NEWS: South 9th Street Studios celebrates grand opening, A13
Happy Cattlemen’s Days! VOL. 142. NO. 27 | THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2023 | $1.00
City signs $1.2 million contract for water plant design Action solidifies VanTuyl Ranch location Bella Biondini Times Editor
On Tuesday night, two unanimous decisions from Gunnison City Council make it likely a new water treatment plant will be constructed on the city-owned VanTuyl Ranch property. Water plant A6
Jacob Spetzler
DON’T GET YOUR PAWS WET: During a break from kayaking, Eric Freson gave Daisy the dog a ride on his kayak while Ailee Larson swam next to them at the Gunnison Whitewater Park on Tuesday, July 11. Daisy isn’t fond of water, so her skill of riding on top of the boat was born from necessity, Freson said.
GVH Paramedics School district TODAY get temporary embarks on solution housing plan lodging New station still INSIDE
NEWS: Heat creeps into the Gunnison Valley, A9
SPORTS: Estrada has eyes on 2024 Summer Olympics, B11
years away as campaign nears goal Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer
OBITUARIES A2-A3 OPINION A4 CLASSIFIEDS A14-A17 SPORTS B11 Abby Harrison
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Andrew Dudna teaches a sixth grade social studies class in May at the Gunnison Community School.
Significant staffing challenge just down the road Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer
The Gunnison Watershed School District (GWSD) Board
has taken another step forward in looking at its potential to offer housing to its employees. Like other public institutions that have entered the housing market, the District is fighting to keep and recruit new employees. To start seeking solutions — and how they could be paid for — the board has solicited a housing action plan. At a school board meeting School district A6
W h i l e G u n n i s o n Va l l e y Health (GVH) Paramedics wait on a new station, a temporary living space has been placed next to the existing one, bridging the gap until a $12 million campaign to build the new station is complete. For years, paramedics have needed a new building, primarily to increase capacity and reduce the distance they have to cover to respond to emergencies. The new modular trailer has seven bedrooms, a common space, a kitchen and bathrooms. It also has a full HVAC system, rated glass and is insulated on the outside walls. The trailer was originally supposed to be on-site in 2021, but was held up by COVID-era manufacturing delays. The City of Gunnison authorized the trailer as a two-year temporary use on
the commercially-zoned lot. The crew moved in at the start of spring. So far, having a place to sleep that is just seconds from the trucks has already made a huge difference, said Chief Paramedic CJ Malcolm. "As an intermediary solution, it's exceptional,” Malcolm said. “It moves us a lot closer to the ambulances by a matter of minutes, we’re essentially right next to them. This is one of our main needs for improving EMS, getting rid of this lengthy walk, or even just slow response, especially at night.” Paramedics had been staying in three of the 10 GVH-owned Elk Crest Condos, just southeast of the hospital campus. In the wintertime, they had to cross the often-icy parking lot to get their trucks — a distance that posed a significant obstacle to time-crunched first responders. Once the paramedics moved out of the condos, GVH immediately filled those spots with other hospital employees, said Vice President of Operations Wade Baker. The cost to lease or purchase the trailer was effectively the same, he said, so the EMS A7