2024-02

Sunday Soup and Conversation

When I first moved to Marble, the Town was crafting a Master Plan. I remember sitting, somewhat lost and confused as a 19-year-old newcomer, at public meetings where the residents of the Town discussed what mattered to them and what was best for Marble. Although I didn't quite grasp the issues, the passion was evident.

Slowly, I came to understand the process and its importance. More than that, I realized that in a town as small and unique as Marble, every voice held weight, every opinion mattered, and it was as close to a form of direct democracy as I was likely to find. These meetings, in large part, made me fall in love with Marble and tiny-town politics.

Marble has changed a lot in the past 22 years. We face new challenges, a shifting demographic, and growing tourism. Many faces who once embodied Marble have moved on, and new people and families have moved in. We have gone from debates about paving the road through Town to trying to hold back the tide of visitors it brings each summer, or if that is what the residents of Marble even want now.

meeting regularly for the last seven months under the guidance of facilitator Mark Chain. Yet, in a recent survey sent out by the committee, only 39% of respondents were full-time residents of Marble and the surrounding area. These survey results can be found on the Town of Marble website at townofmarble.com

From Marble Town Council Woman Amber McMahill

Last April, the Town of Marble was awarded a grant through the Department of Local Affairs to fund an update of the 2002 Master Plan. Requests for volunteers to work on the Master Plan brought in a healthy number of interested parties who have been

Serving on the board can feel like operating in an echo chamber with little direction from the residents of Marble as to what they would like. A handful of people come to the monthly meetings, but often, the board members outnumber the faces in the crowd. It can feel like pulling teeth to get people's input these days, a far cry from the Marble of 20 years ago.

The board members have been doing their best to address the town's challenges, but they need input from the residents to make informed decisions. The Town's new Sunday Soup discussion group hopes to achieve this each Sunday (except Super Bowl Sunday, of course) at 2 p.m. at the Raspberry

Ridge Cafe. We'll sit around, eat free soup, and discuss challenges, priorities, and what is most important to protect and preserve in our area. By participating in these groups, we can help shape our community's future.

If you cannot attend a discussion group, please make sure to fill out and return a survey, write an email, or catch up with a board member or Master Plan Committee Member. It's important to remember that democracy is not a spectator sport, and we all have a responsibility and role to play. Please join this important conversation.

Echoes: Bob Carr

RobeRt (bob) t. CaRR, aRtist May 12, 1943 – January 1, 2024

Bob is gone. He died yesterday (January 1st, 2024) with his beloved son, Grady Carr, by his side holding his hand. Carr had been living in Grand Junction, Colo., for the past several years. In recent months, his health deteriorated from chronic breathing difficulties. In 2017, Grady moved to Grand Junction to be near him and, ultimately, take care of him.

Bob, Jennifer, and their son Grady lived in Redstone from 1988 – 1998, until their move to Mancos, Colo. Over the years, Carr was the artist behind many of the murals and trompe l’oeil wall paintings both in Redstone and Aspen.

He was a talented artist, growing up on the East Coast and living in New York City prior to moving to Colorado. A complicated man and art was his lifelong passion. He loved his son fiercely, and many will remember his faithful dog, Yukon, that could be found by his side.

In the end, Carr refused all life-sustaining care, asked only for pain meds, and said to Grady, “Wow, this is the best I’ve felt in years.” He was a wiry, tough, bad-a--, mother-f-er, and a loving father.

Grady and Jennifer ask that you remember that he died as he lived… on his own terms.

He is survived by his only child Grady and ex-wife Jennifer Carr.

T HE C RYSTAL VALLEY E CHO & Marble Times

Mission Statement: To provide a voice for the residents of the Crystal River Valley; to bring attention to the individuals and local businesses that are the fabric of the Crystal Valley region; to contribute to the vitality of our small town life.

EDITOR AND ADVERTISING SALES

Gentrye Houghton gentryeh@hotmail.com

CONTRIBUTORS

DJ Sugar Monkey

DISTRIBUTION AND LAYOUT DESIGN

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NEWSPAPER BOX LOCATIONS: Third Street Center • Village Smithy Carbondale Post Office • Carbondale Park & Ride The Marble Hub • Redstone General Store

www.thecrystalvalleyecho.com

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Town of Marble Board of Trustees: January 4th Meeting Recap

An Account from DJ Sugar Monkey

Welcome back to a new year of monthly Marble shenanigans. January’s meeting of the Town Council was lively and funpacked. Maybe this was due to the unseasonal lack of snow and the fewer inherent dangers in making the trip to the Marble Community Church Fellowship Hall; maybe it was the extra sugar intake over the holidays; perhaps it was the thought of not having to stand again at the forthcoming elections. Whatever the reason, events had conspired to set the scene for an energetic first meeting of 2024.

Emma Bielski looked glam with a new hairdo for 2024; Mayor Ryan Vinciguerra well-rested; Larry Good, freshly returned from what sounded like a rather grueling trip and poised to immediately embark on another, looked a little frazzled but was later buoyed up by the can of Coke he had raided from the fridge. It’s good to have a brother in sugar. By his side was Amber McMahill, resplendent in a colorful diamond-patterned blouse and the only Council Member not up for reelection this year, and, to her left, the ever-trendy Tony Petrocco, pictured before Christmas in a jazzy little number that reminded me of one of my old cd sleeves. “It’s one of those things that if I go to a party," Petrocco joked, "no one is going to take it.”

The complete roster of the Town’s administrative staff was in attendance as well. Terry Langley on the minutes, Alie Wettstein on the seconds, and Marble’s MVP Ron Leach, the Town Administrator, was recovering from shoulder surgery with his arm in a sling. Nonetheless, he was cheerful behind a stubbly, rugged-looking face in keeping with his resilient character.

I counted 11 residents present together with two other heavyweights: Pat Willits, Executive Director of the Trust for Land Restoration (TLR), and John Armstrong, President of the Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association (CEVPA), both of whom have worked closely with the Board of Trustees over the recent months to hammer out the details of the Marble Wetlands transfer of ownership to the Town.

December's meeting minutes and the Town’s current bills were quickly approved, and the agenda moved on to the consideration of approval for the Marble Wetlands Management Plan. Willits kicked things off by characterizing the Wetlands as “a passive nature reserve.” By that, I got the impression he was

The Marble Town Council meets on the 1st Thursday of each month starting at 7 p.m. in the Marble Community Church’s Fellowship Hall.

Town of Marble meetings are open to the public.

of the opinion that little maintenance or supervision of the area would be needed going forward. Regular readers of this column will know that the Town of Marble’s coffers are not exactly overflowing with excess funds, so there is a high degree of sensitivity over the financial responsibilities that might accompany the transfer of the land to the Town.

The ever-vigilant Tony Petrocco was the first to point this out, highlighting the existing easement between the Wetlands Area and its neighboring property, in place since 1961. Petrocco’s concerns centered around traffic activity and potential oil and diesel spillages that might occur associated with the ongoing construction project on the adjacent land. He added that he had witnessed construction vehicles on the road covered by the easement between the two properties as early as 4 a.m.

This provoked an early contribution from longtime Marble resident (some would say legendary) Sue Blue, praising the contractors for their early start. No one seemed to be sure of the type or extent of the building work underway, but Armstrong mentioned, “A 5,000 square foot garage built to house the neighbor's toys.” Willits admitted that he had not considered the costs to Marble other than “staff time,” whether paid or volunteered, nonetheless envisaging that someone would be out there patrolling the land most days.

Addressing Petrocco’s complaints, Mayor Vinciguerra attempted to knock the discussion on the head, saying that he expected activity to decrease significantly once the construction project was completed later this year. Concerned about potential liability issues, Amber McMahill brought up the matter of the maintenance of the “Old Slag Toe,” which sits within the boundaries of the Wetlands Area and has

been reduced in size and “made safe” with the erection of a surrounding enclosure. Willits assured her that the State of Colorado was to be responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the Toe and for maintaining it in a safe condition.

The conversation then expanded into a more general discussion about liability issues. I am pretty sure that if left unbridled, Willits and Armstrong could have talked the hind legs off a donkey. Resisting the growing urge to gnaw off one of my own limbs, I opted instead for an emergency trip to the fridge for a can of my favorite grapefruit soda. Alas, the fridge was bereft of my go-to beverage but surprisingly well-stocked with Coke, except, of course, for the one Larry Good had snagged. Not to be dissuaded, I grabbed what I thought would be a warm Squirt from a box sitting on the floor nearby, and was pleasantly surprised to find it was still cool. A big thank you to Mike MacKenzie, Church Pastor, for supplying the ammo!

In an attempt to move things along (I think) Emma Bielski thanked Willits and Armstrong for putting together the “impressive” Marble Wetlands Management Plan (still in draft form) that they have worked so hard to complete, highlighting the project as an excellent example of inter-agency cooperation. Joking apart, as a resident of Marble, I would like to also extend my gratitude to both Pat and John.

Gingerly, I opened my drink and enjoyed a couple of slurps while the meeting moved on to set a public hearing to consider the approval of a Liquor License Application for the Beaver Lake Lodge, run by long-time Marble stalwarts Karen and Larry Good. Ron Leach stated that he was in receipt of the couple’s application form and that all the paperwork was in order.

In a rare but welcome appearance, “Classy

February 1st March 7th April 4th

town of MaRble Continued...

Karen” Good explained that she was applying for the license primarily for special events (such as the popular Storytelling and Songwriter nights organized by Larry) and that she was not looking to establish an open bar, but rather create a “convivial lobby” in which Beaver Lake Lodge guests could mingle over a friendly drink. A public hearing was set for March 7th as part of the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees.

In short order, a Resolution (#2024-1) was approved to establish the bulletin board at the Hub as a “public posting place,” and after a brief interruption from Petrocco to ask “Why don’t they plow my street?” approval was given to the Gunnison County Plow IGA.

Next up was the public hearing to approve the 2024 budget. Town Administrator Ron Leach assured everyone present that the budget remains in balance and that Marble has $361k to its name. Property valuations, he announced, were up 41 percent over the trailing year. He raised the possibility of handing some of this “windfall” back to residents, but seeing as the impact of this on the Town budget would be limited to a modest $7k, it was agreed that no rebate would be made. Mayor Vinciguerra added that “the Town needs every dollar it can lay its hands on.”

The two necessary Town ordinances were then quickly passed; #2023-1 (approval of 2024 Mill Levy) and #2023-2 (adoption of 2024 budget).

Richard Wells, the Imelda Marcos of baseball caps, announced that there had been no Parks Committee meeting to report on from the prior month and it then came to Mark Chain to report on the progress of the Master Plan Committee.

He described the Committee as being a “strong-willed” group of nine or 10 residents seeking to establish a work program for the Town over the next five to 10 years. Chain told the Board that he saw “limited scope for exponential growth,” there being only 110 lots in the Town that could be developed. He added that a reform of the zoning code was on the cards and that a designated area for business would probably emerge.

Results of the Master Plan survey indicated that there was not much desire for

Voices of the Crystal

The bank of Crystal River is a significant location for our business. It’s where the mountains meet the river and nature flourishes. Our guests travel here to flyfish the Crystal, which is a natural free-flowing river, rich with an abundance of fish. There is no other place in Colorado to experience the beauty of the White River National Forest and this pristine river. It is a gift to be shared and protected.”

News and Updates

Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Update

A draft management plan for Filoha Meadows Nature Preserve and adjacent properties in the Crystal River Valley is open to public feedback from Jan 15 to Feb 16 The updated plan addresses not only Filoha Meadows, but two adjacent parcels that were acquired after the original Filoha management plan was approved in 2008

Pitkin County Elections Public Logic and Accuracy Test

Pitkin County Election Department will conduct a Public Logic and Accuracy Test of the voting system on Thursday, Feb 1, for the March 5 Presidential Primary Election Members of the public are invited to observe any or all portions of the LAT, but please note that space is limited. The electorate is encouraged to call with questions 970 429 2732

New Map of Road and Capital Maintenance Projects in Pitkin County

Pitkin County Road and Bridge released its newest tool– a dynamic live map showcasing road and capital maintenance projects in Pitkin County This interactive map provides realtime updates on ongoing projects, making it easier for residents to stay informed about construction, maintenance, and improvement activities across the county

Candidate Packets are Now Available

Candidate packets for those interested in running for a county office are now available online at pitkinvotes com Pitkin County offices that will be on the ballot for 2024 are the following: County Commissioner District 3, 4 and 5

Lincoln Creek Water Quality Info. Session, Feb. 1

The public is invited to an information session about the health of Lincoln Creek on Feb 1 at the Rocky Mountain Institute Innovation Center in Basalt from 6 - 7:30 PM The session will go over the results of an Environmental Protection Agency report that showed increasing concentrations of metals in the creek RSVP: https://bit ly/3Sv2qbu

paved roads and that most residents were content with their “water situation,” although most advocated for the ownership of the water company to be passed to the Town. A system of civil over criminal enforcement was generally in favor and expected to encompass a job share scheme.

Chain went on to say that he expected future growth to be slow and organic, with business opportunities scarce. A draft of the Master Plan is to be produced by the end of January.

On the issue of Affordable Housing, he added that the Town lacked the significant funding needed to make any progress, particularly when demand for housing in the area continues to significantly outstrip supply. Notably, he stated that stubbornly high real estate prices would attract “a different type of people” to the area, less likely to be full-time residents.

Once the draft plan has been approved, a series of public meetings will be held to ensure the support of the community as a whole. There was some discussion over whether these meetings should be virtual or face-to-face, with most support coming out for the latter.

When questioned about off-road vehicles, Chain said that most people in town were not going to be comfortable unless the ATV/Lead King Loop issue was resolved and that he foresaw a solution in the form of a permitting system.

The Board of Trustees was unanimous in its desire to encourage maximum involvement from residents in the final stages of the Master Plan process and offered their thanks to Chain for his continued dedication to the formulation of the Plan. McMahill and a handful of residents have already begun to organize Sunday afternoon meetings at the Raspberry Ridge Café. For more details, visit the Town of Marble website at www.townofmarble.com

With the meeting at long last approaching its conclusion, there were just two remaining items on the agenda: Old and New business. Long-time resident and tireless contributor to the Community, Mike Yellico, had asked the Town Administrator to drum up interest in his plan to introduce a system of paid parking at the Mill Site Park, claiming that it could swell Town revenues by as much as $90k per year. Sadly, it was getting late and everyone felt pretty worn out from the lengthy proceedings and were itching to get home; therefore, Yellico’s plan was not given any time for discussion and more details were requested.

Just as we all thought the show was over, a last-minute curveball was pitched from the back of the room by an apparently aggrieved Dustin Wilkey, requesting the Board publish a list of its achievements over the last few years. A little startled, the Trustees agreed to come up with something, but not before Mayor Vinciguerra retorted, rather pithily, “Shall we total up the number of hours dedicated to your zoning request?”

The next meeting of the Town of Marble Board of Trustees will be held on Thursday, March 7th at 7 p.m. at the Marble Community Church Fellowship Hall.

DJ Sugar Monkey is the host of “Snack Time” every other Thursday afternoon from 12-2 p.m.; the first February airing of the show is February 15th. The music show features mostly jazz with a mix of funk and, according to DJ Sugar Monkey, a "smattering of world music thrown in, mostly from Africa."You can find him on KDNK (88.1 FM), Carbondale’s public access radio that connects community members and the world.

By Ron Sorter

Redstone Historical Society's Vintage Valley: A Tribute to Bob Carr

“He was a talented artist and flawed man, but lived and died his own way.” — Jennifer Carr

Robert Thomas Carr was a friend of mine, and he died on the first day of the year at the age of 80. He was an amazing artist and a master with tile, paint, plaster, and every power tool imaginable. He was smart, funny, and complicated. Sometimes, his turmoil got the best of him.

He was a well-known artist in Redstone for an unusual reason. My wife Michelle often worked at the Redstone Art [Gallery] and said, “The one question Bev and I get the most is, ‘Who painted the Mona Lisa on that last house on the Boulevard?’” Redstoners knew it was Bill Jochem’s house, but to everyone else, it was simply “The Mona Lisa House.” How her smile got there is a fascinating story you can read by visiting www. thecrystalvalleyecho.com/william-d-jochems

I asked Bill Jochems about it, and he said, “Bob had done some work for me and asked me if I’d mind him painting a portrait of Mona Lisa on my house. I didn’t, so he painted not just her but a window, porch, and curtain, and the finished product was so perfect that there was no way to tell from the Boulevard that it was painted on clapboard siding. A perfect trompe l’oeil. He later added Da Vinci’s face, but it’s all been painted over now, except for their faces.”

All content sponsored and provided by the Redstone Historical Society.

Below is another life-size trompe l’oeil Bob did of Teddy at the Redstone General Store. Also on clapboard siding.

Jochems said, “His lithographs of local buildings like the [Redstone] Inn were drawn from photos, but he turned them into something else. The perfect angle, the perfect light, it seemed like magic.”

I asked Jennifer Carr, his former wife, about Bob and their life together, and she told me, “Bob was a kid in Maryland and spent lots of time on the sidewalks in D.C., at 11 or 12, doing portraits of people for money. After high

school, he was admitted to the Rhode Island School of Design, where he stayed a year and then went into the Army."

“I met Bob in 1984," she continued, "at a party of artists and musicians in New York City. He’d been living there since the 60s, and I’d been singing all over the city, at Carnegie Hall, and the Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic."

“I knew and sang with Renee Fleming while I was at the Aspen Music Festival from 19821988. Bob visited me there in 1987 and painted a four-story mural on a building that was eventually hidden when the Ritz Carlton was built. But Ben and Jerry had seen it and asked him to do one for them in D.C.," she said.

“In 1987, we bought our house in Redstone and got married in the backyard in 1988," Jennifer continued. "We had a grand piano out there! Renee came and sang with a choir of 30 opera singers, and Bill Jochems and Carrie MacDonald brought buckets of wildflowers. It was wonderful!"

“Then, we rented our house and went to D.C., where Bob did the B&J mural. We visited friends and family, finally returning to Redstone, where our son Grady was born,” she said.

You lead with compassion. You help others feel seen, heard, and valued. Because helping each other is what life is all about. Thank you for choosing to connect with Alpine Bank.

Kevin Kelly had Carr do a private portrait on a building behind his house. “I asked him to do Vermeer’s Girl with A Pearl Earring,” he said. “I wanted it to be for Redstoners who use the road back there. Over the years, it’s rotted off from the sun. He did the same portrait on canvas, so I’m putting that out there, protected from the elements.

“Bob was one of the most talented people I’ve ever met,” he said. “He is the finest plasterer, and he can do amazing on-site calligraphy. He’s not easy to deal with, for sure.”

“We had a fabulous time in Redstone,” Jennifer said, “but with speed bumps. One of my favorite memories is having dinner at [the Sorter's] place (across from Crystal Dreams B&B, "Starry Night"), little Grady playing with his trucks on the floor, and Michelle beating us at Trivial Pursuit. But we eventually wanted to start over somewhere new, so in 1998, we moved to Mancos, where Bob built us a house. It didn’t work out, though, and we divorced. I moved to Texas, and Bob eventually returned to Redstone.”

Carr did a masterly plaster job for me when he returned. I’d added a big room to our house, with a folded origami ceiling, reaching from eight feet to the 15-foot ridge beam. I mixed mud and hoisted it to him on our scaffolds. This 65-year-old man moved scaffold to scaffold, all day long, 10 feet above the concrete floor, hawk in his left hand, trowel in his right, saying things like, “I did a lot of Venetian plaster in New York. See, most guys if they’re right-handed, they’ll put all the plaster on in identical curves.

“Instead, you gotta do random swipes in every direction, like this. If you don’t, you’ll see those identical curves forever.” Years later, I’d stare at that ceiling, amazed at his artistic talent, and his dedication to doing it perfectly.

He lived up Coal Basin in his van back then. The van had a compressor in it, and the airbrush portraits he did were terrific. He gave me the one below. That hat is

perfect.

As we worked together over the years, we talked about everything, including our kids, and he told me his greatest regret was that he hadn’t been a better father to Grady. Carr would sometimes explode when frustrated, and I know they both grieved his difficulty in finding some common ground. Nevertheless, later, when Bob was ailing and alone, Grady was the one who moved to Grand Junction to be with him.

Grady said, “The past few years, especially the last six months, were phenomenally different. We finally got so we could talk straight with each other. I was sitting with him one day and

shared Grady.

I wonder, how many parents can know, as they lay dying, with their son holding their hand, that both of their souls have finally been empowered by the other after a lifetime of it not being so? Bob knew that as he drew his last breath, a godsend from Grady.

said, ‘You thought you were such a bad father. You were a great father. At least you taught me what not to do.’ We’d developed our bond enough, finally, that we both laughed at that. [Above] is a linked picture of us both at about the same age."

“I requested his Army records,” Grady said. “He was always convinced he wasn’t eligible for anything from the VA; in fact, he’d always refused help of any kind. But eventually, he had to admit it was needed, and I helped him get care at the VA in Grand Junction and eventually to live in their domicile unit there.”

“In the end, as they eased his pain, we both knew we’d made it. I held his hand as he died,”

Mike Kennedy, Broker/Owner 970-379-3907

mikekennedy@sopris.net ColoradoHomesRanches.com

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FEBRUARY 13 & 27

• 12:00 p.m. – Lunch ($10)

RSVP by noon the Friday prior – space is limited. Plated lunch will be served.

There will be a gluten-free option.

• 12:45 p.m. – Program February 13: Valentine’s Celebration with guitar music by Shaefer Welch February 27: Pitkin County Property Tax Relief and other resources

MARBLE TIMES

Kids Should Have Chores

By Auggie Tardie, 2nd Grade

Kids should have chores. Imagine not being able to do your own laundry after getting out of school. It would start to smell. The clothes would be all over the place. You would not be prepared for life.

Kids should have chores because they help you develop life skills. My chores include grooming and feeding Hammy (my black lab), cleaning the car, decorating my Christmas tree and putting a Christmas bandana on Hammy.

Because I do chores, my parents will have more time to do fun things with me! Furthermore, I will have the skills I will need when I grow up.

Taking care of Hammy teaches me responsibility, which helps me learn how to care for black labs. When I grow up, I will have 200 black labs.

Another reason why chores are important is they teach life skills. You need to be able to do your own chores when you grow up. If I never learned how to take care of my dog Hammy, I would not be able to have a dog when I grow up. All in all, every kid should have chores.

7th & 8th Grade Trip Fundraising Events

Thank You!

We want to extend our deepest gratitude for our community's support so far this year! The 7th/8th-grade trip is a long-standing tradition that serves as a rite of passage for us as we prepare to transition from our small school to High School. It will be the first big city experience for some of us, while for others, it will be our first significant trip away from our families and community.

This trip, however, is far more than just our final destination. Through planning and fundraising, we acquire skills such as budgeting, teamwork, marketing, bookkeeping, transportation and lodging navigation, event management, and of course letter writing!

We chose San Diego this year to align with our school-wide theme of Water and hope to explore the tide pools and beaches, learn snorkeling, visit the zoo and Balboa Park, and experience the area's rich history, particularly the maritime history at the Maritime Museum.

We have many more fun events planned for this winter and spring, and we hope to see you all there! Inspired by our friend Terry Langley, we are offering stock in our trip for sale! You can choose what you invest in with options like transportation, food or lodging. We have set up an online store or you can buy in person. After our trip, all stockholders will be invited to a special dinner and presentation to celebrate our journey and their investment!

Sincerely, Ali,

Bas, Delphi, Ellamae, Elsie, Emme, Mason and Tobin

Scan the QR code to purchase Stock Certificates in our trip! You can also contact the school at 970 963-9550 to learn how to donate!

Wear your winter gear for outdoor viewing and bonfire at Propaganda Pie at 467 Redstone Boulevard.

Admission is $20 with an option to buy a $15 all you can eat pasta buffet that includes a glass of wine or beer.

MaRCh 2nd

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Film begins at 6:30 p.m.

Please come and support the Marble Charter School and enjoy some backcountry adventures.

MCS and Pitkin County Heathy Rivers

"In the end we will conserve what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we have been taught."

-Baba Djoum, Senegalese Forest Engineer

The Marble Charter School would like to give a big thanks to the Pitkin County Healthy Rivers Board for providing us with a grant that has allowed us to really get to know our Crystal River. Students have worked with many organizations to learn about the importance of our river and the gifts it continues to give our community. Please stay tuned to more exciting lessons we learn from the Crystal River.