TELLURIDE TOWN BRIEFS

TELLURIDE – The Telluride Town Council on Tuesday unanimously approved $215,000 in grant allocations for the 2010 budget year recommended by to it the Commission for Community Assistance, Arts and Special Events.

The amount, of which $125,000 is dedicated to arts and special events organizations and $90,000 goes to nonprofit community support programs, represents a 26 percent decrease from its 2009 budget of $290,000.

Ron Gilmer, chair of the CCAASE board, noted that the board reviewed grant proposals according to eight criteria codified last year after council asked the board to review its grant application process.

Among the review criteria are: an organization’s efforts to promote collaboration with other local nonprofits; the urgency of the request and the effect of reduced funding on an organization’s operations or sustainability; and the participation level of its board of directors.

Councilmember Brian Werner questioned why some large, self-sustaining organizations receive relatively small grants in proportion to their overall budgets when that money might instead be directed to smaller organizations.

Gilmer explained that the small amounts given to large organizations demonstrate community buy-in that is important to have when seeking funding from other sources.

“If they don’t get funding from the town its difficult for them to get funding from corporate and other sponsors,” he explained. “They have a big budget but they also have a very tight budget.”

In a separate agenda item council appointed local thespian Sasha Cucciniello, who is currently employed by the Telluride Council for the Arts and Humanities and has extensive experience in the nonprofit world, to an alternate seat on the CCAASE board.

Energy Conservation Resolved
In response to the high demands for electricity that triggered blackouts in both Telluride and Mountain Village on Dec. 30, council unanimously approved a resolution that encourages electricity conservation by residents, second homeowners, visitors and businesses when it met on Tuesday and has plans to ask the Mountain Village Town Council to do the same.

Conservation measures should include turning off appliances and electrical fixtures when not in use, using energy efficient equipment and devices, and using electricity – such as that to run a dishwasher – during non-peak periods whenever feasible.

“As individuals and citizens of this community and the world we should be responsible enough to care about reducing out energy needs,” said Councilmember Thom Carnevale, who originated the idea for the resolution.

While Councilmember Chris Myers suggested that passage of the resolution be continued in order to make it more substantive, Carnevale explained that the intent of the resolution is to call attention to the problem, not to solve it immediately.

Mayor Stu Fraser said that a more comprehensive, regional energy conservation plan is in the works, but it will take more time.

“This is a precursor for what’s to come,” he said.

Valley Floor Annexation Proceeds

After finding that a petition to annex the Valley Floor into the town boundaries filed on Jan. 21 is in compliance with state statute, council unanimously resolved to set a public hearing on the matter for its next meeting on March 9.

According to Colorado law at least one-sixth of the perimeter of the area proposed for annexation must be contiguous with the existing incorporated town boundary.

Additionally, “a community of interest” between the land proposed for annexation and the town must be demonstrated, and the land must be shown capable of being integrated with the town.

Although the town acquired the property from the San Miguel Valley Corporation in June 2008 after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that the town could condemn parcel for as open space following years of legal wrangling, the Valley Floor will remain in San Miguel County until the annexation is complete.

To that end, the San Miguel County Commissioners last week voted unanimously to waive an annexation impact report also required by state law for properties larger than 10 acres that would otherwise delay the annexation process.