Ouray Lodging

Main's displays go LED for the Holidays

2008-11-23T19:15:00.001-08:00

November 21, 2008
Special to the Plaindealer

By OBC Chairman Charlie Berger

Ouray's holiday decorations will be more spectacular than in previous years with the inauguration of our new holiday decorations for all "cobra" lightpoles in the Ouray Business District.

This upgrade includes a full conversion from the traditional incandescent lighted decorations to new larger and more attractive decorations featuring LED lights. This is the first step in transitioning Ouray to LED lighting, a means to conserve energy, and reduce this expense to the city's treasury — an initiative that Mayor Bob Risch has been advocating and working toward since taking office earlier this year.

Supplementing these new holiday decorations will also be a second new initiative, the introduction of 18" x 36" banners, promoting a winter theme, that are mounted streetside, but still over the sidewalks, on cobra light poles, on opposite corners at all intersections throughout the Ouray Business District.

The decision to use LED lights this year was made after experimenting with them last year in locations like the Gazebo in Fellin Park, and along the fence bordering Highway 550, above the Hot Springs Pool. It was clear after last winter, an extremely severe winter, that these lights will definitely withstand the harsh winter weather conditions so prevalent in our city. It is anticipated that the LED lights will reduce the energy consumption from the old incandescent lights by approximately 75%.

On Monday, Nov. 17, and Tuesday, Nov. 18, the city's Public Works Department in coordination with the Ouray Beautification Committee, spent most of those days mounting the required hardware on the light poles, and installing the new banners and holiday decorations. Having the hardware mounted on the poles will make future installations and take down much easier and require less man hours.

During evening hours the banners, mounted between the two cobra lights, will benefit from the illumination produced by these lights enabling them to be seen. It is the intent to leave the winter banners up throughout the winter season. However, the holiday decorations will officially be lit as part of the "Light-up Ouray" evening on Saturday, Nov. 29, and they will be taken down after the holidays.

It is necessary at this point to acknowledge and thank the Ouray Chamber Resort Association for their donation of the winter banners and the attendant hardware. The Ouray Beautification Committee is recognized for keeping focused on, planning for, and for promoting the need for the city to acquire new holiday decorations and go LED.

A well-deserved thank you is also extended to the City Council for approving the appropriation for the new holiday decorations, and for approving the displays. Finally, an acknowledgment of appreciation is extended to all individuals and business owners who so generously donated money in 2006 and 2007 for the purchase of strings of LED lights to get things rolling. Will they be used again this year? You bet!

Ouray Road Tax Funded

2008-11-07T15:40:00.001-08:00

Ouray County Road Funding Supported

November 07, 2008

Written By: Patrick Davarn

Posted By: Erin Eddy

www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com

Ouray County has gained voter approval to supplement its Road & Bridge budget. The proposed one-cent sales tax passed by a slim margin of 66 votes (1,464-1,398), according to unofficial counts from the County Clerk's office.

Keith Meinert, Board of County Commissioners chairman, said he was gratified the public agrees that the county must maintain road infrastructure and preserve its most valuable asset. The additional funds are specifically earmarked to the Road & Bridge Department.

"As we are also seeing at both the state and national levels, the maintenance of our roads and bridges will only get more challenging due to escalating costs of construction, high fuel costs, increased usage and decreasing fuel tax collections," said Meinert. "This additional funding from a sales tax increase will help us meet these challenges and reduce our dependence on trickle-down handouts from Denver. I want to assure the public that the county will use this additional funding wisely. I encourage the public's participation in Road Committee and BOCC meetings to help us develop the county's road maintenance strategy and prioritization."

This year's result counters last November's outcome, when voters decided 901-802 that they did not want a 3% use tax to help pay for road maintenance and improvements. The county has had a 1% sales tax, as allowed by the state, since 1985. Earlier this summer, the state legislature set new rules that allow counties to ask voters for additional sales tax revenues.

County officials told voters that the additional 1% sales tax was necessary due to projected reductions in the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF), which annually provides 40% of the monies in the Road & Bridge Department budget. The BOCC has have pledged 60% of these new proceeds toward routine road operations and 40% to improvements and capital purchases.

Total revenue in the 2008 Road & Bridge budget is estimated at $1.5 million. Of this amount, approximately 42% ($601,114) is derived from state sources (primarily HUTF) and 19% is from local property taxes ($315,729). Road & Bridge currently has a dedicated revenue source of 1.5 mils and the BOCC has historically transferred the equivalent amount of 1 mil levy ($194,401) from the General Fund. Other revenue sources include federal sources, reimbursements and impact fees utilized for capital infrastructure.

Locals get er done!

2008-11-01T15:51:00.001-07:00

Locals just get projects done

Written by David Mullings - Ouray Plaindealer

Posted by Erin Eddy

www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com

October 31, 2008

Can do.

That's probably what I like best about living in Ouray County.

Sixteen years ago, a bunch of good people got together and formed the Mount Sneffels Education Foundation. The organization, which provides innovative programs that give students here fantastic learning opportunities, thrives today. MSEF is on its way to building a self-sustaining trust.

Seven years ago, a group of folks here saw an amazing piece of publicly owned land that was going unused. They jumped through a bunch of hoops, today, we have the Top of the Pines, an outdoor camp on Miller Mesa that serves as a dynamite outdoor education facility.

Five years ago, an emergency services shuffle squeezed the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team into a single garage bay. How did the all-volunteer group respond? With the help of a legion of supporters and some county-donated land, OMRT went out and built a wonderful two-story rescue center at the Ice Park. The team gained a certificate of occupancy last week, and plans an open house to show off the facility in mid November.

Can do.

2008 3rd Quarter End Ouray County Sold Stats

2008-10-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

Posted by Erin Eddy

provided by
Montrose Association of REALTORS

Statistics for Ouray County Jan 1 - Sept. 30, 2008

TOTAL HOMES (includes new home sales)

Homes Sold 54
Total Price $19,456,400
Average Price $360,303
Median Price $300,000
Range in Price $25,000 - 1,200,000

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

Units Sold 7
Total Price $1,512,800
Average Price $216,114
Median Price $185,300
Range in Price $52,500 - 623,000

VACANT LAND

Units Sold 19
Total Price $5,182,125
Average Price $272,743
Median Price $175,000
Range in Price $110,000 - 1,600,000

FARM & RANCH

Units Sold 1
Total Price $ 525,000
Average Price $ 525,000
Median Price $ 525,000
Range in Price $ 525,000

ALL PROPERTIES

Units Sold 81
Total Price $26,676,325
Average Price $329,337
Median Price $280,000
Range in Price $25,000 - 1,600,000

*This information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Ouray Ice Park Expansion

2008-10-25T10:59:00.001-07:00

Ice Park gets 'Stump Wall'

Posted by Erin Eddy

www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com

October 24, 2008
Written By Samantha Tisdel Wright

The newest expansion of the Ouray Ice Park, to be called the"Got Stump Wall," is currently under development and should be operational in time for the winter climbing season, said OIPI Executive Director Erin Eddy.

A brainchild of ice climber and Rigging for Rescue owner Mike Gibbs, the new wall is unique in that it is located on the opposite side of the Uncompahgre River gorge from all of the other climbs in the park. "Mike has had this in his head for years," Eddy said. The area is adjacent to the penstock trestle that crosses the gorge near Box Canyon Park, and is easily accessible from Highway 550 in snow-free months.

The wall will feature six new routes, each with 90 feet of "dead vertical," Eddy said. He estimated that on the WI (Water Ice) system of rating difficulty, the climbs will rank in the range of four to five, with six being most difficult. Most climbs in the park are in the range of three.

Two ice park employees have been at work in the vicinity of the new wall, clearing trees and scrub, and installing anchor bolts, Eddy said, adding that local metalsmith Jeff Skoloda will be building a grate with vertical risers and screening to make the area, which has significant exposure, somewhat more secure.

The next step will be to install plumbing to create the new ice falls, which will come across the penstock trestle, Eddy said.

"Rob (Holmes, OIPI's chief 'Ice Farmer') gets sick of us," he grinned. "We keep expanding."

"Got Stump" takes its name from ice climber Malcolm Daly, who lost his foot to frostbite after falling from Alaska's Thunder Mountain, but continued to climb, and climb hard. While playing auctioneer at a fund-raiser at the Ouray Ice Fest several years ago, he was wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the irreverent logo "Got Stump?" which had been given to him by Chris Folsom, a Ouray local who had managed to chop off one of his fingers some years ago and also continued to climb.

Once everything else had been successfully auctioned off, Folsom yelled for Daly to sell the shirt off his back. He did, and got a couple hundred dollars for it.

The "Got Stump" shirt turned up again at successive Ice Fest auctions, raising first $2,000, then $3000, then $3500. The winner of the shirt was entrusted with it for the coming year, instructed to keep it safe and warm, and take it out on some adventures.

Recent custodians have included Warren Macdonald, a double amputee climber, and Kim Csizmazia, who had her hip replaced last year.

At Ice Fest 2007, the humble t-shirt raised a remarkable $7,500, this time through donations rather than at auction, and was entrusted for the year to Durango climber Joseph Miller. The money has been used to create a permanent kids climbing area at the Park, which includes a memorial to fallen climbers designed and built by Jeff Skoloda.

Ouray Lodging Deals

2008-10-25T10:51:00.001-07:00

Posted by Erin Eddy

www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com

Now is a great time to visit Ouray. Many motels are offering great discounts on lodging. The restaurants and shops are open. The weather is outstanding and town is quiet.

2007-8 3rd Quarter Ouray County Sold Stats

2008-10-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

provided by
Montrose Association of REALTORS

Statistics for Ouray County

Jan 1 - Sept. 30, 2008

TOTAL HOMES (includes new home sales)

Homes Sold 54
Total Price $19,456,400
Average Price $360,303
Median Price $300,000
Range in Price $25,000 - 1,200,000

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

Units Sold 7
Total Price $1,512,800
Average Price $216,114
Median Price $185,300
Range in Price $52,500 - 623,000

VACANT LAND

Units Sold 19
Total Price $5,182,125
Average Price $272,743
Median Price $175,000
Range in Price $110,000 - 1,600,000

FARM & RANCH

Units Sold 1
Total Price $ 525,000
Average Price $ 525,000
Median Price $ 525,000
Range in Price $ 525,000

ALL PROPERTIES

Units Sold 81
Total Price $26,676,325
Average Price $329,337
Median Price $280,000
Range in Price $25,000 - 1,600,000

*This information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Ouray Lodging is the Best

2008-10-13T21:05:00.001-07:00

This is going to be a blog about the great lodging available in Ouray Colorado