Colorado Mountain College trustees approve intergovernmental agreement with town of Dillon 

The Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to approve an intergovernmental agreement with the town of Dillon, advancing a partnership that supports future student and workforce housing and campus expansion opportunities in Summit County.

The action follows a unanimous vote by the Dillon Town Council in February to enter into the agreement with CMC. Trustees approved the IGA during their regular meeting held March 4 at the college’s Rifle campus. 

The agreement reflects ongoing collaboration between CMC and Dillon to address critical needs in mountain communities, including affordable housing for local CMC students, faculty and staff, and local workers as well as long-term campus infrastructure planning. College leaders noted that the college’s current Dillon campus, first established more than 50 years ago in a retrofitted bank building and post office, no longer fully meets the needs of today’s students or the growing Summit County community.  

The partnership opens the door to exploring a larger, more impactful campus presence that could include expanded academic space, community gathering areas and housing solutions. Strong municipal partnerships, trustees said, are essential to advancing projects that benefit students, employers and Summit County residents. 

“While this agreement is just the first step and much planning remains ahead, it opens the door to something truly transformational for downtown Dillon,” said Kerry Buhler, CMC’s board chair and trustee representing Summit County. “We look forward to working closely with the community to shape a vision that strengthens both Dillon and our ability to serve the people of Summit County.” 

During the meeting, trustees also provided an update on the process to fill the District 1 board seat following the passing of Pitkin County Trustee Marchita “Markey” Butler, which occurred on Feb. 4. 

Butler, who represented CMC’s trustee District 1 (Aspen School District), was elected to a second four-year term in November 2025. Under Colorado law, the board must appoint a qualified individual to fill the vacancy within 60 days of its occurrence. 

The board has formally declared the vacancy and opened a public recruitment process. Interested candidates residing in the Aspen School District boundaries have until March 16 to submit materials for consideration. 

Trustees are scheduled to hold a special meeting March 23 to interview finalists and select an appointee. The individual appointed will serve until the next regular biennial school election in November2027, at which time voters will elect a trustee to serve the remainder of the term. 

In accordance with board policy, trustees will consider candidates whose backgrounds, professional experience and lived experiences complement the current composition of the board and reflect the diverse communities served by the college. 

In other business, trustees: 

• Reviewed second-quarter financials for fiscal year 2025-26. 

• Approved continuing education course rates for fiscal year 2026-27. 

• Approved bridge course charges for ESL, high school equivalency and adult high school diploma programs for fiscal year 2026-27. 

• Approved board meeting dates for fiscal year 2026-27. 

• Received an update on an annexation feasibility study for the community of Hayden, Colorado.