High Country Advocate Staff
The Salida City Council met December 2, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. for their regular meeting. After the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call showed all council members present: Alisa Pappenfort, Suzanne Fontana, Aaron Stephens, Wayles Martin, Joey Rovinsky, and Shelley Schreiner. Mayor Justin Critelli presided.
Two residents confronted council with preservation and access issues during citizen comment—one appealing to save Salida’s last significant railroad structure from demolition, the other demanding winter access to the publicly-owned golf course.
Brian Betchold, a Ward 2 resident, urged council to intervene before Union Pacific Railroad completes demolition of the Calco building across the Arkansas River, the last remaining railroad structure of significance on the original rail yard site.
“Salida is a community that values historic buildings. We claim to have the largest historic district in the state, and I think the Calco building would make a welcome addition to that, especially since it’s across the river and it is the last remaining railroad structure of any significance left on the site,” Betchold said. “This town was founded on the railroad and I think we need to keep a symbol of that history for others to enjoy in the future.”
Betchold, who provided information to council about three or four weeks ago and has been in contact with City Administrator Christy Doon about the issue, acknowledged the building “is pretty ugly right now” but proposed a practical solution: let Union Pacific remove hazardous materials, windows, and exterior shell, but preserve the steel superstructure.
“It could be the skating rink which seems to be looking for a home. It could be markets. It could be an anchor for that side of the river for the city and S Mountain. It’s just limited by our vision of what it could be,” Betchold said, comparing it to the steam plant purchase that skeptics once considered a boondoggle but now serves as “a treasure for this city.”
“They’ve been tearing down buildings all over the West. Let’s not be one of those places. Let’s save our heritage please,” he concluded, asking council to negotiate with Union Pacific for donation or purchase of the structure.
Dr. Sue Sully, who lives near the Salida golf course, challenged council over winter access restrictions that she says contradict the property’s recent rezoning as a city park.
Sully said that when she moved to Salida 12 years ago, winter use of the golf course for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing “was common, permitted, and even encouraged.” Since the current management contract began five years ago, however, “the superintendent ensures that no one who is not a golfer is allowed on the course at any time he’s at work.”
After multiple attempts to work with her ward council member, the city administrator, the PROST board, and the golf course board yielded no change, Sully contacted her council member again and received a response from Doon stating the current operating agreement—valid until March 1, 2027—does not provide for community winter use, and “I do not expect there will be any change this winter.”
“I think this is unacceptable,” Sully said. “With the recent change to zoning as park and with support from all the locals I’ve spoken with, I’m asking the council to open the course for winter use this season.”
Sully offered to solicit letters from other citizens supporting winter access. “The golf course is my neighborhood. I’d like to see the management company and the golf course board act as better neighbors, allowing citizens access to the course in winter, setting guidelines for where and how it can be used. The greens are fenced so there will not be any damage.”
“I ask council to act positively to make this change to restore use by all citizens of Salida as a city park,” she concluded.
Council did not respond to either citizen comment during the meeting.
In other business, council approved an amendment to the Jane’s Place affordable housing development agreement, updating the construction timeline for the 17-unit project on the southwest corner of West 3rd Street and Highway 291.
The Chaffee Housing Authority project includes 12 income-restricted units at 100% or less of Chaffee County Area Median Income and 5 unrestricted units, with a 30-year affordability period. The development prohibits short-term vacation rentals and implements an “unbundled parking” program offering parking permits, public transit access, carpooling coordination, and bicycle parking instead of traditional parking requirements.
Council approved Resolution 2025-53 declaring December 9, 2025 as ChaffeeGIVES Day.
Sitting as the Liquor Licensing Authority, council approved a new tavern liquor license for The Office Bar, LLC at 146 West First Street. Applicants Brooke Downer, Ann Calsbeek, and Sarah Smith received approval after completing required police and fire inspections.
Council also approved a change of location for Little Cambodia, LLC’s liquor license from 720 E. Highway 50 to 7595 W. Highway 50.
The consent agenda passed unanimously, including final settlement for the 2025 Asphalt Maintenance Project, award of the South Ark Neighborhood Owner’s Representative contract, a professional services agreement for IT services with Orion Integration Services, and a memorandum of understanding with the county on EPR Education and Outreach funds.
In reports, City Administrator Doon highlighted the community’s fundraising success for the Parade of Lights fireworks display. After High Country Bank stepped back from sponsoring the event last year, community members Michael and Maselle Bridwell and Aaron Bridwell coordinated a fundraising effort that raised $10,000 in approximately two weeks.
“This has always been a community-sponsored, community-leveraged event,” Doon said, noting the city provides staff support through firefighters who oversee the fireworks, but funding comes from the community.
Sponsors included Full Circle Real Estate Group (title sponsor), All Over the Fun Overalls, Salida Gun Shop, Accel Energy, Mountain Ventures, Poncha Lumber, and Kravonic Jewelers.
Doon also announced the Downtown Business Group’s new passport program, where shoppers who spend $100 at participating businesses can enter a drawing for prizes.
Doon said Kathryn Wadsworth from Downtown Colorado, Inc. met with the Downtown Business Group that morning and the group is “super excited with everything that’s happening.” The city will soon unveil Downtown Colorado Inc.’s final report.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:27 p.m.
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