The meeting opened with public comment. Maria Romero from the Mountain Valley Mobile Home Park came to address the board about the park residents concerns on living costs. The mobile home park was recently listed for sale, and Romero says her neighbors are worried they could be driven out by a spike in costs.
"We have over 200 people there. We have 65 kids that attend the Carbondale schools. I was talking to the oldest tenant there and she remembers when she used to pay $180 of space rent, and right now we are in the danger of going up to $1,600. I'm here to ask you for funding. We need this funding for us to be able to stay and be able to afford our rent."
Mayor Bohmfalk addressed Romero and the members of her community that were also in attendance. He said the board has been discussing the issue and is seriously considering a large contribution.
The first action item on the agenda was an update from the Latino Advisory Board. The board was formed in January of this year with the purpose of bridging the gap between Latino community members and town officials.
The board requested the town support in implementing their new communication initiative, a town of Carbondale WhatsApp channel, with a two phase approach.
"Phase one will include town announcements, like meeting notices, trash pickup information, and safety alerts. Phase two will expand to include trusted community resources like health fairs, non-profit events, and educational opportunities. All content will be bilingual and reviewed by L.A.B. to ensure accuracy and relevance. We're asking for your support to recognize the WhatsApp channel as an official town communication platform."
The trustee's reception was largely positive and they encouraged the board to come back in the future with more ideas.
This is an ongoing story that KDNK will continue to cover.
