With Mayor Chris Nichols and City Manager Peter Brixius away on a city-sponsored trip, and City Attorney Heather Cannon attending remotely, Mayor Pro Tem Derek Duran led the Craig City Council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, April 22.

After opening the meeting, the council quickly approved the consent agenda, which included:

• Approval of the minutes from the April 8 regular meeting and April 14 special meeting.
  
• Payment of bills totaling $263,991.99 through April 17.
  
• Award of a $10,900 bid to Masterworks Mechanical for a two-ton RTU unit installation at 775 Yampa Ave.

New community business presentation

Caleb Cagle, owner of Sassquatch Party Rentals and Sassquatch Party Zone, introduced himself and his business and described its impact and future goals.

“My mission is simple,” said Cagle. “I want Sassquatch Party Rentals and Party Zone to be the go-to spot for entertainment in the Yampa Valley, a place where kids, families and our whole community can come together and make lasting memories.”

Located at 538 Pershing St., Sassquatch Party Zone offers inflatables, obstacle courses and games for all ages. Cagle emphasized his plans to partner with nonprofits, schools and sports teams to create more community-centered events and fundraisers in the future. 

Committee reports

Council members reported on a variety of community meetings and activities:

• Councilor Michelle Gottschall attended the CTC Safe Spaces meeting and reported that the CTC Safe Spaces survey, which was recently completed with input from local teenagers, will help identify areas in Craig perceived as unsafe for youth.
  The results will guide the collaboration of law enforcement and community leaders in an effort to improve the identified spaces while enhancing safety.
  
• Councilor Jesse Jackson noted he missed one meeting but plans to attend the next.
  
• Councilor Randy Looper provided a wide-ranging report from several committees. He highlighted a tour of the Wild Horse Refuge and invited the public to schedule visits. He noted an upcoming May 1 celebration at the Yampa Building and discussed changes to Forest Service and CPW permit sales.
  At the Yampa Valley Airport, Looper reported that while traffic was down 4%, over 219,000 passengers traveled through, marking the second-highest total in the airport’s history. He also shared updates from the Northwest Colorado Innovation Center and praised student participants at the Chamber Civic Speech Competition, where he served as a judge.
  From the Mountain Rail Coalition, Looper highlighted a 157% jump in Winter Park rail ridership and said final agreements on the Moffat Tunnel are expected by May 1, which will open the door for future rail expansion planning at the regional level.
  
• Councilor Andrea Camp attended the Local Marketing District meeting and reported that $30,000 in funding was approved to support the 2025 Craig Business Plan Competition, with the City of Craig contributing an additional $20,000, bringing this year’s grant pool to $50,000. Camp said additional funding will help attract more business entries to support local entrepreneurial growth. She also shared that Good Vibes River Gear was awarded $19,500 in marketing funding during the same meeting.
  
• Councilor Luke Tucker attended the Yampa Valley Golf Association meeting and the council’s strategic retreat. He reported that the course is open and is in great shape.
  
• Mayor Pro Tem Duran detailed the selection of Taft Sherman Howard Law Firm to establish the community trust fund, updates on the Tri-State settlement agreement, planning and zoning meetings for a new Napa auto parts warehouse, and progress at the Tuna Tua RV Park.
  

Public comments

During public comment, a resident thanked city road crews for street clean-up efforts and expressed concerns about nuclear waste storage proposals. They also voiced support for the rail project and concerns about potential new taxes related to the Regional Transportation Authority.

Moratorium on natural medicine centers

Following a public hearing with no opposition, council unanimously approved on second reading Ordinance No. 1166 (2025), which established a moratorium on accepting or processing applications for businesses cultivating or dispensing natural medicine or establishing healing centers.

City Attorney Heather Cannon explained, “This approach really is just providing the city time so that we can sit back, view how other municipalities are implementing their natural healing centers and their natural medicine centers within their communities, how they are attempting to place regulations on time, place …and what the outcome will be.”

She also noted, “The introduction of psilocybin and psychedelics is obviously a greater concern just due to the difference in impact it has on individuals who consume those products.”

Bid awards

Council approved the following bids during the meeting:

• CRC Inc. was awarded a $463,300 contract for the Marianna Way and Circle Drive water line replacement project.
  
• United Companies was awarded a $296,122 contract for the 2025 asphalt street overlay project.
  
• Anson Excavating and Pipe Inc. was awarded a $162,385 contract for 2025 curb and gutter improvements.

Ray emphasized that the city’s grant partnerships had helped secure funding for these infrastructure projects, resulting in a reduced local cost.

Staff Reports

• Economic Development Manager Shannon Scott presented the 2024 Economic Development Department Annual Report, highlighting completed projects like the 8th Street townhomes, progress on the Meadows Apartments project, URA revenue generation and grant funding achievements.
  

“Our vision and mission statement for the EDAC is to focus on strengthening and diversifying the community by supporting growth with existing industries, attracting new industries, supporting quality-of-life activities and marketing Craig’s pro-business climate and entrepreneurial culture,” she said.

Scott also reported that more aggressive marketing efforts are underway to boost townhome sales and noted positive momentum in URA revenue and industrial park development.

• Water and Wastewater Director Carl Ray reported on March operations, noting compliance with water and wastewater standards, training initiatives among staff and improved maintenance tracking through GIS mapping technology. He added that GIS tools have significantly improved efficiency in detecting and addressing maintenance needs across the city’s system.