NEWS | COMMUNITY | SPORTS | CULTURE | OPINION OCTOBER east Cancer AWARENESS CrCrestedested ButtButtee NNewsews MONTH the News never sleeps | www.crestedbuttenews.com VOL.60 | NO.41 | OCTOBER 9, 2020 | 50¢ GVRHA looks to local builders for housing input Looking at what it takes to build affordably and efficiently [ BY KATHERINE NETTLES ] Affordable housing has had some ups and downs across the valley over the years, with new rental, ownership and deed restriction op- tions coming online in small batches and larger projects on the horizon but major projects like the corner at Brush Creek that have not come to fruition. The Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority (GVRHA) has started reaching out to local builders to get their honest feedback on what makes or breaks affordable housing -pro Narda Lebo working on the new Center jects as they move to create more opportunities for the Arts mural. photo by Nolan Blunck for the local workforce to live where they work. If these walls could talk: During the last GVRHA board meeting in September two experienced local builders, How public murals reflect a John Stock and Joel Wisian, called in to share CBMR preps their ideas. Both have contributed to successful affordable housing projects in the north valley. community’s values Both suggested that clear ideas, an understand- ing of architectural requirements and higher for winter town is not the most artistic in de- Local artists paint new density will benefit affordable housing projects murals in Crested Butte sign, the new Black Lives Matter of the future. operations and Montrose street painting on Elk Avenue does John Stock owns and operates High just that: supports the community’s Mountain Concepts with his wife, Karen, and desire to become more welcoming, “The ultimate goal is to get open [ BY KENDRA WALKER ] also founded the non-profit Student Organiza- diverse and inclusive. tion Achieving Results (SOAR) in coordination Another new mural coming to and stay open all season long” Public art often reflects the with Crested Butte Community School. Stock life in Crested Butte can be found [ BY KENDRA WALKER ] heart and soul of its community, and has completed several independent affordable that certainly applies in this town. at the concrete wall directly in front housing projects with SOAR in both Crested Whether your favorites include the of the old Center for the Arts. Local With winter just around the corner, Crest- Butte and in Crested Butte South, as well as brightly painted buses, the shiny artist Narda Lebo has been commis- ed Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) prepares projects for the free market. - sioned by the Center to paint the for its upcoming 2020/2021 season with new chrome sculptures, the Crank’s Pla Joel Wisian owns Bywater Development - mural and has been working on the safety protocols established for employees and za Spearchucker or even the rain with his wife, Amy. He recently built the Para- bow-colored buildings, the public painting for the last nine weeks. guests to ensure pandemic-friendly operations. dise Park affordable housing development with art around Crested Butte illustrates “It’s the first big thing besides 27 units near Rainbow Park in Crested Butte, During the October 1 Virtual Town Hall the school when you come into hosted by Gunnison County Health and Hu- the historic and quirky character we and also builds homes on the free market. all hold dear. And recent mural art town,” says Lebo about the Center, The two builders offered their input on man Services, CBMR vice president and chief recognizing the importance of cap- popping up in the area demonstrates what to do differently to find more traction for operating officer Tim Baker spoke on CBMR’s just how important public art today turing the community in this piece. plans for winter operations. affordable housing projects in the future, taking can be as a voice for a community’s “I think that community art is very - “We recognize how important the ski sea- much from their personal experiences work ideals. important to people on a very inter- ing with the town of Crested Butte. Many of son is to this community,” said Baker. “The “Public art has historically rep- nal level. I wanted to give people ultimate goal is to get open and stay open all their suggestions addressed making affordable resented the values of a community, in the community, whether they’re season long.” housing projects less risky for private develop- artists or not, something that makes He continued, “We will be striving for and it’s telling to see Crested Butte ers to invest in, so they get more interest and embrace public space for public art,” them feel better. It’s a visual thing consistency,” explaining that Vail Resorts is es- even competitive offers. says local artist Heather Bischoff. that makes you feel happy,” she says tablishing expectations for guests ahead of time “The public/private partnership is the Bischoff, whose murals can be of her mural, titled “Be Inspired.” in order to be prepared for the wide variety of only way we will efficiently get affordable spotted around town, including the Lebo based her design not only elements that could come this winter. housing,” said Wisian of the concept. cat and dog Mountain Express bus on the Center’s architecture that takes CBMR is scheduled to open on November GVRHA executive director Jennifer and in the Third Street public re- inspiration from the town’s surround- Kermode agrees. “They were very informa- 25, and staff has been collaborating closely with stroom lobby, advocates for public ing scenery and history, but also on tive,” she said. “They came up with a lot of public health and elected officials on safety pro- what inspires her about Crested Butte. art and the opportunity it presents— things that I think we can do, such as try- tocols and plans. - to express a community’s desires “The forest, the mountains, the flow ing to pack as many of the entitlement fees During the Zoom meeting, Baker walked and beliefs. ers—it’s just an explosion in your face through plans for safety, the new reservation into the back end of the transaction so that And even though the most re- all day long,” she says. system, operational changes and new features holding costs aren’t quite as expensive on cent public painting addition in CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 available to Epic pass holders. the front end for builders.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 Safety The focus for winter operations is safety. “Our most important value has always been, be [ OvOverhearderheard ] safe,” said Baker. “The protocols we’ll have in place are protocols in all of our North American “Other than what resorts… We are training our staff as aggres - you are thinking sively as we can to be ready for winter season,” and believing, said Baker, ensuring that staff will have exten- 28 30 sive training, supplies and PPE equipment. are you ok?” Ballots Cross Country CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 2 | October 9, 2020 EDITEDITORIALORIAL Crested Butte News WWORLDORLD NEWNEWSS WORLD Tasmanian devils return to Australian wild after 3,000 years Tasmanian devils have been released into the wild on Australia’s mainland 3,000 years after the feisty marsupials became extinct there, in what conservationists described Monday as a “historic” step. Aus- sie Ark, along with a coalition of other conservation groups, revealed on Monday that they had released 26 of the carnivorous mammals into a 1,000-acre sanctuary at Barrington Tops, about 3.5 hours north of Sydney. Tim Faulkner, president of Aussie Ark, said the releases in July and September were the first steps in a project akin to the suc- cessful move to return wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the United States in the 1990s. —information compiled from The Telegraph NATION Texas congressman calls on state attorney general to resign A Republican congressman from Texas became the most prominent member of his party to call for the resignation of the state’s Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, following revelations that Paxton’s top photo by Robby Lloyd deputies reported him to law enforcement for alleged crimes includ- Numbers ing bribery and abuse of office. Rep. Chip Roy, who was previously Paxton’s top deputy in the attorney general’s office, said in state - Math geeks say numbers can be poetry. I’m a bridge is necessary to cross a canal, but once ment Monday that his former boss must step down “for the good of not there but numbers certainly can tell a story. installed that bridge messes with water the local the people of Texas.” Roy’s call for Paxton’s resignation comes days This week it seems numbers that might individu- ranchers depend upon, there is bound to be con- after seven senior lawyers in Paxton’s office sent a letter to the of- ally be interesting by themselves collectively show flict. fice’s head of human resources saying that they reported their boss to tensions escalating in our home. The numbers not If 80,000 poop bags are distributed that’s a lot “the appropriate law enforcement authority” for potentially break- only tell a story but also provide a warning. And of poop percolating in the landfill or as we all see ing the law “in his official capacity as the current Attorney General these are numbers coming to the forefront just this too often, along a single track. Providing people of Texas.” Among other issues, Paxton used the power of his office week… in RVs a safe place to dump their poop is a good to lean on Gunnison County after it shut its doors to vacation home- thing until there are too many and they impact our owners—including a top donor.