Public Works

The Public Works Department consists of 9 full time employees and is responsible for:

• Motor pool/ fleet and small equipment
• Public buildings, bathrooms, trash containers and maintenance and cleaning of underpasses in both Basalt and Willits
• Swimming pool maintenance
• The cemetery
• The streets and sidewalks and all pavement maintenance and repairs related to them including street lighting and benches in Basalt and Willits
• Management of Trails/parks/park benches and play equipment/trees/noxious weed control and all irrigation systems and overseeing the mowing and gardens subcontractor in both Basalt and Willits
• Water filtration/wells/ distribution and water meters
• Affordable housing management and maintenance in both Basalt and Willits
• Snow removal in both Basalt and Willits
• Special event support

Mission Statement

To use our collective skills to create and maintain a desirable and safe environment in a financially responsible manner that is consistent with the ideals and expectations of the community.

The 2022 Basalt Public Works Manual

An update to the Basalt Public Works Manual was approved by the Basalt Town Council in 2022 via Ordinance No. 08 series of 2022. A link to the adopted manual is here:

Basalt 2022 Public Works Manual 

Gardens, Parks &  Forestry

Basalt Public Gardens

The Gardens, Parks and Forestry staff share a passion, appreciation, and dedication to the advancement of public horticulture, arboriculture, and managing our delicate and changing ecology in a sensible manner. Our public gardens offer an experiential and educational setting for the community and its visitors.

See what's green and going on in the Gardens, Parks and Forestry Department.

• Bulbs
• Perennials
• Grasses
• Shrubs

Community Forestry

Basalt’s community forest instills a quiet and appealing aesthetic which touches the lives of its citizens and visitors every day. From the Narrrowleaf Cottonwood corridor that lines the Roaring Fork River on Two Rivers Road, to the diverse tree canopy that includes roughly 3000 trees in our parks, open space and rights of way, Basalt’s Forestry staff is committed to preserving this important community asset.

Tree Management

Our tree management plan is largely guided by our GIS-based tree inventory program. GIS facilitates duties to be performed and provides a structure that organizes management goals needed to achieve the many actions required such as: 

• Inspection for insect and disease
• Tree pruning
• Hazard tree abatement
• Tree planting
• Cultural improvements
• And more

Promoting a diverse tree population of native and non-native, and well-adapted tree species is an important component of our tree selection.

Horticulture

The town’s horticultural and arboricultural community outreach includes guided tours of the town’s many gardens which are designed with low water, often native and long season of bloom species, as well as focusing on the diverse and sometimes underutilized tree varieties of important aesthetic and environmental significance. Educating the community on the value of sustainable tree stewardship has lasting positive impacts for generations.

There are a number of landscape pests that affect the health and vigor of our vegetation if left untreated. For more information, visit the Colorado State University website, which is comprehensive in its approach to plant health care.