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2 days ago | 
gunnisontimes.com | Alan Wartes
For at least three decades, Gunnison County commissioners have wrestled with the same question every fall when finalizing the budget: how to pay for road and bridge maintenance. A combination of factors — from stagnant state revenue to dramatic cost increases in every aspect of maintenance operations — has steadily increased the gap between what is needed, and the resources available to do the job.
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2 days ago | 
gunnisontimes.com | Alan Wartes
U.S. Congressman Jeff Hurd attended a work session meeting of the Board of County Commissioners on Monday to discuss issues of local concern and receive input from county officials. Roughly 20 members of the public attended the meeting. Board chair, Commissioner Laura Puckett Daniels, set expectations in opening comments. She reminded attendees that the meeting was not a town hall, or a regular meeting of the board of commissioners which includes opportunity for public comment.
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2 weeks ago | 
gunnisontimes.com | Alan Wartes
Thanks to a $61,500 grant from the Colorado Energy Office (CEO), Gunnison County has removed one possible barrier to affordable housing construction in the valley. Free model home plans are now available to anyone planning to build their own home. The designs are pre-approved for code compliance within unincorporated Gunnison County.
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3 weeks ago | 
gunnisontimes.com | Alan Wartes
Three lawsuits against Gunnison County filed in early 2024 by the owners of residential property north of Crested Butte have been settled and withdrawn. The settlement ended a challenge that centered on whether county land use regulations had been implemented in such a way as to infringe upon private property rights.
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3 weeks ago | 
gunnisontimes.com | Alan Wartes
On May 6, the Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District will hold an election to fill two open seats on its board of directors. Each position carries a four-year term. Voters in the district will choose between six candidates. The following presents their answers to three questions the Times posed about their qualifications for the job and thoughts about recreation in the valley. These email responses have been edited for length and clarity.
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1 month ago | 
gunnisontimes.com | Alex Mccrindle |Alan Wartes
Gunnison County commissioners are considering a change in how building permit fees are calculated, charging a flat 1% of the estimated valuation of a proposed project. That would be good news for people wanting to undertake projects less than $500,000 in value, who would see permit fees drop by up to 25%. However, new construction at the high end — $2 million and up — could see the amount they pay double, or even triple. A public hearing on the proposed change will be held in mid-May.
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1 month ago | 
montrosepress.com | Alan Wartes
In a unanimous decision on March 27, the Western Colorado University Board of Trustees gave final approval for a 36-unit housing project on campus at a cost of nearly $13 million. The move concludes a years-long effort to alleviate the university’s hiring difficulties due to a shortage of suitable housing in the valley. “This is a huge day for Western,” Western President Brad Baca said after the vote.
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1 month ago | 
montrosepress.com | Alan Wartes
The Cattlemen’s Days committee has announced an end to the collaboration with Tough Enough To Wear Pink (TETWP) at the annual Cattlemen’s Day Rodeo. Gunnison Tough is a new local non-profit that has evolved from its origins as Cattlemen’s Day TETWP to move in new directions as a cancer support provider in the Gunnison Valley.
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1 month ago | 
gunnisontimes.com | Alex Mccrindle |Alan Wartes
Looming federal budget cuts and workforce changes have yet to directly affect Gunnison Watershed School District and Western Colorado University programs. But administrators at both Gunnison Valley education institutions report that the current climate of uncertainty has complicated efforts to plan for future operations. Both the university and the school district receive federal funding through a variety of agencies, depending on the programs the money is meant to support.
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1 month ago | 
gunnisontimes.com | Alex Mccrindle |Alan Wartes
Our coverage continues this week asking the question on just about everyone’s mind: What is the likely local impact of changes in the federal workforce and government? If you haven’t read Bella Biondini’s excellent article in the March 6 edition of the Gunnison Times called “Firings threaten valley’s public lands,” then do yourself a favor and retrace your steps to rectify that.
