Gunnison City Council observed a moment of silence at their February 10 meeting for a family who lost their home in a recent fire and thanked first responders who assisted. The council heard announcements on state legislative bills affecting ski towns and recognized a staff member’s federal grants administration certification. The agenda included a $3,227,388 water treatment plant design-build contract, $498,582 fire station design services, and $233,150 in vehicle purchases scheduled for consideration.
Note: Meeting recording captured opening announcements but not action item discussions. This article reports verified announcements and agenda items scheduled for council consideration.
Opening and Announcements
Council opened the meeting with a moment of silence to remember a family affected by a house fire and to thank first responders who provided assistance. Council members reflected on being grateful for those close to them and showing kindness to neighbors.
Council discussed legislative bills through the Colorado Association of Ski Towns. House Bill 1036 on local taxes for vacant residential property died in committee on a 7-4 vote and will not advance. CAST supports House Bill 1065 for transit and housing investment zones, House Bill 1004 for child care income tax credit, House Bill 1066 for tax exemptions for low-income rental property development, and Senate Bill 001 for workforce housing tax credit support. CAST maintains a monitoring position on House Bill 1001, the HOME Act, while Colorado Municipal League opposes the bill allowing certain entities to build housing by right regardless of zoning.
City Manager Amanda Wilson recognized Jackie, a procurement and contracts specialist who obtained federal certification for grants administration. Wilson explained the certification ensures compliance as the city obtains future federal grants and maintains proper procedures. Jackie has worked with the city for about a year and a half, working remotely from Minnesota, and collaborates closely with Public Works on procurement, contracts, and grants.
Western Colorado University student liaison Townes Bakke, SGA Vice President for External Affairs, announced upcoming university events and programs. The university is partnering with Common App, a third-party application platform that allows students to submit materials including GPA and statistics to multiple colleges through one website, which Western hopes will support annual admissions growth.
Water Treatment Plant Contract
The agenda included a $3,227,388 design-build contract with The Haskell Company for raw water conveyance system and new Water Treatment Plant scheduled for council consideration. Public Works Director Pete Rice was listed to present the project, which follows a competitive Progressive Design-Build procurement process. The project emphasizes regulatory compliance, long-term reliability, environmental stewardship, and construction planning guided by fourteen community-driven objectives. The contract would set a Guaranteed Maximum Price at 60 percent design completion, with a planned allowance of $96,821.64 for additional related services.
Fire Station Design Services
Fire Chief Hugo Ferchau was scheduled to present a $498,582 contract amendment with The Neenan Company for Phase 2a fire station design services, subject to final legal review. The city awarded a progressive design-build contract last year for fire station replacement, with phased services for validation, design, and construction awarded separately subject to appropriations.
The agenda included authorization to apply for a State of Colorado Department of Local Affairs Tier II EIAF grant for approximately $450,000 with equal local match to fund design completion in 2026.
Vehicle and Equipment Purchases
The consent agenda included purchase orders for a 2026 Ford F-350 from National Auto Fleet Group for $58,173, a custom installed bed for cardboard collection from Ironman Hitch for $10,134.17, and a 2026 John Deere 410 Backhoe from 4 Rivers Equipment for $164,842.48.
Other Agenda Items
Finance Director Ben Cowan was scheduled to present 2026 community-based program funding recommendations following January 27 work session discussions. The agenda included authorization for staff to solicit bids for the 2026 Concrete Replacement Project addressing deteriorated concrete and accessibility deficiencies at three locations identified in the ADA Transition Plan.
Parks and Recreation Director Dan Vollendorf was scheduled to present a work session on the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Rice was scheduled to provide council onboarding on roadway design basics. Community and Policy Liaison Ricardo Esqueda was scheduled to present Welcoming Standards, with authorization for staff to initiate a Welcoming and Equity Plan to reduce systemic barriers.
The meeting was held at 4 p.m. for the work session and 5:30 p.m. for the regular session at City Hall, 201 West Virginia Avenue.
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