Public transportation has been at the forefront of many meetings between municipalities lately, and that trend continued on March 9 when residents spoke at the Silt Board of Trustees meeting.

The town of Silt heard backlash from citizens regarding Town Manager Jim Mann’s recently proposed idea to reallocate funds from the Garfield County Libraries with voter approval to fund the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority’s, RFTA, Hogback bus route. The Hogback route is the only RFTA route that connects Rifle and Silt to Glenwood Springs and farther upvalley.

The Garfield County Libraries were unaware of the idea, prompting public comment from Executive Director Jamie LaRue and Rifle City Council’s most recent meeting. Mayor Clint Hostettler of Rifle apologized for how the information came out after public comment was finished.

Garfield County Commissioners are contributing to the Hogback route system this year, but have said they will not be funding the transportation route in 2027, leaving Silt, Rifle, and RFTA to fund it. Commissioners, however, do currently contribute to the Parachute Area Transit System, PATS.

Rifle, Silt and Parachute are not part of RFTA. The last time the question of joining RFTA appeared on the ballot in those communities was about 20 years ago, and it was not on the ballot in Parachute. Since then, supporters say the communities have grown and their transportation needs have changed.

Silt’s Board of Trustees’ meeting on March 9 saw many public comments from residents who were in support of finding a way to fund public transportation, but disagreed vehemently on funding it with reallocation from the Garfield County Libraries, starting with Mark Reinhardt.

“Mass transit is typically always funded from taxing district, I’m sure everybody knows that. The library district is not a source for mass transit,” Reinhardt said. “I’ve worked at RFTA for 14 years, so I’m fairly familiar on what goes on there and I’ve driven the Hogback route many times.”

Historically, Reinhardt said, municipalities have passed taxing districts to help with public transportation. 

“The library is a tremendous asset to Silt, to all our communities,” Reinhardt said. “It’s a real focal point for citizens young and old.”

Lauren Lewis also spoke at public comment about the positive impact the Garfield County Libraries have had on her. 

“I’ve had some traumatic things happen in my life, 13 years ago, my brother killed himself, and it was books that helped me realize I wasn’t broken,” Lewis said. “It was books that helped me realize what was happening to my brain and my body is okay, and it was books that made me realize that it’s okay to ask for help.”

Lewis said it’s been books and therapy that helped her get through her loss. She also had a traumatic childbirth with her daughter and has since stayed inside more than going out.

“I felt brave, I went to a library class, I got a library card, and since then, we’ve started a book club, I get out of the house twice a month,” Lewis said. “I have adult conversations that are more than just about books, it’s turned into real friends, and for me, that’s big thing for me.”

Since obtaining her library card, Lewis has gone to classes on canning, sewing, soap-making, and more. 

Katrina McAlpine from New Castle called in through Zoom to comment and added to who uses the Libraries. 

“I don’t agree with taking money away from the libraries, people from all backgrounds, both political sides, use our libraries,” McAlpine said. “This should not be something that’s even talked about.”

Kimberly Leitzinger, who has lived in Silt for around 16 years, commented on the reallocation idea as well. 

“I’m not new, I even made my husband move here to marry me from Montrose,” Leitzinger said. “I also volunteer for the Western Colorado Alliance Garfield County chapter and we provided data in October about the need for transit, we did a bus survey and got an overwhelming response from Silt residents that they would vote for a sales tax for funding transit.”

Leitzinger stated the Garfield County Libraries are the incorrect source to get funding for mass transit. 

“Those are two essential services that we’re pitting against each other,” Leitzinger said. “What we should look at is, what is inessential? Access to knowledge and access to transportation, those are essential and should not be pitted as a fight against each other. In fact, if the funding gets taken from the libraries, I’ve talked to my husband about this, if the Silt Branch Library closes, we’re leaving.”