spotlight. Need a quality employee? SUBMIT ONLINE GUNNISONTIMES.COM Place your help wanted here.
Attachments • File: “A.25304 Saguache Co Crestone Clearance Letter FINAL” • File: “B.CDOT 25304 Saguache CO/ Crestone Ph2 MMOF” Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado.

Don't SELL them. Tell them a great STORY.

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A22 • NEWS • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times

Lights & Sirens

CITY OF GUNNISON POLICE REPORT

APRIL 3

THEFT - UNDER $100.00

MUNICIPAL — 112 S. SPRUCE ST.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF - DAMAGE

TO PROPERTY — 600 N.

COLORADO ST.

CIVIL PROBLEM —

223 N. IOWA ST.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF - DAMAGE

TO PROPERTY —

103 FLORESTA ST.

APRIL 4

PROPERTY - FOUND

FRAUD — 910 W. BIDWELL AVE.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

- DRUGS — 621 N. IOWA ST.

CRIMINAL TRESPASS: SECOND

DEGREE - VEHICLE —

612 N. 11TH ST.

HARASSMENT: MUNICIPAL —

609 E. GEORGIA AVE.

CRIMINAL TRESPASS: FIRST

DEGREE - VEHICLE —

516 N. 14TH ST.

FRAUD — E. TOMICHI AVE.

DEATH INVESTIGATION —

S. 2ND ST.

APRIL 5

ABANDONED VEHICLE —

300 S. COLORADO ST.

WELFARE ASSIST — S. 2ND ST.

HARASSMENT: STRIKE SHOVE,

KICK — 300 N. COLORADO ST.

APRIL 6

ASSAULT: THIRD DEGREE -

BODILY INJURY —

W. BIDWELL AVE.

HARASSMENT —

432 PAINTBRUSH AVE.

HARASSMENT — 303 N. MAIN ST.

INFORMATION —

THEFT — SYDNEY ST.

ACCIDENT — 900 N. MAIN ST.

PROPERTY - FOUND —

1160 N. MAIN ST.

DISTURBING THE PEACE —

600 N. COLORADO ST.

APRIL 7

THEFT — 618 W. TOMICHI AVE.

PROPERTY - FOUND —

910 W. BIDWELL AVE.

NUISANCE CODE VIOLATION —

718 W. GEORGIA AVE.

HARASSMENT — W. HWY. 50

APRIL 8

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

- ALCOHOL — 13 IRWIN ST.

DISTURBING THE PEACE -

ALLOWING OTHERS —

13 IRWIN ST.

CRIMINAL ATTEMPT —

ROCK CREEK RD.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT -

UNREASONABLE NOISE —

800 N. COLORADO ST.

TRAFFIC - DUS —

600 N. MAIN ST.

ACCIDENT —

800 E. TOMICHI AVE.

VIOLATION OF PROTECTION

ORDER: CRIMINAL ORDER — 411 E. TOMICHI AVE.

APRIL 9

HARASSMENT:

INSULTS,TAUNTS,CHALLENGES

— 400 ESCALANTE DR.

GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

APRIL 4

-Paper service

-Information report cold trespass by snowmobilers in a high avalanche area

-Paper service

-Dog at large report

-Paper service attempt

-Possession of drug paraphernalia

APRIL 5

-Trespassing report

-Vin check

-Dog at large call

-Arrest for second- and thirddegree assault, domestic violence

-Gunshots heard call

APRIL 6

-Information report on previous case

-Abandoned vehicle report

-Paper service

-Harassment report

-Arrest for three in county warrants and one out of county warrant

-Paper service

-Welfare check

-Summons issued for violating restrictions regarding interlock device and speeding

-Warning for violation of county ordinance #16 failing to call in a controlled burn given

APRIL 7

-Information report on possible missing juvenile – unfounded

-Two summonses issued for second degree criminal trespassing, and one for false reporting of identifying information to law enforcement authorities,

-Agency assist to the Gunnison Police department with a possible domestic

-Civil landlord / lease report

-Summons issued for third degree criminal trespass, careless driving resulting in bodily injury and two summonses for driver under 18 years old not wearing seatbelts

-Warrant issued for third degree assault/ domestic violence and failure to stop at the scene of an injury crash

APRIL 8

-Warrant arrest

-Information report civil tenant issues

-Information report uncooperative inmate

-Paper service

-Agency assist to the Gunnison Police Department with vehicle break in

APRIL 9

-Information report of horses on highway

-Welfare check

-Violation of a protection order

APRIL 10

-Information assist with traffic control while moving horses

-Information report

-Found driver’s license and debit card

-Unattended death

-Welfare check

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PRIMARY CARE

FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Gunnison Valley Health’s primary care providers are here to keep you, your family and your loved ones healthy. Whether it’s family medicine, internal medicine or pediatric care, our highly qualified and personable providers are your partners in health.

Services include:

•Routine wellness checks for children and adults

•Diagnosis of medical conditions •Treatment of injury & illness

ISSOLARRIGHT FORMYHOME?

Withanincreasedfocusonrenewableenergyandhealthytax credits,it’snowonderthatsolarenergyissoappealing.AsaGCEA member,yourelectricityisalreadypoweredby34%renewable energyandgrowing.Ifyouarelookingtogenerateyourownsolar energy,GCEAisheretohelpyoudecideifrooftopsolaristheright optionforyou.Wewanttobeyourtrustedresourceasyouevaluate yourcurrentelectricusageandappropriatesolarsystemsizewith yourinstaller.

ScantheQRcodetotherighttolearn moreaboutGCEA’ssolaropportunities, orcall(970)641-3520tospeaktoour solarspecialist.

“Nowhere else I would rather go.”
GUNNISON VALLEY HEALTH FAMILY MEDICINE CLINIC 707 NORTH IOWA STREET | GUNNISON, CO 81230 I (970) 642-8413 (PHONE) | (970) 641-9017 (FAX) WWW.GUNNISONVALLEYHEALTH.ORG
•Medicare annual visits 970-641-3520 CONTACTUS WWW.GCEA.COOP WEBSITE
•Vaccines and flu shots
Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • NEWS • A23

Art all over town

JOIN GUNNISON COUNTY AND FADING WEST for the official groundbreaking for the Sawtooth housing development

Monday, April 17th at 1pm.

Meet at the corner of Evans Street and South 14th St (near the Gunnison County Public Safety Center).

The Sawtooth project includes 18 new homes to meet the needs of County employees and other community members for affordable housing.

The arrival of spring made for a lovely evening of art and live music last week during the First Friday ArtWalk on April 7. Attendees enjoyed the warmer weather and browsed works at the Gunnison Gallery, the Gunnison Arts Center and Western Colorado University’s Student Art League's juried art show.
A24 • NEWS • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times

With wide eyes, viewers lucky enough to grab a front row seat at this year’s chemistry magic show were treated to a variety of explosive tricks they were encouraged not to try at home.

On April 7, Western Colorado University’s Chemistry Club hosted its 15th annual magic show, packing the ballroom to the brim with spectators of all ages. The timeless and interactive performance has been a community favorite since its inception more than a decade ago — using the magic of chemistry to inspire, teach and connect local students with science.

From elephant toothpaste to a luminous electric pickle, there’s science behind every trick, said senior lecturer Jarral Ryter, who has been called a “mastermind” behind the annual event.

“It’s the unexpected things, and it kind of looks like magic,” Ryter said.

Ryter is in charge of curating the show, armed with an enthusiastic group of safety-goggle-clad chemistry and biology students. He’s been around since the creation of the club and the first show in 2008. The second year it was held in the newly constructed University Center. The administration was so terrified that the club

AGRICULTURE: Why to invest in local food, B3 SPORTS:
extends winning streak, B7
Titan lacrosse
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023
Annual Western magic show brings the color back to chemistry
Bella Biondini Times Bella Biondini Chemistry B2 Izzy Strand lets the “genie” out of a bottle. Evan Crean covers his ears during an explosion. Chemistry club member Pratt Williams ignites a balloon. The special salt placed inside turned the flame green. Chemistry club members run an elephant toothpaste experiment.
ic show brings

would destroy the place, the crew had to make sure everything was spotless afterward, he said.

On Friday, the lights were suddenly switched off, and the room went silent as Western chemistry student Pratt Williams held a lighter up to a balloon. With a bang, the balloon burst into fl ames and the crowd went wild. Each puff of fire spit into the air turned a different color due to the type of salt placed inside.

No ordinary object was safe during the performance as students froze bouquets of flowers with liquid nitrogen and eggs filled with hydrogen gas exploded to the delight of onlookers. Although some experiments were more mysterious than others, club members used the act to teach the audience about simple chemistry concepts, such as ocean acidification and the energy present in everyday food.

During the show, Emily McMahill did a fiery demonstration that highlighted how much energy is present in crackers — an experiment that showed how the body uses Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, as an energy that supports many of the processes in living cells.

The chemistry club launched when McMahill, who is now a senior lecturer in biology, was still in school at Western. Founded on an excitement for science, the club became an avenue for its members to become more involved with the Gunnison Valley community, she said, the annual homecoming parade and magic show are

just a few examples of many. After the “glitz and glam” of blowing things up and color changes, kids got their hands dirty at a slime station and enjoyed freshly made ice cream — experiencing science in person, McMahill said.

“The whole idea behind it is just realizing that science is really integral to everything that they do,” she said. “That's true for the food that they eat and even the art that they're part of

There's been a lot of emphasis lately here at Western to take note of how art and science are intertwined. The magic show

being a production as part of that, but also just the beautiful things that science creates.”

The first year the club put on a show, McMahill said she remembers thinking they would be lucky if 50 people came. But they exceeded that number both then and now — the magic show attracting more than 250 viewers last week. While she gave a lot of credit to Ryter, his wife, Anne, and the other faculty working behind the scenes, the students also play a big role in making the magic happen, she said.

“Their continued commit-

ment to it has really spurred it on,” McMahill said.

This was Western chemistry club member Spencer Schryver’s second year partaking in the show. He said he loves to see the kids’ excitement, which stayed high throughout the event.

“Maybe someday it will be part of something that inspires one of them to pursue science,” Schryver said.

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

B2 • ROUNDUP • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times
Chemistry from B1
A large audience watches the magic show on April 7. Eighth grader Eli Coop helps with an ocean acidification demonstration. The show concludes with a dry ice display. Bella Biondini

Why local food?

As the snow melts in the Gunnison Valley, local gardeners and farmers are salivating for crisp greens from earthy brown soil. Foodies are anticipating community supported agriculture or “CSA” boxes of colorful vegetables and farm-fresh eggs.

Why all the excitement? Why the demand for local food?

Whether you grow your own garden, sign up for a weekly CSA box, stop at a roadside stand or visit one of three local farmers markets, here are several benefits of growing and eating local food.

More Flavorful. Homegrown and farm-fresh fruits and vegetables taste better because they are harvested at peak ripeness. Vegetables from the supermarket are often harvested when green for shipment, then “ripened” artificially, resulting in little or no flavor.

Large agricultural corporations develop seed varieties for long shelf life, ease of harvest and durability during shipment. In contrast, local farmers and gardeners can select varieties for flavor and nutrition, pick at peak ripeness and bring it to the market within 24 hours of harvest.

More nutritious. Locally produced vegetables have more nutrients because the time between harvest and your table is typically hours or days. Food that is imported from other states or countries may take days or weeks to arrive, so the nutrients may begin to break down.

Local food has a shorter time between harvest and your table, and it is less likely that the nutrient value has decreased. Food imported from far-away states and countries is often older, has traveled long distances and sits in distribution centers before it gets to your store.

Better Value. While the out-ofpocket cost of growing your own food or purchasing at the farmers market may not appear to be

cheaper on the surface, locally sourced vegetables may be a better value. Because the food is fresher, it lasts longer in your refrigerator so much less of it goes to waste.

Local foods are also more nutrient dense, meaning you get more vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients — which are healthy plant compounds like beta-carotene in carrots, lycopene in tomatoes, lutein in spinach and kale and hundreds more. You may feel more satisfied, with decreased cravings, and have overall better health compared to eating processed foods.

More Choices. If you’ve ever drooled over a seed catalog, perused the seedlings at our local plant sale, or been delighted by the choices of tomato varieties at the farmers market, you’ve seen how much variety is available from local food. Supermarkets may offer one type of kale or carrots, while local food producers can choose from dozens of different varieties.

Find your favorite flavor of tomato, a storage carrot or a summer carrot, spicy arugula, giant kohlrabi, purple cauliflower or mild leaf lettuce — so many choices!

You’ll feel better. Farming, backyard gardening and working in the soil makes us happier. Brain research has shown that a soil-dwelling bacteria named Mycobacterium vaccae has immune-modulating and moodaltering properties. This friendly soil microbe triggers the release

Courtesy

of serotonin, which acts as a natural antidepressant. Research has also shown that farm children in Germany have lower rates of allergy and asthma than their counterparts raised in urban areas. Microorganisms in soil and on farm animals program how a child responds to allergens throughout their lives. Getting dirty in the garden can be good for your health.

Build community. Local food brings people together. Whether you’re standing in line on a sunny Saturday at the farmers market, passing a neighbor at the CSA pickup location or discussing kale varieties with a neighbor over the back fence, the local food scene offers connection to people — as well as to nature and soil. And the dollars you spend on local food tend to stay in the valley rather than going to large multinational corporations.

There are many more reasons to grow and eat local food. Locally produced food also contains fewer pesticides and herbicides than conventionally grown food from large agricultural corporations. More on that next week.

As the weather warms up, let’s get outdoors, work in our farms and gardens and appreciate all the benefits of local food.

AGOODPERSON(R) FRI+SAT:4:15&7:15PM SHAZAM!FURYOFTHEGODS (PG-13) FRI+SAT:4:00&7:00PM WeareclosingApril16thand willre-openonApril25th! Thanksforagreatwinter! MAJESTICTHEATRE SHOWTIMES CBMAJESTIC.ORG FRIAPRIL14+SATAPRIL15 FAMILY, COUPLES AND INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING GAY GARNER LPCC, LMFTC
Sue Special to the Times
(Sue Wyman is the President of the Gunnison Valley Producers’ Guild, owner of Gunnison Gardens and has been farming in the Valley for over a decade.) Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • ROUNDUP • B3

ELDER BEAT

Upcoming eventS

• April 26 (12:45 p.m.):Alzheimer’s & Dementia Community Forum. Join the Alzheimer’s Association, Gunnison Senior Center and Gunnison County Health & Human Services to learn and discuss how our wonderful Gunnison Valley community can come together to improve support for our loved ones and families living with theses diseases. Professionals and all community members welcome! For more info, contact: egillis@gunnisonco.gov or 970-641-8272.

• April 26 (RSVP Required): Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence – Virtual Dementia Tour. Designed for family members, caregivers, and concerned community members. Sign up for a safe, experiential “tour”, led by healthcare professionals that will provide a glimpse into what living with dementia feels like. (NOTE: This program is for people who are not living with cognitive impairment.) Tour times: 9:45am, 3pm, 4:45pm. RSVP required to – egillis@gunnisonco.gov or 970-6418272.

• NEW Survey on Mental Health for Older Adult manner to help shape the mental health support for older adults in our Valley! Online & hard copy surveys available – contact the Senior Center for more info: 970-641-8272 or egillis@gunnisonco.gov or visit s.alchemer.com/s3/Gunnison-Senior-Center-Survey.

FITNESS at THE REC CENTER -

SIGN UP AT THE REC CENTER FRONT DESK!

Monday & Wednesday in the Gym

- Boom Muscle @ 9:30 a.m.

- Classic @ 10:15 a.m.

Tuesday in the Leisure Pool:

- Splash @ 10 a.m.

SENIOR MEALSNEXT WEEK’S MENU:

Mon., Apr. 17: Chicken Noodle Soup, biscuits, salad

Weds., Apr. 19: Pork Tenderloin, mashed potatoes, corn, homemade rolls, cottage cheese

Fri., Apr. 21: Chicken Enchiladas, green beans, fruit

Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays – 11:30 a.m. arrival.

Pick-ups from 11 – 11:15 a.m. $5 per meal.

Advance orders encouraged: 970-641-8272. Homemade desserts with every meal!

AT THE SENIOR CENTER 200 E. SPENCER AVE. ALL SENIOR CENTER PROGRAM INFO & RSVPS: EGILLIS@GUNNISONCO.GOV OR 970-641-8272.

Weekly Happenings

Monday • Computer Use (9 a.m.)

• Bridge (1 p.m.)

Wednesday • Book Club (1st Wednesday)

Thursday • Bridge (1 p.m.)

Friday • Art Club (12:30 p.m.)

• Mahjong (1 p.m.)

EXPERIENCES OF OLDER ADULTS IN GUNNISON COUNTY

Your Voice Matters

Online & hard copy surveys available in English and Spanish. Take online survey!

s.alchemer.com/s3/Gunnison-Senior-Center-Survey

Hard copy surveys available @ the Gunnison Rec & Senior Center, and other locations!

Call 970-641-8272 for more info.

Open to adults age 55 & up who live in Gunnison County at least 9 months of the year.

to help shape mental health support for older adults in our community!

We want to hear from you –your voice is important!

Tu voz importa

Encuestas en línea y en versión de papel están disponibles en inglés y español. Tome la encuesta en línea!

s.alchemer.com/s3/Gunnison-Senior-Center-Survey

Las encuestas en versión de papel están disponibles en el Centro de Recreación y Centro de Ancianos de Gunnison, y otros lugares!

Llame al 970-641-8272 para más información. Abierto a los adultos de la edad 55 y mayor que viven en el Condado de Gunnison al menos 9 meses del año.

Comparte sus experiencias de una manera sistema de apoyo para salud mental a los adultos mayores de nuestra comunidad!

¡Nosotros queremos oír de usted –su voz es importante!

NewSupportGroupinGunnisonand CrestedButte

"The Confluence" A support group for individuals living with Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and Similar Neurological Diagnoses

Gunnison:

Wednesday,April19 4:00-5:30pm

GunnisonCountyPublicLibrary 1QuartzSt. Gunnison,CO81230

A decade of good reads

The Gunnison Senior Center Book Club celebrated club founder Ginny Koepsel (front row, center) on Wednesday, April 5. This book club has been meeting on the first Wednesday of every month for nearly 10 years. Koepsel, 91, launched the club under the former Boomers & Beyond nonprofit organization. According to Senior Center Coordinator Elizabeth Gillis, her love for books shines during discussions, and she has spread this love of reading with many over the years.

CrestedButte:

Wednesday, May 17 4:00-5:30 pm

Adaptive Sports Center of Crested Butte

19 Emmons Rd. Crested Butte, CO 81225

For more information, email AGoyanes@ParkinsonRockies.org or call (303) 830-1839

www.ParkinsonRockies.org

NEW SURVEY – MENTAL HEALTH
SCAN FOR SURVEY
ESCANEAR PARA ENCUESTA
www. gunnisontimes .com ONLINE ALL THE TIME! See your local news on any device. B4 • ROUNDUP • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times
Courtesy Gunnison Senior Center

PEOPLE & HAPPENINGS

SpringFest

Western’s Program Council will be hosting SpringFest and celebrating Earth Day on April 22. Gangstagrass, a bluegrass/ hip-hop group, will be headlining along with Tatanka Dub & DJ Kamakani. Festivities will be hosted at the Quigley Bandshell. Fuerza Cora Brasil and Second Hand String Band will be playing at the Earth Day BBQ for a full day of live music.

Sage-grouse meeting

The next meeting of the Gunnison Basin Sage-Grouse Strategic Committee will be held April 19 at 10 a.m. via Zoom or in the planning commission meeting room at the Blackstock Government Center, 200 W. Virginia St., Gunnison. For more updated information, including the most recent agenda and access to the virtual meeting, please visit gunnisoncounty.org.

Annual plant sale

Get your garden going with the Gunnison Valley Producers' Guild annual plant sale on April 22 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at 513 S. Main in Gunnison. Organic and locally-grown vegetable starts, potatoes and compost will be available to purchase. Support your local farmers and get the best plant starts for your garden.

Wildfire film screening

“Elemental: Reimagine

Wildfire” will screen on April 26 at the Majestic Theatre at 6:30 p.m.

The film takes viewers on a journey with the top experts in the nation to better understand fire. The film includes the voices of climate experts, Indigenous people and fire survivors and asks us to reimagine our relationship with wildfire as we prepare for an increasingly hotter future.

Pioneer Museum volunteers

History enthusiasts are wanted to volunteer at the Gunnison Pioneer Museum re-opening May 15. Training is provided. Call 970.596.2226 for more information.

Local railroading pictorial

The Gunnison County Library will host a free pictorial presentation on local railroad history by Larry McDonald with the Pioneer

Museum on April 27 at 6 p.m. Attendees will get a glimpse of the amazing history of Baldwin Engine 268 and discover how she became “Cinder Ella of the Rockies.”

Car Club grants

The Gunnison Car Club is now accepting applications from Gunnison area charitable and nonprofit organizations for grants from the proceeds of its 2023 Gunnison Car Show. The funding application request form can be downloaded from the Gunnison Car Club’s website gunnisoncarclub.com and emailed to Info@ gunnisoncarclub.com or mailed to Gunnison Car Club, PO Box 7102, Gunnison, CO, 81230. Applications must be received by June 9 and will be considered at the Car Club meeting to be held at 7 p.m. on June 14 at the Fred Field Center.

Cat and dog best of show

Gunnison Gallery needs your public vote for the Best of Show cat and dog for a $5 donation to GVAWL. This is the gallery’s 17th year hosting the fun event and we have 80 entries. Please stop by 124 N. Main St. Tuesday through Saturday to vote. Voting ends on April 27 at the A”cat”emy Awards where prizes will be given out.

Dementia caregiver support group

The Colorado Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association will be holding a caregiver support group the first Wednesday of every month at the Gunnison County Library. The support group will help develop a support system and learn about community resources as well as exchange practical information on challenges and solutions. For more information contact Mary Mahoney at 970.596.5667 or taktser8@gmail.com.

Eating disorder recovery

We welcome all adults (18+) in recovery from an eating disorder. Join us the first Tuesday of each month from 5:45-6:45 p.m. at the Gunnison Library. Our goal is to provide support and encouragement during ED recovery. For questions contact Katherine Melland edrecoverygunni@ gmail.com.

GUNNISON ARTS CENTER BRIEFS

Pastels & Palomas

Let’s pop some bubbly and have fun drawing your favorite landscapes with chalk pastels on April 20 from 6-9 p.m. Pastels allow for so many different styles. This will be the perfect space for artists of all skill levels to come and play with a new medium and help find their own style within their landscape drawings. Landscape reference photos will be provided, but feel free to bring your own photographs. The instructor is Katie Briggs and the

cost is $45 per person and $140 for a group of four.

Date night

Bring a partner or friend and come learn a new skill on April 14 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Date night will focus on an introduction to wheel throwing where students will learn how to center, pull and shape their own masterpiece. The instructor is Kit Witkowski and the cost is $72 for non-members and $62 for members.

We offer medical care, treatment and rehabilitation plans for professional athletes, recreational athletes and everyone in between. GUNNISON | 970-641-8899 CRESTED BUTTE | 970-349-5103 WWW.GVORTHO.NET WE WORK HARD TO KEEP YOU PLAYING HARDER * FREE BUCKET WITH PURCHASES $50 OR MORE * ** ONE DAY ** ONLY MOST EVERYTHING PACKED INTO YOUR BUCKET* *Bucket Sale discounts valid 4/15/23 only. LIMIT ONE BUCKET AND ONE OFFER REDEMPTION PER CUSTOMER. See store or murdochs.com/details for full exclusions and rules. 10% OFF Most Everything Else Not In Your Bucket 20% OFF Sat., April 15 Bucket SALE murdochs.com Montrose, CO | 2151 S. Townsend Ave. | 970.249.9991 | murdochs.com
Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • ROUNDUP • B5

Western Symphonic Band

ANDFEATURING THE Western Percussion Ensemble

Introducing Graduating Senior Student Musicians

Friday, April 14th • 7:30pm

KINCAID CONCERT HALL, QUIGLEY HALL, WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

THE COMMUNITY IS WELCOME FREE ADMISSION

Chamber Orchestra

Please join us for an evening of music led by Professor Kenneth Todd, Director of Orchestral Activities, Western Colorado University, Works by Bach, Bartok, Beethoven, Jarret

Thursday, April 20th 7:30pm

KINCAID CONCERT HALL, QUIGLEY HALL, WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY CAMPUS,

THE COMMUNITY IS WELCOME FREE ADMISSION

A Ukrainian Easter tradition

Dr. Brett Keating, Director of Bands, Western Colorado University Dr. Michael Mapp, Director of Bands, New Mexico State University, Guest Conductor Local teens gathered at the Gunnison County Library on April 8 to design beautiful, ornate "pysanky" Easter eggs — a reverent nod to the longstanding Ukrainian practice. Mariel Wiley

Titans extend winning streak to three

Victory over Montrose and Vanguard evens out record

Jacob Spetzler

Photo and Sports Editor

Two more wins over the weekend pulled the Crested Butte Titans lacrosse team’s streak up to three, proving the team to have apparently shaken off some early season dust.

On Thursday, April 6, the Titans overcame the Montrose Red Hawks on the road, walking away with an 8-6 win. On April 8, during the first home game of the season, Crested Butte beat the Vanguard School Coursers with a final dramatic score of 12-0. The two wins, which came on the tail of another win over Durango last week, evened out the Titans’ records — 3-3 overall, and 2-2 for the 4A Mountain Division.

Thursday’s win over Montrose was a group effort. Eight goals were spread out among fi ve players. In the fi rst

Big mountain all-stars

Hausdoerffer wins Junior Freeride Championships

Jacob Spetzler

Photo and Sports Editor

On April 3 and 4, seven Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team athletes traveled to Kicking Horse Resort in British Columbia to compete in the North American Junior Freeride Championships. The group brought home a slew of top accolades including a top finish in the U12 division from 11-year-old Sol Hausdoerffer. With athletes coming from Vermont, Alaska, Alberta,

California, Washington, Montana, British Columbia, Wyoming and Colorado, the event was invite-only for the top 10% of skiers from across North America. Five of the six CB Mountain Sports Team ath-

letes made the cut to finals, which resulted in a series of notable placements. Teagan Turner podiumed in the 15-18 female snowboard division with a third-place finish. In the 12-14 men’s skiers division, both Sam Anderson and Liam Hadley finished in the top 10 — with Hadley finishing ninth, and Anderson finishing sixth. Anderson ended the season ranked No. 2 in the Rocky Mountain Division, the largest in the country. Brooks Miller finished 21st, and although Beckett Kidd did not make finals, he finished 36th. In the 15-18 category, Marin Gardener made finals and finished 22nd overall. Hausdoerffer, who was sponsored by Jermaine’s, said

the experience is hopefully a sign of a future of big mountain competition.

“I am so proud to have competed with such amazing skiers, and to have made new friends who share my love of

flying down big mountains,” Hausdoerffer said.

(Jacob Spetzler can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or jacob@gunnisontimes.com.)

(Left to right) Head Coach Eddie Cohn, Maren Gardener, Beckett Kidd, Brooks Miller, Head Coach Mark Robbins, Head Coach Grant Spear, Teagan Turner, Sam Anderson, Liam Hadley Sol Hausdoerffer competes at Kicking Horse. Courtesy Western Colorado University
UNITED COUNTRY GUNNISON COUNTY REALTY WEEKLY SPORTS CALENDAR SPONSORED BY MINDY COSTANZO UNITED COUNTRY GUNNISON COUNTY REALTY 970-209-2300 | WWW.MINDY-LAND.COM HOME SPORTS EVENTS THIS WEEKEND Thursday, April 13 GHS Basesball Varsity v Olathe 3pm GHS Baseball JV v Olathe 5pm CBCS Lacrosse Varsity v Montrose 4pm CBCS Lacrosse JV v Montrose 5:30pm Saturday, April 15 GHS Baseball Varsity Double Header v Centauri High School 11am 160 ACRE in-holding surrounded by Gunnison National Forest 30 min drive to Gunnison and our jetport. Apx 30 acres irrigated meadow & Needle Creek ribboning through, a most private Mecca for the avid outdoorsman looking for a perfect Call or text Mindy Costanzo | 970-209-2300 ALL GAMES AT GHS Courtesy BASEBALL: Cowboys fall to Coal Ridge, B9 CLIMBING: Western hosts bouldering competition, B8
Mariel Wiley Lacrosse B9
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023

Bouldering competition ushers in climbing season

SPORTS BRIEFS

GHS track and field competes in Pueblo

The Cowboy track and field squads traveled to the CSU Pueblo Thunderbowl last Friday, April 8, for the teams’ second meet of the season. The girls team finished 10th overall with 29 points, while the boys didn’t place. The girls 4x800 meter relay team, com-

posed of Madelyn Stice, Jemma Petrie, Justine Mowery and Izabella Hartzell, earned second — the top spot overall for the day. Individually, the jumpers had a strong showing. Sienna Gomez was the highest placer, taking third and marking a personal record in the triple jump.

Angela Hindes took fourth in the high jump and fifth in the long jump. Eden Williams

earned eighth in the triple jump. Madelyn Stice finished fourth in the 3200-meter run, earning a personal record for the race. For the boys team, Cael Medina achieved a PR and a ninth-place finish in the 200meter dash. Head Coach Stacey Mickelson said burgeoning spring weather made for excellent conditions and the athletes responded with top per-

formances. The Cowboys will compete again in a meet at Del Norte High School this upcoming Saturday, April 15.

High school golf tournament canceled

The GHS Cowboys girls golf team was set to compete in its first tournament of the season over the weekend in Montrose,

but officials canceled the event due to low temperatures and high winds. The tournament has been rescheduled for May 10 and 11. The Cowboys are scheduled to compete in two tournaments early next week — Monday, April 17 in Durango, and Tuesday, April 18 in Cortez.

Climbers dusted off their chalk bags after a long winter to compete in the Valley Boulder Bash at the Western Climbing Gym on Saturday, April 8. Ceci Davies and Thomas Martin took first in the women’s and men’s divisions, respectively. Abbie Riley finished second, and Poppie Pleak earned third in women’s. Cole Cooper took second in men’s, while RJ Brackett finished third.
B8 • ROUNDUP • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times
Mariel Wiley

Lacrosse

quarter, Crested Butte pulled ahead to a 2-0 lead. Riley Davis scored first with help from Blue Gardner, while Ace Gaither added the second.

The Red Hawks narrowed the gap in the second, scoring two goals early on. But Brenden Hartigan found the back of the net halfway through the quarter, and Gaither added a layer of safety with a second goal. Montrose scored again with less than a minute left and the board read 4-3 at the half.

In the third quarter, Crested Butte set the tone with another early goal from Jack Pierson, who had help from Davis. Hartigan scored again shortly after to establish a sizable lead. The Red Hawks made a valiant effort at a comeback entering the fourth, but another goal from Gardner for the Titans meant the score held. The game ended 8-6.

Head Coach Buck Seling said he knew the game would be competitive and attributed his team’s advantage to strong discipline in the first half.

“We have been working on not creating so many penalties

and we only had two at the half,” Seling said. “But we lacked discipline in periods three and four and recorded seven additional penalties in the second half.” Seling also pointed out strong performances from Gardner and goalie Gavin Fischer. Fischer made nine total saves. Gardner's two goals and single assist set the tone early.

“Those goals were key to the momentum swing our way until Montrose scored those two late goals to make the game look closer than it really was,” Seling said.

The Titans put on a show on Saturday against the Vanguard School. Going into the game, Seling said he had high expectations — record a shutout, score

Cowboys fall to Coal Ridge Titans

15 goals and walk away with no slash penalties.

“We normally do not set purposeful goals for each game, but since we played this team twice last year so I set three and we almost accomplished all three,” he said.

It was a scoring bonanza from the very beginning. The Titans recorded eight goals in the first

quarter alone. Luke Wolton was the top scorer of the game, recording two hat tricks total. Gaither and Pierson each contributed two, while AJ Hegemen and Wyatt Cook each scored one. Gaither also excelled on the passing side, accruing five assists.

Seling said, Fraser Birnie, had a major impact. After each goal, he won He won every face-off after each goal. That paired with improved passing led to a dominating flow of the game. Still, he sees things to work on.

Even though the team scored 12 goals, the team took a total of 50 shots. Seling said the team is still having some difficulty getting the ball in the back of the net — something he plans to work in the coming weeks.

On Tuesday, April 11, the Titans hosted the Durango Demons, but results were not available by press time. This Thursday, April 13, the team will play in Gunnison again in a rematch against the Montrose Red Hawks. Varsity game time is slated for 4 p.m. and the JV squad will play immediately after.

(Jacob Spetzler can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or jacob@gunnisontimes.com.)

from B7
Mariel Wiley After weeks of canceled games due to late winter storms, the Cowboy baseball team successfully hosted its first home games of the season on Tuesday afternoon, April 10. Gunnison fell to Coal Ridge twice in the doubleheader, 14-1 and 13-0.
Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • ROUNDUP • B9
Jacob Spetzler

Is spring finally in the air?

Birds, sunbeams and snails were the focus this week for students at the Gunnison Community School, who warmed up to spring by writing their own haikus. When third grade teacher Janielle Tredway prompted her students to write their own versions of the famous five-seven-five poems, they met the mark with poems that would prepare anyone for spring.

Business Before Hours

Hosted By:

Business After

Hosted By:

- Adult Degree Completion Program

- The Center for Learning & Innovation

- Career Services

with APRIL 21ST 8AM - 10AM Community
learning
season
Join Club Golf Manager, Brian Turner, and Golf Club Restaurant Manager, Roberto Gallardo, in
about food service options this
at Dos Rios Golf Club.
am
10:00 am
Rio, Gunnison Grab a cup of coffee, nibble on morning goodies and network BEFORE HOURS! Not just for members, dining options open to the public!
Friday, April 21st from 8:00
to
501 Camino Del
with APRIL 25TH 5PM-6:30PM Community LEARN MORE AT western.edu/ADC
Hours
WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 | 5:00 – 6:30 pm Taylor Hall Welcome Center - All are Invited!
Gunnison Country Times Thursday, April 13, 2023 • ROUNDUP • B11
Courtesy
THURSDAY,APRIL13 6-7:30PM @theCommunityCenter 200E.Spencer JARRODBIGGS MIRANDAFISHER MICHELLEMETTEER AMANDAWILSON LIGHTREFRESHMENTSSERVED INTERPRETATIONSERVICESPROVIDED Formoreinformation,contactBenCowan,ActingCityManager: 970.641.8070 bcowan@gunnisonco.gov CandidateBiosavailableatgunnisonco.gov/news JUEVES,13DEABRIL 6-7:30PM enelCentroComunitario 200E.Spencer JARRODBIGGS MIRANDAFISHER MICHELLEMETTEER AMANDAWILSON SESERVIRÁNREFRESCOSLIGEROSY PROPORCIONAREMOSSERVICIOSDE INTERPRETACIÓNENESPAÑOL Paramásinformación,contacteaBenCowan,Administrador InterinodelaCiudad:970.641.8070 bcowan@gunnisonco.gov Lasbiografíasdeloscandidatosestándisponiblesengunnisonco.gov/news B12 • ROUNDUP • Thursday, April 13, 2023 Gunnison Country Times

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