Civic leaders and city officials gathered Friday to celebrate the installation of modular units for the Craig Housing Authority’s 8th Street Redevelopment Project. The event marked a significant milestone in the campaign for more affordable...
On Tuesday, Yampa Valley Housing Authority Executive Director Jason Peasley engaged in a dialogue with officials from Craig, shedding light on the valley’s affordable housing crisis and presenting new information about the Brown Ranch housing...
At Tuesday’s Craig Housing Authority meeting, a proposed affordable housing complex took center stage, triggering an earnest debate among council members and city officials. The focal point of the discussion was a 120-unit apartment complex,...
The Craig Housing Authority recently broke ground on a new 20-townhome complex that will house essential workers. The monumental development is the first of its kind in more than 40 years. On Aug. 25, the...
Craig Press
Declining interest in the law enforcement profession nationwide can be felt at the Craig Police Department, which Interim Police Chief Michael Cochran acknowledged this week.
Speaking to Craig City Council members at their meeting Tuesday, Cochran said his department is dealing with the same challenges in recruiting and retaining police personnel as other law enforcement offices throughout the country due in large part to police reform.
“We are seeing a huge exodus from this field,” Cochran said.
In Colorado, more than 200 law enforcement officers reportedly left their jobs after Gov. Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 217 into law June 19. The bill was passed in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing and addressed use of deadly force, data reporting and other elements of policing. It also says police officers can be sued individually and be held personally liable for up to $25,000 in damages.
In addition to tourism, the plan calls for embracing renewable energy such as solar farms, adding amenities like a recreation center, improving public transit across the region, and finding alternative uses for coal. Officials also see potential to extract other precious minerals for electronics and manufacturing.
Craig also will expand high-speed internet this year. Already, broadband connections have opened up the possibility of remote work for longtime residents and spurred hope that tech companies would consider locating there.
The city can tout its affordability: Housing is cheaper than on Colorado’s Front Range and in nearby Steamboat Springs. Craig’s proximity to the outdoors could also draw newcomers.
Though the Woodbury playground upgrade project will still be completed this year, the Craig City Council pulled a grant request for the project to shift focus to the Yampa River Corridor project.
Craig had recently requested $168,000 in Colorado Department of Local Affairs Tier 1 grant funding. That request was pulled this week, with council replacing it with a $200,000-ask for a Tier 1 grant to cover architectural and engineering costs for the Yampa River Corridor project.
City Manager Peter Brixius told council Tuesday in a discussion with DOLA, representatives told the city of Craig that “because of limited funding from severance and federal mineral lease tax, they felt like a playground project through them would not yield a good response in terms of the community’s allocation of funds.”
Woodbury Park will receive a new ADA-certified playground for the community to enjoy following a $336,000 bid approval from Craig city council during the Feb. 9 council meeting.
Parks and Recreation Director Ryan Dennison said the new playground at Woodbury Park is a capital funds project that has been in the works for the last year. Dennison said that Parks and Rec received five bids on the project from vendors.
“As you can see, the playground at Woodbury, it’s in desperate need of upgrades, so this will be a positive upgrade for the community,” Dennison said.
Dennison told councilors that Parks and Rec was really looking for something with easy access for the community and had play features that kids of all ages could enjoy at the park.
In the last two years, Craig City Council has found itself behind closed doors from the public in executive session 14 times out of 58 total city council meetings.
Of those 14 times, a majority of the executive sessions have dealt with council receiving legal advice on a civil suit from a local man against the police department for excessive use of force, while others have dealt with personnel matters, according to the last two years of council packets dating back to January 2019.
It is unclear if the three most recent executive sessions from Feb. 9, 2021 may have had a hand in Craig Police Chief Jerry DeLong’s reported resignation. City Manager Peter Brixius said DeLong submitted his resignation on Feb. 8, but one of the executive sessions was “to discuss City Attorney recommendations regarding use of force and implementing policies and practices to reduce liability.”
Tylor & The Train Robbers warm up the crowd Saturday during the 20th annual Whittle the Wood Rendezvous in June 2019
City of Craig Parks and Recreation Department Director Ryan Dennison should remember Tuesday night’s city council meeting for a long time, considering it was the first time councilors pushed a department to ask for more funding.
Dennison approached councilors Tuesday night asking for the approval of of a $20,000 contract for Rhema Music & Clothing and instead received “no more than” $85,000 to spend on entertainment through Rhema Music’s James Williams, who will serve as sort of pseudo master of ceremonies at the 2021 Whittle the Wood event.