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Rangely council defers decision on $20,000 Chamber funding request and special-use permit reinstatement
Summary
The Rangely Chamber of Commerce requested an additional $20,000 and the reinstatement of suspended special-use permit privileges; council members expressed concern about the town’s projected $500,000 severance shortfall and rescinded a motion to reinstate the permit, instead placing the item on the next meeting agenda for fuller consideration.
Representatives of the Rangely Chamber of Commerce asked the town council on Sept. 23 for an additional $20,000 for 2025 and sought reinstatement of suspended special-use permit privileges; council deferred a final decision.
Emma, speaking for the Chamber, said the organization had taken on new events this year (including Rock and Bulls and Main Street markets) and that some activities produced losses — she cited roughly $17,000 in losses for Rock and Bulls and about $11,500 for Butch Cassidy days — and asked for additional town support to sustain events that bring visitors and sales tax to town.
Interim Town Manager Lisa Pairing and several council members cautioned that the town’s finances are tight after a projected severance-related shortfall of over $500,000, and said the town needs to be careful about adding an extra $20,000 to the budget this year. Councilmembers and the Chamber discussed alternative, lower-cost event formats (an October crawl/Harvest & Hops, a spread-across-town Oktoberfest on Oct. 17, and haunted museum events) as ways to generate activity without the same expense profile.
Council also discussed reinstating the Chamber’s special-use permit privileges after a six-month suspension related to prior violations. A motion to reinstate the permit as of Oct. 1, 2025 was made on the floor but one councilmember announced an abstention; the mover later rescinded that motion and instead asked the council to place the reinstatement item on the next meeting agenda so absent members can participate. Council agreed to add the item to a future agenda rather than vote that night.
Why this matters: the Chamber’s events are a direct economic-development strategy for the town. Council members signaled support for the Chamber’s work but declined to commit extra appropriation immediately while the town addresses its budget shortfall; the permit-reinstatement question will return for a fuller vote.
Council did not approve the $20,000 request at the Sept. 23 meeting and instead moved to continue consideration at a future meeting.
