Two meetings to update community and get feedback on the Four Seasons project happened last week, Nov. 5 and Nov. 8. The Forum attended the Nov. 8 meeting at Norwood Town Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. Then, community leaders facilitated the meeting: Nucla Mayor Paula Brown, West End Economic Development Corporation’s Makayla Gordon, Mountain Village Mayor Marti Prohaska, San Miguel County Commissioner Galena Gleason, Naturita attorney Sara Bachman, San Miguel County Sheriff Dan Covault, Norwood Fire Chief John Bockrath and Norwood Mayor Candy Meehan.
Gleason said Merrimac Ventures developer Dale Reed, building the Four Seasons hotel in Mountain Village, approached leaders in late June regarding workforce housing in the West End. West End leaders shared impact concerns and sent a letter to the developer. And, a recent stakeholder survey indicated top concerns were loss of lodging, strain on EMS, water, crime, loss of lodging tax and stress on various infrastructure.
While an application was submitted for a man camp in Redvale, that has not been approved by Montrose County. Now there are challenges in finding a place that can sustain more than 200 workers for up to two years. The destination is to be determined.
The Rimrock Hotel in Naturita did close in September to house Four Seasons workers. Camp V is also being considered. A Ridgway hotel was bought for the same purpose.
Bachman said while the Redvale site isn’t viable for a man camp, Four Seasons is looking at Montrose County. San Miguel County’s land use code prohibits man camps. The Town of Norwood has a moratorium on construction in place, though Mountain Village owns 37 acres in Norwood.
Covault said “we don’t know what we don’t know.” He can’t be certain of numbers, if wives and children come visit. What he does know is that man camps in North Dakota had drugs, alcohol, prostitution, theft and burglary. He had family up there that experienced it.
Already, his deputies have had two incidents with Four Seasons contractors leaving the job site after excavation. One incident on Keystone involved driving under the influence of drugs and the driver was in possession of multiple drugs. Covualt said this could be a trend, and the county is not prepared to take on 500 extra people. He said there will be financial issues and the need for resources.
Bockrath said 150 people could be transported by 11 passenger busses; 250 people would make for 19. He said one overturned bus on Norwood Hill will be a mass casualty that requires all county resources.
Both Covault and Bockrath are working closely right now with their West End counterparts, Commander Bruce Schmalz and Fire Chief Bryan Keeton, respectively. Bockrath said his primary concern is the existing population that lives locally. He already asked the developer for fire and EMS financial support, but was politely told no. Telluride Fire Chief John Bennet said his crew would back up as it could.
Gleason said San Miguel County received $1.8 million in use tax and will discuss what to do with it. She advocated for all of it to go to Wright’s Mesa.
Meehan said Norwood isn’t prepared for what’s coming, especially the 50-year-old water system. She’s asking how to fortify the medical clinic, grocery store and other organizations. She did say those coming are union workers, not undocumented workers.
In the public comment, Jacob Gordon said he’s concerned about housing for locals, food shortages and poaching.
Meehan said the Four Seasons supplies a “chow hall.” Gleason said Telluride has additional projects “coming down the pipeline” and workforce housing needs addressed.
Prohaska said it’s important to note the Four Seasons developers “work differently” and are at least trying to make plan for housing, rather than telling sub-contractors to figure it out. She said they cared enough to attend a meeting in the West End.
Bachman said they’re not supposed to bring families, so the school shouldn’t be affected, but workers could be like college kids and go “off campus.” She said the developer offered to help the local grocery store “scale up.”
Karl Cody is worried about the longevity of the man camp. Meehan said it would be packed up and removed after construction was complete. Cody asked about Four Seasons employees taking housing for locals in the future. Prohaska said workforce housing is scheduled for Illium Valley. Covault said the Illium project wouldn’t be done in time for the Four Seasons, however.
Beth Lakin is getting married next summer. She wanted to book rooms at the Ridgway hotel that was sold for Four Seasons workers. She’s got other concerns about lodging and taxes, and is on the Ridgway town board and mayor pro tem.
Lee Crutcher said he’s lived in western Colorado his whole life. He’s seen boom and bust cycles. He said “never count what isn’t here yet.” He saw man camps with Exon and Haliburton in Rifle. His home values went down 80 percent overnight when things changed there.
Abby Ashulter said she sees no benefit for the West End.
“Can we not say no to all this?” she asked the board, but thanked them for their work.
Meehan said there’s no authority to stop what’s coming.
Emily Haight said she hoped the workers were insured, as Uncompahgre Medical Center won’t survive if not. Meehan said union workers should be.
Travis Moore lives in Redvale and has kids. He’s terrified of man camps and what they bring. He asked about policing. Gleason said there’s a zero tolerance policy by Four Seasons for drugs.
Jacob Gordon asked about school protection against abductions or sex trafficking. Covault said they’re in the middle of a long process with the school to work on that.
The Forum asked about Dolores County being an option for the man camps. The leaders said they’d heard it was being explored, but it would focus on Rico, and not farther south.
The Forum also asked about this project, plus other Telluride projects in the works, affecting Nucla’s water. Since Nucla has the oldest right, and we’ve been in drought for more than 20 years, what will water look like in the future or calls on water, should there be scarcity. Meehan said that’s a “prevalent question.” Nucla’s mayor said the Forum should speak with Tim Pierce, of Mustang Water Authority. Bachman said Naturita is working on things, and especially since the Rimrock Hotel will be at full capacity.
Trago Staats told the audience to “give (leaders) a little bit of a break.” He said those seated at the table in Norwood during the meeting can be trusted.
George Davis said he is worried about campers, parking and trash on public lands. Covault said he has no jurisdiction unless requested, but Tony Bonacquista, District Wildlife Manager, is aware. Bachman said the man camp idea may not sound good, but it’s better than local housing being bought up by the Four Seasons. Covault also said a man camp might be better, so law enforcement can focus on one area.
