Carbondale man takes planning reins
A temporary successor has been named to replace La Plata County’s outgoing planning director, Erick Aune.

Gary Suiter, a consultant from Carbondale, will be taking over interim planning duties effective Jan. 3. The owner of Suiter Associates, a planning, management and recruitment firm, Suiter’s resume includes 30 years in public administration, including stints as city manager, county manager and community development director. He was in Durango this week familiarizing himself and “getting the lay of the land.”

“I met with staff and reintroduced myself to the Board of County Commissioners,” he said.

Suiter first met county commissioners last September when he was hired by the City of Durango to facilitate a retreat between City Council and commissioners. “It was a good outcome, and I got the opportunity to meet county officials and management staff, so I had some familiarity,” he said.

Suiter is also no stranger to the unique planning issues facing La Plata County. “I have a lot of experience with local governments on the Western Slope and in mountain resort towns,” he said. “I have consulted throughout the Rocky Mountain West.”

Serving as director since March 2008, Aune tendered his resignation Dec. 9, a day after the county Planning Commission dumped the Comprehensive Plan that Aune and his staff has been working on for two years. “After the conclusion of the Comprehensive Plan on Dec. 8, I believe it is now time to focus my energy in other arenas,” Aune wrote in a letter to Interim County Manager Joanne Spina on Dec. 9.

Aune did not return phone calls earlier this month from a Telegraph reporter seeking comments on the failed comp plan.

Before becoming planning director, a position he took over from Nancy Lauro, Aune worked as a long-range planner for the county for three years. Prior to that, he worked in Aztec as the city planner before leaving in 2003 for a stint in the Peace Corps. Upon being hired by La Plata County in 2005, Aune briefly moved to Durango before returning to Aztec, preferring to commute.

The official date of resignation for Aune is Jan. 2. Suiter said Spina contacted him earlier this month with the news. “She asked if I could come down and help out, and as luck would have it, there’s a gap in my schedule right now, so I have some time.”

Suiter signed a four-month contract, which expires in May. He said his duties will include those in the planning director job description, including general management and overseeing of all long-term planning projects. Although his firm will not be involved in the recruitment process for a new director, he has been asked to provide input in the selection process.

The county is also seeking a new county manager to replace Shawn Nau, who resigned in July.

Animas River Group takes next step
Although the Animas River has slowed to a seasonal trickle, the conversation over protecting it is still flowing. The Animas River Protection Workgroup met Dec. 18 in Silverton to discuss the natural and recreational values of the river, the current protections it has, and whether or not those protections are adequate.

“How do you know what to protect unless you know what you value,” said Marsha Porter-Norton, facilitator for the River Protection Workgroup.
The group solidified a list of values the river brings to Durango and Silverton, including economic, recreational and natural. Responses were divided on whether or not current regulations go far enough to protect these values. They are examining the river in three sections and plan to focus on one segment at a time. The Dec. 18 meeting spotlighted the section of the Animas River from Baker’s Bridge to Silverton.

Currently, a variety of federal and local protections apply to this stretch. For example, part of it passes through the Weminuche Wilderness, which garners strict protections under the federal Wilderness Act.

Other uses and concerns discussed at the meeting included the Durango Silverton and Narrow Gauge Railroad, current water rights, water quality, and the economics of the area.

One of the potential protections in the conversation stems from a recommendation the U.S. Forest Service made in a 2007 draft report, which lists all three river segments of the Animas as “preliminarily suitable” for the Wild and Scenic River designation.

“The Forest Service is required to do an eligibility recommendation,” said Wendy McDermott, River Program Director for the San Juan Citizens Alliance. A final report on the eligibility is due out next year.

“The workgroup is looking at that as a tool in the tool shed,” McDermott said. It is one of many tools the Animas River Workgroup is considering in finding ways to preserve the natural value of the river, while allowing for water development.

Rivers are examined for unique, rare or significant features identified as “Outstanding Remarkable Values” in determining their suitability for Wild and Scenic. These are based on land ownership and uses, and the potential effects the designation would have on those uses. The dialogue in the workgroup does not lead to an immediate change in designations.

“It’s important to note that a Wild and Scenic River designation is done by an act of Congress,” McDermott said.

The River Protection Workgroup, organized in 2006, combines the voices of interested parties, like the San Juan Citizens Alliance, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Southern Ute Indian Tribe, and the staff members of state senators and representatives into a dialogue about the value and future of selected streams in the area.
Smaller workgroups focus on specific streams and rivers, considering their uses and producing a range of options. The Animas River Workgroup is one part of that larger dialogue.
Others workgroups include Hermosa Creek, San Juan River, Vallecito Creek/Pine River, and Piedra River.
The Animas and Piedra River workgroups are working on completing their conversations. Once they have, a regional assessment will be made. Then actions, such as the Wild and Scenic River designations, can be discussed in earnest.

The end product for the River Protection Group is to create a consensus-based report offering suggestions for additional protections. “It’s hoped that the Forest Service will take it into consideration,” Porter-Norton said of the report.

The next meeting for the Animas River Workgroup is Jan. 30 at 5:30 p.m.; the location has yet to be determined. The group plans to look closely at the other two segments of the river, Mineral and South Mineral creeks.

Although the public is encouraged to get involved in the process, attendees are asked to review the meeting agendas and minutes at ocs.fortlewis.edu/riverprotection.

Telluride water levels unusually low
The town of Telluride is keeping a close eye on the faucet.

According to the Telluride Daily Planet, the town’s water supply from Mill Creek is unusually low.

“We have a bit of decreasing volume there where we could be in a position where we might not be able to meet demand,” Town Manager Greg Clifton said. “It’s an unusual event.”

Water levels in Mill Creek, the stream that runs northwest of town and supplies Telluride, began to drop unexpectedly during the past couple of weeks.
The town’s plan of attack is to fire up a temporary system of pumps and pipes that transports water from downstream back up to the plant at the top of

Mill Creek Road. This system was installed during a 2002 drought, but hasn’t been used since.
Town Manager Greg Clifton has also urged people to conserve.

This unexpected turn comes during the holiday season when the demand for water is at it highest. Bill Goldsworthy, the water plant supervisor, is quoted saying, “I’ve been here for 30 some odd years and I’ve never seen it this low in December.”

Mill Creek does not have lakes or reservoirs for storage, and the town’s backup water source, Stillwell Tunnel, doesn’t flow year round. However, Clifton said if a couple of big storms come through the area, the problem could be over.

– Tracy Chamberlin and Missy Votel