The public hearing for the 2026 Draft Budget, originally scheduled for April 13, 2026, has been postponed.

The Town is awaiting final information related to the 2024 audit, which is necessary to ensure the most accurate and complete budget presentation. Rather than proceed with incomplete data, the Town will take additional time to finalize the draft budget.

A new hearing date will be scheduled and noticed in accordance with statutory requirements.

Thank you for your patience as we complete this process.

The structure itself is privately owned and was previously leased to the Town, which assisted with insurance and trash service during the term of the agreement. Following the recent transition in volunteer leadership, the Town evaluated the operational and staffing capacity required to continue involvement and determined that it is not sustainable for the Town to manage or coordinate the Free Box at this time.

The Town appreciates the time, care, and effort that community members and volunteers have contributed to this project over the years, as well as the many people who expressed interest in helping moving forward.

As the structure is privately owned, any future operation, coordination, relocation, or use of the Free Box will now be at the discretion of the owner.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the project and contributed to the spirit of community care behind it.

You can stop by during office hours to collect supplies for yourself or others. No appointment or paperwork is required—just drop in and take what you need. If you need a test outside of our office hours, please call and leave a message at 719-256-4313 or email crestonetownoffice@gmail.com and we will try to facilitate your request in timely manner.

Let’s work together to keep Crestone safe!

Members of the community should be aware that the effects of wildfires can extend long after the flames are extinguished. Communities in or near burned areas are at significantly greater risk for flooding for up to five years or more after a fire. Flood damage after fire is often more severe, and dangerous mudflows may occur when rainwater moves across barren ground, picking up soil and sediment and carrying it in a stream of floodwaters. 

Individuals can protect themselves against the financial risk of flooding after a fire by purchasing flood insurance through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

There is typically a 30-day waiting period before a flood insurance policy goes into effect. The NFIP has a variety of educational resources available online to help property owners and renters better understand their flood risk and mitigation options. We invite you to amplify this message by sharing the social media toolkit available on Floodsmart.gov with your networks and communities. 

Join or start a conversation on social media by using the #FloodAfterFire hashtag and learn more about your risk and take action.

We are committed to providing you with the best possible service and want to inform you of important updates to your billing cycle.

Recent Changes and Upcoming Adjustments

Due to technical limitations within our billing system, we were unable to implement our initial plan discussed by our Finance Committee and the Board of Trustees to adjust the billing cycle by issuing a half-month bill or a six-week bill. Attempting these adjustments would have caused significant issues with customer billing accuracy.

As a result, we will be making the following changes:

1. Two Bills Issued This Month:
2. • First Bill (Dated Today): Covers your water and sewer usage for the month of October. This bill is due by the 23rd of this month.
   • Second Bill (Also Dated Today): Covers your usage for the month of November. This bill will be due next month.
3. New Billing Schedule Moving Forward:
4. • Starting immediately, we will be on a set schedule of reading meters at the end of each month and sending out bills at the beginning of each month.
   • This means your usage from the first to the last day of each month will be billed at the beginning of the following month.

Why These Changes Are Necessary

We understand that receiving two bills in one month may be unexpected and possibly inconvenient. However, these adjustments are essential to align our billing cycle with the calendar month and to ensure accurate and timely billing moving forward. By making these changes now, we aim to:

• Enhance Billing Accuracy: Eliminating partial billing periods prevents confusion and ensures each bill reflects a full month’s usage.
• Simplify Budgeting: A consistent monthly billing schedule helps you plan and manage your expenses more effectively.
• Improve Service Efficiency: A standardized billing cycle allows us to operate more efficiently, ultimately providing you with better service.

Looking Ahead

We sincerely apologize for any confusion or inconvenience these changes may cause. We believe that with the adjustments to these two bills, we will be on track for a smooth and consistent billing cycle in 2025 and beyond.

We’re Here to Help

If you have any questions or concerns regarding these changes or your bills, please do not hesitate to contact us at 719-256-4313 or crestonetownoffice@gmail.com.

We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we make these necessary adjustments.

Sincerely,

Arielle Blackwell

Town Clerk & Interim Treasurer

Town of Crestone

Please reach out with any questions or concerns to 719-256-4313 or crestonetownoffice@gmail.com.

Dear Residents of the Town of Crestone,

You are invited to attend an informational meeting this Friday, October 11, at 5:00 PM at the Cloud Station Café regarding upcoming mitigation efforts within the Town. Earlier this year, Crestone was awarded a grant to conduct mitigation on 90 acres within the Town’s boundaries. This meeting will provide details on how, where, and when the mitigation work will take place. Additionally, information will be shared on how homeowners can volunteer to mitigate their own properties.

Attached is a flyer that will be posted around town. Please join us on Friday, October 11, to learn how these efforts will benefit our entire community.

Warm Regards

We would like to inform you about ongoing mitigation efforts taking place in and around our town as part of the BRIC 2022 Grant. These efforts include controlled burns and other activities aimed at reducing wildfire risks and enhancing community safety.

You may notice controlled burns occurring outside and around town over the coming weeks. These burns are carefully planned and conducted by trained professionals to minimize any inconvenience and ensure public safety.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this time. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the Town Office at 719-256-4313 or crestonetownoffice@gmail.com.

Thank you for your support as we work together to make our community safer.

Sincerely,

Arielle Blackwell

Town Clerk & Interim Treasurer

At this time, Town Hall is closed to walk-in services while the Town evaluates remediation needs, operational continuity, and potential temporary or alternative office solutions.

While mold has been identified within the building and remediation planning is underway, Town Hall has not been condemned, and Town operations remain active and ongoing.

At this time, the Town’s primary focus is maintaining continuity of operations and public services while longer-term remediation and facility planning efforts continue.

Staff are currently working from multiple remote and temporary locations while new communication systems, workflows, and operational procedures are implemented. As a result, residents and applicants may experience delayed response times while staff work through a significant communications and administrative backlog across multiple departments.

Staff are actively responding to:

• Emails
• Phone calls
• Applications
• Billing matters
• Licensing requests
• Work orders
• Ongoing operational projects

We are asking the public for patience and understanding while we continue stabilizing operations and transitioning into more sustainable remote and distributed systems.

At this time, we strongly encourage:

• Calling or emailing rather than attempting walk-in visits
• Scheduling appointments in advance whenever possible
• Utilizing virtual meetings and online systems when appropriate
• Allowing additional time for administrative processing and responses

CONTACT INFORMATION

Phone: 719-256-4313\ Email: crestonetownoffice@gmail.com

Virtual appointments with Town Manager Blackwell may also be scheduled at:\ https://calendly.com/crestoneclerk-iyxq

Payments may continue to be:

• Mailed to the Town
• Left in the secure payment drop box located on the Galena Avenue side of Town Hall

Additional updates regarding office operations, meeting locations, remediation planning, and operational changes will continue to be posted through the Town website and official communication channels.

We appreciate the community’s patience, flexibility, and support while we navigate this transition and continue working toward long-term operational stability.

The selected firm will provide auditing services for the Town’s financial statements and related reporting requirements in accordance with applicable auditing standards and state requirements.

Proposal Deadline: June 17, 2026, at 12:00 PM (Noon) MST

Submission Method: Electronic submissions only

Submit Proposals To: Arielle Blackwell, Town Manager crestoneclerk@gmail.com

Questions Regarding the RFP: All questions concerning the Request for Proposals should be submitted by email to crestoneclerk@gmail.com. Responses to questions and any addenda issued by the Town will be posted on the Town website.

The Town reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive informalities, negotiate changes in the scope of services, and select the proposer determined to be in the best interest of the Town.

The complete Request for Proposals and related documents are available on the website under “Documents”.

• Link: Safe Senior Driving: A Complete Guide For Older Drivers Based On NHTSA Guidelines

I understand many of you purchased seasonal permits expecting to participate throughout the season, and I appreciate your patience as we worked through this. To ensure you still receive the value of your seasonal permit, the Town intends to schedule an additional Saturday Market later this season. I’ll share those details as soon as they are finalized. I also reached out to the Fourth of July event coordinator to ask whether an additional discount could be offered to current Saturday Market vendors. While an additional discount is not available, the event is already offering a discounted vendor fee for vendors who complete 10 hours of community service. Vendors interested in participating in the Fourth of July celebration are encouraged to contact the event coordinator directly for additional information about that program.

Looking ahead, I’m happy to share that the organizers of the Vortex Festival have agreed to honor Saturday Market vendors by offering a discounted vendor fee for that event. I appreciate their willingness to work with the Town and our vendor community. At this time, I cannot make any commitments regarding the Energy Fair, but I’ll share additional information as it becomes available. This situation highlighted the need for clearer expectations when Town events overlap with the Saturday Market.

Before next season, I’ll be working to establish a clearer policy so everyone understands how these situations will be handled moving forward. Thank you all for your understanding, for your flexibility, and for supporting the Saturday Market. I truly appreciate each of you and look forward to seeing everyone back at the market soon. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

We’re pleased to share the following updates:

Two complimentary Friday markets in Moffat for current Saturday Market vendors, including live music and complimentary Gosar sausages and side dishes for vendors.

50% off vendor registration for the Vortex Festival (August 8-9) for current Saturday Market vendors. Additional information will be shared by the festival organizers.

The Town is also working with organizers regarding the September Energy Fair, which will overlap with the Saturday Market. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available.

The Town intends to schedule an additional Saturday Market later this season and is exploring an expanded Halloween Market Weekend.

This experience highlighted opportunities to improve how overlapping community events are managed. Before next season, the Town will review and update its Saturday Market policies to provide greater clarity for vendors, event organizers, and the community.

We appreciate everyone’s patience, flexibility, and continued support of our local vendors.

To reduce potential exposure concerns for staff and the public, walk-in services are suspended for the foreseeable future. Town services are continuing remotely during normal business hours at this time.

OFFICE HOURS

Monday to Thursday

9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

CONTACT US

Phone: 719-256-4313

Email: crestonetownoffice@gmail.com

Payments & Other Drop Offs may be:

Mailed to the Town (PO BOX 64, Crestone CO 81131)

or

Left in the secure payment drop slot located on the Galena Avenue side of the building

We appreciate your patience and understanding while we work through testing, remediation, and temporary operational adjustments.

Colorado

• Governor Polis Takes Urgent Executive Action to Provide State Resources for Alexander Mountain and Currant Creek Fires
• Governor Polis Takes Executive Action to Provide State Resources for Stone Mountain Fire
• Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) (For a list of emergency alerts by county.)
• Wildfire Information & Resources | 211 Colorado (Evacuation shelters, animal shelters, and other location specific information.)
• 211 Colorado (Dial 2-1-1 for help locating potential evacuation shelters and other resources for your family.)
• Wildfire Information Resource Center | Colorado Division of Wildfire Prevention and Control
• Colorado | FEMA
• Colorado Department of Transportation (Traffic conditions.)
• Colorado Power Outages Map

Wildfire Preparedness and Recovery

• Wildfires | Ready.gov
• Wildfire Safety | American Red Cross
• Wildfires and Your Safety | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Wildfire Preparedness Tips | National Fire Protection Association

We encourage all eligible voters to participate.

Ballots must be received by 7:00 PM on Election Day to be counted.\ At this time, ballots should be returned in person at Town Hall, as mailed ballots may not arrive in time.

If you believe you did not receive a ballot or need a replacement, please contact Town Hall as soon as possible.

Write-In Candidate Information:\ Write-in votes are only counted for individuals who have submitted the required write-in candidate affidavit in advance of the election.

This means a name written on the ballot will only be counted if that individual has officially filed as a write-in candidate.\ At this time, the only valid write-in candidate is Gabriela Locastro.

If you have questions about candidates, voting, or the election process, please contact Town Hall.

Thank you for staying informed and engaged in our community.