Glenwood Springs, CO (May 6) – In a written order issued today, Garfield County District Court Judge James Boyd has ruled that a lease between SourceGas and Colorado Mountain College is void and unenforceable. SourceGas sought to lease five acres of land on the college’s campus in Spring Valley for the purpose of building a natural gas compressor station; CMC’s Board of Trustees voted not to recognize the lease because it did not comply with statutory restrictions on the leasing of junior college district property.

While SourceGas argued that the lease was enforceable and that it was entitled to damages for the college’s decision not to recognize the lease, Judge Boyd disagreed and granted CMC’s motion for summary judgment, or dismissal, because the lease was void under the statute. In his ruling, Judge Boyd wrote “that CMC did not have the authority to enter the Lease” because the Lease term is longer than the three years permitted under Colorado’s junior college statutes and CMC Board of Trustees did not approve the Lease.  Judge Boyd also ruled that the Court did not have the authority to rewrite the Lease to a three year term as SourceGas attorneys had argued.  Finally, Judge Boyd ruled that finding the Lease was void and unenforceable was not grossly inequitable to SourceGas because CMC has returned the entire amount of the Lease payment to SourceGas. Judge Boyd previously ruled on Aug. 7, 2012 that the court could not order CMC to perform the lease.

“We are pleased that this issue has been resolved by the court, and we can concentrate on the business of educating students,” says CMC Board of Trustees President Glenn Davis. In addition to addressing the college’s authority to enter into the SourceGas lease, he noted, “the college Board was responding to concerns raised by students, faculty and area residents when it decided not to go forward with the lease.”

Even though CMC already had a policy in place regarding leases of CMC property, the Board recently adopted a more detailed policy requiring acquisitions and dispositions of CMC’s real property to ensure compliance with Colorado’s junior college statute. The review of leases must result in a finding that the property is not immediately needed for CMC purposes, and that the lease “promotes the general welfare of the institution and is in the best interests of education and the junior college district,” pursuant to state law.

New Colorado Mountain College stickers create a stir.

New Colorado Mountain College stickers are available at all locations in two sizes.

New CMC stickers based on the Colorado flag have been wildly popular, with alumni as far as Sweden writing to request them. The new design was created to build on the growing popularity of the Colorado brand. The Colorado Tourism Office uses the Colorado “C” in its current campaign, and many businesses and organizations have used the basic design to “rep the homeland.”

The Colorado Mountain College Marketing Dept. is taking advantage of Colorado’s “brand equity” with the new design, positioning us more closely with the positive associations that people have about our beautiful state from Read more

CMC business competition propels entrepreneur forward

This article first appeared in the Steamboat Pilot. By Michael Schrantz. 

Steamboat Springs — It’s been two years since Trent Jones first considered bringing to market an erosion-control product made from beetle-killed trees.

Trent Jones, of Mountain Pine Manufacturing, creates wood strand mulch that will be used as erosion control. Photo: John F. Russell

The bales of wood strand mulch, which are made from Routt County trees that have been affected by the mountain pine beetle, that now sit outside a building on the west side of Steamboat Springs are the result of careful research and a plan.

In the beginning, the plan was scribbles here and there, Jones said. He’d had some counseling from Yampa Valley SCORE and sought out business mentors, but it took the business plan competition through Colorado Mountain College and the city of Steamboat Springs to push him to make a click for full article

U.S. Congressman Scott Tipton visited Colorado Mountain College’s adminstrative offices in Glenwood Springs Monday, where he met with the college’s Senior Vice President Dr. Jill Boyle and Interim President Dr. Charles R. Dassance.

The representative was briefed on several key workforce and training programs offered at the college’s seven campuses, including ongoing student-faculty research involving environmental issues and land reclamation.

U.S. Congressman Scott Tipton (left) meets with CMC’s Senior Vice President Dr. Jill Boyle and Interim President Dr. Charles R. Dassance. Photo: Kate Lapides.