Four candidates for Glenwood Springs City Council gathered Tuesday night at Glenwood Springs City Hall to discuss their positions on housing, transportation, economic development, and city governance. The Issues & Answers Candidate Forum, hosted by the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association, KMTS and the Glenwood Springs Post Independent, featured Ward 5 candidates Jon Banks and Steve Smith, Ward 2 candidate Ray Schmahl, and at-large candidate David Townsley. Schmahl and Townsley are running unopposed.

Candidates tackled major topics affecting the city’s future, including affordable housing, transportation infrastructure, economic growth, tourism management, and community engagement.

Is the city on the right track with affordable housing?

Candidates were asked whether Glenwood Springs is taking the right approach to addressing the high cost of housing and what more could be done.

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Schmahl said affordability is a challenge across many communities and won’t be solved overnight.

“It’s a big problem,” Schmahl said. “The demand to live in Glenwood Springs is always going to be way higher than what the supply can satisfy. From a private business perspective, if you want to have people working for you, you have to pay them, and that includes making sure they can afford to live here. I don’t believe that we are ever going to build our way out of this problem because demand will always outpace supply. The best we can do is find ways to mitigate it and support workers who are already here.”

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Smith said the city needs to create more paths to homeownership.

“I will prioritize opportunities and support for those who want to purchase their first home, an act that leads to financial equity, deeper community commitment, and informing good governance,” Smith said. “Housing support should prioritize local workers for shorter commutes, more time at home, and more engagement in schools and community. If we want families to stay here, they need to see a path to stability.”

Townsley, who has worked in mortgage financing for 30 years, noted that Glenwood’s housing market has changed drastically.

“When I first moved here, you could buy a nice house in downtown Glenwood for $60,000 to $70,000,” Townsley said. “Now, prices have skyrocketed. The idea of buying a home here for under $100,000 is impossible now, and that’s a tough reality for people who want to settle down. I don’t know if Glenwood is on track, but we can look at opportunities and see what others are doing to help make housing more attainable for working families. Right now, a lot of people feel like homeownership here is out of reach, and that’s something we need to address.”

Banks said the city should take lessons from other communities while avoiding costly missteps.

“We have $1.7 million annually to fund affordable housing, and I think we need to be smart about how we spend it,” Banks said. “One thing I’m really enthusiastic about is helping mobile home park tenants become mobile home park owners. It helps them build equity, creates strong neighborhoods, and keeps us from losing naturally occurring affordable housing. If a mobile home park gets redeveloped and those residents lose their homes, we’re digging an even deeper hole. This kind of solution gives people stability without requiring massive new developments.”

What additional types of economic development should Glenwood pursue?

Candidates were asked how Glenwood should approach economic growth, particularly in underutilized areas.

Smith said new development should align with the needs of the community.

“Development decisions have got to come back to city council, so that residents who have concerns, comments, or smart ideas have a representative body that will be responsive to them.”

Townsley said Glenwood should focus on balancing its tourism-driven economy with the needs of longtime residents.

“The caverns, the pool — these are institutions in this town, and they help drive our economy,” Townsley said. “We need to ask, ‘How do we support them while also making space for new opportunities?'”

Banks raised concerns about monopolies in the local economy.

“Tourism drives our economy,” Banks said. “We want to have a vibrant downtown with shops and restaurants, but monopolies — like having only one grocery store — worry me. When you don’t have competition, consumers lose, and that’s something I want to be mindful of when thinking about economic growth.”

Schmahl suggested mixed-use developments to make better use of existing space.

“A retail center with housing above it could work well at places like the Glenwood Springs Mall,” Schmahl said. “It would allow us to support local businesses while also addressing housing needs.”

How should Glenwood balance tourism and quality of life?

With Glenwood Springs relying heavily on tourism for the local economy, candidates were asked how to maintain a balance between attracting visitors and preserving residents’ quality of life.

Smith said tourism benefits the community when managed well.

“Much of the vibrancy of Glenwood Springs comes from its natural recreation,” Smith said. “That same beauty, those trails, rivers, hot springs, restaurants, music, art — these are things we enjoy just as much as visitors do. If we manage tourism well, it enhances our quality of life.”

Townsley said tourism should not come at the cost of local comfort.

“There’s a reason places like Venice, Italy, are rethinking how they manage tourism,” Townsley said. “We have to balance the needs of the people who live here and the businesses that rely on tourism. It’s a tough balance, but it’s one we need to be mindful of moving forward.”

Banks said keeping Glenwood desirable for residents will naturally benefit tourism.

“If we make Glenwood good for us, it will be good for the tourists,” Banks said.

Schmahl acknowledged that some residents feel overwhelmed by tourism but said it remains vital to the economy.

“It would be nice if we could just close the gates sometimes,” Schmahl said. “But the reality is, tourism is what keeps this town running.”

How should the city foster Latino representation in government?

Candidates were asked how Glenwood Springs could increase Latino involvement in city government and civic life.

Schmahl said representation should be based on open access rather than targeted outreach.

“I think our city government should be open and blind to race, creed, color, ethnicity,” Schmahl said. “We need to treat everybody equally across the board.”

Smith said outreach efforts should be intentional.

“Somewhere between 35 and 40% of our population is Latino,” Smith said. “We need to be more deliberate about reaching out, listening, and ensuring they feel encouraged to participate in government.”

Townsley said increased civic engagement often happens naturally when people put down roots in a community.

“Once people buy homes, once their kids are in school, that’s when they start engaging in the community more,” Townsley said. “We should make sure there are no barriers keeping people from participating.”

Banks said government should be welcoming but allow individuals to decide their level of involvement.

“Anyone who wants to get involved should feel encouraged and welcomed,” Banks said. “That’s the most important thing.”

A recording of the forum can be viewed at postindependent.com. Election day is April 1.