The Buena Vista (BV) Trustees regular meeting on Tuesday evening, February 28 was an efficient session, with the board approving the rezoning application for the four lots that will constitute the space for the Billy Cordova Memoria Park and Trail.
The town-owned lots, officially referenced as 155,156,169, and 179 of Sunset Vista Filing IV, required rezoning from R1 (residential) to Open Space/Recreation (OSR) to contain the Billy Cordova Memoria Park and Trail.
In a separate action, the trustees held a public hearing and considered Resolution No. 19, Series 2023 supporting a Community Impact Grant application by Great Colorado Outdoors (GOCO) to fund the Billy Cordova Memorial Park and Trail construction.
The overall cost of park construction is $1.26 million. The grant application to GOCO will be written for $750,000. Extending the trail all the way to Rodeo Drive is a future expansion.
“We’re asking them for one-third of the cost,” explained Recreation Supervisor Shane Basford. “We are pursuing local and regional grants, of course. It was GOCO’s advice to secure the GOCO funding first before going after local and regional grants. That way we can use the GOCO grants as a match — so the $750,000 from GOCO will make the other grants easier.”
“It’s a wonderful park,” concluded Mayor Libby Fay as she asked for a motion to approve the GOCO grant application process. The motion to approve was made by Devin Rowe, seconded by Cindy Swisher, and passed unanimously.
In other business, the trustees approved Resolution No. 18, Series 2023 appointing Andy Krawciw as a regular voting member and vice chairman, and William DeLay as an alternate member of the Central Colorado Airport Advisory Board. This resolution will also renew Wayne Lee and Bob Dimmit as regular voting members.
Buena Vista Community Center (Image Courtesy of Buena Vista Recreation)
During staff reports, Town Treasurer Phillip Puckett reviewed the changes to the town’s 2023 budget that have already been approved by the board. (see page 72 of the Trustees packet).
From a sales tax standpoint, he noted that December 2022 sales tax revenue exceeded plan, putting the town seven percent over its projected revenue budget for the year. This coming week the auditors will be at Town Hall conducting the annual audit.
The Recreation Department noted that it has offered the Recreation Facility Assistant role to Annie Carlson and she has accepted. “She’s lived here four years and participated in rec programs, and been a youth sports coach,” explained Basford.
Fay noted that there are two meetings being held at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds that are important to county residents:
- An input session scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, March 1 has been set to gather input regarding the county’s need for an assisted living and independent living facilities in the county. Ideas have been floated for the past two years, but no progress has been made.
- There is a scheduled broadband meeting beginning at 11:00 a.m. March 6 at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds
“We have a nursing home, but we need assisted living and Independent living — a way to give older people a chance to stay in the community rather than leaving with their volunteer time and their philanthropy,” said Fay.
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