Mountain Rec Board Sends All Access Rec Ballot Question To May Ballot

EDWARDS, CO — By a unanimous vote, on March 2, the Mountain Recreation board of directors referred the District’s All Access Rec ballot question to the May 2022 election. The ballot question, if approved by the District’s voters, would allow the District to undergo major expansions and upgrades across the District’s three main service hubs in Edwards, Eagle, and Gypsum.

“Following the November 2021 election, the board and staff took time to digest the results and chart a course forward toward the District’s mission of ‘everybody deserves to be healthy and happy’,” offered board president Liz Jones. “In November we had tight race and heard loud and clear the greatest community concerns were that the ask was too high, we needed to have a sunset provision, and the District should provide in-district savings to residents – and that’s exactly what we’ve addressed with our new ask.”

Come May, the new ballot question will ask District voters to approve a property tax increase that will support $40 million in construction. The mill levy increase is estimated to cost $22 per year per $100,000 in home value. In contrast, the November 2021 ballot ask was for $60 million.

The new ask includes a 33% cost reduction, savings for in-District residents, and a sunset mill levy. The new plan will still deliver on the original vision to convert our rec centers into energizing community centers for all. If approved, this will unlock over $6 million in pledged support and make Mountain Rec eligible for additional grants.

The ballot question will ask voters to approve an increase in the district’s property tax mill rate to fund:

• Community centers for all. Mountain Rec will complete major renovations at all three facilities to create versatile spaces that serve all ages and improve community health
• More space and more availability. This will allow for year-round access to new community spaces and programs to overcome capacity challenges and serve all ages.

“I am grateful with the work done by our team to sharpen the pencil and I appreciate the board’s thoughtful discussions about the costs and concerns we heard from our community members. The board’s decision to send this question to our voters is the culmination of three years of dedicated planning, fundraising, and community engagement. Now we can look toward the future of Mountain Rec hopefully as we await the outcome of the vote,” said Janet Bartnik, Executive Director at Mountain Recreation.