NEWS: Barn space open to 4-H members next year, A16
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VOL. 143 NO. 25 | THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2024 | $1.00
Communityowned free therapy program live 12 local businesses signed up Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer
BEATS IN THE HEAT: Musicians of all ages joined together to create a lively rhythm during a drum circle at the Summer Solstice Block Party on June 15. The event was sponsored by the Gunnison Arts Center and Wheelies and Waves. For more, see B4. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)
INSIDE
TODAY NEWS: Research highlights senior mental health, A14
COMMUNITY: A family reconnected on Flag Day, B1
SPORTS: U14 softball falls short at home, B6
OPINION A4 CLASSIFIEDS A18-A21 SPORTS B6 ONLINE GUNNISONTIMES.COM
Therapy A6
District receives Under new leader$5 million in grants ship, city redrafts for school renova- priorities tion project Centered on housing, sibly shift how to spend bond Board to proceeds. economic After Gunnison Valley votconsider budget ers narrowly approved a $95 development, bond, supported by a increase at next million property tax increase, the dis- fire station trict embarked on the largest meeting renovation project in its history. Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer
OBITUARIES A2
As of this month, over a hundred Gunnison Valley employees now have access to free therapy through their employers. The new employee assistance program (EAP) allows small businesses to provide mental health care options to their staff for just $34 a year per employee. Through the program, employees get up to five free counseling sessions per life event (such as the death of a fam-
Construction is well underway at Gunnison Watershed School District schools. But with a recent influx of over $5 million in state grants for the district-wide renovation project, the board is faced with a decision of how much to increase the project’s budget, and pos-
The district had a stroke of luck selling its bonds on the market, and received more in proceeds than expected. In February of this year, the board approved a larger budget, authorizing the project team to spend $115 million. “After an incredible bond sale and an incredible swing of the bat at these BEST grants, Budget A6
Bella Biondini Times Editor
Similar to a scaled-down version of Crested Butte’s “Community Compass,” the City of Gunnison has drafted its own set of shared community values it hopes will influence decision making moving forward. The city, with help from an outside consultant, kicked off the planning stage in February.
The consultant conducted 24 one-on-one interviews with many of the city’s main partners such as Gunnison Valley Health, Western Colorado University, the Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce and the Gunnison Watershed School District, as well as city department directors. It also incorporated resident feedback from the city’s recent community survey. The planning team noted common themes that eventually became a new list of priorities pulled directly from conversations with leaders across the community. The consistency was quite remarkable, said City Manager Amanda Wilson. The city’s five stated priorities, or “imperatives” are: housing Priorities A10