April 18, 2023
The purpose of this notice is to provide important background to an upcoming Game Trail ballot measure.
Game Trail is in the process of transitioning our Roads Maintenance service. Our longtime provider of road maintenance service, Steve Miles of Miles Construction, has retired and is dissolving his company. Early this year, the Game Trail Board established a Roads Transition Committee whose purpose was to explore options Game Trail may have to continue high-quality roads service. The committee contacted several companies in Chaffee County only to find that these companies either did not have the capacity to manage our 18 miles of roads, or this opportunity did not fit into their company’s strategic scope and mission.
It became apparent that the best solution to bridge this transition was for Game Trail to take a more direct role in the maintenance of our roads. This meant considering the possibility of creating our own roads service, hiring personnel, and purchasing equipment. Kenny Smith, a long-time employee of Steve Miles with significant experience working the Game Trail roads, expressed interest in working for Game Trail directly. At our March Board meeting, the Board voted to hire Kenny. As of April 3, Kenny Smith now works for Game Trail under the supervision of Rick Reese, Roads Committee Chair.
The Transition Committee also recognized that Game Trail would need specific equipment to manage our roads. Working with Steve Miles, we identified several pieces of equipment he could sell to us and keep on his business property. The necessary equipment needed to maintain our roadsincludes: a Cat Track skid-steer and trailer, a Cat G wheel loader, a plow truck with fuel tank, a truck with sand spreader, a Cat 140 G grader, a snowplow for the Cat grader, a crack fill tar pot, a Hyster C350 roller, and a storage container. The total cost of this equipment is $161,700 plus applicable taxes.
We have arranged very favorable financing terms – 30% down with the remaining payments spread over 6 years at an interest rate of 4.15%. The Game Trail Finance Committee reviewed our balance sheet and reserves and determined that this expenditure is feasible with no additional increase in dues or special assessment.
Article V Paragraph P. of the GT Bylaws requires that any “additional improvements to be made as part of the Common property (that exceed more than 5% of the annual budgeted income) …. shall not be undertaken without consent of a majority of the votes of the Members who are voting in person, by proxy, or otherwise properly submitted written ballot.” The ballot to vote on this expenditure is enclosed and is due by May 20th. The vote requires that at least 20% of the property owners vote, and that a majority of those votes be positive for this proposed purchase to be approved.
Please return your completed ballot by May 20th to Jan Johnson, Game Trail Administrative Assistant, either by email (janlmenj2014@gmail.com) or by hard copy to
Game Trail Association, Inc.
PO Box 4110
Buena Vista, CO 812ll
This has been a complex process involving members of the Game Trail Board, the Roads Transition Committee as well as the Game Trail Finance Committee. Our roads are one of our most important assets to our everyday life in Game Trail. They have been extremely well maintained up to this point, and our intent will be to maintain that high standard.
Initially, an equipment purchase was not our first choice to meet the demands of caring for our roads. During the months that we explored our alternatives, it became clear that this purchase is our most viable course of action. Your affirmative vote supporting this action is necessary for us to move ahead. The Board encourages your support.
Should you have further questions on this vote the Game Trail Board is hosting a Town Hall meeting to present additional information as well as answer questions you may have. Zoom participation will also be available. The Zoom invite for the meeting is listed below. The Town Hall meeting will be from 2:00 to 4:00 PM in the Community Room at Sangre de Cristo on Wednesday, May 3, or you may email either myself or Rick Reese, Chair of the Roads Committee, if you have additional questions. Thank you.
John Jacobson – president@gametrailassn.org
Rick Reese – roads@gametrailassn.org
To receive a ballot, you may do one of the following:
- Email your request to communications@gametrailassn.org.
- Call or text Linda Craig (contact info in the directory).
- Use the Contact Us form at gametrailassn.org/contact-us/
John L. Jacobson
GTA President
Topic: Game Trail Town Hall
Time: May 3, 2023 02:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/72576923747?pwd=siLtvgh6145yEzA2fB2WkhR1a1aqco.1
Meeting ID: 725 7692 3747 Passcode: wBP7BU